We Need a New Breed of Leaders

Well, good afternoon to everyone. It's a beautiful day that God has given us to assemble together as his family here on the Sabbath, and so we deeply appreciate that. My wife Norma is with me, and so we've been experiencing some of the lovely traffic in the area, and it's good to be back here. It's been somewhere around probably 1998, I think. The last time we were here, unless somebody else has a better memory than I do, on that, about the time that we moved the home office. So it's really nice to be able to be back here.

I might just mention a couple of other things. I know that many of you probably received this from your church pastor, but to just give you a couple of updates. This year, at the Feast of Tabernacles, on a very positive side, we had over 13,037 in attendance, and attendance was up 1.5 percent over a year ago, so we were very delighted to see that. Actually, the attendance in the U.S. and Canada is up this year 9.5 percent over the year previous, in 2012, so that certainly is a tremendous blessing. One of the things that I know that Mr. Cubick has been very excited about is that on the Holy Days, as an example of Feast of Trumpets, our attendance was up 4.6 percent across the United States, and then on the Day of Atonement, it was up 4.5 percent.

Now, why that's important is because we hold those annual Sabbaths in local church areas. This is unlike the Feast of Tabernacles, where you can have a lot of visitors come in, and you don't know exactly how many are from our group or others who might be visiting. And then at the Feast, it was 5.5 on both days, increase. The Holy Day offering total was 4.87, for all of the Fall Holy Days, as an increase. So that, again, God has certainly blessed us in these areas.

We're here for the eighth and final regional conference meeting that's taking place. We've held eight of these around the country, and we will kick a new series off in February. But we're trying something a little different here. Jonathan Garnett mentioned it. We've invited leaders, potential leaders in the local congregation, to come in on Sunday. And we have a program prepared similar to the Labor Day weekend, and we invite various ones to Cincinnati. And we will be having four seminars given, lunch, question and answer. And it'll give us an opportunity to be able to get together to begin to know the local leadership. So if their names come up in the future, we can at least say, aha, I've met that person.

I know a little bit about them. So this is something, if it works well here, we're talking about trying to do it at all of the conferences. So basically, it just costs another day motel for us to be able to come a day early and to be able to be here. One of the things also that we're doing right now, and one of the reasons why these conferences and meetings are so important, the council and the administration for years have been talking about succession planning.

That as the church gets older, the ministry gets older likewise, and there is going to come a point to where we're going to have to replace ministers. Right now, somewhere fairly close to 50% of the ministry is 65 and over. So that means, eventually, the next eight or ten years, there's going to have to be a number of replacements.

So if we don't begin that process now and begin to work on that, begin to train and educate and to mentor new pastors, there's going to come a day when we're going to be left without them. So that's a major emphasis that we're looking at at this time and preparing for the future.

We realize that we need to prepare, mentor, and train more ministers, more pastors. In fact, one of the sessions we'll be covering at the conference, this regional conference, is to simply cover mentoring and how to go about mentoring. What we're thinking about is, let's say, an older, more mature pastor begins to think about retirement, maybe the last year or two, that he's working. He can mentor the individual who will replace him. And then, as he steps aside, it would be a natural thing for that individual to just step in and take his place. Do you realize, though, that God is also preparing a new breed of leaders for the future, a new breed or style of leaders?

Many of you may have read Hans Morgenthau's book, Politics Among Nations. In that book, he describes the motivation that most rulers today basically have, and it falls under two categories. Power and money, power and wealth, you wanting might and authority to be in charge, are to have money and to be able to influence men in that way or to influence nations.

And in the analysis that he did in looking at the leaders of the nations, he found that almost always they fell under these particular categories. Who inspires that type of motivation? When you look at leaders who are motivated in that way, who desire to rule because they want the power, they want to be in charge, they want the authority, and they're more concerned about that than the people.

Who influences them to go in that direction? Who is the one who sways them?

Well, the Bible reveals in Galatians 1 and verse 4, Galatians chapter 1 and verse 4, that this present world, this present system that we live in is called this present evil world. Who is the author of evil in the sense of influencing mankind to go against God? Well, Satan the devil is. The government, the economic system, the religious system that we see around this today, the Bible has a one-word definition for it, and I'm sure all of you know what that is. It's called Babylon. The word Babylon means confusion. God is not the author of confusion, but Babylon, when you look at this world, you look at all of society around you today, you see a world filled with confusion, confusion of ideas, confusion of philosophy, confusion concerning government, confusion concerning everything that you can think of. Satan the devil is the one who is the author of confusion. God is not. What is needed is a new breed of rulers, a new kind of approach. And guess what? I'm looking at them right here.

