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Turn with me to Matthew chapter 6. This is becoming one of my favorite chapters. Really, whatever chapter I’m in that the Lord has me in—that's my favorite in the moment. But man… Matthew 6.
This chapter sits in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount. And the whole thing is amazing. Matthew 6, though, has so many things we’ve heard over and over again—from the Lord’s Prayer to “seek ye first the Kingdom of God.”
I was trying to decide if I should read the whole thing to you… Yes, I should. Of course.
I'm reading out of the New Living Translation. Jesus is talking, and He says:
“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do like the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity."
That’s funny. Jesus says:
“I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
Then He goes into prayer.
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on like the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.”
Don’t be like them. God has had enough of that nonsense repetition. (Okay, that part’s in my own words.) But really—your Father knows exactly what you need before you even ask Him.
It’s like... He already knows, and there we are, repeating the same thing over and over again. He’s like, “Okay, shut up—I got it!” (In a light-hearted way, of course.)
Then Jesus says, “Here’s how you should pray”:
“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And don’t lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.”
Then Jesus hits this hard:
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Let’s just pause there. A lot of people wonder if Jesus actually meant that. I would just suggest living like He did mean it. Go ahead and forgive everybody—it’s not worth the risk.
"When you fast, don’t make it obvious like the hypocrites do. They try to look miserable and disheveled so people admire them for their fasting. Jesus says, that’s the only reward they’ll get. But when you fast, comb your hair, wash your face. Then no one will notice that you’re fasting—except your Father, who sees what you do in private. And He will reward you."
All of that—giving, praying, fasting—Jesus is saying, “Quit worrying about what people think of you.” Stop doing things to impress others. Because God’s not impressed, and that should bother you. I’m not living my life to impress people.
Then He goes into money:
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven…”
"Wherever your treasure is, that’s where your heart is. Your eye is like a lamp—when it’s healthy, your body is full of light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your body is full of darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness… how deep that darkness is."
Highlight that section—it feels a little out of place at first. He’s talking about money, then your eye, then money again. But Jesus is actually making a point about your focus. Your “eye” is your perspective, your vision. If your focus is on the things of this world, you’re full of darkness. If your focus is on God, you’re full of light.
But watch out—you might think your focus is right, and it’s not. That’s deep deception. That’s “how deep that darkness is.” Thankfully, the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth.
So what are you focused on? Are you giving to be seen? Praying to be heard? Fasting for attention? Jesus says, stop it. Get your eyes off people.
For me, as someone in ministry, this was something I wrestled with for a long time—wanting to impress people. But I finally got over it. I’m not here to impress anyone. If you’re impressed, great. If not, also great. I’m here for Him.
Then He says: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
What if we actually lived like that? 100%. Not spending even one moment thinking about your needs. Not one.
Why? Because He promised to take care of them. Look at the birds—He feeds them. Look at the flowers—He clothes them. And aren’t we more valuable than they are?
He’s not saying “ignore your responsibilities.” He’s saying: don’t be distracted by your needs. When you’re consumed by your needs, you violate this scripture. You take your eyes off the Kingdom.
The responsible part of us says, “That’s irresponsible.” But maybe He’s asking us to be a little irresponsible in the eyes of the world—so we can be fully available to Him.
We need this life. To do what He’s called us to do, we can’t be weighed down by daily worries.
I’ve noticed—those worries will take up your entire day if you let them. You start with one task and next thing you know, the day is gone. He’s inviting us out of that.
Matthew 6:33 is available to every believer. And I’d encourage you—read it over and over again until it settles deep in your spirit. Until you say, “I’m ready to actually live this out.”
Let Matthew 6 get deep in your spirit. Don’t just read it—live it. Let go of the distractions, stop trying to impress people, and fully trust God for your needs.
He’s inviting you into this. Let’s be the people who say yes.
