How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  I John 3:1 NIV

Talk about grace, God has lavished his love on us so that we may know, not guess or wish for, but know that we are children of God.  This is not a theoretical or theology concept but a very real life that comes from his love. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us.  He is a Father who loves, who brings joy and who gives life that is called righteous and eternal.  We experience all this through his grace on the cross of Jesus the Christ.  Today enjoy your life as a man or woman of God because of Jesus Christ.  How great the love is the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. So let his peace, let his joy, let his kindness and let his encouragement have its way in your thinking, actions and emotions.  Praise his name in everything you do and allow yourself to be lavished in his love. Your day could be renewing in all the right ways.  Enjoy!

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord... who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:8, 9 NIV

When God's grace comes to us and we receive it, there is a result of a holy life. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord… who has saved us and called us to a holy life.  To be holy we must begin with Jesus the Christ.  He is the root and beginning of all holiness. That very word, Holy is beyond normal compression to most people. But it is just what grace does in a man or woman, whether they understand it or not.  Not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.  The way to be holy is to come to Lord by grace through faith.  He not only washes away the condemnation of our sin by his own blood, but he also delivers us from the power of our own sin. The result - he puts a new love in our heart (holiness) and that makes us practically a man or woman of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life.  Today, enjoy being relaxed in the grace of God's love for you.  Actually living in his grace will bring refreshment to your life which will be a blessing for others who live and work around you.  There is absolutely no tension in grace. Your very breath today can bring praise to God. Enjoy!

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  Romans 5:3-5 NLT

The only way we can rejoice, when we run into problems and trials is because of God’s grace given through Jesus Christ declaring we are now righteous. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. It does seem that most everything that will bring some long lasting satisfaction to our life requires endurance of some kind.  Endurance seems to go hand in hand with at least some form of pain, it may be emotional, mental or physical.  Think of the effort of fine tuning of our physical body, or the challenge of education for the right career and even a good marriage requires the working of a love that at times feels like pain. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  When we allow God’s grace to give direction in our thinking and emotions, our experiences through problems produce an attitude that will be a blessing to us as well as those around us.  Today take God at his Word so that you will not have that horrible feeling of disappointment and overall depression.  Grace will let you not only believe but experience his love for you on this brand new day.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  His love is refreshing in some of the most unbelievable circumstances.  Take a good deep breath of his grace and then verbalize your thanksgiving and praise.  You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 NIV

Being overwhelmed by God’s grace through Jesus Christ is a transformation that takes place within the desires of our heart.  Instead of words, tones or deeds that are less than refreshing, grace gives a new desire of expressing in whatever we do with our words or with our deeds thanks to God. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Words and actions of grace will refresh and encourage others through their life.  Emotions that live in grace are always renewing and bring a great relief of thanksgiving.  Today, may the life of His grace come out of your mouth very naturally and be expressed on your face.  The joy you will experience and the refreshment it will bring will absolutely delight you. When this verse is a description of who you are, then you will have an outstanding day, and your relationships will have an emotion called joy. Enjoy!

Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

Proverbs 16:24 NLT

Words, what overwhelming power they have. Think of how many broken relationships have taken place because of words and tones that had nothing to do with kindness.  How many still feel wounded because someone said something that overwhelmed them with grief.  What is so amazing about God’s grace is the new creation it brings to our thinking, which changes our words and tones into blessings. Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.  Would you like your emotions to feel better, then ask God to pour out his grace upon you through Jesus Christ.  You will find a joy coming from you that sounds like - Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.  Today let this grace be expressed through you and you will experience a joy that you had only dreamed of.  The souls of men and women around you are waiting for this blessing.  Enjoy!

