Tag Archives: Relationships

I will restore the years

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by DP

And I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten–the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the crawling locust, My great army which I sent among you.” Joel 2:25 AMP

What a breathtaking thought! The mere possibility inspires me. The possibility to restore what has already been! You mean that I will make up, relive those years? You mean that there is a way to redo my life? A way to amend those relationships, those moments that marked my life in a way I did not desire?

Years that were taken by the ignorance, the unawareness of the times that were being lived. The time that was supposed to propel you into new heights, new levels, and now you feel stuck in the midst of your life. The most persisting thought that comes to heart is the sense of the years. That feeling that nothing can be done, because your time has passed. That paralyzing thought that controls you. The feeling of powerlessness, the silent voice saying, “I cant do anything, the years have passed and I have made many, many mistakes. Mistakes that have affected not only me, but those that are close to me too”.

But then, I read this verse in the book of Joel. “I will restore the years…” Wow!. What an amazing God we serve, that knows how we will be accusing ourselves. Not seeing how He sees us. We stop at the thought that “If I did it, I cant do anything about it” and we don’t give the fight. But you can. I am not ignoring the fact that consequences will follow our actions, be good or bad, but what I am saying is that in spite of those consequences, God can restore your years, He can restore your relationships, he can restore your marriage, he can restore your dignity, he can restore your family, and make up for the mistakes and decisions your have made, if you truly follow and obey him.

What a wonderful thought, and more importantly what a wonderful promise!, I will restore for you the years…

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2010

Do you know your Father?

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by DP

“My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15:31-32

Recently, some friends and I took some time to have lunch together. We gathered to talk about life and about how great things the Lord has done in our lives. It was a refreshing time.

When we were about to leave, this passage of the scripture came up. Our friend told us, “If you read carefully, you can understand that the Father had two lost sons, neither of them knew the Father”. I had never heard this portion of scripture displayed that way. One son clearly had sinned and wasted all that he was entitled to, this was known to me. But the other that stood home never enjoyed the blessings of his Father. He simple did not knew his Father. He was at the home physically, but where was his heart?

This made me think profoundly. Do I really know you Lord? Have I spent enough time to seek you, to know you, to spend time refreshing my soul with your presence? Do I enjoy your blessings and pursue my full potential in your hands? Do I seek for you to do great things in me? We are so engulfed in many things daily, and it is easy to be entertained with the busyness of life, work and even in church.

Take time to seek Him in the morning, to know Him through His word, and to feast in His presence. Do you really know your Father?

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2006

Growing!

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by DP

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. Luke 2:52

Jesus prompted a search for him after Joseph and Mary had left him behind in Jerusalem. He was only 12 years old. Three days he went missing until finally they found him in the temple, where he said those famous words, “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Luke 2:49. After this nothing else is known about Jesus until he is 30 years of age. Eighteen years of silence, or where they?

A very successful and talented friend, which by the way has impacted thousands of people this year alone, told me that he was at a meeting where he saw some old acquaintances. When they greeted him they asked, “What have you been doing? It seems that we haven’t heard or seen anything from you lately. You have been silent”. My friend, very politely replied, “I have been doing a couple of things,” and he changed the subject knowing deep down inside that he has been fulfilling his purpose and his calling.

When we spoke about it, I reminded him about the “apparent” silent times in our lives, and how the perception of those around us will try to sidetrack and discourage us from our vision and our mission. I asked him, Do you know what happened between the years 2 to 12 and from 12 to 30 of Jesus life? These were silent years. Years where we know little or nothing about Him. In those silent years, Jesus grew.

You might be going through rough and unexplainable times. You might wonder if the problem or the issue is you. It might be, but it might also be that during these silent or quiet days, months and even years, God is helping you do one thing; to grow. Every process, every change is poised to make us grow and to let God do great and wonderful things in us. It might not be clear today, but you will see it in due time: You are growing.

Maybe we view these times as waisted because there is no exposure or busyness. But if we appreciate these years and we look intently, we will grow to our biggest potential and discover God’s work in us. We will be prepared for our assignment. Because all God’s work is handcrafted, never mass-produced.

So remember, when your are presented with discouragement or doubt, whisper to yourself, “It’s not stagnation, It’s growth!”.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2011

Will you amaze God?

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“Faith is the only thing that amazes God” – DP

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Luke 7:9

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Don’t take your promise to a dry place

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by DP

Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there. Genesis 11:31 NIV

The story reveals a significant fact of the family of Abram. It was not foreign to him to be moving from place to place. Here we see that after the death of one of his sons, Terah, decided to move to a better place, Canaan. But along the way there he stopped at Harran and settled and died there. He never saw Canaan. History says that Haran was a place of trade, a midpoint to Canaan, and had an apparent prosperous life but it’s name means very dry, grievous and wasted years.

It is also important to say that Terah means delay, wandering. So while he was headed to Canaan he wandered and settled in Harran. Delay is the companion of wandering. Delay is the companion of wasted years. Delay always wanders to dry places.

You might also be in a similar situation. You headed out to the right place but wandered and settled in another. You headed to become a professional but settled for a smaller calling. You were headed to another city but stayed at the place of comfort. You were headed to a wonderful life in marriage, but settled for less. All to be seen years after, as wasted and wandered years. An apparent prosperous place, but in reality a dry and grievous one.

Don’t let delay dictate your steps. Don’t let apparent comfort, stir you away from your calling. Delay will carry your promise to a place of dryness and years of toil. Delay will blur your vision of the great destiny your life has. The story repeats itself, every one that settled at Harran, toiled and suffered years of delay, wandering in an apparent place of prosperity but in reality they were in a very dry place. Terah took the promise to a dry place. Abram and Sarai were the promise for the world and it could not flourish in a dry place.

