"This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." Romans 13:11

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"This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." Romans 13:11
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<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

ROMANS 13:11: This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

Drowsy Christians | Romans 13:11

“‘How foolish!’ Samuel exclaimed. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.’” (1 Samuel 13:13–14 NLT)

 

The moment we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are enrolled in a spiritual race. One of the mandates of any competition is that we play by the rules. Otherwise, we will be disqualified. This is true in every race, but perhaps especially in the spiritual one.

The book of 1 Samuel gives us the story of King Saul, a man who did not play by the rules. He began his reign in victory and ended in humiliating defeat. The words of the prophet Samuel, who revealed the extent of Saul’s failure, are among the most devastating in all the Old Testament: “‘How foolish!’ Samuel exclaimed. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command’” (1 Samuel 13:13–14 NLT).

Saul lost his character, power, crown, and in the end, his very life. Based on Saul’s life, let me share a few principles on how not to win the spiritual race.

First, ignore the little things. Saul’s failure was not immediate, but gradual. He cut a corner here, shaded the truth there. His pride turned into envy. He ignored what God had plainly told him to do. Likewise, it is not for us to pick and choose what parts of the Bible we like and don’t like. We are to obey God even in the smallest matters, because “small” sins turn into big sins. They certainly did for Saul.

Second, never take responsibility for your actions. More than once Saul blamed others for his own bad choices (see 1 Samuel 13:11–12). Saul just wanted to save face. He forgot that no matter what, God always knows the truth.

Third, don’t get mad, get even. Saul’s animosity ultimately destroyed him. He became jealous when God anointed and began using David, the young shepherd boy. We need to understand that God chooses whom He will choose. We must not let hatred or envy destroy us.

As He did with Saul, God has given each of us potential. He has given us certain talents and gifts to use in the race that is set before us. It is up to us to run the race well and play by the rules. Don’t be disqualified. Don’t be prideful. Don’t play the fool. Don’t crash and burn. Don’t waste your life as Saul did.

 

Reflection question: What impulses or tendencies might disrupt your spiritual race? 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;&lsquo;How foolish!&rsquo; Samuel exclaimed. &lsquo;You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord&rsquo;s command.&rsquo;&rdquo; (1 Samuel 13:13&ndash;14 NLT)
&nbsp;
The moment we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are enrolled in a spiritual race. One of the mandates of any competition is that we play by the rules. Otherwise, we will be disqualified. This is true in every race, but perhaps especially in the spiritual one.
The book of 1 Samuel gives us the story of King Saul, a man who did not play by the rules. He began his reign in victory and ended in humiliating defeat. The words of the prophet Samuel, who revealed the extent of Saul&rsquo;s failure, are among the most devastating in all the Old Testament: &ldquo;&lsquo;How foolish!&rsquo; Samuel exclaimed. &lsquo;You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord&rsquo;s command&rsquo;&rdquo; (1 Samuel 13:13&ndash;14 NLT).
Saul lost his character, power, crown, and in the end, his very life. Based on Saul&rsquo;s life, let me share a few principles on how not to win the spiritual race.
First, ignore the little things. Saul&rsquo;s failure was not immediate, but gradual. He cut a corner here, shaded the truth there. His pride turned into envy. He ignored what God had plainly told him to do. Likewise, it is not for us to pick and choose what parts of the Bible we like and don&rsquo;t like. We are to obey God even in the smallest matters, because &ldquo;small&rdquo; sins turn into big sins. They certainly did for Saul.
Second, never take responsibility for your actions. More than once Saul blamed others for his own bad choices (see 1 Samuel 13:11&ndash;12). Saul just wanted to save face. He forgot that no matter what, God always knows the truth.
Third, don&rsquo;t get mad, get even. Saul&rsquo;s animosity ultimately destroyed him. He became jealous when God anointed and began using David, the young shepherd boy. We need to understand that God chooses whom He will choose. We must not let hatred or envy destroy us.
As He did with Saul, God has given each of us potential. He has given us certain talents and gifts to use in the race that is set before us. It is up to us to run the race well and play by the rules. Don&rsquo;t be disqualified. Don&rsquo;t be prideful. Don&rsquo;t play the fool. Don&rsquo;t crash and burn. Don&rsquo;t waste your life as Saul did.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What impulses or tendencies might disrupt your spiritual race?&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 run the spiritual race God has laid out for us, believers must follow His guidance.

