The LORD restores those who've fallen away. FaithLife.com Psalm 95 1  Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5   The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6  Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7   for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,  the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8   “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, 9  where your fathers tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10  For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11  So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” 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 4: The Danger of True Believers’ Falling into ­Serious Sins The power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh.  Yet those converted are not always so activated and motivated by God  that in certain specific actions they - by their own fault - depart from the leading of grace,  and are led astray by the desires of the flesh,  and give in to them.  For this reason they must constantly watch and pray that they may not be led into temptations.  When they fail to do this, not only can they be carried away by  the flesh,  the world,  and Satan  into sins,  even serious and outrageous ones,  They sometimes are carried away by God’s just permission! Witness the sad cases, described in Scripture, of David, Peter, and other saints falling into sins. Summary This is the second time this year that we've come to Psalm 95. When we read it near the beginning of the year , our focus was on the first half of the Psalm, which tells of the greatness of the LORD and the fact that He is the great King above all gods. This is what we mean when we speak of God's transcendence (His sovereign rule over all things). But we also noticed how Psalm 95 demonstrates God's immanence (His nearness and presence in our daily lives). The LORD is not just some far off deity, He is our God. But a fter beginning with one of the most joyful calls to worship in the entire Psalter, Psalm 95 seems to come to a screeching halt in v8, sort of like when the bad guy comes into the saloon in an old Western movie. The LORD reminds His people - us! - to not repeat the ugly mistake of hardening our hearts the way the Israelites did during the exodus. It's hard to follow the narrative being referenced in Psalm 95, because place names like Meribah and Massah are so foreign to us. But maybe the first of the two seems a bit more familiar, since we just read about the ugly incident that took place there when the Israelite's continual grumbling caused Moses to once again lose his temper and strike the rock rather than speak to it as the LORD had commanded. It was because the Israelites tested and tried the LORD, though they had seen what He did. The LORD noticed their complete lack of alignment with Him; their hearts went astray and they have not known my ways . So, the LORD continues, I declared an oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'   Dig Deeper   This week we've read through the famous failures of some of the Bible's biggest heroes - men like Abram , Moses , King David and Peter . They, by their own fault - departed from the leading of grace, and were led astray by the desires of the flesh, and gave in to them . But we also know these sad stories were not the final chapter for any of them. With each one we saw that God's grace was stronger than they were, and that the power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh. For nearly one thousand years, Psalm 95 ended with that horrible curse God placed on that rebellious generation of Israelites, prohibiting them from entering His rest. But those words no longer mark the end of this psalm, for it was finished by the author of New Testament book of Hebrews. In the fourth chapter , after analyzing God's warning and curse in Psalm 95, the author, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and aware of Christ's victory concludes: Heb. 4:9  There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10   for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the Rock of our salvation A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will prepare you for worship on the Lord's Day, where we will come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 8

A lowly rooster crow announced both our failure, and Christ's victory. Churches often feature roosters on their steeples as an ironic sign of God's grace. This photo is the Daviot Parish Church in Scotland. Read more about it . Mark 14:66–72 (NIV) CONTEXT: The scenes below take place as Jesus was being put on trial before His crucifixion. 29  Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” 30  “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.” 31  But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same. -- 50  Then everyone deserted him [Jesus] and fled. --- 66  While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67  When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said. 68  But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. 69  When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70  Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71  He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” 72  Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.”  And he broke down and wept. 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 4: The Danger of True Believers’ Falling into ­Serious Sins The power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh.  Yet those converted are not always so activated and motivated by God  that in certain specific actions they - by their own fault - depart from the leading of grace,  and are led astray by the desires of the flesh,  and give in to them.  For this reason they must constantly watch and pray that they may not be led into temptations.  