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Hallelu Hallelu. Thank you. Mercy love it.

Well, good morning everybody. Amen. Let's try that again.

Good morning everybody. Is it a good morning today? You glad you're in the house of the Lord?

Why don't we all stand if you would here? I want to start with a scripture. It's a familiar scripture.

Most of you can probably quote it by memory. You just heard it enough, but you don't always remember the exact scripture setting, but it's found in Psalm 119 or excuse me, Psalm 118:24. The familiar passage is simply this.

Now, to this is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Amen.

How many's got that commitment today? This This is the day. Today, we think about the future.

We vision cast. We think about what good things God wants to do in the future. But you there's never been a better opportunity than right now to get what you need from God.

There's never been a better opportunity than right now to praise God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You think God would be pleased with that? You think God cares what happens today?

God cares about our future, but he cares about today. He cares about your response to him today. He cares about what's going on in this building today.

Look around this building. Look at the people that's in here right now. Look, look around at the people.

You know what? You're looking at people that came in here today. Some of these people came in today with needs, needs in [snorts] their life.

We don't know what's going on in the background. We don't know what life is like for these individuals. Some of some of the details we do know, but a lot we don't know.

And when we look around these people, we realize that there is a need that God needs to fulfill today. Amen. Today, this is the day.

Today is the day the Lord has made this day. And I'm asking us all join together right now with all of our heart and say, "We will rejoice. We will be glad in it." Amen.

>> Amen. We will rejoice and be glad in this day, in [music] this place, right now. Amen.

Let's begin this service by lifting our voices to the Lord right now. Let's just thank God for his goodness. Thank God for his promise.

Thank God for his power. Come on, let's lift up our voices, Lord, right now. God, we thank you, Lord, for this day, God.

We thank you for this place. We thank you for these people that are here right now in Jesus name. Jesus name.

Jesus name. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, God.

Thank you for your promise, oh God. Thank you for your power, dear God. Thank you for your ways of [music] righteousness and peace and truth, Lord.

Let your will be accomplished [music] in this place today, Jesus. Hallelujah, Lord. Hallelujah, Lord.

Hallelujah, Lord. Come on, let's begin to magnify the Lord as we worship and praise him here today. Praise the Lord.

Everybody turn to your neighbor. Say, "I don't know what you come to do, >> but I came to praise the Lord." Anybody came to praise the Lord this morning? Come on, put your hands together.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You get all the praise.

We say allelujah. [screaming] You get all the praise always. >> Allelujah.

[singing] You get all the praise. We say hallelujah. You get all the praise.

I've got a God who is for me and he knows we're making a way. He fought the battle so I didn't have to. All glory belongs to his name.

Yeah, >> I' got [singing] a faithful >> far through every season of my weakness. He gave me a song. >> I came to praise.

I came to praise. That's why I woke up today. I came to praise.

We say allelujah. You get all [music] the praise. We say [singing] allelujah.

[music] You get all the praise [singing] always. I've got a [music] king who is rich and he put my shame in a grave. Went to hell and back and now I never have to.

And he did it all in what you come to do. >> I came to praise. >> I came to praise.

>> I came to praise. >> That's why I woke up today. >> That's why I woke up today.

>> I came to praise. We say hallelujah. You get all [music] the praise.

We say hallelujah. You get all the praise. >> I'll sing it in the morning.

I'll sing it at night. Sing at night. >> I'll singing the battle.

That's how I fight. >> I'm singing he's holy. I'm singing it twice.

twice. >> I'm singing the rest of my life. >> I'm singing in the morning.

>> In the morning. I'm singing at night. >> I'm singing at night.

>> I'm singing [music] in the battle. That's how I fight. >> That's how I fight.

>> I'm singing. He's holy. >> Holy.

I'm singing it twice. >> Twice. >> I'm singing [music] holy the rest of my life.

>> I'm singing. He's holy. >> He's holy the rest of my life.

Allelujah. [singing] You get all the praise. [music] >> [singing] >> Hallelujah.

You get all the praise. Hallelujah. You get all the praise.

We say hallelujah. [music] You get all the praise. >> I'm singing in the morning.

I'm singing [music] at night. >> I'm singing in the battle. That's how I fight.

That's how I sing he's holy. >> Holy twice. >> I'm singing.

He's holy. Rest [singing] of my life. >> I'm singing in the morning.

Singing at night. >> I'm singing the battle. That's how I fight.

>> I'm singing he's holy. >> He's holy. I'm singing twice.

>> Twice. I'm single. [music] Halle Hallelujah.

You get all [music] the praise. [singing] We say hallelujah. [music] >> You get all the praise.

We say >> oh what you came to do. >> I came to praise. >> Say I came to praise.

>> I came to praise. >> Devil get out of my way. >> Get out of my way.

>> Say I came to praise. Thank the Lord. Thank for the Lord for an opportunity to praise.

Amen. Opportunity to praise, to lift him up. So good to have you here today and thankful for those that are here join with us today.

Uh we want to go to the Lord in prayer right now. Glory. God bless you.

Thank you so much. Want to go Lord in prayer. Sister Phillips is in need of prayer.

Also, her son who pastors in Rochester, New York has been in physical challenge for a while, been in and out of the hospital. So, she asked us to pray for him as well. Also, Brother Webster not able to be here today.

