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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 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.

I got a little idea in my mind of sometimes what I want to say. Of course, I’m never sure how it’s going to come out. I have an idea. And so I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Mark, the Gospel of Mark. Sometimes I’ll latch on to just one word. And sometimes I’ll know a thought. But the word that I want to latch on to tonight, it’s one word, it’s called PRIDE. pride. Now, we don’t have to worry about that here because we don’t even know what it means.

Nobody here has a problem with that. So I’m probably wasting my time talking about a subject that none of us need. But it’s in the Bible, so I ought to go ahead and teach it. As Paul says, I have not failed to declare any of these. The whole counsel of God. And so if this is in the Bible, should we still talk about it even though we don’t need it? You know we talk is still talk about it. So in the book of Mark chapter 7 do you know when you spell the word pride you know what the center letter is?

I that’s mainly what pride is about. I, I, I. Well anyway the Pharisee had found fault with Jesus and of course because they were the Pharisees, they were the Heronchos, they had the farateh to say, you know, you didn’t wash your hands. They were nitpicking because they didn’t wash their hands. But anyway, pride is a, the Bible says a terrible thing. But if you will, you’ll notice here in verse 20 of chapter 7 and He said, that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

For from within, out of the heart of man proceed, and here’s two words that’s very important, evil thoughts. Evil thoughts. You see, you can’t blame the devil for everything. We have an old sinful nature, and if God is going to hold the devil accountable for every decision we make that’s wrong, then where does our battle come in? Why should he reward us for something? Well, we didn’t do. We didn’t have victory over something. Well, if you’re going to have a battle and you’re going to have victory, then you ought to get the reward.

People say, well, it wasn’t you. It was all the Lord did it. The Lord did it all. Well, then is the Lord going to get all the rewards? Well, in a way, maybe we’ll cast him at his feet. But God does say every man shall receive his on reward according to what? His own labor. So we are as God’s children supposed to labor. But he makes a statement here also. I wanted you to see him. He says, adultries, fornication, murders, theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, less seriousness, and evil eye, blasphemy.

And there’s a big old word. Right in the middle of all of these other things? I mean adultery and predication, blasphemy, pride, right? In the middle of all of that stuff. And then look what he says in verse 23, all these evil things, does God say that pride is an evil thing? According to that verse, pride would have to be listed as an evil thing, right? So do you know and don’t raise your hand, do you know anybody that you’ve ever seen that is guilty of pride.

You say, no, I haven’t. Next time you get a chance, you’re looking in the mirror. And lo and behold, there that person. Because every one of us be, believe it or not, have a problem with pride. That is one thing that makes us get, been out of shape faster than anything. Because somebody hurt our pride. Somebody hurt my feelings. Well, la di da. So what? Who cares? You’re supposed to be stronger than that, unless you’re guilty of pride, and then nothing will escape you.

You’ll be so sensitive to every little inkling of a cross against your nature. Anything that rubs you the wrong way. You’d be surprised how fast men, you can just fly off just like that. It’s called P-R-I-D-E, right? And we all are guilty of it. And God says it’s an evil thing. So I want to kind of give you a couple ideas just so that you see what the Bible says about this. And hopefully we can tie it all together.

But look in Proverbs chapter 16. We’re just going to look at a few verses here and there. Proverbs chapter 16. And you’ll notice that there’s an interesting verse there, 16 and verse 5, just so that you know what the Bible says about it. And then you’ll be able to recognize it. If you know what God says and you can see how it’s described, maybe you’ll understand it a little bit better. So here in Proverbs in chapter 16, he makes a statement here in verse 5, everyone, that is proud and heart is an abomination to the Lord.

Though a hand join in hand, even if everybody else is for it, he shall not be unpunished. Who is really the one who’s going to suffer for pride in your own life? You’re hurting yourself. But you have to understand what is pride, and that’s what we’ll try to look at in just a little bit as you go down through some of these things. But also once you’re right we’re right there. Look there in verse 16. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver?

Understanding rather be chosen than silver. The highway of the upright is to depart from sin. Now look at verse 18. Verse 18 is not underlined in your Bible, you should underline this. Pride goeth before destruction and a hotty spirit before a fall. Now in your own Christian life, you’ll find out there’s time when you will fall in your walk with the Lord. You fall to the temptation. You fall to anger, envy to jealousy, to be an easy offended. I told somebody not long ago I said, you have to serve the Lord as though you’ve never been hurt.

