December 27—First Love
The words for today are first love.
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev. 2:4).
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:15-16).
“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’” (Jer. 31:3).
“And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved” (Matt. 24:12-13).
“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17).
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24).
“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).
“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Cor. 5:14-15).
Prayer: Lord, the words of Peter challenge me this morning: “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.”
See also: Eph. 3:17-19; Gen. 29:20; Deut. 10:12; Josh. 22:5; Ps. 18:1, 116:1; Song of Sol. 8:6-7; John 14:23, 15:9-10
