47th National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 1999

In January 1999, my wife, Nancy and I attended a prayer vigil presented by Dr. Henry Blackaby on ‘Standing in the Gap’. After the presentation I spoke personally with Mr. Blackaby and he acknowledged that he felt the presence of the Holy Spirit trying to talk to me. He asked me if I was listening to God in my Prayers. He asked me if the survival of America depended on my prayer life, what would America be like? The very next day I received an e-mail from the Woerner Foundation inviting me and Nancy to participate in the National Prayer Summit in Washington DC. I was really nervous thinking about the day before with Dr Blackaby. God had a plan for me and I still didn’t know what it was. I immediately called Paul Radford and ask him to register us for the Prayer Summit.

The next few weeks I could hardly sleep or eat, I was really excited because I knew that God wanted me to be part of this summit. I never had feelings like I was having. I knew that I was a Prayer Warrior and God had opened a door for me to pray for America. Something was missing. I felt empty, but what else could there possibly be?

We arrived In DC and met Paul and Wanda Radford. We could tell by their spirit that they were called to be there. On the second day of the event, a group of intercessors was allowed to use one of the Senate rooms in the U.S. Capital to pray for the President while the Impeachment hearings were taking place. Mr. Ray Bringham pointed out that most Christians are guilty of criticizing and judging Mr. Clinton when we should be praying for his repentance. God wants us to turn from our sin and be used of Him as King David did. Mr. Bringham stated that he felt the Holy Spirit moving and God was speaking to someone that was not listening.

At that point it hit me like a rock God wanted somebody to listen to him and that somebody was me. I realized, the empty feeling that I had for three weeks was God trying to get me to listen to Him. My prayers were on a one way street. I cried out O God I am empty, I don’t understand, reveal to me what is your will. I am sorry I have not listened to you, please forgive me. At that point God said, have you asked for Wisdom to lead your family, have you neglected your family? Repent to me and confess to your family and tell all what I have revealed to you, then bring your gift back to my altar.

My hand raised up high as I said, it is me. God revealed to me how I had neglected the leadership responsibility of my most important, walk with Him, My Family. There in the Senate Room, I asked God to forgive me and then turned to my wife and begged her to forgive me. Then I walked to the front of the Senate room and told what God revealed to me. God wants our Families Unified in Walk and Prayer. He revealed that the problems in our government, nation, and world was a reflection of our own sinful split families, and that he would hear our prayers only when we repented and walked in unity with him.

The next Day was the "Day of Prayer for America". God allowed me to share what He had revealed with all that attended the Summit. The day before. When I returned home I was supposed to give a slide show at church and tell the congregation about my trip to Washington and the Prayer Summit. God had other plans; all I could do was speak the words that God had revealed to me at the summit. Who would lead, would stand in the gap for their family, their church family, and their nation?

God has opened so many doors for me to share what he revealed that day. I believe with all my heart that prayers from families unified with Christ will turn our leaders and nation back to God.

In Ezekiel 22:30, God says, "And I searched for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I have found none". God is looking for someone to stand in the gap, to build up the walls, for this nation. Someone to keep watch and pray for it. God does not ask for volunteers, there is too much at stake. God looks for someone that he can trust. God is calling for those who would be a stone, a part of the wall.

Dr. Blackaby asked me if the survival of America depended on my prayer life, what would America be like? I could not even answer him. That was before the Prayer summit, but today America is turning around because of yours and my prayer life and our personal walk with God.

Nancy and I are currently traveling, promoting unity of the family, churches, and our nation through prayer. We are looking forward to the next National Prayer Breakfast in the year 2000. We pray that from now till then that many leaders and families will be united with Christ as Nancy and I have. Would you let Christ in to your family today