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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 BibleLineMinistries.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 want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 9. 1 Corinthians and chapter 9. The little outline, it’s very simple. It’s the opposite of how to be a success. I do guarantee you that it’s easier to be a failure. It’s a lot easier to be a failure than a success. And so we know that one day we’re gonna stand before the Lord and He’s gonna have us give a count of ourselves for what we’ve done with our lives.

So we know that every individual is going to have to stand before the Lord. I’m glad I don’t have to stand there to be judged for what I’m going to get to go to heaven or not. That’s been said a long time ago. So I have eternal life. I’m going to heaven. But I do know that I’m going to have to give an account to the Lord for what I say and do. And so that day when you stand before the Lord, you might have to give an account to the Lord for why you failed Him.

Won’t that be a shame? Does stand before the Lord ashamed because he keeps accurate records. And he says even every word, idle word, thoughts, you know, it’s kind of scary in itself, I’m glad that no sin has to be paid, but you will see what it has cost you and what it costs me. When we see how our disobedience here caused people not to hear the gospel, how we fail to work together as we should, all these things. But 1 Corinthians 9, I want you to notice that there is nothing in these verses that seems like Paul is just sitting on the sideline doing nothing, he said that everything that I do is for the purpose of winning.

You see, when he makes a statement there, look in verse 19, for though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all. That is a little phrase you ought to maybe underline in your Bible. I have made myself servant unto all. You see, sometimes we ask God that God make me a soul winner, God make me, God ain’t going to make you anything. Because He doesn’t work against you well. You yield yourself and you obey Him and do what He says do and that you will be what God wants you to be.

But He says I do these things that I might win, that I might gain. And so as you go down through here it says over and over again I do this. down in verse 23. And this we do, or I do for the gospel’s sake. I do for the gospel’s sake. I have a message I’m going to do one of these days on doing things for Christ’s sake and the gospels. But 1 Corinthians 9, look there in verse 25, and every man, every man, that striva for the mastery is tempered or self-controlled in all things.

Now they They do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible crown. Now you know how hard people work at winning some medal down here, some award, some prize money, whatever they do. They will get out there and they’ll work themselves at the FCHI. Get a little fame on and glory. But we’re not supposed to sit on the sideline and just think it’s going to happen automatic. You have to get yourself into the battle and you have to do some fighting and some struggling and you could get beat up a little bit.

And you get tired, you get weary, and people don’t always approve of what you do or the way you do it. So there’s a price to pay. In verse 20 says, I therefore, so I run. At least I run. I do run. Then he says, not as uncertain as so fight. So I do run. I do fight. And in verse 7, I discipline my body. I keep my body in subjection so that I can use my body. Less when I preach to others, I should be a cast away or set aside and not used by the Lord.

So this is not talking about, you know, God is gonna cast you out and you’re going to hell now. I know this is talking about being disapproved, disqualified. So you want to serve the Lord and so you know you got to fight, you got to run, it is a battle, it gets bloody sometime. But you determined that you’re going to serve the Lord. So if you follow the path of least resistance, because you don’t want to do all of that, you don’t want people thinking bad things about you.

Yes, so it’s easier probably not to do what God says to do. But the rewards of certain all over the Lord is so much better, so much greater. I want you to take your Bible and look in Ephesians chapter 5. Look at Ephesians chapter 5. Look there in verse 25. Verse 25 of chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25 says, husbands, love your wives. Even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The Lord said He wants you and I to be presented to the Father without spot, without wrinkle, without any blemish whatsoever. You see as we walk with the Lord, we serve the Lord. God wants us to keep our lives clean. That’s That’s what 1 John 1 9 is for. And so he says that we ought to use the washing of the water of the Word to keep ourselves clean and without spot. Because you and I know one day we will stand before the Lord and have to give an account.

But how do you want to stand there? Bible talks about it in the book of Colossians about presenting us. That’s one thing to be there and another thing how you’re presented. So I think it is important. Look in Luke chapter 9, the gospel of Luke, and chapter 9. Luke chapter 9 and look in verse 23. The gospel of Luke chapter 9 verse 23, page 1086. In verse 23 it says, and he said to them all, If any man come after me, this is not for salvation, this is for service.

