Luther is quoted as once saying: “The Christian’s trade is praying.” Certainly, for a great reason, the preacher’s trade should be praying. We fear greatly that many preachers know nothing of this trade of praying, and hence they never succeed at this trade. A severe apprenticeship in the trade of praying must be served in order to become a journeyman in it. Not only is it true that there are few journeymen at work at this praying trade, but numbers have never even been apprentices at praying. No wonder so little is accomplished by them. God and the supernatural are left out of their programs. (Adapted from E.M. Bounds, The Necessity of Prayer)
