Stop to Pray GRAM

By Gene Beekman

“Too many of God’s people . . .do not clearly and passionately see the desperate need for a mighty return to God by the people of God. Many do not realize that they have departed. They still actively ‘practice religion’ and assume their activity is a relationship with God. Religious activity, no matter how faithful, is not necessarily a relationship with God. This has been the tragedy of God’s people throughout the Bible.

I attend gatherings of Christians all the time, and very few are talking aboutor even mentioning Jesus! Our conversations are not about our recent life-changing experiences with Jesus. We talk about everything but Him! Our hearts have departed, and we are in the gravest of danger. We must return to Him quickly, or experience His judgment on such sin!”

— Return to Me, Summer 2003 newsletter by Dr. Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God

A few days ago I was reading Matthew 4 and was struck by the explosive excitement surrounding Jesus and His earthly ministry:

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.”
–Matthew 4:23-25 NIV

I doubt that those who were healed of their diseases, demon-possession, seizures, and paralysis had any difficulty talking about Jesus. Could it be that as Blackaby has pointed out that we today may have departed from the Lover of our souls and consequently seen our hearts grow cold? Have we “forsaken our first love” as did the believers in Ephesus or have we become “lukewarm”? (Rev. 2:4; 3:15-17)

We must remember that our FIRST PRIORITY in life is to get to know Jesus more intimately with each passing day.

In his most insightful article, “Falling in Love Again: How You Can Renew Your Passion for God”, pastor Steven J. Lawson gives four steps for falling in love again with the Lord:

1. STEP ONE: Remember when you first came to know Jesus and pray that the initial intensity will be yours once again. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
2. STEP TWO: Repent by getting on your knees and confessing your spiritual apathy. (1 John 1:9)
3. STEP THREE: Repeat “the deeds you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5) These first things included Bible study, fellowship, breaking bread together, and prayer. (Acts 2:42-44)
4. STEP FOUR: Remain in the battle against sin. Do not conform to the values, expectations, and assumptions of the world around us and within us. (Matthew 6:33-34)

Lawson says these four STEPS each leads us back to Christ:

Remember . . . repent . . . repeat . . . remain!

“Each step rekindles our first love for Christ. Take decisive steps right now. Remember how it was when you first met Christ. Repent of your cold-heartedness. Repeat the basicsBible study, fellowship, worship, and prayer. Remain on track in your fight against sin. Determine to spend time alone with Christ getting to know Him better.”

Have you left your first love? He’s waiting to be alone with you.

We count it a privilege to be involved in helping others renew their sense of the Lord’s presence in their lives!

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