GODLY EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW

Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.

Brothers, pray for us.  1 Thessalonians 5:24-25

I have always appreciated the ministry of Dr. John Whitcomb.  Even though he was very busy, he took the time to pray for and encourage many of us pastors in the CGBCI.  I was one who received such calls – he would want to know how I was doing, how the church was doing and if I had any prayer requests.  One time I asked him to pray for our youngest daughter and every time he saw me after that, he always asked me about her.  He was a faithful prayer warrior and good example for all of us to follow.  Here are some things we can learn from him.

Dr. Whitcomb loved God’s Word and continued studying, learning from it until the day the Lord called him home.  I have been told that 2 Timothy 2:2 was his life verse.  "And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."  He trained thousands of individuals for ministry who then went on to teach others.  I was one of those men.

He also loved science and the modern creationist movement, and authored The Genesis Flood.  Jeremiah 32:17 was one of his favorite creation verses.  "Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!  Nothing is too difficult for You.”   In his later years, Psalm 71:9, 18 reflected his desire to continue proclaiming God's might to future generations: “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails… And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your might to all who are to come.”  May we, too, be faithful in our study of God’s Word and in our prayers for each other!

Bob Kulp