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Goodmorning..! Brothers & Sisters in Christ, Thank you for your presence on this wonderful Sabbath morning. Im grateful to have this time to share with you this wonderful Lesson of: GODs Amazing Grace Amazinggrace..!Howsweetthesound. Thatsaved awretchlikeme..! Ioncewaslost,butnowamfound, Wasblind,butnowIsee.
{PlaytheAmazingGracesong,silently!} Doesthissongsoundsfamiliartoallofyou?{pauseforamoment} Thistimelesshymnofalltimeissungallovertheworldofmultibackgroundandlanguages,butfewpeopleknowthe historybehindit.TheauthorofthewordswasJohnNewton,theselfproclaimedwretchwhooncewaslostbutthenwas found,whooncewasinthedarknessbutthentransitintothelight,savedbyOurLords,amazinggrace. JohnNewtonwasanotoriousslavetrader,capturingnativesfromWestAfricaandsellingthemasslaves.Oneday,a violentstormnearlywreckedhisship andatthatmomenthereferredittobehisGreatdeliverance,herecordedthat whenallseemedlostandhopeless,heexclaimedtotheLord,Lord,havemercyuponus.!Fortherestofhislifehe observedtheanniversaryofMay10,1748asthedayofhisconversion,adayofhumiliationinwhichhesubjectedhis willtoahigherpower."Thro'manydangers,toilsandsnares,Ihavealreadycome'tisgracehasbro'tmesafethus far,andgracewillleadmehome.FurthertheLord,promptedhimtoreadTheImitationofChrist,byThomas Kempis,whichhelaterlearntobeChristslike.ThroughGodsAmazingGraceandinspiration,Johnslifewas dramaticallytransformedandrenewed..!Laterhebecameanordainedministerandwhenhediedattheageof82,he said,IamagreatsinnerandChristisagreatSaviour.JohnNewtonisjusttheoppositeofOurLordJesusChrist.He reflectedonwhathehadsaidandbegantobelievethatGodhadaddressedhimthroughthestormandthatGods AmazingGracehadbeguntoworkforhim.Despiteofalloursins,Godwantsustobehappy.WithHisboundlessand undividedloveandmercy,GodcontinuestohelpussothatwecouldallbecleansedandbeperfectedinHim..! AsIquotedfromJohn3:16, ForGodsolovedtheworld,thatHegaveHisonlyBegottenson,thatwhosoeverbelievethinHimshouldnot perish,buthaveeverlastinglife. EachtimeIlistentothishymn,myheartsingswithgratitude.Itssuchabeautifulhymn.ButwhatisGodsAmazing Grace?ItisGodsloveandkindnessshowntous,eventhoughwedonotdeserveit. Here,asIreflectedonmylife,Ihaveplentytobethankfulfor,tobereminderedofalltheblessings.Tocountoftheall blessingseachtime,OurLordprovides:health,food,shelter,family,educationandcareer,whichweoften,takefor granted. LetusdiscoverandlearnmoreofwhatthescripturessayaboutthewordGrace. ThewordGraceoccursfrequently,intheNewTestament,especiallythewritingofPaul.Themainideaofthiswordis Divine,meaninghelpandstrength,giventhroughthebounteousmercyandloveofourMessiahChristOurLord.Itis throughOurLord,AmazingGraceoftheLordJesus,madepossiblebyHisatoningsacrifice,thatmanmayhavelife,and lifeabundantly..! (ThebookofMormon,2NephiChapter2:8) Wherefore,howgreattheimportancetomakethesethingsknownuntotheinhabitantsoftheearth,thattheymayknow thatthereisnofleshthatcandwellinthepresenseofGod,saveitbethroughthemerits,andmercy,andGraceofthe HolyMessiah,wholayethdown,Hislifeaccordingtotheflesh,andtakethitagainbythepoweroftheSpirit,thatHe maybringtopasstheresurrectionofthedead,beingthefirstthatshouldrise. (Mosiah18:16) AndafterthismannerhedidbaptizeeveryonethatwentforthtotheplaceofMormon,andtheywereinnumberabout twohundredandfoursoulsyea,andtheywerebaptizedinthewatersofMormon,andwerefilledwiththegraceof God. ItislikewisethroughtheamazinggraceoftheLord,thatindividuals,throughfaithintheatonementofJesusChristand repentanceoftheirsins,receivestrengthandassistancetodogoodworksthattheyotherwisewouldnotbeableto maintainiflefttotheirownmeansorstrength.Thisamazinggraceisanenablingpowerthatallowsmenandwomenlay holdoneternallifeandexaltationaftertheyhaveexpendedtheirownbestsofefforts.

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DivineamazinggraceisneededbyeverysoulinconsequenceofthefallofAdamandalsobecauseofmansweaknesses andshortcomings.Howevergracecannotsufficewithouttotaleffortonthepartoftherecipient.Hencetheexplanation, Itisgracethatwearesaved,afterallwecando. 2Nephi25:32reads, ItistrulythegraceofJesusChristthatmakessalvationpossible.ThisprincipleisfurtherexpressedinJesusparableof thevineandthebranches,atJohn15:111. (John1:1217,Eph.2:89,Philip4:13 Doctrine&Covenants:93:1114) Moroni10:32reads: Yea,comeuntoChrist,andbeperfectedinHim,anddenyyourselvesofallungodlinessandifyeshalldeny yourselvesofallungodliness,andloveGodwithallyourmight,mindandstrength,thenishisgracesufficientofyou, thatbyhisgraceyemaybeperfectinChristandifbythegraceofGodyeareperfectin Christ,yecaninnowisedeny thepowerofGod. Moroni10:33 Andagain,ifyebythegraceofGodareperfectinChrist,anddenynothispower,thenareyesanctifiedin ChristbythegraceofGod,throughthesheddingofthebloodofChrist,whichis inthecovenantoftheFatheruntothe remissionofyoursins,thatyebecomewholewithoutspot. AsIquotefromLiahona,conferencemagazine:
Thetrueendoflifeisnotmereexistence,notpleasure,notfamenorwealthatall.Thetruepurposeof lifeistheperfectionof humanitythroughindividualeffort,undertheguidanceofGodsInspirationandAmazingGrace.Onesselfrealjoyoflivingisto responsetothebestwithinus.ToLivetheGodlylife,imitatingOurLordJesusChristandtofollowHisPlanofSalvationforeach ofus. ThusIshallsummarizedandquotedfromEph.2:8: Forbygraceareyesavedthroughfaithandthatnotofyourselves,itisthegiftofGod. Grace* isthe"unmerited"favorofGod.Thatmeanswedonotdeserveitandcandonothingtoeverdeserveit.Graceisreceiving goodnessfromGodbecauseGodisgood,notbecauseI'mgood. Faith*ismorethanjustbelievinginGod,ButtrustingGod.KnowingthatChrist'spaymentformysin wassufficient.Believingthat hediedforme,andonthethirdday,Heroseagain.Justashepromisedhewould. Notofyourselves:itistheGIFTofGod.*Giftscannotbeearnedortheybecomewages.Themomentyoutrytodeservethefree giftofGod, itbecomessomethingyouaretryingtoearn.Giftsaretobeacceptedwiththanksgivingandgratitude. Notofworks*IfyouhavebeentryingtobecomeworthyofGodsgracethroughworks,STOP.OnlythroughFaithinthebloodof Jesuswillyoubesaved.AsanewcreationinChrist,(bornagainofthespirit),GodwillgiveyoutheopportunitytojoinhiminHIS work.AndHEwillreceiveallthegloryandpraise."sonomancanboastinhimself." GodsgraceisfoundonlyintheLordJesusChrist,andthroughChristisGodsgiftofmercy.Wedonotandcannotsaveourselves,it isagiftfromblessings.Godsloveandmercyareawaitingus.Andbeingforgivenandbeingsavedfromsinanditspunishmentare Godsgifttous.FartoooftenweareproudofourowndeedsandworksandthusthinkweareassuredofGodsgrace.Manyhave beenmisledintothinkingthis. TheLordJesusChrist,selflessactenablesustopassfromdeathtolife,standinginthegapofoursinsandbridgingustoOur HeavenlyFather,thatwemayhavelifeandlifetothefulness..! Ishallendmysharinghere.AScriptureforthoughtfromJames4:6: ButHegivethmoregrace.Whereforehesaid,Godresisted,theproud,butgivethgraceuntothehumble. ItestifythatHeavenlyFather&OurSaviour,JesusChristarereal,ItisindeedaprivilegetobecreatedinHisimage,soastoglorify Him. IsayalltheseinThySonsName,JesusChrist,Amen.

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AmazingGrace

(1) Amazinggrace!(howsweetthesound) Thatsav'dawretchlikeme! Ioncewaslost,butnowamfound, Wasblind,butnowIsee. 'Twasgracethattaughtmyhearttofear, Andgracemyfearsreliev'd Howpreciousdidthatgraceappear, ThehourIfirstbeliev'd! Thro'manydangers,toilsandsnares, Ihavealreadycome 'Tisgracehasbroughtmesafethusfar, Andgracewillleadmehome. Whenwevebeentheretenthousandyears, Brightshiningasthesun, WevenolessdaystosingGodspraise Thanwhenwedfirstbegun.

(2) TheLordhaspromis'dgoodtome, Hiswordmyhopesecures Hewillmyshieldandportionbe, Aslongaslifeendures. Yes,whenthisfleshandheartshallfail, Andmortallifeshallcease Ishallpossess,withintheveil, Alifeofjoyandpeace. Theearthshallsoondissolvelikesnow, Thesunforbeartoshine ButGod,whocall'dmeherebelow, Willbeforevermine.

"Amazinggrace,howsweetthesound..."Sobeginsoneofthemostbelovedhymnsofalltimes,astapleinthehymnalsofmanydenominations, NewBritainor"45onthetop"inSacredHarp.TheauthorofthewordswasJohnNewton (borninLondonJuly24,1725),theselfproclaimed wretchwhooncewaslostbutthenwasfound,savedbyamazinggrace.ThisisprobablythemostpopularhymnintheEnglishlanguageatelevi siondocumentarywasevenmadeaboutit.Perhapsitisbecauseitswordssowelldescribetheauthor:JohnNewtonwasaslavetraderbeforecom ingtoChrist.ItwassungatthefuneralofAmericanPresidentRonaldReagan. In1767thepoetWilliamCowpersettledatOlney,andheandNewtonbecamefriends.CowperhelpedNewtonwithhisreligiousservicesandon histourstootherplaces.Theyheldnotonlyaregularweeklychurchservicebutalsobeganaseriesofweeklyprayermeetings,forwhichtheir goalwastowriteanewhymnforeachone.TheycollaboratedonseveraleditionsofOlneyHymns,whichachievedlastingpopularity.Thefirst edition,publishedin1779,contained68piecesbyCowperand280byNewton. AmongNewton'scontributionswhicharestilllovedandsungtodayare "HowSweettheNameofJesusSounds"and "GloriousThingsofTheeAre Spoken," aswellas "AmazingGrace." Composedprobablybetween1760and1770inOlney, "AmazingGrace" waspossiblyoneofthehymns writtenforaweeklyservice.Throughtheyearsotherwritershavecomposedadditionalversestothehymnwhichcametobeknownas "Amazing Grace" (itwasnotthusentitledin OlneyHymns),andpossiblyversesfromotherNewtonhymnshavebeenadded.However,thesearethesix stanzasthatappeared,withminorspellingvariations,inboththefirsteditionin1779andthe1808edition,theonenearestthedateofNewton's death.ItappearedundertheheadingFaith'sReviewandExpectation,alongwithareferencetoFirstChronicles,chapter17,verses16and17.

Someversionsofthehymnincludeanadditionalverse:
Whenwe'vebeentheretenthousandyears, Brightshiningasthesun, We'venolessdaystosingGod'spraise Thanwhenwe'dfirstbegun. ThisverseisnotbyNewton.ItwasoriginallyfromahymncalledJerusalem,MyHappyHome.Itwasaddedtoaversionof"AmazingGrace"by HarrietBeecherStowe,asitappearsinhernovel UncleTom'sCabin.UncleTomhaspiecedthelyricsofseveralhymnstogetherthosewho learnedthelyricsfromthenovelhaveassumedthatitbelongs.

Someversionsincludestillanotherverse:
ShallIbewaftedthroughtheskies, onflowerybedsofease, whereothersstrivetowintheprize, andsailthroughbloodyseas. Thisversehasbeenrecordedby PeteSeeger.Theversereallybelongswiththehymn,"AmIaSoldieroftheCross?"byIsaacWatts

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