How to Develop More Effective Prayer, Part 2

Last week, I had some little incense bars or little sticks going up because we were talking about how to develop a little more effectively our prayers before God. And incense is used in the Bible as a symbol for prayer. We can turn to Psalms 142, verse 1. This was a scripture that I certainly did not have memorized. Psalms 141, verse 2, I should say. Still don't have it well memorized, I guess, but it's going to come. Psalms 141, verse 2. It's a beautiful expression. It says, Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. So David knew these were symbols of spiritual things. Incense, as it was burnt into the altar of God, represented people's prayers before him. And God is pleased when people remember him. Now people can spend hours watching TV or doing other menial things during the day, but how much time does God get out of our day? Sometimes very little, unfortunately. Notice in Proverbs 15, verse 8. Proverbs 15, verse 8.

Another beautiful proverb. Dr. Escobar used a few. It says, The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. But the prayer of the upright is his delight. He delights when he sees people that are following his way of life. It doesn't say it's just something automatic for God. He delights in it. And so when we pray, we symbolically light this incense of prayer to him.

Something pleasing. Something we should get in the habit of doing. As we light up our incense of prayer to God, we should remember that first message that we had last week, the first part of prayer, which is the majesty of his presence. The privilege and the opportunity to go before him as a loving Father that we have before the throne of mercy and grace. A lot of people pay thousands of dollars sometimes to go to some special event.

And yet God says it's free to go with him. I wonder if he charged us. Maybe we would appreciate. Maybe if we had to pay ten dollars for a prayer that we knew he was going to listen to, we would be willing to do so. But because he says it's free, I will listen. I will take it into account.

Many times it's taken for granted. I know that's very easy to do. So we come now to the second part of that model of prayer that Jesus Christ mentioned. Very simply put, Thy kingdom come. That is such an important part of our prayers. There are seven parts to this as well that we're going to develop. Just like incense has to be ground very finely. So we should also ground very finely our prayer with details.

Not just, okay, Thy kingdom come, I hope it comes. And then go on to the next. There's a lot more to it, a lot more depth, a lot more detail that we should think about when we pray. And so the first point answers why this is so important. Thy kingdom come. What should be the first thing that comes to our mind? I would suggest it is hope. Just thinking about that coming kingdom offers us such great hope because we know the world has so many tragedies, so many injustices, so many things going wrong. And sometimes you think this world is just going to go on and on with its injustices, with all of the evil things that go on.

But you see, in this prayer, God is telling us there's something so much greater that is coming. And so, just as with the first message, the symbol was of incense. So in this second one, I'm going to use another prop, and that is a telescope. A telescope. Because a telescope shows us things in the long range. Hope is something that is in the long range. That coming kingdom is something that's not going to occur, just right away. But if we are grounded with God, if we are, as Dr.

Escobar mentioned, learning to acquire that godly wisdom, it helps us to look not just in the here and now, but also looking at that coming kingdom and believing it. As he mentioned about Rahab, she's mentioned in Hebrews 11, which is, of course, the scripture that we should focus on about hope. And let's go to Hebrews 11, verse 1, because here we see the relationship between hope and having that long-term look at things. Looking beyond the now to the future. In Hebrews 11, it gives us the definition of faith. And notice that it also uses the word hope.

Faith and hope go together. Hebrews 11, verse 1, it says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. There's that magical word, hope, about that coming kingdom. And why it's so important to be faithful and to sacrifice whatever it takes to be part of his kingdom. It says, the evidence of things not seen. Okay, we can look at way out there, but it's not something we can see presently. The earth right now is not part of the kingdom of God in the sense that God has not set up his kingdom.

This is man's kingdom, influenced by Satan, who is the ruler of this world. We are living in a type of a nightmare. And so many billions of people live that nightmare day after day. Over a billion people don't get enough to eat every day. A billion people, over three times the population of the United States, goes to bed hungry at night. See, for them, this world is a nightmare. They can't even provide the basic necessities.

Now, sometimes in our well-endowed country, why people complain because they can't eat a second steak, or maybe they don't have enough to have more beer than they want, or whatever it is. But there are people there in this earth. They don't have enough just to keep their stomach from hurting, from aching out of hunger. And so, as we focus on this telescope, it helps us to see, see, hope is the goal that we have in mind.

Faith is the way we act toward that goal. It is our actions. It is our response to that hope. Continuing on in verse 7, it says, See, Noah had a spiritual telescope. And although it would take about a century, a hundred long years of ridicule, of work, he looked and he said, God said there is a coming flood upon this earth.

