Should we both fast and pray?
By taking our eyes off the things of this world, we can more successfully turn our attention to the Messiah. …
Tag Archives: Matthew 6
Do not seek opportunity. SEEK GOD. And opportunity will seek you.
Do not seek opportunity. SEEK GOD. And opportunity will seek you. But seek first the reign [kingdom] of God and …
Why does being materialistic not satisfy us?
Jesus is truly clear, and Jesus is profoundly serious. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth …
“Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” ~Jesus
What Jesus would say to me if he just walked into my room right now? I think he would look …
Is our treasure in heaven?
Jesus lays out the principles of the reign [Kingdom of God]. This excerpt is from what is known as the …
How do we combat the culture of materialism we live in?
Greed is very insidious. It creeps into my life, and I don’t recognize it at all some days. I have …
Are we on board with the new plan of Jesus?
I need to get on board with what God wants. It is never about me. It is always about God. …
“You cannot serve God and money.” ~Jesus
Who will I serve? It is a stunning question. Jesus now explains that behind the choice between two treasures (where I …
“If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ~Jesus
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive …
“For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5-7) continues with Jesus teaching us how to pray. I must learn how to forgive. How …
Are we praying the “Jesus Way”?
Jesus said to pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.“ ~Jesus Matthew 6:9 I …
“And when you pray …” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto continues as Jesus teaches me how to pray. It is not about how much I say. …
Are we seeing with 20/20 vision?
In the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7), Jesus draws a sharp contrast now between a blind person and a sighted …
“Do not be anxious!” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to not worry. God is God, in complete control and in a good mood. God will take care …
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save.” ~Zephaniah
Jesus challenges us to focus on what God is doing today, right now. That is all that Jesus did. He …
“Be anxious for nothing.” ~Apostle Paul
We all need rest. It is essential. I am anxious about so many things. Anxiety is insidious. There is no …
Why worry? Why are we so anxious about the least little things?
The list of things I can worry about is long. Give me a whole day and it grows enormously. My …
Will we serve money and wealth?
Want to know what Jesus thinks? Here is Everything Jesus had to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the …
Are we planning for the worst? What does Jesus think about that?
Why this is important: We often worry about what might happen. Conventional wisdom says “plan for the worst”. And so …
Is there a connection between what God does and what we do?
God wants us to act on what He is talking with us about. Jesus gets that. Jesus knows what the Father …
Are we praying like a hypocrite? Jesus wants to know.
Prayer essential in our relationship with God. One of the pillars in the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7) is …
How can we be delivered from the evil one?
Why this is important: Jesus taught us to pray. Jesus gave us the template. The prayer is a part of …
How should we give to the needy?
Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and …
All this time and money wasted — do we think it makes that much difference?
Jesus knows how to ask questions. He forces us to get clear. What is important? Perhaps the question is rhetorical …
What is competing with our loyalty to Jesus?
Loyalty to Jesus, the Messiah, has lots of competition. God doesn’t just want to be first. God wants to be …
What relieves our anxiety in life?
The main thing: Jesus is now at the core issue as He lays out His manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). …
Are we so preoccupied with getting that we can’t respond to God’s giving?
God is in an amazing mood. He has so much He wants to give us. Are we ready? Jesus challenges …
How do we achieve right standing with God?
How much of what we do “for Jesus” is done to be seen by others? Probably too much. Jesus is …
What are we working for?
What am I working for? Jesus wants to know. Jesus has some commands for me on this. I must act …
Do we know God and how He works?
Jesus challenges us: The challenge is to not worry and live for what God wants to accomplish today. God takes …
Is sin a cancellation of a debt?
What matters the most: Sin is pictured as a debt, and the sinner as a debtor. Accordingly, the word represents sin …
Is our life steep in God and His reality?
We all have the same amount of time every day. Jesus challenges us to use it to focus on it …
Is materialism transitory and elusive?
It matters: We could translate this verse: “We brought nothing into this world because we can carry nothing out” (Job …
Jesus fasted … should you?
Why it matters: Fasting can be an empty ritual and is condemned. Did not people come to Jesus and ask: …
Where should we keep our money?
Where is our treasure? What is important to us? Is Jesus our Master? Why it matters: Jesus told us to …
What is the alternative to anxiety?
There are a lot of details to life. What to eat. What to wear. Which way to drive to work. …
If we refuse to do our part, do we cut ourselves off from God’s part?
Jesus challenges us to forgive others. It is a clear command and unambiguous. That is our part to do. When …
What is worry? Do we know God? Do we know how God works?
Why do we worry? What produces that anxiety in our gut? Because we don’t know what a good mood God, our …
How is hypocrisy expressed? Is it through insincere motives?
Hypocrisy is an outward pretense masking an inner reality. Jesus condemns hypocrisy, especially in matters of faith. As a follower …
Is fasting really important? Does Jesus expect us to fast?
I am thinking this part of the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5-7) has been ripped out of most Evangelical and Protestant …
Are we ready to forgive others?
Jesus has set the bar high in some cases. We all want to be forgiven. And God does forgive us. …
“Whenever you give to the poor.” ~Jesus
Most disciples of Jesus believe we are to help the poor but how are we to make good judgments on …
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5-7) continues with Jesus teaching us how to pray. I must learn how to forgive. How …
“Give us this day our daily bread.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues the Jesus Manifesto and the model prayer. I have needs on a daily basis. We all do. Jesus …
“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear in that He says, “whenever you fast …” It seems like Jesus expected we would. Scripture does …
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” ~Jesus
I need to get on board with what God wants. It is never about me. It is always about God. …
“Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.” ~Jesus
I have a Father in heaven. That is some very good news. I am ecstatic over that. I need to …
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto continues as Jesus teaches me how to pray. It is not about how much I say. It …
“The eye is the lamp of the body.” ~Jesus
In the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7), Jesus draws a sharp contrast now between a blind person and a sighted …
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” ~Jesus
Jesus is now at the core issue as He lays out His manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). God has a …
Worry — What causes it? Am I too world-centered?
Jesus teaches His disciples that we are not to worry. Jesus encourages me to avoid worrying about my physical needs …
“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” ~Jesus
What am I working for? Jesus wants to know. Jesus has some commands for me on this. I must act …
Slave — Whose slave are you? God’s? Sin’s?
It is hard to get the issue of being a slave in my mind. In the Greek-speaking world of the first …
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.” ~Jesus
There are a lot of details to life. What to eat. What to wear. Which way to drive to work. …
Fasting — As an Empty Ritual it is Condemned
Fasting can be an empty ritual and is condemned. Did not people come to Jesus and ask: ‘Why do John’s …
“If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues the Manifesto. Jesus is teaching me how to pray. After the model prayer, Jesus emphasizes the importance of …
Hypocrisy — Its Expression through Insincere Motives
Hypocrisy is an outward pretense masking an inner reality. Jesus condemns hypocrisy, especially in matters of faith. As a follower …
“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 in secret.” ~Jesus
I am thinking this part of the Jesus Manifesto has been ripped out of most Evangelical and Protestant bibles. I …
Peace — Through the Father’s provision for the believer
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there …
Rest — The absence of anxiety
We all need rest. It is essential. I am anxious about so many things. Anxiety is insidious. There is no …
“You cannot serve God and wealth.” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifest continues (Matthew 5-7). This is a critical teaching of Jesus. What should I think about money and …
“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” ~Jesus
The backdrop to this is the feeding of the five thousand. It is a truly stunning miracle. Jesus was moved …
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.” ~Jesus
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues …
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” ~Jesus
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” ~Jesus Source: Matthew 6:13 (ESV) Jesus taught us to pray. Jesus …
“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.” ~Jesus
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and …
“But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.” ~Jesus
Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: “Happy are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom …
“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.” ~Jesus
How much of what I do “for Jesus” is done to be seen by others? Probably too much. Jesus is …
"What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax." ~~Jesus
I worry a lot. It isn’t good. I know that. I worry anyway. Jesus challenges me to trust God completely …
"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges me to change my mind about how to pray. We are steeped in the religious way to do it. That …
“I tell you, do not worry about your life.” ~Jesus
What Jesus would say to me if he just walked into my room right now? I think he would look …
"When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself." ~~Jesus
Jesus calls us to a higher standard than the way of this world. He is in charge of the new …
"Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to not worry. God is God, in complete control and in a good mood. God will take care …
"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to focus on what God is doing today, right now. That is all that Jesus did. He …
“Do not be worried about your life.” ~Jesus
The list of things I can worry about is pretty long. Give me a whole day and it grows enormously. …
"God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." ~~Jesus
We often worry about what might happen. Conventional wisdom says “plan for the worst”. And so we do. Jesus is …
"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do." ~~Jesus
God wants us to act on what He is talking with us about. Jesus gets that. Jesus knows what the …
"All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference?" ~~Jesus
Jesus knows how to ask questions. He forces us to get clear. What is important? Perhaps the question is rhetorical …
"Don’t be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving." ~~Jesus
God is in an amazing mood. He has so much He wants to give us. Jesus challenges us because He …
"You know both God and how he works." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to not worry and live for what God wants to accomplish today. God takes care of the …
"Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions." ~~Jesus
We all have the same amount of time every day. Jesus challenges us to use it to focus on it …
"If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to forgive others. It is a clear command and unambiguous. That is our part to do. When …
"People who don’t know God and the way he works worry too much." ~~Jesus
Why do we worry?What produces that anxiety in our gut? Because we don’t know what a good mood God, our …
"You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others." ~~Jesus
Jesus has set the bar high in some cases. We all want to be forgiven. And God does forgive us. …
Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts 