From the 2024 “New Year New Joy” Womens Conference in Grantsville, West Virginia January 6, 2024
Can you remember the movie Pretty Woman? How many of you go back to 1990 when you hear that song….
I’m sorry to take your mind to such worldly place on the day of our ladies retreat. But when I began to study for this event, I realized that God used some characters that did not fit into the normal Baptist women mold. There would be some churches that wouldn’t even welcome God’s 41st Great Grandmother into the house of the Lord. Imagine?
And she is our topic of discussion today as I maybe introduce you to some outside the box ideas of who God is willing to use in the ministry of the Lord.
When I think about the fact that God has allowed me to be The Jesus Chick, I’m shocked for a few reasons. First of all, nobody but me knows how undeserving I am of that title. It was given to me by a preacher early in my Christian walk, because I was always talking about Jesus. I could not get enough of the word of God and I would listen to any preacher that would talk to me. I wanted to pick their brains about what the word of God meant. I wanted to understand who I was in Christ and where I was heading. And so this preacher began calling me “The Jesus Chick,” and it stuck. I started the Jesus Chick ministry in 2010 and the rest is history. But what’s not history is the fact that I feel like a failure, nine days out of ten as the Jesus Chick. Because from the time I was a child I was groomed to believe that church women wear knee length dresses, very little make up and only as much bling as not to draw attention to yourself.
So when I read that someone of the character of Rahab in the lineage of Jesus Christ, and I go back and read her history, I feel hope for myself. Isn’t it the truth with the most of us that we feel better about ourselves when we’re in the presence of someone else who struggles with life. It makes us not feel so doggone bad about ourselves if we’re hanging out with utter failures.
It’s the same when I hear a preacher, or another Christian share with me their struggles. And it’s why it’s important as children of God that we’re honest about who we are. I have always felt less. I felt less than my smart sister Shelia. I felt less than my outgoing sister Sarah.
I’ve met enough Susie Seat Savers and Holy Harriett’s to last me a life time. Those who pretend like their poop don’t stink and they are above reproach in the house of God. I love people who let me see who they really are. I think Rahab was that kind of woman. She wasn’t a pretender. Behind her less than godly lifestyle was a woman who truly cared about her family and the people of God.
And I think that is most women. We’re just trying to survive. And when we start looking at who we are, and our imperfections and lining ourselves up next to those perfect women, whether it’s on social media, in the church or others in our family, it sows seeds of doubt in our character that can cause us not to step out when we’re given the opportunity.
I have to wonder what would have happened if Rahab had sent the spies to a better part of town? What if she had “thought” about who she was, where she came from, what she had done, she may not have hid the spies, and may not have even answered the door.
So I’ll ask you today, what doors have you closed, or refused to open because you don’t feel you’re worthy of the chance. I’m going to switch up the direction your mind is going right now. My first topic is
The Unlikely Escort
I love secret agent and romantic comedy movies. Those are my favorite. And this is how this story plays out to me. Joshua sends two of his guys out, no names, so I’m calling them Richard Gear and Pierce Brosnan. you pick your own heroes to play the characters in the story. And they go to the home of Rahab, who looks a lot like Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman.” And scripture says
Joshua 2:1 KJV
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Why there? Likely because it wasn’t uncommon for men folk of all kinds to visit Rahab’s establishment. God said she was a harlot. He did not make any bones about the fact that she was a woman of the evening and not of reputable character. And the two strange men showing up at her house wouldn’t immediately raise any questions.
Do you know that God doesn’t not care who you’ve been, He only cares about who you are now.
When Rahab, (aka Julia Roberts) decided that she was going to serve God and help His people, the fact she was a hooker didn’t matter. She knew that the God of the Israelites was a big enough deal to change her life for. That’s what I discovered in 1996. I wasn’t a harlot, but sin is sin. No matter the kind.
Joshua 2:2-21 KJV
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. [3] And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. [4] And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: [5] And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. [6] But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
A lesson that every Christian can learn from Rahab is to:
Have Courage in the Face of Adversity.
Rahab was so brave, if she’d been caught in her lie, it would have likely gotten her killed. Probably right on the spot. No arrest. Just slaughtered. Because the King could have cared less about a hooker from the wrong side of the tracks. We cannot identify with Rahab’s life because the culture of their day was so much different than ours today. But we can identify with adversity about lifestyles, but unfortunately ours is from the other direction. Rahab wasn’t living in an area where religion was an issue. Except false religions. But nobody was judging her because she wasn’t at church on Sunday. She was judged because she was a woman and She was a prostitute. Both of which put her way down on the list for an
`yone caring about her. But here she was being looked down upon of her profession and being born a woman. But you don’t see a woman living in fear. Or having any intention of staying in that lowly position.
