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ezra

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Revelation 2 King James Version (KJV)
2 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

every one seems to know it all in revelation look AT the church at Ephesus they done every thing right from Dotting the I to crossing the T .they was so busy building the perfect Church going stamp sin out etc... BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT look what report they got thou hast left thy first love. who should be our first love? Christ he Loved us w should love him ..it really doesnt say what or how or when but they did they Got so B.U.S.Y they left Jesus out . im telling ya it can be real easy to left your first love Being under Satan yoke . he doesnt care what you stand for or should i say against all the evil in the world.. he doesnt even care how well you know the word... he cares when WE start applying it to our walk .which is a relationship that has to be built in fact it never stops.. 2 peter tells us all about the evil to come ..but then he stops and says but Grow in the grace and knowledge paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:4 the weapons of our warfare are not carnal/fleshly a article i was reading on used these words
When you put all these Greek words together, Second Corinthians 10:4 carries this idea:

“Our God-given weapons are to be used in connection with a divine strategy. But don’t look to the flesh to find that strategy, for the battle plan you need is not going to arise out of your own natural talent, mental exercises, or human effort.”
possibly the Ephesus church used the weapons to combat the evil .< but failed to get the spiritual strategy > leaving out there first love ..Christ gives them a pretty sharp report straighten up get back to your love repent OR ELSE .. yes its time we gt back to our first Love ..they say evil triumphs when good men/women do nothing . when we put on the whole armor of God get out battle plan pray seek God let the spirit speak what to do.. it just might seem crazy like march around some wall blow a horn shout..serious it worked at Jericho they say in a archaeological dig they found the walls and fell out instead of in ..pray for me as i battle the devil around my house we have a major warfare going on .. my temper has a tendency to flare dealing with a mess that really is not our mess. a young 4th grade girl getting in trouble for keeping a cell phone in her back pack .that did not belong to her.. these kids we keep needs there Mother who works nights a single mother no support .not even food stamps .might i add the mom is blinded by the God of this world.. yet proclaims salvation --so i am just using this a example .the devil has a strategy --confusion.. God has a better one.. i seriously doubt this going very far .i dunno next time i preach i may just use this :woot
 
I've always thought this a very important message Ezra. But I have never heard a pastor talk in church about it.
It was good to read your post.
 
Leaving Christ is always the problem, but it is sooooo easy to leave Him and start leaning on our own understanding. In fact I think most people don't even realize if they do it, what it means, and even what knowing Him actually means.

seek God let the spirit speak what to do.. it just might seem crazy

If you love the Lord you will listen to the Lord and yes, He seems mighty crazy!!!!

Perhaps the most understated thing in the Bible is that His thoughts are not our thoughts!!

He just doesn't think like me!! And while reading the Bible and trying to do good things might seem like the thing to do it still doesn't make our thoughts His thoughts. The Only Way to do that is to listen to Him... and even then you are not Him so even what He specifically tells you does not make your thoughts His thoughts. It only gets you working with Him. And if you truly love Him, you are going to work with Him. Like the old song goes, you will 'Walk with Him and talk with Him.'

I can clearly understand the Ephesians a lot easier than I can understand Him. Doing good works is always easier to understand that doing what He personally tells you.

It reminds me of Mark 2:9 "Which is easier to say to the paralytic,' Your sins are forgiven'; of to say, "Get up , an pick up your pallet and walk'?

Think about the verse and apply - If you today happened to see a person in a wheel chair, which is easier to do, is it [A] Go tell the person God forgave their sins, or is it Get up out of your wheel chair and walk.

It is a whole lot easier to preach forgiveness than to believe in God, listen to Him, then tell someone to get out of their wheel chair if the Lord tells you to!

I can think of two times in my life where I had the Lord point out a man going through a parking lot in a wheel chair and tell me to go pray for healing for him. I couldn't get myself to do it either time. It would have been much easier if I was just asked to God mention Jesus to the person. I did once pray for a man with a walker and the Spirit touch the man and he left the walker behind.

