Matthew 6
Proper way to give gifts verse 1- 4
Take heed that you do not your ALMS before men – to be seen of them
otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven
THEREFORE when you do your ALMS
do not sound a trumpet before you
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
BUT when you do ALMS
let not your left hand know what your right hand does
that your ALMS may be in secret
AND your Father which sees in secret HIMSELF
shall reward you openly
Proper place to pray verse 5- 6
AND when you PRAY – you shall 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 to you – They have their reward
BUT you – when you PRAY – enter into your closet
and when you have shut your door
PRAY to your Father which is in secret
and your Father which sees in secret
shall reward you openly
Proper way to pray verse 7- 8
BUT when you PRAY – use not vain repetitions
as the HEATHEN do
FOR they think that they shall be heard
for their much speaking
BE not you therefore like to them
FOR your Father knows
what things you have need of
before you ask HIM
Proper prayer given by Jesus verse 9- 13
AFTER this manner therefore PRAY you
Our Father which are in heaven
Hallowed be YOUR name
YOUR kingdom come
YOUR will be done in earth – as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts – as we forgive our debtors
Lead us not into temptation
BUT deliver us from evil
FOR YOURS is the kingdom – power – glory – forever
AMEN
Proper forgiveness verse 14- 15
FOR IF you forgive men their trespasses
your heavenly Father will also forgive you
BUT IF you forgive not men their trespasses
NEITHER will your Father forgive your trespasses
Proper look when fasting verse 16- 18
MOREOVER WHEN you FAST – be not
as the HYPOCRITES of a sad countenance
FOR they disfigure their faces
that they may appear to men to FAST
Verily I say unto you
They have their reward
BUT you – when you FAST
anoint your head – and wash your face
that you appear not unto men to FAST
BUT to your Father which is in secret
AND your Father which sees in secret
shall reward thee openly
Proper treasure storage verse 19- 21
Lay not up for yourselves TREASURES upon earth
where moth and rust does corrupt
and where thieves break through and steal
BUT lay up for yourselves TREASURES in heaven
where neither moth nor rust does corrupt
where thieves do not break through nor steal
FOR where your TREASURE is – there will your heart be also
Proper desires verse 22- 23
The light of the body is the eye – IF therefore your eye be single
your whole body shall be full of light
BUT IF your eye be evil
your whole body shall be full of darkness
IF therefore the light that is in thee be darkness
HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS
Proper master of your life verse 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
You cannot serve God and mammon
Proper understanding provider of daily needs verse 25- 27
THEREFORE I say to you
Take no thought for your life – what you shall eat
or what you shall drink
NOR yet for your body – what you shall put on
Is not the life more than meat – AND the body than raiment?
BEHOLD the fowls of the air – for they sow not
neither do they reap
nor gather into barns
YET your heavenly Father feeds them
ARE YOU NOT MUCH BETTER THAN THEY?
Which of you by taking thought
can add one cubit unto his stature?
Proper relationship to concern over daily needs verse 28- 30
AND why take you thought for raiment?
CONSIDER the lilies of the field – how they grow
they toil not – neither do they spin
and yet – I say unto you
That Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these
WHEREFORE – IF God so clothe the grass of the field
which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven
SHALL HE not much more clothe you
O you of LITTLE FAITH?
Proper thoughts regarding daily needs verse 31- 33
THEREFORE take no thought
saying
What shall we eat? OR
What shall we drink?
OR – Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(FOR after all these things do the GENTILES seek)
FOR your heavenly Father knows
that you have NEED of all these things
BUT seek you FIRST the kingdom of God – and HIS righteousness
and all these things shall be added unto you
Proper daily thoughts regarding schedule verse 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
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. (1654 “alms” [eleemosune] means charitable giving, a donation to the poor, giving money to a needy person, mercy, compassion, or beneficence.)
