“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow...” Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.

Matthew 6:23

Note on Matthew 6:23

Matthew 6:22 speaks of being single in our vision. Here, Jesus contrasted that singleness of purpose and vision with what He calls an evil eye. Therefore, we conclude that an evil eye is anything that is not single upon the Lord, or as Proverbs 28:22 says, “He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.” We should seek first the kingdom of God, and all the things we need will be added unto us (Matthew 6:33).

Life For Today Study Bible Notes

Note 40 at Matthew 6:23: Jesus was contrasting an evil eye with the single eye just mentioned (Matthew 6:22). An evil eye is simply when we allow our thoughts to be anything less than single upon Jesus (James 1:8).
Note 41 at Matthew 6:23: As light is symbolic of God and His kingdom (Isaiah 9:2; John 1:4-9, 8:12; and 1 John 1:5), so darkness symbolizes Satan and his kingdom (John 1:5, 3:19; Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 John 1:6, and 2:11). Not having our minds stayed on Jesus gives Satan an inroad into our lives (Romans 8:6). If we are setting our affections on things of this earth (Colossians 3:1-4), then Satan and the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11) will dominate us.

Matthew 6:24

Note on Matthew 6:24

The Message translates this verse as “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.”
The passages in Luke where the word “mammon” is used clearly refer to money (Luke 16:9 and 11). We can’t serve God and money at the same time, hence the instructions of these verses.

Life For Today Study Bible Notes

Note 42 at Matthew 6:24: You can have God and riches, but you must only serve one of them.

Matthew 6:25

Note on Matthew 6:25

Notice the use of the word “therefore.” This is saying the arguments of this verse and the ones following are the results of what he had just said. He was talking about not laying up treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19) but putting all our treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20) because our hearts will be where our treasures are (Matthew 6:21). If our attention is on money, our hearts become dark. We have to have a single focus upon God (Matthew 6:22-23). We can’t be slaves to money and God at the same time (Matthew 6:24).
The carnal mind would say, “Then how can I survive if I’m focused on God instead of meeting my needs?” Jesus pointed us to examples in nature of how God provides for His creation and concluded with the truth that we are much more valuable to God than birds or lilies. Therefore, God will take care of us when we put Him first (Matthew 6:33).
The last phrase of this verse makes a very profound statement that most people haven’t come to realize. People’s lives consist of more than food and raiment. The intangible matters of the heart are much more important than the tangible things they need to survive (Proverbs 4:23). Yet people’s obsession with carnal things screams that they don’t know this truth.

Life For Today Study Bible Notes

Note 43 at Matthew 6:25: The Greek word used here for “thought” is “MERIMNAO” and denotes “to be anxious about” (Strong’s Concordance) (example: 1 Samuel 9:5). In this account (Matthew 6:25-34), as well as the same account found in Luke 12:22-32, Jesus was commanding us not to worry or be anxious about our material needs being met. It would not be possible to have no thought whatsoever about our physical needs. Even Jesus thought about His need for money to pay taxes (Matthew 17:24-27). We are simply not to be occupied with thinking about riches or spend time worrying about our necessities. They will be added unto us as we seek first the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:26

Note on Matthew 6:26

Did you read in the paper where thousands of birds were found dead in the streets of your town because they had starved to death? NO, and you never will! God takes responsibility for feeding the birds. They don’t have to practice the laws of sowing and reaping; God just takes care of them. If the Lord does this for birds, how much more will He do this for us? We don’t have to serve money. If we just serve God and do as He leads, the money we need will be there.
Notice that the Lord said people are much better than birds. This doesn’t mean people should mistreat birds. Proverbs 12:10 shows that godly people treat animals well. This new morality, though, where people go to great lengths to save endangered animals while killing unborn humans is total hypocrisy.

Matthew 6:27

Note on Matthew 6:27

We cannot make ourselves taller by worrying about it. We just grow; we don’t know how. Our height isn’t determined by how tall we desire to be. It just happens. We eat, we exercise, and we just grow. Likewise, we should just seek the Lord and His kingdom first, and God will open the doors and provide the opportunities we need to prosper.

Matthew 6:28

Note on Matthew 6:28

Flowers don’t clothe themselves. They don’t weave material or go shopping. They are clothed by God, and their attire is greater than even what the richest person on earth wears. If God bestows such beauty on a flower, which only lasts a few months and then is destroyed, how much more will the Lord take care of clothing us? Just like the lily, if God clothes us, it won’t be shabby. It will be beautiful.

Matthew 6:29

Note on Matthew 6:29

There are people who would differ with this assessment, yet God’s opinion is the only one that really matters. In God’s eye, a lily is more beautiful than anything man can create. God, help me to see as You see.

Matthew 6:30

Note on Matthew 6:30

Those who do not see God as their source but think they have to provide for themselves have little faith. Trusting God in our finances is the least demand on faith (Luke 16:10). If we can’t do that which is least, we are deceiving ourselves to think we can do the greater.

Matthew 6:31

Note on Matthew 6:31

Anxious thoughts will come. As Kenneth Hagin said, “We can’t keep a bird from flying overhead, but we can keep a bird from lighting in our hair and making a nest there.” The way we keep these anxious thoughts from becoming our thoughts is that we never voice these fears. You take thoughts or make them your own by saying them.

Life For Today Study Bible Notes

Note 44 at Matthew 6:31: The way we take or receive anxious thoughts is by speaking them. Doubtful thoughts will come, but it is not sin until we entertain them (see note 17 at Matthew 5:28). According to this verse, speaking forth these thoughts is one way of entertaining them. Therefore, don’t speak forth these negative thoughts (compare with Proverbs 6:2, 13:3, 18:20-21; and Matthew 12:36-37).

Matthew 6:32

Note on Matthew 6:32

Lost men are consumed with worry about how they will make ends meet. Born-again men should not be that way. You may then ask, “If I’m not consumed with these things, who will be?” The answer is that God knows what you need better than you do. If you would seek Him first in your life, God will take care of your prosperity.
Notice that this verse switches from speaking about what you think to using the word “seek.” Jesus was using these terms interchangeably. Keeping your mind on the right things is equal to seeking the Lord. Therefore, you can’t really be seeking the Lord without keeping your mind stayed on Him.

Life For Today Study Bible Notes

Note 45 at Matthew 6:32: Technically, a Gentile is anyone who is not a Jew. The term came to be synonymous with “heathen” or “pagan” since all Gentiles were “strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12), and it is used in that sense here.

Matthew 6:33

Note on Matthew 6:33

What are the “things” Jesus is speaking about? They are the things listed in the previous verses. Specifically, the Lord said what we need to eat, where we sleep, and what we are clothed with will all be taken care of by God if we will seek first and foremost the Lord and His righteousness. If we put God first in our lives, God will supernaturally take care of our needs.
When God starts supplying our needs, He will do it better than we ever could. God is El Shaddai, not El Cheapo. He paves His streets with pure gold, and He makes His gates out of pearls (Revelation 21:21). God is extravagant. When He starts being our provider, His supply will be extravagant. If we aren’t tempted to be embarrassed at God’s abundant provision, then we haven’t fully tapped into His supply.
Notice the use of the word “first.” This is speaking of priorities. We have to focus some attention on earthly things, but they should never be our priority. God and His kingdom should always come first in our priorities, and when they are, He supernaturally takes care of all the natural things we need.

Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.