As a member of the choristers in church, i truly believed that i was already saved and nothing more. The truth is that there are very big differences between a church goer and a Christian. I used to go to church every time there was a service, ministered with the choirs but cuss and drink. I felt that confessing Jesus as Lord and Saviour, also been born into a Christian home was all i needed to be called a Christian.
Going to church and still heard God say to me, separate from sin made me get to the point of wanting to understand every word that God said. Of a truth, my curiosity really paid off. In my quest for wanting to understand, i got to know the importance of every scripture in the Bible.
I fell inlove with God and so far i have been enjoying my walk with the Holy Spirit. Evangelising is one God's business i don't ever joke with. The joy i get when i am using the mic, oh my goodness, it's so awesome!
On my way to evangelise this morning, i was asking the Lord what i should preach about. Normally I don't prepare sermon, i just go out whenever to preach and allow the Holy Spirit to lead. So on my way, as i was approaching the place i was to minister, the Holy Spirit dropped in my heart the topic "vanity upon vanity" and said that i should draw my message from the story of the Rich man and Lazarus.
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead"(Luke16:19-31).
As i started the ministration, the Holy Spirit ministered in my heart that there are so many people today, like the Rich man who are torn from their thrones of grace because of their deep love for the materialistic things of this world and have put on garments of greed, pride, wickedness, arrogancy, hatred, jealousy, lies, bad-mouthing, discremination etc.
These nagetive habits are reasons divine opportunities are been wasted by so many in life. I have realized that alot of people don't really understand what an opportunity is and that an individual can get an opportunity where is mostly needed.
What Is Opportunity?
According to Oxford dictionary, opportunity is a time or set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. Opportunity comes in disguise sometimes. It can take on different forms. Opportunity can come to you as an instruction. Opportunity can come to you as a test. Opportunity can come in human form. Opportunity can also come as trials and temptations. Whichever way a good opportunity comes, know that grace has located you in the area where you needed help the most.
Today, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Lazarus the poor man was Jesus Christ the Lord who came in disguise in order to save the Rich man from eternal condemnation. But greed, arrogancy, pride and discrimination between the rich and poor, made the Rich man failed to identify his opportunity to salvation.
The Rich man was a billionnaira without a purpose. So many are like that today. They have no idea what the purpose of the thing God has placed in their hands is. He lived in luxury but failed in his responsibilities. There are also many who feel so big to give their primary purpose responsibility. Therefore, no matter how hard or good they think the things they do are, they still failed God.
He had eyes but couldn't see or identify his primary purpose in life. It is said that"when the purpose of a thing is unknown, abuse becomes inevitable." The Rich man abused his opportunity to salvation and so he wasted his chance of been saved because he was too lost in the things of the world.
The story of the Rich man and Lazarus is a clear explanation that whatever you do, if it is not conforming with God's will and purpose, you might probably miss it in life.
Do you also know that the Rich man was the seed of Abraham? He probably knew how to donate money in church. He probably was equally very good at making people believe that he was a very good, caring and nice person.
However, he never knew that no man can mock God. In all his wrong doings, grace still located him but couldn't single him out because he was too lost in his luxury and so he wasted his opportunity to salvation.
It is important you know that our primary purpose in life can never be neglected. In fact, neglected God's assignment for your life, might be the greatest mistake any man can ever make. You know, the worst thing that can happen to a man is to come to this life and go back to God with the assignment God placed in his hands.
Do you also know that if you are not inline with God's will and God presented something before you, it is grace that has located you? But the love of worldly things have blindfolded alot of people in the world.
Sometimes in life a person only need to execute an opportunity for mercy to speak and for grace to move and save. The book of Ephesians 2:8, explains to us that we are saved by grace through faith. Grace is a product of divine opportunity. Grace is mercy that we do not merit. But God made it available anyway. For our salvation and for His own sake.
Divine opportunity can come inform of a person you know well. Opportunity can come inform of a sick, beggar, brother or sister who is in need, or even a neighbour. All you should always ask God for is faith that will lead you into taking the right actions in life.
Often times, negative habits are the things that prevent a man from identifying divine opportunity in life. Sin makes a man feel too big to carry out his primary purpose diligently. You should know that our primary purpose in life is to go about the kingdom business. If you fail to realize this, you will always waste divine opportunities when it is presented to you.
Look around you there is an opportunity that needs your attention. The beauty of identifying an opportunity and working on it is that it is usually the key to answer prayer or the key to unlocking a most important need and want.
Let go of any form of negative habit in your life. Allow the Lord to lead you, so you can come into the fullness of God's purpose for your life. There is a purpose to every opportunity.
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