Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cloudy, rainy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!
Well, the thunder woke me about 3 AM , after I had a difficult time getting to sleep, and then I woke up early to the sound of gentle rain falling. As I was praying and having my devotions this morning, I looked out the window and watched a feisty squirrel leap from our roof to the oak tree in the backyard, and then scamper along the telephone line. Pretty soon, he came back along the same route, gave a giant leap onto the tree and back on the roof. Neither rain, nor sleet nor dark of night keeps them from digging and looking for acorns and whatever else they can find to eat.
I only went out one time yesterday and that was to accompany David C. to the dump. He had been working on a leaky faucet in my bathroom. The wind was blowing so hard, it almost took my breath away! Yesterday was a good day for ironing and staying in, and today will be a good day to read! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Does God give us success in this life?
1 Samuel 16:7 The Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions."
God's standards differ greatly from our own. Success is measured by faithfulness and fruitfulness not by results and quantities. We measure success in terms of appearances and externals, but the Lord looks on the heart. God measures success by weighing our devotion and commitment to him.
1 John 2:15-17 Stop loving this evil world and all that if offers you, for when we love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world if fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.
Success in this world can mean failure in God's eyes. While we live in this world, we are not to be controlled by this world's system of values. God promises that if we do his will, we will have true success.
1 Corinthians 3:4,5 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God.
Jesus' followers know that real success comes only from the Lord.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
