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! Well, there was no doubt where the full moon was this morning when I stepped outside! There it was, like a big floodlight, beaming down right over the house. It outshone all the stars around it. I heard and then saw a tiny airplane very high flying right over it. Their view must have been magnificent!. The plane looked tiny because of the distance, of course.
When we went to the Park yesterday, a lot of people still were there. This is spring break for a lot of kids, I guess, but lots of adults were there, also. PIcnics, reading, strolling, and just walking their dogs; all were enjoying the spring weather. I saw turtles sunning again, and a great white heron looking for a fish, plus the tribe of ibis. They all seem to stick together. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Why is prayer important?
Matthew 7:7-11 Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. You parents--if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
There's more to prayer than just getting an answer. God also does a work of grace in our own hearts through the act of prayer. As we persist in asking, seeking, and knocking, we gain a greater understanding of ourselves and of God.
How will God respond to my prayers?
Psalm 9:12 He who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore those who cry to him for help.
Psalm 55:22 Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and care to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
We experience freedom when we give a burden over to the Lord in prayer--even before the prayer is answered. The assurance of God's love and concern refreshes us and renews our hope.
Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
There's no limit on prayer. Big requests, small requests, and all sizes in between are welcomed by God. If something bothers us, it should be brought to God.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Prayer
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! When I stepped outside much earlier, I could still see the stars and outside house lights on. All was quiet. There was no sign of the full moon, so it must really zoom around the earth fast, or vice versa.
Yesterday, I spied the kingfisher perched in almost the same spot where I see him looking over Lynch Lake. And I also saw the osprey on the nest at the supermarket parking lot. She left one day and landed on a pole not far away, and eliminated the day's food...not a pretty sight! I was happy the car was not near! :o)
There must be some ospreys nesting somewhere at Sawgrass, but I have not seen them..matter of fact, I have never seen an ibis nest or heron nest. When the tiny moorhens were there, they used to nest in the lilies that were eliminated. One time there were six eggs visible from the bridge, but the creatures move on. God has his plan.
From the Promise Bible NLT:
How can I know God hears my prayers?
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
The Lord invites us to make prayer our first response rather than our last resort. He always listens to those who are honest with him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.
1 Peter 3:12 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.
Since prayer is a conversation with God, we must approach God with the same love and courtesy we bring to any relationship we value. We must be humble, not arrogant. We must admit our sin and seek God's forgiveness.
1 John 5:14-15 We can be4confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.
While we may not know God's specific will for every situation, we do know that his will is to empower our obedience, to overcome evil with good, and to equip us to be his witnesses. We can pray confidently for his power and guidance, knowing that we are asking for the very things he most longs to give.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Yesterday, I spied the kingfisher perched in almost the same spot where I see him looking over Lynch Lake. And I also saw the osprey on the nest at the supermarket parking lot. She left one day and landed on a pole not far away, and eliminated the day's food...not a pretty sight! I was happy the car was not near! :o)
There must be some ospreys nesting somewhere at Sawgrass, but I have not seen them..matter of fact, I have never seen an ibis nest or heron nest. When the tiny moorhens were there, they used to nest in the lilies that were eliminated. One time there were six eggs visible from the bridge, but the creatures move on. God has his plan.
From the Promise Bible NLT:
How can I know God hears my prayers?
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
The Lord invites us to make prayer our first response rather than our last resort. He always listens to those who are honest with him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.
1 Peter 3:12 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.
Since prayer is a conversation with God, we must approach God with the same love and courtesy we bring to any relationship we value. We must be humble, not arrogant. We must admit our sin and seek God's forgiveness.
1 John 5:14-15 We can be4confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.
While we may not know God's specific will for every situation, we do know that his will is to empower our obedience, to overcome evil with good, and to equip us to be his witnesses. We can pray confidently for his power and guidance, knowing that we are asking for the very things he most longs to give.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Monday, March 9, 2009
Night Driving
Good morning. dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the DST day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! It seems really weird to step outside and have the sky dark and stars shining at 7 AM. It takes me awhile to get used to springing forward.
Yesterday I was able , thanks to the kindness of Brian to stay with Louis, to go to Weedon Island to see and hear Jeff Klinkenberg give a presentation about alligators. He was promoting his new book, "A Pilgrim in the Land of Alligators." The parking lot and room was packed. I had to park out by the street, and extra chairs were brought in, so I got a seat in the very back, but felt good to have it because some people had to stand for an hour and a half. Jeff is one of my favorite writers for the St. Pete Times, so I bought the book and had him autograph it. I have emailed him several times when I really enjoyed one of his articles. God is Good!
