The Consuming Fire: Embracing God’s Mission with Humility

Nov 08, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Mission Depends on His Power, Not Our Limitations

When God calls us to a mission, He does not focus on our weaknesses or limitations, but rather on His own limitless power and presence. Like Moses, we may feel inadequate or unworthy, but God assures us that it is not about who we are, but about who He is and what He can do through us. Our role is to trust Him, allowing His strength to work in and through our frailty, knowing that His presence is the true source of our ability and confidence. [52:13]

Exodus 3:10-14 (ESV)
“Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Reflection: What is one area where you feel too limited or unqualified to serve God? How can you invite Him to show His power through your weakness today?

Day 2: God Covers the Weak with His Glory

The image of the burning bush reveals that God’s glory can rest upon what is weak and fragile without destroying it. Just as the fire did not consume the bush, God’s presence does not overwhelm or annihilate us, but instead transforms and empowers us for His purposes. He desires to cover us with His glory, not because we are strong, but precisely because we are weak—so that His power may be seen through us and others may witness His greatness. [57:56]

2 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Reflection: In what ways have you seen God use your weaknesses or imperfections to reveal His strength and glory to others?

Day 3: Humility Prepares Us for God’s Mission

Before God can use us powerfully, He must first cultivate humility in our hearts. Moses’ journey through the desert was a time of preparation, stripping away pride and self-reliance so that he could depend fully on God. True humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but recognizing our need for God and allowing Him to shape us for His purposes. Only when we are humble can we truly experience God’s presence and be used by Him to accomplish His mission. [01:07:06]

Numbers 12:3 (ESV)
Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.

Reflection: Where might pride or self-reliance be holding you back from fully surrendering to God’s calling? What is one step you can take to embrace humility today?

Day 4: God’s Presence Is the Promise That Enables Us

When God gives a command, He also gives a promise: “I will be with you.” His presence is not just a comfort, but the very power that enables us to fulfill the mission He sets before us. We are not left to accomplish His work alone; instead, we are invited into a partnership where His Spirit equips, strengthens, and transforms us. The assurance of His presence gives us courage to step out in faith, knowing that He will provide all we need. [01:14:58]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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: How does the promise of God’s presence change the way you approach the tasks or challenges before you this week?

Day 5: We Are Called to Be Witnesses of God’s Glory

God’s desire is not only to fill us with His glory, but to make us witnesses—people who share with others what He has done in our lives. Like the disciples at Pentecost, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to testify to God’s love, power, and salvation. Our mission is not just to receive from God, but to go out and invite others to encounter Him as well. When we open our hearts and allow God to use us, our lives become a testimony to His transforming grace. [01:34:30]

Acts 1:8 (ESV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Reflection: Who is one person you can share your story of God’s work in your life with this week? How will you take a step to be a witness of His glory?

Sermon Summary

Today, we journeyed again to the top of the mountain with Moses, reflecting on the profound encounter he had with God at the burning bush. In that sacred moment, God revealed not only His glory and His heart, but also His mission for Moses. It’s easy to stop at the awe of God’s power or the comfort of His faithfulness, but God always calls us beyond that—to participate in His mission. The burning bush, a weak and dry shrub enveloped by fire yet not consumed, is a powerful metaphor for how God desires to work with us. We are the weak bush, and He is the consuming fire. By His grace, His glory covers us, not to destroy, but to empower and transform.

God’s call is never about our abilities or our limitations. When Moses protested, “Who am I?” God’s answer was not a list of Moses’ qualifications, but a simple, “I will be with you.” The mission God gives us is not dependent on our strength, but on His presence. The story of Moses reminds us that humility is the starting point for being used by God. Moses, once proud and self-reliant, was shaped by forty years in the desert to become the most humble man on earth. Only then was he ready to be covered by God’s glory and to lead others to freedom.

