The Biblical Principle of First #3 God’s Love Language ~ Dr William P. Hohman
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Discover why giving God your first — your time, your morning, your best — is His love language and the key that unlocks His redemptive power in every area of your life.
Description
Biblical Principle First Overview
In this third installment of his series on the Biblical Principle of First, Dr. William P. Hohman draws a profound connection between the act of giving God our first — our time, our finances, our attention — and God’s own love language. Building on the previous sessions about kingdom economy and the two economies believers navigate, Dr. Hohman shows through Scripture how the “first” is always the redeeming portion: just as Christ was God’s first and best given for humanity, our firsts offered to God activate His redemptive power over every corrupted area of life. Drawing from Psalms 5:3, Mark 1:35, Revelation 2:1-5, Romans 8:32, and Proverbs 3:6, he unpacks how Jesus Himself modeled this principle by rising before daylight to pray, and how the church of Ephesus lost its effectiveness not through laziness but through abandoning its first love. With personal testimony, vivid illustrations including green stamp redemption centers and the story of Lazarus, Dr. Hohman calls every believer to return to intimacy with God — starting with the first moments of every morning — as the foundation for supernatural strength, discernment, and fruitfulness in a corrupted world.
Biblical Principle First Outline
- 00:00 – Transitioning from Kingdom Economy to the Principle of First: Dr. Hohman recaps the series context, explaining how understanding two economies — natural and kingdom — leads into the biblical principle of giving God our first in all things.
- 06:30 – The Redemptive Power of the First: Using Romans 8:32 and the meaning of sozo, Dr. Hohman explains how God giving His only Son is the ultimate expression of the principle of first, and how this activates total redemption in a believer’s life.
- 14:00 – Green Stamps and the Redemption Center Illustration: A childhood memory of trading green stamps at a redemption center becomes a vivid picture of how communion and prayer function as our access to God’s redemptive provision.
- 22:00 – Redeeming the Time — Ephesians 5:16: Dr. Hohman addresses the stewardship of time, warning against social media consuming the first of our day, and calling believers to give God the first moments of every morning as a tithe of their day.
- 31:00 – Jesus and John — Models of First Love Priority: Examining Mark 1:35 and the life of John on Patmos, Dr. Hohman shows how those who gave God first access to their lives became vessels of extraordinary supernatural power and revelation.
- 39:00 – The Church of Ephesus — Leaving the First Love: A deep study of Revelation 2:1-5 reveals that active, fruitful ministry without intimate first love for God leads to the removal of the lampstand — a loss of spiritual light, discernment, and boldness.
- 48:00 – Returning to First Love — Personal Testimony and the Dream: Dr. Hohman shares a powerful personal encounter with God after a season of burnout, including a dream where Jesus showed him both renewed and entirely new revelation awaiting those who return to intimacy.
- 55:00 – Proverbs 3:6 and Psalm 91 — Promises for Those Who Put God First: The sermon closes with God’s own declarations of deliverance, honor, answered prayer, long life, and salvation for those who set their love upon Him and seek Him first every day.
Scripture References
Romans 8:32, Matthew 6:33, Psalms 5:3, Ephesians 5:16, Mark 1:35-37, Revelation 2:1-5, Psalm 103:7, Luke 8:18, Galatians 5:6, 1 John 4:19, Romans 5:5, Proverbs 3:6, Psalm 91:14-16
Key Takeaways
- Giving God the first of your time, finances, and attention is not merely a discipline but His love language — the primary way you communicate love and trust back to your Creator.
- The word sozo, translated ‘saved,’ encompasses healing, deliverance, prosperity, and every blessing, meaning redemption is far more than a ticket to heaven — it is a daily, active process.
- Jesus Himself rose long before daylight to pray and be with the Father first, and every miracle that flowed through His ministry was sourced in that daily priority of first communion with God.
- The church of Ephesus serves as a sobering warning that religious activity, doctrinal faithfulness, and even spiritual labor become empty and dangerous when they are no longer fueled by an intimate first love for God.
- When you return to your first love, God not only renews what you have known before but opens entirely new dimensions of revelation, strength, and purpose that you have never previously experienced.
- Losing your first love results in the removal of your spiritual lampstand, causing a progressive loss of discernment, confidence, boldness, and ultimately the ability to distinguish between right and almost right.
- Starting each morning with even fifteen minutes in God’s presence — reading Scripture and talking with the Lord before anything else — sets the redemptive principle in motion and changes the entire trajectory of your day.
Biblical Principle First Notes
First as God’s Love Language Explained
Dr. Hohman anchors the entire message in a single, compelling thesis: the principle of first is not a financial or religious rule — it is God’s love language. Just as being chosen first on a team communicates value and belief in someone’s worth, giving God the first of our day, our finances, and our attention communicates to Him that He is loved, trusted, and prioritized above everything the corrupted world competes to claim. This reframes tithing, morning devotion, and the Great Commandment as expressions of intimacy rather than obligation.
The Redemption Center as Biblical Picture
One of the most memorable illustrations in this message compares God’s redemptive provision to the green stamp redemption centers of mid-twentieth century America. Just as stamps accumulated through ordinary purchases could be exchanged at a redemption center for goods of real value, so every area of a believer’s life — time, health, finances, relationships — can be brought to God through prayer and communion and exchanged for His supernatural provision. This picture makes abstract theology tangible and pastoral, grounding the doctrine of redemption in everyday experience.
