“Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14 NLT)

—

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“Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14 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

“Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14 NLT)

It’s No Joke | Revelation 20:14

“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 NLT)

 

In this week’s devotions, we’re looking at words believers can use to encourage one another. Today we’re going to talk about this amazing sentence: God loves to bless His children.

One Greek word translated “blessed” in the New Testament is makarios, which means “blessed,” “happy,” or “fortunate.” It describes a kind of blessedness that isn’t dependent on favorable circumstances. A prominent use of the word appears in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–11.

Sometimes in our lives, our happiness is not self-contained. Rather, it’s contingent on good things happening. We think that if we could just get that raise at work, we would be happy. When something fun or exciting is happening, then we’re happy. But when we don’t get that raise at work or when we get some bad news, we’re not happy. In those circumstances, our happiness depends on good things happening.

But blessed is a different kind of word. Regardless of what is taking place circumstantially, you are blessed. That’s the idea of makarios.

God wants to bless you. Jesus said, “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32 NLT).

If you’re a parent, this type of generosity probably resonates with you. You know the feeling of happiness that comes from giving your kids something special. The difference is that, as imperfect human parents, we can get caught up in the gift-giving and lose sight of the big picture. Sometimes we go overboard and spoil our children. Sometimes we give them things that are less than healthy.

That doesn’t happen with our perfect heavenly Father. He created us, so He knows our innermost workings. Jesus said that “your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8 NLT).

God blesses us with resources. He blesses us with spiritual gifts. He blesses us with an eternal future. He blesses us with friends and family members. He blesses us with opportunities. He blesses us with challenges. He blesses us with the tools to overcome those challenges. He blesses us with a sense of peace in the midst of those challenges. And that’s only the tip of the blessings iceberg!

Acknowledging the Lord’s amazing generosity creates a healthy spiritual cycle. The more we recognize how profoundly blessed we are, the more thankful we become. The more we recognize how generous God is, the more sincere our worship will be. And as we recognize His goodness, our hearts are drawn closer to Him.

The psalmist wrote, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1 NLT).

The New Testament author James wrote, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:8 NLT).

If you’re a child of God, then know this: God loves to bless His children. And here’s something else to remember: God wants to bless you even more than you want to be blessed. Isn’t that great to know?

 

Reflection question: How can you celebrate God’s blessings 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;So don&rsquo;t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.&rdquo; (Luke 12:32 NLT)
&nbsp;
In this week&rsquo;s devotions, we&rsquo;re looking at words believers can use to encourage one another. Today we&rsquo;re going to talk about this amazing sentence: God loves to bless His children.
One Greek word translated &ldquo;blessed&rdquo; in the New Testament is makarios, which means &ldquo;blessed,&rdquo; &ldquo;happy,&rdquo; or &ldquo;fortunate.&rdquo; It describes a kind of blessedness that isn&rsquo;t dependent on favorable circumstances. A prominent use of the word appears in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3&ndash;11.
Sometimes in our lives, our happiness is not self-contained. Rather, it&rsquo;s contingent on good things happening. We think that if we could just get that raise at work, we would be happy. When something fun or exciting is happening, then we&rsquo;re happy. But when we don&rsquo;t get that raise at work or when we get some bad news, we&rsquo;re not happy. In those circumstances, our happiness depends on good things happening.
But blessed is a different kind of word. Regardless of what is taking place circumstantially, you are blessed. That&rsquo;s the idea of makarios.
God wants to bless you. Jesus said, &ldquo;So don&rsquo;t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom&rdquo; (Luke 12:32 NLT).
If you&rsquo;re a parent, this type of generosity probably resonates with you. You know the feeling of happiness that comes from giving your kids something special. The difference is that, as imperfect human parents, we can get caught up in the gift-giving and lose sight of the big picture. Sometimes we go overboard and spoil our children. Sometimes we give them things that are less than healthy.
That doesn&rsquo;t happen with our perfect heavenly Father. He created us, so He knows our innermost workings. Jesus said that &ldquo;your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him&rdquo; (Matthew 6:8 NLT).
God blesses us with resources. He blesses us with spiritual gifts. He blesses us with an eternal future. He blesses us with friends and family members. He blesses us with opportunities. He blesses us with challenges. He blesses us with the tools to overcome those challenges. He blesses us with a sense of peace in the midst of those challenges. And that&rsquo;s only the tip of the blessings iceberg!
Acknowledging the Lord&rsquo;s amazing generosity creates a healthy spiritual cycle. The more we recognize how profoundly blessed we are, the more thankful we become. The more we recognize how generous God is, the more sincere our worship will be. And as we recognize His goodness, our hearts are drawn closer to Him.
The psalmist wrote, &ldquo;Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever&rdquo; (Psalm 107:1 NLT).
The New Testament author James wrote, &ldquo;Come close to God, and God will come close to you&rdquo; (James 4:8 NLT).
If you&rsquo;re a child of God, then know this: God loves to bless His children. And here&rsquo;s something else to remember: God wants to bless you even more than you want to be blessed. Isn&rsquo;t that great to know?
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you celebrate God&rsquo;s blessings 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 wants to bless you even more than you want to be blessed.

