Matthew 18:19 shows us the awesome power of prayer! It gives us a promise that God will listen!

I truly believe in the power of prayer, so I spend a lot of time praying! Prayer has answered so many questions, eased so many pains, brought so much peace and understanding to my life. I pray for situations in my life, daily, hourly, by the minute. I pray for my family, my friends and strangers. I pray for God's guidance and protection, for His understanding and peace, for His joy to fill my life.

A lot of people don't pray. They are not sure how they should pray or the idea of praying just makes them uncomfortable. Some people have rejected God because of unanswered prayers. Why pray to a God who doesn't answer your requests the way you asked?

These are tough questions that aren't easily answered. But sometimes, the answers we don't get are the ones we need the most. The Lord has a plan for each of us. So when prayers seem to go unanswered or unheard, it's not that God isn't listening to us. It's that we aren't listening to God. God's plan for our lives happens in His time, not ours.

People ask me, "Should I pray out loud like I am talking to someone in the room? Or can I just think my prayers to God?" Matthew 6:6 (NIV) says "When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Another question I hear a lot is "How do I pray? What do I say?" The Bible has a specific answer to that question. Most of us know it as The Lord's Prayer. It shows us how to offer praise to the Lord. It shows us how to ask that our will be bent to God's will. It shows us how to ask for forgiveness.