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; … for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. Hebrews 11:24-26.
Think of the life of Moses. What endurance and patience characterized his life. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews says, “For he endured, as seeing him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). This character of Moses does not simply mean passive resistance of evil, but perseverance in a firm, consistent course. He kept the Lord ever before him, and the Lord was at his right hand to help him.
Moses had a deep sense of the presence of God. He saw God. He was not only looking down through the ages to a Christ that would be revealed, but he saw Christ in a special manner accompanying the children of Israel in all their travels. God was real to him and present in his thoughts. When called upon to face danger, to bear insult, and to be misunderstood for Christ’s sake, he was persevering to endure without retaliation.
Moses believed in God as One whom he needed, and One who would help him because he needed His help. God was to him a present help in every time of need. We have far too much dead, nominal faith, but the real trusting, persevering faith we do not have. God was to Moses a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Moses had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Here is another point in faith we wish to study, and if brought into the life and experience, it will enable everyone who fears and loves God to endure trials. God will reward the man of faith and obedience. Moses was full of confidence in God, because he had appropriating faith. He needed the help of God, and he prayed for it, and believed for it, and wove it into his life experience that God cared for him. He believed that God ruled his life in particular. He knew that God had assigned to him a special work, and he would make that work thoroughly successful so far as possible. But he knew that he could not do this without the help of God, for he had a perverse people to deal with. The presence of God, he knew, was strong enough to carry him through the most trying positions that a man could be placed in. He could see and acknowledge God in every detail of his life, that he was under the eye of an all-seeing God, who weighs motives, who tries the hearts. He looked to God and believed in Him for strength to carry him through uncorrupted every form of temptation…. This is the kind of faith we need, faith that will endure the test.—Letter 42, April 7, 1886, to “Brother Ramsey.”
The Upward Look p. 111
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Prayer Requests
—-Praise—The company that deals with the lost cards are going to replace them free of charge. God is so good! Rose
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Dear Friends,
This is the time of year when people are planning and choosing a gift for friends and family. Conversation turns to Christmas plans, whether our shopping is done, decorating done, cooking and baking begun, what we wish to receive.
Decorations are everywhere, yet there is something missing. Some stores do not allow their employees to wish the customers “Merry Christmas.” No longer are there manger scenes in store windows or in the park as there was when I was a child. The lightpost decorations are mere snowflakes. While December 25th was not the actual day when Jesus was born but was a compromise chosen to make those who worshiped Mithra, the sun god, more comfortable with joining the Christian church, it is a time of year when we can especially remember that the Great Creator of the Universe “gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16) for us.
Just as we delight to give gifts to those we love, our Heavenly Father sacrificed everything for us in giving us His Dearest Treasure. He gave this Great Gift even though He knew that few would appreciate Him, few would accept Him. What a sacrifice! What great love He has for us! With great care He sent a message of love to us through His Holy Word. “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21
God moved upon these special men, who were expecially filled with His Holy Spirit, to write His message of love and restoration to a perishing world. On every page, from Genesis to Revelation, we find His message to us, we find the way of salvation. The stories of the lives of those who lived so long ago, “were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Rom 15:4 Their sins and their victories were “written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Cor 10:11
Moreover, our Loving Father gave Moses the pattern for the sacrificial system that pointed to Jesus and His great sacrifice for us. It serves “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.” Heb 8:5. As Moses met with God face to face upon Mount Sinai, he was shown and given a blueprint, so to speak, for the tabernacle He was about to build that was be but a dim reflection of the great sanctuary in Heaven. Each piece of furniture, each ceremony, was to point to a Heavenly reality. Each piece of furniture, each ceremony pointed to Jesus and His great work for our salvation.
The great prophets of old wrote what God revealed to them about the future. Prophecies were given that take us to the very end of time and beyond. Prophecies not only let us understand what is taking place around us, not only give us a glimpse into the future, but give us confidence in God’s Holy Word as we see the fulfillment of them. Our Powerful King has shown us the future, so we will not be left unprepared. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 So He has not left us in darkness. He has given us great light.
May we, with joy, accept this Great Gift of Love, that He has sacrificed so much to give us. May we daily read and meditate upon His Holy Word and hide its words in our heart that we may draw closer to the One Who loves us so. May we daily kneel before our Saviour and give Him the gift He longs for most of all—our undivided heart.
Rose
Seeing the Invisible