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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.

Many years ago, I’d say about 35 or 37 years ago. The sermon that I’m preaching today, I preached then. It was a long sermon. So I told the people in church that Sunday morning, I got a sermon I want to preach tonight. I says, but you need to understand ahead of time. It’ll be right at three and a half hours long. I says that we will have a little break in between. And it was three and a half hours long.

In somewhere around 77, 78, something like that, I was asked to come down to Florida Bible College and speak in not just chapel, but on a Wednesday night. So the total is the message I have to bring is too long for chapel. Chapel was only 45 minutes. I informed him that the message would probably be a minimum of three hours. I would try to cut it down. And so I cut it down to three hours. This morning, the doors are locked.

But I have broken it down into four sermons. So this is page one. There will be four pages. One this morning, one tonight, one Wednesday night, and then the big one next Sunday. So I’d love for you to get all of it. Because with things that are going on in the world, you know, this thing about how many years they’ve been doing abortions, the things that are going on in government, even now, that are terrible in people losing so much, so many corrupt politicians and everything just it looked kind of dark and the future don’t look too bright down here as it is so you say what can we do?

Well one of the most important things anybody can never do is learn this simple little thing called prayer. So this is called the principles of prayer but you’re actually seeing all the little scribbling that I did on it. Because I wanted you to have a copy of all my scribbled notes. I could have re-tiked it, but I chose not to. But some of the things that I have here, I think, will be a benefit to you. And so I want you to start off with, you’ll see right under my name there is Psalms 139.

So look in Psalms 139 and then you’ll be able to follow right along with me as we go through these notes. So here in the book of Psalms 139, look in verse 23, this is what you want to be doing as we go through this so that you see if there’s anything that needs to be corrected in your own life because if there’s anything that can move the heart of God, it is prayer. Here in verse 23, search me, O God, and know my heart.

Try me. Test me and see if I’m not real. Know my thoughts. My thoughts about God and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. The path of no end, the path of truth. So God wants each one of us to kind of look and examine ourselves. Now you’ll notice on the top of the page I have about a boy in Minnesota. Well I had led some people to the Lord up in Minnesota.

And then I have one two boys in North Dakota. Well, I went through North Dakota. Some of y’all have just heard about how cold it has gotten up in the frozen tundra. Well, I was going through North Dakota in freezing weather. It was about 70 below zero with the wind chill factor. That’s nippy. I was driving a Volkswagen. I thought I was literally going to freeze to death. I was so cold. I had that Volkswagen wide open. The road was nothing but a sheet of ice.

The wind was blowing. And I’m driving about 70 miles an hour on frozen ice. But I can handle the vehicle fairly well. Because I was trying to make some time. And I wanted to get to my destination before I ran out of gas. Try that with a cop and see if it’ll work. And so as I was booking along there about one o’clock at night, I realized the gas stations were pretty far apart. In North Dakota, everything’s far apart.

And I saw a service station I pulled in. And I walked inside and there was these two boys standing there and they didn’t have anything to do at one o’clock in the morning. So I was so cold, I just jumped out and ran inside. He says, what can I do for you? It says fill it up. So he goes out there and fills it up. Didn’t take much to fill up that little bolt for you. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t run out of fuel.

And they came back in and he says, where are you from? I says, Colorado. He said, I knew it. I said, how do you know? He says, license plates. He said, where are you being? I says, over in Minnesota telling people how they could have eternal life be on the show. But I simply accepted in the payment Jesus Christ made on the cross form. and I looked out to wind him. And I could see the reflection of a clock behind me.

And so I looked over at them. They were about to catch where I said, less than five minutes, both of you guys, although you have eternal life, I know that you’re going to heaven when you die. And so I looked out to wind and drink me some coffee. And after about 30 seconds, the guy couldn’t stand. He says, how do you know? I said, how do I know what? How do you know that we’re supposed to know we’re going to heaven in less than five minutes?

I said, well, you really want to know? He said, yeah, well, if you really want to know. So I pulled up my wallet and I explained the gospel to them. They both trusted Christ’s Savior. They were so excited. But one thing that I had learned, I did not know always how to make the gospel clear, how to make it simple. But I had a heart’s desire. I wanted to know. Because my biggest prayer that I have ever prayed to the Lord is I want to be used.

However long you let me live, I want to be used. I don’t care where, I don’t care how. I just want to be used. And you can figure out the rest of it. And I was open to whatever the Lord had. It wasn’t long before we were ranch, even though we started with only two kids. Next thing you know, we were averaging about 450, but we had about 25 or so trust the Lord every Friday night, Thursday night. And we had high days of almost 50 people trust the Lord.

Now you’re hearing about some of these teenagers when I didn’t have 30, 40, 50, trust the Christ of Savior, it can happen. It’s true. The biggest thing that I want is, Lord, help me to challenge people, to reach people. I can’t reach everybody, but I want to challenge somebody to do it. I may not shake the world, but I wouldn’t mind shaking the person that shakes the world. And so you try to keep reaching people and creating an environment where people who want to serve the Lord can find the ministry that can do it.

So you pray for those things. We started a Christian school and I sent some teachers who has only been Sunday school teachers and a few graduate from college, Bible college, and so we started a Christian school. I had 19 kids, half of them belong to the people that was going to teach, so we didn’t have much money. And so I sent them down there to Pensacola. It wasn’t long before they called me on phones a Yankee, they said we have to have a principal.

I said you have one. And I said, who? I said, don’t you worry about it. You just stay there and get there. We’re going to come home. I said, without a printer, you can’t have a school. I said, you have a principal. So they hung up and I said, my office said, Lord, I don’t have a principal. Where am I going to find a principal? So it wasn’t long before I got to talk to this one lady and she had been a principal before.

Her name was Beth Weaby. She came out. I liked her. She liked me. She liked what we were doing. I called people back. I said, we got a principal. and she became the print of our school. But sometimes you have to pray and believe, the trust, and all these things put together. Because I have a statement written here that you’ll see in just a minute. You can accomplish more through prayer than any other form of work. You can work yourself to death and get nothing done.

But prayer is an important thing. So look there at the next statement, I have it in bold as kind of choppy. But if you are saved, you have already prayed the greatest prayer in the world. If you don’t pray the sinner’s prayer, if you simply just said, no, look, I believe that. It’s a mental ascent to God. I believe that. I believe when Christ died, I believe He prayed for me. And just by that alone, what did you get?

You got eternal life. life. You became a child of God. You have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. You’re going to heaven when you die. And all you had to do is agree with God that what Christ did was for you and look what you received. Now, if you’ve already taken care of the most important thing in all life, think about all the other things you could have if you would only believe. You only agree with God. So as you read and study the Bible, you’re just coming to an agreement with God.

Lord, I agree with you. I agree. So you don’t try to get God to agree with you. It’s you agreeing with Him. You see, He doesn’t do anything wrong. He’s already right. He’s just getting us to where we come alongside. or I agree with you. with you and you learn how to start walking with the Lord. And you’d be surprised where God may lead you and how wonderful it can be. The statement that’s written there, number one, do you really expect an answer to your prayers?

I told people this, I said, it’s like my wife went into the grocery store. She walks up to the manager. He says, may I help you? Yes. What would you like? I want some groceries. You’ve got a whole grocery story here. If you want, you can learn how to get something specific, not just in general. It’s one thing to say, Lord, I want you to bless my life and I want God to bless my life. But there are times when you might need something specific and you have to say, Lord, I want this.

So the woman goes to the shelves, says, I want this and I want this and I want this and I want this and you go to that store, why? Because you know they have what you need. We was on our way to a place last night and said, we got to stop at the store. So we stopped at the store and she goes in there and yuck what she wanted. She didn’t walk up to the manager and says, I need some groceries.

Now what do you want? So you learn. Look at the next statement because it’s so important. Number one is a scripture reference there in Matthew chapter six where he talks about and they had mentioned to Christ, or teach us to pray, teach us to pray. And he starts off with the one that you all know, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name and so on. And yet a one simple little prayer. And just about our daily bread, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Don’t you want God’s will to be done on earth in you to what God wants? And you walk in daily dependence upon the Lord and you’d be surprised what God may do for you and you want God to use you. And there’s a lot of little details in between where the Holy Spirit that lives within you may guide you on a personal basis. But there’s a walk with God that nobody can do for you is something that God wants you to do.

