"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:36 NLT).

Keep up with Harvest Crusade details

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:36 NLT).
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-crusade-2024/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=SoCal2024#ds-anchor" data-wplink-edit="true">Keep up with Harvest Crusade details</a>
—
<a href="https://link.chtbl.com/A1PWfZ8W">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you. 

*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God&rsquo;s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from&nbsp;<a href="https://harvest.org/about-greg-laurie/">Pastor Greg Laurie</a>, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.&nbsp;
*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Greg Laurie provides commentary on the day's Bible verse.

Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 NLT

A Plethora of Excuses | Matthew 9:36

“About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: ‘This is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’” (2 Kings 20:1 NLT)

 

Over the years, I’ve done a lot of funerals and memorial services. I’ve also visited people who were at death’s door. I can tell you that when life comes to an end, there are three things that really matter: faith, family, and friends.

Of number one importance is your faith, your relationship with God. I’ve heard countless people say with deep regret, “I wish I’d spent more time walking closely with God. I wish I’d made more time for spiritual things.” They recognize that they will have to stand before God Almighty and answer for the choices they made and the things they prioritized. How sad it is when people realize that they have squandered their lives.

The second-most important priority is your family. It’s a hard thing to get to the end of your life and say, “I wish I’d been a better father” or “I wish I’d been a better mother.” You won’t be concerned about how much money you made or how many possessions you ended up with. You won’t care whether you spent enough time at the office or whether you got enough promotions. Neither your financial portfolio nor your résumé will transfer to Heaven. What matters is the people you leave behind—your spouse, kids, siblings. What matters is whether you fulfilled your God-given responsibilities to them. Whether you gave them the choicest morsels of your time and attention. Whether you live in a way that will inspire, encourage, and guide them when you’re gone.

The third-most important priority is friends. Hebrews 10:24 says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT). The Lord surrounds us with people not just so they can keep us company. Every relationship gives us an opportunity to lift someone up, to be a source of motivation and encouragement, to help that person reach their God-given potential. Realizing at the end of life that we squandered such a precious opportunity is a bitter pill to swallow.

When King Hezekiah was close to death, the prophet Isaiah told him, “Set your affairs in order” (2 Kings 20:1 NLT). In other words, prioritize the things that are truly important. His words should resonate with all of God’s people. The reality is that none of us knows for sure how much longer we have to live. But we know what our priorities must be. And as long as we draw breath, we have the opportunity to live those priorities, to pour ourselves into our faith, family, and friends. To make a genuine difference in those areas so that we have no regrets when we find ourselves in King Hezekiah’s position.

Are your affairs in order today?

 

Reflection question: What would setting your affairs in order look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

—

The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

 

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

&ldquo;About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: &lsquo;This is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.&rsquo;&rdquo; (2 Kings 20:1 NLT)
&nbsp;
Over the years, I&rsquo;ve done a lot of funerals and memorial services. I&rsquo;ve also visited people who were at death&rsquo;s door. I can tell you that when life comes to an end, there are three things that really matter: faith, family, and friends.
Of number one importance is your faith, your relationship with God. I&rsquo;ve heard countless people say with deep regret, &ldquo;I wish I&rsquo;d spent more time walking closely with God. I wish I&rsquo;d made more time for spiritual things.&rdquo; They recognize that they will have to stand before God Almighty and answer for the choices they made and the things they prioritized. How sad it is when people realize that they have squandered their lives.
The second-most important priority is your family. It&rsquo;s a hard thing to get to the end of your life and say, &ldquo;I wish I&rsquo;d been a better father&rdquo; or &ldquo;I wish I&rsquo;d been a better mother.&rdquo; You won&rsquo;t be concerned about how much money you made or how many possessions you ended up with. You won&rsquo;t care whether you spent enough time at the office or whether you got enough promotions. Neither your financial portfolio nor your r&eacute;sum&eacute; will transfer to Heaven. What matters is the people you leave behind&mdash;your spouse, kids, siblings. What matters is whether you fulfilled your God-given responsibilities to them. Whether you gave them the choicest morsels of your time and attention. Whether you live in a way that will inspire, encourage, and guide them when you&rsquo;re gone.
The third-most important priority is friends. Hebrews 10:24 says, &ldquo;Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works&rdquo; (NLT). The Lord surrounds us with people not just so they can keep us company. Every relationship gives us an opportunity to lift someone up, to be a source of motivation and encouragement, to help that person reach their God-given potential. Realizing at the end of life that we squandered such a precious opportunity is a bitter pill to swallow.
When King Hezekiah was close to death, the prophet Isaiah told him, &ldquo;Set your affairs in order&rdquo; (2 Kings 20:1 NLT). In other words, prioritize the things that are truly important. His words should resonate with all of God&rsquo;s people. The reality is that none of us knows for sure how much longer we have to live. But we know what our priorities must be. And as long as we draw breath, we have the opportunity to live those priorities, to pour ourselves into our faith, family, and friends. To make a genuine difference in those areas so that we have no regrets when we find ourselves in King Hezekiah&rsquo;s position.
Are your affairs in order today?
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What would setting your affairs in order look like in your life?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
&mdash;
The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."
&nbsp;
All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

To avoid regret at the end of our lives, we must prioritize the things that truly matter throughout our lives.

Set Your Affairs in Order | 2 Kings 20:1

“Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.’” (Judges 6:36–37 NLT)

 

God is multilingual. He can speak to us in any number of ways. He speaks to us through His Word, certainly. He speaks to us through prayer. He speaks to us through our conscience. The Bible records several instances in which God spoke to people through dreams and visions.

But God also speaks through circumstances. Although I’m not one to base major life decisions on circumstances alone, there have been times when I’ve sensed that something was the will of God and then had my sense confirmed when things fell into place circumstantially. At other times, circumstances have made it obvious that God was saying no to a particular path or request.

A classic example of God’s speaking through circumstances can be found in His calling of Gideon to rescue the people of Israel. Gideon was an extremely humble man, almost to a fault. He didn’t see himself as a rescuer, and he had a hard time wrapping his head around the notion that God saw him in such a light.

So, he humbly put God to the test. “Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised’” (Judges 6:36–37 NLT).

God graciously did as Gideon asked. He intervened ever so slightly in the process of condensation to confirm Gideon’s calling. He spoke through circumstances.

In the story of Jonah, God spoke to His prophet through circumstances that involved, among other things, a storm at sea (see Jonah 1:4), a giant fish (see 1:17), a leafy plant (see 4:6), and a hungry worm (see 4:7).

God still speaks to us through circumstances today. Often, those circumstances involve other people. There have been times when I was listening to someone preach or talking with a friend and suddenly realized that what the person was saying addressed a situation that I was going through—even though the person was completely unaware of my circumstances. It made me realize that God Himself was speaking to me through those individuals.

Maybe God has spoken to you through a pastor or a Christian friend. Or perhaps He has been speaking to you through other circumstances. Listen carefully and remember that God will never contradict His Word.

 

Reflection question: How might God be speaking to you through circumstances in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

—

The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

 

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

&ldquo;Then Gideon said to God, &lsquo;If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.&rsquo;&rdquo; (Judges 6:36&ndash;37 NLT)
&nbsp;
God is multilingual. He can speak to us in any number of ways. He speaks to us through His Word, certainly. He speaks to us through prayer. He speaks to us through our conscience. The Bible records several instances in which God spoke to people through dreams and visions.
But God also speaks through circumstances. Although I&rsquo;m not one to base major life decisions on circumstances alone, there have been times when I&rsquo;ve sensed that something was the will of God and then had my sense confirmed when things fell into place circumstantially. At other times, circumstances have made it obvious that God was saying no to a particular path or request.
A classic example of God&rsquo;s speaking through circumstances can be found in His calling of Gideon to rescue the people of Israel. Gideon was an extremely humble man, almost to a fault. He didn&rsquo;t see himself as a rescuer, and he had a hard time wrapping his head around the notion that God saw him in such a light.
So, he humbly put God to the test. &ldquo;Then Gideon said to God, &lsquo;If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised&rsquo;&rdquo; (Judges 6:36&ndash;37 NLT).
God graciously did as Gideon asked. He intervened ever so slightly in the process of condensation to confirm Gideon&rsquo;s calling. He spoke through circumstances.
In the story of Jonah, God spoke to His prophet through circumstances that involved, among other things, a storm at sea (see Jonah 1:4), a giant fish (see 1:17), a leafy plant (see 4:6), and a hungry worm (see 4:7).
God still speaks to us through circumstances today. Often, those circumstances involve other people. There have been times when I was listening to someone preach or talking with a friend and suddenly realized that what the person was saying addressed a situation that I was going through&mdash;even though the person was completely unaware of my circumstances. It made me realize that God Himself was speaking to me through those individuals.
Maybe God has spoken to you through a pastor or a Christian friend. Or perhaps He has been speaking to you through other circumstances. Listen carefully and remember that God will never contradict His Word.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How might God be speaking to you through circumstances in your life?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
&mdash;
The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."
&nbsp;
All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

