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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 year. 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.

your Bible and turn to Hebrews in chapter 4. The book of Hebrews in chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4 and look there in verse 16. Now we have need because God wants us to come to the throne of grace. It’s to teach us that we can’t do it without Him. God wants His children to come to see Him, wants us to talk to Him. And sometimes we can get so buried with the cares of this life that we don’t do the things that we should.

And we don’t look to the Lord and don’t talk to Him like we should. So he says in verse 16, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help and hear those three little words, time of need. It may not be all the time, but there will be times, times that are worse than others. And sometimes everything seems to be going long smooth and then it could be tomorrow, it could be totally devastating.

And you can be enjoying the friendships of somebody you know and love and they could be gone that very next day. So look in chapter 5 and verse 12. Sometimes God’s children that don’t grow the way they should, they don’t mature like they should. He says in verse 12, and he says, for the time you ought to be teachers. You have need, you have need. That one takes you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God.

And it becomes such as have need, need of milk. Now some people are always hollering for meat, but they can’t even drink milk. And they’re wanting to meet, but they can’t drink milk. It means they’re not doing what they should do with what they already have. They want greater opportunities, but they’re not faithful with the ones they’ve already got. You see, you get exalted or lifted up in the Lord’s work because you’re faithful to do what you came with what you got where you are.

And it’s the thing thing that we always have to remember. It’s better to start on the bottom and be faithful in God exalt you than to try to start on the top and God have to humble you. But everybody has needs and God can supply all your needs. God knows that we need to study the Word and He knows that we need to feed on it and to do something and so look what He says in verse 14, strong meat belong to them who are of full age.

He says that means mature. Even those who by reason of use, see those three little words? Who by reason of use had their senses exercised to discern both good and evil? Those things you can discern, you’ve got good judgment because you taught the word of God because you know it. You’ve studied, you can discern. And as it says, by reason of use. You’ve ever heard the statement, if you don’t use it, you what? You lose it. That’s why some people when they get older, they say, well, I just can’t remember anymore.

I just can’t remember. I can’t remember. I can’t remember. You’re not using what you know. If you constantly keep using it, you will not lose it. You’ll remember is that we’re not doing or remembering the things that we did know and we don’t keep using it. If you keep using it, you can keep remembering it. But if you don’t, I’ll decide out of mine, you’d be surprised how fast your memory can go. But you keep doing the things that you know to do and that’s right to do and it’ll bless your mind.

And I believe that merriment, which is another word we could used for rejoicing is medicine to the bones. It will help you physically. It’s like health food, joy in the Lord. You heard that statement. The joy of the Lord is my strength. When there’s no joy, no rejoicing, there’s no strength. You just lose your drive. You lose motivation. It saps you of energy. And so keep these things in mind. It’ll help you tremendously. Now look at what he says in Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews chapter 10. And look in verse 36. I’ve used these verses many times, but slowly they’re still there. I didn’t use them up. I’m so glad they’re versed in the Bible that you can’t use up. So in verse 36 he says, for ye have, and you ought to underline those three little words, need of what? That means you got to learn to wait upon the Lord, trust the Lord. There’s some things you can’t make happen. God isn’t working on our timetable.

And when he talks about the need of patience means that God has promised us that when we get to heaven, he’s going to reward us. Your need of patience means that you’re not tired and weary and well doing because you know in due season you will reap because you’re going to be in heaven the day’s coming and God’s going to reward you. Be patient. Don’t look for payday down here. It doesn’t happen that way. You know, I did this good deed run to the mailbox and see if your check came in.

I did another good deed, go to the mailbox and say, that check came in. God doesn’t reward you like that. He says that when this whole thing is over, as he says in the book of Daniel chapter 12, he says, there will be a resurrection of the just and the unjust. And those that have turned many to righteousness, your shine is the brightest of the firm and forever and ever and ever. Well, that’s not here. them and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor but that’s not here.

The patient, payday’s coming. Our payday is coming and so you need to have patience. That means trust the Lord, live by faith. See, living by faith is what produces your patience because you can trust the Lord, you can wait upon God. That’s faith. But when you don’t have that, you don’t have patience. That’s what causes you to lose your cool, lose your temper, to become mean and ugly and unkind. That’s all because of a lack of patience because you don’t believe that my suffering is going to be worth it for the Lord.

And so we want to justify a thing down here because we want to get paid back now. I want redemption now. I want to get even now and I want to revenge now. Be patient and trust the Lord with it. And look what He says there in verse 36 again, for ye have need a patient that after you have done the will of God, not before, after you’ve done the will of God. Well see, while we’re in this life, serve the Lord, and then afterwards it will be worth it.

You wait and see. And you’re going to wish that you had done every bit of that. And remember we looked at before in 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 6, because we were saved from something to an inheritance is incorruptible and undefiled that fate if not away reserved in heaven for you. He says, because you know we’re saved by the power of God unto faith because of our salvation in Christ. And he says, and this you are happy, you rejoice, but you are in manifold temptation, if need be, because of all the things that are going on.

He says, you’re under heaviness. Then he says in the very next verse, the trial of your faith, been much more precious than gold and silver and so forth to try with fire. He says, it’ll be worth it. You’ll get praise, honor and glory. but not now when that time comes. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of Luke chapter six.

Luke chapter six. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Luke chapter six. And look in verse 23, Luke six and verse 23. And you’ll notice it talking here given the beatitudes, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed and so on. But let’s just start there in verse 20 real quick. And he lifted up his eyes and on his disciples and said, blessed be the poor for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled. You might hunger now, you shall be filled.

Blessed are ye that we now for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the son of man say, look at the next verse, complain, whine and pine, rejoice ye in that day and leap for what? Leap for joy, for behold, your reward it is is great where, here or there in heaven. For in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

So the time is coming. Don’t worry about it. It’s all now now now yet, but it’s not over yet. And that’s why these verses are found in other places, but not all of them have the word now in it. And I like that and it brings it up very good. Look in chapter 15 of Luke, Luke chapter 15. Luke chapter 15. And look in verse six. You’ve seen this. You’ve heard this before. You know, got 99, you lose one, you go after that one, which is lost.

But let’s just start there in verse 3. And he spake this parable unto them, say, and what man of you having a hundred sheep? If he lose one of them, do not lead the 90 and 9 in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find it. Well, it looks like if this is to be considered a value at all, It’s kind of like if you’ve got a hundred sheep, you want all of them. Well, if there’s all these people in the world, it looks like God wants to save all of them.

Well, I’m only satisfied in just keeping ten of these sheep. That’s all I want. None of them can go straight. No, no, no, no. That might be good for the Calvinist, but that’s not the Bible. But look what he says. And verse 5, and when he had found it, he laid on his shoulders shoulders and what’s the word? You all done? It’s because it means feel with joy, express it, people can see rejoicing. It means you’re doing it with delight.

You want to do this. You’re expressing how you think and how you feel. Did you know you can read a lot of people by their looks on their face? True. I can look out at y’all and know whether or not I should go on and quit. Sometimes I think, are they paying attention? And sometimes, believe it or not, from where I’m that now I had my eye fixed just a little bit. I can almost tell when you’re sleeping.

But with both my eyes in good shape I can I can read your mind. I wish and I’m glad that God does not allow that. Don’t want to be terrible. I’m sitting here preaching my hard-eyed and there’s somebody out there saying, oh I hate this sermon. Boy that’s that’s things to hide him. I wish that I stayed home and watched Batman. Wouldn’t that be discouraging? Wouldn’t that be disheartening? I’m sitting here thinking about this and here’s warring over the thinking about it.

I wish we had and more of those eclairs. Look what else he says here. In verse 6, and when he came at home, he called up together his friends and neighbors sent unto them, and there’s those words. Rejoice with me. When somebody trusts the Lord, and you hear we’ve had somebody trust the Lord, did you get excited about that? Are you glad for that? I’ve read a letter this morning where two people trust the Lord because of the YouTube message videos.

Now you some people say, I heard that before. Wait a minute. There’s two people that were going to hell. Now they’re going to heaven. That ought to be exciting to people. That’s what this whole thing is about. That’s where he says, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. So there’s some good things that we’ll know. Down in verse 9, he says, Rejoice with me. It’s written there again. Look in John chapter 16, the Gospel of John in chapter 16.

John chapter 16 and look in verse 22, John chapter 16 verse 22. He says, and ye now therefore have sorrow. But I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man take it from you. He also mentions that up there in verse 20, just looking in verse 20, very, very asked in you that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. Now it’s the opposite. Because of what sorrow you’re going to go through because it’s on his way to the cross.

The world will rejoice. Hey, he’s dead. We win. It ain’t over yet. He came back from the dead. That’s how he says, your sorrow in verse 20, your sorrow shall be turned into joy. Now when you believe what God says, you can take confidence in knowing that regardless of what you go through in life, you’re gonna be so filled with joy one day. Well why not take and use a little bit of it now? And by faith, go ahead and live the way you wish you had lived when you get there.

You wanna wait till you get to heaven and then look back and you look at your life and you say, you know what? I could have been happy here. I could have been happy. I could have been filled with joy all my life. So God already told me what was gonna happen, but I didn’t believe him. I didn’t trust him. I wasn’t patient. And you look at how much misery you went through that you didn’t have to go through.

Did you know that almost all our misery and so forth is mental thinking? That’s why your success in defeat all begins and ends right up there in the mind. And it’s so important to understand that. Looking Philippians in chapter 1, the book of Philippians all the way back there to Philippians 1. And look in verse 18, Philippians chapter 1 verse 18, you know Paul has been in prison talking about the things that happened to him for the furthest of the gospel.

And then there was other people that came along and some were Trying to add to his misery But there were some that were gonna preach the gospel pretentious not sincerely, but there was others that would but he says Christ will be preached and Therein I rejoice because of that So in verse 18 he says what then not would stand in every way whether in pretense or in truth Christ is preached and I they’re in do rejoice and will rejoice.

Rejoice because even though people may not always do it you know with the best intentions and they’re just doing out of spite at least the gospel is preached. Now he’s not talking about a false gospel being preached but there’s other people who will not do it with the right intentions. Look what he says there. See there in verse 15 some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife. Some also have good will. See, some people do it because they want to and some people give the gospel, but they don’t really want to, but they do it because, well, that’s what’s expected of them.

It’s anticipated, but not everybody is found faithful to present the gospel the way they should. In verse 16, the one preached Christ of contention, not sincerely supposed to add affliction to my bonds. Now there’s a lot in here that we probably will never understand. The suffering that Paul went through, the people that left him, he had people that no longer walk with Paul and the heartache he had to go through, but he keeps saying I have continual sorrow in my heart.

And then at the same time he talks about rejoice always and greatly rejoice. So it’s something that we should do. We’re looking at chapter 2 and verse 16. Chapter 2 and verse 16, where he makes a statement, chapter 2 and verse 16, he says, holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ. Not only do I want the joy here and now, but at the day of Christ, the rejoicing that I have not run in vain.

I was talking to the college class the other day and I said, one of the things that bothers me more than anything else, I don’t have any regrets of serving the Lord. Most people who serve the Lord, I don’t think they say, you know, I am so feel-willy regret that it is. But we wish we’d have done more. I just wish we’d have done more. And then I made a statement, I probably shouldn’t have said it. But I didn’t know how to do anymore.

Because my whole life has been so full doing. But I feel like I haven’t done anything I wish I had done more. And you think, well, what else can I do? How much more can I do? Because I realize, like most of us, we’re getting older. But we want to do more because we know we don’t have much time left. And so it’s something we think about it. That I have not run in vain, nor labored in vain. You see, your labor is not in vain between you and God because God will reward you for that.

But the people don’t always respond. They don’t always profit from what you do. And so you can try to reach people with the gospel and them not respond. You’re not responsible for their actions. You are responsible to be fun, faithful. And you may try to challenge people and pour out your heart and pray it, but that doesn’t mean they’re gonna respond the way you want them to. So you can labor in vain with people because they don’t respond correctly.

But that’s on them, not you. But you don’t want it to be in vain. You want to be sick, you want to profit. You want people to serve the Lord. You want there to be results. I wish I had 100 people trust the Lord every time I preach. But I’m not in charge of that. I’m to be found faithful just to give the gospel and sow the seed. Just keep sowing the seed. Looking verse 17 also. Verse 17, yay, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.

See, there’s people who have sacrificed and done so much and we are working co-labors together as it says in chapter 4 of the book of Philippians. And so that’s a good thing. Look in chapter 2 and verse 28, chapter 2 verse 28, where it says, I sent him therefore the more carefully, that means with great concern, that when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. And he’s talking about Epaphorudius, who was willing and almost died making up for the lack of service that somebody else should have done.

Because some people, they will do what they can do. And then somebody else who’s supposed to do their share, they don’t. Does that make it easier upon the one that does? If we had a great big old pole up here, a heavy log, and we got five people carrying it, And one person says, you know, this thing is just too big of a burden. I just can’t do it. So I quit. Well, that’s good because it didn’t make it any heavier on the other four, did it?

Now four people are trying to carry it. So they get where in their well, no, well, I quit. This is just too much of a burden. So now you only got three left. What do you think happens to these three mentally? If you quit and you quit, what do you think they will think? Why should they keep doing this. And so you’d be surprised how the lack of faith and involvement and you know that one person does can destroy a whole thing.

It can happen because just one person I quit and they’re not faithful. Well if I don’t do it somebody else will and you look and you see okay well where’s that other person? Well somebody else will. Well they didn’t. You see what at all? No they don’t. And I’ve seen ministry completely fall apart. I’ve seen choirs fall apart. I’ve seen ranches fall apart Because, well, if I don’t do it, somebody else will. No, they don’t. I’ve seen people finance something, then they stop financing it.

Next thing you know, well, look, I mean, we’ve done such a great job with support and mission. I’m not going to give this year. Okay. Then it comes down. Or somebody else. Well, you know, I’m not going to need to do it. But you don’t know that 10 others just stop the same thing you did. So then everybody stops giving in. And then I wonder what happened. I wonder why God stopped blessing. He blesses through people. A ministry grows because of the people.

And whenever you stop, it drops. I fly on an airplane. If it stops, it drops. So, looked in chapter three, verse one again. Finally, brethren, well, this is where we started, ain’t it? Rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed, is not grievous, but for you, it is safe. I want you to know this. And so I want to close with one verse that found over in the book of Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19.

Revelation chapter 19 and look in verse 7. This is a good verse. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him for the marriage of the lamb is come and his wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be a raid in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Now we know we go to heaven by the righteousness of Christ. This is talking about the righteousness of saints.

You see, the bride has just been to the judgment seat of Christ. She has just been decorated according to what she’s done for the Lord in this period of time, we call life. So when we leave this world, we’re going to stand in the Jimmy’s ground and God’s going to reward every man according to his own labor. And you’re going to be dressed in the righteous acts of the saints. Whether it’s the glory that comes from it, I don’t know how many crowns you’re going to have.

I don’t know of the going to be badges and rewards and medals and all that. I don’t know. I don’t care what it is, but whatever it is, it’s in the book. And God says, this is how it’s going to be. And so we’re going to the married supper of the lamb. We’re going to get married. And this is the bride. And as you make the statements here in verse seven, let us be glad and rejoice. That day, someday will happen.

And it could be very, very soon. When I don’t know, I don’t really care. I’m just going to be faithful, patient, and keep doing what we’re supposed to do until the time is gone. Work because night is coming when no man will work. There’s a time coming when all opportunities are gone. Remember what he said in the book of Philippians in chapter 4 where he made the statement, lack opportunity.

We have right now in this life of ours opportunity, an opportunity to serve the Lord, to do what God wants us to do. We don’t know to what extent, just be found faithful. Every person in this room, every person watching can be found faithful to do what you came or what you have, where you are. Be faithful. And God will bless you for doing so. We come here. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. We all have sin upon us.

Now God says that he loves us. Now he hates our sin, but he loves us. And for us to pay for sin is eternal separation from the Lord. So everybody sins, everybody’s guilty. Everybody’s condemned. And so God says he wants us to go to heaven, to go to heaven so we have to be perfect, no sin. But we’ve all sinned. And God says you cannot earn eternal life. you have to pay for your sins. Good deeds doesn’t pay for the wages of sin.

That’s why we need a Savior. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world. When he came into the world, he was prophesied to come into the world. Therefore, the world should rejoice because Christ was born and he was born to take away our sins. born to take away our sins. Remember, in his name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. So Christ took all the sins of the world, paid for them on the cross, came back from the dead, and said that if we would believe he did it for us, he would put the payment he made to our account, and we get to go to heaven on what Christ did.

So okay, I did that. Can I rejoice? Can I be filled with joy? that I be filled with delight. I am going to heaven, which is the greatest thing in all the world. I’m gonna be with the Lord for all eternity. I’m gonna get a brand new body. I’m gonna live forever. And in this life, God’s given us some opportunities. Would it be ashamed if we lived in this world and there were no opportunities? No opportunities to show to God that we loved them.

No opportunities to be found faithful. Nothing to work against us, or I would be able to prove that he means a lot to me. God’s been good to us. Let’s pray, shall we? Every head bowed and every eye closed and no one looking around. If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, I pray that you would. I believe everyone in this room has already heard this and has trusted Christ as Savior. But if you’re watching by internet and you have never yet trusted the Lord, why not right down the quietness of this moment just believe that when Christ died, He died for you.

And He died for you because He didn’t want you to have to pay for your sins. He paid for them, He paid for all of them. And all that He wanted you to do was believe He did it for you. Friend, would you believe that? I pray that you will. God said He would give you a free gift, eternal life. Would you trust Him? Father, we are thankful so much for all you’ve done for us. Thank you for this time together tonight.

Bless each one here. I stand we pray. Amen. Are you a new listener to Bibleline? Do you enjoy the teachings of Dr. Arnold? Well, if you’ve never contacted us before, we want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel Driven Man. Every day we receive many emails from folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the gospel with friends and loved ones. This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics, And we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy.

There’s no obligation, no donation necessary, simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of the Gospel-Driven Name. The mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address, and God bless you and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. 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