Fellowship

In order to mature spiritually, we need a personal relationship with God. We also need close friends who are committed Christians. Man is not an island unto himself. He is greatly effected by those around him.

A Christian's closest friends should be other Christians. It is best if these friends agree with you about the basic teachings of Scripture. Friends can be a great source of strength, comfort and help.

The Bible has much to say about friendship. Amos 3:3 teaches that friends must have a common interest. Friendship is based on one or more areas of agreement. If this agreement is concerning spiritual things, the friendship has a solid foundation.

To take this to an extreme is to ignore the example of Christ. Those closest to Jesus were His disciples. They were His best friends. He spent more time with them than with any others.
However Jesus was called a friend of sinners. (Matthew 11:19) We should have friends who are not Christian. We can use our friendship to draw them to Christ.

Christian fellowship is also found in Church activities. Worship services and Bible studies should be a time of fellowship with the Lord and with other believers. Other Church centered times, such as special celebrations, ministering to those in need, or other activities, should bring Christians closer together, provide mutual encouragement and strengthen spiritual commitment.

Prayer

God speaks to us through the Bible. We speak to God through prayer. Both are necessary for a growing relationship.

Prayer is one of the most neglected areas of the Christian life. Prayer is an expression of our Faith in God. Prayer is a source of spiritual refreshment and strength. Prayer can result in the almighty power of God working for us. Prayer is essential if we are to have an abundant life.

There are three main aspects to prayer: praise, repentance and petitions. Not every prayer contains all three. Prayer before we eat is often just praise for God's blessings. However to enjoy a powerful prayer life, all three should be in our daily prayers.

Praise is lifting up the Name of God. We should worship God in prayer by honouring Who He is and what He had done. We should thank Him for His blessings and provisions. Psalm 138 is an example of a prayer of praise.

Repentance is admitting to God our sin and turning away from it. Once a person is saved, he no longer needs to fear God's eternal punishment for sin. However unconfessed sin in our lives can damage our relationship with God.

God will punish sin in the life of a Christian. We need not fear hell and the Lake of Fire, but we should reverently fear the hand of God as we live on this earth. Therefore we should confess our daily sins to God that He might forgive us. Psalm 51 is a prayer of repentance.

Petitions are the requests that we bring before the Lord. God desires that we ask Him for what we need. We should also pray for others. We can pray that the sick be healed, the lost be convicted and the broken hearted be comforted.

God is our Father. As our Father, He wants to make us happy. Therefore He patiently listens to our requests and answers them according to what is best for us and for others. Psalm 64 is a prayer for physical safety and help.