Commentary

By: Grace Bejarano
 
Psalm 126:5- They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and signing.  
 
This scripture doesn’t tell you how long you will sow in tears or when you will reap the benefit of those tears. It could be 7 minutes, 7 hours, 7 days or 7 years. It’s a promise you accept and believe by faith. 
 
From personal experience I have reaped the benefit of years of sowing tears and I received the joy and signing as well. Stay the course, pray at the altar, seek the Lord, cry out to the Lord for the injustices we receive, the doubt and fear we experience, the pain and agony of situations we can’t change or have no control over, sow tears over the disappointments that seem to be never ending. 
 
The Lord hears it all, sees all the tears, he will provide the joy and the singing. Lord we wait on you and we expect joy and signing from these situations. 
 
Amen. 


HELLO??

By: Anita Mondragon
 
Do you sometimes pray and feel that God is not listening?  I do-but that’s because I’m impatient!  I was in one of those frames of mind when God led me to my Promise Box.  
 
Here’s what He put in my hand….
 
“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
 
But He knew I needed a little more, so I inadvertently pulled out two.  Here’s what the other one said….
 
“Thou, O Lord, shall guide me with your counsel and afterward receive me to glory.” -Psalm 73:24  This one was also accompanied with a small poem.
 
“My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim;
But it’s enough that Christ knows all-
And I shall be with Him.”
 
Sometimes our eyes of faith grow dim and all we see is our situation; but God see everything, and He will bring us through our troubles!  He know what we are about to ask Him in prayer, and He already has a solution to our problem.  So take heart!  He hears, and He will answer according to His will!
 
As I was writing this, God reminded me of an old country song sung by Garth Brooks called “Unanswered Prayers.”  The chorus goes like this….
 
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because he may not answer doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered
Some of God’s greatest gifts are all too often unanswered…
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
REMEMBER THAT THE NEXT TIME YOU GET IMPATIENT!!


THINGS TO PONDER…

By: Anita Mondragon
 
“Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. 
 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.” -Psalm 43:3-4
 
Just stepping toward the presence of God so very quietly can be so amazing and refreshing that it delights us enormously! 


Let Me Be Your Witness

By: Anita Mondragon
 
When you stand and you peer out of Heaven so grand,
And you see tired souls stretch out their hands
To plead for help, but no one understands…
Jesus, let me be your witness!
 
When you hear them weep in bitter despair,
While demon powers fill the air
And their hearts are so heavy, yet there’s none who care…
Jesus, let me be your witness!
 
As they wander aimless through the deep dark night,
Let me see them with your eyes, and feel their plight;
Then let Holy Ghost power shine bright my light…
Oh Jesus! Let me be your witness!
 
Walking through darkness, this weary throng
Many have waited, for so very long
To hear that sweet name that turns despair into song…
OH Jesus!  Let me be your witness!
 
Let me lead them from darkness into your glorious light,
By the word of your power, your strength and your might;
Let their sins, tho’ be many, like snow, be pure white…
Oh Jesus!  Let me be your witness! 


My Hand

By: Lee Pierce
 
Just sitting there quietly, I happened to look at my hand. As I studied it and thought of how well it has served me over the years, I began to marvel at its capabilities. Consider that a hand can do very small, precise things like pick up a small screw off a work bench. Conversely, that same hand can wield an axe to fell a large tree, or run a powerful jack hammer to break up concrete, or, in concert with our amazing eyes, can swing a bat and drive a baseball over 400 feet for a home run!

Most tools and other functional objects I use to equip me for life are intended for one purpose. Whether it’s a hammer, a screw driver, or a laptop computer, they’re intended to do one thing—not so the hand!

 As I sat there contemplating my hand and its amazing versatility, it occurred to me that my hand is just one component of an overall incredible construct: the human body. Prepare to be in awe when you take the time to consider other amazing body parts. Consider the functionality of your eye, for example. Or the constant pounding sustained by your feet, or your heart that faithfully beats a few billion times over a typical lifetime—Of all that God has created, mankind has to be the epitome of God’s great artistry, created in His own image [Gen 1:27] and He called it “very good.” [Gen 1:31]

 As I thought about my amazing body and how creative, wise, and artistic God is, another thought occurred to me. The Bible says in Romans [Rom 1:19-20] that we know intuitively that God made all of creation and, as it goes on to say, we are fools if we deny that and fail to honor Him.

