Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

 

 

Is Jesus your First Love ? Do you love Jesus more than anyone else and anything else ? More than yourself ? You are God’s first love. God loves you more than anything else that He created. Now He wants you to love Him that way. God wants to be your First Love. That is what having a personal relationship and close fellowship with God is all about.

Is Jesus your Treasure ? Do you treasure and value Jesus more than anything or anyone else ? You are God’s treasure. He treasures and values you more than anything else that He created. And now God wants you to treasure and value Him more than anything or anyone else. He wants to be your Treasure.

Is Jesus your Passion ? Are you more passionate about Jesus and your relationship with Him than anything else ? God is passionate about you. And about having close fellowship with you. Now He wants you to be more passionate about Him than anything or anyone else.

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

Idols In Today’s World

Most people that are Christians today would say that without a doubt they do not have any idols in their life. After all, an idol is something like a religious item or a statue. Like the golden calf that the Israelites made while Moses was on Mount Sinai getting the 10 commandments from God. Or like a statue of Buddha.

We need God to examine our hearts before we quickly state that we have no idols in our life and that Jesus is absolutely our first love. Perhaps idols in today’s modern world are something altogether different than we think.

Before we see what idols actually are in today’s world, let’s take a look at how God views idols.

God’s View Of Idols

 

Deuteronomy 5:7-10 – “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me. But showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

The word “jealous” in verse 9 is not the same as petty human jealousy. It refers to God’s zealous love for His people. God zealously loves us with all His heart, and He wants us to love Him this same way. And to be zealous and passionate for God.

 

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

God Views Our Idols As Acts of Adultery

 

 

Excerpts from Jeremiah 1:16 to 3:20 give us a clearer picture of God’s view of idols.

“I will pronounce my judgements on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshipping what their hands have made. … I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert… Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged my Glory for worthless idols. … My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. … Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord your God when he led you in the way ? …

Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me. … They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble they say, ‘Come and save us !’ Where then are the gods you made for yourselves ? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble ! … But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers – would you now return to me ? … their immorality mattered so little to them, they defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood (idols). …

Only acknowledge your guilt- you have rebelled against the Lord your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree and have not obeyed me; Return, faithless people, declares the Lord, for I am your husband. … How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me Father, and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me.” 

 

We are Jesus’ First Love; He Wants To Be Your First Love

1 John 2:15-16 tells us: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.” 

Jesus loves you more than anything else He created. He is passionate about you, and about having close fellowship with you. Jesus wants you to know Him more and more. And grow closer to Him and more like Him.

When Jesus is your First Love, Treasure, and Passion you will do whatever is necessary to know Him more. And grow closer to Him and more like Him. Like spend fellowship time with Jesus in His word and in prayer. And you will do whatever it takes to obey and please Jesus.

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

What Is An Idol ?

 

An idol is anything that takes the place of Jesus as your first love, and treasure, and passion. It is natural for human beings to have idols, which can be almost anything tangible in our lives. It is easier to pursue and put something in 1st place in our lives if it is a visible and tangible thing or goal, dream, or desire.

Having idols is a natural part of our sinful human nature. We naturally tend to value and treasure people or things above God. And we tend to spend more of our time, talents, and treasure pursuing these things rather than pursuing God.

 

Examples Of Idols in Today’s Modern World

Jesus wants to be your First Love, Treasure, and Passion. There are many things in your life that compete with Jesus for being your first love, treasure, and passion.

Here are some examples of modern day idols. Many of us think of religious symbols or objects or statues as idols, like idols in the Old Testament. An idol can be just about anything that takes first place in our lives.

• Money
• Religion
• Tradition
• Pleasure
• Career
• Ministry
• Success
• Accomplishment
• Material Things
• Status
• Power
• Influence
• Position
• Our own goals (in place of God’s goals)
• Our own purposes (in place of God’s purposes) 
• Control
• Our own ideas
• Our own opinions
• Self – living to please self instead of pleasing God  (2 Corinthians 5:9,14)

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

 

It is Not Sin or Wrong to Have These Things

It is not wrong to have these things. What makes it sin and wrong is when we begin to love these things more than Jesus. Or when we turn to these things to satisfy and fulfill ourselves before we turn to Jesus. Or when we are more passionate about these things than we are about Jesus.

 

Before you decide that you do not have any idols in your life please continue to read on.

