Sevens From Matthew Six On Prayer And Doing Alms

Sevens From Matthew Six On Prayer And Doing Alms:

1) There are seven references to being seen of men or being seeing by God: 

A. Matthew 6:1 Take 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.

B. Matthew 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

C. Matthew 6:5 And 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.

D. Matthew 6:6 But 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.

E. Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

F & G. Matthew 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 

2) There are seven references to those giving alms, praying, and fasting receiving their reward:

A. Matthew 6:1 Take 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.

B. Matthew 6:2 Therefore 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.

C. Matthew 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

D. Matthew 6:5 And 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.

E. Matthew 6:6 But 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.

F. Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

G. Matthew 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 

3) Seven times this chapter refers to “when” we do alms, “when” we pray, “when” we fast:

A. Matthew 6:2 Therefore 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.

Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Matthew 6:5 And 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.

Matthew 6:6 But 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.

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Matthew 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 

I find it interesting that though the New Testament does not dictate how often we are to give alms to others, to pray or to fast, it is assumed that the believer in the church age will do so. Another thing worth noting is in these seven commands, we see singular (thou - always referring to one person) and corporate prayer (ye - always plural, referring to a group of believers gathered together) mentioned, and singular and corporate fasting mentioned. There are times we are to go to the Lord alone with our prayers, and other times we are to seek His face as a church or a group of believers fellowshipping together. The same goes with fasting. I have heard people say that a Christian is not to pray publicly or in a group (like in a church or a Bible study), but these verses teach otherwise.

Matthew 18:18-20 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

4) Seven aspects of the Lord’s prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, 

1) Hallowed be thy name. 

2) Thy kingdom come. 

3) Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 

4) Give us this day our daily bread. 

5) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

6) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: 

7) For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Jerry Bouey

Running sevens count: 260