Good Morning Girls!  Yesterday I gave you a verse that I believe shows that it is common for us as Christians to find ourselves spending more time doing things for God and less time doing things with God.  It is Revelation 2:4 "But I have this complaint against you.  You don't love me or each other as you did at first!"  I told you that today we would look at the verse that follows.  I wanted to give you a day to let the first part sink in before moving on.  I did this to spare the turmoil I felt when I read the next verse.  Are you ready?
Now remember, we are just getting settled in our hearts about how important it is to return to our first love.  To return to the love we once had for Jesus.  We got so busy doing, we forgot about loving.  So we are ready to slow down and sit in His presence.  We are ready to ditch our to-do lists.  We are ready to return to a relationship with the Lord that is pure.  After all that is what Revelation 2:4 is saying right?  I believe it is.
 So what does Revelation 2:5 say?  It says: Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.  Are you kidding me?  I just got set free from works and now you are telling me to return to the works I once did?  I about hyperventilated!  My internal warning sign screamed Warning Warning Loophole Alert!  This past summer I started see a bunch of loopholes in my faith.  things like "if you tithe you will prosper.......however, if you do not prosper, perhaps you are harboring some unforgiveness and that is blocking your blessing.......so I would check my heart and search for unforgiveness.  Looks good.  What's the next loophole?  I would work my way through them.  Seriously, that is how I felt. 
So my first response when I read Revelation 2:5 was to see it as another loophole.  We had not been set free at all!  We were not being saved from our works lifestyle.  No.  Instead we were given another task:  In addition to the works you do.....make sure you love the Lord with all your heart......you obviously aren't loving Him enough right now.  So love God more and do your work!   Aaargh! 
Now Praise the Lord, I am in a much better place now than I was this summer.  I knew in my heart that this was not what this verse was telling me.  I didn't know what it meant exactly, but I knew it was not a red alert loophole.  I set it aside- shelved it for a while as I asked the Lord to explain it to me.  This is what He showed me....
He had me go back to the book of Ephesians and see what kind of "work" the church in Ephesus was known for (that is who was being addressed in Revelation 2:4-5).  If He tells them in Revelation to return to the work they once did- they must have previously done something right.  I haven't read through the whole book yet, but so far I have found  two things they were known and praised for by Paul.  The first one is in Ephesians 1:1 I am writing to God's holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.  Okay, so they are faithful followers- I can handle that.  The other verse that stood out to me was Ephesians 1:15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you.  They had strong faith in the Lord and they loved God's people everywhere. 
This is all I have found so far!  They were faithful followers of Jesus.  They had strong faith in Jesus.  They loved God's people everywhere.  There is no mention of the number of hours they spent in the Word, or in prayer every day.  No mention of how many hours they served in the church.  No mention of how well they could recite the law.  No mention of how many days or how many things they fasted.  They were praised for their faith and their love.  How cool is that!  I truly believe those are the works the Lord is referring to when He says in Revelation 2:5 turn back to me and do the works you once did.  He is simply saying look at me.  Love me.  Have faith in me.  And love my people.  How's that for a to do list?  I think it is awesome!
Now, am I saying that since there was no mention of prayer time and bible reading, we should not spend time in the Word or in prayer?  Oh Girls.....you know me to well to think that I would ever say that.  I'll tell you my feelings on that tomorrow.........

Also, if you feel led to do so, I encourage you to read through Ephesians.  Let me know if you find any other "works" they were known and praised for......just in case I missed some.

Revelation 2:5 Look how far you have fallen!  Turn back to me and do the works (follow me, have faith in me, and love my people)
you did at first.


Love you all (hey, I've already done one of my "works" today)
Jen