Chapter 1:
God Uses Ordinary People
The world, and sometimes even the church, are impressed by people with wealth, fame, beauty, popularity and high levels of education and accomplishment. Yet, these are not the criteria God uses when He chooses people to be used by Him. He isn't looking for flashy, charismatic, powerfully gifted, highly accomplished people to do His mighty works. Instead He is looking for simple, ordinary women and men with a passionate longing to seek His face and do whatever He asks of them..
"God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and He has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty" (1 Corinthians 1:27 KJV).
"Therefore, all you leaders and followers alike are to be down to earth with each other for God has had it with the proud. But He takes delight in just plain people" (1 Peter 5:5 MESSAGE)
"Therefore, all you leaders and followers alike are to be down to earth with each other for God has had it with the proud. But He takes delight in just plain people" (1 Peter 5:5 MESSAGE)
The same was true of Rahab. There was nothing remarkable about her life. Her occupation was slightly irregular perhaps, but other than that she lived a life that was nothing short of mundane. She certainly doesn’t appear to be someone that God would desire to have in His kingdom. Not from our perspective at least. Rahab had three strikes against her.
STRIKE #1: SHE WAS A CANAANITE, NOT A JEW.
The Canaanites were the enemy. According to God’s own command they were to be exterminated. All of them. Yet here is one of the enemy showing kindness and compassion to the Israeli spies. So, maybe not all of the enemy could be labeled as wicked, evil ogres. We’re treading on dangerous ground when we start labeling people because they belong to a certain class of people.
STRIKE #2: SHE WAS A WOMAN.
An old daily Jewish prayer went like this, “I thank my God that I was not born a Gentile, or a woman.” This was the prevailing attitude toward women in that society. Women were viewed as second-class citizens. But that wasn’t necessarily God’s attitude towards women. In this case, God worked through a person named Rahab, who just happened to be a woman. Which should tell us that God doesn’t play favorites. God can work through anyone, even the ordinary and unlikely.
STRIKE #3: SHE WAS A PROSTITUTE.
I told you she had a rather unusual occupation. Doesn’t this make you just a wee bit squeamish? Doesn’t it make you wonder about God’s judgment, at this point? Why would God choose a prostitute? Surely there was someone of more reputable character who would’ve done the same thing. There may have been, but I think God did it to teach us something about His own character. A part of His character that’s difficult for some of us to accept.
Let’s assume that it doesn’t bother us that Rahab was a Canaanite. Let’s also assume that it doesn’t bother us that she was a woman. But (be honest) doesn’t the idea of God working through a prostitute make you a little uncomfortable?
Back in my younger days when I first read this story and realized what a prostitute was, and that Rahab was one of them, it nearly blew all my spiritual circuits. “God only works through righteous folks, not harlots.”
Of course, that was back in the days when I was young, naïve, and righteous myself. After I had made a few mistakes of my own and had been thoroughly condemned by the “righteous” folks, I could read this story with renewed understanding. I began to understand that God sees potential in every one, and not just in those who see themselves as the “religious elite,” but even those of us who have fallen down and stained our clothes.
There are a couple of lessons here that speak to us on a very personal level.
FIRST, IT REMINDS US THAT GOD HAS MORE GRACE THAN MOST PEOPLE DO.
There are some of you here who are struggling with this very issue. “Can God forgive me after all the things I’ve done?” is the question some of you are asking.
In your life you’ve seen more than your share of spiritual pigpens. Like the prodigal son maybe you’ve wasted your father’s inheritance in riotous living, and now you’re living with the pigs, trying your best to survive on what little you can wrestle away from the pigs.
Let’s stop talking in parables and be candid for a moment. Some of you have done things you wouldn’t want the people sitting around you to find out about. There’s a segment of your life that you wouldn’t want made into a movie. You’ve tried and tried to erase it from your memory bank, but every so often Satan throws it back in your face again. “Remember this….”
