My First Love: God is calling you back into a closer walk with Him.

How is your relationship with God going? 

Recently I have met many who feel like their relationship with God has stagnated. 

Maybe you feel like you have drifted from God. 

I am not sure if the current pandemic has anything to do with it, but so many feel spiritually empty and lethargic. 

You may be going through the motions. You may be reading your Bible and going to Church, but you still feel like God is distant. 

Sometimes we live such noisy lives, and this noise drowns out the “still small voice of God” and ends up robbing us of our peace and joy.  

Sometimes we can get so busy doing good things, that we end up losing track of the important things of life, and God somehow ends up in the backseat. At times like these, we can feel like we are stuck in the race of life, like a hamster on the wheel, running hard but we still end up going nowhere. 

Are you spiritually dry? 

Have you grown cold?

Are you just going through the motions?

Are you disillusioned with life?

Have you drifted from God? 

Have you forsaken your first love?

I believe that God is calling you back to your first love, into a vibrant relationship with Him.

God’s word is filled with promises that we can return to God.

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RETURN TO GOD

“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored.” (Job 22:23)

Return to God, and he will return to you. 

COME BACK TO YOUR FIRST LOVE

Several years ago, I went through an extremely busy season. 

I had been working hard. I felt under immense pressure and stress. On the ministry front, I had done a lot of preaching and I had shared the good news of Jesus Christ. 

God had used me beyond my wildest imagination. Many people’s lives had been touched and changed by God. Many where healed, delivered and set free. 10’s of thousands had found Jesus as Lord and Savior. These precious folk had come into relationship with Jesus, finding forgiveness of sin, and eternal life.  

But in the middle of this wonderful and busy time, I found myself being caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. I noticed that I was not putting my full focus on Jesus.

It was not that I had “backslidden”. I had continued to minister for God. I had continued to read God’s word, I had been praying, I had worshipped God – but it felt as though God was further away. I had been so busy doing God-honoring “things”, that without even realizing it, I was slipping into a religious rut. I had been putting the “doing things for God” first. I had been working hard, and although my intentions were to please God, he somehow ended up being second.

I was so focused on saving the lost and broken, and doing the work of God, but instead of FOCUSING ON JESUS and seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, I was just running hard.

My passion for Jesus began to waver. The joy of my salvation seemed to have been stolen away. The fire of God which once burned so bright, was fading.

Although I had continued to speak and read about Jesus, I got side-tracked. My passion for Jesus and the fire of God seemed to be dying, the power of God was lacking, and the love of God was not flowing through me.

It felt as though my relationship with God was slipping. I felt disillusioned and I did not know what to do.

I had become so busy that I HAD FORSAKEN MY FIRST LOVE, without even realizing it.

God in His love, mercy and grace gave me a scripture which cut at my heart and spoke directly into my life.

I believe that this is a word from God, which is not meant only for me. God showed me that there are many who need to hear this message too.

I was so busy that I had forsaken MY FIRST LOVE.

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, 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 the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:1-4)

God made it clear that he saw my hard work and my perseverance. He knew that I had tirelessly continued to do the “right thing”. I was striving to do it all. But in the process, I had let go of God. I had forsaken my first love. 

Revelation 2:5 goes on, “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place…” “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” 

The light of the fire and glory of God was about to be taken away.

But, as Psalm 103:13 puts it: “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He does not treat us like our sins deserve…”

As I continued in my wilderness, I began to search deeper for God. I continued to seek God, I continued to push through, and he led me back to the cross.

At the cross, I found Jesus afresh.

I saw His love, which He has for me. I saw how He refused to give up on me. I saw how He was whipped, beaten, and spat upon. I saw the blood He shed for me. I saw the crown of thorns, which was hammered into His head. I saw how He was insulted and mocked. I saw the nails that where driven into His hands and feet.

I saw the PASSION of Jesus – how He loved me so, that even if I was the last person on this planet, He would still have taken those nails for me.

I realized that God loves me, that he really, really loves me, and that He has a plan and a purpose for me.

And the same goes for you today.

I took my focus off the world and my busyness, and I turned my attention back onto Jesus. 

Looking back…

I never backslid. I never wanted to drift away from God. The truth is, I so desperately wanted to do His will, but religious bondage came and tried to put my fire out for Jesus.

Dead religious traditions will starve people of Jesus. This will put you in bondage and will put the fire of God out.

