Bibleline Radio Show – 2015-10-06 – Living Without Regret Pt.2


Transcription:

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

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. We just 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.

If you regretted some big decisions in your life that you’re still suffering the consequences of today. See most people when they’re young, they sow wild oats. When you sow wild oats, you reap wild oats. And all the harvests is you eat more and later and same thing. So when will reap a whirlwind and you’ll wonder why? Because of choices, decisions that we make. And it is so important. Take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew. In chapter 13, Matthew chapter 13.

Jesus Christ in the Old Testament had given so many prophecies about when he was going to come, how he would come. He would speak in parables. Even said that he would be rejected, despised. And he still came in spite of all of that. But the people who knew the word that he gave the word to, they had his word. They could quote his word. They were the religious leaders of the day. But Isaiah spoke about these people. And so he makes a statement here in verse 14, and then is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which said, by here, you shall hear, and shall not understand.

See and you shall see and not perceive. For this people’s heart is waxed gross. Their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes full, they have closed, unless at any time they should see with with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should heal them, but all because they didn’t want to be. They didn’t want to see, they didn’t want to hear. They had the Word of God and it meant nothing to them.

They loved their traditions more than the Word of God and it says you have made the Word of God of none effect. It didn’t have to be like this, but it wasn’t. Do you believe that at this time, do you believe they regret the decision to reject Christ as the Messiah? They rejected Him. Do you believe they regret what they did? Well, of course they regret it, but it’s all too late. Because see, once you die, you’re either saved or you’re lost, that’s the way it’s going to be for all eternity.

If you reject Christ as your Savior, do you think that you’re going to live to regret that decision? You will regret that decision, but nobody can make you trust the Lord. Can somebody make you serve God? No. But you could live to regret not having served the Lord. You and I, one of these days, are going to stand at the judgments of the Christ is God’s going to reward you for what you did, and you’re going to suffer the loss of what you could have had.

At that moment, do you think there could be regret that you did not do more? Nobody can make you, not a soul. This preacher can’t make anybody do right. I can only teach you a truth and then let it do what it does. You either obey it or you can disobey it. You can be obedient or rebellious. I have enough trouble taking care of Yankee, and you got enough trouble taking care of you. Well, not worry about whether somebody else does or doesn’t do it.

Are you walking with the Lord? Are you an obedient child of God? Are you stubborn or rebellious? Are you resistant to the authority of God in your life? So he says in verse 16, but blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear, for verily I send to you that many prophets have and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seen them. And to hear those things which you hear and have not heard them.

He says, all those people know them. They desired this and they didn’t get that. And here you are. And he was there. And they knew not the Davis visitation. When God, they did. visited the earth. He came unto his own and his own received them not and they rejected him. I believe they lived to regret their decision. Every person who goes to hell has regret. When you read the 16th chapter of Luke when he talks about the rich man that lifted up his eyes in hell.

He regretted. He regretted. But there’s nothing he could do and there’s nothing that God would do. It’s over. Regret for eternity. Take your Bible and turn to another scripture with me. The book of Matthew in chapter 20, there’s many stories in the Word of God that talks about what God has done for us, but there’s so many people that just will not listen and regret the decision that they have made. The Lord says there’s those who want to be greatly used, but they just want to lord over people, be little bosses instead of being examples, servants of the people.

says here in verse 25, Jesus called them unto him and said, you know that the princes of the Gentiles exercised dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them, but it shall not be so among you. But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. This is an opportunity. This is a choice. The opportunity that God’s given to us to serving. What an option. I can do this, but I can also make a bad decision say I’m not going to.

A decision that I made years ago after I trusted the Lord, I was sitting there in church. Dr. Verdelen was with the pastor and he was preaching. And I don’t remember much about what he said, but it stirred me so much that all I knew is that I want to serve the Lord with all my heart. And they had everybody standing, they sang, I surrender on. And I listened to that song and I stood there and I cried. I surrender on.

I didn’t want to just sing those words. I wanted it to be true because I know I’m making a decision. These decisions can affect the rest of my life. And I knew that the most important decision I’ll ever make after I trust the Lord. I will serve Him. And then I try to make all my other decisions as it relates to that one goal. But see, if you had never made up your mind, that’s what I want more than anything else in the world, then you’ll flounder because you don’t have any direction.

You don’t really know what you want yet. You’re just trying to say who’s going to offer you the best. Has the world got something to offer me better than what I see God has to offer me? You’re not looking far enough down the road. Look at the end results. this life is over and then think about it. What would you want to have? Are you want it where I serve the Lord and God was pleased and He rewarded me?