You are the vanguard. You are the ones who are being prepared ahead of time. God is preparing a new variety of leader, a new kind of ruler, and he's been doing it for the last 6,000 years. The rulers of this world of this age may look around, and probably most of you, you may have a lot of neighbors and friends who know that you attend a particular church, but yet do they know why you're here? We're not here trying to overthrow the governments of this world. We're here in preparation for the coming kingdom of God. God is going to set up his government on this earth, and God is preparing a new breed. We, who are here today, those of us who are sitting, a couple of us are up, also, we're being prepared for the world tomorrow. We have a unique opportunity because we possibly are the bridge between two different worlds, this present evil world and what we know as the world tomorrow, the world to come. When God sets up his government in the kingdom of God, when you stop and think about it, past generations that have lived, pre-flood, those who lived before Christ, did not know anything about our modern age that we live in. Did Abraham know about airplanes? Did Isaac know about computers, laptops, iPads? What about sending men to the moon? What about all of the things that we have today, TV, radio, internet, cell phones, modern style warfare, fighting, and all of this?

They just simply did not know those things. So how are those men and women going to rule?

How will they take over the government today? God resurrects Abel. He says, okay, Abel, I'm going to put you over this country. And one of the first things he runs into somebody says, my iPad doesn't work. Or my iPhone's not working. What can you do to help me? And he might say, what's an iPhone? Well, that doesn't matter. Because as we will see, God has been training all generations to become different rulers, to become different in an approach than this world. All generations have been called by God and trained in the basic principles of rulership, the basic principles of governance. That's what we all have in common. We all share that. We all share what government should be based on. What kind of a ruler will you be in the world tomorrow? If you ever stop to ask yourself that question, if you get nothing out of this sermon, here, mark that in your mind.

What kind of ruler will I be? Will you be in the world tomorrow? How can God put you over a city, five cities, ten cities, over nations? How can He have confidence and trust in you and know that you are going to do what He wants? One day, Jesus Christ will say to those in the resurrection, notice Luke chapter 19-17, Jesus Christ will make this statement. He said to them, talking about those who come up in the resurrection, and He said, well done, good servant, because you have been faithful and have authority over ten cities. Now, notice certain keys that are mentioned here. Key number one, you've been faithful.

So, the one thing that God is looking for in those who are going to be ruling in the world tomorrow are those who will be faithful, that He can depend upon you. He can trust you. Then, notice that He will give authority. It's not a matter that the resurrection takes place and you come up and you tell Jesus Christ, I think I'm going to rule over 15 cities over here. Christ said, no, I want you to be in charge of the finances over here in Los Angeles. I want you to reconstruct a city or whatever it might be. You say, well, I don't want to do that. No, our authority, anything that we will do, our power, authority, will come from God.

Basically, you find that this age, this generation that we live in, when the first resurrection takes place, whether we're alive or dead, we will come up and we will help to bridge the gap from this present evil world into a new society, a new world, the world tomorrow.

What Christ said here in Luke 19-17 applies not only to us, but applies to all generations of those that God has been working with. We call that generation the first roots. We are the first roots, those that God has called during the first 6,000 years. That will include Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets, David, Daniel, those who over the last almost 2,000 years have been called into the church and converted. What will the world tomorrow be like when all of its rulers, all of its culture, all of its society, all of its governments, economic system, religion, everything is based upon spiritual characteristics.

The godly characteristics that you and I are developing today are love, joy, peace, patience, faith, gentleness. These are the values that the world tomorrow will be based upon.

Everyone who will be in the kingdom of God, every generation of first roots, have been taught these basic fundamental characteristics. We've been conducting over the last couple of years the kingdom of God seminars, and I'm sure you've done them here likewise. We've had many in the public come, and they've been exposed to the truth about the coming kingdom of God. You and I have been taught about the kingdom of God, some of you, for 50, 60 years, 40 years, 30, 20, however many years it might be. We've been taught these basic principles. You come to church every Sabbath, 50 weeks out of the year, go to the feast. You hear about 10 different sermons. You're looking at 60 sermons a year in a decade. That's about 600, and then you multiply that times each decade. Many of you sitting here have heard two, three hundred or two or three thousand sermons. You've said in numerous Bible studies, you've gotten down on your knees, you've opened the Bible, and you've studied the word of God yourself. You know these basic principles. It's a matter of not just knowing them, but doing them. That's where the rub comes in. It's not just what. We know what. We have to be doers.

