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Special Study 02/05/2011 

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 werefull of faith in God. People who live in trying times often develop a crushed, conqueredspirit or a conquering spirit. Oppression bows, bends, crushes, destroys the human spiritor stirs up and activates the innate qualities in man. But the faith in Moses’ parentsproduced a conquering spirit in them. They gave birth to Moses in trying times andraised him in the same faith and courage they had in God. Character traits of parentsoften 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 arefound in their children. “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that isin 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 fireis 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 childrenwithout 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 theglory of God ”. A time comes when a man realizes his state of sinfulness and needof salvation because nobody is born a child of God. Being born of Christian parentsdoes not make one a Christian either. General knowledge and faith in the existenceof God and His divine attributes cannot save. Forgiveness of sin comes throughexercise of definite and specific faith in the redemptive sacrifice of Christ. Thoughnot recorded, scripture accounts show that he had a genuine spiritual experiencewith 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 notknow 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 andtrusted in His love, grace, mercy and power, and not in aggression, He had apersonal relationship with the Lord. Thus, having experienced not only physical butspiritual 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 divinepresence 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 Israelfrom their enemies. True conversion always leads to total transformation.

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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 fromthe world which Egypt symbolizes. The world is corrupt, evil and under the dominionand authority of Satan. (2) Identification with the people of God. It was moreconvenient 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 peopleof God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”. Ruth also had thiskind of faith in trying times that God wants all His children to have. (3) Forsaking sinin all its forms, standing on the Word of God even when other people get by withlies and deception, and running the race with patience. (4) Joyfully accepting thereproaches 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 believerneeds to put aside whatever will hinder him from getting to heaven. (6) Disallowingfear from controlling our decisions in times of crisis. It is difficult to get saved ortake a stand and live by personal conviction and be rewarded if there is fear of manin 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; Matthew5:5; 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 willnot be unfaithful to Him. And it is impossible to be faithful to God without havingfaith 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 withGod at all times. God’s testimony about Moses is, “My servant Moses ...isfaithful 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 goingto 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. Whenthe 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, tolove God and His people even in trying times. God also testified that meekness hadreplaced aggressiveness in Moses. He was humble and made room for other peopleto 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 thatsinned 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 inHis children.

* * * * * * * *Congregational Song:

FAITH OF OUR FATHERS

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1. Faith of our fathers! living stillIn spite of dungeon, fire and sword,O how our hearts beat high with joyWhene’er we hear that glorious word!Faith of our fathers, holy faith!We will be true to Thee till death.

2. Faith of our fathers! we will strive To win all nations unto Thee,And through the truth that comes from GodMankind shall then be truly free;Faith of our fathers, holy faith!We will be true to Thee till death.

3. Faith of our fathers! we will loveBoth friend and foe in all our strife,And preach Thee, too, as love knows howBy kindly words and virtuous life;Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

We will be true to Thee till death.