Southern Gospel News SGNScoops Digital

Erwins struck by COVID-19

Erwins

The wonderful Erwin family who most of you have heard on the radio, have been hit by the corona virus.

Yesterday, Tiffany Erwin posted on Facebook:

I am absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the love, support and MANY PRAYERS that have been spoken for our family. My mom tested positive on Tuesday for COVID, then Kris went on Tuesday and tested negative. So, Dennis and Katie went Tuesday night and tested positive. All had symptoms, so they said to assume Kris has a false negative. Everyone was doing ok, till yesterday. It started with Kris waking up with fever and trouble breathing. Once his “episodes” were over mom called my sister in her room later with the same thing going on. She probably should have gone to the hospital, but doesn’t want to be alone (and I understand that). However, if she has to, we will have to do it. For now, we made it through the night. All seems quiet for now. My sister is taking care of us all, as I can’t leave my room (which is an excruciating, helpless feeling), and is exhausted. She got tested on Saturday, but we haven’t heard anything yet. Just as you think of it, pray for our family and so many others that are fighting this CRAZY VIRUS!! It IS REAL!! If you got a light case, THANK GOD…it’s not all that way!! Masks are a joke till it hits your family and loved ones…then it changes your mind. Thank you for the prayers!! Trust me, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to pray for you too. God will get us through this according to His Perfect Will!! Love you all!!

Dennis and Tiffany Erwin, parents of the singing siblings, the Erwins

Earlier today,Tiffany posted an update:

Hey everyone!! Just an update…Everything is quiet right now around here…guess that’s a good thing!!?? For those that have sent advice and information…y’all are AWESOME!! Trust me, we’ve seen and heard it all. WE are doing the vitamin regimen (zinc, Calcium & B3, etc) and have for a while. 3 of the 4 have been given the Hydroxychloriquin (sp?) and z-pak. We are diffusing oils, drinking lemon, ginger, turmeric, honey, etc….trying to do it all, in hopes that something will work and keep things calm around here. Sunday was rough, yesterday was calm (not well, but calm)…today…ONLY GOD KNOWS!! This is truly a “roller coaster” ride. Up one day and down the next. (sometimes it’s literally up one hour & down the next)! I truly believe, the only thing we know is that, WE DON’T KNOW! We are trusting the LORD and in the prayers of HIS PEOPLE!! (SIDE NOTE: Now, if you talk to Dennis, he says everyone is fine…and I truly love that man…but he literally travels from the room he’s sleeping in, to the office, and is pretty much taking care of himself. He has had it very mild, so far, yet sleeps all but about 6-7 hours a day…so he’s far from “normal”. Plus he’s not going CRAZY to get out of the house, and he has NOT stayed in one day since this stuff hit months ago…so he’s far from “normal”. He’s definitely a NOMAD…but this virus has stopped that pretty abruptly.)
I’m thanking God today for another day to live for HIM, a family that is still around me (though I can’t see them) and for a host of friends that care!!! WOW…we are BLESSED beyond what we deserve!! I pray you all stay safe and take this virus seriously!! Don’t buy in to the hysteria…but use your BRAINS!! I fully realize our FAITH & TRUST is in the LORD; however, that SAME GOD gave you a BRAIN!!! USE IT!! Love y’all!!

Please pray for all of the Erwins.

Beyond the Song: Wisecarvers sing “Go Down Again”

Beyond the Song: the Wisecarvers sing “Go Down Again” 

By Jantina Baksteen

I got in contact with Dustin Wisecarver of the Wisecarvers, a Southern gospel family group that consists of: Vince and Tammy, Chase and Kasie, and Dustin and Kaila. They tell us about their group and explain the background of “Go Down Again.”

Jantina Baksteen: Please introduce your group to our readers. 

