Embracing Gratitude: Transforming Lives Through Thankfulness

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:

- **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]

- **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]

- **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]

- **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. [01:15:20]

- **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. [01:25:29]

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
[01:03:32] - Obstacles to Gratitude: Comparison
[01:07:00] - Embracing Our Unique Calling
[01:15:20] - Gratitude's Impact on Relationships
[01:20:09] - Gratitude in Family Dynamics
[01:25:29] - Gratitude as Worship
[01:28:14] - Closing Prayer and Offering
[01:30:23] - Giving as an Expression of Gratitude
[01:50:22] - Baptism Celebration

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

**Bible Reading:**
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
2. Colossians 3:17 - "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
3. James 1:17 - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

**Observation Questions:**
1. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, what is God's will for us in Christ Jesus? How does this relate to the concept of gratitude? [50:20]
2. In Colossians 3:17, what are we instructed to do in the name of the Lord Jesus, and how does this relate to gratitude? [50:20]
3. How does James 1:17 describe the origin of every good and perfect gift, and what implication does this have for our attitude of gratitude? [57:06]
4. What are the two major obstacles to gratitude mentioned in the sermon, and how do they affect our ability to be thankful? [54:35]

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. How does the concept of "ownership in community" relate to the idea of gratitude, and why is it important for fostering a deeper connection within the church? [39:17]
2. Why might pride and comparison be significant barriers to gratitude, and how can humility and contentment help overcome these obstacles? [54:35]
3. How does expressing gratitude impact our relationships and community, according to the sermon? What changes might occur when gratitude is actively practiced? [01:15:20]
4. In what ways is gratitude described as a radical act of worship, and how does this perspective shift our focus from struggles to God's faithfulness? [01:25:29]

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you struggled to be grateful. What role did pride or comparison play, and how might humility and contentment have changed your perspective? [54:35]
2. Consider your involvement in your church community. How can adopting an "ownership" mindset enhance your sense of gratitude and commitment? [39:17]
3. Identify a relationship in your life that could benefit from more gratitude. What specific actions can you take this week to express your thankfulness to that person? [01:15:20]
4. Think about a time when you compared yourself to others. How did it affect your joy and gratitude? What steps can you take to focus on your unique calling and blessings? [01:05:15]
5. How can you incorporate gratitude into your daily worship and prayer life, shifting your focus from personal struggles to God's faithfulness? [01:25:29]
6. What is one practical way you can express gratitude within your family this week, and how might it transform your family dynamics? [01:20:09]
7. Reflect on the sermon’s message about gratitude as a choice empowered by the Holy Spirit. How can you consciously choose gratitude in challenging circumstances this week? [50:20]

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?

Alright, good morning, church!

There's more of y'all in here. Good morning, church! How we doing this morning? Is anybody excited to be in the house of the Lord this morning? Well, I know that I am excited to be in the house of the Lord. Excited to be here!

If this is your very first time here, my name is Pastor Kenan. I am the pastor here at Limitless Church, along with my beautiful wife, Miss Sonya, who is in kids ministry serving our kids this morning. Yeah, you better make some noise for that! I know our kids are well taken care of this morning.

But on behalf of us, visitors, we are excited that you're here. Thank you for spending your Sunday with us. I know that you probably thought this morning, "You know, I'm just going to go to church. I get a free one." If it breaks, don't do that! Don't do that! I get a new one!

I know you probably thought this morning, "You know, I just came to church. Today's going to be the day." Maybe you're here with your family, and they're celebrating baptisms this morning, and you said, "Hey, I'm just going to go. I'm going to support. I'm going to be there." You know, church may not be my thing, or I may have not been to church in a long time, but I have some news for you: You were set up. You were set up!

I know you thought that you were making that great decision, but you were actually set up. There is a purpose and a reason that you're here in this service this morning. There's something that God wants to speak to you. There's something that He wants to begin doing in your life, and we believe that today is the beginning of something amazing that God is going to do.

And frankly, here at Limitless, we're just excited to be a part of the process and excited to see what God is going to do. Limitless, can we make some noise for our visitors this morning? It is a big deal that you are here with us, and we don't take that for granted.

As Ms. Dina said earlier, there's a QR code on the seat pocket in front of you. There's a table outside. I would love to personally have an opportunity to say hello to you, to find out how you found out about our church, to see how your week was. We'll call you this week and send you a video welcoming you. Why? Because we make it a big deal when people come through our door. You could have been anywhere on a Sunday morning, but you chose to be here, and we are grateful, and we appreciate that.

So thank you, thank you, thank you for being here.

I got a couple of things before we get started. Before we dive into the word, what I call two things. Fortunately, it's usually never two things, but I had already made the title, so I didn't want to just call it "things," because then that would give me too much leeway. They didn't like that.

So the first thing that we have today is Roots and Wings, okay? Roots and Wings is the membership class here at Limitless Church. If you have decided, "This is my place, this is my church, I want to be a member of this church," then this class is for you.

Roots and Wings, the title "Roots and Wings," came from this idea that you're planting your roots here, that you have made a decision to say, "This is where I'm choosing to be planted," and where I'm establishing roots that are going to grow. The wings come from this idea that not only are we going to grow, but we are going to flourish and do what God has called us to do and walk in the calling that God has for us.

And this idea of wings is that it's not that we expect you to be here and stay here and do nothing here. No, we want to give you the tools necessary to go out and do whatever God has called you to do. And so that is our membership class here, Roots and Wings.

And people ask, "What is membership about? What is membership being?" And I use this example. I say, "Hey, it is the difference between going to the restaurant and owning the restaurant."

When I go to a restaurant, I come in, and I may not like what's on the menu, and there's nothing I can do about it. I may see toilet tissue or napkins on the floor. I may not like the service that I'm getting. I may go to the restroom and may not like how it may be clean, or it may not be clean, but because I have no ownership, I'm not going to do anything about it. I might say something, and that may or may not make a change, but there's a different attitude when you have ownership in something, right?

If I own a restaurant, guess what? I'm going to make sure that it's clean. I'm going to make sure that the people are treated well. I'm going to make sure that the bathroom is nice. I'm going to make sure that the menu is good. Why? Because I have ownership in what's happening when people come into this restaurant.

Well, it is the same for the body of Christ, and it is the same for the church. We have to take ownership. We have to go from just attending to taking ownership. So guess what? When I see a coffee mug on the floor that 50 of y'all left, guess what? Because I'm a member of the church, I'm going to pick it up. Why? Because I don't want no coffee. I'm not going to leave no coffee on my floor. We got to pick that up. Why? Because I'm representing God, and I want it to look nice. I want it to smell nice. When people come in the door, I want them to be greeted.

And you know I think I got the best greeting voice. So guess what? I'm going to be right there at that door greeting people. Why? Because I'm taking ownership.

There's a difference between you just attending, which we love you attending, but taking the next step of saying, "You know what? I am taking ownership." So I'm going to be here when they need someone to volunteer. I'm going to be one of the guys that has to go help when they're asking for people to volunteer. I'm going to be here early. I'm going to stay late. Why? Because this is my church.

That's when you say, "This is my church." No, no, I don't just go here. This is my church. And so that's what Roots and Wings is all about. And if you have any questions or anything, that is a place to get your questions answered.

And then we have an opportunity for you to actually become a member. And we discuss everything that is Limitless Church. And so if that's you, Sunday, December 1st, after service, we're going to meet you right here, and I will be teaching our membership class. So I encourage you, if that is you, go to the QR code, go outside to the table, and say, "Hey, I'm ready to be a member. Let's sign up. Let's get you a part of that class." Amen.

Alright, that's the first thing.

The second thing that we have is we have a volunteer opportunity. Okay. Now, this past week, our church served, and we were the hands and feet of Jesus all over the city of Woodland, California. We partnered with... Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We partnered with the Yolo Food Bank. That's me. She's in the back, way back there. I'm always going to call you out. So she's in the back, back there, but we got to partner with her and her family at the Yolo Food Bank.

And we got to serve our city, who's outside in the cold, inside in the heat. We were there packing groceries, packing food. I have never packed so many carrots and potatoes and rice and ramen in my life, but we got them done. We got all the bags packed, and we were happy to have the opportunity to serve our church.

So we're going to our city in this way. So after that happened, Monday, I got a call from the city of Woodland, and they said, "Hey, we have an opportunity that we wanted to make you aware of." And I said, "What is it?" They said, "We want to bring an ice skating rink to the city of Woodland. It's never happened before. We've never done it before, but we want to do it right in the heart of downtown Woodland. But we need people to host the ice skating rink."

And he said, "I wanted to know if your church would be willing to participate in that. And if they are, we want to donate half of the proceeds to the church." So whatever they raise in that week... Wait, wait, wait, don't clap yet. Don't clap yet. Hold on.

Alright, whatever they raise in that week, we want to make sure that we get the opportunity to donate it to that church. They said, "Would your church be willing to participate in it?" I said, "I don't know. I'm going to ask them on Sunday, and I'll get back with you."

We tired. Okay. So, but let's see. Alright, so what does that mean? That means that we'll have people that are on the skates with their cameras out. And if people fall, we're recording it and then helping them up as they fall. No, no, no, don't do that. Don't do that.

Maybe we'll have people who are handing out skates. We'll have people who are doing the tickets. We'll have people on the Zamboni riding around, making sure that the ice and things are safe.

He said, "It's going to... We need five people per shift. We're going to start at 11. We'll end at 10, and it'll be through the entire week." Okay, so we start on a Sunday, and we'll end on a Saturday.

And he said, "If your church is willing, we would love the opportunity for them to participate." I said, "Look, I'm going to tell them to go outside after service and sign up at the table if they want to do it." And then we'll see what happens.

So if you say, "Hey, Pastor Keenan, I'm willing to sacrifice four hours to go out and serve our city and have some resources come to our church," then do me a favor. Sign up. We would love to have you. The first service is already signed up for the second service. And if we have the amount of numbers, we will call tomorrow. We will call it midweek on Wednesday and say, "Hey, we got the people. We are ready. We are willing, and we are able."

So that is the second thing.

Yes, Mike. Why do you have your hand up in the middle of service like this is a classroom? You did it, so I'm with you now. Yes.

How many people are we looking for? As many want to sign up.

Hey, I'm not going to put a number because then we get there, and people will be like, "No, they have enough people." No, we don't. Come on. No. Alright, so as many that want to sign up, we want the opportunity for you to do that.

I'm way over. I'm four minutes over my team. Praise God.

Alright, so the third thing that we have, and this one I'm calling on our church to participate with us. My nephew, Elijah, when he was little, he was little. And then over probably like a two to three-year period, he got tall for no reason. He just didn't stop growing. And it was like, he was huge. He was huge. He was huge. He was huge. He was huge. He was here, and then he was here. It was like, "Oh, that's cute. That's enough right there." And then he kept going.

And right now, he was here last week. I'm like, "Son, something's up. We need to figure out what's happening." But he was growing. But I remember when he was younger, he would complain about his knees. And I'm like, "Child, you got a long way to go before you be complaining about your knees."

But he would complain about how his knees hurt. And then one day, his mom and dad had to take him to the hospital. He was like in pain, and he couldn't figure out why his knees would hurt. And he goes to the doctor. They say, "Yeah, it's just growing pains. It's growing pains."

And he wasn't necessarily excited about that because you don't get a surgery with that. You don't get medicine with that. And he's like, "Well, what do I need to do?" Because he's growing so tall at this rapid pace, they said, "You are growing, and your body is trying to keep up with how fast you're growing."

And he said, "So what do I need to do?" And he said, "Well, what do I need to do?" He says, "You need to stretch. You need to stretch. When you get up in the morning, you need to stretch. Before you play, you need to stretch. After you're done, you need to stretch."

And so why does that matter to us, church? Because we are in a place where we are growing rapidly. If you look around you right now, we had to pull chairs in today. Look at the back rows. We had to pull chairs in today to fit people in our church.

Church, we had to fit people here in our church because we don't have enough room for people. We're hearing stories about how marriages are being turned around as a result of the messages. We're hearing stories about people whose lives were changed because of baptism. We're hearing stories about all the things that the Lord is doing.

And we are growing at a rapid pace. And what's happening is we are struggling to keep up with how fast we're growing. And so in praying about this and talking with our board and pastors and different people, I said, "Hey, what is it that we need to do?"

And I felt inspired for us to do what I am calling the Stretch Sunday. On Sunday, December the 8th, I am asking you to participate in the stretch with us. I've talked to my board, and they're participating. My wife and I are participating. On December the 8th, we want to raise a stretch offering.

Now, what is this offering for? It is for the things that we would like to do in the upcoming year. Everybody does this year-end campaign and this, that, and the third. We believe that God has called us to be the hands and feet of this city. We believe that God has called us to do outreaches, to have a middle school ministry, to have a high school ministry, to minister to our youth and to our young adults, to have support here at the church.

I know a lot of people don't know this, but for everybody that's here, we're going to be doing a stretch offering. And I am the only full-time staff member that is here at our church. So to manage all of these things that are happening, we need help. And we're believing God for people and resources to come.

So on December the 8th, we are raising what we are calling a stretch offering. So pastor, what do you want us to do? Very quickly, this is all I need you to do. I need you to pray and say, "God, what would you have me to give?" That's it.

I don't know your number. Your number might be a dollar. Your number might be ten dollars. But maybe God has blessed you. Maybe you've had some unexpected income. Maybe, you know, you were laughing at everybody who was telling you to get out of crypto, but you stayed in, and you're looking kind of nice right now, you know.

I don't know what the case might be, but maybe the Lord has blessed you. And you say, "Hey, I want to sow into what Limitless Church is planning to do." And so on December 8th, we are going to have what we're calling a stretch offering. Go home, pray, "Lord, what would you have me to give?"

And on December 8th, let's bring it and let's celebrate what God is doing and is going to do in the upcoming year. Amen. Y'all with me? Can you stretch with me?

Alright, alright. Let's dive into this word.

Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for allowing us to be here today. This is the day that you have made. And so we make a conscious decision to rejoice and to be happy.

Lord, we need to hear from you today. It is your word that makes the difference. Your word that can speak to everyone and individually, each one of us at the same time. Nothing matters if we don't hear from you, God. So would you speak in this place right now? Would you anoint our ears so that we are able to hear what you're saying? Would you anoint our hearts so that we are able to receive the words?

Not only what's coming across the pulpit, but what are you ministering to our hearts individually? Speak today, God. Have your way. This is your house. That we would leave here today, God, and not just be hearers of your word, but be doers of your word as well.

You have called us to take the limits off of the way that people see Jesus, faith, and the church. Would you equip us today on how to do that? We believe it, God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Alright, let's dive in. We are in week two of a series that we are calling Thanksgiving, talking about generosity and gratitude, okay? Last week we started this series, and we kind of went down the line on what it means to be grateful. We talked about what gratitude is, okay?

We talked about why gratitude can seem so hard. And we talked about what happens when we make the bold choice not to grumble, not to complain, but to fight for gratitude. If you weren't here, I encourage you, please grab that message. What happens when we fight for gratitude?

Today, I want to talk about the effect that gratitude can have around us. And I want to encourage you and I want to remind you that you have the grace for gratitude. You have the grace for gratitude.

I want you to say this with me. Say, "I have the grace for gratitude." Say it again. "I have the grace for gratitude." I have the grace for gratitude.

Okay, let's look at this in the scripture. First Thessalonians chapter five. And let's start at verse 18. Verse 18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

He starts by saying, "Give thanks," okay? Let's look at Colossians verse 17. He says, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, the Father through him."

Okay, so that was First Thessalonians. Then we have Colossians. Now let's go to Ephesians. Ephesians, let's start at chapter five. Verse 20. Alright, verse 20 says, "Giving thanks always and for everything to God, the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Okay, that's three. We got Old Testament and New Testament. In case you still don't believe me, let's go to Psalms. Psalms, and let's go Psalms 100. Okay. Psalms 100 and verse four. Verse four says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name."

Give thanks to him and bless his name. Here's the thing. There is nothing that scripture asks us to do that we haven't already been empowered and enabled to do. There is nothing that scripture asks us to do that we haven't already been empowered and enabled to do.

We're able to be grateful. We're able to give thanks through Christ. Living a lifestyle of gratitude can seem hard as a believer, especially in this season. People are getting on your nerves that ain't never got on your nerves before.

It can seem hard, especially in this season and especially in the culture that we live in. But as hard as it can seem, we must remember that we are graced for gratitude. We are graced for gratitude.

Through the Holy Spirit's empowering and enabling, we can be people of gratitude. We are graced for gratitude. Through the Holy Spirit's empowering and enabling, we can be people of gratitude.

Gratitude has to be a characteristic of who we are because through the Holy Spirit, it is who we are, okay? It has to be. When people see believers, when people see Christians, when people see people who call themselves followers of Christ, gratitude has to be a defining characteristic of who we are because through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, it is who we are.

It is who we are. Now, we've read the scriptures, Old Testament, New Testament, that tell us to give thanks. We understand that the Holy Spirit on the inside of us, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to live with us, to be with us, to guide us.

Now, if we have the Holy Spirit's empowering and we have this opportunity to be grateful through Jesus, why do we still struggle with gratitude? Why? Why do we have a problem being grateful?

Why is it so hard for us, especially as believers, to be grateful when we have so much to be grateful for? I believe that the first thing, the first reason that we have a problem or the reason that we struggle with gratitude first is because of pride, okay? It's because of pride.

If you can't say amen, say ouch, okay? It's pride. Somewhere along the line, we start to believe that our efforts, that our abilities, that our talents, our hours worked, or our titles that we have gained has gotten us to where we are.

"I worked the job. I got the paycheck. I went to school and got the degree. I put in the hours at this job. I have the experience." Somewhere along the line, we start to believe that it's because of us that we have this.

Somewhere along the line, we fall for the enemy's lie that it is because of us. We believe it, whether in public or in private, that what we have and what we have attained is because of us.

Let your child say something. Let him say something. "I'm the reason. I'm the reason that we're here. You in this car because of me. I put food on this table. Not nobody else. Me."

And I imagine the Lord is up there like, "We all look at this. Come look at this." Somewhere along the line, we believe that it is us.

Here's the problem with that. First Peter, verse five. Actually, I'm going to jump to James chapter one, verse 17. James chapter one, verse 17 says, "Every good gift." I can stop right there. "Every good gift."

