Bibleline Radio Show – 2016-01-28 – Lord, What Have You Done For Me? 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 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.
This is what God has done for me. I am saved. by my works, but by mercy and grace. I didn’t get what I deserve, which was hell. God showed His mercy. God did not impute my sins to me. He took my sins and imputed them to Christ. And so all I had to do was just believe that what He did was for me and He gives me as a free gift ever lasting life. That is, Quam Good. Now look in 1 Peter chapter 1.
1 Peter and chapter 1. I cover this verse quite often. You’ll hear me sometimes, even on the radio, I’ll go to this verse. I do it all the time. Because this is a tremendous verse. And generally I will make a long line of statement. When Christ saves you, He saves you from something to an inheritance. It’s incorruptible that fate, if not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith in the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Those are great verses, but there’s something else here. You see in verse three, he talks about this living hope, a living of what has God done for me lately. God has given to you and I a living hope, a joyful anticipation that what he promised he will perform. I can go ahead and claim it right Now I am saved. I have eternal life. I’m going to heaven when I die because God said so it’s based upon what the word of God says and faith is simply believing that what God promised He will perform and I believe that.
And so He’s promising and I’ve got a place reserved for me in heaven. So what has He done for me lately? Well that sounds pretty good. That’s a pretty good bit. This life is temporary. We’re only going going to be here for a short period of time and then we’re checking out of here. I was thinking about the Lord could come back today. Because the Bible says we’re supposed to love his appearing, looking for him. And he says in the book of Matthew, and I believe he’s talking to the Jewish people about doing the middle of the tribulation, period says, and all things watch, and I say unto all, watch, but I do believe that God’s children ought to be watching, looking, expecting.
Did you know that if you’re looking for the Lord to come back at any time, it can change the way you live your life? It affects your thoughts, your actions, your words. Because you don’t want to say or do something that you wouldn’t want to be doing when the Lord comes back again. Because the Scripture makes this statement, my little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have come to not be ashamed before him at his coming, not to be ashamed before the Lord.
So this is a good verse. He has begotten us. They’re in verse three. See you there? Have begotten us again. Born again. We died because we we were crucified with Christ and we live. We have eternal life. So the new birth gave you life, eternal life. So what is God done for you lately? He gave you eternal life. And the Bible also makes this statement that we lay hold upon this eternal life in Timothy. Lay hold upon eternal life.
In other words, you have now life. Live like you have life. But what kind of life? If he gave you a plant life, you should live like a plant. If he gave you an animal life, you should live like an animal. A lot of people do. If he gave you human life, you lived like a human, but if he gave you spiritual life, you should live a spiritual life. I mean, doesn’t that make sense? Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?
God knows what he’s doing. So yes, God has done some wonderful things for us. He granted us life. And then wouldn’t it be a shame to give you this eternal life? And then I want to reward you and I’m going to let you have trials and tribulations and then I’m going to take you home and you’re going to give you all these rewards for what you did for me. And then the Lord took you home right after God saved.
How did he get a chance? That wasn’t fair. So don’t you? Thank the Lord and praise the Lord for giving you some time to live here and to suffer for him. I’m just excited about that. Well, that’s tonight. Tonight we’re going to talk about how to praise the Lord. You’ll like it. It’ll be good. It’ll be good for you.
And look at Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 5. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 5. starts off in this chapter that you and I were dead and trespasses and sins. We overstepped the boundary and according to the law of our shout-dye. So we’ve sinned. Death is sure, certain. And now the Bible says you’ve been made alive. Look down in verse 5. But even when we were dead in sins, dead in sins, it means you and I, we’ve sinned against the Lord, we’ve trespassed, we’ve overstepped the boundary, and there’s a debt to be paid.
So we’re dead in sin because God’s Word is so true, God looks at one of this, we are separated from God. And if you’re separated from God because of sin, a payment has to be made. And that payment was death in hell, but look what he says here. hath quickened. That means to be made alive. Made alive. Look up there in verse one and you have to be quickened. You were dead, but he hath quickened. He made you alive.
