Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - Aug. 15, 2012
Remember Your First Love
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” - (Revelation 2:4)
If you are married, remember when you first met your future husband or wife? What did you do? You wanted to impress him or her, so you ironed your clothes, maybe put on some expensive perfume or cologne, said nice things, and were on your best behavior.
Then maybe a courtship developed and you were boyfriend and girlfriend. Then you were engaged. Then, ultimately, you were married. And then, as they say, the honeymoon is over. Everything started to change.
Guess what? This can happen in your relationship with God as well. Remember when you first gave your life to Jesus Christ? How exciting it was that your sins had been forgiven. Those walls of bitterness came crashing down. That void in your life was filled with God himself, and you were flooded with a joy and a peace that passed all understanding. Someone told you that you could pray and talk to God wherever you were. How exciting that was.
But have things changed with the passing of time? You still pray . . . when you think of it. You still read the Bible . . . sporadically at best. You are willing to share your faith . . . but only if someone approaches you and asks about your beliefs.
What has happened? Probably the same thing that happened to the church of Ephesus: you are beginning to leave your first love. Was there a time when you were closer to God than you are today?
If you have begun to leave your first love, here is the good news. As Jesus said to the church of Ephesus, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works . . .” (Revelation 2:5). Remember, repent, and then get back to where you were before.
Summary sentence: Who would you rate your love of Jesus today?
Tags: love, remember
Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
SPECIAL OFFER
Your gift today, whatever the size, will bring the gospel to people through Harvest America and the outreach efforts of Harvest.
In appreciation for your gift of investment today, you can receive both Hope for America and a companion resource titled Pray America Prayer Journal. The only way America can really experience a spiritual awakening is through prayer, so this prayer journal makes a great companion piece to Hope for America. It was written by my wife, Cathe, and I know that it will help you get started in praying for your country, for yourself, and for those around you.