The One Who Loves to Bless | Luke 12:32

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.” (Malachi 3:16 NKJV)

 

In 1 Thessalonians 4:18, the apostle Paul offers a simple instruction to believers: “Encourage each other with these words” (nlt). In this week’s devotions, we’re going to look at some words—some truths from Scripture—that believers can draw on to offer encouragement to one another. In today’s devotion, we’re going to focus on a truth from the Old Testament book of Malachi: God hears when we talk about Him—and that has powerful implications on our fellowship with other believers.

Have you ever heard someone call or mention your name in a public setting? If so, you no doubt turned your attention to the person speaking. When my grandchildren speak the word Papa, I turn to look. What’s more, when I hear any little child in any setting use the word Papa, I turn around instinctively. I am attuned to that word.

In the same way, God listens and hears when we talk about Him. We are told in Malachi 3:16, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name” (NKJV). That phrase listened and heard carries the idea of inclining the ear or paying close attention.

The Lord likes to listen to our conversations. He likes it when we gather for fellowship because it sets the stage for robust discussions about Him and His blessings in our lives. In the book of Acts, we read that the early church “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42 NKJV). The word translated as “fellowship” in this passagecomes from the Greek word koinonia. The word also can be translated as “partnership,” “communion,” or “participation.” The idea is that the first-century believers loved to gather together.

Good things happen in our relationship with God when we’re in fellowship with others who stand awed by Him. It stands to reason, then, that when you’re walking with God, you’ll want to be with God’s people, too. And when you’re not walking with God, you may find yourself pulling away from God’s people as well. Our attitude toward fellowship can be a good gauge of where we are spiritually.

If you find yourself out of fellowship with God, you’ll often find yourself out of fellowship with other believers as well.

 

Reflection question: How can you spend more time in fellowship with other believers? 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 those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.&rdquo; (Malachi 3:16 NKJV)
&nbsp;
In 1 Thessalonians 4:18, the apostle Paul offers a simple instruction to believers: &ldquo;Encourage each other with these words&rdquo; (nlt). In this week&rsquo;s devotions, we&rsquo;re going to look at some words&mdash;some truths from Scripture&mdash;that believers can draw on to offer encouragement to one another. In today&rsquo;s devotion, we&rsquo;re going to focus on a truth from the Old Testament book of Malachi: God hears when we talk about Him&mdash;and that has powerful implications on our fellowship with other believers.
Have you ever heard someone call or mention your name in a public setting? If so, you no doubt turned your attention to the person speaking. When my grandchildren speak the word Papa, I turn to look. What&rsquo;s more, when I hear any little child in any setting use the word Papa, I turn around instinctively. I am attuned to that word.
In the same way, God listens and hears when we talk about Him. We are told in Malachi 3:16, &ldquo;Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name&rdquo; (NKJV). That phrase listened and heard carries the idea of inclining the ear or paying close attention.
The Lord likes to listen to our conversations. He likes it when we gather for fellowship because it sets the stage for robust discussions about Him and His blessings in our lives. In the book of Acts, we read that the early church &ldquo;continued steadfastly in the apostles&rsquo; doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers&rdquo; (Acts 2:42 NKJV). The word translated as &ldquo;fellowship&rdquo; in this passage comes from the Greek word koinonia. The word also can be translated as &ldquo;partnership,&rdquo; &ldquo;communion,&rdquo; or &ldquo;participation.&rdquo; The idea is that the first-century believers loved to gather together.
Good things happen in our relationship with God when we&rsquo;re in fellowship with others who stand awed by Him. It stands to reason, then, that when you&rsquo;re walking with God, you&rsquo;ll want to be with God&rsquo;s people, too. And when you&rsquo;re not walking with God, you may find yourself pulling away from God&rsquo;s people as well. Our attitude toward fellowship can be a good gauge of where we are spiritually.
If you find yourself out of fellowship with God, you&rsquo;ll often find yourself out of fellowship with other believers as well.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you spend more time in fellowship with other believers?&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>

If you’re walking with God, you’ll want to be around God’s people.

