We thank you for your faithfulness, in continuing with us through this Husbands & Wives, 8 lesson series. We would like to present the opportunity for all who have been faithfully going through these lessons, to gain the opportunity of receiving additional counsel for FREE! Please continue reading, to learn more about this wonderful opportunity!
–Perfect Love–
Now in 1 John 4:18 I want you to see one of the most beautiful verses in all the Bible to me.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18
Love is not afraid, and love doesn’t make other people afraid. Husband, did you ever make your wife afraid? Wife, did you ever make your husband afraid? That has happened both ways. What do we need? More love. Where will we get it? From God.
Listen while I read a wonderful statement:
Love is a plant of heavenly origin. – Messages to Young People, pg. 459
It’s not one of these artificial plants that you can buy at the dime store that gathers dust, made out of plastic or whatever. Oh, no. This is a growing, living plant. Love is a plant of what? Heavenly origin. What does that mean? What does origin mean? That’s where it comes from. That’s where it’s grown. But, oh, thank God, it can be transplanted down to this world. Does it grow in your home? In your heart?
Love is a plant of heavenly origin. – Ibid
The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. It is found only in the heart where Jesus reigns. ‘We love, because He first loved us.’ 1 John 4:19, R.V. – Steps to Christ, pg. 59
Now in the next verse, 1 John 4:19. What does it say?
We love Him, because He first loved us. – 1 John 4:19
Another translation says: “We love, because He first loved us.” All our love is a reflection of His love.
Now, I’m going to tell you a little secret. The following is a wedding song… If it were just a sentiment, I would not share it with you. But there are some thoughts in these lines that are gathered from some of the references that we’ve studied in this class. And I thought you, some of you at least, might appreciate these. And I invite you to study them.
The first stanza is about this plant of heavenly birth – real love from heaven, transplanted down to the earth. You’ll notice it has the thought of the tree of life, two trunks joined in one, meeting together. That’s marriage. Then the second stanza. We look up to the sanctuary. Jesus imparting this love from the mercy seat, sending His angels. We’ve learned about that, haven’t we? Then the thought that the world doesn’t know anything about this kind of love. And, oh, friends, I feel so sorry for this world. I don’t envy them. I don’t want what they have. I feel sorry for them, don’t you? What a high and holy privilege we have, to share the heavenly temple’s light of love, and how we long to share this.
This is taken from that chapter in Ministry of Healing on getting ready for marriage. It says:
The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven. – Ministry of Healing, pg. 360
Sweet is the love that Christ imparts.
A plant of heavenly birth;
Fresh from the glorious world above
Transplanted now to earth.
The tree of life within thy heart
And mine its roots are found.
Join now in one, no more apart;
May precious fruit abound.
Sweet is the love that Christ imparts
From His blest mercy seat.
Angels descend to blend our hearts
In union full, complete.
The world knows not of love like this;
The heavenly temple’s light.
Oh, how we long to share the bliss,
For them our prayers unite.
Sweet is the love that Christ imparts.
May this our portion be;
In the short hour until He comes,
And through eternity.
A foretaste here of joys above
We now receive, dear heart;
Sealed in the bond of heavenly love,
The bond that ne’er shall part.
I trust that today each of us will recall our wedding day and our wedding vows – something like a baptismal service, you know; joyous yet solemn, solemn but joyous. I wonder if we would like to make a recommitment to those vows, not with some sham re-enactment, but just quietly with your spouse, renewing the vows you took when you stood and said “I do,” to the question, “Will you love, honor and cherish, and forsaking all others, keep you only to this companion as long as you both shall live?”
Wouldn’t you like to do that? If you would, kneel together, husband and wife clasping hands, as we share together in this quiet moment of re-dedication.
Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee with all our hearts that Thou hast shared with Thine earth-born children the mystery of love, exclusive love, possessive love, in this wonderful relationship of husband and wife. We look back to the hour when each of us was linked with a chosen companion. We’re sorry for every failure to love and honor and cherish, but we rejoice that the ladder of hope and help reaches where we are.
And now we’re placing our hands in Thine and in each other’s, determined to go all the way with Thee. Anoint us with the heavenly love. Fill us with new courage, fresh determination, and glorious assurance that through Thy grace we shall reach the top of the ladder. We ask it for each one in Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Lord bless you and keep you The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
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We would like to present the opportunity for those who have been faithfully going through this Husbands & Wives series, to receive additional counseling. The link below will allow you to download questions that were compiled from all 8 lessons. The first 2 couples who are successful in completing these questions, and who return them back to us by Friday, January 18th, will receive a FREE copy of our 10-disc DVD series, “Revival & Reformation Begins In The Home”
(click here for more details, and to download this test)
-Continue on to our new series “Guidance To A Home Sanctuary”-
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* This study has been adapted from classes taken by Elder W.D. Frazee.