Return to Your First Love Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Return to Your First Love-------------------------------- Date: 05/15/2000 Keywords:    "love" "repentance" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Intro: In each of these studies (May 15-21), we will be looking at one of the seven letters to the seven churches of Revelation. These are actually letters written by Jesus to churches that existed in the first century. The letters have great application, though, for Christians today. They point out what Jesus commends in a Christian and what He wants to see changed in a Christian. There is even helpful application for people who are struggling with chronic temptation to destructive habits like porn. Read on - and God bless you! Passage: Revelation 2:1-7* To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: [2] ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; [3] and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. [4] ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. [5] ‘Remember therefore 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. [6] ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [7] ‘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.’ Questions 1. What does Jesus commend in the Christians at Ephesus? (verses. 2-3)   2. With what does Jesus find fault in the Ephesian Christians?   3. What are Jesus’ instructions for the Christians at Ephesus?   4. What promise does Jesus give to the Christians at Ephesus who follow His directions?   Practical help Love is difficult for us to quantify, but it is not difficult for Jesus to quantify. Somehow, He knew that the Christians at Ephesus loved Him less than they used to. Having left their “first love” they became susceptible to all sorts of “lesser loves.” While those lesser loves are not listed here in Revelation 2, it is not too much of a stretch to ask ourselves if the lesser love of Internet porn has replaced the first love of our life - the love of Jesus Christ for what He has done for us in providing salvation for us. If you are struggling with Internet porn, take Jesus’ advice - REMEMBER those days when you loved Jesus supremely, REPENT of your lost love for Him, and REPEAT the deeds you used to do when you loved Him. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."