“And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (Amp. Bible)
It is when the Church tolerates sin that it is going to die.
In Rev. 2:4 Jesus said, “…. I have this against thee, because you have left your first love.”
The Lord is really longing for a loving relationship with His people over their “works”. Jesus is telling us He misses our “first” love: Him.
What happened to the love-sick relationship where we longed for Him, where we would not talk or move until we reached the center of His presence?
He longs for us to want to put Him first, to make Him our first love again, where we talk less and seek Him more. The way it was at the beginning.
He is a jealous God!
How did the Church get so far off course?
How did we allow man to take God’s place in our hearts and lives?
Jude warned us of those who would ‘creep’ in. (Jude 4)
Could it be possible that we got caught sleeping? In this state of slumber we want to be seduced with the flattery of man. We want man to like us, love us and be impressed with us so much so that we are willing to compromise or look the other way.
The Church has gone backwards…….backsliding! (Rev. 2:4)
Change----Turn----Repent!
So the warning is: Jesus---The Holy Spirit will not stay in a loveless church. He will take that church away from His presence.
In essence He is saying, “if you don’t repent, I am going to take and remove the church form My presence. I will not stay.” (Rev. 2:5)
The tragedy of so many churches today is a lack of love which results in the absence of the Holy Spirit. The lack of love and the absence of the Holy Spirit opens the door to fighting, offenses, back-stabbing, hatred, pride, jealousy, control……in other words: evil---sin enter in!
Remember, Satan is a copycat. He too, is knocking on the door of the Church. Satan knows how to charm and deceive.
With evil/sin in the Church how can we truly be in the presence of God?
In order to be in the true presence of God we must first repent, give Him first place, open the door for Him to return as the Head and allow His love to fill our hearts.
More importantly than miracles, man’s ego or a building is a true relationship with Jesus!
Love is Everything!
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Cor. 13:1-2 NIV
Jesus Loves Me!
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