Willow Ridge Sermons

February 22nd, 2026 • Listen to a special message from Pastor David Allen from the book of Colossians.


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Host
David Allen
Executive Pastor of Connections & Care

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Well, good morning. Thank you so much for being here this morning. We're going to be stepping away from

Matthew this morning. Next Sunday, Bo will be back in Matthew, but if you would, turn to Colossians

chapter 3. We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 4 this morning, so if you would, please

turn there. Guests, thank you so much for being here with us today. Myself, as well as Josh Nix,

our young adult minister, will be back here at our connections table at the end. So if you're a guest

today, and we'd love it if you'd take time just to come by and introduce yourselves to us, and

if you've got questions about the church, we would love to answer those questions for you. So please

stop by and introduce yourself to us today. Before we jump into Colossians, I want to read

to you from Galatians chapter 2, verse 20. God is leading Paul when he writes,

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I

now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

That's kind of going to be the basis of what Paul shares with you and I this morning in Colossians.

Will you join me in prayer? Father God, we thank you so much for your Word, for in your Word we discover who you are and we discover who we are.

So Father, this morning I pray that you will just make your Word clear to us, give us a heart and mind of understanding.

Father, help us to take in what you say through your Word in order that we may be obedient and apply it to our life.

Father, we thank you and we ask this prayer in your name. Amen.

Amen. Well, if you're familiar with the Scriptures, you know the guy by the name of Paul, the Apostle Paul.

And Paul had connections with several churches, some he planted, some he did not.

But one thing we learn about Paul is that he encouraged the believers in all those churches that he associated with.

And his desire was for them to understand what it meant to live a new life, which is what they were called to do.

The problem with a lot of those churches was that they faced noise from the outside as well as faced noise from the inside.

Their Christian life was always being challenged.

You see, Satan was and is constantly at work to distort God's Word.

He was and is constantly at work to twist the words of God.

This was a challenge the believers in Colossae faced.

Does this sound familiar to you?

The noise on the inside, the noise on the outside.

Satan desiring to twist the truth to help you and I not quite get what God is trying to say in order to occupy space in our head.

You see, Paul was the voice of encouragement.

He was also the voice of instruction, the voice of discipline, the voice of direction.

He was the voice to remind the believers, whether it be in Colossae or Ephesus, that they were in Christ and also that they were the children of God.

The believers in the church of Colossae needed to hear that come from God through Paul.

So if you will, join me in Colossians 3, verses 1 through 4.

Paul has written this letter to the believers in Colossae at the church.

And in these simple four verses, Paul says a lot to you and I.

We'll read this together and then we'll come back and look at each verse separately.

If you're like me, I like to highlight, I like to underline, and so I may share a little bit with you on that.

The first would be two words at the very beginning of verse 1.

It says, if then.

I highlight that, and we'll come back and look at that.

But if then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above.

That's a good phrase to underline.

Seek the things that are above.

Where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Another group of words to underline is in verse 2.

It says, set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Verse 3, for you have died.

Maybe a circle that, underline it.

And then the next thing he says, and your life is hidden.

Another phrase to underline, with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is your life, who is your life, underline that, appears,

then you also, again, another place to underline, will appear with him in glory.

Paul unpacks a lot just in these first few verses of chapter 3.

I'm calling this the seek and set of the Christian life.

It's one thing for you and I to come to Christ as our Lord and Savior and give our life to him.

But it doesn't stop there.

It has to continue.

In the way that Paul constantly throughout his writings, he encourages the believers to establish habits in their life to follow Christ.

And in this, he talks about seeking and setting their life on God.

So let's take a closer look at these verses.

Verse 1, if then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

If then you have been raised with Christ.

Paul presents and begs the question, what is your position in Christ?

What is your position in Christ?

With him or against him?

Paul is speaking about your identity.

He's speaking about my identity.

Who are you?

Are you a child of God?

Are you a Christian?

Are you a believer?

