Remember Your First Love

By: Rev. Arnel C. Tan

“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!”
Rev. 2:4 NLT

When John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote the letter from Jesus to the church of Ephesus, it was not addressed to a single individual… it was addressed to the whole church. It was a congregational indictment from God, letting them know that they had fallen so far from their first love. No one from the church was spared, everybody fell from loving God like they used to. This sends jitters up my spine when we assume intimacy with God… and yet God does not concur.

What is in the phrase “first love” that made Jesus long for it? During the early days of conversion, our focus was so clear. It was not about projects, it was about the person of Christ. Motives and ministries were outcomes of those lives totally surrendered to God and therefore, everything was done for Him. Rules were so insignificant as compared to a love relationship. In fact, prayer was central and worship was essentially done as response to God’s invitation to come into His Presence and feast on His words. “First love” was all about Christ!

Then things got too technical and rules quickly took over relationships. Efficiency was now the goal over spiritual depth. What made the situation critical was that the whole church thought they were all fine spiritually. The services and doctrinal prowess continued, sadly, so with the deception that all was well. Then the letter came… stating otherwise. I think it is critical that we see this situation as a corporate falling away rather than some individuals getting cold towards God.

If the whole church of the efficient Ephesians were guilty of not only forgetting but leaving their first love, it also required whole repentance from the whole church. We are not told how the church of Ephesus responded but we know what will happen to them if they don’t repent. Christ will remove their lampstand… meaning their light to the nations will no longer shine. Their services and militant watch for doctrine and missions may go on, yet they cease to be a church that is in love with the Lord. Just another busy efficient church minus the love, life and laughter. That will be the picture of this church. How tragic… how sad!

If you were the Pastor of the church at Ephesus, or a member of this same church, what would you do? Could it be that we are that church or on our way to being that church? The only way back is to repent and return… not to work, but to worship; not to projects, but to prayer; not to more presents, but more of His Presence. Before the lampstand is taken, someone must come and bridge the gap that we may all fall in love with Christ again.

Jesus Is Our First Love - Part 2

When God says you lost your first love, He’s saying that it’s not only church activities, He’s telling us something’s wrong with intimacy. Communion is more important than communication.

Jesus Is Our First Love - Part 1

In Ephesus the norms are different. There’s no such thing as morality. There’s no such thing as fear of God. There is hedonism, there is pleasure. When God wants to change the community He plants a church and when the Lord wants to change a City, He revives the church.

STRAIGHT FROM MY HEART

By: Rev. Arnel Tan

Thank you all for your prayers… I had a very busy week. It all started as DXFE celebrated its 39th-year anniversary. We also launched with DXFE listeners, a partnership with the Office of the Ombudsman, for “Operation Red Plate”. This is our response to the rampant misuse of government vehicles. Then we had the prayer gathering of the young people from four different denominations here in our church. Looking back, there’s no way I could have gone through all of these events without your prayers! Thank you all for remembering me in prayer.

The response of the whole church to the needs of the fire victims of Baranggays 31 and 76 is truly a wonderful sign of grace and unselfishness. Praise God! It’s not easy… when you start looking at the world that ‘God so loved’, the more it assaults our hidden selfishness… when we begin to love the world that ‘God so loved’, it becomes even more “disturbing” when we go to the next step of loving… and that is giving. As God so loved the world, God gave, and as we love the world that God so loved, we too, as a church, learns to be unselfish. This time, every time we hear the fire truck’s siren, we hear a call for prayer and unselfishness. We now slowly see OTHERS more than ourselves. The journey is challenging. Let us all depend on God as we take steps to obey Him.

