THE WORLD’S FIRST SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 1 ! Bible Reading: Genesis 2:18-25 Key Verse: Genesis 2:18- “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
Key Words: It is not good that man should be alone
There are a lot of things that these sweethearts teach us. They teach us about marriage – the coming together as one. They teach us about the influence of the woman. But the primary thing we learn from the world’s first sweethearts is the importance of our responsibility to God. They were to leave their parents (after marriage), they were to cleave to each other, and they were to weave their love as one with God. When a couple fails to do this, the honeymoon soon leaves the marriage and separation ensues. Shortly thereafter they begin to play the blame game, each blaming the other for their sin. They were sweethearts, but their relationship was never the same. Sin had entered not only the garden, but their marriage. Sin and its effects: How does a worm get inside an apple? Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside. No, scientists have discovered that the worm comes from the inside. But how does he get in there? Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then eats his way out. Sin, like the worm, begins in the heart and works out through a person’s thoughts, words, and actions. If you fail to keep God at the core of your marriage, you will find it decaying as well.
What to do: ! Remember, two is the number of division; three is the number of completion. If all you have is a husband and a wife, you have division. When you add God to the husband and wife, you have completion.
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THE SWEETHEARTS WHO LIVED BY FAITH FEBRUARY 2 ! Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:8-19 Key Verse: Hebrews 11:8,11- 8 “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” 11 “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.”
Key Words: by faith Abraham...through faith Sarah
As you study the lives of Abraham and Sarah, you can find failures; such as going into Egypt, lying about Sarah being Abraham’s sister, an immoral relationship with Hagar. But these sweethearts were also mighty in their faith. No doubt, their faith in God was one thing that helped bind them together. Their faith also made them faithful to God, which is the key to remaining sweethearts. God does reward faithfulness. Charles Spurgeon preached to thousands in London each Lord’s Day, yet he started his ministry by passing out tracts and teaching a Sunday School class as a teenager. When he began to give short addresses to the Sunday School, God blessed his ministry of the Word. He was invited to preach in obscure places in the countryside, and he used every opportunity to honor the Lord. He was faithful in the small things, and God trusted him with the greater things. “I am perfectly sure,” he said, “that, if I had not been willing to preach to the small gatherings of people in obscure country places, I should never have had the privilege of preaching to thousands of men and women in large buildings all over the land. Remember our Lord’s rule, “whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Abraham and Sarah – sweethearts who lived by faith – what a great lesson for us all!
What to do: ! The couple who lives for God will grow old together. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO FELL IN LOVE FEBRUARY 3 ! Bible Reading: Genesis 19:23-38 Key Verse: Genesis 19:26- “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
Key Words: his wife looked back
The story of Lot and his wife is truly one of the sad truths we find in God’s Word.
The tale of Lot and his wife all began in Genesis 13 when the herdsmen of Lot
and Abraham were at strife. So Abraham, being the gentleman he was, let Lot choose which way he and his herds and herdsmen would go; and Abraham and all of his would go in the opposite direction. There were three steps that led Lot and Mrs. Lot to Sodom. Step One: Genesis 13:10, “They looked toward Sodom.” Step Two: Genesis 13:11, “They journeyed toward Sodom.” Step Three: Genesis 13:12, “They pitched their tent toward Sodom.” The next time we read about Lot and his sweetheart, they had moved into Sodom. Now God warns Lot of Sodom’s impending doom, and he, his sweetheart and his daughters flee from the city. But God had warned them not to look back which Mrs. Lot did, and we all know the results of that! You see, the problem with Lot’s wife was she had left Sodom but Sodom had never left her. The world had destroyed this pair of sweethearts. Some years ago, musicians noted that errand boys in a certain part of London all whistled out of tune as they went about their work. It was talked about and someone suggested that it was because the bells of Westminster were slightly out of tune. Something had gone wrong with the chimes and they were discordant. The boys did not know there was anything wrong with the peals, and quite unconsciously they had copied their pitch. So it was with Lot and his wife and so it will be with any couple who falls in love with the world. They fail to see just how out of tune they are with God.
What to do: ! Remember, the thing that ruined mankind wasn’t the apple in the tree but the pair on the ground. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHOSE MARRIAGE WAS MADE IN HEAVEN FEBRUARY 4 ! Bible Reading: Genesis 24:61-67 Key Verse: Genesis 24:64- “And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.”
Key Words: When she saw Isaac
The Bible truth regarding Isaac and Rebekah is one of great intrigue to me.
Abraham sends his servant out to find a wife for his son with only three commands. His wife must be one of us (verse 4). She must be submissive (verse 5). You must not fail. Failure is not an option.
The same principles need to be applied to marriage today. Marry one of your own. A believer should not marry an unbeliever. Submission for the wife is vital (and I might add, love for the man is vital as well).
Failure in marriage should not be an option. As you read about Isaac and Rebekah, you can see it was indeed a marriage
made in heaven. When we fail to marry in God’s will, unhappiness in the marriage relationship will result. I recently read about a speaker at a woman’s club who was lecturing on marriage. She asked the audience how many of them wanted to “mother” their husbands. One member of the audience in the back row raised her hand. “You do want to mother your husband?” the speaker asked. “Mother?” the woman echoed. “I thought you said smother.” You need not worry about smothering your mate when your marriage is made in heaven.
