God created us for fellowship with Him. But fellowship takes time — especially with God.
Taking part in your church's Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting is an act of friendship toward the Lord. Here are some ideas for making your time with Him more meaningful.
Be determined. Many interruptions and other priorities will seem more urgent than prayer at times. Treat your time with God as the day' most important appointment.
Be deliberate. Decide on a specific, regular time and place to meet the Lord. Decide beforehand the exact mealtime(s) or activities you will give up in order to devote the time they would have taken to prayer. Mark these times for fasting on you calender.
Be disciplined. Keep your thoughts from wandering by following an outline for talks with the Lord. Use the ACTS prayer model, for example—Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (requests). Or use each phrase in the Lord's Prayer as a prompter for you own prayer thoughts and focus.
Be detailed. God invites us to “cast all our cares on Him.” Keep this guide in your Bible as a prayer reminder. Make your own prayer diary or daily list of specific prayer requests and answers. Start a journal or write prayer needs you want to remember on a set of index cards.
