ROMANS 5:6-9 – For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”

Theme of the Day. PREACH THE GOSPEL TO YOURSELF.   In the seven letters to the churches of the Revelation, two describe spiritual conditions that should scare us as Christians and create unwavering resolve to guard against.  The first one we find in the church at Ephesus and the second the church at Laodicea.

In the first letter, the letter to the Ephesian believers, the Lord Jesus would commend them for what was right among them but identifies also what was wrong with them.  And it was serious because the absence of this spiritual quality makes the Christian life stale, routine, and more morality than Christianity.  Here is the Lord’s letter to them identifying their problem – “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love’” (Revelation 2:1-4). This church was guilty of loss of first love for Jesus. Gone was spiritual zeal. Gone was a hunger for God. Gone was the desire to be like Christ. When first love is gone, everything is gone. Oh, we don’t lose our salvation, but we will lose the joy of salvation.

The next sick spiritual condition that is an ever-present danger for us is in the church of the Laodiceans.  Their condition coincides with the loss of first love.  Here is the portion of their letter from the Lord identifying their spiritual state – “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:14-16). Being lukewarm is extremely dangerous because we may have all the outward evidence of looking like a Christian but be barren in our hearts without the reality of Christ in us.

So, how may we guard against these two spiritual cancers?  Today’s theme Preach the Gospel to Yourself. Remind yourself of God’s love in the Gospel.   A pastor named Milton Vincent wrote an excellent book titled A Gospel Primer for Christians. He offers sound advice on the benefit of preaching the Gospel to yourself and it is a fitting conclusion of today’s nugget – “The Gospel reveals to me the breathtaking glory and loveliness of God, and in so doing, it lures my heart away from love of self and leaves me enthralled by Him instead. The more I behold God’s glory in the gospel, the more lovely He appears to me. And the more lovely He appears, the more self fades into the background like a former love interest who can no longer compete for my affections.”

PRAYER: “Father, please keep my heart ever so close to Your Son’s cross and empty tomb.”

QUOTE: “The sure-fire way to keep fervent first love to Jesus is to preach the Gospel to yourself daily.”