Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the chilly day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! It was hard to climb out of the warm covers this morning, but the day will warm up and later this week will be Hot! Yay!
I saw two fat gators lazying on the bank of the borrow pit lake yesterday and people were stopping their cars and running to take photos. Of all the gators I have seen at the Park over the many years I have been walking, I still get excited about seeing them in the wild. I also enjoy seeing the intense look in the great white heron's eyes as he looks for an unwary fish to swim by. I also saw the large, old gopher tortoise once again at the fence, trying to dig under. If he only would walk a little ways, he would find no fence, but I guess his little turtle brain does not know that. :o) God is good!
On a sadder note, I heard the Coast Guard plane flying over our house this morning, still searching for the three men lost in the Gulf. The CG does a tremendous job with their search and rescue duties! I pray for their safety.
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Will God do anything to change my character, or it it all up to me?
Galatians 5:22-23 When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce his kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, k9indness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
Philippians 2:5, 12-13 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had....Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.
A transformed character reflects God's work within us and our own choices. The Holy Spirit awakens our desire for love, integrity, and responsibility, but we must choose these in every situation.
What does God promise as we mature in godly character?
Matthew 5:8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
We will experience an increasing sense of God's presence and his blessing.
James 1:4 When your endurance is fully developed, yuou will be strong in character and ready for anything.
Romans 5:3-5 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us-they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
As we mature in our faith, we will become stronger and stronger people. Character is like a muscle-it gets stronger with exercise. As our character develops, our confidence in our salvation increases, and the assurance of God's love fills our hearts.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
