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For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.  Psalm 96:5 (ESV) But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  John 4:23 (ESV) It is usually easy to tell when someone is idol-worshipping famous and/or political people, various objects, their achievements, places, etc. But sometimes it gets a little difficult to tell when they begin to worship or esteem power to religious  objects, places, as well as other people.  Yahweh-Adjacent or God-Adjacent is a term that can describe a person worshiping or placing high regard to items, places, or people that can be related to or remind them of God but, they are not God and do not possess any power.   For example, people may place a lot of belief and faith in religious objects and feel that if they have this object, God will bless them and be with them.  It could be religious jewelry, a cross, a Bible, etc.  These items are nice to have however, the power of God is not in the objects but comes from our Father in Heaven.  In other examples, some will look to place a religious individual on a pedestal and lift them on high, not understanding they too are sinners saved by grace and it is only God, Yahweh that can bless and restore us all.   Any objects, places, or people should be viewed as reminders only, and point to the one true God, which is in Heaven. As reminders, they are not to be viewed as a substitute for Yahweh where one focuses their thoughts, prayers, and efforts towards the substitution and not Heavenward.   Now there is nothing wrong with feeling the presence of God when you’re in church or enjoying a religious experience with music, movies, art, etc.  The problem can come when one starts assessing power to various objects, people, or places.  Of course, one can feel a heightened experience in church or at a religious gathering. However, the same experience, the same wonderful presence of God can take place in other places as well.  One should never feel, they have to have  a certain object on them in order to feel that God is with them. Or they feel they have to be in a certain place, like church, to feel that God is listening to them. Whether you have certain objects or you don’t, whether you’re in a church building or you’re not, one must understand and know that God is still with you no matter what.   Having a person, place, or thing, that is Yahweh-Adjacent can be beneficial, as long as one keeps the proper perspective that the true healing and restorative power comes only from God.    Blessings, Angélique   To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13 (ESV)   Picture this, you wake up in the morning and rush around getting ready for the busy day ahead.  Then after school and/or working all day, you run errands, prepare dinner, clean up afterward, tackle home projects, take care of the finances, wash up for the evening, hop in bed, and then the next day, rinse and repeat. Now, in all the running around, busyness, and constantly making decisions, did you ever stop to ask God to fill you with His wisdom first , in order to help navigate your life?  When you do eventually turn to Him for guidance, do you wonder why you don’t hear or understand His word?  If so, you need to ask yourself this question, “Are you already full”? Have you filled up on the world's wisdom on living life instead of listening to God first?  Have you placed His precepts about life to the back of your mind, and instead moved forward with what you felt is right and good?     Most people will turn to God when life has become too difficult, and they are at their wits end. It is at this time they look to God and plead with Him to fix their lives. Of course, our Heavenly Father loves us and will never turn away but will be there to help His children. But the question remains, were we “too full” before, that we could not hear Him?   All of us from time to time have “filled up” with the things of this world where we do not place God in the forefront of our thoughts and actions.  God longs for us to empty ourselves of worldly cares and to fill up on His wisdom and precepts.  There will be challenges as we navigate this sinful world but, if we allow ourselves to be filled with His goodness and His ways, we will be able to deal with what comes our way. And not only for ourselves but we would be equipped to help others navigate this life as well.   So, as we go forward, we need to daily ask ourselves, are we already “full” of our own agenda? Or have we allowed God to fill us first with His will and His desires for our lives?  I pray that we will seek to constantly allow God to fill us with His Holy Spirit, who will show us the right way to live and to flourish, today and always.     Blessings, Angélique   To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com   Snippet:   Seek to allow God to fill you with His Holy Spirit, who will show the right way to live and to flourish, today and always.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)       For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)     Have you ever stopped to think that you and I were meant to be born? When you look at how a human baby is created, you can understand how incredibly unique and ordained it was for us to be born.  Not getting too deep into the science but, approximately 11 million sperm are usually needed to begin the journey for a successful pregnancy. However out of the 11 million, only one will make it to fertilize the egg and create a human being. So, out of a chance of 11 million possible creations, you and I came to be!!  God is truly Awesome!!     Despite how you may feel on some days when life is hard and, you're confused and upset about your circumstances; try and remember that out of 11 million potential humans, God wanted you.  