"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom!
Do you think God sits in a box seat?
Mat 6:6 "Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.
Mat 6:7 "The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God.
Mat 6:8 Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and He knows better than you what you need.
With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are.
Set the world right; Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You're in charge! You can do anything you want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.
"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others.
If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.
Matthew 6:5-8
Pray with Sincerity (6:5-8)
6:5 Next Jesus warns His disciples against hypocrisy when they pray. They should not purposely position themselves in public areas so that others will see them praying and be impressed by their piety. If the love for prominence is the only motive in prayer, then, Jesus declares, the prominence gained is the only reward.
6:6 In verses 5 and 7, the Greek pronoun translated you is plural. But in verse 6, in order to emphasize private communion with God, you switches to singular. The key to answered prayer is to do it in secret (i.e., go into your room and shut your door). If our real motive is to get through to God, He will hear and answer.
It is reading too much into the passage to use it to prohibit public prayer. The early church met together for collective prayer (Act 2:42; Act 12:12; Act 13:3; Act 14:23; Act 20:36). The point is not where we pray. At issue here is, why we pray—to be seen by people or to be heard by God.
6:7 Prayer should not consist of vain repetitions, i.e., stock sentences or empty phrases. Unsaved people pray like that, but God is not impressed by the mere multiplication of many words. He wants to hear the sincere expressions of the heart.
6:8 Since our Father knows the things we have need of, even before we ask Him, then it is reasonable to ask, “Why pray at all?” The reason is that, in prayer, we acknowledge our need and dependence on Him. It is the basis of our communicating with God. Also God does things in answer to prayer that He would not have done otherwise (Jas 4:2 d).
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