Avoid Hypocritical and Pagan Prayer (Matthew 6:5-8)

Jesus speaks of two errors that we are to avoid in prayer. One is hypocritical prayer. We are not to pray simply to be seen by men and to try to impress others. It is not wrong to pray standing up or to pray in public, but if our motive is bad, then all we have is a reward from men and not from God. Jesus wants us to go and pray to God in secret, and when God sees us pray in secret, He will reward us. The other error is pagan prayer. When we think we must us certain words to get God’s attention, then we are praying like pagans. As God’s people, we do not have to get God’s attention when we pray, because God already knows what we need before we ask Him. God is already paying attention to His people.