Herbert W Armstrong

   You know, I heard just this morning that the government over in Italy has fallen. They resigned, and I think, well, what else is new? My, how many governments have they had over in Italy that have gone, you know, one after another?

   And I know that all of you are following diligently the elections. You know, it is a true fact that every year, just before the elections, the mortality rate in the United States drops off. People are so interested in who's going to be president, they hold off dying.

   That's a fact. They want to see. They're interested in who's going to win.

   And Mr. Armstrong. I liked his comment.

   He said the good thing is all of them can't, but there's good news in it. Because about a year ago or less, my wife told me that if either Jerry Brown or Ted Kennedy became president, she was going to leave the country. I'd be kind of lost without her, so I prefer one of the guys who might win now compared to losing my wife.

   Do you know who is the author of Democracy? Now, I happen to like living in a democracy. I mean, you think about it.

   What other country would you choose outside of the United States? I suppose if there were no United States, I would probably choose Britain or Canada. One thing, of course, they speak English.

   One of those nice things. But if I couldn't go there, it would be one of the democracies of this world. I wouldn't want to live in Uganda, especially when it had Edi Amin.

   I wouldn't want to live in Libya. I happen to prefer humanly living in a democracy. And yet, when I read in the Bible, I stop and realize: hey, who is the author of democracy?

   You remember, we've mentioned so often back in Matthew 4:8, where Satan came to Jesus and he said, Look, if you'll just worship me, I'll give you all of these governments on earth. And he showed them all the glory of the governments on this earth.

   Says verse 8 again: the devil, this is Matthew 4, verse 8. The devil took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said, All these things will I give you if you'll fall down and worship me.

   Now, on this earth, the governance belonged to Satan. He had to be the one who started and guided democracy. Democracy was back then.

   Remember, democracy began on the greatest scale in Greece. And democracies had risen and even fallen before this time. And even Rome had started out somewhat of a democracy, a republic.

   There were senators, there was voting. Now, later it got to be whoever had the biggest army and was standing outside of Rome surrounding it, all the senators got together and said, You know, I think that guy right there would be the best man to be emperor. Now, everybody else would say, Yeah, let's vote him in.

   No, he's got the army surrounding the city. If we don't vote him in, he comes in, wipes us out, puts in a new Senate, and they vote him in. But originally, there had been some democracy.

   So democracy was not new. And Satan is the author of all the governments on the face of this earth and guides them. And he started it.

   Now, what was his plan with democracy? You and I like living in a democracy. But I want to tell you something.

   Democracy has hurt you spiritually in more ways than you possibly realize. Or I. I mean, it has hurt you terribly so.

   You would like to have faith. Did you realize that democracy has hurt your faith, it sure has, it's hurt my faith.

   You would like, how many times you say, Boy, I just wish I had the character to do this or to get up and pray every morning or to do something else. You know, one of the reasons you have so much trouble with yourself, it's because you grew up in a democracy. As I said, you wouldn't.

   I wouldn't move over to Russia or Poland or any of those places, but I know this democracy has hurt me. Now, one of the examples: do you remember the greatest example of faith that Jesus ever found, at least up to that moment? A man who knew very little of democracy, and it was his lack of knowledge of democracy and government from the bottom up.

   That gave him his faith. It's in Matthew 8. It's a centurion.

   Now, a centurion was a man who was an officer over 100 soldiers. Now, right now, that wouldn't be a lot of soldiers because we're used to countries of 200 million people, armies of millions. But back then, 100 soldiers, that was a lot of soldiers.

   Now, do you think that the Roman army was a democracy? Can you imagine them getting together and having a sit-own in the Roman army? I don't think they ever did that.

   Can you imagine them getting together and appealing a decision of their boss, whoever it was, or their centurion to somebody else? You know, in the Roman army, you did what you were told. You did it now, or you didn't do anything ever again.

   There was no foolishness put up with in the Roman army. Great discipline. Well, anyway, this fellow, Matthew 8:5, Jesus was entered in Capernaum.

   There came unto him, Matthew 8, verse 5, a centurion, beseeching him and saying, Lord, my servant lies at home, sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him. The centurion, Answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.

   Notice how I said that Arkansas, didn't I? My roof. My roof.

   I like Arkansas. You Texans, just wait till next year. Wait till next year.

   Lou Holtz will get you. Anyway, he said, I'm not worthy that you should come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. Now, how did he know that?

   You ever notice what he said to prove that he knew that? He didn't say, oh, I just believe in my heart. I just have faith.

   You notice what he said to prove that he had faith? For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. See, I've got people over me.

   I'm under authority. And you know I've got soldiers under me. And what happens?

   I say to this man, go, and he goes. You know, we're not used to that, are we? That doesn't always happen in the Army of the United States.

   It surely doesn't happen in our bureaucratic system. The president says, do this.

   The Bureau does what it wants. It says, well, another three, four years, he'll be gone anyway.

   I say to this man, go, and he goes. And to another, come. And you know what he does? He comes. And to my servant, do this, and he does it. Now, that was his proof. That he knew that his servant would be healed.

   So he said, When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith. That comment, that was a tremendous comment of faith. I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

   And then he goes on to talk about how some people would, you know, the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness. There'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

   Verse 13, Jesus said to the centurion, Go your way, and as you have believed, so be it done unto you. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. Now, what is the point there? How did that man know that his servant would be healed? You see, he psychologically was used to people in authority saying something and seeing it done. We're not.

   I mean, he was used to his boss saying, Do this. Everybody did it. And his servant, he went to his servant and he said, Go over here and do that. And they did it. To another, do that. And they did it.

   Now he understood authority. We don't understand authority in a democracy. We are used to those in authority saying, I am going to do this.

   Does he? I am going to stop inflation. You know, as they say, when inflation is running at a double-digit in figures, and when men are out of work, then I say to you that there is needed a change in administration.

   And you all just automatically believe, or do we don't really, do we? We think, who's he kidding? And we try him. And does he accomplish it? Does he do what he said? By the way, how many of you are cold today?

   How many of you are be honest now, ladies and gentlemen? How many of you are cold? There you are. My wife came up one time, just shortly, oh, actually, a few days it turned cool one day up in Arkansas. She said, I'm chilly. She said, No, mind you, I'm not complaining.

   So nice to be chilly. Now, we are used to people in authority saying things and they can't fulfill, and you know, psychologically, that rubs off on us. To God, God says, I'll heal you. And we say to ourselves, well, I know he can. And we want to believe that he's going to.

   But we're just not used to people saying something and seeing it absolutely done. This fellow was not that way. He was just used to somebody saying. In authority, this will be done. And when he ran into authority, the highest authority, he said, look, this man's got authority from God. He didn't question it.

   He knew that when Jesus said it, it would be done. He was used to that. We aren't.

   Democracy has hurt us so badly, all the promises, and they can't do it. You know, I don't hold Jimmy Carter responsible for inflation. I don't hold him responsible for a lack of a balanced budget.

   The President is not able to balance the budget. All he does is propose a budget. He doesn't make the budget.

   The Congress does. Now, do you think that those fellows up there in Congress, each man having his own pork barrel project, each man having his own little water project that he's got to put in for his people? Each one having his own little Air Force base that has to stay in his district, or a little Army base that has to stay in his district.

   Here you come along and you say, We've got to cut the fat out of government. So here comes along the Army, and they say, Well, we've got a base over here. We don't need this base anymore.

   Now, the congressman immediately jumps up and he says, No, we need this base. Not because our defense needs it, but because his district needs it. They need the money coming in. They need those servicemen going out and buying homes and buying groceries and buying cars. Now, do you expect, of course not. Why should I even ask the question?

   You know that the president is unable to balance the budget. You know that Congress is unable to balance the budget. They have gotten to give to us what we want.

   And even Jimmy Carter, you know, boy, he was going to be tough on this balanced budget. Least little problem comes along. How many months was it from the time he was saying, balance the budget, till the time he turned around and was saying, we are going to have to prime the pump, we're going to have to cut taxes because the Congress demanded it, because the people demanded it.

   Where is the authority? So we see promises, and we hear men in authority make promises, and they can't fulfill. Now, I want to read to you: this is from the Republican National Committee. This is an acceptance speech, speech, a nominated nomination. This is accepting a nomination for the Republican Party.

   Says right across to the here, two guys standing there, you know, holding each other, their hands, waving. And this man has been nominated by the Republican Party. And he says on top: We will win because our cause is right.

   Don't they all say that? We are going to win because of the time when America cries out for the unity that this city. Administration has destroyed. The Republican Party, after a spirited contest for its nomination for president and vice president, stands united before the nation tonight. A party that can unite itself will unite America. America is in trouble today.

   This is still from this particular one here. America is in trouble today. Not because her people have failed.

   No, you wonderful people who are going to vote for me. Not because her people have failed, but because her leaders have failed. And what America needs are leaders to match the greatness of her people.

   How many of you think you know whose speech this is? Few of you. This is the text of Richard M. Nixon's. Acceptance speech. A party that can unite itself will unite America.

   Did he unite America? I don't hold any grudges against Richard Nixon. He was not capable of doing it.

   He was a very capable man, is a very capable man. You even hear people say today saying, oh, his problems weren't so big, we could use them back again. In this troubled world, he goes on to tell how he is going to straighten things out when the richest nation in the world can't manage its own economy.

   Did he? When the nation with the greatest tradition of the rule of law is plagued by unprecedented lawlessness, did he make lawlessness go away? Has crime gone down?

   When a nation has been known for a century for equality of opportunity is torn by unprecedented racial violence. And when the President of the United States cannot travel abroad or to any major city at home without fear of a hostile demonstration, then it is time for a new leadership for the United States of America. Was he able to stop hostile demonstrations wherever he traveled?

   No, there were gobs of them, people yelling against him. Watergate. My fellow Americans, tonight I accept the challenge and the commitment to provide that new leadership for America.

   Well, he failed. He says, I mean, it just tickles me. I've got to read a couple more here.

   Because my friends, you can just hear him. Let this message come through clear from what I say tonight. Time is running out for the merchants of crime and corruption in American society.

   Did time run out? Now, you probably, most of you, heard these promises that he made. And you knew at the time, and you know now that he couldn't fulfill it.

   And your whole attitude toward authority is one of disrespect. I'm not. Saying totally, mine is, I grew up disrespecting authority because everything around me told me to.

   We didn't call policemen policemen, we called them cops. We don't call the president Mr. President, we call them Nixon.

   Or Ike, who was more respected than most by far. He says the wave of crime is not going to be the wave of the future in the United States of America. We shall reestablish freedom from fear in America so that Americans can take the leadership in establishing freedom from fear in the world.

   And then the famous statement, my fellow Americans, the long, dark night for America is about to end. The time has come for us to leave the valley of despair and climb the mountains so that we may see the glory of the dawn. A new day for America, a new dawn for peace and freedom in the world.

   Didn't work, did it? You know, democracy has so destroyed our ability to respect authority and to have our own character. You know, in some countries, Well, where they don't have democracy, a man can be told, do this, sit still, go here.

   I wouldn't like to have somebody telling me all of those things. But you know, if I had to grow up doing that, I could make myself do things that I now wish I could do. Don't you wish you could say to yourself, I'm going to get up, go to bed at a certain time every night.

   I'm going to get up at a certain time every morning. I'm going to get on my knees and pray a half hour before I go to work. And then you stay up a little later and you're watching this TV and you don't quite have built into you the fear of government, the fear of authority.

   So you just stay up and watch that TV show. And then you sleep a little late in the morning because you're tired. You just wanted to see whether Matt Dillon would get that guy or not.

   You don't want to be that way. Society has made you that way. The government you've grown up in has made you that way. That is not going to be the government that is going to be in the world tomorrow. Let's notice another example.

