Embracing Gratitude: Transforming Life Beyond Mediocrity

Devotional

Day 1: Elevating Beyond Mediocrity

Mediocrity is a silent killer that drains our enthusiasm and purpose. Jesus calls us to live a life full of excitement, passion, and transformation. Our old identity, with all its excuses and limitations, was crucified with Christ. Now, we are empowered to live a new life through Him, free from the burdens of our past. This new life is not about our own efforts but about Christ living through us. Embracing this transformation means rejecting mediocrity and stepping into a vibrant, purpose-filled life. [01:58]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Reflection: What areas of your life are you settling for mediocrity? How can you invite Christ to transform these areas into ones filled with passion and purpose?

Day 2: The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful spiritual practice that brings us closer to God. It requires humility and the acknowledgment that our blessings come from God's grace, not our own efforts. True gratitude leads to genuine worship and a deeper relationship with God. When we practice gratitude, we recognize that everything we have is a gift from God, and this recognition fosters a heart of worship. By being grateful, we align ourselves with God's will and open our hearts to His presence. [09:30]

Colossians 3:15-17 (ESV): "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 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."

Reflection: Take a moment to list three things you are grateful for today. How can you turn these blessings into praise and worship to God?

Day 3: Guarding Against Entitlement

Satan tries to rob us of our gratitude by injecting pride and entitlement into our lives. When we feel entitled, we lose our sense of thankfulness, weakening our connection with God. We must guard against the mindset of "I want it now" and "I deserve more." Entitlement leads to dissatisfaction and a life of mediocrity. By recognizing and rejecting entitlement, we can maintain a heart of gratitude and a strong connection with God. [12:51]

James 4:6 (ESV): "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"

Reflection: Reflect on a recent moment when you felt entitled. How can you shift your perspective to one of gratitude and humility?

Day 4: Turning Blessings into Praise

Every blessing we don't turn into praise turns into pride, which is the seed of entitlement. By being grateful, we bring our lives, including our finances, into the presence of God, where they can flourish. Gratitude transforms our relationship with God and others. When we acknowledge our blessings and turn them into praise, we prevent pride from taking root in our hearts. This practice helps us stay humble and connected to God. [41:49]

Psalm 103:1-2 (ESV): "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

Reflection: Identify a recent blessing in your life. How can you turn this blessing into praise and share it with others?

Day 5: Expressing Gratitude to Others

We must express our gratitude to others, including those we may have conflicts with. This can lead to healing and deeper relationships. Genuine gratitude, not platitude, is essential for a fulfilling life and a closer walk with God. By expressing gratitude, we build stronger connections and foster a spirit of unity and love. This practice not only benefits our relationships but also deepens our relationship with God. [53:55]

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV): "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Reflection: Think of someone you need to express gratitude to today. How can you communicate your appreciation to them in a genuine and heartfelt way?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In our journey through the "Crossover" series, we are exploring what it means to elevate our lives beyond mediocrity. Mediocrity is a silent killer that drains our enthusiasm and purpose. Jesus calls us to live a life full of excitement, passion, and transformation. Our old identity, with all its excuses and limitations, was crucified with Christ. Now, we are empowered to live a new life through Him, free from the burdens of our past.

The essence of this new life is not ours but Christ living through us. This transformation requires us to adopt new postures: gratitude, authenticity, praise, and hope. Today, we focus on the posture of gratitude. Gratitude is not just a feeling but a powerful spiritual practice that brings us closer to God. It requires humility, acknowledging that what we have is not because of our own doing but because of God's grace.

Satan tries to rob us of our gratitude by injecting pride and entitlement into our lives. When we feel entitled, we lose our sense of thankfulness and our connection with God weakens. True gratitude leads to genuine worship and a deeper relationship with God. We must be vigilant against the mindset of "I want it now" and "I deserve more," which are rooted in pride and lead to a life of dissatisfaction and mediocrity.

To cultivate gratitude, we must turn every blessing into praise. Every blessing we don't turn into praise turns into pride, which is the seed of entitlement. By being grateful, we bring our lives, including our finances, into the presence of God, where they can flourish. We must also express our gratitude to others, including those we may have conflicts with, as this can lead to healing and deeper relationships.

In conclusion, let's take time to be genuinely grateful for the people and blessings in our lives. Share your gratitude with others, and let it transform your relationship with God and those around you.

