Valentine's Day

"My beloved is mine, and I am his..."

(Song of Solomon 2:16)

On Valentine's day, celebrate the deepest love possible!

For hundreds of years, people all over the world have celebrated Valentine's Day. This day brings to our mind images of hearts, greeting cards, flowers, and candy. Many think, "Oh! Another commercial holiday for companies like the greeting-card companies to make money." Indeed, they do. Reports tell us that men (15%) and women (85%) send Valentine's cards. According to statistics, around 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are sent every year in the United States. That makes Valentine's Day the second most popular day for sending cards, after Christmas, which has over 2 billion cards sent each year.

Valentine's Day is a pagan holiday, but it is an opportunity for Christians to focus on what love is all about. We must remember that to live without love is not to live at all!

• Some people celebrate Valentine's Day without knowing about the man whose life the holiday honors. Historians give us many stories about Valentine, but the common one is that he was a young minister who lived in Rome in the third century. Emperor Claudius II was in power at that time, and he recognized that single men made better soldiers than the ones with wives and families. Because of that, he banned young people from marrying. Valentine disobeyed the Emperor's order and from compassion for couples in love, continued to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. He also continued to preach the gospel. Finally, Valentine was arrested and put into prison where he fell in love with the jailer's daughter who he intended to marry. Valentine started to write the most beautiful and passionate love letters and assured her of his great love for her. On the date set for his execution, he sent the last epistle to his sweetheart, which he signed: "From Your Valentine." On February 14, 269, young Valentine was put to death, martyred for Jesus Christ. Ever since, people everywhere have been moved by the kindness, the compassion, and the devoted love of this heroic young man, not only to the young lady but to the Lord.

• One story tells us about an old man who got on a bus on February 14th, carrying a dozen roses. He sat beside a young man. The young man looked at the roses and said, "Somebody's going to get a beautiful Valentine's Day gift." "Yes," said the old man. A few minutes went by, and the old man noticed that his young companion was staring at the roses. "Do you have a girlfriend?" the old man asked. "I do," said the young man. "I'm going to see her right now, and I'm going to give her this Valentine's Day card." They rode in silence for another 10 minutes, and then the old man got up to get off the bus. As he stepped out into the aisle, he suddenly placed the roses on the young man's lap and said, "I think my wife would want you to have these. I'll tell her that I gave them to you." He left the bus quickly. As the bus pulled away, the young man turned to see the old man enter the gates of a cemetery. — By Preaching Point

Valentine has inspired us to express our feelings for our loved ones by putting them in writing for our own "valentines." The most remarkable expression of Valentine's love was his action to obey God and serve his fellow man, which cost him his life. Valentine's Day is a celebration of the deepest love possible. Not only between a man and a woman or between a person and God, but between God and man. Jesus Christ gave His life so you and I can know His passionate love. On February 14, we have an opportunity to show what real "agape" love is (1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 4:8) and think about God who gave His all for the sake of love. What will you say when Jesus says, "I love you. You are mine. Your name is written upon My heart. Your life is in My hands. I am always with you 'even unto the end of the world...', 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' I gave My life for you that you might live forever with Me. The only thing I ask you in return is your love. Be My Valentine!"

The question for all of us is, "How will we be celebrating Valentine's Day?" For the early church, this was not a time of erotic longings, but it was a celebration of God's love. In this time, when biblical standards of love are under attack, God's standards are something to fight for...even to die for!

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness"

(Jeremiah 31:3)

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends"

(John 15:13)

"God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us"

(Romans 5:8)

I love you.

You are mine.

Your name is written upon My heart.

Your prayers are precious to Me.

Your life is in My hands.

I am always with you.

I am nearer to you than your own heart.

I gave My life so that you might live forever with Me.

All I ask in return is your love. Be My Valentine.

~ Jesus Christ

God's Valentine Gift

God's Valentine gift of love to us

Was not a bunch of flowers;

It wasn't candy, or a book

To while away the hours.

His gift was to become a man,

So He could freely give

His sacrificial love for us,

So you and I could live.

He gave us sweet salvation, and

Instruction, good and true--

To love our friends and enemies

And love our Savior, too.