Otherwise you’ll let your hurt make you bitter and your bitterness will spring up inside of you and many become defiled so you have to watch. And God knows the reason this is happening and the reason I don’t care, where does I don’t care attitude come from. And we blame others for a bad attitude sometimes. But God says pride, cometh before a fall. And every Christian has times in his life when he probably falls. In other words, you don’t maintain that Christian walk on that level that God wants perfectly.

You’ll say things you shouldn’t say. You’ll think things you should, that you’ll have those evil thoughts. And sometimes you’ll have those evil words. And those words can come out like fiery serpents, poison, the Bible talked about, poison under their tongue. Like a snake that sinks or fangs in and poisons you. Have you ever had somebody give you the evil eye? I don’t know why people will like that, but I do know I said. But the reason for it is because pride keeps a person from trusting the Lord.

Pride keeps a person from trusting the Lord. So you look down here in verse 20 where he says, he that handlith a matter wisely shall find good. Whosoever, trusteth in the Lord. See those last three words? Happy as he. The person who learns how to trust the Lord. You see what it says down here in verse 24, pleasant words, pleasant words or as a honeycomb sweet to the soul, health to the bones. And in verse 25 there is a way that seeth right unto a man.

And so it seems right, it’s just that it’s not right. So that’s why sometimes people have a tendency to want to just do what they think, instead of what God says. Because after all, I’m pure as gold and if my motive is right and my motive is always right, it must be right. And it may not be right. It seems like it’s right, but it may not be. So that’s why you have to be very, very careful in all of these things.

Now, I want you to take your Bible and look what we’re right there. Maybe there’s another we can look at. Look in Proverbs 8. Proverbs 8 verse 13. Let’s turn to you left there just a little bit. 8 and verse 13. Proverbs 8 verse 13 says, the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. And the Bible also says, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So learning to hate sin because of what sin does to you.

What sin does to somebody else? Sin never helps anybody. Sin is wrong. It’s always wrong to do wrong. It’s always right to do right. It’s never right to do wrong in order to do right. Wrong is wrong. Right is right. I believe that. And he says here, the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Then he tells you what is evil. Remember there in the book of Mark chapter 7, these evil things and it names a word, pride, erigancy, hate the evil way.

the forward mouth do I hate. This is what God says. In other words, pride is I want my own way. It’s rebellion to God. When God tells us how we’re supposed to live and we won’t, that’s pride. And many people will not trust Christ as their Savior because they want to have a part that’s pride. They want to do it their way. And are there many religions today where you have people that are seeking their own righteousness, not accepting the righteousness that God offers?

Like he says in Romans 10, and so it’s called pride. When you disagree with God, why would you disagree with Godffield? Why would you disagree with the book? I’m smarter than the book. God doesn’t know everything. Which way is it? I’m smarter or God’s smarter. You just don’t believe the Bible. Well, it can’t mean that because I don’t want to do that. So we become the judge of the judge. We sit in judgment upon God in his word. It mentions that in the book of James in chapter 4.

He is the law giver, not us. He lays down the law. He tells us what’s right. He tells us what’s wrong. And we go by what he says. And if we won’t do what God says, do, it’s amazing how all of these things will work. Take your Bible and turn there to the book of Psalms. Psalms and chapter 31. Psalms 31. There’s several things that are mentioned here in the 31st Psalm. And I just want to mention a couple of these things to you because there’s a number of them and I just want to read certain parts of the verses but look there in verse 1 because trusting in the Lord means I submit to whatever he has.

I’m willing to do whatever God wants me to do. I surrender means I’m not fighting against God. But remember there’s a verse also found in the book of James in chapter 4. God resisteth the proud. So that means if God resists you it means He’s going to keep you from getting what you want. Pride can keep you from a lot of good stuff.

So he says here in verse one in the oh Lord, do I put my trust? Then notice what it says here also in verse three for thou art my rock and my fortress therefore for thy name sake lead me and guide me. See that submission that’s been humble. That’s accepting whatever God wants. wherever He wants to guide you, to lead you, teach you, correct you, rebuke you, whatever you’re willing to accept the discipline of God in your life. Don’t you love it when your children accepted your discipline?

With a right attitude. Or have you ever spanked them and they have a bad attitude? Have you ever wanted to spank that bad attitude out of them? I’m glad there’s nobody like that here. Now look in verse 5, because verse 5 and verse 15 kind of goes together, but look in verse 5. Into thy hand I commit my spirit. I used to tell people that commit everything in your life into the hand of God. And sooner or later, I’m going to say, you’ll see the hand of God in everything that you have.

You’ll see God working. I was talking to Betty the day. We’re sitting there on the ship and we’re, I’m drinking a cup of coffee and then we’re just sitting there and looking out at the water and just talking. I said, you realize as I look back over our life, I can see how God has worked. I can see how God did this and God did that at the time I never even paid any attention to it. But down the road I can see how God has worked in my life.

And I said, honey, it ain’t over. He’s still doing it. I can see things that happen that I can’t make happen. I could write a whole book on just the way that God has worked providentially in my life. But it doesn’t doesn’t mind. He doesn’t everybody’s. But some people don’t see it and they don’t really understand how God works. But look what he says here. In verse 10, for my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing, my strength, fail it.

And the older we get the more we realize that. And our bones are being consumed. We’re getting older, we don’t have the speed we used to have. Maybe I don’t think it’s clear as we used to. We just, you know, it just, it takes his toll. But he also makes the statement here in verse 15, my times are in thy hands. The time that God has given me to live is in God’s hands. And I have placed my spirit in his hands.

Paul also makes the statement, I know in whom I have believed and I have committed into his trust, the keeping of my soul. So I belong to the Lord’s block, fucking barrel. I belong all that I am, all that I have, and whatever he wants to do with me belongs to God. Did you know that keeps you from worrying about a lot of things that you can’t control anyway? I had a person tell me, he said, don’t tell me worry and doesn’t help.

90% of what I worry about never happens. Okay? Now look what he says here, look in verse 19, oh how great is thy goodness which thou had laid for them that fear thee. So is there an advantage? Is there something that God has for those that love him? Now you don’t have to love him, but if you do love him, you win more. You’ll get more. Because God is looking to bless those that love him. Now the verse right before this, ooh, look at the verse right before that.

See there in verse 18, Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak grievous things. And here’s a word you need to underland it or circle it proudly and contentiously against the righteous. If you live a righteous life and you’re seeking to serve God and you’re doing all the right you know, don’t worry about all the people that say something about you. I was told one day, well, I heard it first of all from Ray Stanford. And he made the statement, the locomotive doesn’t stop for every bark and dog.

Ever seen dogs bark at a car? Should the car get concerned about the dog? Should the train stop running because the dog bark at it? Why would you? Because we are sometimes so prideful, we want everybody to love us and I deserve to be loved. I deserve to be respected. Do you know who I am? I’ve got a bunch of good jokes on that, but I’m going to let it just fade away right now. But all of it’s so important.

But see down here in verse 23, oh, love the Lord. All ye his saints. So is it the will of God for all of his children to love the Lord? And if you will love the Lord, there’s things that God has for you. But now look up there in verse 19 again because the other half of this verse is also important. So he said in verse 19, oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hath laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hath wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men.

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man. See those words, pride of men. God is going to give those who humble themselves before the Lord because you trust in the Lord and you love the Lord. And you’ll be patient and let God deal with it instead of thinking that you can handle it your way and commit it to the Lord. You know, you don’t have to be mean and ugly. You really don’t.

You can, with the power of the Holy Spirit living in, you can be a sweet individual. You can be a kind person. Now there may be times when you have to have a sharp word, as he says in the book of Titus, rebuke them sharply that they may be sounding the faith. There’s a time for that. But on the average, you don’t have to go around with a sword to destroy it. But we’re supposed to edify. That means beautifying what’s there and add to it, helping people to be stronger than what they are.

get what he says here. In verse 20, thou shall hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of men, thou shall keep them secretly in a provision from the strife of tongue. There’s people who, because of pride, will say things, they shouldn’t say, and so God is going to withhold things from them. But the people who put God first and love him, there’s things God’s going to give them. So in life, Don’t think that you can be a powerful individual and win.

Submission to the Lord, humbling yourself before God is trusting the Lord. Living by faith. You don’t have to understand how God does everything, but you’re going to be patient and wait on him. But if you’re not patient and you don’t wait on the Lord, you take matters into your own hands. And that’s what I usually get you in trouble because you don’t put a curve on the tongue. The Bible says in Proverbs 15-1, I wonder what it says, a soft answer.

Anybody know? Does what? Well, lo and behold. And he says in the book of James, be swift to, slow to. That’s why God gave you two ears and one mouth. You get that, don’t you? Know what one ear sedge of the other ear I hear we live on the same block. Well, I’m glad somebody appreciate you a little wisdom here and there Oh, man. What am I gonna do with y’all?

Proverbs 813 I don’t know if we looked at that one yet, but I want to proverbs 813 Yes, I think I did show you that verse and The reason is because the verse that follows it just simply talks about council is mine listen to what God has to say and realize that he does counsel us. Look in the book of 1 Timothy chapter 3, 1 Timothy and chapter 3. There’s an interesting verse here that you need to be aware of.

It’s in the Bible. It deals with the office of a pastor, a bishop, an overseer, an elder, and as it goes down through here it kind to give you some of the things about, well, what do you ought to be like? And he says here, in verse 1, this is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desire for good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of a beautiful wife. Well, I thought I’d slip that in there.

You didn’t know there was any revival? I sent a Greek. But then you’re going down here and it says here in verse 6, not a novice. Now what? No, world’s a novice. What’s a novice? Oh what? No, I’m not mean there’s a no anything. You can know something. But it’s generally it’s a new believer, one that’s not really grounded, solid, proven because he’s gonna have a lot of pressure upon him. I’m the pastor of the church. It doesn’t mean that I know it all.

I know it a little bit. But I’ve been preaching for almost 50 years. That’s a long time. Anyway, you cut it. So just that time has given me quite a bit of experience. There’s possibility that I have faced a lot of things that a lot of preachers have never faced if they’ve only been in the ministry a year or two years or three years. But what God says is, be careful of putting a person into a position too soon for one reason.

Satan can get an advantage of him. Why? Because of P-R-I-D-E. Man, look at me. I’m somebody. I know how to do it. I’m the man. And you’d be surprised, huh? quickly you can be exalted and lifted up. But to be honest with you, in the beginning, I didn’t even want this job. There’s always one, there’s always one. But if I take a responsibility, I realize that I’m, I’ve got to submit myself to the leadership in the church. I have to submit myself to a doctrinal statement.

I have to submit myself to what God says to do concerning the church and teaching in training. Now pride would make me want to do, I want to do everything. If you’re a stay running alone of your eyes, I don’t want to do anything. And the more I don’t want to do, the more I want to end up doing. If you ever find out the more you delegate, the more you end up doing, they will say inspect what you expect.

So the more I delegate, more I’ll go to people I got to inspect. Are you doing the job? Are you doing the job? Are you doing the job? Everybody has accountability. But some people want position so that they can be served and looked upon as some great individual. But when you have the right attitude, you’re trying to find a way, how can I serve other people? How can I get them involved in the ministry? How can I help them to become strong?

It’s all about trying to get them closer to the Lord. Can I get closer to them that I can rebuke them if I need to and say things to them to help them? Or if I see something in the light that doesn’t need to be there, Can I be strong enough to say, look, that’s wrong. That needs to stop. You’re gonna ruin your testimony. You’re gonna lose your husband. You’re gonna lose your wife. You’re gonna lose your kids if you don’t pay attention to what I’m telling you.

So can you love them enough that you can tell them even if you lose them? If you don’t love them enough, then you won’t be able to do it. You have to love people enough that you may have to hurt them. That doesn’t make any sense of all I know. But if you had children, you understand what I’m saying. And almost everybody in here has had children. If you think you know it all, wait to those little darlin’, you get to be teenagers.

I’ll tell you and show you, you don’t know anything. But it’s talking about don’t lift them up too soon, too high position, because he says right here, lift it up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. The devil can get a person who has lifted up his mind. We hope you’ve enjoyed this lesson today from Dr. Arnold and Pray that Bibleline is a blessing in your life. We are so grateful to our listeners and supporters who help us accomplish so many great things for the Lord.

During this month to every person making a financial donation in any amount, we’re going to send to you the DVD teaching series on how to witness to Roman Catholics. Many Catholics love the Lord so much, but sadly they are lost. Although the Roman Catholic Church uses words like grace and mercy, they rely upon works as the cause of salvation. So many wonderful people are being deceived by the world’s largest religion, and this DVD series could help you win them to the truth.

Again we’re so grateful to those of you who support this ministry. mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634, and don’t forget to include your mailing address as well. God bless you and thank you for supporting Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. 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. 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. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.