Your Election Choice

There are two candidates that have stated their promises. They have laid them out. One, the incumbent has a track record, and the other one has many promises that are very exciting, very encouraging. And now each one of us has a selection to make. Which leader will I choose? Again, you might mix this up with a leader in your country, another country, a race. These elections come and go all the time. But there are only two candidates, and the one that I'm going to focus on today from Scripture.

There is the incumbent, and there is a challenger. Which candidate am I selecting to lead me? Which candidate are you selecting to lead you? Today, let's take a look at the high stakes in this selection that is before us. A selection that will rock human history, even as it is rocking human history. The choices that are being made, and will be made even this day, will affect what happens down through time to you, and to me, and to other humans. The title of the sermon today is Your Election Choice, Incumbent or Challenger?

We have endured, as I said, a most turbulent period in human history. We are engripped in a pandemic. We have global issues. We have things that capture our attention on the news, that make us shake our head. We have economies that are teetering all around the world. They're super weaponry. There are people trying to get into space and do things that have never been dreamed of before. And countries big and small are now vying and striving for regional dominance, and some for global dominance. These include Russia and China and Europe and Japan and Iran and North Korea and Saudi Arabia. These are ramping up with economy and information and technology and communication, space forays and aerospace forays and military.

Russia's President Putin has an objective that's been well known and well documented, and that is to rebuild what was once the Soviet Union, the USSR, with its territories and with its power that would weigh in very, very heavily on the world scene. China is reaching global dominance in all areas. President Xi is extending Chinese control, disputes of lands to other countries that include the United States, Korea, South Korea, Japan, Bhutan, India, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

He's doing that with impunity and with very little resistance. Now, two days ago, during a U.S. presidential debate, President Xi addressed the nation in China and said this. The People's Army of the 21st Century has become a powerful army that has basically achieved mechanization and accelerated its advancement toward informatization. Remember that word. In the new era, we are building the People's Army into a world-class army with aircraft carriers.

They make themselves new fighters, advanced missiles, new generation combat vehicles and other equipment. Much of that technology they have stolen from Western sources. Military means, he said, have always been a guarantee for national security. We must improve the ability to win and answer the question of victory in the new era. Europe has been seeking to recapture the greatness of its past through the European Union. Europe has plans to build a mighty military to become a formidable power in the absence of the United States.

Now, as President Xi mentioned, we are in an age of informatization. That word may seem new to you. What is informatization? One description I'll read comes from WarOnTheRocks.com. Informatization links the social, political, military and economic transformation that we have moved into today. Informatization uses every electronic device as an intelligent sensor. These electronic devices are everywhere. You own them.

They include things like household smartphones, smart televisions, tablets, laptops, desktops, cars, power supplies, machinery, medical devices, security systems. These all link together to the tools of national security. They can be linked, which include biometric scanners, unmanned aerial vehicles, stealth weaponry. All of these things can talk to one another because they are generally linked through the Internet. Just one device that many of us have is a smartphone.

A smartphone now contains GPS location of where that phone is. It has a microphone for what that phone is being used for. It has cameras, often multiple cameras, with location of where those photos are taken. It has a video camera, an accelerometer to show the speed and the direction.

It has a barometer, it has a compass, it has a proximity sensor to other devices. This is how cars can self-drive or how people can be contacted if they've been near someone else who has gotten sick with COVID-19. They have a light sensor, an iris sensor, a pressure sensor. They have several radios that communicate. An incredible commuting power, more power than many businesses used to have in their offices. Nations using technology information for their global meteoric rise in this infra-matization period. They are tapping and stealing and using and gathering this together. For example, China is focused on linking every element of its military, its intelligence, its private sector, its academia, and its government to bolster its unified national infra-matization strategy.

As President Xi says, without cybersecurity, there is no security, and without infra-matization, there is no modernization. Xi announced to China yesterday, or day before yesterday, during that presidential debate, before a gun is fired, we must be able to contain the war so that the enemy dare not shoot.

Multiple countries are accelerating their ability to control nations and regions. I would say, except, in some cases, Western countries that some of us live in. We instead have a virus. We have issues of intolerance. We have abandonments of controls is our goal. We shoot police. Two candidates are offering to rule, you and me. They're offering us to choose. Select them. We need to examine them carefully and select the right leader.

The incumbent is found in 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 4. Let's go there. 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 4. This incumbent has been around for a while, and we know through Scripture and through prophecy where, ultimately, this particular leader is trying to take humanity. 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 4. Whose mind is the God of this world? The God or the leader, the ruler, in some places he's called of this world. Has blinded. He's lied to them. He's a candidate who spins things and makes promises. Promises freedom and liberation and all kinds of rosy things, but he has blinded those who do not believe in the other candidate. Lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is in the image of God, should shine on them.

So we also have now that individual who is ruling until the seventh trumpet. But there is a challenger in the next verse. For we, now it talks about us, the church, the call, the elect, we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord. There's the other ruler, the Lord, the master, the one that we submit to in rulership, the one that we obey. And ourselves, your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness. A total contrast here. A total contrast to the darkness of the first leader, the incumbent. To give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So we have our leader. We have that established. Now, you might think, oh, now this message, this is just kind of playing off a U.S. presidential election, just kind of using that, you know, kind of as a quirk. Really? What if it's the other way around? What if elections, any election of any time, is actually playing off of this selection that you and I have to make and that all humans ultimately will have to make? What if those so-called elections that seem so important and they're so filled with promise and, I don't know, concerns on the other hand? What if those are really small and irrelevant compared to the great selection that you and I and all humans will be making downtime? And part of our calling is to help the majority of humanity with that selection. Let's go to Revelation 11 and verse 15 and see this in its true context. Revelation 11 and verse 15. You know, God has not written out His plan of salvation and all the prophecies and left you out. You and I are actually to be selecting Jesus Christ now. We're to be part of His family, God's family, part of His structure, becoming the bride, ready to rule with Him. We need to be busy about the work God has given us and not busy trying to, I don't know, somehow fix or remedy or slow down some of the physical, personal human candidates. Here in Revelation chapter 11 and verse 15, notice, Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. This is pretty exciting. This is big stuff. But read on. Verse 16, You ever wonder who the 24 elders are, what their role is, what their purpose is? We're not told a lot in Scripture, but we're about to read one of their very important roles. The 24 elders who sat before the throne of God on their throne fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is, the one who was, and the one who is to come, because you have taken your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come in the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that you should reward your servants, the prophets, and the saints, those who fear your name, small and great, that you should destroy those who destroy the earth. So there are people, individuals, part of Satan, who is a destroyer. They're busy destroying each other, destroying the earth, and God and His people will be involved in remedying that. Now, again, who do these 24 elders represent? Let's see. From the Scripture. Let's go to chapter 5 and verse 8 of Revelation. Revelation chapter 5 and verse 8.

Now, when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. We just saw them do that. Each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense. This will harp back to the temple, both in heaven and also the type of the temple that existed in Israel. And these golden bowls full of incense are the prayers of the saints. The 24 elders actually are holding golden bowls that are filled with the prayers of the saints. This relates to the cleansing that takes place on atonement. Remember the two goats? Let's go back to Leviticus chapter 16 and verse 9. Here they have these golden bowls full of incense. Let's go back to Leviticus chapter 16 and verse 9.

Aaron was to take two goats, and in that process we see here in verse 9, Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell and offer it as a sin offering. Verse 10. Let's go to verse 12. Then he shall take a censure, a censure or a bowl, one of the golden bowls full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and with his hands full of sweet incense, beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil. And he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the testimony.

So we see here this incense being brought right before God on the Day of Atonement when he goes behind the veil into the Holy of Holies. And we see here in Revelation that 24 elders now have these bowls with the incense, with the prayers of the saints. Let's go back to Revelation 5 now, where we were.

We see in verse 8, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. In verse 9, and they sang a new song. Who sang a new song? The saints sang a new song. See where our focus, our allegiance, where our rulership is to be pointed towards? And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you are slaves, and you have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us a kingdom of priests, or ruling priests, to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. We have a selection to make as to which of these candidates we are going to serve. And in serving Jesus Christ, we are called to be ruling priests, to make a difference, to make a change. A change that brings in all the blessings and the promises that Jesus Christ has made, which are certain and they are sure. So, when we look down to chapter 5 and verse 11, Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, here the twenty-four elders. And the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands and thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who is slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. What a part of this one, this one who is coming to rule. Verse 13, In every creature, every individual which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and as such are in the sea, and all that are in them are heard saying, blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever. So all of those who are related to God, whether they are living on the earth, whether they're buried in the earth, whether they were lost at sea, or whether they are the angels in heaven, are supporting this power. And then the four living creatures said, Amen, and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped him, who lived forever and ever. And they are representing us there. They are bringing our prayers before God.

