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.

So here in the 139th Psalm, it’s divided into 24 verses. In these 24 verses, there are four sets of six verses each. And each one of these six verses tells us something wonderful, but they’re a different topic. And yet they all relate back to the Lord. In the first six verses, we talk about the omniscience of God. That’s the wisdom of God. And in the next six verses it talks about the present, the omnipresence of God, how that God is everywhere.

And then in the next six verses it talks about the power of God. And then the last six verses talks about from the human perspective, how we are supposed to look at the Lord and life in view of God’s wisdom and in view of his power and in view of his presence. So I want you to look there in verse one. He says, O Lord, thou has searched me and known me. But you’ll notice that the word me is in italics.

It means it’s added by the translators to help the understanding of the verse. But he says, O Lord, thou has searched me and known me. But I believe that that word me, it should be known my heart. To know me, yes, it means the same thing. But it’s that inner me, that real me. Not that one that everybody sees, you know, that image that everybody projects to everyone else. But the reason for that is because in verse 23, look in verse 23, where he also says, search me.

Oh God, I know my heart. So you have the same phrase mentioned twice. One, he’s already done it. And then verse 23, he’s asking the Lord to continually keep doing that, keep searching me because you see it’s not a one-time deal. Like when I was 18 and I trusted Christ as my Savior, Lord, search my heart and know if there’s any wicked way in me, let me know so I can correct it. And then I never have to do it again for the rest of my life.

No. It’s something that we are supposed to do all the days of our life. like when he says, knock and it shall be opened. It means knock and keep knocking. Ask and you shall receive. It means ask and keep asking and seek. It doesn’t mean just one time seek and you shall find keep seeking. So all your life you’re asking and all your life you’re knocking all your life you’re doing this and you’re asking the Lord to search your heart so that you can be honest with yourself.

Because if the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked, above all things, and who can know it, who can understand it, and if it’s not within man that walk up to direct his steps, then how is a man supposed to guide his life? He could be so easily deceived. So you need to always keep a knowledge of the Word of God pouring through your mind. Always stay close to the Lord, always keep reading. And we mentioned this before.

The book of Psalms is a book to help reveal to you and I all of our feelings. Because, see, we’re not to let our feelings guide us, but we have feelings. We’re individuals who feel. We have moments of despair. We have trials and testings, and we get, feel with the motions of all kinds. And we have envy and bitterness sometimes. and we have joy and praise all these combinations. Well, the book of Psalms expresses how we feel because someone else has already gone through what you and I have gone through or will go through.

And that’s why when you read the Psalm that makes your heart warm toward the Lord. Of course, when you read the book of Proverbs, it’s to make you wise to seek the wisdom of God in a few words. If you want to do something with your life, yes, then you read the book of Acts because it’s a history of what happened in the lives of people who put up the book. all of that in the practice. But now notice what he says in verse one, he says, Thou have searched me and known my heart.

In verse two, Thou knoweth my down sitting and my uprising, Thou understandeth and underline these two words because we see in verse one it’s my heart, me. In verse two it’s my thoughts. He says there in the book of Isaiah, he says that our ways are not his ways, our thoughts are not his thoughts. His ways and his thoughts are higher than ours. They’re of a different caliber than ours. So that’s why if you want to raise the caliber of your life, you have to raise the caliber of your thoughts.

The word of God is to teach us how to think. So you can think in a divine way and not just the human way. But notice what he says in verse 4, excuse me, verse 3, Thou compass my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. My ways means all my actions. So you have here in these first few verses because of the omniscience of God that’s talking about how that God knows everything but nobody else knows and can’t figure out but it’s God that can look into the heart of man and know your heart knows why.

you do what you do. He knows your motives and he says he knows your heart, he knows your ways, your actions and he knows your thoughts. Look what he says in verse 4, for there is not a word in my tongue, but Lord, O Lord, thou knoweth it all together. Thou knoweth it all together. God knows everything. We should be convinced of that because this is the reason why we should never, never try to hide anything from God. When you do something that’s wrong, don’t think for a moment God didn’t see.

God does see. God knows everything. And this is why He wants you to confess things to Him because it is a way of you recognizing the mission of God means the wisdom of God and all these matters because you believe that. And when He makes statement in verse four. He says, for there is not a word in my tongue. Verse four talked about my words, my words, my tongue. And so whether or not it’s my heart, my thoughts, my ways, my actions, my words, God knoweth all things.

And God says in verse five, he says, thou hast be set me behind and before and laid thy hand upon me.” That phrase laid thy hand upon me. I underlined it in my Bible. I remember years ago, listening to various preachers and they’d say, you know, God laid his hand upon me. Well, God laid his hand upon me. And I believe God has laid his hand upon you. And God has ordained you to live a certain way. We find that in other scriptures.

God hath ordained you, anointed you. God has given to you the Holy Spirit in the Athanointed you. He has laid his hand upon you and there’s a certain way that he wants you to live, a certain way he wants you to think, certain words he wants you to say and not say. God wants to control your life. He wants to control my life. That is the will of God. Then he says here in verse He says, my understanding as a human individual, he says, such knowledge is too wonderful for me.

He says, it is high. I cannot attain unto it. You and I in this life will never totally attain the knowledge that we would like to have in understanding all of this stuff about God. But we’re supposed to understand that God understand all of it about us. So though I don’t know everything about God, I am to believe he knows all about me. And I am to live my life all the time seeking the Lord, asking God not only to know all these things about me, but to find a way, find a way God to reveal it to me.

But if God is going to reveal something to you that you need to correct, does God have a right way to tell you without you being offended. Can God tell you something through someone else without you following the part and getting mad at the source of the information? That’s tough. That’s rough. But if your heart is right, you won’t mind what source it comes from. You won’t mind what avenue, what person God seeks to use. Because God is not just to know those things about us.

He says, search me and try me and let me know if there be a wicked way in me so I can correct that. Alright, how’s he going to do it? Do you know there’s sometimes if a husband has to tell the wife something there’s no right way he can do it? It won’t matter how he does it. There is no right way to do it. Think about it for a moment. Sometimes if the man is doing something wrong and the wife tries to correct him, there’s no right way for her to do it.

Why? Because she’s afraid to say something to him because I don’t know how he’s going to respond. Everyone should be able to say something to someone because they love him without fear of an explosion, without fear of a war. Simply because Because you know that person loves me and that person is telling me because they care about me and they ought to be able to say whatever they need to to me without me losing it. Look what he says now.

In the next six verses, verses seven down to verse 12, these verses talks about something else. It talks about the un-nipresence of the Lord talking about how that God is everywhere. You see there in verse 7, whether shall I go from the spirit or whether shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, up into heaven is an extreme. There’s five extremes that are mentioned here. And one is the height. You can’t get any higher than wherever heaven is.

You can’t get higher than that. He’s talking about the presence of God and where is He? He is everywhere, so an extreme would be the height. Well the other extreme would be the depths. And He says, if I ascend into heaven, thou art there. If I make my dead in hell, behold thou art there. Can’t get any higher? Can’t get any lower. Those are extremes. If I take the wings of the morning and in the wings of the morning when the sun comes up that’s looking east, when they talk about the sea, they always talk about looking toward the Mediterranean, the great sea looking west.

So you can’t get an extremity further than that. East, west, two opposites. As far as it can go. He said, where can you go? You can’t escape God. He says in verse 9, If I take the wings of the morning and dwell on the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me. That’s an extreme, the absence of light. Even though we know and believe that with light we can see all things and light is to to reprove is to help us to see things.

But we also think that darkness covers a lot of things. A lot of sins are done at night because nobody sees, nobody can know what’s going on. But God can see through the night just as good as He can in the day. And the extremity of darkness, which is the opposite of light, cannot hide you from God. So he makes a statement here in verse 11, If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me.

Yea the darkness hideeth not from thee, but the night shineeth as the day. In other words, with the Lord there is no night. He says the night is just like the light. So God sees everything. He’s everywhere. He knows all. There is no reason why you and I should not worship somebody like that because of the wisdom that he has. I remember when I was talking to an atheist one time at the University of Miami, he says, I don’t believe in God.

I said, well, I do. And I said, I believe that God is everywhere. He said, I don’t believe there’s a God. I said, well, wait a minute. You ought to be able to go everywhere and know everything because if there’s anywhere that you haven’t been, could be where God is, can you go everywhere? He said, no. I said, and not only that, you have to go everywhere and be everywhere all at the same time, not that you can check on this planet and that planet and that planet and that planet and that planet and that star and that galaxy, no.

You got to cover them all at the same time because when you go to this planet, he might sneak over to this planet. You go to that planet. He might sneak over to that planet. I said, no, no. You got to be everywhere at the same time. Can you do that? So you are a fool to say, there is no God. When you can’t prove there is no God. Because they always want me to prove that there is one.

I said, you prove there isn’t. And I said, not only that. I said, you have to be able to know everything that’s knowable. Because if there’s anything that you don’t know, might be the knowledge of God. So before you can intellectually say, there is no God, you ought to be able to be everywhere at the same time and know everything that’s knowable. And I says, you don’t qualify. So you can’t intellectually state there is no God because you really don’t know there is no God.

He didn’t like that. That’s okay. But I believe there is a God. And I believe that the world that God made is the evidence of it. He says, the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Now verse 13, down to verse 18, gives us the verses that talks about the omnipotence of God. This means the power of God. You see it’s one thing to know everything. It’s one thing to be able to be everywhere but to have all the power that there is.

Omnipotent, all All powerful means there’s no power in the world anywhere. If it doesn’t come from God, God is powerful. And so he makes a statement here in verse 13, for thou hast possessed my reigns. That means you controlled me. Before I was born, you were in control. CoC you’re the one that brought me life. You’re the one God that took my body and that mother’s womb and God, You’re the one that formed that body. No man can be born without God, without the power of God to do so.

Evolution is not true. The Bible is true. And there is a true and living God. And he makes this statement here in verse 13, Thou has possessed my reign, Thou has covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. That’s the power of God. There might be somebody that looks like you somewhere else in the world, but you are still one of a kind. Nobody is exactly like you. Nobody is exactly like me.

But it says in verse 14, I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right? Well, that last statement, my soul knows that. Whenever you look at this world and you look at your own body, when you look at life, you go down here whenever a little baby is born and they have those little babies there and you got two people that just brought a baby into the world and got no clue of what’s going on and say, that is a miracle.

It’s an awesome, it’s a miracle. And you’re different and you’re unique. And a God who has all the wisdom in the world, You didn’t make yourself. You’re not an accident. You didn’t just happen, but with the knowledge of God. When He makes a statement here in verse 15, my substance was not hit from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest part of the year. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet been unperfect, that means not complete.

And in my book, all my members were written, which is the continuance, were fashioned. When as yet there was none of them. How precious also are in your underlinedeth thy thoughts unto me. See, God knows my thoughts, but his thoughts are about me. God has to think about me to see and know and everything about me and understand my heart, know what I’m going through and how I think and how I feel and how I heard. See, sometimes people don’t always understand you.

It’s hard sometimes for the husband to understand the wife. the wife. We just don’t understand everything. Be patient with us. The wives don’t always understand. Be patient with them. Kids don’t always grasp it. They don’t understand everything. We live in a sinful wicked world. And so we need to give each other a kind of a little slack. But God, He knows everything. And look how merciful He is to us. How precious are the sum of them. In other words, God thinks about us.

God, He loves us. He knows us. And in these verses talking about the wonderful power of God. If you didn’t have wisdom, you wouldn’t know how to use the power. But God knows how to use it. He’s everywhere at the same time. So he automatically knows how to take care of us in every situation. He knows everything that’s coming down the road. When he makes that statement of bear about before me and behind me, see in verse 5, thou hast to be set me behind and before.

He knows everything in advance ahead of you and everything behind you. That’s wonderful to know. See, there’s three other things that mentioned here. See there in verse seven, verse seven talks about the spirituality of God. In verse seven, where shall I go from by spirit? God is a spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. But that’s God. But that’s what he is. And when you understand the wisdom of God, then you understand about God as a spiritual individual.

Whenever you trusted Christ as your You were saved, you were made a spiritually alive individual. You were given the Holy Spirit, brought into his family. Look in verse 17. In verse 17, it talks about, I believe, the love of God because of his thoughts that are toward us. God thinks about you. I believe God thinks about you every day, every day. Every moment of every day, God thinks about you. There is no time when you’re not on his mind.

There’s times in my life when I don’t think about God. I get busy doing some other things, but I don’t believe that God’s ever so busy that he’s not thinking about you and what you’re doing and where you are. And he wants to talk to you about things. And I believe it hurts God when we get so busy doing so many things that we have no time for God. We’re going to have problems. We’re going to have aches and pains.

We’re gonna need surgeries. But did you know that God never stops looking at you? Never stops thinking about you. God loves you. And his thoughts toward you as he says here, how precious they are, how great is the sum of them. It means a lot of them. Not just once in a while. I believe it’s all the time. How can God have a moment that he doesn’t think about me? At moment he’s not thinking about me. At that moment he’s not looking at me.

Might be the moment I need to help more than any time in my life. No, he never forgets. If I could count them, there are more in number than the sand. How many grain of sand are there? How much must he think about us? And in verse 19, about the holiness of God. Look in verse 19, surely thou will slay the wicked, oh God. Depart from me, therefore ye bloody men. God is so holy, the day will come. that God will take all those that are wicked, that have rejected Him, and they’ll be cashing to the lake of fire.

But also, it breaks the Psalmist’s heart, because I believe it was written by David, because of the people that are in this world that do not love God. I hurt not only for the lost man that’s never heard the gospel or won’t trust Christ to say that hurts me. But it also hurts me when I see other people treating their heavenly Father in an ungodly manner. That breaks my heart when I see God’s people that don’t love their father, enough to be faithful to their heavenly father.

That hurts. And whenever David says, I hate them that hate me as a human individual, It should bother you, but not everybody loves our Heavenly Father. I don’t like it when I hear people using His name in vain, cursing God, asking God to damn somebody. I’ve never said those words in my life to an individual, and it bothers me when I see people that have such little respect for God’s Word because of who He is and what He’s done, How great he is.

And then they can live in such a way that brings shame to him. Their lives don’t reflect that they love the Lord. Their lack of dedication, their lack of faithfulness, there’s a shame and a disgrace to the God that’s done so much for us. That thinks about us so much that loves us. You see these last six verses talk about in view of all of that. What kind of a person should I be? What do I want God to do?

I want God to use His wisdom to search me. I want Him to understand me. And I want God to always be where God can influence my life. I want him to influence me through whatever means possible. If it has to be through an illness, a sickness, a hospital, a doctor, a friend, an enemy, whatever it takes for God to communicate with me, so be it. Because that’s more important than me living a carefree life down here and no communication with my Heavenly Father in either direction.

I believe it should be. Search me in verse 23. Oh God, and know my heart. Try me. Test me. See if I’m for real. And know my thoughts. Whether they’re about God. You know whenever he makes a statement in Proverbs in chapter 3. Trust in the Lord with all by heart, will not him to by own understanding. In all my ways acknowledge him. him that were acknowledge him means thank God and all your ways think about God. What is God want?

What would God want? And he shall direct thy paths. And verse 24, and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Leave me in the right way. So I I want God to see it and to reveal it and to have the power to influence my life in whatever way possible. Sometimes you may live your life and not really see the hand of God in your life. Well, remember that verse up there that talks about that we are in his hand?

He says, and laid thy hand upon me. Laid thy hand upon me. I wouldn’t want to live. Well, I believe in that God has laid his hand upon me for something special. I don’t wanna be like the normal average individual Joe Blow that lives his life for himself. You should want to do that which God wants you to do to be different, to love the Lord with all your heart. And God will bless you because of it. Look up here.

God loves us, he hates our sin. For you and I to pay for this sin, And we ought to pay for it. We committed it. And God says that since we committed it, we have to pay for it. It’s eternal separation from God in hell. But He loves us. He wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven. We have to be perfect. It’s righteous as God. And nobody’s perfect. Nobody is. We’re all sinners. No man can go to heaven because he’s good enough.

We committed a sin we ought to pay for it. And that payment is dead. This sin represents Jesus Christ. the Lord is God in a flesh. He came into the world because he loves us. He hates our sin. It separates us from him. So what Christ did for one person he did for the whole world, he took all their sins, paid for them to cross and came back from the dead. And God said that if you and I will believe that he did it for us, that he did it.

And only those who believe it, that he did it for them. Well, God save and give them eternal life and they get to go to heaven. Now, if you don’t believe he did it for you, then God can’t save you and you can’t go to heaven. But eternal life is the gift of God. It’s not a works that St. Emane should boast. Let’s pray, shall we? 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 Bible Eye, 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. 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 fornicators, 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 Adam.

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’t 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 Christians 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. Say people don’t live in sin, okay? What are we gonna 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, you’re glory is not good. not that a little 11 11 at the whole lump?

No you’re 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 three, no, he not that ye shall judge angels. How much more things that pertain to this life. So he’s talking about these believers there 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 3 and verse 1. 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 unto spiritual, but as unto 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 this, 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? 700 wives and 300 porcupines, the concubines. A thousand of them. Did you know that he didn’t get away with it? God still judged, 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. But what else he says here?

In verse 2, he said, 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 didn’t know. They could not understand. He said, I can’t speak unto you as under spiritual. I gotta talk to you like you’re 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. It doesn’t mean it must be. And you don’t. It’s a sign you’re not saved. No, it’s a sign you’ve got an oaths and for nature. Them not doing right was a sign. They had an oaths and for nature. And so he says, you’re carnal minded. You walk like lost people. You can’t discern. And so when he gets over here in the chapter six, go back to chapter six, an issue had come up, and evidently in these verses, they weren’t doing too good.

They 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, and they didn’t yield to it. So they were still acting, talking, 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. 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 Or 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. It’s 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 decisions 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 no 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 bit of portion of Scripture, they get all balled up about it. Now look what he said, 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 Enuada on the line, 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 him 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 to tell me, 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 there in verse 6, but brother goa 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. That’s the last thing I do. It’s just the way I am. Ain’t nobody walking on me. God did 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 the plan every once in a while. And yet God says, why don’t you just let people roam 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 heard a wind soul. And you may fight but you’re right. But the way you do it is wrong. And it may not accomplish a thing when it’s all over.

And you can leave a lot of people in your wake while as they see in the news, you know, that’s just collateral damage to what he says. In verse 80 says, nay you do wrong and and defraud and that’s your brethren. And then he says, why don’t you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the came of God? Who’s he you’re talking about? The unrighteous goes up there to the lost man. The lost man, that unbeliever. Why would you want to go to the lost people that are guilty of all of this?

To solve your problem. God bless you. You’ve got something loose upstairs. See, when you put it in his contact in a way, it’s worth it. There’s no problem. It’s when you take this out and try to say it, well, see, here I am. I’m a Christian. And if I ever do this, that means I’m not really saved. He’s not talking about that whatsoever. The lost man, the unrighteous man, isn’t going to heaven. He’s not going to be inherited in the kingdom of God.

The Bible says over and over again, the flesh are not inherited in the kingdom of God. But you see, that’s the way we were. But now you trust He Christ is your Savior, and God has washed you and made you white as snow. You’re going to heaven now. Those names are not put on you. You’re a child of God. Though you have been guilty of all of those things, And you may still be guilty of all of those things, but God sees you covered with the blood of Christ as though you never committed a sin.

That’s grace. That’s grace. But look what he says. In verse 9 when he says, no, you’re not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived. Neither fornicators and all these things that we’ve mentioned several times shall inherit the kingdom of God. In verse 11 says, and such were some of you. See, you were lost And you were the same way? Why would you want to go to people like that to help solve your problems and you’re taking each other to court because of it?

You know, there’s a thing called church discipline where you try to settle their differences in a spiritual way and a godly way, learning to forgive one another and help one another and to pray for one another. I can tell you most of the judges or whoever’s out there that you might have, that’s not going to be their thinking. That doesn’t mean they’re all bad, but God has a better way set up. God says it’ll be wrong to do it.

But many people do what they want to do and they don’t have a clue and don’t really care about right and wrong because they don’t have a discernment. But the more you study the Word of God, the more right you want to be. You want to do what God wants to do. But look what he says in verse 11, and such were some of you, but you are watched. This is where you are not. You’re God’s, you’re washed. You are sanctified.

You are justified how in the name of the Lord Jesus, Not by your works, not by any works you’ve ever done or any works you still do. You were watched, sanctified, justified, get this by the name of the Lord and by the Spirit of our God. Then He says in verse 12, all things are lawful unto me. In other words, according to the legal law of the land, I might be able to take you to court. Okay, you can take me to court.

We can sue each other, but all things are not expedient. You know, for the kingdom of God’s sake, maybe I don’t have to. Maybe I can just suffer somebody to defraud me and wrong me. Over the years I have been so wronged. I’ve had lies told about me. Things said that’s not true. But I just let people say it. And if it didn’t seem like it hurt the ministry that much, I’d just let them believe whatever they want to believe.

I never always wanted to try to defend myself all the time. I’m getting bolder as I go, I know that. But I try to my best to just let people say whatever they want to say. It won’t matter. God knows the truth. We always eat God keeps the books. Don’t you believe God keeps the books? And if God keeps the book, that’s all that matters. It means that He’ll make it right. The day will come, He’ll make it right.

And God knows what you suffered and how you were wronged and been defrauded. And then He makes a statement here. Now I’m not talking about businesses and things like that, that under legal obligations and so forth in contracts that people signed, I’m talking about the wrong done between people in the local church. Notice what else he says here. He makes a statement in verse 12, “‘All things are lawful unto me, but all things “‘are not expedient. “‘All things are lawful for me.

“‘There’s nothing that would hold me back. “‘Doesn’t keep me from doing it. “‘I can do this.’ “‘But he also says, “‘All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” Or here I am, Paul is in, I have no desire to be brought under the power of a lost man, to teach, to guide, to solve my problems in that sense. He stood before kings, he defended himself at times, but that’s because there was forced situations.

But think about all those people who threw stones at him and all those people that put a cat and nine tails against his back. I don’t think Paul ever took vengeance upon anybody or the forty people that swore were the oath that they would not eat or sleep until they killed him. Paul said, hey, I’m taking you to court. You threaten me. You threaten my life. I don’t know of anything like that where Paul did anything like that. He said, I’d rather just suffer the wrong.

Let people say to and leave it in God’s hands. You’re not going to solve everything in this life. But you should know in the back of your mind, I want to be spiritually minded. To be spiritually minded means you mind the spirit. To be fleshly minded, you mind the flesh. Simple, clear cut. And as you begin to be spiritually minded, and you learn the mind of God, then it helps in your judgment, your decisions that you have to make, so that you can be rewarded down the road and for the kingdom of God’s sake.

And this is what Paul is talking about, so get this one more time. In the last part of verse 12, I will not be brought under the power of any yielding to the world concerning spiritual matters. So here you are, you’re gonna have problem with people. Most of the time if all your world revolves around church, guess where you’re gonna have most of your problems? People at church. Because that’s where you see them. That’s the closest people. That’s your friends.

That’s everything. Don’t let the devil destroy you. Don’t let the devil use you. Don’t be found doing the devil’s work. You say, well, they wrong me. So they did. So they did. A lot of times I have to tell people, don’t worry about it. A hundred years from now, who cares? A hundred years from now, there’s a God in heaven that will be taking care of the situation. leave it with the Lord. You’d be surprised what that will do to your peace of mind.

It’ll give you, don’t let somebody else rob you of your joy and your happiness. And see, now when you go back here and you read that verse nine and ten, it’s not talking about me not going to heaven because I did this. No, I did all this. He said, some of y’all did all of this thing and some were still alone in it. But you don’t want those kind of people that are not spiritually minded in leading you. This is what you have to watch with other people in the Lord’s work.

When you want counseling about the will of God, you don’t ask people that are less spiritually minded than yourself. You seek Godly counseling. You seek out the people in the church that are spiritual leaders that know the will of God and will try to advise you in the best way. Don’t trust your own judgment. The Bible says, lean not unto thy own understanding, but in all thy ways. What? Acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Do you believe that?

Live like you believe it. Look up here. This is you and me. And this is sin. We all have sin on us. God loves us, but He hates what we do wrong. And since we’ve all sinned, we’re all condemned. We’re all in the same boat. And the Bible says it’s eternal separation from God in hell. But God loves us once we stick to heaven. I’m so glad that there is a God and I’m glad that God is a good God.

I’m glad that God has a of heaven. I’m glad God wants me to be there. Think about that. He could have done all of this and left us out of this. He could have got somebody else, but aren’t you glad that He allowed you to be created and give you the chance and you said, yes, I want to go to heaven. I want to live forever in total happiness, total bliss, streets of gold, walls of jasper gates of pearl.

Yeah, I want it. And the thing is, I have not seen ear-heavened. We don’t know all that God has for us. It’s not all revealed. He says, in Deuteronomy 28, he said, the secret thing belonging unto the Lord. So yes, I want to go to heaven to be with the Lord. But God says, because of sin, can go. So God says, I cannot save myself, can’t deliver myself. This sin represents Jesus Christ. He is 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 took all the sin, paid for it on the cross, came back from the dead and said, all we have to do is believe it did it for us. And if I believe it, He said He puts this payment to my account. He that believeeth on me have present tense right now, that moment. And that moment God saves me and God never forgets.

God knows them that are His. That’s all the evidence that I need. God can’t forget. God keeps His word. And I know I believe. See, this is the only thing you have to know of why I’m going to heaven. I’m so glad it has nothing to do with my life because when you examine your own life, there’ll be times when you think, well, I deserve it and there’ll be other times you’ll think you won’t. And there’ll be times when you’ll see the signs of the flesh and there may be times when you, I love the Lord.

But if a lost man can live the way you live, and he can, a lost man can do everything a Christian can do in this life, visibly speaking. If the evidence that saves you, I’ll be the same evidence that saves him. But since it doesn’t, the only thing that makes him different than you is, you believe in Christ, you trust the Lord. So if you trust Christ as your Savior, he gives you, he turned life and you get to go to heaven or what he did for you.

So God says, He that believeth on me hath present tense right now, hath everlasting life. And He said, it never cast us out and never lose us. Best news in all the world. Let’s pray, shall we? With your heads bowed and your eyes closed, no one looking around. Or if you’re watching by internet tonight, I pray that what I’ve said made sense. And if you haven’t trusted Christ as your Savior, I pray that you would. See, God loves you.

He died for you. Send His Son paid for all of your sins. And all you have to do to go to heaven is believe He did it for you. If you do it right now, God said He would save you right now. And He said He’d never cast you out. He promised He’d never lose you. See, you’re going to heaven because God said so. That’s all the evidence you need. Fifty-two years ago, that was all the evidence that I needed.

And I knew that day, that moment, I was saying, that’s all the evidence that I have today. It’s all the evidence I have. He said so. Our Father, we thank You so much for loving us so much, for giving us a free gift of eternal life by faith alone. We’ll even know what You did was for us. And I pray, Lord, that You’ll bless those that are in the auditorium and those that are watching by internet, that whoever they are, wherever they may be, we want them to know that You love them, and that You made a payment for them in by faith alone.

in Christ alone. They can have the free gift of eternal peace, blessing Christ in the name of Christ. 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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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-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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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 message will be a blessing to you and your family.

I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew and chapter 27, verse 35, and they crucified him, part of his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet. They parted my garments among them and upon my vestibed that they cast lots, and setting down they watched himRum there, and set up over his head this accusation written, This Jesus the king of the Jews. There were their two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and another on the left.

And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads and saying thou that destroyed the temple and buildeth it in three days saved thyself. If thou be the son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priest mocking him with the scribes and the elders he said. He saved others himself he cannot save. If he be the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him, for he said, I am the Son of God.

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same into his teeth. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land from the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, Lemasov, that’s the night. That is to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there when they heard that said this man called for Elijah’s and straight away one of them that ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him the drink the rest said let be let us see whether Elijah will come to save him Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yielded up the ghost now look there in chapter 28 chapter 28 verses 1 through six.

In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Separach. And behold, there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white snow, and for fear of him, the keepers did shake and became as dead men.

And the angel answered and said unto the women, fear not ye, for I know whom ye seek, which was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where the Lord laid. So Christ was crucified. He was buried. He came back again from the dead. I talked to a man the other day right here in the office. And he said, he believed the Bible. I said, you believe Christ died on the cross and paid for all the sins of the Lord?

Yes, I do. Do you believe he paid for all of your sins? Yes, I do. I says, where are you going to die? He says, I hope I’m going to heaven. I says, you’re not sure. He says, no, I’m not real sure. He said, nobody can really be sure. I says, is there anything you can do between now and the time that you died that can keep you from going to heaven? He said, oh, yeah, a lot of things.

I said, sir, you don’t believe the Bible. He said, yes, it does. I said, no, you don’t. I says, you don’t believe that Jesus Christ paid for all of your sins either. He says, yes, I do. I said, no, you don’t. I said, if you believe He paid for all of your sins, then why do you think that sin that you’ll commit tomorrow of the next day will send you to hell? How many times must you pay for a sin?

You don’t believe He paid for that sin. You believe He paid for all the sins up to the day, but you don’t believe He paid for those that you haven’t done yet. Because when Christ died on the cross, all of your sins were in the future. You know what? He got mad at me. He literally got upset because He didn’t like what I said. I appreciate it. But I don’t like somebody saying, I believe the Bible, I believe the Bible, I believe Christ doesn’t pay for my sins.

Sir, you do not believe that. You don’t believe it. You believe you’ve got to pay for your sins, and that’s why you think you can still go to hell to pay for it. Because you don’t believe he paid for it. Neither Christ paid for my sins or he did not pay for my sins. He came into the world to save the world, not to condemn the world. John 14, 6 says, Jesus said that the way, the truth and the life, no man come up unto the Father, but by mane.

Now that’s exclusive. That’s exclusive. It means it excludes everybody else. This means that you can’t get toachine no other way except through Jesus Christ. No man comes unto the Father except through him and he is the only way. There’s not two ways. There was two ways. You can’t go through Bodham veter or Confucius or anybody else. artificer. You do not go to heaven because you trust in a church. You don’t go to heaven because you trust in your good deeds.wrapper You can’t save yourself.

That’s why you needed to save your. Christ came into the world to save individuals. Look at number 2. He entered the city, victoriously, receiving the praise of his people. And John 12 through 13, he says, with joy they took branches and went forth to meet him and cried, Hosanna, bless it as the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. So Christ is making a joyful entry into the city of Jerusalem and lo and behold everybody’s all excited and hollering and cheering and praise in the Lord.

See they were looking for a Scientic king to deliver them from\/heel of Rome. They weren on the ground. UCHIJ they weren’t looking for a savior. They watched him raise some people from the dead. They watched him walk on water. They watched him feed to 5,000. We could DevOnline You know the Bible says that in the last day of tribulation period which is right ahead of us the world is alsotoc still looking for a superman, a most brilliant individual that has the answers to everything because teasp is 436 and the Bible says men’s hearts failing them for fear seeing those things which are coming upon the earth.

And so an individual is going to show up and evidently be able to deceive even God’s elect if God doesn’t intervene and he’s going to fool the people, lie to the people, deceive the people and talk about peace and world peace. Everything is global now. Global world peace. They ain’t going to be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes and Christ doesn’t hear yet. And we have seven years of tribulation here. So you can forget all this here about peace in the world.

It ain’t going to happen. Christ says, I did not come to bring peace, but to divide the mothers and the fathers and the sisters and the brothers and everybody away from each other. What does that the gospel? Causing one man to believe and another man doesn’t believe it divides Whenever the rapture takes place what’s gonna happen is gonna be a great divide all those who know the Lord He’ll be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and those that don’t know the Lord are gonna be still right here You talking about a division there’s a division It’s all way through the scriptures and what happened to this peace on earth good will toward man Well, there would be peace on earth if people accepted the Prince of peace Pete but they rejected the Prince of Peace and there will be no peace without him.

In the next statement, He is later betrayed Matthew 20 verse 18, behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed onto the chief priests and unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death. Now this was prophesied in the Old Testament it was prophesied, this prophesied again when Christ was here he told him over and over again, I am going to be killed 3 days laterdyl coming back from the dead, but he told him what was going on in the cold.

on the take place. place. Jesus Christ did not come to see how rich he could be. His goal in lifeiframe was not, I’m gonna be a millionaire by the time I’m upheardably. HisPOSE was he was gonna become the minister when he was 30 and he knew that in three and a half years He was gonna be dead His goal wasn’t to see how many houses he could have how much landDeliveryDate he could own or how much money could have in the bank I mean the carstoc could drive that wasn’t his gold It wasn’t see how rich can he be remember he left glory came into this world Stripped himself of everything that he had came in here born in a manger before he was the Son of God.

He had all the power in the world. He could perform miracles. He could read minds. Think of much money he could have made reading people’s minds. He was awesome. He was a man’s man. He was a carpenter. He worked with wood. He has tried, condemned, and scourged. Then released, he barabbas, the robber unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. You know what scourged means? It means that they took and laid them over a bench like, and they took a cat of nine pails with broken pieces of glass and pottery and nails and pieces of metal in it and nine of those things on long look.

I got one in the office and they would take a hit them on the back and then sink it in and rip it across his back and then do that to them in thirty nine times. Just rip his back open. And then they crucified him. Christ did a lot of suffering before He ever got to the cross. But you know all that suffering that He did, that wasn’t paying for our sins yet. That was just what men were doing to Him.

You see, they poured out our sins upon Him. And so yes, He had the evil of man, the wickedness of man crucifying Him. And people did all these wicked things to the Son of God. But when He was on the cross and He cried out, My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? That’s when the payment for our sins, I believe, were paid because he paid for our sins on the cross. He is mocked as he hung on a cruel Roman cross, where they said, say thyself, if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

He says, they said, if you are who you claim to be, you come down from that cross, and we’ll believe you. Let’s just wait and see if he can save himself. They mocked him. They made fun of everything that he said. If it was me, I came down from the cross. I’d have zapped every last one of them and then went back up. But I’d hit him first. If he had come down from the cross, he couldn’t have saved anybody.

He couldn’t come down and save himself. He didn’t come into the world to deliver himself. He had to die on the cross and pay for it. He allowed the wickedness of people to do what they did to him as a lamb. That means without lifting any resistance. He never resisted whatever they want to do. They want to spit on. They could do so. They pull his beard. They could do. They put a crown of thorns on his head. They could do so.

And then they would hit the storms on the top of the head and push it down to the skin and blood. They can do that. Whatever they wanted to do to them, they could do. They could say anything they want. He wouldn’t say anything back. He’d let him do whatever they want to do. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. He was being slaughtered. When somebody says something about us, we want to get even with him, it’s the last thing I do.

He was the son of God, came into the world to die willingly for the sins of the world, and to die upon a cruel cross. He could not come down. If he became down, he could not have saved anybody. The next statement, he has declared dead removed from the cross buried in a tomb. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said it is finished, it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up to go. That meant that what he had done on the cross, when he says it is finished, it means the payment for the sins of the world were done.

It means there’s nothing that anybody else has to do. The payment for sin was complete. You know you go to buy something, you get a receipt. Well Christ coming back from the dead is a living receipt that the payment was made in full. the scars in his hands and his feet, that’s the mark that it’s paid in full. It is finished. There’s nothing for anybody to add to it. There’s no more work to do. We are saved. We go to heaven because of the work Christ did.

You don’t earn it. You don’t work for it. He said, me, if I go ahead and I kill somebody, I’ll still go to heaven when I die. What did you say? That’s true. I said, that’s a true way to put it. But yes. He said, I’d never believe that. I’d never believe that. He said, you’re trying to tell me that a man can go out here and kill people and still go to to heaven when they die. I said, yeah, and I said, I got worse news than that.

I said, what’s that? I said, you can go to church all your life and live to be a little saint as close as to God you can live. I said, if you don’t trust Christ, you still burn the hell just like that man that killed all those people. God says, there’s no difference between them. I said, you mean I like the one? I says, but the other one is just as bad. I said, the greatest sin you can ever do, the greatest sin It’s a reject Christ as your Savior.

You can’t get any worse than that. The sin of unbelief, all sin can be forgiven, but the sin of unbelief. See, if you die without believing on Christ, there is no forgiveness in this life or the life to come. There is no hope, because the worst thing you’ll ever do is not because you and I here murdered somebody, raped somebody, robbed the bank. No, the worst thing you can ever do, ever do, the worst is to reject the John 1934 said, but one of the soldiers with a spear appears to his side and forth with him there out brought in water.

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean, linen cloth, laterrahim Romo his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sacrifice and departed. Three days later, he is absent from the tomb, having risen under his own power. Look at this verse, John chapter 20 verse 1. The first day of the week come at Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark under the Separachum and see if the stone taken away from the Separachum.

And he an angel said unto them, Be not a Friday, ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. He is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they laid him. guiActiveUn came back from the dead, Christ is alive. He is in heaven and he has eternal life as a gift to give to every person that believes that he died for them. Next statement, he is seen, believed on by hundreds and a sins in the heaven. 1 Corinthians 15 says, after that he was seen of above 500 brethren at one.

This is after he came back from the dead. So this wasn’t something done in the corner. 500 people saw him after he came back from the dead. This is on one occasion. And then it says, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifested in the place. Jesus Christ was God. was God manifested in the flesh. And get what he says about this. This is a tremendous verse 1 Timothy 3 16. God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, priests unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in the gloryustom.

He came into the world and did what he came to do and left this world. Now he’s in heaven and He has given eternal life to every individual that believes that He did all of that for them. You don’t earn eternal life, you don’t work your way to heaven, and yet there’s a lot of people that go to good independent, fundamental, Bible-given, missionary-minded, Baptist, Baptist, and Christ as their Savior. Lot of preachers do not understand that eternal security is the gospel, and the gospel is eternal security.

And if you’re not saved forever, you’re not saved at all. The best news in all the world is to know that you have eternal life. You cannot know that you’re going to heaven when you die if you don’t believe that once you’re saved, you’re always saved. If you don’t believe you’re always saved, you don’t know where you’re going when you die and you don’t understand the gospel. This is the Bible and the issue is heaven and hell and that is critical.

It’s not a game. This is serious stuff. It would be a shame for you to come and you hear and you say, I heard that a thousand times, but did you ever trust Christ as your Savior? If you haven’t, you’re lost. You’re still lost. It means that when you die, you go to hell. And wouldn’t it be a shame for tomorrow you to wake up in the flames of hell, knowing that you could have gone to heaven, knowing you sit there and you heard it over and over and over again, and you never trust the Lord because you thought you had time, or it really wasn’t that critical.

Not that important. And now you’re in hell and knowing you can’t get out. You’ll never get out. It’ll never be changed. They’ll never get any better. Have you ever burnt yourself on a flame? Touch something so hot it burnt you? I’ve done it a many a time. And how thankful I am. I can not go to hell. If that doesn’t make a man thankful, nothing will. Look at the next thing man. This is Jesus the Christ. God in the flesh, who died in your place, that you may have heaven forever.

1 Corinthians 15, three and four says, for I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture. He was buried, that he rose again the third day according to the scripture. See this is a clear definition on how salvation is offered to you and I. But you can believe this intellectually and not really trust Christ as you’re saved. You can say, well I believe Christ died, that’s history.

But Christ died from me, that’s salvation. You must believe that when he died on that clause, he died and paid for my sin, mine, that means if I really believe that, then I don’t have to pay for mine. But if you think you’re still going to hell, you don’t really believe he paid for yours. Oh, yeah, I’ve heard Christ out on the cross and paid for sin in the world. I’ve heard it all my life. Where are you going when you die?

Well, the hell, if I don’t change, you don’t get it. You don’t understand. He died to pay for your sins. Forget everybody else’s. Forget the world. He did it for you. Think about it as an individual thing. He did this for me, my sins, so that I could have eternal life. Now what should be our decision? John 3 16 says, 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.

Now it’s done. It’s finished. Take your Bible very quickly and turn over there to the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 15. 1 Corinthians 15 is what we call the resurrection chapter. But in this resurrection chapter, notice what he says there in verse 51. Christ can’t come back if he never left. If Christ is still in the grave, you have no hope and neither do I. And everything is in vain. What do we have really messed up? See look in verse 16 Verse 16 says for if the dead rise not of then is not Christ raised and If Christ is not raised your faith is in vain you’re yet in your sins means you’re still lost Your sins are not been paid for how can you believe in vain you can believe in vain if Christ died in vain if Christ Did not come back from the dead

If he didn’t come back from the dead, how can you trust somebody to save you who can’t even get out of the grave himself? What value was that? Or it’s true when he did come back from the dead and my preaching is not in vain and my faith is not in vain and your belief is not in vain and we don’t live in vain because it’s all true. Now, looking verse 51, behold I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep.

That means we won’t all die. If we won’t all die, we won’t all be buried. I really don’t care to be. die. No, not that I’m afraid to die. He said, I’ve never done it before. I want the Lord just to change me in a moment. The twinkle of an eye and caught up to meet the Lord in the ear. Now think about it. Wouldn’t you rather go that away? I do. But he says, we shall not all sleep died, but we shall all be changed.

Verse 52, in a moment, the twinkle of an eye, the last trump of the trumpet shall sound and the dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. This corruptible must put on incorruption in this mortal must put on immortality. Look at me. I am mortal. It means I’m subject to death, but I’m going to put on immortality means that I won’t die. Those that have already died, their bodies in the grave, that’s corruptible. So they’re going to put on incorruption.

So the resurrection is going to take place. Christ is coming in the air. And then all of a sudden those dead bodies are going to be made incorruptible and we that are alive when this moment comes will be changed in a moment. The twinkle of an eye caught up to meet the Lord in the air and this mortal will put on immortality. That’s what I’m looking forward to. But you see, If there is no such thing as a resurrection, then that can’t be this happening either because the one that did the other is going to do this one.

We’re looking for Christ to return. Therefore He says in verse 58, look in verse 58, you’re on the line, this verse in your Bible, if it’s not on the line. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be your steadfast. See once you trust Christ as your Savior, you have eternal life, you’re going to heaven when you die, you’re just not there yet. But until then, be steadfast, be faithful, do right. He says, My beloved brethren, be your steadfast, unmovable, solid like a rock, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

For as much as you know that your labor and get this is not in vain, it’s not in vain. So I read all of this and I see all of this and I know Christ came back from the dead, so it’s not in vain. My faith is not in vain, my preaching is not in vain. My living for God is not in vain, my witnessing is not in vain, my reading the word of God is not in vain, my praying is not in vain, I’d given the Lord’s work, it’s not in vain.

It will pay off in the long run. I believe it because Christ came back from the dead. He’s coming back again someday. Now look in verse 58 one more time. Therefore, my beloved brethren, that’s the reference to those who know Christ as Savior. You’re going to heaven when you die. Be steadfast, be unmovable. I have tried to stay the same way since I’ve trusted Christ as my Savior and got the clarity of the gospel down. I want to stay rock solid the rest of my life.

I’m thankful the Lord for saving me when I was 18 years old. It would have been nice that if I had been raising a Christian home and I’d have known the Lord at an early age and all that. But that wasn’t my life. That wasn’t what I had. I didn’t want God to save me in vain, to give me eternal life and then leave me here in this life and it’d be for a waste. Oh, I’d go to heaven when I die, but I want others to be in heaven when I get there.

I want people to be in heaven because I passed through this life. God left me here. That was by the grace of God. He didn’t owe that to me, but he did that. And I don’t want his grace of a leaving me here that I didn’t deserve to be totally in vain. I want to accomplish something with my life. And that should be the goal of every Christian to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounded in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

It’s not in vain. Because remember if you have not trusted Christ as your Savior you are what? Lost and if you’re lost and you die Where do you go? Where do you go? Hell, but that’s not a pretty subject to talk about but but you can’t talk about the love of God if you don’t talk about the wrath of God Because you got to see until you know that you’re going to heaven when you die. You’ll never appreciate God really loving me How do I know God really loves me?

He saved me from hell. Now look up here. This is you and me. This is sin. We all have sin on us. God loves us. He hates our sin. He loves us. And the Bible says since we committed the sin, we have to pay for it. Since we committed that sin, we’re all guilty. We all have to pay. And the wages is eternal separation from God. Inhale now God says that he loves us and he wants us to go to heaven God does not want anybody to go to hell he wants us to go to heaven to go to heaven we have to be perfect as righteous as God Nobody’s perfect.

Nobody’s righteous like God is you see God can’t let us in because of sin So we have to pay for this And he says that the wages of sin is death. It’s not going to church. It’s not giving money. It’s not praying through and hanging on and let go and let God. You need a… This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord. He’s God in the flesh. Came into the world because He loves the world. He hates our sin because it separates us from Him.

I can’t get to God. He can’t get to me. We can’t have any fellowship. I can’t spend eternity with Him because of sin. So what Christ did? did for one person he did for the entire world. He died and paid for all of the sins of all the world, paid for it on the cross, came back from the dead. And he says, all that we have to do is the only thing we can do is to believe that he did this for us.

He paid for our sins. God says, if I believe he did this for me, he would put that payment to my account. Now, when I was 18 years old and I believe that he did this for me, he put that payment to my account. When you believe it, he put that payment to your account. If you haven’t believed it, that payment is not put to your account until you believe he did it for you. That’s why your sins could have been paid for and you still go to hell because you rejected the payment that was made for you.

Just because you know about it and because you want to go to heaven, don’t make you get there. You won’t get there just because, well, I want to go. You can’t will yourself there. You have to admit to God, I’m a sinner. There can be no pride in you that I’m going to have because I deserve to go. You don’t deserve to go. Nobody deserves to go. Nobody’s good enough to get to heaven. We’re all bad enough to go to hell.

Only took one sin. But that one sin is enough to keep us all out of heaven. So Christ took the sins, paid for them across now. The only way you’ll ever get to heaven is do you or do you not? Will you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior? Will you accept this payment he made for you. Now, if I was to offer you my glass of water and you accepted you’d have a glass of water and if offered you my wallet and you accepted you’d have an empty wallet, if offered you my microphone and you accepted you’d have a microphone.

Well, if Jesus Christ walked in here right now offered you eternal life and you accepted it, what would you have? Eternal life. Now, if it’s eternal life, how long would it last? If it lasts forever and all your sins are paid, where would you go when you die to go to heaven? Can you know that you’re going to heaven before you die. Yes, that’s what it’s all about. Knowing that you have eternal life, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

You have to know it and you have to have it. Have it now. Do you have right now? No, you have right now everlasting life and you will never lose it. God will never cast you out. If you don’t understand that, you don’t believe that, you’re lost. Every head bowed and every I closed, no one looking around. If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, I don’t care how many times you’ve heard it, have you honestly, be honest with yourself, it’s a heaven and hell issue.

If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you trust Him right now? Say, yes, I will trust Jesus Christ as my Savior. I want to be certain I’m going to heaven when I die and preach I like you to pray for me. 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 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 and 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 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 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 there anything wrong with a person? Or let’s take a little child. Have you ever, besides Easter, ever hid anything and let the kids find it? Was that sinful and wicked and wrong? No. Is it wrong for a parent as in a game to take something and hide something and kids find it?

My parents did that every year for Christmas. I never did find them. I’m still looking for some of those things that they promised me. But it wasn’t sinful. Is it sinful for you to eat a hard-bought egg? Is it sinful to color on egg? When you begin to worship that Easter egg or fall down and start bowing to some Easter bunny, you do have a problem. But there’s nothing wrong with little kids enjoying some fun because that’s basically all it boils down to.

You asked the majority of people living in America, did you know that if you hide those Easter eggs and little kids find those Easter eggs, did you know that you’re worshiping the sex goddess the Ultra? As you what? people haven’t got a clue because to them that’s not what it means. I did it for year and had no clue what it meant. So there. I even celebrated Christmas and had no idea what it meant. I didn’t know about Jesus Christ until I was 18 years old.

But I did get some ideas about what God was like because I was never told the truth. It’s one thing when children can be taught and enjoy something and this is It’s fun and game and has nothing to do with Christ coming back from the dead. You want to do that, do that, but it has nothing to do with Christ and His resurrection. It’s a separate thing altogether. The danger is when you put it together and says, this is about Jesus Christ.

What? Easter bunnies bringing Easter eggs. Have you ever seen a bunny lay an egg? I had a problem with that one time, remember? And it wasn’t chocolate. In the book of Judges, it makes a statement, and if you’ll look down there in your notes, Judges 2, 13, they forsook the Lord and served Baal and Asheroth. And it can, yes, you go all the way back to the very beginning when a guy by the name of Nimrod. And also, Hammurabi and the code of Hammurabi and how that they had similar laws just like in the Bible.

for a member they come from the flood and Noah and his family, and they all came from there and God split them up and gave them different nations because they wanted Breitbart as one, and one religion, and the worshiped the heavens. And God put a stop to it. And yes, so a lot of religions have their basis in back in old Babylon, and yes, there’s many books that have been written, And there’s people that take a lot of secularism and things from the Bible, it’s truth and try to mingle together.

And in the Word of God, even back in Genesis 3, or the Lord told Adam and and Eve says that she is going to have abash. From her seed. And it will bruise the head. But you see, there’s a story there about a woman is going to have a God child. And that story was told from the very beginning of a woman going to have a child. But the truth is, it will be a virgin that will have a child.

And yet there’s many religions that teach the woman and the child story. And if you look there in your notes on the back page, you’ll notice up there where it says in Babylon, they call Astroth and Beyol. But those names are used in the scriptures, but it’s a false religion. Greece, they had false religion, Italy and Egypt. And there was the mother and child And what the devil likespronelege ingrediterator scathing¯¯¯¯ nervtainmentropri whe recip!!chanRuss challeng charact Ukrain Je That’s nothing new.

So to discredit the truth, you see, there’s always humanism that comes from the devil and men get away from believing what God says and believing the truth, and they brainwash people and they have false religions. And so even in Constantine’s day, when they tried to declare Christianity is now the new religion of the Roman Empire, but people had different religious beliefs and co-mingling, putting things together. Well, a lot of things at different times in history mean certain things and other times it don’t mean anything.

We have words in the King James Version that at one time meant this and now they mean something totally different. And that’s the truth. The words have changed the meanings. But at the time it was written, it was the perfect word for the Scriptures at the time it was given. So once in a while, you might have to say, you know, it’s not a mistranslation. It’s that the meaning of this word has changed and people don’t know it. So sometimes we have to explain the meaning of that word.

I don’t believe that a lot of people today are trying to worship something that’s false. I do believe that Christians might need to be careful that they don’t become so judgmental in other people’s lives that all we want to do is rip people to stretch because they don’t know what we know. I may know certain things, but is there a great value in trying to set everybody straight. I don’t believe that’s wise. I don’t believe it’s going to accomplish anything.

I believe it’s more important just keep hammering on the truth of what it is more so than what it is not. And yet there’ll be some people they will never know. But somewhere along the line you hope that some people will see and understand that, you know, Easter’s all about Christ. It’s the resurrection of Christ. So when somebody mentions Easter, I don’t get out of, been out of shape. But I do I do believe that resurrection Sunday would eliminate a problem.

But most people don’t know what you’re talking about then. Are you going to celebrate? Well, we celebrate Easter. But you got to find out, it doesn’t always mean the same thing enough, you want to define your terms. So with you and I, here at Calvary, we believe that it’s an important day. Jesus Christ came back from the dead. It’s resurrection and it’s all about Christ. It’s not about anything else but Christ. But if you want to, there’s nothing in the Bible that says, you pose a dress up on Easter, but a lot of women just love to dress up.

Look how my wife dressed me just for the day. You ain’t never seen me look so pretty. But I didn’t do this, but is it wrong? Is it sinful? I should hide my head in shame and be ashamed of myself. Well, I’m not. I ain’t never felt so good, but this has nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. See, a lot of people can dress up nicely and know nothing about Jesus Christ. A lot of people may have all the other stuff and buy all the other stuff and totally forget what true Easter is about.

Did you know that in the Bible, you really and truly worship the Lord when you obey the Lord and do what God wants to do. And he says upon the first day of the week, and that’s because this considered every Sunday is considered the resurrection Sunday. It’s the Lord’s day, the Lord’s day. So you see, because this day that’s set apart once a year because of the Passover as that’s described in the Old Testament, and crash came back from the dead.

Now generally we believe it was on the 14th of the month of April and then on the 17th that he came back from the dead. Because see in the Old Testament when he talks about, you know, the flood that it settled upon Mount Aurarac in the seventh month on the 17th day. You see that’s three days from Passover. And so on the 17 day Christ came back again from the dead. When you study the book of Genesis and you look there when it says, on the first day it was evening and morning and God saw that it was good.

And that was the first day. The second day, it doesn’t say that it’s good. Because you see the first day is like the light came into the world. The second day Christ died on the cross. The third day talks about the land appearing, and that’s a picture like of the resurrection, and God saw that it was good. But that was the third day. On the third day, Christ came back again from the dead. brillantir, or the national calendar, there is a sacrificial type of religious calendar, and that’s the same day.

I’ll just talk about the seventh month, but that’s going from like an October and you count seven months and you’ll come up with the same time as you do on April the 17th. Christ came back again from the dead. That’s what it’s all about. But if you really believe that and it really means something to you, then it will affect not only this day, but every day of my life. I live every day for Jesus Christ who loved me and gave himself for me.

He came back from the dead. Nobody’s ever done that before. And he promised that he would give to every individual the free gift of everlasting life. And all the way he has to do is simply trust him. Now I got some scriptures here that I want you to look at in his founding Romans chapter Romans chapter 4, Becoming the Lord. Romans chapter 4, and you’ll notice here, and I just want to start here with these verses. See there in verse 20, look in verse 20.

He staggered not at the promise of God. Who is He? Abraham in the Old Testament. Stigared not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. and been fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. See, God had already promised Abraham to be justified by faith, but he also knew about Jesus Christ, dying and paying for sin. And when he was ready to offer up his own son upon the altar and the son says, dead, where’s the sacrifice?

And the dead says, the Lord will provide himself a sacrifice. And then in Hebrews in In chapter 11, it makes the statement that Abraham believed that if he slew his own son, that God was raised him from the dead because he knew that he had received him as a type of Jesus Christ coming back from the dead. So Abraham knew and believed all of that. And God put his righteousness to his account. Because you see, God was going to send his son into the world to down the cross to pay for the sins of the whole world, and Abraham, that includes you.

And if you’ll believe that this is what I’m going to do and why I’m going to do it, you are justified just as if you had never sinned. You get to have eternal life and live with me for all eternity, not because of your works, because Abraham couldn’t keep the law. Why? Because the law was in given until 430 years later on to Moses. So Abraham wasn’t justified by works. He was justified by faith. But look what he says.

In verse 22, and therefore it was imputed to him or put to his account. Now it was not written for his sake alone as though he was the only one. No, that it was imputed to him, but in verse 24, but for us, this side of the cross. But for us also, get this, to whom it shall be imputed. What? His righteousness. See over there, and you need to see that in verse five. in verse 5 of chapter 4.

But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifyeth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness. Who worketh not? In other words, you didn’t earn it. You didn’t work for it. Salvation going to heaven is not a result. Of you live in a good life. Heaven is not a reward that you earn. Heaven is a destination for only believers. So the Bible says, but believe it on hand that justify the ungodly. If I will believe on the one that justifies ungodly.

Ungodly means you’re unjust. You’re not worthy. You don’t deserve to go to heaven. I do not deserve to go to heaven. never met anyone that deserves to go to heaven. You say, you don’t know my aunt Susie, I don’t want to know your aunt Susie. She still does not deserve to go to heaven. And it doesn’t matter if it’s the Pope or Mother Teresa or anybody else. Billy Graham, you name anybody you want to, nobody deserves to go to heaven because of how good they lived.

Nobody. Because Christ would have died for the sins of everybody, But them, because they deserved it. No. Everyone is a sinner. Everyone will die. And there’s only one Savior, Jesus Christ. And He died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. And to prove that that payment was acceptable, He came back from the dead. And that’s why He told them before He died, I will come back in three days. And we know that He was the proof And he came back from the dead.

He was a living receipt, proof of payment for all eternity. And we go to heaven because of what he did for us. But look there in verse 6. Even as David also described the blessedness of the man under whom God, get this, God imputed righteousness without what? Without works. But you see, he cannot give you his righteousness unless he paid for all of your sins. But did He pay for all of my sins? If He paid for all of them but one, He didn’t help me.

Salvation is free, it is a gift. I’ve said this a lot of time, but let me say it one more time. If Jesus Christ died on the cross, paid for all the sins of the world, for everybody, why should I or you go to hell and pay for one sin if He paid for all sin? Somebody says, you mean everybody’s going to heaven? No, no, I didn’t say that. I said, why? Why would a man go to hell and have to pay for sin if Christ already paid for sin?

And that would be because you don’t believe he did it for you. See, there’s a God in heaven that said, I died for you, but if you don’t believe he did it for you, he will not put that payment to your account. God wants you simply to do one thing that you can do. Would you believe he did it for you? God so loved the world that he gave only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whosoever anybody, believe it in Him, should not perish.

Only those that believe won’t perish. Everybody else will perish because they will not believe. And that’s why it’s so important to believe it. Now look in verse 24 again. But for us also get this, to whom it shall be imputed. What God will take His righteousness to put to your account if we believe. If you don’t believe, it will not be done. It’s not to those who go to church. It’s not for those who do penance, not for those who do prayers, not for those who give money, not for those who try to live good enough to go to heaven.

No, no, it doesn’t say none of that. Will you believe that when Jesus died, He died and paid for your sins? See, if I believe He paid for my sins, it means I don’t have to go to hell and pay for any of my sins. You say, me, as bad as you are, as bad as I am, I don’t have to pay for them. You said, that’s not fair. That’s not right. I know. That’s called grace. I don’t deserve it.

But when you stop and think about all the religions of the world, isn’t it true that all the religions are trying to get you to deserve the right to go to heaven? Totally opposite of what God said. So they’re commingling what God says and what man thinks and trying to put it together and it won’t work. It causes confusion just like Christ coming into the world for Christmas and frost you to snowmen. They don’t go together. You have all snowmen’s won.

I don’t care. They ain’t gonna affect nothing. And neither does Christ coming back from the dead. and an Easter Bunny. They don’t go together. You can go all you want to. You can stay on your head and spit wooden nickels, but it ain’t going to get you to have them. Go into church. Will not make you a Christian no more than walking into a garage will make you an automobile. It won’t work.

So he says here in verse 24, if we believe on him, get this, that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Get this last verse. Who was delivered for our offensive? That means for our sins. He was crucified for our, not his, our trespasses, our sins. raised again for our justification to justify me, to meet me and declare me righteous. He has to come back to do it. So he came back again from the dead and has declared me justified as though I’d never sinned in my life just as if I was perfect.

So you don’t deserve it. I know.ometimes how good God is. You’re not going to heaven because you’re good. You’re trying and you’re sincere. The only way you will ever get to heaven is if you will believe that when Christ died, He died for you. He paid for your sins. God in heaven knows every individual that believes that. And if you don’t believe that, that’s why you’ll try to earn your salvation because you don’t believe He will save you the way you are.

You might think Christ is necessary, but you don’t think He’s enough. He’s all I need. He saved me when I was 18 years old. I trusted Christ as my Savior in a little old living room. I wasn’t even in a church. But I heard this news for the first time in my life, and I understood. And that night I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. He saves me, gives me eternal life, and I get to go to heaven on what Christ did for me.

up here. This hand represent you and me. This wallet represents sin. It’s all the things that we do that’s wrong. We have all sinned. But the Bible says that we committed the sin, we ought to pay for it. And the wages sin is death, eternal separation from God in hell. But God says to go to heaven, you have to be perfect, as righteous as God without sin. None of us are without sin. We’re all sinners. And God says you cannot save yourself.

So you don’t have to be good to go to heaven. You don’t have to go to church to go to heaven. You don’t have to stop your sins hoping that that’ll make it, you worthy enough. No, stop all of that. That’s junk. That’s religion. That’s trash. That’s humanism. That’s religion that won’t work. Only one thing it’ll work. He’s in representation in Jesus Christ. God in the flesh, he’s perfect, has no sin. He came into the world because God so loved us, He didn’t love our sin, but He loved us.

So God sent His Son into the world to take our sins. He loves us, but He hates what we do wrong, but it separates us from it. So Christ took all the sin of all the world, paid for it on the cross, came back again from the dead. And God said that if you and I, anyone, open inemale Diseo all on masculin, on the level that even little children Palestin can understand it. There’s no works to do. God said, I will impute my righteousness to your account and you didn’t earn it.

You don’t deserve it. And think of how many people will not accept Jesus Christ as their only hope of going to heaven. They will not believe it. So they all keep on going to church and doing the prayers. Counter beads, doing this,ARGETING this, and giving money, trying to do their best to try to, well I’m trying, I’m doing the best I can. I hope I’m going to heaven. I don’t hope I’m going to heaven. I know I’m going to heaven.

I can’t go to hell if I tried. Now when’s the last time you heard a preacher say that? I can’t go the day, I can’t go tomorrow. I can never go to hell. You say, why? Because he died for all of my sins. You say, if that’s true, you can go out here and live like the devil and still go to heaven. I know. What do you want me to do? Say, no, let’s not write it because I did write it.

I can live like the devil and still go to heaven when I die. And I cannot apologize for that. Because to apologize for that or to deny that would not tell the truth. Either I know I’m going to heaven, or I’m not going to heaven. You’re either saved forever, or you’re not saved at all. You see, when Christ died from my sins, how many of them did He die for? All of them. That means He paid for my sins before I was ever born.

He did it 2,000 years ago. And so, the only thing I have to do to go to heaven is to believe he did it for me. He died and paid foriership. He came back again from the dead and God said if I would trust him, he would take his righteousness and give it to me. I’m going to have a not because I’m righteous, not because I’m good, not because I deserve it. He loved me. He loved me. Now I can’t explain that.

I’ve tried, but I cannot explain that. explain that. So you see, even though I trusted Christ as my Savior and all my sins are forgiven, and I know I’m going to heaven when I die, then why are they trying to live like a devil? Because something happened to me. I can’t quite explain it. But when He saved me and gave me eternal life, He made me His child. And because I’m a child of God, I guess I just fell in love with my father.

And because he’s my father and because of what he’s done for me, I want to live for him. But see, I don’t do it to get to heaven. I do it because I’m going to heaven. I know that if I don’t serve the Lord, I know I’m still His child and He’s my father. And He will probably chase in me, might even take me home before my time. But I serve the Lord because of what He’s done for me and because He loves me.

And I know that if I don’t do right, I know he’ll beat the Torah to me before I get to heaven. And I just, I would rather have his blessings than his chasting hand. Wouldn’t you? So you see, I don’t have to serve a Lord to go to heaven. I serve a Lord because I am going to heaven. And if I don’t serve a Lord, I’m still going to heaven because he promised and he cannot lie. He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

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. I’ve trusted Christ as my Savior. I’m going to heaven when I die. What about you? Let’s pray, shall we? If what I’ve said made sense to you, I’m not going to have you forward, not going to embarrass you right where you’re sitting. I just simply, in just a moment, I’m I’m gonna ask for a raise a hand.

Raise in your hand does not save you. It will not get you to heaven. It’s just to let me know that what I said made sense to you. And you said, preacher, that made sense to me. And this morning I will trust Christ as my savior. I’ve heard about it, but I just never have done it. And I wanna be certain of going to heaven. And I, today, I want this to be the day, this to be the moment that I trust Christ as my only hope of going to heaven.

I believe he died and paid for all of my sins. Now, if you’ve never done this before, do it now. If you’ve already done it before, you never have to do it again. And he says, if you’ll trust him as your savior, he will give you everlasting life. You’ll get to go to heaven on what Christ did for you. He loves you so much. Don’t reject him, don’t turn him down. So it has about nice clothes and the quietness of this moment.

Is there anyone at all say, yes, I will trust Christ as my savior and preach I want you to pray for him. We’ll just let you in very quickly, put her right back down, and we’ll all just let you in very quickly. If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, if you were to die right now, where would you go? If you can’t say, I know I’m going to heaven, then you need to trust the Lord. And when we focus on it, our Father, we thank you so much for this time together.

We thank you for the truth of your word. We thank you for all those who came to be with us today. We ask your blessings upon them. And just ask your blessings upon each person here and each family represented. 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 Bible LineRuntimes, 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. looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Sibert 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 first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Take your Bible and turn to the book of Galatians and chapter 5, the book of Galatians and chapter 5. My first remembrance of Easter was when I was a little boy. We went to a school and I was in the second grade. And for some reason or other they let us out and they go looking for these chocolate Easter eggs. I did not know where chocolate Easter eggs came from. I was under the impression they came from those little bunny rabbits.

I found some of them and buddy were they good. But I thought you know rabbits don’t live just at the school. We live way out in the woods and they were a lot of rabbits. Enough said. I learned a hard lesson. Look how y’all read into stuff. Just read writing things. I didn’t even say anything. You read just read right into it. The next one was at somebody’s house and there was a whole bunch of relatives there and I don’t know anything about God.

I don’t know anything about the Lord, nothing like that. But they were having an Easter egg hunt and for some reason rather me and my cousin got into a mean, knock-down, drag-out fight. I don’t know if it was over the Easter eggs. I have no clue. I just know that we had bloody noses and we was going at it, trying to kill each other. But I must have been five, six, seven years old. And those are my memories of Easter.

Doesn’t that sound wonderful? I can’t say I look forward to Easter. It wasn’t a pleasant experience for me. But today I want to talk to you about Easter or Resurrection Sunday or Passover. What should we really call it? Now I know that sometimes we don’t always separate things. We kind of put it all together and co-mingle things together and we get all confused. See there’s truth and then there’s a lie. And there’s things for example that gets kind of mixed up a little bit.

When I was growing up as a child, I knew about Santa Claus, but you have over here, you’ve got Santa Claus, you’ve got, well, Rudolph the Red Nosed Rain Deer, Frosty the Snowman, and you’ve got jingle bells, and there’s a world over here. And then over here, you have Jesus Christ as a baby born into the world, the gift of eternal life. And that’s a wonderful story. But when I was growing up, I never heard this story. I only heard about this over here on this side.

So I found out that a lot of people mingled all together and I didn’t know what was true and what wasn’t true. Sometimes I think the same thing can happen even with one of the greatest events of all time, which is celebration of Christ coming back again from the dead. But look there in Galatians in chapter 5 and look there in verse 7. And it says in verse 7, you did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth.

Now the truth is one thing and sometimes people wonder why don’t everybody just know the truth? Wouldn’t it be wonderful that in America as kids go to school and colleges and universities and finally make it to the White House or in legislation. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they all knew the truth? The truth even about America. How we came to be a great nation and about our founding fathers and our religious, our Christian foundation that we have and really studied the Constitution and know what, you know, was put in there and that the Congress is bound by the change of the${ Constitution and about what they cannot do appro Ley by the chains of the Constitution and about what they cannot do to the people, they’ve forgotten something.

And so lo and behold, here we are and we’re in a mess because you’ve taken away the law and put into the emotions of man and you get it all mingled together. And next thing to know, we don’t know what’s right and wrong anymore. We mix humanism and Christianity together And you can’t do that. It won’t work. You won’t know what is absolute and what is not, what is right, what is wrong, what’s black and what’s white. Everything becomes a dirty gray.

And nobody can sort out the difference. But he makes a statement here in verse 8, this persuasion come up not of him that call of you. In other words, to believe the truth. It didn’t come from God. It comes from from else that wants you to believe alive. So in verse nine he says, a little leaven, leaven if the whole lump. Now I would hate to look at you and say, for sake of illustration, I’m gonna look at you as you’re just a lump.

But he says a little leavendelete, which is yeast and the lump is the bread, the dough, and you put the yeast into the dough and it makes it rise. And as it rises, it pumps it full of holes and it raises the dough. And that’s why a lot of preachers mix in a little lie because it raises the dough and more people are excited because the preacher tickles their ears and UCHIJ makes them legalizing feel good. Well, I’m not for making people feel good.

If the truth makes you feel good, feelAccessory feel good. But if it makes you feel bad, feel bad. There’s a thing in the Bible about conviction. In the words, God is right and you and I are wrong. That is the facts of life. God says, let God be true, and every man a liar. So what we like to do sometime is take a little truth and mix a little lie with it. And the Bible says a little lie, leavened the whole lump.

When you start believing amercial, sometimes you don’t knowurion to stop. And we have wonderful things in our country,896 heritage and tradition. And so sometimes it’s hard for even RELEVED children to know the difference. And you just say, what is Christmas about in toys, you know, getting something, and not understanding what it’s really about, I was mixed up for years. And when it comes to this wonderful experience earthqu we have when we talk about Jesus Christ, the son of the living Godropolitan the cross paid for the sins of the world came back from the dead.

