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January 28, 2021

Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.

Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:

Matthew 6 (NIV)

Giving to the Needy
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full..........Continue Reading

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This Post Has 10 Comments
  1. Jesus really focuses on humility and sincerity in this part of His sermon on the Mount. Reminders of doing things like praying, fasting, and collection of material things should not be for the benefits of what others think of us but rather being only concerned about God and being aware that all we do should be to His glory not our own. He ties it up so well when He says “no man can serve two masters” which is so true!
    My favorite part of this chapter is the reminder to not worry…
    34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
    We are such an anxiety driven society and Jesus reminds us here how He cares for all the things of the earth just as He cares for us. Sometimes our anxiety becomes the master we serve instead of giving things to God and trusting that promise!

  2. Doing good, praying, fasting, investing should all be measures one takes to get closer to the Lord, not to demonstrate one’s piety before men.

    And worrying, worry draws our focus away from the pursuit of and trust in God. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

  3. Matthew 6: it’s really important, and yet hard to achieve, that we trust in God that He will take care of us. Let go and let God!

  4. Jesus addresses here what is a common pursuit of people and that is to receive recognition for the things we do. How easy it is to fall into the trap of catering to others’ opinions of us and to try to foster a good one. In His economy there will be no place for that. It is God’s opinion that is to matter and how He regards what we do. Whether it is giving, prayer or fasting, we should not seek public praise and be satisfied with glorifying God and not ourselves. Prayer is to be an essential part of our relationship with God, so Jesus also gives specific instructions how we are to do it. I don’t think Jesus’ intent for giving this prayer is that we would recite it. It would defy the repetition that Jesus warns about. Rather Jesus is pointing to the mindset and categories we should focus our attention on in prayer. How beautiful to see in it that God cares about every aspect of our lives, physical, relational and spiritual and welcomes us to bring the issues about our lives to Him.

    Jesus then addresses the major mindsets that relate to the things He has just said. We are not to pursue treasures on earth but treasures in heaven. Particularly here in America we need to be careful about what our hearts are drawn to and thereby what would define what we pursue. Our flesh is drawn to the things that gratify it and make us comfortable and it is easy to make our lives about getting and protecting those things. So on one hand there is a danger for money and wealth to become our master and on the other hand there is danger of worrying about losing it. Both issues are addressed by trusting God and orienting our lives to Him. It allows us to have possessions without being possessed by them. It allows to hold onto things loosely and allows our ultimate pursuit and orientation to be about God and His kingdom. And when we do that, all things are added to us because we know how to relate to things. What a great economy Jesus establishes here in this sermon on the mount. It hits us right where we are at and points us to places that glorifies God and is better for us both at the same time…..

  5. 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

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