Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,
AND PROVE ME now herewith, saith the Lord of Host, IF I WILL NOT OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH
TO RECEIVE IT.
2 Kings 23:17 And Elisha said, OPEN THE WINDOW eastward. And King Joash opened it ---
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house: and his WINDOWS BEING OPEN in his chambers toward Jerusalem, Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day.
I. DEFINITIONS:
A. WINDOW:
opening for light and air; transparent material usually capable of being opened & closed; interval of time when something must happen; time when conditions for opportunity exist; part of a computer that displays or divides distinctly different types of information into areas of display.
B. OPPORTUNITY:
favorable juncture; good chance for advancement or progress; situation which one may seize to the benefit of the whole; chance; shot; opening.
II. OUR GOAL IS MORE LEISURE TIME?
A. KILLING TIME?
We are wise stewards of our money, we teach investment of money with thought. We teach our children to use their minds and talents in the proper avenues. But somehow we live like we have forever, and we waste time, seems we don’t realize there is a limited, finite amount of time that we possess. Once the day is spent it can never be recalled.
Now is the accepted time.
Time is that wherein there is opportunity.
Time is the most valuable thing you spend. Show me what you spend your time on, and I will show you what you love. Time is flying and never to return.
E. IT IS GETTING LATE! John 4:35 Say not ye, There are four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
III. A YOUNG MAN COMES TO A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY, AND MISSES IT!
2 Kings recalls a very sad day for a young man, and a sad day for a great nation. Joash came to his window of opportunity.
A. THERE IS BEFORE US A GREAT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.
2 Kings 23:17 And Elisha said, OPEN THE WINDOW eastward. And King Joash opened it --- In this story there are two main characters.
ELISHA is an old man of God and he nears the end of his ministry.
JOASH was the new young King of Israel. JOASH HAS GREAT POTENTIAL.
II Kings 13: 14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And JOASH the king of Israel came down unto Elisha, and wept over his face, and said, O, my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
B. CAN WE FOLLOW THE LEADER WITH LOVE, ZEAL AND SUBMIT TO DIRECTIONS EVEN
IF WE DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND?
Joash recognized God and Elisha as the man of God, but there was a lacking in catching the moment of opportunity that was before the young King. II Kings 13:15 And Elisha said unto Joash, TAKE THE BOW AND ARROWS. And Joash took the bow and the arrows.
II Kings 13:16 As King Joash takes the bow and arrows in his hand, the
old preacher lays his hands upon the Kings hands, a token of the anointing.
C. HERE COMES THE OPPORTUNITY!
II Kings 13:17 And Elisha said, OPEN THE WINDOW eastward. And Joash opened the window. Elisha said SHOOT THE ARROW out the window... And Joash shot ...
The opportunity looms before Joash as Elisha commands:
THESE ARE THE ARROWS OF THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE and the arrow of deliverance from Syria.
D. LACK OF COMMITMENT WHILE AT THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.
11 Kings 13:18 Elisha commands the young King Joash to TAKE THE ARROWS AND HIT THE GROUND WITH THEM.
The young King halfheartedly took the arrows and hit the ground three times and stopped.
E. NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE, THAN THE WORDS WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN!
II Kings 13:19 And Elisha, the man of God was WROTH w/ Joash, & Elisha said, Joash you should have hit those arrows to the ground 5 or 6x’s
May I suggest to you, the problem was a heart problem, not just how Joash hit the ground? Joash was at the WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY & HE MISSED IT.
GOD DESIRES TO BLESS YOU, COME TO THE OPEN WINDOW AND ACCEPT GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR YOU!
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, AND PROVE ME now herewith, saith the Lord of Host, IF I WILL NOT OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, & POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT
2 Kings 23:17 And Elisha said, OPEN THE WINDOW eastward. And King Joash opened it ---
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house: and his WINDOWS BEING OPEN in his chambers toward Jerusalem, Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day.
IV. DANIEL COMES TO A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY AND HE SEIZES THE CHANCE BY
FAITHFULNESS TO PRAYER!
A. GENERAL STATEMENTS ON OPPORTUNITY.
We need more than observation when opportunity knocks.
Life is short, opportunity fleeting, death is sure, sin is the curse, grace is the cure.
B. HOW CAN WE SING?
WHEN DANIEL’S OPPORTUNITY COMES IT IS HIDDEN BENEATH A GREAT DISGUISE.
Daniel is a slave boy, 500 miles from home. Babylon can’t be God can it?
All Daniel has is a dream of Jerusalem and his home.
Psalms 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, WE WEPT, when we remember Zion.
2. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 3. For there they that carried us
away captive, REQUIRED OF US A SONG; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying,
SING US ONE OF THE SONGS OF ZION. 4. HOW SHALL WE SING THE LORD’S SONG IN A STRANGE LAND? 5. If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to learn a great lesson, the SONGS OF GOD can be sung anywhere.
C. THE DARKER THE NIGHT THE GREATER THE LIGHT!
DANIEL LIVES IN A VERY DARK DAY YET THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS STILL BEFORE HIM.
1. The dark days of Nebuchadnezar, Daniel stays true, the window is open toward Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezar was the mean, cruel ruler as Daniel is forced to labor in Babylon. Daniel and the three Hebrew boys refuse the extravagant life style of Babylon. Daniel may be in Babylon, but Daniel will never allow Babylon to grow in his desires.
Nebuchadnezar refused to submit to God and he had a nervous breakdown that lasted 7 long years.
2. THE PARTY HARDY DAYS OF BELSHAZZAR, Daniel refuses to compromise, the window stays open toward heaven.
When Nebuchadnezar dies, Belshazzar becomes the new King of Babylon.
