This ruling has the potential to impact National Day of Prayer proclamations across our nation.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

On Thursday, May 10, 2012, just one week after a record turnout for the National Day of Prayer across the country, when millions gathered from coast to coast to unite in prayer, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that the governor’s proclamation for a state Day of Prayer violates the Constitutions’ provisions for religious liberty. The Colorado Court of Appeals also requested that a trial court decide if a governor should be prohibited from making such proclamations in the future, as well as a permanent ban on state prayer events. The judges did not weigh the National Day of Prayer proclamations, which federal courts have ruled are constitutional.

This case began in 2008 against former Governor Bill Ritter by a small group of atheists headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. Judge Mullins of the District Court in Denver, Colorado, initially dismissed the case on October 28, 2010, declaring “…there is nothing controversial about a restatement of a right protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution…the proclamation [does] not have the force and effect of law, and even if [it] did, the language does not support the foundation for a state religion, but only an acknowledgment of the rights of the citizenry as recognized as far back as the Declaration of Independence.”

If Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers do not appeal this decision to the state Supreme Court, it is likely there will be national impact as a direct result.

To read the rest of the article and to sign a petition encouraging Colorado Governor Hickenlooper and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers to prepare a vigorous defense against the decision by the Colorado Court of Appeals, please click here.

The Culpeper Prayer Room invites everyone to join them on May 27th for a Global Day of Prayer/Pentecost event at Yowell Meadow Park, Pavilion A, from Sunrise to Sunset.

Activities include a worship service at 9 AM and prayer & worship sessions throughout the day. Bring blankets or lawn chairs, as well as a picnic lunch, and enjoy a day of fellowship, while seeking the Lord.

There will also be a night-watch prayer and worship gathering at the Culpeper Prayer Room, beginning at sunset on Saturday, May 26th. The Culpeper Prayer Room is located at 128 West Culpeper St., Suite 102.

For more information, please visit www.culpeperprayerroom.org.

Virginia Morton read Jeremiah 17:5-8:

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.’

‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.’”

Pastor Adam Meisberger delivering the sermon.

The sermon: “God’s Transformational Blessing for Our Nation Starts with You” was delivered by Adam Meisberger, Pastor at Bethel Baptist Church. Pastor Meisberger said that there are only two types of people in this world and throughout eternity. There is only one thing that divides all of humanity. Is the person’s trust and confidence and assurance and faith in the Lord?

Our only concern should be: Where is our confidence? If our confidence is not in the Lord, we will not be blessed by Him. Where is our nation’s confidence? Christians cannot point their fingers of blame at our government, at our media, or at anyone else. Christians also are to blame for our nation’s direction. We must take the plank out of our own eyes before we can take the speck out of someone else’s eye.

A Christian must ask this very serious question: Is his/her sole confidence in his/her life the Lord God Almighty?

If you lost your house tomorrow, would you still have confidence in Him? If your bank accounts were suddenly gone, would you still have confidence in Him? If you had no health insurance, would you still have confidence in Him?

For revival to spread throughout our country, so that our country can once again be a “Nation under God,” Christians must be entirely sold out to Christ. Our sole confidence must be in the Lord God Almighty!

To hear Pastor Meisberger’s message in its entirety, click here.

The evening concluded with prayers for our Government, Military, Education, Families, Businesses, Media and Church by Marsha Fishbaugh, Pastor Ludwell Brown, Laura Burt, Art Fellows, Mike Garrett, Jithendra Manne and Ed Lyons, respectively.

Thank you to all who showed up at our noon National Day of Prayer event on the Culpeper Courthouse lawn today, May 3rd. Approximately 125 people were in attendance. It was good to see so many who serve our community in areas of government, police, fire and rescue, education, military, business and worship.

A portion of those who attended the noon NDOP event on the Culpeper Courthouse lawn.

Special thanks to Maddie Wheeler, George Bowles, Doug & Anne Farmer, Darlene Neff, Troy Smith, Steve Buchanan, and Tim Smith who led us in prayer for our country’s education, church, family, government, military, media and businesses, respectively.

Dave Wheatley led us in songs of worship, and Pastor Baker Rigg of Church on the Rise encouraged us to truly know God more intimately. Baker said the U.S. is at a critical juncture. To truly remain a nation under God, we will need a full-scale revival. To have that, we must be obedient to Jesus’ teaching to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love others as ourselves. 

Pastor Baker Rigg of Church on the Rise

Wouldn’t it be great if a revival broke out in Culpeper that spread across this nation?

Yes, Pastor Rigg, we agree that it would indeed!

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”

The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1962, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Ronald Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May.

As we seek to remain a nation under God, let us call out to Him with a unified voice. There are a number of events planned in the Culpeper area.

Noon to 1 PM at the Culpeper Courthouse Lawn, located off of West Davis Street, across from the Culpeper Fire Department. Rain location: Culpeper Presbyterian Church on Main Street next to the US Post Office. Contact Ed Lyons at (540) 829-5353 for more details.

7:00 – 8:30 PM at the Culpeper United Methodist Church in their sanctuary. Contact Fran Kimball (540) 937-7298 for more details.

Wednesday, May 2nd – Culpeper County Public School’s Rize-Up Club is hosting a National Day of Prayer event in the Culpeper Middle School forum from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. This is a student-led prayer event. Contact Jon Morton at (540) 498-3333.

Wow Paula!

Thank you for your inspirational email. Thank you for leading this prayer movement for the past 9 months.

It’s amazing that you sent your email this morning and I saw it because I wasn’t planning to check emails today. Yesterday evening after sending the Pray Culpeper email and doing a corresponding blog post, you were the one pastor who came to my mind and considered calling you to invite you to Pray Culpeper. I know you are a woman after God’s own heart and “give yourself continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

I miss seeing you at the monthly Culpeper Ministerial Association meetings from 8-9:30 am on the third Tuesday of each month. Whenever I ride by your home on my bicycle, I think about you and pray for blessings for you, your family, your church, and your ministry.

Blessings to experience God in extraordinary ways for extraordinary fruit!

Joseph

——————————————————————-

From: Paula K Jones
Date: Fri, Nov 6, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Subject: Wed prayer
To: Joseph Peck

Hi Joseph,

I wanted to tell you that NBWC [New Beginnings Worship Center] has been meeting for prayer at 1pm every Wednesday for the last 9 months. We begin with streaming prayer with Billye Brim (billyebrim.org) at 1:00, praying for a Great Awakening. The Lord had spoken last November that no man could save America, only and awakening to God. Millions around the world are praying together at this time for our nation, & nations around the world. That usually ends about 2:15 p.m. and then we continue for a couple of more hours as the Holy Spirit leads us. We often take a break about 4:30 until 6:30 to eat, take care of things, etc. (some stay & sit quietly with music playing) and then we start again, sometimes watching a dvd teaching on prayer or giving scripture, then more prayer. It is a day set aside for assembling ourselves & joining our supply of the Spirit of God for united prayer. Anyone is welcome.

I have desired to come on Wednesdays to join with you at noon, but have been preparing for prayer here at that time. We do pray for a glorious awakening in Culpeper, the churches, the plan of God, the saints…soon several of us will join you at noon, then just leave a little early. Be blessed in all you do. What a privilege it is that God chose us to live on earth at this time!

Shalom,
Pastor Paula

Dear Friends of The Business of Prayer,

(living in the Central Virginia area)

Joan and I would like to invite you to our home for 1 day prayer retreat. (See details below)

Our heart is to join with other Christians who desire to pray and seek God as THE answer in this hour.

Young and old, mature or new … if your heart wants to go deeper in Christ, please clear out some time in your schedule and come.

God Bless You!

Chauncey & Joan Hutter, Jr

P.S. Please bring a friend, but make sure you RSVP … Thanks!

—————————————

The time is now … Let the church arise … Calling all believers, everywhere. Calling students and marketplace Christians … from the business world to the home The time is now … To take your place on the wall … The time is now To Pray …

Awake, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you! (Eph. 5:14)

Awake! Arise!

A one-day retreat of worship, prayer and practical teaching on drawing close to the presence of the Lord and encountering Jesus in a way which awakens the soul!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

All Day and Evening

Retreat, worship, seminars, food, fellowship, renewal

Guest Speaker: Benjamin Atkinson
Richmond International House of Prayer

Location: The Home of Chauncey and Joan Hutter
60 Blue Springs Lane
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Please Invite Your Friends, Neighbors & Co-Workers – ALL Are Welcome!

(To help us prepare, please give us the names of those attending by 11/19/09)

RSVP jhutter@businessofprayer.com
434-979-2829

—————————————

Schedule For The Day

Devotional prayer and worship (8-9 a.m.): This optional time invites you to come early and sit in the presence of the Lord. There will be live music for this personal devotional set. Grab a cup of coffee and Bible, and begin your retreat!

