How to identify true love before marriage.

4.0 HOW TO IDENTIFY TRUE LOVE BEFORE MARRIAGE BY BISHOP OKWUDILI-EZE TEXT: COLOSSIANS 3:19; ROMANS 5:5 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 4.1 PREAMBLE: • The major drive for a blissful marriage is to understudy and understand what works and what is not working. • We must understand wisdom, knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 24). • Love is very critical in a relationship; this is because even if other things fall, with love, you can bounce back. 4.2 FOUR TYPES OF LOVE: 1. Phylio love: This is a type of love that exists between a brother and a sister (Proverbs 8: 3). 2. Storge love: This is a kind of love that one has for a person who gives him/her a sense of protection (provision, protection and a sense of security). 3. Erotic or Eros love: This kind binds a man and his wife. It is romantic or erotic (Genesis 26: 8-9). 4. Agape love: It is God's kind of love without conditions (John 3:16). True love is discernible: if you confess it, and you don't know it; it means you will miss it. 4.3 FIFTEEN SIGNS OF A TRUE LOVE: 1. True love helps you to obey and serve God: - If the person you are in love with is not excited about God's things, you should leave that relationship. - The serpent you refused to kill in Genesis will come to hunt you in Revelation (Job 36:11). - It is better to fail in relationships than in marriage. - Love must be by operation and not merely by confession. - If the person does not have regard for God, he/she will not have regard for you. 2. True love sees the best in you: - The person you are in love with must be able to see your core potentials and values; goal congruency is key. - Any marriage not founded in vision will result in frustration (Song of Solomon 4:7); My sweet love has no spot. She is all correct in appearance and everything. - Every marriage has a shortfall; it is your duty to polish her up and present her as a perfect angel to the world. 3. True love is never attached to current looks: - Open your eyes; all that glitters is not gold. - Look at the eternal inner beauty. - Looks and attraction are also required but not the ultimate or the mainstay. 4. True love is not determined by sex (2nd Samuel 13:12-15): - Men are hunters that go on sex drives to satisfy their yearnings, yet may not be in love. - Marriage is honourable and bed undefiled. - When a man has sex with a lady, it might not bring about commitment. - We are in the world; we are not of the world. - Don't live together when you are not joined in holy matrimony; we have a kingdom culture to project and protect. - Learn to keep to yourself until you are legitimately married. 5. True love is not selfish: - Your birthdays must be celebrated. - Consider your spouse and put her ahead of all you do. - If you don't fail in your mind, you can never fail in your life. - You should be able to know one or two relations of your spouse. 6. True love is willing to wait to do the right thing (Hebrews 13:4): - If he truly loves you, he will wait for you. - Don't engage in premarital sex to check each other out or test the potency of each other; you must cultivate the needed faith to succeed. - If it is not faith, it is not faith at all; faith is given to us to conquer problems. - Don't give what is meant for your spouse to your friend; remember that men are hunters! 7. True love makes Godly sacrifices (Psalms 50:5; John 3:15): - He/she should be willing to make Godly sacrifices. - Your spouse should meet you and become better. - You must draw inspiration from your spouse's success stories and achievements; don't be intimidated by your spouse's success and wins. - You do not lose your light by lighting another's candlelight. 8. True love builds up your life all around: - True love should make you better. - What value has your spouse added to you since marriage? 9. True love does not hide its true identity: - True love is always proud to identify with you; is not ashamed and does not hide its true identity. - Say no to a secret relationship; don't engage in a hide-and-seek relationship. - How can you be in a relationship and nobody knows about it? 10. True love will never make you abandon your purpose: - Rather, it should amplify it and supply virtue for its capital expression. - Don't kill the potential of your spouse with your actions or inactions. - Don't diminish your spouse's vision in marriage. - Your purpose should meet the purpose of your spouse a marriage relationship. - If you must be the Esther that must marry a king, you must be queenly in character and capacity delivery. - There must be synergy in a marriage relationship; for one will chase a thousand and two will chase ten thousand! (Marriage mathematics). - Calm down; don't be in a haste. - Don't use westernization excuses to abandon the ancient landmark. 11. True love is sincere: - Don't marry people who lie; especially foundational lies. - If they lie about small things; very soon, they will lie about big things. 12. True love gives: - Any love that is not keen to give, is a faulty kind of love. - Your spouse is an extension of your personality; so, you must learn to give. 13. True love does not keep records of wrongs (Isaiah 43:25): - Learn to forgive and forget because true love forgives and forgets. - Stop counting wrongs because marriage is made for two perfect forgivers. - Jesus lived as our example and died as our saviour. - Women can teach your patience naturally; learn to show them understanding. 14. True love always trusts: - Trust must be the benchmark. - Don't date someone who does not trust you. - Everything said must be taken at face value because love is involved. 15. True love accepts Godly counsel: - Avail yourself of all available counsel from your spiritual parents. - The multitude of counsel guarantees safety. SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES: Facebook: Bishop Okwudili Eze Instagram: @Bishop_Okwudilieze YouTube: Bishop Okwudili_Eze