Ed Glover, faithful gospel preacher and former missionary to Australia, is in need of our prayers and financial support.  Last fall, Ed was diagnosed as having a severe liver ailment which would eventually require a liver transplant.  His condition worsened and he was hospitalized in November.  A suitable liver was found and transplanted on December 25, 1999.
 Ed’s recovery has been very slow and has been complicated by pneumonia and other ailments.  At the present time, he is in Bowld-UT in Memphis where he has been since November.  He has not been able to work for several months.  His wife, Janice, has been by his side and also has not been able to work during this critical time.
 The Glovers have insurance, but it will not cover all the many expenses involved in Ed’s extended hospital stay, the liver transplant, and a possible period of nursing home care.  In order to assist them, the elders of the Lord’s church in Trenton, Tennessee, where the Glovers are members, have set up a fund for brethren who would like to assist this worthy couple in their time of need.
 Contributions can be sent to the Glover Fund at the following address:

The Elders
Trenton Church of Christ
P. O. Box 475
Trenton, TN  38382

 If you would like further information, please contact the Trenton church or feel free to write or phone me.
 
         Rod Rutherford 
         P. O. Box 5048
         Duluth, GA  30096-0065
         770 622-1525
         email:  tftworld@aol.com
         

This psalm is only five verses long. It has four questions; two each in verses two and five.  All of the questions are very good.  And they are all very commonly asked.  But even better than the questions is the fact that David asked the questions of God—and the answers are useful to all of us, no matter when or where we may live.

The psalm has three sections.  In verse 1, David brings his case before God and expresses his desire for vindication.  In verses 2-4, he directs his first two questions to God and requests a response based upon God’s nature and observation of David’s plight.  In verse 5, he asks his second two questions to himself and tells himself to rely on the truth that the answers will lead him to praise God.  Note also as we study this short poem that all four of the questions are “Why?” questions—just like a child would ask (And I might add, these are questions that a “child” has the right to ask!  So, if you are parent who sometimes is frustrated by the questions of children, just remember that you often ask things of God—so please develop patience and give good answers).

In a one sentence “brief,” David brings his “grief” to God.  To him, it is a very serious matter, for it has him in the position of being against an entire nation, including a very wicked man.  His accusation is that this nation is “ungodly,” which means that it is a nation without “lovingkindness.” Its leader is also evil in that he is deceptive and does not follow after principles of justice. Even today, it is not an uncommon feeling for Christians to have such righteous complaints against many people and their leaders. So let us read on and learn some things that will help us to deal well with these things.

Feelings are truly powerful, aren’t they?  The various circumstances of life give us opportunities to have and use many feelings—even to the point that we often have “mixed emotions” over the strange assortment of experiences we are having.  All of this seems to be involved in this psalm.  So, David takes his feelings in the form of two questions to the Lord in search of help, relief, and guidance.  The first “Why?” expresses emotions that we all have when we begin to think that we have been neglected or rejected.  The second “Why?” is the question that expresses the wondering we do about whether or not there can really be any good that can come out of such difficult times. However, the next statement is the one that is all too often left out of the approach that people take to the issues of life—DAVID APPROACHED GOD WITH HIS QUESTIONS!  And he did it with a clear commitment that he wanted it to all work out in harmony with the “light” and “truth” of God!  He wanted God’s light and truth to lead him to the place of worship and homage to God—His holy hill, His tabernacle!  It is this very point that we must learn and accept if we are to survive spiritually when such trying times come. (Additional note: The point made by David about the use of the harp in his praise to God was entirely fitting in his time, for he lived under a covenant that allowed it.  For us, when we praise God, we are to do it through the authority of Jesus Christ, which does not allow instrumental music as a part of our approach to Him in worship.  See Colossians 3:16,17 and Ephesians 5:19).

The second pair of “Why?” questions from David is also directed TO David as he instructs himself in the proper response he knows he must make to his situation.  Both of these questions to himself imply that he is actually rebuking himself and deciding to remedy his part of the problem by turning to God in hope.  He is making a determination to have a happy future as a result of making such a commitment in the present.  He is confident that he shall praise God and that God—his God—is the One Who is the help of his countenance.

Sometimes the best way to deal with things is to do a lot of thinking, praying, and studying.  At other times, we should quickly use the things that we already know and get on with the business of living a faithful life. This psalm is of the second kind—Ask, learn, and accept the right answers.  Then get on with your life!

    — Skip Andrews
 

This is from a letter received this week from a brother in Sri Lanka.  “Brethren, I have good news for you.  A long time ago I thought a very good project to spread the Gospel of Christ to our nation would be to start a congregation near the highway.  Many years I prayed to the Lord and asked Him to give a very good location for us to start that project.  Praise the Lord!  God gave us a very good location and last October 5th we leased a building at Kohuwala-Nugegoda on the highway.  This is a very good location and convenient for the Lord’s work.  Last 15th we had a very good service in the opening ceremony.  Praise God!  It went well.  We had about 80 people.  We invited 50 people, but more came than that!”
He asked for Truth for the World Bible tracts, magazines, correspondence lessons, and enrollment cards to distribute.
A large packet of material was mailed to him for work in teaching the gospel in Sri Lanka.  

We received an email from one of our teachers this week with news of one of our students in Saudi Arabia:
Edgardo Pamintuan (a 47-year old man in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) was baptized into Christ after completing the beginning lessons.  To God be all the glory.
Our new brother wrote:  “I was baptized December 3, 1999, here in Red Sea, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after knowing the importance of baptism.”
 

SUPER BOWL PARTY:  Everyone is invited to the Andrews’ following evening services Sunday, January 30.  Please bring finger foods and drinks—and games if you do not want to watch the game!

SWEETHEART DINNER:  The Sweetheart Dinner is planned for Saturday, February 12, at 6:00.  All the ladies of the congregation are invited as special guests—the men will prepare and serve the food. If you have any questions contact Greg Graham. Hope to see you there.