The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. Psalm 92:12-15

What an interesting journey life is. We can hardly wait to grow up and become an adult. But along that journey we seem to have some less than steller feelings about what we look like and who we are. It is in this condition that grace can renew, refresh and give great freedom. For in the freedom of grace we find a joy and strength that comes from the very life of God, it is called eternal. No matter what our age is, grace can and does make our life new every morning with the joy of thanksgiving. On this new day may you enjoy the promise of grace in your life. You are the expressions, the voice and the attitude of God's love to everyone around you. What you say and do in the grace of our Lord can bring a beautiful delight to everyone you meet and at the same time let you feel brand new. Enjoy!

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21,22

It is one thing to believe that there is a God or to believe in God. The beauty of grace, which is God's love given without condemnation, is meant to change how we think of God and therefore how we feel and think about ourselves. Grace lets us know God in a way that refreshes and brings the desire to express thanksgiving. The man or woman that lives thankful automatically gives glory to God. On this new day may you delight in finding ways to be thankful. Let God's grace express through your words the beauty of a thankful heart. In this place you will always be known as an encourager and a blessing. Some of the most difficult situations are changed with a heart of thanksgiving. Enjoy!

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT

It is truly amazing the impact our thinking has on how we feel at any given moment. Some of us are prone to worry, it seems to come so naturally. Others seem to have in their thinking in a poor self image and a hesitation to believe that any good thing could even come their way. There is a reason the Word of God encourages us in a life of grace to think about things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise. The impact of our thinking not only affects our emotions, but also our decisions which direct the course of our life. Grace has been given to transform the way we process the information that is before us. So on this new day, may you enjoy and experience the transformation of grace in how and what you think about. Relationships are made well here, hopes are experienced in this place and refreshment is found in some of the most difficult places. Thinking this way allows you to speak, respond and give in ways that will bless you and everyone around you. May all your thoughts be refreshed in this freedom that grace gives to you on this new day.

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

Sometimes along our journey we feel or have some kind of sense that God is not interested in the details of our lives. 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. 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. And 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, it will bless you. Enjoy!

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 - 

Sometimes along our journey we feel or have some kind of sense that God is not interested in the details of our lives.  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.  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.  And 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, it will bless you. Enjoy!

 

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Philippians 4:8 NLT -

  It is truly amazing the impact our thinking has on how we feel at any given moment.  Some of us are prone to worry, it seems to come so naturally.  Others seem to have in their thinking in a  poor self image and a hesitation to believe that any good thing could even come their way.   There is a reason the Word of God encourages us in a life of grace to think about things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise. The impact of our thinking not only affects our emotions, but also our decisions which direct the course of our life.  Grace has been given to transform the way we process the information that is before us.  So on this new day, may you enjoy and experience the transformation of grace in how and what you think about.  Relationships are made well here, hopes are experienced in this place and refreshment is found in some of the most difficult places.  Thinking this way allows you to speak, respond and give in ways that will bless you and everyone around you. May all your thoughts be refreshed in this freedom that grace gives to you on this new day

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 -

 

One of the beautiful things along our journey through life is when we feel something and we describe it as feeling it with all our heart.  This is not an academic statement, it is something that touches the very fiber of our being.  The beauty of God's grace is that it takes our belief in the Lord from the academic into a relationship with him that touches the very soul of who we are.  Grace impacts our heart like nothing else can and in this place our desires and emotions become free to express love, kindness and encouragement without the feeling of embarrassment.  Here our marriage, our children and our relationships are refreshed in ways that cause us to praise and give thanks to the Lord.  On this new day that has been given to you as a gift from the Lord, may you enjoy this freedom of his grace.  May your heart be refreshed and encouraged along this new journey and may he then give to you the desires of your heart as you delight yourself in his grace.  In this place there is no regret or sorrow.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Romans 1:21,22 –

 It is one thing to believe that there is a God or to believe in God.  The beauty of grace, which is God's love given without condemnation, is meant to change how we think of God and therefore how we feel and think about ourselves. Grace lets us know God in a way that refreshes and  brings the desire to express thanksgiving.  The man or woman that lives thankful automatically gives glory to God.  On this new day may you delight in finding ways to be thankful.  Let God's grace express through your words the beauty of a thankful heart.  In this place you will always be known as an encourager and a blessing.  Some of the most difficult situations are changed with a heart of thanksgiving.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.   Psalm 92:12-15 

What an interesting journey life is.  We can hardly wait to grow up and become an adult.  But along that journey we seem to have some less than stellar feelings about what we look like and who we are.  It is in this condition that grace can renew, refresh and give great freedom.  For in the freedom of grace we find a joy and strength that comes from the very life of God, it is called eternal.  No matter what our age is, grace can and does make our life new every morning with the joy of thanksgiving.  On this new day may you enjoy the promise of grace in your life.  You are the expressions, the voice and the attitude of God's love to everyone around you. What you say and do in the grace of our Lord can bring a beautiful delight to everyone you meet and at the same time let you feel brand new.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. Romans 8:28,29

Have you ever been at a place in your life where things are just not working? Have you ever had a season of life that you wished was over? I have and the Word of God that is before us is a refreshing reminder of who we are in Jesus the Christ. If you will, it renews the soul to freshness again. Sometimes we just forget who we are in Jesus the Christ and when we do, we settle back into habits of emotions and thoughts that are less than stellar. Grace does not just save us, it gives faith life to live through the details of our journey in the power of God's Word. Several years before his death, Karl Barth - a Swiss theologian - came to the United States for a series of lectures. After a very impressive lecture, a student asked a typically American question. He said, “Dr. Barth, what is the greatest thought that ever passed through your mind?” The aging professor paused for a long time as he obviously thought about his answer. Then he said with great simplicity, "Jesus loves me! This I know. For the Bible tells me so.” On this new day may you celebrate the beauty of his grace in you because of Jesus the Christ. May you know and live in the assurance that Jesus loves you and his purpose for you is given as a blessing. May you experience the reality of his love with praise and thanksgiving in and through your life.