That means your job. That means your spouse. That means your kids. Some of y'all are like, "My spouse ain't a good gift." Hold on. Every good gift. Your job, your spouse, your kids, the things that you have, your bank account, your degree, the very reason that you're breathing, the very reason that you're here right now.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." It's from above. It's not from you because you're here. He said above. "Every good gift. Every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation and no shadow due to change." I mean, He ain't going nowhere. He ain't moving. Everything that you have has come from Him.

First Peter five, five says, "You who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another." Why? Because God opposes the proud. But He gives grace to the humble.

He opposes the proud. This word, how opposed? When you look this up, this word opposed means He is actively against those who operate in pride.

Can I tell you, I don't care what's going on in my life, I never want God to be actively against me. The devil is a lie. I don't want it.

He says He actively opposes the proud, but He gives grace. He gives undeserved favor. He gives empowerment to those that walk in humility.

See, pride says every good and perfect gift comes from me. That's what pride says. So I have no need to be thankful for anyone or to anyone for anything because I did it. That's what pride says.

And so it's hard for me to be like, "Thank you. Thank you. That was me." I ain't what I'm saying thank you for. I'm the one that worked the job. I'm the one that put in the hours.

I understand that you disagree now, but what is your heart posture? Because pride is here. It's a here thing. And sometimes gratitude is a problem because we have a problem here with pride.

We come up with a great idea, and we instantly take credit. I'm telling you, we jump on. We, "Oh yeah, you like that, didn't you? Uh-huh." No, that's not you.

Here's humility. Humility says, "I recognize I'm not that good. I recognize that I'm not that smart. I recognize that I don't have it all put together like that. That was Jesus."

And so I take the opportunity to say, "Thank you, Jesus. Lord, I just want to take a second to say thank you, Jesus." Because I recognize that I ain't supposed to be here, that this ain't supposed to happen. That ain't none of this ain't got nothing to do with me.

So I want to take an opportunity to say thank you. That's what humility does. Humility says, "I recognize that everything I have and everything that I am is not because of who I am or what I did, but that it is an undeserved gift given to me by God."

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, you recognize and it's like, "God, thank you."

Because I know me. And if this would have been me, I'd have messed this whole thing up. Amen? I'd have messed this whole thing. Matter of fact, Lord, I took the wheel for a little minute and almost messed this whole thing up.

Oh, that's just me. Okay. But you have this opportunity to say, "Oh, thank you, Jesus. God, you've been good. You've been faithful to me even when I wasn't faithful to myself. God, you've been consistent in my life."

God, I don't even know how this food got here. I don't know how the gas got in the tank. God, I don't know. You know I ain't supposed to have this job, Jesus. I don't know. What am I doing?

It's this perception that says, "This is because of God." I'm realizing my insignificance, and therefore I am more aware and I am grateful for His significance in my life.

I'm aware of it. I know what it is. James chapter four, verse six says, "But He gives more grace." But He gives more grace. He opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

He says, "I'm empowering you because you're recognizing me." I have to assess my life. I have to assess my heart. I have to assess where I am and ask myself, "Have I been giving God His due?"

If I'm struggling with gratitude, have I really been acknowledging God in my life? Because He says He is opposed, but He gives grace to those that are humble.

Pride is the thing that is stopping us from being people that are grateful. The second thing that is stopping us from being people who are enabled through gratitude is comparison. Comparison.

And comparison is not a... It's not a generational thing because the seasoned saints could be like, "I didn't have to deal with that. I don't have social media." No, this was alive and well, well before social media. This has been something that has been all throughout history. Jesus talks about it in the scripture. Comparison.

We look at other people's situations. We look at what they have. We look at what they've accomplished. And then we compare. We compare it to ourselves.

We look at other people's... We look at our behind the scenes and compare it to other people's highlight reel. We look at the great things that are happening in their life. We look at all of the wonderful things and the things that they've accomplished and the things that they are a part of.

And we look at all of those things, and then we compare it to where we are. Cannot do that. Listen to me. 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. God has called each and every one of you watching online and under the sound of my voice. God has called you, and there is a plan and a purpose for your life. There is something that you can only do that He's uniquely called you for.

Do not compare it to other people. Do not compare it to other people. There is a unique way that He has called you to do it. There is a timing associated when He's called you to do it. There is a season that is associated when He's called you to do it. There is a maturity. There is a growing, and that happens in different phases.

You cannot compare what He's called you to do with what He's called somebody else to do. Get this. Even if it's the same thing, He has called you. Do not look to the left or to the right. Focus on what you're doing and what He's called you to do.

There is... I'm telling you. Because I could go out and I could look at all these churches and all these things that these people are doing in their churches, and this place would look like a wreck. Why? Because I'd be too busy trying to be them.

Because they got all of this and they got all of that and all of the things and all of that. No, no, no, no. I ain't worried about them folk. Mm-mm. No. God has called me to do this here.

