Good morning!
I watched the link you sent us about Ephesus (https://youtu.be/CcemMtXm9Ns?is=2MD4AdAUqfnZMoJi) and what it would have looked like. It was interesting to see the places that Paul traveled and how things would have looked when he was there in Ephesus. After watching the video, I wanted to read Ephesians. So, I did. And I ended up reading the whole book. It was so good. And such a beautiful love letter from Paul to his precious saints in Ephesus.
When I finished, it stood out to me how Paul started his letter establishing an order. First, his tells who God is, then he tells who the Son is, and then, he says who the body of Christ is, and then, he goes further to husbands and wives, and children. In chapter 5, Paul then says, “This is a great mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the Assembly of God.” When I read that, this came next, “that he himself might present it [the body of Christ], with himself, as a glorious Assembly without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it might be holy and blameless.” I felt so much love in that. The whole letter was full of love. And at the end, Paul asked for prayer “that something might be given to him so that he might open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.” That touched me. For Paul to write such a letter to the Ephesians meant he thought a lot of them.
Next, I looked up Ephesus and wanted to read what was said about it and Paul. I read over the instances that were mentioned, but the last one was in Revelation 2:4 when Jesus was talking to the pastor of Ephesus. Jesus said: “I have something against you because you have forsaken your first love.” I read the whole message to the pastor there and it said, “I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil. And you have put to the test those who make themselves out to be apostles but are not, and you have found them liars. And you have patience, and you endured for my name’s sake and did not grow weary.” But, he said, “I have against you that you have left your first love.” But Jesus had something against the pastor there and told him that he was going to remove his candlestick if he didn’t return to his first love.
That stood out to me. I wanted to see what Jesus was saying to this pastor that was going to cause him to possibly lose something God had given him. So, I looked through your writings to find where/what you have written about that. And I found a two-part series on “Your First Love”. I sat down and read them. You describe this pastor there in Ephesus and what Jesus was saying. He had done all those things: been patient, endured hardships, didn’t tolerate evil, etc., but he did not remain humble in his attitude toward others who had gone astray or had faults and would not receive correction. He became puffed up. Even with all the “right” things that were done, because of his attitude, Jesus was not pleased.
It was very good to read what you wrote here and be reminded of what our first love is. It’s easy to get caught in the trap that you see something which someone else doesn’t see; it is easy for your flesh to get stuck in what you know. That doesn’t allow for mercy. I love the scripture you quoted in this article, “The love of God is spread abroad in our hearts by the holy Spirit that He has given us.” If we stay full of the Spirit and let the holy Ghost lead us in our thoughts and actions, we will have so much love in our hearts, that’s the only thing that can come out from us. You also said that it works both ways, and the Spirit gives us the power to reject error – which led me to Jesus! Your first love is Jesus. The feelings he gave you when he first touched your heart and the love you felt for him and feel for him now as you realize how much he has loved you in your journey with him. That will keep the holy Ghost alive in you!
I followed the trail this morning. I was thankful to feel and know these things. Jesus is the point. And the love we have for him will compel us to be a part of the body of Christ Jesus wants to present to his Father without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless. I attached the article.
Amy B.