A) Prayer - how's your prayer life? Here are a couple of things to consider...
Mat 6:9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Notice the first part of verse 9? this is not a prayer, it is an outline Christ gave in response to a question...
Luk 11:1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
Luk 11:2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Luk 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
Luk 11:4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."
1) Praise and glorify God's name and consider Who and where He is and who and where we are. He is God and we are dust, His creation.
2) Pray for His Kingdom to come, the world NEEDS it.
3) Pray for God's will to be done, not ours. Christ set the example...
Mat 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
4) Pray for the needs of the work and the church and for others, then for yourself.
5) Pray for forgiveness for our sins. We need to repent of sin and pray to be forgiven of it.
6) Pray for help and guidance in forgiving others who have wronged us.
7) Pray to be led away from tempting situations and hard trials that would tempt us to sin. (all according to God's will though)
8) Pray for protection from wicked spirits and their influence on us.
9) Close with adoration and praise to God for what He has done and will do.
How often?
Psa 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
If you aren't spending at least 30 minutes a day praying "You ain't doin' it right."
B) You should be studying God's Word at least 30 minutes a day. Nto just reading, half asleep, at bedtime, but actively studying.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Get yourself some study aids. E-Sword is terrific and I heartily recommend Bullinger's Companion Bible and the appendices.
C) Fast. Fasting is a tool to draw close to God...
Luk 5:34 And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?
Luk 5:35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days."
Isa 58:3 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?' "In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.
Isa 58:4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.
Isa 58:5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD?
Isa 58:6 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
Isa 58:7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isa 58:8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Isa 58:9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
Isa 58:10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
Isa 58:11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Isa 58:12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
There are motives for prayer, your motives must be correct...
Jas 4:1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
Jas 4:2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
Jas 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Jas 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Jas 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?
Jas 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
Which brings up another point, humility...
Luk 18:9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luk 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
Luk 18:13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Realistically, this subject could fill a series of books. What I have given above is a very brief, condensed overview. Hopefully it will help you.