And I believe God's word, and I'm going to act accordingly. And so, he had that long term. Don't you think he got discouraged to build an ark, which was larger than a football field? And from what we know, he didn't get much help, just to family members, some to cook, some to haul the wood. He probably had people that he contracted to bring it. But it took a hundred years of work. And what sustained him? See that spiritual telescope? One day, God said, this is going to happen. He promised it, and I have the faith to rely on that promise. And so he did. Continuing on, verse 8, And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

So again, he had a spiritual telescope. He had that faith to rest on that hope. There is a better kingdom coming. I want to be part of that kingdom. It requires sacrifice. He had to give up his job. He had to give up his culture. He had to give up a lot of his wealth. And he left, and he didn't even know where he was going.

Why? Because he had his eyes fixed on that hope. The coming kingdom. It says here that he had a city which has a foundation, whose builder and maker is God. He's talking about that Jerusalem that was going to be established here on earth. That God was going to establish his kingdom. And Abraham wanted to be a part of it. But you know what happens to most people? They take the telescope and they put it in reverse.

Boy, look at this problem. And look at this problem. Look at all these things that are going wrong. This is never going to work for me. I should give up. Because they focus on today, on the problems. And they don't use the telescope properly. They say, you know, everything's going to work out for good in the end. God has a plan. Nobody can deter him. No one can stop him.

He's going to carry it out. And I want to be part of that kingdom. Dr. Escobar talked about that faith. I remember as a young man, and all of you have your stories. But I was privileged by God that he called me. I never was able to convince my family of the faith. So I was just a young 17-year-old boy, finishing my senior in high school. I had no idea about the Bible. I was just a Catholic, went to church on Sundays, was an altar boy, but ignorant of the Bible. And you know what? I had a roommate, or a classmate, and he gave me this spiritual telescope.

And I looked into it, and the Bible started making sense to me of a coming kingdom. I wanted to be part of that kingdom. It gave me hope. It helped me to see the long run, that I wasn't going to go up to heaven or going to hell, like my previous church had taught me. But there's a coming kingdom, and you're going to have a part in it.

And it's going to be active, and Christ is going to be there, ruling for a thousand years. And with that vision, my life changed. Everything turned around. I had a nice girlfriend in high school that I was dating, and I was interested in her, and I was about ready to do some serious mistakes in my life. But you know? Yeah. I had the spiritual telescope. And I said, you know what? What this relationship promises to be is not in tune with this telescope. I might lose my chance.

So I broke up with her. Decided to go for someone that had the same type of faith, and share it with me. Again, it wasn't because you're better than others. It's because you had that look. You wanted to be part of a coming kingdom. And to this day, that's still one of the driving forces in our lives. Notice, continuing on here in Hebrews 11 and verse 13, a couple more examples of people that had a spiritual telescope, that nothing could hinder them from faithfully following God to the end of their lives. Verse 13, it says, these all died in faith. The kingdom did not come during their time. We don't know if the kingdom is going to come in our time.

It certainly is a lot closer. It certainly could happen. I don't know how much more God can put up with as He sees the earth being contaminated more and more. People's thoughts are more and more in perverse and wrong thinking. It says here, they all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They saw them afar off. See, they had a spiritual telescope. Yes, that's a promise that I can bank my life on, that I can trust God, that He's going to carry it out.

Thy kingdom come. That's something that we should recharge our batteries every day and just remember. Things are going to be righted. All wrongs are going to be righted when God's kingdom is established. So this gives us hope. It gives us assurance of what God has promised. Continuing on, it says here, that they saw these things afar off. Were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

That this present society didn't satisfy them. They confessed. We don't want to depend on a better world that man can create. That's not our hope, and that's not where our focus is. Of course we want to contribute, as we can, to our community. But we know Satan is not going to be removed by human beings. No, Satan doesn't care how much military the country has. Bullets can't harm him. He's going to be around until God removes them when his kingdom comes.

So we're going to have to deal with Satan in his perverse ways and influencing human beings until that coming kingdom. But these people, they confess they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We're just here. We're living society. We're doing the best. But this is not our world.

We're looking for that coming world. That's the one we're preparing for. Continuing on, it says, verse 14, For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had been called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire better. That is a heavenly country or a heavenly kingdom. The term is just heavenly. It means that's the goal, that God's kingdom is coming from heaven down to the earth. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

And Christ is going to bring that city and kingdom, that Jerusalem that is going to be established when he comes back. So we see going on a little further, verse 23, it says, By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's command. Beautiful here, not only just attractive, but he was a strong, he was a wonderful child, just like a little baby. Who wants to sacrifice a beautiful baby by faith? Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater riches than that of the treasures in Egypt.

