Jeremy Utley - Be Happy With God's Quiet Work

Jeremy UtleyDecember 21, 202018mWatch on YouTube

In this collectionJeremy Utley130 messages

Speaker: Jeremy Utley Title: Be Happy With God's Quiet Work Date: December 20, 2020 Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29) We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3) We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Summary

The central message is to find contentment and joy in God's quiet, unseen work in our lives, rather than becoming anxious about visible signs of progress. The speaker contrasts the danger of complacency with the danger of paranoia regarding spiritual growth, using Jesus' early life and the example of saints to illustrate that God's work often happens quietly over time. True discipleship involves being content and joyful in the process, trusting God's timing even when progress feels slow or unmeasurable.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

Be happy with God's quiet workBelievers are often encouraged to press on to perfection, but they must also learn to trust that the Lord is working quietly in His own time and way.

Avoiding the cliff of paranoiaWhile everyone is aware of the danger of complacency and stagnation, many believers fall off the opposite cliff of being paranoid about their own growth.

The childish reaction of measuring constant growthConstantly checking how much one has grown spiritually is like a child asking to be measured on a door frame every few hours.

Jesus as our example of quiet trustJesus spent thirty years in total obscurity with no miracles or sermons, yet the Father was totally pleased with Him.

Are you willing to have no great experience?Believers are often challenged by the desire for loud and eventful experiences, but God's way is often quiet and unseen.

Jesus at His first miracleWhen wine ran out at a wedding, Jesus showed no frantic rush to perform a miracle, noting that His hour had not yet come.John 2:3

The steadfastness of JesusBelievers are called to walk in the steadfastness of Jesus, resting in the heart that God is working even when progress is hard to measure.

True holiness produces true happinessWhile God is interested in holiness, true holiness produces a restful, delighted contentment with one's present portion rather than despising happiness.

Two marks of increasing self-forgetfulnessInstead of being content with themselves, believers marked by self-forgetfulness exhibit a concern for God's glory and the progress of others.

A primary concern for the glory of GodWhen faced with difficulty, Jesus did not pray for a change in scenery or even self-change, but that the Father's name would be glorified.

A concern for the progress of othersThe Apostle Paul was torn between departing to be with Christ and remaining on earth to help others make progress and joy in the faith.Philippians 1:21

How to test our true motivationsA simple test to see if we truly care about God's glory and others' progress is to examine our reaction when God uses someone else.

Guarding against spiritual envyBelievers must avoid envying one another's ministry and instead celebrate and praise the Lord when others are used to exalt Christ.

Resting in total trustBelievers can end every prayer with total rest, trusting that God is quietly working out His progress and purpose in His own time and way.

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Jeremy Utley - Be Happy With God's Quiet Work

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