Everlasting Father, Everlasting Son, Immortal Holy Ghost be Thou glorified. Thank You Lord for Loving me; Thank You for caring for me; ?Thank You for providing for me; Thank You for Protection. I offer praise unto Holy Name.
Glorious God Whose love is immeasurable, I bow before You and offer You worship. Lord, You are great and kind to all Your creatures especially unto those that reverence You in truth and in Spirit.
Beloveth, what manner of Love that Saviour has bestowed unto us. As the World celebrate will be celebrating valentine’s day tomorrow, so many institutions like schools, banks and some corporate organization is celebrating with customers today. In fact my children told me mum, if you don’t give us gifts, we are home today. Meaning no school.
I have to wrap up gifts for them at least for them to have something to share, since the season is for sharing. I breathe down when eventually they left for school. Thank God, I must say. Am sure you have your own experiences to share.
I also know that couples and love ones all over the world, is looking forward to this great event celebrated all over the world, it cut across all ages. My dad of a blessed memory used to call in to wish everyone “Happy Val”. It used to be very exciting. It means every one needs love and wants to be loved that I will miss this year.
However, what does “Valentine” stand for? The man that we celebrating today what happened to him? Why is the whole world involved? Though it has been greatly abused; never mind.
Our responsibility is to set the records straight and give the right information to the uninformed. Whoop! what a great privilege I must say.( There are about three of them bearing the same name as at that time with conflicting information, however I will be discussing the one that was identified as the bishop among them. A common hagiography describes Saint Valentine, as the former Bishop of Terni, Narnia and Amelia, a town of Umbria, in central Italy. While under house arrest of Judge Asterius, and discussing his faith with him, Valentinus (the Roman pronunciation of his name) was discussing the validity of Jesus. The judge put Valentinus to the test and brought to him the judge’s adopted blind daughter. If Valentinus succeeded in restoring the girl’s sight, Asterius would do anything he asked. Valentinus laid his hands on her eyes and the child’s vision was restored. Immediately humbled, the judge asked Valentinus what he should do. Valentinus replied that all of the idols around the judge’s house should be broken, the judge should fast for three days, and then undergo baptism. The judge obeyed and as a result, freed all the Christian inmates under his authority. The judge, his family and his forty-four member household (family members and servants) were baptized.[20] Valentinus was later arrested again for continuing to proselytize and was sent to the prefect of Rome, to the emperor Claudius himself. Claudius took a liking to him until Valentinus tried to convince Claudius to embrace Christianity, whereupon Claudius refused and condemned Valentinus to death, commanding that Valentinus either renounce his faith or he would be beaten with clubs, and beheaded. Valentinus refused and Claudius’ command was executed outside the Flaminian Gate February 14, 269. Another story had it that He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner. However, when Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor, he was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stones; when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate) (adapted from wikipedia) This Reverend gently man died for a course he believed in; He died for what we are celebrating today. he refused to renounce Christ, how many of us are willing to do same?
As great and noble this act is, it’s incomparable to God’s love for us.
God loved us while we are yet sinners. His love is not conditional. He wakes you up from sleep even when you don’t know that He exist. Above all, His dear and only begotten son went to the cross for you that you may be set free from all condemnation. He want you to part take of His gift of eternal life, are you ready to be part of it?
The love of Christ is selfless. He left the glory He shares with His Father to come and died for you and I. He despises the shame for His desire is to do the will of Him that sent Him. What an applaud able act (Heb 12:2; Eph 5:17).
Beloved, it only a fool that is shameful of what is gainful. Everything about our Lord Jesus is something you and I must strive to believe in and seek after. For His merciful kindness is great towards us (Ps 117:2).
To live as Jesus did should be our song every morning. We must love as He is loving. We must go as He did for His Father and is still doing till date.
Will you love and gift end with the valentine’s day or is it something you are determining to do as long as there is breathe in your nostrils. Can you take the gospel to those who have never felt love before? Can you show love to that family who has no one caring for them?