In this story we learn that being a hooker was not her only line of work. She was into agriculture and maybe even the fashion industry. The flax would have been dried and used to make linen and wool. So Rahab wasn’t lazy. She was creative. She may have been a little loose with her ethics, but she had her priorities in order.
Today’s conference was done for the purpose of encouraging women to find joy in their lives where they are. Look at Rahab’s life. From our perspective we see no reason for joy in her circumstances. But I don’t believe that’s how it was. I believe Rahab did have joy in working to be a better woman.
She was aware of what was going on in the community. She had heard that Israel was coming. She knew that her people were in danger, and she had determined if she ever got the chance she was going to take are of her family. What a noble woman. If God could look past her lifestyle and use her in the Kingdom, even allowing her to be named on the family tree of Christ, why would he not do something equally amazing with us?
If we put our priorities in line, would they look like Rahab’s?
Concern for our family?
Concern for the community?
Concern for making a living?
What’s changed? Absolutely nothing. This is still the priority of most women. But are we so bold as Rahab to stand up in the face of adversity?
What about
Having Courage to Answer when God Calls
So these men of the king took after the spies. And when they did, Rahab gave the all clear to the the two spies, Richard and Pierce, to head out of the city. But before she let them go, she got saved. At that time Christ was prophesied, not known, Salvation was and is in the belief of the Only true God. So this is what scripture says that Rahab tells the spies.
[9] And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. [10] For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. [11] And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
So here’s another question for you. Do you understand how amazing God is? Has your heart ever melted like Rahab and her people when you discovered who God was. She had heard of His miracles. When I got saved, God put me in a place where I heard the miracles. I not only heard them, I experienced a few of them on my own. But over the years you forget the miracles if you don’t share the stories.
When I say miracles, I’m not talking about Moses parting the water level of miracles, but for my life, what God did was amazing.
The house almost repossessed and unknowing friend handed me $1,000 for no reason.
The snow donut – as a new convert I wanted to go to church on a Wednesday night of a snow storm, and only our county had a whole in the radar of no snow! That’s my God!
The open heart surgery – 3 heart attacks, 2 blockages in the widow maker, open heart surgery, out of the in 5 days, back at church and singing in the choir.
Those are just a few of the miracles that I experienced. In the beginning of my salvation I had such big faith. Rahab had to have had big faith to do what she did.
She not only had the courage to answer when God called but
She had Courage to Ask
[12] Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: [13] And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. [14] And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. [15] Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. [16] And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. [17] And the men said unto her, We orewill be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. [18] Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. [19] And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. [20] And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. [21] And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
Remember what I said about Rahab’s priorities. She asked God to protect her family. Talk about a miracle. When that was fell in Jericho, guess who’s house was still standing. Do you know that when the world falls apart around us, if we have our priorities in check, our house will remain standing. She trusted that God would protect her family if she remained faithful and God did. She was bold enough to ask for the impossible. Can you imagine the joy in that house, when that wall fell and they were safe. Yes, they were sad about their friends. But they had joy in the safety of the Lord.
In this day and age, we need the joy of the Lord in our families. And we need to experience the level of courage that Rahab did in order to experience the joy. You cannot have one without the other.
There’s going to be Sister Susie Seat Savers and Holy Harriett’s in Heaven. They’re saved. But there will not be snarky attitudes in Heaven. Remember the scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts went back to that boutique and told that snotty woman about the sale she missed out on. Well, I have to wonder if when Rahab got to Heaven, if she didn’t swing by the mansions of Susie and Harriett, and maybe point out that hers was located a little closer to Jesus’ place, and that maybe the job Jesus gave her was hospitality hostess of the banquet room and she was responsible for the seating chart. And Susie and Harriett were going to be at the far left of the back of the room.
Jesus gives us a story like Rahab to put some common sense in our life about who He believes is important. It’s not about the fact that Rahab was a Harlot. It’s the fact that Rahab’s heart was right.
Our positions in this life have nothing to do with our positions in Heaven. That is entirely dependent upon how we spend our life. Are you going to spend it with Joy, or are you going to spend it in judgement of yourself, other people.
What Adversity are you facing in your life?
How are you Answering God when He asks you to step up?
What are you willing to ask God to do.
We look at joy as Jesus, others, yourself.
That is exacting what Rahab did. She trusted God above all else. She took care of her family. And in so doing, took care of herself being named in the family tree of Christ.
So we’re going to take a break, and then we’re going to be creative like Rahab. We’re going to give each of you an ornament and provide decorations that you can hot glue to your hearts content and create something that will bring joy to you when you look at it because you’re reminded that you too are in the lineage of Christ through the blood of Jesus.