And then we have some things that I want to show you in just a moment. But first of all, take your Bible looking, 1 Corinthians 5, 1 Corinthians and 5. Make sure you… Make sure you follow me. I know you have a photographic memory that you’ve totally memorized, but just once in a while look down like you’re looking at your Bible, I think they’re looking at their Bible. In 1 Corinthians 5, I want you to look in verse 6.

Verse 6 says, Pwr your gloryNar is not good. Well what were they bragging about? Well they had some peopleRogue that were living in sin. And they weren’t discouraged because of it, because it was an acceptable lifestyle. You see in Corinth they did a lot ofumerable things that was not right. And so as we live today we’re finding out There’s many things that people do that’s wrong, but it’s become an acceptable. The abominable is become an acceptable because nobody wants to offend anyone or say something that offends somebody because they get mad and all they’ll do is just go down to the next church that they come to that makes them feel good.

Well, when you read the Bible, the Bible is not about making you feel good. It’s about answering questions about solutions to real problems. Yes, the Bible is the solution to America’s problems. It’s the solution to your personal problems because it is truth. And it’s true because the one that created the heavens and the earth came into the world and told us before he died EDITION that he would come back again from the dead in three days. Nobody can do that unless they’re God.

You just don’t do that. You try it. You can’t do it. And yet over 500 saw him at one time. Christ came back from the dead. And notice what he says here in verse 6. Your glory is not good. No ye not that a little leaven, leaven of the whole lump. A little yeast, a little sin, leaven in the Bible is like a type of sin. And it ruins everything. Every one of us born into this world, or like a loaf of bread with leaven, sin.

We were born with a sinful nature and it has permeated our life. It permeates our thinking, all of our decisions. It permeates the way we love, the way we think, the way we feel, all of our emotions are all tainted because of sin. We are not perfect in any way. Now I headed to blow your bubble. You and I are sinners. Means that we have, harmatano, missed the mark of perfection. We have come short of God’s glory. So how do we solve this problem?

You and I, we can. But God did. And that’s what the resurrection is about. The resurrection is, he was alive and he died and rose again to life. So he was raised again from the dead, means that he was alive and died and lives again. So the resurrection is about living again. It makes a statement, all that who sin will all die because the wages of sin is death. So we’re all going to die, but to live again. And the Lord promises that we are going to live again with Him if we trust Him as our Savior.

Now take your Bible and turn to the book of Exodus in chapter 12. Exodus chapter 12 in the Old Testament and verse 26, verse 26. There’s a question here that when Israel came out of the land of Egypt and they were to have this memorial service, then the children would ask the question in verse 26, and it shall come to pass when your children shall say to you, what mean ye by this service? What does it mean? When we talk about we want to celebrate the birth of Christ, Christmas, what does that mean?

We celebrate what we call Easter. What does that meannah? What is What is the purpose of, well, it’s Easter eggs or the Easter bunny? What does it mean? What’s the purpose? So when the children ask what is the purpose, you and I are supposed to use that as an opportunity to educate. Now I wrote down in my notes, it’s not in yours, that about four things that I thought was very important. Don’t be judgmental of people that don’t know what you know.

Not everybody’s on the same page. everybody—- not everybody has that same element of education where they know things that perhaps you don’t know, Krugs, and you don’t be self-righteous like a Pharisee. Well, I don’t do that. And you might have your nose so stuck up in the air that every time it rains your drown. Don’t be a Pharisee. Don’t put on your cloak of righteousness like you’re so much better than everybody else because you know something they don’t know.

And if they say the word Easter, You’re going to go into a fit. Did you know that with most people, Easter means the resurrection of Christ in their mind, and they’re not thinking about the Easter egg or the Easter bunny. To them, Easter is a very precious thing to them. But I prefer the resurrection Sunday. I prefer because I think it’s more meaningful. I’d rather call it the Passover, because that’s the fulfillment of the Passover that he died, that’s the giving of his blood.

He rose again, that was for my justification to give me life. And you don’t co-mingle knowingly, worshiping some false God and true God and try to put it together. people are not worshiping some false God because they like to eat a hard-balled egg. I eat hard-balled eggs all the time. Has nothing to do with the sex of goddess the ostrich. Yes, I have put in here a lot of notes that you can look at about where it came from and all that, but it’s not going to solve anybody’s problem.

I can know it and understand it and know that there is false teaching in this old world, and there has been a co-mingling of that which is false, with that which is true. And so they bring it together, and so after a while you wonder, well, what is truth? when it comes to Christ, Christ, and so-called Easter is about Jesus Christ coming back from the dead. Yes, Easter can be the sex goddess, the ostrich, and the rapid reproduction of bunny rabbits, and Easter eggs, and all about sex, and all that, or it can mean new life.

Did you know the Jewish people have for years and years used the hard-balled egg at their Passover? And it represented them new life. But you see, as you study the scriptures, you’ll find out that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. That is the one that I believe has lined the planets, determined the seasons. And I believe even in the twelve signs of Zodiac, because I believe they taught a story. And if you study all twelve signs of the Zodiac, which I’ve done, there’s a wonderful story about Jesus Christ coming into the world.

all the stuff. But you see astrology twist truth. And so there is truth that God gives, but there’s people who take truth and twist it and put a spin on it. And then after a while you don’t sure what is truth and what is not true. That’s why we study the Word of God. We go back to the Scriptures. But while we’re right here, look there in verse 27. This is what you say that you shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel and Egypt.

When he spoke the Egyptians and delivered our houses and the people bowed the head and worshiped God and they all went out and hid Easter eggs. No, you don’t add that into it because it doesn’t go with that. See, there’s things that you may do. Is there anything wrong with a person? Or let’s take a little child. Have you ever, besides Easter, ever hid anything and let the kids find it? Was that sinful and wicked and wrong? No. Is it wrong for a parent as in a game to take something and hide something and kids find it.

My parents did that every year for Christmas. I never did find them. I’m still looking for some of those things that they promised me. But it wasn’t sinful. Is it sinful for you to eat a hard-bought egg? Is it sinful to color on egg? When you begin to worship that Easter egg or fall down and start bowing to some Easter bunny, you do have a problem. But there’s nothing wrong with little kids enjoying some fun because that’s basically all it boils down to.

You asked the majority of people living in America. Did you know that if youetheless Easter eggs and little kids find those Easter eggs, did you know that you’re worshiping the The sex goddess the ostrich? You’re what? Most people haven’t got a clue because to them that’s not what it means. I did it for years and had no clue what it meant. So there. I even celebrated Christmas and had no idea what it meant. I didn’t know about Jesus Christ until I was 18 years old.

But I did get some ideas about what God was like because I was never told the truth. It’s one thing when children can be taught and enjoy something, and this is fun and game, and has nothing to do with Christ coming back from the dead. You want to do that, do that, but it has nothing to do with Christ and His resurrection. It’s a separate thing altogether. The dangers when you put it together and says, this is about Jesus Christ.

What? Easterbunny is bringing Easter eggs. Have you ever seen a bunny lay an egg? I had a problem with that one time, remember? And it wasn’t chocolate. In the book of Judges, it makes a statement. And if you’ll look down there in your notes, Judges 2.13, they forsook the Lord and served Baal and Aseroth. And it can, yes, you go all the way back to the very beginning when a guy by the name of Nimrod. And also a Hammurabi and the Code of Hammurabi and how that they had similar laws just like in the Bible.

Remember they come from the flood and Noah and his family and they all came from there and God split them up and gave them different nations because they wanted to come together as one. And one religion and to worship the heavens. And God put a stop to it. And yes, so a lot of religions have their basis in back in O Babylon, and yes, there’s many books that have been written, and there’s people that take a lot of secularism and things from the Bible, it’s truth and try to mingle together.

And in the Word of God, even back in Genesis 3, or the Lord told Adam and Eve says that that she is going to have a child from her seed, and it will bruise the head. But you see, there’s a story there about a woman is going to have a God-child. And that story was told from the very beginning of a woman going to have a child. But the truth is, it will be a virgin that will have a child.

And yet there’s many religions that teach the woman and the child story. And if you look there in your notes on the back page, you’ll notice up there where it says, in Babylon, they call Astaroth and Beyol. But those names are used in the scriptures, but it’s a false religion. Greece, they had false religion, Italy and Egypt. And there was the mother and child cult. And what the devil likes to do is delude the story before the truth shows up so that, oh, we’ve heard that a thousand times.

We’ve been hearing that for years. That’s nothing new. So to discredit the truth, you see, there’s always humanism that comes from the devil, and men get away from believing what God says and believing the truth, and they brainwash people, and they have false religions. And so even in Constantine’s day when they tried to declare Christianity is now the new religion of the Roman Empire, but people had different religious beliefs and co-mingling putting things together. Well, a lot of things that different times in history mean certain things and other times they don’t mean it.

We have words in the King James version that at one time meant this and now they mean something totally different. And it’s the truth. The words have changed the meanings. But at the time it was written, it was the perfect word for the Scriptures. At the time it was given. So once in a while, you might have to say, you know, it’s not a mistranslation. It’s that the meaning of this word has changed and people don’t know it. So sometimes we have to explain the meaning of that word.

I don’t believe that a lot of people today are trying to worship something that’s false. I do believe that Christians might need to be careful that they don’t become so judgmental in other people’s lives that all we want to do is rip people to stretch because they don’t know what we know. I may know certain things, but is there a great value in trying to set everybody straight? I don’t believe that’s wise. I don’t believe it’s going to accomplish anything.

I believe it’s more important because keep hammering on the truth of what it is more so than what it is not. And yet there’ll be some people they will never know. But somewhere along the line you hope that some people will see and understand that Easter is all about Christ. It’s the resurrection of Christ. So when somebody mentions Easter, I don’t get out of, been out of shape. But I do believe that resurrection Sunday would eliminate a problem. But most people don’t know what you’re talking about then.

Or you’re going to celebrate resurrection. Well, we celebrate Easter. But you get to find out it doesn’t always mean the same thing. And I’ll be showing you want to define your terms. So with you and I here at Calvary we believe that it’s an important day. Jesus Christ came back from the dead. It’s resurrection and it’s all about Christ. It’s not about anything else but Christ. But if you want to, there’s nothing in the Bible says you’re supposed to dress up on Easter, but a lot of women just love to dress up.

Look how my wife dressed me just for today. You ain’t never seen me look so pretty, but I didn’t do this. But is it wrong? Is it sinful? I should hide my head in shame and be ashamed of myself. Well I’m not. I ain’t never felt so good, but this has nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. See a lot of people can dress up nicely. And know nothing about Jesus Christ. A lot of people may have all the other stuff and buy all the other stuff and totally forget what true Easter is about.

Did you know that in the Bible you really in truly worship the Lord when you obey the Lord and do what God wants you to do? And he says upon the first day of the week and that’s because this considers you to be a part of the Bible. every Sunday is considered the resurrection Sunday. It’s the Lord’s day. The Lord’s day. So you see, because this day that set apart once a year because of the Passover, as described in the Old Testament, Christ came back from the dead.

Now generally we believe it was on the 14th of the month of April, and then on the 17th that He came back from the dead, because in the Old Testament, And when he talks about the flood, that it settled upon Mount Ararach in the seventh month on the 17th day. You see, that’s three days from Passover. And so on the 17th day Christ came back again from the dead. When you study the book of Genesis and you look there when it says, on the first day it was evening and morning and God saw that it was good.

And that was the first day. The second day, it doesn’t say that it’s good. Because you see, the first day is like the light came into the world. The second day Christ died on the cross. The third day talks about the land appearing. And that’s a picture like of the resurrection. And God saw that it was good. But that was the third day. On the third day, Christ came back again from the dead. And there’s a civil calendar, or the national calendar, there’s a sacrificial type of religious calendar, and that’s the same day.

I’ll just talk about the seventh month, but that’s going from like in October, and you count seven months, and you’ll come up with the same time as you do on April the 17th. Christ came back again from the dead. That’s what it’s all about. But if you really believe that, and it really means something to you, then it will affect not only this day, but every day of my life. 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 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. 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 my Lord. tyard and the Internet. make it possible for a Bible lineesome to continue pornographic. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-37 187. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage.

including messageillegal this teaching will be a Santorum################################ to you and your family. I want you toDiscussion Tycoon to you and your family. I want you to lookUGC in verse 21 of Exodus chapter 10 and the Lord said unto Moses, stretch outWednesday and hand WARRANT heaven. *=- that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward <@ and there was a thick darkness in all the landgz of Egypt three days.

They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days and yod on the line this part in your Bible. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwelling. Dark everywhere in the world, but only with Israel and in their dwellings was their light, and it was light for three days. They had three candles that they would put on the table that represented that though the world is dark, there’s one. with the Lord. And though Egypt had no light, Israel had light.

You know there’s a message in there somewhere I bet there is. When you stop and think He says the world is in darkness. We were born into the kingdom of darkness. But when you and I trusted Christ as our Savior we were placed into the kingdom of light. Remember Jesus came into the world and says I am the light of the world. He is the light of the world. I don’t have time to look at this verse, but in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 5 and verse 6 and 8, it talks about Christ is our Passover, cast out the leaven.

Talking about you and I as individuals, remember that we’re supposed to live a clean, holy, pure life, and that we’re supposed to search and make sure that we kind of get these things taken care of and get them out of our lives. You see, one of the things that they would do is before the ceremony actually started is get a broom and sweep and make sure they got up all the crumbs of the bread lest there would be some yeast in it so that there’d be no yeast because it’s the type of sin.

And whenever we come to celebrate our communion service, that’s why we’re has to search our heart because we want the Lord to search us and then reveal to us any area in our life that needs to be corrected, that needs to be changed and God will take care of those things for us. I want you to take your Bible looking at the book of John chapter 13, you’ll notice in the gospel of,bytes of John in chapter 13. Something wonderful happened one nightMerit It was a Passover by the way that they were celebrating.

And at this Passover, says in verse 1 of chapter 13, in verse 1, now, before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his arm was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world. He loved them unto the end. Supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas’ carrier, Simon son, to betray him. Verse 3, Jesus, no, do you think he knew what Judas was going to do?

And you’ll notice that the Bible talks about Judas was sent out that night. You see there in verse 31, therefore when he was gone out, Jesus said, now with the Son of Man glorified. Therefore when he was gone out. Look in verse 30, he then having received the soft, went immediately out. And I wonder why it would just happen to say that. It was night. You know, I could make a sermon out of that somewhere. It was night. See, as I talk and as I reflect upon some of these things, you’d be surprised.

You might be able to think of something. You know, I bet that means this. You know, that could mean that. And when you gain knowledge of the Bible, you’d be surprised how certain things just kind of comes into your mind. And God can speak and so forth to every individual. But see, this is what some of the Jewish people did. Not everybody did exactly the same thing all the time. You got people a day and Jewish people a day.

don’t even celebrate the Passover. They don’t tell you anything about it. And some things don’t mean the same thing. And, you know, I really don’t know. I’m not Jewish. I’ve never been to one. I’d like to see it all done. But, no one, Dr. Cameron, I just got enthralled just listening to him talk about it because he would relate and refer to so many of these things. And, you know, in the same chapter when he’s talking about the Passover, He’s talking to his disciples and he gets down there and what does he do?

He gets a basin with some water in it and starts to do something. What is he doing? He gonna wash their feet, washing their feet at the Passover. I bet there’s a message in there somewhere. Did you know that he’s Peter, you are not gonna wash my feet. Jesus said, I don’t wash your feet. You have no part with me. Well, not just my feet, wash the whole body. He says, you that are washed, don’t need a total bath, just need to clean your feet.

You see, once you trust Christ as Savior, you’ve already been washed as white as snow. But as we go through life, we kind of get a little dirt on us here at times, and God says, you need to wash your feet. John 1 9 is how we wash our feet. God wants to stay clean. But you see what they did in the Passover, there’s always a reason behind that, the story that’s there. So the Seder begins with the lighting of those candles and then they would be the blowing of the shofar.

Remember, they would come into Jerusalem on Passover and I mean everybody would be there. I mean the place where you’d be just packed. And whenever they would blow the shofar, then the high priest knew this is when they would sacrifice the lambs. I wonder if there was a shofar that sounded at night. I would love to have known. When I first came here, I remember one of the first services we had, somebody had a big old shofar. A horn.

Who’d had that? Wasn’t Barry and didn’t you bring that? Somebody had one and I remember, I’m not sure if I blew it or not. I’m not sure. You can pass out just trying to make that thing sound. But anyway, I want you to know that there’s some things that happened at the celebration, the cedar, that if you listen closely, you can see Christ. You can see Him and just about everything. Now, they had the cup of sanctification and it was filled.

And then there was a prayer that summed up the reason for the celebration and they would all drink. And then the youngest one, usually, would ask a couple questions. Because this night was different from all other nights. What’s so different about this night? Because this night, why do we eat lamb? We can eat anything all the other, but why this night? We do this. And then there was a question about why do we have to eat these bitter herbs?

Usually the youngest one or a child would make the statement, ask the question. And why do we have to dip our food twice? And why do we have to eat the lamb? Why do we eat matzah, the unbroken bread? What’s all this about? So they had the questions and then as they would do it, then they would answer and at different times they would have different songs or recite various prayers and so on. I just cut to a lot of stuff and just get to the thing that really interests me.

And then there’s the partaking of the spring vegetables, which represents the new life. And they would take the little sprig of parsley and they would dip it into that little bowl of salt water. Very, very salty, very yucky, as far as I’m concerned. And then they would eat it, along with maybe a hard-ball day and some other stuff. But it was a coming out of the tears, because of the bitterness that they had to go through. The lessons that they’ve had to learn, knowing that only God could do this for them.

And Lord, through all these things and help them to see. in the middle, there was three of them, three pieces of unleavened bread. Now, you may wonder why was there three? I think there’s a story there someplace. You know, it could be representative to me in my mind. The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. You know, we call it the Trinity, the evaluon God. We’re talking about a Trinity. Our Lord is one God. And the second one is the Son of God.

And the second one is the one that’s taken from the middle and it’s broken. And the smaller piece you really put back down on the table, but then that other one, the large one, they would wrap it up and then they’d hide it. And the detainees also had to practition something done torazil toworthy it to make sure that,nostic and thenossibility would pierce it. So that whenever they baked it, it’d be flat as a flitter. But it represented something. Now, why would you take the matzah, no leaven, stripe it, pierce it, and it’s the second one, break it.

I bet there’s a story here. You probably can’t even come close to figuring it out. That might represent. I remember someone who said, I am the bread of life. Anybody remember that? Do you believe that there’s a possibility that the one that was broke could be a picture of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and that He was broken and wrapped in a napkin and hid? The story ain’t over though. Yeah, it ain’t over. So I believe it’s more than just meets the eye.

There’s the, at this time, the reciting of the——- the ten plagues. And as they would do that, they would take the cup that they had. And maybe with a little spoon orioxidant, and just into a plate. they would pione say the blood on of the plagues. And then the frogs, the lice, the flies, the cattle, the boils, the hail, the locus, the darkness of night, the firstborn. And they They were to do this because God wanted them to remember all that God had done to the enemy so that they would finally come to the conclusion.

When I said, let my people go, you let my people go. And they went and God brought them out. And though the world was dark for three days, there was light in the house of Israel. And Israel was to be the light of the world. God was going to use Israel as a testimony to the world of what God would do through one nation that would yield to them. And Israel kind of messed up their wonderful opportunity. Now the Lord says to the church, you are the light of the world.

The world is dark without the knowledge of truth. And you and I have been given this wonderful knowledge of how to have eternal life, this truth, and we’re supposed to explain it to everyone. The Bible says Christ was our Passover. And all of this is about Christ and what He did for us. There were these three main symbols of the Passover, the Lamb, the Mats and the bitter herbs. In each one represented something, the lamb, the, remember the sacrifice, the mots of the bread of life and the bitter herb to remember the story of the life of slavery.

Look there in Exodus in chapter 1, Exodus in chapter 1. Exodus chapter 1 and look in verse 10. And you’ll see that this is what they were to remember, and they made their lives bitter. The Egyptians, they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick. And then sometimes they would even have some crushed up apples and some crushed up walnuts and they put it together so that there would be something to handle like a little sweet taste.

the mordas that they use between the blocks of the bricks. God had so many things for them to cause them to remember. Now, let me tell you, you have no idea how many things will happen in your life. That God, andfortune, and you start going astray. God, well, can’t change your269. Maybe even have you flashbacks of remembering. I’ve seen so many people who have wastedtied their life, and there was a song that somebodyed called, Wasted Years, Wasted Years. And they think about all those years, they lived and wasted those yearsSPA and76561 they look back with such grief, heartache, because they messed up so terribly without honoring GodOverview without doing what God wanted, and then they realize in the sorrow that brings upon themselves.

God wants us to remember what He’s done for us, and remember how good He is. Remember what He promised us, and that He’ll never leave you and never forsake you, and He will walk with you, and He wants us to trust Him. You remember when Israel finally got into the land, how difficult it was for them to trust the Lord in the land of milk and honey? He says, because when you get fat, everything that you want, you’re gonna forget the God who gave it to you.

Did they? They did. And you’ll be surprised how your life used to behoe Corker and then when God starts blessing you, how you can so easily drift from the Lord. And forget how good God’s been to you and because you wouldn’t give God the honor of the praise and the faith of them, God began to slowly take it away from you. Because you forgot. God wants to always be remembered. When it says, trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not unto thy own understanding in all thy ways, think God.

Acknowledge Him, think God. God wants to always be on your mind, in your mind. God wants that. Look in Numbers in chapter 9. Numbers in chapter 9. In verse 11, it makes this statement, the 14 day of the second month at evening, they shall eats it and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Now what they were eating was the lamb, the sacrifice, and it says here, they ate with the unleavened bread, the matzah, and the bitter herbs.

Now whether or not they made into a 9loppin sandwich, I don’t know. But they were to eat it. And this was toward the end of the whole thing. And so. So when it was over with,Animation had somebody always finds ofAmong the mat Canaveral, they bring it out in a time of joyous occasion. But remember this, you and I know that Jesus was, yes. He was broken because He had been striped and pierced. And He was crucified to pay for our sins of the whole world.

He didn’t do this just for Israel. He did it for us too. God so loved the world that He gave has only be gotten son. The whosoever believe it in him should not perish but have everlasting life. And then the rapid and a napkin and hide it away. And we know that Jesus was wrapped in a napkin and hidden away for three days and three nights, almost like the three days that it was night. But he came back from the dead.

You remember when the disciples, the women, Everybody went looking for Him, trying to find Him? I think there’s part of the illustration that might be found in that, too. Did you know that the time will come when Christ will appear in great glory at the end of the tribulation period? And every I will see Him. I want you to take your Bible looking, Zachariah chapter 13, Zachariah and chapter 13. This is a verse that I think there might be a message here because when he shows up and they see him, the one they have been illustrating all these years and didn’t know this is the Messiah.

This was Jesus Christ. The son of the Lord. living God. And he says in Zechariah chapter 13, look there in verse 6, and one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” This is when it happened. I came to the house of my friends and they knew him not. They received him not. They striped him and pierced him and broke him.

And he says, my body is broken for you. He didn’t break one bone, but he was broken. He didn’t die of a heart attack, but his heart was broken. Jesus died for us. And so when we do the communion service, it’s looking back to what he did. Now you and I are not Israelites and we don’t have to go all the way back to the land of Egypt. Just go back to the day you trusted the Lord. Can you remember what it was like to be lost?

Some people when they trust the Lord young, they don’t have too much of a memory there. I remember when I was lost. I remember how I thought and how I felt. I remember searching for God and wondering and hoping. One day, a man who had a light shined it, and I saw. He showed me the Son of God that I believed it. Trusted Christ as my Savior, 51 and 1,5 years ago. And I still remember it as if it happened yesterday.

I’ve told the story so many times, I can’t get it out of my mind. I tell it over and over and over and over again. And I don’t think I’m going to stop now. Till he comes. Till he comes. Look up here. I got a few notes, but it’s difficult to read them when you got water in your eyes. My eyes sweat a lot. This hand represents you and me. The waller represents sin. See, this is just an illustration.

This represents something. It’s telling a story. I’ve had people say, well, I just despise it. Oh, waller illustration. It’s just illustrating the story. Do you despise the story? Do you despise that story? All I’m doing is illustrating the story. Should the children of Israel despise what happened? Because, well, we done done this every year for 4,000 years. Don’t you think we ought to quit by now? This is you and me. This is sin. We all have sin on this.

God says He loves us. He hates our sin, but He loves us. And because of our sins, we’re enslaved. Just like the children down in Egypt. We can’t deliver ourselves. We have no hope. And unless God works, America will be aduned. So there is hope. But God says, you can’t deliver yourself. You can’t save yourself. You need a Savior. That’s why God says, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saves us.

So this hand represents Jesus Christ. God in the flesh came into the world. He didn’t have any sin. Matsu, no leaven, no sin. And yet, because He loved us, He allowed the world to stripe Him, to pierce Him. And He bore our sins and His body on the cross. So He took all the sin of all the world and paid for it, came back again from the dead. You see, he was hidden in a napkin. He came back from the dead and said that if we would believe that he did this for us, he would put this death payment he made to our account and we get to go to heaven or what he did.

You see, he took all of our bitterness, all of our lostness, our sinfulness, our wickedness, And our sins were placed upon us, and He became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God. See, that’s what God has done for us. And there’s things that He wanted the nation of Israel to always remember. The Lord gave us the communions, what we call the Lord’s Supper. We celebrate it the first Sunday of every month. And the reason is so less we forget.

lest we forget. I hope the next communion service we have, every one of you are in there. It ought to be a precious thing for you. Let’s pray, shall we? If you hear this morning, you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior. I hope that somehow you understood a little bit how that, yes, God loves you. You’re trapped, you’re a slave. Slave to sin, you can’t save yourself. You’re lost and you’re undone. You’ll spend an eternity in hell, but God loves you.

He wants you to have eternal life. He wants you to go to heaven. And so he made it free. If it wasn’t free, we couldn’t go. We could never pay for it. So he said that he would pay for all of your sins. And if you would believe he did it for you, he would put the payment he made to your account. You get to go to heaven on what he did, not what you do. It’s a gift, totally free.

Would you trust him? Would you believe it? If you will, trust Christ as your Savior this morning. I’d like to have prayer for you. And so I’m going to ask in just a moment to raise your hand. Raising your hand doesn’t save you. It just lets me know that what I said made sense to you and send preach to that made sense to me. And I’m going to trust Christ as my Savior. If you will, we’ll just sleep again very quickly.

It won’t at all. It won’t at all. If you trust that Christ as your Savior, I pray that Passover means a little bit more to you. When next Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. I hope it means just maybe a little bit more to you. Because not only did he come back from the dead. He’s coming again. He’s coming to get us. Father, we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us. Thank you for the opportunity we have to come before you.

We thank you Lord for the opportunity to preach your word for every person here, for those listening by radio. We’re so thankful that salvation is free. Christ paid it all. 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.

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 come to you. 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.

Take your Bible and turn to the book of Exodus, book of Exodus years ago, 1964. I met a man by the name of Dr. Mark Cameron. He was the vice president of Florida Bible College. So he was a friend of Dr. Linstram and myself and every student that came. Just fell in love with Dr. Cameron. He was a jolly man. He He loved the Lord. He studied the Scriptures. He prayed Scripture. You touched Him and you go Jesus. But He was just one awesome individual.

And He became the president of Seaside Mission, which was a Jewish ministry. And He would always be sharing in chapel and our classes because I had them for hermeneutics. And He said, what’s that? That’s just the art of biblical interpretation and also Bible doctrine but the man he knew his material and he knew it well he loved prophecy and Got to go to Israel with dr. Stanford and but anyway, he would always be talking about the people who came to seaside mission and Jewish people would come in and they would invite others that didn’t know the Lord and they also always talking about the Messiah on, you know.

And he says, it’s amazing that he would be explaining the Passover because that’s something that they all knew, because they all did it. And they participated in it most of their life. And they would, you know, have the Seder, which is the symbolic meaning of the Passover, of the defeat that they had. And he would tell about different ones and how that right in the middle of it sometime when he was talking about the matzo that was broken and the piece that was hidden and all he’d go through it.

And actually he didn’t know Dr. Mark Henry. He would start crying because somebody that came would start crying and then have all the students all crying and it was just like it was contagious, you know. you try to picture the little meeting that he’s talking about and the table that he said he had and he would go through it and he’d have on his little… Yama ha… Tamako? Yama ha… Jay, what did he call it? That’s what I said.

Anyway, that little thing that you get, you know, a little… this… you know, bigger than an upside-down cereal bowl. I mean, and they would put it on their head. I’ve been and Israel all these times and I’ve seen them, they’re all they’re running around with the thing. And Dr. Cameron, he wanted Jewish, but he looked Jewish and he loved the Jewish people and he would always talk and he would tell so many of us, some of the stories and how he would go through.

And I wanted to share some of that with you because see, we talk about resurrection Sunday, it’s really, it has to do with Passover. And if you understand a little bit more about the Passover and I don’t understand everything, I’m still learning and growing, but I know it’s a precious time. But I know that many of the people and the Jewish people, even though they went through the ritual of it, didn’t understand the meaning of it. And sometime whenever they see that, you’re talking about the Messiah.

You’re talking about Christ. And it’s hard to get through it whenever somebody who really knows it and can point all that stuff out. And Dr. Camille would just go, hey, go. If you cut his suspenders, he would say, He just goes straight up. And he just loved the Lord, a great man. But in the book of Exodus, I want you to look there in chapter 12. In looking verse 12, for I will pass throughmunition the land of Egypt this nightrely smite all the first born in the land of Egypt.

Both man and beast and against all the And we’ll smite all the first born in the land of Egypt. Both man and beast and against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgment. I am… I amoutheastern. be to you for a token upon the houses where you are and when I see the blood I will pass over you. This is the Passover. When I see the blood I will pass over you. So, just picture for a moment. No, the table up here.

There’s a big old table. You can use a communion table if you want to. But there’s things that are on this table and it’s the symbolic representation or celebration that they would go through and the passage of the people of Israel out of bondage into freedom. And so Dr. Mark Campbell would always Tell us about. Iurrection. I’m municip%”Parserocial About how Israel was in bondage in Egypt and about going through the Red Sea and all that. So we hear the story, we’ve heard it.

WARN Riy-, Iername You’ve already heard and sometimes you can’t but you just love to hear it one more time. It’s kind of like the gospel. Just tell me one more time. And I don’t get tired of hearing the gospel. I don’t get tired of hearing about the Passover and thatoğ storyPope coming certificated […] STATSulnerated Zi. }, Carbuncle Really what’s happened to us, we were all enslaved, we didn’t have ansic chance, we couldn’t deliver ourselves and the Lord performed a miracle and He brought us forth into a new life.

ulnergues I want you to take your Bible quick anRogues And I trust the crisis by Savior. What a wonderful time. I want you to take your Bible very quick in the book of the Luke. The book of Luke. And chapter 22, I was in this portion of Scripture earlier this morning when we had our communion service. But in chapter 22, I just want to refer to just a couple verses here, verse 15 and verse. Verse 16, because he had told him, he says, prepare the, the table.

Prepare for the, theDeclover. So Jesus was going to celebrate the Passover. And little did they know, he is the Passover. He was the Lamb. And here he was with his disciples, and so he says there in verse 13, his is made ready for the Passover.Similar to them, with desire I have desiredternal to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not eat anymore. thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

In other words, this was a type of what was going to take place, and the fulfillment is yet in the future the total fulfillment. Because it’s not just this resurrection from the dead. You see, there’s another part of the story that we’ll get to when we talk about the matza. And it’s a wonderful story. But I wish that sometimes I wish I could have been Jewish. I wouldn’t have mind being Jewish. I’d have a big little star David or a Monday.

But I’m a glory. I’m a Gentile. But I love the story about what God has done. And sometimes I wish that I could. But you can’t change things the way it is. But I want you to just kind of set the table for you and some of the things that they would have on the table because of what they were going to do and what each one symbolizes. And so these five things that was on this table was there for a reason and they represented”},” something.

And one was the lamb which they were to remember the sacrificial lamb. See, whenever they were in Egypt and there was going to be the death that night. Well, see, the firstborn was going to die. And so in order for theOnline children of Israel, protection of them, they were tocock the lamb and take the hissip a little branch and dip it in the blood and put it upon the the lintel in the door post. And therefore, when I see the blood, I’ll pass over this house.

And so this lamb was to remind them of the sacrifice that was paid for the first born that night, not to die. So it’s a wonderful story and something they should be remembered. You see, they’re also they had the hard boiled egg, which simply represented the symbolic of life. And so they did this and mainly whenever they went into the temple and Jerusalem of that became more prevalent. But then they had the bitter herbs. The bitter herbs, if you ever had horseradish, you ever get a nice steak and have horseradish?

That goes perfect with a steak horseradish. Try horseradish all by itself, full strength. You talk about opening you up. up. You talk about a bitter taste in your mouth, but it was symbolic and it was for a reason and to remind them of the bitterness of the slavery they had when they were in Egypt. Remember how they cried out to God, for God to do something and God heard them and sent Moses down? It was because God told Moses, I’ve heard the cries of my people because the taskmasters were laying up on them and then they had to build bricks without straw and just made it so terrible for them to be a slave, to have no hope, no way of delivering yourselves.

And it was only by the mighty power of God that was done. You see, they had to have the remembrance. Because, see, as people, we forget things. We forget all the answers to prayer, and we worry about the ones that’s coming up. And we just don’t seem to remember. Do you remember how good God’s been to you? If he can save you and give you eternal life, don’t you think he can give you a hamburger from day to day?

If he’s blessed you all these years and kept your life, don’t you think God could be worthy of your trust? hasn’t he earned the right to be trusted to be believed? And then they had the spring vegetables, and it wasn’t much, a little spring, maybe, of parsley and something, something like a little potato. And, but they were for a reason, because in the spring, spring of life, new life. And so everything that they had and everything that they did was for a reason.

And so the table would be spread. And they had a little dish of saltwater. And the little dish of saltwater was for also a reason. And that was to remind them of the tears of their slavery. See, there was bitterness. And the bitterness brought tears. And so God wanted the people of Israel to always remember the way it was so they could always focus upon the one who delivered them from all of that. lest you forget. There’s a whole song that talks about, lest we forget.

And they did forget. They did not remember just how good and wonderful God had been to them. And then there was also three other things that they had, and they had the matzah. And they had three pieces. So you can pitch a three pieces of matzah, this was unleavened bread. And because of the haste of having to get out of Egypt and to leave quickly. They had no time for the bread to sit with the yeast in it and to rise.

So they had to just get the stuff and leave in a hurry. And it was unleavened, no yeast in it. And leaven is a type of sin. And so they had to do this. And so they had the bread. They had a cup for each person in order to drink of the fruit of the vine and then the candles. I want you to take your Bible and look here in the book of Exodus in chapter 10. All the way back in the Old Testament, Exodus and chapter 10, remember in the ninth judgment, the ninth judgment, they would also do some things because of remembering the plagues that had come.

And they had to cite the plagues, the various plagues. And the plagues, as you recall, you ought to know this because you watched the movie, Ten Commandments with Charleston Heston. But if you didn’t see the movie, it’s Send a book. It’s in the Bible. And there was the plague and a blood. There’s a thing turning the blood. And there were several miracles before this and the Egyptians were able to copycat some of the miracles. They did the okay on the first two.

After that it was all down the hill for them. They couldn’t keep up with what the little true and living God could do. Until the day the conclusion was the God of Moses. He is God. He is God. He is the Lord. And so God had to work all of these plagues upon the people, trying to get Pharaoh to change his mind. So he sent the blood, changing all the water to blood. And then came the frogs. Frogs everywhere.

A plague of frogs. Don’t you like frogs, frog legs? But the frogs came, and then the lice, and then the flies, all these things came, and then the disease upon the cattle, and then the boils, all over their bodies, then the fail, then the locust, and then the blackness, and after the blackness, the death of the first born. So God brought all of these plagues upon the people. I want you to look there in verse 21 of Exodus chapter 10, and the Lord said unto Moses, stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days, and yod on the line is part of your Bible. But all the children Israel had light in their dwelling. Dark everywhere in the world, but only with Israel and in their dwellings was their light and it was light for three days. They had three candles that they would put on the table that represented that though the world is dark, there’s light with the Lord.

And though Egypt had no light, Israel had light. You know there’s a message in there somewhere, I bet there is. When you stop and think, he says, the world is in darkness. We were born into the kingdom of darkness. But when you and I trusted Christ as our Savior, we were placed into the kingdom of light. Remember Jesus came into the world and says, I am the light of the world. world. He is the light of the world. I don’t have time to look at this verse, but in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 5 and verse 6 and 8, it talks about Christ is our Passover, cast out the leaven.

Talking about you and I as individuals, remember that we’re supposed to live a clean, holy, pure life, and that we’re supposed to search and make sure that we kind of get these things taken care of and get them out of our lives. You see, one of the things that they would do is before the ceremony actually started this, get a broom and sweep and make sure they got up all the crumbs of the bread, less there would be some yeast in it, so that there’d be no yeast because it’s the type of sin.

And whenever we come to celebrate our communion service, that’s why we’re asked to search our heart because we want the Lord to search us and then reveal to us any area in our life that needs to be corrected, that needs to be changed. And God will take care of those things for us. I want you to take your Bible, look in the book of John chapter 13, look in John chapter 13. notice in the Gospel of John in chapter 13, something wonderful happened one night.

It was a Passover, by the way, that they were celebrating. And at this Passover, says in verse 1 of chapter 13, in verse 1, not before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his arm was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world. He loved them unto the end. Supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas’ carried Simon’s son to betray him.

Verse 3, Jesus, no, do you think he knew what Judas was going to do? And you’ll notice that. The Bible talks about Judas was sent out that night. You see there in verse 31, therefore when he was gone out, Jesus said, now is the Son of Man glorified. Therefore when he was gone out. Look in verse 30, he then having received, went immediately out. And I wonder why it would just happen to say that. It was night. I could make a sermon out of that somewhere.

It was ninth. See, as I talk and as I reflect upon some of these things, you predec, you might be able to think of something. You know, I bet that means this. You know, that could mean that. And when you gain knowledge of the Bible, you’d be surprised how certain things just kind of comes into your mind. And God can speak and so forth to every individual. individual, but see, this is what some of the Jewish people did. Not everybody did exactly the same thing all the time.

You got people a day, Jewish people a day that don’t even celebrate the Passover. They don’t do anything about it. And some things don’t mean the same thing. And, you know, I really don’t know. I’m not Jewish. I’ve never been to one. I’d like to see it all done. But no one, Dr. Cameron, I just got enthralled just listening to him talk about it because he would relate and refer to so many of these things. And you know, in the same chapter when he’s talking about the Passover, he’s talking to his disciples, and he gets down there, and what does he do?

He gets a basin with some water in it and starts to do something. What is he doing? He’s going to wash their feet. Washing their feet at the Passover. I bet there’s a message in there somewhere. Do you know that he’s bigot? You are not going to wash my feet. Jesus said, I don’t wash your feet. You have no part with me. Well, not just my feet. Washed the whole body. He says, you that are washed. Don’t need a total bath.

Just need to clean your feet. You see, once you trust Christ as Savior, you’ve already been washed. That’s why the snow. But as we go through life, we kind of get a little dirt on us here at times. And God says, you need to wash your feet. First John 1, 9 executes how we wash our feet. One wants to stay clean. But you see what they did in the Passover, there’s always a reason behind that story:::::::: that’s there. So thesudo with the the lighting of the stay clean.

So the seder begins with the lighting of those candles, and then they would be the blowing of the shofar. Remember, they would come into Jerusalem on Passover. And I mean, everybody would be there. I mean, the place would be just back. And whenever they would blow the shofar, then the high priest knew this is when they would sacrifice the lambs. I wonder if there was a shofar that sounded at night. I would love to have known. When I first came here, I remember one of the first services we had somebody had a big old show for a horn.

Who had that? Wasn’t Mary-Ann didn’t you bring that? Somebody had one and I remember I’m not sure if I blew it or not I’m not sure. You can pass out just trying to make that thing sound. But anyway I want you to know that there’s some things that happened at the celebration, the seder, that if you listen closely, you can see Christ. You can see Him and just about everything. Now they had the cup of sanctification and it was filled.

And then there was a prayer that summed up the reason for the celebration and they would all drink. And then the youngest one usually would ask a couple questions. Because, you know, this night was different from all other nights. What’s so different about this night? Because this night, why do we eat lamb? We can eat anything all the other… But why this night? We do this. And then there was a question about why do we have to eat these bitter herbs?

You can use the youngest one or a child, wouldn’t it? Make the statement, ask the question. And why do we have to dip our food twice? Why do we have to eat the lamb? Why do we eat matzah, the unbroken bread? What’s all this about? So they had the questions, and then as they would do it, then they would answer, and at different times, they would have different songs or recite various prayers and so on. I just cut to a lot of stuff and just get to the thing that really interests me.

And then there’s the part taking of the spring vegetables, which represents the new life. And they would take the little sprig of parsley and they would dip it into that little bowl of salt water. Very, very salty, very yucky, as far as I’m concerned. and then they would eat it along with maybe a hard boiled egg and some other stuff. But it was a coming out of the tears because of the bitterness that they had to go through, the lessons that they’ve had to learn, knowing that only God could do this for them.

And Lord walked them through all these things and helped them to see. Then there is the breaking of the the middle matzo, there was three of them, three pieces of unleavened bread. Now, you may wonder why was there three? I think there’s a story there someplace. You know, it could be representative to me in my mind, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. You know, we call it the Trinity, the Triune God. We’re talking about a Trinity. Our Lord is one God.

And the second one is the Son of God. And the second one is the one that’s taken from the middle and it’s broken. And the smaller piece you really put back down on the table, but then that other one, the larger one, they would wrap it up and then they’d hide it. And the matzah also had to have something done to it to make sure that it doesn’t rise and there’s no yeast in it, you know. And so they would stripe it and then they would pierce it.

So that whenever they baked it, it’d be flat as a flitter. But it represented something. Now, why would you take the matzah, no leaven, stripe it, pierce it. And it’s the second one, break it. I bet there’s a story here. You probably can’t even come close to figuring it out. Who that might represent. I remember someone who said, I am the bread of life. Anybody remember that? Do you believe that there’s a possibility that the one that was broke could be a picture of the Son of God, Jesus Christ?

that he was broken and wrapped in a napkin and hid. And hid. The story ain’t over though. Not yet. It ain’t. The story ain’t over though. Not yet. It ain’t over. So I believe it’s more than just meets the eye. 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 1030 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 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. Take your Bible and turn to the book of John, the Gospel of John in chapter 20. Of course we read a little bit earlier, talked about Jesus, and when he would be born he would be called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father of the Prince of Peace. The Bible says that his name would be called Wonderful, Wonderful because there’s many things that are different about him, totally unique about him.

Even a man in his best state is still a center. The best person you know is still a sinner. Jesus Christ was not a sinner. Jesus Christ was not just a man, but if he was just a man, what a man. No man was like this man. Let me just mention to you very quickly. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ did many signs, miracles, wonders, in order to get people to believe that he was who he claimed to be.

The Bible says that there were to be external revelations, external revelation that means outside of the natural man, that God was going to reveal by these miracles that He was able to perform an internal response inside of a person, an internal response in order to produce within us an eternal result means that lasts forever, the gift of eternal life. So God wants us to believe, but man doesn’t believe unless he can see something, hear something that’s totally unique. Jesus Christ being born to this world, his birth was not like the normal person.

He did not have an earthly father. The Bible says the Holy Spirit came upon the woman Mary, and the Holy Spirit placed the seed within the womb of Mary, so that that which was born of her was a holy thing. He was wonderful in His birth because nobody was ever born like this man was born. And the thing is that was so neat is not only was His birth, it was planned because God had planned this before the foundations of the world, called the plan of salvation.

And the Lord prophesied what He was going to do. He told in advance that Jesus Christ, when He came into this world, that He would be born of a virgin. We read that verse. It says in the book of Genesis in chapter And 3 verse 15 talking about the seed of the woman, Christ, bruising the head of the serpent. But God foretold these things and prophesied of it. And because of that, nothing is quite like Jesus Christ. No man ever had any of these things told about Him.

When you stop and think about it, since no man can produce His own birth in order to create an individual without sin. You see, you cannot. You can get you and you can get your wife and you can produce a baby. Babies can have babies. Youngens can have youngens. But you can never produce a perfect child. This was a perfect child. No sin, no fault, no flaws in this child. And in his life, the Bible says that he went about doing good.

So he had a wonderful life. Years ago they had a man, I guess, James Stewart that made a movie that called it, It’s a Wonderful Life. Anybody seen that? Most people see that at Christmas. It’s a wonderful life. There is no life of any person who’s ever lived quite like this man’s life. The Bible says everywhere he went he went about doing good. He never wronged anybody. He never wronged his mother. He never wronged his earthly father. We’ll see you in the next video.

Bye. Joseph, who was not his real father, but he never wronged anyone. He never wronged a brother. He never wronged a sister. He never told a lie. This man was unique. He was different. Never been another one quite like him. He was wonderful in his birth, but he was wonderful in his life. And the Bible says that thing that happened in his life had been planned. He was totally in the hands of his father. And the thing that had happened in his life prophesied thousands of years in advance.

And to realize the power that it takes to live above sin, no other man has ever done it. When you take about people talking about keeping the law, out of 1500 years, not one person ever kept the law, yet Jesus Christ kept the law perfectly. Means he never failed. He lived a perfect life. He could look at an individual and say, Which one of you can convince me or convict me of sin? Point to one sin that I’ve ever committed.

Now you and I wouldn’t dare do that to anybody. But Jesus was different. He was unique. And the Bible says that this man was wonderful in his birth. He was wonderful in his life. When you talk about the death on the cross, most of us didn’t determine when we would be born. Most of us are not going to determine when we died. the very day we’ll die, or by whose hand we will die if it’s that away. This is different about Jesus Christ.

See, he was wonderful in his death. You see, his death was planned. He was born that he might die. His death was not an accident. You might have an accident. Oh, you had a car wreck and you accidentally got killed. His death was no accident. His death was planned by God from the foundations of the world. And it was prophesied in the Old Testament and even in the 22nd Psalm told about how he would be pierced in his hands and his feet.

In other words, looking forward a thousand years to the day when under the Roman government he would be crucified. You see, not just anybody could be held accountable by two governments, two nations, and rejected by both. What a man. And yet this person died a unique death. Not only were there other people who died on the crosses, but nobody died like this man. So how come? You see, they died for their sin. They did do wrong, but this man had done nothing amiss.

There was no fault found in him. Paulus says, I wash my hands from this man. This man has done nothing wrong. This man’s done nothing worthy of death. The only thing they could come close to accusing him of was blasphemy because he said he was God. But the thing was, he wasn’t lying. He told the truth. That’s who he was. And he told him, he says, when you put me on the cross, my father will tell you who I am.

He says, I bear witness of myself. I bear witness of myself. I said, I am the light of the world. I am the Son of God. I am the way, the truth and the life. That’s who I am. I am the Son of God. I am the Messiah. I am the Savior of the world about my testimony is not to be believed by one alone. Everything had to be established in mouth of two or more witnesses. He said, but there’s another one he’ll testify.

He says, one that you have listened to, one that you have followed. He says, a man named John the Baptist came on the scene and he was a bright and shining light. He testified of me and you went to his baptism and he baptized many of you with the baptism of repentance. He said that man that you hold up in very high esteem withd man, his character, his integrity, that man says that IGROUPS that I’m the son of God that takes away the sin of the world.HEAD He witnessed for me.

He said if you don’t219 believe it be called what I say or maybe not be called what John says, he said what about the works, my very works, the way I live, the things that I’ve accomplished, tells you who I am. No other man is able to make a blind man see. Nobody else can make the lane to walk or the depth to hear. But listen, Christ making the blind to see did nothing for me. It can’t do anything for me.

Just because He wasUrl to make the dumb to speak, that didn’t save me. That didn’t pay for my sin. That doesn’t get me to heaven. Just because Christ would walk on water. That didn’t save me. That didn’t give me eternal life. That didn’t make me God’s child balconies. But yet Jesus Christ would walk on the water and he could feed to 5,000. He could do all the miracles that he did. And the Bible says that Jesus Christ did all the things.

He says, believe me for the works that I do. The what I’ve done tells you who I Swordsman. I’m not a normal man. I’m not the average Joe Blow. Many people think Jesus, oh, he was just a good man. He died for a good cause. Jesus Christ was God. He was God in the flesh. He had a body like ours. But this man was different. He was wonderful in his birth. And he was wonderful in his life. And he was wonderful in his crucifixion.

When he died, his death was foretold. It was prophesy. side. It was planned and it was powerful because he says, I have the power to lay my life down and I have the power to take it up again. No man take it my life from me. And yet when he came back from the dead, it was by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit. No man died like this man. But not just wonderful in his death. You stop and think about this.

What’s the most powerful thing in the world? Now it’s wonderful that when we can look out and be whole and we could see maybe a man walking on water because we know that’s that’s America. That’s supernatural. The Bible says that Christ did these things so that we could be lead. Looked there in verse 30. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book, signs or a miracle, signs or external revelations to produce inside of a person an internal response.

What does God want from me? Why did He do that? That I might believe that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God that I might believe that. And so Christ was allowed by the God the Father to produce the miracles that in an individual He might be leave. And if he will be lead that, an internal response, he would have the eternal results, which would be eternal life. So the miracles was to produce believe so that we could have eternal life.

But I wasn’t there to see all those miracles that were done. I never saw one miracle. But the Bible says, concerning the woman at the well, in chapter four of the gospel of John, it says that the men in the city that came out He says, we believe, not because what the woman said, but because we heard Him hours, that we heard Him. So it’s not only by seeing, it’s by hearing the greatest message in the world. Remember this, there is no story.

There is no message, as great, as powerful, as moving, as the story of Christ’s death on the cross. You listen to the story of what happened to Him when he was persecuted, when he was mocked and hung on a tree, what he went through and what happened and the story behind it, there is no story as moving as that story. To know that here was a perfect man in the hands of sinful men and had the power of all heaven behind him and what he could have done and the Bible said he could have called 10,000 angels, and yet he allowed man to do what they did to him.

And he did it for a reason. That took power. The power to refrain himself from power that he had, lest he used it and not accomplish the purpose by which he came. They said, if you’re the Christ, come on down from the cross and we’ll believe you, but they didn’t understand. He couldn’t come down from the cross. If He had came down, He couldn’t have saved them. He could not have paid for their sins. He could not be intimidated by them.

What a man. Every person in this room would be filled with bitterness and hatred toward anybody, whoever wronged you. And yet in Him, He says, forgive them, for they know not what they do. They don’t know what they’re doing. See, He’s not like you and I. He was God in the flesh. The miracles that he did was to produce the leaf in us. But he says, there are those who were able to see like he told Thomas. And he says, because thou hast seen, thou hast believed.

But blessed are those who have not seen yet believe because they all hear the story. And that’s why the Bible is written. That’s why the gospel of John was written. So that we might be leave because of what we heard, and that’s why he says in not only in chapter 4 when they said, we’ve heard in ourselves. Chapter 5 verse 24 says, as many as, here is the word, here the word, and believe it on him that sent me half everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but has passed from death unto life.

You see, you and I, we don’t have to see the miracles. But we have evidence that it is true. And the evidence is not only what Christ said, it’s not only what John the Baptist said because everything has to be established in the mouth of two or more witnesses. It’s not only that his work bear witness of it, but he says, my Father, my Father also bears witness of me in chapter 8 verse 18 and chapter 8 verse 28.

He said, my father tells you who I am. He said, when you lift me up, when you lift me up, my father that created the heavens and the earth, my father’s going to tell you who I am. And when he hung on the cross, when he had said, I am the light of the world, the world went dark when the light went out. He says, I am the temple of God. And he said that they all was rent from the top to the bottom.

That was another miracle. Because it opened up the door way into the holy of holies so that you and I can have access to God and go to heaven whenever we die because his body was the veil according to Hebrews in chapter 10. You see, God the Father spoke because when he was on the cross, he said, when you lift me up, my father will bear witness that I’m who I said I was. The Bible says that the earth shook and the graves were open and the people that were For in the grave came out after his resurrection and walked through the city of Jerusalem.

Now wouldn’t that scare you half to death? To see some uncle or some ant that’s been dead and all of a sudden they’re walking the streets of Jerusalem. He started to know that was in the Bible, chapter 27, a book of Matthew, read it sometime. So what is all that proof? He is God. It proves that He is who He claimed to be. And he says these external miracles, is to birds that inward response. Why? So that you’ll believe it.

You will believe it. There is no story you have ever heard that has more documentation than this story that’s in this book right here. He says, search the scriptures. For in them you think you have eternal life and they are they which testify of me. They’ll tell you, if you’ll read it, they’ll tell you in the Old Testament scripture they’ll tell you who I am. They told you where I was going to be born. They told you how I was going to live.

They told you how I’m going to die. And they tell you about my resurrection. It’s all in the book. Read the evidence. And written before he ever came into this world. So I didn’t have to see anything, but I was 18 years old when I heard the greatest story I’ve ever heard in my life. Somebody told me the story of Jesus Christ. They told me that Jesus Christ was God’s Son, that He came into this world, that He died on that cross to pay for my sins, came back from the dead.

And my only way, my only hope of going to heaven is if I accept that payment He made for me. Through Christ is the only way of going to heaven. You cannot get there any other way. I, today, I don’t have to live looking for some miracle, some sign to convince me. There is no story like this story. No man could write this story. This story took 1600 years to write and it’s perfectly woven together. No story quite like it.

You see, all this is wonderful because you see, Jesus was wonderful. He was wonderful in his birth and he was wonderful in his life. He was wonderful in his death and he was wonderful in his resurrection. You know the greatest power in all the world? If a man could kill you, it would be the greatest power you could have to come back from the dead. I mean, if you had the power to make a blind man see, okay, but if you can kill him, I mean, so what?

I mean, if you could feed the fire files, but if a man can die, you can’t come back. So what? But the power to come back from the dead to live forever. You know, they always try to make some movies, you know, something like vampires and eating drinks with somebody’s blood, so that they can live forever and all that kind of stuff like that. You see, they can get stories like them, but in the Bible, it’s real. It’s a real story.

Christ says, if you’ll eat my flesh and drink my blood, my blood, you’ll live forever. I literally believe that if Christ had gave us a bite of his flesh to eat or a drop of his blood to drink, we would lift forever. His blood was precious blood. It was incorruptible blood. And when he died on the cross and shed his blood, it was the very blood that he shed that he took to heaven and offered on the mercy seat in heaven.

I believe that. His blood might have failed to the ground, but when he left, he took every drop of it with him. How much of his blood did he have to shed? He shed all of his blood, but one drop would have been enough the pay for the sins of thethumbnails of the whole world. Because of the quality, the value of that blood. It was pure blood. It’s the Bible called the_> blood of Jesus Christ. In the book of Leviticus, 7th and verse 11, it said, For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your soul, for the blood making the atonement for your soul.

It is a wonderful thing to know that without the shitting blood there is no remission of sin. Christ had to come, He had to die to pay for our sins so that we could have as a free gift everlasting life. life and to think that somebody could a man, a natural man, come back from the dead, go out to your cemetera and see how many of them have the power to come back. When I do your, why don’t you just go ahead and get out of that casket?

Don’t you have to have any funeral services? Wouldn’t it be wonderful, but you ain’t got the power to do it. You can’t do it. You don’t have the power to do it. And if there is no resurrection, there is no And there is no savior. There’s no resurrection. There is no proof because he prophesied that he would. He says over and over again, they’re going to kill me. Three days later, I’m coming back from the dead. Now, if he hadn’t kept his word, he was a liar.

But he came back from the dead. And the thing is also wonderful is to think for a moment. Get out here someday. Get out here in the parking lot and jump up in the air and say, how high you can jump. So if you can jump clean off the earth. Ha, How can you get up in this air on your own steam, on your own power? On the Mount of Olive, they were all standing there watching them, and all of a sudden, on his own power, a man began to go up off the earth and they watched him ascend up into heaven.

That ascension was a wonderful thing. Wouldn’t you like to see it? To see a person do something no man can do. He’s not just a man. From the beginning to the end. not just He was a man, but not just a….” He was perfect man and he was perfect. He was the perfect God man. He was God manifested in the flesh so that you and I could, see the greatest miracle of God is the power to come back from the dead.

And that’s why in the New Testament they preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That power, the power that saves us, can give us eternal life. The greatest news in all the world. You take away the resurrection of Christ. We have no story. You take away the resurrection. We have no Savior. This hand represents you and me. This wallet represents sin. We all have sin upon us. Now God, He loves us, but He hates our sin. Now get this. You and I committed the sin we ought to pay for it.

The payment for sin. to pay for the wrong we’ve done is eternal separation from God in hell. You see, you’re going to die. And if you have not accepted the payment Christ made for you, you will go to hell. That’s where you’re going. To go to heaven, you have to be perfect as righteous is God. None of us are perfect. None of us are righteous. That’s why you and I needed a Savior because we can’t save ourselves. If we could save ourselves, we don’t need a Savior.

But God says you cannot save yourself. It is impossible for a man to save himself. sin represent Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. See God cannot die. So God sent his son Jesus Christ into this world. He took upon himself a body and through this body he became a sacrificial lamb. That’s why he called the lamb of God that taken away the sin of the world. Jesus Christ came into the world because he loves us. He hates our sin because our sin separates us from him.

So Christ took the sin, paid for it on the cross, came back from the dead and in the041 world, in the whole world would be lead that he did this, that he paid for their sins. He would give them as a free gift everlasting life and you’ll go to heaven on what Christ did for you. Now, what miracle am I supposed to perform for you today? Am I supposed to walk on water? No. Am I supposed to feed to 5,000?

No. Am I supposed to make the a man who did live and could do all of that. And the greatest miracle of all is he came back from the dead, seen of over 500 at one time, 500 people at one time. There’s enough witnesses. I can’t make people believe this story. I can’t see it, but I heard about it. The Bible says Stay Tymeth, by what? Hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, if you have not trusted Christ as your Savior, then you are not saved and you will not go to heaven.

But if inside of you is the desire that you want to go to heaven for all eternity and you don’t want to go to hell, you must accept Christ as your Savior. offered you my wallet and you accepted what would you have? Empty wallet. I offered you this Bible and you accepted what would you have? A Bible. If Christ walked in here and offered you eternal life and you accepted what would you have? Eternal life. If it’s eternal life, it lasts forever.

And if it lasts forever, all your sins are paid and you’re going to heaven whenever you die. It’s the greatest news in all the world. I don’t need any miracles to convince me what I’ve heard about it. It’s good enough for me. Blessed are they who have not seen yet believe because they heard about it. And that’s why he says going to all the way on preach the gospel to every person because all you’re going to get today and all you’re going to get on any day of any day during the rest of the mankind upon the earth is the story.

That story. That’s why the Bible says the gospel, good news, that story itself is so powerful. That story is able to break down every man, every woman. That story is why you’re supposed to tell it and tell it you should. Let’s pray, shall we? Every head bowed, every eye closed, no one looking around. If you’re here this morning and you have not trusted Christ as your Savior, Let me encourage you. If you’ve never done this, do it now. Just talk to the Lord in your mind and say something simple like this, Lord, I am a sinner.

Be honest, God already knows it. Lord, I’m a sinner. I believe Christ died that He paid for my sins. And right now the best on Ohio, I will accept Him as my Savior. And bring the fuel, trust Him right now as your Savior, God will save you and give you eternal life. And you can know that you’re going to heaven whenever you die. die. If you’ve never done that, do it right now. I’m not going to have you forward, not getting embarrassed, but I am going to ask you in just a moment to raise your hand.

Raising your hand does not save you. I’m not going to embarrass you. But I do want to have prayer for you and raising your hand lets me know that what I said made sense to you. And that’s why I do it with hedge bow nice clothes. So if you will, if you’ve never done it before and you want to go to heaven when you die, you must trust Christ as your Savior. Will you trust him right now, depend upon him to take it to heaven.

Not the preacher, not the church, not your good works, you can’t earn it. It’s free. It’s a totally free gift. So you say, yes, I’ll trust Christ as my Savior and preach. I like you to pray for me. Friend, would you just slip your hand very quickly and put it right back down to the end with it all? You’ve never done it beforeusercontent wouldrequency. Would you do it right now? If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, your God’s child, if your God’s child, you’re going to heaven when you die.

And the power that raised Him from the dead is the same power of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of you to help you to do the things that you should do, not to get to heaven but because you’re going there. Serve the Lord. Honor Him not just on Easter Sunday, but every day of your life because you have divine power living within you, His power, His life. 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 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 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 Bible line 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. There’s people who believe it or not will rise up against you. And sometimes, like Jesus says, in the house of your friends, sometimes it’ll be the closest people because they’ll hurt you the most. The ones you love the most can hurt you the most. People that don’t love you and you don’t love them really, don’t hurt you as bad.

There’s people that you know and you care about, and they say things that’s so hurting, so cutting, go so deep, last so long. And sometimes you wonder if you’ll ever heal from it. But the Lord has a, as it says, is a bomb in Gilead. There’s some medicine. There’s some healing that the Lord can help heal your mind. Look at the next one here. In verse 23, and Jesus answered them saying, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

So Christ knew there was a time when all these scriptures was it going to be fulfilled? And he came for a particular reason, and he says, the hour is not yet, the hour is not yet, and the hour has come. If you stop and think about it, if you knew, knew you had cancer and you had a couple of weeks to live, what would that do to you mentally, emotionally? Would it change how you lived or what’s it doing?

I don’t know if it should change my life at all. I should just keep doing what I’m doing. The last that moment comes. But are you afraid? Are you afraid to die? You’re a Christian. You know the Lord. You love the Lord. But are you still afraid? Now, I’ve come close, so close, so many times that I thought I’m not going to make it this time. I actually laid in a hospital bed and I’m not going to make it.

I have been in swimming situations. Scared to death. I didn’t think I was going to get out of this. I was down at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We went down there with about five of us, we were checking out a camp ground at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We’re going to take a couple of our diesel buses we had, and we could take 80 kids on buses, two big diesels. We’d go down to the Grand Canyon.

So, but we went down there, exploratory committee, and we went down there, and we went down in there, and oh, just beautiful camp top for a couple of days. They have two great big waterfalls. one was about 90 feet, one’s about 60 feet. And so we had gone down to the second waterfall and was down at the bottom and we decided to walk around behind the waterfall. Eddie was kind of small so he just stayed out there. So we all walked around it.

And I’m last, I was like the guy till first until they went around and I’m one. We got behind the waterfall we’re looking out there and it was just beautiful, just gorgeous. And so they decided to dive through the waterfall and going the other side down. So each one of them dove through the waterfall and they went on there. I’m the last guy. Nobody’s back there with me, the old man. And so I didn’t die. That was my mistake.

I didn’t dive through the waterfall. I just got into the water and just went into the water and started going. And I kept thinking I should be through the waterfall and I kept going I wasn’t through the waterfall. And I noticed it was getting dark and darker. I had gone under the water, but the water falls. It was pushing me down. I hadn’t planned on staying long, so I didn’t take a lot of air with me. And I started hurting.

And I was trying everything I could to come back up, and the water was pushing me down. And I thought, I’m gonna drown. This is it. And it was getting darker, and my lungs were hurting. And I know if I took a breath of water, I was scared. And just so that you know, I didn’t die. I didn’t die. And so I had enough sense to start going… This way, and get away from the water, and then I started going up as fast as I could.

Now, I was pumping with everything. And when I got to the top, I took a deep breath. And I was hurting. And I looked over there, and all four of the other guys and my son were looking down the hill, where the water falls going on. And they had no clue what was happening to me. And I finally just swim over to him and acted like nothing had happened. And I come so far. So since that time I have never taken a bath.

But you can get scared. And you might say, well, I’m not scared. Wait till the moment. Wait till the time. If you could pick how you’re going to die. So I just decided, and I talked to the Lord about this, I’m just going to wait till the rapture. I suppose I happen this afternoon, three o’clock. Don’t hold me to that, okay? They wouldn’t bother me, none if it did. But look in number 27, for this cause came I unto this hour, this time, this moment.

Did you know there’s a lot of things that goes in your life, but God may have had you for one moment, one time, and all the other times was not as important as one time, one moment. When you read in the Old Testament, there are a lot of things that happened to some of these But they were there for one time, one moment. And that was it. You don’t know which is that one great moment that God needed you to stand and to do right.

And you didn’t think it was that important. You see, faithfulness in little things is a great thing. Faithfulness in little things is a great thing. Look at the next statement. And verse one there. Now, behold, the feasts of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, and what was it that he should depart out of this world? He knew he was going to die. And he was 33, maybe 33 and a half years old, and he knew he was going to die.

But did he know he was going to come back from the dead? I think so. He knew he would come back from the dead, but he still had to go through it. And you and I know we’re going to live with the Lord. we still may have to die. We would love not to, but that might come. Look at the last line on this page where it has, that thy son also may glorify thee. The hour of testing, however it may come in your life or my life, is that we would glorify the Lord.

That God would get glory out of it. And what that means is, if you wine and pine and moan and groan about your sorry, lot in life, that does not glorify God. It means that you think God made a mistake by letting that happen to you, and you’re mad and bitter at God. See, you usually don’t really get mad and bitter toward people. You’re just using them, because you can see them and you can bless them out. But your real problem is a spiritual problem.

You’re upset with God. You’re upset with God. But anyway, look at the next page. You won’t have time to look at all of these here, but just the second one down, 1st Chronicles 28, 20, it has a wonderful statement in there. And I want to read this to you. David said to Solomon, his son, be strong and of good courage. And do it. Well, I like that word. Do it. You thought Nike came out with that. No. Just do it.

That’s right here in the Bible. Fear not nor be dismayed. For the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hath, and you ought to underline that word, finished. All the work for the service of the house of the Lord. Now, where God has a job to be done, and God will protect you until He is finished with the work that He’s given you to do. you could only believe that.

But God has a purpose for all of us, why we live, the context we make, the influence that we have in other people’s lives. And you never know who it is, that you might shake, that might shake the world. That’s why you got to keep doing what you’re doing and be found faithful. Look down there where it has number four, John 17, four. This is where Christ prayed to the Father. And even though he hadn’t gone to the cross and It wasn’t over yet.

He looked at it as though it’s a finished job because he was determined. He’d made up his mind. He’s going to faithfully obey the Lord. He’s not going to turn to the left or to the right. His face is set like a flint. He’s not going to be moved. And he says, in this verse, I have glorified the on the earth. I have finished the work which God gave us me to do. We hadn’t totally finished it, but it’s written in such a way that he is the great I am.

can see it’s already done. Did you know that God already knows the future and knows what you’re going to do and not do? Isn’t that scary sometimes? And then sometimes you wonder just how much of everything that happens to me is because of the will of God or the direct results of my choices. You’ll never figure that out down here. But you just go ahead and faithfully serve the Lord and believe and trust Him and know that it will be unto thee according to thy faith.

What do you really believe? What do you trust in God for? Do you really want to be used by the Lord? Look at the next one in John 19, 13. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he says, it is finished. Wait a minute, what was finished? What was finished? What was finished? What did he do? What did he come to do? He says, it’s finished. So what did He finish? Nobody in here has a clue. I mean, this wonderful church of Calvary Community Church, nobody has a clue that when He says, it is finished, you don’t know what He meant.

He paid for what? He paid for our sins. That’s why He came. That’s why He died. And He gave up the ghost. He died. gave it up willingly. So therefore it is finished. That means if He paid for my sins, there’s nothing more that has to be done for my sins. They’re all paid. He did it 2,000 years ago and you cannot improve upon the payment that He made. You can’t add anything to it. Take anything away from it.

All that we have to do, it’s the only thing we can do is believe He did it for us. And when you You and I believe He did it for us. He puts that payment that He made to our account. We get to go to heaven on what Christ did. He finished it. He hath by Himself purged our sins. Where’s that found? Hebrews, one, three. Hebrews, one, three. Great verse. Look at the next thing. Because of that, you and I should serve the Lord.

And you’ll notice there at number seven, the next verse down. I have fought a good fight. That’s what Paul said. I have finished my course. I’ve finished. You see, it’s easy for people to begin a race. We’re gonna have a race I hear, thousand-mile race on your hands. Somebody holding your feet. All of us could probably start. I don’t think any of us would finish it. But we could all start. But you know it’s something else to finish the race.

