Philippians 1:2-5

"May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard until now."

I really like how the commentary I use describes grace , peace , and joy.

Grace: a free and undeserving gift of giving ; God's giving of himself in love.
How true is this! God didn't have to wake any of us this morning, he didn't have to create the world, galaxy, all of it but he did! God didn't have to send Jesus to save us! That convicts me to be so much more thankful and giving so much more glory to God! What kind of a world would this be if God just walked away? But God never left, he created us to have a choice, to love him! I am in God's grace every breath I take and I am so thankful for the grace my Heavenly Father gives me.

Peace: the state of mind that flows from knowing God.
That one is hard for me to grasp. I think of peace as quietness, calmness like when I'm laying down listening to the rain or something. But peace is trusting and knowing that God will never leave, that he will provide for me in times of happiness and times of troubles! Peace is knowing that my life is dependent on God, his love, grace, and promises!

Joy: based on our relationship with God, is the confidence that God can turn defeat into victory, and death into life.
Joy isn't just a feeling I have when something good happens in hand with happiness, but Joy is knowing though I have failed God will use that to turn into a success either.. i don't know how to explain it but in a example: When I tried to bring a friend to Christ, and they rejected it. The failure turns into a success because I didn't get discouraged, I continued to lift them in prayer and try again. To me, it was a success in my mind because I introduced them to God, and pray that God will work in them. I continue to show them God's love in my actions and hope that they will turn to him.

In these couple of verses, I am convicted by my prayer life. (v. 3-5) "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard until now." I do not pray nearly as much as I need to. I need to immerse myself in prayer, and pray often and pray for the people in my life, and how I may either bring them to God or continue to love them as Jesus loves others.

**Lord, I am just so in love with this book of Philippians already. Thank you for your word! Thank you for opening my eyes to true grace, peace, and joy! I pray that I will never forget what your grace is, and be thankful for everything and everyone in my life! I pray for true peace and joy. I humble myself before you and you know what is on my heart. I pray that my journey with you brings hours and hours and hours of prayers and that I pray as much as I speak! Thank you again for your grace, the ability to have peace and joy! Amen**