Anchors - Lock In

you ready come on why don't you get on your feet we got some folks getting baptized today let's do it there is freedom in Jesus name come on there is a future within this grace all the redemption you'll ever need hope everlasting for you and me god i know you've been so good before still you're doing so much more so come on sing a little louder if you still got air in your lungs we know the best is yet to come because god is not done so come on sing a little louder if you still got air in your lungs praise him for the things to come because god is not done you are the passion inside of my soul you are the fire that fills my bones if there is one thing that i know is true god there is nothing that compares to you god i know you've been so good before still you're doing so much more so come on sing a little louder if you still got air in your lungs we know the best is yet to come because god is not done sing a little louder if you still got air in your lungs praise him for the things to come because god's not done with everything you have come on a little louder hey a little louder i've got some good to you sing a little louder a little louder a little louder i've got a good thing a little louder a little louder a little louder i've got some good to you sing a little louder so come on sing a little louder if you still got Him in your lungs know the best is yet to come because God's not done so come on sing a little louder if you still got Him in your lungs praise Him for the things to come because God's not done

My God's Not Done A little louder A little louder I've got some good to you sing a little louder A little louder A little louder I've got some good to you sing a little louder I know a name That can silence roaring waves I know a name It's an empty and a grave I know a name It's the only name that saves And it's worthy of all praise I call you Jesus I call you out ♪ I call you healer, risen and reigning in power ♪ ♪ Something comes out of the grave ♪ ♪ Every time I call you Jesus, I call you, I call you Savior ♪ ♪ Worthy of glory forever, something comes out of the grave ♪ ♪ Something comes out of the grave, every time I call your name ♪ ♪ I have a king, with dominion over death ♪ ♪ He holds the key, yeah, in his holiness, God has, he is a healer ♪ ♪ God has crushed the serpent's head, I resurrected, great I am ♪ ♪ I call you Jesus, I call you, I call you healer ♪ ♪ Risen and reigning in power, something comes out of the grave ♪ ♪ Every time I call you Jesus, I call you, I call you Savior ♪ ♪ Worthy of glory forever, something comes out of the grave ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name, chains break, dry bones break ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name, the gates of hell shake ♪

♪ Of hell shake, every time I call your name, chains break ♪ ♪ Dry bones wake, every time I call your name, the gates of hell shake ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name, oh, every time I call your name ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes,mn ♪ ♪ Oh, death is now your sting and we'll walk in your victory ♪ ♪ And we'll walk in your victory ♪ ♪ Oh, death is now your sting and we'll walk in your victory ♪ ♪ And we'll walk in your victory ♪ ♪ And we'll walk in your victory ♪ ♪ Oh, death is now your sting and we'll walk in your victory ♪ ♪ Oh, death is now your sting and we'll walk in your victory ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, dead things come alive, ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive in the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, том things come alive, ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, holy come alive. ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive in the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, berry come alive, ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, holy come alive. ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive in the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, holy come alive, ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, in the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, holy come alive, ♪ ♪ In the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ I call you, I call you, I call you soon, ♪ ♪ I'm calling you Jesus, Heading and waiting in my word, ♪ ♪ Something comes out of the grave, ♪ ♪ Every time I call you Jesus, I call you, I call you Savior, ♪ ♪ Worthy of glory forever, something comes out of the grave, ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name, changes break, drive home, break, ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name, good things come alive, ♪

♪ Every time I call your name Jesus, ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name, dead things come alive, ♪ ♪ Dead things come alive, dead things come alive, ♪ ♪ In the name of Jesus, Holy come alive, dead things come alive, ♪ ♪ In the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus, I wanna come alive ♪ ♪ On your powerful name, oh Jesus ♪ ♪ Power in the name ♪ ♪ Ooh, I found my healing in the name, Jesus ♪ ♪ I found my freedom in the name, Jesus ♪ ♪ I found my hope in the name, Jesus ♪ ♪ You're my everything, Jesus, I call you Jesus, I call you ♪ Come on. ♪ I call you Jesus, praise Him in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Something, something, something, something, something, something ♪ ♪ Every time I call you Jesus, I call you, I call you, Jesus ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Something comes out of the grave ♪ ♪ Every time I call your name ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Christ is my firm foundation ♪ ♪ With the rock on which I stand ♪ ♪ When everything around me is shaken ♪ ♪ I've never been more glad ♪ ♪ That I put my faith in Jesus ♪ ♪ Cause He's never let me down ♪ ♪ He's faithful through generations ♪ ♪ So why would He fail now, He won't ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus, You won't ♪