See, you may have trusted Christ of Savior years ago. You could have even said, I’m going to dedicate my life to the Lord. I’m going to serve the Lord. And then some reason or other, you got sidetracked. You had a couple hours of testing, little moments of time where something didn’t go your way and you got mad and bitter toward God and God is not worth it. And there’s people who quit church. They quit serving God altogether. They don’t read don’t pray don’t do anything for God and they can have many many Years that are called wasted years Wasted their life Now because they they’ve missed the opportunity that came disguised as a problem Problems are opportunities for the believer So don’t curse all your problems Those are nothing more than Opportunities disguised as work Look at the next one down here.

Number seven, verse seven, and when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them. But not until their testimony was finished. Do you see that? It’s just not that the, you know, the the Antichrist is able to kill him and his will. No, no, no, no, no, no. When they finished their testimony, then he was able to do this and this and this, and then God raised him from the dead.

You see, whenever you serve the Lord and you put God first, did you know that God puts something around you that protects you? His will of not letting anything or whatever that can destroy that until you’ve done what God wants you to do? You and I are supposed to believe that the God we serve is able to minister to us, to keep us, to protect us, to provide for us. And God says that He will, and we’re supposed to believe that.

At least I believe that. Let me read something to you that’s kind of interesting. And if God can create the world, and He did, and if He can walk on water, and He did, and And if it came back from the dead, and it did. Do you think that this God knows who you are and where you are and what you’re going through and that he can make your needs? He even got a throne in heaven called the throne of grace just for his people so that you can get all the help you need when you need it.

Now isn’t that wonderful? I think that’s wonderful. But somebody sent this to me and I read it and I thought this is, this is quiet. I never really thought about some of this. I’m not saying it’s all true. It’s just what somebody wrote. Moses and the people were in the desert. But what was he going to do with them? They had to be fed and feeding two to three million people requires a lot of food. Now we have a dinner back here.

Think what has to be put into that and all the food that comes just to feed a couple hundred people on a Sunday morning. Now, what if you had a couple million people? Where are you going to get all this food from? Now, I don’t know if Moses scratches his head and says, Lord, how are we going to feed him and how are we going to clothe him and how are we going to, you know, water and how are we going to do all of this?

But it says, according to the Quartermaster General in the Army, it is reported that Moses would have to have 1500 tons of food each day. Do you know that to bring that much food each day to freight trains each at least a mile long would be required? Besides, you must remember they were out in the desert. So they would have to have firewood that is if they cooked the food. And that would take, let’s just pretend that they had to have I would to cook all this food.

Four thousand tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long just for one day and just think they were 40 years in the wilderness. And oh yes, they would have to have water to drink. Remember they did get thirsty at times and when they got thirsty, they really showed their character, didn’t they? You do fine too, don’t you? Until you’re maxed out and you had enough up to here It reminds me of mine every day when I’m driving.

I don’t know why it’s always when I’m driving. And I’m always afraid to say do something in the room or fly and pass them in. I’m afraid it’s going to be somebody from the church. So I don’t do it. That’s probably why you don’t either. But if they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, I don’t know if they had any dishes, it would take 11 million gallons each day. A freight train would tank cars, 18 miles long just to bring the water.

How would you like that responsibility on your shoulders? You’re the leader. And you remember, this is why over and over again, they complained to Moses and says, you led us out here. Look what you did. And Moses says, God, take me home. I can’t take us anymore. Take my life. He said, I don’t want to see how bad I am. Well, they had to get across the Red Sea at night. Now, if they went on a narrow path, double-file, the line would be 800 miles long, would require 35 days and nights to get through.

So there had to be a space in the Red Sea, three miles wide, so they could walk 5,000 of breasts to get over it in one night. Somebody didn’t have anything better to do than sit down and figure this out. I mean, you talk about a miracle. It has to be, God really opened up that thing and it wasn’t a little allow for two people to walk through. And then there’s another problem. Each time they camp at the end of the day, they camp ground two thirds to the size of the state of Rhode Island, or total about 750 square miles.

Think of it, this much space for camping. Well, how many people you think live around here? And you know, Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater and all. I was told between two to three million people. But think of all the people that’s living in all these high rises. Put them all flat. You know, that’d be a lot of area to cover. And they had to have that much land, just a camp at night. And then they had to pinch all those tents.

That’s quite an undertaking. Did you ever see somebody, they just want to get away for the weekend and go camping up in the mountains? They got to work like a dog to get everything that they got put it into their vehicle They go up to the mountains and by the time they find a place and they work trying to put up a tent Which they don’t know how and then they don’t know how to start a fire and then then so they started to death and And then all the work they got together again and by the time I got through they get maybe an hour to walk around do something You know and then they get the car and come home They did this for 40 years 40 years and get this Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt?

You think he foresaw all the problems before he left? He didn’t have a clue. What if God had told him all the problems in advance? You think he would have went? I don’t think he would have went. He didn’t want to go as it was. He argued with God. You see, what it must have been like in such a relief for God to let manna come down from heaven? Where did he come from? Says a little wafer. little honey like wafers.

I love honey. And yet it must have had everything they needed. Everything that that body needed to be sustained and their clothes never wore out for 40 years. Can you believe this? A woman wearing the same clothes and the same shoes for 40 years. The Bible says that. I think we ought to get back to the old times.

But when you stop and think that is a riot and How God was able to sustain them and told Moses that all he had to just strike a rock and there comes the water And think of how much water it would take to feed everybody and all the animals and everything that they had and If he can do all of that Moses had to trust God huh Do you think you got problems? Moses had problems. I Wouldn’t want his problems.

See I’d love to be used like the great man of old. Yeah, go for it. God’s looking for a few and the ones he found wanted to run. You see a lot of times, you know, they don’t always want to do what God wants them to do. You may not always want to do what God wants you to do or go where God wants you to go. Oh, me and Betty on the way back down the road. A lot of things she remembers that I don’t remember it.

And we went through and she says, we just covered, I don’t know how many years in just a short period of time. She went through and she was rehearsing because of the stories that we’ve got, all the adventures that we’ve had. And it was exciting listening to her just tell one event after the other event after the other. And she remembers the days and times and all that, God forgot. She even remembered things I don’t even remember happening. She actually says that I asked her to marry her.

I don’t remember that. No, just joking. But there’s so many things, you know, that we just don’t always remember. But God wants us to remember what He’s done for us and we’re supposed to read the Bible so that we’ll know what He will do for us. So do you think God has any problems taking care of all of your needs. He did it for a couple million people in the middle of a desert for 40 years. And we’re worried?

That didn’t mean they didn’t get hungry a little bit. It didn’t mean they didn’t get thirsty at times. But God never failed. Did he? This hand represent You and me. The wallet represents all the bad things we’ve done. Are we done in you, those? Everybody has failed. Everybody, flesh and blood, have all sinned. And because we’ve all sinned, we’re all condemned. Because we’ve all sinned, we have a debt to pay. The wages of sin is death. But God loves us, and He wants us to go to heaven, but to go to heaven, not one sin can get in.

So God has got to work away. This plan of salvation, the plan on how God can get us who have no right to go to heaven. How is he going to do it? Man could not have figured out this plan. You see, if it was left up to us, we would just try to improve our lives by not doing some of these bad things. And then just the good ones you get to go in the bad ones. Oh, see, that’s religion.

Almost all religions teach the same thing. You’ve got to be good. And it won’t work. God had a better plan than what man has. Here’s God’s plan. God says, you can’t earn it. You can’t work for it. You don’t deserve it. I got a good idea. I’ll send my son into the world. And he’ll live here for 33 years. and he will not commit one sin, so he won’t have to die. I’m going to let my son be sacrificed and die in your place.

So Christ came and took our sins and died in my place. And God says that he raised him from the dead. And he says, if you and I would just believe he did it for us. There nomine somebody said in here right now or watching on the internet that never really have accepted Christ as their only hope of going to heaven because!. They believe they have to have a part. They gotta be good a little bit.ioxid. They gotta help when GodUsed said no.

No help needed594 It is finished, paid for and for. Would you simply accept it as a gift? And when you do, God says you become His child, you get to go to heaven. Wash from all of your sins by giving you a new birth that has no sinful Tsukahuberty1970. You have been made pure and holy. You have I have been justified just as if you have never said declared righteous. So when God Cunning me,ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ a righteous manresist..OSED. When God sees me,parseapter, not becauseSimilarly, I live like\”>, Scyth, )]!, butStats,bool, Very such.

If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, friend right now is probably the best time to do so. Not tomorrow. Right now. Cooldown You see, Godclude who arcity you are and heverty you are and he loves you. Heouston you},{” orneys you are andı nvlaimulner And Yanukovych, you become his child. Isn’t that good news? That’s the compensator in the world. Let’s pray. Father, we are thankful so much. You’ve been good to us. We’re thankful for this day NOTICE. We ask your blessings upon us and realize that because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have hope.

We have a belief. We know what’s truth. And Father, because of that confidence we have in your Word, we know that there’s nothing that you cannot do for us. And you’ve made so many promises to us and we believe you’ll keep your Word. And we pray Father, as your children, we know that that hour that we’re going to pass away is coming when we’re going to leave this world. But you’re not going to forsake us. And we know that there’s times in our life when we have all the trials and tribulations and those hours come.

And some time we think you’re // going to letExper But according to your word, you cannot say, you cannot say, look here. So we look at you and we trust you in 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. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach by the line and pledge your Ammunition supportviron the air in your area by dialingthood-freeAAFocumented-3771 nomine attRot.

That’s one hundredriminal 5763771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible line programs, just goupp to our home page at bybelineministries.org and click Rebell Broadcast link. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. For the community church, it=> 11 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 3, 3, 4, 4. 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 andbyterians will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. live today and every day1965 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 first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Anyway, I want to talk to you about a little subject. Take your Bible and turn to the Gospel of John, the Gospel of John in chapter 19. As you read in the Scriptures you’ll find over and over again this phrase mentioned, the hour is not yet come, the hour is not yet come, the hour is near, the hour has come, and then it is finished. But that’s because He was here for a reason. There was a purpose in His life.

One ultimate goal, and that was to go to the cross, to die for the sins of the world. Everything in between, He was fulfilling many scriptures, but there was an ultimate goal in that He fulfilled. You and I are supposed to believe that we have a purpose in life. So as we live our life, you’ll find out as we look at a few of these scriptures, I always like to take scriptures that apply to Christ, or even to somebody else, but mainly to Christ, and see how he obeyed his Father.

And then I take his name out of there and I put my name in there. But if that ain’t convicting, you stop and think he did always those things that pleased his Father. That’s a hard one to put your name in your anor. But there are things in there that will help you to make application. Because otherwise, you can read the word of God and it make no effect in your life. I believe that the study of the word of God will change how you think.

And it changes how you think. It’ll change how you live. And the reason a lot of people’s lives don’t change It is because they don’t change the way they think. That’s why he says, be not conformed to this world, but be a transformed. Talkin’ about your life. By the renewing of your mind that you may consider and understand the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. So here in the book of John in chapter 19, John chapter 19, I just wanna show you a couple verses here.

One is in verse 30, where it says, when Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He says, it is finished. Bowed His head gave up the ghost. So you have the death of Christ. And then you have the burial of Christ from verse 38 down to verse 42 because of Joseph of Arimathea that came and took the body in verse 40, then took the body of Jesus, wound it in the linen cloth with the spices as the manner of the juices to bury.

And then they placed him in a seprechaun. So you have that. Then in chapter 20 you have the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So Christ came back again from the dead. So in chapter 20 I want you to look there in verse 27. Jesus has been crucified, buried and rose again. And here he talks about in verse 27, then said he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger and behold my hands, reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side.

And be not fateless but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God. Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou have seen me, thou hath believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. Many other signs truly did Jesus into presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, that believing you might have life through his name.

A wonderful portion of scripture that talks about the death, the burial, and the resurrection. of Jesus Christ. What I want you to do is look there at your notes because I just took those two phrases. One is, the hour is come and it is finished because he came to complete to finish the work that God the Father gave him to do. Now if you took only those things and realized the hour is come means that time that God had designed for Him to fulfill God’s perfect will was upon Him.

If you believe that about Christ then you also mustn’t understand that as we live our life the hour is come for you and I. This is our time. It is our hour. We are supposed to fulfill that which God has for us at this time, at this moment. So in Daniel 3 6, just look here at your notes, you don’t have to turn to your scriptures on all of these because we will never get to all of these verses if we did.

But look at the first part up there in verse 6, and who so falleth not down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the mist of a burning fiery furnace. Now you and I know that there were three Hebrew children that were cast into the burning fiery furnace. That was their hour of testing. That was their moment. Sometimes you never know when that moment will come. But you should live in such a way that you know that well today may be your hour of testing for the fiery furnace.

We would love to go through life without any testing at all. Everything just wonderful. No problem whatsoever. But as the way it’s going to happen. And so God knows the hour of your testing. So therefore you and I are supposed to prepare for that moment. On hour of time, this moment that God says, this is your hour is another way of saying, this is your opportunity, your opportunity to prove your faithfulness to the Lord. So look at the next one.

Verse 13, and Jesus said unto the centurion, go thy way. And you ought to underline this part in your notes there, as thou have believed. As thou have believed, so be it done unto thee. Now I get an awful lot out of just that statement alone. In other words, he was going to get what he believed God would do for him. Be it unto you and you’ll find in other places, Christ says, be it unto you according to your faith.

Do you really believe? If there’s anything God’s looking for, he’s not looking for your talent and all your abilities and so he’s looking for your faith. Do you trust him? Do you look to him? Remember the other day I preached a sermon on God is looking for the man that’s looking for God. Y’all already forgot that sermon. God is looking for the man that is looking for God. God is wanting to bless the man, use the man, on the man that’s looking for God.

And that’s why he says, the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth seeking for a man that he can make strong on his behalf. So God is looking for faith. Somebody that believes what he has to say. And so he says, as thou hath believed, so be it done unto thee. Do you believe that that is a possibility for your life? That you’re going to get out of life what you really believe in entrusting God for?

Well, that’s between you and the Lord. But you’ve got to have faith. F-A-I-T-H, for saking all I trust Him. Even when it doesn’t seem like it makes any sense whatsoever, but you trust Him because you’re not putting your confidence and trust in anything else. Just the Lord. Look down at the next one. Verse 36, but of that day and hour, no if no man nor nor the angels of heaven but my Father only. So we know from this verse, we’re supposed to believe in you way that no man knows the day of the hour.

I believe as a man here in this world, maybe Jesus did not know. I bet you He does now, but at that hour He may not have known. But I do believe this, you don’t know the extent of any trial. You do not know how bad it’s going to be. You don’t know the day and you don’t know the hour when you’re going to be tried to your limits. And you’ll think, I can’t take any more. That hour is coming.

That moment may be today, it may be tomorrow, but there are going to be moments. Things that you can’t change, you can’t alter, you just got to go through it. And you’ll think that God has forsaken you. True faithfulness to the Lord is remaining faithful when it appears God has failed you or left you, deserted you, let you down. And there will be time to when you will believe that. If it’s not today, there’s a testing coming down the road.

And if you listen to what I’m saying now, it might help you at that time because that time will come. We’re all men of like passion. We all have a sinful nature. We all have weaknesses. All the men in the Bible were not supermen. They were men just like us with problems, just like us. And they had all the difficulties and testing, just like we do. And so we’re going to have that. Look at the next verse. And verse 42, because you don’t know the day or the hour, therefore watch, watch therefore for you, no not.

Do you look for opportunity? There’s some people that are always looking for opportunities to serve the Lord and the Passout tracks, talk to somebody. And other people say, well, I never have any opportunities. I just never get any chances. I mean, I never get an opportunity like you do. Well, if you’re living, you have an opportunity. If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose. If you get, suck air, you’ve got a reason for living. And God will take care of taking you home when he’s through with you.

Evidently he’s not through with you yet. So you’re getting chances and opportunities that God is allowing to come your way. So remember that. So look there at verse 40. And he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them asleep. And saith unto Peter, what? Could you not watch with me one hour? He was going to the cross. This was the night. This was the big moment. His hour is coming, so he asked his disciples, would you pray for me? Would you watch with me?

And what did they do? They went to sleep. They went to sleep. Over and over again, you’ll find out the script talking about awake out of sleep. And he’s not talking about us literally sleeping. He’s talking about your numb to the cause of Christ. You are asleep to the responsibility that God has given to us. And we don’t take advantage of, that’s why he says, redeeming the time. Redeem in the time because the days are evil. Redeem in the time he’s buying up all the opportunities you possibly can, serving the Lord with all you’ve got while you can.

Because there will come a day when no man can You will not have any more chances, no more opportunities, that’s all gone. Now, it doesn’t matter whether or not Christ says in that verse, could you not watch with me one hour? What if he’d have put in that verse, your name? What could you not witness for me one time? Could you not have prayed one time? Or whatever that might be in that verse? It’s whatever it is that you’re disobeying God in.

Wouldn’t it be great if we all serve the Lord with everything we had all the time, but we fail at times? Are you aware of your failures? Or do you take it seriously? Or not at all? Just things to think about. Look in verse 45, where he says, then cometh heed to his disciples and said unto them, sleep on now, take your rest. Opportunities are gone. The hour that I needed you, it’s gone. I wanted you to watch, I wanted you to pray, you didn’t do it.

Go ahead and sleep. Take your rest now. So as he goes to the garden, Peter was really sharp spiritually. So he took a sword and cut off a man’s ear. Jesus, you can count on me. Yeah, boy. I asked you to watch and you didn’t do it. I asked you to pray and you didn’t do it. And then you wonder why you’re not a spiritually strong. Do you know right after this? I think he denied the Lord a couple of times too, didn’t he?

I mean, three times. You know, maybe if he’d have done what God says to do, he might have been spiritually strong enough and that wouldn’t have happened. But remember, I’m just covering verses that I want you to think about because every one of us will have your hour is come. There may be some great testing that you have got to go through. And doing the mist of that testing, are you going to pass? Are you going to look to the Lord?

All I ever want any of you to do is what God wants you to do. You make sure that you do whatever it is God wants you to do. And if you don’t have that confidence that you slow down, just slow down. Maybe you’re going too fast. Maybe you make a decision, try to get you out of something instead of going through something that God has for you. Just something to think about. See you in that verse 35? And he went forward a little, fell on the ground and prayed if it were possible the hour might pass from him.

Later on he says, should I pray that this hour would pass from me? For this hour I came into the world. It looks like a contradiction. But there is a possibility when man brought out a long time ago. He says, while he was in the garden and he was sweating great sweat drops of blood and he needed the prayer that he believed that Satan was probably trying to have a premature death in the garden and That’s was what he was praying.

I Don’t want to drink this cup, but nevertheless thy will be done because he says a little bit later, for this cause came out into the world, should I ask God to remove this cup? It’s like, wait a minute, going to the cross was no question or doubt. That’s why he came, but a premature death in the garden possibility. I don’t know. And that’s why the Bible says in the book of Hebrews in chapter 5 that he prayed for he feared death and that he feared.

But now, not the cross, but something premature. We don’t know the battle that went on in his life when he was facing that greatest hour of his whole life. And that’s when he needed somebody to stand with him. You see, everybody needs a friend. Everybody needs somebody. And the best way to have a friend is to be a friend. You say, I don’t have any friends. Well, be a friend. Be a friend to somebody. And you’ll be surprised how that it kind of reciprocates.

Anyway, the next verse I wanted you to look at here, and that is in verse 41, He comeeth the third time instead of the hand, sleep on now and take a rest. It’s enough. The hour and here is come. The hour is come. Behold, the son of man is betrayed into the hand of sinners. He knew this moment was coming. You and I are supposed to know that we are going to face fiery trials down the road. And lo and behold, you’re not always able to pick and choose what trial you’re going to have.

You can go to school and choose this subject, that subject, that subject, and you know you’re going to have a test on that. And I’m not going to have a test on that. But when it comes to the Lord, you don’t know where the testing is going to come. You don’t know when it’s going to come. You don’t know how severe it’s going to be, but your hour of testing will come. Think it’s not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you.

It’s not strange things happen to you because it’s not strange. Everybody has them. And you’ll think nobody knows what I’m going through. Yes, they do. But at that time you may not think so. Now look in verse 53, when I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth, no hands against him, but this is, and you ought to underline this word, this is your hour. This is what you’re doing, because Christ, he knew that he would be turned over to wicked men.

He knew the Scriptures. He knew what was going to happen, but he also knew that this is what they were going to do. He knew that when he went to the cross that they were going to put a crown of thorns on him, he knew they were going to scourge him. He knew there’s going to pierce his hands in his feet. He knew all of that. But this was their moment to do what they’re going to do. They had a choice.

You and I have choices. You can either serve the Lord or not serve the Lord, but your hour is every moment that you and I live. This is that time, that moment. See hours is such a short period of time to live. much it needs to be done. Look down at the next verse, I wouldn’t just see this. Look in verse 30, verse 30, then they sought to take Him, but no man laid hands on Him because, here, see, it wasn’t ready yet.

His hour was not yet come. You see? The Lord knew at a certain time what was going to take place, and there were times when they tried to kill him, and he was able to kind of scoot out of their way, or he would be able to hide, get away from the crowd, because they wanted to kill him at many times, in many places. One of his first sermons in the book of Luke was when he went into the synagogue and he read the description, says, Because this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Well right after that they wanted to kill them. They wanted to kill them from the very beginning. That wasn’t the end of its ministry. That was at the beginning. So there were times when they wanted to do away with Jesus Christ. There’s people who believe it or not will rise up against you. And sometimes like Jesus says in the house of your friends, sometimes it’ll be the closest people because they’ll hurt you the most. The ones you love the most can hurt you the most.

People that don’t love you and you don’t love them really, don’t hurt you as bad. It’s people that you know and you care about and they say things that’s so hurting, so cutting. Go so deep, last so long. And sometimes you wonder if you’ll ever heal from it. But the Lord has a, as it says, is a bombing gillion. There’s some medicine, there’s some healing that the Lord can help heal your mind. Look at the next one here. In verse 23, and Jesus answered them saying, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

So Christ knew there was a time when all these scriptures had gone to be fulfilled and He came for a particular reason and He says, the hour is not yet, the hour is not yet, the hour has come. If you stop and think about it, if you knew, knew you had cancer and you had a couple of weeks to live, what would that do to you mentally, emotionally? Would it change how you lived or what you’re doing? I don’t know if it should change my life at all.

I just keep doing what I’m doing until that moment comes. But are you afraid? Are you afraid to die? You’re a Christian. You know the Lord. Lord, but are you still afraid? Now I’ve come close so close so many times that I thought I’m not going to make it this time. I actually laid in a hospital bed and I’m not going to make it. I have been in swimming situations, scared to death. I didn’t think I was going to get out of this.

I was down at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We went down there with about five of us who were checking out a campground. the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We’re going to take a couple of our diesel buses we had, and we could take 80 kids on buses, two big diesels. We’d go down to the Grand Canyon. But we went down there exploratory committee, and we went down there, and we went down in there, and oh, just beautiful camp top for a couple of days.

They have two great big waterfalls. One was about 90 feet, one’s about 60 feet. And so we had gone down to the second waterfall and was down at the bottom and we decided to walk around behind the waterfall. Eddie was kind of small so he just stayed out there. So we all walked around it and I’m last. I was like the guys go first until they went around and I’m walking. We got behind the waterfall we’re looking out there and it was just beautiful, just gorgeous.

And so they decided to dive through the waterfall and go on the other side there. So each one of them dove through the waterfall and they went on them. I’m the last guy. Nobody’s back there with me. The old man. And so I didn’t die. That was my mistake. I didn’t die through the waterfall. I just got into the water and just went into the water and started going. And I kept thinking I should be through the waterfall. And I kept going.

I wasn’t through the waterfall. And I noticed it was getting dark and darker. I had gone under the water, but the waterfalls had been pushing me down. I hadn’t planned on staying long so I didn’t take a lot of air with me. And I started hurting. And I was trying everything I could to come back up and the water was pushing me down. And I thought, I’m going to drown. This is it. And it was getting darker and my lungs were hurting.

And I know if I took a breath of water, I was scared. And just so that you know, I didn’t die. I didn’t die. And so I had enough sense to start going this way and get away from the water. And then I started going up as fast as I could. Now I was pumping whatever they had. And when I got to the top, I took a deep breath. And I was hurting. And I looked over there and all four of the other guys and my son were looking down the hill where the waterfalls was going on.

And they had no clue what was happening to me. And I finally just swim over to him and acted like nothing had happened. And I come through. So since that time I have never taken a bath. But you can get scared. And you might say, well, I’m not scared. Wait to the moment. Wait to the time. If you could pick how you’re gonna die. So I just decided, and I talked to the Lord about this, I’m just gonna wait to the rapture.

Pull the hat in this afternoon, three o’clock. Don’t hold me to that, okay? But it wouldn’t bother me, none, if it did. But looking number 27, for this cause came I unto this hour, this time, this moment. Did you know there’s a lot of things that goes in your life, but God may have had you for one moment, one time, and all the other times is not as important as one time, one moment. When you read in the Old Testament, a lot of things happened to some of these guys, but they were there for one time, one moment, and that was it.

You don’t know which is that one great moment God needed you to stand and to do right. And you didn’t think it was that important. You see, faithfulness in little things is a great thing. Faithfulness in little things is a great thing. Look at the next statement. And verse one there, Now, behold the feasts of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour was come and what was it that he should depart out of this world? He knew he was going to die.

And he was 33, maybe 33 and a half years old, and he knew he was going to die. But did he know he was gonna come back from the dead? I think so. He knew he would come back from the dead, but he still had to go through it. And you and I know we’re gonna live with the Lord, but we still may have to die. We would love not to, but that might come. Look at the last line on this page where it has that thy son also may glorify thee.

The hour of testing, however it may come in your life or my life, is that we would glorify the Lord, that God would get glory out of it. And what that means is if you wine and pine and moan and groan about your sorry lot in life, that does not glorify God. It means that you think God made a mistake by letting that happen to you and you’re mad and bitter at God. See, you usually don’t really get mad and bitter toward people.

You’re just using them because you can see them and you can bless them out. But your real problem is a spiritual problem. You’re upset with God. You’re upset with God. 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 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. 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. Look at John 5.30. John chapter 5 and verse 30. And notice what he says here in verse 30, I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which have sent me over and over and over again.

This is what he says, at the beginning of his ministry in the midst of his ministry, And yes, even at the end of his ministry, this was what Christ was about, just doing the will of the Father. See, when you begin to get a little lost in your life and you’re not sure what you’re doing, go back to the drawing board, go back to the basis, go back to the fundamentals, get back to the Word of God and find out, now, wait a minute, who am I?

Why does God allow me to live? What is the purpose of my life from God’s point of view? What does he want me to do? So I’ll know what my responsibilities are and then you’ll know whether or not you’re succeeding or been a failure. Your faithfulness to the Lord is judged upon and according to the revealed will of God. Because if you don’t know what that is, all the intention of the world, the motives, it won’t matter. You need to know what is the will of God, and that’s why you do what God wants you to do.

John chapter 18, look there really quick, John chapter 18. John 18 and verse 11. Then said Jesus on the Peter, put up thy sword into the sheaf, the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it. In other words, whatever this refers to, and there’s different opinions about what it is, it could be the cross, it could be the premature death in the garden. But whatever it is, regardless of how bad it is, regardless of what the devil was doing to him in the garden, or because of seeing what’s going to take place on the cross, regardless how bad it was, nevertheless, not my will, but thy will be done.

Now, if you can say this and mean it with all your heart, it’ll help you. If you want his will for your life and you believe that the one you’re listening to and following and obeying is going to lead you and guide you and protect you, then when it comes up to something in your life, well, Well, this is so terrible. I don’t want to go through this. And believe it or not, there’s going to be a lot of things you do not want to go through in life.

But you may say, Lord, I wish this would pass. I would rather not go through this. But nevertheless, thy will be done. And if you can always say, Lord, I just want your will. Regarves of what it might be, how bad it might be. I am going to sacrifice my body, my life, to your will and trust you. When it comes to the Lord, regardless of how at times it seems like this is not. What you want. But whenever you decide to serve the Lord, you don’t know where you’re going.

You don’t know how it’s going to end up there. And some things will be wonderful. There’s parts of this plan of God you’re going to love every bit of it. And then there’s parts of it. It seems like God you must have made a mistake. But it could be the will of God that you got to go through it. So it might be physical. It could be emotions. mentally, who knows? And you’re going to suffer in this life and God will allow you to suffer.

But Lord, whatever your will is, that’s what I want. So he did what the Father wanted him to do. Now once you look at number two, things the will of God will do for you. Now there’s six things that are mentioned here. It will give you real substance to your life. It’ll bring enlightenment to your mind Rest to your soul, guidance for service, protection in life, and it’ll get comfort. That sounds like a wonderful reason to serve the Lord.

Look what it’s going to do for you. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of James. I want you to see this verse, the book of James, and chapter four, James chapter four. Because as you and I live in this life, there’s things that we’re going to have to do. There’s things that you’re not going to understand. But notice what he says here and starting there in verse 13, go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year, buy and sell and get gain.

Now you don’t know if you’re going to get gain or not. You don’t know the future. You can’t accurately determine what’s going to take place tomorrow. You cannot accurately 100% say what’s going to happen tonight. You probably are not even aware of what really happened today because of perspective and where you are. You don’t see everything, you don’t know everything. There could have been a lot of things happening today you haven’t even heard about. Sometimes I never even watched the TV, I don’t never know what’s going on.

Now sometimes after three or four days, I finally find out a little bit about what’s going on. And then I’m not sure I like what’s going on. So I don’t, but I like to read the paper once in a while, but I don’t trust, just, I don’t hardly trust anything. I trust the Bible. But look what he says in verse 14, whereas you know not, I didn’t say that, God did. You know not what shall be on the moral.

Isn’t that what he said? You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You don’t know what’s coming tomorrow. You don’t know the course you’re gonna have to run tomorrow. You don’t know what you’re gonna have to face tomorrow. But I know someone who does. See, I don’t have to be the smartest man in all the world. I don’t have to know everything. I just know the one that does. I don’t have to know everything in those library books. All I got to do is go in there and read a few of them once in a while if I want to, but I don’t have to know everything in the world.

I don’t have to know what everybody else knows and believes. I do think it’s why if I just understood my father’s will, what does he want me to do with my life? And then trust him to lead me as I go. That’s why sometimes you’ll study the Bible. You learn a here a little, there a little. That’s progressive revelation, understanding. Where it grows little by little. You’re growing in the Lord. The Bible makes this statement in the book of John chapter 17.

It says, If you will do the will of God, you shall know of the doctrine. God will teach you if you will do it. In other words, God wants you to commit first to do his will, and then he’ll reveal it as you go. But see, most people, they want to know this whole thing laid out so they can decide whether or not they want to do it or not. Now in this light, that might be wonderful. But can’t we trust God?

Do you believe he’s going to lead you down the wrong path? Do you believe it’s going to be nothing but trouble if you serve the Lord? Well, it might be. But it’ll be worth it. Anytime you sacrifice anything for the things of God, it means you just sacrifice something for something better. It means you gave up something in this world that you are going to lose anyway to gain something that you’ll never lose. Sounds good to me. But look in verse 14, where as you know not what shall be on the moral, for what is your life?

It’s a vapor thatabase for a little time vanishes away. For that you ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or do that. But only if God allows it to happen. Because do you realize that God has all power, all authority, and He can intervene into your life any time He wants to? too. Did you know that if you dedicate your life to the Lord expect God to interrupt your schedule?

You see, we have our plans and we dedicate our life to the Lord and then get upset with God because that’s not what I planned. That’s not the way I wanted it. Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s not according to your will. It’s according to his will. He has that purpose. He has a plan. The other night when we’re talking about the depression, first of all we have a perfect God. Two, we have a perfect book. And three, God has a perfect plan.

Now remember I said that Wednesday night? Because it’s true. Nowror I’m supposed to believe that God can work out His will in my life. life. I didn’t ask to be born into this world, but here I am. I had no clue when I was that little snotting those brat growing up that God had anything for me or that God could ever use. Oh, barefooted Georgia boy from the, I hit from the sticks, but God can do miraculous things. God delights and works in America.

He says that He’d rather take some dedicated nobodies because He says the high and the mighty, God doesn’t use them. Oh, He can use them, but most of them are too big for their britches. So many are so filled with pride, God can’t use them. God rather rest, reach down and get a dedicated nobody that He can use because he knows if he can’t do anything. And he knows that if it wasn’t for the Lord, nothing would get accomplished.

God is looking for some people that will just say, Lord, here I am, whatever your will is, that’s what I want. I just want to be whatever you want me to be. And life is short. You don’t get a chance a chance a chance a chance a chance a lot, it’s a lot statement. He says in verse 15 for that you want to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that. And therefore in verse 7, he says, therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him, it is sin.

Now take your Bible look there in John chapter 7. John chapter 7 verse 17, the gospel of John and look in verse 15. Verse 14, first of Well, just see this. The Gospel of John in chapter 7, and you notice in verse 14, now about the mist of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and he taught, and the Jews marveled, saying, how noeth this man ledder having never learned. Well, though he didn’t go to their university, how did this man learn all this stuff?

Because he’s the Son of God. He gave the law. You imagine how brilliant he must have been, how authoritative he had to be, and that nobody could trap him in anything. You’re talking about somebody that knew the Word, and he was able to do that when he was 12 years old. 12. Not making that up. But as he says here in John chapter 7, in verse 16, Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

You see, he always referred back to his Father. The Father’s words, the Father’s will. The Father’s way, everything is about the Father. And that’s why he says that the world may know that I love the Father, that’s why I do what I do. And so he was totally committed to doing everything that his father wanted him to do. And so he says in verse 17, if any man, just like Jesus was willing to do the will of the father and the father would reveal the will and Jesus learned, there’s things that he didn’t know at the beginning.

And he says that he grew in wisdom. He grew in statue. He grew. He listened. He learned. And the Bible says that he just did whatever the Father wanted him to do with his life. And here you and I are. You see, well, I’d love to have a chance to do what he did. We do. We do. And so he says, if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. You’ll know the will of God.

You’ll know of God. what He wants you to do. And that is to those who will do it. Is He God in heaven knows who will obey and not obey? God knows those who love Him and don’t love Him. And in John, he talked about how that He revealed His will to those that love Him. Now you know Christ is your Savior. You’ll go to heaven. But God’s talking about those who love Him. And He says, and I will love Him.

I will love Him. And He will love me. In other words, there’ll be a relationship there, a fellowship there that nobody can give to you and nobody can take away. Nobody can walk for the Lord for you. Nobody can get close to the Lord for you. That’s a personal thing. And so He makes a statement. whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself, you’ll know that if you will do the will of God, means if you will obey the word of God, you’ll know whether or not is this from God or is this from man.

