And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  Matthew 27:50, 51 NIV

Just a week ago we as a nation celebrated Easter, which is the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.  The death of Jesus Christ was not a religious moment, it was God’s grace coming into contact with humanity. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. The curtain in the temple separated people from the presence of God because of their sins and only the high priest could go behind the curtain once a year for the atonement for the sins of the people.  The tearing of the curtain, from the top to the bottom was the action of God’s grace. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This declared that our sins have been atoned for and now because of his grace nothing can separate us from the love and presence of God.  Yet some who have experienced grace for salvation let their sins keep them from living life by the grace of God that tore the curtain.  Today because of the grace of God in Jesus the Christ let yourself be willing to live in the joy of his presence and love.  No matter where you have been, nothing can separate you from the life, the love, the kindness and the presence of God because of the grace found in Jesus Christ.  This is a good day to choose to celebrate God’s grace in your life.  In his presence all things live and become new.  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 there is a result of a holy life. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord… not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.  To be holy we must begin with Jesus the Christ.  He is the root and beginning of all holiness. The way to be holy is to come to him by grace through faith and be joined to him.  He not only washes away 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.  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.  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. 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.  When God’s grace is allowed 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.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. Today trust 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!

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.  I do not conceal your love and your truth from those I meet.  Psalm 40:10 NIV

What happens to the heart of a man or woman who has received the grace of God? I do not hide your righteousness in my heart. Your righteousness in my heart gives us a beautiful view of our life without condemnation, ridicule, slander  or unforgiveness in our emotions or our thinking. I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.  With that in place, our faith in our Lord brings about a joy in our journey and others are then blessed with his love through us. I do not conceal your love and your truth from those I meet. When God’s righteousness has become what we are, relationships can be rebuilt and renewed. Today let his grace and love continue to overwhelm you as you speak of God’s faithfulness and salvation.  In his grace you can say – I do not conceal your love and your truth from those I meet.  Those you meet today will be very blessed to experience God’s love for them through 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

Being overwhelmed by God’s grace through Jesus Christ is a transformation that takes place within the desires of our mind and our heart.  Instead of words, tones, physical expressions on our face or deeds that are less than refreshing, grace gives a new desire of expressing in whatever we do with our words and our actions thanksgiving 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, encourage and renew others through their life.  Emotions that live in grace are always refresh and bring a great relief to those who meet you! Today, may the life of His grace come out of your mouth 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

For everyone has sinned, which means we all have found in our nature the results of that.  Jealousy, lust, irritations, anxiety, stress, 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, in what he says about his 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. 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 kindness, 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.  There 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.  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. Ecclesiastes 2:24 NLT

One of the great benefits of the grace of Jesus Christ is that it gives us the ability to find joy 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 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!

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 and emotions that are destructive to our families, our neighborhoods and our nation. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  It isn’t just alcohol, drugs, food 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. This freedom of grace is not a belief system; it is a life that penetrates the very foundation of our emotions and it is called a new creation. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.  Today enjoy the freedom of grace that has been given to you through Jesus the Christ. Let your day to 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 delight to everyone around you.  Enjoy!

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. Ephesians 5:21, 22, 25 NLT

To submit out of duty or obligation is something our nature does not enjoy and makes us feel agitated, sometimes feeling inferior and in time gets tiring.  But in Grace, submitting or loving has to do with our relationship to Jesus the Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. The nature of grace is love, which is to esteem, encourage, give honor and respect to others along their journey.  Grace gives a new nature of not being so irritated or stressed in our relationships.  When submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ has become who we are, then relationships can be built through the grace and love of Christ, we then experience great encouragement along with its cousin joy.  Today, allow the beauty of God’s grace to be living and speaking through you.  In this place you will find no burden, no guilt, and no regret. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.  You and your family will feel renewed. Enjoy!

Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.  And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.  And this is his commandment:  We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 1 John 3:21-23 NLT

It is amazing to think of the heartaches we go through when we have emotions of feeling guilty.  In the Word of God we can see again the power of His grace that gives us no condemnation in our heart, mind or soul, Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.  Grace gives us new life, with a joy of a relationship with the Lord that is secure, good and refreshing as each new day comes. These words are overwhelming because of grace – And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. What is it that pleases God?  We must believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.  Let your faith in Jesus Christ continue to overwhelm you in his grace.  You will experience a confidence in your life that will refresh you as well as others. Those around you will begin to feel a blessed hope and you will experience a joy that cannot be contained. Enjoy!