Love

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Blessed Hope Bible Church www.bhbcstl.org

Giving Our Best to The One Who Gave His All!

Theme for 2016

It’s All About JESUS!!!

“The Greatest Commandment” So he answered and said, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' “ Luke 10:27 (NKJV)

“The Greatest Commandment”  Love begins with Relationship

 The “Love” versus “Service” Trap  The Cost of being in Love with the Lord  Why the Lord deserves our highest love

 Love and the Worship Trap  How we should Love the Lord

 Who is our neighbor?  How should we treat them?

Love Begins with Relationship

You cannot love the Lord if you do

not know the Lord; The only way to know the Lord is through faith in Jesus Christ; The Greatest Commandment only applies to those who know the Lord.

The Love and Worship Trap

Worship is not the same as love; Worship cannot be a substitute for

love; While it is possible to worship God and not love Him; however, God does not receive such worship.

Isaiah 1: An illustration of “Loveless” Worship “…When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil…” Isaiah 1:12-16 (NKJV)

How Do We Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength?

Loving God involves the following…  Obedience to God (I Samuel 15:22)

 Love for God’s Word (Psalms 119)  Righteous Living (Job 1)  Sacrificial Giving (Mark 12:41-43)

 Spirit-filled Worship (John 4:23-24)

To Love the Lord is to know Him through faith in Jesus Christ