It will give you insight. You’ll gain divine discernment. To discern right from wrong, what is the will of God and what is not? be able to say, this is the flesh and this is the spirit. This is right and this is wrong. And the more you learn, the more you’ll want to do what God wants you to do and just take a stand and to be strong. Just look at this next verse here in verse 18, he that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory.

Anytime you rebel against God and you seek your own will in your own way is because you want your own glory. That means you’re no longer He’s not interested in giving Him the honor and the glory because you’re not doing what you’re doing for His sake, for His honor, for His glory. God gets all of that by your obedience. And when you’re not obedience, He doesn’t get it. Oh, because you don’t get it. And He makes a statement, but He that seeketh His glory that sent Him, the same is true and no unrighteousness is in Him.

God is in person of Christ, is teaching them some very valuable lessons and simple things, and sometimes it’s so easy just to read right over that and never really see what God is talking about. I want you to look at number three real quick. Things the will of God wants from you. In other words, what does God want from me? God wants your dedication. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies the living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

That’s what God wants from you. That’s what He wants from me. And if He can get that, then He wants your whole body and soul and spirit. The word sanctification, found here in 1 Thessalonians 4-3, talks about what God wants to do and how you and I are supposed to possess this body of ours. We are to keep it clean and keep it pure for his honor and for his glory.

Your appreciation, I thought about this whenever I was thinking about for tonight. I thought about it’s kind of like, you know, have you ever seen an old cowboy movie where they lasso this, the good guy and they, they drag him behind the horse? The horses are running And this guy’s rolling and he’s turning all over the place and he’s eating dirt, dust flying. And then he’d drag him through the briars and the cactuses and he’s funny, he’s all wrapped up and he’s left there.

He’s half dead. Sometimes I picture the Christian life a little bit about like that. We think the Lord is just going to let me sit by the swimming pool with my tea. and just sipping my iced tea and that nice warm sun. And just to relax and enjoy my life. And then lo and behold, it’s like, lassoed me and pulled me out of my little chair and drugged me through the dirt, through the briars, through the cactus. Until I feel like sometime I’m half dead.

And then on top of that, he finally stops riding a horse and he looks at me and says, I want your appreciation. And I’m supposed to say, thanks, I needed that. Thanks, I needed that. So what kind of hard time have you been going through lately? Like dumb pulled you through a knothole backwards? And you’re Sounders to say, Lord, thank you, I needed that. You should be a commercial on our thing. Thanks I needed that. Anybody remember that? Well, when the Lord has done drug you through some of the muck in the mire Category and some of the pitfalls in this life and it seemed like there’s no outlet, there’s no let up, there’s no daylight, and everything is just dark.

They will at every end and then God says, I want you to praise me continually. Thank you Lord for those storms. Thanks for the cactus Lord. I really needed that. You see, God wants you to praise Him all the time in every situation regardless. Why? Because see, you’re going through all of those things. For His honor and for His glory, not yours. If God is God, does He have the right to mow the clay into whatever kind of vessel He wants?

And to put it wherever He wants. Yes or no? Have you been whining lately? Complaining a little bit lately? What a sorry lot God has for you. Have you ever looked at somebody else and it seemed like they don’t go through nothing? They got a life of these. I mean, here I am, Roland, I love you and I’m doing all this stuff. And it’s like everything falls apart.

You need to go back and read the 37th Psalm and the 73rd Psalm, where David says, my foot had well, nice-ldatabase. When I looked at the prosperity of the wicked. And I thought it was all over with until I went into the sanctuary of the Lord. and I saw their, but you see, when we get to heaven, when we get to heaven, did you realize that God has been watching you and keeping the books? And when you get to heaven, he is going to make it worth it.

And that little short time upon the earth of all of your hardship and all of your struggles, this light affliction, which is but for a moment, shall be exceeded in glory. No comparison for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which I’ll be here after. And some of those people that you say, they don’t go through this, they don’t go through that, and they don’t hurt like it. And they may not get the rewards you’re going to get either.

What would you do other have? A life of ease now and a little rewards later? Lord, pour it on, because it’ll be worth it in eternity. And the closer you get, the more you ought to say, Lord, he put on me, whatever you want, you have the freedom to do. Now that’s scary. That’s scary. Because you really don’t know where it’s going to lead. to believe that my heavenly Father knows the way and he will never leave you and he will never nil never forsake you and that he has a perfect will for your life.

Residents, that’s what we’re supposed to believe. But you know how God is. You can’t trust him, can you? Or can you? Look up here. Just in case somebody’s watching or if you’re here tonight and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior. He represents you and me. Other wallet represents sin.Thankfully we do the wrong. What God says is that He EDITION us. Now He hates what we do wrong but He loves us. And the Bible says that we have to pay for that in the wagesof sin is death.

That means eternal separation from God. But God wants us to go to heaven. And to go to heaven you have to be perfect as righteous as God and none of us are perfect, none of us are righteous. Because of sin we can’t get in, we’ve all done things wrong. And God says you cannot save yourself. This church can’t save us all. This preacher, I’ve never saved anybody in my life. You have never saved anybody either. But I know somebody who can save.

This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into this world because He loves us, hates our sin, because our sin separates us from God. So Jesus Christ who had no sin didn’t have to die. So He came into the world, took all the sin, paid for it on the cross, and came back from the dead. And God said that if we would believe He did it for us, He would put this payment to our account.

We get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us. You don’t earn it, you don’t work for it. Today, after the service, I got a nice little, I can’t say a nice one, but a guy sent me an email and told me how bad I was this morning. How terrible I was this morning, and that I ought to tell the people the truth. Anyway, it made me feel real bad about that long.

Because I know that I hadn’t lied to anybody, and I did tell the truth. And he similarly mailed James chapter 2. As though I never read that before. I didn’t know James chapter 2 was in the Bible. But aren’t you glad to know that salvation is by grace? And that when Christ died, how many of my sins did He die for? All my sins. somebody says, well, what if you commit adultery and you murder somebody and you lied and you still, yeah, all of my sins, you put them right there, all of them.

I deserve to pay for my sins. But grace is that I won’t, because he did. He died for me so that I don’t have to pay for them. So I don’t have to pay for my sins. I don’t have to go to hell. I’m not going to hell. I won’t go today. I won’t go tomorrow. I will never, at any time in the future, ever go to hell. Why? Because Christ paid for all of my sins, and I don’t have any left to pay for.

I believe that. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head down, every eye closed, no one looking around. If you have never trusted Christ as your savior, If you’re not sure you’re going to go to heaven, would you right now in the quietness of this moment? Just talk to the Lord. God knows your thoughts. So Lord, I know I’m a sinner. I’ve done things wrong. I want to go to heaven when I die. And I believe Jesus died on that cross and paid for my sins.

And Lord, right now I will accept Jesus Christ as my only hope of going to heaven. And friend, if you’re making that decision, I’d like to know it and I’d like to have prayer for you. And I asked you to do it with your heads bowed nice close, because I’m not interested in embarrassing anybody. But I would like to pray for you. Is there anyone here tonight? Say, preach it that made sense to me. And I want to be certain I’m going to heaven when I die.

And I’d like for you to pray for me. We’ll just let you in very quickly, but right back down. Anyone at all. Our Father, we thank you so much for this time together. We ask Your blesses upon each one. Help us to understand the will of the Father. and to be willing to present our bodies to submit, and Father to sacrifice even unto death, if necessary. Not to get to heaven, but because we’re going there in your our Father.

Let’s each one 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 were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment 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 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. 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.

Well tonight’s gonna be just a tad different, not a lot, but I want to show you something that I Pray will be a blessing to you because I’m gonna speak on how to know the will of God and you know some things are in the will of God Clear and direct. There’s other things that are well It’s progressive revelation God doesn’t always tell you up front everything He wants you to do. He just wants you to submit to His will and do whatever He says do.

A little do me and understand that when they get married. Sometimes He tells you everything that you’re supposed to do and then sometimes you just have to go through and He reveals more as you go. And if you make a mistake you have to correct it and go back and do it again. I want to give this to you because I think it’ll help you and be blessing to you because of how important it is for the will of God because when you stop and think about it, that’s one of the most important things in the whole world.

For the lost man, the man that doesn’t know where he’s going when he dies, it’s the will of God that he hears the gospel, the good news of how he can have eternal life. And simply by trusting Christ as Savior, he can know that he’s going to heaven when every dies. And so turn in your Bible to the book of Hebrews and chapter 10, Hebrews and chapter 10, because the Lord says that he came into the world not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him.

And so God prepared a body and then Christ submitted the body, and then Christ offered the body. You see, we were born into this world into a body. Christ was born into this world into a body. Now, our bodies has an old sin for nature, but Christ did not have an essential nature, but we do. And so because of that, we are bent on doing our own thing, our own will. So that’s why we’re so rebellious because of our sinful nature.

We want our own way. We do not like it when anybody tells us what we can and cannot do. Now when it comes to you and the Lord, is He someone that you can totally trust? Can you trust the Lord? And can you commit your whole life to Him? This is after you’ve trusted Christ as Savior. See whenever you get Savior committing your soul into his care for his keeping. And that’s why he says, I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

So whenever you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you were trusting Jesus Christ to save you, to give you eternal life, and take good heaven whenever you die. So that’s how we know we’re going to heaven when we die. It’s not because we’re good, because he’s good. And you can’t earn it, can’t work for But after you trust that Christ is your Savior, what is the will of God for me? So you look at just a couple things and realize what God did for His Son, and then He was our example.

So there’s some things that we can learn from it. So Hebrews chapter 10, look there in verse 5. Verse 5 says, when therefore when He cometh into the world, so that means He came into the world, but He existed before the world began. The Bible teaches that and says, sacrifice and offerings thou would if not, but a body has stopped or paired me.” In other words, God was not satisfied with all the sacrifices that had been made by the bulls and goats and all these animals.

It wasn’t satisfied with that. And so that’s why it was just a covering, a tome, at one minute. It’s simply meaning that it just appeased the anger of God until Christ came and then the full anger and wrath of God fell upon his son. And so he says here in verse five, a body has now prepared me. Now, when he says a body has now prepared me, Hebrews 928, just look there real quick, just one chapter back, chapter nine verse 28.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin on the salvation. So when he came into the world, he came for a reason. He came to bear the sins of individuals. words to pay for what we have done wrong. So he says, a body has stopped prepared me. Now in offerings and sacrifices in verse 6, for sin thou have no pleasure. God was not pleased with him.

But then he says in verse 7, then I said, lo, I come in the volume of the book, it is written of me. And these words, to do thy will, O God. So I come to do thy will. We know he came into the world and God prepared for him a body. And then he was to take that body that he had and he had to commit himself to the Father, to do whatever the Father wanted him to do so that he would have, I guess, the test of of everyone, whether or not is he without sin, what was required?

How was he tested? So he says that he was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. So Christ came into the world, took upon himself a body, and then in that body he had to submit himself to whatever the Father wanted to put him through. And so there was a lot of trials and testings and and so on. And then the Bible says here in verse eight, above when he said sacrifice and offerings and burn offerings and offerings for sin, thy would have not, neither had pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.

Then said he lo, I come to do thy will, O God, says it again, I come to do thy will. Whatever was the will of the Father, that’s what he did. Now you and I know the most difficult thing it is for us is when we have children, teaching the children to obey their mother and father, and not always having to use philosophy on them, but to tell them to do something without them questioning, to quickly and humbly obey without back talk, without sass and their mom or their dad, You sweetly, whatever thy will, O mother and father, whatever you say, dear is dead.

And to never challenge the authority in the home, like your children do, like you see your grandkids do, no like you were. Would it be neat if everyone simply learned how to obey authority? And so if we could obey authority and authority would obey those that are in authority over them, you know, we would have a wonderful world in which to live, even with a sinful nature. But this whole sinful nature that we have in us gets the best of us.

And so after a while, that little darling that you know is a little angel and you probably think that they weren’t even born with a sinful nature. realize how fast they can turn ugly and that sweet pretty little girl, that little darling, become a mean and ugly little witch and you’ll want to spank that little child. Now we’ve gotten to the place today where you can’t do that. I believe that’s one of the things that’s really harm in our country is because there’s no discipline at home because they’ve taken away the power structure.

They’ve taken away the rights of parents to raise their children, to discipline their children. I’m not talking about killing the kids, but I am thinking about, I believe that it’s good, good. God has built all the little children with a nice little padded area back there, and I believe that it’ll be met once in a while with the Board of Education. Boom! You say, you don’t believe it? Yes, I do. Why? Because it’s in the Bible. God knows more about how to raise kids than Dr.

Spock. I believe in Dr. Spank. And I believe that there ought to be better authority in the homes. The where the children have learned how to submit themselves to authority. And the reason is because when they get a little bit older and they got to go to school, they got to learn how to submit to a family. authority in the school classroom. When they get a job, they’ve got to learn how to submit to authority. We have people the day that it just plain rebellious.

They don’t want anybody telling them how to live. And look at the world today and how we’re going. It’s all over the world. You see all these occupies sit in, all those things like that. All it is is nothing more than rebellion. It’s rebellion. And they want everything done according to their will. And they want to take away your will or your right or your assets. And they want it. Any time somebody usually says, you know, you have too much power.

You have too much money. What they mean is I want some. I want some of the power and I want some of the money. You owe me. And so we have rebellion in our country and it’s going to get worse and worse and worse. I just showed him a little clipping in the paper that was there this morning. The world is looking for a leader. The world is looking for a leader. This week they were over there in Europe and everybody getting together and they need a leader.

I wonder who it’s going to, it’s not going to be me. But the world is looking for a leader. And you know where that’s going to lead to sooner or later. We know how things are going to have to get in this world. We know the tribulation period lies right ahead of us, and it’s going to get worse and worse and worse. Now, if you’ll notice there, the Bible says that this body has to be offered. See there in verse 12, but this man after he offered.

So he prepared a body and then he humbled the body, submitted the body and then offered the body, even unto death. So now when you and I come along and we trust Christ as our Savior, it is the will of God that we learn that we’re supposed to submit to the Lord. Take your Bible and turn to the Gospel of John in chapter six, the Gospel of John and chapter six. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ in referring to his Father, we often talk about verse 37, and we often talk about verse 38, 39.

But I want you to notice right between this verse 37 and 39, a wonderful little statement. And verse 38 says, for I came down from heaven, and you ought to underline this, not to do mine own will. Now, thank for a moment for yourself because as we read scripture, we’re always supposed to seek to apply it to our lives. And Christ was our example on how you and I are supposed to live because now God, the creator of heaven and earth, is our Father.

I am not here. You are not here here, according to our own will. We’re not here to do things according to our own will, but the will of Him that sent us. You see, when you trusted Christ as your Savior, your citizenship is in heaven. That’s because that’s where you were born of God. And it’s like you’re sent here into another world, just like Christ was sent into the world and went to heaven. And then we were born of God and sent into the world.

And he says, as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. So all of us in this world have been sent into the world To do his will. So we simply simply find out what is the will of God and then we’re supposed to do that. Wouldn’t it be neat if all of us… All of God’s children believe that. And we would seek to try to influence people to serve the Lord with all their heart. So in the midst of thatValidness, We have some things to think about.

Look there at letter A at the beginning of his ministry. This is what he said. Now he didn’t say this at the beginning, but it’s referring to the beginning because he talks about when I came into the world. That’s what he wanted to do. Look in John chapter four, just turn your Bible to the left a couple pages. And you’ll notice there in chapter four and verse 34, Jesus said unto them, my meat is to do the will of him.

that sent me and you ought to finish his work.” See, it’s his work. It’s not our work. Look at all the things that Christ did while He was here. But it wasn’t his work. It was the Father’s work. You and I in this world, we’re not here to do our own thing. We’re not here to seek and to do our own will, but the will of Him that sent us. So if that is true, then we’re here to do his work.

Whatever the work is that he has for us, that’s what we’re supposed to do. And so he says, my meat means that which satisfies me. You see, when you were looking for physical food because they’d ask him, do you have you had anything to eat? And they thought he’d done somebody that brought him a McDonald Hamburg or something. And he says, my meat, that which satisfies my soul, is to do the will of him that sent me. There’s more satisfaction in that than all the food in this world will ever do for you.

There’s something that means more to you, that you want to chew on, that you want to swallow, that really satisfies. And if I could only get people to taste and to see that the Lord is good, good. And in your own soul, you say, this means more to me. This is what I want. You don’t usually have to worry about a person who understands that and gets a taste of it because they want more and more and more. It’s those that never have really tasted and seen how great God is.

And I’m not talking about your salvation. You’ve already trusted Christ’s Savior. I’m talking about in the joy of serving the Lord, the joy of surrendering your will to His will so that you’ll do whatever God wants you to do. Such satisfaction that’s there. Now look at John 5.30, John chapter 5 and verse 30. And notice what he says here in verse 30, I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me over and over and over again.

This is what he says. At the beginning of his ministry in the midst of his ministry, and yes, even at the end of his ministry, this was what Christ was about, just doing the will of the Father. See, when you begin to get a little lost in your life and you’re not sure what you’re doing, go back to the drawing board, go back to the basis, go back to the fundamentals, get back to the Word of God and find out, now, wait a minute, who am I?

Why does God allow me to live. What is the purpose of my life? From God’s point of view. What does He want me to do? So I’ll know what my responsibilities are. And then you’ll know whether or not you’re succeeding or been a failure. Your faithfulness to the Lord is judged upon and according to the revealed will of God. Because if you don’t know what that is, all the intention of the world, the motives, it won’t matter. You need to know what is the will of God, and that’s why you do what God wants you to do.

John chapter 18, look there real quick, John chapter 18. John 18 and verse 11, then said Jesus on the Peter, put up thy sword into the sheaf, the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it. In other words, whatever this refers to, and there’s different opinions about what it is, it could be the cross, it could be the premature death in the garden. But whatever it is, regardless of how bad it is, regardless of what the devil was doing to him in the garden, or because of seeing what’s going to take place on the cross, regardless of how bad it was, nevertheless.

Not my will, but thy will be done. Now, if you can say this and mean it with all your heart, it’ll help you. If you want his will for your life and you believe that the one you’re listening to and following and obeying is going to lead you and guide you and protect you, then when it comes up to something in your life, well, it seems like this is so terrible. I don’t want to go through this and believe it or not, there’s going to be a lot of things you do not want to go through in life.

But you may say, Lord, I wish this would pass. I would rather not go through this, but nevertheless, thy will be done. And if you can always say, Lord, I just want your will, regardless of what it might be, how bad it might be. I am going to sacrifice my body, my life, to your will and trust you. When it comes to the Lord, regardless of how at times it seems like this is not what you want, but whenever you decide to serve the Lord, you don’t know where you’re going.

You don’t know how it’s going to end up there. And some things will be wonderful. parts of this plan of God you’re going to love every bit of it. And then there’s parts of it, it seems like God you must have made a mistake. But it could be the will of God that you’ve got to go through it. So it might be physical, it could be emotionally, mentally, I mean who knows? And you’re going to suffer in this life.

And God will allow you to suffer. But Lord, whatever your will is. That’s what I want. So he did what the father wanted him to do. Now, won’t you look at number two, things the will of God will do for you. Now, there’s six things that are mentioned here. It will give you real substance to your life. It’ll bring enlightenment to your mind, rest to your soul, guidance for service, protection in life, and it’ll get comfort. That sounds like a wonderful reason to serve the Lord.

Look what it’s going to do for you. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of James. I want you to see this verse, the book of James. And chapter four, James chapter four. Because as you and I live in this life, there’s things that we’re going to have to do. There’s things that you’re not going to understand. But notice what he says here, and starting there in verse 13, Go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year, buy and sell and get gain.

You don’t know if you’re going to get gain or not. You don’t know the future. You can’t accurately determine what’s going to take place tomorrow. You cannot accurately 100% say what’s going to happen tonight. You probably are not even aware of what really happened today because of perspective and where you are. You don’t see everything, you don’t know everything. There could have been a lot of things happening today you haven’t even heard about. Sometimes I never even watched the TV, I don’t never know what’s going on.

Now sometimes after three or four days I find a little bit about what’s going on and then I’m not sure I like what’s going on. So I don’t… But I like to read the paper once in a while, but I don’t trust just about I don’t hardly trust anything. I trust the Bible But look what he says in verse 14. Whereas you know not I didn’t say that God did he know not What shall be on tomorrow and then what he said?

You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You don’t know what’s coming tomorrow You don’t know the course you’re gonna have to run tomorrow. You don’t know what you’re gonna have to face tomorrow But I know someone who does. See, I don’t have to be the smartest man in all the world. I don’t have to know everything. I just know the one that does. I don’t have to know everything in those library books. All I got to do is go in there and read a few of them once in a while if I want to, but I don’t have to know everything in the world.

I don’t have to know what everybody else knows and believes. I do think it’s why if I just understood my father’s will. What does he want me to do with my life? And then trust him to lead me as I go. That’s why sometimes you’ll study the Bible. See, you’ll learn a here a little, there a little. That’s progressive revelation. Understanding where it grows little by little. You’re growing in the Lord. The Bible makes this statement in the book of John chapter 17.

It says, If you will do the will of God, you shall know of the doctrine. God will teach you if you will do it. In other words, God wants you to commit first to do his will and then he’ll reveal it as you go. But see most people, they will do it. see most people, they want to know this whole thing laid out so they can decide whether or not they want to do it or not. Now in this light that might be wonderful.

But can’t we trust God? Do you believe He’s going to lead you down the wrong path? Do you believe it’s going to be nothing but trouble if you serve the Lord? Well it might be, but it’ll be worth it. Anytime you sacrifice anything for the things of God, it means you just sacrifice something for something better. It means you gave up something in this world that you are going to lose anyway, to gain something that you’ll never lose. Sounds good to me.

But look in verse 14, where as you know not what shall be on the moral, for what is your life? It’s a vapor that appear for a little time vanishes away, for that you ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or do that. But only if God allows it to happen. Because do you realize that God has all power, all authority, and He can intervene into your life anytime He wants to? Did you know that if you dedicate your life to the Lord, expect God to interrupt your schedule?

You see, we have our plans and we dedicate our life to the Lord and then get upset with God because that’s not what I planned. That’s not But the way I wanted it, well, it doesn’t matter. It’s not according to your will, it’s according to his will. He has a purpose, He has a plan. The other night when we’re talking about the depression, first of all, we have a perfect God. Two, we have a perfect book. And three, God has a perfect plan.

Now remember I said that Wednesday night because it’s true. Now I’m supposed to believe that God can work out His will in my life. I didn’t ask to be born into this world, but here I am. I had no clue when I was that little snout in those brat growing up that God had anything for me, or that God could ever use, oh barefooted Georgia boy, from the sticks. But God can do miraculous things. God delights and works in miracles.

He says that He’d rather take some dedicated nobodies, because He says the high and the mighty God doesn’t use them. Oh, He can use them, but most of them are too big for their britches. So many are so filled with pride, God can’t use them. God rather rest, reach down and get a dedicated nobody that He can use because He knows if He can’t do anything. And He knows that if it wasn’t for the Lord, nothing would get accomplished.

God is looking for some people that will just say, Lord, here I am, whatever your will is, that’s what I want. I just want to be whatever you want me to be and life is short. You don’t get a chance to run this way again. We get one trip through. 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 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 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.

I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians and chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. You’ll notice what he says there in verse 1. Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved. you keep in memory what I preached unto you unless you have believed in vain. Now two things in this verse is very scary or was very scary to me a long time ago.

One is if you keep in memory and the other one is believe in vain. I thought well you mean if I trust Christ is my Savior today but I have to keep remembering that I did in order to stay saved because if you don’t think you’re saved any more than you’re not saved anymore because you got to remember it. What if I forget? The other part of that verse that scared me was, unless you have believed in vain, I thought, well, how can the man believe in vain?

You mean I can trust the Lord in vain? I mean, I believe Lord, but then God won’t save me. Why? So I had a problem with those two things and I think a lot of other people have problem with that and that’s why they add things on to the gospel. I’m sure you’re like, I was, I’d heard that Jesus cries and died on the cross that he paid for sin But I never really understood what does that have to do with me going to heaven?

I Still thought I have to be good to get there and if I wasn’t good. I wasn’t gonna make it So I never really understood the gospel But the one of the greatest things that could ever happen into anybody’s life is to trust Christ as their Savior But you see, it’s not in vain if you forget. And it’s not in vain, whenever that verse says, unless you have believed in vain. How do you believe in vain? We see your faith in the Lord is in vain if Jesus Christ did not come back again from the dead.

You see that whole chapter, the 15th chapter, 1 Corinthians, is talking about the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Him coming back from the dead is our security. That’s what gives us eternal life, is the power that He had to come back from the dead. And that’s why He says, your faith is in vain if Christ is still dead. And if Christ is dead, then our preaching is in vain. Your believing or trusting is in vain. In other words, it’s to no avail.

And then He says, we are found to be Jehovah’s Witnesses. I mean false witnesses, if we do not teach and believe that Jesus Christ came back from the dead. So since I do believe that Jesus Christ came back from the dead and He did come back from the dead, then my faith in Him is not in vain. Now I want you to take your Bible and turn over there to the book of Romans and chapter 4. Romans chapter 4.

Here in the book of Romans in chapter 4, I want you to look there at a good definition of what faith is, since we’re saved by faith. Here in verse 21, he says, and being fully persuaded. Faith is taking God at his word, being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was also able to, what, to perform. Being saved is not something that you perform. Being saved is something that he performs. And when He makes this statement, then fully persuaded means that you have to totally trust Jesus Christ as your Savior.

It’s not trusting Christ 90% and you 10%. You have to totally trust the Lord and be fully persuaded that what He promised to do, He will do. He is the Savior and He saves us. We cannot save ourselves. Now, in verse 22, it makes a statement, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. To impute means to put to your account. It means that what Christ did on the cross, that payment that He made for the sins of the whole world is put to your account.

But when is that payment put to your account? When you believe. Just because Christ died and paid for all the sins of the world, doesn’t mean that everybody the world not going to heaven. No, the payment is not put to your account until you believe that he did that for you. See there in verse 23? Now it was not written for his sake alone, talking about Abraham here, that it was imputed or put to his account because you see he was saved about 400 and something years before the law was ever given.

So Abraham could not have been saved by his works. The law had not even been given. So Abraham was saved by faith. So before the law, people were saved by faith. Under the law, people were saved by faith. See there in verse 6 of the same chapter referring now to under the law, David even made this statement also described the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputed what? Righteousness without what? Without works. And yet wasn’t he living underneath the dispensation of law when the law had been given?

Yes, he was the king of Israel. But David was not saved by the law. He was saved by grace having God’s righteousness put to his account without works. Now look what he says in verse five. Well, it was before the law or under the law or after the law, but to him that worketh not, but believeeth on him that justifyeth the ungodly. Here’s what? His faith is counted for righteousness. In other words, it’s just like when you believe that what Christ did on the cross, that He did that for you, you believing that puts that payment to your account as though you did it.

So all the righteousness, the sinless life that Christ lived, his perfection, his righteousness is put to your account. He doesn’t impart the sins that you committed to your account. They were put to his account. Christ paid those and gives you his righteousness the moment that you trust him as your Savior. Now look there again in verse 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that he was imputed to him, but for us also, not just him, but not just David, but everybody.

Look what he says now in verse 24. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed. That means it shall be put to your account, his righteousness, to your account if we do what? If we believe, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, if we believe. Those three little words, you know, that’s all you have to do to be saved. If you’ll believe that what Christ did was for you. You see, a lot of people believe that He died and paid for sins, but are still not saved.

You have to believe that what he did was to pay for your sins. Oh, I believe he paid for the sin of the whole world. I know, but you got to believe he paid for yours and accept that as your payment. That means that you stop trying to earn your salvation. You’re not trying to work for something because you realize it’s been bought and paid for. And all you have to do is accept it as a gift. Faith is the ability to trust.

Being fully persuaded that what he has promised, he will perform. The reason you trust Christ is because you’re believing that He is able to perform that work of salvation saving you from hell, giving you eternal life, making you His child and take you to heaven whenever you die. That’s what you’re trusting Him to do. Now notice the next verse. In verse 25 it says, who was delivered for our offenses? In other words, you and I have offended God. We have offended Him.

In other words, God made these laws. God is righteous and perfect and holy. So God gave the law. But the law was not given to save us. The law was given to show us that we are sinful and we have broken God’s standard of righteousness and that we have offended a holy God. So the law is like a mirror that we look at. To see what we have done against God. Therefore the law condemns us because the wages of sin is death.

And because we’ve all sinned or broken God’s law, we’re all under the sentence, the condemnation, to an eternity separate from God in hell. So we have all offended a righteous God. And now because we have offended God, we’re enemies of God. Look what he says down in verse 10 of chapter 5. For if while we were in your underlyingness, we were enemies. We’re enemies because our sins separated us from God. So that’s why he says we have offended God.

And God is going to take judgment or wrath upon those who have offended Him. So what he did is sent his son into the world to take all of our offenses. offenses, then our offenses is what nailed him to the cross. In other words, all that list of things that we have done, God said that that was nailed to the cross and Christ was there paying for our offenses. So instead of us taking the punishment and the judgment, his son died in our place under the wrath of God the Father.

Now, when he makes the statement here. He was delivered as a lamb for our offenses, then he says, and was raised again for our justification because he just Christ died on the cross, didn’t save anybody. It makes it possible for people to be saved. The good news is that a man can be justified by his faith. That’s Good news, that’s gospel. That a man who is a wicked man can be justified just as if he’d never sinned by his faith alone.

Raised again for our justification. That means that if you trusted in Jesus Christ who has not risen from the dead, your faith in him is in vain. And he can’t save you or justify you from all those offenses that you have made against him. Therefore, your faith is in vain. you are not saved and you’re still yet in your sins and we’re of all men most miserable and we’re without hope. But because Christ came back again from the dead, he’s a living Savior.

How can he be a Savior if he’s dead? But he’s not dead. He is not here. He is what? Risen. He is alive. And so now Christ who is alive from the dead can save us. So we accept him as our Savior and we’re justified. Now remember this simple illustration. This is the Lord and He’s perfect, righteous and just. The Bible says that you and I have sinned. That means that we have come short of God’s perfection. Since we’ve all come short of God’s perfection, we are short of His glory.

The glory refers to the perfection of God. So therefore you and I are in a heap of trouble. And God says, buy your good deed, your good works. You’ll never be justified. You’ll never be perfect by your good works. The brain-forth perfect works, you’d have to be what? Perfect. A good man can only bring forth good works. A bad man can only bring forth bad works. And God says, we’re all bad. So how can you even be good? You can’t.

There is none good, no not what? One. Now by our works, we’ll never be justified. That’s why we needed a Savior. So Christ dies, pay for our sins. When we accept that payment that He made for us, His righteousness is put to our account, and if God gave us His righteousness, that would make us as righteous as who. That’s God. Therefore we are equal. That’s why when Christ was here, it says it was not Robert for him to be equal with the Father.

because you see he was equal. He was God. There was no fault, no flaws in the Son of God. So when Jesus Christ took upon him the sins of the world, he died in our place so that we could be raised up to be equal or justified with God. That means when you trust that Christ is your Savior, God no longer sees any sin in you. You have been given a new birth, a new birth, new creation born of God, no sinful nature and if it cannot sin, then it cannot die.

And that’s why once you trust Christ as your Savior, you are his child forever. Now look down here in verse 6 of chapter 5. In verse 6 it says, for when we were yet without strength, that means you did not have the strength, the ability to live up to the standard that God has demanded. So the law becomes a mirror that lets us see that we have sinned and come short of God’s perfection, so the law was given. To point us to Christ.

So then instead of trying to save ourselves by our works, we trust Christ as our Savior. So the law leads us to Christ. Then he says this in the last part of it. In due time, and you are on the line these little words, Christ died for who? The ungodly. Well, who’s the ungodly? That’s everybody in the world. There’s only one that’s perfect. And that’s the Lord. So Christ died from all the sins of all the world. Now, verse seven is very interesting.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die if there was a righteous man, or by his so-called deeds he has achieved, and we looked upon as a righteous man. Yet per adventure for a good man, somewhat even dared to die. But God committed his love toward us in that while we were yet what? Sts. Sinners, not saints, sinners, Christ died for us. a little illustration that I used about a week ago, two weeks ago. Simple illustration, but let’s just say for example, we take John Reynolds back here.

John Reynolds is hanging over a cliff, and John Reynolds is only hanging on by a little branch and it’s about ready to go. He knows he’s fixing the plunge to his death. You know, it’s about a thousand foot drop. Sure, death, he has no hope. I come by and I see John in his situation. And I say, John, you’re going to die, aren’t you? He said, well, it looks like way,but I said, you know, if that thing breaks loose with you, you know, you’re mashed potatoes.

He says, yep, yep. I said, would you like to be saved? He said, I sure would. I said, I’ll make a deal. I got a lot of work that I need to have done. See, I want to move this mountain over here. And I’m not going to live long enough to get it all done by myself. I’ll make you deal. If I save you, would you promise to give me your life so that I can have you help move this dirt pile?

And he says, you mean you want me to work the rest of my life helping you move a dirt pile? Yeah. I mean as a token of your appreciation, I want you to promise that you’ll help me to do that. And John looks him in and he says, just let me fall bud, just let me fall. I have no desire to be your little slave for the rest of my life. I’d rather just die. All right. Now what if I went by and I talked to Mr.

Bray, Mr. Bray’s in the same position. And I say to Mr. Bray, I said, Mr. Bray, I said, Mr. Bray, I said, Mr. Bray, I said, you know, you’re gonna die. You’re gonna die. You need to be saved. He said, yes, I know that. And I said, I’ll make you deal. Would you serve me for the rest of your life and help me move this dirt pile? I mean, I just want you to do it from one until night for the rest of your life faithfully and do nothing else.

Only what I want you to do, be my little slave.” And he says, I sure will. I promise I’ll do anything you want me to do. And I says, okay, and I save him. Now he gave his word and he promised, and then he didn’t do one lick of work. He wouldn’t do it. And I say to him, you never really meant business. You lied to me, you didn’t keep your word. Now I could do that, and he could do that.

Couldn’t he? He could deceive me. Now another one is I come by and I see Milton Hale. I say, look, you’re dying and you’re going to fall over that cliff and you’re going to be mashed potatoes. If I save you, will you promise that you’ll help me move that dirt pile? And he says, yes, I will. And then you’ll work faithfully from the time that I get you up for the rest of your life. You owe me. Will you promise to do that?

Milton says, yes, I will. So I pull Milton up, save his life. and he goes to work and he works faithfully. More than until night, I mean, he is like clockwork, and he does everything that he is supposed to do. And boy, I tell you, but inwardly, he despises me for what I did to him, because he knew that I took advantage of him. And he hates me for it, but he does the work, but he hates me and despises me.

He’s there, and it’s just a drudgery, it’s just a job, and he hates every minute of it, but he’s faithful because he gave his word. And then lo and behold, I come by and there’s Tim King. And I say to Tim King, I says, Tim, you’re going to die. I says, you got no hope. And I says, look, if I save you, will you promise to help me move at dirt pile? For the rest of your life, you’ll work helping move at dirt pile.

I says, after all, you’re going to die anyway. So your life is nothing. So if I save you, at least you’ve got to, you know, you’ve got a good reason to live. He says, all right, I’ll do it. And I bring him up and lo and behold, he does the work. and enjoys it all the days of his life. Just always singing with a smile on his face. He’s all happy and he works faithfully all the days of his life for me.

That would be very rare, wouldn’t it? Virtually impossible, wouldn’t it? Now you see, there’s people who are saying this is what Christ does and thinking they’re making deals with the people on salvation. None of those is the gospel, not a one. All four of those is misleading. They’re wrong. It’s not that, you know, where you promise God that you’re going to live for the Lord if I save you. No. It’ll produce the same results that we’ve just mentioned. And that’s why you have some people say, no, just let me fall, or I’m not ready yet.

I’m not ready. Not ready to what? I’m not ready to promise that I’m going to live for Him yet. And so they’ll rather just reject. the Lord because of what they’ve been told. That’s false. That’s not to be taught. That’s not the gospel. That’s not good news. On none of these was good news. None of these was totally free. True? None of it was free because they had to promise what they would do if I delivered them. If they had to promise to me and make a commitment in any way about how they’re going to live their life once I saved them, then they were not saved as a total free gift.

When it comes to salvation, if I come by and I see John Reynolds hanging over the edge, I still have that mount in the dirt to move. And I reach down here and I save him, and he has made no promise of no commitment of anything and I set him free. If he appreciates what I’ve done and he wants to do anything for me, that’s his choice. I can beseech Him. I can even plead with Him. I may even beg Him.

But it cannot be a stipulation on me saving Him. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. And then He says for us to stand fast in the freedom that He has given to you and I. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, it’s not less make a deal. He gives us salvation and then we have the freedom or the choice after we’re saved to either serve him or not to serve him. But all of our service to the Lord should not be in bitterness.

It should not be because we are vindictive toward him because now that I’m a Christian or child of God and I don’t have a choice if I don’t he’s going to beat the tar on me anyway and I resent every minute of it. No, you’re not to live that away. The Bible says in the book of 1 Corinthians and chapter 5, because we thus judge that if he died for all, then we’re all dead, and that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose again.

So I should serve the Lord because of what he’s done for me, but it cannot be a condition for my salvation. My salvation is free. It is a total gift. He was raised from the dead so that he qualifies as a Savior. He can save me, give me eternal life, and I’m going to have a look in verse 1 of chapter 5. Therefore, being what justified, made righteous with God, made being made eco with the Father, so that the Father finds no fault in His sons not just his son Christ but even in us it’s like you never sinned But that was given to you freely was his righteousness put to your account And then he says therefore being justified by what?

by faith That means you taking your Confidence your trust and putting it in the payment that he made on the cross for you and he saves you and gives you as a free gift eternal life. Look there in verse 15. But not as the offense, so also is the what? Free, what is it? Free gift. For it through the offense of one, many be dead much more the grace of God and the, what’s the next word? Gift by what?

Grace. Look there in verse 16 of chapter 4. Therefore, it is of faith that it might be by what? Grace. Grace is unmerited. The reason that God saves a man by grace is so that it can be offered freely to everybody. If he charged us, none of us could have it. Because then it takes you out of the realm of grace and it becomes works. And God says salvation is by grace through faith and that not of yourself, it is the what?

Gift of God, not of works. So you cannot be saved putting faith in Christ and in your good works. You have to totally trust Jesus Christ and Him alone as your only hope of salvation or you do not get salvation. That payment cannot be put to your account unless you’re fully persuaded and trusting him that he will perform this act of salvation and saving you and giving you eternal life. Now, looking verse 16 of chapter 5, for not as it was by one that senteth so is the gift, and over and over again, the gift, the gift, the free gift, the free gift of grace, and a saved by faith, and it is not by works.

And we’ll close with this one verse, look again there in verse 5 of chapter 4. But to him that does what? Worketh not. but does what? Believe it. That’s how we know that believing on Christ is not a work. Why? Because the Bible says it’s not. Believing on Christ means trusting Him to save us. So He says, but to Him that work if not but believe it on Him, that justify it, the who ungodly His faith is counted for righteousness.

Let me show you a simple illustration. I know most of you’ve never seen this before, but let the sin represent you and me, the wallet represents sin, we all have sin upon us. Now God says he loves us. He hates our sin because you see our sin separates us from the Lord and the wages of sin is death and since everybody’s sinned everybody’s condemned. Now to go to heaven we have to be perfect as righteous as God, what none of us are perfect.

So we have to be justified made to the place where we’ve never send. But we have to pay for these. And God says, you cannot earn your salvation and all your good works will never take away your sin. It won’t justify it. Now this is Jesus Christ, his hand represented the Lord. He came into the world because he loves us, hates our sin because it separates us from him. So Christ took the sin, paid for on the cross, came back from the dead.

Now how many of our sins did Christ pay for when he died? All of them. If If He paid for all of our sins, how many sins do we have yet to be paid? None. So when you accept this payment that Christ’s made for you, you have a payment for how many of your sins, all of them. So that means from the time that you’re born, till the time that you die, you have a payment for all of your sins, past, present and future.

Christ has already paid for the sins you have not yet committed because when He died on the across 2000 years ago, how many of our sins were in the future? All of them. So that means that Christ has paid for all of your sins. So when you accept the payment He made, you have a payment for all of your sins. So whenever you believe that He did this for you, that He paid for your sins, He gives you as a free gift eternal life.

Now if it’s eternal life, how long would it last? Forever. If it lasts forever and all you sins are paid, where will you go and you die. You go to heaven. So you go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for you. He not only paid for your sins and was buried, that wouldn’t save you because there’s no Savior unless He could come back from the dead for you to trust, for Him to give you eternal life. So He was raised for our justification to make us as righteous as God.

And so we go Go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us. 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. 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. You see, I need God because God supplies the air. God supplies the food. And without God, there would be no food. There would be no air. Do you need water? I think you probably need water. Question, who made the water? God? But you don’t need God. Do you need water?

then evidently you need God. Because God is the one that made the water. Do you realize I could go on and on? And yet there’s people that I don’t need God. Okay, take away everything God provided. See how well you’re doing. Maybe you don’t need that body you got either. Maybe God could take that body away from you. And then what? Well, so I must admit to be an inferior and I must admit that I am dependent upon God for life My life came from God and I depend upon God for sustaining my life Remember in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and he made that garden and took the dirt of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul, and God put him in this beautiful, beautiful, beautiful garden.

God has provided everything that we need, because we could not exist without God. And you don’t need God. Sounds a little like a man’s filled with, he’s arrogant. Beside being a fool, he’s dumb, stupid, ignorant, because anybody with reasonable thinking power knows that without the Lord there would be no life. I was looking at that little baby that Betty was holding yesterday at the wedding. little bitty type, little bitty thing. And the little boy was there and I had told him this earlier and he says, is that a real baby?

I said, that’s not a toy. I said, it means it’s real. And you look at a little baby and you think, how in the world could anybody think that this was created by a man? God had to do this to make a baby. He realized that everything has the power to reproduce after its own kind, just like God said, to reproduce the power to create its unreal. It’s a miracle because you could not have designed it. What part of this baby could you have developed without the other parts being developed in the baby live?

You see, it was all done. It’s all at one time. It got its ear, nose and eyes, and all that they’re all at once. It’s all there. Arms and legs, it’s all there. I consider it to be a miracle. Turning your Bible to the book of Romans in chapter 14, the book of Romans in chapter 14. UPDATE Romans 14 and look there in verse 12. You don’t have verse 12 underline in your Bible. Maybe you should consider it. But you see, they’re a God.

And because there is a God, I am different from animals. And I do have a purpose in life. And there is a purpose in death. And the whole duty of man is to find out what does God want man to do. Romans in chapter 14 looked there in verse 12, so then every one of us shall give account of himself to nothing, to God, because there is a God, man is accountable, man is responsible. That means that I’m supposed to do something that this God wants me to do.

So the key of course is to find out what is it that God wants me to do with my life that he gave to me. I love these verses. Look at verse 10. Why does thou judge thy brother? Why, said if not thy brother, for we shall all stand before the jedman said of Christ. This is those that know Christ is Savior, yes, and all the people that don’t know the Lord. They still got a given account to the Lord.

It’s appointed unto every man once to die and after this, the judgment. So there is accountability. Man does have to, he’s going to have to do it. So I am personally responsible to God and I wrote something down in my little notes here. This is what I wrote now. No power or another line of authority can relieve me of a God-given responsibility. day. Nobody has the right to relieve me of my God-given responsibility. I am personally accountable. I am personally responsible.

And there is coming a day of recognition. Pay day, someday. We’ve got a given account to God. So life is just getting ready, preparing to meet God. You know that’s a verse in the Old Testament that says, prepare to meet thy God. Dum, dum, dum, dum, dum. Look in Matthew chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. You know this talks a little bit about the parables and all in chapter 13. But look in verse 38, 38. Just kind of give you a little bit of an idea as God, God looks at this world.

He says, the world is a field and God has placed us into the world, means into the field. So he says, the field is the world, the good seed are the AUTHOR of the Kingdom. Now that would be a reference to those that know the Lord. But all I know is that here is the world, and I’m in the world, and there’s two things I need to find out about this whole world in which I live. One, what am I doing here?

And where is it that He wants me to do it? So what is my job? And where does He want me to do my job? The Bible talks about us being sores and reapers. You’ll find many illustrations given were sewing and reaping, sewing and reaping. The 126 Psalms is about sewing and reaping. There’s another verse found there in the book of Galatians in chapter six. Look at this verse real quick. Galatians in chapter 6. And look there in verse 7ael 7.

If you see and understand just a few simple things, you’ll notice there as he talks to those who know Christ to save your verse 7, be not deceived. God is not mocked. you mock God by thinking you can do whatever you please and get away with it. It’s what it boils down to. There’s a price to pay. Bad decisions will reap certain consequences. Good decisions will reap certain consequences. But in verse 7 he says, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also…

So we’re put into this world for a purpose. And I believe that main purpose is to sow and reap. So you and I are going to sow things and we’re going to reap things. So you said, well, I didn’t ask to be born. Who did? But here we are. And so you and I, while we’re in this world, for the last 50 years, I have been sowing. Now, when you read the book of Ruth, you’ll find that it talks about sowing handfuls on purpose.

In other words, she’s sowing seed on purpose. Why is she doing that? Because she has a purpose. It’s going to be sown and something’s going to grow and something’s going to come up and somebody’s going to reap something. Every time you go to work, you’re sowing a certain amount of work. You’re dispensing labor and people are paying you for something that you gave. So you are sowing and reaping a paycheck. Everyone that’s in this room, if you’ve ever held a job, you sow and you reap.

When it comes to a wife, you are sowing certain things and you’re going to reap certain things. be careful how you sow. And the wife is sowing and reaping. Children are learning how to sow and reap. To the Christian, is it not true that we are to sow and to reap? That’s what the word of God is talking about. Now you and I know that we’re in a field and we’re supposed to sow the the good seed, the good seed.

Now wonder what that is. And it tells you that the good seed is the Word of God. So you and I have a perfect word to sow the good seed. If I’m sowing good seed, then I expect certain things to come from that. You know why over the years, I have sought to be faithful to sowing and sowing on purpose. In other words, doing it deliberately, not accidentally, but deliberately. In other words, it’s something that I do because it’s a right thing to do.

It’s something God wants me to do. And I do it because everyone should do it that knows the Lord. And we are anticipating that when we so somewhere down the road we’re going to reap. There’s going to be results to what we’re doing. And the only reason you do that is because you believe that the seed that I’m sowing is going to profit.($In the book of Isaiah it says that God has sent forth his seed into the world. And he says, he expects something to come from that which has been sown.

And he’s talking about his word and he’s talking about souls. So here in Galatians when he’s talking about this, he says, what soever man soeth that shall he also reap? For he that sow up to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that so of to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. So it is about sewing and reaping. Sometimes we reap where we have not sown, and the Lord refers to that in the 25th chapter of the book of Matthew.

I knew I’d heard that somewhere before. And sometimes we sow and we don’t reap exactly what we sow. So as we sow, we live with the expectation we’re going to reap. So we sow on purpose because there’s a reason for it. God in heaven has a purpose for our sowing and God wants to reap. So there’s a purpose. We are looking forward one day to go into heaven because we believe that it’s all true. There is a God. It does make a difference.

There is a purpose to life and that there is a reason for me to die. There is a purpose in my dying because I haven’t figured out a way to get there without leaving here and the body is not sufficient to live for eternity unless God intervenes and gives me a glorified body before I die which is my request. I’m looking forward to the day when the rapture takes place. And if I die by the way of the grave, that’s okay too.

Either way, but there’s a purpose in it. And God works all things according to the good pleasure of His own will. So you and I are not supposed to live like the lost people. We’re not supposed to live like there is no God. That is the purpose of everything in our life. Why do you want a good marriage? Because God wants it. Why do you want to be a good wife? Because God wants you to be a good wife.

Why do you want to be a good husband? Because God wants you to be a good husband. Why do you want to be a good father? Because God wants you to be a good father. Why do you want to be a good mother? because God wants you to be a good mother. Why do I want to be a good pastor? Because God wants me to be a good pastor. Why do you want to be a good member? Because God wants you to be a good member.

It’s all about Him. It’s what He wants. And you’re not here, and I’m not here for our own little bitty purposes. We’re here as one conclusion to fear God and study His Word and sow the seed. And if you look there in the last part of verse nine, it says, but let us not be weary in well doing. It means in the sowing because sometimes you don’t reap right away. It takes patience. A farmer does not sow today and reap tomorrow morning.

There could be a long time in between the sowing and the reaping. And the patience of you and I is that we’ll be patient until we get to heaven. And we’re going to wait and we don’t become impate. We just keep on sowing and keep on reaping because that’s the will of God and that’s the purpose. So you and I are, says here, in new season, we might reap, we shall reap, if we faint not, if you don’t quit.

This is talking about your service to the Lord. Don’t stop, don’t quit. Don’t let the philosophy of the world permeate your mind. it will so depress you, so humiliate you. Cause your whole life to look at it as nothing, but vanity and vexation of spirit. It destroys the will to live. It can kill the will to go to church. Kill the will, the spirit, the study God’s word, to pass out a tract, talk to people about the Lord. It totally destroys.

It’ll rip the life right out of you When you get away from the main purpose, there is a God. We are responsible. And that’s what God wants. Let me close with these verses. I want you to look there in John chapter 4. The Gospel of John and chapter 4. Look there in verse 35 verse 35. This is what Jesus said. as though it was the part of his life, the reason for his life. He says, say not ye, there are yet four months and then comeeth harvest.

Behold I say unto you, lift up your eyes, look on the fields for they are white already to harvest. And he that reaperth receiveth wages. In other words, God will pay a sow in her. God will pay you to win souls. Can you believe them? I did this one time in ransom. I said, how many of y’all, if I was to give you $1,000 for every person you led to Christ, how many of you would feel like God wants you to be a full time soul winner?

Let me see your hand. My hands went all over the place. And you do it here too. If I would pay you $1,000 for every person you led to Christ. All of a sudden the Lord’s leading me and you wouldn’t Don’t worry about all of the other stuff. You would just do it. You would just do it. But I’m not going to give you a thousand dollars. So don’t try this with me. But there’s a God in heaven that will pay you a lot more than a thousand dollars.

It’s just that we can’t see what the wages are. We can’t see, we can’t even fathom what it’s going to be like when And we get to heaven and God rewards you for your faithfulness. I wonder what it’s going to be like. Would you like to be there? And God says, okay, where’s all the ones that blah blah blah led to Christ? Let me see your hands.

Let me see your hands. Well, where are you? I gave you 30 years to live and you’re trying to tell me that you don’t have anybody. See this room over here? All these treasures, rewards, and all that stuff? That’s what I was going to give you. And you don’t get anything? Now, you’re in heaven, or you’re glad about your being there, but there’s going to be something that takes place because God has to wipe away tears from our eyes.

And it says in the book of 2 Corinthians in chapter 5 that we’re going to stand at the Genesis of Christ and the next verse talking about knowing therefore the tear of the Lord we persuade men. We persuade men. You persuade men. It’s not just a matter of sowing the seeds. We’re supposed to try to persuade a person. You can’t make them, but can you use the word of God in such a way and bait them and convince a person to trust Christ as Savior.

Whatever it takes. But I do believe that it’s worth it. Look what he says here in this verse. In verse 36, he that reapeth, we see, of wages and gather a fruit, fruit that lasts forever. You see, when a person trusts Christ as Savior, they have eternal life. That’s fruit with life everlasting. That’s why it’s so important. Look there in verse 37. Here in is that saying true. One saw another reaps. I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labor.

Other men labored and you’re entered into their labors. So you’re going to get to reap some of the benefits because he had already also, you know, sent them out two by two and they went in all the cities and they spread the word and blah, blah, blah. And sometimes somebody else has already been witnesses to somebody and you might come along and it’s like the fruit just dropped in your hand. They were right. They were right. Yeah, but somebody else may have already been talking to them about the Lord and you just got the benefits.

And then you’ll talk to somebody else until you’re blue in the face and spend two or three hours with them and they won’t trust the Lord. And then somebody else comes right behind you and picks the fruit. You see, you’re rewarded because of your faithfulness. You’re rewarded because of your faithfulness. Just be faithful. It will be worked at all. But anyway, it’s just something to kind of keep in mind because as we go through life, there’s always a lot of things in this whole world that gets into our minds and we wonder whether or not is it worth it, is it worth it?

And you can become so discouraged because of all the problems you have that you get your eyes off the purpose, off the goal. A friend of mine named Greg Steer, he says, I always keep and I was trying to drive the cause into people’s minds. True. Drive the cause. What’s the cause? The great cause. The cause is the great commission. About three years ago, I met with him out there in Colorado. I had flown out there for something. So we sit down and we talked and he was laying out all this stuff that he’s going to do.

And I thought, this guy comes up with more ideas on trying to get the same job done, but he hits it from this angle. And the next time I see him, he’ll come at it from another angle. but he’s always, he’s always after it. And I learned something from him. He challenged me, yeah. He encourages me. And so we do have fruit that will last forever. Keep sowing. Don’t get weary and well doing. Put a smile on your face.

Don’t always be down. Somebody told me this morning and said, you know, you should have been a stand-up comedian. Do you know, I didn’t plan half of that funny stuff that I said this morning. Maybe some of it was, some of it wasn’t. But it’s the way that I am. I enjoy life. Don’t you enjoy being alive? It’s so short, this little period of time that we have to live, it’s not gonna last very long. We’re gonna be out of here.

So we do what we can while we can. And we’re not supposed to think that, my God died and he’s sick and I’m, You know, now he’s alive. Talk to him this morning, he’s feeling fine. This is you and me. This is all the things that we do wrong. And God says all of us are sinners. The reason we commit the sin, because we have an owe-sin for nature. And God says all have sin and come short of his perfection.

That means we’re all condemned. To go to heaven, you have to be perfect. It writes, this has got a none of us are perfect. God says you can’t earn eternal life, you can’t work your way to heaven, you can’t buy it. So a man needs a Savior. This man represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord. God in the flesh. He came into the world because he loves us, but he hates our sin. She, our sin separates us from the Lord.

So Christ took the sin, paid for it on the cross and came back from the dead and said that if we would believe he did it for us, he would put the payment that he made to our account. And we get to go to heaven on what Christ did for us. That’s the best news in the world. world. That’s the best news to keep telling people about. So let me encourage you, don’t get weary and well doing. Just hang in and keep going.

Just always stay at it. And love your husband, love your wives, love your kids. You know, they’re gonna be gone one of these days and they won’t be around for you to love anymore. I mentioned this morning, I wish I I knew a lot of stuff years ago, but it was kind of late. I know I could have shown my mama and my brothers and sisters. I could have loved them better than I did. My son David, it’s in heaven right now.

I think I could have done a better job. I could have loved them more, showed it better. There’s so many things that I wish I could go back and undo it. I can’t do it. So why you can’t or what you have, love what you have. And love the Lord. Let’s pray, shall we? If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, understand it. Yes, God loves you. And He paid for your sins. All of them, not some of them, all of them.

And the only thing that you have to do is believe that He did it for you. And God said, if you’ll believe that He died and paid for your sins, that payment He made, put to your account. You get to go to heaven or what He did. And He said, it never cast you out, it never lose you. So would you trust Him? Would you believe it? There is a God. There is a God. And everything that I’m telling you is the truth.

And if you’ll trust Christ as your Savior right now, God would save you right now and give you eternal life. So we head by nine’s clothes as anyone at all. Say, yes, pray for me. I will accept Christ as my Savior. And I’d like for you to pray for me. Anyone at all, before we close, anyone at all. Our Father, we thank You so much for all that you’ve done for us, forgiven us that hope, that joyful anticipation. That one day it’s all going to be over here and we’re going to be in heaven.

That there was a purpose in our being born. There’s a purpose in our life. There’s a purpose in our death. We prayed Lord that we would understand, except whatever you have for us, to be used for your honor for your glory. Thank you for this church and these good people. And Father, this could be a hard week for some people. And some may face financial problems and some health, but whatever it is. We know that the great comforter of the Holy Spirit will walk us through it.

Father, there’s a lot of people that don’t believe that there is a God. They don’t have a comforter. They have no one to show them compassion and to forgive the Father we do and help us to share that as we sow and as we reap 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 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. 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. For 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.

My mama was a little bitty woman and She was dying she not much left from just getting bone and I would you go back in my mind? When I would talk to her about the Lord and I was asked if I would speak at this one church It was five years after I had trusted the Lord and mama came out to this little old church We out in the boonies right in the woods small church pine trees And I was preaching to everybody that was there, but I was really only talking to one person.

You know how that goes? I was honing on one person. That was my mom. And I gave the gospel over and over again and trying to explain it. And I asked for a raise of hand and my mom took that little hand of me and put it right back down and on. I talked to her many times after that. So anyway, I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Ecclesiastes. book of Ecclesiastes. Way back there in the Old Testament after the book of Proverbs, you know where it’s really wise in talking to people, Proverbs, and then uh oh, Ecclesiastes.

As you read the book of Ecclesiastes, you’ll find one of the key phrases under the sun, under the sun, under the sun. What it means is as a man without God, how you see life without God. Now, let’s just pretend, we’re going to do a little pretend in the name, pretend that there is no God. Now, according to the 14th chapter of Psalms, 14th Psalm, verse 1, a fool has said in his heart, there is no God, but let’s just be foolish for a moment and say there is no God.

If there is no God, what would become the purpose of life? Why are we here? Now you’re going to have to do a lot of search and try to find a purpose in life, a purpose for life itself. So take your Bible and turn to the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and look there in verse 19. So you’d have to come to the conclusion that if there is no God, And there is no real difference between man and animals.

For in verse 19, for that which befall of the sons of men befall of beast. Even one thing befall of them as the one dyath, so dyath the other. Yeah, they all have one breath so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast for all his vanity. Same thing happens to animals, it happens to people. You ever look at an animal? They got eyes, we got eyes. They got a nose, we got a nose. They got a mouth, we got a mouth.

They got ears, we got ears. They can walk, we can walk. I mean, so what makes the difference between you and animal? They die, we die. You see, when you can’t see God, you can’t see what happens when something dies. Then it’s left up to your imagination while if there is no God, then death is the end of everything. So we just pretend there’s no difference between us and an animal. Take your Bible and look there in the Ecclesiastes chapter 2.

Just turn to your left or chapter 2. And look in verse 17. Verse 17 and verse 19. Therefore I hated life because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me. For all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That’s because there’s no purpose. When the sea of the sun is no purpose, why do it? Why do anything? There’s no purpose. So then you had to try to figure out how to just make you happy. And this is where I really believe it or not.

Most people are. They live like an atheist. They have no purpose in life. So they go from one thing to the country of what will make me happy because it all will revolve around themselves. What do I want to do? Sorry, says in verse 18, yay, I hated all my labor, which I had taken under the sun because I should leave it unto the man that shall be. after me. Why should I work and slave and build all of it and just all of them do is leave it till the person comes after me?

Why? Well, we’re just pretending that there’s no God. No difference between us and animals and the purpose of life is gone because there is no purpose Because that means a planner, unintelligent, designed, reasons. Well, there can be none of that. We’re just a bunch of accidents. And, oh, we’re just a big bang. Lord, behold, the blob flipping around in the ooze of a now. And, Lord, behold, here we are. But we’re just an accident. And there is no God.

There’s no purpose to life. So power would make right. Just do whatever you want to do. Where would morals come from? Who was standards? What right does one dog got to tell another dog what a dog can and cannot do? I mean, what right would a person have to tell somebody what they can and cannot do? So what’s wrong with, you know, if you want to kill somebody, you just kill somebody? You know, they’re just an animal anyway. Even if you want to treat somebody wrong, steal, lie, cheat, so what?

Who says it’s wrong? According to who? She, there would be no right and wrong. But we’re just pretending because there is no God. So the fair is no God, all these other things that I’m saying would be true. So, in verse 19, he says, And who knew of whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he have ruled over all my labor wherein I have labored and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun?

This is all so vanity. In other words, I may have been wise and produced all these, this wealth only to leave it to a fool. What’s the purpose of that? So it’s kind of deflates the purpose of life, kills the will to live. You know, there’s a lot of people that live under that assumption because they don’t believe there is a God. There’s no purpose to life. Why should I make my marriage work? If I don’t want to, I don’t.

Who cares how the kids turn out? Who really cares? What’s right and wrong? What’s my goal? What’s my purpose in raising children? So I’d just do whatever you want to do. Most parents do. Nothing matters. Look in Ecclesiastes chapter 4. Chapter 4. Look there in verse 1. In verse 1, so I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done. done under the sun. You keep noticing that phrase under the sun. It’s like a lost man’s viewpoint. A lost man who has no hope in God.

And this is what the conclusions will be. This is how you’re going to think. And behold, the tears of such as were oppressed. They had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors, there was power, but they had no comforter. Because see, You and I, we know, okay, there’s the Holy Spirit, He’s a comforter, He helps us God. Oh, but for those, there’s no God, there is no such thing. A lot of people get a lot of comfort out of believing, you know, in what God said, but there is no God.

And so if there is no God, He didn’t say anything. And if He didn’t say anything, we’re on our own. You’re on your own. So we’re all on this globe, I hear in the middle of space, where are we going? What’s the purpose? What’s behind all of it? Look in verse 2, Wherefore I praised the dead, which are already dead, more than the living which are yet alive. In other words, the dead person is better off than the person that’s alive.

You know if all this is true, if there is no God, then the people that are dead are better off than those that are still living. You realize how much longer you might have to live, and you may have a lot of sorrow and a lot of misery coming down the road. road. So this is why people who have no hope. What I end it sooner. So that’s all there is, you know. So where are you going? You die.

We just go to the grave just six feet under and That’s what a lot of people think There is no hope all is vanity and vexation of spirit means everything’s empty. It’s all hollow. There’s no no purpose to anything So here in verse three says yay better is he than both they, which had not yet been, who have not seen the evil work that is done under the Sun. In other words, a man that’s dead is better than the person that’s alive or the person who is yet to be born.

Doesn’t this sound very encouraging and uplifting. I mean, this is the way it is when you live without God. But I got some news for you. There is no purpose, not only there’s no purpose in life, but without God’s it, there’s no purpose in death. What’s the purpose of death? Why? If there’s no God. It’s not why is there life? Why is there death? Explain it. They can’t explain it. Why does anything die? What’s the purpose of death? What’s accomplished by death?

Well, so if there is no God, then you’ll have to admit that there’s no heaven, then there’s no hell. and we are of all men most miserable. And then, and then, Christ came, and then Christ came. That changes everything. If Christ is real, and if He is who He claimed to be, It changes everything. It means that there is a God. Jesus coming into this world proves there is a God. Because God had it wrote in the Word and told all this in advance.

So if there is a God and Jesus is God, then there is a purpose to life. And there is a Creator, and we were created. And if we were created, then a God created you and I for a purpose. That means that I have a purpose in living, and there is a purpose in dying. There’s a purpose. The key, of course, is always to find out what it is. 1 John chapter 1 and verse 7 says that your joy may be full.

They’re saying that God wants us to know about Him. So what would you think would be the total reason for being, for living, our goal? The purpose of a man’s life. What is the duty of man? What is the duty of man? What does God want him to do? So Christ’s coming says that there is a God. Christ’s coming says that there is a difference between man and animal. And that there is a purpose to life and the purpose to death.

There is a reason. It also means that there is hope beyond the grave. And there’s something that man needs to listen to. I want you to take your Bible and look there in the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 12. You’re in the same book, just turn over there to Ecclesiastes and chapter 12. Now I believe that Solomon living under the law because David lived under the law. And this is a conclusion, a sum of the whole matter. Look at verse 13.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. God keep His commandments for this in your underlyingness in your word in the Bible. This is the whole duty of man. Now since we’re not under the law and we’re not living, you know, 3,000 years ago, we still understand from the teaching and the principles laid down in in the book of Ecclesiastes that there is a God. And that man should fear God. And the whole duty of man is to know his word and certain.

In verse 14, for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be bad. God will. So there is accountability. There’s accountability. You know, there’s a lot of people who think that, well, I’m a self-made man. I don’t need God. I don’t need God. Let me just kind of give you a little bit of an idea how stupid that statement is. A man to say, I don’t need God. All right, let me ask you this.

Do you need food to live? All right, you do. Who made it? God. So. All right, you do. Who made it? God. So God made the food, and you need food to live. So you don’t need God, But God made the food. Okay? See if you can live without the food. Because you don’t need God. Another point. Does a man need air to live? You need air to live. Okay question. Who made the air? So God made the air that you need to live.

But you don’t need God. So let’s do away with what God provided. Let’s do away with the air. Are you still so independent? I don’t need God then you don’t need food and you don’t need air. You see, I need God because God supplies the air. God supplies the food and without God there would be no food, there would be no air. Do you need water? I think you probably need water. Question. Who made the water? God?

But you don’t need God? Do you need water? Then evidently you need God. Because God is the one that made the water. Do you realize I could go on and on? And yet there’s people that I don’t need God. Okay, take away everything God provided. See how well you’re doing. Maybe you don’t need that body you got either. Maybe God could take that body away from you. And then what? Well, so I must admit to be an inferior and I must admit that I am dependent upon God for life.

My life came from God and I depend upon God for sustaining my life. Remember in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and he made that garden and took the dirt of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul and God put him in this beautiful beautiful beautiful garden? God has provided everything that we need, because we could not exist without God. And you don’t need God. Sounds a little like a man’s deal with.

He’s arrogant. Besides being a fool, he’s dumb, stupid, ignorant. Because anybody with reasonable thinking power knows that without the Lord there there would be no life. I was looking at that little baby that Betty was holding yesterday at the wedding. Little old bitty type, little bitty thing. And the little boy was there and I had told him this earlier and I says, is that is that a real baby?” I said, that’s not a toy. I said, it means it’s real.

And you look a little baby and you think, how in the world could anybody think that this was created by a man? God had to do this to make a baby. He realized that everything has the power to reproduce after its own kind, just like God said, to reproduce. The power to procreate, it’s unreal. It’s a miracle because you could not have designed it. What part of this baby could you have developed without the other parts being developed in the baby live?

You see, it was all one time. He got his ears, nose and eyes, and all that. All at once. It’s all there. Arms and legs, it’s all there. I consider it to be a miracle. Turning your Bible to the book of Romans in chapter 14, the book of Romans, and chapter 14. Romans 14, and look there in verse 12. You don’t have verse 12 underlining your Bible, you maybe could should consider it. But you-see, there is a God, and because there is a God, I am different from animals.

And I do have a purpose in life and there is a purpose in death and The whole duty of man is to find out what Does God want man to do? And Romans in chapter 14 look there in verse 12, so then every one of us shall give a count of himself to nothing to God because there is a God, man is accountable, man is responsible. That means that I’m supposed to do something that this God wants me to do.

So the key of course is to find out what is it that God wants me to do with my life that he gave to me. I love these verses. Look at in verse 10. Well why does Thou judge Thy brother? or why said if not thy brother, for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. This is those that no Christ is Savior, yes? And all the people that don’t know the Lord, they still got a given account to the Lord.

It’s appointed unto every man once to die and after this, the judgment. So there is accountability. Man does have to, he’s going to have to do it. So I am personally responsible to God. And I wrote something down in my little notes here. This is what I wrote to him. No power or another line of authority can relieve me of a God-given responsibility. Nobody has the right to relieve me of my God-given responsibility. I am personally accountable. I am personally responsible.

And there is coming a day of recognition. Payday, someday. We’ve got to give an account to God. So life is just getting ready, preparing to meet God. You know that’s a verse in the Old Testament that says, prepare to meet thy God. Dum, dum, dum, dum, dum. Matthew chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. You know this talks a little bit about the parables and all in chapter 13. But look in verse 38. Verse 38. Just kind of give you a little bit of an idea as God looks at this world.

He says, the world is a field and God has placed us into the world means into the field. So he says, the field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom. Now that would be a reference to those that know the Lord. But all I know is that here is the world and I’m in the world and there’s two things I need to find out about this whole world in which I live. One, what am I doing here?

And where is it that He wants me to do it? So what is my job? And where does He want me to do my job? The Bible talks about us being sores and reapers. You’ll find many illustrations given where sowing and reaping, sowing and reaping. The 126 Psalms is about sowing and reaping. There’s another verse found there in the book of Galatians in chapter 6. Look at this verse real quick. Galatians in chapter 6. And look there in verse 7, verse 7.

If you see and understand just a few simple things, you’ll notice there as he talks to those who know Christ is Savior, verse 7, be not deceived. God is not mocked. So how do you mock God? By thinking you can do whatever you please and get away with it. It’s what it boils down to. There’s a price to pay. Bad decisions will reap certain consequences. consequences. Good decisions will reap certain consequences. But in verse 7 He says for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.

So we’re put into this world for a purpose and I believe that main purpose is sow and to reap. So you and I are going to sow things and we’re going to reap things. So you said, well, I didn’t ask to be born. Who did? But here we are. And so you and I, while we’re in this world, for the last 50 years, I have been sowing. Now, when you read the book of Ruth, you’ll find that it talks about sowing handfuls on purpose.

In other words, She’s sewing seed on purpose. Why is she doing that? Because she has a purpose. It’s going to be sewn and something’s going to grow and something’s going to come up and somebody’s going to reap something. Every time you go to work, you’re sewing a certain amount of work. You’re dispensing labor. and people are paying you for something that you gave. So you are sewing and reaping a paycheck. Everyone that’s in this room, if you’ve ever held a job, you sew and you reap.

When it comes to a wife, you are sewing certain things and you’re gonna reap certain things. So be careful how you sew. And the wife is sewing and reaping. Children are learning how to sow and reap. To the Christian. Is it not true that we are to sow and to reap? That’s what the word of God is talking about. Now you and I know that we’re in a field and we’re supposed to sow the good seed, the good seed.

Now wonder what that is. and it tells you that the seed, the good seed, is the Word of God. So you and I have a perfect word to sow the good seed. If I’m sowing good seed, then I expect certain things to come from that. You know why over the years I have sought to be faithful to sowing and sowing on purpose. In other words, doing it deliberately, not accidentally, but deliberately. In other words, it’s something that I do because it’s a right thing to do.

It’s something God wants me to do. And I do it because everyone should do it that knows the Lord. 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 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 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. 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 GospelOSPEL of Jesus Christ through the radio and the Internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the Internet. The 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. grow in the Lord, you must keep believing and continue believing in the faithfulness of God, in the Word of God. That’s why in these chapters, if you look there in chapter 4, look in verse 12, he’s talking about what? For the word of God is quick. It means it’s alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.

Pearson even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, And then another joint in the moral, that’s the body. So you got body, soul, and strength, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intent of the heart. The word of God is able to meet the need, body, soul, and spirit, to sever all three and teach you things that no other book can teach you because this is a spiritual book for spiritual people to God’s people. And look what he said in verse 13, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

And is he still talking to the believers? Of course he’s talking to believers. This book is to the believers. It’s not to the lost man. It’s talking about the believers growing in the Lord. Now you know what most people have a problem with, they think you can be saved the day and then lost when you’re when you’re sending in God. And then you get saved again, and then you do something wrong, now you lost again. Well, at that rate, you’ll never get out of your diapers.

You’ll never get out of diapers. You’ll stay a baby all you like you can’t grow because if every time you fall and stumble, now you’re no longer saved, then you’ll never grow up. How many have, did that happen to you? Ah, the little nutty fell again, put him back. You didn’t put him, you can’t put him back. Youaditional might like to, but you can’t put him back. And when you trust Christ as your Savior, you’re born into God’s family.

Now learn how to walk. And you’re gonna stumble, you’re gonna fall, and you’re gonna sometimes lay in the mud, and you’re still sinned, you do all these wicked things you’re not supposed to do. And sooner or later, you just keep struggling, and you’ll learn how to walk with the Lord. But many of God’s people, they go astray instead of walking with the Lord and growing up and being mature. And it makes so much sense when you keep the gospel as the lens by which you study the rest of Scripture.

If you get mixed up on that, then you take all these scriptures and make it say something it doesn’t say. And then nobody would know. Let’s say for example, all these verses really means that you’ve got to earn it. You would be so confused and so mixed up. You would have a clue whether you’re coming or going. know if you had it today and lost it tomorrow, if you ever had it, or you… that’s stupidity. It leaves you with a big fat zero.

You don’t know anything because that means you can lose your salvation because it depends on you. And all of these words, what does it mean that nobody knows for sure where they’re going with they die? Or I can say, I know what God says when He talks about salvation, that’s free. That’s a gift. It always is. But when He talks about serving the Lord. Yes, I may stumble. I can fall. I can get up. And God will clean me off and keep going again.

And He’s going to be with me and He’s my Father. And He’s going to correct me and lead me and guide me and spank me. It may even take me home before my time. See that way we’ll explain scripture. The other way does not work because it’s not scripture. So anyway, as you go through here and you see all of this, look down there in chapter three again, down in chapter three, where it makes the statement in verse 13, but exhort one another daily.

While it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. So can Christians still be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin? Yes! You still can. You can still become rebellious and walk away from the Lord. And verse 14, for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end, to the end of what? Where are you going? till you get to maturity where you can learn to grow and to rest in the Lord and You rest in his work and not trying to make it happen on yourself.

See there in chapter 4. Look down there in verse 9 Where he says they remain if therefore a what’s that word? rest to who? to the people of God But a lot of God’s children never enter into that rest now you’ll see that when you get over in chapter 10 and chapter 12 and gives us an illustration in the whole chapter 11 of those who listen to what God said and live by faith. Live by faith means believing God.

When you say you’re man you’re saved by grace, you saved by faith. What did you do to be saved by faith? You believe God. Unbelief is not to believe God and there’s children of God that will not believe and trust them. See they’re in verse 19? So we see in chapter 3, so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Enter into what heaven? We’re not talking about heaven. We’re talking about the Old Testament people that were in the wilderness and they could not enter into the Promised Land because of their unbelief.

Remember there were 12 guys that went out and they spied out the land. They came back to who believed, 10 of them believed you couldn’t. Who got to go into the Promised Lamb? The two that believed. And God let all those people that did not believe it, He let them die in the wilderness and raise up another generation. 40 years later, they got to go in. Did Moses believe? Yes, Moses believed. But what did he do? He was supposed to talk to the rock.

And he smoked the rock. What was the wrong with that? He had already told him one time to strike the rock. That’s the type of the crucifixion of Christ. He was smitten once for us and the water came out. The next time he was told to just speak to the rock. But because of his anger, he didn’t speak to the rock. He spoke the rock again, which is a wrong thing. It’s like Christ being crucified over again. Now then chapter six, it refers to that.

You crucified Christ over again. You see, it’s like Christ died for my sins up to the time I believe. And then if I do something wrong, I’m gone. Go in hell again. So if I got to get saved again, I can get that sin paid for because evidently he didn’t pay for the first time and if he has to die again, then you’re crucifying them over again. How many times does Christ have to come down and pay for our sins?

Only one time. Why? Because he paid for all of them when he did it once. And you’ll read that in the book of Hebrews in chapter 10. So as you go through here, you see all of this, and you think, what is all of this talking about? See, God wants something more for us. And there are some ifs in the Christian life. And if you do not apply yourself, and if you don’t believe the word of God, there are consequences.

This insurance plan that God had gives you eternal life when you touch a crisis, your Savior. There’s other things that God has guaranteed that if you serve him, he said, I’ll bless your life. And there’s other things he said, if you don’t, I’m going to beat the tar out of you. And you better believe what God says, but I heed it and not let this so great salvation just slip through your fingers like it’s no big deal. No big, it is a big deal.

That’s why everything that we do is a big deal. Well look there in chapter 6, chapter 6. You’ll notice when he says here in verse 6, If they shall fall away to renew them again into repentance, If they shall fall away. Alright, I wonder what that means. Well, it goes up there to the verse that says in verse 3, and this what we do, if God permits, Well, what’s that there for? Well, it goes back to verse 1. You see, all of it flows together.

In chapter 5, the last part of it, because there’s children of God that had not been studied, they had not been growing. There’s still babes in Christ. As you’ll see there in verse 13, where it says in chapter 5, for everyone that uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness. He’s a babe. He’s unskilful. He’s a babe, he’s in Christ, but he’s not mature and can handle spiritual responsibilities. But in verse 14, strong meat belong to them that are full aid.

So we’re talking about people growing up in the Lord. Those who by reason of you have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. So you know right from wrong because you have matured in the Lord and you’ve learned. But what about those that haven’t? What about the Christian that hasn’t learned? So in verse 1 he says, therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection. In other words, you don’t have to lay the foundation again.

It means you don’t have to get the person saved again because he’s already saved. He’s already born. You don’t have to unborn a baby because they did something wrong. You got to clean up the little child and teach him how to behave himself and how to use a little potty and how to do this and how to teach him everything, how to walk and how to talk and spend the rest of your life kind of a sit down and shut up.

Now look, in verse one, not layin’ again the foundation. Why? Because the foundation’s not gone anywhere. You see, once you trust Christ as your Savior, you’re on the foundation which is Christ. There is no other foundation. There’s only one and that’s Christ. And then he says, not lay in the foundation of repentance from dead work. See, to get saved you have to change your mind and not trust in dead works to give you life. It means you don’t trust in your works, you have to trust in Christ.

So this verse is showing you what the word repentance means and how it relates to salvation. So the Christian doesn’t have to lay that foundation again. You don’t have to get them saved again because they already are. So you’re able to leave that and go on to something else. And this is what he says in verse 3, and this we will do if God permits. Well how come God wouldn’t permit it? Because of your unbelief. If you don’t believe the Word of God you can’t grow.

You can’t mature. You do not mature it in the Lord because you come to church. You mature in the Lord when you learn the Word and and believe it. That’s what causes you to grow. That’s why some people can go to church all their life and never grow. There’s still babes and some can learn the word of God. They devour it and they believe it and they become strong in the Lord. And he says, and this is what we do.

And here’s why. You don’t have to get him saved again because he said in verse 4, it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, made partakers of the Holy Ghost, tasted the good word of God, the powers of the world that come, if they could fall away to get saved again. It is impossible for somebody to get saved, lose their salvation, and then get saved again. Because the only way you get saved again is that Christ has to come back and die for the sin that He didn’t pay for the first time, because how can that one sin that you commit after you’re saved cause you to go to hell?

Christ died for my sins so that I don’t have to pay for it. It means I can’t go to hell to pay for a sin if he paid for it. Why can’t people see that? And yet you be surprised the very verses that you will use to show them that it’s free and that last forever are the same verses they try to show you that mean something else. But anyway, so in verse six he says, for if they shall they shall fall away to renew them again unto what repentance?

To another change, in other words, you got to change your mind and get saved again. He said, it’s impossible. Can’t do it. So he says here, seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame. What they’re saying is that when Christ died, He did not die for all of my sins. only up to the time I believe, and now I’ve got to really watch it because from here on out it depends on me.

Oh, they say, yeah, I’m trusting Christ, but, and then they butt him all over the place. He says, you’re crucified them over again. And that’s why you find out in chapter 10. Hold your place right here and look in chapter 10. Hebrews 10. And notice they’re in verse 10, where he says, where he says, by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. What’s the next words? Once for all. Look in verse 12.

But this man, referring to Christ, after he had offered how many sacrifices? One sacrifice for sins, plural, for how long? For ever sat down. It’s done. Look in verse 14, for by one offer and he has perfected for how long Forever them that are sanctified. Those that believe it are made pure and holy for forever. There is no more sacrifice ever going to be made. That’s why he said when Christ comes the next time he comes without sin and the salvation.

He did that the first time he come, but the second time he doesn’t come back to make a payment for sin. It’s already done. And because of that we can have the free gift of eternal life and be assured. We’re going to heaven when we die. Now, take your Bible and look there in chapter 10 and verse 26. Look at verse 26 where he says, for if, see that, if we sin willfully, now I got you. You know what I enjoy?

People who try to throw verses at me like, I’ve never heard that before. But they’re going to shock me. Like they know something I haven’t never heard. And then they can’t quote it right. They don’t know where it’s found in the Bible. And then I have to tell them. I can not only tell them where it’s found, I can quote it for them. And then I show it to them. And this is what, look, now the we here is the believer, not the lost man.

We, for if we believers willfully sin after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remain, what? No more sacrifice for sin. He’s not coming back to pay for the sin. So that means he either had to pay for it the first time he did it, or it’ll never be paid for, and if it’s never going to be paid for in the future, then that’s why you can’t get saved again. So if you could ever get lost, you can never get saved again.

But what can I look forward to if? I do this willfully. In verse 27, a certain fearful looking for a judgment and firing big nation because God is going to beat the tar out of his children. You said, this is not talking about the believer. Well, blessed be God. What does he say in verse 30? For we know him that hath said, vengeance belong with them to me. I will recompense sayeth the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge his people.

Is that what he said? Lord’s going to judge his people. Why do you think in chapter 12, he’s talking about God chasing his children. How can he chasing me? If I do something wrong, I’m no longer his child. Can’t touch me. I did something wrong. Can’t touch me. How would you, would that work with your child? Johnny, take out the trash. I will not. Okay. You’re not my child anymore. Don’t work there. Why would it work in God’s family?

So you want your God’s child, your his child, forever, forever. You mean even if you’re disobedient, even if you’re disobedient. God has a ways and means committee. And he knows how to deal with disobedient children. And that’s the purpose of the book. So that for the ifs in life, you know what’s going to take place. And you better obey the Lord and serve him. And that’s why he said up in verse 29, of how much sore punishment, suppose he.

So he’d be thought worthy of who have trodden underfoot the son of God, have counted the blood of the covenant. Where would get that he was sanctified? You see, when you go back there to chapter 10, where he talks about he is forever sanctified, them that are sanctified or perfected forever. You’re his child forever. Now he’s talking about his children being disobedient and he says, those of his children that have been sanctified made pure and holy because of the blood of Christ and then for his children not to serve him, to walk and rebellion to him, to sin willfully and they know it’s wrong and still do it.

Are they still safe? Yes, still safe. But God’s gonna chase in them. So what does God want us to do? He wants us to walk by faith and to live by faith. Look down here in verse 35 where he says, “‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, “‘which hath great recompense of reward.'” You see, those who do know the Lord, and if you will serve the Lord, you have rewards that you’re going to get. Don’t cast away your confidence in the Lord.

Believe the Lord, keep serving the Lord, and it will be worth it. And then he says here in verse 38, now the just shall live out by faith. And now he takes the whole 11th chapter and gives us illustration after illustration, not of so-called perfect people in their life where Christ was the Lord and the Master of every area of their life. No, it wasn’t. These are people. That I believed and many of them had failed in their life and God used them and God still blessed them.

And so we have illustrations of those who believe what God said. It wasn’t that after the flood that Noah got drunk. It wasn’t that David that committed murder. adultery. But you see here in the 11th chapter you don’t find any of their faults mentioned. Only the areas where they had believed God and they did what God says do. Did you know when you get to heaven everything you’ve done wrong God’s not going to reward you for none of that.

He’s going to reward you for what you did do. What you did do by faith because you did believe him. So we got a whole 11th chapter trying to encourage you and I to live by faith, live by faith. Look Look there in chapter 12 very quickly. And notice what he says in verse seven, if, if ye endure chastening, why would you have to endure chastening if whenever you did something wrong, you lost your salvation? Why is God chastening me if I’m no longer his child?

But evidently I must still be his child, and my heavenly Father is still gonna chasten me. See there in verse five, looking verse five, where he says, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, my son, despised not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuke of him. Why would God do that? Because you’re still his child and you can still faint and you can still quit and you don’t want to do what God says to you.

You don’t want to read. You don’t want to obey and you still can live like a lost man, but it’s not the will of God, but people do it. And God says, I’m going to have to chase in you. But why would God chase in me because he still loves us? I’m so glad that God will never cast me out and never lose me. And that God is going to give me all the personalized attention that I need, whether I want it or not.

And when you go astray, he’ll never let you go. There’s consequences. And you can’t run anywhere away from God. Where can you go that your heavenly Father cannot see and go? There’s a guy in the Bible. I think his name was Jonah, wasn’t it? That tried that little shenanigans. And how did it go with him? He got down in the mouth, didn’t he? But he came out all right. And see what he says down here in verse 9, Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence.

Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirit and live? So you You see the connection between a father who has children and God who has children and how the father disciplines his children and so God is going to discipline not correct us. You see up there in verse 12 and now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous. I mean have you ever enjoyed getting a whooping? He said, nevertheless afterwards it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

So you see, God is looking down the road and He sees where you’re going. He knows what you ought to do and He knows how you ought to be. He knows your potential. He’s the one that knows what you’re capable of accomplishing. And your heavenly Father wants to bring you to the desired end. He wants to mature you and only he can teach you and mature you. See, preacher can’t make you strong in the Lord. All I can do is teach the Word.

You’re the one that has to decide whether or not you’re going to listen to it or not. Or you’re going to obey it or apply it in any way. That’s between you and God. Nobody else can walk your spiritual life for you. Nobody can make you a strong Christian. And they can’t make you a weak Christian. That’s a choice that you can make. So I encourage you that yes, you may have Christ as your Savior, and you’re His child, and you have eternal security.

You have an insurance plan that covers it at all. But understand, there’s a few of these little writers that you need to understand for the ifs in life. There’s consequences. I have a few other verses that I wanted to cover, but time slowly gets away. Anyway, look up here. If you’re here tonight or if you’re watching by internet, understand that God does love us. And no man is capable of saving himself. This hand represents Jesus Christ. Excuse me. This hand represents you and me.

And this wallet represents all the bad things that we do. We’ve all done things wrong. And God says that we have to pay for it and that’s eternal separation from God in hell. But God says He wants us to go to heaven and to go to heaven we have to be perfect as righteous as God. But you and I will never be perfect in our life. We can’t live good enough to go to heaven. So God says that heaven is perfect and we’re not.

So we cannot earn our way to heaven by our good deeds. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s God in the flesh. He came into the world 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 ours, paid for it on the cross and said if we would believe that He did it for us, He would put this payment to our account and we get to go to heaven on what He did.

All that we have to do is the only thing we can do is believe it. If you’ll believe that He did it for you, that He died and paid for all of your sins, He would give you as a free gift everlasting life and they’ll never cast you out and never lose you. That’s the best news in all the world. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed and every eye closed, no one looking around. Why not right now, just between you and the Lord?

Whether you’re here in the auditorium or you’re watching by internet, would you believe that Christ died for you, that He paid for everything you’ve ever done? And if you trust Him and Him alone, not this preacher, not the church, just trust him. He said he would save you and give you eternal life. And you’re going to know positive, but know that you’re going to heaven when you die. If you make that decision, I’d like to know it, and I’d like to have prayer for you.

So I’m going to ask you if you just slip your hand very quickly and say yes, pray for me. I will accept Jesus Christ tonight as my savior. And friend, if you’ve already done it, you don’t have to do it again. Is there anyone at all before we close? Anyone at all? Our Father, we thank you so much. again for your word that you’ve given us. And Lord, your word is so simple, it’s so, so clear. And we just pray for wisdom and all these matters.

There’s so many people that don’t know it, don’t see it. And we pray Lord, we could win as many as we can. We know that time is running out. We believe you’re coming soon. Help us to be faithful. Remind us Lord of those things that we need to know. Let’s each person here, each family representative, Use them for your honor and glory. Christ name be pray. 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 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. 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.

If you have a Bible, turn to the book of Mark, the book of Mark chapter 14, Mark chapter 14. Most of us in this room have insurance. You have insurance on your car for several reasons. One, because if you want to drive, you have to have license. then the state demands that you have insurance. Now why do you have to have insurance? In case, in case you hit somebody, or in case somebody hits you, in case somebody wants to sue you.

So we take out insurance to cover that. And then of course you need medical insurance. And most people have a little bit of some kind of medical insurance. Now why do we want medical insurance? Just in case something happens. You might get sick. And if you get sick, you might have to go to the doctor or the hospital. And it might cost more than what you have to pay so you carry insurance just in case. As you’ve seen in many of the ball games, they’ll have this blimp going over with Snoopy’s.

Snoopy blimp, you ever seen Snoopy blimp? And it had on their met life for the if in life. So you have the word life, and in the word life is those two letters, if for the if in life. And I thought about that one day, and I thought about what about the ifs in life? From another perspective, what about the ifs in the Christian life? The insurance that we buy down here is for everything that deals with us concerning our first birth.

Think about it. We have death insurance. Well it’s not the death of the second birth because it doesn’t die. And it can’t be that we have health insurance for the second birth because it doesn’t get sick. And it really doesn’t need the drive. What just happened to be trapped in a body that needs all this protection? So for the ifs in life, for the if in our Christian life, did you know that whenever you trusted Christ as your Savior, God gave you eternal life?

Now this eternal life that He gave you is kind of like in this life, because I’m not I’m not dead yet. I’ve got insurance. I have got insurance. Not when I die, I get to go to heaven. Now you know if you have car insurance, you have to make payments. And if you have health insurance, you’ve got to make payments. And then of course you’ve got house insurance. And you’ve got all kinds of insurances. You can be, if it wasn’t for paying all those insurance payments, You might have enough money to live on.

But everybody pays so much in just in case something happens. Well do you know when God took the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness they didn’t have any insurance? They had absolutely no insurance. They had no guarantee they would get any food or water. There was no health insurance. There was no clothes insurance. There was no shoe insurance. There was no insurance at all. All they had was God’s Word. And you know what, that’s worth.

But that was all they needed. All they had to do was trust the Lord. Now, when you and I trust Christ as our Savior, God gives us eternal life. But down here, we have to keep making these payments on all this insurance. And that’s why I believe some people think that when you supposedly get saved, Christ paid all the payments up to the time you get saved. And now you have to make those regular payments in order to to keep your insurance.

And if you don’t keep making the payments by your good life, then he’s going to take and drop your insurance. And you never know at what point he’s going to drop it. And you’re going to get stuck. And if you die without the insurance, you’re going to hell. But what about the if in the Christian’s life? What I like about the insurance premium that we have when he 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 eternal life is that when He made the payment, He paid all the premiums in advance.

All the payments have already been made for my whole life. The premium has already been paid. I don’t have to make one payment for this insurance that I’ve got. Now I like that. Mark and chapter 14, I want you to look in verse 26. Verse 26, you know and I know that there are people who teach that you must make Christ the Lord, the master of your life in order to be saved. Some tell you that if Christ is not Lord of all, then he’s not Lord at all and if he’s not Lord at all, then you’re not saved.

And so they say, you must commit your life to Christ and Him be the Lord of the Master of your life. He had some disciples and look where they were in verse 26 and when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. When it says they sung to Him, I believe Jesus sung with them. They all sung this hymn. In verse 27 and Jesus said to them, all ye shall be offended because of me this night.

For it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered.” He was the shepherd and they are the sheep. And he was going to be crucified and they’re going to be scattered. Jesus already knew what they were going to do. Of course, they didn’t know that, but in verse 28, but after that, I am risen. I will go before you in the Galilee. But Peter said unto him, although all shall be offended, yet? Well, not I.

Isn’t that wonderful of Peter? I mean, though everybody else might deny you, Lord, you’re wrong on this one account. Because Jesus had just said, all shall be offended because of me. And Peter says, not so Lord. Now, he said that later too. He got in trouble as usual. But he says in verse 29, yet will I not. And Jesus said unto him, verily I sinned to thee, that this day, in this night before the cockroach twice, thou shalt deny me thrice, but he spake the more vehemently, but I should die with thee.

I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. Now I’ve asked those that believe that you can lose your salvation because they believe you you have to make Christ the Lord and the master of your life, because you’ve got to serve the Lord. What would cause you to lose your salvation? First thing you always say, sing black is, well, you’ve got to, if you deny the Lord, if you deny the Lord. Well, let me ask you a question.

Did the disciples deny the Lord? Every one of them denied the Lord. He says, you are all denying me. Likewise in verse 31, they all said that. So when they said, we will not deny you, are they saying that Christ, you’re the Lord and a master of my life, we will serve you even to death. We will not fail. Well, doggy, as you go down through here, you’ll notice there are several things that are mentioned. See there in verse 34, and he said unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death.

And this is all he asked him to do. He said, watch. Watch. And as he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee. Take away this cup from me, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou will. And he cometh and findeth him sleeping and said unto Peter in Simon’s sleepest thou? Couldest thou not watch one hour?

So this Lord and Master business Were they saved because they had committed their life to Christ and whatever you tell us to do we will do it He says watch Did they do it they didn’t do that Then he says there in verse 38 8. Watch you and pray. So there’s two of them added together now. Watch and pray. Did he give him a second chance? Yeah he did. So whenever Christ is supposed to be the Lord and the master of your life, does that mean you’re supposed to obey Him?

Because if you’re supposed to obey Him in order to be saved, then they should have obeyed Him, but they didn’t obey Him. So they must have been lost. All the disciples weren’t saved, is that right? You see, it’s a ridiculous teaching, because you’ll notice what he says here in verse 38, watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The Spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again, he went away and prayed and spaked the same words, and when he returned, he found them asleep again.

For their eyes were heavy, neither was they what to answer him. So he says, watch, they didn’t do it. Watch and pray. And they didn’t do that either. I doesn’t sound like he’s in charge or he’s the master. And it sure looks like they didn’t have him as the Lord and the master of their life in every area of their life. So I guess all of these, now remember, he had just had a meal with them. They just sung a hymn together.

And now all of them have denied him. Look down in verse 50. Verse 50 says, and they all forsook him and fled. All of them did. They had just said they wouldn’t. So now, okay, Christ is now not the Lord and the Master of their life. Does that mean they’re not saved? See people who teach that you must make Christ the Lord and the Master of your life and serve the Lord. And if he’s not Lord of all, he’s not Lord at all.

all are going to have problems with this. They always do. And that’s why some people cannot understand that when Christ died, He paid for all of their sins and all you’re doing is accepting what He did for you. Now after we trust Christ as our Savior, there’s a lot of ifs in life. What if I don’t serve the Lord? What if I don’t grow? What if I’m not what God wants me to be? Am I still saved? Now according to the Bible, yes we are.

But I do want you to take your Bible and look there with me in the book of Hebrews, the book of Hebrews and chapter 2. Hebrews and chapter 2. Make sure you follow me in the scriptures on this because I want you to look at the if in life. the if in the Christian life. What if the Christian doesn’t do everything the Christian is supposed to do? And you’ll notice that there are several verses in the Bible that will deal with this issue.

And it says here in verse 1, therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard less at any time we should let them slip. Now this is the apostle, and he’s including himself talking about we and what we know, what we’ve heard, what we’ve learned, not to let these truths slip. And there’s a reason. In verse 2, for if, if the word spoken by angels was steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received they just recompense of reward.

In other words, in the Old Testament, God gave His word and people obeyed or disobeyed, and if they didn’t obey the Lord, there were consequences and God dealt with them. So if they could not escape the chastening hand of God, should a Christian think that he can escape. The chastening hand of God. See, once you trust Christ’s Savior, yes, you’re His child forever. But there’s many of God’s children that do not reach maturity. You see, the only thing that separates a child of God from a man of God is the word of God in between.

And so some Christians do not grow because they don’t believe what God says. So just like unbelief, So a lost man can keep a lost man, lost. But to a Christian unbelief can cause a Christian not to grow and to mature. So we have to know where is God leading us? What does he want? So hold your place right there and look in chapter 6 where he’s talking about where is he leading us? And verse one, therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection or to maturity, wanting us to grow up, wanting us to mature so that we can do the thing that God wants us to do.

Many of God’s children are not able to eat meat. They’re only able to drink milk. And then chapter five right above this is talking about how that those who cannot eat meat and only can drink milk are still babes in the Lord. He says, for when the time you ought to be able to teach others, you have need that one teach you again to cause you to grow. So you have to understand that in the context, where is this taking us?

What is God trying to accomplish? And so he says there in verse three of chapter two, How shall we, the believer, escape if we, the believer, neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken of by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. God also bearing them witness them, both with signs and wonders and with divers, miracles, gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will. So those that heard Him confirm the word unto us by signs and miracles.

But once the word had been confirmed unto us, as I said in the book of Mark chapter 16, you don’t need those signs and miracles anymore because the word had been confirmed. So as you go through and you read it, you find out there’s a reason why God says what He does. And so for the ifs in life, as you go through the book of Hebrews that deals with the ifs in life, you’ll find out in Hebrews in chapter 12 that God’s going to chasten His children.

He chastens if we don’t serve Him and if we don’t grow, if we do not mature as we should, if we do not fulfill God’s will for our life, There are consequences. Now, we’re covered, we have eternal life. That’s all been paid for. But there also are consequences in our life, in this present life, if we do not serve Him. But if I do serve Him, there are some extra writers that He has in there, benefits that that I can have that’s covered.

So I have to be wise in knowing what’s covered and what’s not covered. I know that if I serve the Lord, I don’t have a care in the world, but I know that if I don’t serve the Lord, I’ve got good reasons to live in Holy fear. The chasting hand of God is gonna come down, And I don’t know when and I don’t know how, but I know it’s sure. So notice, he has given us some things to think about.

Now look in chapter 3. Chapter 3, it makes the statement in verse 6, but Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the whole firm until the end. That means until the end when you reach maturity so that you can enjoy it, the rest that this chapter is talking about. How that the children of Israel in the Old Testament, in the wilderness, many of them died in the wilderness and never got to enter into the rest.

The rest was the land, the promised land that they never got there. Now, the promised land in the Old Testament, the land of Canaan, in reality, is not a type or a picture of heaven. It’s a picture of Christian victory. And a lot of Christians never learn enough of the word so that they can enjoy Christian victory in their life and never get to where they learn how to trust the Lord and rest in the Lord. So that causes all the worry and the impatience.

And we’re like children, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctor or every trial and tribulation that comes along. And we’re not solid. So God says, I want you to know Moses had his house, Jesus has his house. There’s certain things that the law tries to build you into and there’s some things that Christ wants to build. And he says, whose house are ye? If you will allow the Lord to build you. You see, that’s why Christ lives within us.

And he says, building up yourselves in your most holy faith. So it means that I, as a child of God, God wants me to be built like a house. Cause he wants to live in this house with me. And remember, there’s a story in the book of Matthew in chapter seven that says, a wise man built his house upon the rock. The teachings of Christ. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. Is it possible for a child of God to build a house upon sand?

But God wants us to build on the rock. And he says, but you need to continue doing this and walking with the Lord and becoming strong and discipline your life so that you can grow and to be the way God says to be, because if you don’t, if you don’t, these ifs in life, he says, you’re gonna find yourself hardening your heart. Now, this is to the believer, not to the lost man, it’s to God’s children. So look what he says in verse seven, wherefore as the Holy Ghost sayeth, today if you are an underliner, sure could that little word if you will hear his voice, hard not your hearts as in the day of provocation when they provoke God in the wilderness.

When your fathers tempted me, prove me and saw my work 40 years. He said, I was grieved with that generation. He says down in verse 11, so I swear in my wrath, they shall not enter into my red. They never got into the promise land, or they left Egypt, which is the type of your salvation from the Red Sea and passing over. And the Christian going through the wilderness, learning how to walk, but some Christians never mature and never able to enter into the promised land that flows with milk and honey.

And so because of their unbelief, a Christian wanders around in the wilderness all the days of his life and never matures. Never learned how to take God as a word and trust the Lord. And because you see, to grow in the Lord, you must keep believing and continue believing in the faithfulness of God, in the Word of God. That’s why in these chapters, if you look there in chapter four, look in verse 12, he’s talking about what? For the Word of God is quick.

It means it’s alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Pearson even to the dividing a sunder of soul and spirit and another joint in the moral. That’s the body. So you got body, soul, and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intent of the heart. The Word of God is able to meet the need, body, soul, and spirit. The sever, all three, and teach you things that no other book can teach you because this is a spiritual book for spiritual people, to God’s people.

And look what he said in verse 13, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. And is he still talking to the believers? Of course he’s talking to believers. This book is to the believers. It’s not to the lost man. It’s talking about the believers growing in the Lord. Now you know what most people have a problem with is they think you can be saved the day and then lost when you’re when you’re sin against God.

And then you get saved again, then you do something wrong now you lost again. Well at that rate you’ll never get out of your diapers. You’ll never get out of diapers. You’ll stay a baby all you’ll like vim’t grow. Because if every time you fall and stumble, Well, now you no longer saved, then you’ll never grow up. How many of, did that happen to you? Ah, the little nut he fell again, put him back.

You can’t put him back. You might like to, but you can’t put him back. And when you trust Christ as your Savior, you’re born into God’s family. Now learn how to walk. And you’re going to stumble, you’re going to fall, and you’re going to sometimes lay in the mud, and you’re still sinned. You do all these wicked things you’re not supposed to do. And sooner or later, you just keep struggling and you’ll learn how to walk with the Lord.

But many of God’s people, they go astray. of walking with the Lord and growing up and being mature. And it makes so much sense when you keep the gospel as the lens by which you study the rest of scripture. If you get mixed up on that then you take all these scriptures and make it say something it doesn’t say. And then nobody would know. Let’s say for example all these verses really means that you’ve You’ve got to earn it.

You would be so confused and so mixed up. You wouldn’t have a clue whether you’re coming or going. You would know if you had it today and lost it tomorrow if you ever had it or you… That’s stupidity. It leaves you with a big fat zero. You don’t know anything because that means you can lose your salvation because it depends on you. And all of these… What does it mean that nobody knows for sure where they’re going with they die?

I can say, I know what God says when He talks about salvation, that’s free. That’s a gift. It always is. But when He talks about serving the Lord, yes, I may stumble. I can fall. I can get up. And God will clean me off and keep going again. And He’s gonna be with me and He’s my Father and He’s gonna correct me and lead me and guide me and spank me. It may even take me home before my time.

See that way, we’ll explain scripture the other way, does not work, because it’s not scripture. So anyway, as you go through here and you see all of this, look down there in chapter 3 again, down in chapter 3, where it makes the statement in verse 13, but exhort one another daily. While it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. So can Christians still be hardened to the deceitfulness of sin? Yes, you still can.

You can still become rebellious and walk away from the Lord. And verse 14, for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end, to the end of what? Where are you going? Till you get to maturity where you can learn to grow and to rest in the Lord. you rest in his work and not trying to make it happen on yourself. See there in chapter four, look down there in verse nine, where he says, there remaineth therefore a, what’s that word?

Rest to who? To the people of God. But a lot of God’s children never enter into that rest. Now you’ll see that when you get over in chapter 10 and chapter 12, and gives us an illustration in the whole chapter 11 of those who listen to what God said and live by faith. Live by faith means believing God. We say, you’re man, you’re saved by grace. You’re saved by faith. What did you do to be saved by faith? You believe God.

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 Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broad 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. 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.