Wednesday Devotionals ~~ Return To Your First Love

© 2013 Joe and Rosa Hopkins. All Rights Reserved. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever cheated on a test? Did you ever disobey your parents? Have you ever broken one of the ten commandments? The Bible says 'for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God'. Romans 3:23. This sin is what separates us from God. 'For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord'. So this gospel, or good news is that Jesus came to die on the cross to pay for your sins. He took your punishment; He took your place. 'But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'. Romans 5:8. Understand that you cannot save yourself. Your good deeds are not enough. Romans 3:10 says 'As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:' You must believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and that He rose again the third day. 'That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved'. Romans 10:9 Jesus paid the price for your sin. A price that you or I cannot pay ourselves. Accept Him as your Savior and you will be forgiven for your sins and will have an eternal home in heaven when you die. Pray to God this prayer in faith. Dear Father, forgive me for my sins. I accept Jesus as my personal Savior and do repent of my sins. I accept His sacrifice as payment for my sins. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. John 3:16 says 'For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Romans 10:13 says 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved'. Do you hear His voice? He is calling out to you if you don't know Him as Savior to come to Him for salvation today. Do not wait or try to clean your life up first, but come to Him, now, exactly as you are. Return To Your First Loved by Rosa A. Hopkins first appeared on www.joeandrosahopkins.com under 'What I've Learned' I have caught myself again forgetting my first love. I have been bogged down with anxiety again and even with obligation and have lost that first love. I sometimes struggle with deep depression and feelings of low self worth. I am very often tempted to find self worth in activity and in service. And sometimes I get so caught up in being worthy of Christ's love through service that I end up very tired and actually feel very far removed from that love I first had. That first love that was like a song in my heart. A love mingled with passion and gratitude for all who Jesus is and for all that He has done. The love that I had when I was so thankful that in my deplorable condition Jesus died for me. The rapture at knowing that Jesus loves me for exactly who I am, not because of what I can do. That He saved me, and called me and that He had a special purpose for me all alone. There is a joy that accompanies that first love because it is pure. I am a deeply flawed sinner who is saved by grace. I am like the woman who has been forgiven of much. When Jesus went to go to the cross it was because He loved us so. It is only from the depths of a love we can never fathom that Jesus did what He did. It is because of His love that we can experience such peace. He wants us to love Him. And not with our leftovers, but with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength. And to do the first things we did when we loved Him with our first love. He asks us to repent and to do those things we first did. You see, we have kept our obligations, and we have done all the right things. We haven't gone anywhere, technically. But our hearts have grown cold. Let the passion with which Jesus loved us and laid His life down for us change us into those who will love Him back passionately. The words and tenderly compassionate regard that He had for others on this earth is how He feels about you and me, friend. Imagine if what Jesus wanted was only the run of the mill obligatory service, which entailed just going about the motions of life, day in and day out. But no, Jesus wants something more than that. He wants that first love. He wants your heart.That spark that two people have who are first in love. Those who can't wait to see each other. Who talk to each other at their first opportunity and who linger as long as they can. I can't imagine anything better than that. Excitement and passion go hand in hand. This passionate love that you have for Jesus will no doubt spill over and cause others to want to know the Jesus who has you so enthralled. Who is this Jesus?, people will want to know. What is it that makes your life so different from those around you?, people will wonder. Repent today and do those things you did at first. Return to your first love.