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Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, 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. 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 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.

So I do want to share a few thoughts with you that I hope will be a blessing to you. Turn your Bible to the book of John, the Gospel of John, and we’ll look there in chapter 1, the Gospel of John chapter 1. The Bible tells us that this world is the kingdom of darkness. His kingdom is the kingdom of light. And when you and I trust Christ as our Savior, we are transformed into the kingdom of light. That’s in the book of Colossians in chapter But here in the Gospel of John, so that you can understand some of the things that you’ll find mentioned in the book of Matthew and Mark and Luke, I believe John is a key.

So first of all, we’re going to get the key and then we’re going to go to the doors. Sometimes whenever we’re reading the Bible, do you ever find as you go through life, you just don’t seem to have it all together? it seems like I need help. You know, if you go on a trip, do you ever look first of all and say, now, do I have my credit card or do I have my debit card or do I have enough cash in my pocket to pay for whatever it’s going to cost me?

You ever do that? You want to because you try to figure out what’s it going to cost me and do I have the means to take care of myself? Well whenever you’re living life, you can’t get water out of a well if there’s no water in the well. So the reason we come together and read study the Bible is because you’re taking the springs of living water and you’re putting water in the well. So that when you get out there and sometimes you don’t have all the time to go run into the well, but you have it within you and you can draw it out.

And some people, they have a dry well. It means that they haven’t put anything in so they can’t get anything out. and study the Word of God so that you have fresh water in your well, so that you always have something to refresh yourself with. Otherwise, you will have what people call burnout. Now I don’t know what it is, that’s what they say. I guess you just get overloaded, your plate’s too full, you can’t handle any more, I’m ready to have a nervous breakdown.

I think it’s just you went to the well too often and you didn’t put anything in it and you kind of get something out that’s not there. So unless your intake is greater than your outflow, then your outflow will be your downfall. Let me repeat that. What did I say? If your intake is not greater than your outflow, then your outflow will be your downfall. You have to always take in more than what you need. And so that you can always have enough.

It’s kind of like taking the trip and you fill up the tank full of gas. You don’t wait till you go empty to get some more. You gotta keep putting some gas in it. Otherwise you’re gonna come up empty. But here in the gospel of John, look what he says here. He makes a statement in verse one. In the beginning was the word, the word was with God. The word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. And him was life and the life was the light of men. Now, when we talk about the light, The life was the light. So having eternal life is knowing God, whom to know is life eternal. So when you and I know Christ is our Savior, that’s how you and I got to become the children of light. Now look what else he says. In verse four, in him was life, eternal life, and that life was the light of men, and the light, shallneth, and darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not, means it did not understand.

He made the world, he came into the world, and the world knew it not. But now notice he says there was a man sent from God whose name was John. The saying, get this in verse 7, came for a witness to bear witness of the light and that all men through him might be leave. So the purpose of the light is so that all men might see the light. So we’re in the world and the world is dark and you and I are the lights of the world and so the reason that God left the light in the world and so that other people see the light and that they would be saved.

That all men through Him might believe. And he talked about John the bat. He was not that light but was sent to bear witness of the light. And so he says, this is in verse 9, the true light which lighteth every man that cometh unto the world. This is the God wants to draw every man to. If I be lifted up, I will draw every man. But the way you draw is through the gospel. The gospel is the light that people can see and it draws people to the light.

And the light is the truth. Now you get into John chapter 3 verses 19, 2021, you’re talking about people love darkness because their deeds are evil and Christ did not come to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. So he came to be a light. Now turning your Bible on over there to your right. And you’ll find that it talks about this being a light in this whole world. And so Christ was the light.

We’re in the world. And now we are the light of the world. So here in the book of John in chapter 8, you’ll notice there in verse 12. John chapter 8 verse 12. Now remember the gospel of John is laid out in a sense is the way it’s organized. Like walking into the tabernacle. And Jesus lays out these things and it’s like he is the bread, which is the table of show bread. He is the light, he’s the labor, he is the veil, he is the altar, he’s everything.

