Jesus said:
‘When you pray, do not be like proud, selfish people. They love to stand up and pray loudly in the houses where people meet and on the street corners. They want other people to see them. What I tell you is the truth. They have received their complete reward already.
But when you pray, go into your room alone. Close the door. And pray to your Father in heaven, although you cannot see him. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you. When you pray, do not be like the people who do not believe God. They continue to say many things that have no meaning. They think that they must talk a lot. Then their gods will hear them. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need. He knows even before you ask him.
This is how you should pray:
“Our Father in heaven, we pray that people will respect your holy name.
We want your kingdom to come. The things
that you want happen in heaven. We want the things that you want here
on earth. Give us the food that we need each day.
Forgive us for the wrong things that we do. Other people do wrong
things to us. But we know that we also must forgive those wrong things.
Do not test us with very difficult things. And save us from the devil.”
Forgive people when they do wrong things
to you. If you forgive them, your Father in heaven will also forgive
you. But if you do not forgive them, your Father will not forgive you.’
(Matthew 6:5–13)
To find out more, see: What is the Lord's Prayer?