SHE OR HE LIKES THE THINGS YOU DO, BUT LOVES THE REASON YOU DO THEM

                                    

THE REASON FOR YOUR WORKS

“…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV)

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Your (Christlike) WORKS, the way in which all your actions and behaviors speak or communicate to God, SENDS a CLEAR message. God says, “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV). "…I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty….” (Revelations 2:9 NLT).

Any slave-like and dutiful religious WORKS will NOT escape God’s sight or his ear. “…Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity…” (Matthew 7:22-23 KJV). “…Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable…” (Hebrews 4:13 NLT).

You may GAIN the approval of ALL the world, by your WORKS, but God is NOT looking at the outward religious ACTS; he is looking at the heart. “…What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 KJV).

“...God SEES NOT as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART…”(1 Samuel 16:7 NASB). “…No one needed… to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart…” (John 2:24-25 NLT). “…Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men…” (Acts 1:24 KJV). “… He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked…” (Psalm 11:4-5 NLT).

Your WORKS communicate a CLEAR message to God and he KNOWS exactly what you are saying, even if you do not. “… You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me…” (Psalms 139:4-5 NLT).

Your WORKS communicate to God whether your activities and behaviors are acts of devoted love verses those of a dutiful slave.

He applauds devoted acts of love. “… Wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed…” (Matthew 26:13 NLT).“… if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded…” (Matthew 10:42 NLT). “… “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter … said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep…” (John 21:17 NLT).

God KNOWS your WORKS. “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV).

God is perfectly aware of the WORKS of his people. It means he KNOWS exactly “WHAT” you do. “… [THEY]… are such [that]… serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple…” (Romans 16:18 KJV).

He also knows the difference between devoted WORKS and duty-bound WORKS. “…This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” (Mark 7:6 KJV).  “…for thy heart is not right in the sight of God…” (Acts 8:21 KJV).

It is NOT the WORKS God is complaining about in Revelation chapter 2: it is the absence of FIRST LOVE devotion. “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV). “…I HAVE SOMEWHAT AGAINST THE[m] … [YOU HAVE] … LEFT [THEI]R … FIRST LOVE…” (REVELATION 2:4 KJV).

The absence of FIRST LOVE devotion reveal that the WORKS of his people spring from duty-bound, religious obligation. “…This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” (Mark 7:6 KJV).  

Devotional WORKS are acts of love that are EMPOWERED by the indwelling Holy Spirit. “For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV).  “…I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me…” (Philippians 4:13 KJV).

Devotional WORKS are acts of love that are EMPOWERED by God’s indwelling strength. God causes them“…to be strengthened (empowered) with might by his Spirit in the inner man…” (Ephesians 3:16 KJV). “…according to the POWER that worketh IN [them]…” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).

Devotional WORKS are acts of love that are EMPOWERED by “HIS” indwelling Spirit of love and his FIRST LOVE fervor for YOU. “…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV). “…God is love…” (1 John 4:4-8 KJV). ^“…It is God who works in [his people]… to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose…” (Philippians 2:13 NIV). THEY “…can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth (empowers) [THEM]….” (Philippians 4:13 KJV. “….Apart from [jesus], [they]… can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV). ). “…Now may the God of peace, … that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip (empowers) [them]… with everything good for doing his will, and may he work IN [them]… what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV).

Devotional WORKS are acts of love that are EMPOWERED to manifest HIS indwelling Holy Spirit “IN” and “THROUGH” you. “… The … HOLY SPIRIT … is the SOURCE of them all. …it is … God who does the work IN and THROUGH all of us who are his. The HOLY SPIRIT DISPLAYS God’s power THROUGH each of us … (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT).

Devotional WORKS are acts of love EMPOWERED by the indwelling the Holy Spirit to do the long-term work of HOPE, GRACE, PATIENCE, and ENDURANCE. “…HE WHICH HATH “BEGUN” A GOOD “WORK” IN [them]… “WILL” “PERFORM” IT “UNTIL” the day of Jesus Christ…” (Philippians 1:6 KJV).

