You can know for sure if God has elected you. scripturetype.com Hebrews 11:1-6 (NIV) 11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2  This is what the ancients were commended for. 3  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4  By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5  By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-11 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: God’s election is unalterable. Malachi 3:6-7 - Keep It Simple Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchanging Anchor Hebrews 13:1-8 - Keep On Loving Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchangeable Blessing Psalm 110 - Victory in Jesus Article 12: The Assurance of Election Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time,  though by various stages and in differing measure.  Such assurance comes  not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God,  but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word— such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. Summary When we read this passage last year , we noted that there's so much meaning packed into the Greek word translated as confidence that it takes multiple English words to capture the essence. Faith certainly results in confidence, but it also enables you to be sure, to realize what you hoped for, so that you have full assurance and conviction that what God has communicated to us in His Word is absolutely true. True learning and understanding are only possible for those who have faith in God's Word. Sure, people can discover facts apart from true faith, but on their own they'll often assemble all of those facts in a way that conveys something far different than the truth, sort of like the incomprehensible picture that would come out of forcing puzzle pieces together in the wrong order. It's only by faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. But even more importantly, you need true faith to make you right with God. Abel's offering wasn't any different than Cain's, but only Abel's was acceptable because he offered it in faith , and therefore God commended it as righteous . In other words, as the Bible also says of Abraham, God credited righteousness - the most important thing you need to be at peace with God - to Abel based on faith alone.   Dig Deeper   Can you really know if this unconditional election we've been studying all year applies to you? It would be nice if the thumbs of those God elected turned blue or we had some other sort of physical mark we could see to know for sure if God had chosen us or not. Even though your thumb won't change color, you can be just as certain of your election as if it had. This week we're going to be discovering how God conveys assurance of your eternal and unchangeable election to salvation through four unmistakable fruits of election. The first of these four fruits is a true faith in Christ . As we've already learned this year, the only way that you can have true faith is if God gives it to you . This means that if you truly do trust Christ as your Savior, you have faith, and therefore can be certain of your election ! And since you know that God's election is irrevocable, you can continue to be certain of it even when doubt encroaches upon your faith. As an added bonus, this faith you've been given in your election helps you fulfill the very purpose you were created for. Without faith it is impossible to please God , but because you believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him , you can confidently do the work He's set before you, knowing that it's pleasing and acceptable to Him through Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is pleased with all those He's given faith to; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will make every effort to build up the faith that you've been given; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 10

God has promised you victory in Jesus, and He will not change His mind! Image: Unsplash Psalm 110 Of David. A psalm. 1  The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 2  The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” 3  Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.  4  The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” 5  The LORD is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6  He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. 7  He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary Psalm 110 could easily be summarized in one word: victory. This Psalm of course portrays victory for the LORD. Notice His sovereign power and how it achieves victory: I will make your enemies a footstool; The LORD will extend your scepter; The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind (of course this is the verse that grabs our attention this week as we remind ourselves of God's immutability!); The LORD is at your right hand; He will crush kings and judge the nations; The LORD will lift His head high. But this week's Psalm also conveys another key theme in the Psalms - a theme which was introduced way back in the second Psalm : that the LORD will share His victory with His anointed King. It's obvious that Psalm 110 captures a monologue of the LORD. The psalm opens with the phrase The LORD says to my lord... The question is, who is the LORD speaking to? The gospels record Jesus asked this very same question a number of times throughout His ministry (Mt 22:44, Mk 12:36, and Lk 20:42). Jesus notes that David wrote this psalm, yet David certainly wouldn't refer to himself as the LORD ( YHWH ), but it doesn't make sense that he would refer to himself as my lord either. So who is the LORD talking to here in Psalm 110?   Dig Deeper   Whereas Jesus only asks the question rhetorically and never fully answers it, Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not only asks the same question about this psalm that Jesus did, but he goes on to answer it in no uncertain terms: Acts 2:34-39 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has sworn and will not change His mind; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will have the confidence in the LORD's victory that Psalm 110 promises; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 9

