Hans R. Waldvogel emphasizes the necessity of returning to our first love for Christ, warning against the dangers of complacency and the consequences of neglecting our relationship with Him. He illustrates how many people stray from the path of righteousness, leading to spiritual darkness, and urges believers to heed the Spirit's call to repentance and renewal. Waldvogel highlights the importance of following Jesus as our guide and the blessings that come from overcoming the trials of life through faith. He reminds the church that true love for God requires a complete commitment of the heart, and that neglecting this love can lead to dire consequences.

Selected Verses: I Thessalonians 4:1. Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. Revelation 21:7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 2:4-7. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Opening: “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” But how gracious of the Lord Jesus Christ to become our Director, and our Guide! And the fact that He is willing to have me follow Him—He is willing to lead me day by day and step by step. And wouldn’t I be a fool if I didn’t follow Him? Wouldn’t I be? And yet, how many, many people are such fools! They go their own way, and for a while it seems alright. But after a while they get into the bog, and they can’t get out anymore. How often we see that! I found out in my business, when I still was working with metals, that all metals: silver, platinum, gold, and whatever the metals were, they yielded to certain laws of nature. I had to learn the business from the bottom up, and it was a hard job at first. I spoiled many a job because I didn’t know how to apply the fire or the acid, or how to go about it. I had to learn that by myself. But I was always so happy when I found out that there was one way that worked perfectly. Once you’ve discovered that way, you can go to work and make your masterpiece. It works! … Selected Quotes: God was in that home, and it was a pleasure to come into that home and just to sit down with these people, to play with the child, to see the sweetness of this home. It’s a home like God wants it, and like God could make it for everybody. And all married people in all the world could have God Almighty in their homes, and could have the “peace that passeth all understanding,” and could see their children “grow up like vines by the side of their houses,” and could bring their children up “in the fear and in the admonition of the Lord.” What would you think of a man that took a saw and sawed off his own nose just to spite his face because he doesn’t like the looks of his face? And yet, that would be no more silly than these young people that cannot live in peace. They could just as well if they would follow the Lamb—if they would follow Jesus Christ. Listen, if you will follow Jesus Christ, “you shall not walk in darkness.” Those shadows will flee away; those fogs will go. You’ll have Almighty God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. … speaker icon Throughout the book of Revelation, God is dealing with His church, but He shows us plainly that in that church there’s a great company of people that will be cast aside. It’s an awful thing when Jesus says, “I’ll spew thee out of My mouth,”—that makes me tremble—or when He says, “I’ll kill her children with death,” or when He says, “I’ll remove thy candlestick out of its place.” And seven times the Holy Ghost calls upon the church. … But listen, have you been playing with the affections of Jesus Christ? He gives me His heart, and He will never be satisfied until He’s got my whole heart. That’s the first love. Who belongs to the bride of Christ? Well, the Bible tells us that “He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom.” And you can turn that around and say, “She that has the Bridegroom is the bride.” Who is the bride? Why, the bride is the one that has said, “Yes!” with a vengeance, with her whole heart. “Yes!”—without a question mark. Jesus says, “Give me thy heart.” “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.” … We are flesh, and as we heard a while ago, “That which is of the flesh is flesh” and “is enmity against God.” Don’t blame yourself if you cannot love God with all your heart, and you’re torn between two—you don’t know who is God: is it Baal, or is it Jehovah? Don’t blame yourself; you can’t help it. It’s because you haven’t come to the Fountain. It’s because you have not followed Jesus Christ. It’s because you have not done what the Bible tells you to do first of all: “Come out from among them and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing.” These unclean things!