IN MANY CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD, THE SONG AMAZING GRACE IS BEING SUNG. IT IS PART OF A MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THAT SLAVERY STILL EXIST TODAY IN MANY FORMS. A FILM CALLED AMAZING GRACE TELLS THE STORY OF WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, A MEMBER OF BRITISH PARLIAMENT, WHO STRUGGLED AND FOUGHT FOR MANY YEARS TO HAVE THE SLAVE TRADE ABOLISHED IN ENGLAND. THERE IS A MOVEMENT FOR PEOPLE TO ONCE AGAIN WORK TO END SLAVERY IN THE WORLD. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS NOT ON THAT MOVEMENT. BUT THE CONCEPT OF GRACE ITSEL. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF THE HISTORY BEHIND THE SONG AMAZING GRACE IN DOING SO.
JOHN NEWTON WAS OFF THE COAST OF SIERRA LEONE WHEN A STORM HIT. HE WAS THE CAPTAIN OF A SLAVE TRADE SHIP. AND HE AND ALL HIS CREW KNEW THAT THIS STORM WOULD KILL THEM. AS THE STORM RAGED AROUND HIM. HE CALLED OUT TO
GOD AND MIRACULOUSLY THE SHIP AND ALL THE CREW SURVIVED. IT CAHNGE JOHN NEWTON'S LIFE. THIS DIVINE DELIVERANCE CAUSED HIM TO BECOME A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN, TO LEAVE THE SLAVE TRADE. NEWTON SAYS IN HIS BIOGRAPHY. "ONLY GOD'S AMAZING GRACE COULD AND WOULD TAKE A RUDE PROFANE SLAVE-TRADING SAILOR, AND TRANSFORM HIM INTO A CHILD OF GOD". "FROM THAT STORM, THAT SALVATION, JOHN NEWTON PENNED THE WORDS TO AMAZING GRACE."
Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound That save a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind! but now I see!
GRACE MUST BE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE JESUS IN HIS MINISTRY ON EARTH CONTINUALLY EMPHASIZED IT. THE LOST SHIP, THE LOST COIN, THE PRODIGAL SON, ALL SPEAK TO GOD'S GRACE OF REACHING OUT TO US IN THE DARKEST TIME.
GOD'S GRACE CAME TO JOHN NEWTON ON THAT SHIP IN A STORM AND YEARS LATER HE PASSED THAT GRACE ON TO A YOUNG BOY IN HIS CONGREGATION A YOUNG BOY NAMED WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, WHO WOULD GREW UP TO BE A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND EVENTUALLY HAVE THE SLAVE TRADE ABOLISHED.
"Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear The hour I first Believed!
LET ME SHARE YOU A MODERN VERSION OF THIS STORY. A TRUE STORY. A BOSTON STORY. A WOMAN AND HIS FIANCE GOT TO THE HYATT AND PLAN A WEDDING RECEPTION. THIS WAS IN 1990 AND AS THEY SAT AND PICK OUT LINENS GLASSWARE AND DESSERTD, THE TOTAL COST ROSE TO US$17,000.00 THEY PUT DOWN HALF AS A DEPOSIT. AND LEFT. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE FIANCE GOT COLD FEET BACK OUT OF THE MARRIAGE PLANS, BUT THE WOMAN DID AN EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. YOU SEE SHE HAD BEEN ONCE HOMELESS ON THE STREETS HERSELF, BUT NOW HAD A GOOD JOB, A SAFE HOME AND SOME MONEY SO SHE PAID FOR THE REST OF THE RECEPTION AND SENT INVITATIONS TO LOCAL HOMELESS SHELTERS, SOUP KITCHENS AND THE LIKE. SO ON A NIGHT ON JUNE AT THE HYATT, WAITERS IN TUXES SERVED A WONDERFUL DINNER TO THOSE IN NEED OH AND AS CUTE ASIDE TO THE STORY, THE WOMAN HAD THE MAIN COURSE CHANGED TO BONELESS CHICKEN IN HONOR OF HER FORMER FIANCEE!
