"Amazing Grace How Sweet the Sound that saved a Wretch like ME!

Amazing Grace..probably my most favorite hymn out there. Why? Because I was a wretch, and His Grace saved me. Before Christ, I know I went against every commandment..atleast the 10. I'm not bragging about it. The fact is that I still suffer many of the consequences of my rebellion. I'm not going to name them, thats between me and God..but I am so grateful of His Amazing Grace..that saved a wretch like me!

I was in my early 20's when I came to Christ.. I had someone share with me..that every act of sin and rebellion was nailed to the cross as soon as I asked Jesus into my heart. Colossians 2:14, "having canceled out the certificate of debt consiting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." I understood that He canceled my sins nailing it to the cross, and that Christ made full payment of all my sins, before, present, and after. I really needed to understand that, because after I got saved, I still struggled deeply in my flesh..and messed up. As a Christian..I got pregnant out of wedlock. There were many other sins that I struggled with and to let go..but then I was always reminded about His Amazing Grace.

Did I stomp on his grace. NO! Everytime I messed up, I was deeply convicted...and desired to do better. But I believe that it is a work in progress. I know that there are some who automatically change their behavior the moment of conversion..but for most of us its a life time process..I believe the biblical word for this is sanctification.

I am so thankful for the small church that the Lord led me too right after I got saved. I showed up, 26, single and pregant. I had so much shame, and felt everyone was judging me. But this family of believers adopted me in..loved on me..saw my messyness..the times that I still hung on too certain sins that were a struggle to let go of. Sometimes every week at the alter..confessing how I messed up the week before. But they were patient with me. They loved me in my messes. They lovingly confronted me. They extended Gods love and grace too me. They showed me verses like in Romans..where it says ..that it's His Kindness that leads us to repentance..and verses in John that said..that once were in His Hand that nothing..absolutely nothing can snag us out of the palm of His hand.

I truly believe that once were saved..and have confessed our sins, and believe in our heart..that Jesus is God, that He died for our sins..that no matter what it looks like on the outside..God sees the inside..and that nothing absolutely nothing can take that away. I know that for many years in my Christian walk, my outside behavior did not match up to my inside. For anyone else who may be struggling with this..read Romans 7. Paul who wrote most of the new testament obviously struggled with this. He talks about for the good that he wants to do, wars with the evil that he didn't want to do, that he did the very thing that he did not want to do..that it was sin that dwelled in him. Romans 8:1..goes on to say but therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! Yay for that verse.

The longer I'm a Christian the more I see the ugliness of my heart and my ways..although I am not the same person I was..and many of those sins I struggled with are not apart of me today..His Holy Spirit convicts me of other sin. Maybe like gossip, or unkind words or thoughts. But thank goodness for His grace, because without it I would be lost.

I'm writing this because I have many friends that struggle with His grace. They hold on to shame, or may be stuck in a habitual sin. But if you have asked Jesus in your heart..His love, grace and His mercy covers you. It is nailed to the cross, finished, paid for. Some of us take longer than others to get it right..but just hang on to his amazing grace and love. His Holy Spirit will mold you into the person he desires us to become. In His time..in His time..He makes all things beautiful in His time.