You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.  Matthew 5:14, 16 NLT

God’s grace in Jesus Christ really changes things.  You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  Wow, now that is a change.  In Jesus the Christ a new life is given to us which produces wonderful results. Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. The illustration of the life of grace here is seen as light, light that can be seen in all directions like a city on a hill.  But this light is also now our character which is the character of grace.  The life of his grace produces a new nature in us to “let” this new life be lived and seen in the midst of all our opportunities. Let your good deeds shine, they will refresh families, neighborhoods and communities. Today may you find that what you are “letting” is like a light shining on a hilltop, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Enjoy!

Don't fool yourselves.  Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people - none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.  Some of you were once like that.  But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.   1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NLT.

The nature of sin will produce results that are catastrophic to relationships. There has never been a family, a community, a state or a nation that has become refreshed when these sins are the habits of its people.  Therefore the promise of grace was given. God’s grace is offered to remove sin's power and give us a new nature that will be a pleasure to relationships. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  Grace is the power of God's love in Jesus the Christ to release us from habits that are hurtful by our own natural nature. You were cleansed, you were made holy, you were made right with God.  Grace produces a new life that has its foundation in God's love, where there will never be any regret or shame.  Today allow the life of his grace to set you free from habits that do not bless you or anyone else. This new nature is now and forever yours because of his grace given to you in Jesus Christ.  Enjoy!

Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises?  Absolutely not!  If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it.  But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.  Galatians 3:21, 22 NLT

Let’s start with a question: Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises?  The answer that is given is: Absolutely not!  What is so amazing about God’s promises is that they give something to us that we cannot ever accomplish by our own efforts. If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But new life is given through what God promised his grace would do through Jesus the Christ.  But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ., God’s grace gives us the freedom to see clearly the difference between our new life and being a prisoner to our sinful life. Today enjoy being refreshed in who you are because of the promises in Jesus Christ.  His grace lets you choose what direction your thoughts and emotions will go. We now know why we sing – “Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.” Enjoy!

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 NIV

What an interesting journey life is.  We can hardly wait to grow up and become an adult. Then one day we look up and we are seniors, Wow!  I have a sign above my fireplace that says – “Old age is coming at a really bad time!”  I find it humorous that it has taken me so long to understand righteousness.  Listen to the impact of grace on a man or woman –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.”  I love this, that God’s grace in Jesus the Christ produces His righteousness in us, which is the deliverance from the penalty of our own sin along with the deliverance of its power over us.  Now how cool is that kind of grace? Grace reveals to us that the joy of the LORD is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Today may you be refreshed by the promise of grace in your life.  You are meant to be the expressions, of 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 make your day brand new. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.  Enjoy!

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

There is always a feeling of refreshment in our life when we experience joy and describe it as feeling it with all our heart.  This is not meant to be an academic statement; it is something that touches the very fiber of our being. The LORD looks at the heart.  The life of God's grace is that it takes our belief in the Lord from the academic into a relationship that reaches the very soul of who we are.   God’s grace impacts our heart like nothing else can (the LORD looks at the heart).  In grace our thoughts along with our emotions become alive with the desire to express love, joy and kindness.  Here our marriage, our children and our relationships have the great possibility of being refreshed in ways that cause everyone to rejoice and give thanks to the Lord.  Today enjoy this life of his grace.  Be willing to allow your heart be refreshed in his grace and peace.  May he then give to you the desires of your heart as you delight yourself in him (Psalm 37:4).  In this place you will find no regret or sorrow.  Enjoy!

The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.

Psalm 116:5, 6 NIV

There is a life of grace and righteousness given to us when what we believe about God becomes who we are in the depth of our soul. The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.  It does not mean troubles and opportunities all leave the scene, but seeing them with the attitude of grace brings the blessings of real emotions that are renewing and can be relaxing. The LORD protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. This is the story of someone who has been hurt, but knows God is full of compassion.  When we allow his grace to touch our emotions we will discover what the Psalmist meant when he said – “when I was in great need, he saved me.”   Today, take a good deep breath from his Word and let your heart express thanksgiving for his grace and compassion for you.  Your nature is on a great journey of renewal and the freedoms you were created for are about to bring delight to you in every way. Enjoy!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.   Romans 15:13 NIV

When God’s grace penetrates the heart of a man or woman, something new begins in them which brings refreshment. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.  The words here - hope, joy, peace and overflow are definitions of a life of grace!  Here we see that our God desires for us on our individual journeys, to not just believe in him but to know him in the fabric of all our thinking and emotions. His grace is given so that we may experience that life called eternal, and find ourselves in an optimistic mood, a mood of hope, a mood of joy and a mood of peace.  His gift is given to us with the strength of the Holy Spirit through Jesus the Christ.  When living in grace we can find ourselves overflowing with emotions which impacts people in a very good way that live and work around us.  Today, lay aside anxiety, worry and stress and enjoy trusting in him.  It is a blessing to live a life that can be known as overflowing with hope, joy and peace.  Enjoy!

He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.

Proverbs 21:21 NIV

Why is it that we work so hard at going after so many things, only to find out that while pursuing them, many of our relationships collapse and do not turn out to be what we hoped for?  Question - what is this righteousness and love?  Well, they are the outcome of God’s grace in a man or woman’s life.  Righteousness is God’s deliverance from the penalty of our sin and deliverance from the power of our own sin nature. It is integrity and transparency all at the same time filled with joy.  Love allows us the ability to bless others as we work and play.   His grace gives us the delight of being aware of the emotions, desires and goals of people we meet along our journey, and then finding ways to bless them as our Lord has blessed us.  Today let yourself experience his grace that gives you something to pursue that will not wear you out and will give you as well as others, joy in the journey. Here it is called life, prosperity and honor. Enjoy!

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.  Ephesians 2:1, 3-5 NIV

I always find it amazing that our Lord does not say that we were sick or desperately ill or just not doing well.  He says - you were dead in your transgressions and sins.  Being dead seems to be a very hopeless condition.  Yet it is in this condition that our Lord lavishes his grace upon us as a gift. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. WOW!  Not only are we not dead in our transgressions and sins because of grace, but we have been given that life that is eternal to live and enjoy the results of his grace right now. It is by grace you have been saved.  In his grace there is no stress, no regret, no guilt, no shame or any condemnation.  Grace is more than a word, it is the power of his love and mercy that is given so that someone who was dead may now live in the freedom of that life called eternal in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Today, enjoy his grace that declares that which was dead is now alive! That is for anyone who receives his gift of grace.  May you be willing to celebrate his grace in your life through your praise and thanksgiving. Enjoy

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Philippians 4:4, 5 NLT

When we are willing to live in God’s grace, grace will develop emotions that can be called joy!  Always be full of joy in the Lord.  I say it again – rejoice!   When we choose by faith to be full of joy in the Lord we experience attitudes of being considerate to others. Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.  As a result of God’s grace, we can find ourselves full of joy in some of the most peculiar places. Today rejoice with joy in what our Lord has given to you. May all who meet you be encouraged as they see your joy in the Lord. Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.  Enjoy!