1 00:00:10,230 --> 00:00:14,570 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, a Calming 2 00:00:14,650 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: Scripture Center devotional podcast designed to help you end each 3 00:00:18,860 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: day with God's Word in your mind and on your heart. 4 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,220 Speaker 1: Right after this short word from our sponsors, we'll reflect 5 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:42,229 Speaker 1: on tonight's scripture and Matthew chapter 6. Tonight's scripture reflection 6 00:00:42,290 --> 00:00:45,810 Speaker 1: is written by Shea Smith and read by Carrie Eichberger. 7 00:00:46,970 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: Matthew chapter 6. Be careful not to practice your righteousness 8 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,620 Speaker 1: in front of others to be seen by them. If 9 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: you do, you will have no reward from your Father 10 00:00:59,340 --> 00:01:02,690 Speaker 1: in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do 11 00:01:02,730 --> 00:01:05,450 Speaker 1: not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in 12 00:01:05,490 --> 00:01:07,910 Speaker 1: the synagogues and on the streets to be honored by others. 13 00:01:08,750 --> 00:01:12,030 Speaker 1: Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 14 00:01:12,750 --> 00:01:15,009 Speaker 1: But when you give to the needy, do not let 15 00:01:15,050 --> 00:01:17,270 Speaker 1: your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 16 00:01:17,830 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, 17 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,220 Speaker 1: who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 18 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, 19 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,619 Speaker 1: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and 20 00:01:30,660 --> 00:01:33,700 Speaker 1: on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly 21 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 22 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,940 Speaker 1: But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, 23 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,230 Speaker 1: and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, 24 00:01:45,610 --> 00:01:48,390 Speaker 1: who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 25 00:01:49,350 --> 00:01:52,510 Speaker 1: And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, 26 00:01:52,930 --> 00:01:54,730 Speaker 1: for they think they will be heard because of their 27 00:01:54,750 --> 00:01:58,380 Speaker 1: many words. Do not be like them, for your Father 28 00:01:58,460 --> 00:02:02,380 Speaker 1: knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, 29 00:02:02,820 --> 00:02:07,300 Speaker 1: is how you should pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed 30 00:02:07,340 --> 00:02:11,500 Speaker 1: be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, 31 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 1: on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today 32 00:02:16,020 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we 33 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, 34 00:02:24,340 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 1: but deliver us from the evil one. For if you 35 00:02:27,860 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly 36 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,540 Speaker 1: Father will also forgive you. But if you do not 37 00:02:34,620 --> 00:02:38,170 Speaker 1: forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 38 00:02:39,070 --> 00:02:42,109 Speaker 1: When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, 39 00:02:42,810 --> 00:02:45,730 Speaker 1: for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. 40 00:02:46,610 --> 00:02:49,870 Speaker 1: Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 41 00:02:50,690 --> 00:02:53,250 Speaker 1: But when you fast, put oil on your head and 42 00:02:53,290 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: wash your face. so that it will not be obvious 43 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: to others that you are fasting, but only to your 44 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: Father who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what 45 00:03:02,940 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: is done in secret, will reward you. Do not store 46 00:03:06,740 --> 00:03:10,650 Speaker 1: up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, 47 00:03:10,669 --> 00:03:14,150 Speaker 1: and where thieves break in and steal. But store up 48 00:03:14,190 --> 00:03:17,889 Speaker 1: for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do 49 00:03:17,970 --> 00:03:21,510 Speaker 1: not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 50 00:03:22,190 --> 00:03:25,870 Speaker 1: For where your treasure is, There your heart will be also. 51 00:03:26,790 --> 00:03:29,470 Speaker 1: The eye is a lamp of the body. If your 52 00:03:29,650 --> 00:03:32,670 Speaker 1: eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 53 00:03:33,389 --> 00:03:36,350 Speaker 1: But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will 54 00:03:36,370 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: be full of darkness. If then the light within you 55 00:03:39,420 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: is darkness, how great is that darkness. No one can 56 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and 57 00:03:47,580 --> 00:03:50,100 Speaker 1: love the other, or you will be devoted to the 58 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,210 Speaker 1: one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God 59 00:03:54,330 --> 00:03:58,130 Speaker 1: and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about 60 00:03:58,170 --> 00:04:01,330 Speaker 1: your life, what you will eat or drink, or about 61 00:04:01,370 --> 00:04:04,820 Speaker 1: your body, what you will wear. Is not life more 62 00:04:04,860 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at 63 00:04:08,420 --> 00:04:11,100 Speaker 1: the birds of the air. They do not sow or 64 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly 65 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,969 Speaker 1: Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 66 00:04:18,630 --> 00:04:21,229 Speaker 1: Can any one of you by worrying add a single 67 00:04:21,270 --> 00:04:24,470 Speaker 1: hour to your life And why do you worry about clothes? 68 00:04:25,310 --> 00:04:27,940 Speaker 1: See how the flowers of the field grow. They do 69 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not 70 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one 71 00:04:34,380 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 1: of these. If that is how God clothes the grass 72 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,810 Speaker 1: of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is 73 00:04:40,830 --> 00:04:44,310 Speaker 1: thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, 74 00:04:44,870 --> 00:04:49,090 Speaker 1: you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, What 75 00:04:49,130 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: shall we eat or what shall we drink? Or what 76 00:04:52,260 --> 00:04:55,580 Speaker 1: shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, 77 00:04:56,060 --> 00:04:59,609 Speaker 1: and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But 78 00:04:59,730 --> 00:05:03,570 Speaker 1: seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these 79 00:05:03,670 --> 00:05:07,670 Speaker 1: things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do 80 00:05:07,730 --> 00:05:11,190 Speaker 1: not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. 81 00:05:12,110 --> 00:05:19,300 Speaker 1: Each day has enough trouble of its own. This is 82 00:05:19,380 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: one of those chapters in the Bible that stops me 83 00:05:22,100 --> 00:05:26,099 Speaker 1: in my tracks. Currently, I am walking through a season 84 00:05:26,460 --> 00:05:30,690 Speaker 1: where hope feels extremely fragile. And each day, I am 85 00:05:30,730 --> 00:05:35,409 Speaker 1: left questioning, what if? I have zero control of the outcome. 86 00:05:36,110 --> 00:05:39,790 Speaker 1: And if I am completely honest, fear, anxiety, and worry 87 00:05:40,290 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: pulse through my body. This is not the way of 88 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: peace and not the way Jesus intends for his believers 89 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,780 Speaker 1: to live. What parts of your life are you worried about? 90 00:05:51,690 --> 00:05:54,110 Speaker 1: Is food or body image a god in your life? 91 00:05:54,810 --> 00:05:57,770 Speaker 1: Do clothes or a new home, new car, or new 92 00:05:57,830 --> 00:06:02,350 Speaker 1: trend have a grip on your attention? We want assurance. 93 00:06:02,950 --> 00:06:05,570 Speaker 1: We want to know our needs will be met and 94 00:06:05,610 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: our hopes fulfilled. Matthew 6 verse 26 declares, Look at 95 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: the birds of the air. They do not sow or 96 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,940 Speaker 1: reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly 97 00:06:16,980 --> 00:06:21,020 Speaker 1: Father feeds them. are you not much more valuable than they? 98 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: Isn't it true? A bird chirps, gathers, flies, builds, and 99 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: yet doesn't wonder if their needs will be met. Sometimes 100 00:06:30,860 --> 00:06:33,540 Speaker 1: worry feels like we are doing something in a situation 101 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,140 Speaker 1: or we feel helpless. Doesn't choosing joy feel better to 102 00:06:38,180 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: carry than worry and fear? I'm preaching to myself, friends. 