Grateful In The Grind Series

SELFLESS

week 4 Grateful In The Grind

Pastor Timothy Porter

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INTRODUCTION:

We're actually in part four of a message series called Selfless. If you weren't here in previous weeks, we actually talked

?week number one, about being bold in spirit.

?Week number two, we talked about being faithful in service.

?Last week, we talked about being extravagant in generosity.

Today, I want to talk about a phrase that may sound a bit odd to you at first, but I think it might actually sink in.

We're gonna talk about being ? "Grateful In The Grind. "

? Let me introduce this idea to you, and I'm guessing that a lot of you may be able to relate on one level or another.

For so much of my life, I've lived under the illusion that there's something around the corner, something out there that's coming that really really matters and it matters more than what I'm doing right now.

There's something around the corner that's going to make the difference. It's that thing that I desire, it's the event that I'm looking for, it's that whatever that something that's gonna bring meaning and fulfillment and give me that significant moment that I've been looking for.

It's not here. It's somewhere out there.

I'll give you an example of kinda how the story has played out in my life, and I can almost guess for sure that many of you have a similar version of your own story.

?Let's talk about the category of ministry for me.

It started at CHBC........ I was so so so so so excited I was in ministry and I was in seminary full time and commuting and dying, because it was so hard. In my mind, I consistently said, when I get out of seminary, then real life is going to start.

Then when I got out of seminary, I had another when-then, and my new one was well, when I get my first church and get to do things my own way, then life is gonna be really amazing.

Then we started TBC and my next one was when I get a staff member, somebody else that can help, someone else that cares, then it'll be amazing.

Then it was, when we get out of this dumpy little building and get into a real building that we could meet in seven days a week, then it's gonna be amazing.

? Take the category of family.

?When I finally meet the girl that I'm gonna marry, then life is gonna start. Then I meet Abby.

?When we finally get married. [Oh dear God, thank You, Jesus, hallelujah, thank You, Lord], then. Life is going to start.

?When we are able to add to our family, that's when our family is gonna be amazing.

?When our first baby gets out of diapers. Then it's gonna be incredible. Now they're growing up.

?When they're in college and we have. When they're out of college, we'll eat again.

You know, all these different things.

When, then, and I found myself whatever season I was in, wishing the current season away, waiting for the next one to come. One day, just around the corner. They'll be that something, that achievement, that accomplishment, that friendship, that possession, that vacation. They'll be that something that fills the emptiness on the inside.

But, around every corner, there was just another challenge. Another goal, another vision, another dream, or another perceived prize.

I've lived long enough now to look back and see a real weakness in my own life. And what I've noticed is for so much of my life, I've been pursuing what I want. My dreams, my passions, my goals, and whatever it is that I get, there's gotta be something else out there that's better than what I have right now.

What does culture do? Culture totally and completely feeds into this mindset, right? What does every commercial, every advertisement, everything you see on social media, it all just kinda says gratify yourself, indulge yourself, get whatever you want. You deserve it. Treat yo self, right?

The problem is, Jesus said, if you want to follow Me, you don't treat yo self, but He said, you deny yo self.

That's what He said. He said, if you want to be My disciple, you don't indulge yourself. You deny yourself. Then He said, you take up your cross, a metaphor, a picture to say, you're actually dying to your own fleshly desires so you can live by My Spirit and then He said, then you follow Me.

You don't treat yo self. Jesus said, you deny yourself. There's a verse that I want to use kind of as an anchor verse for our message today.

It's from the Apostle Paul and we're gonna talk a lot about the Apostle Paul today.