The Residue of Gratitude

Devotional

Day 1: Entering God’s Presence Through Thanksgiving

Gratitude is the key that opens the door to God’s presence, allowing us to remember who He is and who we are in Him. When life’s circumstances threaten to cloud our identity and make us forget that we are God’s beloved, chosen people, it is thanksgiving that brings us back into alignment with the truth. Entering His gates with thanksgiving is not just a ritual, but a spiritual practice that draws us close, enabling us to communicate with God and receive His help. No matter what you’re facing, gratitude is the doorway to intimacy with God and the assurance that you are His, not defined by your circumstances or failures. [02:50]

Psalm 100 (ESV)
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you’ve felt distant from God—can you take a moment today to thank Him specifically for something in that area, and see how it changes your sense of closeness to Him?

Day 2: Gratitude in the Midst of Hardship

Even in the darkest places, gratitude has the power to shift our perspective and invite God’s intervention. Like Jonah in the belly of the whale, when we choose to give thanks in the middle of our struggles, we position ourselves to see God move—not always in the way we expect, but in ways that ultimately lead to our freedom. Gratitude doesn’t always change our circumstances immediately, but it changes us, helping us trust that God is still present, still working, and still leading us, even when we feel stuck or unheard. [06:16]

Jonah 2:1-10 (ESV)
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Reflection: Think of a current struggle or “belly of the whale” moment—how can you offer a prayer of thanksgiving right in the middle of it today?

Day 3: Gratitude as a Spiritual Cleanser

Gratitude is not just a feeling but a spiritual tool that purifies our hearts and lives, replacing bitterness, envy, and negativity with the presence and peace of God. When we choose thankfulness, it acts as a filter, cleansing away the residue of past hurts, disappointments, and toxic attitudes, making room for God’s blessings and presence. Just as Paul taught, gratitude is the antidote to the things that pollute our spirits, and it is the means by which we reconnect to God and prepare ourselves to receive what He has for us. [09:50]

Ephesians 5:3-4 (ESV)
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Reflection: What negative attitude or residue from your past is still sitting at the table of your life? What is one way you can intentionally replace it with gratitude today?

Day 4: Gratitude Measures and Multiplies Your Inheritance

The measure of gratitude you cultivate in your life determines the measure of blessing and inheritance you are able to receive from God. Gratitude is not just a duty, but a spiritual principle that creates capacity for God to fill your life with His promises. When you live in gratitude, you are actively preparing your life to hold more of God’s glory and goodness, moving from a “savior complex” to a mindset of sanctification and maturity. Your willingness to thank God, even for small things, is the measure He uses to pour out more—gratitude is the vessel that holds your inheritance. [14:07]

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (ESV)
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to “enlarge your measure” of gratitude so that God can fill it with more of His blessing?

Day 5: Gratitude Removes the Old and Makes Room for the New

Gratitude is the active work of clearing away the residue of old hurts, disappointments, and sins so that God can set new blessings and inheritance on the table of your life. Just as a table must be wiped clean before a new meal is served, your heart must be cleared of bitterness, envy, and comparison through gratitude, or else the new things God wants to give you will be spoiled by the residue of the past. God will not waste His gifts—He waits for us to prepare a clean place through gratitude, so that what He gives can last and nourish us for the journey ahead. [38:35]

Mark 2:21-22 (ESV)
No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.

Reflection: What is one “old residue” (hurt, habit, or attitude) you need to clear away with gratitude today so that God can set something new in your life?

Sermon Summary

Gratitude is not just a seasonal feeling or a polite response—it is the very key that opens the door to God’s presence and unlocks the fullness of our relationship with Him. Psalm 100 teaches us that we are to “enter His gates with thanksgiving,” and this is not just a suggestion, but a spiritual principle. When we live in gratitude, we remember who God is: our Creator, our Shepherd, and the One who calls us His own. Life’s circumstances, disappointments, and hardships often try to convince us otherwise, but gratitude keeps us anchored in the truth of God’s love and faithfulness.

