Approach the throne of mercy with confidence

"Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?"  (Luke 18: 7)

This is great assurance that persevering prayer will be answered.  If the answer is No, God will take the desire from the heart and replace it with something better.

"“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."  (Matthew 7: 7 - 8)

God is not man to lie.  He is always able and always willing to come to our help.  His promise to answer prayer was not made because God owes us anything.  God is perfect truth.  If He says it, it is the truth.  The word comes forth from the mouth of God.  It is for us to capture this word with a believing heart.

"So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help."  (Hebrews 4: 16)

The confident prayer at the throne of mercy will be answered.

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it

"Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it."  (Luke 17: 33)

This is one of the great paradoxes of the Gospel.  To live you must die.   To be first, you must be last.  To grow more, you must first grow less.  To learn the secrets of the Kingdom, you must be childlike.

What does all this mean?  Things are not exactly the way you see it.  In the world, we walk by sight.  In the Kingdom, we walk by faith.  A childlike disposition opens us to the possibilities of sacred world around us full of mysteries.

Jesus teaches in the scripture above that to preserve your life, you must be prepared to lose it.  You must be ready to exchange what you have for something greater and higher.  Saints and martyrs have done this.  When St. Francis of Assisi abandoned his wealth and lifestyle, he found Jesus, the Pearl of great price.  St. Ignatius Loyola left behind his world and made the same discovery as St. Francis.  Every generation, thousands of people instead of preserving their lives are losing it to find new life in Jesus Christ.  Those who hold tenaciously to the old life will lose it anyway.  It is guaranteed. (Luke 17: 33)

If you abide in me, you abide in my word

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing."  (John 15: 5)

If you abide in me, you abide in my word.  If you abide in my word, you abide in me.
Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of me.
If you reject my word, you reject me.

"I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit that will last."  (John 15: 16, 19)
"I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord.  I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers."  (Psalm 17: 50; 21: 23)

We do well always and everywhere to give you thanks

"In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."  (1 Thessalonians 5: 18)

The will of God for us is to give thanks in all adverse and good circumstances in everything that concerns our welfare:  health, family, finances, job, tools, food and future.

I like the AMP expansive translation on the above scripture:
"Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revelator and Mediator of that will].

The People of God learn habits of faith in the School of the Mass.  For example, the Mass Preface repeats constantly the lesson of Thanksgiving:
"Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks."

"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4: 6 - 7)

When we mix thanksgiving in prayer, fear, worry and doubts disappear.

Everything happens for a good reason because God is always in charge:
" We know that all things work for good for those who love God,* who are called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8: 28)

"Give thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father"  (Ephesians 5: 20)

Praise and thanksgiving are powerful means of connecting to God and disposing ourselves to receive God's abundant mercies.

We are unprofitable servants

"So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”  (Luke 17: 10)

God chooses; God calls and God anoints.  God Himself empowers us for the job.  When all is from God, what can we claim?  What can we glorify in?
Now that you know, all that you need to activate the anointing is to ask at the moment of need.  Ask in faith because you know that the grace  you need is already available waiting to be activated.  After having asked, start acting as if you have received what you need.  Do not look back.

"For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good."  (Titus 2: 11 - 14)

When grace is fully activated through prayer, faith and appropriation, it transforms life.

"Trust in the LORD and do good
that you may dwell in the land and live secure.
Find your delight in the LORD
who will give you your heart’s desire."

"The valiant one whose steps are guided by the LORD,
who will delight in his way,
May stumble, but he will never fall,
for the LORD holds his hand."  (Psalm 37: 3-4, 23-24)

Let your full trust be in the Lord and then do all the good you can.  Delight yourself in the Lord, He will fulfill the desires of your heart. You may stumble but will never be allowed to fall and remain on the ground.

"In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones"  (Ephesians 6:  16 -18)

Lord, increase our faith

"And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you."  (Luke 17: 5 - 6)

Faith is that awesome gift of God by which we believe that God is who He says He is and that all that He teaches us is true and He does what He promises to do. Awesome gift!

"Fear is useless; what is needed is trust." (Luke 8:50, Mark 5: 36)
Faith vanquishes fear, worry and doubt.

With faith, we have access to God's promises of: pardon, peace, power, purpose, presence, protection and provision.
Without faith, we languish.

• Believe what you read.
• Teach what you believe.
• Practice what you teach.

The jar of flour shall not go empty

"For the LORD, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.”  (1 Kings 17: 14)

God's providence has met the Prophet Elijah in an unusual place and time.  The same divine providence has confounded the expectations of the Widow of Zarephath

Jesus invites us to trust God completely to provide all our needs.

"One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4)

"Help us to become more aware of your loving design so that we may more willingly give our lives in service to all."  The Church prays on the 2nd Sunday of the Ordinary Time.

To abandon ourselves completely to God's providence in everything, we pray:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  Amen!"