Don’t Miss the One Thing That Truly Matters

Greetings my precious readers! How are you doing?

As we come to the end of 2025, I want to remind you not to miss the one thing that truly matters.

Rev 2 in the Bible opens with the title “The Loveless Church.” Here, the Apostle John writes to the church in Ephesus, saying this:

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Rev 2:2-4)

When the first love is forgotten…

The church at Ephesus laboured faithfully for God’s Kingdom without growing weary. They served diligently, stood firm against the works of the enemy, and refused to tolerate sin. They followed God’s commands and were zealous in their service. On the outside, everything looked right. Yet somewhere along the way, they missed sitting at the feet of Jesus. They missed seeking the face of the Lord. Like Martha, they were busy doing good works, but failed to realise the one thing that truly mattered, i.e. to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. It was like a marriage where both partners remain faithful, yet the love between them slowly grows cold.

That’s what God was telling them: You have stopped pursuing Me!

Child of God, the way you fell in love with Jesus at the beginning, ask yourself, is your love and zeal for the Lord still the same? Or over the years, have life and circumstances slowly weighed your zeal down? On the outside, everything may seem to be going well. Yet somewhere along the way, has your love for God gone cold?

Yes, you may still be faithful. Yes, you may still be found in the church. Yes, you may still be doing the works of the Lord. Yet somewhere along the way, you have lost your first love. Before you went to church because you loved being in His presence, but now you go to church simply because it feels like the right thing to do. Religion has crept in and taken the place of your first love.

When lukewarmness takes over

In Rev chapter 3: 15-17, we see another church that God is speaking to. And as He speaks to them, He says…

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked…

This church in Laodicea was financially blessed. They understood what it meant to give to the Lord, and because of that, they prospered.

They had the right resources, the right equipment, and were blessed beyond measure. In many ways, this was a ‘good’ church. (And it’s important to remember that there is nothing wrong with being blessed, and nothing wrong with having good resources).

Yet there was one crucial thing they missed…

Somewhere along the way, their passion and zeal for the Lord began to fade. They were neither hot nor cold. Like a damp log of wood that can no longer catch fire, they had lost their passion altogether. They continued going to church and doing the right things, but in the process, they stopped pursuing the Lover of their souls. They had lost their passion and hunger for the Word. Because of their lukewarmness, It was ok for them to compromise and allow sin in their lives.

Will He find us with your lamps burning?

So here we see examples of two churches, one persevered in works for God, yet abandoned their first love, while the other had become lukewarm and compromising.

Child of God, as we move closer to the end times, the Bible reminds us that there will be rumors of wars, natural calamities, and many troubling events (Matthew 24:9–12). As believers, there is one crucial thing we must guard carefully: keeping our lamps burning. This is because the enemy’s agenda is clear: To cause our hearts to grow cold, both toward the Lord and toward one another.

Also when persecution comes, our hearts must remain strong, because these moments can either shape us or shake us. It will become more difficult to share the Gospel, and many nations will turn against believers. In such times, many in the faith may feel offended or shaken. Some will begin to question God’s goodness, and even His very existence. We cannot live lukewarm now and expect to be strong when trials begin. If our love for God is not being renewed and set ablaze today, how can we expect it to suddenly be renewed in the midst of the pressures of the end times?

Luke 12:35-37, 40 encourages believers to be ready and keep their lamps burning, as the Son of Man will come at an unexpected hour. Are we living with an anticipation of Jesus’ return? When He comes, will He find us walking in faith, or doubting, questioning Him, and wavering? Will He find us lukewarm, entangled in sin, or will He find our lamps burning brightly?

It is not just important that we believe in Jesus, but also that we are in love with Him, and keep our fire burning as we continue to pursue Him.

But there is hope!

If there is one thing we can do, it is to repent and return to our first love. And trust me, its not hard. Remember when you first encountered the love of God? There were things you did that kept the fire burning: the way you sought the Lord, the way you worshipped, the way you gave. Go back to doing those very things, and in that place, God will re-ignite the fire you once had for Him.

The Bible says, “He who has an ear, let him hear.” If you are willing to overcome and if you choose to come back to that place of wholehearted devotion, God gives a promise:

“To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ Rev 2:7. He further says in Rev 3:2: The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

In other words, God is saying, if you are willing to come out of your lukewarmness and if you return to your first love, letting your heart no longer remain cold…“I will give you the opportunity to sit with Me on My throne.”

Wow!! Isn’t that powerful?

Jesus is such a perfect example for us.Though He was fully God and could easily have done great works on His own, He still chose daily communion and dependency with the Father.He kept His prayer life strong. He lived in constant pursuit of God. That intimacy gave Him the grace to do everything He was called to do.

And just as Jesus overcame and sat down with the Father on His throne, God is inviting you to overcome and share in that victory.

I pray that as you are reading this, let every hardness in your heart melt and let that lukewarmness go away. Let there be a renewed hunger for the Word of God and a deep desire for intimacy with Him.

Make this your prayer for the coming year above everything else: that you would remain on fire for Jesus, and that you would always be found in a place where He is your first love.

2026, may you start strong, in Jesus!