Missed opportunities can be lost forever.
Why can salvation by works, even the very best of works, never make it? Because we have our roots in Adam; we are sinners by birth. Therefore, our works are coming from unholy people and are like (Isaiah 64:6) filthy rags being offered to holy God. This is an arrogant affront to the Lord. But there is also another reason why the good works method produces only failure. If I am trying to earn my salvation by works, how would I know if I had done enough, if I had met the required quota, if I had finished. Plus the fact that a mountain of good works can never erase my bad works. Relationship with God and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 7:22-23, Titus 3:5) can never be earned by self-effort. Almost the last thing Jesus said on the Cross was (Jojn 19:30) “It is finished”. What does that mean to me? It means that His salvation work is finished, completed, fully accomplished, no more to be or can be done. His work is completely, totally, absolutely finished (Romans 6:10) once and for all. It is only through the FINISHED WORK of Jesus Christ on the Cross that salvation is freely offered as a (Ephesians 2:8-9) paid-in-full gift to repentant sinners. As Martin Luther discovered, it is by “Faith alone, in Christ alone, through Grace alone.” The ever-expanding depths of the truth in familiar verses will continually be unfolded to us by the Holy Spirit when we read with the desire to learn and keep on learning.
We can miss so much, if we just skim through our reading of Scripture. We know two amazing things. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of every promise and prophecy and also that He uses ordinary people (like you and me) in His strategy for the working out of every detail of His sovereign plan. When there was a famine in Canaan, God uses a prisoner in Egypt to provide for the Jews.
(Pastor McBride) pointed out “how much can be contained in one short verse such as (Matthew 1:1) the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David the son of Abraham”. As we think of these 3 names, promises and prophecies and related events draw pictures on the screen of our mind. We begin to see all of history in that particular verse. Shortly after sin entered the world Satan heard (Genesis 3:15) the promise of his destruction by a coming Saviour. History is the record of Satan’s desperate campaign to eliminate that possibility. In case Abel was that chosen one Satan used Cain (Genesis 4:8) to murder him. He used Pharaoh to murder (Exodus 1:16) newborn Jewish boys. But God protected Moses (Exodus 2:5-10) by a shock rescue right in the enemy’s territory. Abraham received the (Genesis 12:2-3, Genesis 17:21) promise of Isaac and descendants far beyond Isaac. Look - - Abraham – Isaac – Jacob – Judah – David. Watch again - - David (1 Samuel 17:45 overcame Goliath by God’s power and Israel was victorious. David received the promise (2 Samuel 7:16) that his kingdom would be established and that one of his descendants would be the Messiah, Whose kingdom would be permanent because the Son of David would be the reigning sovereign King forever.
What incomprehensible condescension that Isaiah 53 could be written about Jesus the GOD MAN! What stunning victory that He arose from the dead, He conquered death, the world, the flesh and the devil. And He reigns forever as King of kings and Lord of lords!!!!
That is why (Dr.Erwin Lutzer) “There is more grace in God’s heart than sin in your past”.
If Jesus had not said (John 19:30) “It is finished,” the angel could never have said (Luke 24:6) “He is risen”. The most important six words in human history.
Look at Jesus in Isaiah 53 - - now look at Him again in Rev. 5. My contemplation of Him fills me with a strong desire to be truly a constant worshiper, recognizing, perceiving, understanding, knowing HIM, the only One worthy to take the scroll. Jesus was the only One worthy to take the title deed of the world because He has redeemed the world.
We who have been redeemed (Dr. Stanley) “should daily be alert to the opportunities God gives us to obey Him. As we read our Bibles, we discover many opportunities God gave to various individuals which had unsuspected but wonderful consequences”. We read of opportunities for:
- a little boy (John 6:9) and his lunch
- a woman (Luke 10:39) to learn while sitting at the feet of Jesus
- business men (Mark 1:17-18) to leave their business and income and follow Jesus
- 3 Hebrews (Daniel 3:17-18) to evade or endure the fiery furnace
In every one of these cases, the consequences was God-honouring and marvelous.
Do we see trials and temptations (James 1-2) as opportunities for growth in our faith and spiritual maturing? (Dr. Jeremiah) spoke of a godly man who wrote something for our instruction several years ago. He based it on (Romans 8:13) and said something we would be wise to bear in mind “If I am not killing sin, sin is killing me”.
Have I been buying up the opportunities, on the alert and watching for them? Or do I ignore and bypass God-given opportunities to glorify God in my own life or by helping others? Wouldn’t that be despising what God has given me? Missed opportunities can be lost forever. What will be the consequences of what I have done with my opportunities?
In the very early morning hours, long before I get up, the Lord brought a verse to my thoughts and showed me it’s deeper meaning. I read (Psalms 139:17-18) if I fall asleep trying to count the wonderful thoughts of God, when I awake I am still with Thee. This means much more than just when I wake up every morning I am still in God’s Presence. It means that I am never against God but always with Him. I am to be fully with Him daily, whole- heartedly for him by obedient co-operation with everything He tells me that He wants me to do.
Another heart expression attempting to be a poet.
It won’t be very long until I see Jesus,
Just a little while and I’ll see the Master’s face,
With adoration I’ll look into His love-filled eyes
And then I’ll feel His welcoming embrace,
While I’m still down here I always want to please Him,
Truthfully love Him, trust Him and obey,
I’ve been longing and I’ll be so glad to see Him
But will He be as glad to see me on that same day?