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November 13

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FAITH IN GOD CHANGES OUR IDENTITY AND OUR FUTURE

From: November 13, 2023

“It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies” (Hebrews 11:31 NLT).

Rahab lived in the ancient city of Jericho. She was a business woman who ran a house that offered meals, lodging and other entertainments. Both here in Hebrews 11 and in Joshua 2:1 and Joshua 6:22-25, Rahab was called a harlot. However, that identity did not prevent her from confessing her faith in God. For she hid the Israelite spies when they lodged with her and helped them escape unharmed when the Jericho king sought them. She did this because she was convinced that Jericho would fall to the Israelites because their God was truly God.

Listen to her confession of faith: “For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). Having made her confession of faith, she begged the spies to swear to her that they would spare her and her father’s family and deliver them from death. The spies promised to spare her just as she asked.

And so, when Jericho perished, Rahab’s family was saved. Not only that, but she was included into the tribe of Judah. For she married a Judahite named Salmon and later settled in Bethlehem. She bore him a son named Boaz, who married another non-Israelite named Ruth. Both women are listed in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1:5. Both were outsiders that were included in the family of faith, even the family of God. Both were women of faith in God.

We are all sinners and outsiders from God’s family, yet through faith in Christ Jesus, we are made righteous and adopted as children of God. Faith in Christ changes our identity and our future.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the testimony of Rahab. For it shows Your mercy and forgiveness towards those who would repent and confess their faith in You. It doesn’t matter where or who we’ve been in the past, You stand ready to give us a new identity and future through faith in Christ Jesus. Help us to walk in the new identity today through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward” (Hebrews 11:26 NLT).

From: November 13, 2022

I’D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN ANYTHING

The book of Hebrews teaches that it was “by faith” that Moses chose to be identified with God’s people rather than remain as the adopted son of Pharoah’s daughter. Moses was further commended for his faith in that he considered it better to suffer for “Christ” and look to a greater future reward with God, than it was to own the worldly treasures of Egypt.

For the Lord had revealed to Moses that He would one day “raise up” a Prophet from among his “brethren” who would speak every word the Lord told him to say to them (Deut. 18:15-19). This Prophet would be the Lord’s “Anointed One” (Which from the Hebrew is called “Messiah” and from Greek is called the “Christ”). Of whom, the Lord God had certainly revealed some aspect of to Moses. And for whom, Moses had by faith looked to and “written” about. For didn’t the Lord Jesus Himself say, “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46).

A favorite hymn, written by Rhea Miller in 1922, describes choosing Jesus over worldly and temporal things:

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that the Christ that Moses looked forward to, has been revealed to us. For it is by faith in Him that we have become Your children. Now help us to live by faith as we look to that Day when Christ returns. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed” (Hebrews 11:31 HCSB).

From: November 13, 2021

FAITH IN GOD CHANGES OUR IDENTITY AND OUR FUTURE

Rahab lived in the ancient city of Jericho. She was a business woman who ran a house that offered meals, lodging and other entertainments. Both here in Hebrews 11 and in Joshua 2:1 and Joshua 6:22-25, Rahab was called a harlot. However, that identity did not prevent her from confessing her faith in God. For she hid the Israelite spies when they lodged with her and helped them escape unharmed when the Jericho king sought them. She did this because she was convinced that Jericho would fall to the Israelites because their God was truly God.
 
Listen to her confession of faith: “For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11).
 
Having made her confession of faith, she begged the spies to swear to her that they would spare her and her father’s family and deliver them from death. The spies promised to spare her just as she asked.
 
And so, when Jericho perished, Rahab’s family was saved. Not only that, but she was included into the tribe of Judah. For she married a Judahite named Salmon and later settled in Bethlehem. She bore him a son named Boaz, who married another non-Israelite named Ruth. Both women are listed in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1:5. Both were outsiders that were included in the family of faith, even the family of God. Both were women of faith in God.
 
We are all sinners and outsiders from God’s family, yet through faith in Christ Jesus, we are made righteous and adopted as children of God. Faith in Christ changes our identity and our future.
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the testimony of Rahab. For it shows Your mercy and forgiveness towards those who would repent and confess their faith in You. It doesn’t matter where or who we’ve been in the past, You stand ready to give us a new identity and future through faith in Christ Jesus. Help us to walk in the new identity today through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31 NKJV).

From: November 13, 2020

FAITH IN GOD CHANGES OUR IDENTITY AND OUR FUTURE

Rahab lived in the ancient city of Jericho. She was a business woman who ran a house that offered meals, lodging and other entertainments. Both here in Hebrews 11 and in Joshua 2:1 and Joshua 6:22-25, Rahab was called a harlot. However, that identity did not prevent her from confessing her faith in God. For she hid the Israelite spies when they lodged with her and helped them escape unharmed when the Jericho king sought them. She did this because she was convinced that Jericho would fall to the Israelites because their God was truly God.
 
Listen to her confession of faith: “For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11).
 
Having made her confession of faith, she begged the spies to swear to her that they would spare her and her father’s family and deliver them from death. The spies promised to spare her just as she asked.
 