I believe that God desires us to stay on fire for Him. We should be passionate.

Look what Jesus has done for you. He died for me. He saved me. He loves me. How can I not be excited? I know I’m going to heaven, I know my sins are forgiven. I know I am a child of God. I know that my Dad in heaven is the big boss. I am greatly loved by God. I am highly favored. I am God’s child. How can I not get excited? 

At the cross I met Jesus afresh. He came to set the captive free and he did that for me.

I had forsaken my first love – without even realizing it.

I also want to add: In the bible Jesus is known as the bridegroom. One day, He is coming to fetch His bride.

The bride is made up of believers in Jesus Christ.

Now, if you are a bride or a bridegroom – you only have eyes for your wife or husband to be. You cherish your partner, you go “goo-goo” for your partner. You want to serve and love that one special person with all your heart. You don’t want any other person – only that ONE person.

Jesus said concerning adultery, that even if you as much as look at another person lustfully, “that you have already committed adultery in your heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

On a spiritual level I had committed adultery. You see, Jesus is the bridegroom and I am His bride. My focus had not been 100% on Him. I allowed myself to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. I forsook MY FIRST LOVE.

In Revelation 2:4 God spoke to me and said, “you have forsaken your first love. Repent. Do the things you did at first.”

I confessed my sin, I cried out to God and He touched me, He made me whole. He washed me clean. I experienced the love and the grace of my loving God.

The beautiful thing about Jesus is that He is so loving, so tender, so caring and compassionate. He forgave my sin. He set me free. God doesn’t want to push people down. He does not want to hurt you.

According to Jesus, “the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy.” (John 10:10)

The enemy wants to hurt people and place them in bondage. He is a liar and a murderer and wants to wreck people’s lives and create havoc. Many have been fooled and deceived by his craftiness.  

Going to church is not enough!

Reading your bible is not enough!

Playing religious bless me games is not enough!

I am sick of the lifeless traditions of men. I WANT TO KNOW JESUS

It is not about you or me. It is all about Jesus.

I WANT TO KNOW JESUS

How about you?

Jesus always spent time with sinners, with the poor, needy and the outcast. He was always quick to help others, heal and restore.

He came up against the religious leaders and He condemned them.

But He set the captives free. Jesus healed the sick, He delivered the bound, He forgave sinners. He even said to the woman who had just been caught in the act of adultery, “I do not condemn you. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

He has not changed. He is still the same Jesus today.

God set me free. He lit a fire of passion deep within my heart again. I want to know Jesus more. I want to be close to Him. He is MY FIRST LOVE. My passion for Jesus has been revived.

God wants a closer walk with you.

He wants to bring you back to the heart of worship.

Where do you stand with God today?

Maybe you are going through this same spiritual dryness that I went through. Maybe you feel like you are trapped in the wilderness. Maybe you are bound by dead religious bondage.

I believe God wants to take you back to the heart of worship. I believe that God wants to touch you. Even if you have grown cold and have drifted away from God, He is waiting for you to return to Him. He wants you to fall afresh in love with Him again.

He does not want to beat you up. He wants to draw you close to Him.

Today, you might have just realized that you have been caught up in the hustle and bustle of life.

You might be saying, where did it all go wrong. You may have been searching for the answers for a long, long time, and today you sense that God is calling you to get your life in order with Him.

JESUS LOVES YOU. He really, really loves you. He made you, and he does not make junk. He is on your side. He is not against you. He wants to forgive you, cleanse you and restore you.

COME BACK TO GOD

I heard a story about a young man who lived in a small village that was situated in a deep dark valley. The village was always misty and the sun seldom shone. This young man was feeling down and disillusioned with life. He approach the Chief for advice. The chief told him to follow the path, up the mountain, and that he would eventually come to a bend in the road. The Chief told this young man that when he reached the bend, he would find an old wooden cross. The Chief told him, “When you find the cross, get down on your knees, and pour out your heart to God.”

The young man set out on his journey, following the path up the mountain, as the Chief had instructed him. After a long difficult journey, he eventually came to a bend in the road. Right in front of the bend he saw the old wooden cross. At the cross, this young man, fell down on his knees, and began to cry out to God. He surrendered his burdens to God. He cried. He shared his heart with God. 

The young man, all of a sudden felt the warm of the sun start to envelop him. He looked up, and realized that he was above the mist and the sun was shining down.

