Tag Archives: Faith

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”

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© Copyright DP, 2006

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”