November 4

12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

15 And they come to Jerusalem; and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves.

16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25 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.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (verse 24). This is a most wonderful promise. It is not, however, an unconditional promise; this marvellous "what things soever" depends upon certain great conditions. The word believe is the key to any difficulty in accepting this declaration literally. We cannot believe whatever we please. It is only the Spirit of God Who can enable a man to believe that God will answer his prayer. Then He will grant the petition.

"Prayer is the bow, the promise is the arrow; faith is the hand which draws the bow, and sends the arrow with the heart's message to heaven. The bow without the arrow is of no use, and the arrow without the bow is of little worth, and both without the strength of the hand are to no purpose. Neither the promise without prayer, nor prayer without the promise, nor both without faith avail the Christian anything. What was said of the Israelites, 'They could not enter in because of unbelief,' the same may be said of many of our prayers; they cannot enter heaven, because they are not put up in faith."—Slater.

Therefore, "Have faith in God."

Closet Promise.—Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.—Rev. iii. 20.

The richest and most joyous hours in a believer's experience are those in which he tastes of Christ's presence in close spiritual communion. Sometimes when feasting on such words as those in the fourteenth chapter of John, sometimes at the Lord's table, sometimes in secret prayer, Jesus comes into the soul just as He did into that upper room where the disciples were assembled. The believer feels the warmth and light of His countenance. His left hand is under our head, and His right hand doth embrace us. We can roll off our cares and worries and doubts upon His everlasting arm. Such times of close companionship with Jesus are our holiest and happiest hours.—T. L. Cuyler, D. D.