OPPORTUNITY DISGUISED

 
MEMORY VERSE: The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. Proverbs 12:25
 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Daniel 4-8
 
Whether that prophesy or dream will come to pass in your life, will be determined by how you treat the opportunities that come your way. Also ,whether that prophesy or dream will come to pass in your life, will be determined by how you treat your wife. Asides God, you need your wife to succeed. Focus on her strengths not weakness. The more you focus on her strength, the less of her weakness you will see. Deciding not to eat at home after every little quarrel is not the best way to run a family. Most importantly, comparing her to your mother or big sister is a big no no. Remember, mama or big sister have been married for a while , they appear perfect because they have had a lot of practice. Comparing someone who have been married for ten years with another who have been married for thirty years is wickedness.
 
One of the reasons why people miss opportunity is because it is disguised as hard work. Ann Landers once said, “opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people do not recognize them.”  The reason why many are where they are, is because they hate hard work. They love to do nothing and get big results. Life does not work that way. One of the greatest inventors of all time, Thomas Edison, said and I quote , “opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”Hard work and diligence pays. Proverbs 12:25 says the hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. While everyone saw working in the palace as demanding, tedious, hard , something to avoid, Jeroboam saw working in the palace as an opportunity to please the king. 1 Kings 11:28 says and the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious , he made  him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. Promotion always come disguised as a new , harder, tougher challenge. That master’s degree you are seeing as a hard work is an opportunity in disguise! While many see professional qualifications like ACCA, CCNP, PRINCE 2 , etc as extra hard work , some see it as an opportunity to add value to themselves. While others saw Sanctuary keeping as degrading especially for professionals , myself and some friends saw it as an opportunity to get God’s attention. One day while cleaning, the man of God turned up and said, ‘God has specifically asked me to come and pray for you brothers.’ Those who saw it as a waste of time missed out that day. During the days of Thomas Edison, many saw sciences has hard work but this man saw it as an opportunity to invent something. Today, the whole world has, is and will continue to benefit from the hard work of Thomas Edison.
 
PONDER: That thing you are calling hard work, to others, it is an opportunity for breakthrough.
 
Bro Samuel| Reaching the world for Jesus.

REACTING TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE

MEMORY VERSE: and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, Genesis 18:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judg 18, Acts 22, Jer 32, Luke 1

BIBLE STUDIES: Genesis 18:2-8

In Genesis 18:2-16 is an account of Abraham and three divine visitors. Abraham was sitting at home one afternoon when he observed three men passing by. He approached them and invited them to turn in for a meal and they agreed. After the meal they said thank you and blessed Abraham and his family. Nine months later Sarah conceived and gave birth to a son .

God is a rewarder, Hebrew 11:6. Although He is the God of the whole universe yet He appreciates every little thing we do for Him. According to Zechariah 1:3 if we return to Him, He will return to us. When we give to Him, He will return it to us in good measures, pressed, and shaken together and running over, Luke 6:38. Matthew 19:29 says if we forsake all for His name sake, we get all back in hundred fold. All your labour in Christ is not in vain.

How we react to the opportunity to serve ( in one capacity or the other maybe to join a particular department in church, or volunteer, or give towards a particular assignment or participate in supporting mission works e.t.c.) will determine whether our service will accepted by God or not. Abraham greeted the opportunity to serve with willingness, excitement and joy. Immediately he saw the three men, the bible records that he ran to meet them and bowed himself to the ground. While the men sat down, Abraham ran around to ensure that his guests were entertained. This man was ninety - nine years old when the angels visited yet he did not allow his physical body or weakness to come in between him and his service to God. Despite there was a delay in the fulfillment of the promise of God for his life, he did not allow this to affect his service to God. Abraham saw the opportunity to serve as a favor from God not the other way round. That was why when the men were eating, he stood beside them ready to run errands. The reason why many of us do not take the things of God serious is because we think we are doing God a favor. By serving God, you are doing yourself a favor. After Abraham had served God to His satisfaction, God fulfilled the promise of twenty four years and made his joy full.