For he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of king. For he endured as seeing him who is invisible. See, he could look and he said, I know this is a God that's going to establish his kingdom. I want to be part of it more than anything else.

I don't care what happens, the ups and downs of this present life. Sure, we have to suffer. It's not easy. We've got a coming kingdom. We've got that hope that should never be taken away from us. In verse 35, it says, women received their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection.

They wanted to be there, that first resurrection with Jesus Christ when he came back. So, hope is the first thing that we should remember about that coming kingdom. Let's go to the second. We're going to focus our telescope again. What else is there? Well, thy kingdom come gives us meaning to life.

The term meaning, not only hope, but to us, looking at that kingdom gives us a meaning to why things are the way they are. We are so privileged to understand God's plan of salvation. When all wrongs will be righted, when everything crooked will be straightened with the coming resurrections, evil will ultimately be removed.

And the lessons learned from this life, which will serve us in the future one. We have more understanding than the best of philosophers. Even Christian religion as a whole doesn't understand the meaning behind the term, thy kingdom come. We know that this is the way God is going to straighten things out. It gives us meaning of why things are the way they are. Why does evil exist? Why does Satan have the influence over people?

We know because one day that's going to be removed. We don't have to have this angst that so many atheists have. Why does a loving God permit evil? And so they don't believe in God. Well, we understand evil is something temporal. It is something that is used to put a person under a test. And that it will ultimately be removed. So it gives us understanding of what is going on in our lives. Not only just the coming kingdom, but God's laws, as it was mentioned, gives us meaning. How to live a life that is not going to be full of curses, but of blessings, and of doing things God's way, not our way.

Notice in Revelation 15, verse 3, here are the angels, and they're singing a song that His servant Moses and the Lamb had sung. This is a using it, a representative of it. But notice these. I'm going to read it in the contemporary English version. It says, they were singing, Lord God all-powerful. Now this is when Christ comes in His kingdom. Finally, God gives the order, and Christ descends, and comes to the earth, and establishes His kingdom. Notice what they say.

Lord God all-powerful. You have done great and marvelous things. You are the ruler of all nations, and do what is right and fair. Lord, who does it honor and praise Your name? You alone are holy, and all nations will come and worship You, because You have shown that You judge with fairness. See, meaning, yes, God knows what He's doing. And even things that we do not understand, why they occur, God says He rules with fairness, and things are going to be explained.

And that leads us to the third thing that we focus on, as we look in the spiritual telescope about Thy kingdom come. And that is, this gives us satisfaction. Because understanding, first of all, the hope, the goal, and also the meaning of why things are the way they are, then we can have satisfaction. You know what? There are a lot of people who get away with things in this life. A lot of crooked people, they look like they can prosper and they can get away with a lot.

But you know what? Understanding that that kingdom is coming, and people are going to be judged, and boy, are they going to cringe. Are they going to shake in their boots, when they'll have to give account of the evil that they have done?

And so, you see, there is ultimate satisfaction. That all wrongs are going to be righted, that God is going to be in charge of things, and that those that have been abused or have been taken advantage of, they don't need to seek vengeance. God is going to take care. Certainly, we should demand respect for our rights, what we can do physically.

But some things, people are going to get away with in this life, and you just have to wait. But looking at that kingdom, nobody is going to get away with it in the long run. They all are going to have to face the consequences of their evils, of all the wickedness that has been going on.

Look at the people that have died in Haiti, over 200,000. Those people died, and what meaning do the relatives have as they wail and they groan? But we know these people are one day going to be raised up again, that God has not forgotten them, that there is going to be satisfaction, that even little babies that got crushed under buildings, that had no proper codes, a lot of things could have been prevented.

But because of man's government and the way they manage things, things were not done right. Well, most of those that were adobe are made out of just concrete, and they just collapsed. They had no chance. But you see, there's going to be satisfaction for them in God's kingdom. All will come before the throne of God, and those who have perished tragically will be resurrected. Notice in Ezekiel 37, Ezekiel 37, verse 11. Here is an example, a representation of people who have perished without understanding the hope, the meaning, the true meaning of life. And when they are resurrected, this is what they're going to say. Ezekiel 37, verse 11.

