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

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;

• 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

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.

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.

God is so Amazing

Recently I have been a bit discouraged in a number of areas. As an example:

My Blog: I want my blog to grow faster. While it is read in 116-countries the number of readers is not high enough for me. I want it to grow more and more and faster and faster.

My Speaking: Since last July I have spoken over-35 times on 4 continents I hope for more and more opportunities. I want my phone to ring constantly, I want my email to light up with requests.

I could go on but that is enough, you get the picture. I get discouraged when in my mind,  things don't happen fast enough.

Friday night we were visiting with another couple about the issue and they felt pretty much the same way. Then, as only God could do, I heard two sermons on the subject today.  One of them, I heard twice!!! Like the headline reads God is so Amazing. Bottom line, the promise I am claiming is this one;

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6

The dreams God put in my heart are going to be completed. What God started He will finish. He is faithful. It is His time table. He knows the perfect time. I am His servant. It is up to me to believe, to be faithful, to be available and to be obedient.

Circle714,
Ross
-May 17 & 18 I will be speaking for the CBMC Spring Prayer Retreat in Norman, OK.

Circle of Prayers Part II

If you did not read yesterday's blog, please click on the link at the bottom of the page and read it before you read this blog.

Just below is a photo of a page from my prayer journal.

Each Circle Represents A Prayer
A Prayer About Revival
They are Bound Together
Knit Together
Merged Together
Strengthened Together

Fred Smith described the root system of the red wood trees in yesterday's blog and how they are "interconnected."
"The roots grow around the parent (prayer request)* in a complete circle."
"The circle is called a 'cathedral."
"They hold each other up with these merged roots."
"They are knit together inextricably and bound together in the longest living family on record."
*correlation added by me

Mark Batterson has said; "PRAYERS NEVER DIE."


To me the visual image above (taken from my prayer journal) of a series of prayers around one topic is extremely motivating. It supercharges my faith to see all of the times I have prayed for revival. I know God hears and answers prayers. By circling the request each time I have prayed for revival and claimed II Chronicles 7:14, I have a record of my prayers. It is written documentation. 

This method provides me with written proof of my prayers. No guess work needed. No memory needed. It provides me with a visual image that my prayers are "inextricably bound together." Not only are "my" prayers about revival bound together but they are intertwined with anyone and everyone else praying for revival. Look at the photo, it is unmistakeable, the prayers are messed together. It would be impossible for them not to be merged together. The very fact they are weaved together provides even more hope that God is going to answer the prayers. Like the root system of the great red woods protect and enlarge those trees, I believe our prayers become a spiritual roots providing protection and power from God almighty. Our spiritual roots in many ways define who we are and what we will become. They are inextricably bound together.

And, my prayers for revival are totally and unmistakably within the will of God.
Thus my prayers have immense power. When I see them on a page of paper they provide me hope for our future. They provide strength for today and hope for tomorrow. They stand the test of time. God hears our prayers. He is moved by our prayers. He answers prayers.

Circle7:14,
Ross

Circle of Prayers

I was reading a devotion written by Fred Smith in the book 100 Days of Hope published by my friends at Hope International. The devotion is titled The Interconnected Church. In it he describes "being in the presence of earth's oldest living species"...the Redwood Forest. I have never been there but it is on my bucket list.

Fred says some trees reach as high as 300 feet in the air, that is about a 25-30 story building!
Some are 44 feet in diameter, that is nearly 16 yards or almost 6 parking spaces wide. They believe some are 2,000 years old.

Fred describes the root system and how they are interconnected. "The trees themselves are all outgrowths of a parent tree and they grow around the parent in a complete circle. That circle is called a 'cathedral.' One of the keys to their survival is their ability to hold each other up with these merged roots. No known wind can topple them. Virtually no disease can kill them. They thrive in fires. They are knit together inextricably and bound together in the longest living family on record."

When I read his devotional, I thought about our prayers. I thought about how I draw a circle around things that I repeatedly pray about. Each time I pray about the item I draw another circle around it. I thought about the Circle7:14 Movement that Mark Batterson and I started last year. I started thinking about how we have people from all 50 states in the USA praying for revival of our country daily. We don't know each other but we are inextricably bound together. We have over 1,000 people in China praying for revival in China. Again, many times they don't know each other but they are knit together for a common cause. We have people praying for the same things in 39 other countries but they don't know each other. Somehow, we have answered the call of the Lord in our lives to pray for revival. Through prayer we hold each other up. Our prayers are merged together like the roots of the great red wood trees. We are knit together for a common cause. Like the mighty red woods we will stand the test of time. We are the remnant, nothing Satan throws at us can destroy us. Under fire our faith grows, we will not be deterred. We will overcome.



My Prayer Journal
Circle7:14
Each Circle Represents a Prayer
Prayers for Revival
Knit Together
Merged Together
Bound Together
Strengthened Together



Circle7:14,
Ross