Out of Egypt
Testimony shared by Gary Coppedge at Staunton Grace Covenant Church
August 12, 2001
Exodus 3:7ff The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…"
Thanks to Greater Hope> Ministry and this church I got to attend the annual Exodus North America Conference. I spent the week with people God is bringing out of Egypt. God gathered us from across the world, literally from the north and the south, the east and the west. We were bankers and farmers, artists and teachers, pastors and housewives, people of great and of modest means. We were white and black, Hispanic and Asian, young, old and in between, parents and their children, spouses and singles.
Day after day we heard top quality speakers share the truth of God's Word and the experience of their own walk out of Egypt to freedom. Meeting with people at mealtimes gave me opportunities to learn the various things God is doing around the world to bring people to sexual freedom and wholeness.
What could such a diverse group of people have in common? First of all we recognized that we are all broken people, broken by the sin in our lives. Secondly, we learned that God is at work in a variety of ways in all our lives. People just like you and me are finding the freedom they long for, to walk as whole men and women.
This is what Exodus International is all about. Greater Hope in Harrisonburg is one of those Exodus ministries. Our purpose is to reach out to people who are struggling with their sexual identity and lifestyle, whether homosexual or heterosexual.
The one constant we heard affirmed over and over is this; with God CHANGE IS POSSIBLE! This truth runs counter to our culture. All around our society tells us that homosexuals cannot change. Even worse, we are bombarded with those who say homosexuality is a perfectly ok alternative lifestyle. You may know some people who believe this. Maybe even you believe this. But friends, I stand before you to say that is a lie straight from the pit of hell. This past week I was with over a thousand people who God has changed. I stand before you as one of those whom God has changed. Day after day, by his grace God is conforming me into his image.
You may know some one who is struggling with sexual issues, either homosexual or heterosexual. You may be one of those people yourself. Let me tell you this. God knows your struggle. God knows your pain. More than that, God loves you deeply. You are precious in his sight. You do not have to stay where you are. You are not condemned to live forever in the bondage of Egypt. God stands ready to bring you out to freedom. God wants to take you to His Promised Land! He is calling your name. Will you let him lead you where he wants to take you? I pray that you will.