Stepping Out in Faith: Embracing God's Purpose

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Purposes Are Greater Than Our Comfort

Abraham was called to leave behind a life of comfort and familiarity in order to follow God’s purpose, showing us that comfort can easily block us from stepping into what God has for us. In our own lives, the allure of what is familiar—whether it’s our routines, our possessions, or our sense of security—can keep us from responding to God’s call. Sometimes, God asks us to step out of what is easy or established, not because He wants to take something away, but because He wants to give us something far greater: a deeper relationship with Him and a role in His unfolding story. Consider what you might be holding onto simply because it feels safe, and ask God to help you trust Him with the unknown. [09:40]

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where comfort or familiarity is keeping you from stepping into something you sense God is calling you to? What would it look like to trust Him and take a step of faith today?

Day 2: Faith Overcomes Fear

Abraham’s journey required him to live as a stranger in a foreign land, facing the fear and anxiety of being an outsider, yet he did not shrink back but moved forward in faith. Fear can paralyze us, making us long for the past or wish for the security of what we once knew, but God calls us to trust Him even when the way forward is uncertain or intimidating. Like Abraham, we are invited to move beyond our fears, not because the path will be easy, but because God is with us and will work things out in ways we cannot imagine. When fear tempts you to retreat or stay stuck, remember that God’s presence and promises are greater than any obstacle you face. [16:15]

Hebrews 10:39 (ESV)
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Reflection: What is one fear that is holding you back from following God’s leading? How can you take a small step forward in faith, trusting that God is with you even in uncertainty?

Day 3: Trusting God When You Don’t Have All the Answers

Abraham obeyed God’s call “even though he did not know where he was going,” showing us that a lack of certainty can constrict us from living out God’s purposes, but faith means moving forward without all the answers. In a world that values data, assurance, and clear outcomes, God often invites us to take steps of faith without knowing exactly how things will turn out. This is not reckless, but a deep trust that God’s plans are good and that He is faithful to lead us. Whether you are considering a new direction, a relationship, or a spiritual decision, remember that you may never have full certainty—but you can have confidence in the One who calls you. [22:48]

Hebrews 11:8 (ESV)
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Reflection: Where in your life are you waiting for more certainty before obeying God? What would it look like to take a step of faith today, even if you don’t have all the details?

Day 4: Living by Faith Leads to Greater Things Than We Imagine

Abraham did not get to see the fullness of the promised land in his lifetime, but by living by faith, he became part of something far greater—God’s redemptive plan for the world. Sometimes, following God’s purposes doesn’t result in the outcomes we expect or desire, but God’s story is always bigger than our own. Living by faith means trusting that even if we don’t see all the results, our obedience is never wasted; God uses it for His glory and for blessings beyond what we can imagine. The true reward is not success as the world defines it, but hearing God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” [32:44]

Hebrews 11:9-12 (ESV)
By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

Reflection: Is there an area where you feel disappointed by unmet expectations? How might God be inviting you to trust that your faithfulness is part of a much bigger story?

Day 5: Jesus Is the Ultimate Example of Faithful Obedience

Jesus left the ultimate comfort of heaven, faced fear and suffering, and obeyed the Father’s will even unto death, so that we could have a restored relationship with God—He is the truer and greater Abraham, and our reason for living by faith. Because Jesus has gone before us, we can trust Him with our lives and purposes, knowing that He understands every challenge we face and has already secured our ultimate good. When we are tempted to let comfort, fear, or uncertainty block us, we can look to Jesus’ example and rely on His strength to help us step forward in faith. Our call is not to be perfect, but to trust the One who is perfect and to follow where He leads. [34:50]

Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to look to Jesus’ example of obedience and trust? How can remembering His sacrifice help you move forward in faith today?

Sermon Summary

Today is a day of celebration and gratitude, reflecting on God’s faithfulness and goodness throughout our journey together. Looking back, it’s clear that every story of life change, every step of faith, and every bit of fruit we’ve seen is entirely because of God’s grace and initiative. We are reminded that we are not self-sufficient; we are a people who desperately need Jesus and the gospel ourselves. Our hope and expectation for the future are rooted in the belief that God’s best is still ahead, and we move forward only as He leads.

As we continue exploring what it means to be “Made for This,” we focus on the reality that God has created each of us with great purpose. Yet, even with a sense of calling, there are real obstacles that can block us from living out that purpose. Abraham’s story in Hebrews 11 offers a powerful lens to examine these blockers: comfort and familiarity, fear, and uncertainty.

Abraham had every reason to stay in the comfort of his established life in Ur, surrounded by wealth and security. Yet, he obeyed God’s call, leaving behind what was familiar. This challenges us to consider how our own comfort and routines might be keeping us from stepping into God’s purposes. Similarly, Abraham faced the fear and anxiety of being an outsider in a foreign land, yet he did not shrink back. Fear can paralyze us, especially when we long for the security of the past or focus on the challenges ahead, but faith calls us to move forward even when the way is unclear.

Perhaps most challenging is the uncertainty Abraham faced—he obeyed without knowing where he was going. In a culture that values data and certainty, we often hesitate to move unless we have all the answers. But faith, by its very nature, requires stepping out without full assurance, trusting that God is faithful.

Ultimately, living by faith means betting on God, trusting that even if the outcome doesn’t look as we imagined, it will be infinitely better because it’s part of His greater story. Abraham didn’t see the fullness of the promise in his lifetime, but he became part of something far greater—the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan. In the same way, Jesus left all comfort, faced ultimate fear, and embraced uncertainty for our sake. Because of Him, we can trust God with our lives and purposes, knowing that He is building something eternal through us.

Key Takeaways

1. Comfort and Familiarity Can Block God’s Purposes Abraham’s willingness to leave a life of comfort in Ur challenges us to examine the ways our own routines, luxuries, or familiar patterns might be keeping us from stepping into God’s calling. True faith often requires letting go of what feels safe and secure, trusting that God’s purposes are worth the risk. The comforts of our culture can subtly lull us into complacency, but God invites us into a greater adventure of faith. Are there areas in your life where comfort is holding you back from obedience? [07:45]
2. Fear Paralyzes, But Faith Moves Forward Fear is a powerful force that can keep us from pursuing God’s purposes, especially when we feel like outsiders or face unknown challenges. Abraham’s story reminds us that faith does not mean the absence of fear, but the courage to move forward despite it. When we focus on the obstacles or long for the security of the past, we risk missing out on what God wants to do through us. Faith calls us to trust that God is with us, even when the path is daunting. [16:15]
3. Uncertainty Is Not an Excuse to Wait Abraham obeyed God’s call without knowing the destination, modeling a faith that steps out even when the details are unclear. In a world obsessed with data and certainty, we often delay obedience until we feel fully assured. Yet, the most significant steps of faith rarely come with guarantees. God invites us to trust Him with the unknown, believing that He is faithful to lead and provide as we go. [22:48]
4. Living by Faith Means Trusting God with the Outcome Abraham did not see the fullness of God’s promise in his lifetime, but he became part of a story far greater than he could have imagined. Faith is not about achieving our own version of success, but about being faithful to God’s call, trusting that He is weaving our obedience into His eternal purposes. Even when the results are not what we hoped for, following God by faith is always infinitely better than settling for comfort or certainty. [32:44]
5. Jesus Is the Ultimate Example and Foundation for Our Faith Jesus left the ultimate comfort, faced the deepest fears, and embraced the greatest uncertainty to accomplish God’s redemptive plan for us. Because He was faithful, even unto death, we can trust Him with our lives and purposes. Our faith is not in our own ability to get it right, but in the One who has gone before us and secured our future. This gives us the courage to step out, knowing that God’s faithfulness is the foundation of our hope. [33:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Celebrating God’s Faithfulness
[02:31] - Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dependence
[03:32] - Made for This: Our Purpose in Christ
[05:10] - What Blocks Us from God’s Purpose
[07:45] - Comfort and Familiarity as Blockers
[13:09] - Fear and the Life of an Outsider
[16:15] - Not Shrinking Back in Fear
[18:52] - Personal Story: Wrestling with Fear
[22:00] - The Challenge of Uncertainty
[22:48] - Abraham’s Faith Without Certainty
[27:54] - Living by Faith, Not by Sight
[30:47] - The Greater Promise Beyond Our Lifetime
[32:44] - Faithfulness Over Success
[33:26] - Jesus: The Truer and Greater Abraham
[36:53] - Church Announcement: Here for Good Initiative
[39:00] - Prayer and Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16 (ESV) — 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Observation Questions