When we neglect gratitude, we become vulnerable to lies—believing that God is distant, that we are forgotten, or that our past encounters with Him were just emotional moments. But gratitude is the antidote. It brings us back into the room with God, so to speak, allowing us to communicate, receive, and be transformed. Even in the darkest places, like Jonah in the belly of the whale, it was gratitude that shifted the atmosphere and allowed God to move. Sometimes, God doesn’t speak directly to us in our pain, but He speaks to our circumstances, setting the stage for our deliverance.

Gratitude is also a spiritual cleanser. Paul, more than any other biblical writer, ties thanksgiving to the purification of our hearts and speech. It is gratitude that replaces bitterness, envy, and resentment, making room for God’s inheritance in our lives. The measure of our gratitude often determines the measure of blessing and glory we can receive. God is not interested in filling a life cluttered with the residue of old hurts, entitlement, or comparison. Like a table that must be wiped clean before a new meal is served, our hearts must be cleared by gratitude to receive what God has prepared.

Maturity in Christ is marked by a willingness to continually remove the residue of the past, not out of duty or fear, but out of joyful expectation for what God will do next. Gratitude brings the past into perspective, helps us trust for the future, and keeps us from believing lies about the Giver. It is not the forced “thank you” of a disappointed child, but the overflow of a heart that remembers God’s faithfulness and expects His goodness. In a world that feeds us entitlement and despair, we must intentionally build lives rooted in gratitude, so that God’s glory can rest on us and His inheritance can flow through us.

Key Takeaways

1. Gratitude is the doorway to God’s presence Gratitude is not just a feeling but the spiritual key that brings us into closeness with God. Without it, we remain outside, unable to fully communicate or receive from Him. Thanksgiving is the posture that allows us to remember who God is and who we are in Him, especially when circumstances try to convince us otherwise. [02:50]
2. Gratitude cleanses the residue of the past Our lives accumulate bitterness, envy, and disappointment, much like a table collects residue from previous meals. Gratitude is the tool that wipes the slate clean, making room for God’s new blessings. Without this cleansing, the gifts and inheritance God wants to give us can be tainted or even ruined by what lingers from before. [36:48]
3. The measure of gratitude determines the measure of blessing God is a God of measurement—He fills what we prepare for Him. The more we cultivate gratitude, the greater the capacity we have to receive His glory and inheritance. Maturity is shown by our willingness to create space for God through gratitude, rather than expecting Him to simply override our immaturity or entitlement. [14:07]
4. Gratitude transforms hardship into trust and expectation When we face disappointment or lack, gratitude keeps us from believing lies about God’s character. It brings to mind His past faithfulness and stirs hope for the future, allowing us to trade bitterness for joy and anxiety for peace. This transformation is not forced, but flows from a heart that truly remembers and trusts. [24:49]
5. Gratitude is the foundation for spiritual maturity True spiritual growth is marked by a life that joyfully removes the old to make room for the new. Gratitude is not about exerting willpower over our circumstances, but about recognizing and responding to God’s undeserved love. This posture makes sanctification a joy rather than a burden, and positions us to receive all that God has for us. [28:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Thanksgiving and Frozen Turkeys
[01:40] - Introduction to Gratitude
[02:50] - Entering God’s Presence with Thanksgiving
[06:16] - Jonah’s Gratitude in the Whale
[09:50] - Paul’s Teaching on Thanksgiving
[14:07] - Gratitude as a Measure for Blessing
[18:28] - Overflow and the Duty of Gratitude
[21:08] - The Socks and Xbox Story
[24:49] - Gratitude Brings Remembrance and Trust
[27:28] - Gratitude Transforms Loss and Hardship
[28:41] - Gratitude Makes Sanctification Joyful
[30:24] - Reasons for Gratitude
[32:52] - Shaping Your World with Gratitude
[34:34] - The Table, Residue, and Preparation
[36:48] - Cleaning the Table: Removing the Old
[38:35] - New Wine and the Residue of Ruin
[40:06] - Gratitude Holds God’s Glory
[42:37] - Prayer for a Grateful Heart