God is the one thing you can trust in this shifty world. WorldChallenge.org Numbers 23:19–20 CONTEXT: In Numbers 22–24, King Balak of Moab fears the growing strength of Israel as they camp near his land, so he hires the prophet Balaam to pronounce a curse on them. However, God intervenes, commanding Balaam to speak only what He permits. Despite Balak’s repeated attempts to secure a curse, Balaam delivers three prophetic blessings over Israel, affirming God’s faithfulness and sovereign will. Today's passage is from Balaam's second attempt. But once again, King Balak doesn't get the curse on Israel he hoped for. Instead, Balaam says, 19  God is not man, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? 20  I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. 21  “No misfortune is seen in Jacob no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary Balaam was a pagan prophet for hire, so to speak. For the right price, he would tell you whatever you wanted to hear from the gods, conveying either divine blessings or curses depending on what his client was after. Though not an Israelite, he had some awareness of the LORD, the true and living God, and could receive divine revelations from Him. If you're familiar with Balaam at all, it's probably from the episode in the previous chapter in which his donkey spoke to him, warning Balaam that the Angel of the LORD stood before them blocking the way. The Bible presents the story of Balaam with a heavy dose of irony, even humorously at times (as it also does with characters like Jonah and Esther). As one commentator puts it , "If we will not speak or act for God, He can use a jackass to accomplish His will. We are not as important as we often think we are." Commentator Ronald Allen best explains what's going on in this passage and why it's grabbed our attention today. He writes, The words God is not a man, that he should lie describe both the immutability of the Lord and the integrity of his word. Balaam is himself a foil for God. Balaam is constantly shifting, equivocating, changing—he is himself the prime example of the distinction between God and humanity. Balaam’s view of the gods was based on his own human failings. Now he confronts God, who is not at all like humans in their failures. This fact is the stunning reality. All others may change; God—even with all of his power—cannot change, for he cannot deny himself. God must fulfill his promise, for he has bound his character to his Word (emphasis added).   Dig Deeper   One of the reasons it's so hard for you at times to trust God is that it's often so hard for you to trust people in general. You've likely developed an instinctual wariness about people over time because everywhere you turn you're surrounded by all sorts of lying, cheating, and duplicity. Even more tragically, if you're honest with yourself you probably see those ugly traits in your own life as well. So let these words that God spoke through the mouth of this wayward prophet sink in and remind you why it is that you can trust that God's grace is stronger than you are, even in a world where there are so few people you can trust: The LORD has blessed, and I [nor anyone or anything else] cannot change it. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who does not lie nor change His mind, who has blessed you and called you to belong to Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will increase your trust of Him in all things; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 8

Your ability to love depends on your growing knowledge of Christ. bibleversestogo.com Hebrews 13:1-8 (NIV) 13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2  Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3  Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4  Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  6  So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere men do to me?”  7  Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary New Testament epistles (letters) often end with a list of exhortations (short, practical instructions) like what is found here at the end of Hebrews. So much of Hebrews is focused vertically, demonstrating what Christ came down to do for humanity. This final passage draws some horizontal conclusions from those vertical doctrines; in other words, it shows how a people who are in Christ ought to interact with those around them. Notice the ongoing aspect of each of the commands: keep on loving; do not forget to show hospitality; continue to remember; keep the marriage bed pure; keep your lives free from the love of money. The Christian life isn't defined by a flash-in-the-pan decision to believe in Christ, but rather a lifelong pursuit of godliness day after day. There's another common thread that runs through these instructions, but it isn't as apparent in English as it is in the Greek this passage was originally written in. But since Greek is easier to understand than you might think, you can recognize and make sense of some of the key words used in this passage: v1 - phila-delphia - Keep on loving your brothers v2 - phila-xenias - Remember to love strangers (the word xeno phobic means fear of strangers/foreigners) v5 - a-phila-argyros - Do not love silver/money (The a prefix negates the verb (phila / love) that follows. Now you know why the symbol on the periodic table of elements for silver is AR! Based on this passage, you could easily summarize the Christian life in just two words: directed love.   