by Jason Hershey | Sep 29, 2017 | DT-blog, 24/7 worship, DavidsTent Book Excerpts, news
Living with Dick and Barbara for the next couple of months was a priceless experience. One of the rules of the house was that we men had to be up at 5 a.m. to “awaken the dawn” for two hours each morning in prayer, Bible study and worship. I had landed myself in a spiritual boot camp. Let’s face it, a mature prayer life really often comes down to two things: 1) Time carved out and 2) the alarm clock. At the time, Dick and Barbara were in their late seventies. They are people of intercession, untainted by unbelief and as wild in faith as mountain lions. I joke that if you are really still and listen carefully anywhere inside the Beltway in the middle of the night, you will hear Dick Simmons howling his intercessions unto the Lord. Barbara is famous for a strict forty-day water-only fast that started the beginning of August, 2001. The day she broke the fast, her fortieth day, was September 11, 2001. Since the Simmons lived just a block from the Capitol, many credit Barbara’s fast with giving grace to the selfless acts of the heroes onboard United Airlines Flight 93 to take it down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania rather than hitting the Capitol dome. Could it be that her tent of prayer was a canopy of spiritual protection over the Capitol? These were the wild folks who took us in and trained us in a lifestyle of intercessory prayer. Ron Boehme, in his “Renew America” blog, once wrote that homelessness is not a problem of the lack of finances or occupation. He explained that it’s actually a problem of relationship. I’ve heard it said, “Every problem in the world is a problem of relationship.” When a person is homeless, is there no one who loves them enough to take them in? I hope we love Jesus enough to take Him in. Since that homeless day we spent in 2009 until the present, our family has yet to have a home of our own in D.C., and friendships have always been the solution. We are now in the fifth location where wonderful Christians have opened their hearts and doors to us at reduced rents (and sometimes rent free), to allow us to exist in this expensive city. Praise God! Every solution is one of relationship. Being on the receiving end of such caring has created a deep gratitude in me and has made me even more zealous for God to be received in our nation like never before. We must find a home for Jesus. We must value Him above all else.
Come, Lord Jesus! Find Your home in me.
by Jason Hershey | Sep 22, 2017 | 24/7 worship, DavidsTent Book Excerpts, DT-blog, news
Many choose homelessness, but I didn’t. And, as I found out later, neither does God. In January of 2009, I had to move all my existence into storage. I had just gone through an emotionally-shell-shocking death-of-a-vision experience. The ministry that we had pioneered in Washington, D.C. for the past three and a half years had ended in a screeching train wreck. Many authors write books on their great successes, answered prayers and miracles. I am beginning this one with a confession of utter failure. We wrecked big-time. Kimberlee and I packed up the kids and headed out of town to seek the Lord, and when I say, “out of town,” I mean “out of town.” We ended up at the furthest American point away from D.C. — Kona, Hawaii. 2 Still, as we traveled in that season, God reconfirmed His call on our lives to continue to pray for America in Washington, D.C. We were gripped by this call. Somehow we simply had to get back to our nation’s capital. A call is different than some lofty vision. We can dream up a lot of great things we might do for the Lord, but that’s completely different then when He calls you. A call is holy and from the Lord. And if you’ve made Jesus Lord of your life, you have no choice but to obey His call. So after only three weeks in Kona, we headed back to D.C. God had called us to be intercessors for America from there, and we simply had to obey. But can you imagine how disheartening it was to be flying back to a city that was supposed to be home for us, when we no longer had a home there? All of our belongings were in storage, and we didn’t have enough monthly income to pass any rent requirements, even for the smallest places. Nobody would rent to us. Here I was, with a wife and two young boys in tow (and a third child on the way), and all I could offer them was a storage unit. While I should have been filled with excitement to be returning to D.C., the feelings of defeat that assailed me were almost overwhelming. What were we doing flying back “home,” when we didn’t actually have a home? It was an Abrahamic moment. “This Land is your inheritance, BUT you’ll be living in a tent.” In our case, the only tent we had was a minivan. A wonderful friend who had kept our minivan while we were gone picked us up at Dulles Airport. We drove