One very simple way to overcome the loss of the first love for the Lord is to give Christ the first place, the preeminence, in all things. The Bible begins with, “In the beginning, God …” (Gen. 1:1), and Colossians tells us that Christ must have the first place, the preeminence, in all things (Col. 1:18). In order for us to love the Lord with the first and best love, we need to consider the Lord Jesus as the first in everything. In God’s eyes and in God’s economy, Christ is the first – but what about in our personal universe, in our decisions, considerations, emotions, living, walking, speaking, attitude, and in all our being? [read more online]
overcoming the loss of the first love by giving the Lord the preeminence in all things
Filed Under: Christ lives in me, consecration, Enjoying Christ, expounding the truth, His heart's desire, love the Lord, morning revival, our birthright, the Christian Life, the church life, the Lord's recovery Tagged With: crystallization study of Psalms, degradation comes in, give Christ the preeminence, give the Lord the first place, guard yourselves from idols, His love constrains us, holy word for morning revival, Lord Jesus I love You, lose our first love, loving the Lord with our first love, overcome the loss of the first love, recover our first love, the first place in all things
desolation comes in when God’s people do not properly appreciate and exalt Christ
Our failure to give Christ the first place in all things – our failure to love Him with the best love and appreciate Him – brings in desolation and degradation. The problem of desolation can be solved by Christ being appreciated and exalted by God’s people (see Psa. 80:17). When Christ is enjoyed, appreciated, given the first place, given the preeminence in all things – when He is properly appreciated and exalted, the house and the city of God can be maintained, preserved, and built up! Our not giving Christ the preeminence and our not appreciating Him is the cause of our failure and desolation. [read more online]
Filed Under: consecration, Enjoying Christ, expounding the truth, God's economy, His heart's desire, love the Lord, morning revival, the Body of Christ, the Christian Life, the church life, the high peak, the Lord's recovery, the Word of God Tagged With: based on His covenant, crystallization study of Psalms, degradation comes in, enjoy Christ, exalt and appreciate Christ, give Christ the preeminence, give the Lord the first place, holy word for morning revival, life-study of Psalms, loving Him with our best love, pray for God's interest, the house of God
the meal offering church life with no leaven and no honey is for God’s satisfaction
With the Lord Jesus there was no leaven (no sinful or negative thing) and no honey (no natural affection, attachment, or preference). Rather, He lived a life of the highest and finest humanity (fine flour) oiled with the Holy Spirit (mingled with oil), having the fragrance of resurrection (frankincense), and living under the cross every day (being salted). This One is our daily food and our supply, our sustenance, and by eating of Him we become His corporate reproduction! We also live a life of the highest humanity mingled with the Spirit, with the fragrance of resurrection, and being daily under the cross. Also, as we eat this One, we will reject any sinful thing or any good aspect of our natural man. [read more online]
Filed Under: Christ lives in me, Enjoying Christ, experiencing Christ, expounding the truth, feeding on the Lord, God's economy, morning revival, serving the saints, the all-inclusive Christ, the Christian Life, the church life, the Lord's recovery Tagged With: corporate meal offering, fed and supplied, for God's satisfaction, fragrance of resurrection, holy word for morning revival, meal offering church life, no leaven and no honey, one bread and one cup, stand against our natural man, the church life, the focus of the Lord's recovery, the Lord's table, the meal offering, the reproduction of Christ, the tree of knowledge of good and evil
becoming the reproduction of Christ as the meal offering church life today
We are slowly and surely becoming the reproduction of Jesus Christ as the corporate meal offering church life! The genuine church today is nothing else but the corporate living of the believers in Christ who are the reproduction and duplication of Christ – it is Jesus living again in His believers. We are imitating Christ in His life by eating Christ and becoming Christ’s reproduction organically. We all are learning to deny ourselves, remaining in Christ’s death, living under the cross, by the power of Christ’s resurrection. When an unbeliever comes in and sees this, he senses that God is among us! Wow, the corporate God-man living, the reproduction of Christ as the meal-offering church life! [continue reading online]
Filed Under: Christ lives in me, Enjoying Christ, experiencing Christ, expounding the truth, feeding on the Lord, God's economy, morning revival, the all-inclusive Christ, the Christian Life, the church life, the high peak, the Lord's recovery Tagged With: Christ expressed the bountiful God, corporate meal offering, His perfect humanity, holy word for morning revival, Jesus living again, meal offering church life, one with Christ, only through eating Jesus, the aroma of resurrection, the cross of Christ, the duplication of Christ, the focus of the Lord's recovery, the fragrance of Christ, the meal offering, the reproduction of Christ
a genuine church is a meal offering church life with the fine humanity of Christ
Today we were specifically appreciating the wonderful, fine, gentle, balanced humanity of Jesus. The fine flour is the base of the meal offering, and it typifies the fine and balanced humanity of Christ. Our humanity is rough – though outwardly we may seem to be “a nice lady” or “a proper gentleman”, and though we may behave nicely toward the ones around us, our humanity is rough. Only Christ is gentle, fine, balanced, and right in every way. While He was on earth everyone tested Him, from His brothers, His fellow countrymen, the Pharisees, the priests, and even the Roman officials – there was no fault or blemish found in Him! [read more online]
Filed Under: Christ lives in me, Enjoying Christ, experiencing Christ, expounding the truth, feeding on the Lord, God's economy, love the Lord, morning revival, the Christian Life, the church life, the high peak, the Lord's recovery, the Word of God Tagged With: eat the humanity of Jesus, eat the Word, fine and balanced humanity, holy word for morning revival, living in resurrection, meal offering church life, the fine humanity of Christ, the focus of the Lord's recovery, the meal offering, the reproduction of Christ, the same as Christ, the working of the cross
a genuine church is enriched in Christ, awaits the Lord’s unveiling, and enjoys Christ
This is what we aspire to, and this is what we live unto, that we may be confirmed until the end unreprovable – in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ! For this, we need to daily grow in life! A genuine church is in a daily process of growth in the divine life – after its initial receiving of grace, the church enjoys grace and trusts in the God who is both the Alpha and the Omega to finish what He has begun in them. God gives us grace and it is He who will also confirm us in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ – He is the giver of grace and the completer of our growth in life at the end. Lord, grow in us daily! [read more online]
Filed Under: Christ became the Spirit, Enjoying Christ, experiencing Christ, expounding the truth, God's economy, morning revival, the all-inclusive Christ, the Body of Christ, the Christian Life, the church life, the Lord's recovery, the Triune God, the Word of God Tagged With: a genuine church, awaiting the Lord's return, called into the fellowship, called to enjoy the Lord, confirmed unreprovable, enjoy Christ more, enjoying grace, enriched in Christ, holy word for morning revival, participate in the Triune God, rich in Christ, the fellowship of His Son, the focus of the Lord's recovery, the Lord's return, the unveiling of the Lord
qualifications of a genuine church: the church of God enjoying grace upon grace!
One particular aspect I was encouraged with is that a genuine church accepts and welcomes everyone who calls on the name of the Lord – who is THEIRS and OURS! Jesus Christ belongs to and is in all the believers, and He is our all-inclusive portion – we are those who call on the name of the Lord in every place! Oh, Lord Jesus! We flee youthful lusts and pursue with those who call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22). Wherever we are – at home, at work, cooking in the kitchen, walking on the street, shopping, driving, traveling, resting, working, playing sports, jogging, etc – we CALL on the name of the Lord, who is OURS! [continue reading online]
Filed Under: Enjoying Christ, experiencing Christ, expounding the truth, God's economy, love the Lord, morning revival, the all-inclusive Christ, the Body of Christ, the Christian Life, the church life, the Lord's recovery, the Word of God Tagged With: a genuine church, being related to the saints, call on the name of the Lord, calling on the Lord's name, enjoy the Lord, God is dispensed into you, grace upon grace, holy word for morning revival, sanctified in Christ, the church of God, the dispensing of grace, the focus of the Lord's recovery, we are being sanctified
