Standing, standing, standing on the promises of Christ my Savior. Standing, standing, I am standing on the promises of God. Standing on the promises I cannot fail. When the howling storms of doubt and fear Oh, what going down this morning? do Mm hmm. Yeah. A little bit. Standing on the promises I now can see Perfect present quenching in the blood for me Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free Standing on the promises of God Standing Standing on the promises of Christ my Savior Standing, standing, I am standing on the promises of God Standing on the promises I cannot fall. Listening every moment to the Spirit's call. Resting in my Savior as my all in all. Standing on the promises of God. Standing Standing on the promises of Christ my Savior Standing, standing I'm standing on the promises of God standing, standing, standing on the promises of Christ my Savior, standing, yes I'm standing, I'm standing on the promises of God. Well, good morning, Lighthouse. We have a lot of people that are out sick today. My phone has been going off most of this morning. A lot of people were in the family emergencies and saying, oh, but nevertheless, we're here to worship the Lord. We're here to bring Him glory. That's our focus. That's where we put it on. And so I just want to thank, if most of you, if you don't use any social media, if you have not heard the news yet, Tabitha is pregnant. And so we are growing our church in one way or another, but not just any kind of pregnancy. Tabitha is actually pregnant with twins this time around. So basically doubled our kids. It's a reminder that if you tell the Lord, hey, I'm going to have three kids, he might just give you four. Two for one, and so even my mom got to double her grandkids. My older brother just had his child, so hopefully I can meet my nephew soon. And so yeah, well, that's one way or another to grow a church, and grow it from within. But we're looking forward to due dates in August. So if you don't see me too much around in August, I think you guys know why. But nevertheless, we're here. We're glad to hear this morning. And make sure you're prepared for Tuesday. Tuesday, if you see, we're having a freeze coming in. And I don't know who's been praying for snow. Well, you need to stop. That's all I can say. Pray for snow. You need to stop. Nevertheless, we're going to be OK. We think 20 degrees is like something really bad coming at us. And then other people up north are being like, oh, it's a sunny day for you guys, is what they'll say. But we'll be good. So during this time, we don't have any, I don't see any guests. But just remember that you've got the communication card. Pass it on the plate. and we'll take that to the very end. Jamie's okay, so he'll be able to lead his prayer team. Thank you guys for your prayers. He really appreciates all of that going on. So let's go ahead and take to the Lord in prayer, and let's go ahead and cling to our promise we take in 1 John 1, 9. Our Heavenly Father, we are thankful, Lord, that you are a God that is with us, Lord. You're a God that is so awesome to us day by day, Lord, and we love you, and thank you for the kindness and mercy you give us and grace that you show. The love that you show us, may we be able to take that and be a reflection of that love towards one another, Lord, especially those who are outside of us. Or just be with those who can't be with us here today through sickness, Lord, or recovery and other reasons that would render them absent, Lord. But nevertheless, your hand is on them and you are a faithful God, Lord. It's not so much focused on our faithfulness, Lord, it's all dependent upon your faithfulness and your goodness. So we thank you for being with us and being with us this morning. May you be glorified and as we put our attention and our affection onto you, Lord. And we ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. You're the one who walked on water and you calmed the raging seas. You command the highest fountain to fall upon their knees. You're the one who welcomed sinners and you opened blind eyes. You restored the brokenhearted and you brought the dead to life. Forgetting all our sins You remember all Your promises You are amazing More than amazing You are amazing With authority bespoken and you set the captive free. You're the king and seemed a servant. You're the God who washed our feet. You're the one who took our burdens and you bled upon the cross. In your kindness and your mercy, you became the way of one. forgiving all our sins. You remember all Your promises. You are amazing, more than amazing. Forever our God, You're more than enough. You are amazing. You're more than amazing. Forever our God. Oh, how glorious You are amazing Oh, how marvelous Oh, how wonderful Oh, how glorious You are Forever our guide You're more than enough You are amazing More than amazing Forever our guide You're more than enough From the highest of highs to the depths of the sea Creation's revealing your majesty From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring Every creature's unique and the song that it sings All-exclaiming, indescribable, uncontainable You place the stars in the sky and you know them by name You are amazing All powerful, all untamable, all shall be bowed to our knees as we only proclaim our amazing love. Come, let's jolt every lightning bolt where it should go, forcing heavenly storms Can't conceal it to bring us the fullness of night. Love can't fathom, indescribable, uncontainable. It weighs the stars in the sky and