For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. Psalm 149:4,5

All of life seems to change when we feel that those around us are delighted with who we are and what we are doing. Our emotions, our values and even our sorrows seem to have a better view of things when delighting is the feelings and expressions of those around us. Well, grace is always about delighting because in grace there is no condemnation about us or anyone else. Grace lets us know for certain that our Lord delights in us because we are in Jesus the Christ. With this attitude all things become new and we begin to experience life in all its fullness. The Word of God calls this freedom. This freedom brings a real joy to our soul which causes rejoicing, which brings about singing. On this new day, go ahead and let your freedom in who you are because of the love of Jesus the Christ bring about a joy in your attitude which will make you want to sing. If you allow it, it will start this morning in your bed. What a great way to start a day. Enjoy!  

God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us a right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20,21 NLT

Here we can see the tug of war that goes on along our journey. Sin is always self-serving and expresses itself in many ways, such as lust, bitterness, anger, resentment, criticism, all of which bring tension to our relationships in the home, work place and community. Grace gives a great freedom of expression of kindness, encouragement, joy, blessing and praise because of God's love given without condemnation. As we enjoy being overwhelmed by his grace, we can see, hear and respond along our journey so that God is glorified, others are refreshed and we are blessed. On this new day, may you enjoy that life that is called eternal through Jesus the Christ. Relax, smile, look up and give thanks to the Lord. You will see, hear and respond in such a way, that you will feel as though your hair got blown back, it is just what a life of grace does.

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

What a great way to start a new day. The journey through life has so much noise, distractions, stress, worry, broken relationships and at times even anxiety that it is good to take a deep breath each morning concerning the joy that is ours because of the grace of Jesus the Christ. Here we have words such as "shout for joy, worship the LORD with gladness, joyful songs." Something happens to each one of us when we pause along our way to take time to be thankful for the life we have at the moment. These moments can give us such a refreshment that we can see and hear the details of our journey in a new way. On this new day, may you enjoy the Lord and find yourself filled with gladness for the freedom that has been given in his grace. May your continence be refreshed and may all those who meet you see and hear what it is to delight in the Lord and therefore be able to rejoice in the journey. Your smile and expressions from your heart will be contagious.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-3,14

It is amazing the joy that comes to our lives when someone of high standing or someone we really respect stops and takes the time to notice us, encourage us and have conversation with us. On that day our lives are refreshed and we usually tell someone about that moment. How refreshing is it that Jesus the Christ, the eternal one who we know as God knows our name! He became flesh and made his dwelling among us, full of grace and truth that we might know the joy of being loved without condemnation and the freedom of a new nature in him. On this new day, ponder anew that he knows your name, enjoys who you are and loves having a conversation with you. His grace will blow your hair back and you will find a real reason to rejoice on this day. You might even find yourself being mouthy, expressing encouragement and joy to others.

I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:33 NLT

Here is a good question that should be asked on some kind of regular basis – “Who do you imitate?” The answer tells us in what direction we are faced on that day. God so loved that he gave, and he gave with joy and compassion to those, who at the time did not ask nor seem to want what he was. Even on the cross, with his flesh ripped, exhausted from beatings, carrying the cross and a crown of thorns on his head, he responds to the situation this way – “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 22:34. There is a freedom in the life and grace of Christ that many are missing along their journey. Grace relieves and blesses our life with the desire to see others refreshed so that they too may experience the grace of God in Jesus the Christ. On this new day may you blow the hair back on others as they see, hear and experience grace and kindness through you. This might be a good day for someone to imitate you. Enjoy!

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:6,7 NLT

When I think of worry, I wonder where it comes from and why we let it into our lives. It does not seem to accomplish anything, it only takes. It removes sleep, it removes joy, it removes good attitudes and it removes peace. The beauty of our Lord’s grace is that it removes worry, now how cool it that? In this reality, peace comes into the room along with its cousin joy and our emotions and our thinking become refreshed. On this new day, let his grace lead you into his presence with thanksgiving and his peace will absolutely delight you. Joy and praise will bring refreshment to your soul and you will experience in real time the beauty and life of God’s love for you. 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

There is a good reason to not conform any longer to the pattern of this world. Pride is the pattern of this world and pride is the enemy of grace. The two are never found occupying the same space. But here is our great relief to our problem, it is the living power of God’s love which is greater than our sin, it is called grace. Grace will always refresh and renew the way we see ourselves and others. Transformed (metamorphosis) is the process we see in a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. Butterflies see their world in which they have lived from a totally different view and respond with beauty and kindness. God’s grace gives the same drastic change in how we see our life and situations. On this new day enjoy the freedom of grace in how you process the life around you. You will find in grace joy, laughter, peace and encouragement in how you speak and act. Those around you will see this beauty through you and know it as good and pleasing. Thoughts of grace are always refreshing to you as well as those around you.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

God’s plan for mankind has always been grace, for grace brings about a love and joy in the midst of diversity. Sin on the other hand is destructive in its emotions, its words and its action. These things have destroyed many marriages and families along the journey. But the good news found in and through Jesus the Christ is that grace can overwhelm sin, for it was given in the power of the blood of Christ. Emotions of grace, words of grace and actions of grace always bring beauty to marriages, families and communities. You see grace does not just save; it gives freedom to us in the very center of our being. Grace enjoys being tolerant, patient and kind, all of which builds relationships. On this new day may you laugh a lot, encourage a lot and forgive a lot, for this freedom of grace will blow your hair back in all the right ways. This new day of grace will bring unity, kindness and encouragement in all the right places through you. Enjoy!

May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me. Psalm 69:6

Being self-focused seems to be what is common to us naturally. But what is natural to grace is a freedom in our emotions, our thinking and our desires that wants to encourage others. The relaxing gift of grace comes when we are aware of the impact our words, our tones, our expressions and even our desires have on those who are around us. There is no stress, anxiety or regret with attitudes of grace that are heard and seen. Grace lightens our load so that the joy of others is important to us and in fact, down right refreshing. On this new day, may you rejoice knowing the impact you have on your family, your friends, your co-workers and even those who do not like you because of the power of our Lord’s grace in you. Your attitudes and actions can rekindle hope and bring about a joy that is absolutely renewing. Let the freedom of his grace have its way in you and you will like this day.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

How empty life is when always consumed by not feeling loved, valued or important. In that place sadness is present, depression becomes a frequent visitor and desires fulfilled never seem to give us what we hoped for. Many who believe in God have found themselves living here as a habit of life, no matter how often they go to church. What they believe seems to be nothing more than a report of information. But here is the blessing of grace that will change everything. Grace lets us want to praise the Lord no matter what we may feel on any given day. In this place, worship takes us to a living hope which feels just like a new birth. Praise and worship is the fire of the soul and here our Lord communicates His presence to us. In praise there is no sadness, no depression and desires fulfilled bring joy that blows our hair back. On this new day may you let his grace bring praise to our Lord through your words, your tones of voice, your expressions and your hopes. Go ahead and start now and your day will be called new. Enjoy!