No More Excuses

May 03, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Rod and the Serpent

Moses gripped a shepherd’s rod as God spoke from the flames. When told to throw it down, the stick became a snake. He ran. But God commanded him to grab the serpent’s tail. Moses obeyed, and it became a rod again—now charged with divine power. This ordinary tool became a sign of God’s authority. The same rod would later split seas and strike rocks. What you dismiss as ordinary, God can make extraordinary. [01:11]

God didn’t ask Moses for a weapon or a miracle. He used what was already in Moses’ hand. The rod symbolized Moses’ identity as a shepherd, yet God repurposed it for liberation. When we surrender our “ordinary” to Him, He transforms it into Kingdom tools.

What’s in your hand—skills, resources, or even insecurities—that God waits to reclaim? Stop dismissing your “rod.” Offer it to Him today. What practical thing have you withheld from God because it feels too small or broken?

“Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ And he said, ‘A staff.’ Then He said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail’—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand.”
(Exodus 4:2–4, NASB)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal what He’s already placed in your hands—and for courage to release it.
Challenge: Physically hold an object you use daily (pen, phone, keys) and pray over it: “Use this for Your glory.”

Day 2: From Leprosy to Wholeness

God told Moses to tuck his hand into his robe. When he pulled it out, it was white with leprosy. A second time, he obeyed—and his flesh restored. The right hand, symbolizing strength, showed God’s power to corrupt and heal. Moses’ very body became a living testimony: God transforms not just tools, but people. [01:36]

Leprosy meant isolation and death. By touching Moses’ body, God proved He redeems what sin destroys. The same hand that fled from serpents would later hold tablets of law. God doesn’t just equip us—He sanctifies us, making flawed vessels holy.

Where have you believed your past failures or weaknesses disqualify you? God specializes in restoring “leprous” areas. When you feel unworthy, remember: He cleanses first, then commissions. What part of your story needs His healing touch today?

“The Lord furthermore said to him, ‘Now put your hand into your bosom.’ So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then He said, ‘Put your hand into your bosom again.’ So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.”
(Exodus 4:6–7, NASB)

Prayer: Confess one area where you feel “unclean” and ask God to restore you.
Challenge: Write down a personal weakness and place it in your Bible as a surrender offering.

Day 3: River Water to Blood

Moses doubted again. God responded: “Take Nile water and pour it on dry ground.” It turned to blood—a direct assault on Egypt’s idolatry. The life-giving river became a sign of judgment. God wasn’t just changing Moses; He would upheave an entire nation’s systems. [02:28]

The Nile symbolized Egypt’s power and false gods. By transforming it, God declared His supremacy over every “river” we fear—corrupt systems, oppressive relationships, or impossible circumstances. No situation is beyond His reach.

What “Nile” intimidates you? A relationship? A financial strain? A cultural stronghold? God can turn its very source into a testimony. Where do you need to trust Him to transform your environment?

“Then the Lord said, ‘…You shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.’”
(Exodus 4:9, NASB)

Prayer: Name one overwhelming circumstance and pray, “Turn this ‘river’ into proof of Your power.”
Challenge: Text a friend: “Pray with me about [specific situation]—God can change it.”

Day 4: The Name That Answers Excuses

Moses stood barefoot at the bush, making excuses. God replied, “I AM WHO I AM.” Not a philosophical idea—a relational promise. The same God who met Hagar in her despair (“El Roi”) and Abraham in sacrifice (“Jehovah Jireh”) declared Himself Moses’ ever-present answer. [08:04]

“I AM” dismantles every “what if.” Fear says, “What if I fail?” God says, “I AM your success.” Inadequacy whispers, “What if I’m not enough?” He answers, “I AM your sufficiency.” The name isn’t just theological—it’s practical, meeting us in real-time need.

Where are you hedging with “what ifs” instead of trusting “I AM”? Write one fear and rewrite it as a declaration: “God is my ______.” What excuse have you let silence His “I AM”?

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel: “I AM has sent me to you.”’”
(Exodus 3:14, NASB)

Prayer: Replace a specific fear by praying, “I AM, be my [need] today.”
Challenge: Write “I AM” on your palm. Each time you see it, declare one attribute of God.

Day 5: “Daddy’s Got All of Me”

A father held his two daughters. When one boasted, “I got all of Daddy,” the younger cried—until he pulled her close. “You got all of Daddy,” he said, “but Daddy’s got all of you.” Surrender isn’t loss; it’s mutual belonging. Moses’ final surrender birthed deliverance. [30:32]

God doesn’t want partial obedience or negotiated faith. He wants all of us—doubts, scars, and dreams. Like Moses’ rod, our surrendered lives become conduits of miracles. The Father’s embrace transforms “I can’t” into “He can.”