Despite what some may say about your birth, it was definitely not an accident!  We were created by design to enjoy God‘s beautiful Earth, one another, and, for a divine purpose ordained by God. It is not only for our selfish ambitions and desires that we were brought into existence. Each of us is gifted with talents and abilities that can be used to impact others and our world, in a beautiful and positive way. God delights to see His children use their unique skills and personalities, to share His glory, honor, and light to this dark and troubled world.      And one does not need to spend a lot of time trying to discover their gifts and talents. Your gifts are usually found in what comes naturally to you, what you enjoy, and the areas where you excel. Now there will be some areas where you’re not so great but, you’re still able to have some accomplishments.  Of course, some areas will be more dominant than others but, all of your unique characteristics can be used to glorify God and uplift His people.     In closing, I would like to encourage everyone to seek to live out their divine purpose here on Earth. Know that you are an important part of God’s creation and whether your impact here is either great or small, it is still needed and cherished by God. My prayer is that while living out your divine purpose here on Earth, you will seek to spread God’s message of hope, love, and peace, to all the world.  Blessings,     Angelique    To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. Proverbs 21:13 (ESV)   So, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17 (ESV)   And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9 (ESV)     In the current political environment in the United States (and perhaps in other parts of the world), the apathy that people have regarding what is happening to family members, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances, etc. is very disturbing and sad. Many people are losing their jobs, their financial stability, their healthcare, and other benefits, at an alarming rate due to the current political administration's wide-scale job cuts.  In addition, their family members are celebrating and applauding this administration for causing the job loss deficit. So, not only are they suffering from the financial and emotional stress due to the loss of their job, but they are also grieving emotionally from the utter ridicule and disdain from their family members. These same family members are quick to call them and their former jobs a waste, and then state they are glad their jobs were cut!        The question I have is this:  where are the empathy and the compassion? It is truly sick to think people would celebrate anyone losing their job and their benefits.  God is very hurt and not pleased with His children’s behavior. And unfortunately, many are uncaring, that is, until what’s occurring affects them. When a situation/circumstance begins to affect an individual, then  they will begin to care and seek to “wake up” and do something about it.      When we are solely focused on ourselves and not attempting to reach out to care for others, God is not pleased.  Of course, we need to take care of ourselves as well as our immediate family however, most of us can show compassion and reach out and help others in need, whether the situation affects us or not.  With all the dramatic happenings in our society daily; people losing their jobs, the cost of living going up exponentially, and a lot of anxious and uneasy feelings felt by many; one can have empathy and compassion for everyone they meet. I pray that no one adopts the apathetic attitude that states: “It doesn’t affect me!!”  My hope and prayer will be for us all to seek to help in any way we can, even if the current societal ills are not affecting us.    Blessings,   Angélique     To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Repost. Originally posted in April 10, 2020 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (ESV)   I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28(ESV)   I listened to a sermon recently regarding true peace. Imagine if you will two paintings that depict peace. One painting is serene and calm with perhaps rolling meadows or the ocean, showcasing sunny, beautiful, clear skies. And the other is dark with tempestuous storm clouds. Very menacing and dark painting. However, in the corner of this painting, there is a little bird that was highlighted. Its head is tilted toward heaven and it’s singing his songs to God, while in the midst of that storm. As it is lifting up praises, God’s light is shone down from heaven. Thinking about the notion of true peace, initially, we all may identify with the first portrait of calm and serenity. Which is beautiful, and there’s nothing wrong with this notation. But actual biblical peace is when chaos is all around, and you are truly comforted, knowing God is in total control. Knowing that He will set everything right, in His time. In the meantime, you will anchor in, and focus on the work he would have you to do in this world. It’s easy for all of us to have peace when everything is going great and our life is good. But the real testing comes when everything is not so good. Do you have peace when a raging pandemic is causing sickness and death all around you? Do you have peace when due to the said pandemic, you’ve lost your job? Do you have peace when perhaps you’ve become sick and have been given a diagnosis, that is not so good? We all need to strive for the biblical peace that God speaks of in His word. The true Godly peace that surpasses all understanding. Not just some understanding. But ALL understanding. For those who don’t have a relationship with God, they may find it hard to understand how you can be like the bird, praising and worshiping God, when all around you is crumbling. I pray that you and I will have that biblical peace that surpasses all understanding. That despite all going on around us, we will remain anchored in God and His word. To understand that having biblical peace is not always a feeling but it’s a knowing, that God will make a way. With this knowledge, you will be able to continue to fight the good fight of faith. Because you know your God has you through it all. So, sing your songs children of God. Sing to your Master sweet songs of praise and adoration, in the midst of whatever challenges and storms you may go through. Because He has you in the palm of his hand. He has you, in the midst of the storm. Blessings, Angelique~

