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Matthew 6 Devotional: Deepen your walk with God through Jesus’ teaching on prayer, fasting, and giving. Learn to replace anxiety with trust as you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Dear brothers and sisters, peace in Christ. Welcome to Matthew Chapter 6. As we continue through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus moves from our outward behavior to our private devotion. He invites us into a space where the only applause that matters is the Father's. Let us quiet our hearts and learn the language of true, unhurried prayer.
Matthew Chapter 6 Introduction:
Matthew Chapter 6 Introduction:
The Secret Life of Faith and the Cure for Anxiety
Matthew 6 addresses the three pillars of Jewish piety: giving, praying, and fasting. However, Jesus adds a radical requirement: Sincerity. He warns against "performing" righteousness to be seen by others, pointing us instead to the "Secret Place" where the Father rewards. At the heart of this chapter is the Lord’s Prayer, providing a perfect model for how we should approach our Creator. Jesus concludes by addressing the universal struggle of anxiety, commanding us to look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as proof of God’s care.
What can we learn from this today? In this chapter, we see the Sovereignty of God over our daily needs. As your Statement of Faith affirms, we believe in one true God who is the sovereign Lord of all things. Jesus teaches us that because God is our Father, we do not need to live in the "paralysis of worry." Worry is often a sign that we are trying to be our own providers. Instead, we are called to "Seek first his kingdom," trusting that our Heavenly Father already knows what we need. This shift in focus—from our problems to His Kingdom—is made possible by the Holy Spirit, who guides and empowers us to live for God’s glory rather than human recognition.
Bible Verse
Bible Verse
6 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.
Prayer
Prayer
Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." As we enter this time of prayer, let us approach Him with the confidence of children and the reverence due to the King.
Dear Heavenly Father, We hallow Your name today, acknowledging that You are the sovereign Lord of all creation. We thank You for the privilege of prayer and for the gift of Your Word, which serves as our final authority. Thank You for being a Father who sees what is done in secret and who cares for the smallest details of our lives.
Lord, I ask for a heart of true sincerity. Forgive me for the times I have sought the approval of people more than Your pleasure. Cleanse my motives in giving, serving, and praying. I bring my anxieties and worries before You today—the "what-ifs" of tomorrow and the burdens of today. I choose to trust Your provision, knowing that You clothe the lilies and feed the birds. Help me to seek Your Kingdom and Your righteousness above all else, resting in the promise that everything I truly need will be provided by Your grace.
We pray for our local church, that we would be a community characterized by secret acts of service and deep, authentic prayer. We lift up those in our world who are facing extreme poverty or lack of daily bread; we ask for Your miraculous provision and for the Church to be Your hands and feet in meeting those needs. We pray for a world consumed by the pursuit of wealth and status; may the peace that comes from seeking Your Kingdom first be a witness to those around us. Guide us by Your Holy Spirit to live lives of quiet, powerful devotion that point others to Your glory. Amen.
Daily Application Question
Daily Application Question
Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If you looked at your calendar and your bank statement from the last week, what would they say about where your "treasure" is currently located?
Frequently Asked Questions about Matthew 6
Frequently Asked Questions about Matthew 6
Is it wrong to pray in public? No; Jesus is not forbidding public prayer (He prayed publicly Himself). He is forbidding the motive of praying specifically to gain the admiration of others. The focus should always be on God, not the audience.
Why is the "Lord's Prayer" so important? It serves as a comprehensive "skeleton" for prayer, covering adoration, submission to God's will, petition for needs, confession of sin, and a request for spiritual protection.
Does "taking no thought for tomorrow" mean I shouldn't plan? Not at all. The Greek word for "take thought" implies distracting, consuming anxiety. God expects us to be responsible and plan, but He forbids us from being controlled by the fear of the future.
Thank you for joining us for Matthew 6. May you walk today with a heart fixed on the Father and a spirit free from the weight of worry. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow for the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapter 7.
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