Living Free - Jan. 13, 2014
Today's Scripture
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first." - Revelation 2:4 NIV
Thoughts for Today
Jesus praised the church at Ephesus for many good works. They worked hard and endured even during difficult times. They didn't tolerate sin. They were careful to be faithful to the truths of God's Word. They did not allow false teachers to lead them astray. They even patiently suffered for Jesus and didn't give up. However, Jesus added that He had this complaint about them: "You have forsaken the love you had at first."
They had lost their passion for Jesus.
How about you? Have you lost the passion you had when you first believed?
Consider this …
The Christian life is a passionate life. Passionate spirituality is the desire of every true follower of Christ. Yet life has a way of slowly separating us from God. Someone once said, "Life is a wild-goose chase without the goose!"
Most of us sometimes find ourselves caught in a tug-of-war between our agenda and God's desires. Perhaps, like the Ephesians, our agenda is a good one. Serving God. Teaching Bible study or Sunday school. Serving on church committees. Helping the homeless. Serving in full-time ministry. All good pursuits—if they are motivated by a passionate love for God. If not, all the good works become empty because we are pursuing our own agenda and not God's. We have placed works on a higher priority than an intimate relationship with Him.
Father, forgive me for getting so caught up in "doing" that I've neglected my relationship with You. Help me to return to my first love for You. May my passion for you become my motivation for service. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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