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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 BibleInmenistries.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 want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Thessalonians in chapter 4. First Thessalonians chapter 4, remember this, Jesus Christ has done all that He knows how or what was required by coming into the world and down on the cross to pay for the sins of the whole world so that we could have eternal life and go to heaven when we die. Now He’s done everything He needed to do and God wants everybody to hear the truth because Because He wants all of us to be with Him for all eternity.

Now believe it or not, there’s things called roadblocks. If you drive down the highway, sometimes there’ll be a roadblock and you’ve got to go around it to slow down, bridges out, roads out, you know, all kinds of things that can happen. the Lord see God wants you to know the truth so bad that God has put roadblocks in your way. A church can be a roadblock to a person that’s on the way to hell. When you’re on your job and you simply give somebody a track, that’s to get somebody to stop to listen.

God wants to say something to you. When they go out Friday night soul winning, that’s like a roadblock. is trying to get people to stop and listen to what he has to say. That’s why the Reformers’ unanimous is so important and Awana is so important and Sunday School is so important. The Radio Ministry so much. All those are roadblocks on people on their way to hell and we are trying our dead level best to influence as many people as we possibly can while we have time.

So yes, God is concerned and God will put some good roadblocks in the way of the lost man. So let’s reverse it. Let’s think about there’s a place called hell and there is. There is a literal fire burning hell. Let’s say for example here you are you have trusted Christ as your Savior and your one desire is that you want to put these He’s good road blocks up in the way so you can reach people and get them to stop and to listen.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And a lot of people don’t hear. They’re so busy doing so many things. So we’re always trying to find an opportunity. So if you decide you are going to serve the Lord and you want God to use you to help people to see, to be one of these road blocks for those people that are lost and on their way to hell if I’m the devil, I’m not. But if I was the devil, I would want to put roadblocks, bad roadblocks in your way.

Now I am the devil and I’m going to try to put things in your way to keep you from doing something that you ought to do. So my roadblocks, the devils are bad roadblocks. God’s are good roadblocks because see God has something He wants people to stop in here and to listen because he got some good news. See the devil was going to do everything he possibly can. I have seen so many people who dedicate their life to the Lord and they want God to use him in a great way and they want to do something with their lives.

And you’d be surprised how many all of a sudden roadblocks will come up in their way. To stop them from doing this or doing that. And you don’t understand why did this have to happen? And I’ve seen kids that when I was in Bible school and we decided we’re gonna race the world for the Lord. And I’ve seen one after one that, you know, because of certain things that would happen. And even when we left Bible school and over the years watching different people and things get rough, it gets hard.

Satan puts up roadblocks all over the place and it stops and holds a person back and it breaks your heart when you see that. Whenever we saw the little girl at the hospital and it was such a joy to see her and now to see something that’s happened that might take her home, it breaks your heart. Peter was in the office just a while ago and Betty told us the news. So right then there we had prayer for him.

And I have to admit I couldn’t stop from weeping. Well neither could Peter. I’m gonna tell on him just as if I could tell on me. Because it breaks your heart to see somebody hurting a little child. But you know as we concerned about one person even though she said she trusted Christ the Savior, she’ll go to heaven. Think about all the people that’s never heard. And Satan is doing everything he can to keep you from telling people how to have eternal life.

And he will use all kinds of excuses. They’ll always be justified of why you can’t do it, why you never talk to anybody. I was reading an article that was just sent to me in the paper. And it says that 2% of the people in the majority of churches witness only 2% of the people in the church ever tell people how to have eternal life. That means almost 98% of the people never tell anyone about the Lord. See, Satan is putting roadblocks in your way, and there’s always something that comes up.

Something will always happen and it’ll break your heart and one day we’ll have to give an account to the Lord. But I want you to look there in verse 13 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 where it says, but I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. Think of those words which have no hope. There’s people have no hope. See, we have our hope as in the Lord, and it’s as sure as can be.

