How faith works

If faith no larger than a mustard seed can move a mountain (Matthew 17:20), you figure that your faith must be small indeed, because your prayers seem to go unanswered. That can be disheartening, I know, but it shouldn't stop you from asking Me for a miracle when you need one.
There are a couple of things you should know about faith: First, it's not something you can earn or muster up yourself, but it's a gift from your heavenly Father. Second, like a muscle, faith needs nourishment and exercise to grow. That spiritual nourishment comes from reading and absorbing God's Word. You exercise your faith by acting on it. So nourish and put your faith to work daily through your prayers and actions.
You don't have to wait till you feel you have strong faith to begin receiving My help, though. If you need results now but feel you don't have enough faith to warrant them, ask Me to increase your faith. Be like the man in the Bible who begged Me to heal his son, who could not hear or speak. The man had every reason to doubt that things could ever be different, and he did. He knew that his faith was weak, so when I asked him if he believed I could heal his son he replied, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief." The moment he confessed his inadequacy and asked for My help, he received both faith and the miracle—his son was instantly healed!

Prayer’s healing power

The human body is vulnerable to sickness and disease. That’s part of the human condition. There are some things you can do—some precautions you can take to help maintain good health, and some remedies you can use to facilitate the natural healing process—but none of these are cure-alls, none of them get permanent results, and sometimes they simply aren’t enough. Sometimes you need something more—spiritual help. That help is Mine to freely give, and I make it available to you through prayer. Your prayers for healing set in motion My spiritual power, which can then go to work on fixing your physical body.
You can’t see electricity, but you know it exists because you can see its effects. And because others have learned how to harness electricity’s power, you can put it to work for you. You flip the switch and the light comes on or the appliance does what it was made to do, and your life is better for it. Well, prayer is just as real, but far more wonderful. It’s the means for bringing heavenly spiritual power to your earthly plane—power that can do all sorts of marvelous things, including heal your body when needed.
But just as all the electricity in the world won’t do you a bit of good unless you tap into it, all that heavenly power to heal won’t do you a bit of good unless you avail yourself of it. Flip the switch, connect with Me, and My infinite resources are at your command.

Your special place

I am the good Gardener. I have planted a beautiful garden of special flowers. In My garden, each flower is different and unique. Each one serves its own purpose and has its own place in the garden and in the heart of the Gardener.
You are unique to Me. I know all about your gifts, your talents, your battles, your weaknesses, and all the things that bother you about yourself. I know about the nagging problems that you can't seem to overcome. I know your strengths and your weaknesses, your idiosyncrasies and all the funny things about you that make you an individual. I know your heart's desires and your secret longings.
I know about the times that you compare yourself to others. I know about the times that you think negatively about yourself, when your weaknesses bother, embarrass and discourage you. I know about all these things and I love you anyway.

Love’s reward

If you feel you’re imposing on loved ones and friends by asking for their help when you’re sick, you need to try to see the situation as I do. Yes, it’s usually a sacrifice and means extra work for them, but the potential blessings far outweigh the burdens.
When others come to your aid, it brings out the best in them. It gives them a chance to be self-sacrificial, tender, compassionate, patient, and cheerful, and that puts them in line to receive the spiritual blessings that follow as surely as day follows night.
This is all part of My wonderful plan, the plan of upgrading all of your spirits by giving you special opportunities to give and receive love. Both bring you closer to Me, because I am love. Whenever there is a love exchange, My presence becomes more palpable, and that puts everything else into perspective.
And just as the extra time you spend praying, communing with Me, and tanking up on My Word strengthens your faith and deepens your connection with Me, the time they spend praying and claiming My promises for you will strengthen their faith and relationship with Me. It also strengthens the bond of love between you.
When the days are weary and the nights long, I will be as close to them as I am to you. Moment by moment and task by task, I will be there to lighten their load, lift their spirits above the circumstances, fill their hearts with perfect peace, and give them the strength and grace to keep being My blessing to you.

As gold in the furnace

You may not understand some things today because it is not My time to fully reveal to you My complete plan and purpose. Believe and trust, even though you do not understand. My ways are not your ways, and you can never know the mind of God by trying to understand and analyze with your own mind. I will reveal My thoughts and My ways by the power of My Spirit to those who will receive My voice with faith, love and appreciation.
I promise that if you will hold on by faith—not even knowing if you have the strength to hold on—you will not fail. Just as gold is purified in the refiner's furnace, those who pass through the hot flames of testing are those who come out as finer gold. I test you that all the dross and impurities may be melted away. So do not fear the testing, for I purify you out of love, and I cleanse you in answer to your prayers.

What prayer does

Prayer is not the least you can do, but the very most that you can do. Think about it. If it's the most you can do, then why don't you pray more?
Prayer is powerful, and if you want My power, then you must pray. What is prayer? It's your link with the Divine. It's communication. It's tapping into the Source. It's faithfulness to the greatest duty of man. Prayer is rest, faith, complete trust.
Prayer brings down My peace upon you. Prayer gets action. It lifts you up. Prayer changes the course of history. Prayer heals. Prayer revives. Prayer restores. Prayer builds. Prayer is humility. Prayer is My love. Prayer moves My hand and spurs Me to action. Prayer gets results. Prayer is saving grace for mankind.
Most importantly, prayer makes us one. Prayer melts us together, so that you might partake of My powers.

You don't have to be perfect

A lot of people don't pray until they're in some sort of trouble, and then they find they don't have the kind of faith that gets results. Their faith is weak because it's been so long since they last exercised it, and they feel their relationship with Me is strained because they didn't place much importance on it before trouble struck. They feel hypocritical or undeserving, and don't know where to start in making things right.
It is much easier to pray full-of-faith prayers when you have a history of praying and receiving My answers, when you feel close to Me because you've opened your heart to Me day by day, and when you know you've done your best to please Me. But even if you don't meet those conditions, there's hope. You don't have to be perfect for Me to answer your prayers. I help all who call on Me in faith and humble desperation.
Simply turn to Me in your time of need, get your heart right by confessing your faults and receiving My forgiveness, believe that I can perform the miracle you need, and I will. Best of all, this can be the start of a whole new life with Me in which you experience more answers to prayers and a greater closeness to Me.

I am love

In times of darkness, I will be your light. In times of sadness, I will be your joy. In times of struggle, I will be your deliverance. In times of weakness, I will be your strength. In times of question, I will be your answer. In times of doubt, I will be faith unto you.—And more important than any of this, I am love to you. I love you and I forgive you.
So do not be discouraged or disheartened. Do not look back. Do not be remorseful over the mistakes and sins of the past, for the past is the past. I have covered those mistakes and sins, and that which was scarlet shall be made white as snow. As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your sins from you.
In the very moment that you seek My forgiveness, in the very instant that you call out to Me, I immediately grant My forgiveness, and there is no more need to worry or fear or carry the burden yourself.

Enjoy being you!

Enjoy being you, because you are wonderful! Enjoy being you, because you are full of life! Enjoy being you, because you have so much to pour out to others. Enjoy being you, and enjoy My life that I have given you.
Please accept and trust that these Words are with love from My heart personally to you. I love you, and I pray for you, that not only will your faith fail not, but that your faith will grow—your faith in Me and in yourself. I love you.