Dustin Wisecarver:  Mom and Dad got us started with a dream and a calling. So we’ll start with them! Mom, Tammy, she can have you blessed, crying, and reaching for tissues before you know it. She has a powerful testimony of healing from cancer that has encouraged countless folks in their own battles with it. Dad, Vince, has a country style voice and some of the smoothest rhythm guitar you’ll ever hear. There’s nothing much he can’t do. Above what you see on stage, he keeps the bus running and taught Chase and I to sing and play. Which leads to Chase my brother. He’s our versatile powerhouse lead vocalist. He can go from power notes in ballads to the sweetest sincere moments that grab your heart. Chase has the gift to write songs that are so completely different than the norm. He sees things when he reads the word of God others miss and often you’ll find that in his writing. Songs he’s written such as “Turn Back Time,” which is really the that first song that got us noticed in the Southern gospel world, will make even a saint cry and want to make sure their walk with the Lord is where it ought to be! His wife’s name is Kasie and she is our prayer and faith warrior. Though she’s not on the platform she’s there with a kind word or can be found praying with folks at the altar. They have a little boy named Jake who, for about the past year, has started coming up and singing a little bit with us here and there. He’s taking my “choo-choo” song, as he calls it, and playing his little harmonica and singing it. He turned four in February and is stealing the show. Then there’s my wife Kaila. She’s truly special and ever so anointed. She definitely holds me together and I couldn’t do what I do without her. She’s got the voice of an angel and looks like one too. She’s very versatile in both the styles she can sing and write. She goes from peaceful worship moments to the big powerful songs that’ll have you shoutin’. We have an awesome one year old named Whalen, who has totally changed our world. He’s got a little smile and just like we prayed before he was born, he brings joy everywhere we go. Finally, I like to say, ‘I’m just here.’ I play a little harmonica. I write and sing a little bit. I just consider it a privilege to be surrounded by such an amazing family with such talent. I’m not worthy to be in their midst nor to work for the Lord, but I’m awful glad He called me, and He called me to where I am and who I am with.

JB: When did you start to sing as a family group?

DW: We always sang in our home church, and would put on concerts at our family reunions. Chase and I grew up with aunts and uncles as our biggest fan base. They always flattered us and made us feel like we were big time. They would even tip! But then somewhere along the way, we felt God tugging at our hearts for more than just music. He said He had a job for us to do with our gifts, and in 2005, The Wisecarvers was officially born.

JB: I met you at first in 2016, at NQC, where you won the showcase and debuted on main stage that same evening. Tell us about that experience.

DW: Wow, the shock of actually having our name called in itself was unbelievable! I remember huge smiles at each other on that stage, as if our eyes said, “Wow! Can you believe where we are standing?”

Up until that point we had only been on one sided stages. NQC has this four sided stage and I remember us jokingly on the side asking each other, “Where do we go?” Then we were like, “No seriously, which side?”

One of my favorite things was coming off the stage, there were fans who knew us from our travels who were standing at their seats waving, giving us thumbs up, saying things like “Way to go!” We are awful thankful they keep inviting us back year after year!

JB: Did that experience give a boost to your ministry?

DW: It certainly did! It introduced us to many new friends. New doors were opened and dates added to the following year’s schedule. There were also D.J.s who either hadn’t heard us live, or hadn’t even heard us at all, until that point. We are very thankful for that experience.

JB: I know you have a testimony in the song, “It Was Jesus,” on the  “Armor” album. Please share about that.

DW: This is Momma’s testimony. Twelve years ago she was diagnosed with Stage Four cancer and given only six to twelve months to live. God intervened and as the song states there was no chemo, no surgery, just  a whole lot of prayer and faith. God healed her and she is still alive and well, serving the Lord today, 100% cancer free. The song is also about things that can not be explained other than to say, “It Was Jesus!” Sometimes we get to those points in life where He is our only way out. We encourage those who might be in the most hopeless situations that there is still hope in Him.

.JB: You have a CD out called “Sillouette.”  When I checked the information on this album, I saw that your group penned all, or almost all, of the songs. Where do you get the inspiration to write?

DW: Sometimes inspiration comes from where we’ve been and what we’re going through ourselves in those moments. Those songs go back to what God is doing in our lives or trying to teach us personally. It’s always surprising when you put those songs out, how many other people happen to relate so closely to your message. Then, that inspires more songs because you realize that people need to hear what God has done for us, letting them know He can do the same for them. There are songs that are also birthed straight out of a scripture from the word of God. Then there are those you just start writing that seem to come out of nowhere, but it’s the Holy Spirit giving you something the people need to hear. In all those scenarios, the short answer would be, “God!”

JB: You launched a song to radio that’s called, “Go Down Again.” Can you share the message of that song?

DW: If God said it, it will happen! It doesn’t matter what circumstances or people say, God’s promises are true and will come to pass because God cannot lie. Naaman was told to go dip in Jordan seven times. The song asks the question of whether Naaman might have gotten discouraged on times one through six with no partial healings or signs, just the promise. The song shifts to our personal lives with things we pray about. Sometimes we don’t have signs. Sometimes there’s no evidence that our prayers will be answered. All we have are the promises in God’s word and that’s enough! The song defines faith and is intended to encourage people to not waiver in theirs!

JB: Kaila wrote this amazing song. How did that came about?

DW: A lot of times songs have an amazing story about how they developed or the journey to the final lyrics, but with “Go Down Again,” Kaila said it kind of just happened. The Lord gave her the words, the melody, it all came together from very personal experiences but not without some hesitation. At one time, she wasn’t even sure if anyone would like the song or understand what she was trying to say. But once we got in the studio and started to record, we knew it was something special. The enemy was just fighting to keep the message from being heard.

JB: What is it to travel on the bus with the entire family and with the two little boys, Jake and Whalen?

DW: Oh, those two are the life of the party! They keep us laughing and smiling the whole time. It’s been fun to watch them begin their lives this way. Jake’s a smart little guy. He knows that bus inside and out. He is always eager to help and wants to work hard for Jesus. Whalen is just taking it all in. He’s just getting to where he can move around and getting harder to keep up with. The best part, we get to all do something we love to do together as a family.

JB: What is ahead for you in 2020?

DW: Well, we are writing new songs for a new project. Nothing is scheduled yet, but we have a few that are coming along nicely. We are also on pace to have our busiest year to date. God is definitely opening up new doors!

JB: Where can we find you on the web?

DW: You can visit our website, www.thewisecarvers.com, and also find us on all major social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

JB: What is your desire for your ministry?

DW: I want to be more effective. I want a double portion. Above all, I want to see Christ high and lifted up!

We hope you will enjoy hearing the Wisecarvers sing “Go Down Again:”

Thanks to Dustin Wisecarver for sharing your family ministry with SGNScoops. God’s blessings and guidance for your ministry in the days and months ahead.

Andrew Brunet needs prayer

Southern gospel promoter and social media personality, Andrew Brunet has requested prayer. He tells SGNScoops, “I’m real weak. They (the doctors) don’t know. I can barely make it to the bathroom and back to the couch.”

His latest post on Facebook explains further:

“It’s so strange.. today was off a good start.Felt good. Ate breakfast, everything going good. Then I went to the doctor… Didn’t feel real good.. had a deep cough.. Had an EKG.. I just feel weak, and laying around… I don’t have enough strength to walk 100 feet..Please pray for me! Send me encouraging texts, messages, I need encouragement.. 803-374-4069 is my number.. let me know that you’re praying.”

Please join SGNScoops in praying for Andrew Brunet today.

Presidential Prayer Team to Host Largest Virtual Prayer Event in US History

The Presidential Prayer Team to Host the Largest Virtual Prayer Event in US History on the 2020 National Day of Prayer

Americans can sign-up now to join this historic, nationwide event on May 7

NEWS PROVIDED BY
The Presidential Prayer Team
May 4, 2020

PHOENIX, May 4, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ — The Presidential Prayer Team, the national, nonpartisan prayer ministry for America and its leaders, announced today that it will host the largest virtual prayer event in the nation’s history on the National Day of Prayer on May 7, 2020. The event will allow participants to unite online, pray together for the leadership of our country and be part of the largest collective prayer event in US history.

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance that seeks to encourage and emphasize prayer among people of all faiths, regardless of current issues and positions. This year’s theme is “Pray God’s Glory Across the Earth” based on Habakkuk 2:14, which proclaims, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

With less than one week until the National Day of Prayer, praying Americans are signing up to intercede for America’s leaders as well as the health and well-being of fellow Americans as our nation continues to navigate the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s event includes online personal prayer rooms with multiple streams of real-time information and resources, such as an interactive prayer list of the top national leadership, a 10-minute audio prayer guide, the ability to join, invite and participate in praying with small groups and more.

To join the free, virtual prayer event, Americans of all faiths can visit www.pray.team to sign-up for a specific time to lift the country up in prayer and access additional prayer resources. The site also allows visitors to opt-in to receive daily e-mail prayer reminders and access the many unique products developed by The Presidential Prayer Team to engage more Americans in daily prayer at a deep level, even after the National Day of Prayer’s conclusion.

“As we continue to face the unique challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Americans are unable to gather in their churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship,” said Jim Bolthouse, President of The Presidential Prayer Team. “The ability to bring praying Americans together virtually on the National Day of Prayer has never been more important. We must continue to pray for the nation, for healthcare workers, for first responders and – as strongly as ever – for President Trump and the White House Coronavirus Task Force during this time of great need.”

About The Presidential Prayer Team
Founded in 2001, The Presidential Prayer Team is the nation’s largest, full-time nonpartisan ministry dedicated to encouraging and inspiring people to pray for the president and leadership of the United States of America. The Presidential Prayer Team seeks to be a catalyst in the development of a robust prayer lifestyle and provides tools to encourage prayer through email, web, mobile phones, print, and radio. To learn more about The Presidential Prayer Team, please visit www.presidentialprayerteam.org .

Pray for Neil Enloe of the Couriers

Neil Enloe of the Couriers has been taken ill and needs prayer. Bryan Hutson, friend of Enloe’s posted the following on Facebook:

The Couriers

From Bryan N Yvonne Hutson:

“Neil Enloe, of The Couriers, just had a major stroke. He has a large clot in the largest blood vessel of the brain. They are flying him to Hershey, PA for emergency surgery. I just talked to his son, who is getting ready to fly there with his wife. Neil just opened his eyes and is squeezing hands. Please pray.”

The Couriers were one of Gospel music’s longest serving trios until 2019 when the eldest member, Dave Kyllonen passed away. we hope you enjoy this video of the original Couriers: Dave, Neil, and Duanne Nicholson. Please remember to keep Neil Enloe in your prayers.

Prayers needed for Kim Ruppe Sheffield

Many of you will know Kim Ruppe Sheffield of the group Sisters. She sings with her sisters Heather and Valerie.

Early today, Heather posted on Facebook, requesting prayers for her sister Kim. Here is her post:

Kim Ruppe Sheffield 

Please be in Prayer for my Sister Kim. She was rushed to the hospital last night with a brain bleed. Thankfully she is stable this morning. She will be having surgery today. ❤️

Heather updated about an hour ago:

Kim is out of surgery NO aneurysm, and bleeding has stopped! Praise The Lord!
Keep praying!

Please continue to pray for Kim and pray for her family. Kim is married to Jerry Sheffield.

Ernie Dawson needs our prayers

Ernie Dawson of Heirline is in need of prayer after suffering a medical emergency. Please pray for this singer and evangelist. He wrote the following on his Facebook page earlier today:

I wanted to let everyone know what’s going on with me. I had a stroke and had to be airlifted to Erlanger, I went through a series of tests, then it was determined that I needed surgery on my carotid artery to fix the problem, so I had surgery, I was sent to ICU. There is where other problems crept up. My blood pressure won’t come up, they told me that I went into full blown heart failure, so I’m on a lot of different iv fluid medicine which is not good for a dialysis patient on fluid restrictions. One day so much happened I thought it was the end, so here I am in intensive care praying that everyday will be better than the last. I want to be home to book singing dates and keep my home afloat. Our bills are (huge). I shouldn’t be in here worrying about it all but I can’t help it. I’m human and the dad. So, how long will I be here, I don’t know. I really need my friends right now. I need my singing friends to rally around me. Pray for me and my family, help me, if you’d like to book us for a singing call us, if I can’t make it my boys will. I’ll try when I get better. I

Ernie Dawson

just need to heal.i love you all. From the bottom of my heart I love you all. God Bless you. Ernie.

Please pray for Ernie and his family.

Ed O’Neal needs our Prayers

Allen O’Neal has requested prayer for his dad, Ed O’Neal. Ed is receiving a new pacemaker tomorrow morning, September 16, 2019.

Read more »

Ten Ways to Have a More Successful, Effective Prayer Life

Ten Ways to Have a More Successful, Effective Prayer Life

The other day as I was poring through some papers that belonged to my dear Mom, I came across an article she used to refer to often. It was written by someone in China many years ago, and it gave a description of how things would be right before Jesus comes back. I found the words as sobering as they used to be when Mom would read them to me or speak of them through the years. One of the main subjects the author spoke about was how increasingly difficult it would be to pray as we approach Jesus’ 2nd coming.

As I read the words again, I was amazed at the accuracy of this “prophecy” written so long ago.

Does anyone else have as difficult a time entering into intercessory prayer as I do?

It is not that I don’t love to pray.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I DO love to pray. I cannot begin to express how much I love immersing in a time of deep communion and conversation with my Heavenly Father.  Those moments with Him are my favorite moments of all, and without that time of keeping our communication open and fresh, I could not, by any means, maintain the spiritual Christian walk that He enables me to walk day by day.

I have lived for Jesus long enough and neglected my prayer life enough times to come to a full realization that prayer is absolutely essential and imperative to my success in living a Christian life. I cannot do without it for it is in Him that I live and move and have my being.  (Acts 17:28)

I have no ability to know which path to take, without consistently engaging in conversation with my Lord. “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”  Jeremiah 10:23

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in His way.”  Psalm 37:23

I desperately need to continually hear His voice instructing me which way to go, and it is crucial that I do whatever is necessary to draw daily strength and grace from Him to overcome the onslaught of evil that we all have to contend with in daily life.

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”Matthew 26:41

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.”  John 15:51

I know I need to pray, and I know the consequences that ensue when I don’t pray as I should, so I determined to try to identify the main opponents to my prayer life.

Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

What exactly is it that makes praying so difficult in these last days?

Once I identified my biggest prayer hindrances, it was easier to come up with ammunition to combat those deterrents and win!  I hope you will also find these tips helpful as you pursue a more effective prayer life for truly there is no substitute for the amazing power of consistent, effectual prayer in the life of a Christian.

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.“James 5:16

1.  Pray first.  

Let it begin as soon as you awaken in the morning.  Just get it done!

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Matthew 6:33

On days that I don’t pray first, not only does it seem the day falls apart, I also walk around with a continual nagging sense of not having done what I should.  It sets an out-of-sorts tone for the whole day.  Spending those first moments of the day with God in prayer gives a sense of having done my duty and arms me with what I will need to face the unfamiliar challenges of a new day.  As I get older and don’t sleep as soundly as I used to, I find that I am doing a lot of praying during the night, too.  There is nothing more comforting to do when you are tossing and turning than to turn your heart Heavenward and talk it all over with Him.  It is soothing to the soul and gives a sense of refreshed peace when you wake up later.

“My mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips: when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.  Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.”  Psalm 63:5-7

“Yet the LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”  Psalm 42:8

“My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promises.”Psalm 119:148

Most importantly, Jesus, our example, prayed all night long.

“And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”  Luke 6:12

The Bible mentions Jesus’ prayer life enough times to reveal His prayer patterns to us, and we would all do well to pay careful attention to those details.  If He needed to pray so often and for such long, extended periods of time, do we really think we can run a successful Christian race doing less?

“The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees.”—-EM Bounds

2.  If you can’t pray first, pray faithfully.

If praying during the first part of the day doesn’t work for you, the main thing is to be intentional about specifying a block of daily time for prayer regardless of the time of day, and then committing to it daily and making it a habit —just like a daily important appointment.  It is actually the most important of all.

3. Establish a designated place to pray.

  Though we can obviously pray from anywhere, it helps to have a particular place to pray. Having a designated prayer spot will associate prayer to that location and become a place that draws and reminds you to pray.  Over time, as you experience God’s anointing in that place, you will begin to regard and cherish it as holy ground.

4.  Be comfortable.

This may sound like an odd prayer strategy, but if you are in an uncomfortable position, you probably won’t want to stay there long.  Again, as I get older, I find that being on my knees isn’t the most comfortable position, and when I start out praying that way, I usually end up moving to my recliner to finish.  It may be just my opinion, but I don’t believe God is nearly as concerned about bodily position while praying as He is in fervency, earnestness, and the condition of the heart.  I will never forget how much it impressed me to read about how Charles Stanley arms himself with the whole armor of God before his feet touch the floor each morning.  This lends support to the point of praying first and gives another reason that it is a good idea.  Praying in bed first thing in the morning brings us into the presence of God and insures that He is the first one we face and talk to.  We never leave an encounter with Him unchanged, and after being with Him, we will find ourselves prepared for every other intersection and interaction that will happen throughout the day.

5.  Keep paper and pen near your prayer spot.

One of my main inhibitors during prayer time is becoming so distracted by the onslaught of meddlesome thoughts that continually stream through my mind as I am trying to pray.  I start thinking of phone calls I need to make, emails I need to write, people I need to reach out to and connect with, chores I need to accomplish, what I will cook for my family, and upcoming occasions for which I need to prepare.  So, to beat the enemy at his distractions game, I started keeping a pad of paper and pen close by.  Now, when those distracting thoughts start invading, I start jotting short little note reminders.  This transfers the task from my mind to paper, and I can let it go to be revisited later in the day.  It’s a winning strategy that works perfectly and enables me to keep right on praying until I am finished!

6.  Allow for listening.  

The fact that a conversation is two-way also applies to prayer, but an often overlooked part of prayer is allowing space for God to speak.  We want to do all the talking and asking and petitioning, but we rush away from prayer after pouring out what we want to say, and we fail to linger long enough to give Him an opportunity to deal with our hearts and reveal His thoughts.  There is much that He will relay to us if we will make the effort to be still before Him.  Reduce noise, and pray in solitude.  Jesus did.

“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone.” Matthew 14:23

“And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.”  Mark 6:46

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”  Mark 1:35

“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”  Luke 5:16

7.  Pray on.

Though you have an allocated prayer spot and time, it is important to also remember to stay in a spirit of prayer after you finish and as you continue throughout the entirety of your day.  I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “Pray without ceasing.”  We obviously cannot stay in our designated prayer spot and preferred prayer position 24/7, but we can continually call on the Lord and pray unceasingly as we go about our day and perform our duties, keeping our minds in a continual state of communion with Jesus.  He is always there with us, as close as the slightest whisper, and every time we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.  “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.”  James 4:8  I have found that my daily duties, i.e., homeschooling, cleaning, cooking, laundry, and even errands have become springboards from which prayer wells up, and things that would otherwise be mundane and laborious are transformed into opportunities for deep conversation with my Lord.

8.  Shed toxic influences.

Shed people who continually hinder and dampen the audaciousness of your faith.  Stop listening to those who quench your inspiration.  When Jesus was on the earth, and He was faced with an impossibility to pray through, He sent all doubters away and dispelled hindering spirits from the atmosphere.  They were not allowed access into His inner circle.  In fact, in particular situations and circumstances, Jesus ONLY permitted a select three of His twelve disciples to go with Him.

In the case of raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, He allowed only Peter, James, John, and the girl’s parents to stay in the room as He performed the miracle.  (Luke 8:50-55)

When Jesus was going to the mountain to be miraculously transfigured, (Matthew 17:1-2), He only took Peter, James, and John.  When He entered the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His crucifixion, He only invited Peter, James, and John to go farthest into the garden with Him to pray.

There was no place for doubt, fear, or unbelief in Jesus’ realm.  When opposing spirits were present, He removed them.  Why?  Because fear, doubt, and unbelief can hinder the miracle from manifesting.  It can also deeply influence and injure the faith of others who DO believe God is going to answer prayer.  If you are praying with someone who does not believe for what you are asking, that spirit of unbelief can absolutely hinder the answer from coming through and can start to cause you to start doubting God’s ability to do what you are asking Him to.  Doubt is toxic to faith.  Get rid of it, and shed those who inject it into your prayer life.  It may sound cruel and heartless, but it is just that necessary.

9.  Surround yourself with Godly influencers of faith.

  Surround yourself with those who unfailingly believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6

Ask the Lord to send earnest, relentless prayer partners into your life.  Seek out those who speak life into the situations you are praying about.  Abraham had faith in “Him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.‘  Romans 4:17

THAT is the God we serve.  He has not lost one bit of His power, and “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8

Just as Jesus chose those whom He knew believed with all their hearts and placed them in His inmost inner circle, we have the free will to choose the people we allow in ours.  None of us want to hurt another, but when it comes to running a successful Christian race, and knowing the main tool to make that happen is the maintaining of a strong, faith-filled prayer life, it is imperative that the people we permit access to our closest companionship are those who possess a resolute, unshakable faith in God.  It took me a long time to realize the depth of wisdom in expending the necessary effort it took to develop an encirclement of stalwart faith-filled prayer warriors around me.  When a need arises, I want to know that the people I ask to pray will fervently pray and that they will do so with zero doubt in the God they are praying to.

Don’t you?

Cheryl Smith, author of the Inner Views and Homespun Devotions

10.  Keep prayer commitments. 

Just as you want to know you and your prayer requests are being faithfully prayed for, be careful to pray for those for whom you have promised to pray.  If you tell someone you will pray for them, honor your word and be committed to keeping your promise to carry their needs to the Father.  I find it is very helpful to keep a prayer book where I record the names of those I have made a commitment to pray for.  Life is busy and full of care, and it is easy for me to become so absorbed in all that is going on in my own life and completely forget to keep my promise to pray for others.  I have also learned to drop what I am doing and pray instantly with/for those who ask for prayer, if at all possible.

As always, if anyone who reads this needs prayer, please always feel free to email me through this site.  When I tell you I will be praying for you, by God’s grace, I will keep my word!

God bless you as you pursue an ever-deepening prayer life, and may He send people into your life who will reinforce your faith, support your determination, and powerfully enhance the strength of your prayers.

First published on Homespun Devotions at https://www.homespundevotions.com/2019/08/ten-ways-to-have-more-successful.html

By Cheryl Smith

Blessed & Grateful Wifeto Kevin and Homeschool Mamato Zach

Author of Homespun Devotions and Biblical Minimalism

Writer for SGNScoops Magazine, Life Letter Cafe, and No Sidebar

Prayer Action Leader for Concerned Women for America

Praying for those in the path of Dorian

As Hurricane Dorian hits the Bahamas with the force of Category Five winds, we want our friends in the path of the storm to know we are praying for safety and protection of all.

News sources are saying the impact will also be felt across Florida, throughout the eastern seaboard as well as significantly west of the coastline.

We pray for all those affected by this storm that God’s divine protection will be your fortress and peace.

From all of us at SGNScoops.