In November of 1999 in Lubbock, Texas, Jimmy Allen, the former President of the Southern Baptist Convention, spoke about one of the greatest hurts of his life. His daughter-in-law and his two grandsons, had all become infected with HIV from a tainted blood transfusion received during her first pregnancy. That wasn’t the biggest hurt, though. They were rejected by church after church, including a Disciples of Christ church in Colorado, where his son the father was fired. In Allen’s words: "The first man in history to reach out and voluntarily touch lepers didn’t die of leprosy. He died at the hands of religious leaders who wouldn’t have touched a leper on a bet."
For those of us who are struggling with guilt and broken dreams the story of how God used Rahab, a prostitute, offers a renewed hope. God can and will use you in his kingdom. Others may not forgive you, accept you, or even tolerate you, but God does, because God has more grace than most people.
I think there’s another lesson for us to learn.
SECOND, WE CANNOT AFFORD THE LUXURY OF BEING PREJUDICED OR PLAYING FAVORITES.
James warned us about playing favorites between the rich and the poor. I believe the same warning can be applied to playing favorites between any groups of people. Just because a person belongs to a certain economic group (rich or poor), is of a different racial origin, is male or female, tall or short, fat or thin, handsome or ugly, doesn’t mean God cannot still use them.
Back in the days of desegregation a mother nervously awaited her daughter’s return from the first day of school. When she arrived the mother quickly asked, “How was it?” The little white girl said, “Mommy, I sat next to a black girl all day.” The mom said, “What happened?” The little girl replied, “We were both so scared we held hands together all day long!”
God has a way of working through the most ordinary and unlikely people. In fact, some of them are us.
The question still remains: why did God choose Rahab rather than someone more respectable? The text reveals some insights as to why God chose Rahab.
FIRST, SHE HAD THE COURAGE TO RISK HER LIFE TO SERVE OTHERS.
Rahab didn’t have a lot of time to sort out all the issues. She had to make a snap decision. She had heard about the Israelites, and now there were 2 in her house. She immediately hid them on the roof of her house, and in so doing put her own life in jeopardy.
Why would she risk her life to save these two men; enemies no less?! She recognized that these men weren’t just from another country, they were God’s people. (read v. 8-11). Rahab realized that this was no ordinary nation with another ordinary god carved out of wood or stone. As she put it so eloquently, “…the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
When was the last time you took any risks for God? When was the last time you sat down and considered all the things that God has done—the miracles, the healings, the providential work? And then, when was the last time you considered the things He has promised He will do in the future?
When we recognize how great and powerful and awesome God is I believe we will do the same thing as Rahab—we will be willing to take courageous risks to serve His people. That’s the kind of people God is looking for. People who have the courage to take some risks, trusting in His power, and His promises.
SECOND, GOD CHOSE RAHAB BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF GOD.
When Rahab tells the spies about the effect Israel has on the citizens of Jericho she reveals what it is that sets her apart from the rest. (read v.9)
Rahab acknowledged that Israel was creating this widespread panic, not because of their great military strength, but because God was with them. The others were only looking at what Israel had done, she acknowledges God as the power behind their success.
Isn’t it amazing? This supposedly ungodly, unregenerate prostitute was able to believe in God because she had heard about His power. She had not seen it for herself, she had only heard about it, and believed.
I sometimes think God’s people are the last ones to acknowledge God’s power in the world. I’ve known Christians who will flatly deny that God is personally involved in their lives.
We must be open to the truth that God is at work in our world today, and the things that happen aren’t just by coincidence. And neither should we deny God’s power simply because we haven’t personally witnessed it.
THIRD, GOD CHOSE RAHAB BECAUSE SHE HAD AN ACTIVE FAITH.
A NT writer is the one who points out Rahab’s faith to us. James 2:18-20; 25-26 (read).
I find it fascinating that God chose a person whose lifestyle was abhorrent, but whose faith was alive and active. Don’t get the wrong idea. Don’t go out of here saying that “Jerry said we could live anyway we want to as long as we have faith,” because that’s not what I’m saying. When it comes to being useful in God’s kingdom, God is more concerned with whether our faith is active, than whether our lifestyle is perfect. God is more concerned that we have the courage to take risks for Him. God is more concerned that we acknowledge his power.
