REKINDLE your FIRE for God, “Have you lost your first love?”

When we read Christ’s comments to the 7 churches of Revelation 2 and 3, comments he says we all should hear what he says to all seven churches, one theme seems to pop up from our Head of the Church: “GET YOUR FIRE burning for me again”. “You’ve lost your first love”, as he said to the first church. And to the seventh church Laodicea he says, “repent of being lethargic and lukewarm. Get your zeal back”.

I feel those two elements really describe us in 2023. We’ve lost our original first love passion for Christ and God’s kingdom. We’re lukewarm at best. And yes, I preach to myself again as well. I need more zeal, more fire, definitely.

And who is speaking to the seven churches? I ask this, since we’re told to heed what the SPIRIT says to the churches at the end of each message to each church. 

Revelation 2:7 "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."'

WHO is “the SPIRIT”? WHO was actually speaking? Was it the Holy Spirit speaking, or was it Christ, who is called “the Spirit”?

Revelation 1:12-20 12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

7 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”

So clearly the One speaking from the midst of the seven lampstands was our Saviour Jesus the Anointed one (Messiah, the Christ). So when Rev.2:7 says to heed what the SPIRIT says to the churches, clearly that “Spirit” is Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 3:17 “for the Lord IS the SPIRIT…”

Revelation 2:1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, [Rev. 1:20] who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.”

WHO is this? Clearly it is Jesus Christ, holding the seven stars (Rev. 1:20), who is also the Spirit who is talking to them. Remember 2 Cor. 3:17, “The Lord IS the spirit” as I’ve been explaining in recent sermons. So the one speaking to us is Jesus Christ, who is also “the Spirit”.

Revelation 2:2-3 "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; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.

In Africa, I’m finding several claiming to be a bishop, a pastor, even an apostle – whom I later find are self-proclaimed, self-ordained. They’ve never been legitimately ordained. These are false apostles and false elders and we must remove those titles until they are officially and properly ordained if they ever qualify for ordination.

Rev. 2:4-6   “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 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.”

Revelation 2:7 "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."'

So hearing the Spirit is the same in this context as hearing Jesus Christ speaking his admonitions when you compare Rev 2:7 with Rev. 1:17-20.

Your first love: Do you remember when God was first calling you into the Body of Christ, and how exciting it was to learn the truth? And how much Bible study you did? How much praying you did? How much repenting you did? Well, that was your “first love”. Go back to that hot fire for God.

I believe God is lighting the fire of his work again in these end times over the next decade. He’s using ordinary people all over the world. Maybe even you. Answer God’s call. Be a part of that. Rekindle the fire in your heart. That means praying more. Study my sermon on “Constant Contact” and be applying that. Find ways to be part of helping getting the work done that needs to be done.

And watch for my sermon on how God uses very ordinary people to do his super-natural work.

I know in East Africa, God’s work is booming. God is causing strong responses to radio broadcasts and to the messages from this Light on the Rock website too. The people need Bibles. Many households don’t have the money to buy even just one Bible for the family, so we’re doing it. Hundreds need a Bible. They’re not asking for money. They’re asking for a Bible. Surely, we in the West can help with this. Will you?

Would you let your new fire cause you to help us buy Bibles for very poor but zealous brethren? We need your help. This is not just money we’re handing out here and there. No, these are actual purchased Bibles in their own language of Swahili, or Ekugusii or Luo so they understand what they read. Few in Tanzania really speak much English. They need a Swahili Bible. Help us help them. I need to buy at least 150 Bibles so eventually every adult can have his own Bible. Let your new FIRE cause you to spring to action in helping get this work done. How can these people grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus if they have no Bible? And thank you, to you who have contributed some for this goal. 

They all also need some hymnals, with songs in their own language. Tanzanians especially do not speak English, so English hymnals are not helpful to them. So we’re buying some hymnals in Swahili/English and then we’ll go back to the publisher who is willing to create our own unique hymnals as we add songs they like and that are biblically appropriate. So we’ll remove the Easter and Christmas songs and maybe a few more, and add some other beautiful songs like “As the Deer” or “10,000 reasons”, which hopefully are available also in Swahili.

Over 500 now meet each sabbath in 12 congregations and many more groups waiting for ministers to teach them the truth of God’s word, so we’ll need a few hundred hymnals for the Feast of Tabernacles.

Let’s help them sing and praise God in their tongue. I need your help to ignite these congregations to have their song service be filled with joy as they sing praises in their own language. Can you help? God may be speaking to your heart right now. Again, your help will go for tangible hymnals and Bibles.

You may not receive much glory, or any glory in this lifetime at least, for helping us buy Bibles and Hymnals. But you can be like the little unnamed boy who had 5 loaves and 2 fish who used what he had to be a part of a huge miracle we still read about today.

Sometimes we have to help those who are in the hospital. One young man was badly burned recently in Mombasa, but the hospital allowed him in but would not treat his burns without payment ahead of time. The local congregation had no money. I found out later. We sent what we could for the hospital stay and extra, but the man died from his burns. I regret we didn’t move faster and have more money. But we did what we could with what we had.

Right now one family has two young girls in treatment. One has malaria of the brain and she’s in the hospital. Cerebral malaria is the most severe neurological complication of infection with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Will you help me help them by your fervent prayers and help with the medical bill? This girl could die if God doesn’t heal her.

The other daughter broke a leg while doing the long jump at school. The family has no money to pay for the hospitalization. So we do what we can. Will God’s fire in your heart move you to get back your first love you used to have, to help people so poor they can’t afford bus fares, or food, or hospitalization or even a Bible?

To another congregation this time in Revelation 3, the Laodiceans, our Anointed one calls them sickeningly lukewarm and self-assured that they’re OK and even spiritually rich. Jesus warns them (and US!) that they’ll have to be purified in the fire of tribulation if they don’t repent of their lukewarmness. You’re surely aware of this at the end of Revelation 3. This is clearly end time, as Christ is seen knocking at their door already. I’m telling you: Jesus is outside, knocking on YOUR door also. What are you doing about it? Let him in, ask him to come into your life and to BE your life.

To the 3^rd and 4^th churches – Pergamos and Thyatira – they were allowing sexual immorality in the church. Unmarrieds living together. Some are open about their fornication, I’m told. Adultery. Today we can add porn to that list. Sexual sins are so prevalent so we all have to heed the warnings. The world’s enticements are constant. Also, Thyatira was allowing outside ministers to come in and speak, and we have to put a stop to that immediately.

The fifth church, Sardis in Revelation 3, is dead or dying spiritually. Only a few are worthy, Jesus says. Are you vibrantly alive in Christ, or dead or dying?

I believe God can still do electrifying work around the world when His people get excited to see what He is doing in far-away parts of the earth. When he sees us red hot on fire for him and excited to share what we have come to learn with others – you’ll see growth and excitement come back into the flock of God. But whatever you do, don’t remain lukewarm, self-contented and having lost your first love. 

How? A dying flame needs more fuel and oxygen. DO much more prayer and Bible study to fuel and re-ignite what you have into a hot fire, a flame. Don’t be content with being just “so-so” with God. And yes, help support the work that is feeding you the truth of the complete Gospel (1 Cor. 9:14). I know God is causing such a boom in the last few months that we can’t even get to the dozen congregations who want to have a minister come and teach them. Laborers are few. Pray for that too. Get your heart back into doing God’s work especially where God is clearly working and bringing in spectacular growth.

REKINDLE that flame for God! Be a PART of where the fire of God’s word and his zeal are flowing freely in parts of the world right now. This gospel must be preached in all the world, and it’s really moving in East Africa at the moment with growth I haven’t seen anywhere else for many years. And I don’t mean “growth” that comes from taking sheep from one existing flock and having them come to your congregation. I mean NEW GROWTH. It’s happening. And it excites me to see God so working with the poorest people – but people who are zealous and excited about truth and about God’s promises.

God’s inviting you. I’m inviting you too. Would you join me and be a part of this new fire of God’s zeal to get his word out and to save people – even the “least of these my brethren”.