From the book Quiet Moments with God for Teachers:
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105 KJV
A woman confessed to a friend her confusion and hesitancy about an important life decision she was facing. She professed to believe in God but could not bring herself to rely on her faith to help choose her path.
"How can I know I'm doing the right thing?" she asked. "How can I possibly believe my decision will be right when I can't even see tomorrow?"
Her friend thought and finally said, "Here's how I look at it. You know when you're driving down a dark country road with no streetlights to give you any notion of where you are? It's a little scary. But you rely on the headlights. Now, those headlights may only show you ten yards of road in front of you, but you see where to go for that little stretch. And as you travel that ten-yard stretch of road, the headlights show you ten more yards, and ten more, until eventually you reach your destination safe and sound.
"That's how I feel about living by faith. I may not be able to see tomorrow, next week, or next year, but I know that God will give me the light to find my way when I need it."
When you come to the
edge of all the light
you know and are about
to step off into the
darkness of the
unknown. Faith is knowing one of two
things will happen.
There will be something
solid to stand on, or
you will be taught
how to fly.
Barbara J. Winter
-- I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Yesterday I was able , thanks to the kindness of Brian to stay with Louis, to go to Weedon Island to see and hear Jeff Klinkenberg give a presentation about alligators. He was promoting his new book, "A Pilgrim in the Land of Alligators." The parking lot and room was packed. I had to park out by the street, and extra chairs were brought in, so I got a seat in the very back, but felt good to have it because some people had to stand for an hour and a half. Jeff is one of my favorite writers for the St. Pete Times, so I bought the book and had him autograph it. I have emailed him several times when I really enjoyed one of his articles. God is Good!
From the book Quiet Moments with God for Teachers:
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105 KJV
A woman confessed to a friend her confusion and hesitancy about an important life decision she was facing. She professed to believe in God but could not bring herself to rely on her faith to help choose her path.
"How can I know I'm doing the right thing?" she asked. "How can I possibly believe my decision will be right when I can't even see tomorrow?"
Her friend thought and finally said, "Here's how I look at it. You know when you're driving down a dark country road with no streetlights to give you any notion of where you are? It's a little scary. But you rely on the headlights. Now, those headlights may only show you ten yards of road in front of you, but you see where to go for that little stretch. And as you travel that ten-yard stretch of road, the headlights show you ten more yards, and ten more, until eventually you reach your destination safe and sound.
"That's how I feel about living by faith. I may not be able to see tomorrow, next week, or next year, but I know that God will give me the light to find my way when I need it."
When you come to the
edge of all the light
you know and are about
to step off into the
darkness of the
unknown. Faith is knowing one of two
things will happen.
There will be something
solid to stand on, or
you will be taught
how to fly.
Barbara J. Winter
-- I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Friday, March 6, 2009
Wise words from Colossians
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the beautiful day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I did get up earlier than usual, and saw the stars in the clear sky, but could not find the moon. I am planning to go to bed and hopefully sleep by 9 PM tomorrow night, since the time changes then. Sigh. I will probably feel the effects for a couple days.
Yesterday, I saw a young peacock with his tail feathers spread. I never noticed before how much prettier the young cocks are in color. It seems to be brighter and the "eyes" more pronounced in the tail feathers than the old guys. God made them very beautiful and colorful. Well, a leaf vacuum has been sweeping up the Park and it looks better...doesn't get up all the leaves, but most of them and is an improvement.I took some brownies over for Mike, but he had apparently left early, so I will try again. I also took some to my across the street neighbor, who very kindly came over and used her chain-saw to cut up a large branch that fell from our tree. She was a blessing!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Colossians 3 excerpts:
Since God chose you to be holy people whom he loves, you must clothe your selves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace and always be thankful'
Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites who can get away with evil.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Yesterday, I saw a young peacock with his tail feathers spread. I never noticed before how much prettier the young cocks are in color. It seems to be brighter and the "eyes" more pronounced in the tail feathers than the old guys. God made them very beautiful and colorful. Well, a leaf vacuum has been sweeping up the Park and it looks better...doesn't get up all the leaves, but most of them and is an improvement.I took some brownies over for Mike, but he had apparently left early, so I will try again. I also took some to my across the street neighbor, who very kindly came over and used her chain-saw to cut up a large branch that fell from our tree. She was a blessing!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Colossians 3 excerpts:
Since God chose you to be holy people whom he loves, you must clothe your selves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace and always be thankful'
Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites who can get away with evil.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Print It!