The rest of the story also has God’s touch written all over it. The rest of the story? Rahab is in the genealogy of Jesus. God certainly has a sense of humor.
There is a story about a little girl who had a large collection of dolls, of every description. It was obvious that her dolls brought her much pleasure. A visitor asked her which of her dolls was her favorite. "Just a moment," she said as she rushed into another room. In a moment she was back with a doll that would have been rejected by Goodwill. One of the eyes was off, the cloth hair was hanging by a single thread, the dress was worn and dirty, one shoe was missing. The visitor was surprised. "Why do you love this doll so much?" she asked. The little girl answered shyly, "Because if I didn’t nobody else would."
Rahab—dirty, stained by the world, and her own sinfulness. But God loved her anyway. That’s the way our God loves. He takes us as we are—broken, stained, sinful, and he loves us anyway. And He uses us anyway.
The world, and sometimes even the church, are impressed by people with wealth, fame, beauty, popularity and high levels of education and accomplishment. Yet, these are not the criteria God uses when He chooses people to be used by Him. He isn't looking for flashy, charismatic, powerfully gifted, highly accomplished people to do His mighty works. Instead He is looking for simple, ordinary women and men with a passionate longing to seek His face and do whatever He asks of them..
"God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and He has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty" (1 Corinthians 1:27 KJV).
"Therefore, all you leaders and followers alike are to be down to earth with each other for God has had it with the proud. But He takes delight in just plain people" (1 Peter 5:5 MESSAGE)
Eyes of faith
Chapter 3:
Ordinary to Extra-Ordinary
Chapter 4:
God,s Provision
Chapter 5:
Created to Change somebody
Chapter 6:
Legacy in the heart of people
Chapter 7:
God,s Agent of Transformation
Chapter 8:
God,s Business of Salvation
"Therefore, all you leaders and followers alike are to be down to earth with each other for God has had it with the proud. But He takes delight in just plain people" (1 Peter 5:5 MESSAGE)
Here are some inspiring examples of ordinary people whom the Lord used to do mighty exploits for Him.
William Seymour was a poor, one-eyed black man with a severely scarred face. He was uneducated, totally unknown and constantly up against the cruel prejudice and rejection that was part of being physically deformed and also being a black man in that era. Yet, he was one of those heroes whom God drew from the hidden places and he became the apostle of the Azusa Street Revival.
Smith Wigglesworth is another example.
He began as a poor, uneducated plumber who couldn't even read. Yet in his lifetime he became an evangelist who was used by God to shake the nations.
Amos was also a simple, ordinary man. He wrote about himself…
"I'm not one of your professional prophets. I certainly never trained to be one. I'm just a shepherd and I take care of fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, 'Go prophesy to my people in Israel'" (Amos 7:14-15 NLT).
Amos obeyed and God used him to impact generations.
David is a compelling inspiration for ordinary people who long to be used by the Lord. He was "selected from the common people to be king" (Psalm 89:19 NLT). Not even Jesse, his own father, saw his value. When the prophet Samuel asked Jesse to bring him his sons, this father left David out. Only after Samuel asked, "Are these all the sons you have?" did Jesse tell the prophet about his youngest son who was taking care of the sheep.
Then after the prophet anointed David, his brother, Eliab, cruelly and jealously demeaned him. When David asked questions about Goliath, Eliab put him down in front of other people.
"What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and dishonesty. You just want to see the battle" (1 Samuel 17:28 NLT).
In other words…
"Who do you think you are, David? You will never amount to anything. Just go back and do what you always do and stop thinking you can do anything important with your life."
Yet, this overlooked young man who wasn't anything in the eyes of other people is the one God chose to be king.
Next comes Gideon.
The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites fled to the mountains and God called Gideon to deliver them. He told Gideon how He wanted to use him. But this was Gideon's response…
"How can I save Israel? My family is the poorest in the
whole Tribe of Manasseh and I am the least
thought of in the entire family."Judges 6:15 TLB
whole Tribe of Manasseh and I am the least
thought of in the entire family."Judges 6:15 TLB
Despite how small and lowly Gideon felt, the Lord could still see that buried inside of him was what it takes to be one of God's heroes. So He replied to Gideon…
"Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!"
