This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. 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.

Well, we are going to take a look at a few things that I believe they’re interesting because it deals with prophecy what’s coming down the road and what we can look forward to. So I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Titus in chapter 2. The book of Titus and chapter 2. Every Lord’s Day, we say this verse as we recite the things that we say we believe, we believe. And there is a verse here in Titus chapter 2 and down in verse 11 I want you to begin at this scripture.

It says, for the grace of God, that bring of salvation, have appeared to all men, the grace of God. In other words, it’s not something we earned or have deserved, it’s because it’s God’s grace that He gives us this free gift of everlasting life. But now the grace that brings salvation is the grace that God wants us to live by. So we say we live by grace but exactly what do you mean by that? We see here we are as no account centers, rebellious, deceptive, we hurt, we send against ourselves, against each other, we send against God, and then he says how bad we were, then he says, but he came and bestowed upon us this righteousness and that’s why we have to be very careful.

See there in verse 4 of chapter 3 after saying how bad we were in the first couple of verses there then he says but God in verse 4 but after that the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared and in what did He say, the very next verse, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the Washington of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. So by the Holy Spirit He gave us a new birth and we were saved by grace, not because we deserve it.

So living by grace means that we don’t always issue out judgment upon people. We go the extra mile, we forgive, we love, because God did that for us and we are supposed to do that for others. They should not have to deserve our kindness because we didn’t deserve God kindness. They don’t deserve our love, well we didn’t deserve God’s love. So God says the way I did you is the way I want you to do others. Wouldn’t it be an entirely different world if we did?

But you see if If somebody hurts us, I’ll get you back for the last thing I do. We have revenge in our heart. We get mean, mad, and ugly, and unkind. And I’ve said this before, the last thing we ever want to do is grow up to be a mean old man or a mean old woman. Have you ever seen a mean old man and a mean old woman? And that pathetic. I mean, to go out of this life, being mean and ugly to everybody.

But we’re supposed to grow in grace. Now look what he says in verse 12 of chapter two. teaching us. So this grace of God that brought salvation is to teach the believer on how to live. Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust we should live. Notice the word it should not we have to but we should live soberly. I mean sound-minded, righteously and godly in this present world. So how does God want us to live in this present world.

Well, he says right there, sound line, righteously, godly in this present world until when. Well, look at the next verse. And as we serve the Lord, we should always be looking for something, looking as it says here in verse 13, looking for that blessed tribulation period that’s coming upon the earth. So he didn’t say that until we are to look for the blessed hope. Now look up here on this screen. We know there’s the cross. That’s the center of everything.

And this is an island in the sea of God’s eternity. time involves man in our life. Our life is, as he says, in the process of time. Time has been processed. We had yesterday, it was so long, and it’s gone, and then we have another day, and another day. God has told us from the beginning to the end what’s going to happen, so that we don’t have to be in the dark. So God has laid down some things, and he says, because this is where we are right now.

We’re in the church age. This is that period of time from Christ until He comes back again. This is what we call the rapture where God is going to snatch out of this world all those who have trusted Christ of Savior. When can this take place? Any time. That’s why He says we live soberly and righteously in this present life. looking for the blessed hope, which is that joyful anticipation of the Lord taking us out of this world without dying.

Now isn’t that a joyful anticipation? To know that we can be caught out of this world and not have to go by the way of the grave. Now I would like for that to be in my lifetime. I really would because I really have no desire for them to put my body in the grave. And I said to my wife, I said, if you ever, you know, had me cremated, make sure I’m dead. Wait a month. Don’t do this thing too quickly.

And I said, you got to be nice to your kids too because they determine which nursing home you go to. So you got to bring it back. You hear me this morning, I brag, oh my daughter, brag, brag, brag, brag, brag. Why? Because you know what they could do to you. If they ever get mad at you, Yeah, you better treat him nice. But anyway, so that’s important. Look at verse 13, looking for that blessed hope and get this so that if you didn’t know what it is, the blessed hope is that joyful, glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Now look what else he says, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous, you ought to underline these words, zealous of good works. See, once we’ve trusted Christ as our Savior and we know we have eternal life, we know we’re going to have one of the… Why should you have to beg and plead with God’s people to do right? Because He’s the one that died for us and paid for our sins, give us eternal life in heaven.

