Notes for personal application or group study:

Discovery: Read Joshua 6:22-25

Understanding : The Bible tells us that ‘without faith it is impossible to please God'.  Rahab, who actually knew very little about God, had a faith that pleased God.  In fact her faith is the reason she is entered in the ‘Faith hall of fame’ in Hebrews 11.

Q: What does the group think is remarkable about Rahab’s faith ?
Rahab’s faith was rooted in God’s faithfulness.  How did she know God would be faithful ? (see Chapter 2:9-11). The answer is that although she did not know experientially, she knew that God had acted graciously and powerfully on behalf of Israel and hoped that he would be merciful and faithful to her.

Read Numbers 23:19 & 2 Tim 2:13.

Q: Can God ever be unfaithful to us (Christians) ?
Answer: should be an emphatic 'no !' 

Application : Work through 1 or 2 of the questions below with your group, making sure you pray for one another as the Holy Spirit leads.
• Q: If God cannot be unfaithful – why then do we get 'disappointed' ?
• Q: Is being ‘disappointed in God’ actually possible ?  Can a holy, morally perfect God ever disappoint us ? Discuss.

• It is often said that God answers our prayers with either a ‘Yes’, a’ No’ or a ’Not yet’.  In his sermon Paul suggested that when we receive a 'no' or a 'not yet'  we should ask God a question – what question ? (Answer: Why is the answer a 'No' or a 'Not yet' ?)

• Q : Why do we sometimes mishear God or misunderstand how God is answering our prayers ? (Paul suggested that often we can be hasty & mishear what God has said, or not wait for an answer, or hear only what we want to hear - our own agenda).