So as we give our Valentines,

Let's thank our Lord and King;

The reason we have love to give

Is that He gave everything.

~ By Joanna Fuchs

Valentine Divine

When Jesus Christ decided to

Give us a Valentine,

He followed His Father's orders--

The task God did assign.

He gave Himself, His life, His all,

For this special Valentine,

Knowing He would change the world;

Real love He'd redefine.

It's sacrifice we need to give

To a beloved Valentine;

When we do that, we get a glimpse

Of the holy and divine.

Oh Lord, please help us be like you,

With every Valentine.

When we love each other as You did,

It's then that we're really Thine.

~ By Joanna Fuchs

"You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you." (Isaiah 43:4)

JESUS is to be first in our lives – HE is always our first love!

What Valentine Can I Give Him?

What can I give to Jesus

On this special Valentine's Day?

How can I tell Him I'll love Him,

And follow Him, come what may?

How can I show I need Him?

Should I send a red heart, with lace?

How can I thank Him enough

For his sacrifice, love and grace?

What Valentine can I give Him,

My adoration to impart?

I’ll give to Him what He wants most;

I’ll yield to Him my heart.

— By Joanna Fuchs

"The strongest evidence of love is sacrifice."

— Writer, Caroline Fry

"Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church."

(Ephesians 5:25)

"Let us not love with word and tongue but with actions and truth."

(1 John 3:18)

"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God....Husbands love your wives

as Christ loved the church."

(Ephesians 5:21, 25)

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts,

always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails."

(1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it..."

(Song of Songs 8:7)

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."

(1 John 4:7-9)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness"

(Jeremiah 31:3)

"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"

(John 15:13)

"God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"

(Romans 5:8)

"Love is essential the gift of oneself to another"

— Michel Quoist

"Living without loving is merely existing."

— Dr. George Sweeting

"Marriages may be made in heaven, but man is responsible for the maintenance work."

— Changing Times

"To keep your marriage brimming,

With love in the loving cup,

Whenever you're wrong admit it;

Whenever you're right shut up."

— Ogden Nash

Love is a verb. Be sure to share it today!

"May this Valentine's Day be filled with love, understanding, and contentment as you journey

through life with those you hold dear"

— Darly Henerson

One Little Rose

I would rather have a little rose from the garden of a friend,

than to have the choicest flowers when my stay on earth must end.

I would rather have a pleasant word in kindness said to me,

than when my heart is still and life has ceased to be.

I would rather have a loving smile from friends I know are true,

than tears shed 'round my casket when this world I've bid adieu.

Bring me all your flowers today, whether pink or white, or red;

I'd rather have one blossom now, than a truckload when I'm dead.

~ Author Unknown

Valentine's Day is a pagan holiday,

but it is an opportunity for Christians to focus on what real "agape" love is all about.

2115013488sending-you-my-love-valentines-orange-rose-animated-gif.gif

"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife."

(Proverbs 17:1)

A troubled marriage might literally make you sick. Marital strife can raise your risk for heart disease, according to British researchers. A troubled relationship generates unhealthy stress which creates arterial inflammation, a precursor to hardening of the arteries. In a study of 9,011 British civil servants, most of them married, those with the worst close relationships were 34% more likely to have heart attacks or other heart trouble during 12 years of follow-up than those with good relationships.

Dear Friend, have things been a little hot at home lately? This Valentine's Day, do your body a favor.

Let your spouse know that you want to get back on loving terms.

You can throw in a box of candy while you are at it. In this case, it's "heart-healthy" food!

A Love Letter

Serviceman James Brady wrote a love letter to his new bride. The romantic message was lost, lodged in the wall of the mailroom of Fort Ord. A half-century later, James and Sallie Brady were celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. A special delivery letter surprised them. It was the lost love letter recently discovered by a construction crew. The Postmaster tracked down Brady and sent the letter. After reading it, Sally's heart went aflutter like a love-struck 22-year-old. "It would have meant a lot to me then," said Sallie. "It means even more now." "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it..." (Song of Songs 8:7)

Dear Friend, even when Valentine's Day is long past, it doesn't mean you can't continue to stoke the fires of love.

