Restoring Your First Love

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(No Transcript)
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General Information on Revelation
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General Information on Revelation

• Written by Apostle John while exiled due to
  ministry in Ephesus

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General Information on Revelation

• Written by Apostle John while exiled due to
  ministry in Ephesus
• Ephesus was politically powerful and religiously
  diverse
• Capitol of region and gateway to
  province
• Over 50 different gods/goddesses worshiped

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General Information on Revelation

• Written by Apostle John while exiled due to
  ministry in Ephesus
• Ephesus was politically powerful and religiously
  diverse
• Capitol of region and gateway to
  province
• Over 50 different gods/goddesses worshiped
• Church focused its time and energy protecting
  itself against its culture

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General Information on Revelation

• Written by Apostle John while exiled due to
  ministry in Ephesus
• Ephesus was politically powerful and religiously
  diverse
• Capitol of region and gateway to
  province
• Over 50 different gods/goddesses worshiped
• Church focused its time and energy protecting
  itself against its culture
• 7 letters written to 7 churches with real problems

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Revelation 21-7
Page 1216
page 849
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First Letter in Revelation
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First Letter in Revelation

• Who is it to?

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First Letter in Revelation

• Who is it to?
• Who is it from?

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First Letter in Revelation

• Who is it to?
• Who is it from?

• The angel of the church at Ephesus

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First Letter in Revelation

• Who is it to?
• Who is it from?

• The angel of the church at Ephesus
• Messenger, Pastor, Leader

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First Letter in Revelation

• Who is it to?
• Who is it from?

• The angel of the church at Ephesus
• Messenger, Pastor, Leader
• The One who

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First Letter in Revelation

• Who is it to?
• Who is it from?

• The angel of the church at Ephesus
• Messenger, Pastor, Leader
• The One who
• Holds 7 Stars Provides Leaders for churches

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First Letter in Revelation

• Who is it to?
• Who is it from?

• The angel of the church at Ephesus
• Messenger, Pastor, Leader
• The One who
• Holds 7 Stars Provides Leaders for churches
• Walks Among 7 Golden Lampstands Actively
  Sustains the 7 churches

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First Letter in Revelation

• Message of this Letter to Church

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First Letter in Revelation

• Message of this Letter to Church
• Return to Your First Love (v. 4)

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First Letter in Revelation

• Message of this Letter to Church
• Return to Your First Love (v. 4)

But what does that look like?
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study

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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study

Love Drives Us To Do Things We Would Necessarily
Do
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study

O God, You are my God, earnestly I will seek
You my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for
You in a dry and weary land where there is no
water I will praise You as long as I live and
in Your name lift up my hands (Psalm 631-4)
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study

Our Goal is not simply to Accomplish Religious
Activity, but to Know God
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study

What if I dont have that Desire Anymore?
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study

What if I dont have that Desire Anymore? -
Remove the Distractions (v. 5a-b)
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study
• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires

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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires

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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires

A First Love Does Not Force Its Own Way on
Anyone, but Delights in Pleasing the One Loved
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires

This is how we know what love is Jesus Christ
laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay
down our lives for our brothers. (1 John 316)
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires

Love is not Self Seeking (1 Cor. 135)
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires

Offer Your Dreams to God and Allow Him to
Transform Them into His Desires for You
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study
• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires
• Produces a Joy that Affects Everything in Your
  Life

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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Produces a Joy that Affects Everything in Your
  Life

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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Produces a Joy that Affects Everything in Your
  Life

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of
the righteous The Lords right hand has done
mighty things! The Lords right hand is lifted
high the Lords right hand has done might
things! (Psalm 11815-16)
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Produces a Joy that Affects Everything in Your
  Life

How joyful have you been lately?
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Produces a Joy that Affects Everything in Your
  Life

What if I dont have that joy anymore? How do I
get it back? - By Remembering Why You Started
Following Jesus in the First place (v. 5)
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study
• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires
• Produces a Joy that Affects Everything in Your
  Life
• Shares this Love with Others

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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Shares this Love with Others

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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Shares this Love with Others

Just like a newlywed husband cannot hide his love
for his wife from others, so we cannot help but
share this love with others.
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Shares this Love with Others

My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, of
Your salvation all day long, though I know not
its measure. I will come and proclaim Your might
acts, O Sovereign Lord I will proclaim Your
righteousness, Yours alone. Since my youth, O
God, You have taught me, and to this day I
declare Your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old
and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I
declare Your power to the next generation, Your
might to all who are to come. (Psalm
7115-18)
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Four Characteristics of Your First Love

• Desires to Spend Time with God in Prayer, Worship
  and Study
• Sacrifices Our Own Agenda and Dreams for Gods
  Desires
• Produces a Joy that Affects Everything in Your
  Life
• Shares this Love with Others

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Importance of Your First Love (v.5c-7)

• If we Stop Pursuing a Relationship with Jesus,
  then We will Ultimately Stop Being the Church

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