Revelation 2:1–7: When a Church Leaves Its First Love
The risen Christ commends Ephesus for hard work and sharp discernment, then charges the church with leaving its first love. His remedy is not a new program but remembering, repenting, and returning to the works love produced at the start.
Nehemiah's Prayer: Where Church Reform Begins
Nehemiah hears that Jerusalem's wall is broken and its people are in reproach, and he weeps, fasts, and prays. His prayer begins with confession rather than strategy, rests on God's covenant character and spoken word, and ends with a concrete and risky request.