In October, the congregation at Duluth will begin a new Bible School curriculum.  This process will require frequent announcements and items of interest to all our teachers and many others in the congregation.  We hope you will begin to look for these pieces of news and look for ways you can help us achieve our goals!
We begin with a reminder to our current summer quarter teachers.  We are shifting our quarters to match the physical calendar.  To achieve this, our summer “quarter” is four months long.  You will have your current students through the last week in September.  If you need additional material, please see April Meacham right away.
We need more teachers!!  Two classes scheduled to start in the fall do not have a teacher!  The junior and senior high classes both need a Wednesday night teacher for the fall and spring quarters.  We also need a teacher for the winter and summer quarters for the 2 & 3 year old class on Sunday.  If you are not on the list already and are willing to teach, please let Tim Riley know right away.  Everyone, please check the list on the bulletin board in the foyer to see what class you are scheduled to tech.
If you are scheduled to teach during the fall quarter, we strongly encourage you to attend the appropriate teachers’ training class.  The ladies’ class will begin on July 2 and will be held in Skip’s office.  In addition to learning the material to be covered in the fall, we will learn new songs, see visual aids, and help each other with ideas and suggestions.  The men’s class will begin on July 16 and the location will be announced in the near future.  This class will focus on teaching principles of the Bible stories to older children.  Anyone interested in learning about the new curriculum or teaching methods is welcome to attend whether you plan to teach now or not!
If you are not interested in teaching, we still need you!  A program like this will not succeed with only one or two people doing the work.  So we are introducing a new group to which you can belong—the Helping Hands!  If you can cut, color, glue, or do anything else to help prepare visual aids, locate props, etc., we want you!  Please see April Meacham or Karen Riley if you are willing to help in this work.
We desire your prayers as we begin this work in earnest.  “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).
                   Tim & Karen Riley
                   Paul & April Meacham
 
 
 

This psalm begins and ends with a verb that is translated “judge” (vv. 1,11). This verb means “to bring matters to the rule of right; to administer justice, as a magistrate or governor” (Wilson’s OT Word Studies, p. 235).

In verse 1, it is used to expose the inability of the ones who need the examination—they cannot (and will not)—judge properly. In verse 11, it is used to reveal the ability of God to give the exam and enforce its results!
Let us study the whole poem with four points before us: the subject (58:1); the students (58:2-5); the Professor (58:6-9); the graduation (58:10,11).

Do you indeed speak righteousness,  you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? 
No, in heart you work wickedness; You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, Which will not heed the voice of charmers, Charming ever so skillfully. 
Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD! Let them flow away as waters which run continually; When he bends his bow, Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces. Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes, Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun. Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, As in His living and burning wrath. 
The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, So that men will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth." 

The subject (v. 1) is based on an accusation.  Those who should have been able to make correct judgments were “silent” because they were unwilling to say that which needed to be said about the people! They were more willing to leave them alone in their errors than they were to make it clear that they were failing!

The students (vv. 2-5) are described by the poet in light of the standard.  The obvious standard then (and now) is the word of God.  They were wrong about all of the points that are mentioned in this section—and each “wrong” was sufficient to cause them to fail the exam.  They were guilty in the areas of heart and hand (v. 2), youth and tongue (v. 3), and influence (vv. 4,5). 

The Professor (vv. 6-9) is Jehovah of heaven. He is called upon by David to go ahead and judge the “students”.  They have had time and opportunity enough.  There is no need for more, for their lives are hindering the cause of fairness and all who are living according to the principles of righteousness.  His plea to God is clear, urgent, and scriptural. Read the call for judgment with fear and trembling, my friend!  God has always brought down those who will not submit—and He always will.  Since they are living the lives that are described in verses 2-5, He is just if He pronounces failure upon them in any and all circumstances.  The circumstances during which God does this will vary from the times when sinners are sending forth their venom to the times when they are giving birth. They extend from the times of aiming sinful arrows to the times of preparing the next meal. In any situation, God can sweep the wicked away with a whirlwind.

The graduation (vv. 10,11) is a reminder that some are going to pass the examination.  All is not lost.  The righteous have reason to rejoice, for the same judgment that demonstrates the failure of sin and sinners will also demonstrate the success of God’s standard and God’s people.

And everyone will know that there is a fair God Who rules all (Revelation 19:6).

There are many applications that are fitting for our day from Psalm 58.  We, as David, are living in a time when the world and the church are filled with people who will not learn and follow the principles that are in the Bible.  In every area that has anything to do with getting from here to heaven, people want to “pass” the exam without even trying to be right.  But sin is still sin, and God is still the Author of the rules, the Professor Who teaches them, and the Principal Who enforces them.  We simply cannot escape our own responsibility!  God reveals Himself as the One who has the right to “fail” us on the final exam—not because He desires our failure—but to give us fair warning that He means business.

And, praise Him, Praise HIM, those who humble themselves in His sight are going to “pass” the Final Exam.

If you desire to know what is required of you to pass on that great day, please let us help you to learn and do the will of God (see Acts 2:37; 9:6; 16:30).

    Skip Andrews
 
    
 

Next Week: Psalm 59: 
Lord, I will sing while 
Your enemies surround me.

 

TRUTH FOR THE WORLD
P. O. Box 5048
Duluth, GA  30096

Phone: 770 622-1525
Fax:  770 622-0881

Email:  tftworld@aol.com
tftworld@tftw.org
Web Page:  www.tftw.org

SICK LIST:  George Sellers has been in Northside Hospital with pneumonia.  Jim Waldron is doing well following quadruple by-pass surgery.  Adam Wright, grandson of Lee and Joyce Hatcher, had surgery for a ruptured appendix.  Electa Wilson (Room 148, Gwinnett Extended Care), Steve Fishel, and Donna Fields remain on our prayer list.
GROUP 1:  Group 1 is in charge of the services at Plantation South at 1:30.  Also, please meet up front following evening services for visitation assignments.
SEEKING THE LOST:  Class will meet Thursday, July 13, at 7:30, and Sunday evening, July 30, at 7:15.
CHILDREN’S CLASS:  5:30 today.
FOR THE RECORD: 
AM Class   94
AM Worship   120
(We had 30 who were still at Bible Camp)
PM Worship   125  Wednesday   113
Contribution   $35934  
Budget    $6500  
 AWAY:  Ed Crookshank and Rod Rutherford are in Zambia and will return July 19.  Let’s remember them as they travel and work.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL:  “We Believe Because...” is the theme for our VBS July 9-12 (Sunday: 6:00-8:00; Monday-Wednesday: 7:30-9:00).  There will be classes for all ages.
TFTW GROUND BREAKING:  We thank all who participated in our ground breaking ceremony Sunday evening for our new Truth for the World building addition.  We are grateful to God for this opportunity.  Please keep this work in your prayers—and remember, TFTW can use volunteers every day!  
BIBLE CAMP:  Thank you to all who helped make the camp a success!  Campers, do you remember how to say “I AM” in Greek?  EGO EIMI.