Posted on Mar 8, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, daily devotion, Devotional, forgiven, PCC, Praise Center Church, the name of the lord
by Anita Mondragon
He was more talkative than usual as he climbed the stairs to bed. Something was bothering him, I just wasn’t sure what it was. We said our bed-time prayers, turned on his favorite story of “Narnia”, and said our “good-nights”.
I had just drifted off to sleep, my body and mind finally relaxing. Suddenly, I was awakened to sobs of terror coming from his room. Hurriedly, I ran across the hall, threw open the door, and went to his side. He was shaking, tears running down his face uncontrollably! I held him close as I sat on the edge of his bed and asked, Read more…
Posted on Mar 7, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, daily devotion, Devotional, forgiven, PCC, Praise Center Church, where would i be
by Anita Mondragon
The other day, I began remembering all the good things in my life…things that God has given to me. Then, I remembered the days before I knew Him. What a contrast! Those days were sad, lonely, and full of despair. So I sat down and wrote the lyrics to what someday I hope will be a song. These words were written to the Lord, to express my gratitude for His gracious mercy to me. They are more of a prayer than anything.
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Posted on Mar 6, 2019 in WOW Blog | Tags: blog, heart wide open, our weakness equals his strength, overcomer, Praise Center Church, small groups, women of worship, womens ministry, wow
by Anita Mondragon
Dr. Jeremiah was telling the story of Denny Morrison the speed skater. During his career, he encountered many obstacles, but with fierce determination, he pushed through them all to arrive at his goal. I’m sure during the times of his severe health problems, fear crept in as well as discouragement; but he never gave up!
We as saints of God are to have the same fierceness regarding our walk with God. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 24:16, “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again…” How can that be? What gives us the strength to keep getting up? It is nothing less than girding our loins with truth, and our faith and trust in a mighty God. He gives us the strength and the courage to rise again and keep going!
We all experience various times of weakness throughout our life. But we must always remember that Jesus has already won the battle. We possess the victory through Christ and His shed blood. Paul reminds us that we are not fighting for victory but from the victory that Christ already secured for us at the cross.
So when the enemy comes knocking…do we run…or STAND? The choice is yours; but be careful how you choose, for one choice makes you win…but the other, makes you lose!
Make the choice to win! Stand your ground, and let the Lord fight your battles. We must align ourselves with the truth of God if we are going to stand firm in our faith. You do your part through prayer and the study of God’s Word! Remember what the author said? ….”If your Bible is falling apart, it usually means that YOU are NOT!” Buckle up before going out!
See Psalm 119:28- “I am melting away from anxiety and grief; renew my strength, in keeping with your word.”
Worship and Praise are also weapons of our warfare against the enemy. Practice them daily along with your Bible reading and prayer time! Allow God to fill the broken places of your life. Let Him bond them together and strengthen you with His peace!
Posted on Mar 5, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, daily devotion, Devotional, forgiven, PCC, Praise Center Church
by Anita Mondragon
Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin. Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!-Psalm 150:1-6 MSG
Posted on Mar 1, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, broken heart, daily devotion, Devotional, PCC, perfect heart, perfect love, Praise Center Church
by Francine Rodriguez
As the month of February comes to an end we think of it as a time to celebrate those we love. It was the month of Valentines Day and it was also heart health month. I hope you took the time to think about your heart this past month as I did.
I asked myself what’s the condition of my heart both physically and spiritually and why do people say you broke my heart, can my heart really be broken?
Broken heart (also known as heartbreak or heartache) is a metaphor for the intense emotional—and sometimes physical—stress or pain one feels at experiencing great longing.
“It is officially known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, broken heart syndrome it’s a rare heart condition with symptoms that can mimic those of a heart attack.” Says Dr. Wittstein.
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Posted on Feb 28, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, come and rest, daily devotion, Devotional, PCC, Praise Center Church
by Anita Mondragon
“And he (Jesus) said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they, (the disciples) had no leisure so much as to eat.” Mark 6:31
Here I sit…in all the beauty God intended for us; snow-covered mountains, huge boulders, the size of large buildings, clouds coming down so low…it looks as though they are kissing the mountain tops. The clear blue water, mirroring the glorious sky above. Birds on wing, sail through the air, seeing what I see…but through different eyes. The quietness is immense! When I stop to ponder the boundless love of God, I am overwhelmed!
Posted on Feb 27, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, daily devotion, Devotional, forgiven, PCC, Praise Center Church, words unto the lord
by Anita Mondragon
“And it shall come to pass, that BEFORE they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24
A few years back, our family was going through some very hard financial times. We were being spiritually attacked on all sides from the enemy, and it seemed he would not let up on us for a moment. I wrote a series of ‘words unto the Lord’ at that time. This is the second one of that series.
1 How long oh Lord will the riches of the world be held in the hands of those whose hearts are far from you?
2 Rain down your blessings upon me oh Lord that I may be a blessing to others.
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Posted on Feb 26, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, daily devotion, decvotional, hurried, hurry, PCC, Praise Center Church
by Anita Mondragon
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5: 20
The sun comes up…we’re on our way;
Off to work in a hurry…no time to pray!
Not a moment to waste…not a minute to spare;
Too busy deciding just what we should wear.
Can’t find the keys, and the cell phone is dead…
Posted on Feb 22, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, daily devotion, discouraged, discouragement, forgiven, PCC, Praise Center Church, when im discouraged
by Francine Rodriguez
It seems like I give my all and yet no one appreciates what I do. I seem to always be shot down just when I feel that I am making some progress in my life.
We read in 1 Samuel 30 that David felt the same way but he discovered that sometimes we just have to learn how to encourage ourselves in the Lord. David and his men had returned home to Ziklag to find that the Amalekites had been there and they had raided and burned the city of Ziklag. But the worst was that they had taken all the women, their sons, and daughters and all that were there, young and old captive.
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Posted on Feb 21, 2019 in Forgiven- A Daily Devotion | Tags: blog, daily devotion, forgiven, PCC, Praise Center Church
by Anita Mondragon
“…Well done, my good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of the Lord. Matthew 25:21
Yard sales are one of my favorite pass-times! Feeling blessed that we had happened upon an estate sale, my husband and I hurriedly found a parking space and dashed inside. It was a huge old mansion filled with priceless artwork, antiques, and expensive jewelry. At one point, the grandeur of the place overtook me, and I stood in awe taking in all the wealth lying within the walls; but only for an instant, for I was ready to look for treasures. Then…it hit me, and I began to cry. As the tears streamed down my face, one woman approached me and asked if I was related to the deceased of the estate. I assured her that I was only a shopper…just like her. Unable to explain the tears, she quickly moved on to the next room, eyeing me curiously as she went as though I was somehow deranged. I began to look for my husband Read more…