And so, when Jericho perished, Rahab’s family was saved. Not only that, but she was included into the tribe of Judah. For she married a Judahite named Salmon and later settled in Bethlehem. She bore him a son named Boaz, who married another non-Israelite named Ruth. Both women are listed in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1:5. Both were outsiders that were included in the family of faith, even the family of God. Both were women of faith in God.
 
We are all sinners and outsiders from God’s family, yet through faith in Christ Jesus, we are made righteous and adopted as children of God. Faith in Christ changes our identity and our future.
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the testimony of Rahab. For it shows Your mercy and forgiveness towards those who would repent and confess their faith in You. It doesn’t matter where or who we’ve been in the past, You stand ready to give us a new identity and future through faith in Christ Jesus. Help us to walk in the new identity today through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
 

“He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward” (Hebrews 11:26 NLT).

From: November 13, 2019

THAT FAITH WHICH CHOOSES ETERNITY WITH CHRIST OVER TEMPORAL THINGS

The book of Hebrews teaches that it was “by faith” that Moses chose to be identified with God’s people rather than remain as the adopted son of Pharoah’s daughter. Moses was further commended for his faith in that he considered it better to suffer for “Christ” and look to a greater future reward with God, than it was to own the worldly treasures of Egypt. For the Lord had revealed to Moses that He would one day “raise up” a Prophet from among his “brethren” who would speak every word the Lord told him to say to them (Deut. 18:15-19). This Prophet would be the Lord’s “Anointed One” (Which from the Hebrew is called “Messiah” and from Greek is called the “Christ”). Of whom, the Lord God had certainly revealed some aspect of to Moses. And for whom, Moses had by faith looked to and “written” about. For didn’t the Lord Jesus Himself say, “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46).
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that the Christ that Moses looked forward to, has been revealed to us. For it is by faith in Him that we have become Your children. Now help us to live by faith as we look to that Day when Christ returns. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord” (Ezekiel 28:12 NLT).

From: November 13, 2018

A FUNERAL DIRGE FOR A FALLEN KING
The Lord gave the prophet Ezekiel the words for a dirge to be sung for the king of Tyre. Yet, the words to the funeral song seem to at times describe the state of Satan before he was cast down. The lyrics might be seen as portraying Satan assigning divine attributes and honors to himself through his influence over the earthly king of Tyre. In some ways, this description of the king of Tyre foreshadows the beast spoken of in Daniel and Revelation.
 
So, who is this lament for? As the Scripture says, it is for the king of Tyre. Yet, it pulls back the curtain on the spiritual world, revealing both the influences and dark forces at work behind the scenes and the sovereign power of God over such realms.

“By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31 NKJV).

From: November 13, 2017

It was not Rahab’s status, but her faith that saved her. She believed that the Lord had already given the land to the Israelites. She believed the Red Sea crossing story and all the other miracles she had heard of their wilderness journey. By faith she protected the two Israelite spies and made them promise to save her and her family. By faith she hung the scarlet cord in her window as a sign to the Israelites when they returned to attack Jericho. By faith she and her family were the only ones who did not perish when the walls of Jericho fell. By faith she was included in Israel and married into the tribe of Joshua. By faith she bore Boaz who married Ruth and was included in the line of David and mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus as recorded by Matthew. She was saved by grace, but it was through faith that she received these many blessings.

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:24-25 ESV)

From: November 13, 2016

Hebrews chapter 11 contains a list of people who have “by faith” chosen to trust and identify with God, rather than put their hope into the things of this world. Moses is among those in this faith hall of fame. He could have chosen to life as an Egyptian Prince, but by faith he chose to be an Exiled Pilgrim instead. Everyone who decides to live by faith will feel the same tension. For we are in the world, but not of it (John 17:14-18). Where do you put your hope? In a job, a bank account, or an election? Why not join Moses and the other exiles who live and walk “by faith? Let us put our faith and hope in God!

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son” (Hebrews 11:17 NKJV)

From: November 13, 2015

Abraham proceeded to obey God’s instruction to sacrifice his son because he trusted in God’s promise concerning Isaac. He had faith in God’s promises and instructions over his own desires. He reasoned that since God had already promised that Isaac was the son by which he would receive the promised generations (Gen.21:12), then God would have to raise Isaac from the dead in order to fulfill it. Of course, God did not require Abraham to follow through with this test of faith. Yet, the quality of Abraham’s faith was revealed by his willingness. His faith led him to put loving God above his love for his son. Abraham’s faith was rewarded in that not only did God provide a goat to die as proxy for Isaac, He also provided His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the whole world.

“Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings” (Ezekiel 28:17 NLT)

From: November 13, 2014

What started as a prophecy against the king of Tyre, ended up being a description of Satan’s origin and fall. Perhaps the connection is that the pride of beauty, power and wisdom tempted both of them to sin. Some would say that pride is the root of sin. Saying, “I will,” rather than “If God wills” is the attitude that leads to disobedience. Thus, the proverb, “Pride goeth before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).