THE WOMB WAS NOT MEANT TO BE THE TOMB!

By Anita Mondragon
 
I’ve been thinking about my life quite a lot lately.  Even though I was raised in a Christian home, my life was very difficult.  Most of that was from my own bad choices, but it seemed like I was always being hounded by the enemy.  He was always there, whispering in my ear, encouraging me to go the wrong way. 
 
I’ve recently come to realize that perhaps the enemy wasn’t after me…he was after my womb.  You see, I had the option of abortion presented to me, but chose to keep my baby. Read more…


THAT WOULD BE JUSTICE, LORD…

By Anita Mondragon
 
Do you ever question God about His choices?  I sadly admit I do at times.
 
I look at folks around me who disregard the things of God and dismiss HIM entirely-yet they prosper and live long lives.  Then, I observe those that love the Lord and serve Him with fervor, and they struggle with all aspects of life on a daily basis. The wicked live long, but like the old song says-‘only the good die young…’
 
As I was watching the news this morning, I saw corrupt people in places of high authority.  This doctor that seems to be calling all the shots regarding the COVID 19 virus has been exposed!  And yes! I had a very unholy thought cross my mind regarding his possible outcome.  I actually asked the Lord, out loud no less, ‘why’ He couldn’t go ahead and infect this guy because he is evil personified.  Then I added- “That would be justice, Lord!”  I almost heard Him answer me audibly with these words-“Yes…but it wouldn’t be mercy!”
 
So, I sighed deeply and had to agree.  I then remembered my own past and the ‘justice’ I deserved from God-but the ‘mercy’ I received instead.
 
With good, decent friends and loved ones dying around us from this virus, and seemingly the evil ones live on unscathed, I find I have to pray every day and ask God to make me merciful!  I find myself praying and asking God to deal with them harshly.  I’m kind of like David, when he wrote Psalm 83.  Look at verses 15 through 18.  Take a look…
 
“So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.”
 
But, then I remember that if these folks that spread such evil in the world today would die without KNOWING Jesus…they will end up in hell for all eternity.  That’s when I pray for mercy instead of justice.  And, I add, “Lord, forgive me!  Give me your heart…make me merciful!”
 
 
 
 


THE WAITING ROOM

By Anita Mondragon
 
Have you ever made an appointment with someone, only to end up waiting way past the time you were to be seen?  I have!  Almost every time I make a Doctor appointment, I have to wait 20-30 minutes past my appointment time sitting in the waiting room-paging through old magazines; then I’m shown to a room and told the doctor will be right in.  However, that seldom happens, and I wait even longer before they knock on the door and rush through with a smile and an apology.  
 
I’ve been a Christian for 51 years, and at times, I find the answers to my prayers to be quite similar.  Most of the time, my answer comes quickly, but the hard ones…the ones that concern the choices of others seem to take longer.  Read more…


GRACE

By Anita Mondragon
 
 
If you are a born again Believer…you know about grace.  If you’re not, the definition is simple.  It is the unmerited favor of God upon you.  In simpler terms, that just means, we don’t get what we deserve…we receive love, mercy and forgiveness instead.
 
It’s easy to obtain grace-at least from God.  All we have to do is confess our sins and He will forgive us.  However, it’s not that easy to receive grace from others because they usually don’t want to give it!  
 
The point is… Read more…


THE SECRET TO A HAPPY LIFE

by Anita Mondragon
 
 
What separates you from having joy?  I’m sure most of us right now would have to include Covid19 as being at least one thing that keeps us from having joy.  There are other ‘things’ attached to this virus…no travel, stay at home, confinement, boredom, loneliness….
So my question to you is…what will make you happy in life?  Is it going back to the norm of the way life was before the virus?  Going to work everyday,  being busy all the time…??  What will it take?
 
What if this virus lasts longer than folks expect?  What if you don’t have a job to return to when this is all over?  What if your idea of happiness never comes? Read more…


If…

by Anita Mondragon
 
 
If is a small word…only two letters, but in regards to Scripture, it is the biggest word in the Bible.  1 John 1:9-10 says this:  ” If we confess our sinshe is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
 
Most of us don’t consider ourselves to be ‘sinners’.  We admit that we aren’t perfect, we know we do things that are displeasing to the Lord, but we end up by saying, “I’m pretty good…I’m not all that bad.  I’m just as good as everyone else.  I try to be kind…I obey the law, pay my taxes, etc.”
 
But the word ‘if’ seems to imply that there is a choice involved. Read more…


KEEP YOUR EARS ON!

by Bernice Sainz
 
It’s 6 am and I watch an ambulance drive away from my neighbors house. We live in a retirement community, no sirens, so nobody else knows what’s going on. God prompts me to go to their house. Lord, I really don’t know them. Again He prompts me. As I knock on the door a woman in her 80’s answers. I don’t even know her name. I introduce myself, she let’s me in and you can see the worry in her eyes. Her words were, I can’t even go to be with him, we go everywhere together. Read more…


A Square Peg and  A Round Hole

by Anita Mondragon
 
I found myself a little more than annoyed this morning when I was awakened by these words:  “You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole…”  This phrase played over and over in my mind like a stuck record.
 
I was in a sweet slumber, reveling in the warmth of my fuzzy blanket, when those words shattered my peace!  Finally I said out loud, “What are you talkin’ about Lord?”
 
Some of you may ask how I knew it was the Lord.  Well, that’s the way He talks to me.  My mind always has a million tasks I need to finish…a long list of things going through it at any given time, so God has to sound like a broken record before I hear Him.
 
That being said, the next words I heard were, “Get up and start writing.”  Read more…


COVID19 VERSUS ROMANS 1:16

by Art Herrera
 
Today at the gas station a man yelled at me using some very colorful language…! He said for me to use hand sanitizer that way I do not infect him and his wife with this virus that is going on. I didn’t see any hand sanitizer so I asked him to show me. He came over next to me really close and showed me where the sanitizer was attached. I pointed out to him that he was only two feet away from me and if one of us was infected now both of us are. The man asked me why I am so calm with all of this that is going on in our world. I told him I have great peace because God is the one that has given me the peace.


What’s Next?

by Anita Mondragon
 
WHAT’S NEXT?
 
During this time of uncertainty, things look quite grim.  Nothing on the news but death, despair, pain, suffering, business after business closing, unemployment, food rationing…all BAD news…nothing good these days!  I’m sure we all at one time or another have momentairly become fearful, wondering “What’s next??”
 
But the Bible says in 2 Timothy 4:8,  “There is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord… will award to me on that day.” 
 
If you KNOW Jesus as your Lord and Savior, no matter what happens…you can welcome what comes next!  Don’t dwell on what is going on around you at this time.  Fix your eyes on what is eternal!  Then, TRUST God!   –
 
2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”