God speaks to us through circumstances in our lives.

Circumstantially Speaking | Judges 6:36–37

“Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.’ (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.” (2 Chronicles 20:2–4 NLT)

 

Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced a desperate dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. This was a worst-case scenario—a seemingly hopeless situation. There was no earthly way that Jehoshaphat could challenge this approaching army with the forces he had. He was far too outnumbered.

So, what did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he “begged the Lord for guidance” (2 Chronicles 20:3 NLT). He prayed, “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” (verse 12 NLT).

The Lord told Jehoshaphat, “Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” (verses 15, 17 NLT).

Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put their worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other.

There are more than a few takeaways from this story. One is that God stands ready to help His people survive and ultimately thrive in even the worst circumstances.

Maybe you’re facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.

A second takeaway is that Jehoshaphat enjoyed an advantage that we don’t always have. He knew what was coming his way. And even though it appeared to be an absolute worst-case scenario, he knew how to pray.

We don’t always know what the future holds. We don’t know if something potentially devastating is heading our way. But God does. And He knows how to prepare us for it. That’s why it’s essential that we stay in constant contact with Him. That we yield ourselves to His will. That we follow His leading.

Psalm 145:18 says, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth” (NLT). Call on Him.

 

Reflection question: What does seeking God’s strength and guidance look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

—

The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

 

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

&ldquo;Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, &lsquo;A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.&rsquo; (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord&rsquo;s help.&rdquo; (2 Chronicles 20:2&ndash;4 NLT)
&nbsp;
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced a desperate dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. This was a worst-case scenario&mdash;a seemingly hopeless situation. There was no earthly way that Jehoshaphat could challenge this approaching army with the forces he had. He was far too outnumbered.
So, what did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he &ldquo;begged the Lord for guidance&rdquo; (2 Chronicles 20:3 NLT). He prayed, &ldquo;O our God, won&rsquo;t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help&rdquo; (verse 12 NLT).
The Lord told Jehoshaphat, &ldquo;Do not be afraid! Don&rsquo;t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God&rsquo;s. . . . Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord&rsquo;s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!&rdquo; (verses 15, 17 NLT).
Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put their worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other.
There are more than a few takeaways from this story. One is that God stands ready to help His people survive and ultimately thrive in even the worst circumstances.
Maybe you&rsquo;re facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.
A second takeaway is that Jehoshaphat enjoyed an advantage that we don&rsquo;t always have. He knew what was coming his way. And even though it appeared to be an absolute worst-case scenario, he knew how to pray.
We don&rsquo;t always know what the future holds. We don&rsquo;t know if something potentially devastating is heading our way. But God does. And He knows how to prepare us for it. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s essential that we stay in constant contact with Him. That we yield ourselves to His will. That we follow His leading.
Psalm 145:18 says, &ldquo;The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth&rdquo; (NLT). Call on Him.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What does seeking God&rsquo;s strength and guidance look like in your life?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
&mdash;
The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."
&nbsp;
All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

Whatever is bearing down on us is no match for the One who stands beside us.

A Plethora of Excuses | Matthew 9:36

In 1 playlist(s)

Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips