Daily Devotion

 With Pastor Ancel Presnell

“GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY OF ETERNITY”

We have all heard of different instances where people were in the right place at the right time, and everything lined up for them to cease an opportunity of a lifetime. It may have been a career opportunity, or maybe it was an opportunity in a relationship. Regardless of the scenario, they ceased upon their opportunity of a lifetime. My pastor growing up used to repeat this quote, I am unsure who coined the phrase, but it is so true. “The opportunity of a lifetime, must be ceased, during the lifetime of the opportunity.”

The Gospel means Good News. It is only Good News to the lost person, if it gets to them before it is too late. There is power in the testimony of a person who has tasted and experienced the salvation of the Lord. Our family and friends who do not know Christ as Savior may have an intellectual knowledge of who Christ is and what He has done, but some do not even have that. Do they know what Christ has done for you?

Matthew, in the New Testament was a tax collector. There was never any lost love for tax collectors, and that has never changed unto this very day. Matthew, also known as Levi, was called by Christ to follow Him. He left everything he had and followed the Lord. The only people in Matthew’s life that he had any relationship with were more tax collectors. So what does Matthew do? He had a gathering at his home with other publicans over some dinner. They were in for so much more; Christ was also a guest in the house. Jesus called them to repentance.

Are you giving your lost family, friends, and circle of influence an opportunity to hear about Jesus? Are you creating opportunity for them to hear what Christ has done for you? There is nothing wrong with inviting lost friends and family to church; I encourage our church family to do this all the time. However, our chances of giving them viable opportunity hear about Jesus is much greater in our home, out to lunch, or maybe going out to do something fun. They are more likely to take you up on that. The point is this, don’t assume the perfect opportunity is going to come and no effort will be needed. Create opportunity to give them an opportunity of eternity with the Gospel of Christ.

Luke 5:29—32 “²⁹ And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. ³⁰ But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? ³¹ And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. ³² I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”