you know them by name. You are amazing, God. All-powerful, untameable, off-stroke we fall to our knees You are amazing God You are amazing God Indescribable, uncontainable. You place the stars in the sky and you know them by name. You are amazing, love. Oh, powerful, untameable. All stroke we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim. You are amazing, love. ♪ Indescribable, uncontainable ♪ You place the stars in the sky ♪ And You know them by name ♪ You are amazing, God ♪ Incomparable, unchangeable ♪ You see the depths of my heart ♪ And You love me the same ♪ You are amazing, God You are amazing, God Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Your perfect love is casting out fear. And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life, I won't turn back. I know you are near. And I will fear no evil For my God is with me And if my God is with me Oh no, you never let go Through the calm and through the storm Oh no, you never let go In every high and every low Oh no, you never let go Lord, you never let go of me ś I can see a light that's coming ś For the heart that holds on ś A glorious light beyond all compare ś There will be an end to these troubles ś But until that day comes ś We'll live to know you near on the earth ś And I will fear no evil For my God is with me And my God is with me Oh no, you never let go And through the calm and through the storm Oh no, you never let go And every high and every low Oh no, you never let go Lord, you never let go of me You keep on loving and you never let go singing. Oh no, you never let go. Through the calm and through the storm. Oh no, you never let go. Every high and every low. Oh no, you never let go. Lord, you never let go of me. Yes I can see the light. That is coming for the heart that holds on. There will be an end to these troubles, but until then. Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on And there will be an end to these troubles but until that day comes Oh no, you never let go Through the calm and through the storm Oh no, you never let go Every high and every low Oh no, you never let go Lord, you never let go of me Oh no, you'd never let go Through the calm and through the storm Oh no, you'd never let go In every high and every low Oh no, you'd never let go Lord, you'd never let go of me Lord, you'd never let go You all may be seated. Children in second grade and under are due back to King's Kids. And I actually do not have a third through sixth teacher today. So Josh, you mind if I join you today? All right, third through sixth. You can help with your brother Josh Sharp out today. Well, good morning, Lighthouse. Good morning. Are you ready for the Word of God this morning? Amen. We live in a world where distractions come easily. We have our jobs, we have our families, we have relationships, responsibilities, necessary aspects of life that require our attention. Yet, how often do we find ourselves so consumed by these things that we lose sight of the main thing? So let me ask you this question. Don't answer it out loud. What is your life centered on? What is your life centered on? So imagine that you're navigating with a compass like the old days, and your goal is to stay on course. What happens, though, if your compass is just slightly off? Over time, even the smallest deviation can lead you far away from your intended destination. If you're hiking through something like a dense forest, you glance at your compass, but instead of following its direction, you focus on the scenery or all of the distractions, the things that you see around you, and over time, you're gonna be hopelessly off course. Likewise, when we lose sight of Christ, we stray spiritually. But the good news is our compass is the Word of God. Our compass, the Word of God, always points us back to Him. 1 Corinthians 10.31 says this, whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. And if this is true, that whatever that we do is to be to the glory of God, then this idea of our faith being separated from our daily life is false. See, Christ is to be the center and the main thing of all aspects of our life, everything of it. Every one of us here were created by God for a universal purpose, to glorify Him. And if that's the case, He is our true boss. We do it with integrity and we strive to do it well. Our focus needs to always be set on Jesus and how he gets to the glory in it. This should drive us and keep us going in every aspect of our life. And this, I believe, is the mindset of Paul here on this text this morning where he was wanting to instill in that Colossian church. As you turn your way to Colossians 3, just to give you a little information, this is a letter written by Apostle Paul during his imprisonment in Rome, categorized in one of his prison epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon, and Colossians. The Colossian church was special to Paul in its own unique way. Paul himself is not responsible or did not directly start this church. Neither has he ever actually been to visit these people, but he would have started through a man named Epaphras. Epaphras is whom he led to the Lord, discipled, and then sent out. The people primarily had consisted of pagan Gentiles in their background, and they were caught up in what Paul calls vain philosophies. Have you ever thought vain philosophies ain't as relevant today? Man, you are not online or something. Vain philosophies, false teachings, inferior views about Jesus began to take place in this church. Paul set this out to correct these things. One of those teachings was called docetism, was that, well, maybe Christ wasn't truly human. Maybe he only had an illusion of being human. That is false. Christ was fully God and fully man. Churches operating through false teachings are not going to stand. Leading up into chapter 3, Paul addresses those teachings and now he transitions to practical livings. Here's the information I give you, now here is what you need to do and start living in light of the information I've now given to you. Colossians 3 verses 1 through 7, if ye then be risen with Christ. Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. To set your affection on those things above, not on the things of earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye appear with him in glory. mortified therefore your members, which are upon earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For which things, sake the sake of wrath, cometh on the children of disobedience, in the which ye also walked some time, when you lived in them. Heavenly Father, we are thankful for our time in church, and we thank you for the text, and that your presence is here, and that you have blessed our time so far in our fellowship. May we take attention to your word, and may we not just seek to necessarily just only learn something in our heads, Lord, but may it pierce our hearts and be able to apply it to our lives, knowing that you are so much better than all the things of this world, Lord. We love you, and thank you for your time, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. So first, we see that our focus must be set on Christ and eternal priorities, where we must seek. So if ye then been risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. If ye then been risen with Christ, now he's not inserting doubt, he's using it to form a argument. If this is the case, than this, a.k.a. have risen with Christ. If you are saved, if you have understood what Christ did for you on the cross, there's a moment in time where you dealt with your sin problem and then placed your trust in Jesus to save you, this is you to listen up. Most of us here have gone through basic Bible study classes where we teach, and so this should be some familiar territory. See, when the moment a person gets saved, when they understood what Jesus did for them, and they believe on Him, a lot takes place with salvation. It goes much deeper than simply, you're going to go to heaven one day and not hell. Some of this includes, you have been passed from death unto life. Your spirit, which was dead, was now recreated, made alive. You were declared righteous. A new birth can no longer stand condemned. Here in this verse, it's about being raised with Christ. Just as Jesus Christ had died, he was buried and he rose again. Our old life has died and we have now risen to new life. Our baptism, we went in the water, illustrated what took place on the inside. Paul introduces in the previous chapter here, Colossians 2, buried with him in baptism, where also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sin, in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened, that word quicken means to make it alive, recreate, have forgiving you all trespasses. Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand. So if we are raised with Christ, if we are saved, There's an expectation in our behavior to follow. We are to seek. This word has to simply not just like to look at something, but to pursue it, to seek, go after the things of heaven. go after, we pursue the things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand. This here is a symbolic way of saying heaven, or you can say God's way. Seek after God's way. When I was a teenager, the popular phrase was WWJD. We had those bracelets. If you had that church camp, you knew you were hip. We are to seek after the heavenly things, what God wants, not on the things of earth. And we know what this means by above because he says where Christ sits at the right hand. The right hand is a common expression to refer to the highest of authority. God has set his son, Jesus, as the highest authority. And if Jesus is the highest authority and the name given above every man, then that is who we seek after. We seek after what He wants, not what I want for me, what's in it for me, what's best for me, what I prefer, but what glorifies God and what does He want for my life. Even when we pray in Jesus' name, we are praying in the name of Jesus as if it's what Jesus wants, as if it's on His behalf. Set things on above, not on the earth. For emphasis, he says to set your affection. This word here, affection, is a one word, froneo. This means to exercise the mind, entertain, or sentiment, or an opinion. I mean, you take your mindset and you put it there. You don't understand what you mean to be a mindset? You have a heavenly mindset. You're heavenly focused, you're having goals. Other passages commonly render this as mine. Jesus rebuked Peter and used that same word. Peter tried to rebuke Jesus first and this was the response. If you read in Matthew 16. From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go into Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief and priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, took Jesus and began to rebuke him. If you ever wonder who the bravest, boldest disciple was, it was definitely Peter. He said, be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. No, no way, Lord, that can't happen. But he turned and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan, for thou art an offense unto me, for thou savourest, that word savour is where we get that word affection as well, not the things that be of God, but that be those of men. See, during that time when Christ was on earth, they were seeking that Messiah to deliver them. from the political oppression Rome was giving them. Even Peter and the others got caught up with this conquering King Messiah, because obviously if our Savior here, if Jesus dies, if he gives his life to the people, how are we gonna get all this? And so he's sort of rebuking him, saying, nah, Jesus, you don't got it right. And Jesus rebuked him in a strong words, get thee behind me, Satan. This word savorous is the same word in Colossians. See, Peter was guilty. He had his having his mind set on the things that be of a man. his own personal interests at that time with the Messiah, the same lines Paul is commanding the Ponticolossians over. Because when your mind and your focus is set on worldly things, you are not set on the things of God. You cannot have it both ways. Even in Sunday school, we say you cannot serve God and mammon, not on the things of earth. Now, the not on the things of earth does not mean anything material, ordinary, the things in life are all in itself wrong. Most of the things that we think about are indeed materialistic. It is not wrong to think about material things or as long as the material things do not become the most utmost importance in our lives and our hearts. We have to make a living. We're commended to work, work with your hands. We have to shop for the groceries. God expects us to be productive members of society. We must educate our children. We make the provisions for the future. The issue that lies at hand is when we prioritize all of these things above all and not seek after God first. He's not also pushing for this idea of spiritual escapism, such as you gotta become a monk and just hide from the everyday things of life. If we take ourselves out of the world, how is the world gonna see Jesus? How is the world gonna know a savior that loves him and gave him stuff if we remove ourself completely from the world? Christians are to be in the world, not of the world. You recognize a distinguishment. We're called to live differently. To renew your focus, you also must remember your identity, who you are in Christ. First off, we are dead to sin. It says you're dead. Now, obviously, we're not talking about a physical dead because I still see you guys walking around. Our old selves are dead. The old man, the old life, he's speaking spiritually. We were once dead in sin, walking after our true father at that time. And now we have been alive to Christ. Our past selves are now dead spiritually. We died with Jesus and they were raised to new life. Galatians 2.19 says, for I through the law, I'm dead to the law that I might live unto God. It says, I am crucified with Christ. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. In the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Praise the Lord that sin no longer has dominion over us because we have died to it. The text speaks for itself. If you died with Christ, you shall also live with him. Meaning your life is no longer your own. You owe it all to him. We sing it. Jesus paid it all and all to him I owe. And considering what Jesus actually did for you and the internal consequences for it, you ought to have your focus and your mindset on Him. You are alive to Him. Your life is hid with Christ. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory. It marks here that your life is also hid with Christ in God. This means without a doubt we are safe and secured in Christ. This word hid is where we get our English word crypto. Y'all know the idea of cryptocurrency? Crypto means hidden. It's to conceal for the sake of protection. Our new man, the new you on the inside is untouchable when it comes to salvation. It is a real eternal life. And Peter writes that there's a spot in heaven reserved for us. And for you to lose it, God has to be the one to cancel the reservation. God has to be the one to undo the contract. And this is key when it comes to your salvation. who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. See, our salvation contract is dependent, not dependent upon us, it's depending upon God. He would have to be the one to break it, breaking his promise, and I guarantee you that's not gonna happen. He has given you his Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1.13, it says he is the down payment, the earnest, the guarantee of our inheritance. who then Christ, when Christ who is our life. What a statement. How much have we heard descriptions at a funeral, sports was their life, music was their life, art was their life, his job, he loved what he did, work was his life. What are people gonna say about your life? We won't be there to hear it obviously, but we ought to desire for words such as he was so passionate about the Lord, he loved the Lord with all his heart. Our lives indeed belong to God and He is our life. Your position is that too, but can the world out there see that in you? Is Christ your life? Are you known by others for loving God passionately? It says, when he shall appear, ye shall appear with him in glory. This refers to Jesus' second coming, what's called our glorification. We receive new glorified bodies and we're made like him. Jesus will someday come back for his saints. Are you looking forward to that? Does it excite you at the mindset that Jesus is going to come back for you someday? We