Session One (9 — 12 noon): Drawing close to the presence of the Lord — practical teachings to equip you in the secret place.

In this session, we will focus on three topics.

* Encountering Jesus

First, we will take time to learn how to encounter Jesus. We will discuss how to practice “His Presence” throughout the day. Encountering Jesus is something that we can learn to do, and it will affect our lives forever.

* How to read and pray the Bible

Did you know that while you read the Word – you can actually interact with Jesus? In this session we will learn many different practical ways to read and pray your Bible.

* Listening for His Voice

Also during this time we will practice deeper encounter with the “voice of God.” We will teach you to hear the voice of God by using the techniques that have been very successful in the 0 to 5 year old group. You will leave this session empowered to meet God daily.

** Lunch Break and free time for fellowship, a walk along the trail, or some quiet time. Lunch provided; please let us know you’ll be here! **

Session Two (2-5 p.m.): The essence of the secret place

In this session we will talk about our secret place in God, and what it means to truly abide with God. Only you have the ability to love God the way that you can. We will learn how to meet with God and minster back to Him in the secret place of our hearts… that place where you go where it’s just you and God.

** Dinner Break ** Provided! Please sign up in advance. This is a great time to get to know each other better. There will be a special gathering of prayer leaders during this time. Anyone can join in if interested in seeing what God is doing in our city! UVa students are encouraged to gather to exchange ideas about God’s move on grounds!

Session Three (7-10 p.m.): The Awakening!

In our prayer times concerning this day, several of our prayer team discerned the need for a real awakening among believers, that the Bride of Christ would be awakened to her Beloved! In this session, we will see how God awakened His people throughout history, and how He is doing that today! Don’t miss this evening session, as we will also have deep times in worship, prayer and prophetic encouragement from Benjamin.

Again, sign up in advance.

We will pray for every name on the list!

—————————————

Special Evening of Worship and Prayer
The Night Before
Friday, November 20, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Harp and Bowl Style Worship and Prayer

Join us as we pray for a great awakening in our city!

*Benjamin Atkinson is a lover and servant of Jesus, ministering to the body of Christ through 24/7 prayer and worship. He and his wife Nadia served at Kansas City International House of Prayer for over four years before moving to the Richmond House of prayer. Their praying family includes Gabriel (5), Emma (3) and Kyah (1). Benjamin and Nadia have been praying near daily, as a couple, and then as a family for 9 years. They value and schedule their lives, around Jesus and prayer. Throughout this time they have shared their experiences by inviting people deeper into the knowledge of God, prayer, and fasting.

Real Tax Business Success
525 Meade Ave
Charlottesville, VA 22902
United States
434-220-0525

 
“Prayer opens the way for the Word of God to run without hindrance. It creates the atmosphere that is favorable for the Word to accomplish its purpose.” – E.M. Bounds

I am writing this email to you while in Maui Hawaii on a two week vacation with my wife Julia. Yes, I’m actually taking time off from other things I could be doing on this gorgeous island to encourage and inspire you.

For years, going to Hawaii was a pipe dream for me – something I would do some day. Finally, it became a reality. And journaling played a key role in that. I came here to support Julia, who qualified for the Xterra World Triathlon Championship that took place on Oct 25. And believe it or not, it was actually a big step of faith for me to drop most everything I was doing to come here for two weeks of R&R.

On October 12, I wrote a devotional titled “The LORD is doing a marvelous work in me to SIMPLIFY my life.” SIMPLIFY is my keyword for life. In that I wrote, “While journaling early in the morning on Sept 22, the day after my arrival in Utah for our vacation, the LORD told me to free up my Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to give me a 4 day weekend every week to allow me much more time for rest, reflection, revelation, prayer, and meditation on the Word of God. My goal is to be STRATEGIC and create MARGIN to bear much fruit for the Kingdom.”

So what? What does this have to do with YOU and Pray Culpeper?

Lots! God is raising the bar for His children to pray and intercede much more – that includes YOU as well as me. God sent me to Utah in late September to rest, reflect, and receive His revelation to free up three days each work week to ABIDE and PRAY.

Let me ask you, “What is more important in your WEEKLY ROUTINE than coming together with other believers to pray for the transformation of your community?” Do you know praying together is what initiated Pentecost and began the great revival in the book of Acts?

