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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, 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 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.

Don’t you take your Bible? Turn to the book of Deuteronomy, the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 8. I won’t understand that when the Lord brings his reward, he says his reward, of course, is what we have earned, your reward shall be as your work shall be. According to the work shall be. That’s in Revelation, believe it or not. And he’s talking about in chapter 22 that your reward is going to be according to the work that shall be. And you and I don’t know what that work might be.

That’s why we should serve the Lord now with all our hearts. And God’s going to reward us for what we’ve done. And then that is what work we shall do. So your faithfulness now is effect in eternity here in Deuteronomy in chapter eight. Look what he says here, as he addresses the children of Israel. There’s always something when you read the Scriptures that you try to see now. How can I apply this to me? In verse 1, all the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord square unto your Father.

Now this is not on how to go to heaven. This is about living in the land. What to do, what not to do, how to love, and you know all those things that are wonderful. And then he tells them, look what I’m going to give you. Not only what I’ve done for you for the last 40 years, but when you get into the land, I’m going to give you some land that’s already prepared for you. So he says in verse 2, and I shall remember all the way which the Lord thy God led these 40 years in the wilderness to humble the.

How do you think God humbled them? Did you know that if this is apopical for today, that you know that God may do things in your life to humble you? What does it mean to be humbled? Have you ever been humbled? I believe it means that God brings to you some from impossible situations that you can’t handle.

Something that you don’t have the wisdom of what to do. Thing that seems totally impossible. And then God delivers. You see, God has to bring you and I to the end of ourselves. You know, like the guy that, you know, they call him the prodigal son that went away and spent all that he had, Then he was feeding us, slopping the hogs, and the Bible says he finally, he came to himself.

He came to himself. And sometimes God has to get us to come to ourselves and realize, hey look, you see where you are, you see God has to humble us. It means to strip us of our personal pride, where we don’t trust in ourselves, where we live long enough to see that we don’t have the answer to everything and we can’t do everything. And we’re going to have to trust the Lord on this one. God loves when we are in despair, because he’s faith is born in despair.

When you no longer have faith in people or no faith in circumstances, you don’t know what you’re going to do. So God had to teach his people his way. He wants us to learn to trust him. So he says, I humbled you. Then look what else he says. to prove the, I mean, he tested them to reveal even to yourselves. What you’re made out of. What’s in your heart? David even prayed, Lord, search my heart and see if there being a new wicked way in me.

You see, every one of us needs to examine himself. Now, a lot of times we like to examine everybody else, but we don’t like to examine ourselves. Because sometimes we don’t like what we find. You know what, if God revealed everything, do you know we’re pretty ugly. I’m not talking about visually. I’m talking about we’re ugly in some of our ways and some of our thinking in a way we respond sometime. We can be so mean and untime and sharp, cutting, hateful.

I’m glad. No, there’s nobody like that here, but I mean, you know, there’s people like that. So then he also says to know what was in thine heart, whether thou would have keep his commandment or no, and he humbled thee and get this, you ought to underline it, suffered the to hunger, permitted you to go hungry, to want and to desire something you didn’t have before. You see, what you had before is you had some leaks and onions and garlic and cucumbers done in Egypt and he took all out away from them.

And he took away the meat from them. But he gave them what they needed and he gave them some manner from heaven. He fed him with manna. Sometimes God may have to take something from you because there’s something else he wants to give you. Sometimes God may close doors because God may want to open up some other doors. Understanding how God works is a wonderful thing. Sometimes it takes our whole life to say and he’s referring back to some of these things.

Hey look for 40 years! Do you realize what God has done for you. And so he made the statement there in verse 3. He fed thee with manner which thou knewest not. Neither did thy fathers know. In other words, you had no clue how God was going to take care of two and a half million people in the wilderness. How is God going to feed so many? How is God going to get so much water for all these people and all the cattle and everything they had?

How is God going to do If you follow this, they didn’t know. Sometimes following the Lord that you don’t have all the answers. You don’t know how God’s going to do something. So anyway, as he goes down through here, he makes a statement to them. He said that he might make thee know that man death not live by bread alone. So he took the bread away. He took the bread away. He let them hunger. He took the water away so they would have to be forced to trust the Lord.

