Matt 6:16-18 Moreover when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But to you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; that you appear not to men to fast, but to your Father which is in secret: and your Father, which sees in secret, will reward you openly.
It’s a matter of the heart. Some fast to show others how holy / pious they are.
Receive glory from G-d, not man.
Fasting is associated with sadness Matthew 9:14-15, prayer Matthew 17:21, charity Isaiah 58:3-6, and seeking the L-rd’s will Acts 13:2-3 and14:23.
Matt 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures upon earth (material things), where moth and rust corrupts, and where thieves break through and steal: But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through or steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
If all you care about is this life, or the riches in this world, your actions will show it. Where is your heart? Is it in the things of this world? Where are most of your riches? Here or waiting for you above? Do we live out our lives in this world and it’s pleasures or are we living our lives for spiritual things and blessings in the other world? We cannot serve this world and what it values as great (such as fame, power, greed or glory of men and self) and serve G-d at the same time. Serving G-d in this world sometimes comes with a price. What we do now for G-d usually is not rewarded until later, after we leave this world. The blessings we receive later are more fulfilling and eternal. Yeshua is our example. He gave up the glory of heaven to suffer humiliation and sorrow before He would be glorified.
How much have you suffered for Yeshua? How much have you suffered for bringing others to the Messiah and expanding the Kingdom?
When I look at others in this world that have suffered for His name just to serve Him and to further His plan, it makes me ashamed in some respects on how little I have suffered. We are so blessed in this country. We are lucky enough to be in a country where we are not yet persecuted like some believers are in other countries. Family or friends may shun us because of our beliefs in Yeshua; some of our brothers and sisters in Yeshua are chained and beaten; some are poor and hungry. They could renounce His name and be free of their bonds or be given great rewards in this life for their rejection of Him, but they would rather serve Yeshua then be part of this world. Great will be their reward in the other world.
Matt 6:22-23 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye be single (clear), your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
If you are stingy with your money your eye will be between earth and heaven. Looking to the things of the world (material) instead of heaven (spiritual)
An evil eye
Proverbs 23:6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
Proverbs 23:6 Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies;
Matt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve G-d and mammon (money).
We cannot walk the fence. If one is overly concerned with material things then spiritual things get put aside.
Matthew goes on:
Matt 6:25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
These things are not to be a burden to us to the extent that they come in the way of serving G-d.
The patriarch, Jacob, trusted that G-d would provide for him.
Genesis 28:20-21 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, since G-d will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then will the L-RD be my G-d:
Matt 6:26-28 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?
Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by G-d. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
G-d knows our needs. He knows each of us so well that he keeps track of how many hairs we have on our heads! :~)
He provides for the birds, and He will provide for us too. He has promised to meet our needs. He may not give us all we want but He will give us all we need.
Philippians 4:19 But my G-d shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Mashiach Yeshua (Christ Jesus).
Matt 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?
One cubit - about 18 inches - about 46 centimeters.
You can’t even change your height.
Matt 6:28-30 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not labor, neither do they spin: And yet I say to you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now, if G-d so clothes the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
If G-d spends so much time on making the flowers beautiful, do you really think that He will leave you naked?
Matt 6:31- 32 Do not be anxious then, saying, what will we eat? or, what will we drink? or, with what will we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Pagans seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
Relax - G-d is watching over you. Your situation may seem desperate but G-d has given us His word that He will provide for His own.
Matt 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of G-d (Heaven), and “HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS”; and all these things will be added to you.
Side note: How do we truly follow HaShem and get to the kingdom of heaven by “HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS?
You either come Him on His terms- by grace and mercy- through faith or you will be following the pride of man and not glorifying His name. Only by His name and the work of our Messiah and High Priest can we be saved from a separation from HaShem. If you deny His name, (YESHUA) He will deny you before the Father. (Matt. 10:33)
We are bought with a price. He paid that price. Anything less is a slap in the face of His glory. Our lives are no longer our own. We are called out to serve Yeshua. If we serve Yeshua we are serving the future King of Israel and also we are also serving the Father. We also become concerned with our spiritual walk out of love for Him and follow with gladness. (Not for eternal life for that is something that has already been faithfully promised.)
Gal 2:20-21I am crucified with Messiah (Christ): nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah (Christ) lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of G-d, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of G-d: for if righteousness came by the law, then Messiah (Christ) is dead in vain.
Therefore Yeshua gets the glory when it comes to our eternal standing before the Father.
1 Timothy 1:16-17 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise G-d, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
If you follow after the world, pride and it’s lust. You are serving another god - The god of this world - the adversary - HaSatan.
Acts 4:11-12 "He is the stone which was rejected by you, (as a nation) the builders, but which became the very corner stone. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
Matt 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Accept Yeshua and His righteousness and ALL these things will be added to you.
Matt 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.