MY MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO HAVE MADE IT THEIR PERSONAL OBLIGATION TO ALWAYS ATTACK THOSE THEY (RIGHTLY) CONSIDER AS FALSE TEACHERS/PROPHETS/APOSTLES I Know your works...and how you have tested those who say they are apostles (or teachers or pastors) and are not, and have found them to be liars... 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. Rev 2:2-5 The first concern here is not whether or not youve tried apostles and have found them to be false, neither is it about being right by proving them wrong, in fact, you do not have to be right in order to prove them wrong because sometimes, proving them wrong can be fun, and also a burning obsession, and to make yourself feel better about doing so, you might also start quoting the Lord Jesus and other Biblical characters, you might start using one or two scriptures to prove your point too, and as a matter of fact, you can do all these and be RIGHT, but again, that is not my concern here, because the church in Ephesus did a lot more than that, and they went through a lot for the sake of the Lord Jesus, but the Holy Spirit used a word that is very strong and mighty here, He says nevertheless NEVERTHELESS in greek also means nothwithstanding, an objection, an exception, a restriction, moreover, and so on. Amplified says But I have this [one charge to make] against you Oxford dictionary defines nevertheless this way: despite something that youve just mentioned. Now, what does this mean? Supposing a man has been working for 100 years, a single nevertheless is enough to render all his work useless UNLESS the worker humbly pay attention to his masters innermost desires and take heed to them. In fact, it would have been better if such worker had not been wasting his time working for the master for 100 years while the masters innermost desires are not fulfilled. The Spirit says Nevertheless, I have this [one charge] against you, actually, it would have been better supposing the worker had sought the mind of the master for this (one charge) at the beginning of his life and had been doing it because to the master, this (one charge) is the single most important thing to Him, and it is enough to render all his 100 years of work useless, and like I said, the church in Ephesus did a lot more than proving the apostles wrong, in fact, they endured so much in the name of the Lord Jesus, but that did not stop the Spirit from discrediting them by having one charge against them, however, you that youre only doing just a quarter of what the church in Ephesus did, I.e proving the apostles wrong, do you really think the Spirit would spare you if you dont take heed to this (one charge) Hes having against you? Think again. That you have left your first love: Living Bible says you dont love me as at first. Amplified says that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Now, this shows that you can actually be working for God for years without loving the God youre working for, and in this case, it is the work of proving the apostles wrong. Brethren may like you, they may envy your style of delivery and intelligence, your zeal and passion for proving the apostles wrong may be so captivating, and people may love you for it, but God is saying that youre NOT doing all these because you love me, in fact you have abandoned me and THIS is what I have against you. How I pray that you would let the sword pierce your soul this day and not harden your heart. Now, what is the meaning of this first love and how is it applicable to this situation? Lets look at the Man Jesus. Before using the ministry of Jesus to justify yourself and your work of proving the apostles wrong, you should know that Jesus never abandoned His first love, in fact, it was because of His first love I.e His love for God, that made Him to accept the suicide mission, He loved the Father just as much as the Father loved Him, and the Bible made us know that several times, Jesus would be on the mountain all night communing with the Father, other times He would leave His disciples a great while before dawn to pray. He never joked with His relationship with God nor put His work before His First love. He knew that for there to be success and reward, his work must be born out of His first love, (I.e His Love for the Father). We also know that he pronounced several woes upon the scribes and pharisees, and why was He able to do that? because He also came to sacrifice His life for them. What have you sacrificed for those apostles you consider as false? Can you put your life on the line for them? Have you fasted and prayed to intercede for them for many days or even weeks before speaking publicly against them? Do you really love God? If so, is your love for God manifesting in the way you speak against them? Is your love for God the motive behind the apostles you speak against? All these are simply the examples that Jesus laid down for you, and any work youre doing that is against all these are already bearing thorns and briers, and will be rejected and nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Remember therefore from where YOU have fallen; REPENT and do the first works... This shows that you were once standing, but now have fallen. And the Spirit is gently asking you to remember WHERE you have fallen. Think back on how, where, why and when it happened, think back on how you hardened your heart the first time the Spirit confronted you with this issue and you refused to listen, the Spirit is asking you this because He knows youre very much aware of where it started and to say you dont remember would mean that youre deceiving yourself to your own destruction. The Message Bible version says But you walked away from your first love- why? Whats going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far youve fallen? A Lucifer fall! Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for Im well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle. Therefore, remember where you have fallen and REPENT! And do your first works: start doing those works that you used to do when you first believed, your first love and your first work are more important than proving apostles wrong even though youre right by doing so. HUMBLE YOURSELF in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up from where you have fallen, HUMBLE YOURSELF and the Lord will draw nigh unto you, HUMBLE YOURSELF and His presence will cheer you, He will not walk with the proud or the scornful, HUMBLE YOURSELF to walk with God. May God give increase to His Word in your heart. Peace be unto you.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 08:27:11 +0000