the faith of Moses

"By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward."
(Hebrews 11:24-26 ESV)

I am amazed by the faith Moses had. I mean how someone can view reproach as greater than the best treasures this world has to offer blows my mind. If I didn’t know what it was like to know Christ, I would put this guy in a mental institution. Moses denied the ability to be called the son of the king of all he new. In Ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh was considered a god. Moses probably knew he had a chance to one day be the Pharaoh and “god.” I want the faith that Moses had, to give up the pleasures of sin with the eternal glory Jesus promises us in view. I think that our amount of faith in God determines how we fight sin. I think that sometimes I sin because I have little faith in God’s promises. I think Moses had a faith that could see God’s reward in a powerful way. I know that when I see Jesus in his beauty; Sin and worldly pleasures seem like dirt. It’s the times when I have little faith and have trouble seeing how beautiful Christ is, worldly pleasures seems so marvelous. I think that when Moses saw the reproach of Christ, he saw the day that the glory of Jesus that would be revealed and would display true pleasure. He was looking forward to the reward of being a friend of Jesus on that day as well as what Jesus promised to give him after that day. I am constantly asking God to help me to not forget the beauty of Jesus, and to remember the truth about what this world really has to offer.

It is time to declare War!

"Be killing sin or it will be killing you."
-John Owen

"we owe the flesh nothing but enmity and war."
-John Piper

". . . there is a mean streak to authentic self-control. . . Self-control is not for the timid. When we want to grow in it, not only do we nurture an exuberance for Jesus Christ, we also demand of ourselves a hatred for sin. . . . The only possible attitude toward out-of-control desire is a declaration of all-out war. . . . There is something about war that sharpens the senses . . . You hear a twig snap or the rustling of leaves and you are in attack mode. Someone coughs and you are ready to pull the trigger. Even after days of little of no sleep, war keeps us vigilant."
-Ed Welch

 "So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:12-13 ESV)

Disciplined

Discipline is something that I have not implemented very much in my life. I have routines, but I am very spontaneous. I have always thought that, when it comes to my relationship with God, I need to always just “want” to spend time with him. I never thought I should spend time with him when I didn’t have the desire to, I felt it was wrong to do it that way. But I have learned that God wants us to be disciplined. He wants us to spend time with him even when we don’t desire to. He wants us to set appointments with him and keep them no matter where we are emotionally. That is true discipline. I have begun to implement some new disciplines like this in my life. I also have begun to realize the benefits and importance of fasting. Before, I never really considered fasting anything special or worth doing. But I have realized that it is very crucial and important to my relationship with Jesus.

this made me laugh

Jewish Olympic Swimmer