The Call to Move, Trust, and Advance God's Kingdom

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Call Is a Call to Move

God’s call on our lives is not a passive invitation but an active summons to step out from what is familiar, comfortable, or secure and to move toward the unknown places He will show us. Just as Abram was called to leave his land, his relatives, and his father’s house, we too are often called to leave behind our own sense of security, our routines, and even our expectations for the future. This movement may not always be physical; sometimes it is a shift in our hearts, our priorities, or our willingness to obey. The Lord rarely calls us to stay just as we are, but instead invites us to trust Him enough to take the first step, even when the destination is unclear. [07:45]

Genesis 12:1 (ESV)
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you sense God nudging you to move—whether in attitude, action, or relationship—and what is the first step you can take today to respond to His call?

Day 2: Trusting God When the Destination Is Unclear

When God calls us, He often does not provide all the details or a clear map of what lies ahead. Like Abram, who was told only to go to the land that God would show him, we are invited to trust not in our own understanding or in the certainty of the path, but in the One who calls us. Jesus reminds His disciples that He Himself is the way, the truth, and the life, and that following Him means focusing on the Person who leads us rather than the specifics of the journey. Our comfort and confidence come from knowing who is calling us, not from knowing every detail of the destination. [11:27]

John 14:1-6 (ESV)
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Reflection: Where in your life are you waiting for more clarity before you obey God, and how might you shift your focus to trusting Jesus as the way rather than waiting for all the answers?

Day 3: God’s Call Is a Call to Trust His Promises

God’s call is always accompanied by His promises, and He repeatedly assures us of what He will do, even when circumstances seem impossible. Abram was given a series of “I will” promises from God—promises to make him a great nation, to bless him, and to bless all peoples through him—even though he was seventy-five years old and childless at the time. God’s faithfulness is not limited by our limitations or by what we can see. We are called to trust that God will do what He says, even when we have nothing else to go on but His word. [16:06]

Genesis 12:2-3 (ESV)
“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Reflection: What is one promise of God that feels hard to believe right now, and how can you take a step of trust today based on His faithfulness rather than your circumstances?

Day 4: God’s Call Is a Call to Advance His Kingdom

God’s call is not only personal but also missional—He calls us to participate in the advancement of His kingdom. Just as Abram built altars in the land of Canaan, staking a claim for the Lord even in places that were not yet his, we are called to claim people for God by sharing the gospel and making disciples. Jesus’ Great Commission echoes this call to go, not to claim land, but to reach people—starting with our families, our neighbors, and extending to all nations. Our obedience in this call is a declaration that we believe in God’s promises and desire to see His kingdom come. [25:19]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Reflection: Who is one person in your life—family, friend, or neighbor—whom you can intentionally pray for or reach out to this week as a step toward advancing God’s kingdom?

Day 5: God’s Call Is Rooted in His Grace, Not Our Merit

God’s call comes to us not because of anything inherently special about us, but because of His sovereign grace and wisdom. Abram was not chosen because of his achievements or qualifications, but simply because God decided to involve him in His redemptive plan. In the same way, God calls each of us by His grace, inviting us to participate in what He is doing in the world. Our response is not to earn His favor, but to receive His invitation with humility and gratitude, knowing that He delights to use ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. [04:43]

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Reflection: In what ways have you felt unworthy or inadequate to be used by God, and how can you embrace His grace and step forward in faith today?

Sermon Summary

It’s remarkable how easily we can become captivated by the things that demand our attention—like our phones, which so often dictate our actions and thoughts. Yet, if we are so quick to respond to a device, how much more should we be attentive and responsive to the voice of God in our lives? God’s call is not just a gentle suggestion; it is an invitation to move, to step out of what is familiar, and to trust Him with our future. This is vividly illustrated in the life of Abram, who was called to leave behind his home, his family, and his security, and to journey to a place that God would reveal to him only along the way.

Abram’s story reminds us that God’s call is rarely about staying comfortable or remaining unchanged. Instead, it is a call to movement—sometimes literal, often spiritual or relational. God’s instructions to Abram were not detailed; He simply said, “Go to the land I will show you.” Abram had to trust not in a clear map, but in the character and promises of the One who called him. This is the essence of faith: moving forward without all the answers, but with confidence in God’s faithfulness.

