God is able

“God won’t answer 10o percent of the prayers you don’t pray.”- Mark Batterson

As Mark Batterson concludes Chapter 10 of The Grave Robber, he observes that even though miraculous healing is the exception rather than the rule, if we assume God’s answer will be no, we don’t give Him a chance to say yes.

Pastor Batterson says we would be incredulous if a major league baseball player refused to step into the batter’s box because he didn’t get a hit every time up.  Yet, Mark emphasizes, that is how many of us approach prayer- “we let a few strikeouts keep us from swinging for the fences.”

To experience the miraculous, the author notes that we must come to terms with the fact that the particulars- who, what, when, where, and how- aren’t up to us.  We can’t answer our own prayers.  Furthermore, most miracles in the Bible seem to happen to people who make the fewest assumptions.  They don’t know what God can’t do.  Mark explains:

“God is able.  That’s my only assumption.  And any other assumption is a false assumption.  He is a God who can make the impossible possible. . . . God doesn’t always answer my prayers how I want or when I want, but I live with an unshakable conviction that God is able.”

We can’t keep doing the same thing if we want God to do a new thing.  We need only one assumption: God is able.

Today’s question: What false assumptions have you made following your vocation loss?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Point-blank questions”

 

God is able

God"s opinion

“With God all things are possible.”- Matthew 19:26

“Nothing is impossible with God.”- Luke 1:37

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t- you’re right.”- Henry Ford

In Chapter 10 (“Very Superstitious”) of The Grave Robber, Mark Batterson emphasizes that when the Bible says the same thing two ways, it’s doubly important.  Yet, we all too often make false assumptions about what is and isn’t possible.  Pastor Batterson states that embracing the word impossible is the primary reason we don’t experience the miraculous.

When we let logical assumptions trump our theological needs, before we realize it our reality becomes defined by our finite, human assumptions instead of divine revelation.  The invalid at the Bethesda pool was way past his prime, living on borrowed time.  In Jesus’ day, even if you lived past your second birthday, the average life expectancy was only forty.  This third miracle was a way to prove His power knows no logical or chronological limits.

As Mark points out, it’s not too late for us either:

“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.  If’ you’re breathing, it means God’s not finished with you yet.  You are never past your prime.  But if you want a second chance, you need to seek a second opinion- God’s opinion.”

Today’s question: How difficult has it been for you to eliminate the word impossible from your vocabulary?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “God is able”

 

God"s opinion