Express love when it is not expected. Ambush your spouse with love!

Happy Valentine's Day!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life."

(John 3:16)

Every February 14 loved ones display their affections with sweet gifts and age-old sentiments. But even the most extravagant gifts or ardently-spoken words pale in comparison to the self-sacrificing love described in John 3:16.

God’s gift to humankind was more than chocolates or roses . . . it was His only Son sent to die on a cross to remove our sins and bring us close to Him. When we believe and accept this gift, a love enters our lives that fills our hearts completely and endures eternally. We belong to God’s family and "Neither death, nor life . . . nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39)

You can experience this true and eternal love by praying from your heart: God, thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your only Son to take the punishment for my sins. I turn from my sins and invite You into my life. Fill me with Your love and help me to live for You. Amen. — Good News Publishers

"Let us not love with word and tongue but with actions and truth."

(1 John 3:18)

Counselors Mel and Pat Krantzler share several strategies that have carried them through the ups and downs of their own 18 years of marriage. For example:

"No matter how you feel--be courteous."

"Don't interrupt."

"Share the housework."

"Work as hard at your marriage as you do at your career." (Watching TV together isn't enough.)

"Accept changes in your relationship."

The common thread here is: Even though husband and wife certainly love one another, for the marriage relationship to remain strong, that love must be demonstrated and expressed daily in concrete ways.

Dear friend, are you getting ready for Valentine's Day? Candy's dandy and flowers are sweet, but what are you doing on a regular basis to show your love and respect? Take time today to talk about how you can improve your life as a couple. Make plans to show your love in unique and caring ways. Keep in mind that a good marriage is a daily Valentine. Make sure you don't take your loved one for granted. Do something special for your honey today!

Love is a verb. Be sure to share it today!

Love Does Not Seek Its Own Benefit,

But Is Concerned About Others.

Dr. Chuck Swindoll tells the story of Johnny, a handicapped little boy that had trouble making friends. Before Valentine's Day, Johnny asked his Mom if he could make a valentine for everyone in his class. A whole day was spent making the cards. As Johnny went off to school, his mom worried Johnny wouldn't get any cards in return and be crushed. When Johnny got off the bus and walked in the front door, he was muttering, "Not a single one, not a single one." His concerned mom asked him how the day went. 'Great, Mom!' he exclaimed. "I didn't forget to give a single one of my valentines!"

Dear Friend, feeling lonely and unappreciated? Perhaps you need to get your focus off of yourself. Love does not seek its own benefit, but is concerned about others. You'll find yourself a lot happier if you learn the joy of humble service. Find a need and fill it. To enter the "higher life," go a step lower. "Do nothing out of selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, let each of you regard one another as more important than himself." (Philippians 2:3)

Love Is...

Quoting the text of 1 Corinthians 13, this describes the life-changing love of God made manifest through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. . . . --1 Corinthians 13:1-8a

The love described in 1 Corinthians 13 is the most important ingredient in life. For this love can transform life, bringing hope in time of trouble, comfort in time of sadness, and compassion in time of need. This is God-love--the active love that God showed the world through His Son Jesus Christ.

During the 33 years that Jesus lived on earth, God revealed the full force of His love. As Jesus walked among men, He showed us that God's love is no short-lived sensation or shallow sentimentality. He proved that this love is the most powerful force on earth, overcoming prejudice, hatred, hypocrisy, and selfishness.

But the supreme expression of God's love was Christ's death on the cross for our sins. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, God demonstrated His unlimited love for us, even to the extent of sacrificing His Son so that you and I might have new life, eternal life.

Today the risen Christ brings a new life of love, joy, and peace to those who receive Him. The love produced by God's Spirit is the only way to meaningful existence, human understanding, genuine community, and complete healing. It is the door to God, our neighbor, and ourselves.

When you receive the risen Christ as Lord and Savior, you can never go beyond the reach of His loving Hand. His love can lead you daily through illness, depression, uncertainty, pain, hardship, fear, and perplexity. You can stand up to anything because He is always with you. His love never fails. — Good News Publishers

Love: Looking for the Real Thing?