—they steal the love of Jesus Christ out of your heart. … [St. Catherine of Siena] was a prophetess, and she said, “Lord, why don’t You take the cardinals, why don’t you take men and make them preach and prophesy?” Jesus said, “I can’t get them. They all seek their own, not the things that are Jesus’.” Beloved, that condition has prevailed in the church of Jesus Christ to this day. Everybody seeks his own, but Jesus Christ is seeking His own. He’s seeking that for which He died. He says, “I’ve got this against you: you’ve left your first love.” Listen, when you’ve left it, that candlestick is removed. I’ve seen that happen. I’ve seen what happens when people give their hearts to Jesus. And I’m jealous. I know that if we as a Pentecostal assembly don’t fulfill, God will find Roman Catholics, and He’ll find Baptists, and He’ll find Methodists, and He’s got them. And when they see the face of Jesus, they fall in love with Him. When they hear His voice, every other voice will be silenced; they won’t hear it anymore. Their hearts will be for Him and they’ll say, “Had I a thousand hearts to give, Lord, they should all be Thine.” Is there a greater call to any human being? … Prophets today are prophesying a nuclear war and the destruction of mankind. That doesn’t interest me at all. Oh, I’ve heard a voice. I know that voice. Jesus, I know Your voice. “It’s the voice of my Beloved that calleth to me, saying, ‘Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled.’” Underscore that: “undefiled.” … Illustrations: A child hammering nails. “It never dawned on him that the fault was not with the nail but with him!” (from 6:22) The home life of one foolish and one wise married couple. (from 7:22) Trying to learn the Christian life without practical exercise is like trying to learn the violin without ever touching it. “That’s the way that many people come to this meeting.” (from 21:11) The story of Catherine of Siena. (from 33:33) An example of a fallen church. “‘You’ve left your first love.’ Beloved, when that first love goes out of your life, the devil moves in.” (from 39:29) German at 4:48: wie geschmiert — like a well-oiled machine German at 29:24: Welt geh’ weg mit deinen Schmeicheleien, du kommst zu spat. — World, go away with your flattery; you are too late. References: Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned, a hymn by Samuel Stennett: Since from His bounty I receive Such proofs of love divine, Had I a thousand hearts to give, Lord, they should all be Thine. The Young Christian by Margaret Mauro Hebrews 13:13 I cannot give it up, The little world I know! The innocent delights of youth, The things I cherish so! ’Tis true, I love my Lord And want to do His will, And O, I may enjoy the world And be a Christian still! I love the hour of prayer, I love the hymns of praise, I love the blessed word that tells Of God’s redeeming grace, But I am human still; And while I dwell on earth God surely will not grudge the hours I spend in harmless mirth. These things belong to youth, And are its natural right— My dress, my pastimes, and my friends, The merry and the bright. My Father’s heart is kind; He will not count it ill That my small corner of the world Should please and hold me still. And yet, “outside the camp”, ’Twas there my Saviour died! It was the world that cast Him forth, And saw Him crucified. Can I take part with those Who nailed Him to the tree? And where His name is never praised Is there the place for me? Nay, world! I turn away, Though thou seem’st fair and good; That friendly outstretched hand of thine Is stained with Jesus’ blood. If in thy least device I stoop to take a part, All unaware, thine influence steals God’s presence from my heart. I miss my Saviour’s smile Whene’er I walk thy ways; Thy laughter drowns the Spirit’s voice And chokes the springs of praise. If e’er I turn aside To join thee for an hour, The face of Christ grows blurred and dim And prayer has lost its power! Farewell! Henceforth my place Is with the Lamb who died. My Sovereign! While I have Thy love, What can I want beside? Thyself, dear Lord, art now My free and loving choice, In whom, though now I see Thee not, Believing, I rejoice! Shame on me that I sought Another joy than this, Or dreamt a heart at rest with Thee Could crave for earthly bliss! These vain and worthless things, I put them all aside; His goodness fills my longing soul, And I am satisfied. Lord Jesus! let me dwell “Outside the camp”, with Thee. Since Thou art there, then there alone Is peace and home for me. Thy dear reproach to bear I’ll count my highest gain, Till Thou return, my banished King, To take Thy power, and reign!