A Sweetheart Love For Jesus

Out of curiosity, a teenage Billy Graham went to hear an evangelist by the name of Mordecai Ham. And during that meeting, Billy Graham was saved under Mordecai Ham's preaching. And later when Billy became an evangelist, he came to Mordecai Ham to get his advice for ministry.

He said, Brother Ham, do you have any advice for me? Do you have any advice for this young preacher? And Mordecai Ham looked him in the eye and said, Billy, don't ever lose your sweetheart love for Jesus. That's good advice, friends. In the book of Revelation, in chapter 2 and verse 4, we read the words of the risen Christ to the church at Ephesus.

Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. This is both an admonition and a warning. For we read in the next verse, remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Well, I cannot read this verse without remembering a former friend of mine. Oh, we were the best of friends. We went to the same church.

We were in the same Sunday school class together. We had the same small group together. I played golf with this man.

I often had lunch with him during the week. And every time I got around this man, he just wanted to talk about Jesus. Do you know someone like that, that when you are with them, they make you thirsty for Jesus? Well, this man was like that.

He just wanted to talk about Jesus. Then in his business, he found a way to make a lot of money. And soon when I had lunch with him, all he wanted to talk about was his business and making money.

He didn't want to talk about Jesus anymore. He just wanted to talk about how much money he was making. Well, I ran into him one Sunday at church in the parking lot and I said, hello, and he refused to look me in the eye.

And I went home and I told my wife that something's wrong with this man. Something's happened and it's bad. And we'll find out shortly.

He wouldn't look me in the eye. Well, my wife said, well, he's a good Christian man. I'm sure you're just wrong.

This man was blessed by God with a godly wife and three beautiful children. They just moved into a big new house on five acres of land. And it turned out he had gotten so successful at work that he was able to afford to hire a personal secretary.

And he hired a pretty new secretary, half his age. Well, they ended up in a adulterous affair with one another. And this man's wife found out about it.

He was confronted by her and he refused to repent and let go of the relationship. His 20 year marriage went down the drain and ended in divorce. He lost his big new house.

He lost his family. He lost it all. And he was one time one of my biggest inspirations.

But he became my biggest warning. Why? It all began when he lost his sweetheart love for Jesus, which led to a hard heart to where he fell into grievous sin of unfaithfulness to his wife in adultery. And he refused to repent and seek restoration with his family.

Instead, he defended his affection for his new lover. Eventually, that sinful relationship ended as well. But it was too late by then.

His wife had remarried. His children were grown. And the last time I saw him, he was sitting at a restaurant bar, drinking hard liquor in the middle of the day.

And he looked miserable. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou has left thy first love. Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come on to thee quickly and will remove that candlestick out of his place, except I'll repent.

Let me ask you, friend, how's your sweetheart love for Jesus lately? Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last.