Real Faith

I have read James 2:25 many times. It says, "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?" I have always thought it is was cool of God to use a prostitute because then when people tell me that God can't use somebody becasue of what they did in their past I can point out to them that God used Rahab, a prostitute. It also convicts me when I make excuses to God about why I can't to certain things and He reminds me that He used Rhab, a prostitute.

That verse in James was nice, but to be honest it was just that nice. And then I was reading Joshua chapter two, the story of Rahab and Wow! God took that passage and showed me some awesome faith in this prostitute. Rhab. In verse nine, she tells the spies that she knows that God has already given the land to Israel. In verse ten she tells the spies about how she believed the accounts of God drying up the Red Sea and how God helped Israel defeat King Sihon and King Og. She did not see theseevents  are have any physical proof, but she believed. Then in verse eleven she tells them that she knows that God is God in heaven above and the earth below. In her culture gods were see as having control of areas or territories. Rahab expresses faith that God is the God of everything. Then finally she has faith that if she helps the spies that God will spare her and her family. When the spies tell her what to do to make sure that her and her famiy are spared, she does it.

So now I read James 2:25 with more awe for what God can do and who He can do it though and more respect for Rahab's faith. She had a faith which showed trust in God and lead to action with God. I believe that God wants to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls in my life, in my church, in all other believers' lives and in all God's churches. If I really believe that I should be willing to obey God to do anything He wants to move that along. 

Joe