Tommy Mitchell / The Rurban Church Blog

God Answers Prayer!!!!!! Surprised??

Last week, Pastor Nick and I talked briefly about the need to have a prayer meeting for rain! Sunday morning I felt really impressed by God's Spirit to announce a prayer meeting for Tuesday night at 7:30 pm.  About 45 people came to pray!

We briefly reminded everyone of three very important realities:

    1. God is the Creator!  Therefore, He controls, in His Sovereignty, the creation!  There are abundant scientific (and accurate) descriptions of weather patterns and why it has been dry in the southern most parts of our state.  However, while those observable weather patterns may explain our dry weather, the Lord God controls the patterns!  He created them! Therefore, we should praise Him for His might and His ability to control the elements.

  2. Biblically, the lack of rain is most often associated with sin!  Do your own research - but I was reminded by spending some time in the Word of God Monday and Tuesday looking at rain in the scripture - that most often it is withheld from the land because of sin.  So we spent some time confessing and repenting of sin - and corporate sins of the church and the people in our land.

3. Finally, we observed that God does know our need, and responds to the prayers of His people! So we prayed for the people most hurt by dry weather. 

So, two days later, God abundantly answered our prayers.  This is quite significant.  Several days ago, as has happened a few times this spring, we have had about a 30 - 40 % chance of rain - and got none of it.  Today the official chance in the morning was 30%.  As it began to rain - and rain quite well - they raised the chance to 40%!!!!!   However, we got 100% of that chance!   God sent us wonderful rains today.  This morning when it first hit - the weather service had to issue a Severe Thunderstorm warning for SOUTHEAST George County! That is where we are at ABC!!!  Then it spread over more of the area - and fired up more as the day went on! 

I believe God answered our prayers!  I do not believe that it was because we are better prayer warriors than others - nor did the quality of prayer outshine everyone else.  I think two things were involved in this rather striking answer to prayer today!  We acted obediently to do what He instructed us to do - hold a prayer meeting for rain!  (I had already encountered a few "snickers" for doing that by last evening!)  Secondly, God loves to bless His children!  He blessed our obedience out of His grace! 

There are more things we need to be praying about - lostness - the need for awakening - the economic pain!  And in our Deacon Mentoring last night - I informed them to expect more "special" prayer meetings to come! We need to pray - because we need the practice - and God desires to bless a praying people!

Can't Help It - It is My Favorite!

When I listen to my IPOD at night - (usually as a sleep aid) I listen to a wide variety of music.  I appreciate nearly all kinds of music - and when it comes to Christian music, I love it all!  I soar with some Michael W. Smith and Travis Cottrell!  I also enjoy great hymns  - and Christian instrumentalists. 

But I have to tell you - I can sit and listen to a combination of Southern Gospel with some Gaither style thrown in all day!  For the last hour I have been listening to a variety of Southern Gospel!  It has been fast, slow, some old style Southern Gospel, some new style Southern Gospel - and I just love it!  Love the harmony! Love the lyrics!  Enjoy the beat! 

I'm amazed at how many folks I meet who seem to detest Southern Gospel! I find that many of those folks have never really listened to it!  I guess I am a product of my raising, but Southern Gospel has really led the church in much innovation musically.  At one time, they were the "contemporary" bunch when compared to strict hymn singing churches!  

Try it - you'll like it!!!!!!!!!

The Political Season (but not for me!)

About 18 years ago, in an Ethics class in seminary, we were required to develop an extensive, written Code of Ethics for our personal ministry! This was a major undertaking and an eye opener.  Through the years, I have fine tuned that code - but it still stands mostly as it did 18 years ago.  I have sent it in advance of moving to two churches and one Baptist association that I served as Executive Director of Missions.  The Code of Ethics outline my basic ethical approaches to many areas of life - including politics!  

We are now entering into a full blown time of political discourse for candidates in local elections.  Staying true to my Code of Ethics, I do not - and cannot - endorse anyone for politicial office.  It is one of the first statements in my Code of Ethics in the area of politics. For the most part, I try not to even discuss candidates, especially local ones, with anyone! Occasionally I am asked if I know much about a candidate - and I will answer questions truthfully - but sometimes I have to decline the conversation if it goes too far towards publicly supporting someone!  

There is an excellent reason for this! The Lord has called me, first and foremost, to be a part of building the Kingdom of God!  Don't know if you noticed, but in the unreached world, every political party is represented.  I am not nearly so interested in getting a candidate elected as I am getting people to receive Jesus as their Savior!  

