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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. Our 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.

your Bible and turned with me to the book of 2nd Chronicles, chapter 16. There’s a song that says, Open Mine Eyes that I may see. Anybody have heard that song? Open Mine Eyes that I might see. La la la la la. Thou hast for me. That’s all I know of the song. Open my eyes that I might see. If there’s anything that we need, it’s eyes that are open. The Bible talks about a wake out of sleep. Peter, stop wiping your eyes over there.

Wake up. Open your eyes. See what God has to say. But believe it or not, as you look here in this verse, and I’ve always loved this verse, That’s how the talks about the Lord is looking for somebody. It’s like, you know, God’s up there in heaven. Man, I got an important job to get done. I need some good guys. I need some strong men. And the Bible says that the eyes of the Lord are like gigantic radar screens, searching to and fro throughout the whole earth, looking for a man that he can show himself strong on his behalf.

God, looking for somebody. like God has a job to be done. God is looking for somebody. God is looking for a man. Look there in verse 9, for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro. Throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou have done foolishly, therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. God was looking for a man to show himself strong. I had my father law show me that verse over 51 years ago.

I’ll have to admit it made an impact upon me. He told me he says, the world has never seen what God can do through one man totally yielded to him. I had to think about that. The world has yet to see what God can do to a man totally yielded to him. Maybe one day somebody will come along and God will say, there’s the guy I’m looking for. A man who really is committed to me. A man that I can use.

You know, you may not be the guy that shakes the world, but you might be the guy God uses to shake the man that shakes the world. But we always wanted to accomplish something, and I loved that verse. I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Genesis, the book of Genesis. You know, there’s the principle of first mention in the Bible. It’s also in a study of hermeneutics, which is the art of biblical interpretation.

It means that whenever you see something in the Bible mentioned for the first time, you generally will have the meaning of that principle, and it will follow through for the rest of the Scriptures. So sometimes that gets very interesting, very exciting. On our way to where I want to take you, I want you to stop there in Genesis in chapter 15. Genesis chapter 15. And notice there in verse six, there’s something that God saw, and there’s something here that Abraham saw.

But what he saw was this, in verse six, he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness. God showed him something, explained something to him, and he believed it, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. You know, whenever you bring a man and God together, the man always sees something, and God always sees something. You see, Abraham was told, count the stars. One, two, well forget this. It says there was so many you couldn’t number them.

God also, whenever he’s interacting with a man, sees something. What does God see? Remember, as you go through the scriptures, the Bible’s always talking about how God is looking for a man. I wonder how many men got overlooked for some little thing before God settled on this man. Now, I’m assuming that as I read the scriptures, that God chooses, but when God chooses, he has to also at the same time, non-choose. If he chooses this one, he had to eliminate all the rest.

Why does God determine what he does? Why does God choose the way he does? Why does God let happen the things that he lets happen? And so he says in verse five, and he brought him forth abroad and says, look, Now toward heaven, I want you to see something. Till the stars are count the stars, if they’ll be able to number them. And he said unto him, so shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord. So evidently, there’s a lot more that God said to Abraham about what he believed.

Because he also knew and understood from this that not only was he justified by faith, but that he was gonna have seed after him that was going to be like the stars of heaven. So many you couldn’t count them all. So God always sees something that the man doesn’t see, and the man sees something that somebody else doesn’t see. Because you see, God is looking for a man that sees something. You have to have a vision. You have to see something that somebody else doesn’t see.

Or why wouldn’t God use them? So there is a thing in the Word of God talks about him opening up their eyes so that they might see you and I live at a time where we may not see all that God wants us to see. Do you believe that when you read the Word of God that you really see all God wants you to see or is there so much more to be seen? Very interesting. Take your Bible and turn to the book of Genesis in chapter 21.

Genesis chapter 21 and I want you to see something here from chapter 21. Look in verse 16. Verse 16 says, and she went forth and sat her down over against Him a good way off. As it were a bowshot, for she said, let me not see the death of the child. She sat over against Him and lift up her voice and she So there is something here that she didn’t want to see. What didn’t she want to see? She didn’t want to see the death of her child.

Well, who is this? This is Hagar. She has a son named Ishmael. And the father of this child was Groll Abraham. And it says there in verse 9, and Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son. For the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.” Because see, she saw something she didn’t like. She didn’t like the mocking.

She didn’t want this woman to be around anymore with her son. She’s a bond slave, and so is the son, cast them out in verse 11. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight, because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman, and all that Sarah hath said unto thee, harken unto her voice.” So this is the verse that says, In the Old Testament, husbands obey your wives and all things, for this is right.

I knew it was in here somewhere. And there it is. But it didn’t say in all things and neither is it a command for us. But it does talk about this. It says in this verse, for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. So God told Abraham, do what she said. But what did she say to cast that woman and her child out? . . . . . . . . . They cannot be heirs. Now we know now in the New Testament that Hagar and her son is a picture of the old nature, the flesh.

