Make the most of every opportunity

Most people are very busy – whether in school or at the workplace always in a hurry. They walk fast, they talk fast, and they eat fast. And after they eat, all too often, they stand up and say, "Excuse me. I’ve got to go."

You want to remind yourself: TREASURE YOUR TIME BECAUSE YOUR TIME ON THIS EARTH IS LIMITED. Make the most of every opportunity, because you won’t always have them.

Ps 39:4-5
4 "Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how brief my life is. 5 You have made my days a mere mist; the span of my years are nothing before you. Each human’s life is but a breath.

Ps 90:10
The length of your days is seventy years - or eighty, if you have the strength; But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and you fly away. 70 or 80 years sounds like a long, long time. But it’s just a matter of perception; you just feel that you’ve got a long way to go when you’re young.

Your time on earth is limited.
• So if you live to be 75 yrs old, if your 40 you have 35 years left to live. You’ve already crossed your halfway line. But wait a minute. You don’t really have 35 years. You don’t really have 75 years. • That’s just based on the average lifespan. It’s just a statistic. • You don’t have a guarantee of even one day more to live.

In fact the Bible tells you not to count on tomorrow because tomorrow may not come. All you have is right now. So your time on this earth is valuable because it is very limited.

MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY
Scripture tells you that you must make "the most of every opportunity" and the reason, "because the days are evil."

Jesus went to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus - He sat down to teach, and Mary was sitting at His feet listening and learning from Him. Martha was in the kitchen preparing dinner. • You know the story - Martha was upset that Mary wasn’t there to help her. She complained, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40). • "Martha, Martha," Jesus answered, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42).

Its easy for You to get so caught up in the here and now, in the affairs of everyday living, that you fail to consider that which is eternal, that which is valuable, the things that will last forever.

UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD’S WILL IS. Scripture tells you, "...do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is."

So, establish your priorities. You can’t do everything in life. So ask yourself, "Who or what is most important?" To make the most of every opportunity means you treasure the moments you have NOW.
• The two greatest enemies of time are (1) regrets for things you did or did not do in the past, and (2) anxiety about what will happen to you in the future.
• Many are living either in the past or in the future.

In fact, many are engaged in the little game of, "I wish it were..." • "How I wish it were last week,” “I wish I had called earlier," or "I wish it did not happen.”

"Life is what happens to you while you’re making plans to do something else."
Another year has come and gone. A new year stretches before you.

Ask the Lord to help you to redeem the most for your time.
(1) Treasure your time, (2) Make the most of every opportunity, and (3) know what the Lord’s will is!

Pray: Lord, please help me to use the 8,760 hours of this year the wisest way I can for you Lord and for your glory. Establish your priorities and learn how to live TODAY.