LIVING BY FAITH IN TRYING TIMES Exodus 2:10-15; Hebrews 11:23,24; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15 One notable attribute in the lives of Moses and his parents, which the New Testament also talks about, is their faith. His parents lived under oppression in Egypt but they were full of faith in God. People who live in trying times often develop a crushed, conquered spirit or a conquering spirit. Oppression bows, bends, crushes, destroys the human spirit or stirs up and activates the innate qualities in man. But the faith in Moses’ parents produced a conquering spirit in them. They gave birth to Moses in trying times and raised him in the same faith and courage they had in God. Character traits of parents often rob off on their children. If parents are full of faith or fear, courage or cowardice, hospitality or hostility, love or hatred, gentleness or aggressiveness, humility or pride, trust or mistrust, truthfulness or lying, sincerity or hypocrisy, the same attributes are found in their children. “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” General attitude of faith learnt from parents can develop into active and living faith with which to obtain specific Christian experiences of salvation, sanctification, healing, deliverance, divine provision and Holy Ghost baptism. When times are tough, when things are difficult, when storms are raging, when the fire is burning, we need to live by faith like this family - Amram and Jochebed and their son, Moses. 1. THE CALL AND CONVERSION THROUGH FAITH IN TRYING TIMES Exodus 2:11,12; Romans 3:23-26; 5:6-8; 6:23; Exodus 34:6,7a; 1 Timothy 1:12-16; Hosea 1:7; Exodus 15:1,2; 33:13,14,17; 34:9,10; 33:11; Numbers 12:7,8; Deuteronomy 34:11,12; Nehemiah 9:27. Parental training does not automatically produce salvation experience in children without personal realization of their sinful state. Though Moses had a general faith, he had no moral strength to resist sin. He committed murder and thereby proved the utter sinfulness of all men. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. A time comes when a man realizes his state of sinfulness and need of salvation because nobody is born a child of God. Being born of Christian parents does not make one a Christian either. General knowledge and faith in the existence of God and His divine attributes cannot save. Forgiveness of sin comes through exercise of definite and specific faith in the redemptive sacrifice of Christ. Though not recorded, scripture accounts show that he had a genuine spiritual experience with the Lord. God revealed Himself to Moses as “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...” Moses did not know that God “will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.” He was as ignorant as the militant Saul of Tarsus who was saved by God’s mercy and grace. When he realized that God was merciful and trusted in His love, grace, mercy and power, and not in aggression, He had a personal relationship with the Lord. Thus, having experienced not only physical but spiritual redemption, Moses sang to the Lord whom he referred to as “my salvation”, “my God” and the same as “my father’s God”. With grace and divine presence in his life, God knew him by name and spoke to him face to face. Response to the call to salvation comes before the call to service. He was a sinner but became a saint, a “servant” and one of the “saviours” God sent to save Israel from their enemies. True conversion always leads to total transformation. 2. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FAITH IN TRYING TIMES Romans 15:4; Hebrews 11:24-27; 1 John 5:4,5; 2:15-17; Hebrews 11:25; Ruth 1:16; Hebrews 11:25; 12:1; 11:26; 13:12,13; 11:26; Philippians 3:13,14; Hebrews 11:27; Proverbs 29:25; Hebrews 11:27; Isaiah 33:15-17. How do we recognize faith in trying times? (1) Repentance and refusal to identify with Egypt or the world. Faith in Christ will make every adherent to separate from the world which Egypt symbolizes. The world is corrupt, evil and under the dominion and authority of Satan. (2) Identification with the people of God. It was more convenient for Moses to identify with the Egyptians, to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter so he could enjoy all the privileges and pleasures of the palace. But he rejected all those, “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”. Ruth also had this kind of faith in trying times that God wants all His children to have. (3) Forsaking sin in all its forms, standing on the Word of God even when other people get by with lies and deception, and running the race with patience. (4) Joyfully accepting the reproaches of Christ. A true Christian does not change his attitude, stance, dressing, conviction because of persecution. (5) Fixing the mind on eternal reward. Moses’ mind was fixed on the reward that he was going to receive from God. Every believer needs to put aside whatever will hinder him from getting to heaven. (6) Disallowing fear from controlling our decisions in times of crisis. It is difficult to get saved or take a stand and live by personal conviction and be rewarded if there is fear of man in the heart. (7) Seeing the invisible God in trying times. These characteristics of faith in Moses are required of every Christian today. 3. THE CHARACTER OF THE FAITHFUL IN TRYING TIMES Numbers 12:7; Hebrews 3:2,5; Exodus 40:16; Acts 13:22; Numbers 12:3; Matthew 5:5; 11:28-30; Numbers 11:27-29; Romans 12:10; Exodus 32:9-14,30-33. Faith in God and faithfulness to God go hand in hand. If we have faith in God, we will not be unfaithful to Him. And it is impossible to be faithful to God without having faith in Him. Faith and faithfulness are revealed by (1) obedience to God, (2) fearlessness in tough times, (3) courage, (4) love for God and His people, (5) humility and meekness, (6) seeking God’s glory in all things, and (7) walking with God at all times. God’s testimony about Moses is, “My servant Moses ...is faithful in all mine house.” Moses literally lived in the consciousness of God and “according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.” If we are going to be Christians in nature and not in name, we must obey God’s commands. Obedience to the word of God is the essence and substance of Christianity. When the Lord called Moses, Daniel, David, Paul, etc., He expected them to “fulfil all my will .” And the call of the Lord upon our lives today is so as to fulfil all His will, to love God and His people even in trying times. God also testified that meekness had replaced aggressiveness in Moses. He was humble and made room for other people to be what they ought to be. Filled with love for His people, Moses rejected the privilege of becoming a great nation at the expense of the nation of Israel that sinned and risked being wiped off. He was willing to lose his spiritual privileges if God would not forgive the children of Israel. God wants this kind of faithfulness in His children.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:18:47 +0000
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