‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead. Matthew 22:32

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‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead. Matthew 22:32
—
<a href="https://link.chtbl.com/A1PWfZ8W">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
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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

MATTHEW 22:32: ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.

Life Beyond This Life | Matthew 22:32

“‘Abba, Father,’ he cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’” (Mark 14:36 NLT)

 

Mark 14 describes what may be the darkest night of the soul in human history. Jesus was “deeply troubled and distressed” (verse 33 NLT) because He knew the “awful hour” (verse 35 NLT) of His suffering was approaching.

Jesus knew that in a very short time He would be denied by one of His closest friends. He knew that He would be the object of Peter’s shame and the cause of his cursing. He knew that He would be rejected by the people of Israel whom He came to save. He knew that His disciple Judas would betray Him with a kiss. He knew that the rest of His disciples would scatter in fear. He knew that He would be tried in a kangaroo court, falsely accused, and convicted.

He understood the sheer torture of what He was about to do—that is, to take all the impurity, sin, and wickedness of humanity upon Himself. He who was righteous, holy, and pure was about to take upon Himself all that was unrighteous, unholy, and impure.

For eternity Jesus had enjoyed unbroken communion with His Father. But He knew that in a short time, when the sin of the world was poured upon Him, God would momentarily turn His face from Him. He would be forsaken.

That’s what He was recoiling from in the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s what He was dreading: the horrible moment when He would take all the sin of the world upon Himself.

The only one who could understand what He was about to experience was His Father. “‘Abba, Father,’ he cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine’” (Mark 4:36 NLT). Abba is a term of intimate affection used by children for their father. It’s similar to the terms “Daddy” or “Papa.” Jesus the Son was crying out to God the Father in His moment of difficulty.

As He struggled with what lay ahead, Jesus asked His Father for one final reassurance that this was the only way to satisfy God’s justice and holiness—that this was the only way to make salvation and eternal life possible.

Through it all, Jesus had one overarching goal, and it wasn’t to spare Himself pain and suffering. Look at His resolute words again: “I want your will to be done, not mine” (NLT). In offering this prayer, Jesus gave us an example to follow.

None of us will ever be able to fathom the agony Jesus experienced that night. But we will experience our own consequences for pursuing God’s will.We may not always know what the will of God is in every situation. And when we do know it, we may not always like it. But we follow One who prioritized God’s will above everything else. And we must never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

 

Reflection question: What would embracing God’s will 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;&lsquo;Abba, Father,&rsquo; he cried out, &lsquo;everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.&rsquo;&rdquo; (Mark 14:36 NLT)
&nbsp;
Mark 14 describes what may be the darkest night of the soul in human history. Jesus was &ldquo;deeply troubled and distressed&rdquo; (verse 33 NLT) because He knew the &ldquo;awful hour&rdquo; (verse 35 NLT) of His suffering was approaching.
Jesus knew that in a very short time He would be denied by one of His closest friends. He knew that He would be the object of Peter&rsquo;s shame and the cause of his cursing. He knew that He would be rejected by the people of Israel whom He came to save. He knew that His disciple Judas would betray Him with a kiss. He knew that the rest of His disciples would scatter in fear. He knew that He would be tried in a kangaroo court, falsely accused, and convicted.
He understood the sheer torture of what He was about to do&mdash;that is, to take all the impurity, sin, and wickedness of humanity upon Himself. He who was righteous, holy, and pure was about to take upon Himself all that was unrighteous, unholy, and impure.
For eternity Jesus had enjoyed unbroken communion with His Father. But He knew that in a short time, when the sin of the world was poured upon Him, God would momentarily turn His face from Him. He would be forsaken.
That&rsquo;s what He was recoiling from in the Garden of Gethsemane. That&rsquo;s what He was dreading: the horrible moment when He would take all the sin of the world upon Himself.
The only one who could understand what He was about to experience was His Father. &ldquo;&lsquo;Abba, Father,&rsquo; he cried out, &lsquo;everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine&rsquo;&rdquo; (Mark 4:36 NLT). Abba is a term of intimate affection used by children for their father. It&rsquo;s similar to the terms &ldquo;Daddy&rdquo; or &ldquo;Papa.&rdquo; Jesus the Son was crying out to God the Father in His moment of difficulty.
As He struggled with what lay ahead, Jesus asked His Father for one final reassurance that this was the only way to satisfy God&rsquo;s justice and holiness&mdash;that this was the only way to make salvation and eternal life possible.
Through it all, Jesus had one overarching goal, and it wasn&rsquo;t to spare Himself pain and suffering. Look at His resolute words again: &ldquo;I want your will to be done, not mine&rdquo; (NLT). In offering this prayer, Jesus gave us an example to follow.
None of us will ever be able to fathom the agony Jesus experienced that night. But we will experience our own consequences for pursuing God&rsquo;s will. We may not always know what the will of God is in every situation. And when we do know it, we may not always like it. But we follow One who prioritized God&rsquo;s will above everything else. And we must never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What would embracing God&rsquo;s will 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>

Believers should never be afraid to trust God’s will.

Your Will Be Done | Mark 14:36

“Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Mark 4:8 NLT)

 

The Bible has a lot to say about the human heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says it’s “the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked” (NLT). Mark 12:30 says the heart is part of the whole self with which people must love God. Proverbs 27:19 says “the heart reflects the real person” (NLT).

In Mark 4, Jesus compares the heart to soil and says it’s the key to nurturing the seed of God’s Word in our lives. In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes seeds falling on four different types of soil that represent four different types of hearers’ hearts—that is, four different reactions to the Word of God: the hard heart, the shallow heart, the crowded heart, and the fruitful heart.

