SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 6
GIVING TO THE NEEDY (vs. 1-4)
When you give to the needy, do not do your righteous act to show to the people. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (vs. 3-4)
PRAYER (vs. 5-15)
- Do not stand in the synagogues to be seen by men. (v. 5)
- Go into your room, close the door and pray. (v. 6)
- Do not keep on babbling like the pagans. (v. 7)
THE LORD’S PRAYER (vs. 9-15)
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
FASTING (vs. 16-18)
When you fast, do not disfigure your face to show that your are fasting, so that your Father will reward you. Instead, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to men that your are fasting. For what is done in secret, your Father will reward you.
TREASURES IN HEAVEN (vs. 19-24)
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
DO NOT WORRY (vs. 25-34)
- Do not worry about what you will eat or drink. The birds of the air do not sow or reap or store away in barns yet the heavenly Father feeds them. (vs. 26-27)
- Do not worry about what to clothe. God clothe the field and grass and they grow without labor or spin. You are much more valuable than they. Will He not much more clothe you? (vs. 28-30)
- But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. (v. 33)
THOUGHTS:
- We should give to please God and not to win the praise of men so that we can have eternal reward.
- Prayer should be secret, sincere and systematic. Follow the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer to put God’s concern first and do not forget to forgive others.
- We should use our treasures to glorify Him and advance His kingdom. For all we have belongs to God. We are only His stewards.
- The secret to stop worrying is to put God first, trust His promises and start living with eternity’s value. =