The concept of love languages is from the influential book “The 5 Love Languages” written by Christian author and pastor, Dr. Gary Chapman (1992); based on interviewing, listening to, and observing people in their personal and work-based relationships. The love languages describe five ways that people receive and express love in a relationship. Knowing your partner’s love language and letting them know yours can help you both feel loved and appreciated. The 5 Love Languages include Words of affirmation, Quality time, Receiving gifts, Acts of service and Physical touch. To discover your love language, reflect on situations or experiences in relationships that make you feel most loved. If you’re still stumped, try searching for a “love language quiz” online to see if you can find more clarity about how you give and receive love in relationships.

God is love (1 John 4:8) The human definition of love over the ages changes and is redefined by trends, culture and context. Some think love is lust,  affection, infatuation and self-love.

God’s definition is clear and never changes: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails ( 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8). God’s love is self-sacrificing love, unending love, generous, undeserved and even unreciprocated.  God’s love is lavish.

We have all faced the disappointment of unanswered prayer. It can be confusing, painful and even cause us to question the character of God. God is always working but sometimes we just don’t see or understand the full picture. Even when it feels like God has not provided for our deepest desires, we must remember that He is good and worthy of our trust.

It is helpful to understand that prayer is a dialogue with God, not simply listing our desires and needs to Him. Part of our prayer life is waiting on the Lord, listening for His voice and what it is that He wants for us. Are your desires in-tune with God’s will for you and for others? When we know His character–as revealed in the Bible–and we experience His love and grace, we learn to rest in Him, trust in Him and find peace in every situation, regardless of the outcome. Sometimes God’s response to our prayer is, “yes.” Sometimes it is, “no.” And sometimes it is, “be patient, keep believing.”

If you are facing disappointment from unanswered prayer, go to the Bible and reach out to other believers who can provide support, comfort and encouragement.

And finally, remember that when your prayers are unfulfilled, it does not mean that you are necessarily doing something wrong. The Bible is full of examples of people who followed God and were loved by Him, yet still faced great adversity. Even the Apostle Paul, a faith-filled man of God, prayed three times to be healed of an affliction and God responded; “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9)

As a Pentecostal Christian church, we participate in communion rather than the Eucharist, which is common to the Catholic tradition. Jesus taught communion to His disciples as a way to remember His death and sacrifice. When we take communion, our focus is on Jesus Christ. The bread and the wine or juice are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus; reminding us of what Jesus did for us. You can read about the first communion and its meaning in Matt 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; and Luke 22:19-20. When you prepare to take communion, focus on the love of Jesus for you and all that He has done for you.

We worship Jesus because of His divinity. God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are one. When we worship one member of the Trinity, we worship all, because they are equal in power and majesty. Many scriptures in the Bible point to the divinity of Jesus, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:5-8) We worship Jesus because He is God and because of all that He has done for us. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15)