# always Listening

I have a Google Home in my bedroom. Sometimes I don't know if that's good or bad. It knows what room it's in even though I never told it. It does answer questions when asked and it fills a few requests. My eldest reminded me that It listens and records all the time. Sometimes I forget it's there and as I am thinking out loud about the day, or a situation, I may ask myself a question. Occasionally that machine comments on what I was saying when I didn't call it's name. That's a reminder, I guess, that it's ALWAYS listening. Having it listen is ok I suppose, as long as we're never doing anything wrong. It can feel like an invasion of privacy sometimes. I often think about unplugging it. I know that I can, and occasionally I do, but I wonder ...does it do any good? Is it still listening? Listening is important and can change our lives depending upon who's doing the listening. God listens to us all the time. He hears us and He answers our prayers. His listening and subsequent response and movement in our lives changes our hearts and minds to help us grow spiritually and to become better people than we are. Sometimes we may wish we could unplug Him for a minute, so we could do or say what we want, and then plug Him back in. Well, God is always with us. He's always listening. He always answers our prayers. We can't unplug Him. Im so thankful for His constant and eternal presence in our lives. He's never an inconvenience, or an intrusion. He's listening because He loves you and me. We don't have to look for Him. We lift our hearts and bow our heads. He's always listening. # always listening

Let go and let God

My cousin and I were talking about women and how strong they sometimes feel they have to be, when I got an impression that God was saying, "What does 'strong' mean"?  We began to talk about resistance and being a rock, undertaking too much, or not showing pain, weariness, fear, tears, or a feeling of being overwhelmed or overburdened. Then I felt God saying, "free yourself from that. It is fake strength and a terrible task master. Don't be a slave to feeling all powerful. It can be your undoing." Scripture says, " in your weakness I am made strong. " 2 Corinthians 12:9-11. It tells us that God's grace is sufficient and that when we kneel and submit and surrender to Him, we are acknowledging that we can't do it, and we need His help. We must fall on our knees and ask God for help. We have to take the "I" out of our struggles.  When we do that, we are releasing the REAL power to work. We make God strong when we kneel and acknowledge Him. "Things that are impossible with man , are possible with God." Luke 18:27.
  He is the source of strength for men and women.  He can do all things. He will do what we cannot do. Being "strong" isn't always to our benefit.  It can sometimes be physically and mentally damaging.  Let go and Let God.

NO VACANCY

What are you thinking about today? Are you having negative thoughts, or are you hearing negative words from others? Well, your God created you and He is love. Love creates a positive environment. Don't rent out space in your mind for negative thoughts. Don't even entertain leasing out space in your mind to those negative words and gossip going on around you. 
If you already have that negativity in your mind, send an EVICTION NOTICE.  NO LONGER WANTED! UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT 💒
"Think on those things that are lovely and of good report. .."  hang out the NO ROOM AVAILABLE - NO VACANCY sign. You are FILLED with positive, successful, energy and thoughts.  You are about to set the world on fire! Scripture says "As a man thinketh, so is he". Hang out the NO ROOM AVAILABLE sign over the door in your mind and over your thoughts and heart. You're already full of God powered, earth moving, possibilities. SO, place that NO ROOM AVAILABLE sign in your mind.  It's time to move forward! 😀 👏🏽 ☝🏽 🙏🏾

No Stopping Here

***No parking signs***
Put up a NO PARKING sign when it comes to your life goals, and move forward with your calling and your dreams. Don't sit still, or get frustrated. Move forward even if the movement is slow.  Seek the help and direction of the Lord and move forward.  Don't put your life in park for any reason except a direction from God. "A man shall make a plan for his life and God will direct his path". Proverbs 16:9.   *NO PARKING* on dreams or your calling. Don't you put that gear in park. Keep the motor (thoughts, ideas, hopes and dreams) going.  NO PARKING!