And the flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So when you trust Christ as your Savior, a faith child, you have a new birth born of God. The new birth becomes heirs of God and join heirs with Christ. But this is a story in the Old Testament. allegory, a story to teach biblical truths. And so says there, don’t be grieved. Don’t be grieved. Well, that’s his son, but don’t be grieved. Because see, God saw something Abraham didn’t see. God also saw something that Sarah didn’t see.

God saw something that Hagar didn’t see. But you see, there is always in everything in our lives a divine perspective and a human perspective. So as they looked at it, they just saw a problem and she was thinking of a way to solve the problem. And so God says, listen to your wife on this one. So He says here in verse 14, in Abraham rose up early in the morning, took bread, bottle of water, it under Hagar, putting it on her shoulder and the child and center away.

And she departed and wondered in the wilderness of their Shiva. I would venture to say she didn’t have a clue where she was going. She didn’t know where she was going to go. She didn’t have a clue. How’s this all going to end up? She didn’t know. So this was a dark, dark day in this woman’s life. She had not asked for any of these problems she just happened to be a slave, an Egyptian woman, and look at all of the things that’s happened to her and did she deserve that?

More than Sarah deserved the other? What had she done? That was so wrong. Well, in verse 15, and the water was spent in the bottle and she cast the child under one of the shrubs, And she went and set her down over against him a good way off about a bow shot. Now how far would you shoot an arrow? A hundred yards? But whatever it is, it was a good way off. For she said, let me not see the death of the child.

She didn’t want to see her child die. So now you stop and think now put yourself in her place. Does it seem like all hope is gone? There is absolutely no way for her to solve this problem. problem. She knew she was going to die. She knew her child was going to die and she didn’t want to see him die. So she’s weeping and wailing a nation of teeth, hungry, no water in the wilderness. Nobody to help. They’re going to die.

They accept the reality. And And so it says, and she sat over against him and leapt up her voice and web. Now look what it says in verse 17, and God heard the voice of the lad. Now remember this, do you believe that there is a God in heaven that knows all the little details that goes on in life? Did not God already know that by the mere fact that Abraham was going to have a child by this Egyptian woman what it was going to do in this family?

Didn’t God already know how Sarah was going to react to all of this? Didn’t God know in advance that he was going to say, take this woman and this child and get them out of here and don’t grieve about it? Let it go? Didn’t God know that she was out there in the middle of a wilderness? No protection? No food and now no water. And the Bible says that God heard the cry of the child. You stop and think they estimate about 53 million babies have been aborted in America.

Do you think that God hears the cries of all of those babies that have been aborted? I believe God hears. And God who made the heavens on the earth heard the cry of a little boy out in the middle of a wilderness. He also says here in verse 17, God heard the voice of the lad and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven. Said unto her, what a list thee Hagar and Hagar says, you got to be kidding.

That’s a nigga Hebrew. You’ve got to be kidding. What’s ailing me? In other words, it’s like, hey, what’s your problem? You got a problem? She’s in a desert. I think it’s a little humor here. She doesn’t have any food, no water. She’s about a hundred yards away from her child and she’s just gonna let him die and she’s gonna die and a voice out of heaven. Hey, you got a problem, Daniel? What a lift thee. Hey, Gar. See those next two words?

Fear not. For God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad. and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation.” See, God sees differently than we do. God not only saw a lad, God saw a nation. God sees more. God intervenes when there’s nothing else you could do. When you get to the point of total desperation, you can’t solve the problem. It’s beyond you and you have to totally cast your cares upon the Lord.

Understand. You see differently than God. This woman saw her situation as a totally hopeless situation. She’s on the verge of death. Her child is on the verge of death. She didn’t see any water and then all of a sudden the The angel says, and he opened up her eyes so she could see. See, I believe the well was already there. She just didn’t see it. What she needed was right there and she just didn’t see it. So it says in verse 19, God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.

And she went and filled the bottle with water and gave the lad drink. Did you know that God wasn’t through yet? Whenever things happen in our life, always remember there’s a human perspective and a divine perspective. It’s how you see things. In our eyes, because we limit God, we have limited vision. There’s a verse in the book of 2 Peter in chapter one that talks about add to your faith, no virtue in all these things at least. He says, for if you add these things to you, you shall be able to see a far off.

Now, a Christian, many times we are near sighted. And we can see up close, but you have trouble seeing out there. And the Bible talks about the people who cannot see a far off. It’s like it’s all blurry out there. See, that’s how you get your point of direction. If you can only see right here, but you can’t see out there, you can’t line up anything and keep a straight line. then you go in circles. You walk in the wilderness.

So what you and I need is to be able to see a far off, let God adjust your eyesight, give you better vision. And this is why you can believe the promises of God. And when you start believing the promises of God, you’re getting better focus. When you don’t know the promises of God, you can’t see clearly. You don’t know what to believe. You lose hope like God is dead. God isn’t dead. He’s just trying to get you to focus so that you can see a far off.

Not just right here, but down the road, to have a vision. Just see from God’s viewpoint. You see, the woman sitting there with her child, she couldn’t see anything in the future. She was going to die. There was no tomorrow, but God already knew. There is a tomorrow. I’ve got visions for this boy, and you’re not going to die, and all of a sudden, this well appears. In the words God provided by an unseen hand. Miraculously, when all hope is gone, You see, faith is born in despair.