What part of yourself are you still clutching? Time? Control? A secret sin? God waits for your total “yes.” What would it look like to let Him have all of you today?

“So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.”
(Philippians 2:12–13, NASB)

Prayer: Tell God, “Take all of me—even the parts I’ve withheld.”
Challenge: Do one act of obedience you’ve delayed (e.g., apologize, serve, give) within 24 hours.

Sermon Summary

God meets people in ordinary places and calls them out of excuses into obedience. A burning bush interrupts routine and demands focused attention, showing that holy encounters often require turning aside from daily noise. Presence, not credentials, gives authority. The name I AM roots the call in the stability of God who knows the beginning and the end, and whose presence is the core assurance for any commission.

The narrative shows a God who repurposes the ordinary. A shepherd’s rod becomes a sign, a leprous hand becomes a picture of sin transformed, and river water can become a demonstration that surrounding realities do not constrain divine action. The essential pattern repeats: offer what is in hand, allow God to change what and who one is, and watch God reorder circumstances. Faith looks less like eloquence and more like willingness to be used.

Excuses reveal misplaced trust. Self-questioning and fear of failure keep people small while God asks for surrender. The call requires trust in God’s design, not confidence in personal ability. Obedience, not success, carries weight; faith produces a posture of availability that makes the miraculous possible even amid weakness and opposition.

The life shaped by this encounter becomes testimony. A transformed person walks with new boldness, carries signs that point beyond self, and models how God’s power shows up in fragile vessels. Real faith withstands prolonged struggle without redefining hope to match present limits. The sermon closes with a relational image: God wants all of a life, not just selective devotion. Full surrender promises a life marked by adventure, risk, restoration, and a confidence that every ordinary thing can become a means of God’s work when placed back into God’s hands.

Key Takeaways

1. Meet God in ordinary places God often breaks into routine at the margins where attention shifts. Turning aside to notice the small, strange occurrences invites a holy encounter that reframes identity and mission. The posture of stopping and focusing opens the door for presence to do its reordering work. [03:31]
2. Surrender what is in hand What seems ordinary or weak can become a vessel of power when offered to God. Surrender turns tools of daily life into instruments of deliverance and sustenance. The act of handing over disarms pride and lets God reshape resources into signs. [01:36]
3. God changes heart and circumstance Transformation starts inside and radiates outward. God can make blemished hands whole and convert hostile places into ground for rescue. True change moves personal sin, inner poverty, and external barriers toward new narratives of life. [16:40]
4. Obedience matters more than success God values faithful compliance over visible outcomes. Obedience aligns a life with the character and purposes of God even when results lag or trials persist. Steadfast trust in God’s design carries more spiritual weight than any immediate triumph. [29:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - Opening and Bible reading
[01:11] - Rod becomes serpent: first sign
[01:36] - Hand in bosom: leprous sign
[02:28] - Water to blood: third sign
[03:12] - No more excuses
[04:11] - Turn aside to hear God
[07:31] - The I AM revealed
[10:41] - What is in your hand
[14:20] - God changes the heart
[16:40] - God changes hard places
[22:07] - Trust God’s design
[24:32] - Faith over fear
[29:04] - Obedience over success
[31:25] - Final invitation and closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Exodus 4:1-5, 6-7, 9, 10-12 (NASB)
1 Then Moses said, “What if they do not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” 3 Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out with your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he reached out with his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
6 The Lord furthermore said to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.” So he put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
9 “But if they do not believe even these two signs nor pay attention to what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”
10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11 But the Lord said to him, “Who has made the human mouth? Or who makes a person mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now then go, and I Myself will be with your mouth, and instruct you in what you are to say.”

Observation questions

What three signs did God give Moses to confirm His authority, and what did each sign represent?
How did Moses respond when God asked him, “What is that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2), and what does this reveal about his initial perspective?
In Exodus 4:10, Moses claims, “I am slow of speech.” How does God address this excuse?

Interpretation questions

Why do you think God chose Moses’ ordinary staff as the first sign, rather than something extraordinary Moses didn’t already possess?
The leprous hand (Exodus 4:6-7) is described in the sermon as a picture of sin transformed. How might this sign have challenged Moses’ understanding of his own inadequacy?
God responds to Moses’ fear of failure by saying, “I will be with your mouth” (Exodus 4:12). What does this reveal about the relationship between human weakness and divine purpose?

Application questions

“What is in your hand” could be a skill, resource, or even a limitation. What ordinary part of your daily life (work, relationships, hobbies) could you surrender to God this week, and how might you offer it to Him? [11:45]
The sermon emphasizes that God can change “hard places” like the Nile River. What current circumstance feels unchangeable to you? How might trusting God’s presence—not your ability to fix it—shift your perspective? [16:40]
Moses’ excuses centered on fear of failure and self-doubt. Where have you used “I’m not qualified” or “I don’t have enough” to avoid stepping into something God might be asking of you?
The story of the feeding tube ([25:09]) highlights refusing to accept a “new normal” that contradicts God’s promises. Is there an area where you’ve settled for a “new normal” instead of persistently trusting God’s power to restore or transform?
The sermon closes with the image of God saying, “Daddy’s got all of me.” What would it look like this week to live as though God has “all of you”—not just parts you’re comfortable surrendering?

Sermon Clips

38s

#GodCanUseYourGifts

“So he asked Moses, what's that in your hand? Well, he said, just an old stick. He says, listen, I can change what you have. Don't worry about what you've got and what you can't do and that. I can change what you have. God already has the power to change whatever it is in your hand, whatever gift, whatever talent, whatever ability, whatever thing. Don't ever feel small in the sight of god and when god is in you and god is around you, whatever you got in your hand, I can change that.”

39s

#GodChangesYou

“And he put his hand in his bosom, and the hand right hand especially speaks of the power of your life. That's that's your strength, the right hand. He put it in, and when he brought it out, it was leprosy. God says, listen. Not only can I change what you have, I can change you? I can change who you are. He puts it in, comes out as leprosy. Leprosy always represents sin in the bible. He puts it back in, and that's the first thing he changes in us. He delivers us from sin into righteousness. Amen.”

31s

#KeepTrustingGod

“He said, you get on the feeding tube, you never get off. That's just your new way of life. Recognize the new normal. That's what it is. But I refuse to recognize the new normal. And kept on. And and so God has done, I'm sure, miracles in this house like that. He's a healer. But sometimes it doesn't happen. One year, two year, three years, four years. You have to just keep holding on. Keep trusting him. Keep believing God.”

38s

#ShowUsTestimonies

“But you know what the church is in great need of? Illustrated sermons. Walking and talking saints who've been through something and trusted God and came out on the other side. You see, I can tell you how he can bring you out. We need some illustrated walking, talking sermons of people who have experienced all kinds of things, and God bought them through. Yeah. We can preach this thing, but we need to see it. Because the truth of the matter is, you whoever god says you are, that's who we are. Amen.”

39s

#GodIsEverythingWeNeed

“You're feeling unloved, I'm your love. You're feeling confused, I'll be your wisdom. You're feeling inadequate to do what god called you to do, I'll be your need. I I I I'll be what you need. I'll be your wisdom. In my need, he's my provision. When I'm feeling guilty, he's my forgiveness. When I'm feeling weak, he's my strength and my power. I am. He's all that we need.”

50s

#TrustGodsProvision

“And god sees all around the corner and down the street and that he knows what's coming up. He knows what's going on before. And so his design is always perfect. Gotta trust God's provision. He will provide for you. And you gotta trust his word, because it's able to order your steps, and it's able to direct your path. Moses tried to make excuse after excuse, but God saw that in spite of Moses's excuses, he could become simply what God called him to be by simple trust in God and no more excuses.”

40s

#HoldOntoGodsMiracle

“But see, it looks crazy what you had in your hand and what God can change it into that we run oftentimes. Just like Moses, away from the miracle that God wants to perform. But he said, don't run. Take hold of it. Boom. He takes hold of it, and there it is, the rod in his hand again. The rod he used to stretch forth to split the Red Sea. The rod he used to strike the rock to feed the thirsty people. You know, thirsty people and dry places is a dangerous place to be.”

31s

#StopMakingExcuses

“And if we wanna be close to god and called by god, we've gotta stop making excuses. They didn't work when you was young. I know the dog eats your homework, but didn't nobody care. You know? I couldn't do this. You see what what what happened was, you know, we're we're always doing that and making excuses for why we can't and why they can't. And excuses are really the the they're just reasons to try to avoid what god wants us to do. Excuses.”

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No More Excuses

Devotional

Day 1: The Rod and the Serpent

Day 2: From Leprosy to Wholeness

Day 3: River Water to Blood

Day 4: The Name That Answers Excuses

Day 5: “Daddy’s Got All of Me”

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

No More Excuses

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