Matthew 6

Matthew 6
DO GOOD TO PLEASE GOD
Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
THE MODEL PRAYER
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the cornered of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner; therefore, pray:
Our father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver is from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
FASTING TO BE SEEN ONLY BY GOD
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where you treasures is, there your heart will be also.
THE LAMP OF THE BODY
The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND RICHES
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
DO NOT WORRY
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 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.

ON THE EDGE:
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matt. 6:33).
No matter what the decision, you can take your advice from Matthew 6:33 and do what Jesus said: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” When trying to decide which option is best or what path to choose, ask yourself, “Which way would bring God glory?” If God would be honored in any decision, then choose the one you like the most. God hasn’t put you on earth to make you miserable. A lot of Christians mistakenly think that the most miserable option must surely be God’s will. That’s not true. God has given you preferences and passions on purpose. He knows you will accomplish more for the kingdom when you are working in an area you love. If bringing God glory is your first priority, then you will always make wise decisions. They may sometimes be tough, but in the end, you will have made the right choice.

Lesson 1: Is There Anything Left You Can Trust?

In these morally challenged times – when billions are embezzled through corporate fraud; when trusted, spiritual leaders prove false; when lying in politics seems to be the norm; when those you depend on the most often hurt you the deepest – is there anything left you can trust? Yes! You can fully trust the Bible! Why? Just take a look at the evidence….
1. What does the Bible claim about itself? 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; John 10:35
It claims to be inspired. It was written by men who were guided by the Holy Ghost. It cannot be broken or proved untrue.
2. How did Jesus demonstrate His confidence and belief in Scripture? Matthew 4:4,7,10; John 17:17
Jesus quoted Scripture when meeting the temptations of Satan. He also stated that the Bible is truth. Jesus often quoted Scripture as authority for the truth He was teaching.
3. Do Bible prophecies confirm inspiration? Isaiah 42:8,9; Isaiah 46:9,10
Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:
A. Four would empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 2,7,8)
B. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3).
C. After Babylon’s destruction, it would never be inhabited again (Isaiah 13:19, 20; Jeremiah 51:37).
D. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13).
E. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26).
F. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
4. Can we expect scientific statements made in the Bible to be accurate? Psalms 119:160; John 16:13
Yes, the Bible is true. The Holy Spirit, who guided the Bible writers, always speaks the truth. Here are a few Bible statements that have been confirmed by science:
A. “He….hangeth the earth upon nothing.” Job 26:7. This scientific fact is from Job, the Bible’s oldest book.
B. “He…sitteth upon the circle of the earth.” Isaiah 40:22. The Bible said the earth is round centuries before man found out.
C. “To make the weight for the winds.” Job 28:25. Long before scientists knew, God said air has weight.
D. “By Him (Jesus) all things consist.” Colossians 1:17. The word “consist” here literally means “hold together” or “cohere.” Many Bible translations put it “hold together.” This is the answer to the nuclear physicists’ worrisome question about the atom. The real mystery of the atom does not involve its benumbing mega-power, but rather, “Why doesn’t the atom fly apart?” Scientific knowledge says it should, but it doesn’t. Some scientists are wondering what puzzling power, completely unknown to them, is holding it together. The Bible says that mysterious power is the Creator, God Himself.
5. Are biblical health principles tuned to the twenty-first century mind?
A. Cover body waste with dirt (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13). The Bible provision of Moses’ day that body waste should be buried was 3,500 years ahead of its time and saved countless thousands of Jewish lives. Major problems still arise when sanitation is not properly handled.
B. “Neither let us commit fornication.” 1 Corinthians 10:8. The word “fornication” denoted all kinds of immoral sexual conduct. There would be no AIDS epidemic if this up-to-date Bible counsel were obeyed, nor would abortion be the international scandal that it now is.
C. Leave alcoholic beverages alone (Proverbs 23:29-32). If this extremely effective Bible solution were implemented, just think what it would mean:
1. Millions of alcoholics becoming sober, respectable citizens.
2. Millions of families reunited.
3. Millions of broken homes mended.
4. Multiplied thousands of lives saved by sober driving.
5. Thousands of government, business, and professional leaders making clear-minded decisions.
6. Billions of dollars available for humanitarian use.
Note: God not only tells us how to succeed with joy amid today’s harrowing problems, but He also gives us the miraculous power to do it (1 Corinthians 15:57; Philippians 4:13; Romans 1:16). Bible Health principles are relevant and desperately needed, but few are listening.