Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Jesus said in Matthew 22:14 (NLT)…
[14] “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Today the Holy Spirit wants to help us understand how we become God’s chosen few.

Consider…
Today’s title made me look up “Dealer’s choice”. According to AI it refers to a rule in a card game, most commonly poker, where the dealer has the power to decide what specific variant of the game will be played for a given round or orbit. This allows for variety, strategic challenges, and customized gameplay, as players must be familiar with different rules and adapt their play.

I was curious why the Holy Spirit would allow me to use a card game example, and He responded with Psalms 100:3 (NLT), which tells us to…
[3] Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Then the Holy Spirit said, the person in charge always chooses.

That made me flashback to when I was a kid used to play street football and pickup basketball. In both games, there were teams chosen by the captains.

Dictionary.com says, a captain is a person who is at the head of or in authority over others; chief; leader.

Reading that definition immediately flashed Ephesians 1:22-23 (NLT) into my mind. It says…
[22] God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. [23] And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

It’s vital that we understand God put Christ in charge.

That’s why Jesus said in John 15:16 (NLT)…
[16] You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

We must be chosen by Jesus to be accepted by God.

Paul explains in Ephesians 1:4-6 (NLT)…
[4] Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. [5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. [6] So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing, Jesus must be Lord of our lives for us to be God’s children.

The Holy Spirit reiterated this with Jesus’ own words in John 14:6 (NLT), which says…
[6] Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

There’s no way around it, God’s chosen is who Christ chooses.

Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) expounds…
[1] So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. [2] And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

We’re only good with God when we belong to Jesus Christ. Therefore, we need to understand Jesus’ choice criteria. He said in Matthew 7:21 (NLT)…
[21] “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

He also said, in Luke 6:46 (NLT)…
[46] “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

Jesus must be Lord of and in our lives!!!

But if God’s chosen is whoever Jesus chooses, what’s or role, or where’s our choice?

Romans 3:22 (NLT) explains…
[22] We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Jesus chooses those who trust in, and follow Him. His words, captured in John 15:10-12 (NLT), affirm…
[10] When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. [11] I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! [12] This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

Jesus, just like God the Father, requires obedience for selection. That’s because obedience acknowledges and accepts authority, and even more important, respect & trust.

Think about it, you to comply with whom you fear consequences, but you obey who respect, and trust has your best in mind.

Like the old children’s church song says…

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

For the believers who trust and obey, Jesus prayed in John 17:17-23 (NLT)…
[17] Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. [18] Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. [19] And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. [20] “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. [21] I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. [22] “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. [23] I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Notice, Jesus is praying for God the Father to consecrate those who believe, trust and obey Him.

He can pray this because it aligns with the Father’s will.

1 Peter 2:9-12 (NLT) explains…
[9] But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. [10] “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” [11] Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. [12] Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

When we believe, trust and obey Jesus, we are included in the chosen few.

As I wrote that, mind ran to Revelation 3:4-5 (NLT), where Jesus said…
[4] “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. [5] All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.

Walking with Jesus makes us worthy, and claimed by Jesus, because it means we’re following His lead and directions.

Speaking of following Jesus, Colossians 3:12-17 (NLT) exhorts…
[12] Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. [13] Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. [14] Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. [16] Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. [17] And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

These verses tell me are expected to live like we belong to Jesus.

As a matter of fact, Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT) expressly says…
[1] Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. [2] Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

God only has Christ-like children.

The Holy Spirit inspired me to close with gave a lyric remix to the children’s church Trust and Obey…

Trust and obey, for there’s no way
To be chosen by Jesus, than to trust and obey.

And if you don’t remember anything else from today’s post, remember this…

God’s chosen is who Jesus chooses.

So today, stop trying earn God’s approval your way or another way, and start living approved by trusting and obeying Jesus, who’s the only Way!

Today’s song is…
Obey

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)