Beloved... have you forgotten? Have you forgotten the one who loved you before you knew what love was, which formed you in your mother's womb? Have you forgotten about God, who IS love, in the midst of your job, your children, your spouse or spouse-to-be, the ministry NOT of Jesus Christ, your "friends" or what you THINK you know about who you THINK you are? Have you forgotten your FIRST LOVE? We wrote His love upon the tablets of our hearts... then placed the same heart into places never intended to steal our attention and affection away from Him.

Revelations 2:2-4 "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love."

Ask yourself these questions:
1) Is there a decrease in my personal devotion to Jesus? (Not honestly desiring times throughout the day to spend time with God in prayer, worship, reading, etc.)

2) Is there a decrease in my personal satisfaction in God? (Finding yourself excessively eating, shopping, sleeping, hangin' out, using the computer, phone or television to avoid what you really need- God). *Mark 4:19- "The desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful."*

3) Is there a decrease in your passion for spiritual work? (Not highly concerned with evangelizing outside of the corporate evangelism or not seeing the sinners/heathens in need of God's love and grace... just regular people).

4) Are your standards of holiness becoming lower? (Not easily convicted with things in your life, family or those who fellowship with you that are contrary to God's standards set through the ministry of Jesus Christ. Not easily burdened with grief following a sinful act or thought.)

5) Are you backsliding in your spiritual authority and personal victory? (Find yourself easily falling back into lustful habits and/or old habits, unable to resist the devil's temptations and renounce the strongholds.)

If you answered yes to any of these questions as I did, here are some simple instructions from the one who longs for you and is waiting for you: 2 Chronicles 7:14

1) "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves
2) and pray
3) and seek my face
4) and turn from their wicked ways,

*... then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

I pray everything ill-painted stroke of color on what was intended to be GOD'S canvas be removed... that your canvas be purified in the name of Jesus and that God paints your purified canvas- your body... the temple of His Holy Spirit- with HIS GLORY. I pray every false idea/image of who you think you are and what you think you know... all of the self-deception... be broken away from you. That you be shattered and the pieces of who you are unfold in God's grace so HIS GLORY may break forth through your broken, foolish, shattered body. His glory awaits to burst through you, but your heart is captured by other things or people that are trying to hold together a false image of who you are... when God is wanting of a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

You and I have no reputation or good deeds to win the Father... He simply longs to break the image we seek to portray to others so He can be honored in His proper place in your heart: THE first love.