1.PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GHANA OSU EBEN-EZER CONGREGATION PRESENTATION ON THE ORIGIN OFVALENTINE AND THE EFFECT ON THE YOUTH TODAY BY REV. ERIC JOEL NII OKLEY BOTCHWAY

2. Valentines Day or SaintValentines Day is an occasioncelebrated on February 14 by manypeople throughout the world. In theWest, it is the traditional day on whichlovers express their love for eachother by sending Valentines cards,presenting flowers, or offeringconfectionery. 3. The holiday is named after two amongthe numerous Early Christian martyrsnamed Valentine. The day becameassociated with romantic love in thecircle of Geoffrey Chaucer in theHigh Middle Ages, when the traditionof courtly love flourished. 4. The day is most closely associatedwith the mutual exchange of lovenotes in the form of "valentines."Modern Valentine symbols include theheart-shaped outline, doves, and thefigure of the winged Cupid. Since the19th century, handwritten notes havelargely given way to mass-producedgreeting cards 5. Numerous early Christian martyrswere named Valentine. Until1969, the Catholic Churchformally recognized elevenValentines Days. 6. The Valentines honoredon February 14 are 7. Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb.m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni(Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m.Romae). 8. Valentine of Rome was a priest inRome who suffered martyrdom aboutAD 269 and was buried on theVia Flaminia. His relics are at theChurch of Saint Praxed in Rome. and atWhitefriar Street Carmelite Church inDublin, Ireland. 9. Valentine of Terni became bishop ofInteramna (modern Terni) about AD197 and is said to have been killedduring the persecution of EmperorAurelian. He is also buried on the ViaFlaminia, but in a different locationthan Valentine of Rome. His relics areat the Basilica of Saint Valentine inTerni (Basilica di San Valentino). 10. The third saint named Valentine whowas mentioned in early martyrologiesunder date of February 14. He wasmartyred in Africa with a number ofcompanions, but nothing more isknown about him. 11. No romantic elements are present inthe original early medieval biographiesof either of these martyrs. By the timea Saint Valentine became linked toromance in the fourteenth century,distinctions between Valentine ofRome and Valentine of Terni wereutterly lost. 12. In the 1969 revision of theRoman Catholic Calendar of Saints,the feastday of Saint Valentine onFebruary 14 was removed from theGeneral Roman Calendar andrelegated to particular (local or evennational) calendars for the followingreason: 13. "Though the memorial of SaintValentine is ancient, it is left toparticular calendars, since, apart fromhis name, nothing is known of SaintValentine except that he was buriedon the Via Flaminia on February 14."[12] 14. The feast day is still celebrated inBalzan (Malta) where relics of thesaint are claimed to be found, and alsothroughout the world byTraditionalist Catholics who follow theolder, pre-Vatican II calendar. 15. Consequences: Abused Misused Misunderstood Misapplied 16. LOVE ANDINFATUATION 17. To help the Christianwho is single make theright choice in choosing alife partnerTo know the differencebetween LOVE, SEX andINFATUATION 18. WHAT IS LOVE -EROS This is a need love based onphysical attraction and fulfillment.This love is necessary for theunmarried to succeed , however,marriage cannot be sustained byEROS alone. Its out of this wordthat we have the English wordErotic. This kind of love is not bad per se.Prov. 5:18 19. PHILEO This is a friendship love based onreciprocal sharing of time , activity,the home, hobbies, games and otherobjects of common affection. Companionship: the Bible says,Erotic love is about being lovers butphileo love is about being bestfriends. Rom 12:9-10. Prov.17:17 20. This is honoring, devotion, sharing,companionship, reciprocity ,serving and caring. This is doing what the other personwont do but for love you will do it. This is learning to care and be bestfriends living your lives together. 21. AGAPE This is the super natural love. It isgiving love and it can be unilateral,in that, one loves even when theother does not respond. It is self-giving and meeting theneed of the other person with thepurpose of helping the other personto become better or more maturedindividuals. 22. Agape love takes the initiativeof energizing the other twokinds of love. This is Gods love, being kindhearted , being generous , kind,forgiving one another, beingtender hearted, working love 23. This is the love that gives the otherperson what they need the mostwhen they deserve it the least. This is the kind of love that makesa person forgive when he iswounded. He does not bring up the past Knows the other persons historybut refuses to use that against him. 24. We have always emphasizedthe Eros but that alone is nothelpful. 50%-75% of first timemarriages ends up in divorce. 