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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 message will be a blessing to you and your family.

I talked to a lady on Friday night. Somebody asked us to go out and get something to eat, so we did and they brought this lady with him. Well, they had a clue that I would wind up talking to them, so they warned them in advance. Now, Yank is going to ask you when you got saved. You be ready to answer his question. She’s okay. She’s ready. So we said down to eat and so I, we did a little small talk, the next thing you know I says, can I ask you a question?

I says, do you know for sure you’re going to heaven when you die? Yes, she was ready. Yes. And I says, is there anything you can do between now and the time you die that can keep you from going to heaven? And she said, yes, she was ready. She did not hesitate. I says if there’s anything you could do that could keep you from going to heaven, you don’t know that you’re not going to do it. She said, well, I know I’m not going to do it because I’ve determined and is an amazing that when they get through saying that, you automatically know Red Flag, they’re depending upon their works to get them to heaven because if they don’t perform, they don’t get to go.

So even though she knew and she even said the words, Christ died for my sins, she did not understand it. And I’ve seen so many people that don’t get it. Did you realize that if Christ died for your sins, it means that if you’ll believe He did it for you, you don’t have to pay for one of your sins. Dr. Ray Stanford, I mentioned this in San Francisco, but I mentioned this again because he mentioned it just about every time he spoke.

He says, when I heard Cliff Nill Fowler explain Ephesians 2, 8, and 9 to me, for by grace will you say through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. Ray says, you mean to tell me that if I trust Christ as my Savior and He will give me eternal life, I can live like I please and still go to heaven when I die. And Dr. Fowler told him, says, that’s a crude way to put it.

But yes, God loves you that much. And Ray says, that’s for me. He says, they had orange juice there, and he says, just shook. He just knew it was going to go everywhere. He says, I guess I will save somewhere between here and here. When I realized that I can trust Christ as my Savior and live like I please, now majority of preachers will tell you, no, no, no. and then begin to make exceptions. No, no, no, that’s not what I mean.

Yes, that’s exactly what we mean. Exactly what we mean. So then people say, well, then, why don’t you just live like you please? I am. I am. For 52 years I have lived like I pleased. I wanted to please the Lord. I can’t explain that little miracle took place inside of me 52 years ago when I was 18 years old. But when I understood that it was free, that it was a gift and that I did not have to go to church and I did not have to give any money.

And I did not have to change my life. It changed my life because I didn’t have to do any of that. You see, I’m going to have not because of any good works that I have done to get saved and not because of any good works I’ve done to stay saved. Works have nothing to do with me going to heaven. Mine anyway, Jesus died for my sins so that I don’t have to pay for one of them. If you had to pay for one of your sins, he didn’t do you any favors.

So that was the best news that I’ve ever heard, but look how much wonderful truth in just five little words. And sometimes people don’t always get it. Christ died for my sins. Take your Bible and turn to the book of John chapter 3, the Gospel of John and chapter 3. There’s another verse you probably have heard, but maybe you don’t really get it. Maybe I can help you just a little bit. In John chapter 3, lo and behold, verse 16.

Look in verse 16, this is on page 11-17 in your Old Schofield Reference Bible. And he makes a statement in verse 16, for God so loved the world that he gave as only begotten Son, that whosoever, believe it then him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Now that verse is a whopper. That is the Bible in a nutshell. That is crystal clear. But look at those five words. God so loved the world. There’s a message here somewhere. Do you really believe that God so loved the world?

If he loved the world, that means he loves you. If God’s not a respecter person, that means that there’s not one person in the world that God loves more than you. God loves you. That means that there’s not anybody that he loves less than me or more than me, but he loves me. God loves me. Isn’t it wonderful to know that in spite of everything that goes on in the world, good or bad or indifferent? I know there’s a God in heaven and He loves me.

We talked about in the book of Genesis in the beginning God created five little words, but in the beginning God created. And so you see, there’s a tremendous wealth of knowledge in just a few verses or a few words that God can say deep things. The Word of God is a treasure house. It’s to be mined. And you mine the Word of God not with a pick and shovel, but with the mind and with the Holy Spirit, submitting yourself to the truth or whatever you find.

If you will believe the truth that you do find, then that truth will lead you to another truth and to another truth. And sometimes you’ll think I have found the mother load. Man, there’s just so much here that you can’t grasp it all. The Bible is the Word of God, and it should change your life. So you see, I don’t serve the Lord because I have to to go to heaven. I’m serving the Lord because I want to. I am living the way I please don’t most people.

Don’t you generally do whatever you really wanna do? And if you wanna rebel, you rebel. What are the lost people doing? They’re living how they please. Most Christians are too. Some lived to please themselves. Some lived to please the Lord. And I found out that if I would please the Lord, that he’d bless my life. So for 52 years I can give testimony to the fact he kept his word. I’m looking forward to the day when I get to heaven.

I have no clue what all the rewards and stuff is going to be. But I’m counting on some of them. I’m counting on some of them. He says lay up treasures in heaven where you cannot lose them. Can’t lose them. So anyway, I want you to take your Bible and turn to the first chronicles, chapter 21. 1 Chronicles in the Old Testament, chapter 21. If you want to find out what’s good and what’s bad, where you should stand, well sometimes you find out where your enemy stands and you know you stand just the opposite, right?

Because you shouldn’t be on the same page. But look what he says in verse 1. We back here in the Old Testament, 1 Chronicles chapter 21, look what he says in verse 1, and Satan stood up against Israel. Satan stood up against Israel. Satan stood up against Israel. Five little words. Five little words. If you know where Satan stands, you’ll know where you’re supposed to stand. Look how many nations are standing against Israel. Are Are they on God’s side or on Satan’s side?

What does the book say? If you know where the devil stands, then you know you stand opposite of him. There’s so much truth that you can find and simple things in the word of God that can help you to know what God wants you to do. So very important. Looking Psalms 23 and verse 1, I want you to just to see this because I looked at it in the book of, in Sunday school just a little bit ago, but I wanted to share it with you one more time.

In Psalms 23, Hebdo. Psalms 23 because of these words that I believe are very, very important. Psalms 23 and verse 1, five words, the Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. See, he’s my Savior because he died for me, gave me eternal life. I’m his child. But the Word of God pictures us as sheep. Well sheep need a shepherd. And so in this world we can’t find our way. You can’t provide for yourself. There’s so much you can’t do spiritually speaking without the Lord.

So my shepherd who knows what he wants me to do, where he wants me to go, all I have He has to do his follow his voice. And the word of God is the voice of God. That’s why you hear some people say, God called me to preach. How did God call me to preach? I heard the word. Means I read the word and I became burdened. So burdened that I couldn’t shake the burden. And I believe this is God’s call for me.

I believe God calls a lot of his children. but a lot of them don’t hear. And they don’t answer the call. And so they stumble through life doing a thousand things, but not what God wanted. One day, all going to be over, we’re going to stand for the Lord. And you’ll find out what you could have done if you had only listened to it voice and obeyed the Lord. But some of God’s children are going to challenge God at every turn, every verse.

You’ll explain it away. dismiss it, not for me. And yet, it is the Word of God. The Lord is my shepherd. Means he is going to lead me and guide me, provide for me. Beside the still waters, refreshes me. All these things that he tells us. And whenever he says thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, we still have a responsibility. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. All the days of my life. Seevu, see all these things are very, very important.

How don’t you take a Bible and look there in the book of Daniel? Look at Daniel in chapter one. Daniel chapter one. Right after the book of Ezekiel, Daniel chapter one, page 898. And I want you to see a. I want you to see a verse there with me in verse 8. Daniel 1, verse 8Runtime, we believe, was a young man. He’s just one of the Hebrew children taken into captivity of the princely line. These were important kids, highly educated, and yet they were very young.

But yet they had conviction. They had convictions. They had determined in their mind that Jehovah God was their God, and that they were going to please their God. In regards to what happened to them Notwithstanding where they were taken to, they were going to on with the Lord. So he says in verse eight, and Daniel, you ought to underline this, purposed in his heart. Daniel purposed in his heart. Five little words. You see, it’s something that you decide. I purposed in my heart years ago after I trusted Christ as my Savior.

I made up my mind. Nobody can make it up for me. No one can make me trust the Lord. I can’t make you. No one can make you serve the Lord, or to what degree you do, or how dedicated you may be. It’s a choice you have to make. But I purposed in my heart, I want to know the will of God. And the only way I can know the will of God is to know the Word of God.

