Joy Duckett

Q 3. Why is a prostitute honored by being mentioned three times in the New Testament? Her faith in Yahweh was imputed to her as righteousness just as Abraham's faith in what God promised was counted as righteousness. I like the fact that she was mentioned, in James 2:23, in the same breath as Abraham, the father of faith. She heard about the Israelite's God, Yahweh, and she decided to link herself with Him. How does God look on prostitution? On Prostitutes? God truley is in the redeeming business. Jesus gave His life for the prostitute also. Because of God's grace, when we believe on Him and His Word, He is merciful and just to forgive us of our sins. I believe that God was pleased with Rahab because of her faith in Him and added her to the geneology of Jesus Christ. Our God is the God of a second chance. How did Jesus treat prostitutes? It's true, Jesus did hang out with sinners. He said that He came to set the captives free. Set them free from the bondage of sin. Jesus loved the sinners, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the people on the lower rung of society. We can see the mercy and kindness that Jesus showed towards people when we read about the woman caught in the act of adultry, the woman at the well who had been with many men and many other sinners. We serve a forgiving God who wants the sinner saved.

Q 2. What indicated that Rahab believes in Israel's God Yahweh? What does she believe about Yahweh? Rahab had heard of the Israelite's God, Yahweh, and the miracles that He had done on behalf of the Israelites. She stated, "I know that the LORD has given this land to you." "... for The LORD your God is God in heaven above and in earth below." Rahab and purposed in her heart that she would anchor herself to Yahweh. She had grown to respect and fear Him, How deep was her faith? Her faith was deep enough to risk her life and the lives of her family. Had she been found out she and her family would have been killed. How deep a faith does someone need to have in order to be saves from the destruction of a city? Enough faith to act upon that faith. She knew that she had to hide these spies. She might possibly have sensed that the Israelites God, Yahweh, was watching and she was on His side. Rahab wanted to be saved from destruction because Yahweh was powerful. From eternal punishment? We just need faith in Jesus Christ, God's Son. Believe that He suffered death on the cross to pay our sin debt and that He rose from the dead. Jesus ascended to heaven and is sitting at the right hand of His Father praying and interceding for us. We who believe in Jesus will join Him in heaven and had eternal life.

Q 1. What were the spies sent to learn? I believe the spies were sent to learn Jericho's strengths and weaknesses. The spies were seeking any openings around this city that they could possibly get their men through; any hedges that had openings. Why do you think they sought to lodge in a prostitute's house? The prostitute's (Rahab's) house, which was her place of business, I'm sure was bustling and busy with many men of Jericho, as well as, men from other parts of the region. Lot's of talking and bragging going on among these men. This was an excellent atmosphere to extract information. Do you think God sent them there? Yes, I do. God had seen Rahab's heart and her faith in Him the God of the Israelites. She had already heard of their God and determined in her heart that He was God and not the gods of people of Jericho.

Q 2. Why is God's promise to be always with Joshua so important to him? Joshua had the opportunity to watch God using Moses to lead the Children of Israel during their exodus out of Egypt, the miracles that God blessed Israel through Moses during their forty years in the desert, up until Moses' death. Joshua was a first hand witness of God's faithfulness to Moses' and the Children of Israel. God's promise to Joshua to always be with him was complete reassurance that the Israelites would be sucessfull in taking the land that God promised to his forefather Abraham, as well as Moses. Joshua had always been a courageous warrior, but With God's promise, Joshua knew that he and the Israelites would be divinely protected. Why is this promise so important to you in your present situation? The promise that God made to Joshua is a promise that I can believe God for myself. When I look back over my life and the trials and tribulations that I have endured (most of which were due to my own disobedience), I recognized that God was with through all of it. I am so grateful for His faithfulness and loyalty. I am thankful for His mercy, His grace, and His great Love for me. If God is with you, what limitatons do you have? The only limitations that I would have would be the ones that I put on myself by not going out to take back what the enemy has stolen. I must make the active move by faith. Afterall, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Q 1. In what way is God's promise to Joshua, "I will give you every place you set your foot," a conditional promise? I truly believe that it about faith. Do we believe God means what He says? Do we trust Him? We show that we believe and trust Him when we step out in faith and make that move or action to show God that we believe Him and trust everything that He has promised. God says what He means and means what He says. Q 2. What wrong with a faith that consists primarily of the philosophy: " If God wants me to have it he will give it to me?" That sounds like someone having a sense of entitlement. Whatever God promises you He will provide. Our part is to believe Him, obey Him and make an action move by stepping out in faith. God promised Joshua that the Children of Israel would have that land. Joshua said okay, then he and his men took up the weapons available to them at the time and went to battle.

Q1. What is your relationship to Jesus as your Rabbi? It is because of this lesson that I see Jesus as my Rabbi, my teacher. He is my Lord and Master. And I know my life is greatly blessed as I follow Jesus and obey His teaching. How often do you come to him to teach you? I have grown even closer to Jesus during this past year and I depend on Him and need Him to teach me all things. How teachable do you think you are? In my past I was not very teachable. I thought I knew it all. But now, I must humbly acknowledge that I must and want to be teachable.

In John 14: 12-14 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it." I believe that we should seek the will of God when we pray and ask in Jesus name. God's will is for His children to be whole and blessed. I think when we ask for what we need in Jesus name we really get God's attention. Well, ask yourself, "Is what I am praying for in the will of God?"

I think because the Word of God altogether seems like foolishness to those who are perishing. Jesus and all that He stands for is not popular amongst the majority of this world's people. So, certainly we as followers of Jesus Christ will experience jeering, taunting, ridicule, persecution, even death because we identify with Jesus, God's precious Son. For example, if we are among our family or friends and something negative is said about Christ, we become afraid and too embarrassed to speak up. For example, if we react like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Book of Daniel. They told King Nebuchadnezzar that they would not bow down to him.

Question 1a. Jesus' name means to save, to rescue, to preserve, to keep from harm/ to preserve from eternal death. 1b. When I learned and heard about Jesus and what He did on the cross for me, by taking all my sins, as well as the world's sins, upon himself, paid my sin debt, I accepted Him as my Savior. He saved me from eternal damnation and death.

Why does Daniel ask his friends to "plead for mercy"? I believe that Daniel knew that corporate intercessory prayer would please God. Daniel and his friends were righteous men of God and God would hear and answer their prayer. Joy Duckett