Matthew 6:1-18

“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.” v. 1 (NLT)

Let’s be honest, we all want recognition for doing things well.  We wan to know that we met a standard or surpassed it.  In this passage today, Jesus addresses 3 things that we should do (giving, prayer, and fasting), not for the applause of people, but to please God.  When we get these out of place we no longer do them to please God, but to have people look at us and applaud.  Jesus isn’t saying that at times people won’t hear us pray, or find out that we fasted or gave, He is simply saying that it should happen in our secret place with God first.

When we have that special time alone with God “our secret place” He begins to transform us from the inside out.  He begins to change the way we pray, give, and fast.  We begin to pray as the Lord leads, we give as the Lord leads, and we fast not for others to know, but that God would see that we have a burden and desire for change to happen.  We do it, out of our Love for the Father.  This is what is pleasing to Him.

Let’s learn from Jesus Words and find a secret place to meet with God!