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The Greek word used here for "thought" is "merimnao" and denotes "to be anxious or careful". In this passage, as well as the parallel passage in Luke 12:22-32, Jesus is commanding us not to worry or be anxious about our material needs being met. It would be impossible to have no thought whatsoever about our physical needs. Even Jesus thought about His need for money to pay taxes (Mt. 17:24-27). We are simply not to be preoccupied with thinking about riches or spending our time worrying about necessities. These things will be added unto us as we seek first the Kingdom of God.
The way we take or receive an anxious thought is by speaking it. Doubtful thoughts will come, but we do not sin until we entertain them. According to this verse,...
Jesus is speaking of spiritual vision. If we keep our attention (eye) single upon Jesus, the Word, then all that we will be filled with is the light of His Word (Jn. 1:1-14; Ps. 119:105). The key to victory is this singleness of purpose (Phil. 3:13). The strength of the laser lies in the fact that all of the light is concentrated on one single point. Likewise, the strength of the Christian lies in how single his or her vision is upon Jesus, "the author and finisher of our faith." (Heb. 12:1-3)
You may have God and riches, but you can only serve one of them. In Matthew 6:24, the Lord amplifies this by saying that we cannot serve two masters. Why is this so? Because we do not have...
TEACH THE WORD
If isolated from the rest of God's Word, there are some scriptures that could be interpreted to mean that having money or wealth is wrong. However there are other scriptures that speak of riches as a blessing. The harmony between these two apparently opposite positions is that money is neither good nor bad. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil, and many have committed the sin of loving money who don't even have a dime (1 Tim. 6:10)! The love of things (covetousness) is idolatry, and this is what Jesus is addressing.
Because it is so easy to lust after money and the things it can provide, the Lord established a system whereby prosperity is a by-product of putting God first. As Matthew 6:33 states, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these...
It was a Jewish custom to anoint one's self with olive oil and in Jesus' day it was apparently customary to anoint the heads of your guests, also (Lk. 7:46). At times ointment or perfumes were used in this personal anointing. A lack of having one's head anointed was associated with mourning or sorrow.
Jesus is saying that there should be no external sign of fasting or sorrow, but it should be done secretly to the Lord to receive a full reward. Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 7:5, that abstinence from the physical relationship in marriage for the purpose of fasting should not be done without the consent of one's spouse. A fast does not always have to be totally...
