LOVE THIS!! http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...man-hes-been-waiting-to-meet-for-a-long-time/ <iframe src='http://www.video.theblaze.com/share...688165&width=400&height=224&property=theblaze' width='400' height='224' frameborder='0'>Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe> Glenn Beck described Pastor Mark Batterson, author of “The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears,” as a “life-changing” individual who he has waited longer to have on his program than almost any other guest he’s ever had. “I haven’t been this excited to meet somebody in a long time,” Beck told the pastor at the beginning of his television show Wednesday. “You are life-changing.” Batterson, the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., believes one of our “biggest shortcomings” as a society is our “small view of God.” We ask Him to help us get through our day, or to achieve tasks that seem just out of our reach, he said. It’s almost like we’re trying to “make things as easy for God as possible,” but God doesn’t need that. The pastor proceeded to tell the story Honi the Circle Maker, a man who lived during a terrible drought in the first century B.C. “[Honi] got his name because when the people asked him to pray, he put his staff on the ground, drew a circle, kneeled in that circle, and prayed: ‘Sovereign Lord, I swear before Your great name that I will not leave this circle until you have mercy upon your children,’” Batterson related. “Now that’s a bold prayer! But I believe that God answers bold prayers, because bold prayers honor God.” The rains quickly began, but Batterson said the Sanhedrin criticized Honi for being “too demanding” in his prayers. “But you can’t argue with a miracle,” Batterson said with a smile, “and ultimately [Honi] was honored with the prayer that saved a generation.” The story was one that helped inspire Batterson’s book, “The Circle Maker,” in which he encourages people to pray “until God answers,” whether you are physically walking in a circle around a significant area, or metaphorically wrapping an issue in prayer. “We tend to ask for something and then forget what we prayed for, so that by the time God answers, we forget to give God credit for it!” he said. “[But] God’s not a genie in a bottle. It’s not about Him serving our purposes. You have to make sure it’s in the will of God, it’s for the glory of God.” The pastor remarked: “One prayer can change everything. I believe prayer is the difference between the best we can do, and the best God can do.” Batterson said the greatest tragedies are “the prayers that go unanswered, because they go un-asked.”
Batterson said the greatest tragedies are “the prayers that go unanswered, because they go un-asked.” The only tragedy is this mans false religion. And then worse , Catholics thinking this is worth sharing.
My dear friend Fr. Z of Fr. Z blogspot, whom I've know for over 20 years from the early days of Compuserve said we should always pray very specifically for what we want. I see no problem with this, Mothersuperior7.
Mother Angelica's EWTN has a show called the Journey Home. Recently one of the guest was a former atheist. If you're familiar with the show it brings converts and reverts to the Catholic faith to share their coming home story. Anyway this man was brought up with no religion and thought belief in God was ridiculous even at an early age. But what was interesting was one of the things which drew him to the Catholic faith was the fact that satan worshipers choose the Eucharist to mock. It made him ponder why is it always the Catholic church being mocked especially the Eucharist. So if anything it points to the truth of the Catholic faith. We're the only faith that gets attacked with such venom. God Bless!
Bernadette, The Journey Home is one of my favorite programs. It's riveting to see how people finally come to the truth of the Catholic Church.
That is why I like my consecration to Mary. I give it all to her and she knows where to apply our prayers. We can pray for all the needs in our life, but leave it up to her tender Immaculate Heart how she dispenses our Lord's graces.
Ha! Mac, you even have sarcasm for truth. My gosh, if that sentence isn't truth I don't know what is. I think Judas would agree with that sentence, but you do not... How many times did the good Lord say, "Ask..." in the Bible? MANY MANY TIMES! "Ask, and it shall be given to you, Seek and you shall find." So many people FAIL TO ASK!! Our Lady weeps tears of BLOOD because people don't believe and don't ASK! As Mediatrix of all Grace she appeared standing on the world with her hands held out like our Lady of Grace and she looked toward the heavens. On her hands were rings of precious gems and from her hands graces came out onto the world. Some of her fingers did not emit light and when she was asked why? She said, "These are the graces that I have that NO ONE ASKS FOR. THEY LACK BELIEF IN God's miracles and the graces he gives me!" There was not one thing in that interview that was lacking in charitable spirit, faith in God and his miracles and a realization that God's words are true promises...He WILL move mountains and perform the greatest of miracles if we only believe. St. Faustina said in her diary that the GREATEST sadness we give Jesus is that we LACK BELIEF in his mercy and his promises.. Sometimes I think you have a superiority complex Mac.
One of St. Padre Pio's prayer "Efficacious Novena To The Sacred Heart of Jesus" that he said every day (its in my Pieta Book) and it is all about asking. Love that prayer.
MS said...'Sometimes I think you have a superiority complex ' This is true to some degree MS. In that the Catholic Church has the truth and only way to Heaven. The Church is superior.And I am a member.
I wonder if Pastor Mark Batterson would have a "small view" of the Mother of God and her request's to pray and make sacrifice for poor sinner's. I would rather waste my time reading about the lives of the saints, than focus on the words of a Protestant minister who is in need of conversion to the True Church.