When you have no visible means of making something happen, how strong is your faith in God? How well do you see? What is your vision? And you and I know that that little boy, well, he did live, didn’t he? Did he ever get married? Did he ever have any kids? Go over there in the middle of the lease and look how many there are now. God promised. God promised. Because God can see things you and I can’t see. Now we’re right here in chapter 22 but notice that whenever Abraham was going to take Isaac upon the mountain and was going to offer him as a sacrifice.

Now the lad, he could see, Abraham, well he could see, and Abraham told the other guys that came along. He says, look, y’all wait right here. We’re going to go up there on top of this mountain and make an offering and we will come back. You see, Abraham saw differently than the sun. The sun says, Dad, I see the altar, I see the wood, but there’s something missing here. Where’s the sacrifice? Where’s the often? Where’s the lamb? Abraham could look down the road.

He believed that if he was to slay his own son, the Bible tells in the book of Hebrews in chapter 11 that he believed God would raise his son from the dead. But notice Abraham did not know at that point. Behind him was a ram caught in the thicket. And he got the ram and offered him as a sacrifice. You see, some people don’t always see what everybody else sees. Everybody’s on a different level of understanding, spiritual understanding. What did God see?

The Bible says, God says, now I know, now I know. He was ready to offer a peace son. God saw something, God saw his faith. God is looking for a man. You see, a man, in most cases, especially in times of desperation, is looking for God. Why do you think sometimes God will allow you to have such moments of despair? Because he wants you to see something you haven’t seen before. So he brings you to that point where you have to look to the Lord.

You’re looking for God. Well, blessed be God. He’s looking for you. Isn’t it wonderful when two people meet and come together? And God tells you, look, I’ve got something for you. God was able to provide upon a mountaintop when nobody saw how God was going to do it. Only Abraham believed God would. He did not know how God would. So you and I as we go through, there’s all these stories in the Old Testament, and they’re perfect for Sunday school, but I wonder if there’s anything in these things that, you know, an adult can learn from, as we go through life, that maybe there’s some things that God wants us to see, and there’s things that God’s looking for.

You know God is looking for the element of faith in an individual. Can you believe what God says? And God did provide Himself a lamb down the road. Look in Genesis chapter 28. Genesis chapter 28, but chapter 27 and verse 41, There’s something I want you to see there. Look there in chapter 27 in verse 41. Esau hated Jacob. Isn’t that clear? That clear? Boy, that’s clear. Why did he hate Jacob? Poor little Jacob hadn’t done anything wrong, Eddie.

He was just a thief and a conniver, but Esau asked for it. He was willing to sell his birthright for a mess of pottage, but it was just lentil bean soup, but he was willing to give it all up. But he was angry because in verse 41 of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him, and he saw said in his heart the days of mourning for my father or at hand, then, while I slay my brother Jacob. So he had in his heart not just to hate.

I’m gonna kill this kid. I’m gonna kill him. So mama who was part of the problem says son let the curse be upon me. You get out of here and he left. Look in Genesis chapter 28 and look in verse 10 Jacob went out from Beersheba went into Heron and he lighted upon a certain place, carried there all night, because the sun was set and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows and lay down in that place to sleep.

Now, could you sleep real comfortable? Well, they stone for a pillow. Now, me, I don’t went to the Holiday Inn, you know, where they leave the light on and maybe it’s Motel 6. But here he is, I mean, this is a famous man. I mean, this is when God tops. And God lets him sleep out there in the open, on the ground with a stone for a pillow? Did you know Jacob was afraid? He was afraid. His brother is going to kill him.

Did you know after he was gone for all those years, he was scared to death to come back home? petrified. Because he could see the hatred. He knew what had been taken place. Everything wasn’t smooth. Things were going wrong. And now he’s going to, oh, I guess go find him a wife from the laban. But it says that he had a dream. You ever have dreams? He had dream. So he says in verse 12, and he dreamed and behold a ladder set upon the earth.

The top of it reached to the heavens and behold the angel of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham, my Father, and the God of Isaac, the land whereon thou liest to thee, will I give it and to thy seed. Did you know that God had made a promise to Abraham? Isaac Jacob gave all of them the same statement What God is going to do they didn’t ask for it?

They didn’t deserve it It’s just that this is what God who created the heavens on the earth has a right to do I can do whatever he chooses to do But as God looks down remember God is looking for a man. And God don’t have perfect people he can use. So yes, God uses a bunch of dedicated nobodies. And sometimes things go bad. Jacob was not the epitome of an example of the believer. His name even meant Sir Planner trying to steal what belongs to others.

You ought to see what he did with layman. Boy, he really took him to the cleaners. You ought to make money or a cattle. And so he says here in verse 15, And behold, I am with thee. The Lord’s telling him that, And will keep thee in all places where thy goest, And will bring thee again into this land, For I will not leave thee, Till I have done that which I have spoken to thee up. You ought to underline that phrase.

God will not leave you forsake you until He has finished using you for whatever He intended you to be. Whatever He wants you to do, you and I are supposed to believe that. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tappa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part 2 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 programs, just go to our home page 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 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcasts of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community 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.