People don't know the Lord now, most people. In their ignorance, in their hardness of their hearts, how many people truly turn to God and give their lives to God? And are willing to serve God? Very few. They don't know God, they don't acknowledge Him. But it says here, when people are resurrected, it says, Then you shall know that I am the Lord. When I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up from your graves, I will put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, and have spoken it and performed it. So you see, there is going to be this ultimate satisfaction to things. God is going to carry things out. In Romans 8, let's go there, Romans 8, the Apostle Paul certainly did not have an easy life. Anybody that has studied his life knows it was a life of turmoil. He was shipwrecked three times while he was serving God. And so many terrible things. He was beaten with rods five times. He was whipped three times. And yet, he had that spiritual telescope. He could look and say, you know, even all I am suffering is nothing in comparison to what is coming in God's kingdom. Notice Romans 18. It says, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Yes, he had that spiritual telescope. He could look and say, look, it's going to all work out, even if things are not working out physically. And that we might be suffering some incurable disease. And maybe we will eventually die. But that's not the end. That's not where our hope is. Our hope is when we wake up, if we were faithful to the end, if we maintain that hope and that faith and persevere. Notice verse 28. It says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Now, I want to give a little twist to this scripture to look at it from another point of view. Yes, it says here that for those who love God, which means people that obey him. We know that verse 1 John 5.3 says that this is to love God is to keep his commandments and do those things which are pleasing to him. We understand that, but this also is going to apply to all the rest of mankind. When they get resurrected, they'll learn to love God, and all things will work out for their good. Even the little babies that died in Haiti, they're going to be resurrected. They're going to be able to live in a millennial setting as they grow up and learn who God is. They're not going to say, oh, I want to go back there to all the squalor and poverty and say, oh, forget it. I actually got rescued from that system. Now I've got this wonderful life, and now I know the purpose and meaning and hope. So they will also have this understanding. And what more, as we look, what is the fourth point that we can look and see beyond our noses, not use the telescope as a microscope, to analyze just every little thing that goes wrong now, but to look beyond that and to not let ourselves lose sight of that long-term goal?

The fourth thing is that Thy kingdom come gives us encouragement to ourselves and to others. It gives us encouragement. That's why we should be positive when we wake up in the morning, because we know that kingdom is going to come. And it's encouraging that God called us, of all the billions of people on the earth, to have this wonderful knowledge. Notice in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 13. It says, So it says here that we should not be ignorant. We've got this wonderful understanding. That is so encouraging, knowing that people, although some die tragically, that they will one day be resurrected into a much better world. It says in verse 17, talking about when Christ comes, Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Never be separated. We will be part of the team forever. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. The word comfort means encourage. Encourage one another. Don't give up that wonderful crown that God is offering to all of us. In Hebrews chapter 10, verse 22, talking about encouragement. Why do we come here to church? Is it to talk about negative things? About things that irritate or cause bitterness? That shouldn't be the case. Notice in verse 22 of Hebrews 10. It says, Let us draw near one with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promises is faithful. As God has promised it, that's what we are basing our faith on. The promises of that hope that God has offered to all of us. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Sometimes people just give up hope. They don't want to encourage one another. How can you encourage someone if they don't show up? So it's so important to be encouraging one another. In what way? It says, But exhorting one another, and so much more the more as you see the day approaching. Encourage one another. This whole world is not going to last forever. It's slowly winding down. We see society repeating the same paths of previous civilizations. The way of Rome. The decadence of Rome. I think even the Romans, in its worst decadence, if they looked around today, they would be shocked. Because now you have a virtual world. There, they had to have everything physical. Now you can have a virtual world created by Hollywood and others many times in the wrong way. Not always. There are also good movies, good things to see. But boy, there sure is a lot of bad things as well. So that takes us to the fifth point. What else, as we look into this spiritual telescope, into the future of that coming kingdom? We have, it gives us focus. It gives us focus in our lives. Not dwelling primarily on the physical things. It's so easy to do. Just think about physical things and depend upon your happiness how much you have physically. Well, let's go to Colossians chapter 3 verse 1. Colossians chapter 3 verse 1.

The Apostle Paul says, if then you were raised with Christ, if you were raised in baptism, if you were baptized, you came to a new life, it says, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. In other words, worldly things. Sure, there's a lot of wonderful things to think and dwell on here. We're all physical. But it says again, don't put your hope in the things of this world. Don't use them as the final goal. They're just means to an end. It says, for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. So again, not only just focus on the immediate things, but He says, look at that hope. Put that every day as your goal. Continuing on, let's go to Matthew 6, verse 33. This is the classic scripture about what to focus on that Jesus Christ mentioned. Matthew 6, verse 33.

This He put as the principal thing in our lives to put first. Matthew 6, verse 33. It says, but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. All the physical blessings will be added that we need if we focus on God's kingdom and His coming kingdom first. And the righteousness which has to be developed through Christ in us to be part of that coming kingdom.

So again, we have to fix our eyes skyward, looking to that coming kingdom because God has promised it. It's not a promise made by a human being. And He says, meanwhile, prepare. Instruct yourselves. Develop godly character. Follow the instructions in God's Word. Develop a more righteous life so that you can prepare to rule under Jesus Christ in the future.

And that takes us to the sixth point. What else can we see through this spiritual telescope? Well, this gives us motivation. When we say, Thy kingdom come, it gives us motivation. What do I mean? It means that it gives us the sense in our lives. It's a privilege to be part of the work that God is bringing about to bring the kingdom of God closer. It gives us motivation. I want to be part of that work that prepares the way for the coming kingdom of God. We should be motivated. This isn't a passive system where people just sit idly by, sort of like spectators, waiting for this big parade to come. We're involved. You get member letters, you get co-worker letters, you get all kinds of information about God's work. Because God wants us to be part of getting that gospel out to the world. Notice in Matthew chapter 24 verse 14. It says here, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come. Now, God is using human beings now to get that gospel out to the world. We need to be part of that work. We should be motivated and enthusiastic that we have a message to send to this sick and deluded world. They think that heaven is the reward or hell, and that Christ is not coming back to establish a kingdom, a physical kingdom upon this earth. We've got to break those false teachings, and we are teaching this wonderful truth. Now, how does it get done? It gets done through you, brethren. Because all of these magazines, all of the things that are being done on the internet, television, even the feeding of the flock, the way we are able to rent this place and have all of this paraphernalia with us, all of this, that's part of doing the work. This is what God is demanding of His Church. You feed the flock, you prepare these people for my coming kingdom. And these people are going to back the work, and we're going to send that message out to the world. And it's not going to be by charging people. It is done through the tithes, the offerings, the faithful offerings and tithes of all the brethren. That's the way God's work gets done. Because we see that kingdom, Thy kingdom come, we get motivated. Yes, I want to do more than just sit idly by. I want to back this work. Yes, prayers, tithes, offerings, your participation in whatever way you can, and your preparation, spiritually speaking, preparing for that coming kingdom. Who knows? When God, He's the one that calls the shots. Maybe one day He will say, okay, I want this church to do a certain job. We're going to have to be prepared. People are going to have to go out. They're going to have to know God's Word and defend God's Word. Are we ready for that? Are we preparing? That's something very important for all of us to do. And finally, what is the last thing after motivation as we look is action. Action, as we have mentioned, that it's not only being motivated, but carrying it out. Carrying it out. A lot of people, oh yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited. But, oh please, don't ask me for some offering. Or don't ask me to do some work. I just want to talk about things. That's not enough. We need action. And that's in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 58.

Paul says here, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Yes, what you do for God's work, He's going to take it. He's going to bless. He's going to guide you. He could have done it with angels. Frankly, He would have done a thousand times better with angels. But He is not training angels to be under Jesus Christ. He's training us. And so He's given us an opportunity to volunteer, voluntarily, back His work, do His part. See, we're not being obligated. We're not going to be pressured. But it is something that comes from us, that we have that vision. Did God drop money from heaven when Noah was building the ark? No indication of it. Noah did the work and God provided, one way or the other. And so God also has a work, just like Noah. He's building a spiritual ark, preparing people before that great coming. And so we've got a wonderful job to do. In Hebrews 6, final scripture, Hebrews 6, verse 10, very encouraging scripture here. It says, First of all, it's for His name. It's not for human beings. In that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end. Oh yeah, it's easy to look at that telescope. Maybe when we were very young. Oh yeah, we're looking at that. We didn't realize how long it was going to take. How much effort? How much faithfulness? Well, whatever it is, it says here, for you to have full assurance of hope until the end. That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. See, it's going to take faith. It's going to take patience to carry it out. And all the action. Here you have a chance to participate. So many people are serving in different ways. Others are praying, are helping us. And you know what you can do. But whatever it is, it is a privilege. And so, as we focus on this second point, thy kingdom come, we should think it's a privilege to serve God. We should wake up and think, I can serve God today. In my prayers, in my example, what I can do to help out, it's a way of serving God. It's a privilege, and it's also an opportunity that we have each day. Yes, when we pray, after lighting up that sweet incense of prayer, we need to get our spiritual telescope out and focus on that coming kingdom. And it's seven parts that we have covered today. Hope, meaning, satisfaction, encouragement, focus, motivation, and action. We have to cut up into fine little pieces our prayers. So, in this second part, let's not just say, thy kingdom come. Let's remember how much is behind those three simple words. Next time, we'll go to part three. God willing.