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.