“One dimension of spiritual growth is being reconditioned by the grace of God.”- Mark Batterson “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.”- Romans 8:29 Mark Batterson writes in Chapter 23 (“The Pavlovian Effect”) of If that “it’s much easier to act like a Christian than to […]
“God has made some bold predictions about you- they’re called promises.”- Mark Batterson In Chapter 22 (“Bold Predictions”) of If, Mark Batterson highlights the fact that what if starts with bold predictions. Yet, dreams lacking deadlines often turn into if only regrets. And if you are big enough to accomplish your dream, your dream isn’t […]
“Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me.”- Arianna Huffington “Feed your fears, and your faith will starve. Feed your faith, and your fears will.”- Max Lucado “Be strong and let your heart take […]
“The reality is this; you’re a sinner in need of a Savior. But you are also more than a conqueror.”- Mark Batterson “No, in all these things were are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”- Romans 8:37 In Chapter 10 (“The Power of Suggestion”) of If, Mark Batterson asserts that as if is […]
“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.”- Hebrews 6:19 (ESV) In Chapter 9 (“The Anchoring Effect”) of If, Mark Batterson discusses what psychologists refer to as the “anchoring effect”- our tendency to rely too heavily on the first fact […]
“Effective prayer is far more a partnership with God than it is begging him to do something.”- John Eldredge “Taking five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves (emphasis added).”- Mark 6:41 “So they took away the stone [from Lazarus’ tomb]. Then Jesus looked up and […]
“Let’s go ahead and name the elephant in the room- some prayers work, and some prayers don’t.”- John Eldredge Moving Mountains: Praying with Passion, Confidence, and Authority is the latest book from author John Eldredge. John’s previous books are Wild at Heart, Fathered by God, and Beautiful Outlaw. In Chapter 1 (“Prayer That Works”) of […]
“Faith built on preference is capable of producing only an incomplete theology.”- Matt Bays As Matt Bays concludes Chapter 5 of Finding God in the Ruins, he reminds his readers of the Scripture verse printed on the page preceding Chapter 1: “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, […]
“When our faith is built upon a theology of no more pain, we fail to hold dark and light together and cannot experience the fullness of God.”- Matt Bays Matt Bays begins Chapter 5 (“Put Away the Glitter- God Wants You to Tell the Truth”) of Finding God in the Ruins by stating that God’s […]
“God, in real life, is nothing like the God we’ve been taught about in church.”- Matt Bays Matt Bays rivets your attention and at the same time sets the tone for Finding God in the Ruins: How God Redeems Pain with the opening sentence of his preface: “God, in real life, is nothing like the […]
“Your Promised Land life . . . is there for the taking. Expect to be challenged. The enemy won’t go down without a fight. But expect great progress. . . Breakthroughs outnumber breakdowns.”- Max Lucado, Glory Days “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. […]
“We say to God, ‘Why don’t you part this river? And God says to us, ‘Why don’t you get your feet wet?’ “- Mark Batterson Mark Batterson concludes Chapter 10 of The Circle Maker by expanding on this statement: “God is great, not just because nothing is too big for Him; God is great because […]