Matthew chapter 6

Matthew chapter 6


Jesus continues teaching us the proper attitude in our giving. It is more important that we spend our time with our Heavenly Father talking about our giving rather than to people. Jesus is not saying so much that others can not know you give to others or charitable organizations, but He is directing us in our motive for making our giving known. Based on His teaching, when you boast to others of your giving the only reward you will get is the feeling you got from your boasting. Jesus said the reward is much greater when you give from a motive of love for those who will benefit from your giving. He says our Heavenly Father will reward us before men. The later type of reward is what we all would prefer.

There are so many views and teachings on prayer. In this chapter Jesus is asking us to pray with reverence to our Father. Again we must investigate the motive of prayer. He used the example of someone making long prayers for others to hear and building up themselves in others ear shot. Jesus said a better way to pray is personally with your Father. Communing with your Heavenly Father is an experience you want on a continual basis. Getting alone with Him and experiencing His presence improves your overall life. Jesus is not saying you can not pray publicly; He is giving us a guideline. The essence of the guideline is be sincere, speak in faith, reverence God, make your request and be thankful.

I must share the importance of forgiveness. Although it may appear that forgiveness is for the person that did the wrong, forgiveness is for the person who was wronged. Jesus said we are to ask God to forgive us in the same manner that we forgive others. We know we need God's forgiveness, therefore, we must forgive.

Fasting is a practice of eliminating distractions from your life to spend more time with God. Again, Jesus addresses your motive. Are you fasting in a manner for others to see? What do you want to gain from fasting? The answer should be answers, direction, revelation and insight. Motive. Why do we do what we do?

This chapter ends with a teaching on provisions. Jesus said we should seek, research, investigate and find out about the Kingdom of God and how it operates. This will attract all things to us. We know things will come to us because He began by asking why we put so much thought on what we will eat, wear, (my adding) the house we live in, the job, our spouse and car. As we place the Kingdom of God as priority in our lives, the Spirit of God will lead us, instruct us and reveal to us how to obtain the necessities of life. We will get some desires of life as well.