If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. (Psalm 139:8 NLT)

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

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If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. (Psalm 139:8 NLT)
—
<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

If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. (Psalm 139:8 NLT)

Even There | Psalm 139:8

“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT)

 

Another of life’s difficult headwinds is guilt. The head of a mental institution in London once said, “I could release half of my patients if I could find a way to relieve them of their sense of guilt.”

Almost all people have a sense of guilt. Some may try to mask it with alcohol or drugs. Some try to work through it with mental health professionals. But the reality is that people must deal with their guilt over the things they’ve done wrong.

There are three things we need to understand about guilt. First, we are all guilty. The apostle Paul wrote, “As the Scriptures say, ‘No one is righteous—not even one.’ . . . For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:10, 23 NLT).

Adam and Eve recognized their guilt in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:7 says, “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves” (NLT).

Recognizing our guilt—the fact that we have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard—is what compels us to confess our sin, ask for forgiveness, and receive Christ as Savior and Lord. 

Second, for those who receive Christ as Savior and Lord, guilt becomes part of the work of the Holy Spirit. He dwells inside all believers and stirs our conscience from within when there are things we need to confess that get in the way of our relationship with God. That’s what Paul was talking about when he wrote, “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).

And that leads us to the third thing about guilt that we need to understand. Satan uses false guilt to neutralize believers and keep us from growing in our faith. That’s why Paul warned, “But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).

If we allow false guilt to get a foothold in our life, we are, in essence, doubting Jesus’ ability to wipe away our sin. We are also dimming Christ’s light in our lives—the light that should be shining before others (see Matthew 5:16). If unbelievers see a believer who struggles with guilt, they will likely (and understandably) question Jesus’ ability to change lives.

The words of 1 John 1:9 are definitive: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (NLT). So, if we’ve been forgiven and cleansed, we must stay alert to the Holy Spirit’s promptings. We must allow our constructive guilt to accomplish its purposes and confess our sins as needed. And then we must embrace and celebrate our righteous standing before God so that others will be drawn to what we have.

 

Reflection question: What role does guilt play in your daily 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;For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There&rsquo;s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.&rdquo; (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT)
&nbsp;
Another of life&rsquo;s difficult headwinds is guilt. The head of a mental institution in London once said, &ldquo;I could release half of my patients if I could find a way to relieve them of their sense of guilt.&rdquo;
Almost all people have a sense of guilt. Some may try to mask it with alcohol or drugs. Some try to work through it with mental health professionals. But the reality is that people must deal with their guilt over the things they&rsquo;ve done wrong.
There are three things we need to understand about guilt. First, we are all guilty. The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;As the Scriptures say, &lsquo;No one is righteous&mdash;not even one.&rsquo; . . . For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God&rsquo;s glorious standard&rdquo; (Romans 3:10, 23 NLT).
Adam and Eve recognized their guilt in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:7 says, &ldquo;At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves&rdquo; (NLT).
Recognizing our guilt&mdash;the fact that we have sinned and fallen short of God&rsquo;s standard&mdash;is what compels us to confess our sin, ask for forgiveness, and receive Christ as Savior and Lord.&nbsp;
Second, for those who receive Christ as Savior and Lord, guilt becomes part of the work of the Holy Spirit. He dwells inside all believers and stirs our conscience from within when there are things we need to confess that get in the way of our relationship with God. That&rsquo;s what Paul was talking about when he wrote, &ldquo;For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There&rsquo;s no regret for that kind of sorrow&rdquo; (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).
And that leads us to the third thing about guilt that we need to understand. Satan uses false guilt to neutralize believers and keep us from growing in our faith. That&rsquo;s why Paul warned, &ldquo;But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death&rdquo; (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).
If we allow false guilt to get a foothold in our life, we are, in essence, doubting Jesus&rsquo; ability to wipe away our sin. We are also dimming Christ&rsquo;s light in our lives&mdash;the light that should be shining before others (see Matthew 5:16). If unbelievers see a believer who struggles with guilt, they will likely (and understandably) question Jesus&rsquo; ability to change lives.
The words of 1 John 1:9 are definitive: &ldquo;But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness&rdquo; (NLT). So, if we&rsquo;ve been forgiven and cleansed, we must stay alert to the Holy Spirit&rsquo;s promptings. We must allow our constructive guilt to accomplish its purposes and confess our sins as needed. And then we must embrace and celebrate our righteous standing before God so that others will be drawn to what we have.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What role does guilt play in your daily 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>

Guilt should compel us to confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness; beyond that, it becomes a destructive force.