Dig Deeper   These exhortations at the end of Hebrews are not just a cold, harsh collection of do's and don'ts meant to define your religion. That's the problem so many people have; to them, doctrine seems dry and boring, and it seems so much more efficient to just cut to the chase and focus on the practical outworkings of Christianity. So they try to live according to these sort of instructions, detached from their doctrinal foundations, and sooner or later end up burning out. So be sure to understand these commands in their context! First of all, they come at the very end of one of the most detailed books in the Bible explaining who Christ is and how He has forever accomplished your salvation. It only makes sense that in order for you to live and love the way Christ did, you must first know Christ well. In the same way, in order to keep on living and loving as Christ did, you must keep on coming to know Him more and more. The learning never stops for Christians! Secondly, notice how these exhortations are rooted to the very character of God right in the passage they come in. When it's hard to love like Christ and be content with what you have because the world continually presses in on you, you can remember God's promise to you: that Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you. No matter how your circumstances change on a continual basis, you can keep on living in love because you know that: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will never forsake us; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will come to know Christ in a way that causes you to live in love toward him and all those around you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 7

Anchor your hope in God's unchanging purpose! Image Credit: Unsplash Hebrews 6:13-20 (NIV) 13  When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14  saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15  And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16  People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17  Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18  God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20  where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary Although it's fallen out of fashion, there was once a day in which if you really wanted to add weight to a commitment or add credibility to a claim, you might throw in the phrase on my honor! The value of this phrase, of course, would depend upon the value of your honor. If you'd lived a life of morals and integrity, then people would be encouraged to accept the proposal you were offering, but if you had a shady past, your honor wouldn't be worth much. In other words, past performance is often an accurate predictor of future results. But it's not a guarantee. As an honorable person, you might make a promise with the best of intentions, but be kept from fulfilling it by forces outside of your control. Even though you desperately want to act in accordance with past behavior, you can't. God can certainly point to His past performance as an accurate predictor of future results. But unlike anyone else, God can guarantee the future results He promises because they're based on the unchanging nature of His purpose. His purpose, just like God Himself, exists outside of time, so its very nature is nonnegotiable (literally: impossible to change its stand - it can't be knocked down!). As if the unchanging nature of God's purpose wasn't enough, our passage today throws in another unchangeable attribute of God: It is impossible for God to lie (literally: God does not have the power/ability to lie ).   Dig Deeper   The author to the Hebrews understands the practical significance of God's unchanging nature. We have this hope , he writes, as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Maybe you might find it difficult to trust in God's promises because you live in such a tumultuous world, and every day you feel slammed by monstrous waves of change and hurt by people who didn't keep their promises. But notice what this hope you are promised by God is anchored in! It's not just loosely tied to a future result that may or may not come to fruition. No, it's solidly rooted in the accomplished work of Christ, who has already become your high priest forever (remember, a priest is one who represents people to God). Over two centuries ago, Edward Mote captured this concept poetically in verses that we still sing today: When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who can not lie or change; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be encouraged as you take hold of this hope set before you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 6

Benefit from deep theology by viewing it through God's simple truths. Biblia.com Malachi 3:6-7 CONTEXT: God speaks through the prophet Malachi to confront Israel's spiritual apathy and corrupt worship. Our short passage today comes between two of these accusations. 6  “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7  Ever since the time of your fathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary So far this year, we've been working hard to wrap our minds around this difficult concept that God unconditionally elected those He would save. We've already been reminded that when theology gets complicated, it's a good practice to simplify it by going back to its foundational roots: the attributes of God that the Bible tells us so much about. In this short little passage in Malachi, we're reminded of three key characteristics of God: 1) God is immutable . That's probably not a word that you've used yet this week, so it might be better to just simply quote God's own words that open today's passage: I the LORD do not change. We're going to spend the rest of this week being comforted by this awesome attribute, because through it you come to understand that, as the Canons put it, God's election of you can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled, so therefore you can be certain that you will never be cast off. 2) God is just. Remember that you are in a covenantal relationship with God in which He has committed Himself to be your God, and you therefore belong to Him, and are expected to keep His decrees. These decrees - also referred to in the Bible as His laws, commands, precepts, etc - are not burdensome or overbearing. In fact, they define how to live a happy life fulfilling your purpose to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! 