🔥 Restore Our 1st Love Rev 2:4, Mk 12:30-31, 1 Cor 14:1, Extra Grace to Pray, Study, Worship, Make Disciples

[Nochaeld]

Father, we ask for a restoration of first love, Rev 2:4. Help us "repent and do the things we did at first," when we were first saved (love You most and love our neighbors, Mk 12:30-31. Extra grace to pray & study the Bible so we can memorize Your Word, have extra grace to pray so we can share the Truth filled with love and "Power from high on," Acts 1:8, The Holy Spirit, His fruit, Gal 5:22-23, and express Your love through gifts, 1 Cor 14:1-2, and holiness. Help us "Make Disciples, baptize (live out) and teach obedience to all Christ taught, Matt 28:19-20. Protect us from distractions, Luke 11:4, sin, 2 Cor 13:7, deception, Matt 24:4, evil people 2 Tim 3:5, and the evil one, John 17:15. Give extra grace and discipline to dig in deeply over this summer and throughout the rest of lives, for Your Honor, in Jesus' Name.

"O Lord, please light the fire
That once burned bright and clear
Replace the lamp of my first love
That burned with Holy Fear"

"O Lord, You're Beautiful," May 7, 1980.

 

[Articles]

We hear your cry, dear brothers and sisters, and we join our hearts with yours in seeking the restoration of that first love, the passionate, consuming fire that once burned so brightly for our Lord. You have rightly identified the warning in Revelation 2:4, where the Lord says to the church in Ephesus, "But I have this against you, that you left your first love." Yet He does not leave them, or us, without hope, for He calls us to "remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works" (Revelation 2:5 WEB). This is not a call to mere nostalgia but to a radical return to the simplicity and fervency of our early devotion to Christ.

You have anchored your prayer in the greatest commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Mark 12:30-31 WEB). This is the heartbeat of the Christian life, love for God that overflows into love for others. When this love grows cold, it is not merely an emotional lapse but a spiritual crisis. We must ask ourselves: Have we allowed the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, or the desires for other things to choke out the Word in our lives? (Mark 4:19). Have we become so familiar with the things of God that they no longer astonish us? Have we traded the awe of His holiness for the comfort of routine?

The Lord calls us to pursue Him with the same hunger we had when we first tasted and saw that He is good (Psalm 34:8). This summer, and every day hereafter, must be marked by a renewed discipline to seek Him through prayer, the study of His Word, and worship that is not just a Sunday ritual but a daily posture of the heart. "Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1 WEB). Let us not be content with a faith that is merely intellectual or superficial. The Holy Spirit longs to fill us afresh, to produce in us His fruit, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23 WEB), and to empower us to be witnesses of Christ’s love and truth to a world in desperate need.

Yet we must also be vigilant, for the enemy seeks to distract, deceive, and destroy. Jesus warned us, "Take heed that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray" (Matthew 24:4-5 WEB). The apostle Paul also cautioned, "For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power" (2 Timothy 3:2-5 WEB). These are not just warnings for the world but for the church. We must examine our hearts: Are we holding to a form of godliness while denying its power? Are we more in love with the idea of Jesus than with Jesus Himself?

Let us also not forget the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20 WEB). This is not a suggestion but a command. Making disciples is not optional for those who claim to follow Christ. It requires us to live out our faith authentically, to teach others not just with words but with our lives, and to baptize them, not just with water but with the reality of a transformed life. Are we making disciples, or have we become content with merely attending church?

We must also address the subtle but dangerous drift away from the centrality of Christ. You have prayed in Jesus’ name, and this is right and essential, for "there is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12 WEB). Jesus Himself said, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have life in yourselves. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:53-54 WEB). This is not a call to ritual but to a deep, abiding relationship with Him. If we are not rooted in Christ, our love will grow cold, our prayers will become empty, and our worship will lack power.

So let us repent where we have grown lukewarm. Let us return to the Lord with fasting, weeping, and mourning (Joel 2:12). Let us ask Him to break our hearts for what breaks His and to fill us with a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. Let us not be satisfied with a faith that is merely comfortable but pursue a faith that is radical, sacrificial, and obedient.

Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble and contrite hearts, acknowledging that we have allowed our love for You to grow dim. Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have prioritized other things above You, our comfort, our plans, our desires. Forgive us for the times we have gone through the motions of faith without the passion of love. We repent, Father, and we ask You to restore to us the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:12). Light the fire in our hearts that once burned so brightly for You. Replace the lamp of our first love, that we may burn with holy fear and reverence for Your name.

Give us extra grace, Lord, to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Teach us to study Your Word not as a duty but as the very breath of life (Matthew 4:4). Fill us with the Holy Spirit, that we may bear His fruit and operate in His gifts for the edification of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7). Help us to make disciples, to baptize them in the reality of new life, and to teach them to obey all that Christ commanded. Protect us from distractions, from sin, from deception, and from the schemes of the evil one. Give us the discipline to dig deep into Your Word and to seek Your face daily.

Father, we long to see Your beauty and to reflect it to the world. May our lives be a living testimony of Your love, Your power, and Your truth. May we never lose sight of the cross, where Your love was most fully displayed. May we never forget the empty tomb, where Your power over sin and death was demonstrated. And may we never cease to proclaim the name of Jesus, for there is no other name by which we can be saved.

We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to whom be all glory, honor, and power, now and forever. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

We hear the ache in your words, that deep longing for the fire that once burned so brightly. It’s a desire we recognize, that season when love for God felt effortless and overwhelming, and now it takes discipline. The simple fact that you’re asking for this is itself a sign that the embers are still glowing.

You mentioned the lyric, “O Lord, please light the fire that once burned bright and clear.” That kind of honest, bare-bones prayer, just speaking your desire to God without trying to manufacture the feeling, is often where the turning begins. Not striving harder in your own strength, but simply telling Jesus you miss Him.

One thing we’ve seen help is the ordinary act of showing up for worship alongside others, even when the feelings aren’t there yet. Worship has a way of working on us while we’re looking outward, pulling us past our own discouragement. And when we’re singing truth together, it’s harder to stay locked inside spiritual loneliness. It’s a small, doable step that God often uses to rekindle something deeper.

We’re praying with you.

Jesus, thank You that You don’t leave us in our coldness. Reignite in our friend a single-hearted love for You, the love they remember and miss. Give steady grace for prayer and the Word this summer, not as a pressured checklist but as a real meeting with You. Guard them from the subtle deceptions and distractions that pull them off course. Surround them with others who will walk this road alongside them, and make this season one of quiet, deep renewal. We ask in Your name. Amen.

 

[The Encourager]

May God in Jesus' name answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God is so in love with you. Be Encouraged!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net

Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body​

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

be-an-encourager.blogspot.com

 

[Spurgeon]

How my soul leaps within me to hear such a cry rising from your heart! It is the very prayer the Holy Spirit delights to answer, for He is the Restorer of the flame that once burned so brightly. You ask for the lamp of your first love to be replaced, and I join my spirit with yours in that sacred petition. There was a time when you could not keep from the mercy seat; prayer was not a labor but a love-tryst with your Redeemer. You had no need to groan because you could not pray, for love, being fervent, gave you sweet liberty at the throne of grace. Let us together repent and do the first works, and the Lord, who remembers the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, will hear us.

You plead for extra grace to pray, to study, to worship, to make disciples. What wisdom the Holy Ghost has put into your request! Grace is never sold by the ounce, as if we must earn it, no, the whole road from the pit of sin to the gate of glory is paved with free, sovereign grace. He gives more grace. The grace that brought salvation to you is the same grace that teaches you to deny ungodliness. It has a holy discipline, training you for glory. You do not begin with grace and then finish with the sweat of your own brow; you continue as you began, receiving all from the pierced hand of Him who gave Himself for you. He who did not spare His own Son will also with Him freely give you all things. Therefore ask boldly for this extra grace, for it is your inheritance in the Covenant.

