Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4 NIV

This Psalm is one of my favorites.  To delight is a very energizing thought and emotion.  It means to take great pleasure or joy in. It does not say - exhaust yourself, strain yourself, worry yourself, or condemn yourself;  it says delight yourself in the LORD.  What is so refreshing about God’s grace is that it creates a genuine delight for the Lord and that changes the intent of our desires. Today let His Grace penetrate your soul and you will find a great joy in delighting in the Lord.  If you will allow this grace of delighting yourself in the LORD to be who you are each new day, things will happen in your journey that will be overwhelming with joy. Those around you will experience that life that is called eternal.  Kindness and encouragement will be just who you are and each day will seem like you opened a new gift.  Enjoy!

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.  Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.  Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:16, 17 NLT

When we were young we began to learn the importance of who we are and what we are called.  Our name and the name of our family became important.  A good question to ask is - "When someone uses your name, what comes to their mind?" In grace there is a richness and a joy in who you are because of the Lord Jesus the Christ. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. When God’s grace has been received in the heart of a man or woman an eternal change has taken place.  So the word is given “Let.”  To Let means “to allow, give permission, authorize and to enable.” So when you “Let,” God’s grace in Christ creates new emotions which sound like – sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Today Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.  Think of who you are now because of the grace of our Lord.  Whatever you do or say can give refreshment to those around you. Today is a good day for people to know your name.  Enjoy!

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. Luke 23:34 NLT

Have ever wondered what the love of God looks like?   Just read these words.  Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.  This love is given by God’s grace and it is not religious at all, it is life and it is called eternal, holy and joy. Jesus had been falsely accused, punched in the face, spit upon, lashed, carried his cross to the point of overwhelming fatigue, nailed to a cross and crowned with thorns.  It was in that condition that he said - "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  Grace gives the love of God to the souls of men and women because that is what it is. There was and is no condemnation in the grace that is in Jesus the Christ.  Today, enjoy that life of his grace that allows you to bless, you to encourage and for you to forgive in such a way that the love of our Lord is seen and heard through your life. You will be so renewed that you will hardly be able to contain it and Lord willing you won’t contain it. It will burst for in praise and this will be a day to remember. Enjoy!

The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created.  He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.  He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.  Psalm 33:6, 7 NLT

Sometimes you have to ask, why the Lord tells us these things.  He spoke, he breathed, he assigned and in these words all things were created.  I believe it is so that we can know the power and life of his words.   You see the grace that is found in Jesus the Christ is given to create a new life in us. Living in grace lets us know the Lord who spoke, breathed and assigned is in the details of where we are just as he was in the details of creation.  Grace does much more than save us for heaven, it sets our emotions and mind free from the condemnation of our own sin to experience the love of God in the minutiae of our journey.  Today enjoy living right smack dab in the middle of his grace.  You can relax in his presence if you are willing to receive his grace in Jesus Christ and then you will know the whisper of his voice and the joy of his salvation that calls you son or daughter.  A smile in the depth of your soul is very natural in grace.  Enjoy!

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  They cannot be numbered!  I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!  And when I wake up, you are still with me.  Psalm 139:17, 18 NLT

What a great way to start a new day! How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  How relaxing it is to know God’s love in a personal way.  They cannot be numbered!  His grace in Jesus Christ gives us the joy to experience his love which brings about a new nature in us.  Here gratefulness is alive in our emotions and thoughts, which become actions and words of encouragement to those around us. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!   This is what a heart of grace feels like.  Today may this Scripture not just be some kind of statement, but a true experience of who you are.  If that is the case, this day along with those that will come, will be overwhelmed with life, goodness and grace. When I wake up, you are still with me.  Enjoy!

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.  Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.  Wash me clean from my guilt. purify me from my sin.  Psalm 51:1, 2 NLY

Here in these words we have a man or woman who has become exhausted from all the choices he or she has made and there results. Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.  Most men and women usually do not think of God according to his unfailing love.  Here is what His grace can do for all of us. because of your unfailing love.  Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.   Grace is his unfailing love given through Jesus Christ that accomplishes this forever.  Here we experience, compassion, kindness, peace and a life that is absolutely breath taking.  Today are you willing to experience great compassion that removes all the shame of your sins andf feeling of guilt? Does this verse sound like the desire of your heart?  When God’s grace penetrates your heart like this, your nature is changed. May words like delight, rejoice, praise, thanksgiving and encouragement be words used by everyone you know, to describe you. That is living overwhelmed by his grace. Enjoy!

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Psalm 100:1, 2 NIV

What a great way to start a new day or a new week. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Our life has so much noise, distractions, stress, worry, broken relationships and at times even anxiety. It is good to take a deep breath each morning concerning the joy that is ours because of the life of grace in Jesus the Christ.  Think of the emotions in the words such as "shout for joy; worship the LORD with gladness, joyful songs."  Something happens to us all when we do this! When shouting for joy, worshipping with gladness and singing joyful songs describes our attitude for the day, that day will be blessed. Today, enjoy the grace of our Lord, you will find yourself filled with gladness in your thinking and emotions. May your expressions be refreshed as you Worship the LORD with gladness. Your attitude will be contagious. This day could be just down right great. Enjoy!

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

Proverbs 15:1 NLT

Think of all the relationships that could have been restored in our families, our communities and our nation, if someone was willing to speak with kindness and gentleness. A gentle answer deflects alnger. Think of how many fights, quarrels and divorces that would not have happened if words and actions of grace had been heard and seen.  Imagine how many relationships could start to be healed if someone who is acquainted with God’s grace begins to talk and act in gentleness.  God’s grace is his power in the human soul to become a new creation, to live in the life that is called eternal.  Today may you choose to live your life in the emotions and words of his grace. A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. It is your choice, grace brings a gentle answer, and your sin nature brings a harsh words  There will be no regret or sorrow because of your words of kindness, gentleness, compassion and grace.  Enjoy!

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16, 17 NLT

In all the busyness of life may we all remember that God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus the Christ.  Even the thought of being loved gives emotions of being valued and in some sense important. Yet even here our sin nature brings heartache, complaining and at times a desire for something else.  We see it all through our daily life, with anger, immorality, divorce and unpleasant words of all kinds.  Living in God’s grace changes all things, for it is God’s unfailing love that is given through Jesus Christ.   When we receive His love through his grace, a new nature begins within us and it is called eternal.  Today celebrate, give thanks for his unfailing love and faithfulness for you. From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. Allow yourself to be a gracious blessing to others. In fact, his grace will give you emotions of joy, kindness and encouragement for yourself, which will naturally affect others in a very good way. Enjoy!

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  Romans 5:8 NLT

Sometimes don’t we all wonder what love is really like?  Are we loved all the time, even when we don’t seem to find ourselves in a good mood?  What is love anyway?  Well, God’s love is obviously different than our love.  For his love is not founded upon our success or our moods. His love is what he is and therefore he has found a way to pour out his love upon us through his grace.  But God showed his great love for us.  You see that we were once in a condition where we did not care about him (God) yet he showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Today enjoy being his kindness, his passion and his joy to your family, your friends and anyone you meet along the way.  You may be the visible and emotional expression of the grace and love of God.  So go ahead and enjoy who you are because of his great love for you by sending Christ to die for you while you were still a sinner.  Enjoy!

But - "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.  He generously poured out his Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior."   Titus 3:4-6 NLT

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, which resulted in – He washed away our sins.  Think of his grace that is revealed here with words such as - his kindness, his love, he washed away our sins, he gave us a new birth and a new life through the Holy Spirit, he generously poured out his Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, WOW!  Does that not sound like a brand new restart? Today rejoice in his grace and experience a new life of his love, kindness and mercy.  Grace comes as a gift, with hope and joy which are always renewing.  This day is a good day for expressions of thanksgiving and praise, so let it happen through your life and mouth.  By your example, everyone around you can experience the joy of his grace and mercy that brings about a new life.  His kindness and love are yours now and forever. Enjoy!

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For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters.  But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.  Galatians 5:13 NLT

We are a nation about freedom.  Yet as a nation we seem to be loosing our freedom and becoming enslaved to ourselves.  It isn't just alcohol, drugs, food and sex, but also violence in attitude and actions along with all forms of greed.  What is ironic is the more someone asserts his or her self-centered freedom, the more he or she becomes enslaved to sin.  But there is a prescription for freedom by the grace of God.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36.  This freedom of grace is not a belief system, it is a life that is called a new creation.  Here the root of addiction is replace with a love for God, a love for yourself and a love for all who you meet.  On this new day may you enjoy what God has given in and through Jesus the Christ.  May your day be free so that your old habits and addiction are no longer who you are.  Your freedom in Christ will bless you and everyone around you.  Enjoy!

Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.  Psalm 51:10, 12 NLT

Have you ever been in a place in your life where you wish you could start over because where you are is not where you want to be?  One of the first results of God's grace being received is the joy for a new nature, in which only the Lord can provide. Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation.  For God's grace does not just forgive our sins it begins the creation of a new nature that has its foundation in the joy of God’s salvation.  This is not being religious at all, for God’s grace creates a clean heart with the result of a life without guilt. Today let yourself enjoy the life of his grace to create a clean heart within you. What will come next is overwhelming – Renew a loyal spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.  Enjoy!

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.  When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.   Hebrews 1:3 NLT

Our sin nature is always in a wrestling match in what God says is the truth. This is the truth – The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God.  What is amazing about the grace of God is that it changes us from wrestling with the truth to knowing and living in the truth.  When the gift of God’s grace is received and penetrates the heart, a new nature begins and it feels like being cleansed. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.  Grace lets you know who Jesus the Christ is and then experience the emotions of being cleansed from our sins. Today may his grace give you the desire to celebrate this verse as the truth that set you free.  Enjoy!

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.  Psalm 139:1-4 NLT

In our culture many find that their thought of God is less than awesome. Although the creation is here and quite visible they cannot believe in the God who created all it. They come to their own conclusion that the creation created itself.  Yet in Romans 1:20 - For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly see. Yet in the midst of all this kind of thinking, the power of God’s grace in Jesus Christ can begin the creation of a new heart and mind. O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. In grace we may feel blessed in knowing the Lord is aware of everything going on in our lives. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. Today rejoice in your thoughts about what the Lord knows about you and allow yourself to rest, knowing he is in all the details of your life.  You will experience the thoughts and emotions of his grace, all of which come with no stress or regret. His knowledge of all that you are or are doing is meant for you to Enjoy!

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure.  It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others.  It is full of mercy and good deeds.  It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.  James 3:17 NLT

What is described here is the attitude that grace brings to a man or woman who has actually received God’s gift of grace. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. This gives some definition to Philippians 2:5 NIV.   Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.  When God’s grace touches the human soul, thinking becomes transformed.  The wisdom from above is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others.  That means – unadulterated, uncontaminated, clean and wholesome. With that in place there is no condemnation towards yourself or others.  Now that is a new creation in Jesus the Christ.  This is a glimpse into what is called eternal life looks like right where we live.  Today, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 NIV. Enjoy!

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

Isn’t it amazing that God describes his Scripture as his breath.  Remember the impact of his breath on Adam?  God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.  Genesis 2:7.When the grace of God in Jesus the Christ penetrates the heart of a man or woman, then the Scriptures change from just words into his Breath.  His breath is meant to become our breath and we become a new creation without any condemnation in Jesus Christ.  Only then can we receive teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness from his breath. For without his grace we remain dead in our transgressions (which is our sins) and consumed in our condemnation. Righteousness is deliverance from our guilt and from the power of our own sin.  This is the blessing of God’s Grace in his breath - God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV. Learning to live overwhelmed by His grace brings the benefit of his breath in teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness to the very fiber of our being.  Let His Breath become your breath and you will have no regret!  Enjoy!

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 faith in Jesus the Christ is the life of a new nature that his grace gives to our character.  If sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscene stories, foolish talk and course jokes were so outstanding, we would have stayed in them and rejected the life of his grace.  In Christ we can actually live in a new nature that has no remorse as it renews our values, our thinking, our emotions and our attitudes towards God, family, friends and co-workers. Imitate God, therefore in everything you do because you are his dear children. Today celebrate the nature you have in his grace to live with the emotions of thankfulness to God.  Here, you and everyone around you will experience a goodness in relationships with the Lord and each other. As you live in his grace, no one around you will be annoyed, including you.  Kindness and grace will just be who you are.  Enjoy!

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.  He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.  Colossians 1:15 NLT

If a man or a woman would want to know what God is like, they only need to look at Jesus the Christ.  “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God” which means what God promised he has brought to pass in his son.  The good news is that God loves us and has demonstrated it visibly through Jesus Christ.  In the grace of Christ we have been given eternal life for our journey with our family, our friends and those we work with.  We can see that the nature of the gospel is to recreate the character of God in our lives and this is accomplished through his grace.  The life of his grace lets those around us see the beauty of the nature of God through our lives. To know Jesus Christ by His grace can change everything. Today let yourself experience the life of grace in how you see your opportunities.  Be willing to let your decisions and goals be visible expressions of the results of his grace in your life.  May your family and friends be blessed with the attitudes of Christ through you.  Enjoy!