THAT IS GRACE AT WORK
SO AS WE THINK BOUT GRACE, AMAZING GRACE WE HAVE TWO THINGS TO REALIZE. THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS MUST TRY TO OFFER GRACE AGAINST ALL SENSE. AND THAT WE ARE NEVER BEYOND THE LOVE AND CARE OF COD. NO MATTER HOW LOW OR DARK OUR PLACE IS.
When we've been THERE ten thousand years bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise. Than when we first begun!
JOHN NEWTON WAS OFF THE COAST OF SIERRA LEONE WHEN A STORM HIT. HE WAS THE CAPTAIN OF A SLAVE TRADE SHIP. AND HE AND ALL HIS CREW KNEW THAT THIS STORM WOULD KILL THEM. AS THE STORM RAGED AROUND HIM. HE CALLED OUT TO
GOD AND MIRACULOUSLY THE SHIP AND ALL THE CREW SURVIVED. IT CAHNGE JOHN NEWTON'S LIFE. THIS DIVINE DELIVERANCE CAUSED HIM TO BECOME A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN, TO LEAVE THE SLAVE TRADE. NEWTON SAYS IN HIS BIOGRAPHY. "ONLY GOD'S AMAZING GRACE COULD AND WOULD TAKE A RUDE PROFANE SLAVE-TRADING SAILOR, AND TRANSFORM HIM INTO A CHILD OF GOD". "FROM THAT STORM, THAT SALVATION, JOHN NEWTON PENNED THE WORDS TO AMAZING GRACE."
Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound That save a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind! but now I see!
GRACE MUST BE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE JESUS IN HIS MINISTRY ON EARTH CONTINUALLY EMPHASIZED IT. THE LOST SHIP, THE LOST COIN, THE PRODIGAL SON, ALL SPEAK TO GOD'S GRACE OF REACHING OUT TO US IN THE DARKEST TIME.
GOD'S GRACE CAME TO JOHN NEWTON ON THAT SHIP IN A STORM AND YEARS LATER HE PASSED THAT GRACE ON TO A YOUNG BOY IN HIS CONGREGATION A YOUNG BOY NAMED WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, WHO WOULD GREW UP TO BE A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND EVENTUALLY HAVE THE SLAVE TRADE ABOLISHED.
"Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear The hour I first Believed!
LET ME SHARE YOU A MODERN VERSION OF THIS STORY. A TRUE STORY. A BOSTON STORY. A WOMAN AND HIS FIANCE GOT TO THE HYATT AND PLAN A WEDDING RECEPTION. THIS WAS IN 1990 AND AS THEY SAT AND PICK OUT LINENS GLASSWARE AND DESSERTD, THE TOTAL COST ROSE TO US$17,000.00 THEY PUT DOWN HALF AS A DEPOSIT. AND LEFT. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE FIANCE GOT COLD FEET BACK OUT OF THE MARRIAGE PLANS, BUT THE WOMAN DID AN EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. YOU SEE SHE HAD BEEN ONCE HOMELESS ON THE STREETS HERSELF, BUT NOW HAD A GOOD JOB, A SAFE HOME AND SOME MONEY SO SHE PAID FOR THE REST OF THE RECEPTION AND SENT INVITATIONS TO LOCAL HOMELESS SHELTERS, SOUP KITCHENS AND THE LIKE. SO ON A NIGHT ON JUNE AT THE HYATT, WAITERS IN TUXES SERVED A WONDERFUL DINNER TO THOSE IN NEED OH AND AS CUTE ASIDE TO THE STORY, THE WOMAN HAD THE MAIN COURSE CHANGED TO BONELESS CHICKEN IN HONOR OF HER FORMER FIANCEE!
THAT IS GRACE AT WORK
SO AS WE THINK BOUT GRACE, AMAZING GRACE WE HAVE TWO THINGS TO REALIZE. THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS MUST TRY TO OFFER GRACE AGAINST ALL SENSE. AND THAT WE ARE NEVER BEYOND THE LOVE AND CARE OF COD. NO MATTER HOW LOW OR DARK OUR PLACE IS.
When we've been THERE ten thousand years bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise. Than when we first begun!
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