A Passing Opportunity - Part 2

Welcome to the intense podcast with Charles Stanley for Thursday, November 4 get help sharpening your sensitivity to the you can recognize and embrace his passing opportunities all the wonderful ways of God expresses his loyalty and the wonderful opportunities that he gives us to serve him back that many people go through life never relating that as a gift from God, but it is a gift from God so wants to look at a passage Scripture is a brief passage and you wouldn't think about this in term of opportunity. But when you realize what really happens in this particular passage that you realize the same thing could happen to you and me. There are times in your life and mine, when opportunities will pass us by. That's why we need to be sensitive as children of God. So turn if you will to mark chapter 10 and I want us to look at these verses about this particular person because it's a simple but wonderful example of what we are talking about when it comes opportunity. So let's talk about the setting for a moment. It's Jericho and out of Jericho. They gauge there and so forth, and the so here's this man who sitting there beginning in verse 46 of this 10 chapter then they came to Jericho.

And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd. A blind beggar named bottom as the son of Timaeus was sitting by the road when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say Jesus son of David, have mercy on me. Many was sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept trying out all the more, son of David, have mercy on me and Jesus stop and said call him here so they call the blind man saying to him, take courage to stand up. He's calling for you throwing aside his cloak he jumped up and came to Jesus and answering him. Jesus said what do you want me to do for you and the blonde man said to him, rub only I want to regain my site and Jesus said to him go. Your faith has made you well. Immediately he regained his sight and began following him on the road now brought MAS. He probably had almost nothing, but he had a garment and the Scripture says that when Jesus called. He threw aside that garment and jumped up. He didn't just say let me think about this. He jumped up because somehow he knew this was his one opportunity to get his site, hoping and praying that somehow this man who he loves what helium he wasn't about to waste a moment he jumped up, threw aside his garment and is able was so significant about that.

What I love about it. He wasn't coming back he knew and believed that he was going to be healed and he will never need that old dirty filthy garment. Another time related aside so they bring into Jesus.

Listen to what Jesus said to him, very important.

He said what do you want me to do for you dear Lars, the Jesus is probably said that to you many times you've knelt to pray and you didn't even know how to pray you and despair you would discourage you are despondent you had all kind of need you emotionally upset your full of fear and anxiety and worry and fretting and all the rest you get on your knees to talk to him is all Jesus on this note Jesus on that and I'll listen.

I wonder how many times he said to you, what is it you want me to do for you and I don't believe Jesus said that to buy the mass sternly but very lovingly, the son of God said to him what is it you want me to do. He wanted by the master telling Jesus knew what he needed but is an interesting he didn't say what do you need he said what you want me to do for you and he said rub on it.

That is Lord master. I want to receive my site. I want to regain my site so how did he addressing that word Ramona means my master of my Lord. Acknowledging the fact that he heard enough about Jesus and what he was doing. He must be the Messiah because who could raise the dead, who could heal the blind, who could make the leper clean only the son of God.

And so when he addressed in. He called in my master, my Lord, I want to regain my site and the Scripture says that Jesus right there gave him his site. The Scripture says, his response was, I'm sticking with you and forget where I live, and he began to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is also significant about that. Well, there are several things. First of all, that nobody is insignificant as God. No one your friends may have turned your way. You may have never felt you had any significance at all. You may have grown up feeling so, the second rate and often times I hear people say more. Why would God want to speak to me. I'll tell you why, because he loves you because he wants a personal, intimate relationship with you because he wants to change your eternal destiny. He wants to give you life in its very best. That's why he's willing to speak to you that's why he's willing to forgive you. That's why he's not willing to turn you away.

You come to him asking for forgiveness of your sins, you get it when you come to him repenting of your sins, you will be saved. You come to him asking for eternal life. You going to receive. He's there willing to receive the listen to here. He knows our heart. When body mass came to, he came to them with fear treatment. Can you imagine this moment. Try to imagine this. Imagine being totally blind and standing in the presence of the son of God. Can you imagine the heartbeat of blonde begging brought MAS standing in the moment of opportunity in his life, and easily think of extending the presence of God. It would be like standing the presence of no one else think about the fact you're standing in the presence of omnipotence and omniscience on the presence of mercy and love and goodness and grace and kindness and your standing in the presence of all that he couldn't see, but he had to feel something that was indescribable. And then Jesus opened his eyes.

I don't think we can even conceive that Jesus said what is it you want me to do for you. Love that I may regain my site and they gave in the site. If you should say to the Lord Jesus today Lord that I might be saved, healed Savior, Lord, that I might be healed. You know what God chooses to heal some.

He doesn't always choose to heal everybody and people will tell you if you have enough faith you can heal no matter what.

That is a total violation of the teaching the word of God because sometimes it is through pain and suffering and sickness that we learn things about God. We were learning the other way sometimes is difficult to hardship and pain and suffering and journeys in our life that we wouldn't choose their choice and yet God uses them, and so on this occasion he chose the save him.

He chose to heal him. He took advantage of an opportunity listen. It was a passing opportunity.

That's what this whole passage is about. It's about a passing opportunity there are people who take advantage of their opportunities who are handicapped in some ways, physically, and yet isn't it amazing how they outdo all the rest of their people who come from nowhere, with almost no education and they invent things that amaze people who supposed to be so intelligent. You can estimate what God can do in someone else's life. So don't try to estimate what he can do in your life.

Surrender your life to him and watch him work. You may say I'm glad I got rid of that now. What's the will of God in my life.

Sometimes the best thing that can happen to lose is forgotten.

Move all the stuff that we place in such high value on so we can get onto the little thing it's a wonderful day of opportunity for a child of God every day you have an opportunity to tell somebody else how to change their eternal destiny. You have the opportunity of guarding your children to be godly children and to do the will of God for their life opportunity after opportunity. It is a matter of do you believe it number one and number two would you take advantage of it is a you can give God no legitimate reason for not taking advantage of the opportunities he's given you the limitation was so significant about this whole passage because I title this message a passing opportunity. You know what Jesus was going.

He was going through Jericho taken that walk to Jerusalem for the Passover and to the cross to die for our sins.

It was the last time he ever walked that way. It was about a man's last opportunity and only opportunity to be saved and to be healed. Let me say this, there is one opportunity you cannot afford to miss. And that's the opportunity to be saved through your faith in the death of Jesus at Calvary. That is the opportunity to surrender your life to Christ if someone heard that one of these days you think so I just give you this warning. You have the opportunity to be saved one last time you so when secondly I don't have any idea what I want you to see is this opportunities a passing opportunity, surpassing and their people who would probably have to say today. I miss that opportunity. He took advantage of it, licking him and look at me he was on the get safe I get ready. Jesus said no you want, you can save in the spirit because you and draws you. That's why it's so very important when you listen to the gospel and the invitation to confess your sins to Christ and receive him as your Savior white so very, very important you take advantage of that opportunity. You don't know that you have another baby a young person. God's calling you the some area of service for him you considering take advantage of obey him because, listen there some opportunities that once you turn them down and time goes by, the opportunity is gone. I'm pleading with you. In Jesus name.

This is the way you trust Jesus as your Savior. First of all, you acknowledge the fact that the word of God is true that he is the son of God, and you acknowledge the fact that when he lived.

He lived go to the cross lay down his life, shed his blood frowned sins you believe that his death on the cross page you send that info you wanted to ask him to forgive you of your sins and you will and to ask him to save you by his grace. You not coming because you deserve it in on the similar things about you just know he died for you.

He pages send that info and you want forgiveness and cleansing and a new life and your surrendering your life to Christ. The most important decision you will ever make.

And the one decision you do not want to let go by, you have the occasion. At this very moment the change your whole eternal destiny, but you must use it no more.

Jesus said the romance biomass.

What do you want me to do for you and I would ask you this question.

What do you want God to do for you right now.

It's an occasion and opportunity for you to be saved and to go to heaven when you die. Or maybe you are saved and gotta speak in your heart what you want him to do for you. Do you want him to show you his will for your life.

Let me ask you this. Are you willing to do whatever he called you to do as he called you again and again and again the some area of service in you the excuse that rationalized, suppose you don't hear that: the more suppose God becomes silent. Do you think you have escaped the call of God, no, the opportunity pass you by. I don't know of anything in the most serious and the answer God's call, whatever it is, when he called you about Emmaus one moment in time changed his life for good and for you.

One moment in time right now can change your eternal destiny for all times.

Whoever you are, wherever you are. I plead with you to ask Christ to forgive you of your sins, surrender your life to him and then watch him work. If you are a believer in your arrival. Running from God, having it your way, stop and ask God to forgive you and declension surrender your life to him and telling you willing to obey him. The next opportunity he brings to you the answer God's yes change your life.

But it's a decision you must make one thing for certain, listen carefully you cannot avoid the present opportunity of this moment, you may ignore the challenge, but you cannot avoid the fact you have an opportunity to thank him for what he's done in your life and is doing all the opportunity to make things right.

Even planning on being saved is an opportunity. It's an opportunity for you to surrender your life to Christ, you saved but it's all about you. It's an opportunity to get honest with the Lord that him begin to use you for his glory. You are sitting right now in the presence of an opportunity will you do about maybe God is challenge you tell someone else about him and you've ignored it, forgotten, walked away from. Maybe it's an opportunity for you to go back and asked for forgiveness for something the way you treated somebody else. Maybe it's an opportunity for you to catch up with God on your finances on your time. Maybe it's an opportunity for you to go in straighten out something between you and someone else that there's a rift between maybe it's an opportunity for you to commit yourself to get serious about living the Christian life get in the word of God, praying every day that I am working life. This is a moment of opportunity and I pray that you respond to the court and the way he tells you to what I suggest. I pray that you would and father how grateful we are for your love, your patience, your goodness your kindness to.

I pray the Holy Spirit will speak deeply, strongly to every single person who's listening to recognize that you are a God of grace and goodness and love and mercy. But you offer opportunities that have a limited span. Thank you for your kindness toward us. Thank you for the simple passage of Scripture. And thank you for reminding us that we are people of opportunity and you give them an order to use a steer on your glory and we pray this in Jesus name, amen. Thank you for listening to part to lab testing opportunity. If you like to know more about Charles Stanley were intact ministry intent started writing this back after the presentation and intact ministry in Atlanta, Georgia