What are the benefits of discernment?

Good Nov. first morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! It was cooler than I had expected when I arose this morning, but lots of wind and drier air are moving in, so another touch of fall  is here.

Last night, I left my porch light off, as did most of the neighbors, and just heard the doorbell ring about 6:30, but was busy in the kitchen and did not get to the door before whoever it was had turned away. So, I turned the light on about 9:30 and heard a noisy group come and pound on the door and ring the doorbell. I honestly was a little afraid to open the door, because it was later than they should have been out, so after more noise they kicked the door or threw something at it and left and I turned the light back off. Not a happy Halloween for them...

But, on a happier note, I walked out to the entrance bridge at Sawgrass, and looked for the young gators, and much to my surprise, I saw two of them, twins, facing each other on a mud bank, with their eyes half closed and heads up, enjoying the sun, which by that time, was shining brightly after a morning rain. While I was watching them, a baby gator came crawling up beside them and then crossed over behind them and rested there, too.I walked on to the end of the bridge and saw movement in the hydrilla,. and there was another older baby gator crawling up on a small log out of the water. I thought there was another baby lying in the water beside that one, but couldn't be sure. The water was flowing swiftly, pushing hydrilla bunches along with it. It was a beautiful day! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:
 
Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding.

Proverbs 3:21-23 My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling.

Proverbs 4:12 If you live a life guided by wisdom, you won't limp or stumble as you run.
Discernment enhances the quality of our life and our discipleship. Godly wisdom and understanding keep us from tripping over the lies and deceptions of the devil.

9:11 Wisdom will multiply your day and add years to your life.
 
Discernment preserves our lives, keeping us from the dangers that threaten to destroy us.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs, Amaryllis

Living by the Spirit's Power

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I was kinda hoping that the rain would continue all day to keep the trick or treaters in, but maybe that's selfish on my part...I did not have a single one last year, I think because most of the little kids who used to live on the block have grown up or moved away. In the early days there used to be carloads from out of the neighborhood going door to door; we actually had over a hundred one year!. Well, I will leave my light off, anyway.

There were lots of people at the park yesterday, enjoying the sun and shade and walking for health and exercise. The young gator was hanging out at the bridge and people were pointing and taking pics of him. I did not see any ibis or herons, for some reason, but the squirrels were in abundance!

I watched a baby squirrel at the base of my oak tree yesterday, pluck a small toadstool and start nibbling on it, then took it in his mouth, and zoomed up the tree, following his mom. They are really cute. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ephesians 5:15
So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 6:6-9
Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though your were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

And in the same way, you masters must treat your slaves right. Don't threaten them;
remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs, Amaryllis

Roamin' thru Romans 13

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Looks like we had a gently falling rain last night. Everything is freshly wet and water is still falling off the roof, but since we have not had rain for a few weeks, it is most welcome!

Yesterday, I ran a few errands, before tiring because of my very late night Wed. I drove to the park and was peacefully watching the swaying limbs and the ibis sitting in a tree. People were pointing and taking pictures of the young gator, and all was well. I saw an osprey perched on a line over Turner's creek, looking for lunch, so wildlife is everywhere!! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 9-13
Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner, or, if they need lodging, for the night.

If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray that God will bless them. When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Jesus, Author of Salvation

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Another beautiful day, but a few clouds and warmer than it has been. I threw off the big blanket, but then pulled it up sometime early this morning, when I got a little chilly. The prediction is for very cool coming sometime this weekend, but it usually does turn cool around Halloween. Speaking of that, I made the mistake of buying a bag of mini Twix bars supposedly for trick or treaters, but I seem to be making them disappear all by myself. I knew I should have bought something I don't like!!

The subject today does not have anything to do with the scripture. That song has been going over and over in my mind, since last night when I heard it at the Michael W. Smith/Amy Grant concert. We all sang along with them and I can't get it out of my head. I had forgotten that those concerts are very loud, and at one point, I removed my hearing aids. However, the amplification was up so high that even Brian could not understand the lyrics of some of the songs. It was better when Michael came on with his half of the show, because the electronic keyboard was his and he could be understood when he talked and sang. He is really gifted with songwriting and I enjoyed the music, and was glad I went. Cindy Plotts DiMarco was sitting in the same aisle...small world. But the auditorium was filled with lots of believers. I saw one baby there, probably about 2 to 3 months old and could not help thinking how damaging the loudness must be to her little ears.

I really like the song "He is Mighty to Save" the way our worship team arranges it, and especially Andrew's drumming. Two drummers were featured last night, both veterans with their own sets and I was fascinated with their skill. The concert lasted three hours, so I was very late getting home, but it was a good evening. My thanks to Brian. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ecclesiastes 3 A time for everything

There is a time for everything.
a season for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search  and a time to lose.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a  time to speak up.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love,

Love and hugs
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 20

Good morning, Dear friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! We have had such a string of perfect weather, but now it looks like we are in for a change, with cold weather bearing down on us and hurricane Lina pushing back from the gulf. Never a dull moment for the weatherman!