Judges 6:12 NLT
In Judges 6:1-6 Then once again the Israelites started disobeying the LORD, so he let the nation of Midian control Israel for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that many Israelites ran to the mountains and hid in caves. Every time the Israelites would plant crops, the Midianites invaded Israel together with the Amalekites and other eastern nations. They rode in on their camels, set up their tents, and then let their livestock eat the crops as far as the town of Gaza. The Midianites stole food, sheep, cattle, and donkeys. Like a swarm of locusts, they could not be counted, and they ruined the land wherever they went. The Midianites took almost everything that belonged to the Israelites, and the Israelites begged the LORD for help.
Judges 6:11-16 One day an angel from the LORD went to the town of Ophrah and sat down under the big tree that belonged to Joash, a member of the Abiezer clan. Joash’s son Gideon was nearby, threshing grain in a shallow pit, where he could not be seen by the Midianites. The angel appeared and spoke to Gideon, "The LORD is helping you, and you are a strong warrior." Gideon answered, "Please don’t take this wrong, but if the LORD is helping us, then why have all of these awful things happened? We’ve heard how the LORD performed miracles and rescued our ancestors from Egypt. But those things happened long ago. Now the LORD has abandoned us to the Midianites." Then the LORD himself said, "Gideon, you will be strong, because I am giving you the power to rescue Israel from the Midianites." Gideon replied, "But how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest one in Manasseh, and everyone else in my family is more important than I am." "Gideon," the LORD answered, "you can rescue Israel because I am going to help you! Defeating the Midianites will be as easy as beating up one man."
As much as I want to slap Gideon – I also love him! He is an ordinary man living in difficult times that has an extraordinary encounter with God that changes his life. And it shows each one of us that we can trust the Word of God and that we can trust the promises of God and that with God we can do all things!
In fact I think Gideon would describe himself as even less than ordinary… in his first conversation with God he calls himself the least of his family, which is the least in his tribe, which is the least in all the tribes of Israel. He is threshing wheat hiding in a shallow pit instead of out in the open so the chaff blows away… Israel is oppressed and subdued by the Midianites and life is really really hard. In order to stay alive you didn’t stick your neck out and children were taught to survive, not succeed…
Gideon heard the word of God – heard God calling him a mighty man of valour and he put it in the context of hiding in a shallow pit and calling himself a useless weakling.
Again God calls him a strong warrior, promising to be with him.
Chapter 2:
Chapter 2:
Eyes of faith
Chapter 3:
Ordinary to Extra-Ordinary
Chapter 4:
God,s Provision
Chapter 5:
Created to Change somebody
Chapter 6:
Legacy in the heart of people
Chapter 7:
God,s Agent of Transformation
Chapter 8:
God,s Business of Salvation
That is the key – God with us. In ourselves we are just us… human. Ordinary. Gifted yes, unique yes. But still human.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us;
One God plus one weakling is always a majority in any fight. ‘I will be with you’ God tells Gideon, and that is all that we should ever need to know.
Remember Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Gods word is truth. Truth. Nothing changes that. We cant dumb it down to our context. We need to lift our faith and experience and live it out, trusting God. God sees all and he knows all. He sees the past and the present and the future. He works in us to complete his plan and purpose.
The challenge for each of us is to not look at what God says in context of our lives and even the way we feel about ourselves, but to fix our eyes upon HIM and his truth… the God with us part. It is him that makes us succeed and overcome.
We need to know that God is with us and when God is with us we can do all things! We need not self-confidence but GOD CONFIDENCE – confidence in who God is and that he will act exactly as he says he will! We can have faith in God! Today we need to put our hope and our trust in God and step out and be all that God has called us to be. We need to believe His Word and what He says about us. We may feel small and insignificant but God takes our lives and demonstrates himself through us. Nothing is impossible with God and that means that when he is with us nothing is impossible for us! All things are possible because of the might and glory and power of God. Have confidence in God. Go and change the world!