♪ I've still got joy in chaos ♪ Come on, declare. ♪ I've got peace that makes no sense ♪ ♪ So I won't be going under ♪ ♪ Cause I'm not held by my own strength ♪ ♪ Cause I built my life on Jesus ♪ ♪ He's never let me down ♪ ♪ He's faithful in every season ♪ ♪ So why would He fail now, He won't ♪ He won't. ♪ He won't, He won't fail, He won't fail, He won't fail ♪ ♪ He won't, He won't, He won't fail, He won't fail, He won't fail ♪ ♪ Christ is my first foundation ♪ ♪ The rock on which I stand ♪ ♪ And everything around me's shaking ♪ ♪ I've never been forgotten ♪ ♪ I put my faith in Jesus ♪ ♪ He's never let me down ♪ ♪ He's faithful through generations ♪ ♪ So why would He fail now, He won't ♪ He won't. ♪ I put my faith in Jesus, I put my faith in Jesus ♪ ♪ He won't fail, He won't fail, He won't fail, He won't fail ♪ He never fails. ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ Come on wherever you're at, we sing this out together. ♪ And rain came and wind blew, my house was built on you ♪ I'm safe with you, I'm gonna make it through Rain came and blew, and my house was built on you I'm safe with you, I'm gonna make it through

Rain came and blew, and my house was built on you I'm safe with you, I'm gonna make it through I'm gonna make it through, cause I'm standing strong on you I'm gonna make it through, cause my house is built on you Christ is my firm foundation, the rock on which I stand When everything around me is shaking I've never been more glad that I put my faith in Jesus Cause He's never let me down, faithful through generations So why would He fail now, He won't, He won't fail And all the earth will shout Your praise Our hearts will cry, these bones will say Great are You Lord And all the earth will shout Your praise Our hearts will cry, these bones will say Great are You Lord And all the earth will shout Your praise Our hearts will cry, these bones will say Great are You Lord And all the earth will shout Your praise Our hearts will cry, these bones will say Great are You Lord It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise to You only It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise to You only Great are You Lord

Oh You're great, You're great You're singing great Great are You Lord There's none more worthy Jesus There's no one like You Lord sent away, Lord, that if there's any shame, that that would be removed in the name of Jesus. Lord, we pray that any mental illness right now would be silenced in the name of Jesus and healed in the name of Jesus, Lord. Healing is the children's bread, Lord, so help us to be like children. Help us to follow you with a faith that simply listens and moves. Help us to not stand idly by as life goes, but Lord, help us to lean in, to be active in our faith, Lord. Lord, because we know that someday every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that you are Lord. And Lord, the only number that even matters is the number in heaven, just one more, one more. And so Lord, we stand here together just to say, great are you, Lord. You're worthy of all the glory and the honor and the praise. You're worthy of our best day, Lord, and you give us grace in our worst day. You're worthy of the faith that we carry in your name, Jesus. Holy Spirit, would you help us to make it the difference?

Would you speak to us? Would you open up our eyes and our mind and our ears and our heart to hear you and to know you? Would you help us to believe that you are a healing and providing and loving and gracious and good God? Would you help us to be a better person and a better person in our lives? Would you help us to be a better person and a better person in our lives? Lord, as we commune with you, God, we just ask, Holy Spirit, that you would speak to us as we focus in on you, Lord, as we bring things to you. Lord, the juice in the bread means nothing on its own without your spirit, without a relationship with you. And so, Lord, help us to be there with you and to know you and to grow in the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. As one unified body of Christ, we pray, amen. Amen, thank you so much for worshiping with us. Feel free to take your seats and take communion whenever you're ready. May Jesus bless you. Thank you for this amazing task. We stay with you and thank you for the blessing. Hey, Pantano, I'm Grady, and I'm so glad you're joining us today. No matter where you're joining from, we believe that church is more than just a service. It's a community where people can find hope, grow in faith and do life together.

