Audio Archives – Pastor Yankee Arnold

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. is it that God uses to decide whether or not do you love me? He says, if any man loved me, it shall be known of him. If any man loved me, it shall be known.” So look what he says in verse 29, oh how love I by law. It isTOR, it is my meditation every once in a while.

It is my meditation all the day. Now you need to read and mark in your Bible a Joshua chapter 1 where he talks about meditate in the Word of God so that you may know what to say and what to do in order that your way may be prosperous. And he talks about being strong and very courageous. Well that’s what the Word of God will do for you. Meditate in the Word of God. Put God’s Word into your mind.

So if you do not study the Bible and And you don’t meditate on God’s Word and his will and his purpose. Does God know that? Does God know whether or not you really love him? Did you know he says if any man loved me? He said then him, well, I reveal my will. God will reveal himself to you to those who love him. If you do not love him, you may know Christ is Savior. You can quote verses in the Bible, you can go through the actions and motives.

I mean, the things just like everybody else. But there’s something that will be between you and him. God knows whether or not you really love him. And there’s things he’s looking for in your life. There’s things that we look for from God. And sometimes we get upset with God because God doesn’t always do what we think he ought to do when we think He ought to do it. Do you think there’s any of those people that got thirsty on the first day?

Second day? Third day? But now we’re going to die. He brought us out here in this wilderness to die. This is why He did it so He could kill us all. We would have been better off back there in Egypt with nothing but onions, and leeks and garlic. But wait a minute, are those the same people that cried out to God and God told Moses, says Moses, my people cry out to me to be delivered? Did they forget about that?

You see, people change all the time. People are normally whiners. They’re murmurs and complainers. And you’d be surprised that things in our life that God uses to toughen us up a little bit. Remember the Sunday school lesson this morning when we talked about tribulation work with what? Patients and patients experience. Patients, the tribulation, that’s where you get your experiences from. That’s where you learn to mature. Cause you’ll find out after a while God has got to get you into a state of despair.

When you don’t have the power to do anything about it and can’t change anything, then God got you right where He wants you. And that’s not the place we want to be. We’ve always liked to be able to have everything in control. I want to control things. And I don’t like it when I don’t have control. Did you know God will do whatever necessary to strip away our pride, though we won’t call it that. We would never admit to that.

In the book of Peter when he talks about humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time, ours is just to submit. His is to exalt us, to raise you up, do whatever he wants to do with you. or then sometimes God has to strip you and he’ll purge you. Like silver, getting all the draw-off to try to make it pure. And little do you know and think that you still have some things in your life that God has got to purify you from?

There might be errors in your life that’s totally not yielded to the Lord, but you don’t know that. There may be areas in your life that are not right with God, but you may not see that yet. So there’s things maybe you haven’t surrendered to the Lord and God knows. So God says, I’m not through yet. Can’t use it the way I want to. Remember when Moses fled from the king or Pharaoh and went on the backside of a desert by 40 years?

Do you know in the book of Acts it makes the statement that Moses thought in himself, He supposed that God was going to use Him to deliver Israel by His hand from Egypt. He knew that before He ever made His decision not only to kill that Egyptian, but whenever they said, who made you the leader? Who put you in charge? You made you the ruler of the judge. It’s what he wanted to do, is what he expected to do, and God had to take Moses who was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.

And he thought he was doing the right thing, but he had to go on the backside of a desert. Because see, he had spent the first 40 years of his life learning the ways of the world. God had to put them on the backside of the desert for 40 years to unlearn him and drain him of all of his pride and taught him how to be a shepherd, how to be a servant. And then God used them the last 40 years of his life in a great way.

See, it wasn’t that God didn’t want to use Moses, it’s the time it wasn’t right. And God wanted to get Moses out of Moses so that Moses knew that God had to do it. You see, he was going to do it. He was going to show what he could do and God wanted Moses to see what God can do. And so God did the miraculous. And that’s why whenever Moses said to the Lord, he says, when people say, who sent you?

What am I supposed to say? He says, you say, I am that I am, have sent you. I can’t talk. He had five big excuses that he used. See now, he had been humbled. He had been humbled. How long did it take Moses to get humbled? About 40 years. You and I don’t have to wait that long if we’ll listen and learn from God a little quicker. But you have to know what God is doing. So God will allow things to happen in your life that you can’t control.

You can’t manipulate. You can’t make happen so that you have to totally see what God will do. And you just simply say, Lord, I can’t do it. Whatever you want done, the way you want it done, I simply surrendering. You can do whatever you want with me. I’ll be as humble as I can be as dependent as you want me to be. I will not try to exalt myself. I’ll just be your servant. I would rather just be a servant in the house of the Lord than have everything else in this world.

So important. Take your Bible and look there in, let’s say I’m in 119 Psalms. I never did finish what I was going to read here. in verse 9, 8, thou, through thy commandments, hath made me wiser than mine enemies. Understand, you’re going to have enemies in this world, but God’s Word will make you wiser than your enemies. Verse 9, 9, 9, I have more understanding than all not teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients because I kept thy precepts.

So as you read this looking verse 103 now where he makes the statement, how sweet are thy words unto my taste. 105 thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 130 says the entrance of thy word give a flight. Lot of tremendous verses through here and then you look there in verse 133 where it says order my steps in the Lord. Order my steps in the Lord. Take your Bible and look there in Psalms Psalms 84.

You’re in Psalm, just look in Psalms 84. Psalms 84 and look there in verse 10. First 10. Now I know that we don’t consider this, you know, as we come together into the house of the Lord. Well, we know God doesn’t live here. But this is a sacred place. This place has been dedicated to the purpose of the Lord. So whether or not some people want to call up a house of God or not, it’s a place where God is.

God’s people meet. And not, therefore, I think it’s a special place. But look what he says in verse 10, for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand on the outside. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than the dwell in the tens of wickedness. Now let me show you two other verses that helps explain a little bit more about that. Look up there in verse 2. He says, my soul longeth. Yay, even fainted for the courts of the Lord, underlined the courts of the Lord.

And then look in verse 4, blessed are they that dwell in thy house. They will be still praising thee. If a child of God loves the Lord, I can’t see why they don’t love the place where God’s people meet. and why they can’t come to church. I question the love of any person who does not love his word or his people. You see why? Because God says they don’t love him. They don’t love him. Do you love the Lord?

Then church ought to be a special place to you. That’s where we encourage one another. People have a hard time. People have a rough time. People need people to know him and love them and care about them and pray for them. But some people, all they think about is themselves. As long as I’m doing fine, I don’t need church. And you’d be surprised how fast when somebody is in trouble, they call the preacher, pray for me. Let them go to the hospital, the first person they want to come see them, oh, the preacher come and pray for me.

What was wrong with you coming to see the preacher? When you could, you want the preacher to come see you. And I don’t mind that, but what I’m saying is that this place ought to be special for God’s children, and we ought not have to pull and force and beg God’s children to do what they ought to do naturally. I’ve always had problems with that. Nobody in 50 years has ever had to try to motivate make me to go to church.

Nobody. Because I do it, because I want to. I’ve done it for all these years, because it means something special to me. Because I believe it’s a thermometer of my love. It shows what it means to me. If Christ gave His life for the church And he loves the church. Then so should I. And I haven’t figured out how I can love Christ and not love His people, or to want to be with His people. God’s Word says that I should.

So it’s an important thing. Look in Psalms 42, Psalms 42 and look in verse one. Now the word heart means a male deer. But look there in verse one, as the heart of a male deer panteth after the water brooks. You gotta underline the last part of this verse. So panteth, my soul after the O God. My soul thirsted for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? God ought to be the most important thing in your life and nobody can make him real to you.

Nobody can make you love him, but he says, if you do love me, He says, serve me. So is there a God in heaven that’s looking into the church even tonight or Sunday morning or Wednesday night and looking for His people and wondering if you love me? Serve me. Be found faithful. I believe it’s the will of God for God’s people to do this. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. verse I want to give to you is 119 Psalms, since we’re right here, looked at in verse 63, 119 Psalm verse 63.

And you’re on the line this part of the verse. I am a companion of all them that fear thee. I like to have good friends and close friends, but all my friends of those that not only love the Lord, but fear God. Now I’m… I’m friendly toward everybody. I don’t try to go out and make enemies. I make a few, but that’s not my goal. But I like having friends thatror with God. You show them who your friends are and I can tell a lot about you.

Some people have their church friends and then they have their other friends. I only have church friends. I don’t have no other honor friends. You will find it very difficult to withstand the pressures of your friends. And if they’re not the right kind of people who love the Lord, they can also influence you not to serve the Lord. This is what makes it so hard for teenagers because they want to have friends and they want to be accepted. And if they have friends that don’t walk with the Lord, it’s hard for them to ever break free.

With adults, they should be able to understand these things a little bit more. Sometimes teenagers don’t get it right off the bat. What is your attitude toward the world? How do you see the world? Do you love the world? Do you wish that you could just stay here forever? Is there all your sights upon things of this world? Or do you set your affections on things that are above? Because you know and you look forward to in your planning on the day when you leave this world.

You want the Lord to say, well done, thou good and faithful servant because of your service to him. That’s not whatmediatecolm subparagraph, but you do want him to say it. You want to live in such a way that you’re not ashamed before himnv at his common. Let me say just a word about this. Trivia. Remember there’s a story where Jesus was sitting there and watching the treasury as people came in and as they gave money. Since there was a woman that came in and she didn’t have much, she just gave a little bit of what she had.

But the Bible says she gave all she had. And Jesus says she gave more than anybody else. Because they gave out of their abundance and she gave everything that she had. When it comes to giving, do you believe that giving to the Lord’s work has anything to do with you and your love for the Lord? God’s Word says it does. I am never afraid or ashamed to talk about money, especially not to God’s people. I don’t want to make an issue with lost people, because that’s not an issue.

But with God’s people, there’s always this issue about whether or not. Well, I don’t believe in tithing because tithing is under the law. Do you realize how much grace it takes for a child of God to give a tenth? I don’t place myself under the law. But in the book of Corinthians in chapter 9 where he talks about giving, he refers to the law. He says, you don’t muzzle the ox that treadeth off the corn. a reference to the Old Testament principle.

I don’t believe that I have to give a tenth, but generally the people who don’t want to give that much are always talking about, I’m not under the law and I don’t have to do that tenth business. Generally that’s the people who give less than a tenth. But those who really believe in giving by grace because of God’s love for you and what he’s done for you and because of the mercies of God and view of all that he’s done.

Those people who really love the Lord and who really want to believe in grace giving know that a tenth is only a good place to start. It’s not the limit. Those who want to give less always talk about, well, that’s under the law because that justifies them given the little as they can. Those who believe in grace given will always want to see how much can I give. I want you to love the Lord enough that you give what God wants you to give.

And it was Betty’s dad that had a difficult time teaching this 18 year old kid to part with any of his money. I needed it a lot worse than the church did. I didn’t understand at the time that it was only that little bit that I was giving that was revealing how much I can trust God for. If I only gave a tent, at least I gave that much, but I also knew that I was wiser with the 90 percent, I got more accomplished than if I kept it all.

So because of grace and my love to the Lord, I’ve never resented giving to the Lord’s work. And I’ve tried to make sure I’ve always given more. I would hate to think that somebody under the law would give more than what I could under grace. the word grace and what we taught in Sunday school this morning, much more, much more, not lots less. Because of God’s love for us, I believe that it shows my trust in God, that I can give it to Him and then trust Him for the rest of whatever I need.

And for 50 years, God has always come through. There’s when times when I didn’t see how in the world we can even pay our bills. But I know that this belongs to God. And I’m given to God first. Not because I had to, but because I knew this is my way of showing God out of everything that I have. I trust you. I trust you. And I have no problems about giving to the Lord’s work. I’ll trust God for whatever else.

There are some of God’s people that are afraid that if they gave at least that much, that they’re not going to have enough to do anything else with. But you’d be surprised how many people have bought homes with God’s money, with God’s money, cars with God’s money, that should have been given to the Lord’s work. Now, what I’m saying is, if God is in heaven and He looks down from heaven, do you believe that God is watching everything, what we think, what we say, what we do, where we go, and determines whether or not, do you really love me?

Do you really trust me? Some people give a little bit because they only trust the Lord a little bit. God says He wants us to be a cheerful give, cheerful giver. If you give begrudgingly, you ought to keep every time you have. If you can’t give and trust God that you’re doing what God wants you to do. And you ought to determine that alone between you, your wife and figure out this is what God has done and This is what we ought to do and this is what we’re going to do and then you do that.

But I think it’s a shame when God’s people try to tip God a little bit just to try to keep them off their back. They’re not really sowing like they ought to sow. And because they don’t sow right, they won’t reap right. Your love for the Lord is revealed by the things that you do in every area of your life. Let me put it this way. A person who doesn’t believe the audience leads to that much. You better be thankful for the ones who do believe it, or they won’t be a ministry here.

Because there’s enough of the people in this ministry that do believe it, and they give accordingly. And that’s what keeps these doors open, and makes the ministry go forward because there’s people who believe. They’re love for the Lord, and they give, and they’re gracious in their giving, and there’s yet some people who are always stingy. Now, I don’t look at the books. I don’t know who gives what or how much. I don’t touch the money when it’s collected. I don’t count the money.

I don’t deposit the money. I don’t, unless Mr. Polson or, unless they tell me what we got it, I don’t even know what we have. I don’t even know what the balance is now. I don’t care what it is. I just know that we ought to do right. Don’t you agree with that? It’s just right, but that’s between you and God, but whatever your reasons are, and however you do it, you better make sure you do what God wants you to do in the area of your giving and do it cheerfully and not be grudgingly and do it because you love the Lord and you have confidence in the ministry here in what we’re doing.

If you give less, I won’t know it. If you give more, I won’t know it. But I can tell you who will. The one you say you love. Just love him and do right. Look up here. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. God loves us. He just hates what we do wrong. But he loves us. And he says for us to pay for that is eternal separation from God in a literal fire burning hell.

But he wants us to go to heaven. And to go to heaven, you have to be perfect. is righteous as God and none of us are perfect, none of us are righteous. We’ve all done things wrong and come short of God’s perfection. And God says, you cannot save yourself. This man represents 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 the Bible says that Jesus Christ took the sin, paid for them to cross and came back from the dead.

And it says that whosoever it would be leave this, God would give them as a free gift everlasting life and we get to go to to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us. Let’s pray, shall we? If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, I urge you to do so. Friend, God loves you. Remember, you don’t have to change anything, give anything. You don’t have to give any money. Salvation is free. Going to heaven is a gift. God loves you that much.

All you need to do is trust Jesus Christ. As your Savior, believe in He died and paid for all of your sins and came back from the dead. You can do that. And if you trust Him right now, God said He would save you right now and give you as a free gift everlasting life. And they’ll never cast you out and they’ll never lose you. Our Father, we thank You so much for all You’ve done for us. We thank You for this evening, the study of Your Word.

And I pray, Lord, each person here would realize that, yes, You’re looking for those who love You, and that You would reveal Yourself to them, and Your will to them. And I pray, Lord, did you put a hedge about each one here? A lot of families are hurting. Some were hurting for jobs, others because of health. But whatever the reason is, Lord, I pray that they’re not questioned, whether not you love them or not. Because you love us with a everlasting love.

It doesn’t change, but there’s things, and so many lessons you want us to learn. Help us to be faithful, and realize that tribulation work of patients, and patience is what gives us our experiences. Those experiences is what causes us to be confident and bold. And we put so much more into our lives. Looking forward to the day when we’ll stand before you. Thank you again in Christ’s name we pray. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, 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, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 Bibleline Ministries dot O-R-G homepage.

We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s message will be a blessing to you and your family. I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Jonah. I want you to understand that many times there are stories in the Old Testament that teach New Testament doctrine, New Testament truth. So once you trust Christ as your Savior, it is the will of God that you serve the Lord.

You don’t serve the Lord to go to heaven, but we should serve the Lord. God wants to use you. And if you don’t serve the Lord, you should understand, because it’s the will of God, that He’s going to beat the tar out of you and make you wish you have served the Lord. So there is a story in the Old Testament that is just loaded with all kind of jewels. And that’s the story of Jonah. Now Jesus was here and He talked about Jonah.

He says, an evil and a daughter of generations, seeketh after a sign, but there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the Prophet Jonah. For Jonah was three days and three nights in the wheels, bell even so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” So we know that there’s a stamp of approval put upon the book of Jonah. Jesus says this is a true story. This year one Christian was arguing with an atheist and he says, I guess you believe in that story about Jonah?

He says, yes I do believe in the story of Jonah and when I get there heaven I’m going to talk him about it. He says, And what if he’s not there? He said, well then you can talk to him. But yes, I do believe in the story of Jonah. So this is a story about a man named Jonah. And in chapter one, he runs away from the Lord. In chapter two, he runs back to the Lord. In chapter three, he runs with the Lord.

And in chapter four, he runs ahead of the Lord. So he’s a busy man. just to run it all over the place. When you trust that Christ is your Savior, God says that He has entrusted us with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God which tryeth the heart. So God wants us to deliver a message. When out there it was a Gentile city in Iraq, named Nineveh. God wanted these Gentiles to know the Lord, to know Him.

So He He has his messenger, but this Hebrew, he didn’t like them Gentiles. But God says, I’m going to destroy the city. You’d think that Jonah would have been heartbroken over that. Jonah wasn’t heartbroken over that. Jonah wanted God to get him. Jonah chapter 1, look at this, in verse 1, and now the word of the Lord came under Jonah, son of Mittai saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, cry against it for their wickedness has come up before me.

Number one, he knew the will of God. God just told him what to do. You and I, we may know the will of God, but doing it is a different story. Now he didn’t want to go there. So what he did, he decided, I’m going to do some running. Verse three, Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarsus from the presence of the Lord. Now the presence of the Lord is in the will of God. So if you want to be in the presence of God, just simply be in the will of God and voila, there he is.

Many people run from the Lord and wonder, I wonder where God is, I wonder where God is. Well you’ll find him in the will of God. That’s where God is. So if you was to do the will of God in the will of God, there he is. And you get to know him. But he wanted to run from the presence of the Lord, means he wanted to run from the will of God. So when you run from God, you’re not just running from the will of God, you’re trying to get away from his presence.

But where can you run that God is not there? Can you send him to heaven? He’s there. Go down to hell. God’s there. God’s everywhere. God can be everywhere all at the same time. You can’t run from God, though people try. But get what he says here. And he says in verse 3, and he went down. You ought to underline that word down. It shows the direction that you’re going to go when you try to get away from doing the will of God.

Now, remember, we’re reading this because it’s to help you to know how to live your life. So he says, and he went down to Japam, and he found the ship going to Tarsus. So he paid the fare thereof, and he went down into it to go from them unto Tarsus from the presence of the Lord. And so anytime you want to run from God, you’re going to go down. You’re either walking toward the Lord with the Lord or away from the Lord.

So how are you doing? You’re walking with the Lord away from the Lord or going back to the Lord? He says in verse four, but the The Lord sent out a great wind into the sea. Remember the Lord sent the wind. The Lord did that. God sent the problem into the sea. And there was a mighty tempest in the sea. God did that so that the ship was like to be broken. God knew what he was doing. God caused a problem.

That’s why, see, when you run away from the Lord, you can expect, yeah, you’re going down. You’re going away. But there’s more problems where you’re headed than what you ran from. Anytime you run from the Lord, you’re heading into more problems, then you can shake a stick at. I was told you not to pull the trouble trouble till trouble troubles you. But some people just look for trouble. You think you’re getting away from something, you’re getting it worse. You see, if you think the responsibility of doing what God wants you to do, and he says, my yoke is easy, my burden is light.

Whenever you try to get rid of that yoke, do you realize that he’s gonna put a yoke of iron up on your neck? Now which one’s easier? The yoke of the Lord or the yoke of iron and it will weigh you down until it destroys you. So he says here, then the Mariners were afraid and cried every man unto his God. So they had different gods and cast forth the wares that were in the ship and to the sea to lighten it of them.

But Jonah was gone down inside the ship and he lay and went to sleep. The nerve. He didn’t care. He didn’t care if he lived or died. He’s just running. And what he says, so the ship master came to him and said to him, what means thou? Oh, sleeper, arise. Call upon thy God. If so be that God will think upon us that we perish done. It’s amazing how holy these guys got all of a sudden. And they’re on the ship and it’s about to be broken up and then know they’re going to die.

And now it’s time to call upon the Lord. You know, some people are just like that. They don’t need God, don’t want God. But something happens, all of a sudden they got a call upon the Lord. Lord get me out of this mess or out of this jamming, then they make a whole bunch of pledges and promises and vows. How many times I’ve been to the hospital and I have to pray for me. If I ever get out of this I’ll be in church every Sunday.

And they get well and I never see them. They meant some other church. I should have known that. Have you ever had something, a crisis in the family and you would ask God, Lord, if you ever get me out of thisachelors, I promise you’ve got a vow that you made. Look what he says in verse 7, and they said, everyone to his fellow come and let us cash luck that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us.

So they cash lots and the lot fell upon Jonah. Ha ha, you’re the bad guy. You’re the one who did this. Then said the unto him, tell us we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us. What is thine occupation? When’s it coming from? Where’d you come from? What’s the country? What people are thou? And he said, in the name of him, I am a Hebrew. I fear the Lord, L-O-R-D, Jehovah, not just any God, God, the God of heaven, which made land and the dry land and sea.

Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him, why hast thou done this? For the men knew why he fled from the presence of the Lord and you are not aligned with it because he told them. He knew what he had done, knew why he did it. They had all kinds of questions. Did you know that sometimes problems come so that people ask you questions? They ask him questions. Did you know he really wasn’t in a soul when he moved?

But God was forced in this upon him. Well, he told him. He said, now, if you want to solve the problem, look at verse 11, then said the end of him, what shall we do unto thee that the sea may be calm unto us, for the sea wrought and was very competuous? And he said of him, take me up and cast me forth unto the sea. So shall the sea be calm unto you, for I know that for my sake this great tip is upon you.

Have you ever had a Joan on board? Sometimes it can be the husband in the home. He’s a Joan on board. He knows right but he won’t do right and because of his decision everybody else suffers. Sometimes the man wants to serve a Lord and the wife doesn’t want to serve a Lord and she can be a Jonah on board. He would rather die than do the will of God. So he says here in verse 14, wherefore they cried unto the Lord.

Now they’re all crying to L O R D, his God. We beseeze the let us not perish for this man’s life and laid not upon us innocent blood without old Lord L O R D, see before they were praying to their God, now they’re praying to his God. Isn’t it amazing how God can use people to get people to the Lord? And so it says in verse 15, so they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the sea and the seasies from her region.

Problem solved. Boy, solved that problem. Just threw the man overboard. But it ain’t all over yet. Looking verse 16, then the men feared the L-O-R-D, Jehovah, exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows. You’d be surprised how many people have made vows unto the Lord and they never kept them. You probably made some vows sitting here. For example, have you ever made a vow to a wife or your husband until death do us part and it didn’t last very long?

You’d be surprised you could make vows about your children to raise them up in the nurturing admonition of the Lord and then you don’t do it. The story of Jonah is in here to see how God works in the life of a disobedient person. You know what to do and you don’t do it. It says to him that know if to do good and do it not to him it is sin. And look what he says in verse 9, that’s everything.

Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Now, many people say that Jonah was in the belly of the fish and so he died. And he may have died. But it says he was three days in three nights in the fishes’ belly, and if he had died, he wouldn’t have been in the fishes’ belly for three days and three nights. He would have been in the heart of the earth.

Now that’s where his body was, but where was he? But when Christ referred to it, it says even as Jonah was three days in three nights in the whales’ belly. So shall the son of a baby, three days in the heart of the earth? Well, I believe if he had died, he would have been there. But it doesn’t matter. It was a type of the death barrel in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So in verse one, where Jonah runs to the Lord.

Now look what God had to do. It was the Lord, remember, that prepared the wind. It was the Lord that made the storm. It was the Lord that prepared the fish. God’s been busy. God is working in your life. In verse two he says, and he said, look at verse one, then Jota prayed unto the Lord, his God out, out, of the fish’s belly, that’s where he was. Now get what he said. And he saidMars I cried by reason of my affliction.

Well, he thought it was going to all be over with. Oh, it’s not over with. He said, I cried under the Lord. And he heard me out of the belly of hell, cried I, and I’ll hearse my voice. Now, that’s why some people believe that’s where he might have went. Well, maybe he did. I don’t really care where he went. I just know he’s in the belly of the fish, and he’s crying out to God, and he’s got problems.

In other words, what did it have been worse to have been in the belly of the fish? And you can’t get out, and you’re whirling it all around, and seaweed all over your salt water, and you’re trying to fight for your air. But it was miserable. And can you imagine all this, your acid inside of a fish’s belly? I believe whenever he came out, he must have been pure white. If Jonah had never got right with God, that fish would have never vomited.

In verse three, he says, for thou hast cast me into the deep in the mist of the seas. The floods compass me about, all thy bills and thy waves pass over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look again toward the holy temple. The waters compass me about, even to the soul that debts close me round about. The weed wrapped around my head. I went down to the bottom of the mountains. The earth with her bars was about me forever.

Yet, hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.” You can get what he says in verse 7. “…when my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord.” That’s a good time to do it, isn’t it? And my prayer came in under the Holy Tepam. They that observe lion vanities for sake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed and underlined this phrase, salvation is of the Lord.

Hey, I’m ready to go now. And in verse 10 of chapter 2 and the Lord spake unto the fish, it vomited out, I join up on the dry land. If verse 9 had to take in place, verse 10 wouldn’t have taken place. But always remember, there’s a God in heaven who’s going to beat the tar out of you. You can’t live as you please and get away with it. You can’t thumb your nose at God and be rebellious in your heart toward God and not do what God wants you to do and then God just lets you along.

He don’t give you a pass. So chapter three is second chance. Now Jonah begins to run with the Lord. He’s doing a, he’s going to run with the message God gave him and he’s going to where God wanted to go to start with. Now look how much he could have saved himself. All that that happened to him didn’t have to happen. If she can’t, it was rebellious. So in verse one and the word of the Lord came on the Jonah on the line the second time the message did not change.

The will of God did not change. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and preach unto it the preaching that I bid. In other words, I want you to tell them what I’m telling you. So Jonah arose and went into Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now, Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days journey. journey. Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey and he cried and said, yet forty days, and none of us shall be overthrown.

So the people of none of them believed God. They believed. This is what Jonah was afraid of. He knew they would believe it. He didn’t want them to believe it. He wanted God to get them. And they proclaimed it fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them, even to the least of them. Verse six, word came unto the king of none of us. And he arose from his throne He laid his robe from him and covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes and he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles saying, let neither man nor bees heard nor flock taste anything, let them not feed nor drink water.

What this guy was serious? He believed what Jonah preached and he didn’t want his city to be destroyed but because of the wickedness going on in the city he said, now you need to clean them things up. Christians are supposed to do right, but you don’t do right in order to go to heaven. But doing right can keep the hand of God’s judgment off of you. I believe that if God can see Nineveh, God could see America. Look at verse 7, and he causes to be published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and is noble saying, let nobody have anything.

Verse 8, but let man and bees be covered with sackcloths cry mightily unto God, ye let them turn everyone from his evil way. This is not to be saved. This is to keep from having physical death. You see, you’ll find that mentioned throughout the scriptures about a man turning from sin, turning and forsaken his evil way. That’s because as a nation, even Israel, God could chasten them, whoop them, take them out of their land, all kinds of things. Even a Christian, Christian, once you’re saved, should depart from evil.

A Christian should turn from sin, but not to be saved, but because you are. If I do not want the chastening hand of God upon me, I better correct the errors of my way. I better stop doing the things that’s going to bring God chastening upon my life. He says here in chapter 4 verse 1, but it displeased Jonah exceedingly. He was very angry. Now why is he so upset? You say, he’s mad at God, and he prayed unto the Lord.

In amazing, you can even pray when you’re not right. And he said, I pray the old Lord was not this my saying. When I was yet in my country, he went to another country. I believe that God has over the years, and we may not know how many different people that God has sent to other countries in order to preach. He says, when I was yet in my own country, this is Lord, this is why I didn’t want to I told you this is what you would do.

Therefore I fled before unto Tarsus. For I knew, get this, for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of a great kindness, and repentist thee of the sieve. And I knew you weren’t going to do it. If they listened and they changed their minds, I knew you wouldn’t do it. Well, what did he want him to do? He wanted me to do that. So give what he says, in verse 3, therefore now, O Lord, take IBC, see my life, let me die.

Boy did he have a pity party. This man just doesn’t learn his lessons. He says, for it is better for me to die than to live. You ever get down so low that this was, listen, and literally do you know and understand that What he just went through was a type of the death, virulent resurrection of Jesus Christ. What an honor to be said, I was an example.

This one guy told me, he says, I’m not totally useless. I can be used as a bad example. Lord, take I beseech my life from me, for it’s better for me to die than to live. Well, why didn’t God just do that? Well, he didn’t do it. Look at this. He says, then said the Lord do a star well to be angry. In other words, is that helping you? You feel better now? You’re all mad. You’re all upset. You’re angry.

How do you feel? You feel better now? Verse 5, so Jonah went out of the city, sat on the east side of the city and there made him a booth, sat under it in the shadow till he might see what would become of the city. So he went up there and sat on the hill. So while he’s sitting there for on the hill, mine is his own business. The Lord God prepared a gourd. Have you noticed how many things God prepared?

He prepared a win. He prepared a great fish. He prepared a gourd? God did this. God prepared a gourd and made it to come up over Jonah. That it might be a shadow over his head. Now isn’t that gracious and kind of God? To deliver him from his grief because of the hot sun. So Jonah was exceeding glory. was exceeding glad of the gourd. Now here’s all these people in the city. He don’t care about them. But now he cares about this gourd.

Kind of like a turtle that fell in love with our army helmet. In verse seven, but God prepared a worm. See there? If God can use a gourd and God can use a worm, don’t you feel like God can use you for something? But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day. The next day. and it smote the gourd and it withered. Now God did this. God made a gourd to grow, shaded from the sun, and he liked that.

And then God prepared a worm, sent the worm, the worm ate the gourd, killed a gourd. And verse eight, and it came to pass when the sun did rise, that God prepared a vahimat-ease wind. God did this. and the son beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted and wished in himself to die. And he says, it is better for me to die than to live. And God said to Jonah, doest thou well to be angry for the Lord?

And he says, I do well to be angry, even in the death. See, God was giving him an object lesson. Look what he was trying to teach him at verse 10. Then said the Lord, Thou had had pity on the Lord, for the which Thou hath not labored, neither made it to grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. Should not I spare none of us? That great city wherein our more than six score a thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and all that cattle.”

He says, there’s all those people, and they can’t discern between the left hand and right hand. He said, they were totally ignorant. They didn’t know the Lord. He says, you got more compassion for that goer than you have for those people. God’s like saying, am I wrong because I love? Am I wrong because I am gracious? Wouldn’t it be need if more people had more love and more kindness and a little bit more grace? Look up here. If you’re here this morning and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, this is what God would want you to know.

I, just like Jonah, have been commanded by God to take this message for anybody that I can get it to. This is you and me. This is sin. God says that he loves us, but he hates our sin. But everybody has a sinful nature, and that’s why we do all these bad things. Now God sees everything that we do. There’s a God in heaven that knows everything, and he says that he’s going to have to judge us. And the penalty for sin is death and hell.

Since every man has sinned, every man has to die. And spending the eternity separated from God. But God says, I want you to tell the people that I love them. And I don’t love the sin, but I love them. And because I love them, I want you to tell them something. You see, they can’t go to heaven the way they are. See, heaven is perfect. God is perfect. To go to heaven, you have to be perfect. No sin. Sin, we can’t get in.

So God says, you can’t earn eternal life. You can’t work your way to heaven. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world because he loves us, hates our sin because it separates us from him. So Christ who had no sin did not have to die. So what he did is he took our sins, paid for them on the cross, came back from the dead. And God said, if we’ll believe that he did it for us, that he would give to us as a free gift, everlasting life.

And we go to heaven on what he did. Once you trust Christ as your Savior, you say, OK, I believe that. Then God says that he gives you as a free gift, eternal life. You’re his child. You’re going to heaven when you die. But God says there’s still a lot of people out there that don’t know and don’t understand. Now, you that know Christ as your Savior, did you see the reasons why we need to be found faithful in serving the Lord?

God says that He will chasten us. Chasing means to discipline, to correct. He uses another word, they’re chasing and scourge it. Scurge it means a pretty good-sized little beating. It’s not just a, don’t do that again. The other one might be bringing you down to the depths of the sea. I mean, where He’s trying to wipe you out. I mean, He can do it health-wise, finance-wise, He can do it. don’t underestimate the power of your heavenly Father. Now the reason he doesn’t because he loves you.

He needed Jonah. I used to have people tell me, well, God doesn’t need you. He don’t need you. Yes, he does. He does need us. We are important. And God left us here to get a job accomplished. And the most important thing we can never do is to get people to trust Christ as their Savior. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed and every eye closed, no one looking around. If you are here today and you never trust the Christ as your Savior, just never trust Him.

Why not right now and just talking to the Lord? Say something simple, Lord, I’m a sinner. Friend God knows it, just a matter of each one of us admitting it. I’m a sinner, means I’m not perfect. I’ve done things wrong, I’ve sinned. When you say I’m a sinner and I’ve sinned, it means I deserve to go to hell. I deserve to pay for what I’ve done. But I believe Jesus Christ that He died, paid for my sins. And friend, God says, if you’ll trust Him as your only hope of going to heaven, He will save you from hell and give to you the free gift of eternal life.

And he’ll never cast you out and never lose you. With his bow nice and close, anyone that all say, yes, I’ll trust Christ as my Savior and preach, I’d like you to pray for me. Would you just slip me in a very quickly, but I’ll write back down. In one of all, let’s God bless you man. You can put it down. Anyone else, just slip it up very quickly with just God bless you man. I appreciate that. Let me just change it just for a second.

When Jonah ran ahead of the Lord, he didn’t have any patience, he didn’t have any peace. He had no perception. He lacked discernment. He had no purpose to live. And God had to teach him a very important lesson. You have trusted Christ as your Savior maybe many years ago. And you dedicated your life to Him. You said you were going to serve Him. And you haven’t done like you promised. You haven’t kept your vow. If you hear this morning, you say, I want to renew my vow.

I want God’s blessings. I want God’s will. I’ve been running long enough. I want to do whatever God wants me to do, whatever time I’ve got left. And preach your life to pray for me. Now I’m not going to have you forward. I’m not going to embarrass you. I do it with heads bowed and eyes closed. But you say, yes, you spoke to me today. And I need to get things right. And I want you to pray for me.

Would you just slip your hand very quickly and put a right back down on this God bless your hands all over? God bless you all. Thank you so much. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free.

800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

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. you 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 BibleInemistries.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.

If your Bible turned to the book of 1 John 4, 1 John 4, you and I are not alone. You say, I know I got the Lord with me. Well, I wasn’t talking about him. You say, well, I’ve got my wife. Well, I wasn’t talking about her either. Well, I’ve got my husband. Well, I wasn’t talking about him either. but you’re still not alone. The Bible tells us that there are demons in this world. And the more you want to serve the Lord, the more demon activity you’re going to recognize.

If you don’t serve the Lord, you don’t recognize a lot of things. You don’t see things. But when you make up your mind to serve the Lord, it opens your eyes to a lot of things that happens, that you can’t sometimes put your finger on it. there is a spirit world. There is the devil and he has demons. They’re fallen angels. And you say, well, where are they? Where are they? Well, they all live at your house. But believe it or not, they’re everywhere.

And just because, now don’t look at your husband like that, that’s not right. But they are everywhere. And there’s some things you might need to understand about it so that you don’t judge too quickly when you’re dealing with people. You know, a lot of times we jump on people and it’s that they’re being used and not even knowing it. So here in the book of 1 John chapter, before looking verse one, they love it, they leave not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Now, false prophet has a false message. That’s what makes them false. See how deep this is? You didn’t know it, it could get so deep. And he says in verse two, hereby know ye the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is coming, the flesh is of God. Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is coming to flesh, not of God. And this is that Spirit of Antichrist where, have ye have heard that it should come?

And even now already is in the world. We are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world. Now we often kind of run through that sometimes, but there is a lot of truth in this verse. It’s telling us that there are people and there’s people with false messages and there’s people who have been influenced and are being influenced by false spirits and it is a real world.

you cannot see false spirits. You can only see the results of what they say and what they do. But when Jesus was here, Jesus, as you find out, really had to deal with false spirits all the time. He was always casting demons out of individuals. And it could be a blind one or a deaf one or a dumb one, or just, you know, demons that get you to say and think and do the wrong things. And… It is real.

It is powerful. And Satan uses the demons to use the people, just like there’s God who wants to use us. And sometimes we do the devil’s work without knowing him. This is why a child of God has to study the word so you can discern your thoughts. Because without discerning your thoughts, the devil, through the demons, can cause you to think things and do things that you don’t consider the source of the thoughts you think it’s only from you.

And you can wind up not doing what God wants you to do, not being what God wants you to be. because he is deceptive. The Bible says he hath deceived the whole world. That means there’s times in my life when the devil has deceived me. And if that’s true, there’s times in your life where he has deceived you. The Bible says he gets everybody sooner or later on something. You’re not free from him, he is real and he is after you.

And the Bible tells us that the devil as a roaring lion seeketh whom he may devour. That means to gobble you up to eat you alive. And he may do it in a lot of different ways. And he only does it because he’s able to get away with it because you were not aware. You were deceived. And he can sometimes get to you because he got to somebody you know and love. And he can twist your mind and cause you to have vain imaginations, to imagine things worse than what they are.

He never makes you think better, unless it’s on something that’s really wrong and you want you to think better or that than it is. But the devil is real and demons are real. Looking at the book of Ephesians in chapter 2, the book of Ephesians, it’s always good to have a literary for fresh of course. I know that in many things that I teach, they’re not new to you. You’ve been here long enough and I’m sure that Dr. Lindstrom has taught you all many of the same things.

But sometimes I can just bring you to remembrance, cause you to think to refresh your mind on things that you already know might help you. Look in Ephesians chapter 2. Look there in verse 2. in verse two. It makes a statement wherein in time past, he walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the heir. You say, well, where are these demons? Well, they’re in the air. You say, I can’t see them.

They’re still there, even though you don’t see them. He is called the prince of the power of the air. And so therefore we know that the devil is real. He has demons and they’re busy. And God is going to allow the devil to utilize these demons for the last days. Because there’s things that’s going to happen in the last days, all because of the devil, and all because of the demons. You’ll notice in this verse when it says that we all, and this is Paul talking to the Christians, and these are not the Jewish believers, as it is talking about the Gentiles and Ephesus, talking to them about ye walked according to the course of this world.

And as he says here, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our behavior, our manner of life. In time pass, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. In the words, it appears that demons utilize those three main things, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, in order to lure us because those are things on the inside of us that desires things on the outside of us.

And so, like I mentioned to you before, there is the desire in the rat for cheese. So you and I are able to put cheese on a trap and catch that little rat because something in the rat likes cheese. So the devil knows what we already desire. So he’s able to lure us, deceive us, with those simple basic things. That he has captured the whole human race. And so he’s going to be after you as long as you understand it.

And that he wants to devour you as long as you understand it. You can fight a better battle when you know what your enemy’s up to. And you know the weapons that he uses. Now I spoke one night on the book of Ephesians in chapter six explaining about the weapons that we are to use and the armor of protection we’re to use. So look there in the book of Ephesians in chapter six. And look in verse 12, and you’ll notice it talks about the principalities, the powers in high places.

See the verse 12, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but we do wrestle. Did you know that most of that which wears you out mentally? Is it you’re always struggling because you’re in battle constantly, and it’s always something that’s plaguing our minds that keep us from thinking clearly to do what God wants to do. And so the devil knows that if he can do this, you’ll do this. And if you do this, he’ll do this. Because generally under pressure, we generally always do what we’ve always done.

We’ll respond the same way. For example, husband and her wife have a problem. And generally he knows that if he says this, she will do this. Or if she knows that if she does this, he will do this. Because after a while you get to read each other. You figure each other out. And you know that if she’s in this kind of a mood, I better not do this. But if she’s in this kind of a mood, I know I can do this, because we’re learning how to read each other.

There’s somebody who’s also watching you, and they’re reading you. Do you think that the devil understands you, can read you, can watch your facial expressions, knows how you think, because of what you have revealed, and he knows what you’re after, what you like and don’t like, he knows everything about you. Now I don’t believe the devil can read minds, But I believe that he can interject thoughts into your minds in order to capture you. So when we want to serve the Lord, understand there’s somebody that doesn’t want you to.

And so he’s always forgetting you to stop, quit, slow down, do something else. He does not stop. He is powerful, he is real. Now look at it. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, things you cannot see, things you probably don’t even understand, and you cannot grasp the power that Jesus Christ when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Do you remember that He had told His disciples to watch?

He told them to pray. He told them to watch and pray. And yet He was in such agony that he sweated great drops of blood. In the book of Hebrews it says that he feared, he feared. Now there’s a lot that he went through in his struggle. And I believe that it has to do with a spiritual battle he was going through. That he was struggling and wrestling with. I also believe there’s a possibility that the devil was trying to do everything he possibly could to have a premature death of Christ in the Garden so they could never get to the cross.

Now, we have in the book a warning, and this is to the believer, and it was true 2,000 years ago as it is today. So the enemy they had to face is the same enemy we have to face. And so he says, against spiritual wickedness in high places. So this is talking about something you and I are not familiar with. We’re used to looking at people and I can see you. And if you came at me with a gun, I got a gun.

But to fight an enemy you cannot see. Well the weapon you cannot see. And he’s battling for your mind. And so we know this, we see this. Now in the book of Job, I just want you to look at it real quick. Job chapter 1, the book of Job and chapter 1, the book of Job chapter 1, look there first of all in verse 6. Just want to cover a couple verses here. Job as far as we know was one of the most persecuted, tried, tested individuals I’ve of the road by outside of Christ himself.

And he says here in verse six, now there was a day, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. So even they had to give an accountability. Satan came also among them. The Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and says from going to and fro in the earth. Now we know he’s a prince of the power of the air, but he’s also going to and fro in the earth.

the earth and He makes a statement and from walking up and down in it. Now, what’s he like? I wonder what he’s looking for. You have any clue what he’s looking for. He’s looking for you. In fact, what he was doing then, 3500 years ago, there’s a good possibility he’s still doing the same thing. He’s walking to and fro throughout the earth looking for somebody he can devour. And God wouldn’t let him get to Job, but after a while God initiated the conversation and removed the barriers so that the devil could get to Job.

But the devil had limitations. He could not do everything he wanted. So you know, and I know the devil is real. Demons are real. In the world, you can’t see them, but they are at His beckoning call to do whatever the devil wants done. And they’re in the air and they’re on the earth. Look in Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12, look there in verse 43. And just get what Jesus is talking about. Now whether or not it’s a reference to the nation of Israel that could cast out the devils, but they never replaced the devils with the sun.

And though Christ went all over the place and he cast out devils just about everywhere he went. But look at the illustration that he uses. And the point that I want to make out of this is that demons are in people. They’re in the world, they’re in here walking to a pro throughout the earth, but demons or in people see there in verse 43 when the unclean spirit is gone out of a and you ought to underline that man when it’s gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest findeth none then he said I will return into my house from whence I came out.

And when He has come, He finds it that empty swept and garnish. It’s kind of like a person can just clean up their life. And the demons say, hey, look, there’s nobody at home here. We can live here. Now, if a man trusts Christ’s Savior and the Holy Spirit indwells you, greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world. But the man that doesn’t trust the Lord, doesn’t have the Holy Spirit living there. So you have these false spirits that can come in and then he says this, then goeth he and take it with himself, seven other spirits, more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there.

And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also under this wicked generation. So there is a man that now has more demons living within him. And the Bible says that they were more wicked. So there are wicked demons in the world. A wicked demon will cause you to be more wicked than you would have been without the demons. You need to understand that demons can affect people, their lives, their thoughts.

They can be captured and not have a clue what’s going on. And this is why you and I are supposed to understand God has given to us a power that they don’t have. And this is why I’ve never worried about going around the world trying to cast demons out of people. Because I know that if I can get a person to trust Christ’s Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells them, and I don’t have to worry about it. So I believe so winning is the greatest thing that a man can ever do for anybody.

There’s a lot of people and you may wonder why they are like they are. It may be that they have demons within them. I’ve never had to worry about that, but I know others that have had to seriously deal with a lot of demonology and people that are demon-possessed. Now, I don’t want people going on witch hunts getting at your magnifying glass and ah, that’s what’s wrong with James. He’s got a demon inside of him. Or look at Herman, I know he’s got a demon, I bet he got a whole bunch.

And wives don’t do that to your husbands or to the other. Now, if a person doesn’t do the things that are plainly normal and is totally out of the realm of true spirituality, there could be a problem. To a person who doesn’t understand the gospel. There are demons that despise the teaching, the messages that are found in this book and don’t want anything to do with it. And so he says that they are real and they do in dwell people’s bodies.

And they do affect the way people think and it affects their actions. Look in Mark chapter 5 and verse 13, the book of Mark. And you’ll notice that there was a time when Jesus was going to this city and cast this demon out of us guy. Well, look what he says there in verse 1 of chapter 5, and they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country that they got arranged. When he was gone out of the ship, immediately they met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit who had his dwelling among the tombs.

No man could bind him, no not with chains, because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces neither could any man tame him. Unusual strength. Unusual strength. And then he says, nobody could tame him. Verse 5, And always night and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus, the far off he ran and worshiped him, cried with a loud voice and says, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of the most high God?

I adjuté by God that thou torment me not.” Now you think it’s the man speaking or a demon speaking through him. There’s a demon inside of this man and more than one. Is it possible that some people who met this man never figured out what was really wrong with this man? Would you say this man had a problem? I mean somebody wants to live in a graveyard. There’s got to be a little, but there was something wrong with him.

Something wrong with him. Majority of people have said, I don’t want nothing to do with him. Stay away from me and leave him alone. But it says here in verse 8, and he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered saying, My name is legion, for we are many. And he He besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country. Now there was their nigh unto the mountain a great herd of swine feeding.

And all the devils, the demons, besought Him, saying, send us into the swine that we may enter into them because His spirits need a body. They want a body. They were in a man and was cast out of the man. And they said, can we go into the swine? So they went into the swine. When they went into the swine, what does the swine do? They went over a cliff and went into the sea and drowned. You say, what’s the point?

That people will put up with the devil more than the hogs. This is where you get devil’s ham. See you didn’t know that you just stick around you you learn all that kind of stuff And verse 12 and all the devils be sawed him and this is what they wanted in verse 13 and for with Jesus gave them leave and the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea and there were about 2,000 and were choked in the sea now how many was inside of this man you know there’s sometimes I think people in in seminary that get together and try to discuss how many angels can set on the head of a pin.

Or how many people can have how many demons inside of them at one time. You just need to know and understand that Jesus is the one who tells all this. This is the same one who said, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believe it then Him should not perish but have everlasting life. the one that said that. Also said this, you know, I believe that, but I don’t believe this. So nowCHECK you’re gonna pick and choose the same God.

And to the church, there’s warnings to us about evil spirits, about demons and their power and what they can do. So you and I, before we just automatically just judge other people, try to understand with this knowledge of God. knowledge, there might be something more going on than you just sense by watching and listening to what they’re saying and doing. It may be they need the Lord. They may need you to be a little bit more patient with them and try to win them to the Lord.

There’s something else that can go on. Now, I believe that a Christian can be so oppressed, not possessed whether they take over you, that you can be oppressed, and that you have all these thoughts that can come into your mind, not because of spirits, but because of the thoughts in your mind. And whenever you don’t study the Word of God, you can’t discern your thoughts. And this is what the Word of God teaches us over and over again so that you can discern right from wrong what’s going on in your life.

Understanding it can be helpful in being more patient with one another, more kinder to one another, more compassion toward one another. Or we don’t see that at all and we just think this person is this bad. And it may be there’s something else going on and we’re pre-judging too quickly, too soon. And I just want us to be careful. Look in Revelation chapter 16, Revelation chapter 16. And notice what’s going to take place in the last days. These are things that I know that you’ve already read and understand, but Revelation 16, page 1345, and look in verse 13, verse 13, and I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, and they are the spirits of devils or demons, working miracles which go forth unto the kings of the earth

and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Something working behind the scenes. People can’t see it, they can’t figure it out, they don’t know. All they know is that something’s causing them to do things. No, if it’s not real, it ought not be in this book. This is not something that we think, well this is just made up. This isn’t made, this is real. There is a real spiritual battle going on.

And the devil is always working upon our minds to defeat us, to get us to stop serving the Lord with all of our heart, to get his side track, to get us to worry, to get us to fret so that we don’t trust the Lord. He wants us to question and doubt God just like he did to Adam and Eve in the garden, just like he was trying to do to Job. He’s been trying to do the same thing, and he doesn’t stop because his system works.

The devil’s way works. But so does the Lord’s way. And greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tappa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, Just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcasts of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. Caught a Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Even if the Lord is coming, just keep looking at it.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

Look in Mark chapter 5 and verse 13, the book of Mark. And STATES that there was a time when Jesus was going to this city, and cast this demon out of us guy. Look what he says there in verse 1 of chapter 5. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country that got arranged. When he was gone out of the ship immediately they met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit who had his drool among the tombs.

No man could bind him, no, not with chains. Because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces, neither could any man tame him. Unusual strength, unusual strength. And then he says, nobody could tame him. Verse 5, And always, night and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus, the far off, he ran and worshiped him, cried with a loud voice and says, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of the most high God?

I adjutéed by God that thou torment me not.” Now you think it’s the man speaking or a demon speaking through him? There’s a demon inside of this man and more than one. Is it possible that some people who met this man never figured out what was really wrong with this man? you say this man had a problem. I mean somebody wants to live in a graveyard. There’s got to be a little, but there was something wrong with him. Something wrong with him.

artney people probably said, I don’t want nothing to do with him. They wait for me and leave him alone. But it says here in verse eight, and he said unto him, come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, what is thy name? And he answered saying, my name is Legion, for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Was there nigh unto the mountain a great herd of feeding.

And all the devils, the demons, they’re saying send us into the sea. That we may enter into them because each spirits need a body. They want a body. They were in a man and was cast out of the man. And they said, can we go into the swine? So they went into the swine. When they went into the swine, what does the swine do? They went over a cliff and went into the sea and drowned. You say, what’s the point?

That people will put up with the devil more than the hogs. This is where you get devils ham. See, you didn’t know that you just stick around. You learn all that kind of stuff. In verse 12, and all the devils be sawed him. And this is what they want in verse 13. And for with Jesus gave them leave, and the unclean spheres went out and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and there were about 2000, and were choked in the sea.

Now, how many was inside of this man? You know, there are sometimes, I think, people in seminary that get together and try to discuss how many angels can sit on the head of a pen. Or how many people? Can have how many demons inside of them at one time. You just need to know and understand that Jesus is the one who tells all this. This is the same one who said, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe it than him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The one that said that also said this. You will I believe that but I don’t believe this. So now you’re going to pick and choose the same God. to the church, there’s warnings to us about evil spirits, about demons, and their power, and what they can do. So you and I, before we just automatically just judge other people, try to understand with this knowledge, there might be something more going on than you just sense by watching and listening to what they’re saying and doing.

It may be they need the Lord. They may need you to be a little bit more patient with them and try to win them to the Lord. There’s something else that can go on. Now I believe that a Christian can be so oppressed, not possessed whether they take over you, but you can be oppressed, and that you have all these thoughts that can come into your mind, not because spirit’s entered, because of the thoughts in your mind. And whenever you don’t study the Word of God, you can’t discern your thoughts.

And this is what the Word of God teaches us over and over again so that you can discern right from wrong what’s going on in your life. Understanding it can be helpful in being more patient with one another, more kinder to one another, more compassion toward one another. Or we don’t see that at all. And we just think this person is this bad? And it may be there’s something else going on, and we’re prejudging too quickly, too soon. And I just want us to be careful.

Look in Revelation chapter 16, Revelation chapter 16. And notice what’s gonna take place in the last days. These are things that I know that you’ve already read and understand, but Revelation chapter 16, page 1345. And look in verse 13, verse 13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. And they are the spirits of devils or demons, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Something working behind the scenes. People can’t see it, they can’t figure it out, they don’t know all they know is it’s something’s causing them to do things. No, if it’s not real, it ought not be in this book. This is not something that we think, well this is just made up. This isn’t made, this is real. There is a real spiritual battle going on. And the devil is always working upon our minds to defeat us, to get us to stop serving the Lord with all of our heart, to get his side-trick, to get us to worry, to get us to fret, so that we don’t trust the Lord.

He wants us to question and doubt God, just like he did to Adam and Eve in the garden, just like he was trying to do to Job. He’s been trying to do the same thing, and he doesn’t stop because his system works. The devil’s way works. But so does the Lord’s way, and greater is he that Pitt is in you than he that is in the world. Look in Matthew chapter 4 and verse 6. Matthew chapter 4. You know, Christ had been on top of a mountain and went without food and all for 40 days and 40 nights.

And it says her in verse 3, and when the tempter came to him, the tempter came to him. Now if the tempter came to him, do you believe that tempter will horm Or do you believe you’re so special? He won’t dare bother you. I mean if he came after you, you know it. You’re wise to him. He ain’t going to get you. He ain’t going to trick you. He’s on to him. Well he says he doesn’t deceive the whole world.

He has to be pretty good. Did you know he lifts us up with pride? that the Lord would allow that to be done. When you don’t trust the Lord because you didn’t humble yourself and cast all your cares upon Him. $$$$undaiARP, when he says that God hath not given to us the spirit of fear but of power, love, andkernel of a sound mind STATSARP Would you consider yourself to be a person of aundai sound mind? Careful. Would you consider your husband to be of sound mind?

Now she’s over there shaking heridden head. Noselves just ashaking her head. Would you say your wife is an individual of a sound mind? And she scattered her brain. Ipmwiki Iribune, I think DEBUG I’ve got a new evening of 10. I’m sure there’s some points that I could get on this year, but look what he says in verse 4. But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Do you believe that the devil knows the word of God? the Bible, that’s the Bible. But you notice in almost every case when the devil quotes the scripture, he misquotes the scripture. He always changes just a little bit. Not all of it, he’ll state enough of the truth but just enough of a, at least like the time that you can’t see what it really says. The devil did that. He was trying it with the Lord. See in verse three, when the temper came to him and said, if thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread, And Jesus had to answer them with scripture.

Look at the next part. The devil taken him up into a holy city and said to him on the pinnacle of the temple. Said to him, if you know these ifs, if they’ll be the son ofLIST, cast thyself down. For it is written, the devil is quoting scripture to Jesus. He shall give his angels charge concerning thee. And if their hand, they shall bear thee up. Blessed any time thou shalt dash thy foot against the stone. And we’re like, he ain’t going to let you even step you a little toe.

And Jesus said to him, it is written, thou, I’ll say the Lord, thy God answered with scripture in every case. And verse nine, he says, and said to him, all these things will I give the if thou will fall down and worship me. That’s. The devil wants to use the demons to How does he get you to By getting you to give Him all your time, your talent, and your treasures. He’s after all of them. Well, how491 you’re going to get those things, because the lustespie of the eyes and the pride of life, and He’ll drain you dry.

And then with a time will come when you’ll leave this world and you’ll go to heaven, and you will have forfeit so much out of your life that you could have had. But He lied to you. He deceived you. He defeated you. Oh you’re saved, you’re going to heaven when you die. But he ripped your life away from you. He calls you to live these years in fear. Afraid. Does he know what he’s doing? He knows what he’s doing.

And he’s after us. Look in 2 Corinthians in chapter 11, 2 Corinthians and chapter 11. You’ve seen this verse I know many times, but I want revenged you to see a verse there. Look in verse two, you’ll see how Paul wants to present God’s people to the Lord. I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband that may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ, but I fear. Paul, but I fear.

Lest by any means as the servant beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your, and you are the underlinedness, so your minds should be what? Corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ through vain philosophy. The rudiments of the The world is says in the book of Costence in chapter 2 and verse 9, I believe it is, 8 and 9. So you have this verse to the church about the devil being real, corrupting your minds of believers. Otherwise see, all of us would do what God wants us to do with a life unless the devil gets a hold of us.

Playoff. Do you know a lot of these teenagers, they don’t trust Christ of Savior, do you realize what you have to go through to try to get them and get their attention so that you get their minds. And if (?,GV to Sakuya to exqu to to get theirresistubuntu to get Dag Most of them. You see, it’s not going to be that accident. It’s because somebody reached somebody. Most of us are doing what we’re doing because somebody reached us. Somebody explained something to us.

So it’s important. Look what he says in verse 13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marble for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of life. has his own ministers, but see they don’t believe their Satan’s ministers. They just got Satan’s message. Satan’s messengers will preach Satan’s message and his message is false. That’s what they call false teachers, false apostles, false prophets because they teach works for salvation and not by grace.

And they see people and they’re thinking that, you know, yes, you just trust Jesus, but they butt it all over the place. And they get people to think that I have to turn for my sins, make Christ the Lord and the Master of my life and all these things that these stop doing or start doing, and it’s all based upon works. And look what he says here, his minister’s in verse 15, therefore it is no great thing if his minister’s also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, trying to get people to do right.

See, when it comes to salvation, Satan’s ministers will try to get you to do right, but trust in your righteousness to get you to heaven. You don’t need Christ. Satan is real. He is powerful. And he knows what he’s doing. Look in 1 Corinthians in chapter 7. Since you’re in Corinthians, just turn back to your left a few pages. But 1 Corinthians in chapter 7, do you. Might not know that this is so important on this verse, but it is.

First Corinthians in chapter 7, a little subject that deals with the issue of marriage. Hmm, marriage. Isn’t that a wonderful thing? You know, this afternoon I was back over here to church at 3 and to 4 30 years. Council and a young couple that wants to get married. I did everything I could and they still want to get married. But anywayBuyable we’re moving right along in verse 2, nevertheless to a bored, void poor indication, let every man have his own wife, let every woman have her own husband.

It doesn’t say let every woman have somebody else’s husband or someone. every woman have her own husband. It doesn’t say let every woman have somebody else’s husband, or some husband have somebody else’s wife, just your own. Let the husband render unto the wife do benevolence and likewise also the wife unto the husband. They’re supposed to meet each other’s physical needs. The wife hath not power of her own body but the husband. Like with also the husband hath not power of his own body but the wife.

You belong to each other. Verse 5, defraud ye not one the other. Accept it be with consent for a time. In other words, not to be used as a weapon to punish one another, but you’re, if you do, separate for a little while, talking about the sexual relationship, it says, and instrad you not one the other, accept it be with consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again. And here’s the reason that Satan tempts you not for your incontinence or your lack of control.

So is it possible that even in a marriage relationship, the devil is working and can cause a man or a woman to have impure thoughts? And because The needs are not met between husband and wife, the desire to go with someone else. This is the book, and God’s word is true, and it’s warning us. The devil has tremendous power and can cause you to lust after the wrong things, and not to focus upon the right thing. He will use the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life in order to deceive.

To ruin us. You remember the story where Jesus has just told his disciples, I’m going to go to the cross and I’m going to be killed. And Peter says, not so Lord. Remember him saying that? Not so Lord, Lord, Lord? You’re the master, but no, no, no, no, no. And he says, get behind me. Is that what he said? He didn’t say, give me, Peter? He said, give me Satan. Why? Because somebody that Jesus knew was influencing him and he couldn’t see it.

He probably just thought it was his own idea, his own thoughts. He says, I’m going to pray for you that thy faith fell not. They made this statement. They had to have desire to SHALL like wheat. He’s going to SIFT you. Jesus knew, the devil was real. undrafted Jesus, Jesus knew, perpendicularly, and he knew that even somebody like Peter, he had no clue where it came from. Jesus did. Jesus did. That’s why you and I have to be very careful.

somebody who can interject thoughts into your mind and turn you against somebody that didn’t do anything to you. It could cause you to think something that’s not true. I’m making this up, but it’s real and it happens. A husband can think things about his wife. Well the wife can think things about her husband. It don’t have to be true. And if you think it’s true, you’ll ask. And it may be a total lie. It wouldn’t be a shame. You can also misread your children and your grandkids because the devil will tell you certain confir things.

And it not be true. And next time you see them, you’ll treat them a certain way because of what you think. It may have happened, it may not. But that’s why we find out truth before we act upon certain things, not just react to things. And this is why all this is so important. We’ve got camp coming up. I work under this premise. Those kids, they need me. I am going, for one reason, I want to help them. conservancy I don’t care how bad they may be.

I’m not interested in their home life. I don’t know what they have done. I’m just talking about I wanna help them. Well, wherever they are, whatever they’ve done, I believe that with this book, I believe that they can be richer from my time spent with them than they will be if I don’t spend my time with them. So it’s worth all the time, the effort, the money, the sleepless hours, the planning and all of it. And everything can totally collapse becausevernmental is a devil, that’s real.

And you worship on people’s minds, but we believe God. And the devil is going to work. I already know he’s going to try to disrupt somehow, someway. Because I’ve never done anything worth anything without having to pay a price to do it. There’s always the struggling. There’s always the wrestling. There’s always people that’s got problems. And if you’ve got one person, you’ve got at least Minimum one problem. If you’ve got 100 kids, you’ve got 100 problems. And if we have 130 or 140, we’re gonna have a whole bunch of problems.

We can run from them or we can face them. I say face them. I said to the old devil, I hope that I am on his most wanted list. Cause I’ve been battling for 50 years. And I have no intentions at this point in my life surrendering and given up, given in. I want to struggle and fight and wrestle to the day I die. Because I know that he that dwelleth in me is greater than he that is outside of me.

There’s a world out there. And all this is true. I believe everything and I told you tonight. But I believe that great things belong to those who can trust God and believe God and keep moving ahead. I don’t believe the apostles ever let anything cause them to live their lives in fear, otherwise they would have never died for Christ. Look up here. If you’re here tonight and you’ve never trusted Christ’s Savior, or if you’re watching by internet, you never trust the Lord.

He doesn’t want you to hear it’s this last couple minutes. This hen represents sin. We all have sin mortg.Slot And we have to pay for it, which is death and hell. But God loves us and wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven we have to be perfect and none of us are perfect. We’ve all been we’ve all sinned, come short of God’s perfection. So because of sin, we can’t get in, and because of sin, we can’t earn eternal life.

Because all of our goodness is just like sin. So God says that we need to save you. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord, God in a flesh. He came into the world because he loves us, hates our sin because it separates us from him. So Jesus Christ took the sin, paid for it on the cross, came back from the dead and said, If you and I, if we would believe that he did it for us, he would put this debt payment that he made to our account, and we get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us.

You cannot earn it, you cannot work for it, you cannot buy it. It is truly the gift of God. Let’s pray, shall we? Every head bowed, and every eye closed, and no one looking around. If you’re here tonight or watching by internet, and you’ve never trusted the Lord, would you do that right now? Would you just simply talk to the Lord and say, Lord, I got questions, maybe even a few doubts. Well, Lord, the best I know how. I believe that you died on that cross for me.

And I’m gonna trust you as my Savior. And friend, God said, if you would trust Him, He would save you. Give you eternal life right now. And you can know right now that you’re going to heaven when you die. He died for you so that you don’t have to. You don’t have to pay for sin. So would you trust Christ as your Savior? Would you let me know? Would you just clip you in it? That made sense to me and tonight I will trust Christ as my Savior.

Anyone at all? Anyone at all? If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you realize the battle is real. Try to be a little bit more patient with one another. Don’t let somebody flare up or hot temper cause you to respond. Try to realize that there might be more going on behind the scenes than you know. There might be things that they’re thinking about, got their mind on and say, this is powerful. Don’t let him get at you. Don’t let him devour you.

That’s why the Bible says about Christians. He says in the book of Galatians in chapter five, let’s ye devour one another. You devour each other. See, Satan uses people to devour each other. That means we chew each other up and we backbite each other and we gossip about each other. Father, we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us. We’re thankful for this time together. And then help us to do right to you wise. In Christ name we pray.

Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again, or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link.

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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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.

Anyway, good to have you here tonight. Take your Bible and turn with me to the book of Revelation in chapter 12 Revelation chapter 12 There’s an interesting portion of scripture here Tells us a little bit about somebody You ought to know He knows you you ought to know him You ever heard of the devil? Well, devil. That’s just one person telling me, says, I said, you believe in the devil? He says, I sure do. I said, you really do.

He said, yeah. He said, he’s even here tonight. I said, really? He said, yeah, I brought him. Revelation 12, look in verse 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven, behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven. This is where most people think in good possibility of one-third of the angels. And it’s cast them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman, which we believe is Israel, which was ready to be delivered or to devour her son as soon as it was born.

And you have to admit it wasn’t long before Herod was in her killing all the babies from two years old and under. Now look in verse 7, and there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought on his angels, and prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan which deceived of the whole world. He was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him.

So the devil, the great red dragon, is the serpent, the battle serpent. Look there in chapter 20 of the book of Revelation. Look in verse 1, in verse 1. It makes a statement verse one, this is after the Lord comes back at the end of the tribulation period. They’re going to set up the kingdom upon the earth, there will be the judgment of the nations. There’s a resurrection of those people that have died during the tribulation period for the testimony of the Lord.

And he says, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for his sake. But in verse one, and I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years. Cast him into the bottomless pit. Shut him up, set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.

After that he must be loosed a little season. This is when the devil is going to beparser boxed up a little bit for a thousand years. Which means that he’s not now. Right now there’s something that he’s doing. And if you go back to chapter 12, I want to show you this one verse again. And you’ll notice in verse 10 of chapter 12. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength and the the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is passed down, which accuses them before our God day and night.

The devil has all the goods on you. That means he must have some kind of a computer system set up, and he logs everything that you do. Think or say, you know, I don’t believe the devil can read my mind, but I I believe he can read. The words and the actions, the facial expressions. He can read you like a book and he knows when you’re down. And but he’s ready to pounce because he is a roaring lion also.

Walketh out seeking whom he made devour. So you and I are supposed to live our life believing that there is a lion on our trail. And he is hungry and he’s trying to feast on God’s children. See, he talks about here the power of his Christ and the accuser of our brethren, of our brethren, cast down. So that means the devil gets a lot of victories over a lot of God’s children. Now, he may have gnawed on you at times.

Maybe he’s nipping at you heals now. But always live every moment knowing the devil as a lion is ready to devour you. So be aware of that. Now, I remember reading one time a statement that was made by Billy Sunday. Now Billy Sunday was an old time evangelist. And so I saw this the other day and I wanted to share this with you. This is what he had to say about the word of God. Now remember this, the devil is going to do whatever he possibly can to lie to you, to deceive you.

And you sometimes can’t tell when he’s lying to you unless you know truth. So you need to know truth so that you can discern error. And that’s why you study the scriptures because in the book of Hebrews in chapter 5 that we’re supposed to feed on the word of God so that you can learn discernment, Right and wrong. Right and wrong is not based upon what you think is right and wrong. Just because you don’t see anything wrong with it doesn’t mean there’s not something wrong with it.

Remember the Bible also says there is a way that seameth, seameth right to a man, but the end there are all the ways of destruction. So there is a way that seems right. And if you let your mind guide you, you’re going to be in a heap of trouble. But this is what he said, and it was worded so beautifully, in the temple of God’s Word, written by William A. Sunday, or Billy Sunday. With the Holy Spirit as my guide, I entered this wonderful temple called the Bible.

I entered the portico of Genesis, walked down through Old Testament art gallery, where the the pictures of Noah, neighbor of him, Moses, Joseph, and Isaac, and Daniel hung up on the walls. I passed through the music room of Psalms, where the Spirit swept the keyboard of nature and brought forth a dirge like whale of weeping Jeremiah to the grand impassioned strains of Isaiah until it seems that every read and pipe in God’s great organ of nature responded to the tuneful harp of David the sweet singer of Israel.

I entered the chapel of Ecclesiastes where the preacher voice was heard and into the conservatory of Sheeran where the lily of the valley sweet scented spices filled and perfumed my life. I entered the business office of Proverbs, then into the observatory room of the prophets where I saw telescopes of various sizes. Some point and too far off events, but all concentrated upon the bright and morning star, which was to rise above the moonlit heels of Judea for our salvation.

I entered the audience room of the King of Kings, and caught a vision of his glory from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Into the acts of the Apostles where the Holy Spirit was doing his word informing the infant church. Then into the correspondence room were sat Paul and Peter, James Judeon John, pinning their epistles. I stepped into the throne room of Revelation where all powered in a glittering peaks. I got a vision of the king sitting upon the throne in all of his glory, and I cried.

I’ll hail the power of Jesus’ name. that angels prostrate fall, bring forth the royal diadem and crown him, Lord of all. Isn’t that awesome? If you can’t write like that, if you can’t think like that. And that’s because somebody has spent some time. With the Lord and you spend time with the Lord by spending time in the Word of God. And when you spend time in the Word of God, it strengthens you for the battle that you’re going to have to face.

Now I’ve been doing church now for 45 years or so somewhere into there. You know, give a year to it doesn’t matter. And as the time has rolled by, it’s amazing how, you know, we have developed in this country a desire. to worship football. You know, everybody loves football. I love football. But I don’t worship football, but I like football. I can watch it, but if I don’t see it, that’s fine too. And I’ve had chances to work with some football players, and I’ve been to some of their games.

I’ve given devotion for a few of them. But, you know, as time goes on, it doesn’t affect me too much. But there are some things about football that relates so much to the church. You didn’t know that? Let me tell you, this is called football Christianity. The approaching football season tends to remind us of certain happenings in and around the church. I suppose one did call it football Christianity. Football Christianity, let’s get out the grid iron and observe the action.

You will note of course some members play the game expertly. Like the pros in case you are not familiar with the game, here are some of the plays. Quarterback, sneak. I always thought a quarterback was a refund. Church members who leave quickly and quietly after Bible study. The quarterback’s knee. The draw play, that’s what too many children and a few adults do with the bulletins. I’ve walked down the aisle and I look over there and sometimes there’s a few little children of course and they draw all kind of pictures.

Well at the church in Georgia, I made the mistake and I had a bigger picture of me that was on the bulletin and the kids loved to show me how they perceived me to be. And then they would leave the bulletin laying on the pew and forget that the pastor just might see that picture. And I have picked up many of the bulletins for the moustache, a goatee, horns, and they’ve set their doing church while I’m pouring out my heart, drawn a picture of the preacher.

I had one come up to me and they showed me after the church service, a picture, stick picture of the preacher behind the podium with his hand up like this and a wallet in his hand. I said, when did you do that? Why you you were preaching? Now you can’t correct that. But some of them looked like some adults had drawn them, but anyways, we’re moving along. You know what half time is? Half time? Half time is the break between the morning and the evening worship, finding only 50% returning the second half.

Now what if during the half time, all the players, you know, they go to the locker rooms. But when they’re supposed to come out and start the second half, they went home. Did you know that a lot of people come for the first half? You see, Sunday night, that’s the second half. And they forget, hey, you missed half of the game. But some people don’t see that. Bench warmer, those who attend one out of three services, but never two in a row.

Backfill in motion, unnecessary trips out of the sanctuary doing the worship hour. Do you realize that the devil is always working behind the scenes, trying to manipulate, trying to keep people from hearing the word so that they can do something with their life and change? And how many times have I been talking to somebody about the Lord? And just at that right minute, Somebody to leave the come in the house. Somebody else walks up and asks the question. Something always seems to happen at the wrong time.

I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed that or not. But the half back option is when only 20% show up for Wednesday night service. Sudden death. You ever seen a game going to sudden death? That’s when the preacher goes past twelve o’clock. A sudden death. The two minute warning. When the preacher gives the invitation allowing everyone time to gather up their belongings and shuffle song books. The Blitz. That’s the stampede for the doors after the service. Now the instant replay, that takes place, that’s a rehashing of the sermon during the lunch hour, reveals the preacher was guilty of unsportsmanlike content.

He did step on someone’s toes. Anyway, there are just certain things that the devil gets people to do to take their mind away from what God wants them to do. Now, I want you to take your Bible inlet with me to the book of John chapter 12, the gospel of John and chapter 12. In John chapter 12 I want you to look there in verse 32. If you don’t have verse 32 I would underline him. This is what Jesus said, and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw men unto me.

Now the Bible says that Jesus will be lifted up and this he says in verse 33, signified by what death he should die. The reason this verse is so important is because he had already told Nicodemus in chapter 3. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so shall the Son of Man be lifted up. And he’s talking about how he’s going to die. And it’s a reference to the gospel and remember that when Jesus Christ went to the cross, He went there in our place and as the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21, He became sin for us.

So on the cross, Jesus Christ was cursed. Let take your Bible look in the book of Galatians in chapter 3 Galatians and chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3 and look there in verse 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. So he was made a curse for us. It means he became sin for us, that which God curses is sin. And because we have all sinned, we were all under a curse and we all must die.

And so it says in the law, curse it is everyone that hangeth upon a tree. I wonder if that verse was ever referred to concerning Jesus Christ. Well look at this, it’s right there. at this verse. In verse 13, for it is written in the Old Testament. Cursid is everyone that hangeth on a tree. And the reason is because it was such a shameful way to die that means the man was put there deliberately. He was under a curse.

Christ became a curse for us. Now go to the book of John chapter 3, the gospel of John and chapter 3. As you know, you’re talking to one very smart intellectual man here, says in verse 1, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night instead of the Him, Rabbi. We know the tower to teach or come from God, for no man can do the things that thou doest except God be with him.

And Jesus says, well, no, you need to be born again. You got to be born again. Evidently, Nicodemus did not understand what he was talking about. He says, that which is of the flesh’s flesh and that which is of the spirit, the spirit. Therefore, marvel not, you must be born again, flesh is flesh, spirit is spirit, two different kinds of birth. And he says, how can I explain spiritual things to you when you don’t even understand the natural things?

He says, don’t you know what the law says? He talked to him about the wind. He talked to him about An Old Testament event that took place, which he should have known and should have understood, because there was a spiritual lesson there and God expected this ruler of the Jews to know the story and to know what it meant. So is the cross talked about in the Old Testament? I believe so. But see there in verse 10, Jesus answered and said unto him, are thou a master of Israel?

And knowest not these things? You don’t understand this? Verily, verily I say unto thee, we speak that we do know and testify what we’ve seen. And you receive not our witness. If I’ve told you earthly things and you believe not, How shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man had to send it up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the Son of Man, which is in heaven. He said, well, that was clear, but he gives him an illustration in verse 14.

For as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. And the story that he’s talking about is an illustration of what will happen to Jesus Christ, and explaining what the spiritual birth is about. How is a man born again? So verse 15 and 16 is really telling us the answer to the question. How can a man be born when he is old? This is how a man is to have a spiritual birth.

In verse 15, that whosoever beleaveth in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleaveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Did you know this was not at the end of the ministry of Jesus Christ? This was what he said at the beginning of his ministry. And his message was no different than John the Baptist who went before him. John the Baptist says that he would baptize those in water that believe the message concerning you must believe on Jesus Christ, he that is to come.

So it’s all the same message. Take your Bible and go all the way back there to the book of numbers, the book of numbers, numbers and chapter 21, numbers chapter 21. Have you ever been bitten by a snake? Anybody here ever been bit by a snake? Did you ever live to tell about it? Years ago, I was at Tennessee Temple. And I was listening to Dr. Lee Robertson. He had gone to this church to preach. And I was a bus captain at the time.

So me and Linton Fallon, a few others, we went to hear Dr. Lee Robertson preached now. Back at that time, he had the largest independent that is school in America, fundamental school. And not as clear on the gospel, no. There’s a time when they wouldn’t make it clear and it’s time they wouldn’t. But anyway, we went to hear Dr. Lee Robertson preach. And I’ll never forget him telling this story. I said to her and I, I listened. And he started telling this story.

He says, now there was this young couple coming When I was in the depression, they was driving along the road in a car. And they got tired. And there was no place to stop. They were weary, hungry, thirsty. And the longer they drove, the tired of they got, and the later it was getting in the evening, and they didn’t know what they were going to do. They saw this old abandoned house. So they went to this old abandoned house, went inside and they had a little girl with them.

And she was tired and cold and hungry. She began to cry. The daddy says, stop your crying. And she said, I’m hungry. Well, we don’t have anything to eat, so stop your crying. And she kept sniveling, you know. And then the mama told her to be quiet, and she just started crying and couldn’t stop. Started deep sobs, and she just cried. So the daddy went over there and got her by the arm, and he opened up one of the closet doors and put her in the closet and said, when you stop your crying, I’ll let you out.

There’s no lights in there. And he closed the door. And then she really cried. She was scared. She cried. She screamed. And the mother says, well, maybe you better let her out. He says, isn’t he going to take long? She’ll stop crying in a minute. And it wasn’t long before she stopped pounding on the door. Screams got less and less. So they went over there and opened the door. and her body was laying on the floor with rattlesnakes all over her body.

They had no idea there were rattlesnakes in that closet. You and I have no idea how bad a rattlesnake bite can be. But let’s just pretend for a moment. Let’s just pretend that here I am. I’ve been up in those mountains of Colorado, but they say at a certain altitude that you don’t have to worry about rattlesnakes because they don’t go that high up because of the altitude. So we’re going to take me down off the mountain and we’re going to put me out there in some desert someplace.

And lo and behold, a big old rattlesnake bites me on the neck. What is probably going to happen to me if I get bit by a rattlesnake? Anybody have any clue what might happen to me? Yes. That’s one thing that I could do. I could bite the snake back. So as I look at this snake and realize that this snake just bit me, I’m going to get even. I’m gonna bite the snake back But I might look at it and think you know It wasn’t that bad You know there’s some people That are really bad sinners and then there’s some sinners that are Don’t consider themselves that bad.

I only got a little bite But you ought to see Peter Amato. He got a big bite. I I mean our big rattlesnake got all of them. Did you know that when we’re born into this world, we all have that venom, that bit Adam running through our veins. And that’s why we are going to die because we’ve all been bitten by the serpent. And what killed Adam, killed Eve. And what killed their children is what killed our parents and on down the line.

And that’s why you and I are facing death, because there was a time when the serpent bit someone and passed on to them that venom that causes death. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach by the line and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at six o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 a 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. Years ago, I was at Tennessee Temple. I was listening to Dr. Lee Robertson. He had gone to this church to preach. And I was a bus captain at the time. So, me and Lenten fallen, a few others, we went to hear Dr. Lee Robertson preach now. Back at that time, he had the largest independent, I had to school in America, fundamental school.

And not as clear on the gospel, no. There’s a time when they would make it clear, and it’s time they wouldn’t. But anyway, we went to hear Dr. Leroberson preach. And I’ll never forget him telling this story. I said, turn, I listened. And he started telling this story. He says, now, there was this young couple. Coming out of the depression, they was driving along the road in a car. And they got tired. And there was no place to stop.

They were weary, hungry, thirsty. And the longer they drove, the tired of they got, and the later it was getting in the evening, and they didn’t know what they were going to do. They saw this old abandoned house. So they went to this old abandoned house, went inside and they had a little girl with them. And she was tired and cold and hungry. She began to cry. The daddy says, stop your crying. And she said, well, I’m hungry. Well, we don’t have anything to eat, so stop your crying.

And she kept sniveling, you know. And then the mama told her to be quiet. She just started crying and couldn’t stop. She started deep sobs and she just cried. So the daddy went over there and got her by the arm, and he opened up one of the closet doors and put her in the closet, said, when you stop your crying, I’ll let you out. There’s no lights in there. And he closed the door. And then she really cried. She was scared.

She cried. She screamed. And the mother says, well, maybe you better let her out. He says, isn’t he gonna take long? She’ll stop crying in a minute. And it wasn’t long before she stopped pounding on the door, screams got less and less. So they went over there and opened the door, and her body was laying on the floor with rattlesnakes all over her body. They had no idea there were rattlesnakes in that closet. You and I Have no idea How bad a rattlesnake bite can be But let’s just pretend for a moment Let’s just pretend that here I am I’ve been up those mountains of Colorado But they say it a certain altitude that you don’t have to worry about rattlesnakes because they don’t go that high up because of the altitude So we’re going to take me down off the mountain and we’re going to put me out there in some

desert someplace. And little behold, a big old rattlesnake bites me on the neck. What is probably going to happen to me if I get bit by a rattlesnake? Anybody have any clue what might happen to me? Yes. All right. That’s that’s one thing that I could do. I could I could bite the snake back. So as I look at this snake and realize that this snake just bit me, I’m going to get even. I’m going to bite the snake back.

But I might look at it and think, you know, it wasn’t that bad. You know, there’s some people. that are really bad sinners. And then there’s some sinners that don’t consider themselves that bad. I only got a little bite, but you ought to see Peter Amato, he got a big bite. I mean, a big rattlesnake got a whole ham. Did you know that when we’re born into this world, We all have that venom that bit Adam running through our veins and That’s why we are going to die because we’ve all been bitten by the serpent and what killed Adam killed Eve and what killed their children is what killed our Parents and on down the line and that’s why you and I are facing death because there was a time when the serpent bit someone and passed on to them that venom that causes death.

Now you and I can look at this and think you know I looked at that old snake bite and I don’t think it’s that bad but of course everybody before me has all died but I don’t think it’s gonna happen because I’m I mean I’m That’s a small snake bite that got me. I have talked to people and they’ve said, I’m so bad God can’t save me. And then you have others that think they’re too good and they don’t need to be saved.

They just don’t know how bad the snake bite is. But they need to understand that regardless of how bad you may be. Christ can save anybody and everybody. Now, so we know that, well, that was pretty good over there Peter, I appreciate that. Now, there’s another thing I could do. If it snake bites me and I, and I realized I got to do something, I got to do something to save my life. So I can bite the snake back so I can kill the snake.

Just kill the snake. But if I kill the snake, does that solve my problem? Killing that snake is not going to solve my problem. You know what I ought to do? Still killing the snake? I’m just going to feed the snake. Maybe that’s why the snake was hungry. You know all those Muslim nations over there that hate America? It’s because we made them mad. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves. I think what we ought to do is appease them.

Let’s just give them this country and that’ll appease them. Then everybody will live in peace. Right? No. So you can feed the snake. And it might seem like the right thing to do. But the problem is, it’s not going to solve your problem. It’s just not going to work. You know what we need to do? We need to apologize to that serpent. After all, you know, that snake wouldn’t have bit me if I hadn’t got too close to it and scared it.

So it was all my fault. Well, there’s people today They are just apologizing to serpents all over this country. And I don’t like that. You know what else we could do? We could just fall down and worship the snake. Just worship the snake, bow to the snake. Because see, if we’d have done whatever that snake wanted us to do to start with, it wouldn’t have bit us. So it’s all our fault. We need to worship the snake. You think that’ll work?

that make me better? That’ll solve my problems? No, that won’t work either. You know if I do, if I really look and could see, got a mirror, it could see the snake bite. Oh, I got to do it. Put a band-aid on it. See if I put a band-aid on it, I’ll be alright. And so as you go down and you stop and think, we’ve all been bitten by and we’re all trying to figure out how to stay alive.

Did you know the reason for all of the so-called losing weight, standing shape, and all these things, because we’re trying to buy a little more time. True? I mean, we’re just trying to stay alive a little bit longer and enjoy the time that we do have. But we all know somewhere along the line we are susceptible to death. Yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. We’re all going to die. Because we’ve all been bitten by the serpent and we have this venom in our bodies.

And there’s nothing you can do to change that. Not in this whole physical body. You’re not going to change that. You’re not. I’m not. Some people would say, you know, all I got to do is just get the right serum. I need the serum. I’m at a dope. So I don’t die. And I’ve read about the flight for life and how that some people will get bit by a snake and they’ve only got so much time to get to a place and then it’s touching go and some people make it and some people don’t.

I remember one time when I was living up there in Virginia, I was about 15, 16 years old and I was living with my aunt and uncle. And my aunt and uncle, they love to go fishing. Love to go fishing. My uncle loved to have me paddle the boat while he basished. That’s a lot of fun. Paddling the boat all day long so that your uncle can cast and have a great time. I had to keep him so far away from the bank so that, and so many times I’d be pennant and just tell.

That boat drifted into the bush underneath the trees. Anyway, those were good moments. But we would fish certain holes. And one day, lo and behold, there was a water moccasin in a tree on a limb. And we came right by it. And we looked up and Manko says, there’s a water moccasin in the tree. Not even though they could climb a tree, but there’s a water moccasin in the tree. And just that quick, that water moccasin came into the water and attacked the boat was coming at us in the boat.

Big water moccasin. I was petrified. I had no clue what to do. My uncle, he got that paddle that he had and he came back to the back of the boat and he took that thing and he just kept on a slash until finally that it then broke his back in several places. Now, I didn’t know a water moccasin would attack you in the boat and got out of a tree and come after you. You said they won’t do that.

Yes, they will. I’ll defy anybody who says any different. I saw it in my own eyes. Scared to death. We went home. And the next day we was reading in the paper, next day a couple days later. Some teenagers had decided to go fishing down at the river. one that we was at. They had a little place that was cleared off and so they would begin to run and race and say, see you in the river! Last one in the rotten egg!

And this one kid outrun everybody, jumped into the water and was swimming all around and splashing and so forth. And when the rest of them got up there, he hollered back and says, don’t come in the water, don’t come in the water. He says, something’s eating me. Something’s eating me. He got to the bank and they pulled them out and he had almost, I think it was 50 or 60 snake bites where the water moccons of them had attacked him in the water and he in just a few minutes he was dead scared those teenagers to death.

So yeah snakes can be a very scary thing but I want you to look at this story. Look there in verse 5 verse 5 and the people Let’s speak against God, against Moses. Wherefore have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our soul loatheth this light bread.” In other words, they were sick and tired of eating manna. And look in verse 6, and the Lord, the Lord, sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people and much people of Israel died.

Therefore, the people came to Moses and said, we have sinned, but we have spoken against the Lord and against the prey unto the Lord that he take away the serpents from us, and Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, May the fiery serpent And set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten when he look up on it shall live. And Moses made a serpent a brass and put it upon a pole.

And it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent a brass he lived. He lived. Now, what if some of those people that had been bitten by these serpents, and they looked at it and said, you know, mine’s only a little nick. Mine’s not that bad. Of course, everybody else that was bitten has died, and your just said, well, mine’s not that bad. Who was supposed to look at the serpent? Everyone that was bitten.

Everyone that was bitten. Didn’t Moses tell them what you need to do is start stopping and killing these snakes? He didn’t tell them that. He didn’t say bow down and start worshiping the snakes. He didn’t tell them to start feeding the snakes. He didn’t tell them to do that. Moses did not tell them, Look at me! You and I are not to look through any preacher, pope, plant, anybody, or to look to the cross. No one else. No place else.

They didn’t have to change anything, stop anything, all they had to do was look and live. There even a song has been written about that look and live. Look and live, my brother live. Look to Jesus now and live. Have you ever heard that song before? A lot of people are saying this is what it’s about. And all they had to do was look and live. They didn’t have to apologize. They didn’t have to say anything. They didn’t have to do anything.

They didn’t have to look for some kind of a magical serum. They didn’t have to do anything. All they had to do was look at that brazen serpent on the cross that pole and they would live. Now here’s Jesus, all these years later, talking to a very intelligent Jewish rabbi. He says, don’t you know that story? Don’t you understand it’s about the new birth? Now you and I might read this and say, I don’t see anything like that in there.

We wouldn’t have known that if he hadn’t have told him. There’s a lot more in these scriptures than what you and I see. And who knows how many other stories where God has made the gospel clear, service clear, the two natures clear. everything we teach in the New Testament, I believe is taught in the Old Testament, we just don’t see it because it’s like a veil over the eyes of Israel and they cannot see. And sometimes the Old Testament is like a veil over our eyes and we just don’t see it.

And by using the light of the New Testament, we can go back and dispel the darkness in the Old Testament. But I like that simple little statement in verse 8. And the Lord said unto Moses, make thee a fiery serpent, set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live. Now he uses the same story in the Gospel of John chapter 3, where it says, even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so shall the Son of Man be lifted up.

And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men on the man. So he says, all that they had to do was look and live. Do you believe that salvation could be so simple. All that would have to do is look and live. Fifty-one years ago in a little-low living rooms, I looked and I lived. And I never have to do it again because who so ever believeth on me looks to him, he will give you as a free gift ever lasting life, and you never have to do it again.

Best news in all the world. Go back there to the Gospel of John in chapter 3. John chapter 3 is the devil real, is he real? pictures him as the serpent and a serpent. Was that which was cursed by God in the garden? The serpent was what was placed upon the pole and it was God that sent the serpent to reveal the sin. And so all that have sinned will die. But if we look, we can live forever. So here in John chapter 3, look at it again.

See there in verse 13, No man had to send it up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, and that’s explained even more in chapter 6 of John, the Son of Man, which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. That word must, it’s almost like the word must up there when he talks about you must be born again in verse 7. some things that you just must do.

The soul that sineth must die. Christ is coming back, but without sin and the salvation. You see, the first time he came was to become sin for us. So whenever you see the serpent, which is cursed of God, Jesus Christ takes all the sin of the world upon himself and being placed upon a cross, became cursed for you and I. died in our place. And if we look and believe that He did that for me. He paid for my sins, and all I have to do is look and live.

So He says here in verse 15, that whosoever believe it then him should not perish but have eternal life. That is equal to look and live. So simple. It’s not hard. Just like talking to the woman at the well, he says, if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith in the day, give me to drink thou, would have I asked him in? I would have given you living water. And she says, did you just have no dealings with the Samaritans?

Where are you going to get this water from? The well is deep. You don’t even have a rope. Let it on a bucket. He says, you drink the water that’s in this well. You’re thirst again. But if you drink the water that I give to you, you’ll never thirst again. One look good forever. One drink, good forever. And he also made the statement that I am the bread of life. He says, your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead.

But he that eats the bread that came down from heaven, the true bread, he says, well, never hunger. I took one bite, 51 years ago. Never have to take another one. Why? It’s satisfied. I’m satisfied. I never have to do it again. Because he saved me then and I never had to do it again. Now if I can lose my salvation, I might need another dose of the Holy Ghost, but it never has to happen again because I can’t lose eternal salvation.

I have eternal life and I’m going to heaven because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for me. You see John 3 16 is simply an explanation of what happened back there in Numbers chapter 21 1 verses 5 down to those scriptures. This hand represents you and me. The Bible says that we have sin. This sin is all the things that we do that’s wrong. And why do we do all these wrong things, these bad things, because we have within us the venom of the devil himself?

And that’s why Christ made this statement. And he’s a ye are of your Father the devil. He was a murder from the beginning, a liar, and the Father of it. He says, that’s where you come from. That’s why you’re going to die. Now the Bible says God loves us but He hates our sin. And to pay for sin, eternal separation from God in hell. But God wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven we have to be perfect as righteous as God.

None of us are perfect. None of us are righteous. We have all been bitten and we’re all going to die. There is no way out of this. We must die. Jesus Christ came into the world. You see, He didn’t have any of that venom in His body. He says, the body has to prepare me. He didn’t have a sinful nature. No sinful nature, He didn’t sin. Didn’t sin, didn’t have to die. So He came into the world because He loves us.

Hates our sin because it separates us from Him. So Jesus Christ, who had no sin, didn’t have to die, so He took all the sin of all the world and became cursed for us. So Jesus Christ, He was on the cross, curses is everyone, because see, everyone of us was on that cross. He died for everyone, but the payments only put to the person that believed that he did it for him. If you will look, you will live. But if you look for any other way of salvation, you can look to your works.

You can look to your preacher. You can look to a church, you can look for anything and anybody, but there is no salvation unless you look to Christ. They didn’t have to look to Moses or to each other or to the leaders or to Joshua or Caleb, they had to look at that cross, that pole. And it was a picture of Jesus Christ down on the cross for our sins. When we believe He did it for us, He gives us as a free gift of everlasting life.

We get to go to heaven on what He did for us. Let’s pray, shall we? The hedge-bound knives close and no one looking around. Or if you’re watching by internet tonight, you may never have understood before. But I want you to know that God does love you and that He sent His Son to down the cross and pay for your sins. Jesus Christ was lifted up just like that serpent in the wilderness. And all he asked you to do is just look and live.

Look and believe that he died for you, would you trust him? If you will trust him 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 because of what Christ did on the cross for you. Our Father, we thank you so much for the free gift of eternal life and that you’ve given your words and these things have already done to you that believe that you may know that you have eternal life.

We ask your blessings up on each person here and follow. We also pray, Lord, that you’ll meet the needs of each person here. Some people don’t even have a job and we just pray that doors would be open where they could find just what they need and Lord, there’s just so much that’s going on, especially here in our country. follow we know we can’t put our trust in man, but we know that you do work through man. We pray that because of your love for us, I’m sure there’s a few righteous people left in this country.

So for their sake, our children, we pray for peace and for all of our needs to be made for your protection and all these matters. Thank you for this church and all that you’ve done for us. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10 30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 message will be a blessing to you and your family.

You know there’s some things in life that you only get one chance to do some things. You only get born in this world one time. No reruns, no instant replays, no nothing just one time you’re born into the world. And as far as your life goes, you only get to live life here one time. You don’t get to do that over again either. So what you do, you did and that’s it. You don’t get to do it over again.

Bible also tells us that one day we’re going to die and we’re only going to do that one time. So we’re only born once, we only live once and we’re only going to die once in this whole world. Somebody asked me one time and says, how come you only finished the tenth grade? Well, I didn’t want to go into the eleventh grade. My dad was in the eleventh grade. Now, I didn’t want to be in the same grade with my dad.

Of course, you know, that was just a joke, but there are some people who had to repeat, you know, the first grade and the second grade and the third grade and repeat a lot of grades. But sometimes you have to take and repeat a class. Now, there’s some people that even get married. I mean, time suppose you get married, well, once if a person died, you can get married again. Sometimes people get married, well, it didn’t work that time.

We’ll try it again. And then if that doesn’t work, we’ll try it again. There’s some people in life that, you know, you can try this little religion and you don’t like that one. Well, it changes to this religion. And you don’t like that. Well, it changes to to another religion and they can just change and change and change. But the day will come when you run out of time and hopefully as we go through life we have found just exactly what we’re looking for and it’s the right one and you can stay on track all the days of your life.

Well sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. Look there in Romans in chapter 7 in verse 15. When it comes to the Bible there’s a lot of times people believe that you know if I try harder if If I can just get the right religion and the right rules and if I owe babies rules and regulations and someday I’m going to make it. I never saw my mom and dad in church. I’m not growing up for 18 years. I never saw them in a church.

I never saw them read a Bible and I’ve never seen them pray. We never had none of that in our home. So I wasn’t raised in church. My daddy was a bootlegger. That means he stole corn and jugs. I was a little bit like it is right here. Look what he says in verse 15, for that which I do, I allow not. And for what I would, that do I not. And what I hate, that do I. Well, that was me to a T.

I had been told and what I’d heard was that if you’re good, you go to heaven. If you’re bad, you’re going to hell. So I think of the fact it’s true. I’m gonna bust it wide open. But I thought I’d wanna try to do the best I can. So I know I never drank. I never tested, tested drop. I never swore a cuss word. and I never smoked and I figured, you know, if anybody makes it, surely I will.

But I didn’t know God. I didn’t go to church. I didn’t read the Bible. And I prayed though, but I really didn’t know who I was praying to. I was hungry for the Lord. I wanted to know if it was true. I wanted to know that, but I didn’t want to get trapped in some man-made religion. If then I do that, which I would not, I can send unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that developed in me.

And I knew that the harder I tried the worse things seemed to get. And even if you say I’m not going to try, I’m not going to do anything wrong. I’m going to do right from now on. You fail. You keep failing and you fail miserably. We don’t live up to our own standard because most religions are nothing more than a different name, a different set of rules and regulations. And so you can go to this religion or this religion or this religion or this religion or that religion and there you have a few things that required maybe a little different than the other but principally it’s the same thing what you got to do this to get there and if you don’t do this you ain’t going And so I didn’t know what the rules were.

I’d heard that you posed to keep the Ten Commandments, but I have to be honest, I didn’t even know what they were. So I said, we got to believe the Bible. Well, I believed the Bible, but I had no clue what it said. But I didn’t want to go to heaven when I died. But nobody ever told me explained how I could know. Now, look what he says in verse 18. This is a very revealing verse. Though this verse, and these verses I’m reading right now is about the apostle Paul after he had been saved, about 25 years, it still is showing you the conflict that we have in our life with the if you’re a lost man, that means you’re a man that doesn’t know where you’re going, and you try to earn your way to heaven by trying to keep the law because although this is talking about obeying

the law and as much as you want to obey the law, God says there is no flesh to be justified by the law in the sight of God. Why? Because nobody can keep it. Nobody loves the Lord thy God with all thy hard mind body soldens, but nobody does thou shalt not covet Everybody does thou shalt not lie everybody does they say well haven’t done all the other ones So you have to keep the law perfectly or you don’t keep it at all And it doesn’t matter which one you break because the wages of sin is Death the soul that sent him shall die so everybody sins and breaks the law so everybody’s condemned So that’s the condition of the whole world so the law cannot save a man The law just shows you how righteous God is and how unrighteous we are So no man can keep it and this is for the frustration in most religions is they’re trying to earn something

God says is free look what he says in verse 18 for I know that in me that is in my flesh It’s so body we have develop no good thing for to will is present with me But how to perform that which is good. I find a how do I perform? Okay, I’m going to keep the law to go to heaven. Well, the problem is, there’s nothing wrong with the law. See, the law says over there in verse 12, where for the law is good, the law is just, the law is holy, the law is spiritual because God gave it.

But there’s nothing wrong with the law. It says the problem is, is me. I can’t keep it. So I find in me, that is in my flesh. I got a problem. I got a sinful nature. I sinned naturally. It means it’s not against your nature to sin. It is within the realms of your nature. We all do things wrong. We think wrong. We have lustful thoughts. We say wicked things. We hurt people and we are very covetous. And so we are very materialistic and we think about the things of the world.

So we have a problem here. In verse 19 he says, for the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. doing the very thing that I don’t want to do. It would be great if I say, you know what? I am going to live for God for the rest of my life. And I’m not going to do anything wrong from now. Starting today, right now, I’m not going to do anything else wrong.

How long? How long do you think I can last? How long do you think this would be good for? Now I… How long you think I can last? How long you think it would be good for it? Now I got to call what’s good, what God calls good. And I’ll have to call bad what God calls bad. But I preached the other night talking about it’s not that bad. Remember it’s not that bad because we don’t think that what we do is that bad.

But what that bad is is very wicked in the sight of God. God requires perfection to go to heaven and people can’t get it. See to go to heaven heaven is perfect. For me to get there I got to be perfect. Well heaven is perfect. God is perfect and to go to heaven I got to be perfect. Well am I perfect? No I can’t go. Okay who gets to go? Nobody. You mean nobody’s going to be in heaven? not lesser perfect.

So you can’t get to heaven. Nobody in the world. So trying to obey a bunch of rules and regulations and all the religions of the world, religion comes from two Latin words, re-inlegio, meaning to bind back. There’s people trying to do all these good deeds, trying to bind themselves back to God by what they do, and God says it’s not that way. Have you ever got a job and you didn’t like that job, you didn’t like the boss or whatever it is, so you got another job?

Everybody ever done that? I’ve done that a lot of times and I’ve got another job. What about a doctor? You’re the doctor and he tells you something’s wrong. I don’t like you. I’m gonna go to another doctor and So we go to another doctor and we don’t like this medicine. We can get some more medicine So you get chances and opportunities isn’t it wonderful? We can change our mind a thousand times And we can keep making corrections all that we want to but now look there in the book of Romans in chapter 3 I want you to look in Romans in chapter three.

You’re right there. Just turn back one page and look in verse 23 For the wages of sin is death Death is the wages. That’s what you receive because of sin. So if you didn’t sin that you wouldn’t die You didn’t sin you wouldn’t die Why does everybody die? Because everybody sins Sin came into the world because of one man and death by sin But if we didn’t sin, we wouldn’t die. The death is not the punishment. Death is not the punishment for sin, but the wages, that’s what you earned.

You earned the right to die. That’s a wage. You go to work and you work for a week and the guy on that Friday gives you a paycheck. Well, you earned that. Well, God says to die, you earned that. You earned the right to die. That’s physical death. So we all die because we earned it. But punishment in the book of Hebrews in chapter 9 verse 27 is appointed under every man. wants to die and after this the what?

The judgment is the punishment. So everybody’s gonna die but there’s a judgment after that. If there’s anything that you and I ought to be right on because you don’t get another chance, some things you can change your job and you can even get another woman. You can get another boyfriend or get another girlfriend and you can you know do a lot of things like that. Get another doctor. On this issue of how to go to heaven, once life is over, you better get it right.

Do you understand the consequences if you don’t get it right? You get one chance at this. In this life and this life only, you got one chance to get it right. And look of how many religions there are. And you got one Bible and look how many different translations that you can come out with and how many different views you can come out with. It’s a how do I know which one’s right? If you’re a Mormon and born in a Mormon family, guess what your Mormon parents are going to try to teach you to be?

Mormon? If you’re born and your parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses, what do you think they’re going to try to teach you to be? And if you have parents with Catholic, what are they going to try to teach you to be? And not on down the line, every religion tries to convince their kids and anybody else they can, they’re right and if they’re right they’re wrong. All religions can’t be true. They can all be right. Somebody’s right. Somebody’s wrong. How do you know?

Oh I got my little old people ain’t up here and I got all these thoughts and these various religions. How do I know which one’s right? Well God broke it down so we could understand the truth of it and how easy it really can be. So take your Bible and look there in the book of 1 John chapter 5. 1 John and chapter 5. I love of this verse. I didn’t know it was in the Bible until I was 18.

But in 1 John chapter 5 looked there in verse 13. And look what it says, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have what eternal life. So does the Bible say that you can know you have eternal life? It says you can know it and it says there these things have I written unto you that believe. It’s not to those who join the church keep the tent commandments you know it’s just those that believe and it’s written to those that believe on somebody on the name of the Son of God, which is Jesus Christ.

Do you believe on Jesus Christ? These things have I written unto you that do that. He didn’t write to everybody that believes whatever they want to believe. Only those who believe this that you can know you have eternal life because not everybody else can know it. If you try to earn your way to heaven, he never said you can know you’re going to heaven if you earn it. He never said if you went to church you can go to heaven?

No, he didn’t say that. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 and 9, these are two very important verses. Look what it says in verse 8, 4 by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it is the what? Get of God and get verse 9, not of works lest any man should boast. So we know this, Can you know you can go to heaven? Yeah, can you know you have eternal life? Yeah. Can you earn it? No, not of works.

So not of works means not of works. Somebody says, well, it all depends on how you interpret it. Okay, how would you interpret not of works? I interpret it, not of works. It means you don’t earn it. If it says not of yourself, that means there’s nothing that I do, nothing that I do that will save me. Nothing that I have to depend upon me doing or getting done. Trusting means that I am dependent upon somebody else to do the work.

So if I trust Christ, then that means my going to heaven depends upon Christ. Not upon me, depends on Him. Now, He said He would save me. He will give me as a free gift ever lasting life. And if He gives me everlasting life, it will last for how long? It’ll last forever. And that way you can know that you’re going to heaven when you die. Look in Titus in chapter 3. The book of Titus, in chapter 3, where it makes the statement in verse 5, not by works of righteousness, Which we have done.

So there’s not, I’m not saved because I did some works of righteousness, not because I did something. I’m going to heaven because I did not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. And so that in verse seven that being justified by his grace grace means on merit it means you don’t deserve it Grace means you do not deserve to be saved and God says you’re saved by grace If you’re saved by your works, then it can’t be grace Remember the illustration I gave you’re not long ago My coat on that’s works my coat off.

Well, that’s grace So he says that if it’s by Works then it can’t be by grace Otherwise work isn’t work, but if it is by grace, then it can’t be by works. Otherwise grace isn’t grace. See how simple that is? If God says it’s free, that means you don’t earn it. No code. But if you believe this by your works, well then see that messes it up. Now is it free or you got to earn it, but it can’t be both ways.

You see, God’s gunning saved me in taping heaven and don’t cost me anything. He did all the work, He saved me by His grace and it’s a gift. It’s not by my works and he’ll give me eternal life. Well, if he gives me eternal life and it’s forever, then where am I gonna go when I die? Well, I’d go to heaven But if it’s by my works, how would I know if I’m trusting in my works to help me?

All you gotta do is if if I don’t do the things right, I Don’t have the works Well, I still go now if I won’t get there because I didn’t perform then I was trusting in my works to get me there because if it’s totally by grace there’s nothing that can keep me from going to heaven. Either he paid for all my sins or he paid for none of my sins. If all my sins are paid, how many would I have to pay for it if he paid for all of them?

None. Let me show you a simple illustration. This hand represents you and me and wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. Now God says we all have a sinful nature and so that’s why we produce the sin. But to get to heaven I got to be perfect. I can’t have no sin. Well that’s the problem. I can’t get into heaven because God won’t allow sin into heaven. So that’s why I can’t go. You can’t even. So what happened was God says the wages of sin because you sinned, you deserve something for that.

So God says I’m going to pay you and the payment for this sin is dead. You get to die. That’s physical death. Everybody died. But when you die, it also cares with it. Eternal separation from God in a literal fire burning hell. So there we are. We cannot save ourselves. We can’t change the situation. We can’t do anything for ourselves. God says you cannot save yourself. It’s not what you can do. So you don’t have to go to church to go to heaven and you don’t have to give money to go to heaven.

You can’t buy your way there. Well, how can I get there? This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord. God in the place came into the world because He loves us, but He hates our sin because it separates us from Him. So what Christ did for one person, He did for everybody in the world. He took all the sin, paid for them across, came back from the dead, and said that if we We would believe that He did it for us.

It put that payment to our account and we would go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us. That’s a gift. That’s free. Where am I going when I die? I’m going to heaven. Why? Because he, my sins have all been paid. He paid for how many of my sins? All of them. And when Christ died on the cross 2,000 years ago, how many of our sins were in the future? All of them because we weren’t even born yet.

Well, can he pay for our sins before I commit him? Well, he did, but he hasn’t died since I’ve been born. That means if he’s already died to pay for all of my sins, he paid for my sins from the time I’m born to the time that I died, he made a payment for my sins, all of them. So if I accept that payment he made for me, then I have a payment for all of my sins, not past sins, not just present sins, but all my sins.

So I have a payment for all of my sins. And he puts that payment to my account. I get to go to heaven on what Christ did for me. That’s a gift. That’s free. I didn’t earn it. Didn’t work for it. If I offered you my wallet and you accepted, what would you have? Empty wallet. And if I offered you my Bible and you accepted it, you would have a Bible. When would you have it? When you accepted it?

So this is why salvation is of the Lord. You don’t earn it. You can’t work for it. You cannot buy it. Now, one of the best illustrations, I believe, that’s every use in the scriptures to explain how a man is saved. And remember this, there is no illustration in the Bible, none anywhere in the book. That ever says that God saved a man and then the man got lost and then God saved again. No question the Bible. So once God saves a man, he saved for how long?

However, because God said, I’ll never cast you out. John chapter 6, he said, I’ll never lose you. He says, and I give him the eternal life. No man is able to fuck you out of my father’s hand. What it means is this. Here’s the Lord. Here’s me. When I trust Christ as my savior, he saves me. So that means my going to heaven depends upon him, keeping his word. So if I trust him, he said, he’ll save me. and he said, he’ll never cast me out.

He said, he won’t lose me. He said, no man can pluck him out of my hand, me or anybody. You can’t pluck yourself out of his hand. So this is how I know I’m going to heaven when I die, because my going to heaven depends upon him keeping his word. Now does God lie? No. He says, he that believeth only have everlasting life. Now religions, all religions, can add them into this category is that they believe here’s the Lord whatever they want to call them and here they are.

They believe that if they get a good grip on God I believe on God and I turn from my evil ways confess to all my sins and repented and all the rest of it and now I’m going to walk out straight and narrow away and I’ve done everything but if I start doing anything wrong I can slip away. I’m sliding away. Now I’m lost and I got to get saved again. And then if I don’t do right, I got to pray through, hang on, let go, let God.

And there I am again. See, this isn’t worth the quarter because this means I am saving me. But of course I’m talking about God. I can talk about Jesus Christ and how I’m trusting Christ. I’m trusting Christ to take me to heaven. Am I trusting Christ to take me to heaven? No. My salvation depends on me because this is why people in this world, they believe you can get saved today and go to hell tomorrow. If they can lose their salvation, that’s because it’s in their hands.

It depends on how strong they are. Can they hang on? Can they endure to the end? See, their salvation doesn’t depend upon him, depends upon themselves. That’s not the Bible. That’s man-made religion. So all the religions that teach you have to do something by the way you live, you’ll get to heaven. Or you got to keep that way and all, oh yeah, I’m trusting in Jesus Christ. He’s the only way and all that. I’m trusting him and grace and by no works and so forth.

I know you say all of that, but see, your salvation that depends on Christ, it depends on you because you believe you can lose it. They either believe one or two things. You don’t believe it, Christ, meant what he said or did what he said he did. What did he say? He said, if you trust me, I’ll give you everlasting life and never cast you out. That’s what he said. Do you believe it? The other one was you don’t believe he did what he said he did.

What was that? He paid for all my sins. Well, if all my sins are paid, what sin can condemn me to hell? If all my sins are paid. All of them are paid. I think I said, well, you can commit So it’s like I said, is that a sin? He said, yes, pay. It’s paid. All sense paid. If you believe it or you don’t believe it. I said, you don’t believe the Bible. Jesus Christ tells the story of the man hanging there on the cross right beside of him.

And he said, Lord, remember me when the outcome is into that kingdom. And Jesus says, today, shout out be with me where in paradise. Here’s a man hanging on the cross. Had he done anything wrong? Oh yeah, he was a thief. He was one of those that was hanging there. He was down on the cross. What did he do? Did he have to join the church? No, I joined the church. I was 18 years old. You know what church was the first church I ever joined?

Northside Baptist Church right here. I trusted Christ as my savior right here, 46 years ago down here in part of the apartment. And Betty’s dad got me to come out to church and so I came out here. this is where I joined the church. But you know what I had to do also? Have I ever been baptized? Yes, I was baptized. Where? Right there in this bad history. 46 years ago. So what I’ve been baptized. But you know, it’s joined this church.

This church can’t get me to heaven. Or the church would be my savior. If I, the man that baptized me, his name was Virgil Edwards. He was the pastor here. Well, if I had to be baptized in order to be saved, well. The man that baptized me would be my savior because if I can’t be saved without being water baptized, or the one who baptized me, did they work for me, I owe him my salvation. Is my salvation should be owed to a man?

No. But was I baptized? Yeah, I was baptized. But you see, that doesn’t save you. It doesn’t give you eternal life. It’s a picture. Me and my wife, we ran away and got married. Anderson, South Carolina. There was no photographers there, nobody there taking pictures and so forth. And we signed a little piece. It was the justice of the peace. Found out later it was the Secretary of War. But anyway, we got married, 18 years old. We have had a lot of pictures since then.

But when people get married, it’s because, you know, they take pictures. The picture doesn’t marry you. It’s only a picture of your marriage. When I stand in the water, that’s a picture of Christ on the cross. And when I go under the water, that’s a picture of my burial. When I come up out of the water, that’s a picture of my resurrection. So when I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross, buried, rose again for me, and because I believe that, then every person who believes that is to be water baptized.

I’m placed under the water. I come up out of the water and that’s a picture of my death, better as a resident. But this doesn’t save me. I do this because I am saved. Joining the church. Am I a member of the church? Yes, I joined the church, but I don’t do that to go to heaven. That little deed that I did in a little, little living room, I was born in the God’s family that day, that minute, that very second.

God became my Heavenly Father. I became His child. He said, He’ll never cast me out and never lose me. That was the best news I ever heard in my life. Because see, if you’re going to heaven depends upon anything that you have to do. You don’t never know if it’s enough. You won’t know When you die if you’re really going to go to heaven you’ve got a hope all your life I Have known Beyond they shav it out. I know I have eternal life.

I know I’m going to heaven when I die Best news and all the world That’s what being saved me being saved means you’re saved from something to something. I will save from hell to heaven He that believed on me, you have it. You’ve got it. It’s so simple. It’s free. It’s a gift. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message.

If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, You can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link. 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.

Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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.

Turn in your Bible to the book of Isaiah, chapter 48. Isaiah, chapter 48. In the book of Isaiah, chapter 48, there’s things that God wants us to know, and that is He wants us to believe Him. be surprised what God goes through in our lives, trying to teach us to trust Him. He wants us to know Him. And He makes a statement here in verse 3, I have declared the former things from the beginning, they went forth out of my mouth and I showed them, I did them suddenly and they came to pass because I knew that thou art obstinate and thy neck is an iron seneur And I brow brass interpreted that means because I know knew that you were hard headed and stiff.

That’s what that means. So he says in verse five, I have even from the beginning declared it to the before it came to pass. I showed it the less thou should have said mine idle have done them and my graven image and my molten image have commanded them. In other words, God don’t want you to believe in these false gods and idols and images. He wants you to believe Him. So He said, I will tell you in advance what will happen so that you’ll know I told you so.

God loves to say, I told you So we don’t like it, but God does. And then he says this in verse six, Thou hath heard, see all of this, and will not ye declare it? I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou does not know them. So he says, I know things, I want to reveal things, because I want you to know me. I want you to believe me. I want you to trust me.

Now, of course, in a spiritual realm, And we can apply that in a lot of ways, and I could teach a whole sermon on just that part of the message in itself. But take your Bible and turn to the book of Ezekiel, the book of Ezekiel. And look there in all around verse or chapter 37. That sounds like a good chapter, don’t it? After 37, it is an interesting little chapter. God had prophesied in advance what was going to take place with the nation of Israel.

If you remember, Solomon was the king, and Solomon was considered to be the wisest man. And in his so-called wisdom, he made some wrong decisions. You think, why would you do that if you’re so wise? And yet he had wisdom, he knew so much. And it says that even though he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, they led him astray because they had other gods. They came from other nations. So now it’s hard enough for a man to please one wife, but what if you had 700 of them?

He says, wow, 700 of them, and you’ve got to satisfy 700 wives, and they all got their own gods, their own desires and things. You go nuts. And the Bible says that they turned his heart from the Lord. And because of that, God says, not in your day, but when you die, I’m going to rip the kingdom apart. So you see, there is a price for sin. It does take its toll. Even though he built such great wealth, it was all lost.

The temple that he had built was so beautiful, it was destroyed. So you see, when you serve the Lord, God can give and give, but when you don’t, God can take it all away so easy. God wants us to learn, God wants us to trust Him. But we’re so hard headed, and He has a whole chapter in the book of Psalms about, lest you forget, lest you forget, He says, and you forgot, you forgot. You forget where your blessings come from.

You forget there’s a God in heaven that rules in the lives of man. And God can let things come your way and God can keep things from you. He can shower you with blessings and He can take them all away just as easy. So if all this is true, if there’s anybody you never want to make mad, it ought to be the Lord. Don’t make God mad or upset. Now here in the book of Psalms and 37, there’s a little vision here.

It’s called the Valley of Dry Bones. It’s a reference to the nation of Israel, and it’s actually even looking further into the future because Israel is going to be destroyed, and it’s going to get very, very bad for them as a people. But God says these bones are going to start coming together, and so they’re going to come to life, and they’re going to stand upon their feet, and they’re going to be a whole army. But why is God doing all of this?

Because God knows that if He doesn’t do it, the nation of Israel never will. You see, for 1500 years from the time they were told what to do until Christ came, they never fulfilled the law. They just wouldn’t obey. They were just rebellious. obedient people. So God says, I’m going to have to really lure the boom, almost bring them to the point of annihilation. That day is coming, that day is close. When there’s a good possibility in the very near future Israel as a nation can be totally destroyed.

There’ll always be a remnant, a few that will be deceded by which he can grow a nation again. So I want you to look at this here in chapter 36. I want you to notice there in verse 10, there’s things that God is going to cause to happen. This is Ezekiel chapter 36, page 880, and he says in verse 10, I will multiply men upon you, all house of Israel. Even all of it and the city shall be inhabited and the waste shall be built in.

In verse 11 I will and you’ll notice he keeps saying what I will do I will do I am going to do this because Israel as a nation never will. So God is going to bring them to the point of destruction and eventually the nation of Israel is going to see the Lord when he comes back in power and great glory. So he goes down through here and he says all these things and lays it down pretty clear. And then he says there in verse 15, neither will I cause men to hear in the shame of the heathen anymore.

Neither shall thou bear the reproach of the people anymore. Neither shall thou cause thine nations to fall anymore, Seth, In other words, there’s a time coming, God’s going to stop all of this because God’s going to deal. But you see, there’s nations that are going to fall and there’s going to be one nation that is going to rise. You and I are living at one of the most exciting times of human history. You see, because God says you’re hard-headed and stiff-necked, I’m going to tell you all these things in advance so that when it happens, you know that I told you them.

You see, it’s one thing when God says something and a couple hundred years later, it happens. He says something else and a couple hundred years later it happens. But here he’s talked about something and he’s been over 2,000 years. So if this thing happens, it’s really going to be a miracle, a big miracle. Because God said that he was going to divide the nation of Israel, 10 tribes would be considered the beat is Rayola. And their capital would be in Samaria.

And then you had the southern two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, and the capital would be in Jerusalem. So there were kings from Israel and kings of Judah. And so when you read the kings, that’s so that you know that. And so there were kings in two different places at the same time over God’s people. Only because there had been sinful rebellion. And God says the day is gonna come when I’m gonna have to really chase in your heart because you won’t listen.

Some people just won’t believe God. So the Assyrians came in and they conquered Israel and took them into captivity. And that’s where a lot of people think they’re talking about the lost 10 tribes and they come into Europe and America now is the, no, that’s junk. They’ll go down that stuff. And then, a couple hundred years later, here comes the Babylonians, and they take Judah, destroyed the city of Jerusalem, and the walls of the city, and the temple, and all that was destroyed, taken into Babylonian captivity.

And then, seven years later, they came back to the land, Ezra, near Mayan, some of them, and they rebuilt the wall and they built that little thing called the temple. And it says some of the older men they wept because they remembered the other temple. They remembered Solomon’s temple and that this temple was nothing compared to what they used to have. And so Ezekiel was given dimensions of the one that’s going to be built in the millennium, a future day, a future, I guess you could say temple, that’s going to be beautiful than anything they’ve ever seen.

And it talks about a lot of other stuff that we don’t have time to get into right now. But this temple that’s going to be the ones before it will be like nothing. And then David’s going to be here. King David is going to be here and ruling rain upon the earth. So we look forward to that. But look what he said in verse 22. Verse 22, therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for mine own holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the heathen with a U.N.

So he has sent them everywhere and Israel should have wherever they went into all the world. They wouldn’t do it voluntarily and the God had meant for Israel to be a lighthouse to the world, to show the nations of the world what it was like to have the true and living God as their God. And they were to serve God and be a light to the Gentiles. So they wouldn’t do it voluntarily. God smashed them and scattered them, and wherever they went, they were supposed to be like little lights of the true and living God.

And still manifest what they believe and what they knew about God. And they wouldn’t do it. They went bitterly and they cursed God, they hated, and they anyway, God had to lower the boom on them. But He says, I’m not doing this so much for your sake, I’m doing it for my sake. Because God had a reason, God had a purpose. See, God loved his people. He wanted to do so much for his people. But God can’t bless disobedience.

You see, here we are 2,000 years removed from the time of Christ. We’re supposed to believe that all these things are true so that we don’t make the same dumb, stupid, He got at me. Stake they made. We should know that if I serve the Lord, God will bless me. And if I don’t, God could beat the Torah to me. So which one do I want? Do I want God to beat me all the time? Or do I want God to bless me?

I just say, if this is true and believe it is, I’m not going to serve the Lord. Because God says, this is what I will do. I will do. I will do this. for I will take you from among the heathen, get you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land. Stop and think. Even in our time, I should say a little bit, I was maybe five years old, when Israel became a nay, May the 20th, 1948, and they came from all over the world to that little sliver of land they have over there.

a miraculous thing, because God says that I’m going to scatter you. And then in the last days, He’s, I’m going to bring you back into the land. And they’ve come back and become established as a nation. No other nation has ever done that. Of all the nations and all the world. There’s nobody ever had that happen to them, but it happened to Israel. God’s God’s God would. Well, if after these twenty five hundred years, you think it’s just a coincidence?

Or is it possible that there is truly a living God that lives and moves in the affairs of man? And that God is on the throne and God can protect his people. regardless of what everybody tries to do to them, even though Hitler tried to annihilate the Jews and people are still wanting to do that today. Isn’t it amazing? That’s what they wanted to do. You don’t hear them say, we’re going to annihilate all the Catholics. We’re going to annihilate all the Baptists.

No, I want to kill all the Jews. And of course, Christians are thrown into that. Well, look what he says. Verse 25, then will I sprinkle clean water upon you? You shall be clean. In other words, this is a reference to the day when you will believe on the Messiah and you will be washed as white as snow. It’s the new birth. It’s the only thing that can cure Israel is a new birth where they believe on the Lord.

And then as a nation, God is able to fulfill His will Because God can’t bless the rebellious rebellion. See there in verse 26, and he said, a new heart will also, I give you in a new spirit. Well, I put within you, I will do this. I will, I will, I will, all the way down the aisle. This is what I’m going to do. You see, individually, there’s people that trust Christ as Savior, Jews, and there’s individuals, Gentiles, that will trust Christ as Savior, and God gives them a new man, a new birth.

That’s the new heart. A new heart is because you had a new birth. And so God has promised all of this. And so he says there in verse 27, I will put my spirit within you. Then down in verse 29, and I will also save you from all your uncleanness. And I will call you for the corn and I will in verse 30. See, this is because of what God is going to do. Verse 31, then shall you remember?

your own evil ways and your doings that were not good and your own sight and your abomination your iniquities in verse 32 not for your sake do I do this after Lord be it known he says you’re always of the house of Israel you have gotten what you have deserved but God is always merciful God is merciful if it wasn’t for the mercy of God, we would all be consumed. Because God has the right to take any of us out of here at any time because of our wickedness.

We don’t think right. We don’t love right. We don’t serve right. We just don’t live right. Regardless of your desiring, your motive to, we fail. We fail all the time. So he says, I’m going to do some things to you, but look in verse 35. And they shall say, this land was, which was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden. I’ve been to Israel six times. The land of Israel is like the Garden of Eden. It really is.

I can’t believe it. You can have six kinds of raw fish for breakfast every morning. Oh, I love that raw fish. Don’t just make you hungry. Just think about all that raw fish. They even gave us St. Peter’s fish from the Sea of Galilee. Still has heads its head on it. St. Peter’s fish leave the head on it, they cook the whole thing. Boy is that good eating. That’s good eating. And you can stand up on the Mount of Olive and you can see certain parts of the special upon the Golan Heights and you can see the land of Jordan.

It’s like a desert. You leave in from Israel and you start going down south toward Egypt. It’s It’s desert Israel. It blossoms like a rose. God has blessed those people because they’re working the land. If they follow biblical principles, saved or lost, it won’t matter. If a lost man puts seeds in the ground and waters it can grow. It’s not based upon whether or not the man is saved or lost, but they have been blessed with such wisdom to do all of these things.

I look in verse 37, thus say, if the Lord God, I will yet for this, be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. I will increase them with men like a flock. So God says, this is what I’m going to do. Now, he kind of breaks it away and then he gets into this whole thing about this son. Valley of dry bones. And how he says that these body parts are going to start coming together.

And it seemed a little crazy at first. But look here in verse 11. Then he said to me, Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. And behold, they say our bones are dried and our hope is lost. We are cut off from our parts because they were scattered all over the world. They had no unity. They had no land of their own. They had no and still don’t have a temple. They have no king.

And yet they trying to worship Jehovah and some have no clue what they’re even doing after all these years. They’ve lost the meaning of why they were doing these things. And he says in verse 12, therefore prophesy and say unto them, thus saith the Lord God behold, oh my people, I will open your graves. That means the other nations. I’m going to bring you from out of these nations and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel.

Remember God says you caused your hard-headed and stiff-knit. I’m going to tell you all these things before it comes to pass. Hasn’t it come to pass? Some of this here are taking place. It’s not the total fulfillment. But you can’t have a peace treaty with a nation of Israel If there is no nation of Israel. So there is going to be a seven year treaty made, but you have to have a nation. The right now the Muslim nations want to deny Israel the right to exist as a people.

They want to annihilate it. They want to deny them the right to the land. Even though they’ve got 50 something countries, they want that little sliver of land too. talking about being hoggysh. They want it all. And by the way, they don’t want just Israel. They want America too. They want all the nations of the earth to worship Allah. Oh yes so much stuff I’d like to say. But anyway, he says in verse 14, and shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live and I shall place you in your, get it as your own land.

So that’s why I know that up there when he comes out of the grave, he’s telling me coming out of those gentile nations, lands around the world. And I’m going to bring you back into your own land and you shall live. And then shall he say here, then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it because you couldn’t make it happen. This has to be a miracle because But anything God has to do is because man couldn’t do it.

God did this. God’s taken rebellious individuals from all over the world because they are of the nation of Israel and God can bring them back into their land. And God can create that desire, that hunger, the one who go into their own homeland and have it all again. And they always say next year in Jerusalem, next year in Jerusalem, next year in Jerusalem. He says these two sticks are going to be made into one. You know, there’s Israel and Judah, and they’ll come together, become one nation.

Well, if you go over there, you look, there’s one nation. And says in verse 19, say unto them, thus saith the Lord God behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel, his fellows, and put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick. They shall be one in my hand, one nation once again. You see, because of Solomon, and after he died, the kingdom was divided, and God says in the last days, I’m gonna bring them back, and they’re gonna be one nation.

And the Bible talks about in the book of Hosea in chapter four, I believe it is, and he says, he says, they parted my land, they parted my land. See, they’re dividing up the land over there and say, You know, you give land for peace. You don’t give any Arab land for peace. Not as a nation of Israel, because they don’t want just a little land. They want all of your land. You don’t have a right to that land, and they want it all.

But when you check the scriptures, you find that the Bible was written hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before Muhammad ever showed up. and their writings don’t compare it with these writings. This was first. In their book The Koran, it talks about the people of the book. And the people of the book is the nation of Israel, the Jews of the book, which is the Bible. So this was first. There’s this last. If you will, look down in verse 21, and say unto them, does saith the Lord God behold?

I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whether they be gone and will bring them them on every side and bring them into their own land. And I will make them one nation.” See if everyone says one stick, that’s how I know he’s talking about one nation. He’s going to do it. And he makes this statement. And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel and one king shall be king to them all.

And they shall be no more two Two nations neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all. This is what God says, I’m going to do this. Now remember, this was written almost 600 years before Christ ever came. Telling what’s going to happen to the nation of Israel. You see, it hasn’t all yet been fulfilled. Parts of it has, but it ain’t done yet. has been under the dominion of Gentile nations, even when Christ was here, is under the iron heel of Rome.

And so God says that is going to destroy the temple, the walls, the city, it used to be scattered, it happened again. So it happened before with Assyria and with Babylon, and then it happens again. History repeats itself because people don’t usually learn their lessons. Remember America is only 200 years old, a little over 200 years old. Look at all the things that we’ve done in just 200 years. Israel has been around for almost 4,000 years. That’s a long time you know.

And get what he says here. He says in verse 24, And David, my servant shall be king over them and they shall have one shepherd, they shall also walk in my judgment and observe my statutes and do them.” So we haven’t had it yet where David has been here. But he’s coming. This is talking about David. Now you say, well, the knot is talking about the lineage of David. Okay? That would mean Christ. Because there is no King past Christ.

Jesus Christ when he was here is the only one even at that time they had the right to claim the throne of Israel. there wasn’t nobody else could claim the throne. He had the right to claim the throne. That’s why you have the genealogy given in the book of Matthew and also showing the end in the book of Luke. One through Mary and one through Joseph that he had the right legal right to claim the throne of Israel. And whenever he died nobody else has the right to claim the throne because none of them from that line could claim the throne because it goes to the Jack and Nia and it was a curse put up on the line.

And only because of the virgin birth could the next person Have the right to be the king. He could have a sinful nature. Interesting. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible line programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 a 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. God’s taken rebellious individuals, all over the world, because they are of the nation of Israel and God can bring them back into their land. And God can create that desire, that hunger, they wanna go into their own homeland and have it all again. And they always say next year in Jerusalem, next year in Jerusalem, next year in Jerusalem.

So he says these two sticks are gonna be made into one. You know, there’s Israel and Judah and they’ll come together, become one nation. Well, if you go over there, you look, there’s one nation. It says in verse 19, “‘Say unto them, thus saith the Lord God behold, “‘I will take the stick of Joseph, “‘which is the hand of Ephraim and the tribes “‘of Israel, his fellows, and put them with him, “‘even with the stick of Judah and make them one stick.

“‘They shall be one in mine hand, one nation, once again.'” You see, because of Solomon, and after he died, the kingdom was divided, and God says, in the last days, I’m going to bring them back, and they’re going to be one nation. And the Bible talks about in the book of Hosea in chapter 4, I believe it is, and he says, they parted my land. They parted my land. See, they’re dividing up the land over there and say, you know, you give land for peace.

You don’t give any Arab land for peace, not as a nation of Israel, because they don’t want just a little land. They want all of your land. You don’t have a right to that land and they want it all. But when you check the scriptures, you find that the Bible was written hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before Muhammad ever showed up. And their writings don’t compare it with these writings. This was first. In their book, the Koran, it talks about the people of the book.

And the people of the book is the nation of Israel, the Jews of the book, which is the Bible. So this was first. There’s this last. If you will look down in verse 21 and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whether they be gone and will bring them on every side and bring them into their own land. And I will make them one nation.” See if everyone says one stick, that’s how I know he’s talking about one nation.

He’s going to do it. And he makes this statement. And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel and one king shall be king to them all. And they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all. This is what God says, I’m going to do this. Now remember, this was written almost 600 years before Christ ever came. Telling what’s going to happen to the nation of Israel.

You see, it hasn’t all yet been fulfilled. Parts of it has, but it ain’t done yet. Israel has been under the dominion of Gentile nations, even when Christ was here, under the iron heel of Rome. And so God says that it’s going to destroy the temple, the walls, the city, it used to be scattered, it happened again. It had happened before with Assyria and with Babylon and then it happens again. History repeats itself because people don’t usually learn their lessons.

Remember America is only 200 years old, a little over 200 years old. Look at all the things that we’ve done in just 200 years. Israel has been around for almost 4,000 years. That’s a long time you know. And get what he says here. He says in verse 24, and David, my servant shall be king over them and they shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in my judgment and observe my statutes and do them. So we haven’t had it yet where David has been here.

But his coming. This is talking about David. Now you say, well, the not is talking about the lineage of David. Okay. That would mean Christ. Because there is no King past Christ. Jesus Christ when he was here is the only one even at that time that had the right to claim the throne of Israel. There was nobody else could claim the throne. He had the right to claim the throne. That’s why you have the genealogy given in the book of Matthew and also shown in the end in the book of Luke.

One through Mary and one through Joseph that he had the right legal right to claim the throne of Israel. And whenever he died, nobody else has the right to claim the throne. Because none of them from that line could claim the throne because it goes to the Jack and I and it was the curse put up on the line. And only because of the virgin birth could the next person have the right to be the king. He could have a sinful nature.

Interesting. So hold your place here. Look in Psalms 30, Ezekiel 34. Ezekiel 34 and look at it in verse 23. He’s equal 34 and verse 23. He says, and I will set up one shepherd over them. He shall feed them even my servant David. He shall feed them and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord L O R D caps Jehovah will be their God. And my I serve it David, a prince among them, I the Lord have spoken it.

So if he spoke it, it’s supposed to be, hey, you can count on this. This is money in the bank. I said, this is what’s going to take place. In verse 25, and I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beast to cease out of the land. They shall dwell safely, sleep, all these things. And then in verse 26, the last part of verse 26, There shall be showers of blessing. This is the promise of God, Jehovah, the promise of the Lord.

Showers of blessing. It’s coming. All the bad things that God says is going to happen, going to happen. And the tribulation period that’s right ahead of us, the worst part of time the world’s ever known, is because God is going to judge His people, the nation of Israel. And God says in the book of Zachariah in chapter 12, he says, and I will gather all nations against Jerusalem. God is going to do that. He’s going to have all the nations turn against Israel.

How does it look? Looking pretty good like that, huh? God says, he’s going to do why? Because he’s going to show the world the impossibility, the impossibility of a little sliver of land, a little handful of people is going to be able to hook the world. And only because of what God says, I will do this. I will do this. Not only so that my people will know that I am God, but so that the world will know that I am God.

Hold your place right there and just look over there in Ezekiel in 30, 39. Verse 39. I just want to show you this verse real quick. Verse 28 says there in chapter 39, he says, then shall they know that I am the Lord, their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen. But I have gathered them into their own land and have left none of them Anymore there. Neither will I hide my face anymore from them, for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, sayeth the Lord God, because I want them to know who did it.

I did it. These are my people and I’m going to protect them. They cannot be annihilated because the nation of Israel is like a person in the Old Testament as an individual. like a safe man. You see, I can’t lose my salvation any more than you can wipe out the nation of Israel. And kill all the Jews. They will always be a remnant. And even today, even though God’s people, we may stumble, we fall, we mess up, whatever it is, but God says, you’re still my child.

He cannot unborn you. God had made promises to Israel to the nation of Israel. God has to fulfill. God has to keep his word. So just look back there again now in chapter 34 where it makes the statement in verse 1. 24 and I the Lord will be their God in my servant David a prince among them Then there’ll be a covenant of peace the inverse 20 think that shall be showers of blessing So you go down through here now look there in verse 29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land Neither bear the shame of the heathen anymore God is doing what he’s doing because he’s gonna show the world You’re going to show the world.

And I want you to see that. So let’s go on over there to chapter 38. Chapter 38. Here you have a very simple little story about a place called, and most Bible scholars believe is a place called Russia. North of Israel, the place called Rush. And there is the place of Gog and Magog. They gog the land and gog the prince. So it’s the prince of Russia. And the Bible says that they’re going to come down from the north against that little tiny nation of Israel.

You know one of the reasons that America has spent billions and billions of dollars feed into all these Arab nations because they don’t want Russia to get them. They don’t want Russia to be the satellite them. So we make agreements with them and pay you all this money so that you’ll leave Russia out of it because you don’t trust Russia, it’s a bear. You don’t trust that bear. But what’s going on right now, see, the Bible says in the last days, it says that Iraq and Iran called Persia and Libya, Ethiopia and Turkey, these nations are going to side with Russia.

And if you notice that it’s Russia right now that’s given a lot of stuff to a place like Iran, sending missiles and things like that into Syria, we got our hands full. Something has to happen in a drastic way to cause the Arab nations to accept Israel’s right to exist as a people, and their right to exist in that land, and their right to rebuild their temple. What’s it going to take? Something has to happen and it doesn’t look like it’s going to come from America unless somehow Israel is able to take out somebody like Iran.

Now if I was Israel and I was Benjamin Netanyahu and I had to consider the consequences that if America don’t stand with us and don’t draw the red line and don’t tell them what they can’t do and make sure militarily they don’t do it, they’re going to destroy and annihilate them. So what would you do? If I knew I had to take you out or you were going to annihilate us, I wouldn’t wait. But they also know that how does this little sliver of land take on 50-something countries all at one time and not knowing if America will really stand with you.

Wouldn’t that be a scary scenario to be in? Because once you go after Iran and you don’t really know how it’s going to turn out, you realize you may have just signed your death warrant. So how is it going to cause peace in the Middle at least then, unless Israel does something miraculous. I don’t know any other way to put it. I don’t really have all the answers. I just know it sure is getting exciting. I can’t wait till the next day to see what’s gonna happen next anyway.

Just some things to think about. But something else I wanted you to see. And if you will, look there in Ezekiel chapter 38. And when he makes the statement like in verse, over five Persia, which is I reckon Iran, Ethiopia and Libya, they’re gonna be on the same side with Russia. Isn’t it amazing that 2,500 years ago? It said that, and that God says, I’m going to bring them down against my people Israel. In chapter 39, there’s a, well, the Russia loses that battle.

But let me just show you this. See there in verse 15 where he says, and thou shall come from thy place out of the North parts. Thou and many people with thee look in verse 16, thou shall come up against my people of Israel. He’s telling you’re going to come against Israel. I am going to bring you down, see in verse four where he says, and I will turn thee back and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth.

God’s going to do this. See, people think they’re just doing what they want to do. I got an idea. And God’s the one that can cause people to think certain things and do certain things. God says the river run according to the banks, and God can change the hearts of men to fulfill his will. That’s interesting. Also in the book of Revelation, chapter 17, where God says, until they have fulfilled his will. They don’t know they’re fulfilling his will because God can use the wickedness of man to accomplish his purpose.

Look what else she says. See there in verse 16, I will bring the against my land the heathen. You ought to underline this. That the heathen may know me. This is one of the things. See, I want my people to know me, but I want the heathen to know me. And so God says that He’s going to do all of this, and this is what’s going to happen. And it’s going to happen. Look down here in verse 23. 23.

Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself and I will be known. I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know I am the Lord. See all of this is going on. Good, bad, or indifferentness about people knowing who God is. What is God like? God wants himself to be known in the minds of every individual. You see, even talk about eternal life and knowing that you have eternal life, and know that you’re going to heaven.

And when you read the prayer that Jesus prayed in the book of John chapter 17, he says, whom to know, whom to know is life eternal? That they may know thee, the only true wise eternal God, that you may know God. It’s all about knowing. That’s why we talked about Somebody, you know, and we talked to a, do you know the Lord? Do you know the Lord? Do you know the Lord? Salvation is because you know God. You know the Lord.

You don’t know the Lord until you’re saved. Then you know the Lord. But after you trust the Christ is saved, the Bible talks about there’s so much more that God wants us to know. Do we know the Lord? I’ll look down in verse seven of chapter 39, where he makes a statement, So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel. And I will not let them pollute my holy name anymore. And get this, and the heathen shall know that I am Jehovah.

I am the Lord.” Not Allah. God, the true God, has a son. Allah does not have a son. Allah is not God. So how simple that is? And He makes this statement that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. And as you go through the book of Isaiah, the phrase the Holy One, the Holy One, the Holy One is always a reference to Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

Anyway, and then you look there in verse 22, look in verse 22. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord, their God from that day and forward.” And then look in verse 23, and the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me. Therefore hid I my face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies so fell they all by the sword. Does that make it pretty clear why those bad things happen to Israel?

Because they rebelled against the Lord. And God said, I brought all this to pass. Because see, if you serve the Lord, God’s going to bless you. If If you don’t serve a Lord, God can use anything, anybody. To whoop you, he would take a nation and use him as a rod across the back of his child Israel. And then after he has used that nation to chasten his people, he then will use another nation and break that rod. That’s found in the book of Habakkah, interesting study.

I need to teach the book of Habakkah again. Great book. But look what he says here. So in verse 22, So the house of Israel shall know that I and the Lord their God from the day forward. And the Haven shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity from that because of their iniquity and because they trespassed against me. So God says, this is what happened to them and this is why it happened. Now look there in verse 25.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God. Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel. And will be jealous for my holy name.” Then he says in verse 27, when I have brought them again from the people, gathered them out of their enemies’ land and emsankified in them in the sight of many nations. See, God is allowing all the nations of the world. Do they know who Israel is? You know, there’s some little countries, you don’t even know who they are.

You can’t pronounce their name. You never hear about them. They never do anything. I bet you, every nation knows where Israel is. I mean, everybody knows the story of Israel. I mean, I like it. They don’t agree with it, but they know about it. And God’s going to use that little low nation to whoop all the nations of the earth. And isn’t going to be amazing that Israel will become the greatest nation upon the earth in the kingdom. The little mustard seed that grows and becomes a great tree.

that all the other ones come and live in the branches of this great nation. It’s going to be awesome. Then in verse 28, then shall they know, then shall they know, then shall they know. This is what he was after all along, that I am the Lord, their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen. But I have gathered them into their own land and have left none of them anymore there. here will I hide my face anymore?”

See all these years, they’ve always wanted to see God. They saw the Chaconna glory when it came and it beheld the presence of God in the tabernacle and when it would move and they would follow and so forth, but to see the face of God. Because see it says right over there that he in verse 23 where he says, Therefore hid I my face from them. And over here he says, I will not hide my face anymore. Over here he hid his face because of their sin.

But see now it’s because he’s dealt with their sin. They have believed on the Messiah. They saw him coming back in power and great glory. They saw the scars in his hands and he says, where did you get those? And he says, I came the first time in the house of my friends. It’s a wonderful story. A natural man could not make up this stuff. This is one perfect book. It deserves to be read. It deserves to be believed.

God deserves to be known. He deserves everything. He is God. Look up here. This man represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. We all have sin upon us. God says that he loves us. He loves every one of us. But he hates what we do wrong. He hates our sin. And because of sin, you can’t see God. There’s a barrier. Because God is a holy God. He’s perfect, He’s righteous. To go to heaven, you have to be perfect, as righteous as God and none of us are.

But because we’ve all sinned, we’re all condemned. Eternal separation from the Lord that God loves us. Just like in spite of how bad Israel was, God still loved them. And God still loves us. Look how bad we are. We do the same thing just like the nation of Israel. We want our own way, go our own way. We live half our lives in the wilderness. getting beat up half the time, and most time we never learn our lesson. But God still loves us.

He says, you cannot save yourself. You cannot earn your way to heaven. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord, God in the flesh. Came into the world because He loves us. Hates our sin because it separates us from Him. So Jesus Christ who had no sin didn’t have to die. So He took all of our sin, paid for it on the cross, came back from the dead. And He said that if you or I, if we would believe He did it for us, He would put the payment that He made to our account.

We get to go to heaven on what Christ did. You see, you don’t earn that. You don’t work your way to heaven. You do not join a church to go to heaven. You don’t stop your sins to go to heaven. You don’t promise to be good to go to heaven. You have to accept Christ in Him alone, believing He died for your sins. See, if He paid for my sins and I don’t have to pay for them, all I have to do is believe He did it for me.

Some people call that easy, believerism. Well, I don’t have a right to make it hard. We want hard believerism. It ought to be easy. He says, going all the way to preach the gospel to every creature. Even children can understand it, then it must be easy. It must be something you can hear and understand and trust the Lord. Let’s pray, shall we? Every head, bond, every act, close, no one looking around. If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, or if you’re watching by Internet, We pray that what we’ve said makes sense to you.

We want you to know Christ as your Savior. The Lord says that you may know Him, that you may know Him. So the question is, is do you know Him? Do you know that Jesus Christ is the Lord that He died on that cross, paid for your sins? And if you trust Him, He’ll give you as a free gift ever last in life. If you’ve never trusted Him, would you do it right now? You don’t have a guarantee on life.

You don’t know if you will ever see tomorrow. But right now, right where you are, and you say, that made sense to me. I want to know that I’m going to heaven when I die. And I will trust Christ as my Savior tonight. And I’d like for you to know it, and I’d like for you to pray for me. And so I’m going to ask you in just a moment to raise your hand. Raising your hand does not save you.

It just lets me know that what I said made sense to you. But friend, I would like to know, and I would like to have prayer for you. So if you’re trusting Christ as your Savior, you’ve never done it before. Would you just slip you in it very quickly and put it right back down, they went off. If you’ve already trusted Christ as your Savior, you’re God’s child. And because you’re God’s child, you’re going to heaven. Because you’re going to heaven, he’ll never cast you out and never lose you.

But he wants us to serve him, not to get to heaven, but because we’re going there. Our Father, we thank you so much for this time together. We thank your Father for your word that’s given to us so that we can know the things that will happen the days in which we live. Or we do pray for our leadership in our country. We want to live a quiet, peaceful life. We do want our government to protect our rights and our freedom.

And followers are those that would love to take it away. But follow, we also pray for the little nation of Israel. You say pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Or we’d love the Jewish people, the nation of Israel, and pray, Lord, you put a hedge about them to protect them, helping them to know exactly what they should do, and work those miracles that has to be done in order to preserve them. We thank you for being Christ’s name, amen.

You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Watch Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link.

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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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.

your Bible and turn to the book of 2 Peter chapter 3, 2 Peter in chapter 3. There’s a verse here that I kind of want to run by you a little bit and then try to give you an illustration of something that I hope will be a blessing to you. Anyway, it ought to be something for you to chew on for a little while. You know, sometimes you just give them a little milk, a little pabble them. And then sometimes you give them something to really chew on.

And it doesn’t mean you can always swallow everything the preacher gives you. But sometimes you have to take a verse over here, which is a knife. You take a verse over here for it. And you go back to that piece of gristle and you kind of cut it up a little bit. And if you can rightly divide it, it makes it easier to chew. So I try to do that. But I don’t always succeed. Some people get choked a little bit here and there.

And here in 2 Peter in chapter 3, down in verse 8, but beloved. Now he’s talking to those who know the Lord. There’s been people have been mocking those that believe that Jesus is coming. So he says up in verse 4, he says, where’s the promise of his coming? I mean, where is he at? Y’all been saying for 2,000 years Jesus is coming and he hasn’t shown up yet. And so there’s a lot of mockers out there. And sometimes I wonder if we don’t bring some of the mocking upon ourselves, but one of these days somebody’s going to hit it right.

Somebody’s going to have the right date. We’re always looking for the Lord to come back at any time. We don’t know exactly when He’s coming, but we know He’s coming. And He says, where’s the promise of His coming? For since the Father’s fellow sleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of evolution. No, the beginning of creation. Well, nothing’s changed. Everything’s the same. Well, that’s what they were saying. This was written 2000 years ago. This was right after Christ had already been here.

They were already saying stuff like that. And here we are 2000 years later. And it says down here that, verse 8, but beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing. One day with the Lord is of the thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but his long suffering toward us not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And so he says in verse 10, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.

But now that verse that says, and verse eight, one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years of the day. Now it’s easy for us sometimes to try to figure out that, you know, with the Lord, time doesn’t seem to mean much. Because to Him a day is like a thousand years or a thousand years like a day. But we often talk about, you know, here it is a thousand years down here is like a day.

And so they’re going to be six days, six thousand years. Christ is going to come back and set up His kingdom upon the earth, and it’ll be the seventh day of the week. Six days? Whoo, they were moving on. We’re at the end of the sixth day. But I thought one time, wouldn’t it be strange that in the eyes of God, because I was wondering one day, God, how can you get so much done? Think of all the people that do all this praying.

And I will thank God you got to spend time with me because you got to think about me. If you think about me, you ain’t got time to think about nobody else. Because I am that important. And the Bible says, multitudes are His thoughts concerning me. So I mean, I thought, well, at least you got a good subject. He thinks about me. Well, then you’re probably thinking, well, God thinks about you. Well, if God’s thinking about all these different people, He got so much to do.

I wonder if God gets tired or bored with so much to do. And then I thought, well, what if God could take a day? A day and stretch it out until it was a thousand years long. But you and I won’t know He did that. And you and I can live our lives and we’re going through a natural life, but God can stretch a day into a thousand years. We have no problem thinking about him taking a thousand years and count it as a day.

Why not go the other way? Let’s just pretend for a second. Let’s pretend y’all live y’all’s normal life. You know, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But God gave me the ability to have a thousand years to live that one day. So while you are here living normal, I would be very slow. You might even think I was dead and want to bury me, but I would just be slow. But what if you reversed it and everybody is moving their normal speed but I would be moving at supernatural speed.

And I could be a lickety split and move at the speed of light because you see, I’m going to take this and have a thousand years into a day. But have I got to move out and I would be able to run around you and do all kinds of things, mess up your hair, spit in your eye and you wouldn’t even see me do it. And you were, well how How did that happen? Who did that? And I thought, but this is awesome when you stop and think about time.

Now when you study the Old Testament, and it’s interesting how that God will use types in order to teach. Not everything God put together at one time. He has what we call progressive revelation. Revelation revealing things in a progressive way Little by little you see the Bible was not given to us all at one time But over the years Maybe 15 1600 years and God has given to us his word 35 to 40 different writers from all kinds of lights a Little here and a little there a little here and a little there yet it all comes together perfectly And he says there’s things that he has done for a purpose that you and I would not have always understood at a particular moment in time where God revealed it all.

You and I living at the time in which we do can understand more than people who lived at other times. The Bible makes this statement that in time passed that many of the prophets, as they studied the Word of God, they did not quite understand all the things about the sufferings and the glory concerning Christ because you see, they didn’t understand when all of this would happen. So even though they knew it was going to happen, they could not distinguish exactly how it would happen.

And so there’s things concerning this in the Old Testament. And 1964, I was in Shreveport, Louisiana, and I had designed myself a great big book. It’s about this thick, about this big. I still have that book to this day. And I rode on the front of it in gold on leather. I bound my own book. One of these days I’ll show it to you. I have on Biblical Studies by Ralph Arnold. I had been saved about three years. Bitty’s dad had taught me a lot about the Bible, but there’s so much I did not understand.

And on one of those pages, I drew a picture. Of the tabernacle in the wilderness, the tent, where God was going to meet with His people. You see, in the Old Testament, the Bible tells us that God wanted to work and walk and fellowship with man. But because of sin, it broke that relationship, that walk we had with God because of sin. When that was broken, it also broke the pureness and the blessings of the earth. So even the earth was cursed.

And then the relationship between individuals was all broken. So how to get man back to God? So God had devised a plan, and it seems like as you study it, It seemed like it takes forever. You studied in your testman how one man lived, and then he had a child. That man lived, and he got married, and he had a child. That man lived, and he had 12 kids. Then they go down into Egypt for 400 years. Now me, I am for moving a little faster.

I get bored quick, but God is not in a hurry. God is patient and he plans it all out. He works everything as though time, what is time? God got all the time in the world to make whatever he wants happen, happen, and to believe that God is in charge. But how can a man get to God? So men need to understand just how righteous and Godly and holy he is. And because there’s a sinful man, that sinful man cannot have direct access to God.

He had to have a mediator, somebody to go between him and God. Have you ever gone to see somebody about a job and you can’t get to the ball, you have to go to the secretary? And the secretary says, well, just have a seat and wait for a month. And she decides whether you get in or you don’t get in. And sometimes if you only knew somebody that knows somebody, they can get you in to see somebody of importance.

Well, you can’t get any more important than God. What if I was that individual that lived back then and I want an audience with God? Hey, I want to work with you. We need to have a meeting. But anyway, whenever you want to see how did they get the lesson in the Old Testament, I want to kind of give you a little picture. We’re going to turn this whole audience, the whole room here, into the tabernacle. This is the tabernacle in the wilderness.

Now the tabernacle in the wilderness, well, there was the court and then the holy place in the holy of holies. Three different sections of it. But the outer court from one end to the other was only about 150 feet long, 150 feet by 70 feet, 75 feet wide. So that’s not very large. It would fit inside of this room probably at the length of this. So we know that the outer court had railings around it and curtains and so forth.

And they were maybe about say seven and a half feet high. And when you came into the courtyard, there were certain things there and then they had the great big curtain up here and it went all the way back. And this part was 15 feet high with the curtains across it. And this curtain separated the outer court from the holy of holies. See, this was the holy place. So the tabernacle is really just two rooms, not counting the outer court.

And so this room was the holy place, and then there was another big veil, and there was another room. And in that room, it was about 15 feet wide, 15 feet long and 15 feet high. It was a cube. So it’s not a very big room. But that’s the place where God told Moses, I will meet with you there in that little room. Now that little room there was no light there. In the holy place, there was no light in here except for the candles.

Now we call it sometimes candlestick, but in reality there was no candles. It was not candlesticks because they didn’t use candles. They used olive oil. They were lamp stands. So it was a lamp stand with one maimin’ in the middle and three on the sides of it. And that was the light that was in the holy place. But can you imagine without the light in there, there was no way of any light getting into this room, or especially into that holy of holies, no light, because they had four different coverings that went over the top of this temple, this tent.

And they had the finest of linen. They had like badger skin over the top of it, and they had another kind of a skin over the top of that, and then they believed that there was another one of like a leather that could have been from, they said a badger or a porpoise or something that had really caused the water to rain off so that water wouldn’t get in and hurt anything. So, but it was totally dark. And Josephus’ book, he writes about the holy place and he talks about the veil.

And that veyola that guarded that holy place, well, it was about four inches thick, and they said that two horses, they could not rip that thing apart. That’s how thick it was and how strong it was. But let’s say if this was the out of court, and when you came in it, remember the priests were the ones that were supposed to teach the people the word of God, the ways of God to help them to understand what it all meant.

There is something they see with the visible eye. They can see the brazen altar when they first walk in and it is an altar that is made out of brass. And this thing is about seven and a half feet wide and long sits off the the ground, maybe four and a half feet. And that’s where they would put the animals that they were going to sacrifice. They call it a burnt offering. On that burnt offering, well, there were different kinds of offerings that they would be able to offer onto this burnt offering for a sacrifice.

There were what we call the sin offering. A sin offering was an offering that the people had to make because they sent against God. And then they had the trespass offering or what we call the guilt offering. You know, when you trespass against someone, you sin against somebody. And so there had to be an offering that you made on that level for that sin. And then there was also what they called the grain offering that whenever you brought in your grain, they would bring it in and the priest would take some of it and throw it on to the burnt offering and they would be able to eat the rest of it.

Remember, the priest didn’t have their own places in the sense there’s like a tribe with a pot of ground like that as a tribe. They lived off of the sacrifices that the people brought. So the people were supposed to bring these things and of course the priests wanted them to because that was how they lived. They would eat that which was cooked and offered to God as a sacrifice. Now if it was a burnt offering it was to be completely burnt completely consumed.

So there were offerings like that. There were some of the offerings where they would offer them in if there was one called the peace offering that once they had offered the sin offering and the guilt offering and made peace with God they could make a peace offering and then they were able to eat that and share in it. So there was all these different that was all in that that brazen altar and that’s why they had to to be offered upon their sacrifice.

And when they came in with that little lamb or whatever they wanted to offer, turtle doves, or whatever they was going to give, if they were poor, they didn’t have to give as much. Or as expensive of an animal. If they were very rich, more was required. Some had to give a bullet. Or a big cow, whatever. But. Many of them gave sheep, little lambs. And they would bring them, and the reason they had to be there for as long as they did is because they had corals outside where they had to put the animals, and they would watch and observe these animals and make sure that there was nothing wrong with them for four days they had to inspect these animals.

So as they inspected them and they were okay, then they would be able to bring them in and the person brought in their own little lamb or whatever it was. And then when they took and put them on the top of this burnt offering, they had four horns on different corners, not real horns, but things that you’d be able to tie the animal down on top of this big grape. And then they would place their hands up on the animal, and they would cut its throat and let the blood drain.

And so even children understood that sin, there’s a penalty. The penalty is death. And so these innocent little animals was because if you did not do this, you could die because of the law in Israel. You could die if you don’t offer the right sacrifice for the right sin. And there were many sacrifices that they had to make. Some of those sacrifices were made every day. And so the priests had rotation of when they would have to serve in the tabernacle or in the temple later on.

So as they would do this and they would have to make these various sacrifices and the priests would be able to eat these things. They became a teaching tool. And so many of the people who came only did it as a ritual and never saw the meaning behind it what caused it to work. Like people today can be baptized in water and never trust Christ as their Savior. True? People can join a church and they think they’re going to heaven now because they’re a member of the body of Christ.

If you never trusted Christ as your Savior, you’re not saved. You don’t go to heaven because you’ve been baptized in water. So many people are religious and yet lost. And the same thing then as it is now. And so they would be able to offer these sacrifices and as they offered these sacrifices and they would tie that animal down and they laid their hand on them. It was a way of transferring. Or as the New Testament says, your sins were being imputed to this animal as though this animal, this innocent animal is dying in your stead.

Now you and I today, we know that’s just a type of what Christ would do one day and this is exactly what He’s done. So after they have done that, then the priest, and only the tribe of Levi had the right to do this. So then they would be able to go to the other brazen labor. And it was a labor with water for the hands and water for the feet. I’ve been to Israel a lot of times, and I’ve watched enough Arabs even do this.

They have a place for their hands to wash, and they got a place for their feet to wash. Well, in the temple, it was for only the priest. So they would wash the blood off their hands. They even had to do it before they did the sacrifices. And so they had a ritual that they had to go through and they had to wear certain garments at certain time. They had to do everything just right. God laid it all down for them.

And so they would go to the labor and they would wash and keep themselves. And so as they went from that burnt offering and they would go over to the, the labor. Well, as they walk from there over to here before they could go into the holy place, they’d get dirt on their feet or sand on their feet. And when they did the offerings, they would be unclean. And so they would have to cleanse themselves. Now you and I know that in the New Testament, we We don’t need a complete bath, but because we get a little dirt on us as we go through life, we need to be washed by the washing of the water by the Word.

And so everything in the tabernacle was a picture of what Christ has done for us. You see, it was just a shadow, shadow of the real thing. That was not the real thing. It was only a picture, a pattern of something that was real in heaven. And God told Moses to make the one on the earth like the one that’s in heaven. And God gave them all the instructions on what to do. And so when they got to the big veil…

As though you had a big veil across through here. And see, this was not a very big section out here. Because you’re only talking about maybe 50 feet by 50 feet, because the rest of it takes up the rest of the difference. And then you have this great big veil that goes across through here, and they would go into this place every day, twice a day, every morning, every night. Because there was three main things in that room of what they were supposed to do.

Now there’s questions about whether or not the altar of incense was in the holy place or inside of the holy of holies. I haven’t figured it out yet, but I’m working on it. But remember this, when they came from there to go into here, there was a big curtain across here. here. And the priest had to come in here, and many priests could do this. And they would come in and they would trim the lampstand. You see, the light inside of this place, if this ever became dark, it’s very difficult to see, because there was no light that could get in here.

So without the light inside of here, make it very difficult for them. So they had to keep the light burning. Now in Solomon’s day they had the dedication of the temple when they had built a literal stone temple that David had gotten all the materials but God will not allow him to build the temple. So Solomon was used by God to build the temple. later on because of anti-office epiphanies and about 170 BC, well he really desecrated the temple by going into the temple and offering a sacrifice of a pig and that made Maccabee.

Very mad, very angry. He rallied the Jews and they took it away from them and they got their temple back and so they went in to have a rededication. They wanted to purify the temple. And so when they wanted to rededicate the temple to God, they didn’t have enough oil to last for those seven or eight days that they needed. They relied, they only had enough oil for one day. And this is why sometimes it’s called the rededication of the temple, but it was called also the feast of light, or the feast of dedication.

It’s what they call Hanukkah today. They call it happy Hanukkah to you, the feast of life. It’s a time that you and I know, but they celebrated this because The oil lasted for eight days until they were able to purify the oil that they needed, the olive oil, because of the process they had to go through. So it lasted for the eight days and so they had a rededication. And this is what the Jewish people are still doing and celebrating even to this day.

But as you went into the holy place, there was the candle, as we call it, the lampstand. The lampstand is where you hear about Christ. I am the light of the world. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tappa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, Just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcasts of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 a 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. And so even children understood that sin, there’s a penalty. The penalty is death. And so these innocent little animals was because if you did not do this, you could die because of the law in Israel. You could die if you don’t offer the right sacrifice for the right sin.

And there were many sacrifices that they had to make. Some of those sacrifices were made every day. And so the priest had rotation of when they would have to serve in the tabernacle or in the temple later on. So as they would do this, and they would have to make these various sacrifices, and the priest would be able to eat these things, they became a teaching tool. And so many of the people who came only did it as a ritual and never saw the meaning behind it.

What causes to work? Like people today can be baptized in water and never trust the Christ as their Savior. True? People can join a church and they think they’re going to heaven now because they’re a member of the body of Christ. If you never trusted Christ as your Savior, you’re not saved. You don’t go to heaven because you’ve been baptized in water. many people are religious and yet lost. And the same thing then as it is now. And so they would be able to offer these sacrifices and as they offered these sacrifices and they would tie that animal down and they laid their hand on them, it was a way of transferring.

Or as the New Testament says, your sins were being imputed to this animal as though this animal, innocent animal is dying in your stead. Now you and I today, we know that’s just a type of what Christ would do one day and this is exactly what He’s done. So after they have done that, then the priest and only the tribe of Levi had the right to do this. So then they would be able to go to the other brazen labor and it was a They labor with water for the hands and water for the feet.

I’ve been to Israel a lot of times and I’ve watched enough Arabs even do this. They have a place for their hands to wash and they’ve got a place for their feet to wash. Well, in the temple, it was for only the priest. So they would wash the blood off their hands. They even had to do it before they did the sacrifices. And so they had a ritual that they had to go through. they had to wear certain garments at certain time.

They had to do everything just right. God laid it all down for them. And so they would go to the labor and they would wash and keep themselves. And so as they went from that burnt offering and they would go over to the, the labor, well, as they walked from there over to here before they could go into the holy place, they’d get dirt on their feet or sand on their feet. And when they did the He offers it, they would be unclean.

And so they would have to cleanse themselves. Now you and I know that in the New Testament, we don’t need a complete bath, but because we get a little dirt on us as we go through life, we need to be washed by the washing of the water, by the Word. And so everything in the tabernacle was a picture of what Christ has done for us. You see, it was just a shadow, shadow of the real thing. That was not the real thing.

It was only a picture, a pattern of something that was real in heaven. And God told Moses to make the one on the earth like the one that’s in heaven. And God gave him all the instructions on what to do. And so when they got to the big veil. As though you had a big veil across through here. And see, this was not a very big section out here. Because you’re only talking about maybe 50 feet by 50 feet, because the rest of it takes up the rest of the difference.

And then you have this great big veil that goes across through here, and they would go into this place every day, twice a day, every morning, every night. Because there was three main things in that room of what they were supposed to do. Now there’s questions about whether or not the altar of incense was in the holy place or inside of the holy of holies. I haven’t figured it out yet, but I’m working on it. But remember this, when they came from there to go into here, there was a big curtain across here.

and the priest had to come in here, and many priests could do this. And they would come in and they would trim the lampstand. You see, the light inside of this place, if this ever became dark, it’s very difficult to see because there was no light that could get in here. So without the light inside of here, make it very difficult for them, called for them, so they had to keep the light burning. Now in Solomon’s day, they had the dedication of the temple when they had built a literal stone temple that David had gotten all the materials, but God will not allow him to build the temple.

So Solomon was used by God to build the temple. Well later on, because of anti-office epiphanies And about 170 BC, well, he really desecrated the temple by going into the temple and offering a sacrifice of a pig. And that made Maccabee very mad, very angry. He rallied the Jews and they took it away from them and they got their temple back. And so they went in there to have a rededication. They wanted to purify the temple. And so when they wanted to rededicate the temple to God, they didn’t have enough oil to last for those seven or eight days that they needed.

They realized they only had enough oil for one day. And this is why sometimes it’s called the rededication of the temple, but it was called also the feast of light or the feast of dedication. It’s what they call Hanukkah today. They call it happy Hanukkah to you, the Feast of Life. It’s a time that you and I know, but they celebrated this because the oil lasted for eight days until they were able to purify the oil that they needed, the olive oil, because of the process they had to go through.

So it lasted for the eight days, and so they had a rededication. And this is what the Jewish people are still doing and celebrating even to this day. But as you went into the holy place, there was the candle, as we call it, the lampstand. The lampstand is where you hear about Christ. I am the light of the world. As you study the Gospel of John, you can picture yourself walking through the tabernacle. And he talks about where he is the light of the world, where he talks about being the bread of life.

Where it says in John chapter 1 and verse 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory is of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. amongst that word dwelt means tabernacled among us. God tabernacled among us. God with us. Jesus Christ was in the temple, His temple. Now as they went into the temple in the Old Testament, I believe it was the responsibility of the priest in order to teach the people what all this meant.

Whether they understood fully, I don’t know. Oh how much the priest understood, I don’t know. We got preachers today that I don’t believe know the Lord. They talk about the Lord. They talk about Jesus Christ, down on the cross paying for sin, all of that. But do not, if they don’t believe in eternal security, they don’t understand the gospel. That eternal life is a gift, that it’s totally free, that you cannot earn it, you cannot work for it. And There’s multitude of people.

That see the type, but don’t know what it means. And they don’t even want a church is. A church is a spiritual body of believers. And it’s not something that you join yourself into. You can become a member of Calvary Community Church, but if you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, you’re as lost as a hound dog on the end of a suit bum. You will not go past go, and you will not collect you a hundred dollars. But in this place, the priests had the responsibility of making sure that the oil stayed in.

They had to treat them the wick. And there was also a table of show bread. The table of show bread was a place where they had 12 loaves of bread, one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel. And the priest, Aaron’s family, would eat that bread. And the table wasn’t very big. It was only make like a three feet by two feet, something like that, very small. It had places for the poles to go through so they would be able to carry it.

And the same thing with the altar of incense. The altar of incense was nothing more than a thing that, well, if you had to be in this room making sacrifices all the time, morning and night, or relations they call it, then you would have the schmella of this meat and this stuff all the time and put some blood also on the altar of incense and to burn these things and they also put grain and so forth but it was a mixture of different kinds of spices that they would use and it would become a sweet smelling savor as the Bible said in the nostrils of God.

And so this was to kill the smell, but it was also to let him know this is something that God accepts. And in the New Testament talks about you and I offering praises with our lips unto God and sacrifices with our lips unto God. And in the book of Revelation it talks about how that there was the incense and it was filled with the prayers and the odors of the saints of what it means to God. God smells this wonderful smell.

It’s something you and I probably will never understand, but that it’s in the Bible. It’s in the Old Testament and it all has a meaning. Now, you and I know that you and I need the bread of life. We look at the Word of God and this is the Word of God and men should not live by every word of this world, but by every word that comes from God. Men should I live by bread alone, but by every word that God gives.

So this is the bread for the Christian. And you and I are supposed to be the light of the world. And without this light, there is no light. Without you and I in the world, and given forth the word of life, there is no light in this world. People cannot find God. They cannot see God. Without you and I, there is no hope for the world. God has placed us here. Now, there’s a thick veil up there. Now this year, every day, not there all the time, but there a man only goes in there, and it’s the high priest, and it’s once a year.

And he has to make a sacrifice for the sins of the people, for his own sins, and he went into that holy of holies, and they usually would tie something around him case God didn’t accept it, they could pull them out. Because nobody except the high priest ever got into that room once a year. And that was the year or the day of atonement when the sacrifice was to be made for the sins of the people and that God would accept it.

Because in that room was what we call the chakonah glory, the Holy Spirit. That’s where the presence of God was. And even in the Old Testament, in the wilderness, it was the cloud that covered them from the hot sun during the day and the fire at night. And so God was their protection. He was their covering. He was their light. He was everything that you and I need. But he was there, but nobody could go there because they had to have a mediator.

And the priest had all of these priests that were under him, and the sacrifices had to be made. Or you had to face physical death, if you didn’t do it. Now, whether or not people ever saw the spiritual aspect of this, I don’t know how much they saw. I don’t know how much they understand. But as I’ve studied the Scriptures, I found that they were told, have they not heard? Did they not know? Yes, they could have understood. But multitudes of them didn’t.

But I believe that there’s always a remnant that did. Now in that room, when you open up and you went inside, there was what they called the Ark of the Testament. Indiana Jones was trying to find it, remembering the Raiders of the Lost Ark. But that was called the Ark of the Covenant, or the Ark of the Testament. Before they actually built the Ark itself, it was the tablets. And that’s why they would have the jar of manna and the rod that budded of errands and they would put them before the two tables of stone that God had given to ten commandments.

Now remember, this little box was not very big, like about three feet by a foot and a half, not very big. So the tables of stone, the tablets, I remember watching Moses coming down out of the mountain. was Charleston Heston, but I still saw it. And they were big things. They wouldn’t fit into that box, that size. So they had to be small. And so they were able to be put into that. And so God had them put those three things into that arc.

And that was the Ten Commandments and the rod that butted of errands and a jar of the manna. And those three things were put in there because one spoke of life. And the other one spoke of God’s righteousness and what he demanded in the perfection, but also the manna that God’s provision, defeat us and to take care of us. So all these things had a meaning for the children of Israel. And whenever he had to go into that room once a year, he would take the blood and he would sprinkle upon the mercy seat.

Now the mercy seat had cherubins over looking both ends of it and the lid was actually called the mercy seat. So they were able to take the lid off and inside of it was those three items. And on they would sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. Now all this was made after a pattern of something that was really real in heaven. See these things down here on the earth, they’ve all passed away. That tabernacle is gone, Solomon’s temple is gone, Herod’s temple, it’s gone.

But what about the temple today? This is why when you and I accepted Christ as our Savior, the Bible says your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You are made of a body, a soul and a spirit. The body is this outward court, and it is the body that God says present your bodies as a living sacrifice. It is to be totally consumed upon the offering on that brazen altar. So you see, you and I, we have the body and we have to wash and keep it clean.

We have to feed it. But in the holy place, the soul and the holy of holies are spirit. God must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. So you and I, when we trust Christ as our Savior, His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. It is the soul of the man. You, me, it’s us. It’s who we really are that needs to feed upon the Word of God and needs to pray to God and needs to have as our goal and purpose in life to be the light of the world.

So you see, our bodies is a type of the Old Testament tabernacle only because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, there was the fire that came down and was over the temple. They, of the tabernacle, said, they watched it, they saw that, and when it moved, they know they were supposed to move, and when it stays still, they knew they were to stay still. Is it they trusted and dependent upon the Lord to lead them and to guide them, to prepare and to provide all these, whatever they needed, in the wilderness for 40 years.

So you and I, as a child of God, well here we are. I have the Holy Spirit living in Sadamim. On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came in cloven tongues of fire and it sat upon them, it was a type of the Holy Spirit indwelling God’s children. As it did in the Old Testament, now it came upon the individuals. When I trusted Christ as my Savior 50 years ago, the Holy Spirit of God indwelled me. My body became the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore I am supposed to offer to God sacrifices because of what He’s done for me. Now, as you go through all of this, you and I ought to be able to see that everything concerning these things that I’ve mentioned is a picture of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ gave us all. He became the sin offering for all of us. He paid for all of our sins. He’s given us as a the pre-gift everlasting life. And when He died on the cross, what happened to the veil in the temple?

It was torn from not bottom the top, from the top to the bottom. Why? Because see, we don’t need that priest anymore. I don’t need them making all them sacrifices anymore. Because see, they had to do this over and over and over again, because when they made a sacrifice this year, they had to make another one for the next year to pay for the ones of this year. You see, there’s people today that are believing they’re saved the same way.

They can get saved today, but if they send to in the year, they got to get forgiveness again, and then you forgive and again, and then again, there’s no end to it. But by this one man, by one offering, he entered into the holy place and offered his blood upon the altar for the sins of everybody once and for all. Never has to do it again but only one time. Now in my mind it’s as clear as the bell but trying to explain this is not the easiest thing in the world.

But I hope that you get a little bit of a grasp of what I’m talking about. Christ died on the cross. The veil was opened from the top to the bottom so that all of us through Christ have excess unto God the Father into His presence. That’s why He says in Hebrews chapter 4 that you and I can come boldly to the throne of grace.” Doesn’t it say that? They couldn’t do that in the Old Testament. They had to go through a mediator.

But that’s why the Bible says there’s only one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. So we can go to the Father because of the Son. And He did that once and for all in the payment that Christ made. Never has to be made again. We don’t have another sacrifice to do it next year and worry about because see these high priests, they did it until they died, then they died, and then they died, and then they died, and then they died, but we have a high priest that lives forever.

Never has to be done again. And the power of this one is because of his endless life mentioned in the book of Hebrews in chapter 7. The power of an endless life means he lives forever and has bought for us an eternal salvation. It’s eternal. Best news in all the world. Look up here. This hand represents you and me. I hope that as many times as you see this, you don’t take it lightly. It’s the greatest truth so simplified that anybody should be able to understand it.

But this hand represents you and me, and this wallet represents all the things we do that’s wrong. God calls it sin. You and I have sinned against the Holy God. Everybody does wrong. But God says that to pay for that wrong is eternal separation from God in hell. And God loves us and wants us to go to heaven. You see, to go to heaven, God had to make a way for us sinners to go to heaven. Because the heaven is perfect.

It’s a righteous place. God cannot allow any sin into heaven. So what He did was something that nobody else could do for us. You say, you and I, we cannot earn our way to heaven. Because we’ve already earned our way to hell. God loves us though. This hand represents Jesus Christ. 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 did not have to die.

He took all of the sins of all the world, paid for it on the cross and came back from the dead. And God says that whosoever, whosoever will believe that He did it for us. He would give you as a free gift everlasting life. you get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for you. That’s good news. That’s why he did what he did. This is what all the Old Testament sacrifices was all about. It’s what the temple was about.

It was a teaching tool. It was a pattern of something that was real. It was only a shadow of that which was to come and he was Christ. Let’s pray, show him. head bowed, and every eye closed, no one looking around. If you’re here tonight, you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior. You’re not sure of going to heaven. You can be because Jesus made a way. He made a way for you and I that’s not good, that’s not perfect.

He made a way for us to go. See, well, what did he do? Well, all you need to understand is he loves you. He died to pay for for your sins. He said, if you’d believe he did it for you, he would give you as a free gift ever lasting life. He said, he’d never cast you. I’d never lose you. If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, whether you’re here in the auditorium or watching by internet, would you just talk to the Lord and say something simple like this, Lord, I don’t understand it all.

But I believe Christ died for me and I trust him right now as my Savior. And friend, if you’ll do that, if you’ll trust Him, God will save you and give you eternal life. And you can know that you’re going to heaven when you die because I’ll never cast you out, never lose you. So it has bow nice clothes. Is there anyone? So yes, I will trust Christ as my Savior and preach out of life, Peter, pray for me.

Would you just slip your hand very quickly and better write back down? I’m not going to have you forward, not going to embarrass you, but write where you’re sitting. Anyone to all be full of your clothes? So yes, that made sense to me. And I want to be certain of going to heaven. And I’m going to trust Christ right now to take me to heaven whenever I die. You know, one of the all, our Father, we thank You so much for all that You’ve done for us.

And Lord, we’ll never understand all the details of these things, but hopefully we can get the gist of it. Some of the major meanings, we know it all revolves around Christ. You know it just reveals your holiness and your justice, reveals how that you love us and paid for our sins to give us eternal life. And Father, we pray that that will be enough for us to tell people about. Help us to do right. Bless the ministry here and every family or a lot of struggling, some in the hospital, some face in surgery, and some may even be going home to see you soon.

and just pray, Lord, that you wouldn’t put your arms around each one, and help us even Father if we need to and should love them for you. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Watch Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Now after we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, it is the will of God that we serve the Lord. But some people learn lessons the hard way. They don’t serve the Lord like they should, and so God has to chase and has to discipline. But one of the things that is of very great hindrance to our service for the Lord is never really being sure that you’re saved. You see, you can’t grow in the Lord when you’re always doubting whether or not am I really saved.

Do I really have eternal life? I’m my really God’s child. There are two teachings that are very prevalent in theological circles, which means in the ecumenical realm and the church realm. And those two teachings come from the teaching of Armenianism or Calvinism. Somebody asked me, says, are you Armenian or are you a Calvinist? And they want me to tell them which one I am. I said, I’m neither one. They said, well, you’ve got to be one of the other?”

I said, no, I don’t. Well, are you a five-point Calvinist or a three-point Calvinist or a one-point Calvinist? I said, I’m no point Calvinist. Well, they don’t like that because you see, people like to put labels on you, say, this is what you are. I wrote it down here so it’s very simple and very clear for you to understand. Introduction. While they appear to be on the opposite extremes of the theological spectrum, Calvinist believes in eternal security and Armenian belief you can lose your salvation.

So you know that things that are different are not the same and you know that that’s not the same. One is that you are eternally secure and the other one you can lose it. So you say well you’ve got to believe one of those. Yeah but But in quotes, the Calvinist believe that you have eternal life as long as you persevere and that you will persevere if you’re really saved. The consistent Calvinist, the one who believes in the perseverance of the saints, means if you got it, you’ll live it.

But if you don’t live it, it’s because you never had it. There are those who teach that if you are saved, you are a Christian. You are born again, happy, eternal life, God’s child. Well then you will, automatic, you will live right. But if you don’t, it’s a sign you never really were saved to start with. So you got to get saved for real the next time. And this time really mean business. But if you don’t perform, it’s because you weren’t really serious about the situation and you weren’t really saved.

Now do I believe that? No. I believe that you can be saved today. Have eternal life, you may never show it in your life. Still be a Christian. And I believe the Bible teaches that. Now the other view concerning the Armenians, look at this, the absolute Armenian who believes you can lose your salvation arrives at the same conclusion in the end. No certain assurance of going to heaven until you die. If a person believes that when you really say it, you will live it, you will in all your life, can’t know for sure that they are really a Christian until they have lived it and know for sure that when they die, they finally made it.

Because if they end their life, ever go back. On what they started out on this Christian walk, if they fail in the future, they’re supposed to believe by their own testimony, they never really were saved. So how do they know that tomorrow or the next week or the next year, they won’t really mess up? And if they really do mess up, they’re supposed to believe, well, I will never really saved in the first place. Because if you’re really saved, you’re not going to do that.

And yet many of goaltender do just that. So//////// have reasons to question their salvation1965 And so they don’t really know they’re goingDownloadhaHoustonGGGGGGGG RandomRedditor Yiannopoulos Rasm We movedrypt. We moved north of second hard time. We moved south of second fine. Great trade. Great trade. Great trade. Great trade in the right corner. Great trade. that I still sin. I still do things that are wrong. I don’t have to worry about what happens if you really mess up. Well really messing up or telling a lie or having a dirty thought.

Still sin. But I don’t have to worry about any sin condemning me to hell because I can’t go there. I’m saved by grace. Now on the other hand here’s the others who teach that you can lose your salvation. And And they believe that if you do something bad enough, long enough, that you’re eventually you’re going to lose your salvation, but they don’t know how many sins they have to commit, and they don’t know exactly what point you really lost it.

So if they don’t nearly know when they lost it, they don’t know when to get it back again. And then they don’t know for sure if they’re going to really hang on until they die, to know for sure that they made it. You see, that’s not the Bible. Neither one has assurance, but can you be sure of going to heaven? Yes, she can. I’m not an Armenian because you see I don’t believe you can lose it. I don’t believe in the perseverance of the saints.

I believe in the perseverance of God that he saves me and he keeps me safe. So see I’m neither one of those. Their eternal security depends upon them living it and if they don’t live it they didn’t have it. And I believe that people can trust Christ as Savior and be disobedient to God and still be God’s child and God will have to chasten them. Eternal security, mean eternally being secure means that one who has genuinely saved by God’s grace through faith alone and Christ alone shall never in the future never be in danger of God’s condemnation or loss of his salvation but are kept saved and secure by God’s grace and power so that when I trusted Christ he saved me and I’m going to heaven based upon his word his promise He is going to keep me saved.

I am saved by His power and kept saved by His power. If I didn’t have the power to save myself, I don’t have the power to keep myself saved. If I can believe that I’m saved by grace without my good works, why can I believe I can stay saved without my good works? Because grace would still be grace. I want you to understand these important points. Social security does not mean that all who profess to trust Christ actually possess eternal life.

You say, what do you mean? That sounds contradictory. Can you profess something and it not be true? Could you stand up here today and profess that you have a million dollars in the bank? Yes, you can. Does that mean you got a million dollars in the bank? Not necessarily. Some of y’all have already professed that when I marry this girl, I’m going to be faithful to her till death to us part. and then not keep the word. You profess something, but you didn’t perform it.

A person can profess that they know God and not know Him. Now you say, where’s it say that? I’m glad you asked. Look in the book of Matthew chapter seven. Matthew chapter seven, look at verse 21. Notice, and Jesus Christ is the one that’s doing the talking. He’s the one that said this. So Jesus Christ has got, this is what God said. I had a person one time tell me, say, well, I don’t think you ought to be the judge.

I said, I’m not the judge. I’m just telling you what the judge said. He’s the judge. I can tell you what he said, because he wrote it down and told us to study. This is what he said. Not everyone that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. So is it possible somebody to profess the name of the Lord? Look what else he says in verse 22.

Many shall say to me in that many, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out them, and in thy name done many wonderful works. They did it all in his name and did it for him. And yet, he says, depart from me, I never Supplementary you. And so it doesn’t mean that just because they professed something that, they really really really. And so there’s people who say, well, I’m a Christian, that doesn’t mean they.

I meet people all the time. I asked them, I said, have you trusted Christ as you say? Oh, yes. Where are you going to die? I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. That’s what being saved mean. It can’t mean anything else. Being saved means he saved you from what? From hell. So I can’t go there. He says that I’ll go to heaven whenever I die.

He’ll never cast me out. He’ll never lose me so I can rest assured. But a lot of people see they can say something, but it doesn’t mean that it’s real. It’s not true. He said, me Lord, or have we not? Look what wedidatchewan-we- intimidmorrowRepublicansionsionsionsionsionsionsionsionsionsOften®@@@@@@@@).aughteredilater. his principles and his teaching, but they just haven’t trusted him depending upon him to get590 than his attorney’s attorney. Eternal security does not mean that all who trust Christ plus his works are aortic. The Bible doesn’t say that God saves those who are trusting in their works and in Christ to get them to heaven or really going to heaven.

If God says that if it’s by grace, It can’t be by works, otherwise, grace is in grace. But if it is by works, it can’t be by grace, otherwise work is in work. So simple that is. It means you either are saved by grace or you saved by work, but you can’t be saved by both. Now, look during the book of Galatians in chapter 5. Many people are trusting in a combination of Christ plus their works. Eternally secured does not refer to those people.

Eternal security cannot refer to anybody that professes it butfolioes it. Eternal security cannot refer to anybody who is trusted in Christ and their works. Get them to heaven. It doesn’t refer to those people. There’s people who think you have to keep the law to be saved. Today it’s the same thing as saying you got to go to church, you got to live right, you got to give money, you got to join and pay and all these good things. No, no, no, that’s not true.

That works for salvation. That means you’re trying to earn it. And if you’re not good enough, long enough, then you’re not going to have it. Well, that’s not the Bible. Galatians chapter five, look there in verse two. So he says in verse two, Behold, I Paul send to you that if you be circumcised, that means to keep the law. Christ shall profit you how much? Nothing, Christ profits you nothing. Those that are seeking to save themselves by the law or by the end, circumcised, which was under the law of Christ, thenife Christ prophets you nothing.

It’s what I’m trusting Christ, but I’m gonna do this also. Well, then you’re not trusting Himadeon,orage trusting Him means I’m taking Him at His word and depending upon Him. But if you try to earn it, saying you’re dependent upon yourself, so you’re not really trusting Christ. You say, what’s the difference? wordpress hell, that’s the difference. Heaven or hell? Is it critical? Yes it is. Otherwise, how do you know you’re not one!. I’ll get you back to the world of our lives, where we’re not getting you back to the world of our lives.

What do we do? What do we do? a lot of churches all over the world that are guilty of this. And how do you know it ends you? You say, I’ve heard this all my life, but do you really understand? Are you really dependent upon Him to take you to heaven when you die? Here in verse 4, he says, Christ is become up and here’s those two words, no effect unto you. Whosoever of you are justified by the law, you’re falling from grace.

See, if you’re trying to save yourself by the law, by your good deeds, then you have rejected salvation by grace. You want to get salvation by earning it, by your works. And God says, you can’t have it. He says, Christ has become of no effect unto you. In other words, if it’s no effect, no salvation. You can know the right language. You can go to the right church. You can hear the right things. But personally, nobody can do this for you.

you can trust Christ as Savior for you. And if you never do that, you will not be saved. You will not go to heaven when you’re dying. Now, in Titus 3.5, it simply makes a statement. He says, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, not by works of righteousness which we have done. So nobody was ever saved or ever will be saved by their works. So you can’t say, I’m trusting Christ, but I’m going to do this other just in case.

Will your just in case just cost you? Then this doesn’t count. You either have to depend upon him and him alone as you’re only hope to get them or you are not trusting him. You’re not totally leaning and relying upon him as your Savior. You believe somehow that you have to live a certain way and perform in order to help save you or to help keep you saved or to prove that you’re saved and all that stuff that you don’t get it.

Church is a full of people who don’t get it. In Romans chapter four and verse four and five. Two of my favorite verses of the Bible is Ephesians 2, 8, and 9. Quote it with it, “…For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.” It’s a gift of God, it’s not of works. And people can’t believe that it could be so simple.

Or look, number three in your notes. Eternal security does not mean that knowing for sure that you are saved forever should be a license to sin, but rather grants you liberty to serve Christ. A lot of people think, well, if you believe in that, and they call it that, eight, that damn double doctrine, then that means you just got a license to go out here and live like the devil and still go to heaven when you die. In other words, think that you don’t deserve to go now.

If in other words, if that’s just a teaching that was damn your soul to hell, and you believe that, you just giving people a license to go out here and sin and then think that you’re going to go to heaven whenever they die. Well, if they did, would that be grace? You’re saved by what? And people don’t believe that you ought to be able to go to heaven and believe something like that. And that’s too easy. That’s too simple.

It’s got to be complicated. Do I advocate Christians living in sin? Anybody who listens to me knows that’s not true. I Want you to live as godly as you can every day of your life all of your life life, but not to get to heaven. Because if you are dependent upon that to get you to heaven, as I’ve said before, you lost the hound dog in the end of a soup bone, you don’t get it. I should serve the Lord.

I should live right because I’m going to heaven, because I am God’s child, but not to be a child of God. I want you to turn in your Bible to Romans chapter 6. I want you to see this verse, Romans and chapter 6. The Bible tells us that God’s grace is greater than our sin. Look at verse 1 of all in Romans 5 and verse 20, Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

Have you ever heard of a song like that? Grace greater than our sin? You see, there are people who believe you can lose your salvation because you’ve committed some sin. Well, aren’t you supposed to believe that God’s grace is greater than my sin. So if grace is greater than any of my sins, what sin can condemn me to hell? They can’t. So the question comes, well, then shall I live in sin, that grace may moor abound. So we have more grace, commit more sins.

No, look in chapter 6 and verse 1, what shall we say to? In other words, because what I’m saying is true, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? And the next words are God forbid. No, that’s not the will of God. Just because I know I’m God’s child and know I have eternal life and know that I can’t go to hell in the future, doesn’t mean that that’s a license permission from God to live like you please, like it doesn’t matter.

No, it is permission from God that now I can live for the Lord. God wants me to voluntarily choose because I love Him because of what He’s done for me, that I will serve Him, that I will honor Him, not because I have to, but because I want to. Nobody has tried to get me to serve God. Nobody is constantly every week trying to yank you, you know you really need to serve the Lord. You really need to do this and you need to go to church and you need to pray and you need to…

Why? Because I do it, because I want to. That’s better than doing because I have to. I can’t make you serve God. I can’t make you right with God. But if you love God, then you’ll want to do those things. And you’ll love God when you really understand what He did for you. When you know He really paid for my sins, He really did give me turn on. He really will never cast me out. He’ll never lose me. He really did all that for me.

Now I serve the Lord because knowing that I have eternal security brings such wonderful peace, enjoy, and happiness that I know I’m going to heaven whenever I die. And because of that I want to serve the Lord. Therefore it works that way. It’s not a license to sin. The Lord tells us in His Word, do not let your liberty become a stumbling block, but to use this as an occasion to serve the Lord, but not an occasion for the flesh.

Says during the book of Galatians. Is grace greater than our sin or is sin greater than grace? Grace is greater than our sin. And even though you do things wrong from this point on, God’s grace is greater than your sin and you’re saved by grace. And love covers a multitude of sin, but He didn’t just cover it, He washed them all away. The next point I want you to see there in number four, eternal security does not mean that a Christian can live as he pleases and get away without chastisement.

You cannot live like you want and expect everything to be okay and you to escape God’s chasting. Take your Bible, look in Hebrews chapter 12. This is a very, very important verse that you need to see. Hebrews chapter 12, you need to underline this verse in your Bible. As a child of God, you need to understand that though your heavenly Father loves you, you can’t live as you please and get away with it, but you can live as you please.

You can live to please God and you can live not to please God. and still be his child, but you’re going to suffer the consequences. If you will live the please God, God’s going to bless you. The reward you when you get to heaven, and you’ll have an inner peace and joy knowing that you’re obeying your heavenly Father. But if you choose not to obey God, yeah, you still is child, and you’ll forfeit many of God’s blessings and life that he could have done for you.

You’re going to forfeit a lot of rewards that you could had. You could have been used by God, but you weren’t. You may be set on the shelf and not used, not fit for the master’s use. And God says that he may do something else. He says, many are sick and some are weak and some are dead. He’s taken home before their time. So you see, you can’t live as you please and get away with him. But God says, be not deceived.

He is not mocked. For whatsoever man saweth, that shall he also reap. And you can sow to the flesh, and you can sow through the Spirit. It means you can obey God and you don’t have to obey God. But if you don’t obey God, God says, because you are His child, He will chase in you. Look at in verse six, for whom the Lord loveth, he chaste in it. Now why would God chase in his children? Because he loves them.

And he says, and scourge at every son, every son whom he receive it. If you have trusted Christ as your Savior and you won’t serve God, You want to obey Him? God your heavenly Father says He is going to chase in you. I know that if I don’t serve the Lord, I already know the consequences. I know He’s going to chase in me. And He may not tell me exactly how He’s going to do it. But I can rest assured in the fact that He will.

He may cut my life short or many things happen in my life that would not have happened had I served the Lord. So it’s better for a child of God to put God first and serve him because he is your heavenly Father. And when you do something wrong, you’re still his child, but he is going to chasten you. Look there in the last part of verse five, verse five, my son despised not thou the chasing of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.

You see, my son despised not the chaste and the Lord. That means that when you’re a child of God, that means you still can do things wrong and you’re still his child. Because if you weren’t, then God wouldn’t be chaste in you as his child if you were no longer his child because you did something wrong and that’s the only way that shows you’re not his child. No, that means God’s children still do a lot of things they shouldn’t do.

We do a lot of things wrong. But when God has to chaste in us, the Bible says, says now no chaste in for the present seems to be joyous. How many of y’all have ever enjoyed a good woman. No chasing for the present seems to be joyous, but you’re hoping that the chasing you give to that little son or daughter will benefit them in their life. And so you inflict a little temporary pain hoping that’s going to save them from a lot of hurts down the road.

That’s what the Lord does. Look at in verse 11. Now, now, present tense, now, no chasing for the present, seem it to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised there by them. In other words, God says, because you’re my child, you can’t live as you please and get away with it. I’m your father. I’m going to have to chase in you. And because I chasing you means I love you.

Otherwise, God would just let you do whatever you want and get away with it. But he doesn’t. He will give you personalized attention. Now, he’s long suffering, but he’s a good father. Look at the next statement. In the little box, the The absolute assurance of eternal salvation is based on the unfailing and sure promises of God. I want you to look in Romans chapter 4 very quickly. The book of Romans in chapter 4. I refer to these verses quite often.

And notice the contrast, as I stated here in the notes, in order to show the contrast between grace and works, Paul and Roman states, now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace. But of that. In other words, if you had to earn your salvation. Then God says that he would be in debt to you and going to heaven would be your reward. In the words, you live in such a good way that God is in debt to let you go to heaven.

And that’s why a lot of people think it is. But that means that you have to work. It means that God’s in debt to you and it means that heaven would be a reward, something you earned and you had a right to it. God says that’s not the way it’s going to be. He says it’s by grace. But to him that work if not doesn’t work, but simply believes on him that justifies the ungodly his faith is counted for what?

God gives you his righteousness without your works. God doesn’t want you to try to earn it, work for it, buy it, pay for it. And heaven is not your reward for you living a good life. You live good enough and I’ll let you go. That’s not what it is. People don’t understand the Bible. God says you cannot earn eternal life, you cannot work for it. The other verse I want you to see there in chapter 4, look in verse 16.

There’s three words in verse 16. Three words, faith, grace, and sure. But look in verse 16. Therefore it, being saved, have an eternal life, becoming God’s child. Go into heaven when you die. Eternal security. Oh, look. It is a faith that’s yours. That’s yours. Your faith. That it might be by grace. That’s God’s grace. You see, I’m supposed to take my faith, my confidence and put it into what he did for me. Believe it or not, he did that for me.

And God says he would save me by grace unmerited. I don’t merit it. I don’t work for it. I don’t deserve it. He says, to the end or for this purpose, it might be what’s the word? But it might be sure to all the seed to everybody believes. In other words, the only way you could be positive of going to heaven when you die is that it must simply be by faith, not your work. Because if you have to do it by your works, well, you won’t know it until you die.

And then that means you got to live a certain way. And then you would never be sure. So God says it’s by faith. You trust Him and He will give you eternal life by grace. Grace means you didn’t deserve it, but I’ll save you for by grace are you saved? That it might be sure, positive. You can know it. And that’s simple. That’s awesome. And think of how many people don’t understand this. And you know it. You know you have eternal life.

And yet there’s a lot of people who say, yes, they’re saved. They’re Christians. They trusted the Lord and don’t know where they go when they die. And the reason because they got some element of works involved in it. And they won’t say, oh yeah, I believe it’s salvation by works. No, they won’t say this by works. But how could you lose it? Bad works. So then good works is keeping it. But bad works is taking it away from you.

So they’re eventually going to heaven, depending upon their works. And that’s not salvation. And God will not save one person who trusts in their works. or a combination of race plus works. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible and programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10.30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound and we will be changed. caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believe in that the Lord is coming soon and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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. Our 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.

Look at your Bible in turn to 1 John, 1 John 3, verse John and chapter 3. Look there in verse 1. We all know that one day we are all going to be just like the Lord. Dr. Curtis Hudson made a statement one time. He says, Lord, if I’m going to be like you someday, help me to be like you today. Well, I can do the most good. Isn’t that a good thought? Dr. Hudson and I preached in Lord conferences and he preached in our church in Colorado and also in Georgia.

Just a great man. But he passed away when he was 62 years old, I think, got cancer. But he was a champion for the clarity of the gospel. He loved the clear gospel and he presented it and did a tremendous job. But I’ll never forget the statement when he made that. Lord, if someday I’ll be just like you, why not now? Well, I can do the most good. First one says, behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

Just think about that. You are a child of God. God that created the heavens and the earth, he’s your Father. You’re his child. And I can look back and remember the day, the very moment I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I was telling them in the Bible study today about a time when Dr. Rach Stanford, he was the one that taught me and Dr. Hank Lindstrom and thousands of others about the clarity of the gospel, the wallet illustration, the two natures, the heaven tract, the ranch ministry.

We all got that from him. We’re not original. We’re just copycats. Because there’s nothing new under the sun, why waste my life trying to be an original. And one day after Ray had trusted Christ’s Savior, he thought he was already a grown man when he did. He was with his mom sitting in the room and he had quit his job and had a wife and three children. It didn’t have a lot of money and he was trying to scrape to make ends meet and now he’s worked with teenagers and teenagers don’t have any money.

So he was trying to do the best he could. But his mom was kind of like always on him. And it wasn’t very helpful. A little on the critical side. So one day she was in the house and he said, Mom, do you love me? And it kind of shocked her. She said, Of course I love you, son. Of course I do. Ray says, I mean, do you really love me? She says, yeah, of course I really love you.

And then he says, Mom, I mean, I mean really deep down. Do you really love me? And she knew where he was going. And he says, whenever Mom gets a certain way, she, her lips get tight. And she turned her head away from him. She says, you know I love you. And he says640, if you really love me, Why didn’t you tell me about the Lord? You said you knew the Lord and you knew that you could go to heaven.

Why didn’t you ever tell me? And she got teary eyed and walked off into the other room. He says he didn’t talk to no more about it at that time, but he says, I don’t know what really happened with my mom. But all of a sudden she wanted to help with those teenagers. She even bought some of the drinks, and she would start counseling the kids about how to have eternal life. And she just totally changed and became one of his biggest helpers.

All because he spent that one time with his mom, do you really love me? I brought it out because I know that one day we’re going to stand at the Great White Throne judgment and we’re going to see people that’s probably going to look us right in the eye and say, did you love me? Won’t it be something for a mother or a father to be there and a child that’s going to be going to hell for all eternity?

and say, why didn’t you tell me? Did you really love me? And the Bible says, God will wipe away tears from our eyes. I wonder if that’s one of the reasons. I don’t know, but it is something to think about. Look what he says here. In verse one where he makes a statement, Behold, what manner of love the Father had bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore, the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and that not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifyth himself, even as he is pure. Now, we know that the Lord is perfect, and we would like to be that way. But if someday I’m going to be like him, it means that I am not totally like him now.

It means that I am not perfectly like the Lord. No, my new birth, yeah, my new birth is perfect, but in my day-by-day life, I don’t always think and do and say everything that I wished I would say. But God says there is coming a day when we will be like him. So I just take it from that that I must not really be totally like him now. Now, one of the things that causes a little bit of a problem, there are many people who teach Lordship Salvation.

So what does that mean? Lordship Salvation is where people are told they must make Christ the Lord the Master of their life in order to be saved. And if Christ is not the Lord of all, He’s not Lord at all. Well if someday I will be like the Lord, then I must admit that I must not be totally like Him now. So that must mean that Christ is not totally 100% Lord and Master of my life at all times in every situation, every moment.

Now that’s my conclusion of the matter. your Bible and turn to the book of Psalms, the 17th Psalm in the Old Testament there, the 17th Psalm, 17th Psalm, and I want you to look there in verse 15. 17th Psalm verse 15. for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.” That’s taught all the way back here in the Old Testament. It wasn’t just John the New Testament, but way back here in the Old Testament it was a prayer of David.

One of these days we’re going to go to sleep in this world and we are going to awake in his likeness. One day I’ll be totally like the Lord. I won’t have an old sinful nature. I won’t have this old body of flesh. I’m going to have a new body, a glorified body. I’ll be just like the Lord. You know, there’s only one gospel and you’re either saved totally by grace or totally by works, but you cannot be totally saved by part grace and part works.

Since the Bible says that a man is saved by grace and not by works, then man must be totally saved by grace and not by works at all. So if you’re saved by making Christ the Lord or the Master of your life, then you would have to be totally saved by your works. True. If you must make him the Lord and the master of your life and serve the Lord to be saved, even if it’s after you’re supposedly saved.

So then you’re still adding works to grace. So are you saved by grace or you saved by works? I believe a man is saved totally by grace. There’s a verse in the New Testament we’ll have to take the time to look at it, but I’ll just see if I can refresh your memory. You may have heard of it before. It’s found in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 and 9. Ever heard of it before? For by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.

I think that’s such a wonderful thing. I want you to take your Bible and look in Psalms 51. Now, everyone has heard of a man named David. Remember that sweet little psalmist of Israel that would sing all those songs and play in his harp and kill him the giant and the bear and the lion? You know, the sweet little kid would never do anything wrong. Samuel came along and anointed him as the next king of Israel. And God blessed that young man, kept him safe.

Even when others tried to kill him, God protected him. And God loved David. David loved God. And it says that he was a man after God’s own heart. I mean to think of a man after God’s heart. You want to know how God thinks and feels about everything. The love of the Lord so much. But do you believe that David, if he was a believer, which I believe he was, do you believe that he had the Lord as the master of his life, all the days of his life?

And if he’s not Lord of all, remember, he’s not Lord at all. If he is Lord of all, then what some people say is this, if you get saved, that means that now you must make Christ the Lord master of your life, and that’s just shows or proves that you are saved. Oh, works don’t save you, but if you are saved, you will work because faith without works is dead. So therefore, if you are really saved, you are going to change your life.

You will stop your sinning and serve the Lord and Christ will be the master of your life if you’re really saved. So your life doesn’t save you, but it shows whether you are really saved or not. So therefore, how you live reveals to people whether you really met business or not. Doesn’t that make a lot of sense? a lot of people buy into that reasoning. But what I just told you is a lie. How you live your life does not prove that you’re saved.

Because if you live a good life, you say, well, that proves that I’m saved. And if I live a bad life, that proves I never really was saved. Now, there are people that teach, that’s how you tell. But I don’t believe that the Bible teaches that. If you would look at David’s life at a certain time in his life, you would say, this man, he has to be saved. Look what he did. I mean, he killed a giant. This man, well, he wrote the Psalms.

He has to be a Christian, and the Lord must be the master of his life because look how he lived. But do you know that there was a time in David’s life when evidently the Lord didn’t stay the little master of His life. He messed up, didn’t He? So when He messed up, that must be the proof that He never really was saved the whole time. Well, which way is it going to be? Well, He is saved when He did all those right things, but now we know He really wasn’t saved because now He did all these bad things.

Because we got to look at his life to prove whether or not he was or was not saved. Because you have to understand, and it’s evident that the Lord was not the master of David’s life, all David’s life. Because if he was, why did he mess up? Didn’t he kill a man? Didn’t he have a man murdered? Didn’t he commit adultery with Bashi? But didn’t he do that? Are you trying to tell me that a Christian can do that?

and still go to heaven when he dies? Was Christ the master of his life? Did he have to be Lord of all or not Lord at all? You see, people who hold that for life, they got a problem trying to justify this thing. You see, how you live, good or bad. Is not the proof that you’re saved. You don’t know for sure that I am. I really don’t even know if you are. Do I? Could you lie to me?