DEVOTION: Our Christian life is not to be one that makes us famous. We are not practice our service to the LORD for our own personal benefit. It is supposed to be done mostly in private with very little recognition. The only one we should care about knows what is happening. HE will reward those who act without fanfare.
The Pharisees who were the religious leaders of the time of Christ liked to do things so that others could give them praise. They wanted people to think that they were wonderful. Jesus said that was the only reward they were going to receive. There was nothing in eternity for them but judgment.
Those who did things without the public noticing were going to receive a reward in heaven if they were never looking for it on earth. The LORD does bless those who do things privately. Sometimes even other Christians will see that you are honoring the LORD with your actions if you are doing things behind the scene.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only those who are on the platform each Sunday are the only ones doing service to the LORD. Those who are cleaning the church are going to receive a greater reward if their attitude is right. God sees our motives when we serve HIM.
CHALLENGE: The warning is real. Satan enjoys having people in the church serve with praise in mind rather than pleasing the LORD. Heed the warning.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly. (4336 “pray” [proseuchomai] means to ask, suplicate, worship, beseech, invocation, to offer prayers, or to make prayer.)
DEVOTION: The LORD continues the sermon on the mountain. HE deals with giving alms in secret so they can be rewarded openly by the LORD. Our giving is to help those who have a need. There are many around us in church who will never express their need unless we get close to them. Sometimes pastors know of the need and we can ask them if there is a family in the church that has a special need.
Secondly, HE deals with proper prayer. These are the ones that the LORD hears and answers. There are many fake prayers offered in churches. They don’t go beyond the ceiling. There are many who pray at home but not properly and that is why they don’t receive an answer. Remember that our prayers deal with forgiveness for our sins and this will not happen unless we forgive others. Is this dealing with our salvation? NO! It is dealing with our fellowship with and blessings from the LORD. We are not to pray so others can see what we are doing. Public prayer should be only magnifying the LORD.
This is communication with our heavenly Father. Only those who have chosen to follow the Lord Jesus Christ can call God their Father. The prayers of those outside of Christ are not heard except the first repentant prayer for salvation. Jesus is instructing HIS disciples on prayer. We are HIS disciples once we follow HIM. Notice that the hypocrites like to pray. The ones who were the hypocrites in Christ’s day were the religious leaders or Pharisees. They wanted the praise of men because they appeared to be so pious. The Lord tells HIS disciples that they have “their reward.” What is their reward? Their reward is the praise of men. Their prayers don’t go any higher than the people around them. Christ wants HIS disciples prayers to reach heaven.
Remember again, first is the following of Christ. Second, is that they are to pray to the Father in secret. Thirdly, the Father will reward their prayers openly. When we pray we need to address the Father through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. That is the Biblical formula.
We are not to use vain repetition or chant to the LORD or pray the same prayer over and over like “now I lay me down to sleep.” The LORD wants honest communication in our prayers. HE wants us to talk with HIM as with a friend. HE knows our needs but HE wants us to depend on HIM for their provision.
The LORD continues with another discipline that is closely related to prayer and that is fasting. We are not to do it so other can see what we are doing. We are not to brag about doing it. Prayer and fasting are necessary for major decisions in our lives and for closeness to the LORD.
Next, HE deals with one of the main problems in prayer: asking for things. HE informs us that we are not to worry about things. The LORD knows what we need and HE has promised to provide all we need. We are to concentrate on storing treasures in heaven. Each day we have a choice regarding who we are going to serve: ourselves or the LORD. Do we have enough faith to trust HIM to provide for all our needs? Do we have enough faith to seek HIM first and foremost in our lives? It needs to start today. Are we serving the LORD today???
CHALLENGE: Communication with the LORD needs to be the first priority of every genuine believer. If the communication is kept up to date our relationship is up to day.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 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. (2706 “despise” [kataphroneo] means to condemn, despise, disdain, think little or nothing of, look down on, scorn, show contempt, to think slightly of, or to think against someone)
DEVOTION: There are only two choices in the spiritual world. You are either a follower of the LORD or you are not. There are only two families you can be a member of either the LORD’S family or the devils family. There are only two places to go for eternity after we die, either heaven or the lake of fire. The world is divided. It is not an even divide. More people chose to ignore Christ. More people think that Christianity is not necessary for them.
