On campus you and I were immersed in our studies, deep in fellowship with other believers, and fired up about our faith in Jesus Christ. On the college campus whether we realized it or not we were experiencing a spiritual high. Then we return home and as the summer weeks pass by we tend to pick up old bad habits, hang out with old friends, and deal with our parents. The Christian life becomes more and more difficult to live out. And you find yourself at a low spiritually. Most of us end up fighting with our parents, watching too much T.V., and too engaged in worldly things. On our spiritual journey in life we experience highs and lows…How do I get started down this journey, being able to remain faithful not only in the highs but also in the lows?” Here’s a passage of scripture that describes a group of Christians that obviously had had some spiritual highs & lows in their lives.

Revelation 2:2-5, “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. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.”

First observation I would like to point out about our love for the Lord is, Revelation 2:4 says something very insightful about love. It does not say, “You have lost your first love.” It says, “You have left your first love.” It was a choice. Actually, it was a small series of choices, wrong choices that move us away from the Lord and the summer is full of tempting opportunities to make wrong choices as Christians. The passage speaks of what we can do when we allow our heart to go adrift or when we allow love to slip:

Remember the Lord. Who He is, what He has done, for us, and how we are to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. See, these Christians knew all the right doctrine, served the Lord well, but failed in their devotion to Christ…failed to cultivate their relationship with the Lord.

Repent. Verse five warns us if we do not repent we allow love to slip. What does repent mean? “I recognize that where I am is not where I am supposed to be. So, I turn and move toward where I am supposed to be.” That’s what it is. The same truth is found in Lamentations 3:40-41, “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD; Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.” The Bible says, “Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living and reorder our lives under God.” How do you move to the place that you want to be with God? First, you remember. Second, you repent.

Redo what you did, again verse five reads, “Repent and do the things you did at first.” Funny, how we never outgrow a quiet time, never outgrow prayer, never outgrow walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, never outgrow the need for fellowship, and never outgrow walking by faith - trusting in the Lord with our lives.

So, this summer watch your bible reading, get plugged into a local church, initiate fellowship with other believers, and find a group of people who exercise their faith, get involved in a bible study or small group, and keep short accounts with God.

Love is a Choice, Pastor Alex Garcia