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If you were like me, you probably recall growing up and your parents taught you about having certain places for your things.

For example, when you came home from school you may have had a certain place for your school shoes. These are the same school shoes that would find themselves on newspaper to be polished and buffed before the night was out in preparation for a new day tomorrow.

There was also a place for dirty clothes, in the old wicker clothes hamper with the lid, usually located in the bathroom.

A place for this, and a place for that. It was necessary to have these places for things in order for life to be organized and effective. I have found that the same is true of spiritual things as well.

In the book of Acts chapter 16, we read of three very popular events that took place in the early church. The first one was that Paul, Silas and Luke come in contact with a woman by the name of Lydia.

We know that she is a rich woman in the Bible because she was a businesswoman of a special purple cloth from a place called Thyatira.

They met this lady and she ended up accepting Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour and opened up her home for lodging for these first missionaries. Her life was changed and everyone in her house also believed in Jesus Christ.

The second major event to take place in this chapter is a slave girl who had the ability to predict the future. She kept following Paul and Silas around and shouting out to them.

This must have been such a distraction. It is important to note that this girl was not just demon-possessed, but was one that had put her state of bondage to work.

She would actually make money for people in the community because of her ability to predict the future like a modern fortune-teller.

As a result these men made various predictable bets because of her; we know this because the Bible reads... "She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling." Acts 16:16b.

So what happened to her? She was delivered from this demon and seemingly becomes a follower of God, and the next thing you know, Paul and Silas were in big trouble!

When the greedy exploiters complained to the authorities, Paul and Silas were eventually arrested and severely beaten without a trial! They were then thrown into a maximum-security cell in the prison of Philippi.

However instead of cursing or complaining they end up worshipping and praying. All of sudden the culture of this prison changed because "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16:25.

Then there was an earthquake and the chains fell off all the prisoners in the cell, but no one ran!

They must have been so captured by the power of prayer and worship that even though they were in prison, they were experiencing the power of true freedom for the first time.

This story continues whereby the Philippian jailer is about to commit suicide because the consequences for him if inmates escaped under his watch would be death.

However, Paul stops him because no one had escaped. This same jailer then asks: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household." Acts 16:30b - 31.

He gets saved and his entire household! Check it all out for yourself in Acts 16 and you will find these three amazing stories of God doing great things.

But how did it all happen? What did God use for them to meet up with these divine appointments? The answer is found in two short verses in the same chapter.

It is important to note that when Paul and Silas were worshipping and praying in prison, they were doing this not only because they were in trouble. It was a habit in their lives. They actually always made a place for prayer in their lives. In fact this is how they met the woman Lydia to begin with.

"On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer." Acts 16:13a.

How was it that they ended up in a jail so that so many could hear about Jesus Christ, including the inmates, the prison officer, his whole household, members of parliament and the general public?

"Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future." Acts 16:16.

Just like having a place for your shoes, your clothes, your aluminium foil in your kitchen, and your important documents, so likewise we all need a place for prayer.

Each of us needs a time when we get away from the busy routine of life to call on God.

Don't ever underestimate the power of prayer. You need a place of prayer for your spouse, your children, your family, your church and your life. It is here you will find power to deal with all things.

Rather than just giving God emergency calls, you will continuously make a place for him as a part of your existence. Where is your place of prayer?

Gary C. Simons presently serves as the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship.

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