Scripture
Faith in the Son of God
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[1] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
6And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross[2]—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7So we have these three witnesses[3]— 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. 9Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.
11And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.
Conclusion
13I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
16If you see a fellow believer[4] sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. 17All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.
Translation notes (4)
- 5:1 Or the Messiah.
- 5:6 Greek This is he who came by water and blood.
- 5:7 A few very late manuscripts add in heaven—the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And we have three witnesses on earth.
- 5:16 Greek a brother.
Conclusion
14And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.
My 5 and 3-year-old nephew and niece are some of the most special people to me. They are funny, sweet, and so much fun. But mark my words: they have my full and undivided attention when they talk to me. Even more, I am delighted when my nephew tells me stories or when my niece asks me for something. In other words, when they talk to me, I do not just hear them, I am moved. If I, an imperfect human being, am moved when my precious niece and nephew talk to me, how much more is God, our perfect Heavenly Father, moved when we talk or pray to Him?
We learn in 1 John 5 that when we pray, we can be certain that God hears us. “And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him,” John writes (verse 14). My friend, we do not have to wonder whether God is listening to us; we can be confident. After all, because He is our loving Heavenly Father, it stands to reason that Our prayers move him.
Maybe today, you are wondering if God hears you when you pray. Maybe you have found yourself wondering if your prayers matter to Him. I assure you, friend, that God does hear you and that He cares. From the smallest request to the seemingly insignificant story, He is moved to hear from you each and every time that you pray. As it has been said before, what matters to you matters to Him.
Be encouraged; God delights in hearing from you. Will you pray to Him today and pray to believe that He hears and feels your prayers?
Moving Toward Action
Spend some time talking to God. Tell Him about your day and the things you are concerned with. Ask Him to provide in areas you need His provision. Trust that He is listening to you. As you pray, pray to remember that He cares. Not only does He care, but He is also moved by your prayers to Him.
Going Deeper
1 John 5:1-17 (NLT)
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