What is First Love? (Rev 2:4)

Amen Holy Spirit

Today I am starting with Rev 2:4, where Jesus issues to the 7 churches what is commonly known here as report cards. To the church of Ephesus, Jesus says “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” So to us, when we read it, we think: “must not forsake first love, Jesus is the First and the Last, must love Jesus, must not forsake Jesus, He is my first love”. Amen to that.

But we are to go deeper than that and search out what treasures this first love holds. First love is not only meant putting Jesus ahead of everyone else, it is not only a ranking in our lives but we are to see what first love really is.

Prov 8:22: “The Lord brought me forth as the first of His works, before His deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world. I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep the command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.”

Jesus also says in Jn 17:24: “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world”.

First love is to not only rank Jesus as priority in our lives, but it is also pivotal to see that His love for the Father, and the Father has for His Son, and the love that they both have for the Holy Spirit, is the first love to ever appear and exist in all of eternity. It is the greatest love of all, the love which is unfailing and eternal and endures forever.

When Jesus became flesh and made His dwelling with us, He brought with Him the invitation of that first love to show us and partake in, so that we may experience and taste the goodness and the fullness of the power of first love, remain in it and return it back to the Father a 100-fold as sons and daughters of God with all its beauty and splendour.

But did the Lord exactly that we are not to forsake our first love? Yes. If we had been listening to Him as we were commanded to, we would have extracted that treasure out of His words.

He says in Jn 15:19: “As the Father has loved you, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remained in his love. (Purpose) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.”

I call this the “circle of love”- where the Father loves Jesus, Jesus loves the Father, and the Father loves us, and Jesus loves us, and we love Jesus and obey His commands and we remain in His love. By obeying His commands, we come to know that the Father and Jesus love their Holy Spirit, and we love the Holy Spirit as they love Him. This is the “circle of love” that Jesus has given us a foretaste of when He was last here on earth, and He sent the Holy Spirit for us to listen to and agree with so we can remain in His love. That first love. And the “circle of love” expands we each of remain in it and we love one another as He love us.

What does it mean to remain in His love? It is a state of constancy and permanency. To remain in His love just as He remains in the Father’s love means to tale hold of it, know the precious treasures within, and never let it go because your life depends on it. To be out of His love is like a fish out of water, gasping for the breath of life, and soon to die if not restored. Just as the Holy Spirit came down from heaven as a dove and remained on Jesus, illuminating Jesus in the eyes of John the Baptist as the Son of God who baptises with the Holy Spirit- God’s love came down from heaven as the Son of Man and remain in us, illuminating us in the eyes of the world as the disciples of the Son of the Most High God, bearing fruit that lasts as long as we remain in Him and His word remains in us.

In case we did not understand or found it too difficult, this concept of “remaining in Him”, the Lord showed us how to. He speaks clearly and without figure of speech: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remained in his love.” That was a statement which was meant to start us off in the correct direction- it begins from there. Simply -obeying His commands. And what did Jesus say was the greatest commandment? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” If we fulfilled that commandment, we would have then kept the Father’s command to listen to Jesus.

So the moment we stop listening to the Father telling us to listen to Jesus who tells us to listen to Holy Spirit- the Spirit of Truth who guides us into all truth and make the things of Jesus known to us- we have failed to obey His commands and to remain in His love, we have forsaken it. And we replace the first love with our love which is failing and flawed- Just as we replace our words of powerlessness with the Lord’s words of power in perfection. Any moment we neglect to listen to either one of the 3 who are 1, we fall out of the circle of love, and we have forsaken it. We were not meant to survive these times by relying on just our love for the Lord- for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God- it was to be His love, the first love that loves to the last, that endures forever, His great unfailing love which we have been given the privilege to remain in.

In Jn 13, it is written that: “It was just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave the world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love”. What did He say in Jn Ch 14-17 which showed them to full extent of His love?

He revealed to his disciples about the Holy Spirit - in Acts, He called the Holy Spirit “the gift my Father promised”. Before then He had only hinted to them what was to come- In Mk 13:11 “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given at the time, for it is not you speaking but the Holy Spirit.” And in Lk 11:13: “If you then though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!”

