Thread by @glprater

#GeraldsDevotional
The LORD Calls Us to Follow – Even When It’s Hard to Do So

Jesus calls us to give up and to follow Him even though He knows how hard it is for us to do this. He knows that deep down inside because of our fallen nature, we demand to be in control and to have our own way with EVERYTHING. But He is patient, kind and loving as He works with

us. He gently shows us things about Him (many things that we already know, have seen, or read about Him). But as He showed us last week in Exodus 32, He knows that we are a stiff-necked people. Still He doesn’t give up.

In today’s scripture, we see yet another scene of this

tender interaction between Jesus and His close followers. He is encouraging them (along with each of us) to follow Him and His example just as He is following Another. He emphatically promises that in the end, it will be more than worth the effort. It will be more than worth what

they gave up (their own control) to follow Him.

Very confused, they ask Him about this path they are to follow and the destination. They’ve been following and observing Him for quite some time but are still struggling with what it means to completely give up control and to

follow His example. The LORD intimately knows their struggle and gently encourages them, “Trust Me, it’s worth it… just do like I do.”

He ends by saying to pray like He prays (His prayers are NOT His own, but in His Father’s will). When we pray like this, in His Name, He says

to watch and see how very powerful our prayers become.

The power and blessing of our spiritual journeys come down to our willingness to follow AND who we choose to follow.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in

Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and

the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The Father Revealed
7 “If you had known Me, you would

have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the

Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the

Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

The Answered Prayer
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in

My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. - John 14:1-14
youtube.com/watch?v=ndbxUF…
A version of this devotional in Spanish is available at t.me/devocionalgera…
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