The only 11.11.11 of our life time is coming this Friday.
This will be a historic day and one that is worthy of creating a memory.
What memory will you create?
Ross
I love what Seth wrote today;
Plans are great.
But missions are better. Missions survive when plans fail, and plans almost always fail.
I would like to add…What is your Mission?
Ross
Early Saturday morning we were rocked by an earth quake, 4.2 magnitude and about 13 after shocks, some up to 3 on the Richter Scale. Then Saturday night, right after two fantastic nationally televised (simultaneously) football games, one nothing but offense and one a total defensive battle we were rocked with an Oklahoma record earth quake of 5.6 on the Richter Scale.
It was really scary. The noise sounded like a low flying helicopter flying at our home, then the house started shaking, things on the shelves started rattling and we ran outside. It lasted about 1 minute…I think! Believe me, I have not run that fast in a long, long time.
Fortunately, I don’t think we had any damage.
But it served as a definite reminder, God created the heavens and the earth. We can not predict these events even with all of our science, money and efforts. He is in control.
Recently, I have been working on and praying over a handful of significant issues of late. Major items that affect the bank or our efforts for the kingdom. In what was a totally unexpected moment in time, God reminded me, He is in control.
Ross
Circle Maker is the most outstanding book on prayer that I have ever read…bar none. Based upon the comments I have been getting on my blogs this week you are all finding the things I am sharing from Mark’s book very interesting. I am repeating just a bit of Circle Maker – Part – 3, because of the impact it had on one of my friends. You will want to read this one.
In his latest book Mark Batterson writes;
“Ultimately, the transcript of your prayers becomes the script of your life.”
One of my good friends came into my office today and shared a wonderful thought about what Mark wrote in his book and what I wrote in my blog a couple of days ago. She said, after reading it God revealed to her that “even when you forget, (what you pray) God remembers.”
“Even when you forget, God remembers!”
What an incredible statement about our Heavenly Father, about the importance and power of our prayers. About how God takes our prayers seriously. He answers our prayers, even prayers we have forgotten. God takes our communication with Him to heart.
Batterson writes in Circle Maker,
“It is absolutely imperative at the outset that you come to terms with this simple yet life-changing truth: God is for you.”
God wants to bless you, God loves you and hears you and answers your prayers, even ones you have forgotten.
Ross
Mark Batterson’s new book Circle Maker will be available December 12. This week I have been giving you little glimpses of this outstanding book.
Mark writes that at times he has felt the Holy Spirit telling him to,
“Stop praying for it and start praising me for it.” True faith doesn’t just celebrate ex post facto, after the miracle has already happened; true faith celebrates before the miracle happens, as if the miracle has already happened, because you know that you know that God is going to deliver on His promise.
This is going to sound sacrilegious, but sometimes you need to quit praying. After you pray through, you need to praise through.
What I originally believed was an accident, was in fact God’s plan. I received a second copy of Circle Maker in the mail just a few days after finishing the book. I thought that I would mail it back to Mark but the next day I went to play golf with some friends in Duncan, OK. I found out that one of my friends had a rapid growing strain of cancer and his doctor feared it had already grown into his bones. I prayed with my friend that afternoon before I left the golf course and I told him I was sending him a book named Circle Maker. I asked him to read it.
Last week I saw my friend again and he said, “Ross, I read the book (Circle Maker) and the thing that meant the most to me and that has stuck with me is the idea that you just don’t pray through your problems but that you praise through them as well. Gary loved the book and loved the concept that he need to pray and praise through his cancer.
Ross
Mark Batterson’s new book Circle Maker is going to be an instant best seller. You can pre-order your book today by going to Amazon.com. Why Wait?
In his book he discusses the idea of PRAYERSTORMING. The concept is a bit like brainstorming except we use prayer to guide us. I love the concept. We as business leaders constantly plan our days, weeks, months and years. We spend a lot of resources on Strategic Planning and for many it has a brainstorming component. I believe in planning. Without a vision and a plan it is difficult to accomplish much of value. But God needs to central to our plans. Batterson believes in planning too, but he wrote in Circle Maker,
One bold plan can accomplish more than a thousand well-laid plans. So go ahead and plan, but make sure you circle your plans in prayer. If your plans are not birthed in prayer and bathed in prayer, they won’t succeed.
The bible says,
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”
PRAYERSTORMING our strategic planning in business or in our personal life invites God into the process and with God nothing is impossible. It assures us that we are tracking with God. The last thing I want to do is be out of step with God’s plan.
Ross
Founding CEO of Bank2, author, international public speaker, business adviser and board member of several companies and non-profit organizations including Bank2, the National Bankers Association, Giant Experiences, Whisper of Hope and Mission360. Hill also serves on Compassion International’s CEO Advisory Board. Hill was a finalist for Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO in 2012.
Bible
Chasing Daylight
Dangerous Surrender
Good To Great
In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day
Primal
Purpose Driven Life
Uprising
Wide Awake
Wild Goose Chase
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