Truths That Transform Our Life

On this special day of honoring those who have led and shaped our spiritual journey, it’s important to remember the deep truths that have transformed lives—not just through words, but through the lived example of faithfulness and surrender. Looking at the story of Moses in Exodus 3, we see that God’s call is not reserved for a select few; every person has a unique calling and purpose. This calling may not always look like standing on a stage or holding a microphone. It might be in the home, the workplace, or even in the unseen acts of service. The key is to recognize that God has placed something in each of our hands, and He asks us to surrender it back to Him, trusting that He can do far more with it than we ever could on our own.

Moses’ journey reminds us that the call of God is often overwhelming, but it is precisely in those moments that we discover the sufficiency of an overwhelming God. When we give God our “yes,” even in the face of our inadequacies and past failures, He meets us with grace, calling us by name and not by our mistakes. God’s invitation is not just to do something for Him, but to know Him deeply. It is in knowing the One who calls us that we find our true identity and the courage to step into our purpose.

Holiness, then, is not about perfection but about surrender—taking off the old, letting go of what we’ve been, and allowing God to clothe us for what He’s calling us to do next. God is not a taker but a giver; every time we surrender something, He gives us something better in return. As we say “yes” to God, not just once but daily, we become agents of change in our families, workplaces, and communities. God is looking for people who will move when He calls, who will roll away the stones and unwrap the grave clothes, so that His resurrection power can be seen in the world. The challenge is to not let things remain the same, but to let God do something new in and through us every day.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Everyone Has a Calling God’s call is not limited to pastors or those in visible ministry roles. Every person, regardless of their background or current situation, has a unique calling and purpose. The challenge is to recognize what God has placed in your hand and to surrender it back to Him, trusting that He can use even the ordinary for extraordinary purposes. [03:57]
• 2. An Overwhelming Call Requires an Overwhelming God If the task before you feels too big, that’s often a sign that it truly is from God. Moses was called to something far beyond his own ability, but God’s presence made all the difference. When we step out in faith, relying not on our own strength but on God’s, we witness His supernatural provision and power at work. [06:31]
• 3. Knowing God Precedes Knowing Yourself True security and identity are found not in what we do, but in knowing the One who calls us. Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush was transformative because God revealed both His own character and Moses’ true identity. When we draw near to God, we discover who we really are and what we are meant to do. [11:59]
• 4. Holiness Is Surrender, Not Perfection God asks us to take off our “shoes”—to let go of old identities, habits, and fears—so He can equip us for new assignments. Holiness is about obedience and surrender, trusting that God is not taking from us but trading up, giving us what we need for the next season. Every act of surrender is met with God’s greater provision. [22:39]
• 5. God Moves When We Move While we often pray for God to act, He is looking for people who will respond to His call and take action. Just as Jesus asked others to roll away the stone before raising Lazarus, God often requires our participation before He brings breakthrough. For every move of God, there are steps of obedience He asks us to take, and through our “yes,” the world around us is changed. [33:39]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:16] - Honoring Spiritual Leadership
• [01:08] - Relational Truths and Exodus 3
• [03:09] - God’s Call: Everyone Is Called
• [05:02] - Surrendering What’s in Your Hand
• [06:31] - An Overwhelming Call Needs an Overwhelming God
• [08:39] - Moving to Shalotte: Trusting God’s Leading
• [10:30] - Encountering God and Knowing the Caller
• [12:28] - Identity and the Voice of God
• [14:45] - God Calls Us by Name, Not by Our Sin
• [17:22] - The Power of Saying Yes
• [20:35] - Freedom from the Past
• [22:39] - Holiness as Surrender
• [26:37] - Becoming a Change Agent
• [29:52] - God Moves When We Move
• [34:19] - Applying the Truths to Daily Life
• [36:22] - Closing Blessing and Prayer

Bible Reading

Exodus 3:1-12 (ESV) — 1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,
8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
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.”

Observation Questions

1. What was Moses doing when God appeared to him, and how did God get his attention? (Exodus 3:1-4)
2. What specific instructions did God give Moses when he approached the burning bush, and why? (Exodus 3:5)
3. According to the sermon, what was significant about God calling Moses by name instead of by his past mistakes? [15:34]
4. In the sermon, what did God ask Moses to surrender, and what was the meaning behind that request? [23:47]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why might God choose to call ordinary people like Moses, who had a complicated past, instead of someone with a perfect record? [15:19]
2. The sermon says, “Holiness is not about perfection but about surrender.” What does it look like to “take off your shoes” in your own life? [22:39]
3. The pastor mentioned that God is not a taker but a giver, and every time we surrender something, He gives us something better. How does this challenge or encourage your view of surrendering to God? [25:44]
4. The sermon emphasized that God moves when we move. What are some reasons people might hesitate to take the first step of obedience, and how does the story of Moses address those fears? [29:52]

Application Questions

1. The sermon said, “Everyone has a calling,” and it may not look like being on a stage. What is something God has placed in your hand right now—at home, work, or church—that you might need to surrender back to Him? [05:20]
2. Moses felt overwhelmed by God’s call, but God promised to be with him. Is there an area in your life where you feel unqualified or afraid to step out? What would it look like to trust God’s presence in that situation? [06:31]
3. The pastor shared that knowing God comes before knowing yourself. How can you make space this week to know God more deeply, and how might that impact your sense of identity and purpose? [11:59]
4. “Holiness is surrender, not perfection.” Is there something old—an identity, habit, or fear—that you sense God is asking you to “take off” so He can clothe you for what’s next? What would it look like to actually do that? [22:39]
5. The sermon talked about saying “yes” to God not just once, but daily. What is one practical way you can say “yes” to God this week, even if it feels small or unseen? [20:06]
6. God often asks us to participate before He brings breakthrough, like rolling away the stone before Lazarus was raised. Is there a step of obedience you’ve been putting off, waiting for God to act first? What would it look like to move forward in faith? [33:39]
7. The pastor said, “Don’t let things remain the same, but let God do something new in and through you every day.” What is one area of your life where you want to see God do something new, and what is your next step to invite Him into that process? [34:19]