Bible Verses About Opportunity

Because you refused when I called, and no one paid attention when I put out my hand,

but instead you neglected my counsel and would not accept my reproof;

I, in turn, will laugh at your distress, and mock when terror comes over you

yes, when terror overtakes you like a storm and your disaster approaches like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble assail you.

Then they will call me, but I won't answer; they will seek me earnestly, but they won't find me.

Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of ADONAI,

they refused my counsel and despised my reproof.

So they will bear the consequences of their own way and be overfilled with their own schemes.

For the aimless wandering of the thoughtless will kill them, and the smug overconfidence of fools will destroy them;

but those who pay attention to me will live securely, untroubled by fear of misfortune."

"The harvest has passed, the summer is over, and still we are not saved."

On the other hand, if you warn the wicked person, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, then he will still die guilty; but you will have saved your own life.

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, speak to your people; say to them, 'Suppose I bring the sword on a country, and the people of that country take one of their men and appoint him their watchman.

Now if, upon seeing the sword coming against that country, he blows the shofar and warns the people;

then, if the sword comes and takes away someone who heard the sound of the shofar but paid no attention to it, the responsibility for that person's death will be his own -

he heard the shofar but paid no attention, so the responsibility for his death is his own; whereas if he had paid attention, he would have saved his life.

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the shofar, so that the people are not warned; and then the sword comes and takes any one of them, that one is indeed taken away in his guilt, but I will hold the watchman responsible for his death.'

"Likewise you, human being - I have appointed you as watchman for the house of Isra'el. Therefore, when you hear the word from my mouth, warn them for me.

When I tell the wicked person, 'Wicked person, you will certainly die'; and you fail to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his way; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death.

On the other hand, if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he doesn't turn from his way; then he will still die guilty, but you will have saved your own life.

"Therefore, you, human being, say to the house of Isra'el: 'You say, "Our crimes and sins are weighing us down, we're pining away because of them, how can we even stay alive?"'

Say to them, 'As I live,' swears Adonai ELOHIM, 'I take no pleasure in having the wicked person die, but in having the wicked person turn from his way and live. So repent! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, house of Isra'el?'

"Next, you, human being, say to your people: 'The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him, once he starts committing crimes; and likewise, the wickedness of the wicked person will not cause him to fall, once he turns from his wickedness. No, the righteous person cannot live by virtue of [his former righteousness], once he starts sinning.

So if, after I tell the righteous person that he will surely live, he begins trusting in his own [former] righteousness and starts committing crimes; then none of his [former] righteous actions will be remembered; on the contrary, he will die for the evil deeds he has committed.