But there’s some people who have none. In verse 14, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him, are the Capir. This is where we are in this period of time, called the Church Age, the time of grace. between the day of Pentecost and what we call the rapture. So we’re in this period of time, it’s lasted for 2000 years. And the Bible tells us that there’s people who have already passed away and to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

So they are in heaven with the Lord. And the Bible says, when Christ comes back in the air, He’s going to bring them with Him. So when He comes back in the air to get the rest of us and we’ll be gathered together into the Lord. It makes this statement there in verse 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words, God wants His children to know this truth. He said this brings great truth and great comfort. God doesn’t say I’m going to stop letting people die.

I’m just not going to let people die. No, people are going to die. People are going to fall asleep and people are going to be separated and you’re going to be hurt and there’s going to be the loneliness and the emptiness and the despair and all those things. God knows what you and I have to suffer and go through and He’ll let it happen anyway. Now we might think God doesn’t love us because of that but He does love us.

He does care. And he knows how we think, he knows how we feel, knows what we go through, knows all of our fears, our anxieties, all those things. God knows it all. But he says, comfort one another with these words. Now in the next chapter, chapter 5, he explains something so that we could understand it, but look up here first of all. I want you to know that this is what we consider to be the day of grace. This is the day of the Kingdom.

When Christ comes and sets up His Kingdom upon the earth, call the Davidic Millennial Kingdom, Millennial means a thousand years, so this is a thousand years long. It is separated By a seven year period of time called the Great Tribulation. Now in the Bible, this is considered a day, and this is considered a day, and this is considered a night. What separates two days is a night. This is started the night. And we had Sandy, and then we’re going to have tonight, and we’ll have another day.

Well, there’s another day coming, and we’re not there yet. You see, we’re still over here, and we’re almost at the end, the closing of this day that lasted almost 2,000 years. And the Bible tells us about the coming of Christ. He says here in verse 1, but of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord. So come of this as a thief in the night, part of the pier.

The day of the Lord is talked about in the book of Isaiah in chapter 8, I believe it is, where it talks about Christ coming to the earth in power and in great glory, and every eye will see Him. This is when He’s come back and He is revealed, that’s why I call that revelation. Over here it is the rapture. This This is when he comes for his people. This is when he comes with his people. Here he comes in the air and we’re caught up to meet the Lord.

And here he comes to the earth and his feet will touch upon the Mount of Olives and it will cleave in the mist. This is at the end of the seven-year tribulation. Understand that if this is true and if it’s close, the worst part of time in all the world lies right ahead of us. Look at the world today and the people of the world are scared to death because they have no hope. They don’t have any answers. They can’t solve the problems.

And it says, men’s hearts failing them for fear, seeing the things that are coming up on the earth. And this is where we are because see, there can be no peace without the principles of peace. Jesus Christ is coming back soon. I don’t know if America will, you know, escape God’s judgment, but I do believe America is going to be judged. I believe that when that happens, I would like to be out of here first. And I’m sure you probably think and feel the same way.

So we often think, Lord, just keep us free to the rapture. But I do look forward to the Lord coming. And look what he says in verse three, for when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction come up upon them, as to avail upon a woman with challenge, they shall not escape or disappear. When they, these are those of the night, we are of the day. And you’ll notice as he goes do here, he’s talking about two groups of people, us, we, they, them.

And so when they shall say peace and safety, that’s the first half of the tribulation period. And then sudden destruction come at the bottom, them, and they shall not escape. So that means we will escape because they won’t escape. So the opposite of that is we will. We will not go into the tribulation period. I don’t believe one second of the tribulation period. I believe that the rapture takes place. This is why we call it a pre-tribulational position. Pre-trib is before the tribulation.

Pre-millennial means before the millennium. Christ comes back here. So that’s what we believe. That’s what I believe. So in these scriptures it makes this statement there in verse 4. He says, but ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a the thief. So we know that if the thief in the night was the rapture, then the thief would overtake us. But we’re not of that period of time where the thief gets us. This is when this happens.

The tribulation period itself is almost like a thief in the night. But it’s referring to when Christ comes back at the end of the tribulation period. Now, he also explains a few other things to us, but I want you to see this in verse 5. Ye are the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober to discern the times in which we live.

you see, we are the children of the day. They are of the night. And there’s another day coming. But this day and this moment here doesn’t come until first of all, there is a catching away, a departure of the children of God. Now look what he says here in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 and look there in verse 10. In verse 10 it makes the statement talking about Christ when He comes back, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep.

So in this period of time, whether we are alive, awake, or if we die, look what He says, you ought to underline it. We should live together with Him. So this is another verse that I like to use to let people know that I will still be me and you will still be you. And we, whether we are here or there, we’re all going to be together one day with the Lord. And so we are to comfort one another with these words so that we know and we understand.

This is just the dressing room. We’re just getting ready for eternity. When the Old Testament puts it this way, prepare to meet thy God. Prepare to meet thy God. Now take your Bible and look there in 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians. And look in chapter 2. Now we know that Christ is going to come back to the earth. And when He comes back to the earth, He’s going to come back in flaming fire. in vengeance. See there in verse 8 of chapter 1, first of all, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not or don’t believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with ever-lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

Now there’s two things that you and I want and God wants us to know and to have. He He wants us to see and to behold His glory, and He wants us to live in His presence. Isn’t that some of the two great desires? We want to see God and to be with God for all eternity. But it’s because we believe the gospel. We believe that when God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, and He died on that cross, He paid for all of my sins.

That’s why I made all of this in red, because it was the blood of Christ from the very beginning all the way to the end. And only by faith in what Christ did that He shed His blood for our sins on that cross died and was buried and came back again from the dead, ascended into heaven, and we say He’s coming again. Now we say we believe that. you really believe will affect the way you live. If this truth, this truth, if it doesn’t affect the way you live, then maybe you don’t really believe it.

Because don’t you believe he could come at any moment. Nobody can make you godly. Nobody can make you spiritual. Nobody can make you take these things to heart and nobody can make you change your life. There has to be something on the inside of you that says, I believe this and I want more. And I don’t want to be ashamed before the Lord is coming. So look there in verse one of chapter two of 2 Thessalonians. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto Him.

Our look up here. Most Bible teachers believe that this is the gathering to Him. But this day won’t come until this day happens first. And so that’s why we believe there in verse 2 that you be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled by spirit or by word as from us, nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand. This is not going Come. Until first of all, this takes place. And you’ll notice what he says in verse three, Let no man deceive you by any means.

For that day shall not come, except there come a fallen away first. That means I believe a catching away. This day will not come until this happens. You see, this is the ending of one day, and this is the beginning of another day, and it refers to that day. When it says, this day is talking about us, this, that is them. And another time. So he makes a statement here. That day shall not come, except they’re coming, falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.

So the man of sin is the antichrist who goes into the tribulation, period, he goes into the temple and claims himself that he is God. That is the abomination spoken by Daniel the prophet when the Antichrist stands in the holy place mentioned in the book of Matthew in chapter 24 and verse 15. But it’s a reference all the way back to the book of Daniel in chapter 9 and verse 27. So when the Antichrist, the man of sin, reveals himself here.

So it’s possible that we might be able to find out who he is. But in our reality, we will be gone three and a half years before he’s revealed to the earth, the people. We may know before that time, but there’s no guarantee that we will. And sometimes we like to try to figure out who we think it is. I know some people think it’s Jay and some people think it’s John Kent and somebody will think it’s James Bakker, but you and I know it can’t be us.

