Embracing Gratitude and Trusting God's Promises
Summary
In this time of prayer and fasting, we gather to express our gratitude to God for His blessings and guidance. We acknowledge the importance of being intentional in our thankfulness, recognizing that even the ability to remember and cherish our experiences is a gift from God. We are reminded that life is enriched by the people around us, and we should be grateful for the relationships we have. As we continue our journey, we must not let the pursuit of future goals overshadow the blessings we currently enjoy. Gratitude should be a constant in our lives, and we must resist the temptation to complain or be ungrateful.
We also reflect on the concept of fault and responsibility in our lives. It's easy to assign blame for our circumstances, but we must understand that not everything is within our control. Some aspects of our lives are influenced by the actions of previous generations, and while we are legally free from these influences in Christ, they can still impact us practically. We must focus on trusting God and following His path, rather than dwelling on past mistakes or the actions of others. Our faith and hope are essential for moving forward, and we should seek God's guidance on what steps to take next.
In our pursuit of God's will, particularly in the context of marriage, we are reminded that the promise of a fulfilling relationship is guaranteed through faith and trust in God. It's not about doing everything perfectly but about following God more closely and removing any obstacles that hinder our relationship with Him. We are encouraged to forgive ourselves and others for past mistakes, allowing us to move forward in our ministry and mission. The promise of God's blessings is assured to those who trust Him, and we must hold onto this truth as we continue our journey.
Key Takeaways:
1. Intentional Gratitude: Being grateful is a deliberate act that requires us to acknowledge and appreciate the blessings in our lives, no matter how small. This gratitude should extend to our relationships and the memories we cherish, as they are gifts from God that enrich our lives. [01:43]
2. Understanding Fault and Responsibility: Not everything that happens in our lives is our fault. Some circumstances are influenced by the actions of previous generations. While we are free in Christ, these influences can still affect us. Our focus should be on trusting God and not dwelling on past mistakes. [13:35]
3. The Importance of Faith and Hope: Faith and hope are essential for our spiritual journey. Without them, we cannot move forward. We must seek information and guidance that reinforce our faith and hope, rather than diminish them. [24:17]
4. Forgiveness and Moving Forward: Forgiving ourselves and others is crucial for healing and progress. Holding onto past mistakes can hinder our spiritual growth and mission. We must release ourselves from guilt and focus on the future God has for us. [32:46]
5. Trusting God's Promise: The promise of God's blessings, including fulfilling relationships, is guaranteed through faith and trust in Him. It's not about perfection but about following God more closely and removing obstacles that hinder our relationship with Him. [49:10]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:43] - Gratitude for Relationships
- [02:15] - Intentional Thankfulness
- [04:54] - Recognizing Blessings
- [09:45] - Encouragement Through God's Word
- [12:16] - Understanding Fault and Responsibility
- [13:35] - The Role of Generational Influence
- [15:05] - The Complexity of Blame
- [16:11] - The Impact of Past Actions
- [18:22] - Letting Go of the Past
- [24:17] - The Necessity of Faith and Hope
- [27:54] - Forgiveness and Healing
- [32:46] - Overcoming Guilt
- [39:57] - Balancing Truth and Experience
- [41:42] - The Rich Young Ruler's Lesson
- [49:10] - Trusting in God's Promise
- [57:32] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Mark 10:17-31
2. Romans 4:16
3. Hosea 4:6
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Observation Questions:
1. In Mark 10:17-31, what does Jesus say is necessary for the rich young ruler to inherit eternal life? How does this relate to the concept of removing obstacles in our relationship with God? [41:42]
2. According to Romans 4:16, how is the promise of God guaranteed to us? What role does faith play in this assurance? [49:10]
3. The sermon mentions the impact of generational influences on our lives. How does the speaker illustrate this concept using personal examples? [16:11]
4. What does the speaker suggest is the outcome of hearing the word of God, and how should it affect our faith and hope? [09:45]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-31 illustrate the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God over material possessions? What might be some modern-day equivalents of the "great possessions" that can hinder our spiritual journey? [41:42]
2. In the context of Romans 4:16, what does it mean for the promise to come by faith and be guaranteed by grace? How does this understanding affect our view of God's promises in our lives? [49:10]
3. The sermon discusses the balance between fault and responsibility. How can understanding this balance help us in our spiritual growth and relationships with others? [13:35]
4. The speaker emphasizes the necessity of faith and hope. How can these elements help us overcome challenges and uncertainties in our spiritual journey? [24:17]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current relationships. Are there any that you take for granted? How can you be more intentional in expressing gratitude for these relationships this week? [01:43]
2. Consider a situation where you have been assigning blame for your circumstances. How can you shift your focus from fault-finding to trusting God and seeking His guidance for the next steps? [13:35]
3. Identify an area in your life where you feel stuck or unable to move forward. How can faith and hope play a role in helping you take the next step? What practical actions can you take to reinforce these elements in your life? [24:17]
4. Think about a past mistake that you have struggled to forgive yourself for. What steps can you take to release yourself from guilt and focus on the future God has for you? [32:46]
5. Reflect on any obstacles that might be hindering your relationship with God. What specific actions can you take to remove these obstacles and follow God more closely? [49:10]
6. How can you apply the principle of trusting God's promise in your pursuit of fulfilling relationships, whether in marriage or other areas of life? What changes might you need to make to align more closely with God's will? [49:10]
7. Consider the role of generational influences in your life. How can you actively resist negative patterns and embrace the freedom you have in Christ? What practical steps can you take to ensure these influences do not hinder your spiritual growth? [16:11]
Devotional
Day 1: Intentional Gratitude Enriches Life
Gratitude is a deliberate act that requires us to acknowledge and appreciate the blessings in our lives, no matter how small. This gratitude should extend to our relationships and the memories we cherish, as they are gifts from God that enrich our lives. By being intentional in our thankfulness, we recognize that even the ability to remember and cherish our experiences is a gift from God. As we continue our journey, we must not let the pursuit of future goals overshadow the blessings we currently enjoy. Gratitude should be a constant in our lives, and we must resist the temptation to complain or be ungrateful. [01:43]
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a small blessing in your life that you often overlook. How can you express gratitude for it today in a tangible way?
Day 2: Navigating Generational Influences with Trust
Understanding fault and responsibility in our lives involves recognizing that not everything that happens is our fault. Some circumstances are influenced by the actions of previous generations. While we are legally free from these influences in Christ, they can still impact us practically. Our focus should be on trusting God and not dwelling on past mistakes or the actions of others. By doing so, we can move forward with faith and hope, seeking God's guidance on what steps to take next. [13:35]
"The fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin." (Deuteronomy 24:16, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a generational pattern or influence in your life. How can you trust God to help you break free from its negative impact?
Day 3: Faith and Hope as Anchors for the Soul
Faith and hope are essential for our spiritual journey. Without them, we cannot move forward. We must seek information and guidance that reinforce our faith and hope, rather than diminish them. By focusing on God's promises and His faithfulness, we can find the strength to persevere through challenges and uncertainties. Our faith and hope are not just abstract concepts but are deeply rooted in our relationship with God, who guides us and provides for us. [24:17]
"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain." (Hebrews 6:19, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to strengthen your faith and hope? How can you actively seek God's guidance in this area today?
Day 4: The Power of Forgiveness in Healing
Forgiving ourselves and others is crucial for healing and progress. Holding onto past mistakes can hinder our spiritual growth and mission. We must release ourselves from guilt and focus on the future God has for us. By forgiving, we allow ourselves to move forward in our ministry and mission, free from the burdens of the past. This act of forgiveness is not just about letting go but also about embracing the new opportunities and blessings that God has in store for us. [32:46]
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone you need to forgive, including yourself. What steps can you take today to begin this process of forgiveness?
Day 5: Trusting in God's Promises for Fulfillment
The promise of God's blessings, including fulfilling relationships, is guaranteed through faith and trust in Him. It's not about perfection but about following God more closely and removing obstacles that hinder our relationship with Him. By trusting in God's promises, we can experience the fullness of His blessings in our lives. This trust requires us to let go of our need for control and to rely on God's wisdom and timing. As we do so, we open ourselves to the abundant life that God has promised us. [49:10]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one obstacle in your life that is hindering your relationship with God? How can you begin to remove it and trust in His promises today?