The point is, that it is a lot easier going around doing good works that we feel comfortable with than to listen to the Lord and believe it is going to work out.

And I can tell you from experience that listening to the Lord and doing what He says almost never works out like you think! It always works out like He thinks, but again He thoughts are not your thoughts. Still, if you do listen and just do what He tells you will see incredible things!! But maybe you don't really want the incredible things?

I kind a like a normal little life in a normal little church, with it's comfort, and regular problems. Listening to Him and following Him is a whole different thing. I did listen to Him and found myself quitting my good job, like He told me, to spend all my retirement money to open a Christian bookstore for a couple of years until I had lost all that money. Then I wound up in a Christian healing ministry seeing lots of incredible things, but still had trouble praying for the random paralytic in a wheel chair in a parking lot. Then He had me signing up against my will, but according to His will, in a hospital visitation ministry. You can see incredible things there too, like seeing angels looking in on someone they are about to take. But it is sad. If you are there you don't want that. His thoughts are still not your thoughts.

It's a problem, but do you love and can you love Him even if He is about to take someone to heaven when you think they should be here?

For reasons like those and so many more: I can talk to Him, hear from Him, and even do what He asks sometimes, but even though He is amazing it is a lot easier to just go back into good works.
 
Revelation 2 King James Version (KJV)
2 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

every one seems to know it all in revelation look AT the church at Ephesus they done every thing right from Dotting the I to crossing the T .they was so busy building the perfect Church going stamp sin out etc... BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT look what report they got thou hast left thy first love. who should be our first love? Christ he Loved us w should love him ..it really doesnt say what or how or when but they did they Got so B.U.S.Y they left Jesus out . im telling ya it can be real easy to left your first love Being under Satan yoke . he doesnt care what you stand for or should i say against all the evil in the world.. he doesnt even care how well you know the word... he cares when WE start applying it to our walk .which is a relationship that has to be built in fact it never stops.. 2 peter tells us all about the evil to come ..but then he stops and says but Grow in the grace and knowledge paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:4 the weapons of our warfare are not carnal/fleshly a article i was reading on used these words
When you put all these Greek words together, Second Corinthians 10:4 carries this idea:

“Our God-given weapons are to be used in connection with a divine strategy. But don’t look to the flesh to find that strategy, for the battle plan you need is not going to arise out of your own natural talent, mental exercises, or human effort.”
possibly the Ephesus church used the weapons to combat the evil .< but failed to get the spiritual strategy > leaving out there first love ..Christ gives them a pretty sharp report straighten up get back to your love repent OR ELSE .. yes its time we gt back to our first Love ..they say evil triumphs when good men/women do nothing . when we put on the whole armor of God get out battle plan pray seek God let the spirit speak what to do.. it just might seem crazy like march around some wall blow a horn shout..serious it worked at Jericho they say in a archaeological dig they found the walls and fell out instead of in ..pray for me as i battle the devil around my house we have a major warfare going on .. my temper has a tendency to flare dealing with a mess that really is not our mess. a young 4th grade girl getting in trouble for keeping a cell phone in her back pack .that did not belong to her.. these kids we keep needs there Mother who works nights a single mother no support .not even food stamps .might i add the mom is blinded by the God of this world.. yet proclaims salvation --so i am just using this a example .the devil has a strategy --confusion.. God has a better one.. i seriously doubt this going very far .i dunno next time i preach i may just use this :woot
Amen, Christ is our first love.
I believe they were guilty of traditions of man, also the deeds of the Nicolaitans was Baal worship.
 
The "first love" is speaking about "The Cross." They are proclaiming Jesus, but have forsaking the Cross. This is called "Spiritual Adultery (lukewarm)!" The Believer must remember when they first got saved and do the first works. Which is placing and maintaining your faith exclusively in Christ AND THE CROSS. Remember, return, and repent (Must be fruits of repentance - Luke 3:8). If the light is removed, your name is blotted out the Lambs book of life. This is why Jesus said only a few will be saved!
 
