BBD 01.29.18 Finding Lost Love (Classic)
Posted by: wrathered <wrathered@...>
Classic from 2010
Burning Bush Devotional
29 January 2018
Finding Lost Love
To the angel
of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars
in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “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.’” - Revelation 2:1-4 NKJV.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it
abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you
are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing. - John 15:4-5 NKJV.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire,
and it shall be done for you. - John 15:7 NKJV.
As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My
commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's
commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My
joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you. - John 15:9-12 NKJV.
On the History Channel about a week ago (2010) there was a story about a couple
being trapped in a cave for a few days. They came close to dying while inside
the cave. The even more interesting part of this story was that this was a
first date for the couple! Just 24-hours after their rescue they announced
their engagement, and they have now been married more than 40 years and are
still very much in love. One other thing they shared, was that they have not
been back inside of a cave since their rescue.
How is your spiritual love life? Are you still in love with your Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ? That is a good question to ask ourselves from time to
time. The church at Ephesus had a problem with their spiritual love life. They
had lost it. Now the church at Ephesus was not a bad church, because Jesus does
commend them for not bearing with evil or false prophets. He commends them for
not being weary in laboring in the Name of Jesus.
The Ephesus problem is a problem, we in the modern church face frequently. We
are busy people, our doctrine is correct, we are against evil, and we continue
to labor in teaching, preaching, and sharing Jesus. Along the way somehow, we
like the Ephesians fell out of love with our Lord. How does it happen? It
happens when we work for the Lord, but no longer spend time with the Lord. We
no longer truly “abide” in Him.
There we are, loveless people who are working hard for the Lord. How do we find
our lost love, return to our first love? How did the couple trapped in the cave
find love? They spent time together. That is how we can fall in love with our
Lord once again as well. The more time that we spend with Jesus, the more
we “abide” in Him, the more love we will have for Him. How
do we do that? We must do what we know to do. We must spend time with Him in
prayer. We must spend time with Him in the Bible, and we must spend time with
Him by assembling with other believers, i.e. go to church.
Your love will not instantaneously return but it will return if you “abide” in Him.
Copyright © 2010 - 2018. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
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Please continue to pray for healing
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(Wesley Lewis that I have asked for prayer for died in a traffic accident
December 23rd and his wife and sister-in-law were severely injured –
another sister-in-law and her husband were also killed in the accident.),
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