God’s call is also a call to trust. Over and over, God reassured Abram with His promises, saying, “I will” do this or that. Unlike human promises, which are often limited or broken, God’s promises are sure and without limit. Even when we have been disappointed by others, we can rest in the certainty that God will do what He says. Abram’s willingness to trust God, even when the outcome was unclear, became the turning point not only in his life but in the story of salvation for all nations.

Furthermore, God’s call is a call to advance His kingdom. As Abram journeyed through the land, he built altars—staking a claim for God’s purposes in places that were not yet his. In the same way, we are called to advance God’s kingdom, not by claiming land, but by claiming people for Christ, beginning with our families, our neighbors, and extending to the nations. The call is to be active participants in God’s unfolding plan, trusting Him to lead, provide, and accomplish His will through us.

Key Takeaways

1. The things that most easily capture our attention—like our phones—reveal how quickly we respond to what calls us. Yet, God’s call deserves an even greater response. When we sense God speaking or prompting us, we should be even more eager to listen and act, recognizing that His voice leads to life and purpose. [03:21]
2. God’s call is fundamentally a call to move—out of comfort, familiarity, and self-reliance. Like Abram, we are often asked to leave behind what we know and step into the unknown, trusting that God will reveal the next step as we go. True faith is not about having all the details, but about trusting the One who leads us. [08:42]
3. Trusting God means believing His promises even when circumstances seem impossible. Abram was called to believe that God would make him a great nation, despite his age and lack of children. God’s repeated “I will” statements remind us that His ability and faithfulness are not limited by our doubts or by human limitations. [15:19]
4. Our past disappointments with people can make it hard to trust God’s promises, but God is not like us—He never fails to keep His word. When God says “I will,” we can rest assured that He will accomplish what He has promised, even if we cannot see how it will happen. Our role is to trust and obey, leaving the results to Him. [19:44]
5. God’s call is not just personal; it is missional. As Abram built altars in the land, claiming it for God, we are called to advance God’s kingdom by making disciples and sharing the gospel. This begins in our homes and neighborhoods but extends to the ends of the earth. Our obedience becomes the means by which God’s blessing reaches others. [25:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:37] - The Pull of Distraction
[01:28] - Conviction and Modern Life
[02:54] - Responding to God’s Voice
[04:10] - The Nature of God’s Call
[05:31] - God’s Call to Move
[06:40] - Leaving Security Behind
[08:42] - Trusting Without All the Details
[09:55] - Jesus: The Way, Not Just the Destination
[11:56] - Turning Points of Faith
[13:39] - God’s Call to Trust
[14:45] - God’s Promises: “I Will”
[17:01] - God’s Plan Through Abram
[19:44] - Human Limits vs. God’s Faithfulness
[20:38] - Advancing God’s Kingdom
[21:36] - Building Altars: Claiming for God
[24:21] - The Great Commission: Our Call
[26:46] - God’s Call to Each of Us
[27:31] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Genesis 12:1-9 (ESV) — 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.
9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

John 14:1-6 (ESV) — 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) — 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Observation Questions

What specific instructions did God give Abram in Genesis 12:1, and what details did God leave out?
How many times does God say “I will” in Genesis 12:2-3, and what are the things He promises to do for Abram? [14:45]
According to John 14:5-6, how does Jesus respond when Thomas says he doesn’t know the way?
In Genesis 12:7-8, what does Abram do as he travels through the land, and what might be the significance of building altars? [21:36]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God chose not to give Abram all the details about where he was going or what would happen along the way? How might this have affected Abram’s faith? [08:42]
The sermon mentions that God’s call is rarely about staying comfortable or unchanged. What does this suggest about the nature of following God? [13:28]
The repeated “I will” statements from God to Abram are highlighted in the sermon. What does this repetition reveal about God’s character and the kind of trust He wants from us? [14:45]
When Abram builds altars in a land that isn’t yet his, what does this act say about his trust in God’s promises and his role in advancing God’s kingdom? [22:37]