Are you walking with God?

Last week, you and I who were here had the joy, the honor, and the privilege to witness and to watch seven people identify with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through the obedience of being baptized.

Next week, first Sunday of March, we'll get the opportunity again to watch several folks testify of who God is in their life as they will be baptized.

You see, your identity is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Or it can be found in what you do, the label that you give yourself.

Have you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and have believed in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead?

That is the question that Paul presents in this part of Colossians.

I've been watching a lot of the Winter Olympics my wife and I have.

I couldn't help but to watch the women go for the gold against Canada the other day and had it playing in the background so I could hear what was going on.

And then it came up into my Instagram feed that Joy Dunn, one of the U.S. women's hockey players who got the gold medal, made this statement.

At the end of the day, I'm just a girl that loves Jesus and happens to play hockey.

An athlete who has gotten to the pinnacle of their profession, recognizing that her identity is in Christ.

Not all the things that she has accomplished along the way, but only in Christ.

You and I have to answer the if question that Paul presents for the rest of God's word to make sense to us.

You see, God's word doesn't make sense to a person who doesn't follow God.

God's word doesn't make sense to the person who's consumed with the things of the world.

It just doesn't make sense.

But for God's word to make sense, you and I have to answer that question of if.

If you've been raised with Christ.

You see, that's one of the statements that we make when we do baptism.

You've been raised with Christ, now walk in newness of life.

The Christ follower says, it's not an if.

It's, I know that I've been raised with Christ.

It's not if.

I know that I've been raised with Christ.

I identify with Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and his eternity.

The other part of that verse says this.

Paul says, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Before you gave your life over to the lordship and leadership of Jesus Christ,

your life was driven by seeking what you wanted out of this life.

More than likely you thought about you, you, you.

Most everybody does.

But when you receive Christ and sit on that path to follow him as your lord and savior,

there has to be a change.

There has to be a process that takes place.

And Paul says, seek the things that are above.

Paul is saying it's time to begin the process of seeking after God.

Your daily life should be driven by seeking God's way.

And by God's way, it is a better way.

After 30, 40 plus years, I can confess to you, God's way is far better, the best way,

than any other way that you could ever come across in life on how to live your life.

It's the only true way that doesn't leave you empty and helpless.

Jesus said it best in John chapter 14, verse 6, where he said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus summed it all right there in John chapter 14, verse 6.

So when Paul says, seek the things above, what is the above that he's talking about?

It's heaven.

It's the things of God.

There's two clues that we see as we read the rest of that verse.

He says in there where Christ is.

Paul recognizes that Christ is in heaven.

But not only that, the next thing that he says, he is seated at the right hand of God.

Showing the authority that God has given Christ.

Heaven is the place that every believer should desire.

Heaven is the place where we come into the presence of God.

Matthew chapter 6, verses 19 through 21.

We read these words.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Seek the things of God, the heavenly things.

And then Paul says, not only seek, but he says in verse 2,

set your minds.

Set your minds on things that are above.

Not on things that are on earth.

This world wants to conform your mind, my mind, to the thoughts and patterns of its way.

It's a constant pull for anybody.

When a person is trying to make a decision to follow Christ as their Lord and Savior,

they've been confronted with God's truth.

There's that struggle.

Do I follow God's way or do I continue to follow the way of which I'm used to?

Do I continue to follow the way of the world?

Every corner you and I turn, we are confronted with the world's mindset.

What do you have your mindset on right now?

I want to do a little dive to kind of get an idea of our mind.

New studies are showing that the mind has somewhere in the ballpark of 6,000 thoughts

running through your head on a daily basis.

6,000 thoughts.

That just makes me so uncomfortable.

But at the same time, I'm like, yep, that's me.

6,000 might be on the low end.

Sometimes I get exhausted with the thoughts that are going through my head.

I'm grateful that I can usually sleep.

My wife, not so much because I snore really, really bad.

