Let Us Lift Up Our Brother Alec As He Travels to a Prayer Conference in India...the birthplace of the CPU!

Brothers and Sisters,
I have taken a few minutes this morning to read back over the dozens of posts that have been placed on this blog which began with a simple and sincere goal 7 years ago. I am embarrassed to admit how far I have drifted from the crystal-clear focus that the posts reveal here. I am seeking anyone who visits here to do what I have done and "examine yourself" and especially, examine your heart's desire as it relates to revival...personal and corporate.

As an introduction back into this Union, I'm posting a recent email I received from Alec in which he requests prayer for an upcoming trip. Please lift up our brother and consider becoming involved again here in the Canton Prayer Union.

Dear Steve,

          Greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus.
  I am sorry it is such a long time since I corresponded with you, but I hope you are well and rejoicing in the Lord in spite of the world and the churches getting worse. I still remember our time together at Canton, Ohio, and the prayer time before it.  Our God is still the same.

     You may remember that two years ago I went to India at the invitation of Joshua Daniel, a true man of God. I went to the national prayer convention in Chennai of their organization, which is called the Laymen's Evangelical Fellowship International. I had a wonderful experience, which I think I told you about.

     Joshua has again invited me to go to the convention this year, and Samuel, a preacher connected with our prayer network, has also invited me to visit him in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, which is much further north, near Mumbai.

     Having been to the Chennai convention, the situation there is now slightly familiar, but the trip north is far more daunting both as regards it being completely unknown territory, and also the fact that Samson is expecting me to speak at different meetings, but I have no idea who the people are, nor what to speak about. I think we are also going out to some villages, which, again, will be a completely new experience.              So I would really appreciate it if you, and maybe others, such as Bill, could pray for me at this time.
  My trip starts on May 13th and goes through to June 4th. I am sorry I didn't inform you before this. Please forgive me.
          Hopefully, you will be able to back me up, so  I attach a detailed itinerary.
      I know your prayers are effective, so I covet them at this time. I will send you a report about the trip afterwards.

                 Yours for the glory of the Lord
                          Alec

John Hyde Shares His Secret...Extraordinary or...the Normal Christian Life?

This post will be rather long, but, it is critially important. The following paragraphs are taken from the book, The Life Story of John Hyde, edited by E.G. Carre. pp.58-61 This account picks up the story when a mature John Hyde has been asked by a fellow missionary what had led him to consecrate his life so absolutely to the Lord, and how he had been taught the secret of this prayer-life. Hyde responds:

"My father was a minister - a Presbyterian minister - and my mother a very devoted Christian with a beautiful voice which had been consecrated to the Lord. I was determined when I was a youth, to be a missionary, and a "good missionary." I wanted to shine as a great missionary. I passed through college and did very well. I graduated, and was a little proud of the "B.A." after my name. I was determined to master the Indian languages that I would have to learn, and I resolved not to let anything stand in the way that would hinder my becoming a great missionary. That was my ambition. This was not altogether perhaps of the flesh, but most of it was. I loved the Lord and I wanted to serve Him, and serve Him well, but "self" was at the foundation of my ambition.
My father had a dear friend - a brother minister - who had a deep desire to become a missionary, but his desire was not fulfilled. He was greatly interested in me, and was delighted that the son of his great friend was going out as a missionary. He loved me and I loved him and greatly admired him.

When I got onboard the steamer at New York, bound for India for my life work, I found in my cabin a letter addressed to me. It was in the handwriting of my father's friend. I opened it and read it. The words were not many, but the purport of them was this: "I shall not cease praying for you dear John, until you are filled with the Holy Spirit." My pride was touched, and I felt exceedingly angry, and crushed the letter and threw it into a corner of the cabin and went up on deck in a very angry spirit. The idea of implying that I was not filled with the Spirit! I was going out as a missionary, and I was determined to be a good missionary, and yet this man implied that I was not fitted and equipped for the work! I paced up and down that deck, a battle raging within. I felt very uncomfortable; I loved the writer,I knew the holy life he led, and down in my heart there was a conviction that he was right and that I was not fit to be a missionary. I went back after some time to my cabin and got down on my knees to hunt for the crushed letter. Finding it, I smoothed it out, and read it again and again. I still felt annoyed, but the conviction was gaining on me that my father's friend was right and I was wrong.

