Good morning,
"To the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him Who holds the seven stars [which are the messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, Who goes about among the seven golden lampstands [which are the seven churches]: I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars. I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent." (Rev.2:1-5) Here we can see that the church was still operating, as a church under the Lord, they had not fainted [not become wearied; had not slacken their activities; they were not idle]. Yet, they were not loving God as they did in the beginning. Left or abandoned [careless disregard for consequences (of not loving God first ); to relinquish and to desert the love]. You know that people would say that I still love God, but He would say that I know that I Am not first. First means earliest in order; the leading and the head; the beginning and number one. He wants you to bring to your mind all that your love relationship with Him brought to you, the heights of love. It can't be just words without action, as in Jeremiah 29:13; "Whereas the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their hearts from Me and their fear towards Me is taught by precept of men." Their hearts have been removed or separated from God which of course is attached to their love of Him. People mouth love, but Jesus and the Father, tells us that our love for Him can been seen as well as felt. "If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands". (John 14:15) So we must remember or turn again, recall, refresh, or bring back to a healthy state. Restore means to raise from depression or discouragement; to turn back from neglect or disuse.
We want to change how we think and renew our love for God and thereby changing the course of our lives of love. We can't let our love grow lukewarm. "I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth! For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]." (Rev. 3:15-19) Remember how our love should be towards God. Zeal is to have warmth or heat of emotions and feelings for (God); active enthusiastic interest that mounts to fervor [intense – to boil over from the fire; overmastering emotions and desire]. The church in Revelation 2, were still doing the works but this kind of first love that is fueled by overmastering desire or being fueled by fire of impassioned love was missing. Since God is a God of the heart, then we must examine our own hearts and check to see how high the flames are. Rekindle the fire!
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 