Letters to Young Lovers - Centro de Pesquisas Ellen G. White

90 Pages·2010·0.51 MB·English

by  Ellen G. White

Letters to Young Lovers
Ellen G. White
1983
Information about this Book
Overview
This ePub publication is provided as a service of the Ellen G. White Estate. It is part of a
largercollection. PleasevisittheEllenG.WhiteEstatewebsiteforacompletelistofavailable
publications.
AbouttheAuthor
EllenG.White(1827-1915)isconsideredthemostwidelytranslatedAmericanauthor, her
workshavingbeenpublishedinmorethan160languages. Shewrotemorethan100,000pages
onawidevarietyofspiritualandpracticaltopics. GuidedbytheHolySpirit,sheexaltedJesus
andpointedtotheScripturesasthebasisofone’sfaith.
FurtherLinks
ABriefBiographyofEllenG.White
AbouttheEllenG.WhiteEstate
EndUserLicenseAgreement
The viewing, printing or downloading of this book grants you only a limited, nonexclusive
andnontransferablelicenseforusesolelybyyouforyourownpersonaluse.Thislicensedoesnot
permitrepublication,distribution,assignment,sublicense,sale,preparationofderivativeworks,
orotheruse. Anyunauthorizeduseofthisbookterminatesthelicensegrantedhereby.
©Copyright2010bytheEllenG.WhiteEstate,Inc.
For more information about the author, publishers, or how you can support this service,
pleasecontacttheEllenG.WhiteEstate: (emailaddress). Wearethankfulforyourinterestand
feedbackandwishyouGod’sblessingasyouread.
Contents
InformationaboutthisBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
AbouttheAuthor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
FurtherLinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
EndUserLicenseAgreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
ILoveYou. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
FromtheBible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
FromtheWritingsofEllenG.White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SectionOne-Marriage—aForetasteofHeaven 10
AForetasteofHeaven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
MakeyourCourtshipLastThroughoutyourMarriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
“ExcepttheLordBuildtheHouse”Psalm127:1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MarriageIsLikeChrist’sLoveforHisChosenPeople . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
MarriedLifeGetsBetterandBetter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
SectionTwo-FindingtheRightMate 19
BePractical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
WhataYoungManShouldLookforinaWife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
QuestionsaGirlShouldAskBeforeMarriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
SectionThree-IsItReallyLove? 29
IsItTrueLove? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Love,ATenderPlant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
ThePowerofLove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
WhenLoveisBlind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SectionFour-LookingforHelp? 39
HaveIMadeTheRightChoice? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
ParentsCanBeofHelp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Don’tKeepItaSecret. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
SectionFive-InControl 51
PowerinChristforSelf-control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
BeforeYouSay“IDo!” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
BrokenEngagements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Don’tBeSqueezedintotheWorld’sMold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
PornographyandYourMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
SectionSix-SexualResponsibility 63
SexualResponsibilityofYoungChristians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
TriflingwithHearts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
SectionSeven-ShadowOvertheNest 79
ShadowOvertheNest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
CanTwoWalkTogetherExceptTheyBeAgreed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
WillYouGamblewithYourMarriage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Foreword
Haveyoueverwonderedwhatitwouldbeliketoreceivealetterfromaprophet? Wouldyou
havethecouragetoopentheenvelopeandreaditscontents?
ThroughoutthisbookareletterswrittenundertheinspirationofGodandaddressedtoyoung
peopletohelpthemmaketherightchoicesrelatingtotheircourtshipandmarriage.
Some background material relating to the circumstances and persons involved has been
