Our Sunday School class just finished two weeks reviewing the Biblical principles found in Joel Beeke’s booklet, How Can I Cultivate Private Prayer? I can’t help but think that if I could just digest and apply these principles, that my prayer life, and so my walk with God, would grow in incredible ways. To that end, I am going to take a section each week to reread, ponder, and seek to apply to my prayer life.
And I want to invite you to join me on this quest for growth. First, you need the book, which you can order here, or if you have Kindle you can get it here. Then read along with me each week. I will have a blog related to the weekly section each Wednesday. On p2, Joel Beeke writes:
Prayer is a crucial part of the Christian life and deserves our careful attention and cultivation.
That being so, let’s strive to grow in this important habit.
The gospel produces a praying people.
Confident dependence on God to fulfill all He has purposed is demonstrated by a life of prayer.
I commend to you the importance of watchfulness over your prayers. Prayer is that point in religion at which you must be most of all on your guard. Here it is that true religion begins; here it flourishes, and here it decays. Tell me what a man’s prayers are, and I will soon tell you the state of his soul. Prayer is the spiritual pulse. By this the spiritual health may be tested. 
I commend to you the importance of fullness in prayer…. I am afraid the private devotions of many are most painfully scanty and limited; just enough to prove they are alive and no more. They really seem to want little from God. 
I commend to you the importance of perseverance in prayer. Once having begun the habit, never give it up….let no excuse make you give up prayer.
I commend to you the importance of intercession in our prayers…. We should stir ourselves up to name other names besides our own before the throne of grace.
Brian J. Mikul 