May 31
Bible Reading: Acts 1:12-26
Acts 1:14, “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer.”
Economic prosperity and spiritual decline characterized the 1850s. Industries flourished and companies amassed incredible wealth. Materialism captivated people young and old. Church attendance was in decline. The Financial Panic of 1857 brought an abrupt change. Banks failed and railroads went bankrupt. Merchants and factories were closed, and vast numbers were out of work.
It was in that setting that Jeremiah Calvin Lanphier set out to enjoin businessmen in prayer for one hour at noon on Wednesdays at the North Dutch Church in New York City. He printed some handbills announcing the prayer meetings with the title, “How Often Should I Pray?” The handbill stated, “As often as the language of prayer is in my heart; as often as I see my need of help; as often as I feel the power of temptation; as often as I am made sensible of any spiritual declension, or feel the aggression of a worldly, earthly spirit. In prayer, we leave the business of time for that of eternity and intercourse with God.”
They held the first prayer meeting in September 1857. The first person to join Lanphier was a half-hour late; several others came even later. The following week, twenty attended. On October 7, there were nearly forty. The meeting was so blessed it was decided to meet daily. One week later, there were over one hundred attending. Within one month, pastors who had attended started morning prayer meetings in their own churches.
By early February, a nearby Methodist Church, that had recently opened, overflowed. By March 19, a theater opened for prayer, and half an hour before it was time to begin, the organizers had to turn people away. By the end of March, over six thousand people met daily at 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. Within three months, similar meetings had sprung up across America. Thousands began praying in these services and in their own homes.
The attendees of that first prayer meeting could not have imagined the fruit that would result from their prayer effort. They sensed the need, so they prayed. God did the rest. In a similar way, the disciples and others, about 120 persons in all, “were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:15). They could not have imagined all that was soon to come, as the Spirit would work through the Apostles to birth Christ’s church and ultimately turn the “world upside down” (Acts 17:6). God is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask” (Ephesians 3:20), so it’s good for each one of us to devote ourselves to prayer. Perhaps it will prove contagious, and manifold blessings will be the result.
There is no limit to how God might work when His people devote themselves to prayer!
REVIVE US, AGAIN
We praise thee, O God, for the Son of thy love,
for Jesus who died, and is now gone above.
Refrain:
Hallelujah! Thine the glory, hallelujah! Amen!
Hallelujah! Thine the glory, revive us again.
We praise thee, O God, for thy Spirit of light
who has shown us our Savior and scattered our night. [Refrain]
We praise thee, O God, for the joy thou hast giv’n
to thy saints in communion, these foretastes of heav’n. [Refrain]
Revive us again, fill each heart with thy love.
May each soul be rekindled with fire from above. [Refrain]
Author: looking2jesus13
Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces.
Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries.
After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year.
Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley.
International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith.
Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully.
Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.
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