This went on for two or three days until I felt perfectly miserable. This was the goodness of the Lord answering the prayers of my father's friend, who must have claimed a victory for me. At last, in a kind of despair, I asked the Lord to fill me with the Holy Spirit, and the moment I did this, the whole atmosphere seemed to clear up. I began to see myself, and what a selfish ambition I had. It was a struggle almost to the end of the voyage, but I was determined long before the port was reached, that whatever would be the cost, I would be really filled with the Spirit.
The second climax came when I was led to tell the Lord that I was willing to even fail in my language examinations in India, and be a missionary working quietly out of sight, that I would do anything, but the Holy Spirit I would have at any cost.

On one of the first few days spent in India, while I was staying with another missionary, a brother of some experience, I went out with him to an open-air service. The missionary spoke, and I was told that he was speaking about Jesus Christ as the real Savior from sin. When he had finished his address, a respectable looking man, speaking good English, asked the missionary whether he himself had been thus saved. The question went home to my heart; for if the question had been asked me, I would have had to confess that Christ had not fully saved me, because I knew that there was a sin in my life which had not been taken away. I realized what a dishonor it would be on the Name of Christ to have to confess that I was preaching a Christ that had not delivered me from sin, though I would be proclaiming to others that He was a perfect Savior.

I went back to my room and shut myself in, and told the Lord that it must be one of two things: either He must give the victory over all my sins, and especially over the sin that so easily besets me, or I must return to America, and seek there some other work. I said that I could not stand up to preach the Gospel until I could testify of its power in my own life. I was there for some time, facing the questions, realizing how reasonable it was, until the Lord assured me that He was able and willing to deliver me from all sin, that He had planned work for me in India. he did deliver me, and I have not had a doubt of this since. I can now stand up without hesitation to testify that He has given me victory, and I love to witness to this and tell all of the wonderful faithfullness of Christ my Lord, my Savior."

Brothers and Sisters,

As we enter 2010, pray with me that the Lord would allow us to clearly see the state of our own salvation and what kind of a testimony we profess by the lives that we live.

Your brother, Steve

Thoughts from 2009

I notice that the last posting was Feb.2009 and now the year is through. For me, it was a busy year...just as I'm sure it was for everyone. The curse of North American life in the 21st Century....we are all so busy. Even the homeless guy on the street is busy...just ask him!

Tonight as a family we were meditating and reciting Psalm 103:1-4 together. What a great way to close out this year.

Bless the Lord O my soul, and all this is within me, Bless His holy name! Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquitites,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

I recognize these blessings talk about our eternal destination, but it is amazing how God has blessed our family this past year. He certainly has crowned me with his lovingkindness and tender mercies...Thank you Father!

I have a deep hunger to draw near to Him in 2010 and learn more of His nature, His heart...what He wishes for His children. Distractions are many but focus on His Word and discipline will win the day. I will continue to blog here as long as God stirs my heart to do so. I would love to hear your thoughts as 2009 draws to a close.
Your brother, Steve

Are We Watching For That Small Cloud?

There has been little activity on the blog these past months for several reasons. Life (in the flesh) has a way of distracting and pulling one away from a focus on prayer.

I started the blog prior to Canton's Revival Conference and it was a great tool to unify a group of believers spread out across North America and beyond. As I read the past posts I wonder if many times I am not like Elijah's servant who kept being told (7 times) to go and look for the clouds of coming rain.

