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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 year. 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

So take your Bible and turn to Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews in chapter 11 All the way over there to the New Testament The book of Hebrews and Hebrews in chapter 11 We often call this the faith chapter Because we have such a great cloud of witnesses Those who have lived long enough to be good testimonies of what faith is all about How you and I are supposed to live by faith. So he givesou examples and the testimonies of the Lord are sure, making wives the simple.

You see, if we could learn from others that we don’t have to make the same estate, but we should learn that there’s things that God has said. All the promises that God has made will not necessarily take place during your life. All the prayers that you pray doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to be fulfilled in this life. Anybody in here ever pray that God would cure your financial problems? I mean, just let me see. Anybody in here ever pray concerning health problems?

Health problems. Your husband’s mental problems. I’ve got a few of those. I shouldn’t have said that, huh? And then the war began. Then the war began. But you have prayers about a lot of things. And you’ve lived long enough to see that sometimes your prayers haven’t been answered. God does not always answer all of your prayers the way you want them to. But answer them probably He does. The answer was no. And you’d like to live to be 150 in good health?

I might. It depends on if I’m really good health. I saw on news the other day, this lady was 100 years old teaching in a school, and they was on her nurse. She’s still teaching in a school, 100 years old. And that’s had an error in her. She didn’t know 100 years old at all. Maybe that’s the key. Keep working with those kids. You’ll either kill them or they’ll kill you. But I don’t know what to say. You might have to have a special abundance of blessings from the Lord.

But what I want you to see here in the book of Hebrews in chapter 11, look there in verse one where it says, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. See the only evidence that I need is what God says. He says things that I can’t see. I’ve never seen heaven. I’ve never seen hell. I’ve never seen God. I’ve never seen my own spirit. One person says, I don’t believe anything I can’t see.

I said, if you’ve got a brain, oh well, that wasn’t the end of that. There is another world. This place called heaven and what God has promised us about the judgment seat of Christ, where we’re going to be rewarded for what we’ve done. But you see, what God says is the truth. And if it’s the truth, it’s the facts. And if it’s the facts, that’s all the evidence that I need is facts. So God cannot lie. So whatever God says is true.

So I’m not talking about blind faith. I’m talking about faith in the facts. God said it. How much more would you have to have to be true? So faith is be able to believe what God promised. He is able to perform. And so he says there in verse 2, for by it the elders obtained a good report. And then he tells you what they were told to do and why they did it without seeing the consequences. Many of the things that God promised in the Old Testament, those people never got to see the fulfillment of the promise.

You and I might trust God for a lot of things, pray to the Lord about a lot of things, but never live long enough to see the fulfillment of them. Did you know that if God promised me that if we would start the Florida Bible College, if God promised me that I will be here four years from now, then that means that I will be here four years from now and I will not die? Because God promised. But did God show me anywhere in the Scriptures where I am guaranteed tomorrow?

Is there anywhere in Scripture where God guarantees you will be alive next year? That means you could do a lot of things and plan on a lot of things, but you have no guarantee even of tomorrow. You could pray for physical healing today. But God may take you home tomorrow. You could have financial difficulties today in this moment of time and then you can pray and believe God’s going to solve this problem. Oh he’ll solve it. But he may not solve it according to your timetable or the way you expect.

Now I want to show you this. Look there in verse 8. By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place where he should after receive an inheritance. obeyed and he went out not knowing where he went. Living by faith is obeying the Word of God. When you just say, I’m living by faith and you do absolutely nothing for the Lord, you’re not living by faith. See, I’m trusting Christ as my Savior. I’m trusting Him to take me to heaven.

That’s why I’m not trying to earn my way there because I know I already got it made. But living by faith means obeying what God said because you believe that what God said is true and you obey it. So as you go down through here, everywhere it says, by faith, by faith, by faith, you could say, by obedience, by obedience, by obedience. Because you see, if they obeyed, it’s because they believed, and they had faith to do what God says to do.

Many of God’s children don’t know enough of the word of God to believe that it’s true, so they can obey it. And so they think, well, ignorance is bliss. When you stand at the judgment of see the Christ, you’ll find out that the ignorance is not going to be blissed. But notice what it says here. In verse 9, By faith he sojourned in a land of promise. And the last part of verse 9 says, the heirs with him of the same promise.

And look down in verse 11 where it says, because she judged him faithful who had promised. In verse 13, these all died in faith, not having received the promise. You see, they were promised something, but it never happened in their lifetime. But Abraham, the Bible says that he was looking for something, see there in verse 10? For he looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. Abraham knew, he knew that it was going to be 400 years that his seed would be down in another country another land and then God was going to bring them out, down in the book of Genesis.

