That is exactly what happened to the Christians in the first century church at Ephesus. Although they were doing everything else right, they had “forsaken their first love.”
“You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” (Revelation 2:3-4 NIV)
Jesus said that if they did not repent and return to their first love, he would have to remove his presence from their assemblies! This scripture also explains why his presence is no longer known in many churches today!
What Is Love?
We know that LOVE is the key to having a greater degree of intimacy with our Creator, but exactly what is love?
The New Testament uses two Greek words to describe love. The word “philanthropia” describes a brotherly or friendship kind of love, but the word “agape” describes the pure unselfish kind of love that our Creator has for us. This is also the same kind of love that he wants to receive from us!
The English language uses the word “love” to describe many different forms of love, including sexual love. But the everlasting godly kind of love is non-sexual. We know this to be true because “in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage.” (Matthew 22:30)
This pure unselfish “agape” kind of love is even translated in the King James Version as "charity” because of its kind and benevolent nature. The apostle Paul gave the following definition of this kind of love in a letter to the Corinthian church.
| “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, it always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV) |
So how do we get this kind of love?
The short answer is that “God is love,” so we get it from him. Our own imperfect human love is “made perfect” when we spend time in his presence and dwell in his perfect love.
“God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16-17)
The long answer is that we all have free will, and that there are many obstacles that can keep us from fully abiding in his perfect love.
One of the major obstacles is unforgiveness, which is really a lack of love for others. This is a very serious obstacle to intimacy because Jesus said that if we do not forgive others, then neither will his heavenly Father forgive us! (Matthew 6:15)
Love One Another
When you sincerely love God with all your heart, soul and mind, you will also have a genuine love for others, and especially for those who are in “the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10) This is further confirmation that his Spirit dwells in you, and that “his love” is being perfected in you.
God is the originator and the personification of love, so you really cannot love him “with all of your heart” if you still harbor hatred in your heart.
“We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (1 John 4:19-21 NIV)
Love Is Sacrificial
Every major move of God has always begun with a sacrifice, including the ultimate sacrificial love of Jesus who suffered and died upon a cruel cross for our redemption. His heavenly Father also suffered as well, for “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)
The following are a few examples of people in the Bible who expressed their love for God by sacrificing something that they valued very highly.
•Abel gave a sacrificial love offering that was much more pleasing to God than his brother Cain’s offering.
•As a type of God’s future sacrifice of his own beloved Son, Abraham was even willing to sacrifice his own beloved son, Isaac.
•The disciples willingly sacrificed everything they had and endured many hardships in order to follow after Jesus.
•A woman sacrificed very expensive ointment from an alabaster box just so that she could anoint the feet of Jesus.
•A poor widow woman gave her very last mite into the temple treasury as Jesus watched her approvingly.
•An impoverished widow woman gave the prophet Elijah the last of her meager food supply.
The Power Of Fasting
Voluntary fasting is another example of sacrificial love that is pleasing to God. And if you should happen to find yourself in an emergency situation, fasting can be especially helpful in moving the benevolent hand of God.
However, fasting is best done in secret, for God, “who sees what is done in secret,” will then reward you openly. If it is done only to impress others, then it will be done in vain!
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do ..... But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18)
The following are a few examples of some people in the Bible who fasted and prayed for God to meet their various needs.
•David “humbled his soul with fasting” and prayed for his enemies when they were sick. (Psalm 35:13)
•Esther fasted and prayed three days for deliverance when her life and the lives of her people were in danger. (Esther 4:16)
•Saul, who was later called Paul, fasted and prayed three days for recovery of his sight after he was struck blind on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:9)
•Daniel was the third ruler in the Persian Empire and wanted to know what to do about an impending war, so he fasted and prayed twenty-one days for revelation. (Daniel 10:2)
•Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days after being anointed by the Holy Spirit for public ministry because he knew he was going to be tempted by the devil. (Luke 4:2)
Love Must Be Sincere
Although our Creator earnestly desires for us to return his love, our love for him must be sincere and genuine. We might just as well be completely open and honest before