 That led me to another associated thought: if we look around us, we have to conclude that a very powerful Being (and artistic being, we call Him God) created all that we see.  Yet, as it occurred to me, we would know virtually nothing about God except what He has created and that which we can see with our eyes. So how did our knowledge increase: He told us!

 Yes, what a wonderful gift is the Bible, the Word of God. Without it we would not know the name of God (or that of His Son). But, with the Bible in our hands, we can read words that came forth from the very mouth of God Himself! And stories of His interactions with men and women just like us. Not to mention the works of His Son on our behalf to buy our freedom from sin and death! God gave us His Word just so we could know Him so much better.

 I can only conclude that He must love us a lot given His efforts in creating me and you, and in His work to give us the Book that tells us all we need to know about Him. I hope you read it often!



Just As You Are

By Anita Mondragon:
 
“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”
Luke 12:20, KJV
…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
2 Corinthians 6:2, KJV
 
 
 

Softly, and tenderly, He’s calling to you…

Are you almost persuaded to come?

As He stands at the portals of Heaven, just waiting…

He’s calling to YOU… “Please…come home!”

Ask Him to search your poor heart today,

Then, come…just as you are!

He’ll wash you whiter than the snow…

This Lily of the Valley…this Bright and Morning Star!

Let Him search your heart…

Let Him change you today.

He’s the Truth…the Life…

He’s the ONLY Way!

So…come to Him now-

Just as you are;

Let Him free you from sin…

Just open your hearts door!

When you hear Him knock…

Open it wide, and ask Him in…

For softly and tenderly, He’s calling to you…

Just listen…and come as you are!



What Kind Of Tool Are You?

By Anita Mondragon
 
 
In a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. If anyone purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21 RSV)

Pastor has been doing a series of sermons titled, Equipped 2 Serve. In this series, we as Believers are learning how to make a difference in the world in which we live.  We are learning our purpose, or put another way, we are finding out what kind of tool God made us to be.  We are all made with specific skills-unique to the purpose God has designed for us!  What a wonderful thought!  There’s no one quite like me…or like you; we are Special in God’s eyes, created for a certain task and time.

 

I woke up thinking about tools, and their specific use.  I know…weird huh?!  But the above verse came to mind.  I used the word tools, the Bible uses the word, vessels.  Either way, they are things used for specific purposes. We always hear, and I believe the Bible teaches that we all were created for a purpose.  The main purpose I believe is to glorify God, and bring others to Salvation.  However, we are all endowed with different gifts to bring glory to God and show Salvation to the world.  Some folks are musicians, others, teachers, preachers, evangelists, prayer warriors, counselors, etc.  Some of us don’t have great titles like the ones I just mentioned, but we are nonetheless just as important.  We may fall into the category of janitors, maintenance folks, hospitality and the like, but our job is necessary and important! The “tool” part of my thinking came about as I searched the ‘junk-drawer’ (come on!  I know everyone has one of these…I’m not alone!) for a screwdriver to tighten a screw that had come loose on a cabinet door.  During my search, I found a pair of pliers, a wrench, some needle-nose pliers….  And finally, I found a screwdriver!  But alas, it had the wrong tip on it!  Even tools that look the same, upon closer examination are different and are used for SPECIFIC jobs. So, what is my point here?  Well…God wants us all to know that even though we may look the same…we are all human, we eat, sleep, cry, laugh, walk, talk…pretty much the same way, but each of us is unique.  God gave special gifts to us that only we can wield in His perfection to do His will! You can’t use a Phillips screwdriver on a slotted screw!  You have to use the right tool in order to get the correct result! This is just a reminder, and an encouragement to all of us Believers, myself included, to remember what kind of tool we are; and if we don’t yet know…this is an urgent message for us to go to God and find out!  God can’t use you or the gifts He placed in you until YOU KNOW what kind of tool you are! Then, when He goes looking through the drawer for a specific tool to use…if you’re it, be sure to shout out…”Here I am Lord!  Use me!” 