Application Questions

The sermon compares how quickly we respond to our phones with how we respond to God’s voice. What is one practical way you can become more attentive to God’s promptings this week? Is there a specific distraction you need to set aside? [03:21]
God called Abram to leave behind his comfort, security, and what was familiar. Is there something in your life—maybe a habit, relationship, or comfort zone—that God might be asking you to step away from? What would it look like to trust Him with that? [06:55]
Abram had to move forward without all the answers, trusting in God’s character. Can you think of a time when you felt God leading you but didn’t have all the details? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [08:42]
The sermon points out that our past disappointments with people can make it hard to trust God’s promises. Are there any past hurts or letdowns that make it difficult for you to trust God fully? How can you bring those to Him in prayer? [19:28]
God’s call to Abram was not just personal but also missional—he was to be a blessing to others. Who in your life (family, neighbor, coworker) might God be calling you to reach out to or bless this week? What is one step you can take? [25:19]
Abram built altars as a way of staking a claim for God’s purposes. What would it look like for you to “stake a claim” for God in your home, workplace, or community? Is there a specific action you can take to make your faith visible? [22:37]
The sermon says God’s call is a call to move, trust, and advance His kingdom. Which of these three is most challenging for you right now, and why? What is one thing you can do this week to take a step forward in that area? [26:46]

Sermon Clips

Oftentimes in our life, we trouble ourselves with the destination. We trouble ourselves with how things are going to work out, how it's all going to end up. We'll often say to Jesus, but Jesus, I can't do that. I've never done. I've never done that. I've never been to that place, Jesus. I've never had that experience. How could I know the way? But he tells us, I am the way. So when God calls us to go, we don't concern ourselves always so much with the destination. We concern ourselves with the person who does the calling. [00:10:39] (44 seconds) #TrustTheCaller

If God calls us to go, then we can trust him, as Abram did. So might your response to that call, might your response to God's call for you to go, for you to move in your life, might that be a turning point in your life? That you could look back on, and not just as a change in location, but just a change in the trajectory of your life, that I trusted God and I moved. I trusted God and I went. And look where he brought me. [00:11:37] (36 seconds) #TrustAndMove

Might it be a turning point for our church? Where we recognize that as a church, we said, you know what? God was calling us to move, and we listened. We trusted him, and look what God did. All because we moved. All because we listened to his call. [00:12:36] (21 seconds) #ChurchOnTheMove

God, sometimes the Lord calls us to leave our safety nets, to leave, as Abram did, what's familiar and what gives us that sense of comfort. But as anxiety-producing as that may be, he gives us reason to trust him. He gives us reason to move. He gives us reason to say, you know what, if God calls me to change direction in my life, if he calls me to go from one place to another, then I can trust him. I can trust how he's going to work. He's going to work it out. [00:13:57] (31 seconds) #TrustAndStepOut

Abram had nothing to go on other than what God said He will do. How's that for motivation? He's not given an address of where he should go or show up to. He's not given much detail on what the journey will be like. All he's given is what God will do. And that was enough. We have nothing else to go on other than what the Lord has promised us, it will be enough. [00:20:06] (28 seconds) #FaithInThePromise

It's not so much about physical land, but Jesus in a very similar way tells his disciples to go out and advance God's kingdom. In Matthew 28, verse 19, Jesus tells the disciples, go, therefore, that word go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And so notice it's the same call. It's the same call to go. Jesus talks in this passage of trusting in his authority. It's the same call to trust. It's the same call to advance God's kingdom. [00:24:29] (45 seconds) #ClaimPeopleForGod

The Lord calls to each of us. He calls us to move and be active in his kingdom. He calls us to trust with only what he can do. It's not a matter of if the Lord's calling you. It's a matter of when and how. He is calling us. He's calling you to deeper fellowship. He's calling you to greater faithfulness. He's calling you to greater faithfulness. He's calling you to action. Will you, like Abram, in this passage, call on the name of the Lord? [00:26:29] (38 seconds)

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