BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

THE WORST THING YOU COULD LOSE IS TO LOSE YOUR VISION.

TO LOSE YOUR VISION IS TO LOSE EVERYTHING - AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR NATURAL SIGHT, ...I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUR SPIRITUAL SIGHT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ILLUMINATION THAT COMES ON THE INSIDE OF YOU.
THE BIBLE SAYS THE LIGHT OF THE BODY IS THE EYE, THEREFORE IF THAT EYE BE SINGLE THE WHOLE BODY IS FULL OF LIGHT. METAPHORICALLY HE IS SAYING THE SAME THING THE EYE DOES TO THE BODY THE VISION DOES TO YOUR SPIRIT.
IT ILLUMINATES IT CAUSES YOU TO HAVE LIGHT IT IS THE PLACE OF THE ENTRANCE WHEREBY YOU BEHOLD LIGHT AND EXPELS DARKNESS.

AND IF YOU LOSE YOUR VISION THEN THE WHOLE BODY BECOMES FULL OF DARKNESS.
AS THAT IS NATURALLY, SO IT IS SPIRITUALLY.
ALL THE ENEMY HAS TO DO TO IMPAIR YOUR MOBILITY, STOP YOUR MOVEMENT & IMPED YOUR PROGRESS IS START MESSING WITH YOUR VISION.

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU FROM THE SUBJECT OF HAVING ONE HEART AND ONE VISION.
ACTS TALK ABOUT SINGLENESS APART AND MATTHEW TALKED ABOUT SINGLENESS OF THE EYE.

IN THE BIBLE AND THE BOOK OF ACTS WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE GREAT NEAR CLOSE THAT OCCURRED IN THE LIVES OF THE DISCIPLES IT TIES THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO PERFORM MIRACLES WITH FELLOWSHIP.

IT SAYS THEY CONTINUED FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE IN BREAKING OF BREAD AND IN FELLOWSHIP.
THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE OUR LIFEGROUP MEETINGS OUR CELL GROUPS, HOUSE TO HOUSE MEETINGS.

THAT WE DON'T BECOME ISOLATED AND INTROSPECTIVE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THE ENEMY FIGHTS CHRISTIANS MOST.

- THE ENEMY WANTS TO BRING YOU TO A POINT WHERE YOU BECOME CYNICAL ABOUT OTHER BELIEVERS AND YOU STOP FOOLING WITH PEOPLE ALTOGETHER.

- AFTER YOU'VE HAD SEVERAL BAD EXPERIENCES YOU GET TO THE POINT YOU DON'T WANT TO COME OUT OF YOUR HOUSE, YOU WANT TO GO UP AND GET IN A LITTLE CAVE OR A LITTLE HOLE... "I DON'T WANT TO TRUST ANYBODY, I DON'T WANT TO OPEN UP TO ANYBODY, YOU ARE AFRAID".

- BUT IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU BREAK-THROUGH THAT FEAR AND ALLOW SOMEBODY, NOT EVERYBODY - BUT ALLOW SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO THAT INNER SANCTUM SO YOU CAN HAVE FELLOWSHIP.

FELLOWSHIP GIVES YOU CROSS-POLLINATION, IT CAUSES YOU TO BE FRUITFUL.

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY THOUGHTS THAT YOUR OWN THOUGHTS YOU CAN'T MONITOR WHETHER YOU'RE PROGRESSING OR DIGRESSING.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO BOUNCE SOME THINGS OFF OF PEOPLE.

IN THE BIBLE SAYS THE THING THAT CAUSED THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IS THAT THEY CONTINUED TO BREAKING OF BREAD AND GOING HOUSE TO HOUSE.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP NOT ALL HIS SPIRITUALITY, NOT JUST HAVEN'T CHURCH BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME FUN.

THAT'S WHAT THE EARLY CHURCH DID.
AND THE BIBLE ATTRIBUTES THEIR ABILITY TO PERFORM MIRACLES TO THIS.
AND THE BIBLE SAYS THEY WENT HOUSE TO HOUSE IN FELLOWSHIP & BREAKING OF BREAD AND IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEIR ABILITY TO PERFORM MIRACLES.

