Episodes

Friday, 10 January 2025 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:18 “That not you may appear to men fasting, but to your Father, the ‘in the secret,’ and your Father, the ‘seeing in the secret,’ He will reward you in the manifest” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus noted that when one fasts, he should anoint his head and wash his face. This is so “that not you may appear ...

Thursday, 9 January 2025 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, Matthew 6:17 “And you, fasting, you anoint your head, and your face - you wash” (CG). Jesus just stated words concerning how the hypocrites fast, noting that in their hypocrisy, they have received their reward. Now, instructing His disciples on how fasting should be conducted, He says, “And you, fasting, you anoint.” The word aleipho, to anoint, is introduced. Of it, HELPS Word Studies says, “Anointing ... ...

Wednesday, 8 January 2025 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Matthew 6:16 “And when you may fast, you be not just as the hypocrites, sullen-faces. For they mask their appearance that they may appear fasting to men. Amen! I say to you they obtain their reward” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus spoke about forgiving others. Nex...

Tuesday, 7 January 2025 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:15 “And if not you may forgive men their transgressions, neither – your Father – He will forgive your transgressions” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus said, “For if you may forgive men their transgressions, also your Father, the Heavenly, He will forgive you.” He now continues His words, telling what happens if the opposite is true. This begins with, “And if no...

Monday, 6 January 2025 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14 “For if you may forgive men their transgressions, also your Father, the Heavenly, He will forgive you” (CG). The previous verse completed the words of the Lord’s prayer. With that now finished, He makes a statement that must be based on one of the thoughts in the Lord’s prayer. He begins with, “For if you may forgive men their transgressions.” Because these words begin wi...

Sunday, 5 January 2025 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:13 “And not may You lead us into temptation, but rescue us from the evil. For Yours, it is, the kingdom, and the power, and the glory to the ages. Amen” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the forgiving of debts. Now, He finishes up the prayer, beginning with, “And not may You lead us into temptation.” The word he...

Saturday, 4 January 2025 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12 “And You forgive us our debts as also we, we forgive our debtors” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus included the thought of receiving one’s necessary bread as a part of the Lord’s Prayer. He now continues with, “And You forgive us our debts.” The word translated as debt is opheiléma. It is found only here and in Romans 4:4, where Paul notes that the wages of those who work are like a debt that is owe...

Friday, 3 January 2025 Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11 “Our necessary bread, You give us today” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus referred to the coming of the kingdom and doing God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. With such petitions set forth for the glory of God, He now turns to one’s earthly need, saying, “Our necessary bread.” This Greek word is found only in the Lord’s Prayer, epiousios. It is cited in both examples of the prayer in Matthew and Luke. It is a word fou...

Thursday, 2 January 2025 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom – it come. Your will – it be done as in heaven, even upon the earth” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus began His words concerning the manner of prayer that is appropriate. He continues that example with “Your kingdom – it come.” There are various views on what Jesus is referring to here. Several are 1) The spiritual kingdom of God ruling over all people, 2) the literal mil...

Wednesday, 1 January 2025 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Matthew 6:9 “Therefore, thus you – you pray: ‘Our Father, the ‘in the heavens,’ it be hallowed – Your name” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus said that the Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Therefore, rather than focusing on the needs, focusing on other things is appropriate. When these are the main words of one’s prayer, it demonstrates proper priorities exist. And so, Jes...

Tuesday, 31 December 2024 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8 “Therefore not you resemble them, for your Father, He has known, what you have need before you ask of Him” (CG). The previous verse gave Jesus’ words concerning using stammer-speak in one’s prayers. Now, to continue that thought, he says, “Therefore not you resemble them.” The words are a logical continuation of what Jesus just said. The ethnicities call...

Monday, 30 December 2024 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7 “And praying, not you shall stammerer-speak just as the ethnicities. For they think that in their verbosity they will be heard” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus spoke about the appropriate way to pray, meaning by doing it in secret. Now, He provides another example of how not to pray, beginning with, “And praying, not you shall s...

Sunday, 29 December 2024 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6 “And you, when you may pray, you enter into your chamber, and having closed your door, you pray to your Father, the ‘in the secret.’ And your Father, the ‘seeing in the secret,’ He will reward you in the revealed” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus gave directions to His disc...

Saturday, 28 December 2024 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Matthew 6:5 “And when you may pray, not you will be just as the hypocrites, for they love to pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the plazas – having stood – that they may be seen of men. Amen! I say to you, they obtain their reward” (CG). I...

Friday, 27 December 2024 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Matthew 6:4 “that your compassionateness – it may be in secret. And your Father, the ‘seeing in the secret,’ He will reward you in the revealed” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that when they were doing charitable deeds that they were not to let their left know what the right was doing. He now explains why, beginning with, “that your com...

Thursday, 26 December 2024 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, Matthew 6:3 “And you doing compassionateness, not it know your left what it does your right” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples to not trumpet their charitable deeds before others like the hypocrites do. In doing so, there will be no reward from the Father. Now, He continues that thought, saying, “And you doing compassionateness.” Jesus acknowledges t...

Wednesday, 25 December 2024 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Matthew 6:2 “Therefore, when you do compassionateness, you trumpet not before you just as the hypocrites – they do – in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Amen! I say to you, they obtained their reward” (CG). The pr...

Tuesday, 24 December 2024 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Matthew 6:1 “You beware of your compassionateness, not to do before men to be seen by them. And if otherwise, no reward you have from your Father, the ‘in the heavens’” (CG). The previous verse concluded Matthew 5. Matthew 6 begins with Jesus’ continued discourse to His disciples. He now says, “You beware of your compassionatene...

Monday, 23 December 2024 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48 “Therefore, you, you shall be complete, just like your Father – the ‘in the heavens’ – He is complete” (CG). The previous verse conveyed Jesus’ words concerning greeting others. Even the tax collectors greet their brethren. So what reward is there in doing such a thing? The reward comes in greeting those you are not friendly with or maybe even those with whom you have a sense of enm...

Sunday, 22 December 2024 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Matthew 5:47 “And if you embrace only your brothers, what extra do you do? And do not the taxmen, the ‘himself’ they do?” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus noted the pointless nature of expecting rewards when you love those who love you, noting that even tax collectors do that. Now, He continues that thought, saying, “And if you embrace only your brothers.” He...

Saturday, 21 December 2024 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? Matthew 5:46 “For if you love those loving you, what recompense do you have? And do not also the taxmen, the ‘himself’ they do?” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the gracious nature of the Father, having the sun rise on the evil and the good and sending rain upon the just and unjust. Now, to demonstrate why emulating Him is important, He says, “For if you...

Friday, 20 December 2024 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 “that you may be sons of your Father – the ‘in heavens.’ For He rises His sun upon evil and good, and He rains upon the righteous and unrighteous” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus continued His words concerning the standard He set forth to truly emulate our heavenly Father, such as loving one’s enemies, pray...

Thursday, 19 December 2024 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, Matthew 5:44 “And I, I say to you, you love your enemies, bless those cursing you, you do good to those hating you, and you pray for the ‘insulting you’ and ‘pursuing you’” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus cited precepts from the law that said, “You shall love your neighbor, and you shall hate your enemy.” As i...

Wednesday, 18 December 2024 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ Matthew 5:43 “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall hate your enemy.’” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of giving to all who ask of you and to not turn away those wanting to borrow. Now, He says, “You heard that it was said.” Jesus will again cite precepts from the law of Moses. The first clause is very close to a direct quote from the l...