By faith Moses, when he was come
to years, refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season,
esteeming the reproach of Christ
greater riches than the treasures
in Egypt: for he had respect unto
the recompence of the reward.
Hebrews 11:25-26
Moses had every advantage, a good home, money, position as the son of the daughter of Pharaoh, good food, and could indulge in whatever pleasure he so desire for he was considered to be one of the king's children. Maybe you have been raised in such an environment, good, home, cars, good food, money, clothes, and the ability to go and do pretty much what you wanted. It may be you were raised in a home that was atheistic, or in the least did not believe in God or have a tendency to know God and you were not taught anything about God. At least Moses had training about God from his mother, Moses knew who he was and about the God of his people and he knew about the gods of the Egyptians. You may not have what Moses had, but as you grew in years you wanted to know about God and even went so far as to attend a Church, to even go forward to announce your new found belief in Jesus Christ. Yet, there was not a full conversion to Christ for much of this world's pleasures you still wanted and participated with for your enjoyment. Friends of old were still your companions and those companions were not Christian, they were living a secular and hedonistic life, so much fun, so much enjoyment and you have yet to leave them behind in fear of ridicule. Moses had all that and even more for he was of the house of the Pharaoh but he did: "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27). It is often very easy to act and do as a Christian, you in public make this known, at least to some extent but when you are alone things are different. For instance, you watch TV shows depicting and portraying homosexuality, men and women acting out sexual intercourse and other such sins and do not turn off the TV. You may make excuses for watching: but excuses are not reasons. Maybe it is hard for you to see or even acknowledge this invisible God that He is really watching you and all you do and say. It is not that you will not do what it means to be a Christian, you just want it your way: God, Christianity, is treated like a "Burger King" you want it your way. Faith is something that begins in a small way and will stay small if it is not fed, and that feeding comes in meals from the Church: sermons, Bible studies, prayer and as you dine upon the word of God your faith grows to maturity and that maturity is governed by you application in your life faith, a faith that causes you to turn off the TV, to not go and do what you did before accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Yes, there is a cost, but there is a cost if you do nothing. Yes, maybe family, friends, co-workers will shun you or even speak evil of you, but it is your faith in the invisible God you Himself is invisible but has given to you visible things for Him to reveal Himself to you. The communion, baptism, meeting regularly with other brothers and sisters, and most of all the Holy Spirit to guide you. Moses by faith shun all the riches of being a son of the daughter of the Pharaoh and even though would receive wrath from the king of Egypt he forsook all this to be faithful to the God who is the true God. Moses kept what God had commanded him to keep: "Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them" (Hebrews 11:28). God protects His children from destruction by those who would destroy you, and yes, the one who has the most desire to destroy you is Satan. You as a child of God are protected from the destruction that will come upon all those who will not leave behind Satan and those things that he has given so that man will turn from God. Man my kill the body, but the body is going to die anyway so they haven't really done anything to you for God will raise you up on the last day when He returns for all those who are faithful to Him, His bride.
Are you facing some hurdle that seems impossible to pass over? Moses did, the people of God did but God can do the impossible for nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). God "recompence" to the people of evil, that is, to make compensation for something, a reparation and this He did by parting the Red Sea: By faith they passes through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned" (Hebrews 11:29). God will give you "recompence" for all the work you do: blessings, now and in heaven. You by faith in God, the invisible God have faith in the promise of God that you will be saved and that you will live eternally in the new world, to have an incorruptible body, no sin, a life that we now cannot fully imagine. But, God has promised and our faith is in God, not things, not in our work, not in our doing but in God who came to earth to die for sin and now intercedes for all of those who have Authentic Christian Faith.
The walls of Jericho fell, not without the Jews doing what God commanded, The armies of the Egyptians drowned by attempting to destroy the Hebrews, but by faith they entered into the parting of the sea and God saved them and destroyed their enemies. by faith Rahab the harlot believed in the God of the Hebrews and by her action to save the spies of the Jews was saved, her and her family: "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down (How? by faith), after they were compassed (the people of Israel put their faith to action)" about seven days. by faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace" (Hebrews 11: 30-31).
Faith, faith, faith, it is faith that is the proof of your believing in Jesus Christ as the One promised, and the One who came to earth to pay this debt of sin and applies that "recompence" to you by means of His death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Why then will we, you, or anyone who calls themselves "Christian" will not do all that God has commanded? To do or not to do is a choice we all must make. I pray you choose correctly!
Now therefore make confession
unto the LORD God of your
fathers, and do His pleasure and
separate yourselves from people
of the land, and from strange wives.
Ezra 10:11
Manifest your faith: Do not shrink back
Richard L. Crumb
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