The Burden of Guilt | 2 Corinthians 7:10

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4 NLT)

 

One of the most unpredictable headwinds we face in this life is grief. Grief can be expected in the aftermath of a loss. But it isn’t confined to a specific period of mourning. There’s no way to anticipate how long it will last or when it will come roaring back without warning.

Though we may not fully understand grief, we have a Savior who does. Isaiah 53:3–4 says, “He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!” (NLT).

Not only did He carry our sin, but He also carried our sorrows. He was acquainted with our grief. He has a deep and abiding concern for our emotional well-being. The psalmist wrote, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8 NLT).

On a tour of Israel several years ago, I was exploring the old city of Jerusalem with my sons, Christopher and Jonathan. At one point in our ramblings, we stopped at an antiquities store, and I noticed a number of little bottles in various sizes and shapes. I asked the shopkeeper, “Sir, what are these bottles for?”

“Oh,” he said, “those are Roman tear bottles.”

“What were they used for?” I asked.

“Well,” he replied, “the Romans believed that when a loved one dies, you need to keep your tears in a bottle. So, they would store their tears in these little containers.”

I have a tear bottle now. But it isn’t on earth; it’s in Heaven. And I’m not the one who has to collect my tears because God said He would do that.

Why does God keep our tears in a bottle? Because He sees and cares about every one of them. He takes note of our every tear. He hears our every sigh.

Revelation 21:4 says, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (NLT). We can look forward to that day, knowing that grief will have no place in our eternal life with God.

In the meantime, we can take our feelings of sorrow and loss to the One who designed us, who understands us, and who knows how to comfort and heal us. Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (NLT).

But it doesn’t stop there. The apostle Paul wrote, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT).

No one is better equipped to help someone through their grief journey than someone who has traveled the road themselves.

 

Reflection question: What has been your experience with grief? 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;He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.&rdquo; (Revelation 21:4 NLT)
&nbsp;
One of the most unpredictable headwinds we face in this life is grief. Grief can be expected in the aftermath of a loss. But it isn&rsquo;t confined to a specific period of mourning. There&rsquo;s no way to anticipate how long it will last or when it will come roaring back without warning.
Though we may not fully understand grief, we have a Savior who does. Isaiah 53:3&ndash;4 says, &ldquo;He was despised and rejected&mdash;a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!&rdquo; (NLT).
Not only did He carry our sin, but He also carried our sorrows. He was acquainted with our grief. He has a deep and abiding concern for our emotional well-being. The psalmist wrote, &ldquo;You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book&rdquo; (Psalm 56:8 NLT).
On a tour of Israel several years ago, I was exploring the old city of Jerusalem with my sons, Christopher and Jonathan. At one point in our ramblings, we stopped at an antiquities store, and I noticed a number of little bottles in various sizes and shapes. I asked the shopkeeper, &ldquo;Sir, what are these bottles for?&rdquo;
&ldquo;Oh,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;those are Roman tear bottles.&rdquo;
&ldquo;What were they used for?&rdquo; I asked.
&ldquo;Well,&rdquo; he replied, &ldquo;the Romans believed that when a loved one dies, you need to keep your tears in a bottle. So, they would store their tears in these little containers.&rdquo;
I have a tear bottle now. But it isn&rsquo;t on earth; it&rsquo;s in Heaven. And I&rsquo;m not the one who has to collect my tears because God said He would do that.
Why does God keep our tears in a bottle? Because He sees and cares about every one of them. He takes note of our every tear. He hears our every sigh.
Revelation 21:4 says, &ldquo;He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever&rdquo; (NLT). We can look forward to that day, knowing that grief will have no place in our eternal life with God.
In the meantime, we can take our feelings of sorrow and loss to the One who designed us, who understands us, and who knows how to comfort and heal us. Psalm 147:3 says, &ldquo;He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds&rdquo; (NLT).
But it doesn&rsquo;t stop there. The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us&rdquo; (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT).
No one is better equipped to help someone through their grief journey than someone who has traveled the road themselves.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What has been your experience with grief?&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 comforts us in our grief so that we can comfort others.

No More Tears | Revelation 21:4

“Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.’” (John 11:21 NLT)

 

One of the most pervasive headwinds that believers face in daily life is doubt. Our faith seems strong until certain situations or circumstances arise that make us question or rethink certain aspects of it. If Scripture shows us anything, it’s that such doubts are not unusual among God’s people.