into D.C. and dropped him off where he needed to go, and then we didn’t know what to do next. I decided to drive to Capitol Hill. There I found a place to park and began to wait on the Lord in prayer. The two boys were passed out sleeping in their car seats after the red-eye flight from Kona, and Kimberlee, pregnant with our third, was sleeping in the passenger seat. What were we to do? For a while, I sat at the steering wheel staring out the windows with a glaze over my eyes. The half-million to million-dollar townhouses towered around me like the walls of Jericho, and there I was homeless. I felt confident that we were in the city where we were supposed to live, but the driving question was: “Where are we going to sleep tonight?” I was preparing my heart to spend the night in the van. I pulled out my Bible and began to read out loud, quietly enough not to disturb Kimberlee and the boys, and as I did, revelation began to pour into my soul. God also had a place where He desired to dwell. For generations He had been homeless, as He waited for someone to bring the Ark of His Presence into the city of Jerusalem. And now, He was again homeless — billions of times over — as He longed to dwell in the hearts of men and women everywhere. As I pondered all of this, there was an immediate heart connect, a heart connect that can only be experienced by two who have shared a similar pain. Suddenly, a quietness filled my soul. Knowing that God knew my situation soothed my anxiety. He could relate with me. At the same time, mixed with this quietness of soul came a strange ache. It was an ache for God to be welcomed into the very heart of my nation with the same degree of welcome King David gave Him in Jerusalem. I had often asked God to give me His heart. That day He had given me His peace, but it had come with a bit of His brokenheartedness. I dare you, double-dog dare you, to try homelessness for even one day. I’m talking about true homelessness, without any other options, not just moving out of your house for a night. Now I know that very few of you will take me up on that dare, actually giving everything away and putting yourself in those shoes, but try to stretch your heart into that place and imagine what it would be like. Some of you may have actually been in those shoes before. Let’s all try to get our hearts into that place for a moment here. Now, read Psalms 132 out loud. I believe that the revelation of it will change your perspective on life. From that day forward, I deeply wanted to be a home for Jesus, and I wanted to spur my nation to become a resting place for Him as well. I waited and prayed, and the hours passed. Then, suddenly the silence was broken by a phone call. It was from Dick Simmons, a spiritual father, mentor and general of intercession who lived on Capitol Hill. He was inviting us to stay with him and his wife Barbara. Dick and Barbara lived in a condo directly behind the Supreme Court, with a straight line of sight to the Capitol Building, and they had some vacant rooms. After eight hours of sitting in our van on the street, we suddenly had a place to stay. But those eight hours had been important, for they shifted my focus in life. I was now fixated on finding a resting place for the Lord.
1 “Lord, remember David
And all his afflictions;
2 How he swore to the Lord,
And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
5 Until I find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
We found it in the fields of the woods.
7 Let us go into His tabernacle;
Let us worship at His footstool.
8 Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
10 For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.
11 The Lord has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.
12 If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
14 “This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”
Psalm 132:1-14, NKJV
by Jason Hershey | Sep 15, 2017 | 24/7 worship, DavidsTent Book Excerpts, DT-blog, news
God has been up to some beautiful things in Washington, D.C., and all over this country. This book is a testimony of the past, but it is also a prophecy to the future.
In the fall of 2012, God assembled one hundred and sixty-six different worship teams and believers from all fifty states to worship 24/7 for forty days in the pattern of David’s Tabernacle on the White House Ellipse in Washington, D.C. Worshippers signed up for two-hour watches, to keep a song to the Lord going unbroken, like a relay race, around the clock. This took place in a tent literally in view of the First Family’s back porch.
In 2013, the song crescendoed a bit more. God sent one hundred and ninety-four different wor- ship teams for forty-two days or, as we called it, “The Thousand-Hour Love Song.” It became clear that year that this was not a one-time event but was destined to become part of the culture of America.
The song continued to build into the third year. In 2014, two hundred and twenty-five worship teams gathered for fifty continuous days of worship, prayer and proclamation of the Bible. “Ezra’s Platform” was added for the continual reading of the Bible as a prayer for the healing for our land. During that time, the Bible was proclaimed cover to cover four and a half times. Another tent was added that year for people to gather and pray for our country, its leadership, and one another in humble petition behind the scenes, without microphones.
In unprecedented unity, the worshippers who have participated in these events have been diverse in age, denomination, ethnicity and musical style, yet all with the same heart to simply enthrone Jesus on their praises. This was all orchestrated by God alone. None of it was staged for the world to see, but these diverse people were gathered by Jesus for His own pleasure. The restoration of the fallen Tent of David is truly a work of God.
I believe this book will be an answer for the hundreds of thousands of you who have been praying and seeking God for a way to somehow express your love for Him and your desperation for Him to turn all of our hearts back again (1 Kings 18:37). It’s been my deepest honor to be able to see the prayers of so many answered already. May we all be encouraged that Jesus is coming, riding on a swift cloud. He’s coming to save America. Let us all run into His tent and find His salvation.
I have good news for you: God has a great plan for America. He has called us to exemplify, on the worldwide stage, what it looks like for a nation to turn back to Him and then go as a tidal wave to preach this same good news to the ends of the earth — all for His glory. America, it is time to step into our destiny. Let’s partner with the Lord and respond to His invitation.
Finally, this book will be to provoke America and the world to bring an offering to the Lord, simply be- cause He’s worthy. A friend told me that the words “He is worthy” just wouldn’t be motivation enough to mobilize a nation, that I needed a stronger motivator, but everything within me rebelled against that thought. I know there is a remnant out there (and it is not small anymore) that knows that Jesus really is worthy of it all, and that’s all the motivation they need to pour out their whole lives at His feet. If you are reading this book, I have no doubt that you are one of them. Thank you for your devotion to Jesus. -Jason Hershey Washington, D.C.
This post is an excerpt from the book David’s Tent – Jesus is Worthy of A Nation’s Praise by Jason Hershey
To support the ministry by buying a copy of the book go here
by Jason Hershey | Sep 8, 2017 | 24/7 worship, DavidsTent Book Excerpts, DT-blog, news
September 11, 2001 has become old news for many. Children have grown up and become adults and don’t even remember that day. Life has continued, and much has transpired since 9/11, yet God is still beckoning to America: “Come to Me.” Our great God is One who would grow a rose of mercy out of the ashes of 9/11, isn’t He? I’ve wondered if, in the very numbers — NINE, ELEVEN — isn’t to be found that very beckoning from God, pulled forth from the book of Amos, for Amos 9:11 says: “On that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David which has fallen down.”
In the years since 9/11, I’ve gotten married to my wonderful wife Kimberlee and we have had five children, all born in Washington, D.C. Led by the Holy Spirit, with a bleeding heart for America, we’ve planted a YWAM community in Washington that’s been focused on intercession for the whole of the nation. Many now know us as the Washington House of Prayer. One of the constant questions of my calling is: “How do I stand in the gap and make intercession for America today?” The purpose of this book is to invite you to join in the journey of prayer that’s led me to the conclusion that we must, as a nation, come together to launch a 24/7/365 lamp of worship and prayer in our nation’s capital, with the same devotion and love for the Lord that King David expressed in his tabernacle of praise, other- wise known as David’s Tent. This book is to evoke a national response from the churches of America and the world to take ownership of David’s Tent in the same way, knowing that we can only do so when there is an overflow from a life reoriented around Jesus and His priorities. But here’s the revolution: Over time, as I’ve gotten to know the Lord more and more, the motivation has completely changed. It’s no longer merely the questions of how we should properly respond to bad tidings, but it’s now the much deeper question of how do we respond to the unending oceans of love that are emanating from the heart of God toward us?
