Embracing Gratitude: Transforming Lives Through Thankfulness

Devotional

Day 1: Ownership in Community

Taking ownership in a church community is akin to owning a restaurant rather than just visiting one. This mindset involves active participation and responsibility, ensuring that each member contributes to the well-being and growth of the church family. By embracing this ownership mentality, individuals foster a deeper connection and commitment to the community, transforming it from a place they attend to a family they belong to. This approach encourages members to invest their time, talents, and resources, creating a vibrant and thriving community that reflects the love and mission of Christ. [39:17]

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (1 Corinthians 12:27, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific ways can you take ownership of your role in your church community this week, and how might this change your perspective on your involvement?

Day 2: Grace for Gratitude

Gratitude is a choice empowered by the Holy Spirit, allowing believers to give thanks in all circumstances. This grace enables individuals to see God's hand in their lives, transforming their perspective and relationships. Despite challenges, the Holy Spirit provides the strength to maintain a heart full of gratitude, which in turn enriches one's life and the lives of those around them. By choosing gratitude, believers align themselves with God's purpose, experiencing His peace and joy. [50:20]

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)

Reflection: What is one challenging situation you are currently facing, and how can you choose to express gratitude in the midst of it today?

Day 3: Overcoming Pride and Comparison

Pride and comparison are significant obstacles to gratitude. Pride leads individuals to believe that their achievements are solely their own, while comparison steals joy by focusing on others. Embracing humility and contentment is essential to overcoming these barriers and embracing gratitude. By recognizing that every good gift comes from God, believers can shift their focus from self-centeredness to a posture of thankfulness, acknowledging God's provision and grace in their lives. [54:35]

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where pride or comparison has hindered your gratitude. How can you practice humility and contentment in this area today?

Day 4: The Impact of Gratitude

Gratitude enriches relationships, community, and family by fostering love and appreciation. It changes how individuals interact with others, creating a positive atmosphere that blesses those around them and strengthens bonds. By expressing gratitude, believers shift their focus from struggles to God's faithfulness, transforming their perspective and enabling them to live joyfully and purposefully. This act of gratitude not only benefits the individual but also has a profound impact on their community and family dynamics. [01:15:20]

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life that could benefit from more gratitude. How can you intentionally express gratitude to this person today?

Day 5: Gratitude as Worship

Gratitude is a radical act of worship, shifting focus from struggles to God's faithfulness. It is a continual outpouring of thanks that acknowledges God's goodness and transforms lives. By choosing gratitude, believers align themselves with God's purpose, experiencing His peace and joy. This act of worship not only honors God but also deepens the believer's relationship with Him, allowing them to live in a state of continual thankfulness and praise. [01:25:29]

"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." (Hebrews 13:15, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate gratitude as a form of worship in your daily routine, and what impact do you think this will have on your relationship with God?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound theme of gratitude and its transformative power in our lives. We began by welcoming everyone, especially our visitors, and expressing our excitement for what God is doing in our community. We introduced our "Roots and Wings" membership class, emphasizing the importance of taking ownership in our church community, much like owning a restaurant rather than just visiting one. This ownership mindset encourages us to actively participate and contribute to the life of the church.

We also discussed upcoming volunteer opportunities, including partnering with the city of Woodland for an ice skating rink event, and the importance of serving our community as the hands and feet of Jesus. Additionally, we announced our "Stretch Sunday" on December 8th, where we will raise a special offering to support the growth and outreach of our church.

The core of our message focused on the grace for gratitude. We examined several scriptures that call us to give thanks in all circumstances, highlighting that gratitude is not just a feeling but a choice empowered by the Holy Spirit. We identified pride and comparison as major obstacles to gratitude, reminding ourselves that every good gift comes from God, not from our own efforts. Humility and contentment are key to unlocking the grace for gratitude, allowing us to see God's hand in our lives and be truly thankful.

Gratitude is not just for our benefit; it impacts our relationships, community, and family. By expressing gratitude, we enrich our connections with others, foster a positive community spirit, and strengthen family bonds. Gratitude shifts our focus from our struggles to God's faithfulness, transforming our perspective and enabling us to live joyfully and purposefully.

Key Takeaways

1. Ownership in Community: Taking ownership in our church community is akin to owning a restaurant rather than just visiting one. It involves active participation and responsibility, ensuring that we contribute to the well-being and growth of our church family. This mindset fosters a deeper connection and commitment to the community. [39:17]
2. Grace for Gratitude: Gratitude is a choice empowered by the Holy Spirit. Despite challenges, we are graced with the ability to be thankful in all circumstances. This grace enables us to see God's hand in our lives and to live with a heart full of gratitude, transforming our perspective and our relationships. [50:20]
3. Pride and Comparison: Pride and comparison are major obstacles to gratitude. Pride leads us to believe that our achievements are solely our own, while comparison steals our joy by making us focus on others. Humility and contentment are essential to overcoming these barriers and embracing gratitude. [54:35]
4. Impact of Gratitude: Gratitude enriches our relationships, community, and family. It changes how we interact with others, fostering love and appreciation. By expressing gratitude, we create a positive atmosphere that blesses those around us and strengthens our bonds. [75:20]
5. Gratitude as Worship: Gratitude is a radical act of worship, shifting our focus from our struggles to God's faithfulness. It is a continual outpouring of thanks that acknowledges God's goodness and transforms our lives. By choosing gratitude, we align ourselves with God's purpose and experience His peace and joy. [85:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:30] - Introduction and Announcements
[39:17] - Roots and Wings Membership
[44:17] - Volunteer Opportunities
[47:03] - Stretch Sunday Announcement
[48:30] - Opening Prayer
[49:35] - Series Introduction: Thanksgiving
[50:20] - Grace for Gratitude
[52:51] - Scriptural Foundations for Gratitude
[54:35] - Obstacles to Gratitude: Pride
[58:53] - Humility and Gratitude
[63:32] - Obstacles to Gratitude: Comparison
[67:00] - Embracing Our Unique Calling
[75:20] - Gratitude's Impact on Relationships
[80:09] - Gratitude in Family Dynamics
[85:29] - Gratitude as Worship
[88:14] - Closing Prayer and Offering
[90:23] - Giving as an Expression of Gratitude
[110:22] - Baptism Celebration

Sermon Clips

"Humility opens the door to gratitude. In realizing my insignificance, I am more aware and therefore more grateful for his significance in my life. When you look around and you look at where you are and you look at what you have and you know that you had nothing to do with it, nothing to do with it." [01:01:10] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Comparison is not the thief of joy. Comparison is the death of joy. It is the death of joy. And it is the enemy of your calling. It is the enemy of your calling." [01:05:11] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Gratitude is not just this polite response. It is a radical act of worship where we acknowledge God's goodness and we shift our focus from our struggles to his faithfulness, from our gripes to his glory." [01:25:00] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Everything changes when we begin to look through the lens of gratitude. Hebrews 13 5 says, then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." [01:26:43] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Gratitude changes everything and you have been graced with gratitude. Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word. Thank you for speaking in this place today." [01:28:14] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"When we give, we aren't just parting with our resources. We are acknowledging that everything that we have is a gift from God. This is an opportunity to put our gratitude where our mouth is." [01:30:00] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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