 Eros --Sensual love. Not used in New Testament.  Stergein —Natural love – natural affection.  Phileo - Friendly love - More nearly represents tender affection.  Agapao — “Love which is awakened by a sense of value in an object which causes one to prize it... It is a love of esteem and approbation” (Weust). Act of the will – not emotion - (Mt. 5:43-48; Mk 12:29-31; Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor 13)

 God designed marriage for our good –  If we are teachable – we will learn to do the ONE thing that is most important in marriage – LOVE!  Requires humility, desire and courage!  Love is a command thus a choice – instead of following our heart – we must LEAD it!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV) 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.

Proverbs 10:12 (NKJV) 12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.

 Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament - Lit., reckoneth not the evil. Rev., taketh not account of. The evil; namely, that which is done to love. " Love, instead of entering evil as a debt in its account-book, voluntarily passes the sponge over what it endures " (Godet).—

 Barnes' Notes on the New Testament – “It means that love, or that a person under the influence of love, is not malicious, censorious, disposed to find fault, or to impute improper motives to others... until we are compelled to do so by the most irrefragable evidence.—

 Love does not dwell on evils it has incurred -  Some like to keep score of wrongs done! – To bear a grudge is not in the character of love!  Love prevents bitterness and resentment –  Are you more likely to remember the wrongs done by your spouse or the good?

1 Corinthians 5:6 (NKJV) 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

 Vine's - ἀ δικ ί α, adikia - denotes "unrighteousness," lit., "unrightness" (a, negative, dikē, "right"), a condition of not being right, whether with God, according to the standard of His holiness and righteousness, or with man, according to the standard of what man knows to be right by his conscience.

 Love does not rejoice in sinning nor with others as they engage in sin - 4Some are happy in sin - 2 Thes 2:12; 2 Pet 2: We cannot tolerate sin 1 Cor 5:1-6; Eph 5:1-11 4A spouse determined to live in sin will not be comfortable with a godly mate - Luke 6:22; John 7:7

Romans 16:19 (NKJV) 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.

 Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon - (subjectively) “truth as a personal excellence; that candor of mind which is free from affectation, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit”: John 8:44; “sincerity of mind and integrity of character, or a mode of life in harmony with divine truth”: 1 Corinthians 5:8; 13:6 —

 God’s word is the ultimate expression of the way things really are – John 17:17  Love rejoices most in the things that please God and celebrates godly conduct in the lives of others – Col 1:3-6; 2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:3,4  Do you find more joy in your mates material and secular achievements or their spiritual achievements?

1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV) 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."

 Vine's - στ έ γω, stegō - primarily "to protect, or preserve by covering," hence means "to keep off something which threatens, to bear up against, to hold out against, and so to endure, bear, forbear," 1 Cor. 9:12. The idea of supporting what is placed upon a thing is prominent in 1 Thess. 3:1, 5 ("forbear"), and 1 Cor. 13:7. See FORBEAR and SUFFER.

 “Love always protects” – NIV - There is a need to meet all adversaries of our marriage and stand strong against them – ( Parasites, unhealthy relationships; dangerous attitudes )  Are you willing to remove and put away every influence that can turn your heart away from your mate and steal or hinder your affection for them?

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

 Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon - [ε]. πιστευειν is used in an ethical sense, of confidence in the goodness of men: η ̔ αγαπη πιστευει παντα, 1 Corinthians 13:7.—  Robertson Word Pictures - (panta pisteuei). Not gullible, but has faith in men.

 Barnes‘ - “... must mean, that in regard to the conduct of others, there is a disposition to put the best construction on it; to believe that they may be actuated by good motives, and that they intend no injury; and that there is a willingness to suppose, as far as can be, that what is done is done consistently with friendship, good feeling, and virtue.—

 Love chooses to believe the best about your spouse - It refuses to fill in the unknowns with negative assumptions.  As much as possible – love focuses on the positives – love looks for the positives to dwell on rather than the negatives and is encouraging.  What are you doing to help your spouse overcome problem areas and strengthen their positive attributes?

Philemon 1:20-21 (NKJV) 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. 21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

 Vine's Expository Dictionary - "to hope," is not infrequently translated in the AV, by the verb "to trust;" —  Robertson Word Pictures - (panta elpizei). Sees the bright side of things. Does not despair.—

 Adam Clarke – “Παντα πιστευει· Is ever ready to believe the best of every person, and will credit no evil of any but on the most positive evidence; gladly receives whatever may tend to the advantage of any person whose character may have suffered from obloquy and detraction; or even justly, because of his misconduct.”

 Does not expect perfection –many times couples expect the impossible from one another – this always leads to disappointment.  Love is optimistic and encouraging – helping one another grow spiritually - doesn’t constantly complain.  Are you a constant optimistic encourager to your spouse – or do you have a negative attitude ?

Genesis 29:20 (NKJV) 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

 Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon - “to endure, bear bravely and calmly”: absolutely, ill- treatment, (cf. 1 Peter 2:20 )  Bible Knowledge Commentary - “remains steadfast in the face of unpleasant circumstances”

 Love is unconditional –it is not predicated on the actions of its object –  True love withstands hardship - though threatened, challenged, mistreated and rejected – love refuses to give up.  How tough is your love?

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV) 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon - “absolutely, “to perish; to fail” ( properly, to fall from a place which one cannot keep, fall from its position ): η ̔ αγαπη, 1 Corinthians 13:8 R G; “to fall powerless, fall to the ground, be without effect”

 Adam Clarke's Commentary - “This love never falleth off, because it bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things; and while it does so it cannot fail; it is the means of preserving all other graces; indeed, properly speaking, it includes them all; and all receive their perfection from it.”

 There is no expiration date on true love – love doesn’t just wear off –  Love is based on commitment – Marriage is a covenant that is to last as long as both shall live – (Gen 2:24; Mat 19:6)  When two people TRULY choose to love one another in marriage – they are ensuring the permanency of their relationship!

 God designed marriage for our good –  If we are teachable – we will learn to do the ONE thing that is most important in marriage – LOVE!  Requires humility, desire and courage!  Love is a command thus a choice – instead of following our heart – we must LEAD it!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV) 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.