Today, I am GRATEFUL FOR GRACE.... HIS AMAZING GRACE...
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I have found that the more I walk in FAITH and GRATITUDE, the more that I get a glimpse of that AMAZING GRACE. I was profoundly touched on the last Sunday of June, which was the last day our church family assembled in our building on Holly Drive. Dan and Steve both shared thoughts. Dan read a letter from Phyllis about the history of our congregation to that day. That history included Phyllis and Cornelius being the first black couple to marry in that building over 40 years ago. She wrote of the struggles, the isolation, and the misunderstandings that were happening in our world at that time - yet not in our church family. She penned about her parents' perseverence to bring the gospel to the black people of South Jersey. Then, there was her decision with Corny to begin attending this white church to reach out in the spirit of unity of God's family. She emphasized the part that the Pitman church of Christ had in opening doors for blacks in the area. Phyllis painted a picture with words to let us see the change from white to black & white to a tapestry or rainbow of colors.
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I thought of Phyllis and Corny and others when I watched this video for the first time today. I thought of the deep abiding faith of my LORD and SAVIOR. I thought of my black brothers and sisters in Christ who have clung by faith to the grace and mercy of their LORD and "MASTER". He extended a hand to them when no one else would. When everything seemed hopeless... they knew what faith could do. They knew what His faith could do. It is these same people who have given me a vision for what faith, grace and mercy can do.
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Come visit our church family and you'll get a a good look at a group of loving, transparent, grace and mercy driven people who want to make a difference for their LORD. Oh, we don't even have a church building right now... we're meeting in our local high school on Sunday mornings. We're working on building a building... not just the physical structure that should be ready by March... but the spiritual structure... the house of God... we're building by faith!!! Thank you, Jesus!
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Do you suppose Sir Newton was convicted of his past trespasses by THE WORD before writing the song AMAZING GRACE?
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Romans 5:20-21
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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