Daily Bible Study – Immanuel experience…

LEARN and PRACTICE the WORD of GOD

Preparation for Christmas

1.  Give our First love to Lord and to others

The theme for first day of December is Our First Love. What does this mean exactly? One central issue as it relates to those who have lost their first love is a shift in focus, attention, and intense love for Jesus.

Mathew 22:37-40 Jesus replied: “‘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. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Take a moment and think about about your relationship with Jesus over the last year. What factors last year played a role in your relationship with Jesus being where it is today?

Are you willing to create space in each day over the next 24 days for time alone with your Savior? Are you willing to make these moments of consecration a priority? If yes, what is your plan?

When a person receives Christ as his Savior, he experiences the delight of “first love” for the Lord. God’s Spirit witnesses with his spirit that he is a child of God

Jesus addressed same issue when He spoke to the church of Ephesus. Jesus said: Revelation 2:4–5 “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” If you find yourself in this position, ask God to have mercy on you and to rekindle your love for Him.

In Revelation 2:5, the word first means “foremost (in time, place, order or importance),” and the word works is defined as “toil (as an effort or occupation).” In other words, if you find that you have left your first love for the Lord, get your priorities back in order and do the most important things. Obviously, from the definition of work, this involves effort; it is not something that happens without effort on your part or without grace on God’s part. First works could refer to many “important efforts,” and here we will discuss several of them: worship, prayer, Bible study, giving, fasting, and service to others. Each of these activities is designed to deepen your intimate relationship with God.

How can I return to my “first love” for the Lord?

Each aspect of prayer is designed to remind you of your dependence on God:

• Praise bring the presence of God in mind, soul, spirit and body.
• Confession recognizes your unworthiness before a holy God and His immeasurable mercy and love for you, His child.
• Requests reveal your motives. Are you seeking to advance God’s kingdom, or are you attempting to build your own kingdom (i.e., satisfying selfish desires)?
• Intercession is the means by which you share the needs of others before God’s throne.
• Petitions bring to mind the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs that you face each day. Your resources cannot meet these needs—you need God’s intervention.
• Thanksgiving reflects an understanding of your dependence on God as you thank Him for meeting specific needs.
• Remember and Do the “First Works” – Love the Lord and love your brothers and sisters.

Warning if we do not do the first work

It is good to remember that if anyone love more than the Lord, they are not worthy for the Kingdom of God, moreover they will loose them.

Mathew 10:37 Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me

Blessings to all one who do their first work

1.   Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love

Ephesians 6:24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

2. I have loved you with an everlasting love

Jeremiah 31:3  The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

3. All blessings promised in the Bible is for the people one who love the Lord

Prayer:  Abba Father, let me love You more than everything. Let me reach the joy which You have prepared for me. Nothing is good that is against Your Will, and all that is good comes from Your Hand. Place in my heart a desire to please You and fill my mind with thoughts of Your Love,  so that I may grow in Your Wisdom and enjoy Your Peace. I decree and declare that my first love is to Jesus Christ and everything is second to me. I pray by the name of Jesus. Amen