TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2017.
OPPORTUNITY
DEFINITION:
A favorable occasion or time; timely; a situation or condition favorable for attainment of a goal.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are 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.
The Apostle Paul in his writings (above) to the churches at Galatia and Ephesus emphasizes how the believers need to take advantage of the opportunity of time given to them by God. Paul points out that the believer’s entire life provides the unique privilege by which he can serve others in Christ’s name.
In Ephesians 5:15-16 (above), Paul tells us that we are to make the most of our time in this evil world in fulfilling God’s purposes, seizing every opportunity to tell others about Christ.
In Galatians 6:10 (above), Paul instructs us to do good to all wherever we have the opportunity. He puts emphasis on doing good, not just to the non-believers but also to our fellow believers. Members of the body of Christ must uphold one another. So often, believers are critical of other believers. Jesus taught us that we are to love one another.
By definition the word opportunity suggests that it comes with a time limit. The term “windows of opportunity” is used to denote the period of time available or highly favorable to take action about something. Once the window is closed the opportunity is lost. It is then too late. In Isaiah 55:6-7 we read, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.”
The Lord can return at any moment and we as believers must be ready. For the unbeliever, the time of opportunity is critical to find Jesus. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. Luke 13:25-28 tells us that the day will come, if we miss our opportunity to find Jesus as our Savior, we will stand before Him and hear Him say, “I tell you I do not know you or where you come from.” When you find yourself standing at the door of heaven, will Jesus know you?
God does give second chances to listen and accept Him. Jonah refused to do what God asked him to do. (Jonah 1:1-3) God used the big fish (whale) to give Jonah a wakeup call and Jonah responded by going and doing what God wanted him to do.
If God gives you a second chance, your wakeup call may not be as big as the whale, but will you respond? The window of opportunity for all people to accept Jesus as their Savior is open until the moment you draw your last breath.
Paul tells us about the many times that God gave him opportunities to serve Him. Paul always took advantage of the opportunities that God gave him and God blessed him because of his faithfulness to God. Even in times when Paul should have been concerned for his own welfare, his desire was to make it an opportunity to witness. In Acts 21 we find Paul being arrested and Paul asking the guards to allow him to speak to the crowd to give his testimony of how he had come to his faith in the Lord.
How many of us would consider the moments before being carried off to prison an opportunity to give our testimony. Paul did and you can read his testimony in Acts 22:1-21.
Paul always wanted to make the most of every opportunity that God gave him. He was concerned about the shortness of time and wanted to tell everyone he could about the love of Jesus.
Every day we have opportunities but there are very few people that take advantage of the opportunities that God gives to tell someone about the love of God. We must not ignore the opportunities that God gives. There are opportunities all around us to help the hurting and hungry, opportunities to help build relationships, opportunities to help the sick or crippled. Are you making the most of your opportunities to do good to all?
Our memory verse for this week is found in Galatians 5:22-23.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Give me new opportunities today to share my love and the love of Jesus with people that need to know You. Help me to make the most of every opportunity to help those that are hurting, both physically and spiritually. Bless my family and help us to do good to all that we meet today.
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