A deacon arrived at church soaking wet.

"What happened?" asked the preacher.

"I met a bear on a log that crossed the stream, and I jumped into the water."

"Why didn't you pray?"

"Prayer is for prayer meeting," he said, "not bear meeting."

But Daniel prayed in the lion's den, Jonah in the belly of the fish, Peter on the sea, and the thief on the cross. And their prayers were answered.

Some have prayed short prayers, as Peter's three-word prayer and long prayers, like Solomon's eleven-hundredword prayer.

Samuel prayed in childhood, Timothy in youth, and Simeon in old age; and God answered.

Jesus said men "should always pray and not give up."