He asked us to pray for him. So, there's probably other needs here. If you've got a need in your life, a need in your body, lift up your hand and just let that be known.

God knows the details. God's still a healer. Amen.

you confident in that God still hears. God still answers prayer. God still has unlimited resources and ability for whatever our needs are.

Amen. So, uh, we're going to pray right now. And as we move back into our next worship set here, they begin singing some more.

If you got a need in your body and you want us to pray for you, feel free to come to the front. We'll we'll anoint you with oil. We'll pray over you.

But, uh, let's take all these needs, Lord, right now, if you would. Let's lift up our voices. Thank you, dear God, for your unlimited power, for your promises, God, that promises that you are a healer.

You are a provider. You're a God of compassion. Lord, you care about the needs in our lives.

You care about uh each and every individual situation, God. We know, Lord, that you care. Lord, we know that you love.

We know that you have an ability, God. each of these needs, dear God, we place them before you right now, releasing our faith, asking you, dear God, to get involved in Jesus' name. Every need, every need, dear God, we want to hear good testimonies of what's happened, what's changed as a relative result of your power, dear God.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.

Amen. Lord bless you. Can be seated.

Thank you for worshiping with us here today at CLC. And uh if you're a guest today, thank you so much for joining us. I hope you fill out a connection card.

If you've not done that, you can use your phone and scan that QR code at the back of the seat in front of you and fill out a digital card there. We'd like to have your information because this uh connection card, this enables us to follow up with you, invite you to our next VIP breakfast, have opportunity to sit down uh with me and my wife and just get better acquainted and just know more about you, how we make serve you and help you and let you know about the vision, the future of our church. Amen.

So, also Spanish service this afternoon at 3:00, celebrate recovery every Tuesday at 6:30. uh people with hurts, hang-ups, and habits. We want to be able to serve and be a be a help to you in any way we can.

Also, midweek matters every Wednesday at 7 PM. Now, this Friday night is going to be the the youth ministry, youth department, Move the Mission kickoff rally. That's going to be in Colombia.

Uh any of the youth that would like to go to that, we'll make sure you let Brother JW or Sister Angela know your intentions by Wednesday. Today would be great if you're planning to go, but no later than Wednesday because they'll be making preparations to uh take the group there and be meeting at the church to leave here Friday at 5:30. So keep that in mind.

And next Saturday there's going to be a prayer walk here in downtown Rock Hill. We'll all meet at the uh Fountain Park and it's going to be had a change. We've done this in the past, but we usually would meet at 2 o'clock in the Saturday afternoon.

We're changing that up and this year now we're going to be starting at 10:00 meeting in the morning. Uh so that is weather permitting. If it's pouring down rain, well, we won't be doing that.

But uh if uh weather permitting, feel free to join us at Fountain Park at 10:00 Saturday. Also, next Sunday evening is life group. Our life groups will be getting together.

We'd love to have you involved in that. If you're part of a life group, we'll make sure you're making plans to join together with us next Sunday night. If you've not attended one of our live groups, well then we encourage you to come check it out.

That'll be next Sunday at six o'clock. We got several homes around the area. Uh feel free to check with some of our our hostess staff.

They'll get you pointed in the right direction. We like to get you connected to one that most convenient to you. So keep that in mind next Sunday at six o'clock.

Amen. Let's all stand together again right now as our ushers are coming at this time. And uh James James Craft who was the founder of Craft Foods which is a huge huge huge corporation but the founder of it James Craft I'm quoting something he said he said the only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I've given to the Lord.

So think about that here today. We give you the opportunity to to be obedient to the word of God, but also the opportunity to make an investment in advancing the kingdom of God. So, thank you for your faithfulness in giving and uh the blessing of giving.

God gives back to you. God notices even when it's a sacrifice. Amen.

God will give back to us. So, we we thank you for your consistency, your faithfulness in giving. ushers are going to come through the building here to give you the opportunity to give or you can also use your phone uh use our givey app and pay from your phone and there's a credit card terminal back in the back if you'd like to swipe swipe your card.

So let's join together in prayer right now. God, we thank you Lord for the opportunity to give. Thank you for the blessings you provide to our church, the blessings you provide for our future and our lives individually.

Help us dear God. We want to be obedient to your word. We want to believe you, Lord, for the blessing that you're going to give back to us when we're faithful in giving to your kingdom.

And just pray that you'll bless these that give today. Pour back into their lives, dear God. Help us to be wise stewards [music] of the money you provide.

This is for your kingdom, Lord. And we thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to give. We ask it all in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen. Lord, bless you as you give.

Let everything >> that I breath >> praise the Lord. >> Praise the Lord. >> Let everything >> LET EVERYTHING >> THAT I BREATH >> THAT I BREATH >> PRAISE THE LORD.

>> Praise the Lord. >> Praise the Lord. >> Praise the Lord.

>> I praise in the valley. >> Praise on the mountain. I praise [music] when I'm sure.

Praise when I'm down. I praise when outnumbered. Praise what's around.

Whoa. Cuz praise is the water. My enemy [music] [singing] [music and singing] [singing] soul.

Oh, I praise when [music] I feel it and I praise when I don't. Oh, I praise control. My praise is a weapon.

It's more than a sound. Oh, my praise is a shout that brings down. [singing] As long as I'm [music] breathing, I've got a reason to praise the Lord, oh my [music] soul.

