There is a difference between a Quiet time with God and an Unhurried Quiet time with God.
I have to remind myself that the goal is not to Journal, Pray, and finish a Bible reading plan.
The goal is to Know God more.
For Father’s Day, our women’s ministry decided to play a joke on the dads. Our wives gave us the same shirt to wear to church. There were hundreds of guys walking around church
@longhollow
with the same blue buffalo checkered shirt that our wives “picked out specifically for us.”
We had Church
@LongHollow
Today! Service went on for over 2 hours. People kept coming forward to get saved or baptized. We baptized 53 more people today.
God showed up again during our services
@LongHollow
today. Over 100 people came forward to the Next steps area during the invitation. 44 more people were baptized today. In 7 weeks, we’ve witnessed 409 people baptized. ONLY GOD!
Gods still moving
@LongHollow
. Baptized 28 more people— 2 of those left Satanic worship to surrender to Jesus.
Never had this happen before. After the service, one girl sincerely asked me, “What do I do with all the witchcraft stuff that I have at home?”
I said, “Burn it all.”
Who has committed to reading the Bible this year?
1. Designate a specific place to read.
2. Set a specific time to read each day.
3. If you miss a day, or week, don’t throw in the towel. Catch up or pick up where you should be.
Perfection is not the goal. Consistency is.
Just left the hospital with
@KandiGallaty
. Her Dad went to be with the Lord at 6:40. Would you pray for our family, particularly Kandi, her Mom, Sister, and brother?
There is a difference between a Quiet time with God and an Unhurried Quiet time with God.
I have to remind myself that the goal is not to Journal, Pray, and finish a Bible reading plan.
The goal is to Know God more.
I was an insignificant pastor in Chattanooga at the time
@RaviZacharias
agreed to meet me for lunch in Atlanta. I left so encouraged that day by a man who exuded Jesus.
#ThankYouRavi
This picture sums up Our life right now. This is my wife Kandi at 10:30 pm watching her dad get Chest Compressions in the Ambulance after his heart stopped. 4 Hours before we were at the hospital with my best Friend as he went to Heaven. We are clinging to the Sovereignty of God.
Every four years, I am reminded that the answer to our country’s problems is not found in a President, political system, or plan.
It’s found in a person. His name is Jesus.
Would you pray right now for my friend and staff member
@ChrisSwain73
. The neighbors found him unresponsive at the mailbox this afternoon. He’s not able to breathe on his own so they have him on a breathing machine and sedated while the try to diagnose the problem. Please Pray.
After an exhausting day, Kandi heard an ambulance drive up our driveway to her parents house behind us. She ran over to find her Dad unresponsive on the living room floor. Kandi and her mom were at the ER all night with him. He’s in critical condition. Pray for Abe please.
URGENT Prayer Request:
As I sat in the first service, the Holy Spirit prompted me to go pray and anoint Chris Swain with oil, believing Gods going to raise him back to life. He needs a miracle.
I know this is a big Ask, but I’m asking you to join me in PRAYER at 2pm/c today.
82% of all unchurched people said they would attend your church if they were invited.
The problem is that 2% of church members have invited someone to attend in the last year.
Isn’t it interesting that people can sit through a 2 hour movie, drinking oversized drinks the entire time, and never get up once to go to the bathroom.
But they can’t sit for 30 minutes in a service before getting up to go to the bathroom.
🤔
#Preacherobservations
Pastors, we are not competing against other churches on Sunday.
We are competing against the lake, travel ball, football games, bedside baptist, etc.
What used to be a priority is now optional.
People come to church 1.6 times a month compared to 3.2 just 20 years ago.
The Loudest Boos come from the Cheapest Seats. I’ve found that the biggest critics in your ministry are people who are uninvested in the Mission and Vision.
Christian is used 3 Times in NT.
Disciple is used 238 Times in Gospels and 269 Times in the NT.
You don’t become and Christian and then chose to be a Disciple.
Christian = Disciple
Here’s a Bible Reading Tip I’ve learned from reading through the years:
Don’t Rush through your reading each day to check a Box. Slow down. Read less.
You’re not reading to learn information.
You’re reading to spend time with someone: God.
I’m praising the Lord for what he’s doing
@LongHollow
. We’ve seen 246 people follow through with baptism over the past 4 weeks.
I’ve never experienced anything like what God is doing right now.
Would you join me in praying it continues and spreads to other churches?
When D. L. Moody was suggested to preach at an event, someone sarcastically said, “Do you think Moody has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” “No,” replied the man, “But I believe the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on D. L. Moody.”
Today is the day that we’re praying for God to move in Chris Swain’s life. I’ve been so encouraged by the believers who are praying with us from all over the World. Would you join me in asking God to raise him to life?
Tomorrow morning I will preach a message
@LongHollow
: “Why Trust God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.” I would ask for your prayers as I prepare to share it.
I've seen far too many Christians who are more than willing to travel around the world to volunteer for a week in an orphanage, but who cannot bring themselves to take the risk of sharing Jesus with the co-worker who sits day after day in the cubicle right next to them. - Strobel
Wonderful news. The Jesus Revolution baptism yesterday had 4,500 people baptized making it the largest baptism in US history.
We praise God for how He is working in each person’s life.
It is clear God is doing something significant in our nation and people sense a great
As you’re discerning the voice of God, learn to understand the difference between who’s speaking to you. The Holy Spirit invites: Satan demands. The Spirit convicts; Satan condemns. The Spirit lifts up; Satan tears down.
