So why is it that we gather here together weekly as the church? Why is it that we meet here to talk about the things of God to pray with one another. You know, if you step back for just a moment and think about church as a whole, there's some weird stuff that happens at church, right? Like if you've never experienced Christianity, you don't know anything about religion in general and you come to church for the first time. I get that there's some weird components, right? People are standing up, they're sitting down, eyes are open, eyes are closed, hands are raised, we're singing words like about a king of some kind and majesty, what's going on here? Like coming to my heart like what's going on? Like there's some components about church that can just feel a little weird. And if you come out of a more traditional background, there's maybe even more standing and kneeling or speaking in maybe languages that we don't understand or rituals behind that and that you're going to some non denominational church like that sounds weird and cult like and maybe rebellious. I don't know, I just wanna acknowledge this a little bit of weirdness that can feel for church gatherings, right? And so if we step back from that though, then ask ourselves, why is it that we do this in the first place? Why do we do that? Well, we do that because God has called us too and that there's value in being here together. You could go back and ask that question even further. Why does anybody do anything? Why do we eat? Well, some people eat to live, other people maybe live to eat. I don't know, I might fall into that second category. But what I do know to be true is that what people don't do is that they don't go to a restaurant and have a bad burrito or a bad experience or bad service and say, you know what? That's it. I'm never eating again. I had a bad experience. So I'm never eating anywhere. All food is bad and all food is will hurt your body. And so I'm never eating, it doesn't work out that way, right? You need to eat. We can discuss diets and, and practices and whatnot, but you need to eat because you need nutrients and you need sustenance, sustenance for your life. What I believe church to be is that church is essential and provides the spiritual nutrients for your life that you need. Church. Also, church needs you. You see when you believe in a God who made you and you have faith in the God who saves you. Faith ultimately makes your life better and then makes you better at life. Now, notice I said, better, not easier, right? In fact, our writer today is writing from a very difficult position. He's writing from prison, the Apostle Paul, writing to a church in Colossi. So it doesn't make your life easier, but it does make your life better because you go back to what's important. In fact, the reason we gather as a church I believe is that we gather as a church to treasure Christ together to treasure Christ together. Now I just said church can feel weird. And now I use this phrase treasure Christ together. That sounds very churchy. Ok. But that phrase is chosen on purpose and it comes out of our text in Colossians chapter one chapters one and two today. But here's what I would say to you is that everyone treasures something. And so what we're choosing to do is to treasure God as creator and as savior. And we choose to believe in him to provide meaning and purpose in our life because I don't believe you need just simply more information in this life. But what you need is transformation because the same people that say church feels weird, have no problem going to concerts, have no problem going to sporting events. There's no problem going to movies or shopping or going out somewhere and everyone has something that you're doing, everyone treasures something. And so what we encourage people to do is that when you gather weekly as a church, you're gathering the treasure that God who made you and the God who loves you. And it provides meaning and purpose in your life is that you need the church, the church needs us. Now, let me just pause here and say this for those who are watching along online, I want you to know that I absolutely love that we live in a day and age where you get to engage online or maybe you're listening later to this through podcasts. I love that we have technology that and for those that were like, wow, we need to meet in person. Yes, I agree with you. But let's also be grateful for things like Amazon Prime and Google, right? You use the technology of your day to further the Kingdom ministry and message. That's exactly what Paul did. Actually, he was in prison. He didn't have the ability to meet in person. And so what did he do? He wrote a letter and that's what we're reading today. And so what we're gonna do as a church is that we're gonna use every technology possible to praise the name of Jesus and connect. But I want you to know something online. This digital experience is exactly a tool and that if this is your only expression of religion, I need you to find community. I want you to be a part of our community, you know, fill out that digital form in the link in the description, let us know, let us connect, right? It's a part of a greater family, a greater body of Christ and so connect with us and get people in your life that you can be connected to. Because the truth is is that while we use technology and digital ministry to further and deepen our love for God, we need each other and that we need people in our lives. I heard someone say, well, John, I love um I love Jesus. I just don't love the church. OK? That could be a fair assessment. Uh But the church is who Jesus died for and the