Why? Because when the raptor takes place, we’re out of here, so it can’t be none of us. So maybe it’s Fred Penion. We don’t know. See, we don’t know who it is. But we know that one day that will happen. He is going to be revealed before Christ is revealed. Now look what he says here. In verse 4, the man of sin that comes, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worship, so that he, as God, sit it in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

So we know that one day somebody is gone to claim that he is God and go into the temple in Jerusalem, so that means the temple will have to be rebuilt. Somewhere along the line we know there has to be some kind of a treaty made that will give Israel the right to exist, the right to land, the right to rebuild their temple. So we don’t know how it’s going to materialize, but only that it has to somewhere along the line.

Isn’t it amazing out of all the nations on the earth? God says, I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all the nations in the world. Isn’t it amazing that it is? Is it troublesome stone, nobody knows what to do with Israel. And look at all these Muslim countries, and their one goal is to destroy Israel. And what has Israel done to them? Nothing. Israel hasn’t done anything to them, and they want to destroy them. They hate them. Like I mentioned this morning, I preached this sermon on Sunday on the radio.

Mama, don’t let your son grow up to be a terrorist. It was really a word to the Muslim mothers. You love your children, don’t teach them to Koran. But I don’t think it’s going to go over very good. But I still thought I would say that. But look what he says here in verse five. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things. And many believed that he was there about three weeks and he had taught him all these wonderful great truths.

And then we know that he told them those things in the book of 1 Thessalonians and now lo and behold, he’s teaching all these young believers, young believers, all these great truths. See the Apostle Paul really knew the Word of God and he would teach the Word of God and he expected something to happen in their life because of what they knew. He says in verse 6, and now ye know what would hold it that he might be revealed in his time.

What is keeping the Antichrist from being revealed in his time? This over here. When God takes his people out of this world, see we are the salt of the world. We are the light. We are the light that God has put in this world and we are to be those roadblocks of those people who walk in darkness. Every one of us are like little lights in this dark world. And one day God’s going to take it all out in the world is going to get mighty, mighty dark.

And he says, when this happens in verse seven, for the mystery of iniquity, doth already worked. Now you have the phrase mystery of godliness mentioned in the book of Timothy. The mystery of godliness is where God became flesh and dwelt among us. So that is what happened there. The mystery of iniquity we believe is Satan manifested in the flesh. So Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh. And here we have the Antichrist who is going to be Satan manifested in the flesh.

Whether the Antichrist is of the seed of Satan or just someone that yields himself to his authority, whatever it is, this man is the son of perdition. He is going to be destroyed, but he’s going to do a lot of wicked stuff, and that’s why this is called the Great Tribulation, the last part of the Tribulation period is the worst part of time that the world has ever known. In the book of Matthew 24, the Bible states that if God does not intervene and He’s talking there in Matthew 24 about the coming of Christ, He says, then there’ll be no flesh will be left alive.

That’s how bad it’s going to get in this world. So he sees in 2 Thessalonians in chapter 2, it makes the statement there in verse 7, So the mystery of iniquity death already works. Only he who now hindrith will hinder those words ledeth will let. See there are certain words in the King James that are not wrong at the time it was used and put it was the perfect word at the time. But as time has gone on after 400 years, words have changed their meanings.

And so you can’t say and you don’t say and I don’t say that the translators were wrong. They used the wrong word. No, they didn’t. right word is just that the words have changed their meaning and so now we just simply say what this word means. But I don’t say, you know, they made a mistake and it was a bad translate. I don’t believe it was a bad translation in that. I don’t think I am qualified to sit in judgment on the King James Version.

I’m not that intelligent that I can go against the wisdom of all those people that God used to put this thing together. I’d have to know more than what they know. But anyways, we’re moving right along. It makes a statement here. Now, he who now hindrith will hinder until he’d be taken out of the way. And we believe that’s a reference to the Holy Spirit when we’re taken out. There’s nothing to hold it back. And the devil is going to have his free reign to do whatever he wants to do.

And he’s going to do it. Now look Look what he says. In verse 8, and then shall that wicked be revealed. Now get the order. We are taken out, and then that wicked will be revealed. Hello. Thank you for tuning into 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 on 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. One day it will happen. The trumpet will sound and we will be changed. Cut 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.