Opportunity Is Knocking...

Opportunity is knocking!

Illus. By Russell Brownworth

Selfishness is a personal thing. This is the self-contained life lived without Christ. That’s the attitude that hears a sermon and thinks, Wow, the preacher really told ‘em that time.

A preacher once had a member who was like that. He always had the same comment after the sermon, You sure told ‘em today, Preacher! This dear fellow was the most faithful member, always attending every time the church doors were open. But, somehow he always seemed to think the sermon was for everyone else, and not for him.

The pastor prepared a sermon to speak to the issue. And One day the pastor’s opportunity came in the form of a terrible snowstorm. Nobody showed up except for – you guessed it – Brother you Told ‘EM was the only member of the congregation, to show up that day.

The pastor hauled out his sermon and pulled every trigger available. Hellfire and brimstone, you name it he preached it. And At the end of the two-man worship hour, guess what was heard going out the door?

Preacher, if they’d-a-been here you sure woulda’ told ‘em this time!

I want you to take a good look around this morning. And as you look around I want you think about what you see. Does what you see affect you? We have a beautiful facility don't we? Does the empty seat next to you move you with compassion for the lost, as the song says? It should!

It's sad to say, but the church has lost its objective to win the lost. The church is not this beautiful building we are sitting in this morning, no..."we are." And "we" represents every Christian not giving their all to share the cause of Christ! Because every church in the world, has far to many empty seats in them this morning!

The truth shall set you free, the truth also hurts sometimes doesn't it?

The truth is, if we are willing to admit it, we all could be doing more to lift up the name of Jesus.

TBS (the Bible says) if we are willing to do our part, He will do His! And men and women will still be drawn to Him and will come to Christ and come to know Him, if we are willing to lift Him up!

Everywhere all over the world this morning there are people who are not in church! Those people are our brothers and our sisters, our children and our friends!

Those people unless we tell them about the love of Christ, they may never hear the greatest story ever told!

For whatever reason they choose not to frequent the church on a regular occasion and some choose not to frequent church at all.

Some say I can find God out in the woods, or down on the river.

First and foremost, it’s a well kept secret, but I want to let you know, “God is not Lost!”

But if you were to look for Him, you wouldn’t have to go out in the woods, or on the river to find Him.

For you see, TBS.(the bible says) “He’s as close as the mention of His Name,

Proverbs 18:24 NKJ.

24. A man who has friends must himself be friendly, “But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Prov. 18:24 MSG.

Friends come and friends go,

but a true friend sticks by you like family.

Psalm 139:7-10NKJ.

7. Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8. If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9. If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10. Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

Everywhere you look, There God is. There's no getting away from Him! Because as soon as you think you have gotten away from Him, you'll discover He's arrived at the exact same place, only He got there before you got there!

He's omnipresent, which means He's everywhere all the time!

He’s right here, right now, you don’t have to go any farther than the whisper

of your voice to Find Him. He’s ready to act on our behalf in a moments notice,

always ready to be attentive to our every need.

All of humanity, though they've been lead to believe otherwise, needs someone who knows and encourages us, also who will comfort us and build us up!

Where in the world we find someone who is willing to do that??

Is there anyone who really knows us?

Is there anyone who really understands us?

Is there anyone who really cares?

The answer is a resounding “Yes!” God does! God is willing!!