When they fail to do this, not only can they be carried away by  the flesh,  the world,  and Satan  into sins,  even serious and outrageous ones,  They sometimes are carried away by God’s just permission! Witness the sad cases, described in Scripture, of David, Peter, and other saints falling into sins. Summary Peter was a natural leader. He was the one who often gave voice to what the other disciples were thinking, but were too afraid to say out loud. It was Peter who jumped out of the boat and walked on the water to meet Jesus. He was the one who first recognized Jesus to be the Messiah that Israel had been longing for, and boldly declared this to the group. It would be Peter who, filled with the Holy Spirit, would be used to initially lead Christ's new church after Pentecost. It was Peter who led the charge, promising to stick with Jesus until the death, inspiring the other disciples to make the same pledge. This is the man who, after everyone else who had just promised their undying allegiance to Jesus had already fled, finds himself cold and alone in the courtyard of the high priest who currently presided over the sham trial that would lead to Jesus' execution. Peter, very much a co-conspirator in the eyes of the establishment, was in significant danger as he slowly edged towards the warmth of the fire. But he got a bit too close, and as he drew near the light of the fire, he was had. First the servant girl twice identified him as one who was with that Nazarene, Jesus. Then some others recognized Peter's Galilean features. All three times Peter vehemently denied it, even going so far as to call down curses as he swore to them. It was at that very moment the rooster crowed the second time causing Peter to remember the word Jesus had spoken to him predicting his denial.   Dig Deeper   All four gospels record Jesus' trial and crucifixion from different perspectives, so not every element of what took place that long night is included in every gospel account. But Peter's denial was so significant that it is one of the few aspects that is found in all four. It's easy to dump on Peter. His failures get remembered far more often than his leadership; he quickly sank after his first few steps on the lake; immediately after recognizing Jesus' true identity, Jesus calls him Satan  for misunderstanding Jesus' mission. Peter, the initial leader of the early church, gets scolded by Paul later on in Acts. And worst of all is his bald faced denials of the Savior whom hours before he had bravely swore to stand by to the death. But I think the reason that all four gospels include this element in their accounts isn't because Peter's an easy target, but for exactly the opposite reason. If Peter, the Rock who'd demonstrated his courage time and time again, could cave so easily, how much more quickly would the rest of us wilt? In this sad story, Peter stands in for us all. But don't miss the good news in this story. Out of all the ways Jesus could have alerted Peter to his abject failure, He used a rooster. A rooster which was created to instinctively crow at one specific time each day: at the end of a long night, just before dawn. That rooster's crow didn't just announce Peter/our dismal failure, but also the coming daylight when Jesus would triumphantly rise. The rooster's crow, which initially caused Peter to break down and weep, now reminds you that God's grace is stronger than Peter, so it's certainly stronger than us! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who controls all things, even a lowly rooster; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength to stand firm for Christ, and thank God for His grace when you, like Peter, fall on your face in failure; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 7

Each sin is powerful enough to break every commandment, but God's grace is stronger! FreeDailyBibleStudy.com 2 Samuel 11:1–17 (NIV) 11 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. 2  One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3   and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4  Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5  The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” 6   So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. 7   When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8  Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9  But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house. 10  David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?” 11  Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” 12  Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13  At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home. 1 4  In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15  In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.” 16  So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17  When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. 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 4: The Danger of True Believers’ Falling into ­Serious Sins The power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh.  Yet those converted are not always so activated and motivated by God  that in certain specific actions they - by their own fault - depart from the leading of grace,  and are led astray by the desires of the flesh,  and give in to them.  For this reason they must constantly watch and pray that they may not be led into temptations.  When they fail to do this, not only can they be carried away by  the flesh,  the world,  and Satan  into sins,  even serious and outrageous ones,  They sometimes are carried away by God’s just permission! Witness the sad cases, described in Scripture, of David, Peter, and other saints falling into sins. Summary This week we've been reviewing the sad stories of great Biblical men who stumbled into sin. Today we read the story of one of the Bible's greatest men - King David, the man after God's own heart - who fell face first into a series of some of the Bible's biggest sins. The commandment violations David stacks up here are massive, starting with the entire second table of the Law, which governs our horizontal relationships. David's adultery and murder are obvious. Slightly less so, but still very plain, are his coveting and bearing false witness, in that his ploy bringing Uriah back home was nothing more than just a well orchestrated lie in hopes of covering up evidence. David also stole another man's wife, breaking the fifth of the six commandments in the second table. But he shatters the sixth as well: he failed to honor his father and mother in that Bathsheba's father and grandfather were one of David's mighty men (2 Samuel 23) and a senior advisor respectively; both men had a bond with David closer than blood. Certainly it's not possible to break the second table of the law without first shattering the first (which covers our relationship to the LORD). If we had the space we could demonstrate how David did that as well. But the point is made. David's sin crushed all ten commandments.   