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:17-18 (ESV)   Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Philippians 2:4 (ESV)   In this crazy world in which we live, there are at least four levels that describe caring about others and/or various situations.  I have placed the caring levels from not caring at all, to caring at a level God desires for all of His children to follow.      The first would be apathy .  Apathy is defined as a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest; basically the very opposite of caring.  It describes a person who doesn’t care at all.  A person who goes around with a sense of emotional detachment or impassiveness for the concerns of others and, for what’s going on in society and the world at large.  As a follower of Christ, this is definitely not how our Father in Heaven wants us to feel or to behave.   Next would be sympathy . Sympathy is an emotion where you feel sorrow for the person or the hard/difficult situation.  It basically involves recognizing and acknowledging a person’s suffering or a difficult situation and feeling sorry that the current circumstance that has occurred.   Then there is empathy . This caring emotion goes beyond just feeling sorry for a person and actually feels the pain alongside the hurting individual. With empathy, one seeks to connect with those hurting and to go through this tough time with them. This caring emotion is deeper than sympathy, in that the person is willing to connect with the suffering individual or situation, at a deeper level of understanding. A lot of Christians will show empathy and will look to pray with and check in on the individuals going through their difficulties.   And ultimately there is compassion .  Compassion goes beyond empathy in that one does not just feel sorry for the person or the situation that is occurring, but will try and help in some capacity. They will feel the sorrow and pain that this individual or the situation brings but, they will also try to help alleviate the difficulties by stepping up to try to manage or take care of the situation.        All levels of caring from sympathy up to compassion are extremely important and God is pleased when we allow these caring emotions to shine forth in our hearts.  Of the three, however, God would want all of us to be at the compassion stage. Now, we may not be able to step in and help in every circumstance but, there are a lot of different ways one can help.  Even if you’re not able to step up and help, showing sympathy or better yet, being empathetic, can help lift someone as they go through their difficult time.    I pray that we all have the heart and the character disposition to show compassion to those in need. As we journey through life and come across those who are in desperate situations, may we be willing to step up and help and not just feel sympathy and/or empathy for their difficulties.  May we strive to always show Godly compassion to those around us. Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Philippians 2:3 (ESV) Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.   Romans 12:9-11 (ESV)   Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8 (ESV)   Today in the United States as well as in many other countries, Valentine's Day is celebrated and is officially considered the day of love. Young children in school will give Valentine's candies and cards to each other, and adults will do the same but usually go further by planning a larger celebration.     Celebrating Valentine's Day each year can be wonderful and fun however, we should not wait to celebrate love and respect for one another just one day of the year. The enthusiasm and effort that people give in celebrating their love and friendship on Valentine's Day needs to be shown throughout the year.  Of course, Valentine’s Day celebrations can be beautiful and I do not want to take away from this fun holiday. I do, however, want to stress how important it is that we show love, kindness, and respect for each other every day of our lives.   Currently, while the “day of love” here in the United States is being celebrated, there is a lot of anger, animosity, hatred, and division amongst its people. The majority of this is due to the current political environment and the policies that are hurting people and tearing families apart. Despite what is happening, let us remember we are here on this Earth to be God’s children of light in a dark and dying world. God has us here not to spread fear and hatred but, to spread kindness, humility, respect, and love.   So, as you celebrate Valentine’s Day, I pray that you share love, kindness, and respect today and always.     Blessings, Angélique   To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. Proverbs 12:22 (ESV)   A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.  Proverbs 19:9 (ESV) Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.  