This is the beating heart of it all - no one lives without the breath of God. We are all slain, we are all dead in our trespasses and sin. From the time of the fall, from our first parent's rebellion, from the very core of all that makes us human we deal with this truth. Not one of us is capable of anything that requires true life. We can do no good works, we can practice no true righteousness, we cannot seek God nor turn towards Him in any manner for we are all dead. This is the part of Salvation that is such wonder and mystery that we just fall in awe of Him who saved us, for we were dead with no hope of life, no power to turn, no DESIRE to turn… and at the command of God, the Word preached was accompanied by the power of the Spirit's move and suddenly, without any work on our part, LIFE became where only death had been before!! Mercy upon Mercy, life is given and we live! We love where before we only hated, we see our sin and hate it, we turn toward God with new eyes and we desire Him, we long for His forgiveness, and not only to escape wrath but because we could no longer stand being apart from Him… it is man's purpose to glory in and enjoy God, we are made for fellowship with Him, we are created for worship. And as soon as we are made alive by His power, THAT is what we desire to do. Nothing else will satisfy, nothing else will do, there is only God and nothing will keep us from Him. Beloved, that heart in you that loves God… That heart is the real wonder, the awesome power and the marvelous gift of salvation! Thank Him for His excellent mercy, thank Him for the life that He gave. Thank Him for loving you long before you loved Him and thank Him above all for the blood of Jesus Christ which made the way for us to be with Him forever!!!