Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2014
Today's Chapters: Psalms 90-94
Message Title: Unfavorable Opportunities

Opportunities, we all have opportunities in life, some are enjoyable, some are frightful, and some are down right embarrassing. Opportunities are developed by time combined with favorable circumstances. While some things happen in our lives that bring joyful opportunities, quite a few bring heartbreak and a wonder of why we even had to be subject to the circumstances that brought them in the first place. While we cannot always control the circumstances that bring unfavorable opportunities, we can use the unfavorable opportunities to our advantage, after all, we will have to give an account for all our opportunities, including missed opportunities. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” - Romans 14:11,12.

Did you ever see a baby book, a scrapbook detailing the first couple of years of a child's birth? The second we are born, God has a baby book for us, one that will contain every event of our lives from the time we were born until we die. If we are saved, the sin will not be gone because that was washed away by Christ, but everything else will be. Some people may live to be a hundred, but even that is as a blink of the eye, therefore, it's important that we use our time on earth wisely. “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” - Psalm 90:4,8-10,12,17.

Each one of us has a tale to tell, while some of us have been given more opportunities, others have been given only a few. It's not the opportunities that establish us, it's what we do with them that does. We must admit that life goes by fast, each day that passes is one day closer to being with Jesus. It's important that we stop wasting our lives away on lost or unrealistic opportunities, but ones that will last for eternity. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21.

Our need for things often bring those unfavorable circumstances that lead to unfavorable opportunities, of course, there are somethings we are in need of, but if we trust God, He will provide. So, what happens if we end up with unfavorable opportunities? We get to Jesus. We must abide in Him if we want a good outcome to come out of unfavorable opportunities. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” - Psalm 91:1-3,9-11,14-16.

When God sends us opportunities, favorable or unfavorable, He often sends affliction to see how we are going to deal with them, and let me tell you, it can be tough to live for God, and be afflicted at the same time. However, when we abide in Christ, we find refuge in Him. Believe it or not, His angels are all around us, protecting us, He never lets us out of His sight for one second. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” - John 10:9-11.

Okay, so, what happens if we make a bad decision that results in an unfavorable opportunity? We accept the responsibility for our actions, and seek God's help to find the good out of them. “Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it. Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” - Psalm 94:12-15,17-19.

God does not want to see us suffer, He really doesn't afflict us to keep us from enjoying life or even the things we desire. He does it to grow us, strengthen us, and get our thinking straight. We must admit that when we are being afflicted we find every which way to escape, often making bad decisions because we think it's the only way out. These bad decisions lead us seeking unrealistic opportunities, which become unfavorable opportunities. When you are doing everything you can and still not seeing favorable opportunities, stop and think about what you are wanting. The majority of the time you will realize that the reason you never got that opportunity was because it was unrealistic. No opportunity will fail, favorable or unfavorable when build it upon Jesus Christ. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” - John 10:9-11.

Today's Prayer: God, I am ashamed to say that I have had missed opportunities because I sought unrealistic opportunities. I know I cannot do anything about those, but I can do something about future opportunities. Thank You for showing me that every opportunity can bring joy, I just need to abide with Jesus to get the best results. Lord, I do want to make the best of whatever time You have left for me here on earth, I want everything I do to bring honor and glory to You. Please, please, please, show me the way, put Your hedge around me so that I do not make bad decisions that will lead to unfavorable circumstances and opportunities. Give me Your power to endure all my afflictions, and keep my heart tender for You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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