This week's devotion will still keep up with the theme of the Month of Love - A call to return to our First Love .
Revelation 2:4-5 "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place - unless you repent.
Revelation 2:4-5 "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place - unless you repent.
Do you remember when you first got born again? How you were so on fire for God. How you would break in God's presence and allow Him to have His way. You did not mind that the sanctuary floor was not so sparkly clean as you lay prostrate before God bonding with Him and telling Him how much you loved Him. You assured Him that He is the best thing that ever happened to you. You didn't care who was around, you just wanted more & more & more of God. You wholeheartedly answered altar calls & were not afraid to have tears stream down your face as you felt God's lovely embrace.
Alas, time has passed though and you have gotten used to being born again & have become numb to God's presence. You no longer allow yourself to break in God's presence - what if someone sees me? You are too careful not to ruin your make up so ain't no way you are allowing tears to stream down your face. The sanctuary floor is now too dusty, you cannot fathom kneeling on it let alone lying prostrate - lest your latest designer wear gets dirty.
Don't get me wrong, you are still very Born Again. You attend church faithfully. You even serve in a department at church & never miss any mid week service. You have an air tight Bible Reading schedule & you have memorized as many Bible verses as you can. Your prayer life is also healthy. Very healthy I must say. Simply put, you have become like the Church in Ephesus. It was doing everything right & by the book. But they had forgotten about the First Love - Jesus.
Revelation 2:2-4 "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".
Are you too busy pursuing the things of God and doing His work that you have forgotten about having a personal relationship with Him? Have you become too mechanical in your walk with God that your relationship is now one way? You are ever on the move and no longer have time to sit quietly and have conversations with Him. You used to wait in God's presence until He spoke before you made any decision. You relied on Him to direct your path. You did nothing without hearing God's voice. Are the blessings you prayed for keeping you away from God. You prayed for a job & God answered but you get home too tired to have your quiet time as you used to. You want to get as much sleep as you can before the alarm goes off & you dash off to work. You prayed for a family & God answered but you are now busy being a home maker that you have forgotten your quiet moments with God. Are you too busy and distracted like Martha and forget to sit at the feet of Jesus to just learn from Him?
Luke 10:38-40 "Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcome Him in to her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her".
Today, I would want to encourage you to slow down. Take a minute from your busy schedule and reflect on your relationship with God. Think of how your relationship was when you were newly born again. When the fire of God burned so fiercely that you could not wait to spend time in God's presence so you could hear from Him & just fellowship with Him. Have you allowed the busyness of life to rob you off those amazing moments that you once had? Would you make a decision today to return back to the First love? Retrace your steps back to where you fell off. Pray that God would restore you.Pray for restoration. He is able to draw you back to Himself.
Revelation 2:5 "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works".
Heavenly Father, thank you for this week's call to return to the first Love. We repent of the many times we have been too preoccupied & distracted with our busy schedules and neglected to sit at your feet. I pray for every one listening who feels like they have lost the joy of salvation. May you restore them and uphold them by your Holy Spirit. For those whose fire has died down, may you ignite them once more Lord and may the fires in their hearts burn so fiercely and ignite those around them. In the moments where we feel overwhelmed, may Holy Spirit will refresh us. Lord I pray that we may stay connected to you - our First Love. We bless your name. In Jesus Name. Amen.
God Bless You.
Don't get me wrong, you are still very Born Again. You attend church faithfully. You even serve in a department at church & never miss any mid week service. You have an air tight Bible Reading schedule & you have memorized as many Bible verses as you can. Your prayer life is also healthy. Very healthy I must say. Simply put, you have become like the Church in Ephesus. It was doing everything right & by the book. But they had forgotten about the First Love - Jesus.
Revelation 2:2-4 "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".
Are you too busy pursuing the things of God and doing His work that you have forgotten about having a personal relationship with Him? Have you become too mechanical in your walk with God that your relationship is now one way? You are ever on the move and no longer have time to sit quietly and have conversations with Him. You used to wait in God's presence until He spoke before you made any decision. You relied on Him to direct your path. You did nothing without hearing God's voice. Are the blessings you prayed for keeping you away from God. You prayed for a job & God answered but you get home too tired to have your quiet time as you used to. You want to get as much sleep as you can before the alarm goes off & you dash off to work. You prayed for a family & God answered but you are now busy being a home maker that you have forgotten your quiet moments with God. Are you too busy and distracted like Martha and forget to sit at the feet of Jesus to just learn from Him?
Luke 10:38-40 "Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcome Him in to her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her".
Today, I would want to encourage you to slow down. Take a minute from your busy schedule and reflect on your relationship with God. Think of how your relationship was when you were newly born again. When the fire of God burned so fiercely that you could not wait to spend time in God's presence so you could hear from Him & just fellowship with Him. Have you allowed the busyness of life to rob you off those amazing moments that you once had? Would you make a decision today to return back to the First love? Retrace your steps back to where you fell off. Pray that God would restore you.Pray for restoration. He is able to draw you back to Himself.
Revelation 2:5 "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works".
Heavenly Father, thank you for this week's call to return to the first Love. We repent of the many times we have been too preoccupied & distracted with our busy schedules and neglected to sit at your feet. I pray for every one listening who feels like they have lost the joy of salvation. May you restore them and uphold them by your Holy Spirit. For those whose fire has died down, may you ignite them once more Lord and may the fires in their hearts burn so fiercely and ignite those around them. In the moments where we feel overwhelmed, may Holy Spirit will refresh us. Lord I pray that we may stay connected to you - our First Love. We bless your name. In Jesus Name. Amen.
God Bless You.