As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:1, 2

Now that does sound like some kind of a relationship that longs after God. We are probably living in some of the greatest educational times in history. For most of us, we work hard to accomplish much and yet even with all this accomplishment we see our families, our businesses, our communities and even our churches somehow being stressed, even though we are believing the right things. But no matter where we are found, God’s grace changes everything. In grace there is no stress and no anxiety. In fact, living in the grace of Jesus the Christ can cultivate a relationship with God our Father that becomes more refreshing, more exciting and more loving along our journey. On this new day may his grace give you the joy of longing after Him. In this place all things become new and your journey will become expressions of all kinds of joy to you and to those you meet. Today, enjoy the living God.

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

Here we see a beautiful picture of God's grace towards us. Grace removes our filthy garments which is our own activities in sin, not someone else's. His grace cleanses, refreshes and renews our soul, our mind and our body. Notice without any ridicule, condemnation or shame. What our Lord does in and through Jesus the Christ brings a delightful blessing to us as well as those around us. In this place our life becomes new again and we find our thoughts and emotions discovering the beauty of life one more time. On this new day may you be blessed with this beautiful garment of grace that is yours. Living in his grace has no regret at all. In fact words, actions and tones of grace will renew and refresh your life as well as those you meet. Here, life becomes a brand new journey. Enjoy!

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. For God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6,8

Sometimes there just seems to be so many emotional storms through life. If I was just a little older, if I was just a little younger, if I was just a little thinner, if I just was a little heavier, if I just was married, if I just felt important. These are moments where condemnation and what we know as peer pressure arise and many times begin to direct the course of our lives in ways that are less than stellar. But in the midst of all the details of our lives God demonstrates his love for us, right where we are, usually not right where we want to be. If in your life you have ever felt powerless, ungodly or what can be known as a sinner, know it this place Jesus the Christ gives you his grace, which is his love without any condemnation of any kind. May your new day be filled with his love, his kindness, his delight and his blessing. You are either a man or woman of God because of the grace in Jesus the Christ. You are no longer powerless, you are no longer ungodly. In fact you are now the demonstration of the blessing of God to your family, your friends and your neighbors. It is the right time to enjoy!

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

Sometimes through our journey in this life we find ourselves thinking life is much more complicated than it was intended to be. Let’s just suppose the grace of God in Jesus the Christ is real and is not that complicated. Here in his grace there is no condemnation of any kind, no bitterness of any kind, no resentment of any kind and no mistrust of any kind. His grace gives a beautiful voice to mercy and faith so we may begin to live life in a freedom that can be called joyful. So on this new day that has been given to you as a gift, relax in the beauty of his grace and mercy. Let your thinking and emotions enjoy your life in him without fear or anxiety. There is a natural fragrance that will be yours in the grace and mercy of our Lord, it is called thanksgiving. Everyone around you will be blessed because you are now the expression of his grace and mercy. Enjoy!

So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? Ecclesiastes 2:24,25

He gives us taste buds to enjoy and delight in eating and drinking. He gives us vision and hearing to enjoy and delight in his creation. He gives us his grace so that we may enjoy and delight in a relationship with him and others without feelings of insecurity. What happens in the noise and busyness of our time is that we have a tendency to forget that his grace is relational and refreshing. In those moments we forget who he is and who we are in him. On this new day may you find yourself choosing to enjoy what is around you with a heart of thanksgiving to the Lord. Go ahead and bless everyone that you come in contact with and your life will be a beautiful fragrance that brings delights to those around you.

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 whatever has happened to all of us because of it, God has done infinitely greater by his grace through Jesus the Christ. Where sin increased with all its forms of condemnation, right there grace overwhelmed with joy and freedom. Grace is the power of God’s love given to us all in and through Jesus the Christ. It is only grace that could make sin yield. The result of grace upon our life is faith and therefore faith 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 refresh your life forever. On this new day know that you are free to enjoy being loved, valued and honored because of God’s grace. Here your heartaches have a place to be made whole; your past will no longer be the ruin of today. You might just find yourself smiling right down to the depth of your soul. God’s freedom of grace is yours, enjoy!

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

Here is the freedom of God’s salvation. Legal obedience was never the condition for our salvation or freedom. God never saved us by law. 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 condition and enter into God’s grace through Jesus the Christ. In this place condemnation leaves the room because salvation has nothing to do with human merit, it is given in the freedom of God’s grace. God never withholds grace because of sin; in fact grace is the infinite flow of perfect love. On this new day may you celebrate the freedom of grace in your desires, your emotions and your conclusions. Grace will and has provided the way for all wounds to be healed so that you may enjoy the beauty of who you are in and through Jesus the Christ. Rejoicing, peace and encouragement are yours know and forever.

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

There is something absolutely beautiful and enjoyable when we find ourselves in a place where we are loved and respected. In this place there is no stress, anxiety or feeling of walking on egg shells. We find ourselves relaxed and refreshed so that we have the freedom of expression, especially the giving of gifts of encouragement, blessings in the details of individual lives and helping in however we can, even financially. God's grace allows us the freedom to live this way 24/7. Wow! Talk about being refreshed, how about actually living in a place, no matter where we are found, where love is given and expressed without condemnation of any kind. Grace puts a smile in what we say and in what we do. On this new day, that has never been nor will come again may you find yourself overwhelmed with his grace. Praise and thanksgiving will naturally flow from your mouth as well as your hands. What you find to do today will bring joy to you as well as everyone around you. God's grace just makes a good day and allows you to see and hear with new eyes and ears. Feel free to have tones in your voice and expressions from your face that cause others to be refreshed as you have by his grace.

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

There is something outstanding about relationships that are truly joyful and filled with compassion. In moments like these we are overwhelmed with gladness and find our world a little bit better no matter where we are. Well, the grace of God that is given in Jesus the Christ is like that. Grace changes everything from just thoughts or beliefs into a real enjoyable relationship with our Lord that will blow your hair back in all the right ways. Freshness, goodness and joy are always around when grace is welcomed into our lives. On this new day may you enjoy the results of a relationship with our Lord that is filled with his grace. Although you cannot even imagine what he is preparing for you, may you sense his grace in your life that is worry free and always ready to give you encouragement and kindness. Being overwhelmed by his grace sets your heart free to enjoy blessing and being encouragement to those around you. All things are new today and you have been given the freedom to smile, relax and celebrate his love and grace in you. Those you meet today will be refreshed and blessed by your attitude and presence. Enjoy!

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

The beauty of the life that is given to us in Jesus the Christ is a freedom to rejoice and relax in the midst of our journey. The power of his grace is that we will be in his presence someday and in that place we will be blameless because of Christ. This being true, for God cannot lie, lets us encourage instead of being irritated. Bless instead of cursing, trust instead of being suspicious. The joy of knowing we will be blameless, is that he keeps us strong in and through the storms of life. Grace is always refreshing and therefore allows a positive perspective which can be seen as joy. On this new day may you experience the strength of his grace. May your old habits that do not take you where you hoped to go, be lost in the life of his grace. The habit of grace in your life will bring a delightful attitude, a refreshing emotion and wonderful thoughts about God, you and those around you. Today, may those who come in contact with you sense the fragrance of Grace.