Born of God - 1 John 5:13-21

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." (1 John 5:13-15)

Do you know someone with the Spiritual Gift of Intercessory Prayer?  We all need someone like that in our lives.  There is nothing I can think of more comforting than when I am in the midst of big trouble and a Believer with this gift says, "I am praying for you."  Do you know what I mean? (I enjoy reading James 5:13-20 which teaches more about prayer.)

God hears our prayers.  Do you believe that?  Often we feel that our petitions go unanswered because God isn't listening or doesn't care but nothing is further from the truth.  The reading today tells us when we pray according to His will, he hears us.  Our prayers are always answered, but we need to be watching, open to how God answers, prepared to rejoice when we see how His answer ends up being so much more than we expected or asked for and we don't immediately recognize the blessing.

Read the 1 John 5:13-21 text here.

Pray for Strangers -- Colossians 1:1-14

“Please pray for my friend, Betty, who is struggling with cancer,” said Ann. “She is a Christian and she is in so much pain.” I never met Betty, but I knew that I could pray for her. It does not matter if I have never come face to face with Betty; there is power in intercessory prayer. Christians are encouraged to pray for one another, even when they’ve never met.

To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—(Colossians 1:2-4 NIV)

Paul didn’t know the Christians of the Colossian churches, but he prayed for them regularly. It has been said that once we pray with or for someone we are no longer strangers. Max Lucado wrote in his book God Came Near “It is man who creates the distance. It is Jesus who builds the bridge.” Prayer is that bridge.

Who could you pray for that you have never met: a government official, a hungry child in another county, the family member of a close friend? You never know, someone may be praying for you whom you have never met. Prayer is powerful

Read the entire scripture for today at Biblegateway in Colossians 1:1-14

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