It’s all about him in the veil in the tabernacle itself, and that his body, when he makes the statement and the word became flesh, means that tabernacle among us. And we beheld his glory. But here in the book of John in chapter 8, look what he says now in verse 12, then speak Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world. Hey, that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, shall have the light of life, the light of life, the light of eternal light.

You’ll know the truth, you’ll know you have eternal life, and that knowledge, that truth is of great value. There is power in knowledge, but power in proper knowledge will do so many wonderful things for you and I. So The Bible talks about this. Now look in chapter 9. In chapter 9, John chapter 9, there’s a story about a blind man and this story is also used to show that Jesus is the light. He says they’re in verse 3, Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned because they want to know who sinned, the parents or the kid, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in them.

In other words, for such a time as this, God uses things as opportunities to manifest the love of God, to manifest the light away for people to see the truth. And then He makes His statement in verse five. And you ought to underline verse five, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Now later on He talks about how that as the Father has sent me into the the world even so send I you and now he says ye are the lights of the world.

So we know that we are the lights of the world. Now take your Bible and turn over there to the gospel of John 12, John chapter 12. And notice that the light all goes back to the cross. You notice where he says here in verse 30, Jesus answered and said this voice came not because of me but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast on. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

This is the light that draws people. This is a dark world. People don’t know God. They don’t know how to have eternal life. They’re lost. They can’t find their way. And so Christ is going to die on the cross. And the very next verse, he’s signifying about what death he should die. And then in verse 34, the people answered him, we have heard out of the law that Christ abides forever. Well, how come you don’t live forever? You’re just talking about dying.

But they didn’t understand. He’s coming back from the dead, and he did. And so Christ told him this, he says in verse 35, yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light. Less darkness come upon you, for he that walketh in darkness, knoweth not whether he’d go with. So remember this, every individual, even though we live in a dark world, the light we want to see, but the light Christ is talking about to us is the light we’re supposed to be.

Not that I am just supposed to see the light, I am to be the light, cause Christ says I am the light as long as he was in the world. But when he leaves, he says, ye are the light of the world. And the purpose of the light shining was for the purpose for people seeing the light of life or eternal life. Now, let’s go to what he says up here in verse 36. While you have light believe in the light that you may be the children of light.

So it multiplies and he was the light and then those who trust him as Savior become the light. And this is an illustration breaking down the great truth that he mentions up there in verse 24. Look in verse 24 where he says, Verily, verily I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall unto the ground and die at a bite of the lawn. But if it die, it bring the forth much fruit. Here is a light that’s going to go out, but it’s going to come back from the dead.

And everyone who believes in him is like the corals of corn on a, Aneer of corn, look how many more lights all because of that one light. So Christ is the light of the world, but now all those people who trusted Christ as Savior are to be lights in the Lord, lights in the world. Now go down there to verse 46. Verse 46 says, I am come a light into the world, but notice the reason that whosoever believe it on me should not abide in darkness.

That means this is a lost world. People don’t know where they’re going and Christ came into the world to seek and to say that which was lost. So that means if they find the way it must be because they see the light. That’s why when you and I explain the gospel to people, whether on the internet the ready or with heaven tracks or various miniatures we have, people on your job, whoever you get a chance to talk to, when you share the gospel, you’re giving them the light by which they can see and understand how to have eternal life.

So when the Bible talks about you and I being lights in the world, when it talks about you and I, let your light so shine before man that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Do you know there will be people in heaven that will be glorifying God because you were faithful in shining the light. They saw the light through you and it’s not just the things that you do. It’s the things also that you say.

But the purpose of why we do what we do is so that people can hear and understand the gospel. Now look what he says in verse 46 again, I am come a light unto the world. Now whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And in verse 48, He that rejected me and received not my words at one that judge him. So there’s people who reject the light and there will be people who will receive the light. So you and I are not responsible how people respond to the light.

We’re just to shine the light so that they can see the light and get the light to everyone that we possibly can. And the reason that these things are mentioned in the Gospel of John, he says, is that you may know and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that by faith, and believe in him, you may have life through his name. See you up here in verse 37, but though he had done so many miracles before them.

Yet they believe not on him. Some people will believe and some people will not. And then he quotes the scripture from the book of Isaiah in chapter 53 where it says that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he speaks. Say in Lord, who hath believed our report and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed. So when you read Isaiah 53, is Isaiah 53 talking about Jesus Christ coming into the world down on the cross, paying for the sins of everyone?

coming back again from the dead, that whole chapter is about the gospel. So being a light is not just walking around and acting holy. There’s got to be a message to it. And it has to be included. Now let me take you, sure, to turn your bow to the book of Philippians in chapter 2. Philippians in in chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2, and notice what he says here, in verse 12, Philippians chapter 2 verse 12, wherefore he says, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

I believe, fear and trembling, that you do not want to miss the will of God for your life, for it is God who which worketh in you to perform. So there’s something God wants you and I to do because we have been saved. We’re not working for salvation. We’re working out to salvation. God’s already placed within us. And he has saved us. And as Ephesians 2, 8, 9 says, then verse 10, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus.

And we have been ordained unto good works. There’s things that God wants us to do and we ought to do them. So now look what he says here in verse 13, For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and disputing. Because see, God’s the one that says you are the light and his responsibility is to place you wherever he wants to. He knows where you need to shine.

He knows where the darkest spots are. We’d love to go to the brightest spots, But sometimes God may put us in the darkest spots, sometimes in the places where we don’t want to be. Now look in verse 15 and 16, these are two very good verses that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation and underlined this part of the verse, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

Now how do you shine as lights in the world? So God says, evidently, there’s going to be some things you’re not going to like. And that’s why he says, do all things without murmuring and complaining. The one that lit your candle is the one that wants to place that candle, that light wherever God wants to. So trust the Lord to use you however he wants, wherever you need to be. Among whom ye shine as light in the world. Now get what he says in verse 16.

Here is how you become a light. forth the word of life. That’s why he’s the light of life, the light of eternal life. And so he says, holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Now let’s turn in our Bible to the book of Matthew. Those were my introductory remarks. As we look here in book of Matthew in chapter 5, Matthew chapter 5, this is on page 9 9 9.

In Matthew chapter 5, you’ll notice a wonderful, wonderful verse here. Look at it in verse 12, rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they, the prophets which were before you, no way would. I didn’t mind that great rewards in heaven. This persecuted bid, I’m not sure I like that though. If you and I would only realize that God God is the one who lit our candle and caused us to see and we understand we believe we trusted Christ and God wants to place us in this world and sometimes the most difficult place.

You know where you work? It might be a very difficult place. The people you meet, where you have to go, all kinds of things, you may not like it but you’d be surprised at people that God may have to bring across your path. God is the one that’s in charge of the light. And He’s the one that moves us around. And you may be in one place and then next time you know He might move you to another place.

And they move you to another place. But it’s not as important to you as it is to the one that God wants to reach. And He knows that better than we do. Your idea of prayer to God should be, Lord, use me however you see fit. Place me wherever you want me to be. Just, Lord, me to have the strength and the grace that I need. They keep giving forth the gospel. And then notice what he says. In verse 13, ye are the salt of the earth.

Then in verse 14, ye are the light of the world. And when he says you’re the light of the world. In view of all those other scriptures we read over there in the book of Matthew, remember this. When you have the gospel of John and you’ve got the book of Matthew and you’ve got the book of Mark and the book of Luke. those things we read in the book of John and then all these other ones, all this happened at the same time.

It wasn’t that God did, okay, here’s Matthew, he did all of those things. Now, he did the book of Mark and then he did the book of Luke and then he lived the Gospel of John. No, they all stack up this way and whenever he was talking about being the light and some people didn’t understand it because they saw it only through Jewish eyes, there was others who was seeing things and they would understand and when he spoke in parables those who wanted to know the truth could see and those who didn’t couldn’t see and yet he would tell the same story and so there’s people who can get something and other people can see and hear it the same thing and not really understand what in the world is he talking about but so you take the light here and you go back and place it over these other books and you’ll

find out when he’s talking about life. You know what he’s referring to. He only lived for those three and a half years. Matthew covers three and a half years. Mark covers three and a half years. Luke covers three and a half years. John covers three and a half years of his ministry. But it was all the same three and a half years. He didn’t run in sequence. So you look here in verse 4, year of the light of the world, a city that is set on the hill cannot be in.

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bush of but on a candlestick. And they give a flight into all that are in the house. Let your light so shine. Now in view of John as a key to unlock doors, I think I understand a little bit more about what he’s talking about. That you and I as lights in the world and according to the book of Philippians in chapter 2, being a light in the world is holding forth the word of life.

And I believe that’s what you and I are supposed to do. So take your Bible and turn to the book of Mark chapter 4, a book of Mark in chapter 4. And you’ll notice that there’s similarities in each one of these, but yet something that just makes it just a little bit different so that we see something that maybe we wouldn’t have saw before. Now look there in the book of Mark in chapter 4, look in verse 21. And he said unto them, is a candle brought to you to be put under a bushel or under a bed and not to be set on a candlestick?

If you are a light and you are to be giving out the gospel, if you will continually shine, do you think God might lift you up? He didn’t light the to hide you under a bushel. I believe he’s talking about you and I, you know, somebody who is the light and to trust the Lord to put us wherever he wants. If you really understand and see you don’t become envious or jealous of what somebody else is accomplishing, if I’m the pastor of this church and there’s a mega church down the road that’s running fifteen thousand.

Well if they’re preaching the gospel the gospel prays the Lord. That man is going to be held accountable to do what he can with what he has been blessed with. Maybe God didn’t give me everything that preacher has. So I’m going to have to just do the best I can and shine forth with what I’ve got where I am. And you got to do the same thing. And God may give us a higher perch or he might put us in a lower perch.

It all depends on God’s in charge. Can you trust Him? Can you trust Him? See, He’s the one that we’re supposed to be yielded to and trust the Lord to do all this for. Now get this in verse 22. For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested. Neither was anything kept secret that it should come abroad. I believe that God wants the light to shine everywhere. that there ought not be one spot upon the earth where the gospel did not reach.

If he says, preach the gospel to every creature, do you believe that we should try to get the gospel to every creature? Think about it. So the thing is, is Lord, where do you want me to go? Where do you want me to shine? And it’s not just to play tiddly wings. I believe He wants us to serve and to be found faithful to do what we can. know what else he says here. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

In the Lord, if you really have ears to understand, to perceive what he’s talking about, then let him listen. How you listen reveals how you see. And Christ said this to his disciples, he said, do you yet not understand? Do you understand yet? And they said, yes, we understand what’s not doubt they did, but they said it in So he says in verse 24, and he said unto them, take heed what you hear. What you hear depends on what you see.

Listening to the message that God gives to us and understanding that is the light we give. So you can’t share the light as fervently, as passionately, unless you understand where is coming from. So hearing is very, very important to seeing. Some people says, well, I’ll believe it if I can see it. No. Believing it is the key to seeing it. If you’ll believe what God says, you can see things. But if you wait till you see it, you won’t believe it until you see it.

You’ve got to believe it first. When He makes the statement, be it unto you according to your faith, that means that you don’t yet see what God’s going to do or how He’s going to do it. Faith is believing that what God says is true, whether you understand how He’s going to do it or not, but you believe. And true faith to the Lord is remaining faithful when it appears that God has let you down or failed you. Because there will be times in your life and you’ll think, God, do you know who I am?

You remember me? I’m right here. And sometimes you’ll see God blessing somebody and you’ll seem like you’re going through a drought. And he said, Lord, I don’t want to cause no fuss. But what about us? I used to be in Colorado and I used to, oh, I couldn’t, oh, you just got under my skin. I’m not there trying to make bids on buses that are, you know, six, seven hundred dollars at an auction. And sometimes the tires were balled, the brakes were no good, the driveshaft, and it did the run hot.

I mean pitiful. And then I got a letter this. Some rich guy went in down there and seemed Bruce Porter and bought him three brand new buses. That bothered me. I’ve been certain to the Lord longer than Bruce. And I know that I’m just as faithful as he is. And God, you gave him three brand new buses. And you gave me a piece of junk. It’s not fair. And if God’s anything, he’s supposed to be fair. Any? No respecter of persons.

Hey, what about me right here? Now, I know you’re not like that. You would never get envious of what somebody else gets to do for the Lord, would you? 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 in 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.