They’re not in a wilderness. They don’t have the means to do it. But God does. And you see, walking by faith is a very interesting way to live. Faith is a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. You don’t have to see it with the eye, but by faith you believe. God is going to do a work. God is going to do it. And when it’s all over with, God is going to get the credit.

So wonderful thing to understand. I want you to take your Bible and turn to 2 Timothy chapter 3. All the way over there, 2 Timothy chapter 3. Because you see, you need to have a great appreciation for the word, man shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. And in 2 Timothy and chapter 3, I want you to close there in verse 15 where he says, and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures.

So when do you think children ought to learn the word of God? When they get old, grey, or from a child? From a child. Children should learn the word of God. Well, they should learn it when they’re a child, do you think they ought to forget it when they become an adult? Remember the Lord says, to remember, to remember, to remember. So we should learn the Word of God while we are young. You see, Paul is talking to young Timothy who has grown up now about what to do concerning the Word, preach the Word, be instant inseize and out of season, but always preach the Word.

But he says the Scriptures, you learn when you were just a child. Scriptures usually is a reference to Old Testament scripture because they didn’t have the New Testament. But look what he says about him in verse 16. All scripture, Old Testament, New Testament. Even Peter referred to Paul and his writings as scripture. But he says, all scripture is given by inspiration of God in this profitable, for doctrine, for reprove, for correction, instruction, and righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, complete, throughly furnished, unto all good works.

So if you want to serve the Lord and we should serve the Lord, but serving the Lord is because you are fit or meet. You are prepared to teach what God wants you to teach and to go wherever God wants you to go. Remember the missionary that says you should have an open Bible and an open map. Lord, where do you want me to go? But here he makes the statement that yes, the word of God is important in every one of us should learn his word.

You know, in Matthew chapter 4 and verse 4, when the devil was going to tempt Jesus Christ, well he did. How was Jesus able to withstand the temptation of the devil? He quoted to the devil the word of God. But remember, It was the devil that also quoted Scripture. But he just put a little spin on it, just a little twist here and there. Did you know that sometimes you do what you do because you put a twist upon the Scripture to justify what you really want to do?

You take things sometimes out of context and you can do it on purpose because it justifies in your mind, helps your conscience to be able to live with the decisions that you made. But lead the Scriptures along without trying to manipulate them. try to manipulate the Word of God. Don’t use this phrase, well, I prayed about it. I prayed about it. They don’t matter if you prayed about it or not. If the Word of God says no, it still no.

It doesn’t matter how much you pray. More Christians live a life of sin because they prayed about it. But you see, sincerity and praying according to the Word of God, according to the will of God, totally makes a difference. Just because we want to do something, amazing how we say God wants me to do it. Whatever you want to do, just say the Lord’s leading me. And what’s anybody supposed to say? He is not. So whatever we want to do sometime, we say, well, it’s God’s will.

But now, take your Bible and turn to the book of Proverbs chapter three. Proverbs in chapter three, you and I need to understand that there’s A lot of things that are in the Word of God, given to help us to understand why it’s so important to seek the Lord’s Word on everything. The Bible says there is a way that Seemeth right unto a man. Seems right. It’s just that it’s not right. But it seems right. So you find out what the Word of God says and the Word of God does not contradict itself.

are seemingly contradictions in the Bible, but since it doesn’t contradict and you know that principle to be true, then you have to find out, okay, what is the real meaning of these two thoughts that seems to contradict? But look what he says there in verse 4. So shout out, find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. One of the reasons for studying the book of Proverbs, because the book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom, help a man to know how to get along with God and how to get along with man and how to get along with himself, to understand, to discern.

So he says in verse 5, it’s a verse that we often have kids that can’t learn, but it’s also important for adults to learn. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Trust Him. Do you realize that a lot of times it’s so easy to doubt God? When you doubt, it means you’re unstable in your belief, in your trust. It means you’re a fence straddler. You’re not sure which side to get on. Sometimes it’s difficult to discern your own thoughts.

