Sermon Central
-
The Circle Maker
Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Dec 4, 2011 (message contributor)
THE CIRCLE MAKER
Pastor Mark Batterson wrote a book called "The Circle Maker". He tells the following.
The Book of Legends, is a collection of stories from the Jewish Talmud, when I discovered the true legend of Honi the Circle Maker. It forever changed the way I pray. I pray more. I pray with more faith. I've learned how to pray circles around my dreams, my problems, my family, and most importantly, the promises of God.
A devastating drought threatened to destroy a generation--the generation before Jesus. The last of the Jewish prophets had died off nearly four centuries before. Miracles were a distant memory. And God was nowhere to be heard. But there was one man, an old sage who lived outside the walls of Jerusalem, who dared to pray anyway. His name was Honi. And even if the people could no longer hear God, he believed that God could still hear them.
With a six-foot staff in his hand, Honi drew a circle in the sand. Then he dropped to his knees and raised his hands to heaven. With the authority of the prophet Elijah who called down fire from heaven, Honi called down rain.
Lord of the Universe, I swear before your great name that I will not move from this circle until you have shown mercy upon your children. Then it happened. As his prayer ascended to the heavens, raindrops descended to the earth. The people rejoiced over the rain, but Honi wasn't satisfied with a sprinkle. Still kneeling within the circle, Honi lifted his voice over the sounds of celebration.
Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain that will fill cisterns, pits, and caverns.
The sprinkle turned into such a torrential downpour that the people fled to the Temple Mount to escape the flash floods. Honi stayed and prayed inside his protracted circle.
Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain of benevolence, benediction, and grace.
Then, like a well-proportioned sun shower on a summer afternoon, it began to rain in perfect moderation. Some within the Sanhedrin threatened excommunication because his prayer was too bold for their taste, but the miracle couldn't be repudiated. Eventually, Honi the Circle Maker was honored for "the prayer that saved a generation." The circle he drew in the sand symbolizes the power of a single prayer to change the course of history. It's also a reminder of this timeless truth: God honors bold prayers because bold prayers honor God.
We need to learn how to pray like Honi and draw our own lines in the sand. The lines that we should not cross and the lines that help us to pray boldly. We need to tell God, "I will not leave this place until you bless me!"
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
John Was A Very Lonely, Wealthy Old Man. He Had ... PRO
Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Jun 20, 2005
John was a very lonely, wealthy old man. He had worked hard all his life and built a great business and made loads of money. But, he was all alone. One Sunday evening as he was talking a walk to clear his head, he was drawn to a church where he heard wonderful, joyous music. It was a spiritual ...read more
-
A Wealthy Man Was Taking A Cruise When Suddenly ... PRO
Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Jun 20, 2005
A wealthy man was taking a cruise when suddenly the announcement came that the ship was sinking. The man took his sack of gold coins around his waist and jumped overboard trying to swim to safety. Unfortunately, the weight of the coins ...read more
-
People Refuse To Believe That Which They Don't ...
Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Oct 18, 2004
People refuse to believe that which they don’t want to believe, in spite of evidence. When explorers first went to Australia they found a mammal which laid eggs; spent some time in water, some on land; had a broad, flat tail, webbed feet, and a bill similar to a duck. Upon their return to England, ...read more
-
Mamie Adams Always Went To A Branch Post Office ... PRO
Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Oct 18, 2004
Mamie Adams always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long. Someone pointed out that there was no need to wait in line because there was a stamp ...read more
-
Recently Kgo Talk Radio In San Francisco ... PRO
Contributed by Dr. Randy Croft on Jul 5, 2004
Recently KGO talk radio in San Francisco conducted a call-in poll. Ronn Owens invited listeners to express their opinion. Thirty-five percent said yes, 33 percent said no and 32 percent were undecided. One listener, aghast at the large number of undecideds, protested, "It’s this sort of apathy ...read more
Related Sermons
-
God Will Fix It For You
Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 7, 2017
Using Psalm 107, this sermon explores how God's love is expressed to us in the context of our troubles in life; then, how worship is birthed in our hearts out of these experiences.
-
Set Your Mind On The Lord Series
Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 25, 2017
in Ps 16:8 David said, “I have set the LORD always before me….” Sermon encourages Christians to practice the presence of God in their daily lives and give some instruction on how to do that.
-
Pray For One Another Series
Contributed by David Owens on Dec 1, 2009
Praying for one another fervently and faithfully is our privilege and responsibility.
-
Pray!!! Series
Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 4, 2017
Prayer is easy to neglect due to pressing cares and responsibilities of life. However, prayer is our lifeline to heaven for the resources to effectively discharge those responsibilities and live in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
-
Pentecostal Promises
Contributed by Ernie Arnold on May 18, 2017
Holy Spirit - Pentecost Sunday - The Fulfillment of God's Promise-The Coming of the Holy Spirit! The Power of God's Promise - The Infilling of the Holy Spirit! The Proclamation of God's Promise - New Life through the Holy Spirit
