Our Guest: Dr. Mark Rutland
Mark Rutland, Ph.D., is a New York Times best-selling author. He is the executive director of the National Institute of Christian Leadership and founder of Global Servants, having served previously as the pastor of a megachurch and president of two universities. Rutland and his wife, Alison, have been married and in ministry for more than 50 years. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
The Rutlands established House of Grace in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and Kumasi, Ghana, to protect tribal girls from sex trafficking through Global Servants. Since 1986, House of Grace has been “saving little girls for big destinies.” Its work in West Africa, largely in remote villages, has built churches and village hygiene services in five countries.
Scriptures and Key Points:
2 Timothy 3:5 NKJV Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
- It’s not a journey without hardship.
- Our disappointments can become disillusionments when we put our hope in man.
“If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?” – David Livingstone
- Hang on and endure the ride!
- Seeing a vision that is bigger than yourself keeps you focused on what’s before you.
“Champions are not those who never fail, but those who never quit.” and “Winners only see where they’re going, not what they’re going through.” – Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
“Every life experience can become a life lesson that becomes part of our life message.” – Doug Stringer
- It’s not just about the grandiose, but our everyday commitment to our walk with God and the principles of God’s kingdom.
- Remember that God will not leave you.
- Surround yourself with people who will encourage you on your journey.
- Sometimes you will need to hang on to God and just see it through.
Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV …For the joy of the Lord is your strength.
- If we lose our joy, we become weak.
- God is a God of constant surprises and changes.
- Hang on in the tough times and enjoy the moments where something incredible happens out of nowhere.
“Maturity is not based on your age, but on your willingness to accept responsibility.” – Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
“God doesn’t answer prayer. He answers desperate prayer.” – Leonard Ravenhill
“David the Great” and “Of Kings and Prophets” by Dr. Mark Rutland
Acts 13:22 NKJV …‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
“Today we need prophetic preachers; not preachers of prophecy merely, but preachers with a gift of prophecy. The word of wisdom is missing. We need the gift of discernment again in our pulpits. It is not ability to predict that we need, but the anointed eye, the power of spiritual penetration and interpretation, the ability to appraise the religious scene as viewed from God’s position, and to tell us what is actually going on.” – A.W. Tozer, “The Gift of Prophetic Insight”
- A prophetic voice may be given favor with someone by God.
Proverbs 23:1-2 NKJV When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
Prophetic influence is a dangerous gift with great responsibilities.
“I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” – John Wesley
“I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.” – William Booth
Matthew 10:14 NKJV And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
1 Samuel 4 NKJV …Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!”…
- As Christians, we must speak the truth in love seasoned with grace, but we must speak the truth nonetheless.
- Sometimes the shakings are God’s work to get our attention.
“Once you pray, ‘Consume me, Lord,’ you can’t negotiate with the flames” – Dr. Michael Brown, From Holy Laughter to Holy Fire
- God can operate through one person or organization in one moment and then move on to the next.
- Get where God wants something done and that’s where the action is.
If serving God isn’t an adventure, you’re missing something.
- Awakenings and revivals usually begin in the midst of difficult times.
- God is the God of the unlikely.
- We each are an unlikely instrument in an unlikely time.
- By looking for the grandiose, we miss what God is doing right in front of us.
- The Church is the bride of Christ.
- You can’t be used by God if you don’t love what He loves.
- Jesus died for the Church.
- The Church is the Body of Christ.
Matthew 18:20 NKJV For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
“God is God. And we are not.” – Winkie Pratney
Books:
- David the Great by Dr. Mark Rutland
- Of Kings and Prophets by Dr. Mark Rutland
- ReLaunch by Dr. Mark Rutland
- 21 Seconds to Change Your World by Dr. Mark Rutland
- Leadership Awakening by Doug Stringer
- Kingdom Ninja by Daniel Gil
- Riding the Wind of God by Bruce McIver
Links:
- “An Unlikely Spark for Revival” by Doug Stringer, about the Baylor University prayer services
- Jeremiah Lanphier
- The Welsh Revival
- The Latter Rain Movement
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