So we want to focus on what the world tomorrow is going to be based upon. Let me show you the kind of rulers that God is looking for. Number one principle we'll find in ruling in the world tomorrow is a Christ-centered service attitude. A Christ-centered service attitude. We will be servants of the people at that time. Let's notice in Matthew 18. Matthew chapter 18, and we'll begin to read here in verse 1. Matthew 18.1 says, that at that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child to him and said him in the midst of them, and said afterwards, or said, surely I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Notice, if we're going to be in God's kingdom in ruling, that rulership must be based upon humility. Humility is a cornerstone of the foundation. We have to love others, always wanting the best for them. We are the ones who want to rule not out of pride, not out of vanity, not out of getting, but to truly be servants of the people. Now stop and ask yourself, how much of a servant are you today?

In Matthew, chapter 20, beginning in verse 25, you find where Jesus called the disciples. They had this continual running argument. Who's going to be the greatest? Who's going to have the biggest job, the highest position in the kingdom? And Jesus called them to himself and said, well, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles, this is verse 25, Matthew 20, 20-25, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and those who are great exercise authority over them.

And yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. Now Jesus Christ was teaching a new way of rulership, to be a servant.

And so he taught that principles. Today, leaders are in office because of power, money, fanfare, the adulation of other people. They get praise.

Authority goes to their heads. They begin to have power. They don't want to relinquish that power. They think they're great. They think that they're somebody. And yet, in God's eyes, they're tiny.

They get the big head. God doesn't see a big head. I mean, he sees it. But he looks at people. When God says all the nations of the earth are like a drop in a bucket, dust on the scales, then one person in his inflated vanity is nothing. And yet this is exactly what rulers are like. Think of the rulers down through the ages like Cain, Nimrod, Alexander the Great, the Caesars, Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Assad. You can go on and on, even down to today. Do they rule for the good of the people? Are they servants of the people? Do they give of their time, their effort, their lives in serving the people? Or do they go out and murder their own people in many cases? Now, just because a leader doesn't rule or excuse me, doesn't kill millions of people doesn't mean he's a good ruler either. You know, there have been men down through the ages who lacked skills for ruling, but they've been in charge. There are those who maybe had political skills and talent, but they left a legacy of corruption because their abilities were not wed to character. And what is it that God is developing within his own people today? It is godly character, and our service has got to be based upon godly character. Let's notice in Psalm chapter 10 and verse 14. Psalm chapter 10 and verse 14 something you may not have thought of. Who is the greatest servant in the universe? Who's the one who serves the most?

Well, we find here in chapter 10 verse 14 Psalm 10 verse 14 says, you have seen and you have observed trouble and grief.

Verse 14, to repay it by your hand, the helpless commit themselves to you. You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and the evil men. Seek out his wickedness until you find none. And then verse 17, Lord, you've heard the desire of the humble. You have prepared their heart. You caused your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless, and the oppressed. That God especially looks down on the poor, the oppressed, the needy, and certainly in the world tomorrow he will do that. God is the greatest servant in the universe. He is able to serve everyone, every human being. The Holy Spirit is referred to in the Bible as a what? A helper, a comforter. So God helps us to his spirit. God established marriage as a vehicle to teach this lesson. Eve was made to be what? To add to be a helper, to add. We need help, ladies. We men need help. And so God created a helper, somebody who could assist and help us.

The church will marry Jesus Christ in the future. He is seeking out a bride. Notice, he's seeking out a bride who has been made comparable to him, who's been made like him on the same level as he is. In the Bible it talks about dogs marry, or I won't say marry, dogs reproduce with dogs. God created everything after its kind. Chickens with chickens, frogs with frogs, fish with fish. Everything after its kind. There is the God kind. And Jesus Christ is going to marry one of his own kind. You and I are being prepared to be on the level with him, one of his kind, one who will have the same attitude of service, same attitude that he has, one who is on his level, one who will govern based upon service, on helping, on giving to others. As a spirit being, we will not forget humility. You won't all at once become a member of the family of God and become all lifted up with vanity and pride. Our foundation of our service will be based upon humility and character. So think about when the millennium first begins, the world tomorrow.

They are going to need a lot of help. What kind of help will they need? They will need rulers who will truly be there to help them. They'll have to be reassembled, be given clothes, food, shelter.