Proverbs 10:9 (ESV) And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. Luke 6:31 (ESV)   Liar : A person who tells lies. Cheater:  A person who acts dishonestly in order to gain an advantage.  People who constantly tell lies and who cheat in order to better themselves definitely cause God sadness.  God hates when His creation (people) lie and cheat, causing untold pain and hurt to their victims.    With the current state of affairs in the world in which we live, lies are being told on an international, national as well as a local level daily. In addition, many of us are being told lies in our workplaces and even amongst our family and friends. Not only is being told lies harmful in making decisions on how to move forward in life, but it is also detrimental in that it teaches others it is okay to exhibit this evil behavior. With the behavior being perpetuated, others begin to have the mindset that it’s okay to tell a lie now and then, just don’t get caught!!   Now cheating is just as bad as lying. As a matter of fact, the two usually go hand-in-hand. A cheater does not want friends, family members, or significant others, to know they are cheating so they will lie about their whereabouts and/or their behaviors. Again, this is an evil that people feel if they can get away with it, why not do it? They feel that if they cheat to get ahead, no matter the cost to others, they’re willing to do it. Cheating and defrauding others, of what they are rightfully entitled to receive, definitely causes God a great deal of anger and sadness.   What does God expect? For us all to be honest, and to not cheat, manipulate, or defraud anyone.  As discussed last week, greed is the underlying factor that propels people to lie and cheat to get what they want.  We all can inhabit a good moral center.  But, to establish it and to keep it, we must not be derailed by the corruption of people full of the greed and wickedness of this world.  When we turn away from looking at others and focus on God, His word, and His holy precepts, we can avoid the habits and behaviors of liars and cheaters.     May we daily practice turning away from these and many other evil behaviors and seek to be a people that walk with Godly characteristics and integrity daily.   Blessings, Angélique   To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:3 (ESV) But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:9 (ESV)   For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?  Mark 8:36 (ESV) Greed : the intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.  Greed is the driving force for a lot of the ills we find in most societies today. A few people on the top of the financial wealth and power hierarchy, are driven by greed, in order to have more: more money, more position, more dominance, more power, and the list can go on and on. Continuing this series on what makes God sad, greed is definitely one of them.    God is sad because He knows the destruction greed causes and the ripple effect of how it can impact so many people; especially the greed of money, position, and power. People are obsessed with wanting preeminence, power, and money, and will do whatever it takes to obtain it, no matter the harm it causes others. They already have plenty of whatever they are trying to obtain, yet they are never satisfied, it is always never enough.   Currently, all over the world, you see this being played out with various political systems/regimes. Those who have power and control are destroying democracy and reveling in putting fear and anxiety in the hearts of many people who do not have the same level of power, money, and influence. Of course, this type of behavior is sickening to God. Every human being is a child of God and was created by Him.  And for one group to feel they are superior to another group, is utterly and completely ridiculous to God. We are all given different talents and gifts, and different roles to play in life but, that does not mean one person is better than another. Of course, God wants all His children to strive for excellence and to achieve personal goals but, He does not want it to come at the expense of another’s well-being nor, does He want our efforts to lead to sin.    Despite greed and the repercussions it causes, we still can choose to overcome this sin by clinging to God and spreading His message of love, hope, and encouragement to everyone we meet. Of course, we all have to hang in there when the effects of greed hinder our lives personally. Just remember God is with us, and will be there every step of the way as we navigate life.  Continue to lift in prayer those who are bent on greed and destruction. Continue to shine God’s love and hope, and pray they will turn away from this evil, and into His marvelous light.   Blessings, Angélique   To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. Acts 17:26 (ESV) 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.  John 13:34 (ESV)   I am beginning a series that God put on my heart that touches on things humans do, that makes God sad and disappointed in His children. Today we will touch on hatred and racism.   Since Bible times and up to the present day, people have always engaged in some form of hatred and dislike for another group of people. In every area of the United States and in other countries around the world, there is disdain and at times hatred toward others due to race, ethnicity, wealth, religion, gender, societal position/status, etc. This pervasive sin and evil, that people instill in their children and is encouraged to grow and fester, both angers and saddens our Father in Heaven.   God did not create this world and all the people that inhabit His world, to hate each other and cause harm whether it be mental, emotional, or physical. He allows everyone to have free will and free choice in their actions and treatment of others. With this power He expects everyone to behave in a respectful and kind manner to all. Even if one has grown up in a hate-filled, negative environment, they still have the choice to continue, or not , with those past thoughts and behaviors.   For those who have to daily deal with forms of hatred and racism, whether it be full-on or, microaggressions, please consistently turn to God in prayer, His word, and look to join a Bible-believing/teaching church. We all must constantly stay prayed up and on guard with the shield of faith, truth, and love. Despite the anger and hurt felt due to the negativity, one must try to be respectful, and empathetic and seek to pray for those who are still in darkness with their attitudes and behaviors. Because if you harbor anger and resentment, it will affect your health as opposed to the person or persons that you are targeting. You want to be healthy and not carry around this same type of negativity that is inside of them.   For those who feel empowered by spreading evil and hatred, may you too realize that this is not the way to live and let go of this sick thinking and behavior. You too need to turn to God, asking for forgiveness and seek to walk in His light of hope and love. Look to stop treating people as if they are dirt beneath your feet, but instead, as fellow sisters and brothers of the King Most High. It is never too late for anyone to learn to have humility, empathy, and love for their fellow human beings.   May we all seek to be a beacon of hope, light, and love, that God has created us to be. May we all work to spread these attributes to this dark and dying world.   Blessings, Angélique   To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (ESV) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 (ESV)   During a morning devotion, it occurred to me that with every aspect of our lives, we should walk with God. Walking with God does not only mean physical, but it also refers to our relational, emotional, and spiritual walk with our Lord and Savior.   In the physical sense of walking with God, we need to be mindful of the bodies He has given us. We need to treat our bodies with love and respect and, we should look to give them the proper care and rest needed to function at peak performance. We honor God by using our physical bodies to adhere to His precepts and, by witnessing/ministering to others. The Bible mentions in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 the importance of our bodies to God. The verses basically state our bodies are our temples in which the Holy Spirit dwells.   In our walk with God relationally, we honor Him by the way we interact with other people. Whether it be a spouse, children, other family members, friends, coworkers, church members, neighbors, etc. In all aspects and with everyone we meet, God expects us to give our best and in doing so, we are upholding His principles and being a guiding light to the world.   This world in which we live has a lot of crazy things happening daily. Because of this, it is even more important for us to be vigilant with our emotional and mental health. Despite the darkness that we see in other people and the world at large, may we seek to connect daily with God.  May we allow His light and love to permeate our thoughts and our hearts, and then in turn radiate that light to the rest of the world.     And finally, spiritually, may we daily feed on God‘s Holy word and exercise faith and trust in Him. May we believe in God despite what we see happening all around us every day. We may not understand in this life why God allows certain things to happen. At the end of time and in the Earth made new, we will understand. However, until then, we must constantly seek Him and continue to exercise our spiritual faith and belief in God and that His divine will be done.   Let us seek to walk with God in all aspects of our lives and to daily fortify our lives with the spiritual food that God provides.   Blessings, Angélique   To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”  1 King 8:61 (ESV) And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14 (ESV) Covenantal love is a type of love that is faithful, generous, and unconditional. It is characterized by commitment and a promise that is based not on feelings, but on a decision to choose to love and to seek the other person’s best interest.   When wanting a permanent relationship, like marriage, for example, everyone should strive to have covenantal love for their partner. So, when disagreements arise ( because they will from time to time ), you will look to resolve those differences with the utmost respect and care for each other. Covenantal love is not based on feelings, that are always up and down. For instance, there will be times you may not feel  in love or have that fiery passion for your spouse. But, due to your covenantal love and commitment, you will choose to work out your differences, and your disagreements, and choose to stay together and look to rekindle the passion and fire for one another once again.   A true, Godly marriage is an example of what covenantal love should be. God loves us, His children, with this type of strong love and holy commitment. Even though we are constantly breaking His heart with our actions and behaviors, towards Him and each other, He still decides to love us, to die for us, and to save us. God‘s desire is for all of us to be saved, and to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.   May we all seek to have covenantal love in all our relationships. Whether it is with a spouse, a family member, or a close friend. May we love and care for each other as God expects, with honesty, purity, and respect, one for the other.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com