But I get a pretty decent sleep.

But when I wake up, my goodness, my mind is on the fast track.

So I get it.

I get that our minds are traveling fast, and our minds are traveling every possible avenue.

And to know that Satan is always at work trying to filter within our mind the things of this world.

What do you have your mind set on?

Our thoughts can steer our emotions.

One of the things that came to my mind when I was watching some of the skating take place,

and those routines where they've got to twirl and do all that kind of stuff,

and top-tier athletes falter at what they're doing

because they get in their mind all the different doubts and things that can happen.

But then I didn't realize this until the other morning that, you know,

at the end of all the skating portions that they have this skating gala where they get to show off.

And then to see them skate as if they're doing it with their eyes closed.

And the thought ran through my mind, wow, how our mind can play tricks on us

to cause us to doubt what we've probably done over and over and over and over again.

And in the moment where we don't feel those pressures in our mind,

where we feel that freedom in our mind,

we can go out and do what they do without a hitch.

It's amazing what our minds can do to you and I.

Our thoughts can persuade our actions.

Our thoughts can range from healthy to unhealthy thoughts within seconds.

Our thoughts can be encouraging.

They can be discouraging.

They can be calm.

They can be anxious.

They can be joyous and quickly move to heartbroken.

Constructive and destructive.

Godly and ungodly.

It's amazing what our minds can do.

And Paul says,

Set your minds on things above.

Why?

Why do we set our mind on things above?

For you and I to grow and mature in our relationship with God,

we have to have a heavenly focus and not an earthly one.

The song that we sang earlier,

to me, was us gaining that heavenly focus

to think about the time that you and I die

and we stand in the presence of God in eternity.

Having our minds set on eternity with God

keeps a right perspective while living on this earth.

Your mind needs to be on heaven.

When is the last time you thought about eternity?

When is the last time you thought about heaven?

We usually don't.

I have been to a lot of funerals.

I have spoken at a lot of funerals.

I had an uncle just the other,

yesterday morning for a matter of fact,

99 years old.

My mom's brother-in-law passed away after 99 years.

Wow, mind still intact.

Body finally gave out.

But he spent time with his pastor

and his pastor read the scripture that says,

well done, good and faithful servant.

You see, when you and I have our mind on heaven,

when you and I have our mind on eternity,

it keeps our perspective where it needs to be,

on the things of God.

Paul says, set your minds on things above.

Jesus was talking about his coming death

as well as his resurrection.

And in this conversation,

it doesn't sit very well with Peter.

And then this exchange happens between Jesus and Peter

in Mark chapter 8, verses 32 to 34.

And he, Jesus, said this plainly.

And Peter took him aside

and Peter took him aside

and began to rebuke him.

He's rebuking Jesus.

Get that picture in your head.

But turning and seeing his disciples,

this is Jesus,

he rebuked Peter and said,

get behind me, Satan,

for you are not setting your mind

on the things of God,

but on the things of man.

God, Jesus, knew exactly

what was going on

in the mind and heart of Peter

and told him so.

In verse 34,

and calling the crowd to him

with the disciples,

he said to them,

if anyone would come after me,

very important in this passage right here,

let him deny himself

and take of his cross

and follow me.

For you and I to have heavenly thoughts,

for you and I to follow the scriptures

and to do what God has called us to be,

that is the very point

where Jesus says,

we've got to deny ourself.

We choose things of heaven

against the things of earth.

What does setting your mind

on things above look like?

Go quickly down to Colossians chapter 3,

verses 12 through 17.

Paul, after he says this,

he immediately gives

the believers at Colossae,

he gives them

what they need to think about

in regards to setting their mind.

Verse 12,

put on then.

Gets right to it.

If you want to have

heavenly mindset,

Paul says,

put on then.

And what it's saying there

is clothe yourself.

Put on the clothing

that God has for you and I.

It's a characteristic,

it's a description.

