Opportunity

OPPORTUNITY

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (This is a two or three part lesson.)

Opportunity: to take advantage of suitable situations to accomplish something, the chance to get something done, chance to advance or make progress,

TEXT:

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:10 (MSG) Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

CAN WE SEE THERE ARE OPPORTUNIES BEFORE US…?

The Borden family had made a great fortune in Colorado silver mining. On November 1, 1887 the wealthy Borden family had a son named WILLIAM. At age 7 William Borden stood hours at a Chicago altar to GIVE HIMSELF TO THE LORD… In 1904 the rich young man graduated high school in Chicago. He was heir to THE BORDEN FAMILY FORTUNE. So the Borden family gave 16 year old WILLIAM BORDEN a “trip around the world” for his graduation present. William traveled in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. William was so moved and touched by HURTING PEOPLE. Bill wrote a letter to his family. BILL said in his letter he desired to be a missionary.

Several of Bill’s friends and family could not believe this rich, young millionaire would THROW AWAY HIS LIFE. In 1905 Borden returned to study at YALE UNIVERSITY. Several other students noted that William Borden was different. He just was not a rich kid, He was totally surrender to Jesus Christ.

AS a young student Borden wrote in the back of his Bible. NO RESERVES. Later Borden wrote in his Bible: “SAY NO TO SELF AND YES TO JESUS EVERY TIME.”

Bill started a student PRAYER MEETING on the Yale Campus. At the end of Bill’s freshman year the prayer group went from 1 to 150 praying students. His sophomore year the number grew to 300.

William Borden started focusing in one area of China where MUSLIM people lived. He prayed for the MUSLIM KANSU people. Borden graduated college and REFUSED ALL THE HIGH PAYING JOBS that a millionaire community offered. His senior year William Borden wrote two more mores in the back of his Bible to go with the other two: NO RESERVES, and now he penned NO RETREATS… Bill went on to Princeton Seminary to do his graduate work in Bible studies. When he completed his studies. BILL SET SAIL FOR CHINA to the MUSLIM people. He stopped in EGYPT to study ARABIC.

While studying language in EGYPT Borden got sick and he was found to have cerebral spinal meningitis and could not return to the USA. William Borden was dying, he looked to the back of his Bible to read the 4 words he had written:

NO RESERVES, NO RETREATS, and now he added two more words: NO REGRETS…

Many considered the Borden a failure. He gave away all his BORDEN WEALTH, he gave away all his privileges of fame and wealth, BORDEN’S DEATH WAS A TERRIBLE WASTED LIFE? William Borden died in 1913. His mother, Mary Borden was reading Bill’s Bible and found 6 words in the back… found But he left 6 words penned in the back of his Bible that has been the theme of many: NO RESERVES, NO RETREATS, NO REGRETS…

Today in the northwest corner of an American Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt rest a man OF OPPORTUNITY as a student prayer warrior and a missionary that died at 25 years of age. Everything of his wealth was given to missions except enough money to bury him and buy a cement slab gravestone. That says: APART FROM CHRIST, THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR SUCH A LIFE.

As a young student he wrote: NO RESERVES, as a graduate he penned: NO RETREATS. As a dying man he penned the words: NO REGRETS. I am told many Christian missionaries have heard William Borden’s journey and been touched to carry the cross to a lost and hurting world. NO RESERVES, NO RETREAT, NO REGRETS… William took his opportunity and ran the cross as far as he could.

WE HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US… COME LET US DO GOOD…

WE PLAYED HIDE AND SEEK: HERE I COME--- READY OR NOT…. WHAT ARE WE SAYING?

John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Luke 10:2 (KJV) Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

GOD REVEALS HIMSELF AS THE GOD OF OPPORTUNITIES AND POSSIBILITIES… TO MOSES AS THE GREAT I AM