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- God Will Split Rocks For You!
"He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep" Psalm 78:15–17 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. Matthew 27:50–52 Have you ever felt weighed down due to life’s troubles? Someone close hurt you and you never thought they would, you lost a loved one that should still be here, you have encountered financial problems and wonder how you are going to pay the bills, you have received a bad diagnosis, and the list can go on and on. These and many other problems will weigh us down and make us feel there is no hope or joy in life any longer. While listening to a recent sermon and reading the above verses in the Bible, I felt God leading me to write this post to encourage us whenever life challenges weigh us down. We need to remember that the Almighty God, Yahweh, the Creator of Heaven, and Earth, can split rocks for you, as well as for me! There is no situation or problem, that God cannot turn around for our good. In the Bible, it describes God, splitting a rock in the middle of the desert, and allowing water to gush forth and nourish the parched Children of Israel. In using divine imagination, I can see God dividing the Red Sea and surely moving/splitting rocks from the seabed, to clear a way for the Children of Israel to cross through. And the ultimate splitting of rocks came when God split rocks to open the tombs of the saints, after the death of His Son Jesus Christ. When we are faced with difficulties in dealing with our own struggles in life, may we always remember that God can and will split rocks on our behalf. He knows our present and our future, and He knows when it is time to split the rocks that are an obstacle in our lives. Trust God to lead you through your difficulties and praise Him even now, for the rocks He will split for you! Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Where Do You Put Your Hope?
Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. James 4:14 (ESV) “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV) 2025 is just around the corner. In the United States and perhaps in other countries as well, new political parties or regimes will be taking command of their governments. Also, in the coming year, individuals will start new chapters in their lives, whether they are retiring, getting older and downsizing, moving into retirement communities, moving to a new city/state, becoming empty-nesters, moving on from the loss of a loved one via divorce or death, and the list can go on and on. When change occurs, do you find yourself devastated because of the changes? Ask yourself this question, where and with whom did you place your faith and hope? When we place all our hope on getting a job, making money, living in an expensive house/neighborhood, or placing it on our looks/bodies, we are not being wise. What happens if the job does not work out? The house is costing more to upkeep/maintain than initially thought? You spend a lot of time, energy, and money on your looks and then a sickness, accident, or injury occurs, what then? Sometimes we unwittingly place so much focus/hope on things and situations, we cannot control. How about placing hope on other people? Some place hopes on their spouses, their children, other family members, friends, etc. As much as we depend/rely on our family and friends, we ultimately have no control over our lives or theirs. The amount of time we all have here on earth is up to God, not us. Others can leave us voluntarily or involuntarily and if we place a great amount of hope and faith in them when they are gone, we are left devastated and possibly falling into a deep depression. Above are just a few examples of putting our hope in people, places, and things, as opposed to the one and only, Father in Heaven. Connecting and staying connected to God with prayer, Bible study, and attending a Bible-believing church, is what is needed to keep us focused on trusting God. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Yes, we are to make good choices and to live, learn, and grow, until God returns. However, we need to realize our true and ultimate hope and trust cannot be in people, places, or things; it must only be in the one true Creator, God. Because when situations occur, and they always will , you will be able to get through that trying time when your hope and faith are in God and His plan. We need to be anchored in God and His Son Christ Jesus, to withstand the winds of change in this world. My prayer for everyone going into this new year and the years to come is to place your faith, your trust, and your hope in God and His will for your life and the lives of your loved ones. Do not place your ultimate trust/faith in people, places, or things. Instead, place the core of your hope and trust in God and God alone. May you have a safe and happy 2025. Happy New Year!! Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Diversity is God's Plan!
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV) DEI, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is a hot topic of discussion with various individuals in the U.S. and quite possibly the rest of the world. From one end of the spectrum to the other, there are varying opinions about diversity in today’s society. However, I am not here to debate DEI, especially from a corporate prospect, but I am here to remind everyone that God is the author and creator of diversity in His world. One can just look around the planet and see the diversity that is constantly on display. A lush forest, fields of plants and flowers, the types of animals on land and in the sea, various terrains--whether it is mountainous or valleys, the diverse weather patterns throughout the world, etc. One can go on and on citing many examples of the diversity in the earth God has created. God, the creator of this planet and human beings, could have made everyone and everything look and taste the same. Every part of His creation could have been identical to each other if God did not embrace diversity. However, based on all of God’s creation, diversity is not to be eliminated but celebrated! As you read further in Revelation Chapter 7, the Bible states there will be multitudes holding palm branches and singing songs of worship to God. These multitudes are not people who are identical to one another. They are all from various backgrounds and various parts of the world. Diversity has always been part of God‘s plan on this beautiful earth He has created. And within that diversity, God is expecting every one of His children, His creation, to accept and love each other as Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus. We may not agree with the lifestyle choices of some, and those choices may go against what God says in the Bible. But it is not for us to condemn or judge these people. It is for us to love them and show them God‘s love and His will for their lives. All are given free choice and free will, and it is up to individuals to seek to make a change. In the interim, we are to accept and care for God‘s people and continue spreading His message of love, light, and hope, to this dark and dying world. Celebrate the diversity around you and reach out and get to know someone who may not be from your race/ethnicity, religious background, or social/economic status. Be God’s true child and look to show His love and acceptance of the diversity of His world. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. Mark 6:31 (ESV) So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Hebrews 4:9-10 (ESV) Have you ever felt you do not have the luxury of not being, okay? You may be parents with children still in the home, a single parent, have a stressful job, financial difficulties, dealing with health challenges, marital strife, and the list can go on and on. While handling the various challenges of life, people on the outside may feel you have it all together and always seem to be okay. In addition, you feel as if you must put on a front for others letting them believe you are fine and have it all together. However, the truth is you do not have it all together, and you are emotionally, mentally, and physically tired, of constantly behaving as if you do. We are human and there will be times when we are not okay, and we need to be honest and stop pretending otherwise. In all honesty, none of us can handle life at 100%, all the time. This is the time we must admit we are not okay, and we need to rest and take time out to recharge. If anyone feels that taking time out to rest and recharge is not enough, and they are having deeper mental and emotional struggles, please do not hesitate to reach out to a professional counselor/therapist, to get the help that you need. God gives all of us strength to run the race of life. But He also expects us to take time out to rest and recharge. He knows if we do not take mental, emotional, and physical breaks, we run the risk of making mistakes and causing harm to ourselves or others. So, take time out to rest and know that it is okay, to not always be okay. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Your Calling Or Your Comfort?
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV) How many times do we choose to continuously seek to enjoy our comforts, rather than look to serve God with our gifts and talents? Each of us have been given the gift of life and have been bestowed with various callings, and various gifts/talents. God placed each of us here for a reason and a purpose, and it is not just to pleasure ourselves and to bask in various comforts. With our unique gifts/skills, God expects us, His children, to go out and impact this world for good. There’s so much evil, hatred, jealousy, division, etc., that this world needs God’s light of love and hope. Spreading God’s message to the world is one of the main reasons why we are here on this earth. Now, of course, God does not mind His children enjoying the comforts of this world and taking some time to relax and get away. But a lot of us will focus on getting what we want out of life and will put God’s ministry of sharing the gospel on a back shelf. We do this when we get stuck in our comfortable routines, and our constant striving to get more, more, more. However, at some point, there should come a time when we must ask ourselves, what is more important, God‘s calling for my life or my comfort? I believe many of us are guilty from time to time looking to choose comfort over seeking to do more for the kingdom of God. I pray that many will begin to turn away from always seeking to be comfortable and will begin branching out and using their talents to evangelize and be a witness for Christ, in order to bring more people to Him. This world is wicked and is starving (whether they know it or not) to hear God’s gospel. May I encourage us all to not just seek comforts in life but to look to be a witness, using our various talents for God. There are so many who need to hear the good news of the gospel; that Jesus Christ who died and resurrected for all of humanity, will be coming back soon for His children. Calling or comfort? Look to choose calling as much as possible! Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Requests & Thanksgiving
Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5:20 (ESV) I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. Psalm 7:17 (ESV) I have a question. Do we look to thank God daily for what He has done for us? Or do we always feel we need to see miracles and wonders? I read that a pastor did the following exercise at his church. He asked everyone to list their prayer requests and their needs of God and to bring them to the front and form a line. He then asked for them to list their praise reports and bring those to the front. What resulted was a large crowd going up for prayer requests but not as many for the praises and thanksgiving. What he discovered when he polled the congregation is that some felt they did not have anything “big” happen to them so, they did not see a reason to list any praises. This made me think, do we need to have something “big” happen to us, for us to praise and show gratitude to God? Or can we be thankful and give Him praise for the little things He does every day of our lives. Thanksgiving in the United States took place yesterday, Thursday Nov. 28, 2024. For this Thanksgiving season and everyday, I would hope we look to constantly give praises and thanks to God for every aspect of our lives. We may not have everything we want and what we have asked for may not materialize. But as we grow in spiritual maturity, may we give praises to God and thank Him for our lives and the lives of our loved ones. May we not look to only give praises when a “big” miraculous event occurs in our lives. Instead, let us strive to always have a praise report to give because of the continued blessings He bestows on us. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Used By God: Ability vs Availability
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8 (ESV) We all can agree that when we see/hear dynamic preachers, as well as singers sharing uplifting worship music, it can be said they have been gifted with wonderful abilities/talents from God. And sometimes when we see these larger-than-life individuals, whether they are involved in preaching, evangelism, writing, music ministry, etc., at times we will compare our talents to theirs and feel we are lacking. But this thought process is so far from the truth. God wants us to allow ourselves to be available to go out and uplift the people in this world. God does not want us to be concerned about our abilities versus others. He wants us to focus on our naturally gifted talents and to use those abilities to spread His message to the world. For example, if you’re an individual that has a sunny-uplifting personality, and likes to greet people, being a greeter at your church is a wonderful ministry for you. Outside of the church, one can look to spread that emotional sunshine and happiness to others you meet. You may not preach a sermon but, by giving someone a wonderful greeting can touch the other person in ways we may never know. In another example, there are those gifted in cooking. One can seek to make meals for other individuals. They can take it to an elderly person/neighbor who doesn’t get out much or an elderly church member. They can bless a new mom who just gave birth or a single mom who is tired and overwhelmed with caring for herself and her children. By sharing a meal, one could spark a conversation or even a friendship and in time, share God’s message of love, hope & peace. In addition, there are those who are good with crafts and making items with their hands. They can look to give gifts to others and/or sell their crafts and use the money to help other people in need. The point is, God is looking for individuals who will not focus on their talents or lack thereof but, will focus on being available to be used by God. Look to pray and ask God to show you the talents He has given you and how they can be used to further the gospel. God does not want us to compare our gifts/talents with others. We are all individual and unique and need to be content with what talents we have been given. God just wants us to be available to use them to shed His light and positivity, to change the world. So, go out and spread God's messages, using your beautiful abilities/talents that you have been gifted from our Father above. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Light Crushes Darkness-Part 2
Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (ESV) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (ESV) When humans engage in darker emotions of hatred and “othering” people, a deep divide and polarization can occur. People can become so entrenched in their evil and dark thoughts towards others, that they begin to think this is reality but, it can be so far from the truth. They conveniently “forget” that people different from them are also humans created by God who have feelings, the same body functions, etc. Instead of realizing we are stronger together as God’s children, they allow darker thoughts to prevail and then division and dissension arise. God knows the children and the world He created. He knows our thoughts as well as what the future holds. Throughout His Holy Word, He has made it clear that He wants us to walk in the light of love and spread hope, peace, respect, integrity, etc. With His light we can crush darkness, which is hatred, division, arrogance, envy, malice, destruction, and the list can go on and on. One of the ways to shine God’s light of love is to daily fill up with His word and to pray. We need to constantly ask for guidance on handling evil and negativity that we will encounter, and to know how we are to respond. Eventually, many people who have hatred and dark thoughts in their hearts and minds will turn from their darkness into the light of love and hope. Honestly, this is part of the great commission God has called us all to do; to spread His message to all the world. Seek to show kindness daily to all you meet. Especially reach out to others who do not look like you and seek to help and /or get to know them. Volunteer to help in various programs that serve the underprivileged, the elderly, and people who are marginalized. When we look to daily shine God’s light of love, it will definitely crush the darkness of this world. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- "Othering" -Part 1
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:24-35 (ESV) Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” John 7:24 (ESV) I recently saw a movie called Origin that is based on the book Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Before seeing the movie, I had not read the book, nor did I know much about the plot. However, the movie was a moving story of how God’s children seek to “other” or subjugate those different from them to a lower level in society. By using untold cruelty, they look to promote themselves as being better than another group of people, basically a caste system. Examples she used were the slavery of Black people from Africa, the Nazis and their plan to exterminate the Jewish people, and the cruelty shown to the Dalit people of India. My heart was cut to the core seeing people being so evil and cruel to other human beings. And if I, a mere human am upset, I can just imagine how God feels about the behavior of His children. “Othering” is a term used to describe how one set of human beings will try to differentiate and make themselves seem better than others. God made us different races, shapes/sizes, religious backgrounds, cultural differences, gifts/talents, etc. He never intended for any segment of the human population to make themselves out to be better than others. God is not pleased when one group of people will make it seem that another group is strange (in a bad way), weird, dangerous, etc. They do this in order to promote themselves as being the opposite. As being perfect, great, the savior, etc., just because they belong to a certain group of people. Honestly, their thinking and behavior toward others are really sick and twisted. We all should be concerned about a person’s integrity and character, as opposed to mostly external factors that differentiate one group from another. Here in the United States and of course, all over the world, people are continuing to try to make themselves out to be better than the other group or class of people for various reasons. Recently in the United States, we just held a presidential election that showed polarization of various classes of people and how groups of people were pitted against each other. It is expected that going into the next year and beyond, this divide and polarization will worsen. My hope and prayer are for people to wake up and realize that we are all human beings; we are all created by God; we are all God’s children. Hopefully, the message will get out that despite our differences, we need to respect and care for one another as opposed to engaging in the practice of “othering” each other. Next week I want to share ways we can bridge the gap and look to connect and not to divide. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Do Addictions Rule Your Life?
