A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Friday, May 24,
2019
Early
morning sunrise view yesterday from a Smucker Laser
shipping dock.
"Eternal
Pleasures And Heavenly Treasures"
Message
summary:
Here's an
outstanding
spiritual principle.
"He was looking
ahead to his
reward." That
should be our
primary outlook in
life as well. Are
you looking ahead to
your promised reward
today?
Listen to our
message on your
audio player.
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26).
Ollie's
Bargain Outlet is a
discount store
founded here in
central PA in the
early 80's. It now
has 327
"semi-lovely" stores
and there just might
be one near you.
Their motto is "good
stuff cheap". It's a
fun place to visit
in part due to the
humorous posters
throughout the store
such as the one
shown on the left.We receive a sales flier from them and this week a forlorn looking Ollie states "If Loving Bargains Is Wrong, I Don't Want To be Right". That got me thinking about the similarity to the attitude many have about the "pleasures of sin". It would go, "If Loving (name the sin) Is Wrong, I Don't Want To be Right".
About 3,500 years ago, when Moses was 40 years of age, he made a critical decision to identify with God and His people. He correctly realized that the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt paled in comparison to the eternal pleasures and indescribable treasures given by God. Likewise today, and in every generation, all the pleasures and treasures this world has to offer just can't compare with the real deal.
Nevertheless many love sin to a degree they don't want to be right with God. So much of man's behavior can be explained by the pursuit of earthly pleasures and monetary treasures. The pleasure of sin and treasures of "Egypt" remain a great obstacle to faith for the unbeliever and a constant source of temptation for people of faith in all generations.
Moses certainly had the opportunity to enjoy the very best of this world's pleasures. He had been raised in Pharaoh's house and had every pleasure of that age available to him. But "he chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time". By faith he placed value on eternal pleasures, which the Psalmist expresses, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11).
Likewise Moses also had the opportunity to experience the very best of this world's treasures, Egypt being the dominant world empire at the time. But in a remarkable way "He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt." (This is an outstanding verse in that Moses lived some 1,400 years before the incarnation of Christ Jesus!)
Jesus draws this contrast in the Sermon on the Mount. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19,20).
We conclude with the last phrase from the text concerning Moses; it's an outstanding spiritual principle. "He was looking ahead to his reward." That should be our primary outlook in life as well. Are you looking ahead to your promised reward today?
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, keep
my eyes
focused on my
future eternal
reward as I
run with
perseverance
the race
marked out for
me. Help me to
exercise godly
discernment so
that I can
readily
identify
opposition
from the enemy
as a tactic to
make me falter
or to steer me
completely off
course. Just
as runners
must keep
their eyes on
the finish
line, help me
to keep my
eyes on the
eternal One
whose
treasures far
exceed earthly
reward. By
Your grace, I
will complete
this race and
experience the
eternal
pleasures and
heavenly
treasures You
eagerly grant
to Your
faithful ones!
Help me to
keep looking
ahead to my
reward. Amen.
Lancaster
County view
near New
Holland, PA
The
Lapp
Valley Farm
The
Village
Farm Market
is one of our
favorite
stopping
points and now
has an
abundance of
flowers.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Knowing You,
Jesus" Video
National Coalition of Men's
Ministries and Integrity
Music
Finally today:
Yesterday's sunset from our front lawn.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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