by Cindy Colley.

When I read Psalm 16, I envision David looking up as he says, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You” (v. 2). Then I picture David looking around as he says, “As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight” (v. 3). What a beautiful psalm and prayer, one I heartily echo. “You are good, God, and I love You. And Your people are good, and I love them, too.”

David goes on to thank God for His guidance:

• “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel” (v. 7).
• “You make known to me the path of life” (v. 11).

And he also thanks God for His presence:

• “Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (v. 8).
• “In Your presence there is fullness of joy” (v. 11).

We can praise God for those things, too, and sometimes His guidance and His presence are experienced through His people. Think about the times you’ve received spiritual counsel from Christian friends, preachers, Bible class teachers, or elders. We know God uses His people for instruction (Rom. 10:14-15; 2 Tim. 4:2). And how can we not see God when we spend time with those who are doing their best to look and act like Him (Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 11:1)?

Perhaps the best part of this short psalm is how often David freely expresses his happiness:

• “delight” (v. 3)
• “pleasant” (v. 6)
• “beautiful” (v. 6)
• “glad” (v. 9)
• “rejoices” (v. 9)
• “fullness of joy” (v. 11)
• “pleasures forevermore” (v. 11)

We know David’s life wasn’t perfect or trouble free. He speaks of his pain in other psalms (see Psalms 6, 13, and 38). And yet his joy is undeniable. How is that possible? I think the answer goes back to the opening lines of the psalm. He looked to God for goodness and also saw goodness in the people of God. I love how David unashamedly praises God’s people. There was no doubt how he felt about them. “The saints are the excellent ones! I delight in them!” We’d get some funny looks if we went around talking like that. But I imagine we could all benefit from looking for and believing in the goodness of fellow Christians. And then freely sharing it with others. (Shouldn’t the people around us have an idea that we love God’s people and enjoy being with them?) Then we, too, will experience the joy, gladness, and pleasure of keeping God before us and His people around us.

Kathy Pollard

The healing of the nobleman’s son (bonus post).

A few Sundays ago, I was getting ready to go upstairs to my Bible class. The 2- and 3- year-old class is on the first floor, as well as an adult class. I was visiting with one of our families when one of our children, new to the congregation, came in. She ran back to her class and returned with a sad look on her face. She was upset because her teacher wasn’t there. Her grandmother assured her that her teacher would be there in time for class, but her response was an unhappy one. Her comment was, “She is supposed to be here”.

The teacher was delayed and arrived before class began, but this child had already learned that her teacher is there early; and she wanted to go to class—right then!

We have expectations of the children that come to our classes. We expect them to be prepared, bring their Bibles, know their memory work, get there on time, and have good behavior. Our elders expect that our children have read their Bible every day. They have the same expectation of us as teachers, as well as members. Think about it. Do you come to class prepared? Have you studied your lesson? Have you read your Bible every day? Did you bring your Bible to class?

I was excited to see a 3-year-old little girl anxious to get to Bible class. Her teacher is a new teacher but has been instantly accepted by the children. She works very hard on her lessons, and she loves the children.

Those two qualities—loving the children and working hard on the lessons are two of the most important things about teaching. The first, of course, is loving God.

There are a few other things that are important in teaching children. Some teachers have many years of experience, but they continue to teach the same way they did when they first started teaching. They teach the same class, use the same material they have been using for years, and continue to use the same visuals. Our children don’t learn the same way, so we need to update our lessons and our visuals. Believe it or not, children still like visuals.

In our congregation, our elders determined that our children were not learning a lot of basic information through the Bible classes. A new program has been put into place, and we have certain memory work that is required every quarter. That memory work starts with the 2- and 3-year-old class. At the end of each quarter, the children who complete their memory work receive a ribbon. Their pictures are displayed on the screen, and our minister reads their names to the congregation. At the end of this last quarter, there were only two children that did not do the memory work. One of those had just moved into the 2- and 3-year-old class. From the baby class. He will be presented with a ribbon as soon as he learns his required memory work.

This memory work is in addition to the required participation in Lads to Leaders Bible bowl for all children 2^nd grade and up. In order to be included in the convention, children must participate in Bible bowl and one other event. Good Samaritan bronze is also required to attend the convention. We have mentors working with all of these children, preparing them for Bible bowl. That is in addition to adults who are studying weekly with Bible bowl teams.

Our elders are committed to having our children learn all they can from the Scripture under godly teachers who love the Lord and His Word. It is remarkable to see these young people studying with one another and with their mentors.

If you are a teacher are you always in the worship service, in a Bible class when not teaching, studying the Scripture, and sharing it in any way that will encourage, educate, enhance, or elevate a more thorough knowledge of God’s Word?

Sandra Oliver

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.  Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.  For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.  And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.  And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die (2 Sam. 12:7-14).

