LHIM Everything

Luke 8:41- 56   The details of love

Ephesians 5:1-2   Imitators of God – Matthew 5:43-48

Walk in love like Christ – John 13:34

Matthew 16:24-27   Deny self, die to self, and live for Him.

Luke 10:25-37   Involves self-sacrifice of your time, your energy, and your resources.

Estroban

Romans 12:8-9   Honor one another. Love in the little things, the details.

Ephesians 4:29-32   Seek to edify one another.

Romans 16:3-16   Be a love initiator, not just responder.

Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:26   Greet each other with a holy kiss.

1 Peter 3:8-12   To sum up, all of you be harmonious….

We love others because God loves us, and we love Him. Reciprocal human love is no longer a temptation.

Your spiritual life is an incredibly significant part of your life. It affects your inner peace, sense of purpose, mission, morality, personal growth, experience of gratitude, and even your health. As we begin a new year, consider incorporating some new spiritual practices into your life, including daily Bible study, reading Christian books, daily prayer, fasting, listening to Christian music, going to church, attending a midweek fellowship, offering sacrifices, and evangelizing.

Why not take advantage of this season to incorporate some new spiritual practices to deepen your walk with God and your effectiveness in the world?

The birth of Jesus, recorded in Luke 2:1-20, involved Joseph and Mary journeying from Nazareth to Bethlehem, labor and delivery in a humble room for animals, angels announcing the birth to shepherds, and their subsequent visit to see the swaddled baby in a manger. Luke 2:21-40 covers Joseph and Mary’s visit to the temple (probably forty days later) when they made the necessary offerings for their firstborn son and Mary’s purification after which they received encouragement from Simeon and Anna.

Luke 2:1-5 Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem because of a census. This enabled Mary to give birth to Jesus (in accordance with the prophecy in Micah 5:2) in the ancestral city of David, Bethlehem.

Luke 2:6-7 Jesus came into the world in a humble setting with a feeding trough as his cradle. Still Mary swaddled him and made sure he was well cared for.

Luke 2:8-14 Shepherding was a humble profession, and shepherds were generally poor. God chose them (of all people) to hear the birth announcement for His son.

Luke 2:15-20 When the shepherds visited Mary and Joseph, they encouraged them to believe that God was truly with them.

Luke 2:21-24 When the family went to the temple, they made the appropriate offerings for a firstborn son (Ex 13:12-15) and for Mary’s purification (Lev 12:2-8).

Luke 2:25-40 Simeon and Anna also greatly encouraged Joseph and Mary, testifying, once again, that God was with them and that the child was destined for greatness.

Gabriel and Mary

Luke 1:26-38

Mary was a teenager who was of low to modest means.

Mary’s confusion was not due to unbelief but a matter of not understanding “how” it was going to happen.

Gabriel confirms the promise to Mary with the testimony of her cousin Elizabeth.

Nothing is impossible with God!

Elizabeth and Mary

Luke 1:39-56

Mary leaves quickly to go see Elizabeth. Joseph may or may not have accompanied her.

Elizabeth prophesies to Mary immediately upon hearing her voice. And then, Mary responds with some of the most amazing, inspired words in Scripture—The Magnificat.

Verses 46-56 are traditionally called “The Magnificat” because the Latin Vulgate begins with “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” (“My soul magnifies the Lord”).

There are easily a dozen references or allusions to the Old Testament in The Magnificat.

The Bible’s consistent focus is on planet earth. It does talk about heaven as the domain of God and His angels. Also, Jesus is there temporarily until he returns to establish God’s Kingdom. However, earth is where all the action is. It was God’s original creation, and it’s what He ultimately will restore to paradise.

Today, we’ll focus on three problems the coming of God’s Kingdom on earth will solve.

Micah 4:1-7   The prophet pictures the last days when God will instruct and judge the nations, bringing about an unprecedented and enduring age of peace.

Isaiah 35:1-7   Isaiah prophesies of a time when the deserts will blossom.

Romans 8:19-22   Paul tells about the link between humanity and creation. Creation is groaning, awaiting the day when God will free it of its bondage to corruption.

Revelation 21:3-8   In the end, God Himself will come to earth and dwell with us like it was in Eden. He will wipe away our tears and make all things new. However, the wicked will suffer judgment in the second death.

This Kingdom is God’s dream. He will bring it in its time. In the meanwhile, we can live in anticipation of this magnificent hope.

In the end, the wicked and unrepentant will also rise from the dead for judgement. Those not found written in the book of life will be destroyed in the second death.

Romans 2:5-11   The principles of divine justice are revealed throughout the Scriptures. The righteous judgment of God is clear.

Psalm 89:13-14; Romans 11:33-36   Righteous and just are His judgments.

Daniel 12:2   Disgrace and everlasting contempt [abhorrence]

Matthew 25:31-34, 40-41, 46   Eternal punishment

John 5:28-29   The resurrection of judgment

Acts 24:15-16   The resurrection of the wicked

Revelation 20:1-15   Lake of fire (Jude 1:7)

Revelation 21:5-8   “The lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death”

Psalm 37:18-20; 68:1-2; 73:27; 145:17-21

Romans 12:19-21; 1 Peter 2:21-23   Never take your own revenge.