Only God's love can give people the security they are looking for.

His love is unconditional and it never fails.

Love: Looking for the Real Thing?

You don't have to be a member of the Lonely Hearts Club to be looking for love. All of us--whether we're fifteen or fifty, handsome or homely, married or single--need the kind of love that makes life worth living.

You know what I'm talking about. You want someone to make you feel glad that you're alive. Someone to love you--not for how you look or what you can do--but for just being you. You want a love you can depend on when everyone else has failed you.

Unfortunately that kind of love is hard to find. Turn on your radio and someone will be singing about the lover who let him down. Tune to a talk show and a daughter reveals the painful memory of a father who never loved her. The problem is universal. In some way we've all been wounded in our search for love.

The good news is that there is a love that can heal any broken heart. A love that you don't have to earn. An unconditional love that is stronger than any human love.

God is the source of that love. When our lives are open to Him, God's love can flow to us and through us to others. But when sin separates us from Him, life is an emotional roller coaster. One day we feel loved; the next day we don't.

God's love is so great that He sent His own Son to bridge the gap that separates us from Him. The Bible says, "God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

That's love! Jesus Christ gave His life so that we would know His Father's love forever. There is no sin that we will ever commit that has not been paid for by Christ's death. Nothing can separate us from His love.

Why not get off the roller coaster today? Only God's love can give you the security you're really looking for. His unchanging love can free you to be all you're meant to be. You can be sure of God's love if you will:

Recognize that your sin separates you from God: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Realize that God loves you, and believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins: "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Receive Him into your life by faith: "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). — Good News Publishers

No Greater Love

There is no greater love in the world than Christ displayed by dying on the cross for our sins in our place.

Rembrandt, one of the greatest painters the world has ever known, did something amazing in his universally respected work, The Raising of the Cross. He included himself in the painting as one of those who crucified Jesus! It's a truth we each need to acknowledge for ourselves.

Why would he do that?

Why would Rembrant do such a thing? Because he believed what the Bible says about us—that we have all failed God and are guilty before him. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and "the wages of sin is death [eternal separation from God in a place of punishment]" (Romans 6:23). Left to ourselves, our ultimate destiny will be to experience the wrath of God forever.

Why would Jesus die?

But God offers us hope in the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus is fully God. But he also became fully man when he came to earth to be born as a baby so he could make a way for our sins to be forgiven. Then later, as a grown man, he died on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins, dying in our place.

That is why just before Jesus died, he shouted, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). He was taking the awful punishment for our sins upon himself. "Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous [Christ] for the unrighteous [us], that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). There is no greater love.

What did Jesus’ death have to do with us?

Because God loved us, he sent Jesus to die for us and be our Savior. But like any gift, this precious provision of God's Son to die in our place is not ours until we receive it personally. "To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). By virtue of his death on our behalf, Jesus now offers full pardon to all, but only those who ask him for it will receive it.

If you want to receive God's gift of forgiveness and eternal life today, you can tell Jesus in words like these: Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I have disobeyed you in many ways. I believe that when you died on the cross, you were taking the penalty for my sins so I could be forgiven. I know there is no greater love than this. I now turn from trying to be good enough on my own and receive you as my Savior from my sins and their consequences. Please forgive me, and make me a new person from the inside out. Thank you, Jesus, for becoming my Savior! — By Crossway

Love Languages

by Dr. Gary Chapman / God News Publishers

An excerpt from Dr.Gary Chapman's popular book The Five Love Languages is followed by a list of the ways in which Jesus shows His love for us. The following teaches us how to recognize God's love and how to be more loving toward our spouses.

The desire for romantic love in marriage is deeply rooted in our psychological makeup. Almost every popular magazine has at least one article each issue on keeping love alive in a marriage. Books abound on the subject. Television and radio talk shows deal with it. Keeping love alive in our marriages is serious business.

With all the books, magazines, and practical help available, why is it that so few couples seem to have found the secret to keeping love alive after the wedding? The problem is that we have overlooked one fundamental truth: People speak different love languages.