Quotes
[00:10:08]
- You know when the word of God comes to an individual, it ought to encourage. When the word of God comes to an individual or is heard, faith should be the outcome because faith comes by hearing the word of God. If someone preaches the word of God to you and at the end of it, you don't have faith or you don't have hope or you're afraid they're probably preaching it wrong or you're hearing it wrong. What should happen is that when you hear the word of God, it should give you hope. It should give you hope. It should give you hope. It should hope to your heart. It should give faith to your heart and it should give you the courage to take another step forward.
[00:16:38] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
- The truth is that for all of us, there are experiences in our lives, there are things that happen in our lives that are connected to the generations before us. Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm still a word of faith. I believe in faith. I believe in confessions. I believe in all of those things. But we need to be careful that you're not walking in an extreme when we think about these things. So this is how I, when I try to explain it to people, there are a couple of points that I make, right?
[00:18:52]
- And theologians talk about it. There's a legal truth, and there's a vital truth. Something can be legally true and may not be vitally true. So my point is that there are things that can happen in our lives that have nothing to do with what I did. So I can be experienced and can be in a place in my life where, actually, I did all the right things, but I didn't get the outcome that I expect because not everything that is happening to me has to do with what I did. That's not the way spiritual law works.
[00:27:06] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
- Once we have done due diligence, we have done what the Bible says, then we have to be ruthless and not let our past dominate us. Because we're not defined by our past anymore, we're defined by our future. It doesn't mean that they won't try, they being the enemy, try to impose a negative past on us, but we have to be determined and say, no, no, this is my past now. I'm delivered from this, I let this go, I'm not thinking about this, this is not dominating. I believe I receive what God's word says for me. So let's pray around that for a few minutes. We say no in...
[00:33:03]
- the name of Jesus, I am not letting any guilt, any anxiety, any fear, any worry, any fault from my past dominate how I think about myself, or how
[00:37:15]
- well done well done family this is excellent stuff thank you so let me i want a couple of more points i want to make that that will direct our prayers a bit but i wanted to just make some i just wanted to echo on something that i said before i don't know if you noticed this but um and i'm just trying to bring balance to to our theology because i think a lot of times the problem with us really is extremes so and one of the things i've been saying for the last few years to our congregations that um the the new error the new fault is not so much blatant lies but but the truth is more difficult to tell now because in many cases what it is is just a little bit off center right okay so it looks so much like the truth and then you're off and you don't know it and and we just need we need to look out for balance especially because sometimes what we're doing we're majoring so much on one side of the truth, but we're leaving out another side. And one of the things that one of my favorite preachers used to say is that the problem many times is not with what it is said. What has been said? Let me start again. The problem is not so much with what is that is said. The problem is with what is left unsaid. So if I say something and I leave something significant out that has an impact, what you've heard is true, but it's not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And then it becomes a problem. So this whole idea of balancing out how things that another person does impacts another, we need to understand it because we need to understand that legally we are free from our heritage or from the people that are above or before us. We are free legally in Christ Jesus, but in practice, it doesn't always work automatically. It's the same principle when we talk about how somebody will say, I came to Christ and the day I was a smoker, the day I came to Christ, my smoking just left me. And there's some people that have battled with smoking for 10 years.
[00:46:48] (125 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
- place that mother father children or land for my sake and the gospel he will receive a hundredfold in this time houses brothers sisters mothers children land and spouse and husband and wife in I love it can imagine when I can see this that no if whatever you give up to him that you move out of the way to focus on him you are going to get that thing that is promised so he's saying to me in the in the fabric of these same scriptures because brother sister mother father house or household his husband wife is part of that too can you see this am I the only one I can run out of time but please see this with me that no what we're doing here is where we need whatever needs to get out of the way so that we can follow him closely or closer so that we can get what he has promised and eternal life so this is why I'm a pastor so I'm biased so I say that every person that has done less of church in the name of you know the devil is the devil is a bad devil in the name of that pastor is
[00:52:34]
- My Yoruba is coming out there. He's not going to be able to do it because everybody has faults. So he changed the rules. What he said was, we're not going to give this blessing out on the basis of rules or how right we are because everybody has faults. So what we're going to do is we're going to favor everyone.
[00:52:43]
- And all they need to do is trust me or follow me. Because if they trust me and follow me, I can guarantee the promise.
[00:53:03] (11 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
- So what he's saying to us here is the promise can be received by those who trust him or continue to trust him or follow him. It won't be guaranteed to the people that are doing everything right because they can't do everything right.
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