Rain Makes Things Grow, so get out your umbrella

                                    RAIN MAKES THINGS GROW

Rain can be annoying.  It can be messy and can ruin your hair and even your day if you allow it to.  Rain makes puddles, gets nice outfits wet, creates mud, and sometimes floods low- lying areas.  There are things in your life and mine that flood our lives with mud.  There are people who make puddles that get in our way.  There are situations, like rain, that seem to get our ideas and our dreams messy and unfit to be seen in public.  Suddenly they just don’t seem good enough any more.  Well, maybe your boss did yell at you.  Maybe no one wants to see your bright ideas.  Perhaps you feel under appreciated… because you are.  No one is listening and no one sees that you are doing your best.  In fact, you are doing more work than those who are sitting beside you, but no one seems to care.  God notices, and He cares.  Remember this, RAIN MAKES THINGS GROW.   Troubles and struggles teach you about yourself.  People watch how you handle struggle and begin to admire the way you carry yourself even through a storm.  Those who were ignoring your genius suddenly begin to think that you are the one they want representing the company, organization, presentation, staff etc., because when the rains came you put up an umbrella and continued to move forward.  When the puddles formed in front of you, you jumped over them. When the lightening flashed, you used the light to see your way through.  When the floods came, you commandeered a boat and rode the waves.  The troubles and struggles of life and work didn’t stop you from succeeding or completing your task.  In fact they made you more creative, more determined, and tougher than even you thought you could be.

Dr. King once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

RAIN MAKES THINGS GROW. Don’t allow the rain in your life stop you.  

Get out in the rain and put on your boots, raincoat, and grab your umbrella.  Flowers are about to spring up in your life.

Believe and declare

We are heavy with favor.   We believe and declare that our prayers are heard and answered,  our blessings have come through our front door,  we find favor with our supervisors, our clients, our professors, our debtors, and even our enemies.  Those sheep who have strayed away from the fold will return to the Good shepherd. We believe and declare that our feet are on the right path, our faith grows stronger everyday,  our wisdom increases daily, our day has come.  Health and healing are in our homes.  Our mouths speak only positive words with blessing and praise for God.  We are the light of the world.  We are the salt of the earth.   We hear and follow God and His praise is continually in our mouths.  We are a forgiven people created in the image of an almighty God.  Favor is ours, blessing is ours. We will begin to see the promise of God come into fruition starting today and in our lifetime we will see his promise and glory.  This today we both believe and declare in Jesus name. Amen

Behold the lamb of God

Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! The reference to Jesus as THE lamb of God is found about 29 times. The symbols which could be associated with a lamb taking away sin and allowing for restoration to God began 2000 years before Christ was born. The lamb was recognized as a sacrifice which saved people from eternal punishment. John 1:29 Behold the lamb.   Peter 1:18-19  Redeemed by the blood.   Revelations 5:12-14  All heaven worshipped the lamb.  Revelations 21:27.  Only the Lamb is worthy to hold the book of life. Thank you Lord for your sacrifice.  We are not worthy,  but we are eternally grateful and we ask forgiveness for our sins as we accept you as our Lord and Savior. In Jesus name. Amen

Eternal life

John 3:16 promises us eternal life.  That scripture  tells us that God loves us and wants to restore us to Him.
   "For God SO LOVED the world, that HE GAVE His only begotten son. (Begotten in Greek 'monogenes' means unique and the ONLY ONE of his kind) that who ever believes in Him won't perish (die an eternal death away from God). But will have everlasting life. (Life out of the body and in the spirit in the heavens with God.)
Isaiah told us about the same thing in Isaiah 26:19
"But your dead will live,  their bodies will rise, you who dwell in the dust (who have passed away ) wake up and shout for joy!  Your dew is like the dew of the morning,  the earth will give birth to her dead." He is talking to their spiritual selves.  We are spiritual beings who live in a shell like peanuts in a peanut shell.  Matthew 27:50 gives us an example. "and when Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit.  (His real self, his spiritual being, left his body.)
Verse 51"the earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life...They appeared to many people.  Isaiah had prophesied thousands of years before. Now, 1 thessalonians 4:16-17 tell us that all of us who believe will be in heaven with God, those who have died and those who are present.  Hallelujah!

There are 6 behaviors that the Lord hates

Proverbs 6:16-19

There are 6 things that the Lord hates, yes, even 7 which are an abomination to Him.

1. A proud look

2. A lying tongue

3. Hands that shed innocent blood

4. A heart that devises wicked plans

5. Feet that are quick to run to evil

6. A false witness who speaks lies

7. One who sews discord among the brethren

These are behaviors that we have all seen. Let's make sure those behaviors are not seen in us, and let's not encourage those who display those behaviors. The Word of the Lord says He hates those behaviors. God is real. He is watching.

In His love He will forgive people instantly if the sin is confessed and repentance is given. We must then discontinue these behaviors which are an abomination to God. If these behaviors do not cease, trouble is coming. Don't do it and don't accept it in others. Some battles cannot be fought. "Our arms are too short to box with God".