According to Hebrews 11:8, what did Abraham do when God called him, and what was unusual about his response?
In the sermon, what were the three main “blockers” that could have kept Abraham from following God’s purpose? ([05:10])
What does the passage say Abraham was looking forward to, even though he lived in tents as a stranger?
How does the sermon describe Abraham’s life in Ur before God called him? ([07:45])

Interpretation Questions

Why might comfort and familiarity be such powerful obstacles to following God’s calling, especially in a place like Silicon Valley? ([07:45])
The sermon mentions that Abraham obeyed “even though he did not know where he was going.” What does this reveal about the nature of faith? ([22:48])
How does fear show up in Abraham’s story, and what does the sermon suggest is the danger of “shrinking back” in fear? ([16:15])
The sermon says Abraham didn’t see the fullness of God’s promise in his lifetime. What does this teach us about trusting God with the outcome of our obedience? ([32:44])

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to consider if comfort or familiarity is holding us back from something God is calling us to. Is there an area in your life where you sense God nudging you, but you’re hesitant to step out because it would disrupt your comfort? What would it look like to take a first step? ([07:45])
Think about a time when fear or anxiety kept you from moving forward in something you believed God wanted you to do. What was the fear, and what might it look like to move forward in faith next time? ([16:15])
The sermon talks about uncertainty as a blocker—wanting all the answers before we obey. Is there a decision or area in your life where you’re waiting for more certainty before acting? What would it look like to trust God with the unknowns? ([22:48])
Abraham’s story shows that living by faith doesn’t always mean seeing immediate results or success. How do you define “success” in your walk with God? How might your definition need to change in light of Abraham’s example? ([32:44])
The sermon points to Jesus as the ultimate example—He left all comfort, faced fear, and embraced uncertainty for us. How does remembering what Jesus has done give you courage to step out in faith? ([33:26])
The church is entering a season of stepping out in faith together (the “Here for Good” initiative). How can you personally pray for and participate in this next step, even if the outcome is uncertain? ([36:53])
Is there a practical way this week you can “bet on God”—taking a risk or making a change because you believe God is calling you, even if you don’t know exactly how it will turn out? ([30:47])

Sermon Clips

If there's a theme today, it's the theme of God is good. He is faithful. And I was just taking it in this week, thinking about just some of the things I could just kind of put my mind and heart around, in terms of what we've seen, just such clear signs of him moving. All the faith decisions that people have made, including in a place like the Silicon Valley, where it's known for not being receptive towards Christianity. All the countless stories of life change, the baptisms, the testimonies, the different things with current groups, and impact that we've seen in the community is all because of God and is all for him. [00:01:05]

We believe, we prayerfully believe the best is yet to come. And so with that heart and spirit, let me begin our time with prayer, and then we'll move into our time in God's word. [00:01:58]

God has made each and every one of us with great purpose and for great purpose. The theme verse has been Ephesians 2, verse 10, that says, For we are God's handiwork, created in...Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do and throughout this series we've been covering a lot of ground so we began with this idea of who you are becoming matters so much more than whatever it is you could do even even the things you could do and accomplish for God who you're becoming is just so important. [00:03:54]

We could have a general sense of what we think God is calling us into the different purposes that he has in front of us we could we can have the intentions to go about it and yet there are things we all just intuitively understand that can not only sidetrack us from that they could perhaps block us entirely from living out our purpose. [00:04:59]

