Q1. First Love

[Barbara1]

LOCAL congregations can lose their first love by trying to make themselves bigger and better. They forget the people their trying to save by leaving them unattended, while they are trying to find more. Don't get me wrong that is good, but I feel that it the people who should bring freinds to find out how God works in taking bad and turns it into good.

Also by putting money and posession before all else and by not following the word God sent for us.

[mommyoliver]

When the church takes their focus of the important things God and put their focus into other aspects of the church,like raising money,bake sales. When the church's main focus is on God and the things that Jesus has done. Like when you are in a service and it moves you so much it brings tears to you or you feel as you are there as it is happen. When the people start to leave the church to find other places of worship since they are no longer happy there. I think that regaining the love that you have for Christ should not be difficult since all you need to do is make Christ first in your life and never change the aspect of your life. Anything you do in your life should be done for Christ .

[Katzen]

It's easy for a church to lose its first love. It can get caught up in its ministries so much, that it loses sight of WHY it began the ministries in the first place. It can end up doing all the right things for all the wrong reasons.

Lack of love can show up in too much ritualism, not helping anyone outside of the congregation, etc. Churches should often re-evaluate their ministries and goals and such, (praying for guidance), to make sure they're truly doing the Lord's will.

Churches should also make sure they aren't doing things just to "fit in" the community.

Gee...as I type this, I realize all of this applys to each of us too....the members that make up the church!

[chenista]

Respondents are right about this, it is not only easy for a church to lose its first love, it is happening in almost all the chuches today! It is also easy for individual believers to lose sight of their first love as well, as a matter of fact, a sign that the church has lost its first is that the members have lost the first love.

Churches and individuals lose sight of their first love by organizing their lives around traditions, cultures, attitudes, and pagan beliefs rather than the around their relationship with Christ. "Seek first the Kingdom of God" - if you are not seeking the Kingdom of God, you are out of relationship with your first love (and probably have many other "strifes" as well). Churches and people get caught up in the Pharisee or law rather relationship - they preach secular traditions in the churches as if they came out of the Bible itself! The Word belongs in the church, not doctrines, no denominations, not strife, not pride, etc. The Word is most important both in the church and in our lives.

Regaining love is renewing your commitment to relationship with Christ. You can begin in a water baptism to renew, you can repent, renounce, ask for forgiveness, place your sins under the blood (after all losing your first love is idolatry and spiritual adultry - both of which are the worst of the commandments to break), get back into the Word and back into relationship with the Lord. Worship is a lifestyle, not just something you honor when others are looking. Who you really are is what you are and what you do when YOU THINK noone can see you. You cannot fool God and He will not be mocked! Love is obedience - "if you love me you will keep my commandments and these are my commandments, that you love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, body, and soul, and that you love your neighbor as yourself."

I take communion in the privacy of my own home in remembrance and to honor my relationship, renew, etc. and I also baptize myself in the bathtub if I must! We all fall short, coming back to our first love renews our faith and trust. We become spiritually stronger when renew and refresh.

C Straubel

[alisicia]

REVELATION

Chapter 6

"The Six Seals, and Their Sealing"

The book of Revelation is a revealing by Jesus Christ, to John, all of the things and events which would take place far into John's future of time. We saw in Revelation 1:10 that John was taken in his spirit to the "Lord's day"; The day of Jesus Christ's return at the seventh and final trump. In studying this entire book of Revelation, you must fix in your mind that you are on that day. Then all events we see taking place in the book of Revelation are just prior to that date, or in the Millennium kingdom age of our Lord, for this date marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's coming and setting up that kingdom of His.

The time frame of the earliest start of these events mentioned in Revelation, are the "seven days of years", which is the "one week missing" from Daniel's seventy weeks of years; for it marks the time schedule of the Messiah's return as recorded in Daniel 9:24-27. The book of Daniel and the book of Revelation are very closely related, and overlap in their writings.

The second and third chapters of Revelation were a look at the seven types of churches existing on the earth in "the time of the end". Jesus told John to write the report of what each would be like, and exactly what He thought of them. Only two of these churches did well in God's sight; they were the churches in Smyrna, and Philadelphia. These were the churches that knew who the "Kenites" are, and how to identify them.