Paul says,

as God's chosen ones,

holy and beloved,

compassionate hearts,

kindness,

humility,

meekness,

patience,

bearing with one another

and if one has a complaint

against another,

forgive each other.

As the Lord has forgiven you,

so you also must forgive.

And above all these,

put on love,

which binds everything together

in perfect harmony.

And let the peace of Christ

rule in your hearts

to which indeed

you are called in one body

and be thankful.

Let the word of Christ

dwell in you richly.

Let the word of Christ

dwell in you richly.

That's how it happens.

It's where God's word

is indwelling in you and I

to the point it pours out

of our action,

it pours out of our words.

teaching and admonishing

one another in all wisdom,

singing psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs

with thankfulness

in your hearts to God.

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.

Paul gives us another way

to win battles in our mind

when he says

to the believers in Philippi,

Philippians chapter 4,

verse 8.

Finally, brothers,

whatever is true,

whatever is honorable,

whatever is just,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

whatever is commendable,

if there is any excellence,

if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

So when your mind is struggling,

when you're having thoughts

that don't give honor

and glory to God,

when you're having thoughts

that bring you anxiety,

when you're having thoughts

that bring you depression,

when you have thoughts

that are just,

man,

they are just wrecking your day.

Paul says,

focus on the heavenly things.

Paul says,

think about all those

wonderful things

that God has done

in your life,

all those wonderful things

that He has created

for you and I

to enjoy.

I can't think of a time

that when I'm out in nature,

when I'm on a hike

with my wife,

that I have a bad,

bad time,

because I'm in the midst

of God's creation.

And there was a time,

one of our last ventures

that my wife and I took,

we started on a trail

that was supposed to take us

an hour and a half.

See where I'm going with this?

And about two hours in,

I realized

what was supposed to be signage

was not.

And literally turned back

and that hour and a half

journey took us

about three hours.

And I'm ashamed

to say this,

that's the second time

that's happened to us.

But in the midst of that,

I wasn't overtaken.

I was exhausted.

But my mind

could have gone

a thousand places.

What God set my mind on

was getting back

but God allows you and I,

when we focus on his word,

he gives us things

to help us battle

the things in our mind.

Paul says,

seek

after the things above.

Set your mind

on things above.

Not on things

that are on earth.

That's where we get

in trouble.

Paul says in Philippians

chapter 3

verses 19

through 21,

he says,

their end

is destruction,

their God

is their belly,

and they glory

in their shame

with minds

set

on earthly

things.

With minds

set

on earthly

things.

Remember this

last part

for when we get

to verse 4,

verse 20.

but our citizenship

is in heaven

and from it

we await

a Savior,

the Lord Jesus Christ,

who will transform

our lowly body

to be like

his glorious body

by the power

that enables

him

even to subject

all things

to himself.

with minds

set

on earthly

things.

That's destruction.

That's what Paul

says.

My pursuit,

your pursuit,

should not be

on earthly

gains.

They're enticing,

they look wonderful,

and at times

they are wonderful,

but at some

point

they can be

what drives

you.

And if they're

driving you,

the end result

sometimes is not

very good.

And when they

drive you,

they will

overshadow

and choke

out the

heavenly things

that God

wants you

to pursue.

They will

blind us

of our

desire to

draw closer

to God.

Over in

verse 5

of chapter 3,

Paul tells us

how to release

our minds

from earthly

things.

Starting at

verse 5

through verse

10,

he gets

right to the

point,

he doesn't

mix words

and he

simply says

in the beginning

there at

verse 5,

put to

death

therefore

what is

earthly

in you.

He doesn't

waste words.

And really

that phrase

right there

doesn't need

a whole lot

of explanation,

does it?

Put to

death

therefore

what is

earthly

in you.

And then

he gives

what he's

talking about,

sexual

immorality,

impurity,

passion,

evil desire,

covetousness,

which is

idolatry.

On account

of these,

the wrath

of God

is coming.

In these

you too

once

walked.