Or do you want it to where I didn’t serve the Lord, I live with regret, He is not pleased and I’ve got no rewards for all eternity. Which one would you want? If you really understand it and believe it, it can change your life. and this is what this is done for me. But also when do you see there in Matthew chapter 19? Matthew chapter 19 in verse 22 tells us a story about a rich man and he was the rich young ruler.

He had come to Christ, asked the right questions and he got the right answer. But the Bible says in verse 22, but when the young man and heard that saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possession. He would not do what Jesus said do. Jesus simply used the law, thou shalt not covet, to show the seer young man that he had not kept the law and was not willing to keep the law. And he needed a Savior because he had asked the question, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

And whenever that his disciples heard what he said they said, who then can be saved? And Jesus said in verse 26, with men, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. Do you believe that there’s a possibility that this rich young ruler that went away from Christ lived to regret that decision? I believe he lived to regret it. And didn’t think when a man dies and he doesn’t trust the Lord, to all of a sudden wake up in hell for all eternity, knowing that you’ll never get out all the regret of opportunities you could have taken advantage of and did not do it.

But nobody can make this real to you. Nobody can make you do it. Even raising your hand in church, that’s not going to save you. Walking to now, that’s not going to save you. Giving money, that’s not going to save you. Living a good life, not going to save you. You need Christ and Him alone as your only hope of going to heaven. You must believe that when He died, He died for you. And when you believe that He gives you as a free gift, everlasting life.

That’s the most important thing you and I can ever do. But there are decisions. There’s consequences to our decisions. Take your Bible and look in the book of Acts chapter 26. Acts chapter 26. Acts chapter 26. Paul is having a little day there with the top-notch individual, King Agrippa. And it kind of goes like this. In verse 19, we’re upon O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision. Paul had a decision to make. When the Lord told him what to do he had a decision.

Well, I won’t I? God didn’t make him. He just makes you wish you had of. And so he says here, but he showed first unto them of Damascus and of Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance. For these causes, the Jews caught me in the temple and went about to kill me. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day.

We continue unto this day, only because of the help of God. I believe only because of the Lord do I continue at this stage. I don’t know how long I’m going to live, but while I am alive, I want to live. I want to do what God wants me to do. I want my time to count. So he says this, he says here in this verse 22, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other thing than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.

What I’m telling you, the Old Testament prophets said this would happen and it happened. And as Paul gets even on in the life, he says, his one main goal is he says here, and not I think it’s great. He says, saying none other thing than those which the prophets in Moses to say should come, witnessing both to small and great witnessing, continuing. That was the purpose of his life. Always witnessing, continuing doing this. Teaching, hey Christ is coming. They taught it in the Old Testament.

We teach it too. And so he says in verse 23, that Christ should suffer, that he should be the first, that should rise from the dead and should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning death make thee mad. Now that’s why some people may look at you. You’re out of your helmet. You’ve lost your gourd. Kind of like the nearsighted turtle fell in love with an army helmet.

Some people can’t see clearly and then he makes his statement in verse 25, but he said, I am not mad at most noble Festus. This is the one that used to be with gun-smoke, you know, I’m not a good one, Festus. He said, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness for the King knoweth of these things, for whom I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, that this thing was not done in a corner.

And King of Gripa, believe us now the prophets. I know that you believe the prophets. You believe that here the prophets about the thing is going to come. It’s happened. And then he says in verse 28, then a Gripa said on the pong, almost thou for sweetest me to be a Christian. Almost. Now, If He did not trust the Lord, do you believe He regrets it this day? Almost. Persuaded, almost persuaded. You’d be surprised how many people are almost persuaded.

But if I was the devil, I would always try to put other thoughts into your mind so that you don’t think about it long. So you don’t get serious about this thing. But it is something to get serious about. Look in the book of Hebrews in chapter 11, the book of Hebrews in chapter 11. I want you to notice the Lord says that you and I are to live by faith. If you and I, with the Lord, you and I, we’re not.

live by faith, you will not regret it. You will not regret it if you serve the Lord.” So he says here in verse 4, by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than came, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gift, and by it had been dead yet speaketh. Do you think Abel regrets doing what God said? No regret. That’s why he’s here in the hall of faith chapter. This is really a hall of fame.

These had over the years, they listened to what God said and they did what God says to that. That doesn’t mean they were perfect in their lives, but there’s something that’s basic in all of these stories by faith. They believed when you look there in verse five by faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation. he had this testimony that he pleased God. Do you think he regrets that?

