Amazing Grace
Have you ever heard of the term grace? What does it mean to you? I thought I knew the meaning of this word and understood it. It turns out my understanding of this term was only a shallow understanding, until I experienced it in my life, first hand. It took being on the ledge between life and death and realizing what horrible things I had done to hurt others and myself so many times, to even BEGIN to humble myself under the mighty hand of God and understand what this term even means. I realized I am not worthy of God's love, nor will I ever be by the things I have done! I may not have killed anyone, but I have gotten angry and said horrible, mean things to people. I have verbally abused people in the past out of my own frustration and anger as well as being verbally abused by others. I have sinned against myself and others. I have forced myself to do horrible things and I think we can all relate.
There is a hymn written by former slave trader John Newton that beautifully captures the essence of grace called "Amazing Grace". John Newton has an AMAZING story of conversion. He was an abused person who proceeded to abuse others and did horrible, evil, unthinkable things to other human beings. This was NOT a nice guy. Yet by GOD'S GRACE he was able to CHANGE. I heard this quote from someone: "Sometimes people with the worst pasts create the best futures." I can personally testify to that.
John Newton's past:
"He then became the servant of a slave trader and was brutally abused. Early in 1748 he was rescued by a sea captain who had known John's father. John Newton ultimately became captain of his own ship, one which plied the slave trade." - http://www.anointedlinks.com/amazing_grace.html
John Newton's character:
"...Newton had been a vile person, transporting slaves from Africa to the West Indies. His evil heart drove him to the brink of insanity. And then one day, burdened by the wretched sin of his past life, he cried out to God to save him, and He did. Many would say that he "got religion" or "had a change of heart." But what happened was: Newton was "born again."" - http://gospelight.tripod.com/agrace.html
According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton
There is a hymn written by former slave trader John Newton that beautifully captures the essence of grace called "Amazing Grace". John Newton has an AMAZING story of conversion. He was an abused person who proceeded to abuse others and did horrible, evil, unthinkable things to other human beings. This was NOT a nice guy. Yet by GOD'S GRACE he was able to CHANGE. I heard this quote from someone: "Sometimes people with the worst pasts create the best futures." I can personally testify to that.
John Newton's past:
"He then became the servant of a slave trader and was brutally abused. Early in 1748 he was rescued by a sea captain who had known John's father. John Newton ultimately became captain of his own ship, one which plied the slave trade." - http://www.anointedlinks.com/amazing_grace.html
John Newton's character:
"...Newton had been a vile person, transporting slaves from Africa to the West Indies. His evil heart drove him to the brink of insanity. And then one day, burdened by the wretched sin of his past life, he cried out to God to save him, and He did. Many would say that he "got religion" or "had a change of heart." But what happened was: Newton was "born again."" - http://gospelight.tripod.com/agrace.html
According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton
John Newton sailed back to England in 1748 aboard the merchant ship Greyhound. During this voyage, he experienced a spiritual conversion. The ship encountered a severe storm off the coast of Donegal and almost sank. Newton awoke in the middle of the night and finally called out to God as the ship filled with water. After he called out, the cargo came out and stopped up the hole, and the ship was able to drift to safety. It was this experience which he later marked as the beginnings of his conversion to evangelical Christianity. As the ship sailed home, Newton began to read the Bible and other religious literature. By the time he reached Britain, he had accepted the doctrines of evangelical Christianity. The date was March 10, 1748, an anniversary he marked for the rest of his life. From that point on, he avoided profanity, gambling, and drinking. Although he continued to work in the slave trade, he had gained a considerable amount of sympathy for the slaves. He later said that his true conversion did not happen until some time later: "I cannot consider myself to have been a believer in the full sense of the word, until a considerable time afterwards."[5]
Newton returned to Liverpool, England and obtained a position as first mate aboard the slave ship Brownlow, bound for the West Indies via the coast of Guinea. During the first leg of this voyage, while in west Africa (1748–1749), Newton acknowledged the inadequacy of his spiritual life. While he was sick with a fever, he professed his full belief in Christ and asked God to take control of his destiny. He later said that this experience was his true conversion and the turning point in his spiritual life. He claimed it was the first time he felt totally at peace with God.
Still, he did not renounce the slave trade until later in his life. After his return to England in 1750, he made three further voyages as captain of the slave-trading ships Duke of Argyle(1750) and African (1752–1753 and 1753–1754). He only gave up seafaring and his active slave-trading activities in 1754, after suffering a severe stroke, but continued to invest his savings in Manesty's slaving operations."[6]
According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with lyrics written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton (1725–1807), published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, "Amazing Grace" is one of the most recognizable songs in the English-speaking world.
Newton wrote the words from personal experience. He grew up without any particular religious conviction but his life's path was formed by a variety of twists and coincidences that were often put into motion by his recalcitrant insubordination. He was pressed into the Royal Navy, and after leaving the service, became involved in the slave trade. One night a terrible storm battered his vessel so severely that he became frightened enough to call out to God for mercy, a moment that marked the beginning of his spiritual conversion. His career in slave trading lasted a few years more until he quit going to sea altogether and began studying theology.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
Amazing Grace Lyrics
John Newton (1725-1807)
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
Modern version of "Amazing Grace" by Chris Tomlin
Grace is not just a word, it's a beautiful, meaningful REAL experience, thoroughly humbling and emotion filled that results in having nothing to say but THANK YOU from your core. The words thank you don't even begin to cover it. No words can really begin to say how it feels. The only thing left to do is throw yourself at God's feet and give him everything in return to show just how thankful you are out of devotion to a loving God that has loved you through thick and thin. How ironic that the modern version of Amazing Grace talks about chains being gone and being set free, when John Newton was a slave trader of people and realized how wrong it is and eventually became a Minister of truth and experience after conversion. We were born to be free! There is freedom in Jesus Christ!
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin."
The Good news is it doesn't have to be that way! You can be set free! There is only ONE WAY though, Jesus Christ. In a modern world that tolerates all beliefs and says there is more than one way...there IS NO OTHER WAY.
John 14:6
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(Mercy and Grace are interchangeable terms.)
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
We're never perfect, but the great news is we don't need to be to be saved by God's GRACE and MERCY through Jesus Christ.
We're never perfect, but the great news is we don't need to be to be saved by God's GRACE and MERCY through Jesus Christ.
God bless you on your journey with him always! Praise God for his mercy and grace that never fails.
Comments
New King James Version (NKJV)
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.