Open My Eyes
LORD OPEN OUR EYES BBC JUNE 24, 2007
2 KINGS 6:15-17 15 AND WHEN THE SERVANT OF THE MAN OF GOD WAS RISEN EARLY, AND GONE FORTH, BEHOLD, AN HOST COMPASSED THE CITY BOTH WITH HORSES AND CHARIOTS. AND HIS SERVANT SAID UNTO HIM, ALAS, MY MASTER! HOW SHALL WE DO? 16 AND HE ANSWERED,, FEAR NOT: FOR THEY THAT BE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THEY THAT BE WITH THEM. 17 AND ELISHA PRAYED, AND SAID, LORD, I PRAY THEE, OPEN HIS EYES,, THAT HE MAY SEE. AND THE LORD OPENED THE EYES OF THE YOUNG MAN; AND HE SAW: AND, BEHOLD, THE MOUNTAIN WAS FULL OF HORSES AND CHARIOTS OF FIRE ROUND ABOUT ELISHA.
INTRO: THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN MEETS THE EYE.
THINGS WE CANNOT SEE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES: IN FACT, WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE CAN HURT YOU. THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF LIFE CAN GREATLY IMPACT US
ON ROADS – POT HOLES AND DEER
IN RESTAURANTS – ECOLI BACTERIA ON YOUR FOOD
ON STEPS – ROLLER SKATE, OR A SHOE
ON AN UNFINISHED WOOD PRODUCTS – SPLINTERS
IN THE BODY – BLOOD CLOT AND SUGAR AND CHOLESTEROL
IN OUR COMPUTERS - VIRUS AS WELL AS HACKERS
IN OUR SOCIETY – STREET PEOPLE AND THE POOR
IN THE MALL – THE UNSEEN CAMERAS OF SECURITY
IN LAW ENFORCEMENT – THE UNSEEN PLAIN CLOTHES DETECTIVE DRIVING IN UNMARKED CARS
SPENDING TIME IN THE UNSEEN …GOOD OR BAD…..IMPACTS THE SEEN; LIVING FOCUSED ON ABOVE HELPS US TO LIVE IN THE BELOW. THE SPIRITUAL HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE PHYSICAL…THE PHYSICAL HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE SPIRITUAL. AND WE NEED TO HAVE OUR EYES OPENED…AND IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
NOTHING NEW: BALAAM DONKEY SAW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD…AND BALAAM DIDN’T SEE…THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN MEETS THE EYE.
EXPL: THE BOOK OF KINGS RECOUNTS HISTORY OF SOLOMON AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF ISRAEL. IT RECOUNTS THE HISTORY OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL IN THE DIVIDED AGE OF APOSTASY, REBELLION AND REVOLT AMIDST THE DARK AND DEGENERATE RULES. IN THE MIDST APOSTASY THERE ARE THE PROPHETS; ELIJAH AND ELISHA.
ELIJAH – CALLED DOWN FIRE FROM HEAVEN; DIVIDED THE JORDAN AND WAS TRANSLATED AS CHARIOTS OF FIRE CAME FROM HEAVEN TO CARRY HIM HOME.
ELISHA – ASKED FOR A DOUBLE PORTION; HE TOO DIVIDED THE JORDAN; DISCIPLINED THE MOCKING CHILDREN; HEALED THE WATERS AND THE STEW; CAUSED THE OIL TO FLOW TIL ALL THE DEBT WAS PAID; RAISED A SON BACK TO LIFE; HEALED THE GENTILE NAAMAN WHILE AFFLICTING HIS GREEDY SERVANT GEHAZI; CAUSED THE BORROWED IRON AXE HEAD TO FLOAT.
JUST AS THE IRON FLOATED; ISRAEL FLOATED AWAY; DRIFTED AWAY AND LOST SIGHT OF THE SHORES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. JUST LIKE ISRAEL FLOATED AWAY, WE TEND TO DRIFT, FLOAT AND LOSE SIGHT OF THE SHORES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
PROP: WE NEED GOD TO OPEN OUR EYES!
INTER: WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO SEE?
TS: AS WE LOOK AT THE PASSAGE, WE WILL HEAR WHAT WE NEED TO SEE.