And there’s some wonderful verses here. And if you look straight across there, there’s one in Luke chapter 11, verse 1, where he says, they came to him and said, Lord, teach us to pray. And then the one that’s over there in James chapter 4 and verse 2, where it says, you have not because you asked not. You have not because you asked not. It means you lost something that you could have had. You have not because you asked not.

It means there’s some things you could have had, but you didn’t You’re very good. You didn’t do it. Who knows until we get to heaven all that you could have had. You’ve already forfeited because you didn’t even ask God for it. And God says, ask of man. Come to me. God wants to give things to His children. Look at the next statement, number two. Somebody said this about Charles Finney. Answered prayer is not a miracle. It is a law.

He was told that he could pray down a revival. He says nonsense. It is neither scriptural nor logical. Revival is not a reward sent an answer to my much praying. When I pray, I do not pray for revival. I pray for myself. I do not beg my heavenly Father for blessings as though he were death. I merely make my request known and then turn quickly the searchlight of prayer upon my own self. Prayer doesn’t change God. It changes you so that it is consistent for God to do what he wants to do anyway.

Some of you might be wondering what in the world is this thing doing up here. It’s a flashlight. You’ll see what you do is if I’m, I see a need and I shine a light upon that need. You’re right here. And I take and go to the Lord and say, Lord, there’s a problem and I want you to solve that problem. Well, understand, sometimes God simply wants to turn the flashlight over and shine it on you. Now, how does God want to use me to solve that problem?

Did you know that many things that God allows you to see? God means for you to do something about it. Sometimes we want somebody to do something else do something about it. Remember whenever he says that Matthew chapter 9 that he saw the multitude and he was moved with compassion because they were like sheep having no shepherd. And he says to his disciples, pray the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labors in the very next chapter, he sends them.

The ones that we’re doing to pray in is the one God used to answer the prayer. A lot of times you’ll be surprised how that God may use you to solve the problem. But we always think we’re just the pointer-outers of the problems. We just find all the dirt in everybody. But how many people do you try to help? Lives you try to change because you got them sold upon God. You talk to them and you are able to, even with a mild gentle loving rebuke at times, or show them a scripture that helped them over a rough time.

Some people think only about themselves, it’s just always about me. And never remember they’re supposed to serve to minister to other people. So the next statement I have done here, it would be a miracle if God didn’t answer because God is working and getting things to do and get you to where He wants you to be so that it is consistent for God to do what He wants to do anyway. See, there’s thing God wants done but He wants a vessel that’s yielded to him.

And if that person will yield to the Lord, God will be able to use that person to do what God already wanted to do. Look at number three there. There are basics to the mastery of answered prayer. Answers to a faithful child are not promises held out as rewards. John 3 16, what does it say? For God so loved the world that whosoever believe it then him should not parry but have everlasting life. If I believe on Jesus Christ, does God now have a choice whether to save me or not?

Do I have to beg him to save me, plead with him to save me? Or there’s a possibility he won’t save me? No. If I believe on Christ, God must save me. It’s law based upon promises that he made he gave his word and his word his law. For example, and I got a little example here. Water, you cool water to 32 degrees. If it turns to ice, is it a reward, a promise, or is it a law? It’s a law.

You mean it works? Even if the lost man gets some water to go to 32 degrees? It’ll work for whoever it is, right? I told some people up in Minnesota, I said, I can walk on water. I said, I’ll be back in January. I can walk on water. I just got to wait until it freezes over. But you see, it’s something, I see this here. Now, if I let go of this, what’s going to happen to it? Now, it would be a miracle if it didn’t fall, right?

So, if I let go of it, it falls. Why? The law of gravity. So it’s not, oh, a miracle! No, that’s not a miracle. That’s a law of gravity. Did you know that God has laid down principles in his word, principles that are almost like laws, that if you do this, this will happen. Sometimes we call it cause and effect, that for everything, there’s an effect that is caused by something. And that everything has a tendency to stand still unless acted upon by an outside force.