Can you salvage a soul today just for the love of Christ in you? Think about it as love is in the air, think of what to do for your Master Jesus; to put a smile on His face; to make God laugh in heaven, great isn’t it?
Still have more of this in the message below, read and get your hand doing something:
“To Him be glory both now and forever.” 2Peter 3:18
Heaven will be full of the ceaseless praises of Jesus. Eternity! thine unnumbered years shall speed their everlasting course, but forever and for ever, “to Him be glory.” Is He not a “Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek”? “To Him be glory.” Is He not king for ever?—King of kings and Lord of lords, the everlasting Father? “To Him be glory for ever.”
Never shall His praises cease. That which was bought with blood deserves to last while immortality endures. The glory of the cross must never be eclipsed; the lustre of the grave and of the resurrection must never be dimmed. O Jesus! thou shalt be praised for ever. Long as immortal spirits live—long as the Father’s throne endures—for ever, for ever, unto Thee shall be glory.
Believer, you are anticipating the time when you shall join the saints above in ascribing all glory to Jesus; but are you glorifying Him now? The apostle’s words are, “To Him be glory both now and for ever.” Will you not this day make it your prayer? “Lord, help me to glorify Thee; I am poor, help me to glorify Thee by contentment; I am sick, help me to give Thee honour by patience; I have talents, help me to extol Thee by spending them for Thee; I have time, Lord, help me to redeem it, that I may serve Thee.
I have a heart to feel, Lord, let that heart feel no love but Thine, and glow with no flame but affection for Thee; I have a head to think, Lord, help me to think of Thee and for Thee; Thou hast put me in this world for something, Lord, show me what that is, and help me to work out my life-purpose: I cannot do much, but as the widow put in her two mites, which were all her living, so, Lord, I cast my time and eternity too into Thy treasury; I am all Thine; take me, and enable me to glorify Thee now, in all that I say, in all that I do, and with all that I have.”
Are you saying the prayer from your heart? Is it an heart felt cry from within you? Beloved, ever consider doing something that put laughter in God’s mouth? Like I said before, you will not be left unrewarded. You will be highly priced; as did He Jesus. you must count yourself lucky for God to step aside to send you on a mission for Him. It is indeed a privilege!
“Whereby they have made Thee glad.” Psalm 45:8
And who are thus privileged to make the Saviour glad? His church—His people. But is it possible? He makes us glad, but how can we make Him glad? By our love. Ah! we think it so cold, so faint; and so, indeed, we must sorrowfully confess it to be, but it is very sweet to Christ.
Hear His own eulogy of that love in the golden Canticle: “How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine!” See, loving heart, how He delights in you. When you lean your head on His bosom, you not only receive, but you give Him joy; when you gaze with love upon His all-glorious face, you not only obtain comfort, but impart delight.
Our praise, too gives Him joy—not the song of the lips alone, but the melody of the heart’s deep gratitude. Our gifts, too, are very pleasant to Him; He loves to see us lay our time, our talents, our substance upon the altar, not for the value of what we give, but for the sake of the motive from which the gift springs. To Him the lowly offerings of His saints are more acceptable than the thousands of gold and silver.
Holiness is like frankincense and myrrh to Him. Forgive your enemy, and you make Christ glad; distribute of your substance to the poor, and He rejoices; be the means of saving souls, and you give Him to see of the travail of His soul; proclaim His gospel, and you are a sweet savour unto Him; go among the ignorant and lift up the cross, and you have given Him honour.
It is in your power even now to break the alabaster box, and pour the precious oil of joy upon His head, as did the woman of old, whose memorial is to this day set forth wherever the gospel is preached. Will you be backward then? Will you not perfume your beloved Lord with the myrrh and aloes, and cassis, of your heart’s praise? Yes, ye ivory palaces, ye shall hear the songs of the saints!
If it is for love then do it for the sake of Christ. Go look out for someone to bless and not for lust.
Have a pleasant time ahead all in the Name of your Lord Jesus.
Remain ever blessed in the Lord.