If you're on campus, stop by Next Steps after service. We'd love to meet you and help you find the best way to get connected at Pantano. Joining us online, you're a part of this community too. Be sure to visit Next Steps and fill out a Connect Card so we can stay connected with you. Last weekend across all our campuses, 50 people chose to publicly declare their faith through baptism. We're blown away by what God is doing in Tucson, Benson and beyond. If you're ready to jump in, you can schedule your baptism by visiting Next Steps. At Pantano, our mission is loving people to Jesus and launching passionate difference makers. Your generosity makes that mission possible. Because of your giving, people experience the love of Jesus in real tangible ways, lives are changed and people are equipped and sent out to make a difference in their communities and around the world. If you feel led to give, you can drop your gift in a giving box, give online through our website or text GIVE to 46356. Another way to live out our mission is by joining our Generosity Bag Initiative. It's a new month, which means new items are needed to bless our community. Be sure to grab a bag on your way out, fill it with the items listed inside

and return it back to Pantano. Thank you for being a church that lives out this mission and makes a real difference in our communities. Stay connected with the Pantano community throughout the week by following us on social media. You'll find encouragement, important updates, upcoming events, and a behind-the-scenes look at all that's happening around our church. Thanks again for joining us today. We look forward to seeing God move throughout our time together. Well, hey there, Pantano. It is Trevor DeVage, and it is June. And you're thinking, why does that matter that it's June? Well, if you've not been around here very long, let me let you in on something. Our elders here every year, and they've done this since before I was even here, for our lead pastor, is they give me the privilege to take the month of June to study, spend time with my family, and get ready for what God is doing in the fall. And so for the month of June, I'm really excited. Our teaching team, we've got a guest speaker coming in. They are taking over this entire series for the month of June. Now, I know some of you, you're like, so we don't have to come to church? Absolutely not. Come to church. Come encourage, build up, spur on. When I'm in town, I'm gonna be in church, sitting here worshiping with each and every one of you. And then maybe you're sitting here thinking, so, man, we don't have to do anything in the church in June. No, I need you to serve. I need you to give. I need you to live. We're so excited for what God is doing at Pantano. And here's what I love about our church. It's not about one person. It's about Jesus and how Jesus speaks through all of these people. So today we kick off a brand new series called Anchors. How do we anchor our faith into the rock that is Jesus Christ? And so today we kick off this series, but do me a favor, give a warm Pantano welcome to all of those that are gonna speak this series from our teaching team and welcome them to the stage. How are you doing Pantano? Yeah. Hey, I know he's watching, so why don't we say hi, Pastor Trevor. Why don't we give it up for our lead pastor, Pastor Trevor, out for the month of June. We're just so thankful that he can take this time to rest. I also want to welcome all of our campuses. We have Benson tuning in. We have Gospel Rescue Mission tuning in. We have our campus at the prison, God Behind Bars. Why don't we give it up for them? Yeah. And you probably heard it said multiple times. We're one church, multiple locations. And what's been blowing us away is we have thousands and thousands of people watching through the Panto app. We are actually hearing stories on how God is bringing transformation and how God is touching many lives across the prison system. And in our nation, why don't we give it up for all those watching on Panto, all those that are watching online.

We want to give it up for you as well. But today we're kicking off a new series. As you guys already heard, it's called Anchors. And over the next few weeks, we're going to be looking at scriptures, scriptures that don't only inspire us for a moment, but ground us and support us for a lifetime. We're going to be looking at biblical truths that meet us in the chaos. How many of you guys need that right now? Yes. We're going to be looking at biblical truths that shape who we become as we, our goal is to become more and more like Jesus. We're also going to be looking at scriptures that carry us through every season, whether the good, the bad or the ugly. And to tell you the truth, if you've lived long enough, you've discovered something, that life has a way to shift right under your feet. There's things always shifting, plans change, situations change, people disappoint you, dreams get delayed, health becomes uncertain, money gets tight and relationships get complicated. How many can say amen to that this morning? And sooner or later, every single thing that shifts finds us standing in a time of uncertainty, a time that feels unsafe. And during this series, we're going to be looking at something very important. When life starts shifting, when life starts shaking, when life starts moving, I want you to remember this, what you are anchored to matters. Say that with me, what you are anchored to matters. You see, mountain climbers understand something really important. They understand that before the climb, they understand that before their first step, before their ascent, before anything. anything, they gotta lock in. They gotta lock in mentally, they gotta lock in emotionally, and they gotta lock in physically. Because eventually, as they start to climb the mountain, the terrain gets steep, the weather changes, the winds pick up, and eventually the pressure, as the higher, the higher they go, the pressure starts to increase. And one wrong step, what happens? They lose it, they're gone, see you later. See, one wrong step changes everything. Let me ask a question, how many mountain climbers

do we have in the room today? Oh, we got one. We got more, two, three, four, not very many of you, right? And you guys are probably already judging, because you guys can tell that I'm talking about a mountain climber, and I don't even have the right suit on. The reason why I wear this suit is because it's called a safety harness. Say it with me, safety. Anything safety, I'm putting on, just saying. But if you've ever gone mountain climbing, and I'm not talking about hiking, I mean actually mountain climbing. That's the kind of, where you use these ropes, where you use these carabiners, you use hooks, you use things, all these things that can actually sustain you, and you wear the right harness. And I don't know about you, but when I started thinking about this series, I actually watched a movie before this. And all I saw is the little harness that they put on that's from the waist down, and I said, uh-uh. If I was a mountain climber, this is what I would be wearing. My arm's gotta go with it. Because I saw the movies where you crazy people that are mountain climbers sometimes end up upside down. And if I end up upside down, I'd probably lose my life.

A fear of just saying no. But you know that actually mountain climbing, you gotta have the right ropes, you gotta have the right gear, the harness, the carabiners. Because there's nothing, nothing worse than actually climbing the mountain, and then all of a sudden figuring out that you have a rope that can't sustain you. There's nothing worse than can you figure out that you have a carabiner that's already bent, that doesn't work, that doesn't hook on, that doesn't help you anchor yourself to a rock. There's nothing worse than actually getting up there and having the wrong harness, like me. Because that matters when you're hundreds and thousands of feet up in the ground. Because you're not thinking about the rope sustaining you, no. You're not thinking about the carabiner sustaining you, no. You make sure you're locked in before you even climb, your gear's ready. Before the climb gets difficult, before the wind starts blowing, before the terrain gets steep, your hands get tired, you start to lose your footing. In that moment that all this happens, your confidence isn't what keeps you safe. Your strength isn't what keeps you safe. What keeps you safe is what you're connected to. What keeps you safe is what you're locked into.

What keeps you safe is what's keeping you from falling. Because the truth is, life has a way of testing us all. Some of us are going through trials right now, through difficulties, some hard seasons. Life has a way of testing all the things. And when the climb gets steep, when the pressure increases, things don't go according to plan. When that happens, what you're connected to is what matters. Say that with me one more time. What you're connected to matters. In fact, that's the question. And that's what I want us to think about during our time today. I want us to really, really look in deep and ask ourselves, what are we locked into? What are we connected to? What are we connected to? Because of this, and this is what I want to actually share with you throughout this series, throughout this day. What you're locked into determines what holds you. You see, church, this series that we're starting today is really important. Because life tests every anchor. And everyone is anchored to someone. The question isn't if you're anchored. The question is, what are you anchored to? Because some people are anchored to success. Some are anchored to comfort, to control, to approval.

Some are anchored to money. Some are anchored to politics. Some are anchored to their feelings. And some are anchored to fear. But let me share something with you. Anything that moves, you can't be anchored to. You gotta be anchored to something that's solid. Something that's faithful. Something that's sturdy. Something that's not movable. Because we live in a world where everything moves. Opinions move, markets move, relationships move, culture moves, emotions move. Circumstances are constantly shifting and moving. And if your life is attached to those things, you will constantly shift. And eventually, you will drift. So here's the phrase I want us to carry through this time today. You're gonna see it on the screen and it says, What you're locked into determines what holds you. Let's repeat it together. What you're locked into determines what holds you. Come on, say it one more time, what you're locked into determines what holds you, why? Because when your marriage gets hard, what you're locked into determines what holds you. When money gets tight, what you're locked into determines what holds you. When a loved one breaks your heart,

what you're locked into determine what holds you. And when life doesn't make sense, say it with me one more time, what you're locked into determines what holds you. See, one of the anchors in my life was when I barely decided to follow Jesus, I was young, you know, I'm still young, thank you. Had to think about how old I'm gonna turn this year, but I'm still young. But an anchor that God has reminded me over and over again is found in Isaiah 55. And maybe you've heard it. Maybe you've already, you've memorized it. But this is something that keeps on coming up. This verse has sustained me and has supported me through my life, and it says this, for my thoughts are not your thoughts. Can somebody go, oh, that's deep already. Then it continues saying, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Maybe some of you today say, ooh, that sounds comforting. Sounds comforting, until God's thoughts disagree with yours. Because the reality that I was living in is that one of my greatest struggles, and it's something that I continue to struggle with, has been surrendering my thinking to God's thinking.

Surrendering the way I see things to the way God sees things. One of the hardest things about following Jesus is trusting him when his plans don't match mine. And I remember that day, I also opened scriptures to that morning, and I opened scriptures of Proverbs 3. It's like the Lord is trying to tell you something, amen, when he repeats things. But Proverbs 3 tells us, trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your what? Your own understanding. And it says, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your path straight. Don't be wise in your own eyes. It's like God was speaking something to my heart, to my core. Notice the warning, the danger isn't always rebellion. Sometimes the danger is self-reliance. Sometimes the danger is trusting my perspective more than God's perspective. Sometimes the danger is becoming wise in my own eyes. And I wish I would've learned this lesson in a prayer meeting, but no. I wish I would've learned this lesson in a worship service, but no. I wish I learned this lesson reading my Bible in the morning, and God just would speak to me,

and I could hear his voice, no. You know where I learned this lesson? In a grocery store. It's like my life revolves around food, and where I worked. I don't know, God's always speaking, even in a grocery store. Because years ago, money was tight. Money was really tight. We had made the decision for, have a one-income household. We wanted to raise our kids, in the scriptures, we wanted to raise our kids the way we thought was right. But money was really tight. And some of you might even know what I'm exactly talking about. It's not about wanting more, and it's not about wondering if what you have is enough. But I wanna take you back to that moment that God really spoke to me, because I remember walking into a grocery store, and I had my toddler with me. You guys already know where this is headed, huh? I had my toddler with me, I sat him in the seat, and I started to stroll him around. We went to the produce department, we went to the bakery. I saw the Mexican pastries there in a glass case, and I was like, ooh, that looks good.

And I remember as I was pushing my toddler through the store, he wasn't fussing, and I remember that as soon as I went around the frozen food aisle, there was this big old promotional aisle. And in the promotional aisle, I started to see these big displays, and as soon as I saw this big display, I saw this display of. three liter sodas they were hitting all the way to the ceiling and it was very colorful you had the lemon lime soda you had the orange you had the strawberry which was my kids favorites and i remember that i saw that and then the most amazing thing is it was 99 cents i'm giving up my age huh and i remember that in the grocery store i said hey if i buy this all of us can drink if i get this soda this is for enough for the family for us to drink not only once maybe twice three times because again money was tight and every item in the cart counted everything that i was picking up mattered and i remember that i was calculating every dollar every item mattered every decision mattered because i had to make the money stretch for our family of four at the time now we're six god spoke to me through the word where it says that we need to multiply and i had two more and i remember that got in that moment that i was just thinking about blessing the family and that was the plan one soda for the whole family that's all i could afford then i got to the checkout lane you know that that's the worst place you can drive a toddler in a cart wanting everything in the store soon as i hit the checkout lane there was candy there was gum there was all this stuff and he started to look and you saw his eyes just spring out of his eye out of his face and he started to look and he started to make some noises and all of a sudden he looked to this i don't know who made this this an idea but did you know that soda companies put refrigerators right at the checkout lanes then all of a sudden my son started crying and throwing a fit because he wanted a soda for himself the problem is this one cost a dollar 19 at the time dang it i'm giving my life my age away again i wanted to bless the family with a 99 cent soda that can actually help everyone but my son was

