Gary Wilkerson exhorts the church to examine their hearts and repent of having lost their first love and passion for Jesus Christ. Using examples from Acts and Revelation about the church of Ephesus, as well as the story of the sinful woman anointing Jesus' feet in Luke 7, this sermon emphasizes that God's eternal purpose is for the church to love His Son above all else. Gary warns against getting distracted by good things like ministry, doctrines, and programs, and challenges believers to have an intimate, singular devotion to Jesus. The sermon is a heartfelt plea for the church to return to a deep love for Christ.

Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning. There are seasons in our life when God will allow forms of sorrow into our heart for His own purpose. Sometimes God will allow times of isolation so we can stop and think about His ways in order to get an eternal perspective. If you are feeling alone this message reminds us that it was the shepherds that were isolated out in the field who got the revelation of Jesus. It was Simeon a lonely man who waited for the comfort of Christ. And it was Anna, a widow who was no stranger to sorrow. Has it ever occurred to you that isolation and loneliness might be mandatory for us to see Christ in the midst of crisis. In the last days it talks about a bride filled with oil who will see Him in calamity. Those who have suffered will be filled with oil so they see the nearness of Christ and His power. Get ready to light your lamp and dance!

The answer to this question is yes. We are saved to serve. We will never know the fullness of Christ until we say yes to our calling. We must recognize that God is the one who calls us and He is also the one who equips us and enables us to serve. We are set apart for God rather than for living for ourselves. And the gifts given to us by God are to be used for the benefit of others. This message encourages us to accept our calling with a glad surrender. When we live our lives for the betterment of others we have answered the call to ministry.

Man's inherent problem is that he thought in himself that he could be God. We all have a sin nature in us that desires to make choices apart from the will of God. God gave us the law as a school master to prove to us that we can't keep it. When we try to struggle our way out of a situation we are being God in that area. When we try to defeat sin in our own strength we are being God in that area. God the Father and Jesus Christ made a covenant with each other to put an end to sin and the power it has over us. It is only when we bend our knee to God and put our faith in the finished work of the Cross the struggle stops and God can be God to us. WE don't make promises to God, He makes them to us and He keeps them. It is not about works, it is all about faith in what Christ has already done.

The old covenant was a conditional works-based promise between man and God. It was meant to show the holiness of God, and how far short man falls in his own efforts. Jesus fulfilled the old covenant, establishing a new covenant between Christ the Son and God the Father. Through faith and grace we become heirs of this new covenant of freedom. However, many believers are still living under a performance-based old covenant mentality, not fully claiming the holiness and righteousness made available to us through Christ.

[Isaiah 54:1–2] There comes a point in every believer's life when God calls them to something greater than themselves. He asks us to get our eyes off ourselves and our problems, and to focus instead on Christ. When God places a calling on our lives He calls us to enlarge our tent, to be strengthened spiritually and relationally, and to be stretched beyond our own comfort and abilities. God wants to use us. He desires a people that can believe Him to accomplish great things through their lives.

The time for seeking God is now. The Bible says ask, seek, knock and God Himself will answer you and give you what you need. The question is what are we asking for? We are called to be a testimony of Jesus Christ in the earth. The light and life of Christ is given to those who are given for the purposes of God. Ask for your heart to be broken for the lost. Ask for the strength to take up your cross and follow Jesus. We are to seek first His kingdom. Seek the heart and the will of God and He promises that all we need will be given to us and at the end of the day we will have joy!

We live in dark and troubling times, but now more than ever God wants to move through us to change the world. Christ needs us all to form His body, and until we do so we won't be able to accomplish His mission. We exist to contain the Creator. Unless we do His will we will not have peace. Following His call will bring about God's glory on Earth.

Are you in a tight or distressful place? A place where you feel hemmed in? In this time of trial the devil will come at you with the lie that your life has no purpose. Don’t give in to the voice of the enemy, because you have the power of God in you, and you don’t have to believe those lies. Jesus Christ went through everything you are going through and His voice is the only voice that counts. God will never allow your enemies to triumph over you. Sometimes it is as simple as hearing a Word from God. There is a point when God quiets every voice and calls you to be silent before Him so He can calm the storm. When God speaks you will have peace in your inner man. You will hear Him say, “Peace be still!” Keep silent before Him and let Him renew your strength.

It can be hard for us to understand the simplicity and power of Christ when our life seems so complicated. You may be feeling guilty angry and condemned. You may be asking yourself how did my life get so complicated? Many times we cannot believe or receive what God has done and will continue to do for us because of the lies of the enemy. God calls us to begin to agree with His plan and His desires for our life. Don't be pushed away from His amazing Grace. His love will never fail you. It doesn't matter how complicated your life seems right now God will keep His promises to you!