I can only preach at the 7am service today, as yesterday, I celebrated my 23rd year of ordination. Praise God! He is faithful! I will be speaking at the UCCP church of Toril at 10am and then at 2pm, at Times Baptist Church, where I was ordained 23 years ago (Feb. 19, 1989). It’s an opportunity for me to look back and marvel at the Glory and goodness of God through the years of ministry. Somehow, preaching to other congregations is both an adjustment and a learning experience for me. It is an adjustment because I’m not in my home church,… refreshing, because I can see how God is at work in a different setting different from my expectations. Thanks to Pastor Cezil Perales who will be preaching this Sunday for 3 services, let us remember him in prayer. The journey is long, let’s remember that prayer reveals God’s plan… prayer prepares us to take a long-term and low-profile ministry for the Lord!

Beyond The Walls of Jericho - Part 2

What we have learned beyond the wall of Jericho? The Lord's victory over Jericho exalt the Lord particularly in two ways, it exalted God's way and His ways are higher than our ways. If you are a military commander how do you attack Jericho? Probably send special military unit, commandos or gas poison there or other military strategies but what did God said? "This is My way try silence, march, shout and conquer".

Beyond The Walls of Jericho - Part 1

Beyond the walls of Jericho, beyond the walls of fortified city with strong warriors what's the lesson? The story of Jericho is a timeless witness and yet a persistent whisper bringing many lessons even in modern times. The big idea in the story is that to know your God, to know your place, to know your function, and to know your priorities.

For God So Love The World - Part 2

Living forever without dying is vain if that is eternal life but in the Bible eternal life is eternity without stop, without halt, without pause so that you can be with God forever, minus God eternal life is just twilight.

For God So Love The World - Part 1

What is the good news? Ladies and gentlemen the good news is not just I got healed from my cancer. The good news is not the company gave me a raise. That’s good news but it’s not yet the good news. The good news in the scripture is not about you, the good news is about God.

What Do These Stones Mean - Part 2

We bask in sermons, conferences, in books that exalt the grace of God centering on us while the wonder of God’s grace is worthy of our attention. If that grace is disconnected from its purpose the sad result is self centered Christianity that bypasses the heart of God.

What Do These Stones Mean - Part 1

It was not Joshua’s idea to gather twelve stones representing twelve tribes of Israel as a memorial it was God’s idea. Are we prepared for a major adjustment in our lives? This message will call us to look at God instead of the blessings. God wants Israel to have a different mindset and heart for God’s glory and for His purpose.

“What do these stones mean?”

By: Rev. Arnel Tan

“He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’S hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever.” Joshua 4:24

It was not Joshua’s idea to make 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel as memorial for them and the next generation. It was God’s command to Joshua! Why would the Lord give a command like that? For what purpose will these stones serve? Stones are not eloquent yet they speak messages that will grow old with time. Other nations too are erecting their idols made of stone, what’s the difference?

Those stones were not there to be object of worship; they are to serve as reminders for Israel and their children. It’s not only for Israel and their children but the whole nation as well, that they may know that the Lord’s hand is powerful. And for those who know God already that they may fear Him more. Here we see a pattern that God wants His people to observe. First it is for them, that they may fear God. Second it is for their children that they may fear God as well. Third it is for the nations that they may know God by the reverence that God’s people show to their God.

What do these stones mean? It is a reminder for Israel’s FORGETFULNESS of God. It is a rebuke to SELF CENTEREDNESS, and it is a direct assault to whoever thinks that God is exclusively the property of one nation. Here the Lord unveils His design and desire that the focus should not be on self but rather on God. And that Israel must have a different mindset and heart set. A heart for God over and above His blessings is number one, and then a heart for the nations that they may see God’s glory and fear Him.

Those stones are virtual mirrors of man’s self centeredness. I must admit my concern and pursuit in life and my thinking stopped with my children. Seldom I see the needs of my community, seldom do I take seriously that the purpose of God’s extravagant grace is to extend His glory to others. “He did so that all nations of the earth might know….” This is a direct hit to my selfishness. Here God calls me and all of us to ask ourselves why are we blessed? And this should lead us to the answer so that the nations (others) not only our children will know the powerful hand of God.