Category Archives: Faith

Just a crumb

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She was weary and desperate. But she would do anything for her daughter. She pressed on and walked with desperation and hope. “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon possessed and suffering terribly.” She cried out loud. She knew that she was not in her turf, and was expecting anything to happen, but no answer.

This silence was like a queue for those that walked with Him as they came and urged to send her away.This was supposed to be a meeting that no one knew about, and she was spoiling it. This was supposed to be an “inner circle” meeting and she kept crying after them. They wanted to be left alone with the Master, and this was a very familiar scene. So they stopped and she knelt, disregarding the obvious body language that the disciples were showing. And then it happened: Jesus spoke the words that challenged her “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

There and then the miracle happened. She knew who she was talking to, or maybe she was so desperate that she did not care how she was perceived. The love she felt inside was greater than the possible humiliation she could experience. She wanted just a crumb. Her faith was big enough to understand that only a crumb of the Masters words could be enough. Not the feast, not the entire bread, just a crumb, that’s all she needed, and she got it all in the end.

Some of the greatest breakthroughs in life came from small moments, just as it came for this woman. What do you need today? Do you find yourself glancing at the feast and ignoring the crumbs? We often do that and forget that our miracle can come from small things. Your breakthrough can come from that “crumb” meeting, from that “crumb” phone call, from that “crumb” presentation. But you need to want it bad. Bad enough to do whatever it takes to get to your “crumb”. His word is more than enough to change the direction of your life and make this moment a turning point.

Be alert because you might be looking for a feast, but God can use Just a crumb.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2012
 Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by Biblica®. Used by permission of Biblica®. All rights reserved worldwide.

Surrounded

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Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, both now and forever. – Psalm 125:1-2

As I searched information about Mount Zion, the Mount of God, many amazing facts came alive. For example, it is really three peaks of almost equal height which form the mount. Many significant events happened here also such as the Transfiguration of Jesus, the declaration that his church would be edified over “this rock”, meaning himself and many more.

But Mount Zion is much more than a piece of land. It is a visual reminder to us of the faithfulness of God. Because when we look at a mountain, we have this mental picture that it is unmovable, strong. Wind, water and the elements will make its mark on the face of the Mount over time so the landscape might change, but the foundations will never be removed.

Such is our life, as the elements we endure every day will change us and leave its mark in us, but if we trust the Lord we will endure them. It is in our trust (the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something) in Him, that hinges this promise. He will surround us and guard us. From time to time, some of the “elements” in life might get to us, but we will not be defeated. When we are insufficient, He is sufficient. When we are weak, He is strong. When we are fearful, He is courageous. When we are inconsistent, He is constant. When we are unlovable, He loves us to the end. When we are shunned, He opens his arms. When we are dead, He gives us life. And when we are threatened, He surrounds us both now and forever.

Yes, there is always lessons to be learned by our own mistakes that will help us everyday. It may be that these mistakes had put you in a place you would rather not be and today you might feel you have been sieged to the point of defeat. But remember that those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever, so when we trust in His Word we can be confident that it is firm, because every word God has given will always come to pass.

Don’t fret, He is near and he is with you. And when you are under attack, he has you both now and forever, Surrounded.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2012
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The spirit of the avenger

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When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. – John 11:33

Avenger: someone who takes vengeance. This is a term we usually hear in action packed movies. It usually brings to mind the rouge and unrestrained man that continues his hatred filled agenda and his passionate pursuit of revenge. We portray scenes of blood thirsty vigilantes taking the justice in their own hands. But in this passage we see a different picture.

Jesus had delayed his arrival to Bethany, knowing that Lazarus was sick. In those moments of delay, I can imagine his heart pounding faster and faster. He loved this family, they were his friends and were very dear to his heart, and to wait patiently was a hard task to undertake. And as he obeyed God’s direction, the expectations began to grow inside. His was cool, calm and collected. But inside, something was happening, a spiritual tsunami was developing within him. The most inner fibers of his nature flourished to the skin of his being. There was hurt, sadness, and weeping all around. Then, it became real, clear and present, his enemy was before him. Death had challenged Life.

It is very difficult to understand the emotions and feelings Jesus had at that time. He was being faced with a very personal situation. He became troubled, and anger started to well up within him. A sense of justice and unconformity of the human condition, became a fuel that ignited his passion for redemption. I can imagine that every scene around him blurred as he walked unfazed toward the tomb. His mental stage was clear; death had to be stopped, suffering had to end and joy had to return. Nothing and no one, would stop him now, it was very personal, it was very real.

So He wept. He felt the same emotions you and I feel when someone is lost. When this life gets to us and we question every single belief we have and have ever considered. He went through the motions that you and I have traveled many times. But he remained and he conquered.

And then came those timeless words, “Lazarus, come out!”. Life had emerged in center stage and death recoiled at the sound of his vocal wave. Justice, life, and transformation had prevailed.

The same sense of purpose might be lingering inside of you. And it might come in the most unexpected way. It will appear in the midst of a very troubling time in your life. But it is probably that in that time in which you are most pressed and confused, that will thrust you into you calling and your destiny. Not to perform your own justice, but that of the One who knows all and loves all. A sense of destiny and purpose that will mark a new beginning for many, in the very middle of apparent chaos and confusion.

So your current situation can make you or break you, it is your decision. If you put your trust in God, believe his promises and abide in Him, it will be clear to you and to all, that your spirit has been stirred and everything around you will be transformed. Even those impossible and dead situations that you confront, because you have been infused with the spirit of the avenger.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2011
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved

Get your feet wet

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It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho. Joshua 3:15-16

This story tells about the amazing miracle God performed for the people of Israel. Joshua had received instructions to cross the river and conquer Jericho. This undertaking was no small one. This generation was not the same one that had gone out of Egypt and seen the Red Sea divide. This moment in time, even to Joshua, was new territory. Clear instructions were given. The people of Israel should move when the Ark of the Covenant was moved. The story goes on to tell that the moment the feet of the priests got wet, the Jordan river piled up a great distance away from them allowing them to pass to the other side over dry land.

There is much to learn about this story, and about the context, but one thing stands out. As soon as the feet of the priests touched the water, the river flow stopped. What seemed impossible, was made possible, what would have never crossed the mind of the people of Israel, happened before their eyes; as soon as the feet of the priests touched the water.

You may be confronted today with an impossible task in front of you, uncharted territory. You might not see any dry, safe place to go through and your heart may be dismayed to what your eyes are seeing. Sometimes we just sit around and give up to the first sign of opposition or trouble that arises. It might seem and be difficult what you are confronting today. Or you might not even know what will be waiting for you on the other side. But in order to know, you have to move.

Your miracle won’t happen without your involvement. You have to move, you have to get your feet wet. And when God sees this bold move, this faith move, the waters, the problem, the opposition, will back up, not right close to you, but far away. So today, stop complaining, stop fearing and move boldly on the promise of God for you. You need to get your feet wet in order to see the water stop. You will see the problem, the situation, back up before your eyes and the path in front of you will be dry, safe and promising.

Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

The instruction is clear; move on and get your feet wet.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2011

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved

…depart to the other side

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And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Matthew 8:18

How amazing it is to know that if He said to depart to the other side, He knows we will get there. Jesus gave the command. It was not a suggestion, much less a question, a command. If you read carefully the scripture, He was also the first on the boat, and then His disciples followed him.

We see all of the turmoil around us and we consciously rationalize, I’m not going that way. But deep down inside His voice is saying, “depart to the other side”. We know it, but we are afraid, we feel uncertain and uncomfortable. Haven’t you noticed that He is the first one on the boat? Jesus knew that a storm was on the horizon, and maybe his disciples saw the sky and realized, it’s going to get ugly. Nevertheless, Jesus was the first on-board. His power over everything was later manifested in the middle of the storm.

What is it today that is depriving your sleep? What has surrounded you that keeps you unease? Are you concerned about the future, the what ifs’ of life. Those situations and mental outcomes that we create and dread so much. He is already in the boat. He knows your condition, He knows what you are lacking, wanting, needing. He knows. In middle of the situation we often don’t see Him. We just see the waves. We just see ourselves, alone. Our hearts fill with fear of the unknown.

His command is to -depart to the other side-. And if He said it, we believe it and that settles it. He intends and will perform his word. His thoughts for you are thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. He is already in the boat. He is waiting for you to get in and start sailing. Yes, a storm might be in the horizon, a difficult situation is probably around the corner, or maybe you are already in one, but the good news is that He is in the boat, and more importantly, He said to depart to the other side.

Don’t fear, He will arise in middle of the storm and rebuke the wind and the sea. Remember, He said, “depart to the other side”

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2008

No place for playing it safe

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by DP

Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. Matthew 25:16-18

Jesus was referring to his disciples the parable of the talents. A businessman had left his money for his servants to take care of it. They were given what in today’s currency would be the equivalent of $150,000.00 per talent. Quite an amount of money! Two of them took risks. Big risks! They traded and multiplied what was given to them, but the last one that had only one talent, hid it and played it safe. The parable goes on to say that when the master came and requested a report, the first two could account of their dealings and outcome and they where praised and rewarded, but the last one just returned what he had been given, without even interest and he was reprimanded and punished; even what he had been given, was taken away from him.