Are you spiritually dry? 

Have you grown cold?

Are you just going through the motions?

Are you disillusioned with life?

Have you drifted from God? 

Have you forsaken your first love?

I believe that God is calling you back to your first love, into a vibrant relationship with Him.

Out of love Jesus came with one purpose to die on the cross for you and me. In fact if you where the only person alive, He would have still died for you.

He shed His blood for you.

We have all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We where separated from God and contaminated in sin. We were hopelessly lost and on a one-way track to destruction, but God in His absolute mercy sent His Son Jesus to save you. 

Today you can repent for your sins and you can choose to return to God. Today God offers you complete forgiveness, eternal life and a new beginning.

“Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you.” (Zechariah 1:3)

IT IS TIME TO RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE

In Revelation 2, God tells us …

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance…”

“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…”

“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” 

Today the lamp is still burning. It exposes sin, but you can come clean.

Jesus says to you “Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Are you bruised? Battered? Is the load too much for you to bear? Are you downtrodden? Are you dried out and empty? Have you lost your joy? Have you forsaken your first love? 

If so, come to Jesus. Cry out to him. Surrender your life afresh at the foot of the cross. 

“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.” (Joel 2:13)

JESUS SAYS, “COME TO ME. I WILL GIVE YOU REST. I WILL RESTORE YOU. COME BE MY FIRST LOVE.”

ARE YOU DRIED OUT AND EMPTY?

When Jesus walked the earth, he came into town and saw how the people were dry and empty. The people were sick and tired of dead religious traditions. They had a drought in their heart. Jesus offered them living water.  

Jesus said, come to me all who are thirsty. He said “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” (John 7:37-39)

Only Jesus offers you a well of living water, a perpetual spring that will never run dry. Jesus can pour out his river of life-giving water in your heart. He can satisfy your spiritual thirst. 

Return to God. He wants to refresh your soul.

^“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)

God wants to refresh you. He wants to pour out his grace and mercy on your dry and thirsty heart.

NEW SEASON

I believe that God is wanting to take you deeper into a closer more intimate walk with Him.

Jesus told us that my people “will know my voice, I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

You can know God, not just know about God, but you can really KNOW God intimately.

Jesus went on and said, “I give them eternal life, no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28) 

God wants to take you into a new season.

In the Book of Song of Solomon, it shares a beautiful picture of the lover wanting a more intimate relationship with his bride. Many see this book as a romantic story about two people in love, but it is also a picture of an intimate relationship that God wants with His children.

I really believe God wants to take you out of your dark winter season, into a new vibrant and fruitful intimate walk with God.

“My lover said to me, “Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one! Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air. The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming. Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one!” (Song of Solomon 2:10-13)

God is calling you to rise. He is calling you to come away with Him. If you have forsaken your first love, God is calling you back. He wants to refresh your soul. He wants to rekindle a new passion in your heart. He is wanting to reignite a fresh walk with you. He is wanting to produce abundant fruit in your life and take you into a new season of intimacy with Him.

God is calling you to come away with Him.

LET US PRAY

I believe God is calling you into a vibrant intimate walk with Him.

Maybe you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Maybe you are lost and empty spiritually.

Maybe you have backslidden and fallen away from God.

Maybe today you know that you need to make right with God.

Maybe you know you need to return to your First Love.

If this is you, I want to pray for you… 

PRAYER:

Father today I come before you. I surrender my life, along with my burdens to you. Lord Jesus thank you for the finished work of the cross. Today I turn from my sin. Please forgive me. Please cleanse me. I give you my life and I ask you to be my Lord and Savior.

Lord Jesus, please renew my mind. Lord, please breathe new life into me. I ask you to pour out your love, and your grace and favor on me. Come Holy Spirit, please do a deep work in my heart. Please fill me. Shine your glory and favor on me. Help me to please you. Please strengthen me. Please renew me. Holy Spirit, please set my heart on fire with a deep desire for you. Please place a new passion in my heart. Anoint me. May you alone always be my first love.

I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Stir my heart, O Lord, let Your holy fire burn;

spark a flame within me, strengthen my desire.

May my heart, O Lord, be so tender in Your hand;

breathe Your life within me, stir my heart O Lord.

I have no idea where you may stand today. Maybe you have decided to renew your walk with God. If so, please let us know. 

May God take you deeper into a close-up and personal walk with Him.