3) God is faithful. God's people - Israel then, and the Church now - have consistently turned away from God's decrees and have not kept them. So we completely deserve to be destroyed! But God remains faithful to His covenant even though we do not! The NET Bible captures this idea well, translating the opening line as Since, I, the LORD, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished. God continues to plead with people even today the way He did thousands of years ago through the prophet Malachi: Return to me, and I will return to you!   Dig Deeper   So often the reason people struggle with these doctrines of grace (also known as TULIP or Calvinism ) is because they clash with our deeply rooted sense of fairness and justice. We expect people to earn the good things they receive, and that God ought to change His plan based on human responses. It's so much easier to dwell on seemingly flexible passages in the Bible that can be molded to fit our expectations while avoiding the more rigid passages that don't conform to our presuppositions. However, as you begin to understand the deep and sometimes complicated theology associated with God's sovereignty and predestination through the lens of the simple theology found in passages like today's, the more you will begin to appreciate how beneficial and comforting the doctrines taught in the Canons of Dordt really are. Find peace in knowing that God's unchanging grace is stronger than you are! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who does not change; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will keep God's decrees ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 5

Does your daily prayer routine include asking God to curse? HeartLight.org Psalm 5 (NIV) For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David. 1  Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. 2  Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3  In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. 4  For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. 5  The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; 6  you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest. 7  But I, by your great love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ), can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple. 8  Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me. 9  Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies. 10  Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. 11  But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 12  Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-9 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure The cause of this undeserved election is exclusively the good pleasure of God.  This does not involve God’s choosing certain human qualities or actions from among all those possible as a condition of salvation,  but rather involves adopting certain particular persons from among the common mass of sinners as God’s own possession. Summary David would have found our normal prayer posture - folding our hands, bowing our heads and closing our eyes - to be quite odd. There's nothing wrong with praying that way, and there are many benefits to doing so, but it's hard to imagine David's head bowed and hands folded as he begins his prayer by blurting out for the LORD to listen to my words and to hear my cry for help. David certainly isn't being irreverent in His prayer. He a cknowledges the LORD as my King and my God. But David knows that the relationship goes deeper than just a king and his subject. David knows what we confess here in the Canons, that he is God's own possession. David realizes that he's been set apart from the arrogant, bloodthirsty and deceitful people because of the LORD's ḥěʹ·sěḏ - God's great covenantal love. Both David's identity and his daily activities are defined by God's ḥěʹ·sěḏ love. Psalm 5 is often referred to as the Morning Psalm due to how David notes that he begins each day by laying his requests before the LORD. As important as it is for you to regularly take part in gathered corporate worship, you must also come into the LORD's house and reverently bow down toward His holy temple every day on your own. David here, inspired by the Holy Spirit, helps demonstrate that everything you have going on: your laments, pleas for help , and even seemingly mundane daily requests can and must be lifted to the LORD in your daily personal prayers.   Dig Deeper   David actually stuffs two separate prayers into this short Psalm. The second prayer begins in v8 with a straightforward request to lead me, LORD, in your righteousness. But the other requests David makes are anything but straight forward. In the first prayer of this Psalm, David a cknowledged who God was by stating what and who God hates - all those who do wrong. In this second prayer, David actually asks God to declare them guilty , and to banish them for their many sins. These sort of requests for God to bring misfortune and disaster upon His enemies are called imprecatory prayers, and the Psalms are full of them. Some Christians consider them an embarrassment and contrary to Jesus' teaching to love our enemies. But Holman's Bible Dictionary helps explain why these imprecatory psalms ought to be included in your regular prayer life: these Biblical prayers remind us that: vengeance belongs to the LORD, not to us; God's righteousness demands judgment on the wicked; God's ḥěʹ·sěḏ  love for His covenant people necessitates His intervention and protection for them; You can trust God with all of your thoughts and desires when you pray to Him. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, my King and my God; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will lead you in His righteousness even as He brings vengeance to all those who do wrong; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 4

You're God's special possession, so declare His praises in all you do. DailyVerses.net 1 Peter 1:1-2, 2:9-10 (NIV) 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2  who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. -- 2:9  ...You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-9 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure The cause of this undeserved election is exclusively the good pleasure of God.  This does not involve God’s choosing certain human qualities or actions from among all those possible as a condition of salvation,  but rather involves adopting certain particular persons from among the common mass of sinners as God’s own possession. Summary You can tell quite a bit about a New Testament epistle (letter) by its title. Most of these epistles were written as an open letter to particular churches in various cities. We identify them by the name of the city they were written to, calling them the epistle to the Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, Corinthians, etc. A few epistles were written to specific individuals, such as the letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Epistles that carry the name of its author, like this letter from Peter, are called catholic epistles, because they were written to a large swath of people all at once. The introduction identifies places like Pontus, Cappadocia, and Bithynia, which are places you'd likely have difficulty pinpointing on a map. They were small communities on the fringes of the Roman Empire that even people in that day and age would have had trouble locating. Not only does Peter address these backwoods places, he refers to the original recipients as being scattered exiles - in other words, people who are not at home. So it's all the more remarkable the way Peter refers to them (and us) in chapter two. In Christ, these otherwise insignificant exiles are a chosen people, royal priesthood, and a holy nation! Those who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father undergo a massive identity shift. It doesn't matter who you used to be, where you came from, or what your social status was before. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.   Dig Deeper   Think of all of the amazing things God has created, not only here on earth, but all throughout our vast universe. Out of all of those things, you are God's special possession! Literally translated, you are the best thing that God has made! And as God's prized possession , God has a very specific purpose that He's designed and redeemed you to fulfill: you are to declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light. We're being reminded this week that your election by God was completely unconditional. In other words, the fact that you were chosen is in no way conditioned upon certain human qualities or actions, as the Canons put it. But once again we also see that although God did not base His choice of you on your own qualities or actions , He does have certain expectations for you as the recipient of His unmerited grace and favor. Be sure that in all of your activities, words and deeds that you are declaring the praises of the one who chose you to belong to Him! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who chose you to be His special possession; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your life as an exile in this world will declare the praise of the Triune God who saved you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 3

Following the herd never leads to the freedom you desire. Biblia.com Isaiah 53 (NIV) Our focus today will be on v6, but the chapter that surrounds it is too beautiful to left unread! 53 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3  He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4  Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8  By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. 9  He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10  Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 11  After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12  Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,  and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-9 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure The cause of this undeserved election is exclusively the good pleasure of God.  This does not involve God’s choosing certain human qualities or actions from among all those possible as a condition of salvation,  but rather involves adopting certain particular persons from among the common mass of sinners as God’s own possession. Summary Last week we read about Jesus being our Good Shepherd , and after being reminded of that, it felt pretty good to be a sheep. Today, Isaiah reminds us as to why it is that the Bible so often compares us to sheep, and it's not a complimentary analogy! Since many of our readers live in rural areas, you likely have had some sort of experience working with sheep, and you immediately understand how we often we reflect their poor decision making capabilities and tendency to always follow the flock/crowd. It's this contradictory tendency - to crave individual freedom while having deep seated herd mentality - that Isaiah captures in v6, writing that we all, like sheep, have gone astray. Drawing on another famous Biblical sheep metaphor, we were led by our Shepherd to lie down in green pastures and beside quiet waters, but our sinful instinct sent us walking through the darkest valley . Rather than listen to our Shepherd's voice gently calling us back, we continue to follow the herd that's gone astray.   