Dig Deeper   As we've studied the Canons of Dordt together this year, our theme has been demonstrating how it is that God's grace is stronger than we are. And this glorious truth shines the brightest in this fifth and final doctrine of the Canons, the perseverance of the saints. We read it so plainly last week in Article 3, that God is faithful... powerfully preserving us in the grace he conferred on us to the end. So maybe it seems odd after a powerful promise like that to give a stark warning, but that's exactly what the Canons do here in Article 4. You must constantly watch and pray that you would not be led into temptations . When you fail to do this, you can be carried away... into sins, even serious and outrageous ones . The Canons echo scripture in describing the three ruthless enemies that wage war against you in hopes of dragging you into sin: The flesh - this is Sarx , your sinful human nature that scripture commands you to continually kill off. This is your most common and continual enemy, but it often works in tandem with its two allies: The world - the wealth, money and power that Sarx continually lusts after; and Satan - Let's not give the devil too much credit. He's not omnipresent like our God, so with billions of people in the world, you're not likely to face him directly. But Peter reminds us he's like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour . Thank God that His power strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh (and the world and Satan as well). Pray that the Holy Spirit will keep you activated and motivated to fight against the constant temptation you face. ( Be sure to read about David's repentance and restoration in Psalm 51 !) AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose ten commandments cover every facet of our lives; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would constantly watch and pray that you may not be led into temptations; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 6

God's grace flows despite our ongoing sin. Numbers 20:1–13 (NIV) 20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam [Moses' sister] died and was buried. 2   Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3  They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4   Why did you bring the LORD's community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5   Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!” 6  Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7   The LORD said to Moses, 8  “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” 9   So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. 10  He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11  Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12  But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” 13  These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he was proved holy among 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 4: The Danger of True Believers’ Falling into ­Serious Sins The power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh.  Yet those converted are not always so activated and motivated by God  that in certain specific actions they - by their own fault - depart from the leading of grace,  and are led astray by the desires of the flesh,  and give in to them.  For this reason they must constantly watch and pray that they may not be led into temptations.  When they fail to do this, not only can they be carried away by  the flesh,  the world,  and Satan  into sins,  even serious and outrageous ones,  They sometimes are carried away by God’s just permission! Witness the sad cases, described in Scripture, of David, Peter, and other saints falling into sins. Summary It's easy to see the Israelite's sin in today's passage. They'd already been sentenced by the LORD to wander in the desert for decades until the previous generation was dead and gone as a result of their previous perpetual complaints. They'd seen firsthand, over and over again, the miracles the LORD had wrought on their behalf, and had even heard God's voice call down to them from Sinai. And yet, here they are again, whining that their life of slavery in Egypt was preferable to God's almighty provision. But it's Moses who's the primary villain in this passage, not the sniveling population. And although his sin is obvious, in that once again his temper got the best of him as it had so often before, God's punishment of restricting his entry into the Promised Land initially seems overly harsh. In 1848, English preacher Robert Rawnsley unpacked the true severity of Moses' sin: Moses had failed in his duty towards God, and that in three particulars. (1) He had failed in strict obedience. God had bidden him speak to the rock, and he had smitten it, smitten it twice. (2) He had shown temper, used hard language. “Hear now, ye rebels.” (3) He had taken to himself the credit of supplying the Israelites with water. “Must we fetch water for you out of the rock?” This week we're being reminded that even the greatest of the Biblical saints had tremendous weakness and often failed miserably, as Moses did at Meribah. So it is that the Canons warn you of your weakness: when you fail to watch and pray that you not be lead into temptation, you can be carried away by the flesh, the world, and Satan into sins, even serious and outrageous ones. But don't miss that God gracefully caused water to gush out of a rock in the desert despite the egregious sins of His people and their leaders. So as you stumble through life, complaining like the Israelites and losing your cool like Moses, be sure to cling to God's amazing grace, which is far stronger than you are.   Dig Deeper   Commentator Rousas Rushdoony sees the rock in today's passage serving as two separate analogies: The rock represents Christ, the water of life. At the same time, it represents mankind in its hardness of heart. It is as unlikely for water to gush out of a dry rock in a desert as it is for unregenerate men to hear and believe. The command, however, is, “Speak to the rock.” It may seem an absurdity to do so. Isaiah was commanded to speak to people who would hear, but understand not, and see, but perceive not (Isa. 6:9). Our task is not as difficult, but, in any case, the command is clear: “Speak to the rock.” God’s word shall not return unto Him void, “but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:11). Therefore, go, “Speak to the rock.” Discourage-ment is wrong. We must speak to the rock, and, if they will not hear, “shake off the dust of your feet” and move on (Matt. 10:14). AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose glory appeared to Moses and Aaron, and who provided water for His sinful people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would trust in the LORD enough to honor Him as holy; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 5

Anxiety begins the moment you move away from God's command. Genesis 12 (NIV) 12 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2   “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  3   I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4   So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5  He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 6  Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7  The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8  From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. 9  Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. 10  Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11  As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12  When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13  Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” 14  When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15   And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16  He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. 17  But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18  So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19  Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20  Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had. 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 4: The Danger of True Believers’ Falling into ­Serious Sins The power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh.  Yet those converted are not always so activated and motivated by God  that in certain specific actions they - by their own fault - depart from the leading of grace,  and are led astray by the desires of the flesh,  and give in to them.  For this reason they must constantly watch and pray that they may not be led into temptations.  When they fail to do this, not only can they be carried away by  the flesh,  the world,  and Satan  into sins,  even serious and outrageous ones,  They sometimes are carried away by God’s just permission! Witness the sad cases, described in Scripture, of David, Peter, and other saints falling into sins. Summary Abraham is, of course, a household name all over the world. The three great religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity all hold Abraham in the highest regard. And when we see his faith on display here at the beginning of Genesis 12, it's easy to see why! God calls to Abram, seemingly out of nowhere, and tells him to leave all that he knows and go to the land I will show you. Immediately after reading the LORD's promised blessing, we read the simple line, so Abram went, as the LORD had told him. He doesn't know where he's going or why, but those details don't matter at this point. The LORD commanded, and Abram obeyed without hesitation. That's true faith. So although the entire world is very familiar with the first half of Genesis 12, it's easy to either overlook or set aside the abject failure of Abram's faith in the second half. The problem starts when he takes matters into his own hands. The LORD had sent him to Canaan, but then a famine hit, and rather than trust God to provide, Abram, on his own initiative, headed down to the abundance of Egypt. As soon as Abram deviates from the LORD's instructions, anxiety sets in. Abram doesn't trust the LORD to keep him and his wife safe in Egypt, so he concocts a plan for that contingency as well, telling his wife to identify as his sister. That wasn't a complete fabrication (which seems creepy to our ears but society was far different then), but it wasn't the full truth either. After the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharoah and his household because of Sarai, Pharoah unknots the deceptions Abram had spun and returned Sarai. How ironic that this chapter that begins with the Patriarch demonstrating tremendous faith ends with a pagan doing the right thing. Notice that the chapter ends with Abram silent in his shame.   Dig Deeper   This week we're going to dig into the stories of Biblical saints as they, by their own fault - depart from the leading of grace, and are led astray by the desires of the flesh . The Canons bring us to these sad accounts for two reasons. First, so that you are reminded that you must constantly watch and pray that you would not be led into temptations. Although the power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh, you're not always so activated and motivated by God to be able to resist all of the temptations that bombard you. So stay far from them! Secondly, we're reminded of the failures of great saints like Abraham to understand that it wasn't their greatness that saved them. It was the fact that God's grace is stronger than they were. This week we'll read that although these men seriously stumbled, God's grace brought them to repentance and restoration. This is the same grace that has you firmly in its grip. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who blessed Abraham so that all peoples on earth would be blessed through him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would not be led into temptations; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 4

Life may look way better for others, but you're being guided to glory by the LORD's counsel. Life on the wide road always seems more attractive as you walk the narrow road. Psalm 73 A psalm of Asaph. 1   Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2   But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3   For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity ( šā·lôm ) of the wicked. 4   They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5   They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. 6   Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7   From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. 8   They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. 9  Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10  Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11  They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” 12  This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. 13  Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. 14  All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. 15  If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. 16  When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply 17  till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18  Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19  How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20  They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21  When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22  I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23  Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25  Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27  Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28  But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. 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 3: God’s Preservation of the Converted Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end. Summary You've noticed what the psalmist Asaph notices here, probably more often than not. You've also envied the arrogant - those who on one hand have callous hearts, who scoff and speak with malice, and who ignore God altogether, yet who seem to have tremendous prosperity (literally: šā·lôm (shalom), the condition in which every thing is the way it's supposed to be). Their lives are always free of care, Asaph complains, and they go on amassing wealth. Worse yet, crowds of people turn to them and drink up everything they have to say. Asaph goes on to conclude he's been wasting his time working so hard to remain faithful to the LORD. Surely in vain, he writes, I have kept my heart pure. Yet all he seems to have gotten in return is affliction, and every morning brings new punishments. But then Asaph snaps back into reality as he entered the sanctuary of God. Do you see how important it is for you to recenter yourself each week by going to the Lord's house and hearing His Word proclaimed? It was there, Asaph reports, that he understood their final destiny. The wicked, whose lives appear so attractive, would be destroyed, completely swept away by God's justice.   Dig Deeper   In the final stanza (v18-28), Asaph confesses his embittered senseless ignorance, and it's then that he realizes God is always with him, holding him by his right hand and guiding him with His counsel. My flesh and my heart may fail, Asaph concludes, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. And so it is with you. Asaph's prayer of confession forms a beautiful foundation for these opening articles contained in this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in you, the Canons confess, and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, you could not remain standing in this grace if left to your own resources. But that's the beauty of Asaph's gospel here in Psalm 73! You're not left to your own resources! Your Father will guide you with His counsel and afterwards He will take you into glory! Sunday's quickly coming once again. You have discretion as to how you'll spend your time this weekend, so make going to the Lord's house a priority, because it is good to be near God. As you make the sovereign LORD your refuge, you'll be all the more refreshed and equipped to tell of all His deeds in the week to come. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is good to the pure in heart; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the LORD will truly be the strength of your heart and your portion forever; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 3

God holds on to you by strengthening you. Bible.com 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5 (LSB) 3   Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did  also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men, for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will continue to  do what we command. 5 And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. 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 3: God’s Preservation of the Converted Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end. Summary Paul had faithfully learned this lesson the hard way - that in all times and places there are perverse and evil men, for not all have faith. Spend a few minutes paging through the book of Acts and be reminded of all the persecution the Apostles faced. Paul tells the Corinthians of the troubles, hardships and distresses... beatings, imprisonments and riots... hard work, sleepless nights and hunger he endured at the hands of these evil men as he preached the good news (2 Corinthians 6:4-5). By God's grace, you're not likely to face those things. Although there are Christians throughout the world who do continue to suffer this way, most don't. Now our congregations meet in nice, climate controlled facilities and our members for the most part are well to do and friendly. There's likely a committee in our church that has a ten step plan for growth, so we have - or at least we think we have - everything under control. So it's so easy for us to forget to do what Paul begs the Thessalonians to do: to pray that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified . It's interesting how Paul frames this request. His prayer isn't that churches will grow numerically or even that the people in those churches will strengthen their faith or go deeper in their discipleship. Rather, Paul's concern is that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly (literally: run ) and that it will be glorified (given honor and respect) . Paul knows that when the gospel is unchained and boldly proclaimed, churches will grow in every sense of the word, and so this is what he wants people to pray for.   Dig Deeper   Paul also requests the Thessalonians pray that he'll be rescued from these perverse and evil men, but for all of the trouble and hardship such men caused Paul throughout his missionary journeys, his words here can in no way be understood to be pessimistic and hopeless. Quite the opposite, in fact! Paul's confidence comes from knowing that the Lord is faithful and that He'll strengthen and guard you from the evil one. This is one of the core aspects of this final doctrine of the Canons of Dordt known as the Perseverance of the Saints . Even though your life remains plagued by problems, temptations and failures, you can be certain that God is faithful and will powerfully preserve you in His grace to the end. Paul offers a benediction (words of blessing) on your behalf in today's final verse, praying that the Lord would direct your heart into the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ. He's asking God to do what God has promised to do: hold you tightly with grace that's stronger than you are. God uses ordinary means (tools) to direct your heart: the preaching of His Word, your participation in the sacraments, and the discipline & discipleship of the Church. These are the commands you must continue to do. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is is faithful, and who will strengthen and guard you from the evil one; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 2

God's grace is the gift that keeps on giving! Bible.com 1 Corinthians 1:4–9 (NIV) 4   I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5   For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6   God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7   Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8   He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9   God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 3: God’s Preservation of the Converted Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end. Summary It's easy to have a limited understanding of grace which keeps it relegated to the realm of the undeserved forgiveness and justification we've been given in lieu of the wrath and punishment our sins deserve. This is the amazing grace we sing of, that saved a wretch like me. Certainly this is the primary aspect of grace, and even if it were the only aspect of grace we'd still owe our God an eternity of gratitude for giving it to us. But there's so much more to the grace given you in Christ Jesus that Paul always thanks God for. Not only has this grace forgiven your sins, but it has enriched you in every way. In other words, God's grace permeates into every part of your life, enabling you to glorify God in everything you do. Your worship, therefore, extends past the Lord's Day as you experience and live into God's gift of grace in your work, relationships and even your recreation. But Paul keys in on two particular ways God's grace has enriched you: with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge. Commentator David Prior notes , "The two words here are logos and gnōsis , both bundles of dynamite in the early church... On the speaking side he would have included... any use of the gift of speech which contributes to the building up of the church. As far as knowledge is concerned, the church as a body has access to all the wisdom, insight, discernment and truth which it needs: it needs no special gurus to bring it to them." So it is that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. Unfortunately, it's likely the case that, as much as you value God's grace in your life, you don't really think this verse applies to you. You probably think that somehow you got left out of the spiritual gift distribution. But you were not left out! Yet you do need to do the hard work (which we read about last Wednesday and Thursday ) of discovering and developing God's gracious gifts in your life.   Dig Deeper   The Canons make it clear that those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But, praise God, you haven't been left to stand on your own! Paul assures you that our Lord Jesus Christ will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is one of those words so rich in meaning that there's more than one way to translate into English. Christ will sustain you (ESV), strengthen you (NET) and confirm you to the end (LSB). The Canons go on to give you comfort and confidence by using language directly lifted from today's passage: God is faithful, mercifully strengthening you in the grace once conferred on you and powerfully preserving you in it to the end. Once again you're reminded that God's grace, which has enriched you in every way, is stronger than you are. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the desire to discover and develop all of the gifts our Father has graciously given to you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Peter 5

Even the best you can do is like filthy rags. And that's good news! Logos.com Isaiah 64:1–8 (NIV) 64 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! 2   As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! 3   For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. 4  Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. 5  You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? 6   All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. 7   No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. 8  Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. 9  Do not be angry beyond measure, LORD; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people. 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 3: God’s Preservation of the Converted Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end. Summary We've seen over and over as we've read the Bible together that one of the most fundamental components of our prayers is a cknowledging who God is. Doing so reminds us of God's glorious and powerful attributes as we come to Him in prayer, giving us a peace producing confidence that He has control over every situation. That's why a cknowledgement, the first 'A' of our triple A prayer pattern, so often comes at the beginning of prayers, as it sets the tone for everything that follows. In many ways the first seven verses of today's passage - this prayer Isaiah composed - comprise a giant lead in to the formal a cknowledgement of God that culminates in v8: Yet you, LORD, are our Father. A couple of things stand out about Isaiah's extended a cknowledgement. First, Isaiah flips the script on the way we so often pray. Our prayer - which Jesus taught us! - is often for God to deliver us from evil and from the situations which press us down. Isaiah, however, also inspired by the Holy Spirit, prays for the opposite. Rather than simply asking to be lifted out of life's misery, Isaiah begs God to rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble! Isaiah's short opening overture captures the entire message of scripture. Certainly our Father does deliver us from evil and from a host of pestilences, persecutions and problems, but the Bible doesn't end with God simply evacuating His children from this sin infested globe. Rather, it ends with the heavens rent open, the mountains trembling and the nations quaking as the Lord victoriously comes down to act on behalf of those who wait for Him.   