Open Heavens April 3rd, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Isa 22-24

RETURN TO HIGHER LOVEThursday April 3, 2008

MEMORIZE "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love" (Rev. 2:4)

READ: Revelation 2:1-7

Another lesson from Job 14:7-12 is that leaving your first love always leads to a fall. In today’s reading, Jesus addressed the Ephesian church. He commended them for their good works, labors, patience, hatred for evil, ability to discern, etc. The only thing He held against them was leaving their first love. He threatened to remove His Spirit if they did not return to their first love. They did not steal, fornicate, fight or lie. This is an area today believers have fallen without knowing. Some think that the only time they sin is when they commit the popular sins. Do you know you hurt God by loving Him less? You toy with His feelings. Whenever you diminish in your love for God, you are making a statement that God is no more as important to you as He used to. Spending less time in God’s presence tells God that you have found something more important that needs your time. Whenever you depart from your first love, you provoke God to jealousy.

Recast your mind to the days you newly received Jesus. Can you remember the vows, pledges, and dedication you made to Him? It was such a beautiful relationship. Oh! You loved the Lord. You loved Him so much that you were afraid to offend Him. Without being reminded, you sat down for hours studying His Word. Sometimes, while others are sleeping at night, you are awake just fellowshipping with God, wanting to know Him better. Those days, you did not need anyone to compel you to preach. There was a fire within propelling you to declare the Gospel out of your love for Him. You could not stand the thought of seeing someone go to hell. You were very regular at church meetings. Most times you were in church before the service, praying. Being in God’s presence was such a delight. It came from your heart. Obeying God on any issue was a thing of joy. You feared and respected your pastor and any man of God. You could give just anything to the Lord on request.

But how is it today? Where is the fire of love for God that once characterized your life? If it is no more there, then you have fallen. Today, where we used to run from are now where we are frequently seen. We have returned to our vomit. We have recovered our sacrifices from the altar. Work, pleasure and other things are now more important to us. Souls, even relations could die and go to hell, while we remain unperturbed. We have left our first love. The Lord is very unhappy with this and He wants you to return to where you fell from. Your first love is a height of fellowship which you fell from. Refusing to return there can bring terrible consequences. Repent and return to your first love!

ACTIONPOINT
List evidences of your first love after conversion. Which of these are you still doing and which ones have you stopped? Prayerfully return to them.