In the Book of Revelation chapter 2, Jesus speaks to the angel of The Church in Ephesus and commends them for their hard work, perseverance, and refusal to tolerate evil.

However, he also admonishes them for losing their first love,

The specific fault of The Church in Ephesus is that they had forsaken their initial love and devotion to Christ.

Despite their outward display of good works and adherence to sound doctrine, their relationship with Jesus had become more about duty and obligation rather than genuine love and passion.

They were going through the motions of religious activity without the heartfelt devotion that characterized their early faith.

Jesus urges the church in Ephesus to repent and return to their first love, warning them that if they do not, he will remove their lampstand, symbolizing the withdrawal of his presence and blessing from their midst.

Let us ask ourselves, are we truly doing all this content creating, vlogs and blogs, preaching and prophesying, even ‘exposing others’ — trying to be doctrinally correct — out of a genuine love for Jesus Christ, or are we just carrying on religiously, working iniquity for selfish ambition?

Let every man including myself — examine himself.

Let us not hear, “Depart from me I never knew you!” (Matthew 7:23)

Let us not be so caught up with the fanfare that we forget to fan the flame of intimacy with The Holy Spirit — exalting in GIFTS — without acknowledging and forsaking The Gift Giver!

““To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 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. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’” Revelation 2:1-7

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:23

Shalom
~ Syreeta Thomas

Syreeta Thomas

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