God Hears | Malachi 3:16 

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Psalm 37:23 NLT)

 

In the aftermath of a natural disaster, national or local tragedy, or personal dark night of the soul, these questions often arise: Where was God when this happened? Why does He seem absent?

The problem lies not with God Himself. He is, after all, omnipresent—He exists everywhere, all the time. Nothing will ever change that. The problem lies with our perception of Him—or, more specifically, our expectations of Him. When the Lord isn’t as predictable or as obvious as we want Him to be, we assume the worst.

The Gospel of Luke gives us a snapshot of this phenomenon. After Jesus’ crucifixion, two of His followers were walking the road to Emmaus. Both were devastated because the One to whom they had given their lives was gone, from all earthly appearances. God in human form was absent.

Until He joined them on their journey.

The two followers didn’t recognize Jesus at first. Here’s a loose paraphrase of the encounter.

Jesus asked, “Guys, why the long faces? What’s the problem?”

The two men were stunned by the question. “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days,” they replied.

“What things?”

They explained, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened” (Luke 24:19–21 NKJV).

Jesus said, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” (Luke 24:25–26 NLT). He led the followers “through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27 NLT).

Shortly thereafter, the two followers recognized Jesus (see Luke 24:30–31).

The reality for believers is that there are times when we sense the presence of the Lord. Then there are times when we don’t feel God’s presence and don’t see Him at work. We wonder whether God has abandoned us. The answer is: Absolutely not. He never has and never will. He said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT).

The Bible says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives” (Psalm 37:23 NLT).

There are times in life when God seems absent, but He never is. God is always at work in the life of the believer, every hour of every day.

 

Reflection question: What can you do when God feels absent 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;The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.&rdquo; (Psalm 37:23 NLT)
&nbsp;
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, national or local tragedy, or personal dark night of the soul, these questions often arise: Where was God when this happened? Why does He seem absent?
The problem lies not with God Himself. He is, after all, omnipresent&mdash;He exists everywhere, all the time. Nothing will ever change that. The problem lies with our perception of Him&mdash;or, more specifically, our expectations of Him. When the Lord isn&rsquo;t as predictable or as obvious as we want Him to be, we assume the worst.
The Gospel of Luke gives us a snapshot of this phenomenon. After Jesus&rsquo; crucifixion, two of His followers were walking the road to Emmaus. Both were devastated because the One to whom they had given their lives was gone, from all earthly appearances. God in human form was absent.
Until He joined them on their journey.
The two followers didn&rsquo;t recognize Jesus at first. Here&rsquo;s a loose paraphrase of the encounter.
Jesus asked, &ldquo;Guys, why the long faces? What&rsquo;s the problem?&rdquo;
The two men were stunned by the question. &ldquo;You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn&rsquo;t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days,&rdquo; they replied.
&ldquo;What things?&rdquo;
They explained, &ldquo;The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened&rdquo; (Luke 24:19&ndash;21 NKJV).
Jesus said, &ldquo;You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn&rsquo;t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?&rdquo; (Luke 24:25&ndash;26 NLT). He led the followers &ldquo;through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself&rdquo; (Luke 24:27 NLT).
Shortly thereafter, the two followers recognized Jesus (see Luke 24:30&ndash;31).
The reality for believers is that there are times when we sense the presence of the Lord. Then there are times when we don&rsquo;t feel God&rsquo;s presence and don&rsquo;t see Him at work. We wonder whether God has abandoned us. The answer is: Absolutely not. He never has and never will. He said, &ldquo;I will never fail you. I will never abandon you&rdquo; (Hebrews 13:5 NLT).
The Bible says, &ldquo;The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives&rdquo; (Psalm 37:23 NLT).
There are times in life when God seems absent, but He never is. God is always at work in the life of the believer, every hour of every day.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What can you do when God feels absent 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>

It’s No Joke | Revelation 20:14

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