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. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 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, MAT 6:16-18.

When there is an acceptable fast, our heart is in the proper posture, a godly posture, before the Lord. Then prayer is acceptable before God. He will say, "Here I am," meaning, "I hear you." Do we want our prayers to be heard? Then the posture of our heart in the form of an acceptable fast is a very essential element of prayer.

The Lord Jesus Christ has been teaching us the meaning of true worship in MAT 6:1-18. It includes a godly posture of heart and a spirit of Godliness. The first reference to the giving of alms is in MAT 6:1; it is dealing with the same issue Jesus taught in Matthew 5 about the proper posture of our heart in our attitude toward our neighbour.

The word alms in MAT 6:1 means acts of mercy which we do to our neighbour which are for God's glory. Godliness is the observance of the first table of the law, i.e., to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.

The Lord is saying, in the way of Godliness, the posture of the heart must be right: "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," MAT 6:1.

What is the motive or the moving force that causes you to give these alms? Is it to blow a trumpet before you, saying, "Look, everyone. See what I am doing; praise me for all this."? The Lord wants a motive of love: love for God, for His honor, that it might honor His name in the Spirit of Christ. Our motive must also be love for our neighbour in order to please God.