“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

He recognized the name on the caller ID on his incoming cell phone call. It was a lady the new pastor didn’t know very well yet. As soon as he answered, she began speaking, “Pastor, why am I so fearful about everything? I hear others talking about trusting the Lord and being confident in the Lord, but that’s not me! I am a spiritual coward, and I don’t like it,” Martha (not her real name) said.

The pastor couldn’t see her face, but he could hear the defeat and discouragement in her voice. After a lengthy conversation, he asked her, “Martha, would you be willing to share with me your daily Bible reading routine? What do you typically read in the Bible, and how much time are you able to invest in your Bible reading and prayer?”

Martha was honest. She typically didn’t read the Bible at all, and when she did, it was very hit and miss and never more than a couple of minutes. That day the pastor developed a Bible reading plan for her. She was to check in once a week to let the pastor know how she was doing. Guess what? By the end of the first few weeks, Martha was not nearly as fearful. That is exactly how our faith grows. We either feed our fears or we feed our faith. It wasn’t that Martha became fearless the rest of her life, but there was a significant difference. It can be true of you as well.

Here’s the closing question for today: Have you invested time in reading the Scriptures today? My Daily Prescriptions must never replace your regular Bible reading. Please, please, please, be sure to feed your faith today and read God’s Word! The Gospel of John or the Books of Ephesians, Colossians and Philippians are great places to get started. Supplement this with some reading in the Psalms and Proverbs. May the Lord bless you wonderfully.