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Birthing of the American Camp Meeting and the Cane Ridge Revival

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Pentecost to the Present: Book Two – Reformations and Awakenings, Jeff Oliver: “In 1796, James McGready (1763-1817), a Presbyterian pastor of three small churches in Kentucky, led his congregations to sign a covenant to pray every Saturday and Sunday morning and to devote the third Saturday of each month to prayer and fasting for revival. Three years later, McGready invited some other denominational ministers to join him at their annual Communion gathering at the Red River Church when the power of God came down. The following summer, they returned on the weekend of June 21-23, 1800, when the Presence of the Spirit became so intense the congregation was reduced to tears. On the third and final day of meetings, the Spirit again lingered. John McGee, one of the Methodist ministers started weeping and others soon followed. McGee then stood up and exhorted the crowd. Several women began shouting, and one in particular shouted above the others. McGee left the pulpit to go to her, but several warned him that the Presbyterians liked order. McGee described what happened as he headed toward the pulpit: ‘I turned to go back and was near falling; the Power of God was so strong upon me. I turned again and, losing sight of the fear of man, I went through the house shouting and exhorting with all possible ecstasy and energy, and the floor was soon covered by the slain.’

Where Are You?

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Isa. 56:7 These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

Just a quick note to let you all know that God’s House of Prayer is open. Many of us are meeting to pray from 6:30-9:30 every night in the sanctuary. At the same time we are practicing social distancing, concluding the evening with a good dousing of the chairs in lysol.

Last night during prayer the Lord prompted me to ask, Where are you? It took me some time to see but as I continued looking I saw Jesus standing at the bow of an old masted ship, or clipper with sails. He was being sprayed by the waves crashing around the ship but was unmoved, looking ahead. As the waves rolled and crashed about the ship I kept seeing Jesus shift from wearing a robe to wearing a pirates outfit. I thought that maybe my unconscious mind was superimposing this onto the vision until I thought of Luke 11:21–23When the strong man, fully armed, [from his courtyard] guards his own dwelling, his belongings are undisturbed [his property is at peace and is secure].22 But when one stronger than he attacks him and conquers him, he robs him of his whole armor on which he had relied and divides up and distributes all his goods as plunder (spoil).23 He who is not with Me [siding and believing with Me] is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me [engage in My interest], scatters. (AMPC)

I realized that Jesus is setting out to plunder the strongman in His Church – His Bride. He is setting course through these storms to rob him of his armor, and to divide up his plunder.

The other Scripture I thought of was Mark 4:38-40 But He [Himself] was in the stern [of the boat], asleep on the [leather] cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, Master, do You not care that we are perishing?39 And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still (muzzled)! And the wind ceased (sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was [immediately] a great calm (a perfect peacefulness).40 He said to them, Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith (no firmly relying trust)? (AMPC)

Jesus isn’t asleep during this storm but is setting out to lead His Church, and His Leader-Ship through this storm. He is not slumbering or sleeping but is plunging head first into the enemies plans. It is time to have faith and listen. Fear implies no faith, or trust. Look to Him and join Him in the “bow.” Where is Jesus? He is in the “bow” – in prayer. You will find Jesus in prayer – if you will pray and seek Him. Could it also be implied that “He who is not with Me [siding and believing with Me] is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me [engage in My interest], scatters?”

Gather with 2-3 to pray with Jesus each night preparing for His great awakening, or join us at church, but don’t be standing against Jesus in these storms.

30 Days Ablaze

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…and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good,  for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud…2 Chronicles 5:13

We have come to the 30th day of the fast and I am expecting that the next 10 days will at least, in a measure, be days of awe. I am asking God for an AWEwakening in my own life and for the many others that I am praying for. 

In the 1980s our church, pastored by Che Ahn had a 30 day awakening. Many times in my life I have experienced somewhat of a “come away My beloved” tug. An inward desire maybe spawned by a dream, scripture or still small voice, draws me into a seeking time which leads to a finding time. Believe it or not, I was the worship leader in those days. Our worship team began to yearn to experience a prophetic anointing in worship that would lead to people getting saved without an altar call. For 30 days we fasted holding prayer meetings almost nightly. We were crying, “Open the heavens!” 

On the 29th night, I was reading about King Saul. When he came into the presence of the sons of the prophets who were playing their instruments, he was basically slain in the spirit and prophesied all day long. I was pondering this in my heart, “What kind of worship brings kings under such an influence?” Suddenly I began to experience a deep groan in my spirit that continued for maybe an hour. I knew the Holy Spirit was praying through me and that the next morning’s worship service would be a day of an encounter. It would be the 30th day. 

Our church was not a wild congregation, though we loved the prophetic and the freedom of expression. The worship was somewhat ordinary that morning until the lead guitar player began to release a prophetic chord progression. At the same moment, a woman felt led to come down from the balcony and take one of the singers microphones (that should never have happened.) I began to sing spontaneously and she echoed the same lines:
 We gaze upon Your purity
We gaze upon Your beauty
We gaze upon Your loveliness
Holy incense do we bring
We gaze into an open heaven…  

As we sang that line it was like heaven exploded in the congregation. Pandemonium broke out, people were running and dancing in the aisles. Some began crying out, “We see angels! We see angels!” People were saved when no one could preach, for God had done the preaching. God had visited our 30 day fast with a glory bomb and for weeks people were healed and saved in our times of worship.

So now once again, let’s open our hearts with the expectation of God showing up; or feeding us with bread from heaven; delivering us from addiction; healing a family member. Let’s enter into this day and the following 10 days with faith for an AWEwakening.