Most Christians have left their First Love. They are proclaiming Jesus, but forsaking the Cross (lukewarm). This is called "Spiritual Adultery." If it continues, the scripture says the light is removed! Revelation 2:1-7; Revelation 3:14-19

A transgressor

“18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed (revert back to the Law), I make myself a transgressor. (To revert to any type of Law is a departure from God’s Prescribed Order of Victory [the Cross], and is sin).” Galatians 2:18

Works of iniquity

“21 Not every one who says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (the repetition of the word “Lord” expresses astonishment, as if to say: “Are we to be disowned?”); but he who does the Will of My Father which is in Heaven (what is the Will of the Father? Verse 23 tells us).

22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in Your Name? and in Your Name have cast out devils? and in Your Name done many wonderful works? (These things are not the criteria, but rather Faith in Christ and what Christ has done for us at the Cross [Eph. 2:8-9, 13-18]. The Word of God alone is to be the judge of doctrine.)

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you (again we say, the criteria alone is Christ and Him Crucified [I Cor. 1:23]): depart from Me, you who work iniquity (we have access to God only through Christ, and access to Christ only through the Cross, and access to the Cross only through a denial of self [Lk. 9:23]; any other Message is Judged by God as “iniquity,” and cannot be a part of Christ [I Cor. 1:17]).” Matthew 7:21-23

Willful rejection and consequences

“6 My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no Priest to Me: seeing you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your children. (“My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” is the cause of all the problems in the church, and the world, for that matter! The “knowledge” spoken of is the Bible. This “lack of knowledge” was not ignorance, but rather a willful rejection of the Law of God. They didn’t know, but it was because they didn’t want to know!) Hosea 4:6

JSM
 
There are not many roads or ways that lead to a relationship with God. In fact, there is no other name given under heaven whereby men can be saved but one. That is the precious name of Jesus, who gave His life that all humanity might be saved, at least for those who will believe. The way to God is therefore through a narrow gate, a small door, open to all, but only one person at a time may pass through. Once through that straight gate there lies before the new believer a glorious but difficult road. Nothing could be more magnificent but no road or way will ever demand more from those who choose to travel upon it. It is the way of the Cross. On this path self must be denied, sin must be overcome, the cross is to be embraced daily, and all trust in personal strengths must be laid aside. This is a difficult way, a narrow way, the way less traveled. But the pleasure and strength that is found along the path is joy unspeakable and the grace freely given for the journey is outstandingly awesome. The sad fact remains that there are precious few that will choose this road. Are you one?

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Pastor Loren Larson

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

Out of 603,550 men who were readied for war that came out of Egypt under the power of God (Numbers 1:44-46), only two took their inheritance; Joshua (a type of Christ) and Caleb (a type of the body of Christ) (Matthew 7:14).

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Note: Only two finished with "GRACE!"
 
If the Believers Faith is placed exclusively in Christ and the Cross, i.e., The Finished Work, i.e., The Blood of Jesus, the Believer will enter into the Lord's rest that is carried out by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:2, Hebrews 4:1). This is the only way that the Holy Spirit will deliver the Believer into the death, burial, and resurrection in Christ so that the life of Christ is manifested through the Believer by the power of the Holy Spirit both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Romans 6:3-5, Romans 8:2, 2 Corinthians 4:11, Philippians 2:13). IT IS HIS LIFE THAT BRINGS VICTORY...NOT OURS. JESUS SAID, "YOU CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT ME! EVERYTHING THAT MAN DOES DIES. EVERYTHING THAT JESUS DOES IS BLESSED, PROSPERS, LIVES, AND HAS LIFE!