The ONLY Reason…

By: Anita Mondragon
 
 
Why are you here?  In this time period of the world, I mean?  
 
I’ve asked myself these questions many times.  Why here, in this country?  Why now?  Why in this state?  Why in THIS neighborhood?
 
My 13 year old son asked me this question this morning as he heard his dad and I discuss the state of the world.  We were watching the news and heard of more shootings, suicides and chaos.  We posed the question to each other with no hope of an answer ….  “What is this world coming to?”  Then the answer came…”an end…it’s coming to an end!”
 
My son said, “I wish I hadn’t had to live in this time.”  
 
We’ve all thought or said this as we’ve wished for the days of the past when the world was a kinder place to live.  When folks didn’t have to lock their doors.  When kids could play outside until dark and walk home safely by themselves without fear of being taken.  When murder was uncommon.  When abortion was unheard of.  When suicide rarely took place.  When folks looked out for each other and helped one another.   But those days are gone, never to return again until Jesus comes and changes things!
 
I told my son, “but we must remember WHY we are here, right NOW, in THIS time and place.”  You see, we all have a purpose.  We may be the only witness to those around us.  We may be the only light in the dark.  We may be the only person to tell someone of Jesus and His love. Wouldn’t it be glorious when you get to Heaven to have some unknown person run up to you and say, “I wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for you!  I’m only here because I saw Jesus in you!”
 
Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus stepped down from His throne in Glory to become a man in this world.  He didn’t come as an all-knowing being-although He was.  He didn’t show up in pomp and splendor-although He was, and is the King of Heaven.  He came as a baby, needing His mother’s help in everything.  He came in a manger, surrounded by smelly farm animals.  He came that way so that He could experience everything mankind experiences.  As a child, I’m sure He fell and scraped His knee.  As He learned to be a carpenter, I’m sure He hit His thumb a few times.  He felt pain.  He endured sickness.  He went through everything we go through.  He did it for ONE REASON ONLY, and that was to SEEK and to SAVE that, which is lost-namely, mankind!
 
He went back to Heaven, and we are now responsible to be the light, share the truth, bring people to Him.
 
Are we doing that?  Are we kind?  Loving?  Generous? Helpful?  Are we showing the JESUS that now lives in us to this dying, sinful world? 
 
                                                                    It’s the ONLY REASON we are herenow...in this place!


Treasured Time

Treasured Time
 
 
I sit with you
I wait
My thoughts center on you
Your majesty
Your splendor
Your glory
Your love
With every breath, you draw me
The world around me fades
Your peace starts to surround me
I breathe it in
It fills me
I smile
I rest
I am renewed
I am centered in You
You alone are my peace
My hope
My strength
My rock
My refuge
Thank you Lord
I need you everyday
You supply my every need
I treasure this time with you
Whether it’s 5 minutes or 20
Because of You Lord
I am ready for the day
A Lord and life inspired poem by PoetforHisglory (Mark Hays)


A Poem By Mark Hays

 
A poem of thankfulness by PoetforHisglory (Mark Hays)
Thank you Jesus!
 
 
 
UNTITLED
 
Love has come
Love has won
Because of Jesus
He laid down His life
To free us of the strife,
Of sin
The cost He paid,
So He could save,
Those who believe
He rose on that 3rd day,
Overcoming death and the grave,
Now death has no more sting
If you believe in Him,
You are freed from sin,
Set free,
Glory be
So don’t hesitate,
Embrace the Love He gave,
and gives to this day
I lift my hands and my voice,
I declare I made a choice,
A long time ago
To love and follow my Savior,
He is my strength,
I have seen and still need,
the length,
of His grace and mercy
My Savior is all,
I love Him in winter, spring, summer, and fall,
To Him I give my praise,
Every day
For His love has won the victory,
and to that I shout…GLORY!!