27/09/08

Our first love

Revelation 2:4 - Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Even after doing all the work, showing patience, tolerance, control, endurance and working in the Lord's Name, yet the Lord says He is not happy with us because us because we have left or given up on our first love (Revelation 2:2-4).

If all that we do is not love then what is love and why should the Lord be upset with us?

There is an evangelist who is very gifted in his oration of the Word and miracles do happen because of his calling as an evangelist. At times you can see a lot of anointing on him when he preaches. He does love the Lord and has dedicated his whole life for the Lord, but there were times when the Lord asked me to rebuke him. What was the problem? The hidden problem was self promotion, self attention. Some of his past life problems were covered but not healed. The hidden rejection was calling for attention. Due to his lack of understanding of the Word and his personal problem, he did not know the harm he was doing in the long run to those connected with him and called to serve the Lord.

The Greek word used for love is 'Agape' which correctly means 'charity'. The word charity means more than love, it means 'serving in love selflessly'. Our first charity is towards the Church of God. It means building the Temple of the Lord according to His Word. The Word of God defines in detail the way His Temple needs to be built, like He did in the shadow (Old Testament) with the Israelites to build the Scantuary. Every object and procedure is defined with an understanding and that detail holds valid even today.

Our God is God; omnipotent, all knowing, omnipresent ... He has created all things, so surely He is capable to protect His people. In the Bible when the Israelites followed His Word and faced resistance there was not even one victim. It is not that we will not face resistance; in this world, we will surely face resistance. God will surely prefer live soldiers then half dead or full dead in this war against man's carnal nature induced by Satan. All are not called to become martyrs, but surely all are called to build and be a part of God's Church.

During the 8th Century the people of God underwent great persecution. They were building a church but it was not God's Church. Today we too are undergoing persecution, so the time is come to ask ourselves who's church are we building? Is it the Lord's Church according to His Word?


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, forgive us for laboring in vain because we do not labor according to Your Word. Lord heal your people and open their minds that they may know Your Word and follow it, to its understanding. Let the world see Your glory on Your Temple. I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]

Revelation 2:2-4
2 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:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.


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