Matthew 6:1-15

The heart. The heart. The heart.

Jesus does not say, “Don’t do your acts of righteousness before men.” He says, “Don’t do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen by them.” One person can do the exact same thing as another and one will be rewarded by God while the other won’t. We can’t tell which is which on the outside. Only God and the person involved know the difference.

And prayer. It’s pretty simple.

- Don’t turn it into a religious show. (No matter how high the ratings.)
- Don’t babble. (Pray in faith, but be persistent.)
- Remember Who you are talking to.

Then He gives us the great outline. “Help me, Jesus!” will do in a pinch, but as a daily exercise in talking with God the “Our Father” is beyond brilliant. Simple and sincere. That seems to always be the best route to the Father.