Friday night turned into an impromptu youth rally, with several van loads of kids coming in from all over North & South Carolina.? It’s amazing to see the response from the young people.? Pizza & Doughnuts were provided for all of them after the service.? Friday, May 23rd is the official youth night, so if you have any youth groups, bring them out.? They will be fed, both spiritually and physically.

After the choir sang, The Shelton family sang 2 new songs from their new CD and then Preacher Ralph delivered an amazing message.? 20 people were saved and many gathered in the altar.

It was a cold evening, but when God is moving, you really don’t seem to mind the cold.? Keep praying that God will continue to move and revival will break out in Burnsville.

(Sorry for the short post…..it’s Monday!)

A cool, rainy evening was on-hand for the third night of the Cane River Revival.? I gathered with the choir at 6:30 PM to begin practice for the evening service.? Tonight we learned a new song for the choir, “This One Thing I Know”.? I have 2 different recordings of the songs by The Called Out Quartet and The Primitive Quartet.? I think this song will go over great with the audience.? We didn’t sing it last night, so those of you who attend the meetings, be ready for this song!

The choir started out great tonight.? As usual, we began with the anthem of the meetings, “My, My, My (What A Joy)”.? This evening was especially awesome for me because Daryl and Greg with the sound crew helped me to finally get my bass amp working as a monitor so that I can actually hear myself playing.? For the past 2 nights I’ve been playing without being able to hear myself, so if you heard a couple of wrong notes, it’s because I was flying blind…..er, deaf :-)!

After the choir sang a couple of other songs, a ladies trio from my church, Morning Star Baptist, sang.? My wife, Patricia,? was one of those ladies.? My pastor’s wife, Beverly Mitchell and Carla Rash were the other two.? They sang “I’m Gonna Move” and “Only His Blood” which brought a good response from the crowd.?

Bro. Sexton then took off to preaching a sermon called “Bad News For The Devil”, taking his text from Revelation 12:3-12:

[3] And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
[4] And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
[5] And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
[6] And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
[7] And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
[8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
[9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
[10] And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
[11] And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
[12] Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.

Bro. Sexton then proceeded to tell us the significance of the numbers 1-12 in bible prophecy.? I am particularly intrigued by end-times prophecy which was instilled at an early age by my grandmother.? She studied prophecy as a hobby and it was her favorite topic in Bible studies.? He then preached on the significance of the number 12:

12 hours in a day
12 months in a year
12 tribes of Israel
12 disciples of Christ
12 gates to the City

I know there were others, but I didn’t take notes, so I’m going by memory.? He spoke of the tribulation period (7 years) and of the great tribulation (the latter 3 1/2 years of the tribulation) and how that the remnant of Israel would flee to Petra as a haven from the anti-Christ.? He then told of how his ministry has already buried multi-lingual bibles in the caves of Petra, so that they will be there for the remnant when these events unfold.

It was a great, excitable? message, especially when he got the? “Bad? News For The Devil”.? What? a day it will be when the scourge of the Earth gets his judgement and there will be everlasting peace!?

Once again, the altar was full? when the invitation was given.? It’s awesome to see that people are getting saved and drawing closer to God. Friday’s service should be great.? There is word that there are bus loads of young people coming in from North & South Carolina.? A? pizza party is planned after the service for the young people, which is always a great outreach for them.? The Shelton Family is scheduled to sing tonight and they? are always a treat.

After the service, Bro. Wayne Stafford (Pastor of Pilgrims Way Baptist in? Rutherfordton, NC) came up to me and? introduced himself as one of my readers and how he? came across? my site by looking for info on the Cane River Revival.? ? Thank you Bro. Wayne for your kind words.? You really? encouraged me last night!?

Again, if you read this blog, come up and introduce yourself.? ? I’ve met several readers this week and have enjoyed every visit.? Thanks for reading!?

If you can’t make the meetings, I’ve created a section on top of the right-hand column with a link to the live webcast of the meetings.? If you have time, check out the meetings online and go to Church with us.

Wednesday night under the big tent brought several churches together.? Many local congregations were relocated to the Cane River Revival.? Tonight there seemed to be a more serious feel to the service.? The choir sang and the crowd was surprisingly calm.? I know that every service isn’t the same, so it would be foolish for me to expect the audience to go up in a shout on a nightly basis.? But still, there was a reverence that I can’t really put into words.?

A couple of soloists (a man and a young girl)? and a trio from Double Island Baptist Church sang the specials.? ? I was asked to play with all of the singers, so I had to concentrate more on sight-reading their pianist’s chord charts than concentrate on the singing.? Fortunately, I was familiar with their songs, but every piano player has a different style that you have to be quick to pick up on.?