Working on two messages today. Sunday's Message is: "Why Should We Trust God when Life Doesn't Make Sense?" It will answer how to respond when we don't get the answers we want in Prayer. And I'm working on the Funeral Service for my Best Friend. Lots of Tears as I write it.
I know everyone is dealing with a lot now, but I wanted to ask for prayer. Kandi’s dad went by ambulance last night to the ER at Tri-star in Hendersonville. He wasn’t able to breathe on his own. We found out late last night that he’s unresponsive. We haven’t heard a word since.
I've never had to write two funeral messages in 1 week. Because both of the messages celebrate the lives of two men I loved, I'm experiencing a range of Emotions. I am grateful they both knew Jesus. The Pain we experience today is temporary, but joy in Christ is for Eternity.
I’m learning that there is a cost to revival and a price to maintain it. I am not wavering in my faith. I’m reminded of what Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15).
Thank you for praying for Chris. I’ve been blown away by the prayers from believers all over the world. At this point, there is no change, but I’m still believing God for a miracle. Would you continue praying with us?
The greatest barrier to an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus is your busy schedule. Make time to meet with God each day, and don’t let anything get in the way of that.
Leading up to the day Chris was found, I felt a leading to spend 2 days in silence. During that time, I simply read my Bible and sat in Gods presence. Maybe He was depositing something in me to sustain me over the next two weeks. The Lord prepares us for what he puts us through.
I’m reading about Paul’s 2 years stay in prison. He had to be thinking: What good can come from this? I need to be out. I need to be doing things. As a result we have 4 Epistles from Paul in prison. If you’re in a waiting period right now, let me remind you that God is working.
Why don’t you wake up this morning and read the Bible before you read the news or scroll through Twitter or Facebook?
It will change the trajectory of your day.
Lately, I’m realizing how often I am tempted to speak on issues I don’t fully understand.
As a pastor, I am expected to have answers to people’s questions. But sometimes our best response is to listen.
James says, “Be quick to hear and slow to speak.”
/1
Kandi and I are thankful for all the prayers and love. It’s been an exhausting two weeks to say the least. 4 1/2 hours after preaching the funeral service for my best friend, I watched my father-in-law take his last breath. Lots of emotions in one day.
While a person is cleansed of sin at the moment of Salvation, it takes a lifetime to sanctify and mature. Don’t be so hard on yourself. God’s grace is sufficient. His mercies are new everyday. His power is made perfect in your weakness.
Something I’ve been pondering this morning:
Leading someone to Christ without follow up is like birthing a baby without parenting.
We need both evangelism and discipleship.
It’s hard to describe in words what God did this past Sunday. I sensed the Holy Spirit’s presence in a palpable way as I prayed for God to do the impossible in peoples lives. Someone took this picture as I was praying. God is doing something amazing
@LongHollow
right now.
Would you pray for me as I finish preparing the message for the Celebration of Life service for my friend Chris Swain tomorrow. I’m going to miss him greatly.
Ron Dunn was asked, “What’s your primary obligation as a pastor?” He said, “My primary responsibility as pastor of this church is to make certain that I am filled with the Holy Spirit daily.”
I’ve believed it for some time, but today is a confirmation:
The only answer to the problems in our country is a Holy-Spirit empowered, All-consuming, Great awakening revival.
Would you join me in fasting and praying for the next 21 days?
Just had the privilege of baptizing a member
@LongHollow
today at her home. She was sent home with hospice yesterday because of stage 4 liver cancer. She told her daughter she had 1 request before she died: for me Baptize her.
We anointed her with oil then sang Amazing Grace.
If we do not feel miserable when we sin, we should question if the Holy Spirit resides in us. We should sense conviction when we do wrong. This is one of the proofs that we are Born again.
Let me encourage you to wake up early tomorrow morning and pray for your pastor and the people of your church to have a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. James promises that The prayers of the righteous are powerful.
The reason many people burn out in ministry is because they don’t have an interior life (intimacy with God) to support their busy exterior life (service to God.). One thing you can’t cut corners on is your personal relationship with Jesus.
The more I’ve spent time with God in prayer, the less I ask for things. Our job is not to tell God how to do His job better, something I found myself doing often. It’s to listen to what God wants to do in and through our lives.
Up tonight Praying for something to change in our country. I’m saddened and disheartened by the state of our nation. We are coming apart at the seams. It’s time for a change.
No change from last night with
@ChrisSwain73
. Doctors are running tests today. It could be days before we know anything. I would ask that you keep praying for him and his family.
Thanks for your prayers. I am doing better after emergency surgery to remove my Appendix today. Appendicitis may be some of the worst pain I’ve experienced.
On Sunday, we baptized a guy who walked away from 10 years of worshipping Satan.
God is moving
@LongHollow
! We have baptized an average of 7 people each week since we started back in August.
When I say, “Bring back the prayer weekly meeting,” I’m not envisioning another preaching service, or going through a shopping list of personal prayer requests.
I envision a gathering of believers who cry out for More of God, Begging God to manifest his presence among them.
These words keep playing in my head:
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
Pastor, if the sermon doesn’t move you in the study, don’t expect it to move your people on Sunday. Let’s the words of Scripture simmer in your soul until you have been marinated by the message. Then Preach it unapologetically.
I never thought I would see the day
#SCOTUS
overturns Roe V Wade. The amount of lives that will be saved is immeasurable. It’s a challenge for the church to care for children and mothers now more than ever before.
I say this from someone who had to repent of this himself: Pastors would rather Criticize a move of God in someone else’s church rather than Call upon the Lord in prayer for it to happen in their own church. Let’s ask God to pour out his Spirit upon our congregations.