If the Believer does not understand this, all scriptures become enticing words to the flesh, that will be attempted by the flesh to perform (Romans 8:2-3, 1 Corinthians 2:4). The Believer now becomes a transgressor (Galatians 2:18). Under Grace, the Holy Spirit carries out the will of God in the Believer (Romans 8:2). Under the Law, the flesh (your own ability) carry's out the Law of God. Under Grace, the new covenant, if Christ is a Law keeper, than I am a Law keeper because I am in Him (Romans 6:3-5, Galatians 2:20-21).
 
The "first love" is speaking about "The Cross." They are proclaiming Jesus, but have forsaking the Cross. This is called "Spiritual Adultery (lukewarm)!" The Believer must remember when they first got saved and do the first works. Which is placing and maintaining your faith exclusively in Christ AND THE CROSS. Remember, return, and repent (Must be fruits of repentance - Luke 3:8). If the light is removed, your name is blotted out the Lambs book of life. This is why Jesus said only a few will be saved!
possible i like Pastor Loren Larson but he is just a man like me.. he has some good education and knowledge.. while i do agree to some degree on the cross . there could be more to it
 
i found this article let me tell ya it smacked me upside the head spiritually .. at one point or another every one has had these symptoms at one time or another ..YES EVERYONE

Have You Left Your First Love?
Article by
Greg Morse

Staff writer, desiringGod.org
Darkness is never so dark as when a redeemed soul isn’t satisfied in God. The richness of the Scripture has no taste. The preacher’s sermon deflects off fleshly armor. Prayers seem to be stamped, “Return to sender.”
Distractions intrude the best attempts to have quiet moments with God. Your heart sighs. Memories of blazing intimacy with Christ make the soul now shiver. “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it” rings truer than other lyrics. You may even fear that, after all of this time, you aren’t really his.
Darkness Deepens
I have experienced several of these seasons during my decade as a Christian. It is a valley of the shadow of death, a desert wilderness in which Satan comes to tempt and deceive.
During these times, I’ve wanted to blame God for where I ended up and double down on my rebellion. But the haunting question God asked his spiritually callous people shoots down all my excuses, “What wrong did you find in me that you went far from me?” (see Jeremiah 2:5). When we find ourselves far from God, he is never the one to blame.
And this makes the darkness darker. I know that spiritual dullness often results from my treating God like a pigeon in the park to whom I leisurely throw the crumbs of my leftover devotion after a long day of caring about other things. In such seasons, God allows my joylessness to snap me out of treating him as a hobby, to learn afresh to seek his face as if he was, well, God.
“My love threatens to grow cold when the familiar becomes taken for granted and neglected.”

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I have even dressed up my desertion in religious robes. I might refuse discipline by calling it legalism; refuse God’s presence, calling it freedom; refuse to commune with him, calling it salvation by grace. Christ’s blood becomes that which was shed so that I might safely ignore him.
Of course, I overbook my schedule to hide my negligence. Like a criminal mastermind, I premeditate alibis to exonerate myself from spiritual complacency. When questioned, like those other guests who also wickedly excused themselves (Luke 14:16–24), I keep my calendar close at hand to justify not attending my Master’s banquet. I write off the whole bit about loving Jesus above everything or I can’t be his disciple, calling it rhetorical hyperbole.
Even though I love Jesus, my love threatens to grow cold when the familiar becomes taken for granted and neglected.
Leaving Your First Love?
Despite Satan’s insinuations, you are not the first to experience this paralyzing lack of happiness in God. After commending the church at Ephesus concerning their patient endurance, intolerance of evil, suffering for Christ’s name, and exposing of false apostles, Jesus confronts them. Although this church looked amazing on paper, he turns to one central issue, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4).
They had a zeal for orthodoxy, but they had lost their love for Jesus. They showed up for Bible studies and debated the heretics, but lost their pure love for their Lord. They stood against evil in their midst, but tolerated a sluggish love towards Jesus and each other.
They privately were abandoning Christ in their public crusade for truth about Christ. They were exchanging Christ himself for theological images of their Savior. It is a scary reality that the road to hell is not only paved with good intentions, but good deeds and theological precision as well.
“You are not the first to experience this paralyzing lack of happiness in God.”