Dig Deeper   It's the other aspect that stands out in Isaiah's a cknowledgement that draws our attention today. Indeed, one of the primary reasons the Bible teaches us to make a cknowledging God such a primary part of our prayer is that doing so causes us to see ourselves as we truly relate to God (which is the primary function of religion). As Isaiah contemplates the LORD's glory coming to the help of those who gladly do right, it becomes immediately apparent to him that on our own, we are not people who gladly do right. Rather, we continue to sin... all of us have become like one who is unclean. And it's not just our weak lapses that convict us, even our righteous acts are like filthy rags! All of this sounds so familiar from when we worked our way through the ugly doctrines of total depravity several months ago. Yet the Canons bring us back to our pathetic inability to follow God's simple commands here again today, not just to clobber us one more time, but to help lay the foundation for the massive comfort we call the perseverance of the saints. Isaiah had it figured out hundreds of years before Christ was even born. After seeing fallen humanity in the reflection of God's holiness, Isaiah cries out how then can we be saved?!? The Canons summarize the whole of scripture to answer his question. Even those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources . But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end. In other words, a cknowledging our depravity in the light of God's holiness makes it clear that God's grace is far stronger than we are, and reminds us that we are preserved by His strength, not ours. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : You, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that through God's preserving grace you will strive to lay hold of Him; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Peter 4

Jesus has big plans for you as you remain in Him. Logos.com John 15:1–8 (NIV) CONTEXT: Jesus has just finished the Passover meal with His disciples in the upper room. Judas has just left to betray Him, and now they’ve headed out in the night for the Garden of Gethsemane, where He’ll be arrested. Jesus has been using these final moments to download a massive dose of theology onto the remaining disciples, who are tired, overwhelmed and terrified at this point. He gives them this metaphor to help them understand. 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4   Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  5   “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6   If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8   This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 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 3: God’s Preservation of the Converted Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end. Summary It's interesting the way that Jesus describes Himself here - not just that He calls Himself the Vine, for the Bible uses this metaphor to describe God's people often, but that He specifies that He's the true vine. Jesus knew that His disciples - and us - live in a world of false vines , all of which beckon for our attention and allegiance. Judas had just made His move, cutting himself away from Christ and grafting himself to the world in exchange for a bag of silver.  Today you will face all sorts of temptation to do the same. You likely won’t be tempted to sell out your Savior to the local goon squad like Judas did, but the false vine that threatens you the most is even more insidious. Whereas Judas needed to help Jesus' enemies find Him, your enemy follows you wherever you go: Sarx  - your old sinful nature.   Dig Deeper   Our strongest weakness has always been our deep desire for independence - we want to bear fruit by ourselves. It seems so limiting and constricting to remain in Jesus; and even more so to have Him remain in you!   Then there’s the perennial pruning that our Father, the gardener, subjects us to - it hurts! And so often He cuts away the things we want the most. There’s nothing that Sarx wants more than to break free from this perceived bondage and join itself to a less restrictive vine, or no vine at all. Jesus knows how strong this temptation is. Adam fell for it, and Satan had tried to get Jesus to give into it as well. Over the next few hours, all of his disciples will have succumbed to it. So He pleads with them - and you - to fight against it. No branch can bear fruit by itself, Jesus explains, it must remain in the vine. He goes on to warn them that apart from Me you can do nothing. Ultimately this quest for independence ends up withered, thrown into the fire and burned. The Canons echo Jesus' words of warning, reminding you that you could not remain standing in this grace if left to your own resources. So listen to Jesus' earnest call to remain in me! Although Jesus' metaphor about the vine and the branches gives strong warnings about the consequences of abandoning the true vine, His words of encouragement ring out even louder. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, Jesus promises, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you! This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourself to be my disciple. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the gardener growing the one true vine; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will mercifully strengthen you in the grace once conferred on you and powerfully preserve you in it to the end; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Peter 3