church is who Jesus calls his bride. You know, I could say I, I'm legally married, but I don't have to go on date nights or be home or talk to my spouse. And I guess technically that is true. But if I want a healthy relationship to be at home, to be in conversation, to be in community and have connection. And so that's what we want here as a church. Yes, I want you to believe in Jesus, but I want you to have this fullness of life. And the only way we believe we can have fullness of life is with each other that you have something special to offer and that other people have something special to offer. And that when we gather together, we can collectively treasure Jesus and it changes things. It's very valuable. So we're gonna pick up our study. We're in the, the letter of Colossians. This guy named Paul, he was persecuting Christians about 2000 years ago. Has an encounter with Jesus gets saved. Believes that Jesus was the son of God, that he died on the cross as payment for our sins rises again on the third day. That's why we celebrate Easter. And with this message comes hope and forgiveness and a and a relationship with God. And so Paul starts planting these churches, starts preaching the gospel, preaching this idea of Jesus being the Son of God gets put in prison for preaching that message. And now is writing letters to churches, some that he's visited. In this case, he hasn't visited Colosse, but he had heard of their faith through a mutual kind of connection that this guy named Pas. And so he's writing the encouragement to this church who is then trying to wrestle with faith in Jesus. So people were saying, well, I like Jesus and I like this. They're trying to add to the gospel or say I like Jesus, but I don't like this teaching. So they're trying to subtract from the gospel. And so Paul comes in to provide some clarity and some encouragement. And so in week one of our series, we talked about the value of praying for one another. And then in week two, we talked about who is Jesus that from creation to redemption. Jesus actually holds all things together. And then today he goes into kind of his resume, what is he going through? And he, and he gives the purpose of the church and, and why he's writing to them. And so we're not gonna read through all the verses, but verse from Colossians chapter one, verse 21 up to 27 really talks about three components. It talks about how in our past we were an alienated from God that there's a perfect holy God that we just sang about and that we mess things up and we rejected God. So our sin separates us. But that then Jesus then reconciles all things to himself. So there's past alienation or separation, there's present reconciliation. That's when Jesus died on the cross restored that relationship. And then he actually makes references where we're gonna jump into the passage about future glorification that one day God will not only be glorified, which is to be celebrated, to be made known to be made obvious to be lifted up. But also we're gonna share in that glorification. So we're gonna get to spend eternity with God. So no more cancer, no more sickness, no more betrayal. And that we get to reign with God. Now reigning with God seems weird in our democracy setting. But then when you right into a context that understands the Roman rule, he's saying you're, there's gonna come a day we're not oppressed by some foreign government. But that the God who made you and save you, you're actually gonna be in relationship with him and that you're gonna really have this perfect picture and relationship and connection. So complete trust, forgiveness, love, joy, purpose is gonna be incredible. And so he's offering hope to people who are experiencing hardship and that same hope is available to you and to me. And so we picked this up here in Colossians. Chapter one, verse 27 Paul is writing to them. God chose to make known how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery. I wanna pause here because this is a great phrase, the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It's an incredible picture that there is this in this power that's available to you and he calls it a mystery. And he's kind of using some terminology that these guys syncretism and gnostics try to use. But what he's saying here is that people were seeking after God and even in religious and Jewish circles, there was the spirit of God, for example, on Moses, he went up to the Mount Mount Sinai had he had another experience where burning bush on Mount Sinai. Though he had the 10 commandments, he interacted with God. You have this incredible picture here where when he comes down, his face is literally glowing. So we had the spirit of God on Moses. And a number of characters in the Old Testament where as hu human humanity repeatedly fails. God. God keeps being faithful and this little remnant stays put and, and faith goes up and then we fall and then we get up and then we fall and we just, we just keep messing things up. And so then Jesus comes onto the scene and then he is actually with the disciples. They're interacting with the Son of God. He lives a perfect life, dies on the cross and rises again. And what's crazy is, is that right before he dies? He says to disciples, hey, I'm about to leave. But it's actually to your advantage because I'm gonna send you a helper, an advocate, the Holy Spirit that with Him, you're, you're gonna be convicted of sin with him. You're gonna be empowered with Him. You're gonna be able to do greater things than me. This comes from John 14. And so the progression of the Bible is there's the spirit of God on people like Moses, then there's Jesus, the Son of God with his disciples. But then the church then receives the Holy Spirit in them. So the spirit of God on Moses, Jesus Christ with his disciples, but then the Holy Spirit dwells in you. And so this is the hope of glory. This is the seal that comes that the very power that defeated death itself now becomes available to every single believer. This is why it's a mystery revealed that in you Christ, in you, the hope of glory there is power in the Holy Spirit. He continues on verse 28 says Him, we proclaim warning everyone and teaching everyone. So there's defense warning and then offense teaching, right? Both sides of it. Everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I love this picture of growth and maturity because you are saved and empowered by God. God created you. God saves you. Now, God empowers you, but you are in fact empowered to mature and to grow. Right? When a little baby learns to talk, it's the cutest thing, isn't it? And we talk to babies in funny ways, don't we? Oh, aren't you doing a little good? Oh, aren't you so cute today? Da da da da. Right. That's cute for a baby. But if you stayed that way now, well, didn't you come to church today, didn't you? You came to church. Yes, you did. Yes, you did come to church today, right? Like I, I would, I would love for someone to compliment me and the fact that I was able to use the restroom on my own, put on my own shoes and walk out the door. That'd be great, right? As Christians, we're called to mature and to grow and to get stronger, right? So we have to stay as infants, but we do so, not with our own power. God made you. God saves you. God empowers you and he's the one that gives you the strength. Paul writes this. He's in a difficult situation. Verse 29 for this. I toil struggling. Look, if Paul's struggling, come on, we're gonna struggle. Ok? It's difficult. He says, but notice struggling with all of his energy that he powerfully works within me. So what is that energy? Well, he tells us God's secret sauce is the Holy Spirit. It's the Holy Spirit. God made you. God saves you and then leaves you alone to struggle the rest of your life. No. Same way you receive. Christ is how we're called to live. God made you. God saves you. Now, God empowers you. That's the secret sauce people. And I love me some food and I think Chick Fil A sauce is a reminder of what's in a preview of what's to come in heaven. Amen. I cannot wait to eat me a chicken sandwich on a Sunday in heaven. Come on. All right. It's gonna be good, right? And if you don't love Chick Fil A sauce, there are other churches in the area that we can encourage you to. No. Just kidding. Just kidding here. But we all got something right? If you don't love that sauce, pick another sauce of choice of some kind. Ok. And it's something about when you get that favorite sauce, right? That comes in and you're like, oh, so good. Ok. Holy spirit is the, is the secret sauce. And it makes sense when we put into the context of the gospel, God made you. God saves you. God empowers you. But we have to remind each other that it's God's strength that empowers us now. Yes, it's a struggle and it's a battle, but God's gonna give you the strength to get through and to overcome. Right? Just as you're not gonna eat that sandwich without the sauce. Today, we need to stop trying to live the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, you're not gonna be able to do it. He continues on now the way books are put together in the Bible, we add the chapters and the verses later so that we have reference. But when he's writing this letter, it's a, it's a continuous thought. So he continues on now into uh chapter two, verse one. He says for, I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you. And for those at Leo Dela. So that's the neighboring town Tolo and for all who have not seen me face to face, it says that their hearts may be encouraged, be knit together in love to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ in whom all the treasures, there's that word, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no 1 may delude you of pla with plausible arguments. He says for though I'm absent in body yet, I'm with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. So he just flat out tells you this is why I'm writing you. Now in the Bible, there are stories that are seen as descriptive, right? Here's something that happened, right? Jesus walked on water or fed the 5000 or you know, Daniel in the lion's den. Um This is what happened. This is a account of what happened. So there's descriptive passages, then there's prescriptive passages that are more like medicine. We're supposed to take that. What was applicable to them is also applicable to us today. And I believe this passage is really a prescriptive passage that the same reason Paul wrote to the church in Colosse is the same reason we gather regularly as a church today. And he tells us he says, look, I'm in prison, I'm struggling. Here's why I'm writing to you and he shares four reasons for his writing that I think we can understand as four results of gathering together as a church body. Here are four reasons why we gather as a church. There are more than four overall, but here are four directly from this passage that should really motivate us to consider a commitment to a local church body, something worth our time and worth our effort. The first result of a church gathering is encouragement. Paul says I write so that your hearts may be encouraged. I love that word encouragement because it's a picture of encourage. It's literally taking courage and placing it in a person because all of us could