PROP: GOD WANTS US TO HAVE SHARP SPIRITUAL EYES.
INTER: WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO SEE?
GOD WANTS US TO SEE THE UNSEEN…
MP I. THE UNSEEN POWER OF EVIL. V. 8-14
KING OF SYRIA VS. THE KING OF ISRAEL ARE AT WAR.
WAR -ILL: WAR IS IN THE WORLD TODAY. THERE IS ON GOING WAR ALL OVER. WAR IS PEOPLES, NATIONS, TRIBES TAKING ACTION IN FORM OF OVERT OR COVERT AGGRESSION TO EXPAND OR DEFEND RESOURCES, CULTURE AND BELIEFS.
WARN -IMP. WE NEED TO BE WARNED OF THE WAR GOING ON. GOD SENDS THE PROPHETS TO WARN US; THE PROPHETS…NABI…ARE SEERS. THEY WARN; ENCOURAGE OBEDIENCE TO GOD; ENCOURAGE TRUST IN GOD; GIVE HOPE IN GOD. FROM NOAH, TO JEREMIAH, ELIJAH, JOHN THE BAPTIST …HAVE A MINISTRY OF WARNING US.
WORD: EPHESIANS 6:12 12 FOR WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES.
1 TIMOTHY 1:18 THIS CHARGE I COMMIT TO YOU, SON TIMOTHY, ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECIES PREVIOUSLY MADE CONCERNING YOU, THAT BY THEM YOU MAY WAGE THE GOOD WARFARE,
1 TIMOTHY 4:1 NOW THE SPIRIT EXPRESSLY SAYS THAT IN LATTER TIMES SOME WILL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, GIVING HEED TO DECEIVING SPIRITS AND DOCTRINES OF DEMONS,
APP: DON’T UNDER ESTIMATE THE POWER OF EVIL, SIN AND SATAN. DON’T PLAY WITH FIRE BECAUSE WE WILL GET BURNED. UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE WARN OTHERS THE NEXT WAVE OF EVIL WILL BE GREATER AGAINST US. THE ENEMY WILL REDIRECT EVIL …BUT EVIL WILL ALWAYS MAKE MISTAKES.
ILL: FROG IN THE KETTLE - THEY SAY THAT IF YOU PUT A FROG INTO A POT OF BOILING WATER, IT WILL LEAP OUT RIGHT AWAY TO ESCAPE THE DANGER. BUT, IF YOU PUT A FROG IN A KETTLE THAT IS FILLED WITH WATER THAT IS COOL AND PLEASANT, AND THEN YOU GRADUALLY HEAT THE KETTLE UNTIL IT STARTS BOILING,
THE FROG WILL NOT BECOME AWARE OF THE THREAT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE.
THE FROG'S SURVIVAL INSTINCTS ARE GEARED TOWARDS DETECTING SUDDEN CHANGES. THIS IS A STORY THAT IS USED TO ILLUSTRATE HOW PEOPLE MIGHT GET THEMSELVES INTO TERRIBLE TROUBLE.
THIS PARABLE IS OFTEN USED TO ILLUSTRATE HOW HUMANS HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TO WATCH SLOWLY CHANGING TRENDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT, NOT JUST THE SUDDEN CHANGES. ITS A WARNING TO KEEP US PAYING ATTENTION NOT JUST TO OBVIOUS THREATS BUT TO MORE SLOWLY DEVELOPING ONES.
ILL: SIN WILL TAKE YOU FARTHER THAN YOU WANT TO GO
SIN WILL KEEP YOU LONGER THAN YOU WANT TO STAY
SIN WILL COST YOU MORE THAN YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY.
MP II. POWER OF PRAYER V. 15 -17.
WHILE WE ARE SLEEPING THE WORLD IS DEVISING PLANS FOR OUR DEMISE: THE WORLD PLANS TO HOST US AND ROAST US; DEVOUR US
; EXPLOIT US; HAVE US FOR LUNCH.
THE PROPHETS SERVANT SCREAMED…ALAS! HE ROSE UP EARLY AND DISCOVERED THAT EVIL HAD DISPENSED TIME AND RESOURCES FOR THEIR DEMISE: AND HE SAW THAT THEY WERE DEFENSELESS, OUT NUMBERED, ON THE BRINK OF SLAUGHTER. THE SERVANT SAW THE ARMY OF SYRIA..AND PANICKED.
