Quote from Forum Archives on September 15, 2010, 6:47 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
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There were 1367 new subscribers during 2009!!

09.15.10

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.

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.

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.

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.

On the History Channel about a week ago 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. 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. Ed Wrather began writing devotionals
in the early 1990s. The distribution of these first devotionals was
primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent to prison facilities
throughout the United States and Canada.

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