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.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. Isaiah chapter 1, where it says in verse 2, Here O heavens and givir, O earth for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. He says in verse 3, The ox knoweth his owner, the asses, masters, crib, Israel, doth not know. My people doth not consider.

In verse 4, A sinful nation. Sinful nation, eight people laid with iniquity, seed of evil lures, children that are corruptors, they forsaken the Lord, provoked the Holy One of Israel, and gone backwards. Instead of going forward, they went backwards. Well, that was God’s assessment of his children. And so in verse 5, it says, why will you revolt more and more? Ain’t no sense spanking you anymore. He says, you won’t learn. So God says, we’re just going to have to take you out of the land.

See, he was chasing them in the land. So next thing he says, I’m just take you out of the land. Looking for say team come now. Let us reason together. Say at the Lord though your sins be as scarlet They shall be as white as snow though. They be red like crimson. They shall be as wool He says you can correct the problem and everything will be all right, but they never would God was looking for a man God looking for a man look there in Isaiah chapter six God has always been looking for a man a Man that would love God with all his heart would do what God says do a man that had a vision, a man that had a burning fire in his bones.

So it says in Isaiah chapter 6 verse 1, In the year the king, Josiah died, he said, I saw so the Lord, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up in his train, filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphms and each one had six wings with twain or two, it covered his face and with two, he covered his feet, two, he’d fly. And he cried unto another and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

And the post of the door moved that the voice of him that cried in the house was filled with smoke. And then he says in verse 5, Then said I, woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, for I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine I have seen the king, the Lord of Host. Now it says that God is going I have one of the serifens take the tongs and pick up a hot coal off the altar and gonna take it and put it on his tongue.

And I believe this was to purify that unclean tongue that he said he has. Because he says I dwell in the midst of unclean lips and I am a man of unclean lips. So all of our sins that flows from us is because there’s something evil on the inside. It’s not the outside. It’s amazing how that as we go through life we have a Tennessee to always blame somebody else why we do what we do. Every man is responsible for his own actions for whatever he does.

So try to accept responsibility for your actions because if God’s going to judge you for them, word and deed is it evidently God holds you responsible. When he made the statement in verse six, then flew one of the seraphim’s enemy, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth and said, lo, this has touched thy lips and thine iniquity is taken away. Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send and who will go for us?

Then said I hear am I, send me. The Lord has always been looking for people that he can use to send. To a wicked, perverse people. People in the world that don’t love God, don’t know God. Many don’t want to know God. They love their sin. They want to do what they want to do. They don’t want to be rebuked. They don’t want nobody to tell them what they can. He cannot do. And that’s the world that God sent us to.

And he says, B. Y is as a serpent, harmless as a dove. We have been given a tremendous message. But he says for us to go. And he says, whenever you go in verse 9, go and tell this man. people. Here, ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but proceed not. Make the heart of this people fat. He says, and make their ears heavy. They shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed.

Then said, I Lord, how long? How long? How long? And he answered until the cities be wasted without inhabitants, and the houses without man and the land be utterly dessit. In other words, the time is coming when God’s going to destroy. One day he’ll destroy the whole earth. And every man in it that’s not righteous, then God is going to set up a new heavens and a new earth. New kingdom altogether. But until then, we still speak, we still preach, we still warn.

But God is looking for a few people that can rise above the rest of the people. Take your Bible and turn over there to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 20. Jeremiah, chapter 20. He is known as the weeping prophet, the weeping prophet, because so many things went wrong in this man’s life. I mean, the people really hated him. The whole nation hated him. And yet he had a job to do. They threw him in a pit. They were going to kill him.

And you talk about being in a deep my repeat. Yeah, that’s where O Jeremiah was placed. To rebuild Israel away God wanted God’s going to have to destroy the nation as it is. If God wants to rebuild you, he’s got to destroy what’s there. He’s got to pull down and pluck up and replant and rebuild. Anytime the clay is not the way God wants it to, God has to take that clay and break it apart, put some water in it and reshape it and mold it all over again.

This is what God does for us. But what I want you to see is there in verse 7 of chapter 20. Jeremiah chapter 20 verse 7, he says, Oh Lord, thou hast deceived me. Hasn’t many people, whenever they dedicate their life to the Lord, think that it’s supposed to get better? I mean, it’s supposed to be wonderful. I dedicated my life to the Lord. Therefore, everything is going to work out rosy. Well, doggy, it didn’t work that way for Jeremiah.

Everything went wrong. The people turned on him. They hated him. They lied about him. They said all kinds of things about Pro-Gear-O-Miah. He said, verse 7, O Lord, Thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived. You did it. Thou art stronger than I, but you gave me a job to do that’s greater than I can do greater than I can perform and everybody laughs at me, makes fun of me. They mock me. They put me down, said things against me.

You know what he said I’m going to do? He said, I quit. I quit in the last part of verse 7. I am in derision daily. Everyone mocks me. For since I I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil, because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me in a derision daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any morning’s name. I quit. I’m not going to do it no more.

Well everybody needs to understand the greatest man of God has moments of despair. Expectations that are not met. that don’t happen the way you think they are or supposed to. And I think I quit. I’ll get even with everybody. I’ll make you pay. I quit. Don’t really get everybody. That makes everybody feel good about it, don’t it? But notice the last part of this verse. But his word was in mind heart as a burning fire. Burning fire shut up in my bones.

I remember when When Dr. Curtis Hudson passed away I wrote a little poem called Flame in the Wind. You’re a Flame in the Wind. And the wind of the Holy Spirit is flaming a wind in order to set little brush fires all across the world. And God is wanting to use you that’s on fire to fire somebody else and to fire somebody out. An unlit candle cannot light another candle. An unlit candle can’t light another can. You can’t challenge and motivate somebody else if you’re not challenged and motivated.

You have to be lit and on fire to set a fire. You have to have a fire to set a fire. And he says, your word was in my bones. It’s a burning fire. And I was weary with keeping my mouth shut, but forbearing, holding back. And I could not stay. I could not stay. stay like that. I had to do something. So in spite of everything, he says, I decided, I’m going to do it. Look in verse 12, but O Lord of hosts, that triath the righteous and see if the reigns in the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them.

For unto thee have I opened my cause. In other words, you had to get to where I’m just going to have to trust the Lord to take care of everything else. I’ll just do what God wants me to do. It’s a tremendous story, but God is always always looking for a man. But the man has got to be able to take the heat of whatever is coming in life. Remember, you’ve got to fight the devil because he’s trying to stop you.

You’ve got an old sinful nature. You’ve got to whip that. You’ve got people that will say things. You’ve got to whip that. And sometimes the closest people to you may not always back it. You’ve got to whip that. You’ve just got to stay faithful doing what God wants you to do. Take your Bible and turn over there to the book of Samuel. Over there to the book of Samuel. Second Samuel. In chapter 11, now everyone knows the story. It’s a beautiful story of David, how that he whooped Goliath and God used him in a great mighty way and he became the king of Israel and wrote so many beautiful Psalms.

A man that was, the Bible says, a man after God’s own heart. own heart. So he was a man on fire. You read the Psalms, they are wonderful. They console so many people who have broken hearts and God used them in a great way. But here, and I want you to catch that because we’ve covered some of these things before, but I want you to see something, even a person who wants to serve the Lord, if the doesn’t correct one little thing in his life, it leads to a greater sin that leads to a greater sin that leads to a greater.

David had no idea it was going to go that far. It was going to be that bad. But yet he had a heart for the Lord. He wanted to serve God. And God used him and raised him up. But you’ll find out whether it was Daniel when he was young. Joseph when he was young. David, yes, when he was young. Samuel when he was young. There’s so many that God used while they were young and the three Hebrew children but understand and that as time goes on it’s a difficult thing to maintain your walk with God to maintain it.

You can always start on the right road now can you stay there? Can you stay there? Can you fight the battle? Fight the fight. But look very quickly there in chapter 11 in verse 1 and it came to pass after the year was expired at the time when kings go forth to battle that David sent Joab and his service with him and all Israel and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Reba. But David, Terry is still a Jerusalem and he came to pass that even tied that David arose from off his bed, walked upon the roof of the king’s house and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

Even the Bible says that she was beautiful to look upon. And it says, and David sent and inquired after the woman. One said is not this bashiba, the daughter of Elium, the wife of Uriah, the hit tight. And David sent messengers and took her and she came in unto him and he lay with her. For you don’t know what that means. They had sex together. They had sexual intercourse. He committed adultery. That’s what happened. In verse 5, and the woman conceived and sinned and told David and says, I am with child.

Well, where was her husband? Well, her husband was in a war. He was in battle. And then he makes this statement in verse 6, and David sent to Joab saying, send me Uriah the Hittite, and Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. What’s going on? Well, if he had been there, he would have known. But he wasn’t there. You see, up there in verse 1, it says, at the time when kings go forth to battle, well, this king decided not to.

Whenever he didn’t do what he should have done, he would have been where he should have been, and he wouldn’t have done what he did. Wouldn’t that clear? One little sin that led to another sin, and when you try to cover up that sin, you have to commit a bigger sin and the other sin, and it seems like there’s no end to it. It becomes a trap, a snare and how can you get out of it? And so it says here in verse 7, so he had asked him all these questions.

David said in verse 8, to Uriah, go down to thy house, wash thy feet. Uriah departed out of the king’s house and there followed him, a mess of meat from the king. But Uriah slipped at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his Lord and went not down to his house. Now what, what was David up to? What David was trying to get, Bathsheba’s husband back to the house. from the war so that he would go home and spend the night with his wife and when she has the baby he’ll think it’s his.

What’s he trying to do? Cover his own sin. He’s trying to cover what he did wrong. But of course nobody knows what’s happened. And verse 10, and when they had told David saying Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, came us not dawg from thy journey. Why then just not thou go down unto thy house. Uriah said unto David, the Yark and Israel and Judah abide in tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are in camp in the open fields.

Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, to lie with my wife, as thou liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.” And David said to Uriah, Terry here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah voted Jerusalem that day and the next. When David had called him, he did eat and drink before him. And David, the man after God’s own heart, got Uriah drunk. Why would he get him drunk?

So that he couldn’t think, so he couldn’t reason. So he would go down to his house to see his wife. Why would David commit this sin? Still trying to cover his sin. You get into a trap and it’s like, how can I get out of this trap? When you do that, which is wrong, confess it to God and correct it and go on. But if you don’t correct it, then you’re going to have to commit another sin to correct this one.

And then you just commit another one and another one. And then it just gets worse and worse and worse as time goes on. Some people live and learn and some people live and never learn. So in the middle part of verse 13, and at evening, he went down out to lie on his bed with the servants of his Lord. but he went not down to his house. He still wouldn’t do it. And he came to pass in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab, sent it by hand of Uriah.

Now here’s Uriah got a letter in his hand. What did this letter say? This letter to Joab, who is his commander in the battle, is supposed to take Uriah that got the letter and put him in the foremost of the battle, in the heat of the battle for one purpose. Why? So he’d get killed. So now David is premeditation, planning on how to have this man murdered. Oh no, he didn’t take the sword and he didn’t jab him. He didn’t take a six gun and shoot him.

He didn’t kill him, but he did kill him. And God hold him responsible for what he did. Now get this. So he says here in verse 15 and he wrote in the letter saying, sit ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle and retire ye from him that he may be smitten and die. In other words, get it right up there in the heart of the battle and then y’all retreat so he’s out there by himself. Isn’t that a wicked thing to do?

Now you think David, a man after God’s own heart would have schemed all of this? And yet in his own mind, probably never thought about how bad or wicked it was he was just trying to cover something After all sometimes people get to the place where you know I Can do whatever I want to do it really doesn’t matter Like they’re above the law. They’re above you know scrutiny me Don’t question me. Don’t ask me. I can do whatever I want.

I’m special. I got an exemption No, man gets that away. He’s in trouble walking with the Lord is a step at a time. We’re walking with the devil is a step at a time. And you’re the one that makes the choices, but you don’t sometimes know even if you follow the Lord you know where it’s going to go, but you know it’s a path of righteousness. You start talking and walking away from the Lord. It’s a path that’s the path of destruction starts destroying.

So God takes the two before and knocks you over the head till it rings like a Chinese gong. He says He came to pass when the Joab fixme observed the city that he assigned Uriah into a place where he knew that the Valuet men were. And the city, men of the city, went out and fought with Joab, and there fell some of the people of the servants of David. Uriah the hit-tight died also. And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah, her husband, was dead.

She mourned for her husband. And when the morning was passed, David sent and fetched her to his house and she became his wife and bear him a son. But the thing that David had done displays the Lord. Remember, when something begins to go wrong in your life, check and see is a reason that maybe I’m not right with the Lord and God is… God is doing this because of something I need to correct. And if you will correct it quickly, then God will bless and everything will be all right.

But if you don’t, sooner or later, it’s gonna come down to the road and God’s gonna have to really deal with you. Now get this. And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. The Lord sent Nathan unto David. He came by to him and he said unto him, there were two men in one city, the one rich, the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little O’U lamb. which he had brought up and nourished up, and it grew up together with him and with his children.

It did eat of his own meat and drink of his own cup and lay in his bosom and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock, and of his own herd to dress for the way-faring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man’s lamb. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and said to Nathan, And as the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die.

In other words, here’s a man that killed a lamb, and David says he ought to die. What have he done? He killed a man. If a man should die for killing a lamb, what should happen to him? And verse 6, and he shall restore the lamb, fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. is an amazing that the person who, many times, is guilty can see it in somebody else and they can’t see it in themselves.

This is why in the book of Matthew in chapter 7 talks about, before you can remove that little splinter and somebody else’s eyes get the two before out of your, out of your own eye because you can’t see it. You can see the sin in other people’s lives, but you have a difficult time seeing that God do us the same thing. Thou art guilty. guilty and doing the very same thing, but you can see it in somebody else’s life.

And you can judge it so quickly, but thou art the man. And he makes this statement in verse 7, and Nathan said to David, thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed the king over Israel, and I delivered the out of the hand of Saul. God says I did this. I chose you to be the king. And verse 8, and I gave the the master’s house and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah and if, if, if that had been too little, I would more over have given unto thee such and such things.

In other words, there’s a lot of things you could have had if you just asked me. In other words, like God said, you have no idea what I wanted to do for you. I would have done for you if you just let me know. You talk to me. That’s why I’ve said before God may know what you You have need of, but he doesn’t give it to you unless you ask. That’s what he’s talking about in the book of James.

He says, you have not because you asked, you didn’t ask. But he said, if you just asked me, he said, what I would have done for you, what I would have given you. And many of God’s people go through life, missed not on an awful lot of blessings that they could have had in verse 9. Wherefore, hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? The only reason he did what was wrong is because there’s something about God he despised.

In the New Testament, maybe this strong, but it says this, you’ve left your first love. When you lose your love for the Lord, your judgment goes. Your discernment’s gone. I’m sorry. That’s the book. You can’t think straight. The Bible says, and warns in his word, he says, abstain, stay away from an angry man. Stay away from an angry person. they’re exposed. You never know what they’re going to do next. That’s because they no longer love God. They don’t love the Word.

When you get away from the things of God you can’t think, you can’t reason, you can’t see, you cannot discern. And that’s why Isaiah was told. He says, I’m going to have you preach to people that no longer will see. They’re no longer here. They’re dull of hearing. But I want you to do it because everything you say to them, I’m going to use against them. The day will come where we’ll be witnesses. Yes, I preached that and I said that and I warned and this is what you heard and you rebelled.

You didn’t want to hear it. You wouldn’t correct. And David thought he solved his problem his way. And even while we read these scriptures, you let what these scriptures say burn into your mind because They are warning signs. They’re to help us to be godly individuals and you cannot fool God. He says in verse 10, Now therefore the sword shall never depart from buying house because thou hast despised who? You despise God. The anger, the bitterness, the sins of life, all these things, the adultery, the murder, all that is because you hate God.

Now you would never think that David, who loved God with all his heart, well he stopped loving God with all his heart. And now God is going to deal with this individual. And he says, the sword shall never depart from your high no words from this day forward. It never left his house. It cost David, it cost that little child that was born, and it cost him four fold in his family that he reached, reeked down the road. He says in verse 11, Does saith the Lord behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of my own house.

God said, I’ll do it. I’m going to do this. This is what I’m going to do. See, you can make the choice about what you want to do, but it’s God that can choose the consequences of your deed. So you can’t live as you please and get away with it. You can’t rebel against God and get away with it. And yet you may not know that it came from God, but God said, I said it. I said it. something that happened.

It was just an accident. Something, no, no, no. Something else is going on. And look what he says in verse 12, for thou dissed it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun. He didn’t want nobody to know it. It’s been written down in the holy book. And how many of you know about David and what he did? Just about everybody in the world has heard this story. David said in the Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord and Nathan said unto David, the Lord also had put away thy sin, thou shalt not die.

How be it? Because, because, and this is the part that really hurt me when I read this. And it should hurt you that the things that we say and do that are wrong is a bad testimony toward our God. It gives the enemy a chance to say something even against the gospel of grace. How many times I’ve heard people say, you teach this gospel by grace. And you don’t have to stop anything or join anything. You don’t have to change your life.

You have to stop your sin all the way. And then look at some of those Christians and how they live. If that’s Christianity, I don’t want anything to do with it. And those who know the gospel of grace love the gospel of grace are the biggest hindrances to the gospel of grace. Their own disobedience slams the gospel. Instead of that being the most powerful thing in a person’s life that can cause them to rise up and be what God wants them to be, they use it as a cloak of covetousness so they can become a stumbling block to the world.

How it because by this deed thou have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. By our life we bring honor to God, glory to God, praise to God, oh we bring shame and dishonor to 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 are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christiterator, 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 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. In verse 5, but when the king heard thereof he was robbed and he said forth his armies destroyed those murders, burned up their cities. Then said he to his servants, the wedding is ready, but they which were biden were not worthy. They wouldn’t come. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage.

So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all as many as they found, but bad and good. And the servants, or the wedding, was furnished with guest. When the king came in to see the guest he saw there, a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he said unto him, friend, how came Stauh in hither not wearing a wedding garment? And he was speechless. All right, now let me just kind of take this is a story now.

It’s a story. It says so right there. And he says that it was a parable. So not everything in here is something that you can say. This means this means this means this means this means this. No, it’s a story to illustrate a truth. So the point is to understand that Christ has his people out and we sow seed, the seed of the Word of God. And we tell them that Jesus is coming or you’re going to die and where are you going to spend eternity?

So we want people to trust the Lord so we sow the seed. Well, we know there’s a time coming when Christ is going to come, take us out of here. And sooner or later everybody’s going to die. But there’s going to be a wedding. You see, when we get to heaven, God says that we’re going to be dressed in the righteous acts of the saints. It means that you’re going to be rewarded for what you’ve done for the Lord.

And so I may have a little beady crown and James may have a great big crown and Al may have a star in his crown and Roger may have a whole bunch of stars in his crown. So you never know who’s going to get what because it’s between you and the Lord. The Lord knows all of his children and what you’ve done. He keeps the books. Remember, getting to heaven, that’s free. You don’t serve the Lord to go go to heaven.

That’s a gift. Once you trust Christ to say, down your God’s chalet. Now there should be reasons or motives of why should I live right? Because my heavenly Father said He would bless my life here. Reward me there. So we’re going to get rewarded. And then we’re going to go to the, the marriage supper of the Lamb. There’s going to be a wedding. And everybody that goes to the wedding has to have on the right wedding dress. Well, the robe is according to Isaiah 61.

It’s the robe of righteousness. Everybody must be dressed in the robe of righteousness, or you can’t get in. It’s improper. Remember, there’s a story in the Bible about somebody who stands at the door and not. And they said, Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name? Cast out devils in your name? Done many wonderful works in your name and all that. And he says, I’m sorry, I don’t even know who you are. Depart from me, you eat that work iniquity.

Why couldn’t they come in? They didn’t have on the right robe. And the robe is the robe of righteousness that God gives to everyone. See, I can’t go to heaven because I’m a sinner. I’m a filthy sinner. I don’t deserve to go to heaven. But Christ died for my sins and he said, if I would believe he did it for I mean, he would give me his robe of righteousness. Now, if he gave me his robe of righteousness, I got the proper attire to get into heaven.

I’m going in on his righteousness. No man gets to heaven because of his goodness. Do you have to go to church to go to heaven? No. Do you have to give money to go to heaven? No. All we have to do is accept the payment Christ made for us, and he gives us as a free gift ever lasting life. Now, look what he says there in verse 12. And he said unto him, friend, how came a star in here that not having a wedding garment?

And he was speechless. You ought to underline that word speechless. Like, what can the man say? Let’s say, for example, all the people who reject Christ, and they stand at the great white-thrown judgment. And God says, you must be perfect to go to heaven. What man is going to be able to stand up and say, I qualify, I’m perfect. They will be speechless. There’s not a word they can say in their defense. They have no evidence to prove they have earned the right to get into heaven, none whatsoever.

And so he says in verse 13, then said the king to the servant, bind him hand and foot, take him away, cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and and nation of teeth, the same phrase that you find it all over again. And I believe that the wedding takes place right before the kingdom upon the earth. Now, whether he has it here, whether he comes down here and he has it, I really don’t care. I just know there’s going to be one and I’m it.

I’m going to be the bride. Next time I get married, I’ll be the bride. Now, take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew 24. Matthew chapter 24. 4. Now in Matthew 24, he is talking to them about the time that he’s going to come back to the earth. He is going to come back. He came the first time just like he said. So we have a record of it. Prophecy was written in advance so that we know Christ came just like he said he would.

So we don’t have to ever doubt that. He was literally really here. more history that Jesus Christ was here and evidence that Christ was here probably than Hitler. But here in Matthew in chapter 24, I want you to see down here in verse 51, and shall cut him his asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrite, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. You find that phrase mentioned again. But if you go back and you read it and you’re trying to figure out now what is he really talking about?

I don’t believe that it’s necessarily referring to a believer who is unfaithful servant. And because he was just unfaithful, this is what happens, he gets to go to hell. Or a Christian is going to be punished for a thousand years for not serving the Lord. That’s like having to pay for your sins. That’s been punished for your sins. I just can’t see that. Don’t believe that’s that’s what it means. But look what he says up here, he said, I’m coming back in verse 5, 43, but know this, that if the good man of the house had known and what watched the thief would come, he would not have suffered his house and so forth to be broken up.

Therefore, it be also ready for in such an hour as you think not the son of man coming. So it’s not telling us exactly when all this is going to take place, just be ready. What’s the point? Be ready. And we have been seeking to be ready at any given time. But this is mainly to the nation of Israel during the tribulation period. And they should know that with all the things in science that God gives, they should be able to figure it out.

Because he says, when you shall see these things, all these things, they know that it is at the doors and they will see the Antichrist hidden in the holy place. And they’re going to see all the things that are happening in the last three and a half years of the tribulation period. So when they see all of these things, that generation shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled. They will see it, they will know, they will have an understanding.

But if they’re looking, but most people are not looking, they are not prepared. So this is not talking here about the rapture. This is talking about when Christ comes to the earth upon the earth. And He says here in verse 46, He said, Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he comes, shall find so doing. I send you that he shall make him ruler over all its goods. But this is talking about an illustration of a man who has servants.

He’s got obedience servants and he’s got a faithful servant. So obedient and disobedient. And so those that are obedient, he’s going to bless them and those the elements are not going to be a punishment for them. But look what he says in verse 48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my Lord did layeth his coming. And shall begin to smite the fellow servants and to eat in the drink with the drunken, the Lord of that servant.

She’ll come in a day when he look if not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and she’ll cut him a sunder and appoint him with his portion with the hypocrites and there shall be weeping and national teeth. I believe that when Christ comes back there’s going to be people that are ready and there’ll be people that are not ready. When he comes back at the end of the tribulation period the Bible talks about a judgment of the nations.

The judgment of the nations is when He sets up a judgment and those believers from various nations will go into the kingdom and those that are not will not go into the kingdom. So there’s a lot of judgment going on. And so here in Matthew chapter 25 now, look at Matthew chapter 25, it talks about the faithful ones and it talks about the unfaithful ones but what’s the purpose of the faithful and the unfaithful. The point of all of it is you don’t know when, be ready, be looking, be prepared, be ready to go.

You see, a lot of people, and nobody loves profit, I don’t think more than I do. But I cannot get hung up on exactly trying to figure out the day of the hour. I wouldn’t mind knowing, but it should not change one I order the way I live. I should keep doing exactly what I’m doing because if he came today I should have been doing what I was supposed to be doing today. And if I know that he’s not going to come back for one more week then I should still be doing what I’m supposed to be doing for this week.

And if he comes praise the Lord I did what I should have. And if he didn’t come praise the Lord I still did what I should. So knowing the exact day has no interest to me whatsoever. It should not affect how I live. Though I have within me they desire I want to know this and I want to know that but the reason is well why do I want to know? What difference is it going to make? Is he gonna change how I live?

And if I could convince the world, well wait a minute, didn’t they have all the facts of when he was supposed to come the first time? What value was it? To most people, they could care less. And the world is the same way today, they don’t care. I know this, whatever it does, it should challenge and motivate me to be a better soul winner, to utilize my time as wisely as I possibly can, to try to get as much accomplished as I can.

It still should be that I want the purpose of all of that, and that’s to reach more people for the Lord. So that’s why we wanna do what we can as long as we can. Now, here in Matthew chapter 25, I just want you to look there in verse 26, and it says, his Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, Thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gathers where I had not strong, Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money into the exchangers, and then my coming, I could have at least have some interest off of my money.

So we’re not talking about, this is really the Lord, and this is really, now this is a story, a story about somebody who had somebody working for him. A story about somebody that was faithful and somebody that was not faithful. And even the person that didn’t use that talent that God had given to him or that the here, the Lord had given to him the servant. And he didn’t even invest it, he just hid it. Talking about a faithful and unfaithful.

Ready or not ready? You see there looking Matthew 25 and looking verse 13. Watch therefore. What’s the purpose of the 10 Virgin? Watch therefore. Why? For ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Mancometh. You do not know. And this is talking about when Christ comes back, power, great glory at the end of the tribulation period. You do not know. But of course we all would like to know that it says, you don’t. Now, whether or not there’s been enough information given toward the end time when Daniel’s, you know, luck of that book and the keys are open and we can understand things that Daniel couldn’t understand.

I don’t know how much goes into it, but I still read and I’ll still study because I have a curious mind and you know, I wanna know all these things. But look what he says here in Matthew. When he makes a statement down here, in verse 30, and cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness that shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth in verse 31, when the Son of man shall come in his glory. So this is, I believe, talking about when the Son of man comes in power and great glory.

This is not when Christ comes in the rapture. This is talking about when Christ comes in power and great glory to the earth. Now take your Bible and look there in the book of Luke chapter 13. Your Matthew, Mark, Luke, chapter 13. Interesting portion of scripture mentioned here that I thought it was interesting anyway, but look there in Luke in chapter 13 Looking verse 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. When ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out.”

So this phrase weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, I wonder if it’s all referring to maybe pretty close to the same thing. It looks like it could be. But whenever you read this, does it look like this? We’ve been in Weyland and National Teeth is to the unbeliever or to the believer. I think myself personally, I think it’s talking about the unbeliever. And he makes the statement that kind of seals all this up for me. Oh look there in verse 23.

See, this is in verse 28 because of the question that was asked in verse 23. Verse 23 says, then said one unto him, Lord, are there a few that be saved? And he said unto them. So now he’s going to answer a question. Are there a few going to be saved? Think of how many people there are in the world. And he says, few, there are that find the way to eternal life. Few. In other words, what Christ says is that more people will go to hell than will go to heaven.

Now I didn’t say that. I’ll just tell you what the book says, but I’ll show you that in a minute. So he makes the statement in verse 21, strive to enter in at the straight gate for many, I say, unto you. He says, we’ll seek to enter in and shall not be able. Many will want to, but can’t. They will not be able. He says, who won’t be able? Anyone who is trying to save themselves by their works will not be able to get in, because God says it’s not by works of righteousness.

So look how many people are thinking they’re going to go to heaven because of how good they are. They think they’re being religious is going to get them into heaven. And God says it will not work. But many, the Lord’s wouldn’t say it. You see he’s the one that tells us about heaven. He tells us about hell and he’s the one that tells us how to get there. So we ought to listen to what he has to say and he says few, there be defined it.

And many are on the broad way to destruction. Look what else he says in verse 25. When once the master of the house is risen up, he had shut the door and ye began to stand without and to knock at the door, saying Lord, Lord, open unto us and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not when you are. I don’t know who you are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk and thy present, and thou hast taught in our streets.

But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are. Ye depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, there shall be weeping and wailing in gnashing of teeth. I don’t see as these are the people that’s going to heaven are the people that’s going to be made righteous. These are not the just, I believe it’s just the opposite. But now look what he says here in verse 29, and they shall come from the east from the west and from the north and from the south and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

Did you know there’s a time coming upon this earth? When the God’s going to take this earth and it’s going to be like the Garden of Eden. And for 1000 years, we’re going to sit down in the kingdom with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, you’re going to get to see Noah, Moses, and all these guys, Peter Amato, they’re all going to be there. And there’s going to be those that are not going to be able to be here.

But I believe that I will. It’s not because I deserve it, because I’ve earned it. It’s because 51 years ago I trusted Christ as my Savior. And God said that He would save me and give me eternal life. And He said He’ll never leave me and never forsake me. And so I don’t think He’ll ever cast me out of His presence. Obedient or not obedient. So I have a problem with those that teach that. Now, I want to put the nail in this coffin on this thing here.

Look there in the book of Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7. And see if it doesn’t say pretty much the same thing. You see, I don’t believe that Jesus changes his gospel message every anytime you turned around. I believe it’s all the same. So in chapter 7, look there in verse 13 and see if this isn’t similar to what we were just reading about just a minute ago. Enter ye in verse 13 of chapter 7. Enter ye in at the straight gate.

Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. Many there be which go in their end. In verse 14, because straight is the gate, narrow is the way which lead us unto life. Few, there be defined it. Think of how many religious people there are in the world. And yet if you ask majority of people, where are you going when you die? They don’t really know. Why won’t they know? If they can accept it as a gift, they can have it now and know.

But if it’s by their works, well then they don’t know if they’re good enough, so they got to wait till they die to find out. So of course, how can they know ahead of time? They don’t know how they’re going to live, but yet they believe they’re going to be good enough. Okay, God says, you can’t earn it. But majority of the people will believe it. Why do they believe a false message? Because there’s false teachers. See there in verse 15 and 16 down through their talks around false prophets have a false message, And so there’s false preachers that are lying to the people.

And they tell people, all you got to do is just, you know, live right, do the best you can and pay your debts, go to church and give money and pray through and hang on and let go and let God. And you get so confused. You don’t know what and know where you got to do. And so they have false teachers who have a false message. And so they get people to trust in their works to get them to heaven.

Now look in verse 21. Now he says, not everyone that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, not everyone that says that. Lord, Lord. And look what else they said. He says, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, that’s the narrow way. The other is the broad way. They did what they think. But what did God say? He says, you must accept my son, Jesus Christ, as your Savior.

What is the work of God that you believe on Him whom he hath sent? Either you’re trusting Christ in Him alone or you are trusting in your works to get you to heaven. There is no other way. So if I trust Christ, I have eternal life, but did they say anything in here about, hey, we’re trusting Christ as our Savior? No, look what they said in verse 22. He will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied?

That’s what they did. In thy name cast out devils, that’s what they did. And in thy name done many wonderful work, well, that’s what they did. See, it’s all about what they did. It’s nothing about what Christ did. So there’s people who are trying to earn the way to heaven by their good deeds. And he says, depart from me, ye that work iniquity, shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Now look in verse 23, then, then, will I profess unto them I never knew you.

That’s what we just read just a moment ago, we just read the same thing. Is it different? No, I think it’s the same thing. Then will I profess unto them I never knew you. There are people who think, well, I will save one time, but then I got lost. Well then you can stand at the door. Hey, I will save one time. And the Lord says, I never know you. You see, you can’t get saved and then get lost and then get saved again.

It’s impossible. You can only get saved one time. You can only be born into God’s family at one time. How many times have you been born into this world? Only one time. I made a mistake and asked a person that went. I said, have you been born again? He said, oh yeah, I said, well, great. When? He said, oh, many times. He believed in reincarnation. Every time he died, he got born again. No, that dog won’t hunt. He said, I never knew you.

Depart from me, e, that work, iniquity. This is exactly what you’re reading over there in the book of Luke in chapter 13. So I believe that it’s a reference mainly to those that reject the payment Christ made. and there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth because of the pain. And the Bible talks about they’re put into a furnace. It’s also referred to cast in the outer darkness. And in the book of Jude, it talks about being like wandering stars in the midst of darkness forever.

And it doesn’t have to be that way. The Bible said Jesus Christ died on the cross and made a payment for all the sins of everybody, but everybody has to accept the payment He made. See, there’s a God in heaven, and He knows whether or not you and I believe that He did it for us. If you believe it, well, God knows that, and He gives you eternal life and you will get to go to heaven when you die.

But God also knows those that don’t really trust Him. And there’s a lot of people who say they do and don’t. And that’s why God says there’s many, but few for salvation. So would it be a shame for you to come to this church for 20, 30 years? You listen to Dr. Hank Lindstrom, you’ve listened to me, and yet whenever you die, you never really trusted the Lord. Wouldn’t that be a shame? You heard it, but you just couldn’t believe it.

Well, that’s too simple. That’s too easy. You got to do something. There isn’t anything for you to do. It’s already been done. When Christ died, He died for you so that you don’t have to pay for your sin. He paid for them. If people don’t understand that. But you must believe He did it for you. Let’s pray, Shower Him. If you’re here tonight and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, Do you believe that he died for you? Will you trust him as your only hope of going to heaven?

Would you believe that when Christ died, he died for you? If you don’t trust the Lord, there’s going to be a lot of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. And you’ll think back of all the opportunities you had and didn’t take advantage of it. For all eternity, I pray that you will have the good judgment to accept the payment Christ made for you. If you’ve already trust the Lord, you don’t have to do it again. But if you never have, you do need to trust the Lord.

Our Father, we thank You so much for all You’ve done for us. For the privilege we have of knowing Christ is our Savior. Lord, there’s a lot in the Bible we don’t understand. But we do pray, Lord, You’d help us to read, to study it, and Father to believe the things that we do know. We know we’re sinners. We’ve known that Christ died to pay for our sins. That’s easy for us to understand. A lot of things about prophecy we may not see, not understand it.

But Lord, I just pray that the most important thing we do, we’re going to die. Eternity is long and hell is hot. And I pray Your will to be done in the lines of each person. 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. 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. For 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. 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 to be able to help you. 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. But long time ago a guy wrote a book called Rain of the Servant Kings. Anybody ever heard that book? It’s strong on grace, strong on eternal security. But he took a phrase that I’ve read many times and never thought too much about it. And he kept saying that doing the kingdom, this phrase refers to them.

But it’s a phrase about weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. You ever heard that in the Bible? Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. And you think, well, what does that mean? That really must be bad. Well it is bad. But some believe that this is the Christians going to be in such anguish and because of not serving the Lord that is going to bring such weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and then it refers to believers.

Well, I’ve read the whole book and I’ve read the Scriptures and I can’t totally subscribe to that viewpoint. So I want to show you those verses and see what you think. Don’t that sound fair? All right, let’s take Matthew chapter 8, Matthew chapter 8. Now this is a portion of scripture where the Lord is going to deal with a Gentile. He’s not Jewish, it’s a Gentile. So he says you’re in verse 5, looking in verse 5. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion beseeching him him and say, Lord, my servant, lie at that home, sick of the palsy, grievously tormented, and Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him.

Now Jesus tells him I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou should have come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. Is that faith or that not faith? That’s faith. He said, oh, you don’t have to come. Oh, you can just say the word. Just speak the word. And it says here in verse nine, for I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

And I say to this man, go and he goeth. To another come and he cometh. And to my servants, do this and do this. And he doeth it. So he says, all I do is because I’m a man under authority, but I have authority. And when I tell them to do something, they do it. And verse 10, when Jesus heard it, he marveled, said unto them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith.

No, not in Israel. Now, buddy, isn’t that something? He hadn’t heard it from anybody in Israel, but he heard it from a Gentile, a Roman soldier. And the Lord said, I will come. And He says, you don’t have to. You are authority. Just speak the word. He believed that if He just gave His word, it would be done. Because He says, I’m a man who has authority. And when I tell someone to do something, they do it. So he believed that he had the authority and he didn’t have to show up.

The Lord is impressed. I have to admit this is not many times that you find that the Lord Jesus Christ is impressed with anybody. So he says here in verse 11, and I say unto you that many shall come from the east and the west shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Now we believe that the kingdom of heaven is that period of time upon the earth that’s a thousand years long, which follows right after the thousand year of the tribulation period.

And Christ will be here Himself and we will rule and reign with Christ. But I believe He’s showing something here about the Jews and the Gentiles. And He says there in verse 11, and I say unto you that many, and I believe that’s a reference to the Gentiles, shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Those are Jews in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom, and Lord the Jews that it belongs to, the one that is designed for, the one that’s been promised to Israel for all these years, they won’t be able to go in, and it says, but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So that phrase to me does not seem to align itself with the theory that these are Christians being kicked out of the kingdom. I don’t believe that they have the right or the authority to be in the kingdom. Now some people say that, well, when we trust the Lord and now when we come back down, if we have not served the Lord, we might not be able to get into the kingdom because there’s only for those who have earned the right to go into the kingdom.

You know, well done, thou good in faithful service. Enter thou unto the joy of the Lord, and the joy of the Lord is the kingdom upon the earth. So if you haven’t been faithful, you don’t have that right, and you can’t enter into the kingdom upon the earth. But a verse that bothered me is found there in the book of 1 Thessalonians in chapter four, when it makes a statement, when Christ comes back for us, It says, and then shall we ever be with the Lord.

Now, it’s hard for me to understand how I could forever now be with the Lord if He’s in the kingdom ruling and I’m kicked out. Now something doesn’t line up with that for me. I thought He would never leave me and never forsake me, regardless of whatever I do. He won’t leave me and He will not forsake me. Because that’s the promise that He made. So I believe that when the rapture takes place, if the rapture took place today, I believe that everyone who has trusted Jesus Christ as their savior will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

Ready or not, here I come. And it doesn’t matter if you are obedient or disobedient, if you have trusted the Lord and you’re a God’s child, wouldn’t it be great if all of God’s children serve the Lord? Well yes, wouldn’t it be great if they’re all looking for the Lord to come back? Well yes, but they’re not. But still be saved because they believe that Christ died and paid for their sins. So if I believe Christ paid for all of my sins, then the payment He made’s put to my account, and I don’t have any sins to pay for.

You say, but look at all those bad things you’ve done. I know. But He paid for it. Now either He did or He didn’t. Now if He paid for my sin, there’s no sense both of us paying for it. I used to have a little slogan that I used to put out because if God never slumbers and sleeps, there’s no sense both of us staying awake at night worrying about something. Since the Lord’s going to be awake anyway, we wouldn’t let Him think about it.

Kind of like this one guy, he says, you know, he was always walking around with his head hung low, just always down, just always discouraged, so in despair, never happy, no smile. And about a month later, this guy saw him walking down the street and he had his head high, his shoulders back at a spring in his step. He was singing a song. He said, what happened to you? He says, I found me a worrying company. He says, what?

I found me a worrying company. If I paid him $1,000 a month, they’ll take and worry for me and I don’t have any worries now. He said, that’s pretty good. That’s pretty good. He says, where are you going to get $1,000? He says, that’s their first worry. But you’ve got to have somebody worry for you. So if Christ is who He claims to be, and He is the Lord, then let Him take care of some of these things. So I believe Christ is going to come back and we’re going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the ear.

And everyone who is not. Serving the Lord still goes with the Lord. And he says that he’ll never leave us, never forsake us. He said and comfort one another with these words. Hello, I’m glad to have you here. While I go to the kingdom, I’m going to cast you into our darkness where you’re going to have weeping and wailing and gnashing a T for a thousand years. Does that sound like heaven? or it sounded like a punishment because I’ve been bad.

Now I know that we’re going to have the loss of rewards of what we could have had, but I believe that if you serve the Lord, God’s going to reward you, but if you don’t serve the Lord, you still get to heaven, but you don’t get rewarded. And you may not rule and reign with the Lord, but you will be here. And so I had a problem with some of that because there’s a lot of people who are teaching things.

I don’t believe is scriptly correct. I’ll take your Bible and turn there to the book of Matthew chapter 13. Matthew and chapter 13. Matthew 13. And look what he says in verse 36. It’s a parable, but a parable is a way for the Lord to tell the truth to those who want to know truth and that those that didn’t want to know the truth wouldn’t understand it. So he can tell a story, but they heard the story, but they can’t tell what the purpose of the story is.

They can’t understand things. So anyway, he says here in verse 30, then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. His disciples came to him saying, declare unto us the parable of the tears of the field. He answered in his sedent of them, he that soeth, the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the pears are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil.

The harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels. So he gives an interpretation of what the parable means. In verse 40, as, therefore the pears are gathered and burned in the fire. Who shall it be in the end of this world or end of this age? The Son of Man shall sin forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Now what I think that that phrase should refer to Christians who are not living for the Lord. They’re going to be put into a furnace of fire and they’ll be weeping and wailing the nation of teeth. I don’t think so. So I think there’s got to be another reason for this phrase and I don’t believe it’s to believers. If it’s not believers, then it must be unbelievers. There’s only two kinds of people in the world. that believe in those that don’t, the saints and the aunts, those that believe in those that don’t believe, the have and they have nots.

I’m glad that I have eternal life and that I’m going to heaven whenever I die. And so he says here in verse 43, then shall the righteous shine forth as the Son in the kingdom of their Father, who hath ears to hear, let him here. It’s not written to the church. This is not to the church age. I believe this is written to those that are be here during the kingdom upon the earth, mainly to the nation of Israel.

And so there will be Gentiles here, but the message is mainly to the Jewish people. And he says that he’s going to take out of the kingdom, anything that defiles or that’s wicked. So look there in Matthew chapter 13 and look now in verse 49. Verse 49, so shall it be at the end of the age or the end of the world. The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just. Now remember just like Lot was in Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Bible says that this just man vexed his righteous soul from day under day with their unlawful deeds. Though he wasn’t where he was supposed to be, he was living like he was not supposed to be, but he still was a just man, and that he was a believer in the Lord, and believe what God had said. He just didn’t practice it very well, and so he made some wrong decisions in his life. But God says he was a just man.

Now, I am a just man. It means that I have been tried in the court of law. I have been found guilty, but somebody else paid my debt. And his death payment was the payment that I need. And so it was accredited to my account. And I have been declared righteous, justified. Just as if I had never sinned. So I am a just individual, not because I live such a good, justly life. I should, but I’m going to have a not because of what I’ve done.

It’s because of what Christ did for me. He paid for what I did wrong. And if everybody would best be honest, they know they do things wrong. Everybody ought to know that you don’t live a perfect life. And if you had to live a perfect life, well, then do it. Have you found anybody yet doing it? You can’t even think a pure life. I bet you wouldn’t take much to make y’all angry and mean and mad and ugly and unkind and feel with envy and jealousy and bitterness.

Now those are not like going out and murdering somebody. Robin a bank, but aren’t those still sins? And just as bad, God says not one sin can enter into heaven, not even a lie, none. Because if he did, then heaven wouldn’t be heaven. And if they’re sinned there, they’ll have to be death there. And when there’s death there, they can’t be eternal life. Sinned and laid, we’re all dead. So that’s not the way it’s going to be. So you notice what he says here.

When he makes a statement in the last part of verse 49, you ought to underline them, sever the wicked from the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. So who is cast into the furnace of fire? The wicked. the just, the wicked. There shall be wailing and the nation of thieves.” So maybe that phrase refers to lost people. It looks like it would refer to them more than it would refer to a godly individual, a person who trusts the Lord, but he doesn’t serve the Lord.

And so he’s kicked out of the kingdom. He can’t go into the kingdom. But he’s, he’s saved. I don’t think I can by that totally is something’s wrong, something’s missing with that. And look what he says here in verse 51. He said, and Jesus said to them, have you understood all these things? And they said unto him, yea, Lord, they were lying. Because later on it says they didn’t understand. They didn’t understand probably 90% of what he taught. Because he even told them that he was going to die on the cross and that he was going to be buried for three days and come back again.

And they didn’t believe that. had problems. In verse 52, and then said he unto them, therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that is a householder, which bring the forth out of his treasure things new and old. There’s new truths and there’s old truths. But to know the truth and Christ is teaching them things that they already knew and plus things they did not know. So take your Bible now and turn to the book of Matthew chapter 22.

Matthew and chapter 22. There’s a little story that’s given here. We’ll cover it fairly quickly. But look there in verse 1. Matthew 22 verse 1. Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables and He said, the kingdom of heaven. That’s at thousand year reign upon the earth. It’s like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son. Sent forth his servants to call them that were biden to the wedding and they would not come. Again he sent forth the other servants saying, tell them which are biden, behold I have prepared my dinner, my my oxen and my felons are killed and all things are ready, come unto the marriage.”

Now how would you like to have your own, hey my son’s getting married, I want everybody to show up. Hey nobody’s coming, nobody wants to come. Like having a party nobody show up. That’s why I stopped having pity parties, nobody would come. But verse 5, but they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise and the remnant took his servants and entreated them spitefully and slew them. All he was doing was asking them to come to a wedding, food, and so what do they do to the messenger?

They didn’t like the message, so they killed the messenger. Don’t that make sense? In verse 5, but when the king heard thereof he was rough and he sent forth his armies, destroyed those murders, burned up their cities, then said he to his servants. The wedding is ready, but they which were biden were not worthy. They wouldn’t come. Go ye therefore into the highways in as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together.

gather all as many as they found, but bad and good. And the servants, or the wedding, was furnished with guest. When the king came in to see the guest he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he said unto him, Friend, how came thou in hither not wearing a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Alright, now let me just kind of take this. This is a story now. It’s a story it says, so right there.

And he says that it was a parable. So not everything in here is something that you can say, this means this means this means this means this means it. No, it’s a story to illustrate a truth. So the point is to understand that Christ has his people out and we sow seed, the seed of the word of God. And we tell them that Jesus is coming or you’re going to die and where are you gonna spend eternity? So we want people to trust the Lord so we sow the seed.

Well, we know there’s a time coming when Christ is gonna come take us out of here. And sooner or later everybody’s gonna die. But there’s gonna be a wedding. You see, when we get to heaven, God says that we’re gonna be dressed in the righteous acts of the saints. It means that you’re gonna be rewarded for what you’ve done for the Lord. And so I may have a little beady crown and James may have a great big crown And Al may have a star in his crown, and Roger may have a whole bunch of stars in his crown.

So you never know who’s gonna get what? Because it’s between you and the Lord. The Lord knows all of his children and what you’ve done. He keeps the books. Remember, getting to heaven, that’s free. You don’t serve the Lord to go to heaven. That’s a gift. Once you trust Christ to save you, don’t you God’s child. Now there should be reasons or motives of why should I live right? Because my heavenly Father said he would bless my life here, reward me there.

So we’re gonna get rewarded and then we’re gonna go to the, the marriage supper of the lamb. This is gonna be a wedding. And everybody that goes to the wedding has to have on the right wedding dress. Well, the robe is according to Isaiah 61. It’s the robe of righteousness. Everybody must be dressed in the robe of righteousness, or you can’t get in, it’s improper. Or remember, there’s a story in the Bible about somebody who stands at the door and knocked.

And I said, Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name? Cast out devils in your name, done many wonderful works in your name and all that. And he says, I’m sorry, I don’t even know who you are. Depart from me, you eat that work iniquity. Why couldn’t they come in? They didn’t have on the right robe. And the robe is the robe of righteousness that God gives to everyone. See, I can’t go to heaven because I’m a sinner.

I’m a filthy sinner. I don’t deserve to go to heaven. But Christ died for my sins and He said, if I would believe He did it for me, He would give me His robe of righteousness. Now, if He gave me His robe of righteousness, I got the proper attire to get into heaven. I’m going in on his righteousness. No man gets to heaven because of his goodness. Do you have to go to church to go to heaven? No. Do you have to give money to go to heaven?

No. All we have to do is accept the payment Christ made for us and he gives us as a free gift ever lasting life. Now look what he says there in <= 12. And he said unto him, friend, how came a star in here that not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. You ought to underline that word speechless. like what can the man say? Let’s say for example, all the people who reject Christ and they stand at the great white throne judgment.

And God says you must be perfect to go to heaven. What man is gonna be able to stand up and says, I qualify, I’m perfect. They will be speechless. There’s not a word they can say in their defense. They have no evidence to prove They have earned the right to get into heaven, none whatsoever. And so he says in verse 13, Then said the king to the servant, bind him hand and foot, take him away, cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The same phrase that you find it all over again. And I believe that the wedding takes place right before the kingdom upon the earth. Now whether he has it here, whether he comes down here and he has it, I really don’t care. I just know there’s going to be one and I’m it. I’m going to be the bride. Next time I get married now, I’ll be the bride. Now, take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew 24.

Matthew, chapter 24. Now in Matthew chapter 24, he is talking to them about the time that he’s going to come back to the earth. He is going to come back. He came the first time just like he said. said. So we have a record of it. Prophecy was written in advance so that we know Christ came just like He said He would. So we don’t have to ever doubt that. He was literally really here. There’s more history that Jesus Christ was here and the evidence that Christ was here probably than Hitler.

But here in Matthew in chapter 24, I want you to see down here in verse 51, and shall cut him his asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrite, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” You find that phrase mentioned again. But if you go back and you read it and you try to figure out now what is he really talking about? I don’t believe that it’s necessarily referring to a believer who is unfaithful servant. And because he was just It’s unfaithful.

This is what happens. He gets to go to hell. Or a Christian going to be punished for a thousand years for not serving the Lord. That’s like having to pay for your sins. That’s been punished for your sins. I just, I can’t see that. Don’t believe that’s what it means. But look what he says up here. He said, I’m coming back in verse 43, but know this. that if the good man of the house had known and what watched the thief would come, he would not have suffered his house and so forth to be broken up.

Therefore, be also ready for in such an hour as you think not the son of man coming. So he’s not telling us exactly when all this is going to take place, just be ready. What’s the point? Be ready. And We have been seeking to be ready at any given time, but this is mainly to the nation of Israel adoring the tribulation period. And they should know that with all the things and signs that God gives, they should be able to figure it out.

Because he says, when you shall see these things, all these things, they know that it is at the doors. and they will see the Antichrist sitting in the holy place. And they’re gonna see all the things that are happening in the last three and a half years of the tribulation period. So when they see all of these things, that generation shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled. They will see it, they will know, they will have an understanding.

But if they’re looking, but most people are not looking, they are not prepared. So this is not talking here about the rapture. This is talking about when Christ comes to the earth upon the earth. 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 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. So we go to the funeral home and we try to figure out how to get everything taken care of and what they’re going to do with my body and the sides of the casket, the price of the casket and trying to save money and do all this stuff, you know.

And then we got to get a headstone and all that stuff. So we’ve got everything taken care of. If I die, all she got to do is boom, put me in that casket and drop me in the ground. Or she might want to burn me up, I don’t know, whatever she wants to do. But anyway, we have a lot of things already planned. Because we’re planning that if it happens, I die, or what am I going to do? And you already done the same thing for her because you’re going to die.

But have you made any preparations for your death? Now a lot of people always plan on it. They’re going to. They just never do it. Never make out a will. Never solve the problem. And then whenever they die, it’s nothing but a nightmare for the others that you’ve got to try to figure out what they’re doing. you could have solved so many problems in advance. But you just knew the Lord was going to come back and take you out of here and you didn’t have to worry about it.

But if you was to drop dead right now, have you prepared for your funeral? There’s some things that you ought to do and to think about. You say, I don’t like to think about stuff like that. It’s morbid. Everything in the Bible I get you because it was morbid. It talks about, you can’t even get that heaven unless you leave here. You’re going to die someday. So when you die, okay, who gets what you have? You say, well, I don’t care.

So the state eats it all up. All lawyers get it all. Probate court and all that stuff, or you can bypass all of that stuff by taking care of things in advance. But anyway, it’s something that we all have to do. The other question was, are you ready to defend your faith? Are you ready to defend your faith? Can you tell people why you do what you do, why you believe the way you believe? I have studied long enough that I feel fairly comfortable in telling people why I believe what I believe.

And it’s not just that because, well, I went to Florida Bible College and so I believe like them. I believe what they taught at Florida Bible College because I saw it in the Bible and I believed it. That’s really what it said. I don’t believe what I do because, well, that’s the way Ray Stanford did it. Stanford is not my God, He’s a man. I’m just a man. I want you to be strong enough in the Word of God that you know why you believe what you believe so that you can defend your faith, that you can explain to somebody why they should either trust Christ as Savior or why they should serve the Lord.

And what’s the wisest thing that you want people to do with their lives? Well, that’s the direction you should try to challenge them into and so important. But I just want to show another verse to you. Look over there in the book of Revelation in chapter 2. Revelation and chapter 2. And look in verse 8 and verse 8. So, and unto the angel of the church and Smyrna, write these things, saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive.

I know thy works and tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich. Now get this. There’s a lot of truth said right there in that little verse, just few words. The Lord says, I know, I know your works, I know your tribulations, I know your poverty. But you see, God doesn’t always change all the tribulation out of our life and take it out of us. He wants us to go through the tribulation through poverty, if necessarily. That’s the way God lets it happen.

So he didn’t stop you from being poor. People think, well, if I serve the Lord God, you’re going to automatically Bless me. The material blessings be preached to help and wealth for love, but he makes the statement. So evidently they were not rich concerning the things of the things of the things of the things of the things of the things of the things of the things of the things of the things of the suffer. Did you know that most of our fear comes because of what we’re afraid to suffer?

We don’t want to suffer. We don’t want to hurt. We shrink back from tribulations and things that causes us heartache and grief and all these things. We don’t want to go through things like that. It’s natural. It’s normal. But you see, you and I as a child of God are supposed to have something so much more important we’re living for. And these people, look what he said. He says in verse 10, fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.

Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison. Well, why don’t God stop the devil from doing it? I mean, if he knows this is what the devil’s going to do, why don’t God stop the devil from doing it? Remember the Bible says Paul wanted to do such and such and he says, but Satan hindered me. Satan hindered me. There’s a lot of things I would love to do, but Satan has hindered me at times. I’ve had to battle against what the devil is doing in and through people with finances.

Like I was on television and then all of a sudden the finances just dried up. So why did I dry up? It’s not because God didn’t tell people to support it. It’s because they didn’t obey God. They listen to what Satan says and then they don’t do it because they lose their vision. So they begin to compromise. I don’t have to do it. This is more important or I need this and somebody else will help support the radio or the TV ministry and so they hold back and somebody else will do it and I don’t have to do it and so they withdraw and Satan gets the victory.

You go off the radio, you go off television, and a great harness done. The devil is alive. If he does that in the work, he can do it every family in this church. The devil is going to fight you. And God doesn’t stop all of that. He wants you to lean upon him and keep doing what he says to do, even if you suffer doing it. And again, what else he says to you? He says that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days.

Be thou faithful until the check comes in the mail.” You know what I said? Be faithful to the checker rides. It’s on its way and I will give thee a crown of light. Look, he says be faithful and you mean I could die? You mean this could bring death? And he says I’ll I’ll get I’ll make it worth your while. Oh wait a minute that this is getting over this you’re going too far now I Mean all this other stuff.

I don’t mind, but I mean that you’re talking about dying Take your Bible look here in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews in chapter 11 and look what he says here in verse 33 Hebrews chapter 11 verse 33 as he’s talking about the great heroes of faith, what happened in the Old Testament. Now a lot of these, believe it or not, came from the book of Judges and down the road we’re going to cover some of the major topics in the book of Judges.

But it says in verse 33, who through faith subdued kingdoms brought righteousness? A pain promises stopped the mouths of lions. This is what some of God’s people did by faith because they believed and God used them, and this is what they accomplished. Quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword. Out of weakness were made strong, waxed, valiant, and fight. Turn the fight to fight the enemies, the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead, raised to life again.

Others were tortured. Women, God, didn’t you know they were being tortured? Why didn’t he let them be tortured? What is God let you suffer the loss of a job or the loss of your health or the loss of it? God can allow a lot of things. God’s going to let you suffer in this life just like everybody else suffers in this life. He doesn’t stop it because you’re a Christian. He just gives you a reason to endure it, a reason to go through it.

That’s how he gets his glory, not because he takes all those things away from you, but because you give him honor and glory in the midst of it. So he says in verse 35, and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection, because they knew they’re going to get something worthwhile because of what they went through. Now you and I are supposed to believe that. And in verse 36, and others had trial of cruel mockings and scurging.

Yay, moreover, a bond and imprisonment. You see, there’s somebody who’s keeping the books. God keeps the books and he knows what all these people went through. And yet, isn’t God powerful? Can’t God stop all of this that happens to all of these people? Yes? But does he know? In verse 37, look in verse 37, They were stoned. They were sawed, asunder, were tempted, slain with the sword, wandered about in sheepskin, and go skinned, been destitute, afflicted, tormented. So you want to serve a Lord, huh?

How much? Or do you want to compromise along the way? Or are you willing to say, I’m going to serve a Lord? It doesn’t matter what. You should know in advance I am going to suffer. I don’t know how God’s going to do this or that. It doesn’t matter how God does it. Look in verse 38, you ought to underline this. Of whom the world was not worthy. God says the world was not worthy of these people that lived here.

The people that lived here and went through they weren’t worthy of what they did to them. Does God know what those people did to him? Well, he told you right there. He already knew it, wrote it in his word. And then he says, they wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and in caves of the earth. And these all obtained, haven’t seen a good report through faith, received not the promise. They didn’t get this earthly kingdom in this lifetime.

They didn’t give what they wanted here, but they all believed they would get it down the road. And therefore that’s why in chapter 10 he says that you endured such afflictions and so forth because you knew that you had inheritance of heavenly benefits because of it and you went through all of that because you knew that your reward that’s why he says cast not away therefore your confidence which has great recompense of reward. So he says, all these things that happened to these people, man alive.

Let me read this!, the disciples of Jesus Christ gave their lives for the preaching of the gospel. You may have heard this before, but it’s okay. You can listen to it one more time. Matthew, He suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia. Kielbassord. Mark, he died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses to the streets until he was dead. Luke, he was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost. John, he faced martin to them when he was boiled in the hub basin of oil during a wave of persecution in Rome.

How bit? He was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patness. He wrote the prophetic book of the Revelation on Patness. The apostle John was later freed and returned to service Bishop in modern Turkey. He died an old man. The only apostle to die peacefully. Apostle Peter, he was crucified upside down on an X-shaped cross. According to Church tradition, it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

One time the sons of thunder came to see Jesus and the mama said, I want my one son to sit on one side and my other son to sit on the other side when you get in the kingdom. And Jesus says, are you willing to be baptized with the baptism that I shall be baptized with? And they said, sure are. He says, and you will. So you’re going to die for me. Now he had already told Peter, he says, you’re going to be carried where you don’t want to go.

Peter says, but what about John over there? And Jesus says, don’t you worry about John? If I want him to remain till I come again, what’s that to you? In the words, don’t worry about what God does with somebody else. You just make sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing. But James, the just, the leader of the church in Jerusalem was thrown over a hundred foot down from the southwest pinnacle of the temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a Fuller’s Club. was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus to an attempt at. James, the son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry as a strong leader in the early church. James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched the maze as James defended his faith at his trial. Later the officer walked beside James to the place of execution.

Overcome by conviction he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian. Now let’s just stick for a second. Let’s say they haul this out of this church one day and they’re going to literally cut off our head. You know that is a possibility down the road. They could literally cut off our heads. See, we don’t see anybody suffering. We don’t really see anybody dying for their faith. Now, in other countries, they are experiencing some of these things.

The church that Dr. Stanford and I preached stand over there in Cairo about six months ago, something like that. They came in with machine guns and killed 109 of them, just mowed them down. The same church that we’re being here with preaching it. I’m glad we weren’t there. But you never know when something’s going to happen or when the last time you might get a chance to preach the gospel to somebody. God doesn’t always keep us from experience in these things.

Didn’t God have the power to keep these men from dying this way? He could have, but he allowed them to die. And the Bible says in 1st Corinthians in chapter 4, he says they were made the off scaring of the world. They were the filth of the world and the eyes of the world. And yet the world was not worthy of such men the way God sees them. So you don’t have the same value put upon you that God puts upon you by the world.

So there’s a price to pay. Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel, he was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in what is present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia, where he was flayed to death by a whip. Andrew, he was crucified on an X-shaped cross in Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers, they took his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words, I have long desired and expected this happy hour.

The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it. He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired. I was told there was another guy just to marvel at it, that when they were they going to throw him to the lions, that in the lions and the gladiators, he said, rush up on me. He haulers to the lions, rush upon me because he knew he was going to go see the Lord. And see, these are people that lived at a time when they were placed into the arena and fed to the lions.

How would you like to watch your wife or your kids been fed to the lions? You got a book called the Fox’s Book of Martyrs where they would take the women and they would take these sharp stakes in the ground and they would put animal fat all over them and then they would pick them up and they would shove them down on top of that thing and that thing would just ride up inside of them. Then they would put oil all over them in animal fat and then they would light them and they would be lights down the sides of the road.

They did stuff like that to people. Wicked stuff. They burned them at the stakes. When the last time we saw anybody burned at the stakes, But see, there were people that died for their faith, and it was either Jesus was king, or Caesar was king. Who was the king? Who did you bow to? And if you bow to Christ, you die. Now, I believe there’s a time coming in the future where that’s going to become a reality once again.

Thomas, he will stab with the spear in Southern India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church on the subcontinent. They said in the area that we were when we were in India, the different people would talk and said, no, this is where Thomas came. And then he went on the other side of India straight across. And he says, when he got over there, natives, they wound up killing them with a spear. Jude, he was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in the Lord.

And Matthew, the puzzle was chosen to replace the trader, Jesus is carried. you It was ultimately stoned and beheaded. Think about the great apostle Paul. Here’s God in heaven. This man Paul was, as far as we know, the greatest Christian that ever lived. I’ve never seen any man accomplish or be used like this man was used. To write so many of the New Testament books and a lot of them while he was in prison. Said, boy, they locked him up.

Boy, he really wasted it and brought him away his time there, didn’t he? Yeah, but while he was there, he wrote Holy Scripture. And look how many churches there are today. Good and bad. Look how many there are. Look how many churches in this country, not only around the world. And how many people of, well, did they love him or hate him? How many people have heard the name of Jesus Christ? They don’t understand who he is and what he’s done, but they’ve heard, most people have heard his name.

He was a drunkard singing it, but they’ve heard the name. But Paul, he was tortured and beheaded by the evil, Emperor Nero at Roman, 8067. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches. He had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the fundamental doctors of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament. A sober reminder that leaders of the early church suffered for the sake of the gospel, which we have been privileged to receive at the end of the church age.

The intellectual content that comprises the content of what we call saving faith. You have saving faith. What is the faith that saves? It has to include five essential components. Jesus Christ. There is no other. can’t be any other. There is no other name given along men whereby we must be saved. Number two is that the Son of God died and rose again. You have to and should know and believe that. Number three, that He paid the penalty for everybody’s personal sins.

Number Therefore that he gives eternal life to those who trust him. And five, it’s him and him alone. There is no other that can save a man except Jesus Christ and to give us eternal life. And if you know you have eternal life, does it matter when or how you die? As long as you’re serving the Lord, does it really matter what tribulations you have to go through what hardships, what sorrow you have to face. Is there anything that you and I are going to have to face that others have not faced before us?

Are we treading new ground? Can we die a more horrible way than anybody else has ever died? And yet they kept the faith. They boarded across. suffered the shame and they died for their faith. And you and I have trouble living for ours. The Lord may never ask us to die for him, but there are Scriptures that says to live for him. Now I don’t know when I’m going to die or how I’m going to die. I really don’t concentrate on that too much, but I am trying to figure out how to live for him.

What more can I do? What other ways can I manifest my faith except by my works, the things that I do for the Lord, the things that I attempt to accomplish. These, I believe, are all very, very important. Anyway, I wanted to read that to you and ask you a question. Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you really ready to suffer for the Lord? Die for the Lord. Are you ready to live for the Lord. Are you ready to answer every question that anybody might ask you why you do what you do, why you stand the way you stand?

What problems are you having that you think are so bad that if God really loves you, he wouldn’t let you go through that. Read the book again. Read chapter 11 of Hebrews one more time. Read second chapter of Revelation one more time. And you’ll You see that God is so powerful that He could let His children be delivered from all of those things, but they look beyond this life for a better resurrection, that one day they’ll come face to face with the Lord and it will be worth it all.

Look up here. This end represent you and me and the wall of represent sin. You and I know that we all have sin on us. God loves us. Now he hates what we do wrong, but he loves us. And he says, for us to pay for this sin is eternal separation from God in a place called hell. 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.

We have all come short of God’s perfection. And a man cannot save himself. So there’s only one hope for man, and that is Jesus Christ, God’s Son, God in the flesh came into the world. And he took all the sins of all the world and paid for them on the cross, came back from the dead, and said, if you and I would believe that he did it for us, he would put that payment to our account and we would know that we have eternal life and know that we’re going to heaven when we die.

knows and all the world. So glad to know I have eternal life. But while we live, we’re supposed to live as though we have been already crucified, as though we’ve already died. And that my body doesn’t belong to me, belongs to the Lord, and let him do with it whatever he wants, and let it go through whatever he wants, and let it suffer however he wants, and let him deprive me of whatever whatever he wants and I ought not open my mouth in protest.

Because I already died. Let’s pray, shall we? If you’re here tonight and you never trust the Christ as your Savior, I pray that you would. Just all you got to do is just in your own mind between you and the Lord, so Lord I’m on center. Friend God says that we all are, but he loves us. He died on that cross-paid for it. Would you trust him? Trust him to take you to heaven when you die. even if he paid for all of your sins.

You can’t earn your way to heaven. Nothing good you can do. And God said, if you trust him, he would save you from hell and give you eternal life as a gift. And you can know that you’re going to heaven when you die. If you’ve never trusted the Lord, would you do it right now? Never done it before. I’d like to know it, and I’d like to have prayer for you. Our Father, thank you so much for all that you’ve done for us.

Well, thankful Lord that we have recorded in your Word and recorded in history, things that happens to your people that love you and serve you. And Father, we look by faith beyond this life. Believe in that it will be worth it all. And that Father, according to your Word, you can’t lie. And it is worth it. You do see and know what we go through. That you said you’d give us the strength, the grace to bear whatever it might be.

We don’t know what’s coming in this country down the road, but we pray, Lord, that we’ll be found in tending for the faith. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 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 first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

I young one talked to your budget a few things. Y’all remember years ago they had this commercial always come on ones and a while, I was like, are you ready? And everybody knew what the next word was, but what? See there? See, I didn’t say it, y’all said it. So you already knew it. We covered the other night, a verse, well, Sunday morning, on Romans 1 16, where Paul had made the statement in the verse I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

I am ready. So I thought, you know, he is ready. He is ready. And sometimes we think that we’re ready. Well, let me just run this by you just a little bit because we know that we’re supposed to be ready. But if you’re discouraged or in despair down just a little bit, ask yourself this question. Why? Are you worried? Not sleeping good at night. troubles on your mind and you feel like maybe you know you just want to go out in the garden and eat worms feel like your pet rock died you know and you just don’t know what to do with yourself you’re not ready you weren’t ready for something now let me ask you a question if you have trusted Christ is your Savior you say I’m gonna serve the Lord who is your biggest enemy that’s going to try to keep you from serving the

Lord. In the old devil, Satan, you ever heard of him? Do you think he’s ready? Do you think he is ready for you? He’s ready. He don’t care if you’re ready. He’s ready. And he is gonna do whatever it takes to get you. So he’s ready to attack. Do you know when he’s gonna attack? No? Do you know where he’s gonna attack? Well, no. Do you know how he’s gonna attack? Well, no, it doesn’t matter if you’re ready, right?

Are you ready? Are you really ready? What would it take for the devil to really get you down? And if he could, how could he? If you were ready, are you ready? Are you really, really, ready? Can you say, I am ready, pause, I’m ready. So I think it’s something that we ought to think about and to be ready. Are you ready to meet the Lord? You know, when the greatest thing that’s ever gonna happen in all of our lives is we’re gonna meet God.

One day it’s gonna happen. I was just prepared to meet thy God. So all of life is getting ready for this big meeting we got. I am going to meet God. I don’t know if I’ll scare you after death. I’m gonna meet God. Face to face, are you ready? Are you ready? I get a chance to do a lot of funerals at times and no one over the years I’ve done a bunch. I’ve even done a bunch of weddings, a lot of weddings.

I hope God forgives me. But you know, in every one of those situations when they got married, they all said, I’m ready. I’m ready and I thought you ain’t ready. They haven’t got a clue what they’re doing. No more than I did when I got married. But I guess that’s the way she goes. You know, we have a lot on the news today about the key is compromise. You know, here’s all these people on this side of the aisle and there’s these on this side of the aisle and they got a different ideology.

And everybody’s like, you got to compromise. What we want is bipartisanship. What they mean is we want you to agree with us. Then it’s bipartisan. But they have no intentions of agreeing with you. It’s always one-sided. Bipartisan means if I can get somebody on this side of the aisle to agree with me, then it’s bipartisan. See there, it’s a bipartisanship. Compromise. That’s the name of the game. Compromise. We have a lot of politicians that run and they get in the office and they learn how to compromise.

They can’t get the whole loaf so they compromise and settle for a slice. Not even a half a loaf. Did you hear about the hunter? The bear hunter. He went up in the mountains and he was looking for a bear. And lo and behold, a bear came out and ready to eat him up. He said, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. He got his gun and he was ready to shoot this bear. The bear said, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, let’s talk about this thing.

Let’s have a dialogue here. He says, what do you want? The hunter says, well, I want me a fur coat. They said, well, we have to negotiate. We have to compromise a little bit. You know, give a little bit. Hunter said, well, what do you want? He says, well, I just want a warm meal. So they compromised. And the bear got a warm meal, and the hunter got a fur coat. Now, y’all can figure that out, can’t you? Now, that’s the con.

Compromise are talking about right in Washington. It’s where these are the bad guys and these are the good guys. And in every case, the good guy is always given to the bad guys. It never goes the other way. So there’s the art of compromise. Now remember, in serving the Lord, you have where God wants you to do something for me. You know, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, we got to have a dialogue. We have to have we got to negotiate this thing.

I mean after all, what am I going to get out of this? What are you going to give me? Well, we want to know upfront God. What am I going to get? I serve the Lord. And so sometimes you find out that God doesn’t compromise. God’s gifts and callings are without repentance. I mean, God doesn’t change his mind. The Bible says in the book of Luke, forsaking all and following Him. That doesn’t look like any compromise whatsoever. And I find out that whether you study the Scriptures you’ll find that how many of these men were willing to die for their faith because there was no compromise.

They’d made up their mind, I’m gonna serve the Lord and that’s it. And to follow truth and obey truth regardless of where it may lead. So we don’t always understand all these things, but we know that we should be ready to meet God. And all of life is just us getting ready to meet the Lord. I preach a sermon one time on, I think right here, are you ready to suffer for the Lord? That means that you know that you’re going to not have everything go your way.

You know you’re going to lose on some things. There’s things that you’re going to hurt and sacrifice in this life. And that you’re going to be misunderstood. There’s going to be a lot of hurt and so forth. The devil’s going to do whatever he can to stop you. As I’ve lived over these last 51 years and watching people who know the Lord, love the Lord, you’d be surprised how many of God’s people have had a rough life. I mean, that want to walk with God and do what God wants them to do.

They have it rough. It’s not a cakewalk. They struggle. There’s always a problem, some bad problem, trying to keep them from doing what they could do. They think, if I didn’t have this problem, what I could do, I used to think as a pastor of a ministry, what I could do if I just had everybody, you know, working together. But I can’t seem to get everybody and make everybody work together. And then by the time you finally get some of them to really understand it and want to go forward and do something, then some of the key ones that helped you to get something, then they become, I don’t think it’s going to work.

They throw cold water all over everything. And then they discourage people. And then they get mad, then they quit, then they get somebody else to get mad, then they quit. I’m like, what if we didn’t have to go through all of that? And yet you might want them to the Lord, challenge them to serve the Lord, and then you have the teach a person enough that they can disagree with you. I’ve had people who will they’ll come along and pastor whatever you say whatever you say whatever you say whatever you say boy they just come right along they’re just so wonderful this will love you doesn’t so great and then after they learn enough Now they become superior.

Now they know more than you know. How to do it a lot better than you do. And then it’s no longer submission. It becomes authoritative and become bosses. And so then, and I’ve watched ministries around the country and so much damage, it can be done. Think, what do they understand? Truth. You don’t compromise truth. You just stay with truth and just live truth and obey truth and let God’s Word go forth. But you’re going to have all these things.

things and people who want you to slow down, don’t be so hard, don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this, and become a Christian light that’s nothing but being negative. I still like being positive what we can do, not why we can’t do something. This whole idea about maybe starting a Bible college, it’s enough to scare you to death, but it’s also an element of excitement about it.

The venture out because you don’t know what’s going to happen. You can’t see that far down the road. You don’t know what’s going to happen with all this. And yet I’d love to see a tremendous Bible college where people can come and be trained and go into all the world and preach the gospel. What have you a fantastic thing? I’ve even dreamed for men. I’d love to see a great Christian school. I wish all the people in this whole County would take their kids out of the public school put them in a good strong Christian school and teach those kids the things of God.

Teach them truth. Teach them how to know the Constitution. Teach what’s right and wrong. And love the kids. Love them. Because you got to you got something down the road you want them to do. You want to see to truly educate a teenager or some little child is because you want them to serve the Lord. Not just reading and writing. You can teach them to read and write and come into China. You can teach them how to read and write in Russia, but you can’t teach them how to serve the Lord.

There has to be a purpose behind all this education. Man, it wouldn’t have been neat. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? But if always you’ve got to have dreams. You’ve got to have dreams about serving the Lord. But are you ready? Opportunities are on wheels. They’ll roll your way. And if you’re prepared, you can take advantage of opportunities. A lot of times, opportunities come your way and you’re not prepared so they just keep on rolling by. You know what’ll happen if you stand in the corner and watch everything go by?

It will. I used to hear this saying, standing down the corner watching all the girls go by. I never did that. I couldn’t go to town. We live down the woods. But anyway, in the Word of God it says that you and I must be ready to suffer for the sake of the Lord. you don’t know how much that means or when it’s going to start, how bad it’s going to be. I used to think, you know, if I knew this is what was going to happen, well, I wouldn’t have done that.

I would have never done this if I had known. You’re supposed to maybe think the worst and anything better than that is a bonus. I used to tell kids in college, I Look, expect nothing from other people and anything as a bonus. Because something that we live according to expectations, your expectations appear, reality’s down here, you have a built-in area of frustration because it’s gonna leave you empty. It’s not gonna work that way. And we leave it or not, even we have these expectations between us and God.

You expected God to come through here and to do this and God to do that and then God didn’t do it. God is not on our string. We don’t pull the strings on God and make God do things. God’s the one that, supposed to be pulling strings. We do what we do because of Him. Not God is somebody we just use to accomplish what we want in life. It’s not what He wants. But are you ready to preach to God?

Do you know how to do the wall of illustration? Have you watched it? How many times have you ever seen the wall of illustration? Have you ever counted them? I’ve often wondered how many times I have pulled out my wallet, and people have never given the gospel to anybody. They can’t make people do it. But once you start doing it and it gets easier and easier, it’s difficult at first. But are you ready to preach the gospel? If God was to let a person come up to you and they said to you, would you please tell me how to go to heaven?

No, I’ve never had that happen like that. But if it did, are you ready? Are you prepared? Can you do it? Can you do such a thing? Well, the reason I wound up going to Bible school, because I didn’t feel like I was ready, the Bible talks about being able to give an answer to every man that asks a reason of the hope that lies within you. Can you answer a person as to why you do what you do?

Can you answer their questions concerning the Scriptures? I can’t explain everything, but I try to keep it on the best. Sometimes somebody asks me a question and I don’t know the answer. You know what I say? I don’t know. I don’t have to know everything, but I know he feeds you to a nine says for by grace or you save through faith and that not of yourself. It’s the gift of God not of works list any man should boast.

The word of the king get his wife. No, that’s a good question. But I know it says in 1 John 5 13 these things have written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. You can always talk what you do know, but I think I have an idea where he got his wife anyway. But you have to watch this chasing those rabbits that leads to nowhere. You answer that question, they got another one.

They answered that question, they got another one. And never get to the gospel. Somebody else is ready for you. Did you know the devil gets up before you? Probably goes a bit after you. He’s probably on duty all the time, 24-7. And he knows what he’s doing, and he is prepared. And if you’re ready to serve the Lord, He’s ready to see that you don’t, because He is ready. And He has a lot of little demons that you can’t see, but work behind the scene that will press you, put things, thoughts, and so forth into your mind.

Remember what Peter said? And the Lord says, Satan has desired to sift you as wheat. and have desired to sift you Peter. Jesus knew that the devil was after Peter. He knew that. And the devil wants to sift you like we, flower. I remember my mommy used to have one of those things as you put us to have an injury. You all of a saying one of those things? I remember my mom lived way back in the woods. We had a cow and we had to milk the cow.

Now I was only five or six, seven years old. And I remember milking the cow. But I never accomplished anything. I would just watch them and then after they would go, I’d get down there and I’d turn that thing up. It squared my eye. And it was so warm that was called by warm milk. And nobody worried about was it pasteurized, homogenized, fortified, petrified, you know, the normal. And you would just drink that milk. Desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow there by.

But I remember my mama, she would get a thing of milk and she would put this great big old churn between her legs and she would have a little hole in the top of it. And she would pump that thing and you’re talking about trying to make butter. And she’d say, yank, you get over there and do that. And I’d do that to my arm, I was hardly big enough to do anything. But after a while she’d take the little off air and she pulled it up air and said, there’s some butter on the thing.

Do you know what happened? these two frogs fell in a milk pail deep. And one frog did nothing but weep. And he, he whined and he pined and he moaned and he groaned. And he kept on until his legs were like lead. And in the morning they found him dead. The other frog says, I’m too young to die. I might as well give it a masterful try. So he kicked with his legs four in high. There’s nothing like having a masterful mind.

And in the morning, this froggy was found on the pound of fresh butter he floated around. Just one more kick may bring the butter. That’s why you don’t faint. Wimp her or mutter. You know what you ought to remember that now. So I’m ready to preach the gospel. Let me ask you a question. Are you ready to die? Are you ready to die? I was just talking to Betty when she called up and she says, Yankee, I’m going to see the mortuary up there, you know, the funeral home and make sure that everything’s in order.

Cause we’ve already figured out, you know, whenever I die, now I don’t have any plans, I don’t really wanna die. But in case I die, you know, we gotta have a will. Who gets this and who gets this and who gets this and who gets that? I’m worth more dead than alive. And that’s a scary thought. Every time, you know, when things get a little tight, Betty just looks at me. Not really. So we go to the funeral home and we try to figure out how to get everything taken care of and what they’re gonna do with my body and the size of the casket, the price of the casket and trying to save money and do all this stuff, you know?

And then we gotta get a headstone and all that stuff. So we’ve got everything taken care. If I die, all she gotta do is boom, put me in that casket and drop me in the ground. Or she might wanna burn me up, I don’t know, whatever she wants to do. But anyway, we have a lot of things already planned. So we’re planning that if it happens, and I die, what am I gonna do?” And you already done the same thing for her because you’re going to die.

But have you made any preparations for your death? Now a lot of people always plan on it. They’re going to. They just never do it. Never make out a will. Never solve the problem. And then whenever they die, it’s nothing but a nightmare for the others that got to try to figure out what they’re doing. And you could have solved so many problems in advance. But you just knew the Lord was going to come back and take you out of here and you didn’t have to worry about it.

But if you was to drop dead right now, have you prepared for your funeral? There’s some things that you ought to do and to think about. You say, I don’t like to think about stuff like that. It’s morbid. Everything in the Bible, I guess you could say, is morbid. Talks about, you can’t even get that heaven unless you leave here. You’re going to die someday. So when you die, who gets what you have? You say, well, I don’t care.

So the state eats it all up. All lawyers get it all. Probate court and all that stuff like that. Or you can bypass all of that stuff by taking care of things in advance. But anyway, it’s something that we all have to do. The other question was, are you ready to defend your faith? Are you ready to defend your faith? Can you tell people why you do what you do, why you believe, the way you believe? I have studied long enough that I feel fairly comfortable in telling people why I believe what I believe.

And it’s not just that because, well, I went to Florida Bible College, and so I believe like them. I believe what they taught at Florida Bible College because I saw it in the Bible, and I believe that that’s really what it said. I don’t believe what I do because, well, that’s the way Ray Stanford did it. Ray Stanford is not my God. He’s a man. I’m just a man. I want you to be strong enough in the Word of God that you know why you believe what you believe, so that you can defend your faith, so that you can explain to somebody why they should either trust Christ’s Savior or why they should serve the Lord.

And what’s the wisest thing that you want people to do with their lives? Well, that’s the direction you should try to challenge them into, and it’s so important. But I just want to show another verse to you. Look over there in the book of Revelation in chapter 2. Revelation in chapter 2. And look in verse 8. And verse 8 says, and unto the angel of the church in Smyrna, write, these things, saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive.

I know thy works and tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich. Now get this. There’s a lot of truth said right there in that little verse that just few words. The Lord says, I know, I know your works, I know your tribulations, I know your poverty. But you see, God doesn’t always change all the tribulation out of our life and take it out of us. He wants us to go through the tribulation through poverty, if necessarily. That’s the way God lets it So he didn’t stop you from being poor.

People think, well, if I serve the Lord God, you’re going to automatically bless me. And we think that means, you know, especially material blessings because there’s so many preachers that teach the health and wealth philosophy. But he makes the statement, but thou art rich. So evidently, they were not rich concerning the things of this world. He said, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, are not, but are the synagogue of Satan fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.

Did you know that most of our fear comes because of what we’re afraid to suffer? We don’t want to suffer. We don’t want to hurt. We shrink back from tribulations and things that causes us heartache and grief and all these things. We don’t want to go through things like that. It’s natural. It’s normal. But you see you and I as a child of God are supposed to have something so much more important worth living for. And these people, look what he said.

He says in verse 10, fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison. Well why don’t God stop the devil from doing it? I mean if he knows this is what the devil’s gonna do, why don’t God stop the devil from doing it? Remember the Bible says Paul wanted to do such and such and he says, but Satan hindered me. Satan hindered me. There’s a lot of things I would love to do, but Satan has hindered me at times.

I’ve had to battle against what the devil is doing in and through people with finances like I was on television and then all of a sudden the finances just dried up. So why did you dry up? It’s not because God didn’t tell people to support it. It’s because they didn’t obey God. They listened to what Satan says and then they don’t do it because they lose their vision. So they begin to compromise. I don’t have to do it. This is more important.

Or I need this and somebody else will help support the radio or the TV ministry and so they hold back and somebody else will do it and I don’t have to do it. And so they withdraw and make sure Satan It’s the victory. You go off the radio. You go off television. And a great harm is done. The devil is alive. If he does that in the work, he can do it every family in this church. The devil is going to fight you.

And God doesn’t stop all of that. He wants you to lean upon him and keep doing what he says to do, even if you suffer doing it. And again, what else he says to you? He says that you may be tried you shall have tribulation ten days be thou faithful until the check comes in the mail and know what it said be faithful to the check arrives it’s on its way and I will give thee a crown of light look he says be faithful and you mean I could die you mean this could bring death and he says I’ll make it worth your while Oh wait a minute, that this is getting a loop.

You’re going too far now. I mean all this other stuff I don’t mind, but I mean you’re talking about dying. Take a Bible, look here in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11. Hebrews in chapter 11. And look what he says here in verse 33. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 33. As he’s talking about the great heroes of faith, what happened in the Old Testament. Now a lot of these, believe it or not, came from the book of Judges, and down the road we’re going to cover some of the major topics in the book of Judges.

But it says in verse 33, who through faith subdued kingdoms brought righteousness? A pain promises stopped the mouths of lions. This is what some of God’s people did by faith, because they believed him and God used him, and this is what they accomplished. Quince the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword. of weakness were made strong, waxed, valiant, and fight, turned to fight to fight the enemies, the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead, raised to life again.

Others were tortured. God, didn’t you know they were being tortured? Why didn’t he let them be tortured? Why does God let you suffer the loss of a job or the loss of your health or the loss of it? God can allow a lot of things. God’s going to let you suffer in this life just like everybody else suffers in this life. He doesn’t stop it because you’re a Christian. He just gives you a reason to endure it, a reason to go through it.

That’s how he gets his glory. Not because he takes all those things away from you, but because you give him honor and glory in the midst of it. 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 six 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. Pastor of Calvary Community Church clearly declaring the Gospel of Christ through the radio and the inter… 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 message will be a blessing to you and your family. I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 John and chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. See there in chapter 3 verse 2 he said, Beloved, Now are we the sons of God, and it doth 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.

There are some who teach that when you trust Christ as your Savior, you’re automatically you’re all like the Lord now. Well, that’s not exactly true. I want to share a couple of thoughts with you that I hope will help make the gospel simple and why serving the Lord is so important. I believe it’s very important for people to keep in mind that we need to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, trusting Him to take us to heaven when we die.

Believe in that He died on the cross, paid for all of our sins, and by faith and faith alone, God saves us and gives us eternal life. And I believe that a man once he has saved is always saved. I do not hold back from saying that I believe eternal security is the gospel and if a man is not eternal secure, he’s not secure. I believe that when you trust Christ as your Savior, he said, he that believeth on me hath, present tense right now hath everlasting life.

And if you don’t know you have everlasting life, I have no reason to believe you’re saved. Because he said, if you believe it, you have everlasting life. And you said, well, I believe If you don’t know you have eternal life, then I don’t know if you believe it. Only way I know you believe it is you could say, I have eternal life and I know that I’m going to heaven when I die. And any person who does not believe in eternal security, I treat them as a lost man.

I have no choice. I have to because until then I have to believe that the person doesn’t understand the gospel because the good news is that when you trust Christ as your Savior, you’re justified from all things you have eternal life. You’re God’s child, you’re going to heaven. I do not believe that some have accused me of, that you’ve just given people a license to sin, that you’re just telling people that, regardless of what you do, you can live like the devil and get away with it and stuff.

Well, I don’t believe that. But I do believe that a Christian can live like the devil. I believe a Christian can do a lot of bad things and still be a Christian. There are many who teach that when you trust Christ as your Savior, you’re not gonna wanna do all those bad things anymore. Well, I keep wondering how come they do it. But the Bible tells us, and I want you to see this, in the book of Psalms. So look there in the 17th Psalm and the 15th verse.

It says, as for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. I know that one day I am going to be just like the Lord. But I’ll have to admit to you that at this moment, in my most holiest of moments, I am very far short of being totally like Christ. I would like to believe at this moment, yes, that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life, that Jesus is the master of my life.

My one desire is that I want to serve Him of all my heart. That is true. But does that mean that because I want that, he is that in every area of my life. 100%. Have you ever heard this phrase? If Jesus Christ is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all. That bothered me for a long time because I had children that would obey me sometimes and not other times. So am I supposed to think, well, because you didn’t obey me in everything I said, you didn’t obey me in anything.

Well, that’s not true. I told him to take out the trash he took out the trash. I said, you know, the washed dishes, they washed the dishes. I told them don’t don’t fight and they fought. So that means they didn’t obey me in anything. No, no, no, no, that can’t be true. You see, Christ being the Lord or the Master of our life is something that should be for every child of God. I believe every Christian should serve the Lord with all their heart.

But if you think that a person has to, then there’s something wrong. A man does not have to make Jesus Christ the Lord or the Master of his life in order to be saved or to stay saved. Remember salvation is the gift of God. It’s not a works list any man should boast. Now I want you to take your Bible look in Ephesians, chapter two, verse eight and nine. These are two of my favorite verses in the Bible. Ephesians chapter two, verse eight and nine.

Remember salvation going to heaven must be totally by grace or totally by works, but it cannot be both ways. Because grace means the opposite of works. In other words, if God’s going to give us eternal life as a gift, it has to be a total free gift. It cannot include one work or it’s not free. But if it is by your works, well, then it cannot be a gift because they’re opposites of each other. If it is by grace, then it cannot be by work, otherwise grace isn’t grace.

But if it is by work, then it cannot be by grace, otherwise work isn’t work, because the one amels the other. So a man is either saved totally by grace or totally by worst, but he cannot be by both. So my salvation was by me putting my confidence, my trust, and a work that he did, Christ did totally. I am totally saved, 100% saved. The very moment I believed on him as I’ll ever be in this life, I am saved.

I am immediately saved, totally I’m saved. And there’s nothing more for him to save except to take me out of this world, but I am saved means I’m saved from hell. I can never go to hell and Ephesians 2 8 9 says for by grace Are you saved through faith that not of yourself? It is the gift of God not of what not of works list any man should boast So salvation is not by your works now. I want to relate this simple little story with you You remember that David was a man after God’s own heart I believe that David was a saved man.

God used David, the king of Israel, to write most of the Psalms. He was one of the greatest kings that we ever read about in the Bible. And one day when David should have been out, as the king should have been out fighting battles, he wasn’t. And he saw a woman, and he lusted after a woman, and he committed adultery with the woman, and had her husband killed. He was a murderer and yet he was a saved man. He was a saved man.

He was a believer. He was a saved at that moment in the act of adultery as you are sitting here this morning. So I would never do that don’t you ever say never. You don’t know what you’ll do tomorrow. You don’t realize that the power of the lust of the flesh and of the devil and the temptations and the trials that can hit you. Can a Christian, like King David, commit adultery and be a saved man? Yes, he can.

Was Christ the Lord and the Master of his life at that moment? No. Was he saved? Yes. Was he serving God in the midst of those acts? No. When he was having Uriah killed, was he serving God? No, he wasn’t right with God. Was he a saved man? Yes. But God was not the Lord and the Master of his life, but he was a saved man. I want you also to take your Bible and turn to the book of 2 Peter, chapter 2.

Peter and chapter 2. Remember, I am not advocating sin. I never do that. Sin is wrong. But I want to tell you what I believe is the truth from God’s Word, because there’s many people that cause people to doubt their salvation. Because if God cannot keep you saved because you commit the big sin, He couldn’t keep you saved if you commit a little sin. But every one of us in this room will admit we all commit little sins. But nobody does those big sins.

Well, the same God that can protect you and save you by grace from the little ones also can keep you saved from the big ones. Even though you have sin greatly against God, can a Christian do those things and Christ not be the Lord and Master of his life? Yes. Should the Christ be the master of my life. Yes! But Christians don’t always do what they’re supposed to do. We don’t always live the way we’re supposed to live. But God chastens His rebellious children.

You cannot live as you please and get away with it because you have a wonderful loving, kind heavenly Father that’s going to chasten and discipline you. Understand that. Just because you go out and commit sin doesn’t mean God takes away your salvation. You’re still his child, but because you’re his child, your heavenly father’s gonna have to blister your high knee. Understand that. And maybe take you home before your time, but he still loves you. 2 Peter and chapter two.

2 Peter, chapter two, looking verse seven and eight. And chapter two is the story about a man named Lot. In verse seven says, and delivered just Lot. That means that Lot was a saved man. He was a man that was justified, like you and I would be justified. We commit all these bad things. God saves us. We’re cleared. Just the fifth I’ve never sinned. So Lot was a saved man, a justified man. But was Jesus Christ, was God Himself, was Jehovah, the Lord and the Master of His life?

No. Maybe at times. Time that you will obey and times you will not obey, but can still be saved. Lot do not always make the right decisions. He chose the wrong decision when he split with his uncle Abraham. And then he made some wrong decisions to go into a place called Sodom and Gomorrah and he made another wrong decision to stay there. And he lost the power of his influence and look what he says and delivered just lot vexed with the filthy behavior of the conversation of the behavior of the wicked, for that what kind of man says, he was a righteous man, dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deed.

He did the same thing. He vexed his own righteous soul because of what he saw in seeing and hearing. Maybe he didn’t participate, but he saw and vexed his own soul, took and robbed him of the joy because you know he’s not in a right place. He is not making an influence or an impact upon them. They are influencing him and he lost his wife and he lost his kids. But was he a safe man? Yes. Was he a righteous man?

In God’s eyes only because the righteousness that he had was a by faith righteousness. God put his righteousness to his account. Lot was not saved or justified because of his good deeds before or after. If a man has to commit himself to live a certain way in order to be saved and then he fails upon that commitment or thinking that God saved me because I promise that I’m going to live a certain way, that’s not salvation. That’s not by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourself.

Salvation is the gift of God, not of works, not even the promise of what you’re going to do or a performance. No. Salvation by grace and grace alone. And yet many of God’s people will do exactly the same. There may be things you watch. You ought not watch. You’re a Christian. Can you be saved and watch pornographic stuff? Listen to filth. Tell dirty jokes. Can’t you do all those things? I’d venture to say if God would reveal and pull down the a little curtain up here and could throw it up here what you did just last week that nobody else knows about I bet you that’d be a mass evacuation out of the church just what you thought about oh whatever oh yes you would because you see you still have an old sinful nature that’s why he says Lord when I see you I will be like you because today we may want to be like the

Lord, we want to be so godly, we want to be so holy, and yet there’s this whole sinful nature that’s inside of us that keeps us from performing the way we ought to. That keeps and God keeps more in that image that we’re trying to conform to the image of Christ, and we can’t always do the things we wanted to, to the degree that we’d like to do them, because there’s something inside of us that pulls us down. It’s called no sinful nature.

You and I, as long as we live here, we’re never going to be 100% totally under the lordship of Jesus Christ who would love to be. I’m still struggling trying to keep my mind right and keep my words right and keep my deeds right. It’s a constant warfare in the battle all the days of my life. And if I have to fight it, I know you have to fight it. If I hurt sometimes because of things that you think, I know that you have to, you’re no different than I am.

We’re all the things. We’re human bodies. We’ve got a sinful nature. And yet one day, yes, I will sleep and I will awake in his likeness. That’s why you struggle and that’s what you’re fighting for. You want to be like the Lord. And yet the most godliest person that’s ever lived still has some Mars and some flaws in his life. We still come short of the glory of God. None of us are the perfect epitome of an example that we’d like to be.

But there’s people who try to get others to think, well, that’s because you’re not really saved. You see, because if you was really saved, you’re not going to want to go out here and do all those bad things. That’s not true. Remember that simple illustration? Our first birth, old sinful nature, flesh, can’t do anything right. This one’s not going to heaven. You need a new birth. This one is born of God. This one has a holy spirit. This one born of God can’t sin.

If you can’t sin, it can’t die. This one is divine. This one will live forever. That’s why he says, whosoever is born of God, if not commit sin. Because his seed remaining to him and he cannot sin. This one is born of God, it can’t sin. That’s your second birth. I still got this one. I got two of them. And that’s what’s called me my troubles. And they fight all the time. And every Christian has to go through that.

Look in Romans chapter 4 and verse 5. When he makes the statement here, but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifyeth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. When he says, but to him that worketh not, that phrase in itself means you don’t work for it and you don’t promise that you’re going to work for it because God doesn’t save a man based upon his promise to perform. You don’t have to be willing to do anything.

God is willing to save you a dirty lousy stinking good for nothing rotten center bound to go to hell and God saved just like you are. You see in the midst of everything and I’ve already do it yet? Do I have to promise to quit all these sins? Not one of them. I don’t have to promise to quit, because if I’ve got to promise to quit one, I’ve got to promise to quit them all. All right, now what happens if I don’t?

All that’s assigned you weren’t really saved. You didn’t mean business. See, that’s not the Bible. Salvation is, look, we’ve all sinned and Christ will save us just as I am, right where I am. And the Bible says, when you trust Christ is saved, now as a saved man, Now does God want me as his child to serve him? Yes, with all my heart. But I don’t do it because I’m trying to get saved because I already am saved. And if I don’t serve him, I’m still saved.

How I live can never affect my salvation. If you promise that you’ll live for him in order to be saved, where’s the verse in the Bible that says that? You won’t find one because salvation is by grace. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Just turn to you right a couple pages. 1 Corinthians and chapter 3. Now you and I know that Corinthians Christians at this church were some very carnal-minded Christians, very worldly-minded Christians. Named about 14 major sins in this church.

This church had a lot of problems. But I want you to see first of all, first Corinthians in chapter one, look there in verse two, unto the church of God, which is at current to them that are what? That are sanctified. That means you already been set apart, declared righteous. You’ve been declared holy. Huguazzo, set apart, pure and holy. That’s why he says in the last part of the verse, called to be what? Called saints. You see, the way you get to be called a saint, not because you live like a saint.

You’re a saint because God has set you apart as his child and made you pure and holy because of the payment that he made for you. That’s what made you a saint. You’re not a saint because you live like a saint. You may live like a saint Bernard, but if you trust in Christ, you’re saving. You’re still a saint. In case you’ve never seen a saint before in your life, I want you to look at one. You’re looking at a saint.

You don’t like no saint to me. Yeah, but you don’t see me the way God sees me. You see, you see me with all my faults. God don’t see them because he separated me from my sins. He remotement, motement, as far as the east is from the west. He cast them to the depths of the sea, the gun. I’m in Christ, and that’s how my heavenly Father sees me. Now he says that they’re saints. He says that they’re sanctified and they’re in the body of Christ, and God has done all these wonderful things for them.

Now in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, I want you to look at this. 1 Corinthians chapter 3, these were church members and they were saved, but Christ was not the Lord of their life. They were not living for God. Christ was not the master of their life. They were not living the way God wanted them to live, but were they still saved? Yes. You see, if Christians can live and Christ not be the Lord master of the life, why would we tell a lost man that he has to make Christ the Lord master of his life?

You know what, to be saved. Do you see a problem? Look what he says here in verse one. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes, and what’s the next two words? In Christ, these are babes in Christ that should be mature by now and they’re not. He said, I like to talk to you as though you were spiritually mature, Christian, but I can’t because you’re carnal. What do you mean by carnal?

Flashly minded means that there’s Christians that are still babes living like lost people. So Christ was not the Lord of the Master of their life. Is that what God wants? No, that’s not what God wants, but that’s reality. But are they still saved? Did Paul say, well, that’s a sign you are not saved because there’s divisions among you. And then by the way, he says in chapter five, he says, one of y’all is committing a daughter with your father’s wife.

That’s the sign you’re not saved. He didn’t say that. He didn’t say that at all. but they had to get it corrected. And in the second Corinthians, he told them, forgive the man because the man got things right, forgive him. But you see, if you think that because people live wrong, it’s a sign they’re not saved, then you ought to doubt your salvation too. Is well, I didn’t commit adultery and I didn’t rub a bank. Yeah, but did you lie?

Do you have bad thoughts? Have you been angry? Have you been envious? Have you been filled with jealousy? You see, those are just as bad because sin is sin. You see, if that was true, then all of us are lost. Nobody’s saved because you see, you think, well, Christ has to be the total Lord and Master of everything, even in my letter. He’s the Lord of all and not Lord of all. And if he’s not Lord at all, then you’re not saved.

Well, then nobody would be saved. Well, where is this epitome of this individual that is so golly and so holy that Christ is totally the Lord and Master of his life? I’d like to see the man. Where is he? like that except one. And one day I shall see him and I will be like him. But until then, I’m fighting battles just like you’re fighting battles. And if we don’t understand that, you’re going to doubt salvation. You’re going to question whether people are really saying, you know how I believe that people are saved or lost?

I don’t go bySleep, that’s for sure. And I don’t care if you sing in the choir. That doesn’t prove you’re saved. You could be as lost as the houndboggin’ in of a suitbone. Is did you or did you not trust Christ as your Savior? If you’ve never done that, you’re lost. And yet you may live so holy. And another man said, I’ve trusted Christ in Him alone as my only hope to go to heaven. And that man will be saved and go to heaven.

I don’t care if he lives like a dog. Worst sign of an individual you’ve ever seen in your life. So it’s not fair. Nobody said anything about being fair. It’s called grace. G-R-A-C-E, God’s riches at Christ’s expense. That’s what God’s done for us. Take your Bible and look there very quickly in Romans 12. Romans 12. And notice there in verse 1. Romans 12 and verse 1. This is written to the Christian. It’s written to those who know Christ’s Savior.

Does God want you and I as His child to submit our bodies to Him to him as a living sacrifice. Yes. But you know, this is written to the believer. It means the believer hasn’t done it yet. See where he says, I beseech you therefore brethren. This is not to the law. You don’t get a lost man to promise how he’s going to live or commit his life to Christ and how he’s going to live his life. You don’t get a lost man to make Christ the Lord and master of his life in order to be saved.

That’s not the book, nowhere in the book. Does that mean that Christ is not the Lord? No, he is the Lord. One day every knee will bow and every time will confess that he is, that’s who he is. Jesus Christ is the Lord. That’s who he is. But he may not be your Savior and he may not be your Lord because there’s time when he is the master of my life because I have served him and there’s time when maybe I haven’t served him the way I ought to in every area of my life.

But growing in the Lord means that you’re learning how to yield more areas of your life over to his Lordship, over to his rule, so that he is master of all of your life. And yet when you fail, admit that you fail and confess that to God and keep going. Look what he says here in Romans chapter 12 verse 1, I beseech ye therefore brethren by the mercies of God. That means in view of what God has done for you.

You see, he saved me and gave me eternal life. And I don’t have to serve God. I don’t have to go to church. I don’t have to give money. I don’t have to pray. I don’t have to do anything. Well, I still go to heaven. Yes, I will. Well, then why do you do it? Because I want to. You see, you will serve God according to what He means to you. But nobody can legislate you the the morality that makes you serve God.

That’s got to be something on the inside of you where you want to do right. He says that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Holy. acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable sort of, this is because of what he’s done for you. See, he hadn’t saved the lost man yet. That’s why the lost man don’t have to commit anything to Christ. That’s why the lost man don’t have to promise to give up his sins. A lost man had to promise he’s going to live for God.

Why? Because God ain’t saved him yet. But when a man is saved, because of his love should constrain and motivate me. That’s, yeah, that’s totally different because we thus judge that if he died for all, then he died for me. And that they which live should not hint for of living to themselves, but under him who died from in rose again. That’s why I should serve the Lord because of what he did for me. But see the lost man hasn’t trusted him in saving yet.

He first of all, get him saved. Now that a man is saved, now here’s what you need to understand. God wants you to serve him. And he makes a statement here in verse two, and be not conformed to this world. But this is talking to the Christian. Evidently, if he’s telling him be not conformed to this world, then it means that a Christian can be be conformed to the world. Look at it. It’s the book. One thing I try not to do, I will not twist the scriptures to try to make them say what I want them to say, but I’m not going to change it or add to it because I want to be accepted by other people or other preachers or in any denomination or anybody anywhere.

Either the book is the truth or take the thing and throw it in the trash can. It’s either the word of God or it’s not. Man’s either to save by grace or save by works. If it’s by grace, then let it be by grace. No man justifies himself in the eyes of God by his works, either before salvation or after salvation. Salvation is a gift of God, because of what Christ did for me. But be a transformed, how do you train?

See, this is where conversion takes place. This is where change life comes, not to be saved, but because you are saved. But be a transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove or discover Where that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. When does God want me to transform my life? After I’m saved. Because of what he’s done for, in view of his mercies. Look what God’s done for me. Yet now I should, yes I want Christ to be the Lord of my life.

I want him to be the master of my life. I wanna serve him all the days of my life because of everything he’s done for me. If he never does another thing for me, what he hath done is enough. I don’t serve God because he gives me good help. I don’t serve God because He’d give me a good wife and good kids. I don’t serve God because He’d give me a place to live in a good minute. I serve God because He paid for my sins and kept me out of hell.

That alone is enough for me to serve Him for the rest of my life because I can lose my wife. And I can lose this ministry and I can lose my health and I can lose my friends. I can lose finances. I can lose all of those but I can never lose what He did for me. And therefore I’ve got a reason to serve God for the rest of my life and so do you. 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 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. The 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 to us 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.org homepage.

We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. And so he said, and if in verse 13, if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then I preach in his vein. Your faith is also vain. Yay, and we are found Jehovah’s Witnesses of God. Because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up.

If so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain and you’re yet in your sins. So it’s making it pretty clear that if Christ didn’t come back from the dead, we’re still in our sins because Christ didn’t die for our sins and He didn’t come back from the dead. Him coming back from the dead is the proof of payment. The proof of payment has been paid in full and God is satisfied and that He was without saying he came back from the dead.

Now get this. He says in verse 19, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. I have hope not only in this life but also in the next life. Why? Because if I die physically, I know that he can raise my body from the dead. Now remember this. Some people believe that whenever you die, you’re sleeping in the body. Call it so sleep. 70 Adventists believe this. And there’s others like Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe you’re dead at all.

You just in your body and you’re just your body that’s dead. You are your body. But that’s a lot of weird teaching out there. Let me just throw this out there to you. I mean, there’s no extra charge for this. You know, we got candidates that are running for office and so forth. And so I am a very conservative type of an individual. and I listen to the various candidates and so forth. But I also wanna know where they stand according to their religious beliefs.

You say, well, I don’t think that matters. It most certainly does. Your religion is the basis of your governmental philosophy. What you believe spiritually about God or the Bible, the Bible. It affects your belief. If a man was an atheist, do you think it’s going to determine some of his decisions? If you’re a humanist educator, it will affect your decisions. And of course, if you’re a Christian, it’s probably going to affect your decisions. Mormonism is not Christian. The religion of Mormonism is not Christian belief.

It is not Christian faith. They have their porel of great price. They got their book of Mormons. It’s not the Bible. It’s not compatible with the Bible. And if you ever studied their religion, which I have done, I have read their books, it is heresy. It is not Bible. And there’s no connection between the two. They are not considered Christian because it is a cult. It means means they have an extra biblical source of authority. It means that they don’t just believe this, they have confidence in other men who wrote other books that are in conflict with this, and they are not of God.

So therefore, whenever I hear different ones that are running, I’m not interested that much in just, well, they have conservative views. I want a man that I believe God can bless. And that I can pray because if he makes an error, I can pray and believe that the Holy Spirit can deal with that individual if he knows the Lord. I believe that it works, but God says to put in righteous people. And righteous people doesn’t mean that you just live because you live right.

It’s because also you believe right. You have the right faith. And I believe what a man believes is very, very important. So anyway, I told you there was no charge for that, but now go back here. Look there in verse 20, in verse 20, but now, now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. Now as you go through here, it seems like the Apostle Paul is using some of the scriptures in the Old Testament and you’ll find that that out of all the books that he wrote that God used them to write.

The lot of Old Testaments is found in these books and you’ll notice that whenever you first do the first fruits, it was mentioned like in Leviticus 23 while he’s talking about the resurrection of Christ. And you really got it. He’s talking about the resurrection. See what he says in verse just to jump down there looking verse 23, but every man in his own order Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christ at his coming. So the first fruit so we talk about the first fruit well that’s when Christ came back from the dead.

That’s the next one and if you go according to your thing right there that’s that’s the third thing that’s mentioned there too that’s the third feast. So it’s like it’s in order and all those things that were done back there, Paul is showing that, hey, this is when Christ did this. This is when Christ did this. This is when Christ did this. So we don’t have to hope and guess that that’s what those things are referring to. God’s Word says that.

I got it right here. God says this is what that is referring to. And so it keeps us from having to guess. So in verse 20, look what he says, but But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them.” That’s that. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all died, that’s the first Adam. Even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Those that are in Christ are all made alive. It means you live forever. If you’re born of the first Adam, you’re all going to die. But if you’re in the second Adam Christ, you’re going to live. Look what he says there in verse 45. And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam Christ was made a quickening spirit. So he makes us alive to live forever with the Lord. Now go back there to the book of 1 Corinthians 15 verse 51.

For since by man came also, came death, but by man also came the resurrection of the dead, for as an Adam all died, even so in Christ all be made alive, but every man in his own order, that means that there is a sequence. There is a plan that God has. There’s a timing in which God does what he does. So when you go to Leviticus 23, you’re reading about the order, the timing of what God is doing. And now here in the book of 1 Corinthians, as you look at the children of God, it’s like we’re going through a wilderness, especially these rebellious teenagers, kids in the Lord, because they hadn’t learned how to walk with the Lord.

They weren’t matured the Lord. He said, I cannot speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as are the babes in Christ. He said, are you not carnal and walk is lost men, walk is men. And so you have all these things. And so these principles that are taught in the Old Testament, there’s a good possibility that the rabbi back then taught the people the exact same thing that Paul is talking to the people here about. Except they would be talking to the Israelites and here we’re talking to the church.

And the church is not Israel. These feast days is not about the, for the church in that sense. We don’t celebrate these feast days. We simply know that they’re there and what they mean and how it’s supposed to be explained. And so God explains these truths that… They were supposed to know and understand. Remember when the Lord was talking to a man by the name of Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles that thou do except God be with him.

And Jesus later on says, you mean thou art a ruler in Israel and knoweth not these things. When he talked about the new birth, you mean you don’t understand that? Of course Jesus knew the answer, but in the work he should have known the new birth. He should have known what it meant. And then he used the Lord, the illustration about raising up the serpent in the wilderness and what it meant. Even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness and that whosoever would look would be saved That illustration in the Old Testament was a type of the gospel And yet He says you don’t understand that so it’s not that it’s not there.

They just don’t understand It’s just like there’s truth that God has given for us today But if you don’t read the Bible and study the Bible of court, you’re not going to know it Does it mean that God didn’t tell us? Think of all the people all over the world that don’t understand. It’s because God didn’t reveal it. God didn’t tell anybody. Yeah, he told. And he said, well, what in God sent somebody there and sent somebody there and sent somebody there?

Well, God has told people to go and they won’t go. There’s probably people sitting right here that God told you years ago to go and you will not go. did not do it. You were afraid. And years can pass. I’m aware I’m talking to doctors Dan for one day. And he says when he got ready to quit his job as the National Cash Register’s salesman there in Miami, he said he made a profit off of every cash register that was sold in Miami.

He said he’s gonna quit, go full time with his youth ranch ministry. He said I didn’t have a job. I mean he’s when he quit that one. He didn’t have another paying job. Nobody was going to support him. So he walked into the office to tell the guy that he was going to quit and do full-time youth work. And he just knew the guy was going to call him a fool and mock him and make fun of him. And he listened to what Ray said and then he got a little teary-eyed.

He says, I understand. He said years ago, I knew that that’s what God wanted me to do, and I would not do it. I didn’t do it. Oh, yeah, yeah, the big business had all these people working for him, but inwardly he knew he had missed the will of God for his life. And there’s a lot of people that probably could have and should have done a lot of things, but they just never did. God doesn’t make us serve him.

He puts it out there and says, here it is. Here’s my will. Whosoever will lose his life, for my sake and the gospel, the same shall find it. And of course, if you don’t do it, you’re not going to find your purpose in your life, because you forfeited the purpose. And you could do a lot of different things. But what about that one thing that God wanted you to know that God wanted you to do? So look what he says here in 1 Corinthians 15, where he makes a statement in verse 23, but every man in his own order Christ the first fruits afterwards.

And this is the part that you and I are waiting for from the resurrection of Christ from the time he came back as the first fruit. You notice there is a big gap and they that are Christ and what’s the next three words at his coming. So from the resurrection, which is what we have on our little notes, there’s not another one until he comes. That’s the next sign. That was the nextMist. In the Old Testament, it was the Feast of Trumpets.

And for us, that will be, yes, the gathering of Israel together in the tribulation period, and there’s going to be this time of suffering and so forth and repentance and humiliation and chastisement to get Israel’s attention and then Christ in glory and that comes at the end of the tribulation period. So we are waiting for Christ at his coming. Now he doesn’t come to the earth then, comes only in the air and then we’re caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

And so we have about the resurrection. All of this through here is talking about the resurrection. You’ll also notice that in the following verses, if you look there in 1 Corinthians in chapter 15, around verse 44 and down a few verses, it talks about the spirit, the spirit, the spirit, the spirit. Now you and I know that the Holy Spirit came On the day of Pentecost, fifty days later, well that’s when the church began on the day of Pentecost.

And when you read 1 Corinthians chapter 12, you’ll notice it talks an awful lot about the baptism and so forth of the Holy Spirit. where it says in chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, he says in verse 13, for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jews are Gentiles. So there you’re talking also about what took place on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came and took the believing Jews and put them into the body, and then in chapter 10 when he took the Gentiles that believe and put them into the body, and all believing Jews and Gentiles since that time have all been placed into the body of Christ.

And then the time will come when all of this is going to be over and the Lord is going to come back. Now isn’t it amazing that well the next thing to happen should be well something exciting. Look in verse 51, behold I show you a mystery. Now this is not a truth that was known before. It is Now being revealed for the first time, that’s what the word mystery means. It was hidden in ages past. And there’s hints of types and things like that that God uses of people just disappearing.

In the paper this morning, somebody had wrote a book on about the rapture and mocked it and made fun about it. Maybe some of y’all saw that. And I said to that, I thought, how stupid. Mocking the Bible. God pity the man who mocks the Bible makes fun of what God’s Word says. Isn’t it something that 2,000 years ago God talked about people disappearing from the planet just going to disappear from this world? And in the book supposedly that was written, it was not only mocking the idea.

It was a question about, well, who gets to go? just people vanishing as though it was a random thing and nobody knew who’s going to be the chosen ones. When that moment happens, who gets to go? Well, I already know. All of those who are alive when Christ comes back who have accepted Him as their Savior, who believe that Christ died, paid for all of their sins, ready or not, we’re going. Obedient or disobedient, you’re out of here. But you see, we’ve covered all these different feasts just from the teaching in one book.

But look what he says in verse 51, behold I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment in the twinkling oven eye, the last trump for the trumpet shall sound the dead shall be raised incorruptible, we shall be changed, for this corruptible must put on incorruption in this mortal must put on immortality. So the teaching is right here in the Word of God about Christ coming and we are going to be changing and so forth.

Now understand that why do we have to be changed? Well because we’re going to be living forever and the body is not up to the job. Haven’t you noticed that your physical body is not up to the job? like for it to be, we try to prolong no death as long as we can because nobody really wants to die and we like to stay alive as long as we can. But the purpose of the little boost that they had to make and a type of living in the wilderness you know in the tents and so on, well, it was interesting that I wonder if that would be covered in Corinthians 2 anywhere, you know.

We know the Bible says that Jesus Christ, when He came into the world, that He tabbed our knackled among us, means that He dwelt among them. He was the Word, and the Word was with God, the Word was God, and all that, you know. But that’s in the book of Raw, John chapter 1 and verse 14. But look there in 2nd Corinthians in chapter 5, 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. And notice in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1, talking about you and I living in this world in a tent, living in tent.

Your body is a tent. It’s temp perary. And so you can either be content in the tent or discontent, but you are in the tent. Verse one, for we know that if our earthly house of this, and what’s the word? Tabernacle. There’s going to be what they call the feast of tabernacles. And… So this takes place right after the 10 days of the Feast of Trumpets. And so you have a time period where God’s people and remembrance of what they’ve gone through and time of their, right before this was their eating of the bitter herbs and all these things.

But here, and also in the book, for the Passover. But here in verse one, know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God and house not made with hands. eternal in the heavens. For in this, this tabernacle, we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house, which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed, we should not be found naked. In other words, I don’t want to be just a spirit floating around.

I’d rather have a body. And when I look at you, I’d I’d rather have a see you in a body. And then still fully clothed. But anyway, this we’re moving right along here. He says in verse four, “‘For we that are in this tabernacle, do grown, being burdened. But not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon. That mortality might be swallowed up of eternal life.” Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing as God, who also have given to us the earnest or the down payment of the Spirit.

Therefore, we are always confident knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, present with the Lord. Absent from the body, present with the Lord. But the body that you and I have is a tabernacle. It is like a tent that we’re living in in this wilderness, in this world. And there are things that God has laid out for the real nation of Israel.

And you and I, well, we’re people just like they’re people. But they’re the nation of Israel and we’re the church. And so God says that the day will come and we’ll be caught up to meet the Lord in the and then there’s still the seven-year tribulation upon the earth. And then Christ comes back to the earth and power, great glory, and then they will be in the kingdom upon the earth. And they’ll have glorified bodies, or we will. And we know how important it is for us to understand that God is in charge and He has a time schedule.

And He talks about the fullness of times and when the fullness of time become in. God is right on schedule. Is it not true that Jesus Christ was born on time? When Jesus Christ went up into the air, it was right on time and when the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, it was 50 days right on schedule. God is an orderly God and He’s always on time. Did you realize if the Lord came back today? We only got seven years for the tribulation and then we’ll be in the Millennium.

Did you realize that just seven years from now we could be standing in glorified bodies and a paradise upon this earth? Never to hurt, suffer anymore, but to worship the Lord and know that we were on the winning side. We won and the saints will possess the kingdom forever and ever and ever. So between now and then, keep looking up. Don’t be down in this heart because of what you see coming. Because if they keep looking a little bit further, you can see something else coming.

A lot better and a lot brighter and more wonderful than anything we could ever imagine. And so there’s an awful lot of what God’s word has to say when the book of 1st and 2nd Corinthians. Look up here, if you’re here and you have never trusted Christ as you’re saved here, I know you’ll get saved by and by Him. One of these days about the road to hell is paid with good intentions, always intending to but why not right now?

Take care of it. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. It’s something that all of us have done. Whatever it is, you did it so that I… We have all sinned and come short of God’s perfection. Nobody’s perfect. And God says that we have to pay for it. And the wages of sin is death and hell. That’s why everybody dies. But God loves us. Did you know that God loves you? And He proved His love for you because he wants you to go to heaven, but you have to be perfect and you’re not.

You see, we committed sins and we got to pay for them so there’s no way for us to go to heaven. We can’t go to heaven. Impossible. Unless God does something for us. God says you can’t earn eternal life, you can’t work your way there. You’ll never be good enough. That just makes your religious hypocrite. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world because He loves us. Hates our sin because it separates us from Him.

So Jesus Christ, who had no sin, didn’t have to die. But He took ours, died for us, died in my place. died and paid for my sins. Well, if he paid for my sins, wouldn’t it be crazy and dumb on my part to go to hell and pay for it? When he paid for them, you don’t have to pay for something twice. All I have to do is believe he did it for me. Just think of all the things in all the world.

God made it so simple. If you believe I did it for you, I’ll give you eternal life and you get to go to heaven or what I did for you. How much easier could he have made it? It’s the easiest thing in all the world. How can you go wrong by trusting the only true and living God there is? You don’t become a religious hypocrite. You’re not claiming to stop something or be something or join something. You don’t have to live a certain way.

Make promises and pledges you’ll never keep. All you got to do is I’m a sinner. I believe Christ paid for my sins. And I’m trusting Him to take me to heaven when I die. How simple, how easy. Best news in the all the world. I pray that you have the good sense to trust the Lord. Let’s pray, shall we? If you’re here this morning and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you trust Him? Would you believe that He died for you?

I’m not asking you to sign anything or to do anything. I just want you right where you are. Will you trust the Lord? God said, if you would trust Him as your Savior, He would save you right now from hell and give you right now eternal life and you can know that you’re going to heaven whenever you die Don’t you want to be one of those saints that lives forever with the Lord? I Do I’m glad I took care of that years ago?

So it has about nice clothes and no one looking around I’m gonna ask in just a moment that if what I said made sense to you I’m gonna ask you to raise your hand raising your hand is not gonna save you It just lets me know that what I said made sense to you and friend I’d like to know and I’d like to have prayer for you in closing. That’s all. So if you’ve already trusted the Lord, you don’t have to do it again.

But if you never have and you want to say, I want to be sure I’m going to heaven when I die and preach it, would you pray for me? Would you slip your hand very quickly and put a wrap back down? Is it him or the hall? No tricks to it, no gimmicks to it. I pray that you have trusted Christ the Savior. Our Father, we do thank You so much for the free gift of eternal life and for giving us Your Word so we can understand the things that are coming up on the earth, help our hearts to be knit together in love for one another, and help us to reach as many as we can while we can, but we know we may not be able to change the world, but we do want to make sure the world doesn’t change us, help us to do right, and to live

Godly as we should, and looking for you to come in Christ that 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 Bible 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 is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at six 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 first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family. As you know and I know that this is an important part of the year. This is the time of year when people are looking for the upper taker, looking for the Lord to return. And of course in the Old Testament as you study the various feasts, it’s laid out pretty simple as the Passover Christ becoming sin.

then no sin, no leaven. And then you have the resurrection, the first fruits from the dead. And then you have the Holy Spirit coming on the day of Pentecost. Then you’ve got the rapture taking place, what we believe is the Feast of Trumpets. And also the tribulation period of time of the atonement and so forth and people kind of supposed to be thinking about what God’s doing. In other words, he’s going to walk them till they do. And then he’s going to come back and power in great glory.

And instead of his kingdom upon the earth and then of course the Feast of Tabernacles were as a remembrance of what was going on in the wilderness. They all had to build a little booths and they lived in tents because they weren’t in their homeland. And so all these things are laid out, I believe, about the apostle Paul in the book of first and second Corinthians. So what I wanted to simply do is just show you a few of the things that the apostle Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is able to go back to the Old Testament and pull some of these same truths that we’ve got here on the, like on a timeline.

But he doesn’t And use it as a timeline only that he uses the truth in it to teach by and showing how it’s supposed to apply to you and I. So if you will just take, for example, and leave your little form out there so you can look at it at, you know, different times. But look there in the book of 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 5. In Corinthians chapter 5 there is a tremendous verse there that because Christ was our Passover, He became sin, the Bible says.

So if He’s the Passover, and that’s the first feast that we celebrate, and of course the timing of this in the spring time, because there’s four of these feasts in the spring, in the fall, seven total. And it represents at different times of the year their understanding of what God’s going to do. And so there were these feasts and of course everyone should be thankful that we like feasts. Everybody likes feasts. We like feasts around here. Every third Sunday we feast.

And when you don’t know what to bring, they always bring chicken. I wonder if that’s what we’re going to eat at the, you know, Mary’s up with a lamb chicken. I wonder if there’s another kind of fish or a food that we haven’t ever ate before. Is it going to be some of the same most stuff we’ve had down here? Or is it going to be different kinds of food? I don’t know. But whatever it is, aren’t you thankful for taste buds?

Taste buds. There’s something about taste buds that just loves chocolate. Love chocolate. And sometimes we go play a little golf. They have a little basket there with all these little bits of pieces of chocolate, but 10 different kinds of chocolate. So I have to get a couple of each. Kind of gives you a little energy, you know, when you’re kind of running out of energy, and that old hot sun. But man, I love chocolate. But 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 says, for he, God hath made him Jesus Christ, who knew no sin to be sinned for us.

So he was made sent for us. This was for the purpose of being the Passover. So yes, in the book of Corinthians, They’re talk about Christ as the Passover, and this is what he has done for us. Now take your Bible looking first Corinthians in chapter 5. First Corinthians chapter 5 is a little story about a problem they were having in this church. And remember, as you studied the book of 1 Corinthians, it’s almost like the children of Israel been in the wilderness.

But did they have problems? Boy, were they rebellious. They didn’t seem to be able to do anything right in spite of all that God has done for them and how he was leading and guiding them. And he even refers to them in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 about all the things that God has done. And he even refers back to when Israel was in the wilderness and how that they were all under the cloud. They all had one leader, Moses, and how that they were all baptized and so forth.

all these things that’s mentioned there, and he says, all these things that happen to them are for a warning so that you don’t do what they did. So whenever you trusted Christ as your Savior, it’s just kind of like everybody goes to a period of, you know, a little rebellion in their upbringing, and as you’re learning how to walk with the Lord and living in the wilderness sometimes. And it was only a 11 days journey from the time they crossed the Red Sea into the promised land from Katie’s Barnia.

But that took them 40 years. And a lot of Christians, it takes them about 40 years to go in 11 days journey. Doesn’t have to be that away, but because we’re just so naturally rebellious. We don’t like to be told what we can and cannot do. We don’t like to listen. We have our own sinful nature. And so that’s what we do. But in the book of 1 Corinthians, as a kind of like in a wilderness experience with all their rebellion and stuff, going their own way.

He says here in verse four, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together. So it is a sign that God’s people are supposed to gather together. You should well, I’m a member of the church, but I don’t have to belong and I don’t have to do this and I can go whenever I want. Well, we can be a maverick and you can be rebellious. That’s the signs of a rebellious person talking. But he makes a statement.

When you are gathered together and my spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one. Now there was an individual who was, you could call it today, living in sin or shacking up with somebody he shouldn’t have. And people knew about it, but nobody wants to say anything about because nobody wants to cause somebody to feel bad about it. And so you don’t have to worry about it. As long as I’m the preacher, I will say something about it.

I will say what I believe is right and wrong. And I will say that I just wrong it is sin. They have just come up now with don’t ask, don’t tell, it’s been repealed, isn’t that wonderful? Isn’t it wonderful? And so now anybody can do whatever they wanna do, but you’re not supposed to say anything because see that could be a hate crime. Just saying the word can become a hate crime. And so you’re not supposed to say anything against the gays or the homosexuals, you’re not supposed to say things like that because that offends them.

I wonder if anybody ever thinks about all the profanity that you hear that offends me. I’m offended by that. So they ought to quit all of that. I want to fathom fly. I doubt it. They probably don’t care what I think. They probably don’t care what Christians think about anything. But as long as we don’t offend them, it’s okay for them to offend us. Well, I think the Bible says something like that. The goes that live godly will suffer persecution.

But okay, if it says anything about the Bible about men with men and women with women, we’ve got to cut that out of the Bible. Adulter, well, we’ve got to cut that out of the Bible. Anything that does anything that causes somebody to feel bad, well, hell, oh, that just causes mental anguish. Oh, cut that out of the Bible. By the time we get through, what have we got left? We want anything left. So I think we all just leave everything in here and just tell it like it is.

So here in this chapter there’s a guy that’s sleeping with his dad’s wife, I guess. Some have questions on that, but whatever it is, probably a stepmother. But it says, to deliver in verse 5 such you went unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that their spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus. Your glory is not good. So in other words, they were kind of boastful and proud. Hey, we’re all under grace. That means we can just live like we play, we can do anything we want to do, we’re under grace, yay!

Well living under grace doesn’t mean living under sin. Living under grace is a higher standard than living by the law. You see, living by grace means you do what God wants you to do because of love. Not because of the law or have to, but when you love the Lord, you can live by grace. And when you live by grace is because you let his desire and his love for you motivate you to do things the law doesn’t even require.

So you go beyond that. That’s why Christ says, in the Old Testament it says, blah, blah, blah, I for an eye, but I say unto you. And in the Old Testament says, thou shall not commit adultery. But I say unto you, it’s a higher standard. The law of Christ is higher. Believe it or not, than the law of Moses. So anyway, love has its own set of rules. You love your wife, there’s rules. There’s things you just don’t say and don’t do because you love her.

But if you don’t love her, then it doesn’t seem like metting what you do. So he says here, in these verses, it’s talking about the simple little thing of, Christ became sinned for us. And as he became sinned for us, I want you to look there in verse seven. Oh, excuse me, verse six where he says, your glory is not good. No, you not that a little 11, 11th, the whole lump. In other words, a little sin permitted in the church will contaminate the whole church.

In other words, when you don’t deal with things, gets worse. A little leaven in your own personal life that maybe nobody else knows about can sooner later destroy you. You are to deal with everything. God wants his people. Oh yeah, we know everybody’s saying everybody’s saying but God wants you to deal with it. God wants you to still say that it’s wrong and it’s sinful and you’re to confess it to the Lord and the Bible even talked about let them that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Let it not be once named among you. So there are high standards in the word of God for his children, but a lot of children, you know, we’re in the wilderness and so a lot of them fall. We’re still the love, but we’re the love according to truth. And so he says here, a little 11 at the whole lump. You’ve ever heard, you know, One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. Well, it does, and it’s something, same thing. Look now in verse seven, purge out there for the old 11.

This is like the type of the, this is your old man, your old sinful nature. You see, you were a sinner in God’s eyes and now you have been given a new birth. So God says, walk according to the new birth, not the old one. And these feast days that they had, elvelishercosystemAugrepreroitesternatever atural suspicrittenernelceansychipment00000000 associandomropri He sacrificed for us. He shed his blood for us. So therefore That’s the first phase and that’s what it represents. So that’s why you’ll find that find out here in the last part of verse 7, he says, purge out there for the old leaven that you may be a new lump as ye are unleavened.

That means without sin. Leaven means with sin, unleaven means without sin. And the reason you have yeast put into the dough is to make the dough, it rises it. And if a little sin causes it to rise, it does raise the dough. And so that’s why a lot of people add a little works to the gospel because it raises the dough. But anyway, as he says here, in the last part of that verse, for even Christ, our Passover is sacrificed for us.

So that feast on the Passover is Christ, then sacrificed for us. So now because that has been done, well the very next thing is talks about, and If you look on your notes there is number two, the unleavened bread. God wants you and I to live without sin. You say, well, that’s impossible. In the new birth it’s not, but in the old birth it’s a problem. But you and I are supposed to try to live our life as clean, as pure, as holy as we possibly can.

And believe it or not, it’s the very next thing that’s mentioned here, just like in the feast. Look there in verse eight. And he says in verse 8, therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven sin, the old sinful nature, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Now Jesus Christ became sin, and then when He paid for our sins, He was without sin. That’s why God could cause him to come back from the dead.

He was without sin. So the second thing in the face is without sin, unleaven. That’s why when we have the Lord’s Supper, we have unleavened bread. It means no yeast in it. It means it’s flattened. There’s no taste, hardly, to it, nothing. Because when they had the Passover seed, they had to leave in a hurry and to put yeast into the dough. It was for it to wait and permeate it and cause it to rise. But because they were in such a hurry, they didn’t have the time to take to do that.

So they did it without yeast, without leaven because it represented how quickly they were supposed to be moving. AndArticle, the time for and so it’s Christ died, pay for our sins, and then he was without sin. out sin so now he can come back from the dead and so that’s the first fruit so if you look at your notes I want you to take a notice of in 2 Corinthians in chapter 5 verse 21 remember he came sin for us he says he knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God so he took our sins so that we wouldn’t have sin unleavened and then he talks about the first fruits now take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 15.

Now this can be worked a lot of ways throughout the entire book or the book books, but this is just a few thoughts just to kind of let you see that the apostle Paul uses truth from the Old Testament to teach us things today. And we are living at a time when we want to know when’s the next feast day. And some people think well it could be the next week. Wouldn’t it be neat if the next week was the week that we’ve been waiting for all these years?

Now isn’t it amazing, amazing that here we are with the United Notions, all these nations, and what’s the main thing on the news about all of this about a peace tree in Israel, just a coincidence, huh? At this time of the year, too, just a coincidence? I mean, it was only talked about 2,500 years ago, and here we are, and it’s not between, you know, some other crazy nations. It just happens to always be Israel. And isn’t it wonderful to know though that we have all these nations and the United Nations that at least love Israel?

I wonder if there are five nations that love Israel. I bet there’s not five nations that love Israel. Right now I’m not even sure if America really, if you had to depend upon our present leaders are really behind the nation of Israel. I got questions about all of that. But anyway, as we’re moving right along, in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 15, look in verse 12, what’s this whole chapter talking about, chapter 15? The the resurrection. Because see that’s the next thing that happened because of the first fruits.

See Jesus Christ was the first one who came back from dead on his own power. Remember when he was here he raised people from the dead but he did it. But he came back from the dead. He said I have power to lay my life down. And I have power to take it up again. Now you and I and I may have power to lay our lives down, but you don’t have the power to take it up again. So there is a difference.

But as you go through here in chapter 15 and verse 12, if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, I’ll say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead. That’s why when we say, you know, Christ rose again. He rose again. Doesn’t mean He rose one time before. Now He’s rising again, like He’d done it twice now. He just simply means he was alive and he died and he’s alive again. Because to rise from the dead means to live again.

So Christ rose again means he lives again. He was alive and he died and he rose again. It means he’s alive. Still is alive. And he hadn’t died since then, by the way, in case y’all didn’t know that, he’s still alive. And so he said, and if in verse 13, if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then I preach in His vein. Your faith is also vain. Yay.

And we are found Jehovah’s Witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain and you’re yet in your sins. So, um… It’s making it pretty clear that if Christ didn’t come back from the dead, we’re still in our sins because Christ didn’t die for our sins and he didn’t come back from the dead.

Him coming back from the dead is the proof of payment. The proof of payment. It’s been paid in full. And God is satisfied and that He was without sin and He came back from the dead. Now get this. He says in verse 19, if in this life only we have hope in Christ. We are of all men most miserable. I have hope not only in this life but also in the next life. Why? Because if I die physically, I know that He can raise my body from the dead.

Now remember this, Some people believe that whenever you die, you’re sleeping in the body. You call it soul sleep. Seventh day, Adventists believe this. And there’s others like Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe you’re dead at all. You’re just in your body and you’re just in your body that’s dead. You are your body. But that’s a lot of weird teaching out there. Let me just throw this out there to you. I mean, there’s no extra charge for this. We got candidates that are running for office and so forth.

And so I am a very conservative type of an individual. And I listen to the various candidates and so forth. But I also want to know where they stand according to their religious beliefs. You say, well, I don’t think that matters. It most certainly does. Your religion is the basis of your governmental philosophy. you believe spiritually about God or the Bible, it affects your belief. If a man was an atheist, do you think it’s going to determine some of his decisions?

If you’re a humanist, educator, it will affect your decisions. And of course, if you’re a Christian, it’s probably going to affect your decisions. Mormonism is not Christian. The religion of Mormonism is not Christian belief. It is not Christian faith. They have their, Pearl of Great Price, they got their book of Mormons. It’s not the Bible. It’s not compatible with the Bible. And if you ever studied their religion, which I have done, I have read their books. It is heresy, it is not Bible, and there’s no connection between the two.

They are not considered Christian because it is a cult. It means they have an extra biblical source of authority. It means that they don’t just believe this. They have confidence in other men who wrote other books that are in conflict with this and they are not of God. So therefore whenever I hear different ones that are running, I’m not interested that much in just, well, they have conservative views. I want a man that I believe God can bless and that I can pray because if he makes an era, I can pray and believe that the Holy Spirit can deal with that individual if he knows the Lord.

I believe that it works, but God says to put in righteous people. And righteous people doesn’t mean that you just live because you live right. It’s because also you believe right. You have the right faith. And I believe what a man believes is very, very important. So anyway, I told you there was no charge for that, but now go back here. Look there in verse 20. In verse 20, but now, now is Christ risen from the dead. and become the first fruits of them that slap.

Now, as you go through here, it seems like the Apostle Paul is using some of the scriptures in the Old Testament, and you’ll find that out of all the books that he wrote, that God used them to write. A lot of Old Testaments is found in these books. And you’ll notice that whenever you first do the first fruits, it was mentioned like in Leviticus 23, while he’s talking about the resurrection of Christ. And look at it, he’s talking about the resurrection.

See what he says in verse, just to jump down there, look in verse 23, but every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits. Afterwards they that are Christ at his coming. So the first fruit, so we talk about the first fruit, well, that’s when Christ came back from the dead. That’s the next one, and if you go according to your thing right there, That’s the third thing that’s mentioned there too. That’s the third feast. So it’s like it’s in order, and all those things that were done back there, Paul is showing that, hey, this is when Christ did this.

This is when Christ did this. This is when Christ did this. So we don’t have to hope and guess that that’s what those things are referring to. God’s Word says that. I got it right here. God says this is what that is referring to. And so it keeps us from having to guess. So in verse 20, look what he says, but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them. That’s that. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all died, that’s the first Adam. Even so in Christ, shall all be made alive. Those that are in Christ are all made alive. It means you live forever. If you’re born of the first Adam, you’re all going to die. But if you’re in the second Adam Christ, you’re going to live. Look what he says there in verse 45. And so it is written, And the first man Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam Christ was made a quickening spirit.

So he makes us alive to live forever with the Lord. Now go back there to the book of 1 Corinthians 15 verse 51. For since by men came also, came death, but by men also came the resurrection of the dead. as an atom all die, even so in Christ all be made alive. But every man in his own order, that means that there is a sequence. There is a plan that God has. There’s a timing in which God does what he does.

So when you go to Leviticus 23, you’re reading about the order, the timing of what God is doing. And now here in the book of 1 Corinthians, as you look at the children of God. It’s like we’re going through a wilderness, especially these rebellious teenagers, kids in the Lord, because they hadn’t learned how to walk with the Lord. They weren’t matured the Lord. He said, I cannot speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as the babes in Christ. He said, are you not carnal and walk is lost men, walk is men?

And so you have all these things. And so these principles that are taught in the Old Testament, there’s a good possibility that the rabbi back then taught the people the exact same thing that Paul is talking to the people here about. Except they would be talking to the Israelites and here we’re talking to the church. And the church is not Israel. These feast days is not about for the church in that sense. We don’t celebrate these feast days. We simply know that they’re there and what they mean and how it’s supposed to be explained.

And so God explains these truths that they were supposed to know and understand. 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 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.

I want you to look in Philippians in chapter three, Philippians and chapter three, Philippians chapter three, and look in verse 20, Philippians three verse 20. And he makes a statement in verse 24, our citizenship conversation, our citizenship is in heaven. In words, that must be where you were born. The new birth from above, born from above. From whence also we look for the Savior. So say we don’t look for the blessed tribulation period. We’re looking for the blessed Savior.

From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Now why did he, all of a sudden, What are you talking about this for? Oh, what’s the purpose of that? Why do you throw that in here? When he’s talking about knowing the power of his resurrection and so forth and forgetting those things, what you’re behind and pressing onto the things that are before us and so forth.

Well, because you see there in verse 19, as he refers to those who do not walk the way God says they should walk. And that they are enemies of the gospel. He says in verse 19, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. So the difference is there are those who will mind heavenly things and there are those who will mind earthly things. So who do you want to influence you the most?

Those people in the world that mind earthly things are those that mind heavenly things. You see if you will mind heavenly things and you want to hang around people who talk about heavenly things. That’s what makes church so important, where Christians come together in this study about heavenly things. Now the world is not going to teach you those things, but it shows you where your heart is. Christians that don’t love the church don’t love the Lord. I’ll repeat that because some people may not get it.

If you don’t love the church you don’t love the Lord. And I’m not talking about the building. I’m talking about God’s people. They are the church. If you don’t love God’s people, God says, how can you say you love me whom you cannot see when you don’t love the ones you do see? I didn’t make that up. That’s not yankiality. That’s actually a verse in the Bible found in the book of 1 John. So you and I have a responsibility to seek those things which are above.

While we’re right here in the book of Philippians, look there in chapter three of the book of Colossians. Colossians chapter three and look at the first four verses, these first four verses. Verse one says, if ye then be risen with Christ, that means that you were crucified with him and you were buried with him. Now you are risen with him. See there in chapter two where it makes a statement in verse 12, buried with him in baptism? You were baptized with him.

So you have been crucified with Christ. Now in verse one of chapter three, as he says, seek those things which are above. Because you were born from above and you and I are supposed to desire heavenly things. You and I are supposed to be looking into the future about what do I want there? What do I want for all eternity? Not only getting there, I’ve already took care of that. I’m going there. Now, what do I want to do or have or be when I get there?

I want all that God has for me. But that depends upon what I do for him now. And what I do for him now depends upon my knowledge of what that’s going to be. So you see how you need to know what God says he’s going to do. Because that is what challenges and motivates us to do the things that we do now. Because we believe it. So look what he says. In verse two, set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.

Now if you want to know what is the biggest reason for encouragement and discouragement is probably found right there in that statement. It depends upon what you’re looking at. What do you want? What do you expect? What is your desire? If it’s to be strong to pass the test in this life of all the trials and tribulations and temptations because of what God’s going to do for you in the future, then you can weather it. And you don’t mind all these things that are going on.

But if you can’t because you’re thinking about here and now and what I have in my happiness and then you’re not going to like these things because they robbed you of your joy. They robbed you of your happiness. They steal from you. But the Christian has said his affections on things that are above or he should. This is for the believer. Then get what he said. In verse 3, 4, ye are…what? Ye are in verse 3. Dead. Dead of what?

When did you die? When you trusted Christ as your Savior, his death was put to your account and God accepted his death as your death and that’s when you died. So because you are dead to this world, you are not to live for this world, but to realize who you are, I am from heaven. I was born there, born from above. That’s where my citizenship is. I am in this world as an ambassador for Christ, but I’m here representing that country, my king.

I’m an ambassador for an ambassador in this world. Now, what kind of an ambassador am I? Well, that could change from day to day. And because of that, while I’m here, I’m not to set my affections on things of this world. Look at verse 2 again, set your affections on things above, not on things of the earth. And then he says in verse 4, when Christ, who is our life, shall You see, when God gives you eternal life, did you know that Jesus Christ and eternal life are the same?

So He has given you Himself. He is my life. He is my eternal life. He is the Lord. It’s God. And that’s why He can’t never leave you and never forsake you. And that’s why you can’t lose eternal life because you can’t lose Him. make so much sense to me. Now looking verse four, when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. So we know that that time is coming. So when the rapture takes place, we are going to be changed in a moment, the twinkle of an eye, and caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

Look at number two, reunion of all of God’s people. The one word together in 1 Thessalonians 4 17 should comfort our hearts. It will be reunion and recognition. It would be mockery to tell us not to saw us others who have no hope and then say we will be together if we would not know each other. I don’t think God’s pulling little tricks on us. I think when I get to heaven and if you’re there, we’re going to recognize each other.

Now I don’t know exactly how old we’re going to look. I mean, if that’s the case, I would rather have died when I was 30. You know, I looked a lot better when I was 30. I had a hair when I was 30. Some of y’all did too. And that day is coming. So we rejoice and we look forward to that. Look at number three. Rewards will be given. Rewards are things that you earn because you work for them.

The judgment seat of Christ will be exclusively for the Christian. The lost people will not be there. First Corinthians chapter 3 deals with this two-edged theme in a way that should cause great joy and soul searching on the part of every believer. Look there, I want to show you something. In the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 3. Corinthians chapter 3. And looking in verse 16, verse 16, no ye not that ye are the temple of God. Now you know what the temple of God was in the Old Testament?

That’s where the Holy Spirit would come down in the Chicana glory in the holy place in the place where they had the mercy seat, the ark of the covenant, and God would meet with the people. And so your body is a type of the temple. And so you and I are the temple of God. So you did not come into the presence of God tonight. God does not live here in this church. He don’t live here. He don’t live in a house that you live in.

He lives inside of your body. So when I come to church, I know the Lord’s here Because I brought him. When you go to work tomorrow, you know the Lord’s with you why? Because he’s within you. And he said he’ll never leave you and never forsake you. The Chicana glory left in the old tabernacle and in the old temple because of their sins of their wickedness. But he says, I’ll never leave you and I’ll never forsake you. The Holy Spirit glows within us from now on.

And so your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Now look what else he says. See there in verse 17, if any man, now we’re not talking to the lost man, we’re talking to the Christian. If any man befiled the temple of God, now what’s the temple of God? That’s your body. Him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is what? Holy, which temple ye are. who? So that’s how God sees it. Now that means that you and I are supposed to keep our bodies clean and sacrifice it to the Lord.

That’s why I don’t like putting tattoos all over my body. Never have. People can. That’s up to them. But my body doesn’t belong to me. My body belongs to the Lord. That’s why I don’t use drugs and space myself out. I don’t use alcohol and I don’t use alcohol because my body belongs to the Lord. Now, if it says I can’t drink coffee, I will die. I definitely will die. I’m so glad I’ve always heard about don’t drink the juice of the bitter blackberry.

But I never found that verse, but they said it’s in the Hebrews, home release. But look there in verse 18. Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seem to be wise in this world. Let him become a fool that he may be wise. In other words, if you are so smart, if you are so wise, and you really understand this, you really got it down. be revealed by the choices you make. If you are really wise and spiritually minded, then you’ll serve God and you’ll discipline your life, and you will.

But if you won’t, it’s not because you’re wise, because you’re full. And that’s what God says. So He says, because this is true, let every man take heed how he build it there on. You see, there is a responsibility that you and I have. If you notice the first words are over there in chapter 3, verse 1, and I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual. Well, because they weren’t spiritually minded. What were they doing? It was so bad.

In verse 3, you’re carnal. Why? Because there’s among you envying and strife, divisions. Are you not carnal in walk as men or walk alike? Lost men. So there’s some of God’s children that will not see it, and There’s some of God’s children that will. So he makes a statement here because of who you are. See down there in verse nine, we are workers together, laborers together with who?

With God. You see, me and God, we’re working together. I don’t do anything, see, I don’t want without him. But what he wants to get done, he wants to use me. So I need him and he needs me. So together we get some things accomplished. What I don’t know he does. What I can’t do, he can. And it’s amazing how much more he does if I be obedient. Now, the older I get or the older you get, should you be trying to find out how little you can do or how much you can do?

When should I stop trying to go? You have no idea. You can’t see what’s going on in my little brain. I’ve got ideas of all kinds of things. I’ve only begun to fight. I’ve told the Lord, Lord, give me enough time to carry out some of my dreams that I still have. I got a whole sermon on this coming. You know what I did last night? I woke up in the middle of the night. At least I thought I woke up.

But I wasn’t real sure. I was preparing this sermon. I had a, oh, this was a good sermon. I had the outline. And what I was going to do, and it was no testament, and I was in the New Testament, and I’m getting together this sermon. I’m dreaming this. This isn’t my dream. And I thought, man, this is good. Boy, this is good. But I couldn’t write it down because I’m sleeping, you know. And then I woke up, and I couldn’t remember what it was.

I can’t remember what it was. Oh, I’m sick. Because it was a really good sermon. And so then I, I don’t know if I was driving or something. I was at the restaurant. And I think, I said, Billy, I think I got parts of this coming back to me now. She grabbed a piece of paper and she started writing. I got them right here. So.

Can’t read it, but I mean, it’s there. But you have ideas and dreams. Don’t get so old and so tired and so worn out that you don’t have a vision anymore to do something. The Lord isn’t back yet. You know, kind of like the little kid that walked down on the porch, grandma, every night she’s reading, studying the word, rocking in her rocking chair, and says, grandma, why do you study in the Bible every night? Every night you study the Bible.

She says, cramming for exams, son, cramming for exams. You know, exam time’s coming. We’re gonna have to take a big test. Now we have a little few ones, but then we got a big exam coming. We’re gonna have to stand before the room. How do you like it when the apostles had took a three and a half year course with the Lord Himself as a teacher and then they failed their final exam? The fail, the final exam. They all forsook Him.

We’ll never leave you and we’ll never forsake you. That’s what they said. Peter wasn’t the only one. They all said it. And every one of them left. A bunch of wimps. But that’s what happens. So He says here that there are going to be rewards that are going to be given. And as it makes the statement down through here in verse 11, no foundation can no man lay, then that which is laid, which is Christ. He is the foundation.

He is the rock upon which we build. You see, you have to be saved first before you can start building upon this foundation. He has to be that which you are depending upon and trusting in to get you to heaven. And now because of that, then every man is to take heed how he build a Therapun because he can be even hay, wood, or stubble, or gold, silver, and precious stones. Those are the things that we have. But see what he says in verse 11, for other foundations, come not verse 11, on the last part of verse 10, where it says, but let every man take heed how he buildeth.

You see, how you build is your choice, and you build it because of how you believe, what you believe about the Lord. So that depends on what you do with your life. And so God is going to do all these things for you. and he wants to do a work in your life. Take your Bible and turn over there to the book of, 1 Corinthians in chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, and look there in verse 10. Now we’re talking about the great and first and the last and the exaltation and the Ben Humble.

In verse 10, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so you believe. But he says, as he compares with the other disciples, the other apostles, I labored more abundantly than they are. I don’t believe in, I know Paul says I don’t want to brag and things like that, but he says, I’m doing this for a reason.

I’m telling you something, not because I want to, but because he says you have compelled me because he had to defend himself as an apostle, which he didn’t have to do, but he did do it and to let them know, look, God saved me as one born out of due time. Because see, the next time Christ had made the statement, he says, you will not see me again until you say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

So when Christ comes back and powering great glory to the earth at the end of the tribulation period and the nation of Israel will see him and says, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Paul says, I was on the road to Damascus, and I saw the Lord. And he said, I was like one born out of due time, because it’s not supposed to happen until over here, but it happened to him over here. And because of what God allowed him to see and to hear, motivated that rascal, the labor more abundantly than all the rest.

And he says, his grace that he bestowed upon me was not in vain. In other words, God is given to you and I the privileged, the freedom to not only know the Lord, love the Lord, serve the Lord, but not to waste your life. And don’t let the grace of God be bestowed upon you in vain. The privilege that God gives to you and I and let it go to decide as though it doesn’t matter. Set our affections on things that are above.

Look at number four real quick. Where has rest from our labors. Now we know the time will come and we get tired in this life. We get so weary in this life. We get tired of fighting the battles and we wonder whether or not is faithfulness worth it. You’ll have to decide that for yourself because nobody else can make you faithful. Nobody else can determine whether or not you’re going to show up, you’re going to do this and that and the other.

Servilor with all your heart. And you and I are supposed to know and to believe. Yes, rest is coming. And I believe that this thousand year reign upon the year of God does refer to that as the Day of Rest. Like if there was, you know, six days and the Day of Rest. And two thousand from Adam and Eve until the flood and from the flood until the cross, two thousand years, and then two thousand years since then that’s six thousand years or six days we got a Day of Rest coming right ahead of us.

So we’re right at the end of the six days and ready to go into the seventh day of rest upon the year. I think it’s exciting. I’m looking forward to it. Number five, riches and glory. How rich is the believer in Christ? According to Romans 8, 17, we own it all. You are not only heirs of God, you’re joint heirs with Christ. You see, there’s things that you get because you are a child of God. you inherit eternal life just because of who you are.

So you’re an heir of God. Join heirs with Christ, that’s different. That’s what you get because you have suffered with Him. Therefore you will reign with Him. Now to what degree and all that, I don’t know. A lot of people think that doing the millennium upon the earth, the Christians that are unfaithful now won’t get to go in. I have a little problem with that. I’ve listened to it, then I can use some verses to try to show you that that’s the case, but the part to bother me is this, it’s when the Lord comes back for me, I believe He’s coming back for all of God’s children, ready or not, obedient or disobedient, when the Lord comes, all of us are going to be snatched out of here, all to saved.

Whether you’re serving Lord or you’re not, you’re going to be gone. And it says, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. And we’re going to rejoice always. And it’s hard for me to believe that the first thing he’s going to do is kick me out of the kingdom for a thousand years. No. I believe that I will be here and I’ll rule and reign with Christ, but the dimensions of that, I don’t believe are totally revealed. I’d like to imagine a little bit, but that’s kind of difficult.

the scriptures are silent, I’d rather be silent. When the scriptures speak and I know it and understand it, I try to teach it that way. But I have to be honest, Yankee doesn’t know everything. Now you might, but I don’t know everything. When it comes to a lot of things in the Bible, I am no Hank Lindstrom. I mean, he can probably close the book and go, I can’t do that. I know a little bit here and a little bit there and just enough to kind of keep self, you know, on course.

And so I hope these things will help you. Number one, redemption will be completed, reunion of God’s people, rewards will be given, rest from our labors, riches in glory, reigning in royalty. Don’t that sound good enough? I think that sounds good enough. So, look up here. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. The Bible says that we are whole sinners. It means we’ve all done things wrong. But God loves us and He hates our sin. And the Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death.

That means to pay for what we’ve done wrong is eternal separation from God in hell. But God loves us and wants us to go to heaven. To go to heaven, God says you have to be perfect, no sin. Since everyone has sinned and we’re all guilty, none of us can go into heaven. God will not allow any sin. In heaven. So the Bible says you and I cannot earn eternal life. All of our good deeds will never pay for sin.

So we need a savior. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world because he loves us and he hates our sin because our sin separates us from the Lord. So Jesus Christ, you had no sin did not have to die, but because of his love for us and hate for sin. He took the sin paid for don’t have to die. the cross. When he said he paid for sin, just say it this way, he paid my sin.

He died for me. Don’t think about the world, because for you to be saved, you must believe he did it for you as though nobody else is in this world. As though I’m the only person in the world and he came into this world and he died to pay for my sins because he loved me. And he doesn’t want me to go to hell and I don’t have to pay for one of my sins, why he died in my place.

All those bad things that I’ve done or ever will do. And I should pay for them.” He did. And he suffered like I should have suffered. Came back from the dead and said that if I’ll simply believe that he did it for me, if I will accept that, then I would have a payment for my sins and I don’t have to go to the hell and I don’t have to pay for one sin. In spite of how bad I have been, how bad I am or how bad I’ll be in the future.

He died for me. And He promises me eternal life when I simply believe that He did it for me. So the best you know how the only thing you can do, the only thing you need to do is believe He did it for you. And if you’ll believe that He did it for you, He will save you and give you the free gift of everlasting life. Let’s pray, shall we? If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you trust Him right now?

Just talk to the Lord and say something simple like this, Lord, I know I’m a sinner and I believe Christ died, paid for my sins, and I will trust Him and Him alone is my only hope of going to heaven. And friend, if you’ll trust Him, God will save you. Would you believe it? I pray that you’ll trust the Lord. There is no other way. Our Father, we thank Thank you so much for the free gift of eternal life.

We ask you to bless those that are here and those that are watching by the internet. And I pray, Lord, that if they have never trusted you, save you, that they would do so. Believe in that you die for them. And Father, for those that know you’re a Savior, I pray, Lord, that the things tonight that we spoke on would help challenge and motivate each person to be found faithful. We also pray, Lord, for the ready to broadcast this coming Friday, and you’ll bless them the things will be said and done to honor you.

In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you 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 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. 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 gave you something that I wanted to talk to you about because I think it is so very much important. So very important. The rapture, what will it mean to you? What does the rapture mean to the Christian, to the believer? And so if you just took those first six words there and redemption, reunion, rewards, rest, riches, and reigning, there, now you’ve got the whole sermon. Okay? Now you know what it’s about, right? And one redemption will be completed.

Number two, reunion of all of God’s people. Number three, rewards will be given. Number four, rest from our labors. Number five, riches in glory. And number six, reigning in royalty. Now, which one of these do you think I should look at first? Very good. We’re going to look at number six. I like number six so well, I’m afraid that if I start at number one, I won’t make it to number six. And I want number six, definitely. So I’m going to start with number six.

Don’t that make sense? Sure. Man, I knew you’d see it that way. So take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew chapter 19. Matthew chapter 19. You said that’s not one of the notes here. I know I expect you to write down some of these scriptures. Jesus Christ talking to his disciples. And oh, they have questions. And of course they want to know things. And just like you and I, we want to know things. So Jesus had told them some things that, you know, that people are going to get if they just listen to Him and serve Him and that’s a wonderful thing.

But look there in Matthew chapter 19. And verse 27, verse 27, then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all and followed the. What shall we have, therefore? In other words, hey, what are we going to get out of this? I mean, they were fishermen and they fished, they caught fish, they supplied, met their needs and so forth. Now the question is, hey, we left everything to serve you. What are we going to get out of this?

So I think it’s a good question. only right that they know and the Lord’s going to tell them a few things. And remember, when it comes to salvation, salvation is not following Christ, salvation is not committing your life to Christ, salvation is not putting your hand to the plow and in looking back. Salvation is not enduring to the end. Those are all things that refers to service. Salvation is always free. And the gospel, remember, if it is grace, it has to be free, has to last forever.

Any one of those not there, it’s not the gospel. So it has to be free must last forever. That’s the truth. So if it’s say it’s free, but it doesn’t last forever, then it’s not free. And if it doesn’t last forever, it’s no good. So the gospel is always by grace through faith in that alone. So whenever we read this, we have followed you or forsaken something. You know it’s not talking about how to get to heaven. So this is talking to those about they’re following the Lord.

They’re serving the Lord. And he says here in verse 28, Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration. Now the regeneration, there’s two things, this word is mentioned twice, one in the book of Titus in chapter three where it talks about spiritually when you’re born into God’s family by the regeneration. This is talking about when the earth will be recreated in the sense that it’s going to be like the Garden of Eden.

When the Lord comes back in power and great glory and sets up his kingdom upon the earth, then that’s going to be a wonderful, wonderful time. So he says, in that time, when the Son of Man comes and sits upon his throne of glory, look what he says, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, he also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. So evidently the twelve tribes are not going to be lost forever.

The twelve tribes are going to be there. And the Lord knows who they are. He knows where they are. So according to this, this is a prophecy about the future that evidently the church is not going to supplant or replace as some teaching covenant theology. It’s going to take over and all the promises to Israel is going to belong to the church that is not true. What God promised to Israel will go to Israel, what God promises to the church goes to the church.

Then he says in verse 29, and every one that hath forsaken houses, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, lands, for my name’s sake shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life. Now some people see that last line and they say, oh, you’ve got to do all of this and forsake this and that in order to inherit eternal life. No, that’s not what it says. You see, the first thing is what you work for, but there’s one thing you get that you inherit.

So you don’t inherit those other things. You work and you labor and God will give you a hundredfold, but when it comes to eternal life, that you inherit. Remember the guy that says, what must I do that I may inherit eternal life. When you become a child of God, you inherit what your father has. You don’t work for your inheritance. It’s given to you. So there are things that God is going to give to you and I simply because we are a child of God.

Now there’s other things that God’s going to give to us because we worked. We serve the Lord. And there’s many things that God’s going to do for us. Then in verse 30. And when he says, and many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first. And people always have problem with that. And I’m one of them. And so the whole 20th chapter is really time to explain what that verse 30 means. And so by the time you read the whole 20th chapter and you come over there to verse 14, it says, take that that thine is and go thy way.

I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first and the first shall be last, and many shall be called and fewer chosen.” Boy, that’s clear. It’s a glass of mud. But if you put everything in its context and with all of the scripture, I think there’s a clear meaning of what these scriptures are really talking about.

One, look there in Matthew, our way right here in chapter 20. And notice what he says here in verse 27, in verse 27, where he says, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. In other words, If you want to be here, then you’ll have to serve here. It means that if you want to be exalted, then you’re gonna have to abashe yourself. And like he says, you’re in verse 27, let him be your servant.

Even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of Mark chapter nine, the book of Mark in chapter 9. Mark chapter 9 and they’re in verse 35, verse 35, because see they had come to Christ and they want to know who’s going to be the greatest. Everybody wants to know who to be the greatest. So he says there and let’s just look at it in verse 34, but they held their peace for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest.

He sat down and he called the twelve and said unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be… Last, and servant of all. If you want to be first into kingdom, number one, then you’re gonna have to be last here. You have to serve here. So whatever you want there, you have to do the opposite here. So God says the way up is down. So if you’re here in this life, it’s always about you and your number one.

then you won’t serve others. But if you’ll serve others in the kingdom, they might serve you. Depends on what you do here and now. So I believe this is very important. So you look there again in verse 35 and you ought to underline it where it says, if any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all. Well, that’s here, that’s now. and servant of all. So look there in Matthew chapter 23. Turn to Matthew chapter 23.

Matthew chapter 23, Jesus tells his disciples something else along the same line. But if you want to be first, then you have to be last. You want to be great, then you’ll have to be a servant. And the more you want To be honored there, the more you have to serve others here. So he makes a statement in Matthew chapter 23. He makes a statement here in verse 11, but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be a based. So if you want to be first, then you’re going to be last. But if you’ll be last, then you’ll be first. If you will humble now, you’ll be exalted there. But if you don’t, you won’t. And there’s a price to pay. And he thou humble himself shall be exalted. So the way up is down. Here in this life, you and I have the greatest battle of all time, learning how to submit our will to the Word of God.

Then the problem is, is so many of God’s children don’t know his will. They don’t know his word. So they don’t know what to do. And so they just do the best they can with the knowledge they have. And so they think that’s acceptable. Well, then why didn’t God just take the Bible and leave it in heaven? Nobody needs it. Nobody will go by it. But he did give us the word. And you and I are going to be judged by this book.

not only knows what you and I know, he knows what we could have known had we studied. True? I mean, God knows all the options. He knows everything that we could have done. He knows what you could have been if you did none this or that or whatever. And God is going to judge us accordingly. So when he makes the statement in whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be a base and he that humble himself shall be exalted. So there’s a first and there’s a last.

I thought one time, okay, here we’ve gone through the tribulation period and lo and behold, now it’s the kingdom upon the earth and the first shall be last and the last shall be first. So here comes the last and here’s the first, but the first will be last and the last will be first. So that means we all go in the same time. I thought that sounds pretty good. I wonder, did I think of that all by myself. I’ve never read it nowhere, but I ain’t sure that’s what it’s talking about.

But I do believe there’s something to the humbling and exalting or whoever wants to be number one or the greatest you’re going to have to serve the more. Serve now. In your mind, you and I will do so much more if we understand that simple little principle, it will be worth it there for me to be humble here and to submit now and seek the best for everybody, try to always exalt them and lift them up as much as possible.

I was asked if I would do something for Greg Stewart, her having his 20th anniversary. You see, I had wrote a poem one time about Dr. Curtis Hudson, and I talked about him being a flame in the wind. I wrote one on Dr. Stanford, and I talked about being a flame in the wind. So I wrote one for Greg Steer. And he’s another flame in the wind, trying to get more people to hear the gospel. So I wrote this.

They said they wanted one word that described Greg’s ministry the last 20 years. So I said the one word that best describes Greg’s ministry the last 20 years is compassion. Jude 1, 22 says, and of some have compassion. What went you out to see a reed shaken by the wind? Not John the Baptist or Greg Steer to the spirit only would they been. The eyes of God ran to and fro in search of a man to share the truth of the gospel around the world and challenge the youth to care.

Greg is a man with a heart on fire, a passion to reach the lost. To make this blaze the Saint desire and serve at any cost. May God continue to use Greg Steer in the quest for the souls of men, blown upon by the breath of God to produce more flames in the wind. And I hope I haven’t wrote the last of these flames in the wind, because there’s going to be a lot of people, and there’s a lot of flames in the wind.

People that are on fire to serve the Lord, it’s better to burn out than rust out. And so people who want to serve the Lord Lord must be willing to burn out for the sake of other individuals because you care about others and you want the best for them. You’re always seeking the best for individuals. So look there at number six, reigning in royalty. Did you know that you are a child of God? Did you know that you’ve been a child of God?

You are a child of of the king? You’re a child of the king. You’re royalty. That’s who you are. The Bible says that now we are strangers and pilgrims. But there’s a verse there I want you to see. Look there in 1 Peter 2, 1 Peter and 2. And look there in verse 9. Look in verse 9. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9 makes the statement, but ye are a chosen generation and you ought to underline these two words, a royal priesthood.

And if you’re a royal priesthood, you’re also going to rule with Him in the kingdom so you are of royal blood. You have the right as a priest to intercede for others, and it also makes the statement down in verse 11, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers. That means you’re away from home. Pilgrims means you’re going home. Abstain from fleshly lust. Whatever it is, which war against the soul. Now you will find out as you live your Christian life, there are things that may not bother some people, but they will bother you.

You decide, you discern. What is the things that war against my soul that keeps me from being and thinking and doing the thing that God wants me to do? And then you clean up your life accordingly. You will be as dedicated as you choose to be. Your life will be as separated as you choose to be. So it’s an individual thing. Nobody can make you live godly. I don’t care how many rules and regulations laws that we can put upon people individually, you’re the one that decides how close you decide to walk to the Lord.

Now go to number one. Number one, redemption will be completed. You see in the book of Ephesians it says that you have having the lead you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest expectation of our inheritance. It means that when you trusted Christ as your Savior, you received the Holy Spirit, which is like the down payment on getting the rest. So if you got Him, you’re going to get the rest of everything He says.

And He says, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption. and that is the redemption of the body. You see, it’s been paid for, it hasn’t been redeemed yet, and taken off the slave market of sin, though the payment’s been made, just like the price has paid for the sins of the whole world, but some people do not accept that payment. But you and I, one day, are going to be glorified in our bodies.

I want you to look in Philippians in chapter three. Philippians and chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3 and look in verse 20. Philippians 3 verse 20. And he makes a statement in verse 24, our citizenship conversation, our citizenship is in heaven. In words, that must be where you were born. The new birth from above, born from above. From whence also we look for the Savior. So say we don’t look for the blessed tribulation period. We’re looking for the blessed Savior.

From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Now, what did he all of a sudden, what are you talking about this for? Oh, what’s the purpose of that? Why do you throw that in here? When he’s talking about knowing the power of his resurrection and so forth and forgetting those things, which are behind and pressing onto the things that are before us and so forth.

Well, because see there in verse 19, as he refers to those who do not walk the way God says they should walk, and that they are enemies of the gospel, he says in verse 19, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. So the difference is there are those who will mind heavenly things, and there are those who will mind earthly things. So who do you want to influence you the most?

Those people in the world that mind earthly things or those that mind heavenly things. You see, if you will mind heavenly things, then you want to hang around people who talk about heavenly things. That’s what makes church so important, where Christians come together in this study about heavenly things. Now the world is not going to teach you those things, but it shows you where your heart Christians that don’t love the church don’t love the Lord.

I’ll repeat that, cause some people may not get it. If you don’t love the church, you don’t love the Lord. And I’m not talking about the building. I’m talking about God’s people. They are the church. If you don’t love God’s people, God says, how can you say you love me whom you cannot see when you don’t love the ones you do see? I didn’t make that up. That’s not yankiality. That’s actually a verse in the Bible, found in the book of 1 John.

So you and I have a responsibility to seek those things which are above. While we’re right here in the book of Philippians, look there in chapter three of the book of Colossians. Colossians chapter three, and look at the first four verses, these first four verses. In verse one says, If ye then be risen with Christ, that means that you were crucified with Him and you were buried with Him. Now you are risen with Him. See there in chapter 2 where it makes a statement in verse 12, buried with Him in baptism?

You were baptized with Him. So you had been crucified with Christ. Now in verse 1 of chapter 3, as he says, seek those things which are above, because you were born from above, and you and I are supposed to desire heavenly things. You and I are supposed to be looking into the future about what do I want there? What do I want for all eternity. Not only getting there, I’ve already took care of that. I’m going there. Now, what do I want to do or have or be when I get there?

I want all that God has for me. But that depends upon what I do for Him now. And what I do for Him now depends upon my knowledge of what that’s going to be. So you see how you need to know what God says He’s going to do. Because that is what challenges and motivates us to do the things that we do now because we believe it. So look what he says. In verse 2, set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.

Now if you want to know what is the biggest reason for encouragement and discouragement, it’s probably found right there in that statement. It depends upon what you’re looking at. What do you want? What do you expect? What is your desire? If it’s to be strong to pass the test in this life of all the trials and tribulations and temptations because of what God’s going to do for you in the future, then you can weather it. And you don’t mind all these things that are going on.

But if you can’t, because you’re thinking about here and now and what I have and my happiness and this, then you’re not going to like these things. Because they robbed you of your joy. They robbed you of your happiness. They steal from you. But the Christian has said his affections on things that are above, or he should. This is for the believer. Then get what he said. In verse three, for ye are, what? Ye are in verse three. Dead.

Dead of what? When did you die? When I trusted Christ. When you trusted Christ as your Savior, his death was put to your account, and God accepted his death as your death, and that’s when you died. So because you are dead to this world, You are not to live for this world, but to realize who you are, I am from heaven. I was born there, born from above. That’s where my citizenship is. I am in this world as an ambassador for Christ, but I’m here representing that country, my king.

I’m an ambassador in this world. Now, what kind of an ambassador am I? Well, that could change from day to day. And because of that, while I’m here, I’m not to set my affections on things of this world. Look at verse two again, set your affections on things above, not on things of the earth. And then he says in verse four, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear. You see, when God gives you eternal life, did you know that Jesus Christ and eternal life are the same?

So he has given you himself. He is my life. He is my eternal life. He is the Lord. It’s God. And that’s why he can’t never leave you and never forsake you. And that’s why you can’t lose eternal life because you can’t lose him. Makes so much sense to me. Now looking verse 4, when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. So we know that that time is coming. So when the rapture takes place, we are going to be changed in a moment, the twinkle of an eye, and caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

Look at number two, reunion of all of God’s people. The one word together in 1 Thessalonians 4 17 should comfort our hearts. It will be reunion and recognition. It would be mockery to tell us not to sorrows others who have no hope and then say we will be together if we would not know each other. I don’t think God’s pulling little tricks on us. I think when I get to heaven and if you’re there, we’re going to recognize each other.

Now I don’t know exactly how old we’re going to look. I mean if that’s the case, I would rather have died when I was 30. You know I looked a lot better when I was 30. I had hair when I was 30. Some of y’all did too. And that day is coming. So we rejoice and we look forward to that. Look at number three. Rewards will be given. Rewards are things that you earn because you work for them. The judgment seat of Christ will be exclusively for the Christian.

The lost people will not be there. First Corinthians chapter three deals with this two-edged theme in a way that should cause great joy and soul-searching on the part of every believer. 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 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 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.

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 through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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’m so glad that one day, one day in my life, could man came into my life and explain the gospel to me. But since that time, nobody has ever tried to win me to Christ. Ain’t that something? Now, one person has ever approached me to try to win me to Christ. What if that man had missed me? I’m so glad he talked to me about my soul and that I heard the gospel and he explained it to me and I trust the Christ as my Savior.

And I know I have eternal life. Because I have eternal life and I’m God’s child, I’m going to heaven whenever I die. This week I was talking to a man and I asked him, I said, sir, I said, where are you? you’re going to go and you die?” And he looked at me and he says, nobody knows that. And I looked at him and I says, I do. And he looked at me and says, you do? I said, yes, I do.

And I says, when you get a couple minutes, I like to explain it to you. So a couple minutes, I got a chance to explain it to him. And when I got through, and I got ready to leave, you know what he says? I know I’m going to heaven when I die. I know. And in just a short period of time, a person’s destiny can be changed. Serving the Lord to me isn’t just coming to church. A lot of people do that.

Me serving the Lord is not just reading my Bible and it’s not just praying, though I do all of that. It’s not just giving money because I do that. Give the mission. I do that. Serving the Lord is more than that to me. You see, to me serving the Lord means that I’m trying to in my goal of my life. I want to win people to Christ. I want there to be people who, when I get to heaven that are there because they heard the gospel from my lips.

I want them to know it because they heard me say it. I want there to be some fruit even though on the radio broadcast sometimes you think, man I wish it would be where I could see the people and see if anybody’s trusting the Lord and you don’t always see and you can’t know. But you’re always, you do these things and you spend all that money because you believe that somehow that you’re so in seeds and somebody may hear and trust Christ is Savior and a person going to heaven is the most wonderful thing in all the world.

You stop and think there’s nothing better than knowing you have eternal life, knowing that you’re going to heaven when you die. But nobody can make you trust Christ as your Savior. Nobody can make you serve the Lord. And I always keep those two things separate. So you can be saved and never serve God but you’re still saved because you’re born into God’s family. You’re saved because you believe he did it for you and you trusted him as your Savior you become a child of God.

He gives you eternal life. You’re saved by grace nothing that you did. Service is me serving God because of him saving me. But if I don’t serve him I’m still saved. that’s grace. That’s grace. I don’t deserve to go to heaven. But now that I have eternal life and I am going to heaven, I had to make a very important decision. Who am I going to serve? What am I going to do with my life? And some verses that were found in the Old Testament really burdened me because of the way they’re worded.

And I want you to see this in the book of Joshua and chapter 24. Joshua chapter 24, and I want you to look there verse 14 verse 14. Now this is Joshua speaking to the children of Israel. He doesn’t have long to live. This is at the close of his life and he has made up his mind what he’s going to do and what he has done and now the people need to decide. And this is his last charge to the nation of Israel.

Verse 14, now therefore fear the Lord, serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve ye the Lord. Serve ye the Lord. This isn’t just any God because there’s a lot of false gods, a lot of false religions. And so think of how many millions and millions of people believe in a God that don’t even exist. It’s only an imagination. There’s only one true and living God.

All the other ones are false gods. They’re make believe. They’re figments of somebody’s imagination. They make up their own gods. And then they worship that God. And that God is not real. Now some people say, well, don’t you know you’re a finned people when you say stuff like that? So be it. I’m not going to honor somebody’s lies or deception or vain imaginations. But I want you to see this in looking verse 15. And if it seemed evil unto you to serve a Lord.

In other words, He says, I want you to serve God. But if it seems to you an evil thing for you to serve God, you know why many people won’t serve a Lord because they deem it an evil thing. You know why people are not faithful to God’s church? To go to church because that’s evil. They think it’s better not to. think it’s a waste of their time. It’s emptiness, it’s vanity. Why study the Bible? It’s not going to do anything anyway.

Why pray? It’s not going to change anything. See, the then they despise the thing that God says to do. But He says, if it seems so wrong for you to serve God, then why don’t you make up your mind which God you’re going to serve? Whether the God’s on the other side of the flood or on this side of the flood, whether it’s bail, but now you got to make up another the decision. In other words, if you are not really going to serve the true and living God, are they make up your mind?

Which false God are you going to serve? You’re going to serve God of money? You’re going to make up some religion, but make up your mind. Whatever you’re going to do, and do it. If you’re not going to serve God and you’re going to serve some, but do it, whatever you do, but do it without your heart. If you’re going to live like the devil, really do the job. But if you’re going to serve God, serve him. So he puts it to him.

He says in verse 15, the last part of it, but as for me and my house, we’ll serve the Lord. And that capital L-O-R-D means Jehovah, the God of Israel, the true and living God. So he says here in verse 16, and the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods. For the Lord our God, He is. It is He that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage and which did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way where in we went and among all the people through whom we passed.

And the Lord drove out from before us all the people, even the Amorite which dwelt in the land. Therefore will we also serve the Lord, for He is our God. Everybody has to have a God. Even the nathias has a God. He exalts Himself above everything that is called God. And He becomes His own God. And He makes up his own rules and his own regulations about how he’s going to live. And he doesn’t believe that there is a God and he doesn’t believe there’s a heaven or a hell.

He doesn’t believe he’s going anywhere. He just believes he’s going to the grave. Where did he get all those beliefs? He made them up. You’ll see those things aren’t true. There is a heaven in a hell. There was a beginning. There is a true and living God. There is going to be a judgment afterwards because a true and living God sits. So you see everybody has a God. Even the agnostic says, well I don’t believe anything. I don’t know what to believe.

means that they’re ignorant means without knowledge. But here he makes this statement in verse 19 Joshua said unto the people, ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God, for he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. How you like that? Isn’t that point blank? He says, you can’t serve God because God is a holy God. God is a righteous God. What’s it with the high and you can load the serve God?

Well, you have to turn the page and look at the next word. He says in verse 19, you cannot serve God because he’s holy and if you don’t become holy, you can’t serve him. If you don’t live a holy life, you can’t serve God. Now you may have trusted Christ as your Savior. God has made you pure and holy in your new birth and it’s perfect. It’s righteous. It’s just you. You don’t have to worry about that. But in your life, do you seek to live a holy life?

If your life isn’t holy, you don’t serve God. You may say the words, I love the Lord. But if you don’t live like you love the Lord, you don’t love God. You don’t love Him unless you serve Him. If you don’t serve Him, you don’t love Him. Period, that’s what God says. God says, don’t you deceive yourself. If you’re not faithful, you’re not right. If you’re not faithful to God, you’re not right with God. You’re deceiving yourself when you think so.

Put God first in your life. But if you’re not gonna serve God, then now you gotta decide which God are you going to serve? Are you gonna be your own God? Is he gonna be God of maybe some rock star, some movie star, some money? Is it fame? Is it possession? What is your God? Go ahead and serve it. Because that’s all you’re going to get in this life. Because there is no true God except the one in true and living God.

And God says you serve Him. If you’re not going to serve Him then choose among these other gods that you want. Now take your Bible and look there in the next verse, verse 20. He says, God will not forgive you if you forsake the Lord and serve strange gods. Then He will turn and do you hurt and consume you after that He hath done you good. Can God be good to you? to you, merciful to you, show grace upon you, bless you, and give you wonderful things in this light?

Yes, he can. And can you turn your back upon the true in living God and not really serving with all your heart? Yes, you can. And the same God that wanted to do you good can make everything turn against you. And you’ll find yourself resisting the God of heaven and God is going to chase in you and discipline you and maybe take you home before your time. So you can rebel against God and you can live in sin all you want to.

But your heavenly Father who knows you and loves you gave you eternal life and saved your hell deserving soul is going to chase and beat the Torah out of you. You understand what he’s saying? So in verse 21 and the people said unto Joshua, no no no no we’ll serve the Lord and Joshua said unto the people, your witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen you, the Lord, to serve him, and they said, we are witnesses. Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your hearts unto the Lord God of Israel.

And the people said unto Joshua, the Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.” You see, that’s what God wanted for his people. Now, the choice is yours. Here we are. Now it’s our turn. Do you really believe that there is a true and living God? Do you believe that there’s a God in heaven that can work things out in your life and can bless you or chasten you, shower upon you all kinds of wonderful blessings, or withhold things from you because of his will, or chasten you because of your rebellion?

You really believe that? Prove it by your life. You really love God? Now see, you don’t get to heaven because you love God. You’re going to heaven because God loves you and He made a payment for your sins and you understood that and you believe that and you accepted Him as your Savior. God gave you eternal life. Now you’re His child. He didn’t just take you out of this world and take you to heaven. He left you here. Left me here because He wants us to serve Him.

Why does He you want us to serve them? Because God says, if you’ll serve me, I’ll honor you. I’ll honor you. Now it doesn’t say in what all ways that honor will come, but you’re to believe that God will be stole upon you, praise, honor, and glory. The Lord says when He returns. And if you believe it, you can wait and be patient. And it doesn’t matter what you have to go through down here. Always seek, be faithful, put God first and serve the Lord.

Take your Bible and turn to the book of first kings, the book of first kings and chapter 18, first kings and chapter 18. We have a story here about a man named Ahab. He was one foolish man. You see Ahab, he messed up and married a woman. Well, of course, most people do marry a woman, but this woman was a wicked woman. Her name was Jezebel. Have you ever seen anybody named their little darling, little girl Jezebel? How many women name her kids Jezebel.

I don’t know of anybody named Jezebel. Why? Because Jezebel doesn’t have a good name. She kind of ruined that name. Nobody wants to be called a Jezebel. You old painted Jezebel? Well, because she was a wicked woman and she led her husband who was the king of Israel in descend. There was a man named Nabah, then he had a vineyard and it was right next to King Ahab. King Ahab says, I want that piece of property. So he went over there and offered them some money for it.

He says, it’s not for sale. He said, well, I’ll give you this and this. And he said, he did anything he could. And he said, no, I can’t sell the inheritance that the Lord has given to me. But he wanted it. So he went in the house and he was pouting. And his wife looked at him and says, what’s the matter, folks? He says he won’t let me have his property. She said, well, you’re the king. You’re the king.

Let’s like saying, hey, you the man. And if you want it, you can get it. all you got to do is leave it to me.” So all she did was got a couple of people to lie about him and said that he blasphemed God and blasphemed the king and so they stoned him to death. Killed an honest man, killed a righteous man. Who did that? Jezebel. And so whenever he was dead, O Ahab goes over thereiameter to get his property.

And lo and behold, a prophet shows up and that prophet was Elijah. And he shows up and he says, you know, Dogs are going to eat you up and going to lick your blood. And it says, concerning your wife Jezebel, she’s going to be thrown over the wall and the blood is going to get all over the rocks and the dogs are going to eat everything on her. Nothing was left of Jezebel but her hands and her feet. Dogs eat all the rest of it.

That’s what happened to Jezebel. But you see, she was a wicked woman. But you see, there were 450 prophets of Baal. Ahab had done sinned against the Lord, and he chose to do all that, which was evil. He led the nation of Israel in the wrong direction, and God’s going to have to chase in him. And God told Elijah, there’s going to be three years of drought. There’s not going to be no rain. And so Ahab, he was mad.

And this is the Elijah. You’re the one that brought all this trouble upon Egypt. I mean, upon Israel. It’s your fault. You did all of this to us. And he said, I didn’t do it. You did it. You’re the one that’s guilty. You see, somebody’s always willing to blame somebody else for the sorry lot in life. See, if you choose not to serve God, and you rebel against the Lord, and you won’t do right. And then when everything goes wrong and bitter and sour, and you have to eat those sour grapes, You’re gonna get mad and blame God, righteous people, the preacher, the church, you’ll blame everybody, but look in the mirror.

Thou art the man. You’re the one. You see, because if you serve the Lord, God promises He take care of you and bless you. Stop blaming people on why you don’t stay faithful to God. It’s not the preacher. It’s nobody else. It’s not the church. It’s you. It’s inside of you. Do right. Put God first and serve Him. So he says here in verse 17, and it came to pass when ahab, so Elijah, that ahab said unto him, are thou he that trouble with Israel?

All here’s that troublemaker. He answered, I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father’s house, and that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Balaam. And now therefore send and gathered me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal 450 and the prophets of the grows 400 which eat at Jezebel’s table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel. And the Elijah came unto all the people and said, How long haute ye between two opinions?

If the Lord, if the Lord, L-O-R-D, the God of Israel, if God is God, follow him. But if Baal, If he’s God, then follow him. But why hold to you between two opinions? Because they tried to mix Judaism and this hellish doctrine of following Baal together and talking about how they love God and worship God at the same time they worship Baal. In other words, they were fit straddlers. They couldn’t make up their mind. It’s just like Christians today.

They are fence straddlers. They’re never committed to the Lord, but they don’t wanna really commit to the world. So they try to ride defense. They want enough of doing right to get God’s blessings and enough wrong to have some fun and do their own thing. And God said, it ain’t gonna work that way. God says you make me sick. That’s what he says about his children. He says, you make me wanna vomit because you won’t commit yourself. If God is God, why should the true and living God Have to beg and plead his children to serve him.

Can you understand that? I cannot understand that. It doesn’t make any sense to me why some person can trust Christ as their Savior, have eternal life. They know they’re going to heaven when they die. And they can’t find it within them to serve God. After all that God has done for us, you stop and think for a moment. God has given you right to live, gives you air to breathe. Saved your hell, deserved, and soul, give you eternal life, made you his child.

You’re going to heaven whenever you die. never cast you out, never lose you. And that’s where you’re going to end up. You’re going to be in heaven. And then he only asked you, would you just serve me for the time that you’re down here? And if you will, I’ll bless you while you’re here. And when you get to heaven, I’m going to reward you. And he says, in the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory, which I’ll be here after.

He says, you have no idea what you’re going to get by serving me. Now why can’t we We believe that. Why can’t I trust God? He asked for a showdown, and there was a showdown, and God spoke by fire and burned up the offering the sacrifice that was made. And he told him and says, you better get to running because I hear the sound of abundance of rain hadn’t rained in three years. And he says, it’s going to be some rain, but before they did that, he killed 450 of the prophets of Baal.

That’s what they did with these false religious leaders. Now we live in good old America so we don’t take those who teach false doctrine not to kill them. But you know there was a time not long ago when people who taught witchcraft were burned at the stakes. It wasn’t too many years ago whenever you believed in Protestantism, Catholics would take you and crucify you and burn you, boil you in oil. That’s not a joke. That’s not a lie. That you taught me just a couple hundred years ago.

You ought to get a book called the Fox’s Book of Martyrs and what was done to people who believed the truth. That day of persecution isn’t far away. If you don’t believe that what happened with the Jewish people was bad, you ought to say, well, you don’t have to be a good person. see what’s coming not only with the Jewish people, but this time it’s not going to be just Jewish people, it’s going to be Christians. Persecution of Christians is right around the corner, not far away.

I believe that. Take your Bible and turn to the book of John chapter 12, the Gospel of John in chapter 12. When the Lord made the statement, he says, I’m I’m going to die. This is the hour in which was determined by God the Father for me. He says, should I ask God to deliver me from this hour? No. He said, that’s why I came. And he says that the Colonel Corn falls into the ground and it died. He says then when it comes forth, look how many kernels you got of corn.

How many ears of corn are one stalk? All from one little old Colonel Corn had died. You see, that was Jesus. And Nukkha many have trusty Christ’s Savior and been born again because of that one seed. Now here He makes the statement in verse 24, very, very or truthfully, truthfully, I say unto you, except the corner of wheat fall into the ground and die at a bind at the loan, but if it died, bring forth much fruit. He that loveth His life shall lose it, but he that hated his life in this world shall keep it and the life eternal.

In other words, for example, that’s what Christ did for us. And here you are, if you take your life and you want to live your life for yourself, when you die, that’s all there is. But if you take your life and die for the Lord, God says that your life will bear fruit. I enjoy life just like anybody else. I like to do things just like anybody else. But there’s been one main thrust in my life. And that is that I want people to trust the Lord and I want people to serve the Lord.

I have a reason for me, Sir Lord. I was like that before I became a preacher. I don’t want people to go to hell. I would rather Die for this reason and think of the multitude of people that are trusting Christ the Savior over the years That’ll be in heaven because of it See God wants you and I to have a reason for living the Apostle Paul says I I died daily Every day you you died at his will that that’s all that you want that you don’t want to I should say die to self any way you want to put it in the spiritual terms But it means will you will you serve God over yourself?

Will you make up your mind? Choose you this day whom you will serve and it says in Joshua I’m recording this day against you. You’re a witness against yourself That’s why we generally sometimes have people Dedicate their lives to the Lord and sometimes doing services the preacher will say how many of you’ve never dedicated your life to the Lord you’ve never determined I’m going to serve a Lord. If you have, serve Him. If you haven’t made up your mind, would you make up your mind today?

Right now, will you as a child of God, will you determine, be a witness that I gave testimony to the fact before God and witnesses, I’m going to serve God. You see some people they always say, well, I don’t like the promise. I don’t want to promise because they want to be so in fill with integrity that they wouldn’t dare break their promise if they ever made one. Yet they’ll go down here and they’ll sign a note for five years for a new vehicle and a new house for 30 years and they’ll promise some man or some woman, I’ll be faithful to you and what are you doing promising?

Well I never make promises you liar. Make God one and then keep your word. Well, if I don’t make a promise I don’t have to do it. I don’t have to keep my promise. Make up your mind. Choose you this day. Are you going to serve God? If you’re not going to serve the twin living God, what God are you going to serve? You’re gonna serve somebody. Something is gonna be your God in your life. And I pray that it’s the Lord.

Look in verse 26, if any man served me. Now we’re not talking about how to get into heaven. Gotten to heaven is free. I’m talking about you that no Christ is your savior, your God’s child. Now what, now what? If any man served me, let him follow me. And where I am, there shall my servant be also. Now let me just show you a brief illustration. If I’m the Lord and you’re standing right here behind me, and I say follow me, if I go over here, where would you go?

Well you come over here where I’m at. If I go over here, where would you go? Well, if you follow me, you’re going to follow me. And if I move, you move. If I stop, you stop. Wherever I go, you go. You just follow me. So simple. See, that’s all it is. Servant Lord is simply following the Lord. Now, some people say, well, I want to serve the Lord. And there’s a follow me. And all of a sudden, this guy, he looks over there and say, oh, look at that.

Good looking woman over there. And I say, follow me. And he goes over there. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I’m over here. Follow me. Now if you stop following me for woman, money, fame, popularity, then they have become your God and it’s going to lead you astray. That’s how come God says that we’re sheep, sheep who won’t follow what the shepherd, we go astray. And the Lord says that if you will follow me, if you’ll serve me, Him?

Well, my Father, honor. Now, the day is coming where we’re going to stand before the Lord and God’s going to bless us. Reward us for everything that you’ve ever done. So, God’s is if you’ll follow Him, if you’ll serve Him, you do what He says, do it, you obey Him. And that’s why you have to know the word of God so that you can do that. But it’s not just going to church. It’s not just reading your Bible, It’s not just praying.

He’s a person. And if you fall in love with him, all those things and more will you do. But you see, if you’re not really in love with the Lord, then all that becomes a drudgery. You do them not because you really want to. It’s just, it’s a duty to you. It’s a chore, a job. But you see, when it gets inside of you that it burns within you, then you do it because of what God means to you.

And I want the Lord to mean as much to you as possible that you love him and love him with all your heart. If any man served me in with my father honored, do you believe that? Now, as a child of God, he could have took me home that very day that I trust him as Savior, but God in his wisdom chose to leave me here and give me a life full of opportunities, opportunities. He says some of these opportunities, he says, they’re going to work for you.

He says, I’m gonna send you problems and trials and tribulation, but if you’ll be faithful and serve me and do right God says I’ll deliver you from everything I’ll bless you why you hear you can have that inward peace and joy and happiness and when you get to heaven I’m gonna reward you, but I want you to serve me, but I want it to be your choice I want you to do it because you love me and if you love me then serve me But if you don’t all these things that happens to you is gonna work against you and And the very thing that I meant to do you good, or do you harm?

And the God that wanted to bless will turn against you and resist you and rob you of all the things you could have. But really is God, is God to be blamed? Because God is righteous? No. It’s because you chose the wrong path. You chose not to serve Him with all your harm. So I urge you, if you know Christ is your Savior, realize that if you’ll serve Him, you’ll bless you, and you’ll honor Him. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at six o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, 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, they’re got to work on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here gots truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa. 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 through the Bibleline website at Calvary of Tampa.org.

We pray that you’ll 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 what he says there again now. Timothy and chapter 2 says, if we suffer, we shall also reign. See the link, suffer, reign. There’s a link between the two. See the word if, because you don’t have to. Nobody can make you. There’s a choice that you can decide for yourself.

Nobody can make you trust the Lord. can make you serve the Lord. It’s a personal choice, but it reveals the wisdom that you have. To me, a man would have to be a fool if he knows Christ and won’t serve him. There goes a fool because the serve of the Lord is the most important thing in all the world. Now look there he says in number three, an eternal inheritance. Galatians 4, 7 says, or for the heart no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir you ought to underline the word heir this is who you are you have an eternal inheritance see by trusting Christ as your Savior God becomes your father so you inherit what your father has so your heirs of God but it says your joint heirs with Christ you see one is by birth and the other one is by service and when we are

join heirs with Christ is because we served with Christ. We suffered with Christ. So therefore we’ll reign with Christ. So join heirs is because of service. Eirs of God, the Father. That’s because of my birth. So I’ve got a great inheritance. And when you trust in Christ is your Savior, you are saved from something to an inheritance. It’s incorruptible and undefiled that they, if not away, reserved in heaven for you. That was because you got saved. So you became a child of God.

You get to go to heaven. You get to live in the holy city. But there’s so much more that we don’t fully understand. And so he says there in Matthew in chapter 5 and verse 5, blessed are the meat for they shall inherit the earth. We’re going to get it. In Luke 22, 28 through 30 it says ye are they which have, and you ought to on the line, those three words, continued with me. He says, ye are they which have continued with me in my temptation, and I appoint unto you, get to a kingdom.

I’m gonna appoint a kingdom to you. Now, I don’t know if he’s just talking about the kingdom upon the earth, or after that, when it says the increase of his kingdom, there will be no end. How many kingdoms will there be? I don’t know. But God says, if you’ll serve me now, you’ll rule and reign with Christ. You see, this is just the dressing room to get ready for eternity. We’re just preparing to meet God. And in verse 29, and I appointed you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me.

Sounds pretty good to me. Look at the next page. At the top of the pager where it talks about in chapter 8 verse 16 and 17 about the Holy Spirit, the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And the way his spirit bears witness with our spirit is through the Word of God. The Word of God tells us we know it and we believe it and we accept it. And if children then heirs, heirs of God by birth, join heirs by service with Christ.

And there’s the word if, if so be that we suffer with Him, we shall be also glorified together. There’s something more for those that suffer for the Lord. In other words, you may give up all of your plans and dreams here, your desires and so forth for the cause of Christ. You may give up money for the cause of Christ. You may give up time for the cause of Christ. There isn’t anything you can give to the Lord or sacrifice for the Lord that He won’t pay you how much more in the dance.

You can’t compare it to Him. That it will be worked at all. Look at Colossians in chapter 3 there in your notes. Verse 23 says, and whatsoever you ought to underline that whatsoever, whatsoever you do. Do it hardly as unto the Lord and not unto men. When you go to work tomorrow, You look at it this way. You’re not going to work for that boss, man. You’re going to work for God tomorrow. And you do your work like you was working for God.

You wanna give it all you’ve got. You wanna be honest, you wanna be fair. You wanna be just, you do all the things you’re supposed to. Don’t you ever cheat on your job, lie on your job. Do things you should not do on your job. You always do right. You always honor God. You’re to do whatever you do as unto God. When that woman is cleaning that house, you ought to clean that house as though she’s working for the Lord at God’s house.

Everything that you have belongs to God. And always remember. Look down there in 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter three in verse eight and nine says, Finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion, one of another. Love his brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing, but contrary to all of those things, blessing. Knowing that ye are there unto call and you ought to underline, that ye should inherit a blessing. Now you don’t know when or how, but you got God’s word on it.

And all of this is upon the premise that God is righteous. Remember we read that verse the other night in the book of Hebrews in chapter six. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. It would be a sin for God to overlook what you did or to forget about what you did. He can’t forget. It would be a sin. God is righteous. So anyway, as you read these things, that’s supposed to help encourage you to be found faithful to certain.

Listen, nobody can solve all of your problems. They’re not meant to. You’re not meant to solve all of your problems. You’re just meant to go through your problems, to endure your problems, letting God walk you through these learning experiences, because you don’t know how long a problem’s going to last. Some problems don’t last long, and then others will seem like you’ll never get out of it. I used to wonder, sometime it seemed like it was a long dark tunnel.

And finally lo and behold I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And as I got closer it was a gorilla with a flashlight. I am. He went them all. But in Acts chapter 20, look there in verse 32. And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to, and here’s three little words you ought to on the line, build you up. See, it’s one thing to be saved to have eternal life, another thing to be strong, to be built up.

And then He makes a statement to give you, you’re going to line those three words, build you up and to give you something. You’d be surprised how many times the scriptures talked about receiving something from God. And we’re not talking about salvation. Salvation is only the beginning of wonderful things. I did that 51 years ago. I trusted Christ as my Savior. They gave me eternal life. Well, that gets me to heaven, but there’s so much more. And I want that much more.

I want it. Look at the next statement, treasures. In Luke’s cell that you have, give on, provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old. In the Old Testament, it talks about putting your wages into a bag that has holes in it. Now, what does that mean? You can work and you get your money and you put it into a bag and you lose it all. Do you know there’s people today that they work and work and work and as time goes on, they have nothing to show for it.

There’s not discouraging just a tad. Have you ever tried to save something? I saved my money one time for a whole year. And then I blew it on an ice cream cone. And sometimes you just don’t have much to say. But there is a thing in the God’s Word that talks about laying up treasure in heaven where you can’t lose that. So I told him today at the Tampa Bible study, I said, I’m on the gold stand here.

Yes, when somebody wants to see my portfolio, you’ll have to wait till you get to heaven. I’ve got some gold, silver, and precious stones in my portfolio. And I have invested, and I can’t lose it. What I’ve laid up, I can’t lose. If you put money into stocks and bonds on here and mutual funds and all that, can you lose it? You can lose everything you have down here in this world. God says, a wise man lays up treasure in heaven and we can’t lose it.

And see, that treasure is from the wise decisions that you make. That’s the reason you studied the Bible so you can learn discernment so that you can be wise in the decisions that you make. Because your wisdom is going to pay off, Great dividends. But if you play the fool and just do whatever you want or whatever you think is right, and not doing what God says is right, thou are they fool.

So look at the next one. Matthew 25, 21 says, his Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Fateful servant. Well done. What do you want to hear from the Lord when you get to heaven? You lousy bum. You never did a cotton-taken thing. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. I ought to whip you from here to eternity. I mean, I say that. Thou have been faithful over a… And here’s that one again. A few things.

God has not overloaded you with problems in this life, though you might think, oh, I have His problems. Have you ever thought, buddy, when the cloud bus, it really comes down? Like there’s no end to it. It’s just more than I can handle. God does not allow you to have more than you can handle. He doesn’t. It’s what He said. You want to call Him? You know, a liar. I’d be careful. And he also says that with every trouble, every trial, every temptation, he makes a way of escape that you can be able to bear it.

In other words, with every problem, there’s an answer. With every prop, there’s a solution. And you’re to search until you find it. Look at the next statement. Second Peter chapter one, verses 10 through 11 says, Wherefore the rather, rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. This is talked about not only your salvation, but your purpose and life, your service to the Lord. And then he uses the word if, for if you do these things you won’t fall as a Christian, you don’t have to fall.

You don’t have to mess up your life. Messing up your life is a choice. You can live God if you want to, and you can mess up your life if you want to. It’s all based on decisions that you make. Look at verse 11, four, get this. This is a tremendous verse. for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you, abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is talking to God’s children about adding to their faith.

He talks about the precious divine and dwelling of the Lord and the divine promises of God. And about adding to your faith so that you’ll be strong enough so that you don’t have to stumble and fall. And if you will serve the Lord, God says there’s something here about an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. Or you’ll get there, but it’s the entrance that you have. I don’t know what all that means because He does say I have not seen, ear have not heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them the love of them.

So there’s a lot of things I just don’t understand. But I believe it and whatever it is I Want it whatever it is don’t you want it? Don’t you want everything God has for you or? Do you want to be ashamed before him and his coming? This is where it all boils down to Look at this person where it says here in?

Luke chapter 12 and verse 37 blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he come at And here’s three words, shall find watching. You knowDue you’re watching for the Lord by your service for the Lord. You know, it makes the statement in the book of Matthew chapter 24 that when the Lord kind of thought, well, his master’s not coming back for a while. And so he began to beat his men’s servants. Because you didn’t think he’s coming back for a while.

You see, not looking for the Lord causes a person to be lackadaisical in their service to the Lord. They’re not as faithful. But if you live believing and thinking any day now, any day now, and you don’t want to be saying something you shouldn’t be saying when the Lord comes, and you don’t want to be doing something you shouldn’t be doing when the Lord comes, and you don’t want to be living in such a way that you shouldn’t be living when the Lord comes, and it kind of makes you watch your pees and cues.

of peace and fusion the rest of the alphabet. Look at the next statement, under greater glory. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 17, 4 hour, end those two little words, light affliction. Few things. Now that’s how God sees whatever it is you’re going through. Doesn’t he say cast all your cares upon him? Well, if you cast all your cares upon him, what are you worried about? What are you worried about? If you cast all your cares upon him, Are you really trusting the Lord to walk you through things?

Or are you still carrying all the weight, the burdens? And then it wears you down. And you can’t sleep at night and all the cares and, well, wouldn’t it? God says, give it to Him. Well, I did. I’ve asked Him a thousand times. That’s 999 times too many. What else He says? And you see where it says, the eternal weight of glory. You’re the underlying that. Why? Because that’s the link. A light affliction, eternal weight of glory. So you see, there’s things that God says and trying to paint a picture for us to get the idea.

Because see, remember that this is in the word of God because God wants more for us than we want for ourselves. Did you know that God loves you more than you understand love. He is so far superior to us. His ways are not our ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts. We are flawed. We don’t have perfect mind. We don’t have perfect understanding. That’s why it’s a struggle for us to believe what God says without question. Look at the next verse.

I just want you to see the word as in Matthew, the next verse, 13, 43 says, then shall the righteous shine forth as the Son in his kingdom, the righteous. That’s those who’ve trusted Christ as Savior, but it goes a little bit further than that. He’s talking about who hath ears to hear that in here. And when you hear what the Father says and you do what the Father says, Then you’re going to shine forth as brilliant as the sun, as the sun.

That’s why God said, you are the light of the world. Look what else he says here in Daniel. And they, that be wise. You ought to underline that phrase. They, that be wise. Do you want to be wise? Or do you want to be a fool? They, that be wise, get to shall shine. And there’s that word again, as. the brightness of the firmament and get this and they that turn many to righteousness. They that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

So there is a reason why we should keep certain the Lord in regards to how hard it gets, how much we want to quit, how discouraged we get, everything that happens to us in life challenges our faith, causes us to wonder, who am I really trusting? And so he says in that verse, they shall shine as bright as deferment and they shall that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. Now the next statement greater joy. Now you know there’s verses in the Bible talks about having the joy of the Lord, the strength of the Lord, the patience of the Lord.

This is what I was talking about before. You ever heard of the little girl? No, she’s not a girl, a girl of the morning. Joni Kintata, better name, Eric. And she’s something about the name of Joni. But she is the one that you’ve heard her on the radio. I mean, you all have heard of her before a bunch of you. She’s the one that’s the quadriplegic. And she’s the one that told that story. And it’s a true story. I didn’t make it up.

But it’s something to always remember. But notice it’s in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 12 says, Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice! But rejoice in as much as he are partakers of Christ’s suffering that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. When his glory shall be revealed. Evidently that’s not now. But that’s when that takes place.

Then you will be exceeding glad. In other words, you will be glad and thankful for all the hardships you’ve had in this life. And you still were faithful to the Lord. Because then, when that happens, then, you’ll be exceeding glad. That’s what I work toward. There’s a lot of things that happens to me in life. I do not like and I do not enjoy. But I’ve got to go through them. Some things I can’t stop, I can’t change. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.

Do you think last year at this time, I was going through one of the worst periods of time in my life You didn’t anybody remember what I had? I had the worst case of shingles. They said to the VA they’ve ever seen. I agree with every word they said. I’ve never seen it before. But I had it all over me, all up the back of my head, into my hair, and you talk about it with called pains all over me.

And I was taking pain until I couldn’t. Oh, it was terrible, terrible, terrible. But I don’t remember one time me cursing God. I never used any profanity. But if you wrote it on a piece of paper, I might have signed my name to it. This joke in it. You’re going to suffer at times. Have you ever thought sometime it seemed like this will never end? Just hope it’ll end somewhere along the line will end. And sure enough, one of the greatest promises in the Bible is that it came to pass.

It came to pass. the last statement down here. First thessalonians chapter two. For what is your our joy or hope or crown of rejoicing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming. For ye are our glory and our joy, the people that we reach. In other words, call us in of all the things we go through all those sufferings that we go through it’s to reach you. We want the best for you.

Paul even says for me to live as Christ in the dais game but I’m in a trick between two I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better but it’s more needful for you that I stay here in the flesh. And as long as I’m in this body I’m gonna suffer. They’re gonna beat me up and stone mean, stone in a river, and do it without, but it’s worth it because you get to go to heaven because you heard the gospel through my lips.

That was paraphrased, but I know that’s in there. Anyway, I hope that makes sense to you. Always trying to figure out a way to challenge you a little bit more. Let me show you something. New illustration, you’ve never seen before. But if you’re watching by internet and I looked the other night and there was 66 countries that had hit our website. I don’t have a clue. There’s just numbers to me. But those numbers represent people and I’m hoping that a lot of people are trusting the Lord.

And we do have people taking that test. Not everybody passes it. Not everybody’s kind when they pass it. Just two weeks ago, one guy took it and he failed every bit of it. He called, he emailed me and says, I failed that test. I flunked every one of them. See you in hell. Did I read that to y’all? I thought it did. I just want to see if you remembered. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin.

We all have sin on us. us. God loves us. Now he hates our sin, but he loves us. And because he loves us, he wants us to go to heaven. But we’d have to be perfect to go to heaven. And nobody’s perfect. And because of sin, God says we have to pay for it. The wages of sin is death. Eternal separation from God in hell. But the Lord loves us, wants us to go to heaven. But we can’t go to heaven because of sin.

God says that we have to pay for it. And that’s eternal separation from the Lord. So God says your good works won’t pay for sin given money won’t pay for sin. You don’t have to go to church to go to heaven. You don’t have to change your life to go to heaven. You don’t stop things to go to heaven. You don’t promise anything. The salvation is yet totally free. What I mean is this, this hand represents Jesus Christ. He is the Lord God in the flesh.

He came into the world because he loves us. I hate what we do wrong, but he loves us. But he says, our sin separates us from the Lord. So Jesus Christ, who had no sin, didn’t have to die. But because he loved us, he took all of our sins that kept us separated from him. He took the sin, paid for it on the cross and came back from the dead, and said that if you and I 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 Jesus Christ did.

God says that he so loved the world. That’s everybody in the whole world. That he gave his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. The whosoever anybody would believe, that He paid for their sins, that He would put this payment to their account. And they will not perish. It means they will not go to hell. It means they will not have to pay for their sin because Jesus paid for their sins. So 51 years ago, I heard that for the first time, and I believed it.

And I don’t have to go to hell and pay for my sins, not a one. I don’t have to go to day, tomorrow, never. He died and paid for all of my sins. And I believe he did it for me and he gives me as a free gift, everlasting life. I get to go to heaven on what he did. I don’t earn it. Don’t deserve it. That’s because he loves me. After we trust Christ as our Savior, God says, I want you to love me.

But we don’t love the Lord to get to heaven, but we should love the Lord because we’re going there. And we should serve the Lord, but nobody can make you. How real is the Lord to you? I hope you’re very real. Let’s pray, shall we? Our follow we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us. We’re thankful for the free gift of eternal life. That no one can earn their way to heaven and never be good enough.

We’re so glad we don’t have to lie to people and give them names that are impossible to do keep the law be good or stop in bad. They’re all impossible. But father, what is possible is for a person to realize that they’re a sinner. That’s possible and anybody should know that. To believe that when you died, you died for them and paid for their sins and by trusting you and you alone, you guarantee them eternal life is a free gift.

We pray, Lord, that those that are listening by internet and anyone here in the audience, they’ve never trusted you, to save it, they will put their complete confidence and trust in you. We know you’ll never cast them out, never lose them. As your children, Lord, we pray that we’ll be found faithful, serve in you, and that we would have the right motive because we love you. 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 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re 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 six o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold.

Friend, one day it will happen, the trumpet will sound. 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 through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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.

Look what else he says here. In the next verse, 1 Corinthians chapter two, verse nine, It says, but as it is written, I have not seen, you’re half not heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. Now, I wrote down in John chapter 14, in verse 21 where he says, if you love me, if you love me, serve me. And then it makes a statement in chapter 14 in verse 23.

The other one is in verse 21, but in verse 23, He says, and he that loveth me, my father will manifest himself to him. So if you really want to know the Lord, love him, serve him, and God will reveal himself more to you than someone who doesn’t love him. So when he simply says, if any man served me, him will my father honor. But God wants you to serve him because you love him. And if you love him, he makes a statement here, that God has prepared for them that love him.

And if you love him, you serve him. So those who serve him, they haven’t got a clue what God’s going to do for them and give to them. You cannot imagine. Look at the next point, the victor’s crown. Number one, 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 25. there in verse 25 where it says, and every man that strived for the mastery. Now the word strive, that’s the way in which you work. You’re striving for something. It’s not something that you just haphazardly do.

It’s on purpose. It’s with intensity. It’s with ferberancy. But you’re striving towards something, giving it all that you have, striving. it says, for the Master, in other words, to be the best, to do all you can for the Lord, why you can. And it links down to the word incorruptible, which stands for the incorruptible crown. You do this this way. And look what I’m going to give to you. Look at the whole verse, and every man that strive every man that strive for the mastery is tempered or shelf-controlled and all things.

Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible crown. There were crowns not added, but it is understood to be incentenced. So there is a link between the striding and the incorruptible crown. See down here you make accomplished things and people give you awards and and so forth, but they fade away. They’re not going to be worth much. Their value is only in the minds of the people who remember what you did. When nobody remembers it, it has no value to it.

You think about it. There’s no value. Look at a ribbon where I got this roar. Look at my trophy. But if nobody knows even what it’s for, what value was it? Or whenever it’s junk and I’ve seen them in garage sales yard sales All these trophies and things like that. I thought I’m gonna go out and buy me a whole bunch of Put on there, you know what I wanted it for. I Mean that’s how they got there somebody bought it gave it to him and that was in somebody’s judgment that he was deserving of it I can’t help it.

Nobody appreciates me like they should have I just came home Look at the next verse. Revelation 4 and verse 4 and round about the throne were four and twenty seats. And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothing white raiment, and they had on their heads, and you ought to underline this word crowns. Crowns of gold. That means that they were earned. The Bible talks about five basic crowns and you earn those because of what you do.

A martyr’s crown, a soul, a soul, a soul. and so forth. And these are various crowns that you can have. So these are things that you have to earn. They’re the result of what you’ve done for the Lord. You and I can’t see yet the value. Only thing we have is God’s Word that it will be worth the. Remember I said Sunday night, it will be worth it all. So it will be. Look at the next verse. In verse 10 of chapter 4 of Revelation in verse 10 and 11, it says, the 4 and 20 elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne and worship Him that liveth forever and ever and cast and you ought to line these two words.

They’re crowns. See, you have to have them before you can cast them. They are the result of your faithful serving to the Lord. Now always keep in mind, rewards are earned. Salvation is free. Getting to heaven is the gift of God. It’s not a reward. I’ve heard people say, well, he’s gone to his reward. Well, that all all depends. If you trust Christ as your Savior, you get to go to heaven. That’s by grace and grace alone. And what is it that keeps a man from just doing whatever he wants to do in life without any restraint?

You see, knowing these truths is supposed to be the restraint that you need upon your life. That’s why you study doctrine, you study the word of God. And when you know these things, it causes you to think about the results of your decision. Because a lot of times we get down and discourage and we think of just stopping and quitting and letting loose and letting go and just doing whatever I wanna do and just maybe falling to any sin you want.

Well, what’s to keep a Christian from doing that? Because you know that it’s true. After you trust Christ as your Savior and you have eternal life, you can live any way you want and still go to heaven when you die. That’s just the truth. Don’t ever apologize for that. To soften that in any way is not to believe truly in grace. If it is by grace, then it is by grace. And not one word can enter into the picture.

So what’s to keep a Christian from living in sin? Truth. Teach doctrine, proper doctrine. That’s why it’s so important to teach people what the truth is, so that there’s a reason why you should live godly. But when you get right down to it, isn’t it true, saved or lost? Everybody lives the way they want to. Everybody lives the way they want to. Don’t read in your hick or you want to. If you don’t want to go, you won’t. Everybody does what they want to do.

Don’t they commit adultery because they wanted to? Don’t they commit murder because they wanted to? You see, even when you want to live God, you want to. Everybody does what they want to. But God says, now, I want to give you something that can help your discernment between right and wrong to make right decisions. Though God will never cast you out and never lose you, you can’t go to hell. Your heavenly Father says He will chase you and discipline you.

Maybe take you home before your time. But He says, if you will serve me, I’m going to make it work your while. All you got is my word on it. Remember in the Old Testament, all they had was God’s word that the Messiah one day would come and make a payment for the sins of the world. And they believed it because even though it was future, they trusted in Jehovah. So we’re looking back to the payment that Christ made.

Now we’re looking forward to His return. And He says, when I come, I’m bringing my reward with me. So He’s going to give it to every one of us. Look there at verse 11, of how art worthy, O Lord, in your underlying needs to receive, glory and honor and power. Now if the Lord is worthy to receive those things by these that are there at that time, isn’t He worthy to receive the praise, honor and glory now? If he can receive it, can’t he receive that now?

Can’t we give to the Lord to pray? Let’s do the Lord. Whenever God’s for you, you ought to praise the Lord and thank the Lord and be good and honor the Lord. Brag on the Lord. I don’t think he would mind. He might even enjoy it. But did God want? God says, wants everything that hath breath. Praise ye the Lord. Look at number two, positions of authority. The day will come when God’s going to give you something. I don’t understand all of it.

I’m not able to understand it all. But here in Matthew chapter 25 verse 21, where it makes the statement that whenever he comes back, Power in great glory, and set up his kingdom upon the year. He says in verse 21, his Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou have been faithful over a few things. The word faithful. And I will make thee ruler. I will make thee ruler. You see, that’s the link that goes back to thou has been faithful.

Because you did this, you’re going to get this. So whenever you get to heaven and you don’t get what you thought you should have gotten, you should have done more for the Lord while you could have. Would it be better to serve the Lord now with all that we have because we know that when that time comes, we’re going to be glad we did. Or do you want to wait until you get there and then have all the regrets?

Aren’t you glad you still have some time left to straighten up? You say, I don’t know if I want to live longer or not. I might mess up. I had a man tell me one time he says, I just pray to the Lord that if God knows I’m going to mess up my life, I just pray He’ll take me home. Isn’t that a good prayer? Lord, if you know I’m going to mess up my life, I want you to take me home first.

I know quite a few people have said that and God didn’t and they messed up, bad. And God didn’t take him home. God let him live for years. So I don’t think that’s a good prayer, and God probably won’t honor it. God may just let you live your ungodly life, set you on a shelf and never use you, and let the years just pine away, and have the misery of knowing that, you know, I could have done something. If I have only, if I don’t only, we’re going to start a club called if I are only club.

For all those people that were, if I’d have only, well, you’re not in heaven yet, so you don’t have to be part of that. If I’d have only, you can just go ahead and do it, Club. And serve the Lord now with what you have. Look at that last part of that verse. that word, thou hast been faithful over and get to few things. As you look at this whole life of ours, God calls it you a light affliction and there’s just a few things in life that God gives to you.

When you compare it to eternity, you realize how few opportunities it seems like we have and yet they come disguised. You know all of your God-given opportunities come disguised as work most of the times. And all the problems, the heartache, trials, all those things are nothing more than opportunities for you to be found faithful through whatever it is so that you don’t say or do something against God that you shouldn’t so that you know God will reward you for it.

So while you’re in this life, you are going to suffer for the Lord. I’ve listened to people and they’re telling me sometimes, I just don’t know how I’m going to get through this. And they’re ready to break down. I’m just, I just don’t, I don’t have any strength. I don’t have any joy. I just can’t go on. I’m not happy. And buddy, they’re at the bottom of the barrel. We have a, I had a radio station out in Colorado, not in Pueblo, my brother and I.

And we had a person that would come on and, you know, they had their little time slot. It wasn’t long, maybe 15 minutes. And as the years roll by. You get to listen to a certain person and they begin to make an impact upon you. This individual was a quadriplegic. She didn’t have use of her arms or legs. And she was always on our radio uplifted, bright, charming, positive, such a blessing. Somebody asked her, says, you know, I wish that I had your smile and your positive outlook.

And she just went on bragging to the school and the girl told her, says, look, I can’t use my arms or my legs. Every day I have to depend on somebody to come and give me a bath, comb my hair, brush my teeth, put my clothes on me, set me in my wheelchair, roll me into the other rooms, take me everywhere I go every day. And when I wake up in the morning, a lot of days, most days, she says I wake up with tears.

I don’t even want to live that day. I am so down and so discouraged. What I consider what other people can do and I can’t. I’ll help this I am. She says, I tell the Lord I just don’t have the strength to go on. I’m not sure if I want to. I’m discouraged, I’m depressed. I don’t have any smiles to give. And she says, I talked to the Lord and I said, Can I borrow yours? Can I borrow your smile today?

She told the lady, she says, this isn’t my smile, it’s God’s. My joy is not mine, it’s God’s. I borrowed it from Him. And my strength to go on and face this day, I borrowed that from the Lord too. I don’t have anything on my own. I’m not worthy of anything. When you stop and think, have you ever planted a garden and couldn’t find a rake or a hoe from your barred one? Or are you gonna hang a pitcher and you need a hammer and you have to maybe borrow a hammer from a neighbor?

Have you ever considered that when sometimes youPercent you don’t have $Residents on you, you might bark fromFlorrieving. I’ll pay you back, I’ll pay you back. You know the thing about borrowing a smile from God joy from the Lord. You don’t have to pay them back. He’s got plenty left over. So when you need a smile, just borrow one from the Lord. When you need some strength to face that day, just borrow some from the Lord. He has all the strength you need.

Just use his. And you You be surprised what you can do with his joy and with his smile. They’ll lift you right up and you give to people what God gave to you. But this is what you’re talking about in serving the Lord. Aren’t you glad as we said here, we’re not quadrupleed, do you, can we? We got use of our arms and our legs. Most of us can still walk around and talk and sing and take a bath and eat and comb our our hair, wash our face and close ourselves.

We can do all those things. What do we have to complain about? And yet you’d be surprised how many Christians are down in the bottom of the garbage can. And always whining and pining and moaning and groaning. Just borrow some things from the Lord. That’s what God’s told me. He says, my strength, my joy, my peace, my happiness. And you’d be surprised the difference it can make in your life if you just learn to look to the Lord Look what he says there in Timothy in chapter 2 he says if we suffer We shall also reign see the the link suffer rain There’s a link between the two see the word if cuz you don’t have to nobody can make you There’s a choice that you can decide for yourself.

Nobody can make you trust the Lord. Nobody can make you serve the Lord. There’s a personal choice. But it reveals the wisdom that you have. To me, a man would have to be a fool. If he knows Christ and won’t serve him. There goes a whole because the server Lord is the most important thing in all world. Now look there he says in number three, an eternal inheritance. Galatians 4-7 says, poor for the heart, no more age serving but a son and if a son than an heir, you ought to underline the word heir.

This is who you are. You have an eternal inheritance. See by trusting Christ as your Savior, God becomes your father. So you inherit what your father has. So your heirs of God. But it says your joint heirs with Christ. You see, one is by birth and the other one is by service. And when we are joint heirs with Christ is because we served with Christ. We suffered with Christ. So therefore we’ll reign with Christ. So joint heirs is because of service.

that’s because of my birth. So I’ve got a great inheritance. And when you trust in Christ as yourpires, you are saved from something too, and inheritance is convinc646able and undefined, that faith if not away reserved in heaven for you. That was because you got saved. So you became a child of God. You get to go to heaven. You get to live in the Holy City. But there’s so much more that we don’t fully understand. more that we don’t fully understand.

And so he says, there in Matthew, in chapter five, and verse five, blessed are the meat, for they shall inherit the earth. We’re going to get it. In Luke 22, 28 to 30, it says, ye are they which have, and you ought to underline those three words,727 with me. He says, ye are they which have continued with me in my temptation, And I appoint a kingdom to you. Now I don’t know if he’s just talking about the kingdom upon the earth or after that when it says the increase of his kingdom, there will be no end.

How many kingdoms will there be? I don’t know. But God says, if you’ll serve me now, you’ll rule and reign with Christ. You see, This is just the dressing room to get ready for eternity. We’re just preparing to meet God. And in verse 29, and I appointed you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me. Sounds pretty good to me. Look at the next page. At the top of the pager where it talks a bit, in chapter eight, verse 16 and 17, about the Holy Spirit, the Spirit itself bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

And the way he, his spirit bears witness with our spirit is through the Word of God. The Word of God tells us we know it and we believe it and we accept it. And if children then heirs, heirs of God by birth, join heirs by service with Christ. And there’s the Word if, if so be that we suffer with Him we shall be also glorified together. But there’s something more for those that suffer for the Lord. In the words, you may give up all of your plans and dreams here, your desires and so forth for the cause of Christ.

You may give up money for the cause of Christ. You may give up time for the cause of Christ. There isn’t anything you can give to the Lord or sacrifice for the Lord that He won’t pay you how much more in the dance. You can’t compare it to Him. will be worked at all. Look at Colossians in chapter 3 there in your notes. Verse 23 says, and whatsoever you ought to underline that whatsoever, whatsoever you do. Do it hardly as unto the Lord and not unto men.

When you go to work tomorrow, you look at it this way. You’re not going to work for that boss man. You’re going to work for God tomorrow. And you do your work like you was working for God. You want to give it all you’ve got. You want to be honest. You want to be fair. You want to be just. You do all the things you’re supposed to. Don’t you ever cheat on your job. Lie on your job. Do things you should not do on your job.

You always do right. You always honor God. You’re to do whatever you do as unto God. When that woman is cleaning that house, you ought to clean that house as though she’s working for the Lord. God’s house. Everything that you have belongs to God. And always remember. Look down there in 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 8 and 9 says, Finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion, one of another. Love his brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing, but contrary to all of those things, blessing.

Knowing that that ye are there unto call, and you ought to underline, that ye should inherit a blessing. Now you don’t know when or how, but you got God’s Word on it. And all of this is upon the premise that God is righteous. Remember we read that verse the other night in the book of Hebrews in chapter 6. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. It would be a sin for God to overlook what you did or to forget about what you did.

He can’t forget. It would be a sin. God is righteous. So anyway, as you read these things that are supposed to help encourage you to be found faithful to the servant of the Lord, listen, nobody can solve all of your problems. They’re not meant to. You’re not meant to solve all of your problems. You’re just meant to go through your problems, to endure your problems, letting God walk you through these learning experiences, because you don’t know how long a problem is going to last.

Some problems don’t last long, and in other ones seem like you’ll never get out of it. I used to wonder, sometimes it seemed like it was a long dark tunnel. And finally, lo and behold, I saw light at the end of the tunnel. And as I got closer, it was as guerrilla with a flashlight. Yeah, he went them all. But in Acts chapter 20, look there in verse 32, And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to, and here’s three little words you ought to underline, build you up.

See, it’s one thing to be saved to have eternal life, another thing to be strong, to be built up. And then He makes a statement to give you, go and align those three words, build you up and to give you something. You’d be surprised how many times the scriptures talked about receiving something from God. And we’re not talking about just about salvation. Salvation is only the beginning of wonderful things. I did that 51 years ago. I trusted Christ as my Savior.

They gave me eternal life. Well, that gets me to heaven, but there’s so much more. And I want that much more. I want it. Look at the next statement, treasures. The loot cell that you have, give on, provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old. In the Old Testament it talks about putting your wages into a bag that has holes in it. Now what does that mean? You can work and you get your money and you put it into a bag and you lose it all.

Do you know there’s people of the day that they work and work and work and as time goes on they have nothing to show for it. There’s not discouraging just a pad. Have you ever tried to save something? I saved my money one time for a whole year. And then I blew it on an ice cream cone. Sometimes you just don’t have much to save. But there is a thing in the God’s Word that talks about laying up treasure in heaven where you can’t lose that.

We’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bible 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live. And now we’re closing thoughts from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. 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, they’re got to work on Bibleline everywhere, every time. Here got’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 through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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.

Did you realize all of your heartache and all of your problems? All of those are nothing more than opportunities for you to prove your faithfulness and love to the Lord because God wants to give you something for it. Well wouldn’t you be mad at God if He allowed you to live and gave you no opportunities to prove your love, your loyalty, your faithfulness? You’d be upset with God. So God has really blessed you. And if you haven’t had any problems this week, don’t worry.

you’ll get something this week. And the attitude that you have toward those things you cannot understand or explain is what God’s way of saying, look, buddy have I got something special for you this week? So God allows the things to happen in our life. And when you understand it, you can accept life a lot better. Look at the next statement. 1 Corinthians 3, 13, 2, 15 says, every man’s work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare talking about the judgment seed of Christ, because it shall be revealed by fire.

Fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. In other words, come the eyes, the judgment, the burning fire of God’s discernment to determine whether or not your life that you lived is there any gold, silver precious stones there or haywood and stubble and it’s going to be according to the judgment of God. That means that your heavenly Father has to keep the books on everything that you have to go through. He said, nobody knows what I’m going through.

And God is keeping the books and he’s going to really bless you. And he’s the one that knows how you think and how you feel all of your emotions. And he says, if any man’s work abide, would you feel there upon? He shall receive a reward. And then he says, if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved. See once you’re saved from hell, you can never go there. I have trusted Christ as my Savior.

I can’t go to hell today. I can’t go tomorrow. I can’t go ever. Because I’m saved from it. Because of what Christ did for me. He paid for my sins. So I don’t have to go to hell and pay for them. Now God is saying, because you are His child, I’ll reward you when you get to heaven if you’ll do this for me. If you’ll live this way for me. So how much does the Lord mean to you, your quality of life is in direct ratio to the caliber of your thoughts.

You don’t think right, you won’t live right. So that’s why the Bible tells us to study his word that we can discern right from wrong and that we will present our bodies as a living sacrifice holy, acceptable in the God which is a reasonable service. And we will not be conformed to this were of a be it transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Look at the next one.

2 Corinthians 5, 10 says, for we must all appear before the judgments of Christ and here’s that phrase, everyone may receive the things done in his body. So you know that, you understand that. So that’s what helps you to accept things that happens in life that you don’t have to understand. There’s a lot of people no doubt that they try to understand. What happened to Tebow? Where’s God? God had a heart attack. I lost the throne. And Tebow was left alone.

That right. Alright, that’s down. God is still the same God before or after. Just like in life, you have to know how to handle success in life, and you have to know how to handle four years in life. What’s not important is whether or not did they win or did they lose? God will reward, say, Tim Tebow if he does what he does for his honor. And if he doesn’t give God honor and credit and glory, then God may take away something that he could have had.

But it’s not just him. It’s everybody. You’re on the same boat. Is every day of your life on a mountain peak, a mile high city? You know, when I lived in Colorado, it was the only place I knew where I could walk a mile high in the backslidden condition. That won’t move right along. Look in the next verse, Ephesians 2, 10 says, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto, this is what God wants from our life.

What? Good works. Do we do good works to be saved? No, because the verse is right before that says, for by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works. But after you trust Christ as Savior, Does God want us to live right? To have good work. Yes, but not to be saved. We are his workmanship. We are trophies of God’s grace. And God allows us to live in this life so that we could be pleasing to him.

And God wants to use us for his honor and glory. Titus chapter three verse eight. Got an interesting praise here that I really love. He says, this is a faithful saying and these things I will that our firm constantly. that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. So evidently they don’t have to, but it is good and profitable on the men. Why should I serve the Lord? Because it’s good. It’s profitable. It’s profitable for me.

It’s profitable for others. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone just served the Lord did right. What do they want of a world? Look at number three. Why should I care about rewards? Why? Because a day is coming in which you are going to see the Lord face to face. First John 2, 28 says, and now little children abide in him that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed because right now you say, well, it doesn’t bother me.

I don’t care if I get anything or I don’t. Well, when you stand before the Lord knowing what He has done for you and what He has allowed you to see and be part of for all eternity, I believe you’ll know then and you will be ashamed that you didn’t give him more. A shame that you weren’t more faithful. A shame. You see what? Because the Bible says that they will come. You and I will give an account. Look in Luke chapter 19 verse 24 here, it says, and he said unto them that stood by, take from him the pound and give it to him that have 10 pounds.

In other words, taking things that somebody else could have done and give it to someone else. I believe that sometimes in life there’s a lot of things that could have been done. I’ve often wondered what would have happened if all of God’s children, all were faithful, served the Lord with all their heart, what we could accomplish. We could reach the world, turn it upside down. But too many people are in love with the world or themselves, don’t love God enough.

But I’ve often wondered what could have been done. And sometimes people have to carry the burden of someone else trying to do what they’re supposed to do and and then carrying somebody. Let’s say for example that you got five men and they are all carrying this one great big old heavy log. And one man says, you know, this log is just too heavy. I can’t take it anymore. I I quit, so he quit. Did the log get lighter on the shoulders of the other four?

No. It’s just, they’re carrying a heavier load. Well, what if another one says, you know, This is just weighing me down. I can’t take anymore. I quit Now you’ve got three guys carrying that same heavy load. You see, that’s the responsibility that God has given to us. And even though each one of us have been given a responsibility, and you hear Paul talk about co-laborers. We’re carrying this burden together. We’re co-laborers together. But what happens when the together isn’t together?

And God’s people don’t help. Then there’s a shame. There might be some who could help in Sunday school and they won’t help carry that burden. Maybe some could help in a wana, but they won’t carry that burden. Some could help in ranch or you reformers, you’re unanimous, but they don’t want to carry that burden. Some could be coming better soul-winners, but they don’t want that burden. See, some people can help in the choir, but they don’t want the burden because it requires faithfulness and you have to get up earlier and go longer.

It’s just a burden. It is a burden. But it’s a burden that’s worthy of the child of God to be found faithful. And I think that it’s worth putting God first and doing what God wants to do with our lives. In Luke 8 verse 7 he said, Nothing is secret. Isn’t that not to scare you to death? Nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest. Neither anything here that shall not be known and come abroad. Ooh. Now I believe that when we get to heaven, everybody will know what praise, honor, and glory you’re going to receive from the Lord.

And some are going to maybe get more praise, honor, and glory than you. You may get more than somebody else. But I don’t believe in heaven, there is going to be the envy of the jealousy, but there will be the hurt of the loss of what you could have had, and you threw it away. Otherwise God’s word wouldn’t be saying all of this. Hebrews chapter six verse 10, and it’s a tremendous verse. Chapter six of the book of Hebrews, where it talks about God is not unrighteous.

That’s a statement in itself that is tremendous. God is not unrighteous. That means that God is righteous and that God is perfect and that God makes no mistakes. You can’t find any fault with God. God made this world, He made you an eye and He put us in it. And everything He tells us to do is right and it is the best. key is can you believe God? God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love.

It would be a sin for God to forget what you did for him. So have you ever done anything for the Lord? Nobody appreciates you. It doesn’t bother you none because you know the one that matters is the Lord and he doesn’t forget. And in the time become, you’re going to win. So because of that, you can accept it and go ahead and you’re going to do right. Right? This is part two on heavenly rewards. You’ve heard about them.

It’s good to concentrate a little more on, what am I going to get if I dedicate my life to the Lord. Even the disciples asked that very question, Lord, we have forsaken all and followed you. What are we going to get for it? Believe it or not, we are rewarded, motivated people. God uses that desire for something more in order to challenge us for something greater. and believe it or not God wants to give you something. God wants to bless you.

Did you know that God wants you to be happier than your desire to be happy? Did you know that? Did you know that the desires for love and joy and peace come from God and God wants that for every one of us? of us. But sometimes we don’t always, you know, do what’s right. God cannot bless disobedience. And God wants more than anything else for us to learn to trust Him, even though you can’t see Him, to learn to take Him at His Word.

What I want to do tonight is to show you the link, the link between if you do this, you get this, there’s a link. I did that one day when we talked about salvation. If we believe we get this. If you drink, you get this. If you eat, you get this and there’s always a result of what you do. And you’ll find out in the scriptures that keeps talking about. Be it unto you according to your faith. And whenever you put your faith in Christ for salvation, you get eternal life.

So you get something according to your faith. After you trust Christ as your Savior, God wants your faith to grow so that you want more and more from the Lord. You want to get closer and closer. You want to walk with the Lord. And the Lord wants to be more real to you than anything else in this world. And that’s why in this world there is such despair and disappointment Because God wants to be more precious to you than anything else So God is in the process of teaching us to the process of time Through all the trials and tribulations So I want you to look there at your note Now these verses are given on a piece of paper right now Yes, but these are the same verses that’s in your Bible and And they’re given to you so that when you go home tonight or tomorrow or sometime during the week, you

underline these verses in your Bible. See, these are important verses. You don’t underline every verse in the Bible or no verse stands out. But certain words you ought to underline or certain phrases you ought to underline because they mean something to you. And not every verse means the same to everybody. but surely out of all these verses some of them are going to be precious to you. It’s something will hit you that doesn’t hit somebody else. Well that’s the way the Word of God does.

But if you look there at Matthew chapter 19 verse 21 top of the page on the left Jesus saith unto him, if thou will be perfect. Go and sell that thou have, give to the poor and thou shall have and here’s those words, treasure in heaven and then the link is come and follow me. See if you do this you will get this. A lot of times we want things but we don’t want to do what will get it for us.

You want to have money? It’s called get a job but it is important to see the link because I want you to know there are consequences to the decisions that we make. And when you don’t think that certain the Lord is that important, well, it’s going to affect your life. It affects the decisions that you make. So we have to see beyond this life in order to appreciate what goes on in this life. But look at the next verse.

In Matthew 19, 27, it says, then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, Because, you know, the Lord had told him in chapter 14 of the book of Luke, unless you forsake all and take up your cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. In other words, you cannot serve him totally fully if there’s something that’s holding you back. So the Lord doesn’t want there to be anything in your life that would hold you back from doing what He wants you to do.

What would keep you from being what God wants you to be? A lot of times, I talked to people and said, well, I’d like to do this, but I can’t. I like this, but I can’t. And what’s the reason most of the time it’s just plain fear, afraid to step out into the water because they think they’re going to sink. And with a lack of faith, you will. But Peter at least got out of a boat. He did walk on the water, but then he took and put his eyes upon the storm.

And so you can walk with the Lord until you start looking at the world and then it makes you afraid and You begin to shake a little bit and tremble upon the rock now the rock will never shake unto you But you might tremble on the rock But it says we have forsaken and you ought to underline the next word all and Follow the what shall we have there for what are we going to get? Well the next verse Jesus tells them what you’re going to get.

Look there in the next verse. He says, and Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, so we know when the regeneration is. It’s when Christ comes back, sets up his kingdom upon the earth, sits himself upon the throne, and he rules and reigns, and he made this promise. when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also, in your underlined those two words, shall sit.

Because, see, shall sit upon twelve thrones, that’s the link that goes up to following me. You have forsaken all, you have followed me, and this is what you’re going to get. So they get to sit upon the 12 thrones of this will judge into 12 tribes. Wow! Do you think they understood that when Jesus walked by one day and looked at those fishermen and says, follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men? I wonder if there’s anybody that he told that to and they said, now I’ve got things to do.

Too busy. Got too many things to do. I would mention to say there might be somebody like that. One of them, named Judas, had no clue what he forfeited. Jesus made the statement about that man. It would have been better if that man had never been born. Now there’s a lot of people who feel that way, been better if they’d never been born. But did the man have opportunities? God gave him open doors. So many opportunities. But he didn’t trust the Lord, and therefore he doesn’t even get to go to heaven.

He forfeited all of that He could have had this. You and I won’t know until we get there what we have forfeited, what we gave up. So don’t always judge what you’re doing by what somebody else is or is not doing. You just know that between you and the Lord, you want to give it all you got. You want to serve a little without your heart. And look what else He says here. It makes a statement in verse 28, the last part, judging.

You shall set upon them judging. You ought to underline that word judging. It’s because see they’re going to have good discernment because they could discern what Christ was saying and see the value of it and God is going to reward their discernment. So they get to set in judgment during the millennium. You reap what you sow. Look what else he says here. In the next verse, 1 Corinthians 2 verse 9, it says, but as it is written, I have not saying you’re half not heard.

Neither has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him. Now I wrote down in John chapter 14 and verse 21 where he says, if you love me, if you love me, serve me. And then it makes a statement in chapter 14 and verse 23. The other one is in verse 21, but in verse 23, he says, and he that loveth me, my father will manifest himself to him. So if you really want to know the Lord, love him, serve him, and God will reveal himself more to you than someone who doesn’t love him.

So when he simply says, if any man served me, him will my father honor. But God wants you to serve him because you love him. And if you love him, he makes a statement here, that God has prepared for them that love him. And if you love him, you serve him. So those who serve him, they haven’t got a clue what God’s going to do for them and give to them. You cannot imagine. Look at the next point, the victor’s crown.

Number one, 1st Corinthians chapter nine, verse 25. Look there in verse 25 where it says, and every man that striveth for the mastery. Now the word strive, that’s the way in which you work. You’re striving for something. It’s not something that you just haphazardly do. It’s on purpose. It’s with intensity. It’s with ferberancy. But you’re striving towards something, giving it all that you have, striving, it says, for the master. In other words, to be the best, to do all you can for the Lord, why you can?”

And it links down to the word incorruptible, which stands for the incorruptible crown. You do this this way and look what I’m going to give to you. Look the whole verse and every man that strive, every man that strive for the mastery is tempered or self-controlled and all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible crown. There were crowns not added, but it is understood to be incentenced. So there is a link between the striving and the incorruptible crown.

See down here you make accomplished things and people give you awards and so forth, but they fade away. They’re not going to be worth much. Their value is only in the minds of the people who remember what you did. Well nobody remembers it. It has no value to it. You think about it, there’s no value. I got a ribbon where I got this roar. Look at my trophy. But if nobody knows even what it’s for, what value was it?

Or whenever it’s Come on. And I’ve seen them in garage sales, yard sales, all these trophies and things like that. I thought I’m going to go out and buy me a whole bunch of them. Put on their, you know, what I wanted it for. I mean, that’s how they got there. Somebody bought it and gave it to them. And that was in somebody’s judgment that he was deserving of it. I can’t help but nobody appreciates me like they should have.

I just came out. Look at the next verse. It says, and Revelation 4 and verse 4, and round about the throne were four and 20 seats. And upon the seats I saw four and 20 elders sitting, cloven white raiment, and they had on their heads, and you ought to underline this word, crowns. Crowns of gold. That means that they were earned. The Bible talks about five basic crowns, and you earn those because of what you do. martyrs, crown of soul winners, crown and so forth.

And these are various crowns that you can have. So these are things that you have to earn. They’re the result of what you’ve done for the Lord. You and I can’t see yet the value. Only thing we have is God’s Word that it will be worked. Remember I said Sunday night, it will be worked at all. So it will be. Look at the next verse. In verse 10 of chapter 4 of Revelation in verse 10 and 11 it says, the 4 and 20 elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne and worship Him that liveth forever and ever and cast and you ought to line these two words.

They’re crowns. See you have to have them before you can cast them. They are the result of your faithful serving to the Lord. Now always keep in mind, rewards are earned. Salvation is free. Getting to heaven is the gift of God. It’s not a reward. I’ve heard people say, well, he’s gone to his reward. Well, that all depends. If you trust Christ as your Savior, you get to go to heaven. That’s by grace and grace alone. And what is it that keeps a man from just doing whatever he wants to do in life without any restraint?

You see, knowing these truths is supposed to be the restraint that you need upon your life. That’s why you study doctrine, you study the Word of God. And when you know these things, it causes you to think about the results of your decision. Because a lot of times we get down and discourage and we think of just stopping and quitting and letting loose and letting go and just doing whatever I want to do and just maybe falling to any sin you want.

Well, what’s to keep a Christian from doing that? Because you know that it’s true. After you trust Christ as your Savior and you have eternal life, you can live any way you want and still go to heaven when you die. That’s just the truth. Don’t ever apologize for that. To soften that in any way is not to believe truly in grace. If it is by grace, then it is by grace. And not one word can enter into the picture.

You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach 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. If you’re not listening to the Bible, please subscribe. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live. Now we’ll close your thoughts from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Hot up to meet the Lord in the air.

So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, Dear God’s Word on Bibleline, Everywhere, Every Time, Dear 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 The 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 through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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.

Heavenly rewards. Will it be worth it? Yes it will. So what I want you to do is all the verses that are on your notes. You ought to take the time when you go home or you can make notes or something like that, but you ought to underline these verses in your Bible. These are important verses. These are motivational verses to help you to serve the Lord. Because you’ve got to have a reason what makes you tick. What do you want?

Why should I serve the Lord? So if you look there in your notes there at the top of the page, 2 Corinthians 5, 10 says this, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. The word all is not to the lost man, it’s for the believer. All the believers. Judgment seat of Christ is a rewarding stand. That’s where you and I are going to stand before the Lord with all the others that are that of trusted Christ is Savior, that everyone may receive, and you ought to take an underlying or circle that word, receive.

You’re going to receive something. See, going to heaven is a gift that’s free. The trip there doesn’t cost you anything, the price has already been paid. But when you get there, you’re going to receive something that you deserve. See salvation you don’t deserve. Your rewards are something you do deserve. It means that after you trust Christ’s Savior, God is going to reward you in heaven for what you have done for Him. So you can have more than just salvation.

There’s more to it than just getting your little pinkies inside the pearly gates. Since I haven’t seen the rewards, I really don’t know what all they are. Now I got an idea of that some of them, but we cannot fully understand. We cannot fathom the idea of what it’s going to be like. But in this verse says that everyone may receive the things done in his body. That means why you are alive on planet earth. According that he hath done that you and me, whether it be good or bad, the things that we have done, whether it was good, as somebody would say, fruitful or fruitless because God’s going to reward you for the fruit and you’re going to suffer the consequences of not having any fruit.

Also, the bad is what God calls in His word, the hay, wood, and the stubble. It’s a wasted life. It’s what’s going to be burned up. It’s not going to be anything left. You’re not going to get rewarded for it. So as you live your life, the time you spend for the Lord and doing what God wants is like gold, silver, and precious stones. Now, I’m talking about the consequences of it. But then the wasted life is the time that you live that’s non-productive, that’s not effective.

But that’s not for the Lord. Then you’re going to suffer the loss of what you could have had. Look in Romans here in chapter 14 verse 12, the next verse. So then, every one of us, everyone shall give account of himself to God. That means that if this is true, there is accountability. That means there must have been responsibility given. So you and I are responsible to the Lord because He must have told us to do something, and He had committed the gospel to us, let us live in this life, in this body, at this time, and we are going to be given an account to the Lord.

Evidently there must be something that God expects. And there must have been something that we produced or didn’t produce. We either you’re obeyed or we disobeyed. Always remember, getting to heaven is a gift that’s free. What you have when you get to heaven depends upon what you and I do for the Lord. Look at the next verse, 1 Corinthians 9, 24, no ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize. So run that ye may obtain.

This is talking about you have to run according to the rules. Have you ever noticed when you’re watching a football game they have these guys called refs? What do they do? They just get in the way. They’re supposed to make sure that when the clock ticks down, the ball has to be hiked at a certain time. And if it goes one second over, they usually blow the whistle or throw a flag. Or if the guy jumps across the line and makes contact and doesn’t get back before the ball, there’s a penalty.

All these rules, in other words, if you’re going to play the game, you have to know the rolls and abide within a framework. With the Lord, you see, He has given us a wide range, an area called the will of God. And within the will of God, we got a multitude of choices that we can make that’s still within the range of the boundaries. Just when you and I go outside, the boundaries that there’s a price to pay or it’s a penalty and bug.

But inside of that, God gives us a lot of leeway, a lot of flexibility, a lot of choices, and in that a lot of God’s children may have different ideas and opinions about how we do certain things, but we all have to answer to the Lord. So we’ll have to give an account to the Lord. But if you want to win, and the win depends upon, did you do the will of God for your life? And God’s going to reward you when you get there.

But it’s not like I have to beat somebody else because this is an individual thing. You see, I’m not racing against you. I’m not in competition with you. My enemy is not you. My enemy is the devil. My enemy is the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. My enemy is the wicked of the world, the sinful nature. And so we have the battle against the lust of the flesh and the love of the world and all these things.

when we get to heaven, God’s gonna reward us. So keep that in mind. Look at the next plant. 1 Corinthians 3, 8 says, Now he that planted and he that water are one. In other words, it’s talking about you and me. One person will plant the seed, and another person may water the seed. You may lead somebody to the Lord, they come to church. And I may give them some water. And they may grow, but always remember, It’s God that saves the soul.

I’ve never saved a person yet. I’ve had people claim that I did. So he saved me. And I hate to correct him, but off the bat. So I let go for a while and then I have to tell him. I said, only one that ever saved you, he’s the Lord. And so we are just laborers together with the Lord. And every man, get to, shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. But he’s gonna get a reward.

Rewards are earned. 1 Corinthians 3, 14 says, If any man’s work abide, which he hath built their fun, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work. Now, whether or not he’s talking about every individual work or your life as a whole, a God will sort that out. Don’t worry about it. Number one, what is the purpose of the rewards? Well, God wants us to love him more than the things in the world. And God says, if you’ll love me and serve me, I’m gonna do this for you.

So in 1st John 4th 19, it says, we love him. Why? Because he first loved us. This is motivation. I should serve the Lord because I know he loves me. And he proved he loved me. And I guess there’s just something inside of me. I don’t want to betray his love. I wanna be faithful to the Lord. It’s just like if you love your wife, you wanna be faithful. There’s people that don’t love their spouse and so they’re not faithful.

Love your children. Be faithful as a good father or as a good mother. Always be faithful. And 2 Corinthians 5, 11 says, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord. Because of what we know, it should determine what we do. We persuade men. If you know and understand not only what happens to the lost man, but how it must. I guess you could say, grieve the Holy Spirit, grieve God the Father when we don’t persuade that there is terror. There’s judgment.

Not only on the loss that go to hell, but upon God’s children that are going to really do some grieving. And tears are going to be shed. When they see the loss of what they could have had, but what happens to the loss they could have won That powerful But look here in the next verse done at Matthew and chapter 5 and verse 11 to 12. He says blessed are ye The word blesses many times we say is means to be happy to be blessed to desire the best and and believe that you have the best and that you’re going to get even something down the road that’s better than what you have now.

Blessed are ye when men shall revow you and persecute you and shall say all men are of evil against you falsely for my sake. In other words, what you go through, you go through it for his sake because that’s what God wants to do. If we respond to the way we want to, it’s one thing. If we respond the way God wants us to, well that’s another thing. So what changes your life is whenever you surrender your will to the will of God and do what God wants and respond his way to whatever happens to you in life.

The next verse says, rejoice and be exceeding glad and you ought to underline this when you get your Bible and you underline these verses into Bible. Great is your reward in heaven. Great is your reward. It’s just that we can’t see it. We don’t know what it is going to be like. But understanding, he says, for so persecuted they did the prophets which were before you. God knows what happens to the people who have already served the Lord and loved the Lord.

And a lot of them were persecuted and killed. Read the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews and see what happened to some of God’s prophets. And should we expect better treatment? Well. Matthew chapter 6 and verse 20 says, but lay up for yourselves. Lay up for yourselves. This is what God wants you to do for you. Do you love you? Do you love you? If you love you, you should want the best for you. Well, what’s the best for you?

That’s why we say you’re to love one another. Well, if you love someone else, you should want the best for them. So you learn to make decisions that are the best for you. Love yourself and desire the best for yourself, not only for now, but in eternity, so that when you finally get there, you will have the best. You’ll have the great rewards that God had for you, but would it be a shame to find out what you could have had and you blew it all?

You threw it all away because you didn’t believe it now. I think there’s a lot of people that I’ve seen over here, and they really are committing suicide. If you ask them, is suicide a sin? Oh yeah, everybody believes suicide is a sin. That’s terrible. And yet, slowly, they commit suicide. Now, I have never had the habit of smoking a cigarette. Smoking is not going to send you to hell. You’re smoking when you get there, but that’s not what sends you there.

but it can hurt or harm or ruin your health and you’re slowly committing suicide, but you’re enjoying it. The other way, you know, hang yourself. I mean, that’s too sudden. You know, knife yourself, take some poison. That’s too quick. So it’s better just to do it slowly. You say, are you advocating people to commit suicide? No, I’m not. I am not advocating that. But I’m just saying that’s what people do. you may be doing it in a lot of other ways where you slowly commit suicide as a child of God.

Did you know that when you rebel against the Lord you could be committing suicide? Isn’t there a verse in the Bible that says that there is a sin unto death? That God may take your life because of your rebellion. If He takes your life because of what you did, like committing suicide. I really would prefer. And God even put it in His word, the desire to live a long life. Children obey your parents and the Lord for this is right and that your days may be long upon the earth.

Well, that we’re moving right along. Look what he says here in Luke chapter 6 for 35. But love ye your enemies and do good. Land and hoping for nothing again. And get your reward shall be great. Your reward shall be great. Over and over and over again the Lord stresses this. But rewards are earned. Rewards are the results of your faithful service to the Lord. Now, in the body upon the earth while you’re alive. Looking Colossians chapter three, verse 23 and 24 it says, and whatsoever ye do.

Do it heartily as to the Lord and not in the men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive. Do you believe that? So then if you really believe this, You have a good reason, motivation to be found faithful, to love one another’s you ought to, and to love the Lord to be found faithful to whatever it is God wants you to do, to live a holy, godly life, because you know it will be worth it all. You believe that?

There’s even a song called, It Will Be Worked That All. You’ve never heard it before. Look at the next statement. In 1 Timothy 6 verse 17 through 19, charge them that are rich in this world. And if I ever find somebody as rich in this world, I’m gonna tell them this. That they be not high-minded. Now why? Because usually people who have a lot of money are high-minded. What do they do? It means that they have so much money.

They usually look down on people that don’t have money. And they’re just a risk. That’s all. There’s a risk involved. He says, and they have a tendency, to trust in their uncertain riches. Why? Because riches are things of this world, things you can have today and lose tomorrow. And so if you’re trusting in those things, then who do you trust when you don’t have those things? Because God can take them away just like that. And He says here, but they trust nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God.

God wants you and I to learn to trust in Him, the living God. And He is certain, see it’s in contrast to the things of the world, that they do good, that they be rich in good works. Now can you do that? You want to be rich? It’s not money. Be rich in good works. Why? Because God says to maintain good work because God is going to reward you when you get to to heaven, that is of greater value than all the money you’ll ever earn.

Laying up in store, you’re laying up something for later. We often say down here, you know, how’s your retirement fund going? I’ll, what are you having your portfolio? You mean a file folder? Your portfolio, you know, are you ready to retire? I am retired, I think. I don’t know if I am or not. I thought it was, but I’m not sure yet. Cause I love doing what I do so much that I guess I just keep on doing it.

But we’re supposed to lay in store for something down the road and down the road isn’t in this life. Look what he says. Layin’ up in store for themselves a good foundation against the what? The time to come. Now this is a life here that we get to live, but is only preparation for the time to come. Do you believe that? Otherwise you’ll think this is all there is to it and all this life is nothing more. This is life of opportunity.

They’re always talking about, you know, America. You know, have a dream. Have your dream homework. this job is my dream. I’ll have to be honest. I have a dream that in the life to come, the world to come, I will have whatever God wanted me to have. Because I believe that I should lay up now for that time to come. And so that means more, and should mean more to you and more to me than the things of this world, which is all temporary and all the wealth is uncertain.

They came out with a new conclusion in case you didn’t know this. They have finally boiled it all down that the greatest cause of death is age. Age. As you get older, it doesn’t matter what disease you don’t have. You’re still gonna die. Did you know that? Special revelation. It doesn’t matter how long they lived in the Old Testament. 800 years, 900 years, and they still what? They still died. So do you want to die healthy or sick? They’re going to die.

So the thing is is where you go and when you die and what are you going to have when you die? To prepare for the time to come. Number two, what is the basis for rewards? In Revelation 22 and verse 12 he says, and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give, get it to give every man and you ought to underline this in your Bible according as his work shall be. You say, I don’t believe all of that.

Okay, then you won’t do anything. There is a verse in the Old Testament, it’s, you mean, in the book of Hebrews in chapter 10, cast not away to your confidence where would you have great recompense of reward? You see, confidence in what God said about all of this is why you will do what you’re supposed to do. And when you do that, you’re going to have a Great reward. But you see, if you don’t have the confidence, you don’t do the work, you don’t get the rewards.

See, it all goes together. Look at page two. Almost like Paul Harding, page two. In Matthew 16 verse 27, it says, for the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he shall get that word. Reward who? Every man according to his works. every minute. You are going to get what you deserve. Isn’t that what you’ve been hollering about all your life? I don’t get any respect. Nobody loves me. Listen, God does and He’s giving you all the opportunities you can handle.

Did you realize all of your heartache and all of your problems? All of those are nothing more than opportunities for you to prove your faithfulness and love to the Lord Because God wants to give you something for it. Well, wouldn’t you be mad at God if He allowed you to live and gave you no opportunities to prove your love, your loyalty, your faithfulness? You’d be upset with God. So God has really blessed you. And if you haven’t had any problems this week, don’t worry.

Maybe you’ll get some this week and the attitude that you have toward those things you cannot understand or explain is what God’s way of saying, look, buddy, have I got something special for you this week? So God allows the things to happen in our life. And when you understand it, you can accept life a lot better. Look at the next statement, 1 Corinthians 3, 13, 2, 15 says, every man’s work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare talking about the judgment of Christ because it shall be revealed by fire.

Fire shall try every man’s work of what sort of this. In other words, from the eyes, the judgment, the burning fire of God’s discernment to determine whether or not your life that you lived is there any gold, silver and precious stones there or haywood and stubble and it’s going to be according to the judgment of God. That means that your heavenly Father has to keep the books on everything that you have to go through. He said nobody knows what I’m going through.

And God is keeping the books and he’s going to really bless you. And he’s the one that knows how you think and how you feel all of your emotions. And he says if any man’s work abide would you have built their pawn, he shall receive a reward. And then he says, if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved. See, once you’re saved from hell, you can never go there. I have trusted Christ as my Savior.

I can’t go to hell today, I can’t go tomorrow. I can’t go ever. Because I’m saved from it. Because of what Christ did for me. He paid for my sins, so I don’t have to go to hell and pay for them. Now God is saying, because you are His child, I’ll reward you when you get to heaven if you’ll do this for me, if you’ll live this way for me. So how much does a Lord mean to you. Your quality of life is in direct ratio to the caliber of your thoughts.

You don’t think right, you won’t live right. So that’s why the Bible tells us to study his word that we can discern right from wrong and that we will present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable in the God which is a reasonable service, and we will not be conformed to this 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. Look at the next one.

Second Corinthians 5, 10 says, for we must all appear before the judgment of Christ’s death, and here’s that phrase, everyone may receive the things done in his body. So you know that, you understand that. So that’s what helps you to accept things that happens in life that you don’t have to understand. There’s a lot of people no doubt that they’re trying to understand. What happened to Tebow? Where’s God? God had a heart attack. He fell off the throne. And Tebow was left alone.

That right. Oh, right there. God is still the same God before after. Just like in life, you have to know how to handle success in life, and you have to know how to handle four years in life. What’s not important is whether or not did they win or did they lose? God will reward, say, Tim Tebow if he does what he does for his honor. And if he doesn’t give God honor and credit and glory, then God may take away something that he could have had.

But it’s not just him. It’s everybody. You’re on the same boat. every day of your life on a mountain peak, a mile high city. You know, when I lived in Colorado, it was the only place I knew where I could walk a mile high in the backslidden condition. That won’t move right along. Look in the next verse, Ephesians 2, 10 says, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto. This is what God wants from our life. What?

Good works. Do we do good works to be saved? because the verse is right before that says, for by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works. But after you trust Christ as Savior, does God want us to live right? To have good work, yes, but not to be saved. We are His workmanship. We are trophies of God’s grace. And God allows us to live in this life so that we could be pleasing to Him.

and God wants to use us for His honor and glory. Titus chapter three verse eight, got an interesting praise here that I really love. He says, this is a faithful sayin’ and these things I will that thou affirm constantly. That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. So evidently they don’t have to, but it is good and profitable unto men. Why should I serve a Lord because it’s good? It’s profitable. It’s profitable for me.

It’s profitable for others. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone just served the Lord and did right? What do they want of a world? You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re 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 six o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bible Live. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. friend one day it will happen the trumpet will sound 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 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 through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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 John, Chapter 3. I want to discuss with you some scriptures that have given me a lot of trouble over the years. I wondered why couldn’t God have made it a little simpler, a little clearer than what he means. Have you ever studied the Bible and wondered why does it look like it’s so confusing? Doesn’t God understand that I’m hard of understanding and I need to have things made simple and clear to me?

Let me show you something here in 1 John chapter 3. Look what he says here in verse 6. Whosoever abideth in him, sineth not. Think about what that verse says alone and you’ll see what I’m saying. Whosoever abideth in him, sineth not. Whosoever, sineth hath not seen him neither known him. Question, do you sin? Whosoever, sineth hath not seen him neither known him. You see why that would cause me a problem? Little children let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

He that committed sin is of the devil. Now wait a minute, are you saved or you lost? Do you commit sin after you’ve been saved? He that committed sin is of the devil. Do you still sin? Are you of the devil or are you of God? For the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God, deaf not commit sin. Have you been born of God?

Do you commit sin? Whosoever is born of God, deaf not commit sin. For his seed remained, and he cannot sin because he’s born of God. Looking verse 10. And this, the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God. Neither he that loveth not his brother. What if you don’t love your brother? You’re not of God. That ain’t enough to bother you. Let me give you a couple more. Look down in verse 14.

We know that we have passed from death under life because we love the brother. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hated his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hat eternal life abiding in Him. Now maybe it doesn’t affect you when I owe to. Maybe you don’t see any problem with any of those verses, but I’ll have to admit that bothered me. It kind of gives the impression that if you sin, you’re of the devil, but if you’re born of God, you won’t sin.

Maybe if I look at those verses, maybe that’s why some people say, well, I haven’t sinned in 40 years. I met a person one time and looked at me and said, I haven’t sinned in 40 years. I can’t even say I haven’t sinned in 40 minutes and he will sin 40 years. I had a problem. I want you to take your Bible and look there in the book of Mark, chapter 7. The book of Mark and chapter 7. But the book of Mark, chapter 7.

There’s many people who classify themselves as fruit inspectors. What they do is they always going around inspecting other people’s fruit. And based upon what kind of fruit they find, they try to decide whether or not your seder lost. Because you see, if you smoke, oh, that’s a sign you’re lost. You drink, ah, you’re lost. You dip snuff, you’re lost. And so by the time they get through, there are no Christians left. Now, look what he says here in the book of Mark chapter 7.

And notice what he says in verse 20. And he said that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man, from within out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts. Now get what comes out of the heart of man evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders Thefs, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lessiviousness, and evil eye blasphemy, pride, foolishness, all these evil things come from within and defile the men. Where are all these things found on the inside? You see, the problem does not the fruit, it’s the root.

All these comes from an evil corrupt root. And when he makes the statement, whether it’s theft, well, that’s the sin, the crime. Those who do the theft, we call them thieves. A man that commits murder, well, we call them murders. The man that commits adultery, we call him an adulter. Whatever it is, if you tell a lie, we call that person, well, that’s a liar. You see, there’s names for the sins and names of the people who commit the sins.

The Bible says that not even a lie or a liar can enter into the kingdom of God. And he says, and many were you. You did some of those things. You were thieves and liars and murderers and hormongers. He said, that’s what the title that you have because of what you committed. But why do I get this name? Well, because you did this. Well, why did you do that? Because of a root that comes from that old sinful nature that we have.

So you need to understand some of those sins so that when you see them, listen to other places, you’ll know what they mean. Now turning your Bible to the book of Galatians and chapter 5, Galatians and chapter 5. And look there in verse 19. As a person born into the world, we all have a flash birth, a flash nature. Our sinful nature comes from a corrupt root. that corrupt root come from a corrupt seed. So the seed is corrupt.

And that is the corrupt seed that ever since Adam has been passed on down through every generation, we are all born of a corrupt seed. And that seed produces this corrupt root with all these desires within it. And that’s why it says it comes from within a man. Nothing that you put into your body is what corrupts the man the heart of man himself. Now you may defile the body but not the soul or the spirit. Some things can defile the soul and not affect the body at all.

So you need to understand whether you’re talking about the body, the soul or the spirit. So here in the book of Galatians in chapter 5 verse 19, now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these. Here’s the same list of things. adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, various, various emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, endeing, murders, drunkenness, reveling. See, most people don’t call drunkenness a sin, but the Bible says drunkenness is a sin because he has something you do as a choice.

All these are choices that people make. Now it can produce sicknesses and illnesses, but it’s the only the surface problem of a root problem because of sin. If you didn’t drink alcoholic beverages, you couldn’t get drunk. Now, the Bible says that we have this old sinful nature. I want to go back now to the book of 1 John. 1 John and chapter 1. Look up here just a moment. I want to use a simple illustration I’ve used before, but we’re going to use different scriptures, but you still need to understand the basis of where this comes from.

This arm is our flesh birth. This is when we’re born into the world. We all have an old sinful nature. Now with this old sinful nature it came from a corrupt seed. Therefore this root is defiled. And so the root is our problem. The fruit is only the result of the root. So that’s why the Bible says he didn’t come to change this because he can’t correct this problem. He said, I’ll give you a new birth. So the word of God is the incorruptible seed.

So the word of God has incorruptible seeds. And so when you put your faith in those seeds, it creates a new birth. So therefore you have these new desires that comes from a incorrupt root. So, incorrupt seed, incorrupt root, incorrupt fruit. Over here we have a corruptible seed, corruptible root, and corruptible fruit. So, we have these two trees living inside of us. They are contrary to each other. They fight all the time. They are two extremes. So, the problem is the root, not just the fruit.

So what we have is some people who are fruit inspectors and they’re saying, well, if you bring forth the fruit of this old sinful nature that shows you that you’re not really a Christian. But one day you may have the works of the flesh and the next day the fruit of the Spirit. And that really blows their mind. Now the Bible says, no ye not to whom ye yields yourselves servants to obey his servants, ye art to whom ye obey.

Whether obedience under righteousness or sin and to death. No ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves. So you can yield to the flesh and you can yield to the Spirit. This one’s born of God, this one is born of the flesh. Flesh, birth, spiritual birth. Divine, corrupt. Can’t do anything wrong, can’t do anything right. This one sins and this one does not. And so these two are dwelling within us and our body is the only tool that we have through which these two natures can manifest themselves, can reveal themselves, can fulfill their desires is through this one body.

And so therefore you are yielding at all times in your life either to the flesh or to the spirit. Because you see as a Christian, you can yield to both. But only one at a time. You cannot thank two thoughts at a time. You cannot walk in the spirit and the flesh at the same time you’ll either walk in the flesh or you walk in the spirit. But you can’t walk in both exactly the same time. but the body is going to reveal at times which one you’re walking in.

So first John is to help us understand which one is controlling our life. And the reason for this is because it is so easy for you and I to be deceived. So easy. You say I planted corn but butter beans came up. If butter beans came up you planted corn. Now, if Butterbeams come up, what did you plan? Butterbeams. You see, whatever comes up is the result of what you really planted. You might think that you’re really walking close to the Lord.

He said, now, if you really are, there’ll be some evidence in your life that you’re close to the Lord. Now, I want you to see this in 1 John 1. He says, we were literally here. We saw Christ, we touched Him, we handled Him of the Word of Life. We saw Christ in His power right here upon the earth, we got to see Him. That’s what He’s talking about there in verse 1, when He says, we have seen Him with our eyes, we looked upon Him, our hands have handled of the Word of Life.

That’s who He was. We saw Him. The disciples had fellowship with Christ. It’s one thing to know Him as Savior, but they got to walk with Him and learn of Him and and they fellowship. So what is fellowship? Fellowship is two fellows in a ship going in the same direction, from the same purpose they go through everything together. But now what he’s talking about here is this, down in verse three, that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you.

That ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ, now look over here. You see, the closer you get in your fellowship with the Lord, The closer you get in your fellowship with one another. You see, your fellowship with each other, if it’s right kind of Christian fellowship, is because you’re closer to the Lord, you picture a triangle. Here you are, here’s your brother, there’s the Lord. If both of you get closer to the Lord, you get closer to each other.

And whenever you see yourself getting further away from somebody else, somebody’s getting further away from the Lord also. Because see, our fellowship with one another is really based upon our fellowship with the Lord. Fellowship means walking together in harmony with the Lord. Does God walk in the dark? No? God only walks in the light. So if you wanna walk with the Lord, you must walk in the light. You see these two natures? This one is darkness. This one is light.

That’s why the Bible says, you are children of the light. Christ is, I am the light of the world. When you trusted Christ as your Savior, you were born into God’s family. You are a child of God, a child of the light. Over here, when you were born into this world, you have a flesh birth. This is without light, without truth. Therefore to walk into flesh is to walk in darkness. So darkness hated the light. And these are always battling against each other.

So what you have within you is a child of darkness and a child of light. Now God says He wants you and I to walk in fellowship with Him. Now look what He says in verse four. And these things Right, we under you that your joy may be full. Now, the purpose of this book is two Christians on how to have fellowship with the Lord and with God’s people and how to have joy. Many children of God don’t have fellowship with the Father or with other Christians and they don’t have joy.

But our joy is based upon our relationship with the Father and other believers. So he says, now this is to help. to understand lest you be deceived. You may think you’re right with God, but God says here’s how you can tell. You may think that you’re right with others, but he says this is how you can tell. He says you may think that you’re happy and full of joy. He said, but let me tell you what it’s really all about because you see, you can have a false peace and a false hope and a false joy, not based upon truth.

Notice in verse five, this then is the message which we have heard of him and declaring to you that God is what? Light. And in him is no darkness at all. Look up here. God is your Father. You trusted him as your Savior. You’re born into his family. You’re a child of light. God is light and in him is no darkness. So if you want to walk in the Lord, you have to walk according to his word and his word is light.

Therefore a child of God is to walk in the light. Walk in truth. Look what else he says in verse 8. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. Look over here. You could say a lot of things did not be true. If you say that you’re having fellowship with the Father, but you’re walking in the flesh or in the darkness, then God says you’re lying and you’re not telling the truth.

You’re deceived. Because it’s so easy to think that everything is alright and it’s not alright. You don’t always see the things that you ought to see. So he makes the statement here in verse 7, but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son continually keeps us clean. See, if you’ll walk in the light, as he is in the light, then you’ll have fellowship one with another.

So God wants his children to walk together in the light. And you can say that you are and really be walking in the flesh. Well, how are you supposed to tell? How do you really know? Now one thing he does say, he says if you say that you have no sinful nature, then he says then you’re lying because you do have a sinful nature. When you trusted Christ as your Savior, God did not do away with your old sinful nature.

He simply gave you a new birth with a new nature, a new root with new desires to produce new fruit that comes from God. So now you have a choice. You can either walk in obedience to the Word of God and walk in the light or you can walk in the flesh and fulfill the works of the flesh. Sometimes we’re not sure of what you planted. Look at the fruit. So it’s not for you to examine everybody else’s fruit but are you examining your own fruit so that you’ll know whether or not are you walking in the light or are you walking in the darkness.

Look what he says now in chapter 2. In chapter 2, when we talk about the Scriptures and it talks about your walk, well if you’re talking about walking in the light or walking in the darkness, well that’s what you do after you’re born. You see you don’t walk to be born. When do kids usually walk before they’re born or after they’re born? Now this is a difficult question after you’re born. So you see once you’ve trusted Christ the Savior and you’re born into his family, now you can talk about the walk.

Now, either you’re going to walk in the Lord, or you’re going to walk in the flesh. But you have a choice, but it’s after salvation. So we’re not talking to how to be saved. So then he makes the statement in verse 4, he that sayeth, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a what is the life. If you say it, well, I’m really getting to know the Lord in a more closer, intimate way, but you won’t walk in the light, and you won’t do what what God should do, then God says, you’re lying.

You’re walking in the flesh, you’re walking in darkness. So you see, Christian is always either walking in the light or he’s walking in darkness. He’s either walking in the spirit, he’s walking in the flesh. So he then goes down here and says, in verse six, he that saith, he abideth in him, ought himself also so to what? Walk, even as he walk. So we’re not talking about how to get to heaven. This is those who are already born and are learning how to walk.

So that’s why sometimes you have a hard time learning how to walk after you trust the Christ as your Savior, because you want to walk in the flesh and you want to walk in the Spirit, you want to obey God and you don’t want to obey God. And so you have a battle back and forth in your life. So he says, now, if you say that you are want to walk in the Lord, then walk in the light. Walk in the Spirit.

Look down in verse 9. He that sayeth, He is in the light. And, hated his brother, he is in what? Darkness even until now? Our look appear. He that sayeth his in the light. Let me just walk in the light. We’re not talking about how to get saved. I’m talking about walking with the Lord after you’re saved. If you say that you’re walking in the light, but you hate your brother or hate, where does the hate come from? Does that come from the second birth or does that come from the first birth?

Comes from the first birth. So hate means if you have a second birth, you have a second birth. hate somebody, you hate your brother, it means you’re not walking in the light, you’re walking in the flesh. So the hatred and the bitterness and the envy and the jealousy and all those things are flesh. That means that you as a Christian are not walking in the light like you think you are, you’re walking in the flesh. So you’re saying something see that’s not true.

It’s so easy to be deceived. You see your motive and your intention may be good, but you got to go by the facts, ma’am, just the facts. Either you’re walking in the flesh or you’re walking in the Spirit. Now look what he says verse 10, he that loveth his brother walketh or abideth in the light. There’s not occasion of stumbling in him. Look up here. He that loveth love comes from the second birth. Loveth his brother abideth in the light.

God wants you to abide where you’ve been placed. So love is a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5 verse 22. So if you love your brother, then God says you’re walking in the light and there’s no occasion of stumbling in him because stumbling is a result of walking in the flesh because it’s dark and you can’t see. You see without the understanding of these two natures, you can not understand the book of 1 John. Impossible. So all the way down through here, it talks about this walking in the light, walking in the dark, the flesh, the spirit.

These are things that has confused many people when they come to this book, trying to understand what it’s talking about. Now look there in 1 John, chapter three. And look in verse one, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God or the children of God. Wherefore the world, North us not because it knew him, not be leavened. Now are we the sons of God in a death, not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, but we shall see him as he is, not look appear.

When you trusted Christ as your savior, you became that very moment, a child of God. You were entwelt by the Holy Spirit. You received a divine nature. And through this divine root, you could have divine fruit. But you see, you’re the one that decides whether or not to yield to the new birth or you can yield to the flesh birth. And that’s why many people wonder if a person is saved because they see many of the same works of the flesh that they had before they was ever saved.

Can a man still be saved? Yes, just because you walk in the flesh doesn’t do away with the spirit birth. And just because you walk in the spirit doesn’t do away with the flesh birth, it’s still there. You still have this old child of the devil living inside of you. And when you trust Christ the Savior, you’re now his child forever because if it cannot sin, it cannot what? It cannot die because the wages of sin is death. Can this one sin?

Yes, when it’s sin, that’s why it dies. One day, this old body’s gonna be placed into the grave. God’s going to get you a new body to go with your new birth. That’ll live forever. Now, when he makes the statement here in verse six, whosoever abided in him, sineth not, whosoever, sineth hath not seen him and neither known him. Now look up here. You need to understand who these whosoever’s. This is the whosoever that’s born of the flesh. This is the whosoever that’s not saved.

Whenever you trust Christ to see, God gives you a new birth. This one is born of God. This one’s born of God. It cannot sin. So when he makes a statement here in verse 6, who’s to ever abide it in him sin or not? So if you are in this birth, this one cannot sin. But this one, your first birth, it does sin. Now notice what else he says here. In verse 7, little children let no man deceive you.

He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that commit of sin is of the devil. So you’re talking about a child of God and the devil or the child of the devil. Which one of these is the child of the devil? That’s why when Christ was here in the book of John chapter 8 verse 44 when he told those Pharisees, he says, ye are of your Father the devil. And because you’re the Father the devil, you will do the works of your Father.

He was a liar from the beginning. That’s where that root comes from. That root comes from that terrible, corruptible seed and says, now, you have within you every Christian. You’ve got like a child of the devil and you’ve got a child of God. Both living inside of you and they are extremes in their character, in their nature, and they are opposed to each other. Which one are you going to allow to control the use of this one body? Because both of these live in this one body and this one body is the only main by which either one of them can express themselves and manifest themselves.

and they want to use this body to fulfill the works of the flesh. And also the Holy Spirit wants to use this body to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. You’re the one that determines which one you yield to. Now look what he says there in verse 9. Whosoever is born of God, does not commit sin. Now I know some people say he doesn’t practice sin or he doesn’t commit sin. You don’t continue in sin anymore, different translations. But listen, if you have trusted Christ as your Savior, if you walk in the Spirit, then you can’t continue fulfilling the loss of the flesh.

You can’t practice the loss of the flesh if you’ll do what God wants you to do. But if you don’t, then you’re going to fulfill these things. So yes, that will come from that old nature, but one day this is going to die and this is going to be taken to heaven. You see, this is the second birth is what’s going to heaven, not your first birth. Your first birth is of the flesh, but God did not destroy it yet.

And that’s why you still have this battle in your Christian life. Now, I know what he says there in verse 10. In this, the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil. So you’re talking about a comparison between these two children, child of God, child of the flesh. And your fellowship with the Father is to understand this. God is light. God does not walk in darkness. So if you want to walk with the Lord and you want to walk in the light and you want to walk in His Word, then you can’t walk in the flesh.

You can’t say, I want to please God and walk in the flesh because the flesh cannot please God Romans chapter 8. That’s why you needed a new birth. Now that you have this new birth, a bide where you have been placed. You’re a child of God. You’re a child of the light. Walk like it. Live like it. Act like it. Talk like it. And in chapter 2 and verse 28, look at it. And now little children abide in Him.

Well, if you’re already His children, what are you talking about? Because God wants you to abide where you’ve been placed. You have been placed in this new birth. That’s your belonging. That’s where you live. Because now live like it. You’re a child of God. Act like it. that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be what? A shame before him it is coming. You see, when you walk in the flesh you are going to be ashamed when the Lord comes.

You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ You can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now we’re closing thought from Pastor Arnold.

Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Hot 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 through the Bibleline website at CalvaryofTampa.org. We pray that you’ll 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.

I want you to take your Bible-looking to book Psalms 51 all the way over to the Old Testament. Psalms 51. Not most everybody has heard of King David and everybody love King David because King David, well, he would never do anything wrong. He was a man after God’s own heart. And he just said around all day long, singing to the sheep and playing his harp. Well, the old boy, he grew up one day, became the king of Israel. And when it was time to go to war, he says, I feel tired today and that That old lady, the boy sure looks good.

So he stayed home and he got up and he looked out the window and lo and behold he saw something he shouldn’t have seen and wouldn’t have seen if he hadn’t been there. Bible talks about not making provision for the flesh, not making opportunities to get in trouble. And it’s one thing for a black bird to fly over your head. But when you let that bird land in your head and build a nest and lay eggs, you could have stop that.

You may not stop all the bad thoughts from coming through your mind, but when you let that little thought stay there and harbor there and live there and dwell there and hatch there. Now you went too far because your way you think is going to control the way you act sooner or later, and your evil thinking can get you into trouble sooner or later down the road. Now nobody’s perfect And you know that, but just because nobody’s perfect isn’t a means for you to see how unperfect you can be.

And then use that as an excuse. Well, nobody’s perfect. Of course nobody’s perfect. But God still expects His children to be godly. And so He gives us a way of dealing with these problems. And one of the things is abstain from every appearance of evil. But what did David do while he didn’t do anything really wrong? he just asked her if she wanted to see the inside of his palace. And lo and behold, it got worse after that. He probably thought, it’ll never go any further than this.

Hello. And she said, hello big boy. And he went bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla. And ruined his testimony. He had a man killed. He committed adultery. And then he tried to get somebody else in trouble. And all of this and Prophet Nathan came and says, Thou art the man, you’re the man. I think that’s the first time he ever come across it. Hey, you’re the man! And he didn’t want to be the man, but he was the man.

He was caught. God knew. God told on him. Ooh. And it doesn’t matter if nobody sees what you do under the cover of darkness. God sees. And God says, be sure your sin will find you out. It’s like a detective, and it will be revealed. Sooner or later, God has a ways and means committee. David felt bad, lost his son, and he had such remorse, and it makes this statement here in the book of Psalms 51. This is where he kind of comes clean with the Lord.

in verse 2, he says, wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. In other words, all these flashbacks couldn’t get rid of it, the guilt, it’s all there. For I acknowledge my transgressions. Verse 4, against thee and the only have I sinned and done this evil and thy side, that thou mightest be justified when thou speaketh and be clear when thou judges. Because when God When God has to judge a person, God has to be clear.

He has to do right. He has to do according to the law. His Word is His guide. God gave the Word and He has to go by the Word. So… He says, in verse 5, he says, I was born and sin. I had a sinful nature. I would shape this way. I got that from my mom. And my mother did conceive me. He says, you desire truth in the inward part. Now, he says in verse 7, purge me with hissap and I shall be clean.

Wash me and I shall be wider than snow. Ever heard that song? Wash me and I shall be wider than snow. Good song. where it comes from. Make me to hear joy and gladest that the bones which thou hath broken may rejoice because of the way he began to feel because of the sin. Now the pleasure of sin he enjoyed. There is pleasure in sin if it wasn’t pleasurable. People wouldn’t do it, but there’s a price to pay down the road.

And he wasn’t thinking down the road just like a lot of God’s people said, Well, I’d never come in adultery. Well, I’d never do this and I’ll never do that. Yeah, but you’re not walking with God just because you didn’t rob a bank. Doesn’t mean you, well, I’m okay. No, no, if you’re not doing what God says, dude, it’s just as bad. Are you doing what God says, dude? Are you a soul winner? Do you study God’s word? Do you talk to him?

Do you want God’s will for your life more than anything else in the world? So he says in verse 12, restore unto me my salvation? No, restore the joy. The joy, see, it cost. He doesn’t have the joy. He forfeited that. The peace. Now he has sleepless nights. And you ought to read another song. We don’t have time to go there, but it goes down in. He says, what the Lord wants? Look down there in verse 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a broken and a contrite heart.

Oh God, that will not despise. That’s what God’s after. God wants his children. Yes, to realize. when you mess up, you’re messed up. But don’t stay there. Correct the problem. You’re falling in the mud. Don’t stay in the mud. If we confess our sins as a cell of God, He is faithful and just to forgive. And they cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And whenever you confess those things to the Lord, now you can restore the walk. If you restore the walk, you restore your fellowship.

You see, You don’t confess your sin and it restores your fellowship. No, that’s not true. That’s what some guy named RB Theme teaches, and I despise the teaching. I don’t know if you ever heard of the guy or not, but that’s a teaching, and it’s not good, and it’s not true. So the Bible tells us there’s things that it’s going to cost you, and are you willing to pay that price? Look there in Philippians in chapter two, the book of Philippians and chapter two.

Here we have the word of God telling us how to think, how to think. And in chapter two, if you’ll notice there in verse five, he says, let this mind be in you, which was in Christ. In the word, this is how Christ thought. And also makes a statement in the book of Hebrews in chapter 12 of that, um, like Christ looking beyond the cross endured the shame because of the joy. He was looking beyond, looking down the road.

You see, Christ, when He came into the world and down the cross to pay for all of our sins, His vision didn’t stop at the cross. He was looking beyond the cross. He knew what this payment would accomplish and what it would accomplish was worth His death. You and I, there’s things that happens in our life and you have to look beyond the sufferings a godly man may have to go through because you know it’ll be worth it because you look beyond this life.

If your vision extends no further than this world, you will never serve God. You have to look into eternity. The way it’s going to be forever. This is temporary here. And that is what helps you to guide your decisions now. So here in Philippians in chapter 2 because of the way that you should think it’s supposed to affect our life. So look in verse 12. Wherefore might be levered as you have always obeyed? Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Now this is not time of how to get to heaven. This is talking about being delivered from the things that will try to destroy you in this life because we live in a crooked and perverse generation as you’ll see that in verse 15. So God wants you and I to realize we’re not working for our salvation, we’re working out our salvation. See God has saved you given you eternal life and because of that he’s left you and I here and there’s things in this world that want to destroy us.

God wants to deliver us from the power of of the present evil age. And that by our walking with Him and accomplishing what He wants us to do with our life. For it is God that we’re gonna end you. As he says in verse 13, to will and to do with his good pleasure. Now, there’s things in life that may not bring you at the moment this good pleasure, but let’s just project ourselves into the future. Now we’re into kingdom, and you see now what God was talking about and how God is using you and all the wonderful things like a paradise upon the earth.

And the honor that’s been bestowed upon you and the position of leadership or whatever it might be, the reward, the crown, whatever. You’ll be so glad you did. But you might have in the back of your mind, I wish I’d have done more. I bet you will never say, I wish I’d have done less. But you will probably say, I wish I’d have done more. If you don’t say it, you probably will think it about what I could have done and how many opportunities we did miss.

And he makes a statement here in verse 15 that ye may be blameless and harmless. The sons of God get this without review in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world. If you do not serve the Lord the way God wants you to serve the Lord, then in this world you still will live but you will not shine as the light of the world. See, to be the light in this world that God wants you to be, he’s talking about the will of God being fulfilled in your life.

But let’s say you don’t do it for whatever reasons. Maybe you got mad at the preacher, mad at the deacon, mad at somebody, and I’ll never darken the the doors again and I’m not going to serve the Lord and I don’t support missionaries and I don’t support anything and I don’t get involved in anything. I don’t do anything like that. All I do is criticize because somebody made me mad one day. All right. Was it worth it? What you gave up for all that bitterness, was it worth it?

You robbed yourself. You hurt you. You did it to yourself. Nobody did anything to you. You did it all to yourself. Nobody can stop you from serving God. Nobody can stop you from getting rewards in heaven. Nobody can stop you from being used in the kingdom of God. And whatever position you did it to yourself. You robbed yourself. You traded it all. You exchanged it for something down here that was temporal. hardship, a little hate, a little bitterness, get under your skin and ruin you and keep you from serving God to the maximum.

Now looking for 16, holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain, and there’s gonna be some people that are run, they’re going to use their whole life, and they lived in vain. They ran in vain, and accomplished nothing. Now that’s a choice. Nobody can make you dedicate your life to God. Now Betty’s dad helped me to understand some of these things 50 years ago.

And I decided as a little old brat in Georgia, I had never finished high school. I finished the 10th grade. The reason I didn’t go in 11th grade, my dad was still there. No. I never finished. I murdered the English language. All the double negative you listen. Man, it was terrible. I’m the least of any person should ever be used, but I’m so thankful that God can use me. And I’m glad that 50 years ago, and I have no regrets today that I made a decision one day.

I will sit near him to church and the choir at the end of the service, they all sung the song. And this name of the song was I surrender all. I said to her like a little baby and I cried. I surrender all. Whatever I am, whatever I have, whatever I can be, I surrender to God. Whatever God wants, you’re free to do with me anything you want because I have made a mess out of my whole life. I’m not very smart.

I’m not very wise, but I want God to offer my life. Maybe he can do something with me. You ever seen people that you think, that nobody can do anything with anything except God. God’s gonna have to work in their life. God did a work on me. Not just in me, he did a work on me. And he’s probably working on all of you. When he loves you, he won’t let you go. And I’m going to just let you go.

He’s going to work on you and in you so that he can work through you. Look at the other scripture here. In the book of number six on the spiritual insight, look here in the book of 2 Peter, 2 Peter, there’s a couple of them that I want to show you right here. Well, three points really, because this is, this is so good. Second Peter and chapter one. Second Peter chapter one. Because there’s some things that you need to see.

You will be barren if you don’t serve the Lord. You’re gonna trade for something. You’re exchanging something. And you think you’re getting away with it because there’s a little pleasure in this whole world. And you’ll trade all those eternal things for this little moments of pleasure. Look down in verse eight. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall need to be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. You see, a lot of God’s children, they are barren.

They’re fruitless. They have eternal life, they’re going to heaven when they die. But, no, there are a lot of people never let anybody to Christ, never even talk to anybody. If you don’t know what to do, at least pass out a track. Plant seeds. Sew in seeds on purpose. Remember the story of Ruth? Sew in seeds on purpose. Or you got a reason for doing it. A farmer sews the seeds on purpose. Why? Want something to grow. Christian sews seeds.

And all you’re doing is planting the seed. The internet service, wherever it goes, we want the seed. The word of God, we want to plant seeds. Do the youth ministry or the little kids or, you know, everything that we have, every, a lot of you individuals are soul winners. You talk to people. You got trapped. I was with Gary Steff in the other day. We played a game of golf. And I mentioned something to this man about, I don’t know.

I can’t even remember what it was. But anyway, open up conversation, start talking about the Lord a little bit. And it wasn’t long before Gary Steff was kept writing it and robbed me. No, but he gave the man a couple of CDs. And they’re not the cheapest thing to work. He gave them CDs of my sermons that I preached. He said after a year and a half, he found one good one. So he was given, but then he started talking to him and it wasn’t long.

He led the guy to the Lord. Now, I like it when people in the church, you know, they talk to people about the Lord. And now, I mean, there’s probably a whole bunch of y’all in here that you will do that. God is going to reward you for that. It might seem like a little thing, but to the person who trusts Christ as Savior, When he dies and goes to heaven, boy, is he gonna be thankful for the person who told him?

Wouldn’t you? If you in this room know you have eternal life, aren’t you thankful for the person who shared that with you? What if they hadn’t done it? But they did. Somebody wanted you under the sounds of the gospel so bad. Do you be surprised what some people would do? Because they do care. And you don’t wanna be barren. You wanna be a fruitful tree. Oh, look at verse nine, but hey, that lack of these things is blind and cannot see you far off.

Did you know that if you don’t serve the Lord the way God wants you to? And your vision is only for this world, then you can’t see a far off. So that would mean you are what, nearsighted? If you can only see up close and you can’t see out there, then God says because you can only see here and you can’t see there, then you’re blind. Now you may have 20, 20 vision, but you can’t see what God’s saying.

You don’t understand. And that’s why you do what you’re doing. You live your life the way you’re doing. It’s a haphazard. It’s whatever you want to do. There’s no commitment. There’s no solidarity in your life because you can’t see an eternity. God says you’re blind. You can’t see very far. And where there is no vision, the people what? the people perish because you don’t have a vision. And then look in verse 10, where for the rather he says, brother, give diligence to make your calling and elections sure for if you do these things you shall never fall.

If you fall in serve in the Lord, it was a choice. Falling is a choice because you can keep from falling is that we’re weak sometimes and we’re not strong Christians like we And we mess up. We have an old sinful nature. He lies to us, deceives us, lifts our head full of pride, look who I am, how great I am, what I can do. And we sometimes forget God says He has chosen the weak things of the earth, the base things, because God says that no flesh shall glory in His presence.

That’s why He made salvation a gift so that no man can take credit for it, so that no man can say, look, look what I’ve done, look who I am. Christ says without me you can do zero. So, if you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, God is not going to save you if you promised to stop some bad things, or start doing some good things. Forget that. It’s not a sin issue. He’s already paid for your sins.

All that you need to do, all that you have to do, is believe that when He died on that cross, He paid for yours. When you believe He paid for your sins, He puts that death payment to your account, and you get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for you. See, we’re all born into this world with an old sinful nature. And all of our sins come from its old sinful nature. And God says even to his children, when you become blind and you can’t see a far off, he says in the last part there, verse nine, he says half forgotten that he was purged from his old sins or the sins he comes because of the old nature.

You forget God saved you. You’d be surprised how you can lose your confidence and lose your faith. The Bible talks about your faith inoledic, and he talks about how menis and phalesis, how they overdo the faith of some. In other words, the people don’t know what to believe anymore. Because see, unless you stay strong in the word of God, you are not gonna be very strong in this world as a child of God. So that713 why you need to study to be found faithful, to do right.

Because if you don’t, you’re exchanging all this good security, this peace and the joy and the happiness, the purpose, you’re trading all of that for something temporal, that won’t amount to a hill of means, and a hundred years from now, won’t be worth a quarter. Be wise, understanding what the will of the Lord is, and God will bless you for doing so. I wanna give you one last verse in closing. Look there in 2 Timothy in chapter 3, 2 Timothy in chapter 3.

And I want you to look at one verse, verse 12. To me, this is a very important point I want to make. In verse 12 says, Yay, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Did you know that if you choose not to live Godly as a child of God, you forfeit the right, the honor, the privilege of suffering for Christ. Thank you about it just for a second. He said, all that lived godly shall suffer persecution and if you choose not to live godly, you forfeit the right, the privilege, the honor of suffering for Christ.

Do you understand what I’m saying? Can you grasp this? You see, sometimes we teach the Bible and it seems like you’re only scratching the surface, but sometimes there are deep points that are made that need to get into your little sev room up here and a couple creases so that you can remember it always, that makes the difference in your whole life. So when I asked you, well, will you serve the Lord? He said, well, I’ll think about it.

Don’t you take this lightly? This is an important issue. You see, after you trust Christ as your Savior, this is one of the most important decisions you can make. Will I or will I not? And understand that there is a price to pay. You’re exchanging something for something better. If that’s a sacrifice, so be it. A sacrifice in God’s Word is giving up something here for something better there. Don’t sound so bad after all, does it? Look up here.

Letting this hand represent you and me and the wallet represent all of our sins. We’re all sinners. Now God loves us. He hates our sin. And for you and I to pay for the sin, because the wages of sin is death, is eternal separation from God in hell. And so since we’re all sinners, we’re all condemned and the whole world is guilty before God. So we’re all in the same boat. But God loves us, wants us to go to heaven.

And to go to heaven, we have to be perfect as righteous as God. And none of us are perfect. None of us are righteous. We’re all sinners. And God says you cannot save yourself. You can’t change yourself. You can’t change yourself. You are a sinner and you can’t change that. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord, God in the flesh. He came into the world because He loves us. Now He hates our sin because it separates us from Him.

So what Christ did for one person He did for everybody. He took all the sin, paid for them across and came back from the dead. And God said, if you and I, 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 Jesus Christ did. And because of that, see, you and I can go to heaven because He paid for our sins. And there’s no sins to send me to hell because He paid for all of them.

I have eternal life, eternal union with the Lord. And He said, He’ll never cast me out, never lose me. And nobody can ever pluck me out of His hands. That is pretty good security. So was I a fool to accept Christ as my savior? It kept me out of hell. So I don’t think that’s been very foolish. I think it’s a smart move. When I made up my mind, I’m gonna serve the Lord. Doesn’t that sound like a smart move also?

It seemed like a man who doesn’t serve the Lord must be a fool. It’s a sign that he’s not very wise. Because a man would be a fool to turn down salvation, and I believe a man would be a fool to turn down service. Let’s pray show you. If you’re here this morning and I’m never trusted Christ as your Savior, realize that most of the things that I said was to those who already know the Lord. But if you’re here and you say, I don’t really know where I’m going when I die, I’m not sure that friend God says that you’re lost, but he loves you.

He came into this world to seek and to save that which was lost. I was lost, but now I’m found. I was blind, but now I see. And if right where you’re sitting, you say, yes, that made sense to me, and I want to trust Christ as my Savior. It’s my only hope of going to heaven and preach our life for you to pray for me. Friend, would you just slip your hand up very quickly, better up back down?

Is anyone at all? Say, yes, I will trust Christ as my Savior. I want to be certain of going to heaven when I die. Anyone at all? God loves you so much, paid for your sins, will you trust Him? If you will, God said He would save you and give you eternal life and you get to go to heaven. You that have already trusted Christ as your Savior, have you determined in your mind, Lord, I surrender all, not for salvation, but because you are saved.

You are His child. You’re going to heaven. But you want everything God wants you to have. You want the love, you want the joy, you want to have a purpose in your life. You want the reward that God has, whatever they may be, because you know it will be worth it all. I pray that you will. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message.

If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. 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, they are 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 through the Bibleline website at calpryoftampa.org. 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.

God has really been good to us. And I had a decision to make years and years ago after I trusted Christ as my Savior, would I or would I not serve the Lord? And I really had a struggle because I wanted to do something for the Lord but didn’t know what it was. I didn’t know how to find the will of God for my life. And the Bible talks about winning and losing and I want to win. I don’t want to be a loser.

I know that when I get to heaven, I don’t want my heavenly Father to be ashamed of me and And I don’t want to be ashamed before Him at His coming. I had a father-in-law that loved me enough to tell me some things to do and not to do. And he made the statement about don’t say something that you don’t want to be saying when the Lord comes. He said, and don’t be doing something you don’t want to be doing when the Lord comes.

Well, that’s just about covered everything. He said, and don’t be anywhere you don’t want to be when the Lord comes. Oh, that even made it narrower, but it did make an impact upon my life. So I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Mark and chapter eight, the book of Mark, chapter eight.

What can the believer lose? In other words, if I serve the Lord, what’s in it for me? Well, what can I lose if I don’t? There is always, and you need to understand there’s a price to pay, a price to pay. So in the decisions that we make and no one can make you serve the Lord. No one can make you love God. So there’s things that you need to understand because life here upon this earth is temporal, it is passing quickly.

God is the author of life and he granted us life, and there is an appointed time in which we’re going to die. There’s an appointment. And we don’t know when that’s going to be. God hasn’t told all of us the exact day when we’re going to die. But I believe life can be shortened by disobedience and prolonged by obedience. And sometimes by your obedience, God may, just like with Stephen’s in the Bible, you to go home early. Uh-oh. So we don’t know when.

All we’re supposed to do is be faithful. So here in the book of Mark chapter 8 verse 34, it’s just when he had called the people unto him with his disciples. Also he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. Now anytime you have it where you got to take up something, do something, follow something that’s service. Salvation is only receiving, you just receive. But there is a responsibility for God’s children to take up the cross, that responsibility, that burden, whatever it is, God wants you to crucify yourself on and serve the Lord.

And make sure that He’s number one in your life. And so God teaches this. And then look what He He says in verse 35, for whosoever shall save his life, or were saved his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospels the same shall save it. So God has given you life. Your life is on loan from God. So he’s the one who knew when you would be born and when you will die.

And since you trust the Christ is your Savior and your God’s child, you’re going to heaven And when you dot, you’re not there yet. God’s Word says, if you will lose your life for his sake and the gospel, the same shall find it. In other words, define the purpose of life. Why did God give you life? The ability to live. Now, it is possible that, you know, before I was born, I never thought about all those people who had been born and lived and died before I got here, before I was born.

I didn’t exist. I wasn’t around. I don’t know what went on. If I had never been, it wouldn’t have hurt me at all. But I am here. I’m here. I didn’t choose that. You didn’t choose that. But God has granted you the opportunity. That’s very unique to live. And then He tells us how He wants you to live upon this earth and it’s for His honor and for His glory. A man who seeks to live for himself, To find his own purpose and plan and goal in life, God says you will lose your life.

Now, you may live 50, 60, 70 years, but you lost your life. The purpose of the life is gone. It’s not why God put you here. You blew it. It doesn’t matter how much money you have in the bank or your house you live in, the cars you drive. It doesn’t matter about your family. It’s thinking as far as the reason for God allowing you to live, if it wasn’t for him, You messed up. You blew it. You may have good health.

Accomplished a lot. But did you do what God wanted you to do with your life? He says, the man that will lose his life for his sake and the gospel, the same shall find it. And most people never, I don’t believe ever get there, never find out what did God create me for. What is the will of God for me? And the will of God is not whatever you will it to be. It’s God’s. And look what he says in verse 36, For what shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world, lose his own soul or his life, the purpose of his life?

Where shall a man give an exchange for his soul? In other words, here you are God giving you the opportunity to live. What did you exchange it for? We’re always making trades. We’re always trying to find a good deal. We want to pay as little as we can for as much as we can get. That’s just good business. But whenever you traded your life, the one that God had for you, you gave that up for what? Now if you don’t serve the Lord, it means you traded that for something.

What did you get? What have you got so far? Because see, you might have made a bad deal. You see, God has something for you. And if you do what he says, you’re making an eternal investment by which God is going to bless you and reward you for each penalty. Now, did you give all that up? And if you did give it up, yeah, what did you get for it? What did you give it up for? Did you know you can give all that up for a pretty little woman?

You can give it up for a hunk. You can give all that up for this job or for fame and honor and glory. You name it. What did you trade it for? Did you make a good deal? Because whatever you traded something eternal for something temporal, I think you messed up. I think you blew it. So you wanna find out what is the will of God for my life? That’s more important. Now, I want you to take your notes there and look at number one.

Because you need to understand that if you do not serve the Lord, now you don’t have to, but you’re making a trade. You’re changing something for something. You’re exchanging, like you said, what did a man give in exchange? So he makes a statement about the rewards. Take your Bible looking to first Corinthians in chapter three. I want you to see this very quickly. First Corinthians and chapter three. You’re notes in chapter three of verse 14. So after you trust Christ’s savior, you’re on the foundation which is Christ.

And one day, when we get to heaven, God is gonna reward you for what was built on the foundation. Means after you had trusted Christ as Savior, you’re saved by grace. So going to heaven is free. It’s a gift. It’s not a result of any good works that you’ve done. But once you have trusted Christ, God left you here and granted you the right as a child of God to live for Him. God set you free so that you could voluntarily choose to serve Him.

And if you will serve Him, God says you’re going to have rewards when you get to heaven. So He says here in verse 14, if any man’s work abide which he had built there on on the foundation, he shall receive a reward. And if in verse 15, if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. But he himself shall be saved. Yes, so as by fire. Nothing but salvation because you didn’t do anything for him. You mean a man can trust Christ to save it and not do anything for the Lord?

Yes, that’s what he says. He didn’t do any works. So when you get to heaven, you can suffer the loss of rewards. And those rewards is what God wanted to give to you. You see, you have no idea how much you’re rich, heavenly Father wants to do. for you and give to you, but you won’t let him. You deny him the right to give to you something that he wants to do for you, because you traded that for something that was temporal.

Did you know that you can lose your testimony that quick over something that’s pittance? They say that you can make a mountain out of a mole hill. The difference between a mole hill and the mountain is dirt. Just more of it. Just dirt. Would you trade all that God has for you for something down here this temporal? It’s a bad move, bad choice. You’re supposed to be wiser than that. Is he just because you have ability to accomplish a lot in this world and you’re looked up to and you respect all of us?

Are you rich toward God? Are you laying up treasure in heaven. And so God’s Word says that this is what we ought to do, but you’re going to lose something. If you don’t serve a Lord, you’re going to lose. You’re going to lose these rewards. Now in Matthew, we don’t take the time to turn there, but it says, if you bring unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, He shall and no wise lose your reward.

Matthew 6 says lay up treasure in heaven where you can’t lose it. So rewards, once they’re earned, laid up in heaven, I don’t believe you can lose those. But you can lose what you could have had. You could have done so much, but you limited yourself. You robbed yourself. Now there’s a lot of thieves in this whole world, but in a shame when a man robs himself. steals from himself, inflicts himself, tortures himself. And the Bible talks about pure love, true love, casteth out fear because fear brings torment.

And a lot of people who don’t love God and His word, they torture themselves because they rob themselves of the peace and the joy and the love and the happiness that they could have in life. God designed all of this and His way will work. And when you go against it, it won’t work. First John chapter one, I want you to look over there quickly. First John chapter one. First John chapter one. And you’ll notice this book talks about fellowship, what it boils down to like two fellows in a ship.

You’ve got to get together and you’ve got to go in the same direction. If one goes that away and one goes that way, you can’t go anywhere. And the Bible talks about how can two walk together, unless they’re agreed. So you’re talking about two people going in the same direction. Well, one’s God and one’s me. God doesn’t change directions. If I want to walk with God, guess who has to change directions? I do. Now, there are some people who get a lot of things all mixed up.

They say that if you were walking this direction, and we were just talking about this the other day, about repentance, if you’re walking this direction, they say repent means you got to turn and go the other way and then God will save you. You gotta stop doing all these bad things and live differently and you gotta make this promise commitment to God in order for him to save it. That’s not true, but it’s not true. But for the Christian, it is the will of God that his children depart from iniquity.

It’s not the way God wants us to live. God wants us to live a holy life. And so he talks about us walking. See there in verse six, if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk, it has to deal with our walk. You see, I’ve been teaching in the book of Ephesians about the wealth of the believer and the walk of the believer. The wealth that we have in Christ because of our standing in Him that doesn’t change.

But the walk of the believer from day to day, well, it changes. And one day you might be walking close to the Lord, and the next day you might be questions and doubts and fears and all kind of stuff. God says, walk with Him. And if a Christian doesn’t walk with the Lord, you’re going to forfeit the fellowships that you could have with God. So remember, it’s going to cost you not to put God first in your life. Now, nobody can make you do this.

Nobody can make you love Him. The reason that I love church is because God loves church. And when I say church, I’m not talking about the building. I’m talking about God’s people. The Bible says Christ gave Himself for the church. He loves the church, the people. And so whenever we say we love the Lord, but we don’t love His people, we got a problem. God says you don’t really love me. Because if you don’t love those that you can see, how can you say you love me whom you can’t see?

And he says, if you love me, love one another. So we’re supposed to love each other, and that means we’re supposed to get together, as the Bible says, the church came together. So there’s always a few mavericks that like to just do whatever they want to do in Rome, wherever they want to roam, and that no commitment to anybody or anything or nobody, they just do whatever they want to do. That’s not the will of God. Now you can do whatever you want, but there’s a price to pay.

So God wants us to have fellowship with Him. we walk with him and talk to him, you’re going to forfeit that. Now, you think that’s worth it? I mean, we’re talking about God, our heavenly Father, and you would give that up for the things of the world, the ways of the world. It’s a costly thing. It’s not a very wise move. Look at number three, I want you to look first of all in Galatians, the book of Galatians. I want you to see, because you need to know that if you decide, I’m not going to serve the Lord, I’m not going to change my life and do what God wants, but what it’s going to cost you, it’s a very expensive move.

And if you’re willing to pay that price, so be it. But don’t whine and cry and pine about later. You asked for it. Now, you got to make up your mind. And one day you’re going to be at the Judgement City of Christ. And the Bible says, and God a wife away all tears from our eyes. because I believe there’s going to be quite a few tears. When you see what you could have done for the Lord, what you could have been for the Lord, what you could have accomplished for the Lord.

But I believe that God wants to use you and you may find out when you get to heaven, God said, you know, if you deserve me, you could have shook this country or this country or this country. And he said, well, I didn’t have any talent and the inability, God says, you ought to see what I was going to do when I was going to work on you. Usually all to see what I could have built out of your life.

But you didn’t trust me. You didn’t believe me. You did your own thing. Now this is what you could have had, and this is what you got. I believe it’s going to be a wake up call, but it’s too late to wake up. And they’re going to be regrets. I don’t believe we’ll be happy with that, but that’s the way it is. There’s going to be a price to pay. Look there in verse 22 of Galatians chapter 5, But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, maintenance, temperance, and so on.

These things right here, if you decide to walk in the flesh, you’re gonna exchange the fruit of the spirit for the works of the flesh. Now look at the works of the flesh. In verse 19, works of the flesh are manifest, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, less diviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, various simulations, draft, stripes, additions, heresy, and then these murders are ruffling and ruffling and such like, that is what you can trade, verse 22 and 23, 4.

You think it’s a good move, good exchange? Whenever I give my wife some money, which is rare, when I give her some money, she goes and she spends and she comes home, I like to know, what did she get? My wife always finds bargains. She finds the best deals. That’s how she got me. I was 50% off. Don’t laugh, some of y’all are the same way. Like this one guy said to this girl, he says, you know, I have a half a mind to get married.

She says, that’s all it takes. Never mind, I’m gonna stop right there. But you’re trading something for something. And you wanna try to make the best decisions you can in your life. And if you’ve already made some bad decisions, well, what should you do? Keep making more bad decisions. No, you correct the problem. Did you know the perfect will of God for your life is as close as the next decision you make? And the wicked life can begin with the next decision you make.

So it is important the decisions that you and I make. I want you to take your Bible and look in the book of Psalms 51, all the way over there to the Old Testament. Psalms 51, not most everybody has heard of King David, and everybody loved King David. Because King David, well, he would never do anything wrong. He was a man after God’s own heart. And he just said around all day long, singing to the sheep and playing his harp.

Well, the old boy he grew up one day, became the king of Israel, and when it was time to go to war, He says, I feel tired today and that old lady boy sure looks good. So he stayed home and he got up and he looked out the window and lo and behold, he saw something he shouldn’t have seen in the wood and seen if he hadn’t been there. Bible talks about not making provision for the flesh, not making opportunities to get in trouble.

And it’s one thing for a black bird to fly over your head. But when you let that bird land in your head and build a nest and lay eggs, you could have stopped that. You may not stop all the bad thoughts from coming through your mind. But when you let that little thought, stay there and harbor there and live there and dwell there and hatch there. Now you went too far because your way you think think is going to control the way you act sooner or later.

And your evil thinking can get you into trouble sooner or later down the road. Now nobody’s perfect and you know that, but just because nobody’s perfect isn’t a means for you to see how unperfect you can be. And then use that as an excuse. Well nobody’s perfect. Of course nobody’s perfect. But God still expects his children to be godly. And so he gives us a way of dealing with these problems. And one of the things is abstain from every appearance of evil.

But what did David do while he didn’t do anything really wrong? He just asked her if she wanted to see the inside of his palace. And lo and behold, it got worse after that. He probably thought it’ll never go any further than this. Hello. And she said, hello, big boy. And he went and ruined his testimony. He had a man killed, he committed adultery, and then he tried to get somebody else in trouble. And all of this, and Prophet Nathan came and says, Thou art the man, you’re the man.

I think that’s the first time he ever came across it. Hey, you’re the man, you’re the man. And he didn’t want to be the man, but he was the man. He was caught. God knew. God told on him, ooh. And it doesn’t matter if nobody sees what you do under the cover of darkness. God sees. And God says, be sure your sin will find you out. It’s like a detective. And it will be revealed sooner or later. God has a ways and means committee.

David felt bad, lost his son, and he had such remorse, and it makes this statement here in the book of Psalms 51. This is where he kind of comes clean with the Lord. Look in verse 2, he says, wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin has ever before me. In other words, all these flashbacks couldn’t get rid of it, the guilt, it’s all there. For I acknowledge my translation, verse four, against thee and the only have I sinned and done this evil and thy side that thou might have speed justified when thou speaketh and be clear when thou judges.

Because when God has to judge a person, God has to be clear. He has to do right. He has to do according to the law. His word is his guide. God gave the word and he has to go by the word. So he says in verse five, he He says, I was born and sin. I had a sinful nature. I would shape this way. I got that from my mom. And my mother did conceive me. He says, you desired truth in the inward part.

Now, he says in verse seven, purged me with hiss up and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be wider than snow. Ever heard that song? Wash me and I shall be wider than snow. Good song. where this is where it comes from. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hath broken may rejoice because of the way he began to feel because of the sin. Now, the pleasure of sin he enjoyed. There is pleasure in sin if it wasn’t pleasurable.

People wouldn’t do it, but there’s a price to pay down the road. And he wasn’t thinking down the road, just like a lot of God’s people said, well, I’d never come in adultery, Well, I’ll never do this and I’ll never do that. Yeah, but you’re not walking with God. Just because you didn’t rob a bank doesn’t mean you, well, I’m okay. No, no, if you’re not doing what God says do, it’s just as bad. Are you doing what God says do?

Are you a soul winner? Do you study God’s word? Do you talk to him? Do you want God’s will for your life more than anything else in the world? So he says in verse 12, restore unto me my salvation. No, restore the joy, the joy. See, it cost. He doesn’t have the joy. He forfeited that. The peace. Now he has sleepless nights. And you ought to read another song. We don’t have time to go there, but it goes down in.

He says, the Lord wants to look down there in verse 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a broken and a contrite heart. Oh God, thou will not despise. That’s what God’s after. God wants his children. Yes, to realize that when you mess up, you mess up. But don’t stay there. Correct the problem. You’re falling in the mud. Don’t stay in the mud. If we confess our sins as a cell of God, he is faithful and just to forgive.

And it cleanses from all unrighteousness. And whenever you confess those things to the the Lord. Now you can restore the walk. If you restore the walk, you restore your fellowship. You see, you don’t confess your sin and it restores your fellowship. No, that’s not true. That’s what some guy named RB Theme teaches and I despise the teaching. I don’t know if you ever heard of the guy or not, but that’s a teaching and it’s not good and it’s not true.

So the Bible tells us there’s things that it’s going to cost you and are you willing to pay that price? Look there in Philippians in chapter 2, the book of Philippians and chapter 2. Here we have the word of God telling us how to think, how to think. And in chapter 2, if you’ll notice there in verse 5, he says, let this mind be in you, which was in Christ. In the word, this is how Christ fought. And it also makes a statement in the book of Hebrews in chapter 12 of that like Christ looking beyond the cross and doered the shame because of the joy He was looking beyond, looking down the road.

You see, Christ, when He came into the world and down the cross to pay for all of our sins, His vision didn’t stop at the cross. He was looking beyond the cross. He knew what this payment would accomplish and what it would accomplish was worth his death. You and I, there’s things that happens in our life and you have to look beyond the sufferings that a godly man may have to go through because you know it’ll be worth it because you look beyond this life.

If your vision extends no further than this world, you will never serve God. You have to look into eternity, the way it’s going to be forever. This is temporary here. And that is what helps you to guide your decisions now. 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to hear more information about the program, please visit www.themusic.com.au or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.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. 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 through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org. We pray that you’ll 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.

Turning the Bible to the book of Ecclesiastes, all the way back to the book of Ecclesiastes. And look in chapter four, the book of Ecclesiastes in chapter four, just show you a little bit about the strength that you and I should have because of the unity that we have with other people other people that are like us. I want you to see this. See there in verse 8, there is one alone, and there is not a second. Yeah, he hath neither child nor brother, yet is there no end of all his labor.

Neither is his eyes satisfied with riches. Neither say it he, for whom do I labor and and bereave my soul of good. This is also vanity. Yay, it is a sore travail to work in the labor and then have nobody to leave it to. And then if you did have somebody to leave it to, the question come, why should I work and labor and leave it to somebody else?

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

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

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

Somebody just to share things with it, you know, won’t squeal on you and tell everything everybody else, but you need a good friend that you can talk to and confide in at times. Well, he says, you might like number 11, again, if two lie together, then they have heat, but how can one be warm alone? Isn’t that a good verse? I ain’t got a good verse, special on a cold night. go on a cold night. It’s so nice. Sometimes I tell you, I’ll set up some time and you know, and my feet will get cold.

And I don’t even know I done got cold. And then I go in there and Betty’s all nice and warm in that bed and I come in. Oh, she is so warm and just cuddly. Oh, this is. And then I put my cold feet on her. But you know, it’s so neat. But there’s advantage of two people helping each other. Oh, what else he says in verse 12, he says, And if one prevailed against him, too shall withstand. In other words, if somebody comes after me, boy, sure nice to have a friend.

I had that happen one time. I had about three or four guys that were going to beat the tar out of me. And they had already done, got my arms and held them back. And another guy had already done, took his hands named Melvin. I’ll never forget Melvin. I tried to forget Melvin. the male and the hall of and he hit me across the face as hard as he could. Man liked to knock me silly. Well, it did knock me silly.

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

In verse 12, and if one prevailed against them, two shallwits in, and a three full cord is not quickly broken. You can take one little strand and break it easy. Put three of them together. It won’t break. I was watching one time this whole cowboy move in. And they’re talking about how they can’t stand against the white men the Indians you know are being killed by the white man and the Indian breaks one arrow as he’s talking to his Indian friends you know because as one we can easily be broken but then he put about tenum together and you can’t write tenum and he said the unity caused us to be strong.

Well the Lord talks about that that’s why church and knowing people helps you to be stronger than you would be without. So God wants us to be strong. And He makes a statement to Him, better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished. And sometimes that’s when for out of prison he come of terrain, whereas also he that is born in his kingdom become of poor. In other words, if you got everything given to you, you don’t appreciate it because you didn’t have to work for it.

A man has been in prison, lost everything, And then he rises up because he worked for it. He has something because he earned it. He worked for it. But just to have everything given to you, you don’t appreciate it. So there’s things that are taught in the Word of God that’s to help us to understand so much more than the natural man that’s in the world. Now look at Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Now you and I know what perfume is.

once in a while I’ll put some on and you smell better don’t you smell better don’t you wives like your husband to smell better or don’t the husbands like their wives to smell better so you put on a little deodorant here and a little bit there they even got a new deodorant out now for race drivers called pit stop Well, anyway, we’re moving right along here. In verse 1, dead flies in the apocatory. In other words, what he’s talking about is dead flies in the ointment, dead flies in the perfume.

See you and I are supposed to be sweet smelling to the Lord by our sacrifice of praise and whatever God has for us so that our lives or examples of others unacceptable to God and well-pleasing. And then whenever you have like a suit and you get a spot on it, that one little spot just ruined the looks of the suit. One day I took a piece of paper in church and I held it up like this and I says, what do you see there?

I said, just a blank piece of paper. So I put in a black spot in one corner and it says, what do y’all see on this paper? Everybody said, I had a black spot, little black spot. I said, look how much white there is. And look how small that little spot is. But everybody sees the spot. It won’t matter sometimes how much good you do is if they can find one good air in your life. Wouldn’t good flaw. In other words, you’re good in a lot of areas, But there’s always somebody trying to pull you down from your little perch.

It’s kind of like the Skylar, you know, they’re easy to shoot, but hard to manufacture the song. And so there’s people that always want to shoot somebody down. And blow out somebody’s light. They always got a point and make sure everybody, hey, did you see that spot on the suit? Did you see that spot on the suit? Everybody’s got a point. So everybody know who got that spot. Because that’s how people destroy other people’s character. It’s pointing to the book.

That’s why you and I are supposed to take care of things in our life that are not right that ruin or hurt our testimony. So he says in verse one, dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking smell. So doubt a little folly, and that is in reputation for wisdom and honor. In other words, you have the wisdom or the reputation, but there’s something wrong with your character. The character is what you are in the dark, reputation is what you are in the light.

Sometimes what people can see. But how are you and how am I when nobody’s around? When nobody’s watching? That’s when it’s different. Look at number three, indulge myself in carnal appetites. See, the Bible talks about there’s times in our life. And even if you read the whole book of Galatians in chapter five, and you look at the works of the flesh, and all those things are manifestations of a man whose appetite is out of control. And so we don’t discipline ourselves, and so therefore we do this, this, and this, and this.

Those are things of walking into flesh that’s going to hurt our testimony, and they do hurt our testimony. The next one is, look at the sins and inconsistencies of others. You see, because that’s how we compare ourselves. I’m not so bad because maybe I got spots all over my tie. This is my Easter tie. Those are the eggs. And so that’s not that bad. Look at the spots he’s got. So mine’s not so bad because he’s got more on his than I got on mine.

And so that’s what people do, justify themselves instead of comparing ourselves with what does God want us to be? And so we go according to that. Now, in the next point, unite with worldly people and organizations. Now I just wrote down two things about this. One deals with marriage and one deals with the church. You see, we’re not supposed to be unequally yoked together. That’s in 2 Corinthians 6 verse 14 to 18. And how that can light and darkness dwell together.

Or righteousness and wickedness can’t dwell together. Neither can the children of God and the sons of the devil dwell together in fellowship. God says, be not unequally yoked together. won’t believe this but I had a lady call me up the other day. She wanted to know if I would marry her and I says, I says, are you been married before she? Well, yeah. I said, what about him? Oh, yeah. I says, do you know what caused the first one?

The problem? I said, believe it or not, I says, if you don’t know what caused the problem the first time, doom to repeat it. If you can’t and didn’t correct it the last time, you’re not going to correct it again. You have to know what causes the problem and how to solve it. She said, well, I want you to know he is Catholic and I am Lutheran. And so her vote very religious. I said, well, do you know the Bible says you should not be unequally yoked together?

And She got irate with me. She began to rake me over the colds. And I says, ma’am. I said, there is not a verse in the Bible that says that I have to conduct weddings. There isn’t one. You can’t find no verse in the Bible. It says, the preacher told the two weddings. I said, I’ve done a bunch, a whole bunch. I hope God forgive me for some of them. I says, but you’re not to be unequally yoked together.

I said, so if there’s a saved man and there’s a lost man, I say, wait, wait, wait a minute, say, man, and I lost woman. I want to marry a man with a man. I don’t care if they both saved. So, some of y’all never even caught that. But you don’t marry a believer to an unbeliever. It’s just not wise. People say, well, it doesn’t matter. It does matter. Well, how do you know that? Because God says you don’t do that.

And anyway, we didn’t get anywhere. And sometimes people don’t take my advice. That’s okay. I don’t know if I was somebody else, I would take my advice either. But you know also when it comes to church. I believe that you ought to go to a church where you’re not unequally yoked. You ought to believe what you’re supposed to believe in that church. And there’s some people that go to other churches and they know the gospel is wrong, but they said it’s okay because the preacher is such a wonderful man.

But his doctrine is wrong and they don’t agree with his doctrine, but they love the choir. And they love the pews or all padded. And it’s just wonderful people, but they don’t think about the doctrine, what they’re teaching. So it doesn’t matter. Does it matter? But they say it doesn’t matter to them. They don’t care. And so I do believe that it does matter. I believe the Bible says, mark them which caused evasions among you. doctrines, contrary to the doctrine that you have learned and avoid them.

I think that’s what it says in the book of Romans. So a lot of people will do what God’s word says and some people will not. But remember, anytime you violate one of the principles in God’s word, you’re going to be a failure in that area if you don’t do what’s right in that area. So I believe that you know the will of God, then you obey the will of God. And so God will bless you because of it.

Looking in 1 Corinthians in chapter 10, 1 Corinthians and chapter 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 23. He says, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient. It means I don’t have to do it just because I got the right to do some things. Just because you have the right to do certain things doesn’t mean that you should. Even if you had the freedom to do certain things, doesn’t mean that you should. You need to check and see, well, is it a wise thing?

Let’s say, for example, let’s pretend I’m a single man. And let’s say I’m 30 years old. So most people would not argue with the fact that I’m old enough to get married. And let’s say, for example, there’s this beautiful girl. And she wants to get married. I want to get married. I have the right to get married. She has the right to get married. But just because we have the right to doesn’t mean it would be wise to. Doesn’t make it wise.

Just because I have the right. There’s a lot of things in your life that maybe you have the right, but is it wise? And so I need to find out. You said why wouldn’t it be right? Because I don’t love her and she don’t love me But we both want to get married, but not to each other So should we do ahead and get married? Because she wants to get married. I want to get married. Well, let’s just get married We don’t love each other But that’s okay.

We’ll love each other down the road. I I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s the best way to go and So he says not everything edifies see that last part of that birth all things do not edify. Then that means that whatever I do, it should be for the purpose of edifying one another. You should do things that edify. That’s not edify, edify. It means to beautify what’s there and add to it. It means that people that we meet and come in contact with, we should make them stronger or encourage them, be a blessing to people, influencing them in the right way.

So yes, we should always seek to edify one another. Look what he says down here in verse 30. She’s not verse 30, but in verse 31. Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. Whatever it is, it should be for the glory of God. And whatever you give yourself permission to do, conscious sake, see there in verse 30 where it talks about your conscience in verse 29. Conscience I say, not thine own, but of the other.

For why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience or standard? Wherever I believe is right. So as a believer, you and I are supposed to have the confidence that whatever we say or do or go or be, it should be the will of God. and we should be convinced that this is what God wants me to do or wherever it is. He says, do all for the glory of the Lord. Since when the last verse here, let me just take a look over in the book of Colossians, the book of Colossians in chapter three.

Colossians chapter three. And just just look at this here just a little bit. I want you to look there in verse 12, verse 12. Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, vowels of mercy, having tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mine, meekness, long suffering. In other words, this is almost like getting properly dressed before you go out of the house in the morning. Now most of us would like to make sure that we are properly dressed.

Our hair is combed. We brush our teeth and shave or whatever we got to do and put on canal number nine lily of the alley and all that stuff, you know. Make sure we smell good, look good and all am. In verse 13, for bearing one another and forgiving one another. If any men have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. we forgive others because Christ forgave us. Under the law, they had to forgive one another in order to be forgiven.

But here he says in verse 14, and above all these things put on charity or love, which is the bond of maturity. In other words, this is what shows how mature you are is how much you can forgive someone and show gentleness and kindness. See, if If you’re nice to people at church, but you’re mean to your husband or wife at home, you’re not as mature as you give the impression you are. Because that’s where it’s supposed to be real.

If it ain’t real there, it ain’t real here. It isn’t. But nobody may not know it, but there is somebody who does see a lot further than what we see here in church. Now, get what else you said. See there in verse 15, let the peace of God rule in your heart to the which also year called in one body and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly and all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

I love all of this, looking for something. For whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. And then, buddy, it hits everybody. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husband. Verse 19, husbands, love your wife. Be not bitter against them. Children obey your parents and the Lord, but this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children the anger lest they be discouraged.

Servants, obey in all things, your masters, according to the flesh. Not with eye service, said men, pleasers, but singleness of heart. Fearing God. And look in verse 23, what so ever you do? Do it heartily as to the Lord and not on the men. So husbands love and their wives. He says, you do this as unto God. Wives obey your husbands as unto God. See that? You do it as to the Lord. Children obey your parents as though your parents were the Lord.

If everybody did what God says do the way God says do it, well, wouldn’t this be a better world in which to live? And look what he says in verse 24, knowing, knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, and you ought to underline that part. Did you know that up there, that all of that thing, when I just read, that is serving the Lord. What you read, the wisdom of God’s Word, how you think and the forgiveness the forgiveness and the humbleness and the meekness and the kindness and long suffering before bearing one another, forgiving one another.

All these things down through here. And the music you listen to, the hymns, the songs, the spiritual hymns, making melody in your hearts to the Lord. All that, all that, this is serving the Lord. This is serving the Lord. And if you don’t do these things, then God says, you’re not serving me. trying to use God, but you’re not really wholeheartedly sold out to the Lord. So the question comes back. Are you willing to forsake everything in this life?

Willing to give up everything, lose everything? Just to be faithful to the Lord? Because if you’re not, you realize how many things will come up and, well, I would serve the Lord, but I can’t because, and I like to do this, but I can’t because there are not, there is no excuses. are not. No excuses. You serve the Lord with what you have, where you are, with all your heart. And you can do that. You can do that. Look up here.

This hand represents you and me and the wall represents sin. We all have sin. He said, we don’t like to admit it, but we’ve all sinned. God loves us, but He hates our sin. And for us to pay for sin is eternal separation from God in health, since everybody sins, everybody’s condemned. 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 and none of us are perfect, none of us are righteous.

We’ve all done things wrong. And God says we have to pay for the sin. The soul that sineth shall die. That’s why everybody dies. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world. He had no sin. He was perfect. You and I were not perfect. We have sin. How are we going to get rid of this? Well, it was a very simple idea. You see, God had a plan. And that plan was for Jesus Christ to take our sins and pay for them on the cross and come back from the dead.

And God 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 Jesus Christ did for us. Best news in the world. All you have to do to go to heaven is to believe on Jesus Christ. That means trust Him as the one who paid for all of your sins. And He will put that payment to your account, and you get to go to heaven on what He did for you.

Let’s pray, shall we? If you’re here tonight, or if you’re watching by internet, I want you to understand that God does love you. He loved you enough to come into the world and pay for your sins. He said if you’d believe that he did it for you, he would put that payment he made to your account and you would get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did. So in the quietness of this moment, why not just talk to the Lord and say something simple like this, Lord, I know him as a sinner.

I don’t understand it all, but I believe Christ died, Pay for my sins and I’m going to trust him as my Savior. I believe he died for me. And friend, if you will trust him, God will save you. And that means he will save you from hell and give to you eternal life as a freak yet. He said he had never cashed you out. It never lose you. You can know when you leave this auditorium or if you’re watching by internet, you can know that you have eternal life.

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. Would you believe it? You have never done so, but you’ll do it tonight. And you say, preacher, that made sense to me and I’d like you to pray for me. Would you slip your hand very quickly and put a right back down? And what at all? You that know Christ is your Savior, your God’s child.

You want to know how to be a success, more than how to be a failure. But if you know what causes you to be a failure, it might help you to be a success. I pray so. I follow you, ask your blessings so much for all you’ve done for us. And what we want so much to honor you and to please you, we pray that you put a hedge about us and protect us. But we just want your will to be done, use each and every one of us, have us accomplish your purpose.

Not only in our life, but to be used to challenge and motivate others. It’s that to trust your Savior, to dedicate their lives to serve you. We know it’s not in vain. We get paid, but we want your blessings. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, You can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage. If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Hot up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.

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

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

Won’t that be a shame? Does stand before the Lord ashamed because he keeps accurate records. And he says even every word, idle word, thoughts, you know, it’s kind of scary in itself, but I’m glad that no sin has to be paid. But you will see what it has cost you and what it costs me. When we see how our disobedience here caused people not to hear the gospel, how we fail to work together as we should, all these things.

But 1 Corinthians 9, I want you to notice that there is nothing in these verses that seems like Paul is just sitting on the sideline doing nothing. He said that everything that I do is for the purpose of winning. You see, when he makes a statement there, look in verse 19, for though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all. That is a little phrase you ought to maybe underline in your Bible. I have made myself servant unto all.

You see, sometimes we ask God that God make me a soul winner. God make me, God ain’t gonna make you anything. Because He doesn’t work against you will. You yield yourself and you obey Him and do what He says do and that you will be what God wants you to be. But He says, I do these things that I might win, that I might gain. And so as you go down through here, it says over and over again, I do this.

And down in verse 23, and this we do, or I do for the gospel’s sake. for the gospel’s sake. I have a message I’m going to do one of these days on doing things for Christ’s sake and the gospels. But 1 Corinthians 9 in chapter 9, look there in verse 25, and every man, every man, that striva for the mastery is tempered or self-controlled in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible crown.

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

And you get tired, you get weary and people don’t always approve of what you do or the way you do it. So there’s a price to pay. So in verse 20, he said, I therefore, so I run. At least I run. I do run. Then he says, not as uncertain as so fight. So I do run, I do fight. And in verse 7, I discipline my body. I keep my body in subjection so that I can use my body.

Less when I preach to others, I should be a cast away or set aside and not used by the Lord. So this is not talking about God is going to cast you out and you’re going to hell now. Now, Noah’s talking about being disapproved, disqualified. So you want to serve the Lord, and so you know you got to fight, you got to run, it is a battle, it gets bloody sometime. But you determined that you’re going to serve the Lord.

So if you follow the path of least resistance, because you don’t want to do all of that, you don’t want people thinking bad things about you. Yes, so it’s easier probably not to do what God says to do. But the rewards of certain all over the so much better, so much greater. I want you to take your Bible, look in Ephesians chapter 5. Look there in verse 25, verse 25 of chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25 says, husbands, love your wives.

Even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. the Lord said, He wants you and I to be presented to the Father without spot, without wrinkle, without any blemish whatsoever. You see, as we walk with the Lord, we serve the Lord, God wants us to keep our lives clean.

That’s what 1 John 1 9 is for. And so he says that we ought to use the washing of the water of the word to keep ourselves clean and without spot because you know I know one day we will stand before the Lord and have to give an account but how do you want to stand there? The Bible talks about it in the book of Colossians about presenting us. That’s one thing to be there and another thing how you’re presented.

So I think it is important. Look in Luke chapter 9, the gospel of Luke, and chapter 9. Luke chapter 9 and look in verse 23. The gospel of Luke chapter 9 verse 23, page 1086, but in verse 23 it says, and he said to them all, if any man come after me, now this is not for salvation, this is for service, any man will come after me, let him, and here’s two words, deny himself. What do you think deny himself?

What do you think it covers? What does that mean? If Christ walked in here right now, He says, I want you to follow me, but to follow me, you’ll have to deny yourself. My question would be what? Deny myself, what? Well, whatever it is, it really wouldn’t matter what it is. If I follow him, I’ll have to deny whatever it is I wanted to do or where I wanted to go or whatever I wanted to be or whatever I wanted to have.

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

Like one priest says, are you willing to be made willing? Yeah. We’re not talking about how to get to heaven. We’re talking about serving the Lord. So, he says here in a very interesting verse. In chapter 14 of Luke we’ll look at in just a second. But first of all, look there in that verse 23, where he says, let’s take a look at the verse. him deny himself, take up his cross. And here’s that word, you ought to underline it daily.

See, every day you and I live should be a new commitment to the Lord. Now, I have committed my life to the Lord a long time ago that I’m going to serve the Lord, but I didn’t have those days until it showed up. Now, this day is here. Will I give the Lord this day? Well, I take my responsibilities that God’s given to me daily and fulfill God’s will for me every day, every day. You see, you don’t have to worry about, am I going to be in the will of God a year from now?

Well, if I’m in the will of God today and then when tomorrow shows up, I’ll just commit that day and then I’ll commit the next day. But walking with the Lord one day at a time, one moment at a time, just do what you can, time you do have. See, it’s easy to dedicate your life that you don’t have yet and hard to dedicate your day that you do have. So this is the day that the Lord has made.

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

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

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

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

Whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. But what does a man advantage? If he gains the whole world, lose himself or be cast away. What we look at in 1 Corinthians 9 and verse 27. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory and in his fathers and of the holy angels. You ashamed of them? That’s why Paul said, I’m not ashamed of the gospel.

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

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

And when you’re limited in knowledge, you’re limited in what you can accomplish what you can do. That’s why the longer you live, the more you learn, the more experience you have, the more you should be able to accomplish. But look what he says down here in verse 33, looking verse 33. So likewise, whosoever he be of you. Now, you know, when it comes to salvation, it says for whosoever, believe it, then him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That’s a choice. It’s a free choice. You can accept it or reject it for salvation. If you accept it, you have eternal life and you go to heaven. Look what you’ve got just by believing that. But now, when it comes to service, whosoever, God does not make us serve Him. He doesn’t make us serve Him. So he says, likewise, whosoever he be of you, that forsakeeth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Because if there’s anything you’re not willing to give up, stop being or pursuing, will stop you in serving the Lord the way you should.

But you see, if you in your mind, though God may never ask you to give up anything, He may not cause you to lose so much, but if he did, would you be willing to do it? That’s what God knows to you. God wants you to be willing to do whatever he wants and go anywhere, though he may not lead you outside of the city limits of Tampa, Florida. But if he opened the door, it made it possible, and you knew that’s what God wants you to do.

You do it. You do it. Now, that’s submitting yourself to his authority, because you want the will of God for your life. Though you may not do a lot of things, go a lot of places, but God knows that if you could, you would. So see, at times in our life, there’s things that we can’t do anymore. We can’t go, but God knows that if you could, you would. I believe God knows that if you had a million dollars, you’d give it.

But He also knows that you’re struggling with that $10 you got in your pocket. But I’d give it all if I had a million dollars, I’d give a million dollars. No, you wouldn’t. If you got $10, you won’t give that and you ain’t going to give a million. Now you may say things. God’s looking for sincerity of what a person really believes. So the Word of God I believe is very good, very clear. The second thing I want you to look at there, alienate yourself from good Christian fellowship.

These are things that help you to be a failure, and that is when people do not faithfully attend church, don’t faithfully hang around the right kind of people. It is going to make a difference in your life. It really will. Now, we won’t take the time to look at the one in Hebrews, but it talks about forsaking not the assembling of yourselves together. I have always believed, and I still believe it, that the more you can go to church, the more services you can attend, the stronger you can be in the Lord, because you’ll learn so much more that will help you to stay strong in the Lord.

I believe people who don’t and can, I believe there’s knowledge that they will not gain, and because of that, there’s part of their testimony that they will lose in the lives of some people. So this is why it’s so important. People say, well, you come on Wednesday night because you have to, you’re the preacher. No, I went on Wednesday night before I ever became a preacher. Before I ever went to Bible college, I went Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, I always went.

I would work on the job and I’d get off the job and I’d come to Sunday night and Wednesday night in my clothes. I had old clothes on and I looked pathetic. I run an old bread machine for a Benson bakery. And so, but that’s what I had to do. That’s what I did. And a lot of people come all dressed up through it. I had to come a little like a bum, but that’s okay. But I came. I did what I could, however I was dressed.

But I was faithful in doing it. Because I was always afraid to preach or might preach something that I need. I was afraid they might preach some great thing that I might learn. and I don’t want to miss anything. Have you ever wanted to go to everything because you’re afraid something’s going to happen? You’re not going to be there to see it? James is like that. He wants to get in much more. He wants to get involved in everything.

Because you’re afraid something’s going to happen and you won’t be there to see it. I want to learn as much as I can. Whenever I was at Florida Bible College and Dr. Stanford was going to preach, I want to hear everything he had to say. Why? Because I know. I want to be able to do what he does, so I want to know what he knows. So there’s a reason. and why we do it. Turning the Bible to the book of Ecclesiastes, all the way back to the book of Ecclesiastes.

And look in chapter four, the book of Ecclesiastes in chapter four, just show you a little bit about the strength that you and I should have because of the unity that we have with other people that are like us. I want you to see this. see their inverse. There is one alone and there is not a second. Yeah, he had neither child nor brother, yet is there no end of all his labor. Neither is his eyes satisfied with riches.

Neither say it he, for whom do I labor and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity. Yay, it is a sore travail to work and to labor and then have nobody to leave it to. And then if you did have somebody to leave it to, the question comes, why should I work and labor and leave it to somebody else? So it seemed like regardless of which way you go, it’s all vanity and vexation of spirit. What’s the purpose?

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

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

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

Somebody just to share things with that you know won’t squeal on you and tell everything to everybody else, but you need a good friend that you can talk to and confide in at times. Well, he says, you might like number 11, again, if two lie together, then they have heat, but how can one be warm alone? Isn’t that a good verse? Ain’t that a good verse, special on a cold night. Go on a cold night, that’s so nice. Sometimes I tell you, I’ll set up some time and you know, and my feet will get cold.

And I don’t even know I done got cold. And then I go in there and Betty’s all nice and warm and at bed and I come in, oh she is so warm and just cuddly. Oh, and then I put my cold feet on her. But you know, it’s so neat. But there’s advantage of two people helping each other. Oh, what else he says in verse 12, he says, and if one prevailed against him, two shall withstand. In other words, if somebody comes after me, boy, it’s sure nice to have a friend.

I had that happen one time. I had about three or four guys that were going to beat that tar out of me. And they had already done, got my arms and held them back. And another guy already done, took his hands named Melvin. I’ll never forget Melvin. I tried to forget Melvin. The Melvin haul off and he hit me across the face as hard as he could. Man liked to not me silly. Well, it did not me silly. And then he wound up and he was going to do it again.

And my buddy standing there, his name was Butch Lingly. And he says, that’s enough. Sure. Not the white man, you stop him the first time he did it. But at least he stopped him the second time they were fixing to do it. I’m still trying to decide if he was my friend, or put him up to that. I don’t know. I don’t think so. But look what he says. In verse 12, and if one prevailed against them two shallown, it’s in.

And a three-fold chord is not quickly broken. You can take one little strand and break it easy. Put three of them together. break. I was watching one time this whole cowboy movie and they’re talking about how they can’t stand against the white men because the Indians you know are being killed by the white man and the Indian breaks one arrow as he’s talking to his Indian friends you know because as one we can easily be broken. But then he put about tenum together and you can’t write tenum.

He said, the unity causes us to be strong. What the Lord talks about that. That’s why church and knowing people helps you to be stronger than you would be without. So God wants us to be strong. And he makes a statement here, better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king who will will no more be admonished. And sometimes that’s one. For out of prison he come of terrain, whereas also he that is born in his kingdom become of poor.

In other words, if you got everything given to you, you don’t appreciate it, because you didn’t have to work for it. A man’s been in prison, lost everything, and then he rises up because he worked for it. He has something because he earned it, he worked for it. But just to have everything given to you, You don’t appreciate it. So there’s things that are taught in the Word of God that’s to help us to understand so much more than the natural man that’s in the world.

Now look in Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Look in Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Now you and I know what perfume is. Every once in a while I’ll put some on. And you smell better. Don’t you smell better? Don’t you wives like your husband to smell better? Well, don’t the husbands like their wives to smell better. So you put on a little deodorant here and a little bit there. They even got a new deodorant out now for race drivers called Pit Stop. Oh well.

Anyway, we’re moving right along here. And verse one, dead flies in the apocritary. In other words, what he’s talking about dead flies in the ointment, dead flies in the perfume. See you and I are supposed to be sweet smelling to the Lord by our sacrifice of praise and whatever God has for us so that our lives are examples of others and acceptable to God and well-pleasing. 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. Our 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again We would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program. Go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re 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. broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, CalvaryofTampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. 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 through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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.

Turn in your Bible to the book of Hebrews, the book of Hebrews and chapter 2. If you could change the person that was over you, would you really want to do so? Well, let’s think about it for a little bit. You’d be surprised how much the Bible has to say about authority. In verse 5, chapter 2 of book of Hebrews, for unto the angels hath he not put in subjection. Notice that word, subjection, the world to come whereof we speak.

But one in a certain place testified saying, What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visited him? made it to him a little and notice this word, lower. He’s lower in rank, lower than the angels. Thou crown is him with glory and honor. And it said him over the works of Thy hand. So you hear in these verses the words like subjection and over and under words that deals with authority and various ranks of authority.

And then he makes a statement there in verse 7, thou made it to him a little lower than the angels, thou crown it him with glory and honor and just let him over the works of thy hands. God did this, always remember. Jesus Christ says, all power is giving to me, all authority is giving unto Him. So wherever authority comes from, it comes from God. And ever since man began, there has been a rebellion to authority. It started with an angel, an angel by the name of Lucifer, who rebelled against authority, who wanted to usurp authority.

Didn’t want God to rule. Satan wanted to rule. So Satan designed in his mind a scheme of rebellion to overthrow God. He led one third of the angels of heaven against God. And they all have suffered because of it. The world has suffered because of it, but Satan isn’t satisfied knowing that he tried and he failed. Now he wants you to fail. He wants you and I to do the same thing that he did. Evidently, misery loves company. And he wants you and I not to be in subjection to authority, he wants us to rebel against authority.

He wants us to rise up to challenge all authority. And kids don’t have to wait too long to start. I think some of them start in the crib. Here in the book of Hebrews, notice there in verse 8, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, for in that he had put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him, but now you see not yet all things put under him. A lot of authority and subjection and people that are supposed to be over and those that are supposed to be under and not all things are yet put under that have been put over.

And I said, boy, you can get confused with all of that. Yes, I know. It is God who created the world and it’s God that created the family, God created the church, and God created government. God created all of this stuff. And all of it has to deal with is submitting to authority and how we hate submitting to authority. From the very time that we’re born as we’re growing up, we’re taught to obey. Mothers and fathers are constantly trying to teach the little children to obey, to do what they tell them to do, to mine them.

how difficult it is. Little children in their own minds, they probably don’t mean no harm. All they want is their own way and all they want you to do is give in and let them have their own way. What’s so bad about that? After all, who made you so right. Who gave you the authority? Who said you had the right to tell them what they can and cannot do? Now remember, I’m not the only one asking these questions. We have teachers the day that instill questions like that into the children that challenge their parents and try to overthrow authority done in their very home, done between husbands and wives, and also in churches and even in governments.

Look now in verse 9, but in spite of all of that and everything that God has done and nothing has done exactly the way God intended yet, but God says in verse 9, but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death because angels don’t die and if Christ was going to die he has to be lower than the angels in order to suffer death. So he’d have to take on flesh.

Then the angels for the suffering are to have crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. So Christ came and tasted death. He died for every individual. And what it means is one day he’s going to take all these rebellious people that have turned against God because of our sinful nature and is going to make us very subservient, very obedient. He’s going to make us perfect where we won’t have a sinful nature anymore.

But He had to die in order to get us to that position. Turn in your Bible to the book of Ephesians chapter 2, the book of Ephesians and chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2, I want you to look at it in verse 2. Verse 2 says, wherein in time pass you walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the heir, which is the devil, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

The word disobedience means to disobey, so it means to be rebellious. The children of rebellion. We are all rebellious. We don’t like to obey. Children don’t like to obey. Wives don’t like to obey. Husbands don’t like to obey God. People in churches don’t like to obey preachers. And the members in society don’t like to obey government. We just have something that’s inside of us that makes us rebellious. And how can we have wonderful peace and unity and harmony in the world and every one of us has got a problem with rebellion?

The Bible says every man wants to go his own way, that now work it in the children of disobedience. Children will do what they can to overthrow their parents. You don’t believe it? Tell your children what you want them to do and see if without a word they quickly and quietly obey. You just say the word and they will obey. Or do you get back talk? Do you get whining, pining, moaning and groaning? Or you just simply if they know your will, you can just simply look at them and they sweetly and kindly go ahead and obey.

Or do they challenge your authority? Do they try to change your mind? Why are they trying to change your mind? What is it within them? Is it because you made a wrong decision? Do you always make a wrong decision? Do you ever make a right decision? Do they challenge every time or just most of the time? Are they in their own mind of such maturity level that they can discern the wisdom in your decision and can weigh it and come to the conclusion, you’re wrong, they’re right, and they don’t have to obey you?

Because who gave you the right? And it’s amazing that sometimes kids will actually say those things. And they don’t always want to quickly obey. Now God says that we have a sinful nature, but remember, the way children can respond to parents, they also will have a tendency to respond to husband and wife relationship, and also to God or to the pastor or government. It doesn’t change. Rebellion is rebellion. And God says, rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, like believing in witches, witchcraft.

It’s the same as believing in the power of the devil, demonic power, because where does that come from? We do not quickly and quietly and sweetly obey, except whenever we agree. You see, you don’t need to subject to a will of someone else if you agree. It’s when you don’t agree. Now what do you do? Can you submit? And most people have trouble in the submitting category. Turn your Bible to the book of Matthew, chapter seven. Matthew and chapter seven.

Jesus Christ as He would teach, astonished the people with His wisdom. And it says they’re in verse 28, Matthew chapter seven, and it came to pass. When Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine and or for he taught them as one having, what’s the word? authority and not as the scribes. See some people speak with authority and some people don’t speak with authority. Some parents when they speak to their children speak with authority and some parents do not speak with authority.

Some children can run all over their parents and the parents live in fear of their children because they have yielded of their authority. They have relinquished the right to be parents. They have surrendered to the will of a child and allow the child to run a home. And I know where have I speak. That’s where you have to be careful. Because see if you don’t really believe you have authority to do certain things you will not exercise that authority.

You will either be ignorant of your authority or you will fear of the authority, the consequences, the challenges to your authority because you’re not willing and able to hang on to authority because somebody’s always trying to steal it from you every home. Children have a tendency to want to steal authority away from mom and dad. They may not see it that way. They don’t maybe mean to do that. It’s just that they try to talk them into doing whatever they want them to do and will always have words to say back.

The back talk. Which parents don’t like but it kind of gets acceptable. And I can’t believe that the kids are happy when they know that they and strip the parents of such authority, of such discipline, because then they will lack the discipline in their own lives. They need a mom and a dad who knows not only that they have authority, but hold on to that authority and refuse to relinquish that authority. Don’t give it up just because some child challenges your right to say or to do what you believe is right.

And yes, it’s enough to say because I’m Mom, because I’m the Father. That’s why. And you don’t need another reason. But be sure that you are right. And don’t surrender it. If you surrender power little by little, after a while you have no power, no authority. loses authority when it ceases to enforce its laws. And we have preachers that don’t enforce what the Bible teaches, or husbands also with the wives.

Take a Bible look in Matthew 21, Matthew chapter 21 and verse 23. In verse 23 Christ had said many things, done many things that caused people to wonder about Him. Who are you? Where’d you come from? So in verse 23 and when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching. and said, by what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority? Who told you you had the right to do this?

We’re described in the Pharisee. We’ve been doing it this way for 500 years. Now you show up and you challenge our authority. Who are you? So he asked him a question, verse 24, and Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I, and likewise, will tell you about what authority I do these things. He says, the baptism of John, which was it? From heaven or men? John the Baptist, it came on the scene, and he came a baptism preaching to baptism or repentance?

Was that of God or was that of John? Was it God or man? They thought about it for a little bit. They said, we can’t answer you because they knew that whichever way they went, they were trapped. If they said of men, well they feared the people because the people believed John was of God. If they say, well he’s from God then they say, well why don’t you believe him? So you know what they said? In verse 25, and they reasoned with themselves saying, if we shall say from heaven he will say unto us why did you not then believe him?

But if we shall say of men, we fear the people for all whole John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus and said, we cannot tell. And he said to them, neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But he had the authority. He would not relinquish his authority. And they were amazed that he would challenge them like he did because he had the authority, the right to do so. Husbands, You’re the head of the home.

God gave you the right to be the head of the home. Never surrender that power. Never give up that right. Children, you won’t like your parents if they always get into you. You say you won’t respect them. You won’t love them. They may not be as strong as they ought to be, but they’re yours. You shouldn’t want to change your parents if you could. If you could rest away from them, there will. There are commands. Don’t. You’ll be less thought of if you could.

Nobody thanks very much of rebellious children because they know you’re not disciplined. They know you bring shame. Honor your mother and dad because it’s right. They have the authority to rule you. They have the authority to tell you what you can and cannot do. And if you don’t like it, tough, you don’t have to like it. They have the right. They have the authority. Just because you don’t like something they say or do, you’re to obey your parent. They have the right to rule you.

They can tell you when to get up and when to go to bed. They can tell you what to eat and what to wear, what not to wear, how to look everything about you, their parents, they’re yours. Don’t challenge them. Don’t always say, whenever you can get them to continually change and to give in to you, you not only hurt them and ruin them, you’re destroying yourself. For years to come, you’ll always have a problem with authority because you see what you can get away with when you’re young and you can talk about you’re going to try that later on in life and you’re going to come across somebody ain’t gonna give in to you, somebody gonna deck you, somebody might put you behind bars.

You can’t always get your own way. Parents have been given that authority by God. Parents should not relinquish that authority. Here in Matthew when he says, where did you get this authority from? You and I are supposed to understand that God is the one who made life and made people and gave us authority. Take your Bible and turn there to the book of Titus in chapter 2, the book of Titus in chapter 2. God says, subject yourself, that’s why he says.

Not all things are in subjection now. Not all things are under their feet because not everybody submits. Everybody rebels. From the child to the husband, the wife, preacher, government. Everybody has a rebellious nature. Nobody likes to be told what to do and what not to do. Here in the book of Titus in chapter 2, look in verse 15. This is a statement to a young preacher. He says, these things speak and exhort, and you ought to underline this statement in your Bible, rebuke with what?

All authority. Who gave you the right, this book? Does the preacher have certain responsibilities? Authority given to him to say certain things, the teach, what the book teaches? And he says to rebuke with all, in other words, you got the right to do it. it because God gave it to you. Parents have a right to rule their family and the dads to rule with a rod of iron if necessary, but to rule. And not let just anything go that they want to do.

Well, I just can’t control my kids. I just can’t do this and I can’t do that. Why not? Be a man. Be the head. Take control because if you don’t, anytime there’s a vacuum. There’s always somebody who’s willing to fill a vacuum, to step in and take control. And many of men have surrendered the rights to rule their own home. Now I want you to see something because it’s very important. Look at in verse 12, teaching us that denying ungodliness.

There are going to be things that I as a pastor will think is wrong. I don’t have to ask you if you agree with me, no more than the child has to ask the mother and dad. Well, Mom, I don’t agree with that. So I don’t have to obey that or agree with you. And therefore, I don’t have to submit. If you’re in this home, you live by these rules. If you’re in this country, you live by these laws.

And if you’re in this church or that church or that church, live by its rules or whatever they may be. I don’t have a lot of rules on anything. I simply want people to live godly and honest. But look what he says here. Teach enough that denying ungodliness and worldly lust. We should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. So in order to do that. Somewhere along the line the preacher must decide what is living Godly. What is living righteously?

So you try to put together from the teachings of the Word of God what you believe is right and wrong. And you don’t ask the people what they think about it. You don’t take opinion polls. You don’t ask your children. Is this right or wrong? You’re the adult. You make the decision. them abide by it. The kids are not supposed to run the home, parents are supposed to run it. And the Bible says this, living godly in this present world, and then he says in verse 14, look at verse 14, very important, who gave himself for us that we might redeem us, he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

So we have to know what are these good works. When he told the people in the book of Acts, seeking out men of a good report, filled with a Holy Spirit, there has to be something that you look at. There has to be something that you can say, that’s wrong and that’s right. You’re making decisions. Sometimes it’s a judgment call. Have you ever watched a football game or a baseball game and the umpire says, he’s out. And everybody says, he was not out.

He’s blind. Kill the umpire. And try to get the umpire to override. Change your mind because we saw it differently. But he’s the umpire. And he don’t listen to everybody, does he? He makes his call. He may be right. He may be wrong. But he made his decision and they have to live with it. Sometimes they don’t like that. But we’re always challenging somebody else’s judgment. But you know whenever they have a replay and they want to see if they can overturn the referee’s call, you know what?

They don’t ask the coaches to call, why? Do you think they might be prejudiced? You think they might look at it from their viewpoint and make it in their favor? Because, you know, regardless of how much we love ourselves and how honest we are, we’re maybe not too trustworthy. We’re deceitful. We lie. We’re bent. We’re prejudiced. And very few people trust each other. Now, when He makes the statement here, these things in verse 15, and exhort and rebuke with all authority and let no man despise thee because you didn’t exercise your authority.

Parents let no child despise you because you did not exercise your authority because you’re the head of the home. And you may not have all the answers that they want to challenge you on why can you do this and talk when you do that. I’m your mother and I said so because I’m your father. Yeah, but the other parents let their kids, that’s enough. All the other kids and all the other parents has no control and no rule over what this family does.

You rule that family, not the neighbors. And you don’t give in because all the kids do, all the kids, all the, you’re not all the kids, you’re mine. And if I don’t believe it’s right, I say no. And it’s going to be according to my will and you will obey. Now we live in a time where that’s not very acceptable. And it takes very strong people, strong in the Lord, because you see there’s consequences to having strong leadership. You’re looked upon as being mean and unkind and undisciplined.

But I believe more than anything else in this world, that’s what kids need. I believe that’s what people need in church. I believe down there in verse 2, chapter 2, and verse 10, that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, and all things. And as you read down through here, it tells the wise about being discreet in certain things. It talks about your behavior in verse 3, and your charity and your temper. All these are judgment calls.

Somebody’s making decisions. And parents have to make decisions that the children don’t always agree with. The pastor will make decision not everybody agrees with. But if you’re looking for that perfect parent, you won’t have a perfect parent. You won’t have a perfect pastor. We won’t have a perfect president. Nobody in this world is perfect. I do not know of another preacher who loves the people any more than I love people. But I hate sin and I hate what it does.

Do right. I believe it’s the will of God. This book is over me. I’m not over it. It’s over me. It’s my authority. It’s Europe. It tells all of us what to do. 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 were 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryuptampa.org.

Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen, the trumpet will sound. 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 Calbreak Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the Internet. Your regular prayers and m- and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us He was told free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org. We pray that you’ll enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

And so you and I, after we trust the Lord, we have a choice. We can serve the Lord. And if we serve the Lord, He wants us to bear fruit. And because He wants you to bear fruit, He wants you to bear more fruit and much fruit. So you’re the one that determined how much fruit you bear by your yieldedness to the Lord. And some people are maybe a little fruit and some 60 and some 100 full. But every one of us as a branch in the vine are supposed to abide in the vine.

Serve the purpose of abiding in the vine. Serve the purpose of the flow of the juices and the goods that produce the fruit. We don’t save anybody, but God uses uses us as we yield to Him. Now this is not talking about how to get to heaven. Many people read this and they say, well see there, they took the branches and they throw them in the fire. And that’s a sign that you’re lost. No, if anybody has anything to do with a husband, tree, or a realizin that if you want something, you gotta prune off all this stuff.

You see, when you trust He Christ is your savior. You probably had a lot of bad habits in your life. Bad thoughts. You didn’t have control of every area. But as you begin to grow in the Lord, and as the Holy Spirit that lives within you, reveals things to you that you need to cut off out of your life. They cut this out. And they cut this out. What’s the Lord doing to you? He’s pruning you. Why? So that you can have more fruit.

And there’s always things in our life that needs to be cut off out of our lives. So God wants to clip and cut and things like that. Well these things that He cuts out, we don’t need those anymore. God prunes you for a reason, for a purpose. He says, now men, when they take a literal vine and they do this, men take those branches that doesn’t bear and men will take those and cast them into the firecough they’re not used.

for you and I, it means that you are set aside, you’re not used by God. You see God wants every one of us to bear fruit and a lot of God’s children don’t bear fruit. And so it’s like you’re not being used. God says if any man served me, him will my Father honor. And one day you’re going to get the praise, the honor, and the glory that God wants to give to every one of us when we get to heaven, but we’re not there yet.

And you only get that honor, that recognition, that praise, because we’ve served. And you serve in order to bear fruit. No fruit are you serving? Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Can I follow without fishing? Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. That’s why some people when they really understand this, they want God to use them to reach other people for the Lord. Why? Because that is the greatest sign of love. You can ever manifest from your life.

Because God said, I want the world to know that I love my Father. So I’m sending you out. As my friends, I want you to serve. I want you to bear fruit. And those people are the ones that trust the Lord through you. So I believe God wants all of us to be so winners. To tell people how to get to heaven when they die. Because you realize this. The devil don’t care how much you go to church, how much money you give, how much you do everything else.

Just don’t talk about the Lord. And yet that takes more courage and more courage. more strength, more grace of God, to explain to somebody, look, I just want you to know God loves you. Jesus Christ paid for your sins. If I was the devil, that’s the one thing I don’t want you to do. I wouldn’t want you to do that, or anything. And yet that’s the one thing Christ has to do. That’s more important than anything else that you do.

Because see, nobody’s gonna go to heaven because you go to church, and they’re not gonna have me because you gave money. Now if it’s used for those reasons, it can be useful, but I’m talking about you can sing and not win a soul. But God saves because of using you for his honor and for his glory, abiding him, serve him for the purpose of reaching fruit, of bearing fruit. And the fruit is not something that you produce, that’s something God produces through you.

And you don’t know whether or not it’s gonna be a little fruit or a lot of fruit. You never know. But does God have the freedom to use you? However he wants, wherever he wants, can he trust you? God says he has entrusted us with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God which tryeth our heart. We speak with the mouth, the tongue. And sometimes it’s the most difficult thing in the world. You know the heart is part about witnessing is getting started.

Just getting started. But once you get started, it’s amazing how easy sometimes it can flow. Now some people will tell you to shut up mind your own business, leave you alone and tell you where to go. I’ve had all of us. And I’ve had people get mad and get up and walk away and then throw for it. When I try to talk to my stepdad, my stepdad says, if I want to hear preaching, I go to church and I’ll shut your mouth and leave me alone.

But you come over here preaching to me every time I turn around. And that used to just tear me up. I didn’t know how to do it a better way. But years later, my stepdad trusts the Lord. When I graduated from Florida Bible College, and I had to come over here and speak for Hank, but after I graduated, then I went up to Georgia. And when I got to Georgia, my stepdad was in the emergency room. He was in ICU.

And when I got to the door, I’m just looking through this little glass. And I could see my mom inside my stepdad, and he was in with tubes and all that going all over me. He had heart surgery. And they didn’t know if he was going to live or not. And I remember watching my mom standing there, and she was just crying. And my stepdad saw me with my little face inside that little glass through the window, and He went like this.

And my mom looked and she saw me. And she says, you want him, Yankee to come and pray for you? So I got to go into the room. And I stood beside my stepdad. And he had already trusted Christ as Savior, but he had never served the Lord. And he wanted me to have prayer for him. I had prayer for him. He lived a little longer. A couple months later he passed away. But I’ve seen God work. But he’s in heaven now.

My mom used to get up and walk out of the house, but I loved my mom. I didn’t want my mom to go to hell. My mom used to haul the liquor. My dad made it. They had a liquor steal. My sister got real mad one time when they, she heard the explosions. Somebody told on her and she lost about a thousand gallons. They dynamited her with any way that’s another story. But it’s, I led her to the Lord too.

She’s in heaven now. And my mom, she’s in heaven now. I’m so glad that we don’t have to live good enough to go to heaven. So none of us could salvation going to heaven. That’s a gift to God. It’s by grace. I’m so glad that we have a message that we can talk to anybody anywhere. And we don’t have to try to get them to change their life. Stop something, join something. I just want people to look God loves you.

We’re all sinners. Nobody’s even better than anybody else. Would you trust the Lord? Would you We’re all centers. Nobody’s even better than anybody else. Would you trust the Lord? Would you believe he died on that cross and paid for your sin? trust them to take you to heaven when you die. And as you go down through here, there’s something I want you to just look at real quick. Because he says, I did this because of my love. Look what he says here in verse nine, looking verse nine.

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue you in my love. Isn’t that precious? Look in verse 10, if you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love. The last part of that verse, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. And then he says there in verse 12, This is my commandment that you love one another’s I have loved you. Verse 13, greater love has no man than this that a man laid on his life for his friends.

Love, love, love, love. I wonder what he’s saying all that for? Because he said, I want the world to know that I love him. Did you know when you go into all the world and you tell people now you’ve got to be good to go to heaven? You’re not talking about the love of God. You’re talking about how good they got to be. You’re telling them how they got to love God enough to go to heaven because they’ll clean up their life on that’s not love It’s not the truth.

It’s not the gospel But let me just kind of show you this You see the world Hate’s God the world hates Christ When Christ was here. He made just look down in verse 18 looking verse 18 If the world, and here’s another word, hate, and I got news for you. Hate is not the same as love. It’s just the opposite. God Christ said, I love the world. I want the world, no, I love my Father. I want you to love, love, love, love, love.

And the way you show love is by that message that you have telling people what I did for them. You see, we have people they love themselves, but they don’t love God. They don’t love Jesus Christ. They don’t love the gospel. They don’t care people go to heaven or hell. But there’s always a few aremement of God’s children that fall in love with the Lord. And when they fall in love with the Lord, they fall in love with that message and they want to tell people how to have eternal life.

And it changes their life. You can’t make that happen. Because That’s a love between an individual and their heavenly Father. You can’t manufacture, you can’t pretend it’s got to be real or it’s not real. And when Jesus Christ was here, did you realize that even his brothers and siss and all, the bobs, they wished not who it was. They wished not who it was. to have the living Son of God, brought among them and not know what they had.

Don’t realize what they’ve got. Look what he says here. He says, if the world hate you, you know that it hated me. Before it hated you. You see, the first part of this chapter is love, love, love, love, love, love, love. But the world hates, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. Look up here, this old sinful nature that I have, it hates God. My old sinful nature, it loves the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

It loves everything about this world, but not God. It’s rebellious to God. That old sinful nature, he hates you because he, it loves the world. And if it loves the world, it can’t love God. And that’s why here you are as a child of God. Wouldn’t it be a shame for you to live your whole life? Loving that which hates God. Living for that which hates God. Living for the world that hates God. And not living. Pull the Lord.

Look here in verse 20. The last part of verse 19 says, but if I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you hate. in verse 23, he that hated me, hated my father also, hate. Look in verse 24, if I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sinned, but now have they both seen and hated both me and my father. And then the last part of verse 25, they hated me without a cause, without a cause.

hate. And now he said, I want you to go and let those people that hate me hate my God. I want you to go and show them how much you love them. I want them to know the other. So here you and I are and we have a problem sometime because when somebody says or does something to us and they show any manifestations of hate, we want to hate them back, get even, get mad and Angry back.

Your wife, do you wrong, lover anyway? Your husband, do you wrong, love him anyway? Kids, do you wrong, love him anyway? Because all that comes from that old sinful nature. Hatred doesn’t come from the new birth, comes from the old one. And there’s a lot of people that never have victory over the sins of the flesh. And they get all stirred up and become mean and ugly and hateful. cutting things, wicked things, imagining things. And yet, God says, I want you to love them.

There’s a difference here. Look what he says here in verse 6, if a man abide not in me, or if a man doesn’t serve him, he is cast forth as a branch, as a branch, is withered and men, not God. See, God doesn’t cast you in hell, but men will trample you underfoot. Men will have no respect for you. Men will look at you, you’re a hypocrite, because you say you know God and you know Christ and you love the Lord and you go to church and outside the doors of this church be a total hypocrite.

Never tell us so how to have eternal life. Never talk about the Lord because you’re either embarrassed or ashamed. Pause it, I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. We say that every Sunday, don’t we? Every Sunday we say that in this church. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation. Don’t we say that every week? And then walk out those doors and never tell a soul, never carry a track and don’t do anything of kindness to people.

You know what Jesus did? Everywhere He went. He went about doing good. He did good. He wasn’t doing good to go to heaven. He was the Son of God. We’re not doing good to go to heaven, but we should do good. We should be kind to one another. We should be loving to one another. Look at this. He says you’re in verse seven, if you abide in me, or if you serve me, my words abide in you. You shall ask what you will and she shall be done unto you.

I believe this is along the lines of a bearing fruit. What is the last time you asked the Lord to help you to win this person to the Lord or to get this individual? What about the last time about either a mama or a dad or a brother or sister, some relative that you prayed for. And then you want God to use you to get the gospel to that person. Do you really care where they spend eternity? You really care.

I mean, is it real? You really care or you really don’t care. You say you can be saved and have no compassion for anybody else. As long as you get your little pinkies inside the pearly gate, let the rest of the world go to hell and one day will stand before God and he says if you serve me any man served me him will my father honor now we’re not serving to get to heaven because he already had my new birth that’s why I’m going to heaven it doesn’t have a sinful nature it’s good enough to go I’m good to go but I’m not there yet and there’s saying God wants to do with us in this life and we’re still here well Look what he says in verse eight.

Herein is my father glorified. I’ve had people say, well, what’s the purpose of life? Just glorify the Lord. And they think glorifying God, you just stand here with your hands. I’m just glorifying the Lord. That’s not what he says. Herein is my father glorified. That you bear what? Much fruit. So shall you be my disciples. You see, following Christ is to be after what he came after. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. And most people could care less.

It’s not just going to church and playing church. He says here, and this is an awesome verse. In verse 11, these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you. Your joy might be false. See, we’re not talking about how to get to heaven. We’re talking about because you’re going to heaven. You wanna have happiness. You want to have peace, you want to have joy? Bare fruit. It’s going to be the people you lead to the Lord, or that you shared the gospel with.

Or you took your funds and you gave them because you wanted people to hear the gospel and you made it possible over the Bibleline. Or because you gave to a one or program. Or because you helped with the… Reformers, unanimous. But whatever it is, what’s your motive of why you do what you do? I’m giving this because I want people to hear the gospel. You probably have been here all this time, and yet let’s just go back a few years, even when Hank Winston was on the radio.

Did you help him? Did you help meet the expenses? Did you give him money? Or did you just classify them? Well, all they ever talk about is money. All they want’s money. Do you ever think maybe sometimes people just want to reach people for the Lord? And it takes money to do it. And God has already told people to do it, but they won’t obey Him. They won’t obey, and they won’t give. And God may have told you to pass out tracks, look so the seed, you won’t do it.

talk to individuals and you won’t do it. There’s a day coming when we’ll stand before the Lord and every man has a master and you’ll answer to the master. You won’t answer to me and I won’t answer to you. Every one of us has responsibilities and he says here in verse 13 you’re the underlying disperse, greater love hath no man than this that a man laid on his life for his friends, year my friends, I’ve laid down my life for you.

What’s he asking them to do? They’ll lay down their lives, they’ll lay down your life, but this cause, live for this reason, something greater than yourself. It’s bigger than us. It’ll carry you through the darkest days, the darkest moments in your life. There’s another man that God says, he was my friend. Anybody know who that man was? Abraham. He was a friend of God. He served the Lord. You see what he says in verse 15, henceforth, I call you not servants, but the servant, know not what his Lord doeth.

I have called you friends. For all things that I have heard of my father I’ve made known unto you. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit. Not to work for your salvation, not to work your way to heaven, but as a child of God to bring forth fruit. That your fruit should remain. You see, the fruit that we have is different than all the other kind of fruit.

You can pick an orange-acted tree. Who? It’ll die. You can pick an apple off a tree. Leave it for a while. But whenever you and I are used by God to bear fruit, this fruit lasts forever. Every person that ever trusts Christ’s Savior through you is an eternal fruit, but fruit that lasts, that remains. This is what God says. Or if you don’t serve the Lord, it’s because you fell in love with the world. world that hates him. And one day you’ll stand before the Lord.

And that’s why he made the statement, my little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him that is coming, abide in him. Serving why you can. Life is short. Don’t have a lot of time. And I don’t, I’m not the greatest soul winner in the world, but I do get a few here and there. But I know that we’ll do more and reach more if we all work together because we can encourage one another.

That’s why when you come to church, I’d love to see you bring lost people with you. It’s hard to catch fish out of a bathtub. There’s no fish in the bathtub. You always want people. We had a couple yesterday to trust the light. I love it whenever it gets improved. But you never know when. You don’t know how you’re serving them. You’re serving. You’re making it possible for something to happen. look up here and be closing. You say, why do you do the same illustration all the time so that you’ll learn it?

And when they need you, you’re going to do it with somebody. You’re going to say, let me show you something. This hand represents you and me, the wall of represents sin. We all have sin on us. Now God says he loves us. You see what I’m saying already? Every time I give the gospel, God loves you. He loves you. Christ says, I want the whole world of the night. God loves you. Now he hates what we do wrong. And he says, the paper sent his eternal separation from God and hell.

Now to go to heaven, we have to be perfect as righteous as God and none of us are. We’re all sinners. No man can save himself. It’s not by works of righteousness which we’ve done. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came unto the world. That little Colonel Cornyn died. He came back from the dead. God says that whosoever believes that I did it for them would not perish, but have everlasting life. We go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us.

It sounds like a pretty good thing to me. If you hear this morning and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, look, you can go to church all your life, but if you never really trusted the Lord to take you to heaven when you die, you’re not going and you’re not saved. You can be religious. Nick, his name was very religious, he was just lost. He’d never been born again. He never really trusted the Lord as his only hope of corn to heaven.

I pray that you will. There’s no strength to it, no damage. I don’t have to know your name. You don’t have to join the church. You don’t have to sign a card. And you don’t have to raise your hand either. The only reason I ask people to raise their hands is because it lets me know that what I said made sense and I like to know. It’s your way of telling the preacher. I trust that Christ is my Savior this morning, and I’d like to have prayer for you.

That’s a pretty shout of him. If you’re here this morning and you never trusted the Lord, maybe you’ve been religious all your life. But if you died right now, are you positive to go to heaven? If you died 10 years from now, are you just as positive? What about 100 years from now? See, I don’t know if I lived that long, but whatever it is, are you sure you’re going to heaven? If you’ve never trusted Christ, would you trust him right now?

If you’ve already done it, you don’t have to do it again. You see, yes, that made sense to me. And preacher, I want to trust Christ as my Savior, and I’ll let you know by raising my hand and putting it down. And when it all before we close, our Father, we thank You so much for all You’ve done for us. We’re thankful for the free gift of eternal life. And thank You Lord for each person here, and I pray that You bless each one, for I want each one to abide in Christ.

and to bear much fruit. Use each one. Because Father, if they will serve you, you promise in your word, Him, of my Father, Honor. Thank you, Lord, so much for this church, this good people, and all of us accomplishing Christ in the reprieve. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, You can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.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. 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 month… and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can and reaches toll free at 1-800-576-3771. One-line donations may be made through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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.

God has been good to us, and I want to try to explain a few things this morning that I hope will be a blessing to you. You know, whenever you people come to church, there might be some people come to church that don’t even believe in God. Some people don’t believe the Bible. Some people might say, I believe in heaven, but don’t believe in hell. And then there are those who say, well, I believe it all. And then some people are very strong and mature and know the whole Bible.

Then you have some that don’t know too much. and then the preacher’s got to satisfy all those people. Sounds a little most on the impossible side, but I do want you to listen to what I have to say. I want you to take your Bible and turn to the gospel of John, the gospel of John. Most people think it doesn’t really matter what church you go to, just go to any old church. Doesn’t matter what kind of Bible they use, any old Bible it doesn’t matter.

Any version will do. Sounds like we ought to start a church called the Church of your choice. Just go to whatever church you want, just the Church of your choice. I, um, let me sing your song. I knew you were up for this. I knew you were up for this. Each week take your voice to the Church of your choice and sing all the hymns with respect. We’ll be glad to get you, and you’re offering too. Be a cash money order or check.

Our doctrines are clear. Just be good and sincere. If you’re tired of your sin, we will welcome you in. If you’ll show up at least once a year. Come one and come all. to the church of your choice is our call. If you send we won’t tell and we’ll send you to autograph pictures of Moses and Paul. Oh well, the gospel of John. John, look at verse 23, and Jesus answering them, oh, what chapter? I thought you all knew me by now.

I thought you could read my mind. Try chapter 12. I thought if I just said the verse and read the verse, you ought to make know what chapter it was. Okay. But John 1 chapter 12 verse 23 on page 11 32, do you have one of the dead seas scroll? It’s scroll 9, and Jesus answered them, saying, the hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily I say unto you, except that corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, yet abideth alone.

But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Now I want to show you a simple illustration that helps us understand this, I think, a little bit better. For example, you and I and picture a person standing right here. That’s you. That’s you. You have sinned against God and the wages of sin is death, so you have to die. There’s a place called heaven, but to go there you have to be perfect so you don’t qualify so you can’t go.

So So how do you get this center? Good enough to go there. So God says, by your works, you’ll never be good enough. Nobody has ever lived good enough to earn the right to go to heaven, because perfection is required. But you’ve done all these sins. So people say, well, what do you have to do about all these sins that I’ve done? You know, there’s a holy righteous God that demands death. So many people think, well, you’ve got to turn from your sins.

No, you have to die for your sins. The wages of sin is turning or dying. Dying, you don’t have to turn from sin, you have to die for your sins. So since you have sinned, you have to die. Well, so I don’t want to die. Everybody has within, and believe it or not, the desire to live forever. But we would like to have a perfect body to do it in. We would love to have a perfect place with a perfect body and live forever.

Can you believe that there wasn’t long ago before you didn’t even exist? You didn’t even know anything because you weren’t real. You weren’t here. You didn’t exist. Now that you’re here, you don’t want to leave. Some people just never satisfied. So now you’re here and you want to live forever. But But to live forever with the lurk, we have to be perfect because of sin, it brings things to an end and you have to die. So how do you get this so-called new birth?

We hear about it. Parts of this I’ve explained before, but just one more time. You see, you cannot get a new birth until the old one is dead. See, you’re not supposed to have two at the same time. Because there’s only one of you. There’s only one of me. So I can’t get my new one until I’m through with the old one. And Jesus said, you must be born again. Now not talking about a new creation as far as, you know, of the flesh, because if you were born of the flesh in a physical birth thousand times, well the last one won’t be any better than that first one was.

So you need a new birth that’s born without a sinful nature. Our sinful nature is what’s caused all of our problem and God says you can’t go to heaven with a sinful nature. Because if you went to heaven with that sinful nature you’ll sin in heaven. So how can I get there without one? Well you can’t get rid of it without dying. You have to have death to pay for the sin. So over here is the new birth. This is the one that was born of God.

And if it’s born of God, then God’s the Father’s, the child of God. So it’s born because you heard the word of God and you believed it and lo and behold you were born by the incorruptible seed. So if your new birth came from the incorruptible seed, it means it can’t sin. It means it doesn’t have a sinful nature. No sinful nature can’t sin, can’t sin, can’t die. So that’s why once you become a child of God, you’re His child for how long?

Forever. But you can’t get this birth until you’re through with this one because you can’t have both of them at the same time. Now I know it might seem a little confusion, but just don’t go to sleep yet. You have to have a death. So what Jesus Christ did coming into the world made of a woman, Mary, used by God to prepare a body, and therefore he was made under the law, the condemnation of the law. But see, the law could never condemn him because he, when he was born in the world, he was the only one without a sinful nature.

He couldn’t sin. He didn’t have a sinful nature. He never desired anything wrong. He never wronged anybody. Never offended God the Father. See, Jesus was perfect, so He didn’t have to die. The law could not touch Him. The law could not condemn Jesus. But everybody else that was born into the world because of a sinful nature, the law of God condemns all of us. So we’re all in the same boat. All have sinned. All are condemned. And because of that, no man could save himself.

A man has no hope. He can’t deliver himself. How he lives is not going to change the situation. That’s why he didn’t have to turn from his sins for God to save him. He has to die for his sins. And that’s eternal separation from the Lord. Because he doesn’t have any power to come back. Now, what’s he going to do? So Christ came into the world and the law couldn’t touch him, the law couldn’t condemn him. So Jesus Christ didn’t have to die.

So he voluntarily, because of his love for us, took all the sin of all the world upon himself, and he was at kernel of corn. That died, was buried, and rose again. Now when you and I believe that he did that for us, then his death became my death of the first birth. It’s when it died. So in Christ I was crucified and buried with Him and rose again with Him. So when I rose I had this new birth to walk in newness of life.

So in reality I didn’t really die. But it was put to my account, but that’s how God sees me. sees me in his Son. And because his Son is perfect, I’m perfect. I’m in his Son. And so therefore, in God’s eyes, I died, paid for my sins, the death of the first birth. And I came back again from the dead in my new birth. So I’m supposed to live like this old man is dead. And I’m not supposed to satisfy the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

But that’s easy preaching and a little difficult to live. Because now as a child of God how do I perform this miraculous life? To live without this old sinful man trying to get at me and having victory over me. So the Bible tells us there’s some things that you and I need to understand. You see once you’ve trusted Christ is saving you have a new birth born of God. This new birth loves God. All those things that are good and right that’s from the new birth.

All the sin and the rebellion that comes from the old man and I’m supposed to live as though he’s been crucified and I’m now have to satisfy those desire but that’s That’s how God sees it. Judicially, this is true. But the hard part that we have is application. How to perform that which is good with this old simple nature that we have. Sometimes it’s a little on the difficult side. And what I want you to look there in verse 26, if a man, if a man, serve me, let him follow me.

And where I am, there shall ye my servant be, and if any man served me, him will my father honor.” You see, verse 24 is what has to be done for our salvation. So when I was 18 years old, I trusted Christ as my Savior. I didn’t understand all this. All I knew was that I’m lost, I’m going to hell. Christ paid for my Savior. I’m going to trust Him to take me to heaven when I die. And God saved me, gave me a new birth.

Afterwards, I started understanding a lot more of these difficult things. But you see there in verse 24 where he said, except the corner of wheat fall into the ground and die. See, he was the one that died for everybody else. And then he was buried and then he came back much fruit. So every individual that believes that he did it for them, all these people, except his death as their death and their burial as their burial. and lo and behold them that one that died much fruit.

Look how many people in the last youth thousand years that have trusted Christ as their Savior and they’re going to heaven when they die all because one died and if he didn’t die there was no hope because he and I could not have saved ourselves by living a good righteous life because it was impossible. If Christ had not died, we could not go to heaven. Therefore, there’s nothing for you to do except trust him as your Savior. Believe in that he did it for you.

And when you do, it gives you eternal life. Now, once we have been dead and buried and raised again from the dead, now God says, I want you as my children. I want you to serve me. He said, and if any man served me, will my father honor. So I believe that. So take your Bible and turn to the book of John chapter 15. Just turn to you right. Just a few verses there. But look in John chapter 14, first of all, chapter 14.

But there’s a verse here, verse 31, that’s one of my favorite verses. And it’s because of what Jesus said in this verse. He says that the world may know that I love the Father, even so I do. He did what he did because he wants the world to know he loves his father. That’s why he wants us to go into all the world and tell everybody in the world what he did for the world because of his love for the father.

Isn’t it true that we talk to a lost man? We’re always telling, look, God loves you. God loves you. Who do we usually witness to without telling them? God loves you. Somewhere in there, we tell them, God loves you. He paid for your sins because God loves you. Because most people don’t know God loves you. Well, how do you know God loves you? Well, He died for you. You see, you were over here and you were going to have to go to hell and pay for your sins.

And He paid for it. And that payment is put to your account when you believe it. His death became yours when you believed it. And His burial and resurrection became yours because you believed it. And God says, now you’re His child. That’s been born again, born from above. Now you’re his child. And that child of God, because it has no sin for nature, it doesn’t sin, can’t commit one single act of sin, not one single thought that’s wrong. That’s the New Birth.

I still got this one over here that plagues me to no end. I have problems with him all the time. He’s always lying to me, deceiving me. But now that I know Christ is my Savior, there’s some things that God says, I want the world to know that I love my Father. So what is he going to do? He’s got his disciples, those who believe on him, and he’s going to send them out so that they will tell people how much he loves them.

So he says in verse one of chapter 15, see verse one goes back to the verse right before it. It’s as to follow through. There’s no break division in here. He’s an I am the true vine. And my father is the husband man. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he take it the way. Now it’s not so much that you and I have to try to produce this fruit is that we bear the fruit that comes from us.

We’re the branch that’s holding the fruit. But the power comes from the Lord. And he’s the one that works through the branches. You see, you and I never saved a soul. It’s the Lord working through us. And it’s so he says, for you and I to abide in him. Now, to help you to understand the verses here, if you took the word abide and simply put the word serve, then you’ll understand it better because that’s what he’s talking about.

To abide in the Lord means to serve the the Lord. By yielding to Him, letting Him use you, it means to live where you’ve been placed. You’ve been placed here as a child of God. Live like a child of God. Act like a child of God. Learn to use the language of the court, the divine language, the heavenly language, God’s word. And He says, in verse 2, every branch in me that beareth not fruit, take it the way. And every branch that beareth fruit, he purges it that it may bring forth more fruit.

He says, Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you, abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. In the words you by yourself, you can save us all. Our only reason you have people who trust the Lord through you is because the Lord is working through you. And He’s the one that produces the fruit that’s barren, they’re on the vine. But the Lord’s the one who saves us, He’s the one that uses us.

And so you and I, after we trust the Lord, we have a choice. We can serve the Lord. And if we serve the Lord, He wants us to bear fruit. And because He He wants you to bear fruit. He wants you to bear more fruit and much fruit. So you’re the one that determines how much fruit you bear by your yieldedness to the Lord. And some people are maybe a little fruit and some 60 and some 100 full.

But every one of us as a branch in the vine are supposed to abide in the vine. serve the purpose. A biting in the vine, serve the purpose of the flow of the juices and the goods that produce the fruit. We don’t save anybody, but God uses us as we yield to Him. Now this is not talking about how to get to heaven. Many people read this and they say, well see there they took the branches and they throw them in the fire.

And that’s a sign that you’re lost. No, if anybody has anything to do with a husband, tree, realizing that if you want something, you got to prune off all this stuff. Well, you see, when you trusty Christ as your Savior, you probably had a lot of bad habits in your life, bad thoughts. You didn’t have control of every area. But as you begin to grow in the Lord, and as the Holy Spirit that lives within you, reveals things to you that you need to cut off out of your life.

They cut this out and they cut this out. What’s the Lord doing to you? He’s pruning you. Why? So that you can have more fruit. And there’s always things in our life that needs to be cut off out of our lives. So God wants to clip and cut and things like that. Well these things that He cuts off, we don’t need those anymore. God prunes you for a reason, for a purpose. He says, now men, when they take a literal vine and they do this, men take those branches that doesn’t bear, and men will take those and cast them into the firecalls.

They’re not used. But for you and I, it means that you are set aside, you’re not used by God. You see, God wants every one of us to bear fruit, and a lot of God’s children don’t bear fruit. And so it’s like you’re not being used. God says, if any man served me, him will my Father honor. And one day you’re gonna get the praise, the honor and the glory that God wants to give to every one of us when we get to heaven, but we’re not there yet.

And you only get that honor, that recognition, that praise Because we’ve served and you serve in order to bear fruit. No fruit. Are you serving? Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Can I follow without fishing? Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. That’s why some people when they really understand this, they want God to use them to reach other people for the Lord. because that is the greatest sign of love. You can ever manifest from your life.

Because God said, I want the world to know that I love my Father. So I’m sending you out as my friends. I want you to serve. I want you to bear fruit. And those people are the ones that trust the Lord through you. So I believe God wants all of us to be so winners, tell people how to get to heaven when they die. Because you realize this, the devil don’t care how much you go to church, how much money you give, how much you do, everything else.

Just don’t talk about the Lord. And yet that takes more courage and more strength, more grace of God to explain to somebody, look, I just want you to know God loves you. Jesus Christ paid for your sins. If I was the devil, that’s the one thing I don’t want you to do. I wouldn’t want you to do that for anything. And yet that’s the one thing Christ says to do. That’s more important than anything else that you do. Because see, nobody’s gonna go to heaven because you go to church.

And they’re not gonna have because you gave money. Now if it’s used for those reasons, it can be useful. But I’m talking about you can sing and not win a soul. But God saves because of using you for his honor and for his glory, abide in him, serve him for the purpose of reaching fruit, of bearing fruit. And the fruit is not something that you produce. That’s something God produces through you. And you don’t know whether or not it’s going to be a little fruit or a lot of fruit.

You never know. But does God have the freedom to use you? However he wants, wherever he wants. Can he trust you? God says he has entrusted us with the gospel, even so we speak. not as pleasing man, but God which tryeth our heart. We speak with the mouth. The tongue and sometimes it’s the most difficult thing in the world. You know the hardest part about witnessing is getting started. Just getting started. But once you get started, it’s amazing how easy some time it can flow.

Not some people to tell you to shut up mind your own business, leave you along and tell you where to go. I’ve had all of us. And I’ve had people get mad and get up and walk away and so forth. When I tried to talk to my stepdad, my stepdad says, if I want to help you out, I want to help you out. here preaching, I go to church and I shut your mouth and leave me alone. Don’t you come over here preaching to me every time I turn around.

And that used to just tear me up. I didn’t know how to do it a better way. But years later, my stepdad trusts the Lord. When I graduated from Florida Bible College, and I had to come over here and speak for Hank, but after I graduated, And I went up to Georgia, and when I got to Georgia, my stepdad was in the emergency room. He was in ICU, and when I got to the door, I just looked through this little glass, and I could see my mom inside my stepdad, and he was in with tubes and all that going on all of them, and he had heart surgery.

And they didn’t know if he was going to live or not. And I remember watching my mom standing there, and she was just crying. And my stepdad saw me with my little face inside that little glass through the window. And he went like this. And my mom looked and she saw me. And she says, you want him, Yankee to come and pray for you? So I got to go into the room. And I stood beside my stepdad. And he had already trusted Christ as Savior, but he had never served the Lord.

And he wanted me to have prayer for him. I had prayer for him. He lived a little longer. A couple months later he passed away. But I’ve seen God work, but he’s in heaven now. My mom used to get up and walk out of the house. But I love my mom. I didn’t want my mom to go to hell. My mom used to haul the liquor. My dad made it. They had a liquor steal. My sister got real mad one time when she heard the explosions.

Somebody called on her and she lost about a thousand gallons. They dynamite at her with any way that’s another story. But it’s, I led her to the Lord too. She’s in heaven now. And my mom, she’s in heaven now. I’m so glad that we don’t have to live good enough to go to heaven. So none of us could. Salvation going to heaven, that’s a gift to God, it’s by grace. I’m so glad that we have a message that we can talk to anybody, anywhere.

And we don’t have to try to get them to change their life, stop something, join something. I just want people to look, God loves you. We’re all sinners. Nobody’s even better than anybody else. Would you trust the Lord? Would you believe he died on that cross and paid for your sin that we’d get? Trust me to take you to heaven when we die. 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. Our two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. 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 toll free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.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. We will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.

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 today. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org. We pray that you’ll 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.

So are you gonna have storms in life? Yeah, you wanna have some storms in life and you ought to be thrilled and deaf you get that opportunity to demonstrate your faith in God. A lot of people run from these trials and tribulations in fear and in trembling, but you ought to welcome like you’re just getting a pot of gold sent to you because when you get to heaven, God’s gonna reward you richly because of your faithfulness and the time of testing.

Now here in the book of Luke, Look there in the book of Luke chapter 8. And look in verse 22, chapter 8 verse 22, Jesus stills the waves, must have been a storm. Look in verse 22, now He came to pass on a certain day that He went into a ship with the disciples. He said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake, and they launched forth, and as they sailed he fell asleep, and there came down a storm of wind upon the lake, and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

They said to him and woke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish! Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they seized, and there was a calm. He said unto them, you ought to underline this statement in your Bible. Where is your faith? Where is your faith? Now remember, they must have some, but maybe they have it in the wrong place. You see, there’s a few things mentioned here. One is the sailors. One is the ship.

One is the sea. One is the storm. And one is the Savior. So you’ve got these five things in this verse. The sailors, that was them. They were the sailors. Were they trusting in their ability? And that’s why they were worried because they knew they didn’t have what it takes to deliver themselves from the storm. So evidently, maybe they were trusting in themselves. And if they trust in themselves, what usually happens whenever you don’t see a way up, produces the fear.

And a lot of people are scared to death because they can’t make something happen. They don’t have the wisdom, the talent, the ability to perform, to work those little miracles that they want. And they don’t like to be shown up because of the element of pride. Nobody wants to be humbled and that’s why the Bible talks about Moses. Moses had made the statement, Lord don’t let me see how wicked I am. All the people are against me and he didn’t know what he was going to do.

He said, I’m ready to commit suicide. I’m ready to get out of here. He said, don’t let me see my wickedness. Nobody wants to be seen to be weak and lack of faith. Everybody likes to put forth that I’m strong in the Lord. And God says, I’m going to let you see whether or not are you really strong in the Lord or because I haven’t tested you good enough in certain areas. That’s why the Bible talks about multiple testings, diversity of testings, all kinds to see what you’re made out of.

That says here in verse 22, and it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with the disciples and he said unto them, let us go over unto the other side of the lake. Wait a minute, who told them that? Jesus did. Whose idea was it getting to boot? Jesus. Whose idea was it to go on the other side of the lake? Jesus. Didn’t he say let us go over to the other side of the lake?

Jesus. Then he said, let us go over to the other side of the lake. Why would they question a doubt that ever arrived? Didn’t he just tell them we’re going to the other side? So what did he do? What did he do? He went to sleep. He went to sleep. Evidently, he don’t care about us. I mean, he’s the Lord. He can just do anything he wants to. He can walk on the water. But what about us? Do you believe that God can deliver you?

Regardless of the problem, regardless of what you need. And so therefore there’s people who put their confidence in themselves, the sailors. They didn’t have what it takes to deliver them. Then you look at the next thing down here, it talks about that they went in a ship. Well what if you wouldn’t care about a storm if the ship was big enough. I have been on the U.S. Abraham Lincoln. It’s a huge aircraft carrier. This whole 7,000 people is a city.

And I don’t care what storm came up. I would have slept like a rock. And I watched the waves and so forth. And that thing never moved one eye out. Because the ship was big and I was trusting in the ship. And I didn’t worry about anything. Why? Because the ship was big. But what if God causes your ship to be small? And you see, when it’s small, and maybe the money is small, you ever been where you didn’t have a lot of money?

enough money to meet the need and then God has failed you and you weep and well and gnash your teeth. And if there’s a God up there then how come he don’t do something about it? Well maybe he is doing something about it. He’s watching you squirm. He’s watching you squirm and wants to see whether or not are you going to trust him? Do you love money more? What kind of an attitude do you have? Whan and pan and moan and groan.

My God is a wonderful God. He’s an awesome God. He just don’t know how to provide for me. Well, God is going to reveal things to you and that’s what you’re afraid of. You’re afraid sometime to see how weak you are and that you know if it wasn’t for the grace of God, you wouldn’t be standing at all. If God allowed certain to come your way. Do you realize you may not stand? I just got word last night that some preacher up there in Hammon, Indiana messed up with a 16-year-old girl.

It was the largest church in the world. It was a church where Dr. Jack Hiles was the pastor, his son-in-law. Maybe he got too big for his britches. Maybe he just saw a 16 year old girl. It’s cost him the ministry. Probably we’ll put him in jail. And you know what? He’ll probably blame God. Did you know that God can allow a person to be tested because he knows where you really are? And when you fall, it won’t be because of that.

That’s just revealed your weakness in advance. See, not already knows whether or not where is your faith? Is your faith in you and what you can do? And when you can’t see that you have the power to do certain things, you’re scared to death. You’re fearful, you tremble. But look what else? You see, evidently the ship must not have been too big cause it was tossed to and fro. And so it says here, there’s the sea. You see, it’s okay when the sea was calm.

They weren’t worried when they were in the boat, in the water, when the water was still. This sea, I have been on the sea of Galilee. I’ve been right there. I preached on the sea of Galilee many times. I enjoy it. I’ve also seen it when it’s been a little on the rough side. The rough of the water, the bigger the ship I’d rather have. But you see, when the sea is calm, everything’s fine. will not be complaining. When things are going easy in your life, you’d be surprised how, boy, is God good.

Isn’t God good? God is just so good. Yeah, did you know when everything falls apart, your life, God is still just as good. God has not changed. God’s character doesn’t change. He is immutable. He doesn’t change. He’s always good. He is a good God. He is a loving God. He loves you with an everlasting love. He’ll never leave you and never forsake you. He is with you. He walks with you, casts all your cares upon him. Well that’s easy preaching and hard living in it.

Now, what else did they see? What else did they see? They saw themselves, that wasn’t going to be sufficient. Their faith shouldn’t have been there. And it’s all the sea, well, their face shouldn’t have been in that because the sea produced the waves that produced the ship, the ship evidently wasn’t, it must have been a problem. And there’s the storm. And the storm comes, the storm rages And they can’t stop a storm. It’d be like Yankee been out there stopping this last one.

Big rain that we had come through here. Lord, keep it out there in the God. Can you see me out here in the parking lot doing that person in the river? I think there would be a problem. I don’t think I got the ability to do that. There are storms that’s going to come in your light that’s going to shake you to your core. To see what in the world are you made out of. And people always enjoy watching how somebody else handles their problems.

Because you will know how strong are they, how stabilized are they. And sometimes they might need somebody to come along and give them a word of encouragement. Are you the one that stands back and says, man, look at that. He got a storm in his life. He’s got a fall. I just know he’s got a fall. Or you’re supposed to go along and try to help and encourage one and heaven. Look, just keep your eyes on the Lord. Just keep trusting the Lord.

I don’t know how God’s going to do this, but God’s going to work it out. A person needs to focus upon Christ and knowing that he will not leave you and not forsake you and God will see you through. You see, there’s one other thing. The one they thought they should be trusting in, they’re supposed to know who they are and know where they are and love them was asleep. You think sometimes God has gone on a vacation. You know, he’s wound you all up and set you loose and say, I’ll see y’all in about a thousand years.

But do you believe that God, since he never slumbers and never sleeps, there’s no sense both of you stand awake at night? You’re not supposed to embarrass God or insult God, I should say. By thinking that your problems are so big, he can’t handle them. Or to insult God by thinking your problems are too small to bother him with. He says, cast all your tears upon him, all of them, big and small, because God wants your trust in him all the time.

He wants you to look to him. Look what he says here in verse 24, and they came to him and woke him saying, Master, Master, we perish. Then he arose, rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there was was a calm, there was a calm. And then in verse 25, and he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered. Why were they afraid after he calmed the wind, after he calmed the storm, after there was peace?

Why were they still afraid? Because they knew, They didn’t do it because they knew the one they had on board was God, where even the winds and the waves obey His will. Take your Bible and look there in the book of Mark 4, just turn back to the left of a few pages, Mark 4. Mark 4, just look at this very quickly again, verse 35. And the same day when the evening was come, he stood on them, let us pass over onto the other side.

When they had sent away the multitudes, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. Little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind and the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full. He was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow. And they awake him and said unto him, Master, carest not thou that we perish. That’s an interesting statement. Lord, do you realize that I need some money and I don’t have none?

Don’t you care. Don’t you care about me? Lord, I need this. What is it you need? What have you talked to God about? Can you trust the Lord to come through in the nick of time? Trust Him. And you’ll be surprised what God will do for you, but He’s looking for a person with faith. And God knows whether or not you have faith in Him when you have the peace of God. Now we’ll keep Him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon.

They trust you in the Lord, the hope of what in the Lord’s your hope is everlasting strength. There is strength and there’s joy in trusting the Lord. And when your joy isn’t gone, it means your faith isn’t in him. It’s limited. Therefore, God says this, let it be unto you according to your faith. Well, I don’t see God, God’s gonna do this. Well, based on that, he might not. I don’t know how God’s gonna do it, but I know he will.

Probably will. Be it unto you according to your faith. What can you trust God for? Where is your faith? Look what else he says here. When he makes that statement there in verse 38, care is not that we perish. Doesn’t the Bible say some player about cast all your care upon him, for he careth for us? And then you’ll ask the question, God, don’t you care? Well, he says in another verse, remember who he is? What he said. There’s none greater.

He cannot lie. Does God care? Does God care about you? Does God care about this church? Does God care about your family? God does care. You can’t love your husband more than God does. You can’t love your wife more than God does. You can’t love your children more than God does. You can’t love this church more than God does. You can’t do it. It’s impossible. The only love you have is what you’ve got from him. Do you think you have more than him?

Do you think that your desire to please God is greater than God’s desire for you to please him? Don’t overestimate God or underestimate God God by thinking that God doesn’t care. Does God care? Does God know every problem that you now have? Does he know the ones that you’re going to get? Yeah. But there’s something God wants that’s so very important. There’s a story about a woman who had an issue of blood and she was coming up behind Christ and the doctors couldn’t help her and she touched the hymn of His garment.

He turned around and said, who touched me? Remember the story? He said, Master, everybody’s touching you. Not with faith. Not with faith. Somebody touched me that believes that I can do something for them. And he says, virtue has gone out of me. You You see, God knows who believes. In John, the Gospel of John, chapter two, it says that Jesus knew what was in man. Do you know that God already knows whether you trust Him or not? A lot of times the testing is to reveal it to you, because God already knows.

God is God. So God wants to reveal to you that your trust is not in Him. You see, trust in the Lord produces the peace and the joy and the happiness that you ought to have. Now as I’m teaching this, I’m also preaching to myself. Don’t think just because, well, you’re 70 years old. You don’t have to face the decisions like we do. Yes, I do. I could write a book. There’s all kinds of things. All the time. It never stops.

But you want to keep your eyes focused upon the Lord. Lest the decisions of life and people and things get you so sidetracked and you lose who you really are and the important things in life. God wants you and I to walk with Him and to trust Him. Look what He says there in verse 39. And here Rose rebuked the wind. And set unto the sea, peace be still, and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said unto them, Why are you so fearful?

How is it that you have no faith? Didn’t he already tell them, Let’s get in the boat and we’ll go to the other side. Then don’t you think that if their trust was in the Lord, they’ll get to the other side. They were worried for their own life. I didn’t ask for all the things that happens in my life. But God has seen fit to bring things into my life and take things out of my life. It doesn’t really matter what it is because I know at the end of the road and when I get to heaven, God is going to reward me for being faithful.

It is required in a steward that a man be found faithful, not rich, popular, good-looking, ugly, it don’t matter. Faithful, so that’s something everybody can do with what God’s given to you. Everybody can be faithful. You can put your trust in the Lord after you trusted them as your Savior and you You can walk with the Lord. But what else he says in verse 41, and they feared exceedingly and said one to another, what manner of man is this?

That even the winds and the sea obey him. What kind of a person is this? He’s the Lord, he’s God. You know why these stories are in the Bible? So you and I can have great consolation. Look who we’re talking about. We’re talking about Him that entered into the veil, into the holy of holies. And we are anchored to Him. We’re anchored. And that’s why your faith is to be in the Lord. And He is unmoved, that He is my rock.

He’s my rock, my sword, my shield. There’s a song about that I wish I could remember, but I don’t remember. I hope you don’t mind my singing every once in a while. It won’t hurt you none. You can endure anything for a short period Krug time.aiden. So, look up here. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. It’s ARTICLE the bad things that we do. I want you to know that God loves us. God loves you, He loves me.

He hates what we do wrong. He hates our sin. And the Bible says that we have all sinned and come short of God’s perfection. See, reprimand. God is perfect. We’re not. We’ve all come short of his righteousness. But to go to heaven, you’ve got to be perfect as righteous as God, just as if you had never sinned. Well, God says you cannot save yourself. You need to save you. And the Bible says you cannot earn your way to heaven by your good works.

So this hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world because he loves us. Hates our sin because it separates us from him. So Jesus Christ who had no sin didn’t have to die, but He took all of the sins, paid for them on the cross, came back from the dead. And when we talk about Christ died for me, that means He paid for my sins. What that means is I don’t have to pay for my sins.

What that means is I don’t have to go to hell. I don’t have to go to hell and pay for one sin, He paid for all my sins. And all I have to do is believe He did it for me and He puts this payment to my account. I go to heaven on what he did, not what I do. Now, after you trust Christ as your Savior and you have eternal life and you’re going to heaven when you die.

God wants us to learn how to walk by faith. You see how we were saved? We were saved, not because of any good works that we did. We were saved because we believed that he, there’s none greater, paid for our sins. And he gave us his word that if I believe he did it for me, He would put this payment to my account. He promised to give me eternal life and he cannot lie. So I am born into God’s family and I get to go to heaven on what he said.

Now if we can trust him to take us to heaven, can you trust your heavenly Father for a hamburger from day to day? He said, but what if I die? You still want to heaven, aren’t you? Death isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you. The worst thing that happened to you is to stay down here forever, like this. The best thing that could happen to me is to drop dead, absent from the body present with the Lord.

And the older I get, the better it looks. Christ died for me. Now that I know Him as my Savior, I want to see just what it’s going to be like when I get to heaven and what He’s going to give me. I can’t wait for the surprise. He says, he will honor and praise and glory. You know, you’ve been watching the Olympics and you see them standing up there and they’re for their country and all the tears and their victory.

You know, that illustration is what’s taught in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 9. When we run in a race, you run to win, but they are corruptible crown. But we are an incorruptible crown. Because one day when it’s all over and we stand before the jebbins of the Christ, the Christ, the rewarding stand. God is going to give us the praise, the honor, and the glory because you were victorious because God allowed you to be challenged. All these things in the Olympics, they don’t just give out those awards.

They have to earn them and they work and they sweat for years for maybe a minute or a two or three minute ordeal. And some of them are broken hearted because of all the labor they put into it and then they come crashing down or one little mistake and then they lose it all for their country. But when you serve the Lord, you don’t lose. Every man shall receive praise of God that deserves praise of God. You may not get it from man down here, but that’s not why you’re doing it.

You’re doing it for the Lord and when you get there, it will be You worked it all. Let’s pray, shall we? If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, if you’re listening, if you’re never really understood, would you right now the best you know how? Say, Lord, I know I’m a sinner, I believe Christ died, that He paid for my sins, and I’m gonna trust Him to take me to heaven when I die. And friend, if you will trust Him, God said He will save you and give you eternal life.

You’ll go to heaven on what He did for you. Would you trust Him? Does anyone else say, yes, that made sense to me, I will trust Christ as my Savior tonight and preach I like you to pray for me. If you’ve never done it before, would you do it right now? Would you slip you in it very quickly and put it right back down? You know what it all. If you have trust that Christ is your Savior, where’s your faith?

You’re already going to heaven. You know that. You know that the Lord, He’s your Father. You’re His child. He knows who you are. He knows where you are. He knows what you’re going through. Can you trust Him? Can you put your confidence in Him? and say, Lord, I don’t know how you’re going to do this. I don’t know when you’re going to do it, but I believe that you will. And maybe you’re having a rough time right now. You see, preacher, that made sense to me, and I needed that message tonight.

And I am struggling, I do have some things. And I like to have special prayer tonight. Would you just slip your hand very quickly and put a right back down? Let’s God bless you and you and you and you, God bless you. There’s many. I appreciate that. It’s just a science in Lord. I’m needy. I need help. Our Father, we thank You so much for all that You’ve done for us. And Father, there’s many here tonight that said, Lord, I need this.

I need encouragement. I want to put my confidence in You. Lord, I don’t know how You’re going to bring me through this or whatever it might be, but I’m going to trust You. I’m going to walk with You, and cast my cares upon You, and He leads. But you will do what you promised to do. You thank you for the Christ 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 were blessed by today’s message. 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 toll free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now we’re closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. 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 1-800-800-800-800. 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 there’s anything you need to understand, that’s what I’m going to talk about tonight. You and… You and I are facing every day of our lives one problem after another. You’re either in the midst of a problem, coming out of a problem, or just about ready to go into one. Which is it? You say everything’s fine. Heh heh heh. Sure. But that’s what life is designed for. You present the problems so that you’ll go to the Lord to find the solution.

And everybody wants to go to the Lord, and everyone wants to learn, so you ought to crave all the various problems that you have in life. And if you don’t have any problems, man, I feel sorry for you. You just not learning anything. You must be having a totally miserable life, not to grow in the faith. So I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Luke. And chapter 18, the book of Luke, chapter 18.

In chapter 18 of the book of Luke, he’s made this statement. In verse 7, And shall not God avenge his only leg. Now, those who have trusted Christ’s Savior, God has chosen them to have certain opportunities because they’re his children. And so God wants to bless them, and so there’s opportunities that God gives to us in life, and some things happen without your choice. You know, you didn’t choose it. We call them accidents. But I’m not sure there’s accidents in the Christian’s life.

Because there’s a God in heaven, nothing catches him by surprise. He doesn’t say, oh, I didn’t know about that one. Oh, I don’t know. What am I going to… So God is having a nervous breakdown. Can you picture God having a nervous breakdown? He don’t know what he’s going to do. And you’ve got so many problems. He can’t handle them all. Well, he says in verse eight, I tell you, he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, you ought to underline this.

Shall he find faith on the earth? Now, everyone has faith. It means the ability to trust. Everybody trusts something or someone. You can trust the peer to hold you up, you trust the car to get you here, you trust the lights to work, and somebody else to stop. All kinds of things. So trust is being demonstrated all the time in every way. But what he’s talking about is, will he find people trusting him? When he comes, will he find people trusting him, depending upon him?

So your life is designed in such a way that God wants to test your faith. So turn in your Bible to the book of 1 Peter and chapter 1. 1 Peter and chapter 1. Where is your faith? What are you trusting in? What is your hope? What is the anchor of your soul that makes you solid as a rock? Well, sometimes I wish I was solid like a rock. I still get shook up sometimes, and I get problems and doubts and confusion, and then I believe it happens in just about everybody’s life.

But here in 1 Peter, I want you to look there in chapter 1, and it says, in verse 4, two, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fate of not away reserved in heaven for you. See, once you trusted Christ as your Savior, you became his child, So God has a place for you in heaven. It’s undefiled and it fades if not away. It’s reserved for you. You have a reservation made. He’s not going to reserve you under a place if you’re not going to show up.

You will show up, but you’re not there yet. So look at the next verse where it says, who are kept by the power of God? See, you didn’t have the power to save yourself. You don’t have the power to keep yourself safe. Did you realize that the testing of life revealed how little power you really have? Because see, if you and I could control everything, wouldn’t it be neat, maybe? Or God wants it to where you let him control your life.

So that you can allow him to bring him to your life or move out of your life, whatever it is. God has a reason and you can trust him. You can believe him. So he makes a statement in verse six. We’re in you greatly rejoice. You ought to be happy and thrilled with that that yes, you have a place reserved for you in heaven. You’re kept by the power of God. The devil can’t get your soul. You can’t never go to hell.

And the place that you’re going to, it paid up not away, and it’s just a wonderful thing to know. And then he says in verse six, we’re in you greatly rejoice, though now for a season if need be. You are in heaviness through manifold temptations, lot of testings, lot of trials, lot of problems. You rejoice in that you’re going to heaven, but you know you’re not there. You’re living down here in the nasty here now and not in the pie in the sky.

And so while you’re looking at the things that you’re having to go through, manifold, just many problems, not one, and they don’t usually come one at a time. Sometimes they come heaped all together and they weigh you down and they’re sorrow and it’s heavy. Look what he says, heaviness through manifold temptation. So does God know that? Yeah, You God knows that. Does he see you? Yeah, he sees you. Does he know what’s coming tomorrow? He knows every bit of it.

Is he worried? Is your daddy worried? No, he’s not worried. He already knows what’s going to happen. All you got to do is just trust him and walk with him. And it’ll be so much easier. But now, like this one person told me one time, he says, don’t tell me worry and doesn’t pay 90% of what I worry about never happens. So he believed that his worrying is paying off. Well, I don’t think so. Verse 7, that the trial of your faith.

Where is your faith? You see, the trial is to reveal where is your faith. What are you trusting in? What’s your problem? Are you trusting in you? Are you trusting in others? Are you trusting in something that can fail you and disappoint you? Remember, God never fails. God does not disappoint. He said, I’ll never leave you and never forsake you. But if you put your comes and trust in something else, God may remove anything else you trust in so that you fall.

Because God doesn’t want there to be anything between you and him. So don’t put things between you and God. You just want to use the pressures of life and there’s many. Let them push you closer to the Lord, but do not allow the pressures of life to become like a wedge and push you away from the Lord. Verse 7, that the trial of your faith being much more precious, get that much more precious than of gold that perishes. In other words, this thing, you had a lot of money.

Well, all of these money, if I had money, money I can buy my way out of anything if I just had money. You have a word if God took your life with all that money. You know rich people died just like poor people. So all your money is not going to bring you happiness. You say I’d like to try it just once in a while. You know just as if there’s anything I wish God would let me be tempted with is just more money than I can handle.

But it may not be that way. You know you just might not be able to be trusted with a million dollars. Maybe if you had a million dollars, it would lead you away from God. Now, which would you rather have? The Lord or the million dollars? Careful. Said, preacher, if I had a million dollars, I’d give you 900,000. Lord, give them a million. Somebody said, I want a million dollars from a lottery. Preacher, if I give 10% to the church, he says, would it be tainted?

I said, it’s pain enough. Well, anyway, as we look at my here in verse seven, be in much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, get to might be found unto praise. In other words, God says, I will allow you to go through trials because praise for going through the trial is worth more than gold and silver. In other words, for God, when you get to heaven, for God to praise you, for God to honor you, to God to give you glory when you get to heaven is going to be worth more than silver and gold.

So if you had a choice… What would you rather have problems? I have craved problems all my life. They go from one crisis to another crisis to another because I knew that all the problems challenges my faith. But if I accept the challenge, the problems, the trials, the temptations, my confidence in the Lord will grow stronger because I’ve lived 52 years and I’ve seen God keep bringing me through all the trials and tribulations. Should I stop trusting Him now?

So while I met my quota, God, get off my back. Let me have a few short years of just peace and quiet. I’ve really thought about that. But it doesn’t seem like that’s the way it’s going to happen. But the Lord has never failed me, He will not fail you. And if you understand the purpose of trials and tribulations, you won’t mind them. It’s when you can’t solve the problem, when it’s bigger than what you are. And God will want you to see that you might be trusting the wrong thing.

And I want to tell you a little story that I think will help you on that. But in this verse, might be found in the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. yet. It ain’t no re yet. But one day it will be worth it all. So just be looking to the Lord and trusting the Lord and trusting Him to walk you through whatever. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of Hebrews. Just turn to the left a couple pages and the book of Hebrews in chapter 6.

Hebrews chapter 6 and look there in verse 13. Hebrews chapter 6 verse 13. This is a very important portion of Scripture in the Word of God. This is where you ought to be so strong in. One reason is because there is nobody greater than God. So if you have the one that’s the greatest of all time, and then the greatest one of all time told you something and he cannot lie. Two immutable things that cannot be changed. Nobody greater than him and he cannot lie.

that ought to give a man confidence in peace. Can I trust the one that there’s nobody greater and he can’t lie? He gave his word. He can’t lie. So you see there in verse 13, when God made promise to Abraham because he could get this square by no greater, he’s square by himself. There’s nobody greater. And then he says in verse 14, saying, surely blessing, I will bless thee, multiplying I will multiply thee. In other words, it’s what I am going to do.

And he said it to Abraham. In verse 15, and so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men very swear by the greater. And an O for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. In other words, you hear somebody say, I swear on my dead mother’s grave. What did it mean by that? Well, if this is holy and sacred to me, I’m giving you my word. I swear by the heavens. But you see, they always swear by the thing they think is the greatest thing to convince you of something.

And there’s nobody greater than God. So you don’t have to worry about somebody overriding God taking away what God promised. But lean verse 16, where he says, for men very swear by the greater. And an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. We’re in God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation.

Why? Because the one there is none greater, He cannot lie, I ought to have confidence. God gave His Word. He can’t lie. So my hope should be in what He said. I should believe it. So God will allow all the problems of life, to see whether or not do you believe that? Where is your faith? Is it in the one that is the greatest of all that made a promise, He cannot lie? That’s why the Bible talks about the divine promises.

Promises made by the divine. God cannot fail. God cannot lie. Now can you believe that? This is where faith comes from. Faith is the ability to trust. Faith commit by hearing and hearing by the word of God. As Abraham staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief but was strong in faith. believe in what God said. Now look what he says in verse 18, that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation or be greatly encouraged.

What are you facing? What’s your problem? God wants to bring you to the point where you are encouraged by what he said, not by the things of life. That is like a mirage. It’s like that’s not the real life. You see, that walk between me and God, that’s what’s real. That’s real. Everything else I’m not to believe in. Trust in. But that which… I can see by the eye of faith. Get what else he says here. In the last part of verse 18, it says, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul.

My confidence is in his word and is both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that, that which is within the veil. Verse 20, whether the forerunner is for us entered Jesus. See, Jesus is already ascended beyond the veil. My hope is in Him and it cannot fail because see, it’s immutable, unchanging. God, the greatest, can’t be changed. His word, He cannot lie, That can’t be changed. So God is looking for those who can put their trust in Him.

Can you believe Him? That is going to be revealed by the things that happens in your life and whether or not you can keep walking with the Lord with a smile on your face and say, everything’s in God’s hands and I trust Him and I don’t know how He’s going to do it. I just believe that He will. That’s when you become a strong Christian. So how you doing? Everybody got a big smile on their face and happy about the things of the Lord.

You say, you don’t know what I’m going through. I don’t care what you’re going through. It doesn’t matter. I just want God to bless you with problem after problem after problem so it’ll keep you humble and close to the Lord. You know you get too big for your britches. You’d be surprised what will happen to you. God has to keep us humble. And he knows how to do it. He’s been doing it for a while. Now take your Bible and turn with me to the book of Luke.

The book of Luke. Turn to the book of Luke in chapter eight. Luke and chapter eight. There’s a song and it’s in this book. My anchor holes. It’s not in your book, but it’s in a book that I had, that I brought down here. Let me see. In view of what I’m saying, listen to the words of this song. This is the song, though the angry surges roll. On my campus, driven soul, I am peaceful for I know, while the although winds may blow.

I’ve an anchor safe and sure, that can ever bore indoor. And it holds my anchor holds, Though your wildest then no gale, On my bark so small and frail, By his grace I shall not fail, For my anchor holds, My anchor holds, That’s the one that goes into the veil and your anchor holds. But you don’t know if it’ll hold until you have something that pulls you in the opposite direction. And your hope is in what God says and you can trust the Lord.

So are you gonna have storms in life? Yeah, you’re gonna have some storms in life. And you ought to be thrilled to death that you get that opportunity to demonstrate your faith in God. A lot of people run from these trials and tribulations. In fear and in trembling, but you ought to welcome like you’re just getting a pot of gold sent to you. Because when you get to heaven, God’s going to reward you richly because of your faithfulness in the time of testing.

Now here in the book of Luke, look there in the book of Luke chapter 8 and look in verse 22. 8 verse 22, Jesus stills the waves, must have been a storm. Look at verse 22, now He came to pass on a certain day that He went into a ship with the disciples. He said unto them, Let us go over onto the other side of the lake, and they launch forth. And as they sailed, he fell asleep, and there came down a storm of wind upon the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy.

They said to him and woke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they seized, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, You ought to underline this statement in your Bible. Where is your faith? Where’s your faith? Now, remember, they must have some, but maybe they have it in the wrong place. You see, there’s a few things mentioned here. One is the sailors. One is the ship.

One is the sea. One is the storm. And one is the savior. So you’ve got these five things in this verse. The sailors, that was them. They were the sailors. Were they trusting in their ability? And that’s why they were worried because they knew they didn’t have what it takes to deliver themselves from the storm. So evidently, maybe they were trusting in themselves. If they trust in themselves, what usually happens whenever you don’t see a way up? That’s produces the fear.

And a lot of people are scared to death because they can’t make something happen. They don’t have the wisdom, the talent, the ability to perform, to work those little miracles that they want. And they don’t like to be shown up because of the element of pride. Nobody wants to be humbled, and that’s why the Bible talks about Moses. Moses had made the statement, Lord, don’t let me see how wicked I am. All the people are against me, and he didn’t know what he was going to do.

He said, I’m ready to commit suicide. I’m ready to get out of here. So don’t let me see my wickedness. Nobody wants to be seen to be weak and lack of faith. Everybody likes to put forth that, I’m strong in the Lord. And God says, I’m gonna let you see whether or not, are you really strong in the Lord? Or because I haven’t tested you good enough in certain areas. That’s why the Bible talks about multiple testings, diversity of testings, all kinds to see what you’re made out of.

Yeah, that says here. And verse 22, and it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with the disciples and he said unto them, let us go over unto the other side of the lake. Wait a minute, who told them that? Jesus did. Whose idea was he getting the boat? Jesus. Whose idea was he going the other side of the lake? Jesus. Then he said, let us go over to the other side of the lake.

Why would they question a doubt that ever arrived? Didn’t he just tell them we’re going to the other side? So what did he do? What did he do? He went to sleep. He went to sleep. Evidently he don’t care about us. I mean he’s the Lord. He can just do anything he wants to. He can walk on the water. But what about us? Do you believe that God can deliver you? Regardless of the problem, regardless of what you need.

And so therefore, there’s people who put their confidence in themselves, the sailors. They didn’t have what it takes to deliver them. Then you look at the next thing down here, it talks about that they went in a ship. Well, wasn’t it? You wouldn’t care about a storm if the ship was big enough. I have been on the U.S. Abraham Lincoln. It’s a huge aircraft carrier. This whole 7,000 people is a city. And I don’t care what storm came up.

I would have slept like a rock. And I watched the waves and so forth, and that thing never moved one eye out. Because the ship was big and I was trusting in the ship. And I didn’t worry about anything. Why? Because the ship was big. But what if God causes your ship to be small? And you see, when it’s small, and maybe the money is small, you ever been where you didn’t have a lot of money? Not enough money to meet the need.

And then God has failed you. and you weep and wail and nash your teeth. And if there’s a God up there, then how come he don’t do something about it? Well, maybe he is doing something about it. He’s watching you squirm. He’s watching you squirm. And wants to see whether or not, are you gonna trust him? Do you love money more? What kind of an attitude do you have? Wine and pine and moan and groan. My God is a wonderful God.

He’s an awesome God. He just don’t know how to provide for me. Well, God is going to reveal things to you and that’s what you’re afraid of. You’re afraid sometime to see how weak you are. And that you know if it wasn’t for the grace of God, you wouldn’t be standing at all. If God allowed certain tests to come your way, do you realize you may not stand? I just got word last night that some preacher up there in Hammon, Indiana, messed up with a 16-year-old girl.

It was the largest church in the world. It was the church where Dr. Jack Hiles was the pastor, his son-in-law. Maybe he got too big for his britches. He just saw a 16 year old girl. It’s cost him the ministry. Probably will put him in jail. And you know what? He’ll probably blame God. Did you know that God can allow a person to be tested? Because he knows where you really are. And when you fall, it won’t be because of that.

That’s just revealed your weakness in advance. See, God already knows whether or not where is your faith? Is your faith in you and what you can do? And when you can’t see that you have the power to do certain things, you’re scared to death, you’re fearful, you tremble. But look what else? You see, evidently the ship must not have been too big because it was tossed to him for a while. And so it says here, there’s the sea. You see, it’s okay when the sea was calm.

They weren’t worried when they were in the boat, in the water, when the water was still. This, say, I have been on the Sea of Galilee. I’ve been right there. I preached on the Sea of Galilee many times. I enjoy it. I’ve also seen it when it’s been a little on the rough side. The rough of the water, the bigger the ship I’d rather have. But you see, when the sea is calm, everything’s fine. They will not be complaining.

When things are going easy in your life, you’d be surprised how, boy, this is the best. God is good. Isn’t God good? God is just so good. Yeah, did you know when everything falls apart to life, God is still just as good? God has not changed. 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.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. We will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon.

Just keep looking up.

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 through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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.

Well, I want you to take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew, Matthew, and chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12, a very interesting portion of Scripture that kind of deals with the things that we say. Now we’ve been studying in the book of James and it tells us some things that we have as far as conflicts in which God is going to reward us when we get to heaven if we had victory over the lust of the flesh.

That’s internal pressures. You know the desires that you control. And then he He says, I’ll reward you when you get to heaven if you have victory over external pressures. You know, you’re going to have trials and tribulation and people problems and financial problems and all those social problems. But if he says, if you have victory over those things, he says, I’m going to reward you when you get to heaven. And then he tells us some things about we need to do as our good works that we do.

Now, it has nothing to do with what people do to us, but what we do for them in James chapter two. a very important book on the Christian life. And God said, I’m going to reward you when you get to heaven if you have good works in your life. Now remember, good works doesn’t get you to heaven. You go to heaven because of what Christ did, not what you do. But now that you’re God’s child, you have eternal life, well, you’re not there yet.

So God left us here. Now it’s not just a matter of getting victory and doing good works. Is it possible for you to do good deeds for people while you’re blessing them out with the tongue. Do wonderful things but then you use that little tongue of yours and you cut somebody real sharp and become bitter and it brings out all that poison inside of you and you infect other people. Is that possible? Yes it is. So God tells us something that we need to keep in mind.

I read this in Sunday school but let me just mention it to you real quickly again. Sometimes we say things we wish we hadn’t said. We do things we wish we hadn’t done. But sometimes we might encourage somebody to do something we wish we hadn’t have encouraged them to do. Well, sometimes you do things that you wish you hadn’t done. And then sometimes you let people talk you into doing something that you wish you hadn’t done. This little tongue right here that we have can be a world of good or a world of iniquity.

And this is what the Lord says in verse 33. So look there in Matthew chapter 12 verse 33, Jesus speaking, he says, either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and the fruit corrupt, for the tree is known by its fruit. A generation old generation of vipers, how can ye be an evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh, a good man out of the good traces of the hearts, bring it forth good things.

And the evil man out of the evil treasures bring it forth evil thing. But I send you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account they’re up in the day of judgment. This isn’t talking about what you said on purpose this is just idle word, just idle chatter. Ever get to bed again with something just idle chatter just talk about anything. And a lot of times have you ever noticed that you I know you won’t ever accuse yourself that idle chatter can be idle gossip.

You just you know you’re not gossip and you know real bad it’s just that it’s for prayer. I mean you wouldn’t say anything against anybody unless it was good and boy is this good. And you have things that you want to share you know you know dirt you got on somebody always remember when you throw dirt you lose ground. Have you ever found out that when you want to give somebody a piece of your mind, you’re in most desperate need of it?

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. So in the book of James we’re not talking about going to heaven, being justified to go to heaven. We’re talking about being justified, cleared by God, that what you said was right, or what you did that was right. God is the one who is the just one. And he’s the justified one. of those who need to be justified. So when we were ungodly and unloveable, he saved us by making a payment for our sins, and we are justified.

Just as if I’ve never sinned, I have been declared righteous by God. I’m his child, I’m going to heaven when I die. But he didn’t take me to heaven yet. He left me here. Since he left me here, he wants me to do certain things for him. So there’s things that I’m to do, things I’m to say, the way I’m supposed to live. So God says, for the rewards in heaven and to be blessed here and for position of service in the kingdom, he says, it depends upon what you do for me.

Now God ain’t going to make you do anything for him. You can trust Christ to save your heavy turn of life, go to heaven when you die, and not do a thing for the Lord. But if you want more than the natural man, if you want more than just the things of this world, well then you’re going to have to serve the Lord. Now nobody can make you do it. But if you decide to do it, God says, I’m going to reward you.

And I’ll make it worth your while. So you have a battle within you. It’s called the Two Natures. And I want you to take your Bible, turn that to the book of James in chapter 3 now. The book of James, chapter 3, right after the book of Hebrews. And I want you to look there in James chapter 3. And you’ll notice there’s a teaching here. I’ll show you this in just a second. But first of all, I want you to look up here after you find James chapter 3.

I want you to look at me. Over here, now this is when we are born into the world. This is our flesh birth. Our flesh birth has a sinful nature. We sin naturally. This flesh birth is not the child of God. It’s not the child of God. It doesn’t do anything right. This is an evil tree. This evil tree has bad fruit. And so this tree can only bring forth bad fruit. So therefore you can tell the tree by its fruit.

So since every individual in the world does something wrong, then we all know that it’s a bad tree because it has a sinful nature and the fruit is the proof that it’s a bad tree. So God says, these trees here, God said, I don’t want these trees in heaven because they got bad fruit. Why? Because in heaven is a perfect place. If God lets us go to heaven the way we are, then we’ll have bad fruit in heaven. That means we’ll lie, steal, cheat, murder, and rob and rape and all that.

We’ll do all that in heaven. why? Because that’s what we do down here. Bad trees here will be a bad tree there. So God says this bad tree, this bad tree with this bad fruit can’t go to heaven. That’s why you needed a Savior. God says that He’s going to give you a new birth. Oh, when you trust Christ as your Savior, you became a tender plant, a little bitty newborn Christian. This little b, here’s a new birth. This one here has a divine nature.

This one can’t sin because it’s born of God. And if it can’t sin, it can’t die. So if it can’t sin, it can’t die. This little newborn child here, this belongs to God. God is its father. That’s why now God becomes your father. You become God’s child. This one has a divine nature. Can’t do anything wrong. Well, then you got this over here. This is a bad tree and the bad tree got bad fruit. This is a good tree born of God.

And it can only bring forth good fruit. It can’t bring forth the bad fruit. Why? Because it has no sinful nature. So your new birth born of God can only do good. This old sinful nature can only do bad. And guess where both of them live inside of this one body. Inside of my body, I have both of these living inside of me. And they’re fighting for the controls of my body. So the Bible says, out of the evil treasures, the mouth speaks out of good treasure the mouth speaks.

What God says now, you only got one mouth. Some people I think have two or three. You got one mouth out of this one mouth. You’re supposed to speak one or the other. Now, since you’re a child of God, which one do you think God wants you to control. He wants you to let the new birth with the divine nature bring forth out of its treasures wisdom. Over here this is the old man, the old nature, and so this one wants to reveal its wisdom.

So from the same mouth reveals one of two things. The wisdom of man or the wisdom of God. So this one is born of God has a divine nature. Only that which is right. Over here we have a sinful nature. This is the child of the flesh, not born of God. And this wisdom is fighting to express itself. So now you have a battle of the wheels that are to reveal the wisdom. Wake come from so look what he says here in verse 13 Verse 13 who is a wise man among you?

Who is a wise man and in dude with knowledge among you let him show out of a good behavior conversation his works with meekness of wisdom But if you have bitterness a bitter envee and strife in your hearts glory not don’t brag about that lie not against the truth This wisdom descended not from above but is earthly sensual devilish, for where inveen and strife is there’s confusion in every evil word. Now look over here. There is the wisdom of the world.

This man of the world can only learn the wisdom of the world. Now this one over here is born of God. This one is to learn the wisdom of God. So that’s why in order for this one to gain wisdom, it has to come from the Word of God. So when you read the Bible and you study it, you’re taking God’s wisdom, putting it into this mind, a new mind, so that this child can make the right decisions and it’ll be revealed in the tongue and in your life.

This one, if it controls your life, is going to reveal the wisdom of the world. So as you live day by day, you’ll have problems of all kind. Some will be financial problems, health problems, people problems, you name it, you’re gonna have them. You got those whenever you were born in this world. You got troubles. Everybody’s got troubles. But now your wisdom is revealed and how do you handle your problems? How do you handle troubles? So you’re going to have the will of man versus the wisdom of God.

So the wisdom of man has a way in which he solves problems and the wisdom of God has a way in which God wants you to solve problems. And these two are not the same. If it’s different, it’s not the same. This is different. They’re not the same. They battle back and forth all the time. So God says, my brethren, He says there is a wisdom of the world that’s earthly, it’s sensual, it’s devilish, it’s deceptive. In other words you might think you’re being wise when you’re just being nothing but a smart aleck, not very wise.

You see you’re not wise because you know what to do, you’re wise if you will do it. You’re not wise because you know you should serve the Lord, your wise if you serve the Lord. Not because you know. I’ve had to be like, well I know the Bible, I’ve been through the Bible a hundred times, I know the Bible. They think it makes them smart. They’re wise. No. If you don’t obey God, you’re a fool. You’re a fool. Anybody is a fool who does not serve God.

You’re a fool. Why if you’re so smart would you waste your life. Now look what else he says in verse 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first peace, a pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated full of mercy, good fruit without partiality, without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Now look at there. There’s the wisdom which is of the earth. That’s what this one feeds upon. The wisdom of man.

How smart he is and what he learns from people in the world. Then there’s the wisdom of God, where a man learns God’s wisdom, and this will make the man smarter. Now, remember this, the dumbest child of God is wiser than the smartest man. Now, you have to figure that out for a while, but understand that. So now God said, I want you to bring forth the wisdom of God and it’s going to be revealed by the tongue. The tongue is going to reveal how smart you really are, how wise you are.

Now, look what he says here in verse 9, verse 9. Therewith bless we God, even the Father and therewith curse we men with what? The tongue. With this same tongue, look up here. I bless God. Praise the Lord. And I do right. And I say, right things, good thing. And then with the same tongue, I curse man. He says, my brethren, this ought not so to be. In other words, he says, how can the same tongue bring forth sweet and bitter at the same time?

He says it’s not supposed to be. Because you see, whenever you have this new birth, God will be. God put this one in charge of the body. You’re not supposed to let this guy run your life revealing wisdom of the world. You’re supposed to reveal the wisdom of God because you take in the wisdom from God and then you use that body of yours with the tongue that you got and everything else you have to reveal that to individuals.

So now look what he says. He says in verse 11, a doth a fountain send forth at the same place, sweet water and bitter.” What’s the answer? No. And we’re not supposed to come out of the same sp- pick it. So he’s turning on to get both of the same time. No. And you don’t even with the tongue. It’s one or the other. One nature is always under control at any given time. Just like somebody said, I don’t know how to figure that out.

You can’t think two thoughts at the same time. My wife could think ten thoughts at the same time. why she’s reading my mind on top of that. Look what he says in verse 10, out of the same mouth, proceeded blessing and cursing my brethren. These things ought not so to be. So we talk until Christian, my brethren is to those who believe. So their believers who are using the same tongue, which which they praise God and bring blessings to God.

And at same time, that cursing man that God made. And he says, now this ought not be. In other words, it is not the will of God for you to walk in the spirit and the flesh. Which one do you think God wants you to walk in? The spirit, not the flesh. You’re not supposed to let the flesh control your life, but is it possible? Yes. This ought not to be, but it is because you’re having in your life the envening and the jealousy, the strife, the bickering, all of those he says, that comes from the wisdom of the world.

That comes from this man. You see, the wisdom of God produces peace within you, peace within you. And that’s what he says in the last part of verse 17 and also in verse 18. Look there in verse 12, can the fig tree, my brethren, bear all of berries? No. Either a vine figs, no. And so can no fountain, both yield saltwater and fresh. Same time. Because it’s two different sources But here you are with one body two sources Now one has to control What’s going to come out of your mouth?

Is it going to be the wisdom of God or the wisdom of man? and There’s a battle Isn’t it true that you know some things to do that’s right? And you know what’s wrong and and you’ll still do wrong instead of doing right, even though you know to do right. And if you do that, is that wrong? Well, slap my mouth. That’s what the Bible said. Look there in James chapter four, look in verse 14, verse 14. Whereas you know not what shall be on tomorrow.

Do you know what’s gonna happen tomorrow? Not really. You do not know what another day is gonna bring forth. I mean, if John had known he was gonna be eating up with a hornet’s, he wouldn’t have probably what those hornets were. If he knew he was going to step on that nail, he probably wouldn’t have stepped on that nail. I mean, that’s just, you know, if you know that. You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You don’t know what that car is going to break down.

If you know it’s going to break down, you wouldn’t have got in and started down the road. If you’re new, for sure, positively, you’re going to shove it out. You wouldn’t have done it. He says, for even your life, it is even a vapor that appeared for a little while and then vanish at the wave. In other words, you’re here, you’re gone. Believe it or not, see some of these kids right here, they will never grow up. They don’t even know the world is going on.

They say your dreams are more likely to be fulfilled if you don’t oversleep. But he makes the statement here in verse 14, it appeared for a little time and then vanish it the way for that you ought to say, if the Lord will we shall live, and if the Lord will we shall do this or that. In other words, do you realize how much is in the will of God? And God can determine certain things. Look what He says in verse 16.

But now you rejoice in your boasting to all sorts of rejoices and the Zevils. Have you ever seen somebody? I mean, especially here’s three guys on the P-box. Three guys on the T-box. And one guy says, you guys better brought your A game today. You guys better bring your A game today. And what that means is that that guy is brought his A game and you’re going to have to be on top nor to beat him, right? Does a guy really know how he’s going to play the game before he plays the game?

No. No, you never… You don’t know what’s going to happen. There were people who had already said he doesn’t got this thing won, but he didn’t. He didn’t. You see, that’s why you still… Why don’t we have to play any of these ball games? Let’s just say who won and let it go at that. Well, we know they got this thing won. How many times I’ve seen them do that and an underdog come up there and just stop them.

They do it all the time because you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You don’t really know. And so he says here in verse 17, therefore to him that knoweth to do good and do it that not to him it is what? The him and his sin. Do you know to do right? Yes, you do. Do you know what you’re supposed to do concerning tongue? Yeah. Yeah. You do. And you’ll still curse somebody and be bitter and envious and jealous.

But you know it’s wrong, right? Yeah. But you do it anyway. Right. Don’t you get mad at people and you want to choke them? Even a few people you’d like to kill? Christian love? Cause you’d love to do it. But you have within you an old sinful nature that still, you know it’s wrong and yet you won’t always keep it on control. But then how are you supposed to get this victory stuff? Well, that’s what’s interesting. That’s why you need church and that’s why you need each other.

That’s why you need to pray. That’s why you have to do all the things that are right. So he says here that you got a battle. Now I want you to look in verse 1 of chapter 3. Verse 1 of chapter 3. He says, my brethren, talking to believers, not lost people, be not many masters. That means teachers because what does a teacher do? Speaks with the what? With the tongue. And if you say something that’s wrong, you got a lot of people that might do wrong because they heard you say it.

So the tongue can also teach a lot of people a lot of truth. But if there’s people who are listening to what you say and may make decisions based upon what you say, do you think you need to be careful what you say? Is it possible for you to kill the love of someone? No, you may not take a gun and go blown away, but you’ll say mean hateful, cutting things that will kill somebody’s love for you or for somebody else.

You’ll take somebody else and pull them down into the mud and walk all over them and make somebody else think bad about the people. That thing like that. That is a very hard thing to control. Ain’t it? You can drive a car down a road and you can fly an airplane and big… How many things are going to do? Big old ships? But that little thing right there, you can’t control it. You cannot tame the tongue. The The Bible says you can’t tame the tongue.

The tongue will speak the things that’s in your heart. In other words, if you who live inside of this body have these two natures and the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world, there you are. Now, what are you gonna speak? Where your heart’s desire is. If your heart’s desire is in the things of the flesh and this is where your treasure is in the things of the world, your tongue is gonna reveal that. But if you’ll live in the things of God and the wisdom of God out of the treasures of your heart, the mouth what?

Speaks When you speak your mind is on parade people can see inside of your mind By discerning the words by which you speak And therefore some people never never talk about the Lord Wouldn’t it be a shame for you to go to work tomorrow and you can live all day talk to everybody in the sun and you never talk about the Lord. Never talk about what He did for you or how they can have eternal life. You never talk about any of the wisdom of God and what God can do for somebody.

But you could talk to them about football, you can talk to them about God, you can talk to them about the weather, you can talk to them about everything, but you can’t talk to them about the Lord because you see, your treasure isn’t the spiritual things. Your treasure is in the material things. You’re more concerned about what people think of you than what you think of them. See, when you learn to think about people and what their needs are, then you know that they need spiritual truths.

Not the wisdom of the world. So it determines where you are. And out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. And God said, every man is going to be judged by the words. It means that you’re going to either be blessed here, rewarded there, based upon what you say, because what you say reveals where your heart is. For where a man’s treasure is, there is his heart also. And so therefore God says you’re going to be justified for the rewards, based upon if you’re justified by your words, so that every man will reap what he sows.

You reap what you sow. And some people are using the wisdom of the world and you’re sowing envy and you’re sowing bitterness. You’re sowing jealousy. You’re sowing hatred. You’re so that because it permeates your life. And when it permeates your life, you’re gonna defile many others. And then because of that, you’re not So in peace you’ll have no peace. You sow wrath, you’ll reap wrath. That’s why so many of God’s people never learn how to have victory in the Christian life because they don’t understand what’s going on.

He says you’re in verse two, for in many things we all offend. In other words, it’d be great if everybody was perfect. We didn’t do anything wrong. And we had total victory over the soul fell over here and he never got it, never got any, no. As you live your life, you’ll always find out okay, how victorious you wanna live. He’s always there and he’s always fighting. And he’s always slipping things out through your mouth. That’s slipped, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.

You didn’t mean to do it. That shows you how really is. And next thing you know, you’re saying, and then there’s some things you know I shouldn’t have said that. And then you say they ain’t on purpose. And then sometimes you might slip and say something you wish you hadn’t said. It means you didn’t have total control. You’re in all which control all the lust of the flesh. Wouldn’t it be great if you did? But he says, but in many things we offend off, but if any man offend not in word, the same as a mature man and able also to bridal the whole body here.

Look up here. Now the whole book of James has to deal with one main thing. What you controlling, you can throw on the body. Have you ever seen a little chihuahua and a great big old German police dog and the little chihuahua that dog doesn’t understand the situation. Oh, mouth totally is all about. I totally when the I says man, did you realize that that little chihuahua can kill that rotweiler or a German police dog. She said, really? I said, yes ma’am, if it ever gets caught in his throat, you’ll find out that, you know, some people are nothing but that’s all they’re all mouth.

They have no wisdom whatsoever, but they talk all the time and they have no wisdom. Talk but never say anything about you. You want to realize this tongue that you have, though it’s so small, it can ruin the whole body. Have you ever seen somebody who has a wonderful testimony in all areas except for their mouth? If they could just control that tongue, they’d be fine. But they ruin so much and they’re always, they don’t know when to shut up.

It’s okay to talk, but they don’t know when to And you say, yeah, do you know what time it is, preacher? But they don’t know when to shut up. You’re gonna have to hear, and it talks about how that you can take and put a bit in a horse’s mouth, and you can lead that whole horse. That great big horse around. God is talking about how to control the body. You have a body. This is why the Apostle Paul says, I keep my body and I bring my body into subjection.

You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re 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. broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvary of tampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now we’re closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. 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. 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 through the Bibleline website at Calvary of Tampa.org. We pray that you’ll 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.

What I want you to see there is in verse 8 of chapter 12. In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David. Remember how David, even though he was young, went up against Goliath. And there’s a time coming when it seems like Israel is going to be totally overwhelmed because of the power, the might of the enemy. And is God going to take even the feeble?

And he’s going to have, he’s going to be like David. And do great exploits, as it says in the book of Daniel. And get what he says here. Shall be at that day shall be as David. And the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. And now look in verse nine, go down to line verse nine in this chapter. It shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to get this, destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Now, isn’t it true that God says, I will gather all nations against Jerusalem. And then God says, I’m going to destroy these nations who come against Jerusalem. But why is he doing that? Because of their treatment of his people. Now, if the Bible is true, and I believe it’s true, then there’s a God in heaven that’s looking down and knows exactly what’s going on. If the nations of the world had their way, they would totally destroy Israel. Very few nations are willing to protect Israel.

Remember whenever Hitler killed about six million Jews, Israel says, never again, never again, who would have ever thought that because of what happened and all those ovens and all of the gas chambers and what they did to God’s people, that people would ever allow something like that to happen again. Did you know just by the mere fact of Obama making a statement that he did about going back to the 67th June war and making the boundaries back to that Israel would have no means of defense.

They would not be able to defend themselves. But I personally don’t think he cares one lick whether Israel is or is not able to survive. That’s my humble opinion. I don’t believe he cares anything about Israel. He has made overtures over and over and over again to all the Muslim nations, the Arab nations. And I’m not making this up. If you do anything as far as the news, you ought to know that it’s true. But he says, I’m going to destroy the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Now look at verse 10. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication. They shall look upon me, whom they have pierced.” Now, when he talks about here, I will pour out upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace. There’s a verse that I just hold your place right here, but just turn back there to your left. And there’s a scripture that says they’re in Zechariah chapter 4.

Looking Zachariah chapter 4. It’s because of what God is going to do. Doesn’t matter whether Israel deserves it or don’t deserve it. Whether the nations of the world don’t think they ought to be chastened, whatever the reasons. In verse 6 it says, then he answered and spaken to me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zorubbaal, saying not by might because Israel will have none. Not by power because they won’t have none. But by my spirit sayeth the Lord of hosts.

You see, it’s going to be the Lord Himself. It’s when Christ comes back in power and great glory that He takes vengeance upon all the nations that have come against Jerusalem. And look there in verse 7 where He makes this statement, Who art thou great mountain before the rubble thou shalt become a plain? And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying, grace, grace, grace, grace. And then he talks about over here in Zechariah in chapter 12 and verse 10, the spirit of grace.

Israel does not deserve what God’s going to do for Israel. God’s going to do it because God loves Israel. Now look what he says, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced. They’re going to see the one they pierced. So we know this verse has to be after the first coming. It has to be when he comes back the next time. And so whenever you go over there and you look there in chapter 13, you’ll notice in verse six.

He says, and one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? And he shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. That’s when he came the first time. Now look in verse one of chapter 14. Behold, the day of the Lord, cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of the, in verse two, for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle God going to do that. But why is he going to do that?

Because of the way they treated his people when they were scattered upon the face of the earth. Then he says, and the city shall be taken, the house rifle, the women ravished, and half of the city shall go forth in the captivity. The residents of the people shall not be cut off from off the city. Then in verse three, then shall the Lord, L-O-R-D Lord, this is when he comes back in power and great glory at the end of the tribulation period.

And if God does not come back when he comes back, there will no flesh be left alive. There will be no hope for Israel. There will be totally annihilated. And they do not deserve to be saved, but God going to do it, talking about physical destruction. But when they see him, I believe that Israel will be leave on him because it says they shall be saved as in a day.” And in the book of Romans in chapter 11, and then it says in verse 4, he says, “…and his feet shall stand that day upon the mount of olives, and it will cleave in the mist, part to the north, part to the south, and a great river will run through it.”

And it says that that river is going to flow, I believe, right on into the Dead Sea, and there be a great fountain, and God says that the Dead Sea will not be dead anymore. See there in verse 8, “…and it shall be in that day, living water shall go out from Jerusalem, half of them toward the former sea, and half of it toward the hinders sea, and summer and in winter shall it be, and the Lord shall be king over all the earth.

In that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one.” You will know we take great pride in being the melting pot of the world. Everybody can come here from all nations and enjoy the bounties of America. But did you know our founding fathers, even though they opened up the doors of immigration, do people can come to this great country? All the religions of the world were supposed to be under the umbrella of Christianity. This was one nation under God, one God, the God of Israel, Jehovah, one God.

And there’s to be this protection. This is why they started all the colleges and universities all founded to teach the principles of Christianity so that we could preserve this nation. And when people came from other countries, they were not deposed to teach everything contrary to what we teach and what we believe. But anyway, that’s another sermon for another time. I want you to look down there now in verse 11. In verse 11, there’s a time coming when the Lord Himself will be here.

The King will be upon the earth. And it says in verse 11, and men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction. destruction. But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited safely. And this shall be the play where the Lord will smite all the people that are fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet and their whole eyes shall consume away in their holes and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

And it shall come to pass in that day that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them. This is what God’s going to do. Now he says he’ll stay it up there and he comes back to fighting and his feet will touch upon the Mount of Olives. and it cleaves in the midst of all the things, then he goes back and says, now this is what’s gonna happen. So as you read this, you can have an understanding.

But look what he says in verse 14, and Judah, also shall fight at Jerusalem and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, the gold, the silver, the paral and the great abundance and so forth. Look in verse 16, and it shall come to pass that everyone that is left, get this, everyone that is left of all the nations which come against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the king, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

So this is what’s going to take place. Now, take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew. The book of Matthew and chapter 25. Matthew chapter 25. In view of all that I have said, I believe it’s the key to understanding the judgment of the nations. Now look at verse 31. When the Son of Man, talking about Christ, shall come in his glory at the end of the Tribulation Period. And all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

That’s what he says. before him shall be gathered, what? All nations. Now, there’s going to be this great judgment. He comes back and he’s talking about destroying all these nations. He’s going to destroy every nation that came against Jerusalem. But it says, I’m going to gather all nations against Jerusalem. Boy, there’s a big day of reckoning coming. So the new king of the new millennium is going to be ruling in Jerusalem. And now he says he’s going to separate the sheep from the goats.

Now as a shepherd separates sheep from the goats, he says he’s going to do this with nations. So the nations are there and there’s sheep nations and goat nations. then as individuals. So it does look like it’s a little confusing, and I’ll have to admit it’s a little difficult sometimes to put all this together. Now you ain’t saying I’ve whooped it all yet. But look what he says in verse 32, “…and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goats.

And he shall set the sheep on the right hand, the goats on the left.” that’s very simple to understand. Now the king is going to do something. In verse 41 it says, then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye curse unto everlasting fire. So I would take those must be the lost, wouldn’t you? I would take that. But those that are on the right hand, he says in verse 34, then shall the king say unto them on the right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom.

See, this is talking about kingdom now. The kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of my Father, inherit the kingdom, prepare for you from the foundation of the world. So the kingdom has been talked about in all these centuries, and yet nobody got to enjoy the promises of it. And you’ll see that in the book of Hebrews in chapter 11. Though they did all these things for all these years, they never got the promise, the fulfillment of the promise. But this time is coming.

And so He says there in verse 35, for I was hungry and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in, naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came unto me. Then shall the righteous ancients said, Lord, when saw we the hunger and fed the earth, thirsty and gave the drink when we saw the astray. Now, this is not the judgment upon Israel.

This is upon the nations. So this is talking about there’s all these nations. And God will deal with nations. And many times as a nation, the governments of the nation speak for the whole of the people. So there’s going to be a judgment upon the individual nations that God says I’ll destroy it, the nation that came against them, but there’s individuals within the nations. So these individuals must believe and there’s those that will not believe So how to harmonize some of this does get a little tricky.

It seemed like at times but remember God’s people have been scattered among the world the nations of the world and God has seen how his people have been treated and And God said, I’m going to judge all those people, all those nations. So one way to do that, and in the end times, they’re going to gather against Jerusalem. And one of the reasons they’re going to be a big battle, called the Battle of Armageddon, and the head of the last world power, the Antichrist is going to be right there in Israel.

So the nations of the earth are going to all gather. So they don’t know that it’s God behind the scenes. All they know is that they’re doing what they do. They’re following orders and they’re doing all these things and they’re coming together just a coincidence. But there’s a God in heaven that knows what he’s doing. I believe that in spite of everything that’s going on in the world today, I still believe God is in control. That God is still on the throne.

And God knows what’s going on and God knows what he’s doing. God can cause a nation to rise and a nation to fall. He can also cause you to rise and he can put you down and he can exalt those who are humble and humble those who exalt themselves. I believe God is still working and he is blessing and chastening. He is testing and all these things it goes on, it’s not because God took a vacation. God is in charge.

And you and I are supposed to believe that. But when he comes to the nation and says, when did we do this? He says, whenever my people, you did it unto my people. And so God knows those who do and God knows those who don’t. So God is able to take, even though he can destroy them as a nation and then take the individual believers in the nation and establish a new nation. But those that did not, they will be cast into hell to the lake of fire.

And so there’s nations that are destroyed, but I believe God will take the believers from various nations, just like He’s going to take the believers in the nation of Israel, and Israel become that little nation and it will become a big kingdom someday. The little mustard seed that fills the whole earth. And there’s other nations upon the earth during this period of time. But those individuals within the nations that God will destroy because of their treatment of Israel, God will destroy it.

But he says those that did this against Israel will be chastened. I should say a lot more than chastened. Look in verse 37, then shall the righteous answer and say, Lord, when saw we this way, when saw we are strange in verse 38, or when we saw these sick in verse 39, And the king shall answer and say unto them, very I send you, inasmuch as you have done it under one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.

So whether or not this is talking about, you know, here’s the king and you did that to my people, then if they’re being judged, then there must be accountability going on even now. It means that somebody must be keeping the books even now. And God knows what he’s doing. And when this time comes, and these are people that have finally come through the tribulation period. They’re not all dead. These are the ones that’s going to go into the kingdom because he makes the statement there.

Enter thou into the kingdom. In verse 34, the king shall say, come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom. These are those that are believers. And then he says up there in verse 41, then shall he say unto them on the left hand, and depart from me, you curse into everlasting fire. Be prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, you gave me no meat.” See these, I believe, are scriptures that’s talking about the condition of God’s people when they were scattered upon the face of the earth.

They went to all these nations and how they had been treated over the years. And as a nation, God can destroy the nation and then take the individual believers within a nation and they get that honor of establishing a new nation. Now this is just an idea of mine that I have. I can’t say it’s in concrete. But I think I’m close. And then he makes the statement down here in verse 44, then shall they also answer him saying, Lord, when saw we the hungry and thirsty and naked and all that.

And when did we minister unto thee? In verse 45, then shall he answer them saying, very I send you in as much as you did it unto not unto one of the least of these, you did it not unto me. they shall go away into everlasting punishment. So you have the right, the left, you have the goat, the sheep. You’ve got believers, you’ve got unbelievers. And they will be separated, and they spend an eternity separated from God in a literal fire burning hell.

The reason that I wanted to show you the book of Zachariah is that God says that he scattered his people among the nations. And then he’s going to judge the nations because of their treatment of his people. And then in the last days he’s going to drink all these nations against Jerusalem. Then he’s coming back and smite the nations. Then there’s a judgment of the individuals that are still left alive after the Battle of Armageddon and those believing individuals from various nations of the world.

The believers will get to go into the kingdom because if He destroys all the nations, then there won’t be any nations in the kingdom. So they have to be rebuilt because it says the nations of the world are going to go into Jerusalem for the worship. So there has to be a re-establishment of nations. The same is going to happen with Israel. The Lord is going to be here. That day is coming. I don’t understand everything in this book, but I know a nut that scares me to death.

And I believe the Word of God is true. But if I do nothing more than stir up your mind so that you’ll study the book, because you say, I really wanna know what God’s Word has to say. There’s so much in this thing it will never live long enough to study at all. We won’t even get it once we live in the thousand year reign and you can sit there and study this book. God is gonna help us to see.

And then shall we know, we will know as we are known. So there’s so much in the word of gun, look up here. This end represent you and me and the wallet represent sin. We have all sinned. Everybody’s a sinner. You know, I never knew for years that I was that bad. I really thought I was a pretty good kid. I thought I was good enough to go to heaven. I really did. I mean, I didn’t do a lot of things a lot of people did.

So if anybody makes it, surely I will. And when Betty’s dad sat down with me and started explaining this to me, he busted my little bubble. Really, really bad. It hurt me deeply. It hurt me so bad that I not only cried, I bald because I knew if what he said was true. I’m going to bust hell wide open. And I stood there in that living room. And I turned the lights off because I didn’t want my father-in-law to see me in tears.

Now he says, what’s wrong? I’m nothing. He’s sitting there in the dark. And I started crying and I said, I want to be saved. I had no clue what that meant. All I knew, I didn’t want to go to hell. I knew what that meant. I didn’t want to go there. And so he says, come over here. But he says, turn on the light. No sense doing this in the dark. So I turned on the light and I walked over to the couch and I got on my knees.

And my father-in-law got beside me and he put his arms around me. And he explained it to me one more time. And at night I trusted Christ as my Savior. You know, I can see it as though it just happened yesterday. I can remember it. A lot of things I don’t remember before that day, after that day, so many things are dark. That night I remember, like a little light came on, and I finally saw it. I am a sinner, and that I have sinned against God, and I’m going to hell.

I realized, after what he told me, that I would never be able to earn my way to heaven. My good deed, my good work, my good goody-goody wasn’t going to work. And so that night I heard the best news I ever heard. He tried to tell me over and over again, but some reason or other, he just didn’t stick. This hand represents Jesus Christ. God in the flesh came into the world because He loves us, hates our sin because it separates us from Him.

So Jesus Christ who had no sin didn’t have to die, but because He loved us, He took our sins, paid for it on the cross and came back from the dead. And God said that if I would believe that He did it for me and trust Him to take me to heaven whenever I die, that He would save me from hell, give me eternal life and I can know that I’m going to heaven whenever I die. So that night, over 50 years ago, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior’s the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life.

I didn’t know how important it was at the time. I really didn’t. I just knew that I’m not going to hell, but I didn’t know how important it was. I didn’t really understand the gravity of it. But not only am I going to heaven, but all this other stuff, the understanding that you can have about who God is and what He’s done, what He’s doing. He hasn’t left us in the dark. I didn’t know all that stuff was in this book.

I didn’t even know there were books in the Bible. I didn’t know there were verses in the Bible. And I was 18 years old living in good old Christian America. Well, everybody knows John 3 16. I had never heard Boy am I glad somebody explained it to me. Now I know that I’m going to have it when I die. Solvations are a wonderful thing to know. I wish I really, I really do the word. You got to study, study, study, and you’ll never get it all down.

Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed and every eye closed and no one looking around. and no one looking around. Friend, if you’re here tonight and you’ve never trusted Christ as Savior, or perhaps you’re listening by internet, right where you are, just the best you know how. Just say, Lord, I know I’m a sinner. I believe Christ died, paid for my sins, and I’m going to trust Him as my only hope of going to heaven. Friend God said, if you’ll believe He did it for you, that He would save you and give you eternal life.

And you can know that you’re going to heaven whenever you die. That’s the best news. There’s no tricks to it, no gimmicks. We’re heads bowed nice, closed, no one looking around. Is there anyone at all say, yes, I will trust Christ as my Savior tonight. Break your life, either pray for me. I’d like to have prayer for you. Is there anyone at all? Just slip it up very quickly, put it right back down. Our Father, we thank You for Your word that You’ve given us.

Lord, there’s so much that we will never understand this side of eternity. But Father, one thing we know, You’re coming. coming back. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow. But whenever it is, we pray that Lord will be found faithful serving you. Not to get to heaven, but because we’re going there. Instead, all those that love your appearing will receive a crown and help us Father to believe in enough that it purifies our life. Thank you for each one here. Bless them.

Give them a good 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 were 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. 576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryuptampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Hot up to meet the Lord in the air.

So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.

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 till Friday. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. One line donations may be made through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org.

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, go Zechariah. Zechariah. See, I know where you’re going. Oh, no, you don’t. Zachariah is a good book. Lot of good stuff in it. It talks a little bit about the nations and how they deal with the nation of Israel. Did you know that as you study the Bible, you can know an awful lot about God by how He deals with the nations and how they deal with Israel.

I believe that’s important for us to know because of the times in which we live. I mentioned to you some time back that it wouldn’t surprise me that very soon America will not stand with Israel as they should. And if you listen to anything in the news, you’ll know that that day has arrived. And I believe that there’s going to be some dark things happen. But I feel like you just got to warn people. And even though I may teach on it here and people may listen on the website, I know that eventually it’ll be on radio.

So I’m always concerned about the things that I say. I try to keep as many of my sermons as generic as possible so that you don’t have to edit too much of the stuff out. So I do that purposely. Zechariah, and I want you to look there in chapter 7, Zechariah chapter 7. And look there in verse 8, Zechariah chapter 7 in verse 8. And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speak of the Lord of hosts, say, and execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion, every man to his brother, and oppressed not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor.

Let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. but they refused to harken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as adamant stone, lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of Host hath sent in his spirit By the former prophets, therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Host, because people don’t do what God says, and God chases. You know that, I know that.

Also remember that is true in your personal life, as well as concerning nations. promised to bless Israel for their obedience, and he would chase them with their disobedience, and that God would use different nations as a rod to thank His children. So He says here in verse 13, therefore it is come to pass that as He cried, and they would not hear. So they cried, and I would not hear, say, after Lord of Host. But I scattered them with a the world went among all the nations whom they knew not.

Thus the land was desolate after them that no man passed through nor returned, for they laid the pleasant land desolate. So So God says, I am going to Scatter my people about all the nations of the earth. And even to this day, you can find Jewish people in all the nations around the world. They’re in every country, they’re everywhere. God has scattered them. It says, smite the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. That has been done. Now look in verse three of chapter eight.

Thus saith the Lord, I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the mist of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of the Lord of Host, the holy mountain.” Now God, looking into the future, says the day will come when I will well in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be at peace. Jerusalem is going to have everything that I promised. So as you go through the book of Zechariah, you find some things mentioned that you have to understand that does pinpoint a couple prophecies in the future.

And it nails it for sure dead giveaways can’t be missed. But I want you to see what he says here first of all, because the Kingdom upon the earth is coming. The church is not Israel. The church is not spiritual Israel. The church is the church. Promises that God made to the nation of Israel will be kept. Don’t notice what he says in verse 4, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts. There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem.

Every man with his staff in his hand for very age and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. In other words, there’s going to be a time when they don’t have to worry about somebody lobbing some rockets over into Israel. The Lord is going to be here and the Lord is going to take care of everything. And so he says down there in verse 8, and I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.

And this part I really like, and they shall be my people. And I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Now, there’s a promise that God has made. You see, God is going to deal with the Gentile nations of the world, even the image that Daniel saw of the Gentile nations. God says that he’s going to deal with all the nations according to how they dealt with Israel. And And so are we living at a time when it looks like the majority of the nations of the world are turning against Israel because they are, even America?

Now they may not think that that’s important, but God will curse those that curse Israel and He’ll bless those that bless Israel. Look what he says. He says in verse 13, And it shall come to pass that as you were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel. So will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not, let your hands be strong, for thus saith the Lord of hosts, as I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath?

Sayeth the Lord of hosts and I repented not? So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Fear you not. So God says that I am once again going to establish my vow, my covenant with Israel. I am going to bless you, where at one time you were a curse. I’m going to bless you. And then He says down here in verse 20, thus saith the Lord of hosts, it shall yet come to path.

See, the things haven’t happened yet, but it’s going to take place. Then look what he says in verse 22, yet many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. So God says the day will come when the nations of the world will go up to Jerusalem to worship. People from all the various nations are going to go worship in Jerusalem. That means the nations of the world are going to be…

Believers, the Lord’s going to be here. He made a lot of promises of all these things that’s going to take place. But that hasn’t happened yet. And as it says that the prophets in the Old Testament, it says they had a hard time discerning between the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. So they knew that there was going to be a suffering for the Messiah, and there’s going to be the glory of the Messiah, but they couldn’t figure out the timing on it.

Well look there in chapter 9 of the book of Zechariah, and look there in verse 9. And you tell me, is this the first time he comes or the second time he comes? Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold thy king, cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt, the fold of an ass. Now you think that happened the first time is going to happen the second time.

It happened the first time he came. And so there’s scriptures that tells us that this happened and in Matthew chapter 21 it took place. Now this is a prophecy about what’s going to take place in the future. So we know that these other scriptures are also dealing with this issue about the Lord and Christ and several places you’ll find in the book of Zechariah about him being called the righteous branch, the branch. He is the tender plant that grows up, He is the root and the offspring of David.

But He is the righteous branch. There’s no sin in Him. This is talking about Jesus Christ Himself. And down in verse 14, it talks about there’s coming a time when the Lord is going to blow the trumpet. There’s going to be a gathering together of God’s people. There’s going to be a trumpet blown and And there will be called to battle that’s going to take place. Now, as you go through and you read all of this, you’ll find out there’s some very interesting things mentioned.

I’ll look there in chapter 11 of the book of Zachariah. And look what he says there in verse 11. And it was broken in that day. And so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord. Now the word of the Lord, I believe the word is a reference to Jesus Christ as you find in the book of Isaiah in chapter 55. But look what he says in verse 12, And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price, and if not for bear, So they wade for my price, thirty pieces of silver.

And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, a goodly price that I was prized out of them, and I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.” You ever heard of that happening before? I wonder when that took place. The first time or the second time is going to happen, the first time he came. So there’s references here in the book of Zechariah about Christ coming, and yes, he does die, and he makes a payment for the sins of the world.

But not everything was fulfilled at this time. There are other scriptures, other prophecies that talks about when He comes back to rule and to reign. So in verse 16 He says, For though I will raise up a shepherd in the land, but this is not the same shepherd as Christ. This is a false shepherd. This is the antichrist. And so that is going to take place. Now look there in chapter 12 of Zechariah, and look in verse one, because we’re talking about it, and it keeps saying in that day, in that day, in that day.

So that means it’s doing a particular period of time upon the earth. The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, sayeth the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens and layeth the foundations of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege, both against Judah and against Jerusalem. There’s a little phrase here, talked about all the people, all the people, all the people.

You see, it’s mentioned down there again in verse three where he says, and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the people. All that burdened themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. So it looks like God see has sent His people into all these nations and now God is going to judge those nations. Because of the way they treated his people. Now you say, is this important?

This is very important. Because we’re going to look at a portion of Scripture in just a minute that will make a little bit more sense when you understand where it’s coming from, when Christ makes a few statements. So the people were scattered into all the nations and the nations have mistreated God’s people, for whatever reason. But because they were God’s people, God says, I’m still going to bless those that bless them, and I’m going to curse those that curse them.

Now I only try to teach the book the way it is, but I don’t understand some things. But what I want you to see there is in verse 8 of chapter 12, in that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David. Remember how David, even though he was young, went up against Goliath. And there’s a time coming when it seems like Israel is going to be totally overwhelmed because of the power, the might of the enemy.

And is God going to take even the feeble? And he’s going to have, he’s going to be like David. and do great exploits, as it says in the book of Daniel. And get what he says here, shall be at that day, shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. And now look in verse nine, go down to line verse nine in this chapter. It shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to get this, destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Now isn’t it true that God says I will gather all nations against Jerusalem and then God says I’m going to destroy these nations who come against Jerusalem. But why is he doing that? Because of their treatment of his people. Now if the Bible is true and I believe it’s true then And there’s a God in heaven that’s looking down and knows exactly what’s going on. If the nations of the world had their way, they would totally destroy Israel. Very few nations are willing to protect Israel.

Remember whenever Hitler killed about six million Jews, Israel says, never again, never again, who would have ever thought that because of what happened and all those ovens and all the gas chambers and what they did to God’s people, that people would ever allow something like that to happen again. Did you know just by the mere fact of Obama making a statement that he did about going back to the 67th June war and making the boundaries back to that Israel would have no means of defense.

They would not be able to defend themselves. But I personally don’t think he cares one lick whether Israel is or is not able to survive. That’s my humble opinion. I don’t believe he cares anything about Israel. He has made overtures over and over and over again to all the Muslim nations, the Arab nations. And I’m not making this up. If you do anything as far as the news, you ought to know that it’s true.

But he says, I’m going to destroy the nations that come against Jerusalem. Now look at verse 10. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” Now when he talks about here, I will pour out upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace. There’s a verse that I just hold to place right here, but just turn back there to you left.

And there’s a scripture that says they’re in Zechariah chapter 4. Look in Zechariah chapter 4. It’s because of what God is going to do. Doesn’t matter whether Israel deserves it or don’t deserve it. Whether the nations of the world don’t think they ought to be chastened, whatever the reasons. In verse 6 it says, then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying not by might because Israel will have none, not by power because they won’t have none.

But by my spirit, sayeth the Lord of Host, you see, it’s going to be the Lord Himself. It’s when Christ comes back in power and great glory that He takes vengeance upon all the nations that have come against Jerusalem. And look there in verse 7 where He makes this statement, Who art thou great mountain before the rubble thou shalt become a plane? And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying, grace, grace, grace, grace. And then he talks about over here in Zechariah in chapter 12 and verse 10, the spirit of grace.

Israel does not deserve what God’s going to do for Israel. God’s going to do it because God loves Israel. Now look what he says, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced. They’re going to see the one they pierced. So we know this verse has to be after the first coming. It has to be when he comes back the next time. And so whenever you go over there and you look there in chapter 13, you’ll notice in verse six.

He says, and one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? And he shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. That’s when he came the first time. Now look in verse one of chapter 14. Behold the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. In verse two, for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle God going to do that. But why is he going to do that?

Because of the way they treated his people when they were scattered upon the face of the earth. Then he says, and the city shall be taken. The house rifle, the women ravish, and half of the city shall go forth in the captivity. The residents of the people shall not be cut off from off the the city. Then in verse three, then shall the Lord, L-O-R-D Lord, this is when he comes back in power and great glory at the end of the tribulation period.

And if God does not come back when he comes back, there will no flesh be left alive, there will be no hope for Israel, there will be totally annihilated. And they do not deserve to be saved, but God going to do it, talking about physical destruction. But when they see him, I believe that Israel Israel will be leave on him because it says they shall be saved as in a day. And in the book of Romans in chapter 11, and then it says in verse 4, he says, And his feet shall stand that day upon the mount of olives, and it will cleave in the mist, part to the north, part to the south, and a great river will run through it.

And it says that that river is going to flow, I believe, right on into the dead sea, and You go be a great fountain and God says that the dead sea will not be dead anymore. See there in verse 8, and it shall be in that day, living water shall go out from Jerusalem, half of them toward the former sea and half of it toward the hinders sea. In summer and in winter shall it be and the Lord shall be king over all the earth.

In that day shall there be one Lord and His name one. you know, we take great pride in being the melting pot of the world. Everybody can come here from all nations and enjoy the bounties of America. But did you know our founding fathers, even though they opened up the doors of immigration, people can come to this great country? All the religions of the world were supposed to be under the umbrella of Christianity. This was one nation under God, one God, the God of Israel, Jehovah, one God.

And there’s to be this protection. This is why they started all the colleges and universities all founded to teach the principles of Christianity so that we could preserve this nation. And when When people came from other countries, they were not deposed to teach everything contrary to what we teach and what we believe. But anyway, that’s another sermon for another time. I want you to look down there now in verse 11. In verse 11, there’s a time coming when the Lord Himself will be here, the King will be upon the earth.

And it says in verse 11, and men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction. But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited safely. And this shall be the play where the Lord will smite all the people that are fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet and their whole eyes shall consume away in their holes and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them.

This is what God’s going to do. Now he says he’ll state it up there and he comes back to fighting and his feet will touch upon the Mount of Olives and it cleaves in the mist. then he goes back and says, now this is what’s going to happen. So as you read this, you can have an understanding. But look what he says in verse 14, and Judah, also shall fight at Jerusalem and the wealth of all the heathen, round about shall be gathered together, the gold, the silver, the paral and the great abundance, and so forth.

Look in verse 16, and it shall come to pass that everyone that is left, get this, everyone that is left of all the nations which come against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the king, the Lord of Host, and to keep the feast of tabernacle. So this is what’s going to take place. Now, take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew. The book of Matthew and chapter 25. in view of all that I have said, I believe it’s the key to understanding the judgment of the nations.

Now look at verse 31, when the son of man, talking about Christ, shall come in his glory at the end of the tribulation period, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. That’s what he says. And before him shall be gathered, what? All nations. Now, there’s going to be this great judgment. He comes back and he’s talking about destroying all these nations. He’s going to destroy every nation that came against Jerusalem.

But it says, I’m going to gather all nations against Jerusalem. Boy, there’s a big day of reckoning common. So the new king of the new millennium is going to be ruling in Jerusalem. And now he says he’s going to separate the sheep from the goats. Now as a shepherd separates sheep from the goats, he says he’s going to do this with nations. So the nations are there and there’s sheep nations and goat nations. And then as individuals, So it does look like it’s a little confusing and I’ll have to admit it’s a little difficult sometimes to put all this together.

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-Ling-Toll-Free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re 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 going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.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. 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 the end of the day. and reaches toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org.

We pray that you’ll 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. So we make this statement here. I will put my spirit within you and I’ll place you until you’re only. See God said, this is what I’m going to do. See, doing the tribulation here When the Antichrist comes on the scene, he’s a bad man. And he lies to the world.

He lies to Israel. They sign the peace treaty. And after three and a half years, they break that peace treaty and then turn against Israel. And this is where the beast throws off the woman and tries to devour her. And the Bible says that they will go into a place, I believe where it’s in Jordan. But that’s another message for another time. looking verse 16. He says, Moreover thou son of man, take the one stick and write upon it for Judah.

For the children of Israel, his companions, then take another stick and write upon it for Joseph. And he says, I’m going to take and make these two sticks. One, I’m going to take the ten tribes and the southern two tribes and I’m going to make it all one again. And this is what I’m going to go. She’s God’s going to do all of this. I’ve got a hunch somewhere down the road. They’re going to be able to find that they can prove what tribe a man is from by the DNA.

Because I know and I believe that only certain ones that are of the tribe of Levi can administer in the temple and because of that they got to know who isn’t and after 2,000 years you know people can interbreed and all kinds of stuff You don’t know what’s going on, but I brought you, they’re going to be able to prove which tribe, not just their digitalites, but what tribe they’re from. You showed that’ll never happen. Okay, I’ll be wrong on that one then.

But I want you to see that. In verse 19, he says, the sith the Lord, behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is the hand of Ephraim, the tribes of Israel, his fellows, and he says in the last part of that verse, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.” Verse 21, “…and say unto them, the saith the Lord God behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whether they be gone and bring them into their own land.”

Remember this was written all over 500 years before Christ came the first time. So you tell me what other nation has ever had this happened to them? Were they been scattered upon the face of the earth and after over two thousand years, they become established as a nation again. There isn’t one other nation that’s ever had that happen to them. How can you say that the Bible is not true? Anybody with a brain and can read can see this unless they’re willingly ignorant of truth.

Don’t want to know. Mine’s made But look there in verse 22, and I will make them get this one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all. And he shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all. So this is going past the time of Christ. Because see they were divided. But this has never happened because Israel has never had another king.

You see, one You see, when the temple was destroyed, nobody can claim the throne of Israel because they have to prove they’re of the line of David of the tribe of Judah. They have to prove all. And they can’t prove it. And the last one that could claim the throne of Israel was Jesus Christ and He was crucified. And he had no offspring. So there is nobody else ever that can ever claim to be the king in Israel unless the one they killed comes back from the dead and shows up again.

You know, I bet that’s going to happen. I have this feeling. But look what he says here. I’m going to bring him back and you’ll see that in verse 23 I will, the last part of verse 23 I will. Now, now in verse 24, look what he says, and this shows you that he’s talking about in the future, and David, my servant shall be king over them. Now, he’s already been dead 500 years when this was written. But now that was 2,500 years ago when this was written, and it says David is going to come, and David is going to roll in Jerusalem.

And get it, what is it? He says, and they all shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in my judgment, observe my stature and do them. Israel in the future, one day is going to do everything God wanted them to do. But they have become so rebellious. So God had to chase them. But there still is people. And then he makes a statement down here verse 25, and they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob.

My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelled and they shall dwell therein, even they and their children and their children’s children for how long? Forever, and they’ll never be taken out again. You see, there’s people that are always trying to claim the land over there in Israel. God says, the earth is mine. This land belongs to me. The cattle on the thousand hill, that’s mine. The gold on the silver, it all belongs to God, because when we leave, it’s still here and it’s still his.

And he says, I’m giving this land to Israel. And God says, not to part his land. Israel is making a big mistake thinking they can appease their enemies by giving them land. It can happen. There is no peace. When they talk about peace, they’re talking about, I want a piece of this one, piece of this one, piece of whatever, they didn’t want a piece of it. they want the whole thing. Now look in verse 26, Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them.

It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them in their land. That’s just what I’m going to do in verse 27. And I will be their God. And then in verse 28, he says, and when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forevermore. So God said, this is what I’m going to do. And it’s going to last forever. So we know that in the days ahead, there’s going to be a temple built. It’s going to be destroyed again.

bad days ahead for Israel. And this is what God says He’s going to do. You see, to get God’s people ready to wake up, God’s going to get a two before and hit him on the head with it. Look at the two before He’s planning on using. Chapter 38. In verse 2, Son of Man set thy face against God. This is the prince of the land of May God. That’s the land. The chief prince of Mieschek and Tubal, many believe to be Moscow and Tubal, and prophesy against them.

This is a war that has not happened. This is a war that’s in the future. See God tells you what I’m going to do and then He tells you what He’s done and then He tells you what he’s done and then He tells you what he planned and what he did and it’s all over here. But God says because we’re hard headed and stiff that He said, I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen before it takes place.

So that when it happens, you’ll know, I told you so. This is in the future. What you’re seeing here in chapter 38 has never taken place. But look at it. He says, this is what I’m gonna do. I am going to inverse four and I’m gonna turn the back and put hooks into thy jaws. I will bring thee forth and all thy army, a horse is in horse and so forth. I am gonna, God said, I’m gonna put hooks in your jaws and I’m gonna pull you down here against my people Israel.

So that means they’ve got to be back in the land, which they are now. But you see, they’re not right. God has to get His people right, and they haven’t trusted Him yet. So when God gets through taking these nations and using them as a rod to chasten His people, after a while Israel is going to realize, it’s God or we’re dead. It’s either we turn to the Lord or we’re dead. And God said, if he does not intervene, no flesh will be left alive.

And get this. He says here in verse five, look in verse five. Now here’s a few of the nations that are going to be on the side of Russia. People say, well, we don’t have to worry about Russia anymore. Wrong. It ain’t over yet. You don’t trust the bear. I wouldn’t trust the bear. Verse 5 Persia, which is Iraq and Iran. Isn’t it wonderful that we have kind of helped Iraq get back on its feet? Iraq and Iran together.

They’re gonna be together. And one of our biggest worries in this world at this present time is Iran. Well, they’re gonna be part of this. And what else is it? Ethiopia, which is down in Africa. And what’s that other word? Libya. Libya. We’re also helping them. I think we might be doing something wrong. We may be helping to bring about the very thing. We are defending the people that want to destroy us. There’s something wrong with this plan. Is equal 38 and verse 5.

And then in verse 60 says, and which we believe is could be German but not necessarily and all of his bands and the house of Togemar which many believe is Turkey or Syria and they talk about they’re coming and he says prepare thyself in the words God is building up these nations and allowing them because God’s going to use them as a rod to accomplish his purpose in the last days and then he says in verse 8 after many days thou shall be visited in the latter years thou shall come into the land that has brought back from the sword and has gathered out of many people against the mountains of Israel.

So God says, I am the one that’s going to bring down, put the hooks in your jaws and I’m bringing it down against my people and with him and there’s his allies and most of these, isn’t this interesting, after 2,500 years these are some of the same ones that are all think the same way today. And some of these Arab countries have been outfitted, supported, militarily by Russia. No, no, no. You check the equipment they’re using, the tanks that they have, and most of the army came from Russia.

But anyway, just moving right along here. And he says, in the last part of verse 8, and against the mountains of Israel in verse 9, and they shall ascend and come like a storm, a cloud to cover the land. And see, this is toward the end of a time when it seemed like there must have been a treaty made with Israel. And Israel has kind of let down its guard a little bit because they have believed some lies. You see, I believe that Israel might think that the head of this last world government is their Messiah they have been waiting for.

Because Israel is looking for, and many people I’ve talked over there, not all of them, but they’re looking for their Messiah. But I asked one day, I sat down in the lobby and I was talking to one person that says they believe the Messiah is yet to come. I said, well if he’s yet to come, how are you going to recognize him? We’ll know, we don’t know. I try to show him some prophecies about Christ. He said that’s talking about Christ.

We don’t believe in him. But our Messiah is coming. And they gonna believe that they got the Messiah, they got their peace and Israel is going to prosper. But the first doing that you’re see is deceptive. And then boom, Everything turns loose, and the world tries to annihilate Israel. And God is going to take and bring His people down, the ones that He’s talking about here in order to chasten. And it mentions all these things down through here, but look there in verse 14.

Verse 14, therefore Son of Man prophesy and say unto God, thus saith the Lord. And that day when my people of Israel dwelled safely, shall they not know it? And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north part. part. Now, and many people with thee, so they’re coming down from the north, and so here’s Israel, and there’s Moscow and Tumov, it’s from the north, they’re talking about Russia, I believe, and it’s also got these other nations, Ethiopian, it’s got Libya and Iraq, Iran, it’s got all these nations, just like they’re lining up today.

The world is beginning to chew sides. America don’t have many people on our side, do we? Do you realize what could happen to us if Russia, China, Iran, all of them, and North Korea, all decided to take on America at the same time. Do you realize that we’re getting a little bit of our military here and we’ve got some over here, we’ve got some over here, we’ve got some over here, and we’ve got some over here? Hey, who’s guarding home?

I better move on. Looking for 16, and thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the land, it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring the against my land and the heathen may know that the heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee.” See, it’s a continuation of the last verse there in chapter 37 when God says they’ll know who I am, but see God has to get things right and God got a plan.

He tells him what I’m going to do now. He’s telling them how he’s going to do it. And here’s the big club I’m going to use to knock you over the head with. And Israel has got to wake up. And God has got to do a work on his people. And he says in verse 17, does Setheler God, art thou, he of whom I have spoken in time, time by my prophets of Israel, which prophesied those days, many years that I would bring thee against them.

And so look there in Ezekiel, chapter 38, and look there in verse 19. 19 surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel. Now many times when you go to the book of Revelation in chapter 6 on it will describe many things that’s going to happen upon the earth about the whole earth shaking a reeling back and forth like a drunk man talking about the stars and so forth in the sun you can’t see in the moon and so on turning the blood.

All these things it’s going to take place. Well look what he says here in verse 20, the fishes of the sea, the file of the heavens, and the beast of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are on the face of the earth shall shake at my present, and the mountain shall be thrown down. The steep places shall fall. Every wall shall fall to the end. God describes great earthquakes in the last days.

It’s going to get bad. What happened in Japan? Piece of cake, it’s only like a forerunner, it’s just getting our attention of what God says is coming up on this earth. Where He says, every island, every mountain will be shaken. Everything in the ocean is gonna die. Future don’t look too great when you start putting together like that, but you gotta look beyond that. Look when the Lord rules. Because you see, it won’t last long, because God says, I’m gonna do something.

See there in verse 22, and I will plead against Him with pestilence and with blood. I will reign upon Him and upon His bands and upon the many people that are with Him and overflowing rain and great hailstones, fire and brimstone. And God says, this is what I’m going to do. You see, God’s going to bring Him down against the mountains of Israel. And then while they’re there, God’s going to zap them. And you can read some of this in the 16th chapter of the book of Revelation.

But look what he says there in chapter 39. Sometimes it is difficult and many Bible scholars have trouble trying to decide at what part of the seven years does this take place. Well as you read this and study it, it seemed like it to me and I can be wrong on this. There’s a false peace and then there’s the Antichrist and then he’s talking about this judgment where God is going to have him turn against the nation of Israel and then he makes this statement concerning God and may God.

In verse 1, therefore the Son of Man prophesy against Gog, the Prince, and say, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I am against the O Gog, the chief prince of me, Shek unto all. I will turn thee back and leave but the sixth part of thee will cause thee to come up from the north parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel. And now this has not yet happened. This is a war that’s yet in the future.

And verse 4, thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel. So we know who’s going to lose. Russia and all of them coming against them. And he’s talking about, from Ethiopia, from Africa, you’re talking about the Libya, you’re talking about Iraq and Iran, all these nations are gonna come against Israel. And it appears that they will all be under the banner of Russia, may not be, I can be wrong on some of this. But he says here in the last part of verse four, and the people that is with thee, and I will give unto them the ravenous beast of every sort and to the beast of the field to be devoured.

they shall fall and then in verse six, and I will send a fire on may God and among them that dwell carelessly in the owls and they shall know that I am the Lord. Now as you read down through here, you’ll find there’s a phrase mentioned over and over and over again that they shall know the Lord, that they shall know the Lord, that they shall know the Lord. God does what he does so that people won’t know who God is to know the Lord.

That’s why you and I, the most important thing we ever ask them about is do you know the Lord? Do you know do you know where you’re going when you die? Well, God says there’s a time coming when no man will have to ask anybody. Do you know the Lord? Do you know the Lord? Because everybody will know the Lord. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful time? But that is coming. And so he says in the last part of verse 23 of chapter 38 he says that they may know that I am the Lord.

That they may know that I am the Lord. This is what it’s all about. That they may know that I am the Lord. Look there in verse 17 of chapter 39, and you’ll notice that it’s like reading the book of Revelation in Matthew, in Revelation chapter 19, where he says, and thou son of man, speak Unto every feathered foul, to every beast of the field. Assemble yourselves and come. Gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you.

Even a great sacrifice unto the mountains of Israel that you may eat the flesh and drink the blood. And ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty and the drink the blood of the princes of the earth and of rams and of lands and of goats and bolts and of the fatlings of basin. And ye shall eat fat till ye be full and drink blood till ye be drunk. And oh, my sacrifice, of my sacrifice, which I have sacrificed for you.”

That’s almost like reading the 19th chapter when Christ comes back at the end, and it makes the statement that whenever Jesus Christ come back, the sign of His coming in Matthew 24, and then it’s where the eagle is there where the bodies is there where the eagles be gathered together. is mentioned in Luke chapter 17, and then in chapter 19 of the book of Revelation, is talking about, and God will have all the birds come together, and all the files of the year, and they will eat the flesh of mighty man and so forth.

Well, that’s when Christ comes back in power and great glory. So is this when this takes place? It could be. All of it has to tie together. If it doesn’t, it happens again. But I do believe this is what’s ahead of us. And that God is gonna use the nations of the world accomplish his purpose. And how come, and maybe God uses maybe American some of the other countries, to stop them? Or maybe God just comes back and zaps them.

But it says it’s because of fire from out of heaven. Now is that because of nuclear power? I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t care. I don’t care about the little details. God can take care of all of that. But he says, this is coming. Now look there in verse 22. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord. their God from that day forward and get this and the haven shall know. Because they will know that they couldn’t stop Christ coming and his deliverance of Israel and the nations of the earth, especially at the Battle of Armageddon, they’re all going to be dead.

And yet the believers in the various nations, he said, I’ll separate the sheep, the saved from the goats, the lost. And the saved of the nations will go into the millennium. And it says, and the saved of these nations, they’re going to worship the Lord. And they’ll go to Jerusalem and to worship. Read the last chapter in the book of Zechariah, and it talks about that, his holiness and all. And he says here in verse 23, And the heathen shall know that the Lord or house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they transgressed against me.

Therefore, he had I my face from them, and gave them unto the hands of their enemies. So fell they all by the sword. So God says, this is what I’m going to do. Verse 25 talks about the whole house of Israel. We’ll begin to be jealous again for the holy name. Verse 27, when I have brought them again from the people and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands. See, that was done once before and it’s gonna be done again.

And verse 28, then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity, caused them to be led in captivity among the heathen. But I have gathered them unto their own land and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them, for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel.” And this is according to the book of Romans in chapter 11 where he says, and that the liver will come out of Zion, and he will save his people.

He will save the saved.” I hope that makes a little sense to you as you maybe get your morning paper and you listen to those commentators at night. I wish that they all knew the Bible and could tell you now this is what God said. This is what God said. You see, most of them are simply some good men, but they have secular minds, they’re not spiritually, they don’t know the Lord, and therefore they don’t know the Scripture and how it all comes together.

So I get excited just thinking about it. Look up here. I talked about being saved. If you’ve never understood what that means, well let me show you. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. Now we all have sin on us. All of us, just like Israel, we all do things wrong. We all sin. But understand this. God loves you. He loves me. But He hates what we do wrong. And to pay for the sin is death and hell.

Since every man sins, every man is condemned. So the Bible says, the whole world is guilty before God. We’re all in the same boat. Every man needs a savior. So Christ came to save every man. And God says, you cannot earn your way to heaven. You can’t work your way to heaven by your good deeds. God says, you have to be perfect to go to heaven and none of us are perfect. We’ve all come short of God’s perfection. So since a man can’t save himself, how can he be saved?

This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord, God in the flesh. He came into this world. 2000 years ago, lived a perfect life. He was God’s son. He’d never done anything wrong. Never sinned. He didn’t have to die. But because he loved us, the Bible says that he took all of our sins, that separate us and took them on himself and paid for it. We didn’t help him. We didn’t both die for our sins. He took all of sins and by himself purged our sins, paid for our sins.

Came back from the dead and God said, if we’ll believe he did it for us, he would put this payment to our county and we get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us. It’s a gift. It’s totally free. The best news you’ll ever hear. A man would be a fool to turn down a free gift. God so loved the world that you and me that he They gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The whosoever, believe it.

It’s all we have to do. It’s all we can do. If we’ll believe He did it for us, that He took our sin, paid for them and came back from the dead. If you’ll believe He did it for you, then God said He would give to you as a free gift everlasting life, and you get to go to heaven on what He did for you. You didn’t earn it. You didn’t deserve it. the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.

Let’s pray, shall we? If you’re here this morning and you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you trust Him right now? Would you just simply say something like this between you and the Lord? Lord, I don’t understand it all. But I believe Christ died, paid for my sins, and I will trust Him right now as my only hope of going to heaven. Friend, if you’ll do that, God will save you, give you eternal life. And you can know, when you get up to leave, you can say, I know I have eternal life.

I know I’m going to heaven when I die. He did it for you. Would you believe it? If you’re making that decision, I’d like to have prayer for you. Would you just slip your hand up very quickly and put a right back down? I’m not gonna have you forward, not gonna embarrass you. But right where you’re sitting, said, that made sense to me and I wanna be certain of going to heaven when I die and pastor, would you pray for me?

Just flip it up very quickly and put a right down, and then what at all? You that know Christ is your savior, now is the time to do the work of the Lord. Now is the time to reach people. There’s coming a day in which no man can work. All opportunities will be gone. No more chances. Our Father, we thank You so much for this time together to study Your Word, and we pray, Lord, to be challenged and motivated because of it.

To have confidence that Your Word is true, that You know what You’re doing, and You are in charge. That nobody has dethroned You or kicked You off of the throne. No, You’re still there. And Father, we just thank You so much for loving us and giving us a little knowledge so that we could probably know no cruising charge, that we don’t have to worry and be afraid and afraid in this life. You’ve been good to us. We thank You for it.

Christ’s name we pray. Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach 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. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re 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 six o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live. And now we’ll close your thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed.

Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and everyday, believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.

This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, dear 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 through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. 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 God of the Bible. What’s a good book? Romans. Turn in the book of Romans. What’s a good chapter? chapter 9, very good. Romans chapter 9, I was going to title this sermon when God saves the saved. That’s a good title of a sermon. When God saves the saved. And I’m not talking about you. I’m not even talking about y’all. I’m talking about something else. And I think the title might still fit.

But look there in the book of Romans in chapter 9. Excuse me, chapter 10, that was the first mistake I ever made. Romans chapter 10, and look in verse 1, he says, brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved, for I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge. For they be an ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Now get this verse, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. So his desire, Paul’s desire, was that the nation of Israel, his people would be saved. And he’s talking about how that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, for they going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. You know, we have a world full of people just like that today, and all the religions of the world, people that are trying to establish their own righteousness, and they have rejected the righteousness that God sent down, and they want God to accept the righteousness they send up.

And it won’t work that way. But God made a promise. So I want you to look there in verse 25 of chapter 11. This is what he said in verse 25, he says, for I would not brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceit. That blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in. So God says, yeah, they’re blind. Israel is blind. And you and I, we look at the world situation today and we We wonder what is it that’s protecting that little nation of Israel?

And you say, well, it’s because of America. No, it’s mainly because of God. God can use America, but God can also protect Israel without America. God can do whatever God wants to do. And God says that in the last days, all the nations of the earth are going to turn against Israel. You said, no. Yes. Bible said so. And because the Bible said it, I believe it. But now I want you to see this. Look there in verse 26 of chapter 11 of the book of Romans.

And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. Now I believe There’s a devil reference here, one, when Christ came the first time and made the payment on the cross for the sins of the whole world. And then during the tribulation period upon the earth, which is right ahead of us, God is going to allow the nations of the earth become so bad, so wicked, they’re going to try to annihilate the Jewish people.

And unless God intervenes, there won’t be anybody left, but God will intervene, God is going to save. Nationally, the Jews that are saved individually because they’re going to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and they deliver out of sight is coming. And he’s going to come and power in great glory in every eye will see him and he’s going to do a work that most people won’t believe, but it’s going to take place. Now take your Bible and turn all the way over there to the book of Ezekiel, the book of Ezekiel, Chapter 37.

Ezekiel chapter 37, and I want to show you something here very quickly, but it’s good to get this foundation here because it’s a promise and it deals with a covenant that God made to the nation of Israel. And look there in verse 22, Ezekiel chapter 36. In verse 22 says, Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sake. O house of Israel, but from my holy name, sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whether you went.

In other words, the Jews were scattered upon the face of the earth, and they were also scattered again after Christ came the first time, and they did not do what God wanted them to do. God’s He wanted them to be a light to the Gentiles, to show people the true and living God. And as a nation, they failed in their responsibility. So God has chased them and scattered them up on the earth. But God says, now in the end time in the last days, I’m gonna bring the children of Israel back to the land.

You and I are fortunate enough to live at a time when Israel is back in the land. but they’re back in the land in unbelief. And there is still a great judgment going to take place upon the land of Israel, but it will be also upon the whole world. And he makes the statement, and I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, that’s the Gentiles, which ehab profaned in the midst of them, and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, sayeth the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

So God says, I want you to be a light to the world and you blew it. So I am going to chasten the whole world and you and bring the world against you in order to chasten you. And then I will have to deliver you. And when I deliver you and I am sanctified in your eyes, then the world will know. So God has a plan. And in the midst of all the chaos that going on in the world, can you believe that God is working out all things after the counsel of his own will to perform what he wants done in this world?

God is, I know it’s hard to believe, he’s still on the throne. He knows exactly what’s going on. He even wrote it in a book and said, how it’s gonna take place. I think it’s awesome myself. And then he says here, I will, I will, I will. I mentioned to you this before. See there in verse 25, I will sprinkle clean water upon you. Well the verse before it, I will take you from among the heathen. In verse 26, and a new heart will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you.

And I will, all this is about what I will, I will, I will. God says, I am making a covenant with you. This is what I’m going to do. And this deals with a new birth. When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their savior. I was cleansed of all of my sins. I have been made pure and holy. I have been given the free gift of eternal life. I am a child of God. God is my father. All of that because of what he did on the cross for me.

Well, God says, there’s a time coming when my people are going to believe on me. They’re going to believe it. And I’m going to save, deliver from extinction, my people, those that are saved. And they are going to become that little mustard seed that’s going to fill the kingdom. And God says, one day Israel will be the greatest nation in the world. Now that’s hard for us to believe. One of the smallest nations will be the greatest nation. God told us what He’s going to do.

Now I want you to look there in verse 31. Then shall you remember your own evil ways, your own doings that were not good, and loathe yourself in your own sight for your iniquity and for your abominance. Because now I’m going to, I, I, I, I, I, and by the time he gets through with what he’s doing, then you will CCCCC. What you’re doing. So God said, I’m going to do something, but you’re also going to see what you’ve been doing.

You know sometimes God may have to work in your life, and God says, I’m going to beat the tar out of you until you see what you’re doing with your life. Did you know many times in our life is when the hard things hit that cause us to examine what’s going on? Now when, when what I did wrong this time, God says, oh, you did something, keep looking, and you’d be surprised what God has to do, do and sometimes we have to take a two before and just hit you over the head with it.

And then we begin to look. And God says, now, this is also part of my promise that when I get through dealing with you, which is right ahead of us, God says, look there in verse 35, and they shall say this land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden. Now I’ve never seen the Garden of Eden, but I’m kind of looking forward to it. I have been to Israel a number of times. I have been blessed enough to stand and look at the nation of Israel on the west side of Jordan and look on the east side of the Jordan of the Jordan River and look there and lo and behold, it’s like a desert.

It’s like life and death and you can see it visibly with your eyes. What they have been able to do with this land. But remember this, their land is not over with yet. They’re supposed to have from the Nile River in Egypt all the way over to the Tigris and the Euphrates. All that’s going to belong to Israel. Most of that’s all desert, but it’s going to blossom like the rose. And God said that that whole place is going to look like the Garden of Eden.

Many people believe that was of cradle of civilization anyway, you know, the Mesopotamian Valley. But God said, I’m going to do a work. And this is what I’m going to do. And look in verse 37, and thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. I will increase them with men like a flock. God made a promise. But until then, see, there’s this problem. Israel is like a dead man.

Israel is not spiritually minded. Israel is not seeking their Messiah. They’re not seeking God. A lot of people in Israel, even in the Knesset, that rule in Israel, they’re totally liberal and have no confidence in the Bible and don’t believe any of the promises of God. They’re just kind of like fighting for their life using the wisdom of man. secular, humanistic. But God says, the day is coming and I’m going to do it work. But right now they’re like a valley of dry bones.

So in the 37th chapter of the book of Ezekiel, there’s a story here about the bones. It represents the nation of Israel that has been taken out out of the land and that have been scattered over the world and they’re dead. They’re not spiritually alive. That’s the way God saw you before you trusted Christ as your Savior. You were like a dead man. There was no spiritual life there. And then lo and behold, God does a wonderful work. He allows you to hear the gospel.

And you heard the gospel, the good news of how Christ died on the cross paid for your sins and you accepted Him as your Savior God saved you and gave you life. Now you are a spiritual individual that can talk to the Lord because God is a spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. So God has done a wonderful work in our life, but he’s going to do it to the nation of Israel. But until then, this is the valley of dry bones.

See in chapter 37, he says in verse 3, and he said unto me, son of man, And can these bones live? And I answered, oh Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said in me, prophesy unto these bones and say unto them, oh ye draw bones. Hear the word of the Lord. And that’s what you and I have to do. That’s why he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life. So he says there in verse five, thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you and you ought to underline these three words.

Yee shall lift. This is a promise from God. You see in chapter 36, how is God going to do all of this with dead bones? With people scattered all over the world. With people with no spiritual life, with people who don’t know God and don’t love God and don’t want God. But God says, I’m going to take and get your attention. I’m going to have the whole world turn against you. And this world is going to try to annihilate you, and they’re going to hate the nation of Israel.

Do you know the majority of people in this world hate Jews? They hate them, and some of them don’t even know why. They don’t have a reason. Why do you have over 50 Arab nations that want to see Israel driven into the sea? It’s because they need that land. Look how much land they already have. Now they’re taking over all of Africa. Now they’re trying to take over Europe. How much more do they want? They want all of it.

And here’s such little O Israel. totally surrounded. And if God doesn’t intervene, Israel has no hope. They have no hope, no way of getting out of this. Look there in Ezekiel 37. I want you to look in verse 11. Then he said unto me, Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Because see the whole house of Israel, there was Israel, which was the 10 tribes. And then there was Judah, which was the seven, two tribe, Judah and Benjamin.

And so in Israel, the capital was in Samaria. And in Judah, which was Judah and Benjamin, there was in Jerusalem. And so that’s why when you reach some of the chronicles and the kings, there was a king in Israel and it was a king in Judah. And sometime it seemed like you’d get all mixed up with all this. But this was because the nation was divided because of all the shenanigans done by Solomon. Remember Solomon and his thousand wives?

All those wise counselors he had, women telling them what to do? Well, those 300 Conkey Bines and all those 700 wives, I mean, boy, he had his hands full. I’ve been married to one woman for 51 years. Can you imagine 700? So God says, I’m going to split the kingdom, but not in your days. So after he died, yeah, he was split. And God says, in the end time, I’m going to bring them back together. So he says here, and look at this.

This is so important in verse 11. Behold, they say our bones are dried and get this. Our hope is lost. There’s coming a time when Israel will say our hope is lost. They cannot defend themselves. They’re worried. They’re scared to death. And they are looking for somebody to deliver them from the total annihilation of the anti-Christ and the End Times. The world is coming after Israel. But one of the biggest blocks to keep them from getting Israel is America.

That’s why they will work so hard. And if they cannot storm the gates, they’re going to infiltrate. And that is being done now. in order to bring down America to where we will not stand behind Israel. God said, I will bless them that blessed thee and I will curse them that cursed thee. And that’s what we’re going to see. So he says here in verse 12, therefore prophesy and say unto them, does saith the Lord God behold I or all my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel.

And we have seen people from all over the world. For some reason or other, there’s that burning desire they want to go back to their land. And Menom have gone back to their land and yes they have become established as a nation. May the 28th, 1948, his rail was established as a nation. And there have to be a people there in order to make a peace treaty. So all this has to be fulfilled and isn’t wonderful that is happening in our lifetime.

We’re able to see some of these things come in the past and God talked about in his word. He says, I will bring them from all the heathen, from the Gentile nations and pull them back into their land. But they’re not all back in their land. And look what he says in verse 14, and shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land. But remember when he says that I’m going to put my spirit within you in chapter 36.

Now in chapter 37, this is when he’s talking about this is how he’s going to cause them to come together as a people and as a nation that will seek God. And lo and behold, by the time God gets through and he comes back at the end of the tribulation period and every eye will see him and Israel will be saved as in a day. So God is going to save nationally, his people that are saved individually because they’ve trusted Christ as their Savior.

One of these days, God’s going to deliver us from the present evil world because we We have individually accepted Christ as our Savior, but He’s going to deliver us collectively. We are the bride of Christ that day is coming. So He makes a statement here, I will put my spirit within you and I’ll place you until you’re only. And she God said, this is what I’m going to do. See doing the tribulation here, when the antichrist comes on the scene, he’s a bad man.

And he lies to the world. He lies to Israel. They sign the peace tree. And after three and a half years, they break that peace treaty and then turn against Israel. And this is where the beast throws off the woman and tries to devour her. And the Bible says that they will go into a place, I believe where it’s in Jordan. But that’s another message for another time. But look in verse 16. He says, Moreover thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it for Judah.

For the children of Israel, his companions then take another stick and write upon it for Joseph. And he says, I’m going to take and make these two sticks. One, I’m going to take the 10 tribes and the southern two tribes and I’m going to make it all one again. And this is what I’m going to say. God’s going to do all of this. I got a hunch somewhere down the road. They’re going to be able to find that they can prove what tribe a man is from by the DNA.

because I know and I believe that only certain ones that are of the tribe of Levi can administer in the temple and because of that they got to know who isn’t who isn’t and after two thousand years you know people can interbreed and all kinds of stuff you don’t know what’s going on but I brought you they’re gonna be able to prove which tribe not just their digitalites but what tribe they’re from you show they’ll never happen okay I’ll be wrong on that one then but I want you to in verse 19 he says, the saith the Lord, Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is the hand of E from the tribes of Israel, his fellows, and he says in the last part of that verse and make them one stick and they shall be one in my hand.

Verse 21, and say unto them, the saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen whether they be gone and bring them into their own land. Remember, this was written all over 500 years before Christ came the first time. So you tell me what other nation has ever had this happened to them? Were they been scattered upon the face of the earth and after over 2,000 years they become stables as a nation again?

There isn’t one other nation that’s ever had that happen to them. How can you say that the Bible is not true? everybody with a brain and can read, can see this, unless they’re willingly ignorant of truth. Don’t want to know. Mine’s made up. But look there in verse 22, and I will make them get this one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all. And these shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all.

So this is going past the time of Christ. Because see they were divided, but this has never happened because Israel has never had another king. You see, when the temple was destroyed nobody can claim the throne of Israel because they have to prove they are the line of David of the tribe of Judah. They have to prove all and they can’t prove it. And the last one that could claim the throne of Israel was Jesus Christ and He was crucified and He had no offspring.

So there is nobody else ever that can ever claim to be the king in Israel unlessDelivery they killed comes back from the dead and shows up again. You know I bet that’s going to happen. I have this feeling but look what He says here. I’m going to bring them back and you’ll see that in verse 23 I will, the last part of verse 23 I will, and down in verse 24 look what he says, and this shows you that he’s talking about in the future.

And David, my servant shall be king over them. Now he’s already been dead 500 years when this was written. But now that was 2500 years ago when this was written. And it says David is going to come and David is going to rule in Jerusalem and get to what is it she says, and they all shall have one shepherd, they shall also walk in my judgment, observe my stature and do them. Israel in the future one day is going to do everything God wanted them to do, but they have become so rebellious.

So God had to chase them, but there still is people. And then he makes a statement on in verse 25, and they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob. My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelled, and they shall dwell therein, even they and their children, and their children’s children for how long? Forever, and they’ll never be taken out again. You see, there’s people that are always trying to claim the land over there in Israel. God says, the earth is mine.

This land belongs to me. The cattle on the thousand hill that’s mine the gold in the silver it all belongs to God because when we leave it’s still here And it’s still his. And he says, I’m giving this land to Israel. And God says, not to part his land. Israel is making a big mistake thinking they can appease their enemies by giving them land. It can happen. There is no peace. When they talk about peace, they’re talking about, I want a piece of this one piece of this one piece with everyone.

They didn’t want a piece of it. They went the whole thing. Now, look in verse 26. Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them in their land. That’s just what I’m going to do in verse 27. And I will be their God. And then in verse 28 he says, and when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forevermore. So God said, this is what I’m going to do.

And it’s going to last forever. So we know that in the days ahead, there’s going to be a temple built. It’s going to be destroyed again. bad days ahead for Israel. And this is what God says He’s going to do. You see, to get God’s people ready to wake up, God’s going to get a two by four and hit him on the head with it. Look at the two before He’s planning on using chapter 38. In verse two, Son of Man set thy face against God.

This is the prince of the land of May God. That’s the land. The The chief prince of Mieshek and Tubal, many believe to be Moscow and Tubal, and prophesy against them. This is a war that has not happened. This is a war that’s in the future. See God tells you what I’m going to do and then He tells you what He’s done and then He tells you what he’s planned and what he did and it’s all over here. But God says because we’re hard headed and stiff-knit, He said, I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen before it takes place.

So that when it happens, you’ll know I told you so. This is in the future. What you’re seeing here in chapter 38 has never taken place. But look at it. He says, this is what I’m gonna do. I am going to inverse four and I’m gonna turn the back and put hooks into thy jaws. I will bring thee forth and all thy army, a horse is in horse and so forth. I am gonna, God said, I’m gonna put hooks in your jaws and I’m gonna pull you down here against my people Israel.

So that means they’ve got to be back in the land, which they are now. But see, they’re not right. God has to get His people right, and they haven’t trusted Him yet. So when God gets through taking these nations and using them as a rod to chasten His people, after a while Israel is going to realize, it’s God or we’re dead. It’s either we turn to the Lord or we’re dead. God said if he does not intervene, no flesh will be left alive.

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 1-800-576-3771Generic. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church 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 going to our church website, CalvaryofTampa.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. 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.