They will need healing. They will need to be taught good health. They will need spiritual understanding and knowledge. You just ought to think of everything that goes on within a society, within a civilization, within an area. All of that is going to have to be recreated. And our whole motivation of being in God's kingdom, we want to be a part of the family of God because we want to serve. We want to be Christ-like, Christ-centered, and we will be there to help our husband. So marriage, the example in marriage, was created so that we could learn the lesson that one day we will truly help our husband. Second principle that the world tomorrow, the rulership, will be based upon. And remember, we're talking about a new kind of ruler.

It's rulers who are able to comfort and aid other people, to assist other people. Notice Isaiah 12, beginning in verse 1. We read, In that day you will say, O Lord, I will praise you, though you were angry with me, talking about the punishment that came upon his people, your anger is turned away, and you comfort me. And so there is coming a time when God will regather the nations, and all nations are going to need comfort. They've been through the most horrendous war that one can imagine. And so it says, You will comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy, you will draw waters from the wells of salvation. And so individuals at that time will have joy and excitement in their lives. Let's notice in Isaiah 61, Isaiah is truly the one prophet that has written more about the Millennium than almost any one of the servants of God. Notice the job that Jesus Christ has been given to do and the job that he's going to share with us. Christ is not going to wait until the Millennium starts and says, Okay, who's going to help me? Who's going to be my helper? Who will assist me? Now, we have been prepared to be that bride to assist, to be the helper. The Spirit of the Lord, verse 1, Isaiah 61, verse 1, Spirit of the Lord, God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. And notice, He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted. Do you know anybody who's ever been brokenhearted? You know somebody has lost a mate. Someone has had a child die. Someone has been severely injured. You know, you find people today psychologically, emotionally, mentally, in many ways who are brokenhearted, who need to be healed. You know, healing isn't just for the physical body. You and I, when we are converted and called by God, God begins to heal our minds. He heals the way we think. He gives us a right way of thinking and reasoning. And so, we're going to have to heal the brokenhearted. People will begin the world tomorrow brokenhearted from all of the chaos, all of the destruction, everything that has gone on. And then to proclaim liberty to the captive and the opening of prisons to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, the day of the vengeance of our God, to comfort those or to comfort all who mourn. See, one of the jobs that Christ is going to do in the world tomorrow, He's going to put His arms around people and He's going to comfort them. He's going to lead them back. The Bible pictures it as a shepherd picking up the sheep and carrying them. And Jesus Christ, and we will, and literally in some cases, but also figuratively pick people up and carry them across rivers and streams. We will help them to come back to the promised land. And so we will be comforting people. We will tell them God is here. Christ is on the earth. We have been resurrected. We're here to save you. You don't have to worry anymore. We will take care of you. We'll look after you. What a blessing that will be when you and I will be able to comfort and encourage people. Give them hope. People today don't have hope. They lose hope. But we will be able to give them hope and be able to help them. You at that time. And you find here, verse 3, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes and oil for joy for mourning.

The garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees, the trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

So they have waited. And finally, God is on the earth. Politicians today give, but they give to get. We've all heard of pork barrels. They may give something to the constituency in their area, maybe building a train or building whatever it might be. And what are they trying to do? They're trying to buy boats. We will give at that time. And people won't have to worry about why. You might remember in 2 Corinthians 1 and 3, it has this to say about God. God, bless be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. God gives us comfort today. You and I are comforted by God, by His Spirit, by His Word. Sometimes God sends us a comforter, somebody who encourages us and comforts us. But He's the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our tribulation, our test, trials, whatever we go through, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. So one of the reasons we go through tests, trials, problems, tribulations today is because we're learning to rely upon God. We receive the succor, the help, the encouragement from Him. And then we can turn around in the world tomorrow and comfort those people because we have gone through the same things that they have gone through. And we will be able to say, understand, I know what you're going through, and we can help them at that time.

We have a lot of times catastrophes that take place around the world. It could be a hurricane, it could be a flood, it could be a tornado, it could be an earthquake, it could be any or all of those. And too often, what do we find politicians doing? Well, one political party, maybe who's not in power at the time, will begin to point fingers at the other one. They didn't do enough. They don't care about you. And what they do, they use that to gain votes, you know, try to put the other down, instead of everybody jumping in and saying, let's help these people. So in the world tomorrow, we will have rulers who will truly serve people and who will also help to comfort them and encourage them. And that's something that they will need right off. Let's look at a third point.

There will be rulers who will be fair and just in judgment. Fair and just in judgment.

Today in politics, we have cronyism, favoritism. People, politicians favor their friends, those who contribute to them, special interest groups, lobbyists. At that time, everyone will be treated justly and fairly. Back up to Isaiah 9 and verse 7, Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 7, where we read how Jesus Christ will rule. Isaiah 9, 7, of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it. Notice with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. And so the zeal of God will bring it about. There will be judgment, righteous judgment, and justice. Over here in chapter 11, beginning in verse 2, we'll see how Jesus Christ will rule. In verse 2, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me and will rest upon him. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. So how will Jesus Christ judge? Well, he, through he is Spirit, but the Spirit of God, by wisdom, by understanding, the fear of God. Do you know many leaders today who absolutely fear God? Does our president, our senators, those in the House of Representatives, do they absolutely fear God? Do they get together every morning and pray together and say, we dare not make a decision that is not the will of God? And pray about that. Or do we find ourselves in a nation today that is quickly forgetting God? You know, Isaiah, likewise, said, has a nation forgotten their God? You look at nations around the world, let's say, the Muslims practice Islam. Do they forget their religion? They get down and pray five times a day. What about those in the Western world? You know, we in the Western world, you know, people make fun of religion and they ridicule religion and they're forgetting God. And yet, you find that the rulers in the world tomorrow, following the example of Jesus Christ, will rule based upon wisdom, understanding, the fear of God, the might of God. In verse 3, he delights in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge by the sight of the eyes nor by the hearing of the ears. That's what happens today. People too often judge simply by what they see and what they hear.

What about a time when you can look at the heart? You can see the thoughts and the minds. You can know the attitude and the approach. Jesus Christ was able to do that when he was here on the earth. He knew what was in man. And we don't judge just by the sight, but we know the motive. We know the implication, the attitude, and the approach that an individual would have. As verse 4 says, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor. So judgment will be based upon righteousness, right standards, the Word of God. God's Word is righteousness. And notice, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. The word equity means fairness. And then verse 5, righteousness shall be the belt of his loins and fairness, the belt of his waist. So we find righteousness, fairness, equity, the fear of God, and all of this. This is what our leader, the one who will come back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will do. And we will follow that example. How? Why? Well, we should be doing it today. We're learning that today. Why is David going to be king over all Israel? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself that? Why was David chosen to do that job? 2 Samuel chapter 8. Let's just notice one scripture. 2 Samuel 8.15.

We read this. So David reigned 2 Samuel 8 and verse 15. Reigned over all Israel, and David administered judgment and justice to all of his people.

So David was doing what Christ will do forever in ruling the family of God.

God is handpicking individuals to exercise and to have key positions in his kingdom. David will be over all Israel. The apostles each went over one of the tribes, rulers over cities. And you sit here today, not because of your righteousness or your goodness, but because God has called you. He's handpicked you. He has selected you to be one of his rulers. He is selecting you for a position, a responsibility, a duty in the world tomorrow. And you and I are being qualified. We're being trained for that.

We will have responsibilities based on what you do with what you have. Now, what you don't have what you do with what you have. Some of us don't have as much as others.

When it comes to talents, gifts, IQ, abilities, you know, those types of things. That doesn't matter. God judges us by what we do with what we have.

Our responsibility will be based upon that. But this approach, peace, will flourish at that time. And there will not be the wars, the fightings that we see today.

A fourth basic principle, and perhaps the greatest one.

I saved it for last, but I thought it might be the one that I would consider the greatest.

Rulers who are motivated by love.

Rulers motivated by love.

Rulers who serve, who comfort, out of love, not out of power, not out of money, not out of vanity and pride and prestige, and you know, all of that.

What will society be like? What will activities be like in relationships when they're based upon godly love? In 1 John 4, verse 8, we read an outstanding principle. Now, I wonder if you've read over this, I'm sure you have dozens and dozens of times. You missed the point of it. 1 John 4, he who does not love does not know god, for god is love.

Now, notice what that says. It doesn't say god's a loving being. It says god is love. That's what he is.

You is flesh. That's not the right way to say it. We are flesh and blood, are we not?

He is spirit and he is love. That's his nature. That's what he's like.