Now, if we go to Revelation 8 and verse 3, then another angel, Revelation 8 and verse 3, then another angel having a golden censer, another one of these golden censers, came and stood before the altar, and he was given much incense. Where was he given the incense? One could assume, as the twenty-four elders presented their bowls full of incense, the prayers of the saints, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the angel's hand.

No, this is a very powerful revelation of what our role and involvement is with Jesus Christ as the person that we support as the ruler, in a very, very real way, not to get mixed in with the cares of this life and the society that Satan the devil is ramping up around us. Let's go to chapter 11 now in verse 15. Chapter 11, verse 15. Once again, the seventh angel sounded loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. So the twenty-four elders here are worshipping God, and they are bringing us into this scene by presenting the prayers. And it's very, very powerful. Now, which leader am I aligned with daily? I don't mean philosophically. I mean, sure, we all like the Bible and we're all in the church, but which leader am I linked to daily? Am I linked with the supreme leader of all that exists? Or am I involved in in-time politics with the current leader, the incumbent? Am I messing with that? Who have I chosen to rule over me? Let's go look at the incumbent for a moment. In Ezekiel chapter 28 and verse 18, we're given a different view than what he often espouses to us. Ezekiel chapter 28 and verse 18, we have ears to hear, we will hear, You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your sins. So this one has lots and lots of sin. By the iniquity, the sin of your trading. He is all about commerce and trading and getting the best deal and taking advantage. Therefore I brought fire from your midst. It devoured you, and I turned you into ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. There is a reckoning coming for the God of this world. And if God the Father can take his other God being, the Word, the Logos who became Jesus Christ, and make him into a human, and then let Satan kill him, and he really died, I mean, you have to ask the question, did Jesus die for your sins, or did he not die? If he died, well then God can certainly take an angel and bring him and turn you into a man, and turn you into ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. And verse 19, all who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you. You have become a horror, and you shall be no more forever. So on the one hand, we serve a God who will live forever and ever, and always be. But there's this antithesis, this antichrist, this opposite one that seems so appealing and so attractive, that will not last forever. The reality of this particular individual is a liar. He's a genocidic murderer. He wants to kill all humans. This party that he has wants you to give your life for its success. The reality we find in Matthew 24, verse 21. Matthew chapter 24 and verse 21. For there shall be great tribulation under this ruler. Great tribulation! Such has not been since the beginning of the world, to this time no ever shall be. Forget those promises and lies. And unless those days were to be shortened by the new ruler, no flesh would be saved alive. But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. He says in verse 25, See, I have told you beforehand.

We have a challenger to the incumbent. Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 tells us a little about him. Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6. For unto us a child is born, humble, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder. What kind of government? His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, sharing titles with the rest of the Godhead. Of the increase, the production of good, the increase, that which grows of his government, and harmony, there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order and establish it with judgment and with justice. In John chapter 3 and verse 16, we have this profound definition of what the competitor, you might say, of this current ruler is like. John chapter 3 and verse 16. For God so loved the world, didn't hate the world, not trying to kill the world, but he gave his only begotten Son. He died for us, for our success. The current God of this world wants you to die for His success. But God the Father and Jesus Christ have given Himself for our success. That whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Exact opposites. One a great blessing, and the other is one that wants us to fail. Now how do you choose your King, your ruler? How do you and I choose Jesus Christ as our King and King of Kings? It's by the way we live each day. What we think each day. By how our heart is fixed in the things that we talk about, that we go about during our day. It's disciplined self-direction with God leading us. Doing everything that God told us to do. Carefully learning His commandments and applying them. Reading all the Scriptures in the Bible and submitting to them and doing those things. When we do that, we are a light in a very dark age. Choose to be part of real change. Real change from this present evil age to a new age. An age where righteousness will reign through Jesus Christ. Don't be involved in the affairs of this age, this present evil age. I'd like to go over to Daniel chapter 5 in verse 21. We'll read the last half of the verse here and just show that the elections that go on here on earth don't need your involvement. They don't need your knowledge. They don't need any kind of involvement of you or me whatsoever. Daniel chapter 5 and verse 21. When we drop down here looking at what happened to Nebuchadnezzar, it says in the second half of the verse, They fed him with grass like oxen. Here is the leader of the greatest nation on earth at the time. How did Daniel need to get involved? Well, he didn't. How did the Israelites need to get involved? Well, they didn't. God fed him with grass like oxen. His body was wet with the dew of heaven until he knew that the most high God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever he chooses. Now, you might think that that statement is sort of a one-off or, wow, he chooses. Well, maybe he allows would be a better word. Maybe somehow it happens. Maybe somehow God doesn't stop it. Well, how exact is God in making choices of rulers? I want to take a little time here with you. Hopefully you're comfortable and you have a little time. I want to take a little time with you and go through Daniel chapter 11. This is going to use material from the UCG Bible commentary in Daniel the 11th chapter.

