The book of Eccl. Chapter 3:1 says there is time to every purpose under the heavens. Time is something that dictates how we live our lives on earth. Time dictates when we sleep and when we wake up. It dictates when we go to work and when we finish work. Time is a mystery because even though we live in time, by time no one can be sure of what happens in the second of time. If we are uncertain about what the next second brings then we can only live from one time to the other with the hope that somehow along the line, time will bring a desired change.
The mysteries of time we combat by hope and if hope is lost then there can be no zeal to carry on matching ahead from one time to the next. Hope is something that we always need to have in time era because when hope is lost then the will to carry on will simply disappear. As Christians, we need hope to carry on walking in faith and the enemy of faith and hope is time. Naturally, the longer it takes for change to take place the less the hope of a change and the less the hope of a change the more our faith and trust in God will start to decrease. If we are to live by faith, then we must have hope of eternal life throughout our stay in time. For without hope there can be no faith and without faith, we cannot act to bring about the necessary changes that we so much desire. Once hope is lost, vision automatically disappears because it is hope for a change that keeps our vision alive.
How do we combat the enemy of hope and faith, which is time? The answer is simple; we combat hopelessness and anxiety, which is a direct result of long wait in time by remaining hopeful in our vision of eternity. Focusing on time limits our mind to time framework and if all of our concentration is in on the events of time as it is happening in our lives and around us we cannot see God’s eternal love for us. Every man’s mission in time is to find their true position in eternity and if we concentrate all of our efforts on the visible time then we will be in blind focus of the invisible reality. We overcome the fears of time through revelation of our true potentials and identity in eternal context. If we know who we are, where we came from, where we are and where we are heading then we have all the certainty that we need to get through the trials and tribulations of time. The reality of life is the invisible not the visible and when it comes to change, real change comes from the invisible to the visible. A surface change is no real change and if we are looking for a change in time, we must seek for change not on the outside only but from the inside out. Time itself does not change, instead the hands of time simply goes round and round in circles. Whosoever is stuck in circle of time, will simply be going round and round in circles no matter how wonderful things may appear on the outside. Once we have change in the invisible then all we need to do for a change in the visible is to focus our attention on Christ the one that has all time secrets as the one who was, who is and ever will be. Faith is evidence of our hope for a change and if our hope is to bring real life changes, our faith and hope must work together to lead us to obey God for God sake. Only when we obey God for God sake will our faith raise perfect divine legitimate expectations. Only if we have continuous legitimate expectations towards God would we carry on in life with strong faith towards God.
Hope in God builds our trust in him. Without hope and trust in God, no one would have the mind to continue to be faithful towards God especially when it seems nothing positive is happening despite all of our believed faithful efforts to bring about change. If hope and trust is lost then the zeal to act will also disappear. Action is necessary to bring about changes in time not just to our lives, but also in the lives of others. To continue to be of a good service towards God in time era despite our challenging trials and tribulations our hope must be of eternal life and not just of our limited existence in time. Only if we have an eternal life mind of hope would we continue to believe that God loves us despite how tough things may get. God sees all that is in time from eternity and he knows the appropriate time to reveal what is hidden. Time will always make our eternal life vision appear false and the only way we can continue in our time mission is by focusing our mind on the fact that God had already fulfilled all his promises unto us even before our time. Time is in the controlling hands of God and if we obey God in time despite the negative circumstances then we say God is overall faithful and trustworthy.
As human beings we always want to know what the time says to decide whether to act on something or wait and relax before we rise up to action. Knowing all the bible verses is good but it is pointless if we do not act on the word that we say we know. It is action that brings about change in time thus God himself sacrificed his only begotten Son for us as demonstration of his own eternal faithful action to bring about his desired divine visible and invisible changes in our spiritual lives. Through visibly manifesting his word of love by his faithful actions, we became aware of his invisible love for us and if we only speak without acting then we cannot say we have God’s faith. God’s divine faith we see in his word of action. To know what the time is, is to concentrate on performing the right actions instead of just talks. The time now is the end time and the end time is the time for faithful obedience actions for the glory of God. We live by faith not by sight of what we see in time because we know that even though time will come and go the eternal word of God endures forever. The entire word revealed is Christ Jesus and Jesus is my hope, my vision and my light. In vision of Christ, I have hope even when the situation appears hopeless and in hope of Christ, I know God is faithful. Since I know God is faithful, I am always in his eternal faithful rest in my spirit and soul. As such, no matter what the next minute brings I know it shall be to my advantage. God that is in me is not in constrains of time but beyond time. Since God is above time, I know he will make all things in my time and beyond my timely existence to work for the benefit of my soul in eternity due to his perfect eternal love for me.
No matter what you are going through today, my word of advice to you is to look unto the eternal word of God, which is Jesus the author, and finisher of our faith. The Jesus crucified in time is the Jesus glorified in eternity. This is evidence that even though time seems to regulate our life on earth, the one that dictates the pace and event of time is the Ancient of all days. The injustice of time could not prevent the real justice of God to Christ’s name for although man tried and unjustly crucified Christ in time, the Christ crucified is the real advocate and judge. Although injustice of time will always try to abolish our hope of eternal joy, our hope of Christ-like eternal reward will always keep our hope and faith alive in God. In Christ, I have everyday hope and in hope, I am not led by sight of my trials and tribulations but by my faith of eternal faith in Christ. Faith is central to the heart of love and God is love. If God loves me so much to the extent that he gave me his only begotten Son before my time so that I do not perish in eternity, it is a lie that the same God that did all he did will abandon me to the misery of time. He knows my name even before my parents conceived me and I know that in his eternal rest he has made all things possible for me.
My closing payer for you
I pray that no matter what you are going through today, that you find peace and rest in Christ that came in time from his eternal rest to give your soul peace, joy and rest for eternity. May his peace see you throughout time, settle you permanently at the right hand of the Father to rest, and abide with him from everlasting to everlasting.
Pastor Olabisi Kufeji
Freedom House International
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