God's simple, ordinary greeting to you is massively profound! So often words we hear over and over go in one ear and float right out the other. Don't let that happen with the familiar words you read here today! Galatians 1:3–5 (NIV) 3   Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4   who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5   to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 10: Conversion as the Work of God The fact that those who are called through the ministry of the gospel come to Christ and are brought to conversion  must not be ­credited to human effort,  as though one distinguishes oneself  by free choice  from others who are furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion  (as the proud heresy of Pelagius maintains).  No, it must be credited to God:  just as from eternity God chose his own in Christ,  so within time God effectively  calls them, grants them faith and repentance,  and,  having rescued them from the dominion of darkness,  brings them into the kingdom of his Son,  in order that they  may declare the wonderful deeds of the One  who called them out of darkness  into this marvelous light,  and may boast not in themselves,  but in the Lord,  as apostolic words frequently testify in Scripture. Summary Sometimes words that we hear often begin to lose their meaning. For example, you've probably been greeted several times this week with the question "how's it going," but since phrase gets used so often, it just floats into one ear and right out the other, generating just a generic reply of 'fine' or 'good.' We don't often really think about what the words actually mean when we're so used to hearing them. Don't let that be the case for this greeting Paul writes here, which you hear and read so often, in which grace and peace are extended as a blessing to you. We read these words at the beginning of nearly every epistle in the Bible - especially Paul's - and we hear them at the beginning of every worship service. So it's quite easy to just let them float in one ear and right out the other like all other routine greetings we receive without really considering the massive implication of what we just read or heard. The fact of the matter is that you deserve quite the opposite of grace and peace from God our Father. We've been reminded this year over and over that when Adam sinned, we all sinned , and in doing so, God is under no obligation to extend His blessing to us. Certainly we're each aware of our own sins that we've piled on top of that. In God's justice we ought to receive wrath, condemnation and eternal punishment. So let the magnitude of this common greeting sink in: you now have grace and peace in your life because the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for your sins to rescue you from this present evil age.   Dig Deeper   We live in a day and age where doctrine and theology are often minimized by churches who consider such things as trivial or even divisive (actually, these attitudes are nothing new; they've been present all throughout church history, often producing disastrous results). But notice how doctrinal this seemingly ordinary greeting of grace and peace is! Your ability to enjoy and live in this grace and peace is rooted in the Trinity. It comes to you from both God our Father (be thinking throughout the day of the significance of that little word our and how the meaning of this phrase would lose so much if Paul had simply written God the Father) AND the Lord Jesus Christ (again, just by referring to Jesus as Lord packs serious theological significance). Although Paul doesn't mention the Holy Spirit here in the greeting to the Galatians, he does in several other epistles. Secondly, this greeting coveys the foundation of Christian doctrine: that Christ gave Himself for our sin to rescue us. Christianity isn't simply a set of rules to live by (although it includes them) or a collection of feel good pick-me-ups for when your having a bad day (although it does that). At it's core, Christianity is an announcement of the good news regarding how the will of our God and Father was worked out for our salvation. Christian doctrine always culminates in doxology (words of praise & glory), and this short greeting of grace and peace reminds us that God is to be glorified for ever and ever for the salvation He's provided us through Jesus Christ. Even the final word of today's passage packs significant theological meaning: Amen , a word spelled & pronounced the same in every language, simply means that this blessing of grace and peace is sure to be. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father (concentrate on the simple profoundness of being able to address God that way!); A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your activities today will glorify your God and Father; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 10

Don't wander around lost; pray that the LORD will show you the road. Photo: Hendrik Morkel, via Unsplash Psalm 86 A prayer of David. 1  Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2   Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; 3   have mercy on me, LORD, for I call to you all day long. 4  Bring joy to your servant, LORD, for I put my trust in you. 5  You, LORD, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. 6  Hear my prayer, LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. 7   When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. 8   Among the gods there is none like you, LORD; no deeds can compare with yours. 9  All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, LORD; they will bring glory to your name. 10  For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. 11  Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12  I will praise you, LORD my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13  For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead. 14  Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me— they have no regard for you. 15  But you, LORD, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 16  Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did. 17  Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 10: Conversion as the Work of God The fact that those who are called through the ministry of the gospel come to Christ and are brought to conversion  must not be ­credited to human effort,  as though one distinguishes oneself  by free choice  from others who are furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion  (as the proud heresy of Pelagius maintains).  [Salvation] must be credited to God:  just as from eternity God chose his own in Christ,  so within time God effectively  calls them, grants them faith and repentance,  and,  having rescued them from the dominion of darkness,  brings them into the kingdom of his Son,  in order that they  may declare the wonderful deeds of the One  who called them out of darkness  into this marvelous light,  and may boast not in themselves,  but in the Lord,  as apostolic words frequently testify in Scripture. Summary Like so much Hebrew poetry, Psalm 86 has a chiastic structure. That's a writing style where ideas are presented in a particular order and then repeated in reverse order, like a mirror image, to highlight a central point. Here's how it looks charted out: v1-4 - Save your servant, LORD v5-6 - God's unfailing love v7 - Trouble points us to Him v8-10 - The world will glorify God v11 - Teach me your way and to fear your name v12-13 - I will glorify God v14 - Those far from God give us trouble v15- - God's unfailing love v16-17 - Save your servant, LORD We're accustomed to the stories we read/watch and the poems we listen to or sing having their primary point or meaning come at the end, but so often the Old Testament follows the Hebrew pattern of placing the main message of a narrative or psalm right smack in the middle, as David has done here.   Dig Deeper   There's lots of deep theology and practical advice here in Psalm 86, but today we only have the space to focus on the central idea that David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, builds this entire psalm around. Here it is from the NET Bible : 11  O Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Then I will obey your commands. Make me wholeheartedly committed to you. Notice that David's primary request is academic - that the LORD would teach. Loosely translated, David is asking the LORD to show me the road that I may walk in the direction you desire. David also knows his weakness - a weakness that you and I share with him: our propensity for our heart (our intellect, emotions, and volition) to easily become distracted with the things of this world and wander away from the LORD. So David's final clause in this primary point is the ultimate prayer of a lignment: to be made wholeheartedly committed to the LORD (NIV: give me an undivided heart, that I might fear your name). AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who alone is great and who does marvelous deeds; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray along with David that you will be wholeheartedly committed to fear the LORD; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 12

It's easy to forget how odd it is to be a Christian. 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (NIV) 26  Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29  so that no one may boast before him. 30  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31  Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 10: Conversion as the Work of God The fact that those who are called through the ministry of the gospel come to Christ and are brought to conversion  must not be ­credited to human effort,  as though one distinguishes oneself  by free choice  from others who are furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion  (as the proud heresy of Pelagius maintains).  No, it must be credited to God:  just as from eternity God chose his own in Christ,  so within time God effectively  calls them, grants them faith and repentance,  and,  having rescued them from the dominion of darkness,  brings them into the kingdom of his Son,  in order that they  may declare the wonderful deeds of the One  who called them out of darkness  into this marvelous light,  and may boast not in themselves,  but in the Lord,  as apostolic words frequently testify in Scripture. Summary The whole premise of today's passage seems off kilter - that God choose the foolish / weak / lowly / despised things of the world to shame and nullify the 'wisdom' and 'strength' of the world. Maybe it's just me. But it can't be just me, since it's quite likely that most of you, like me, have grown up in the wisdom and strength of the Lord, and so by His grace we've always been able to see that those who consider themselves as the wise, influential nobility of this world are actually fools. Conversely, I've never despised the things God chose to bring us righteousness, holiness, and redemption - things like a child born to a virgin who, after living a life of perfect self sacrifice, would be violently executed on a cross only to appear alive three days later to a motley crew of itinerant followers. These were things I (we) was (were) taught to exalt above all things - so far from ever considering them as foolishness So it's sort of weird to read Paul describe the things we've revered as being weak and lowly according to the world. Maybe those of you who had the blessing of being regenerated and brought to faith later in life can use the comment box below to help people like me understand: how did you view Jesus, the cross, and grace before God opened your eyes to see the truth of these things? To be clear, I'm not bragging about the fact that I've never thought of Christianity in the terms Paul uses to describe it here. In fact, sometimes I'm a bit envious of those of you who remember your conversion experience. Regardless of whether you're like me and have been raised in the knowledge of truth your entire life, or whether God's grace came upon you at a specific time later in life, we all point to the same source: It is because of God that we are in Christ Jesus. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord" ( Jerimiah 9:23-24 ).   Dig Deeper   Today's passage defines what true wisdom is: Christ Jesus has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Very few people who are wise by human standards would include these three attributes in their definition of wisdom. But these are the things you've been given by God through Christ and which you are expected to be growing in. These words certainly aren't unfamiliar, but it will be helpful to be re-grounded in what they actually mean : Righteousness - The result of doing what God requires. Holiness - Being separated from the world and dedicated / consecrated to the service of and loyalty to God. Redemption - A transaction has been made which has set you free from the power of sin and which has resulted in you now belonging to our Lord, Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is the reason that we are in Christ Jesus; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you grow in Christ, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 11

Work out your salvation, for God is at work in you. Philippians 2:12–13 (NIV) 12  Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13  for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 10: Conversion as the Work of God The fact that those who are called through the ministry of the gospel come to Christ and are brought to conversion  must not be ­credited to human effort,  as though one distinguishes oneself  by free choice  from others who are furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion  (as the proud heresy of Pelagius maintains).  No, it must be credited to God:  just as from eternity God chose his own in Christ,  so within time God effectively  calls them, grants them faith and repentance,  and,  having rescued them from the dominion of darkness,  brings them into the kingdom of his Son,  in order that they  may declare the wonderful deeds of the One  who called them out of darkness  into this marvelous light,  and may boast not in themselves,  but in the Lord,  as apostolic words frequently testify in Scripture. Summary Today's passage is another good example of tensegrity - the principle that refers to the integrity achieved by keeping your grip on doctrines that seem to be in tension with one another. On one hand, you're commanded to continue to work out your salvation. When read alone, this imperative seems to imply that your eternal destiny depends on your earthly performance - the work you accomplish. And don't be whistlin' while you work either... keep your head down, fearfully trembling as you carry out your obedience to God. But then Paul chains this instruction to a freight train moving in the opposite direction: you must continue working out your salvation... even though it is God who works in you. Maybe you've experienced this tension yourself. How often aren't you reminded that you're saved by grace, but yet you're still told to keep God's commands as if your life depends on it! The next time you feel like you're being pulled apart by Biblical doctrine, remember two things. First, the tension you feel is perceived, not actual; certainly God's word isn't contradictory (we'll dig deeper into that in a moment). Secondly, understand that this 'tension' is a good thing that keeps you from falling into error; on one hand, overemphasizing God's sovereignty in your salvation leads to fatalism, but basing your hope on your own deeds leads to either pride or hopelessness. Maintaining the tensegrity that scripture intends here can often seem difficult and uncomfortable in the midst of the tension, but you'll also realize true and lasting integrity in a world of chaos.   Dig Deeper   As is often the case, the NET Bible translation helps clarify the meaning of today's passage: continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence... ...for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort... is God. So you do have an obligation to work out your salvation. That verb is used often in the New Testament. One lexicon defines it as "to cause to be, to make to be, to make, to result in, to bring upon, to bring about." In other words, you must do the hard work of making your salvation by grace alone evident in every aspect of your life. You're not able to do that in your own strength. But fear not, for God's grace is stronger than you are! And we see how God's powerful grace enables you to work out your salvation: God is the energeō - properly translated as at work - giving you the energy to will and to act (or as the NET puts it, bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort ). So in reality, there's no tension in today's passage: God gracefully gives you the energy & desire you need to keep His commandment of salvation, for His salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. But in practice, this reality isn't comfortable, seemingly pulling you in opposite directions. But do the hard work of maintaining this tensegrity ! God has energeō -ized you to do so! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is at work in us in order to fulfill His good purpose; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that more and more you will continue working out your salvation using the energeō God provides; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 9

You might not like this passage at first, but it contains the Bible's most comforting promise! Romans 9:15-16 15  For God says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”  16  It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 10: Conversion as the Work of God The fact that those who are called through the ministry of the gospel come to Christ and are brought to conversion  must not be ­credited to human effort,  as though one distinguishes oneself  by free choice  from others who are furnished with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion  (as the proud heresy of Pelagius maintains).  No, it must be credited to God:  just as from eternity God chose his own in Christ,  so within time God effectively  calls them, grants them faith and repentance,  and,  having rescued them from the dominion of darkness,  brings them into the kingdom of his Son,  in order that they  may declare the wonderful deeds of the One  who called them out of darkness  into this marvelous light,  and may boast not in themselves,  but in the Lord,  as apostolic words frequently testify in Scripture. Summary This isn't the first time we've come to Romans 9 this year ( we also read this passage in February ), and it likely won't be the last. Indeed, we could dwell on these difficult but comforting words nearly every day as we work through the Canons of Dordt. Romans 9 is all about God's sovereignty in our salvation - that is, His control, authority and presence. In other words, your salvation does not depend upon your own desire or effort. It's completely dependent upon God's mercy. For many people - maybe even you - such a premise isn't comforting at all; in fact, it's quite the opposite. That's because in dependence - the opposite of what's being taught here - is solidly baked into your psyche. This is true for all people, living throughout the span of all ages and in all places, but the fact that you live in North America in the 21st century makes these words seem more grating than comforting. You live in a time where you watch what you want to watch when you want to watch it on TV. You choose who you want as your leaders, and to a large degree you decide for yourself how much you'll acquiesce to the dictates of leaders that don't correspond to your politics. Even if you live in a big city, you likely prefer to drive yourself rather than depend on mass transit.   Dig Deeper   All of this to say that you are very used to, and quite content with, nearly everything in your life depending on your own desires and efforts. So it can be disconcerting to read here that it - your salvation, the most valuable thing you'll ever possess - does not depend upon your independence. This is why it was so critical to spend most of our summer going through so many ugly passages from which we develop the doctrine of total depravity , detailing your absolute and complete inability to independently choose to trust in Christ for your salvation. Your desires and efforts have been so corrupted by sin that you would always cling to your stubborn rebellion rather than to Christ. That's why today's verse, stating that salvation does not depend upon your desire or effort, but on God's mercy is foundational to these Canons, which are often referred to as the doctrines of grace. For when the Holy Spirit regenerated you - that is, when He opened your heart and mind to understand both the reality of your depravity and the beauty of God's mercy - then your instinctual desire for independence began to morph into a irresistible desire to cling to Christ. You can't memorize every word of the Bible, and by God's grace, you don't need to (as opposed to the claims of Islam, which requires rote memorization of the entire Quran ). But you can and should memorize Romans 9:16. The more you come to understand it, the more you'll begin to see this verse as some of the Bible's most comforting words: Salvation does not depend upon my desire or efforts, but on God's mercy. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will have mercy on whom He'll have mercy, and compassion on whom He'll have compassion; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for changing your sinful desires and efforts , and pray for the strength to live into this regeneration; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 8

You need to hear the Word AND understand it. Photo: Tomasz Filapek, via Unsplash Matthew 13:3-9,23 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through various verses in this passage. 3   Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5   Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6   But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7   Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8   Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9   Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  10  The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11  He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12  Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13  This is why I speak to them in parables:  “Though seeing, they do not see;  though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  14  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:  “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;  you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  15  For this people’s heart has become calloused;  they hardly hear with their ears,  and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes,  hear with their ears,  understand with their hearts  and turn, and I would heal them.’  16  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17  For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.  18  “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 9: Human Responsibility for Rejecting the Gospel The fact that many who are called through the ministry of the gospel  do not come and are not brought to conversion  must not be blamed on  the gospel,  nor on Christ, who is offered through the gospel,  nor on God,  who calls them through the gospel  and even bestows various gifts on them,  but on the people themselves who are called.  Some in self-assurance  do not even entertain the Word of life;  others do entertain it but do not take it to heart, and for that reason,  after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith,  they relapse;  others choke the seed of the Word  with the thorns of life’s cares  and with the pleasures of the world and bring forth no fruits.  This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13). Summary This week are studying the parable of sower. In this parable, Jesus uses four types of soil to describe four different responses to the preaching of the Word of God. Today we turn to the fourth and final soil, the good soil that produced grain. Jesus described this soil as representing the one who hears the word and understands it. This is the person who will bear fruit. The yield of this harvest varies from seed to seed, person to person. Some will yield hundredfold, others sixty or thirty. While there are different levels of fruitfulness, the fact that the word was heard and understood makes this good soil.   Dig Deeper   Of the four soils in this parable, this is the only one that yields positive results. The first three soils had some sort of flaw that prevented the seed from producing fruit. Ultimately this is the measure of what is considered good soil: that which produces fruit. Each of the other seeds was either taken away, withered away, or got choked out before it could bear fruit. Jesus does not condemn the one who produced thirty or sixtyfold for not producing a hundredfold. What distinguishes these soils is not how much fruit they produce, but whether they produce fruit. The determining factor being the soil on which their seed was sown. This parable contrasts different responses to the preaching of the Word of God. The only response to the word that is presented in a positive light is that which produces fruit for the kingdom. Some will hear the Gospel but will not have it take hold. Others might even show signs of promise yet fail to become rooted in faith. There will also be those who are too consumed in the ways of the world for which the Word of God will not take hold. The differing responses to the seed show that the issue does not lie with the seed. Those who fail to be fruitful do so because they lack a proper relationship with God. As Paul wrote the Romans in Romans 1:21, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” What we find in the parable of the sower is the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God. Just knowing about God does not lead to fruitfulness. Only those who are truly rooted in faith will bear fruit for the kingdom. And since this is the measure that Jesus gives, be continually looking for and in prayer for ways to bear fruit for the God’s kingdom. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who causes His Word to be sown in our hearts; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that not only will you hear the Word of God, but that you'll understand it and produce a crop (bear fruit); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 7

Worries and wealth can quickly choke out your faith. Anybody who lives in a dry area is familiar with a weed called Tribulus Terrestris, commonly known as goatheads or puncturevine. It swallows everything around it with weeds that look good but choke out the crop, surrounding it with hidden, but super sharp thorns. Matthew 13:3-9, 22 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through various verses in this passage. 3   Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5   Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6   But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7   Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8   Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9   Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  10  The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11  He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12  Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13  This is why I speak to them in parables:  “Though seeing, they do not see;  though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  14  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:  “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;  you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  15  For this people’s heart has become calloused;  they hardly hear with their ears,  and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes,  hear with their ears,  understand with their hearts  and turn, and I would heal them.’  16  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17  For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.  18  “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 9: Human Responsibility for Rejecting the Gospel The fact that many who are called through the ministry of the gospel  do not come and are not brought to conversion  must not be blamed on  the gospel,  nor on Christ, who is offered through the gospel,  nor on God,  who calls them through the gospel  and even bestows various gifts on them,  but on the people themselves who are called.  Some in self-assurance  do not even entertain the Word of life;  others do entertain it but do not take it to heart, and for that reason,  after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith,  they relapse;  others choke the seed of the Word  with the thorns of life’s cares  and with the pleasures of the world and bring forth no fruits.  This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13). Summary This week are studying the parable of sower. In this parable, Jesus uses four types of soil to describe four different responses to the preaching of the Word of God. Today we turn to the third type of soil, the one already filled with thorns. The issue with this soil wasn’t the ground itself, it’s what else was present. Like a weed in a garden, these thorns were competing with the seed for needed resources such as water and nutrients. In this parable, the thorns choke out the seed. These thorns monopolized the available resources to the detriment of the seed that was sown. In his explanation to his disciples, Jesus described this seed as one who hears the word but cares instead for the things of this world.   Dig Deeper   The sad reality represented by the soil filled with thorns is that when presented with a choice between all the wonders of God and the things of this world, many people will choose that which is temporary and fleeting. As part his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught in Matthew 6:24 that, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” When it comes to where your loyalties lie, there is no room for dual allegiance. Either God is the lord of your life or something else is. If you serve money, power, or something else; then this will choke out your allegiance to Christ. Don’t treat your faith as just another part of your busy life. Your allegiance to Christ is foundational to who you are. If it becomes one amongst many, it is only a matter of time before it gets choked out for other things. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who causes His Word to be sown in our hearts; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth will not choke out God's Word, making it unfruitful; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 6

God causes the roots of faith to grow, but you're tasked with feeding them. Matthew 13:3-9,20-21 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through various verses in this passage. 3   Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5   Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6   But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7   Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8   Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9   Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  10  The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11  He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12  Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13  This is why I speak to them in parables:  “Though seeing, they do not see;  though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  14  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:  “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;  you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  15  For this people’s heart has become calloused;  they hardly hear with their ears,  and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes,  hear with their ears,  understand with their hearts  and turn, and I would heal them.’  16  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17  For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.  18  “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 9: Human Responsibility for Rejecting the Gospel The fact that many who are called through the ministry of the gospel  do not come and are not brought to conversion  must not be blamed on  the gospel,  nor on Christ, who is offered through the gospel,  nor on God,  who calls them through the gospel  and even bestows various gifts on them,  but on the people themselves who are called.  Some in self-assurance  do not even entertain the Word of life;  others do entertain it but do not take it to heart, and for that reason,  after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith,  they relapse;  others choke the seed of the Word  with the thorns of life’s cares  and with the pleasures of the world and bring forth no fruits.  This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13). Summary This week are studying the parable of sower. In this parable, Jesus uses four types of soil to describe four different responses to the preaching of the Word of God. Today we turn to the second type of soil in this parable, the rocky ground. This rocky soil is exactly that, a rocky area with a thin layer of soil between the rocks. This is not an ideal growing condition. Even though the seed will be able to get water, the lack of depth will prevent its roots from taking hold. While initially showing promise of growth, this lack of deep roots leaves the plant vulnerable and unable to survive the heat. In his explanation to the disciples, Jesus describes this soil as representing the one who hears the gospel and initially responds positively, yet the Word does not take root. This person may show signs of growth, but without the deep roots of faith, they will not persevere. Once trial or tribulation comes into the equation, they will leave the faith.   Dig Deeper   With the rocky soil Jesus tells of those with an initial reaction to the Word of God, but who lack the roots of faith and will at some point fall away. This warning should loom large considering a harmful trend in modern Christianity: the chasing of experiences. To survive during hot and dry times, plants need deep roots. Those which have shallow roots will quickly wither away. Likewise, when your faith is centered around a feeling or experience, this leads to the same problem as a plant having shallow roots. It is good and right to want to experience God’s presence, but just don’t make that the basis of your faith. We praise a loving God who has saved us from our sins and has invited us into relationship with him. Much like any relationship, there are times you will feel closer or more distant from God. The danger is that if your faith if grounded in feelings instead of a wholehearted commitment to God, what will you do when those feelings aren’t there? Take time to nurture the growth of these roots. Remain faithful in prayer and study of scripture. Regularly meet with other believers for worship. God is responsible for these roots; however, you are tasked with helping to feed them. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who causes His Word to be sown in our hearts; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the roots of your faith grow strong and deep; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 5

The evil one seeks to snatch your seed. Find out how to guard against that! Matthew 13:3-9,18-19 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through various verses in this passage. 3   Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5   Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6   But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7   Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8   Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9   Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  10  The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11  He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12  Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13  This is why I speak to them in parables:  “Though seeing, they do not see;  though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  14  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:  “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;  you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  15  For this people’s heart has become calloused;  they hardly hear with their ears,  and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes,  hear with their ears,  understand with their hearts  and turn, and I would heal them.’  16  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17  For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.  18  “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 9: Human Responsibility for Rejecting the Gospel The fact that many who are called through the ministry of the gospel  do not come and are not brought to conversion  must not be blamed on  the gospel,  nor on Christ, who is offered through the gospel,  nor on God,  who calls them through the gospel  and even bestows various gifts on them,  but on the people themselves who are called.  Some in self-assurance  do not even entertain the Word of life;  others do entertain it but do not take it to heart, and for that reason,  after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith,  they relapse;  others choke the seed of the Word  with the thorns of life’s cares  and with the pleasures of the world and bring forth no fruits.  This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13). Summary This week are studying the parable of sower. In this parable, Jesus uses four types of soil to describe four different responses to the preaching of the Word of God. Of these four responses, only one ends up being positive. The first of these soils is the path. The seed that fell along the path was eaten up by birds. We are fortunate that the parable of the sower is one which Jesus later explains to his disciples. From this we learn that when someone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was sown in their heart.   