And you can read that. So Abraham knew what God had promised with these physical eyes he’ll never see. Now he told him about the land that he was in, but he never got to see the seed that possessed the land, because it was a promise that God made, but it would not need him to physically be here for God to keep his word. Now look at something else. Down here in verse 13 it says, these all died in faith.

They all died in faith believing, believing, trusting, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They looked down to the telescope of time and were able to see what God was talking about and it would so change their life that they lived their life believing and trusting and always moving on believing that it’s true. You see we keep doing what we do because we know it’s right to do. We know that one day we’re going to stand before the Lord and God is going to reward us for the labor that we have given to Him.

I won’t get it here. I don’t expect it here. You are going to be hurt in this life. You’re going to be disappointed in this life, discouraged in this life. And a lot of the damaging things that happens to you is going to be an inside job because the devil is going to lie and deceive you and try to rob you of the power and the glory and the praise that can be given to every man at the appearing of Jesus Christ, where he says that the trial of your faith been much more precious and golden silver, though it be tried with fire, may be found on the praise, honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

But can you believe that? Or do you believe the lie? Do you believe the doubts that come into your mind because it caused you to question if this Bible is true? Is it really worth me dedicating my life to? Should I really change my whole plan and goals in my life? Can I trust God with it? Nobody can make you. But like he said, when he made the statement in the book of Thessalonians in chapter 2, He sent them strong delusions that they would believe a lie.

Did you know that when you make up your mind, you’re not going to obey God and you’re not going to believe what God says and you’re not going to trust what God says, God will allow evil spirits to teach you lies. And you’ll believe that the lies are the truth. And you’ll live according to the lies. And then you wonder why your life is such a mess. Well, you don’t have that peace and that joy and habit. And then you go back here and you read in Kings where a lion’s spirit is able to convince others.

And you’d be surprised some of you will listen to what somebody else tells you. And you’ll be so discouraged, so down. And then you’ll notice that there’s other Christians, they always seem like they want to encourage people to lift them up a little bit. pray for people to talk about, don’t stop walking with the Lord, don’t stop talking to him, stay faithful, keep serving God. It is worth it all. And to believe that, because I really believe that. I want you to see this also in chapter 11, look there in verse 16.

But he knew that they would not in their lifetime receive all these promises. But in verse 16, now they desire a better country. That is, unheavenly, where for God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He had prepared for them a city. You know that one that says, but the builder is God, they look for another country. They knew that they would not enjoy this one here. Abraham knew that. And Isaac didn’t stay here. Jacob didn’t live here forever.

You see, they’re all dead, but God made promises to them, to their seed and on down the line. And there’s a kingdom coming where God promised to the nation of Israel a thousand years. And then he says there’ll be a new heavens and a new earth, and then he says to concerning his kingdom there will be no end. The increase of his kingdom, no end. But look what he says in verse 17, For by faith Abraham when he was tried offered a by-zick and that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.

He knew that if he offered up his son, his only son, upon that altar that day when he was a teenager. And the son says, Father, I see the wood. Where’s the lamb? It says, God will provide Himself a lamb. God will provide Himself a lamb. And it was on the same mountain, but yet that was only a moment in time. But it was a picture of something that was coming down the road. All of us have moments in time that we remember good things and bad things.

But it’s all in the process of time. There is an eternal world out there. And it lies just on the other side of your stopped heartbeat. You realize there’s only one step between you and death. And you say, well, is God going to answer all of my prayers one way or the other? But you have to understand how God works. For example, take a trip with me. of us, we’re going to go somewhere, okay? We’re going to go to heaven today.

Like that so far? One preacher said, Dad, he said, I mean, we’d like to go to heaven. Everybody raised your hand. He said one little guy in the back. He saw that. He said, okay, maybe he didn’t understand me. I mean, you all would like to go to heaven. Raise your hand. Everybody raised your hand, but he wouldn’t. So he said, sir, I noticed you raised your hand. I can be raised your hand. He said, you probably don’t take it alone now, but I want you to pretend for a moment, we’re all in heaven.

We have been given that free gift to be turned light because we simply trusted Christ as our Savior. Now we’re in heaven. Okay. You don’t have any sinful desires. And the wonderful we’re in heaven. We got glorified bodies. You all look so young and beautiful. Oh, you guys look so good. I’m so young and healthy and vitality. You’re just wonderful. This is great to be up here in heaven. How many of y’all have any pains? Nobody has a pain.

How do you look? Oh, we look great. How many need to go to the hospital? None. How many are starving? Nobody. I mean you get closed to where? Everybody got on gowns. I’m gonna talk to the Lord about them gowns things. I just, you know, me and the gown, I just, you know, I just don’t, I wasn’t mind, pair of dungarees, you know, t-shirt.