One Nation Under God

Nation before party!
This civil war that the congress, led by Mitch and the tea party and includes the Democrats in Washington DC must stop. We are ONE NATION.  "A house divided against itself cannot stand" our pledge states that we are "indivisible ". Have our political employees forgotten about that?  In order to stand strong against our enemies we have to be "ONE NATION Under God, indivisible". It's time for them to stop behaving like angry children and unwitting bullies.  Don't our political employees know that the world Is watching the childish, self centered behavior that's on display? Are we willing to let our nation be a pawn of other nations?  Well, when employees have poor performance and behave badly on the job, they must be FIRED! The phrase made famous by Trump.  Nation before party.  NATION BEFORE PARTY! If not, YOU'RE FIRED!
Every time the polls have opened,  I've been there to cast my vote and to support my hiring practices. On election day go to your poll and use your power of hiring and firing.  If you're dissatisfied tell your political employees, "YOU'RE FIRED!"

Patience in trials- the blessing is coming

**David- From shepherd to king. ** When God gives us a promise, a glimpse of what could be for us, we tend to start looking for it right away. David was a young child when Samuel anointed him king. He didn't actually reign as king on the throne of Israel until he was 30 years old. What happened? Did God forget? Did something get in the way? Training is important to God. Character building, body strengthening, wisdom developing, experience giving -training. We learn things through waiting and through trials. We gain valuable skills through struggles. David became the greatest king of Israel and he still made mistakes and he still had challenges, but his blessings were great. He learned about his enemy when he had to play the harp to bring King Saul peace. He developed courage when he killed Goliad the giant. He developed military skill while being chased by King Saul. He was by no means a perfect man, or king, but he was a great king. He is remembered and respected by nations of people thousands of years later because of his great leadership. His reign, promised when he was a child, shaped the history of a people. If you believe that God has something for you, I'm sure he does. Don't give up if it takes a long time. It may take a while before you see it. There may be struggles along the way. Remember that you are being trained with every trial so that you will be perfect and wise. There may be temptations and challenges after you receive the blessing, but Jesus has shown us how to resist temptations, how to stand in the face of trials, and how to overcome challenges. Always do your best. Always be your best. You WILL receive your blessings, your gift, your new position. He is faithful. Be patient, God is in the blessing business. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Date: May 9, 2017 9:21 AM Subject: A lesson in patience and skill development - David-From shepherd to king To: Lauren Cooper , Aunt Shirley Blanton <1021shirley.blanton@gmail.com>, Aisha Cooper , tai cooper , Tahnia Hawkins , Jamilah Cooper , jamal cooper , Naledirasp , Akil Raspberry , Umar Raspberry , "propertiesfast@gmail.com" , Karen Little Sister Williams , Kim Braxton , Karen Valentine , Clarinda Valentine , Lillie Valentine <1930Lillie@gmail.com>, Kym Gilchrist , kyisha329 , "hanne-lore geysmans" , "Alexis Thomas-mabin" , "dwain.alexander" , , , Sherri Skannal , Gil And Grace Caldwell , Dale Caldwell , Paul Caldwell , , "Brioné LaThrop" Cc: **David- From shepherd to king. ** When God gives us a promise, a glimpse of what could be for us, we tend to start looking for it right away. David was a young child when Samuel anointed him king. He didn't actually reign as king on the throne of Israel until he was 30 years old. What happened? Did God forget? Did something get in the way? Training is important to God. Character building, body strengthening, wisdom developing, experience giving -training. We learn things through waiting and through trials. We gain valuable skills through struggles. David became the greatest king of Israel and he still made mistakes and he still had challenges, but his blessings were great. He learned about his enemy when he had to play the harp to bring King Saul peace. He developed courage when he killed Goliad the giant. He developed military skill while being chased by King Saul. He was by no means a perfect man, or king, but he was a great king. He is remembered and respected by nations of people thousands of years later because of his great leadership. His reign, promised when he was a child, shaped the history of a people. If you believe that God has something for you, I'm sure he does. Don't give up if it takes a long time. It may take a while before you see it. There may be struggles along the way. Remember that you are being trained with every trial so that you will be perfect and wise. There may be temptations and challenges after you receive the blessing, but Jesus has shown us how to resist temptations, how to stand in the face of trials, and how to overcome challenges. Always do your best. Always be your best. You WILL receive your blessings, your gift, your new position. He is faithful. Be patient, God is in the blessing business.

