You have heard the law that says, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy”.  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?  Matthew 5:43-46 NLT

The grace of our Lord is so radically different than our natural thinking and emotions.  Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! For many of us it is easy to get angry, irritated and to be very unforgiving.  Here is something to think about - Where do all the dissensions come from within our families, our work place and our communities?  These tensions come from within us.  But the nature of God’s grace through Jesus Christ is so radically different.  The nature of grace brings about a new creation in thinking and emotions for any man or woman who has received it. In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. Grace brings a new nature, listen to grace whisper – Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you!  Grace is the gift of God, which brings a new direction in how we think and how we feel.  Today, allow yourself to love others in a most encouraging way, even if they seem unlovable. You will have no sorrow or regret living in the grace of Jesus Christ. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?  Go ahead and let yourself live in the life of God’s grace.Enjoy!

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Let all that I am praise the LORD. Psalm 104:33-35 NLT

This Psalm gives definition to what happens to the character of a man or woman who has become overwhelmed by God’s grace. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.  I will praise my God to my last breath! God’s grace renews our heart with joy and thanksgiving and these emotions influence our goals, our desires and our thinking. His grace brings our character to life just as yeast brings dough to life. Once the yeast has been put into the dough, the dough will never be the same. May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Grace changes the heart which causes a man or woman to desire to open their mouth in rejoicing and praise to the LORD. Once grace has been put into a man or woman they can never be the same. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. Today choose to let his grace bring to life your actions and your words. Your delight of the Lord will bring a great refreshment to you and those who know you best. So go ahead and allow yourself to live in the blessings of his grace. Let all that I am praise the LORD!  Enjoy!

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 NIV

God’s grace can remove our filthy clothes which is our own activities and attitudes in sin, not someone else's. See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put beautiful garments on you.  His grace can cleanse, refresh and renew our emotions and our mind, all of which impact our body.  Notice that God’s grace comes without any ridicule, condemnation or accusations. He did not call Joshua stupid, brain dead or some kind of looser. 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.”  What God does through Jesus Christ can take off our filthy clothes, which has the potential of encouraging those around us. In grace our life becomes new again and we find ourselves rediscovering the beauty of life without feeling filthy. Today may you be blessed with this beautiful garment of grace that is yours.  Living in his grace has no remorse or sorrow at all.  In fact words, actions and tones of grace will refresh your life. In grace life is awakened and a new journey begins. See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put beautiful garments on you.  Enjoy!

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 the horror and sadness that has happened to all of us because of it, God has done infinitely greater by his grace through faith in Jesus Christ. God saved you by his grace through faith.  Where sin increased with all its forms of regret and guilt, right there grace overwhelmed with life and freedom.  Grace is the expression of God’s love given to us all in Jesus the Christ.  It is only grace that could make sin yield in our lives. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  The effect of faith upon our life is grace and therefore grace 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 renew your life forever. Salvation is not a reward for good things we have done.  Today is a good day to experience the gift of grace that has been offered to you.  Here your heartaches have a place to be made whole; regrets from your past will no longer be the ruin of the day.  Remember, You can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. God saved you by his grace through faith.  You might just find yourself filled with joy right down to the depth of your soul.  God’s gift of grace is yours now and forever, it’s His promise not man’s.  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 NIV

The grace of God that is given to us in Jesus the Christ has this promise, “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  It is his grace that keeps us strong through the storms of life. It is because of his grace in Jesus Christ that we will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This is the promise of his grace that is given. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.  Grace is always renewing and brings with it a positive perspective which can be experienced as joy and peace.  Today relax in the truth of his Word.  Let your old habits that do not take you where you hoped to go, be lost in the life of his grace.  The gift of grace will bring a delightful attitude, a refreshing emotion and wonderful thoughts.  Today, may those who come in contact with you have a visible picture of God’s Amazing Grace.  Enjoy!

Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures.  Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.  But – When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.   Titus 3:3-5 NLT

Sin, what a sad state of affairs.  Think how it has controlled our life from the beginning.  Before we could hardly speak, somehow we knew how to through fits, which was to get our own way no matter who our parents were.  Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient.  We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures.  We were not taught how to be selfish or to envy or to lust.  It just came naturally as we matured through life.  Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.  It was while we were in this condition that God offered his grace, which is his kindness and love.  When a man or woman receives the grace of God a new nature is given which is meant to change the direction of life now and forever.  He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.  Today, may you know for sure that you have received his kindness and love in and through Jesus the Christ.  You will know because of the joy that is yours - He washed away your sins, giving you a new birth and a new life through the Holy Spirit.  This should naturally bring about praise and thanksgiving from the depth of your soul to the glory of God.  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

The cause of actual freedom is called God’s grace. 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.  Constantly trying to do right was never the condition for our freedom.  God never saved us by law or a set of standards. 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 actual nature and receive God’s gift grace through Jesus the Christ.  God never withholds grace because of sin; in fact grace is the infinite flow of God’s perfect love.  Today choose to rejoice in the freedom of God’s grace in your desires and your emotions. 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.  Grace has provided the freedom for all wounds to be healed so that you may enjoy the life of who you are through Jesus Christ.  Rejoicing, peace and encouragement are yours know and forever when you live in the freedom of God’s grace. Enjoy!

Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him.  For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean.  Hebrews 10:22 NIV

Let’s be honest, one of our biggest struggles through life is the feelings we have about ourselves. Our guilty consciences. That feeling is real, but it is not telling us the truth when God’s grace has penetrated our heart.  Here in God's Word we have a wonderful invitation – Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him.  We are invited to come into his presence with all our emotions, with all our thoughts, even in the midst of our storm.  The idea of sincere hearts is the desire for his grace to live within us bringing about trust, peace and a cleansed conscience. So here again we are reminded that we now have no guilt or shame because of the blood of Christ. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean. So today, enjoy your life of grace and go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him.  As you do, enjoy the attitude of thanksgiving which will give you emotions that are refreshed and that will allow you to rejoice right where you are.  Enjoy

This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 

2 Corinthians 1:9-11 NIV

Pray or prayers, what awkward words these are for so many of us.  We often are not sure how or what to pray for, therefore we miss much of the joy in relationship with our Lord. This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  When there is joy in our relationship with the Lord, then praying becomes a blessing as we request God’s grace for others.   Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.  In God’s grace that is through Jesus Christ, prayer becomes a natural response from us to the Lord.  In prayer we can express our thanks for a life that is described as a new creation.  When thanksgiving is our foundation of our prayer, we will find ourselves delighting in our Lord.  Today may you begin with a prayer of thanksgiving to your Lord.  What comes next in your heart and mind, bring before him with the assurance that what you are praying is now in the process of being accomplished for others.  Then many will give thanks and want to know the same grace and life that is yours.  Enjoy!

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.  Romans 14:17, 18 NIV

Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is the essence of what it means to live in the grace of Christ.  For without the kingdom of God being formed in us, we are slaves to old unhealthy habits and attitudes.  But in Christ we have been given grace so that we may experience his righteousness, which produces his peace, which gives us joy in the Holy Spirit.  Jesus Christ gave us a picture of the impact the kingdom of God is to make in a man or woman’s life. “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?  It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.  Luke 13:20, 21 NIV.  The kingdom of God is the product of the Holy Spirit and it is for all who receive the grace of God in Jesus Christ. After hearing the Lord pray so many times, the disciples asked him to teach them to pray with the same intimacy for the Father that he had.  Here is what he taught them. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done…  Matthew 6:9 NIV.  So we have to make it personal.  I hallowed your name, I ask for your kingdom, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit to be formed in me and I desire your will in my life so I surrender mine to you.  Today could be one of the most awesome days you have ever had.  May you desire his kingdom and his will for your life.  Enjoy!