use a little more courage. Here's what I know to be true. Fear is free. Stress is free. You don't have to pay for stress and bad news and anxiety. You don't have to be searching to feel anxious and stressed out. You just simply open your your device, your phone and then or turn on the news or just walk outside, right? And we can feel completely surrounded. It is crazy. Look and I'm guilty just as the next person. So I'm with you in this, right? But have you ever been there? I I'm just being transparent here. Have you ever been like man, I'm really stressed out and overwhelmed and I can't sleep. Let me open a device that has access to every possible information ever created in the world and see if that calms my mind down. Anyone with me on that stress is free, like anxiety and fear. You can get that like no one's like, you know what? I feel too peaceful today. I wish I could find something to be worried about. You know, I'm feeling too confident today. No, everybody loves encouragement. And this idea to be brave. If a little kid draws a picture and comes and says, look, mom, dad, look what I drew and you respond back with. Wow, that's amazing. What do they do? Shoulders back, head up, little pep in their step. Has anything really changed as adults? No, if you get an email back at work says, man, I love your presentation today. Oh, head up shoulders back, right? I like your glasses. I like this. It's just a little compliment or something you're like, oh OK. Uh I did kind of nail that presentation. You know why? Because we all need encouragement. So as a church, we gather so that we can literally place courage in each other and it's not just compliments. So that when you're walking through something difficult, you got somebody to rally behind you. Like come on, let's go. You got this. I know it seems dark but I'm right here with you, right? If you're walking through a crowded space with kiddos and they get scared. Well, sometimes you have that one kid that takes off, we'll call that kid the protocol. But for the most part kids, right? When they walk in the room, what do they do? They squeeze your hand. And what they're doing is saying I have no idea what's out there, but I'm with you. One of the reasons we gather as a church is that we can look each other in the eyes, whether in the zoom or in connection, digital or not. Like when you have a phone conversation or an in person conversation with somebody, say, hey, I'm with you. I know it seems dark but I've been there. I know this is difficult but I'm here and we can remind each other that while our situation seems crazy, we have a God who made you, who saves you and empowers you to overcome. God is not surprised by your situation. Here's another thing I know to be true too. Well, let me say in the form of a question is God ever late? Is God ever late? I didn't say, does God ever feel late? Because that is 100%? Yes, but is God himself ever late? No. So that means that if you're with God, guess what? You're not late either. You might be thinking, oh, I miss my window for a relationship. I miss my window for that job. I miss my purpose in this whatever. But when you gather as a church, you can encourage one another and realize, no, we have a God who made you who saved you and empowers you. You've got this and we take a little bit of courage and put it in each other's lives. So what happens when we gather together? Second result of a church gathering is, is unity. We become unified together. The early church was so interesting because you had masters and slaves. You had men, women, you had those in different political sectors, different professions, you had the educated and the fishermen, your tax collectors, your doctors you had a variety that came together and what unified them was the need for Jesus. And I love that description. It says knit together in love. There's some people at the church that are great at sewing and uh crocheting and, and those things are too. I think my friend Cheryl here who sometimes have given us little cute little things for our kiddos and I can't crochet anything. Cheryl. I ain't got nothing like I, I would like, if I was gonna make you a gift, I would just pull out a string and be like, here you go one string. It can be a, uh, a bracelet. Right? As silly as that sounds. There are people that are trying to live their life like a string. They're trying to make something out of their life, like, look at this. Here it is. But what God wants to do is to knit us together into a majestic, beautiful tapestry that's referred to as the bride of Christ, as the body of Christ. And if you've ever done sewing or quilting or, or things that, you know, sometimes the under underside gets a little bumpy. Right? And if you, if you're focused on the underside of something being sewn together, like it can look right and be like, ah, and let's be real. Some of y'all are bumpy. Ok? And if you're disagreeing with me and they're like, I don't know of anybody who's bumpy, you might be the bumpy person. I'm just saying. But I tell you what, that's better then that's better than just trying to go through life and individual string, not connected to anything, not making anything and not being able to withstand the storms and the stormy seas of his life. But when we come together, God knits us together and we might be a little bumpy here. You know, if you ever anybody do the whole church steeple, open the door. Where are all the people? Right? Yeah, that's, that's life of four iphones. That's how we entertained ourselves. Oh, look at that. Ok. I'm glad we're not going backwards. But, but when we understand that we are woven