"Thus says the LORD: 'Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.'" —Jeremiah 6:16

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"Thus says the LORD: 'Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.'" —Jeremiah 6:16
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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

JEREMIAH 6:16: Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.

How Revivals Start | Jeremiah 6:16

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35 NLT)

 

Before I became a believer, one of the things that attracted me to the Christian faith was the way Christians loved each other.

I was raised in the 1960s, when the hippie and drug culture was coming on strong. We wore peace symbols and used words like groovy. We talked incessantly about love and peace. But it was a sham. There was no love or peace—at least, not as we envisioned it. It didn’t take me long to recognize the hypocrisy at the heart of the counterculture.

Having been raised in a broken home, I wanted love and peace, and I thought maybe the movements of the 1960s were where I needed to look. I tried to buy into their philosophies for a time, not because I was looking for a buzz or excitement, but because I was looking for meaning in life.

But nothing really resonated with me until I started meeting Christians. They had the love and peace I was searching for. They would get together for Bible studies on my high school campus, and I would watch them hug each other and say, “God bless you.”

I thought, “This can’t be real. They can’t really care about each other. There’s no way.” But as I kept watching them, it started bugging me. And then I thought, “What if they’re right and I’m wrong? What if the love is real and not an act? What if God really is living inside them? What if they have the truth? If that’s true, then I don’t have it, and I don’t have the answers. That means I need to hear what they have to say.”

Jesus understood that need and longing for genuine love. That’s why He told His followers, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 NLT).

That love for one another doesn’t always come naturally. Nor should it. Nothing worthwhile is easy. They say politics makes strange bedfellows but so does the Christian faith. Jesus urged His followers to “go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19 NLT). That involves bringing people together from all walks of life—people who are culturally, politically, socioeconomically, and temperamentally different from one another. In other words, people with little in common.

The apostle Paul wrote, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 NLT). Yet the prejudices and misunderstandings that exist between these disparate groups don’t magically disappear when people come to Christ. Believers must work to change their thinking, to reach out to people who are different from them, to tear down walls and build bridges. To show love.

Can people see that kind of love in your life? When people of different ages, backgrounds, and cultures set aside differences and come together to worship in the name of Jesus Christ, it serves as a powerful testimony to a world that is more divided than ever.

 

Reflection question: What does love for other believers 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;Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.&rdquo; (John 13:35 NLT)
&nbsp;
Before I became a believer, one of the things that attracted me to the Christian faith was the way Christians loved each other.
I was raised in the 1960s, when the hippie and drug culture was coming on strong. We wore peace symbols and used words like groovy. We talked incessantly about love and peace. But it was a sham. There was no love or peace&mdash;at least, not as we envisioned it. It didn&rsquo;t take me long to recognize the hypocrisy at the heart of the counterculture.
Having been raised in a broken home, I wanted love and peace, and I thought maybe the movements of the 1960s were where I needed to look. I tried to buy into their philosophies for a time, not because I was looking for a buzz or excitement, but because I was looking for meaning in life.
But nothing really resonated with me until I started meeting Christians. They had the love and peace I was searching for. They would get together for Bible studies on my high school campus, and I would watch them hug each other and say, &ldquo;God bless you.&rdquo;
I thought, &ldquo;This can&rsquo;t be real. They can&rsquo;t really care about each other. There&rsquo;s no way.&rdquo; But as I kept watching them, it started bugging me. And then I thought, &ldquo;What if they&rsquo;re right and I&rsquo;m wrong? What if the love is real and not an act? What if God really is living inside them? What if they have the truth? If that&rsquo;s true, then I don&rsquo;t have it, and I don&rsquo;t have the answers. That means I need to hear what they have to say.&rdquo;
Jesus understood that need and longing for genuine love. That&rsquo;s why He told His followers, &ldquo;Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples&rdquo; (John 13:35 NLT).
That love for one another doesn&rsquo;t always come naturally. Nor should it. Nothing worthwhile is easy. They say politics makes strange bedfellows but so does the Christian faith. Jesus urged His followers to &ldquo;go and make disciples of all the nations&rdquo; (Matthew 28:19 NLT). That involves bringing people together from all walks of life&mdash;people who are culturally, politically, socioeconomically, and temperamentally different from one another. In other words, people with little in common.
The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus&rdquo; (Galatians 3:28 NLT). Yet the prejudices and misunderstandings that exist between these disparate groups don&rsquo;t magically disappear when people come to Christ. Believers must work to change their thinking, to reach out to people who are different from them, to tear down walls and build bridges. To show love.
Can people see that kind of love in your life? When people of different ages, backgrounds, and cultures set aside differences and come together to worship in the name of Jesus Christ, it serves as a powerful testimony to a world that is more divided than ever.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What does love for other believers 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>

One of the most powerful testimonies believers can offer is their love for one another.

The Proof Is in the Love | John 13:35

“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (Matthew 7:20 NLT)

 

Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Not every Christian necessarily is. Some people go no further than making a decision to accept Christ as Savior. They treat their Christian faith as an eternal life insurance policy or a “Get out of Hell free” card. They will take a few steps in their walk with Christ, but only if the path is smooth or the route is pleasant.

In their reluctance to commit wholeheartedly, however, they don’t get to experience the transformative power of discipleship. When you submit to becoming a disciple of Christ—to live as He lived, to love as He loved, and to prioritize what He prioritized—you will see things happen in your life that are unimaginable otherwise. And you won’t be the only one who sees those things happening in your life.

A disciple of Jesus Christ will bring forth spiritual fruit. Jesus said, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father” (John 15:8 NLT). He also said, “Just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matthew 7:20 NLT). If you’re a disciple of Jesus Christ, people will be able to tell based on the spiritual fruit they see in your life.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus talks about seeds falling on different kinds of ground. Each type of ground represents a different reaction to the gospel. The final type represents people who bring forth fruit after hearing the gospel. “And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Mark 4:20 NLT). Those who last as disciples spiritually embrace this truth and produce spiritual fruit.

Spiritual fruit makes itself known in a variety of ways. The author of Hebrews says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (13:15 NIV). Praising God is a way of producing spiritual fruit.

What we say is also evidence of the spiritual fruit in our lives. Jesus said, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart” (Luke 6:45 NLT).

Our change in conduct and character is also a type of spiritual fruit. Galatians 5:22–23 tells us, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT).

Can people see these traits in your life? A Christian’s life should be characterized by these things. Are you bringing forth spiritual fruit?

 

Reflection question: What spiritual fruit do you want people to see 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;Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.&rdquo; (Matthew 7:20 NLT)
&nbsp;
Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Not every Christian necessarily is. Some people go no further than making a decision to accept Christ as Savior. They treat their Christian faith as an eternal life insurance policy or a &ldquo;Get out of Hell free&rdquo; card. They will take a few steps in their walk with Christ, but only if the path is smooth or the route is pleasant.
In their reluctance to commit wholeheartedly, however, they don&rsquo;t get to experience the transformative power of discipleship. When you submit to becoming a disciple of Christ&mdash;to live as He lived, to love as He loved, and to prioritize what He prioritized&mdash;you will see things happen in your life that are unimaginable otherwise. And you won&rsquo;t be the only one who sees those things happening in your life.
A disciple of Jesus Christ will bring forth spiritual fruit. Jesus said, &ldquo;When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father&rdquo; (John 15:8 NLT). He also said, &ldquo;Just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions&rdquo; (Matthew 7:20 NLT). If you&rsquo;re a disciple of Jesus Christ, people will be able to tell based on the spiritual fruit they see in your life.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus talks about seeds falling on different kinds of ground. Each type of ground represents a different reaction to the gospel. The final type represents people who bring forth fruit after hearing the gospel. &ldquo;And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God&rsquo;s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!&rdquo; (Mark 4:20 NLT). Those who last as disciples spiritually embrace this truth and produce spiritual fruit.
Spiritual fruit makes itself known in a variety of ways. The author of Hebrews says, &ldquo;Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise&mdash;the fruit of lips that openly profess his name&rdquo; (13:15 NIV). Praising God is a way of producing spiritual fruit.
What we say is also evidence of the spiritual fruit in our lives. Jesus said, &ldquo;A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart&rdquo; (Luke 6:45 NLT).
Our change in conduct and character is also a type of spiritual fruit. Galatians 5:22&ndash;23 tells us, &ldquo;But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!&rdquo; (NLT).
Can people see these traits in your life? A Christian&rsquo;s life should be characterized by these things. Are you bringing forth spiritual fruit?
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What spiritual fruit do you want people to see 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>

Discipleship involves actions, not words.

A Harvest of Fruit | Matthew 7:20

“If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26 NLT)

 

Many people choose not to follow Jesus because they’re afraid of what others will think. They choose not to commit their lives to Christ because they’re worried about the opinion of someone else. Maybe it’s a boyfriend or girlfriend, or maybe it’s a husband or a wife. Maybe it’s a close buddy or a group of friends they hang around with. Maybe it’s their parents.

They recognize that if they were to fully give their lives to Christ, they would lose a bunch of so-called friends. Or it would mean the end of a relationship. Or it would cause friction in their home. So, they allow the potential consequences to hold them back.

But Jesus said, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26 NLT).

His declaration may seem shocking, especially because it includes the word hate. But as we balance this statement with other passages of Scripture, we discover that Jesus clearly wasn’t advocating for hatred. Certainly, the Bible doesn’t teach people to hate others. Why would Jesus tell us to honor our father and mother and then also demand that we hate them? Or why would Paul tell husbands to “love [their] wives, just as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25 NLT)?

In context, Jesus wasn’t saying that His followers should hate people. Essentially, He was saying that we should love God so much more than anyone or anything else that our love for those people or things would seem like hatred in comparison.

Jesus was talking about priorities. If you ask people to list the top priorities in their life, you’ll probably get a lot of heartwarming, inspiring answers. Near the top of people’s lists will be things like a relationship with Christ, family, nonprofit volunteer work, personal well-being, and career.

But real priorities aren’t spoken or listed; they’re lived. The things in your life that get the majority of your time, focus, and interest—whether they are video games, social media, streaming services, significant others, habits/addictions, or other things—are your actual top priorities, whether you care to admit it or not.

In Luke 14:26, Jesus is saying, “If you claim to follow Me, I should be in that top spot. What’s more, I should be so far ahead of number two on your priority list that there’s no comparison.”

That makes perfect sense when you think about it. If you want to live your Christian life to the fullest, then love Jesus more than anything else. Do you love Him that way?

 

Reflection question: How can you make sure that Jesus is your top priority? 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;If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else&mdash;your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters&mdash;yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.&rdquo; (Luke 14:26 NLT)
&nbsp;
Many people choose not to follow Jesus because they&rsquo;re afraid of what others will think. They choose not to commit their lives to Christ because they&rsquo;re worried about the opinion of someone else. Maybe it&rsquo;s a boyfriend or girlfriend, or maybe it&rsquo;s a husband or a wife. Maybe it&rsquo;s a close buddy or a group of friends they hang around with. Maybe it&rsquo;s their parents.
They recognize that if they were to fully give their lives to Christ, they would lose a bunch of so-called friends. Or it would mean the end of a relationship. Or it would cause friction in their home. So, they allow the potential consequences to hold them back.
But Jesus said, &ldquo;If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else&mdash;your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters&mdash;yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple&rdquo; (Luke 14:26 NLT).
His declaration may seem shocking, especially because it includes the word hate. But as we balance this statement with other passages of Scripture, we discover that Jesus clearly wasn&rsquo;t advocating for hatred. Certainly, the Bible doesn&rsquo;t teach people to hate others. Why would Jesus tell us to honor our father and mother and then also demand that we hate them? Or why would Paul tell husbands to &ldquo;love [their] wives, just as Christ loved the church&rdquo; (Ephesians 5:25 NLT)?
In context, Jesus wasn&rsquo;t saying that His followers should hate people. Essentially, He was saying that we should love God so much more than anyone or anything else that our love for those people or things would seem like hatred in comparison.
Jesus was talking about priorities. If you ask people to list the top priorities in their life, you&rsquo;ll probably get a lot of heartwarming, inspiring answers. Near the top of people&rsquo;s lists will be things like a relationship with Christ, family, nonprofit volunteer work, personal well-being, and career.
But real priorities aren&rsquo;t spoken or listed; they&rsquo;re lived. The things in your life that get the majority of your time, focus, and interest&mdash;whether they are video games, social media, streaming services, significant others, habits/addictions, or other things&mdash;are your actual top priorities, whether you care to admit it or not.
In Luke 14:26, Jesus is saying, &ldquo;If you claim to follow Me, I should be in that top spot. What&rsquo;s more, I should be so far ahead of number two on your priority list that there&rsquo;s no comparison.&rdquo;
That makes perfect sense when you think about it. If you want to live your Christian life to the fullest, then love Jesus more than anything else. Do you love Him that way?
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you make sure that Jesus is your top priority?&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>

Nothing must get in the way of our relationship with Christ.

How Revivals Start | Jeremiah 6:16

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