Devotional WORKS are EMPOWERED to produce the FRUITS of the indwelling Spirit. “…The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance…” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV). “…Ye shall know them by their fruits [or WORKS]…” (Matthew 7:16 KJV).

 “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV). God KNOWS your WORKS; whether they are devotional or duty-bound. “…their heart is far from me…” (Mark 7:6 KJV).  

God commends the church of Ephesus for their outward WORKS yet his eye was on the inward WORKS of the heart. “...God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at THE HEART…”(1 Samuel 16:7 NASB). God zooms in on the “…hidden man of the heart…” (1 Peter 3:4 KJV).

The church of Ephesus was doing religious WORKS that were EMPOWERED by their OWN strength or human effort. “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV). “… repent and DO the first works…” (Revelation 2:5 KJV).

Duty-bound WORKS are religious acts done without the POWER of the indwelling Holy Spirit. “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV). “….apart from Me (the indwelling Holy Spirit), you can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV).

Duty-bound WORKS become practices of religious mastery. Religious mastery refer to acts based on Christian knowledge, routine, and familiarity that require skills in how or when to say “amen,” “shout,” “do certain rituals,” “stewardship,” “read scripture,” “sing familiar songs,” “pray,” “come to regular worship,” or “repeat religious clichés and gestures.” “…This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” (Mark 7:6 KJV).  

Duty-bound WORKS can become perfected over the years and confidence in one’s OWN effort is strengthened. “…You skillfully ….hold on to YOUR OWN tradition...” (Mark 7:9 NLT). “…they have stubbornly followed THEIR OWN desires…” (JERMIAH 9:14 NLT).

Duty-bound WORKS are witnessed, by God, in the way people mask unethical behaviors and evil intentions by doing religious acts. He knows if you are NOT real. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness… ” (Matthew 23:27 KJV).

Duty bound works turn into a pretense of adhering to Christ-like values, beliefs, and practices, because a person’s devotion is absent. “…he knew what was in each person’s heart…” (John 2:24-25 NLT).

Duty-bound WORKERS come together with Devotional WORKERS to DO the WORK of God; one does it out of religious obligation and the other out of Christian love. “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know everything I do…” (Psalms 139:1-6 NLT).

The WORKS of the church of Ephesus promoted the faith, but demoted the people of “that” faith. “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV). “…Thou hast LEFT thy FIRST LOVE. Remember, therefore, from whence thou art FALLEN, and repent and DO the first works…” (Revelation 2:5 KJV).

Duty-bound WORKERS can give hope to others through their religious services, but have lost their OWN hope. “…Remember, therefore, from whence thou art FALLEN…” (Revelation 2:5 KJV).

Thus, it was NOT the works God complained about; it was the sin of departing, leaving, forsaking from their FIRST LOVE. “…Thou hast LEFT thy FIRST LOVE. …” (Revelation 2:5 KJV).

A duty-bound person’s actions were NOT pleasing to God because their HEART had grown distant or far from him. “…I have SOMEWHAT against thee…” (Revelation 2:5 KJV). “…This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” (Mark 7:6 KJV).

A duty-bound person’s has FORSAKEN their FIRST LOVE, which God STILL has for them. “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT). “…God has said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).

Forsaking the FIRST LOVE God has for you results in doing religious WORKS with indifference, half-heartedness, as a burden of obligation, and joyless responsibility. “…but their heart is far from me…” (Mark 7:6 KJV).

Duty-bound WORKS, done out of a sense of religious obligation, is SIN and requires repentance. “…The one who does what is sinful is of the devil… …” (1 John 3:8 NIV).

Restoration to their FIRST LOVE will help them recover their lost ZEAL. “…I KNOW THY WORKS…” (REVELATIONS 2:2 KJV). “…repent and DO the first works…” (Revelation 2:5 KJV).