You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling

Revelation 2:2-5, 7 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

This last week, our church continued in a new Sunday sermon series in the Book of Revelation of the seven churches in Asia. Pastor Kyle suggests that if a Christian does not feel blessed highly, worship greatly or feel exceedingly more alive with an extremely deep sense of holiness in Christ, then you would have to wonder if they are focusing on the details of their faith, instead of the object of their faith, missing the “good news’ and making them not “right” with God as they should be, resulting in a cold relationship with the Lord. We can have the motions of sound theology, godly works, excellent biblical teaching, but still have our hearts fading. So, how can we restore the flame of faith and end a cold relationship with God (or anyone else for that matter)?  

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

It’s easy for us to play the blame game and say. “If the other person would change, than everything will be just fine”, but truly we need to start “righting the relationship” by thinking back to where we were when Jesus found us. Things can be going seemingly perfect and in an instant (“Bomb”) you have a big moral fall, becoming spiritually disabled. We have all taken a great fall in our sin. But, Jesus came to restore us, give us abundant life today and eternal life in heaven. Remember the height from which we fell and how far God came to rescue us. Then, go back to putting the idol distractions out of business (an idol being anything that we put between our face and God’s). Do the “good” stuff that you did in the beginning; the blessed things that you did in early days of your relationship with the Lord, which have fallen aside.

Psalm 111:4 “He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is  gracious and full of compassion.”

Remember that we don’t fall in or out of love; we “do” love. Love is not a feeling. Love and its associated attributes is a choice on our part. Take God’s grace to change the negative past into a positive future to rejoice about. When things go south and take a turn for the worse, we don’t focus on “Where is God?”, but remember how far God has come into this “fallen” world. This is not the Garden of Eden; know that we live in a “fallen” world and we are all “fallen” people to sin. To say that you are not “feeling” it anymore” or “I don’t really care” is really saying that you do care. If you feel far from God, guess who moved.

The gospel of Jesus Christ includes reaching other people who do not know the Lord with the gospel. The “me and God” mentality is killing the message of Christ the Redeemer. Trying to protect ourselves from “harm” of unbelief prevents ministry and spiritual growth that Jesus modeled as a labor of love. Serving others with the warming fire of God in our hearts will be a “labor of love” work that is both rewarding and connecting. The reward for staying connected to the people of God is worth the investment of time every time. This is not mindlessly going though religious rituals, as if on automatic control that losses its impact in the community, nation and world, but is mindful and worshipful transformation.   

Psalm 77:11 “I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”

The tree I water is the one that grows. A seed is planted, but must be watered in order to thrive. We need to look back and take an inventory to see just how far God has taken you to get you to where you are today. Then, we can see that we are truly moving forwards towards the gates of heaven with a warm heart and not one that is cold and forgotten. Never lose that lovin' feeling for the Lord.

In Christ, Brian