"I have so much to do that I must spend the first three hours of each day in prayer.”

—Martin Luther

It’s astonishing to consider that Martin Luther would spend three hours a day in prayer, especially on his busiest days. For most of us, a busy day would mean cutting our prayer time short. He obviously took the teachings of Jesus on prayer very seriously.

In John 14:13, Jesus says, "Whatever you ask in My Name that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." This is just the first of several times that Jesus will speak on prayer in the Upper Room Discourse. As we work our way through to the end of John 17, we'll come back to this topic with the different nuances that Jesus emphasizes in each instance.

For now, let us say this: Prayer is important! It is important because Jesus says so and because he modeled it. I've long thought that the best argument for prayer is the example of Jesus Himself: "But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray" (Luke 5:16). If Jesus saw the need to spend time alone with the Father in prayer, how much more do we? Elsewhere we see that Jesus often went up to the mountain to pray—sometimes all night—and that there are many, many other instances given of Jesus praying. In John 17, we see the longest prayer of Jesus recorded in the New Testament (the longest prayer in the Bible is in Nehemiah 9—check it out). But not only is prayer modeled by Jesus, but also by every other prominent figure in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

Prayer is also commanded. It is commanded by Jesus in the Lord's Prayer and elsewhere (Matthew 6:5-13; Luke 18:1). It is commanded both in the Old and New Testament (Jeremiah 33:3; Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:1-8, etc.). We can't get away from it. The evidence for prayer in the Scriptures is overwhelming, and the emphasis on prayer can never be overstated.

Jesus said in John 14:12 that once He returned to the Father, His disciples would do even greater works than Him. Prayer is essential to accomplish those greater works. It is necessary because the greater works are actually His works through us. Prayer is a demonstration that we are depending on Him to work through us. It is a declaration to God that we need Him and are powerless to do anything for Him apart from His divine enabling.

Jesus' words about prayer in John 14:13 also include the vital end goal of all our prayer, "so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." When you put it together, Christ working through us as we pray for Him to act to His glory—we are honored to participate in the glory of God. There is nothing greater in heaven or on earth.

Let's face it, prayer is not just important, it is essential. But our prayer life can often grow rather stale. Are you looking for ways to jumpstart your prayer life and get it on track to the glory of God? Let me offer three ways:

The Valley Bible Church Prayer

Several years ago, we looked at the Apostle Paul's prayers and distilled these priorities, which we can pray and prioritize in every prayer request.

Gratitude
We thank You, God, for your grace which was given us in Christ Jesus, and for our fellowship as saints.

Godliness
and this we pray, that our love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; strengthened with His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;

Gospel
that You will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak the mystery of the Gospel with boldness.

Glory
to You be the glory in our church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

The VBC Prayer Team

Each Sunday, we invite people to submit their prayer requests and praises for answered prayer during the announcements. We also state that these requests are prayed for by the elders and the VBC Prayer Team. We can always use more people to pray. If you'd like to join the Prayer Team, please mark that on the back of the Connection Card this Sunday.

Sunday Evening Prayer Meeting

We have a one-hour prayer meeting each Sunday at 6:30 pm. As with the Prayer Team, we would always like to see more people coming out to pray.

I close with this quote of Leonard Ravenhill. Read at your own risk!

"The church has many organizers, but few agonizers; many who pay, but few who pray; many resters, but few wrestlers, many who are enterprising, but few who are interceding. People who are not praying but playing. The secret of praying is praying in secret. A worldly Christian will stop praying and a praying Christian will stop worldliness. Tithes may build a church, but tears will give it life. That is the difference between the modern church and the early church. In the matter of effective praying, never have so many left so much to so few. Brethren, let us pray."—Leonard Ravenhill

Amen!