DECEMBER 10 "RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE...I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!"

"Return to your first love" it's the sermon older Christians hate to hear. It's like men listening to a sermon on lust "oh here we go again", they think to themselves. Lust is the Achilles heel of every man (though hopefully triumphant) and "go back to your first love" is the sermon that can be preached any Sunday, and most older converts will be convicted! Because we do stray in our relationships, the fire does dwindle in our relationships and whether we want to hear it or not it is true and needs to be said. We do need to return to our first love, it's not a cliché, but true! We are no longer the "down and out" person we were when we first came to Christ. We are now married, have kids, have sports on week-ends, have good jobs and life is good, for the most part and oh yeah, Jesus, sure, he's good, church is alright, however I don't think I'm gonna make it this Sunday my son has a soccer game out of town and I didn't make it last week because my work had our Christmas party and the week before, I was just awful tired and thought I needed a day off to rest. Finally that Christian makes it to service for the 1st time that month and what do they hear....but a sermon on "returning to their first love" or accused of being "lukewarm" and really, who wants to hear it?! So then, what do we do with this verse in the Bible, what do we do with this staunching rebuke from the one we love. If you're a smart preacher, you avoid it. If you are an obedient preacher, obedient to the Holy Spirit, you still preach it and let the cards fall where they may. Should it be preached every Sunday or every month, of course not, but the preacher should not be afraid or intimidated from preaching the Words of Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit prompts him. And so, with all that said, do you need to return to your first love? Are you so caught up in your life now that Jesus is but a shadow of what He used to be in your life? Do you still pray? Do you still pick up the bible? Do you still desire to be in church or is it just your duty now? If you're human and you've been a Christian for any number of years, the answer to all those questions will be in your favor. at certain seasons in your life. And it is a good sermon, or a good blog or a good friend, that because they care for us, reminds us to keep the flame alive, don't let it dwindle; keep the flame alive with Jesus because we know that the natural course of any fire, if you've ever had a fireplace, is to dwindle down and eventually go out, that is the natural course of any fire, no matter how bright, how powerfully it once blazed, without care, every fire, eventually goes out!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FEBRUARY 8 "ABANDONED IN MY TIME OF NEED"

   This may end up being one of the greater indictments against The Church of Jesus Christ at our judgement; that we abandoned our brothers and sisters in their most dire time of need. In our reading today, the Psalmist eludes to a time of great anguish in his life and because of this his strength is failing; he then goes on to say concerning his friends, "I am a dread to my friends....I am forgotten by them". Unfortunately, it is when we are not at our best that our brothers and sisters in Christ seem to get turned off by us and often abandon us when we need them the most! Why is that? Is it because of selfish reasons, after all, who doesn't want to hang around upbeat people full of joy and victory, but are there not times that we need to also grieve with those that are grieving?! Another reason is their weakness probably turns us off, "why are you even struggling with this ....what's wrong with you!!?" Thence, we're turned off and leave them to struggl
Read more

OCTOBER 27 "THE UNIQUENESS OF THE DOVE"

                                HOW DOES THE DOVE DIFFER FROM OTHER BIRDS      They Differ Anatomically: Scientists have found the anatomy of Doves is very different from that of other birds. In fact, these beloved birds have no gallbladder, an organ that typically secretes bile.      The dove is the rare bird that has not bitterness, gall in it’s body but also displays no sign towards other birds. It is no surprise then that the Dove is what God used to represent the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus, a bird with no bitterness in it. It was imperative to Jesus' ministry that He never allow bitterness to enter Him; even to the very end, upon His crucifixion where He refused the drink, mixed with gall. Don't drink the cup of bitterness/gall,....ever!
Read more

AUGUST 8 "ARE YOU THE WELL RESPECTED CHRISTIAN?"

   There's always the exception to the rule, but I believe most of us struggle with wanting to be the respected and dignified Christian, as opposed to what Paul describes as "spectacle to the entire world-to people and angels alike. Our dedication makes us look like fools, but you are so wise (and well respected)".  I think Paul breaks it down "our dedication" makes us look like fools. When we are dedicated, sold out for Christ, we will look like fools. Street preaching is not dignified, passing out tracts and flyers at Walmart does not boost your social status, preaching at a public event doesn't make the Community you live in respect you. "Our dedication makes us fools....BUT, you are wise!" I wonder how many Christians reading this have never Street Preached, passed out flyers and evangelized in an open square? Just the thought of it makes them nausea and raises the hairs on the back of their necks.  Have you become the wise and respectable Chri
Read more