This pattern repeats throughout Scripture and in our own lives. God does not need us, but He chooses to work with us as an expression of His love. Our value and purpose come not from what we bring, but from the One who calls us. When we open our hearts in humility, God covers us with His glory and enables us to be witnesses of His power. The story of the brother in Argentina, who could only read the Bible after meeting Jesus in prison, is a living testimony that God delights to use the weak and the unlikely to display His glory.

God’s name, “I AM WHO I AM,” reveals that He is the self-existent One, the source of all life and power. When we truly know Him, we cannot help but speak of Him to others. The mission is not just for a select few; it is for all who have encountered God’s glory. As Jesus sent His disciples, so He sends us: “Go…and surely I am with you always.” Our community, our friends, our world need to see the glory of God through us. Let us pray for humility, for a deeper encounter with God, and for the courage to be the bush on fire—weak in ourselves, but radiant with His presence.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s Mission Depends on His Power, Not Ours God’s call is not about our abilities or limitations, but about His limitless power and presence. When we focus on our weaknesses, we miss the point: God delights to use the weak so that His strength is made visible. Our role is to let Him cover us with His glory and trust that He will accomplish His mission through us. [61:01]
2. Humility Prepares Us for God’s Use Before God can use us, He must humble us. Like Moses, we may need to go through seasons of desert training, where pride is stripped away and dependence on God is learned. True humility is not self-deprecation, but a readiness to let God take total control and fulfill His purposes through us. [67:06]
3. Knowing God Fuels Our Witness We cannot speak boldly about a God we do not know. Moses’ authority to lead came from his personal encounter with God’s glory and heart. The more deeply we know God, the more naturally we will share Him with others—not out of obligation, but out of the overflow of our relationship with Him. [69:38]
4. God’s Presence Is the Greatest Promise When God sends us, He promises, “I will be with you.” This is not just companionship, but the vital link that transforms and empowers us. Our confidence is not in who we are, but in who goes with us. God’s presence is the source of our value, purpose, and effectiveness in His mission. [74:58]
5. We Are Called to Be Witnesses, Not Spectators God covers us with His glory not for our own sake, but so that we can be witnesses to others. The fire of God’s presence is meant to be shared, setting others free and drawing them to the God we have encountered. Our mission is to let others see God’s glory through our lives, pointing them to the One who saves. [94:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Introduction and Series Recap
[02:30] - Moses’ Encounter with God’s Glory
[05:10] - God Reveals His Heart to Moses
[07:20] - The Call to Mission
[10:00] - Our Limitations vs. God’s Power
[13:00] - The Burning Bush: A Divine Metaphor
[16:00] - Jesus: The Glory in Human Flesh
[19:00] - God’s Glory Covers the Weak
[22:00] - The Privilege of Teaming with God
[25:00] - Moses’ Desert Training and Humility
[29:00] - The Process: Glory, Heart, Mission
[32:00] - “Who Am I?” and God’s Answer
[36:00] - God’s Name: “I AM WHO I AM”
[39:00] - Knowing God and Sharing Him
[42:00] - The Great Commission and Our Mission
[45:00] - The Fire of Pentecost and Witness
[48:00] - Prayer for God’s Glory and Mission

Bible Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: The Burning Bush and God’s Mission

Bible Reading

Exodus 3:10-14 (ESV)
> 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
> 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
> 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
> 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
> 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

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

In Exodus 3:10-14, what is Moses’ main concern when God calls him, and how does God respond to that concern?
What does the burning bush represent in the story, and why is it significant that the bush is not consumed by the fire? ([55:13])
According to the sermon, what was the process God used to prepare Moses for his mission? ([01:07:06])
In Matthew 28:18-20, what promise does Jesus give to those He sends out on mission?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God chose to use a weak, dry bush as the place to reveal His glory to Moses? What does this say about how God works with people? ([55:13])
The sermon says that God’s call is not about our abilities or limitations, but about His presence. How does this change the way someone might view their own weaknesses or feelings of inadequacy? ([01:01:01])
Moses spent 40 years in the desert before God called him. What does this suggest about the role of humility and preparation in being used by God? ([01:07:06])
The sermon tells the story of a man in Argentina who could only read the Bible after meeting Jesus. What does this story teach about God’s power to use unlikely people for His mission? ([01:19:39])

Application Questions

When God calls you to do something outside your comfort zone, do you tend to focus more on your own limitations or on God’s promise to be with you? Can you think of a recent example? ([01:01:01])
The burning bush was weak, but God’s fire made it shine without being destroyed. In what areas of your life do you feel weak or “not enough”? How might God want to use those very areas to show His glory? ([55:13])
Moses needed to go through a “desert” season to become humble and ready for God’s mission. Have you experienced a “desert” season in your life? How did it shape your character or faith? ([01:07:06])
The sermon says that knowing God deeply fuels our desire to share Him with others. How well do you feel you know God right now? What is one step you could take this week to know Him more? ([01:09:38])
Jesus’ promise, “I am with you always,” is meant to give us confidence. Is there a situation right now where you need to remember that God is with you? How can you remind yourself of this truth daily? ([01:14:58])
The story of the brother in Argentina shows that God can use anyone, no matter their past or abilities. Is there something in your past or present that you think disqualifies you from being used by God? How does this story challenge that belief? ([01:19:39])
The sermon ends with a call to be witnesses, not just spectators. What is one practical way you can be a “bush on fire” in your community or among your friends this week? ([01:34:30])

Sermon Clips

“The message that we gonna get today from this study of the Bible is that it's not about you, it is about the God who's calling you. It is not about your limitations, it's about the God that does not have limitations. So when he calls us, it's not about what I can do or what I cannot do, it is about what he can do. And that's the problem, we sometimes focus too much in our limitations and what we can't and what we cannot do, and we forget what he can do. And our God does not have limitations.”

“The bush is weak by itself and the fire is powerful, and this is an example of how God wants to work with humans and how he wants to combine his nature, his glory, with a weak human. The fire represented the glory of God. The Bible says that he is the consuming fire. It represents his power, it represents that he is not equal to us, that he is above everything. Now, this powerful element, the fire, was taking possession of a weak bush, but not to the point of destroying.”

“The fire over the bush represented the fire represented Jesus. And you will tell me why, why the fire represented Jesus? Because Jesus is the only being in the whole universe that possesses two different natures. He's hundred percent God and hundred percent human. So the glory of God took possession of a weak human body.”

“The second meaning of this revelation of God on the bush on fire: he is the consuming fire and we are the fragile bush. His glory could destroy us in an instant, but instead of destroying us with his glory, he wants to cover us with his glory.”

“The message for Moses here and for us is: the mission that I am giving to you does not depend on you. You are a weak bush. The mission that I am giving to you does not depend on your limitations. The mission that I'm giving to you depends only on the power of God, and the only thing that you need to do is to let me cover you with my glory.”

“God wants to work with me not because he needs me, it's because he wants to tell me, look, even though I don't need you, this is the way that I love you. It's a privilege to team work with God. So God is willing to use us as we are, even though we are like the bush, weak, imperfect, but he is giving us the privilege to work with him and this should keep us humble because it's not dependent on us, it's he who wants to use us.”

“Before we can see the glory of God in our life, before we can feel his presence living in us, before he can use us with his power, we need to be what? Please keep this in your mind: before we can feel the presence of God, before we can be used by the power of God, we need to be what? Humble.”

“We need to see God's glory, we need to know God's heart, and then we can go and do the mission that he is calling us to do. So we need to be sure who he is before we talk to others about him. That's what is going to give me authority to talk about God.”

“God's commands are not an obligation, these are promises to enable us to fulfill the mission. When God called you, it's a blessing because God is telling you, I will use you. Who am I, Lord? I don't know how to talk, I don't know how to present myself to people, I don't have all the knowledge the others have, and God says, it doesn't matter, I am calling you, and because I am calling you, I am enabling you to fulfill the mission.”

“You and I, we could be the bush on fire. Think about this: you can be the bush on fire, and this is the most important message here. God wants to cover you with his glory. He wants to reveal his power through you. People can see the glory of God through you.”

“Maybe the reason that I don't feel the authority to talk about God is because I don't know God very well yet. God, please reveal your glory to me. God, please open your heart to me so I can talk about you to others.”

“More important to know who I am is to get to know the one that is calling me, the one that is going with me. Humility is our starting point. Trusting in God is the next step to complete the plan. In the intimacy with God we learn to obey, because his commandments are promises of realization. Those promises coming from him are portals to an existence full of meaning and hope.”

“I am someone not because I am better than others, it's because the one who is calling me, he is the one who gives me value, he is the one who gave me a purpose, and if I exist, it's because of him. And that's the reason of my existence, it's because the God of the whole universe has chosen me, a weak bush. That's what made me important.”

“This man, a weak bush with a lot of mistakes, is covered with the glory of God, and God gave him the ability to read the Bible for one purpose: to be a witness. To be a witness, a witness of God's glory, to talk to others about the God who changed him. He found God on the top of the mountain, and God revealed himself to him. God showed him the glory, God showed him his heart, and he received the salvation that God gave him to give to us.”

“Even if I have these limitations, even if I don't feel that I am tall enough, even if I don't feel that I don't have the right color skin, even if I don't feel that I am coming from a good family who had a good position and I don't have enough money, even if I think that I cannot speak very well, even if I didn't go to the best school in the country, to the best college, Lord, use me as I am. I want to be the bush on fire. It doesn't matter my limitations. Lord, give me a reason for my existence, give me the value that just comes from you.”

“Maybe the reason that you are not talking to others about the God that you have is because you don't know him yet. You know what, I'm sure that if you meet with a very important famous person, you will be talking to others that you met the person. It's not that true? You had a special meeting with the president of the country, you have a special meeting with a famous singer or a famous writer or someone that you know everybody knows, and you will be telling people, you will be taking pictures with the person and posting on your social media and everybody will have to know that you met the person. Do you do the same with God? Are you excited talking to others about the God that has saved you? Maybe the reason is because you still don't know God very well.”

“God does not call people prepared, he prepares people he called, so that the power of God enables us. When the glory of God takes possession of us, when the fire rests on us as the fire on the bush, the disciples, the weak bush, were taken by the power of the glory of God and they became witnesses of God. God wants to cover us with his glory, but don't forget that the reason that God wants to cover us with his glory is because he wants us to be his witnesses.”

“When you have this close encounter with God, with Jesus, you will see how small you are, but you will also learn to trust in him, how big he is, and you will learn about his plan. There on the top of the mountain, we can learn that through the common things of life, it is possible to find something different because there is a holy God, a God who cares about his children.”

“We can have many excuses, many excuses for not doing the mission because we pay too much attention to ourselves. Stop looking to yourself. It's time for you to lift your head and look at the God who is calling you, and he is a perfect God with no limitations. He is a powerful, a mighty God. So it's not about me, it's about him.”

“Lord, show me your glory. Lord, open your heart to me and show me how much you care. Lord, give me your mission. Lord, cover me with your glory. I want to be a witness of you. I want to free them from Egypt. I want to show them the real freedom. God is calling us to set them free. What are you going to do today? I want, as Moses, to ask God, Lord, cover me with the fire, with the same fire that you covered the disciples on the upper room. I want to receive your glory. Lord, I am a weak and perfect bush, but I don't care anymore who I am, I just care about who you are, and I know that even though I have limitations, I know that even though I am imperfect, I know, Lord, that you still can use me as I am. Please cover me with your glory. I want to be today the bush on fire.”

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Bethel Seventh-day Adventist Church This sermon · AI assistant

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