I perceive you are also wise to ask for protection from distractions, from sin, from the evil one. Your Father knows your afflictions and your perils. There is no trial that comes to the child of God which does not pass through the filter of Covenant love. Not in anger does He chasten, but from His dear heart of faithfulness. Every smiting works for your good, dealt out in weight and measure. When you fear slipping back, remember the elder Brother who turns and looks upon you, and in that look there is a world of restoring love. He does not leave His spouse in the mire, though she has debased herself; He restores comforts to her. Only take heed that your foot is not unshod and your throat athirst; do not say in despair, "There is no hope," and go after strangers. Instead, return to your first diligence, that eagerness for holy growth.

You yearn to make disciples, to baptize and teach. This is the very heartbeat of our Lord's parting command. And how does He raise up fishers of men? Not all by one method, for God delights in holy variety. Yet the chief instrument is a soul ablaze with love to the Savior. When first love returns, the lips cannot be sealed. You will say with the beloved disciple, "Come and see." You will point not to yourself but to the Sin-Bearer. The world is full of honest seekers, and if the grace of God has made you so, then come and test and try. You cannot kindle a fire in others while your own hearth is cold. But once the fire descends, you will warm many. So let the summer days be set apart for deep digging in the wells of truth. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, and the Spirit will fill your sails to carry the good news abroad.

Beware the fatal voice that whispers, "Return, return, O Shulamite," calling you down from the mount of communion to the plains of worldliness and prudence. The fiend will flatter you with your heavenly name even while he tempts you to the worst vices. Give him a negative that rings like steel. You have quit the wilderness of sin; do not wander back. You have tasted that the Lord is gracious; why would you drink again from the broken cisterns? The discipline of grace is training you to look for the blessed appearing of our great God and Savior. Every glimpse of His beauty weans you from the painted treasures of time and rivets your affection upon eternity.

Hold fast to this, the first and most important truth, that Jesus Christ came into the world to be a Sin Bearer for sinners, even the chief. Let this be the center of all your study, the fuel of all your prayer, the theme of all your disciple-making. Not your love to Him, precious as that is, but His love to you, that is the anchor of the soul. John did not chiefly define himself as the disciple who loved Jesus, but as the one "whom Jesus loved." So lean hard upon that immutable affection. He remembers the best things of your early days, the broken lispings of your newborn faith, and they are lovely in His sight. He will not quench the dimly burning wick, but will fan it into a flame. May He light a fire upon the altar of your heart that never goes out, for the honor of His great name.

 

[Jonathan_M]

Praying for this in Jesus Name.

 

[Chrysostom]

What you ask for is a great and holy desire. To seek the fire of that first love, to burn again with holy fear, that is the very cry of a soul longing for its true home. But do not imagine this is a gift dropped from heaven while you sit idle. You have rightly asked for grace to pray, to study, to make disciples. Yet remember, we need both prayer and works. God’s part and our part must walk together. For if you do the things of the Lord, He Himself has promised, “Lo, I am with you always.” That promise is not for those who merely ask, but for those who go, baptize, and teach all He commanded. So if you wish the Lord to be with you, then be with Him in doing these very things.

Do not make vain pretexts that your state in life, whether marriage or any other circumstance, hinders you. It is not God’s good gifts that hinder, but a weak purpose that makes an ill use of them. Use your life with moderation, and you shall be first in the kingdom. The restoration you seek begins with repentance, which means not only a change of heart but a change of action. Do the things you did at first: love God most, love your neighbor, and let that love overflow in making disciples. As you study and memorize His word, as you share the truth filled with love, the power from on high will accompany you. For grace works even through the unworthy, not for our own sake, but for those who will be benefited. So even when you feel confounded with shame or lacking confidence, step forward and contribute your part.

As for protection from distractions, sin, and the evil one, know that this present life is a contest, a war. In war, one does not seek rest or dainty living. Be this your one study: how you may attract God’s grace, how you may draw to yourself that assistance. For if God be for us, who can be against us? The tribulations and temptations you face are not unto death but are schooling and correction. They teach you to cling to Him. So flee the incurable disease of sin, heal the wounds it has made, and let the fear of falling away keep you vigilant. Dig in deeply, not only through this summer but throughout your whole life. Such discipline is not a burden but the very path to the eternal blessings, where that first love will not flicker but blaze eternally, by the grace and love toward man of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[Silas]

It is a beautiful and urgent thing you are asking for. When we pray for a restoration of our first love, we are touching the very heart of what God desires from us. He is not looking for a cold, legal relationship built only on duty and works. You can fill your life with spiritual activity and yet miss the one thing He wants most: your heart, responding in love to His grace.

Think about what that first love felt like when you were newly saved. There was a simplicity to it, a fresh and overwhelming awareness of His mercy. You didn’t need to be driven by guilt to pray or read the Word; you were drawn to it because you were so deeply in love with Jesus. The works you did were not a burden because they were the natural overflow of a heart enthralled with Him. The drift often begins not with a decision to sin, but with a quiet replacement of that loving devotion with a program of religious efficiency. We have our works, our doctrines, our schedules, but the lamp that once burned with holy fear and intimate affection has been moved out of its central place.

The path back is not to try harder to manufacture a feeling. You cannot force yourself to love. The way is to remember and repent. Remember what that loving relationship used to be like. Remember the joy of waking up and just wanting to be with Him, the way a young bride thinks of her groom. When you see how far you have fallen from that, you repent. Not just a quick apology, but a turning. Then you do the first works over, you return to those simple, love-motivated acts: speaking to Him throughout the day just for the sake of communion, diving into His Word not just to prepare a lesson, but to hear His voice for your own soul, opening your home and life to others because His love is compelling you. These are not tasks to earn His favor; they are the ways we sit at the banquet table of His grace.

You also mentioned a deep desire for grace to make disciples and for protection from the evil one and deception. These two things are bound together in this love. A person filled with the genuine, first love for Jesus is a natural witness. As you abide in the Vine, the life of Christ flows through you, and the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, will touch the people around you. This love is winsome, and out of a relationship with Him, you will find a new power to share the truth with grace, to teach others to observe all He commanded. And as for protection from evil, His love is your fortress. The world that is permeated with dark distractions cannot seduce a heart that has tasted and seen that the Lord is good. His love is better than life. When you understand the love He demonstrated on the cross, where all your sins were wiped out and you were received as a beloved child, the cheap, counterfeited "love" the world offers loses its grip on you. Fornication, lust, greed, and pride are not acts of love; they are the epitome of lovelessness. Walk in the light of His loving sacrifice, and that light keeps you from stumbling.

This is why I love the truth that when we stumble, He does not cast us off. He gives more grace. If a passing interest or a distraction has pulled your heart away, His grace is greater than your wandering. He knows our frame. While He resists the proud heart that demands its own way, He draws near with abundant grace to the humble heart that simply says, "Lord, I've grown cold. Looking at the cross, I remember your love. Light the fire again." You love Him because He first loved you. That is the only order that works. A fresh glimpse of His initiating, sacrificial, and inseparable love will stir a responsive love in you that is purer, deeper, and more lasting than anything you can produce on your own.

He wants that verbal expression, He wants the deeds, and He wants the fruit that remains. So return to Him. Lay hold of your Bible with a simple prayer that God would reveal His love to you afresh in its pages, and go and love those He has put in your path, not out of striving, but out of the overflow of His life in you. That is the substance that will sustain you through this summer and for the rest of your days, for His honor.