KEYWORD: The opportunity to serve is a favor from God not another burden from God.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITY

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Gen 44, Mark 14, Job 10, Romans 14

Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil

Our life is a sum total of what we have done with opportunities that have come our way. Opportunities are chances for progress or advancement. To succeed in life, one needs opportunities even if it is one. What a man will become will be determined by how he takes the opportunities that comes his way. The amount of souls you won for Christ last year is a function of how you took the opportunity to witness. The amount of souls you will win for Christ this year is dependent on how you to take the opportunities to evangelize. A man’s achievement is a sum total of what he has done with the opportunities he had in life.

Firstly, to take advantage of an opportunity you must be able to recognize the opportunity. In Matthew 14:22-33 is a story we all know. There were twelve disciples in the boat. They were all faced with the same challenges. They all saw a figure walking on the sea and panicked. Jesus told them all to fear not. At the end He said ‘come’; Peter got out of the boat and walked towards Jesus while others watched. A once in a life time opportunity presented itself to these disciples to do something no man had ever done before which was walk on water. Eleven out of the twelve disciples saw the wind not the opportunity. Peter on the other hand saw the opportunity not the wind. Secondly, you need power to take advantage of an opportunity. Power is defined as the ability or capacity to do work or exercise control. The man at the pool of Bethesda saw thirty-eight opportunities to receive his healing but could not take advantage of it because he lacked power, John 5:1-16. Every time the angel of the Lord came to stir the water, someone stronger and more powerful gets into the pool before him. Acts 1:8 says and ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me. A witness is someone who provides evidence. Once power comes taking advantage of opportunities becomes easy.As you take advantage of these opportunities, signs and wonders will begin to happen. Healing, miracle, progress, open heavens will begin to take place. This are the evidences that you will provide when you witness to people about Jesus.The Psalmist says in Psalm 62:11, God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. The only who gives real power is God, the one the devil gives is counterfeit!

PRAYER POINT: Father, fill me your power today.

DON’T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Gen 42, Mark 12, Job 8, Romans 12

Mark 6:3 is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at him

Bible studies: Mark 6:1-6

Mighty signs and wonders were happening in the ministry of Jesus. Everywhere He went to preach, people received major miracles. One day He decided to visit His own country to bless them, heal their sick, raise their dead, perform mighty signs and wonders, fellowship with them and spend a nice time with them. When He got there, He could not heal them or render much assistance because of their unbelief. Instead of exercising their faith they began to doubt and look down on Him. They said ‘is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at him, Mark 6:3. Because they knew the family of Jesus, they took Him granted. Because Jesus grew among them instead of taking Him as a prophet, they took him as the son of an ordinary carpenter. They did not even listen to Him and because of this they missed out on their blessings. They took the relationship they had with Jesus for granted and they missed out on the benefits of that relationship. The relationship that could have resulted in having unlimited access to Jesus was taken for granted. Because they took the relationship and visit for granted, the bible did not record Jesus going back to His country again after that incident. People who take their relationship with people for granted end up not benefiting from that relationship. Do not take your husband or wife for granted. There are many single who crying to God day and night for a husband or wife. Do not take your children for granted. Do not take your Pastors for granted. Do not take your friends for granted. There are people who are looking for a shoulder to cry on and there is none. If you have people who care about you and call you from time to time to check on you ,please do not take them for granted.

Judas Iscariot did not value the opportunity to be the disciple of Jesus so he exchanged Him for thirty pieces of silver, Matthew 27:3. At the end he regretted and committed suicide. People who take opportunities for granted lose them. Maximizing the benefits you can get from a relationship will be impossible if you take it for granted. Please never take anything for granted. Thank God for everything you own. Please do not take your spiritual gifts or your advantage for granted. I know of a sister who did dry fasting for fourteen days for the gift of speaking tongues, if you speak in tongues don’t take it for granted. Do not take your employment for granted, there are people who will do anything to get a job. Do not even take your freedom and liberty for granted, there are many innocent people in the prison.1 Thessalonian 5:18 says in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you. You might be looking to God for one thing or other, thank God for the gift of Life because only the living has needs.

KEY WORD: Opportunities taken for granted are lost. Benefiting from a relationship taking for granted is impossible.