Praise [singing] the Lord, oh my soul. [music] See, I won't I won't be quiet. My God is [singing] alive.

How could I keep it inside? Praise the Lord, oh my [music and singing] soul. >> I praise your praise you.

Praise God you rose and defeated the grave. I praise [music] you're faithful. Praise God you're true.

Praise God. There's no greater than you. I praise God you're [singing] praise God you.

Praise God. You rose [music] and defeated. Praise God, you're faithful.

Praise God, [music] you're true. Praise God. There's nobody greater [singing] than you.

The Lord, oh my soul. Praise the Lord, [singing] oh my soul. [music] Praise the Lord, oh my [music] soul.

Praise the Lord. [music and singing] Oh my God. >> I won't be quiet.

I won't be quiet. My God is [music] alive. How could I keep it inside?

I won't be quiet. My God is alive. How could I keep it [music and singing] inside?

I won't be quiet. My God is alive. How could I keep it inside?

Praise the [music and singing] Lord, oh my soul. I praise God, you're sovereign. Praise God, you're praise God, you rose and defeated [singing] a great.

I praise God, you're [music] faithful. Praise God, you're true. Praise God, there's nobody greater than you.

I praise God you're praise God [music] you reign. Praise God you rose and defeated. I praise God you're faithful.

Praise God you're [music] true. Praise God. There's nobody greater than you.

Praise the [singing] Lord. Oh my soul. Praise the Lord.

Oh my [music] soul. Praise the Lord, [singing and music] oh my soul. Praise the Lord, oh my soul.

>> I won't be quiet. I won't be quiet. My God is alive.

How could I keep it [music and singing] inside? >> I won't be quiet. My God is [music and singing] alive.

How could I keep it inside? I won't be quiet. My God is alive.

[music] How could I keep it inside? >> Praise [music] the Lord, [singing] oh my soul. >> Now all of my [music and singing] fear I will turn into praise.

Shake off despair as [singing] I sing out your name. A victory dance. I will dance in faith.

I will crush disappointment and break every chain. All of my fear I will turn into break. Shake up despair as I seek out [music] your name.

A victory dance. I will [singing] dance out in I will crush and break every chain. All of my [music] fear I will turn into praise.

Shake off this bear as I sing out your name. A victory [music] dance. I will dance out in I will crushoint and break every break every >> break every chain.

>> Break every chain. Break every chain. >> Break every chain.

>> Break every chain. >> Break every chain. >> Break every chain.

>> Break every chain. >> Break every chain. Break.

>> Break every chain. >> Break every chain. Break every chain.

>> I've got a reason to pray. Praise [music] the Lord, [singing] oh my soul. Praise the Lord, oh my [music] soul.

I won't be quiet. My God [music and singing] is alive. How could I keep it inside?

I won't [music] be quiet. My God is alive. How could [singing] I keep it inside?

I won't be quiet. How could I keep it inside? Praise [music] the Lord, oh my soul.

[singing] Let everything that I breise the Lord, praise the Lord. Let everything that I breise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

Yes. Let's clap our hands to the Lord all together. Can we just worship him?

God, thank you for being with us today. Thank you for being faithful to us. rich in mercy.

Thank you for the power that's in this room. Oh God, the power to change our lives, our minds, to transform our hearts. Lord, I pray you help us to see, Lord, what you want us to see.

See what you are trying to do in our lives, trying to do in our church. Oh God, help us. Help us Lord.

Help us. Help us. Help us Lord.

Help us Lord when we cannot see on our own. Help us Jesus. God not to forget that you have a vision for our church.

You have a vision for our lives. You have a vision for our community. Lord, and help us to see it, Jesus.

Thank God. Thank God for his presence. Thank you so much for coming out on this Sunday morning.

I want to get right into the word of the Lord while we're just fresh in God's presence. 1 Samuel chapter 27. Aren't you grateful for the Lord?

Amen. Aren't you grateful? Hallelujah.

Jesus. Yes, Lord. Help us.

Help us. Help us. Help us, Jesus.

Help us, Jesus. God, help us in this house. Help us.

Hey, we can do nothing apart from God. Don't forget that. Don't forget that.

There's nothing that I can say that can change your life other than what I echo from God's word. and other than what the spirit of God speaks through me. Don't forget that the good things that are going to happen in this house are going to be matters of faith, not our flesh.

The Lord wants to work in our lives. The question is whether or not we will get into God's presence where he will be able to work. That takes focus.

That takes setting aside our our agendas, our preconceived ideas about what we think God can do for us. And it takes believing that God sees things for us that we cannot see on our own. I I want to see those things.

Don't you? I don't want to see my life through my lens. It will never be good enough.

Don't you see that? Don't Don't you know that this mind that gets beat up with life? Don't you know it gets beat up with disappointments?

Don't you know it becomes jaded and cynical because it recognizes the depravity of humanity? It's only because of revelation coming outside of this world and into ours that we can truly be transformed and changed into what God sees for us. I want that.

I'm hungry for it, belittens. I'm hungry for it for not just for my life, but I'm hungry for it for this church, for our community. I want to see it.

1st Samuel 27 says this. It says, "And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul, there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines or into the land of the enemy." Do you hear what it said? David said it in his heart.

What you believe in your heart, what you see in your heart is is really a manifestation of what's going to happen with [music] your life just is. And Saul shall despair of me to seek any more in any coast of Israel. Show I so I shall escape out of his hand.

David arose and he passed over with 600 men that were with him unto Akish the son of Moabak, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Akish at Gath. Remember Gath?

You you you remember that where Gath was. Remember the significance of Gath? Gath is where Goliath was from.

That's enemy territory is where David is. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath and he sought no more again for him. Saul said, "If he's in Gath, who cares?

Who cares? And David said unto Akesh, "If I now found grace in thine eyes, let me give me a place in some town in the country that I may dwell there. For why should thy servant dwell?

Why should thy servant?" He's speaking to the enemy's leader. "Why should thy servant?" He's speaking to the enemy's leader about his life and he refers to him as I'm your servant. That is a remarkable moment.

That I may dwell there. For why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? Then Akish gave him Ziglag that day.

Therefore, wherefore Ziglag pertainth unto the kings of Judah unto this day, and the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. Without vision for your life, you will have no passion. And without passion, you will have no action.

And without action towards God's ways, you will have no life. So I pray for us today that God would give us renewed vision. How many of us want that?

How many wants it? I want renewed vision for my life. I want to believe all the things that God has available for me.

Churches are full right now. They're full of people who are being uh preached the gospel to and and it's falling on ears that have no concept of what can happen for their lives because supernaturally God is not speaking into their lives from heaven. There has to be something that comes from outside of our circumstances and into our life that allows us to see what God wants to do in and for us.

And that's what we need for our church. We need that divine direction. Can we pray for it?

We pray that God would help us. God, thank you for this sweet privilege to be with this beautiful body of believers, my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray Jesus that you help us today Lord to see what you see for us Lord to give us a vision from outside of this world to be able to see for ourselves Lord to see for our church for our community what you can do and what you want to do and what is possible for us.

God for our families relationships that are fractured. God, give us the ability to see those relationships restored. People who have been hurt, Lord, that life has become so dull and so mundane because they cannot see past their hurt.

Lord, I pray Jesus that you would restore life and life more abundantly unto them. Lord, as they see for their lives, not the not what has been done to them, not their mistakes or their failures, but they see the life that you have set before them, Lord. We believe that, Lord, and we receive it, Lord.

But none of this will work if your spirit doesn't come and transform and change us and do what we cannot do on our own. Lord, we wait on your spirit, Lord. Let your spirit do what we cannot do.

Trust you. And we love you so much, Lord. Help me, Jesus, to preach your word.

Jesus name we pray. You may be seated. Thank you so much for praying, being sensitive to the Lord.

What he's trying to do in our services and in our lives. Vision is decide defined as the faculty of sight. It's this uh uh the ability to see.

I mean that's the most simple way. But then there's second definition which is unusual foresight. The ability to see ahead that which cannot yet be seen.

Helen Keller was once asked what would be worse than being born blind. She said having sight without vision. being able to see but not having vision.

See, in order to really live, you don't have to be able to see. We have we have uh uh uh folks in our congregation that cannot see, but they have life and life abundantly because you can live without these eyes working, but you cannot live without vision. The Bible puts an enormous amount of stock in vision.

The scripture states it like this. Where there is no vision, God's people will perish. Where there is no vi pay attention to those words is that that should be a a an absolute pay attention moment.

God's people will perish. What is said before that stop everything because God's people will perish is a scary declaration where there is no vision. Where there is no vision.

In our opening text, we came upon a sad day in the life of David. He had been pushed out of Israel by the current king Saul, who was trying to kill him out of pure jealousy for God's divine appointment of David. And in spite of the fact that David had been faithful to Israel, he had done everything right.

I mean, he was a human being. I'm sure he had done some things wrong. But by our eyes in the story up to this point, David was blameless.

But in spite of that, everything was going wrong. Pay attention to that. In spite of the fact that he was doing right, everything was going wrong.

Isn't that the way life works? Sometimes that when it feels like like like sometimes we're doing the wrong things, we know it and life just seems to be chugging along. And there are other times whenever we are we are are just focused.

We're doing everything in our power and then suddenly all hell breaks loose. That was this moment for David. Consider the fact that David was the one who stepped up to fight Goliath when no one else would.

See, David had what everyone else lacked. He had vision. When everyone looked at Goliath, they saw an insurmountable enemy.

someone that was nine feet six inches tall who was impossible to beat. They stood back in fear of this giant, this great warrior. But not David.

David did not see what they saw. David's vision was different. David saw an enemy of God.

And David knew that ultimately God was not going to let this enemy stand. So David knew that this man mocking God's people was eventually going to fall. And David just simply said, "WHY NOT ME?

WHY not me?" AND DAVID SAW this person with righteous indignation. And he goes on and he fights and he kills this giant that everyone else was afraid of. And he did it because he had vision.

He did it because he HAD SPIRITUAL INSIGHT THAT GOD WAS NOT going to allow this giant to stand. So because of that, he said, "I will step into that place to be used." See, David's vision caused him to see things differently than those around him. So, as we read in 1st Samuel chapter 27 about the sad day that David lost his vision, to me, it's the saddest day in the life of David.