As we saw in a devotion last week, Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, was not one to hold her tongue. People always knew where they stood with her. According to John 11:21, after Lazarus died, “Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died’” (NLT). To put it another way: “Where were You anyway, Jesus?”

Maybe you’ve said something similar during or after some crisis in your life.“Lord, where were You when my parents divorced?Lord, where were You when we got that diagnosis of cancer? Lord, where were You when our marriage fell apart?Lord, where were You when I lost my job?Lord, where were You when my child got into trouble? Lord, where were You when my loved one died?”

Please notice that Jesus didn’t reprove Martha for what she said. It isn’t wrong to tell the Lord exactly how you feel. I think we sometimes get the idea that it’s irreverent or sinful to express our real fears or the doubts of our heart, even to God. But when we read the book of Psalms, we learn that there were many times when David and the other psalmists really “let their hair down” with God. They cried out to Him and emptied the contents of their hearts in His presence.

I’ve done it many times. In my pain, I’ll cry out to God. Sometimes the reality that my son is gone hits my heart like a sledgehammer, and I say, “Oh, God. I can’t believe this! I can’t handle this pain!” But then I’ll preach to myself and say, “Now, Greg, listen to me. Your son is alive—more alive than he ever was before. He’s in the presence of the Lord, and you aregoing to see him again.” And I’ll remind myself of the promises of God.

My prayers, however, are wide open and honest. I pour out my heart before God, describing my pain to Him. I put my doubts into words. I talk to Him about the things I don’t understand—the circumstances that don’t make sense, the situations, losses, and diagnoses that don’t seem fair. But I also remind myself of God’s truth. And that’s what prayer is.

God wants us to cry out to Him. He invites us to pour out our hearts before Him. David writes, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8 NIV). That’s an invitation you want to accept.

 

Reflection question: What do you do when you struggle with doubt? 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;Martha said to Jesus, &lsquo;Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.&rsquo;&rdquo; (John 11:21 NLT)
&nbsp;
One of the most pervasive headwinds that believers face in daily life is doubt. Our faith seems strong until certain situations or circumstances arise that make us question or rethink certain aspects of it. If Scripture shows us anything, it&rsquo;s that such doubts are not unusual among God&rsquo;s people.
As we saw in a devotion last week, Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, was not one to hold her tongue. People always knew where they stood with her. According to John 11:21, after Lazarus died, &ldquo;Martha said to Jesus, &lsquo;Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died&rsquo;&rdquo; (NLT). To put it another way: &ldquo;Where were You anyway, Jesus?&rdquo;
Maybe you&rsquo;ve said something similar during or after some crisis in your life. &ldquo;Lord, where were You when my parents divorced? Lord, where were You when we got that diagnosis of cancer? Lord, where were You when our marriage fell apart? Lord, where were You when I lost my job? Lord, where were You when my child got into trouble? Lord, where were You when my loved one died?&rdquo;
Please notice that Jesus didn&rsquo;t reprove Martha for what she said. It isn&rsquo;t wrong to tell the Lord exactly how you feel. I think we sometimes get the idea that it&rsquo;s irreverent or sinful to express our real fears or the doubts of our heart, even to God. But when we read the book of Psalms, we learn that there were many times when David and the other psalmists really &ldquo;let their hair down&rdquo; with God. They cried out to Him and emptied the contents of their hearts in His presence.
I&rsquo;ve done it many times. In my pain, I&rsquo;ll cry out to God. Sometimes the reality that my son is gone hits my heart like a sledgehammer, and I say, &ldquo;Oh, God. I can&rsquo;t believe this! I can&rsquo;t handle this pain!&rdquo; But then I&rsquo;ll preach to myself and say, &ldquo;Now, Greg, listen to me. Your son is alive&mdash;more alive than he ever was before. He&rsquo;s in the presence of the Lord, and you are going to see him again.&rdquo; And I&rsquo;ll remind myself of the promises of God.
My prayers, however, are wide open and honest. I pour out my heart before God, describing my pain to Him. I put my doubts into words. I talk to Him about the things I don&rsquo;t understand&mdash;the circumstances that don&rsquo;t make sense, the situations, losses, and diagnoses that don&rsquo;t seem fair. But I also remind myself of God&rsquo;s truth. And that&rsquo;s what prayer is.
God wants us to cry out to Him. He invites us to pour out our hearts before Him. David writes, &ldquo;Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge&rdquo; (Psalm 62:8 NIV). That&rsquo;s an invitation you want to accept.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What do you do when you struggle with doubt?&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 invites us to bring our doubts to Him.

Even There | Psalm 139:8

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