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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Anyway, good to have you here tonight. Take your Bible and turn with me to the book of Revelation in chapter 12 Revelation chapter 12 There’s an interesting portion of scripture here Tells us a little bit about somebody You ought to know He knows you you ought to know him You ever heard of the devil? Well, devil. That’s just one person telling me, says, I said, you believe in the devil? He says, I sure do. I said, you really do.

He said, yeah. He said, he’s even here tonight. I said, really? He said, yeah, I brought him. Revelation 12, look in verse 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven, behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven. This is where most people think in good possibility of one-third of the angels. And it’s cast them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman, which we believe is Israel, which was ready to be delivered or to devour her son as soon as it was born.

And you have to admit it wasn’t long before Herod was in her killing all the babies from two years old and under. Now look in verse 7, and there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought on his angels, and prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan which deceived of the whole world. He was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him.

So the devil, the great red dragon, is the serpent, the battle serpent. Look there in chapter 20 of the book of Revelation. Look in verse 1, in verse 1. It makes a statement verse one, this is after the Lord comes back at the end of the tribulation period. They’re going to set up the kingdom upon the earth, there will be the judgment of the nations. There’s a resurrection of those people that have died during the tribulation period for the testimony of the Lord.

And he says, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for his sake. But in verse one, and I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years. Cast him into the bottomless pit. Shut him up, set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.

After that he must be loosed a little season. This is when the devil is going to beparser boxed up a little bit for a thousand years. Which means that he’s not now. Right now there’s something that he’s doing. And if you go back to chapter 12, I want to show you this one verse again. And you’ll notice in verse 10 of chapter 12. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength and the the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is passed down, which accuses them before our God day and night.

The devil has all the goods on you. That means he must have some kind of a computer system set up, and he logs everything that you do. Think or say, you know, I don’t believe the devil can read my mind, but I I believe he can read. The words and the actions, the facial expressions. He can read you like a book and he knows when you’re down. And but he’s ready to pounce because he is a roaring lion also.

Walketh out seeking whom he made devour. So you and I are supposed to live our life believing that there is a lion on our trail. And he is hungry and he’s trying to feast on God’s children. See, he talks about here the power of his Christ and the accuser of our brethren, of our brethren, cast down. So that means the devil gets a lot of victories over a lot of God’s children. Now, he may have gnawed on you at times.

Maybe he’s nipping at you heals now. But always live every moment knowing the devil as a lion is ready to devour you. So be aware of that. Now, I remember reading one time a statement that was made by Billy Sunday. Now Billy Sunday was an old time evangelist. And so I saw this the other day and I wanted to share this with you. This is what he had to say about the word of God. Now remember this, the devil is going to do whatever he possibly can to lie to you, to deceive you.

And you sometimes can’t tell when he’s lying to you unless you know truth. So you need to know truth so that you can discern error. And that’s why you study the scriptures because in the book of Hebrews in chapter 5 that we’re supposed to feed on the word of God so that you can learn discernment, Right and wrong. Right and wrong is not based upon what you think is right and wrong. Just because you don’t see anything wrong with it doesn’t mean there’s not something wrong with it.

Remember the Bible also says there is a way that seameth, seameth right to a man, but the end there are all the ways of destruction. So there is a way that seems right. And if you let your mind guide you, you’re going to be in a heap of trouble. But this is what he said, and it was worded so beautifully, in the temple of God’s Word, written by William A. Sunday, or Billy Sunday. With the Holy Spirit as my guide, I entered this wonderful temple called the Bible.

I entered the portico of Genesis, walked down through Old Testament art gallery, where the the pictures of Noah, neighbor of him, Moses, Joseph, and Isaac, and Daniel hung up on the walls. I passed through the music room of Psalms, where the Spirit swept the keyboard of nature and brought forth a dirge like whale of weeping Jeremiah to the grand impassioned strains of Isaiah until it seems that every read and pipe in God’s great organ of nature responded to the tuneful harp of David the sweet singer of Israel.

I entered the chapel of Ecclesiastes where the preacher voice was heard and into the conservatory of Sheeran where the lily of the valley sweet scented spices filled and perfumed my life. I entered the business office of Proverbs, then into the observatory room of the prophets where I saw telescopes of various sizes. Some point and too far off events, but all concentrated upon the bright and morning star, which was to rise above the moonlit heels of Judea for our salvation.

I entered the audience room of the King of Kings, and caught a vision of his glory from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Into the acts of the Apostles where the Holy Spirit was doing his word informing the infant church. Then into the correspondence room were sat Paul and Peter, James Judeon John, pinning their epistles. I stepped into the throne room of Revelation where all powered in a glittering peaks. I got a vision of the king sitting upon the throne in all of his glory, and I cried.

I’ll hail the power of Jesus’ name. that angels prostrate fall, bring forth the royal diadem and crown him, Lord of all. Isn’t that awesome? If you can’t write like that, if you can’t think like that. And that’s because somebody has spent some time. With the Lord and you spend time with the Lord by spending time in the Word of God. And when you spend time in the Word of God, it strengthens you for the battle that you’re going to have to face.

Now I’ve been doing church now for 45 years or so somewhere into there. You know, give a year to it doesn’t matter. And as the time has rolled by, it’s amazing how, you know, we have developed in this country a desire. to worship football. You know, everybody loves football. I love football. But I don’t worship football, but I like football. I can watch it, but if I don’t see it, that’s fine too. And I’ve had chances to work with some football players, and I’ve been to some of their games.

I’ve given devotion for a few of them. But, you know, as time goes on, it doesn’t affect me too much. But there are some things about football that relates so much to the church. You didn’t know that? Let me tell you, this is called football Christianity. The approaching football season tends to remind us of certain happenings in and around the church. I suppose one did call it football Christianity. Football Christianity, let’s get out the grid iron and observe the action.

You will note of course some members play the game expertly. Like the pros in case you are not familiar with the game, here are some of the plays. Quarterback, sneak. I always thought a quarterback was a refund. Church members who leave quickly and quietly after Bible study. The quarterback’s knee. The draw play, that’s what too many children and a few adults do with the bulletins. I’ve walked down the aisle and I look over there and sometimes there’s a few little children of course and they draw all kind of pictures.

Well at the church in Georgia, I made the mistake and I had a bigger picture of me that was on the bulletin and the kids loved to show me how they perceived me to be. And then they would leave the bulletin laying on the pew and forget that the pastor just might see that picture. And I have picked up many of the bulletins for the moustache, a goatee, horns, and they’ve set their doing church while I’m pouring out my heart, drawn a picture of the preacher.

I had one come up to me and they showed me after the church service, a picture, stick picture of the preacher behind the podium with his hand up like this and a wallet in his hand. I said, when did you do that? Why you you were preaching? Now you can’t correct that. But some of them looked like some adults had drawn them, but anyways, we’re moving along. You know what half time is? Half time? Half time is the break between the morning and the evening worship, finding only 50% returning the second half.

Now what if during the half time, all the players, you know, they go to the locker rooms. But when they’re supposed to come out and start the second half, they went home. Did you know that a lot of people come for the first half? You see, Sunday night, that’s the second half. And they forget, hey, you missed half of the game. But some people don’t see that. Bench warmer, those who attend one out of three services, but never two in a row.

Backfill in motion, unnecessary trips out of the sanctuary doing the worship hour. Do you realize that the devil is always working behind the scenes, trying to manipulate, trying to keep people from hearing the word so that they can do something with their life and change? And how many times have I been talking to somebody about the Lord? And just at that right minute, Somebody to leave the come in the house. Somebody else walks up and asks the question. Something always seems to happen at the wrong time.

I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed that or not. But the half back option is when only 20% show up for Wednesday night service. Sudden death. You ever seen a game going to sudden death? That’s when the preacher goes past twelve o’clock. A sudden death. The two minute warning. When the preacher gives the invitation allowing everyone time to gather up their belongings and shuffle song books. The Blitz. That’s the stampede for the doors after the service. Now the instant replay, that takes place, that’s a rehashing of the sermon during the lunch hour, reveals the preacher was guilty of unsportsmanlike content.

He did step on someone’s toes. Anyway, there are just certain things that the devil gets people to do to take their mind away from what God wants them to do. Now, I want you to take your Bible inlet with me to the book of John chapter 12, the gospel of John and chapter 12. In John chapter 12 I want you to look there in verse 32. If you don’t have verse 32 I would underline him. This is what Jesus said, and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw men unto me.

Now the Bible says that Jesus will be lifted up and this he says in verse 33, signified by what death he should die. The reason this verse is so important is because he had already told Nicodemus in chapter 3. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so shall the Son of Man be lifted up. And he’s talking about how he’s going to die. And it’s a reference to the gospel and remember that when Jesus Christ went to the cross, He went there in our place and as the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21, He became sin for us.

So on the cross, Jesus Christ was cursed. Let take your Bible look in the book of Galatians in chapter 3 Galatians and chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3 and look there in verse 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. So he was made a curse for us. It means he became sin for us, that which God curses is sin. And because we have all sinned, we were all under a curse and we all must die.

And so it says in the law, curse it is everyone that hangeth upon a tree. I wonder if that verse was ever referred to concerning Jesus Christ. Well look at this, it’s right there. at this verse. In verse 13, for it is written in the Old Testament. Cursid is everyone that hangeth on a tree. And the reason is because it was such a shameful way to die that means the man was put there deliberately. He was under a curse.

Christ became a curse for us. Now go to the book of John chapter 3, the gospel of John and chapter 3. As you know, you’re talking to one very smart intellectual man here, says in verse 1, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night instead of the Him, Rabbi. We know the tower to teach or come from God, for no man can do the things that thou doest except God be with him.

And Jesus says, well, no, you need to be born again. You got to be born again. Evidently, Nicodemus did not understand what he was talking about. He says, that which is of the flesh’s flesh and that which is of the spirit, the spirit. Therefore, marvel not, you must be born again, flesh is flesh, spirit is spirit, two different kinds of birth. And he says, how can I explain spiritual things to you when you don’t even understand the natural things?

He says, don’t you know what the law says? He talked to him about the wind. He talked to him about An Old Testament event that took place, which he should have known and should have understood, because there was a spiritual lesson there and God expected this ruler of the Jews to know the story and to know what it meant. So is the cross talked about in the Old Testament? I believe so. But see there in verse 10, Jesus answered and said unto him, are thou a master of Israel?

And knowest not these things? You don’t understand this? Verily, verily I say unto thee, we speak that we do know and testify what we’ve seen. And you receive not our witness. If I’ve told you earthly things and you believe not, How shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man had to send it up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the Son of Man, which is in heaven. He said, well, that was clear, but he gives him an illustration in verse 14.

For as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. And the story that he’s talking about is an illustration of what will happen to Jesus Christ, and explaining what the spiritual birth is about. How is a man born again? So verse 15 and 16 is really telling us the answer to the question. How can a man be born when he is old? This is how a man is to have a spiritual birth.

In verse 15, that whosoever beleaveth in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleaveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Did you know this was not at the end of the ministry of Jesus Christ? This was what he said at the beginning of his ministry. And his message was no different than John the Baptist who went before him. John the Baptist says that he would baptize those in water that believe the message concerning you must believe on Jesus Christ, he that is to come.

So it’s all the same message. Take your Bible and go all the way back there to the book of numbers, the book of numbers, numbers and chapter 21, numbers chapter 21. Have you ever been bitten by a snake? Anybody here ever been bit by a snake? Did you ever live to tell about it? Years ago, I was at Tennessee Temple. And I was listening to Dr. Lee Robertson. He had gone to this church to preach. And I was a bus captain at the time.

So me and Linton Fallon, a few others, we went to hear Dr. Lee Robertson preached now. Back at that time, he had the largest independent that is school in America, fundamental school. And not as clear on the gospel, no. There’s a time when they wouldn’t make it clear and it’s time they wouldn’t. But anyway, we went to hear Dr. Lee Robertson preach. And I’ll never forget him telling this story. I said to her and I, I listened. And he started telling this story.

He says, now there was this young couple coming When I was in the depression, they was driving along the road in a car. And they got tired. And there was no place to stop. They were weary, hungry, thirsty. And the longer they drove, the tired of they got, and the later it was getting in the evening, and they didn’t know what they were going to do. They saw this old abandoned house. So they went to this old abandoned house, went inside and they had a little girl with them.

And she was tired and cold and hungry. She began to cry. The daddy says, stop your crying. And she said, I’m hungry. Well, we don’t have anything to eat, so stop your crying. And she kept sniveling, you know. And then the mama told her to be quiet, and she just started crying and couldn’t stop. Started deep sobs, and she just cried. So the daddy went over there and got her by the arm, and he opened up one of the closet doors and put her in the closet and said, when you stop your crying, I’ll let you out.

There’s no lights in there. And he closed the door. And then she really cried. She was scared. She cried. She screamed. And the mother says, well, maybe you better let her out. He says, isn’t he going to take long? She’ll stop crying in a minute. And it wasn’t long before she stopped pounding on the door. Screams got less and less. So they went over there and opened the door. and her body was laying on the floor with rattlesnakes all over her body.

They had no idea there were rattlesnakes in that closet. You and I have no idea how bad a rattlesnake bite can be. But let’s just pretend for a moment. Let’s just pretend that here I am. I’ve been up in those mountains of Colorado, but they say at a certain altitude that you don’t have to worry about rattlesnakes because they don’t go that high up because of the altitude. So we’re going to take me down off the mountain and we’re going to put me out there in some desert someplace.

And lo and behold, a big old rattlesnake bites me on the neck. What is probably going to happen to me if I get bit by a rattlesnake? Anybody have any clue what might happen to me? Yes. That’s one thing that I could do. I could bite the snake back. So as I look at this snake and realize that this snake just bit me, I’m going to get even. I’m gonna bite the snake back But I might look at it and think you know It wasn’t that bad You know there’s some people That are really bad sinners and then there’s some sinners that are Don’t consider themselves that bad.

I only got a little bite But you ought to see Peter Amato. He got a big bite. I I mean our big rattlesnake got all of them. Did you know that when we’re born into this world, we all have that venom, that bit Adam running through our veins. And that’s why we are going to die because we’ve all been bitten by the serpent. And what killed Adam, killed Eve. And what killed their children is what killed our parents and on down the line.

And that’s why you and I are facing death, because there was a time when the serpent bit someone and passed on to them that venom that causes death. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach by the line and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at six o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon and just keep looking up.