Christian Fellowship Devotional - 96-07-15 - 6 Evidences That We Have Left Our "First Love" For the Lord

  1. When my delight in the Lord is no longer as great as my delight in someone else. "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart..." Mark 12:30 "Christ is the joy of the soul, and if the soul be but rejoiced and filled with divine light, such joy no man can take away..." Jonathan Edwards

  2. When my soul does not long for times of rich fellowship in God's Word or prayer. "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your...soul..." Mark 12:30 "His Word is most attractive" Edwards "True religion disposes persons to be much alone in solitary places, for holy meditation and prayer." Edwards

  3. When my thought during leisure moments do not reflect upon the Lord. "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your...mind..." Mark 12:30 "The wicked in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek. All his thoughts are, "There is no God" Psalm 10:4 "Go to Him and you will surely find comfort." Edwards

  4. When I claim to be "only human" and give in to those things I know displease the Lord. "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your...being..." Mark 12:30 "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15 "Sin casts contempt on the majesty and greatness of God....You must hate and abhor all sin, and allow none in your life. Sin must become to you a great burden." Edwards (again)

  5. When I do not willingly and cheerfully give to God's work or to the needs of others. "But whoever has the world's good, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" 1 John 3:17 "...the Holy Scriptures frequently speak of compassion or mercy as a very great and essential thing in true religion; insomuch that a merciful man, and a good man, are equivalent terms in Scripture..." (Sorry, Edwards, again)

  6. When I cease to treat every Christian brother as I would the Lord. "...to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to me." Matthew 25:40 "The Scripture represents it to be the spirit of all true saints, to prefer the welfare of God's people to their chief joy." (Guess?, Edwards...)"

Sorry to limit you all to Jonathan Edwards quotes, but it made this a lot easier to compile. Thanks for putting up with my crutch. And if you wish I can provide citation to every Edwards quote...

Soli Deo Gloria,
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