 

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

 

Do You Have Any Idols ?

If you love anything or anyone else more than Jesus, then you have an idol(s). Do you treasure anyone or anything else more than Jesus ? If so then you have an idol(s). If you are more passionate about something or someone else than Jesus, then you have an idol(s).

Before you decide that you do not have any idols in your life, you need God to examine your heart. You also need to honestly look into your heart and ask the questions in the sections that follow.

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

 

Is Jesus your First Love ?

Do you have any idols in your life ? Do you love anything more than Jesus. Or do you treasure anything more than Jesus ? Or are you more passionate about something than Jesus ?

It is human nature to have idols. We typically tend to go after the things or people that we can see and touch. The tangible things in life. For many to have a close relationship with God is difficult because they cannot see Him.

To determine if you have any idols in your life, answer the questions in the following sections. Honestly.

 

Is Jesus Your Treasure ?

 

What do you treasure and value and desire most ?

Matthew 6:21 – “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Whatever or whoever you value and treasure most, that is where your heart will be. And your devotion, your love, and your passion. Jesus wants to be your Treasure, since He treasures and value you most. And Jesus deserves to be.

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

What do you seek after or pursue most ?

 

Proverbs 21:21 – “He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor.” Pursuing righteousness means to pursue a right & close relationship with God.

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ” Jesus tells us to Seek First His kingdom and His righteousness. This means to put in first place… the most important things in our lives need to be our relationship with God and God’s kingdom work and mission. Top priority. Highest importance.

Jesus wants you to pursue and seek Him – first. Above all other things. When Jesus is your First Love, Treasure, and Passion you will have no problem spending time with Him. And seeking Him. And then following and obeying Him.

 

Is Jesus Your Passion ?

 

What takes most of your time & focus & energy ?

Colossians 3:1-2 – “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

God wants you to set your heart and mind on Him and His kingdom work and mission. Your main focus and effort needs to be on your fellowship with God. Then at some point, as you grow closer to God, He will invite you to join Him in His kingdom work & mission. 

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

What do you put your trust in ?

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

God wants you to trust in Him with all your heart. He wants you to trust in Him more than anything else or anyone else. Especially when you do not understand or see what He is doing in your life. Or why He is allowing difficult circumstances in your life.

 

Jesus wants to be your First Love, because you are His first love. And Jesus wants to be your Treasure, because you are His treasure. And Jesus wants to be your Passion, because you are His passion.

 

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

What do you think will satisfy and fulfill you ?

 

Isaiah 55:1-3 – ““Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk. Without money and without cost. “Why do you spend money for what is a not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy ? Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David.”

Psalm 63:1-3, 5 – “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You…  My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.”

John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

God wants to give you abundant life. He wants to fully fill and satisfy your heart and soul. Only He can give you peace and joy. And only Jesus and a close relationship with Him can fully satisfy your soul.

 

What are some things you are not willing to let go of ?

 

Philippians 3:7-9 – “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.”

You need to be willing to love and follow Jesus, whatever the cost. The things people tend to hold onto cannot and will not satisfy. Only Jesus can fully satisfy you.

 

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

Why do you do the things you do ?

 

1 Chronicles 28:9 – “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”

Matthew 22:37-40 – “And He said to him, “‘ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘ You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

2 Corinthians 5:9 – “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.”

In all that you do, your motives should be love for God and love for others. When your heart is right with God, that will be your motive. When God is your First Love, Treasure, & Passion, all that you do will be out of love and devotion for Him.

 

Additional Bible verses to read

 

“God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” – Psalm 53:2

“Yet you have not called upon me… you have not wearied yourselves for me.” – Isaiah 43:22

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you. You have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.” -Isaiah 64:6-7

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. And I will cleanse you from your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws…You will be my people, and I will be your God.” – Ezekiel 36:25-28

 

Jesus Wants To Be Your First Love, Treasure, and Passion

God Needs to Touch Our Hearts

” I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord. They will be My people and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart.” – Jeremiah 24:7

“If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

” Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” – Joel 2:12-13

 

Jesus wants to be your First Love, because you are His first love

And Jesus wants to be your Treasure, because you are His treasure

Jesus wants to be your Passion, because you are His passion

 

 

 

Continue Growing Closer to God

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The goal isn’t simply to learn more about God.

The goal is to know God personally, love Him deeply, hear His voice, walk with Him daily, and experience a growing intimacy with Him.