POWERED BY FATHER’S LOVE
A MORE EXCELLENT WAY (See Marriage Blessings Below)
…and you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free”… John 8:32
Father has ordained a sequence pertaining to love. A pattern which, when followed, results in complete happiness and fulfillment. He wants the best for His children. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows better what will make you happy and fulfilled. He created you and therefore knows exactly how you tick. This is a difficult concept to grasp, but it is the truth. When you are born again, Father places His Spirit within you, adding a new dimension to the word ‘love’.
You become able to love as Father loves. In Greek this love is called ‘Agape’. It is a love which is unconditional. Then there is the another type of love which refers to friendship. In Greek this is called “Phileo”. There is also the affection displayed between family members and very close friends. This is called “Storge” in Greek. Finally, the Greek for when a man and a woman express their love for each other through sex, is “Eros”.
In romantically inclined relationships, it is vital to follow Father’s sequence. There will only be one person in your life with whom you will go through all four stages.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:4,5). Remember, a focus on God is of fundamental importance. He is the One who controls these stages and determines how far each relationship should develop – to what level of intimacy.
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5a). God has known you longer than you’ve known yourself and therefore He knows who you are best suited to.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). For this reason it is best and in your own interests to submit to His will for relationships.
This all means that our loving Father has chosen a pathway of love: a sequence of stages. If you run ahead and don’t follow the correct pattern of experiencing true love, you cannot experience the fulfillment and happiness that He wants you to experience. Deepening levels of intimacy require security – this security can only be achieved by going through these stages as they are laid out by God Who knows all things. Be prepared to be different and don’t follow the traditions of man.
“My ways are not your ways” (Isaiah 55:8a) and “Do not be conformed to this pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
A MARRIAGE BLESSING … 1 Corinthians 13
“AND AS THE BRIDEGROOM REJOICES OVER THE BRIDE, SO SHALL THY GOD REJOICE OVER THEE”~ISAIAH 62:5~
There’s something very special in a marriage built on Christ ~ something only Christian couples know…
It’s LOVE that’s never proud, but very patient, kind and good, with roots that hold on firmly as they grow…
It’s FAITH, not just in Christ, but in the partner that you chose, for you know it’s really He who made the choice…
It’s HOPE that in the darkest times His light will still shine through; so, in good or bad, your hearts can still rejoice…
It’s JOY in going hand in hand together, and with Christ, that reminds you He’s a part of all you do…
It’s ASSURANCE that throughout your lives, the Lord will never be any more than just a prayer away from you…
MAY YOU HAVE CONTINUED JOY IN HIS LOVE! ~ Celebrations of Faith (‘Forget Me Not’ Greetings Cards)
OUR MARRIAGE PRAYER
Father, help us to remember when we first met and the strong love that grew between us. To work that love into practical things so that nothing can divide us. We ask for words both kind and loving and hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as to forgive.
HOW TO SAY, “I LOVE YOU”
English ………………………….. I Love You
Spanish …………………………. Te Amo
French…………………………… Je T’aime
German………………………….. Ich Liebe Dich
Japanese………………………… Ai Shite Imasu
Italian…………………………….. Ti Amo
Chinese………………………….. Wo Ai Ni
Swedish…………………………. Jag Alskar Dig