Imitate God, therefore in everything you do because you are his dear children. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you.  Such sins have no place among God’s people.  Obscene stories, foolish talk, and course jokes – these are not for you.  Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.  Ephesians 5:1, 3, 4 NLT

 

What is commonly known as salvation in Jesus the Christ is the life that his grace gives to our character. Imitate God, therefore in everything you do because you are his dear children.  If the sins listed here in God’s Word were renewing in anyway, we would have stayed in them and rejected the offer of life in his grace. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.  The nature of grace is that it makes us a new in our nature. New in our values, our thinking, our emotions and our attitudes towards God, family, friends and co-workers. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and course jokes – these are not for you.  Today let yourself imitate God in everything you do. Imitating God with a heart full of thanksgiving will produce a great amount of joy. Let there be thankfulness to God. Here you can experience a delight in relationships with the Lord and each other.  Imitate God, in everything you do, now that is a new nature in Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice in thanksgiving!!! Enjoy!

You have heard the law that says, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy”.  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?  

Matthew 5:43-46 NLT

 

The grace of our Lord is so radically different than our natural thinking and emotions. This is what Grace is and naturally does! Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! For many of us it is easy to get angry, irritated and to be very unforgiving. Thay is our natural sinful nature. Here is something to think about - Where do all the dissensions come from within our families, our work place and our communities?  These tensions come from within us.  But the nature of God’s grace through Jesus Christ is so radically different.  The nature of grace brings about a new creation in how we see and feel for any man or woman who has received it. In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. Grace brings a new nature, listen to grace whisper – Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you!  Grace is the gift of God, which brings a new direction to our thinking and emotions.  Today, allow yourself to love others in a most encouraging way, even if they seem unlovable. You will have no sorrow or regret living in the grace of Jesus Christ. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?  Enjoy!

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.  The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes."  Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put beautiful garments on you.  Zechariah 3:3, 4 NIV

 

This is such a beautiful picture of God’s grace!  His grace can remove our filthy garments which is our own activities in sin, not someone else's. See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put beautiful garments on you.  His grace cleanses, refreshes, renews  and rebirths our emotions and our mind, all of which impact our body.  Notice that God’s grace comes without any ridicule, condemnation or accusations. He did not call Joshua stupid, brain dead or some kind of looser. Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.  The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take of his filthy clothes.”  What God does through Jesus Christ brings an enjoyable blessing to us, which has the potential of encouraging those around us. In grace our life becomes new again and we find ourselves rediscovering the beauty of life one more time. Today may you be blessed with this beautiful garment of grace that is yours.  Living in his grace has no remorse or sorrow at all.  In fact words, actions and tones of grace will refresh your life. In grace life is awakened and a new journey begins. See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put beautiful garments on you.  Enjoy!

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Let all that I am praise the LORD. Psalm 104:33,34 NLT

 

This Psalm gives definition to what happens to a man or woman who has become overwhelmed by God’s grace. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.  I will praise my God to my last breath! God’s grace renews our heart with joy and thanksgiving and these emotions influence our goals, our desires and our thinking. His grace brings our character to life just as yeast brings dough to life. Once the yeast has been put into the dough, the dough will never be the same. Once grace has been put into a man or woman they are a new creation. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.  All this is from God...  2 Corinthians 5:17,18 NIV. Today choose to let his grace bring to life your emotions and your words. Your delight of the Lord will bring a great refreshment to you and those who know you best. So go ahead and allow yourself to live in the blessings of his grace. Let all that I am praise the LORD!  Enjoy!

God saved you by his grace through faith. And you can?t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8, 9 NLT Whatever may be true about sin and whatever has happened to all of us because of it, God has done infinitely greater by his grace through faith in Jesus Christ. God saved you by his grace through faith. Where sin increased with all its forms of sorrow, regret and guilt, right there grace overwhelmed with life (Love, joy and peace) that's freedom. Grace is the expression of God?s love given to us all in Jesus the Christ. It is only grace that could make sin yield in our lives. The effect of grace upon our life is faith and therefore faith becomes the first result of the new life bestowed. Here the healing from all our condemnation begins. This really is a gift worth opening; it will renew your life forever. Today is a good day to experience the gift of grace that has been given to you. Here your heartaches have a place to be made whole; regrets from your past will no longer be the ruin of the day. Remember, Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done. You can?t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. God saved you by his grace through faith. You might just find yourself filled with joy right down to the depth of your soul. God?s gift of grace is yours now and forever, it?s His promise. Enjoy!