THE PROPHET OF GOD SAW…THE ALMIGHTY. HE SAW BEYOND THE VEIL OF REALITY; AND SAW THE LORD’S ARMY, THE UNSEEN WARRIORS OF PS 91:11 ..AND HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE TO KEEP THEE IN ALL THY WAYS.
IMP. POWER OF PRAYER WILL OPEN OUR SPIRITUAL EYES. WE NEED TO SEE, PERCEIVE, DISCERN SO TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY KNOWING THAT GOD WILL PROTECT US.
RESPOND IN FAITH VS. FEAR
RESPOND WITH FIGHT VS. FLIGHT
WORD: 2 CORINTHIANS 10:4 (FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL, BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS;)
ROMANS 13:12 THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT, THE DAY IS AT HAND: LET US THEREFORE CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS, AND LET US PUT ON THE AMOUR OF LIGHT.
1 SAMUEL 17:45 THEN SAID DAVID TO THE PHILISTINE, THOU COMEST TO ME WITH A SWORD, AND WITH A SPEAR, AND WITH A SHIELD: BUT I COME TO THEE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL, WHOM THOU HAST DEFIED. 46 THIS DAY WILL THE LORD DELIVER THEE INTO MINE HAND; AND I WILL SMITE THEE, AND TAKE THINE HEAD FROM THEE; AND I WILL GIVE THE CARCASES OF THE HOST OF THE PHILISTINES THIS DAY UNTO THE FOWLS OF THE AIR, AND TO THE WILD BEASTS OF THE EARTH; THAT ALL THE EARTH MAY KNOW THAT THERE IS A GOD IN ISRAEL. 47 AND ALL THIS ASSEMBLY SHALL KNOW THAT THE LORD SAVETH NOT WITH SWORD AND SPEAR: FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU INTO OUR HANDS. 48 AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE PHILISTINE AROSE, AND CAME AND DREW NIGH TO MEET DAVID, THAT DAVID HASTED, AND RAN TOWARD THE ARMY TO MEET THE PHILISTINE. 49 AND DAVID PUT HIS HAND IN HIS BAG, AND TOOK THENCE A STONE, AND SLANG IT, AND SMOTE THE PHILISTINE IN HIS FOREHEAD, THAT THE STONE SUNK INTO HIS FOREHEAD; AND HE FELL UPON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH. 50 SO DAVID PREVAILED OVER THE PHILISTINE WITH A SLING AND WITH A STONE, AND SMOTE THE PHILISTINE, AND SLEW HIM; BUT THERE WAS NO SWORD IN THE HAND OF DAVID.
ZECHARIAH 4:6 SO HE ANSWERED AND SAID TO ME: "THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD TO ZERUBBABEL: 'NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT,' SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS.
1 JOHN 5:4 FOR WHATSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD: AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH.
REVELATION 2:7 "HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES I WILL GIVE TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE OF GOD." '
APP; WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT; WE ARE NOT TO BEAR THE WEIGHT IN WHAT WE SEE..BUT TRUST IN THE ONE WHO SEES ALL.;
LORD OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE
OUR BLESSINGS
THE HURT OF OTHERS AND THEIR NEEDS…
OUR SPIRITUAL RESOURCES…
WALKING BY FAIITH DEPENDS ON OUR HEARING; HEARING GOD AS WE PRAY; ELISHA PRAYED FOR HIS SERVANT AND HIS SERVANT EYES WERE OPENED..
PRAY; LINE UP OUR WILL WITH GOD’S WILL
DEMONSTRATES TRUST; DEPENDENCE AND RELIANCE
GAIN SPIRITUAL WISDOM
HONORS GOD
GROW AND GIVES STRENGTH
ENDURANCE AND PATIENCE
JOY AND THANKS
ILL: OPEN OUR EYES – THERE WAS A COUPLE WHO TOOK A CRUISE FOR THEIR HONEYMOON, BUT PACKED PEANUT BUTTER CRACKER TO EAT BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY. THEY DIDN’T KNOW…MEALS WERE INCLUDED AND COULD EAT AROUND THE CLOCK. WE ARE BLESSED TO SIT AT THE CAPTAINS TABLE…AND HE HAS HE POWER TO SUPPLY OUR NEEDS.
