The Daily Breath of God Thursday, August 31 2023
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 1 Peter 1:3, 8 NLT
When we experience the grace and mercy of the Lord, we are changed in such a way that is called born again. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. When we can speak of God’s grace and mercy as something that we have received, we will find our heart being carried away with joy and praise. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Being born again opens the door for joys we could have never known. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. Praise is a reverent celebration which fills our heart with the joy of worship. “Worship is ultimately our first priority. Nothing on anyone’s agenda is more important. In fact, the hectic pace of modern life only elevates the importance of active, deliberate, purposeful, daily worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Joseph S. Carroll – “How to Worship Jesus Christ – page 9”. Today, may I encourage you to start your day with praise and joy to the Lord. You are created for such things and they will refresh your life no matter where you are. To be born again by the mercy of God is so you can rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy! Enjoy! Wednesday, August 30 2023
Tuesday, August 29 2023
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 104:33-35 NLT
This Psalm gives definition to what happens to the character of 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. May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Grace changes the heart which causes a man or woman to desire to open their mouth in rejoicing and praise to the LORD. Once grace has been put into a man or woman they can never be the same. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. Today choose to let his grace bring to life your actions 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! Monday, August 28 2023
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
God’s grace can remove our filthy clothes which is our own activities and attitudes in sin, not someone else's. See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put beautiful garments on you. His grace can cleanse, refresh and renew 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 off his filthy clothes.” What God does through Jesus Christ can take off our filthy clothes, 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 without feeling filthy. 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! Friday, August 25 2023
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 the horror and sadness that 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 regret and guilt, right there grace overwhelmed with life and 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. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. The effect of faith upon our life is grace and therefore grace 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. Salvation is not a reward for good things we have done. Today is a good day to experience the gift of grace that has been offered 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, 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 not man’s. Enjoy! Thursday, August 24 2023
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:8, 9 NIV
The grace of God that is given to us in Jesus the Christ has this promise, “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is his grace that keeps us strong through the storms of life. It is because of his grace in Jesus Christ that we will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the promise of his grace that is given. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. Grace is always renewing and brings with it a positive perspective which can be experienced as joy and peace. Today relax in the truth of his Word. Let your old habits that do not take you where you hoped to go, be lost in the life of his grace. The gift of grace will bring a delightful attitude, a refreshing emotion and wonderful thoughts. Today, may those who come in contact with you have a visible picture of God’s Amazing Grace. Enjoy! Wednesday, August 23 2023
Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 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. Titus 3:3-5 NLT
Sin, what a sad state of affairs. Think how it has controlled our life from the beginning. Before we could hardly speak, somehow we knew how to through fits, which was to get our own way no matter who our parents were. Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. We were not taught how to be selfish or to envy or to lust. It just came naturally as we matured through life. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. It was while we were in this condition that God offered his grace, which is his kindness and love. When a man or woman receives the grace of God a new nature is given which is meant to change the direction of life now and forever. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. Today, may you know for sure that you have received his kindness and love. You will know because of the joy that is yours - He washed away your sins, giving you a new birth and a new life through the Holy Spirit. This should naturally bring about praise and thanksgiving from the depth of your soul to the glory of God. Enjoy! Tuesday, August 22 2023
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Romans 6:12-14 NLT
The cause of actual freedom is called God’s grace. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Constantly trying to do right was never the condition for our freedom. God never saved us by law or a set of standards. What the requirements of the law had to do with our salvation was to provide the way for sin to express itself so that we might see our actual nature and receive God’s gift grace through Jesus the Christ. God never withholds grace because of sin; in fact grace is the infinite flow of God’s perfect love. Today choose to rejoice in the freedom of God’s grace in your desires and your emotions. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Grace has provided the freedom for all wounds to be healed so that you may enjoy the life of who you are through Jesus Christ. Rejoicing, peace and encouragement are yours know and forever when you live in the freedom of God’s grace. Enjoy!
Monday, August 21 2023
Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean. Hebrews 10:22 NIV
Let’s be honest, one of our biggest struggles through life is the feelings we have about ourselves. Our guilty consciences. That feeling is real, but it is not telling us the truth when God’s grace has penetrated our heart. Here in God's Word we have a wonderful invitation – Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. We are invited to come into his presence with all our emotions, with all our thoughts, even in the midst of our storm. The idea of sincere hearts is the desire for his grace to live within us bringing about trust, peace and a cleansed conscience. So here again we are reminded that we now have no guilt or shame because of the blood of Christ. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean. So today, enjoy your life of grace and go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. As you do, enjoy the attitude of thanksgiving which will give you emotions that are refreshed and that will allow you to rejoice right where you are. Enjoy Friday, August 18 2023
This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:9-11 NIV
Pray or prayers, what awkward words these are for so many of us. We often are not sure how or what to pray for, therefore we miss much of the joy in relationship with our Lord. This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. When there is joy in our relationship with the Lord, then praying becomes a blessing as we request God’s grace for others. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. In God’s grace that is through Jesus Christ, prayer becomes a natural response from us to the Lord. In prayer we can express our thanks for a life that is described as a new creation. When thanksgiving is our foundation of our prayer, we will find ourselves delighting in our Lord. Today may you begin with a prayer of thanksgiving to your Lord. What comes next in your heart and mind, bring before him with the assurance that what you are praying is now in the process of being accomplished for others. Then many will give thanks and want to know the same grace and life that is yours. Enjoy!
Thursday, August 17 2023
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Romans 14:17, 18 NIV
Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is the essence of what it means to live in the grace of Christ. For without the kingdom of God being formed in us, we are slaves to old unhealthy habits and attitudes. But in Christ we have been given grace so that we may experience his righteousness, which produces his peace, which gives us joy in the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ gave us a picture of the impact the kingdom of God is to make in a man or woman’s life. “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough. Luke 13:20, 21 NIV. The kingdom of God is the product of the Holy Spirit and it is for all who receive the grace of God in Jesus Christ. After hearing the Lord pray so many times, the disciples asked him to teach them to pray with the same intimacy for the Father that he had. Here is what he taught them. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done… Matthew 6:9 NIV. So we have to make it personal. I hallowed your name, I ask for your kingdom, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit to be formed in me and I desire your will in my life so I surrender mine to you. Today could be one of the most awesome days you have ever had. May you desire his kingdom and his will for your life. Enjoy! Wednesday, August 16 2023
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
If you have ever wondered if God loved you, just look at this. God took Jesus Christ and put him into our world. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 NIV. Sin is condemning in all of it nature. But God has a different plan for man, one that is called righteous. Righteousness is the deliverance from the guilt and deliverance from the power of our own sin. It is the gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. We cannot earn it or achieve it on our own. It must be received as a gift and once received it is yours forever. Question – How much does God love us? God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Today may you receive this gift of grace and know this righteousness of God that has been provided through Jesus the Christ. Once this gift is received it is yours now and forever. Enjoy! Tuesday, August 15 2023
Everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:23 NIV
Wow! So what is faith? Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the living confidence in what God has said is absolute truth. It is not an academic thought, it is the certainty that God is; and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6. Through faith we can receive his grace in Jesus Christ. It is the gift of God and it is living. I like to think of it this way, that grace is the living water and faith is the channel along which the beauty of grace flows down to recreate our thoughts and emotions. In grace through faith there is no tension so that our thoughts and emotions can experience righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, sometimes in some of the most difficult situations. Today let yourself experience the life called faith by the grace of our Lord. In grace there is no sin, no regret, no doubt and no fear. Enjoy! Monday, August 14 2023
Friday, August 11 2023
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1, 2 NIV
No matter who we are, no matter what our education, no matter what our wealth and no matter what our nationality is, sometime along our journey great sadness comes to us. It may be the death of our career, our money, our desires, our marriage or our friends. It is right here where grace in Jesus the Christ can make a difference in our sorrow. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Grace is God's love that is alive and can refresh and renew our emotions and thoughts right in the midst of heart ache. Sorrow does happen, but grace lets us know that it is not the end of the journey. On this new day may you rejoice in his love with thanksgiving and praise no matter where you may be found. His grace is a place of refresment and brings joy back to our emotions and thoughts. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Enjoy! Thursday, August 10 2023
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth). Ephesians 5:8, 9 NIV
The power of God’s grace that is found in Jesus the Christ is clearly told here. For you were once darkness, but now you are light. This is not an improvement or adaption, it is a new creation. Here we are taken back to the origin of everything; a creation is bringing something out of nothing. The beauty, the love and the power of grace is that it took darkness and turned it into light. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consist in all goodness, righteousness and truth). That means the freedom of grace affects the seat of our personality, our heart, our understanding and our affections. This changes everything in how we view ourselves, our circumstances and our relationships. Now grace can reveal itself through our speech and our actions. On this new day may you enjoy remembering who you are because of the grace of God. May the old habits of darkness have no place to express themselves because grace has renewed your words, your actions and even your moods. This is a good day to give thanks to the Lord right where you find yourself. Enjoy! Wednesday, August 09 2023
Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean. Hebrews 10:22 NIV
Sometimes along our journey we feel or have some kind of sense that no one cares about us including God. That feeling or sense is real, but it is not telling us the truth. Here again we have in God's Word a wonderful picture of his grace working in and through our lives. Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. We are invited to come into his presence with our full emotions and intellect, allowing the faith and grace he has given to express itself before him. The idea of sincere hearts is the beauty of grace living within us bringing about trust, peace and a refreshed conscience. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean. So here again we are reminded that we now have no condemnation, guilt or shame because of the blood of Christ. So on this new day, may you enjoy your journey of grace and go right into his presence with the details of your life. As you do, enjoy the attitude of thanksgiving which will give you emotions that are renewed, refreshed and will cause you to feel his peace. Enjoy! Tuesday, August 08 2023
The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
One of the great blessings in our life is when we feel something that touches the very fiber of our being. The power of God's grace is that it takes a belief in God from the academic into a relationship with him that touches the very soul of who we are. Grace through Jesus Christ impacts our heart like nothing else can. What is natural to grace is that our emotions become new to express love, kindness and encouragement without the feeling of any awkwardness. Here our marriage, our children and our relationships are refreshed in ways that give us the desire to express praise and thanksgiving to our Lord. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. Today has been given to you as a gift from the Lord, may you enjoy your life in his grace. Humble your heart and give God’s grace the freedom to bring rejoicing to your emotions and you will find yourself in a very good place. Enjoy! Monday, August 07 2023
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:3, 4 NLT
When we receive God’s Grace we discover things that we were never aware of before and with praise we will continue to be overwhelmed. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy, which means to be without fault in his eyes. This is absolutely accomplished by the power of God’s grace in our life. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. To know this as the truth, will bring about a nature that is overwhelmed in thankfulness and praise. Today may you read this out loud and then shout out your thankfulness for what he accomplished in Jesus Christ for you. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! Psalm 150:6. NIV. ENJOY! Friday, August 04 2023
No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:24, 25, 27, 33 NLT
It is amazing that even at the beginning of creation Adam and Eve somehow began to think within themselves that their reasoning seemed to be better than what God had said. With that reasoning they entered sin and it was there that the battles began with God and with each other. No one can serve two masters. Men and Women all over the world are still suffering in their relationships from this logic and understanding. For you will hate one and love the other, you will be devoted to one and despise the other. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Humanly speaking we find ourselves much more devoted to what we see than what God has said in His Word. But it is in this condition that grace can overwhelm us and renew our thinking and our emotions. Grace brings a new life with a new perspective of seeking the kingdom of God above all else, and to live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Today may you experience the life of his grace, where you will find no worry, no stress, no forms of envy and no tension. Let his grace penetrate your heart and you will find a life that will rejoice right where you are. Seeking his kingdom and Living righteously has absolutely no regret. Enjoy Thursday, August 03 2023
Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean. Hebrews 10:22 NIV
Let’s be honest, one of our biggest struggles through life is the feelings we have about ourselves. Our guilty consciences. That feeling is real, but it is not the truth when God’s grace has penetrated our heart. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean. Here in God's Word we have a wonderful invitation – Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. We are invited to come into his presence with all our emotions, even in the midst of our storm. The idea of sincere hearts is the desire for his grace to live within us bringing about trust, peace and a clean conscience. So here again we are reminded that we now have no condemnation or shame because of the blood of Christ. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean. So today, enjoy your life of grace and go right into his presence concerning all the details of your life. As you do, enjoy the attitude of thanksgiving which will give you emotions that are renewed and refreshed which will allow you to rejoice right where you are. Enjoy Wednesday, August 02 2023
God made him (Jesus the Christ) 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
Sometimes through our life we seem to be confused about God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ. We may think that God’s love and grace are some kind of religion by which we judge ourselves and others. That is so far from reality. Here is the results of God’s love and grace, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. He took us, with all our sin and put it all on Jesus Christ, so that we might become the righteousness of God. God’s righteousness delivers us from the penalty and power of our own sin so that we can become a new life and live as a new creation which is to be the righteousness of God. Today may you in the depth of your heart experience the renewal and life of his grace. Allow his joy to be yours in every detail of your life as you choose to rejoice before him. Why? Because God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him (Jesus Christ) we might become the righteousness of God. May those who meet you today experience the love and grace of our Lord through your words, your actions and your expressions. It is a great way to live. Enjoy! |