Comfort and familiarity can easily block us from living out the purposes that God has for our lives. Another way of putting this is comfort can lead to complacency. [00:06:52]

Could you imagine if God came to him with this purpose this calling and Abraham had said you know what God that's an interesting deal but I got a sweeter one here in Ur it's comfortable here I've got I've got my life the way I want it to find somebody else Abraham would have missed out on everything missed out on becoming the quote -unquote patriarch of the faith he would have missed out on this life adventure of faith where he just got to pursue and understand and experience intimacy in the closeness of a relationship with God as we understand as we read the scripture and we could have missed it all easily for reasons of comfort and familiarity. [00:08:45]

If Abraham had a sweet deal relatively speaking to his culture how much do we and here we live in the Silicon Valley perhaps by certain measures the wealthiest part of the world I mean the comforts the creature comforts the luxuries the the daily life routines that we have available to us the ancients couldn't even dreamt about and so you better believe comfort and familiarity can easily block you and me from living into the purposes of God has for our lives. [00:09:27]

Is there something in your life that the Lord has in front of you that you think you sense as a calling in life this could be something for instance pertaining to a path in your career it could be something like feeling your need to prioritize your marriage in a way that you haven't before it could be just understanding this understanding that you need to be more intentional in your parenting raising kids in the likeness of Jesus it could be how you're going about dating and the people you go about dating with the tensions that you intentions that you go about dating it could be feeling a certain way to engage those you work with in loving conversations whatever it is don't you see how comfort and familiarity can block that and that can happen in a few ways one it could just mean we just get this feeling of no I'm good where I am I don't want to change I don't want to move I don't I don't want to do things differently and we and we miss out or it can happen in the place if there's something that you are engaged in you're really comfortable with that is so taking up your priority bandwidth that you don't move into the things that God is calling you to. [00:11:42]

Fear, put another way, fear can paralyze. Look at verse nine.By faith, Abraham made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country. Have you ever lived in a foreign country?Some of you, you're doing that right now. You're doing that here in the U .S. It can be scary.It can be really kind of anxiety -inducing because what it means to be a stranger, the language here, is to say he was an outsider. Abraham moved away from what was comfortable into the anxiety and fear of living life as an outsider, a stranger, a resident alien is actually the literal word here in the Greek. And that could be a scary thing because you're outside of your element. You no longer have the tangible and intangible protections of being an insider. [00:13:09]

Abraham did not shrink back out of fear.He wasn't paralyzed by fear. He kept moving towards the calling, the life purposes that he sensed, he understood God was calling him into.Do you ever let fear kind of seep into your heart and prevent you from moving forward in ways that maybe God's calling you to? [00:16:31]

We get so focused on the obstacle or the hardship or the challenge or the point of suffering that we miss out on God is with us and he will work it through. I've been there. [00:17:32]

Are you focusing on the past?Are you focusing on what could be better?Are you focusing on what's hard or challenging about your situation right now? Because in doing so, you could easily miss out on the wonderful, beautiful, powerful purposes that God has in front of you. [00:21:16]

The promise of walking into God's purpose for your lives is not a promise that your life will therefore then be easy and comfortable or without challenge or without suffering. You know that. You just have to flip to any story.Nevertheless, the promise is as you walk into God's purposes for your life, He's God and He's going to work out in better ways than you could ever hope or imagine. [00:21:43]

Uncertainty. Put another way, lack of certainty can constrict.Look again at verse 8.By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going, would you move, physically move where you're living if you did not know where you were going?How many of us would answer yes to that question? [00:22:24]

So much of life does not come with certainty and the biggest things of life what it's about what we're all about all the more do not come with full certainty. [00:25:05]

Some of you I know you're on the precipice of making a decision to follow Jesus you've come you've come up right to the line and you're on the precipice of making decision to follow Jesus you've you've looked into all the evidence all the claims you've asked a lot of questions you've found a lot of answers you still have more questions but there's always more questions okay you've seen it lived out the faith in community and you go okay and what you're saying underneath it what you're feeling underneath it is it resonates it feels true but there comes a moment where we have to step over the line of faith we have we have to make a decision because we'll never have in things like this full certainty. [00:25:21]