And there is a unique way, a unique purpose, and a unique plan that He's called me to do it here. So I'm not going to look to what they're trying to do because I'm not them. I am me. And frankly, I think me might be a little bit better.

So... We can't focus on other people. When we do that, we miss out and we overlook what God is doing. We miss out on what God is doing in us, what He has done for us, what He continues to do with us.

We can't look at other people. We have to look at ourselves. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 12. He talks about this. Verse 12 says, "It's not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who are commending themselves."

Here we go. "But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." The Amplified says they are a fool.

I don't want to get nobody in here upset because I know some of y'all visited, so I chose the nice version. He says they are without understanding.

And I can imagine, like, you compare yourself with somebody... You don't even understand. You don't even see half of the picture. You have... You literally have no understanding.

So you shouldn't compare yourself with someone else. We have no idea what other people have or have not done, whether their gain is God-glorifying or has it been built on a faulty foundation that will soon fail.

You're looking at people, "Oh, I want to be like them. Oh, they got it made. They got it together." You know, and think about how many people that we as a society have looked up to, and they is... It's bad. Boy, it's bad.

But they were at the height of life. They had all the money. They had all the influence. They were doing great. Everything seemed well. Maybe they had a great marriage, and you're like, "Oh man, it's just so good. It's just so good."

And they are broke, busted, disgusted, divorced, and got nothing. Why? Because if God is not at the center of it, and if He is not the source of what you have and why you have, then it is built on sand.

And when the storms come and the rains blow, it will be a fall, and the Bible says, "And great will be its fall." We can't look at other people. We don't know what they... We don't know their story.

Here we go. We don't know what they went through to get to where they are. And some of you, if you saw what they went through to get what they got, you'd be like, "No, no, no, no. I'm good. I'm good. No, thank you. No, thank you, please. No, no, thank you."

Right? We don't know, so we cannot afford to compare ourselves. We don't know. Just because people's numbers are growing doesn't mean it's great. It's just facts.

Because it could be here today and gone tomorrow. And listen, God forbid that you, through selfish ambition, looking at somebody else, get ahead of God.

Then God forbid that you achieve success because you got ahead of God, and now everything that you have is only dependent on you. And the day that comes that will always come when you reach the end of yourself, it's all gone.

I'm not trying to get ahead of the Lord. I'm grateful. You know what I'm grateful for? The process. I'm grateful for the process. I'm grateful for where He has me now.

I'm not trying to get to where nobody at because I want to be here, and I want to be with you, and I want to be with you because there's a process that He's developing in each and every one of us that is necessary, and we don't want to skip the process.

I'm grateful for humble beginnings. I'm grateful for the pruning that has to take place. I'm grateful for the maturity that has to take place. I'm grateful for what He's doing.

Why? Because it's Him that's doing it and not me. So here it is, here it is, and guess who's responsible for it when it gets big? Not me.

That's why I love it. I'm like, "God, is this yours? It's your house. You do what you want to do. This is your house. It's yours."

So you are responsible for it no matter how big it gets. I never have to consume the weight of what it is because it ain't mine to begin with.

But it takes being humble and not walking through comparison to see that I don't want to be one of those people He says that are without understanding.

But when we choose to remain humble and we choose to be in constant remembrance of all that God has done, we activate the grace for gratitude.

When we choose to remember His faithfulness, when we choose to remember how good He's been, when we choose to remember His provision, when we choose to do that, we activate the grace for gratitude.

David is in Psalm chapter 143. He says, "I remember the days of old." Goodness! I remember the days of old. I remember that telling us a story when we would ask about the church in Madison, and he says, "I remember when we built the church, and it was a frame. And they got the frame, and Pastor Wiley is there helping putting up the frame. And I remember when it was sawdust on the ground."

And he says, "I remember when there were benches that we would sit on in the middle, and the sawdust was on the ground. And I remember when it was, and I remember, I remember when we got the building next door, and then we began to build. And I remember our first service when we came in."

He says, "I'm remembering the days of old. I remember." He says, "I meditate on all that you have done."

Something happens when you begin to meditate on what God has done. Some of us are upset because we ain't took time to meditate on what we upset at what's happening right now because we have failed to remember all that He has brought us through.

We upset, we angry, we're self-righteous. "God, why have you answered? Why I don't feel you? Why won't you do this? Why won't you do that?" God, you're like, "Child, but something happens when we begin."

He says, "I meditate on all that you have done. I ponder the work of your hands." I'm remembering how faithful you've been. I remember you healed me. I remember you woke me up. I remember when I was on my sickbed, and you lifted me up.

I remember when I didn't have, and you provided. I remember, I remember, I remember. Something happens when we begin to remember all that God has done.

We activate the grace for gratitude. We begin to reflect, and we not only remind ourselves, we remind our spirit, but we remind our soul of the goodness of God.

