The way to increase faith is to feed upon the Word of God. The Holy Scripture received into the heart actually becomes faith. In one of Martin Luther's spiritual conflicts he seemed to hear the devil ask him if he felt that his sins were forgiven. "No," said the great Reformer, "but I know that they are forgiven, because God says so in His Word."
The apostle Paul did not say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt feel saved," but "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). The Philippian jailer heard the word of God and believed; so did the Ethiopian chancellor. The father of the afflicted boy heard the word and cried, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24). On the day of Pentecost 3,000 sinners heard the word and believed; and millions since that day have heard and believed. Yes, "faith cometh by hearing."
The captain of the old ironclad Merrimac was a skeptic. One day in the Pennsylvania Soldiers' Home, where he was staying, the chaplain challenged him to read the Bible and mark in red anything that he didn't believe, and to begin with the Gospel of John. With a glitter in his eye the old captain accepted the challenge. Whenever the chaplain would ask him if he had marked anything yet, he would only smile. Several days later the chaplain stepped into his room and found him dead. The Bible lay open on his bed, and the chaplain began looking for red marks. He found nothing until he came to John 3:16. Beside that verse he found these words written in red: "I have cast my anchor in a safe harbor, thank God!"
If we will but honestly hear the Word of God, faith will come. It will grow, and it will lead us into this safe harbor too.
MEDITATION PRAYER: "I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil" (Ps. 119:162)