###

Key Takeaways

1. **Mediocrity vs. Transformation**: Mediocrity drains our enthusiasm and purpose, but Jesus calls us to a life of excitement and transformation. Our old identity, with all its excuses, was crucified with Christ, empowering us to live a new, vibrant life through Him. [01:58]
2. The Power of Gratitude: Gratitude is a powerful spiritual practice that brings us closer to God. It requires humility and the acknowledgment that our blessings come from God's grace, not our own efforts. True gratitude leads to genuine worship and a deeper relationship with God. [09:30]
3. The Dangers of Entitlement: Satan tries to rob us of our gratitude by injecting pride and entitlement into our lives. When we feel entitled, we lose our sense of thankfulness, weakening our connection with God. We must guard against the mindset of "I want it now" and "I deserve more." [12:51]
4. Turning Blessings into Praise: Every blessing we don't turn into praise turns into pride, which is the seed of entitlement. By being grateful, we bring our lives, including our finances, into the presence of God, where they can flourish. Gratitude transforms our relationship with God and others. [41:49]
5. Expressing Gratitude: We must express our gratitude to others, including those we may have conflicts with. This can lead to healing and deeper relationships. Genuine gratitude, not platitude, is essential for a fulfilling life and a closer walk with God. [53:55]
### [53:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:02] - The Danger of Mediocrity
[01:58] - Transformation Through Christ
[02:34] - Living with Passion and Purpose
[03:15] - The Power of the Cross
[04:00] - Excuses Taken Care of by Jesus
[04:54] - Embracing Life Fully
[05:57] - New Life in Christ
[06:37] - The Essence of New Life
[07:28] - The Burden of Humanity
[08:35] - Four Postures for Transformation
[09:30] - The Posture of Gratitude
[10:27] - Humility and Gratitude
[11:52] - The Battle for Gratitude
[12:51] - The Dangers of Entitlement
[13:50] - Idolatry and Self-Worship
[14:59] - Humility in Relationships
[15:43] - Rejecting Self-Worship
[16:36] - The Spirit of Entitlement
[17:26] - Entitlement in Society
[18:26] - The Burden of Deciding Right and Wrong
[19:45] - The Story of the Leper
[20:37] - Living Like Lepers
[21:31] - Jesus Heals the Lepers
[22:22] - The Law Fulfilled by Jesus
[23:38] - Gratitude Leads to Worship
[24:42] - The Link Between Gratitude and Worship
[25:30] - Platitude vs. Gratitude
[26:08] - Depth in Scripture
[27:01] - Making Scripture Personal
[28:45] - The "I Want It Now" Mindset
[29:39] - The Dangers of Hurry
[30:13] - The Story of the Prodigal Son
[31:45] - The Importance of Process
[33:35] - The Slippery Slope of Self-Determination
[35:07] - Gratitude Paces You Towards Peace
[36:46] - The "I Deserve More" Mindset
[38:22] - Cultivating Gratitude
[40:12] - Gratitude in Material and Financial Life
[41:49] - Turning Blessings into Praise
[43:22] - The Dangers of Materialism
[45:08] - The Poem "Otherwise"
[47:05] - The Gift of God's Presence
[48:46] - The Importance of Time
[50:39] - Gratitude in Relationships
[52:25] - Expressing Gratitude to Others
[53:55] - Genuine Gratitude, Not Platitude
[55:38] - The Story of Moving
[57:06] - Sharing Your Blessings
[58:33] - Next Week: The Posture of Authenticity

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Galatians 2:20 say about our old identity and new life in Christ?
In the story of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19), how many returned to thank Jesus, and what was Jesus' response? [23:38]
According to Ecclesiastes 4:6, what is better than having two handfuls with toil?
What are the four postures mentioned in the sermon that we need to adopt for transformation? [08:35]

Interpretation Questions

How does Galatians 2:20 describe the transformation that occurs when we accept Christ? What does it mean for Christ to live through us?
Why do you think only one leper returned to thank Jesus, and what does this tell us about gratitude and entitlement? [23:38]
How does the concept of "better one handful with tranquility" from Ecclesiastes 4:6 relate to the sermon’s message about gratitude and contentment? [47:05]
What are the dangers of entitlement as discussed in the sermon, and how can they affect our relationship with God? [12:51]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you have slipped into mediocrity? How can you reignite your passion and enthusiasm for living a transformed life in Christ? [01:58]
Think about a recent blessing in your life. Did you turn it into praise? How can you make a habit of turning every blessing into praise to avoid pride and entitlement? [41:49]
Identify a person you have conflicts with. How can you express genuine gratitude towards them this week to foster healing and deeper relationships? [53:55]
Are there any aspects of your life where you feel entitled? How can you shift your mindset to one of gratitude and humility? [12:51]
How can you incorporate the practice of gratitude into your daily routine? What specific steps will you take to ensure you are living with a posture of gratitude? [09:30]
Reflect on your financial life. Are you grateful for what you have, or do you find yourself constantly wanting more? How can you bring your finances into the presence of God through gratitude? [38:22]
Share with the group one thing you are genuinely grateful for this week. How has this gratitude impacted your relationship with God and others? [57:53]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Mediocrity kills you. You can't be stagnant and be alive. Many of us wish we could be, that we could just kind of chill out in our lazy boy and just let life go past us and enjoy what we can have around us. But how many of you realize that mediocrity will kill you? If you slip into just doing life day to day, it starts to wear away at you. But there's an excitement that Jesus wants us to step into. There's more to life than just getting by." [01:02] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Jesus wants you to live. Everything Jesus wants you to do is on the highest level of excitement, the highest level of passion. The most enthusiastic you can be is where Jesus needs you to be. And mediocrity will take away your enthusiasm. Living life without a purpose, without a passion, will remove your enthusiasm." [01:58] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We need to not just experience the salvation power of Jesus. We also need to experience the transformation power of Jesus. And how many of you know, that mediocrity is not transformative? Mediocrity is staying where you are. Transformative is waking up every day going, what's in today? What can I do today? How can I grow today? How can I improve today? How can I get better?" [02:34] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Gratitude is as powerful a substance as grace because grace means nothing unless we are grateful for it. And so when we have a look at the Scriptures, we have to understand that Satan knew that if he could overload us with pride, overload us with thinking that we are like God, overload us with thinking that we have the responsibility of adjudicating what's wrong and what's right." [11:52] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Jesus is not glorified by your entitlement, but by your gratitude. Just as an aside here, I want to say that platitude is not gratitude. Can I say that again? Platitude is not gratitude. Oh, thank you, Lord. That's a platitude. I'm just giving God a platitude. I'm just saying words. I'm just spitting it out. I'm just doing, I'm going through the motions, and I'm saying, look how grateful I am." [25:30] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Scripture says he's taken care of every excuse that you can use to be mediocre in life. Oh, I'm not good enough, taken care of. Oh, I'll never amount to much, taken care of. Oh, I'll never have an impact for the kingdom, taken care of. Oh, I don't speak well, taken care of. Oh, I've got this issue, taken care of. Oh, I don't walk well, taken care of. Oh, I don't see well, taken care of. Oh, I don't feel well, taken care of." [04:00] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "We have de-humilitized. We've taken away humility because, you see, to be grateful means that I'm acknowledging that what I have is not what I need. Think about it. If I have all the money in the world and you come along and give me $50, I'm not really going to be very grateful because it's kind of like what I've already got, but if I have no money and you come along and give me $50, because I'm coming from a place of not having and you giving, I'm coming in humble, or so we should." [10:27] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Gratitude will pace you towards peace. Gratitude will get you stepping through things and enjoying the step you're on in the moment, whether it goes your way or not. Enjoying the moment. Thank you, Lord, that our restaurants in our town are so busy. And there's so much economic happening in our town that the restaurants can afford to put a customer on hold indefinitely. Thank you that this woman has a job that she's earning, that there are people in the restaurant paying her and billing her and tipping her every time she turns the iPad around." [31:45] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "If you're not feeling God's presence in your life, check your thanksgiving. If you want to check your thanksgiving, check your humility. If you want to check your humility, check your vulnerability. Vulnerability plus humility equals gratitude. And gratitude, another word for that is thanksgiving. It's the key to the door into God's throne room." [36:46] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Every blessing you pour out, Lord, I'll turn back to praise. Here's the reason. Because every blessing I don't turn to praise, turns to pride. Ouch. And pride is the seed of entitlement. And entitlement robs us of gratitude. And gratitude is the sum of our humility and our vulnerability. And the sum of our humility and our vulnerability is our ability to be in the presence of the life-giving Father." [41:49] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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