And when we begin to remember these things, we activate that. If pride and comparison are gratitude blockers, then humility and contentment are the activators for the grace of gratitude.

Gratitude is not easy. We said last week, gratitude, it is a fight, but I promise you that it is a fight that is worth it.

Listen to me. The enemy is depending on us living selfish, ungrateful lives where we are not content and we are not grateful so we can have no impact.

Why? Because if you're grumbling and complaining all the time, nobody wants to be like you. If you're grumbling and complaining all the time, nobody wants to know the God you serve because the God you serve ain't working for you.

Gratitude. Gratitude. The enemy is depending on us living selfish, uncontent, ungrateful lives. Why? Because gratitude isn't just about us.

Now, while we benefit from gratitude, it's not just about us. It's not just us that benefits from gratitude. Our relationships benefit from gratitude.

When we have gratitude or when we activate gratitude, we're not just benefiting from gratitude. We're benefiting from gratitude.

When we have gratitude or when we activate gratitude in our relationships, our perspective about relationships change. The purpose that we have relationships with one another begins to change.

How we treat those that we are in relationship with, how we speak to those that we are in relationship with, how we honor those that we are in relationship with, all of that is changed by gratitude.

The relationships that we have are now richer, they're more intentional, and there is a blessing that is activated when we approach those that we are in community and in relationship with with gratitude.

Something happens when you have a friend and you say, "Hey, I'm just grateful for you in my life. Thank you for putting up with me because sometimes I'm a mess."

Thank you for picking up. Don't say amen, Sarah. Thank you. Thank you for putting up with me. Thank you for picking up the phone the 50th time when I called you about the same thing 30 times, but you keep picking up the phone and praying for me.

Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for being there. And something happens because now that gratitude that you have, you are using to bless somebody.

And now because of your gratitude, they are being blessed. This is what happens. When you activate gratitude in your relationships, the community that we live in is changed by our gratitude.

The community that we live in can be changed by our gratitude. When we are ungrateful, we complain, we are upset, we disengage with the community.

"I can't stand all these homeless people. When they going to do something about these people? When they going to do something about the schools? Why they keep having all this construction? Why they can't fix the lights?"

This is what you do when you're ungrateful. But something happens when the grace for gratitude has been activated. Now we have a love for the place that we live.

We have a grace for the community and the people who work in the community. Now we are looking for ways to bless our community. We see solutions where we once saw problems, and we look for change.

And when change needs to happen, we now activate and be a part of that change because of our gratitude. We're not complaining about the schools. We're at the schools with the teachers.

We're at the school with the principal. We came with donuts. We came with school supplies. We came to help. We didn't come to complain.

Parents, your community changes because now you're a part of the... I don't know if they still have it, but you're a part of the neighborhood watch now. You walking around to make sure nobody checking in the cars with your little flashlight.

Why? Because this is my community, and I'm grateful for it. And because I'm grateful for it, I'm going to do something about it. I'm not just going to sit here because I live here, and I'm appreciative of it.

Okay, here we go. Some of us is trying to get out of the place that God has sent us to as an assignment.

Oh, I know you was trying to move. You couldn't wait for that lease to be up. You couldn't wait. You was waiting for the housing market to go down, but God called you there.

You thought you moved there on purpose. You thought you just picked a place, and that was fine. You knew you shouldn't have got approved anyway, but you thought God has placed you there on assignment.

There is a reason for you to be there. Now, you can spend your assignment complaining, but let me tell you, when you move, you have the same assignment.

Oh, I know you was trying to move. You couldn't wait for that lease to be up. You couldn't wait. You was waiting for the housing market to go down, but God called you there.

You thought you moved there on purpose. You thought you just picked a place, and that was fine. You knew you shouldn't have got approved anyway, but you thought God has placed you there on assignment.

There is a reason for you to be there. Now, you can spend your assignment complaining, but let me tell you, when you move, you have the same assignment.

You have to do it all over again, or you can move. You can move. You can move. You can move. You can move. You can move. You can move. You can move.

You can activate the grace for gratitude, and you can very change the trajectory of that entire community that is around you, the school that your kids are a part of, the neighborhood that you live in, simply because you decided, instead of grumbling and complaining, that I am going to activate a grace for gratitude.

Lastly, our family benefits from gratitude. Whew. Our family benefits from our gratitude.

Some of the most life-changing things can happen when we enable the grace for gratitude with our family.

What would it look like if you begin to express gratitude to your kids? What would it look like if instead of you, you know, doing what you do, you said, "Hey, I just want to tell you I'm grateful for you. I know I'm on you. I'm on you because I love you. But I'm grateful for you."

Oh, that was a Jesus moment right there. The Lord just opened up. He's like, "That was on right there."

