Can everyone please pray for me. I'm trying to get pregnant. Thank you.

If your heart is plant in God you'll have the desire to pray more You contrl your relationship with God by praying more/less

"Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censor and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the LORD has said, 'Among those near to me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified" (Lev 10:1-3).

Great sermon! Very encouraging, thank you!

Does it not say in Matthew 6 that seek God first and all these things (that we need) shall be added unto you? I know there there needs to be a distinction between seeking God in order to get things and seeking God, to seek God. Seeking God in order to get things isn't seeking God, it's still seeking things. God knows our hearts and he would know if there is idolatry behind it. It's ok to want stuff, but to want it more than God is the idolatry.

Amen brother, well said. Here is what the Bible says, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:3-4).

I see what you're saying, but I'm just saying that maybe the circles are just a metaphor representing our need for God and our faith that He will provide. I mean, we do need Him right? We pray to him for many different reasons. Jesus himself prayed that the cup be taken from him, but also prayed that God's will be done. I feel that we can be candid with God about anything; he knows we are human, but the fact that we choose to go to Him for our needs says a lot.

"Among the sins to which the human heart is prone, hardly any other is more hateful to god than idolatry, for idolatry is a bottom a libel on His character. The idolatrous heart assumes that God is other than He is - in itself a monstrous sin - and substitutes for the true God one made after its own likeness." - A.W. Tozer God is not part of the act. He is not here to meet your needs. It is not about you, but about His glory (Is 43:7).

Sooooo to sum up: The example is good,the story is good(If you come to think of it as preachers and pastors give our testimony form time to time and it's not Biblical,but God-inspired)

If you find this idea appealing, you will be blown away by 'Pastor Mike Online' for 30 Jan 2014 - That's Pastor Mike Hoggard of Bethel Church. He has a whole programme which looks at Mark Batterson's book.

What does it matter if we are careless with the honor of God? Ask King Saul. He was facing battle in the ensuing days and "was afraid" (the sin of unbelief in this case). Rather than continuing to wait upon the LORD, he snuck out under cover of dark and went to see the witch of En-dor. He sought her help in calling up the spirit of the dead prophet Samuel to try to gain security for the upcoming battle (1st Sam 28). He and three of his sons died in the battle (1st Sam 31).

Yeah, i was also shocked by that statement of his..offended??? And i believe that God really honors the bold prayer more.I'm telling that out of expirience

In much of "Americanized Christianity" we have followed after what men say, instead of what God commands. "And He (Jesus) said to them (Pharisees), 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men'. You leave the commandments of God and hold to the traditions of men" (Mark 7:6-8).

Well I gotta check into the story of Honi,because it's non-biblical and yet later in the book Batterson writes that Honi's favorite verse was Psalm 126:1..

Does it matter if we "blend" practices of darkness into our relationship with God Almighty? The southern kingdom of Judah had done this evil and God used the pagan nation of Babylon to "cleanse" them of this casual, "do whatever" attitiude. "For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight," declares the LORD, "they have set their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it."(Jer 7:30)

Does it matter how we pray? Jesus told His desciples not to pray as the hypocrites pray, nor as "the Gentiles do, for the think they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them" (Matt 6:7-8). So Jesus thought that there were boundaries on the manner in which we pray. We modern Americans like to think that as long as we think something is okay, that God will too. Do you have any proof of that? "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven"(Mat 7:21)

When Batterson suggests that YOUr prayers determine YOUr future, who is he subtly suggesting should be in control of the path of YOUr life. Is not control of the future that which belongs to God alone. In the Garden of Eden, Eve was tempted to be like God too. Your future is determined by God: "Oh Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps." (Jer 10:23) The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Prov 16:9)

"When Mark Batterson offers his readers (God's sheep) "The Circle Maker", he is offering a method rather than a Master, technique rather that the Transcendent, seduction rather sacrifice. Jesus said, "take up your cross". Jesus said, "deny yourself". Jesus said, "Will you lay down your life for My sake?" Mark Batterson teaches that this book "will show you how to CLAIM God-given PROMISES, PURSUE God-sized DREAMS, and SEIZE God-ordained OPPORTUNITIES". Hmmm. Do you see any difference?

Gabe, do you realize what you just said. In essence you said, what does it matter if we pray to our infinitely holy God, Yaweh, from inside of a thrice-scribed circle commonly used in prayerful incantations of witches. What does it matter? Ask Nadab and Abihu if it matters if they are careless in the worship of Almighty God.

When man crafts God? In Exodus 32, the Israelites lost faith that Moses would return from his ascent up Mount Sinai to meet with God for forty days and nights, and they conspired with Aaron to make a golden calf as a god. They worshiped the golden calf, "And they said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!' When Aaron saw this he built an altar before it. and Aaron made a proclamation and said, 'Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord" (Ex 32:4-5).

Yes, but what do the circles matter if the One you are praying to is the one and only God?

I agree with you,my brother,but I also think that the book is not focused on a method,but on the way we ought to pray..in other words Alot(Couldn't you terry even one hour?)

Martin Luther is also a non-Biblical figure,and yet we follow the reformed church culture.But I'm concerned that he talk about that guy "Honi" alot.It's one thing to give an example and a whole other to build a book and a sermon onto this story.Today i started this book and I'm very glad that I did(It's a keeper) and he gave the example of Honi ,but mostly talked about the walls of Jericho.

By co-mingling the terms "prayer" and "prophecy" Batterson is able to lead the unaware reader down the path of "praying your dreams into existence". this is mysticism, not humble Christianity. His book teaches you to focus on a method, not a Master. His book inspires you to create an idol of the mind, a god that is the servant of man, and the gospel is about you using a once-hidden secret to manipulate God into making your dreams come true. It ain't about you! It is all about God.

Are they just a metaphor? In the video series they show the physical drawing of, and kneeling within a thrice-scribe cirlce from which to pray. Furthermore, once someone made him aware about the relationship of 'prayer circles' to witchcraft and the occult, shouldn't he, as a "slave of Christ", been the first person to remove those books from the shelf. No, he allows the world to see Christianity as friendly with pagan spiritualism. To be holy is to be seperated from the world unto God.

What hurt is a little blending? Throughout the Bible we see a prohibition against sychronizing the worship of God with traditions (witches circles) of men. When the Israelites were first approaching the Promised Land they had encamped in Moab (Nu 25). The men of Israel "began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed to their gods." God commanded Moses to kill the men "who yoked themselves to Baal of Peor".

If you think that praying from within a thrice scribed circle unlocks a "once hidden secret" that enables your prayers to manipulate God, then you have formed a "god" of your own mind and of your own making (with a little help from Mark Batterson). A theology such as this turns the God of Glory into the servant of man. The latter, and idol of the mind.

Gabe, here is what the average "Americanized" Christian doesn't get. Most of us have been a steady diet of "the false gospel of self-fulfillment", and have grown narcissistic in our world-view. Then we read something that is 80% to 90% true, but we "swallow" the 100%. Jesus warned about the "leaven of the Pharisees (prominent religious teachers of the day)" as recorded in three seperate places in the Gospels (Matt 16:6-12, Mark 8:15, and Luke 12:1). Leaven; minor ingredient, big impact.

What if Satan had a favorite Bible verse. Would you then consider taking spiritual counsel from him?

Should we be concerned that a Christian Pastor is teaching Christians about Christian prayer and his core premise comes from a legend that is not part of Christian Scriptures? Should we be concerned that a Christian Pastor uses deceptive literary suggestion to "project" the prophetic authority of Elijah onto a non-Biblical figure who is not even recorded by God the Holy Spirit in the Bible? Should we be concerned that a Christian Pastor is pointing to a method over the Master?

If it's not in scripture, it don't belong in the Church. Batterson said God is OFFENDED by simple prayers....."and give us this day our daily bread" Jesus. Rather simple request, no?

1) Honi is not scripture. Honi is not even historical. The story of Honi comes from the Jewish Book of Legends. "...rebuke them sharply, that they may sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to JEWISH MYTHS..." (Titus 1:4) 2) Batterson makes logically incoherent statements in order to lead his read down the path of the false gospel of YOU. Batterson writes, "Prayers are prophecies". What? Says who? Does Batterson think that God messed up and used two different words for the same thing

What do circles matter? "I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to HUMAN TRADITION, according to the ELEMENTAL SPIRITS OF THE WORLD, and not according to Christ" (Col 2:4,8). The Circle Maker story is based upon a non-biblical Jewish MYTH. "Have nothing to do with irreverant, silly MYTHS" (1 Tim 4:7).

The Circle Maker is just another "how to manipulate God" book. It will focus you upon a method, not a Master. Love Christ, not what you think that you can get from Him. Has not Christ done enough already. Love God, not stuff.

Batterson does violence to the teachings of Christ when writes, "Bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers". "He (God) is offended (yes, he actually said offended) by anything less. Mr. Batterson, gotta scripture...rightly handled scripture? Jesus taught his disciples to pray for "daily bread". Jesus never sinned, therefore he never offended the Father with His prayer. Hmmm. Batterson really "stepped in it" by writing in opposition to Christ's teaching. Hmmm?

Good grief you naysayers analyze every word and every statement to death. There’s a reason Pastors go to school for 7 years. If everyone and anyone can just pick up the bible and read it with understanding, why should one go to church, why have pastors? Is the prerequisite simply being able to read? So should there be no other means of learning the bible, no uses of metaphors, no creative comparisons or stories to help and simplify it’s teachings. Seemingly the message is just read the Bible yourself and listen to no one except the discernment one gets from reading the bible. Has it occurred to you that Satan could enter your mind while your reading the Bible. My gosh what if one can’t read, or is dyslexic. God is loving, forgiving, understanding. He knows our hearts. Don’t live in fear of God. I’m not saying go out and sin purposely, but trying to learn the Bjble from a proven Pastor in a creative way is not a sin. Throwing out biblical sound bites of your interpretations of what is sinful and witch craft etc. is not helping anyone. Maybe, just maybe you don’t understand every detail of your Bible. If you think you do you might want to check your pride.

GAY