What I'd like you to do is, in your own Bible, read Daniel chapter 11 verse by verse with me, and let's see just how exact God is with choosing rulers. Now, when Daniel wrote this, he wrote it in 539 BC. That's 539 years before zero. Just sort of get a fixation here on what period of time we're talking about. Now, in a few days, there's going to be a selection, and people wonder and worry about which leader will be selected in this country or that country. Do any of us know? No. But let's notice what God knows here in Daniel chapter 11. He says, in the first year of Darius the me, that's 539, even I, God's angel, stood up to conform and strengthen him. Verse 2. And now, I will tell you the truth.

He is going to tell him who's going to reign for the next 2,500 years, specifically, not generally, specifically. After Cyrus, three more kings will arise. They are Cambyses, they are Gomata, and Darius the first. And the fourth, Xerxes, shall be far richer than him all. That was Esther's husband, by the way. By his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. Greece wasn't an empire yet, but it was growing, and guess what? He forecasted, foretold, one of the greatest military operations in all history of that time. A million soldiers, hundreds of ships. Verse 3. 129 years later. Now, can you think forward 129 years? A mighty king, Alexander the Great, shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he is arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds. He had four generals. Ptolemy, Seleucus, Nicator, Cassander, and Lysimachus. Verse 5. Also, the king of the south, Ptolemy I, shall become strong. We're down to the year 325 BC. As well as one of his princes, Seleucus I, Nicator. And he, Seleucus, shall gain power over Ptolemy I and have dominion. And his dominion shall be a great dominion. He actually had a greater dominion than the entire Persian Empire, stretching all the way from Syria to India. Now, in verse 6. At the end of some years, in 252 BC, after Seleucus' death, the north and the south shall join forces for Bernice, Look at this. Bernice, the daughter of the king of Ptolemy II, shall go to king of the north, Theos, and make a marriage agreement with him. But she, Bernice, shall not retain her power and authority, because the king's ex-wife will, along with her attendants, who shall be given up in death with those who brought her attendants, with those who begot her, her father, and with him who strengthened her, her husband, all of these will be killed. Yeah. In that time, Laodicea, the ex-wife, had them all killed. Verse 7. Now, let's just stop here a minute. We're down 300 years, and we actually have the details of Bernice marrying from Egypt up to Syria, and then her maids, her father, all of the attendants being killed, along with her husband, by the ex-wife. Ah. Verse 7. But a branch of her roots, her brother, one, Ptolemy III, shall arise in his place. He will come with an army and enter the fortress of Antioch and deal with them. He will avenge his sister's death. Verse 8. He will carry the gods captive to Egypt. He actually took 2,000 molten god-images, carried them back to Egypt. And shall continue more years than the king of the north. He ruled longer than the other king. Verse 9. Also, the king of the north shall come to the kingdom of the south, but he shall return to his own land. He would not be successful in that warfare. However, going on, in verse 11, the king of the south now Ptolemy IV, son of Ptolemy III, shall be moved with rage against him and go out with an army of 20,000 and fight with him. You muster a great multitude, but in the end that will fall. Ptolemy's army killed tens of thousands of Syrian troops in that warfare. Verse 13. For the king of the north will return and muster a great multitude. This goes back and forth and back and forth.

There's a time when, in verse 16, and Tychus III, who comes against Ptolemy V, shall do according to his own will. No one shall stand against him. Tychus III got control again. He will then set his face to enter with his whole kingdom, the upright ones. So then you have these various individuals. You'll find Cleopatra's daughter is mentioned here. I shall give him, in verse 17, the daughter of women. Cleopatra, I'm sorry, Antiochus' daughter, Cleopatra, to undermine or destroy Egypt. But she, Cleopatra, will not stand with him. Verse 18. You see, on and on and on.