Paul said

that should

be your

previous life.

In other

places he

says that's

your old

life.

when you

were living

in them,

verse 8,

but now

you must

put them

all away,

anger,

wrath,

malice,

slander,

obscene

talk from

your mouth.

Do not

lie to

one another

seeing that

you have

put off

the old

self

with its

practices

and have

put on

the new

self

which is

being renewed

in knowledge

after the

image

of its

creator.

You and

I have

to rid

ourselves

of earthly

ways.

That's

the old

self.

In

Romans

chapter 12

verse 2

again

this Paul

writing

Paul says

do not

be conformed

to this

world

but be

transformed

by the

renewal

of your

mind

that by

testing

you may

discern

what is

the will

of God

what is

good

and

acceptable

and

perfect

transformed

by the

renewal

of your

mind.

Yes

God

can take

us

through

the

process

of

renewing

our

mind

it

happens

in

God's

word

you see

you and

I can

use

God's

word

to

interpret

God's

word

did you

catch

that

you and

I can

use

God's

word

to

interpret

God's

word

that's

kind of

what I've

been doing

this

morning

just

bringing

in

verses

of

God's

word

that are

already

there

to

highlight

for

you and

I

what

his

entire

word

is

talking

about

all

you've

got

to

do

is

you

grow

and

you

understand

your

relationship

with the

Lord

the

Lord

will

continue

to

broaden

your

understanding

to broaden

your

knowledge

and your

education

of his

word

and show

us

and highlight

for us

what it

is

that

he

desires

that

is

spending

time

in

God's

word

is

that

constant

renewal

process

of your

mind

of your

heart

and of

your

spirit

verse

three

it says

for you

have

died

and your

life is

hidden

with

Christ

in

God

for

you

have

died

that's

killing

that old

self

that's

killing

those

old

ways

that's

killing

that

way

of

thinking

that

you

used

to

think

you

used

to

live

the

things

you

used

to

do

one

of my

favorite

theologians

commentator

is

Warren

Wiersbe

he tells

a story

about

two

sisters

who

enjoyed

attending

dances

and wild

parties

since

then

they were

converted

and found

new life

in

Christ

they

received

an invitation

to a

party

and sent

their

RSVP

in these

words

we

regret

that

we

cannot

attend

because

we

recently

died

that's

truth

and humorous

at the

same

time

that

you

would

send

a

RSVP

we

regret

that

we

cannot

attend

because

we

recently

died

they

got

it

they

got

it

they

knew

that

once

their

life

was

found

in

Christ

that

there

was

a

change

that

took

place

and

they

no

longer

did

the

things

of

their

old

life

and

now

they

were

seeking

and

setting

their

lives

on

the

new

things

that

God

had

intended

for

them

that

old

you

that

old

me

the

way

you

and

I

used

to

live

the

way

you

and

I

used

to

think

things

that

we

used

to

do

when

we

became

a follower

of

Jesus

Christ

those

things

died

the

old

you

died

the

old

you

was

buried

as

God's

word

says

that's

Paul's

reminder

to you

and to

me

if

the

old

self

sticks

its

head

up

bury

it

Colossians

chapter

2

verses

12

through

13

Paul

says

having

been

buried

with

him

in

baptism

talking

about

the

action

of

you

and

I

being

buried

with

Christ

that

symbol

of

baptism

says

in

which

you

were

also

raised

with

him

through

faith

and

the

powerful

working

of

God

who

raised

him

meaning

Jesus

from

the

dead

and

you

who

were

dead

in

your

trespasses

and

the

uncircumcision

of

your

flesh

God

made

alive

together

with

him

having

forgiven

us

all

our

trespasses

the

final

part

of

verse

three

he

says

and

your

life

is

hidden

with

Christ

and

God

simple

meaning