Well enough to know the will of God. So it was God’s will that I know His Word that I may know His will. You know we’re planning on starting a Bible college. Did you know if I had niggled on to Bible college, I wouldn’t be able to serve a Lord like I’m doing? In the different ways. If Hank Lindstrom hadn’t gone to Bible College, this church wouldn’t be here. When I was here for his funeral and I sat right down here, they asked me if I’d be up Paul Baron.

Me and Wally were sitting here, Mike Schaeffer and a few others. I didn’t know I was going to be until I walked in the door. So we’re going to be Paul Bears. I remember Dr. Stanford standing up here and he says, This is how many of you here have trusted Christ’s Savior because of Dr. Lindstrom? So we turned around to look and hands all over, not counting. They said there was a lot of them over there in the fellowship hall.

I don’t know, 3, 400 of them over there. All those people that had trusted Christ as they would, you realize if Hank hadn’t been to Bible college, there wouldn’t be none of those people. This church would not be here. That radio ministry would not exist. how many thousands and thousands that may have trusted Christ as Savior. None of that would have happened if somebody hadn’t purposed in their heart. I’m going to serve the Lord. I want more than just living my life.

I don’t want to just go to church and sit so can sour. I want to do something with my life. But he purposed in his heart. 52 years ago I did the same thing. I did not know the course that it would take. I didn’t know the obstacles. I didn’t know all the hurdles that I had to jump over. I had no clue what the future held. But I told the Lord, I said, if I don’t serve you, life is not worth living.

And I remember one day, and I mentioned this as somebody before, I laid out there on the ground with a coat over me and an army blanket and on a sleeping bag. And as the snow is falling down upon me in the middle of wintertime, cold outside, snow falling. But I was so miserable I couldn’t stand it. And I laid there on the ground between the house and the fence. It probably wasn’t four or five feet across there and I’m laying right there.

So I just had to get out of the house, get away from the two kids. They weren’t the problem. The problem was on the inside of me. And I laid out there on the ground and I told the Lord. I says, Lord, I says, one of these days I’m going to have to stand before you. And I’m going to have to give an account of my life. I said, but don’t you dare point your finger at me. And say, Yankee, why didn’t you serve me?

And I says, the only thing I can think of is that you didn’t tell me what to do. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll go anywhere you want me to go. I’ll be whatever you want to be. But I don’t know what to do. And I cried. I wanted the will of God so bad I didn’t want to live. For no other reason. I did not want to waste my life making money, having things. I didn’t want to just please myself and have my own personal goals.

I wanted to find out why did you make me? I felt that I’m for a reason. I have a special design and I want to know what it is. And I went in the house and I didn’t even eat for three days. I knew nothing about fasting. I just didn’t want anything. I was so miserable and I just flipped through the Bible and I couldn’t, nothing. And I wound up in 119th Psalm. 119 Psalm, how shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy word?

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The entrance of thy word give a flight. And I came to the conclusion, I need to know this book. And if I can’t know this, I can’t live the way God wants me to. Yes, I decided I’m going to purpose in my heart. This is what I want. And I didn’t care what had to be done, changes I had to make. And yes, my wife and I, we lived in five states in a year and a half after I got saved.

I drove everywhere searching, trying to find something. I know there’s got to be more than life and getting up and going to work and coming home and going to bed and getting up and going to work and coming home and going to bed and getting up. want that for my life. So there’s got to be something more. And the word of God says there is. Says if a man will lose his life or my sake in the gospel, the same shall find it.

And if you live for anything other than what he wants, you wasted your life. Are you listening to me? I didn’t write this book, and I can’t make you feel the way that I felt. I can’t make you determine and purpose in your own heart that I’m not going to defile myself with the things of this world that I want what God wants for me. And you begin to seek that. There’s probably some of you sitting right here that listen.

Hank’s gone. He’s gone. Dick Haines, it was a lot across the Bay that I went to Bible school. He’s gone. So many of them already passed away. Ray Dukes had brought kids to the camp that Hank had over here, and I came down to speak. He’s gone. One of these days, yes, I’m going to be burying me properly. Who’s taking our place? Where’s this young blood coming up? These new kids that are coming up and says, I want to purpose in my heart.

I want something. I want more. And you’ll prepare yourself. And some of you ought to go to Bible school. What’s going to Bible school? What am I going to be if I studied a Bible? A Bible? No. You studied a Bible so that you can be the kind of a person that you ought to be. To study this book where it permeates your mind, permeates your life. So you can say, Lord, use me. There’s a verse that the Word of God tells us about.

For it makes a statement, Lord, send me. Here am I. Send me. You might know who said that? Isaiah, Lord, here am I. Here am I. Send me. Yes, I believe that you can trust Christ as your Savior and live like you, please. Good or bad? You can rebel against the Lord and God will chase in you. You’ll suffer the loss of what you could have had, the word you can serve the Lord, and God can use you and accomplish some great things.

You see, but there’s got to be a motive. What is your motive? Why do you do what you do? Some people, yes, they’ve been blessed, they can make money. But making money, what do you use it for? Do you use it for God’s honor, for God’s glory? Do you want to see souls in heaven or just stash it up someplace? Or do you use what God has blessed you with? That’s between you and God. But I believe it’s very, very important.

Take your Bible and turn to Amos in chapter 4, the book of Amos. Amos chapter 4, there’s a verse here that’s very important. Amos chapter 4, this is on page 937, and it makes this statement in verse 12, therefore thus will I do unto the O Israel, and because I will do this unto thee, you ought to underline these little words. Prepare to meet thy God, five little words. prepare to meet thy God. Did you know all of life is just preparation?

You’re going to see God. You’re going to see Him. Face the fact you’re going to see God. Isn’t that a wonderful thing to know? And it could be tomorrow. Could be today. Isn’t that awesome? You’re talking about changing your life. You’re talking about a free fall and all of a sudden, And there you are, face to face with God. And it could happen any moment. When I was up in Minnesota and I was preaching and it’s written in that little book, The Door Lake story, there’s a few things I did not put in the book.

One of them was, there was two of the men that was up there that really took me to task. They tried their best to turn all the people against me. They lied about me, said things against me. I mean, it was devilish. It was evil. wrong, so wicked. And I told them when I was up there, I told them, and then I warned them, I said, look, you don’t have to believe anything that I’m saying. I said, but I’m a child of God.

Not am I only a child of God. I am a man of God. I am as much a man of God as any man in these scriptures. I am a man of God. And if I was you, I would not say things against me. Because my heavenly Father, even in His Word, in the book of Isaiah, makes a statement, no weapon that’s formed against these shall prosper. And you don’t touch God’s anointed, which I I believe that I am.

I believe that for a long time. I’m not wasting my time. And I don’t play games. Servant Lord, it’s a serious business to me. And I says, if you do what you’re doing, and you keep mocking me, I says, God’s going to deal with you. And they laughed, they mocked, they had their fund. And the one man dropped dead. They did his funeral. While they were doing his funeral, the other guy was sitting there in the Doorlink Church. Christian, missionary, and alliance church.

And while they were doing his funeral, they had one of the guys stand up and give a testimony. And he stood up, this was the other one, he says, this man is dead today because of that preacher from Colorado. Says that, this man is dead today because of that preacher in Colorado. He’s a false prophet, false teacher, and he went on. But before he got done, he dropped dead in the funeral. He dropped dead of a massive heart attack and he died.

They buried him. I’ve watched it over the years. I’m not saying it to scare people, but I am warning people. You can say anything you want to about me, criticize me, whatever. Anybody can’t. I’m God’s child, but I’m a man of God. God knows my heart. And God is my witness. I say it not to be proud or boastful, but God will protect me. And God will deal with anyone that tries to hurt or to harm His child. If I live a wicked life, yes, I can expect anything to happen, and I’ll deserve ever bit of it.

But I believe until that day when God takes me home by physical death or with the rapture, I do not recommend people mocking this pastor. Do you understand what I’m saying? You can try it if you want, but I wouldn’t. You can gossip about me if you want. You can have potted pastor and roast reverend when you go home. But there’s a God in heaven that says, you better keep your hands off of him. I’ve watched it for over 50 years.

And there’s a lot of stories I can tell They’re scared, you to death, because it scares me. Because I love people. I want the best for people. But I also know that there’s a great price to pay when you rebel against God, and you attack those that are doing the work of God. That’s why I don’t try to talk about people, and I don’t want people talking about me. But I believe this book, prepare to meet thy God. God, everything in life is to give you opportunities to prepare, to meet Him because you’re going to face Him.

If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, do you understand? We are going to meet God. And when you meet God, He’s going to hold you and I accountable for what we did with our lives, for the things that we say and the things that we do. Do you take seriously. Where’s it all just a joke to you? You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message.

If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline 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 6 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, believing that the Lord is coming soon and just keep looking up.