Savoring the Scripture

Be Imitators of His Faithfulness But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. 2 Corinthians 1:18 Paul took seriously his responsibility to imitate Christ. He had been personally commissioned by Jesus to be His ambassador and His witness. Paul knew that he was to be an example to believers, newer and older alike, of the character of Jesus. For those Paul was teaching and training, he would be the living example to them of the ways of Christ. He wanted his life to mirror that of Christ to such a degree that he could tell those under his care, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ”(1 Corinthians 11:1). And In 2 Corinthians 1:17-20 to demonstrate his trustworthiness to the Corinthians he says, “But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no” (1:18). Changes in Paul’s plans had been used by the Corinthians to question Paul’s truthfulness and unwavering word. But Paul labors to show them that God is faithful, and just as He is faithful, so also Paul and hi...

We Cannot Escape God’s Providence The Book of Esther teaches that God’s providence is active in every facet of human life. We cannot escape Him. His purposes, though sometimes hidden, are far-reaching. We can be confident of God’s care and protection.  Key Word Study Bible      God’s providence, according to the Heidelberg Catechism, is “The almighty, everywhere present power of God, whereby, as it were, by his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures and so governs them that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink , health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.” John Piper described God’s providence as his “wise and purposeful sovereignty…It is God’s seeing to everything. Absolutely everything that needs to be done to bring about his purposes, God sees to it that it happens.” One of the most comforting truths we can consider is the providence of God. Hi...