Don’t you think that a child of God who has been given the free gift of everlasting life ought to live like he’s alive? I believe it affects the way you think. It affects every area of your life. I’m alive. I can’t, I’ll be honest with you, this is not a joke. I can’t hardly wait for the next day. Anyone who got to bed at night can’t hardly wait for the morning to come, because another day, another day, I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen.
What’s going to happen? Because nobody’s ever had it before. I’m getting there on the same time they do. A new day. See, this moment right here, this moment right now, is as fresh as any moment ever been. And you’re not ahead of me as long as I’m alive. But I want to live like I’m alive. And I want to take advantage of all of my opportunities that God gives to me. And every day always figure out what is no purpose in life, my goal in life, and then I make decisions as it brings me to my goal.
But if you don’t have a purpose, you don’t have a goal, then it’s just another day. And you can throw it away, waste your car, you don’t need it. Because you’re not going anywhere. You’re not going to do anything anyway. You don’t have any plans anyhow. So you don’t need the time. But man, when you want to do something, you need all the time you got. You want to, I mean, cram it full. One day it’ll all be over.
We’ll be with the Lord. But until then, you’re alive. Live like you’re alive. I hold your place right here. I want you to see this. Look over there in chapter five. When he makes a statement in verse 14, He says, wherefore He says, awake thou that sleepeth and arise from the dead. No, He’s not talking to lost people here. He’s talking to the believers. Believers that are asleep, believers that are living like they’re dead. They have no vision. They have no dream.
They don’t want to accomplish something. They don’t have the faith to believe that God God got something for them special. I’ve always believed that. God put me here special. I’m God’s little pet child. Now, it’s okay for everybody to feel like you are, as long as you can let everybody else think that they are. So that’s what I do. I know that I am and I let everybody else think they are. God’s little pet child. Don’t you feel special in some way?
Don’t you think God put me here? of all the times that a person could have led, this is the time God thinks this is the best time for me to live. I think it’s great to think. He couldn’t let me be born 100 years ago, but if you let me be born 100 years ago, I would be 100 years old now.
I’m glad I’m only 72. Okay, maybe three. I’m going to get confused. Next time they say, how long have you lived? I don’t remember. I keep forgetting to take that little memory pill. You know, you take these memory pills for two. But what he says here, oh, this is great. And arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light. See, you have life, but you need light to walk by. Like to see That’s why he talks about in the book of Ephesians in chapter one also he talks about enlighten their mind is just look at it Look at in Ephesians See what it says in verse 18 The eyes of your understanding been enlightened So you see things differently not the way the world sees things.
You’re a child of God Sometimes whenever I’m in a humorous mood and somebody smiling and laughing and cutting up I walk on and say hey Why that smile off your face you know you’re a Christian Because you know most Christians are always Or done in the mouth But did the eyes of your understanding been enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling and blah blah blah blah so much more So it’s one thing to be saved It’s another thing to have life that you’re living for the Lord.
And so I think that’s very important. Turn in your Bible 2 Timothy 1, 2 Timothy 1, and 2 Timothy 1. 2 Timothy 1 shows you something else that the Lord has done. You see, wouldn’t it be a shame to be put in the world and you’re saved? You’re going to heaven when you die, but you’re not dead yet. And then God left you here with nothing to do. Oh boy, this would be boring. God didn’t give me anything to do.
Well what should I do and I don’t have anything to do? You know being bored is a terrible thing to be in. I can’t remember the last time I’ve really been bored. I mean it comes and goes quickly because I’ve worked on this and if I get tired of that board I’ll work on this and I’m gonna work on on this POLIT________________________. gmaxwellTuesday./ Skydragon 😉 But look what God has done for us. Look there in verse 9. Verse 9 says, who hath, hath, past, and have saved us?