focused on this and he was throwing a fit he was throwing the tantrum he was kicking he was screaming his voice would echo all the way you can hear it echo like my voice is echoing right now all the way to the back of the store and it was bouncing back he wanted that soda he didn't care about the three liter he was thinking of the soda for himself and in that moment i started to get a little anxious and i started to get a little nervous then i started to get frustrated i'm all like how can i make this toddler understand the situation that we're going through how can i make them understand that money's tight how can i make them understand that i'm trying to bless the whole family not just him how can i make them understand the situation that we're going into and there i was there was people in front of me the cashiers everybody all eyes were on me because this little kid was just throwing a tantrum and wasn't having it he wanted his soda and i remember that i just tucked my head down and i prayed and i prayed a prayer that came from the deepest down pit of my heart and i said god make him shut up then i started to look to my right then i started to look to my left and i said man if i pinch him right now will anybody notice then i thought oh no leaving the grocery store with handcuffs is not a good idea but it was really hitting me there i was frustrated feeling the pressure feeling all the pressure just hitting me and overwhelming me in the moment my situation just felt like chaos like i couldn't provide i felt guilty shameful i feel all the feelings that you can think of in that moment all eyes were on me and i remember as i started unloading the three liter soda and i started to look to my left and i started to look to my right and i remember as i started unloading the three liter soda and i just kept looking at him i just kept praying lord please have him shut up and i was loading the groceries onto the belt it was those belts that used to be round do you remember those belts giving my age away it wasn't a conveyor belt and i remember that i was unloading the all the groceries everything from produce to meat to everything that i was unloading onto the belt i asked him god he's not shutting up what are you trying to teach me through this because i'm really trying to follow you i'm really trying to listen to you i'm really trying to trying to see what you can do and show me through what I read this morning. And then that's when I heard a whisper in my heart.

And this is what I heard in my heart. Saul, just as your son is acting, you've been acting like that all along. Can you guys help me out here and go ooh. Oh. Something just hit me in the chest. And I was like, Saul, you do this all the time. You're focused on your wants. You're focused on your timeline. You're focused on your comfort. You're focused on your plan. And when things don't go well for you, you're throwing the tantrum too. And you keep going, and you keep going, and you keep doing it louder and louder. And you're frustrated because I won't give you the bottle when my intention is I wanna give you the blessing. Not only for you, but for those around you. Those in your life, those in your circle, those in your family. Because that's what I wanna do. But you're focused on the bottle. And I wanna ask you today how many times you have felt this way? Where delays have felt like rejection? Where many closed doors felt like punishment? Where many disappointments were actually protection? How many unanswered prayers were actually preparation for you? And maybe the reason you're frustrated today,

yesterday, last week, or a month ago, is because you're focused on the bottle. And God is focused on the blessing. Because if you really ask me, that day as I left, as I got done and as I told my son no, I tried to give him the three liter bottle and he threw it down on the bottom of the car as we exited the store, I just remember that he left crying, I left crying too. We both sat in the parking lot, we were both crying because in that moment God was confronting me with something. God was trying to put into my life a different perspective, a bigger perspective of what he wanted in my life instead of what I wanted in my life. And a lot of times that's how we live life. We live life looking at our perspective instead of God's perspective. Give it to him. Yes. But this is what the grocery store showed me. That the small bottle satisfies a craving. The blessing fulfills a purpose. I was focused, I was living life in those days like I focused on what I wanted. But God was focused on something bigger and he wanted to do something bigger in me. I saw a need but God saw a purpose. I was thinking about temporary satisfaction but God was thinking about internal impact.

Can you guys say this with me? His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. His ways are higher than my ways. Just as the heavens are over the earth, that's how high his thoughts are over my thoughts. And I'll tell you, going into the grocery store has never looked the same for me. Sometimes I avoid the soda aisle because I remember the reminder. Because it's gonna confront me and challenge me. And say, are you thinking about yourself or are you thinking about people? Are you thinking about what you wanna do or are you thinking about what God wants to do in you and through you? I wanna give you three things that I learned that day, very personal to me, that Isaiah 55 became this anchor that's just constant, that holds me. And the first point is God sees more than I see. Say that with me, God sees more than I see. Like I said, I saw the bottle just like my son was looking at the bottle. And we only see a picture, but God sees the whole purpose. God sees from a higher elevation. You see the obstacle, but God sees the outcome. You see the delay, but God sees the development. You see the inconvenience, but God sees the formation. You see the plan and God sees the purpose. Say with me again, my thoughts are not your thoughts, declared the Lord.

Because his perspective is bigger, his purpose is bigger, his vision is bigger and God's thoughts are higher because his purpose is always greater. The second thing, we drift. when we trust ourselves more than God. We drift when we trust ourselves more than God. Remind you, Isaiah 3, 5 says, "'Lean not on your own understanding.'" Tell the person next to you, why? Why does he say that? Because our understanding is limited. Because we have limitations, our eyesight is narrow, our eyesight is small. Let me ask you this question. Have you ever been absolutely convinced that you were right? Then you found out you weren't right? All right, let's be honest, how many marriages can, just kidding. We all have blind spots. We all have limitations. We all have moments where what feels right isn't right. And that's why Scripture doesn't tell us to trust our feelings. That's why Scripture doesn't tell us to trust culture. Scripture doesn't tell us to trust ourselves. Scripture tells us to trust God. Because again, what you're locked into determines what holds you. So when your feelings become your anchor, you drift.

When politics become your anchor, you drift. When success becomes your anchor, you drift. When comfort becomes your anchor, you drift. Anything that moves cannot be your anchor. The only thing that can be your anchor is truth. And the only one that is truth is Jesus. Scripture tells us he is the truth. And that's who we need to have our hearts anchored to. The third thing that the grocery store taught me was God wants to bless people through you. Say me? Yes, you. God wants to bless people through you. One of the most important lessons God taught me that day was that my life isn't about me. My son was focused on himself and through his eyes, I was able to see how focused he was on himself and the Lord was just revealing to me that that was my heart. I was focused on me and it wasn't about me. It's about what God wants to do in me and through me. God reminded me that his plans are way bigger than my preferences. And church, your life was never created with only you in mind. God wants to bless people through you. He wants to show his grace through you, his generosity through you, his forgiveness through you. He wants to show others encouragement through you. And he wants to bring hope to others through you.

And many times, what feels like God withholding something from you is actually God preparing you for something bigger than you. You see, today you may be focused on the bottle, but God wants to give you a bit different perspective. God wants you focused on the blessing. You're focused on the moment. God is focused on the mission. You're focused on your preference, but God is focused on your purpose. And that's where many of us struggle. Because we want God to bless us. We want all the signs. Before we even do anything, Lord, you gotta provide to us. We want God to bless us, but God isn't thinking about how he can bless you. He's thinking about how he can bless others through you. Because the reality, we struggle because we want comfort, but God wants impact. We want immediate relief, but God wants lasting transformation. We want quick answers, and God wants to build our character. We want to make life easier, but God wants to make us more and more like Jesus. And when we begin to understand that, you start seeing that your circumstance is totally different. You know that that day in the grocery store, when God revealed that he wanted me

to focus on the blessing, I not only started thinking about my family, I started thinking about other people that I can invite in. Even though money was limited. Even though my resources were limited, I was looking for opportunities to bring people to the dinner table and have conversations, and seeing how I can help, how I can encourage, how I can support, even in prayer. And especially in that time, my wife would make these delicious folded tacos. God wants to bless people through you, even at your dinner table, even at a coffee shop. And when you begin to understand that, you start seeing circumstances differently. Because the delay isn't just a delay anymore. Maybe it's your preparation. The closed door isn't just about disappointment. anymore, maybe it's about direction. The struggle isn't just about painting anymore, maybe it's about formation. Because God is always working on something bigger than what we can see. Say it with me again, his thoughts are greater than my thoughts. His ways are better than my ways. And I think one of the biggest lies we believe is that God's primary goal is to make us comfortable. But nowhere in scripture does God promise comfort

as your highest calling. You know what he calls you? You know what he promises? He promises purpose. He promises his presence. He promises transformation. And he invites us into his mission. That's why our church, we have a mission statement that we repeat a lot. And you see it in our Next Steps room, you see it in our website. And it says that we are to love people to Jesus and launch passionate difference makers. And you might ask today, how? It's very simple. We ask each and every one of you to pray for one person. One person that's far from God. One person that's so far gone that you know that the only thing that can reach him is God himself. And when you start to pray, I've experienced this. I pray for the first seven days. Then after the first seven days, I send a text and I say, hey, how are you doing? I might get a response, I might not. And when I don't get the response, I move on to the next. But I'm still praying for them. Then after the 14 days, I start to meet up with them. I just ask them, hey, do you wanna meet for coffee? Just wanna know how you're doing. Then when I meet up with them, 21 days after,

30 days after, whatever it is, I'm constantly praying for them. I sit down, I have coffee and I just ask them, how can I pray for you? Every time, it's a moment where I can connect and bring hope and encouragement. And they feel the prayers. That's God has showed me throughout the years on how to do that. And that's what God wants us to do, is to pray for one person, to love them to Jesus. Why? Because following Jesus isn't about what God just wants to do in you. It's about what God wants to do through you. You see, the reality is there are people connected to your obedience. There are people connected to your generosity. There are people connected to your faithfulness. There are people connected to your story. There are people connected to your purpose. And if all we ever do is focus on this, we won't focus on the other people and what God has called us to do. So that's our challenge, to focus on God's thoughts, his plan throughout this series. I just wanna invite you to lean in and maybe even ask God to make this an anchor in your life. That you can trust him, his thinking, his ways.

Put all your trust in him, not on your own understanding. Because if we focus on us, we'll miss the blessing God wants to pour out through your life. You see, God's plans are always bigger than our preferences. And when we are anchored to the rock, the rock that is called Jesus, do you know that the scripture calls him the son of a living God? Who is the alpha, who is the omega, who is the beginning, who is the end? The one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He's immovable, unmovable. Everything else shifts, everything else moves. But if we make a decision today to lock in and trust him with all our hearts, surrender our focus and lean into his, God will begin to use you. You know why? Because he sees what you can't see. He knows what you don't know. He's working on something bigger than you can even imagine. And if you're anchored to the rock, the storm may shake you, but cannot destroy you. And that's what it means to be anchored. That's what it means to be a believer. It means to be locked in. And that's why we have said throughout this day, what you're locked into determines what holds you.

So the challenge this week is to lock in with Jesus. Lock into that immovable foundation, the eternal refuge, because he provides shelter from the storms and he provides a firm foundation to build your life up. I want to do something different today. And whether you've followed Jesus for a long time or this is your first time, I want to invite you to do something. Why don't we all stand? Maybe you're brand new to faith. That's how I found myself when I walked into the grocery store. That day that I was just pouring out my heart in the car in the parking lot of the grocery store, I just asked God, God, I just want to follow you to the best of my ability. But I'd like for all of us to pray today, this prayer. I'm gonna ask you to repeat it after me. And then after we pray, we're gonna lean into this song that says, trusting God. May this song be a thrusting moment for you to let go of your perspective and ask God to bring his perspective into your life. Why don't you repeat with me? Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me. When I don't understand, help me trust you. When I want my way, help me seek yours.

When life feels uncertain, anchor me in your truth. Give me your perspective. Shape my thoughts. Lead my steps. And use my life for your purpose. Today, I choose to lock into the rock, which is you, Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Thank you. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. He's been my fourth man through the fire, time after time. Born of His Spirit, I'm washed in His blood. And what He did for me on Calvary is more than enough. I trust in God, my Savior, the one who will never fail, He will never fail. I trust in God, my Savior, the one who will never fail, He will never fail. I know the author of tomorrow has ordained my step, so this is my story, and this is my song. I praise Him by reason, King and Savior, all the day long. I trust in God, my Savior, the one who will never fail, He will never fail. He will never fail, He will never fail I trust in God, I say You're the one Who will never fail, He will never fail I saw the Lord and He heard and He answered I saw the Lord and He heard and He answered That's why I trust Him, that's why I trust Him I saw the Lord and He heard and He answered That's why I trust Him, that's why I trust Him I saw the Lord and He heard and He answered

That's why I trust Him, that's why I trust Him I saw the Lord and He heard and He answered That's why I trust Him, that's why I trust Him I trust in God, I say You're the one Who will never fail, He will never fail I trust in God, I say You're the one Who will never fail, He will never fail I saw the Lord and He heard and He answered That's why I trust Him, that's why I trust Him I saw the Lord and He heard and He answered That's why I trust Him, that's why I trust Him Lord we trust You, help us to trust You more Help us to lean in, help us to be more like You Help us to grab hold of our faith And to link up with You and to never ever let go Lord and hold us when we do happen to let go Thank You for Your grace Lord, we love You In Jesus' name we all pray together Amen, amen and amen and amen God's worthy of the praise As you go out if you're looking to your next steps for your faith You can head right over to the next steps room Or if you need prayer we have a prayer room right across the way And if you're online we can connect with that as well We love you, have a great week