Now look what he says, whatever we have down here. In this statement, at letter B, same with gravity, the laws of our body, you can violate the laws of physiology and there’s consequences to pay. You can take a little arsenic and put it in your body. Well, that tastes good. But the consequences may be devastating. It could leave you totally dead. Kind of like I told you before about the preacher. He was so sick and tired of people in the church that he couldn’t get them to straight now.

So he quit and went to work at a funeral home. So at least now when he straightens them out they stay that way. He says he’s the one that put fun in funeral. But 2nd Chronicles 7, 14 talks about if my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and forsake their weary way and their wicked way. He says, and worship me and I will heal their land and so forth. Now a lot of people take that verse and say, well that applies to us.

Now you can apply it, but its primary application is to the nation of Israel. But they don’t always seem to understand this. Not only if you call upon the Lord and ask the Lord, but He also says, and turn from your wicked ways. Did you realize that there’s consequences to live in a wicked life? And that certain things that are not right between husband and wife can hinder their prayers. If it hinders the prayers, it hinders the result of the prayer.

And God says his ears are open unto the righteous. And there’s some people that are double-minded, and so God says, I think not that that man shall receive anything of the Lord. And even though God knows what you have need of before you ask, does not mean that you’re going to get it. And that’s why He says you have not because you asked not. So there are certain things and just understand you. Let’s say for example that I’m in God, I’m God, I’m up in heaven and I have this little trap door up here.

And I open this trap door and I’ve got all these blessings that are going to come down from that trap door. But the only thing is though, is you’re in the wrong spot. If I open them up here, you’re not gonna get them caught because you’re back there. So God and his wisdom may work in your life and get you to turn from your wicked ways and stop doing some of the things that you’re doing. And he works and maneuvers, and he can only do that if you yield to him.

If you don’t yield and harden yourself and you don’t move, then he can’t get you where he wants you to be. Because he knows if he can get you here, he can open up that trap door and all these wonderful blessings come down upon you. But no, you want to play hard to get and hard-nose and be rebellious and stiff-necked and seek your own way and you’re struggling in things God would have given to you for free. And you want peace and you want love and you want joy.

You want all these good things from God. And yet you’re doing the things and you’re not where God wants you to be. You’re not doing what God wants you to do. There’s probably some of you here that may have known years ago God wanted me to be a missionary and you wouldn’t do it. You should have went to Bible school and you wouldn’t do it. You could have been a preacher and evangelist and you wouldn’t do it. You could have been a Sunday school teacher and you didn’t do it.

You could have worked in a wan and you wouldn’t do it. You could have worked in helping reformers unanimous but you wouldn’t do it. There’s a lot of things you probably should have been and you wouldn’t do it. probably money that you had that you should have invested in the Lord’s work and you wouldn’t do it. So God just taking it some other way. You’d be surprised how God will make you wish you had of. I don’t have to be God and I don’t play God.

I’m not the Holy Spirit. But after a few years I’ve noticed how He works. Remember these years were 35 years ago. So I haven’t changed it too much. I still go by pretty much the same thing that not much that I’ve changed on these. I mean because I believe it’s the truth. And I believe that if it’s truth, then it ought not change. So anyway, look at where I have 2 Chronicles 7 verse 14, then will I hear? Then will I hear?

So there’s some things in God says, when He says, I will not just to hear it, but I mean I’ll answer the prayer. Nobody has to know exactly how much you pray and all that. But when you are prayerless, you are powerless. There is power in prayer. And so therefore you and I are commanded in scripture to cast our cares upon the Lord. That’s a form of prayer. The humble yourself under God, that’s a form of prayer. Walk in independence upon God, that’s because you’re talking to God.

You’re you know you need God and you want His desire. You want you want Him to use you and there’s something that will be different about you. Look back there at the notes. Faith is a seed. You may have seeds, but have you ever planted and learn how to play the fervent prayer of a righteous man of valeth much, James chapter 5. And it means it would not have happened without prayer. If it avails much, it means something that would not have been done had you not prayed.

I don’t have to know what it is, but I believe that it is God’s will for everyone of God’s children to pray and talk to the Lord. You should walk in an attitude of prayer all the time, pray always, and be yielding to the Lord. Don’t try to understand all about prayer. I don’t even understand it all today. I just know that it’s true that we don’t. 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 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 Bible and 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.