Belshazzar is just as wicked as his king father. Belshazzar has a love of parties.
Belshazzar would invite all his party buddies over for drunken rages.
One day Belshazzar decides to have a party and use the golden vessels from the temple in Jerusalem. Belshazzar shows a lack of respect for the holy things of God.
Out of nowhere comes a hand and it writes on the wall ---
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN...
King Belshazzar sobers up and great fear shakes his knees.
God very clearly warns:
GOD HAS NUMBERED YOU DAYS --- YOU HAVE BEEN WEIGHED IN THE BALANCES --- AND FOUND WANTING.
3. NOW DANIEL FINDS HIMSELF UNDER THE ABSOLUTE POWER OF KING DARIUS.
DANIEL MAKES A DECISION TO STAY TRUE TO HIS GOD, AND KEEP THE WINDOW OPEN
Under the reign of Darius Babylon is known as the Sin Capital of the world. There was great power in the hand and scepter of Darius.
Darius was the sovereign authority, at his word there was the law.
D. WHEN DANIEL’S FRIENDS AND FOES PLOT AGAINST HIM, THE WINDOW STILL STAYS OPEN, AND THE GOD OF OPPORTUNITY IS RELEASED.
About 120 princes and presidents plot to destroy Daniel.
How can any man withstand such a cruel attack and attempt of cruel, jealous leaders?
Well, Daniel had learned a lesson at THE OPEN WINDOW...
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn, This is a heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
V. DANIEL’S OPEN WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FACED ANOTHER CITY!
If Daniel was not careful as he peered out the open window he would have focused on the opportunities from Babylon. Daniel had to focus ABOVE and BEYOND the here and the now.
We might think Daniel’s focus was 500 miles back to the earthly Jerusalem, but if you knew Daniel’s open window, Daniel was searching beyond this old world. His vision was toward God.
Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
A. DANIEL’S OPEN WINDOW WAS 3X’s A DAY, 365 TIMES A YEAR!
Daniel may have lived within the limits of Babylon, but Daniel’s heart was never trapped in that place.
Daniel’s vision, his dreams, his heart was refocused because Daniel knew the open window. Daniel may have been in Babylon, but Babylon was never, never in him.
B. THE WINDOW OPENED HEAVENWARD ALWAYS KEPT DANIEL IN FOCUS WITH GOD’S POSSIBILITIES AND REALITIES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF DANIEL’S ABILITIES!
Daniel was a man of power and wisdom, it had often been sought out by the powers to be, but the open window was an acknowledgment that there was a power greater than Daniel.
There is wisdom above man’s knowledge. Can God? or God can! This is what the window opens to our hearts.
Woe to the church that can only reach with their hands! thinking potential!
It is the heart. It is the vision, it is the dream that reaches beyond human limitations into the realm of the open window of God.
1 John 4:3 Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.
C. THE WINDOW OPEN TO GOD RELEASES GOD’S MAN FROM THE LOVE OF APPLAUSE AND SPIRITUAL COMPARISONS AND POPULARITY POLLS.
There is a desire in the heart of man to please man and compromise for the acceptance of the crowd. With this in the heart it could be easy to reduce the church to civic clubs seeking entertainment values.
An open window to God will keep the focus on what breaks God’s heart, will break our heart!
D. THE WINDOW OPENED HEAVENWARD WILL KEEP A GUIDANCE SYSTEM IN TACT.
If the window is open toward the street, we might focus on people and be disappointed?
If the window is opened toward prosperity, we might focus on the accumulation of toys and things?
When I think of seeking direction in the darkness, I think of the NORTH STAR!
The North Star is a fixed star, it is faithful to it’s post of duty.
Hundreds of years ago navigational people used the North Star. Today we can still find our place by looking to the North star.
This is what faithfulness to prayer from the open window can do for our families
VI. DANIEL’S WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY KEPT HIM FROM HURT!
Today I know Preachers that will not fellowship with the fellowship because of some past hurt.
I know families that still savior that last argument and refuse to forgive.
I know church members that will not shake hands with each other? They will not visit or talk because of some offense that they carry in their heart. We can disguise this behavior behind many mask, but it is unforgiveness and this cancer is deadly. Bitterness and hurt is contagious.
Time spent in the open window of God will birth forgiveness and understanding!
Daniel 6:22 My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have NOT HURT ME: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me: and also before thee, O king, HAVE I DONE NO HURT.
We carry physical hurts. We carry mental hurts. When we are hurt we hurt back? Revenge is not yours, you are a stealer if you carry revenge.
Not only was there no fire damage to the three Hebrew boys, they never even smelled like smoke.
IF THE HORSE IS DEAD? DISMOUNT!
The enemy has no lion in his zoo that can bite and hurt the man in the window!
VII. THERE IS NO GOD LIKE JEHOVAH! AND THERE IS NO SERVANT LIKE THE MAN IN THE WINDOW!
THERE IS NO GOD LIKE JEHOVAH! AND THERE IS NO SERVANT LIKE THE MAN IN THE WINDOW!
Daniel 6:25 Then King Darius wrote unto ALL people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: PEACE BE MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU. 26. I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom MEN TREMBLE AND FEAR BEFORE THE GOD OF DANIEL: FOR HE IS THE LIVING GOD, AND STEADFAST FOREVER, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end. 27. He delivereth and rescueth, and worketh signs and wonders in heaven
and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persaian.
WE ASK WHERE IS THE GOD OF DANIEL? THE QUESTION IS ALL WRONG! WHERE ARE THE DANIEL’S OF GOD?
Where are the men, the women, the boys, and the girls that have dwelled at the window of the visitation of God?
VII. GOD DESIRES TO BLESS YOU, COME TO THE OPEN WINDOW AND ACCEPT GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR YOU!