In chapters four and five, John was taken in the spirit by Jesus into heaven, and given a glimpse at, and around the throne of God. John viewed and wrote as he saw Jesus being crowned on that day and given the seven spirits of authority. Those spirits were power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing.

Upon the search of the realm of the universe, it was found that Jesus Christ is the only one that can break the seals, and reveal what is in the book. This is because Jesus Christ is found worthy. He was qualified because of His sacrifice of His shed blood on the cross. He is going to open the seals now for you and I. Praise His Holy Name.

Revelation 6:1 "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts [living creatures] saying, Come and see."

God would never say, "Come and see", if He never expected you to see and understand the vision of John. The order from Jesus to John is to write what you see so that each of us living in this generation could come and see with understanding what we are about to read.

Revelation 6:2 "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."

This one who rode on the white horse had a bow, but without arrows. He had the authority, but not the strength to back up his authority. What strength that he did have, was through deception. The rider of the white horse is Satan, in the role of the Antichrist. Satan will come first as the fake Christ, the Antichrist; and he will ride and conquer the people of the entire earth.

This first seal we will see in detail in the ninth chapter. It takes place after the fifth trumpet sounds, Satan is the first morning star to come. This event will catch many Christians off-guard, for many tie themselves to the '"rapture doctrine", and will worship the Antichrist as the true Christ, in ignorance. This is why the rapture doctrine is so dangerous, for it ties its followers to the first Christ to come, who is the Antichrist.

The rider of this white horse is not the rider of the white horse who comes with a rainbow around his head, and a rainbow around the throne he leaves. This "bow" in the Greek is a cheap fabric, or imitation, In the Greek it's called "toxon". His grandeur will be cheap, yet convincing all of those who are looking for the rider of the "first horse" to fly them out of here. The Antichrist will offer them all they desire in fulfilling their wishes.

Word References:

"bow" - 5115 toxon (tox'-on); from the base of 5088; a bow (apparently as the simplest fabric): KJV-- bow.

In the nineteenth chapter we will see the true Christ coming in all his glory, and then this first rider of the white horse will go to the pit. The first rider of the white horse does not come in war, for no arrows are mentioned; but in religious peace. This is important to remember, for it could bring about your downfall through deception.

Five of the seven churches of Revelation chapters two and three, God found fault with because they were minus the "key of David". They accepted false teaching, and did not know the Word of God. Those churches will accept the false messiah, for Satan will come with his supernatural powers, his bag of tricks, even healing miracles, and promises to win over anyone not grounded in God's Word.

Revelation 6:3 "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see."

We are told to open our eyes and understand this second seal.

Revelation 6:4 "And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."

The term "red" in the Scriptures has two meanings, "war", and "Esau". We are living in the time of the end, and as such, lets take a special look at Esau [Russia, or Rosh]. "Power was given to take peace from the earth." True peace is that peace that comes only from God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This second rider on the "red" [Esau] horse is out to remove "Christ, and the living God from the earth". Under this [red] rider, he will come in peacefully, but will remove Christ from every fabric of your life. The time of war is over, for Russia fell in one day so the terms between the Russian people and Israel [the Christian nations] are considered peaceable. This war of deception is well underway, and it will be fierce. You simply will not stand against the rider of the red horse, unless you are prepared with your armor completely on and in place, and mentally ready for their spiritual attacks [see Ephesians 6:10-20].

Most people think today that they are going to church, for a time and place to meditate. In fact most people think this is a time when they can let their spiritual guard down, however the warning here from John's writing directed to these final days, is that the churches in America and other Christian nations are becoming spiritual battlefields. They have been taught to accept what is said from the pulpit as truth, and because of this, many false doctrines are being accepted as Scripture.

Jesus said in Mark 13:7, "And when you hear of wars, and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet." As long as wars are talked about, we are not in the time of the Antichrist.

