Some say that time is responsible for defining a person’s future. We need it in order to know how a book, movie, story, etc. will end.

Time also defines life. A man is born, grows, matures, grows old and dies. This is how life naturally takes its course.

Marriage, for example, is not defined at the altar or on the honeymoon. Over time, the solidness of the couple’s commitment will be defined, regardless of whether or not they say they love each other.

A marriage with God is no different. When we surrender our body, soul and spirit, and promise to be faithful to Him with our behavior and actions, feelings and thoughts, in poverty or in wealth, with our tithes and offerings and in our right to enjoy a life of quality, only time will strengthen, or not, that surrender that was made on the altar.

God is not defeated by time, nor does He forget the vows we make in sincere prayer.

“I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family,” Genesis 31.13.

Like the people of Israel, while on their way to the Promised Land, we have seen many fall along the way during their journey in the desert. They are defeated by the time they have in church or in the ministry.

Pastors, who exchange reading and meditating on the Word of God for memorized biblical verses. They trade fresh, new inspirations given to them by the Holy Spirit for old, repetitive sermons.

Assistants, who exchanged evangelizing, where they used to sweat their shirts because of the scorching sun and heat during their passionate quest for souls, for the coldness of seeing someone that is suffering and not even offering a shoulder for them to vent on.

Church members, who have exchanged the fear, obedience and faithfulness of giving tithes and offerings, for malice and the rebelliousness of questioning their clear and transparent purpose.

We’re talking about people who once had a strong commitment with the Lord Jesus, yet today, they are weak because they are far from the presence of a God who is not overcome by time or has ever become accommodated by any situation, and Who is ready to take back those who allowed time to become the enemy of their salvation.

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved,” Matthew 24.12,13.

This is, those who persevere until the end and are saved, are the same ones that overcome time.

May the Lord give us strength to make time our friend, so that we may grow and mature, and not have an accommodated spirit that will end up leading us into the abyss, this is, to hell.

God bless you.

Bishop Sergio Correia