to life,
he was lost but has been found.' So they began to make merry.

"Now the elder son was out in the fields, and as he came near the house
he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked
what all this meant. The servant said to him, 'Your brother has come,
and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe
and sound.' And he was angry and would not go in so his father came out
to reason with him, but he answered, 'See all these many years I have
worked for you and never disobeyed one of your commands, yet you never
gave me so much as a young goat that I might have a feast with my
friends. But now when this son of yours comes, who has wasted your money
with wicked women, you kill the fatted calf for him!' His father
answered, 'Son, you are with me always and all that I have is yours; but
it was right to make merry and rejoice because of your brother, for he
was dead but has come back to life, he was lost but has been found.'"

GOD'S READINESS TO ANSWER PRAYER

Jesus said: "Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and
the door will be opened to you; for every one who asks receives, and he
who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.

"What man is there among you, who if his son asks him for a loaf of
bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a
snake? Then if you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to
those who ask him.

"Also I tell you: if two of you on earth agree about that for which you
ask, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or
three have gathered together in my name, I am there with them."

HOW TO PRAY

The apostles said to Jesus, "Help us to have greater faith." But he
said, "If you had faith even the size of a mustard-seed and said to this
mulberry-tree, 'Be rooted up and be planted in the sea,' it would obey
you."

Again he said to them, "Have faith in God. Indeed I tell you that if any
one will say to this hill, 'Throw yourself into the sea,' and has no
doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass, it
shall be done for him. Therefore, I say to you, believe that whatever
you ask for in prayer you have received, and it shall be yours. And
whenever you stand up to pray, if any one has done wrong to you, forgive
him, that your Father in heaven may also forgi