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  Romans 5:3-5 NLT

The only way we can rejoice, when we run into problems and trials is because of God’s grace given through Jesus Christ. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. It does seem that most everything that will bring some long lasting satisfaction to our life requires endurance of some kind.  Endurance seems to go hand in hand with at least some form of pain, it may be emotional, mental or physical.  Think of the effort of fine tuning of our physical body, or the challenge of education for the right career and even a good marriage requires the working of a love that at times feels like pain. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  When we allow God’s grace to transform our thinking and emotions, our experiences through problems produce an attitude that will be a blessing to us as well as those around us.  Today take God at his Word so that you will not have that horrible feeling of disappointment and overall depression.  Grace will let you not only believe but experience his love for you on this brand new day.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  His love is refreshing in some of the most unbelievable circumstances.  Take a good deep breath of his grace and then verbalize your thanksgiving and praise.  You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.  Galatians 5:13 NLT

We are a nation that is all about freedom.  For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. Yet as a nation we seem to be losing our freedom and becoming enslaved to actions, attitudes, morals and emotions that are destructive to our families, our neighborhoods and even our nation. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  It isn’t just alcohol, drugs and all forms of immorality but also violence in attitude and actions. What is ironic is the more someone asserts his or her self-centered so called freedom, the more he or she becomes enslaved to their own sin. But there is a prescription for freedom, it is the grace of God found in Jesus Christ. So if the Son of God sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 NIV. This freedom of grace is not a belief system; it is a life that penetrates the very foundation of our emotions and thoughts, it is called a new creation. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.  Today enjoy your freedom of grace that has been given to you through Jesus the Christ. Let your day be free in grace so that you know your old habits and addiction are no longer a definition of who you are or were. Your freedom in Christ will bless you and bring enjoyment to everyone around you.  Enjoy!

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 NIV

Being overwhelmed by God’s grace through Jesus Christ is a transformation that takes place within the desires of our heart.  Instead of words, tones or deeds that are less than refreshing, grace gives a new desire of expressing in whatever we do with our words or with our deeds thanks to God. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Words and actions of grace will refresh and encourage others through their life.  Emotions that live in grace are always renewing and bring a great relief of thanksgiving.  Today, may the life of His grace come out of your mouth very naturally and be expressed on your face.  The joy you will experience and the refreshment it will bring will absolutely delight you. When this verse is a description of who you are, then you will have an outstanding day, and your relationships will have an emotion called joy. Enjoy!

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous.  He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.  Romans 3:23, 24 NLT

This verse is God’s description of His gift to us, while we are in a less than stellar situation.  For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard which means we all have found in our nature the results of that.  Jealousy, lust, irritations, anxiety, anger, feelings of criticism along with all forms of judgment concerning ourselves and others have come to us naturally.  There is not enough money or education in the world that can remove these things from how we feel.  But when we take God at his Word and receive his gift of grace (undeserved kindness) that is given to us in Jesus the Christ all things begin to change. Through Jesus Christ it is God who declares that we are righteous.   Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. Righteousness first gift is deliverance from guilt and then deliverance from the power of our own sin. In righteousness emotions of condemnation end and grace replaces it with new emotions of encouragement, peace and joy. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins. In grace there is a blessing of joy that can be lived and experienced through our life. Today enjoy the life of grace that is yours because of Jesus Christ.  Let your mind experience the emotions of joy as your words and tones express rejoicing and praise.  If you are willing to receive his undeserved kindness through Christ Jesus, you will understand the blessing of his compassion and your life will become a wonderful fragrance to your family, your friends and those you meet.  Enjo

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.

Ecclesiastes 2:24 NLT

One of the great benefits of the grace of Jesus Christ is that it gives us the ability to find thanksgiving in the everyday things of life. So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work.  Just look at our newspapers, our news channels and think how much complaining, grumbling, stress and anxiety go on in our time so that we forget how to be thankful and enjoy what we do have. We were meant to enjoy the simple things such as eating, drinking and all those taste buds in our mouth that are just waiting to express themselves.  Grace can celebrate these individual moments with an attitude of thanksgiving and that changes everything from how we feel to how we think.  Today let yourself find pleasure in the smallest things along your journey.  You, your family, your friends and those you come in contact with will be renewed through your attitude of grace.  Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.  Enjoy!