Rahab Most of us know her, some may not recall her right off.   But when we hear her name and hear her story, your first opinion of her is probably marked by her vocation...  That label seems to mark so many of us.  She isn't remembered for being a mother, a daughter, a nurturer, a provider but for the way she resorted to providing for her family.   Rahab was a prostitute... yes we are going to talk today about a prostitute and the mighty way God worked and used her in the history of not only Israel but Jesus himself. 

This story comes out of the book of Joshua.  

Join us as we discuss Rahab, her past and her methods of help that led to the capture of Jericho and the success of Joshua's first battle as leader.  

She chooses faith before she really even knew who God was.  

She is now labeled by grace instead of sin.

She is now remembered for being in the lineage of Jesus Christ and not the line of shame she had in her past. 

Rahab is another amazing example of our God taking the least and turning it into something for His glory!

We hope that through our discussion you remember:

"Our worth is not determined by how others see us or how we view ourselves but how God sees us!" (The Daily Grace Co. Take Heart  )

Scriptures Referenced:  Joshua 1:11, 2 and 6

Prayer is the open communication, the requirement of intimacy...

When we are covering our lives with prayer and constant communication with Christ it creates a hedge around us and helps us to fight Satan.  God enters into our sorrow, happiness, joy and anxiety with us, we are not alone, pray is the door that we open to invite Him to be intimately involved.  

Don't feel ashamed to come before the Lord with our cares and burdens, He waits and wants them.  

Often, we want to use pray as a tool or a method of changing our circumstances, however the deeper purpose of prayer is God using it to change us.  

Today, we will discuss a few questions related to our prayer life: 

When do you pray?

If you evaluated your prayer habits, what would they look like? 

What would your faith look like if you refused to pray?

We hope today's discussion is productive and displays how prayer builds our trust in God and in turn builds our faith. 

Scripture References: 

1 Timothy 2: 8-10

John 15:5

1 Thessalonians 5:17

James 5:16

Ephesians 3:17-19

And if you are like Mallory and Holly and your prayer life still needs to be stronger, don't give up or get discouraged.  Prayer is a journey, a constant and continual lifeline we need... keep working and striving to grow and go deeper with Him. 

Fog, we have all been in the middle of it, consumed by it and unable to do anything about it.  Fog is a low-lying cloud; it moves in unexpectedly and unannounced.  Fog affects our vision, makes it difficult to distinguish between light and darkness.  The Mandelbaum effect is when our vision can only fixate on what is three feet in front of us, what is close to us.  Shame is that fog.  Shame moves in and consumes our thoughts and spirit.  Just like the low-lying cloud of fog, shame moves in often times unannounced and clouds our vision of ourselves and God.  Shame smudges the lines of clarity till all we can see, and feel is a thick layer of gloom.  We feel lost, unseen and consumed by the inability to see the light.  

God is that light! 

Gpd doesn't work in shame, He works in grace!

Episode Scripture: Romans 10:11 " As scripture says, anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame."

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Psalm 34:4-5 "I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed."

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 12:2 "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

Psalm 103:8-12 "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."