If any man will come after me, let him, and here’s two words, deny himself. What do you think deny himself? What do you think it covers? What does that mean? If Christ walked in here right now and says, I want you to follow me, but to follow me, you’ll have to deny yourself. My question would be what? Deny myself, what? Well, whatever it is, it really wouldn’t matter what it is. If I follow Him, I’ll have to deny whatever it is I wanted to do or where I wanted to go or whatever I wanted to be, or whatever I wanted to have.

Now, do you and I really want to be a success or a failure? Are you willing to do whatever God wants you to do, though he may not ask? Are you willing to go to Africa to be a missionary, though he may not ask you to go, but would you go if he asked you? You say, Lord, are you sure? Are you willing to be whatever God wants you to be? Though he may not ask you to do anything particular, but are you willing to do it?

Like one person says, are you willing to be made willing? Well, we’re not talking about how to get to heaven. We’re talking about serving the Lord. So he says here in a very interesting verse in chapter 14 of Luke, we’ll look at in just a second, but first of all, look there in that verse 23 where he says, Let him deny himself, take up his cross.

And here’s that word you ought to underline it daily. See, every day you and I live should be a new commitment to the Lord. Now I have committed my life to the Lord a long time ago that I’m going to serve the Lord, but I, I didn’t have those days until it showed up. Now this day is here. Will I give the Lord this day? Well, I take my responsibilities that God’s given to me daily and fulfill God’s will for me every day, every day.

You see, you don’t have to worry about, am I going to be in the will of God a year from now? Well, if I’m in the will of God today and then when tomorrow shows up, I’ll just commit that day and then I’ll commit the next day. But walking with the Lord one day at a time, one moment at a time, just do what you can. what time you do have. See, it’s easy to dedicate your life that you don’t have yet, and hard to dedicate your day that you do have.

So this is the day that the Lord has made. This is the day that we commit to the Lord. This is the day that we serve the Lord. And so he says, deny yourself. Now I believe there’s three main things that we often refer to with the things of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Are you willing to deny yourself the things of this world, the things that you could love in this world, the things you could get in this world, the things you could be in this world and give all that up for whatever God has for you?

Now God says, you’re not ready to serve him until you are. You say, well, I want God to reveal his will to me so that I can decide. God says, no, no, no, no. You go ahead and decide and then I’ll reveal it to you. Because sometimes we want to look at what he has for me and know, okay, when you want me to be, where you want me to go, what you want me to do, so if I can see all of that in comparison to what, hey, the devil may offer me something better than that.

I mean, hey, I mean, it’s for the biggest bargain I can get. Right? So God says, no, it’s not going to work that way. You go ahead and just commit yourself to the Lord’s. I’m going to serve the Lord and then trust the Lord to fill it in, whatever He wants. And that way you won’t have such high expectations that when things don’t work out your way, you won’t fall apart. Because see, all you want whatever he wants, whatever he wants.

See, it doesn’t matter. But if you make bargains with God in the sense that, Lord, I’ll do this, this, this, and this, and this, and I want you to bless me, and then you expect. And then it doesn’t happen. See, not God, you fail me. No, he never said those things. That was yours, side of a bargain or an agreement. But that wasn’t what God says. So he makes a statement here in verse 24, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it, whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

But what is a man advantage? If he gained the whole world, lose himself or be cast away. What we look at in 1 Corinthians in chapter 9 and verse 27, for whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory and in his fathers and of the holy angels.” You ashamed of him? That’s why Paul said, I’m not ashamed of the gospel. If you’re not ashamed of it, you don’t mind giving it.

If you’re not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, then you don’t mind serving him unless you’re ashamed. This is why sometimes people don’t let people know that they trust the Lord on the job because They know their testimony is not quite right, or they’re afraid or ashamed. Do you know if God knows when you’re ashamed of Him? I think so. I think so. Look there in chapter 14 of the book of Luke, by right here in blue.

And look what he says here in verse 27, and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, he cannot be my disciple. You often hear that little statement made by some people, you know, for salvation, lordship salvation. He’s got to be Lord of all or not Lord at all. I do believe Christ wants to be Lord of all. I really do. And some people will serve the Lord in limited areas, and they’ll have a limited ministry. And when you’re limited in knowledge, you’re limited in what you can accomplish, what you can do.

That’s why the longer you live, the more you learn, the more experience you have, the more you should be able to accomplish. But look what he says down here in verse 33, looking verse 33, So likewise, whosoever he be of you. Now, you know, when it comes to salvation, it says, for whosoever, believe it in him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” That’s a choice. It’s a free choice. You can accept it or reject it for salvation. If you accept it, you have eternal life and you go to heaven.

