Shame

*Recap of Be Inspired Bible Studies Thursday 15th August 2019*

*Anchor:* Sister Leah Adepeju
*Topic:* Shame
*Text:* JOSHUA 2:1-‬24
Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as scouts secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho [the walled city].” So they went and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and lodged there. Now the king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy and search out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, because they have come [as spies] to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them; so she said, “Yes, two men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. When it was time to close the [city] gate at dark, the men left; I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly, for [if you do] you will overtake them.” But [in fact] she had brought the scouts up to the roof and had hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof [to dry]. So the [king’s] men pursued them on the road to the Jordan as far as the fords [east of Jericho]; as soon as the pursuers had gone out after them, the gate [of the city] was shut.  Now before the two men lay down [to sleep], Rahab came up to them on the roof, and she said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror and dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted [in despair] because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan [on the east], to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted [in despair], and a [fighting] spirit no longer remained in any man because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. And now, please swear [an oath] to me by the Lord , since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s household (family), and give me a pledge of truth and faithfulness, and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, along with everyone who belongs to them, and let us all live.” So the men said to her, “Our lives for yours if you do not tell [anyone about] this business of ours; then when the Lord gives us the land we will show you kindness and faithfulness [and keep our agreement with you].”  Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. And she said to them, “Go [west] to the hill country, so that the pursuers [who have headed east] will not encounter you; hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you can go your way.” The men said to her, “We shall be blameless and free from this oath which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and bring into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household [so that they will be safe]. But if anyone goes out the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head [that is, his own responsibility], and we shall be blameless and free [from our oath]; however, if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. But if you tell [anyone] this business of ours, we shall be blameless and free from the oath which you made us swear.” She said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then Rahab sent them off, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.  They left and went [on their way] to the hill country [west of Jericho], and stayed there [hidden in the caves] three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers had searched all along the road but had not found them.  Then the two men turned back and came down from the hill country and crossed over [the Jordan] and came to Joshua the son of Nun [at Shittim], and told him everything that had happened to them. They said to Joshua, “Certainly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; for all the inhabitants of the land have melted [in despair] because of us.”

JOSHUA 2:1-‬24 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/jos.2.1-24.AMP

Lord we pray that it will be the revelations of your word and not based on human opinion in Jesus name at the end let us be filled in a way that we will pour out living water henceforth in Jesus name

Today's topic is Shame, What is shame????
I always like to introduce topics with questions to engage us all from our divers well of knowledge.
So in your own word tell us what shame is

Sis Ohla: Shame is a powerful emotion that can cause people to feel defective, unacceptable, even damaged beyond repair. ... When you feel shame, you're feeling that your whole self is wrong. When you feel guilt, you're making a judgment that something you've done.
Sis Leah: Absolutely

Sis Oluchi: Shame is something that is unpleasant to see or hear
Sis Leah: Yeah thanks sis Lilian

Shame is a feeling of humiliation caused as a result of wrong doing either done by the person or done to the person. It entail feelings of discomfort and indignity.

Sis Queeneth: Shame is humiliation
Sis Leah: Thanks Sis Queeneth

Sis Bunmi: Shame is an unfortunate or a regrettable situation or action.

Sis Leah: Thanks Sis Bunmi

Glory to God thank you for those wonderful definitions. Alright the Bible passage we are studying today is Joshua chapter 2 from the beginning to the end. I will summarize some parts and dwell on the necessary pointers that are in the passage.
In Joshua 1;Joshua was assured by God that He will be with Him like He  was with Moses. Let remember Joshua has now become the ruler of Israelites. The Barton has been passed down to him to Israelites to the promise land but there were hurdles on the way they had to scale through
Come to chapter two He sent some of the men to go as spies to Jericho so they will plan ahead on how to take over
Let us take something down here although God has told Joshua I am with you, He didn't just go without a plan he fore-planned their attack hence the reason he sent the spies
And guess what the spies got there and they looked round in a place they have not been before and they went to Rahab's place.
Guess what Rahab was a harlot as in🧖🏻‍♀ she always flaunt her stuff that was her day's job...
Studying this passage I can't help but think did Rahab have a sign saying tired of the journey let me give you comfort or should we put it in KJV English thou art come to the abode of pleasure and comfort with a charge🎇

She probably had lights on to draw attention cause that was what she did and guess what this men of Israelites where not there for that but it is nothing other than divine direction and guidance...
They got there she must have seen the way they dressed and knew this point people from here hmmm let me treat them well and in those days hospitality to stranger was a very big deal so she was more than a harlot but the hospitable harlot
She got them in they probably dialogued about their mission and before we could say jack Robinson.. people already notified the king.
I can imagine of it were this days we leave in a quick WhatsApp group set up and Twitter update ...
@tamika shameless Rara(AKA Rahab) has two men in ...
Wao she is in for threesome..

Then another will retweet or regram, infact they will send broadcast message
Just like that the message got to the king... the other thing was Rahab was living this shameful life in an embracing manner.
By the time the king's men came... Hmm she probably had her robe on and rolled her eyes with a smirk and say they are not here🙄 or you want "som som".
She cooked a perfect lie to convince them that she didn't have the men and they just had to leave cause they are from the king and those days there is little to what attachment people want with a woman who was animashaun(the one that has and gives freely) (harlot).

Well the king's men left and she got the spies out Rahab must have hidden some customers before just to have another one entertained.. she knew the right and best place to hide the spies.
And when they came out she went straight into discussion and bargaining we have heard about how your God parted the sea, how He gave you numerous victory infact at the moment  the whole country feel hopeless cause they know your God na ogbonge (true God) the most powerful deliverer
Any way in returns for my kind gesture when you come back to destroy our country please spear me and my family
And she went on to tell them how they will get away unnoticed, how they needed to hide in certain place for 3days and told them to cool off them launch their attack
They struck a deal and Rahab part was to leave a scarlet robe hanging from her window say they can tell the other soldiers not to attack her and her family when they come
Look at the details in all this information
I bet @tarnika and all of them twitting how shameless and insane Rahab is must have  walked passed her house the next day look at the red scarlet robe and take a quick photo and be like she has upgraded...
Come and see she is a shame to this community…
And Rosanna would probably say that is why I hide my husband away from her she can sleep with anything shameless woman
At times the thing that brings shame to us is what God will use to announce our game if only we can have a deeper connection and be willing to accommodate His plans
The story continued in chapter 3 and it did not end there
Guess Rahab that shameless harlot yes that one Tamika and Rosana are running down she was set apart to marry a Prince from Judah
Yes she was prostituting herself for how long but the time came when she had a divine encounter that took the shame away in Joshua 2;8-14 she confessed about the God of Israel she has heard of.

Many are times people write us off this it that brother or sister she or he had a child out of wedlock...
And you start hearing no you are kidding me how can she be a woman leader
Or you hear things like you are not from the right origin your background as in people from their carry this aura
Remember Rahab her shameful past didn't determine her restoration and future
As I mentioned earlier… through the child Rahab had, came King David and Guess what our lord Jesus came out from that same lineage.
Hang on a minute who is Rahab again? A shameless harlot...
She doesn't care what people say even the king of her country couldn't stop her from getting to where she needed to be. That shame had a limited time
Just like every problem has an expiry date
Who would have said Rahab the prostitute will marry a Prince for Judah?

A song by Marvin Sapp says...

He saw the best in me
When everyone else around me
Could only see the worst in me
He is mine and I am His
It doesn't matter what I did
He only sees me for who I am

God sees you for who you are not the shame attached to your Story
God knows where you and I are coming from so whilst you are busy being deceived to cover your face cause you just didn't fit in the scenario or the clique in that place..
Stand up now look at yourself and say. He saw the best in me… not the shame because the garment of shame is torn off my body and replace with His fame
Let me tell you something the fact that Rahab slept with lots of men didn't mean she didn't eventually conceive
If the past is hanging so much over your head right now look up and say Alpha and omega was there, He is here and would be there
There are things you cannot control..
I hope someone gets it here some situation you cannot control them when you constantly allow the thoughts of people to rule above His thoughts about you. Rahab spoke with so much knowledge about the God of Israel she was a prostitute but guess what the professional in her community were dumb.

God use the stupid things to confound the wise
What is that shame today?
Where is that shame today?
Who is that shame?
Which shame is it?
Say it out loud ‘The shame is no more’
I do not bore any shame in me again.
Forward the story to when Jesus was carrying the crucifix to his place of execution... there was so much shame there
The followers his mother, People laughed at Him
People did that close clap that women do when gossiping they said see the savior now save yourself
They beat Him, spat on Him, pierced His side, and did the worst things to Him. They killed Him like a criminal.
The shame was finished on Calvary

The song says..
On the way to Calvary he wept for me
He wept for me
He wept for me
On the way to Calvary He wept for me
He died to set me free
I am no longer bound to any shame.
No shame can stay in my life again
It's already gone
It is removed
It's no longer part of me
So can I just tell you who feel that heavy wait of shame?

Come to you all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest
Rest from shame, from pain, from unpleasant career like RAHAB had; Rest from living in a condition you detest for you and your family.
He says come
He has replaced that garment of shame
It is torn into pieces
You are not a candidate of what people say
God sees the best in you
But never stop acknowledging Him. Block those negative voice out
Let them fade away so you can get to where He is taking you too. If Rahab was distracted by the guards showing up in her apartment or her judgmental neighbors she wouldn't have gotten to where she did.

*Let Us Pray:*
Father we worship your name. We give you praise Jehovah for your word that sets us free. Thank you lord for taking off all shame no matter how great or little. Lord thank you for divinely intervening over all situations. Thank you for taken the burdens. Above all thank you for salvation and death on Calvary. Lord as we have declared we do not bore shame or abhor it in and around us again. We have the life of Christ and His light shining through us always. Hallelujah. Lord speak continuously to is all as individual and as group and let all glory forever be yours lord in Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Somebody praiiiiissssssseeeeee the Lord!!!!!