Good morning, dear friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cool, sunny day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I overslept again this morning,...seems like I do that a lot lately, so when I arose, no stars, just daylight and tons of oak seeds all over everything. We live in a yellow world these days, with the pollen flying around. Achoo!!
Even the Park is covered with seeds and oak trees. Not a good time for walking for those with allergies. I saw the reflection of an ibis in the canal and it was so old Florida. It looked beautiful , perched and waiting for lunch to swim along. God is good!
From the book Quiet Moments with God:
Be very careful then how you live. Not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.
Ephesians 5:15-16
When we come to the end of the day and wonder why things went wrong, we usually don't have to look very far to discover the answer. Somehow, we lost our sense of direction and couldn't seem to get back on track. To ensure this doesn't happen again, or at least not as often, we can take some advice from National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones.:
1. If there's a problem at work that
has you stymied, try looking at it from different
points of view. Pray for the eyes of your
understanding to be enlightened. (See Ephesians 1:18.)
Before he goes out to shoot, Jones knows he has
to have a good camera with the right lens.
Different lenses give different perspectives.
Jones experiments until he finds the right one.
2. Another important factor is focus.
A picture can be razor sharp, or if Jones prefers,
just the subject in the foreground will
be clearly in focus.
3. We sometimes become so focused on one aspect
of a problem, we lose sight of the big picture--
of other circumstances influencing the situation
or how the problem is going to affect others
if it isn't resolved properly. Look at the big
picture, then consider all individuals involved.
Jones allows his creative instincts to drive him
to find more than one "right" way to shoot a
photo. He uses about 400 rolls of film per
article--and each published article uses
approximately fifty photos.
4. Don't be afraid of experimenting with new
ideas and methods. Ask God to show you
great and mighty things that you haven't
known before. (See Jeremiah 33:3) When
Dewitt Jones empties his camera at the
end of a shoot, he knows he's given it his
best shot. He's looked at the subject he's
photographing in a many different ways
as he can think of.
If we've found the right perspective, stayed focused on what's truly important; been willing to try something different; and refused to let fear of failure paralyze us; we, too, can look back at our day and say, "Print it!"
No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined.
Harry Emerson Fosdick
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Even the Park is covered with seeds and oak trees. Not a good time for walking for those with allergies. I saw the reflection of an ibis in the canal and it was so old Florida. It looked beautiful , perched and waiting for lunch to swim along. God is good!
From the book Quiet Moments with God:
Be very careful then how you live. Not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.
Ephesians 5:15-16
When we come to the end of the day and wonder why things went wrong, we usually don't have to look very far to discover the answer. Somehow, we lost our sense of direction and couldn't seem to get back on track. To ensure this doesn't happen again, or at least not as often, we can take some advice from National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones.:
1. If there's a problem at work that
has you stymied, try looking at it from different
points of view. Pray for the eyes of your
understanding to be enlightened. (See Ephesians 1:18.)
Before he goes out to shoot, Jones knows he has
to have a good camera with the right lens.
Different lenses give different perspectives.
Jones experiments until he finds the right one.
2. Another important factor is focus.
A picture can be razor sharp, or if Jones prefers,
just the subject in the foreground will
be clearly in focus.
3. We sometimes become so focused on one aspect
of a problem, we lose sight of the big picture--
of other circumstances influencing the situation
or how the problem is going to affect others
if it isn't resolved properly. Look at the big
picture, then consider all individuals involved.
Jones allows his creative instincts to drive him
to find more than one "right" way to shoot a
photo. He uses about 400 rolls of film per
article--and each published article uses
approximately fifty photos.
4. Don't be afraid of experimenting with new
ideas and methods. Ask God to show you
great and mighty things that you haven't
known before. (See Jeremiah 33:3) When
Dewitt Jones empties his camera at the
end of a shoot, he knows he's given it his
best shot. He's looked at the subject he's
photographing in a many different ways
as he can think of.
If we've found the right perspective, stayed focused on what's truly important; been willing to try something different; and refused to let fear of failure paralyze us; we, too, can look back at our day and say, "Print it!"
No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined.
Harry Emerson Fosdick
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
No Longer Enemies
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! Well, daylight savings time will be here Sunday, and I can see why. When I stepped outside much earlier, the daylight had already obscured the stars. Still, I wish we would stay on Eastern all year. Sigh.