David probably did not know that Bathsheba belonged to someone else when he called for her to be his wife, but he understood that he had sinned concerning Bathsheba and Uriah once he knew Uriah was her husband.  As it became harder and harder to cover his sin, he obviously thought about having Uriah killed in battle, but he was only fooling himself to think the people (especially his army) did not know what was happening.  He had shamed Israel and his own name before the world.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

At the same time, we need to keep David’s past life and record in mind as we deal with him.  David was no ordinary person, and before we decided anything about him, we need to keep his flawless record in mind.

“Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” (1 Kings 15:5)

How many of us can say that we never turned aside from anything God commands all the days of our life until we are more than 30 years old?  Was David an ordinary man?  Then David made his mistake. Considering our own record, do we have any right at all to despise or speak against David?

How does God judge such a man?  According to the law of Moses, there is no forgiveness for adultery or murder.  Question:  are there other laws that God had before he gave the law of Moses?  Were those laws still in effect?  Don’t eat blood was a law given before the law of Moses.  Are we directed to follow that same law today?  See Acts 15:19-20. Are there then laws other than the law of Moses that God made that can forgive sins?

Notice the Psalm that was written about nine months after David’s adultery.

“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psa. 51:16-17).

According to the Law of Moses, sin could be forgiven by animal sacrifice, but David did not seek to have his sins forgiven by any work of the Old Testament Law. Pay particular attention to what David did after he committed adultery.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Psa. 51:1).

In the next few verses we can see David’s heart as he pours it out before God.

“For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (Psa. 51:3-4).

One of the most beautiful passages in the Psalms is where David asked God to purge him and create a clean heart within him.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psa. 51:7-10).

In the Psalm that is quoted in the book of Romans, David acknowledged and confessed his sin.

“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psa. 32:5).

We see in the original passage quoted above, that God forgave David’s sin.

“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Sam. 12:13).

When David confessed his sin and asked God for forgiveness, God (through Nathan) told David that his sin was forgiven but He also told him there would be three “curses” which he would have to endure.  Those were the consequences of his sin.

Some seem to think God indeed is blind that he did not see David’s sin.

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13).

We have learned that to confess and forsake sin is righteous before God.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

Do we have the same law today?

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

How does our law today differ from the law that was in force in Solomon’s time?  Remember that Solomon wrote the Proverbs. Did Solomon make a new rule, or was this law in force before the law of Moses?

David knew that God forgives sin, but He also knew that God takes vengeance on man’s inventions.  After David’s confession, God forgave his sin, but note what happened because of that sin.  Forgiveness is not the end of the matter.

“Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.  He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.  Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions” (Psa. 99:6-8).

God promised to shame David openly and David accepted God’s judgment as well as his punishment.  Let’s notice the events that lead to David’s punishment being fulfilled.

The third “curse” took place within seven days.  The child died.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?” (2 Sam. 12:18).

The second “curse” pronounced upon David was that the Lord would raise up evil against him out of his own house.  A man would lie with his wives in the sight of the sun.  This took place several years later, but be assured that David had not forgotten the Lord’s words.

“Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun” (2 Sam. 12:11).

Absalom began his treachery against David and was successful in his attempts to supplant his father.

“And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.  And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.  Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!  And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.  And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Sam. 15:2-6).

Absalom had no sooner arrived in Hebron than he pronounced himself king.

“But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.  And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.  And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counseller, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom” (2 Sam. 15:10-12).

The second “curse” was fulfilled by Absalom after David fled Jerusalem.

 “Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.  And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.  So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel” (2 Sam. 16:20-22).

The first “curse” that God gave to David lasted his entire lifetime.   David fought with the sword the rest of his life.  The sword did not depart from him.

“Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife” (2 Sam. 12:10).

Consider these details in David’s life.  These are things written for our learning.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).

Let us not be weary with the Lord’s correction or the Lord’s vengeance, if we have sinned against Him.

Remember:

The Lord sees.

The Lord forgives when we confess and forsake.

And He also takes “vengeance of their inventions.”

Beth Johnson

Chennai Teacher Training School

Women’s Studies

Muliebral Viewpoint

Articles and Books by Beth Johnson

Here is a little list I found while digging through some old material. There’s no indication that I had published it before.

1. Listen carefully to what he says, and to what he doesn’t say. If you complain that he won’t talk to you, maybe it’s because you’ve not learned to listen.
2. Build up his ego. Sincerely. He needs approval and acceptance. Praise him. Believe in him, don’t tear him down.
3. Never, ever criticize him in front of others. This is playing unfairly. It is cowardly.
4. Enjoy your intimate life together. Follow the rule of 1 Corinthians 7.3-5. He needs you, physically. Your intimate relationship makes you one flesh.
5. Make home an enjoyable place for him to come back to.
6. Consider yourself a homemaker, “fulfilling [your] duties at home” Titus 2.5.
7. Keep your priorities in order: God first, your husband second, your children third, and others last.
8. Nagging creates barriers and causes your husband to close up.
9. Don’t bother to tell him all his faults, all the times he fails to do what he ought, all the times he leaves his clothes on the floor.
10. Take care of your spiritual life with God. Pray for yourself, your husband, and your relationship. Develop your commitment to God. He will carry you through.

    www.forthright.net

My sister-in-law, Mendy, recently shared a sermon by Jason Chesser. In that message, Jason was talking about the fact that Christians need each other because we’re weaker without each other. He mentioned the parable of the lost sheep (Matt. 18:10-14) and said, “No wonder the shepherd was willing to go off and leave the 99 sheep in search of the one. The 99 sheep had each other. The one who wandered off alone was vulnerable.” Amen to that.

There’s a statement I’ve heard a lot through the years, usually in a hospital room, at a graveside, or on the front pew after someone has come forward requesting prayers:

“I don’t know how anyone could go through life without a church family.”

Perhaps it is in those more difficult moments that we realize just how much we rely on each other. You can see the gratitude or relief in someone’s eyes who has been brought a meal or prayed with through loss or hardship. You can watch someone stand up straighter who was surrounded by loving fellow Christians after confessing sin. You can certainly see a sweet smile on the face of a lonely widow who has been invited to lunch or dinner with your family.

I’ve seen church families rally around those who were wrongfully accused, financially struggling, spiritually weak, or physically depleted. I’ve seen Christians help shoulder the marital and parental burdens of others. I’ve seen church leaders courageously and lovingly lead their flocks through natural disasters, economic crises, and even a pandemic.

And personally, my family has experienced the love, support, and help from fellow Christians more times than I can say.

God knew we would need each other. I hope we all make the most of that! But if your heart is going through a struggle and you feel lonely, please don’t try to soldier on alone. Reach out to your brothers and sisters in Christ and let them have the opportunity to be by your side.

We’re to “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess. 5:11). We’re to “stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). We’re to “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2). And we are to “abound in love for one another” (1 Thess. 3:12). Sometimes it’s in our giving to others in these ways that we end up receiving exactly what we need ourselves.

We need each other!

Kathy Pollard

When I wrote my article last week, I had no idea that I would be blessed in such a wonderful way the coming week. It happened on Friday night before New Year’s at, of all places, Cracker Barrel.

My husband and I were seated in the back dining room next to a family of four—husband, wife, and two little girls. I noticed dad had a large green “Santa-like” bag beside him, under the table. It had a gingerbread man on it and peppermint candies made from felt. The bag looked like it had something in it, but I thought nothing of it.

The waitress took the family’s order, and then she came to our table to ask if we were using the puzzle. I told her we were not, and she took it to the little girls. The mother thanked me; and I reply, “You’re welcome”. I noticed some activity from the girls looking in the green bag. They pulled out some gift bags and set them on the table. A few minutes later, the two little girls brought gift bags to our table and wished us a merry Christmas. Inside the two gift bags were little wooden plaques, one with a Christmas tree and the word “Peace” on it. The other one said, “Enjoy Every Moment”.

I thought this was just a little “thank you” for giving them the puzzle, but it was far more than that. A few minutes later, the oldest little girl walked over to a table behind her with a gift for a young boy. She also took gifts to children at another table. She was very quiet and humble about her gift-giving, and she sat down to eat her meal.

I noticed the girls ate their food quietly, not picking at one another as children do. They acted like well-behaved young ladies.

When we were ready to leave, I handed the mother a piece of paper with this website on it. I told her that if she would read the article on this day, she would find an article written about her girls. She smiled and said “thank you”, and we headed for the check-out.

While my husband was paying, I felt someone behind me. When I turned around, the mother was standing behind me. She asked me if she could tell me the backstory to the gifts. Of course, I wanted to hear! She explained through tears that about three years ago, her oldest daughter told her she did not want presents for Christmas. She wanted to give presents. So, she works all year making key rings and doing other things to earn money to give gifts at Christmas. Her goal is to give 1,000 gifts. Her mother was sick with the flu during Christmas, so they had to delay her distribution of gifts. Buckee’s had always allowed them to hand out gifts, but they refused this year. So, she had to find another way to give away all the gifts she had collected during the year.

I thanked Mom for telling me her story and left the restaurant feeling a great sense of joy and peace because of two little girls who care more about others than themselves.

So, Mom, if you are reading this, know that your girls have blessed my life in a very special way. And for the rest of you, know that there are still parents out there in this wicked world that love their children and family more than worldly goods and possessions. There are still people who believe in serving rather than being served. They understand it is not “all about me”; but like the good Samaritan, it’s all about someone else.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Sandra Oliver