3rd Nephi 13

In this chapter Jesus delivers more of the sermon on the mount to the Nephites and the recurring message in this chapter is that we should do our alms/prayers/fasting in secret.

3 Nephi 13:5-6

And when thou prayest thou shalt not do as the hypocrites, 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. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

But the point is not just to do these things in secret but to do it unto thy Father, who is in secret (3 Nephi 13:18). The message of this chapter is not to avoid praying or fasting or alms in public, but to do them with real intent. Where is your focus when you pray or fast or give alms? On God or Man? This applies to everything we do not just fasting, prayer, and offerings. When we give a talk, go to work, or write a blog post where is our focus? What do we want? To be seen of men or to please our Father who sees in secret?

3 Nephi 13:19-21

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.

This is the same idea. Is our heart set upon earthly things? On the praises of men or the glory of the world? Or is our heart set on Eternal things?

3 Nephi 13:22-23

The light of the body is the eye; if therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Our eye, is our focus. It is our heading. It is our goal. And if it is single than we have but one focus, one goal, and that is our Father in heaven, his work, and his glory. But if our focus is our own work and our own glory than we will be filled with darkness. So I think the main message to take from this is that we must be sincere and honest in our worship and in our lives and strive to do all that we do for God and not for ourselves. Remember,

3 Nephi 13:24

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. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

The other master doesn't have to be Satan, it can be the glory of men, or it can be ourselves.