Is this of God? Is this my opinion? So you study the Word of God enough and if you really want what God wants you to have. If it’s the wrong decision, God can reveal it to you. But you and I can’t be afraid of making decisions and live our lives in fear. Sometimes we have to make a decision and realize it’s not the law of the means and depersions and God may open your eyes a little bit better, enlighten you a little bit better.

My sin is somebody along and says, you know, that’s not the best decision. I think that maybe I ought to consider this or this and this. Sometimes we need somebody else to help come alongside and guide us. That’s why the Lord tells us, you learn the word of God so that you can help lead others, have you can help guide others, to be an example of the believer in word and indeed. Because in word and indeed means you are light in what you say and you’re light in what you do because there’s others who are walking in darkness and some Christians need somebody to have a little light, to shed a little bit of truth.

So he says in verse five, trust in the Lord with all thine heart, Lean not unto thine own understanding. Because you’re in eyes, we’re limited. When you’re limited in knowledge, you’re limited in ministry. Therefore you want to learn more so that you can do more. If you don’t sense that God is using you as much as you think you ought to be used, then maybe you need to do something about it. Prepare a little bit more. Be a little bit more aggressive.

Look for opportunities. But if you just sit and wait for God, you may sit and wait forever. It never do anything. Always seeking the Lord, always walking with the Lord, always praying to the Lord. Always looking for opportunities, something that you can do for the Lord. And if you’ll notice there in verse six, it’s a very important verse. In all thy ways, not some of them, all thy ways acknowledge him. It means thank God. Think about what God wants and everything that you want to do, everything that you say.

Think about what God says. And He shall direct thy paths. Or does that what it says? Is that what it says? He might direct thy paths. He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Isn’t that a good statement? Be not wise in thine own eyes. But in everything, see the wisdom of the Lord. Look in Proverbs, try where I hear it. Proverbs, chapter 28. Proverbs, chapter 28. Proverbs, chapter 28 and verse 9. If you don’t have this verse underlined in your Bible, it is a good verse to underline because we know that everybody should pray to the Lord.

But there’s a warning here in this verse that you need to consider. 9, he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, from hearing what God says, even his prayer shall be an abomination. That’s why I say, just because you prayed about something doesn’t mean that it’s right. Check your walk. Are you walking right now according to the light you right now have? Are you seeking to do what God wants you to do with the understanding that you now have?

And you see, if you will not obey the truth that you already know to be truth, then God says that He can cause you not to be able to see down the road. Because see, if you reject truth, you can’t get to the next one. You reject light, you can’t get to the next. So that’s why you have to always be willing to obey that which you know, even in the book of Philippians in chapter 2 says the same thing.

according to the same rule, mind the same thing. In other words, walk according to what you do understand because, Paul had just said, I pressed toward the mark of the price of the high call and in Christ. In other words, I have not yet obtained, but I’m the walk according to what I already know, but I have a goal in mind. I want to know the power of his resurrection. I want to know what it’s like to live on the other side of the resurrected life.

And there were somebody who’s died and come back from the dead to know what it’s like to live without the old man dragging you down and so that you can live your Christian life as though you don’t even have a sinful nature. All we do and you know you do but you don’t consider him. You don’t satisfy the lust and the flesh. You don’t resurrect him, bring him back from the dead. He was crucified with the of infections and the last let it lay.

And it’s so difficult for us because as children of God in an ocean for world, sometimes we find it very difficult to walk in newness of life. But according to this verse, look what he says, his prayer shall be abomination. The word, because God says, you don’t even want to walk according to the light that I’ve given you, and then you want to ask me for something. It’s like a rebellious child wanting favors from the Father. And sometimes it just doesn’t work that away.

While we’re here in the Old Testament, look there in Joshua chapter one. Joshua chapter one. Do you realize the day that we’re living right now has never been lived before? Isn’t that wonderful? So therefore live this day with your eyes upon the Lord with a heart that says, I can’t wait to see what God’s going to do. You know, it’s so easy to be down and discouraged about everything. Or you can realize that there’s a God that knows the future.

And he has some wonderful things out there. I don’t believe God is a dull, boring God. If God is not a dull, boring God, Why should my life be dull and boring if I’m walking with Him? Maybe you look at the world and you think the way you think and you’re down and discouraged and it’s boring to you because you’re not walking with the Lord. See, it’s so easy to say and not to do. But here in the book of Joshua, he told him, he says, yes, Moses is dead, Moses is dead.

He says, but as I was with Moses, so will I be with you. So he makes this statement, there in verse five, there shall not any man be able to stand before the all the days of thy life. Boy, isn’t that a good verse? How’d you like, Lord, to say that to you? Did you know that this is still the truth? If I serve the Lord and all my trust is in him, I need not fear what any man can do unto me.

In verse 5, he says, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Isn’t that a wonderful promise that you and I can have as we live our lives? And we know that our heavenly Father is going to bless us and protect us if we walk with Him. I will not fail thee. I will not forsake thee. Isn’t that somewhere in the New Testament too? Like in Hebrews chapter 13, I’ll never leave you and never forsake you.

Same promises. Or what? Not we in a warfare. We’re in a warfare. I’m a citizen of two countries. But anyway, look there in verse 6. Be strong. Did you know that is a command? Be strong. And then you go to the book of Ephesians in chapter 6. That’s why we always say study the book of Joshua and the book of Ephesians together because it’s both talking about as a servant in this life how to fight and what weapons to use and that our weapons that we have, which is the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit.

And He makes this statement be strong and good courage. So that means it’s possible for yet not to be strong and not to have good courage. You can be down and dishearted, dismayed, fearful, despair. But you see, it all depends on how you think in between you and God. So he makes his statement in verse 7, only be thou strong and very courageous that thou Now may us observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou may us prosper, whether so ever thou goest.

Isn’t that a good verse? That you may prosper in whatever it is God wants you to do. See in the book of Romans in chapter 15 it talks about how that the Old Testament scriptures were written for our admonition that we may learn from what was written a four time, so that we may have confidence in the God of hope, so that our hopes in the Lord, our trust is in the Lord, cursed is the man that put his trust in man.

And so he says in verse 8, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou may have subserved to do, according to all that is written therein, for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, then thou shalt have good success.” You see, this is a challenge also that we find in the book of Ephesians in chapter 6 about being strong in the power of his might and about taking unto us the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand.

You see, God is simply telling Joshua, hey, when you go into the land, there’s going to be a battle. When you have a battle, I want you to win. And when you win, you’ll be able to stand against the enemy. God wants us to be able to stand against the enemy. There is a real devil who wants to destroy us. He doesn’t want us to be encouraged. He wants us to be discouraged. Now always getting us to look and think about the things that are wrong or the things that are negative.

I see the things that are going on in this country and I think, man, what an opportunity. What a chance to be the light of the world. The darker it gets, the brighter we ought to shine. And sometimes maybe we wonder about all the people that across in our borders, maybe we don’t have to go to their country because God sent them to us. And all we got to do is just win them while they’re here. But look in verse 9, have not I commanded thee be strong and of good courage?

You just realize how many times you just said that in about four or five verses. Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid. Fear not. not afraid, fear not. And when you read Matthew chapter 10, three times it says fear not, fear not, fear not. Why? Because it’s so easy to be afraid. We can’t see down the road. We don’t know how it’s going to work out. We know that if we look a little bit further that when this life is all over with, we’re going to be with the Lord.

We’re going to be in that thousand year reign upon the earth. We don’t have to be afraid. We win. We win. We are going to win between now and then, yes, we may die. But so what? It is appointed under every man wants to die and after this, the judgment. So everybody’s going to die. Wouldn’t be better to die serving God than to live in for yourself, wasting your life on something that won’t matter a hundred years from now, be not afraid.

Neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whether so ever thou goest. I know that the Lord lives in me, and He will never leave me and never forsake me. I am as strong as He that is within me. Greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world. How strong is God that lives inside of you? You are that strong if you yield to Him. If you don’t, you’re limited in everything.

And that’s why you fear and you shake and you tremble because you lean under your own understanding. You trust only the things you can see and understand and because you don’t see and understand everything, you’re very limited. So let this be the greatest year of your Christian life. You’re going to walk with the Lord. We’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. 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. Friends, 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.