The call contained in this book has become, more and more, not just a response to any particular crisis of our generation, but more of a response to the love and glory of God. This book is to evoke a reaction of praise to the Lord Jesus, just as we can’t help but say, “That’s an amazing sunset!” whenever we see one. The single greatest crisis that our generation has to grapple with, as with every generation that has gone before or will come after us, is this: How do we properly respond to the love and glory of Jesus?
This post is an excerpt from the book David’s Tent – Jesus is Worthy of A Nation’s Praise by Jason Hershey
To support the ministry by buying a copy of the book go here
by Jason Hershey | Sep 1, 2017 | 24/7 worship, DavidsTent Book Excerpts, DT-blog, news
I started attending about a month after Diana died. Eventually we grew to more than a thousand young people, who, out of our hunger for God, gathered for worship each Tuesday night. Our lives were changed dramatically as we met together with Him each week.
This was a proper response to tragedy. When, suddenly, we all got a fresh revelation that life was short and that none of us was guaranteed tomorrow, these TBS young people offered us Jesus as our only hope, and we all sought to get our lives right with God as fast as we could. I’m forever grateful to those who, in their grief, simply made invitations. I can’t express my gratitude enough. In like manner, this book is an invitation to you. Due to my experience with TBS, I assumed that the tragedy of September 11, 2001 would lead us to a great turning back to God nationally. When that didn’t happen, a spiritual crisis of sorts arose in me. How should we have responded as a nation? I’ve always believed that it’s never too late to respond rightly, once we finally know how, because God is rich in mercy. September 11 affected our nation as a whole. Therefore, wouldn’t Jesus offer an invitation to the nation as a whole to find comfort in Him? In this pattern, our response to His invitation must also be national, as a whole.
What is the invitation of Jesus to America now in our generation? If He could give an altar call and invite us as a whole nation forward, what would that look like? It’s still not too late to respond to the invitation of Jesus. With Him, the most merciful Being in all of existence, it’s never too late.
This post is an excerpt from the book David’s Tent – Jesus is Worthy of A Nation’s Praise by Jason Hershey
To support the ministry by buying a copy of the book go here
by Jason Hershey | Aug 25, 2017 | 24/7 worship, DavidsTent Book Excerpts, DT-blog, news
Prior to September 11, we had already scheduled the Jesus Revolution team to be going to churches and schools in the Northeast of the country. Suddenly we found ourselves ministering to some who had known individuals who died that day and many whose sense of security had just been newly shattered.
That fall I saw firsthand how people responded swiftly with fresh decisions to change their lives, as the heart of the Northeast had been broken and soft before God in the wake of 9/11. Many, in deep repentance and tears, made decisions for Jesus and took a fresh look at the priorities of their lives. The temporal values of this world suddenly were giving way to what really mattered. Commitments were made to live for God and to reach out to those who didn’t know Him.
But that window of a softened heart seemed to close very quickly. By January of the following year it seemed that everything had gone back to normal. Well, things may have gone back to normal for most, but not for me. I was marked by it all. Maybe you share the same sentiment. Our national response to God on the heels of 9/11 left me wanting so much more. I just knew that we hadn’t responded as we should have. Perhaps it was because of my previous experience.
Before going to YWAM, my life had been transformed by Jesus because of friends who responded correctly to tragedy. In fact, this personal revival in the love of God is what led me into YWAM in the first place and into being open enough to hear God’s call for my life. Several youth from my county had started a home group Bible study that met on Tuesday nights. Then, one of them, Diana Sharp, died suddenly in a car accident just two months after they had begun this little fellowship. Her funeral was on a Tuesday morning. Fifty teens went forward to the altar and gave their lives to Jesus at her funeral. At the end of the funeral, Diana’s Tuesday Night Bible Study (TBS) friends had printed invitations to attend their meeting that week. One of those who attended was quoted as saying, “We just hung out, cried and prayed together.” What had begun as a simple Bible study turned into quite a move of God. TBS doubled in size that week of Diana’s funeral and didn’t stop growing for years.
This post is an excerpt from the book David’s Tent – Jesus is Worthy of A Nation’s Praise by Jason Hershey
To support the ministry by buying a copy of the book go here
