Quote from Forum Archives on August 10, 2005, 9:37 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

The transition to a new website has begun. It will take several months to
make this transition and during this time the old website will remain at the
current url www.theburningbush.org and the new website will be at the url
www.theburningbush.net. Both websites will remain active until the
transition is complete and new devotionals will be posted at the new and old
websites. All of the devotionals written during 2005 are available at the
new site. One of the new features is the ability to post your prayer
requests and praise reports automatically to the site.

The new website url is www.theburningbush.net

Join the Burning Bush Prayer Group! Send and receive prayer requests and be
a part of a great ministry. More than 400 wonderful people make up this
group. To join send an email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at www.theburningbush.org

The Burning Bush Devotional

1,451 New Subscribers since November 2004

08.11.05

Love Maintenance

(Originally sent 03.10.03)

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us,
they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made
manifest, that none of them were of us. 1 John 2:19.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in
the breaking of bread, and in prayers. - Acts 2:42.

U. S. Representative Frank Lucas has again been injured working some cattle
(2003) at his ranch near Cheyenne, Oklahoma. Lucas was putting
identification tags in the ears of some of his cattle when a 250-pound
heifer butted his head. As a result he received a small cut on his lip and
lost a tooth and it was necessary for him to have an emergency root canal.
Spokesperson Jim Luetkemeyer said, "He was trying to tag the heifer and the
heifer tagged him back." This is not the first time Lucas has been injured
on his ranch by cattle. In 1996 a cow rammed into a swinging gate and the
gate hit is face breaking his nose. Why does Lucas continue to risk injury
being around cattle on his ranch? Because he loves the life of a rancher and
everything about it Lucas continues working and taking care of his own
cattle.

It is easy to keep on doing something when you love it. You can keep on
doing something that is dangerous, low paying, and difficult if you have a
love for it. The early Christians continued steadfastly because they had a
love for their Lord that would not quit. Those early disciples were in stark
contrast to those John wrote about. Some of those who came later did not
continue on and the lack of their love for the Lord Jesus was evident by
their leaving. John indicates that those who left never really had a love
for the Lord.

But there is a third category, which includes those who at one time loved
their Lord but have left their first love. They were continuing to go
through the motions of what was expected of them as Christians but there was
little love left. Jesus tells them in Revelation 2:2-4, "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."

How could those who at one time had such a zealous love for their Lord Jesus
grow cold? Maybe it was because they didn't, "continue(d) steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in
prayers." If you have lost your love for the God and for the things of God
what can you do? Jesus says to the Ephesians, "Remember therefore from where
you have fallen; repent and do the first works (Revelation 2:5a)."

Have you been continuing to read study, meditate, and memorize the Word of
God which is the "apostles' doctrine?" Have you continued to assemble on a
regular basis with other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25) which is "fellowship"
and "breaking of bread?" Have you continued to talk ("prayers") to the best
friend you will ever have - your Lord Jesus? If not most likely you as did
the Ephesians need to return to the first things. And if you still have a
great love for your Lord be sure to keep that love in good condition by
continuing in those first things.

Copyright © 2003-2005. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush
website has been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

Please pray for the following, the full prayer requests are at
www.theburningbush.net: Joshua, Alta, Richard, Alicia, Amanda, Joey, Madison
D, Rita's family, Mona's family, William, Marc, Morgan, Ashleigh (has biopsy
of brain stem tumor Thursday morning 8.11.05), Jason's family, and Mark.

The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
like to encourage you to visit this great site at ww.crossmap.com. Crossmap
has recently added the Burning Bush Devotionals to their site. You may visit
Crossmap's sister website, the online version of the Christian Post at
www.christianpost.com.
If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are posted at:
www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

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Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
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Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm