The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed. Bible.com LAST CHANCE DRAWING IS DECEMBER 12 AT MIDNIGHT Psalm 34 Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left. 1   I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2  I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3   Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. 4   I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5   Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6   This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7   The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8   Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9   Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10  The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 11  Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12  Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13  keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14  Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15   The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16  but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. 17  The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19  The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; 20  he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. 21  Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 22  The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary It's probably been awhile since you've read the story of David's pretending to be insane - and many of you likely have never read it at all! You can catch up on those details in 1 Samuel 21, but long story short, David was fleeing from King Saul and hid out in a Philistine city. But by this point, David had killed thousands of Philistines in military conflicts, so he naturally feared what the Philistine king would do when he found out David was hiding in his territory. So David feigned insanity - drooling on his beard and everything - and the rouse worked. The king left the 'insane' David alone. But this psalm isn't a celebration of David's ability to save his own skin, but rather it's an acknowledgement that when David sought the LORD, and He answered him; He delivered David from all his fears . Whereas David needed to make himself look shameful before the kings of the world, those who look to the LORD are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. There's a pretty good chance that you're not going to need act insane while hiding out from a truly insane king (Saul) in a pagan city where everybody wants you dead. But no matter what it is that you're facing in your own life, you can still benefit from David's psalm, for it reminds you that as the LORD's holy person, you lack nothing when you fear Him.   Dig Deeper   It's the final few verses that brought us to Psalm 34 today as we continue to unpack this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints (saints = the LORD's holy people = you). You already know that being a Christian doesn't mean you get a pass from the problems and afflictions of this world. Sometimes, in fact, you experience those problems more acutely! David acknowledges this in the final five verses of this psalm. The righteous (that's you by the way!) cry out... They have troubles; they're brokenhearted and crushed in spirit; In fact, the righteous person may have many troubles! But the LORD preserves His people - you - in the midst of these trials. He delivers you from your troubles, is close to you and saves you. And don't miss how Psalm 34 points you to Christ! Remember that the soldiers overseeing Jesus' execution broke the legs of the other condemned me who hung beside Jesus, but not Jesus' because He had already died, because the LORD protected all the bones of the righteous man; not one of them will be broken. You're likely reading this near the end of another week. Don't miss the opportunity you'll have on the Lord's Day to gather with the saints and cry out to the LORD, for no one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who is attentive to the cry of His people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for strength to keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: LAST CHANCE DRAWING IS DECEMBER 12 AT MIDNIGHT Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 10

You're commanded to live at peace with everyone. How?!?!? Romans 12:1–16 (NIV) CONTEXT: We read the first two verses of this chapter Monday , verses 3-6 on Tuesday , and verses 9-16 yesterday . We finish out the chapter today. 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2   Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4   For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5   so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6   We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”  says the Lord. 20  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary Today's Summary and Dig Deeper sections are a re-post from October 2, 2023 . One of our most fundamental inclinations as North Americans is the concept of fairness - that people ought to get exactly what they deserve. It's this deeply embedded motivation that the Bible calls you to push back against! Rather than repaying a person by giving him what he's got coming, you must not take revenge. The Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that that an ugly concept like murder is not limited to the overt actions related to physically taking a person's life, but extends to seemingly benign actions such as belittling and insulting  people. Sometimes it might feel good to blow off a little steam by verbally assaulting a person who's been giving you grief so that things don't escalate into a full blown physical confrontation, the catechism is simply echoing Paul's advice to, as far as it depends upon you, to live at peace with everyone, and do not take revenge. This peace that you're called to is much more than just an outward politeness in which you don't say the quiet part out loud, even as you seethe and simmer on the inside. No, the Bible calls you to a pervasive, permeating peace that radiates from the inside out; a peace that keeps not just your mouth and hands in check, but your thoughts, looks and gestures as well.   Dig Deeper   Today's passage ends with the famous line: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. This passage often gets externalized, as if the best way to overcome bad guys is to shower them in good deeds. That may occasionally be the case, but I don't think that's what Paul means here. He wasn't referring to the evil reigning all around  you, but the evil that seeks to plant its flag inside of you - your sinful nature ( Sarx ), who gains ground with every revenge filled thought and attitude you allow to fester. Overcome Sarx by flooding him out as you fill your mind with whatever is noble, right, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy ( Philippians 4:8 ). The concept of revenge is a theme deeply woven into the fabric of scripture. In fact, the Bible draws to a close with Jesus promising to do the very thing that Paul here prohibits you from doing: Jesus will return with His settlement , meaning that He will repay everyone with exactly what they deserve, either good or bad. Base the peace that you've been commanded to have by l eaving room for God's wrath, for it is written, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord." AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who has promised to reward good and repay evil; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength to let go of your sinful instinct to desire revenge and instead reflect the goodness and forgiveness Jesus has shown you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 8

Solid doctrine is the key to non-hypocritical love. Romans 12:1–16 (NIV) CONTEXT: We read the first two verses of this chapter Monday , verses 3-6 on Tuesday , and by God's grace we'll work our way through the entire chapter throughout this week. Today we'll read verses 9-16. 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2   Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4   For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5   so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6   We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary One of the most important parts of properly understanding a passage of scripture is to read it in its proper context. That means this paragraph of imperatives must be interpreted in light of the obligation you have for the grace you've been given ( which we read about on Monday ). The point is that you're to follow these instructions because you've been saved, not in order to be saved. The primary imperative in this passage is that you must love. Certainly most people in our society today would gladly endorse that! The problem, of course, is that most people in our society today have drastically different ideas and definitions for what it means to love. That's nothing new; they did in Paul's day and age as well. So Paul tells you exactly how to love: your love must be sincere - literally, your love must not be hypocritical , a word in Greek used to describe actors . In other words, your love must be pure and genuine. The rest of the paragraph then unpacks what pure and genuine love looks like. Genuine love hates evil and clings to what is good . It's devoted, honoring, full of zeal for serving the Lord. It's joyful, patient and faithful in prayer. It shares, blesses and rejoices under all circumstances, both good and bad. It puts others first, and is never conceited.   Dig Deeper   Too many Christians think that doctrinal statements like the Canons of Dordt get so hung up on dogmatic precision that they have nothing practical to offer, and that they've by and large become irrelevant. After all, today's mantra is that all we need is love, right? And Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, sets out such a beautiful lifestyle here rooted in simply loving sincerely ! Image how good life would be if everyone lived this way! So these straightforward, immensely practical and instructive passages calling us to a life of love are very popular, and often get detached from their doctrinal context. But you know how impossibly hard it is for you to love genuinely (ESV), which is why so many people end up loving so hypocritically - that is, just acting like they love, while behind the scenes they behave quite differently. Even if all this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints did was provide an abstract comfort and peace by assuring you that God's grace is stronger than you are and that you'll never slip out of your Father's graceful grip, it would still be worth our study. But it does so much more. It forms a very practical basis for how you can love genuinely. This assurance of perseverance, we read here in Article 12, is the true root of godly living. In other words, the better you understand your biblical doctrine, the more certain you'll be of your salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, and this assurance will give you the capability to truly love sincerely. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who assures you of your salvation and will always preserve you in it; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your assurance will grow and enable you to increasingly love sincerely; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 8

Know how you've been spiritually gifted and then JUST DO IT! Perhaps the Apostle Paul should have been endorsed by Nike. Romans 12:1–8 (NIV) CONTEXT: We read the first two verses of this chapter yesterday , and by God's grace we'll work our way through the entire chapter throughout this week. 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2   Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4   For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5   so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6   We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary This week's article from the Canons reminds you that this assurance of perseverance - this massively comforting doctrine that we've studied each day for the last two and a half months which teaches that God's grace is stronger than you are, so therefore nothing can pry you from the salvation He's won for you - this assurance ought not make you proud and self assured, rather, it's the root of humility. In other words, your confidence is in Christ, not your own ability. But too often Christians who properly desire to live humbly do so in a way that conflicts with Biblical imperatives. They translate their inability to save themselves into a perceived inability to do anything well. They read Paul's command to not think of yourself more highly than you ought as meaning they must think of themselves as lowly as possible. But look at Paul's command again. He didn't end the sentence with the word highly. That final clause - than you ought - implies that there is a level of height in which you ought to think of yourself; a height which recognizes that you have gifts according to the grace given to each of us. Too many Christians - especially ones like us - go their entire lives without utilizing the gifts they've been given because to do so might bring attention to them, and that attention might cause them to think of themselves highly. They end up squandering their gift so that neither they nor their community benefits from it in a effort to remain humble. That's not what the Canons intend to convey here, and it's especially not what the Bible conveys!   Dig Deeper   Paul would have loved the Nike slogan of Just Do It . It would be a perfect summarization of today's passage: know what gift(s) you have and then Just Do It! If it is serving, serve; if it's teaching, teach; if it's encouraging, encourage. This list could keep going and going. Do you know what gift(s) you have? Statistically, you probably don't. Christmas is coming soon, and you likely remember (or still experience) the overwhelming desire to open those wrapped gifts and see what's in them. Why are you so content, then, to leave the gift(s) the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon you unopened? Many Christians don't unwrap their gifts because they don't know how. While there's more to discovering your gifts than what we have space for today, this broad rule of thumb will help narrow things down: your gifts are things you enjoy doing that benefit the Church. Notice that it might be something you enjoy, but aren't particularly good at. Yet, at least. Like many gifts, your spiritual gifts arrive with some assembly required. Developing your gifts take hard work! But remember that you're callled to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works , so Just Do It! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has distributed faith to us and given each of us different gifts; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be able to discern your gift(s) and do the hard (but enjoyable!) work of assembling and developing them; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 7

Discipleship is an all-in, transformative experience. Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) 12  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 12 & 13 - The Lifestyle Assurance Brings This assurance of perseverance, however, so far from making true believers proud and carnally self-assured, is rather the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Summary Today's passage actually begins three and a half chapters earlier in the 12th verse of Romans 8, where Paul wrote Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation. The NIV ends that phrase with a dash, which is sort of a way of indicating that Paul will come back to this thought. But before explaining what the obligation is, Paul first explains that you're no longer obligated to Sarx - that is, your old sinful nature. As can be the case with Paul, one tangent leads to another, and those tangents lead to even more. It's not that what he writes in the passages that follow are beside the point or unimportant; quite the opposite! Romans 8-11 contain some of the Bible's most valuable theology! But it's not until here, the beginning of chapter 12, that Paul finally gets back to the thought he had begun long before and unpacks exactly what Christians saved by grace are obligated to: you must offer your body as a living sacrifice. Christianity is not just a spiritual religion. You're not just offering your heart or even your head. Discipleship is an all-in experience. Paul not only describes this sacrifice quantitatively - it includes your whole body /self - but he also specifies it qualitatively: it must be holy and acceptable to God . The Canons help explain what this holiness includes: humility, respect, godliness, endurance, fervent praying and steadfastness.   Dig Deeper   Certainly this isn't the first time the Bible commands God's people to live lives that are holy and acceptable to God. In fact, a good case can be made that holiness is one of the Bible's key themes, both in the Old and New Testaments. But the question remains: how does one do this? After all, the Old Testament catalogs failure after failure as it tells the story of people who'd also experienced God's mercy, yet who never attained the holiness He demands. Paul begins the answer to this question negatively. He first tells you what not to do: Do not be conformed. Notice the passive tense of the verb. As a reminder for those who haven't thought much about verb tenses lately, a passive tense verb is used to indicate when something is done to you. What this means is that if you do nothing, you will be conformed to this world. You'll be like play-dough that takes the form of whatever shape it's extruded through. So your shape will change no matter what. If you do nothing, you'll be con formed . To prevent this, you must submit yourself to another passive process: you must be trans formed . But this transformation isn't forced upon you by the world. It takes place primarily between your ears: it comes through the renewal of your mind! The Christian life is one of continual repentance, a word that literally means to think differently . This new thinking pattern rejects the world's conformity to sin and instead discerns the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. In other words, it clings to Christ. And that is holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose holy will is good, acceptable and perfect; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll live repentantly: rejecting the world's conformity and instead be transformed by the renewal of your mind; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 6

Know that you have solid support in a slippery world. Photo credit: Henry Schneider via Unsplash Psalm 94 1  The LORD is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. 2   Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. 3  How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant? 4   They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. 5  They crush your people, LORD; they oppress your inheritance. 6   They slay the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless. 7   They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” 8   Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? 9   Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? 10  Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? 11  The LORD knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. 12  Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD, the one you teach from your law; 13  you grant them relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked. 14  For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. 15  Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it. 16  Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? 17  Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. 18  When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ), LORD, supported me. 19  When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. 20   Can a corrupt throne be allied with you— a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? 21  The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. 22  But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. 23  He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts Accordingly, our assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works. And if God’s chosen ones in this world did not have this well-founded comfort that the victory will be theirs and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory, they would be of all people most miserable. Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that believers have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance. But God, the Father of all comfort, does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation he also provides a way out ( 1 Cor. 10:13 ), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance. Summary I'll bet that if you were pulled aside before reading Psalm 95 today and asked to jot down what God does, your answer would be different from the psalmist's here in Psalm 95. Not wrong - just different. You'd write down how He loves, cares and provides for all things. You might even note that He is working out all things for the good of those who love Him . Of course you'd be right about all of that, but it's good to be reminded of an aspect of God that we don't focus on enough: The LORD is a God who avenges. Other translations simply address this prayer to the LORD, God of vengeance. Psalm 95 reminds us that not only will God make all things right, but that He'll get His revenge. This is why, as Romans 12:19 teaches , you don't need to seek revenge, for the LORD has said "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." You likely knew this about God, but it's so hard to hold on to this truth when all around the wicked pour out arrogant words and all the evildoers are full of boasting. It does often seem like the LORD does not see and the God of Jacob takes no notice. But Psalm 94 sardonically sets us straight: Does He who fashioned the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? Not only does God know of this world's oppression and brokenness, but He will be your fortress and the rock in whom you can take refuge. Be confident that the LORD will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness.   Dig Deeper   Almost everyone, whatever their level of Biblical literacy, is familiar with the Beatitudes that Jesus spoke at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, where He makes nine statements that begin with blessed are the... . But Matthew 5 isn't the only place in the Bible that we read beatitudes; in fact there's one right smack in the middle of Psalm 95: 12  Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD... Ironically, even as the valley you walk through becomes so darkened by the consequences of sin that it causes you to doubt and lose your assurance, you are being blessed! Because even though you might not always feel it, you know that the LORD will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance. As the LORD once again grants you relief from days of trouble, your confidence and assurance will be far more stronger than when the trial began. Even the psalmist's foot slipped, just like yours and mine so often do. But along with the psalmist, you can be absolutely certain that as your foot is slipping, the LORD supports you with His ḥěʹ·sěḏ - that is, is His unfailing covenant love. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD that is a God who avenges; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will know that the LORD will not reject His people even when you don't feel it; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 5

Think you're standing firm? BE CAREFUL! Photo credit: Chanel Chomse, via Unsplash 1 Corinthians 10:1–13 (NET) 10  For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2  and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3  and all ate the same spiritual food, 4  and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5  But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness. 6  These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did. 7  So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “ The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play .” 8  And let us not be immoral ( porneuō ), as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. 9  And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 10  And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. 11  These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12  So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. 13  No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it . Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts Accordingly, our assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works. And if God’s chosen ones in this world did not have this well-founded comfort that the victory will be theirs and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory, they would be of all people most miserable. Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that believers have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance. But God, the Father of all comfort, does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation he also provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance. Summary We tend to romanticize history. Most of us long for the days of our youth, when life just seemed simpler, more wholesome, and all around better than things seem now. But we then either downplay or forget altogether the trials and troubles that were endemic to the era; they vanish in a fog of whitewash. It's so easy to read the history of God's people through that same rose colored lens. We put the 'heroes' of the faith on pedestals and long for the kind of authentic worship celebrated when God's presence was physically manifested among His people in the tabernacle and temple. But we either downplay or forget altogether the ugliness of the era that Paul catalogs in today's passage. These things happened to them, Paul explains, referring to the punishment and consequences they experienced, as examples and were written for our instruction . Certainly it's good to take inspiration from great men like Abraham, Moses, King David, and so many others, but remember one of the key purposes of the Old Testament Bible stories is to warn you from repeating the mistakes of earlier generations who reveled in idolatry and sexual immorality. You must not crave evil things as they did. This point is so important that Paul repeats it, indicating for the second time that these things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction . None of these awful accounts that Paul unpacks were committed by Gentiles or outright pagans. All of these involve God's covenant people, who were consumed in sin and forced to pay a significant price. Bottom line: sin is dangerous; it will hurt you, God and your neighbor.   Dig Deeper   For several months now, we've been basking in the beauty of this fifth and final point of the Canons of Dordt, being reminded each weekday of the absolute security of your salvation. We've read one scripture of another reminding us that God never lets go, and that His grace is far stronger than you are. This is why you'll so often see the motto Soli Deo Gloria - Glory to God Alone - attached to Reformed churches and institutions. And there's still more confidence to come as we wrap our study of the Canons up over these next few weeks. But today we're given a warning: Do not put Christ to the test... Don't let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall . Once again it's clear that our primary problem is cognitive! When you lose the sense of ongoing repentance (which literally means to think differently ), your mind once again becomes prone to wander after the lies of the world, and before you know it you're tumbling down. Notice, though, that the warning here is for you to be careful, not to be afraid. Remember that although you truly hurt yourself, God and others when you stumble, you can't fall so hard and fast as to slip out of your Father's almighty grip. Remember: God is faithful! He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it . Notice also how it is that God preserves you through temptation. He doesn't always rescue you from it, but He always provides a way out so that you may be able to endure it . Those ways out are made visible to you through His Word and Spirit. In other words, the more you make use of Spiritual Disciplines like weekly church attendance, daily Bible reading and prayer, the easier it is to endure and escape temptation. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is faithful! A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be careful so that you do not fall; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 4