Not the day that he sinned, that's not the saddest day. the day that he fell famously, not the day he committed adultery, murdered Uriah, not the day that David disobeyed God, and he numbered the people. Those were all just symptoms of real problems in his heart.

But this moment, we see, we see clearly those sad words. David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hands of Saul." He had a promise that he was going to be king. and he could no longer hang on to the promise.

He had lost his vision. He no longer saw for his life what God saw for his life. Are we guilty of that?

Is our church guilty of that? Do we see for our families what God sees? Do we see for our community what God sees for our community?

Do we see on an average church service? Do we look around and BELIEVE THAT GOD COULD absolutely transform and change someone's life in just a SINGLE MOMENT? BECAUSE WE HAVE COME TOGETHER as God's people in his presence.

Do we see that David had lost his vision? In those [snorts] moment where he spoke and said, "I'm going to perish by the hands of Saul." He lost the vision. And those are the saddest words that I've ever heard David say.

His circumstances had gotten the best of him. His optimism was now gone. His faith was at a low point and his vision was blurry and he couldn't see straight.

Had a problem a while back with one of my eyes and it would fill up with, you know, kind of a milky substance. It was some sort of infection and it just distorted my vision. And it was okay in the daytime when everything was bright.

I could function just fine. But when I would drive at nighttime, my vision was blurry and I couldn't see and it was dangerous. David was in a dark spot with blurry vision.

He was in a dark spot and he couldn't see the vision that God had for his life. And David had become dangerous. In other times in his life when his faith was healthier, when his vision was stronger, his circumstances would have not shaken him.

But now being in a dark place with blurry vision, David was dangerous. So he lost his vision and ended up in enemy territory fighting their battles. This point David was use losing his usefulness to God.

of all of the black marks on his life, his sin with Bashibba, his murder of Uriah, his numbering of the people. This moment that I just read to you might be the most obscure, but it might be one of the worst because he isn't just fighting the Philistines. He's potentially setting himself up to fight against God's people.

Here's David fighting with the king of the Philistines, Akish, giving his allegiance to them. What have I done? He says, "What hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I might not go fight against the enemies of my lord, the king?" He's speaking to Akish.

Akish, what about when you go fight against Israel? Can I fight against them? This is David with the king of Gath where Goliath is from.

Twice. Twice David had the opportunity to kill Saul. He wouldn't do it.

He would dare not touch God's anointed, he said. But now that it all changed, he isn't seeing straight and he wants to fight potentially against Israel. You'll get different answers on scholars.

Some will try to excuse this moment. And I don't see it that way. I see it absolutely that he has lost his vision, lost his faith, and he is a very dangerous spot.

His vision got cloudy. And when your vision is cloudy, you end up in places that you shouldn't be fighting battles that you shouldn't be fighting with people that you shouldn't be with. David had become dangerous.

The sweet psalmist, the giant killer. Why? Because your vision affects your passion and your passion affects your vision.

No wonder the scripture says where there is no vision that people perish. A visionless man or woman of God is dangerous. A visionless church is dangerous because they will profess God but deny his power.

Oh, WE'RE IN GOD'S GOD'S HOUSE. YET, we do not believe that God could transform and change your life. That's a powerless church.

We're in God's HOUSE IN GOD WITH GOD'S PEOPLE PROFESSING GOD IS GOD. YET, we refuse to accept that God can restore relationships, that God can change the hardest of hearts. And the best WAY THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL CHANGE HIM IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE PRAYING FOR THAT.

If you're not praying for it, you don't believe it. If you're not praying for revival in our community, you don't believe it's actually possible. See, don't you understand?

We are stewards of vision. AS GOD'S PEOPLE, WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF RIGHTS, BUT WITH THOSE RIGHTS BECOME RESPONSIBILITIES. AND PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES IS WE HAVE TO SEE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR WORLD WHAT PEOPLE CANNOT SEE ON THEIR OWN.

WE NEED TO RECEIVE FROM GOD WHAT HE HAS TRIED TO DO IN AND THROUGH US AND [screaming] SAY, "GOD, I'LL BELIEVE THAT WHEN NOBODY ELSE DOES." Because we are stewards of God's vision for our lives. Every one of you in this place today, there are people that are not in this building right now. They have no idea what God can do for their lives, but you're here and you can see it for them.

family members that are estranged and they feel like they're a thousand miles away from God and they could not they have no vision whatsoever. But before they're going to have vision for themselves, the church has to get vision and say, "We will be the place. We will be THE ONES THAT REFUSES TO ACCEPT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO STAY THE WAY THEY ARE.

BUT WE WILL BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS THE POWER TO ABSOLUTELY CHANGE AND TRANSFORM US FROM WHERE WE ARE INTO WHAT WE CAN BE IN HIM. Don't you want that today? OH GOD, I WANT IT.

I WANT IT. I DESPERATELY want it. GOD, HELP US.

HELP US TODAY. GIVE US A PASSION, LORD, FOR WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IN AND THROUGH US. David had lost it because HE WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING AND it wasn't working.

See, REAL VISION REQUIRES THAT even when things are not working that we continue to believe. Might have been 20, 30, whatever the number of years are since the last great revival in this church. I don't know.

I don't have a great history here. All I can tell you is it doesn't matter when the last time we had a great revival. The question is whether or not we're going to believe that God is going to send us another revival.