ought to live our lives so committed for Jesus that others say that about you. Wow, that guy is all about Jesus. We must maintain our focus through putting off also our old ways. Verse five, to put to death our old man. Mortify therefore your members which are upon earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, I struggle with that word, and covetousness which is idolatry. Mortify therefore your members. This word mortify comes from the idea necro, oh, is the original word, necro meaning death. It literally means to subdue, to put it to death. This shows not merely to just control it, control those desires, control it, but to kill it. Your life is hidden with Christ, so therefore to put the things to death, because this is no longer who you are. You are to put this to death. The members which are earth, he explains, fornication, uncleanness, ignorance and affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, which is idolatry. The first one here, fornication, comes from the word pornea. I don't even have to say what English word we derive this from. They're referring to sex outside of marriage of all forms. Uncleanness, the state of immoral impurity, especially in relation to sexual sin. Impurity, immorality, filthiness, it's used 10 times in the New Testament. Inordinate affection comes from the word pathos, which is where we get our word passion from. This refers to an uncontrolled desire. And that last word, evil concubiscence, it comes from the word epithumia, compound word for over desire, a desire that which has been forbidden. Covetousness, which is idolatry. Greed, this is a desire for more than enough and I'm never satisfied. How much millions does it take for a rich man to be satisfied? A dollar more. If you ever think idolatry is as bad back then, that's a back then thing. Why don't you go to your phone, look at your settings, and check what you call phone usage. Take the average American and look at their phone usage, and you will see America has an idolatry problem. The first four mentioned here all deal with sexual sin. It's an absolute shame. It's frustrating that God has designed something exclusively and beautiful for a husband and wife to be enjoyed. And it's understood that sex itself is a good thing, but done in the wrong context is when it destroys. It has been tainted and it's been treated as such not a big deal. Our TV, our Netflix shows, Hulu, they just insert it in there just because they can do it for the sake of it and call it art. And I've been told by words to even claim people who are saved, well, it's to see if we're compatible. I mean, why not? We love each other, right? That's just an old-fashioned thinking Bible must be outdated. It's better to test it before you get married. So in contrast though, the word of God teaches us clearly that sex outside of marriage will destroy a person. He's not trying to take away your fun. He wants you to give the best gift you can to your spouse. God's word will always trump cultural norms. God's word will always trump our opinions. So what God left out in his word is your opinion in the first place. I love you enough to tell you guys the truth. Want to know how to keep your life focused off of Jesus? Live like you're lost. Live like your old self and the life that you had before you came to know Christ. Your mindset will be immediately off of Christ. See, no doubt a saved person can do the same wickedness as a lot person can. But there is something that saved people cannot go do anymore. You don't get to live a life after the flesh without that new man inside you grieving, that new man tearing you apart on the inside, that inner battle. You're not just in a battle, you're in a war. An inner battle and an inner war that will leave you exhausted, it'll leave you miserable if you're focused on the word and you're focused on the world and your mindset and your attention is off the things of the Lord. It keeps you out of fellowship with God. Why would you wanna live your life knowing you have a relationship with your heavenly father, but the enjoyment of fellowship I don't really care for. No child of God has any business staying out of fellowship with God. We are no longer to live after the things that brought God's wrath. These are the things that put Christ on the cross in the first place. For the things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience, in the which you also sometime when you lived in them. children of disobedience, who we used to be before we came to know Jesus. We were hell bound, children of disobedience, deserving God's righteous wrath. But his mercy was rich. Even as a safe person, safe people can fall greatly, but there's always redemption. His love and kindness knows no bounds. This kind of living is no longer who you are, so put them to death. Guard your eyes, protect yourself from it, because this is not gonna be just a one-time battle. Oh, I avoided temptation, I got this. It's gonna be a war. Some think marriage is the solution to solving sexual sin and temptation. If this is your mindset, you are in for a rude awakening. This is false because countless marriages are destroyed by this very sin. This is false and also because we are told it's not just a physical issue. Jesus taught to look upon a woman with lust, you have committed adultery with her in your heart. The warnings are clear. God's wrath is upon these things and he will not be mocked. Many believers have faced the discipline and the chastisement of the Lord from these things. The only one