Friday, May 24, 2013
You Are Love
One of my readers and friends sent this wonderful email to me today. The written message is really good but the music will speak to your soul. Turn your sound up a bit and reflect on the gift of this music.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Let The Weak Say
I was reminded of this scripture a few weeks ago, and it has served me well the past few days.
Paul states it just a bit differently;
The events of this week remind us all that life is fragile and can change instantly. It can change and become very hurtful, very painful, very frustrating all at the same time.
In the midst of the pain, we have much to be thankful about. I know we rejoice at the bank because the children and grandchildren of some of our employees were spared. We thank God for the miracles.
But the events have made us weak. They have put us on edge. They have frustrated us. They have scared us. Many of us are grieving. Many feel helpless. We are stressed.
The events of this week have caused many of us to treasure life even more. We have seen heroes emerge almost out of thin air. Acts of kindness abound. Hope is in the air and it is building.
Weathermen are predicting more sever weather again today and over the next three days. As it thunders and the sky turns black our weakness will surface big time.
"When you stand on God's word, God stands by HIs word." - Mark Batterson
Circle7:14,
Ross
Let the weak say, "I am strong!" - Joel 3:10
Paul states it just a bit differently;
"For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10
The events of this week remind us all that life is fragile and can change instantly. It can change and become very hurtful, very painful, very frustrating all at the same time.
In the midst of the pain, we have much to be thankful about. I know we rejoice at the bank because the children and grandchildren of some of our employees were spared. We thank God for the miracles.
But the events have made us weak. They have put us on edge. They have frustrated us. They have scared us. Many of us are grieving. Many feel helpless. We are stressed.
The events of this week have caused many of us to treasure life even more. We have seen heroes emerge almost out of thin air. Acts of kindness abound. Hope is in the air and it is building.
Weathermen are predicting more sever weather again today and over the next three days. As it thunders and the sky turns black our weakness will surface big time.
"When you stand on God's word, God stands by HIs word." - Mark Batterson
Let the weak say, "I am strong!" - Joel 3:10
Circle7:14,
Ross
Monday, May 20, 2013
Oklahoma City Devastated By Tornados
Based upon the hundreds of emails I have received from around the country and even globally most of the world knows Oklahoma City, more specifically Moore, OK. was devastated by tornado's today. As I write these words the death toll is at 51-and expect to grow. Night fall is upon us and now the rescue teams are using strong flood lights to shift through an elementary school looking for as many as 40-more children and teachers.
Thank you so much for your prayers, for your care and concern for me and my family. We are all safe. Many of my employees live in the affected area and it appears everyone is safe and unharmed! Praise God! In fact, if my understanding of the facts is correct, every one's homes are safe too, at least still standing, some have damage. One of the homes is 1 of only 3 still standing in the area!
I must tell you, it looked very bleak this afternoon for our employees and their families. I have lived in Oklahoma since 1975 and I don't think I have seen anything this bad before. We closed the bank an hour early so anyone needing to go could feel empowered to leave and see about their family and homes. Many of our employees gathered in the board room and we prayed for employee children, spouses, mom's and dads that live and work in the area as well.
We Praise God that all in the Bank2 family is safe!
Please pray for the families that have lost loved ones and pray for the families that can not find family members. This area has been devastated. They need God more than ever. My heart breaks for moms, dad and grandparents of the children lost. My heart breaks for these families and for the City of Moore, OK.
Also, give God praise for sparing so many. Trust me, if you knew how densely populated this are was you would know things could be much worse.
Praise God, 101 people were found and rescued overnight!!! Thank you, Jesus!
Circle7:14,
Ross
Thank you so much for your prayers, for your care and concern for me and my family. We are all safe. Many of my employees live in the affected area and it appears everyone is safe and unharmed! Praise God! In fact, if my understanding of the facts is correct, every one's homes are safe too, at least still standing, some have damage. One of the homes is 1 of only 3 still standing in the area!
I must tell you, it looked very bleak this afternoon for our employees and their families. I have lived in Oklahoma since 1975 and I don't think I have seen anything this bad before. We closed the bank an hour early so anyone needing to go could feel empowered to leave and see about their family and homes. Many of our employees gathered in the board room and we prayed for employee children, spouses, mom's and dads that live and work in the area as well.
We Praise God that all in the Bank2 family is safe!
Please pray for the families that have lost loved ones and pray for the families that can not find family members. This area has been devastated. They need God more than ever. My heart breaks for moms, dad and grandparents of the children lost. My heart breaks for these families and for the City of Moore, OK.
Also, give God praise for sparing so many. Trust me, if you knew how densely populated this are was you would know things could be much worse.
Praise God, 101 people were found and rescued overnight!!! Thank you, Jesus!
Circle7:14,
Ross
Friday, May 17, 2013
Absolutes
I have been watching the events unfold in Washington DC this week. I must admit that it saddens me very much.
I want to be proud of my country. I want our country to be a shining example to the rest of the world of what is good and right. I want the our government to be run with the highest degree of integrity. We are suppose to be the home of the brave. The land of the free. We are suppose to be a government by the people for the people. The events that are unfolding this week proves just how far we have strayed from our foundation. I wonder what else has happen that we will learn about in the coming weeks.
Right now we know we have serious issues about;
I am asking WHY? I am asking HOW did this happen?
Only one real answer. We have become a country that has forsaken God and His Word. Thus we no longer have absolutes. We no longer value the 10-Commandments. We no longer value the golden rule. We no longer value and uphold these truths that are self evident. We no longer have iron clad boundaries. BUT hear this;
The remnant that remains must unit around our battle cry - II Chronicles 7:14 and other like verses. We must seek God. We must band together and pray revival back into our country. My prayer is that these things will wake the American people up and let them see that our freedom is being challenged. To be free, we must return to God.
Encourage your friends to sign up for Circle714.
Circle7:14,
Ross
-May 17 & 18 I will be speaking for the CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat in Norman, OK
I want to be proud of my country. I want our country to be a shining example to the rest of the world of what is good and right. I want the our government to be run with the highest degree of integrity. We are suppose to be the home of the brave. The land of the free. We are suppose to be a government by the people for the people. The events that are unfolding this week proves just how far we have strayed from our foundation. I wonder what else has happen that we will learn about in the coming weeks.
Right now we know we have serious issues about;
- IRS
- Singling out organizations teaching or promoting our Constitution
- Singling out political conservatives
- Singling out Christian organizations
- Failure of the Government to protect it's citizens from foreign-acts of war
- Benghazi
- Abuse of power
- Executive Orders
- Certain Sequestration cuts meant to hurt the general public for political gain
- No budget for over 3-years
- Infringement on Freedom of the Press
- White House monitoring AP
- Restriction of Religious Freedoms
- Military restricts ability of soldiers to share Christ
I am asking WHY? I am asking HOW did this happen?
Only one real answer. We have become a country that has forsaken God and His Word. Thus we no longer have absolutes. We no longer value the 10-Commandments. We no longer value the golden rule. We no longer value and uphold these truths that are self evident. We no longer have iron clad boundaries. BUT hear this;
"The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of God shall stand forever."
The remnant that remains must unit around our battle cry - II Chronicles 7:14 and other like verses. We must seek God. We must band together and pray revival back into our country. My prayer is that these things will wake the American people up and let them see that our freedom is being challenged. To be free, we must return to God.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14
Encourage your friends to sign up for Circle714.
Circle7:14,
Ross
-May 17 & 18 I will be speaking for the CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat in Norman, OK
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Spring
I love Spring time because everything is coming back to life. Because the temperatures are warming up. Because I can get outside and enjoy my patio, birds, squirrels and flowers.
I received this today from one of my readers that enjoys the images of Spring too. She has painted a beautiful Spring painting for us with her words. Enjoy!
