Acts 5:27-32

 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Acts 5:27-32 ESV

Bless God Bless Us...

Prayer out of schools, the pledge of alliance no more, in God we trust no more, Jesus as the head of our nation America (your Nation) what a joke. We all want blessings but not God. This is simple idiocy if we think in our Government, we can have it this way put God out of the picture and have America (your nation) be blessed. Only God can bless, anything else that they want to have happen I want no part of it. We need to bless God and do as Moses did. 13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim 14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God). Exodus 34:13-14 ESV.

We need to worship God and Bless God alone for No other can do what He has done and will do. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! Psalm 33:12 ESV.

God, I pray right now for America (your Nation)

to turn from sin and turn towards You

I pray all the things that are not from you are torn down 

and You be put in your rightful place

As the head of this great nation

In Jesus Name 

Amen

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29 ESV. I give reverence to the flag of this country but I do not put my hope in the flag, my hope is in Jesus Christ. I Am subject to my government but when my government wants to take God out of all that is something I will not follow and will always give to God what is God and that is all that I have, blessing Him with no expectation that I will be blessed in return. if comes down to obeying God or the government, God wins.

Have a day of praying for your government with power and see what happens!!! 

Psalm 33:11-22

 11  The counsel of the Lord stands forever,

    the plans of his heart to all generations.
     12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

      13 The Lord looks down from heaven;
    he sees all the children of man;
      14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
      15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.
      16 The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
      17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

      18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
    on those who hope in his steadfast love, 
     19 that he may deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

      20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.      
      21 For our heart is glad in him,
    because we trust in his holy name.
      22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:11-22 ESV

Bless God Then Bless Us....

In today's society, we all want something for something. There is no longer doing something for nothing anymore. We only seek God in the moments when we need something, at the church doors, or for an hour in the morning. This morning with all my heart I want to change something and that is the statement God Bless America (your country) to America (your country) Bless God. As I do not know the state of God in every country, I can only speak to America. I can imagine that most countries are the same but as I said I do not for sure. This morning this is my prayer, will you stand with me and pray for our country or the country you live in.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! Psalm 33:12 ESV

Dear Lord,

I pray right now for a revival in America or any country that needs this as well

I Pray that the image of things that are unholy be taken down and you be put back in your rightful place

As head of this great nation and to be put back in all the great nations that are here today

that any idol turns to dust and your temples rise up as our place to seek comfort and refuge, not strip clubs or bars or anything of that nature

Have a mighty roar today God

Teach us how to bless you and to expect nothing in return

Let America (your nation) be a nation for Christ once again

In Jesus Name 

In the Mighty Name of Jesus

Amen

Let us rise today and seek ways to bless God and then wait for nothing because you only want to bless Him and expect nothing!!!!

Have a Day of Blessing God and expect nothing in return!!!

Jeremiah 29:10-14

 10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[b] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. Jeremiah 29:10-14 

Bless God Then Bless us....

It has been rightly said that God wants to bless us, and the Bible can back that statement up. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. Jeremiah 29:11 ASV. This is one of the most remembered verses, but it goes so true that God wants to bless us. God wants to bless we just have to trust and bless Him first. 

but we want the blessing before we bless God. One of the biggest statements to this is the bumper sticker God bless America, but it seems that all America wants to do is take God out of everything and that is not a blessing to God. I cannot speak to other countries but would think they might be the same but again cannot speak to that. so how do we expect to be blessed when we are not blessing God. Our money in America says in God we trust and Psalms 34:8 (KJV) it says, O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  So, that speaks we have the right idea but just because we have the right idea does that mean that is enough? No, it goes to the old saying do you practice what you preach. Just having it doesn't mean that God should bless us as a nation.

We need to first bless Him. again, I post these, the things god finds a blessing to Him.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 ESV. We are to take refuge in and that blesses God.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 1 peter 3:9 ESV. We are not to repay evil but bless people instead so that in turn we can get blessed.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 ESV. God is blessed by a man who remains steadfast in the storms of life.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! Psalm 33:12 ESV. Blessed is a nation that seeks and is for God.

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 ESV. God is blessed by us believing in Jesus/God without seeing Him.

Yesterday I said that loving God is the most important thing that can bless God but after reflection, it came to me that Seeking God first and seeking God with all our might is the biggest thing that can be a blessing to God. We just need to do it everywhere all the time without seeking blessing in return.

I declare that I will bless God just because He deserves it and not that I will expect anything in return!!!! Will you join me and let that spread like a wildfire today!!!! 

Have a day of Blessing God and nothing in return expected!!!!

Mark 12:30

 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 ESV. 

Bless God then God bless....

