TLDR;
This sermon encourages Christians to shift their focus from seeking God's will in future decisions to embodying Christ-like character and holiness in their daily lives. It emphasizes that knowing and living God's moral will today is more critical than obsessing over future plans. The speaker underscores that God is more concerned with who you are becoming than what you do, advocating for a life of integrity, love, and service rooted in a relationship with Jesus.
- God's will is more about who you are becoming than what you do.
- Focus on living faithfully for Jesus today to find God's will for the future.
- Emphasize the importance of small, daily acts of faithfulness and holiness.
Introduction: The Struggle with Discerning God's Will [0:00]
Many Christians struggle with discerning God's will, often overthinking decisions and fearing they'll miss God's perfect plan. This leads to anxiety about making the wrong choices in life, such as career paths or marriage partners. However, the speaker suggests that this focus on the future often causes people to miss what God wants them to do today.
Overcomplicating God's Will: A Common Mistake [1:33]
A common mistake is overcomplicating God's will and underestimating His goodness. People often view God's will as a specific, unmissable target, rather than recognizing God's guidance and loving presence in their lives. The speaker suggests that God's will is less about specific actions and more about the person you are becoming. God is more concerned with character and how you treat others than with your profession.
Focus on the Present: God's Priorities [5:53]
People tend to obsess over major life decisions while neglecting the daily choices that shape their character. While many focus on future plans, the Bible emphasizes how to treat people, use money, think, and spend time today. Jesus advises against worrying about tomorrow, as each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). James also cautions against presuming future plans, reminding that life is fleeting and subject to God's will (James 4:13-15).
Knowing God's Heart: The Key to His Will [8:53]
To know God's will, one must get to know God's heart through His word. As the word renews the mind, one can better hear the Spirit's voice and walk by faith. Dying to selfish desires and allowing the Spirit to live through you produces fruit that impacts the world. The more you walk with God and enjoy Him, the more you realize that living faithfully for Jesus today is the best way to find God's will for the future.
The Four Wills of God: Sovereign, Moral, Permissive, and Personal [10:13]
The speaker reviews the four different aspects of God's will: sovereign will (God's master plan), moral will (revealed in the Bible), permissive will (things God allows due to free will), and personal will (God's plans for each individual). The focus is on God's moral will, which is His revealed will for how you live.
God's Moral Will: Living a Holy Life [11:14]
God's moral will is not about specific career choices but about being holy, set apart, and dedicated to God. Drawing from Romans 12:2, the speaker urges listeners not to conform to the patterns of the world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. Living a holy life allows one to test and approve what God's good, pleasing, and perfect will is.
The Primary Calling: To Be Holy [13:34]
God's calling is more about who you are becoming than what you do. Quoting 2 Timothy 1:9, the speaker emphasizes that God has called us to live a holy life. Preaching or any other calling is secondary to the primary calling of being holy. Integrity, dying to selfish desires, and loving others are essential aspects of living in God's will.
Career, Marriage, and God's Glory [19:02]
There isn't one perfect career or spouse that is God's will. Instead, God wants to perfect you to become like Jesus and treat others as Jesus calls you to. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 10:31, the speaker encourages listeners to do everything for the glory of God, whether it's in their relationships, work, or daily tasks.
Small Things, Big Impact: The Example of Amy Groeschel [23:32]
The speaker uses his wife, Amy Groeschel, as an example of someone who does big things by being faithful in small things. Amy's dedication to seeking God, mentoring women, and leading a nonprofit ministry started with small, unseen acts of faithfulness. The speaker emphasizes that sometimes the small things are the big things, such as raising children or loving a small group of people.
Living Faithfully Today: The Key to God's Will [28:18]
God calls people to be holy, set apart, and transformed by the renewing of their minds. While the world may applaud what you do, God celebrates who you are becoming. The best way to find God's will for the future is to live faithfully for Jesus today.
A Call to Faithfulness and Salvation [29:01]
The speaker encourages followers of Jesus to commit to being faithful in the small things and to lift up holy hands in worship. For those not following Jesus, he challenges them to be honest about their relationship with God and to confess their sins. He assures them that God is faithful and just to forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness, offering salvation to anyone who calls on the name of Jesus.