Ephesus Warning Still Speaks Today
The rebuke to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2 carries a weight that Dr. Hohman applies directly to modern believers and ministers alike. Ephesus was not lazy, immoral, or doctrinally compromised — they were busy, discerning, and enduring. Yet Christ threatened to remove their lampstand because they had drifted from intimate first love. Dr. Hohman confesses personally that even as a pastor, the pull of ministry work can quietly displace the very presence that makes ministry effective, making this warning universally relevant.
John on Patmos — Faithfulness Rewarded with Revelation
The choice of John, imprisoned on the rock quarry of Patmos at approximately 110 years of age, to receive and deliver the book of Revelation to all seven churches illustrates the extraordinary trust God places in those who consistently prioritize His presence. John was the disciple who leaned on Jesus’ breast while others debated — a picture of chosen intimacy over activity. Dr. Hohman draws a direct line between John’s lifelong posture of first love and the supernatural ability to accomplish what was humanly impossible from a prison island.
Hardness of Heart Takes Time to Soften
Using the image of a tissue versus cardboard placed in water, Dr. Hohman offers a gentle and realistic pastoral word to those returning to God after seasons of spiritual dryness. The harder the heart has become through prolonged absence from God’s presence, the longer the softening process will take — but it will happen. The washing of the Word and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit will progressively break down resistance. Believers are encouraged not to abandon the process simply because the first hours of returning feel uneventful or empty.
Practical First Step Starting Tomorrow Morning
The message closes with one of the most actionable calls in the series: begin tomorrow by giving God the first fifteen minutes of your day. Open the Bible, read a few verses, and speak directly to the Lord before social media, work demands, or news can compete for your attention. Dr. Hohman promises that this simple, consistent act of first-love obedience will produce noticeable change in strength, discernment, and joy — because it engages the redemptive principle that causes God to pour His presence into every remaining hour of the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that first is God’s love language?
Dr. Hohman teaches that just as being chosen first communicates value and affection in human relationships, giving God the first of our time, resources, and attention is the primary way we express love and trust toward Him. This concept is rooted in Matthew 6:33, where Jesus commands believers to seek first the kingdom of God. It reframes spiritual disciplines not as religious duties but as acts of intimate love.
What is the biblical principle of first?
The biblical principle of first teaches that the first and best of everything we have — our morning time, our income, our focus — belongs to God and carries redemptive power when given to Him. Scripturally, it is seen in the tithe, in Jesus rising before daylight to pray, in David directing his voice to God in the morning in Psalm 5:3, and in God giving His only Son as the ultimate first. When we honor this principle, God’s redemptive provision is released over the rest of our lives.
Why did Jesus wake up early to pray according to Mark 1:35?
Mark 1:35 records that Jesus rose a long while before daylight to go to a solitary place and pray, demonstrating that even the Son of God operated by the principle of first. Dr. Hohman explains that the source of every healing, miracle, and supernatural provision in Jesus’ ministry flowed from this daily priority of giving the Father first place in His day. It was not religious routine but the living connection that powered everything that followed.
What is the warning to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2?
In Revelation 2:1-5, Christ commends the Ephesian church for their doctrinal integrity, perseverance, and labor, yet warns them that He will remove their lampstand unless they repent and return to their first love. Dr. Hohman explains that the lampstand represents spiritual light, discernment, and the ability to navigate life with confidence. Losing it does not mean immediate moral failure but a progressive darkening of understanding and boldness that makes believers ineffective.
What does sozo mean in the New Testament?
Sozo, the Greek word typically translated ‘saved,’ encompasses far more than eternal life after death. It includes healing, deliverance from oppression, material provision, and every form of wholeness. Dr. Hohman references this meaning to show that Romans 8:32 — God freely giving us all things because He did not withhold His Son — is a redemptive promise covering every dimension of a believer’s life, not merely their spiritual standing before God.
How does giving God first place in the morning change your day?
According to Psalm 5:3 and the teaching of Dr. Hohman, directing your voice to God first in the morning engages the biblical principle of first, activating His redemptive power over the hours that follow. Rather than being drained by the corruption and demands of the day, believers who give God their first find their strength renewed, their discernment sharpened, and the presence of God accompanying them through challenges that would otherwise overwhelm them.
What happens when you return to your first love for God?
Dr. Hohman teaches from Revelation 2:5 and personal testimony that returning to first love always brings believers to a place they have never experienced before. God renews what was previously known — making familiar Scripture and past encounters feel brand new — while also releasing entirely new revelation and spiritual understanding. The illustration of Lazarus returning from the dead brand new captures this dynamic: returning to God is never merely going back, it is going forward into greater life.
How is communion connected to the principle of redemption?
Dr. Hohman connects the Lord’s Supper directly to the concept of a redemption center. Just as green stamps were brought to a store and exchanged for goods of real value, believers come to communion remembering that Christ’s sacrifice has purchased healing, provision, and every blessing for them. Jesus’ words — do this in remembrance of Me — are an invitation to actively receive and apply His redemptive work to specific needs, rather than merely observing a ritual.