Walk to your calling, don’t stop in Harran. Don’t settle in comfort, idleness and in unproductive places. Your promise is big and Canaan is waiting for you. If the vision for your life is clear why wander in places that will delay the promise of God for you? Your promise will come forth, and your life and world will be better for it.

Don’t take your promise to a dry place.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

¡Crecimiento!

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por DP

Jesús siguió creciendo en sabiduría y estatura, y cada vez más gozaba del favor de Dios y de toda la gente. Lucas 2:52

Jesús había provocado una búsqueda por él después de que José y María lo había dejado en Jerusalén. Tenía sólo 12 años. Pasaron tres días, hasta que finalmente lo encontraron en el templo, donde dijo esas famosas palabras: “¿Por qué me buscabais? ¿No sabíais que en los negocios de mi Padre me es necesario estar?” Lucas 2:49. Después de esto nada más se sabe acerca de Jesús hasta que es de 30 años de edad. Dieciocho años de silencio, o donde?

Un amigo muy exitoso y talentoso, que por cierto ha impactado a miles de personas este año, me dijo que estaba en una reunión donde vio a algunos conocidos. Cuando lo saludaron le preguntaron: “¿Qué has estado haciendo? Parece que no hemos oído ni visto nada de ti últimamente. Has estado en silencio”. Mi amigo, muy amablemente respondió: “He estado haciendo un par cosas “, y cambió de tema sabiendo en el fondo que ha estado cumpliendo su propósito y su misión.

Cuando hablamos del asunto, le recordé de los “aparentes” tiempos de silencio en nuestras vidas, y cómo la percepción de quienes nos rodean tratan de desviar y desalentar nuestra visión y nuestra misión. Le pregunté, ¿Sabes lo que sucedió entre los años 2 al 12 y de 12 al 30 de la vida de Jesús? Estos fueron años de silencio. Años en los que sabemos poco o nada acerca de él. En esos años de silencio, Jesús creció.

Podrías estar pasando por momentos difíciles e inexplicables. Puedes estar preguntándote si el problema eres tu. Podría ser, pero también podría ser que durante estos días en silencio o calma, meses e incluso años, Dios te esté ayudando a hacer una cosa; crecer. Cada proceso, cada cambio tiene el potencial de hacernos crecer y dejar que Dios haga cosas grandes y maravillosas en nosotros. Puede que no este claro hoy, pero lo verás en su momento: Estás en crecimiento.

Tal vez podamos ver estos momentos como perdidos, porque no hay exposición o movimiento. Pero si apreciamos estos años y esperamos con atención, vamos a crecer a nuestro mayor potencial y vamos a descubrir la obra de Dios en nosotros. Estaremos preparados para nuestra tarea. Porque el trabajo de Dios es hecho a mano, nunca en producción en masa.

Así que recuerda, cuando se presente el desaliento o la duda, susúrrate a ti mismo, “no es estancamiento es crecimiento!”.

“RESPIRA con expectación, VIVE con confianza y MUÉVETE con valentía”

¡Crecimiento!

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por DP

Jesús siguió creciendo en sabiduría y estatura, y cada vez más gozaba del favor de Dios y de toda la gente. Lucas 2:52

Jesús había provocado una búsqueda por él después de que José y María lo había dejado en Jerusalén. Tenía sólo 12 años. Pasaron tres días, hasta que finalmente lo encontraron en el templo, donde dijo esas famosas palabras: “¿Por qué me buscabais? ¿No sabíais que en los negocios de mi Padre me es necesario estar?” Lucas 2:49. Después de esto nada más se sabe acerca de Jesús hasta que es de 30 años de edad. Dieciocho años de silencio, o donde?

Un amigo muy exitoso y talentoso, que por cierto ha impactado a miles de personas este año, me dijo que estaba en una reunión donde vio a algunos conocidos. Cuando lo saludaron le preguntaron: “¿Qué has estado haciendo? Parece que no hemos oído ni visto nada de ti últimamente. Has estado en silencio”. Mi amigo, muy amablemente respondió: “He estado haciendo un par cosas “, y cambió de tema sabiendo en el fondo que ha estado cumpliendo su propósito y su misión.

Cuando hablamos del asunto, le recordé de los “aparentes” tiempos de silencio en nuestras vidas, y cómo la percepción de quienes nos rodean tratan de desviar y desalentar nuestra visión y nuestra misión. Le pregunté, ¿Sabes lo que sucedió entre los años 2 al 12 y de 12 al 30 de la vida de Jesús? Estos fueron años de silencio. Años en los que sabemos poco o nada acerca de él. En esos años de silencio, Jesús creció.

Podrías estar pasando por momentos difíciles e inexplicables. Puedes estar preguntándote si el problema eres tu. Podría ser, pero también podría ser que durante estos días en silencio o calma, meses e incluso años, Dios te esté ayudando a hacer una cosa; crecer. Cada proceso, cada cambio tiene el potencial de hacernos crecer y dejar que Dios haga cosas grandes y maravillosas en nosotros. Puede que no este claro hoy, pero lo verá en su momento: Estás en crecimiento.

Tal vez podamos ver estos momentos como perdidos, porque no hay exposición o movimiento. Pero si apreciamos estos años y esperamos con atención, vamos a crecer a nuestro mayor potencial y vamos a descubrir la obra de Dios en nosotros. Estaremos preparados para nuestra tarea. Porque el trabajo de Dios es hecho a mano, nunca en producción en masa.

Así que recuerda, cuando se presente el desaliento o la duda, susúrrate a ti mismo, “no es estancamiento es crecimiento!”.

“RESPIRA con expectación, VIVE con confianza y MUÉVETE con valentía”