Good God Sunday Morning “Because You Loved Me”

 February 17, 2013

The Holy Scriptures of the Bible teaches us to attain righteousness and enjoy peace we must be a reflection of God’s mercy, love, faithfulness and truth. As we observe Valentine’s Day let us remember these virtues should be a representation of whom we are everyday.

Psalms 85:10 instructs us:

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8KJV)

Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

(Psalms 85:10KJV)

 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

(Psalms 85:10NIV)

Modern times -The downsizing of Valentine’s Day

 In these modern times Valentine’s Day is celebrated by the giving of gifts of affection to our love ones and friends, which is a commendable act. We should always strive to show love for one another. But how many of us know that Valentine’s Day (Saint Valentine's Day) was initially established to commemorate a man which legend states was persecuted, imprisoned and executed for his acts of Christian love. This man Valentinus, like many Christian martyrs, saw the afflictions of others and ultimately “laid down his life for a friend.” (John 15:13)

The History of Valentine’s Day

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly known as Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine is observed on February 14 each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it remains a working day in most of them^.

St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. The most popular martyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire; during his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius. Legend states that before his execution he wrote her a letter "from your Valentine" as a farewell. Today, Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion, as well as in the Lutheran Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrates Saint Valentine's Day, albeit on July 6th and July 30th, the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine, and the latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni).

The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day)

“As a child I remember hearing and singing “Yes Jesus loves me because He first loved me”. I still remember the joy and peace the words brought to my soul.  Now as an adult I find some inspirational love songs can communicate those same feelings. No longer just loving Jesus but having fallen in love with Jesus that joy and peace has strengthened. Jesus being the center of my life is now the source/ the root-cause from which my admiration stems to others. He is the subject-matter of the inspirational love song. He {Jesus} the benefactor enables me/ us, His heirs the beneficiaries to receive, give, express and exemplify merciful, faithful and honorable love.” Prophetess Sandra Dukes 

The song below is dedicated with love and gratitude to the lover of my soul “Jesus” my Savior and to those who walk in His loving beauty.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. (Psalm 31:7NIV)

Celine Dion - Because you loved me

http://youtu.be/P_r8pDziQKE

Love is Mercy. Faithfulness and Truth

Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!

(Psalms 85:10NLT)

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. (Psalms36:5 KJV)

Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. (Psalms 36:5 NLT)

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth to the clouds. (Webster’s Bible Translation)

Parallel Commentary

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens - This commences the second part of the psalm - the description of the character of God in contrast with the character of the wicked man. The meaning here is, evidently, that the mercy of God is very exalted; to the very heavens, as high as the highest object of which man can conceive. Thus, we speak of virtue as "exalted," or virtue of the "highest kind." The idea is not that the mercy of God is "manifested" in heaven, for, mercy being favor shown to the guilty, there is no occasion for it in heaven; nor is the idea that mercy, as shown to man, has its "origin" in heaven, which is indeed true in itself; but it is, as above explained, that it is of the most exalted nature; that it is as high as man can conceive.

And thy faithfulness - Thy "truthfulness;" thy fidelity to thy promises and to thy friends.

Reacheth "unto the clouds." The clouds are among the highest objects. They rise above the loftiest trees, and ascend above the mountains, and seem to lie or roll along the sky. The idea here, therefore, as in the first part of the verse, is that it is elevated or exalted.

“Maybe I don’t know that much but I know this much is true.  I was blessed because I was loved by you. I am everything I am because you loved me” (Celine Dion - Because you loved me)

With All My Love,

Prophetess Sandra Dukes –Anointed Works SD Ministries

Thank you and God bless you

John 15:9-13 (NKJV)
Love and Joy Perfected

⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.