"A New Song" February 2026
“JESUS, MY FRIEND”
Dear Friend in Ministry:
From the writings of Pastor Salem:
“There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24b
Here Solomon is writing about a Friend—and you know what, I know that Friend! He is the One who said, “No longer do I call you servants…I have called you friends.” (John 15:15).
Let me tell you about My Friend:
v MY FRIEND LOVES ME. Can you imagine it? He loves me so much that He gave His life for me on a cruel Roman cross. I have had a lot of friends, but none who loved me that much. There are a lot of things in the Bible that surprise me, but the one that surprises me the most is that Jesus loves me! Despite all my sins and waywardness, He loves me. He’s my Friend! (John 3:16; I Peter 2:24).
v MY FRIEND IS FAITHFUL TO ME. For all my years now, He has never failed me a single time. Oh, sadly to say, I have failed Him over and over, but my wonderful Friend never fails me. I can always count on Him, lean on Him, depend on Him. Sometimes when I wonder if He hears my prayers, or I wonder if He knows how I hurt—well, I don’t wonder long because in my heart of hearts I know He is beside me, better yet, within me. What a faithful friend He is! (Hebrews 13:5).
v MY FRIEND IS ALWAYS TRUE TO ME. Many friends just tell us what we want to hear—but not my Friend, He tells me like it is. If there is something I want to do, and I know it is wrong, my Friend tells me right out, it is not pleasing to Him. And, you know something else, He keeps telling me that, keeps convicting me, until I change my way. He is honest and true to me. And something else, when I listen to Him, He quietly says, “Well done.” (John 15:15; Romans 8:35-39).
v MY FRIEND IS EVER SO TENDER. He cares for me and never gives me more than I can bear. Sometimes it seems I can hear Him whisper, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” (John 16:12). Oh, He allows me to have some burdens and trials and sorrows, but He never gives me too many! He knows me better than I know myself, so He gives me only what I can carry. Tenderly, He adjusts my load, so it is just right. (Matthew 11:28-30; I Peter 5:7).
v MY FRIEND IS STRONG. You know what? He is stronger than Satan! And Satan is strong, believe me, but Satan is no match for my friend Jesus! My Friend said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18). Jesus is going to demonstrate that power when He casts Satan into the lake of fire and brimstone! (Revelation 20:10). Today it looks like the devil is in the saddle, but fear not, my Friend is going to have the last word! Read the book of Revelation!
v MY FRIEND IS GENEROUS. He gives me all that I need, and much, much more—more than I deserve! He shares with me ALL of His riches in glory, that is, the unsearchable riches in Christ reserved for us in heaven. (I Peter 1:4,5). Generous? I should say so. (Romans 8:17; Philippians 4:19).
I wonder if you know this Friend of mine. Not know ABOUT Him, but know Him personally, experientially. If not, just tell Him you are a sinner and ask Him to come into your heart and life—and He will. (Revelation 3:20).
In our Savior’s love,
Pastor Salem
This A New Song devotional letter is in the words and writings of Pastor Salem.
~Bible study may not correspond with A New Song mentioned in the broadcast. ~
CWH is honored to lift you up in prayer. Our prayer team – comprised of dedicated volunteer prayer warriors, staff members, and our Board of Directors -- is committed to praying on your behalf. If you have a prayer request or a praise to share, simply visit our website at CWH.org and click the “Pray For Me” link under the Encouragement tab. We would be blessed to pray with you and to rejoice with you as God works in your life.
