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. This is what Grace is and naturally does! 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. Thay is our natural sinful nature. 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 how we see and feel 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 to our thinking and emotions.  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?  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

 

This is such a beautiful picture of God’s grace!  His grace can remove our filthy garments which is our own activities in sin, not someone else's. See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put beautiful garments on you.  His grace cleanses, refreshes, renews  and rebirths 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 of his filthy clothes.”  What God does through Jesus Christ brings an enjoyable blessing to us, 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 one more time. 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!

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 104:33,34 NLT

 

This Psalm gives definition to what happens to 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. Once grace has been put into a man or woman they are a new creation. 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. Today choose to let his grace bring to life your emotions 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!

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 whatever 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 sorrow, regret and guilt, right there grace overwhelmed with life (Love, joy and peace) that's 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. The effect of grace upon our life is faith and therefore faith 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. Today is a good day to experience the gift of grace that has been given 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, Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done. 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. Enjoy!

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. 

Psalm 33:20 - 23 NIV

 

When we were children, at least for most of us, our parents protected us, provided for us and cared for us.  It was here we learned the beginnings of trust, hope and love.  No matter how rich or poor we were, we never thought about it, we just relaxed through the day and when we went home from school or play we knew that food, shelter and love would be there.  Somewhere along the journey we learned about stress, anxiety and peer pressure, none of which we enjoy.  When we let ourselves be overwhelmed by grace, worry leaves the room as well as attitudes that are less than outstanding.  Grace does much more than save us for heaven, it sets our heart and mind free to experience and enjoy the love of God. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. On this new day that has never been, may you enjoy living right smack dab in the middle of his grace.  You will enjoy the relaxing freedom of his presence; know the whisper of his voice and the joy of his salvation that calls you son or daughter.  A smile will become natural as well as praise and thanksgiving.  Your emotions and thoughts will be refreshed and you will clearly know what it means to be delighted in the Lord.  Even as we put our hope in you! Enjoy!

Imitate God, therefore in everything you do because you are his dear children.  Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you.  Such sins have no place among God's people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and course jokes - these are not for you.  Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.  Ephesians 5:1,3,4 NLT

 

What is commonly called salvation in Jesus the Christ is the freedom that his grace gives to our character. Imitate God, therefore in everything you do.  If the things listed here in God’s Word were so outstanding, we would have stayed in them and rejected the beauty of his grace.  Here we can experience the refreshing nature of grace as it renews our values, our thinking, our emotions and our attitudes towards God, family, friends and co-workers.  On this new day may you celebrate the freedom you have in his grace to live in the joy of thanksgiving. Imitate God, because in grace you can, Let there be thankfulness to God.  Here, you and everyone around you will experience a delight in relationships with the Lord and each other, this is a natural result of his grace.  As you live and imitate the freedom of his grace, no one around you will be irritated.  Transparency, kindness, grace, joy and integrity will just be who you are.  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 whatever 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.  The effect of grace upon our life is faith and therefore faith 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.  Today is a good day to experience the gift of grace that has been given 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, Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done.  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, Believe Him.  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. 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 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 celebrate 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 beauty 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!

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  

2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

 

There is something absolutely enjoyable when we are experiencing a life of grace. God is able to make all grace abound to you.  We live relaxed, refreshed and renewed so that good works (kindness, patience, gentlness, love and joy) are expressions of who we are because of God’s grace in Jesus Christ in us. So that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. Wow!  Talk about being renewed, how about actually living in a place, no matter where we are found, where life is expressed without condemnation of any kind.  Grace puts a smile in what we say and in what we do. So, do you want it?  Then believe what God has said.  On this day may you experience what it is like to abound in grace For our Lord is able to make it happen!!!  What you find to do today may just look like grace in you abounding in every good work.  I pray the tones in your voice and the expressions from your face will cause others to feel blessed, valued and loved. God’s grace just makes a good day.  Enjoy!

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.  

Philippians 4:8 NIV

 

What we think about most really does determine how we see our life and how we feel about it.  Someone once said – “It isn’t what you have, or what you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy.  It is what you think about.”  God’s grace not only saves, but it gives us life so that we may have the freedom to process our moments in ways that will refresh and renew our lives as well as those around us.  Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellengt or praiseworthy - think about such things. Grace takes the Word of God and lives it in real time, in and through the details of our journey.  Have this attitude in yourselcves which was also in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 2:5 NASB  On this new day that has never been before, let the grace of the Word of God live in and through you.  Your emotions, your intellect and your future will be overwhelmed in all the right ways and you will know and enjoy it as grace. This is a wonderful way to start the day! Enjoy!