Only to Your Father (Oct 6)

so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
                                  Matthew 6:18 NIV

Jesus teaches on many topics today; giving, praying, forgiving, fasting and our use of wealth are among the topics.  Jesus is concerned about where our hearts are in relationships between us individuals; and between us and Our Heavenly  Father.  

Jesus, in teaching on fasting, was discussing the Law, Leviticus 23:27, when God commanded fasting for the Jews on the annual day of Atonement.  To that command, the Pharisees added other times of fasting.  Jesus' teaching today focuses on where His concern is; on what is in the heart, what is the motivation, where is the glory being given.  His focus is on the WHY we do something?

Being a Christian, a follower of Christ, is a state where we should be seeking first the kingdom of God, following Him, and as a result, it is a process of becoming more like Christ during our earthly walk.  

As we read of Christ's ministry, we will read and come to understand that Christ did very little to bring glory to himself.  What He did glorified God the Father.  During our earthly walk, consider your actions and where the glory is given.  Is the glory given to God or is it given to us?

We should consider all our actions and ask the Spirit to point out and make clear to us our actions that are not giving glory to God. For if there are actions that are not giving glory to God, we could be perceived as hypocrites.  Hypocrisy robs us of so many blessings.  

As we read of hypocrisy robbing us of God's reward today, we can consider that it also robs us of spiritual influence and by our exchange of reputation for character, by pursuit of reputation, we are robbed of realities of genuine, clean, Christian living by a core seeking human approval rather than God's approval.

Where do you look for approval?

How do you look for God's approval?

Pray that the Spirit open your eyes to activities that do not bring glory to God.

In Christ,

David P