there

hidden

means

protection

it

means

guidance

it

means

security

it

means

future

hope

it's

the

reality

of

the

new

life

in

the

Psalms

David

gives

some

wonderful

pictures

of

what

it

meant

to

live

in

the

protection

and

the

security

in

his

relationship

with

the

Lord

throughout

the

Psalms

as

David

talks

about

God

being

his

refuge

God

being

his

strength

when

you

and I

give

our

lives

to

Christ

we

are

hidden

in

Christ

in

God

then

finally

in

verse

four

it

says

when

Christ

who

is

your

life

appears

then

you

also

will

appear

with

him

in

glory

when

Christ

who

is

your

life

your

life

my

life

should

match

that

of

the

example

of

Jesus

Christ

in

scripture

that's

who

we

look

towards

you

may

have

somebody

that's

real

significant

in your

life

that's

been a

mentor

maybe

somebody

that you

have

looked

up

to

for

years

upon

years

upon

years

their

walk

with

the

Lord

is

incredible

yet

they

still

are

human

they

are

still

on

this

side

of

heaven

they

have

the

flaws

just

like

you

have

the

flaws

but

when

you

and

I

have

our

eyes

fixed

on

Christ

and

his

example

in

scripture

we

cannot

go

wrong

how

should

you

and I

treat

others

look

to

Christ

how

should

you

and I

deal

with

the

pressures

of

this

life

look

to

Christ

how

should

you

and I

live

our

Christian

life

look

to

Christ

Paul

would

say

this

again

in

another

way

in

Philippians

1

verse

20

chapter

1

verse

21

for

to

me

to

live

is

Christ

and

to

die

is

gain

Paul

knew

that

to

live

his

life

on

earth

meant

that

he

was

going

to

live

his

life

in

service

to

God

he

was

going

to

live

his

life

and

sharing

the

gospel

with

everybody

he

came

in

contact

with

he

was

going

to

live

his

life

to

encourage

other

believers

in

their

walk

with

the

Lord

but

then

he

also

realized

that

when

his

death

comes

it

would

be

a

celebration

it

would

be

gain

and

the

gain

would

be

eternity

the

gain

would

be

his

presence

in

the

presence

of

God

then

this

simple

little

word

there

in

verse

4

it

says

appears

that's

Paul's

reminder

to the

believers

there

in

Colossae

that

Jesus

is

coming

back

he

said

he

will

and

he's

going

to

it

might

be

when

you

and

I

are

still

alive

it

may

not

but

the

fact

of

what

God

says

in

his

word

that

he's

coming

back

he

will

return

he

will

appear

according

to

the

whole

of

scripture

when

we

read

it

it's

a

guarantee

Christ's

appearance

will

in

Paul's

word

be

your

gain

and

my

gain

as

followers

of

Jesus

Christ

and

he

finally

says

in

the

last

part

of

verse

4

he

says

then

you

also

you

also

will

appear

with

him

in

glory

Jesus

is

going

to

appear

and

because

of

your

trust

and

faith

and

belief

in

Jesus

Christ

as

your

Lord

and

Savior

Paul

says

you're

going

to

appear

in

glory

this

is

a

promise

God

keeps

his

promise

if

you're

doubting

that

dig

a

little

deeper

in

God's

word

God

keeps

his

promises

from

the

Old

Testament

to

the

New

Testament

God

keeps

his

promises

this

is

the

reality

of

eternity

in

the

presence

of

God

for

the

person

who

has

professed

Jesus

as

their

Lord

and

Savior

this

is

also

the

reality

of

heaven

for

the

person

who

has

professed

Jesus

as

their

Lord

and

Savior

you

also

will

appear

with

him

in

glory

2nd

Corinthians

5

1

says

for

we

know

that

if

the

tent

at

the

beginning

again

for

we

know

it's

not

a

doubt

it's

not

a

maybe

it's

not

if

I

jump

through

hoops

for

we

know

that

if

the

tent

this

body

that

is

our

earthly

home

is

destroyed

and

and

it

