DON’T RUSH LOVE (READ THIS BEFORE YOU FALL IN LOVE)

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

-Song of Solomon 8:4

 

What a beautiful verse which reminds us that love, when rushed can burn you but love when allowed to bloom on its own, can last a lifetime.  It makes me recall the stupid mistakes I committed when I was young.

 

 — I had a problem distinguishing real love from infatuation and today, I realize that I made mistakes because I’m an action guy.  I quickly jump into a relationship simply because “I feel” instead of testing what that “feeling” really is.

 

I know God allowed me to go through this so that I can help other people. So here are my tips for you,  regardless of whether you are male or female, young or old.  I hope that my children, as well as other people, can learn from this too.

 

 

Build a friendship first.

 

A lasting romance will always have a good foundation of friendship.  Most of the time, romance without a friendship base becomes a short term fling or even a one night stand.  Why?  Because you jumped into a relationship with a person you hardly knew. So during the time you’re expecting to love and be loved, discover your differences first. Sometimes, even your premature relationship cannot withstand that. It’s purely based on what you felt at that moment (which is usually wrong).  Allow the “honeymoon” feeling or the excitement of finding someone to subside first before deciding on whether to take the friendship one step further.

 

Friendship is not a guarantee of a lasting relationship but you can be sure that a lasting relationship is based on friendship.

 

What I love about my wife is we mean it when we say we are best friends.  I am proud of that. We have great time together and enjoy each other’s company. We always joke around that when we are old and weak, we know we’ll still get a good laugh just by talking.

 

Allow your relationship to blossom into a real friendship before deciding where to go next.  When I say “real friendship” it means you being able to show who you really are without being conscious or afraid that you  (that includes all your flaws, issues and baggage) might turn the other person off.

 

Don’t entrust your heart to someone too quickly.

 

Mr. Big says it this way: “Oh baby baby, it’s a wild world. ?I’ll always remember you like a child girl.  You know I’ve seen a lot of what the world can do, And it’s breaking my heart in two. Cause I never want to see you sad girl. Don’t be a bad girl.”

 

Sad but true. The reality is that the world is full of wolves waiting for its next victim to devour. You may feel secure because of the friends around you but the only person who can watch you 24/7 is yourself.   Also, sometimes, even the friends who you count on to look after you are wolves themselves.

 

Trust people but not to the point of allowing them to hurt you – at least not during the early stages of a relationship. Through time, you will know who you can trust with your heart, your money, your secrets and later on with just about everything.  However, they become trustworthy because they’ve proven themselves faithful over time.

 

Don’t get attached …. Yet!

 a. Emotionally

 

What is emotional intimacy?  First, this is about sharing yourself.  I’ve often said, my life is an open book! But not a single person knows 100% of me.  I usually give 20% to each one so that at the end of my life, if you find 5-6 people who know different aspects of me and put them all together, you will find my complete story.

 

When you start dating, don’t share too much too quickly because you create an emotional attachment specially when you talk about your past love life. When you talk about your past, you talk about your frustrations and why it failed, then the other person suddenly avoids showing those traits and you get naturally attracted to that person’s facade.

 

Second, its also about the use of  the “L” word and saying “I love you” casually, either verbal or even just via text (I can’t even say “I miss you” without meaning it!).  Love is a very powerful word.  It is far different from attraction, like, and most especially lust. So before you say 143, make sure you know what you are saying and mean it. In short, don’t tell someone “I love you” simply because you have strong feelings for them otherwise it loses its meaning and becomes something you just tell anyone.

b. Physically 

 

I have to admit, I’ve gone to bed (many times) with people who weren’t my girlfriend.  I’ve done it with people who I didn’t have any emotional attachments to or any attachment at all. Many times we’d agree that there would be “no strings attached”. But guess what, someone still got hurt.

 

Why? However you look at it, physical Intimacy (or even just holding hands) causes you to feel warm inside (that’s why  God made the skin the biggest organ of the body and why babies want to be cuddled). The problem is, this can be very confusing. Physical affection can make you think your relationship is better or deeper than it really is.