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Power of Gratitude**

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### Bible Reading

**Psalm 100 (ESV)**
> 1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
> 2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
> Come into his presence with singing!
> 3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
> It is he who made us, and we are his;
> we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
> 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
> and his courts with praise!
> Give thanks to him; bless his name!
> 5 For the Lord is good;
> his steadfast love endures forever,
> and his faithfulness to all generations.

**Jonah 2:7-10 (ESV)**
> 7 When my life was fainting away,
> I remembered the Lord,
> and my prayer came to you,
> into your holy temple.
> 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols
> forsake their hope of steadfast love.
> 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving
> will sacrifice to you;
> what I have vowed I will pay.
> Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
> 10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

**2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (ESV)**
> 13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
> 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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### Observation Questions

According to Psalm 100, what is the “key” to entering God’s presence? ([02:50])
In the story of Jonah, what did Jonah do while he was in the belly of the whale, and what happened as a result? ([06:16])
What does Paul say about thanksgiving in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14? How is it connected to salvation and sanctification? ([09:50])
The sermon uses the image of a table collecting residue. What kinds of things does the pastor say can build up on the “table” of our lives? ([09:50])

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### Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the psalmist commands us to “enter his gates with thanksgiving” instead of just asking for help or making requests? What does this say about our relationship with God? ([02:50])
The pastor says that gratitude is like a “spiritual cleanser” that wipes away bitterness, envy, and resentment. Why is it important to clear away these things before God can “fill” our lives with new blessings? ([36:48])
The sermon mentions that the measure of our gratitude determines the measure of blessing we can receive. What does it mean for God to “fill what we prepare for Him”? How does this challenge our expectations of God? ([14:07])
How does gratitude help us remember God’s faithfulness in the past and trust Him for the future, especially during hard times? ([24:49])

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### Application Questions

The pastor said that gratitude is the “doorway” to God’s presence, not just a polite response. This week, what is one specific way you can practice entering God’s presence with thanksgiving, even if your circumstances are difficult? ([02:50])
Think about the “residue” on your life’s table—bitterness, envy, disappointment, or anything else. Is there something you need to “wipe off” through gratitude so God can bring something new? What would it look like to do that? ([36:48])
The sermon gave the example of Jonah giving thanks in the belly of the whale. Is there a “dark place” or hard situation in your life right now where you need to choose gratitude? What would it look like to thank God in the middle of it? ([06:16])
The pastor talked about how gratitude is not the forced “thank you” of a disappointed child, but the overflow of a heart that remembers God’s faithfulness. When was the last time you felt genuine gratitude toward God? What triggered it? ([22:25])
The message said that God is not interested in filling a life cluttered with old hurts, entitlement, or comparison. Are there areas where you’ve been holding onto entitlement or comparison? How can you intentionally replace those with gratitude this week? ([09:50])
The sermon challenged us to build our lives on gratitude, not on what the world says we deserve. What is one practical step you can take to “shape your world with gratitude” (for example, changing what you focus on, what you talk about, or what you post online)? ([32:52])
The pastor said that maturity in Christ is marked by a willingness to remove the residue of the past out of joyful expectation for what God will do next. What is one area where you want to grow in maturity by choosing gratitude over complaint or bitterness? ([28:41])

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Sermon Clips

So many things in your life will keep you from believing and knowing that one, the Lord is God, that two, he made you, that three, you are his and nobody else's. You're not the enemy's, you're not your circumstance, you're not the cards life is—you are none of these things. But if you don't live in verse 4, which is giving thanks, you will forget, and the enemy will hide the fact that you are his. You are his chosen people, you are a sheep in his pasture being watched by the great shepherd. [00:03:04] (34 seconds) #ChosenAndGrateful