But I guess I’ll adapt. But see, if we could just picture ourselves in heaven right now. And if I was asked to you, I’d say, um, Phil, you got any problems? No, I can’t think of any problems whatsoever. Anybody got any prayer requests we need to pray for? You don’t need to have any prayer requests. You’ve got everything that you want. Anybody got any financial problems? No, we’re in heaven. We’re walking on streets of gold. So you don’t have any financial problems.

You don’t have any health problems. You don’t have any sin problem because you see, you don’t have a sinful nature. was in your physical body and it’s dead. That was in another world. So while we’re here, all in heaven, didn’t God keep His word to us? Did He not deliver us from the power of sin, from the power of the grave, death itself? He delivered us. Didn’t He deliver me from all of my health problems gave me a whole new body, done hurting him more.

He solved all the hunger problems. He solved everything just like he promised. I can’t tell you that if you prayed, God will solve all of your financial problems. God will solve all of your health problems. I’ve been to see a few people and I’ve seen them heard and I can’t guarantee them one eye odor. God will heal them. God will solve their financial problems. Their problem with their kids or their grandparents or in-laws or out-laws. I can’t promise them anything.

All I can promise you this. One day all of it will be solved. It’ll all be solved. But can we wait till then? But now think for a moment if we were in heaven today because there’s nothing to worry about. We don’t have any cares whatsoever. The devil is not around to kick us around, they’re seeking who made a vowar. He’s not permitted there. By the way, he’s going to be in another place forever. If this is all true, can you believe it?

And if you can believe it, now let’s transport ourselves back down to the earth. And everything that we have happens to us. All the trials and recibulation, here’s the devil, don’t forget where you just were. Remember, that’s the way it’s going to be. And you win. You’re going to win. Because, see, God did not promise me tomorrow. I may die today. And, yes, whatever the problems are, God simply tells us, trust me. Believe me. And I believe that He’ll give me what I need and take care of.

But, somehow, someday, If we didn’t die of something, nobody would ever get to heaven. True? And so therefore you do what you can with what you have, where you are, and stop whining. Stop your complaining. Cast your cares upon the Lord because He does care for you. He has provided a way for all of us to escape this world. And sometimes we forget all about that and we think this is all there is to it. this isn’t all there is to it.

I believe wholeheartedly what I’m telling you. And so I’m not too concerned about what people say or do. I’m only concerned about one main thing, that’s my own personal walk with the Lord. Can I handle that? Wouldn’t it be great if every Christians just handle that? If you know Christ is your Savior, that means that you’re saved from hell, it means you’re not going to hell. You’re going to heaven when you die. And because we’re going to heaven, is it God’s will that you and I walk by faith, put in our confidence in Him that what He has promised He will perform?

Find the verse in the Bible that says that God promised you good health all the days of your life. Now, there’s a lot of people who have the health and wealth philosophy. Can you look at the Apostle Paul who taught so much of this how to walk with God, how to be spiritual? And here he was in prison and they’re going to chop off his head. I would have thought, no, Lord, I need that. Lord says, not anymore. He’s, well, I need these finances.

God may say, not anymore. Well, I need this physical body. Lord, not anymore. There comes a time when our work is done, when our work is done. But until then, God just says, you know, pray about all things. Walk in an attitude of prayer. But it’s such an important thing to believe that in a moment of time, we are affecting eternity. Do you know that one little decision I made 53 years ago in Anthony, Georgia, my trusty Christ is my Savior?

That was just one little moment in time, but did it affect eternity for me? Most important decision I ever made. Treasures in heaven, what we’re going to do in ruling and reigning with Christ for a thousand years, we are affecting eternity by those little moments of time where we’re tried and tested. So don’t be discouraged because of trials and tribulations. The Bible says, count it all joy, because it’s just an opportunity for you and I to lay up treasure in heaven.

This is where we get a chance to prove. Do I love God more than I love my health? Do I love God more than I love my wealth? Do I love God more than anybody? Because God can take this loved one, God can take that loved one, and I’ve had God take a lot of my loved ones. But I love the Lord more, more than my own family. He’s more real to me than the clothes that I got on my back.

If you love Him, serve Him. Look up here, you’ve never seen this before. This hand, let it represent you and me. The wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. Everybody is a sinner. We’ve all sinned. And the wages of sin to pay for that is eternal separation from God in hell. But God loves us and wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven you have to be perfect as righteous as God. None of us are perfect.

None of us are righteous. We’re not good enough to go. So God says that nobody has ever lived good enough to go to heaven, nobody. All have sin that comes short of God’s perfection. So God says we cannot save ourselves. It means that you don’t turn from your sins to be saved because you see it’s on the inside. You have an old sinful nature. That would be like God telling you, if you, you know, tell the dog, if you stop acting like a dog, I’ll make you a chicken.

Or now I say a rooster. But anyway, you can’t change your spots. That’s what you are. You are a center. And you cannot earn your way to heaven. So this hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh, came into the world because He loves us. Hates our sin because our sin separates us from the Lord. So Christ took the sin, paid for it on the cross, came back from the dead. He said that if you and I, if we would believe He did it for us, He would put this payment to our account.

Last night I was sitting at Wendy’s and I was drinking a cup of coffee. And nobody was in there. And this lady came out from the houndeciner and she was just an older lady and she started I was cleaning the tables off and sweeping the floor and so forth. And she came over and bought me. And I got my Bible there and I’m reading. And I looked up and I said, she says, how are you doing? I says, I’m doing fine.

I said, how are you doing? She said, I’m doing fine too. I said, can I ask you a question? So she stopped and leaned on her room for a minute. And I says, do you know where you’re going to go and you die? She didn’t hear me too well. I got in the rear nature. I don’t talk as loud as I used to. Now people don’t hear me. So I says, do you know where you’re going to go and you die?”

She says, yes. I said, where are you going to go? She says to heaven. I said, how do you know? And she couldn’t tell me how she knew. So when they can’t tell me how they knew, then I know they don’t know. I said, you really don’t know, do you? I said, let me show you something. So I explained the gospel to her, then I asked her, says, does that make sense? She said, yes. And I can see it.

She had tears on both of our eyes. They’re all water, you know. And it’s so neat to see somebody just that quick. When I told her, I says, Jesus loved you so much. He would rather die than live without you. I said, would you trust Christ as your Savior right now? She said, yes, I will. So I didn’t have her pray. I didn’t have her. Just my toe, Bobby for me, just my ring, I’m not a ring. Nobody can get saved with me because I can’t only have a ring, but I said, would you believe that he did it for you?

Yes, I will. That’s the best news in all of her. In a moment of time, she heard, she believed, is it going to affect her destiny? All eternity. And that’s why we’re left here, because if we believe what God says is true, then we ought to be busy about our Father’s business. Christ paid all the sins. All that we have to do is believe He did it for us, and He would put that payment out count and we go to heaven.

And I looked at it and I said, you know, I can’t go to hell today, and I can’t go to hell tomorrow. I said, I can’t ever go to hell because I don’t have any sense to pay for it. I said, you understand what I’m saying? She says, yes, me too. I said, well, if I saw you 10 years from now and I asked you, where are you going to go and you die? I said, what’d you say? She said, I haven’t.

I said, well, how do you know? Just Christ died for me. She almost started crying again. Isn’t that neat? Now, if that doesn’t do anything to you, you can’t get excited about anything. A value. A value. There isn’t anything worth when you sung that song while ago The cross says it all But you also got to know what the cross said and it was all about what Christ did He paid for our sins. That’s why he died on that cross Let’s pray shall we every headbound every I close no one looking around If you’re here this morning, then maybe you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior Would you trust him at this moment in time?

It could be the wisest thing you ever do. There’s nothing better, nothing greater. Would you just talk to the Lord and say, Lord, I know I’m a sin and I believe Christ died, paid for my sin. And I will trust him right now as my Savior and preach our life for you to pray for me. I’d like to know. Is there anyone at all before we close? So yes, pray for me. I will trust Christ right now as my Savior.

If you’ve never done it before, if you’ve already done it before, you don’t have to do it again. If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, Trust the Christ as your Savior. Picture yourself in heaven. Everything’s soft. You have perfect health. You get perfect wealth. Everything is wonderful. And now transports yourself back and realize this is just for a moment in time. I can joyfully be patiently waiting for that day when it becomes a reality. But I’m going to believe it now because I believe by faith in the facts.

Father, we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us. We thank you for those that are here and those that are watching by internet. Bless each one. Lord, we pray for good service tonight because this is a very important moment in time. In Christ name we pray, amen. Hello, thank you for tuning in to today’s program. We hope that Bibleline is truly a blessing in your life. During this month to every person making a financial donation in any amount, we’re going to send to you the DVD series, The Poison of Bitterness.

In this series on Bitterness, Dr. Arnold will explain how we poison ourselves, those around us, and especially our spouses with Bitterness. Everyone can relate to the Bitterness because it’s a human reaction to being hurt. But Bitterness is a poison that can ruin your life, and this DVD series is yours this month with a donation of any amount. This is one of the most powerful teachings the Christian life that Dr. Arnold has ever taught, so contact us today for this valuable lesson series.

Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634, and don’t forget to include your mailing address. God bless you and thank you again 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. 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, just keep looking up.