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Faith Is To Not Miss the Chance
(Mk10:46-52)

God is the God of foreknowledge (Ac2:23; 1Pe1:2).
Before the creation He determined His will, His works and their times (Eph1:11) and
Without fail He proceeds according to His purpose (Eph3:11).
He rewards those who do not miss their chance with eternity (Ecc3:11).

Faith is knowing and believing Him.
The life of this faith is not missing time and chance (Ecc9:11) for
In all things such as academics, farming, business, warfare, athletic games etc
Seizing the opportunity is extremely important.

The Bible highlights this importance of time and chance that come to all.
For their ancestor Adam was deceived by the devil and sinned (Ge2:17, 3:4-6),
No man can know his time and unexpectedly the day of disaster would fall upon him (Ecc9:12).

Yet the Bible illustrates the men of faith who did not miss their chance:
Abraham, when blessed by Melchizedek the high priest of God (Ge14:18-20),
Gave a tenth of his plunder and received blessing down to three generations (He7:9-10);
Jacob, who at birth came out grasping his brother’s heel (Ge25:26),
Did not miss his chance and grasped the birthright (Ge25:33, 27:29-30), and
While praying grabbed on to the angel and received the name Israel (Ge32:28; Hos12:4).
But his godless brother, Esau, could not even find a chance to repent (He12:16-17).

While the hands of Moses were raised, the Israelites defeated the Amalekites (Ex17:10-13);
While the sun stopped in the middle of the sky, they defeated the Amorites (Jos10:12-13).
While they ran from Goliath out of fear, the young David risked his life and fought to defeat him,
Becoming the king’s son-in-law and even a king later (1Ki17).
After the farmer Elisha took possession of the cloak of Elijah, he burned up his yoke of oxen and
Gave the meat to the people, becoming a great prophet (1Ki19:19-21).

The sanctuary where the name Jehovah was reminded them of such a history and
The feasts of the LORD reminded them of their time and chance which
They eventually neglected, for which the curse on them continued (Jer8:7; Mal2:3).

Yeshua said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days,” because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body (Jn2:19-21),
Not in the name of Jehovah but in the Father’s name Yeshua (Jn5:43),
He would seize His chance not in the feasts of the LORD
But in the hour of the Son of Man (Lk17:26; Jn12:27).
For that, the Word in the beginning came as man (Jn1:1, 14) and
The time when the dead will hear His voice and live had come (Jn5:25).

Those who immediately followed His calling became His disciples (Mk1:17-20)
While those who hesitated became irrelevant to him (Lk9:59-62).
Bartimaeus, the poor blind man, who did not miss the golden opportunity upon hearing His calling,
Received sight and followed Yeshua (Mk10:46-52).

Yeshua warned to stay awake and be ready for that day and time.
Those who seize their chance will participate in the banquet of the Lamb (Mt25:1-13) but
Those who miss their chance will eternally regret (Mt24:48-55).

As He died, He said, “It is finished” (Jn19:30), declaring that He:
1) Laid down His life according to the Father’s command and completed His time (Jn10:18, 12:27);
2) Judged the origin of sin the devil (Is14:12-15; 1Jn3:8); and
3) Sprinkled the redeeming blood on all men giving them a second chance.

He resurrected and ascended to the heavenly throne and sent the Holy Spirit.
Among the 500 witnesses of His resurrection, only 120 received the promised Spirit 10 days later.

The Holy Spirit lets believers become spiritual and
Discern spiritual opportunities (1Co2:13-14).

The Christian knows worship, bible study, gathering, duties, services as spiritual opportunities, and
Considers sickness, poverty, hardship as all chances for repentance and prayer.
Therefore, he prepares for the day of the Lord that will come like a thief in the night because
While people are saying, “peace and safety,” destruction will come suddenly (1Th5:1-10).

O Lord,
Now that we look back,
We have lost countless opportunities You gave us.
At least from now on until Your return,
Lest we become those to whom You say “I do not know you,”
Let us use our time in the flesh as our chance to work and prepare for that day.
Let us surpass seasons, weather and all else, and live the days of my soul! Amen.