True Treasure – Part 2

Michael continues his message on “True Treasures”, pointing out that James 4:2-3 says that you have not when you pray because you ask amiss, that you might consume it upon your lust. Lust means "Concupiscence; carnal appetite; unlawful desire of carnal pleasure. Evil propensity; depraved affections and desires." Lust is anything that you treasure above God. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  

Prayer is communication with our Heavenly Father. Communication is co-Union when we unify His purpose with our purpose, His value with our value, and His heart with our heart. Therefore pray in secret so that God can hear your heart's desire for a relationship in proximity with Him. "Perfect prayer" is the manifestation of the Spirit of Christ in us. For the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are sons of God.  For in our flesh we know not what we should pray for as we ought.  But the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings that we cannot express in the language of our own human frailty – Romans 8:15.

Jesus didn't teach his disciples how to preach. He taught them how to pray. The "Lord's Prayer" is part of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 6:9-13. Most people think that prayer is asking God to bless us. However the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples emphasizes that we should bless God: "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed (holy, sanctified, set apart for your purpose) be thy name."  The first of the Ten Commandments literally says, "Thou shalt have no other gods between your face and my face." Therefore, treasure treasures in heaven.  Our true treasure is our Heavenly Father Himself.

From the lyrics of "Be Thou my Vision," may our prayer be:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art. 

Amen.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ, Michael