学习祷告
马太福音六章1至8节
1你们要小心，不可将善事行在人的面前，故意叫他们看见，若是这样，就不能得你们天父的赏赐了。
2所以，你施舍的时候，不可在你面前吹号，像那假冒为善的人在会堂里和街道上所行的，故意要得人的荣耀。我实在告诉你们，他们已经得了他们的赏赐。
3你施舍的时候，不要叫左手知道右手所做的，
4要叫你施舍的事行在暗中。你父在暗中察看，必然报答你（有古卷：必在明处报答你）。
5你们祷告的时候，不可像那假冒为善的人，爱站在会堂里和十字路口上祷告，故意叫人看见。我实在告诉你们，他们已经得了他们的赏赐。
6你祷告的时候，要进你的内屋，关上门，祷告你在暗中的父；你父在暗中察看，必然报答你。
7你们祷告，不可像外邦人，用许多重复话，他们以为话多了必蒙垂听。
8你们不可效法他们；因为你们没有祈求以先，你们所需用的，你们的父早已知道了。
信息分享
祂首先批评那些故意在别人面前行善的人，他们行善只是为了得人的称赞。
基督徒的善行应该是一种敬拜和回应神的行动，是为神而作。我们的天父看见我们在暗中行善，必在祂的时间和按祂的方式来报赏我们。
耶稣接着谈论到祷告。祂严厉批评那些站在十字路口放声祷告，故意让人听见的人。我们也许很少见到人会这样做，但耶稣的教导却提醒我们要留心自己参与公祷的态度。在公开聚会中与其他信徒一起祷告当然没有问题，可是，我们却要提醒自己，我们是向神祷告，而不是祷告给别人听。
基督指出，信徒最好是在一个别人看不见的暗处，单独向神祷告。这并不是说，我们不应与其他信徒一起祷告，却是提醒我们要划出固定时间向神单独祷告。
此外，基督提醒我们，祷告的时候，不要作「无谓的重复」。冗长而重复的祷告并不代表我们是发乎真诚；反之，明确地将需要带到神的面前才最重要。耶稣教导的「主祷文」字数不多，却包含很多确切和个人需要的祷告事项。
第8节提醒我们，我们的天父早已知道我们的需要。既然如此，我们干嘛还要祷告？诚然，神在我们祷告以先，已经将许多宝贵的东西赐给我们──例如，生命气息、空气、雨水和阳光；可是，有些东西却是神不会主动给我们的，除非我们向神求──例如是赦罪和救恩。我们要记着，神是我们的天父，祂喜欢将各种美好的恩赐赐予祂的儿女，只要我们向祂求，祂就会赐给我们。
祷告：
主啊，主你教我们祷告。
LESSONS ON PRAYER
Matthew 6:1-8
1“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.The Model Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Message
Firstly he spoke against giving so everyone will know about it. That type of giving is done to receive the praise of men.
True giving is an act of worship and is to be done as unto God. Our Father sees what happens and will always reward us in his own time and way.
Then Jesus spoke about prayer. He had hard words for those who prayed loudly on street corners so that others would hear what they were saying. That sounds strange to us, but perhaps we need to be more careful about our own public prayers. It is not wrong to pray in public but we need to remember we are praying to God and not to those around us.
Christ said the best place for prayer is alone with God in a secret spot. That does not mean we should never pray with other Christians, but there must be regular prayer times with God alone.
Further, our Lord warned against 'meaningless repetition'. The length of our prayers is not as important as our sincerity, and how definite we are. Keeping a prayer list can be a great help. The Lord's prayer has only 66 words, yet it contains a number of personal, definite petitions.
We are reminded in verse 8 that our Father already knows what we need. Why then must we pray? God gives us many gifts, without asking-life, air, rain and sunshine. But there are some things God won't give until we ask him. Forgiveness is the first of these, but there are other things too that God is waiting for us to ask him for. Remember he is our Father and loves to give good gifts to his children.
A PRAYER FOR US ALL: Lord teach us to pray.