Secondly, the Lord has called me to shepherd His church!  Don't know if you noticed, but just about every political party is represented in the church!  In our county - we likely have people who are some "kin" to every candidate running for office!  It is not my job and certainly not my desire to divide my church over politics.  I want everyone in the church to vote - and vote with Christian viewpoints!  But who the membership votes for is their business.  I have members who are candidates for office! Yet, I cannot and do not publicly endorse any of them!   It is hard sometimes to be in this position because I am friends with many candidates.  Yet, my goal is to "get Jesus elected" in the hearts of people.

So, if someone tells you that I am "endorsing" someone for any office, you heard it from me personally - I am not!  But I am endorsing Jesus - and I encourage you to do the one thing that IS your civic duty - VOTE when you have the opportunity!

Now, some folks confuse friendship with candidates as openly supporting a candidate.  Sorry! That is simply not true!  I just flat out don't endorse candidates!  Especially publicly.  I have, like everyone, a close circle of friends with whom I might discuss some elements of political candidates, but it usually within the context of issues and reminding them that while I have my preferences, people still need to make their own decision. 

Now being a minister does not mean that I have to forego my personal preferences in politics.  And I have no problem endorsing publicly certain moral issues!  For example, I think our President is on the wrong track on a number of moral issues, like marriage being between a man and a woman. Our President has chosen to abandon the Defense of Marriage Act.  I have no problem discussing these type of moral issues. Yet, I would never endorse a particular candidate for President publicly. 

Politics are fascinating to me! But, Christ being in every heart is more important than being aligned politically.  As the Pastor of a church, the minute I start working for the election of any candidate is the second that ailenate someone with a different viewpoint - and it has nothing to do with Christ.  So, I have stayed with my Code of Ethics and it has served me well. 

Be in prayer for all the candidates this year! Pray that God will give them all wisdom! And VOTE whenever you have the opportunity!   God bless!

 

What Was the Best Advice You Ever Received?

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by people who gave mostly sound advice! Here are a few items:

1. Best Financial Advice - Spend less than you earn!   

2. Second Best Financial Advice - (for when you fail to the first)  Always run TO your creditors - not away from them.

3. Best Advice on Integrity - Always tell the truth - then you will not have to remember what you said!

4. Best Marital Advice - Always be willing to die for your spouse - that attitude will insure that you love, honor, and cherish her.

5. Best Parenting Advice - The best gift you can give to your children is an obvious and devoted love to their mother!

6. Best Spiritual Advice - Yield everything to Christ - and gain everything in Him!

7. Best Clarinet Advice - Don't play it in the rain! (someone needs to tell band directors)

8. Best Car Advice - The cheapest car you will own is generally the one you have now!

9. Best "Stuff" Advice - To not want something is just as good as owning it! (Adrian Rodgers)

10. Best Mechanical Advice - Lefty loosy - righty tighty! (except for some gas fittings) (you can figure this out)

The End - or Something Sooner!!!!

The tsunami definitely got people to thinking about it!  And of course the warring going on in the middle east with Libya in turmoil, Syria in revolt, Bahrain having problems, and even Saudi Arabia experiencing some pockets of unrest! Further, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and gas prices soaring, and home prices sinking, and general mayhem in politics etc., people have begun to question whether or not we are facing "end" times and events of Biblical proportion! 

Well, I will leave you to ponder that thought - but I think everything going on here in the states is something more immediate than "the end!"  For years, we have been an affluent nation. Our wealth has created the ability to "farm"out a lot of work so we can spend more time in leisure.  As we grew more wealthy and more addicted to pursuing every interest that came to mind, we correspondingly grew less and less interested in the things of God.

So, I believe one thing that is happening before our eyes is that God is winnowing out His true church from the false church!  We are fast becoming aware that financial security is not secure - our houses are fast losing status as a great treasure -  and all the pursuits we have followed instead of God are quickly becoming too expensive to enjoy! 

Now, this may seem doom and gloom - but I actually believe it puts the genuine church in a great position - people are being stripped of much that they hold dear - and in these moments of angst and despair - Christ can be exalted as true security, valuable treasure, and a worthwhile object of our affections.

I don't know that the "end" is at hand - but it will be alright if the end of our pursuit of other gods is at hand!

The Home Stretch!

Life has gotten by me a lot faster than I ever imagined! I am closing in on 53 years of age - and though I do not feel any sense of my demise being close at hand (so far as I know), I am certainly aware that I have entered into the home stretch! 

That fact has weighed a bit on my mind today, prompted by my going through some pictures of my Mom and Dad this morning!  I am amazed at how quickly Dad went from being busy, active, and outdoors - to being mostly confined to the inside of the house!  I was looking at some pics taken about 3 years ago when he was still enjoying his yard and working in his flowers. It was sobering to see the change!

After my heart sugery a year and almost 5 months ago, I came to the realization that I really needed to follow the Lord more closely - to make the ministry opportunities count.  I gave myself a year to figure out what, if anything, I needed to do differently!  The last 5 months have taught me that I can't put God on a time-table! But they have also reaffirmed that life is too short to miss out on following Him even one day!

I sense a better understanding of things coming my way! And I definitely know what direction I am to point the church where I serve! It is the same point of concern Christ has always had for His church - we must involve ourselves with people beyond the church to impact them for the Kingdom of God.

My prayer is that I, along with the rest of His church, will be known for keeping our hearts devoted to God - and to make Him famous among people in our cities and communities. I might have 10 or 15 more years of productive ministry! I want to experience all of God that I can during that time!  And I hope it seems like it takes a little while! The first 53 years have flown by!

Potential!

This picture is of the massive Saturn V rocket on display at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama!  This rocket is massive. The Saturn V was used for the Apollo missions to the moon.  If this rocket were operational, one would be able to look at it standing and be overwhelmed by the potential within it!  The rocket contained 5.6 million pounds of propellant! Just the first stage of this rocket produced 7.5 million pounds of thrust!  The rocket stands over 36 stories high - higher than the Statue of Liberty.  That is a lot of potential sitting there! 

Kind of like the church!  Everyday I am reminded of the "potential" power awaiting blast off in every church!  We have build pretty efficient and massive organizational structures. We have all the support staff - or ground crew - needed to keep it afloat!  We maintain the church very well!  However, the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives and resides in us! On occasion we allow the Spirit to move and we get a glimpse and feel of the rumbling Spirit of God! 

The Saturn V is not most beautiful on static display in Huntsville! It was most beautiful roaring to orbit with a massive payload on top destined for the moon!  The church has potential - which is the polite way of saying that we also have unfulfilled missions!  The church is not "most beautiful" on the launch pad! She is most beautiful when fulfilling the mission of God - launching to new heights - obedient in faith to the Spirit of God!  

 

Version Woes!

Up until the end of 1994, I preached using the King James Version or the New King James Version of the Bible.  Since then, I have regularly preached using the New International Version.  I did this primarily because the King's English is just not how any of us talk.  It is interesting that I still mostly quote scripture from memory in a KJV to NKJV version. 

Well, after having preached from the NIV for years, I am still not quite satisfied with a few translation issues within it. Anything I have a problem with, I just adjust on the fly based on my understanding of Greek and Hebrew.   SO - I am at a point of decision.

I have been looking again at the New American Standard and the English Standard Version.  The English Standard Version is promoted as being a very literal translation of Hebrew and Greek into English.  I have it as one of my Bible versions in PC Study Bible. However, I do not have an actual hard copy ESV Bible just yet. 

The big deal is that if I change to the ESV, it sort of pushes the congregation to go in that direction.  So, to change is a big deal for me. My NIV Bible that I have used for study is marked up pretty good from years of use. I would certainly keep it - but would feel that I would need to start over marking up a new copy in a different version.

Be interested to hear your thoughts and your preferences!

Moving at the Speed of Life!

OK - I will admit that I did not originate that title - but I honestly do not remember where I read it the first time. Kudos to whoever coined the phrase.  How true though! We need to be moving AT the speed of life - and we need to do that living by the Spirit of God. 

God is ON-TIME!  "But He was late meeting my need - answering my prayer - giving me guidance," you say!  Was He? Was He not developing your faith - or perhaps trying to deepen or sharpen your prayer - or perhaps trying to guide you to the Holy Scriptures which had the answer you really needed?   God is ON-TIME! 

He knows every circumstance - every need! He knows every solution - the path to freedom and satisfaction.  He knows all about tomorrow and the day after that!  And His Spirit - living in us - guides us into all truth.  When we walk in the Spirit of God, we will move at the speed God intends for our life - and He will place us strategically where we need to be to have a grand impact on the Kingdom of God!

We can be a part of something eternal - and wonderful - or miss it all!  Live by the Spirit - and move at the speed of life!