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) In the news recently was the death of an entertainer who apparently died because of numerous substances in his system. This brings to mind this question, do you allow addictions whether it be substance/drug abuse, sexual addictions, pornography, food, other people, etc., to rule your life? People allow themselves to get into such a position where these vices and/or individuals have significant control over them, and in many cases to the point where they may lose their life. God does not want any of us to allow addictions to control our lives. There are many tools to use to master our addictions and control them, and not allow them to control us. But we must be willing to shut down any hold or access these various addictions have in our lives. In life, we will have ups, downs, and plateau periods. There are times (whether you are a Christian or not) when everything is not going to be happy and perfect. However, despite the ups, downs, and plateau periods, you can still have peace and deep-seated joy from God and not look to try and obtain it with artificial substitutions. God’s word states that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). As such, He does not want us to ingest just anything into our system, our spirit. God wants His children to be pure and to seek to dwell in a wholesome environment, only allowing what is good to be internalized. If you struggle with addictions, please look to get professional help to overcome the stronghold that is in your life. There are professional counselors, Christian counselors/groups, other groups, and/or organizations that can help you with whatever addictions you are facing. Know that God is with you every step of the way and will help you as you learn to lean on Him and His word. Please, do not allow addictions to rule or even take your life. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- Your Standards?
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (ESV) I listened to a recent sermon where the pastor talked about standards. He inferred that depending on your standards, it could be the difference between having integrity and being morally upright, versus being a person that lies and is morally bankrupt. He stated in order to be clear on your standards, you need to be clear on who you are, and your identity. Our identity consists of our story (the past, up to the present) and our standards. People in their quest to be successful financially, to be famous, to obtain power and influence, have sold themselves and lowered their standards, in order to achieve these goals. One must ask themselves the question, what are my standards? What are my standards based on? There are those who will base their standards on the world’s ideals of how to succeed in life. They will sell their souls as well as their bodies, in order to achieve the elusive goal of “getting ahead” in life. However, God does not want His children to follow the world’s prescription of how to get ahead in life. Of course, we all will have desires to build wealth, obtain an excellent job and/or have a successful business, build a family, etc. Most of those are fine desires and goals to have. The problem comes when you lower your standards and do whatever you have to, to achieve all the above. If one follows God’s outline and precepts on how to live, one does not have to lower their standards to obtain success. We all need to be really clear on who we are and what we stand for. Because if not, those who are in positions of authority will have a strong influence over you and sway you to do what they want. They may use and abuse you to please themselves, and you may never get the chance to achieve your goals. Going forward, be clear on who you are and your Godly standards. Do not allow anyone to sway you to their position, knowing what they stand for is immoral, to say the least. Stand for what is honorable, what is true, what is noble, and what is right. By not compromising your standards, God will pour out abundant blessings into your life. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
- God: The Processor Of Emotions
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV) For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) How were your emotions this past week? How were your emotions during the last few weeks, especially if you dealt with the hurricane/storm crisis or any other unexpected and unwelcome circumstance? Anyone dealing with situations that are upsetting and out of control will have various emotions as they navigate their current situation. We all will go through anger, resentment, frustration, sadness, etc, and wonder where is God. Does He care or see what is happening? Trust and believe God knows exactly what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen in the future in our lives. Read through the verses of Ecclesiastes 3:2-8. It shares the various up and down emotions and/or stages of life. God will be with us through all these stages. More often than not, it is He who is carrying us through. We may never know why things happened as they did but when we make it to glory, we will have an opportunity to talk with our Father in Heaven and understand why certain things unfolded as they did while we were here on Earth. In the meantime, we need to trust that God understands and can process our emotions. The Bible gives us countless stories and testimonies of what others went through and how they made it through with their faith and their trust in God. They did not see the future and didn’t know what was happening to them would be a testimony to help other people, thousands of years later. However, not just during sad and upsetting times do we turn to God, but do we turn and thank Him during high and happy times as well? Or do we feel our blessings are the result of what we did to gain that achievement, that victory, or reward? Many will turn to God when they are in anguish and pain but, many will also forget Him when things are going well, and everything is wonderful. So, remember, do not be afraid to go to God with your emotions. God wants us to come to Him and share our extreme happiness and celebration or the depths of disappointment and despair. Through it all, God will help us to process, go through, and understand our emotions. He will be with us every step of our life’s journey. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com