Good morning. In context, the following verse is talking about
situations similar to those that came upon the Israelites when they had a “bad
hair day” and rebelled against the Lord; but it is apropos to things that we
are tempted to do in our everyday lives. No temptation has overtaken you but
such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be
tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way
of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. Part of the reason that
I said that in context it was talking about what the Israelites went through is
the use of the word endure. You normally do not talk about enduring temptation;
but that is exactly what they did not do – they did not endure the situations,
but rather rebelled against the Lord. However, the verse is true in our
everyday lives. We are tempted to do some thing. We feel like we cannot resist
it; but God will show us a way out – to not succumb to the temptation. It is
not wrong to be tempted, but it is extremely unwise to put ourselves in
situations in which we know we will be tempted to do something that is wrong.
Father help us to know that we can always come to You to find a way to escape
temptations in our lives. Help us to resist those temptations, and to avoid
situations in which we know we will be tempted.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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