Tuesday January 13- Matthew 6:5-15

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
-More examples of what not to be. Just like previously.

6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
-Same message repeated from before. This is a sure thing. Do things for God as your audience.

7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
-Interesting that he mentions this about prayer among all the things he mentions. This happens so often that we just repeat or babble words. It's not the amount of words or time that is important, but the quality.

8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
-More warning not to be like the pagans who just babble. The time we spend in prayer is really about just spending time with God.

9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'
-Such a simple example of prayer. Even if we prayed this short prayer with all our heart it can mean more than thousands of empty words. Make each word count when we pray. Make each word meaningful.

14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
-Great motivation to forgive.
-There is no forgiveness greater than God's forgiveness towards mankind. If we can't repeat that to others than we fail to understand God's forgiveness toward us.

15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
-Something grave to think about whenever you say you can't forgive someone.