I’m not going to hell, I can never go to hell. I don’t have to have a lot of motivation to do what I’m supposed to do because, man, that’s where New Zealand comes from because you know it’s true. That’s what makes life so excited. I think the older I get, the more excited I get about it. Because now after all this time, I got more people up there than I have down here. And it’s becoming more precious. The older I get, the precious that becomes.

So I’m looking for the upper taker, not the undertaker, upper taker. I want him to take us up. And so this is why this is such a great verse. And then he says here in verse 15, these things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. in other words because you don’t exercise your authority. I have been given by the authority of this book to boldly speak the truth of God without apology. Even though there’s a lot of churches, they don’t talk about the rapture anymore.

There’s a lot of churches that don’t talk about hell anymore. Believe it or not, there’s a lot of churches and bridges that don’t even talk about how to get saved anymore. They’re just playing a little church game, but we want people to trust Christ as their Savior. Now turning to the Bible to 1 John and chapter three, 1 John and chapter three. There’s a good verse here that you need to be aware of. In 1 John chapter three, now there’s 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, 3 John, and Revelation so you know where you are.

It’s not the gospel of John, it’s the book of 1 John. In an old social Bible or in the Bible that’s in the pew there, It’s on page 1323. Look what he says in verse one, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Just think what an honor it is for us to be called, I am a son of God. I am God’s child. It was told everybody’s the children of God.

No, they’re not. He says, but as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God. You become a son of God when you trust Christ as your Savior and not before. So notice what he says, this is what I am now. So he says here, that we should be called the sons of God, therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not. Beloved. How do you become a beloved? Well, beloved.

You see God so loved the world. When you reject Christ you’re saying don’t love me. Don’t love me. Don’t love me. Don’t love me. I want to be loved. I accepted His love. Accepting Christ is accepting the love of God. When you reject His love That’s love you’ll never have you’ll never experience you’ll never enjoy and think about a person that goes to hell for all eternity Knowing that somebody loved him, but he rejected that love and look where are you gonna spend all eternity in a separated from God?

Now notice he says in verse 2 The love it now are we the sons of God? When am I gonna be the son of God? Now already am wouldn’t I become a son of God? Well when I trust the Christ is my Savior You may not know this, but I am a saint. Not Bernard. I am a saint. I became a saint the day I trusted Christ as my Savior because God made me holy, pure, just, and I didn’t do a thing.

He did it all for me. So He set me apart. I am His child. I was a child of the devil, now I’m a child of God, and I’m going to heaven whenever I die. Now I notice what he says here because this is so important. He says, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. It doesn’t appear what we shall be. Have you ever wondered what you’re going to look like when you get to heaven? Like in God’s family, in male and female, he says, you’re not male, female, Jew, Gentile, bond free.

He says, we’ll be like the Lord. And I thought, I wonder what I’m, am I going to look like I was when I was 30 years old, Or am I going to, well Lord if you took me when I was 30, I looked a lot better than I do if you take me now in 75. Or what about a little baby? Who wants to be crawling around heaven all their life? So maybe there’s going to be an adjustment there made somehow.

I don’t know how God’s going to do it. I don’t care how he’s going to do it. I’m just going to be glad that I’m there. But now notice what he says. we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. We’re going to be like him. So if I’m going to be like him, that means that I’m not like him now. Dr. Curtis Hudson says, Lord, I know that one day I’m going to be like you.

But if I’m going to be like you someday, why can I be like you now? So I can do the most good for the most people. He was a great individual, a great soul winner. But I like what he said, But right now he says, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And then he noticed this one verse, very important. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifies himself even as he is pure.

In other words, tell him thus as God’s children. You are right now a child of God. You ought to right now live the way God wants you to live. Live a holy life. And you notice that right after that he talks about because Jesus is gonna come. He’s going to appear. Now look in chapter two and verse 28. Chapter two and verse 28, first John, you’re right there. And notice what he says here. He says, and now little children, now.

Because we wanna know, well, what am I supposed to do now? We know what he has done. We know a lot about what he’s gonna do in the future, but we’re living now. And so this moment is important. What does God expect me to do now? But we know that we’re supposed to live a good, God the Holy Life looking for the blessed hope, Jesus Christ, because He’s coming. And that could happen at any time. Like while I’m talking right now, if the rapture took place right now, all of a sudden you that no crisis your savior, you’ll be changed in a moment, the twinkling of an eye and caught up to meet the Lord near.

