STILL THINKING

ITS FRIDAY AND I AM STILL THINKING ABOUT OUR CHURCH SERVICE SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH HERE IN OAKDALE.  BRO JERRY DIDNT DO ANY PREACHING, WE ACTUALLY SANG JUST ONE SONG.  WHILE WE WERE SINGING THAT SONG, BRO JERRY BROUGHT A SIMPLE PODIUM DOWN FROM THE ALTAR AND PLACED IT IN FRONT OF THE PULPIT AT THE VERY FRONT OF THEN.   HE ADVISED US THAT WE WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAT NIGHT AND ASKED EVERYONE TO SING THAT SAME SONG AGAIN AND TO REALLY CONCENTRATE ON THE WORDS OF THE SONG AS WE SANG IT.  HE ENCOURAGED US TO MAKE THE SONG A PERSONAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EACH ONE OF US AND GOD.

AS I TOLD YOU WEDNESDAY, THAT SONG WAS "AMAZING GRACE".

AND I STILL HAVE IT ON MY MIND TODAY.  HERE'S WHY:

"AMAZING GRACE, HOW SWEET THE SOUND, THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME.  I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT    NOW I'M FOUND, WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE."
      I WAS THE WRETCH OF ALL WRETCHES.  I CHEATED, I LIED, I STOLE, I MADE PEOPLE WHO LOVED ME SO
      ASHAMED.   THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I HAD NOT OR WOULD NOT DO.  THOSE OF YOU WHO REALLY KNOW ME KNOW THAT EVERY WORD I JUST SAID TO BE TRUE.  THINGS ARE SO DIFFERENT TODAY.  I WAS BROUGHT INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT.  I WAS ENCOURAGED BY MY CHURCH FAMILY AT THE LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH.  I WAS GUIDED BY BRO JERRY AND ALL OF THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH.  I CAME TO BELIEVE WHAT I HAD ALWAYS BEEN TOLD.  I REPENTED OF ANY AND ALL OF MY SINS.  I FORGAVE PEOPLE WHO HAD HURT ME IN THE PAST, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY,
                                                         I FORGAVE MYSELF AS HE HAS FORGIVEN ME!!!!!

AND THE LORD FILLED ME WITH HIS SPIRIT AND SHOWED ME THAT HE IS TRULY THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIGHT!  I SEE LIFE THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES NOW.  I FEEL WITH DIFFERENT EMOTIONS.  I LOVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY. 

I CANNOT THANK THE LORD ENOUGH FOR SAVING A WRETCH LIKE ME. 
HE DID IT THROUGH HIS GRACE!
HE DID IT THROUGH HIS MERCY!
HE DID IT THROUGH HIS FORGIVENESS!
HE DID IT THROUGH HIS LOVE!

REMEMBER, IF HE DID IT FOR ME, HE CAN AND HE WILL DO IT FOR YOU!