So that’s done and called us with a holy calling. So this holy calling is a high calling of a purpose to a purpose that God has said for us. According, according to our works, but according to our own purpose, or his own purpose, and grace which he hath given, give me I’ll read right here in a minute, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Do you believe that God has a purpose? Purpose. Purpose in your life.
Do you believe that God wants you and God calls each one of us to fulfill the purpose that God has in our life? This is why so many people feel so empty in their life because they don’t know what they’re living for. They don’t know what they should do or what they should be. But when you start serving God, did you know that when you serve the Lord and do what God wants, that’s when you really become an individual?
When you don’t, you’re just like the mass of humanity. There’s no difference. God is what made you different and He keeps you different. I’m so glad that I’m Yankee. I wouldn’t want to be nobody else. You are not want to be anybody else. Be you. But the best you you can be. Be content with what God has been, be content in your own skin. Don’t try to be somebody else. Just be you. I used to listen to the doctor Stanford and said, well I want to be just like that.
There’s one thing to be somebody, another one to be like somebody. Because you can take good qualities of different people and you want to incorporate them into your own life. So there’s nothing wrong with that. But remember, God has a purpose for your life, and God wants you to serve him. And that’s why it’s so important. Look real quick before we get to another scripture. I get sidetracked so easy, but lookmeric in the book of Ephesians, chapter four, Ephesians chapter four, and just look there at this verse.
And verse one, because it gives you, purpose. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. Ye are called. God has a calling upon your life. He’s called you to do something, to be something. He wants us to be imitators of our Father. And then He talks about the body of Christ. He talks about there’s one down in verse four. He talks about one spirit, one hope, one lord, one faith, one god, one thought unity.
And as I mentioned the last week, even though all of us are different, we each one are to work in together as one person. God wants everybody to work together as one person. that one person is supposed to grow into the Statue of Christ and everybody’s supposed to be so neatly joined together Now remember this if you get mad at me and you leave the church Remember you left the church didn’t leave the preacher you left the body the body needs you you need the body and Sometimes people don’t think they need the body You can’t do much without the body We need each other.
And so that’s why every person is to see themselves as important in God’s eyes. What has God done for you lately? Well like I said, well what have we done for God lately? So that’s why we try to do all the things that we do because He first loved us. Look what He did for us. Did He give us all the Holy Spirit? I just got mine yesterday. Wouldn’t you get yours? Now you get the Holy Spirit. When did you get the Holy Spirit?
The day you trusted Christ as your Savior, you were in 12 by the Holy Spirit of God. Your body becomes the temple of God and God wants to use that body because it belongs to Him. And that’s why you’re supposed to consider yourself, I’m dead, he’s alive, he has my body, use it however you want Lord. Wouldn’t it be great if we we can just get out of the way. We’re always in the way. We block so many things.
But anyway, next time I want you to look at Colossians chapter 1, looking verse 13, Colossians chapter 1, and verse 13, this is what he hath done for us. You may not know it, but years ago when they had this thing come on there about Star Trek. And I have to mid down there, I was kind of curious about how they did some of the things. And I’d be watching the guy and all of a sudden they would do something known and then he disappeared.
They transported them. They said, be me up Scotty. And I was wondering how do they do that? I still don’t know how they do that, but they did that. And they made it, you know, they can make you disappear. And all of a sudden it’s nothing there and all of a sudden and then a personal appearance there. And how did they do that? Now you won’t believe this, but when TV first came out. I can remember that. That was a couple years ago.
And we couldn’t afford a TV, but our neighbors had one. So every Saturday morning we’d run down to our neighbor’s house, and they’d have up-along Cassidy and the long-range year and some of the other other. And so we’d go into the house and we were kids, we were kids. And we didn’t have a TV. We never read it either. We couldn’t have. Mom and Dad still in the bed. The TV is right back down we turned it out real low.
