Devotionals

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When They Ministered to the LORD

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Here is a beautiful description of God’s desire for us. After the above mentioned, came to know and love Jesus, they found Him so irresistible that they first and foremost ministered to Him. It was Jesus they desired.

God adores and cherishes us. We are His beloved. His great Heart longs to have fellowship with and have intimate time together with us. Before our service, ministry, or anything else He wants us!

A few months back, feeling a cooling off of my heart towards Him, I realized that I had put my ministry and other things before Him. The fire that burned in my heart for Him had dimmed. The pure love of wanting to learn more about Him and His wonderful ways had slipped away.

I will share a little poem I wrote shortly after I realized the cooling off of my relationship with Him:

Most Treasured Love

My heart has wandered from Thee,
O, Spirit of God, come, set me free.
Restore unto me a pure love,
O, come, sweet, gentle Dove!

It is Thee I desire to seek,
For all of my days.
O, Dearest Jesus,
To know more of Thy ways.

Bring me back to gaze on Thy Face,
Help me behold Thy mercy and grace.
Sweet Jesus it is You alone I desire,
Send forth Thy love as consuming fire.

For you are beautiful, most treasured Love,
Father, Son and Holy Dove.
Let my life be simply for Thee
For me You died on Calvary’s Tree.

How He desires to be first in our hearts. How He desires that we don’t lose our first love. It was when the first Christians ministered first and foremost to Jesus that the Holy Spirit said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

The early church turned the world upside down. God can do the same through us as we minister to and love first the LORD.

Oh, Abba Father. You have given us Your very best in the Person of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We desire to say “Thank You, our great God”! More than our service, our gifts, more than anything else You long for us to Love Your dearest Beloved. You long for us to be a bride that is so in love with Jesus that we first and foremost minister unto Him because of His great love for us. Please help us Father and bring us back to our first love, our Jesus. For it is in His name we pray, Amen.

© Virginia Ganskie

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