Fuel up your love for God
Friday 19th October 2018
'You don't love me...as you did at first!' Revelation 2:4 NLT
Love is like a fire; when it's not fuelled, it goes out. In earlier years Paul wrote to the Ephesian church: 'Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love' (Ephesians 6:24 NAS). Their love for the Lord was so strong that Paul commended them for it. But by the time Christ speaks to the same church in the book of Revelation, their love for him had faded: 'I have seen your hard work and patient endurance. I know you don't tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But... you don't love me or each other as you did at first!... Turn back to me' (Revelation 2:2-5 NLT).
Evangelical leader John Stott wrote: 'They'd fallen from the early heights of devotion to Christ which they'd climbed. They'd descended to the plains of mediocrity. In a word...the hearts of the Ephesian Christians had chilled...Their early devotion to Christ had cooled. They'd been in love with him, but...had fallen out of love.' We can go to church, read our Bibles and pray every day, yet not love God as we should. Loving God is a commitment and a heart attitude, and a daily decision to honour him in all we say and do.
So what now? Keep your love for God fuelled up. Why not blast out your favourite worship songs to get you off to a great start in God each day.
Friday 19th October 2018
'You don't love me...as you did at first!' Revelation 2:4 NLT
Love is like a fire; when it's not fuelled, it goes out. In earlier years Paul wrote to the Ephesian church: 'Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love' (Ephesians 6:24 NAS). Their love for the Lord was so strong that Paul commended them for it. But by the time Christ speaks to the same church in the book of Revelation, their love for him had faded: 'I have seen your hard work and patient endurance. I know you don't tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But... you don't love me or each other as you did at first!... Turn back to me' (Revelation 2:2-5 NLT).
Evangelical leader John Stott wrote: 'They'd fallen from the early heights of devotion to Christ which they'd climbed. They'd descended to the plains of mediocrity. In a word...the hearts of the Ephesian Christians had chilled...Their early devotion to Christ had cooled. They'd been in love with him, but...had fallen out of love.' We can go to church, read our Bibles and pray every day, yet not love God as we should. Loving God is a commitment and a heart attitude, and a daily decision to honour him in all we say and do.
So what now? Keep your love for God fuelled up. Why not blast out your favourite worship songs to get you off to a great start in God each day.