Here we see that there are two masters with their respective attitudes. One master is called mammon or money or possessions or anything we worship other than the true God of the Bible. The one attitude is hate. The other attitude is love.
Today we are finding out just how much people hate Christmas. Our legal system has given in to those who are minorities and wish to not see Christmas celebrated. One person complaining and they don’t care what the majority want. Hatred for the celebration of anything Christian is something that our enemy wants to see control our world.
Those who love the LORD want to use this occasion to spread the Word of God concerning the coming Savior. They like the idea of using this time to witness to friends and family. They like to invite them to church to hear the Good News of a Savior who came as a baby to die on a cross to offer the ultimate gift of salvation. The world scorns this message.
A choice has to be made by every individual who ever lived concerning a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not part of a family inheritance. It is not a part of a national heritage. It is an individual choice that has to be made.
We need to not teach or assume that everyone is going to heaven. We need to challenge those around us to the difference between serving the LORD and serving money. If they can think the thought of the difference, they can make an intelligent decision that will result in where they spend eternity. Don’t let our enemy, the devil, seduce you into thinking that everyone around you is going to heaven no matter what they believe.
CHALLENGE: Choice is what is involved in where we spend eternity. If you are not giving those around you a distinct choice they will wonder why you have never shared this truth with them when they stand before the LORD in judgment.
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: 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. (713 “sufficient” [arketos] means enough, adequate, contentment, or satisfactory.)
DEVOTION: Our walk with the LORD is a daily walk. It is not a weekly or monthly or yearly walk. Each day is a new adventure with the LORD. Each day we need to have a fresh relationship with HIM. Each day we need to ask for fresh oil from HIM. Each day we need to watch HIM provide for our every need. Each day we need to thank HIM for His provision.
Too often we think down the road. I have stated to people that “I have a plan and God has a plan and God always wins.” I like to plan ahead for events in my life. I like to be in control of what is happening in my life. That is a problem with the LORD.
HE always wants control over our life. HE wants us to seek HIS guidance each day. Does that mean that I should never plan for the next day? NO!!! I can make my plans but be very willing to let HIM change those plans and not complain about it.
About a year ago I had planned to attend founder’s week at Moody Bible College. I was in Chicago. I was looking at the schedule to see what speakers I wanted to hear. It was going to be great to have a time of spiritual refreshment.
A number of years ago I received a call of a need in the state of Washington from my son. I could have said no I am in Chicago and want to attend the conference. That would have been selfish. The LORD wanted me in Washington. I went. It was a great time with my grandchildren while my daughter-in-law went to be with a grandfather who was dying to witness one last time for him to receive Christ as his Savior.
Again a few years ago I received a call from my wife who wanted me to join her in Washington to help with the care of our grandchildren. I again had other plans but the LORD provided a person to care for my mother-in-law so that I could go and help during this time period. What we didn’t know was besides the birth of our thirteenth grandchildren a member of our son’s youth group was going to have a serious injury in her gymnastics practice. She is presently paralyzed from her chest down. She was only fifteen years old. My son and his wife were in the hospital most of the night with her. If we had not both been there to care for the other grandchildren it would have been extra hard on my wife. God knows ahead of time where we are to be and when we are to be there. We have to be open to HIS direction in our life.
Tomorrow is another adventure with the LORD. Be open to HIS moving you from one location to another. HE has provided many twists and turn in my life for my growth in HIM.
CHALLENGE: Some I have liked and others well I still have some questions. HE always knew what is best for my spiritual development.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Instruction regarding fasting verse 16- 18
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Instruction regarding giving verse 1- 4
Instructions regarding wealth verse 19- 34
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Instructions in prayer verse 5- 15
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Alms verse 1- 4
Synagogues verse 2, 5
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father in heaven verse 1
Father sees in secret verse 4, 6, 18
Father rewards openly verse 4, 6, 18
Father knows what we need verse 8, 32
Father’s name is to hallowed verse 9
Father’s will done on earth and heaven verse 10
Kingdom of God verse 13, 33
Power of God verse 13
Glory of God verse 13
Heavenly Father verse 14, 26, 32
Father forgives trespasses verse 15
God verse 24, 30, 33
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Heathen verse 7
Gentiles verse 32
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
False motives for giving alms verse 1
Hypocrites verse 2, 5, 16
Seeking glory of men verse 2, 5, 16
Reward of men verse 2, 5, 16
Vain repetitions in prayer verse 7
Heathen verse 7
Long prayers for looks verse 7
Temptation verse 13
Evil verse 13, 23, 34
Trespasses verse 14, 15
Thieves verse 19, 20
Steal verse 19, 20
Serve mammon verse 24
Little faith verse 30
Acting like Gentiles verse 32
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Take heed verse 1
Alms in secret verse 4
Reward from God verse 4, 6, 18
Pray verse 5
Needs met verse 8, 33
God’s will important verse 10
Daily bread verse 11
Forgive our debtors verse 12
Lead us away from temptation verse 13
Deliverance verse 13
Glory to God verse 13
Forgiveness verse 14, 15
Fasting instructions verse 16- 18
Treasures in heaven verse 19, 20
Light verse 22
Serve God alone verse 24
No thought (worries) of needs verse 25- 31
Seek first kingdom of God verse 33
Righteousness verse 33
No thought (worry) tomorrow verse 34
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Kingdom come verse 10
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DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
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QUOTES regarding passage
25 “Therefore,” in the light of the alternatives set out (vv. 19–24) and assuming his disciples will make the right choices, Jesus goes on to prohibit worry. KJV’s “Take no thought” is deceptive in modern English, for Jesus himself demands that we think even about birds and flowers (vv. 26–30). “Do not worry” can be falsely absolutized by neglecting the limitations the context imposes and the curses on carelessness, apathy, indifference, laziness, and self-indulgence expressed elsewhere (cf. Carson, Sermon on the Mount, pp. 82–86; Stott, pp. 165–68). The point here is not to worry about the physical necessities, let alone the luxuries implied in the preceding verses, because such fretting suggests that our entire existence focuses on and is limited to such things. The argument is a fortiori (“how much more”) but not (contra Hill, Matthew) a minori ad maius (“from the lesser to the greater”) but the reverse: if God has given us life and a body, both admittedly more important than food and clothing, will he not also give us the latter? Therefore fretting about such things betrays the loss of faith and the perversion of more valuable commitments (cf. Luke 10:41–42; Heb 13:5–6). (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 179). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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6:25–34 (Luke 12:22–34). If a person is occupied with the things of God, the true Master, how will he care for his ordinary needs in life, such as food, clothing, and shelter? The Pharisees in their pursuit of material things had never learned to live by faith. Jesus told them and us not to worry about these things, for life is more important than physical things. He cited several illustrations to prove His point. The birds of the air are fed by the heavenly Father, and the lilies of the field grow in such a way that their splendor is greater than even Solomon’s. Jesus was saying God has built into His Creation the means by which all things are cared for. The birds are fed because they diligently work to maintain their lives. They do not store up great amounts of food, but continually work. And believers are far more valuable to God than birds! The lilies grow daily through a natural process. Therefore an individual need not be anxious about his existence (Matt. 6:31), for by worrying he can never add any amount of time, not even a single hour, to his life. Rather than being like the pagans who are concerned about physical needs, the Lord’s disciples should be concerned about the things of God, His kingdom and His righteousness. Then all these needs will be supplied in God’s timing. This is the life of daily faith. It does no good to worry—do not worry occurs three times (vv. 25, 31, 34; cf. vv. 27–28)—or be concerned about tomorrow for there are sufficient matters to attend to each day. Worrying shows that one has “little faith” in what God can do (v. 30; cf. you of little faith in 8:26; 14:31; 16:8). As a disciple cares each day for the things God has trusted to him, God, his heavenly Father (6:26, 32), cares for his daily needs. (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 33). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Devaluation (vv. 25–30). Covetousness will not only cheapen our riches, but it will also cheapen us! We will start to become worried and anxious, and this anxiety is unnatural and unspiritual. The person who pursues money thinks that riches will solve his problems, when in reality, riches will create more problems! Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of security, and that feeling ends in tragedy. The birds and lilies do not fret and worry; yet they have God’s wealth in ways that man cannot duplicate. All of nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money, and money always fails.
Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to bear—but the results are still the same. Instead of helping us live longer, anxiety only makes life shorter (Matt. 6:27). The Greek word translated take no thought literally means “to be drawn in different directions.” Worry pulls us apart. Until man interferes, everything in nature works together, because all of nature trusts God. Man, however, is pulled apart because he tries to live his own life by depending on material wealth.
God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will feed and clothe us. It is our “little faith” that hinders Him from working as He would. He has great blessings for us if only we will yield to Him and live for the riches that last forever. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 28). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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6:25–27 If a person serves God rather than money (6:24), he should not be anxious about the material things money can buy. These verses contain a general prohibition against worrying about “everyday life,” followed by applications to two areas of day-to-day life: what one eats and what one wears (6:25). God’s provision of food and clothing is then stressed in 6:26–27 and 6:28–30 respectively, before the general prohibition against worry is restated in 6:31 and again in 6:34 (cf. Luke 12:22–31).
not to worry about everyday life. The first occurrence of the triple prohibition sets the agenda for the entire paragraph of 6:25–34—the disciple must not be anxious over “everyday life.” This general term stands for the material goods that support life: food, drink, and clothing. Food and drink appear separately in 6:25a and 6:31, but in 6:25b-26 food alone is mentioned.
Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? The prohibition against worrying is underlined by three rhetorical questions, the first (6:25d) on whether life is more than food and clothing. The implication is that the God who gives life itself can easily supply the means to sustain life (cf. 4:4).
aren’t you far more valuable to him? The second question (6:26) is based on God’s providential care for birds (cf. 8:20; 13:32), who do not work to grow their food, let alone worry about it. The argument is from the lesser to the greater, a common pattern in rabbinic texts, where it is called qal vahomer (light and heavy). Evidently reasoning from the fact that humans are created in the image of God, Jesus asked whether humans are not of more value than birds (cf. 10:31; 12:12).
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? The third question (6:27) is asked bluntly without an accompanying illustration. It alludes to the impotence of worry to lengthen one’s life. This question’s power lies in its absurdity—of course worry cannot add “a single moment” to one’s life. In fact, worrying may actually shorten a person’s life. The Gr. wording here seems to speak of adding a cubit (pēchus—approximately 18 inches; cf. Luke 12:25; John 21:8; Rev 21:17) to one’s height (hēlikia; cf. Luke 12:25; Eph 4:13), but this does not make the best sense in the context. Since hēlikia can arguably refer to length of life, and pēchus can be used metaphorically to describe a short period or span of time (Sir 30:24; Psalms of Solomon 5:6; cf. Ps 39:5), the NLT and many modern translations render the idea accordingly (cf. BDAG 435–436; 812). (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (p. 106). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)
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When Jesus said, “Take no thought,” He did not mean that His disciples should be careless or improvident. But they are forbidden to be anxious, to become distressed and perplexed as they face the future. He who has saved and cared for us thus far can be depended upon to undertake and provide for us to the end. Our Lord directs attention to the fowls of the air which are fed by the heavenly Father, and to the flowers of the field clothed in beauty by a beneficent Creator. We cannot even increase our stature by anxious thought. Why, then, give way to worry as to how we shall meet future exigencies? The God who clothes the grass of the field has promised to clothe His children. Why, then, be of little faith?
The nations of the world make the pursuit of these temporal things the main object of life. We are not to imitate them in this, but rather to be concerned first of all with pleasing God, and ordering our behavior in accordance with the righteous principles of His kingdom. Jesus sums up our entire responsibility when He says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” It is not, “Seek for the kingdom,” but rather, put the interests of God’s kingdom first in your life. The message is for those who are already disciples of Christ. As such, we are to fulfil its righteousness—that is, the things that are obligatory upon us as subjects of our blessed Lord. Then we may have the assurance that all needed temporal mercies will be provided. (Ironside, H. A. (1948). Expository notes on the Gospel of Matthew. (pp. 68–69). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 25. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, &c.] Since ye cannot serve both God and mammon, obey one, and neglect the other. Christ does not forbid labour to maintain, support, and preserve, this animal life; nor does he forbid all thought and care about it, but all anxious, immoderate, perplexing, and distressing thoughts and cares; such as arise from diffidence and unbelief, and tend to despair; which are dishonourable to God, as the God of nature and providence, and uncomfortable to men: what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. The several and the only things, which are necessary for the support and comfort of human life, are mentioned; as meat, drink, and clothing. Eating and drinking are necessary to preserve life; and raiment, to cover and defend the body, from the injuries of the heavens: and having these, men have every thing necessary, and ought herewith to be content; nor should they be anxiously thoughtful about these: for is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? And yet, God has given these without man’s thought: and since these are better, and much more excellent, than food and raiment, as all must and will acknowledge; and God has given these the greater gifts, it may be depended upon, that he will give the lesser; that he will give meat and drink; to uphold that valuable life, which he is the author of; and raiment to clothe that body, which he, with, so much wisdom and power, has accurately and wonderfully made. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 64). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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The vast majority of the Lord’s people are beset on every hand by distracting worry in their daily lives. But He said, “Take no distracting thought” (6:25), for that is the real force of His words. Obviously, we have to give some thought to our material needs; food and raiment are necessities. But we are not to be full of care about these things. (Phillips, J. (2014). Exploring the Gospel of Matthew: An Expository Commentary (Mt 6:25a). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch.)
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FROM MY READING:
Prayer is the recognition of our own helplessness and our appropriation of divine energy, which works in and through the self-judged, obedient believer to the glory and praise of God. This too is true fasting – the denial of self and ceasing from all fleshly confidence. (July 4, The Continual Burnt Offering by H.A. Ironside)
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TOZERSPEAKS (volume two) by A. W. Tozer
Imposed uniformity is a great error because it assumes that uniformity is an external thing and that it can be achieved by imposition, failing to acknowledge that the only valid unity is unity of the heart. (p. 458)
True Christian compassion is one of those qualities. Peter leaves us little doubt about the fruits of genuine Christian unanimity within. “Be alike compassionate. Be alike loving. Be alike pitiful. Be alike courteous …and be alike forgiving!”
Then he sums it all up: “Finally, be you all of one mind.” (p. 460)
There you have the blessed uniformity of the children of God, the unanimity Peter was looking for among the followers of Christ. Every earnest believer must know the unanimity of compassion, the ability to love others, the uniformity of the spirit that can reach out in pity, the tenderness of heart that finds a true expression of God’s grace in reaching out in a delightful courtesy and a willing forgiveness of others.
Are you willing to measure the compassion in your own spirit?
Compassion literally means a sympathetic understanding and wherever one life touches another there must be compassion if we are to please the Lord. This is what our true Christian unity demands – a likeness, a sympathetic understanding wherever our hearts touch, at every point of contact. We must be in agreement wherever our hearts touch. (p. 461)
The variety among God’s believing children is in itself an artistic scheme that God introduced to bring beauty to the church and its fellowship. (p. 461)
They can’t kid me! I refuse to be taken in by all of the smooth talk and gentle assurances that “all men are brethren and we must all forget our differences because of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.” (p. 463)
Is it possible to be a believing child of God and not be tenderhearted? Let me remind you that when Peter advises that Christian brethren area to be ‘full of pity” for one another, he is actually teaching us that our hearts are to be tender towards one another.
With this in mind, I must point out to you that religion will either make us very tender of heart, considerate and kind, or it will make us very hard. (p. 463)
Brethren, let people argue as they will; it is not principle that holds the moral world together, but rather the presence of a holy God and love for God and mankind! (p 465)
Of course He died for the moral government of Almighty God – but it was people He cared for and served. He achieved His end not by hardness and harshness and legal principle but by love and care and compassion for people. Back of it all, certainly, was the unchanging divine principle – the moral righteousness of God, for the holiness of the deity must be sustained even if the world falls. (p. 466)
We could well say that love lubricated His spirit as HE loved the people – men and women and children, the low as well as the high. (p. 466)
WE see the contrast in the New Testament record of the proud and unbending religious life of the Pharisees – and how it gave them hardness of heart. Religion will do the one thing or the other! (p. 466)
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Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe
We cannot stand still in the Christian life, for if we do, we will soon start going backward and losing ground. The best way to avoid this peril is for us to be constantly moving ahead towards spiritual maturity (Heb. 6: 1). (p. 106)
Children find dependence on their mother to be a safe and comfortable situation and they don’t want to lose it, but losing it is essential to finding the freedom and opportunities of adulthood. This demands humility, submission, and obedience on the part of the child; otherwise, the mother will find herself with a pampered, selfish, disobedient, and demanding child. So it is in the spiritual life; the Lord lovingly weans us away from the temporary childish things that fascinate us (I Cor. 13:11) and moves us from milk to solid food (Heb. 5: 12-14). (p. 106)
Spiritual maturity is not a destination, it’s a journey; and the journey doesn’t end until we see Jesus – then a new journey begins. (p. 107)
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Why it’s hard to love JESUS by Joseph M. Stowell
To fulfill Christ’s mandate, love must drive and define the work and reputation of the church. Yet, of all the impressions that the world has of the church, at the bottom of that list are compassion and love. That’s a sobering thought. (p. 123)
To love Christ means turning away from a self-centered Christianity and focusing on others. (p. 125)
When Jesus told His disciples to love each other the way He loved them He pointed them to a higher standard. (p. 128)
Despite their imperfections [His disciples] Jesus loved those men. If He could do that, surely you don’t have to wait for your brothers and sisters in Christ to be perfect before you will allow yourself to love them. Christlike love transcends all that. It’s hard to love people who aren’t loveable. But that’s what Christ commands us to do. (p. 130)
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Acts 27
Paul exercises his right as a Roman citizen to take his case before Caesar.
INSIGHT
One of the secrets of peace is believing the promises of God. There are many things that we think we believe, but our anxiety level reveals that we do not. The Lord promises to meet all our needs, but our labor and worry reveal that we are not so sure. Paul receives a word from God that he will not perish. In relating this to the sailors, Paul says: “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me” (v. 25). If we believe, we can be at peace; if we do not believe, we will fret. Review the promises of Scripture when you are troubled. What among them are you not believing? If you are trying to believe but still struggle, you may pray the prayer of the father regarding his son who had an evil spirit: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). (Quiet Walk)
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HOW TO KNOW THE JOY
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:4
The first thing that is essential before we can ever have and hold this joy is the absolute centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ. John starts with Him in 1 John 1:1-3: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
You will never know any joy until you know Christ. He is the source of joy; He is the fount of all blessings; everything comes through Him. So before John begins to discuss anything else, he talks about Him.
Here we come to the great watershed that divides Christian preaching and teaching from every other teaching; it is based solely on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Christian church has nothing to say to the world until it believes on Him. Indeed, the Church’ message to the world is one of condemnation until it believes on Christ. Christ is central, He is essential, He is the beginning and the end, and John has nothing to say to these people by way of encouragement unless they are absolutely clear about Him. It is through Him that we have access to God; and it is through Him that we have fellowship with God.
A Thought to Ponder: You will never know any joy until you know Christ.
(From Fellowship with God, pp. 32-33, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Trust in Him
“That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” (Hebrews 6:18-19)
As children of God, we possess everything we need, from an invincible refuge from the enemy to a certain hope for eternity with our heavenly Father. The third verse of the hymn “Praise the Savior, Ye Who Know Him” reminds us that our trust in Him is well placed. Trust in Him, ye saints, forever;
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.
Trust in something or someone would be worth much less if the object of our trust might change his mind. Thankfully, our Savior never changes. His love for us is constant. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war” (Revelation 19:11). As long as we are with Him, we are safe and secure.
Consider that we are safe in Christ’s hand, as He is secure in the Father’s hand. All believers are further sealed by the Holy Spirit. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). Who or what could break such a bond?
We have no need to fear. We are safe and secure in Him. (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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The third thing they always forget is that man, because of his sin and his rebellion against God, is under the wrath of. God, and because he is under the wrath of God, “There is no peace, says the LORD, unto the wicked” (Isa.48:22). They forget that entirely, but it is stated in the Bible from beginning to end. Man, says the Bible, as long as he is not in right relationship to God will never be happy. He can acquire great knowledge, he can amass the wealth of the universe, he can do a thousand and one things, but he will never be happy if he is not right with God. (p. 85, A Merciful and Faithful High Priest by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Tina shared this (IL): Everyone needs to read this.
CBS and Katie Couric must be in a panic and rushing to reassure everyone that this is not network policy–re Andy Rooney’s commentary on prayer. Folks, this is the year that we RE-TAKE AMERICA!
Andy Rooney and his prayer:
I don’t believe in Santa Claus, but I’m not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don’t agree with Darwin, but I didn’t go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what’s the big deal? It’s not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They’re just talking to a God they believe in and asking Him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
But it’s a Christian prayer, some will argue.
Yes, and this is the United States of America, founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect — somebody chanting Hare Krishna?
If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn’t be offended. It wouldn’t bother me one bit.
When in Rome ……
But what about the atheists? Is another argument.
What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We’re not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that’s asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of earplugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!
Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don’t think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world’s foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It’s time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn’t care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It’s time we tell them, “You don’t have to pray; you don’t have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don’t have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!
God bless us one and all…Especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all our faults, We are still the greatest nation of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
Let’s make 2019/2020 the year the silent majority is heard, and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. And our military forces come home from all the wars.
Keep looking up
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 4:4-8
My Father was a hard-working man who was employed by two different companies most of my early life. He would get up in the morning and work in a feed mill until noon. Then he would come to prepare for his second job as caretaker in a mental health hospital from 3-11 pm. Besides these two full time jobs, he had a small farm that he and our family took care of to supply fresh milk, meat and vegetables for the family.
I was often amazed at how much my father could accomplish in a days’ time. All the hours and time he spent working was impressive to me. I find Solomon’s statement to be true regarding toil and skillful work as being envied by others (v. 4). As I grew older, I also saw that my father missed out on some important aspects of parenting and raising of his children. The need and desire to have material matters caused the relational side of fatherhood to be weakened and as Solomon states, man can become a loner and isolated from other people. The need for toil and labor was such that it consumed most the waking portion of his life.
Helen Keller stated, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Working long days or being the king, both led to isolation and lack of companionship. This misfortune was seen and still attributes to what Solomon said was dissatisfaction and loneliness (v. 8).
Christ has made the promise to love us and never to forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). His work is never so great that He does not have time to hear us and to respond to the requests we bring to him. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24).
With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller
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