Posted on 11/26/2017 8:22:31 AM PST by metmom
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin" (Heb. 11:24-25).
The world has little to offer compared to the riches of Christ.
For forty years Moses enjoyed the best of everything Egypt had to offer: formidable wealth, culture, education, and prestige (Acts 7:22). Yet he never forgot God's promises toward his own people, Israel.
Then, "when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him; but they did not understand" (vv. 23-25).
Somehow Moses knew he was to deliver his people from Egyptian oppression. Although it would be another forty years before he was fully prepared for the task, by faith he forsook the pleasures and prestige of Egypt and endured ill-treatment with God's chosen people.
Humanly speaking, Moses made a costly choice. He seemed to be sacrificing everything for nothing. But the opposite was much more the case since Moses considered "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the [greater] reward" (Heb. 11:26).
Sometimes obedience to Christ seems very costly, especially when evil people prosper while many who faithfully serve God suffer poverty and affliction. Asaph the psalmist struggled with the same issue: "Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure" (Ps. 73:12-13).
But be assured that the eternal rewards of Christ far outweigh the passing pleasures of sin. The wicked have only judgment and hell to look forward to; you have glory and heaven. So always choose obedience, and trust God to guide your choices, just as He did with Moses.
Suggestions for Prayer
Praise God that the righteous will one day be fully rewarded. Seek God's grace to be obedient when you're faced with difficult choices. For Further Study
Read Stephen's account of Moses in Acts 7:20-39.
Studying God’s Word ping
Parable of the rich fool as well...
Pls add me to this ping list, thanks!
Sure. Welcome aboard.
Kind of runs contrary to the health, wealth, and prosperity people, doesn’t it?
Rejecting the World’s Passing Pleasures...
...followed by a post that says...
Seizing Opportunities.
Heh. Put me down for ‘seizing.’
True. Although many of the founding fathers, as well as other great Americans, were quite well off in terms of material wealth.
It’s not the wealth that’s the problem.
It’s preaching prosperity gospel that is the problem, that God wants us all rich and completely healthy and that’s what we should strive for and expect from God.
Jesus died to save us, not so make us rich woth this world’s goods here on earth.
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