DO NOT CONSUME IT UPON YOUR LUSTS IF YOU WANT MORE EFFICACIOUS PRAYERS

We live in a society that expects you to increase yourself every opportunity you get.  If something is "sufficient for my needs" and I have that, the impetus is to increase it and keep increasing it until I have the "biggest and best".  After all, is not the object to be increased for righteous behavior - and our wealth will show our righteousness??  Is that not the plan??

If we consume it until we have all things, this is called "consuming it upon our lusts"; the opposite of having "sufficient for our needs", which is the economy of a terrestrial and consecrated world.  The consumption of it upon our lusts is the basis for adultery, stealing, coveting and so much else sin.  In the lust of having more, instead of being satisfied with what we have, we come under the power of the adversary whose design was to steal all that the Father has. 

The following scripture in Alma 34 states that in order to have power in prayer, we need to have this consecrated spirit about us in all things:

17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

 18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

 19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

 20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

 21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

 22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

 23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

 24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

 25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

 26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

 27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

 28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

 29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men.

 30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.

 31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

 32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

 So, there you have it.  Give until it hurts - and love your fellow man.  Otherwise, you are kind of wasting your breath if you expect fruitful answers to your prayers.  That is what hit me like a ton of bricks this morning while reading this.  Who would have guessed?  I guess there is more to this charity thing than I thought.....  Maybe it is the greatest of all things to have this charity?....

Something to focus on, no?

May the Lord bless us all to this end!