All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  Ephesians 1:3, 4 NLT

When we receive God’s Grace we discover things that we were never aware of before and truthfully will continue to overwhelm us. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  This absolutely comes about by the power of God’s grace in our life.  To know this as the truth about who we are in His grace will bring about a nature that is overwhelmed with thankfulness and praise. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Today may you read this out loud and then shout out your thankfulness for what he accomplished in Jesus Christ in and for you.  Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD!  Psalm 150:6.  ENJOY!

So think clearly and exercise self-control.  Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.  But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.  For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”  1 Peter 1:13, 15 NLT

God’s grace absolutely changes lives and produces a new nature in those who have come to know Jesus the Christ. So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.  Here is a question we should ask – “Do we think that we feel the importance of holiness as much as we should and do we know what it is? But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.  God’s grace opens the door for the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and he always reproduces what he is and that is Holy (Galatians 5:22-24),  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  What is Christianity if we are not holy?  The very word – “Christian” means to be “Christ Like.” The power of God’s grace is this – that to be holy we must begin with Jesus the Christ.  He is the root and beginning of all holiness and the way to be holy is to come to him by faith and be joined to him.  J. C. Ryle (Holiness page 22) – “But just as we know there is a wind by the effect in produces on the waves and trees, so we may know the Holy Spirit is in a man by the effects He produces in the man’s conduct.  It is nonsense to suppose that we have the Spirit, if we do not also “walk by the Spirit.””  Today rejoice in being thankful for the gospel of the grace of God found in Jesus the Christ.  You need no longer to be afraid of looking at your sin, when you have taken God’s remedy for it – Jesus Christ our Lord!  Enjoy!

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:21, 22 NIV

Here in the Word of God are the results of a sinful life that says it knows God, but does not rejoice in Him or have thourghts and emotions of thanksgiving to Him. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.  It is one thing to know that there is a God and quite another to know God and glorify him as God through you life. A belief in God that produces no love for God is a futile belief. But their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  God’s grace is His love given as a gift, so that we are delivered from our own guilt and the power of our own sins addictions. Grace is meant to change how we view God and bring about a new creation in us which changes how we feel and think about ourselves and then others.  Grace in Jesus the Christ lets us know God in a way that renews our desires and then produces emotions of thanksgiving.  The man or woman that lives thankful in grace, automatically gives glory to God and knows his joy. So today may you know who you are by your own actions.  Choose to allow yourself the freedom in Chrisrt to delight in finding ways to be thankful.  Let God's grace express through your attitude the life of a thankful heart.  In this place you will always be known for your kindness and your blessings.  Some of the most difficult situations are changed with a heart of thanksgiving.  Enjoy!

May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O LORD, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me.

Psalm 69:6 NIV

Our lives can  really make a difference, for good or bad to our family, our friends, our church's and those around us.  Our response to situations has a great impact on the lives of those who know us. Living in God’s grace that is given in Jesus Christ can change our focus on life.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God... 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18 NIV.  That is why we say,  "May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O LORD, the LORD Almighty!"   God’s Grace is full of life and joy!  There is no regret of any kind when we let the grace of Christ give direction to our thinking, emotions and responses. May those who seek you not be put to shame because of me. Today enjoy the blessing of eternal life that is in you, it is called God’s grace. Here you will find no embarrassment of any kind; in fact what you will experience is life that is rejoicing, light hearted and a sweet relief to you and those around you.  Enjoy!

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your heats.  For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.  And always be thankful. 

Colossians 3:15 NLT

Life itself is just an amazing journey, when you think we all start off in the same place, as new born babies. No matter what nationality or language, for most of us we start off being cared for so that we fall in love with our parents all of which gives meaning to our relationships.  But we all discover that many of our relationships become tense, which will affect our attitudes and emotions. So in the beauty of God's grace in Jesus the Christ we have to learn something, it is called “Let.”  For this to happen we have to desire the will of God. Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  This can start us off again in a new place where we can learn joy in the midst of our life. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.  It is here where relationships can be healed with the grace of peace. Today let in the peace that our Lord has for you.  Allow your will to be refreshed in his peace and you will have expressions, emotions and words that bring encouragement to others!!! And always be thankful!!!  Enjoy!

I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.  I will sing your praises among the nations.  For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.  Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.  May your glory shine over all the earth. Psalm 57:9-11 NLT

Look what the grace of Jesus Christ accomplishes in our lives! If we are willing to start our morning by being thankful to the Lord, we will find our afternoons filled with praise. I will thank you, Lord, among all people. I will sing your praises among the nations. It is refreshing to be aware of God's grace and find our life being thankful at the beginning of each new day. Something always takes place in our life when we are willing to open our mouth and give thanks to the Lord.  Why are we willing?  For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.  Today before everything else starts to get your attention, open your mouth and let your heart express your thanks and praise to the one who is always faithful to you, always loving you, then watch what happens.  Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.  May your glory shine over all the earth! (Psalm 37:4) 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. Living in grace speakes into peoples lives instead of speaking at them.  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 and actions 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 starts with God’s description of our conditiuon before his we receive his kindness (grace). Our situation is not found in a healthy place.  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 who we are by nature.  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 grace 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.  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 NLT

When the grace of Jesus the Christ has been received, it will bring about desires that are overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving for the simplest things we have.  So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work.  Satisfaction for food, drink and work are the living by-poducts of grace.Our world seems to be overwhelmed with  complaining, grumbling, stress and anxiety and do not seem to have any long term ability to enjoy all these blessings. I have said it before about the simplest gifts of God such as all those taste buds in our mouth that are just waiting to express themselves.  Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. 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.  For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him.  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

What is so amazing about God’s promise is that it gives something to us that we cannot ever accomplish or obtain by ourselves. If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. So we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.  It is called grace and known as a new life.  This new life is given through what God promised his grace would do through Jesus the Christ.  Sin is the conflict of our soul and it has no ability to love; it can only lust because it is always self-seeking.  The law says do, Grace says done!  The freedom of God’s grace lets us choose how we will respond to our opportunities.  We can now see clearly the difference between new life (freedom) and being a prisoner to our sinful emotions.  Today let your heart be refreshed in who you are because God’s promise of freedom only by believing 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!