 

Don’t be a step ahead in terms of physical intimacy.  While still dating, don’t hold hands. Why should you when you’re just in the “checking if were compatible” stage?  When you’ve formally committed to be in a relationship, save sex for marriage.  This doesn’t mean doing everything else except that because the problem with walking on the edge is that it doesn’t take much to push you over it. Hopefully, you’re committed to wait for marriage until doing all those intimate acts. Don’t rush things. You’ll get there anyway.  It’s like receiving your gift weeks prior to Christmas. If you open your presents right away, you lose the excitement on the actual Christmas day itself.

 

Remember: To stumble into the sin of sex you need 3 things – time, place and partner. Without one, sin won’t bloom.  Make sure these 3 things are never present all at the same time or bad things can happen.

c. Socially

 

Let’s admit, sometimes we are with someone because society expects us to be with them.   You know this when you go to a party and suddenly people will look for someone who we are regularly seen with. They are now associated with us.  When this happens, we become pressured and try extra hard to be “it”.

 

Spare yourself of the trouble of having to explain things when they don’t work out.  When people begin to ask, clear things up to them. Give them the real score and just distance yourself.

 

See several people.

 

There is a saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.  A lot of people ditch their friends (and their life) when they start dating. Then they show up when they’ve broken up, counting on their friends to alleviate them from the pain.  For your sake – DONT!!!! This is actually one of my major turn offs.  I want to date a girl who is complete, not someone who is dependent on me. Let your partner know that before he or she came, you had a life and you intend to keep it that way.  Relationships should compliment not replace your life.

 

Let me share with you the lyrics of “Somebody” by Depeche Mode. This hits the nail right on the head:

I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts
Know my intimate details
Someone who’ll stand by my side
And give me support
And in return
She’ll get my support
She will listen to me
When I want to speak
About the world we live in
And life in general
Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
She’ll hear me out
And won’t easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact she’ll often disagree
But at the end of it all
She will understand me

 

This is exactly what I want and need. Someone who will go through life with me but will not lose her identity.  Someone who will listen but not necessarily agree.  I know you do too and guess what? Your future partner would want that as well.  Love is not possible without respect and respect includes accepting you for who you are.

 

Also, investing too much time in a new person or relationship is not healthy (and is actually counter productive).  You will become too dependent on one person.   Don’t make the mistake of making one person your world because that person will not be always there (even if you end up marrying each other).

 

Last and most importantly, always seek God’s guidance

 

Keep in mind you are looking for your life partner.  Out of the 7 billion people in the world, how can you find that single person that God set out for you?  Simple — pray about it.  Until God gives you a clear go signal, you are to stay put regardless of how tempted you are to say yes.  Remember, “Mr. Right” cannot come in if you are with “Mr. for the meantime”.  So what do you do while waiting? Focus on being “Ms. Right.”

 

Whats solid about our relationship is the fact that I know she’s God’s best and that she is my best friend. Pretending to be someone you’re not puts a strain on yourself and your relationship.

 

MARRIAGE

What A Father Told His Daughter A Day Before Her Wedding My Daughter, tomorrow you will stop bearing my name. You will be happily married to the man you love. Dont miss me because I have fulfilled my purpose, it is now time for you to start fulfilling yours.

From your childhood, I have raised you well by the grace of God but before you say I do, there are few things I need to tell you about living with a man and being married. Do you remember when you wrote your Wm exams? You came to me and I gave you R20,000  for the registration? Well, even though I gave it to you, the money was not mine. I know you always thought I paid the fees. The truth is, I was broke… but your mother gave me the money. She could have given it to you but she decided to give it to me to give to you.

