Note for 20250528

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

According to Matthew

Part 124 - Mat 6 - Vanity

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The House of Bread · Note for 20250528 - The Gospel of Jesus Christ - Part 124 - Mat 6 - Vanity

Matthew 6:1-34 KJV

[1] Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. [2] Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. [3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: [4] that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. [5] And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. [6] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. [7] But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. [8] Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. [9] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. [10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. [11] Give us this day our daily bread. [12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. [14] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15] but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. [16] Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. [17] But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; [18] that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. [19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: [21] for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [22] The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. [23] But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! [24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. [25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? [26] Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? [27] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? [28] And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: [29] and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? [32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. [33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. [34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.6.1-34.KJV

Today we learn how to live and pray from the scripture. So much we do is done in vanity, to be seen by others to give an impression of being a good person. Man wants to show that he is good, right and religious. But, what is the inward truth? Do we not all fall short of the righteousness of GOD? Today, I wanted to come to you in a rawness of thought, not presuming what to write about or where the writing may go based on what we have heard so often about this section of scripture. Surely we know these basic principles and the Lord's prayer by now?

Thing is, there is hardly anything that we can think about that is not covered by the Lord's prayer, and living an honest life before the Lord, without hypocrisy or an unhealthy love for the world in which we are sojourners in. So we do alms? The scripture answers it, we should do it secretly. Can we serve two masters? Should we burden ourselves by the needs we have, or does The Father know them. In other words, can we live in the trust we place in Him? Seek first the Kingdom of GOD, even I have spoken often on that and that it includes seeking His righteousness.

But what of the light of the eye? If it be darkness, how dark do we then become? What is vanity, but to do that which stands for good with one hand, while the inward parts remain in darkness? Do we stop doing good, just because we will be seen? Or do we bring both the inside and the outside in alignment with the will of GOD? That both the left hand and the right hand do good, some seen and some unseen. Do we pray privately, but publically when it is called for? Should I stop sharing the Gospel, because I will be seen? Is it in vain, because I am still busy working out my salvation with the Lord?

Thing is, of I have to wait until I am perfect before I stand in service to the Lord and those He loves, will I wait until my last breath. If good can be done, why shall it be delayed in the view of mankind? Though I strive for perfection, it is the Lord's perfection that saved me, back on the cross of Calvary. My Salvation, Deliverance and Redemption is of the LORD, by what He has done. The perfect man has no need of a Saviour, but I am not perfect, I can make no such claim. My righteousness is of Christ.

I have nothing to boast about, but I am surprised by the delight it brings me to do good, where in the past, I would not have. Viewed in a short term, I may appear to others as either righteous or not, depending on their judgment. But, viewed in the long term, I can see how far I have come and the change that GOD has brought in me. He deserves the credit, because I know who I was without Him. So I pray, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done. For I am a witness of the Salvation of the Lord. I know how miraculously GOD has brought me from where I was to where I am today. I know that I can't trust in myself, but I can trust in Him. His Will supersedes mine, He knows better than I. When I was lost He called me to the Light. Let's just say, I know where I want to end up, and I have learned what it takes and know that I still fall short. It makes me grateful, that I can trust in GOD, that He will bring me to where I ought to stand. Because it is impossible for man to attain salvation, so GOD gave it freely to all who will believe in His Son.

The thing that surprises me most these days, is the change that has become real in me. I want to do good. I know it is of GOD the Father, because I know what my wants were back then. It is no longer just about my profit in life, but it has become about the salvation of mankind. I know how selfish I was. But, more-and-more, day-by-day, that becomes a thing of the past, though I still struggle with it daily. Even harder still it is, when in the view of those in the world, I will be justified to claim something for myself. Still, the question lingers, "is it in righteousness?"

Every time I reach a point where I think in myself, "I have made it," then I fail. When my eye shifts from Jesus to myself, then I cannot uphold it anymore, and stand ashamed before the Lord. As far as "wives" go, I think Jesus has had His hands full with me. Believe me, I know salvation is of Him and not me. Am I willing to lose a treasure in heaven for the benefit of another? Do I withhold help, just because I will be seen? I think it is gainful to have both the seen and unseen in the light, since GOD sees both. The inner and the outer, the same in good. And yet, I still fail far too often still. I cannot see my end, but GOD can and I have His promises to hold onto until the end. I might fail myself, but He will not fail me.

Until then, I will do the best I can, walking in His Light, trusting in His Salvation. That is my foundation, His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, The Word of GOD.

Selah, Shalom

The House of Bread

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Verse of The Day

From the YouVersion Bible App

Philippians 1:9-10 KJV

[9] And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; [10] that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

https://bible.com/bible/1/php.1.9-10.KJV

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