By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:8 Abraham's life was filled with faith. At God's command, he left home and went to another land - obeying without question. He believed the covenant that God made with him. In obedience, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son. Do not be surprised if God asks you to give up secure familiar surroundings in order to carry out His will. If we take the first step of faith, it won't be too long until we realize that we are not alone. "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The key word is obedience. The key truth is that He loves us and has great plans for our lives, far greater than we can ask or imagine. God bless you, J.H.

For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3 Healthy self-esteem is important because some of us think too little of ourselves; and the other hand, some of us overestimate ourselves. The key to an honest and accurate evaluation is knowing the basis of our self-worth - our identity in Christ. Apart from him, we are not capable of very much by eternal standards; in him, we are valuable and capable of worthy service. Evaluating yourself by the worldly standards of success and achievement can cost you to think too much about your worth in the eyes of others and thus miss your true value in God's eyes. Therefore, don't pray for more faith. Use what you have and watch it multiply. "According to your faith, so be it done unto you." God Bless you, J.H.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 The writer of Hebrews encourages us not to abandon our faith in times of persecution or hardship, but to show by our endurance that our faith is real. Faith means resting in what Christ has done for you in the past, but it also means trusting Him for what He will do for us now and in the future. If you have earnestly prayed about your situation and have the conviction that what you are doing is right, the Lord will furnish the courage to see you through. Heavenly Father, I pray for courage and wisdom today. I pray for patience to wait on You and Your answer to my prayer. I pray that I do nothing on my own, but that I would wait until I have heard your still, small voice and I have a Peace about Your Presence in my situation. I pray that renew in me my faith, sufficient for today. Strengthen me and hold me up during this time of trial. I thank you and praise you, in Jesus' Name. Amen. God Bless you, J.H.

Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumpted to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God. Acts 3:6-8 Jesus, not the apostles, received the glory for the healing of the crippled man. In those days, a man's name represented his character; it stood for his authority and power. By using Jesus' name, Peter showed who gave him the authority and power to heal. The apostles did not emphasize what they could do, but what God could do through them. Jesus' name is not to be used as magic - it must be used in faith. When we pray in Jesus' name, we must remember that it is Christ himself, not merely the sound of his name, who gives our prayers their power. Heavenly Father, for all those who are ailing, for all those who are suffering from a painful, physical condition, I pray your healing spirit upon them right now in the name of Jesus! I pray that your Spirit envelopes them and saturates their hearts with Your Peace that surpasses all understanding. I pray that your presence is felt by all those who are reading this prayer, and that today You reveal Yourself in a mighty way in each one of their lives. In Jesus' name, Amen. God Bless you, J.H.

The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:5-8 Our gracious Father gives direction and protection to those who follow in faith. This psalm expresses assurance and hope in God's protection day and night. We should never trust a lesser power than God Himself. Not only is He all-powerful, He also watches over us. Nothing diverts or deters Him. We are safe. We never outgrow our need for God's untiring watch over our lives. He says, "I am with you," now and forever. He is there, whether you "feel" His presence or not. He is there, whether you can "see" Him in your circumstances or not. He is there. Believe it. God Bless you, J.H.