Amazing Grace

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"Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise."
(Hebrews 13:15) (New International Version)
"An inner-city missionary, stumbling through the trash
of a dark apartment doorway, heard someone say, 'Who's
there, Honey?' Lighting a match, he caught sight of
earthly needs and suffering, amid saintly trust and
peace. Calm, appealing eyes, etched in ebony, were
set within the wrinkles of a weathered black face. On
a bitterly cold night in February, she lay on a tattered
bed, with no fire, no heat, and no light. Having had no
breakfast, lunch, or dinner, she seemed to have nothing
at all, except arthritis and faith in God. No one could
have been further removed from comfortable circumstances,
yet this favorite song of the dear lady played in the
background:
Nobody knows the trouble I see,
Nobody knows but Jesus;
Nobody knows the trouble I see -
Sing Glory Hallelu!
Sometimes I'm up, sometimes I'm down,
Sometimes I'm level to the groun',
Sometimes the glory shines aroun' -
Sing Glory Halleluh!
And so it continued: 'Nobody knows the work I do,
Nobody knows the griefs I have,' the constant refrain
being, 'Glory Halleluh!' until the last verse rose:
Nobody knows the joys I have,
Nobody knows but Jesus!
'We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not
abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.' (2 Corin-
thians 4:8-9) (New International Version). It takes
these great Bible words to explain the joy of this
elderly black woman.
Do you remember the words of Martin Luther as he lay
on his deathbed? Between groans he preached, 'These
pains and troubles here are like the type that printers
set. When we look at them, we see them backwards, and
they seem to make no sense and have no meaning. But
up there, when the Lord God prints out our life to
come, we will find they make splendid reading. 'Yet
we do not have to wait until then. The apostle Paul,
walking the deck of a ship on a raging sea, encouraged
the frightened sailors, 'Be of good cheer.' (Acts 27:22)
(King James Version)
Paul, Martin Luther, and the dear black woman were all
human sunflowers, seeking and seeing the Light in a
world of darkness." (William C. Garnett)
(Taken from Streams In The Desert - L. B. Cowman)
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"Take Me Home"
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirt."
(Luke 23:46) (New International Version)
"Were it a war - this would be the aftermath.
Were it a symphony - this would be the second
between the final note and the first applause.
Were it a journey - this would be the sight of home.
Were it a storm - this would be the sun, piercing
the clouds. But it wasn't. It was a Messiah. And this was a sigh of joy.
'Father!' (The voice is hoarse.)
The voice that called forth the dead,
the voice that taught the willing,
the voice that screamed at God,
now says, 'Father!' 'Father.'
The two are again one.
The abandoned is now found.
The schism is now bridged.
'Father.' He smiles weakly. 'It's over.'
Satan's vultures have been scattered.
Hell's demons have been jailed.
Death has been damned.
The sun is out.
The Son is out.
It's over.
An angel sighs. A star wipes away a tear.
'Take me home.'
Yes, take Him home.
Take this prince to His king.
Take this Son to His father.
Take this pilgrim to His home.
(He deserves a rest.)
'Take me home.'
Come ten thousand angels! Come
and take this wounded troubadour
to the cradle of His Father's arms!
Farewell manger's infant.
Bless You holy ambassador.
Go Home death slayer.
Rest well sweet soldier.
The battle is over."
(Max Lucado -
No Wonder They Call Him
The Savior)
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"For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor)
that you are saved (delivered from judgment and
made partakers of Christ's salvation) through
[your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of
yourselves [of your own doing, it came not
through your own striving], but is the gift of
God. Not because of works [not the fulfillment
of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast.
[It is not the result of what anyone can possibly
do, so no one can pride himself in it or take any
glory to himself.] For we are God's [own] handi-
work (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus,
[born anew] that we may do those good works which
God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking
paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we
should walk in them [living the good life which He
prearranged and made ready for us to live]."
(Ephesians 2:8-10) (The Amplified Bible)
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"God sent His Son to die on the
cross to guarantee your salvation
and to make a way for your healing.
This is the source of all hope.
You can get up and go on because
Christ has given eternal life to
every person who believes in Him.
No sickness, heartache, pain, or
even death can take that away.
Always remember, Jesus knows
every pain you feel. He hears
your cries and His heart is full
of mercy for you. In His sovereign
grace, that moment will come when
He will say, 'This is your day for
a miracle!'
Bless the Lord O my soul:
And all that is within me,
bless His holy name!"
(Psalm 103:1) (New King James Version)
(Benny Hinn - The Miracle of Healing)
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