Joy not judgment

I've been listening and thinking about we who say we love God.  We all do our best to live for Him and to be good representatives of Jesus Christ, but sometimes we fall short.  I thank the Lord of heaven that he picks us up when we fall down. None of us who are Christians are perfect. We all make mistakes. We all fall short of the Glory of God.  I was thinking. ..if messing up and falling short meant you couldn't serve God, there would be NO ONE LEFT ON 🌍 EARTH  to give his message of love and forgiveness. None of us would know about the gifts of heaven.  We all do our best, but a servant who falls short of "perfection ", whatever that is, is the best example of the love and restoration of Jesus Christ. As we look at our fellow Christians,  instead of judging and being critical when they make a mistake, we will put our hands up in prayer and say, "Lord, I thank you that this one is lifted and I pray that i can be lifted and restored when I stumble just like my brethren in Christ." God is Love. Let's all strive to be love without criticism, and joy without judgment.
Walk in love children.

Fear not - God reigns over all

7For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a skillful psalm. 8God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. 

No matter what  we see going on right now, remember Psalm 47:7-8.  "God reigns over the nations. God sits on His holy throne."  Some of the things that we see going on is nerve wracking. Politicians who are hired by us do not seem to be working in our best interest.  We feel shocked as we watch the behavior of some of our leaders and we get tired of hearing the news casters with their panel of people yelling.  Don't lose hope.  Remember, " God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne."  He's paying attention.  Watch and pray.  He's listening.  "Go boldly before the throne of grace to receive mercy and help in your time of need."  If we don't have health care, we have God and prayer.  Go before God and ask for him to step in and intervene for us.  Ask that he turn the neck and head of the elected officials so that they will work on behalf of the people and not in their own self interest for some political gain.  "God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne."  He is watching.  He is listening.  Most importantly.  He loves us.  He holds us in the palm of his righteous right hand.  Don't fret - pray. God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne.

Watch and pray

What I see in D Trump is "Satan is a liar and the father of lies. " God brought my attention to that.  He doesn't go to church and has said He doesn't need God and doesn't need to ask God for forgiveness of anything.  He treats women in a disgusting manner. He has the behavior of a person who is ADHD. He has chosen millionaires and billionaires to fill his cabinet. His friends are Bannon who led a white supremacist paper, and men who have been accused of disrespecting women. He wants to change the first ammendment so that if anyone talks about him, he can prosecute them.  He seems to admire violent  dictators and doesn't want to be questioned about his behaviors.  He is not speaking peace.  He doesn't care that health care should be for all people, he cares that he's not embarrassed by a failure to pass a bill.  He is making money for his businesses using the white house position.  He's trying to build Trump Towers all over the world. Who does this sound like? Satan. God may have allowed it, but DT may be a punishment for this country and a wake up call for Christians.   God continually tells me 2 years, 2 years.  This calendar year for Jews is 5777. Many call it the year of jubilee.  I don't know what will happen in 2 years, but I think D T will only last 2 years. I don't know if any of our choices for president this year were called by God, but if so- called Christians are satisfied  with a person who has satan-like behaviors, and are willing to defend those behaviors, they need to evaluate their faith and live for God.  My eyes are open. This is a critical time.  We need to keep watch and pray.

Singing songs

Has a song or hymn ever just popped into your head? Do you find yourself humming, or singing along? At first you don't pay attention,  but the song keeps playing in your head. The next time it happens,  pay attention to the words.  Say to the Lord, "Father, are you speaking to me?"  Sometimes He is sending a message through the words in the song. They may be words of comfort, or knowledge, or even of warning.  Think about what's going on in your life and see if the song is relevant.  If they are, pray and ask God to help you understand.  Colossians 3:16.  Don't guess and go it alone. "Lean not unto your own understanding of things, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. " proverbs 3:5-6

Dreams and visions

I think God uses pictures to talk to us sometimes, because he knows that we are such visually led people.  In this age of advertising we have become "picture prompt" people.  We are prompted by pictures to do things, or to believe in ideas. Well, God uses pictures, too. In fact,  people were being led by His visions from the very beginning. He uses things that are familiar to us, and things that are very strange and unfamiliar.  We have to be trained to recognize His promptings,  but once we catch on, we can have a running conversation.  God told Abraham to look up and count the stars because that would be the number of his descendants. He told Mary in a dream that she would be a mother, he gave Joseph dreams and visions about his future. God can use anything to give us visions and dreams, (which are pictures) to guide us. I call mine "waking dreams" because they come just before I wake up, and so I remember them. Pay attention to the dreams and visions that God is giving you. There's a message in them just for you.