“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” Matthew 6:22-23 Some passages cause you to scratch your head and […]
“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 your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 Everyone is into […]
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is […]
Jesus says that we should not pray like the hypocrites who pray to be seen by others. Rather, we should pray in secret knowing our Heavenly Father sees us and rewards us. He also says we should not “heap empty phrases like the Gentiles do,” or “use many words” thinking we will be heard. Instead, we pray knowing that God knows what we need before we ask him.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father […]
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, […]
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1 We live in an age of voluntary public disclosure. Facebook began in 2004 and the iPhone was introduced in 2007 with Android a year later. Around 2012 or 2013 […]
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain […]
When we respond in grace and mercy when someone mistreats us, we exemplify the gospel and demonstrate grace by our actions. Not only does a gentle word turn away wrath (Prov 15:1 and a lesson I was reminded of recently), but also when we respond like Christ, they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16).
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by […]
