But Lay Up For Yourselves Treasures In Heaven, Where Neither Moth Nor Rust Doth Corrupt And Where Thieves Do Not Break Through Nor Steal - Part 1758

Jesus said, "Therefore, I say unto you, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." (Mark 11:24)

Jesus said that we ought always to pray, and not to faint. To pray without ceasing, and yet, rejoice evermore. But in many ways, we have forgotten the art of prayer, wherein we pour our hearts out to our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ for those around us, who have yet to find Him. Perhaps, this is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray, cognizant that prayer did not necessarily come easy. It is perhaps, for this reason that the words expressed by Jesus in the model prayer, known as the Lord's prayer, serves as an ideal starting point for learning, in addition to Jesus prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, just prior to the cross.

But Jesus does not want us to pray like the hypocrites did -- "for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily, I say unto you -- they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to they Father which is in secret, and thy Father which sees in secret reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:5-6)

Perhaps, this is why Jesus shares the parable wherein He makes reference to a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man. When the widow in that city came unto him, saying, "Avenge me of mine adversary," he would not for awhile, but afterward he said within himself, "Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming, she weary me." And the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge saith." And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:1-5)

This example distinguishes between the Pharisee who justified himself and the publican who standing afar off smote upon his breast saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Jesus said, "I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased: and he that humbles himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:10-14)

The first shall be last and the last, first.

Indeed, Jesus said, "If ye abide in Me and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples." (John 15:7)

Thus, "seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near ..." (Isaiah 55:6)

And know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that "EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, of His own will begat He us with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:17)

Stand in the offering plate.