#1 STANDING IN THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This is part one of a two part series.
Part one is: STANDING IN THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
Part two is: SEIZING THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
I have a big hour glass I purchased at Walmart. The hour glass is full of sand, when I turn the
hour glass over the sand starts pouring through the small hole, and there is one hour of sand.
I start quoting the continued show, AS THE SAND OF TIME --- SO ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE!
I have a bow and four or five arrows that I hold to illustrate II Kings 13.
TEXT:
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:
an opening for light and air;
transparent material usually capable of being opened and closed;
interval of time when something must happen;
time when conditions for opportunity exist;
area at the limits of earth’s sensible atmosphere through which a space craft must pass for
successful launch and reentry;
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?
Our goal in life is to be free from work and constructive activities? We look for a more convenient time?
Where is the thought of Seizing the Window of Opportunity?
One of the greatest sins of the modern church is a very simple sin. We think we have plenty of time.
We kill time! He who kills time, kills him self.
We teach our children not to waste food and water.
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.
B. OUR KIDS GROW LAZY AND SASSY?
The kid has homework to do! There is a book to read that will enlighten the mind,
there are chores to help around the home not finished.
And the child is engrossed by some video game and will never finish the work before them.
C. OUR PARENTS GROW LAZY AND FAT?
A Mom is laying on the couch watching the continued show on TV. The kids are hungry.
There are dust bunnies growing under the beds. There is work to be done, but Mom is on the phone
hearing the rumor mill, and can’t even hear her own children.
A Daddy is laying lazily on the couch with the remote control flipping from football, to basketball,
to baseball games. He is a couch potato eating potato chips and getting fatter and fatter.
If Dad can’t find something good on TV, he will watch a rerun.
Why can’t there be Bible reading and prayer?
Why can’t there be family time of laughing and sharing and listening?
D. WASTING TIME IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE SPIRIT.
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.
My older brother was in Germany and he sent me a beautiful Cuckoo clock. I love cuckoo clocks.
I stopped and listen as the little bird cuckoos.
One day I stopped and was counting as the bird sang. I counted, one, two, three, ---- eight, nine,
--- twelve, --- fourteen, --- eighteen, --- twenty-two, --- twenty-seven and finally the tired bird quit
singing at twenty-eight.
I turned to Linda and said, Honey, it is later than it has ever been before.
III. A YOUNG MAN COMES TO A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY, AND MISSES IT!
I use a bow and arrows in my hand to illustrate this part.
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 with Joash, and Elisha said, Joash
you should have hit those arrows to the ground five or six times...
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 AND HE MISSED IT. Lazy, halfhearted efforts
can never accomplish the purpose of the Almighty God!
Do you think God might take issue with the lack of effort and application of our talents as we stand
before the window of opportunity?
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, AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH
TO RECEIVE IT.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr., Kyfingers@aol.com
My hands are so small and reach so few. Could you help me and pass this lesson on to others?
This is part one, if you need part two email me.