The man sang one song, “Nevertheless” by The Whisnants (this was a hard one with many unusual chord transitions….whew!).? ? The girl sang two songs.? “Wayfaring Stranger” was first and then “We Shall Behold Him” by Dottie Rambo.? I couldn’t help but think about the tragic events from this past Sunday where Mrs. Dottie went home via the bus accident.? I did my own little tribute in memorial to her and did not play on the first verse of the song.? I doubt anyone noticed, but that was my way of showing my respects to Dottie Rambo’s legacy.? What an awesome songwriter this lady was!!!

After one song by the trio, Bro. Sexton hit the pulpit and started preaching immediately.? He took his text from 1 John 1:5-9:

[5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
[6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
[8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Again, he preached on the lack of a Spiritual Light in the USA.? It was mentioned how that there was a spiritual drought in the bible belt.? Many christians were simply leaving the faith because “their light has gone out”.? The message was similar to the previous nights’, but it was evidently still needed? due to? the number of people coming forward when the altar call was given.?

It was a more solemn night, but sometimes we need to be able to reflect on the Word of God and get our hearts right so we can really shout the victory.? Keep praying that God will work on those attending the Cane River Revival.

There was electricity in the air as the crowds gathered in for the first night of the meetings.? There were a few hundred people beneath the tent as my family was doing our sound check and even then, people began praising the Lord.? You could tell that people were ready for revival.

The service began with the choir singing what became the theme song for the 2006 meeting, “My, My, My (What A Joy)”.? It was hard to believe that 2 years had really passed since the last meetings because it seemed as though it was just a few weeks ago and we simply were picking up where the previous meetings stopped.

After the choir finished that song, an elderly preacher,? Rev. James Beaver,? was called up to lead the congregation in prayer.? ? The Holy Spirit blew in while this man of God called out to the? Father on behalf of the people in the audience.? He prayed with such conviction and a tenderness that showed his concern and longing for a revival (perhaps I’ll get a copy of the DVD and upload his prayer to YouTube…).

The choir sang a few more songs, then it was time for my family to sing.? (Let me say a special Thank You to Bro. Larry Spears for coming out to accompany us with his tremendous guitar playing ability.? You made us sound 100% better). I was really nervous all day yesterday before the service started, but all of that left when we took the stage.? I suppose it was because I could see the crowd’s faces and the reaction that we were getting.? We were scheduled to sing 2 songs, so we had those ready.? We sang “My God Will Never Change” & “One More Time”.? We got a great reaction from the audience for those songs, so Bro. Ralph Sexton told us to stay on stage and do another song.? He then proceeded out into the crowd and started talking with them and finding out just how many cities were represented.? There were so many people from so many places; I couldn’t keep count of the cities represented.? We then sang our last song, “Because Of Him”,? and took a seat to hear the Word from man of God.

Bro. Sexton delivered a powerful message, taking his text from Matthew 25:8, “And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.”? He then preached on Christians who have let their spiritual lamp die out, whether it be from turning away from God, backsliding, or simply getting burned out on serving God.? He made us look deep in our hearts and asked us this question, “Was there ever a time in your life when you were closer to God?”.? After several stirring examples of men who had strayed from God and the chastisement they had to endure because of their turning away, the altar swarmed with people wanting to get closer to God.

Please pray for the continued services in the revival meeting.? God is graciously moving in our area once again and I’m praying? that this spirit of revival will sweep over the surrounding areas.? Come out if you can, because these meetings are something special…just be sure to bring? a jacket or sweater because it gets really cool down by the Cane River.? Hope to see you there!

With the beginning of meetings tonight at the Cane River Revival 2008, I have created a new section of my blog devoted to the services.? Meetings were postponed last night due to wind damage on the tent, so the revival will begin tonight.

My family is scheduled to sing, but we’re not entirely sure if we’re still on schedule or pushed back one night.? My family will indeed be singing tonight. I’m not much on singing on the first night of meetings, but God can bless anytime, so be praying for us!

I am so excited about getting the meetings underway.? I will be playing the bass guitar for the duration of the meetings as I did in 2006, so if you read this, come up and meet me…I’ll be the tall guy with the bass!

I’ll try to post daily with my thoughts on the meetings.

In a June 2007? article here, I posted about a milestone in my music collection.? I had bypassed 15,000 digital tracks in my collection.?

Less than a year later telling about another milestone in my collection.? Last week I passed 20K tracks that will play for more than 46 days? without repeating any track.?

I’m just glad that Apple keeps enlarging the disc space on the iPod! (I’m looking for a 250GB+ model to be released in the future….hint to Steve Jobs!)?