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To the Editor:
 On Valentine’s Day people express their love. Jesus said, right before His return, “because evil shall abound the love of many shall wax cold.” In 2 Peter 3 the Bible says in the last days people shall scoff and say Jesus isn’t returning and walk after their own lust.  Pedophiles want to join the LGBTQ because they say, “love is love.” No lust is lust. America has more pedophiles and other sex offenders than ever before. There are 917,771 sex offenders who have been caught in America!
Millions have shown no love for their unborn babies and aborted them. They also showed no love for the millions who wanted to adopt babies.  The Bible says in 1 John those who don’t love don’t know God. We are seeing more of the opposite of love which is selfishness and hate. Most people whose life isn’t centered on Jesus become too self-centered to love anyone. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3 right before Jesus returns people will be lovers of their own selves. C.S. Lewis said, “Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay. But look for Jesus and you will find him, and with him everything thrown in!”
Christians have the best understanding of love. C.S. Lewis said, “Nearly all the greatest love poetry in the world has been produced by Christians.” Love is best seen in the self-sacrificing love of Jesus on the cross to pay our sin debt. The actions of Jesus became the greatest love story in history. In the Christian sense love is an action not a feeling. God says if you love me you will keep my commandments. The most important commandment is,”…thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy might. (Deut.6:4,5)  Jesus said this is the first and great commandment. (Matt.22:37,38) In Hebrews the Bible commands Christians to attend church especially in the last days before the return of Jesus. God demands love not because He needs it but because we need it. The more we love God/Jesus the more love flows through us to others. Love is more than talk. When you love someone you live it.  Only by building your life and marriage on Jesus can you truly live happily ever after both now and forever! Studies show laughter helps couples have a better marriage. Studies show laughter helps us be healthier just as the Bible said it would in Proverbs. Studies show those couples who attend church together have the lowest divorce rate. To tell others about Jesus shows more love for them than any other thing you could do for them.
Feelings don’t drive our relationship with Jesus or our spouse; faith and commitment do. C.S. Lewis said, “do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor(or spouse) act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.” That is why some say they feel more love for their pet than their family because they act more loving to their pet. No boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, same-sex partner or pet can meet your deepest needs. Only Jesus can give you real security, identity and purpose. Only Jesus can forgive your sin and make you a more giving, forgiving and loving person. The Bible says perfect love(Jesus) casts out fear!
Psychologists say the feeling of being “in love” lasts on average only two years. Love in the Christian sense doesn’t mean an emotion. Feelings come and go but ceasing to be “in love” shouldn’t mean ceasing to love. Christian love, either toward Jesus or toward others is an act of the will. Jesus will give us feelings of love if he pleases. The great thing to never forget is, though our feelings come and go, Jesus’ love for us doesn’t! Jesus is coming soon. Getting ready to meet Jesus involves growing in love for Jesus and others. 1John 3 says, “We know we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” We know we are Christians when we love our church and other Christians! Valentine’s Day this year is on a Sunday so you can and should show love for the one who loves you most(Jesus) by attending church on Valentine’s Day!

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton