2006-09-08 First Love - Revisited

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Dear Brothers and Sisters in IAUA (ee-ah-oo-ah) our Father,

Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly sabbath. I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of the Lord.

I described in my newletter of 2006-03-06 a presentation I was preparing should the opportunity arise. As I assumed would eventually happen, I was asked to give the morning devotional Tuesday June 12 at 3ABN. I worked very carefully to prepare a devotion that would be as non-controversial as possible short of saying absolutely nothing. I sought much counsel and spent a lot of time in prayer. This is the final text I presented.

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What I am going to share with you is a bit deeper than the typical inspirational message. I am challenged by these words in Hebrews.

Hebrews 5
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

I would like to offer a bit of solid food for those who are spiritually mature. I apologize to those who are new babes in the Gospel and may find this difficult to chew.

Revelation contains a message of appreciation to the early church. It also contains a warning. I believe this message has an application to the last church also.

Revelation 2
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Paul spoke of the results of the loss of the first love.

2Thessalonians 2
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

What is this first love which was left and lost? I have heard it preached that the lost first love was the love for the Messiah. I agree with this, however, I believe that this answer is too general. I believe there is a more specific answer. The key to a more specific answer begins in the next verse.

Revelation 2
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

It is possibly necessary at this point to reassure those who might be concerned thinking "We believe in righteousness by faith and you seem to be talking about being saved by our works!" We are indeed saved only by the sacrifice of the Messiah. The question for those who are ready for strong meat is "What do we do after we are saved?"

Consider the words of the Messiah. How does the Messiah describe the evidence and demonstration of our love?

John 14
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And repeated more forcefully.

John 14
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Consider very carefully the meaning of the word "commandments". Some would have you think this means only the "Ten Commandments". A more general and more accurate meaning includes anything that God has commanded. You might be surprised in your study of the New Testament to realize that the concept of "Ten Commandments" is never mentioned. Even in the Old Testament it is only mentioned about three times.

There is another word, "statutes", found only in the Old Testament and Spirit of Prophecy, which has a general meaning, which is usually applied to the "Ten Commandments". I believe the Bible teaches there is a specific meaning, which applies to God's commands other than the "Ten commandments". Statutes are things like paying tithe, unclean meat, and other things that are commandments of God.

There is much I could say about this. I am going to leave this topic to your consideration with an enigmatic and powerful prophetic quote from the last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament.

Malachi 4
4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

In closing, I am going to answer a related question that some have asked and many more have probably wondered. Why do I wear tassels?

Number 15
37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes (tassels) in the borders (corners) of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe (tassel) of the borders (corners) a ribband (thread) of blue:
39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe (tassels), that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

I believe that God has commanded the perfect way to constantly witness fidelity to His law. I recall hearing a profound statement from Pastor Lomacang, "You can't go wrong doing what Jesus did."

Matthew 14
36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem (tassel) of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

Finally, reminding those who might object that those commandments applied only to the children of Israel. Don't we consider ourselves spiritual Israel.

Galatians 3
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

And again:

Galatians 3
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The last most pointed reference:

Revelation 7
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

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I failed badly in my attempt to be non-controversial. I received a severe reprimand for what I said. I was told that I was expressing a "personal belief" and this was not acceptable. The complaint was described as against my mention of the tassels though I suspect it was more than that.

I believe that God blinded me to the controversial nature of the tassels. I truly did not think it would be a problem to describe my belief. My single-minded devotion to following ALL of God's commandments has blinded me to how other people react. I now realize that I am more open-minded than others. I had never noticed a negative reaction to my tassels except among some of those who believed in the feasts.

Do you have a single-minded devotion to following all of God's commandments?

May we all find peace and unity in the soon coming of IAUShUO (Ee-ah-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God.

Shabbat Shalom,

Frank T. Clark
Webmaster@IAUA.name
www.IAUA.name

Next: 2006-09-15 Ten Commandments Weekend

Revised 2006-09-15