Dig Deeper   This parable speaks of these four different responses to the Word of God using the example of sowing seed. The practice described in this parable may seem off or different than farming practices today. While a farmer will typically work the field to prepare it for planting, in ancient Israel this was not the typical practice. Instead of plowing the field first, farmers would sow the seeds first and then plow them into the field. This method was inefficient compared to modern standards, as it would lead to seed being sown in places where it would not or could not be plowed into the ground. With those being the agricultural practices of that time, hearers of this parable would have been familiar with this idea of seeds falling on soil that was not ideal for its growth. The seed that fell along the path was devoured by birds. Instead of being able to sink down into the soil, the packed down dirt on the path would have made the seed easy to find. These seeds were not given the opportunity to germinate and grow. When it comes to the preaching of the Word of God, it is not enough to hear; one must also be given the gift of faith so that they can understand. Where faith and understanding are not present, the truth of the Gospel cannot germinate and grow. The preaching of the Word is only part of the equation. One must also have faith, which comes as a gift from God. This should affect how we approach evangelism. In additional to sharing the Gospel, spend time in prayer that this seed of God’s Word would take root. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who causes His Word to be sown in our hearts; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the evil one will not come and snatch away what was sown in your heart. A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 4

Your ability to understand scripture is a gift. Be sure to ask for it often! Matthew 13:3–23 (NIV) This week we'll be working our way through various verses in this passage. 3   Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5   Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6   But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7   Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8   Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9   Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  10  The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11  He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12  Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13  This is why I speak to them in parables:  “Though seeing, they do not see;  though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  14  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:  “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;  you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  15  For this people’s heart has become calloused;  they hardly hear with their ears,  and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes,  hear with their ears,  understand with their hearts  and turn, and I would heal them.’  16  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17  For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.  18  “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 9: Human Responsibility for Rejecting the Gospel The fact that many who are called through the ministry of the gospel  do not come and are not brought to conversion  must not be blamed on  the gospel,  nor on Christ, who is offered through the gospel,  nor on God,  who calls them through the gospel  and even bestows various gifts on them,  but on the people themselves who are called.  Some in self-assurance  do not even entertain the Word of life;  others do entertain it but do not take it to heart, and for that reason,  after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith,  they relapse;  others choke the seed of the Word  with the thorns of life’s cares  and with the pleasures of the world and bring forth no fruits.  This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13). Summary This week we see that the Canons of Dort directly references the parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. Tuesday through Friday this week we are going to look more closely at the types of soil mentioned in this parable. Today we are first raising a question that the disciples themselves had. Why did Jesus speak to them in parables? Jesus explains his use of parables to the disciples in this way, because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Jesus goes on to restate his use of parables by combining several Old Testament passages: though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.   Dig Deeper   People sometimes refer to parables as earthly stories with a heavenly meaning. Parables use examples common to everyday life to explain matters of a spiritual nature. But Jesus’ explanation of why he speaks in parables helps to clarify that we need more to interpret parables than just a solid set of critical thinking skills. The ability to understand Jesus’ message in the parables is a gift from God. The disciples did not come to understand the parables because they were great thinkers. They came to understand the parables because God wanted them to, even to the point of Jesus explaining the meaning of many of his parables to them in private. Many people would see and hear the teachings of Jesus without understanding. The ability to understand Jesus’ message did not come down to some ability in the individual, but as a gift of God given to those whom He chooses. Recognize God’s direct role in leading his people to understand Jesus’ parables and ultimately all of scripture, and remain faithful in prayer and open to the guidance of the Spirit. Before you open your Bible, take time to pray for God’s presence through the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding of scripture and its application to your walk of faith. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will heal those who see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will help you see, hear, and understand the words you read from scripture each day; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 3