the environment we live in today?
The religious wrong (my new name for the religious right) would stone her to death and then go to a right to life meeting convinced in their own self-righteousness.
It's the truth.
Yet she was an instrument for Gods will.
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.
James 2:25
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
My god?
My god uses alcoholics,
sex addicts,
unconventional cannabis using freaks :-),
secular music,
whatever he chooses,
to make his points.
Psalm 115:3
Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
Colossians 1:16
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
"All things."
Not some things.
Not, this, but not that.
"All things."
The speaker at the last man up meeting I attended had it so right on so many fronts.
God is a supernatural God.
The redeeming atoning blood of Jesus is supernatural in nature.
To deny the supernatural is to deny this.
He said people is his church at first didn't want him to minister to youth because of his past,
drug use, trouble with the law etc.
I'd argue, he is exactly the kind of person that should be ministering to youth.
Holding somebody's past against them is what toxic people do.
It's not the least bit Christlike.
He made such a great point, about how church members today just expect people to walk through the doors already perfect, or at least similar to them in nature, instead of understanding people will come in whatever shape they are, and slowly work toward becoming a better Christian..
Matthew 21:28-32
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
People need to be reminded
“Truly I tell you,
the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you."
not to be so smug in their own self-righteousness.
It is the very thing Christ taught against.
I heard it preached :
"God doesn't do that anymore."
Thats biblical?
You can support that with scripture?
No. No you can't.
Plain and simple.
That dog just don't hunt.
Just because a preacher says it?
Doesn't make it so.
Hebrews 5:11-14
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
"it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers,
you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. "
I'm not uncomfortable anymore telling people the elementary truth of God's word.
The fact of the matter is this,
God always chooses to use the people you would least expect him too.
It's how he works.
(to many examples to list TBH)
Isaiah 55:9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
So?
When that woman of ill repute finally gets up the courage to come to your church?
And you walk in for service on Sunday morning?
And shes sitting on your pew?
In your spot?
How would you respond?
Trust me, I already know how 99% of the people I ever attended church with would respond.
It's not that hard to figure out.
(trust me the woman of ill-repute knows how you would respond too,
it's a big reason shes cant muster up the nerve to be at your service on Sunday)
My point is this.
Careful.
She could be the next Rahab.
The fact of the matter is you just don't know that shes not.
Not to mention, you don't own judgement to begin with.
Peace.
It's all I ever wanted for everybody.
I love you Lucy.
See you soon sweetheart.
:-).