For those of you who are followers of jesus if you sense god is calling you but you don't have full certainty which you hardly ever will can you follow him whatever that might mean it might mean trusting him with how you date and who you're willing to date it might mean trusting him with how you engage people in the workplace with with gospel love it might mean re -engaging with the church where you've kind of put the church off for a long time maybe you've had wounds there but the church is not about being perfect it's about imperfect people desperately needing the perfect love of god whatever it might mean it's never going to mean full certainty but certainty needing certainty can often lead us to miss out on the things that god has for us. [00:28:24]

Living by faith, in a way, is like betting on God.Only in this case, it's a sure thing. Because he's God. But think of it. If you, by faith, go, I think, God, you're calling me into this direction, to do this, to do that, and by faith, you start to move into that. You ask people, other Christians, you look at the scriptures to make sure you're not, like, out of line. Like, it all kind of makes sense, and it's probably, yeah, where God might actually be leading you. So by faith, you move in that direction. And let's say you get to the end of that, and it doesn't end up looking the way that you had really hoped it would look.You're a version of the promised land. You don't get to see it the way, man, my life didn't, I didn't get to see the things I thought I was supposed to see.It will have still been infinitely better that you chose to follow the Lord by faith.That's what this is saying. [00:32:08]

God does not need your success or mine. He does not need our results. He did not need Abraham to accomplish his purposes. He invited, graciously, Abraham into the story. And Abraham faithfully got to be a part of that.What he wants is your heart and mine. What he wants is your faith.He's going to say, well done, good, and faithful servant. [00:33:11]

As we faithfully try our best to do the various things we sense him calling us to, you will only ever be a part of the greater things far beyond what we can hope for in this life. Living by faith. [00:33:49]

Why can we not let things like comfort why can we not let things like fear why can we let things like uncertainty not block us why would we choose to live into those things not just because of the reason of Adam but because of the one who is the truer and greater Abraham Abraham did all these things wonderfully was very imperfect and God accomplished wonderful things but ultimately none of that mattered in comparison to the purposes of Jesus Jesus came into this world for the purposes of his heavenly father to bring us back into a perfect relationship with him a restored relationship and he left all comfort he left all heavenly comfort doesn't even compare the comfort that he left and he stepped into fear oh yeah and not just fear of the physical torment of crucifixion he stepped into the spiritual torment of that which was eternal separation on our behalf before the Lord his father and he did it all by faith even praying the night before in the garden before the crucifixion fathers and is there another way in this can this cup pass for me nevertheless not my will be done your will be done and if Jesus did that to accomplish the only things of eternal worth and matter such that you and I can have a forever relationship with him it means that you and I can trust him and follow him with the different purposes he puts in our life. [00:34:05]

Whatever is in your life that you sense God may be leading into you what might be blocking that comfort familiarity fear uncertainty are there are you focused on the past is that paralyzing you are you stuck with certain things that aren't related to that but you just kind of don't want to move or can you begin to step into that yes you can step into that. [00:35:30]

We prayerfully are expecting that the Lord wants to position us to have an even greater presence to be here for good city on a hill light on a lampstand and we think about the you youthe importance of just the concept of home just for any of us let alone spiritually let alone in a place like where we are we just think that the lord is bringing us to the place and just so we're clear this is not going to be something immediate unless the lord says here you go and of which we'll say thank you it's probably going to take some years right. [00:37:09]

Can you join with us church family in praying can you pray for instance that we as a church collectively would not be blocked by things like comfort and familiarity by fear by uncertainty there's a lot of that in this situation there's also opportunity to live by faith would you pray that we live by faith would you pray for unity that we would as a church with collective mind spirit goal for the mission because we just i mean there are no empty words but we just we we humbly we prayerfully we expectantly believe the best is still yet to come. [00:38:10]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?