   You know, it's interesting. The centurion and the faith that he had. And he had that faith because he could say, I'm under authority. I say to a man, go and he goes. To another, come and he comes. You men who have people under you, you know that's not true now.

   And the school system, which is a democratic system. The parents, you know, a teacher can say, I am going to enforce certain rules in class, and can they? What are they going to do when little Johnny steps out of line and mistreats another kid?

   They are not even allowed in most states to spank them. And if they do, what's going to happen? The parents are going to come down. The parents are going to go to the school board. The school board has been voted in. This is a voter coming complaining about what has happened.

   My little child was. Spanked. What did he do? Merely stomped a couple of kids on the school ground. I don't believe it because he says he didn't. Now the school board, oh, well, that's bad.

   Now, finally, you know, the school board jumps on the teacher. So the teacher begins to give up. The teacher has no backing because we live in a democratic society. There is no authority. Well, turn to Acts 10.

   God looked down to find the first Gentile, the very first uncircumcised Gentile to call into his church. And you know who he chose? A centurion.

   Now, there are some things that this man did that you and I would never do. Never do. Because we would never bow the knee to a man.

   And he had some mistakes, maybe in one direction that we certainly don't have. But God called a centurion the very, very first Gentile. Chapter 10, verse 1 of Acts (Acts 10:1), he says, There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always, we would add an F there. He saw in a vision, evidently or distinctly, about the ninth hour of the day, be about three in the afternoon, an angel of God coming into him and saying unto him, Cornelius.

   At least I say it was. That depends whether it was the Roman or the Jewish counting of hours. But anyway, it said, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord?

   And the angel said to him, Your Prayers and your alms are come up for a memorial before God. Whenever I read this as an aside, I always think, I wonder what kind of a memorial our prayers are, or our alms are. You know, what kind of statue, whether it's one of these little statues you buy in a gift shop about yay big, what kind of a memorial have you and I built in heaven of prayers and alms.

   But anyway, now send men to Joppa and call for one Simon whose surname is Peter. He lodged with one Simon the tanner whose house is by the seaside, and he'll tell you what you ought to do.

   And what did he do? He told him to send men. Now, you know, I would have said, well, I'll go, but he did what he was told.

   He didn't send man, and he didn't go himself. He sent men exactly as he was told. When the angel which spoke unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually.

   And when he had declared all these things, Things unto them. He sent them to Joppa. But they said, An angel, a vision? Are you nuts? No, they didn't say that, did they? It's not recorded.

   What would it be? How about you people? Suppose you had a vision, and an angel came to you, and the angel said, Send men over to so-and-so.

   And you went to your employees. Any of you men who have employees, and you said to them, I saw, I had a vision last night or yesterday, and it said to send people over here. You know, you reckon they would go.

   What do you expect would happen to you? You know, things were different right there. They weren't used to a democracy, and men who were in authority understood authority.

   And they knew this. Man, Cornelius. If Cornelius said this was the way it was, that's the way it was.

   Now, if I hear the president stand up and he can say, I will never lie to you, then I'll think to myself, you know, well, that's quite a bold statement. But do we believe what comes out of the press briefings in democracies? Do you believe what the government says they knew Cornelius.

   They knew he didn't lie. They knew he was a man of his word. In his business, if you didn't say what you were supposed to, and if it wasn't obeyed, somebody's head went off.

   So he told them, Look, I saw a vision. And they believed it, apparently. If they didn't believe it, they still went.

   Anyway, he declared those things to them. He sent them to Joppa. On the morrow, as they went on their journey and drew nigh into the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the ninth hour.

   And, you know, he became very hungry. You remember the story? Down in verse 22, they finally got to Peter, and they said, Corinneus, the centurion, a just man, and one that fears God, and of good report among all the nations of the Jews.

   Was warned from God by a holy angel to send for you into his house and to hear words of you. Then called he them in, and he lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

   And on the morrow, after they entered into Caesarea, and Cornelius waited for them. I want you to get the picture of this. Here is Cornelius sitting in there. He had great respect towards. Peter. And I imagine he would have gone on this trip himself.

   But instead, he did what he was told. He sent men. He gathered his family and he was sitting there.

   Now, stop and think about that a moment. You can just read right over that. It says, Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

   Oh, brethren, do you remember when you first learned the truth and you tried to tell your relatives? Do you remember that? Do you remember what happened?

   Can you imagine if you went in and said, I had visions and you called your brother and your brother-in-law and said, we've got a man coming from God's church over here. Why, they would think you are a nut. But that didn't happen.

   They knew Cornelius. Cornelius, because of the authority he was in and because of the authority he was under, was a man of his word. And when he said it, that's the way it was.

   And they knew that. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gathered there. He went in and said, A man of God is coming. I had a vision. And they all just walked right in and sat there and waited. You know, this is almost unbelievable and watch the mistakes that he makes. Watch the mistakes that he makes. For instance, verse 25.

   And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. Oh, boy, did he do something wrong. You would never catch us doing that.

   Never. That's one mistake we don't make. I know I have walked in to many people's homes, and they felt that this was God's church.

   They had studied, and I was the first one they had ever met. And I'm sure that, you know, many other ministers have done that. Anyone ever fall down at your feet and worship you, Dr. Warden? Mr. Sherter? Any of you other? No way. I'm glad nobody did.

   I wouldn't want anybody to. But you know something? In a democratic society, I don't think I have to really worry that anybody will ever do that.

   Yes, he was not in full understanding, but look at the attitude. You see, he understood authority. And for the first time in Cornelius' life, he knew he was talking to a man who represented the Ultimate authority, the ultimate government.

   And he just instantly meeting this man, he knew he was a human being, but he knew he represented God. Boy, I'll tell you, are we like that? Are we like that?

   Of course not. How do we react toward government? You know, it is so easy, you see, to just disrespect authority.

   You become familiar with it. The change that has occurred in Pasadena has been wonderful. But boy, I can tell you in recent years, I would go out there and I'd walk on that campus. The closer I'd get, the carnaler I'd get. How dare you touch me? Who thinks you're above me?

   You know, I mean, just that atmosphere permeated it. And I always said, Boy, I'll tell you, I just would hate to be out here. It just rubs me wrong, and I don't like feeling that way.

   I have to fight that carnality. I said that to Dr. Hoeh one time. I said, Dr. Hoeh, how can you stand? This is about oh three years ago, I guess.

   How can you stand being out here with all the gossip and the digging? And you talk to anybody, you talk to the gardening crew or somebody, you know, who knows where in the press building, and they know this little dirt and they've got this little tidbit and they're just digging down. And Dr. Hoeh said, You notice how far I bought. A home away from the campus, didn't you? He goes way off and he says, Everybody laughs at my goats, but I've got someplace to go.

   But it's not that way now. It is not that way. There's a unity and people are in harmony. And you know why? Because there are men out there who believe in government, who understand the word of God and government and authority and respect.

   Look at the fruits. Look at the fruits. Fantastic. You know, some people, I guess, believe that, you know, what does it say?

   Listen to the cleverest rumor mill, and you shall be accounted worthy to escape. It says, look at the fruits. I look at the fruits, and I don't have to hear so-and-so did this.

   Well, I want to know what really happened. Want to know who really said what to whom. Is that what we're to look to? Is that the fruits? Is it the clever shall be saved? The people on the most accurate rumor mill shall be saved?

   Look at the fruits. Well, that's on the side from what we're discussing. We're discussing a government that is coming to this earth that is totally different.

   A government that this man Cornelius would understand. In a sense, I would not like to be in that kind of government that Cornelius was in because that government had men on top of it. Yes, I don't want to live in a dictatorial totalitarian society because it's men on top.

   But at least when you have government from the top down, you understand it. And he understands it. It won't be difficult for him to be obedient to the government of God as it is for you and I.

   Well, anyway, he fell down at his feet and worshiped him, but Peter took him up, saying, Stand up by myself also am a man. Yes, that was wrong. He should not have done that because of simple ignorance.

