Until the "first love" message is preached, taught and lived out...everything else we attempt to teach or build is out of order and in vain. Current day believers have been led by leaders in circles bearing very little fruit because this critical foundational "first love" truth is missing.
To attain all that the Lord provided for us, we have to be obedient and follow Him through the working of the cross in our daily lives and in intimacy in relationship with Him. Purity and accuracy of truth, righteousness (right standing in holiness with the Lord) and transformation into the very image of Christ can only be fully attained by spending time in the secret place with the Lord just as Jesus did with the Father.
Spending time reading scripture is not enough. We see proof of this in the current leaders of today that the Lord is bringing correction to and/or removing. It is because of this lack of intimacy that the church is seeking revival. It is because of this lack of intimacy that there is no fear of God, holiness or spirit of repentance.
We must spend time with Him in the secret place.
It is in the times of intimacy that the washing of the water occurs in our lives because He is the Word, He is the one that brings true transformation to the heart of man. We find that the more time we spend with Him (He is the Word), the more our lives will line up with the written word. The two will never contradict each other. It is in these times of closeness that He is able to truly shine His light upon the very depths of our hearts bringing a godly sorrow that leads to repentance and change.
It is through time, patience and fervently seeking to "know" Him and the desires of His heart, that we can come into a first love relationship and ever be truly be pleasing to the Father. For what is truly pleasing to the Lord, is for us to bear the very image of Christ. This is true spiritual maturity. One can never bear Christ's image, if this time in intimacy in the secret place is not spent. It is in these times spent with Him that this transformation occurs.
Until this first love message is preached, taught and lived out...everything else we attempt to teach or build is out of order.. Current day believers have been led by leaders in circles bearing very little fruit because this critical foundational "first love" truth is missing. Many leaders have been teaching that the foundation of the believer (the church) is whatever "current day" apostles and prophets teach. This is perverted false teaching which exalts man. True apostles and prophets that are hearing "clearly" from the Lord's heart do not exalt man, but they exalt Jesus Christ.
The "foundation" of the apostles and prophets which Christ was speaking of....was the type of intimacy and closeness in relationship that He had established with each of the first apostles. He walked with them daily in a deep friendship. He is still speaking to us about this type of intimacy in relationship with Him today! This intimacy and closeness with Him marks the difference between a true apostle/prophet, a mature apostle/prophet and the false. To those who truly know Him in intimacy, He speaks plainly and reveals the desires of His heart. To those who refuse intimacy, remain at a distance placing others things before Him, He speaks in pieces, and in parables.
John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
How often do we hear that today? God is doing "something" yet they do not have a clue what the "something" is. It is only in the secret place that He will share the very secrets of His heart. He will not force intimacy upon us...He waits to be wanted and pursued. We will never be counted among the "bride" if we are not fully accustomed to intimacy with the bridegroom.
Note: A true apostle is marked by intimacy and is "sent" (apostolos) by the Lord....ONLY after intimacy in relationship is established, death bearing their individual cross and Christ is formed in the person. Then and only then can the Lord trust them not to twist or pervert the teaching of His heart (His Kingdom). He then "apostolos" sends them entrusted to share the precious, powerful truth of His Kingdom, not before! This is one reason we see so many problems among the so-called apostles over the last 35 years. There is a difference between the call and the commission. Way too many have stepped out before they are sent. Would you give someone the authority to speak for you if they could not quote you accurately? Not adding, omitting or twisting what you say, or using your words for their selfish benefit? A true "sent" one has been proved...is dead to self and speaks only of the Kingdom and what He is told to speak. Just as Jesus spoke and did only as He saw the Father do. The words of a mature "sent" leader will never be opinion, but will be the very heart and words of Jesus...the truth of God's Kingdom; the spirit of prophecy being the testimony of Jesus...which are "the very words of Jesus".
We must honor the order of the Lord's heart! First love must be established with Jesus, then can it be manifest through us to others. This is the Kingdom within us and through us. When this first love foundational truth is obeyed and is walked in we will be transformed into the very image of Christ...THEN and only then, will the world know we are His by the love we have for one another.
John 13:35 "Just as I have loved you, so you must love one another. This is how all men will know that you are my disciples, because you have such love for one another.”
We must submit to and HONOR the order of the Lord's heart...loving Him first...dying to self to bear His image and character, then allow Him to fill us with His love to care and meet the needs of others around us (our sphere of influence).
Matthew 16:24-25 "Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. He said, 'If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross and follow me. If he wants to save his life, he will lose it. But if he loses his life for me, he will find it'"
2 Corinthians 8:14 At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality.
Jesus is still calling us to follow Him! If our walk does not look like His, something is wrong!
Acts 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (what Jesus had taught them) and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Blessings & Shalom,
Zanild Abarrane Tsadak-Kohein