Could you deceive me? Could I deceive you? Wouldn’t it be something that I’m just a phony baloney? And I’ve been lying to you for two years. How do you know if I’m safe? about what is he trusting in to get him to heaven? Now, as a child of God, should I, Servo Lord, yes, will it be automatic? No. But see, what they say is this, false teachers, that if you get saved, you will, Servo Lord, not that you should, but that you will.

That means two different things. Well, if you’re really saved, you will go to church, you’ll love the Lord, you’ll want to pray, you want to give out tracks, you want to do good, give the missions and you’ll change your life and you’ll love all God’s children and you’ll… Not necessarily. A lot of Christians do most of their sinning after they’re saved. My wife, Trusted Lawrence, is about seven years old. My son was about three and a half, four years old.

He’s done most of his sinning after he got saved. I mean, can you see a four-year-old kid? Son, are you willing to turn from your wicked way? I’m sorry I didn’t go to bed last night when you told me. Well, don’t you ever do it again. I probably will never do that again, Paul. Not dumb, but he’s done most of his sinning since then. Christ is not the Lord and absolute master of every area of your life. Is it still possible for you to do things wrong?

Can you still commit adultery? Murder? See, I’ll thought of it. Don’t. So Christ can be your Savior. But as you learn to grow in the Word of God and you love the Lord, then you begin to discipline your life. How I live should show that I love the Lord. But you see, you might claim that you love Him and live a certain way and never really know Him as your Savior. Isn’t it true that in Matthew chapter 7 that there were people that said, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?

Cast out devils in thy name and done many wonderful works. So evidently by their works, then they must have been saved. But were they? No, they weren’t saved. And so that’s why here in the 51st Psalm, this whole chapter down through here is talking about David confessing his sins of what he had done wrong. And he had messed up his life. And he says that I’ve done all these things. See that in verse seven, purged me with hystop and I shall be clean, washed me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Made me to hear joy and gladness, the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice, hide not thy face from my sins and blood out all of my iniquities, creating me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restoring to me the joy of thy salvation. Not restore the salvation, restore the joy of it. See, when you sin against the Lord, it costs you something.

It’ll cost you, yes, rewards in heaven. It’s gonna cost you things in this life. And you’re gonna have a lot of joy that you’re not going to have. But then the thing that everybody wants is to be used by the Lord. And so he says in verse 17, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, They broke it in a contrite heart. Oh God, that will not despise.” You see, he had to get himself right and he says, then God, I want you to help me to do something.

He says, and then I will turn people back to you. See up in verse 13, then, while I teach transgressors, thy ways, and sinners shall be converted into thee. God still used him after the mess up. But you see, he wasn’t saved and then he got lost and then he had to get saved again. But whenever he was a child of God and he did what was right, God blessed when he did what was wrong. God beat the tar out of him and He suffered at four times in his family and God still could use him But not the way that God could have used him look in 2 Peter chapter 2 2 Peter and chapter 2 Now everybody’s heard of a guy named Lot.

Abraham was called to go into the early counties and here comes Lot and everything was alright for a while until they got too many herds and servants and little friction. So Abraham just told them, said, look, you just do whatever you want to do. You just choose out whichever way you want to go. Now I’ll just go the other way. Isn’t that something for Abraham to do that? Well, as Lot looked upon the fruited plains where it was well watered and kind of going down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, oh, that’s where I’m going to go.

Well he went by looks and he went the wrong direction. It wasn’t long before he had messed up his whole life. No, the Bible says he was a just man. Look what he says here. And he says in verse 7, and delivered just lot. Now, that doesn’t mean only lot. It means just like. Lot was a justified individual. It means he had been made righteous not by his works but by the faith of the Lord. And he says, he delivered just like vexed with the filthy behavior of the wicked.

And that behavior was of the sodomites. And so he made the statement here. He says, and delivered just like vexed with the filthy behavior of wicked. For that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” Now wait a minute, was the Lord the master of his life? Evidently the Lord was not the master of his life. Evidently he wasn’t serving the Lord away, He should have, but God still says He’s a righteous man.

He’s a just man. You see when you trusted Christ as your Savior, it is God who declared you justified, just by your faith. Believing that when Christ died, He died for you. And God says that Christ gives you His robe of righteousness. And if He gives you His robe of righteousness, then that’s as righteous as the Lord. And God sees the righteousness of his son instead of your sin upon you. Now that’s why, yeah, maybe a lot didn’t live, right?

And if anybody was to see, a lot might think that he’s not saved. Evidently, he must not be saved because look where he’s living. Did you know he lost his girls? They wound up committing adultery with Him. And they had Edom and Moab. They had lots of problems down the road because of that little shenanigans. And do you know his wife? She turned back and turned into a pillar of salt. So you’ve got what he lost his whole family.

But God still says he was a just man. He wasn’t just because he lived right, because he lived a righteous life. You are not going to heaven because you live a righteous life. Even after you trust Christ’s Savior, your destiny is not determined by your life. And it’s hard for people to believe that. Can you believe that you’re really, really saved, totally saved by grace? I am saved by the grace of God. There is no amount of good works I did to be saved, there is not one ounce of good works I’ve done since I’ve been saved that’s helped get me more saved than I’ve been.

Have you ever heard somebody say, you know, the so-and-so trust the Lord and they got saved? And then they told me somebody got gloriously saved. Oh, he was gloriously saved. That’s like saying, no, this guy laying in this casket here. Well, He’s dead. Now this guy over here, he’s really dead. He’s gloriously dead. Always thought dead is dead. Saved, saved. But some people have been gloriously saved. Always just saved. So how did he get more than I got? Did he get more than me?

I was saved. He was gloriously saved. Now this guy, he’s dead. But this guy’s really dead. I’m saved, but he’s really saved. If you’re not… If you’re not really saved, you’re not saved. You’ve heard you’ve got to be a born-again Christian. Well if you are, you need one Nau those words. IDEM a believer in the Lord. I have been saved, but does that mean that Christ must be the Lord and the Master of my life. Because if he is, I got problem with all these people.

I would venture to say that the Lord is not the master of everything in their life. I’d venture to say they haven’t turned from all of their sins. And I bet you that, you know, if he’s not Lord of all, he’s not Lord at all. I bet just, you know, whenever I had kids and we had three of them. And so when the kids are born and they’re coming along, I could tell them to do this, this, this and this.

You’d be luckybley if they did one of them, but sometimes they’ll do two of them. I ain’t never had them when they did all of them. Well, if they don’t obey you in every area, they didn’t obey you at all. I told you to wash the dishes, cut the grass, make the bed, sweep the floor. Now, if they didn’t sweep the floor, does that mean they didn’t do the others? Dumb. Well, if he’s not master of all, he’s not master of all.

This is a good little slogan. It sounds good. But it stinks to high-end. It’s just not true. As I was learning to walk with the Lord, it was one step, stumble, another step, stumble, stumble, another step, another step, another step, stumble, stumble, stumble, stumble, step, step, step, step. And it’s a walk with the Lord and you learn and you don’t obey perfectly in every area. In what area of your life right now do you perfectly obey? Perfectly obey. Every area.

One day I will be just like the Lord. But not yet. I would love to be just like Him now. While I can do the most good. Where I can affect the most people. Where I can reach the most. Look what he says in verse 9. Lord Noah how to deliver the Godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust unto the day of tocment to be punished. The Lord know of how to deliver the Godly. You see, Lot was a just man, a righteous man.

He knew the Lord and yet the way he lived wasn’t the way God wanted him to. God had to chasten this man. You are not going to perfectly obey the Lord in every area. Did you know that when you hear things like that, and then when you start stumbling in the Lord, one of the things that you will do is start questioning your salvation? Well, I guess I must not really be saved, because the Lord is not the master of my life.

I’ve actually talked to people, and they say, oh, yeah, I used to be saved, but I started drinking again. I used to be saved, but then I started smoking again. I used to be saved, but I started using profanity again. I used to be saved, but I started using drugs, or I ran off on my wife or out on my wife. Oh, I don’t care what the reason is. I used to be, I used to be. Did you know that if you ever used to be saved, you still are?

If you’ve ever been saved, you still are saved. because you see, you can’t get saved and stop being saved. It don’t work that way. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by Dye-Link Tool Free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just goVALOINEMINISTRIES.org and click on the radio broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. See, when you sin against the Lord, it costs you something. It’ll cost you, yes, rewards in heaven. It’s going to cost you things in his life, and you’re going to have a lot of joy that you’re not going to have. But then the thing that everybody wants is to be used by the Lord.

And so he says in verse 17, the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. Oh God, that will not despise. You see, he had to get himself right and he says, then, God, I want you to help me to do something. He says, and then I will turn people back to you. See, up in verse 13, then, while I teach transgressors, highways, and sinners shall be converted into thee. God still used him after the mess up.

But you see, he wasn’t saved and then he got lost and then he had to get saved again. No, but whenever he was a child of God and he did what was right? God blessed when he did what was wrong. God beat the tar out of him, and he suffered at four times in his family. And God still could use him, but not the way that God could have used him. Look in 2 Peter 2, 2 Peter and 2.

Now everybody’s heard of a guy named Lot. Abraham was called to go into the early calleys and here comes Lot. And everything was alright for a while until they got too many herds and servants and little friction. So Abraham just told them, said, look, you just do whatever you want to do. You just choose out whichever way you want to go. Now I’ll just go the other way. Isn’t that something for Abraham to do that? Well, as Lot looked upon the fruited plains where it was well watered and kind of going down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, oh, I swear I’m going to go.

Well he went by looks and he went the wrong direction. wasn’t long before he had messed up his whole life. No, the Bible says he was a just man. Look what he says here. And he says in verse seven, and delivered just lot. Now that doesn’t mean only lot, it means just lot. Lot was a justified individual. Means he had been made righteous, not by his works, but by the faith of the Lord. And he says here, delivered just lot vexed with the filthy behavior of the wicked.

And that behavior was of the sodomites. And so he made the statement here. He says, and delivered just a lot, vexed with the filthy behavior of the wicked. For that get to that righteous man, dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Now wait a minute, was the Lord the master of his life? Evidently the Lord was not the master of his life. Evidently he wasn’t serving the Lord the way he should have but God still says he’s a righteous man, he’s a just man.

You see, when you trusted Christ as your savior, it is God Ko-de-de-de-de-de-deDW who declared you justified just by your faith. Believing that when Christ died, He died for you. And God says that Christ gives you His robe of righteousness. And if He gives you His robe of righteousness, then that’s as righteous as the Lord. And God sees the righteousness of His Son instead of your sin upon you. Now, that’s why, yeah, maybe a lot didn’t live, right? And if anybody was to see life, might think that he’s not saved.

Evidently, he must not be saved because look where he’s living. Did you know he lost his girls? They wound up committing adultery with him. And they had Edom and Moab. They had lots of problems down the road because of that little shenanigans. And you know his wife, she turned back and turned into a pillar of salt. So you’ve got what he lost his whole family. But God still says he was a just man. He wasn’t just because he lived right, because he lived a righteous life.

You are not going to heaven because you live a righteous life. Even after you trust Christ’s Savior, your destiny is not determined by your life. And it’s hard for people to believe that. Can you believe that you’re really, really saved? Totally saved by grace. I am saved by the grace of God. There is no amount of good works I did to be saved. There is not one ounce of good works I’ve done since I’ve been saved. That’s helped get me more saved than I’ve been.

Have you ever heard somebody say, you know, the so-and-so trust the Lord and they got saved? And then they told me somebody got gloriously saved. Oh, he was gloriously saved. That’s like saying, no, this guy laying in this casket here. Well, hey, he’s dead. Now this guy over here, he really did. He’s gloriously dead. I always thought dead’s dead. Saved, saved. But some people have been gloriously saved. I was just saved. So how did he get more than I got?

Did he get more than me? I was saved. He was gloriously saved. Now this guy, he’s dead. But this guy’s really dead. I’m saved, but he’s really saved. If you’re not really saved, you’re not saved. You’ve heard you’ve got to be a born-again Christian. Well if you are, it seems like you don’t need one of those words. I am a believer in the Lord. I have been saved, but does that mean that Christ must be the Lord and the Master of my life?

Because if he is, I got problem with all these people. I would venture to say that the Lord is not the master of everything in their life. I’d venture to say they haven’t turned from all of their sins. And I bet you that if he’s not Lord of all, he’s not Lord at all. I bet you whenever I had kids, we had three of them. And so when the kids are born and they’re coming along, I could tell them to do this, this, this, and this.

You’d be lucky if they did one of them, but sometimes they’ll do two of them. I ain’t never had them when they did all of them. Well if they don’t obey you in every area, they didn’t obey you at all. I told you to wash the dishes, cut the grass, make the bed, sweep the floor. Now if they didn’t sweep the floor, does that mean they didn’t do the others? Dumb. Well if he’s not Master of all, he’s not Master of all.

This is a good little slogan. Sounds good. But it stinks to high heaven. It’s just not true. As I was learning to walk with the Lord, it was one step, stumble, another step, stumble, another step, another step, stumble, stumble, stumble, stumble, step, step, step, step. And it’s a walk with the Lord, and you learn. and you don’t obey perfectly in every area. In what area of your life right now do you perfectly obey? Perfectly obey every area. One day I will be just like the Lord, but not yet.

I would love to be just like Him now, while I can do the most good, where I can affect the most people, I can reach the most. Look what he says in verse 9. The Lord knoweth, how to deliver the Godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly. You see, Lot was a just man, a righteous man. He knew the Lord, and yet the way he lived wasn’t the way God wanted him to.

God had to chasten this man. You are not going to perfectly obey the Lord in every area. Did you know that when you hear things like that376 and alleging you start stumbling in the Lord, one of the things that you willğ do is start questioning your salvation? Well, I guess I must not really be saved. Because the Lord’s not the master of my life. I’ve actually talked to people and they say, oh yeah, I used to be saved, but I started drinking again.

I used to be saved, but then I started smoking again. I used to be saved, but I started using profanity again. I used to be saved, but I started using drugs, or I ran off on my wife, or out of my wife. Oh, I don’t care what the reason is. I used to be. I used to be. Did you know that if you ever used to be saved, you still are? If you’ve ever been saved, you still are saved.

Because you see, you can’t get saved and stop being saved. It don’t work that way. Like, I used to be alive, but I’m not anymore. Remember, I used to an illustration one time. Are you married? Well, yes, I am. Do you have a wife? Well, I don’t know. Who wants a mother-in-law without a wife? You see, if you’re saved, you’re supposed to have what kind of life? Eternal life. Well, if it’s eternal life, then it should last forever. And if I’m saved, that’s what I got.

Oh, you married? Yes. Then you ought to have a wife or your husband or you’re not married. So simple, so easy to understand. Now look in Romans in chapter four, Romans in chapter four. chapter four and look there in verse five. Remember, according to verse five, you can be saved without making Christ the Lord and the Master of your life. I’ve trusted Christ as my Savior. I would like to believe that the Lord is the Master of my life.

And I’ll have to admit, He’s more the Master and other than other areas because I don’t perfectly obey in any area. I would love to, but one day I’ll be just like Him. When I awake I shall see Him face to face. I will awaken in His likeness.” Now I’m looking forward to that. Here in Romans 4 verse 5, but to Him, that worketh not. That means to the man that doesn’t make Christ the Lord the master of his life, because if he’s the master, that means you must be the servant.

That means you must serve the master in order to be saved. So is salvation by service? Is salvation by your works? Well, no, that’s works for salvation. So God doesn’t save anybody who has any determination in his mind to perform a certain way ofPASS.ongevity. To live a certain way, because that makes his salvation dependent upon his performance. Will I or will I not perform, according to what I promised God. So I say, are you willing to be made willing?

No. Remember in illustration I used a long time ago. Here’s a man under the law. This man under the law is like married to the law. Mr. Law. Mr. Law and Mr. Love. Remember that sermon? Some of y’all don’t remember that sermon. I’m going to have to preach it again. You need to refresh, of course. Mr. Law and Mr. Love, but here’s a person who’s married to the law. Alone comes Mr. Love. Mr. Love loves Mrs. Sinner, but Mrs.

Sinner isn’t free to love Mr. Love because she’s married to Mr. Law. And so she can’t marry him because she’s still bound to the law. So every one of us born into this world are bound by sin to the law and because we have broken the law, the law condemns us to death. So we all have to die. But I want to be free from this condemnation of the law. So you see, the lady here, she can’t commit herself to Mr.

Love. She can’t promise to fulfill his every wish and dreams and whatever. She can’t commit her life to this man. Why? Cause she’s married. this man. You see, you can’t do that until you’re free. And the only way she can be free from the law is that she has to die. And without death, there is no freedom from the law. So that’s why Mr. Love goes to the cross, pays for all of her sin, satisfies the condemnation of the law by taking her penalty, her death, and he dies in her place.

And if she will simply accept that death payment, Mr. Law is satisfied. So the only way she can be free from the condemnation of the law is to die. And so by Christ’s death and put to her, she is a dead individual and the law cannot touch a dead man. So she’s dead. She’s buried. She comes back again from the dead. Now she is free from Mr. Law. Now as a child of God, She can now commit herself to Mr.

Love. You see, only after you’re saved and free from the law, can you now have the freedom to allow him to be the Lord and the Master of… That’s the master of your life. That’s only after you’re saved, but you can’t do it before you’re saved because you have to die first to get free. Doesn’t that make sense? Can y’all follow this or y’all sleeping? Okay, long solo. But anyway, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, look at this verse. 1 Corinthians and chapter 3.

And notice what he says here in verse 1. Verse 1. Now we know these people because it starts off in the book of 1 Corinthians to the saints at Corinth, the saints. The word Saint comes from a Greek where Hagiazo meaning to be made pure and holy and set apart, or we get the word sanctified. So we have been sanctified. You’re looking at a saint. I am a saint, not Bernard, but I’m a saint. I am a saint. But now notice I’m a saint in the Lord, only because I’ve trusted Christ as my Savior, and He made me pure and holy.

verse one and I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as under carnal that means you’re fleshly minded so he’s talking to people here in the church at Corinth not allowing Christ to be the Lord and the Master of their life if the Lord was the master of life and it was automatic then why did they have 14 major problems in the book of Corinthians. Why would Paul have to beseech these people? Like he does in Romans.

I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is Naure’s reasonable service and be not conformed to this world, but be it transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove that they good and acceptable and perfect will of God. So evidently, there wasn’t a change in their life. Why do you think he’d tell the, be not conformed to this world? if it was automatic that you’re going to be confirmed to the image of Christ.

Why tell somebody, well, don’t fall in love with the world. Well, you shouldn’t. I mean, so after all, remember you got saved Christ was the Lord, the Master of your life, and you promised God, and it’s automatic. Because if you’re really saved, you will do all of these things. Okay, now, what if you don’t? And they teach a lot of people to question their salvation. I was up there in Athens, Georgia, and there was this preacher that came to town for lame and evangelist.

He came to the Southern Baptist Church, and it was a huge Baptist church. And by the time he got through preaching, he had convinced half of the leadership in the church that they really weren’t saved, because Christ is not the Lord and the master of your life, you’re not saved. You’ve been going to movies. watching dirty stuff. If Christ is not the Lord and the Master of your life, you are not saved. And by the time He got through, boy, here they come weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Next thing you know, half the preachers, no, some of his deacons are getting saved, the piano players are getting saved, the song leaders are getting saved, and the, whoa, they’re having a revival! Why are you having a revival? Because all these people are getting saved. Who got him lost? That dumb evangelist? Because he got him to look at their life to see whether or not you’re really saved. And all he did is got them to doubt their salvation because, well, if I’m really saved, I want to go to church.

Okay, here’s a question. So I don’t want to go. You’re going to read the Bible. I don’t care to read the Bible. Well, you want to pray. I don’t want to pray. Can’t you be saved and not want to do all those things? Yes. But they tell you that you’re not really saved. Because if you’re really saved, you’re not going to want to go out here and do these bad things. And here’s all these teenagers. And every one of them I want to go out and do all those bad things.

I’ve seen a lot of them take that vow, you know, where, you know, they have a little pen and I take a vow that I’m going to be pure until I get married. And a lot of them have to take off those pens. Because the pressure is hard. Well, they causes them to doubt their salvation. So here’s some more. They’ve got to prove they’re really going to mean it this time. And so they’re trying harder and harder. God pitied the preachers that do that in line.

Is salvation by grace or is it by works? Salvation is the gift of God. It’s not of your works. And you’re not to look at your works to try to prove whether or not you’re really saved or not. I’m saved because God says I’m saved. What else do I need to prove that I’m saved? God said, if I believed on Christ that He died for my sins and I would trust Him as my Savior, He said, I am saved, I am born again, I am His child.

Now what other evidence do I need beside God’s Word? I think I ought to be able to just to trust the Lord’s Word on it. How do I know I’m saved? God says I am. So is He telling the truth or is He lying? He said, if I believe it, I have eternal life. He said, if I believe it. I believe it. Okay, well, am I or not? So I don’t look at my works to prove that I’m saved because when you’re down in the valley, you might begin to question your salvation because I don’t feel good today.

Everything’s going wrong in your life. You just had a fight with your husband or your kids and you know, or the boss and you’re just mad and bitter and upset and well, that must be a sign I’m not really saved because if I was really saved, I wouldn’t have had, I wouldn’t have lost my temper like that. You didn’t lose it, you found it. But here he makes a statement. Undecarnal, I have fed you with milk and not with me, for you were not able to bear it.

Neither yet, nor are you able. For ye are yet carnal. That means that Christ is not the Lord and the Master of your life. So then, evidently they must be lost. No, that’s not what the Scripture says. They were carnal Christians. They were Christians that were not doing like they should. They were not living like they should. Should we do right? Yes, we should. Do we have to know? I’m so glad of that. So I know that whenever I fail, I’m a disobedient child of God.

And I know that my Heavenly Father may have to hit me a lick or two, but I know I’m still as child. And sometimes we grieve because of the way we are. Sometimes we wish we could just be totally pure and holy in our thoughts, in our tongue, our word, and actions, and deed. Everything goes on. But you fail, don’t you? If we say, we believe it, if we say we have no sinful nature, we deceive ourselves, and And the truth is not in us.

Whether we like it or not, you still have an a wicked, sinful nature, a desire to do wrong. And it’s going to stay with you until the day you leave this world and get your new body. Or maybe you’ll die before then and God will take you on out of here. And when I awake, when I awake, I shall be in His likeness. I shall see him as he is. I’m going to be just like the Lord one day, no sinful nature, totally perfect, glorified body.

But until then, I think I probably will have a little problem. Have you had any problems lately? With an old sinful nature? You’re trying to tell me you haven’t been envious or bitter, jealous, had any wrong thoughts, you know, anything wrong, thought anything wrong, haven’t been mean or ugly to anybody, totally kind, perfect. Oh, come on. Do you know everybody sins, but you can’t remember the last time you have, huh? Well, everybody does. Everybody else that is. We are all sinners, saved by grace.

Yes, we should serve a Lord with all our hearts. But if you don’t, are you still saved. Yeah, and still his still his job and you’ll still go to heaven whenever you die. Look up here. This hand represent you and me. I represent all the bad things that we do. God says that we’ve all done things wrong. But he loves us, but he hates what we do wrong. And the Lord says that to pay for this sin is eternal separation from God in a place called hell.

But to go to heaven, we have to be perfect, as righteous as God. And none of us are perfect, none of us are righteous. Jesus Christ says that we have to be as perfect in His righteous as God to go to heaven, but because of sin we can’t get in. And God says, by our works we can never save ourselves. We’re saved by grace. What it means is this, this hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord, God in a flesh.

Came into the world because He loves us. hates our sin because it separates us from Him. So Jesus Christ, who had no sin, did not have to die. But when He took the sins of the world upon Himself, He had to die. He died in our place. He died for us. He paid for our sins. And God said if we would believe He did it for us, then this payment is put to my account. All my sins have been paid.

I go to heaven on what he did. That’s the gift of God. When Jesus came into the world, he’s the only one that can say, God was the total Lord and the master of his life. He says, I do not say or do or think anything contrary to my father’s will. Into what he said? But he is the only one that can fulfill that and say, He was master of all and Lord of all. I don’t think you and I can.

Let’s pray, shall we? If you’re here this evening and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you just talk to the Lord and say something simple like this? Lord, I know I’m a sinner. I believe Christ died, paid for my sins. And I will trust Him as my only hope of going to heaven. And for in God’s sake, if you would trust Him, He would save you and give eternal life. Would you do that? Would you do it right now?

I’m gonna ask you in just a moment to raise your hand. Raising your hand just lets me know that what I said made sense to you, and I’d like to have prayer for you. We’ll just let you in very quickly. If you’re saying, yes, I will trust Christ tonight as my Savior. I wanna be certain of going to heaven, then what it all? Or if you’re watching by internet, all that you have to do, so only thing you need to do, is in your own mind, would you believe Christ did it for you?

Trust Him as your Savior. Our Father, we thank You so much for this time together for the study of Your Word. Bless each one. Thank You so much for this Church. Thank You for all the people that work so hard. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, You can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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.

Turn in your Bible to the book of Mark, the book of Mark, chapter 12, Mark, chapter 12. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make this message as clear as I would like, but I’m going to try.”], So you do me a favor and don’t daydream or you might miss one key part of the whole message that might help illuminate your mind. I have often heard people say that when you trust the Lord, there ought to be evidence in your life.

You know, signs. A man by the name of Josh McDowell wrote a book called Evidence that Demands a Verdict. So there’s things in the Word of God that if God was to gather up the evidence from you, would there be enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian? So is there evidence in the Christian life? And if there is no evidence of Christ living in your life that you trusted the Lord, you’re saved, does that mean you’re really not saved because there’s no evidence that you are?

You know, there’s a lot of people who examined themselves and of course everybody else to see if they’re a real Christian. You know if they’re really genuine. In other words, they have in their mind a mental test by which everybody must meet the standard that would verify your genuine. If you were to give yourself a test, would you put down, yes, I am a Christian because and what would that list contain? Is there more than one thing on that list?

I mean, it’s because, well, I go to church and I know I’m a Christian, well, I read my Bible and I pray and I do all these good things. is the evidence that you would look for if it’s true. I mean, if there should be evidence of a Christian, what would you be looking for? Here in the book of Mark in chapter 12, I want you to look in verse 28, says, and one of the scribes came and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he He had answered them well, ask him, which is the first commandment of all?

And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is here, oh Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. In verse 31, and the second is like, namely this. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” There is none other commandment given or greater than these. These are the greatest commandments.

These two great commandments love God, love man. Then there is no greater commandment than these two. If they are commandments, who are they two? So somebody must obey the command, and if you are commanded, well, there must be results of disobeying the command. So what would be the evidence that you did obey the command? Isn’t that simple? You can follow me so far, can’t you? I nod you head like this when I go like this. Yes, it works. The Bible says that we are commanded to love God.

All right. Is there any evidence in your life that you love God? What would that evidence be? I mean, even if somebody else was to observe you, what would they use to prove that you do love the Lord? Is there certain things that you would do? Now, and you take the Ten Commandments, you know the first four, the result to back to God, refer to him, and the last six of the Ten Commandments refers to man. So we’re to love God and it’s revealed by that obedience and we love man by this other obedience.

So there’s some do’s and don’ts. So out of these do’s and don’ts, what’s the conclusion? Well let me tell you what it is so I can save you a lot of time. I want you to look over here at that tree. I was going to have James bring it over here, but he says it might fall over on me. So I thought we’ll just leave it over there. Over there’s a tree. Now that tree is you and me. Now the Bible says this, now I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew chapter three, Matthew and chapter three.

And you’ll notice that there’s the ministry here beginning of John the Baptist. And it says here in verse seven, because John the Baptist is out baptized and doing his thing and people are coming from everywhere see what he’s doing. Verse 7 says, but when he saw many of the Pharisees and the Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come. So you and I are supposed to believe there is a wrath to come, and if there’s wrath coming, we’re supposed to flee from it.

Now we know that there is going to be the wrath of God upon man and that we ought to flee from this wrath that is to come. So there’s commands that are given and there’s results for not obeying that command. So what would you use is the evidence that you prove to God that I don’t need to have the wrath of God upon me because I have the evidence that I obeyed that command. So if you were to examine your life, what would it be?

What would it tell? Do you have the assurance that you know you wouldn’t have to worry about the wrath to come, but in another verse. He makes a statement down here in verse 10, and now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is you down and cast into the fire. So over there is the tree. You and I were born into this world, and so we’re all trees.

We came from a seed, and they came from a seed all the way back to Adam and Eve. And so everybody born into this world were like a tree. What God is looking for is the fruits of righteousness on the tree. Well what is He looking for? He’s looking for evidence of your obedience. You obeyed. Now he’s looking at the tree. So he’s looking for something. Will he find it? Now I want you to notice here also in verse 11, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that comeeth after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.

He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, whose spand is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge just floor and gather his wheat into his garner, and he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. So there’s some that he’s gonna put into a barn, call this good, and there’s other, it’s gonna be burned. So I’ve had people say, you know, you gotta get the baptism of fire. You can have it. I don’t want it.

Because that’s where you’re talking about a place called hell. I have no desire to go there. So those that want it, you can have it. But the Bible says that he is going to lay the axe to the root of the tree and cut down the tree. And he’s going to cut down the tree because he’s looking for fruit on the tree. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew chapter 7. Matthew and chapter 7. Now part of this I covered years ago, a couple years ago, but I’m going someplace else this morning.

And I got to lay that foundation so that you’ll be able to follow me. So in Matthew in chapter seven, he talks about a broad way and a narrow way. You see up there, and if you look at it very quickly in verse 13, enter ye in at the straight gate, or why does the gate and broad is the way that lead to destruction? Many there be which go in there at. This is in Matthew seven and verse 13.

So we know that there’s two ways that’s what he boils down to as God’s way, man’s way. And there’s only one God, so it’s narrow. There’s a lot of people, and that’s why. So everybody has their way of getting into this place called heaven, or how to keep them going to hell. So a lot of people have a lot of beliefs and a lot of religions, but it doesn’t matter what anybody says. It doesn’t matter about man-made religions. It boils down to what does God say.

And then he says in verse 14, because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which lead us unto life. And this is talking about. eternal life. Few, few, there be that find it. So as you look at the Scriptures, it seems like there will be more people going to hell than going to heaven. And the reason is because there are so many false prophets and people are believing a false message because they’re listening to false teachers. So you look there in verse 15, beware of false prophets.

Right, a false prophet has a false message. A false message leads people astray and it causes them to believe something they were not supposed to believe. That’s why they’re called false. They’re false messages and people believe them and multitudes do. How do you know you’re not one of them? You need to look for some evidence, evidence that what you believe is the truth. Otherwise, how do you know that you’re not one of those that’s going to be, you know, thrown into the flames of hell?

Notice what he says. He used an illustration in verse 16. He says, in verse 16, ye shall know them by their fruits. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes, of thorns, or figs of thistle? No, they’re either grapes or they’re this old. It’s like some people like to talk about Christian science. You know, Christian science. It’s like grape nuts flakes. It’s not grapes and it’s not nuts. It’s not Christian, it’s not science. But there’s words that people use.

But there has no meaning. There’s clouds without rain. And he makes a statement. He says, you can know them by their fruit. Now we got a tree over there. God is looking for righteous fruit from the tree. He knows what he’s commanded. What is he going to get? So he makes the statement verse seven, even so every good tree. Bring the fourth good fruit, but a corrupt tree, bring the fourth evil fruit. All right, if we looked on you and I, if we are a tree and God is going to look for some fruit on the tree, He said, there’s two kinds of trees.

One is a good tree, one is a bad tree. He said, a good tree doesn’t have bad fruit. And a bad tree doesn’t have good fruit. Ooh, boy, this really narrows it down. So if God is looking at your tree, if he finds any one bad fruit on the tree, it’s a bad tree. What city in verse 18 a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Is that clear? So that means if we looked at that tree over there and that represents you and me and if he find one bad fruit on it, the whole tree is bad.

So if you examine your life, have you and can you find one bad fruit? whether in thought, word, or deed, that’s not right, that’s not perfect. Okay? What would the evidence say? The evidence is you are a bad tree. And what it means is when God gets through, He says, all, all have sinned and come short of God’s perfection. All. So everybody in the world is a sinner. It means we’ve all missed the mark. We’ve all harmatano. We have come short of God’s perfection.

So this is what God is saying in His Word. And there’s people, false teachers, that tell all of us, all you have to do is bring forth the right kind of fruit. And you’ll get to go to heaven. Because God’s looking for this perfect fruit and all you got to do is bring forth the right fruit and you get to go to heaven But no if you have any bad fruit on the tree you can’t go So that eliminates the whole human race And God says man cannot save himself Now hold your place right here, but turn in your Bible to the book of Isaiah 61 the book of Isaiah and chapter 61 And I say a chapter 61, there’s a statement here mentioned about the Lord Jesus Christ.

In verse one, Jesus Christ mentions this in the New Testament when he was talking to the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He says in verse one, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. So you have the Trinity right there in that verse. The Holy Spirit, Lord God, Father. upon me, son. Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captain, then the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

And the last part of that, he didn’t quote in the New Testament, but there’s a reason. Now look down in verse 3, to a point unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mornings the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Now remember that all the trees are cut down, dust to dust, ashes to ashes, but God is able to miraculously bring beauty out of ashes. Look what else he says here in the last part of this verse, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified.

What He’s talking about is because of Jesus Christ coming into the world, He was born, took on flesh, never committed to sin, and when God examined Him, He had no cause for Him to die. So with all the people born in all the world, there’s only one that had no sin. That was Jesus Christ. So God says that He’s going to take the seed from this tree, Christ. And God said, He’s going to plant the seed. And He’s going to bring beauty out of ashes.

And it’s going to be a tree of righteousness. God has another tree. So lo and behold, that’s where you and I come in. You and I, when we realize from the Scriptures that we’re all sinners, we can’t save ourselves and there’s no good work that we can do that will be good enough to get us to heaven. And if you had to live good to go to heaven, then you’d have to wait until you’ve done it to see if you made it.

So you’d have to wait until you die. So how would anybody know now where they’re going when they die if you’re going to heaven because of your good works? You’d have to wait until you lived your whole life and then see whether or not at the end does my good outweigh my bad. See it’s not a matter of the good outweigh in the bad. God won’t have any bad at all. There’s our problem. So God says you cannot save yourself.

You need a Savior. So that’s why when you trusted Christ as your Savior, when you believed He died and paid for your sins, God gave to you as a free gift ever lasting life. Take your Bible and look there in the book of Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 and 9. I want to show you two of my favorite verses in the Bible. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. And you’ll notice here in chapter 2, this is on page 1251. You notice in verse 8, 4, by grace are you saved.

Well, why would you have to be saved by grace? Because nobody can be saved by their works. There isn’t anyone good enough. So it doesn’t matter how good you are, you do not have any evidence that you’re perfect. All the evidence is contrary to you being perfect. If I was to ask you this question, have you ever done anything perfect? Are you perfect now? Do you perceive that in the future you will be perfect? No, because you have been a sinner, you are a sinner and you will stay a center unless God intervenes.

And lo and behold, that’s where we are. So we have all the evidence that we need that we’ve all come short of God’s perfection. So that’s why the acts is laid to the root of the tree and we’re all going to be cut down. That’s why the wages of sin is death. Everyone’s going to die. Now Jesus Christ had the tree of righteousness, the fruit of righteousness so He didn’t have to die. Well all the sins that we have done was put upon history.

He died in our place but God took that seed that was planted and all those who believe in Him the payment He made is put to our account and we can have a new birth. We become a new plant. Born of God. Now here in Ephesians 2.89, whereby by God is saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. So you’re not saved by your works. You are not kept saved by your works.

So where does works come in? Well, after you trusted Christ as your Savior, it is the will of God that we do good works. See, look in verse 10. First 10. He says, He says, for we are His workmanship. You know the self made man. God performed this work. He’s the one that saved you, gave you eternal life, made you His child. For we are His workmanship. Now get this, created in Christ Jesus. That means you have a new birth born of God.

And then the last part of it says unto good works. So does God want you to bring forth good works? Yes He does. Does everybody bring forth good works? No, they don’t. Look at the last part of the verse where he makes a statement half before ordained that we should walk it. In other words, it is the will of God that all of God’s children walk in good works. That’s the book. But it is also the will of God, excuse me, that everybody trusts the Lord.

God’s not willing that any should perish. God wants everybody to be saved. So because that’s what God wants, does everybody get saved? No. So do all of God’s children serve the Lord? No. Some of God’s children are obedient. Some of God’s children are disobedient. But did you know our obedience to God is still boiled down to those still two great commandments? One is, do I still, do I love the Lord? And my love for the Lord is revealed by, do I love one another?

So should I love one another? Why yes, but am I loving anybody did he get to heaven? No. For example, let’s take a man. A man has a wife and let’s say we’re going to put him over here. Let’s take another man and another wife. Let’s put them over here. Now, this couple over here, they’re saved. This couple over here, well they’re They don’t know the Lord. Can the lost man still love his wife? Do lost people? A lost man?

Does he love his wife? I think so. If they have kids, then they have kids. Can the lost man? Can he still love his kids? Over here we got a Christian. And the saved man, will it be automatic? He will love his wife? If he has kids, will he automatic? Will he love his kids? He can be a believer and not love his wife. He can be a believer and not love his kids. You can have a lost man over here who loves his wife and not be saved.

love his children and not be saved. So if you’re looking for evidence whether or not a man is saved or not, if you look at the evidence you might say they’re lost and they’re saved. Look who they are. This man, he takes his wife and children to church. Is that good or bad? That’s good? That’s good. Here’s a saved man and a saved woman and they don’t go. This lost couple over here, they read their Bible and pray. And the Christian over here, he doesn’t read his Bible and he doesn’t pray.

So who deserves to go to heaven? They don’t deserve to go because you don’t have to be good. You have to be perfect. So all of their good deeds don’t get them to heaven. This is what blows people’s minds, but this is what Jesus said. You don’t get to heaven because of how good you are. You’ve got to be perfect and no one’s perfect. You must trust Christ as your Savior. But if you looked at the evidence, there might not be any evidence that they love God or they love people.

It just doesn’t sound right. Did you know when he says for by grace or you say, this is what he’s talking about? Nobody deserves to go to heaven. Why should they get to go and not them? Because they trusted Christ as their Savior and they didn’t. Here you are sitting here this morning. It doesn’t mean you’re better or worse than anybody else. But some people might live better than you.

But if you don’t trust Christ as your Savior, see, you don’t go to heaven. And that person you know that drains and smokes and runs around and does all those bad things, but that man may have trusted Christ as a Savior and he gets to go to heaven and you go to hell. You say, well, it’s not fair. We’re not talking about that. You say, well, that’s not worth it. We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about God. God, see, made salvation is a gift to whosoever would believe it.

Anybody that would accept it. Now let me show you something that most people really get all bold up about. Take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians. And you’ve got to stay with me now or you’re going to get mad at me and I don’t like people being mad at me. 1 Corinthians in chapter 2. See if a man is not saved by his works, you cannot use words as the evidence of why he should be saved or go to heaven.

You said, well, what about after you trust the Lord? Well, after you trust the Lord, does that mean you’re automatically going to serve the Lord? Let me kind of break that down for you. First Corinthians in chapter two, I want you to notice there in verse nine, but as it is written, I have not seen nor erred, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But he makes a statement in verse 10, but God hath revealed them unto us by a spirit.

Yea, the spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. So when you trusted Christ as your Savior, you trusted Christ as your Savior, you were born of God from a incorruptible seed. that tree over there? That’s the new birth. That one over there, that’s the old birth. When you still have sin in your life as a Christian, it’s not a sign that tree does not exist. It is a sign that tree still does. Let me repeat that.

You’re a Christian. If you still have sin in your life. It’s not a sign that one doesn’t exist, the New Birth. It’s a sign the old one still does. You still have an old sinful nature. You still do things that you should not do. So while you’re looking for the evidence, you might find nothing but the fruit of this old tree, even though you can’t see that birth. Why? Because you see the New Birth is a spiritual birth. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part 2 of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible line programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link.

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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

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 us to be able to 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.

Have something I wanted to share with you. Not long ago, I talked to you all about the title called, In the Process of Time. And it dealt with the idea that life has days and minutes and hours, seconds, and so forth in it. Well, there’s a few thingsgo I want to share with you along the same line, but maybe just a little bit different. Go ahead and take your Bible and turn to the book of Genesis in chapter 4, Genesis chapter 4, I only have a minute, only 60 seconds in it.

Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it. It was forced upon me. Can’t refuse it. I must suffer if I lose it, give account if I abuse it. Just a tiny little minute, but eternity. is in it. An ad that was found in a newspaper says, Lost one golden hour, studied with sixty diamond minutes. No reward offered for it, for it is gone forever. We don’t sometimes appreciate time, And yet it’s what life is made out of. And realizing that one day we’re going to have to give account to the Lord for time.

And in this process of time, as you read the book of Ecclesiastes, it talks about there’s a time to be born, time to die, time to love, time to war, to laugh, to cry. whole bunch of things. And so we know that life has been processed, and as it’s been processed, you are being processed. God uses time to process you. Though time is being processed, you are being processed in time. So God uses time. Do you think God wastes time?

time. God uses it very wisely, and He has given to each one of us certain amount of time. We never ask for it. It was forced upon us. Nobody in here asked to be born. And here we are. And you, um, gonna have to pay some consequences if you abuse it. So we need to be careful what we do with it, but I want you to see this in the book of Genesis chapter 4. It says in verse 1, and Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bear Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

And she again bear his brother Abel, and Abel was a keeper of sheep. Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in this verse you need unto land this, in process of time it came to pass. So there’s things that God has allowed to happen in life that will come to pass. And sometimes, regardless of what we’re going through, there’s something in the back of our mind we always assume it’s not going to be like this forever. We always live with the hope something’s going to get better.

And it’s… It’s devastating to us when it appears like nothing is going to get better, it’s going to get worse. When something eliminates all hope, like there’s no way I’m going to get out of this, nothing’s going to change. But I can tell you this, with the Lord, there is real hope and change. There’s a sermon in where? But what you cannot do with time, you can’t save it, you can’t borrow it, you can’t loan it out to somebody else, you can’t leave it and you can’t take it.

Time is something that God has given to us to live our lives and you’re responsible for it. Only thing you can do with time is use it or lose it. So since we have it, we ought to do it as much with it as we possibly can. It cannot be stopped, stored or stretched. Did you know some of the things that moved to slowest lived the longest?

You know what, turtles can be a long time. an alligator or a crocodile can live to be a long time. And sometimes the fast or something moves. You realize a mosquito doesn’t live very long. Aren’t you glad? What if a mosquito lived to be 30 years old? By the time he’s 30 years old, he knows where everybody lives. He knows the exact spot to hit. He knows everything about you and they’re waiting for you. But God is really smart about all these things.

But time that God has given to us, yes, in the process of time, God has put into different periods of time things that we have got to go through. And those things that He has planned for each day, remember the sermon that preached on about this is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it, so that every day God has it filled with things to benefit you and I. But with that day also comes in the book of Lamentation in chapter 3 talks about His mercy is renewed every morning, His compassion they fail not.

So we know that this day comes with everything that I need to help me be whatever I need to be to do whatever it is God wants me to do. But it’s not just that it’s one day, it’s your whole life. So God says, in the process of time, there’s things that are going to take place and that we need to remember. A missionary by the name of Robert Moffitt said, we shall have all eternity to celebrate our victory, but only one brief hour before sundown to win them.

Do you realize that we only have such a short period of time to win the victories for us to enjoy for eternity? So you can have a live field with excitement or you can just have a few things. But then whenever you get older, you’ve only got a few things to remember. And part of our joy is our reminiscing. You have no idea the joy I have now listening to some of the things that I did years and years ago, pulling out from my reservoir of all the videos and audios and things like that of what we’ve done, but buddy, it is so refreshing to sit down and enjoy that.

Did you know that during the thousand year reign, we might have a few minutes here and there that we could sit down and reflect and because the time will come and God said he’ll wipe away all tears from our eyes, but also things from our remembrance. So I think that there’s gonna be some wonderful things are gonna be for us, but time is so important. And even though I’m getting older, I want to do more. And I’m hoping that my body can keep up with my brain.

I used to tell people, I am so motivated beyond the ability to perform. And I almost feel like that sometimes. Say, take your Bible and turn to Romans in chapter 12. Let me give you just four things real quick before I get to my message. Okay. Romans and chapter 12, you’ve seen these verses before, but I just want you to know that in the process of time that you are in the process of being transformed. Now, God knows what you have to have in order to transform your life.

You see, you were lost. Now you are saved. And because you are saved, God doesn’t just transform yourMembers life. He uses in the process of time. So there’s some things that you have to know that if He just let you live life, you may not mature at all. You may never learn the lessons God wants or do what God wants you to do. So He does have to work on your mind. And he has to work on changing even your desires, because your desires that you had before you were saved are not necessarily the one that he wants to use after you’re saved.

Because he gave you a new nature. The new nature has new desires. New desires have to be fed. So you’ve got to feed him with something. So he looked there in verse 1 of the book of Romans in chapter 12, where he says, I beseech you, brethren, therefore brethren. Therefore brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. Now does God want your body? Yes. The body is the house where you live.

The body is the tool that you use. But what helps the body is the mind because all of your success and your failures begins right up here. And so therefore you’re trying to reach a person’s mind. So with the Word of God, He wants to transform you and I. We’ve said before that you can be conformed to the world. That’s because the world using its pressures to shape you and conform you to the world. But to be transformed is because the power of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God on the inside becomes pressure against the world and shapes you into what God wants so it transforms you, not conform you to the world.

God wants you different. like when Christ was here with the disciples and they went upon the amount of transfiguration and he was transformed right in front of their eyes. In other words, they saw Christ in his glory. Well, that’s kind of like what God wants to do with you and I in the sense that he wants to change you from what you were into what he wants you to be. So there has to be in the process of time that it doesn’t happen like that.

God uses time to teach you. Hear a little, they’re a little. Precept upon precept, line upon line. You don’t just take a little baby as soon as it’s born and give them 15 to 20 gallons of milk to grow them faster. You have to give them a little bit and he has to digest that. And then he grows a little bit and then you give them a little bit more And then he goes a little bit more and a little bit.

And wouldn’t it be neat if all you had to do is come to the church tonight. And the preacher just went around, opened up your little head and poured in all that you need to make you mature, cap it back up, see in a couple of years, we’ll just take and do a checkup on you, see how you’re doing. But you go to church, you learn a little bit. And then God gives you some days time. So that in the process of time to see, Can you apply that?

What is this knowledge doing for you? God wants to transform your life so that you think the way God wants you to think. So God’s the one that knows what He’s trying to make out of you and I. So therefore He knows what ingredients to put in, what problems to put into every day that will specially be designed just for you so that you can’t say, well, nobody knows what I’m going through. No, no, no, no, he does. He’s allowing all these things to happen because he has a purpose.

And sometimes we know it. Sometimes we don’t, but he says, you’re supposed to understand this, that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to his purpose so that God does have a purpose. Now look in verse two and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. So you have a body and you have a mind and the mind is to control the body.

So in order to transform your life, you have to transform the way you think. So that’s why you study the Word of God so that it says here, you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Otherwise, you’re left up to your old human nature of a mind to guide your life, and you will do in your own mind what you think is right. and it will seem right and you don’t see anything wrong with it.

It’s because, because isn’t the Bible that’s the Belichick =================================================================,”.[I mean the Bible that says something like there is a way thatbyterites seemeth right unto a manhot but the end thereof? Destruction? A wasted life? Ruins life? Yes. So it might seem right. It’s just not right. There’s things you may wantWER Lia, and so your will will clash with God’s will. You’ll know that you’re a humble individual when you’re a humble individual when you’re a humble person. You’re a humble person.ustom Your will will clash with God’s will.

You’ll know that you’re a humble individual when you can surrender your will to His will. That’s. humility. humility is not . Try to look spiritual . But youue might be filled with pride. You say why embodiments are you . BecauseTracker. how EntityItem you are and then you’re lifted up with pride. So you have to very, very careful. Now the other thing I want you to see is 2 Corinthians 3, 2 Corinthians 3, just turn to your right and you will see there’s a verse here that is pretty good.

In chapter 3, just look in verse 1, do we begin again to commend ourselves or need we as some other epistles of commendation to you or letters of recommendation from you? E. R. R. Epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men. In other words, you are our product. When people see our product, they’ll know a little bit about us, what we’re like because you’re the ones we want to Christ.rison how they wereWAYS sometimes reflected back upon -> them, what kind of a job are you doing?

This is what scares parents of having children because they know that people are going to look at their kids and judge what kind of parents they are by their kids. That’s scary because you can’t always control the kids, can you? And then they might even get married and have kids and it might even get worse. But people do it. But I want you to notice this. In verse 3, it says, for as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.

In other words, people are going to read you things that you say, things that you do, people read. And sometimes you might give a mixed signal. You might say you love the Lord, but they might read from the things that you say and do that you don’t really love the Lord. arijuana God. You go through the motions, youMine the right words to say, but it’s not real to unspecified promotable. In other words, you want your walk and your talk to agree.

So God is gonna do some change. And now look there in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter three. 1 Corinthians and chapter three. You’ll notice that as Paul was able to read the people here in Corinth, look what he was able to do. conclusion of Paul’s thought process. In verse one he says, and I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual. Well, why not? We’ve caused Paul to solve things in their life that they weren’t spiritual.

Well, how does he know? Who is he? Is he God? No, but he did look at something. You see when he says down there in verse 3, for ye are yet carnal, fleshly minded. In other words, you’re just like you were when you got saved. In other words, there was no change in their life. Not still saved, but there was no change. Why was he expecting there to be a change? Because it’s only reasonable to assume that in the process of time, You and I are supposed to apply the word of God to our life and there’s to be a change in our lives.

Not to get to heaven, not even to prove your say, but because you’re a child of God. And Paul is able to look at them, be leavers, and come to the conclusion you’re not spiritually minded. He’s like, how do you know they weren’t? Look what he says. There is among you in V-E-N and strife. Divisions, are you not carnal and walked as men? In other words, he’s using the way they’re living as the criteria for their spiritual standard, wherever they are.

He says, you’re not spiritual. He says, you’re carnal. So is that where they should be or should they be spiritual? He expected them to be spiritual, but they’re not. Now you and I, we don’t like people judging us. We don’t like people sitting in judgment. Who do you think you are? You think you’re better than me? Oh, Mr. Holy Holy, huh?