Whether or not we're going to believe THAT GOD HAS SOMETHING MORE FOR OUR CHURCH. WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO BELIEVE THAT IF THE LORD CARRIES THAT THIS CHURCH IS STILL GOING TO BE A WITNESS IN ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS, ANOTHER 150 YEARS, ANOTHER 200 YEARS. AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT MANKIND [screaming] CAN DO TO STOP THAT.

IF SOMEBODY WILL SAY, "I'M GOING TO BELIEVE IT." NOT JUST FOR THIS CHURCH, BUT FOR MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY. WHERE [screaming] IS OUR VISION? IF YOU SEE YOURSELF as useless, you will be useless.

IF YOU SEE YOURSELF AS POWERLESS, YOU WILL be powerless. IF YOU SEE YOURSELF AS UNLOVED, YOU WILL BE UNLOVABLE. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU TODAY, THAT IS NOT THE WAY THAT GOD SEES YOU.

GOD SEES YOU AS HIS CHILD. SOMEONE THAT IF YOU WILL SUBMIT TO HIM, HE WILL FILL YOU WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH POWER. [screaming] And you will know, YOU WILL KNOW AT THAT moment that you are loved.

You are loved far more than YOU COULD EVER FATHOM BEING LOVED. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. See, THE PROBLEM WITH STARING AT OUR PROBLEMS IS OUR PROBLEMS BECOMES UNCSURMOUNTABLE.

THE PROBLEM FIXING OUR EYES ON SIN. THE PROBLEM WITH FIXING OUR EYES ON THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD only is they suddenly become very attractive. THE PROBLEM WITH FIXING YOUR EYES ON yourself is you will end in a vapid depression BECAUSE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND HOW BAD THE WORLD IS.

BECAUSE IF YOUR SALVATION DEPENDS ON YOURSELF, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT REALLY, REALLY quickly that you need SOMEONE ELSE TO SAVE YOU. BUT IF WE WILL FIX OUR EYES ON GOD AND WE WILL GET AWAY AND GET LOST IN PRAYER AND SAY, "GOD, I BELIEVE. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IN WHAT I'M SEEING WITH MY EYES, BUT GOD, I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME SOMETHING FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS WORLD THAT ALLOWS ME TO SEE ME BEYOND WHAT I CAN SEE RIGHT NOW.

GOD, IF YOU'LL DO THAT FOR THIS CHURCH, I KNOW THAT GOOD THINGS WILL COME. GOD, IF YOU WILL DO THAT FOR MY FAMILY, I KNOW THAT GOOD THINGS WILL COME. EVEN WHEN I CANNOT [screaming] SEE THEM, church could get a little bit of godly vision.

Just a touch, just a glimpse. God, just a glimpse at what you could do. It will change everything.

Christianity is not about creating some fluff life. Life is STILL GOING TO BE LIFE. YOU ARE STILL going to fight circumstances no matter what you see.

But the difference is WHEN YOU LOOK ON GOD, YOU WILL SEE A BRIGHTER FUTURE AHEAD OF YOU THAN YOU COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE. WHETHER OR NOT IT'S IN FIVE MINUTES, 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS, BUT IN ETERNITY, 250 MILLION YEARS FROM NOW, YOU WILL BE LIVING IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS UNIMAGINABLE. BUT YOU'LL NEVER SEE THAT.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE VISION, God told Noah, it's going to rain. You're going to need a boat. You're going to need a boat.

And I want you to build a boat. And here's what it looks like. SO NOAH BUILDS A BOAT.

AND IT NEVER RAINED. AND IT NEVER RAINED. HE NEVER seen a raindrop.

He had no idea. But there was something speaking to him from outside of this world. So he built the boat and it rained and he was saved because he got a hold of God's vision, not his own.

Moses was in captivity AND GOD SPOKE TO HIM AND SAID, "I WANT YOU TO LEAD MY PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT." THEY WERE SLAVES TO THE MOST POWERFUL NATION ON THE EARTH. SLAVES. And God SAID, "I WANT YOU TO GO IN THERE AND TELL THEM THAT YOU WANT TO WALK OUT WITH GOD'S PEOPLE.

I WANT YOU TO GO STAND IN FRONT OF PHARAOH AND TELL THEM THAT YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LEAVE." THAT IS AN AUDACIOUS COMMAND. That's an ABSURD COMMAND. AND NO ONE IN THIS WORLD WOULD HAVE SEEN IT.

IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE A VISION FROM GOD THAT MOSES LED GOD'S PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT. In fact, God had a vision of you today. Did you know that?

Not me, not us. You, you and you and you and you. God had a vision of you.

Everybody say me. He saw you. Paul spoke of it.

visions, according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Chose us when there was nothing. Chose you.

Don't you get that today? Don't you get that? GOD DOESN'T JUST HAVE A VISION FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.

HE CHOSE YOU AND HE SAW A VISION FOR YOUR LIFE. BEFORE THERE WAS A SUN AND THERE WAS A MOON. Before there were birds and THERE WERE TREES, GOD HAD A VISION.

HE HAD A VISION OF HIS GLORIOUS CHURCH. He knew there was going to be A DAY THAT YOU TURNED YOUR HEART OVER TO HIM. HE KNEW THERE WAS GOING TO BE A DAY WHEN YOUR LIFE WAS TRANSFORMED.

SEE, THAT'S WHY WE PRAY. THAT'S WHY WE FAST. Not because we're trying to twist God's arm into doing whatever we want.

We're trying to get God's vision. You You can't You can't pray now lay me down to sleep once a week and have the real vision that God has for your life. We have to spend time with the Lord because he sees things for us that we don't see.

See, there's a vision that comes from outside of this world that sees people's circumstances from beyond where they are right now. And I can't see that for you. I can't.

Only God can. Church needs members with vision and you need a vision for your own life lest you live a meaningless existence. Do you have vision today?

I I mean I want to ask that honestly. When is the last time you thought about something for your life that absurdly doesn't make sense and only makes sense if it's coming from God? When's the last time that you've dwelt dwelt in prayer until something changed in you?

There was such a level of cynicism in your heart. Your your faith had become wounded through disappointments with people, but you just grabbed a hold of God in prayer and you said, "I'll stay there. I'm going to stay there until I could start to believe again that God could transform and CHANGE PEOPLE." YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IN PEOPLE.

If you're just looking at people, you will be disappointed over and over again. The only way we're going to be able to truly believe in what God can do for people is if we get A HOLD OF GOD'S VISION for people's lives from him, not through what we see with our eyes. You will be disappointed.

David lost his vision and things kept getting worse. He was kicked out of Philistine country. Even though they even though they didn't want him, they kicked him out.

So when he got back, an enemy had invaded his camp. They took all the women and children from the camp and the men start speaking of stoning him. Let's just get rid of David all together.

What a low point in his life. He's reached the lowest of lows. But such is always the case.

He was exactly in the place that God had led him to his lowest point. No crutches, no cush seat in the kingdom, no crown. He's not on the throne.

God removed every single possible crutch for him to make sure that he weeded every amount of self-dependence out of him. Stop depending on self. We cannot afford to.

David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved. They were they were hurting and they're thinking to themselves, we have this visionless leader and now all of our women are dead or stolen. All of our goods are gone.

They were distressed. They said, "Well, maybe the answer is to get rid of David." And they were probably right unless God changed something for David because the soul of all the people was grieved every man for his sons and his daughters. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

Just that line changed everything. But David encouraged himself in the Lord. >> And David said to Abathar the priest of him's son, I pray thee, bring me the in ephod.

BRING ME THE PRAYER GARMENT. I need to pray. I need to get my vision back.

I need to be able to see something from outside of this world because right now all I see is a group of people getting ready to stone me. I see a world where we have lost everything. I'm living in enemy territory.

And I've lost sight of the fact that I have a promise from God that someday I'm going to be a king. I lost sight of it. David inquired of the Lord.

Finally, David starts talking to God. David starts asking the right questions. NOT WHAT DO I SEE?

What does the Lord see? I inquired of the Lord, "Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And he answered, "Pursue.

Go take back what the enemy has stolen from you. And you can do it now because now you have my vision, not yours. David got it back.

His passion changed. His prayer garment is put back on. God, give me give me back those things.

And here's what it says. And David smokeote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. And there escaped not a man save 400 young men.

rode upon camels and fled. Listen to these next words. And David recovered what?

All everything that he had lost, he recovered. But it started when David got his vision back. There is a bright bright future for our families, our individual lives.

our church. It's there. The question is whether or not we will use our own eyes or we will say, "God, let me see what you see.

Give me vision. Give me vision. Give me vision." Would you stand with me?

Oh God, help us. Help us, Jesus. Help us.

Help us. God, let this be a place, [snorts] let this be a place where faith fuels what we see. Let this be a place where our flesh does not fuel what we see, but faith fuels what we see.

Give us your vision, your direction. Let it be your spirit that says go. Let it be your spirit that says stop.

Let it be your spirit that decides what our future can look like. Let it be your future, oh God, that paints a picture about the type of life that we can have, about the ministries that we have, about reconciliation for our families, about healing in our hearts, things that we don't think that we can get over. God, let us be able to see a life where there is true healing, true direction, true purpose, true passion for you, oh God.

Renew us. Renew us, God. If we've lost it, renew us.

For we can do nothing meaningful and we can recover nothing without you. Lord, give us the grace to receive, Lord, what you're trying to do in and through our church today. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen. I don't know I don't know what God wants to do for some of you. I could use my own eyes.

I looked around the building and I I uh I looked at uh forgive me for saying this, but I looked at the the Estus when I was here earlier. This is a powerful preacher. Lord has a great call and a ministry on that family and his life.

I I as the church and we as the church can never lose sight of that. We want to be stewards or keepers of the vision that God has for the resources that we have amongst us. And whether or not any any of that happens here somewhere else, but essence we are believing for it in our bones.

We're believing for it. has a plan and a purpose. I looked at some of you.

I just I just glanced around the room before the service. I looked at some of you. I know I know you have a strange family members.

Some of you have separation from people in your family. I have separation from people in my family. I have these strained and strange relationships.

I want them to be whole. The essence of Christianity is reconciliation. And God could see that reconciliation.

God can see those hurts men bended. Just looked around and I saw some of you that I know have family members who are away from God. God, give us a vision again.

I know if you prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed, if you've witnessed and felt like you've said everything right for years and years and years, do not give up. Take a look at Brother Robert in the back corner. Brother Robert, wave your hand back there.