But they had a couple of kids and so the kids were, they weren’t part of this, you know. And we said, and what, and I remember getting up, because I was watching Hoppe Long cast the deal on this horse. And I always liked it when Hoppe Long cast would just look at you straight and then cut his eyes out there. Because I don’t know, he wouldn’t move his head, he just cut his eyes. I’d be sitting there going, don’t tell me you weren’t influenced by TV.
And I got up and I went back there and I saw this little cord coming out of it down into the thing. How did the horse get through that? How did the horse get through that wire? How did they get in there? Then we go outside and we play Cowboys and Indians. And I was doing pretty good, I thought. And Alec Brown, I was his name, Alec Brown. I’ve tried to forget him, but I can’t. He snuck up behind me and he took his rifle he had.
You know, those little BBU red riders. He took that thing and he came down and caught me on the head with that thing. We saw that in the cowboy movies. He knocked me upside on the head. I still got a scar right dead on the top of my head. It’s about this big. He was living out what he saw. Now you and I, as babes in Christ, we’re supposed to read the Word of God, study the Word of God, and live it out.
Like we really see this, we really believe it. I can see this. Now I don’t see how in the world that horse got through that little wire. I don’t see how God answers all these prayers. And I don’t know how God’s going to use, but I just have a reckless abandonment of faith. I want to give it a word. I want to find out what makes things work, what makes it take. And so I have enjoyed my life all these years.
But look what he says here. In verse 13, who hath delivered us, hath, that’s past 10, hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath, past 10, translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. Now this has already taken place. I was a lost man on my way to hell and then I trust you, Christ is my Savior and he has translated me into to the kingdom of his dear son. I’m not his child. It’s like being placed into another dimension.
I’ve had people say, man, you’re out of this world. Maybe I am. Maybe I am. But we’re supposed to be different. I think we should be different. But in a good way, I’m not gonna be a nerd. And no, I don’t go to bed with my socks on. I have, but not anymore. stop last week. But isn’t it good to know that there’s, I got twice as many places to go, but we’re running out of time. I just want you to appreciate what the Lord hath done for you so that you don’t sit around and why.
He never does anything for me. Well, forget about what He does for you then. Just figure out, okay, what are you going to do for Him? But you know, I believe a lot of what we do for the Lord is because of what we believe He’s done for us. And you think, He really loved me. And His purpose for my life is better than my purpose for my life. And I want to serve the Lord. And God will bless you for doing so.
I do want to explain this to you. Nobody’s perfect. There’s only one that’s perfect and that’s God. Let me show you this. This hand represents you and me. This wallet represents everything we’ve done that’s wrong. We’ve all sinned. So God says because of sin and that’s the evidence we’ve got an old sinful nature. Why do I do all these bad things? Because you’ve got a sinful nature. It’s your nature. Why does a dog bark? It’s the nature of the dog to bark.
But wouldn’t it be a shame to tell the dog, dog? You stop acting like a dog and I’ll make you a chicken. When can the dog stop acting like a dog? That’s why there’s preachers that tell people, stop your sin and turn from all of your sin. Don’t sin anymore. You’re right. Nobody can do that. It’s impossible. You can’t turn from your sins. Why? It’s on the inside. That’s the nature that you have. That’s why you do all those bad things.
You can pick the apples off the tree, but that doesn’t change it from being an apple tree. But God so loved the world. He loves you. He loves me. He hates what we do wrong. And for us to pay for this sin is eternal separation from God and hell. And Jesus said, He’s looking for the fruits of righteousness and there aren’t any. He’s looking for perfection. There aren’t any. So He says, He’s going to lay the axe to the root of the tree.
means he cuts down every tree. That’s not perfect. That’s why the wages of sin is death. That’s why we’re all gonna die. And because of that, we’re all condemned to hell. So there is no hope for man by man. You can’t stop it. You can’t change it. You can’t help it. You’re in a heap of trouble. And this is what God did for us. See, God says he wants us to go to heaven. But to go to heaven, you’ve got to be perfect.
As righteous as God, none of us are perfect. We’ve all done things wrong. Nobody’s good enough. So God says, you cannot save yourself. People have heard about this all their life. Let this hand represent Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord, God in the flesh. He came into the world because he loves us. He hates our sin because it separates us from him. So Jesus Christ who had no sin didn’t have to die. So he didn’t have to be cut down.
So why did he die? Well, it’s very simple. He took our sins. And died in our place. Paid for all of our sins came back from the dead and God said that if we would believe, He’d get it for us. Aren’t you glad He didn’t tell you to do something hard and complicated? All He says, this is all you have to do to go to heaven is will you believe that I pay for your sins. You see, if I believe He paid for my sins, I’m not trying to pay for my sins.
See, I’m not going to church to try to pay for my sins. You know, if I do enough good, it’ll pay for the bad. I’m not giving money to pay for my sins. I’m not trying to pray to pay for my sins. I’m not doing anything to pay for my sins. I’m not doing anything to try to earn my way to heaven. I’m going to heaven because of what Christ did. Christ paid for my sins. And if I believe He did it for me, He puts the payment to my account and I go to heaven on what Christ did.
You got it? Let’s pray, shall we? If you hear this morning and perhaps you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, I want you to understand you don’t have to live the life. You don’t have to promise to live a Christian life. You don’t have to promise God you’re going to stop anything or join anything. Friend, that would just make your religious hypocrite. Christ died for your sins. The only way you’ll ever get to heaven is believe he did it for you.
You don’t have to join this church. You don’t have to give any money. I don’t want anything from you. I want you to receive something. You see, the Lord offers you eternal life as a gift. And if you accepted, you would have it where you believe it. If you hear this morning, and say, preacher, that made sense to me, and I will trust Christ as my Savior right now.
Friend, I’d love to know it. I’d love to have prayer for you. Now I’m gonna ask you in just a moment to slip your hand up. Raising your hand does not save you. It just lets me know that what I said made sense. And you said, that made sense to me, and I’m gonna trust Christ as my Savior. Is there anyone at all before we close? Just slip it up very quickly, but right back down, say, that made sense to me.
Yes, God bless you, man. God bless you, sir. God bless you. I appreciate that. Anyone else, just slip it up very quickly so that I’m not gonna have you forward, not gonna embarrass you. Yes, God bless you. God bless you. Are there others? Yes, God bless you, sir. God bless you. Anyone else? See, if you trust Christ right now as your savior, God said he would save you right now. Give you eternal life and you can know that you’re going to heaven when you die because he loves you so much.
Anyone else before we close? Father, we thank You so much for the free gift of eternal life. Your love is so much. And what I thank You for each one of these that by an uplifted hand have indicated that they would trust Christ as their Savior. We know that when they do so, You promised in Your Word to give them eternal life and that they would become Your child, that You never cast them out and never lose them. We thank You so much for all You’ve done for us and for giving it to us in such a way that we can have it and understand it, it’s free.
And that you’ll never take and cast us out, never loses. And Father, we can know that we’re going to heaven. Thank you so much. Christ, name it right. Good evening. Hello, this is Peter Amato from Bibleline. And I’m excited to tell you of our free book offer for the month of January. During this month, for a gift in any amount, we’re going to send to you the mysteries of the New Testament. Have you ever wondered what the mystery of the gospel was the mystery of the blindness of Israel?
How about the mystery of Babylon? Well, we’re featuring a book written by Dr. Dan Arbeghast that explains all these mysteries found in the New Testament, and we’d like to send a copy to you for a donation in any amount. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634, or you can call toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. We hope you enjoy the teaching of Dr. Arnold and thank you for your continued support and prayers. Once again, contact us today for this wonderful book on the mysteries of the New Testament.
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.