Your emotional love language and the language of your spouse may be as different as Chinese from English. No matter how hard you try to express love in English, if your spouse understands only Chinese, you will never understand how to love each other. We must be willing to learn our spouse’s primary love language if we are to be effective communicators of love.

My conclusion after twenty years of marriage counseling is that there are basically five emotional love languages—five ways that people speak and understand emotional love:

Words of Affirmation
Physical Touch
Acts of Service
Quality Time
Receiving Gifts

Seldom do a husband and wife have the same primary emotional love language. We tend to speak our primary love language, and we become confused when our spouse does not understand what we are communicating. We are expressing our love, but the message does not come through because we are speaking what, to them, is a foreign language.

Once you identify and learn to speak your spouse’s primary love language, I believe that you will have discovered the key to a long-lasting, loving marriage. Love need not evaporate after the wedding, but in order to keep it alive most of us will have to put forth the effort to learn a secondary love language. We cannot rely on our native tongue if our spouse does not understand it. If we want him/her to feel the love we are trying to communicate, we must express it in his or her primary love language.

We can learn a lot about loving our spouses, and others, from the way Jesus loves us. He speaks all the love languages:

Words of Affirmation — "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).
Physical Touch — "He touched her hand, and the fever left her" (Matthew 8:15); "And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them" (Mark 10:16).
Acts of Service — "Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28); "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Quality Time — "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them" (Matthew 18:20); "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age " (Matthew 28:20).
Gifts — "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24); "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

The greatest act of love ever performed was Jesus' death on the cross. Even though Jesus lived a sinless life, He willingly laid it down so that we could be reconciled with God. In doing this He suffered as our substitute and paid the price of our sins. Through Jesus' words and actions we are assured of God's love for us, and if we accept His love and grace we can one day experience the joy of eternal life. If you desire the incomparable love of Jesus in your life, you can say a prayer like this:

Dear Jesus, I know I have sinned; please forgive me. I know You love me so much that You died for me—suffered in my place. I put my trust in You as my Savior, and I ask You to come into my heart and show me what love really is. Amen.

Somebody Loves You!

The creator of all things loves YOU so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for you on the cross. He wants to forgive your sins and make you clean so that you can be with Him for all eternity. Isn’t it amazing to know that you are loved by God?

His love for you is…

Unending—God’s love is eternal. He loved you yesterday, loves you today and will love you forever!

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Unselfish—God didn’t wait for us to love Him first. His love was freely given.

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Undeserved—God is holy, righteous, and just. As sinners, we have done nothing to deserve God’s love. But He loves us anyway.

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Unimaginable—God’s love led Him to send His son Jesus to bear the punishment for our sins on the cross. Can you imagine watching someone you love being punished to the point of death for something they didn’t do?

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Undying—God didn’t only send Jesus to die for our sins. He then raised Him from the dead so we can have eternal life. What a wonderful gift He offers us!

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:9)

Unmerited—God offers you the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Because it is a gift, you cannot earn it. Instead, you must see your need of salvation and accept it by trusting Jesus as your Savior.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

How can you receive God’s gift of salvation? The Bible says:

“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

It’s that easy! Will you choose to accept God’s love? Then you too can experience God’s unfathomable love for all eternity!

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) — By MWTB

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Jesus Saves All Over The World

MUSIC CLIP

We have heard the joyful sound:

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Spread the tidings all around:

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Bear the news to ev'ry land,

Climb the mountains, cross the waves;

Onward! 'tis our Lord's command;

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

"Casting all your care upon him [Jesus]; for he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

God Will Take Care Of You (Hymn)

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Testimonies

Unconditional Love

"After I had been a widow for fifteen years, I saw my second husband’s testimony on the internet, where he said he was a born-again Christian and he did not compromise with the Word of God. That caused me to send him an email with a short message and with the subject "encouraging words" and encouraged him never to give up, but continue with his ministry the "Spiritual Notes" which were a blessing to me.

As a result, we began corresponding and getting to know more about one another. Finally, the Lord allowed us to meet, first as friends, and later the Lord laid it upon our hearts to get married. Before we were married, my future husband was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and instead of running away, I wrote to him and said, "Ted, now is the time to serve the Lord together."

The Lord honored that desire and has blessed our marriage and our service for Him since 1999. By the grace of God, my beloved husband and I have experienced His miracles in our lives even through the many trials and tribulations He has allowed us to experience. "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4)." — By Deanna Matamis, Assistant Editor Of The Free International Email Ministry "A Spiritual Note From The Bible"

The Last "I Love You"

Carol's husband was killed in an accident a few years ago. Jim, only fifty-two years old, was driving home from work, the other driver was a teenager with a very high blood alcohol level. Jim died instantly. The teenager was in the emergency room for less than two hours. There were other ironic twists: It was Carol's fiftieth birthday, and Jim had two plane tickets to Hawaii in his pocket. He was going to surprise her. Instead, he was killed by a drunk driver.

"How have you survived this?" I finally asked Carol, a year later. Her eyes welled up with tears. I thought I had said the wrong thing, but she gently took my hand and said, "It’s all right; I want to tell you. The day I married Jim, I promised I would never let him leave the house in the morning without telling him I loved him. He made the same promise. It got to be a joke between us, and as babies came along, it got to be a hard promise to keep. I remember running down the driveway, saying 'I love you' through clenched teeth when I was mad, or driving to the office to put a note in his car. It was a funny challenge. "We made a lot of memories trying to say "I love you" before noon every day of our married life. "The morning Jim died, he left a birthday card in the kitchen and slipped out to the car. I heard the engine starting. Oh, no, you don’t, buster, I thought. I raced out and banged on the car window until he rolled it down. "Here on my fiftieth birthday, Mr. James E. Garret, I Carol Garret, want to go on record as saying I love you!" "That's how I've survived. Knowing that the last words I said to Jim were 'I love you!'

"...I would sit all alone and cry because my marriage was in a shambles. The kind of marriage I wanted seemed hopeless. My husband and I met in a Christian Missionary Organization and then married. I thought our lives would be wonderful...but every trial that could happen in a marriage seemed to bombard us. We were poor, sick and disobedient to God. I wanted a divorce but knew God did not want that for us. Then we found the secret; PRAYER AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD. It is that simple. We now have a loving marriage based on God's Word. We also have joy, contentment and freedom. Without God we would have withered and died, but He gave us new life, hope, and a new marriage....'Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us...' (Ephesians 5:1,2) — D.K."

"Marriages struggle to survive when the Lord is missing from their marriage. Marriage takes three to work. You can have a good marriage when Christ's spirit controls your life, and you practice His teachings. Numerous times I say to my wife, "Thank you for being a good wife." Her response is usually, "Thank you for helping me to be a good wife." Yes! Learn to obey the Lord's commandments if you want your marriage to be blessed, "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered" (1 Peter 3:7). Learn to love your wife like Jesus loved His church. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25). When a husband practices these verses, and the wife practices verses like this: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22), both will experience a fruitful and blessed marriage.

If you are a young Christian man or young Christian lady, and you are looking for a lifetime partner to have a happy and blessed marriage, you have to choose a person who loves and serves the Lord. The most important thing in marriage is for both to have faith in God and Jesus Christ. When you have faith, everything is possible. If your mate loves you and loves the Lord, then he or she also loves others and wants to help them. Commit to one another and ask God for His love for each other. Put Christ in the center of your marriage. A successful marriage takes three to really work...two people plus the Lord." — Ted Matamis, Founder and Editor Of The Free International Email Ministry "A Spiritual Note From The Bible"

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Live, Love, Laugh!

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

(Proverbs 17:22)

"Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church."

(Ephesians 5:25)

A minister habitually told his congregation that if they needed a pastoral visit, to drop a note in the offering plate.

One evening after services, he discovered a note that said,

"I am one of your loneliest members and heaviest contributors.

May I have a visit tomorrow evening?"

(Signed) Your wife

Valentine's Day Dream

After she woke up, a woman told her husband, "I just dreamed that you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentine's day. What do you think it means?"

"You'll know tonight." he said.

That evening, the man came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it to find a book entitled "The Meaning of Dreams"

"Marriages may be made in heaven, but man is responsible for the maintenance work."

— Changing Times