The theme of the Nebraska Pastor's Retreat was building a ministry that endures. Talked about Luke 11. One phrase from the New Living Translation really got in my spirit: if you knock long enough.
I think most of us never see our dreams become reality simply because we give up too soon. What if the Israelites had stopped marching around Jericho on the sixth day? What if Naaman had only dipped in the Jordan river six times? What if Elijah had stopped praying for rain on the sixth attempt? They would have forfeited the miracle. I love the underlying message of those stories: the miracle is only one lap, one dip, or one prayer away. We need to live with that kind of holy anticipation.
As I look back on my own life, the blessings of God are really the byproduct of asking, seeking, and knocking. If you knock long enough...
NCC broke all the church planting rules. We weren't 100 by the end of our first year. We weren't 200 by the end of our second year. According to the experts, we should have never broken those barriers. But if you knock long enough...
It took eight years to purchase 201 F Street, rezone the property, and construct the coffeehouse. Felt like forever. But if you knock long enough...
I tried to write a book for ten years. I have half a dozen half-finished manuscripts on my computer. I was frustrated beyond words. But if you knock long enough...
Try harder. Try longer.
Don't give up. Don't give in.
If you knock long enough...
I think most of us never see our dreams become reality simply because we give up too soon. What if the Israelites had stopped marching around Jericho on the sixth day? What if Naaman had only dipped in the Jordan river six times? What if Elijah had stopped praying for rain on the sixth attempt? They would have forfeited the miracle. I love the underlying message of those stories: the miracle is only one lap, one dip, or one prayer away. We need to live with that kind of holy anticipation.
As I look back on my own life, the blessings of God are really the byproduct of asking, seeking, and knocking. If you knock long enough...
NCC broke all the church planting rules. We weren't 100 by the end of our first year. We weren't 200 by the end of our second year. According to the experts, we should have never broken those barriers. But if you knock long enough...
It took eight years to purchase 201 F Street, rezone the property, and construct the coffeehouse. Felt like forever. But if you knock long enough...
I tried to write a book for ten years. I have half a dozen half-finished manuscripts on my computer. I was frustrated beyond words. But if you knock long enough...
Try harder. Try longer.
Don't give up. Don't give in.
If you knock long enough...
25 Comments:
Awesome message...very encouraging.
Great post! I have experienced this very thing several times in my life. So thankful I kept knocking AND listening to the voice of God reassure me that He knew my heart!
Bro...
Fantastic insight...thanks for reminding me of the unwavering repetition required to move from the spectacular to the supernatural!!
Continuing to knock,
Matt Purkey
Love the passage in Luke 11. The end of that passage has recently captured my attention. Jesus said if you keep asking, looking, knocking then God will give you more of the Holy Spirit. Most of the time I'm not asking, seeking, knocking...for more of the Holy Spirit. But in the asking, seeking, knocking, I am sure to get more and more of God; and thus what I am praying about becomes less important and less necessary.
Amazing that you mention this, because my pastor said the same thing in his message on Sunday. It's all about persistence. Never give up. Never back down.
Mark thanks so much for this timely post! As a church planter celebrating our 1 year anniversary this week (with less than a hundred people, in fact, half that number), It's great to hear a similar story from a planter who's been there. I told my wife during our biggest struggles and discouragements this year that I felt like all we had to show for our efforts was our faithfulness. Thanks for the reminder that faithfulness is the foundation God uses to build His Kingdom.
Good stuff, Mark! Man, when Zig Zieglar dies you should start doing Mark Batterson motivational seminars! (You're name's not nearly as cool as Zig's, but then who's is?)
Thank you for such a encouraging Word from God....I guess I'll just have to read you on a regular basis.
Kirk
Right On!! Just posted on my blog yesterday on same thing. Great accomplishments, victories, abundance never comes from one thing, but thousands of little things. We are called to take "little" steps in the right direction everyday leaving the fruit and the answers up to God. One more prayer, one more act of obedience or surrender, one more well-prepared sermon.
Let's take one more step together, then do it again tomorrow.
"I think most of us never see our dreams become reality simply because we give up too soon." Do you really think the purpose of those biblical texts are about making our dreams come true? Do your really thing that "the blessings of God are really the byproduct" of our efforts?
Ron,
On the first question, the key assumption is "God-ordained" dream. Yes, I think these passages teach us to persevere for a promise God has put in our heart. And that can range from the walls of Jericho to rain to a cure for leprosy as those three stories point to. It's not about selfish goals. It's about God-ordained dreams.
On the second question, the best answer I can give is our core value: pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you. It's both/and. I'm certainly not suggesting that our salvation is the byproduct of anything we've done. It's a gift from God. Sola Fide. But yes, God rewards hard work. Hard work is a form of worship.
Hope that helps clarify any questions you had.
Blessings,
Mark
Thank you for the thoughtful response to my questions. It is just some to the phrasing of your post made me a bit concerned. But there again,I tend to be spring-loaded to hyper-vigilance ;-)
I have been exposed to much in the way of errant human-centric teaching and preaching over the last few years so I sometimes perhaps overreact to what I may mistakingly perceive to be manifestations of more of the same.
Again, thanks for your thoughtful response.
Ron
Amazing posts Mark. Thanks for allowing God to speak through you this morning. The words are just what I needed this day. I am asking, seeking and knocking.
Keep writing
Thanks for reminding me of that truth . . .I think I am probably in the middle of the 7th lap in a ministry and I wonder if God is going to do the miracle we need. I won't give up.
Great stuff! Rereading Goose; looking around for my copy of "in a pit"...gave five copies of Goose to students over CHRISTmas...really blessed/encouraged/exhorted through your ministry.
Mark,
Long time reader, first time poster...:-)
Thanks for the encouraging word; my wife and I pastor a revitaization project and are in our eigth year. I have been struggling with not seeing the breakthroughs that I have been expecting to see come in our congregation and our community. I had seriously been thinking that maybe I needed to find somewhere else to minister but have not felt GOD release us from this call. In reading your blog today it was if GOD spoke to me and said to keep on knocking and eventually that door will open. I will share that this weekend with my staff at our retreat, thanks for being a willing vessel to be used of GOD.
Keep on knocking!!
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What a great post Mark!!
Extremely encouraging; especially for a slightly impatient young buck like myself :)
appreciate the insight,
Sean Silverii
I needed this today. Thank you.
Mark, the past two posts on perseverance, "Power of Persistence" and "If You Knock Long Enough" are certainly God-Ordained. Anyone who leaves a comment questioning your motives that perseverance and accomplishing dreams is a selfish endeavor, needs to understand that you are speaking through the filter of Scripture, so when you talk about persistence in this manner, it is a Holy Spirit filled persistence.
If we always obtained our dreams and goals on the first try and without the help of God, then our faith would not be tested and as a result would not be strengthened...ultimately our relationship with God would become less because we would not have to "lean" on Him... In the Old Testament the two Hebrew words translated “trust” mean to lean on, and to take refuge in. In the New Testament the Greek word translated “trust” means to have confidence in. Perseverence is a great way to "lean" and "Trust" in The Lord...
So thank you for these amazing posts...they are God-Ordained timing in my life as well as in my family's life right now!
Mark, Jesus Save You and Grant You Success (Ps 118.25)
Great reminder to stick with the ministry that God has called you to, even when you don't see the results you expect.
The Dip by Seth Godin is a good book about evaluating quitting from long-term perspective.
Thanks,
Justin
Great post, but I have one question. I'm knocking for some answers right now, but the I have one question: How do you when you've knocked long enough? How do you know when to keep praying and when is answering you with silence. Am I wrong in thinking that God answers with silence?
CityBlitz,
So tough to discern :) That is the $64,000 question! God is certainly silent for certain seasons. Before you stop knocking, I'd make sure you've felt a release from the Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture. Otherwise I'd keep knocking!
My two cents,
Mark
Mark,
I am a regular attendee of NCC. I am curious-- WHat does NCC believe?? I have been attending for a year. I have no idea. Beyond the fortune-cookie points of wisdom, does NCC take a stand on anything? What is your position on homosexuality (and activity beyond marriage?) You said "there are different ideas", but what do YOU believe (if anything)???????
Scott,
What beliefs are you wondering about specifically? A couple thoughts. 1) Our core belief statement is on www.theaterchurch.com. 2) I'd highly recommend Alpha--we have five of them this semester. And 3) If you have a specific question about a particular issue feel free to email one us. My email is mark (at) theaterchurch (dot) com. Love to help answer any question you have.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark
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