And anyone in here who has not trusted Christ as savior, you are gonna be surprised, surprised, because you’re not going. You’re gonna still be here. And you’re going to still live and go through this tribulation period upon the earth. And you may not like that. It’s the worst part of time that the world has ever known, and that’s what is coming. But notice what he says in his verse again, and every man that hath this hope in him, purified himself even as he is pure.

Because, see, if you’re looking for Christ to come back at any time, then you don’t want to be doing something you shouldn’t be doing when he comes. Think about it. And you don’t want to be saying something you shouldn’t say if he came. You wouldn’t want to be someplace you’re not supposed to be. or doing something or saying something, you want to be doing what’s right because he could come in intent. And this is a great restrainer upon us because of our sinful nature and the love of the things of the world.

And so that is very important. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of 2 Timothy. Turn to your left, go to 2 Timothy, and you’ll notice that there’s a scripture men here that also kind of helps us a little bit in 2 Timothy and chapter 4. 2 Timothy, chapter 4. This is Paul as he tells young Timothy some things to do and not to do and how to save his life, his testimony, how to use it wisely.

And he’s a pastor over some people and so giving him some good guidance. So he says here in 2 Timothy, chapter 4, he says, I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, quick those who are alive dead.” And he says, get this, at his appearing and his kingdom. Now, appearing and his kingdom, that’s two different things. One, appearing and the kingdom, he’s coming twice. And it’s mentioned here, and I believe it’s separated by the tribulation period.

So he’s coming and he tells us about, he’s going to appear and the words where we find up here. He also says in the book of 2 Corinthians in chapter 5 and verse 10, for we must all appear at the Judgement City of Christ. The Judgement City of Christ is right there and so we’re here and we’re going to disappear here and appear there. Now that’s going to be moving on. That’s going to be quick. So you’re walking along all of a sudden, like he said about Enoch, he was and he was not.

For God took him because he had to test one that he pleased God. Some people say, well, when this takes place, he’s only going to take those who are obedient. And all the bad children that did not serve the Lord, well they got to go into the tree relation period. That is not true. This is called a rapture, not a rupture. He’s going to take every person who trusted Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit lives within you, and your body’s going to be changed in a moment that took a lot of time when I caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Not good on here to verse 8. Well, you start there in verse 7, he says, the apostle, he says, in this period of time upon the earth, after you trusted Christ, he says, I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Now that’s what you want to be able to say at the end of your life. See a lot of people who trust Christ as Savior, they don’t live godly lives, but they’re still God’s children.

Disobedient, rebellious, and so your heavenly Father says in Hebrews chapter 12, you’re going to have to chase him. Maybe take him home before the time. Or to get there and they are ashamed before Him at His coming. And that verse I was going to look at just a while ago in the book of 1 John chapter 2 verse 28, but then do it, I got sidetracked. But it says, abide in Him that when He shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming, not to be ashamed before Him at His coming, because He could come at any time.

So keep that in mind. It’s something that kind of motivates us to keep doing what’s right. Now notice what he says down here in verse 8. Because of what Paul has done, this is at the closing of his life, he says, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the rightest judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that, and here’s those three little words, love his appearing.

That means that you’re living with that joyful anticipation that he could come at any moment. And because of that, it motivates you to stay busy, to watch yourself, take advantage of opportunities, serve a little without your heart, be found faithful. And so that’s what keeps you from just stumbling and falling and staying there. I mean if you was to walk, can you fall? What should you do? Stay there for the rest of your life or to get up and start walking again.

Well, of course, you get up and start walking again. But notice those who love his appearing, but then he connects it with something else. Look right down there in verse 10. For Demas have forsaken me having Get this loved, this present world. You see, all the tests that we go through in life is do you love the Lord or this world? Which one do you love more? In other words, if you live only for this life and you just want to make yourself happy and please do whatever you dream about and think about and you want to be whatever you want to be and go and do whatever you and you forget all about the Lord and you’re not looking for God and God left us here so we can do it.

seek the lost. Christ said, I come into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. Well, He left. He left us here. So what are we supposed to be doing with our life? Seeking to save those which are lost. One way or another, every way we can think of, and I think we ought to take and keep doing what God wants us to do. But understand, as some people, some of God’s children will love this present world more than the things of God.