And so we want to justify ourselves by getting even, you say something about me and I’m gonna say something about you. So we got to find fault in each other and just kind of put it on the back burner. And so when somebody says something, and we’ll slap upside to head with that. Doesn’t that make us feel spiritual and more stronger and better? And that way we can look down our long, fair silk, the nose of the others and think we’re like Kellogg’s cornflakes, you know, just a little bit better.

You don’t remember that every time, years and years ago, there was a commercial about, you know, cornflakes, just a little bit better, just a little bit better. I heard that and I’ve used that for the last 30-something years. I guess I’m showing my age, ain’t I? But anyway, as we’re moving right along here, understand that Paul was able to judge where they were spiritually because of the thing they said and did. And so you and I are being judged.

And sometimes people may question your love for the Lord. The thing about Jesus Christ when He made this statement in the book of John chapter 14 verse 31 that the world may know that I love the Father even so I do. Nobody could find a fault or a flaw in what he said or did. They looked. They got their magnifying glasses out and tried to find a mistake that he made, but they couldn’t find any. Looking first Peter chapter one, first Peter in chapter one.

First Peter chapter one, there’s a verse here that uses the word fashion. Have you ever seen some time on TV they’re trying to show you the latest fashion? and they’ll have women walk down the aisle or something like that, and they’re showing the latest fashion in this, or the latest fashion on that. And mainly it’s because of the times in which we live, because the fashion that they showed today was probably not the fashion they showed 50, 60 years ago.

When I went down to the Tampa Bay Bible study that we had today, well, we have it every Wednesday, up on the floor of the 26th floor of the field in there, there’s old pictures, a hundred years old. And they show the street cars and the way the people were dressed. And they show all these old cars. And you think they were fashionable at that time. But today would you want that car today? It might be worth more. But you have to understand that in everything in life, there’s always these storms of life that we’re going to have.

And some things you can control and some things you cannot control, and there’s times. I remember when I was in school, the girls used to dress a certain way. Today they don’t dress quite the same. The style, I used to always have these ties that I got from Goodwill when I was going to Bible school. I got it good on there and for about 25 cents you can buy a cup of ties. And they were the old ties that people had gotten rid of.

And so did you know if you kept those things for 30, 40 years they’d come back into style? And so with a guy, it’s never out of style. You just wait long enough and it comes back. But with the women, most time it don’t because they keep buying stuff. That’s got to keep buying stuff. When it comes to the Lord, there are things that God used long time ago to train His people. Think that He would teach. In our time, when it comes to building us and building our character, there’s things that God may use.

We’re not using the same kind of electronics today that they used 100 years ago. They didn’t even have them. Can you imagine a hundred years ago not to have the things that we have today? I’d love to see that again, I think. But you realize we live on a faster pace. Nobody slows down to find out what’s going on. It’s just zip, zip, zip, zip, zip, zip. And we don’t stop to think. Now, I would just see that here in 1 Peter chapter 1, look there in verse 14.

And you ought to underline these verses as obedient children not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance. The only way that you can not fashion yourselves according to the former lust that you used to have, the way you used to live, the only thing that’s going to make it different is being obedient. You see, you can’t transform your mind, discipline the body without obedience. If you will not obey the Lord, your life will not change. change.

And there’s people who trust Christ as Savior. They live their whole life and nothing ever happens. Nothing changes fossing their life. They’re just like they were when they got},{” no more mature and it doesn’t matter how much Bible you know. How many Pastebin have PKK been to the Bible? Has the Bible ever been through you? If the Bible doesn doesn’t control your life, You don’t know it. You don’t know the Bible until the Bible controls you. You don’t know what walking with the Lord is like until you walk with the Lord.

Until you have joy in your heart, you don’t know what it’s like. Until you have the peace of God,razen you don’t know what it’s like. So God, God uses things in life. Process. Time is processing you. It’s building you. There might be and there might be some thing that is going to happenicester thisilater or next week or whenever. And God is going to have it right on schedule and it is designed to discipline you. To create within you desire for something or not for something else.

But it could be for something that God wants to discipline in your life and God is going to teach you patience. But don’t you get to the place where you think I don’t need to learn anymore. I’ve had enough learning. I justashington coast from herepite. But do you know the only thing that challenges your faith and makes your faith grow is a problem bigger than your faith? So your faith has to stretch itself to get over that obstacle. So God will allow these obstacles in your life.

Not that he wants you to go around it, not that he wants you to go under it, but he might want you to go over it. And in some cases, through it. But it never wants us to run from it. So there’s problems in your life. There’s storms of life that God is going to allow to come. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message.

Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bible line and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s strugean or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, Go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcasts of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Gamble, 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, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

understand that Paul was able to judge where they were spiritually because of the thing they said and did. And so you and I are being judged. And sometimes people may question your love for the Lord. The thing about Jesus Christ when He made this statement in the book of John 14 verse 31 that the world may know that I love the Father even so I do. Nobody could find a fault or a flaw in what he said or did.

They looked. They got their magnifying glasses out and tried to find a mistake that he made, but they couldn’t find any. Looking first Peter chapter 1, first Peter in chapter 1. First Peter chapter 1, there’s a verse here that uses the word fashion. If you’ve ever seen some time on TV, they’re trying to show you the latest fashion. And they’ll have women walk down the aisle or something like that, and they’re showing the latest fashion in this. So the latest fashion on that.

And it’s mainly it’s because of the times in which we live. Because the fashion that they showed today was probably not the fashion they showed 50, 60 years ago. When I went down to the Tampa Bay Bible study that we had today, well, we have it every Wednesday. Up on the floor of the 26th floor of the field in there, there’s old pictures, 100 years old. And they show the street cars and the way the people were dressed. And they show all these old cars.

And you think they were fashionable at that time. But today would you want that car today? It might be worth more. But you have to understand that in everything in life, there’s always these storms of life that we’re going to have. And some things you can control and some things you cannot control and there’s times. I remember when I was in school, the girls used to dress a certain way. Today, they don’t dress quite the same. The style, I used to always have these ties that I got from Goodwill when I was going to Bible school.

I caught it down there for about 25 cents. You can buy a cup of ties. And they were the old ties that people had gotten rid of. And so, did you know if you kept those things for 30, 40 years, they come back into style? And so with a guy, it’s never out of style. You just wait long enough and it comes back. But with the women, most time it don’t because they keep buying stuff. That’s got to keep buying stuff.

When it comes to the Lord, there are things that God used long time ago to train His people. Think that He would teach. In our time, when it comes to building us and building our character, there’s things that God may use. They’re not using the same kind of electronics today that they used a hundred years ago. They didn’t even have them. Can you imagine a hundred years ago not to have the things that we have today? I’d love to see that again, I think.

But you realize we live on a faster pace. Nobody slows down to find out what’s going on. It’s just zip, zip, zip, zip, zip, zip, zip, and we don’t stop to think. I want you to see that here in 1 Peter chapter 1, look there in verse 14. And you ought to underline these. Versus as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance. The only way that you can not fashion yourselves according to the former lust that you used to have, the way you used to live, the only thing that’s going toFINEST to make it different is being obedient.

Jouc You see, you can’t transform your mind, discipline the body without obedience. If you will not obey the Lord, your life will not change. And there’s people who trust Christ as Savior. They live their whole life and nothing ever happens. Nothing changes in their life. They’re just like they were when they got saved. more mature and it doesn’t matter how much Bible you know. How many times have you been to the Bible? Has the Bible ever been through you?

If the Bible doesn’t control your life, you don’t know it. You don’t know the Bible until the Bible controls you. You don’t know what walking with the Lord is like until you walk with the Lord. Until you have joy joy in your heart, you don’t know what it’s like. Until you have the peace of God, you don’t know what it’s like. So God uses things in life, process. Time is processing you. It’s building you. There might be some things that is going to happen this week or next week or whenever.

And it’s designed to help discipline you, to create within you desire for something, or not for something else. But it could be for something that God wants to discipline in your life, and God’s going to teach you patience. But don’t you get to the place where you think, I don’t need to learn anymore. I Haram had enough learning. I just want to coast from here on in. But do you know the only thing that challenges your!, thing that challenges your faith and makes your faith grow is a problem bigger than your faith, so your faith has to stretch itself to get over that obstacle.espie Soarij would allow these obstacles in your life.

Not that he wants you to go around it, not that he wants you to go under it, but he might Calories you to go over it, and in some cases through it. But he never wants us to run from it. So there’s problems in your life. There’s storms of life that God is going to allow to come. But look what he says here in verse 15, but as he which hath called us or called you is holy, so be ye holy and all manner of conversation or your whole manner of life.

Remember to all of these things we’re talking about the transforming of your mind, the discipline of the body, the changing of your life are not just one little time deals. And it’s done. It’s your whole life. You are to keep growing all your every day of your life. And every day is going to come designed with you in mind with all kind of things that you need to make you what God wants you to be. So look in Ephesians 4, the book of Ephesians 4.

Ephesians chapter 4, and you’ll notice there in verse 23. Verse 23 says, and be in your underlying this. Renewed, renewed in the spirit of your mind. Sometimes you’ll find the word of God talking about, you know, that we’re supposed to walk as the believer in love and in spirit. It means in attitude. You see, you might learn some biblical truth, but what is your attitude toward change? arij. Did you know that sometimes we don’t like change? But what is your attitude?

God wants your life to change. Are you against that change? Are you against changing anything in your life? Because, well, I’ve just never done that before. Well, you didn’t know the Lord before either. And you never grew in the Lord before either. But is it something you, well, I can’t do that because I don’t like that. It has nothing to do with what you like or don’t like. What does God say? What does God want? If God wants me to change, I change.

If God’s Word says I’m doing something that I should not do, what is my attitude? The spirit behind it all. The attitude that you have. Because that is the biggest key to helping you to grow strong in the Lord. And as he says here, look what he says in verse 22, that you put off concerning the former conversation or manner of life, the old man. So there’s something that God doesn’t want you to do, and there is something that He does want you to do.

Put off and to put on. So he says in verse 24 that you put on the new man. See, these are all personal decisions. They’re decisions that you and I have to make. All these things deal with being processed in time because it takes time to take things off, takes time to put things on. It takes time to discipline the mind, time to discipline the body. All these things involve time. And all of it is very important. So let me just mention that to you one more time.

I only had just a minute, only 60 seconds in it. Didn’t seek it and didn’t choose it. Forced upon me can’t refuse it. I must suffer if I lose it and give a count if I abuse it. It’s just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it. Did you realize God is going to reward me in heaven for all eternity? For what I do in every minute God gave me to live? That’s why the guy says, lost oneDWG with 60 studied diamond minutes.

No reward necessary because it’s gone forever. And you and I are living our lives and yesterday is gone. It’s a cancelled check. Tomorrow, ask us a promissory note. Today is cash. Spend what you got. We’re God wants you to and you’d be surprised what God has for you. Let me give you just a couple of other things I wanted to mention to you. I wrote down five things. I can give to you kind of quickly. Take your Bible and turn to Deuteronomy chapter 32.

Deuteronomy chapter 32. And look there in verse 11 in the book of Deuteronomy because in this In this time that God’s given to us to live, there is going to be something that you and I really really want to be. And that is a time of ease. When we mete to make all these big decisions, when”” it seems like the nest egg is secure and things are going long. long, pretty smooth. I don’t have any serious health problems and I don’t have any serious financial problems.

Everybody loves me. Wellimbabwe there’s going to be a time when it seemed like everything is going your way. Has it ever happened yet? We’ll just keep hoping it’ll happen down the road someplace in. But the reason I always live because you want to be it is. You want to have all your needs You don’t like and love all those problems. And as it says in verse 11, to kind of give you an idea of what God is like in the process of time.

You see, there’s a time when the little eaglets are in the nest. And these little eaglets, all they have to do is open their mouth wide and mama will fill it. And God says, open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Well, fell it. When’s the last time you opened your mouth wide to the Lord and ask Him what you want? Well, it’s nice and big850. Or do you just ask the Lord for aually crumb like you’re a recip.

Palest. Or do you realize that your heavenly Father owns the whole world Rove and all the gold? And that all He has to do is make things abound towards you? Do you know He is able to do that?Gaza. You know, I just preached a sermon not long ago on what God is able to do. you’re supposed to believe that and open your mouth wide and see what God said. He said, novel, fill it. But sometime we go, look, do you guys see him?

What did you say? He believed me, me, me, me. Don’t be mealy mouth. He says,irgin, boldly to the throne of grace that you may obtain help in time of need. Isn’t that what he said? And yet we’re so timid. We’re so shy. God didn’t say be like looking for you. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, flutter over her young, spread it upPhiladelphia wing, take it them and bear them off on her wings. And she takes them way up.

See, theres a time when you’re in the nest and everything is warming, cozy and fuzzy and everything is just wonderful. But sometimes because the Lord knows what’s best, he’s going to change some things. And that’s whenever he might have to Put a few sticks up into the nest so that it becomes so uncomfortable because God may want you to move. Maybe he has something else that he wants you to do and you’ll never do it if he lets you have everything you want where you are.

So God can dry up this. Did you know he dried up the brook for Elijah? Why did he dry up the brook? Because God wanted him to move. God had something else He wanted Him to do. The ravens fed Him and He had all of His needs met. He hid the water and then God takes care of everything. And it forced Him to do something else. God knows what He’s doing. So there’s going to be storms in your life and in the process of time.

You see, all time is not exactly the same. There’s going to be times when you’re totally disheartened and totally in despair. All these things come upon us. And God says that He takes and we ride them up high. And so there’s a whole sermon here, but we’re not going to take the time for that right now. Turn in your Bible to the book of Psalms, a hundred and third Psalm. A hundred and third Psalm. A hundred and third Psalm.

And look in verse 13, verse 13 of the hundred and third Psalm says like as a father, because you see there’s times a failure. There’s times of weakness. You see, you and I live in a physical body, and if you get down physically, it is so easy to get down spiritually. Because sometimes our spiritual growth and desires is because we have the physical ability to do something, but when you can’t do it, and you can’t make things happen, that you realize you can lead to such failure in your own mind.

But that’s sometimes because we have set such high expectations for ourselves and what we think we can and cannot do. And we limit ourselves and God says, I’m in charge. It has nothing to do with what your dreams are. It’s mine. It’s His purpose, not ours. And so we have a built-in frustration when we shoot for here and we come in here. All this emptiness that we have. And then sometimes it seems like God’s not using me. He’s put me on his shelf and this doesn’t happen.

and that doesn’t happen. And you can’t stand because you don’t have patience. And God’s want to teach us patience whether we like it or not. But he says in verse 30, like as a father, pity it, his children, so the Lord pity it them, that fear him. For he knoweth our frame. He remembers that weird dust. He knows the limitations of that physical body that you have. He knows you have an old sinful nature. He knows you have limitations.

He knows all of that. God says, He remembers. And that demonstrates the mercy of God because God is so filled with goodness and compassion and His promises that they don’t fail. So we need to know that. Look in Ezekiel and chapter 34. Ezekiel chapter 34. Ezekiel chapter 34 and look at it in verse 12 He’s equal 34 in verse 12. We’re just starting verse 11.

But look what he says in verse 11, for thus saith the Lord God, behold I, even I, will both search my sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seek it out his flocks in the day, that he is among his sheep that are scattered. So will I seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and the dark day. Not all days are dark. Not all days are cloudy, but then not all days are bright and sunny either.

Days come with a variety of little sunshine and maybe a little rain and a little thunder and a little tornado, a little hurricane. All the things it comes. And so we would like to have I guess you could say insurance that it doesn’t happen. So we think in our mind just like we pay insurance premiums that in case something happens, we’re covered. Well, in life, we’d like to be covered with insurance that if I serve a Lord, that’s like me making a payment to keep that problem from coming.

This will keep that problem from coming. And if I serve Lord, that’ll keep that problem from coming. And we think our obedience is my insurance that nothing will go wrong, nothing will go wrong, nothing will go wrong, nothing will go wrong. I got news for you, it won’t work that way, not with the Lord. Because God is going to Jeans all those things, I just saw avelope a video clip enthusi somebody sent to me. And it’s an interesting little story, but how they videotape pursued this I don’t know.

But there was a mountain lion getting up on a big old rock. This mountain lion looked down there and, lo and behold, there was a little bitty bear. And this mountain lion took off after the bear. In the little bear, saw the lion lion and took off a running and it sounded like a little kid crying. And he’s trying to run as fast as he can and he came out and run that lion. It finally gets down to the river and the only thing there was this log and it was going up and and he thought, he’s going to get to the other side.

So he’s flying up this logcli and he gets up there and here comes the lion right up the log behind him. So the bear turned around and looked at the lion and he started going backwards and the lion comesResidents up. And you’re sitting there and you’re launching this and there’s a roaring lion. He’s seeking whom he made a vower and he wants to devour that little kid. He kept licking Playoff his chops and looking at that bear and a little cub.

and all of a sudden the limb breaks andovych falls into the water. But the limb breaks off and so he crawls upon the limb and now he’s floating down the so now the lion’s got to go back down and he goes down the bank and he goes down there and on some rocks and he’s sitting there waiting for the little bear to come and get on his plate and he’s going to eat him up and the little bear got right up here close to him and whenever the lion got ready to get he jumped off into the water and started fighting first life because of water in the world and all of their and the poor little bear cub.

And you know that it can’t protect itself. And so finally, he gets WARN up on the land and we got up on the land. Here comes the mountain lion. And now there there are face to face. And this mountain lion with those claws, the claw slapped that little bear, and he when he slapped him again, and he slapped him again, and this time you could see the blood all over the face of the sub. And the little little little thing about him, he just saw, ah, just hollering at this lion.

Ah, and he just hollering to him out, wow, that was as loud as he could. He knew that this is the end of the road, this is his last defense. And as he hollering, the lion just stopped and looked at him. looked past that little bear. And the little bear didn’t know that mama was behind him. And mama was behind him. And while the little bear was going, the mama bear was behind him going, ah! And the lion turned and haultail and got out of there.

And the little bear finally realized that wasn’t his voice. And he turned around and he looked at mama and all he was the happiest little bear you ever seen in your life. He wouldn’t go there to mama, mama just starting to clean them up and blood was on him and she’d oh they were just a loving in the house. You ain’t seen anything like in your life. I almost cried. I watched that thing about four times and and sometimes you know you just have a bad day.

Not all days are good day but right before that the little bear was playing on this rock. He rolled off the rock and onto the grass and he was laying there in the grass and he was just having a ball. And then he got up and he saw the lion, changed everything. He was going along so good. You see, there’s always somebody or something ready to rain on your party.

And it doesn’t matter what you’re going through. There’s storms in life. But you and I are supposed understand that all that happens and it’s going to take place. Now when you get a chance and you read the 37th Psalm, the 37th Psalm, it talks about the soul of man looking out at the storms of life. And then when you get to the 73rd Psalm, it talks about all the storms that are within. So you and I have storms that are without and And we have storms that are within.

And so you and I need to learn how to trust the Lord and trust Him to walk us through the storms because everybody’s going to have some storms. All right, now look up here. This hand represent. You and me, the wall of represent sin. It’s all the bad things that we’ve ever done, the whole world. But God says that He loves us and He hates what we do wrong. The Lord says that we have to pay for our sins, the wages of sin is death, so we all have to die.

And that means to be eternally separated from the Lord forever. But God loves us. He wants us to go to heaven to be with Him. And God says that to go to heaven, you’d have to be perfect. His righteousness is God, and none of us are perfect. None of us are righteous. We have all come short of God’s perfection. And all the good works we could ever do will never pay forndumigroup. So God says?there’s nothing that we can do toworkshop ourselves.

So a man doesn’t have to do good works to go to heaven. He has to be perfect. And as far as our sins, he has to pay for those. and that’s death in hell. 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. He came into the world and took our sins, paid for them on the cross, came back from the dead.

And He says, whosoever in the whole world would believe He did it for them, He would put this payment to their account. Doesn’t that make sense? So simple, so easy that all that anybody has to do is believe it. And if you’ll believe that He paid for all of your sins, He puts that payment He made to your account. All your sins are paid. You go to heaven on what He did for you. substitution. Christ died for my sins.

I believe that I have eternal life. Hey, that believer on me hath everlasting life. I’m so glad I’m going to heaven whenever I die. Let’s pray, shall we? If you’re here tonight, you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior. That’s the best thing you could ever do. But if you’re here tonight or if you are watching by internet. Don’t forget you can do it right where you are. You don’t have to stand up or come forward. You don’t have to send me into He mayo.

Right where you are, you can say, Lord, I don’t understand at all, but I believe Christ died and paid for my sins and I’m going to trust Him as my Savior. When God said if you would believe it, trust Him, He would give you the free gift right now of eternal life. And you can know that you’re going to heaven whenever you die. Is it in one at all before we close? Say, preach or pray for me. I will trust Christ as my Savior.

I want to be certain of going to heaven. In one at all. Our Father, we thank You so much for this time together. We ask Your blessings upon each one here. And Father, there must be a lot of people that watch by internet that Father have a heavy heart. And I pray that You’ll use the message tonight to be a blessing to them. In Christ, then we pray. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible line programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believe in that the Lord is coming soon, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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-inness),” 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 message will be a blessing to you and your family. to the book of Romans, the book of Romans, the 10th chapter of Romans, I talked to a lot of people that have questions about the Old Testament and what did they really have to know? What did they really have to believe? And I believe that they had to believe what we believe. I believe they had to believe in the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah, just like we believe.

But when he starts off in chapter 10 of Book of Romans in verse 1, brethren, feel the heartbeat of the Apostle Paul. Why was God able to use him in such a great way? He says, my heart’s in prayer desire for Israel is that they might be saved. I believe he had caught a glimpse of heaven. He had traveled with Luke, who wrote the book of Acts and the book of Luke, and Luke’s the one that talks about and gives us the picture of Hell in Luke 16.

So those two men, one had a vision of Hell and the other one had a vision of heaven. And I imagine that between the two of them, they had a pretty good picture. And I think sometimes God said, now here’s the picture. And we’re to take it by faith in what God says is true. So he makes a statement in verse 1, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. STATS I bear them record that They have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge.

They have a zeal. There’s a lot of religious today that have zeals. I believe the Muslims, they have a zeal. And they believeHEAD that they’re doing Allah a great favor because they were told that this is how they honor Allah, their God, their following religion made up by a man. But they have a zeal. The Jews had a zeal. And many religions today, they got zeal, but he says here, but not according afore they don’t know the truth. So in verse 3 he says, for they be an ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness.

Now evidently, he’s talking to the nation of Israel and hedoms talking to them about in the previous chapters how that he had given them the law. So God gave theSPA haha to Israel. So they were not lack of knowledge concerning the law for righteousness They knew the law But they couldn’t keep the law But they were ignorant of the righteousness that God would give as a gift and if you’ll notice there in verse 32 of chapter 9 Because they saw it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, for they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

Now they couldn’t stumble at the The Old Testament did tell them about the Messiah. As it is written, behold, I lay in Zion, a stumbling stone and rock of offense and get the whosoever believe it on him. Republic of Christ’s righteousness. The righteousness that they could have had by faith, they stumble over it because they had the law given to them and so they just assume you’ve got to keep the law and yet they didn’t keep the law. They had a zeal but not according to truth.

They didn’t understand something. They didn’t see something. They’re just like people today. They’re religious people all over the world and yet they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God So therefore they go about to establish their own righteousness. And the only ones who do that are those that don’t know the truth. Because once you do understand it and you know that it’s free, well then you don’t have to try to earn something that you know as a gift.

But they don’t know it’s a gift. And so I do believe that this person of scripture chapter 10 is talking about where the faith come from. This new righteousness. Because he’s explaining how that God had dealt with the nation of Israel. See chapter 9 generally we say talks about the past of Israel and chapter 10, the presence of Israel in chapter 11, the future of Israel. And it’s kind of like throwing between chapter 8 and chapter 12. But if you’re reading through the book of Romans and you get to chapter 8, you can just jump from over chapter 8 and go right into chapter 12, and it doesn’t miss a beat.

So these three chapters are sitting right in here for a reason. They’re written to explain some things that have been said before, how that salvation is free, you’re saved by faith, you’re never condemned, God never cast you out, never lose you. And so he uses the nation of Israel as an example, a living example, how that there’s always a remnant. They cannot be annihilated. They will always be. And just like you as a child of God, you will always be a child of God.

So we see that. We understand that. So now look there in verse 3 of chapter 10. So we are talking about how a man is to be saved because he said, brother, that’s my heart’s desire for Israel that they might say, but they don’t know. And so he says, for they be an ignorant of God’s righteousness. But why were they ignorant? It wasn’t that God didn’t give it. They didn’t believe it. They wouldn’t believe it. They stumble over that.

Many people stumble over the gospel because well that’s too easy. That’s too easy. It’s too simple gotta be more than that And so they stumble over that truth And it’s just by faith. They just it can’t be leaving one man told me says you can’t tell me I said no doubt I can’t But he says they go about to establish their own righteousness Have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God so there is a by works righteousness and a by faith righteousness righteousness.

By works God says you can’t have it because it’s not by works. No man is going to be justified in the eyes of God by his works by the law. And so there is another righteousness that God will give you and it’s by faith. So whenever you read the book of Romans in chapter three, then it tells you that the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ. And that’s the only way. Now look there in verse 4, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that does what?

That believes. Is that talking about now or was that before the cross? I believe that’s always been. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness because He’s talking to the nation of Israel. It’s jumping on them because they had not believed and why haven’t they believed it? these years, fifteen hundred years of the nation and they wouldn’t believe. And yet, Christ would have been the end of the law for righteousness for them because God used the law to show that a man cannot save himself by his works.

And even though they made the sacrifices in the temple, all those sacrifices did not pay for sin. And those sacrifices, the blood of bulls and goats as it says in Hebrews chapter 10, will never take away sin. Now hold your place right here and just look at Romans chapter 3. I want you to see this one verse. And Romans in chapter 3, look there in verse 25, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, the satisfaction, the payment through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed to the forbearance of God.

That’s Old Testament. That’s what they did before the cross. They still had to believe in the sacrifice, the payment that was going to be made by the death of Christ and had their faith in His blood because putting faith in the blood of bulls and goats won’t cut it. It would never satisfy and the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sin. And then He says in verse 26, to declare, I say at this time, this side of the cross, His righteousness.

So before and after, it’s all deals with Christ. And so now He’s talking to the nation of Israel, the Jews, refer into what they could have had and how that they were saved by faith the same way. And so now as he writes to the Romans and tells them that a man is saved by faith and all the world is guilty before God. The Jews had an advantage because they had the law given to them in Romans chapter 3.

Look now in verse 5. For Moses, now look where he’s going to, all the way back to Moses. And this is written in the book of Deuteronomy in chapter 30, these scriptures were fixed in the read are from that person of scripture way back there and this is what they mean. Now sometimes the scriptures tells us things that wasn’t previously known. For example, when you read in the book of Jude when it says an Enoch walk with God and that he was a preacher And he preached this.

It says that he preached about the Son of God, the Lord, coming in glory to execute judgment upon all the wicked, and has about three verses there. But whenever you go back to the Old Testament where it says there in chapter five of the book of Genesis, in it what with God and he was not for God took him. That’s all there is. Not until we read the book of Jude in the New Testament right before the book of Revelation.

do we find out that in it was a preacher and he preached about the Lord and that’s Jesus Christ coming in power and great glory and to execute judgment. But we wouldn’t have known that if it hadn’t been revealed here in the book of Jude. So there’s a lot of things they were told and a lot of things they knew and yet not written down in scripture. So how do you know that? Well, remember it makes this statement in the book of 2 Peter in chapter to that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Talk about how wicked the world was, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And God used him to build an arch for the saving of his household and the whole human race. But when you read 2 Peter in chapter 2, it makes this statement, was a preacher of righteousness. Now we didn’t know that he was a preacher of righteousness and never said that. Not when you read back there in the Old Testament, but he was a preacher of righteousness.

Now, we’re talking about man’s righteousness, or you’d be talking about the righteousness of God. So see, they did preach just like there’s people today. They may worship the church house and they worship the Bible, but not the God that made the world and the God that made the Word. They don’t worship him. And so people can worship the creature more than the Creator. So things change, but the Word of God still means what God intended. So here in the book of Romans in chapter 10, look at in verse 5, for Moses described the righteousness which is of the law that the man which doeth them shall live by them.

In other words, if you want to live, and in chapter 8 of the Book of Deuteronomy it talks about this. And also in the Book of Deuteronomy in chapter 30 it talks about this. But he says, I said before you this day to choose life or death. In other words, whether you live or die, and he’s talking about physically there, obey my law. And so there’s laws that God gave to the nation of Israel that affected their protection upon the their blessings of God upon their land and their help and they had to make choices.

They make the right one, God blessed. They didn’t, God cursed. So God said it before them. They had decisions to make, but they did not keep the law. They didn’t obey the law. So the law was to reveal that every man has sinned. Come short of God’s profession. By the law of verse 6, but the righteousness which is of faith, So now in verse five the righteousness of the law and verse six the righteousness which is by faith So chapter 10 I believe is get us to understand if you’re not saved by the law and you’re saved by faith Where does faith come from?

Where do you get it? He got the law from God. Do you get faith from God? So there are people who believe that by grace or you say through faith and that not of yourselves It is the gift of God and they think that the faith is the gift of God and they translate Ephesians to 8 and 9 to mean that so that means that if you want to be saved You have to wait until God gives you the faith God give me the faith So if that’s true then no man can be saved until God gives him the faith And if he doesn’t trust the Lord, it’s not his fault.

It’s God’s fault. So that’s fatalistic That’s not what the word of God teaches you see faith is not the gift of God God. Be saved and have an eternal life. That’s the gift of God. For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourself. It’s the gift of God. That’s a reference to your salvation. That’s free. But where do you get the faith from? Because some people believe and some people don’t believe. Every man is born with the ability to trust.

You start with your parents. You have to trust them. Maybe you knew it or didn’t know it. But as you grow, you may get to the place where you have doubts about your mom and your dad. Well, they can do this or do that. And you question whether or not there’s bright and wise as you once thought they were. And then after you live about another 30 years, you’ll find out what they were smarter than I thought, but you can put your faith in anything.

You see, a man can put his faith in the pew to take him to heaven, but that doesn’t mean that pew can take you there. You can put your faith in this church to take it to heaven, but that doesn’t mean it can take you there. You see, you’re the one that determines where you place the faith, so you can place your faith in the Lord or you can place your faith in things, can that thing, that object of your faith, do what you believe it can do.

See, it’s not the size of my faith that gets me to heaven. It’s the object of my faith. I can put a lot of faith in this microphone that takes me to heaven and it got lots of faith. I really believe that it don’t have no power. And so, and so a man can trust. And so a man can trust. And so a man can trust in his good works. It has no power. So he says, when you trust Christ as your savior, he gives you eternal life.

You go to heaven and what he did. So where does the faith come from? So then, so then, you know that you need it because that’s where you get the faith of righteousness. A righteousness God gives you by faith. Well, where you’re going to get this faith from? So look there in verseolescent 17. And you ought to on the line this verse in your Bible if you haven’t underlined it yet. So all calls we’re talking about if I’m not going to be a man.

So I’m going.,” If607 I’m not going to be a man. Iosterone…..verages isgested by faiththen where does it come from? So faith comeeth by what? Hearing and hearing by the commodore of God. And you can’t trust in the Lord unless you hear about the Lord. And then you can’t hear about the Lord unless somebody tells you believ the Lord. Therefore, that’s why a man is to speak with the mouth and confess with the mouth of what he believes, so that others can hear and Here in understand how to be saved.

It’s not a matter that you and I have to go up into heaven and get a hold of God and bring Him down here. And we don’t have to go down into the pits of hell and get a hold of God and bring Him up here. So I don’t have to ascend or descend. And yet this scripture comes from the book of Deuteronomy where it says, shall you ascend into heaven and bring down the Messiah or or reach down into hell and bring up the Messiah?

Wait a minute. What’s the Messiah doing in hell? Because that’s what the Syndra says. Butmonton, the righteous, which is of faith, speaketh on this The Bible says on this wise, say not in thine heart, who shall ascend in the heaven? That means to bring the Messiah down. Who shall ascend in the heaven? That is to bring Christ down from above. This is a quote from the Old Testament that was said by Moses. You say, well Moses didn’t understand anything about Jesus Christ.

Doesn’t it say in the book of Hebrews in chapter 11 that Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ to be greater riches than the treasures in Egypt? So he made his decision based upon Jesus Christ. And upon the treasures that he would have with the Lord. And therefore he was able to muster up, I guess, the courage to leave everything that he had. The only problem was that he was willing to do it 40 years before God was…

He was going to do the same thing, but he did it 40 years later. The timing wasn’t right. He was the right person. He thought that Godources going to deliver Israel by his hand. world for 40 years and came to the conclusion, look what I am, 40 years on the back side of the desert realizing that he wasn’t nothing and God had done learning, teach him some new things. And then God had to retrain him. And so the man lived to be 120 years old.

But now look what he says in verse 8. And this is all in the Old Testament in the book of Deuteronomy. who shall descend into the deep? That is to bring up Christ again from the dead. If this is what it meant to bring up Christ again from the dead, then evidently they knew that Christ, the Messiah, came from heaven and was on the earth and will be there and and will be killed and come back again from the dead.

That’s Old Testament. So they knew that the sacrifices the trust in them. God doesn’t say people two different ways. Everybody’s always saved the same way. We’re saved through faith. They were saved to the cross. The payment the Messiah would make, and weTextColor to that very same event. So we’re saved by both sides of the cross. Then look what He says. very same event. So we’re saved by faith on both sides of the cross. Then look what he says. In verse 8, but what sayeth it the word is neither even in thy mouth and in thy heart.

That is the word of faith which we preach. Why should we preach? Why should I tell people how to have eternal life? Because they canntax be saved except by faith. And they can’t have faith to trust the Lord unless we tell the gospel message. So we preach the gospel so that people can hear and understand it and trust the Lord. We are not responsible for theirnai decision. I am not responsible for any man trusting Christ or rejecting Christ. I have nothing to do with that.Band.

and you are just to be faithful to give the gospel. So whenever you give out a track, you’re giving out the gospel. See, you don’t have to be behind this podium up here to be a preacher of the gospel. Every child of God is to preach the gospel, some way or another. So you preach and by that somebody liable to believe and their, eternal destination rest upon that truth. Now if you don’t really believe that then you won’t have702 desire to get it out.

But if you really believe that then you do. Now you’re going to live and you’re going to die. And the thing is is what did you do with the time that God gave you or whatever God gave you see all of us have a Responsibility to the Lord to do what we can with whatever God has blessed us with but now get this in verse 9 Remember we’re talking about how is a man say by faith and that a man has to hear it Because if he doesn’t hear it then he can’t believe it and he can’t trust So he says in verse 9, that is, if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved.

If you believe this, if you believe it. Now you don’t confess with your mouth to be saved, but you confess what you believe. Only way that we can spread the word is I confess with my mouth what I believe in my heart. I believe that Jesus Christ died on that cross, paid for my sins, came back from the dead because I believe he did it for me. I confess with my mouth for the last 46 years I want people to know it.

I want them to hear it because if somebody hadn’t told me then I wouldn’t have heard it and I couldn’t trust Christ because I had never heard the message before. And those that know the truth, those that believe that this book is true, it is most difficult like pulling teeth, getting a person to witness to get them to pass out tracks, to get them to pray for the lost. And yet it’s so simple. He says it’s by faith and faith alone.

And this is why Paul made the statement. He says, brother, my prayer and heart’s desire for Israel is that they might be saved. And in first part of chapter nine, he says, I would be willing to give myself, to be separated from God, to be a curse from Christ, for my brethren.” In other words, be willing to go to hell so that his brethren could go to heaven. Go into your bedroom or a closet space where you can get alone and turn out all the lights and just let it be dark.

Picture yourself in hell for all eternity in the flames of eternal conscious torment forever and ever and ever and knowing that you’ll never get it’ll never end. And you had a chance, did not take advantage of it. You talk about a living hell. Because the body will burn but not be consumed. See, if we only had a vision, could catch it, could see that. But you can’t make somebody see something. Because as you read the Word of God, you have to see it.

And as I read the Old Testament, I don’t see much scripture in the Old Testament that talks about the literal place of hell, though it’s there. But it’s a real place, and you and I are supposed to believe that. But he makes the statement here in verse 11, For the scripture says, Whosoever, believe it in him, or on him shall not be ashamed. In other words, you’ll not be ashamed, or ever regret that you ever trusted the Lord. You’ll never be sorry.

We sing a song sometime from the choir. I’ve never been sorry that I trusted his name. Remember that song? Somebody going to help me out singing it over here? Just go for it. I’ve never been sorry that I trust the Lord. Just think when we get to heaven, we’re not going to be sorry we did so. Now down here you may be afraid or ashamed that somebody knows you’re Christian, but in heaven you won’t be. But the Lord says, I will be ashamed of you because you were ashamed of me.

That doesn’t mean you don’t get to go to heaven. You still get to go to heaven, but you’ll be ashamed because you never witnessed for him. And the Lord says, live now because one day he’s coming and in the book of 1 John in chapter 2 verse 28, now my little children abide in that when he shall appear, we shall have confidence and not be ashamed before him and his coming. And a lot of God’s children are going to be ashamed, ashamed.

they never did what they could have done. Because see, we’re not asked to perform miracles down here. We’re not asked to be supermen. We’re not asked to do anything we can’t do. We can do what God wants us to do. All we have to do is just explain the gospel to people. So when you leave, make sure you have tracks. Always ask the Lord, let me talk to somebody this week, somebody. Give a track to somebody. That’s the Word of God.

Somebody, I’m going I trust the Lord from it. And it may lead to an open door where you might get to talk to them about the whole thing and explain it to them. You see me do the hand gesture a thousand times, learn how to do it. Be an expert at it. A soul winners nothing more than a person who makes the gospel clear for the lost man to understand. The power is in the message. It’s not in you, it’s in the message, enough the message is in you, yes.

But God can use you. Look up here. This man represent you and me and the wallet represents sin. We all have sin upon us. God says that he loves us. He hates our sin. And for you and I to pay for sin is eternal separation from God. In hell. But God loves us and wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven. We have to be perfect as righteous as God because heaven is perfect. God is perfect.

And we have to be perfect to go into heaven. But we can’t because of sin. And God will not allow us into heaven. Remember, the sin is not just the sin that I commit. It’s the sin nature that’s within me. I could take this away and I still can’t get in because you see the sin nature is still inside of me. I committed this because I am a sinner. So God has to give me a new birth, not change me, not change me, not send me to church and do all a good deed.

God has to give me a new birth. So this hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world. He has no sin, no sin nature. So he has no sin. But Christ, because He loves us and hates our sin, it says that He hates it because it separates us from Him. So what Christ did for us, He took our sins, paid for it on the cross, came back from the dead and said, if we would believe it, He would give us His righteousness.

And if God gave me His righteousness, then I would be as righteous as God. Can I go to heaven if I’m as righteous as God? Well yes, that’s a righteousness that God gives to me by faith in what he did for me. And God says once you trust him, he’ll never catch you out and never lose you. Best news in all the world. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed and every eye closed and no one looking around, if you’ve never trusted Christ as your savior.

Right now why don’t I just talk to the Lord say something simple like this, Lord, I know I’m a sinner. I don’t understand it all, but I know that I’ve done things wrong. I believe that Christ died, paid for my sins, and I’m going to trust Him this morning. It’s my only hope of going to heaven. Friend, I’m not going to have you forward. I’m not going to embarrass you. But right where you’re sitting, if what I said made sense, would you say, yes, Lord, I will trust Christ as my Savior right now.

And friend, by doing that, God will give you eternal life as a free gift. And He’ll never cast you out, never lose you. And you can know that you’re going to heaven when you die. Would you believe it? Would you trust Him? If you’ve already trusted Christ as your Savior, do you see the responsibility? How that all of us as God’s children are responsible to preach the gospel? One way or another, find a way, because one day we’ll all stand before the Lord and give an account of ourselves.

Our Father, we ask Your blessings upon each one here, as Father Your protection, because we’re living in a sinful world and help us to have the confidence and the bonus that we need and use this for your honor and glory and Christ’s name we pray. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again, or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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.

Once you take your Bible and turn to the book of Proverbs, the book of Proverbs, you’ll often hear me say these things that I say them doing sermons, and there’ll be a little quote. I love quotes. I love seeing things that I see on signs at different places. Sometimes somebody will come across something good and they’ll send it to me. Sometimes it’s just because I’ve read a book and I’ve read a certain thing. But there’s something that I want to give to you, but then I want to take and use some scripture just to kind of help you to see in how you should apply it.

All of us need help. I want you to see this verse here in the book of Proverbs, Proverbs chapter 25. And look at verse 11, verse 11, where it makes the statement a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold. When’s the last time you had an apple made out of gold? Then a while, if you did, it would be pretty valuable or a picture of silver. That’s probably all I’ve had is a picture of it. I never had to have a whole bunch of it, you know, like a ton of it.

That would be all right. But he says, a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As you read the proverbs, you’ll find that pro verb, it means more than meets the eye, pro and verbum. And it’s a statement that’s made, but there are sometimes other meanings that you can find in it, and it’s like digging little nuggets out of a gold mine. And so the Bible talks about that in the book of proverbs and chapter two about digging treasures and hunting for it and searching for it and finding the wisdom of God and how much you can buy the merchandise you can purchase with wisdom.

You can have all the money in the world but you can’t buy wisdom with it. And so learning the word of God is the most important thing that you’ll ever do in your life. And so there’s a lot of neat sayings in the book of Proverbs and they will help you to be wise in your relationship to man. The book of Psalms helps your heart to be warm toward the Lord. And if you want to have some activity in your life and you read the book of Acts and then make you want to go to work and do something.

So different books has a different responsibility of trying to raise God’s children and would help us. Here’s a couple that I had given to you and some of these I had given to you just recently but I want to go down through them fairly quickly. But just listen to these because each one of them will teach you something that you need to know. Courage is, do you remember? Courage is fear that says it’s prayers and goes ahead. A lot of time we think, well, courage is the absence of fear.

No, it’s in the presence of fear. Sometimes we’re afraid to do certain things because that’s the human element of our makeup. We have a physical body. We’re still human. I didn’t stop being a human to be because I trusted Christ as my Savior. I got a new birth, but I still got an old physical body, not still got a mind that’s, you know, got to messed up sometimes, not lately, but, you know, has been. And so we have things that we need to learn and to do and to trust.

And sometimes they have courage and just trust the Lord in the spite of understanding how it’s going to be fulfilled and how it’s going to happen. statement that had is a Christian can’t waste time without affecting eternity. I think about that. You can’t waste time without affecting eternity. And I, given another statement over and over again, is your future. It’s been determined by your obedience to God today. Another way it’s said eternity is been affected by your obedience to God today.

Because the things that we do today is going to affect eternity. So if we waste a time here, we are affecting eternity. And therefore, when you understand that itlandish causes you to maybe want to try to accomplish as much as possible, to try to be diligent in your walk with the Lord. Another one I have down is, a light shines the brightest in the darkest places. So whenever we want to let our little light shine, or as the scripture says, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.

So men are supposed to see our good works, but we’re not supposed to do good work just to be seen of men. But the light shines the brightest when it is the darkest. But don’t we have a little element of fear when we see God’s hand moving for the light switch? And you know he’s fixing to turn off the light? And we get an element of fear. We get scared. And God says that we’re supposed to learn to trust Him even whenever it’s in the dark.

Now another statement I like is don’t doubt in the dark what God gave you in the light. When things were right, when things were good, when everything is going great, and you’re strengthening the Lord, you’re commenting on the Lord, everything is a-okay, you’re good to go. And then when things get looking pretty dark, don’t doubt in the dark what God gave you in the light. Now is the time to apply it and see what God will do. The other statement I like is, the price for shining is burning.

The price for shining is burning. And you’ll hear some people say, well, I’ve just been burned out. I’ve just burned out. Well, I’ve been walking with the Lord for 51 years. I don’t know what that would be like. I mean, burn out. Does that mean I have no more light? It means I haven’t been putting any wood on the fire. There’s no hot colds anymore. I mean, I’m lukewarm. What does it mean? I’m burnout. I mean, my plate is so full, I don’t have room for anymore.

I don’t think that’s what it means. But a lot of people don’t have any more energy, no more strength. I can’t take any more. I’ve had it and I want to quit. Stop the earth. Let me off. Well, the light that shines the brightest, shines the brightest at home. other ways it the light that shines the Father shines the brightest at home. Where should your light shine? Everywhere but at home your light should shine better at home where it’s the closest than it should a long ways off.

So the light that shines the brightest should shine the brightest at home. So always keep that in mind. It is easy to get the notes of the teacher into the notes of the students without getting into the minds of either one. Did you know that you can take notes and never put them into your mind but you got notes and you can teach those notes to somebody else who writes and takes notes. So everybody’s got notes but nobody knows anything.

So you can get the notes of the teacher into the the notes of the student without getting to the minds of either one. You can come to church and read your Bible and hear it read and it never sinks into your mind. You really don’t know what he’s talking about. Remember the devil is alive and well on planet earth and when it says in some of the seed was fell by the wayside. That means the devil got that before you did.

And then some seeds, well it falls upon stony grounds. You say, what’s stony grounds? A person who got rocks in their head. I mean they’re hard-headed. It’s hard for things to grow on solid rock. Would you plan on solid rock? So even though you may hear the word, your head, your mind might be filled with rocks and the seed can’t grow. And then And sometimes it says it falls upon, well, well, there’s some good soil, but there’s briars and thorns and it comes up and it chokes you half to death.

Next statement I want you to understand is, there are two ways to get to the top of a tree. You can climb it or sit on an acorn and wait for it to grow. Now, people, something they can hear that, but they don’t really get what it’s talking about. If you want something, is it better to climb and work for it? Or just to sit on and do nothing and just, well, I’m just trusting the Lord. Yeah, but God may have given you the strength and the grace that you need to work for something, to have something, to do something, to be something.

It takes effort. In other words, you’re supposed to sow before you reap. And some people just want to sit and dream and never do anything at all. The next statement is, the worst thing that can happen to you is to miss God’s will. Think about that. Here you are on planet Earth. It’s going around. Days are coming. Days are going. Years are passing away. The worst thing that can happen to you in this life is to miss the will of God for your life.

Is it God’s will for you to go to heaven? He says he’s not willing that any should perish. So it is God’s will for you to go to heaven. Wouldn’t it be a shame for you to miss that? Of all things that have happened on the planet, I’m glad that I trusted Christ as my Savior. I know I’m going to heaven when I die. But do you know that God has a will for your life? And he has something he wants you to do with your life.

Wouldn’t it be a shame to miss that? So of all things that we would ever want in our life, it should be the will of God. Do you want the will of God for your life? How bad do you want it? Bad enough to study, to find out what it is and how God can use you to the fullest extent. I saw something that one time I was in up in Pennsylvania, no, not in Pennsylvania, it was up in Tennessee.

I was having some dark moments in my life. And I went by and I saw this sign, says, the will of God will not lead you, or the grace of God cannot keep you. And when I saw that, Moa, I sat there in my car, and I saw that on the sign in a churchyard, and I pulled over the side of the road, and I just cried, because I was trying to figure out how God was gonna keep me where I believed He put me.

And I found out that the grace of God can keep me, whether will of God can lead me. Do you believe that? You should believe that. That’s what God wants us to do. Next statement, God’s leading is never contrary to his word. We often talk about the will of God, doing whatever God is that he wants for. He will never lead you contrary to his word. The Holy Spirit that lives within you is a Holy Spirit, not an unholy spirit.

The Holy Spirit, the Lord gave to you the day you trusted Christ as your Savior. So you have God living within you, and He will never lead you to do anything that’s unholy, or lead you to do anything that’s not like God. That would be ungodly. Ungodly means you’re not like God. Godly means you’re like God. So God always leads you, the Holy Spirit, to do right. And always within the boundaries of the Word of God. So just because you want to do something doesn’t mean it’s right because well I prayed about it.

A lot of people do a lot of sinning because they said I prayed about it. Yeah, but did you get an answer. Well, I don’t know about that, but I prayed about it. It’s important to get an answer and an answer. Is it, well, you see, that’s why you have to study the book to find out, is it in agreement with the revealed word of God called God, the Holy Spirit will not lead you contrary to it? Next statement, Let God steer the car, but you keep your foot on the gas pedal.

Isn’t that good? Let God steer, but you’ve got to have your foot on the gas pedal. I used to listen to teachers and preachers all the time. And sometimes it seems like they’re on the right road. They’re in the right car. They’re in the right lane, but they’re not going anywhere. because there’s no gas in the car. They’re just sitting in the right place at the right time in the right direction but there’s no gas. They’re not going anywhere.

They’re not going anywhere. And it’s like the little kid gets behind the steering wheel of the car. Johnny shut up that noise. like sound effects. And all they’re doing is playing, but they’re not going anywhere. It’s easier for the Lord to steer you when you’re moving. And some people say, Lord guide me, guide me, guide me. God says, why? You’re not moving? Why steer a wheel when the car is not moving? Just something to think about it. God wants men who will get the job done, not the one to explain why they didn’t do it.

Is there anything God wants you to do that you are incapable of doing? Can God, who is perfect, makes no mistakes, can He try to get you to do something that’s totally impossible for you to do? God will enable every one of us to do what He wants us to do. The problem is not God. We don’t want to do what God wants us to do, or we will not do what God says to do. Not that we can’t.

Another question. If you were God, would you hire yourself? If you were God, would you hire you to work for Him? Are you worth being paid for by the Lord? Did you know that whenever you serve the Lord God is paying you? God’s going to pay you? It’s just not payday yet, but we’re supposed to labor now. They leave in pay days coming later and that God is going to reward and it will be worth it all. Do you believe that?

I believe that. I believe pay days coming and I can wait. Pay days not here. That’s right. When you do good things for the Lord down here, don’t expect everything to be wonderful and everybody love and appreciative. They may do it. They may not. It doesn’t matter because you know So God hired you and God is going to pay you. I guess he could fire you too. Time to come on home boy. Next statement. The Lord’s approval is worth all the sarcasm of your friends.

The Lord’s approval is worth all the sarcasm of your friends. And it doesn’t matter who your friends are or people to work with, even sometimes people home, people at church. You can’t convince everybody of everything that you do or why you should do it. But you should be convinced that if God wants you to do certain things and you do that, then if it’s acceptable to God, that ought to be pleasing to you. The next statement is, give eternal issues proper priority.

In the book Monstrous Acts, In chapter 6 and verse 33 it says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you. So it’s a get your priorities straight. Always put the Lord first in everything. Always be reasoning in your mind. What does God want me to do? What is God’s will for my life? because you can live your life, and everybody does, but they don’t all live it for him.

So you can live your life and totally waste your life. Only in the dictionary does success come before work, alphabetically. So only in the dictionary does success come before work, but in reality, you have to do the work in order to be successful. Let me have you take your Bible and turn to the book of 2 Corinthians. The book of 2 Corinthians sent to be spent. See, you and I, when we trusted Christ as our Savior, He gave us eternal life and wants us to love Him and to serve Him.

He wants to love others through us. But it makes a statement in verse 14 of chapter 12, 2 Corinthians chapter 12, look in verse 14, Behold the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you. For I seek not yours, what you have, but you. So you are more important than the things that you have or accumulate. God loves you, and you’re supposed to believe that God loves you. And God has allowed us to have and enjoy many things in life, but don’t think those things are more important than the one that gave them to us.

The Lord is more important to you than anything you presently have or enjoy. Because you can lose all of those things. Because everything that you see is temporal. It’s all temporal. You say, what does that mean? don’t last forever. So he says, I seek not yours, but you, for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. That’s the only verse in the Bible that I’m not sure I agree with. Now that I’m getting older and I’ve got a couple kids, I, you know, they ought to take care of Papa when he gets old, you know, the grandkids.

So, I think that what we’re supposed to do, train him to take care of us when we get old. Dad, I don’t have no dad. But it says, but the parents for the children. So you and I are supposed to be given them something worth living for. It’s not always the things, it’s the character. It’s them learning how to trust the Lord. Walk with the Lord, lean upon the Lord. We should be leaving spiritual values with our children. Looking verse 15, he said, and I will vary gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

You ought to underline that. That’s a beautiful statement. I almost feel sorry for Paul when he writes this. He had gone to this place. He led these people to the Lord. And then somebody else comes along and turns them against Paul and he has to defend his apostleship and they just turned against Paul and they said things against him and he says, all that I have gone through, he mentioned that in chapter 11, all of that that I’ve gone through, the cares of this world, the cares of the churches, he says, I have spent my life for you.

And the more I love you the less I’m loved the more I do for you the less you understand and respect Now if that happened to the Apostle Paul is there a possibility you might do something for somebody and They do not appreciate you or what you believe or stand for and all the love that you try to show But you can’t explain it. You’re just gonna have to go through it keep serving the Lord in your way, because this happened to Him, it will happen to you.

And you’re going to do things for people and you’re going to give them your life. You’re going to give them your choice time. And they won’t care. And there will be no respect. Sometimes we see that without, sometimes our children, maybe even the grandkids. They could be somebody where you work. They could be at home. And all of a sudden it doesn’t seem like things can change and you don’t know what’s happening. The devil can work behind the scenes.

You can’t see him, but he works on people’s minds. He can cause people to believe things, to imagine things. Remember this, the devil cannot make you sin. He can only tempt you to sin. So don’t blame everything on the devil. You just happen to have something within you that he can tempt you with. It’s essential when you yield to it. You’re going to be tempted. Another statement that I want to give to you. Don’t get too busy polishing your armor and not sharpening your sword.

It’s not a matter of just seeing the beautiful foliage on the tree. Look how beautiful that tree is. Look at the way those branches are. Look at the beautiful leaves on the tree. Yeah, but is there any fruit on the tree? Well, there’s no fruit, but look at the leaves. I think there’s a story in the Bible about that. The Lord is looking for fruit. And so sometimes you’re so busy polishing your armor, or you make sure you’re in church all the time, and you read your Bible and do all these good things, and you just shine and shine and shine and…

but no fruit. You’ve never learned how to use the sword of the Spirit. What is the sword of the Spirit? I wonder what that is. The sword of the Spirit, according to Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12, is the Word of God. The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the divided and the suns of soul and spirit and of the body. And so you have a tool that you’re supposed to use and it’s the sword, but many people don’t.

They’re dull of hearing. Their sword is dull. They can’t cut as they should. When the Bible says, study to show thyself approved unto God a workman, that word is chopped up. You’re talking about making one clean sweet, though we can a clean cut and rightly divide the Word of God. And a lot of people, they don’t have that sharp edge. You see, that’s what causes you to be able to make wiser decisions for down the road. Study the Word of God and God will bless you because of it.

Another statement that I’ve used for years. Then I had to kind of look at it with a little question mark. Souls are unreached because they’re unloved. Now if I don’t reach them, it’s because I don’t love them. Are there still lost people in this world because they’re unloved? Because if we really loved them, we would reach them. But I know the responsibility doesn’t fall upon just one person, but the church of the the Lord has a responsibility. But if I don’t reach them, does that mean they’re unloved?

No, I believe the Lord still loves and loves all of them. But we’re supposed to look at it this way that concerning what Christ did on the cross for us, for the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judged that if one died for all, then all were dead, and that they which live should not henceforth, from now on live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose again. So we’re supposed to let the love that God has for that lost person motivate us to reach the lost person because they’re not unloved because God still loves them.

It’s just that we don’t love the Lord enough to reach the unreached. Anyway, it’s just something to think about. When you can’t sleep at night, don’t count the sheep, talk to the shepherd. You ever heard that one before? That’s a good one. Don’t talk to the sheep, talk to the shepherd. Don’t count the sheep. Another statement, if God isn’t as close as He used to be, who moved? If God is not as close as He used to be. So I just wanted to get close, close to the Lord again.

God had moved. He’s right where you left Him. Remember this, the Bible talks about abide in Him. It means just get as close to the Lord as you can. In the book of 1 John chapter 2 verse 28, it says, my little children abide in Him that when He shall appear, you may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. You’ll read the same thing in the book of the Gospel of John in chapter 15 about His children abide in Him.

He says, without Him, you can do nothing. So the closer you get to the Lord, the more strength and grace you’ll have, the more you can do for the Lord. And you will not burn out. Only reason you burn out is because you got too far away from the fire. He’s the fire. And if you’ll stay close to the fire, you’ll stay warm. If you get real close, you might even get on fire for the Lord. You’ll get high.

You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again, or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link.

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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10.30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. You might do something for somebody, and they do not appreciate you or what you believe or stand for, and all the love that you try to show. But you can’t explain it, you’re just going to have to go through it. Keep serving the Lord in your way, because this happened to him, it will happen to you.

And you’re going to do things for people, and you’re going to give them your life. You’re going to give them your choice time. And they won’t care. there will be no respect. Sometimes we see that without sometimes our children, maybe even the grandkids. They could be somebody where you work. They could be at home. And all of a sudden it doesn’t seem like things can change and you don’t know what’s happening. The devil can work behind the scenes. You can’t see him, but he works on people’s minds.

He can cause people to believe things, to imagine things. Remember this, the devil cannot make you sin. He can only tempt you to sin. So don’t blame everything on the devil. You just happen to have something within you that he can tempt you with. It’s you sense it when you yield to it. You’re going to be tempted. Another statement that I want to give to you. Don’t get too busy polishing your armor and not sharpening your sword. It’s not a matter of just seeing the beautiful foliage on the tree.

Look how beautiful that tree is. Look at the way those branches are. Look at the beautiful leaves on the tree. Yeah, but is there any fruit on the tree? Well, there’s no fruit, but look at the leaves. I think there’s a story in the Bible about that. The Lord is looking for fruit. And so sometimes you’re so busy polishing your armor or you make sure you’re in church all the time and you read your Bible and do all these good things and you just shine and shine and shine and shine and no fruit.

You’ve never learned how to use the sword of the Spirit. What is the sword of the Spirit? I wonder what that is. The sword of the Spirit, according to Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12, is the word of God. The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, Pearson, even to the divided in the sun, the soul and spirit, and of the body. And so you have a tool that you’re supposed to use, and it’s the sword, but many people don’t.

They’re dull of hearing. Their sword is dull. They can’t cut as they should. When the Bible says, study to show thyself approved unto God a workman, that word is chopped to him. They’re talking about making one clean sweet so we can a clean cut and rightly divide the word of God. And a lot of people, they don’t have that sharp edge. You see, that’s what causes you to be able to make wiser decisions for down the road. Study the Word of God and God will bless you because of it.

Another statement that I’ve used for years, then I had to kind of look at it with a little question mark. Souls are unreached because they’re unloved. Now, if I don’t reach them, it’s because I don’t love them. Are there still lost people in this world because they’re unloved? Because if we really loved them, we would reach them. But I know the responsibility doesn’t fall upon just one person, but the church of the Lord has a responsibility. But if I don’t reach them, does that mean they’re unloved?

No, I believe the Lord still loves and loves all of them. But we’re supposed to look at it this way that concerning. What Christ did on the cross for us, for the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judged that if one died for all, then all were dead, and that they which live should not henceforth from now on live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose again. So we’re supposed to let the love that God has for that lost person motivate us to reach the lost person because they’re not unloved.

because God still loves them. It’s just that we don’t love the Lord enough to reach the unreached. Anyway, it’s just something to think about. When you can’t sleep at night, don’t count to sheep, talk to the shepherd. You ever heard that way before? That’s a good one. Don’t talk to the sheep, talk to the shepherd. Don’t count to sheep. Another statement, if God isn’t as close as He used to be, who moved? If God is not as close as he used to be.

So I just wanted to get close to the Lord again. God had moved. He’s right where you left him. Remember this, the Bible talks about abide in him. It means just get as close to the Lord as you can. And the book of 1 John chapter 2 verse 28 says, my little children abide in him that when he shall appear, you may have confidence and not be ashamed before him and his coming. You’ll read the same thing in the book of the gospel of John in chapter 15 about his children, abide in him.

He says, without him, you can do nothing. So the closer you get to the Lord, the more strength and grace you’ll have, the more you can do for the Lord. And you will not burn out. Only reason you burn out is because you got too far away from the fire. He’s the fire. And if you’ll stay close to the fire, you’ll stay warm. If you get real close, you might even get on fire for the Lord. You’ll get hot.

Another statement, don’t be afraid to get out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is. But always understand that there’s always someone who might want to cut off the limb. So when you get out there on that limb, but that’s where the fruit’s at. In other words, some people are afraid to get away from the trunk of the tree where it’s safe. And to get out there on that limb and try to reach some fruit because there’s always a risk involved.

There’s possibilities you could fall and get hurt. And nobody wants to get hurt. So sometimes we just let that fruit go. I do believe that it’s good to have fruit, but it’s good to get your own fruit. Get it the right way. Do the right thing. Realizing that you have within you that which every man needs. You see, the world will try to lure you and tempt you to do that which is wrong. Did you know that every man in this world, there is a certain desire.

They don’t all have it at the same time. The desire to live forever, and you have it. And so what you’re trying to do is find the right people at the right time that are receptive. And you lure them, just like the devil lures them to do wrong, you lure them to accept Christ as their Savior. And you give them the bait and say, look, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. The hosts who ever believe within Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

A verse I often use every time I pull out my track, I’ll show them on the front how that little fellow, And that’s when I was 17 and had hair. They usually laugh a little bit, a little chuckle, doesn’t hurt anything. Now, let me show you something on the inside. Look at this verse. It says, these things have I written unto you that they leave on the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

What’s the purpose of reading that? It’s bait. You can know you have eternal life. You can know that you’re going to heaven whenever you die. And so I use that. You’re luring people. But we’ve got something everybody needs to know. And so just remember that. Next statement, don’t give God orders. Just report for duty. Look in Luke chapter 17. Look over there just first. Now book of Luke chapter 17. But you do need to understand that you and I are not to give God orders.

He is the Commander-in-Chief. He’s the boss. He tells us what to do, and all we’re supposed to do is say… Yes, sir. Look what he says in verse 7. But which of you having a servant plowing or feeding cattle will say unto him by and by him when he has come from the field? Go and sit down and eat. And will not rather say unto him, make ready wherewith I may sub and gird thy sub and serve me till I have eaten and drunk them, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drunk.

Women, a servant’s been. out there plowing and feeding cattle all day. He comes in the house and he’s supposed to serve and work and feed you and make sure you’ve got something to eat and to drink before he does. I like these kind of servants. You say, who’s they talking about? Talking about your wife. Yeah. No, not really. And look at verse nine, verse nine. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I should think not.

But in verse 10, so likewise ye, when ye shall have done, and you ought to underline this, or draw a circle around the word all, when you have done all those things, which are commanded you, say we are unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our duty to do. Now you and I insert in the Lord, the thing that goes beyond the call of duty is the love that we have for the Lord. To go beyond that which God requires of us and do more.

To sacrifice. You see, you have not sacrificed unto the Lord when you have simply given that which God requires. Sacrifice is when you go beyond that. Most people never go beyond. I believe a lot of people think that serving lawyers just like tipping the Lord a quarter, you know, and hope it just leaves me alone. You know, this is a token of my appreciation. Thanks, God. Now, I’m free to do whatever I want to do with the rest of my life.

I don’t think it’s going to work that way. But verse 10 is a good verse to keep in mind. Just say, Lord, I’m just a unprofitable servant. I really don’t deserve anything. I’ve only done that which was my duty to do. You see in the book of Romans in chapter 12, brethren, I beseech you that you present your bodies the living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. That’s just something that we ought to do. Don’t you think that all of God’s people ought to serve the Lord?

If we never get another blessing, if we don’t get anything, we don’t get one reward. We still ought to do it. I’m just an unprofitable servant, and you want God to do what He feels free to do to us whenever we get to heaven and what He chooses to give. I believe God is such a good God. He’s going to blow our minds. when you get there and you see what God is going to give you, it’s going to blow your mind.

Let me give you another statement. A man does not fail or fall in service unless he is unfaithful. Get that. A man does not fail in service unless he is unfaithful. Turn in your Bible, look in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 4. 1 Corinthians 4-2. So there in verse 2, Moreover it is required, required in stewards that a man be found rich, popular, just faithful. All God wants you to do is what you can do. God doesn’t want you to do what you can’t do.

So the preacher has no right to require of you anything. saying God doesn’t require of you. I don’t have any authority to try to get you to do something God doesn’t want you to do. True? All I want you to do is what you believePitt wants you to do. So all I try to do is teach you to book and try to challenge and motivate you with what the word of God says and hopefully you’ll respond. So, another good statement, let me give it to you.

You may dodge the responsibilities, but you cannot dodge the consequences. You can as you go through life, dodge your responsibilities. Try to figure out ways to get out of doing what God wants you to do. You can dodge the responsibilities. You don’t have to reason to buy boy dodge that. I don’t have to witness anybody boy dodge that. And you can dodge all you want. But understand, you cannot dodge the consequences of your decisions. You and I are going to have to give an account to the Lord for what we have done.

And that might not be pretty. Because God’s the one that knows what you could have done with your life. God does. statement, he who abandons himself to God will never be abandoned by God. I know if I abandoned myself to the Lord’s hands, I’ll never be abandoned by him. He said, he’ll never leave me and never forsake me. That’s good for my eternal security. But I’m talking about in the will of God. If I abandoned myself to nothing more than the will of God for my life.

I never have to worry about God leaving me without taking care of me or blessing me or giving me everything that I need to do whatever he wants me to do. Because now I know it’s God’s responsibility and God doesn’t dodge his responsibility. Another statement, Satan crushes our spirits by getting us to bear to moral burdens on today’s grace. See, God says He gives us the grace that we need for every day, but Satan wants to crush our spirits by getting us to bear to moral burden on today’s grace.

We’re supposed to believe that when tomorrow God will give me the grace I need to bear that burden for that day. As he says in the book of Matthew chapter 6, sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. In other words, God will give to you and I, all that we need for each day, but it’s wrong to borrow from the past or from the future, live each day, moment by moment. Walk with the Lord, moment by moment, day by day.

Another statement. God won’t pay you on the first day for the rest of the week. God doesn’t pay you on the first day for the rest of the week. You have to put in the time and the work and the effort, and then you can expect to get paid. Did you know, let me show you this to you. So you look here in the Gospel of John, chapter 4, the Gospel of John, and chapter 4. They had just gotten back from having their whoppers at Burger King, and they came up to Jesus and they said, Are you hungry?

He says, I have meat to eat that you know not of. See there in verse 32? And then the disciples said one to another, If any man brought him ought to eat, didn’t buddy bring him something to eat? What’s he talking about? Now, of course, Jesus was talking about his meat was to do the will of him, that sent him. There is a satisfaction of doing what God wants you to do that the world will never understand. And food will not satisfy this desire and drive that you have.

There’s more to it. So he makes the statement there in verse 34, Jesus said unto them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. Say not either yet for months and then come of harvest. But what’s he saying? Don’t think that one of these days down the road, we’re gonna, he says the harvest is right now.

But a lot of you are always planning in the future. One of these days, But look what he says here in verse 36, and he that reapeth, receiveth, what’s that next word? Wages. It means that God will pay you to be a soul winner. God will pay you because he’s talking about reaping the harvest, winning soul. God will pay soul winners. They didn’t say he pays everybody up, but soul winners. And gather a fruit that will last forever. Boy, that’s living for something that’s worth living for.

Let me give you a couple more of these. Never ask God to lighten your load but strength to bear it. The servant of the Lord is not the absence of problems, but the addition of strength. That’s not down here, it’s just another one that I remember. I used to have a couple of thousand of these, and I memorized them. And I would sprinkle my messages with these things. I’ll have to admit, my memory is not as good as it used to be.

Because when you don’t use it, you lose it. And so when I do evangelistic work, I just preach sermons. But whenever you’re trying to build people strong, you need all these things. See, I’m not interested in you just being able to explain the gospel to somebody. You got a life to live, and if you don’t stay strong in the Lord and your personal life, you won’t be witnessing to anybody. because your life will fall apart. I want you to stay strong and understand in some of these things will help you to be strong.

And there are things that have helped me. So I believe that you’re not much different than I am. And if it helps me, it probably will help you. I heard this one about a missionary. Attempt great things for God and expect great things from God. It makes me think, I want to attempt great things from the Lord. And I expect great things from God. But see, if you don’t attempt anything, you ought not expect anything because you don’t deserve anything.

Faith drives a man to action. That’s why he says, faith without works is dead because faith in the Lord produces a love and an action in his life. Oh, you may know Christ is your Savior going to heaven when you die, but you’re not there yet. You still got life to live. Another statement. When you flee temptation, don’t leave a forwarding address. I like that.

When you flee temptation, don’t leave a forwarding address. A person controlled by moods will not be faithful or won’t be used. You see, have you ever seen somebody? Here’s the line of what we were considered to be normal. And there’s people who can go way above the line of being normal. And they just want to, and they just get you know, laugh about everything. They’re the life of the party. But when they get discouraged and down, they go that much down below the line of normal.

They’re really excited and positive and excited. And then they moments of despair and away down here. So, how you go above you generally go below. And that’s what we call a yo-yo. And a lot of Christians are just a bunch of yo-yos. And so, when you start maturing in the Lord, you don’t go so high above the line and you don’t go very far below the line. the line. This is a sign of an undisciplined mind ruled by emotions.

And God can’t use that perd because they’re unstable. It’s like having two minds, a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways. Another good statement. It is a great sin to tolerate a little sin. It is a great sin to tolerate a little sin. Don’t talk cream and live skin milk. Don’t let friendships influence your dollar. Beware of making a decision when you are discouraged. Well, I have me in time, I’ve had to use that. I’ll be talking some couple and because her and her husband, they just had a fight.

Look, don’t make a decision when you’re down and discouraged. They’ll generally try to make one to get you out of a problem. And maybe the Lord doesn’t want you out of the problem. He wants you to go through the problem and learn some lessons that he has for you. Don’t think that God always wants you to run from a response. Run from a problem. Stop running. Because wherever you go, it’s going to catch you. It’ll find out where you are.

Next point. Not serving the Lord is like a train off the track. Satan likes us to be active, but not productive. If you draw breath, God has a purpose for you. Don’t remember me using that a couple times here. If you have a pulse, you have a purpose. Don’t y’all remember any of these great bits of wisdom that I’ve taught y’all the last two years? If you have a pulse, you have a purpose. So you’re supposed to remember all these things.

Another good one. If God never slumbers or sleeps, why should both of us stay awake at night? If God never slumbers or sleeps, why should both of us stay awake at night? Another good one. If you place everything that you have into the hands of God, it won’t be long before you’ll see God’s hand in everything that you have. And you’ll see God working in this area, and God’s working here, and God’s working, God’s working. And he said, Boy, it’s so good to see God working.

Well, see, God works because you put it into his hands. You do think that God says to do, and you’ll begin to see God working. It worked that way. No man is greater than his prayer life. No man is greater than his prayer life. You need to talk to the Lord all the time about everything. That’s how you cast all of your cares upon the Lord. Talk to the Lord. He’s your Father. Another good statement. Nothing is beyond the reach of prayer, except that which is beyond the will of God.

God grinds the acts. He plans to use. Do you feel like sometimes God is just grinding on you? It could be like he’s grinding and sharpening the edge of an axe, because why would you sharpen the edge of an axe to cut wood with? Should you sharpen the axe before you cut the wood or after you cut the wood, or in the middle of cutting the wood? You should sharpen the axe before you cut the wood. And then sometimes in the midst of your work, a Christian can begin to lose his edge.

So you sometimes have to stop and get the axe sharpened again. Sometimes God is working your life because he’s just knocking off some of the rough edges out of your life. You know what he’s doing? Just be patient. And the last one I’d like to give to you, define God’s will is defined yourself and your purpose. To find God’s will you find yourself and your purpose. Who am I? Who made me? What am I doing here? Where did I come from?

Where am I going? What does God want me to do? So finding the will of God is finding yourself and the purpose for your life. And you do that. You’ll be alright. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by Read the video by DyeLink Tool 3 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s video, please visit our website at www.dyeline.co.uk for more information on how to make a video. today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our home page at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening.

Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, 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, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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.

I want to talk to you about something that’s wrong. I think it’s important. You know, after we trust Christ as our Savior, we should serve the Lord. And sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t. And sometimes we’re up here, and then sometimes we’re down here. Sometimes we’re over there, and we want to be over there. One guy put it this way, the hardest decisions I’ve ever made in my life was trying to decide which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.

Some things you got to forget about, I move ahead. And sometimes you come to a crossroad and it looks like both roads are right. Like it wouldn’t matter which way you went. And sometimes those are the ones that you struggle with more than something that’s really clear. That’s good, that bad, that’s definite. No problem there. But sometimes in life it just seems like there’s a multitude of choices that we could make. But we do need to understand that there’s consequences to our decisions.

The Lord wants us to live for Him. So there’s a verse that’s mentioned quite a few times in the Old Testament. It’s called, oh, why will you die? Why will you die? But sometime back, and I think I read this two years before, but it kind of goes through what I want to speak on tonight, I was sitting in a restaurant and it had me some napkin paper and try it. I wrote me a little poem. I wrote another one just last week too.

Anyway, this one was sin and the sinner. You say that ain’t me. Sin and the sinner, sin should be magnified, but not glorified. Because you see, you gotta be able to see the sin. And sometimes we don’t see it because we don’t think it’s that bad. So by the preaching of the Word of God, it always seems to magnify the little bitty things that we think are not that important. And God lets us see according to Him, it’s really bad.

And you know, if you made a little black spot on a great piece of paper, it wasn’t show up so good. But if it was perfectly white, the smallest little speck would show up. And that’s what we have to do. And so, sin should be simplified but not deified. Where it’s really simple and clear-cut, according to what God’s word says. Sin should be clarified, but not justified. You never wanna justify sin. Well, so and so made me do this.

So and so made me. If it was sin, nobody made you. You did it all among your own choice. Sin has a song to sing, to lull the sleep before the sting, to destroy your soul is Satan’s reason, to offer pleasure for a season. Blinded minds and wounded hearts are caused by Satan’s fiery darts. Sin from the heart corrupt the mind defiles the man steals his time. For the heart of man is a deceitful thing. It destroys a man while declaring him king.

For the wages of sin or death in hell, the right to his soul he cannot sell. the flames of hell, he did not flee. Will he blame God himself or me? Because of sin, we are very easily deceived. And nobody is as deceived as I believe a Christian. Because you see, if I was the devil and I’ve already got the lost man, I’d kind of leave him alone. He’s already blinded. I’d go after those Christians who claimed the be able to see.

Those that want to walk with the Lord, Those that really love the Lord, those are the ones I’m going to do everything in my power to stop. And I wouldn’t care what I had to do, what I had to offer, as long as I can get a Christian too. Well, curse God to be mad or bitter at God. You know what? That’s so easy when things go wrong in our life to cause us to be bitter at God. And so I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Ezekiel chapter 33.

Ezekiel 33. And look at this verse with me. Ezekiel 33. And look here in verse 11. In verse 11. Ezekiel was a prophet of the Lord, and he had places where he would have a telescope looking into the future and to time, and also about the new temple. He has a lot to say about the descriptions of the temple, which we believe is the millennial temple. But anyway, he makes a statement here in verse 11, say unto them, as I live saith the Lord God.

I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways. For why will ye die, O house of Israel? Now you have to admit the Bible does talk about turn from sin, turn from sin. But understand that he is also talking here about the physical death and the people that wicked and they do things that causes God to have to shorten their life. Now we all know that we are going to die in this world but some people kind of rush head long and kind of like bring it earlier than perhaps God would have.

So is there a point in the man wants to die? Yes every man has an appointment but that appointment, though it is definite, can be extended or shortened. Based upon our response to the commands of God to serve Him. So even though you say, well I’m not going to serve the Lord, you may be shortened in your life. It’s kind of like a person that’s, no say, smokes a lot. It’s what you can’t prove that it’s going to shorten my life.

I know a man who lived to be 90 years old and because he lived to 90 years old, therefore it doesn’t really cause you to die early. Okay? But the man might have lived to be 200 if he hadn’t have. See, you don’t know that. Or another 10 years, whatever. But you can do whatever you do and it could shorten your lifespan. So it says, why, why will you die? Turn in your Bible to the book of Ezekiel in chapter 18.

Just go back to your left ear that Ezekiel 18. Ezekiel in chapter 18 and look there in verse 31. Verse 31. Yeah, let’s just start there in verse 30 because he said, therefore I will judge you, oh house of Israel, everyone according to his ways. Sayeth the Lord God, repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions. So, iniquity shall not be your ruin. So, iniquity will not be your ruin. It’s going to do you in. I think sometimes there could even be politicians who think that, you know, it really doesn’t matter what they do because nobody will ever know.

Or between consenting adults, you know, after all we’re mature and consenting adults consenting adults, does that make it right? Because two adults consent. Isn’t this wonderful? So there’s no sin. There’s no sexual harassment because they agreed. It’s still wrong and it’s still sin and it’s still wicked. And you know, there’s a verse in the Bible that says, be sure your sin. Well, it means it’s going to tell down you somewhere, somehow something is going reveal. No, this is why I believe a lot of people won’t run for president of the United States because they know that there’s people out there with a fine-to- comb and they’re going to scrutinize everything you’ve ever done or breathed or fought.

Somebody’s got it recorded someplace and especially today with cell phones. You can’t trust anybody anymore. You might be just having a good time and make sure you know you’re on Facebook and the whole world sees you. It’s getting to be a… you’re going to worry about what the government’s doing is what your neighbor’s doing. And so the time has come in when it could be very interesting. So look in verse 31, cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit.

And you ought to underline this in your Bible. For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that died. Say, after Lord God. Wherefore, turn yourselves and live ye. You see, God in the book of Deuteronomy placed before Israel, he told Moses and said, tell the people to choose. If you will do this, you shall live. And if you do this, you shall die. And believe it or not the people are so dumb.

There’s a God in heaven behind the scenes that sees everything, that knows what’s going on. And people think they can do whatever they do, and nobody knows. Like God can’t see in the dark. God can see. He don’t need light. He is light. He sees everything and knows everything. Take your Bible, look there in the book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 27, Jeremiah 27, and look there in verse 13. In verse 13, he says, in verse 13, why will ye die?

Thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilent, as the Lord had spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon. He says, He’s going to kill you if you don’t obey Him. See, even though God let His people go into captivity, He says, now, if you will obey, you will live. And there’s people that won’t believe what God has to say. He’d already warned them that, hey, He’s coming. And they didn’t believe Jeremiah.

They put him in a prison and he liked to died. Nothing but O’Mary Clay. And he complained to the Lord. You talking about a whiner? He was a whiner. But he had a crying message. He cried all the time. He was crying. And nobody would believe his message. But God says, you tell him anyway, he had to go to a rebellious group of people. Even Ezekiel was told what to do. And he says, even though their face, he says, don’t let their faces scare you.

He hasn’t been in some of the places I’ve been. And of course, not here now, but there’s a scripture that warns us about why will you die? Now you and I know that sometimes because of our obedience, we may live longer. Or because of our disobedience, we may live less. People say, well, when it’s your time to go, you’re going to go. Like, you know, God has on December the 25th, Peter back there is going to die. today I got appointed for him.

But you would think, okay, can he extend his life by his obedience? I believe so. Or can he shorten his life by his disobedience? I believe so. Like is one person going to fly on this airplane? He said, I’m not getting on that plane. He said, come on, get on the plane. He said, I’m not getting on that plane. He says, get on the plane. He says, when it’s your time to go, you’re going to go. He said, yeah, but what do we get up here in that It’s your time.

What do I do? So, as we’re moving right along, take your Bible and turn to the book of 1st Chronicles, the book of 1st Chronicles, 1st Chronicles and chapter 10, 1st Chronicles and chapter 10. It is possible for a child of God to be disobedient to the Lord and pay a price. There was a young man one time, he would head and shoulders above everybody in the whole nation. He didn’t ask to be made king, but because the people cried out for a king like all the other nations.

So he gave him a man. And Saul was chosen to be the first king of Israel. Isn’t amazing he got to serve for about 40 years as king. Then David, and he served about 40 years as king. And then Solomon, and he served about 40 years as king. One of my, it wasn’t be 35 or 43, but it’s only 40, 40, 40. You think there’s somebody behind the scenes, you know, watching things and controlling things, you know. And it’s hard for us to understand that, just like God had certain people during the history and how he…

Did what he did? There’s a God in heaven. And he allowed you and me to be born at this time and to live now. Did you know that if God so loved the world and he don’t have favors and so on? You know, there’s not another person ever been born that he loves any more than he does you. You are just as important to God as Moses or Daniel or David or Peter back there. I mean, you are just as important to the love of God.

Lord, you are important. God designed you and He knows you and He has allowed you to be born and He knows everything that’s going to happen. But now I want you to look there in 1 Chronicles in chapter 10. This is where King Saul was overthrown and how he died and why he died. Look there in verse 13. So Saul died because it was his appointed time from the beginning of the world. No, I didn’t say that. It’s as Saul died for his transgression, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not God had told him to kill all the Amalekites.

Remember in 2 Samuel and chapter 15? He didn’t do it. And he saved Agag, the king alive and a lot of the sheep. And he said, well the people made me do it. He lied. And he says, we’re going to sacrifice him to the Lord. Well now I know God’s impressed. He says, offering and sacrifices, that’s not what he asked for. He asked for obedience. Do what he says. Well, I’ll serve God in my own way. If you don’t serve God’s way, you don’t serve God.

You have to do what God wants you to do and God will bless and take care of everything. But don’t try to manipulate God. You see, you can fool people, but you can’t fool God. And he doesn’t put up with anything. Now look what he says here. He says, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not and also, he says, there’s another reason. For asking counsel of one that had a famerious spirit to inquire of it, because he went to a soussayer, because he went to this woman.

You know what a jolly fortune teller is? That’s what it was. And so this is what they call a happy medium. Oh well. Oh that was terrible. So he says here in verse 14, “…and inquired not of the Lord.” In other words, God let him die because he didn’t inquire of the Lord. He didn’t seek God’s will. He went and sought it from the devil instead of the Lord. Now, does that make God mad? Now the reason we have these lessons in the Old Testament, because in the book of Romans, in chapter 15, says these things were written a four time for our learning.

So we’re supposed to learn from what they did and what went wrong and what God did so that you and I will be wiser. So I don’t think it’s wise for God’s children to every day check their horoscope, try to find out what sign was you born and all that kind of stuff. You better leave that junk alone. You’re gonna stop, don’t play game with God. Cause you’ll wind up trying to make decisions, whether or not, well, is this a good day to do business?

Let me check my horoscope. You better stop, I’ll let junk. That’s foolishness. That is anathema, that’s an abomination to the Lord. And whenever you know you got to do something, make decisions on thing, God says, pray always. And when he says, pray always, that means pray to him. talking to Him, inquiring of the Lord, because not to inquire of the Lord makes God mad. God allows you and I to have all kinds of problems in our life so that we will seek the Lord.

And He says, counted all joy when you fall into divers temptations, all the kind of different and so forth, and he says, and if any man lack wisdom, and he does, let him ask of God, and God will give him the wisdom that he needs. So God gives the problem so that you’ll go to him and get the wisdom that you need. Now, when you have your problems and you whine and complain about them, and you have a bad nasty dirty stinking rotten attitude about it, that’s sinful.

So God could. He did it with others. He could take you home. Now, don’t, don’t walk out of here tonight. Well, the false understanding of what I’m saying, I’m not saying that every time something goes wrong in your life, God did it to me. And I’m not saying just because you got sick, it would become a sin in my life. It may not have been. undrafted. You’re the one that has to decide that, not me. I’ve had all kinds of things happen.

I have been very sick. I’ve been nigh unto death. I thought I was going to die last year and I got the shingles. I don’t even have a roof. And I had shingles. I thought, man, this thing is lasting forever. And I had never had them before. I never experienced such pain in my life. But I survived. I didn’t die. I just thought I was. But look what he says in verse 14, and inquired not of the Lord. Therefore, he slew him and turned the kingdom on the David, the son of Jesse.

So see, God works behind the scenes. God can raise up and God can put down. And he got too big for his britches. He got filled with pride that he could do whatever he wanted to do. And he’s going to do it his way and not God’s way. And God says that God had to rejected you from being king. Now he never lost salvation, but he sure did lose the joy of his salvation. He lost life too. And he died.

So it didn’t have to happen this way. This is because of decisions that he made. There’s a lot of things that will happen in your life. you’re going to make decision that can affect your quality of life. Now, it doesn’t mean that if you serve a Lord, you won’t have any downtime. You can serve a Lord without your heart and you’d be surprised what can happen. But see, I don’t believe that my heavenly Father just takes his child and beats them half to death without telling them why.

When And you do wrong and you know it’s wrong. You’ll know. Take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Kings. The book of 1 Kings. 1 Kings in chapter 11, just go back to your left there a little bit. 1 Kings in chapter 11. And notice there in verse 1. This is an interesting portion of Scripture because it deals with a man named Solomon. I want you to look what God said about Solomon. In verse 1, everybody knows that he was the wisest man that ever lived.

Everybody’s heard how that he was, you know, he prayed to the Lord because God gave him some choices and he says, I just want the wisdom that I may rule your people. And because he didn’t ask for a long life and he didn’t ask for wealth, he didn’t ask for those things, God gave it to him anyway. But this is what he says in verse 1. But King Solomon loved many strange women. You said, I didn’t know that. You know that.

Together with the daughters of Pharaoh, all these women of Moabites and Ammonites and Edomites and Zadonians and the Hittites of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, ye shall not go into them, neither shall they come to you for surely, surely,” You ought to underline that word, “…surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon claves under these in love. Solomon was a wise man. He used his wisdom to accomplish all kinds of things and write all kinds of things, encourage people to do the right thing, made awesome decisions.

But toward the end of his life, boy, you really messed up. You know, that usually happens that people get lifted up with pride. And he says in verse 3, and he had 700 wives, princes and 300 porcupines. Boy did he get stuck. And his wives, get this, you ought to underline this, his wives turned away his heart. See, God already knew this. Anytime God tells you not to do something to me, because God knows that’s going to hurt you.

All the do’s and don’ts in the Scriptures is because God wants you to be happy. And he’s telling me that if you do this, happy or ye, if you do them. And if you don’t do what God says do, you’re not going to be happy. God designed life. And though you may not see how it’s going to work, it will work. The law of the harvest is true. But some people never mature. They never grow up. You know, you take a little 10-year-old brat when they’re 30 and 40, they’re still brats.

Most people never learn, never mature. Now get what he says. So he says here in verse 4, and it came to pass when Solomon was, oh, well, he was what? Oh, he was old. His wives turned away his heart after other gods. This is what God had told them that they should not do in the Bible. and marrying outside of their race. They weren’t supposed to do that. But they did it anyway. Look in verse eight. And likewise did he, for all his strange wives, he built all kinds of things to honor them and they’re gods.

So now you see, when you marry a woman, you gotta please that woman. Oh, it’s hard enough for a man to please one woman. What if you had 700 wives? And I thought he was smart. He said, no wonder, look how many counselors he had. Can you imagine all those women telling him what to do? He must have been one confused man toward the end of his life. He probably couldn’t handle it anymore. So look in verse 9, and the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other gods, but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.

Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, for as much as this is done of thee and thou have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded thee, Yoda, on the landess, I will surely rent the kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant, notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake, but I will rend it out of the hands of thy son.” So there is a price to pay. And you’ll notice there in verse 14, and the Lord stirred up an adversary on the Solomon.

And in verse 23, the Lord stirred up an adversary. Verse 25, and he was an adversary to Israel. And on down through here, you see, it’s God that can cause people to turn against you. You say, let me know that. You hide bitterness and hatred in your heart, and you’re rebellious in your heart. And you may never know, because you don’t study the Scriptures, that sometimes those bad things that are always happening to you is because something that you’re not pure within your life.

And God knows it. And instead of you enjoying life, you’re tortured. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tappa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part 2 of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible line programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believe in that the Lord is coming soon, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. Solomon was a wise man. He used his wisdom to accomplish all kind of things, write all kind of things, encourage people to do the right thing, made awesome decisions. But toward the end of his life, boy, you really messed up. You know what usually happens, that people get lifted up and pride.

And he says in verse 3, and he had 700 wives, princes, and 300 Porcupines. What did he get stuck? And his wives get this, you know, the underlying is his wives turned away his heart. See, God already knew this. Anytime God tells you not to do something, because God knows that’s going to hurt you. All the do’s and don’ts in the scriptures is because God wants you to be happy. And he’s telling me that if you do this, happy are ye, if you do them.

And if you don’t do what God says to, you’re not going to be happy. God designed life. And though you may not see how it’s going to work, it will work. The law of the harvest is true. But some people never mature. They never grow up. You know, you take a little 10-year-old brat. When they’re 30 and 40, they’re still brats. Most people never learn, never mature. Now get what he says. So he says here in verse four and it came to pass when Solomon was oh Well, he was what oh he was old His wives turned away his heart after other gods This is what God had told them that they should not do in marrying outside of their race.

They weren’t supposed to do that But they did it anyway Look in verse eight and likewise did he for all his strange wives? He built all kinds of things to honor them and they’re gods So now you see when you marry a woman, you got to please that woman. Oh It’s hard enough for a man to please one woman. What if you had 700 wives and I thought he was smart He said no wonder look how many counselors he had Can you imagine all those women telling him what to do?

He must have been one confused man toward the end of his life. He probably couldn’t handle it anymore. So look in verse 9. And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other gods, but he kept not that which the Lord commanded. Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, For as much as this is done of thee, and thou have not kept my covenant in my statutes, which I have commanded thee, you ought to underline this.

I will surely rent the kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant, notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father say, but I will rent it out of the hands of thy son. So there is a price to pay. And you’ll notice there in verse 14, and the Lord stirred up an adversary on the Solomon. And in verse 23, the Lord stirred up an adversary. Verse 25, and he was an adversary to Israel and on down through here, you see, it’s God that can cause people to turn against you.

You say, let me know that. You hide bitterness and hatred in your heart and you’re rebellious in your heart and you may never know Because you don’t study the Scriptures, that sometimes those bad things that are always happening to you is because something that you’re not pure within your life and God knows it. And instead of you enjoying life, you’re tortured. You see, the Bible talks about fear, produces torture. Because it torments the soul. And it robs you of the joy, but you don’t have the joy because you don’t have the peace.

And the fear causes you because you know you’re not right with the Lord. So you can hide it from other people. You can hide it from your husband, from your wife, from your kids. You can hide it. But God knows, and He’s the one that can make the difference. So there’s one person you should never try to deceive. That’s the Lord. Because if you think for a moment you can deceive God and that this stuff doesn’t matter, You are deceived and God is going to lower the bone and you’re not going to like the way that it works.

So he says that he’s going to do these things. Look in verse 42. Verse 42, and the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was 40 years and Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, his father. So see, did he get away with all those women that he had? Did he get away from him? I mean, did he have a price to pay? Was there consequences? People say, well, look in the Bible, Solomon had 700 wives.

Yeah, but God also had to nail him and he didn’t get away with it. You and I don’t know how long he would have lived and how much in more enjoyment he would have had, but because of his sin, because of sin. Take your Bible and turn to the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah, Esther, Job, right in there, Nehemiah, and look there in Nehemiah Chapter 13, Chapter 13, last chapter in the book of Nehemiah. And this is on page 556.

But there’s something here that you need to see. She just because people had two wives, four wives, all that. That doesn’t mean that was it with God’s approval. People do things because they did it, but there’s a price to pay. You don’t disobey God and get away with it. He’s priced to pay. In Nehemiah chapter 13, look in verse 23, now they had gone back from captivity and was building the walls, and Nehemiah had a great ministry, and pardon that.

And but the people didn’t come back clean. Here they had been living 70 years in Babylon. So they had done some things that they shouldn’t have done. Now they’re coming back because, hey, we’re Israel, but now they were bringing back their strange wives with them. So in verse 23 he said, in those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdad, of Ammon, Moab, and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdad. Some could not even speak in the Jews language, but according to the language of each people, and I contended with them and cursed them and smote certain, Arsenalarij A piece of paper I probably would have signed it.

But look what he says. And I contended with them and cursed them and smote certain of them plucked off their hair. What if you had a pastor like that? WARNppelin BelichickWER haha TheNitrome take their daughters unto your sons or for yourselves.” In verse 26, look what he said, “…did not Solomon, King of Israel, sin by these things. Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God and God made him king over all Israel.

Nevertheless, Even him that outlandish women caused the sin. Shall we then, hearken unto you, to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God and Marian strange wise? So did Solomon get away with it? Bible says he did. Was it our bad testimony? God says it was. And others become, well, if Solomon can do it, I can do it. And a lot of people think that, they’re getting away with it so why can’t I? We live at a time where there’s not many people that really have much character to them.

There’s no integrity left. And so it’s a shame. Take your Bible and turn to the book of 2nd, verse 26. 2nd Chronicles in chapter 26. Chapter 26, look in verse 1. Now you’re going to study the book of the book of the year that you study. That this is the same individual. Verse 1, then all the people of Judah took Josiah, who was 16 years old, made him king in the rumors of his father, and Josiah, who built Eloth and restored it to Judah after that the king slept with his father.

16 years old was Josiah when he began to reign, and he reigned 50 and two years. in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jechaliah of Jerusalem. And get verse 4, and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. According to all that his father did, he did too. Look in verse 5, and he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God. And as long as he sought the Lord, you see those words as long as you ought to underline those three little words.

As long as he sought the Lord, you ought to underline the last part of that verse. God caused him to prosper. God. You see, there’s a God that works behind the scenes and he watches and knows everything that’s going on. And God knows when you’re obedient and when you’re not, he knows how your heart is. He knows if you’re just, you know, and I don’t care, Christian, or if you really love the Lord. And so he makes a statement that God made him to prosper.

Now I want you to look at another portion of the scripture here, look in verse 16, looking in verse 16. In verse 16 it says, but when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his, what? Destruction. You see, he didn’t stay strong. He didn’t stay with the Lord. See right now, you may love the Lord and you’re walking with the Lord, and yes, a lot of things will happen, But you know it’s not because of your disobedience.

It’s because God is using things that can happen in life. He can use your sickness, illnesses, problems, finances, all these things to draw you closer to Him and to purify you and make you even stronger. But when your heart’s not right, those same things that can happen is a chastening upon you. It all depends on where you are spiritually, whether it becomes a something that’s a strong test, the draws you closer to the Lord or chasening because of your sin and hard heart.

So he says in verse 16, but when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord is God and went into the temple of God to burn incense upon the altar of incense. You say, what’s wrong with that? He wasn’t a high priest. The king doesn’t have that authority. There were priests and that’s their job of the tribe of Levi, the sons of Aaron. He was not of them. So he says in verse 7, and as areiah, the priest went in after him and with him four-score priests.

That’s 80 priests of the Lord that were valiant men, and they would stood, Yuziah the king. Because he now, he’s the king and time has gone on and he thinks he’s somebody, he can just do whatever he wants to do. But no, he can’t, not get away with it. So look what happened to him. It says, and they would sort him, it pertained it not unto thee, Yuziah, to burn incense unto the Lord and to the high priest, the sons of Aaron.

They’re the the only ones that are consecrated to burn in sense go out of the sanctuary, for thou has transgressed, neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God. God didn’t give you the right to do what you’re doing.” in verse 19. Did King Uzziah say, oh, no, you’re right. I’m wrong. I’m sorry. That was a big mistake. He says in verse 9, then Uzziah was raw. That’s the same as being mad. And had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was wrought with the priest, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priest in the house of the Lord from beside the incense altar.

and as a riot the chief priests and all the priests looked upon him and behold he was lepros in his forehead and they thrust him out from there. Yea, himself, hasted also to go out. He said, maybe I need to get out of here. Because the Lord has smitten him. You see, at the beginning the Bible says that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. And he did those things that his Father had done.

He sought God in the days of Zechariah. And as long as he sought the Lord, he prospered. But now he didn’t got too big for his britches. He realized God will not tolerate pride. And God’s the one that knows whether you are filled with pride or not? God knows. He knows whether you’re humble or not. Do you think that you get to do all that you are? I mean, do you know who I am? I mean, I’m somebody. It’d be like me telling God, God, there’s preachers out there that’s got four and five and six thousand, ten thousand people in their church.

Lord, I mean, I deserve that. And I can begin to get lifted up and turned against God and try to exalt myself. And knowing these stories in the Bible scares me to death because I believe this book. And I know I better be thankful for whatever I’ve got wherever I am and just please the Lord. If God wants to give you more, praise the Lord. If he doesn’t, praise the Lord. God opens up doors, go through them. If he closes doors, shut up.

Be content. But look what he says. And, um, 2nd Chronicles here, he says in chapter 26. In verse 21, And Yuziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a individual house or a separated house. Being a leper for he was cut off from the house of the Lord, and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.” Verse 22, Now the rest of the acts of Isaiah first and last did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos, right?

So, Isaiah slept with his fathers and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings, for they said he is a leper. He is a leper. Now, well that was always in the plan of God and that’s how God wanted it. No, it’s not. That was because of rebellion. It didn’t have to be this way. It was this way because you never know just because God did that to that person doesn’t mean he’s going to do you that way.

God may bless somebody else’s obedience one way and bless you another way. All you and I are supposed to do is just to be found faithful to the Lord. And when we get to heaven, God is going to give every individual all the praise, honor, and glory that’s coming to them. You’re not going to miss out on anything. You are not going to lose serving God. Down here, people may not appreciate you. It doesn’t matter. You know God does.

And if everybody in the world loves you, it doesn’t mean zero if God’s got a problem with you. and he just liable to have a few things to say to you. Let’s look at one other one. Second Chronicles chapter 32, where you’re right here, chapter 32. And look there in verse 24, verse 24. Everybody’s heard of Hezekiah because you ought to ask people, take your Bible and turn to the book of Hezekiah. Well really there was a book of Hezekiah.

We don’t have it but there was book of Hezekiah. But Hezekiah was told that, hey, you’re going to die. And you know, Hezekiah, he didn’t want to die. So he prayed to the Lord. He prayed to God. God, he didn’t want to die. God gave him 15 more years to live. Now, to me, that is called an extension of time. We’ve also read about some who had, well, their time was cut shorter. Do you want to live as long as God wants you to live and accomplish what God wants you to accomplish with your life?

Wouldn’t it be a shame to get there having you find out, God says, God says, you know, I had 50 more years for you to let you. He says, what? What am I doing here? Because of your big mouth. You didn’t praise me. You just complained all the time and you murmured all the time. And God says, because of your bad testimony, I had to take you on home. Well, you probably think, well, it won’t cost me anything. And God says, over here, by the way, this is that room that has your, see your name on it up there?

This is what I was going to give you. But you’re not going to get that because you wouldn’t believe me. You say that something’s going to happen because it’s going to be true. God’s going to reward you when you get to heaven for your obedience. And there’s a price to pay for disobedience. And yes, in this life, we’re all going to die. But why will you die the way you die? You see, God wants us to maybe have a ripe old age.

You know one of the promises that God made to children? Children obey your parents and the Lord for this is right that your days may be long upon the earth. But here in 2 Chronicles these are interesting scriptures. This is in verse 24 and those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, prayed unto the Lord and he spake unto him and he gave him a sign. But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him. Now, when you and I would take the Psalms and we look at 103rd Psalm and talks about how the Lord hath loaded us with many benefits.

You see, one of the benefits that God gave to Hezekiah was his life. Do you consider your life a benefit? What could you do without it? Now, do you understand? being able to live is a benefit from God. Now, God wants you to benefit from the benefit, but he says, I gave him 15 more years. But look what he says. He rendered not again, according to the benefit done unto him. But look what is it? For his heart was lifted up.

Therefore, there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and upon Jerusalem. God gave him 15 more years and he didn’t take advantage of it. Now if God knows that about him, does God know that about you? Let’s say God allows all kinds of things to happen to you. It could be losing a job, losing your health, all kinds of things can happen. Do you get bitter toward God? And then will serve the Lord isn’t worth it. And yet But you’re still alive by a miracle of God, but have you rendered back to God something for the benefit of living?

God has given us this wonderful life to live. Hey, it’ll be over soon enough. You don’t have to hurry it, but try to get all you can out of it, why you can. with all yards. Look at the last part of verse 26. So that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah because God had kind of made a promise. And it was after this is why the Babylonians came in because you see they had sent some ambassadors and they came in Hezekiah to let them see everything they had.

He showed them the treasures that he had. So they thank you, You thank you, thank you, and they went back and came back and got it. Duh! But he says, as long as it doesn’t happen to me, it’s okay. That’s what he says. As long as it doesn’t bother me. I’ll get the next guy. He’ll get my kids. He’ll get all of them. But as long as it doesn’t bother me. Some people are not concerned about anybody else except themselves.