 What are the things that bless God? These are the things that bless God according to the bible.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV. God is blessed in those who trust Him.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 ESV. We are to take refuge in and that blesses God.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 1 peter 3:9 ESV. We are not to repay evil but bless people instead so that in turn we can get blessed.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 ESV. God is blessed by a man who remains steadfast in the storms of life.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! Psalm 33:12 ESV. Blessed is a nation that seeks and is for God.

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 ESV. God is blessed by us believing in Jesus/God without seeing Him.

These are just some of the ways that God is blessed by what we do but I know in my heart that the greatest thing that blesses God is found in Luke 12:30 (ESV),  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 ESV. He is truly blessed when we give Him our all. God is truly blessed when we are hot for him. if we are neither hot nor cold but lukewarm He will spit us out if you have read your Bible. So, God is blessed by us being all in Him.

So all the ways above are ways we can bless God and we will continue to look at this tomorrow.

Have a day of blessing Him, don't expect anything in return, and see what happens!!!!!

Psalm 134

 Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

134        Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,

    who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
   2  Lift up your hands to the holy place
    and bless the Lord!

   3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
    he who made heaven and earth! Psalm 134 ESV

Bless God then God Bless...

God bless America, God bless our government, God bless the sinners, God bless atheists. How do we expect God to bless these things when all these things are trying not to bless Him? Can you think of where God is in these things? I can and that is on a shelf gathering dust or in an old document under glass or just something that we used to do but God is no more needed, sin is better. 

For all these things I want what Philippians 4:14 (ESV) says for these things, And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. but for that to happen we cannot bless him first like it says in Psalm 134:2 (ESV), Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord! In this next series, we will how at we need to bless God first so that in turn He can bless the things above. One site I use a lot to help me find verses, it says that are 70 verses about how we need to bless God. This means when something is said that many times it must be important as we have talked about before.

So first we will look at how to bless God and then we look at how God can bless the things above. Take all that you know about Blessings and throw them out the door and come with a fresh anointing to see what God has for us.

Dear God, I praise You and thank You

God give us a fresh anointing to see what You have for us concerning blessings

Be with us and protect us as we go through this series 

the devil does not want us to go through this because things will begin to change

So, God reign in this and be with us so You can win the battle we know You already have won

God, I thank You for this victory in this area

In Jesus Name

Amen

But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord! Psalm 115:18 ESV

Luke 1:35-38

 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:35-38 ESV

Amazing God Wrap Up!

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 ESV.  We started this series by talking about God's amazing grace then we moved on through the series talking about God just being amazing. And the magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as Jehovah had spoken. Exodus 7:22 ESV. We used this verse as an example of why He is so amazing!

Then we reflected on our amazing God. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 ESV. and then yesterday we talk about being limitless. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:1-3.

All that we have talked about leads to one thing, God is so amazing that we cannot fathom how amazing He is because there is so much that He does for us that we don't even know that he is or does it for us, and for our lives.

So when you sing Amazing Grace don't just be reminded of his amazing grace but instead of just thinking that shout for joy that God is amazing for more than just grace, God is amazing for all things and in all things!!! Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV. 

Tomorrow, we look at how to be blessed when we are not blessing Him!!!

Matthew 19:23-30

 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Matthew 19:23-30 ESV

Amazing God Limitless

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV. We have one God who can do anything you can imagine and do so much more you can't even imagine. the most amazing thing that God can do is that He is limitless. This means He has no limits; He can do anything He wants to do.  

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 ESV. If He has that kind of power, He must be all-powerful. That gives light to the fact that He has no limits if He can create all things.

God, please do this and He doesn't so we believe God has limits. God is limitless, we are the ones who puts limits on God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:1-3 ESV. If all things are from God that means He is limitless right? Indeed, He is. What we need to do is put all things we think aside and worship Him as limitless.

To further this idea lets look at Matthew 19:26 (ESV), But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Look at what it says all things, not just some but all things are possible with God. That is just more evidence that God is Limitless.

God is limitless worship Him as such. Have the limitless of God wash over you and let it overtake you today.

Let's have a day where we say God can cure cancer because He is limitless

God can heal the sick because He is limitless

God can turn people from lgbtq community (sin) for His kingdom because He is limitless 

God can wipe out abortion in His mighty name because He is limitless

God can bring back the least, the last, and the lost because He is limitless

God can change politician's hearts because He is limitless

God can turn a nation like the USA for himself because He is limitless

God can do anything you can think of because He is limitless

That is why God is so amazing, He has no limits and can do anything!!!!!

These things above are what I am declaring to happen because I know that God is limitless

Stand with me today and declare these things and declare anything you can think of as well!!!!!

Mark 12:29-31

 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 ESV

Amazing God and Reflect!

