Maintain Spiritual Momentum in Obedience

Revelation 2:1–7 NIV84

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

IN Ephesus something had gone wrong. The hard work was there; the perseverance was there; the unimpeachable orthodoxy was there; but the love was gone

First Love Traits

1. There is an INSATIABLE DESIRE to learn about the other person!

2. There is a TIME INVESTMENT in the relationship!

3.There is a PASSIONATE PREOCCUPATION of your heart!

You can grow in love or grow out of love. The choice is yours

“…you have left your first love.”

Revelation 2:4 “4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.”

STEPS ON THIS JOURNEY

1. Memory is the first step to return

This is charge to those who left church

They are called to remember where God had them

The prodigal son remembered who he was

The first step to change is recognizing that something is wrong

2. Repentance is the admission that the fault is ours

The toughest thing about repentance is admitting personal responsibility for our failure

After accepting responsibility godly sorrow will follow and lead you to the Lord

Repent = I recognize that where I am is not where I am supposed to be. So, I turn and move toward where I am supposed to be.

“Let's take a good look at the way we're living and reorder our lives under God.” Lamentations 3:40 (Msg)

Lam 3:40 “40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”

3. Do what you used to do

Do the next right thing!

MOTION will lead to EMOTION

“Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.” Philippians 3:16 (Msg)

Phil 3:16 “16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”

God, be merciful to me a sinner

Produce fruit of repentance

Gal 5:16 “16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

Gal 5:22-23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

"Having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly…Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now."

2 Corinthians 8:11 (LB)

2 Cor 8:11 “11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.”

4. When you fail, GOD NEVER DOES!

God’s CARE will never fail God’s LOVE will never fail

He wants you in His arms where you belong, no matter what! Why?

Because His LOVE NEVER FAILS

1 Cor 13:4-8 “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”