103 00:06:42,860 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 1: So how do we choose joy and peace in our 104 00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:50,670 Speaker 1: lives tonight? First, We obey Jesus. We pray and posture 105 00:06:50,750 --> 00:06:54,380 Speaker 1: our hearts to him and declare, God, I want what 106 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: is best for you. I trust you with my life 107 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: and the things I am carrying and believe you will 108 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: work all things together for the good of those who 109 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: love you. Second, we lean into verse 34. Jesus acknowledges 110 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: that today has trouble. Can we surrender the day to him? 111 00:07:15,020 --> 00:07:17,970 Speaker 1: What you are carrying is hard. but you aren't asked 112 00:07:17,990 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: to carry it alone. Let's pray. Father, you are good, 113 00:07:26,660 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: and you know the stress, tension, and worries of my heart. 114 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,260 Speaker 1: You care. Walk with me and lighten the load. I 115 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,780 Speaker 1: surrender to you tonight. Finally, we remember there is a 116 00:07:38,900 --> 00:07:42,540 Speaker 1: real enemy of our souls who wants to kill, steal, 117 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:47,950 Speaker 1: and destroy our peace. Not tonight, devil. Christ came to 118 00:07:47,990 --> 00:07:51,610 Speaker 1: give abundant life. We must remember to be on guard 119 00:07:51,650 --> 00:07:55,710 Speaker 1: of the enemy's tactics and realize the spiritual warfare we 120 00:07:55,750 --> 00:08:00,770 Speaker 1: are facing each day. Remember, your Father in Heaven loves 121 00:08:00,810 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: you dearly and wants you to experience true freedom and peace. 122 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,090 Speaker 1: He will absolutely provide what you need when you need it. 123 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: You will be taken care of and His good plans 124 00:08:12,860 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: for your life will prevail. Breathe easy tonight, for He 125 00:08:18,180 --> 00:08:23,100 Speaker 1: is in control. Father, the fear, the worry, and the 126 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:27,470 Speaker 1: anxiety are frying my nervous system. This isn't how you 127 00:08:27,530 --> 00:08:31,670 Speaker 1: want me to live. You want me to walk in freedom, peace, 128 00:08:32,170 --> 00:08:35,130 Speaker 1: and abundant life. That is hard to do when I 129 00:08:35,210 --> 00:08:39,100 Speaker 1: feel so intertwined in anxiety. I pray you would break 130 00:08:39,140 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: the bondage of fear that my heart, mind, and body 131 00:08:42,380 --> 00:08:46,270 Speaker 1: have silently agreed to. I pray for healing in my 132 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: heart and I surrender the outcome to you. I invite 133 00:08:50,100 --> 00:08:52,940 Speaker 1: your Holy Spirit to work this part of my story 134 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,900 Speaker 1: for your good and seek your kingdom and your will 135 00:08:55,940 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: in my life. I am a living sacrifice and all 136 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,460 Speaker 1: I have, all I love, and all that I desire 137 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,980 Speaker 1: to do belongs to you and your lordship in my life. 138 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: Be near and walk with me. When fear starts to 139 00:09:11,420 --> 00:09:14,570 Speaker 1: creep in, nudge my heart. to release it in the 140 00:09:14,630 --> 00:09:19,890 Speaker 1: name of Jesus. Amen. How did tonight's scripture speak to you? 141 00:09:20,490 --> 00:09:23,460 Speaker 1: Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. 142 00:09:32,179 --> 00:09:36,770 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 143 00:09:37,190 --> 00:09:42,010 Speaker 2: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All 144 00:09:42,090 --> 00:09:47,940 Speaker 2: rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, Your 145 00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. By following Your 146 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,670 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse and Your Nightly Scripture, you can be 147 00:09:57,770 --> 00:10:01,900 Speaker 2: sure that your day begins and ends ends centered on 148 00:10:01,940 --> 00:10:02,699 Speaker 2: the Word of God.