Daily Glimpsing of the Kingdom

Thank you so much, and you sound wonderful. It shows also how God designed men's voices to harmonize with women's voices, because the men's voices by themselves are not as nice or with a woman, but you put them all together and you got the high and the low and everything in between. It's very nice. God designed it that way. I want to share with you one of the most encouraging things that has helped me so much in this race of faith, because our faith is erased toward God's kingdom, and we are going to have hurdles along the way, and God calls us so that we can surpass and overcome and eventually cross that finish line and be able to be part of the kingdom of God when Jesus Christ returns.

And after decades, this is one thing that has helped me greatly, and I hope it will be encouraging to you as well. What can help us to persevere, to not give up, to not lose that vision of that kingdom that is coming? Because it is easy to lose. You can't see it physically. You have to have the faith to know, this is coming. This is the purpose for my life, and we cannot let anything separate us from that love of God. He wants us to be part of his kingdom, but he can't do it by himself.

We have to cooperate. We have to help. This is something practical. It can be applied tomorrow. It is something that if we get into a habit of doing every day, it's going to change our perspectives. It's going to strengthen our faith, and it's going to help us not to lose the battle against the world, because Satan doesn't want us to be part of his kingdom.

Let's go to 2 Peter chapter 1 verses 10 through 11, because he talked about the same thing to the church at that time, the importance of not forgetting, not losing sight of this. He says, verse 10, Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure. For if you do these things, and he mentions things such as the spiritual virtues, faith, virtue, perseverance, self-control, 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.

When God calls the person, he is inviting that person from all the billions of people on earth, which we are approaching eight billion people. We're pretty close to that. And God is calling people to be part of his kingdom when Christ returns. Just a fraction of human beings are going to have the opportunity to be part of that first resurrection. And he has called every one of us to be part of that coming kingdom.

And so a lot about faith is having that vision of the future, always close to you, not forgetting. As verse 9 says, if a person doesn't remember what Peter is saying here, you lack division. And he basically uses the term myopic, which is a person that can't see far off. And that's the term in Greek. The person is short-sighted. And so we also need—and here's the great principle.

If you don't get anything else out of the message, we need to glimpse daily at that future kingdom of God. We have to, in all of our busy lives, just take some time. And as we pray, remember the first subject that Christ told us in his model prayer outline was thy kingdom come. We have to look for that coming kingdom and not let ourselves just be bogged down with the cares and problems of the present time. In Proverbs 29 and verse 18, I will read it in the easy, the ISB International Standard Bible version.

It says, Without prophetic vision, people abandon restraint. But those who obey the law are happy. So if we don't have that vision of the future, part of prophecy, people can lose their sight in the goal. They can also just get absorbed by the cares of the world. It is so important. Let's look first in the Bible, those who glimpsed at that coming kingdom constantly. It's fortified their faith. Notice in Hebrews chapter 11, we call this the faith chapter because it is about faith. Hebrews 11, starting in verse 1, it says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for.

In other words, what you are doing is you have faith that God is going to carry it out, the evidence of things not seen. We can't see them right now, but we trust God. It is going to be that case. It goes on to say in verse 2, For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. So the people who had faith, God granted them that support. He was pleased with them because they walked by faith.

It goes on to say in verse 13, we have an example. In verse 13 of Hebrews 11, it says, These all died in faith, all the ones who have been mentioned, not having received the promises. God promised them that coming kingdom. It hasn't come yet. But having seen them afar off, see, they had that vision, that coming kingdom. They were thinking about that coming kingdom and that were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the land. We are just temporary dwellers here, but we're looking forward to being part of permanent dwellers in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is in heaven right now, but it is coming down to this earth. When Christ rules, this will be the kingdom of God on the earth. It goes on to say, For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland, they seek a place, a kingdom that is not made by men.

And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. They're just looking at the material society of their day. But now they desire a better that is a heavenly country or kingdom. It's talking about God's kingdom on earth that is coming down to the to God's kingdom in heaven, coming down to the earth. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. City, Jerusalem, that's going to be established when Christ comes. It goes on to say, we have another example in verse 24 about Moses. It says, by faith, Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. And in Egyptian history, it was the son of the Pharaoh's daughter who became the next Pharaoh. And so basically he was giving up the future as a Pharaoh. And he gave that up, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. For he looked for the reward. See again, he glimpsed at that kingdom. He wanted that reward of being part of the kingdom of God when Christ returned. And he gave up all of the treasures of the Egyptians. He goes on to say, verse 27, by faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. He knew there was a price to pay. For he endured as seeing him who is invisible. So he had that faith. He knew God was going to carry out his promises. He wanted to be part of those promises, and he was faithful. Then, let's go to the last verse here that we're going to cover in Hebrews 11, verse 35. We see people of all types, men and women of faith. It says, women received their dead, raised to life again. That's one of the miracles several times done, which are registered in the Bible. Others were tortured. Not everybody survived. Not everybody was miraculously protected. They were tortured, not accepting deliverance. They did not deny their faith that they might obtain a better resurrection. They had their eyes on that first resurrection.

They wanted to be part of it.

And so, the kingdom of God is in heaven now, but one day it's going to come down to this renewed earth. Christ is going to beautify the earth, and he needs people to be under him, to beautify, and to work under him for a thousand years to establish that kingdom of God. He is looking for people who want that type of a job, to not work for a boss that's mean and cruel, but the ultimate boss, Jesus Christ under God the Father. That's who we're going to work for. That's going to be our boss in the future. But in order to get that position, we have to be faithful now. We have to glimpse at that coming kingdom. Why are we here on earth? We're here because we're being tested and perfected so we can be part of that coming kingdom of God.

And so, I have worked over this subject for years and years about thy kingdom come, that section of prayer, and now I think I have completed it. I just finished completing it, and there are 12 aspects to that coming kingdom of God. I've commented before, but this is the time where I feel this is about as far as I can go with it. And it actually, you can divide those 12 aspects into two parts, which we're going to do today. The first seven is what I can call seven purpose-driven reasons for God's kingdom to come. Seven purpose-driven reasons for God's kingdom. As you know, there's a book out, The Purpose-Driven Life, and by a pastor over there in Saddleback, it has good points. But this is so much more fulfilling because he thinks he's going to heaven. He doesn't think the kingdom of heaven is coming down to the earth, and so they all think they're just going to go up in heaven. I mean, can you actually beautify heaven? Can you actually do something to work in heaven? No! See, everybody gets to loaf in heaven. But no, we have the vision Christ is going to beautify this earth. He's going to renew it. It is going to be so much fun to beautify the earth under Christ, and they're going to be human beings living during that time, and you're going to be able to teach them and educate them, straighten out their lives like you can't do today. But those lives will be straightened out. And so there are seven purpose-driven reasons, and there are five qualities or virtues in that kingdom that we can look forward to.

So I'd just like to go over them. I have to confess when I pray, basically I cover these 12 subjects when it's thy kingdom come. So I can break them down into fine parts.

And so the first one, that we have a goal-driven life. In other words, we're given a goal by God, and what we do physically is not that important to God. It's this goal to reach. This is the ultimate goal, and that is found in Matthew 6, verse 33. Christ gave the marching orders. This is the reason, the goal, the priority. In Matthew 6, verse 33, He said, But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. God will provide. He will help in our lives.

That's his business now. To take care, once we give ourselves to him, his business is to take care of us, to make sure we're able to make it into the kingdom.

And so notice that actually the goal is broken down into two parts. Seek you first, the kingdom of God, that's the goal, and his righteousness. That's something we do in the meantime, is develop that godly righteousness in our lives. You can't go and say, Oh, I'll take care of righteousness when Christ comes. In the meantime, I'm not going to work on that.

No, that's not the proper perspective. Righteousness is the way we enter into God's kingdom.

And what does righteousness mean? Actually, it comes from an old English word, which means right-way-ness, the way of the right manner of doing things before God. So it's actually talking about the path of righteousness. You walk in the path of righteousness, seeking that kingdom of God. So those are the marching orders. You put that first, God will take care of the rest. According to our faith, so it will be. Little faith, little rewards. Much faith, much rewards.

That's why it's a blessing to be called when you're young. When you're young and you have this as a goal, you can straighten your life out early in life and think about the purpose that I want to shape my life so that I can develop righteousness and enter God's kingdom. And so the choices you make are going to help us better. Now, as God calls us later in life, we've already made many decisions that are irreversible. We can't revert them, but we start with what we have and we start funneling and start focusing our attention and doing the right things before God.

And that's what He will reward us according to our faith. And so this is the first, a goal-driven life. That's why I don't really care what anybody else says.

Oh, no, come over. Come over. We're going to pay you and come back in the world. Let's do it this way, the world's way. Oh, look, you're going to get so many blessings and I'm not interested. I want to go this way. I'm not going that way. And God says, if I put this first and prepare myself and we should get a good education, we should work to be productive and profitable servants, but the world has all of these siren calls that wants you to go out in the world and, oh, their promise, the sun, the moon, and the stars. But you see, when you have the goal in mind, it's a lot easier to say no. I remember, again, just everybody has their story, but I had a girlfriend in high school. I just became, started in this relationship. She was very nice girl, and then I came into the church. And what did I do? Well, is she going to the kingdom?

Is she headed to the kingdom? Does she want the righteousness of the kingdom? No!

So guess what? I said, no, I'm sorry. We're breaking this off. And so it was a lot easier for me because I didn't want to get burdened down with someone that didn't have the same goals as I had.

And God provided me with a wonderful wife that does have the kingdom of God and righteousness. And so we walk together in harmony. We're able to share wonderful things. We're able to go to the feast together, and we're able to raise our children in God's ways and see them go the same way. So it's a tremendous blessing, but it has to do with the priorities that we set in our lives.

The second reason is that it is a hope-driven life. So you have the goal set up for you, but now that kingdom is not coming yet, but we have the hope, that vision of the future.

Notice in Romans 8 verse 23.

Again, sometimes in life, somebody will say, well, why are you giving this up?

Now why aren't you going to be in a relationship with me? Well, you can explain. I have this hope.

This is what I want to accomplish. In Romans 8 verse 23, it says, not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit. It's a very important phrase. First fruits of the Spirit, because when you are baptized and receive God's Spirit, it is only a portion.

One day, if you are faithful, that little portion that you've been working with and developing in your life, once Christ comes, the Spirit completely transforms us into a spirit body, into a spirit mind. We're still going to retain our personality, but the Spirit completely fills us. Whereas here, you're only given the first fruits, the first part of the harvest, with a promise that the rest will be coming later. And so he says, we who have received the first fruits, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body when we're transformed in this way.

For we were saved in this hope. We went through baptism, we went through, and we're still in the process of salvation, but hope that is seen is not hope.

For why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, that hope of the coming kingdom and entering it, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

We have to continue to look and have that goal and vision. So that is our hope. That is what drives our lives. That's what helps us every day to struggle and to fight the world and not let ourselves be defeated by the world's wiles and Satan's cunning temptations. So let's go to the third. The third reason for God's kingdom, it is a faith-driven life. So you have hope, and now you have faith. It is we walk by faith, not by sight. Let's go in 2 Corinthians chapter 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. It says in verse 17. Well, let's start in verse 16. It says, therefore we do not lose heart. We don't become discouraged, even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. So spiritually we need to be renewing by getting close to God. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal glory, weight of glory. Yes, by being faithful, being tested, we are producing that godly character. It says, which we do not look, or while we do not look, at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So faith is something that we have to walk and know that God is going to be faithful to his promises. He cannot lie like humans can, and so it's a faith-driven life. Fourthly, it is a meaningful, driven life. It is a meaningful, driven life. It is fulfilling.

We know why we were born, the purpose behind it. Notice in Hebrews chapter 2.

I'm going to read it in the Good News Bible. It says, it was only right that God who creates and preserves all things should make Jesus perfect through suffering in order to bring many children to share his glory. For Jesus is the one who leads them to salvation. So again, this is the purpose to bring many children to glory. And glory means being transformed into this glorified spiritual body where you're going to be able to travel at the speed of thought.

And you are going to be able to dash across planets and stars at the speed of thought.

Jesus Christ, after he was resurrected from the earth, actually was able to travel to the third heaven where God accepted his sacrifice and formally declared that he had qualified and done everything right. Remember that Mary tried to touch Jesus before he had gone up to heaven, and he said, don't do it because I haven't been glorified yet. And then she ran to see the disciples, and on the way Jesus appeared again. And she knew he'd been glorified because she grabbed his feet and said, my Lord, my Lord, he had gone all the way up to the third heaven and come down in just a matter in less than a few minutes. Well, we're going to have those powers, but God has to reassure himself that we're going to do it his way. We're never going to abuse it. We're not going to have that human nature to want to be all-powerful or to rebel or anything. Thankfully, that part of human nature is going to be removed from us. So it is going to be a life full of meaning. Now, I could, and I've studied philosophy, and I've got philosophy books, and philosophy is basically trying to find the meaning to life through man's wisdom. And so they try to find something like this, and they're completely frustrated because they can't find that lasting meaning to life. Well, without reading any philosophy books, if you've read the Bible, you know the purpose for our lives is for God to glorify his children. He is developing a family, and we are part of that family. And so we go to the fifth reason for the kingdom. And here it is satisfaction-driven life. It is a life that has satisfaction because we know God is going to straighten out all things. In the future, those people that have robbed and killed and gotten away literally with murder, they're not going to do so when they come before the throne of Jesus Christ and are judged for their works. So God is going to be the one who's going to give satisfaction to the victims, to all those who have suffered under dictators and suffered under evil people, the wickedness of this world. So we know God is the ultimate one.

In Romans chapter 12, Romans chapter 12, this is the way of righteousness that we've been talking about.

It says here in verse 18, He says, as far as you can do, live peaceably. Sometimes you live in a home where there's a lot of agitation, a lot of wrong attitudes and spirits, and many times you can't do much about it. But guess what? You can do something about where you are. Those two square feet, where our feet are, our space, we are going to be peacemakers. We're going to have peace with people as much as possible. Sometimes living in peace means having to separate because you're not going to have peace.

And so sometimes you have to leave your roommates, you have to leave whoever it is, but God calls us to peace. And then He goes on to say, Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath.

For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. So we know God is going to deal with these things. We don't have to be on this path of vengeance and I'm going to get my just desserts, I'm going to give Him His just desserts and all of this. Now within the law, we have rights.

Paul himself declared he was a Roman citizen so he wouldn't receive the beatings that he was going to have. So you have rights, but you don't have a right to bring upon yourself vengeance for that. God will take care of that. Notice continuing in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10.

I was thinking, while I was preparing this, that actually a lot of these points cover about the meaning of the entire Bible. I mean, this is all kind of reduced to the points that have to do with entering the kingdom of God, with how to behave, how to look at things.

2 Corinthians 5, 10 says, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. So you see, there's this ultimate satisfaction that people that have been evil and they think they can get away with it and that nobody's going to ever punish them, they are going to get their just desserts. We don't have to be doing the dirty work.

God is going to be judging them. Notice another scripture, 1 Timothy 5, verse 24.

1 Timothy 5, verse 24.

It says, some men's sins are clearly evident. Some people, they sin, they do it publicly, and get arrested and thrown in the clink or jail, and some are even executed, whatever it is.

But that's not the case of everyone. It says, some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment. But those of some men follow later. So some are not going to receive their just punishment in this life. But when they're resurrected and come before Christ's seat, they're not going to wiggle out of there. They're not going to claim Fifth Amendment or innocence or whatever, because they are before God himself. God in the form of Jesus Christ. God the Father is there, delegating that function to Jesus Christ. He certainly will be aware of all of this. That takes us to the sixth reason. We have a motivation-driven life. It's a life that motivates us. What greater reward can you ever dream of than being under Jesus Christ in a world that you get to perfect, to work on beautifying it, and you have the perfect boss.

He's going to guide you. He's going to perfect you. And by the way, you're going to learn all of the greatest skills you're going to be able to learn to be the best at music, at art, all the things that your heart ever dreamed of. You're going to get a chance to do. So this life is comparison to an ant and what a human being is. And what we are now is like an ant in comparison to, of course, what that glorified state will be in the future. I'm sorry, but you can't buy this goal. You can't pay for it. It has to be with God's people. This is where the training ground is being carried out. In Luke chapter 12 verse 31 and 32, Christ sums this up about the motivation.

He looked at his disciples, who were fishermen, who were basically blue collar workers. They weren't anything special. But God is calling the common people to be part of his coming kingdom.

And he says, but seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. That's the way God set it up. And so we don't question why God called us. But once he does, let's be grateful.

Let's not lose that opportunity of his calling. So that is the sixth reason. And the seventh, it is a perseverance-driven life. It's a life where you know you're going to struggle.

It's called a race. Notice what 2 Timothy chapter 4.

2 Timothy chapter 4. When Paul was finishing, he says verse 7, I have fought the good fight.

So in a sense, he's talking here like a boxer. That boy, he's taken his licks. And you know what? I have fought. I have not given up. Nobody has dragged me out of this ring.

I'm still here, fighting for God's ways. And then he goes on to say, I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith. Notice he didn't say, oh, once I was saved, or once I came, that's already won the race. No, it's something you receive at the end of your life, not when you start your Christian life. Finally, there is laid out for me the crown of righteousness.

Why? Because that's what he sought, the righteousness of God. So he's going to be given a crown of righteousness. And again, he wasn't perfect. He had defects. He had difficulties. He had shortcomings.

But God glorifies the person, removes that human nature. And so you're given the crown of righteousness because now that's the way your life is going to be. You're going to be a very pleasant person to be around. You're not going to have any character or personality defects.

You're going to be your ultimate potential person, the idealized person with your attributes.

He goes on to say, laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day. Notice, he's not going to give them. He doesn't go up to heaven after his death. No, on that day is when the righteous judge will give me, and not to me only, but to all who have loved his appearing. So here Paul's been waiting close to 2,000 years, dead, unconscious, but his spirit is there, in a sense, incubated. It is stored because he doesn't have a spirit body that's going to be given him until Christ comes back. And then his spirit is going to be placed back, but now in a glorified body. So he says, in that day, those are the first that are resurrected when Jesus Christ comes back, the first resurrection.

And so now we go to the last five qualities or virtues to look at. Number eight. And you know what? You're going to have to forgive me. But I don't want to cover this in the next five minutes. I'm going to have to give it the next time around, because I don't have enough time to give it. And so, God willing, I'll give it to you next week. The five qualities or virtues to look forward to in that coming kingdom. So I'll keep the suspense. If you don't want to come, that's fine. We'll have some other people come and make it to the kingdom. How's that?

I'll keep the suspense going, but I'd like to go over again these first seven of the 12 aspects of God's kingdom. It is a goal-driven life. You establish the goal of entering the kingdom of God and seeking after His righteousness. Nobody can do that for you. Not even God can choose that for you. God can call you and offer it, but you have to heed the call. Many are called, few are chosen, few eventually choose and commit, and then are part of God's elect.

It is a hope-driven life, because the hope is in the future. It's not in the present.

It is a faith-driven life, because it requires daily effort and faith. It is a meaningful, driven life. Life is meaningful. We do have a purpose for life. It is a satisfaction-driven life. We know God's going to take care of things. He's telling us to do our part. He'll take care of His. It is a motivation-driven life. It gives us enthusiasm for what we do.

Enthusiasm is a beautiful word. It actually means, n means within.

Enthusiasm comes from the word, fails, which is God. And it means, God is in you. Because when the Greeks talked about somebody that was so elated and so happy, he said, oh, he's enthused.

But actually, we have that enthusiasm with God's Spirit in us. And it is a perseverance-driven life as well, where, yes, we're called to endure. We're called to not give in and not give up. So, brethren, let's wait for the second part. It gets even better than what you've had today.