Elements City Church
Satisfied wk2: fight against comparison
Godly generosity is something we see highlighted all throughout the pages of the Scriptures as it mirrors the heart of God and his generosity toward us. Growing godly generosity within our lives allows us to deepen our discipleship with Jesus, frees us to be a blessing within our world and helps us live a more satisfied life. In this series we want to lean into some benefits of a life that is growing in godly generosity. It helps us fight for contentment and experience it more, and also helps us fight against comparison and the poison that can breed.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Thanks for joining us...
We pray that tonight would be encouraging for you. If you're a guest here with us, we want to INVITE you to our 10 Minute Party immediately following service. We'd love to meet you and we have a free gift just for you. Click the link below to see THE WEEKLY - our digital announcements/info for all things happening in and around Elements...or find everything ya need in our app.
http://elem.cc/weeklyConsumption is a word that describes our world. Last week we said: this pull toward consumption isn’t all bad, we are human after all, created to consume as a necessity. But in a culture that markets and tries to push and capitalize on consuming – it can lead us to living by a mantra of: MORE IS ALWAYS BETTER. But is it?
Having MORE may not actually lead us to: being happier or being more satisfied. In a land obsessed by consumption, contentment calls to us. If we choose not to 'learn' contentment, then the natural byproduct is a life of comparison and the turmoil that breeds.
Last Week's take-aways:
-Manager Mindset (give back to God, honor Him 1st)
-Intentional downsizing ('let it go'; more isn't always better)
-Help yourself tomorrow, by limiting yourself today. (emergency fund)
-Manager Mindset (give back to God, honor Him 1st)
-Intentional downsizing ('let it go'; more isn't always better)
-Help yourself tomorrow, by limiting yourself today. (emergency fund)
This week:
We must learn to fight against the pull of comparison in our culture.
Comparison rarely enjoys what one HAS, but instead dwells on what someone else has and, consequently, obsesses over what I therefore, LACK. AND a casualty of comparison is generosity. We are drawn to give generously when we experience a sense of our abundance, when we become aware of the blessings that surround us. But comparison blinds us to our blessings and forces us to look at all that we lack and focuses our attention on our perceived scarcity!
Comparison is public enemy #1 of the satisfied life.
We must learn to fight against the pull of comparison in our culture.
Comparison rarely enjoys what one HAS, but instead dwells on what someone else has and, consequently, obsesses over what I therefore, LACK. AND a casualty of comparison is generosity. We are drawn to give generously when we experience a sense of our abundance, when we become aware of the blessings that surround us. But comparison blinds us to our blessings and forces us to look at all that we lack and focuses our attention on our perceived scarcity!
Comparison is public enemy #1 of the satisfied life.
As we reflect on Jesus’ story, we realize that the wounded rage wasn’t generated because the twelve-hour workers received too little. The resentment erupted because they thought the one-hour workers were given too much.
We are prone to lose our balance, not because we have received less than we deserve but because someone near us has received more than we think they deserve. The wounded voice of comparison demands,
“Why them and not me?”
“Why them and not me?”
WHAT'S IN YOUR BOWL?
While deep satisfaction is possible when I focus on my own bowl,
COMPLAINT erupts when my focus drifts to the “more” in somebody else’s bowl. When my heart is distracted and my eyes wander – when comparison reigns: the satisfied life begins to evaporate.
While deep satisfaction is possible when I focus on my own bowl,
COMPLAINT erupts when my focus drifts to the “more” in somebody else’s bowl. When my heart is distracted and my eyes wander – when comparison reigns: the satisfied life begins to evaporate.
Count your blessings...
Have you ever checked out where you are in the www.globalrichlist.com When you calculate the goodness of God in your life, a giving spirit is unleashed. That’s why the Scriptures speak so much about Gratitude…
http://www.globalrichlist.com/Cultivate an 'attitude of gratitude'. May your life overflow with 'thankfulness' that finds it's fuel in a relationship with Jesus and all the blessings, gifts, hope and love that are yours in Christ.
Real Christ followers ‘overflow with thankfulness’… do you?
Make this a “NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER” – YOU ARE #BLESSED
-TWEET / JOURNAL
-HANG A PAPER ON THE WALL AND WRITE ON IT AS A FAMILY
*daily jot down a blessing that is yours!
Make this a “NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER” – YOU ARE #BLESSED
-TWEET / JOURNAL
-HANG A PAPER ON THE WALL AND WRITE ON IT AS A FAMILY
*daily jot down a blessing that is yours!
Godly generosity helps us fight for CONTENTMENT in life. And it helps us fight against the pull of COMPARISON in our culture.
NEED PRAYER? ....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. You can also submit your prayer request via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.
Thanks for partnering with us...
Every gift you give enables us to move the mission of Elements and the Hope and Light of Jesus forward in our city and beyond. Thank you for financially & faithfully partnering with us! You can give here, online or easily within our free app on your phone or tablet.
http://elem.cc/giveIf YOU'RE NEW, please join us in the back of the room for our 10 MINUTE PARTY. If you're NEW it's just for YOU! and it starts as soon as service is over.