Pastor preaches about relationships using the title: 'Trusting God'

On Feb. 10, 2013, Rev. Louis R. Blakey, Jr., pastor of New Canaan Worship Center in Richmond, Virginia preached about relationships. He used the title: "Trusting God" based on Exodus 4 because all relationships involve trust.

Pastor Blakey began his sermon with a brief review of last Sunday's sermon "Meeting God" based on Exodus 3:1-15 about Moses meeting God at the burning bush.

According to Pastor Blakey:

"Before we can have a deep relationship with God, we must trust God because trust is the main ingredient in any relationship."

In his sermon about Moses' relationship with God, Pastor Blakey focused on three main points: treasure, testimony, triumph

Treasure
Moses began his relationship by questioning God. He asked God a few questions pertaining to his assignment. Then God asked Moses a question: "What's in your hand?" When Moses said it was a staff (or stick), God told him to throw it on the ground. When Moses threw the stick on the ground, it turned into a snake. Moses ran from the snake. Then God told Moses to pick it up by its tail.

Pastor Blakey said it was significant that God wanted Moses to pick it up by its tail. Then the snake turned back into a staff.

Pastor Blakey said God wants us to go back and pick up some things we thought was trouble that we ran from. The trouble was really treasure. Like Moses, we need to go back and pick up some things we have thrown on the ground. We need to face those things we have run from. We need to grab them by the tail if we trust God.

Testimony
Your trouble will give you a testimony. No test, no testimony. No mess, no message. When you begin to pick up stuff, it will be a testimony to people, and they will say it must be God in your life. When you trust God, you will pick up things and not run from them.

God told Moses to put his hand in his cloak. His hand became leprous. Then he told Moses to put it back in his cloak again, and his hand was restored. That's a testimony of what God can do to a life that's messed up. He will restore it, if we trust God.

Triumph
The same stick that Moses threw on the ground that became a snake that he ran from was what he used to be triumphant. He used that same stick over the Red Sea that was changed into blood. He used that same stick to get water out of a rock. He used that same stick to part the Red Sea.

During this dispensation of grace, Jesus was a treasure that was God's testimony of Himself. There was no wooden staff, but there was a wooden cross that Jesus stretched out His arms on so there would be triumph for us when we face our Red Sea.