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And Jesus was going to remove their lampstand if they continued to sled down the hill that Matthew warned against: “Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:12–13).
But Jesus loves his church and has compassion towards his faintly burning wicks. So, Jesus counsels them, and us, in three ways:
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:5)
1. Remember
The first step God calls us to may be surprising: remember. This is not some great feat for spiritual giants. It is merely the act of a child looking back upon former days.
Do you remember when God first awakened your soul? Do you remember the excitement you had when he plucked you out of darkness? How joyful did you dance, from an orphan to a son, a dead sinner to a resurrected saint, an enemy with God to his beloved? Do you remember?
Did you once run to prayer, not to take your daily dose of spiritual medicine, but because your Great Love waited for you there? Did you ever sing in the silence with the psalmist, “There is nothing I desire besides you” (see Psalm 73:25)? Did you stay up late to undress your soul before him? Did you rise up early to put on heavenly attire? Do you remember?
Remember quiet mornings of choosing the good portion as you sat at his feet. Remember the glory that you saw and the Savior that you sang to when you were filled with “joy unspeakable.” Remember the time you invested in eternity when you met with other believers to worship him. Remember.
2. Repent
From the conviction that comes from realizing where you once stood, repent. You have left Jerusalem for Egypt; the Promised Land for Canaan. Don’t just try to do better next time. Don’t just feel guilty and hide behind the bushes of good intentions. Go to your Savior in the blood of his Son and cry out for mercy, confessing your coldness to him and asking him for grace.
Tell him you’ve grown cold. Tell him you’ve entertained other loves. Repent to your God for not loving him as he deserves. He stands ready to forgive and restore. Your High Priest will sympathize with you, therefore, “Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, KJV).
3. Return
Amazingly, God calls us to return to where we once fell. He does not call us to make up for lost time and be a mile ahead of where we used to be. He calls us back to that fresh fire of love towards him and neighbor. It is a call to action. It is a call to return to the habits of grace. It is a command to keep ourselves in the love of God (Jude 21).
“God allows my joylessness to snap me out of treating him as a hobby.”
https://christianforums.net/Fellowship/javascript:;
And beyond the standard means of grace, it is worth considering what makes your heart sing for Jesus Christ. Is it long walks in nature, early mornings with your guitar, writing poetry, reading Christ-exalting fiction, diagraming philosophical arguments on the true nature of beauty, evangelizing college students?
What is it in this season? Prioritize it. The door is not locked, the story is not over. You can have a sweet relationship with God in Christ again. He has given you more breath so that you might use it to seek him, cry out to him, wait on him.
Show yourself on the horizon. He will run to you in due time.
 
I've always thought this a very important message Ezra. But I have never heard a pastor talk in church about it.
It was good to read your post.
i am not a writer this is why i seldom do post like this.. we studied this last sunday in Sunday school class.. i did just a small reading of comments on it.. been pretty hectic this week..the satanic storm hit again another child not listening at school . i have done put word out .it will not be tolerated . age 57 im not putting up with it.. the devil is all over this.. and im fixing go to war ..ever since sunday God has been reminding of thy first love
 
Satan is raging about, will pray for these children Ezra. They are lucky you are there.

If we lose our first love all is lost. What else is there?
 
If we lose our first love all is lost. What else is there?
see the good news is if we lose it..all we have to do is go back and pick back up will the road be easy ? No the devil will have detours go down this road turn left opps dead end !!! the Bible says we can approach the Throne of Grace at any time.. we also have a advocate.. ya know sometime we can do be doing religious work and forget all about our first Love woe to those who are at ease in mt zion .. ever catch your self at ease? i am taking the 5th amendment my self return repent
 
I understand what you are saying Ezra. You have worded it so well it would be great next time you preach. Makes me soul search.
 
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