SINGLENESS OF HEART... WHERE YOU HAVE ONE HEART.

ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS YOU EVER ATTAIN IS ONE HEART.
TO GET DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE YOU ARE ONE IN ANY AREA OF YOUR LIFE TAKES A LOT OF WORK.
IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE WE ARE BORN WITH INCONSISTENCIES, WE ARE BORN OUT OF BALANCE.

WE ARE BORN NOT AT A PLACE OF WHOLENESS, ONENESS, SOLIDARITY, OR STABILITY.

THAT'S WHY DAVID SAID IN PSALMS 27 - HE FINALLY COMES TO THE POINT WHERE HE SAYS "HEY THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I COULD ASK GOD FOR THAT I AM BOILING IT DOWN TOO, AND THAT ONE THING THAT I HAVE DESIRED OF THE LORD IS WHAT I'M GOING TO SEEK AFTER AND THAT IS THAT I MAY DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER."

WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO ONE THING YOU HAVE UNITY, YOU'VE GOT SOLIDARITY, YOU'VE GOT FOCUS AND YOU'VE GOT POWER.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE ENEMY DOES, EVIL DOES, LIFE DOES, TROUBLE DOES IS DO EVERYTHING THAT IT CAN TO KEEP YOU FROM HAVING ONE HEART!

The Siege Is Over

THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL WAS UNDER SIEGE BY THE SYRIAN ARMY.
THE CITY WAS SURROUNDED, ALL SUPPLIES HAD BEEN CUT OFF, THE FOOD SITUATION WAS DESPERATE. THE NATION WAS STARVING TO DEATH.

THINGS WERE SO BAD THAT THE ONLY THING TO EAT WAS DONKEY-HEAD BURGERS AND THEY WERE SELLING FOR $50 A PIECE AND THE ONLY THING YOU COULD PUT ON THE BURGER WAS DOVE-DROPPINGS.
• CAN YOU IMAGINE GOING DOWN TO THE LOCAL RESTAURANT, SITTING DOWN AND SAYING TO THE WAITER, "GIVE ME A DONKEY-HEAD BURGER, BUT HOLD THE DOVE MANURE."


SITTING IN THE TWILIGHT, WHEN IT WAS NEITHER DAY OR NIGHT, ONE OF THEM SAID, “IF WE SIT HERE WE’RE GOING TO DIE, IF WE GO INSIDE THE CITY WE ARE GOING TO DIE;

WHY DON’T WE TAKE A WALK OUT TO THE ENEMIES CAMP & SEE IF THEY WILL HAVE MERCY ON US & THROW US A LOAF OF BREAD.

AND THE BIBLE SAYS THEY ROSE UP IN THE TWILIGHT & HEADED TOWARDS THE ENEMIES CAMP.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO STAND UP IN YOUR TWILIGHT EXPERIENCE.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO OVERCOME WHAT YOU FEEL & HOW SICK YOU ARE & HOW HUNGRY…
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STAND UP & DO SOMETHING.
THESE MEN WALKED TOWARD THE ENEMIES CAMP & THE BIBLE SAYS “GOD AMPLIFIED THEIR FOOTSTEPS”.

GOD HAD DONE BOTH THE UNEXPECTED AND THE IMPOSSIBLE (BECAUSE HE SPECIALIZES IN DOING BOTH) SENDING AN INVISIBLE ANGELIC ARMY, HE HAD CAUSED THE SYRIAN ARMY TO FLEE.


ALL OF A SUDDEN, THESE FOUR LEPERS KNEW THEY HAD STRUCK THE MOTHER-LOAD.
THERE WAS BLING-BLING EVERYWHERE.
THESE LEPERS WERE NOW THE "FANTASTIC FOUR".
THEY HAD BECOME INSTANT MILLIONAIRES.
IN JUST A MATTER OF MINUTES, THEY HAD GONE FROM LEPROSY TO LUXURY.
THEY WERE GORGING THEMSELVES ON FOOD, DRINKING FRESH WATER, TRYING ON THE RINGS AND JEWELRY, & ARMONI SUITS,
ALL THE WHILE,
UNKNOWING TO THEM, THE PROPHET INSIDE THE CITY SAID, “THIS TIME TOMORROW THE SIEGE WILL BE OVER”.
THIS TIME TOMORROW GOD WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO US & OUR FAMINE WILL COME TO AN END.

GOD USED 4 LEPROUS MEN TO BRING A SIEGE TO AN END.
• GOD CAN USE THE THINGS THAT WE WON’T TOUCH TO BRING A SIEGE TO AN END.
• GOD CAN MAKE RAVENS TO BRING COOKED MEAT & BAKED BREAD.
• GOD HAS A WAY OF USING THE UGLY THINGS TO PERFORM MIRACLES WITH.
THESE LEPERS ARE IN THIS HUGE ARMY CAMP, WITH ALL THE SILVER & GOLD OF THE OPPOSING ARMY, EATING LIKE KINGS, A TURKEY LEG IN ONE HAND & A LAMB CHOP IN THE OTHER.
AND ONE SAID TO THE ANOTHER, IT’S NOT WELL THAT WE DO THIS WHILE OUR BROTHERS ARE HUNGRY IN THE CITY.
AND THEY WENT BACK TO THEIR CITY WITH THE GREAT NEWS THE SEIGE HAD COME TO AN END.
AND THIS MORNING, I WANT TO SPEAK PROPHETICALLY INTO YOUR LIFE, YOUR MARRIAGES, YOUR FINANCES & YOUR HEALTH, YOUR WORKPLACE.
I PROPHETICALLY DECLARE TO YOU TODAY, THE SIEGE IS COMING TO AN END.
THE LACK OF YOUR LIFE IS COMING TO AN END.
I SPEAK HEALTH TO YOUR BODY.
I SPEAK TO THE SIEGE OF THE FINANCES OF THIS CHURCH, IN THE NAME OF JESUS IT IS COMING TO AN END.
The SIEGE OF ATTACK YOU’VE BEEN UNDER IS COMING TO AN END!
LISTEN,
The FAMINE WAS SO HUGE THAT THEY HAD RESORTED TO EATING DONKEY HEAD BURGERS WITH DOVE DUNG.
IN THE MIDDLE OF A FAMINE, IN THE MIDDLE OF A SIEGE, WHEN THERE WAS NO WAY OUT & THE ENEMY HAD A DEATH GRIP ON THEM & SOMEBODY HAD TO GET A WORD FROM GOD.
SOMEBODYS GOT TO HEAR FROM GOD.
SOMEBODY’S GOT TO GET A PRAYER THROUGH THE HEAVENS.
AND THE PROPHETS SAID, “THIS TIME TOMORROW THIS CITY WILL BE FULL OF SUPPLIES”.

TWO LEPROUS MEN OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS SAID, “WE WILL EITHER SIT HERE & DIE OR MARCH TO THE CITY”.
AND LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING WRITE THIS DOWN MY FRIEND,
• THE MOUNTAINS YOU FACE BECOME A MOLE HILL, THE MOLE HILLS YOU DON’T FACE BECOMES A MOUNTAIN.
WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO TODAY,
IS WE ARE GOING TO SING THE SONG, “I WENT TO THE ENEMYS CAMP & TOOK BACK WHAT HE STOLE FROM ME, TAKE BACK WHAT HE STOLE FROM ME”.

YOU CAN SIT HERE THIS MORNING & DIE IN YOUR DEPRESSION, & LET THE ENEMY STEAL YOUR LIFE, YOUR CALL, YOUR ANOINTING OR YOU CAN DO LIKE THE LEPERS DID & SAY “GET OUT OF MY WAY, I’M TAKING BACK WHAT THE DEVIL STOLE FROM ME”.
WE ARE GOING TO MARCH AROUND THIS CHURCH!
• MARCHING FOR OUR CHILDRENS SALVATION.
• MARCHING FOR MY BUSINESS BREAKTHROUGH.
I’M HERE TO DECLARE TO YOU TODAY, “THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE SIEGE OF YOUR LIFE IS ABOUT TO COME TO AN END.

THE BIBLE SAYS, “IT DAWNED ON THE LEPERS “WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND”.
IN FACT, THE LONGER YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, THE MORE PRONE YOU ARE TO LET THIS HAPPEN.

SOMEONE ASKED BILLY GRAHAM IN HIS LAST CRUSADE IN NEW YORK CITY WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE WORLD'S GREATEST SOCIAL PROBLEM.
HE SAID WITHOUT HESITATION, "HUNGER."
PEOPLE WITHOUT GOD ARE HUNGRY.
THEY ARE STARVING AND THEY ARE DESPERATE.

THE REASON WHY PEOPLE TRY DRUGS, SEX AND MONEY OR THEY BEGIN TO FEED OFF OF EACH OTHER WITH VIOLENCE, WAR, RAPE AND MURDER IS EITHER BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN EATING THE WRONG FOOD (THAT IS THEY HAVE BEEN EATING THE WORLD'S DONKEY-HEAD BURGERS WHICH REALLY WON'T SATISFY) OR THEY HAVE NO FOOD AT ALL.

THE REASON WHY THIS WORLD IS HUNGRY TODAY IS BECAUSE THERE IS A FAMINE.

IT IS A FAMINE THAT AFFECTS EVERY NATION IN THE WORLD. IT IS A FAMINE THE PROPHET AMOS SPOKE OF WHEN HE SAID THIS -
"'Behold, days are coming,' declares the Lord GOD,'When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the LORD.'" (Amos 8:11, NASB)

I SUBMIT TO YOU TODAY YOU COULD FEED EVERY PERSON ON THIS EARTH, 3 SQUARE MEALS A DAY FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, - PUT A CAR IN EVERY GARAGE - AND A TURKEY IN EVERY OVEN, AND YOU STILL WOULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF WAR, RAPE, MURDER, VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM, BECAUSE THOSE ARE NOT PHYSICAL PROBLEMS; THOSE ARE SPIRITUAL PROBLEMS.

IF THESE MEN HAD NOT DECIDED TO GET UP, STEP OUT IN FAITH AND TRUST GOD WITH THEIR LIVES, THEY WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT ON THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAD FOR THEM.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES, THESE LEPERS LIVED LIKE KINGS.
THEY STUFFED THEIR BELLIES FULL OF FOOD AND THEIR POCKETS FULL OF GOLD.
WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND THEM WAS EATING DONKEY-HEAD BURGERS TOPPED WITH DOVE MANURE THEY WERE ENJOYING FILET MINION, BAKED POTATO AND APPLE PIE.

THINK ABOUT THIS - EVERY SINGLE BITE OF FOOD THEY TOOK, EVERY PIECE OF JEWELRY THEY PUT ON, EVERY GOLD NUGGET THEY STUCK IN THEIR POCKET HAD ALL BEEN PROVIDED BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

THESE LEPERS DIDN'T DESERVE ANY OF THIS. THEY HADN'T FOUGHT ONE BATTLE. THEY HADN'T KILLED ONE SOLDIER.
THEY HAD NOT BOUGHT ONE PIECE OF BREAD.
THEY HAD NOT EARNED ONE PIECE OF GOLD.
IT WAS ALL BY THE GRACE OF GOD.


THAT IS EXACTLY A PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON COMES TO CHRIST.
HE STRIKES GOLD; THE GOLD OF GOD'S GRACE, THE GOLD OF GOD'S LOVE, THE GOLD OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS, THE GOLD OF ETERNAL LIFE AND HE EATS BREAD AND DRINKS WATER THAT FOREVER QUENCHES HIS HUNGER AND HIS THIRST.


"THEN THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, "WE ARE NOT DOING RIGHT. THIS DAY IS A DAY OF GOOD NEWS, BUT WE ARE KEEPING SILENT." (II KINGS 7:9, NASB)

YOU KNOW WHERE I AM GOING WITH THIS - DON'T YOU?
WE ARE SITTING ON NOT JUST GOOD NEWS, BUT THE BEST NEWS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

NEWS THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETERNAL LIFE AND ETERNAL DEATH THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHETHER A PERSON SPENDS ETERNITY IN HELL OR IN HEAVEN.

LISTEN TO WHAT THESE MEN FINALLY CONCLUDED.
"If we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household." (II Kings 7:9b)

THEY KNEW THAT IF THEY DID NOT SHARE THIS GOOD NEWS IT WOULD CATCH UP WITH THEM.
THEY KNEW WITH THEIR GREAT DISCOVERY CAME BOTH A RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE THAT DISCOVERY, AND AN ACCOUNTABILITY IF THEY DID NOT.

The Prophet Ezekiel put it very strongly when he said this,
"If I warn the wicked, saying, `You are under the penalty of death,' but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs." (Ezekiel 3:18, NLT)

HOW WOULD YOU LIFE CHANGE IF YOU ADOPTED A "NO ONE LEFT BEHIND" MENTALITY?
o Who would you take to lunch or have to your home for
dinner?
o Who would you add to your prayer list?
o Who would you invite to Covenant Life?
o How would your financial priorities change?



DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE “SIN OF THE DESERT IS?"
"THE SIN OF THE DESERT IS TO KNOW WHERE THERE IS WATER, BUT NOT TELL ANYONE ELSE ABOUT IT".

MILLIONS WILL STAND BEFORE GOD WHO COMMITTED THE SIN OF THE DESERT, AND WILL STAND BEFORE GOD, NEVER HAVING TOLD ANYONE ABOUT THE LIVING WATER THAT CAN QUENCH THE THIRST AND THE BREAD OF LIFE THAT CAN QUENCH THE HUNGER OF ANY HUMAN BEING.

I read a story years ago about a goof-off who played around
with football. He never got to play because he never took the game
seriously. He sat the bench all the time. He was just a big fun-
loving mischievous kid that didn't take practice very seriously. He
had a uniform and he would show up to play, but never showed a
lot of enthusiasm for the game.

The only reason he played football was so the girls would like
him, and he wouldn't have to buy a ticket to get into the games. He
hated to practice, he did his laps only hapheartedly. One day while
he was going through the motions the coach came over and said,
"Son, there's a telegram for you." He said, "Coach, what does it
say?" The boy was so lazy he didn't even like to read. The coach
opened it up and it read, "Dear Son, your father is dead. Come
home immediately." The coach swallowed hard and said, "Son,
take the rest of the week off." Quite frankly, the coach didn't care if
he never came back.

Well, funny thing, when game time came on Friday, and the
teams came rushing out on the field, the last kid out, dressed out in
his uniform, was this goof-off. As soon as the gun sounded the kid
went up to the coach and said, "Coach, can I play today?" The
coach thought, "Kid, you're not playing today, this is Homecoming.
This is the biggest game of the year. We need our best players
and you're not one of them." The coach ignored him. Well every
time the coach turned around the kid badgered him, "Coach, please
let me play. I've just got to play."


Well, the first quarter ended with a score lopsided against the
coach and his team. At halftime they were still further behind. The
second half started and things were getting worse, and the coach
finally out of just a sense of resignation said to the kid, "Get in
there. You can't hurt anything now anyway."

No sooner did that kid hit the field than his team exploded. He
ran, blocked, and tackled like an all-American. The electricity
leaped to this team. The score evened up and the closing seconds
of the game this kid even intercepted a pass and ran all the way for
the winning touchdown!

The stands broke into pandemonium. This kid was carried off
the field on the shoulders of his teammates. When the excitement
died down, the coach went over to this kid in the locker room and
said, "Kid, I've never seen anything like that. What in the world
happened to you out there?" He said, "Coach, you know my Dad
died last week." The coach said, "Yes, I know that." He said, "Well
coach, my Dad was blind and today was the first day he ever saw
me play." (7)

Well, I want to tell you today your Heavenly Father is watching