Look what you got just by believing that. But now, when it comes to service, whosoever, God does not make us serve Him. He doesn’t make a servant So he says likewise whosoever he be of you that forsake it not all that he hath He cannot be my disciple because if there’s anything you’re not willing to give up stop being or pursuing Will stop you in servant lord away you should But you see if you in your mind though God may never ask you to give up anything he may not cause you to lose so much But if he did, would you be willing to do it?

That’s what God knows, see. God wants you to be willing to do whatever he wants and go anywhere, though he may not lead you outside of the city limits of Tampa, Florida. But if he opened the door, it made it possible. And you knew that’s what God wants you to do. You do it, right? You do it. Now, that’s submitting yourself to his authority, because you want the will of God for your life. Though you may not do a lot of things, go a lot of places, but God knows that if you could, you would.

So see, at times in our life, there’s things that we can’t do anymore. We can’t go. But God knows that if you could, you would. I believe God knows that if you had a million dollars, you’d give it. But he also knows that you’re struggling with that $10 you got in your pocket. But I’d give it all if I had it. If I had a million dollars, I’d give a million dollars. No, you wouldn’t. If you got $10, you won’t give that and you ain’t gonna give a million.

Now, you may say things. God’s looking for sincerity of what a person really believes. So the word of God, I believe, is very good and very clear. The second thing I want you to look at there, alienate yourself from good Christian fellows, these are things that help you to be a failure. And that is when people do not faithfully attend church, don’t faithfully hang around the right kind of people. It is going to make a difference in your life.

It really will. Now, we won’t take the time to look at the one in Hebrews, but it talks about forsaking not the assembling of yourselves together. I have always believed and I still believe it, that the more you can go to church, the more services you can attend, the stronger you can be in the Lord, because you’ll learn so much more that will help you to stay strong in other words. I believe people who don’t and can, I believe there’s knowledge that they will not gain and because of that, there’s part of their testimony that they will lose in the lives of some people.

So this is why it’s so important. He said, well, you come on Wednesday night because you have to. You’re the preacher. No, I went on Wednesday night before I ever became a preacher. Before I ever went to Bible College, I went Sunday nights and Wednesday nights. I always went. I would work on the job and I’d get off the job and I’d come to Sunday night and Wednesday night in my clothes. I had old clothes on and I had, you know, I looked pathetic.

I’d run an old bread machine for a fence and bakery. And so, but that’s what I had to do. That’s what I did. And a lot of people come all dressed up through the, I had to come look like a bum, but that’s okay, but I came. I did what I could, wherever I was dressed. But I was faithful in doing it. Because I was always afraid to preach or might preach something that I need. I was afraid they might preach some great thing that I might learn.

And I don’t wanna miss anything. Have you ever wanted to go to everything because you’re afraid something’s going to happen? You’re not going to be there to see it? James is like that. He wants to get in much more. He wants to get involved in everything. Because you’re afraid something’s going to happen and you won’t be there to see it. I want to learn as much as I can. Whenever I was at Florida Bible College and Dr. Stanford was going to preach, I want to hear everything he had to say.

Why? Because I know. I want to be able to do what he does so I want to know what he knows. So there’s a reason why we do it. Turning the Bible to the book of Ecclesiastes. All the way back to the book of Ecclesiastes. And look in chapter 4, the book of Ecclesiastes and chapter 4, just show you a little bit about the strength that you and I should have because of the unity that we have with other people that are like us.

I want you to see this. See there in verse 8, there is one alone, and there is not a second. Yeah, he hath neither child nor brother, yet is there no end of all his labor. Neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither sayeth he, for whom do I labor and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity. Yay, it is a sore travail. To work in the labor and and then have nobody to leave it to. And then, if you did have somebody to leave it to, the question comes, why should I work and labor and leave it to somebody else?

So it seemed like, regardless of which way you go, it’s all vanity and vexation of spirit. What’s the purpose? What’s the use? It’s like, there’s got to be a greater reason, a motive for living. But to show you the strength that you can have by having somebody else to go through life with. This is why a husband or wife can be such an advantage to each other, a help to each other. You see, in verse 9, 2, 2 are better than 1 because they have a good reward for their labor because you see if you both work together you can have more than just one person working individually.

People can accomplish more in unity than can by yourself. But a lot of people have a problem. Sometimes they have trouble trying to find out who’s in charge, who’s the boss. And so instead of getting something done, they argue and fight all the time. Shouldn’t, but a lot of time it’s what happens. But look what it says in verse 10, For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up.

That’s why it’s good for a man and woman to love each other in such a way that that when one follows the other one’s there to help pick them up, to help encourage them. And not just in marriage, it can also be in church. To know that you’ve got somebody that helps to encourage you. Because sooner or later, just about everybody has a weak moment. You get down, you get discouraged. You’re fighting, you’re struggling, and you’ve got cares and problems.

And sometimes you just need somebody to talk to. just to share things with that you know won’t squeal on you and tell everything to everybody else, but you need a good friend that you can talk to and confide in at times. Well, he says, you might like number 11, again, if two lie together, then they have heat, but how can one be warm alone? Isn’t that a good verse? Ain’t that a good verse? Special on a cold night. go on a cold night.

It’s so nice! Sometimes I tell you, Allah, I’ll set up some time.” You know, and my feet will get cold and I don’t even know I done got cold. Left, my feet, my feet, me and my feet… I come in, oh she is so warm and just cuddled, oh, that’s the… And then, I put my your cold feet on her But you know it’s so neat. But their advantage of two people helping each other. Look what else he says in verse 12.

He says, and if one prevailed against him, two shall withstand. In other words, if somebody comes after me, boy, it’s sure nice to have a friend. I had that happen one time. I had about three or four guys that were going to beat the tar out of me. And they had already done, got my arms and held them back. And another guy had already done, took his hands named Melvin. I’ll never forget Melvin. I tried to forget Melvin. The Melvin Hall often, he hit me across the face as hard as he could.

Man liked to knock me silly. Well, it did knock me silly. And then he wound up and he was going to do it again. And my buddy standing there, his name was Butch Lingly. And he says, that’s enough. Sure. I thought why didn’t you stop him the first time he did it? But at least he stopped him the second time they were fixing to do it. I’m still trying to decide if he was my friend or put him up to that.

I don’t know. I don’t think so. But look what he says. And if one prevail against them, two shallwits in, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. You can take one little strand and break it easy. Put three of them together. One break. I was watching one time this whole cowboy movie. And they’re talking about how they can’t stand against the white men because the Indians you know are being killed by the white man and the Indian breaks.

narrow as he talking to his Indian friends, you know, because as one we can easily be broken. But then he put about tenum together and you can’t break tenum. He said, the unity caused us to be strong. What the Lord talks about that, that’s why church and knowing people helps you to be stronger than you would be without. So God wants us to be strong. And He makes a statement to him, better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished.

And sometimes that’s when for out of prison he come of terrain, or as also he that is born in his kingdom become a poor. In other words, if you got everything given to you, you don’t appreciate it because you didn’t have to work for it. A man has been in prison, lost everything, and then he rises up because he worked for it. He has something because he earned it, he worked for it. But just to have everything given to you, you don’t appreciate it.

So there’s things that are taught in the Word of God that’s to help us to understand so much more than the natural man that’s in the world. Now look in Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Look in Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Now you and I know what perfume is. Every once in a while I’ll put some on. And you smell better. Don’t you smell better? Don’t you wive like your husband to smell better? Well don’t the husbands like their wives to smell better.

So you put on a little deodorant here and a little bit there. They even got a new deodorant out now for race drivers called Pit Stop. Oh well. Anyway, we’re moving right along here. And verse 1, dead flies in the apocatory. In other words, what he’s talking about is dead flies in the ointment, dead flies in the perfume. See, you and I are supposed to be sweet smelling to the Lord, by our sacrifice of praise and whatever God has for so that our lives or examples of others and acceptable to God and well, please.

Are you ready to learn how to live your life as a strong Christian, lead others to Christ, or excel as a church worker or ministry leader, then look no further, than Florida Bible College of Tampa, with traditional and online classes taught by instructors with years of experience. Florida Bible College of Tampa can help you grow in your Christian life, Whether taking individual classes or working toward a one-year degree, Florida Bible College of Tampa is here for you. To learn more, visit online at floridabiblecollege.us or call the Registrar Bob Gilbert at 8502275325.

That’s 8502275325. 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. Hot up can meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.