25% live unhappy andunfulfilled life. 25. The foundation of love is love people the sameway God lovesthem. Become best friends. 26. AM I IN LOVE? IS IT LOVE ORINFATUATION?1. Time Love grows and allgrowth requires time.Infatuation may comeon suddenly. If it isgenuine love it takestime but infatuation is 27. 2. KNOWLEDGE Love grows out of anappraisal of all theuncharacteristic of theother person, infatuation may arise froman acquaintance with oneor few of thesecharacteristics. 28. I cannot love someonewithout knowing himgenuinely character, values Family Career/dreams Ambitions Strengths / weaknesses Knowledge of a personcauses a spontaneous lovefor him/her. 29. 3. FOCUS Love is making theother person centeral.It is outgoing andresults in sharing,infatuation is selfcentered, on oneperson only. 30. IS IT LOVE OR INFATUATION? 4. SINGULARITY Genuine love focuses on one persononly. An infatuated person may be inlove with two or more personssimultaneously. I think I need to make it very clearover here that infatuation is notwrong, it is not sinful, it is just thischemical reaction or feeling we havewhen we get attracted to the oppositesex but we cant confuse that with 31. 5. SECURITY Love provides a sense ofsecurity and a feeling of trust,but an infatuated persontends to have a sense ofblindness. Infatuation is based onwishful thinking rather thancareful consideration, or mayhave a sense of insecuritythat is sometimes expressed 32. IS IT LOVE ORINFATUATION? 6. WORK An individual in love works forthe other person and for theirmutual benefit. His ambition isspurred on and he plans andsaves for the future. He may day dream but his dreams are reasonably attainable. 33. However, an infatuated personmay lose his ambition, hisappetite, and his interest ineveryday affair. He thinks of his own misery,he often day dreams but hisdreams are sometimes limitedto the attainable. At times hisdreams become a subtitledreality. 34. 7. PROBLEM SOLVING A couple in love face problemsfrankly and attempt to solve them. Barriers are approachedintelligently and are removed orcircumvented. In infatuation, problems tend tobe disregarded or glossed over.What will you do if your parentsrefuse to have you marry? 35. 8. DISTANCE Love tends to be constant;infatuation often varieswith distance between thecouple. 36. IS IT LOVE OR INFATUATION?9. PHYSICAL ATTRACTION &INVOLVEMENT In love, physical attraction isrelatively a smaller part of the totalrelations. Any physical contact tends to havemeaning, as well as be a pleasurableexperience. In infatuation, physical contact tendsto be an end in itself. It representsonly the pleasurable experience 37. The moment your physicalinvolvement move beyond yourleading from God, you cloud yourability to hear from God in therelationship. Each step in the relationship isbound in a process ofcommunicating a deeper anddeeper commitment to one another,however infatuation is just theopposite. 38. 10. AFFECTION In love, an expression of affection tendsto come relatively late in the couplesrelationship. In infatuation it may come earlier,sometimes from the very beginning. sexat first date. II. Sam: 13:1ff Tamar and her step brother Ammon. His love turned to hatred and he hatedher even more than he had loved her,Get out of here! He snarled at her. Verse1,2 and 15 39. IS IT LOVE ORINFATUATION? 11. STABILITY Love tends to endure,infatuation may changesuddenly or unpredictably. 40. DELAYEDGRATIFICATION A couple in love are notindifferent to the effects of thepostponement of their wedding,but they do not prolong theirperiod of postponement unlessthey find it wiser to wait for areasonable time; 41. they do not feel an almostirresistible drive towards hastebut in contrast infatuationcouple tend to feel an urgetowards getting married,postponement is intolerable anddeprivation rather thanpreparation. When you love somebody youcan wait, you will not be driven 42. Remember Jacob and Rachel,he waited for 7 years andafter he was given Leah heserved 7 more years and thebible says that it seemed tohim but for a few days.Genesis 29:15-21 43. SPECIAL MESSAGE FORTHE SINGLES LEARN TO KEEP YOUR EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL INVOLVEMENT BEHIND YOUR LEADING FROM GOD AND COMMITMENT TO THE OTHER PERSON 44. SPECIAL MESSAGE FORTHE UNINVOLVEDSINGLESLEARN TO DEVELOP A PERSONAL CONVICTION TO PERSUE PURITY.WATCH WHAT YOU LOOK ATWATCH WHAT YOU HEARWATCH WHAT YOU SAYWATCH WHAT YOU GET INVOLVE IN 45. MESSAGE FOR SINGLES IN CRISESGET HELP 46. THOSE WHOSE LIVES ARECENTERED AROUND SEXTALK TOSOMEBODYNOW! DONTPOSTPONE IT. 47. A WORD OF HOPE FORALLCOME NOW LET US REASON TOGETHER SAYS THE LORD THOUGH YOUR SINS ARE AS SCARLET THEY WOULD BE AS WHITE AS SNOW, THOUGH THEY ARE RED LIKE CRIMSON THEY WOULD BE LIKE WOOL IF ONLY YOU WOULD OBEY ME AND LET ME HELP YOU THEN YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY TO EAT. ISAIAH 1:18-19 48. THANK YOUQUESTION TIME