introducedbythecompilers. Thisappearsonapageprecedingeachletter. Somelengthyletters
have been abridged without deletion marks indicated; names have been changed. Additional
counsels,sometakenfromletters,havebeenincludedinthevariouschapters.
At no time in life is the right kind of counsel so important as when two young people are
contemplating marriage. Since the Lord loves you and wants you to have eternal life and a
happyhome,perhapsthereadingofjustoneoftheseletterswillhelpyoutohaveboth.
Weinviteyouto“opentheenvelope”andreadwhattheLordhassaidtootherslikeyourself.
EllenG.WhiteEstate
Washington,DC2001
6
I Love You
“I Love You!” How special are those words between two young people! But even more
wonderfultheybecomewhenspokentousbyoursaviourwhowantsustobehappyandfindjoy
in our relationship with each other. Christ has compared his love for the church to the love of
husbandandwife. ThescripturescontaintenderlovestoriessuchasthatofJacobandRachel,
and themoving story ofruth, the moabite, who through hermarriage to boazbecame a linkin
thegenealogyofthemessiah. Ourheavenlyfatherisconcernedoverourlove-life. Throughthe
inspiredwritingsofscriptureandofEllenG.White,Godhasgivencounselstoyoungpeoplein
theirquestforhappiness.
7
8
From the Bible
“Behold,whatmanneroflovethefatherhathbestoweduponus,thatweshouldbecalledthe
sonsofgod”(1John3:1).
“Iamcomethattheymighthavelife,andmighthaveitmoreabundantly”(John10:10).
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy
mightbefull”(John15:11).
“Hethattouchethyoutoucheththeappleofhiseye”(Zechariah2:8).
“ThisloveofwhichIspeakisslowtolosepatience—itlooksforawayofbeingconstructive.
Itisnotpossessive: itisneitheranxioustoimpressnordoesitcherishinflatedideasofitsown
importance.
“Lovehasgoodmannersanddoesnotpursueselfishadvantage. Itisnottouchy. Itdoesnot
keepaccountofevilorgloatoverthewickednessofotherpeople. Onthecontrary,itisgladwith
allgoodmenwhentruthprevails.
“Loveknowsnolimittoitsendurance,noendtoitstrust,nofadingofitshope;itcanoutlast
anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen” (1 Corinthians
13:4-8Phillips).
“TheLordhathappearedofolduntome,saying,yea,Ihavelovedtheewithaneverlasting
love;thereforewithloving-kindnesshaveIdrawnthee”(Jeremiah31:3).
“ForIampersuaded, thatneitherdeath, norlife, norangels, norprincipalities, norpowers,
nor things present, nor things to come, “nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be
abletoseparateusfromtheloveofGod,whichisinchristJesusourLord”(Romans8:38,39).
From the Writings of Ellen G. White
IwritebecauseIloveyoursoul.—Letter51,1889. Dearyouth,Iwishtospeakdecidedlyto
you, because I want you to be saved.—Messages to Young People, 140. My dear sister, I have
written to you because I have a love for your soul.—Letter 51, 1894. I do not consider your
case hopeless; if I did my pen would not be tracing these lines.—Testimonies For The Church
2:562. TakereproofasfromGod,takecounselandadvicegiveninlove.—Letter30,1875. Keep
yourwants,yourjoys,yoursorrows,yourcares,andyourfearsbeforeGod. Youcannotburden
him; you cannot weary him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the
wantsofHischildren. “TheLordisverypitiful,andoftendermercy.” James5:11. Hisheartof
loveistouchedbyoursorrowsandevenbyourutterancesofthem. Taketohimeverythingthat
perplexesthemind. Nothingistoogreatforhimtobear,forHeholdsupworlds,Herulesover
alltheaffairsoftheuniverse. Nothingthatinanywayconcernsourpeaceistoosmallforhim
tonotice. Thereisnochapterinourexperiencetoodarkforhimtoread; thereisnoperplexity
too difficult for him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety
harassthesoul,nojoycheer,nosincereprayerescapethelips,ofwhichourheavenlyFatheris
unobservant, orinwhichHetakesnoimmediateinterest. “Hehealeththebrokeninheart, and
bindethuptheirwounds.” Psalm147:3. TherelationsbetweenGodandeachsoulareasdistinct
andfullasthoughtherewerenotanothersoulupontheearthtoshareHiswatchcare,noranother
soulforwhomHegaveHisbelovedSon.—StepstoChrist,100.
9
Section One - Marriage—a
Foretaste of Heaven
The warmth of true friendship and the love that binds the hearts of husband and wife are a
foretasteofheaven.
Godhasordainedthatthereshouldbeperfectloveandperfectharmonybetweenthosewho
enterintothemarriagerelation.
Letbrideandbridegroominthepresenceoftheheavenlyuniversepledgethemselvestolove
oneanotherasGodhasordainedtheyshould.—InHeavenlyPlaces,202.
10