MP III. THE POWER OF LOVE V 18-23
ELISHA PRAYS THREE TIME AND WE REALIZE TWO MIRACLES; SERVANTS’ EYES ARE OPENED; ENEMIES EYES ARE CLOSED WITH BLINDNESS. GOD HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR. ELISHA THEN TELLS THEM THEY ARE IN THE WRONG PLACE WITH THE WRONG PERSON BUT HE WILL LEAD THEM TO THE PLACE AND PERSONS. ELISHA THEN PRAYS AND THEY FIND THEMSELVES, THE ENEMY IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP. BU THE COUNSEL IS NOT TO KILL BUT TO BE KIND.
IMP. IF YOU ARE GONNA KILL; KILL’EM WITH KINDNESS. RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL.
1 SAMUEL 24:17 AND HE SAID TO DAVID, THOU ART MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN I: FOR THOU HAST REWARDED ME GOOD, WHEREAS I HAVE REWARDED THEE EVIL. 18 AND THOU HAST SHEWED THIS DAY HOW THAT THOU HAST DEALT WELL WITH ME: FORASMUCH AS WHEN THE LORD HAD DELIVERED ME INTO THINE HAND, THOU KILLEDST ME NOT. 19 FOR IF A MAN FIND HIS ENEMY, WILL HE LET HIM GO WELL AWAY? WHEREFORE THE LORD REWARD THEE GOOD FOR THAT THOU HAST DONE UNTO ME THIS DAY. 20 AND NOW, BEHOLD, I KNOW WELL THAT THOU SHALT SURELY BE KING, AND THAT THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL SHALL BE ESTABLISHED IN THINE HAND.
NKJ PROVERBS 25:21 IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, GIVE HIM BREAD TO EAT; AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM WATER TO DRINK; 22 FOR SO YOU WILL HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON HIS HEAD, AND THE LORD WILL REWARD YOU.
MATTHEW 5:44 BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU; AND THEY WILL BE ASHAMED OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO YOU."
ROMANS 12:20 INSTEAD, DO WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY: "IF YOUR ENEMIES ARE HUNGRY, FEED THEM. IF THEY ARE THIRSTY, GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO DRINK,
1 CORINTHIANS 13:8 CHARITY NEVER FAILETH:
APP: LOVE CHOOSES TO FORGIVE AND NOT BRING ABOUT REVENGE. WHEN WRONGED MANY TIMES OUR FIRST RESPONSE IS TO “GET EVEN” AND “EVEN THE SCORE:… TO LOVE AND FORGIVE IS NOT NATURAL BUT SUPERNATURAL…AND ONLY GOD GIVES US THE STRENGTH TO PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HURT US….
ILL; LOVE KEEPS US FROM DANGERS UNSEEN
A DOCTOR WAS HURRYING ALONG A LONELY ROAD AT A LATE HOUR ONE NIGHT, THINKING ONLY OF REACHING HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS HE NEARED A SMALL HOUSE BY THE ROADSIDE, HE HEARD WHAT SEEMED TO BE A CRY OF DISTRESS. ALIGHTING FROM HIS HORSE, HE FOUND THAT A LITTLE CHILD HAD BEEN CALLING TO HIM FROM THE DOORWAY. INSIDE WAS A MAN WHO WOULD HAVE DIED BUT FOR HIS TIMELY AID. HE REMAINED ALL NIGHT WITH THE MAN, AND THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT, EXCEPT THAT HE HAD SAVED THE MAN’S LIFE. HE NEVER KNEW THAT DOWN THE ROAD THAT NIGHT TWO MEN HAD LAIN IN WAIT TO ROB AND MURDER HIM. SO THOSE OF US WHO HAVE GIVEN OURSELVES TO GOD WILL NEVER KNOW THE FULL STORY OF OUR DELIVERANCE. SAVED MEANS SAVED FROM THE EVIL THAT AWAITED US, HAD WE PURSUED OUR OWN WAY.
[1]
CLOSE: LORD OPEN MY EYES BECAUSE WE ARE NEVER ALONE.
HE SAID I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.
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[1] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)