Take heed that you do not do your giving of donations and charity before people to impress or be seen by them. If you do, you have no reward of your Father who is in heaven. When you do your alms, do not sound a trumpet before yourself to garner the attention of men.
That is what hypocrites do in the churches and synagogues, and in the streets; they do that to receive the glory of men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. When you give charity and gifts, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Doing Things to Be Seen
Your left hand shouldn’t even know your right hand gave. This way your giving is in secret and your Father, who is in sees in secret Himself will reward you openly. Likewise, when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who pray for the attention.
These people love to pray standing in churches, synagogues, and street corners so that they are seen by people. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward. However, when you pray, go inside your closet and shut the door behind you; pray to your Father, who is in secret.
Your Father, who sees in secret will reward you openly. Nevertheless, when you pray, don’t use useless repetitions like the nations do when they pray. They do this because they think they will be heard because of their lengthy prayers.
Don’t be like them because your Father knows what things you have need of before you even ask Him. here is the manner you should pray, say: Our Father which art in heaven, Holy is 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. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Yours is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Disfigured Faces When Fasting?
If you forgive men their wrongdoings, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men of their trespasses, your Father will neither forgive you of your wrongdoings.
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites where you sadden your face and have a despondent facial expression all day. The hypocrites disfigure their faces so they appear to people to fast. Undoubtedly I say to you, they have their reward. When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.
Do not appear like your fasting to people, only the Father, who is in secret will know, and He will see in secret but reward you openly.
Also, do not lay up treasures on the earth for yourself where the moth and rust will corrupt your things; where thieves break through and steal. Don’t do that, instead, lay up treasures in heaven for yourself, where there are no moth and no rust to corrupt and destroy your treasures. There are no thieves to break in and steal because wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The light of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light. But, if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then, the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness?
No one can serve two masters at one time; he will show favor to one over the other. Thus, you cannot serve God and mammon. This is why I teach you to take no thought for your life; don’t become so busy chasing the fleshly or material items.
These are things that pertain to what you will eat, drink, wear, and how you look. There is so much more to life than food and clothing for the body, isn’t it? Do you see the birds in the air, they neither sow or reap; they do not gather belongings into barns and banks.
However, your own Heavenly Father feeds them every day. Now think about this; aren’t you, O son of man, much better than the birds? Can worry add one inch to your height or change your stature in life?
Then why worry or take thought over your clothing? Have you considered the lilies of the field? These are the wildest of flowers, they grow, they do not work jobs, neither do they make their own clothing.
And I will tell you this; Solomon in all of his glory and impact was not arrayed and covered like one of these lilies.
Think about this. If God clothes the grass and lilies of the field so richly, and they are here today and gone tomorrow (thrown in an oven); will God clothe you much better and more than these?
O such little faith you have!
For these reasons, do not think, say, or contemplate worryingly of what you will eat, drink, and clothe yourself with. To be honest, these are the things the nations of earth seek after and worry after.
The reality is that your heavenly Father knows the things you have need of. Let your priority be one; you simply seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When and as you do, all of these things will be added to you.
Therefore, take no thought for the things of tomorrow; because tomorrow will take thought of the things for itself. Plentiful is the evil in each day, do not worry by delving into tomorrow.
Selah (based on the second half of Matthew chapter 6)
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Past Biblical Reframes <==========
We write these reframes to give ourselves and our readers a reframed view of the chapter. We hope you appreciate them also.
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