I don’t think he regrets that. But see, it was a choice. He made a choice to serve God. And then he says in verse 6, but without faith it’s impossible to please him, for he that come of to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek to please him. So you must believe that not only there’s a God, but that God is going to reward you if If you diligently seek to please Him, but do you believe that?

It’s a choice. Nobody going to make you believe that. But what I believe, you can’t take it away from me. You can’t make me believe anything else. I’m the one that decides what I believe. I am my own man between me and God. I don’t do what I do because of other people, but because of the Lord Himself. How strong are you? Can you stand on your own two feet because you say, this is the Word of God and I stand right here.

I know what I believe and I know why I believe it. Some people, they are only as strong as the last person they talked to. And they are moved and swept about by every wind of doctrine. That’s why you become a double minded man. You’re not steadfast. We talked about the other night about falling from your steadfastness. When you get down here to verse 7, by faith, Noah, what did he do? Oh, he built that little boat. Remember that little boat he built.

I had somebody tell me, I don’t believe that story about no one in the ark. I said, why don’t you believe that, man? How you can get all those animals in that little ark? I said, how many animals were there? Well, I don’t know. They just, well, I don’t believe it because that little ark, how big was the ark? Well, I don’t know. So, if you don’t believe the Bible, you don’t believe in God because you don’t see how God got all those animals in that little ark and you don’t know how many animals were and you don’t know how big the ark, when you’re stupid, Noah being warned of God.

He did what God says to do. Do you believe that Noah regrets obeying God? No. Abraham was called to go out into a place that he never been to before. Called him out of the early cal of days and took him a thousand miles away into a land that he didn’t know how to even get back. And God blessed Abraham. And And he believed what God said and he looked for a city whose builder and maker was God. Do you believe he regrets that?

Do you believe he regrets that day when he took his son upon Mount Moriah and was going to slay his own son because he believed that if he did, because God told him to, God would raise him from the dead. And it says so in the book of Hebrews, but he obeyed God. He obeyed. And God calls him his friend. You see, this life is going to pass this value of decisions. And there’s a multitude of them to make.

You made some decisions today about whether to go to church or not. You probably really battle that. You’re probably wondering right now, I want to feed you on a quit on time. I want to start wrapping it up here in a minute. I wonder where we’re going to go eat. I hope it doesn’t go one minute over. He goes one minute over and means he wasn’t prepared. I quit five minutes early one day and everybody was giving me five minutes high, five minutes.

Probably won’t get none today. Abraham was used by the Lord. And as you go through here and you’ll read all these things about all these people, about Isaac. And about Moses. Look what he says there in verse 25. Hebrews 11, 25. And he says in verse 20, talking about Moses, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction. It was a choice that he made. Because he says this in verse 26, esteem and the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward by faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the Lord.

the King for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. He made choices. Do you believe that Moses regrets the decision that he made to serve God? Now that he’s in heaven and he sees what it’s like. See, we still have a few miles to go yet. That song we often sing, one more valley, one more hill, one more day. And we just live one day at a time. We don’t how long we’ve got. But one day it’s going to all be over.

All of our opportunities, they’re all gone. They will be no more work to be done. There is a day in which no man will be able to work. Night’s coming. We’re going to be leaving this whole valley of decision. And he says, up to go through all of these down through here, all these things it talks about. So, So when the other time you get to chapter 12, it says, in verse one, where, of course, seeing we also are encompassed about what’s so great, a cloud of witnesses.

Could be those Old Testament saints. It might be some of those cloud of witnesses that are up in heaven right now that are watching us. I have no scripture that says they can, and I don’t have any scripture that says they can’t. Sometimes I wonder if Hank’s up there looking down at this church and says, don’t y’all compromise? Don’t y’all compromise? go get him yank and I picture things. Sometimes I think about my father-in-law that led me to Christ 53 years ago.

Whenever I, you know, you lead somebody to the Lord, there’s rejoicing in the president of the angels. I don’t know if it’s the angel rejoicing, but there’s rejoicing in the presence of the angel. It could be all of God’s people up there giving high fives and jumping a hollering and shouting, hooping and all that, carrying on because of all the people that are trusting the Lord or the message he gets out, or the therapy or the root in his standing on the sideline and cheering us on.

One day, we’re the ones that are going to be up there and he wants to give you a crown. Is it going to happen? It depends on you. Serve the Lord with all your heart and then you can live like you please because you’ll live the please, the Lord. Look up here. This hand represents you and me and this wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. See, God loves us. Now he hates our sin, but he loves us.

