Today's passage forms the basis for the classic hymn "I Know Whom I have Believed" 2 Timothy 1:9–12 ( Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Today: 2 Peter 1

The Bible doesn't just tell us what God did, it tells us why He did it. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) 21 God Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 20: The Justice and Mercy of God Today: Philippians 1

Of David. 1   I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. 2   Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity will voluntarily and gladly praise the LORD, others will have their knees bow in defeated submission (Philippians 2:10-11). Psalm 138 finishes by picking up on a theme David much more famously developed in the 23rd Psalm, where

Image credit 2 Corinthians 7:8–13 (NIV) 8  Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity As we read a few days ago in Psalm 23 , He shows His love by walking with you through the dark valley Today: John 21

faithful to these sinners, and so be reminded that He remains faithful to sinners like us as well. 2 Samuel 12:1–23 (NIV) 12 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Total and complete confession is the key to experiencing total and complete forgiveness. 2) His theology

FaithLife.com Ephesians 4:22–5:2 (NIV) 22  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23  to be made new in the you are still angry, 27  and do not give the devil a foothold. 28  Anyone who has been stealing must other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2   Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity

FreeDailyBibleStudy.com 2 Samuel 11:1–17 (NIV) 11 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war But David remained in Jerusalem. 2  One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity 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.

Church discipline always works. Sometimes it also results in restoration. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 85 Q. How is the kingdom of heaven closed and opened by Christian discipline? A. According to the command of Christ: Those who, though called Christians, profess unchristian teachings or live unchristian lives, and after repeated and loving counsel refuse to abandon their errors and wickedness, and after being reported to the church, that is, to its officers, fail to respond also to their admonition— such persons the officers exclude from the Christian fellowship by withholding the sacraments from them, and God himself excludes them from the kingdom of Christ. Such persons, when promising and demonstrating genuine reform, are received again as members of Christ and of his church. Summary Yesterday we read about the ugly account in which a man who had been proudly sinning in a way that made the pagans blush. Paul took the Corinthian church to task for tolerating such an ugly sin and instructed them to "expel the wicked man from among you (1 Cor. 5.13)." Church discipline, while necessary, can often seem cold and callous. But when done faithfully, it always works. Sometimes it works by simply ridding the church of a cancerous sin which might infect others. But in this particular case, and many others since then, church discipline achieves its primary goal: bringing the wayward sinner into repentance. The man we read about yesterday is quite likely the same man we read about today, only this time he's characterized by overwhelming sorrow rather than sinful pride. Being put out from the church had the exact intended effect upon him, which the Holy Spirit used to open the man's eyes to see his sin and come to repentance. Paul's instructions regarding this man are quite different than what we read yesterday. Instead of "handing him over to Satan," the church must comfort him. Rather than expulsion, he must be forgiven. Dig Deeper The Belgic Confession is part of the Three Forms of Unity, which, along with the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dordt, gives expression to what Reformed churches believe the Bible says. It gives the Church three key tasks that it must perform in order to be considered a true church: Preach the pure gospel; Maintain the pure administration of the sacraments; Exercise church discipline to punish sin. In general, we're pretty good at these first two marks. But faithfully exercising church discipline is never easy. It's awkward, embarrassing, and can easily and quickly go off the rails. Besides, as upper midwesterners, we abhor confrontation, so it's way easier to just pretend we don't see the obvious. Maybe if we just work harder at the first two marks, we think to ourselves, the need for the third will vanish. But yet we've been commanded to keep the church pure. We're not interested in chasing out repentant sinners; in fact, we need to attract more of them! But those who willfully, continually, and unrepentantly put their own wants and desires ahead of the Kingdom have no business being in it. For our own good, and possibly even theirs, we must - after repeated brotherly counsel and pleading for them to repent - show them the door. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who demands perfect obedience, but welcomes all those who repent of their sin; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your church would be welcoming to repentant sinners, but hostile to those who unrepentantly cling to sin. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Corinthians 4

The Church's primary strategy is to provide 'food for your soul'. 2 Timothy 4:1–5 (NIV) In the presence judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Today: 2 Timothy 4

Hebrews 2:1–4 (NIV) 2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2   For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity