Bible Reading:
Matthew 6:1-15
1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Devotional:
Through the years probably the most repeated prayer in the Christian Church has been the one the Saviour taught His disciples to pray, the Pater Noster, the 'Our Father.'
How many who glibly repeat this prayer have taken note of the way in which Jesus uses the possessive adjective our? Look back to verse 6 and see where He tells the believer to pray to 'thy Father.' Then in verse 8 He speaks to them concerning 'your Father.' As He presents the sample or model prayer in verse 9 he bids them pray, 'Our Father.' Do you see that He is nowhere classifying Himself with them as being children of God together in the same sense. He is being scrupulous about this!
More striking still is the scene in the garden outside the empty tomb. He tells Mary not to touch Him. He says, 'I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God, and your God* (John 20:17). Within the Trinity there is God the Father and there is Jesus Christ, the Son. Scripture tells us that Jesus is the only-begotten Son of the Father. At the same time, as one of the persons of the Trinity, Jesus is Himself God! In that mysterious unity and diversity Christ assures us of His eternal Sonship and at the same time of His voluntary submission to the eternal Father.
We cannot be allowed to regard our Father and our God in the same way that Jesus does! We who are sinful creatures can call God 'our Father' only by His grace. We have become His children by adoption, through His act of love in giving His only-begotten Son to die on our behalf.
When the world would vainly attempt to humanize God the Son, Christians must be very careful to maintain the distinction He has drawn. Jesus did not pray the Lord's prayer, but by His life and death He made it possible for us to pray it! Our Father! Pater Noster!
We are happy to have obtained permission to post as our current daily devotional Heirs Together of Life: Daily Bible Reading for Husbands and Wives, published by The Banner of Truth Trust. Don't be misled by the subtitle. As the book's "Preface" indicates (see below), although Heirs Together of Life is "especially prepared for couples,"the authors declare, "Since the basis for this guide is God's Word, we believe it would have value for any reader."
Charles and Norma Ellis are husband and wife and the authors not only of Heirs Together of Life (which was first published in 1980 and continues in print today), but also of Wells of Salvation (first published in 1985, and likewise still in print today). The latter contains a series of short studies covering the entire book of Isaiah, while the former contains a series of almost 200 short studies covering the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Both books by the Ellises can be ordered from the publisher, The Banner of Truth Trust. We trust that these daily Bible readings, posted daily on our site, will be helpful to you in your Christian walk before God. Whether married or not, all of us are members of families and members of the family of God.
Charles Ellis was educated at Wheaton College and Westminster Theological Seminary. Upon graduation from Westminster (where he earned not only a Th.B. but also a Th.M.), he was ordained to the ministry in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and pastored a number of OPC churches, including Immanuel OPC in West Collingswood, New Jersey; First OPC in Cincinnati, Ohio; Covenant OPC in East Orange, New Jersey; Knox OPC in Silver Spring, Maryland; and Lakeview OPC in Rockport, Maine. Less biographical information is available about his wife, but it is known that they served as parents of seven children. After retiring from the ministry, Charles Ellis went to be with the Lord in 2003, but he and his wife left us with a beautiful legacy in the two books they have given to the world, and we are proud to share the daily Bible readings from Heirs Together of Life here with you.
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