Baby Mockingbird
Last evening, I was sitting on the front porch talking to Mama on the phone around 8:15 when there began a commotion among the mockingbirds. I heard a different cry! and right beside me, down on the ground beside the Gardenia…a fuzzy baby mockingbird landed from the nest. Squack! Sqock! It cried! It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute! I wanted to touch it! Yet I remained still…
Mama Mockingbird was having a fit up on the roof calling down to her baby. It seemed dazed, blinking its little eyes, yet so still, looking so far up to the roof. Listening. She never stopped calling to it.
I opened the front door and called Dennie to see the baby. He said, well, you need to get off the porch and give them their privacy, so it will not be distracted from her instructions; there are dogs and cats, so come in the house now. (POOCHY LIP HERE). I wanted to watch.
I watched through a partially open front door…for about 5 minute….nothing. Then I reluctantly closed the door completely…..
After about 5 more minutes I couldn’t stand it any longer. I opened the door again, and the baby was gone. And I was thrilled.
I smiled, knowing they didn’t need my help. My presence possibly was a distraction from something very important that was happening….
But I was so thankful for being able to see it fresh out of the old nest…all ready for the world…wings first flight…its little life depending on following instructions from above….
Just like me.
Francine Smith
May 15, 2013
Circle7:14,
Ross
-May 17 & 18 I will be speaking for the CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat in Norman, OK.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat
I have been working on finishing my remarks for the CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat. The theme for the retreat this year is a book named, The Circle Maker. I am passionate about the book because it changed my life.
I have had fun going through the book again over the past several weeks. Tonight I was reading the Afterword. I don't remember reading this page before and I don't have any notes or highlights on the page. As I read what Mark Batterson wrote in the Afterword it made me sit up tall.
In early October of 2011, Mark gave me an Advance Reading Copy and asked me to read it and give him my thoughts. After reading it I told Mark that it was going to be an instant "Best Seller," he would sell 2.5 million copies and that it was going to start revival in the hearts of the readers and spread across our land and around the world. I told him these things the first of October of 2011. Well before the Circle7:14 Movement.
Tonight, while reading the Afterword I read the story about Rodney "Gypsy" Smith a famous preacher in the mid-1800's. Mark wrote, "Few evangelists have preached with more passion. His secret? Private prayer. More powerful than his preaching was his praying."
Mark went on to write that, "a delegation of revival seekers, who asked him (Gypsy) how God could use them, just as he was using Gypsy. Without hesitation, Gypsy said, Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself. There on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within the chalk circle."
When I speak around the world on Circle7:14, I always emphasis that II Chronicles 7:14 is a verse for individuals. Revival must start in the individuals heart! Not in someone else but in your heart.
Do you want revival in our country? "Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself. There on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within the chalk circle."
Circle7:14,
Ross
-May 17 & 18 I will be speaking for the CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat in Norman, OK.
I have had fun going through the book again over the past several weeks. Tonight I was reading the Afterword. I don't remember reading this page before and I don't have any notes or highlights on the page. As I read what Mark Batterson wrote in the Afterword it made me sit up tall.
In early October of 2011, Mark gave me an Advance Reading Copy and asked me to read it and give him my thoughts. After reading it I told Mark that it was going to be an instant "Best Seller," he would sell 2.5 million copies and that it was going to start revival in the hearts of the readers and spread across our land and around the world. I told him these things the first of October of 2011. Well before the Circle7:14 Movement.
Tonight, while reading the Afterword I read the story about Rodney "Gypsy" Smith a famous preacher in the mid-1800's. Mark wrote, "Few evangelists have preached with more passion. His secret? Private prayer. More powerful than his preaching was his praying."
Mark went on to write that, "a delegation of revival seekers, who asked him (Gypsy) how God could use them, just as he was using Gypsy. Without hesitation, Gypsy said, Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself. There on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within the chalk circle."
When I speak around the world on Circle7:14, I always emphasis that II Chronicles 7:14 is a verse for individuals. Revival must start in the individuals heart! Not in someone else but in your heart.
Do you want revival in our country? "Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself. There on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within the chalk circle."
Circle7:14,
Ross
-May 17 & 18 I will be speaking for the CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat in Norman, OK.
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