INSIGHTS & NOTES FROM
CHAPTER 6
"VER. 1. Alms before men." "We are to avoid the desire of human applause." "We must aim at the advancement of the honour of God." "Ver. 2. Their reward. - Having one's reward" "The gospel... it charges man to use himself in this life that he may gain the higher. (Beecher.)" "Ver. 5. And when thou prayest." "Four things provoke us to pray. 1. God's commandment. 2. Sin in us. 3. Our weak nature. 4. Subtilty of the enemy." "It implies that you go to the closet for the purpose of prayer, you are to separate yourself from all outer things." "Ver. 6. Enter into thy closet. - Private prayer" "...the farther & deeper the roots spread beneath, the more the tree expands above. Christians! if you wish to prosper, if you long to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, strike your roots wide in private prayer. (Salter.)" "Vers. 7, 8. But when ye pray. - Prayer forbidden" "1. Vain repetitions. 2. Much speaking. 3. Undue length." "Ver. 9. Our Father which art in heaven." "The Creator who made you out of nothing can keep & preserve life when you have nothing. How WILL GOD PERFORM THE PARTS OF A FATHER? 1. In allowing us full leave to come to Him in all our necessities. 2. In supplying all our wants (Isaiah 49:16). 3. In pitying our miseries." "This is to be our model prayer: 1. Simplicity. 2. Brevity." "Hallowed be Thy name." "The name of God denotes His titles, perfections, etc. To hallow His name denotes - A reverential acknowledgment of God;" "...sanctification of Him in thought, word, & action; the diffusion of His name through the world; removal of the causes which prevent His name from being hallowed." "God is jealous of the glory of His name" "A full knowledge of God is necessary in order to hallow His name. To avoid superstition. Terror is not reverence." "We should consecrate His name - 1. On our lips. 2. In our lives. 3. In our hearts. (E. H. Chaplin.)" "Ver. 10. Thy kingdom come. - The coming of Christ's kingdom: - 1. Greater than all the kingdoms of the world is the kingdom of God." "The Messianic kingdom: - I. WHO is the King? 1. Christ as Son of man. 2. As the Son of David. 3. By virtue of His sufferings & death." "Thy will be done in earth. - Doing God's will" "...the secret will of God; the providential will of God; the revealed will of God - our sanctification." "We are here taught to pray that God's will may become the standard & rule of our actions. That God's will may become the regulator of our wishes & pleasures. That God's will may become ours, & not that it may destroy ours. That God's will may be ours, not fitfully & in part, but constantly & perfectly. (F. Edwards, B.A.)" "The BLESSINGS THAT FLOW from acquiescence with the will of God are innumerable. 1. It secures our happiness. 2. It secures our safety. 3. It secures our satisfaction. (Dr. O. Winslow.)" "We must try to look on things as God looks at them." "Ver. 11. Our daily bread." "...that God would give us to-day, or rather day by day; that is, that He would constantly dispense what is needful for us." "Bread means that which is needful to support the life of the body." "...prayer that we may have enough." "We do not ask for the bread belonging to others." "Each new day is a special gift from God, in which are contained all the possibilities of His grace." "Ver. 12. Forgive us our debts." "It is a prayer for the forgiving of our sins AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD." "God's forgiveness of us the rule & measure of our forgiveness of others. (1) God forgives immediately. (2) God forgives fully. (3) God forgives heartily. (4) God forgets as well as forgives. 'I will remember them no more for ever.' (Dr. O. Winslow.)" "Ver. 13. And lead us not into temptation. - GOD PERMITS US TO BE TEMPTED FOR HIS OWN GLORY..." "To HUMBLE US." "To CONFORM US TO CHRIST." "To MORTIFY SIN." "To MAKE US MORE MEEK TO OTHERS." "To give us EXPERIENCE OF THE CARE & PROVIDENCE OF GOD, & the comforts of His promises." "It implies a SENSE OF OUR OWN TEMPTABLENESS." "WHAT IS MEANT BY TEMPTATION? The primary idea is test, or trial for discovery." "We should specially guard weak places in our defence." "We should not bring others into temptation." "God never leads us into temptation to make us fall." "Men must not unnecessarily expose themselves to temptation" "Lead us not into temptation: - ...There is no evil in temptation unless complied with." "...IF WE BE LED INTO TEMPTATION, LET US BE KEPT FROM THE EVIL OF IT." "1. From the evil of sin. 2. From the evil of the world. 3. From evil men. 4. From the Evil One. (Dr. O. Winslow.)" "For Thine is the kingdom." "All excellencies which are in God, are eternally in God. (Thomas Manton, D.D.)" "WHAT IS HERE ASCRIBED TO GOD. The kingdom. The glory." "Praise is the language of the soul in communion with God." "Amen" "It is the seal of prayer. It is the voice of faith." "Ver. 14. If ye forgive men." "...however free the mercy of God is to man, A MERCIFUL DISPOSITION TOWARDS OUR FELLOW-CREATURES IS NECESSARY to its enjoyment." "Ver. 16. When ye fast." "What is the design of fasting? 1. To manifest & promote sorrow for sin. 2. Self-denial, & a means of mortification. 3. That it may help to prayer & other holy duties." "HOW THE HYPOCRITES FASTED. Partial, insincere, selfish, self-righteous, external, etc." "HOW THE TRUE PEOPLE OF GOD OBSERVE THIS DUTY. They are sincere & deeply affected with their own sins (Joel 2:12-17; Exodus 9:4; Daniel 9:3; James 4:9, 10). They intend the glory of God (Matthew 6:18), & the mortification of sin in themselves & others, & the reformation of the nation (Romans 13:14, 8:13; Galatians 5:16-24). They are humble, spiritual, consistent, practical (Joel 2:14; Isaiah 1:16, 55:6, 7; Matthew 3:7-10; Luke 3:7-9, 13:1-9; James 4:8; Isaiah 1:17, 58:7; Psalms 48:25; Luke 3:11). (J. Benson.)" "Ver. 19. Treasures upon earth." "Treasures in heaven" "The only true investment for an immortal being must be in eternity." "Every man has his time, talents, influence, & money, as working materials. If he use these that he is constantly considering their value for eternity, he is putting treasure in God's bank." "...Have a deposit on earth, if you must or can; but let your chief banking be in heaven. (H. W. Beecher.)" "Ver. 22. The light of the body is the eye. - Singleness of eye: - The man whose only object is to make good his eternity moves forward in an element of clearness, without the doubts which harass other men." "The 'eye' is 'single' not because it sees one thing, but because it looks in one direction." "It marks one ruling passion to which all others are pressed into subservience." "'One thing have I desired of the Lord.'" "'One thing is needful.'" "Undeviating attention to the object of our view." "WHAT IS HERE MEANT by singleness of eye? It is being wholly decided for Christ alone." "Ver. 24. Serve 2 masters." "God claims a whole service." "...God claims a heart-service." "You cannot sail under 2 flags." "Ver. 25. Take no thought." "Evils of anxious forethought" "Anxiety distorts the future. It brings men under the power of the imagination & phantoms" "If a man is constantly looking to the future in despondency, where is faith in his God? (Beecher.)" "Anxiety is useless because Jesus bids you get rid of it. Trust Him & let the spirit rest, & be strong & glad. (S. Martin.)" "Ver. 28. Consider the lilies." "Nature's text must be studied - 'consider.'" "God takes care of the lilies & the grass. They do not grow by chance." "Men are better than birds, & more useful." "Ver. 30. Much more clothe you." "It is absurd to suppose that a created object is independent of its Creator." "...God will certainly accomplish His ultimate end in creation." "Ver. 32. Your heavenly Father knoweth. The antidote to anxiety" "Ver. 33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. - The profitable pursuit" "What an enemy to our peace is a worldly spirit!" "Ver. 34. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. - Undue anxiety reproved" "...nothing can happen to any without God's general permission." "...nothing shall happen to His people without God's special direction." "Anxiety depresses." "It has a saddening influence upon others. (T. Jackson, B. A.)" "Do not add vexation to your life by forecasting & designing uncertainties." "Leave events to God's infinite, all-wise disposal." "The more we are conscious of our own ignorance & powerlessness, the more utterly can we leave the future in God's hands. (E. L. Hull, B. A.) The future does not belong to fear: - The past belongs to gratitude & regret; the present to contentment & work; the future to hope & trust. (Beecher.)" The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 82 - 117.
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AuthorCross Preaching Pentecostal Pastor. Husband to Tonia, Father to 3 beautiful girls, Monica, Zoe & Briana, & Grandfather to Wesley & Elliott Archives
September 2023
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