In two days it will be Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is about love and we have a wonderful description of love from 1
Corinthians 13:8-13:
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will fail; where there are tongues, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

I read of a Christian man who had a tradition for the special days in a year.  Somewhere near Valentine's Day, he would take his wife to Wal-Mart.  They would stand together in the greeting card section while he read the Valentine Cards to her.  That probably won't work for most couples.

Most know that Valentine's Day has an interesting history.

Approximately 250 years after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was a priest by the name of Valentine who lived in Rome. At that time, Claudius was the Emperor of Rome. Some people called him Claudius the Cruel.

St. Valentine didn't like Emperor Claudius, and he wasn't the only one! Many people felt the same way. Claudius wanted a big army and he thought men should volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to leave home and go off to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their girlfriends and wives. So, not many men volunteered for the Roman army. This made Emperor Claudius very angry. He had a crazy idea that if men were not married, they would be more inclined to join his army. So Claudius decreed there would be no more marriages. Young people thought his new law was really cruel. Valentine thought it was ridiculous! One of his favorite duties as a priest was to marry people. After Emperor Claudius passed his law, Valentine kept on performing marriage ceremonies - but secretly. He would whisper the words of the ceremony, while listening for soldiers on the steps outside. 

One night, Valentine did hear footsteps at his door. The couple he was marrying escaped, but he was caught, thrown in jail and told that his punishment was death.
St. Valentine tried to remain cheerful.  Many young people came to the jail to visit him. They threw flowers and notes up to his window. They wanted him to know that they, too, believed in love. 

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit him in his cell.  They often sat and talked for hours.  She believed he did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and performing marriage ceremonies

On the day Valentine was to die, he left her a note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. He signed it "Love from your Valentine." That note started the custom of exchanging love notes on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day he died, February 14, 269 A.D.

As modern day believers, one of the lessons we can learn is that we need to stand up for what we know is right and proclaim the Gospel of God’s love

Psalm 40:9-10  - "I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know.  I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your loving kindness and Your truth from the great assembly."

Sometimes it is dangerous to stand up against the lies of our modern day society.

Sometimes it is difficult to oppose the world’s view of things.

Sometimes it is difficult to proclaim the truth of God’s Love.

But that is what St. Valentine did!

And that is what we are called to do!

1 Cor. 1:18 says: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing . . ."

So we can expect opposition from the world!  Our message is foolishness to them!  It’s not always going to be easy to stand up for Jesus!  It won't always be easy to tell of His love but that doesn't give us an excuse for remaining silent!

John 16:33 records Jesus' own words: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."

Paul explains how boldness to proclaim the truth comes to us. Romans 5:5 – "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

According to tradition, all of Jesus' disciples, except John, died horrible deaths rather than deny their Lord.  They all went out under dangerous conditions to spread the Gospel.

Paul wrote a letter of encouragement to Timothy:  2 Tim. 1:8 "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God."

The world we live in hates hearing about God and morality.  They hate the message so much that they want to silence the messenger(s).

Let us try, this Valentine's Day, to sacrifice our reputation and our desire to be liked and boldly proclaim the uncompromised truth of God's Word wherever the Lord leads us to do so.

God loved us enough to die for us!  St. Valentine loved God enough to die for God's Truth.  What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Here are some reassuring scriptures:

Psalm 40:11 "Your merciful love and your truth will always guard me."

Psalm 13:5-6 "But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me."

Psa 31:5  "You are faithful, and I trust you because you rescued me."

Psalm 63:3  "For Your love is better than life; my lips will praise You."

In AD 269, Claudius, the Emperor of Rome, attempted to destroy marriage.  In AD 2010, there are forces in our state and nation that are working very hard to destroy traditional marriage.  We need to be as bold and courageous as St. Valentine.

God, help us.

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HELPFUL LINKS FOR LEADERS: 

Gospel Being Shared at Winter Olympics

Proof That Abstinence-based Sex Ed is Best

Sex Valentines Issued by Planned Parenthood

PC(USA) Rejects John 14:6

'Slight of Hand' Measure Favors Homosexuals

Judge In Prop 8 Trial is Gay

Making Up Evangelical History

Missionaries to Haiti Acted in Good Faith

Goodbye, Don't Ask Don't Tell

Don't Ask Who They Are But What They Do

Planned Parenthood Wants 5th Graders Taught "The Pleasures of Sex"

Tebow Ad a Win for Focus

Church Giving Down

Personhood Battle Move to Courtroom

The Faith of Drew Brees

Tebow's Ad "Right On"

Gay Indian Valentine Cards

Queer Theology

Pagan Chapel at Air Force Academy

Baptists to Flood Texas With Bibles on CD

City Officials Under Attack For Pro-Christian Comments

TN Approves Guidelines For Teaching Bible in Public Schools

Gay Rights: Don't Ask - Don't Think

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The Christian Civic League of Maine was formed in 1897 to name and confront sin.  Today, the League continues to minister in a similar tradition.  The only solution is both the most costly and least expensive which is the righteousness of Jesus Christ - the Gospel.