Category Archives: Faith

From a mistake to a miracle

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by DP

The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” Joshua 10:8

Joshua had been instructed to eliminate all of the enemies of Israel. He had done so in Jericho, and the city of Ai, but he made a promise to spare the life of the Gibeonites. Most likely they would be the next in line for defeat as these other cities. That is why when the people of Gibeon heard of this, they resorted to a ruse. They would disguise themselves as inhabitants from a distant city, with worn out clothing and moldy bread. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. Joshua did not seek God’s will on this matter and compromised himself and the nation. When the neighboring cities heard of this alliance, and army was assembled to attack Gibeon. But because of their oath, now Israel had to protect them.

Even when Joshua had not consulted God for this decision, which clearly had a binding effect, God performed a miracle that day; the sun stood still for an entire day. Joshua was in this situation because of a bad decision he had made, a mistake. Nevertheless, God acted on his behalf and heard his prayer.

You might be questioning every single decision you have made and every single action done in the past that caused you to be in the situation you are in today. It might feel that there is no use to ask God for direction because it was you who blew it, and you pound and accuse yourself. You even have these solo conversations in your car, asking why could I be so naive? Why didn’t I see this? Why did I trust? Question after question that is only making a bad situation make you feel worst and you translate this failure to make it your identity. Failure does not define you. Failure is an event, never a person.

Stop demeaning yourself. Stop questioning why you did or did not do or say something. Shake off those accusing voices from your life and press on. The past cannot be change, but the future is waiting to be transformed by you. You can go around and around the same issue for the rest of your life, or do something about it. You can continue complaining or lift yourself up and change your life.

Thats what Joshua did. He marched all the way to the battle. He was in it because of a mistake he had made, but he marched on to win the battle, and in doing so a great miracle unfolded. The sun stood still. So could be with you. If you rise up and march on, God can turn things around in your life even if your predicament has been caused by you. God can change everything around if you believe. You will see your life unfold from a mistake to a miracle.

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© Copyright DP, 2011

Whom shall I fear?

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by DP

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1

This is a bold declaration of the confidence King David had in God. My attention goes particularly to the declaration that the Lord is his light and his salvation and the strength of his life. Guidance, rest, confidence, endurance, are many of the attributes that these words might mean to any particular situation. But one should not ignore that light is necessary in the dark.

So this affirmation that King David was voicing was done from a dark place in his life, or from the experience of a dark place. Not a desirable place to be. It should also tell us that these times will certainly come upon us. And it is in that particular moment or season of our existence, that guidance is most precious. So the question is, who or what is guiding you? Are the situations of your daily ordinariness dictating your path? Are you walking in life like if you were feeling your way around in the dark? We all have had moments or even seasons like these. These moments instill upon us fear, anguish and sometimes desperation of the unknown. These are very vulnerable moments.

Are you in a dark place? Today the affirmation that He is your light and your salvation, and the strength of your life should flourish from your heart. Amidst of the situation that you may be confronting today, He will guide and strengthen you to walk with a firm path, even in this dark moment. It is not time to develop your own strategies, solutions and answers. Probably you are in this place know, because you did it your way. Or maybe not, because we all experience dark places in our lives at some point and those situations will make us grow. Nevertheless, it is time to seek Him and ask that His light be upon you. To guide you, to assure you. His light will shine out of darkness, and you will be afraid of no one because you are founded in firm ground.

He has given us authority over all things through Jesus, and even when you might feel extremely vulnerable today, He is your light, He is your salvation, He is the strength of your life. He is El Shaddai, The God that is more that enough. He is your more than enough. It is this truth that makes us affirm in a bold manner: WHOM SHALL I FEAR? OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”