In Loving Memory of…
ALAN & ELLEN HERON and WILLIAM & MADELYN BROWN, our parents, and LOIS (HERON) SCHLABSZ and DOROTHY (BROWN) MILLER, our sisters, by JIM & TERRI HERON, ND, $1,200
ALL LOVED ONES, by DUANE KRUTH, MI, $50
ALL MY LOVED ONES, who are with the Lord Jesus Christ, by GRACE NELSON, CO, $115
ALVIN & VIOLA MOLTZEN, my parents, by RITA SCHLENVOGT, ND, $100
ANDREW, our son, by SCOTT & JILL JACOBSON, MN, $40
ANNA KRAFT, my wife of 70 years, by HARRY G. KRAFT, MN, $50
ANNA PETREE, my niece, by MARTHA SPETMAN, IA, $50
BETTY LILJENQUIST, by ALL HER LOVED ONES, ND, $1,390
BOTH MY GRANDMOTHERS, by KENT IVEY, WA, $100
CARMEN DETTORE, my brother, remembering his Birthday, by SUE SCHREIBER, FL, $100
CHAD BROWN, my son, by KENDALL BROWN, SD, $100
CHARYL ZACHER, my sister, by RENEE ZACHER, ND, $50
COL. CHAPLAIN DAVID PETERSON, by KENNETH PETERSON, SD, $500
DANIEL, my brother, by KAREN MANN, IA, $200
DAVID GIBSON, my brother, by LARUE SANDGREN, NM, $50
DAVID PULLMAN, by DENNIS PULLMAN, SD, $50
DEAN PERRY, my husband, by LORADA PERRY, MO, $100
DEBORAH PRESZLER, my loving wife, by RONALD PRESZLER, ID, $100
DELORES BERTSCH, by HER FAMILY, SD, $500
DENNIS SUNDEEN, my husband, by PAT SUNDEEN, MN, $50
DEREK C. VALENTINE, my beloved son of 32 years, by JEFFREY DEREK VALENTINE, FL, $20
DONALD STRANDLUND, Dennis’ brother, by DENNIS & ROSE STRANDLUND, MN, $100
DONALD, my husband, and CARMEN, my daughter, by IRENE WETZEL, ND, $200
DORA RUBY LEDBETTER GILLIAM, my precious mom, you are missed each day, by RICHARD GILLIAM, MI, $100
DORETHY WENDT, my wife, by WALLACE WENDT, NE, $100
DR. DANA MARSH, my friend, mentor and encourager, by TONY DECRESCENTIS, NY, $30
DR. PHILIP & DORIS MAE SALEM and DR. HAROLD & BEULAH SALEM, by ELLEN SALEM, CO, $100
EARL & PAULINE WELCH, JULIE M. BROWN, JEFFREY BROWN, JAMES & ARLYSS FELT and RUSSEL & RENNAE ANDERSON, by ARLYSS FELT, NE, $300
ELDON SNELLER, by ROGER & JANELLE KOOIKER, IA, $30
ELISE HALL, by KIM QUAM, SD, $50
ELSIE HALL, by CHERYL NELSON, SD, $100
FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, by GLENN & LELA DAVIS, SD, $200
GEORGE & DOROTHY FEDDERS, my parents, by RHONDA SMITH, SD, $300
GLADYS BOWEN, my mother, remembering her Birthday, by RON BOWEN, IA, $70
GLENN & DORIS LARSON, my parents, by DONOWAN LARSON, SD, $100
GORMAN, my husband, by KAREN NYGARD, SD, $50
GRACE VESEL, my mother, by BEVERLY BAUERS, MN, $200
HAROLD & BEULAH, by ROY & PATTY BECKER, SD, $500
HEATH ALLEN, my beloved son, by MAMA MARY, IA, $45
HENRY MOYER, my dad, by MARGARET BJORDAHL, SD, $150
HOWARD, by MARIA E. FEDDEN, WY, $100
JASON & JOYCE BROCKA, by RONALD BROCKA, IA, $50
JEROME HANSON, my husband, by DEANNA HANSON, MN, $110
JERRI & LORI HECKLER, infant twin sisters, by ANONYMOUS, SD, $5
JEWEL STEELE, by SHARON STEELE, NC, $10
JOE GILSDORF, my husband, by KARLA OKSANEN, WY, $600
KAREN WALDNER, my daughter, and PAUL CLEVELAND, my husband, by JOAN CLEVELAND, SD, $50
KRISANN FELTEN HOSKINS, by ARVILLA FELTEN, MN, $100
LARRY STEELE, my dad, by SHARON STEELE, NC, $10
LARRY ZUIDERVEEN, my husband, by APRIL ZUIDERVEEN, MI, $100
LARRY, by BETTY COLEMAN, MO, $50
LAVON HINES, my mom, by KATHY ESSEM, SD, $25
LAWRENCE CLAUSEN, my beloved husband, by NINA CLAUSEN, IA, $90
LINDA, my sister, by JERRY MOREHOUSE, MN, $200
LISA JAN FOWLER ALLEN, by CYNTHIA FOWLER, TX, $600
LORNA MOSS, my wife, by DAVID MOSS, IA, $200
LORRAINE & BUD ANDERSON, my parents, by BARB & DUANE KYROLA, MN, $35
LOUIS CAPLOVITZ, my husband, GENEVA SHANNON, my mother, and ETTA MAY AMIS, my aunt, by PHYLISS CAPLOVITZ, WA, $25
MARGARET ANDERSON, my dear wife, by LYNDON ANDERSON, MN, $25
MARIA PIRES, by CARLOS PIRES, MA, $50
MAYDEL, by BRENDA WIEDMEIER, ND, $25
OUR LOVED ONES, by DR. PAUL BERGER, DR. JEN BERGER and LANIE BERGER, SD, $25
OZZIE MATHISON, by BEATTA SAGMOE, MN, $20
PASTOR HAROLD & BEULAH SALEM, by REV. HENRY & MARJORIE HUDDLESTON, JR., IA, $20
PASTOR SALEM:
ALFRED ZUEHLKE, IA, $100
BARBARA CUMMINS, MO, $20
DEBORAH ALLAIN, CO, $200
DOUGLAS & NINA MCCOMB, CA, $100
ESTHER SWAN, WI, $100
FRIEND IN CLEVELAND, $50
HARRY & ALICE JOHNSON, SD, $100
JUDY FELLERS, OK, $60
LEONIE CUNNINGHAM, IL, $25
MARGARET OVITT, NY, $50
MICHAEL CROUCHER, MN, $50
RON BOWEN, IA, $140
SANDI ANTHONY, MO, $50
SCOTT HINRICHS, SD, $500
SYLVIA OKERSTROM, MN, $75
PAUL & PAT EASON, by POLLY EASON, IA, $300
PETER, a former student of mine, by KAREN CHRISTY, SD, $50
RANDY ALEXANDER, my husband of 41 years, by LOIS ALEXANDER, KS, $50
ROBERT & LORETTA JONES and MARTIN & JENATTE KRAMER, by DARMON & JANICE JONES, MN, $100
ROBERT & MARIA BETZ, GEORGE & MARY BETZ, PABLO & MARIA BARRANTES and PASTOR SALEM, by DEBBIE BETZ, PA, $150
ROBERT & SHIRLEY SORVIG, my parents, by CAROL OLSON, ND, $500
ROBERT, my husband, by DELORES REBERTUS, MN, $50
RODNEY BLACK, my brother, by JENNIE KING, MN, $100
ROLAND TRAXEL, my friend, by DOLORES VOEGELE, ND, $500
RONALD LARSON, my husband, by RENEE LARSON, SD, $100
SAMUEL & TINA GRIFFITHS, our son & daughter, by WILLIAM & MARIA GRIFFITHS, SD, $200
SANDY, my wife, by KEN HASSLER, ND, $100
SELVA J. NICKELS, my wife, by ROBERT F. NICKELS, FL, $200
TAMELA CLAYTON, my friend, by MICHAEL MCCAMMON, IN, $25
THOMAS GIBBS, my loving husband, by JAYNE GIBBS, WI, $50
URIAH & IRMA DEAL, by MONIQUE ROYAL, NM, $50
WALLY JACOBSON, by KATHERINE JACOBSON, MN, $50
WANDA T. STEPHENS, by CHRISTY S. BUIE, GA, $25
WAYNE D. KIEHNE, my husband, by CYNTHIA KIEHNE, MN, $50
WINT HARRIS, my precious husband, by MARLA HARRIS, CO, $500
Any Memorials or Dedications after 1/7/2026 will be listed in the March New Song
DEDICATIONS
ARIA,my granddaughter, celebrating her Birthday, by JANICE SACK, MT, $100
DANIEL CAFFEJIAN, by SAMANTHA CLARK, NV, $20
DARLENE MARQUARDT, by WALTER MARQUARDT, IL, $60
DEBBIE SPICKELMIER, by MERLE SPICKELMIER, NE, $25
DEL & MARIE PETERSON, by MARILYN PETERSON, SD, $100
EDNA BLYTHE YOUDERIAN BURR, my mother who showed me who God is, by LAURA HAZELL, MO, $25
EVA STEPHANIE BATEZ WASHINGTON, CHRISTOPHER WULF, CARLOS SANTIAGO, LIZBETH COULTER, KELLY MATSUI, EUGENE MATSUDA and MICHAEL VALACH, by TERRY WASHINGTON, IL, $20
FLORENCE MOYER, my mom, by MARGARET BJORDAHL, SD, $150
FRANK & CATHY MACY, by DEBORAH SOWERS, NC, $50
FRED, our youngest son, and FRED JR., our youngest grandson, celebrating their Birthdays, by JAMES & MARY WINDHAM, GA, $100
HARRIET, DEAN, LUANN and JOEL, by CASEY WRIGHT, NE, $20
HEAVENLY FATHER, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD & SAVIOUR & HOLY SPIRIT, by MARY, IA, $165
JEANNE MILLER, my mother, by CRAIG MILLER, MT, $100
JESUS, by ELTON TEAGUE, CA, $72
LAURIE, my wife, by ANDY ADAMSON, IN, $40
LESTER & BEVERLY JOHNSON, by DENNIS & DONNA JOHNSON, MN, $1,000
LINDA, my wife, and HOLLY, my daughter, by GLENN MILLER, KS, $250
MARIGOLD SOVAK BRADFORD, celebrating our new granddaughter’s birth, by EUGENE SOVAK, PA, $100
MAVIS BAKKEN, celebrating my 100th Birthday, SD, $100
MERWIN & JUNE PEARSON, my parents, by VIOLET FAYE PEARSON, MN, $50
MIKE SALEM, for continuing CWH, by LESLIE ANDERSON, MN, $50
MY FOUR SONS, by LUANNE COX, MO, $240
MY MOTHER, by DOLORES GONZALVES, NV, $400
MY SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, by ARTHUR SILL, MI, $25
MYRTLE & KENNETH BREKKE, by JOHN BREKKE, WI, $30
ORA FISCHER, my aunt, HANK ARENDS and SWEER ARENDS, my uncles, by JEFF ARENDS, IA, $75
OUR LORD & SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, we celebrate His birth, by FLORENCE SCHNITZEL, CA, $100
OUR OLDEST GRANDDAUGHTER, celebrating her Birthday, by JIM & MARY WINDHAM, GA, $100
SANDY, my best friend, and HER FAMILY, by MARY SMITH, NE, $20
THE CWH STAFF, by LELAND SKOG, WI, $500
WESLEY L. FRITZ, by CARLENE FRITZ, TX, $100
Any Memorials or Dedications after 1/7/2026 will be listed in the March New Song
60 Minute Services
FEBRUARY 01 “THE LORD HATH BLESSED” --- PSALM 34:1-8
FEBRUARY 08 “SOMEBODY LOVES YOU” --- PSALM 23
FEBRUARY 15 “ANGELS: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM” --- COLOSSIANS 1:12-19
FEBRUARY 22 “DO YOU HAVE MORAL INSANITY?” --- LUKE 12:16-21
30 Minute Services
FEBRUARY 01 “THE LORD HATH BLESSED” --- PSALM 34:1-8
FEBRUARY 08 “SOMEBODY LOVES YOU” --- PSALM 23
FEBRUARY 15 “ANGELS: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM” --- COLOSSIANS 1:12-19
FEBRUARY 22 “DO YOU HAVE MORAL INSANITY?” --- LUKE 12:16-21
Jesus Loves Me
from the writings of Pastor Salem…
Scripture: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…” —John 3:16
This month, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, so it seems fitting to talk about love—hearts, affection, and all the rest. Yet I sometimes wonder if many people today truly understand what love is all about.
I once read about a young man shopping for a Valentine's card. After looking through several, he found one that read, “To the only girl I ever loved. I cannot live without you. Please, please be my Valentine!”
“Perfect!” he exclaimed. “I’ll take six of them!” So much for teenage love.
Before we get too carried away with the world’s idea of love, it is wise to look at what God says. After all, the chief attribute of God is love itself. And there is no better place to see that love than in John 3:16 -- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
True love is not found in cards, words, or feelings alone. To really love, we must first have the love of God in our hearts. Then—and only then—will we understand what love is truly all about.
Thought for Today:
Real love begins with God and flows from a heart that knows Him.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving me first. Fill my heart with Your love, so I may love others as You have loved me. Amen.