LHIM Everything

Light has always been an interest for humankind. We desire light so that we can see. But one day, we won’t need to search for light as God’s light will fill the whole world.

The Bereans were noble-minded because they searched the Scriptures daily to test the message Paul was preaching. Today, separated by so much time, our only sure bet to understand and practice authentic Christianity is to continually evaluate our beliefs and traditions in light of Scripture. Those who adopt this approach to Christian truth-seeking are Restorationists.

Acts 17:10-12 When Paul visited Berea, he was amazed at how they responded to his message about Jesus. Rather than rejecting or accepting it outright, they searched the Scriptures daily to see if it was true.

Psalm 1:1-3; Jeremiah 15:16 Reading the Bible daily is really good for you, especially your lifestyle.

2 Timothy 3:13-15; 1 John 4:1-3; Revelation 2:2 The Scriptures also help us to discern truth from error. Since we are separated from Christ by twenty centuries, thousands of miles, linguistic and cultural differences, it behooves us to maintain a healthy level of skepticism toward Christian teachers today.

Matthew 7:21-23 Lastly, it’s of paramount importance to avoid getting rejected by Jesus on the last day. Nothing could be worse than blithely thinking you are saved and finding out that you lived out your faith so badly that he says, “I never knew you”!

Notable examples of Restorationists include Martin Luther, Thomas

Restorationism is a movement within Christianity that seeks to restore authentic Christianity and live it out today. King Josiah serves as a premium example of someone who discovered his beliefs and practices diverged significantly from scripture. He initiated reforms to restore true worship. Should we be content with our received traditions and comfortable beliefs or courageously unleash the Bible on them?

Deuteronomy 5:6-10 In the Ten Commandments, God told his people not to worship other gods or carved images. He told them that he desires exclusivity in their relationship.

2 Kings 21:3-7 Over time, God’s people turned to idolatry. Manasseh devoted himself to worshipping these other gods and installing facilities for their worship in Yahweh’s temple.

2 Kings 22:3-10 Manasseh’s grandson, Josiah, began to clean out and repair the temple of God. In the process of restoring Yahweh’s house, the high priest found the book of the law, which probably refers to the book of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 13:1-18 God explicitly and repeatedly forbade his people from worshipping other gods. In fact, he instituted the death penalty for those who attempted to persuade others to join them in worshipping idols.

2 Kings 22:11-20 After learning how far from the correct belief and practice the people had veered, Josiah tore his clothes and inquired what to do from Huldah, a prophetess of Yahweh. She told him that destruction was coming, but not in his lifetime.

2 Kings 23:4-15 Not content to rest on his laurels, Josiah initiated wide sweeping reforms throughout the land, including destroying the high places and cleaning out foreign worship elements from Yahweh’s house.

2 Kings 23:25 The author of the book of Kings remembered Josiah for his efforts as one of the best kings of all time.

before acting, considers the consequences, anticipates potential needs, and prepares him or herself for what lies ahead. The result is managing one’s affairs well.

Genesis 41:33-46. Pharaoh selected Joseph not only because he interpreted his dream, but also because of his foresight to plan a course of action to maximize benefit and minimize suffering.

Proverbs 6:6-11. As opposed to the lazy person who rolls over in the bed and seeks another comfortable position to prolong sleep, the ant illustrates prudence by preparing food in the summer and gathering in the time of harvest.

Matthew 25:1-13. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus teaches his disciples about the catastrophe that a lack of preparation can bring. The five foolish virgins ended up scrambling at the last minute and were locked out of the feast.

Sometimes, it’s not best to be prudent. Sometimes walking by faith requires spontaneity and improvisation. Even so, living prudently will best prepare you for the times when God calls you to step out of the norm and walk by the spirit.

Psalm 37:7a. “Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him…”

Psalm 40:1. “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.”

Lamentations 3:26. “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”

Romans 12:12. “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer.”

James 1:3. “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

Waiting on God is a necessary discipline that helps us grow in wisdom and endurance.

Galatians 5:22 NLT. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness”

Patience is a fruit of the spirit. Impatience – the opposite – can be a work of the flesh with severe consequences.

Hebrews 6:15. “Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.”

Other men in Scripture who waited patiently on God: Noah, Joseph, David, and Jesus

1 Samuel 10:8; 13:7-14. God instructed Saul to wait for the prophet Samuel to offer the burnt offering. Saul was impatient

When God is telling you to wait, just wait. The story of Saul demonstrates that when we rush ahead by our own devices, we may forfeit God’s blessing and regret it for years to come.

The only thing harder than waiting on God is wishing you had.

Persistence—being determined to continue towards a goal despite difficulties, opposition, or setbacks

Attentiveness—being thorough and meticulous in accomplishing a task

Hard work—applying significant effort and time to achieve a goal

Commitment—being dedicated to a task or goal long term and not giving up or diminishing one’s resolve along the way

Diligence is an inherent component in living with God’s wisdom.

Proverbs 12:24; 13:4; 21:5

Jesus was a diligent person in various aspects of his life.

Mark 1:35. Jesus consistently devoted himself to prayer with his Father, God.

John 4:34; 5:30. Jesus was focused on accomplishing God’s will in his life.

Jesus also worked hard to teach people about the Kingdom of God. Even when the going got tough, Jesus never backed down or changed his course, all the way unto death on the cross.

Nehemiah was a leader who exemplified diligence in his oversite of the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem after the Israelite captivity in Babylon.

Nehemiah 4:6-23

We are to be diligent in life like our Lord and Savior, especially with regard to our trust in God.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Hebrews 11:6

God rewards those who diligently seek Him. Let’s be faithful followers of Jesus and seek God with diligence each day of our lives.The post Diligence first appeared on Living Hope.

God is merciful in His character. He supremely demonstrated His mercy in what His Son did for humanity on the cross. As a result, we should show mercy to others. Still, we need wisdom to know when to show mercy and when not to.

Exo 34:6. God is merciful and gracious in His character. These attributes often occur together throughout the Old Testament. See 2 Chron 30:9; Neh 9:17, 31; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; 116:5; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jon 4:2.

Rom 5:8; Eph 2:3-5. The cross supremely demonstrates God’s mercy through Christ’s example.

Luke 6:31-38; Mat 7:1-2. Jesus teaches us that we should show mercy to others rather than judgement. By the strictness with which we judge and condemn others, we will be judged as well.

1 Sam 2:12-17, 22-25, 28-35; 3:11-14. Showing mercy isn’t always the right course of action. When Eli found out his sons were committing terrible acts, he confronted them but did not ensure they stopped their deplorable behavior. In this case, Eli’s mercy resulted in catastrophe for his family and Israel.

James 2:13. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Victor Hugo illustrated the redemptive power of mercy in his novel, Les Misérables, in the bishop’s mercy shown to Jean Valjean.

As demonstrated by how we cringe when we see someone disrespect another, God designed humans to crave and expect a certain amount of basic respect. As Christians we should live in a respectable way and show respect to others, even when they haven’t earned it. God calls us to be respectful.

1 Peter 2:17; Matthew 7:12 We all need respect. We need others to value us.

1 Samuel 24:1-22 What you do affects whether others will respect you. Saul gave in to jealousy and paranoia, while David showed respect which resulted in him receiving respect.