will

be

one

day

for

we

have

a

building

from

God

a

house

made

with

hands

excuse

me

a

house

not

made

with

hands

eternal

in

the

heavens

the

life

marked

by

seek

and

set

on

things

that

are

above

will

receive

the

reward

of

being

with

God

in

glory

because

of

his

mercy

and

his

grace

Paul

has

packed

a

lot

in

those

four

little

verses

for

you

and

I

to

dwell

on

to

digest

and

to

think

through

I'm

going

to

ask

the

band

and

our

prayer

encouragers

to

come

and

prepare

as

we

close

our

service

together

and

as

I

close

I

just

want

to

remind

you

of

a

couple

of

things

where

is

your

identity

where

is

your

identity

ask

yourself

the

question

am

I

raised

with

Christ

the

question

that

Paul

presented

the

believers

in

Colossi

have

I

said

yes

to

following

Christ

in

in

light

of

eternity

seek

the

things

of

God

and

only

the

things

of

God

in

light

of

eternity

set

your

mind

on

the

things

of

God

and

only

the

things

of

God

remind

yourself

that

life

on

earth

is

temporary

we're

not

promised

that

we'll

live

forever

on

earth

even

found

in

God's

word

that

he

sets

a

time

frame

on

how

long

that

life

will

be

you

know

it

used

to

be

there

800

600

400

years

and

God

says

I'm

going

to

change

all

that

and

I'm

wanting

to

think

I

didn't

look

this

up

it

just

popped

back

into

my

head

I'm

wanting

to

think

that

God

said

120

years

I've

been

doing

this

a lot

120

years

yourself

for

heaven

God

just

reminded

you

and

me

of

who

we

are

he

has

also

reminded

us

of

whose

we

are

and

he

has

reminded

us

of

where

we're

going

as

we

sing

these

closing

songs

our

prayer

encourages

will be

off to

the

side

they're

there

for a

couple

of

reasons

one

if

you've

got

a

burden

on

your

life

that

you

want

somebody

to

pray

about

they'll

be

glad

and

love

the

opportunity

to

pray

with

you

and

to

pray

over

you

but

maybe

this

morning

when I

read

that

very

first

verse

when I

said

if

you

knew

Christ

and

your

answer

in

your

mind

was

no

I

don't

I

don't

know

who

Jesus

is

I

don't

know

who

God

is

and

God

God

what

it

means

for

your

eternity

don't

hesitate

go and

seek

them

out

would

you

join

me

as

we

close

together

in

prayer

Father

your

word

is

true

your

word

is

holy

your

word

challenges

us

as a

believer

it

challenges

us

to do

what

you've

called

us

to

do

as

a

non

believer

it

challenges

the

individual

to

make

a

decision

to

either

reject

or

to

follow

you

as

their

Lord

and

Savior

Lord

I

pray

for

the

individual

or

individuals

who

are

battling

with

that

thought

of

saying

yes

to

you

saying

yes

to

your

salvation

that

Lord

you

would

press

upon

their

heart

mind

and

soul

of

how

incredible

it is

to

say

yes

to

you

Lord

for

us

in

here

as

believers

I

pray

that

it

will

be

constant

in

our

heart

and

mind

that

we

seek

after

the

things

above

and

to

set

our

minds

on

the

things

above

because

each

of us

already

know

how

hard

life

can

be

how

hard

it

is

to

walk

day

by

day

but

what

joy

it

is

to

walk

in

relationship

with

you

how

you

guide

us

and

lead

us

and

protect

us

and

fill

us

with

who

you

are

Lord

we

love

you

and

we

thank

you

and

we

ask

this

prayer

in

your

name

amen

that's

it

for

this

week's

message

be

sure

to

check

back

next

week

for

a

new

episode

and

in

the

meantime

you

can

visit

us

online

at

willowridgechurch.org

or by

searching for

Willow Ridge Church

on Facebook

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and YouTube

thanks again

for listening