Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Proverbs 4:23,24

These are wonderful words from our Lord to encourage us to live that life of grace given by him. Words of joy, kindness, encouragement and praise are more valuable and productive for others and for ourselves. Make choices today that will refresh your soul, bless others and give glory to the Lord. Let your facial expressions, tones of voice and your words bring life, encouragement and refreshment to those in your circle of life. Enjoy this day of refreshing conversation, it will blow your hair back in a most refreshing way.

My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their pray. My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. They have pierced my hands and feet. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. O LORD, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! Psalm 22:12-19

Along our journey we may have times of trouble. Sometimes it is because of decisions we have made and now have great regret for them. Other times it may be family or friends who we love and they respond in ways that overwhelm our soul with sorrow. All of this is what the Word of God calls the results of sin in our time. Christ knows the penalty and pain of sin. It was here in the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ where grace can be seen with clarity. Grace condemned our sin and put it upon Christ and then turned to us and gave us God's love without any condemnation, shame or guilt. On this new day, where ever you may be, may you choose to rejoice in his grace for you. He knows where you are and desires to refresh and renew you in ways that allow you to delight. Let his grace be the habit of your emotions and thoughts today. Enjoy!

Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. Proverbs 3:9,10

When we were young it did not matter if its was about birthday's, Easter or Christmas because for us the exciting thing was the gifts we would receive and how wonderful those memories are. But the beauty of growing up in the grace of God that is in Jesus the Christ, is the joy we have learned in giving because we are in love and so thankful for the opportunity to give. Grace not only saves us from our old nature where we are quite self absorbed, but it gives us the freedom to express with what we have earned or what we can do with great joy and thanksgiving. Grace lets us live with open hands and heart toward our Lord and others. Our wealth is about what we have and it does not matter if it is ten dollars or a thousand, it is our wealth. The ability to earn it comes from the Lord and what a joy comes over us when we can give to the glory of God and the refreshment of others. On this new day may you enjoy the opportunities before you to honor the Lord with what is in your hand and the best part of everything you do. You will enjoy this freedom and it will refresh your journey. His grace that gives you this freedom will blow your hair back.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15,16

Clearly Jesus the Christ is not some form of belief system or religious activity. He is the visible image of the invisible God, which makes him God. Now here is where grace will blow your hair back. For grace gives us the freedom in the midst of our lives to rejoice, delight and praise him, in and through our emotions and thoughts. In this place there will be no regret, no broken family and no tension. On this new day may you let your emotions and thinking rejoice in the life of Christ in you. Your values will be refreshed, your desires will be renewed and your family will be overwhelmed with delight. On this new day, praise changes everything. Enjoy!

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

To enjoy God in the journey of life we must undergo a change. It is an inward change of how we process the information we get along our journey. Transformed (metamorphosis) is the change we see in a caterpillar into a butterfly. As a butterfly, he views the world in which he has lived from a totally different angle. God's grace in Christ gives the same drastic change in our thinking. Relax today and enjoy the freedom that comes because of his grace.

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!  Tie them around your neck as a reminder.  Write them deep within your heart.  Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.   Proverbs 3:3,4

These are freedoms in our attitude and character that are given in and through the grace of God.  Let these things give direction to your life today and enjoy watching them refresh and encourage others.  Blessings upon you.

From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done. Isaiah 43:13

This is the God who so loved the world that he gave us faith and grace through Jesus the Christ that we might know the freedom of being a new creation without condemnation. Enjoy your journey with him today by encouraging others as he has done for us.  

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11

This verse describes in a beautiful way what faith and grace look like on my part. God is not worshiped where he is not treasured and enjoyed. Praise is an expression of joy and God is glorified by our joy in him. Enjoy today by being overwhelmed by his grace.

…the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. Zephaniah 3:17

 

I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10

God tells us “I love you regardless of how well you are performing. Sometimes you are uneasy, wondering if you are doing enough to be worthy of My Love. No matter how exemplary your behavior, the answer to that question will always be no. Your performance and My Love are totally different issues, which you need to sort out. I love you with an everlasting Love that flows out from eternity without limits or conditions. I have clothed you in My robe of righteousness, and this is an eternal transaction: Nothing and no one can reverse it. Therefore, your accomplishment as a Christian has no bearing on My Love for you."

The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

The breath of God changed everything for man. It was God's breath that made him a living being. In 2 Timothy 3:16 the Word of God is described this way - All Scripture is God breathed... Enjoy his breath and get as close to it each day as you can. You will find yourself overwhelmed by his grace and I promise - he has never had bad breath.  

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

I really enjoy this encouragement from the Word of God. Mercy is a by-product of grace, for mercy is God's care and provision for those who are in misery and distress. Enjoy the journey and freedom of loving mercy and living humbly (transparent) with God and man. You will be overwhelmed by grace.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the  spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. Ephesians 2:1,2

Salvation comes to where we are, not where we would like to be.  An old hymn by Fanny Crosby - down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, feelings lie buried that grace can restore; touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, chords that are broken will vibrate once more.  Enjoy the journey of being overwhelmed by grace.

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. Proverbs 27:9 

All the days of our journey we will have many opportunities for receiving and giving counsel.  Grace not only saves us, but gives us the freedom in our heart to hear, learn and live for the glory of God in the details of our lives.  That freedom of grace builds relationships with others and impacts our families, the work place and our communities.  On this new day, may you enjoy being or receiving the counsel that is as sweet as perfume and incense.  You will enjoy your journey and so will those around you.  A smile will be just who you are. Enjoy

I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.  I will sing your praises among the nations.  For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.  Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Psalm 57:9,10

If we start our day with thanksgiving and praise, in the quiet of the morning before the noise of our world gets to us, we will find beauty even in the midst of opportunity (sometimes called difficulties).  It is refreshing to be aware of God's grace and experience it's by-product in and through our lives at the beginning of each new day.  So, on this new day, before everything else starts to get your attention, open your mouth and express your praise to the one who is always faithful and watch what happens.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  I John 3:1

Talk about grace and kindness, God has lavished his love onto us so that we may know, not guess or hope so, but know that we are loved and children of God.  On this new day that has never been before, enjoy your journey as a man or woman of God.  Let his peace, joy, kindness and encouragement have its way in your thinking, actions and emotions.  Bless his name and be overwhelmed by his grace.

Accept one another, then just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:7

Our Lord saw who we were and gave us his grace with encouragement. It was not that he agreed with everything we were doing, but that he gave us encouragement covered in grace so that we might be able to take his gift of his life. On this new day may you have the opportunity to accept someone in and through the grace of Christ, which is his love expressed and given without condemnation. You will be refreshed and he will be praised.