NT Fire Starters – Day 8: Matthew 6:19-7:6

READ: Matthew 6:19-7:6

THINK: Consider how you spend the majority of your time and effort. Then think of your greatest dreams and aspirations. Are you focused more on temporary things or eternal things? Do you sometimes find yourself worrying about things God promised to take care of in 6:25-32? What kind of images and influences are you allowing into your life by what you look at and watch? Are God priorities and desires the driving and defining factors in your life?

RESPOND: What does it mean to store up treasures in heaven (6:19-20), and what does that have to do with the spiritual condition of your heart (v. 21)? What does it mean that ‘the eye is the lamp of the body” (v. 22, see note)? How are the things you look at and watch affecting your thoughts, attitudes, actions and relationship with Jesus? In what ways might a person ‘serve” money (v. 24), and what negative impact does that have on life? (See 6:24 note.) Why does God tell us not to worry about the provisions we need in life? (See 6:25 and 6:30 notes.) What does it mean to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness? (See 6:33 note.) Why is it easier to find faults in others than to recognize your own shortcomings? In what ways is it appropriate for Christians to make judgments? In what ways it is not appropriate? (See 7:1 note.) Why is it ineffective for Christians to try to change people’s ungodly behaviors by ‘attacking” those behaviors? How should we approach people if we truly want to inspire change?

PRAY: Ask God to help you stay focused on lasting and eternal priorities. Ask Him to help you be patient and gracious toward others. Allow the Holy Spirit to expose areas in your own life which you need to change or improve. Express thanks to God for His continual care and provision in your life.

ACT: Make a conscious effort to avoid watching or looking at anything that would not please God and uplift you spiritually. Set aside some money that you would have used for something else today and give it to a missions effort through your church. Consciously avoid being critical of anyone today. Instead, hand out as many genuine compliments as you can to encourage others.