Pastoring

Crying Out to God (thoughts from Exodus 14)

ebc1af26e4a5392d0e6c5abd313b2141Out of God’s great love for His children he miraculously leads them out of Egypt. Yet at their first resting place they find themselves hemmed in between the desert and the Red Sea. Then, to make matters worse, the whole Egyptian army is now bearing down on them! You can understand how they all start crying out in complaint to Moses and to God. Finding yourself “between a rock and a hard place” is not a pleasant place to be. What is God doing?

God is doing many things. But, the most important thing He is doing for His people at that Red Sea is revealing to them who He is. They will come to know Him by these overwhelming circumstances. And it is the same for you and me today. It is through difficulties, the most hopeless of circumstances, that God is teaching us about himself in ways that we will never comprehend by reading a book or sitting in a class. He sets the stage to demonstrate His glory and show you Himself. This is how you come to know Him – by experience. The cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, the parting of the sea, the water from the rock, the bread from heaven; without the crisis we see no need and we have no reason to cry out to him. “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of he Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” Exodus 14:31.

God will keep hemming you in and putting you into impossible places. He is setting the stage to do something great once again. Yes, it is a test of your faith – that is the nature of the Christian life! The next time you find yourself wanting to cry out to God in complaint, start looking for what He is going to do. I can promise you – it will be great, it will be good, and you will come to know him in ways you have not known him before.

“Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” Exodus 15:11

Joining the Team at Valley

How sweet it is to be back in the west and what a thrill to join David Rudie, Paul Ice, and Mike Durrill at Valley Community Church in Louisville, CO. I am now the newest pastor—but sadly, not the youngest! Mike planted this church three years ago and God has been doing amazing things since then. In his book Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby challenges us to find out where God is at work and then go join Him. That is what we believe we are doing.

Diane and I arrived last Thursday evening after a trek from Wisconsin. We have been impressed with the focus, philosophy, vision, and energy of these pastors and their wives; and now we just hope to contribute and build upon what God has already been doing. The Boulder Valley of Colorado is so ripe for a spiritual harvest and as we drive through this metro area, we are overwhelmed with the needs of hundreds of thousands of people.

Pray for us as we settle in. My role as one of the pastors will be to focus on the preaching and teaching of the Word as well as discipling men. We have started a series through Philippians on Sunday mornings entitled, “Joy in the Valley.” I am looking forward to communicating the truths that God has been working in us over the past five years. Diane also plans on investing in the lives of women through teaching and discipleship. We are now in a stage of life where we have more to give—and that is thrilling!

Below is a picture of me, Dave Rudie, Paul Ice, & Mike Durrill.

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