Faith is not a blind leap; it's reasonable trust that what God says is true. Photo credit: Teslariu Mihai, via Unsplash John 20:24-29 (NIV)      24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”           But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”       28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”       29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts Accordingly, our assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works. And if God’s chosen ones in this world did not have this well-founded comfort that the victory will be theirs and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory, they would be of all people most miserable. Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that believers have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance. But God, the Father of all comfort, does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation he also provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance. Summary Today's Summary is a re-post from February 16, 2023 This episode that takes place a full week after Jesus' resurrection is exactly why so many people often prefix Thomas' name with the word Doubting. Thomas had missed out on Jesus' earlier appearance to the other disciples, and then he dismissed their excited claims by stating that he not only needed to see Jesus alive, but he also needed to touch  His wounds before he would believe. Jesus accommodated his request. But this grace quickly transitioned into a command to Thomas, and others like him: Stop doubting, and believe. Instantly, Thomas' need for tangible proof disappears. He no longer needs to touch the nail marks on Jesus' hands; rather he simply affirms His Savior's command with a beautifully simple statement of faith: My Lord and my God. Jesus accepts Thomas' profession, but as He does so, He broadens the audience He's speaking to. No longer is He just conversing with Thomas, or even with the other disciples in the room; in v29 He's talking directly to you and me when He says blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Throughout John’s gospel Jesus has been talking to us... in fact, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He's been talking to you . He is talking about the faith that you've been given, and here He commands you to stop doubting and believe.   Dig Deeper   It's not wrong to be a doubter. In fact, in this world filled with lies, you need to be a doubter! Thomas will not rely on potentially fanciful testimonies of the other disciples. He demands certain proof that Jesus was indeed risen from the grave. And he wasn't wrong to do so! Remember, the Bible never demands that you take a blind leap of faith or rest your hope on a wish and a prayer. The faith we profess is reasonable and rational. It can be defended and it demands intellectual respect. In other words, there are lots of good reasons you ought to trust in a Triune God, who became incarnate to atone for your sin and fulfill your covenantal obligations to Him. But also notice that Thomas ultimately doesn't put his hope in proofs. He never actually puts his finger where the nails were, or puts his hand into Jesus' side, and yet He still believes . He saw and experienced the living God standing before him and he fell down in worship. You won't see Jesus standing before you as he did with Thomas. Yet you can experience Him and believe just the same. You do so by putting your faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works . AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who gives an abundance of proof of His existence through His creation and His Word; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would follow Jesus' command to stop doubting and believe; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 3

Stop what you're doing and behold your Father's love! San Luis Obispo County, California 1 John 3:1–2 (NIV) 1   See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2   Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts Accordingly, our assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works. And if God’s chosen ones in this world did not have this well-founded comfort that the victory will be theirs and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory, they would be of all people most miserable. Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that believers have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance. But God, the Father of all comfort, does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation he also provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance. Summary We have for the most part, and for lots of good reasons, more or less set aside the good 'ol King James Version of the Bible. It served the Church well for hundreds of years, but our usage of English has changed so much that its translation often needs to be translated. After all, thou no longer useth words like peradventure, concupiscence, or wist not whence thou openest thy mouth to speak. But every so often, the KJV can't be topped, and such is the case with this opening verse in today's passage. It's good for you to see what great love the Father has given, as the modern translations render it, but what John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has in mind here is that you must behold the manner of love the Father hath given unto us! If you grew up going to Sunday School, it's hard not to sing those words! You see tens of thousands of different things each and every day - far too many to focus on each and every detail. In fact, you've gotten really good over time at filtering out all of the extraneous things you see so that you can concentrate on the things that matter. The problem isn't the filtering out part - that's necessary, otherwise you'd never get anything done. The problem is that Sarx (your old sinful nature that's waging war against you) continually tricks you into concentrating on the wrong things. So John here reminds you that every so often, you need stop, drop what you're doing, rid yourself of all other distractions, and behold your Father's great love. What's the difference between seeing and beholding? You see the Buffalo Ridge here in Southwest Minnesota (a nearly imperceptible rise in elevation from the vast plains around it) as you drive by it, but you behold something like the Grand Canyon. It takes your breath away as you gaze over it's expanse in awe.   