Most the time we get upset or we get distant from God because when we give a cry of help through things, God speaks to our enemies and we still are a mess because we think God was supposed to speak to us. I didn't hear nothing, I didn't get one tingle, I went to church, not one goose bump, didn't cry one time in the altar. I was thankful, God, I didn't feel nothing, zero. Maybe God is speaking to your prison and giving it a deadline that it has to open its doors to set you free, but you will not be able to live in the holding without gratitude. [00:07:57] (42 seconds) #GodSpeaksThroughGratitude

Paul mentions thanksgiving more frequently than any other author. I went through and tried to read and tried to find different things and I found 50 different references and I stopped there—50 different references to where he addresses or talks about or mentions thanksgiving in the Bible more than any other author I found. The funny thing about when he mentions it, and I'll talk about this, I'll pick this up at the end, most of the time when he mentions gratitude or thanksgiving in the Bible, he is talking about they are the ability to purify and clean things. [00:10:05] (35 seconds) #PaulOnThanksgiving

Gratitude and thanksgiving are your way back into his presence and they are the light that is shined on the lies that brings you back into the truth that God is, will, God is real, God is with you. It says this, so the number one thing is you are bound to give thanks, which pretty much, I'm just gonna say this, becomes our duty as a Christian. It becomes our duty to live in gratitude because if we live in gratitude, gratitude from the beginning, God has already chose us. If we live in gratitude through salvation, then we will go through sanctification by the spirit and then we will believe the truth. [00:13:06] (43 seconds) #BoundToGiveThanks

Gratitude would say this: dad, thanks for the socks, what's next? Because gratitude does not forfeit the fact that I'm a dad and I'm a good dad and I love them, and the gratitude is telling them even if I gotta wait till tomorrow, even if I gotta wait two days, I know he's got something that he built in the garage for me and I know it's hid somewhere in this house and he's gonna bring it out to me. Gratitude is trying to keep the mask off of our eyes that God, when I'm going through this, God, you must not be God. [00:23:00] (39 seconds) #GratitudeRevealsGod

Thankfulness brings back the remembrance of the past, what's already happened—my dad has given me good gifts all the years of my life—it lets you trust in the future again that there's more for me than what I'm just holding right now, and it takes away the lie that you're starting to believe about the giver. It lets you see him right that way. Temporary dissatisfaction is replaced with overwhelming gratitude that allows you to trust in what has been and what is to come. [00:25:51] (34 seconds) #GratitudeTransformsLoss

Gratitude is simply this: there are reasons for gratitude even if you don't know you have any, and I'll listen for you in a minute, but gratitude is simply this, it is giving God the glory for every detail. God, I woke up this morning, to you be the praise. I didn't have to, God, thanks for my kids, they are nuts, help them Jesus please, but thank you for them. Even in marriage, the frustrations you find between one another, gratitude for that person will still keep you communicating until the frustration is gone. [00:29:45] (47 seconds) #GratefulForCalling

Everything about the current world we live in is trying to make us feel like we deserve things that we don't. I call it entitlement. Everything about social media, what we see on TV, what we're looking at, everything almost screams there's no hope, there's no hope, there's no hope, we're going to an end, it's not going to be joyous, it's not going to be this, everyone's fighting, everyone has—I can tell you this, your social media is feeding you a reflection of you, where you're currently at in your life usually is what you're seeing reflected back through your feeds on social media. [00:32:42] (35 seconds) #CleanseYourLife

I would challenge you to do this: I would search hope 20 times a day, I would search joy and happiness 20 times a day, I would comment on things that are uplifting and about God, I would search messages that change my life, messages that make me grateful, messages that make me thankful, and build a world on the foundations of overwhelming hope so that the enemy cannot get you alone at night and you open your phone and it feeds you lies that God is not for you, with you, and you are not his. Change the world around you to feed you what you need. [00:33:17] (39 seconds) #MoveTheResidue

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