But in Jn 14-17 the Lord unveils to us, his disciples, how good a gift the Holy Spirit really is, sent in Jesus’ name from the Father to us. Us! To know the Holy Spirit as the Father and Son know Him, to have the Holy Spirit live in us as He lives in the Father and Son and to be with us forever as He is in them. And we never had to ask for such a good gift!

And what was the purpose? The Father sent the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name because (Jn 17:26) Jesus has made the Father known to us and will continue to make Him known through the power of fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit, in order that the love the Father has for Jesus may be in us, and that Jesus himself may be in us. All this He has told us, and keeps telling us through the Holy Spirit so that we will not go astray. Our remaining in the Lord’s first love ensures that we remain in that circle of love till the end and the beginning, so that we come to know the Father in spirit and in truth. The Lord our God is one Lord, who we must love with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

Since Jesus taught us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves, how much more are we to love Him who the Father sent to live in us? More than we love ourselves… The Holy Spirit is not a power tool box we are to put on a leash and drag around so that we can do things in Jesus’ name to look good and be popular before men. The only praises we aim for are praises for God and God alone so that men may see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.

What Jesus was really saying in those 4 chapters in Jn before He went on His way to the cross was this: “This is my Holy Spirit whom my Father and I love, with Him we are well pleased. LISTEN TO HIM!” For when Jesus came and brought us out of Egypt, where we were slaves to sin, and spoke to us, He did not just give us commands about drinking blood and giving to the poor, but He gave us the command to listen to the Holy Spirit and submit our will to Him so that the things of God will be fulfilled by the power of the Holy Spirit as He does His work in us. But we have not listened or paid attention, instead have followed the stubborn inclination of our hearts and the futility of our ways. We went backward and not forward.

The Lord said (Jn 14:13) that “the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me”. But, as yet, the world does not know that Jesus loves the Father and does exactly what He commands him, because we have forsaken our first love. We were meant to be witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) because we receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us, and together we are partners in testifying about the power and glory of the kingdom of heaven, which God has placed in the reigning hands of His Son!

We have not listened to the Holy Spirit and we have foiled the Holy Spirit’s plans to testify about Jesus through a display of miraculous powers, signs and wonders that cause everyone within a million km radius to fall at their feet and confess the Lord’s name as Son of the Most High God, our Lord and Saviour! We have not listened and we have provoked Him to anger and grieved the Holy Spirit time and time again by shutting Him out and boxing Him in.

For if we had been faithful in listening to Jesus, we would see how much the Father and Son love the Holy Spirit. Firstly, Eternal life must include the baptism of the Holy Spirit which Jesus personally performs in each of us. Secondly. Eternal sin is not blasphemy against the Son of Man, but against the Holy Spirit.

If we have been faithful in listening to the Holy Spirit, the Lord will be able to write words on our hearts and as we speak them, we loose them for Him- or rather, when we have learnt to submit to the Holy Spirit, He speaks them on behalf of the Lord and He looses them for Him, and they are loosed.

And if we have been faithful to the Holy Spirit, He would also be able to trust us and reveal to us His own hopes and desires, His grief and frustration, His joys and good pleasures- treasures hidden in secret places- just as the Father and Jesus reveal them to those who seek to know Him. As the Father was a husband to Israel, and Jesus is a husband to the church, where is the bride due to the Holy Spirit, shining with the glory of God and with the brilliance of a very precious jewel?
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Did not the Lord say that everything in this world is a parable of what He is doing? When Jesus said this truth about Mary Magdalene: “I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” – He was not only honouring Mary. He also said this to honour the Holy Spirit.

(Jn 12:7) 6 days before the Passover at Martha’s house, Mary Magdalene took a pint of pure nard and poured it onto Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. (Mt 26:2) And then 2 days before the Passover at Simon the Leper’s house, Mary Magdalene again took an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume which she poured on his head as he was reclining. Jesus said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Why was it so important to remember what Mary had done? Why must it be mentioned wherever this gospel is preached? Was it only to pay Mary a high honour?

Jesus knew that just as He had His time to leave, the Holy Spirit also has His time to leave. He wants us to lavish the best of our love and appreciation to the Holy Spirit, especially in these last days just as He enjoyed Mary lavishing her expensive perfume -symbolic of the best of her love for Him- and not just once, but again and again, to prepare for the departure of His Holy Spirit. To do a beautiful for Him, so that the Father and Son who are One, may also enjoy the Holy Spirit’s delights and pleasures through our passions for Him and in Him. By making sure we mention the beautiful thing Mary did all the time, we can fulfil the hidden desire Jesus has for us towards His Holy Spirit. He wanted to make sure that it would not be forgotten or buried deep within us, but something as commonly practised as the drinking of grape juice and eating bits of bread.

And if we had mentioned what Mary Magdalene had done in the last few days of Jesus, we would come to realise that just as Jesus poured out the treasures of His teachings during His final days on earth, the Holy Spirit will also be pouring out treasures of teachings during the His final days on earth - for there is much to do - purposes to be fulfilled, tasks to be completed, appointments to be kept and schedules to be followed, and on top of that, a whole lot of final instructions and directions to those who are meant to stay and wait for the Lord’s return.

So if you have forsaken your first love and fallen out of the circle of love, Repent and do the things you did at first. Start by saying “Amen Holy Spirit” more times than you can breathe. Do not let your love grow cold now- do not let yourselves be the ones who Jesus refers to in Matt 24: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved”. If you focus on the Holy Spirit and His final unveiling of power in His last days on earth, and focus on the pleasures of fellowshipping with Him to attain to fullness of the stature of the power of the Holy Spirit- your love cannot grow cold, or lukewarm and you will not be spat out of the Lord’s mouth.

Jesus tells us in Rev 2 that it is not enough to just have deeds- not enough to persevere and endure hardships for His name and not grown weary- if you have forsaken your first love, Jesus will hold it against you because He did come to show you that first love He has with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It is a precious gift from His heart. Redeem the time- give back double of the “Amen Holy Spirit(s)” you have neglected to say all this time and get back into the circle of love today.

If you have not known or seen how wonderful the Holy Spirit is, and who He is, and you want to- Let’s start by looking over to your brother and your sister on your left and right and say “Amen Holy Spirit”- and see the delight of the Holy Spirit in their eyes. AMEN HOLY SPIRIT! AMEN HOLY SPIRIT!

In His Law The Islands Will Put Their Hope (Is 42:4)

Is 41:1 Be silent before me, you islands! Let the nations renew their strength! Let them
come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place of judgment.

Is 51:1 Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord:

Is 51:4 Listen to me my people; hear me my nation:

Jer 9:24 Let his who boasts boast about this that he understands me and knows me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight.

Is 42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put on Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

Is 42:4 In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.

Is 51:4 The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations.
My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm
will bring justice to the nations.
The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.
Lift up your eyes to heaven, look at the earth beneath;
The heavens will vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies.

Is 51:7 But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.
Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your
hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.
For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like
wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all
generations.

Is 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right
hand.

Is 42:6 I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold on your hand.

Is 56:1 Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my
righteousness will soon be revealed.

Zech 7:9 Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.

Matt 9:12 But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not
come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Matt 23:23 …The more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You
should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Jer 21:12 Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one
who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire…

Is 28:18 See I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure
foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line.

Jer 30:11 I am with you and will save you. I will discipline you but only with justice. I will
not let you go entirely unpunished.

Is 66:8 For I, the Lord, love justice.

Eze 34:16 I will shepherd the flock with justice.

Eze 34:30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and they they, the
house of Israel, are my people. You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are
people and I am your God.

Hos 2:19 I will betroth you to me forever, I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in
love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge
the Lord.

Jer 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-
kindness. I will rebuild you up again, and you will be rebuilt.

Am 5:4 Seek me and live.

Am 5:25 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Matt 5:3 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.

Lk 18:7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day
and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get
justice, and quickly.

Jn 14:28 You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you’.

Jn 16:20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will
grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

Jn 14:1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.

Rev 1:17 Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead,
and behold I am alive forever and ever!

Rev 3:7 Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will
he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is
coming out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.

Rev 16:15 Behold! I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his
clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.

Rev 22: 7 Behold, I am coming soon!

Rev 22:12 Behold, I am coming soon!

Rev 22:20 Yes, I am coming soon!

Rev 3:14 These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

Rev 18: 5 Praise our God, all his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Amen Holy Spirit.