Though I've never attended this church, this Pastor in my home town wrote this for the town newspaper. Enjoy!
The Best Valentine comes from God
By Pastor Rick L. Stonestreet
At Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield
Daily Republic
Feb 8, 1998
By Pastor Rick L. Stonestreet
At Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield
Daily Republic
Feb 8, 1998
A child was asked by his teacher, “What is love?” he replied, “It is a tickle in your heart that you cannot scratch” certainly love has emotion and it can be that which is within the heart of an individual; however, it is much more. Most people do not really understand the concept of love. Many confuse love with the euphoria that surrounds those who have an infatuation for another person. Most people will experience infatuation before love ever really develops.
Commentary
The Bible explains true love and illustrates it in the lives of God’s people. The greatest chapter on love is First Corinthians 13/ The Apostle Paul wrote these words under divine inspiration to a church, which was living in a perverted culture. Corinth was filled with fornication, immorality, and all kinds of fleshly sins. Nobody understood what love was to be. Even today, man cannot understand true love until he meets Jesus Christ. At that point, God begins to teach us the true meaning of love. In this chapter, God gives us some guiding principles about love.
First, love is unselfish. Love is never that which is centered about self. Selfish love will be that which always insists on pleasing itself rather than the other person. The best demonstration is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 4:19 reads “We love Him, because He first loved us.” When man did not or will not love the Lord, He loves us anyway. God proved His love to us by dying on the cross for our sins (Romans 5:8). The Bible says “even while we were yet sinners” He loved us. This means we did not love God, care for Him, or even want Him in our lives. God’s love reaches beyond all of our unloveliness in grace and mercy to save us from our sins.
Secondly, love is a continuous commitment to the other person. This commitment is that which is internal and will not be moved by the various circumstances of life. Finances, pressures, difficulties, and even sickness will never harm Godly love. In fact, it will strengthen it. This commitment to a person means that we will love them all our life.
A selfish love is seen in a shallow, outward self-centered love, which demands something in return. Teens and young adults often make their decision based on outward conditions. Do they look good? Do they make us Happy? Are they there when I need them? This type of love will not stand the test of time. Godly love means that our commitment to the person we love is in the heart and will go through life growing deeper in its commitment. Married couples need to examine their love and see if their lives are centered on an internal commitment or external conditions.
Thirdly, love is durable. This means that it will last when all else fails. We can guarantee that this commitment to love will stand through the ages. The same love that God had for His disciples and His church in the first century is the same love in the 20th century. This is not some fleeting emotion for a time but it is that which carries man through his life and into the next life. God’s love makes heaven available for anyone who trusts in Him. So many wrongly think that they will go to heaven because they are good, yet only the love of Christ will take you to heaven.
As we consider this Valentine’s Day, why don’t you think about the real valentine present we have from the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God is far greater than we can even comprehend, but God wants us to receive His love. God loves you and gave Himself for you. Have your received Him as your Savior? If you have, you have the best valentine of all.
Commentary
The Bible explains true love and illustrates it in the lives of God’s people. The greatest chapter on love is First Corinthians 13/ The Apostle Paul wrote these words under divine inspiration to a church, which was living in a perverted culture. Corinth was filled with fornication, immorality, and all kinds of fleshly sins. Nobody understood what love was to be. Even today, man cannot understand true love until he meets Jesus Christ. At that point, God begins to teach us the true meaning of love. In this chapter, God gives us some guiding principles about love.
First, love is unselfish. Love is never that which is centered about self. Selfish love will be that which always insists on pleasing itself rather than the other person. The best demonstration is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 4:19 reads “We love Him, because He first loved us.” When man did not or will not love the Lord, He loves us anyway. God proved His love to us by dying on the cross for our sins (Romans 5:8). The Bible says “even while we were yet sinners” He loved us. This means we did not love God, care for Him, or even want Him in our lives. God’s love reaches beyond all of our unloveliness in grace and mercy to save us from our sins.
Secondly, love is a continuous commitment to the other person. This commitment is that which is internal and will not be moved by the various circumstances of life. Finances, pressures, difficulties, and even sickness will never harm Godly love. In fact, it will strengthen it. This commitment to a person means that we will love them all our life.
A selfish love is seen in a shallow, outward self-centered love, which demands something in return. Teens and young adults often make their decision based on outward conditions. Do they look good? Do they make us Happy? Are they there when I need them? This type of love will not stand the test of time. Godly love means that our commitment to the person we love is in the heart and will go through life growing deeper in its commitment. Married couples need to examine their love and see if their lives are centered on an internal commitment or external conditions.
Thirdly, love is durable. This means that it will last when all else fails. We can guarantee that this commitment to love will stand through the ages. The same love that God had for His disciples and His church in the first century is the same love in the 20th century. This is not some fleeting emotion for a time but it is that which carries man through his life and into the next life. God’s love makes heaven available for anyone who trusts in Him. So many wrongly think that they will go to heaven because they are good, yet only the love of Christ will take you to heaven.
As we consider this Valentine’s Day, why don’t you think about the real valentine present we have from the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God is far greater than we can even comprehend, but God wants us to receive His love. God loves you and gave Himself for you. Have your received Him as your Savior? If you have, you have the best valentine of all.
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