First Love and Internet Dragon

Guy Penrod
Because He Lives

By – Gaither Music TV (3 min 39 sec)

[The angel] “’But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Therefore, remember from where you have fallen and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place – unless you repent.   

“’Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’”  Revelation 1:4-7 

The Ephesian church began vigorously.  Yet, many of the church founders had died and the second generation of believers were just going through the motions of being Christians in a lost world.  They had forgotten the joy of salvation.  Even though they went through the motions of faith, they were acting out of wrong motives.   

However, they did hate the Nicolaitans, a group of people who professed to BE Christians but had compromised their faith to fit into the evil of the world surrounding them.   

Application:  It is easy to slip away from what we know is righteous behaviour and make excuses to justify our sinful behaviour as the Ephesians did so they could better fit into the world.  But Jesus calls us to remember the joy of our salvation so we can overcome these desires and have the will and energy to live for Him (Psalm 51:12).   

When we do, He promises we will eat from the Tree of Life that gives eternal life!  Isn’t that neat!