Matthew 6
Do Not Worry About Your Life
A common error of Judaism was to regard material wealth as always indicating the blessing of God. The book of Proverbs promises material blessings to those who honor God’s financial principles, but it does not imply that all wealth is a necessary sign of blessing. It is not wrong to …
Giving to Others in Secret
Don’t be a showoff when you give (vv. 1-4). Jesus warned that to give gifts to the poor and needy just to be seen by men has no reward from the Father in heaven (v. 1). The Pharisees made a great show of their giving in the synagogues and on the streets, thinking they were proving how spiritual …
Pray to Your Father in Private
The Gentiles in Jesus day made prayers not to God but to false gods. These prayers consisted of long repetitive phrases (v. 7). The principal here is that a believer should not make a show of prayer or pray in such a way that it draws unnecessary attention to himself. God is not impressed …