What to do: ! 1. Marry in God’s will. 2. If you are already married and facing problems, remember I Corinthians 13:8a, “Charity never faileth.” !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO HAD TO WAIT FEBRUARY 5 ! Bible Reading: Genesis 29:1-20, and verse 30 Key Verse: Genesis 29:20- “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.”
Key Words: and Jacob served seven years for Rachel
We know several things about the sweethearts, Jacob and Rachel, found in Genesis 29. First, we know Rachel’s dad had Jacob serve seven years in order to have Rachel’s hand in marriage. Second, we know Laban deceived Jacob and on his wedding night, instead of giving him Rachel, he gave him Rachel’s sister, Leah. He had to serve another seven year for Rachel – fourteen years in all. Third, we know we reap what we sow. Just as Jacob had deceived Isaac into giving him the family blessing, now Laban had deceived Jacob. Fourthly, we know that Jacob and Rachel were truly in love. They were willing to wait for fourteen years in order to marry, revealing their patience and love for each other. We must learn that God’s timing and our timing in regard to marriage isn’t always the same. Patience is a virtue. The purposes of God often develop slowly because His grand designs are never hurried. The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. “What’s the trouble, Mr. Brooks?” he asked. “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!” Haven’t we felt the same way many times? Someone once said: Patience is a virtue. Possess it if you can: Found seldom in a woman, And never in a man. What to do: ! Remember, if they are worth marrying, they are worth waiting for. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO DIDN’T WAIT FEBRUARY 6 ! Bible Reading: Genesis 34:1-24 Key Verse: Genesis 34:8- “And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.”
Key Words: I pray you give her him to wife
Dinah was the daughter of Leah and Jacob. One day while visiting some of her lady friends Prince Shechem saw her and raped her, fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. Now Shechem was a Gentile and because of this, the family of Jacob demanded he go through the Jewish ritual of being circumcised. There are several problems here. First of all, they are marrying out of God’s will (Gentile and Jew). Secondly, an act of ritualism doesn’t make one a spiritual leader or correct the wrong of marrying out of God’s will. Third, the rage was never dealt with. All of this didn’t set well with Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah so they killed Shechem. It is believed that Dinah never married. What a shame!! The point is that one sin always leads to another. Rage led to false words, false words led to anger, and anger led to murder. If they had only waited on God! G. Campbell Morgan says in regard to waiting on God: “Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.” Marriage out of God’s will, to say the least, can lead to a miserable life.
What to do: ! Desire God’s will and life’s partner for your life. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO SAVED A NATION FEBRUARY 7 ! Bible Reading: Exodus 6:14-27 Key Verse: Exodus 6:20- “And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.”
Key Words: And Amram took him Jochebed
More is known about Jochebed than Amram. We know that God used them both to save a nation. We often think of Moses being saved as the result of the faith of Jochebed, but in Hebrews 11:23 we read, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” It was their faith that saved Moses who we know was able to lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage. The faith of these sweethearts really did save a nation. It is imperative for me to point out that the object of their faith was God. The object of our faith is of supreme importance. It’s not about having faith in faith or faith in religion or even faith in people. It’s faith in God that counts. In April 1988 the evening news reported on a photographer who was a skydiver. He had jumped from a plane along with numerous other skydivers and filmed the group as they fell and opened their parachutes. On the film shown on the telecast, as the final skydiver opened his chute, the picture went berserk. The announcer reported that the cameraman had fallen to his death, having jumped out of the plane without his parachute. It wasn’t until he reached for the absent ripcord that he realized he was freefalling without a parachute. Until that point, the jump probably seemed exciting and fun. But tragically, he had acted with thoughtlessness, haste and deadly foolishness. Nothing could save him, for his faith was in a parachute never buckled on. Faith in anything but an all-sufficient God can be just as tragic spiritually. Only with faith in Jesus Christ dare we step into the dangerous excitement of life. Praise God for these sweethearts who lived by faith in God. What to do: ! Remember, little faith in Jesus and His shed blood will get you into heaven, but a great faith will get heaven into you. !
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THE REJECTED SWEETHEART MOSES & ZIPPORAH FEBRUARY 8 ! Bible Reading: Exodus 2:11-25 & Numbers 12:1 Key Verse: Exodus 2:21- “And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.”