You and I have been given much and we will have to give an account for it. What will you say when it is requested from you? What will your report be? The parable has many profound teachings, but one that stands out is that God wants us to take risks, to be bold, audacious and firm. He made our life to be an adventure and for it to reflect his character. God seeks fruit in our lives, He expects a return of all he has created. He is the definition of fruitfulness. He created everything out of nothing and has made us to his image and resemblance.

This is not the time to play it safe, this is not the time for that. He has given you talents and gifts that are to be used and multiplied. Don’t be afraid to undertake new challenges and to use those gifts and talents that God has entrusted you to the fullest. Yes, you could even feel uneasy because everything is not “just right”, but it might be your desire for control everything, and in doing so, you could miss one of the greatest moments in your life. Ask God for his direction and your paths will be directed. Dream big, pray hard, be bold and audacious.

You don’t want to live a should’a, could’a, would’a life and die. Better to try and fail, that not to try at all. This might be your greatest moment, so there is no place for playing it safe.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2011

God will open your eyes

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by DP

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad to drink. Genesis 21:19

The story unfolds as an uncertain time for a mother and her son. Hagar bore Abraham’s first son Ishmael when Sarah could not, as suggested by Sarah herself to Abraham. Once Isaac was born things changed. Sarah saw Ishmael scoffing Isaac, and she didn’t like at all. Sarah told Abraham to cast them out.

So Hagar went to the desert of Beersheba and wandered, with only bread, a skin of water and her son (v.14). Soon the skin of water was used up and she placed the boy under some shrubs to let him die. From a short distance she stood to watch. She was certain that this was the end, but she could not possibly see when the her son died.

But then, something unexpected happened. The scripture says that God heard the voice of the child and the angel of God spoke to her and asked, “What ails you, Hagar?, Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.” (v17)” The angel of god told to pick up her son because the Lord would make him a great nation. Then an amazing thing changed in her. Her eyes were opened.

Have you ever been in a situation were you have used up all of your “available” resources? Have you thought it is the end? Is your current situation telling you, there is no hope, no way out? Have you felt that your creativity and your sense of direction is gone. Do you feel that you have wandering around and around just waiting for that moment to come. Yes, you might be surrounded by real conflict, you might be lacking creativity, you may be in a financial burden and on top of that you wander around eating up your resources pushing you more and more into a state of mind where you cannot see God’s hand in your life. If you give in, you let our situation define who you are and what your destiny and those that depend on you will be. You only see what is in front of you and that dictates your moves.

God is telling you today, I will open your eyes, so you can see that there is a well of water around you that will satisfy your thirst. It has always been there. I am present, I am here; just cry out to me from where you are, and your vision will return, your creativity will rise and I will make you a great nation, says the Lord to you today. Everyone will be amazed of what will become of you. Right there where you are, in the midst of your situation, even when others have cast you out and have left you to die in the wilderness, God will open your eyes.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2006

He is in the stern

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by DP

But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Mark 4:38

When Jesus told his disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side”, was because He intended to get there. As their journey took place, a storm began and the disciples aware that their boat was filling up with water, got scared. They tried on their own all what they could to keep the boat afloat. They employed all of their skills to maintain everything under control. Why was Jesus sleeping in the stern? It is curious that it is from the stern where the boat is controlled, where the direction of the vessel takes place and it was there where Jesus was sleeping. It was only when they asked Jesus for help, that the situation turned around.

How often we get immerse into all of the ordinariness of life, and when situations arise we first use our knowledge, skills, know how, all before we call Him for help. We rely on ourselves just as the disciples did. We want to have control. At some point our boat fills up with water, and it isn’t until our “safe” place starts to sink, we relinquish control over to the Lord. While we assume control, He has no option but to rest. When He assumes control, we find rest.

How often we forget, that Jesus is in the stern waiting for you to call upon Him and let Him take control. We put our attention on what is going on around us, and try to fix things with our own strength. We seldom find rest. What we create is discouragement, doubt, fear, and most often than not, chaos.

It is time for us to look at the stern and give control over to Him; He is awaiting. Let Him take care of your needs, and situations. It doesn’t mean that you will not get wet, or that the boat will not fill itself with water. It doesn’t mean that you will avoid the storms, or that it might sometimes seem like you will perish. But in spite of all of that, He has promised that He will be with us, everyday.

So remember, He is in the stern.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright DP, 2006