who can truly set you free from these things is not some kind of program, not some kind of blocker, it's God's change of your heart, redemption. It's a heart issue. As you depend on him and you set your heads to protection, lean on trust in his strength, not yours. The temptation arises, don't go fight it off. Bible says to flee, flee it. See, there are kinds of people in my life that I love dearly that are no longer in church faithfully because of these kinds of sins that took place in their church leadership. Pastors been caught having an affair with staff members later on admitting. Oh, I was in an inappropriate affair all during my years of ministry then he retires Cover-ups that were happening and when they were found out their church crumbled It leaves the members frustrated confused. Well, this is what church is all about. I don't want to be anything a part of it you might be the only Jesus people ever get exposed to and Don't lose focus. Keep Jesus at the center in everything you do. It starts with seeking and setting your affection on the things above, not on earth. When you wake up in the morning, how can I please the Lord should be your focus? How are you going to interact with people you encounter? Are you going to be like, oh, this is a terrible day, I didn't get enough sleep? Or are you going to say, how is Jesus going to be shining through me? If you are indeed risen with Christ, if there was a time where you understood what Jesus did on that cross for you, how he died for your sin, he was buried, rose again three days and three nights later, when you trusted in him personally to save you from the wrath to come. Bible says you have eternal life. The things preached this morning on keeping Jesus centered and seeking the things which are above, it's only possible if you've been risen with Christ first. If you get this backwards, to pursue heaven, then get saved, you're gonna be so frustrated. You will not have any success, never-ending frustrations. You cannot have, you cannot put off the old man if you don't have a new man there to put on. God's glory is what this is all about. Will it shine through you? Can someone accurately describe you as someone who's lived their life all about Christ? What we do at Lighthouse must always be about making Jesus famous and him known, about his word, his gospel. If you're risen with Christ, seek him first, center him on the life, renew it, get it back on track. The world is so indeed full of distractions, but the life center on Christ will never lose its way. So let's make our commitment to live for Him. Let's be people who live lives that are unmistakably centered on Christ, reflecting His glory in everything that we do and the things we see, the things we watch, things we listen to, the things we say. And when He returns, that may be said of us, wow, they lived their life for Christ. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this message that we have, Lord. That was even tough for me to preach out, Lord, and the things that really took me, Lord. There's been many times where my attention, my mindset was so off course, Lord, but it needed a kick, Lord, to get back in. Thank you, Lord, that the word of God is our focus that always points in that same direction where we need to go and how to get back on track. Father, may we devote ourselves to prayer, Lord, even just starting at 10, 15 minutes a day, to renew our focus and renew how we serve and glorify you, to live such a way that we are seen distinguished in this world, to bring you worship, Lord, to bring you glory, and to be able to tell this lost word about a God who loves them so much, Lord, and a God who can save them, Lord, for the wrath to come, and save them from an eternal destiny that no human being has any place being, Lord, because of what you did with your Son on the cross, Lord. Can all have a chance of redemption. We all have that chance of hope of salvation because your love was so Never-ending and knows no bounds or we thank you for making salvation Available and possible to those who will put their faith and trust me where I ask those who don't know that message They would just ask those questions and seek it out more Lord and how they can be no one assured where they spend eternity So father, thank you for using a church like us and people like us to get that message clear Lord and in light of that Lord We just know that all the faithfulness and all that is dependent upon you and not ourselves. We ask all these things in Jesus name. Amen. For a senior pastor. So where is your focus? We get pretty caught up in all the stuff we have to deal with every day. It takes over if we let it. Jesus is never going to let you go. Amen. I'm thinking of what Paul said to the Galatians that we were studying this morning. He said, oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you should believe that it's all about what you're doing instead of who has died for you, instead of the cross. I won't tell you that it's easy to keep your focus on Christ. Something pulling at you every direction you turn. It's coming from everywhere. It comes from your work. It comes from your family. It comes from your situations that you have to face. But the Lord's always there. He never turns His back. He bought you with a price. You're His. We look down on the idea of someone owning us, but being owned by Christ is the best thing that could ever happen to you. Amen. Let's think about that as we sing. You never let go. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,