1 Kings 18:41-44
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain. So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. Go and look toward the sea, he told his servant. And he went up and looked. There is nothing there, he said. Seven times Elijah said, Go back. The seventh time the servant reported, A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea. So Elijah said, Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”


If Elijah had stopped after 5 or 6 times, would God still have sent the little cloud that brought the torrent of rain to end the drought? I feel that the neglect of prayer in my own life has made me dull of hearing. I have spoken recently with my brother in the Lord, Bill, who was with me and several others at Canton. We both sense the Spirit's patient call to return to the prayer room. Should the Canton Prayer Union be revived? I look forward to hearing how God is leading you in these days. Please comment on what the Lord is revealing to you in these days.

Your brother in Christ, Steve

Paul wahser

hey did anyone listen to pal washer sermon ?
he gave a few days agao
It was really good
God bess
charlene

Thanks

it is amazing how time goes by.
The last 7 month have been a hard road
I have fallen on my face as one who pray's
God by grace has picked me up.
I have struggled with my health and desire to give up many times
I was sad there was no prayer meeting at my Church
But I pressed on. trusted God and kept in prayer.
God one by one has been meeting my needs
he will answer when we cry out to Him.
Just this last week, he brought to place of seeing I need to seek
Him again, to go back to the place of prayer, thanks for
reminder we need press on in prayers and trust in Christ
I do hope everyone is good, I too will be praying for you all
In Christ we can
Charlene

Preparing for the Coming Revival?

Greetings Brothers,

I listened to a David Wilkerson message several years ago and he made a shocking statement that has stayed with me. It has been on my mind ever since we started praying for revival. I am going to paraphrase his statement as I recall it.

"There can be no revival in America until there is a complete collapse of the economy and the Church of Christ is forced to abandon their idols (materialism), repent and truly seek God." (my recollection)

With the economy here in the U.S. unravelling at a horrific rate, our confidence and trust in our god (money) is being shaken to the core. The experts are wringing their hands and saying , "The sky is falling!" What is our response?

In the days leading up to the Revival Conference in Canton, our group was intensely focused and hungry....starving for a glimpse of the power of God to be revealed. Hungry for personal revival and a true revival within the Bride of Christ.

This year feels so very different. I seem powerless to break the numbing complacency that deadens my prayers and blurs my focus. Is anyone else feeling this way? By the lack of responses to my past posting I have to conclude that this is not just my own experience. I have been following the reports from the Tue. evening prayer meetings that are going on weekly in preparation for the conferences. The numbers are dismally small. We may have over 1100 registered for Atlanta but if we are all completely distracted and complacent, can we really expect a move of God in our midst?

I left Canton somewhat disappointed that the Creator of the Universe didn't respond on my schedule. I was looking for a dramatic display of God's power and instead I heard a message of repentance and preparation of the heart. That was God's message for 2007. What will we hear from Him in 2008?

Scripture confirms that God does not work according to man's timetable. Nineveh was ripe for judgement and had persecuted and abused the Jews mercilessly...and yet, when the people accepted the prophecy of Jonah, they repented and God stayed His hand of judgement for many years. Jonah was just like me. Disappointed that God didn't work like Jonah thought He should.

We must realize that the preparation, the prayers, the tears at Canton are incense before the throne of God. (Rev.5:8) God's agenda is not our agenda so we must be faithful and always looking forward, prayed up and expectantly looking for the next great message and next great move of God. The cracks in the foundation of our self-centered, materialistic world are widening. We may be on the brink of revival!


When prayer is hard, I don't want to pray. When I don't pray I am at the mercy of the enemy. Adam Clarke said,

"Apostasy begins in the closet. No man ever backslid from the life and power of Christianity who continued constant and fervent in private prayer. He who prays without ceasing is likely to rejoice evermore."

These are such interesting times. The possibility of another terrorist attack gets more and more likely, the closer we get to our election. The economy is unravelling. Our southern states have been decimated by tropical storms. We are so vulnerable...the richest country on the face of the earth. And yet...

"Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—" Rev. 3:17

Let us encourage one another as we get closer to Atlanta. Let us be aware of our great vulnerability, and our great need for revival.

Please let us lift one another up in prayer!

Your brother in the battle, Steve