Dig Deeper   I went to college in San Luis Obispo, California, which is on the Central Coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The university was several miles inland, far away enough that the ocean wasn't visible. The ocean certainly was still there, even though we couldn't see it. But every so often when heading out of town on the Pacific Coast Highway we'd crest the surrounding hills and the vast ocean would appear. No matter how many times we made that drive, it was a sight to behold! We've been reminded these last few weeks that our lives are spent walking through the valley darkened by the shadow of death . God's love is always there but sometimes when it's especially dark, it can be hard to see anything at all, much less the Father's great love. That's why you need to make a concerted effort in your life to get up and out of the valley every so often to behold the great love the Father has lavished on us. Reading the Bible like what you're doing right now is a great way to get a glimpse of this great love. The best way, of course, is to follow the Biblical rhythm of gathering with God's people on the Lord's Day, detaching yourself from all of the valley's details that constantly clog your vision, and beholding God's love as we read it, pray it, explain it, and sing it together. This is one of the reasons the world does not know this love - they don't see it. For them it remains hidden behind the world's distractions. It's through this regular beholding that your assurance of salvation is strengthened, reminding you, as the Canons put it, that the victory will be yours, along with reliable guarantee of eternal glory . AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who lavished us with His great love, that we should be called His children! A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom and strength to keep distractions at bay so that you can often behold the Father's great love; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 2

Some people always need more evidence God's Word is true. gotquestions.org Matthew 12:38–42 (NIV) 38  Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39  He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41  The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42  The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts Accordingly, our assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17), and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works. And if God’s chosen ones in this world did not have this well-founded comfort that the victory will be theirs and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory, they would be of all people most miserable. Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that believers have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance. But God, the Father of all comfort, does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation he also provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance. Summary It's been awhile since we've heard from the Establishment . If you're new to our Bible reading plan, we use the term to refer to guys like the Pharisees & Sadducees (two rival religious/political parties), teachers of the laws and other Jewish insiders. They were Jesus' biggest nemesis during His ministry, as they worked overtime to protect their religious rackets. They ultimately saw to His execution on the cross. These guys are so insidious in part because of the syrupy-sincere way they come to Jesus, as if they'd put their trust in Jesus as their Messiah if only He'd give them a bit more evidence. So once again they ask for a sign - this time, right after they had just explained away the miracle Jesus had just performed, saying that Jesus gained His powers demonically. Jesus has no patience for these erudite scoffers, and He doesn't hold back. He answered to their face, A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! Jesus couldn't have used two more stinging words to describe these guys - wicked and adulterous . Can you imagine the looks on their faces as Jesus unloaded on them? No wonder the Establishment hated Him so much! It would have been so easy for Jesus to bust out another miracle right then and there - to call their bluff, displaying His mighty power and giving definitive proof that He really was who He claimed to be. Then they'd really have a look on their faces! But Jesus doesn't do that. Instead, He points them back to the Old Testament account of Jonah. God's gracious faithfulness through dozens of generations was all the miraculous proof they needed.   Dig Deeper   Jesus here isn't saying that you don't need rationale or proof to help establish and build your faith and trust in Him. He's just saying that you don't need more than the massive amount of evidence which He has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort. Ever since the beginning of time, the Establishment has sought to discredit the hundreds of miracles the Bible testifies to. Jesus' point is that if you can't accept the miraculous evidence that already exists, then more miracles won't do the trick either. Maybe you have a friend who often asks something like, “If God is real, why doesn’t He show Himself to me right now?” The problem with the question is that we're already surrounded with evidence of God's existence in the Creation He spoke into being and continues to govern! Even the breath used to voice such a question comes from God! Since the problem for such people isn't a lack of evidence, simply producing more 'miraculous' evidence won't sway anyone. The unbelieving mind would still reinterpret or explain it away. What’s needed is not just more proof, but a new heart. It's good for you to be able to give reasons for your faith in clear, logical language. Nowhere does God ever call anyone to take a blind leap of faith by putting their trust in Him. It's good for you to improve your apologetic skills so you can explain to yourself and others why Christianity is reasonable and true. But ultimately remember that your faith is a gift; you can 'see' things that others can't because your heart and mind have been regenerated . So thank God for His gift to you! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who saved Jonah after three days in the fish, and His Son after three days in the grave; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will continue to build your trust and assurance by helping you see and understand the massive amounts of evidence that His Word is true; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 1