Support your husband. Some times things will get tough… he will be frustrated. Even though he acts tough, in his mind he has fears… he fear you may not value him anymore because he has fallen. That is the time to get behind him and support him! The best way to show your husband you love him is to respect him! You may argue with him, you may disagree but at the end of the day, let him know he has your respect. Do you remember the day I screamed at your mother? What did she do? She was quiet! Do you also remember the day she screamed at me? What did I do? I was quiet! My daughter learn to be quiet sometimes when your husband is angry. When one person is hot, the other should be cool. If two are always screaming at same time, that is how big problems start in marriage. The first thing to know about your husband is his favourite food! If he has more than one then keep them at the back of your mind. Dont let him ask for it, always prepare it for him. There was a day your mother caught me touching a woman’s hand affectionately. I was lust after that woman but I was not yet cheating on your mum. When she saw us… she didnt fight the lady, she quietly left. I was afraid of going home because all hell will break lose. But when I got home she said nothing. She served me my food. Guilt was taking control over me.

I started begging. From that day, I never looked at a woman two time. Who knows? If she had fought and threatened me… maybe I could have run away from the fight into the arms of the lady. Sometimes Silent brings better solution than fight. Forget those romantic novels you read while you were 21. Remember those Indian and American love movies?

Also remember those too sweet Hollywood films ? Forget them! Don’t expect your married life to be that way. Life is different from fiction The last thing I want to tell you…. Do you remember how you were born? After our wedding, things were tough and your mum had to do two jobs to support us. I was working as well. I get home 6 PM while she gets home 8pm tired. But when we get to bed… she will not refuse me my night food. That is how you were born. Dont form a habit of denying your husband of his night food. Be a good wife. You will always be Daddy’s girl…

OLD AND NEW WINE

Which scriptures pertain to intoxicating wine versus non-intoxicating wine (sweet wine or grape juice)? What is the difference between old and new wine? In Regard to the miracle that Jesus performed in Cana, what is the difference between the “best” wine that was served at the end and the inferior wine that was served earlier?

The difference between old and new wine is based on fermentation. Old wine is fermented and has an alcoholic content. The new wine mentioned in the Bible is usually grape juice and has no alcoholic content. The word “wine” is mentioned 231 times in the King James Bible. In the Old Testament there are 3 Hebrew words that are all translated as “wine.” They are: YAYIN: intoxicating, fermented wine (See Genesis 9:21.) TIROSH: fresh grape juice, rarely fermented, “new” wine (See Proverbs 3:10.) SHAKAR: Intoxicating, intensely alcoholic, strong drink (often referred to other intoxicants than wine) (See Numbers 28:7.) The New Testament, translated from Greek, uses the word OINOS (wine) for both fermented and unfermented drink. In Matthew 9:17, OINOS means new or unfermented wine. In Ephesians5:18 OINOS refers to old or fermented wine. Only in Acts 2:13 is another word used for wine. It is GLEUKOS, a very sweet fermented wine that is highly inebriating. It is also called “new” wine, but is not to be confused with the OINOS translation of “new” wine. At the wedding at Cana Jesus provided between 120-160 gallons of wine. Was this wine fermented or was it grape juice? Also, what kind of wine were the people drinking before it ran out? Was it fermented or not? Why was the wine Jesus produced called the “best” or the “good” wine (John 2:10)? We did some research regarding the fermentation of grape juice in biblical times and found that naturally fermented wine (containing no additives such as sugar or yeast) had a much lower alcoholic content than our modern day wines. Alcoholic wine was often watered down for drinking and was consumed by adults and children alike as a tasty substitute for water. Wine was also boiled down to form syrup for preservation. This boiling killed the yeast that would cause fermentation. The syrup could easily be reconstituted later for drinking purposes. Another way new wine was preserved was by straining out the yeast to prevent fermentation. Furthermore, fresh grape juice would turn to vinegar, not alcoholic wine, if the air temperature were to exceed 75 degrees. Since the Middle East has a temperature well above that for most of the year, something had to be done to preserve the juice (wine) for the year or else it would all turn to vinegar. What kind of wine was being served at the wedding at Cana? We believe that the wine was probably reconstituted (considering that the wedding did not take place when the grapes would have been harvested, but took place shortly before Passover) with little, if any, alcoholic content present. Below are some quotes from Samuele Bacchiocchi’s book, JESUS AND WINE, which we hope will substantiate this view. “In the Roman world of New Testament times, the best wines were those whose alcoholic potency had been removed by boiling or filtration. Pliny, for example, says that ‘wines are most beneficial (utilissimum) when all their potency has been removed by the strainer.’ . . . Referring to some of the same ancient authors, Barnes says: ‘Pliny, Plutarch and Horace describe wine as good, or mention that as the best wine which was harmless or innocent—poculis vini innocentis. The most useful wine—utilissimum vinum—was that which had little strength; and the most wholesome wine—saluberrimum vinum—was that which had not been adulterated by “the addition of anything to the must or juice.” Pliny expressly says that a “good wine” was one that was destitute of spirit. Lib iv. c.13.’. . . The wine Christ made was of high quality, not because of its alcohol content, but because, as Henry Morris explains, it was ‘new wine, freshly created! It was not old, decayed wine, as it would have to be if it were intoxicating. There was no time for the fermentation process to break down the structure of its energy-giving sugars into disintegrative alcohols. It thus was a fitting representation of His glory and was appropriate to serve as the very first of His great miracles (John 2:11).’”

WEDDING RINGS/JEWELRY

Dictionary Of Christian Words, Copyright, all rights reserved.

Wedding rings are jewelry worn by the groom/bride adopted from paganism by the Catholic Church

The word "ring" is first found in Genesis 41:42 where Pharoah took his off and put it on Joseph's hand.  This was not a wedding.  The ring was used as a symbol of power and authority.  But notice it is upon the hand of an idolatrous pagan ruler.

Ancient idols wear jewelry. Some would say God approves of idols wearing jewelry.

In Exodus 32:3-4 Aaron made a golden calf from the ornaments of jewelry given to him by the Israelites.  

In Exodus 33:5 God told them to strip:  "For the LORD has said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee."

If a person has never heard God tell them to strip their jewelry off, they have not heard from God on the issue!  God cannot be contradictory. He will not require of one what he does not require of all.

There is no Scripture where God ever told the Israelites they could put jewelry back on!  If God said to take it off and gave no authorization to put it back on, then these ornaments of jewelry are forever to remain off the body of God's chosen people.

Exodus 33:6--"And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb."

One of the sins of king Saul was he allowed the women to put back on ornaments (2Sam 1:24).

The next mention of these ornaments is in Isaiah 3:18 where God strips Israel again, but this time will send them into captivity into the land of the pagans whom they lusted after.  What happens when a person rejects the ways of God?  They end up a captive among the unsaved heathens and there with their ornaments they forget God until the day of their calamity.  Then, to get God's attention they will strip off their ornaments of bravery, put on sackcloth, and begin to wail.

In Jeremiah 4:30 the daughters of Israel decked themselves again with ornaments of gold, painted their faces, made themselves beautiful (fair), but God said even with all this her lovers would despise her.  Rings on the hands of a whore or harlot do not symbolize holiness or purity.  These symbolize more the spirit of a witch, a woman who uses all available powers to seduce her victim to lust after her. Such fornication and adultery profanes the sacrifice of purity and holiness (read Ezk 16:10-15 then follow-up the end of this jewelry in Ezk 23:40).  Even if God would allow jewelry, look at what people would do with this liberty!

There is no wedding ring in the Old Testament.

The wedding ring comes from paganism.  It cannot be found in the Old or New Testaments. There was no practice among early Christians to wear finger rings as a sign of marriage or an engagement.  Pope Gregory 1, in 860AD decreed that as a required statement of nuptial intent, the groom to be had to give his intended an engagement ring. He further decreed the ring be of gold to signify financial sacrifice.  The first diamond engagement ring is the one given by King Maximillian in 1477 to Mary of Burgundy. Wedding rings can be traced to idols and heathen religions. It is not just the image of the idol we are commanded not to possess, but rather any part of the idol itself.  Thus, to make ones self after the image of the idol is to practice idolatry.  All images of false gods and goddesses show the use of earrings, finger rings, bracelets, nose rings, and other jewelry.  Where do we find this same practice associated with the God of the Bible?  Did Jesus wear jewelry?  Did the Apostles and early Christians?  The answer is no!

The wedding ring is first a circle which is said to mean eternal or unending.  Marriages were never eternal in the Scriptures but rather until death.  Afterward a spouse could be married again.  The idea then of eternal marriages symbolised by the ring is not Biblical. This meaning of the ring is false. So the ring gives a false testimony. The wedding ring then is not representative of the true union of the bridegroom and his bride. The home of the couple is more a witness and testimony of marriage then a wedding ring. For it is in the home the marriage is honored and sustained.

The wedding ring originated in Babylon, the cradle of civilization.  The most ancient ring discovered there is in the shape of the eternal serpent. The image of the serpent biting its tail to form the circle of the ring is an ancient satanic symbol (***satanic ouroboros) .  The same symbol is used by the Theosophy Cult. Satan as the serpent, that great dragon of Revelation 12, has by this symbol joined a man and a woman under his cult.  God is not the serpent symbol of any wedding ring, nor is he the symbol of the wedding ring in any fashion. We may trace the ring not to the God of the Bible but to the accuser of the brethren. Where is there any ring that symbolizes God? Did God provide wedding rings for Adam and Eve? Remove this idolatrous symbol from the Church and the Pastor is accused of being legalistic, against marriage, incouraging adultery and lust.  The Pastor's Church is labeled a cult.  The fact is, over 70% of married spouses who commit fornication do not remove their wedding rings prior to the act, during the act, or after the act.  Wedding rings have not stopped one act of adultery. Not one husband or wife has said: "I cannot commit adultery because I have my wedding ring on."

The pagan origin of the wedding ring raise questions about its adoption by Christians to represent the marriage union. The value of symbols is determined by their origin and meaning. The Menorah, the Cross, the Lord’s Passover emblems of bread and wine with footwashing, and baptism, are all acceptable symbols, because they have been established by God to help us understand spiritual truth. Their value is derived from their divine origin and not from man-made paganism. By contrast, the meaning of the wedding ring as a symbol of marriage commitment finds its origin not in Scripture, but in pagan mythology and superstitions. To give a pagan superstitious symbol a Christian meaning leads to perversion of the right ways of God. The fourth finger DOES NOT contain a special nerve to the heart. It is superstitious to believe if a person removes their wedding ring that evil will befall the marriage. Did a ring join them together or was it GOD?  When a ring is made to join two people, God is CAST OUT and replaced by a piece of jewelry. This is exactly what has happened with the use of the wedding ring, superstitution is believed and this is borderline witchcraft.  Many claim they need to wear the ring to ward off men or women who might think they are otherwise available.  This is not true, the man or woman who is married will not be a flirt, will not entice lust, and will come out plainly and say "I am married."  There is no need to allow a pagan superstitious symbol say what should be said with lips and conduct.

Christian religions that originally rejected wedding rings:  The Methodist followed the teachings of John Wesley that wedding rings were pagan and should not be worn. Mennonites likewise rejected the wedding ring as pagan. All early Baptist in America rejected use of the pagan wedding ring.  The original Seventh Day Adventist abstained from use of the wedding ring because of its pagan origin. All the holiness movements, including the more devout Apostolic Pentecostals rejected wedding rings as pagan. There was a time in America when the majority of Christians did not wear jewelry of any kind including earrings and wedding rings.  But this was to change when Pastors wanted their Churches to be more world friendly. The theory behind this relaxation was that Christianity was more then holiness and wearing of jewelry.  The emphasis on personal holiness fell into decline in the later 1800s and from that time wedding rings became more and more accepted.

This leavening process brought other backslidings: casual drinking of alcohol was permitted; smoking of tobacco was allowed, dipping snuff was ok, chewing tobacco was left up to the person's own convictions; card playing and use of dice games came into homes; women began to wear slacks/pants, and having their hair bobbed (cut) was no longer frowned upon or preached against. Makeup was no longer seen as a Jezebel practice. The focus switched from being Godly to being  self-centered.  What has happened? Christians use Biblical terms like holiness but they no longer mean by this word what the Scriptures mean. The greater problem with wedding rings is the next step in spiritual maturity of forsaking all paganism and worldliness. Those who wear pagan wedding rings are not likely to make a stand against any other paganism practiced by Catholics and Protestants.  We have a generation who now walk by sight and not by a holiness faith.

