Opportunities: August 9, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY AUGUST 9, 2013

OPPORTUNITIES

DEFINITION:

A favorable occasion or time; timely; appropriate.

SCRIPTURE:

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10.

Be very careful how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

By definition the word “opportunity” suggests that it comes with a time limit. In Isaiah 55:6-7 it says: “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.” The scripture is clear to warn us that this opportunity will not always be there for us. We can distance ourselves away from God by getting deeper into the sinful ways of this world. Sin hardens our heart against God. The more our hearts are hardened the more difficult it becomes to turn to God. Isaiah 55:7 gives us the assurance that if we are willing to give up our sinful ways we can turn to God and He will have mercy on us and freely pardon us.

The Bible tells us that “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23), and that the “wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”(Romans 6:23). If you have passed up opportunities to accept Christ as your Savior, now is the time to accept Christ’s free gift of forgiveness and receive eternal life. God gives us many opportunities to receive this gift of eternal life and we like to think there is always a tomorrow, but there will be a time that He will close that door of opportunity.

The Lord can return at any moment and we must be ready. Jesus said in Luke 13:25-28 that the day will come if we miss our opportunities to come to Him when He will say, “I tell you I do not know you or where you come from.” When you find yourself standing at heavens’ door, will Jesus know you?

Jonah was one person that was given a second chance, an opportunity to do what God asked him to do. (Jonah 1:1-3). God used the “WHALE” to wake up Jonah and Jonah responded by going and doing what God wanted him to do.

Paul gives us numerous illustrations about making use of every opportunity that came his way. In Acts 21:37, Paul was arrested by the soldiers and he asked for the opportunity to witness. He loved the Lord so much that whatever situation he was in he wanted the opportunity to tell others about his Lord.

And Paul tells the church at Philippi as recorded in Philippians 4:10, how much he appreciated their care for him. They had an opportunity to help Paul and he said: “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me flourished again; though you surely did care, but before you did not have the opportunity.”

Paul stresses to us in Ephesians 5:16-17 (above), the urgency of making the most of every opportunity. Paul felt a sense of urgency because of the evil that prevailed at that time. We live in a world that seems to have even more evil around us than in Paul’s time. Every day we have opportunities. We have opportunities to tell someone about Jesus. We have opportunities to help a hurting or hungry person.  We have opportunities to build a relationship with someone that is hurting. It is urgent that we as Christians take a look at how we respond to opportunities so that as we look back on our life we do not regret not doing something God gave us a chance to do.

All of us have these opportunities but we are either too lazy to act, too fearful to respond, or just do not care. Read the verse again that we have put above (Galatians 6:10) and then ask yourself the question, “Am I doing good to all that I meet each day?”

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:10.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

PRAYER:

Give me new opportunities today to share my love with people that need to know You. Help me to be sensitive to any opportunities I may see to help people that are hurting. Bless my family and give each one of us opportunities to do good to all we meet.