Have you left your first love?

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." Revelation 2:1-4

The Spirit of God says in 1 Corinthians 16:22, "If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!" That's a harsh indictment, but since Jesus is the co-creator of all mankind (Genesis 1:26) and the source of all goodness, mercy and truth, all of creation should love the Messiah. Christians, especially, should love our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is the power of our salvation. Because of his sinless sacrifice on Calvary's hill, God "has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, and the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13,14).

The forgiveness of sins is what people have searched for throughout the long history of our time on planet Earth. Countless religions, rituals and sacraments have been created by man to gain the forgiveness of our sins. However, salvation is not found in man-made religions, rituals or sacraments. Salvation is in a person, the last Adam (see 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 John 5:10-13). Listen to what Jesus said to the religious but lost people of his day: "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life' (John 5:38-40 NKJV). Jesus Christ said plainly, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). In Christ Jesus, we have the forgiveness of sins, we have power over the misdeeds of the flesh, and we have the hope of heaven. Is anything greater than that? I think not!

Our love for the LORD should come as naturally as breathing in and out. But there are forces at work that can diminish our love for Christ. The threefold enemy of all Christians is - the world, the flesh and the devil. If we're not alert, what was said of a former minister can be said of us: "For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world" (2 Timothy 4:10). We have been delivered from this present evil age (Galatians 1:3,4). We have been given divine resources to assist us in our journey to a heavenly city designed and built by God (Hebrews 11:10). Yet, in spite of that, it is still possible for our love of Christ to grow lukewarm or cold.

The believers in the church at Ephesus had many things going for them. They worked for the Lord, they persevered in the faith, and they didn't bear those who were fake or evil. However, the One who knows the heart of all people saw something was amiss - they had left their first love. From this example in Scripture, we see it is possible to love your religion/denomination more than you love God. We can get so wrapped up in the outer trappings of our faith, that we forget the major focus of our faith. Someone has well said, "The main thing is the keep the main thing the main thing!" For the redeemed, the main thing is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. We must do whatever it takes to maintain a fervent relationship with the Lord. We must be alert to the many "lesser" things that might draw our hearts away from the Savior.

When I was a relatively new believer, I purchased an "I Love Jesus" bumper sticker much like the one in the picture above. I put it on the back window of my white Ford Granada. It had a bright red heart in place of the word "love." I - bright red heart - Jesus. It served as a constant reminder of my faith and my newfound love for the Lord. However, after several years of being exposed to the elements, an interesting thing happened. The bright red heart on the bumper sticker began to fade. Eventually, the red heart was barely visible. One day I recall looking at my faded sticker and the Spirit of God seemed to whisper, "Has your heart faded too? Have you left your first love? Has your passion for Christ cooled down into a formal, ritualistic religion?"

A believer can be furiously churchy, yet cold and indifferent concerning the kingdom of God. Prolonged exposure to the elements of this world can dampen our zeal for Christ. So what's the remedy? King Jesus told the people in the church at Ephesus, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works..." The remedy is reflection and repentance! In a word, the remedy is revival. Evangelist Vance Havner said, "Revival is the church falling in love with Jesus all over again."

A revival broke out mid-February on the campus of Asbury University in Kentucky that continued around the clock for two weeks straight! I traveled from Huntsville, Alabama to witness this unusual move of God. Thousands of people gathered outside of Hughes Memorial Auditorium. It was impossible to get inside the hall, just too crowded. The little town of Wilmore, KY was not large enough to accommodate the steady stream of people who wanted to attend this amazing outpouring of the Spirit. The school was compelled to "close" the meeting, at least on campus. It has been my long-held conviction that our entire nation is ripe for revival!

Revival is the key, and revival is the subject of my book, The Spiritual Awakening of America. So, where will the next outpouring of the Spirit take place? It could very well be in your church and your community, if you stir up yourself to pray and take hold of the Lord. My book will inspire you to do just that! Click here to learn more.

Grace, Peace and Jahspeed!

Brother Quick