We talk about Antiochus in verse 19-20. In verse 21, in his, Seleucus IV's place shall rise, in his place shall rise a vile person, Antiochus, Epiphanes, the one who would go into the temple and offer a pig on the temple. He will come in peaceably by entry. He came in and actually brought the spoils of war and gave them to the people, kind of giving money from the rich to the poor. And yet, what happened was, verse 23, after the league is made, Antiochus shall act deceitfully.

He'll come up and be strong. And eventually, verse 25, he will stir up his power against the king of the south. This goes on and on and on and on. I'm going to drop on down, just for time's sake, but when we come down to verse 33, And those of the people who understand shall instruct many, yet for many days they shall fall in death and in flame by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they will be aided with a little help. Yep. And in verse 36, then in New Testament times, the king of the north, the Roman Empire, shall do according to his will. And notice, the Roman Emperor, in verse 37, Roman Emperors shall, I mean, we've come 500 years or so.

The Roman Emperor shall neither regard the god of his fathers, the Roman god, nor the desire of women. He will set himself up as gods, and it will be homosexuals. That's what the Caesars were. 14 out of 15 of them were homosexuals. How do you know that?

This far in advance. God knows them. Nor regard any god, for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place, he shall honor a god of fortresses. So the Roman Empires, they began to build up this tough empire of iron, and they advanced its glory. Now, going on to verse 39, thus he, the Roman Emperors and rulers of successing Roman kingdoms, they shall act against the strongest forces with a foreign Babylonian god, the Papacy, which successive Roman rulers will acknowledge.

They will advance its glory, and these Roman rulers will cause the popes to rule over many to divide the land for gain for both church and state. Now verse 40, at the time of the end, we speed forward here now 2,500 years. Do you think God knows what's going on in leaders? Can he know? At the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north, and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariots and horsemen and many ships, and the beast shall enter the countries of the Middle East and overwhelm them and pass through.

He'll enter the glorious land, the modern state of Israel, and many countries shall be overthrown. But notice, as he works his way through, these areas shall escape. Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon, those just on the east side and a little bit on the south side. These areas will not be conquered.

He goes on in verse 44, news from the east and the north, opposing forces there, shall trouble him, trouble the beast. Therefore he'll go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.

And he the beast shall plant tents of his palace between the dead and the Mediterranean seas in the glorious mountain of Jerusalem. Yet he the beast shall come to his end at Christ's return, and no one will help him. Now, God chooses all rulers. Let's go to Romans 13 and verse 1. Romans 13 and verse 1. Once again, these aren't sort of ethereal or just general statements God makes. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for, because there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

How else could God have known the names, the people, the sexes, the tendencies that they would have, the places they would go, the things that they would do, unless he appoints them? Therefore, whoever resists the authority, resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment upon themselves. So you and I are told to choose a leader, but at the same time, we are not to be rebellious like Satan the Devil.

We are to be submissive to authority, to God first, but then submissive to all authorities. Now, God chooses rulers, as we've just seen here very clearly, including end-time kings. Let's go to Revelation 10, verse 11. Revelation 10, verse 11. I know sometimes it can seem these days that, oh, you know, things are getting out of hand, everything is going astray, maybe I better reach up and grab and help and move this thing. Read right here, Revelation 10, verse 11. And He said to me, You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.

Kings of the end time. God knows who they are. God places them where He places them, and they are fulfilling exactly what He wants. How He knows that, I do not know. But just remember this. It says that He chose you from before the foundation of the world.

How exact is God's knowledge of the what and who during the end time? Let's go to Revelation 17, verse 3.

Revelation 17, verse 3. Notice this very carefully. So He carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. This is some 1900 years ago.

John is seeing the vision. And notice verse 4. The woman was a raid in purple and scarlet, she was a whore, and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. So on the one hand she has purple, she is raining, she has power, she also has scarlet. She is adorned with wealth, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. Look at this coin, this 2 euro coin, minted in 2003 in Greece. You see here, obviously, one who fits the description, verse 5, on her forehead a name was written, I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs and of Jesus.

When you look, he even gets right down in verse 4 to saying, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations of the filthiness of her fornication. And in that coin you see right to the left side of her head a cup of wine. God knows, God knows in advance exactly what is going to happen with all the details.

And Jesus Christ appoints submissive, loving rulers with authority in his church. He doesn't have sinful individuals, he doesn't have self-centered individuals. Let's notice in Exodus 18, verse 21. God does not appoint tyrants, he does not appoint autocrats who selflessly rule themselves. Jesus Christ talked about what true leadership is. It's one who is a servant, one who, like him, gives of himself and he wants us to do the same. In Exodus 18, verse 21, Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers of thousands. Notice, rulers. Rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, rulers of tens.

God does have authority in his kingdom and in his kingdom on earth and his church on earth. We see in Acts 6, verse 1, how the institution of deacons was done. Acts 6. We'll begin in verse 1 and read through verse 7. It's interesting when we notice the details of this, even in service to the widows here. Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews from the Hellenists because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, it is not desirable that we should leave the word of God, the teaching of the word of God, and serve tables.

Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation. See, they should be known. At this point in time, there were so many individuals that were new in the church. Probably the leadership didn't know everyone. So, men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit, full of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. The saying pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Nicar, Timon, Prometheus, Nicholas, and when they sat before these apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on him.

Then the word of God spread. Appointment of elders. We find in Ephesians chapter 4 that, once again, this is not to be some random thing or some politically devised reward or appointment. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 10, He who ascended is also the one who ascended far above the heavens, that he might fill all things.

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, the work of service for the building up of the body of Christ. Till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect, whole, mature, spiritually person, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

This is why and how and the type of individuals that God wants us to be now and ultimately ruling with Him in the world tomorrow. In Titus chapter 1, Titus chapter 1 and verse 6, if a man is blameless, that doesn't mean not guilty, if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, not just married, but a husband of one wife, having faithful children that are not accused, I mean they're not guilty, they're not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop, an overseer, one who has a position of responsibility, must be blameless as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as He has been taught.

This is the election that you and I should be pursuing ourselves. You and I need to be very involved in fulfilling the election that we have been given as the elect of God, and as the elect of God, selecting Jesus Christ and God the Father as our models, as our authors, as the family head, as the source of the mindset that we are developing. So in conclusion, let's go back to 2 Peter. We'll start in chapter 1 and verse 5. 2 Peter 1 and verse 5. You and I, as we go through life as children of God, sons and daughters of God at this time, need to be growing, not stagnating, but somehow saying, oh yes, we're ready.

No? But also, for this very reason, giving all diligence. Add to your faith virtue. To virtue, knowledge. To knowledge, self-control. To God's Holy Spirit. Use these things. Don't get carried about like humanity is.

Don't listen to some snake or some fox or anybody that might be encouraging you to get off target. But rather, to knowledge, this knowledge, the knowledge of God. To self-control. To self-control, perseverance. To perseverance, godliness. To godliness, brotherly kindness. And to brotherly kindness, agape love. For if these things are yours and you abound, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to be very, very involved in all of these things. Notice, for he who lacks these things is short-sighted. God is long-sighted. We've seen this today. He knows, he chooses, he's planned, it's rolling out.

Even to blindness and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. We can get distracted, brethren. We can jump into these distracting forays that humanity is engaging in as they flail about for their own salvation. Therefore, brethren, verse 10, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For this reason, he said in verse 12, I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things.

You might get tired of me trying to motivate all of us to stay the course, to be developing this godly nature that we need to have, to be submissive to God and to authority and to fulfill that which Jesus Christ has given his life for so that we can fulfill our purpose in being his bride. But he says here, though you know and are established in the present truth, nobody doubts this. Yes, I think it is right as long as I am in this tent to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent. You know, all of us are humans. All of us have a time limit. I am slated to retire in less than a year. I won't always be here. Hopefully others will be. But you have God's Word. You have God's Holy Spirit. You have an election choice as far as whether you, as the elect, will fulfill what you've been given to do. You also have a selection choice, we all do, as to which God we will be ruled by. In chapter 2 and verse 1, he says, But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24, in the end time, false teachers will come in. Paul warned of them. Peter warns of them. James warns of them. John warns of them. Jude warns of them. And verse 2, And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetous they will exploit you with deceptive words. You see, I'm not pointing fingers here or trying to in any way say anything except what the Bible says is exploiting with deceptive words to get us off track. Get us from fulfilling this election that you and I have been given by God. For a long time it says in verse 3, Their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

In verse 9, Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. You don't need to fear. God is on your side. He'll never leave or forsake you, but you do need to be busy. And he also knows how to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. And especially those who walk according to the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. We, brethren, need to be very, very different than this world. In chapter 3 and verse 17, You therefore, beloved, in conclusion, Since you know this beforehand, Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, Being led away with the error of the wicked, But grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be both glory now and forever. The big selection is here. Which candidate are you choosing to lead you?