In Training

God has got a wonderful plan for all of us. And it's not just for all of us. It's for our children and for our young adults. There is a very encouraging little section of Scripture amongst a number of instructions about marriage that Paul gave to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. So if we turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 7, we see this very encouraging little statement in verse 14, because he's addressing a number of issues.

And then in verse 14, he says, For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. Brethren, our children are set apart by God for a specific purpose. And in fact, we all have been called, that is, to be holy, to be set apart for a specific purpose.

Now, many people may simply say, well, yeah, we're called to be saved. True, true, however, for us to be called in this age, there is, in fact, much more than just being saved. You see, because salvation would be all, you could be called in all tomorrow. And therefore, most people living in the world today have not been called yet. And so, why are we called? Why are we set apart? Why are our young people so special? And you, as a young adult, or a teenager, or even a smaller child, God has got a great plan for you, for all of us.

But I'm particularly talking to you, young people. So, we are set apart. For what? For a great goal. What is the goal for you and I that the ultimate goal that we have? Well, if you turn with me to Revelation chapter 19.

Revelation chapter 19 verse 16. Revelation chapter 19 verse 16 is talking about Christ, and that He has on His robe and on His thigh a name, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Brethren, you and I are going to be kings under the King of Kings. Some of us may be going to be lords, or maybe both. I don't know. We don't know. But the point is God has a place prepared for you, as a plan for you individually. And you may say, oh well, this is for those that are baptized and will be resurrected in first resurrection.

True. But you know, in every government there are various layers of government, and God will need leaders, pioneers, leaders, physical leaders in the world tomorrow. And brethren, Christ's coming is not far away. It's around the corner. And so, you as young people could very well be leaders, physical leaders in the soon-to-come world tomorrow, obviously under Christ, under your parents, which would then be spirit beings.

But you as physical leaders, young adults, will be leading in the world tomorrow. You and I need to be ready for that responsibility. Teenagers, young adults, we need to prepare ourselves for that role, for that job. As that are older, we also need to prepare ourselves for the role to be lords under the Lord of Lords, and or to be kings under the King of Kings.

God has an enormous opportunity for us. Think about it. We will be in the top echelon of God's government, yes, in the millennium, but for all eternity into eternity. Do we get that? God has something wonderful prepared for you and I. In 1 John chapter 3 verse 1 and 2, it says, look what manner of love God has upon us, has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God. Young people, you are children of God.

God is setting you apart, is setting you in a path to be finally at the end of this road, this physical road of ours, for us to be spirit beings as his sons and daughters in his kingdom. Now, I think sometimes we don't really grasp the full meaning of the kingdom of God, because the kingdom of God, yes, it's God's government on earth in the millennium, and yes, it's coming to earth, and yes, beyond the millennium, it will be expanded to the whole universe.

But it's also a family. This kingdom is composed of a family, of a royal family.

And as a royal family, we are going to have a father-son, brother-sister relationship in that kingdom with one another forever.

And so, and so, and here's the point that I want to emphasize. If we grasp what this really is when we go through our daily difficulties, so whether we are adults, or whether we are younger ones, whether we are teenagers, or whether we are older, if we really grasp this, then what it says in verse three of 1 John chapter three takes a real profound meaning, because it says, everyone who has this help in him, do we keep this hope, this vision of the goal, the vision of what God wants you to do, and wants me to do, wants us to do, as He is rule-less, and young people as the pioneers, as the leaders in the soon-coming physical world tomorrow. God has something awesome for all of you. It's awesome! And if what He says, if we keep this hope in mind, when you struggle with whatever weaknesses, frailties, bad thoughts, whatever, if you keep this in mind and help you to persevere, then it'll be a great encouragement.

To you to stick to it till the end, and that's why it says, if you have this hope, you purify yourself. You strive to do your part to be pure.

Now, here is the point that I want to emphasize today. You and I, in this life, we are what I call in training. In other words, this life is like a boot camp, and you and I are in training to qualify to this enormous governing, ruling, teaching job that God asked for you and I and for our children in the world tomorrow. That's why you and I are set aside, because God needs you. Like you see these adverts, Uncle Sam needs you. Well, God needs us. God wants us in his kingdom. He's given the life of his very own son for us so that we can be there. And therefore, now that he has brought us back from death, he's redeemed us, he wants us to not give up and to understand, to have the vision of this hope so that we persevere to the end and don't give up. You see, because Sam can lose the crown. Read in Revelation chapter 3 verse 11. Revelation chapter 3 verse 11. It says, Behold, I'm coming quickly. When Christ comes, it will be sudden. It will be so sudden. And it says, if you hold fast, what you have, that no one may take your crown.

The point that I want to emphasize, young brethren, young families, even all of us, as older, we all need to really pay attention, pay attention to the training God has in store for you and I individually. Why? Why? Because if we don't really apply their training, when the time comes, how can God give us the superpowers that He wants to give us, the super capabilities of ruling and affecting other people, if we have not been trained adequately to do so? And today is the day that we have been trained. If you and I mess up, how can God give us that inheritance of what He wants to give you? And so, young people, I want to encourage you to pay attention that you and I are in training now. You know, like for instance, think about it. You go to school, you go to college, you are in training, right? You're being taught you various disciplines, various principles. And what do you have? Now and again, you have tests, right? And if you pass the test, you can go to the next grade. That's true in any profession. It's true in any profession. In any profession, you're given a job and initially maybe you go through a training process. And you get better or you take a little longer, but that's okay as much as you keep improving. But you need to be working. If you come to a point that you're not working, that you're not performing up to standard, they may change you in your company. They say, well, we have seen that you're better doing this job than that job, so we're going to put you back onto this job because maybe for whatever reason, we believe it's better suited for you. And these things happen in management, but people have to go through this training process. And particularly if you get trained at a company for management, you get trained for two types of roles. Roles which are task-specific. In other words, related to the physical work of the job. But if you are a manager, you also have to be trained in what they call people skills.

Our role to be in the kingdom of God as children of God, we need people skills. We need to be careful with what we say, how we say, how we encourage or don't encourage others.

It's so easy to say a way that you and I think that, well, I'm trying to encourage, but it may be perceived by that person as discouraging because they come from different life experiences. And so it's all part of this training that we have. Don't disdain or neglect the value of this training you and I are going through in this life. We are in training. We are in boot camp. And so for training, any type of training, in any job, it requires self-discipline. It requires work, working at it. It requires tests, in other words, asking the tests. And it requires the development of people skills. And that's why when Christ came and started preaching, we read in Mark chapter 1, verse 15. Mark chapter 1, verse 15, it says, and he came to start preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Let me get to it so I can read it. Mark chapter 1, verse 15, and he said, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. Now you and I read this, and we think about this in, let's call it, religious terms. But I want you now to think in addition to that, also in the point of way of a training, repent means in a way that you've got to improve your skills, your capabilities, to qualify to meet the standards that God has given us. And secondly, believe what? The gospel, the gospel of the kingdom. What do you mean is the gospel of the kingdom? Do you and I understand what the kingdom of God is? Because the given God, some people in the world just say, oh well, it's something in your heart. Well, it washes away the whole meaning. But when we understand, well, the kingdom of God is the government of God, now we start getting a bigger meaning. And when we understand it's the governing family of God with roles and responsibilities to which they have been adequately trained and they can fulfill them, now believing the gospel, believing, understanding what this vision is, I hope it takes a bigger perspective in your mind. Now, let's look at a slightly different angle, which is what is the standard that God wants you and I to be? And that's kind of hinted in Hebrews chapter one. Hebrews chapter one.

And let's read in verse three, because it's talking about that God speaks to us through His Son. And then it says in verse three, who being the brightness of His glory, of God's glory, that's Christ, and the express image of His person.

Do we get that? Christ is the express image of God the Father's person, as a person, as a being. The word express image, or rather the two words express image, express image, come from the Greek word 5481, which is charakter, which sounds in a way, if you pay attention to it, to character. Charakter, charakter, charakter. So what was it meant in those days? Well, it was an instrument for engraving or carving an instrument, or the mark being stamped on something, for instance. The exact expression, as it says here, or the express image, the exact expression of any person or thing, is a marked likeness, a precise reproduction in every respect. Think about it. It's like a photocopier. You know, it's just you're producing another person with the same express image. And Christ is of this express image of, as it says here, of his person, of the Father's person. So Christ has got the same character as God the Father. So we get back to the vision. What is our vision? Isn't it for us to imitate Christ? Isn't it for us to be like Christ? And so let's look at now at Ephesians chapter 4, and we're just going to read verses 11 through 13. Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 through 13, and says, and he himself, that's Christ, gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. So Christ has put different people in different positions of authorities in the church for the equipping of the saints in order to to really help the brethren to be equipped. In other words, to teach, to instruct, to help us young people, adults, to be more like Christ. He says, for the work of the ministry, in other words, for the work of ministry, not the ministry, the work of ministry, in other words, the work of the Acunea, of service, of serving, of helping, for the edifying, the building of the body of Christ, which is the church. Two. Two. We all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of Man. The goal is for us to come to that unity, to be like God, that unity in faith, that unity to be like Christ. Understanding what Christ is, you know, is the knowledge of the Son of Man. I mean, you read also in Peter what it says, growing grace and knowledge. That's what it is of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And it says, through we come to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. So what is our vision, brethren? Our vision is in the concept of repent and believe, is that we need to change and modify ourselves so that our vision is that what we believe that will be in the kingdom, in that ruling family, that we have a responsibility there, and everyone has a responsibility. Everyone, young people, you will have a responsibility initially in the pioneering of the world tomorrow, in the first years of the world tomorrow, you will have awesome responsibility.

And then it will grow from there. It will grow from there. So what is our vision? Our vision is to be exactly like God is.

In other words, whatever we do, it's going to be right, godly, and we must be truthful. Now, we all fail, brethren. I fail, we all fail. And God understands and knows that we are human beings, but God looks at our heart. Are we really trying? Because we are in training. In training means that sometimes you don't pass the test, but you try again to pass the test. You and I are in training, but we must make the effort. We must make that effort. Think about it. We, you, yeah, I must make the effort to develop the character of God. Now, what is character? Character is, number one, you know the truth from the false. Number two, you have the free will to make a choice to choose.

And number three, you have the self-discipline to choose what is right. And that applies equally to our teenagers. As you go to school, as you find a lot of things that are wrong, and you're able to distinguish right from wrong, you're able to choose what is right, and you have the self-discipline and self-control to do what is right.

You see, that's just quite a few scriptures to back that up. The first one is in Psalm 19. Psalm 19. In Psalm 19, it highlights, yeah, starting from verse 11. Psalm 19. Psalm 19. Verse 11. Moreover, Psalm 19, a big apart, verse seven, a big apart. Psalm 19 verse seven, starting in verse seven, and ending in verse 11. It says, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, converting our life, our being. You see, God's law tells us exactly what is right and what is wrong. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. If you know what's right and wrong, you're wiser than others. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. If you do what is right, you're going to be at peace inside. You're not going to be feeling guilty. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. You have no need to kind of hide your eyes from other people because you're doing what's right.

The fear of the Lord is clean. The deep respect for God is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. God's decisions are just so wise and true. I wish we all could make decisions which are wise, but we are in training. We are in training. We are in this physical boot camp. So it says, more to be desired are they than gold. Yes, much than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Because the reward is the kingdom of God. The reward is to be in the family of God. The reward is to be in that family to serve others, to do things for the good of humanity. You and I today cannot do anything. We see so many people suffering, and we wish our world we could just sort it out, but we can't. We just cannot. I mean, we can try. We can do what we can within our limits.

But the only real solution is when God's will is done on earth, when the kingdom of God comes to earth, and Christ is ruling, and you and I are helping him to rule under these directives. And so, when I mention about character, the first point is no true from false. God's laws, God's principles, which is love, which is out of concern for others, show us what is true and what is false. And then I mention the second point. We need free moral agency. And you and I read in the Toronto Mi 30, verse 19, God says, I set before you life and death. Choose life. Choose life for your own good.

You see, so God gives us the capability, free moral agency, to choose. Grant it. God has predestined you to be in his kingdom as kings and kings of kings, and lords and lord of lord. It's predestined you for that. God. But whether you're going to make it or not depends on you and I in taking up the straining and applying it. Because if we don't apply the straining that we have now today, we could lose our crown. And that's the point. Your final destination is what God desires for you. But whether you will get there is up to you and I. Because God has done everything for you and I, and will continue doing everything for you and I for us to get there. So, and the next point is the self-discipline to do it. We need the guts, the courage, the self-discipline to do what is right. Read with me, please, in Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5.

Romans chapter 5, verse 3 and 4. And not only that, but we're also glorying in tribulations. In other words, we need to pass the tests. You know, it's like you go to school, you go to college, you've got a test, you've got to pass those tests. And you say, hey, I got A's or B's or whatever, but I've got, I passed the tests. We are in training. This life is a boot camp. We need to pass the tests that we go through. So it says, not only that, but we also glory in tribulations. There were trials, difficulties, challenges. They come in various kinds, knowing that this test, these tribulations, these difficult times, produce perseverance. Stick to witness. Just going to persevere. And perseverance, character, character, and character, hope. This hope, this vision. You see, we need that vision to give us the character, the self-discipline, and for us to have that, we've got to keep persevering. But we need to have that hope, that vision, clearly in our minds, like we read in 1 John chapter 3 verse 3, whoever has this vision purifies himself. Young people, you need to see that God has set you apart for a great opportunity in addition to salvation. And yes, salvation is a wonderful blessing, a gift from God. I'm not minimizing that, but I'm just saying there's even more. There's a greater inheritance for those that are called now, because God sees the potential that you have that you can actually do it, that you can actually do it. If you just persevere and you stick to it with that character, but you've got to keep that hope alive, that vision alive. You see, we need to see the vision See? The vision is so important. I remember when I was in South Africa, I worked for many years for what we used to call IBM South Africa. Then, because of different issues, IBM South Africa disinvested from South Africa, and then we became a separate company. And one of the things that kept us together is that the management team put together a program called Shared Vision and made different education modules to all the employees for us to see the vision for this now independent company in South Africa. And that led to the success of that company. Vision is so important. God has given us a wonderful vision. That's why it says, repent and believe the gospel, the vision. You and I need this vision. Young people don't allow this vision to just be watered down into some meaningless thing. God has such a great vision for you. Don't let go. Don't let your hand go. Hold on. Persevere. Have the self-discipline, the character, to do what is right, even under stress, because you have the vision that you're looking at.

And so, brethren, I want to now look at a sectionia in 1 Peter. And so, let's look at 1 Peter, and we're going to start in chapter 1. 1 Peter, 1 Peter, chapter 1.

And we're going to start with verse 2. And it says, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. You see, you and I are chosen and elected because God has a plan for us to be in his family, to rule in his kingdom. He's got this foreknowledge. That's what it is. It's not that he has a foreknowledge that you will specifically make it. He has the foreknowledge of what he wants you to be. But whether you and I will specifically make it, it's up to us that we don't turn our backs on this great opportunity. So he says, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, instantification of the Spirit. Brethren, this is so important. This small little word is so important. God's Holy Spirit is what helps us through this process of sanctification. It's God's Holy Spirit that touches us, triggers our mind, touches our conscience, and says, change. Think about it. God's Holy Spirit works with us even before you and I were baptized. Get it?

Because it's God's Holy Spirit that opens our minds, that helps us to understand the truth. You see, God's Holy Spirit is working with us. You read in John 14, where Christ said to the apostles, the Spirit of God is with you, but will be in you. So God's Holy Spirit is with us before we are baptized. So young people, teenagers, true, you're not baptized yet, but God's Spirit is working with you.

Are you listening to it? Are you taking the direction that God's Holy Spirit tells you? How does God's Holy Spirit speak to you? For your conscience, your subconscious. It pricks your conscience. You read, you study the Bible, these things get into your brain, you read God's Word, and then you pray and ask for God to help you. And then that little conscience, God's Spirit touches your conscience and my conscience and says, George, don't think that way. Don't do that. Before you say, get a little bit more advice. Ask other people, what do you think? You know, it's all part of just being a little wiser. We need to be wiser because we don't have all the wisdom. And then keeping, like I read in Psalm 19, that God's law is perfect, keeping God's law in mind, and then being wise, how we do it, and being careful how we engage the tongue, making sure we don't offend. That's what we're in training for. That's our boot camp.

And so it's the sanctification of the Spirit, as it says here in verse two, for obedience. To be like God is, for obedience and the springing of the blood of Jesus Christ. And then it says, blessed be, and be upon a grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope. You and I have been begotten again. That's for us that have been baptized. But if you're not baptized, the sanctification of the Spirit is still working with you. And when you're baptized, then you will be begotten again to what? To a living hope. To be His real sons and daughters. We now in boot camp, there's different phases like kindergarten and whatever is spiritually speaking, first grade, second grade, etc. There are different levels, and then we get baptized. Then we continue being in that boot camp, which is this physical life. Think about it. It's just a training ground. This physical life, whatever your life is, 30 years, whatever your life is, 90 years, this physical life is our boot camp. And you know, it's like a little hourglass. It's got so much sand in it, and every day a little grain of sand is coming out, and that time that you and I have in the boot camp is shrinking. Till one day comes. And that's it. How have we nighted? We are in boot camp. We have various tests. You read here in 1 Peter, it says, you know, the genius of your life is tested by fire. And then it says in verse 13, Therefore, gird the loins of your mind. Therefore, be careful what gets into this brain of ours in this mind. And don't be conformed to the conduct, former conduct, as it says in verse 14.

As it was in the days that you do not know better. Right, you're eager. But as he has called you, he's only, you be holy. You be perfect. You strive to this perfection. Will you and I achieve perfection in this life? No. But God looks at the heart. If you're in your boot camp, you and I are doing everything in training. And God sees the heart and the intent and effort and motivation and the work is there to do it. When we're resurrected, God will make up the difference. So, young people, you're in boot camp. Yes, when Christ comes, some of you will still remain physical. But you will be the leaders, the top leaders, physical leaders, under the spiritual leaders, which will be your parents, of specific areas.

God has got a wonderful plan for you. And therefore, then it goes, you continue reading in 1 Peter, then in chapter 2 says, therefore, verse 1, 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 1, lay aside all malice, all deceit, all hypocrisy, envy, evil speaking. Careful how we engage the mouth, because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Be careful and sin. And then it continues, you know, desire the pure milk of the Word, desire the truth, desire what is what is good. And then it says, you and I, therefore, are little stones. Read that in verse 5. It says, you also as living stones, in the Greek word there is little stones. You are like little pebbles. Christ is a rock. But you and I are just little pebbles, building up this building, the spiritual building, government, leadership, top echelon of God's government. Okay? Till we all become acceptable by God, that we meet those standards, and therefore, we reach that point. But you and I need division.

Look at verse 9 of 1 Peter chapter 2. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praise of him who called you out of darkness into this marvelous light, who once were not a people. You see, we all together, we're not a nation. You see, what do we have? We've got some people from America, we've got some people from Texas, right? America. But you've got people from Canada, you've got people from Brazil, you've got people from Australia, and these people, they all are being shaped separately, and they'll be brought together like when they built a temple, they were built individually, and then when they put together, it just fits wonderfully. It fits wonderfully. So you and I, we're not a people, but we'll become a people, the people of God, when he puts us all together. And this, therefore, brethren, therefore, Peter says, yeah, in a kind of concluding section to this part, that's obviously not the conclusion of his epistle, but he says, in verse 11, beloved, I beg you, I beg you, as sojourners and pilgrims, you see, in a boot camp, this is kind of our temporary dwelling. This is just a temporary ground, right? Abstain from fleshless, which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable by the maxigentiles, that when they speak against you, as evildoers, they may, by your good works, which they see you doing, glorify God in the day when Christ comes back. When Christ comes back, and God puts this building together, then they all look at it and say, oh, now I see why you're different. Now I see why you at school, as a young boy or a young girl, you stuck to godly values. Wow! What a glory to God! So young people stick to it. Remember, things are going to get bad, but God promises protection to you and I. You will be protected through these days, because God is building these leaders for the world tomorrow, and He is going to protect you, provided you do your part. Watch and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape. And also in Revelation 3 verse 10, He says, you will be protected. In Revelation 7 verse 9, He says, some will be sealed, will be protected. And then He says, they will not be impacted by these things. And then later on, you read in Revelation 9 verse 4, where it'll be these low costs and things, and it says those that have been sealed will not be affected. You will be protected. How? I don't know. But God knows. And you and I have to trust Him, because He's got a great plan for you. He's got a vision for you. So yeah, things that, yes, things are going to get bad, but God is looking after your back, and my back provided us are passing the tests in this boot camp. Do you get the vision? That's why we're training, Breton. That's why we are in training.

That's why you are set apart, as we read in 1 Corinthians 7 verse 14. We will be kings under the king of kings, and we'll be teachers and lords under the lord of lords. That is a high calling. Don't disregard such an inheritance.