Key Words: And he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter
There is much speculation as to whether Zipporah is the Ethiopian woman of
Numbers 12:1. Some say she is; others say she isn’t. I don’t think we’ll even know the answer to that question, at least on this side of heaven. But whoever the rejected wife is of Numbers 12, she stirs up the wrath of God against Miriam and Aaron which indicates to me, anyway, that while man rejected the marriage of the couple, God didn’t! Have you or your spouse ever been rejected? It hurts; it hurts deeply. But I encourage you to keep your eyes on God during their times of rejection. Campbell Morgan was one of 150 young men who sought entrance to the Wesleyan ministry in 1888. He passed the doctrinal examinations, but then faced the trial sermon. In a cavernous auditorium that could seat more than 1,000 sat three ministers and 75 others who came to listen. When Morgan stepped into the pulpit, the vast room and the searching, critical eyes caught him up short. Two weeks later Morgan’s name appeared among the 105 REJECTED for the ministry that year. Jill Morgan, his daughter-in-law, wrote in her book, A Man of the Word. “He wired to his father the one word, ‘Rejected,’ and sat down to write in his diary. ‘Very dark everything seems. Still, He knoweth best.’ Quickly came the reply: ‘Rejected on earth. Accepted in heaven. Dad.’” In later years, Morgan said, “God said to me, in the weeks of loneliness and darkness that followed. ‘I want you to cease making plans for yourself, and let Me plan your life.’” Rejection is rarely permanent, as Morgan went on to prove. Even in this life, circumstances change, and ultimately, there is no rejection of those accepted by Christ. Do God’s will; and if you are rejected for that by people, remember the only rejection that matters is when God rejects us.
What to do: ! Where would we be if Jesus had quit because of rejection? ! " ! " ! "
SWEETHEARTS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN FEBRUARY 9 ! Bible Reading: Judges 16:4-14 Key Verse: Judges 16:4- “And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.”
Key Words: He loved a woman
Every child knows the story of Samson and Delilah. They were sweethearts, but should not have been. They should not have been together for several reasons. First, it was an unequal yoke: a Hebrew who believed in God and a Philistine who didn’t. Secondly, it was a deceitful relationship. Delilah constantly attempted to deceive Samson to find out where his strength lay. Thirdly, it was an adulterous relationship. Fourthly, it was a deadly relationship, not only did Samson die, but so did many
Philistines. To say that both Samson and Delilah were foolish would be an understatement; but people do foolish things for the excitement and adrenalin rush that they receive. How foolish! In 1982, “ABC Evening News” reported on an unusual work of modern art – a chair affixed to a shotgun. It was to be viewed by sitting in the chair and looking directly into the gun barrel. The gun was loaded and set on a timer to fire at an undetermined moment within the next hundred years. The amazing thing was that people waited in lines to sit and stare into the shell’s path! They all knew the gun could go off at point-blank range at any moment, but they were gambling that the fatal blast wouldn’t happen during their minute in the chair. Yes, it was foolhardy, yet many people who wouldn’t dream of sitting in that chair live a lifetime gambling that they can get away with sin. Foolishly they ignore the risk until the inevitable self-destruction. So it was with these sweethearts that should have never been.
What to do: ! Remember, if it is wrong then nothing right can come from it. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO MEET BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE FEBRUARY 10 ! Bible Reading: Ruth 2:1-17 Key Verse: Ruth 2:1- “And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.”
Key Words: and his name was Boaz
Much could be said about the meeting and marriage of Boaz and Ruth. But one thing we know for sure, the meeting of these sweethearts was planned by God. I recently read about the citizens of Feldkirch, Austria, who didn’t know what to do. Napoleon’s massive army was preparing to attack. Soldiers had been spotted on the heights above the little town, which was situated on the Austrian border. A council of citizens was hastily summoned to decide whether they should try to defend themselves or display the white flag of surrender. It happened to be Easter Sunday, and the people had gathered in the local church. The pastor rose and said, “Friends, we have been counting on our own strength, and apparently that has failed. As this is the day of our Lord’s resurrection, let us just ring the bells, have our services as usual, and leave the matter in His hands. We know only our weakness, and not the power of God to defend us.” The council accepted his plan and the church bells rang. The enemy, hearing the sudden peal, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to defend the town. Before the service ended, the enemy broke camp and left. Just as these Austrians fretted over their enemy, singles often fret over a life of loneliness without ever marrying. I challenge you to fret not. The key for every single person is to simply be and do the will of God, and God will provide for them. What to do: ! Remember, fretting is not a part of God’s plan for your life. !
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A DEPARTED SWEETHEART FEBRUARY 11 ! Bible Reading: Ruth 1:1-9 & 4:13-17 Key Verse: Ruth 1:3- “And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.”
Key Words: And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died
For me one of the most heart-wrenching times of life is watching as a person goes through the loss of a spouse to whom they have been married for years. It’s
during this time that decisions must be made about life and living. Either we can go into a shell of depression and discouragement or we can invest our lives in the ministry of God for others. This is what Naomi did. • • •
Naomi went back to her people. She invested her life in Ruth. God blessed Naomi. She is known as the mother of Ruth’s son (4:17).
In 1974 there was an elderly couple in our church, the Donaldson’s, who were
long-time missionaries. Bro. & Mrs. Donaldson had been married for over 65 years when Bro. Donaldson died suddenly of a heart attack. His funeral was on a Friday, and to everyone’s amazement, come Sunday morning, Mrs. Donaldson came walking into church, taught her Sunday School class, sang in the choir, and carried a young couple out to lunch. She did this not once but every Sunday. She chose to invest her life in others rather than to become depressed and discouraged. Now, I’m sure her heart ached; but she continued steadfast and developed the title of Naomi, the Second. What a blessing she was!! She left behind a testimony of faithfulness and dependability, not one of doom and despair. To God be the glory!!
What to do: ! Remember, there’s nothing wrong with weeping and mourning over a departed spouse; but the key is getting up and serving God by serving others. !
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SWEETHEARTS: WHEN LOVE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE ENOUGH FEBRUARY 12 ! Bible Reading: I Samuel 1:1-18 Key Verse: I Samuel 1:8- “Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?”
Key Words: am not I better to thee than ten sons?
Elkanah loved Hannah, but his love for her wasn’t enough. She wanted him to give her a son who could be raised for God’s glory.
Now, it’s not that love failed; it’s just that Hannah felt as though she had failed
Elkanah. You must give Hannah credit, though; she didn’t quit. She turned to God and asked that God intercede on her behalf, which He did. When you feel as though you are personally failing in your marriage relationship, you can do one of two things: give in or pray up. Which will you choose? The same can be said for life in general. Some onlookers thought it was unusual, but few noticed when the pastor wheeled into the church parking lot in a borrowed pickup truck. But everyone’s eyes were upon him when he backed the truck across the lawn to his study door. Refusing comment or assistance, he began to empty his office onto the truck bed. He was impassive and systematic: first the desk drawers, then the files, and last his library of books, which he tossed carelessly into a heap, many of them flopping askew like slain birds. His task done, the pastor left the church and, as was later learned, drove some miles to the city dump where he committed everything to the waiting garbage. It was his way of putting behind him the overwhelming sense of failure and loss that he had experienced in the ministry. This young, gifted pastor was determined never to return to the ministry. Indeed, he never did. In life, as in marriage, you can give in or pray up. The choice is yours.
What to do: ! Pray up or you will give in. !
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THE UNKNOWN SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 13 ! Bible Reading: I Samuel 14:36-50 Key Verse: I Samuel 14:50- “And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.”
Key Words: And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam
Now, be honest...before today if someone would have you to name King Saul’s wife, could you? We know only three things about Ahinoam. She is Saul’s wife. She is only mentioned once in the Bible. She births children by Saul.
Now, while all of this may be taken as a negative, there are certainly some
positives found here as well. She never embarrassed King Saul. He managed to do that for himself.
She did not seek the limelight like many queens did. She did not attempt to become the vice-king or associate king. (I see that a lot today from pastor’s wives. They are the “behind-the-scenes” co-pastors.) Now, I’m sure you can find many negatives in the lives of these two sweethearts; but one thing that appears to be a positive is that they do appear to have been faithful to each other. There appears to be no polygamy in the relationship. This reminds me of a Mark Twain story. Once when Mark Twain was lecturing in Utah, a Mormon acquaintance argued with him on the subject of polygamy. After a long and rather heated debate, the Mormon finally said, “Can you find for me a single passage of Scripture which forbids polygamy?” “Certainly,” replied Twain, “No man can serve two masters.” At least it appears the unknown sweethearts got that right.
What to do: ! Stay faithful morally to each other. !
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ADULTEROUS SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 14 ! Bible Reading: II Samuel 11:1-13 Key Verse: II Samuel 11:4- “And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.”
Key Words: he lay with her
The steps of sin never change, whether it be Adam and Eve in the garden, Achan at Jericho, or David on the roof. Sin all begins by being out of God’s will. David was supposed to be at a battle of the kings, but instead he went for a walk on his roof. He was out of God’s will. The path of sin is always the same. Step One: I saw (verse 2 “and saw the woman”), Step Two: I coveted (verse 2 “the woman was very beautiful”),
Step Three: I took (verse 4 “and took her”), and Step Four: I fell (verse 4 “he lay with her”).
In 1986, Gordon MacDonald was the president of InterVarsity Christian
Fellowship. He was admired and respected by countless people throughout the Christian community. Within a year he was a broken man. He had committed adultery. By 1988, he was on the long road to healing and wrote a therapeutic book which dealt with his own brokenness, Rebuilding Your Broken World. In this book, MacDonald shared an experience which took place several years before his adulterous relationship. While on campus to speak at a college commencement, he struck up a conversation with a school board member. After some pleasantries the new acquaintance asked, “If Satan were to blow you out of the water, how do you think he would do it?” “I’m not sure I know,” said MacDonald. “All sorts of ways, I suppose; but I know there’s one way he wouldn’t get me.” “What’s that?”
“He’d never get me in the area of my personal relationships,” answered MacDonald. “That’s one place where I have no doubt I’m as strong as you can get.” Satan is wise and powerful. That’s why Paul wrote, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12).
What to do: ! Nothing good comes from adultery. Note what comes as a result of adultery. There was 1) death, 2) deception, and 3) disloyalty. You are free to do what you want to do, but you are not free to choose the consequences of your action. !
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SOLOMON: THE MAN WITH TOO MANY SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 15 ! Bible Reading: I Kings 11:1-13 Key Verse: I Kings 11:3- “And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.”
Key Words: seven hundred wives...three hundred concubines
If my math is right, Solomon had one thousand women...WOW!! One
thousand...most of us can’t handle one, much more one thousand!! To be the wisest man on earth, he wasn’t very smart, was he?
Don’t you know that Solomon’s palace was full of tension? You get that many
women together who love the same man and you have a problem waiting to happen. Reminds me of a story I read recently titled “Men, Women, and Words.”