And he says, the wages of sin is death. That means eternal separation from God. So we’ve all sinned and we’re all condemned, but God loves us and wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven, we have to be perfect as right as is God, no sin. But God says, none of us are sinless. And all of our works will not take them away. We cannot save ourselves. We need a Savior. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh.

He came into the world because He loves us. Hates our sin because it separates us from Him. So Jesus Christ who had no sin didn’t have to die, but because of His love He took all of our sins and He was nailed to the tree. He died to pay for our sins so that we wouldn’t have to pay for them. He paid for my sins so that I won’t have to pay for them. All I need to do is believe He did it for me.

He came back from the dead and said, if you’ll believe I did that for you. I’ll put my substitutionary payment, I’ll put it to your account. I get to go to heaven, oh, what He did for me. I didn’t earn it. I didn’t work for it. I don’t deserve that. By grace are you saved through faith that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. That was the most important decision I’ve ever made in my life.

I was 18 years old. I’ve never regretted that. I’ve never regretted the woman that I’m marrying. I’ve never regretted dedicating my life to the Lord. I do have a few regrets that I could have done more and for the time that I’ve had questions and doubts about God. But some things happen because you’re just growing in the Lord. You don’t have all the answers. But there’s things that have happened in your life that could be greatly used for the Lord’s work.

God has given you experiences, trials, things you’ve learned that God can use. Don’t downplay them. Just be thankful that… God has saved you and has something for you. Make wise decisions. Serve the Lord. You’ll be so glad you did. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed and every eye closed and no one looking around, why don’t right down the quietness of this moment just talk to the Lord and say something like this, Lord, I’m a sinner. I’ve done things wrong.

And I know I’m going to hell if I don’t trust you as my Savior. Right now I believe that when you died, you died for me. And I’m going to trust you right now as my only hope of going to heaven. And friend, if you will do that, God said He would save you. If you don’t trust Christ as your Savior, you will regret it. You will regret it. But it will be irreversible. Would you right now trust Him?

Or if you watch Him by internet, there’s a little button on the screen. All you’ve got to do is say, yes, I will trust Christ as my Savior. just let us know. So it is about a nice close. Is anyone at all? I’ll say, yes, that made sense to me, and I want to be certain of going to heaven and pray to your life for me in closing. We’ll just let you in a very quickly, but I’ll write back down to anyone at all.

Anyone at all. You that know Christ is your Savior. You know that you’ve made some decisions and you regret some of those. But have you ever dedicated your life to the Lord? have you said, Lord, I am your child. I surrender all everything that I am, everything that I have. I won’t fight against you. I just want you will for my life. If you’ve never done that, why not do it right now? Lord, I’m your child. I want your blessings upon me.

I don’t want to stand at the judgments of the Christ and be filled with regret that I didn’t do what I should have done and Lord I need your help and you want the prayers of God’s people here this morning. With his bow nice, close his even at all, just say yes pray for me. I want God to go for my life. I need help. Would you just slip it up very quickly and put a rabbit down, even at all?

Yes God bless you. Anyone else? God bless you. Other other, just slip it up very quickly. I just want God’s people to pray for me. I’m not going to embarrass you. and have you come over just God bless you sir, God bless you and you. Yes, I see several of the hands. Our Father, we thank You so much for each person here. We all need help. We all need prayer. And Father, I pray that we won’t live to regret the decision not to put You first in our life, but to do it now while we have some time.

We don’t know how much, but we want Your blessings upon us. we thank you for all you’ve done. Thank you for this church, and those who give so willingly to see that so many things are accomplished for all the good workers that we have, or they won’t regret it. Christ’s name. Hello, this is Peter Amada with Bibleline, and we hope that you’ve enjoyed today’s program. We’re so thankful for those of you who support Bibleline and would like to offer you a gift.

During the month of October, for your donation of any amount, we’re going to send to you Dr. Arnold’s pamphlet on why we cannot believe an evolution. We’re also going to include his prophecy chart titled The Prophetic Survey of Time. And lastly, we’re going to include a CD that features Dr. Arnold’s funny jokes and sayings that we hope will tickle your spirit. So for your gift of any amount, we’ll send the three items, the pamphlet on evolution, the full color prophecy chart, and the CD of Dr.

Arnold’s funny jokes and quotes. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634, and don’t forget to include your mailing address as well. Once again, thank you for supporting Bibleline and may God richly bless you. 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. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.