And this is what was going on. So why will you die? It could be because of plain rebellion. God wants us to love Him. But we do need to have a holy, reverential fear, respect toward him. Look up here. If you’re here tonight, the most important thing you can ever do, and remember, God does work in our lives. You may not think so. These guys may not have thought God was paying attention to what they’re doing. But did you know God is paying attention to everything you do?

He knows how you think. He even talked about every idle word, every idle word. That ought to make you think before you speak. But this hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. It means that we have all done things wrong. And because of all the sins that we’ve done, even if you’ve only committed one sin or a whole bunch, the wages of sin is death. You’re still gonna die. And the pay for sin is eternal separation from God in hell.

But God loves us and wants us to go to heaven. They go to heaven, you have to be perfect, no sin. But because of sin, see we can’t get in. But heaven’s a perfect place. So God says your good works will never pay for your sin because God says your good works aren’t good. He says your good works are bad. The best work I could ever do is still sin in God’s eyes because it’s not perfect. Because I’m not a perfect person.

You and I can’t do anything perfectly. So the Bible says, we need a Savior. This hand represents Jesus Christ, He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world. Now He didn’t have any sin, so He didn’t have to die. But because He loves us and He hates our sin because it separates us from Him. Christ took all the sin of all the world, paid for it on the cross and came back from the dead. And he said that if you and I, if we would believe he did this for us, he would put this payment to our account and we would get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us.

No tricks to it, no gimmicks. It’s a gift. If you trust Christ right now as your Savior, God will save you right now and give you the free gift of eternal life and you can know that you’re going to heaven whenever you die. Best news in all the world. Let’s pray, shall we? You have to believe that when Christ died, He died for you, that He did it for you. That means if you believe He did it for you, then you don’t have one sin to pay for.

He paid for it all. That is the grace of God. By grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. So God wants to get our attention. He wants us to listen. If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you trust Him right now? So right now in the quietness of this moment, if you’ve never trusted Lord, would you do it? Say, I don’t understand it all, but I believe Christ died, paid for my sins, and I’m going to trust Him right now to take me to heaven.

So friend, if you will believe that, God will save you right now. Father, we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us, for the privilege we have of knowing is our Savior. Lord, we pray for wisdom to understand that you are moving and working and are very greatly concerned in the lives of all of your people, every one of us. And we just pray, Lord, that we would do what’s right. We would seek to walk with you and to please you.

And the older we get, Lord, I pray that we’d be more obedient. Help us not to get lifted up with pride by showing us the weakness of our ways. Help us to do right in Christ and we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing tool free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible line programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10.30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

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. 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 message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians and chapter 10, 1 Corinthians and chapter 10. I want to speak to you on the difference between Israel and the church. And if you do not understand the difference, you will be like a lot of people that are in what they call Reformed Theology or Covenant Theology, which means that they believe that the Old Testament, the Old Covenant and all the promises that God made to Israel because Israel blew their chances and their opportunities, the church now is the new Israel and the church is to fulfill the promises, I’ll reap the benefits of all the things that God promised to Israel and that the church now is gonna bring in the kingdom and so on and that Israel is no more and I wanna show you some of these things so that you’ll understand the difference.

Here in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 10, look there again in verse 32, give none offense. Neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the church of God. There are three distinct groups that are mentioned here in this verse. This happens to be in the New Testament. It is something that is in the church aged our time in which we live. And so there are these three main groups. And God says there is the Jew, there’s the Gentile, there’s the church of God.

And they’re all different. And you’ll notice the very first thing that’s mentioned here, showing you the difference between Israel and the church. Because if you don’t understand this, you don’t even understand the purpose of the local church. You might think it’s just a place where people go to study the Bible. And maybe that’s all you think of it. It doesn’t mean much to you. Just like it’s an option, it doesn’t really matter. Well, for those who know Christ is Savior, it is very important and it does matter.

He has given us His Word and explained it to us and we’re supposed to know it and understand it because we’re gonna have to be held accountable for it. The first thing mentioned here entered by the physical birth. That means that God made a promise to Abraham in the very beginning that he was going to have a son That was going to be the beginning of a great nation. Abraham at this time was childless. He didn’t have any children, maybe Sarah.

But you go all the way back here to the time of the promise that God made to Abraham. And so you became an Israelite simply by being born into the nation. And so that was a physical birth. Now the church age is totally different. You’re not into the body of Christ. You don’t become a member of the church except by the new birth. So this is one that whenever you trust Christ as your Savior, you’re born into God’s family.

Now this is where we are today. This little portion of time. This is about 2,000 years long. Call the time of grace. Back there, you’re talking about maybe 4,000 years. So you got 4,000 years, 2,000 years, that’s 6,000 years. The Bible says that there’s gonna be 1,000 years upon the earth which will be known as the kingdom. And this thousand years, well, that’s the seventh day. One day as a thousand years, thousand years as a day, six days, one day of rest.

And that is the scripture that God has given in the book of Peter. Now, when we talk about Abraham, God made a promise to Abraham that he was gonna make of him a great nation. And that’s what he did. And so there are those that are born into the nation of Israel and they’re part of that covenant that God made with that nation. The next statement, Jesus is Israel’s Messiah. John chapter one verse 41, the Bible says that when John the Baptist saw him, he says, behold the Lamb of God which take away the sins of the world.

And later on, one of the disciples says, come and see, we have found the Messiah. So any time it’s found in a New Testament where it refers to Christ as the Messiah and uses the word Messiah as an untranslated word. He is the Messiah, the Old Testament Messiah. He is Christ. Now, when Christ came, He is to be the head of this nation of Israel. Israel is to be a kingdom and a kingdom with a king. That’s why there was Saul who was the first king and then came David.

So God had made promises to David that He would have a son that was set up on the throne of Israel forever. Well, many thought, well, that’s talking about Solomon. It wasn’t Solomon because after Solomon died, the kingdom was divided. So there is the nation of Israel, and God had made promises to the nation of Israel, and He was born king of the Jews. When the wise men came to find Him, they said He is born king of the Jews.

Where is He that is born? King of the Jews. Because that’s what He was. So Jesus Christ is to be the king of a nation, the nation of Israel. This is important because, see, you don’t want to do away with the nation of Israel today and say it doesn’t mean anything, and it’s not important what happens in the Middle East. Yes, it is. Because God made promises to that nation that He must fulfill. And just because they rejected Christ doesn’t mean the promises are not going to be fulfilled.

They will be, and not by us. We are not the Israelis. We’re not the Jewish nation. We are the church. Now, across the page from that statement is, Christ is the head of the church. It means that when you and I as an individual, when we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Bible says we are part of the body of Christ because of this. When Christ went to the cross, He shed His blood on the cross and did that for you and I.

So in God’s eyes, when we believe He did that for us as our substitution, God was set satisfied as though I hung on that cross and I died on that cross and I was buried and came back from the dead and I’ve seated in the heaven He’s in Christ because what Christ He would put to my account and He did it in my place. So every believer is in the body of Christ But the Bible says Christ is the head of the body So the body is here the body of believers But the head of the body is Christ and He’s in heaven So he is the king of the nation of Israel, but he is the head of the church, head of the body.

Two different things, they’re not the same thing. So we’re not looking for the promises made to the nation of Israel. God has made new promises to the church. So when I know what they are, I know how I’m supposed to think, how I’m supposed to act and live, and what I can look forward to. And so meaning these things are written in the Word of God and are very simple, very clear. Now the next thing is this. In the book of Exodus chapter 20, the Bible says that Israel will be under the law.

So God gave the law to the nation of Israel. He did not give this law to you and I down here in this period of time, he gave the law to Moses for the nation of Israel. of Israel, and it was a conditional covenant based upon the people’s response under the law. And when God gave them the law, the people said, all that He asked us of us, we will do. And if they did it, God would bless them, and if they didn’t, God would chasten them.

Very simple, easy to understand. They had dietary laws that do not apply to us today. They had the ceremonial law, The sacrificial law, the moral law. The moral laws what we consider to be the 10 commandments. Those are laws that God gave to the nation of Israel. He didn’t give it to the nations of the world of the Gentiles. So all the people that were not Jewish were considered Gentile nations. But the church is made up of individual believers of a Gentile and a Jewish person, and they both become one body.

And so we are believers made up of Jews and Gentiles. So there is the Jews and they are the Gentiles and there’s the church of God. And if you don’t keep those things straight, you’ll be putting things where they don’t belong. And this is what mixes up a lot of people when they come to study in the Bible. And so you need to keep those things clear. The Bible says they’re in Romans chapter six and verse 14 that you and I, we are not under the law, we are under grace.

Look up here. You and I today, we are not under the law. We’re not Israel. We are under grace. Though every person born into the world is condemned by the law because the law is still the righteousness of God. And a man who breaks the law is still sin. Even those that are not Jews, they are still sinners and they broken the law. And many of them don’t know it, but that’s why the Jews had an advantage over the Gentiles.

And that’s why it says in the book of Romans in chapter 3, what advantage did they have to chew in much in every way? Chief, because they had the oracles of God. They had the word of God. So there is a difference between Israel and the Gentiles and the Church of God. And there is a program for all three. God has a certain thing that’s going to be fulfilled through them until the end of time. Now, look at the next statement.

The citizenship is on earth concerning the nation of Israel. This is what God says to be part of them. You are born into the nation. That’s why you could not be just a proselyte. You had to be one that was literally born in the nation of Israel. You were born a Jew. And the Jews thought, well, because I am a child of God, because I have been chosen by God. We’re a special chosen nation. And that’s all true. But does it mean that that person in that nation of Israel automatically will say it have eternal life just because of them being born in the nation?

They still, as an individual, have to accept Christ as their Messiah. And if they reject Him, it didn’t matter. They still were lost. They have to be saved the same way that a Gentile has to be saved. All are saved exactly the same way. Now, when it comes to the believer, I want you to see this verse over there in Philippians chapter 3. Look at Philippians and chapter 3. And notice what it says there in verse 20. For our conversation here, if you’ll notice, if you have an old-schoolful reference Bible, the word there means citizenship.

Citizenship is where you were born. You’re a citizen of what country? Here in verse 24, our citizenship is in heaven. Cause when it says you are born again, to be born again me to be born from above. So you and I, when we trusted Christ as our savior, we were born of God. and therefore God been in heaven. We were born from the incorruptible seed. Our citizenship is in heaven. So therefore we are heavenly beings. Once you trust Christ as your Savior, you have a new birth, born of God.

It’s a spiritual birth, and it wasn’t talking about the physical birth. So with the nation of Israel, you had to be physically born into it. With the church, you were born into it by the new birth, by trusting Christ as your Savior. So they are two different things. They’re not the same thing and things that are different are not the same The next point I want you to see is in the Old Testament They were not baptized by the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit would come upon individuals Take for example Samson in the Old Testament.

What was he noted for? His strength and the Bible says that the Holy Spirit came upon Samson and and Samson could do these mighty deeds. And he took the jawbone of an ash, and one time he killed a thousand Philistines. Now, that’s a pretty good warrior. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of anybody else doing quite that much in one battle. So the Bible says that he had all this power, but when the Bible says that he wished not that the Holy Spirit had left him, he had his strength because the Holy Spirit was on him.

And when the Holy Spirit was off of him, he didn’t have that power, and he could not do it. And so that’s why you and I need to understand the Holy Spirit would come upon them to perform a deed and then would leave. That’s why even King David prayed in the 51st Psalm, I pray that I will not take the Holy Spirit from me. So we’re talking about something totally different for you and I. Now, when you and I trust Christ as our Savior, we’re born into God’s family.

We have eternal life and the Holy Spirit indwells every believer. very moment you trust Christ to save you, the Holy Spirit indwells you forever. And that’s why he said, I’ll never leave you and never forsake you. He lives within us. So keep that in mind. The next point, look at the Israelites were blessed with physical and material blessings. God promised that as long as they would obey his law that he would protect them in the land, their enemies could not devour the product that they had and everything that they produced.

God I would protect them. He said, I will put none of the diseases of Egypt upon you. So it was a health care plan. It was all the insurance they ever could have wanted. They had God as the great physician who would oversee his people and bless them materially in any other way. So physical and material blessings were guaranteed to the nation of Israel conditioned upon their obedience to the law. If they did not, then God would take them out of the land.

Now that is exactly what happened years later. God took them out of the land. But with you and I, the Bible says for you and me, it’s a little bit different. He says we, you and I, in the book of Ephesians, chapter one and verse three, we have been blessed with spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. God never promised the earth to you and I. He promised the earth the land to the nation of Israel, and that they will get.

Look there to the next one. On earthly temple, God promised in 2 Samuel, when he was talking to David, that he was going to have a son, they would have a temple. David wanted to build a temple, but God said, because you’ve got blood on your hands, I’m not going to allow you to build it. But he used David to gather the materials to build a temple, and then when Solomon came along, God used Solomon, And God gave Solomon wisdom like he’s never given to any other man.

And that man had wisdom greater than any man who has ever lived on the face of this earth, outside of Christ himself. So God said that this is what he was going to do, and he did it, and he did it through Solomon. But he says that Solomon built the temple, a literal temple, upon this earth. Still part of it is called the Western Wall. That’s why there’s such a problem today because Jewish people claim that Solomon built this temple.

God gave them this land and it belongs to them and nobody else has a right to it because God made the earth and God can give it to whoever he will. So God says that he gave it to Israel. The next thing I want you to see there, heavenly temple is because God says that we have something a little bit different. And this one, the Lord tells us that we have a heavenly temple. See in the Bible, the temple that’s in heaven is the one that Moses used as a pattern to build the one in the wilderness, the very same temple.

God says, we have a heavenly temple. That’s why when Christ died on the cross, He told Mary not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended unto His Father. The Bible says that Christ went into the holy place Himself. When it wasn’t the temple on the earth, it was the temple that was in heaven, a tabernacle. that He sprinkled His blood upon the altar, the mercy seat for the sins of the world. Down here in this temple upon the earth, the high priests had to do this all the time, every year.

But He went into the holy place in heaven and did it once for all, for all people. And so that whenever we have a payment made for our sins, it is the incorruptible blood of Jesus Christ that lives forever and therefore we have eternal life and our high priest doesn’t have to die again. So there is a difference. The next thing you want you to see is the temple is a building. In 1 Kings 5 and 8 there is a literal temple that was built and later on the people came back from the Babylonian captivity and they rebuilt the temple but it was smaller.

It was not the size that King Solomon had built. It was not in its glory And many of the saints, they wept when they beheld the temple that they had built, and they didn’t compare with what they remembered. And then Herod came along and there’s Herod’s temple, and there were several reconstructions of the temple. But the Bible says for you and I, when we trust Christ as our Savior, God says our bodies, our literal body becomes the temple of God.

This is true in the New Testament. This is true for the church. My body is the temple of God. This body is where God Himself that created the heavens and the earth. God lives in me. That’s what He says. He met with the people in the Old Testament, in the temple, in the Holy of Holies. There was always the Shekana glory that was over the temple. And one day, because of the sins of the people, the Shekana glory went away.

And they said that Ichabod was written above it. It means the glory of the Lord is departed. Now the Lord, this Holy Spirit, where He is Lord is liberty. So He dwells within our bodies. So everywhere you go, whatever you do, you take in this living body, this living tabernacle, the Holy Spirit with you. So every individual in the church age has the Holy Spirit living within them. The next thing what you see. The Jew and Gentile distinction is always made.

When Christ was here, He says, I want you to go to the house of Israel. Do not go to the Gentiles. Christ said that. It wasn’t until after He was rejected as the king that He told him in Matthew 28, go into all the world and praise the gospel. So that was something that came. So in the next one, I want you to look there, Israel will experience the tribulation. Matthew 24th. Israel as a nation was a nation all the way down until you have Titus who came in from Rome in 70 AD They laid siege against the city and Rome destroyed the temple and the temple was burned and the people were scattered and Israel was out of the land for almost two thousand years Now, God promised that that’s what was going to take place and that’s exactly what has happened.

But the Bible tells us this, in the last days, Israel will go back to the land and they have. And what’s waiting on them is a seven-year tribulation. Israel as a nation will go into the tribulation period. But what about you and I? Do we go into the tribulation? No, we are not Israel. God promised that would happen to the nation of Israel. Now, what are you and I looking for? We’re not looking for the tribulation because we won’t be here.

We are to be kept out of the tribulation period. So we will not go into the tribulation period. Look at the next thing. Looking for the revelation of Jesus Christ. In other words, the nation of Israel who will be here upon the earth in the tribulation period are looking for the revelation of Christ. The Messiah revealed power, great glory, every eye shall see Him. This is when Christ comes back in power and great glory to the earth. Israel is looking for that.

Israel was looking for that back there. They thought back before He came the first time He was going to come in power and great glory and deliver them from the iron heel of Rome. And he didn’t come like that. He came meek right upon a little donkey. But the next time he comes back, he’s coming back on a white horse. For the church, it’s a little bit different. We’re not looking for the revelation of Christ to be revealed. We’re looking for the blessed hope for the rapture.

That means that if the Lord came back today, every person who trusts Christ’s Savior will be changed in a moment, the twinkling of it. I be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we be with the Lord forever. And that’s why he says in the book of 1 Thessalonians in chapter 4, 13 through verse 18, says comfort one another with these words. So there is an agenda. There’s a program for the church age. There is one for the nation of Israel.

Israel, because they rejected the Messiah, has been scattered. So while that was going on, the Bible says God accomplished the job with the church as far as going into all the world and preaching the gospel. That’s what he wants to do. But he never promised us a kingdom down here. Never promised us land down here. He didn’t promise us the material and the physical blessings down here. And these preachers that are preaching this health and wealth gospel is false teaching.

That’s why you’ll find out that even the apostle Paul had troubles that he couldn’t heal. Timothy had stomach trouble that couldn’t be healed. Epaphroodius had problems that Paul couldn’t heal. And over and over again the Bible says there’s a totally different thing. And some of them didn’t have anything. They were poor. And whenever they went into the temple one day, he says, Silver and Gold have I, what? None. But such as I give I thee in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

So there is a difference between the nation of Israel and the church. Now look at the next thing. Nation of Israel started with Abraham, started with him as the father of the nation of Israel. the Bible says for you and I, the church started on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came down, Pentecost is 50 days from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 50 days. That’s what the word Pentecost means. So this is the beginning of the body of Christ.

So on this day, those believers that were there at that moment were baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. That’s not something they did, that’s something that Christ did. Because remember John the Baptist said, he Christ shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit. That’s something he does to every believer. In the book of John in chapter 7 verse 39 and 40 and 41 it says, behold that day of the great day of the feast, Jesus stood in Christ and if any man thirsted, they’d been coming to me and drink and at the script they have set out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

This speak He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive. Those that believe on Him would receive the Holy Spirit. So the church was born on the day of Pentecost. That’s when it started. So Christ was rejected as the king of Israel. He became the head of the church and now the church age were not under law, were under grace. They had to do right in order to get God’s blessings. We, because we have been blessed, are supposed to serve the Lord.

We are supposed to serve the Lord not because there’s laws, we’re supposed to serve God because of love. If you wrote L-O-B-E, that’s the motive. There are no laws that puts us under the law. We serve by grace or in view of what God has done for us. Let us present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

So now, why do I serve God because of what He has done for me? They did it in order for God to do something for them. And they were under the law. We’re under grace. We should do it and go to church because that’s what He wants. He’s not going to take away my salvation if I don’t. I give because that’s what He wants me to do. I pray because that’s what He wants. I dedicate my life because that’s what He wants.

And if you love Him, what He wants you to do isn’t hard. Only time that the Christian life becomes hard is if you don’t love God. If you love Him, you don’t mind doing it. But if you don’t love Him, you don’t want to do it. Everybody wants to do what they really love to do. And if you really love the Lord, you can live like you please, if you love the Lord with all your heart. Israel rejected Christ.

The church is because they received Christ. He said he came into his own and his own received him, not. But as many as received him, to them gave him the power to become the sons of God. It involves one nation, the nation of Israel, but with the church it involves all people all over the world. See the church, the true church is made up of every believer from the time of Pentecost until the rapture. It doesn’t matter what church they are in.

If they have exactly trusted Jesus Christ and Him alone, as they are only hope to go to heaven, they’re saved, they have eternal life and they’ll go to heaven whenever they die and they are part of the body of Christ. When the rapture takes place, it’s not a rupture. It’s not God’s going to take those that are faithful. Every person, ready or not, here I come, is going to be caught up to make the Lord near. God says that.

Whether you’re ready or not. And we’ll stand at the jedman seat of Christ. That’s a reward stand in heaven where God is going to reward you for what you have done for Lord. This does not happen to the nation of Israel. And when we are taken out, it’s just like the seven years, you could slide it all the way back over here, and Israel is still going strong right on through. This is like a parenthetical phrase in a sentence.

You can take it out and not hurt to flow the sentence. And so this is in here. God’s going to take it out the seven years and Israel will again be in the land. The temple was going to be rebuilt. There’ll be a peace treaty made with Israel for seven years. And that’s what they’re working on now. They’re trying their best to get a peace treaty made in Israel. Yes or no. And there is no other nation upon the face of this earth that’s ever been out of their land for 2000 years and then go back to the land and become established as a nation.

And it’s all happening in our lifetime. And I’m excited as I can be. The Lord is coming back soon. As they would say, Glory Hallelujah. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach by the line and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. 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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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, and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. 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 concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. in your Bible to the book of Isaiah 61, the book of Isaiah in chapter 61. In Isaiah chapter 61, there’s a statement here mentioned about the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 1, Jesus Christ mentions this in the New Testament when he was talking to the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

He says in verse want the spirit of the Lord God is upon me. So you have the Trinity right there in that verse, the Holy Spirit, Lord God Father upon me son. Because the Lord hath known me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And the last part of that he didn’t quote in the New Testament but there’s a reason.

Now look at in verse 3, to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mornings, the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness. Now remember that all the trees are cut down, dust to dust ashes to ashes. But God is able to miraculously bring beauty out of ashes. Look what else he says here in the last part of this verse that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified.

What he’s talking about is because of Jesus Christ coming into the world, he was born, took on flesh, never committed to sin, and when God examined him, he had no cause for him to die. So with all the people born in all the world, there’s only one that had no sin. That was Jesus Christ. So God says that he’s going to take the seed from this tree, Christ. And God said, He’s going to plant the seed. And He’s going to bring beauty out of ashes.

And it’s going to be a tree of righteousness. God has another tree. So lo and behold, that’s where you and I come in. You and I, when we realize from the Scriptures that we’re all sinners, We can’t save ourselves, and there’s no good work that we can do that would be good enough to get us to heaven. And if you had to live good to go to heaven, then you’d have to wait until you’ve done it to see if you made it.

So you’d have to wait until you die. So how would anybody know now where they’re going when they die if you’re going to heaven because of your good works? You’d have to wait until you lived your whole life and then see whether or not at the end does my good outweigh my bad See, it’s not a matter of the good outweigh in the bad God won’t have any bad at all There’s our problem So God says you cannot save yourself you need a Savior So that’s why when you trusted Christ as your Savior When you believe he died and paid for your sins God gave to you as a free gift ever lasting life Take your Bible look there in the book of Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 and 9.

I want to show you two of my favorite verses in the Bible. Ephesians 2 8 and 9 And you’ll notice here in chapter 2, this is on page 1251, and you’ll notice in verse 8, 4 by grace are you saved. Well, why would you have to be saved by grace? Because nobody can be saved by their works. There isn’t anyone good enough. So it doesn’t matter how good you are, you do not have any evidence that you’re perfect. All the evidence is contrary to you being perfect.

If I was to ask you this question, have you ever done anything perfect? Are you perfect now? Do you perceive that in the future you will be perfect? No, because you have been a sinner, you are a sinner, and you will stay a sinner. Unless God intervenes, and lo and behold, that’s where we are. So we have all the evidence that we need, that we’ve all come short of God’s perfection. So that’s why the acts is laid to the root of the tree and we’re all going to be cut down.

That’s why the wages of sin is death. Everyone’s going to die. Now Jesus Christ had the tree of righteousness, the fruit of righteousness, so He didn’t have to die. Well, all the sins that we have done was put upon history. He died in our place. God took that seed that was planted and all those who believe in Him, the payment He made is put to our account and we can have a new birth. We become a new plant born of God.

Now here in Ephesians 2.89, for by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. So you’re not saved by your works. You are not kept saved by your works. So where does works come in? Well after you trusted Christ as your Savior, it is the will of God that we do good works. See, look in verse 10. Verse 10. He says, for we are His workmanship.

You know the self-made man. God performed this work. He’s the one that saved you, gave you eternal life, made you His child. For we are His workmanship. Now get this. created in Christ Jesus. That means you have a new birth born of God and then the last part of it says unto good works. So does God want you to bring forth good works? Yes, he does. Does everybody bring forth good works? No, they don’t. Look at the last part of the verse where he makes a statement half before ordained that we should walk it.

In other words, it is the will of God that all of God’s children walk in good works. That’s the book. But it is also the will of God, excuse me, that everybody trusts the Lord. God’s not willing that any should perish. God wants everybody to be saved. So because that’s what God wants, does everybody get saved? No. So do all of God’s children serve the Lord? No. Some of God’s children or obedient, some of God’s children are disobedient. But did you know our obedience to God is still boiled down to those still two great commandments?

One is, do I still, do I love the Lord? And my love for the Lord is revealed by, do I love one another? So should I love one another? Why yes, but am I loving anybody to get to heaven? No. For example, let’s take a man. A man has a wife. And let’s say we’re going to put them over here. Let’s take another man and another wife. Let’s put them over here. Now, this couple over here, they’re saved. This couple over here, well they’re lost.

They don’t know the Lord. Can the lost man still love his wife? Do lost people? A lost man? Does he love his wife? I think so. If they have kids, then they have kids. Can the lost man? Can he still love his kids? Over here we got a Christian. Can the saved man? Will it be automatic? He will love his wife. If he has kids, will he automatic? Will he love his kids? He can be a believer and not love his wife.

He can be a believer and not love his kids. You can have a lost man over here who loves his wife and not be saved. And love his children and not be saved. So if you’re looking for evidence whether or not a man is saved or not, if you look at the evidence, you might say they’re lost and they’re saved. Who they are. This man, he takes his wife and children to church. Is that good or bad? That’s good.

That’s good. Here’s a saved man and a saved woman and they don’t go. This lost couple over here, they read their Bible and pray. And the Christian over here, he doesn’t read his Bible and he doesn’t pray. So who deserves to go to heaven? They don’t deserve to go because you don’t have to be good. you have to be perfect. So all of their good deeds don’t get them to heaven. This is what blows people’s minds. But this is what Jesus said.

You don’t get to heaven because of how good you are. You’ve got to be perfect and no one’s perfect. You must trust Christ as your Savior. But if you looked at the evidence, there might not be any evidence that they love God or they love people. This doesn’t sound right. Did you know when he says for by grace or you say, this is what he’s talking about? Nobody deserves to go to heaven. Well, why should they get to go and not them?

Because they trusted Christ as their Savior and they didn’t. Here you are sitting here this morning. It doesn’t mean you’re better or worse than anybody else. But some people might live better than you. But if you don’t trust Christ as your Savior, see, you don’t go to heaven. And that person you know that drains and smokes and runs around and does all those bad things, but that man may have trusted Christ as a Savior and he gets to go to heaven and you go to hell.

You say, well, it’s not fair. We’re not talking about that. You say, well, that’s not worth it. We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about God. God, see, made salvation as a gift to whosoever would believe it. Anybody that would accept it. Now, let me show you something that most people really get all bold up about. Take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians, and you’ve got to stay with me now, or you’re going to get mad at me, and I don’t like people being mad at me.

1 Corinthians in chapter 2, see, if a man is not saved by his works, you cannot use words as the evidence of why he should be saved, or go to heaven. You said, well, what about after you trust the Lord? Well, after you trust the Lord, does that mean you’re automatically going to serve the Lord? Let me kind of break that down for you. First Corinthians in chapter two, I want you to notice there in verse nine. But as it is written, I have not seen nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

He makes a statement in verse 10, but God hath revealed them unto us by a spirit. Yeah, the spirit searches all things. Yeah, the deep things of God. So when you trusted Christ as your Savior, you trusted Christ as your Savior. You were born of God from a incorruptible seed. See that tree over there? That’s the new birth. That one over there, that’s the old birth. when you still have sin in your life as a Christian, it’s not a sign that tree does not exist.

It is a sign that tree still does. Let me repeat that. You’re a Christian. If you still have sin in your life, it’s not a sign that one doesn’t exist the new birth. It’s a sign the old one still does. You still have an old sinful nature. You still do things that you should not do. So while you’re looking for the evidence, you might find nothing but the fruit of this old tree, even though you can’t see that birth.

Why? Because you see the new birth is a spiritual birth. You know that we just covered this morning and the sun is you’re talking about God. Immortal. The only immortal. The only king lives forever and on land. Well, this, this God never does anything wrong. Never makes a mistake. And when you trusted Him as your Savior, He gave you the free gift of eternal life. And as a child of God, we’re supposed to learn from the Lord the thing that God wants us to learn so that we can do the things that we should do, but the evidence.

We keep coming back to the evidence. What about you as a believer? Are there any signs that you are genuine? Keep us in mind, if we have the signs over here, we want to look at these evidences for this man. Or let’s say that, okay, now he’s a Christian. He ought to have some evidence in his life. Or what should those evidence be? Let’s just list a few off the top of our head. Well, he ought to go to church.

And he ought to love his wife and kids. And he ought to pay his debts. He ought to read his Bible. He ought to pray. You ought to go Friday night, so when in, I mean, we just make a whole list over there that if he’s really saved I mean that we ought to have something you know got to have something But every bit of these evidences that we use Must be something that the lost man can’t do Because if the lost man can do the same thing that the Christian can do How does it prove he saved?

Because if that’s the evidence that proves he saved, why doesn’t the same evidence prove he is? Can the lost man go to church? Love his wife and love his kids? Can the lost man give money? Can the lost man pray? Go to church? Show me the evidence of what a Christian can do that a lost man can’t do. You’ll have fun. But if it’s the evidence that proves He saved, it must also prove that the lost man is saved.

So we’ve got to have something better than that. We have some evidence that’s incontrovertible. I mean, you cannot dispute it. And it’s all based upon the Word of God. God said so. to go talking about how that God is, well, he’s invisible. Christ when he came was visible, but if he’s invisible and we are his children born of the Spirit of God, your new birth is a birth of the Spirit. You can’t see a spiritual birth. And in most cases you’ll never see the spiritual fruit.

Even all of those that trust Christ is Savior on Friday night, so when in if you looked at Him, they probably looked just like they did before they got saved. The body never changed. In many cases, deeds never changed because it’s a spiritual birth. When God says we get to heaven, He’s going to reward us for what we’ve done because in the eyes of man, He may not see nothing miraculously in your life? What is these divine attributes of your life that really sets your part from that lost man?

You may never see any change whatsoever, though we may look for them without little glasses and because we’re looking for certain things. We can be wrong in our judgment. Wouldn’t it be a shame for us to examine Peter Amato and come to the conclusion He’s not saved. So how do you know? Wait, wouldn’t wear that tie if he was really saved?

He wouldn’t got a haircut. I think it’s too short. He must not be saved. He’s wearing glasses. That’s a sign of imperfection. Left my home. And you can be wrong in your judgment. You know, the only way that I believe that Peter Amato is a saved man is because he told me he was except in the payment Christ made on him for him alone. And he was trusting Christ as his Savior. And that’s the only evidence. You see, the saved man, the lost man, can have the same evidences in their life.

Both love the Lord. Both can love their children. Both can love their wives. Both can have good job. Both do everything right they know to do. They both go to church. They both give money. But there’s only one thing that’ll get him to heaven. If he doesn’t trust Christ’s Savior, does he go? Then all this other stuff doesn’t matter, does it? Because the lost man does everything that the Christian does. There’s only one thing that separates him. One of them trusted the Lord.

One of them didn’t. The only reason you’re going to heaven is because you’ve trusted Christ as your Savior. How you live your life after your Savior, yes, you have a wonderful, loving heavenly Father but might beat the Torah to you because he loves you. Maybe take you home before your time, but you see, your salvation depends upon what Christ did for you. 52 years after I trusted Christ as my Savior, how I have lived or whatever I’ve done and accomplished, that is no proof that I’ve ever trusted Christ as my Savior.

But I do believe this. I believe that if you love your wife, there ought to be an evidence. I believe if you love your kids, there ought to be evidence. I believe if I love the Lord, there ought to be evidence. But you see, whether I do or not, you can have evidence, but God’s the one that knows whether or not you really love. Can you have all the signs that you love your wife at the same time you’re running around, honor?

Can a man be an assistant coach and give the impression he loves those little boys? Oh, he really did. But wicked. But in the eyes of others, wonderful individual. So can people be wrong? Did not they try to present evidence for a jury to come up to a conclusion decision? We’re always looking for evidence. And all I know is I want the world to know that I love my father. That’s why I do what I do. But the evidence that I give to you may not suffice you.

And some people’s eyes that might be good and some people’s eyes, they could care less how you live, or the standards that you have. Or whether or not you go to the right church or you pray enough or you give enough money. So the Bible says some wonderful things. I got something I wanted to share with you, but it’s too close to the end time. I’m talking about my time up there that I’m not going to be able to do an adequate job.

And so I might just cover that tonight, but it goes along with what I’m saying right now. It’s the other part of my message, but it only takes about 15 minutes. But I think I better not try to attempt that which is beyond my ability to perform. I do want to explain this to you. If you’re here this morning and you never trust the Christ as your Savior, see, I’m not denying the fact. You may love God. You may worship God.

Baba talks about people that did. And you may love your family. You may love your kids. Try to be the best mom and dad in the whole world you can be. That’s commendable. That’s wonderful. But we’re not talking about how good you live your life. We’re talking about how to go to heaven. To go to heaven, you’ve got to be perfect. is perfect. There’s only one that’s perfect and that’s God. Look up here. 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. He 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 going to 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. His righteousness is 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 cries you 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.

Now if he had told you to stand on your head to spit, wouldn’t nickel you try it? 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? You got it, you go like this. You go like this. There you go. It works. Let’s pray, shall we? every head bowed and every eye closed. No one looking around. 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 a live a Christian life. You don’t have to promise God you’re gonna 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. Will you believe it? With headbound eyes closed and no one looking around if you hear this morning and say, preach of that made sense to me and I will trust Christ as my Savior right now.

I would love to know it. I would love to have prayer for you. I am going to ask you in 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 say, that made sense to me. I am going to trust Christ as my Savior. Is there anyone at all before we close? Just slip it up very quickly and put it right back down.

Say, that made sense to me. Yes, God bless you. God bless you, sir. God bless you. I appreciate that. Anyone else? Just slip it up very quickly. So, I am not going to have you forward. not gonna embarrass you, 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? Hi, Father, we thank you so much for the free gift of eternal life. You love us 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’re never taking cast us out, never loses and Father we can know that we’re going to heaven. Thank you so much. In Christ and in we pray, amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message.

If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free. 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576OTAL. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link. If you are in the area, we welcome Welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline 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 and just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline, Bibleline Here God’s word on Bibleline Everywhere, every time 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. Our regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on Your regular…

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. your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, chapter 2. I told you I wanted to kind of wrap up where I started this morning.

I just kind of ran out of time. Do you remember this? Think about this. What will help you in understanding the so-called evidence of salvation? You know to prove your save. Let’s say, for example, that I have a man right here. He’s a lost man. I share with him the gospel. I tell him all about how God loves him, send his son Christ to die for his sins, and paid for everything he’s ever done. Come back from the dead and said if he would be lead, that he did it for him, God would put the payment that he made to his account, and he would be saved from hell.

he wouldn’t go to hell because there’s no sin from the pay for him, Christ paid for it all, and he believes it that moment when is he saved? When is he saved? That very moment? That very moment? That very moment he saved. And God gives him eternal life. Can that very moment, can he know that he saved? What would be the only thing that he would have at that moment that he would have that he saved. God said so.

That’s the only evidence you ever need. Isn’t it true at that moment? That’s the only thing you have to go on because you don’t have no life to look at. You haven’t lived yet. It has nothing to do with you turning from sin, committing your life to Christ. It has nothing to do. What you’re going to do tomorrow or the next day or the next year? changes this moment. And the reason I know that I am saved because that day I trusted Christ as my Savior.

I knew that day, that hour, that moment I was saved and I’m going to heaven when I die. And the only thing that I had to look at was what What did God say? If I believed I have everlasting life, that’s all the evidence I have ever needed. There isn’t any other piece of evidence to guarantee to you you’re saved. Now that we’ve got that out of the way. What if down the road and people often say this? I don’t remember the day.

I don’t remember the hour. I know I’m saved, but I don’t remember when. Don’t worry about it. Because the Bible says the Lord knoweth them that are His. The Lord knows those that are His. That’s because He has all the evidence. You see, He knows when you believed, doesn’t He? He knows the very day you believed it. you believed it. He knows the hour you believed it. He knows that very moment you believed it. He’s the one that gave birth to you.

So therefore you have two evidences. Let everything be established in the mouth of two or more. One is you were there when it happened. And I guess you You ought to know. You believed it. And that moment God saved you. Now nothing anybody else says or does. You can change that or alter that. There’s nothing that you can do that can ever change it. So the Lord says in his word, we have this foundation. The Lord, know of them, that are his.

So the Lord knows things you didn’t forget about. And you might even get to where you’re not even sure it’s saved anymore. God has not forget. It wanted to be something for you to think you’re going to hell after a while and we’re loaning behold, you died and you wake up in heaven. Surprise. You made it. And you realize all because you trust the Lord. That’s the only thing that’s going to get you to heaven. None of your works will ever have any part in it.

Now based upon that, take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter two, where it makes the statement in verse nine. But as it is written, I have not seen or heard. Neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them, not loving. But God hath revealed him unto us by his spirit. Ye the Spirit searches all things, ye the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man?

Say the spirit of man which is in him. Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Now keep us in mind when you trusted Christ as your Savior things that you didn’t know about God the Holy Spirit does. So if God gave you His Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit knows everything about God then the Holy Spirit can teach you things about God you can’t learn from no one else.

If that is true, and I believe it is, the Holy Spirit lives within you and he is the author of this book. Isn’t it wonderful to sit down with the most important book in all the world and have the author sitting right there with you to teach you, thus save the Lord? And the Holy Spirit can reveal things to you that you didn’t even know existed or thought about and God can quick in your mind and lighten your understanding so that you can have spirit of discernment.

Now why can’t the lost man understand it because the lost man doesn’t have the Holy Spirit of God. That’s why he says the natural man, the lost man, cannot discern the things of God because these things are spiritually discerned. He doesn’t have the Holy Spirit living within him. So you and I have an advantage of knowing things about God, the lost man cannot know. So he makes a statement here in verse 12, now we have received past tense, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God and doesn’t cost you anything.

In other words, the reason for God, through the Holy Spirit, to enlighten your mind is to give to you discernment so that you can know and really understand right and wrong from God’s viewpoint. See in your eyes and my eyes, I don’t see anything wrong with that. I don’t see why I can’t do this. I don’t see. And what you’re saying, remember those words? I don’t see. I don’t see anything. I don’t see. When a person can’t see, what does that mean?

They’re blind. They’re blind. Can a Christian be blind concerning the will of God. Yes. So you see, as you study the word of God, it’s the word of God through the Holy Spirit that enlightens causes you to see, causes you to understand. This is why we want people to go to Bible school so they can have their eyes really opened. And look what he says now in verse 13, which things, the things of God, which things also we speak not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches and get this comparing spiritual things with spiritual or by spiritual means.

So you have to understand what the Lord wants you to know and God makes some wonderful statements here and I want you to see them because it’s so important. In verse 14 the natural man receive if not the things of the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them. He cannot know them. And here’s why, because they are spiritually discerned or spiritually understood. You have to have the Holy Spirit of God that illuminates your mind so that you can see and understand.

You see up there when he says in verse 10, but God hath revealed them. That’s revelation. And when you look down there in verse 12 where it says, now we have received not the spirit of the world. See, this becomes illumination. And then when you read down there in verse 13, the Holy Ghost teaches comparing spiritual things that’s inspiration. So we have some wonderful things that God wants us to know because there’s some wonderful things God wants us to do.

I want to do with my life what the lost man can’t do. There’s a lot of things that could be done in this world I’ve often thought about. I guess I could have been a car salesman. Man, I got a salesman. I’m not. You know, be able to talk somebody into doing something. I was told James was the car salesman. Is that right? He can talk to anybody anything. Go to hear him some of the times he’s talking to these guys in here.

He can talk to him in the trust and crisis savages just like that. And I think it’s wonderful. But now notice in the next verse verse 15 Look what he says, but he that is spiritual Judges all think that means you’re able to discern All the things that God’s talking about if you’re a spiritual person because you’re letting the Holy Spirit teach you lead you guide you And so you are able to discern but look at the last part of verse 15, yet he himself is judged of no man.

In the worst the lost man cannot discern him. He can’t discern why he does what he does. Now most people would never be able to figure out why a bunch of teenagers got so winning or why some people would dedicate their life to become a missionary go to the foreign fields. You think they’re wasting their life. Oh Oh really? God only had one son and he was a missionary. Sounds pretty good to me. It was good enough for him.

Good enough for me. And then what he says here in verse 16, For who had known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. You see, the word of God came from God, God. And the Holy Spirit of God that knows everything about God takes the word of God and helps you to know the mind of God. So you can understand the mind of Christ. You know how you think? So that you can discern.

So as you begin to live your life, there’s things that we do and don’t do that. Well, maybe we don’t have the correct discernment. And we cannot make the best decisions because we don’t know how to judge. So that’s why we are to do this. Now what I want you to see is turn over there to 1 Corinthians in chapter 6. A lot of people they come across this verse and it just blows them out of the water. I mean they can’t understand why would God put this in here?

In other words, you’re talking along here and everything’s flowing pretty smooth and then right in the middle of everything he’s talking about. And like in verse 8, may ye do wrong and they fraud and that your brother? And then in verse 9, no ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. What? So he’s talking about there were some Christians that were sex outside of marriage. They were doing bad. Then he comes up and says, no, you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Be not deceived, neither fornicators, idolaters, or this is what they were doing. See this right there in chapter 5. That’s what they’re doing. Look what he says there in verse 1 of chapter 5. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you. fornication as is not so much his name among the Gent. In other words, you’re saved people living worse than the lost people. See, a lot of people don’t think, well, Christians can’t do those things because you’re a Christian now or you won’t do those things because you know you won’t have the desire to do those bad things anymore.

Wait a minute, what is he saying that there’s believers that are worse than the lost in their life and that he should have his father’s wife. Now when you read all of this And then he says there in verse 9, the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Okay, well, what are you going to do with this? And then he makes the statement, be not deceived. Neither foreign caters, idolaters, the feminine, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkard, revilers, extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Now that’s pretty bad. All of a sudden because, you know, hey, Christian, you’re being bad. And then he throws that at him. Why would he do that? I mean, we know that you’re not supposed to, you can’t lose your salvation. How come then if you can’t lose your salvation, you can inherit the kingdom of God. And then he’s talking to these Christians. There’s a problem here. Now I’ll be honest with you. I’d venture to say that probably 90% of most preachers haven’t got a clue how to answer those verses because that’s why they teach that a person has to have a change in their life.

You can’t do those things and live like that and claim that you’re saved. Save people, don’t live in sin. Okay? What are we going to do with it? Put it in its context and it’s not quite as bad. Let me show you this. Look what he says here, because there’s a few places that talks about it. But look in verse 6 of chapter 5. He says, your glory is not good. Know ye not that a little 11, 11th at the whole lump?

Know ye not? In other words, don’t you know this. He’s going to explain something to them, but evidently they don’t know it. And then he makes a statement down there in verse 2 of chapter 6, do ye not know that the saint shall judge the world? Verse 3, know ye not that ye shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life. So he’s talking about these believers, they’re in Corinth, not being able to judge, not being able to judge the things of this life, not being able to discern.

And because they can’t discern, they’re not making wise decisions for their own lives. So they got a problem. Now look what he says there in chapter three and verse one. He says, and I brethren could not speak unto you as under spiritual. So evidently, they were not spiritually minded. They did not have the discernment that they needed, and therefore they were not as wise as they ought to be, and their lifestyle revealed that they were not making good decisions for themselves.

So he makes a statement here in verse 1. He says, I could not speak unto you as un-dispiritual, but as under carnal. Carnal means fleshly minded. Those who are walking in the flesh. Christians that walk like a lost man. Christians that live for the world do everything in the book. And yet the Bible says they were written to the saints at Corinth. These are saints living like the devil. I’ve had people say, well, you can’t tell me you can go out here and live like the devil and still go to heaven when you die.

Then you don’t know the Bible. Didn’t David do some things that were think he’s living like the devil? How many wives did Solomon have again? Seven hundred wives and three hundred porcupines, concubines. A thousand of them. Did you know that he didn’t get away with it? still judge said it’s still wrong. And see just because well they did it in the Bible. That doesn’t make it right. Didn’t mean God approved. Sin is still sin. Look what else he says here in verse 2 is that I have fed you with milk not with meat.

For hitherto you were not able to bear it. Neither yet now are you able. In other words you should be able. You should be able to be mature and discerning In other words, when you talk about giving you meat, mean giving you something that you can discern more than what you had before. You see, there’s not real milk in the Bible. It’s not real meat. It’s the teachings of the word of God. It’s what you’re able to understand. And some people cannot understand the power of discernment of right and wrong.

And so he says, don’t you know? Don’t you know? Don’t you know? And their answer was, no, I don’t know. They did know they could not understand. He said, I can’t speak unto you as under spiritual. I gotta talk to you like a bunch of babies. These were Christians, babes in the Lord. And look what he said and look why he said it. In verse three, he says, for ye are yet carnal. For whereas there is among you, envy and strife and divisions, are you not carnal and walk as men?

or the natural man that doesn’t have the spirit of God. You see, there should be a difference between those who have been enlightened, they can make better decisions. And you’re able to guard your testimony and seek to serve a Lord. Just because I don’t teach there ought to be a change in your life, well maybe there ought to be, but doesn’t have to be. Doesn’t mean it must be. And you don’t, it’s a sign you’re not saved. know it’s a sign you’ve got an oath sent for nature.

Them not doing right was a sign they had an oath sent for nature. And so he says, your carnal minded, you walk like lost people, you can’t discern. And so when he gets over here in the chapter 6, go back to chapter 6, unless you had come up and evidently in these verses, they weren’t doing too good. had a lot of problems. These people had about 14 major church problems. Why? Because they were acting like babies. They hadn’t matured.

They hadn’t let the Holy Spirit teach them and guide them. They didn’t yield to it. So they were still acting and talking and thinking like a lost man. So he says here in verse 1 of chapter 6, he says, dare any of you, having a matter against another. Go to law before the unjust and not before the saints. So what is he talking about? Here’s believers in a church. They got problems. He says, among yourselves against one another in the church.

So what are they doing? Taking each other to court, taking each other to court. And so Paul in writing to them admonishes them, don’t you understand you are going to be judging the angels? You are going to be judging the lost the world. You are. Can not you judge even the smallest matters among yourselves? Don’t you have any discernment? Can’t you figure out what’s wrong between two people and solve the problem? Why are you going to the court? Why are you going to the judge in the world?

And so he says in verse 4, if then you have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. In other words, isn’t there anybody that you can say, would you help me? Would you give me some spiritual guidance? Is there anybody you can get some good spiritual Godly counseling from without going to the world? Why would you want to go to the world? Remember, God’s people that have the Holy Spirit to discern right from wrong and things that pertain to the Kingdom because see the things that happens to us in this life though you may not solve all the problems is how you respond to them because God is going to reward you later and when he rewards you later because of the Kingdom of God that’s why you make the decision that you make that’s why you

don’t retaliate. That’s why you don’t get even. That’s why you don’t need to be filled with envy and bitterness and hatred and jealousy because you have something more to live for. There’s another reason. And if you’re spiritually minded, you can discern this, but if you’re not, you’re not going to discern it. Why would you want the people in the world that do not know spiritual things judging spiritual things among you. Are you following me so far? Can you follow my thinking?

You go to sleep, you’re not going to catch it at all. Because majority of people never understand this little bitty portion of scripture, they get all balled up about it. Now look what he says. Look there now in verse 5. I speak this to your shame. Is it so that there’s not a wise man among you? No, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren, but brother goeth the law with brother and that before the and you ought to underline that word, the unbeliever.

But remember, as you put it into its context, the natural man receiveeth not the things of the Spirit of God because they’re spiritually discerned. And he doesn’t have the Holy Spirit, so he cannot discern spiritual things. So why would you want the natural man, the lost man trying to give you spiritual guidance? A lot of times I’ve had married people have a problem and they go get them some philosopher, some psychologist that don’t know a thing about God to help solve their spiritual problem.

When they got a pastor that won’t charge him a cent and tell him spiritual answers to their spiritual problems. And if you’ll do what God says, do, it’ll work. But they’ll pay thousands of dollars to some nut that says, now tell me what your problem is. You don’t even have to tell me your problem. I can tell you the problem. So how can you do that? Because I can discern. I know what marriage is all about. I know just about every problem you can ever face.

I’ve been doing this for a little while. Plus I’ve been married for 52 years and I got a great spiritual advisor. She’s smart. That’s no lie. She is very discerning because she knows the Lord. And she can see things so quickly, a lot quicker than what I do. But now notice. So as you go down through here and he says, they’re in verse six, But brother, go with to law with brother, and that before the unbeliever. Now, therefore, there is utterly a fault among you, because you go to law with one another.

Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nobody’s gonna treat me wrong and get away with it. You say something bad about me, buddy, I’ll get you back with the last thing I do. It’s just the way I am. Ain’t nobody walking on me. Hi, God. Didn’t make me no floor mat. God bless you. Boy, you’re sticking up for your rights. And then when you read verses like this, it’s almost totally contrary to my nature.

I do have an old simple nature. I do have a little problem with pride, every once in a while. And yet God says, why don’t you just let people wrong you. You don’t have to make it right. You don’t have to get even. Why? Because for the Kingdom of God’s sake, we’re not here to win arguments. We’re here to win souls. And you may fight for your right, but the way you do it is wrong. And it may not accomplish the thing when it’s all over.

You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part 2 of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach by the line and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link.

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. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, 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 and just keep looking up.