together, knit together and love, there's gonna come a day and maybe it's in glory where we can step back and see the masterpiece in the tapestry of God that you don't know how God's gonna use you to impact the life of somebody else or vice versa. So why do we gather as a church? One, we gather for encouragement and reminder of who God is and what God's done two because we can be knit together in love and be unified. It's interesting to me also, when God prayed for his church right before he left, what's the one thing he prayed for? Unity? That's what he prayed for. And I don't know what this year brings, but I can tell you it's chaos. If anyone thinks that November is gonna be just a piece of cake like they're crazy. All I can say is let's just thank God, we're not into political commercial season yet, right? And so in a chaotic world, politically, financially, relationally, we can gather as a church, be encouraged, be unified. And third, we can grow, we can grow. It says that you can grow in the riches, the fullness of the understanding of God, the treasures of the wisdom found in Him. That's why we treasure Christ together. I love me some sports. But I'm gonna be honest, since I've been married, I've also grown to love me some HGTV. You know how long you've been in a relationship with? The number of HGTV shows you reference that through personal favorite property brothers just saying some good dudes. OK, like their design eye just saying, can't do anything. Nothing is transferred by the way. Watching AC TV is not the same thing as remodeling your house, but an entire network dedicated to home garden like remodel representing in the church. We have what I would call H STV. That's Holy Spirit. But here's the catch you are the remodel. But I think it's beautiful though. You know why? Because remodels are messy and if you understand you're in the remodel process, you realize, oh, the mess is expected. I have and look some of y'all still got some spiritual popcorn ceiling going on, right? You can knock down some walls, right? So new floors need to get put in, like, let's open up, get some light in this room, you know what I'm saying? But you're a remodeling process. But there's some other shows too we started watching recently like Celebrity Iou it's kind of fun, right? An actor or an athlete or somebody says, hey, I wanna get back to this person. It means a lot to me and they start remodeling this house and like, hey, here you go. Do you understand how crazy it is that the one remodeling your house, the one remodeling your life is the very God who created the universe. And let me tell you something, he owes you nothing. And yet because of who He is and because of how much He loves you, he comes in and says, I made you, I saved you. I'm empowering you. We've got some work to do. But let me tell you if you trust me, when all is said and done, it's gonna be beautiful. The reveal is gonna be incredible. And so when we gather as a church, it's part of the remodel process, you know, sharpening each other, encouraging one another, reminding each other of the power of the God in each other's lives to treasure Christ together, to be reminded of how small this world is and how big our God truly is, changes everything. And the fourth reason we gather as a church is for protection, Paul says, I write so that you won't be persuaded by plausible arguments now, just being fully transparent with you. I used to kind of brush past this verse. I can tell you in the last five years, I've stopped doing that because if you look at our culture, are we getting more like Jesus, more like darkness, 100% more like darkness? And I don't say that to scare you, but to say, look, we need to know why we believe what we believe. Satan doesn't create. Satan counterfeits. He runs the same play. He's been running since the garden. He's gonna come in. He's gonna try to break up an important relationship. He didn't get you to doubt your own identity and question things and come back and then and say, nope, see, look at this, doesn't this look good? One of the values of the church is that we can gather centered on God and be reminded of what is truth. And so that's why we gather to treasure Christ together. God made you. God saves you. God empowers you stop trying to live life like that individual string just dangling in the wind, but instead be woven together to be encouraged, unified, to grow for protection that we can grow stronger together. But here's the thing. How do we respond to life's challenges because life is tough, right? Well, let me ask you two questions. Let me think about this. Number one. Do you have a fixed or a growth mindset? This comes from some researchers and authors, Chip and Dan Heath talk about there's a difference when how you approach problems because here's the thing, you can take church out of the mix. But I can tell you you're still gonna have problems, you're still gonna have anxiety, stress, worry, it's not gonna solve anything. And then where do you turn? So let me ask you, do you have a fixed mindset or growth mindset? Fixed mindset is like that idea that well, it's never gonna change. It's always going to be this way. Growth mindset is saying, well, what's different here? So let me run through a couple of examples. A fixed mindset says, oh, I failed a growth mindset says, what can I learn? A fixed mindset says, here are the obstacles in my way. A growth mindset says, here are my opportunities. A fixed mindset says, focuses on the pain of the situation. A growth mindset focuses on the purpose of the situation. A fixed mindset focuses on the earthly things. This is all we've got. It