A short, simple prayer can make an eternal difference.

When you read about the miracles performed by Jesus in the Gospels and the Church in the book of Acts, you notice something radically different from the preconceptions of  today’s believer. It’s the setting.

When we think of miracles, our mind conjures up images of revival-time altar calls, Charismatic church services, 50’s-era tent meetings, open-air crusades in a foreign country, the list goes on.  But the vast majority of New Testament miracles happened in the marketplace – the streets, avenues and corridors of every-day life.

Replay all those miracle stories in your mind and you’ll hear blind Bartimaeus calling to Jesus from the side of the road and the faith-filled voice of the centurion saying, “Speak the word only,” to the Lord as he met Him entering Capernaum.  You’ll see Peter taking the crippled man by the hand on the lane leading to the Synagogue, and hear the shouts of rejoicing from those who had lined the sunny side of the streets of Jerusalem receiving their miracles as the shadow of Peter or one of the apostles fell on them as he passed.

Unfortunately, we, the modern church, have put God in the box of our favorite worship setting – a church building, crusade meeting, believer’s conference, etc. We have changed the “go ye” commission to believers into a “ya’ll come” invitation to the lost and broken. We’ve got to let the Jesus in us back into the avenues of everyday life – back into the marketplace.

A few days ago I challenged our “Faith that Works” connect group to do just that. I shared some of my own experiences as God has proved himself mighty in the maketplace when I have given Him permission and opportunity. I urged them to pray for God to make divine appointments for them, putting them in the right place at the right time – in front of the one who needs Him.  ”But be alert,” I told them, “because if you as Him to do it, He will. Don’t miss the opportunity”

One of my classic scenarios I shared is this: When the cashier responds, “Fine,” to everyone in front of you who asks, “How are you.” Then, when you ask, she tells you her life is falling apart. “Why you and not all those others?” I asked. Because God is open the door for you to minister.

Within two days of sharing, that same example happened to me – again – at Wal-Mart. The lady was suffering a tremendous headache and stomach problems. God had arranged it so that there was no one behind me in line, so I took her hand, prayed a quick prayer - ten to fifteen seconds – and left.

I was back in that store this morning and asked her how she was doing. As soon as she got a fix on who I was, her countenance brightened. “Just few minutes after you left, my stomach and my head quit hurting,” she beamed. I just smiled, ”Well, He loves you that much!” I turned and praised silently all the way to the car. He had done it – again.

Let’s make this our mantra: “As part of the church of today, we should, you should, I should keep expecting miracles in the marketplace.” Let’s make room for Jesus in our everyday living, and watch Him do it again!