That's our testimony right there. His family prayed for him for years and years and years. He came to God like 65 years old.

And he's IN THIS PLACE TODAY BECAUSE SOMEBODY NEVER LOST THEIR VISION. GOD, we cannot afford to lose our vision. Help us.

Help us. I'm asking you to come to this altar today. If God needs to renew your vision, come to the altar and just ask God for renewed vision.

If you got people in your lives that you have given up on, I'm asking you to come and pray for people that you've given up on. If it's been a long time since you prayed for revival, let this be a place for where WE COME AND WE TRY AND WAIT FOR REVIVAL. Let this be a place where we function off of God's vision.

Help us, Lord. Come. Come today.

Activate your faith. Activate your faith and come. Help us, Lord.

Help us God. Help us. right beside me.

That is all that matters. You are the covenant keeping God. Covenant keeping God keep.

and keeping [music and singing] [music and singing] >> you won't forsake me. You're [music and singing] right beside me and that is all that matters. >> You'll never leave me.

>> You said that [singing] you won't forsake me. >> You're right beside me. That [singing and music] is all that matters.

>> You are the covenant keeping God. You are the covenant keeping God the covenant keeping God [singing] [music] the covenant [singing] keeping God. >> You are the covenant keeping God.

You are the covenant keeping God. Yahe [singing] the covenant keeping God. Yahood [singing] [music] will not burn the sweet anger.

>> The sun won't [music and singing] smile and the moon will not hurt me. Love won't sweep me. The Lord [singing] is [music] my son and the moon [music and singing] will not hurt me.

The sun won't sweep me. The Lord is my anger. >> The sun won't me and the moon will not hurt me.

>> The sun won't sweep me. The Lord is my God. >> You are a covenant keeping God.

You are a covenant keeping [singing] God. Yahe [singing] the covenant keeping God. Yahe [singing] the covenant keeping God.

[music] You are the covenant keeping God. You are the covenant [music] keeping God. [singing] Yahe the covenant keeping [singing] God.

Yahe the covenant keeping [music and singing] God. You [music and singing] are the covenant keeping God [music and singing] coming and keeping God. keeping God.

You are the covenant keeping God. You are the covenant keeping God. Covenant keeping you right there beside That is all that you said for me.

You're right. That is all. Hallelujah.

He's still [singing] moving. He's still proving just how great he is. how great he is.

He's still moving. [singing] He's still proving just how great he is. How great he is.

>> He's [music] still [singing] moving. He's still proving just how great he is. how great he is.

>> He's still [singing] moving. >> He's [music] still proving just how great he is. How great he is.

[music] >> He's still moving. >> He's still proving just how great he is. how great he is.

>> He's [music] still moving. [singing] >> He's still proving just how great he is. How great he is.

>> Is there anything [music] for the Lord? Is there anything to heart for the Lord? Is there [singing] anything to heart for the Lord?

[singing] >> No. >> Is there anything [singing and music] to hard for the Lord? Is [music and singing] there anything too hard for the Lord?

Is there [music and singing] anything too hard for the Lord? [singing] >> Still [singing] moving. He's still proving just how great he is.

How great he is. He's still moving. [singing] >> He's still proving just how great he is.

How great he is. >> He's still moving. He's still proving just [music] how great he is.

[singing] How great he is. Is there anything too hard for the [singing and music] Lord? Is there anything for the Lord?

Is there anything to hide for the >> Is there anything too hard for the [music and singing] Lord? Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Is [music] there anything too hard for the [singing] Lord?

>> He's still moving. He's still proving just how great he is. How great he is.

He's still [singing and music] moving. He's still proving just how [singing] great he is. How great he is.

>> He's still great. How great he is. He's still [singing] moving.

He's still proving just how great he is. How great is Thank the Lord. Thank the Lord for what he's done here today.

Amen. Great spirit here. Great message.

Thank you, Pastor Sal, for opening [music] up your heart. Such a powerful message. And we're so thankful for what God has done in this place today.

Amen. While he was winding up there, finishing up, my mind went to the scripture of the writer of the book of Hebrews. He said, "Cast not away your confidence." And sometimes, you know, I think we place too much confidence in what we think, what we feel.

Uh we we we're confident or we're lacking confidence in in what I think I can do or what I think we are capable of doing. We look at our abilities and let that determine our confidence. But according to Pastor Sal's me message today, we just need to forget about our confidence.

We need to have our confidence in Jesus Christ. Amen. He's the author and the finisher of our faith.

There is absolutely nothing that is impossible to him. His resources are totally unlimited. [music] And that's where our confidence needs to be.

Not what I think we're capable of, not what I think I can do, not what I think I feel, but what he has promised to do in his word. Amen. So, let's leave this place today with confidence, having a fresh vision that nothing is impossible with God.

Let's walk out of [music] this place today and go into our world, our society this week being bearers of his truth, his power. Let his spirit work through us. Amen.

Let's lift our hands one more time and just thank God for his goodness. Thank God for this message today, Lord. Thank you for speaking through your servant today, God.

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity, Lord, to be a part of your kingdom, to be a servant in your kingdom, dear God. Empower your people, dear God. Thank you, Jesus.

Amen. Lord, bless you. Thank you for being here with us today.

Uh hope you have a great week and can possibly join us back Wednesday night.