will always be this way. But a growth mindset says, I'm gonna focus on the heavenly things, see if it's up to you. There is a ceiling on everything in your life. But if it's up to God, there is no ceiling and there is limitless potential for what God can do in your relationship, in your life, in your work and your family and your friends. I'm telling you what that's such a freeing mindset when you switch it. Another question I wanna ask, do you make decisions based on consequence or, or on identity? This comes from a guy named James March. Most people make decisions based on this consequence, right? Like fear or desire. I want this thing. I don't want that. You just make choices and it's very immediate in the moment, but a stronger way to make decisions is recognizing your identity, right? In the secular world. We do this, don't we? Anybody who buys apple has an identity issue? Right? I'm I'm in that, right? Why do we buy Apple? Because it's cool, right? We're with it and because we're better than other people, right? That's why that's what we sell ourselves, right? Do you know what I'm saying though? Like when you buy, you buy certain products, you buy things because of your identity like you, I I identify with it, right? Like if you ever met somebody who does crossfit that doesn't tell you they do crossfit. Crossfit. I have and I'll bash on them. But let's be real. Those are like you, you work out a lot and are super healthy and my argument is getting less and less as we go. But why do people share that? Why? Because it's an identity thing, it's not just what I do, but who I am, right? How do you make decisions? Because how I see scripture is God made you. God saves you. God empowers you and then we walk out in fear, we walk out worried or you say no, I am a chosen child of God. Yes, I fell down. But that's not who I am. I'm a saint. I am God's chosen vessel who wants me to have that healthy marriage with my health and marriage and my relationships and with my kids and my workplace work best when I live out who God's called me to be. And as a church, we can remind each other of that. See Christ can save you, but he also can strengthen you. If you're a believer, if you call yourself a Christian, do you understand that you need Jesus? Just as much today as the day you prayed to receive him? It's all about Jesus. He doesn't go, I made you. I saved you now. Good luck. No, Paul continues writing. He says, therefore, verse six. Therefore, as you receive Christ, Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. Other translations say so live that way. So it's an identity piece. Well, how do you live? How do you walk? He gives his picture of four things rooted and built up in him and established in faith just as you were taught, abounding in Thanksgiving. Got San here that he's calling us to grow in every area and in every direction. He wants this to present us as mature, right? Think about those imagery and those words rooted that down. How are your spiritual roots? Why do you need roots? Because if you get in a drought or you get in a storm, you're not gonna make it unless you got roots. I can tell you the droughts and storms in life are coming. So can you get those roots down together? But not only can you get roots downward? You're called to be built up. Are you getting stronger in your faith? Because as we grow, we want, we're gonna be able to handle more and do more because that's who God has called us to be. But not only are we called to grow down to grow up? We're also called to grow in. This is grit and resilience established in faith, secure in who you are secure in who God is. This resilience that comes in Christ alone. And then the last thing here is that we grow out. I love that description abounding in thanksgiving in other places, abounding is used to describe like rivers and water and overflow. And isn't it interesting that gratitude in my experience is contagious, the more you become grateful for things, the more you express grace towards others. And as a church, shouldn't we be growing in our gratitude and abounding overflowing to the world around you? So let me ask you what, what is the area in your life that you need strength in right now? Is it the roots? Do you need to get deeper? Is it going up? Do you need to be built up getting stronger. Is it being established in your faith? The resilience that comes from lived out experiences of God's faithfulness even in your trials, or maybe it's, we need to grow and be strengthened outward, that we need to be abounding in thanksgiving where our life is light and grace overflowing into our relationships, our parenting, our friendships, our workplace and we can have that. Why? Because we've gathered together to treasure Christ together. Will you pray with me dear heavenly Father? Just thank you. Thank you that we can gather to encourage one another. God that we can be unified, being knit together in love, that we can grow and knowledge of you and who you are and what you've done to treasure you that we can protect one another through the power of your spirit and your word. Oh God, we are a remodel in process. But you've sent the Holy Spirit to be in our lives to strengthen us so that we can grow down, grow up, grow in, grow out and be stronger today, God, if it was tough and a struggle for Paul, I promise everyone in this room are listening to the sound of my voice that it's gonna be tough for them too. But we are not left alone. You are with us and you are great and you are here to let us encourage each other today to go into this week, emboldened in our faith for you. We love you God and your sense and we pray amen.