I took a courageous trip to Walmart yesterday and God was good to give me a close by parking space to the retail door. Apparently, they once more have rearranged the store, so the aisles are wider and the store looked very clean. Lots of Easter candy and baskets taking up a couple aisles. So I got my exercise inside, rather than outside.
We did drive through the Park and saw lots of people enjoying the crisp air and walking dogs. Turtles were sunning, as usual, and anhingas were drying out the feathers. the azaleas are really pretty there this year, even though they were trimmed down a lot last year.God is good!
From the book Quiet Moments with God:
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them."
Isaiah 11:6 KJV
The orange kitten was hungry. The grizzly bear was lonely. The man was apprehensive.
The cat weighed no more than 10 ounces when he first slid under the fence into the bear's pen. The man was almost in a panic, thinking the hungry grizzly would kill him with one swat and eat him for dinner.
The grizzly, whose name was Griz, had come to the Oregon wildlife center in 1990, when he was just a cub. Hit by a train while foraging on railroad tracks in Montana, he suffered severe head injuries and was deemed unfit to return to the wild.
The kitten was one of four kittens abandoned at the center early in the summer. Volunteers were able to find homes for the rest of the litter, but Cat, as he was now called, somehow eluded them.
Then, one day in July, Cat turned up in Griz's pen. Afraid to do anything that might alarm Griz, the man just watched, expecting the worst. As the 650 pound grizzly was eating his midday meal, something extraordinary happened. The bear very gently picked out a chicken wing with his forepaw and dropped it near Cat.
From that moment on, Griz and Cat became something of a slapstick animal act. Cat would lay in ambush, then leap out and swat Griz on his nose. Griz would carry Cat in his mouth. Cat would ride on Griz's back, and sometimes Griz would lick Cat.
Their friendly relationship defies both the patterns of nature, as well as their own troubled life histories. Griz never took advantage of Cat's weaknesses, and each animal has accommodated the other's needs.
What a lesson Griz and Cat offer! We can help each other break free from the patterns of our pasts that keep us from loving each other. As we pray for and care for others with the love of Jesus Christ, we obtain healing by the grace of God, both for them and ourselves!
Love is the by-product of our capacity to give what is deepest within ourselves, and to receive what is deepest within another person.
LLoyd J. Averill
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I took a courageous trip to Walmart yesterday and God was good to give me a close by parking space to the retail door. Apparently, they once more have rearranged the store, so the aisles are wider and the store looked very clean. Lots of Easter candy and baskets taking up a couple aisles. So I got my exercise inside, rather than outside.
We did drive through the Park and saw lots of people enjoying the crisp air and walking dogs. Turtles were sunning, as usual, and anhingas were drying out the feathers. the azaleas are really pretty there this year, even though they were trimmed down a lot last year.God is good!
From the book Quiet Moments with God:
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them."
Isaiah 11:6 KJV
The orange kitten was hungry. The grizzly bear was lonely. The man was apprehensive.
The cat weighed no more than 10 ounces when he first slid under the fence into the bear's pen. The man was almost in a panic, thinking the hungry grizzly would kill him with one swat and eat him for dinner.
The grizzly, whose name was Griz, had come to the Oregon wildlife center in 1990, when he was just a cub. Hit by a train while foraging on railroad tracks in Montana, he suffered severe head injuries and was deemed unfit to return to the wild.
The kitten was one of four kittens abandoned at the center early in the summer. Volunteers were able to find homes for the rest of the litter, but Cat, as he was now called, somehow eluded them.
Then, one day in July, Cat turned up in Griz's pen. Afraid to do anything that might alarm Griz, the man just watched, expecting the worst. As the 650 pound grizzly was eating his midday meal, something extraordinary happened. The bear very gently picked out a chicken wing with his forepaw and dropped it near Cat.
From that moment on, Griz and Cat became something of a slapstick animal act. Cat would lay in ambush, then leap out and swat Griz on his nose. Griz would carry Cat in his mouth. Cat would ride on Griz's back, and sometimes Griz would lick Cat.
Their friendly relationship defies both the patterns of nature, as well as their own troubled life histories. Griz never took advantage of Cat's weaknesses, and each animal has accommodated the other's needs.
What a lesson Griz and Cat offer! We can help each other break free from the patterns of our pasts that keep us from loving each other. As we pray for and care for others with the love of Jesus Christ, we obtain healing by the grace of God, both for them and ourselves!
Love is the by-product of our capacity to give what is deepest within ourselves, and to receive what is deepest within another person.
LLoyd J. Averill
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Character
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
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
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