ETERNAL TREASURE - MAINTANING OUR FIRST LOVE

 Jesus complemented the church of Ephesus saying, "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. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent”  ((Revelation 2:2-5 NKJV). Jesus gave a stern warning to the church of Ephesus. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5 ESV).

A candlestick is a symbol of the Church (Revelation 1:20) which Jesus is building (Matthew 16:18) of which the church of Ephesus was a member. If the church didn’t repent  and recover their first love, Jesus would remove the Church from the church of Ephesus. The people would be gathering in a building called a church rather than being in the Church, the body of Christ. The church would continue gathering in a building doing the same things without their first love. 

        The apostle Paul gave us four commandments to obey daily in order to maintain our first love. “Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV), and “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6 NLB).

You may be thinking, “How can Christians rejoice always when so many sad things are happening every day in the world?” Joy doesn’t depend upon favorable circumstances. It is obedience to the commandments of Jesus. Rejoicing is confidence of victory over what is causing the sorry. It is confidence that light will overcome darkness.

        If we are justified by faith, we can rejoice always because Jesus Christ who gives us his joy dwells in us (John 15:11). We are in the LORD’s presence, and in his presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). We have received the Holy Spirit who produces in us the fruit of joy (Galatians 5:22). We are in the kingdom of God which is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy spirit (Romans 14:17 NKJV). Because rejoicing is confidence of triumph, Jesus commands us to rejoice when persecuted (Matthew 5:11-12).

Those who love Jesus obey his commandments, and God the Father and Lord Jesus make their home with them (John 14:23). The spirit of those in whose heart Jesus makes his home are in continual prayer both listening and obeying everything he says. 

We can give thanks to God in all circumstance because “. . . we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Failure to give thanks was one of the reasons the nations turned from worshiping God to worshipping idols (Romans 1:21-23).

Giving thanks to God is gratitude for what he has done in the past is doing in the present and will do in the future. As we give thanks, our faith is being built up to face all challenges and be conquerors obeying the commandment: “Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11 AMPC).

Excerpted from GRACE & SHALOM by Robert P. Holland