Now take your Bible turn to 1 Thessalonians in chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians in chapter 5, just a couple pages till you’re left. 1 Thessalonians in chapter 5, chapter 4 verses 13 through 18 talks about the rapture. But the question is always, when is this going to take place? So in chapter 5, he kind of gives us an idea. Look what he says in verse one, but of the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

Now, look up here. This in the Bible is called the day of Christ. This period of time is the day of grace. This period of time over here is a thousand years long. This is the Davidic kingdom, David, when he’s going to rule here and it lasts for 1000 years. That’s the kingdom God promised to the Jews in the Old Testament was going to be set up. So there is a day, here is a day, and what separates two days, a night.

So he says, we, us, are of the day. We, us, are of the day. They and them are of the night. They don’t belong here, we don’t belong here. So he says, there’s something that we need to know about this period of time right here. Look what he says. In verse 2, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh is a thief in the name. That’s from here on out the day of the Lord. Now get this.

Verse 3, for when they shall say they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction come up upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. During this period of time, the first three and a half years is they say peace and safety because the Antichrist is going to try to establish peace upon the world and is going to fool people and lie to people and promise them peace and prosperity. That’s going to happen the first three and a half years.

Then sudden destruction, which is the great tribulation, is the worst part of time the world has ever known. It’s seven years long. It’s called the 70 weeks of Daniel the 70th week. It’s also called the time of Jacob’s trouble. So this is Israel’s trouble. Now Israel had problems all long, but he told him you’re going to be cast out of the nation. And the Jews would be scattered upon the face of the earth and hated of all nations, but in the end time they’re going to come back to their nation, back to their land, he establishes a nation.

And there’s something else that we’ll take a look at in just a second. But notice what else he says here in verse 4, but ye brethren, so we know we’re talking about two groups of people here. They are of the night. We are of the day. We’re not of this period of time. So the church, as believers, we do not go into the tribulation period. Now get this in verse 4, but ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as others, but let us watch and be sobering because we’re looking for the upper taker. We’re looking for that coming of the of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air and take us out of here. And he says, they will not escape. We will escape. But if we go through the tribulation, we did not escape the tribulation.

God says He has not appointed us to wrath, and this is the wrath of God upon the nation of Israel because they rejected their Messiah, the King. The reason that this kingdom is going to be out here is because they kill the King back there. And so they had time in the Old Testament of a hard time, I should say, trying to distinguish between the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. So they didn’t understand they thought he was going to deliver them from the iron hill of Roman set up the kingdom But he didn’t he came the first time as a lamb Meek and lowly he didn’t defend himself.

He let him do whatever they wanted to to him And he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and they slaughtered the lamb But the lion is coming back The lion is coming back Now get what he says here In verse eight, but let us who are of the day be sober, put it on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet to hope or to joyful anticipation of this deliverance that’s coming because, he said in verse nine, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain deliverance by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every time you see the word salvation does not mean being saved from hell. So who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with Him. All right, now look up here. Over there we got Bob Gilbert. If Bob Gilbert was to die right now, ask him from the body present with the Lord.

So we say, well, where is He? Well, ask him from the body present with the Lord. Death is separation, not annihilation. So he’s with the Lord, and when Christ comes back, he’s gonna bring them women. And the bodies that are in the graves, Don’t worry about it, it’s the same body. He said a body was planted and from a seed will come. And it’s just the seeds that are planted all over the world and God’s gonna bring back. Don’t figure out how he’s gonna do it.

I don’t know how he’s gonna do it. Don’t care how he does it, he’s God. And he says he’s gonna, bodies are gonna come back from the dead. They’ll get a glorified body and we that are alive when this takes place. He says, how be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. So this is something that’s going to happen when he appears for his children.

This is when he comes back into revelation. He’s revealed and every eye will see him. He comes all the way to the earth. Here he comes in the air. So it’s not the same coming. It’s a different period of time separated by seven years. So he says that he has not appointed us unto this time of wrath that’s coming up on the year. Now, why we’re right here, look there in 2 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and notice what he says when Christ comes back again.

He is coming and this is going to be revealed. Well look what he says here in verse 7. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 7, and to you who are troubled rests with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his his mighty angels. Now this is a different thing. He’s going to be revealed. This is coming back. He’s coming back with his army. He’s coming back with his angels. And there’s going to be people on horses behind him.

And if you look close, I’ll be right behind him. And Jesse Martinez and Peter and all the rest of them, they’ll be about a mile and a half back. Lord says, I’m going to get you for that. No, no, no. I’m on a joke in Lord. 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, then 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 florida-biblecollege.us or call the Register of 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. 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.