Daily Devotional. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. NEVERTHELESS I HAVE SOMEWHAT AGAINST THEE, BECAUSE THOU HAST LEFT THY FIRST LOVE. Remember therefore from whence thou art FALLEN, and REPENT, and do the first works; Revelation 2:2-5. This is Christ talking to the church at Ephesus. It’s a good church, they were doing good works in Obedience to the Holy Spirit, they were a Patient people, they hate Evil and cast it out, they have even discerned lying preachers and thrown them out the front doors, they have worked hard in Christ’s Name and didn’t faint along the way. Sounding pretty good so far. How many churches today are even up to THIS standard, if this is a standard to strive for? Doing, Loving, Obeying, Working, Not Quitting, and Discerning, what a track record!!! NOPE, SORRY, NOT GOOD ENOUGH. So what’s the problem? Just one minor detail, THEY LOST THEIR FIRST LOVE. Their first love was a passionate Love for Christ. He was their Everything, their Completeness, their Total All. That love had subsided, grown “cold”, not at all like it used to be. Ya, Ok, that’s just one minor detail in an otherwise REALLY GOOD CHURCH!!! Christ is not a “detail”, HE IS EVERYTHING, OR HE IS NOTHING. Repent, go back to CHRIST, Love HIM, and all the rest of your church activity will fall into place. The Christian Life is a Warfare against Sin, Satan, the World, and The Flesh. IT’S A BATTLE AGAINST SIN. Unless you Love Christ, you can’t know sin and what you’re fighting against. Love Christ First, and He will help you to Fight the Good Fight. Then, you will, Be Blessed.
