Reading: Revelation 1:12-2:7

Jesus in His white haired glory, feet aflame,
and eyes "like flaming fire"
spoke to the church at Ephesus by the
fierceness of a double edged sword. 

The first correction of the church is
addressed to all ages and all churches.
To groups who meet in Jesus' name
and all individuals who claim Him Lord,
the first correction being the foundational issue.

The first and foremost issue of the church is
whether JESUS CHRIST is the "first love."
First love. Above all other loves.
Idolatries discarded.
Substitutes cast away,
and Jesus, the priority, the pursuit, the focus.

The passion of affection . . . and therefore,
the center of attention.  

Light is given where Christ is the centrality
and the first place of Love.
Love brings Light.
Love calls for Light.
Love and Light are one.
Where there is no Love - or pale love -
for Christ, then there is no Light.  

The Savior in His kingly splendor,
sets the clear condition for the presence of Light:
not the seeking of truth, not right doings.
The essential for possessing Light is loving the Lord.
When that is abandoned or neglected,
Light is removed from the church.  

The question of any church is this: do you have Light?
In the smallest gathering and the largest meeting,
is there Light?
Truth is not enough.
Doctrine is insufficient.
Works are not the issue.

The power of Truth to penetrate hearts is
confined to the presence of Light.
Always the question is:
do you manifest the Light?  

Light will unveil mysteries and bestow conviction.
Light will search the secret heart with the Word.
Light penetrates where mere words cannot.
Light purifies and cleanses through God's truth.  

The issue of validity, of reality is Light
because light is the literal presence of the Blazing God.

God IS light and when He is in preeminence,
Light in blazing power will be there.
And God in Light is there only where
His Son is the Beloved.

God's sanction on any gathering is
manifested by Light and
His power is conditional on the presence of Light.  

Light is bestowed in secret.
It is given in private when
the door of the single soul is open to it,
where Light is sought and valued
and Jesus is set as the first Love.

The church is only church which meets together
to love the Glorious Son.  

Life is light and without Light,
truth has no transforming life.

The crisis these days is not truth or knowledge.
Spiritual information abounds.
The crisis is the absence of light where truth is proclaimed.
The lampstand and the flame have been removed
because Christ is not the object of hearts
nor the center of all purpose.  

The question is: in your speaking, your doing
your moving, your going for Christ,
do you have the light of Christ with you?
Oh, we must have His light or
all is futile and unlasting.
His Light is the power of the truth.  

If there is no Love for the Son of Love,
there will be a dark and empty center,
the absence of the fire of His Light . . . .

If there be no Light it is ever because there is no Love.

Light is everything!
And Light is the outward manifestation of
the inward condition: loving Christ above all.

Copyright © 2004 Martha Kilpatrick