In a Harvard study of several hundred preschoolers, researchers discovered an interesting phenomenon. As they taped the children’s playground conversation, they realized that all the sounds coming from little girls’ mouths were recognizable words. However, only 60% of the sounds coming from little boys were recognizable. The other 40% were yells and sound effects like “Vrrrooooom!” “Aaaaagh!” “Toot toot!” This difference persists into adulthood. Communication experts say that the average woman speaks over 25,000 words a day while the average man speaks only a little over 10,000. What does this mean in marital terms? On average a wife will say she needs to spend 45 minutes to an hour each day in meaningful conversation with her husband. What does her husband sitting next to her say is enough time for meaningful conversation? Fifteen to twenty minutes – once or01 twice a week. Now, let’s see if I’ve got this straight. Solomon had one thousand women – that’s 25,000,000 words a day he would have had to listen to! It would have been 45,000 hours per day of conversation he would have been asked to listen to. Hey Solomon, you wanted it – you got it! This could not have been a pleasant experience with so many sweethearts. “He who findeth a wife [singular] findeth a good thing.” There’s a reason that
God intended for us to have only one wife. Trust me, it’s all we can handle.
What to do: ! Be content with the wife of your youth. !
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EVIL SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 16 ! Bible Reading: I Kings 16:25-34 Key Verse: I Kings 16:31- “And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.”
Key Words: that he took to wife Jezebel
They were evil; they were schemers and plotters. They killed and had killed. They were false worshippers. It was the leadership of Ahab and Jezebel that led Elijah to pray for a famine. These sweethearts were truly evil. They really thought that they could “make it without God.” What a tragedy! The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong disdain for “religious” things. As he plowed his field on Sunday morning, he would shake his fist at the church people who passed by on their way to worship. October came and the farmer had his finest crop ever – the best in the entire county. When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local paper which belittled the Christians for their faith in God. Near the end of his diatribe he wrote, “Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper.” The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite. In the next edition of the town paper, a small ad appeared. It read simply, “God doesn’t always settle His accounts in October.” Sadly, today in our nation and even in our churches there are couples who believe that they too can live anyway they want, and all will be well and stay well. Let me lovingly warn you...NOT SO!!
What to do: ! Learn from Ahab and Jezebel or you will end up being evil sweethearts yourselves. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO KNEW ALL WAS WELL FEBRUARY 17 ! Bible Reading: II Kings 4:1-17 & verse 26 Key Verse: II Kings 4:26- “Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.”
Key Words: It is well
In order to get the full impact of this Bible truth, you need to read all of II Kings chapter 4. Here, though, in the midst of a crisis are two sweethearts who realize all is well. Their son, a miracle child from God (which I believe every child is) is sick and dies but they never lost faith. The key to a marriage surviving is in always understanding that God never does things to us, but allows things for us. These sweethearts, I believe anyway, understood that. That’s why the Shunammite woman could say “all is well.” During the terrible days of the Blitz, a father, holding his small son by the hand, ran from a building that had been struck by a bomb. In the front yard was a shell hole. Seeking shelter as quickly as possible, the father jumped into the hole and held up his arms for his son to follow. Terrified, yet hearing his father’s voice telling him to jump, the boy replied, “I can’t see you!” The father, looking up against the sky tinted red by the burning buildings, called to the silhouette of his son, “But I can see you. Jump!” The boy jumped because he trusted his father. The Christian faith enables us to face life or meet death, not because we can see, but with the certainty that we are seen; not that we know all the answers, but that we are known. No matter what you are facing in life, remember – God knows, and all is well.
What to do: ! Remember, faith is not merely you holding onto God; but it is also God holding on to you. John 10:28-29 !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO WERE IN GOD’S PLACE FOR GOD’S PURPOSE FEBRUARY 18 ! Bible Reading: Esther 2:1-20 Key Verse: Esther 2:16- “So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.”
Key Words: So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus
Most everyone knows the story of Queen Esther and how she was chosen by the king to be his bride because of her beauty. We know of the conflict between Haman and Mordecai, and how Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, had her intercede for all the Jewish people with King Ahasuerus. No doubt Esther was a part of God’s plan for his people for such a time as this. It was no accident that she was the king’s sweetheart. Oftentimes it is not the faith of both sweethearts that see them through difficult times, but the faith in God of just one of them that makes a difference for all. This certainly would have been one of those times where one’s faith could easily fail. A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued: “Is anyone up there?” “I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?” “Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hold on much longer.” “That’s all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch.” A moment of pause, then: “Is anyone else up there?”
Praise God Esther didn’t say is anyone else up there!! If you married in God’s
will then God has you where He wants you “for such a time as this.” So have faith in God.
What to do: ! Remember, faith in God never fails. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO SUFFERED TOGETHER FEBRUARY 19 ! Bible Reading: Job 2:1-10 Key Verse: Job 2:9- “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.”
Key Words: then said his wife unto him
Many believe that Job’s wife was degrading Job when she says in verse 9, “Curse God and die.” I personally believe she was out of line, but I also believe she loved Job dearly and no longer wanted him to suffer. This couple had been through a lot together: children dying, losing their livelihood with the loss of all their livestock, servants dying, Job suffering. But they, through God’s grace, made it through together and God blessed the end of their lives, doubling all they had before the suffering began. When Jewish psychiatrist Victor Frankl was arrested by the Nazis in World War II, he was stripped of everything – property, family, possessions. He had spent years researching and writing a book on the importance of finding meaning in life – concepts that later would be known as logotherapy. When he arrived in Auschwitz, the infamous death camp, even his manuscript, which he had hidden in the lining of his coat, was taken away. “I had to undergo and overcome the loss of my spiritual child,” Frankl wrote. “Now it seemed as if nothing and no one would survive me; neither a physical nor a spiritual child of my own! I found myself confronted with the question of whether under such circumstances my life was ultimately void of any meaning.” He was still wrestling with that question a few days later when the Nazis forced the prisoners to give up their clothes. “I had to surrender my clothes and in turn inherited the worn-out rags of an inmate who had been sent to the gas chamber,” said Frankl. “Instead of the many pages of my manuscript, I found in the pocket of the newly acquired coat a single page torn out of a Hebrew prayer book, which contained the main Jewish prayer, Shema Yisrael (Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one God. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.) “How should I have interpreted such a ‘coincidence’ other than as a challenge to live my thoughts instead of merely putting them on paper?” Later, as Frankl reflected on his ordeal, he wrote in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, “There is nothing in the world that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions, as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life...He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
These sweethearts had a why to live: God; and so do you and your sweetheart.
Your why to make it is, “the glory of God” is at stake.
What to do: ! Remember the words of C. S. Lewis when he was asked, “Why do the righteous suffer?” “Why not,” he asked, “they are the only ones who can take it.” !
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UNNAMED SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 20 ! Bible Reading: Song of Solomon 1 Key Verse: Song of Solomon 1:2- “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.”
Key Words: for thy love is better than wine
The Song of Solomon is not a story but a song, sung by God to His lover. The
book is a picture of a glorious wedding. It’s about God’s love for Israel and about Christ’s love for His church, The Bride of Christ. I read the following written by Dale Galloway: “Little Chad was a shy, quiet young fella. One day he came home and told his mother he’d like to make a valentine for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. She thought, ‘I wish he wouldn’t do that!’ because she had watched the children when they walked home from school. Her Chad was always behind them. They laughed and hung on to each other and talked to each other. But Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son. So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons. For three whole weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made thirty-five valentines. “Valentine’s Day dawned and Chad was beside himself with excitement! He carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag, and bolted out the door. His mom decided to bake him his favorite cookies and serve them up warm and nice with a cool glass of milk when he came home from school. She just knew he’d be disappointed; maybe they would ease the pain a little. It hurt her to think that he wouldn’t get many valentines – maybe none at all. “That afternoon she had the cookies and milk out on the table. When she heard the children outside, she looked out the window. Sure enough, here they came, laughing and having the best time. And, as always, there was Chad in the rear. He
walked a little faster than usual. She fully expected him to burst into tears as soon as he got inside. His arms were empty, she noticed, and when the door opened, she choked back the tears. “’Mommy has some warm cookies and milk for you.’ “But he hardly heard her words. He just marched right on by, his face aglow, and all he could say was: ‘Not a one...not a one.’ Her heart sank. And then he added, ‘I didn’t forget a one, a single one!’” Nor can Christ! He never forgets His future Bride, not a single one of us.
What to do: ! Just as Christ never forgets us, let us never forget Him. !
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UNUSUAL SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 21 ! Bible Reading: Hosea 1:1-11 Key Verse: Hosea 1:2- “The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.”
Key Words: Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms
What an unusual command by God, “Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms...” Why would God command such a thing? Since this is a devotional and not a commentary, I will quickly state three points. 1. Hosea’s marriage is a picture of God’s grace and mercy to us, in spite of us. 2. Hosea’s marriage is a picture of God’s blessing to us, in spite of us. 3. Hosea’s marriage is a command to teach us the depth of God’s love and mercy for us.
As you read the book of Hosea, you are prone to wonder about Gomer. Did she emerge from her whoredom a wise woman? Did she return Hosea’s love? Did she become a model wife and mother? We can certainly hope so, but you have to admit that they were unusual sweethearts.
When Irving S. Olds was chairman of the U.S. Steel Corporation, he arrived
for a stockholders’ meeting and was confronted by a woman who asked, “Exactly who are you and what do you do?” Without batting an eye, Olds replied, “I am your chairman. Of course, you know the duties of a chairman – that’s someone who is roughly the equivalent of parsley on a platter of fish.” This is about how useful Gomer was in her marriage with Hosea; but, of course, the book of Hosea is not about Gomer’s unfaithfulness -- it’s about God’s faithfulness. So remember when all is not well in your life and in your marriage, God is faithful when others aren’t.
What to do: ! When all is not well in your marriage, remember Hosea. !
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SWEETHEARTS LIKE NO OTHER FEBRUARY 22 ! Bible Reading: Matthew 1:18-25 Key Verse: Matthew 1:18- “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”
Key Words: Before they came together she was found with child
While I do not believe that either Joseph or Mary should be worshipped, you
would have to admit there are no other sweethearts quite like them, chosen by God to be the earthly “parents” of the Messiah. You would have to also admit that the birth of Jesus was miraculous...born of a virgin. Some years ago, I was asked if I could explain the virgin birth of Jesus. My answer both then and now: “Faith doesn’t require that I explain it; it simply demands that I believe it.” But the birth of Jesus was no ordinary birth, for sure. A little boy asked his mother where he came from, and also where she had come from as a baby. His mother gave him a tall tale about a beautiful white-feathered bird. The boy asked his grandmother the same question and received a variation of the bird story. Outside to his playmate he said, “You know, there hasn’t been a normal birth in our family for three generations.”
Now, we know that’s not true; but what is true is that Mary and Joseph were
sweethearts like no other. While our marriage can never be like Joseph’s and Mary’s, our marriage can be different and we can be sweethearts like no other in our community and church by loving and honoring one another and being an example of what a Godly marriage is. May that be one of your goals!!
What to do: ! Strive and ask God to help you make your marriage all He wants it to be. !
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INTERESTING SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 23 ! Bible Reading: Luke 1:1-14 Key Verse: Luke 1:5- “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.”
Key Words: Zacharias...and his wife...was Elisabeth
Zacharias and Elisabeth was an interesting couple. First, they were both
righteous before God (verse 6). Second, they, like Abraham and Sarah, had no children and were past their child-bearing years (verse 7). Third, Zacharias was the High Priest. Fourth, they were born in the town of Abraham’s dwelling, Hebron. Fifth, Elisabeth was the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Last of all, through a miracle of God, Elisabeth birthed John the Baptist, the forerunner to Jesus. The thing I find truly interesting about the couple is that they had no selfish aims or ambitions...only to live pleasing to God. They truly understood only what was done for God would last. A farmer’s daughter was carrying her paid of milk from the field to the farmhouse, when she fell a-musing. “The money for which this milk will be sold, will buy at least three hundred eggs. The eggs, allowing for all mishaps, will produce two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will become ready for the market when poultry will fetch the highest price, so that by the end of the year I shall have enough money from my share to buy a new gown. In this dress I will go to the Christmas parties, where all the young fellows will propose to me, but I will toss my head and refuse them every one.” At this moment she tossed her head in unison with her thoughts, when down fell the milk pail to the ground, and all her imaginary schemes
perished in a moment. So it is with our lives as well. Remember, only what’s done for Christ will last.
What to do: ! Remember, I’ve never met the couple that comes to the end of life that has ever regretted putting God first. !
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THE SWEETHEARTS WHOSE PASSION COULDN’T BE CONTROLLED FEBRUARY 24 ! Bible Reading: Acts 25:13-27 Key Verse: Acts 25:13- “And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.”
Key Words: Bernice
While not much is said about the husband of Bernice, we know she was married to the king of Chalcis, located in Greece. Historians say of Bernice that she was the eldest daughter of Agrippa I. Here is what history records about Bernice. She was the sister of Drusilla. Acts 24:24 records that Drusilla was a Jewess so Bernice had to have had some Jewish blood in her and no doubt knew of God, but yet still rejected Him. Historians recorded that she had an adulterous relationship with her brother, Agrippa II. We know that she heard the gospel message from Paul and rejected it (Acts 26:28-30). The historian Ellicott writes that “Bernice was a woman of uncontrolled passion.” I read the following article and as I did, I could not help but think of Bernice. “You may have heard the story of two friends who met for dinner in a restaurant. Each requested filet of sole, and after a few minutes the waiter came back with their order. Two pieces of fish, a large and a small, were on the same platter. One of the men proceeded to serve his friend. Placing the small fish on his plate, he handed it across the table. ‘Well, you certainly have your nerve!’ exclaimed his friend.
“‘What’s troubling you?’ asked the other. ‘Look what you’ve done,’ he answered. ‘You’ve given me the little piece and kept the big one for yourself.’ ‘How would you have done it?’ the man asked. His friend replied, ‘If I were serving, I would have given you the big piece.’ ‘Well,’ replied the man, ‘I’ve got it, haven’t I?’”
What to do: ! Remember, where the Spirit of God rules, there is temperance. !
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THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AND HER SWEETHEARTS FEBRUARY 25 ! Bible Reading: John 4:1-30 Key Verse: John 4:18- “For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.”
Key Words: For thou hast had five husbands
Much could be said about the Samaritan woman but if you would stop and
think, she was living like a natural person would live. But after she was saved, the first thing she did was find all of her “sweethearts” so they could be saved as well. While you may not approve of her lifestyle, she was responsible for more souls being saved than the average believer today. George Sweeting, in his book The No-Guilt Guide for Witnessing, tells of a man by the name of John Currier who in 1949 was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Later he was transferred and paroled to work on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee. In 1968, Currier’s sentence was terminated, and a letter bearing the good news was sent to him. But John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything about it. Life on that farm was hard and without promise for the future. Yet John kept doing what he was told even after the farmer for whom he worked had died. Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer learned about Currier’s plight, found him, and told him that his sentence had been terminated. He was a free man. Sweeting concluded that story by asking, “Would it matter to you if someone sent you an important message – the most important in your life – and year after year the urgent message was never delivered?”
We who have heard the good news and experienced freedom through Christ
are responsible to proclaim it to others still enslaved by sin. Are we doing all we can to make sure that people get the message? Praise God that these men had a sweetheart who cared!!
What to do: ! Tell others what Jesus has done for you. !
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SWEETHEARTS WHO SERVED TOGETHER FEBRUARY 26 ! Bible Reading: Acts 18:1-11 Key Verse: Acts 18:2- “And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.”
Key Words: certain Jew named Aquilla...with his wife Priscilla
This couple served God together. Now, how precious is that? Note the
following verses. Acts 18:18, “And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquilla; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.” Acts 18:26, “And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquilla and Pricilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” Romans 16:3, “Greet Priscilla and Aquilla my helpers in Christ Jesus.” How wonderful it is to see sweethearts serving the Lord together.
Missionary Ken Board to Japan writes about his sweetheart’s last Sunday. “Watching videos of TV programs with my wife could be frustrating at times. Without saying a word she would suddenly get up and leave, so thinking that she was probably going to the bathroom or to the kitchen for a snack, I would pause the video and wait. I would wait several minutes, and when she didn’t return, I would go looking for her and find her asleep in bed. One night she did something she had never done before. We had just finished watching a program when I received a phone call. While I was talking on the phone, she got up out of her chair and headed for the bedroom, but just before she entered the room, she stopped and smiled and waved her hand. That moment has become a precious moment in my memory, for
early the next morning she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and went home to be with the Lord. “The next day I was looking through her Bible and I found two verses that she had written in her own hand. Inside the front cover of her Bible she had written, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4). Inside the back cover of her Bible she had written, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). “’Faithful’ – there is no more a fitting word to describe the life of Louise Board. To her children she was a faithful mother. To her husband she was a faithful wife. To her Lord she was a faithful servant and missionary. On the last Sunday of her life, she attended church in the morning and went out with the church members to distribute tracts and church flyers in the afternoon. Faithful! “When people speak of us and our last Sunday on this earth, I wonder what they will say.” What else could I possibly add?
What to do: ! As sweethearts, serve God together. Never marry a sweetheart who does not have a servant’s heart. If you do, I promise it will not be “sweet.” !
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SWEETHEARTS THAT APPEAR TO BE THE PERFECT COUPLE FEBRUARY 27 ! Bible Reading: Acts 5:1-11 Key Verse: Acts 5:1- “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,”
Key Words: Ananias, with Sapphira his wife
On the surface this couple appeared to be “the perfect couple.” • • •
They appeared to be givers (verse 1). They attended church. They were in unison (verse 9).
They gave all the outward signs of being just a “perfect couple.” But all of us
know that there usually is no perfect marriage. The Perfect Story: There was a perfect man who met a perfect woman. After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding. Their life together was, of course, perfect. One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve this perfect couple was driving along a winding road when they noticed someone at the roadside in distress. Being the perfect couple, they stopped to help. There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys. Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of Christmas, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle. Soon they were driving along delivering the toys. Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated and the perfect couple and Santa Claus had an accident. Only one of them survived the accident. Who was the survivor? Answer: The perfect woman. She’s the only one that really existed in the first place. Everyone knows there is no Santa Claus and there is no such thing as a perfect man. A Male’s Response: So, if there is no perfect man and no Santa Claus, the perfect woman must have been driving. This explains why there was a car accident. While there is no perfect couple, each couple can unite to serve God together with sincerity and integrity. Are you doing that?
What to do: ! Be real, but be real to God and for God, not to the world and for the world. !
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THE SWEETHEART OF JESUS FEBRUARY 28 ! Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:17-33 Key Verse: Ephesians 5:25- “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
Key Words: Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it
Now, we know as believers we are the bride of Christ. We know that Jesus loves the church, His bride. He gave himself for it. The question is: As His sweetheart, what are we doing for Him?
In the Greek Islands, one can seek out the home of Hippocrates, the father of
modern medicine. In the area, one can also find an olive tree, supposedly dating from his time. If this is so, this tree would then be some 2,400 years old. The trunk of this tree is very large but completely hollow. The tree is little more than thick bark. There are a few long, straggling branches, but they are supported by sturdy wooden poles every few feet. It has an occasional leaf here and there and might produce a few olives each year. In the fields around, however, are olive groves in many directions. The strong, healthy, young trees with narrow trunks are covered with a thick canopy of leaves, under which masses of olives can be found each year. The tree of Hippocrates can still be called an olive by nature, in that it still shows the essential unique characteristics, but it has long since ceased to fulfill an olive’s function. Tourists file up to inspect this ancient relic, having some link to a dim history, but the job of the olive tree passed long ago to many successions of replanted trees. Do you know any churches (or even people) like the tree of Hippocrates? The form is there, but the function is not. They have stopped reproducing and are satisfied just being big, or having a noble history. Now, I ask you: What kind of sweetheart is that?
What to do: ! Jesus loves you; love him back.
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I deeply appreciate the help of Laurie Blankenship Trisha Bookout Kathy Endicott Cathy Fortenberry Sandy Lancaster Cathy Lang Marie Moore Mary Parsons John and Tascha Piatt Reba Pontbriand And my lovely wife, Linda
Without God using these people to help this devotional would not have been possible.
Dr. Mike Rouse !
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