Gtcotr/ss070818
Give
the Old Testament account of the harlot from Jericho. (Joshua 2 & 6)
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the
harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had
received the spies with peace.
Why
didn’t Rahab perish with all the rest of her friends and neighbors in Jericho? Rahab
was special. What made Rahab special? Rahab had the:
5
Essentials Every Harlot Needs to Be Her Best
In order to truly succeed in life every
harlot needs:
1. A call of God on their life.
·
Of
course, all harlots, and all people for that matter, have a call of God on
their lives which was given before the foundation of the world.
·
Every
person is special to God and every person is called of God.
·
Responding
to your call is the first critical key to your success.
·
What
else will it take for you to be at your best? Just like Rahab -
2. A willingness to change.
·
Nothing
changes until something changes.
·
Most
people who fail would not have if they had only changed.
·
The
biggest reason people don’t change is because they are unwilling to change.
·
Change
begins in the heart and mind and then is proven through actions. James demands
corresponding actions to prove faith.
·
Rahab
changed sides during a difficult time. Rahab believed it was better for her,
her family and her future to ally herself with the God of Israel than is was to
do nothing and die with her friends.
Joshua 6:17 Now the city
shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it.
Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the
house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
3. An Anti-Fragile quality of life.
·
While
stress poisons some people, those with this anti-fragile quality end up gaining
strength from chaos, disorder or stress.
·
More
than the ability to endure, this anti-fragile quality is the ability to make
gain in the face of uncertainty and adversity.
·
Anti-fragile
people excel in volatility and gain from the adventure.
·
The
more the are afflicted the more they multiply and grow. (Exodus 1:12) Light
afflictions work for them …
4. A Benevolent Benefactor chosen by God.
·
Like
Ruth needed Boaz
·
Like
Rebecca needed Isaac
·
Like
Mary needed Joseph
·
Like
the Church and every soul needs Jesus
·
We
all need a benevolent benefactor who is strong and capable enough to shepherd,
cover and care for us and to whom we can submit above our own strengths. Whose
benefactor are you?
5. An ability to outlive the past.
·
Outlive,
Out Last and Out Distance the past …
·
Moses,
Ruth, David, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Paul, and Mark and Rahab are but a few
Bible examples of people who outlived their past. Ally yourself with God and
you will outlive your troubles.
·
Your
future is not determined by your past but by your God. Don’t allow the past to
be your god.
·
Today
you should begin writing the last chapter in your life.
·
Only
the decisions you make today will determine if you will be remembered as a hero
or a zero. Will you be just one more harlot scheming to save your own life or
the heroine of Jericho who makes a decision to change your life, your family
and your future?
·
Rahab
ultimately became a great grandmother of Jesus!
Refuse to allow your
past to determine your future.
1.
Recognize the call of God on your life. It’s not just wishful thinking –
God has a plan for your life and He is speaking to you every day.
2.
Be willing to change – after a while, others will see that you did.
3.
Begin building your anti-fragile outlook on life. (2 Corinthians
4:17ff)
4.
Seek out and submit to your Benevolent Benefactor - God has called and
commissioned someone to care for you. His name is
Jesus!
5.
Begin writing
what you want to be the next chapter of your life.
When you get to heaven, people on earth will still talk about you.
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the
harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had
received the spies with peace.
The harlot did not perish because she put her
faith in God … have you?
