As a Christian the Bible sets forth many responsibilities to us, and it encourages us to work on our relationship with Christ. It does require a lot of effort on our part, for we are constantly faced with a Spiritual struggle. How do we grow Spiritually and intimately to become the Christians God would have us to be? Below are some guidelines and keys to helping you develop a closer walk with Him.   Prayer: What it is and its impacts   There are many forms of prayer, and many aspects of it. This is an acrostic I made to help remind me of what is involved and gained in prayer.   I ntercession: to plead or interpose on behalf of another Romans 8:26,27   M editation: the revolving of a subject in the mind Joshua 1:8   P etition: a request 1 John 5:15   A pplication: the testing of something by putting it into practice Psalm 90:12   C onfession: admitting or acknowledging something 1 John 1:9   T hanksgiving: grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favours; a public celebration in acknowledgment of divine favour Psalm 50:14   S upplication: to entreat or beg humbly for, implore Ephesians 6:18   of   P raise: commendation bestowed upon someone or something, homage Psalm 7:17   R everence: an attitude of deep respect and esteem mingled with affection Leviticus 26:2   A doration: to honour, to regard with the utmost devotion, love and respect Luke 2:27,28,38   Y ielded: surrender, relinquish, obey, submission Romans 12:1,2   E mpowered: strengthened Romans 8:11   R evelation: the act of disclosing Ephesians 1:17,18   Something to remember is that while we are to ask God for what we want or need, that we are to ask within God's will. This means that while we are asking we are to be willing to accept what He gives us, which may or may not be what we asked for. There are times that we are so overcome, so burdened by something that we want to take it to the Lord in prayer but are either too distraught or cannot put our heart's feeling into words. It is comforting to know that in these times the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26,27.) We may rest in the knowledge that God knows our hearts, and cares. When there is no one else to listen or to turn to, God is there and desires for us to pour out our hearts to Him. He understands. Most importantly, He is in control.     Bible Reading   You should spend time daily in God's Word.  When you read, you should question -- this helps you remember what you read and find applications for your life.  Here are some questions you can use:   1. Things I can learn about God 2. Exhortations (positive or negative) that apply to me 3. Note all people mentioned and how they can apply to my life 4. Special blessings and encouragement to me 5. Any questions I would like answered or discussed   or   1. Adoration: What do these verses tell me about God? 2. Confession: (1 John 1:9) What shortcomings do I see in my relationship to God and others? 3. Thanksgiving: (1 Thes. 5:18) What has God done for me, my family, my friends, or my church? 4. Supplication: What should I ask God to do for someone else, for me, for my church? 5. What goal do I see for myself today from this passage?     Scripture Memory: it can be fun!   The Psalmist said, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee." That is the idea behind Scripture memory.  I have also found that memorized scripture can be incorporated into prayer to make it more powerful in your life. Here are a few ideas that should help you in your efforts:   1. Quote the verse and reference the last thing before going to bed at night, and first thing when you wake in the morning. The reference is just as important as the rest of the verse. Sometimes it is necessary to look up the verse to find the context. Recite the reference before and after saying the verse to be sure it is set in your mind.   2. Try to associate the words with visual objects. Get pictures of the verse in your mind. You can even draw out pictures to represent words or phrases to jog your memory. If you're not artistic, clip pictures from magazines. Mount them to cards and put the word or phrase on the back in case you need to refresh.   3. As you review your verses, try to write them down.   4. Create a tune to help you remember the verse. Use a familiar tune or make one up.   5. Always speak the verses out loud and distinctly as you work on them.   6. Get a family member or friend to be a memory partner. Encourage and challenge one another to memorize God's Word. It's always more fun with two, and you are more motivated when you are accountable to someone else.