Many claim jewelry and rings are a minor thing. Indeed they are minor. There is much more to living for God then wearing jewelry and rings.  But, if they are such a minor thing why is it so hard to get people to pull them off?  The Bible reveals that use of jewelry results in spiritual decline and apostasy. It is time to let God strip us down and let him dress us.  What is wrong with that? Let God in your closet. Let God strip you of these pagan ornaments.  Since wedding rings are such a minor thing, why not remove them and let your holiness and purity speak for your marriage?

At last, where are those who wear earrings, wedding rings, bracelets, necklaces, nose rings, any different then the idols pictured above.  Have people made themselves after the image of their idols and not after God? Now someone prove God wears jewelry and this page will be retracted.

Those who wear wedding rings will also backslide in the wearing of apparel and eventually on all matters of  Christian holiness

***Ouroboros ( Auroboros ) Sign of Totality

The snake swallowing its own tail represents; rebirth, immortality, the round of existence, evolution, continuity, and perpetual movement of the universe. It symbolizes unity and infinity, with no beginning and no end. The cycle of day and night, life and death,eternal marriage, heaven and earth, good and evil are all represented by the endless turning on itself. A symbol in both Egyptian and Greek mythology.

---In his booklet Light on the Wedding Ring, Methodist F. B. Annable writes: "Even in these times of looseness a woman with no earthly adornment. emblem, or symbol. but modestly clothed . . . and with the grace of God in her heart, may walk the streets of our land unashamed and unmolested. Her long dress, with sleeves, and decent-shaded hosiery, plus real womanly dignity and deportment, will proclaim everywhere that she belongs only to God and to her husband. Sinners will know a block away that she does not belong to them! Here is genuine protection [more visible than a tiny metal loop], and recommended by a Power . . . greater than all worldly symbols and customs put together."

CHRISTIAN LOVE

Christian Love - Christ's Commandment
What's at the heart of Christian love? Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, once wrote, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death" (1 John 3:14). And "by this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:2-3).

Christian Love - Not a Feeling, a Lifestyle
So, what do these scriptures regarding "Christian love" really mean? Is it a warm fuzzy feeling? I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling for everyone I meet, Christian or otherwise -- does that mean I'm not saved? No, a "warm fuzzy feeling" is not the biblical definition for "love". So, what is the Biblical definition for love? Let's search the Scriptures and find out… 

A Pharisaic lawyer once asked our Lord, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:36-40). 

According to Matthew's Gospel, the very essence of the Law and the Prophets is to love God and to love others. And we see this term "the Law and the Prophets" used in one other place in Matthew's Gospel. It's in this passage that we find the Biblical definition for love: "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12). 

Would you want your wife to commit adultery? Would you want someone to murder you or to murder someone you love? Would you want someone to steal from you, lie to you, covet your possessions? Of course not! So don't go and do these things to other people! Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, commands us to "owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:8-10). 

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus elaborates on this "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" principle. He says, "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful" (Luke 6:30-36).

Christian Love - Selfless & Giving Love
Christian love is giving to others those things that you would want them to give you if you were in their situation -- and it's doing so even if they can't pay you back. In fact, it's doing so especially if they can't pay you back! Christian love is respect for others. It's mercy. It's charity. 

When the King James translators came upon the Greek word agape (God's Love), in addition to using the English word "love" to transliterate it, they often chose the English word "charity." This was meant to reinforce the idea that agapeis a selfless, giving love. God's Love is unselfish and unconditional. Now we know what is meant by Christian love. Now we know what to strive for... 

If you’re looking for a pure expression of agape, please consider a commitment tosponsor a child through our friends at Compassion International.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We have all sinned and deserve God's judgment. God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, androse from the dead according to the Bible. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as yourSavior, declaring, "Jesus is Lord," you will be saved fromjudgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.