Bro. John:
Every now and then, the Lord will impress upon my heart to pull out the video of November 2006. He did that this week. I had a dream where in the dream I saw in big, bold numbers chapter 18 from the book of Psalms. The number “18” was being magnified over and over as I heard the word “Psalms” being whispered. When I awoke, right away I sat down and opened my Bible to Psalm 18. Written at the top of the chapter (as an opening reference) were these words: “Thanksgiving for deliverance by God.” The whole chapter is so beautiful, and I have heard you say that your father referred to what is written here as “God coming down to Jesus’ funeral.”
As I read the following verses (49-50), I was reminded of the mercy and love of God that day in November 2006.
“Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.”
To make a long story short, I watched the video again that evening (weeping and laughing) and was blessed by the mercy and love of God that was shown to all of us. The next morning, I was getting dressed and thinking on what the Lord did that day and the Spirit asked me a question:
“Do you know why the Lord has to correct you?”
“Because HE LOVES LIFE!”
Bro. John, that was SO good to me! We know God corrects us because He loves us and wants to save us, but there is something bigger than just us – – and it is HIS LIFE in us. He knows that we cannot “function” and be the “light” of men if there is anything hindering our hearts from being free. He has to correct our paths when needed because HE LOVES LIFE! Can we even take in how beautiful the Body of Christ would be if we were all LIVING and loving Life as He does. That is what He desires – – a Body that LOVES LIFE! HIS Life! “. . . . his commandment is life everlasting.” My, my!
I could not help but look up a few verses that had “life” in them. These a just a few that I found:
John 1:4
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 5:26
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 12:50
And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
When the Spirit asked that question and gave the answer, it made me see how much God loves LIFE. And how much I should desire it not only for myself, but for the whole Body. As your message this past week said to us quoting from Ezekiel: “And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.”
GOD LOVES LIFE!
“Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD”
Sandy 🙂