O Wretched Man That I Am

Dad
May 23, 2003

—Romans 7:24 DO 1847 7/84

1. (DAD IS SICK:) I'M ALL CORRUPT! (Maria: No‚ you're not!) Oh, yes I am! I have a verse to prove it: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption." (1Cor.15:53) I'm wicked & I'm evil & I'm corrupt! I guess it's just to show the World what He can do with a bad man, what grace God has. It's all the grace of God. I'm horrible but He took me & He used me to show His grace & His forgiveness to the World & His Love.—That though I am nothing, yet I became something. I can't quite get it. It's something about, "Though He was rich yet He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich." (2Cor.8:9) It's sort of turned around for me, that though I was poor yet I became rich, that they through my riches might become richer.

2. "O WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM, WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH? I thank my God through Jesus Christ my Lord!" (Rom.7:24) I am nothing but a body of death, Honey. It is just a miracle of the grace of God that He saved me & made me an example of what He can do for others. No matter how bad or evil or corrupt they are, He still has enough grace to save them. In other words, if He can save me, He can save anybody. That's the way it is. And you can't deny it.—That His grace might be made manifest in my iniquity. "Where sin doth abound, grace doth much more abound." (Rom.5:20)

3. THOSE MUST BE SCRIPTURES SOMEWHERE‚ they sound familiar. Don't you think so? At least it sounds Scriptural. They shouldn't abandon the Bible entirely, because the Lord still uses Scripture on me. I guess it's because I believe it. I sure hope they didn't get the idea we were abandoning the Bible, because I love it! It is the Word of God for each generation in its time. They certainly should pin their faith on the New Testament—that's for this generation, this dispensation of grace, the Jesus generation.

4. THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS FOR THE JEWS, BUT WE LEARN A LOT OF THINGS FROM IT.—Sometimes I think mostly what not to do so we won't be like them! But the New Testament is for us.—Except Paul sort of vacillates a little bit between his love for Jesus & his love for the Jews, so you even have to sort that out too. He didn't care much for women either. But God bless him, he did the best he could for a Jew, & I guess that's what I'm doing—the best I can for a Jew.

5. SOMETIMES I THINK WE OF ALL MEN ARE THE MOST MISERABLE! If it weren't for the Resurrection there would be no hope for us. Praise You Lord! Thank You Jesus! Because I am a mess! XXX! I love you, Sweetheart! It's only by His grace & His love that we are saved. Nothing saves us but Jesus, otherwise we'd all be lost! Praise the Lord! Thank You Jesus! Amen, in Jesus' name. Good night‚ Sweetheart, we need to go to sleep. It's only Jesus & we have no other hope, only through Jesus.—His love & sacrifice on Calvary, only Jesus.

6. I LOVE YOU, HONEY‚ YOU'RE THE MOST WONDERFUL WOMAN IN THE WHOLE WORLD—THE WWW! Wonderful Woman in the whole World! Whole, that begins with a "w" too.—WWWW! Because you're a double double double blessing.—The most wonderful woman in the whole World! I love you! Do you know why I know you're the most wonderful woman in the whole World?—Because I know you & because you married me, the most wonderful man in the whole World! See, that doesn't mean the most righteous or the best or good. It just means I'm full of wonders, the wonderful grace of God that could save such a sinner like me‚ that's the wonderful part. That's why I'm so wonderful, just because God took such a bad man, such a sinner, & saved me by His grace. Isn't that wonderful? And because I think I was the worst, that makes me wonderful, full of wonders, the wonders of the grace of God! If He can save me, He can save everybody, anybody! Thank You Lord! In Jesus' name. There's hope for everybody!

7. OH, JESUS! THANK YOU FOR TECHI, she's Your creation, Lord, You have to take care of her. Forgive me for causing her any anguish or pain, Lord.—My little angel sent to comfort me. Lord, help me not to make it too hard on her. Jesus, bless & keep her & give her a good night's sleep, Lord, & keep her comfy. In Jesus' name, help us to go to sleep. Thank You for Maria, Lord.

8. "IN ME DWELLETH NO GOOD THING." (Rom.7:18) Thank You Jesus for Maria, she's all glorious within! That's what the Lord said: "She that is all glorious within!" See how the Lord looks at you in the Spirit, Honey? You're all glorious within! You think you're stinky but the Lord says you're all glorious within. See, that's how the Lord looks at you in the Spirit. He doesn't look at our vile bodies & our corruption but He looks at our spirits. Your spirit is all glorious within. You shine‚ you radiate, you enlighten the World‚ Honey! Thank You Jesus! Praise the Lord!—In Jesus' name, thank You Lord!

9. "HE KNOWETH OUR FRAME, THAT WE ARE BUT DUST." (Ps.103:14) The Lord remembers that we are just flesh. Thank you, Honey, thank you‚ Sweetheart. You're so merciful & compassionate, you love the unlovely. (Maria: You don't seem unlovely to me, Honey!) That's why you love the unlovely. We're all lovely to you. You fulfil all the grace & the ideals & the dreams that Catholics have for Mother Mary, only you're even more. Your people love you, Honey. (Maria: They love me because you love me & the Lord loves me.)

10. HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE, BLESSED ART THOU AMONG WOMEN! Blessed is the fruit of thy womb! Thank You Jesus!—All thy children all over the World! Thank You Jesus! Thank You Lord!—The fruit of Christ Jesus. You're their Mother. Thank You Lord! He bore them through you, Honey. (Maria: They were yours first‚ Honey. They're ours together.)—Amen! TYL! GBAK'm, in Jesus' name, amen!