The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God

Scriptures: Old Testament Psalm 34:12-16-17, New Testament 1 Peter 3:10-12

A good study Bible will give you the history of David and the Books. Each book concludes a doxology, and affirmation of praise to God found int he last verse of two of the concluding Psalm. the Psalms lead us through the valleys, and peaks of human experience, but in the end they guids us to praise our loving Creator.

We must make wisely decisions. Have you ever felt as if you really needed help? People who live by the Word of God can attest that they have not lacked for anything. David gives some wise steps to consider as you face crisis and decision.  Whenever you have problems, you feel presssured, compulsion to perform, or compare you with others, just turn it over to Jesus,

Time after time you have been able to share with others how God has met your needs over and over. Here, David took on the role of a teacher of wisdom addressing the young people who are in charge.(Proverbs 3:1-12)Depart from evil, the same as found in Psalm 37:27 depart from evil, and do good: And dwell forevermore.

The righteous knows that when they fall, they can recover, whereas the unrighteous can not recover.They only way they can recover is by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Scriptures: Psalm 34:14, Eccl 12;13, St.John 14:23

Rightly Dividing the Word of God

Rightly Dividing the Word

        This passage of Scripture is when Paul writes to Timothy-

“Study to show thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15).

The student is referred to as a workman. A workman cannot intelligently do his work without a plan.  He must have drawings and specifications.

Rightly dividing literally means “cutting straight.” Teachers of the Bible should make every effort to handle His truth accurately. Failure to do so will lead to divine judgment. James 3:1 “my brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. James does not give the warning of judgment to others without applying it to himself. Teachers will stand before the Judgment seat of Christ and be judged more strictly than others. Their greater influence translated into a greater responsibility. Judgment here most likely does not refer to eternal separation from God, rather it suggest a thorough judgment of teachers before Christ (Matt 5:19, Romans 14:10-12). Leadership imposes responsibility.

As we study the Word of God, we must apply both spiritual and literal principles of interpretation. The spiritual principles should include prayer from Psalm 119:18.

1.    Cleansing 1 John 1:9

2.    Illumination by the HOLY Spirit 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

3.    The principles of literally understanding Scriptures is to interpret it according to:

a.     Who is doing the talking?

b.    Who is he talking too?

c.     The mind of the author

d.    The context of the passage

e.     The basic rules of grammar

f.      How does it apply to me?

g.    How does it apply to the church

While the “Word of Truth” is written for all classes of people, and for our learning, it is not addressed to all people in general, but part of it is addressed to the Jews, part to the Gentiles, and part to the Church. These three classes constitute the class that humanity is divided. 1 Cor 10:31. The whole Bible was written for the instructions to the Church, it is not all written about the Church. The Church is not mentioned in the Old Testament. It was hid from the Old Testament prophets as some believe and was a mystery first revealed to Paul, as disclosed by him in Ephesians 3:1-10. The Old Testament is mostly taken up with history of one nation, that of Israel. In the first five chapters of Genesis we are given history of one nation, that of Israel. In the first five chapters of Genesis we are given the history of Creation, and 1700 years of human history. In the next four chapter we are given the account of the Flood. The tenth and eleventh chapters give the account of 400 more years of human history, and then God singles out one man, Abraham (Gen 12:1-3),  and the Old Testament centers around the Jewish Race. When we take the Old Testament promises and apply them to the Church we rob the Jew of that which is exclusively theirs. For illustration, the prophecy of Isaiah is largely applied to the Church, whereas the very first verse declares that it is consenting Judah and Jerusalem. Isa 1:1.

In the New Testament the Epistles of Hebrew and James are Jewish. The Epistle of James is addressed, not to the Church, but to the twelve tribes scattered abroad James 1:1. Therefore the Prayer of Faith (James 5:13-16) for the sick is not primarily a promise to the Church but to Israel, though doubtless it will be answered for all who comply with the conditions. In the Epistle to the Hebrews many Christians stumble at the words fall away (Heb 6:4-6), and if we sin wilfully. Hebrew 10:26. But these words do not apply to Christians. They were spoken to apostate Jewish professors of Christianity who had never been born again, and who, if they did not accept Jesus as their Messiah, practically crucified Him again, and were as bad as their brethren who did crucify Him

No one would apply Romans 8^th to the Jews, or Roman 11^th to the Church, for in it Paul speaks not only to Israel but also to the Gentiles. Romans 11:11-13, All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correct, for instruction, (2Tim 3:16) and what happened to Israel was written for our example, 1 Cor 10:11, but we must not apply to the Church what does not belong to it. We see then that to misapply Scripture is to not Rightly Divide the Word and tends to cause confusion and error.

When we RIGHTLY Dividing the Word of Truth, we must also distinguish the work of Christ. We are told in the Scriptures that He is a Prophet, Priest and King. But He does not hold those offices conjointly but successively. From the fall in Eden to the Cross, He was a Prophet. He is now a High Priest and He comes again He will be a King. From Eden to the Cross there was an Altar from the Cross to the Crown there is a Table (the Lord’s Table), and from the Crown to Christ surrender of the Kingdom there is a Throne.

In Heb 1:1, we read-God hath spoken at Sundry Times, as well as in Divers Manners, and if we are to understand what He has spoken, we must not only distinguish between the class of people. He has spoken to, as the Jews, Gentiles or the Church, but we must also note the Sundry times at which He spoke, and the Divers Manner.We must also distinguish between the Time Past when He spoke by the Prophets, and these Last Days in which He hath spoken to us by His Son in Heb 1:1-2. We must not separate what God has joined, as the Word of God and the Spirit of God, Christ and Salvation, Faith and Works. Neither must we join what God has separate , as Heaven and Hell, Baptism and Regeneration, Natural and Spiritual, Standing and State, the Church and Kingdom.

We must also distinguish between the Times and Seasons of the Scriptures. Daniel said of God “He changed the Times and the Season”,(Daniel 2:12), and Jesus said to His Disciples. ‘It is not for you to know the Times or the Seasons. Acts 1:7. Job testified that the Times are not hidden from the Almighty. Job 24:1. And the Children of Issachar it was said that they had an understanding of theTimes (1 Chron 12:32.) By the Seasons we are to understand the climate changes of the earth due to the movements and changing characteristics of the Sun, Moon and Stars, which God ordained to regulate the Seasons Gen 1:14. As to the TIMES we have them designated as the TIMES OF IGNORACE, Acts 17:30; the TIMES OF THE GENTILES, (Luke 21:24); the TIMES OF REFRESHING (ACTS 3:19); the TIMES OF RESTITUTION (ACTS 3:21); and the dispensation of the FULNESS OF TIMES (EPHESIANS 1:10).

When the Gentiles are in power the Jews are not. And as the Times of the Gentiles is still running, the Church cannot be in this Dispensation a governming or Kingdom power.

THE SABBATH

If God instituted the Sabbath before the Fall of Man, it seems strange that the fact is not recorded in Genesis, and that Adam was not told to observe it. Nowhere in the Book of Genesis do we read of Adam, or any of his descendant, or Noah, or Abraham observing the Sabbath. The only hint we have of a seven-fold division of days is found in Gen 7:4,10, when seven days of grace were granted before the Flood came, and in Gen 8:8-12, where a seven day period elapsed between the sending forth of the dove. The first place we read of the Sabbath is in Exodus 16:23-26, in connection with the gathering of the manna-Six days ye shall gather it; but on the Seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. Here we have the Seventh day designated as THE SABBATH. That the Seventh Day of the Creative Week was a type of the SABBATH is clear from Exodus 20:11. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the Seventh Day; wherefore the Lord blessed the SABBATH day, and hallowed it. But we have no evidence that the Sabbath was commanded to be observed until after Exodus, and the reason is clear. God’s REST DAY was broken by the Fall of Man, and there could be no rest until redemption was brought in, and this was typically brought in by the redemption of the Children of Israel from Egypt through the offering of the Passover Lamb, a type of Christ. The purpose of their deliverance was that they might find rest in Canaan from the weary toil and slavery of their deliverance was that they might find rest in Canaan from the weary toil and slavery of Egypt Deu 5:15.

The command to observe the Sabbath was given to Israel Exclusively. It was not given to the Gentiles. It was given to Israel as the SIGN of the Mosaic Covenant. (Ex 31:13; Ezek 20:12, 19-21).

Nowhere in the Bible do you find God finding fault with any nation or people, except the Jewish nation, for not observing the Sabbath. As a Jewish ordinance it has never been abrogated, changed or transferred to any other day of the week, or to any other people.

After the Resurrection, Christ and His Disciples never met on the Sabbath, but on the First Day of the week. John 20:1, 19, Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 16:2. It is true that they went into the Jewish Synagogues on the Sabbath, but not to worship, but that they might have opportunity to preach the Gospel. The First Day of the Week is the day to be observed to rest and worship by the Christian Church.

 Source of References:

 Books on Rightly Dividing the Truth:

Christine Walker

Ira Milligan

Clarence Larkins

The Origin of the Bible by Bruce, Packer, Comfort and Henry.

Notes from Evangelist Dr. Annie R. Eskridge, DMin.

 Ps. Saints we need to know how to rightly divide correctly.

Who does Malachi 3:8-10 apply to?

When you come to a subject like tithing, I think it is important to see that there are two extremes to avoid. The first is the temptation to conclude that tithing is not for this age, so that I feel no obligation to give, and can keep as much money for myself as possible. The other is to use the tithing texts to make people feel obliged to give more, and to feel guilty if they don’t. Preachers are usually the guilty ones with respect to the latter. The sad reality is that in most churches, at least half of those who attend give nothing —that’s right, nothing—at all to the Lord’s work.

In the King James Version, “tithing” (“tithe,” “tithes,” “tithing”) occurs 40 times in the Bible, 32 times in the Old Testament, and 8 times in the New. In the New Testament, 5 of the 8 occurrences are found in Hebrews 7:5-9, which are referring to the “tithe” of Abraham to Melchizedek in the Old Testament. Two of the remaining 3 occurrences occur in Luke. In Luke 11:42 we find a parallel text to the one remaining text (Matthew 23:23). Here, Jesus accuses the Pharisees of tithing in the small, inexpensive, things (mint, dill, cummin), but neglecting the weightier matters. Thus, Jesus does not condemn tithing, but says that there are more important matters. (One could point out that at this point Jesus was still talking as One in the old dispensation, and not the new.) In Luke 18:12 we see the self-righteous Pharisee, boasting about his tithing as a proof (in his mind) of his righteousness. So far as I can find in the New Testament, neither Jesus or any of His apostles taught the necessity of tithing. Neither can we find any statement that they did tithe—that they practiced tithing. Jesus did pay the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27), but we do not read of Him paying His tithe.

The question one always must ask when dealing with Old Testament practices and commands is this: “Does the New Testament (1) embrace and continue, or (2) modify, or (3) do away with this Old Testament practice? The New Testament surely set aside the “clean/unclean” food regulations of the Old Testament (Mark 7; Acts 10-11). By and large, the Ten Commandments have been carried over into the New Testament. Those laws which pertained to the administration of justice have (at least some of them) been modified. It is no longer our duty or obligation to stone disobedient children. The state/government does administrate justice, which may even include capital punishment (this is debated by some, but lets leave it at this for the moment). Certainly we are not to stone adulterers today, though we are to “hand them over to Satan” (1 Cor. 5) for the destruction of their flesh. So, the question must be, where does tithing fit into this scheme? Has it been brought over into the New Testament age, or has it been set aside, or modified?

I would have to say that the whole tithing system cannot be brought over, in a  the New Covenant. The Concept of tithing is from the Old Covenant.
However you can tithe if you purpose in your heart to do so. We should pray and ask God what we should do.  I believer Apostle Paul told us in 2 Cor 9:6-8. Give as we purpose in our heart. Just wanted to provoke you to thinking. God Bless Dr. E areskridge6840@att.net. Merry Christmas and Happy Blessed New Year.

Word of Wisdom from DrE’sCorner

Praise God for another day and another year in my life. December 10, 2017 I will celebrate 73 years old. I give God all of the praises and adoration for all that He continues to do in my life. I thank Him for my husband although we don’t always agree, then for my children. I am thankful although each personality is completely different. Then, my grandchildren, they all think they are fully growned up doing their own thing. Wow, how time has flown, but I have one granddaughter, Alexandria is my baby because she is the youngest granddaughter. She is special, her gift and talent. She has always enjoyed singing and drawing. The others have their unique gift, but Alexandria is special.

Then my pride and joy my two great granddaughters, Isabell and Sarai. Both have their own personality but they are so precious. Their grandmothers are very touchy with their granddaughters. No one wants me to spoil their little princesses. Glory be to God for all of my offspring’s. I am truly grateful to say that I am your wife, grandmother and great-grandmother. All of the praises belongs to God. I pray for all of you daily. It’s my prayer that you will succeed at whatever you put your hands to do.

Today one item I will share from my heart. The Church will never clean up the streets until it is right. Too many are not teaching the Uncompromised Word of God. The Bible should be taught as it is written and not from a slant. The world doesn’t want any part of the Church for the way things are.

I know some refer to the Church as the Cash Church. I was asked why the younger generation why this is so. They ask for money all of the times and many are not concerned about people getting saved. The church has become like the moneychangers. Lord, please help us to put the Great Commission back into God’s house. For some reason, we have gotten off track. If the Bible is taught and there’s a change, people will start coming and getting saved. All of the church obligations will be met if we are teaching correctly from God’s Word. We need to stop repeating what is being said across the pulpit. My prayer is Lord saved the church before it get Lost. Just a Word of Wisdom from DrE. You may email your comments…areskridge6840@att.net

Testimony Part 2

Even today I have been faced with many challenges, but God! It's trough fasting & prayer that I am able to conqueror every mountain. This year along I hae been in the hospital several times, but God! All tests result came back negative. on my last procedure I flat out told teh doctor, he would not have any complications. Guess what! the doctor told me after the procedure everything was just as I had said. But God! If you live right no good thing will God withhold from you.

Just a few nights ago God gave me an answer regarding my face. He told me exactly what to do and how to do it. But God! Awesome and powerful God!. Evangelist Mahalia Washington poured out in her book."Life is a temporary assignment. We must give ourselves to God, so that He can use us for His glory"(34). Awesome book filled with real life experiences and struggles, but God! She was victorious.
After reading Evangelist Washington's book I was reminded of Lady Patricia Phillip Roberts' book, Song of Survivor. Through everything she had been through she survived it all. the daily mediation Scriptures were the same one that I had quoted and still do over and over. They have helped me to build my faith stronger each day as I walked tot he valleys.

The Holy Bible was my main focus, but the two books were also inspiration to me.Both books were very touching and I fel compassion books. I often wondered how they were able to have faith in God throughout their challenges. My first thought was be faithful God and He will never leave you or fail you. He will be with you until the very end. God Bless you! Dr. Annie Dennis Eskridge, DMin.

Testimony-Annie Dennis Eskridge

From time I was born until the age of fourteen my speech was impaired. I lived in a world of darkness not being ablt to talk to anyone. There were times I wanted to speak but my stuttering was so bad until I would cry.  Many times mother would say, God please help this child to speak. My mother actually felt hurt because I could not speak. She  was the only one that understood what I was trying to say.

Evangelist Mahalia Washington shared in Victorious:My Life Experiences and Struggles, How I Overcame Them All. There were obstacles that she experienced over the years were hurtful. However they taught her how to stand still and depend on God to order her steps. This was similar to what I experienced at school. Children at school made fun of me, because I was unable to speak cleary. Many wanted to copy my homework assignment because I was very bright in school. Most of the times I would stay to myself unless my sister, Katie was with me.

Our parents taught us how to pray at an early age. My mother and My sister told me not to worry that I would be able to talk one day, so I believed that. My English teacher in high school signed me up with the Girls Glee Club. I had to sing the musicial scale for months,then I was able to sing with Club at the first concert for the year. I was trained to sing second soprano. To God be the glory!

My family attended this program and they were very happy for me. This was the first day I spoke where Mama and Daddy understood me. My family began to cry because their prayers had been answered. Part 1 . The Second blog has the ending. Dr. Eskridge areskridge@sbcglobal.net

Bearing in God's Love

In John 15:1-17 Jesus is giving instructions to His disciples because He knew His time with them would soon come to an end. He let them know that He was the true vine. The believers are the branches that are abiding in Him and those who does not bear fruit was not His. At the end of this chapter Jesus let His disciples know that the Holy Spirit would come to help them but they must abide in Him.

Jesus compared Himself as a vine in which they were the branches. This is why they needed to stay connected to Him. In the Old Testament God spoke to Israel as the vineyard. Jesus remind His disciple  that He was the vine and they were the branches and without Him they were nothing.
John 15:7,  "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." 

Today many have walked away from their first love. Jesus wants His disciples to stay connected by abiding in Him. The Church was stronger in the old days because they were together. We find the Church so divided that we are not stronge enough to create an atmosphere that will compel the sinners to come in to be saved.

Those who are truly saved must let the world know it. If we are not connected to the vine, we are lost. People in the Church must have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Too many in the  Church have lost their love to stay connected. You can not abide in Christ and hating people due to their skin color when God made us all.  Then when we bleed there is only one color for blood, red. God did not make a mistake when He made us.

We need to bring the sinners in and show God's love to all. Remember, we can catch a fish  and the first tis to clean him up. This is the same way with the unchurched. If we  would show love then we would have an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In closing do you remember the day you got saved? Then share your testimony with others. Just remember love comes from the heart.

 If the old method isn't working, then it's time to change that method, but never change God's Word. Then, love all people and you will be blessed. Remember the Word of God tells us that we have been commanded that we would love one another. God Bless......Dr. Annie Eskridge