Do you?

  Do you?

In the book of Revelations we read,

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:  

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.  

You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.  

Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.  

But you have this in your favour: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.  Revelations 2:1-7.

It is said each church represented in the book or Revelations can refer to a church, a church denomination or even a person in the present day.

Here while the Lord comments on the Ephesians deeds and hard work. That they have not tolerated wicked men. And that they have hated the practices of the Nicolaitans an heretical group. The Lord also notes,

“Yet I hold this against you: 

You have forsaken your first love.  

Remember the height from which you have fallen!

 Repent and do the things you did at first”. 

Some scholars note that this could mean that they have lost their love of God, of Christ. Some have even said they have lost their love of each other. While others say they have lost their love of both.

Either way The Lord makes it clear if they don’t repent they will loose their status before God.

As individuals we need to look at ourselves and say; Is God truly my first love? Do I truly love those around me. Family, friends, and foe alike?

Do I need to repent?

Do you?

Please think about it.

The Ephesus Church

 The Ephesus church

The Apostle John writing in the book of Revelations records these words given by Jesus,

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:  

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.  

You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.  

Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.  

But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelations 2:1-7

Here Jesus commends the church of Ephesus as having good works. That they have persevered. That they cannot tolerate wicked men and have even tested those who claim to be Christians but are not.

He then point out,

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.  Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.’"

Our first love should be to God and His one and only Son Christ Jesus. Everything else is secondary. 

Sadly as I look at the churches in North America where I live many have turned away from Christ. There first love has become a whole host of things, individual pastors or evangelist, political leaders, material things including money.

This should not be so. We should have our eyes fixed on Christ Jesus. As the writer of the book of Hebrews states,

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:2.

Are your eyes fixed on Jesus? Would those around you, your friends, family and neighbours say your eyes are fixed on Jesus?

Please think about it?

Because

Because

Because...

“...He (God) first loved us.”

       1 John 4:19

I will...love God

Because...

“...God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whoever believes in Him should not perish 

but have everlasting life.”  

John 3:16

I will...have faith in Christ, faith in God

Because...

Jesus when asked, 

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 

   Jesus replied: 

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  

                This is the first and greatest commandment.  

             And the second is like it: 

        ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  

      All the Law and the Prophets 

hang on these two commandments.” 

       Matthew 22:36-40

I will...love my God and my neighbour.

Because...

Jesus said,“You have heard that it was said, 

‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  

But I tell you: Love your enemies 

and pray for those who persecute you,” 

Matthew 5:43,44

I will...love my enemies and pray for my persecutors.

Because...

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, 

it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

   Love never fails....

 And now these three remain: 

faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest  of these is love.”  

1Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

I will...I will love unconditionally.

Dear reader

Will you do the same?

Please think about it.