A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse November 9, 2018 First Love Scripture Reading – Revelation 2:2 - 4"I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don't tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first." 

If you were married, engaged, or even going steady do you remember courting your spouse? Things like flowers, candies, opening doors, please and thank-you, I love you, and perhaps even writing love notes one to the other?

I will always remember a comic strip which saw a young man saying to a young lady as they walked from school together: "I would climb the highest mountain for you, swim the deepest sea, fight the fiercest animal, reach for the stars and pull them down for you." To which she replied: "Would you mind carrying my school books home for me?" Only to hear the sharp answer: "Are you kidding, do you think I am your slave....carry your own school books home!

"Such is the case of the Lord Jesus (the only one who can truly evaluate the state of His church), as he points out many things the church in Ephesus did very well. However, He complains that like the prospective couple above (not going to happen), that they had lost their, 'First Love'. In fact, this young man had no first love for this young lady at all but other things on his mind.  This showed itself primarily in two ways. First of all, not loving Jesus as they did first off, or loving others as they aught, which of course is the supernatural by-product of doing the first thing first.

Kind of like the husband who no longer opens doors, but speaks rather harshly and honks the horn....not very winsome whatsoever.

And being winsome is the whole idea of loving Jesus and loving one another in His name. For when we do this and display the unity of the Holy Spirit, then others will discover too that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Prayer Heavenly Father Your love is comprehensive too much for me to fully understand. Holy Spirit open my heart and mind to understand more, that I might love Jesus as I aught, and my sisters and brothers from my heart, drawing many more to find eternal life in You. I pray this through Jesus Christ my Savior and my Lord.

 Week Thirty - Eight - Memory Verse: Matthew 24:14 "And the _____ News about the __________ will be _________ throughout the whole _______, so that all __________ will hear it; and then the end will come."