In Matthew 6, Jesus shifts from inner devotion to outward living. He has just warned against practicing righteousness to gain human recognition in giving, prayer, and fasting. Now He addresses a broader danger: the pull of materialism. At its heart, His message is simple—we cannot live for two audiences. We cannot serve both God and man. When we seek applause,…

As we head into the new year and people are thinking about resolutions, we thought it would be appropriate to share a chapter from Ken Boa’s book, Recalibrate Your Life. If you are interested in learning more about recalibrating with practical exercises to help you, the book is available from our bookstore. From the whole team at Reflections Ministries, we…

As we move deeper into the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turns to the subject of fasting. He places it alongside giving and praying as one of the core practices of authentic faith. Each discipline reflects a part of our lives: giving relates to others, prayer to God, and fasting to ourselves. Fasting, in particular, humbles our appetites and reminds…

In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us how to live an authentic spiritual life. He warns against practicing faith to impress others. Even good things like giving, praying, and fasting can become empty if our motives are wrong. Jesus points out that true spiritual life comes not from outward appearances but from inward devotion. He then gives us a model prayer,…

As we move from Matthew 5 to Matthew 6, Jesus transitions from a focus on inner righteousness to outward expressions of devotion. He speaks about giving, prayer, and fasting—central spiritual practices—but warns us that even good practices can be corrupted by self-centered motives. If we give, pray, or fast to gain approval, we have already received our reward in full,…

A young man with a bandaged hand once walked into a post office and asked the clerk for help. “Would you mind writing a note on this postcard for me?” he said. The clerk gladly agreed and even offered to write the message for him. After finishing, the clerk asked, “Is there anything else I can help you with?” The…

The Sermon on the Mount (18): Praying in Secret In Matthew 6, Jesus continues His teaching on righteousness—not merely as outward behavior, but as the overflow of a transformed heart. Previously, we looked at almsgiving; now we turn to prayer, and next, to fasting. These disciplines—giving, praying, and fasting—are practical expressions of an inner life oriented toward God. Though they…

The Sermon on the Mount (17): Practicing Your Righteousness in Secret In Matthew 6:1–4, Jesus turns His attention from the inner life of righteousness to its outward expression. After teaching us in chapter 5 that true righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees—a righteousness rooted in the heart, not merely in behavior—He now speaks to how we live out…