I’m reading the Rev. Mark Batterson’s The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears. Terrific book. I’m finishing it up and loved the following passage from the next-to-last chapter, pp. 207-208. By the way Batterson is quite orthodox and I have taken the passage a little out of context, so ignore any “woo woo” factor. This is Christian doctrine at its best: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Is. 55:11) All prayers are prophecies, and God Almighty seals them until…

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:16-18) Jesus taught, “…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of…

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:4) Natural talents are gifts that are born with us. They include such things as artistic, musical and mathematical talents, or talents for public speaking, dancing, construction, or athletics. Skills such as these will always come more naturally to those who are talented, though they are possible for people who lack inborn talent in a certain area to develop some basic skills in that area. Spiritual gifts are sets of supernatural skills that God gives Christians for the sake of witnessing in the world, and strengthening each other and the church as the Body of Christ. Natural talents…