From Pastor Perry

Hebrews 11:27 (ESV)

By Faith

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses fled in faith from Egypt, intending to return when the time was right.^[1]  This probably when Moses fled Egypt after he killed the Egyptian guard.  He would later come back to Egypt to set his people (Israel) free.

I pray: O Lord, you worked through Moses, I will be bold and ask that you carry out your will through us, your church.  Shape us and mold us according to your will. Amen.

Hebrews 11:24–26 (ESV)

By Faith

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Moses was born a Hebrew but raised as an Egyptian.  It probably didn’t take long to realize that he was not Egyptian, but Hebrew.  He later wanted to claim that he was in fact Hebrew.  My friend Jon Loessin had a pig named Oink.  For a while, the pig lived in the chicken coop… and thought he was chicken.  The next year, I saw Oink out grazing with the cattle.  Oink thought he was a cow.   Now, this is not gendered confusion, but species confusion.  The following year, Oink was in the pig pen.  He finally came to terms that he was not a chicken or a cow, but was in fact… a pig.  Well, I didn’t see Oink too long after that and I think I might have enjoyed him in some sausage.  Moses had a coming to terms that he was Hebrew.

I pray:  O Lord, I am a Christian, help me to not think of myself as a non-Christian.  Help me to live as a Christian.  Amen.

Hebrews 11:23 (ESV)

By Faith

²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

According to the Pharaoh’s law, all boy babies were thrown into the Nile River.  Moses did not drown in the river, instead, his mother raised him for 3 months.  She ended up taking him to the river, but in a basket.  Moses floated down the river and Pharaoh’s daughter took him and raised him in the Pharaoh’s house.  God used Moses to rescue his people.

I pray: O Lord, use me to help further your kingdom, to help plant the seeds of faith.  Amen.

Hebrews 11:22 (ESV)

By Faith

²² By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

Joseph spent all of his adult life in Egypt and, even though he was a fourth-generation heir of the promise given to Abraham, he never returned to Canaan while he was alive. Yet, facing death, he still had faith that God would fulfill His promise and demonstrated that confidence by making his brothers promise to take his bones back to Canaan for burial.^[1]  This reminds me of the Lord’s Prayer when we pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.”   We can’t stop the movement of God’s will or His movements.  We pray that he uses us to carry out his will.

I pray: O Lord, use me in building your kingdom.  Stop me when I run contrary to your will.  Amen.

Hebrews 11:20–21 (ESV)

By Faith

²⁰ By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. ²¹ By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

I put to “by faith” writings together.  It shows that they believed in God and his promises and they passed it on to the next generation.  It is important that we pass the faith onto our next generation.  We can teach them and lead them, but we cannot control them.  It is sad to see a child not pass on the faith to their children (your grandchildren).  Often a decision like this is made by a child and does not consider the failure to pass on the faith and to pass on salvation.  Doesn’t even cross their minds.  I give thanks that my parents passed it on to me… and I give thanks that I did not reject it.

I pray: O Lord, I pray for the future generation(s) that the seed planting takes root in our children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren… and so on.  Help them to stay focused on you.  Amen.