God is not just some amazing god made up by man but the most amazing God ever to be in existence and one not made by man. No other god can claim to do the things God can. As we looked at yesterday the things that God could do, at one point the man-made gods and such could not perform the things God did. Meaning God is more powerful than any other gods on this earth or in heaven. That is why He is so amazing. 

So, as I think about that it makes me want to shout it out to the world. The fact that God is that amazing wants me to be like David and dance and do things he did. This amazing God gets me on fire. God is all and that is why he wants it all from us. 

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 ESV.

Go and think of these things, that is why this message is short today for you to take time and reflect on the amazing God that we have on our side! And Love Him with all that you have today while doing it. Lifechanging it will be.

Have an amazing God day!!!!

1 Corinthians 8:5-7

 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 1 Corinthians 8:5-7 ESV

Amazing Grace to Just Amazing!

We have been talking about this amazing grace that only comes from God. 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  Exodus 20:2 ESV. There is no God before Him or After Him who can do the things, He can do that is why, not just His grace is amazing but why God is so amazing! 

If you read your Bible it says in Exodus 7 22 (ESV), And the magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as Jehovah had spoken. but the interesting part of this story as you well know, there were 7 plaques God sent and the magician who were from Egypt could not replicate all 7 at some point they just couldn't so only those things could have come from God. That is why no other god can do what God can. That is why He is so amazing. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 ESV. This is just one verse about who God is and there are many more that describe who God is. The god of the sun is man-made but can only be about the sun or the god of whatever can only be the god of that thing but God alone can be God of everything and in all things and the creator of all things. that is why He is so amazing!

God is So amazing because He is God alone. Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV. His Grace is amazing, yes but the whole of God and all who He is and will be is more amazing!

Have a day of God, seeing Him being Amazing!!!!

Exodus 20: 1-21

The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. Exodus 20: 1-21 ESV

Amazing Grace!

God is God alone and there is no other God before Him or after Him. He is God alone!!! All other gods are man-made and an abomination to the one true God and King. If have read your Bible God was angered and did much to the people who did evil in His sight. Most of what I read in the book of Kings they turned and served other gods and God was angered because they had turned from the one true God. The god baal, the gods of the Greeks, allah the god of the Muslim faith has nothing on the one true King. All Those Gods are man-made and cannot do anything that the one true God can.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:3-6 ESV.

Since we shall have no other gods before me then this means that this God is special and the most amazing God to be right? Indeed He is, He can do what no other god can do. throughout the Bible, you read about the anger and wrath of God but then you read where God comes and looks and gives grace to his people when they turn and worship Him. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 ESV. This is why the amazing grace that we sing about is so important because no other God can offer this when we seek Him.

So, there is one true God who can grant grace that amazing!

Have an amazing grace day!

Ephesians 2:1-10

 By Grace Through Faith

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV

Amazing Grace!

One of the greatest songs ever written may not have been if there was no storm and if John Newton hadn't cried out to God. From generation to generation everyone you ask has most likely heard this song. But what is this amazing grace all about? To answer that let's look at the bible.

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV

This amazing Grace all boils down to that God loves us so much that he is willing to give us grace for what we have done and forgive us our sins and the things we have done if we just confess and ask for it. the reason this grace is so amazing is that no else does this like God. Baal didn't in the bible and any other God you can think of didn't give this kind of grace, why because they were not such thing as those gods, they were man-made Gods. God is the only God that was not made by man but was before man. 

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16 ESV. So it says in the verse above that He created all things, so for that to be He had to exist before all things were created. No other god can say that because they didn't exist like God does. So that is why His grace is so amazing!

Have an amazing grace day!!!

Ephesians 2:1-10

2 And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, 2 wherein ye once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the [b]powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; 3 among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the [c]mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:— 4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together [d]with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus: 8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, that no man should glory. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 ASV

Amazing Grace History!

An English clergyman by the name of John Newton wrote Amazing Grace in 1772 and the song was published in 1779. Newton was in the Royal Navy but went into the slave trade and in 1748 a violent storm came, and it was so severe that he cried out to God. This changed his life, and he went and studied Christian theology and was ordained in 1764 in the church of England. 

He began to write hymns at this time in a town called Olney Buckinghamshire with a poet named William Cowper. The Hymn was written to illustrate a sermon that was preached in 1773 on New Year's Day. No one knows if it was just chanted or if there was background music.  The debut of the Hymn was in the Olney Hymns which was printed in 1779. 

This song came to be because of a storm and a call out to God. If that storm hadn't happened he never would have been a Christian and the song never written.

Amazing Grace by John Newton

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.
’Twas 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 hath 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.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

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’d first begun.

Have an amazing grace day!!!

Romans 5: 1-11

Peace with God Through Faith

5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:1-11 ESV