The Right Way to Run | 1 Samuel 13:13–14

“Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.” (1 Samuel 30:24 NLT)

 

In 1 Samuel 30, we find the story of David leading his men to victory in battle against Amalekite raiders who had plundered and burned the town of Ziklag. As David and the four hundred soldiers who had fought with him were returning home, those who had stayed behind to guard the camp and the supplies met them. Some of the troublemakers who had fought in the battle didn’t want to give any of the spoils of the battle to those who stayed by the camp. David said to the troublemakers, “Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment” (1 Samuel 30:24 NLT).

Those who fought in the battle assumed that their role in God’s plan was more important than those who didn’t fight. David didn’t see it that way—and neither did God. And that principle still applies today to people who answer God’s call.

Whether God has called you to serve Him in such a way that people see you or whether He has called you to serve Him by supporting others who are seen, God will bless you and reward you for your service.

Maybe you feel as though your life isn’t really making a difference or that what you have to offer God doesn’t mean all that much. If so, you’ll be in for some surprises in Heaven, because what may not seem very valuable on earth will be of great value in Heaven.

God’s Word leaves little doubt as to our worth in God’s eyes. The apostle Peter wrote, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9 NLT).

We also have immeasurable value because we are God’s creation. The apostle Paul wrote, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT).

I read a story about a man who found an old, blue-and-white vase while he was cleaning his attic. He took it to an auction to sell it, thinking he would probably get twenty or thirty dollars from it, maybe one hundred dollars if he was lucky. To his utter amazement, the vase turned out to be an original fifteenth-century work of art from the Ming Dynasty. It sold for $324,000.

What may not seem especially valuable now will prove to be extremely valuable later. Until then, we need to be faithful with what God has given us to do.

 

Reflection question: What value does God see in your acts of faithfulness and service? 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;Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike&mdash;those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.&rdquo; (1 Samuel 30:24 NLT)
&nbsp;
In 1 Samuel 30, we find the story of David leading his men to victory in battle against Amalekite raiders who had plundered and burned the town of Ziklag. As David and the four hundred soldiers who had fought with him were returning home, those who had stayed behind to guard the camp and the supplies met them. Some of the troublemakers who had fought in the battle didn&rsquo;t want to give any of the spoils of the battle to those who stayed by the camp. David said to the troublemakers, &ldquo;Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike&mdash;those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment&rdquo; (1 Samuel 30:24 NLT).
Those who fought in the battle assumed that their role in God&rsquo;s plan was more important than those who didn&rsquo;t fight. David didn&rsquo;t see it that way&mdash;and neither did God. And that principle still applies today to people who answer God&rsquo;s call.
Whether God has called you to serve Him in such a way that people see you or whether He has called you to serve Him by supporting others who are seen, God will bless you and reward you for your service.
Maybe you feel as though your life isn&rsquo;t really making a difference or that what you have to offer God doesn&rsquo;t mean all that much. If so, you&rsquo;ll be in for some surprises in Heaven, because what may not seem very valuable on earth will be of great value in Heaven.
God&rsquo;s Word leaves little doubt as to our worth in God&rsquo;s eyes. The apostle Peter wrote, &ldquo;But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God&rsquo;s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light&rdquo; (1 Peter 2:9 NLT).
We also have immeasurable value because we are God&rsquo;s creation. The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;For we are God&rsquo;s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago&rdquo; (Ephesians 2:10 NLT).
I read a story about a man who found an old, blue-and-white vase while he was cleaning his attic. He took it to an auction to sell it, thinking he would probably get twenty or thirty dollars from it, maybe one hundred dollars if he was lucky. To his utter amazement, the vase turned out to be an original fifteenth-century work of art from the Ming Dynasty. It sold for $324,000.
What may not seem especially valuable now will prove to be extremely valuable later. Until then, we need to be faithful with what God has given us to do.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What value does God see in your acts of faithfulness and service?&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>

All work that is done for God’s purposes is valuable—even if we can’t always see the value.

You Serve | 1 Samuel 30:24

“And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT)

 

The encounter between David and Goliath is one of the best-known stories in all of Scripture. In fact, it’s so well-known that it’s become a cliché. Today, any contest that involves an underdog is invariably referred to as a “David versus Goliath battle.”

The irony is that, strictly speaking, there’s no such thing as a David versus Goliath battle. No such fight ever occurred. David himself said so when he went out to meet the giant on the battlefield. “And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT).

It wasn’t David’s battle; it was the Lord’s battle. David didn’t defeat Goliath; the Lord did. One reason David was chosen to represent God on the battlefield is that he was humble enough to recognize and acknowledge that truth. He was also wise enough not to rely on his own strength and skills when faced with a ridiculously powerful opponent.

That’s an important takeaway from this story because we are living in a critical time right now. I think all of us can agree that the devil is working overtime. He knows his days are numbered. He knows his judgment is certain. So, he is doing everything he can to wreak havoc until the day he faces his judgment. That means we, as the targets of his attacks, must stay battle-ready. Not to fight him using our own strength and tactics, but to stay close to the Lord so that we can call on His power and wisdom.

The apostle Paul wrote, “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see” (Romans 13:12–13 NLT). Before we put on our spiritual armor, we need to cast off the works of darkness. We need to be done with the compromising life. We need to be done with trying to live in two different worlds. We need to get busy living as Christian soldiers.

No matter how much the devil tries to trip us up, our Commander-in-Chief will lead us to victory if we stay close to Him. Remember, “The battle is the Lord’s.” You will never get in over your head if you let God fight your spiritual battles.

The battle cry, the cry of victory, went forth from the cross as Jesus hung suspended between Heaven and earth, with nails in His hands and feet. In triumph, He cried out, “It is finished!” Those three words reverberated through Heaven and Hell. Every demon likely heard them. So, now we can stand in the victorious strength of Jesus. We can fight for Him as He works through us, marching on, taking ground for the kingdom.

I promise you—your life will never be boring as a spiritual soldier for the Lord!

 

Reflection question: How can you resist the urge to fight your spiritual battles alone? 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;And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord&rsquo;s battle, and he will give you to us!&rdquo; (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT)
&nbsp;
The encounter between David and Goliath is one of the best-known stories in all of Scripture. In fact, it&rsquo;s so well-known that it&rsquo;s become a clich&eacute;. Today, any contest that involves an underdog is invariably referred to as a &ldquo;David versus Goliath battle.&rdquo;
The irony is that, strictly speaking, there&rsquo;s no such thing as a David versus Goliath battle. No such fight ever occurred. David himself said so when he went out to meet the giant on the battlefield. &ldquo;And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord&rsquo;s battle, and he will give you to us!&rdquo; (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT).
It wasn&rsquo;t David&rsquo;s battle; it was the Lord&rsquo;s battle. David didn&rsquo;t defeat Goliath; the Lord did. One reason David was chosen to represent God on the battlefield is that he was humble enough to recognize and acknowledge that truth. He was also wise enough not to rely on his own strength and skills when faced with a ridiculously powerful opponent.
That&rsquo;s an important takeaway from this story because we are living in a critical time right now. I think all of us can agree that the devil is working overtime. He knows his days are numbered. He knows his judgment is certain. So, he is doing everything he can to wreak havoc until the day he faces his judgment. That means we, as the targets of his attacks, must stay battle-ready. Not to fight him using our own strength and tactics, but to stay close to the Lord so that we can call on His power and wisdom.
The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see&rdquo; (Romans 13:12&ndash;13 NLT). Before we put on our spiritual armor, we need to cast off the works of darkness. We need to be done with the compromising life. We need to be done with trying to live in two different worlds. We need to get busy living as Christian soldiers.
No matter how much the devil tries to trip us up, our Commander-in-Chief will lead us to victory if we stay close to Him. Remember, &ldquo;The battle is the Lord&rsquo;s.&rdquo; You will never get in over your head if you let God fight your spiritual battles.
The battle cry, the cry of victory, went forth from the cross as Jesus hung suspended between Heaven and earth, with nails in His hands and feet. In triumph, He cried out, &ldquo;It is finished!&rdquo; Those three words reverberated through Heaven and Hell. Every demon likely heard them. So, now we can stand in the victorious strength of Jesus. We can fight for Him as He works through us, marching on, taking ground for the kingdom.
I promise you&mdash;your life will never be boring as a spiritual soldier for the Lord!
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you resist the urge to fight your spiritual battles alone?&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>

Christians who let God fight their battles will never be overwhelmed.

Drowsy Christians | Romans 13:11

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