   But look at that attitude. That's the kind of attitude that God can reach down on this earth and say, All right, here's the man I'm going to call as the first Gentile. God had to be very, very particular in who he called.

   He couldn't call a rebellious man, he couldn't call a man who set a bad example. He called a man who understood government and authority. And verse 27, as he talked with them, he went in and found many that were come together.

   Down in verse 34. Verse 34, Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nation. He that fears him and works righteousness is accepted with him.

   And then in verse 48, the people all received the Holy Spirit in verse 45, poured out, you know, and such, verse 44, 45. It says, verse 48, he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. I think that's interesting. He commanded. Them to be baptized. They already had the Holy Spirit.

   Most of us, I'm not just knocking you, this is me too. If I had already received the Holy Spirit, somebody came up and said, You must go be baptized, I'd say, Why? I already have the Holy Spirit.

   You know, it'd be kind of a little feather in your cap, receive the Holy Spirit without even having been baptized. You go around and say, Well, I never was baptized like everybody else. I received the Holy Spirit.

   He commanded them. No argument. No argument with them at all.

   Now, it comes back also. People will come and they'll say, you know, I see people being baptized in the Bible just instantly. They learn the truth the next day they're baptized, or maybe they don't even wait the next day.

   You remember the Ethiopian eunuch, a man in an authoritarian government, baptized instantly. People say, well, why can't I be baptized instantly? You know why?

   Why couldn't I be baptized the very day I learned the truth? Because I didn't have the character to change in one day. I didn't have the strength to change.

   If I had grown up where I was told change and I had to instantly change, you know, where they said frog and I jumped, boy, I might have the ability to change when I ran across the right way. But I Just didn't have that. I had arguments.

   I had the way to say, No, it wasn't just that way. I want my side heard. Turn to Acts 16.

   Here's an example of a man who was baptized instantly. If we have the character, the background, the understanding of government, to where we could change ourselves oh, I want to change myself. If we had that, we could, but we don't.

   Democracy, oh, is Satan clever. It has destroyed so much character in us, so much respect for authority. Acts 16:22.

   Now, this is the case where poor Paul and Silas got beat. Now, here's the way government was. That's why.

   The governments of the world, why I would not want to be in a totalitarian society because it's got men guided by Satan ruling in it. Verse 22: The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates rent off their clothes and commanded to beat them. Boy, you learned authority back then.

   And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Now, I wonder how nice the jails were back then.

   Reminds me of the cartoon in The Wizard of Id that I saw. You know, they got this guy down in the jail there, and it had two guys hanging on the wall and a sign in between them, Coming Soon in person, Johnny Cash. You know, our jails today have Johnny Cash visit them.

   They didn't back then. They hung them on the wall, and there was nobody coming by singing country and western music to them.

   Jails were not now. Boy, I would hate to be in a jail back then. Well, anyway, he had to keep them safely.

   Who, verse 24, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks. You know why he was careful? You see, back then, if you escaped, the jailer was killed.

   Remember the example of how. Peter was lying down in between a couple of men. They were chained to him.

   And he escaped. And Herod called in and examined the two fellows, the jailers, the soldiers that were to keep Peter. And you know, they didn't examine them by saying, now tell me your side of the story.

   Examining was done with whips and knives and hot irons. Very bad. And then he killed them.

   Now, the gist jailer knew that. That stopped people from paying. You know, otherwise, you'd pay the jailer, give him a little money, and say, hey, how about letting me out the back door?

   Well, no way. Boy, I mean to tell you, the jailer caught it. He was tortured to death.

   I would say the jailers were not real understanders of our democratic society. They'd have a difficult time understanding it. Anyway, he received such a charge.

   He thrust them to the inner prison, made their feet fast. In the stocks. And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them.

   Wonder how many of us who went to jail would have the boldness to start singing psalms. Really, something. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed.

   And the keeper of the prison, awaking out of sleep, seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself. Supposing that the prisoners had been fled. Now, see, he figured it was best to kill yourself before they killed you.

   You could do a nice, easy job, quick. And if the magistrates got hold of them in a Roman society, they wouldn't kill them in such a pleasant way. So he was going to do a quick job of himself.

   But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm. We're all here. And he called for a light.

   Now, notice this attitude. Here is a man who grew up with total authority and lived with an understanding of total authority. He was not only under authority, I mean he was over authority.

   You reckon any of the prisoners ever spoke back to him? If he told them, move over there, I'd reckon they moved, don't you? Well, he sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, boy, there once again is something you and I wouldn't do. If we were on a military mission or in jail and somebody escaped, do you reckon we'd just make you instantly kill ourselves? If we found that they were still there, would we run in and fall down on our knees?

   We found this was a servant of God? No way. If we were on a military mission or in jail and somebody escaped, do you reckon we'd just make you instantly kill ourselves?

   If we found that they were still there, would we run in and fall down on our knees? We found this was a servant of God. No way.

   Fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said, Notice instantly, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved in your house.

   Now, there's more to it than just believing. The rest of the Bible explains that because. They went and preached. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord.

   That is not all, they said, but they expounded on it. And to all that were in his house. Now, I want you to get this.

   I don't know if any of you have ever worked in jail. I know we do have some who've worked in prison. Suppose in the middle of the night you brought home a couple of beat-up, dirty, bloody prisoners and told your wife.

   Yeah, dear, these guys are servants of God. Boy, I mean, she would get on the phone and call the police right now. How many of you men think your wife would just instantly, you came home, told her that, would instantly say, oh, well, my, you know, honey, if you say so, must be true.

   You know, I imagine this jailer had his house understanding authority and government, also. If Dad came home, he said these were servants of God, then these were servants of God. And they all woke up in the middle of the night and they listened to these two bloody, dirty individuals preach the word of God.

   And then, is there any small wonder that we look at that and then we say, Well, yeah, why couldn't I be ready to be baptized? Instantly, why wasn't I ready immediately?

   Why did the minister tell me? No, I think you need to wait on this. You know, if he could have come in the house and he just could have said, Now you stop smoking right now. How many of us just instantly, oh, well, pow!

   Out it went, smashed it into the floor. How many here still have that problem? Do you suppose that this jailer, if he had a habit like that was going to keep it.

   If Paul and Silas said, no, stop that. I think he'd say, yes, sir, that'd be the end of it. We don't have that kind of character.

   We haven't grown up in it. We've grown up in democracy. Authority from the bottom up, and each man has freedom.

   Wrong kind of freedom. Well, it goes on. He took them out the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized.

   And get the this, he and all his. We usually can't even get our wife or our husband or our children to even read a booklet. We kind of sneak it around, trying to get them to listen, leave it out, hoping they'll read it.

   Then they think we're some kind of nut. Totally different, totally different. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

   Now, in Psalm chapter 2, we have a prophecy of the coming world tomorrow and the government that is going to be on this earth. We are here to picture a new government.

   I happen to like to live in a democracy. I said so. I love the United States of America. I love living here. I want to. Go to no other country.

   Yet I know that living in a world governed by Satan, every country, every nation, every government is wrong. It is not right. Every government needs to be put down, and we can say, Well, I'm just glad that my government is not as bad as so-and-so. And in many ways, it is because Satan, Satan developed this government. He knew this government.

   Why did he? Satan has a purpose with democracy. And you and I are the end results of it.

   Psalm 2 is different, though. It talks about the return of Jesus Christ and says, Why do the heathen rage? Verse 1 (Psalm 2:1), and the people imagine a vain thing.

   The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder. Let us cast away their cords from us. We don't want the authority of God.

   He that sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure.

   Yet have I set my king, this is God the Father speaking, upon my holy hill of Zion, that's Jesus Christ returning. I will declare the decree, the Lord has said unto me. This is now the psalmist speaking.

   The Lord has said to me, You are my son. This day have I begotten you. He's speaking of what God the Father says to the Son.

   God the Father is going to send a king, he's going to send a son, he's going to sit on the holy hill of Zion. This day have I begotten you. Ask of me, God the Father says, and I shall give you the heathen for your inheritance, speaking to Jesus, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron.

   You know, we're going to be used to a man in authority who says something and it's fulfilled. If we had grown up with that kind of thing, kind of authority, and then God said, I will heal you. We would inside believe it. Oh, I know God heals.

   But in my heart, inside, it's hard to emotionally believe definitely. It isn't God that is the problem, it's me. I'm the one who's just not used to anybody in authority saying anything.

   I'm the one at fault. I'm the one that lacks faith. I want to believe that authority. I know it's true. But my heart inside me says, well, maybe I hope. Oh, I see healings.

   I even see healings. I've seen dozens and hundreds of healings. Still, it's so hard to believe authority.

   Maybe some of you don't have that problem, but I dare say most of you are just like me. Democracy has hurt you pretty bad. Sad.

   We're the sad end result of a government that has rebelled against the way of God. Listen to that. You shall break them with a rod of iron.

   And we think, boy, that's terrible. That's not terrible. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

   Be wise now, therefore, O you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. And I love this.

   I love this verse right here. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. You know, it's like standing on the street, and here comes the procession, and the new king, Jesus Christ, is being inaugurated.

   And you're out there saying, Yay! Same time, your knees are just knocking together because you're scared. This man has authority.

   This is the one who sent out fire and just took care of nations. And you're so thankful that he's there. And when you see the power, and the brightness, and the glory, and the authority, it just scares you.

   So you're so thankful and you're so afraid to rebel, afraid to not show character. Afraid to break a law of God. Oh, that'll be good.

   Boy, will that be good. Rejoice with trembling at the same time. Kiss the Son.

   You don't walk up and say, oh, I just want to kiss you. Kiss him, lest he be angry and you perish from the way. You better love him good and love that authority a lot.

   Love him well. And you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled, but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

   And I want to turn to Revelation 2 because the promise of this time and that kind of authority is made to you. You remember how it said, the Father said to the Son in Psalm 2, I will give You a rod of iron. I'll give you a government.

   I'll give you the heathen, and you can rule them with a rod of iron. You know what Jesus says? His Father says that to him in Psalm 2, and Jesus, in Revelation 2:26 and 27, says, Look, you remember that rod of iron that I got back there in Psalm 2?

   You know that one? You know I'm going to rule? How would you like to help me do that?

   How would you like to put down the totalitarian systems and maintain that same authority, but have a God sitting on top of that throne in China, in Russia, in Tibet? How would you like to put down the democracies in Japan? And have the proper government with God sitting on the throne.

   It's not going to be many years until that kind of government is going to come. Thank God for it, too. Revelation chapter 2, then, and verse 26 (Revelation 2:26).

   Now, you've got to understand this is only going to be given to us if we learn that kind of authority if we accept that kind of government ourselves. Is God going to place this kind of government in our hands if we won't accept it over us?

   If we don't learn it now, it's hard for me to obey the government in the church today. It is hard. I mean, I want to pick fault. I want to say, well, look. Herman Armstrong's got faults. Sure he is. He's a sinner. Sure he is. He said so himself.

   People think, oh, well, you know, he just says that. No, I'm sure he's got faults. I'm sure he's a sin and sin is ugly.

   And I'm a sinner and sin is ugly. But that isn't the point. It's the government of God, and I've got to learn to obey it now.

   And then I will rule in that kingdom if I learn it now. He that overcomes and keeps my works unto the end. Now, this is not just for this church because we're all to hear this.

   We all are to have ears to hear it. If we overcome and keep his works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations. And he, he shall rule them with a rod of iron.

   As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers. Even, remember Psalm 2, even as I received of my Father. That's a different government.

   That is the world tomorrow. This world today is in sad, sad shape, the governments, all governments, whether it would be Libya, which I would hate to live in with a Qaddafi, or whether it is the United States. Where nobody, nobody can straighten things out.

   It is a sad world. Thank God, thank God for the wonderful government that He is bringing, God willing, in just a few years.