Dig Deeper   It’s easy to blame the herd for your own sin-driven choices. After all, you’re just following the flock, not doing anything all that different from the sheep around you. But Isaiah’s words cut through that excuse: each of us  has turned to our own way.  Here’s the irony — those who lead the herd astray, whether in politics, culture, or entertainment, don’t appeal to conformity. They promise individuality, autonomy, and freedom. Yet, in chasing that illusion of independence, people end up marching in lockstep with the herd — unified not by true freedom, but by a shared drift away from the Shepherd who offers it. But Isaiah doesn't let us wallow too long in our sheep-like guilt before reminding us that our iniquity - that is, the guilt resulting from our sinful wandering - has been laid on him, the one who would become like a sheep for the sheep. Only Jesus wouldn't be like a sheep in the same way we are, He would be the sacrificial Lamb who bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose will prospers in the hand of the Suffering Servant; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will resist following the heard and instead know your Shepherd and listen to His voice; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 2

You've been redeemed, and that changes everything. Galatians 4:1-7 As long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2  The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3  So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. 4  But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5  to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6  Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7  So you are no longer a slave, but God’s son; and since you are his son, God has made you also an heir. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-9 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure The cause of this undeserved election is exclusively the good pleasure of God.  This does not involve God’s choosing certain human qualities or actions from among all those possible as a condition of salvation,  but rather involves adopting certain particular persons from among the common mass of sinners as God’s own possession. Summary In our day and age, heirs to large fortunes enjoy a privileged life and often command massive media empires. But this wasn't the case a couple of millennia ago in the Roman empire. In that age, if a wealthy father died, his estate was left to guardians and trustees until his oldest son was of legal age. However, until the set time had fully come , that boy wasn't any different from a slave . So it is with you, writes Paul. There was a time when you were underage - that is, in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. For many of us, these memories are fuzzy. Others can instantly recall the darkness and hopeless of living "captive to the world's hollow and deceptive philosophy" (Col. 2:8). This gets right to the heart of the gospel! Humanity had put itself into this miserable slavery. God's requirements for His sons were both simple and good, but yet we had rebelled from this law . Yet instead of emancipating ourselves to freedom, we became enslaved to sin. But our Father, whom we had rebelliously evicted from His world - sent His Son, born of a woman. Jesus didn't just come as a spiritual representative of our heavenly Father, rather He became like us in every regard, even being put under the law that we had failed to keep.   Dig Deeper   Paul often uses two overarching analogies to describe the gospel. He often describes what Christ accomplished in legal terms, using words like guilt, forgiveness and justification. But his other favorite foil comes from the financial world - like the word he uses in v5. God sent His Son... to redeem those under the law. In other words, Jesus came to buy back those who had sold themselves into slavery. Christ's financial transaction resulted in a change in legal status for those He purchased, getting us back to Paul's favorite analogical realm. When Christ paid the price with His blood, you received adoption to sonship . Maybe that rubs you the wrong way, especially if you happen to be a daughter of God! But in the day and age Paul wrote these words, it was only sons who could be legal heirs. So as a slave turned heir , you are in every regard a son of God, no matter your sex. But the results of your redemption are far deeper than just a new legal status (as incredible as it is). It also brought about a spiritual transformation. Because you are God's sons, Paul explains, God sent the Spirit of His Son into your heart. So in Christ you've gone from being a slave to sin to one who can call out to God in the most intimate way possible - as Abba , the Aramaic word for Father. Paul sums it all up in v7. So you are no longer a slave, but God's son; and since you are His son, God has made you also an heir. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, to whom all things belong; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your life will demonstrate gratitude for the redemption from slavery that Christ accomplished for you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 1