This is the basis of his nature. Everything he does flows out of love. His grace, his mercy, his forgiveness, his comfort, his aid, his help, his service, everything flows out of love because he is love. Now, we can't say that about us, can we? We're not love. We're learning to love, as god does. We're growing in that. Out of god flows all of this. His heart, desire, Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 5. Ephesians 1, 5, for us, notice, because, having predestinated us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Tyndale Bible dictionary says that this expression here, his will, means his heart's desire. God's heart's desire is to share himself, his love, his level of existence, his level of living with us. Lumps of clay, and God wants to share all of that with us. He has genuine concern for people, for the members of the human race. He wants all of us to be in his family.

God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son. Christ loved us so much that he was willing to divest himself with the glory and the power, come to this earth as a human being, and to die for us. What greater gift could happen or occur to show the commitment that God has for all of us? So the Bible describes God as love, a God of comfort. This is a part of God's godly character that he is creating in us today. We will become a part of his family. At the resurrection, we'll be like God. We will be members of his family and continue to grow and mature forever.

Is there a way that you personally can gauge how you will rule the world tomorrow?

How do you know what kind of a ruler you will be? How you will govern? How you will serve at that time? Is there a way? And I say, yes, there is. How do you rule today? What are you doing today?

How do you deal with your mate, with your children, with your family, with God's family? How do we deal with one another? How about your marriage? Are we learning today to rule in the proper way? Why does God give us all of these opportunities within a local congregation among one another in a family environment and setting? We're all learning to submit. We're all learning to rule. We're all learning to serve one another. A husband serves his family. He has the opportunity to serve everyone in that family. The wife does, too. We all have these opportunities. Do you serve in the local congregation? Do your capacities and talents and age limit a number of us. But we still need to be able to keep up with the work, get on our knees and pray if we can, or sit in our chair and pray. When I passed through the East Texas congregation, there were a number of widows there. Several of them have died since.

But I was always impressed by those ladies because any time you'd go by their house, they were listening to a sermon tape, they were studying their Bible, they were calling and encouraging and talking to someone else. One died here recently, Mrs. Alba Pyle. Many of you may remember the Pyle family. She was 99 years old. In her 90s, she learned how to use a computer. She would send messages around the world. I'd get messages from her all the time. She would send messages out. How are you doing? She'd send little words of encouragement, something that would uplift people. She did not allow her age or the fact that she, in the last few years, was not able to get out of the house to go to church services. She had them piped in. She had a computer. She could cybercast. She knew how to do that. She shared it with another widow who didn't know how to do it. She got her phone out and put it on so that the other widow could listen. They would listen and they would have Sabbath services. Faye Carwile, many of you will remember Mrs. Luttrell. She goes by Faye Carwile today. It's still there. Anytime you go to her house, she's got these bookcases on the side of her chair. Bible books, Bible helps, tape recorders, sermons. And believe me, if you say something wrong, I've gone to her house. You know, on this date, 20 years ago, Herbert Armstrong said, this had a Bible study. I've got it written in my notes here. Now, why did you say this? Uh-oh. So, she kept and she still does. She keeps everybody on her toes. These ladies are prime examples of someone, even though they were getting old, did not allow that to deter them from praying, from studying, and doing whatever they could according to their own capabilities and health to be able to help others. Are we learning to comfort people today, to encourage them, to strengthen them? Are we growing in love one for another? Do we strive to bring about peace with one another in solving problems? Do we get rid of hatreds, bitterness, resentment, all of these kinds of feelings? We are being trained for positions in the world tomorrow.

How much responsibility depends on our growth, on how much we grow, how much we overcome, our character development. God may be planning something for us, and He may say, come up higher if a person grows and matures more. Let's notice one last scripture in Revelation 22 verse 14. We'll finish on this, chapter 22 and verse 14. Revelation 22 verse 14.

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city, into the new Jerusalem, forever you will be able to enter that. Verse 17, the Spirit and the Bride say, come. Now notice this is describing what we're going to do in the future. The Spirit and the Bride say, come. Let Him who hears say, come. Let Him who thirsts, comes. Whoever desires, let Him take of the water of life freely. You and I have been blessed above all, beyond all measure, because we're going to be able to help Jesus Christ and the Father extend salvation out to all mankind, not only in the millennium, but the white throne judgment, and be there to help Christ for all eternity. So, brethren, stop and think about the awesome calling that God has given us. This should be something that we think about on a daily basis. You get up and you think about, how can I apply these principles? If I'm going to assume these responsibilities and be a help mate to the living God in the future, then I need to grow and to change. So, let's realize what a blessing it is to be called now by Almighty God.