By Faith Moses (Part B)

Is something tragic when that pit becomes more important when that pit is the source of your joy and comfort and relief. Watch out Satan is playing you drifting into these waters that happen. It happens enough to sound the warning is a pet.

Don't forget that because there are those again that are more concerned with pets and animals in the salvation of souls and that is tragedy. If you are Christian.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Now here's Pastor Rick in Hebrews chapter 11 as he continues his message by faith Moses Satan hasn't singled you out alone and God hasn't forgotten you, Satan singled out every believer. God never forgets. He says I'll be with you all. Never leave you nor forsake you.

And again, we either commit ourselves to accepting that, or struggling against it. Therefore, he is saying to them, be strong against the threats and the taunts of those who don't like your faith. Do you love it if they don't like it. Do you need their acceptance. Verse 24. Now, he says, by faith when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Now this is the faith of Moses when he became of age 40 years old.

We know that again from Stephen sermon in acts chapter 7 now when he was 40 years old, came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. Here is Moses raised in Pharaoh's court.

Every material thing that he could want.

At his age was there for him every opportunity to do something with it was there for him. It was raised under the influence of Egypt. More than anything else this life of Moses in Egypt for 40 years in Midian for 40 years and then in the wilderness for 40 years 120 years of life of Moses and you look at that and you say what what or how what I have performed under those circumstances. Well, he wasn't the only one there were others with him that had very similar circumstances. He continues in verse 24. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter because he realized where he truly belong was not instant for him but when he realized that he embraced it. Even that even that was a struggle for Moses.

He understood where he belonged in this life. He just didn't know how to go about doing it any didn't do it well. At the start.

I think this full-blown refusal to be identified with the people who worship cats with significant nonsense, humorous, is it not. That's what the Egyptians did they worship cats were there were other things too, but that's where the big one where people today are far from that and nothing wrong with loving your pet nothing wrong with benefiting from what they have to offer is something tragic when that pit becomes more important than people. When that pit is the source of your joy and comfort and relief.

Watch out Satan is playing you if you drifting into these waters and it happens it happens enough to sound the warning is a pet. Don't forget that because there are those again that are more concerned with pets and animals in the salvation of souls and that is tragedy.

If you are Christian if you're not a Christian you got a whole bag of tricks that need to be thrown out and have Jesus Christ put in its place. Well, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and again remember we talked about Joseph.

Joseph said my dead bones don't belong here in Egypt. They belong in the land of God's promise me, and many types come out of that one of them is my soul does not belong to this life in this world belongs in heaven with the Lord. That is my home.

I am a pilgrim not of this world because of the spirit of God that lives in me, remember when Moses was called a first he was reluctant he didn't want the call he could flat out told God.

Can you get somebody else they really did and God said no you are it. And so Moses started off okay.

I'm going to do it. Told Jethro the tribal chieftain. I'll be leaving back to you to be as it was his responsibility to do that. But then he sort of tinkering around and got Ed to give him a second command, it's time to go and then even then on the way he neglects his duty as the head of the home refuses or for whatever reason he doesn't circumcise his son or his wife has to do it and you are a bloodied husband to me. She was totally hot over that matter. The point my wife never been hot at me.

Maybe some of you can look at you and tell the point of the whole thing is that Moses was reluctant.

He gradually came into that and so for you who are Christians who are still struggling with your identity and cries understand it you not alone struggle with that identity should eventually be satisfied. You should overcome it and find out who you are in Christ. For we Christians.

God wants us that we want our identity to be set in true he wanted to be set in love and modesty and separation from the world in freedom without recklessness. We fail there a lot. Do we not some Christians they are so free that they're sending their reckless with their freedom. We are free to obey. Obedience counts. Incidentally, first Corinthians 10. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful.

All things are lawful for me, but not all things bill me.

Not all things edify. Later he repeats that again Paul does and he says not all things are edifying for me and I will not be brought under the power of the things that I am free to be brought under the power of outside of Christ. I'll be careful. Verse 25 he says about Moses choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin by could have just had a good old time in the palace with the Egyptians and we amassed the question we look at this beginning of verse 25. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God what is God's people suffer affliction if he is this good God great God in all of these things he says he is. Why does he not insulate us while he will not hit right now we raise on the just and the unjust alike. It's about we identify with sinners because we are one saved by grace, albeit sickness. All right, I can understand that I have on anxiety.

Why do Christians have anxiety.

Jesus said fear not over and over again and yet we find ourselves struggling from time to time with dissatisfaction move that's a sinister one that creates critics not Christians. We criticize God criticizes houses people anything we can get our views plastered over will take the shot if were not careful. NV what about that one. Keeping up with somebody else. Why do they get to have the blessing why does he or she will. This meanness of who that one comes so easy to Christian you think it was one of the 10 Commandments thou shalt be mean outburst of wrath sexual lust, greed, worldliness, doubt, shallowness being wronged by life being wronged by others being wronged by yourself. I'm hit everybody in this room, including me, me. My problem is I get sick of being right all the time telling the story. What am I supposed to say choosing rather to suffer affliction rather to identify with God's people no matter what happens. Let me ask you, will you serve the God who you know is there even if you think he doesn't care. We still serve him. Is he worth that is he that true that when you think he doesn't care you going to serve anyway what you think. John did the Lord gives the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord when Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac trusted God, knowing that God had this on the control even if he had to go through whatever it was he was called to go through so to suppose that being a child of God eliminates affliction is to prove your ignorance of the faith of the word what the messages in the Scriptures are to us. Faith operates with enough revealed truth. I just need enough of the Jesus said this faith is quite powerful. You just need a little bit to move a mountain you're getting a little bit not easy.

It seems what is there is so faith enough to trust the revealed truth of God. That's what propels the believer.

That's what causes us to choose rather to suffer with God than to please the flesh, he says, and to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin there in verse 25 lesson appeals to us because were sinners and he just can't turn that off going to be a struggle.

All our lives. What's our response to it. That's what matters. And so we read verses like this because the apostle struggled with it in their own life. He says for all that is in the world. Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world not approved conduct. No one can deny that sin particular sins is fun right up to the point of impact right up to the point when that serpent's tail or scorpion's tail stings you and you find out all that's why God prohibited sin. We see it in this society of personal appetite for sin, passing pleasures, you have to meet them head on. You cannot just deny that there there you just have to formulate a response. A lifelong response to them in Christ and swing away. Go to your grave battling against personal sin as well as the lies of Satan in the world. Verse 26 I want to also before I forget, I see it, I should mention this sin will always find some way to serve self at the exclusion of God that sin. What is in it for me.

Nevermind God. I know he prohibits this, but I like is not justification is temptation lead me not into temptation that prayer is Sandy God. I'm not big enough of these things I don't have it in me. I have to come to you because yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, and even if I fall you can restore verse 26.

Continuing his discussion on Moses highlighting his behavior. He says about Moses esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked for the reward they felt the ridicule that he received by being with the people of God was acceptable, even if the people did not accept God.

It was good with him.

God was good with him and so was his people.

So is reminding again that the first century Jewish believers of Jesus Christ that they needed to pay attention to this fact that Jesus Christ of the New Testament is Yahweh of the Old Testament because it says esteeming the reproach of Christ. Wait a minute.

How could Moses have esteemed the reproach of Christ in Christ Jesus.

When Jesus was not born for another almost 1500 years, the virgin birth is far away.

You see, the writer equates Yahweh with Christ. That's what he's telling us is the staggering amount of Bible theology and just that phrase esteeming the reproach of Christ the life of Moses. This is correct theology rebuffs those who use the Bible to deny that Jesus is God the son, what makes you a Christian is.

You know who Jesus is, what makes you not a Christian is you don't know your contradicting who he says he is in his Scripture. The Holy Spirit says here and elsewhere that he is equal with Yahweh. John chapter 5, you know there will be those that will Jesus never said he was God, yet he did.

The Pharisees understood it that way will take just this one John chapter 5, therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was his father, making himself equal with God see the context saying he is not God the father. He is God. My father I come from him. As humans come from human fathers. I come from a divine father directly, and they knew that that is what he was saying course, you would think this would be the proverbial silver bullet to the argument.

When Paul says Jesus Christ being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. How do you do that unless your equal with God, accepted that's Philippians 260. What makes the Christian the Christian is they know God is they know the sun is we know Jesus is what up foggy about this. If you say you know if you want to line up with Unitarians and you will line up with the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons well then you go do it. You will be outside of the revealed word of God says greater riches than the treasures of each of you know that you know when payday would finally come for God had to give was better than what Egypt could ever give. And Moses had it all being born in Farrell's house.

He was a prince.

He did not lose it all through it all away. Big difference. Acts chapter 7 and again Stephen speaking and Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words. Indeed, there are some that believe there's evidence in the historical accounts that Moses was indeed the crown prince to come. Farrell because Farrell's other children were not able to take on that position but we don't have to have that information settled one where the other. We have what Stephen says that he was mighty in words and deeds so at 40 years old in Egypt, he had it all. He did not walk away from a Barney walk away from a palace to go live in tents for the rest of his life remarkable man. The wealth of archaeological information that is come to us by their unearthing the treasures of the pharaohs speaks to us of what kind of wealth were talking about was at the fingertips of Moses. I mean they buried. They entombed the sparrows with all this wealth having so much more they could spare. They could into gold and this stands out to us because we as Christians sometimes think we may have given up something in the world that we should've held onto God's is no Moses got out and he took 2 million people with him. That was a great work.

So, why, how did he do it well. It tells us again. Verse 26, where he looked to the reward they know there is something more to this life and what does here.

This can't be it. If this is that we're in trouble. Knowing to keep it. Philippians I'm is likely quotation of Scripture. Maybe I should ask you turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 3 verse seven because this is that important to the text that we are reading, so also out of give us a commercial while you're turning the pages and just chatter about things until I think you there. This section of Scripture. If you're not familiar with it, you need to be familiar with.

If you can memorize portions of it you will do well this is the apostle Paul is in jail when he writes to the Philippians the Philippian church was a good church was a solid church. He sort of confides that he opens up is hard to them. He says what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ will that's what Moses did esteeming Christ more than the riches of the world. He continues in verse eight of Philippians 3 yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ be found in him, not having my own righteousness that is self-righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. The fellowship of his sufferings be conformed to his death. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead is powerful, but we will, but more from there, but the just this man Paul saying I'm the stair death down.

I mean role may kill me that's all right I hold more in my possession than this life and he lived it out. Then he says not that I've already obtained or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus laid hold of me brother and I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That's what faith looks like.

Why can I live that way for Christ. But let me tell you I usually don't say that, but I'm going to tell you it's the pursuit of righteousness that matter so much. The world does not pursue the righteousness of God. We do, it's a separating it's a distinguishing feature about believers that were hot on the trail of righteousness that's come down from heaven, what attacks us are our urges, the flesh, the sin, it pulls us, it competes it challenges us. Many Christians succumb to those things without losing their faith so we know I'm going to build up the spiritual man if I got any chance of living like saints of the Scripture living the life it's going to please God. I better go at it with a serious mind. Verse 27 by faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king or he endured as seeing him who is invisible. He forsook Egypt again left behind everything that this world has to offer for the things of God was calling him to use is not fearing the wrath of the king. His parents did that they follow the example of godly parents when he says, not fearing the wrath of the king is not talking about when he slew the Egyptian and was found out and then ran to Midian. He's talking about that Exodus exchange with Farrell and Farrell was huffing and puffing and saying all these things, Moses was not moved by that he was focused on the outcome.

He was simply being obedient. He knew what he was supposed to do and he went about trying to do it that works. It works wonderfully for the believer. If you can stay focused on what God is called you to do then do that. And God will be with you and there will be struggles.

Nonetheless, don't become shallow become one who feels that you should be insulated because you walk with the king. There comes a time when not standing in front of the burning bush put in front of Farrell. There are times in this life when we're not having a Bible study and increasing our knowledge, but were putting it to work those times are almost always not pleasant.

That's when it counts those severe tests when we say to the Lord, though he slay me, I will trust in him is a God does not have to rescue me from affliction to be my God, he is caught by reason of truth and I subject myself to that I am one of the subjects and that means I am determined to please him, in spite of circumstances your failings does not disqualify you from that you're walking away would, but not your falling down, not the hits that you take not the thoughts that pass through your head.

Have you ever had someone ever provoked you to think thoughts that were unworthy of Christ. I'm sure Moses was such a man they provoked him and he took the bait. They were the people of God, and you know and I always say this, don't tell God I think this way but I side with Moses. According to the flesh, not the spirit. Of course I'm with caught all the way. But I understand I understand what they put the man through and he finally reached a point where he says I've had it with you. You will not want to take the water beats the rock God confronted him on that they allow the water to come out. He didn't withhold it on behalf of the people. And then he says to Moses. Moses come over here. What a painful experience. It should put fear in all of us to watch our step with God's people move you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast.

Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio