What are acts of righteousness Jesus gave much importance to? Why did He say they should be done in secrecy?
Matthew 6:1-18 gives an informative teaching for good habits of Kingdom life. Jesus talks about giving, praying, and fasting. He said when you give to the poor, you should not blow a trumpet and call the poor so that you can make a show of your giving.
Rather Jesus said if your charitable deeds are done in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. We are told not to be a hypocrite or play actor when it comes to giving.
Jewish tradition said there was in the temple a "chamber of secrets" into which the devout people used to put their gifts in secret so the poor could also receive support in secret. God certainly looks at the motive for our giving.
What kingdom principals and rules bring positive rewards? We have definite steps to effective prayer given by Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:6.
1. Go into your room
2. Shut the door
3. Pray to the Father in secret
The Lord wants us to periodically shut the door on activity and others. He wants to spend private quiet time with us. He wants our full attention in times of prayer, so we can share our heart with Him.
Can you get alone with God? He got alone with you in the very beginning of your existence.
Psalm 139:13-15 states: "For you formed me and made me in my mother's womb. You saw me as I was being formed in secret (in utter seclusion) as I was woven together in the dark (in my mother's womb).
He is the Master designer and creator of life. Are you up to date in your contact with God? Do you have the highest level of direct contact with Him? We have been promised complete and daily direction for our lives as we remain in high level communion with Father God.
Proverbs 3:6 "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." The word acknowledge is Hebrew, yada'.
It can mean:
1. To know by observation,
2. Investigation
3. Firsthand experience
God promises to make our crooked places straight (Isaiah 45:2). He will direct our paths toward fruitful and powerful endeavors.
Have you responded to the greatest invitation that the Lord Jesus ever gave? He simply said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me...and I will give you rest."
He said if you are tired of all the rituals, hype, works, etc., then I invite you to come into My Presence. If you will just come to Me, you can bring all of your troubles, problems, and sin.
As we decide to take His yoke upon our lives, then He carries our burdens and cares. He promises to give us His rest and peace. As we live in His rest we can daily experience peace for our soul (mind, will, and emotions).
As we live close to the Prince of Peace, He gives ease, refreshment, recreation, and a blessed quietness for our heart (Matthew 11:28-30). Have you responded to the invitation? He is waiting.
Are you experiencing the happy anticipation of hope? "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).
This verse indicates that joy and peace can be a great part of your believing faith. When you are fully trusting the Lord about certain matters, you do have great joy and peace released upon you. God, the source of hope, sees your faith and then the Holy Spirit causes you to abound in hope.
This word abound in the Greek means to: super-abound, be in excess, to exceed beyond measure, and superabundance.
When you have superabundance of hope, then you will be able to anticipate with pleasure the blessings of the Lord. In the Greek text, hope is referred to as "the happy anticipation of good."
God is "the God of hope." He is the Author of hope. Confident hope is brought to our hearts by the Holy Spirit and our expectation goes to the Father, as we are reminded of His love. "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord" (Psalm 31:24).