There is nothing – let me repeat nothing – that brings UNITY like praying together with other believers in the name of Jesus. It’s one of the fastest and most POWERFUL ways to enter what I call “the Holy Spirit zone,” where the Holy Spirit reveals God’s plans and puts feet to your prayers. It’s where miracles take place.

Prayer is the key to unlocking God’s prevailing power in your life, in your business or ministry, in your community!

So here’s the deal. I’m asking you to make the commitment through December 31, 2009 to come together with other believers in your community to pray at least once a week for the transformation of your community.

Here are 3 simple ways for YOU to GET INVOLVED and stay connected:

1) Subscribe to our World-Wide Prayer Community at www.PrayCulpeper.org

2) Refer 3 friends each week to visit www.PrayCulpeper.org

3) If you live in or near Culpeper, join us for the “HOUR OF POWER” prayer time on Wednesdays at Noon at Reformation Lutheran Church (415 S. Main Street, Culpeper, VA 22701). If you can’t come to pray on Wednesdays at noon, other community prayer opportunities include:

a) 7 pm on Mondays at Church on the Rise (1136 Sperryville Pike, Culpeper, VA 22701) led by Pastor Baker Rigg

b) 7 pm on Fridays at Praise The LORD bookstore on Main Street, Culpeper, VA

If you live in another community, state, or nation, make the commitment to start coming together with at least 1-2 other believers to pray for the transformation of your community at least weekly starting this week or next. It’s time to stop making excuses for things we put ahead of prayer.

Blessings to successfully jump the higher bar of prayer!

Randy Peck, M.D.
“Blessed to be a blessing”
THE CONNECTOR and The Journal Guy

 
“Prayer opens the way for the Word of God to run without hindrance. It creates the atmosphere that is favorable for the Word to accomplish its purpose.” – E.M. Bounds

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” – Psalm 150-6

LORD, How Often Should I Pray?

Isn’t that a great question? When you ask the LORD the question and write down your answer, where do you think the answer will come ? From your own thoughts or from the LORD?

This morning, the LORD told me to write a YDB devotional titled “How Often Should I Pray?” That was what Jeremiah Lamphier wrote on the handbills he passed around announcing the weekly prayer meetings at the North Dutch Reformed Church on Fulton Street in New York City on September 23, 1857. His obedience led to what may have been the greatest prayer revival in the history of America.

The LORD wants to remind people about our weekly community prayer gathering today at Noon at Reformation Lutheran Church (415 S Main Suite # 101, Culpeper, VA 22701).

What has happened spiritually in the past week in our community and my network has been enormous.

Seven days ago, on Wed Aug 26, I attended the monthly prayer gathering at the Culpeper Train Depot. Pastor GW Dameron, the one who initiated this, calls it “Christ In Culpeper.” During that meeting the presence of God was so strong. Several people commented about that afterwards.

While listening to other people’s prayers during that prayer time, I saw the image of a large waterwheel dipping down into the water (God’s living water) and bringing water up to people waiting in the window above. I was also prompted strongly in my spirit to restart a weekly prayer gathering in Culpeper. And when I got home, I found a letter (article) in the mail from Burt Swardstrom titled “Prayer Revival In America.”

That led me to call Pastor Brad Hales to ask for permission to hold the prayer gatherings at Reformation Lutheran Church in downtown Culpeper where he pastors. Brad was excited told me his church was open for prayer every day of the week.

So the next morning, I wrote a YDB devotional titled “Prayer Revival In America” and got great feedback from that.

After writing that devotional, Elizabeth Powell called me out-of-the-blue to follow up with someone I met at the Global Day of Prayer in early June. When I invited her to come to noon community prayer gathering on Sep 2, she told me she would. I learned that Elizabeth will already be at Reformation Lutheran Church for a weekly bible study from 11-noon on Wednesdays.

Elizabeth and her now deceased husband Bill played a key role in the Powell Wellness Center becoming a reality in Culpeper. Elizabeth is also the one who hosted the Experienced God life group that I began attending in January. That group was responsible for the birth of the Experience God Through Journaling webinars I hosted. And so much eternal fruit has come from those.

On Friday Aug 28, Julia and I went to Massanutten to have dinner with my parents and stay overnight. We watched their slide show with about 400 photos from their recent 3 week trip to 7 countries in Europe.

Then on Saturday and Sunday (August 30 and 31), Julia and I went with good friends to Culpeper County High School to see the Power Team perform. They were awesome. We witnessed about 150 decisions for Christ – young, old, all races and ethnic groups. I learned the Power Team has the most popular school assembly in the entire United States. Wow!

On Monday August 31, Patrick and Becky Badstibner drove to Culpeper to meet with me. I took them to dinner at Ruby Tuesday. I just got introduced to Pat for the first time on August 21 by Bob Sims when he was giving me a lesson on Tweetdeck. Bob met Pat through Twitter and built a strong relationship. Pat began worldprayr on Twitter in April 2009 and that has quickly grown to become the largest prayer network on Twitter, the most powerful networking platform. After meeting with me, Pat asked for me to be on his council of elder for worldprayr.

Yesterday, I drove to Richmond to host two live seminars to inspire people to establish a powerful online presence to share their stories, products, and services with the world. Only 13 people had signed up online before I left home, but about 25-28 people attended the events. What happened and the responses I got were so encouraging.

Prayer Power
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your grace, Your amazing grace. I am so humbled by what You did yesterday, with the encouragement Your provided, badly needed encouragement. Thank You for going before me, watching my backside, cleaning up my messes, protecting me, and bringing me home safely last night. Thank You for this song “Christ Before Me” that Jerry sent me. May you richly bless today’s prayer gathering. May this ignite a fire of prayer revival. Thank You Jesus. Amen and hallelujah!

Blessings to receive a clear answer from the LORD with how often you should pray!

Randy Peck, M.D.
“Blessed to be a blessing”
THE CONNECTOR & The Journal Guy

P.S. If you have comments to share, please post them publicly on my blog rather than sending me emails. Thank you.

Yesterday, I went to the monthly “Christ In Culpeper” (Prayer Culpeper) meeting at the Culpeper Train Depot. Eight prayer warriors were there initially and one more joined us before we finished. The presence of God was very strong.

While we were praying I saw a vision of a large waterwheel dipping down into the water (God’s living water) and bringing water up to people waiting in the window above. Many, many people are so thirsty for God’s living waters.

Also while we were praying, the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart strongly to resume weekly prayer meetings. When I got home, I found a letter (article) in the mail from Burt Swardstrom titled “Prayer Revival In America.” Burt is Director of Communications (Prayer Coordinator) for Mastermedia International.

As I was reading that article (see below), I knew with absolutely certainly that I am to start a noon-time weekly prayer meeting in Culpeper in which business people can meet for prayer that will rapidly evolve into daily prayer meeting all over our community. Prayer and faith go hand-in-hand. Prayer and love for Jesus go hand-in-hand.

I feel so deeply the pain of broken hearts and broken families in our community. PRAYER IS THE ANSWER. There is no revival without prayer. The only way a city will be transformed is when pulpit and marketplace leaders come together regularly to pray. That is foundational to every great revival.

Jeremiah Lamphier held his first prayer meeting in a Reformation Church in New York City on Wednesday September 23, 1857. Within weeks, hundreds of people were gathering to pray. It’s interesting that in 2009, September 23 is also a Wednesday.

Late yesterday afternoon, I spoke with Brad Hales, pastor of Reformation Lutheran Church in downtown Culpeper. He has agreed to allow his sanctuary to be used for prayer time on Wednesdays at Noon. So we will start weekly prayer meetings from Noon – 1 pm on Wed, September 2.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, we praise You as the God of prayer, the God of revival. Thank You for stirring my heart to begin weekly prayer meetings in downtown Culpeper starting Sept 2. I’m expecting an explosion in faith and God-centeredness. May Your Holy Spirit send the invitations to people’s hearts to come. Thank You Jesus!

Blessings to experience the power of prayer in your community!

Randy Peck, M.D.
“Blessed to be a blessing”
THE CONNECTOR & The Journal Guy

——————————————————————————–

Prayer Revival In America
Source: http://www.truthkeepers.com/prayer1.htm

Wesley Duewal (Revival Fire: ZondervanPublishingHouse)

1857 Prayer Revival in America

A quiet, zealous forty-six-year-old businessman in New York was appointed on July 1,1857 , as a missionary in downtown New York at the Dutch Church. Jeremiah Lamphier had been converted in 1842 in Broadway Tabernacle, Finney’s church that was built in 1836.

Lamphier felt led by God to start a noon-time weekly prayer meeting in which business people could meet for prayer. Anyone could attend, for a few minutes or for the entire hour. Prayers were to be comparatively brief. Lamphier’s group met on the third floor of the old North Dutch Reformed Church on Fulton Street in New York. Lamphier printed some handbills announcing the prayer meetings with the title, “How Often Should I Pray?” He left these in some offices and warehouses. He also put one on the door of the church on the street side.

The first day, September 23, 1857, Lamphier prayed alone for half an hour. But by the end of the hour, six men from at least four denominational backgrounds joined him. The next Wednesday there were twenty. On October 7 there were nearly forty. The meeting was so blessed that they decided to meet daily. One week later there were over one hundred present, including many unsaved who were convicted by the Holy Spirit of their sin.

Within one month pastors who had attended the noon prayer meetings in Fulton Street started morning prayer meetings in their own churches. Soon the places where the meetings were held were overcrowded. Men and women, young and old of all denominations met and prayed together without distinctions. The meetings abounded with love for Christ, love for fellow Christians, love for prayer, and love of witnessing. Those in attendance felt an awesome sense of God’s presence. They prayed for specific people, expected answers, and obtained answers.

Newspapers began to report on the meetings and the unusual spirit of prayer that was evident. Within three months similar meetings had sprung up across America. Thousands began praying in these services and in their own homes. I n New York, gospel tracts were distributed to those in attendance, with instructions that they pray over the tracts and then give them to someone God brought to mind.

The three rooms at the Fulton Street Church were filled beyond capacity, and hundreds had to go to other places. By early February a nearby Methodist Church was opened, and it immediately overflowed. The balconies were filled with ladies. By March 19 a theater opened for prayer, and half an hour before it was time to begin, people were turned away. Hundreds stood outside in the streets because they could not get inside. By the end of March over six thou- sand people met daily in prayer gatherings in New York City. Many churches added evening services for prayer. Soon there were 150 united prayer meetings each day across Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Meetings began in February in Philadelphia. Soon Jayne’s Hall was overfilled, and meetings were held at noon each day in public halls, concert halls, fire stations, houses, and tents. The whole city exuded a spirit of prayer.

PRAYER MEETING FERVOR

Almost simultaneously noon prayer meetings sprang up all across America in Boston, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, New Orleans, Vicksburg, Memphis, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, and in a multitude of other cities, towns, and in rural areas. By the end of the fourth month, prayer fervor burned intensely across the nation. It was an awesome but glorious demonstration of the sovereign working of the Holy Spirit and the eager obedience of God’s people.

America had entered a new period of faith and prayer. Educated and uneducated, rich and poor, business leaders and common workmen-all prayed, believed, and received answers to prayer. Even the president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, attended many of the noon prayer meetings. This was not a revival of powerful preaching. This was a movement of earnest, powerful, prevailing prayer.

All people wanted was a place to pray. Sinners would come and ask for prayer. Someone would individually pray for them, and in minutes the newly saved person was rejoicing in Christ. Prayers would be asked by name for unconverted friends and loved ones from allover the country. In a day or two, testimonies would be given of how the prayers had already been answered. In some towns, nearly the entire population became saved.

Six months previous to Lamphier’s prayer meeting boom, few would have gathered for a prayer service. But now a spirit of prayer occupied the land, as though the church had suddenly discovered its real power. The majority of the churches in most denominations experienced a new dimension of prayer. The Presbyterian Magazine reported that as of May there had been fifty thousand converts of the revival. In February, a New York Methodist magazine reported a total of eight thousand conversions in Methodist meetings in one week. The Louisville daily paper reported seventeen thousand Baptist conversions in three weeks during the month of March. And according to a June statement, the conversion figures stood at 96,216–and still counting. all but two of the youth in one high school were saved. A similar event took place in Toledo, Ohio. These are just brief examples of what was happening constantly all across the nation.

The accounts of the prayer meetings during those revival years describe how the people would quietly gather at the place of prayer promptly at the appointed hour. Whoever was leader for the meeting—a layman or a minister— arose and announced a hymn. They sang one or two verses with great joy, the leader prayed briefly, and then turned the service over to the members. Any person was free to speak or pray for no longer than five minutes. If the person took more than that time, a small bell was rung and it was someone else’s turn.

Requests for prayer, often coming from distant places, were spoken or read. Often sinners arose and requested prayer for themselves. Members gave testimonies of answers to prayer, and the people praised the Lord. Brief exhortations on prayer or revival were allowed but limited to five minutes. Many testified of revival progress in various locations. Promptly at the closing of the hour the leader rose and pronounced the benediction, and the people quietly left the building. Occasionally someone might stay behind to pray with a spiritual seeker.

THE INVISIBLE CLOUD OF GOD’S PRESENCE

A canopy of holy and awesome revival influence—in reality the presence of the Holy Spirit—seemed to hang like an invisible cloud over many parts of the United States, especially over the eastern seaboard. At times this cloud of God’s presence even seemed to extend out to sea. Those on ships approaching the east coast at times felt a solemn, holy influence, even one hundred miles away, without even knowing what was happening in America.

Revival began aboard one ship before it reached the coast. People on board began to feel the presence of God and a sense of their own sinfulness. The Holy Spirit convicted them, and they began to pray. As the ship neared the harbor, the captain signaled, “Send a minister.” Another small commercial ship arrived in port with the captain, and every member of the crew converted in the last 150 miles. Ship after ship arrived with the same story: both passengers and crew were suddenly convicted of sin and turned to Christ before they reached the American coast.

The battleship North Carolina was anchored in New York harbor as a naval receiving ship. More than a thousand young men were on board. Four Christians agreed to meet together for prayer and knelt on the lower deck. The Spirit of God so filled their hearts with joy that they broke into song. Ungodly men on the top deck heard the singing, looked down, and saw the boys kneeling. They began running down the stairs, mocking and jeering. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit so gripped them that by the time they reached the bottom deck they fell on their knees and began crying for mercy.

Strong men who were deep in sin were broken down by the Spirit’s power and knelt humbly in penitence and faith. Night after night the sailors prayed, and hundreds were converted on the ship. Ministers were sent for, and they came out from shore to help in the gracious work of the Spirit. The battleship became a mighty center of revival. Converts of the movement, completing their periods of training, were sent out to other navy ships. Wherever they went revival fires were kindled in other naval vessels.

IN HOMES, SHOPS, FIELDS, AND CHURCHES

Reports came in of hundreds being converted in prayer meetings, private homes, workshops, and fields. Often the doors of businesses held signs reading, ” Closed, will reopen at the close of the prayer meeting.” Five prayer meetings took place daily in Washington, D.C. Five thousand or so attended daily services in the Academy of Music Hall.

In Philadelphia, Jayne’s Hall removed partitions and added space for six thousand people to attend daily meetings. At this time George Duffield wrote the hymn “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” For months multitudes of churches opened every evening for prayer, and some of them had from three to five services of prayer each day. All were filled. The services consisted of simple prayer, confession, exhortation, and singing. But it was ” so earnest, so solemn, the silence. ..so awful, the singing. ..so over-powering” that the meetings were unforgettable. A canvas tent was erected for outdoor meetings, and it immediately filled with people. In four months’ time, a total of 150,000 people attended the ministry in the tent, with many conversions. Philadelphia churches reported five thousand converts.

The Presbyterians in Northern Ireland heard of the awakening in Philadelphia and sent fraternal delegates. These delegates returned to their homeland and reported what they had seen, and the revival broke out in Ireland, spreading across the British Isles.

REVIVAL IN THE ARMY

Because of the bitter tensions of the Civil War and the slavery issue, for a time it seemed that the southern states would not be as powerfully influenced by the revival as the northern ones had been. Others dispute this assumption. An unusually powerful revival broke out among the southern troops stationed around Richmond, Virginia, in the autumn of 1861. It began in the hospitals among the wounded men and then spread into the camps as these men returned to active duty. Prayer meetings were organized and hundreds converted. The movement spread rapidly throughout the army, reaching the troops of Tennessee and Arkansas.

Revival was encouraged by Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, who were well known as devout Christians. By the mid-summer of 1863 the revival had spread through all the Confederate armies, and thousands of men had been converted. Chaplains and lay missionaries went out among the troops, preaching and distributing tracts and dealing personally with hungry hearts. By the end of the war at least 150,000 soldiers had been converted, and more than a third of all of the southern troops had become praying men. The revival among the southern troops was primarily a revival of prayer, as the earlier revival in the North had been. While the best estimates are that 6.6 percent of the entire population of the United States was converted during the revival, the percentage among the southern troops was 21 percent. The North really did not win the war—prayer and a mighty revival did!