What would happen if you came to your kids and you say, "Hey, I know our relationship isn't what I would like it to be, but I want you to know I'm grateful for you."

What would it look like if you came to them and said, "Hey, you know, I know that we're not where we could be, but I'm grateful for you."

What would it look like if you no longer looked at your marriage from the perspective of a burden, but you looked at it with humility and you were in gratitude for what the Lord has done and what He's going to do?

What would it look like? What burdens? What burdens? What burdens would be broken?

What generational curses would begin to break because you decided to walk in gratitude with your family, even those that are estranged?

Those families, you come around the table around Thanksgiving, and you got those family members that you may not like or that you may not have a great relationship with, or you guys may be estranged for whatever reason.

And I imagine at the moment during the holiday season, you know, before you eat, you have this tradition, and you say, "Hey, I would go around, and we say what we're grateful for."

And you stand up and you say, "You know what? I'm grateful for you. I know we don't see eye to eye. I know I haven't talked to you all year. Maybe we've had some conversations that haven't gone well, and I apologize for my role in that. But I want you to know that I'm grateful for you."

I'm grateful that you're a part of my life. I'm grateful that we are blood. I'm grateful that I get the opportunity to just tell you how grateful I am.

I'm grateful that I'm not at your funeral right now and that I get the chance to tell you that I'm grateful for you.

Yeah, we may not have everything we want, but I'm grateful for who's here. Watch. Watch how it changes that y'all going to run in here and be like, "Pastor, I can't wait to tell you what..."

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. It's in the word.

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. We honor you in this place, God, for who you are and all that you have done.

Thank you for reminding us of the gift of gratitude. And that you have graced us with that gift.

I ask that you would challenge us, challenge our hearts today, God, for what it is that you have for us to do. That the word would be hidden in our heart, and when an opportunity arrives to complain, that we will remember, "No, I have been graced for gratitude."

Thank you, Lord, that this will change the atmosphere, that chains will be broken, that burdens will be removed, that curses will be broken simply. Communities will be changed. Relationships will be changed. Families will be changed because we decided to walk in gratitude.

I honor you, and I thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

I'm going to have our offering team come forward at this time. I want us to consider how gratitude manifests in tangible ways. One of the most profound expressions of our gratitude is when we operate in giving.

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.

To say, "God, I want to take a second just to say thank you. Thank you for blessing me with the job. Thank you for blessing me with the resources, the finances. Thank you for the increase, God. Thank you for how you've moved in my finances, God."

And your word says you give seed to the sower. So I thank you for the seed. God, I want to show my gratitude and participate in this opportunity to give.

Your word says that each one must give as he has decided in his heart. You are under compulsion or reluctantly because God loves a cheerful giver.

And the way that we get to be cheerful givers is when we are in remembrance and in gratitude of the gift that He has given us in the seed.

And so today I pray that we would respond not out of obligation, but knowing that our contribution creates ripples of impact that extend beyond ourselves.

We have talked about the missions in the book of Isaiah. We have talked about the missions in the book of Isaiah. We have talked about the missions in the book of Isaiah.

Last night, I had a great opportunity to sit and hear the testimonies of people from Zambia talking about all the things that have taken place as a result of the giving here.

When we got to see the library finished, when we got to see the mercy house finished, when we got to see the well built and people drinking, that is a result.

And as a result, we got to see that. Your gift here is not, again, just about what happens here. Yes, it goes to take care of the needs of our church, but it goes above and beyond the things that we don't even see.

And now we get an opportunity to sow into vision and into what God wants to do.

Heavenly Father, I pray right now. I pray that you would speak to your people on what they should give. God, we don't want to give just because it's giving time. Because this is something we do every week.

No, God, we want to give out of an attitude of gratitude. We want to say thank you for giving seed to the sower. We believe that our finances are a seed.

And we sow this seed into good ground. And we command that seed to go, to grow, and to multiply, God. We give our tithe. We give over and above, God, because we are generous.

So, God, would you speak to us? What would you have us to give today? I know we may have something set aside in our pockets, or we may have a preconceived thing, God. But would you speak to us in these next few moments? What would you have us to give?

Speak right now, Jesus. Speak to our hearts. Speak to them right now, God. Thank you, Jesus.

God, we believe that we have heard you. And we choose to move out of faith and out of obedience and out of a heart of gratitude. We give not reluctantly, but cheerfully.

And we pray that you would receive our gift. In Jesus' name, amen.

If this is your first time here, you're watching online, you can text the word GIVE to 833-879-0161. There is a QR code on the seat pocket in front of you.

Take out your phone, point it to that QR code. The buckets will be coming by. There's an envelope. You can place your seed in the envelope, drop it in the bucket.

As that bucket passes, would you do me a favor and stand with me as the buckets go by? And then I'll be right back, and we're going to celebrate some baptisms.

"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)