Matthew 6
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father Which is in heaven.
If you're going to help someone then do it, don't talk about it and don't do it for others to see how wonderful you are. God will not bless such actions.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
They're looking for others to see them as giving and want you to reverence them. They don't care about who they help, only the fact you see them doing it and praise them for it.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
It's about humility!
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father Which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.
God will bless a humble, private, loving giver.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
How many times have you heard someone pray with all kinds of words, going on and on? It's more about the show and because of that the prayer is going nowhere. God isn't listening to them.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father Which is in secret; and thy Father Which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Prayer is between you and our Father. Prayer is talking with your Father. Prayer isn't for a show. You can pray anywhere you want to, ANYWHERE! Make sure you're not doing it because you want to look like you're something special, but because you have something you want God to know. You don't even need to open your mouth, He hears our every thought.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
A repetitious speech loses its feeling. It becomes empty and heartless. There are many that even chant the same things over and over for a show. God is against it and ignores such.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.
You don't have to put on a show of long winded boastful wording for others to hear. God hears our every thought and knows what you're in NEED of. If you follow Him correctly, He will bless you. NO DOUBT!
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
Many call this "The Lord's Prayer" but it's in fact a lesson on how to pray. If you're following the context of this chapter, you can see it's on prayer and this is an example of how to do it. Notice the beginning, "Our Father" and ends with "Amen" which means "That is that, so be it or truth" and we should always add in the end of our prayers in Christ Jesus Yahshuah's name because He is the reason we can pray/speak to Our Father God. John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Eph. 3:12 In Whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. Because of His sacrifice and because we believe in Him, we now have access to our Father's throne. Through Christ we have the direct way to God. You don't need to talk to anyone else. He hears you!
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
The kingdom means The King and His dominion. It's ALL His!
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
This is physical and spiritual. We need food for these bodies to survive but we need The Word to live. We are starving today! The TRUE Word isn't being taught like it should anymore, but that's the time we're in. Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Another way to put this is, forgive me of my sins and of the sins of those who have sinned against me. Without you forgiving others, they hold you in mental bondage. Free them and yourself; forgive and be forgiven.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Would you like to know where you can find The Way in which not to be tempted or The Way in which you are delivered from evil? STUDY The Word of God. Within each chapter is power, knowledge, wisdom and life. The Only Way you're going to be a part of The Kingdom, The King and His dominion is to follow Him and His Way. Only in His Word is The Way to tell us how to do this and to do this with power and glory.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
It's that simple! Forgive others and you'll be forgiven by God.
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
It's that simple! Don't forgive others and you won't be forgiven by God.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
When you fast, don't cry about it, putting on a show of how much you're sacrificing for God. "Fast" νηστεύω nēsteúō, nace-tyoo'-o; from G3523; to abstain from food (religiously): to abstain as a religious exercise from food and drink: either entirely, if the fast lasted but a single day, or from customary and choice nourishment, if it continued several days.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Forbidden in the Jewish canon was doing this for fasting. We are to be ourselves. Some things are outwardly, not for humans but for God. We are to do what He says to do and when we do these things, appear as usual to those around you.
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father Which is in secret: and thy Father, Which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
People shouldn't be able to tell your fasting. If they do, you're not doing it right. It's in obedience to God, between you and God only!
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
There is nothing wrong with being wealthy if your wealth wasn't by ill-gotten gains. Just don't gather up so much it sits without use. Don't worship your blessings either.
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Earthly things can rust or be stolen, but accepting Christ Jesus as your Lord, doing His will, following His Path, can't rust or be stolen in heaven because thieves aren't there.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The intellect of your soul is also known as heart and mind. What you put in, you put out. If you fill it with Truth, God dwells in you, if you fill it with the world, evil will dwell in your heart and mind.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
What or Who dwells in you is what the image of your soul looks like. With Christ in you, nothing but Light shines from you. Some may not see it that way, only because they refuse The Light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
If you don't have time for The Lord EVERYDAY, you have time for satan. One or the other is with you. Some believe if they go to "church" one day a week, the other 6 days are covered to do whatever. WRONG!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
A life in Christ is focused in that life to come. If we don't follow Christ in this life, there is no life to come. When our faith is in Him, we have true peace of mind. There's NOTHING to worry about or for. I Corinthians 15:50-52 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Everyone dies of this flesh and are placed into those incorruptible, celestial, new bodies. This happens when? THE LAST TRUMP! False doctrines will have you believe there's a ride coming before and with some "teachings"during the tribulation period. We clearly see, that's false! Why would Paul be showing us this mystery if we're gone? There would be no reason for the answer to the mystery. I Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. We can't prevent them because they're already there with The Lord. You can't go before someone that's already there. This is why it's very important to study 2 Thess. 2. It lays everything out very clear. 2 Thess. 2:7-9 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that wicked [satan] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: [7th trump, "the last trump"] 9 Even him, whose coming is --->after the working of Satan<--- with all power and signs and lying wonders, Hope you see this, "AFTER THE WORKING OF satan" then The Lord comes.
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Our Father created each individual bird for a purpose and He provides their needs to have that purpose met. They're just birds, can you see what He is doing for you in your life as His child? He created you for His pleasure and He will make sure your [needs] are met in order to continue to bring Him pleasure. Colossians 1:16 For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Which one of us can add a minute to our lives by worrying about something? When we worry, we actually take away. We create a problem that need not be.
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Our Father provides all our needs, even our clothing. It protects us from the elements, but He has given us so much more. He has given us armor to protect us from evil. Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Study the chapter of Ephesians 6, as it holds the description of our armour. Our Father has given it to us to help get us prepared.
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
With God, we are as beautifully clothed in Him as the lilies of the fields which He takes very good care of. He created it all, He will see to everything and everyone's needs according to His glory.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Our Father says He will take care of you, so where is your faith? When you wake, is it because of you or is it because He has given you another day? Where is your faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Let those who want to worry, worry. You are Can Do Christians. You have power over things they could never grasp. You don't rely on the world, you KNOW your Father will see to ALL your needs. Our Father who created you and loves you, because you BELIEVE in Him. †
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
You wake knowing He is with you. You seek His Word daily, living in Him. You understand the end result and the life to come.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
FAITH in God is what keeps evil mad. Let satan have his own worries, you have God in you. You have POWER over the world. Make that stand against worry EVERYDAY. Show evil what you're made of and Who leads you and your thoughts. Stay in The Word and be blessed EVERYDAY in it.