Sulphur church celebrating Valentine Chocolate Extravaganza

Published 12:45 pm Sunday, February 13, 2022

Sweethearts, family and friends in search of the perfect gift for expressing their love can’t go wrong with the homemade brownies and fudge; chocolate-dipped cheesecake and strawberries; cake balls, gourmet apples, gift baskets with soaps and lotions, fresh rose arrangements and more.

Rev. Harlan Morgan, is FPC of Sulphur pastor. He doesn’t wait until Valentine’s Day to express his love to sweetheart and wife of 26 years, Sharla.

“I often tell the story about a couple who were having problems in their marriage,” Morgan said. “The wife asked her husband, ‘Do you love me?’ ‘Of course I love you,’ he responded. ‘Why do you ask?’ ‘Because you never tell me,’ the wife said. ‘Listen,’ the husband retorted, ‘I told you when I married you that I loved you, and I will let you know if I ever change my mind.’”

Communication is key in the relationship between husband and wife.

“Each year my wife and I  have a special date for Valentine’s Day, and we also make a big deal out of each anniversary,” he said. “Our love is strong, and neither of us could imagine life without the other. We express our love for one another multiple times throughout each day,” he said.

He remembers the day he first saw her. She sang at a Fields, Louisiana fellowship. They were married 1 ½ years later. As much as he loves his wife, he said the most impactful and life-changing love of all is the love of Christ.

“Romans 5:8 declares, ‘But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’” Morgan said. “None other could provide a love so powerful, so profound. His love is love with a purpose – to transform the lives of human beings from sin to salvation.’ Love without purpose is meaningless. The power of His love is found in His gospel – the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Communication is key in the relationship between God and man.

“Prayer and worship are the two basic means of communication provided,” Morgan said. “Through prayer, we are able to be strengthened in the faith, which affects our relationships with others. Through worship, we have the opportunity to express our love and adoration directly to God. Then He blesses us with His presence, and we feel His love toward us.”

When the Sadducees and Pharisees asked Jesus about the greatest commandment in the law, Morgan said it is interesting to note that the “thou shalt not” commandments were not part of His response.  Jesus replied, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…and…thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:37-39).”

“He got to the heart of the matter with the ‘thou shalt’ commandments. To obey the ‘thou shalt nots’ is essential,” Morgan  said, “but when love is the primary motivation, many of the other demands of the law take care of themselves.”