However, when the entire world is planning to live in peace, it will be right upon us. Friend, the one world system, or government and it's many agencies are already in place, and recognized by every nation in the world. Every nation on the face of the earth today has signed on to it's charter. The time is coming very shortly when this "political beast" will receive it's mortal head wound and end as a world political government. When the political beast ends, the religious beast will assume power, and friend, that is the Antichrist, and his religious system. We will discuss these to beasts in detail in Revelation 13.

Jesus is warning us to wake-up and be on guard, that we not be deceived by Satan, the Antichrist.

Revelation 6:5 "And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse: and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand."

This seal marks a war of dark sayings. Satan uses false balances in his interpreting Scripture for you; working through his sons, the "Kenites". In Amos 8:1-5, Amos tells us how the Kenites will use false balances to take world control. They will take control through the four hidden dynasties. These dynasties are economics [commerce], education, politics and religion. These methods are the exact methods used today to tighten control over every family and person on the face of the earth. We are being deceived. It will be through their merchandising, trade agreements and false economic scales that these Kenites subdue the world into accepting their ways and their father.

Your dollar doesn't buy much anymore as we use the Kenite's scales. Amos 8 warned us a long time ago about these fake Jews that would creep in unawares. Amos also told us that the famine in the end times would not be for a lack of bread, but for hearing the Word of God. There are very few churches today that teach, or even understand the the Minor Prophets of Word of God, but the Minor Prophets are given to our generation.

Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:"

Amos 8:12 "And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it."

Remember that the education system is one of the four hidden dynasties, as well as the press, and all those presentations put on by the print and electronic media. The Word of God is being removed so gradually from every part of our lives, even in the church houses and from the pulpits, to the point where this famine Amos warned us of is here and now. People are going from one end of our land, and even to the religious practices to find peace and satisfaction for their souls, and they are not finding it.

The removal of God Word from the land is this third seal, and it is time that each of us be aware of what is going on, and ground ourselves in the Word with understanding. Get used to using the tools of the Bible to where you can seek the truth out for yourselves, and document those thing that are spoken from the pulpits. When those words are true, give an "Amen" and thank God for the man of God you have there instructing you, but when those words are not, mark that man well. Remember this third seal alerts us of those thing that control your spiritual life.

Revelation 6:6 "And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."

The "oil" is the oil of our people and what is used in the anointing, the "wine" is the blood of Christ. The elect are those who understand God's Word, and are sealed, and secured in Him. This is still part of the third seal.

Everything we have, wear, eat, ride or enjoy is geared to the false balances of the Kenites; The banker, teacher, politician, or religious nut doing the interpretation of God's Word for you, is part of those four dynasties. Some know what they are doing and are part of that system, while most others are doing the work of Satan in ignorance. Both the Church of Smyrna and Philadelphia knew them and how they work, and Jesus pointed that out; "They say they are Jews, but are not; they are of the synagogue of Satan." That knowledge is the thing that makes the difference in the churches in these end times.

Does your church allow these false doctrines to enter in unaware, and are the teachings ignorant of the Kenite that brought it, or do you check out all doctrine with the Word of God?

Revelation 6:7 "And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see."

The fourth seal is now open. Jesus told us in Mark 13:8, "And nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:" We have had two world wars leading into this final generation. "And there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and their shall be famine [remember Amos 8], and troubles:" This sounds like the news reports we have had over the past 50-years. Jesus then said, "These are the beginnings of sorrows."

On May 15, 1948 we had the planting of the fig tree, and it took place in that tiny nation of Israel. This is what Jesus talked about in "The Parable of the Fig Tree". That establishment of the tiny nation of Israel, in Palestine, started the final generation. God's elect and remnant know the true meaning of that event, and understand that it is time to observe the events of each day. When we know God's Word, by the events happening, we can know how close the time of the Antichrist is, and later when the coming of the true Messiah is.

One note here; for the complete control of Jerusalem did not take place until after the war of 1967. However, several decades have past since those two dates marking the start of the end. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:34, 35; "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." These Words of the book of Revelation are also Word's spoken from the mouth of Jesus, and written by the Apostle John.

Revelation 6:8 "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and hell, [Hades] followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts [wild beasts] of the earth."

The pale horse is always symbolic of death. Death is one of Satan's roles, and his name in Hebrews 2:14. This is a different role that Satan will play as the Antichrist.

The word "beast" in this verse is not translated like the other verses [living creatures], but in the Greek it is "therion", and means "wild, venomous, poisonous". This refers to the offspring of the poisonous serpent [satan's role in the Garden of Eden], and they are the son's of Cain, who are called the Kenites.

Revelation 6:9 "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:"

These souls were killed for their stand in the Word of God. Who could that be? The saints of God, for their souls are now at [not under] the altar of God in heaven. Those souls have died and are with the Father in Heaven.

Revelation 6:10 "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord [Master], holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth."

Their blood was shed on the earth, while at this time they are pleading at the altar of God in heaven. To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord [Ecclesiastes 12:7]. The time of revenge will come at God's appointed time. Before God, nobody gets away with anything.

Revelation 6:11 "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

Satan was already on earth when God spoke to the seven churches, so think about this short season. A fellow servant is one just like yourself, if your are a Christian, they also were Christians. We know these souls are Christians, for they died for their testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you stand for their testimony, then you are one of their fellow servants. They were killed just like those who are still alive have to be, then God will avenge.

This is the seal Jesus spoke of in Mark 13:9, when He was referring to those souls that were at the altar. This does not mean that all Christians will die of a physical death, but the reference here is whether they individually will stand and give their witness for God, as the Holy Spirit of God speaks through them. Refusal to do such, will result in a spiritual death to those who refuse. God said, "they cannot harm a hair on your head", but they will try to kill your very soul if you listen to them.

Satan, and his synagogues are going to try to beat you in a spiritual battle, for that is what this war of end times is concerning. It is a battle of words, concepts, ideas, and the twisting and misquoting of the Scriptures. The world is in peace, and the Antichrist is coming as a man of peace, at that time. Your mind and your commitment is what is important to Satan. Satan wants you to think and worship him as God. Your physical death is his loss, for at your death he loses his opportunity to claim your soul. Then you would be one of these victorious souls at the altar of God.

You will be delivered up before kings and rulers for Christ's sake, He tells us. When you speak, it will not be you speaking but the Holy Spirit speaking through you, at this time. This is what Peter spoke of in Acts 2:7, after the Christians had spoken in the cloven tongue. When all the Jews heard and understood clearly in their own language and dialect from their home towns around the world. Joel spoke of it happening also in Joel 3:28-32. The fifth seal is this spiritual warfare, or revival to claim your soul for the first messiah to come, the Antichrist Satan.

Revelation 6:12 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;"

There is a huge shaking here going on around the earth. Things happen that never happen before. Like the earthquake in Kansas city, the storms where there should be no storms, and natural disaster that are completely unforeseen.

Revelation 6:13 "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely [unripe] figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind."

Word References:

"untimely figs" - 3653 olunthos (ol'-oon-thos); of uncertain derivation; an unripe (because out of season) fig: KJV-- untimely fig.

The trouble starts in heaven, as it is written in Revelation 12:7-9, where Michael casts Satan upon the earth. When Satan is gone, then there is peace in heaven, but woe to them on the earth for his destination is earth.

These are the "untimely figs" which are harvested out of season. Jesus talks about this in Mark 13:24, and it this will be covered in detail in Revelation 12. This covers the second advent [coming of Christ], and these figs [people] who claim the name of Christ, yet do not know God's Word, nor His times and seasons. These people will be taken by the Antichrist [out of season]. God's elect will not be taken out of season, but will stand all events and allow the Spirit to give answer for them.

Mark 13:27 says, "And then shall He send his angels and shall gather together His elect..."

This is what many call the "rapture", and but it's not hard to figure out something is missing here in that theory. Christ is coming here to earth; they are not leaving to go anywhere. The "four winds" are the four spirits at the end of this earth age. This is discussed in Revelation 7.

Mark 13:28 "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:"

Christ cursed this tree, whereby it will never bring forth fruit, but only leaves. Summer is the time when God will gather His elect. The fruit is in season, and the fruit is ripe.

Mark 13:29 "So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it [He] is nigh, even at the door."

Jesus Christ said to learn and know about this fig tree. This parable started in the Garden of Eden, between Eve and Satan, and from that sexual [yes sexual] relations came Cain. The offspring of Cain, and his father Satan [not Adam] became the race of people called the "Kenites". See Strong's Hebrew dictionary, #7014; "Qayn, Kajin, the name of the first child, an oriental tribe: Cain, Kenite[-s]."

These "Kenites" took over the scribe duties from the Levites, as recorded in First Chronicles 2:55, and the priest duties as recorded in Ezra 2:43-65. They mixed with the people of Judah, and even called themselves "Jews", taking the name which did not belong to them. Matthew 13:39 even identifies them as children of the devil.

These are the people (the kenites) who plotted and killed Jesus and Judas, and are referred to in Revelation chapters 2, and 3, by their saying, "they are of Judah, when in fact they are not." If you are to understand any of the prophecy of the final days, you must know who these people are. You must know how they operate, and just why they do what they do. They are the negative part of God's plan, and God's people are not to harm them in any way, in fact, because of the plan to use Judah as their shield, they are well hidden. To pull or try to gather these tares, from among the wheat, damages the wheat. Christ instructed us to leave them alone: Matthew 13:29-30 "But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.[29] Let both grow together until the harvest: [30]" However, when you know them, you are not taken in by them.

The Kenites are Satan's physical kids on earth, and in Matthew 13:14-15 Jesus told His disciples that it is part of prophecy that the Kenites do not understand. For if they did, they would repent and Jesus would have to save them, which many will in the Millennium for God is always fair in His ways.

You now have the key that opens many doors of understanding if your eyes are spiritually capable of seeing it. It's a spiritual insight; you either see it, or you do not. This is what the Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia understood. That these Kenites were in their midst; that they were the offspring of Satan, and that they also altered doctrine of the churches in the final days, and that the other five churches would follow the first Christ on the scene, the Antichrist. Is this what your church teaches?

God is pleased with churches [Christians] that seek the truth, and not accept man's traditional teaching, such as Easter [ishtar], and the rapture theory without documenting it through God's Word.

Mark 13:30 "Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done."

This generation that shall not pass away started either on May 15, 1948 at the founding of the nation of Israel or after the war of 1967 when the Jews took Jerusalem, and must come to a close very shortly. This is why the things mentioned in end time prophecy seem so common and not mystical, for your living your life in that time. Those thing are happening in government, on the news, in the schools and even in many of our homes.

Revelation 6:14 "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."

At Jesus Christ's return their will be a mighty shaking. Those mountains are nations, and they will not be moved, but removed and not exist as governing bodies. There will be only Christ's Kingdom left on this earth, as we move into the Millennium age of Christ's kingdom.

Revelation 6:15 "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;"

All mankind except God's "elect", the remnant, and the 144,000 of chapter seven, will be part of Satan's [Antichrist's] kingdom. When the rest of the Christians see our Lord Jesus Christ coming, they will all know immediately what they have done. Then the shame will be great, to the point of killing themselves, if it were possible. But it will not be possible for all souls will be changed into their incorruptible bodies at the coming of Christ. I Corinthians 15:50-54 reveals that no flesh and blood can nor will exist at that time, nor will any of the things dealing with the flesh body exist.

Revelation 6:16 "And said to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:"

This bears repeating, but if you simply can not understand that the Antichrist comes first, before Jesus Christ's return, you will worship the Antichrist as the true Christ. This verse is describing how you will feel when you see the true Christ at the seventh trumpet. The fear will be so great that it will be a terror to your mind for the sins that you have committed in worshipping the false christ.

Revelation 6:17 "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

Many Christians have been taught that at Christ's coming, the wrath of God is out to bury you, and destroy the entire earth. God, in the minds of most Christians, has the image of a harsh destroyer, instead of the loving and compassionate friend that we have in Him. By their own teaching, most of the church world condemn themselves.

The wrath of the lamb, will not let one soul slip from Him in ignorance. The judgment comes following 1000 years of Christ's kingdom [the millennium]. Revelation 6:16-17 sets the frame of mind for all those who have allowed the Kenites to interpret the Scriptures [bible] for them. This is what the fools are saying, and not what God's Word promised us.

This entire chapter leads us to that one great "Day of the Lord", and Christ's return at the seventh trumpet.

The Shepherds Chapel

[johnd]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

a. The congregation can drift from their basic faith and love of Christ into other secondary issues.

b. The signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry are following a Christ led life and bearing the fruits of this.

c. This lack of love shows up by leading a life controlled by ourselves and not bearing the fruits of a life led by Christ.

d. For a congregation to regain this love it would be advisable to return to the basics of Christianity and invite Jesus into their hearts.

[sister]

a. The congregation can drift from their basic faith and love of Christ into other secondary issues.

b. The signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry are following a Christ led life and bearing the fruits of this.

c. This lack of love shows up by leading a life controlled by ourselves and not bearing the fruits of a life led by Christ.

d. For a congregation to regain this love it would be advisable to return to the basics of Christianity and invite Jesus into their hearts.

A congregation can lose its first love for Jesus by being more interested in worldly things than spiritual ones.

We can show genuine love for Jesus in our prayers, praise and worship.

The lack of love for Jesus shows up as our focus moves from Him to distractions, such as social activities in the church.

To regain our love for Him: Deut. 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

[Lisa Rupert]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

When a church follows the laws of mankind and not the laws of God it looses it's first love for Jesus. Jesus came to fulfill the law and not to end law. You are to follow the laws that God first established for the church and for those that love him and serve him. The genuine love for Jesus can be demonstrated through discipline, praise and worship. Following the laws God instituted for the righteous. A church can regain this love by following the guidelines that God first put forth. Worshipping God not letting the devil intervene in what belongs to God. It can turn to the bible for guides and understanding in what needs to be done to regain the love of Christ in it's congregation.

[charlenereeves]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

Bordem, lack of participation, no enthuism for hearing and replying to God's Word, backbiting, complaining show's a lack of love for others and God. Jesus is the first love of a church when everyone participates in Bible Studies, worshiping, singing, and loving each other with the love of Christ. To regain it takes determination, a really deep desire to repent to God and others and start over particaption not only in church but your must bring the Bible back into your daily life and family. I have been in a dead church and now having a loving caring church.

[Craig]

A local congregation can can lose sight of the great commission as well as spreading the gospel in word and deed making a difference for the Kingdom of God on this planet by turing inward focused. Many congregations lose the sense of urgency in spreading the gospel and have endless Bible studies and fellowship within the walls of the church. The church then becomes a Bible club, not an agent for spreading the gospel to a lost world. Church members get comfortable and become "scared to death" to present the gospel to someone else and that's what we're about.

Genuine love for Christ is shown when we follow His commands. When we, with passion, spread the gospel in word and deed. When the church makes a difference in the world around it for Jesus Christ. When we, with enthusiasm, look for ministry opportunities for Jesus Christ. When we give our lives to Jesus. When we touch the lifes of others in love for Jesus Chirst.

The lack of love for Jesus Christ shows itself in Christian apathy.

A congregation can regain its love by returning to its first love -- Jesus Christ. By redicating itself to Jesus Christ and permitting the Holy Spirit to fill, lead, guide and direct its vision, direction and efforts. By giving itself up to Jesus Christ.

[plethra]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

I think you loose your 1st love by becoming too busy with other things. The other things are not necesarily bad things just things that keep your mind too busy to meditate on the Lord. You also loose your 1st love by looking at all the problems around you and not looking to the problem fixer. There are numerous reasons why we fall out of love with Jesus but basically it is because we start looking at other things rather than Jesus. If Jesus is not the center of attention in the church or an idividuals life we soon loose that 1st love.

Signs of genuine love for Christ is a people who will worship Him freely, who want to take care of the widows and orphans, who are out in the highways and byways seeking those who are lost and who spen quality time alone with the Lord in prayer and study.

Lack of love shows up with irritability with one another, a lack of concern for the lost and the hurting. Lack of love shows itself in selfishness instead of self less ness.

We must repent and have a made up mind to spend time with the Lord. This would be a good time for the Pastor (or the individual) to call for a time of fasting and prayer.

[cheastarr]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

I believe that the local congregation can lose its "first love" for Jesus by letting the message of the Bible be lost in activities and organizations and in day to day living. In modern day it seems that everyone is attempting to make God's message more acceptable to the people by watering down what God says to keep others from thinking being a Christian is too hard and that being a Christain means you can't have any fun at all. The signs of genuine love vfor GodJesus is shown by the attitude of the people toward the other members of the congregation and their desire to bring other sinners into the family of God. It is so important that visitors be made welcome when they come to church or they will believe that the church is filled with hypocrites and they will never come back. If a church isn't filled with the Holy Spirit new members won't join and the only way to have the Holy Spirit fill your church is to be truely holy. A church has to first and foremost reconize that they are all sinners and are saved by the grace of God. Nothing a person can do, in and of kitself, except to believe in the name of Jesus, can save the person.

[korsgren]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

I think alocal congregation can lose its first love when other loves crowd it out, alonging for other things. Maybe we change our values, adjust to the life that became instead of the life we longed for. Maybe we get disappointed that what we expected didn

[korsgren]

Our church recently suffered the loss of our Pastor because of sin in his life. He stepped down and when the church had the time of reflection we realized that we had lost our first love. We took more joy in inviting people to church to see ou Pastor and to see our loving congregation, which were truths, but not what we should be seeking. We should have told folks about Jesus.

We were too busy with ministries, but he problem was they were for man's purpose and agenda. It is hard in this world to stay focused. Most churches have "their plan" in mind. If we honestly search our hearts, we will probably have to admit truth to that statement. I believe the reason we don't see more miracles as the early church did is because our churches are out for their purpose and not God's.

We have to HUMBLY seek His will and focus on God's plan not ours. I guess it is getting back to basics. Sometimes we worship God a little bit too lightly and fail to see His glory and how mighty He is to us. We should show much more respect. But our God is merciful and guides us in our growth ever closer to His image. Priaise to Him!

I was moved by your answer mayb it was the humility in which you write. Yes I guess humility is important in getting back our first love. Thanks!

[JustJeff]

A congregation can lose it's first love for Jesus when it puts Him second, behind the pastor, tradition, worldliness, compromise and even sin.

Genuine love for Jesus is when He is pre-eminent in every aspect of the church and congregation's life.

When envy and strife show up in church self has become first, along with it all of it's ugly trappings. To regain what was lost, sin and self must cease. The church must return to a repentant state.

[dharm]

A congregation can lose its "first love" by turning to earthly things and forgetting the diety of Jesus.

The signs of genuine love for Jesus is the humbling of oneself in His presence and teaching others of His love for us.

The lack of love shows up when we start looking to our own needs instead of others and becoming distracted.

We can regain His love by recommitting ourselves to our Lord and Savior by obeying the commands and reaching out to those who have turned away or have never committed themselves to Him.

[erudite1949]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

The loss of love always starts with the eye. We came to Christ initially because we focused on what was said to us. We enhanced our love for him by reading the Bible. However, often, in churches, we begin to "look around". What is wrong with this Christian or that Christian. We don't give God what is due Him. Slowly but surely our focus shifts from God to self and we no longer are close to our "First Love". Another way to look at it is to think in terms of the fact that our Spiritual Life (our true life, in fact), started with our trust and love in Christ; our first love.

Certianly the Fruits of the Spirit are signs of genuine love; treatment of our fellow man and obedience; and, the antithesis would be not caring about spiritual things and letting the "old self" regain control Often, people think they have lost their salvation when this occurs.

A congregation can regain their love for Christ by confessing their sin, which is hard to do; because, we are proud; and, I have found, no one is more proud than a fallen Christian. It is only through prayer and submission that we will regain our love. it is in there; it just has to be fed.

erudite1949

[Bro Steven]

A Church can leave it first love when it forgets who we are gathering together for and not the what we are doing. In other words pay more attention to the creation instead of the creator.

Jesus said ( if you love me you would keep my commandments) and also ( your love for one another they will know that you are my deciples) If a Church left it first love then it would show our love for him and one another.

A lack of love can be seen with sin our lives and our unfaithfulness to Christ.

We can regain our love in a church by putting Christ in the center and first and formost in our worship and our lives

[Jewell]

A congregation can lose it's first love for Jesus if pride comes into the picture (they do what they do to look better, not for their love of Jesus). Genuine love for Jesus is shown by following his teachings, especially what he terms the two most important commandments - love God and love thy neighbor. The lack of loves shows up when anything else becomes more important than Jesus and can be regained by putting Jesus first in all things.

[Linda Spilman]

Q.1 By focusing inward (whether it be programs, the building,etc) we become an exclusive club - forgetting that we are lightbearers. A genuine love desires to know more of Jesus, to live a life of obedience and to share Jesus' love with others. The fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5:22 gives several characteristics that are evident in those who have this kind of love. When our focus is not on Christ many things can occupy our mind and time and the fruit of the Spirit will not be evident in our life and our relationship with others. James 4:7,8 tells us to submit to God, resist the devil, draw nigh to God, cleanse our hands, and purify our hearts.

[mags]

A congregation loses its 'first love' for Jesus by putting other things first. We can replace Jesus as our first love subtly as well as sinfully. It can be done with idols etc but can also be done as a church by putting programmes, traditions, selfish desires ahead of what we are being called to do! We have to focus on God and spend time in prayer and His Word. We need to listen to what God is saying and not the people of this world.

[Moses 4]

Q1. How can a local congregation lose its "first love" for Jesus? What are the signs of genuine love for Jesus in worship and ministry? How does the lack of love show up? How can a congregation regain this love?

Christians can lose that love when the leader is no longer an example for the congregation when $$ and Gossip goes before God and his Teaching.

Our Relationship must be constant (St. Paul: Pray always) this is the only way back to Jesus.

Let us pray: Come, Lord stir us and call us back,

kindle us and seize us;

let us love You and run for you.

Amen

Pax

Karl

Edited January 20, 2008 by Moses 4

[sisterlily]

the church can lose its first love " Jesus" when they begin to leave Him out, everything else is more important and He reminds them that it is all about Him and they need to get back to Him and then they will be okay. Genuine love fror Jesus in a church would be the reading of His Holy Word and the lifting up of His name teaching and preaching who He is and reminding the people to follow Him as difficult as it may be. Lack of love shows up when there is no longer any unity , people are gossiping, and fussing over who is the greatest among them and not lifting up Jesus and looking to Jesus to Him for guidance and answers. The church can regain this love back by simply calling on the Lord, amen!

[Blssd1030]

A congregation can lose it's first love for Christ by becoming too focused ( and split for that matter) on church politics, rules, regulations, ceremonies, sacraments, etc. The focus of the church becomes religious and denominational instead of relational and spiritual.

I think geniune love for Christ in worship and ministry is displayed when seeking His attention, approval, guidance, and His presence and love is the true motivation.

In order to regain this first love, recognition of the loss must first be made (conviction) then repentance comes and asking the Spirit to once again fill us and empower us through the Love of Christ. I believe this needs to begin on a personal level. In a congregation I think it needs to begin with somebody on the counsil, board or what have you bringing it to the attention of the rest and making a focused effort in prayer and teachings to rekindle the relationship with Christ.

We all go through "dry spells" in our spiritual walk with Christ and individual churches are no different.

[coastershirley]

by following those who teach wrong teaching and allow wrong doings to come into the church by allowing him to walk amongest us and showing love and patience to others like Jesusdid by becomming less tolerant of one another repenting having an ear to hear what the spirit is saying to us so that we can overcomeall things and become more like christ