I went to the drivers' license place in Pinellas Park yesterday and waited in line, only to discover that I should have gone to the tax collector's office on 66th St. to conduct my business. So, because I was frustrated, I went to Steak and Shake and bought myself a refreshing mint/ cookies and cream milkshake for half price! Nice mood lifter! Then I went to the park and took a walk along the sidewalk, enjoying the cool breeze and calm waters of the canal. Saw the tendrils of moss blowing gently in the breeze, black turtles sunning on the old logs, and on the way in, the ibis once again, doing a slow motion dance of drinking at the same time and raising their heads all in unison

I am looking forward to attending the Michael W. Smith/Amy Grant concert tonight with Brian. And I am hoping Michael will sing one of my favorite songs, "Breathe". God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 20
 In times of trouble, may the Lord respond to your cry. 
May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.
May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.
May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans.
May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory, flying banners to honor our God.
May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed king.
He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power. 
Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the Lord our God.
Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.

Give victory to our king, O Lord!
Respond to our cry for help.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

In Progress

Good Morning, Dear friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Another beautiful day lies before us with blue skies and little wind, and temps in the low sixties. I am determined not to turn on the furnace until it gets much cooler...well, maybe not much cooler, but a little.

I was sweeping acorns off the sidewalk and porch yesterday, again, and watched the squirrels scampering up the oak trees and zipping along the branches. They have about three new nests and all the evidence is on the ground in the twigs and stuff . They must have a lot more than that on the ground at the park, but there is so much other stuff  there, that a few more leaves are not unusual. More and more birds are coming  from the north. I saw a huge flock of blackbirds, circling in the air at a busy intersection yesterday. 
 
When I drove into the park, I saw a very unusual sight; a flock of ibis were standing in a row on the bank of the weir and all had their heads down and were drinking. Alongside them were a lot of black turtles. I should have taken a picture of them. The park was crowded, because it was such a nice day, and a class was waiting for the teacher to take them on a tour. Nice field trip! God is good!

From Quiet Moments with God:

He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6 NKJV
 
A sign in a hotel lobby that was being remodeled stated, " Please be patient. Renovation in progress to produce something new and wonderful." Perhaps we all need to wear a sign like that! We are all unfinished projects under construction, being made into something wonderful. Being mindful of this, we might have greater grace and patience for others, as well as for ourselves, while the work is underway.

Hope is the anticipation of good. Like the hotel lobby in the disarray of renovation, our hope is often in spite of our present circumstances. What is the basis for our hope?

For the Christian, hope is not simple optimism or a denial of reality. The reason for our hope is Jesus Christ, the solid Rock of our faith. As the hymn writer wrote, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.". We are never without hope for our lives if we know the Lord Jesus. 

The focus of our hope is to be like Jesus. This goal may seem too great and way beyond our ability to achieve, and it is. So how do we reach it?

The Scriptures tell us it is "Christ in you" that is our hope. (See Colossians 1:27.) The transformation of our lives into Christlikeness is a goal that is larger than life. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, to have hope only for this life is to be miserable. (See 1 Corinthians 15:19). The Christian hope if for this life and for eternity.

A little chapel in the hills of the Scottish Highlands has a sign chiseled in Gaelic on the front door. Translated into English it reads; "Come as you are, but don't leave as you came." When we come to Jesus, we can come as we are. But He will not leave us the same. That is our sure hope.

Our hope lies not in the man we put on the moon, But in the Man we put on the cross.
Don Basham

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Peter's advice

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! We still have perfect weather with cool nights and warmer days. 

Couldn't ask for anything much better.
 
It was a good day all around yesterday..good church service and Tim Tebow helping the Broncos to a win, and the Rangers coming back to win. I was kinda torn between the Cards and the Rangers, but leaning toward the Rangers. Oh, well, may the better team win!

There were water fowl in abundance at Lynch Lake yesterday as I drove around it! Black ducks, and white ibis, and standing in ankle deep water a gray and white woodstork. I guess they have ankles! When I went to the park Saturday, I saw a gopher in a different location on an access road. I remember when Mike, the naturalist showed me an aerial photo of the park, how many gopher tortoise homes were in it. They are all over the Park! The white heron was standing watch over the fish, and ibis were perched in the trees overlooking the water. All was peaceful! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Peter 3:7
In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. If you don't treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard.

Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say,
If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil,
and keep your lips from telling lies.
Turn away from evil and do good.
Work hard at living at peace with others.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, 
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis