Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

November 07, 2019

“When God shows us love he has no motives for gain or evil, nor protecting himself. We, however, are full of all manner of motives and that is why its so hard for us to show God's love. Moreover, that is why God's grace is the purist form of God's love towards us so we understand God is love!”

Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.

2 John 1:3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

2 Peter 1:2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

1 Peter 4:10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

Hebrews 13:9 Don't be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.

Facts: The story behind the hymn "Amazing Grace"
Written almost two and a half centuries ago in 1772, the words for "Amazing Grace" were borne from the heart, mind and experiences of the Englishman John Newton. Knowing the story of John Newton and the journey he went through before writing the hymn will help to understand the depth of his words and his gratefulness for God's truly amazing grace.

Having lived through a rather unfortunate and troubled childhood (his mother passed away when he was just six years old), Newton spent years fighting against authority, going so far as trying to desert the Royal Navy in his twenties. Later, abandoned by his crew in West Africa, he was forced to be a servant to a slave trader but was eventually rescued. On the return voyage to England, a severe storm hit and almost sank the ship, prompting Newton to begin his spiritual conversion as he cried out to God to save them from the storm.

Upon his return, however, Newton became a slave ship master, a profession in which he served for several years. Bringing slaves from Africa to England over multiple trips, he admitted to sometimes treating the slaves abhorrently. In 1754, after becoming violently ill on a sea voyage, Newton abandoned the slave trade, and seafaring, altogether, wholeheartedly devoting his life to God's service.

He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1764 and became quite popular as a preacher and hymn writer, penning some 280 hymns, among them the great "Amazing Grace," which first appeared in the Olney Hymns, printed by Newton and poet/fellow writer William Cowper. It was later set to the popular tune NEW BRITAIN in 1835 by William Walker.

In later years, Newton fought alongside William Wilberforce, leader of the parliamentary campaign to abolish the African slave trade. He described the horrors of the slave trade in a tract he wrote supporting the campaign and lived to see the British passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807. Facts by OCP Blog