Thinking long

” . . . the key to dreaming big and praying hard is thinking long.”- Mark Batterson

Today Mark Batterson introduces “The Third Circle- Thinking Long” of The Circle Maker.  He begins by noting that Honi the circle maker realized that prayer is like planting.  A seed planted in the ground disappears for a season, but eventually  bears fruit to bless future generations.  Pastor Batterson emphasizes that our prayers bear fruit forever:

“Prayer is the inheritance we receive and the legacy we leave.”

Mark underscores the thought that we never should underestimate God’s ability to show up anytime, anyplace, or in any way.  While our prayers are finite, His answers are infinite.  Our problem, of course, is that we want immediate results.  As Mark quips, “we don’t just want to have our cake and eat it too, we want the instant brand.”

Pastor Batterson asserts that we need the foresight of the farmer and the mind-set of the sower.  We tend to think of spiritual realties in terms of the technologies that make our lives faster and easier.  Scripture describes spiritual realities in longer and harder spiritual terms.  An important dimension of thinking long is thinking different.  Mark states prayer is the key to both:

“Prayer doesn’t just change circumstances; more important, it changes us.  It doesn’t just alter external realities; it alters realities so that we see with spiritual eyes.  It gives us peripheral vision.  It corrects our nearsightedness.  It enables us to see beyond our circumstances, beyond ourselves, beyond time.”

Today’s question: How have you developed the ability to think long and think different?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Long and boring”

 

Thinking long

Holy complications

” . . . complications are evidence of God’s blessing.  And if it’s from God, then it’s a holy complication.”- Mark Batterson

As Mark Batterson continues Chapter 10 of The Circle Maker, he writes that one reason people get frustrated spiritually is they feel doing the will of God should get easier.  However, Pastor Batterson emphasizes, the will of God doesn’t get easier, it gets harder.  The harder God’s will gets, the harder you have to pray.

Mark states God will keep putting you in situations that stretch your faith.  As you faith continues to stretch, so do your dreams.  God’s blessings will complicate your life in positive ways and in ways God wants your life complicated.

Mark says here is a prayer that can change your life, yet it takes tremendous courage to pray that prayer like you mean it.  You also must count the cost.  The prayer is: Lord, complicate my life.

Mark writes that we need to pray as if God’s main objective is His glory, not our personal comfort.  We also must consider the implications or ramifications of our prayers.  Praying hard is hard because you have to pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you.  And that is precisely where we get stuck spiritually.  Mark explains:

“We will pray right up to the point of discomfort, but no further.  We’re will to pray right up to the point of inconvenience, but no further.  Praying hard is uncomfortable and inconvenient, but that’s when you know you’re getting close to a miracle!”

Today’s question: What holy complications have you experienced in your life?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Get your feet wet”

Holy complications

Praying through

“Praying hard is praying through.  And if you pray through, God will come through.  But it will be God’s will, God’s way.”- Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson moves on by introducing “The Second Circle- Pray Hard.”  This second circle covers Chapters 8-11 of The Circle Maker.  Pastor Batterson cites the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18: 1-5) as an example of what it means to pray hard.  Mark then offers his definition of praying hard:

“Praying hard is more than words; it’s blood, sweat, and tears.  Praying hard is two-dimensional: praying like it depends on God, and working like it depends on you.  It’s praying until God answers, no matter how long it takes.  It’s doing whatever it takes to show God you’re serious.”

Desperate time, Mark notes, call for desperate measures.  And the most desperate act is praying hard.  It’s holy desperation.  Pastor Batterson believes the persistent widow is the gold standard for praying hard.  The judge knew there was no quit in the widow.  Mark asks: “Does The Judge know that about you?

Mark asserts that the viability of our prayers has less to do with vocabulary and more to do with intensity.  He writes that the Holy Spirit is our model:

“Long before you woke up this morning and long after you go to sleep tonight, the Spirit of God was circling you with songs of deliverance.  He has been circling you since the day you were conceived. . . . Those unutterable intercessions should fill you with an unspeakable confidence.  God isn’t for you in some passive sense; God is for you in the most active sense imaginable.”

Today’s question: What Bible verses sustain you in praying hard and praying through?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Live unoffended”

 

Praying through