First, there is the hard heart, the seed that falls along the roadside. This represents people who hear the Word of God but never really believe. They may reject it outright because they think it asks too much of them or because it doesn’t align with the way they want to live. They may be too distracted to pay attention to its message. Or they may prefer a different belief system.

Then there is the shallow heart. That is the seed that falls on stony ground. This signifies the people who hear the Word of God and receive it with joy, but because there is no root to sustain them, they wither. Maybe they’re just looking for an emotional experience—something to make them feel good for a while. Or maybe they’re just using Scripture as a resource to prove a point.

Next, there is the crowded heart. That is the seed that falls on ground where weeds choke out its growth. Slowly and surely, these people, busy with the cares and riches of the world, just lose interest in the things of God. That’s an easy trap to fall into with the constant distractions of the 24/7 news cycle, the never-ending scrolling on social media, and the binging of movies or TV shows.

Finally, there is the fruitful heart that receives the Word. The seed falls on good ground, and the plants produce a rich harvest. These are the people who see God’s Word for what it is and allow it to change them—forever and for the better.

We are the ones who determine what kind of soil our hearts will be. We decide whether we will have a hard heart, a shallow heart, a crowded heart, or a receptive heart. This is exactly what James meant when he said, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21 NKJV).

The Word of God cannot work in our lives unless we have receptive hearts.

 

Reflection question: How do you prepare your heart to receive God’s Word? 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;Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!&rdquo; (Mark 4:8 NLT)
&nbsp;
The Bible has a lot to say about the human heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says it&rsquo;s &ldquo;the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked&rdquo; (NLT). Mark 12:30 says the heart is part of the whole self with which people must love God. Proverbs 27:19 says &ldquo;the heart reflects the real person&rdquo; (NLT).
In Mark 4, Jesus compares the heart to soil and says it&rsquo;s the key to nurturing the seed of God&rsquo;s Word in our lives. In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes seeds falling on four different types of soil that represent four different types of hearers&rsquo; hearts&mdash;that is, four different reactions to the Word of God: the hard heart, the shallow heart, the crowded heart, and the fruitful heart.
First, there is the hard heart, the seed that falls along the roadside. This represents people who hear the Word of God but never really believe. They may reject it outright because they think it asks too much of them or because it doesn&rsquo;t align with the way they want to live. They may be too distracted to pay attention to its message. Or they may prefer a different belief system.
Then there is the shallow heart. That is the seed that falls on stony ground. This signifies the people who hear the Word of God and receive it with joy, but because there is no root to sustain them, they wither. Maybe they&rsquo;re just looking for an emotional experience&mdash;something to make them feel good for a while. Or maybe they&rsquo;re just using Scripture as a resource to prove a point.
Next, there is the crowded heart. That is the seed that falls on ground where weeds choke out its growth. Slowly and surely, these people, busy with the cares and riches of the world, just lose interest in the things of God. That&rsquo;s an easy trap to fall into with the constant distractions of the 24/7 news cycle, the never-ending scrolling on social media, and the binging of movies or TV shows.
Finally, there is the fruitful heart that receives the Word. The seed falls on good ground, and the plants produce a rich harvest. These are the people who see God&rsquo;s Word for what it is and allow it to change them&mdash;forever and for the better.
We are the ones who determine what kind of soil our hearts will be. We decide whether we will have a hard heart, a shallow heart, a crowded heart, or a receptive heart. This is exactly what James meant when he said, &ldquo;Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls&rdquo; (James 1:21 NKJV).
The Word of God cannot work in our lives unless we have receptive hearts.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How do you prepare your heart to receive God&rsquo;s Word?&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>

The Word of God requires a receptive heart.

The Soil of the Heart | Mark 4:8

“She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.” (Mark 16:10–11 NLT)

 

Satan was powerless to thwart God’s plan of salvation. Throughout Scripture, we see his efforts to sidetrack God’s plan by attacking His people. He tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, just after Jesus’ baptism and just before the start of His public ministry. He failed spectacularly. Three times he tried to get Jesus to go against His Father’s will. And three times Jesus countered his temptation by quoting God’s Word. Satan had no defense against Scripture, so he had no choice but to flee.

So, the work of salvation unfolded according to God’s plan. Jesus lived a sinless life, something no one else has ever done. In doing so, He destroyed the power of sin once and for all. He gave His life as the perfect sacrifice. He who had never sinned took God’s wrath and punishment for the sins of the world. He gave His life on the cross to bridge the gap that sin created between God and humanity.

And then, on the third day, he rose from the grave. And His resurrection destroyed the power of sin once and for all.

Satan could do nothing to stop Jesus’ resurrection two thousand years ago. So, part of his strategy now is to make people doubt that Jesus really rose from the grave. He promotes lies, often cloaked in pseudoscience, to plant seeds of skepticism regarding the resurrection.

One such lie is the mass hallucination theory. This theory proposes that everyone who claimed to see the risen Lord was hallucinating—a bodily response to an extreme desire to see Jesus alive again.

The fact of the matter is that hallucinations typically occur with people who, in one way or another, are expecting them. But biblical evidence reveals that when Jesus was crucified, His disciples were devastated and destroyed. Their faith was, to a large degree, shattered. They had absolutely no hopes of ever seeing Jesus alive again (see Mark 16:10–11).

Another thing to consider is that hallucinations, once started, are continual. The disciples saw Jesus only for a very limited time. Then they ceased to see Him again. There was nothing continual about their experience.

Scripture records that Jesus not only appeared to His disciples on several occasions but also that He appeared to more than five hundred people at one time (see 1 Corinthians 15:6). What are the chances that five hundred people all hallucinated the same thing at the same time? If this evidence against the resurrection were ever brought forth in a court of law, it certainly would not hold water.

Satan’s lies about the resurrection will never hold up because Jesus is alive. He fulfilled the Scriptures by rising again, conquering sin and death. He appeared over and over again to a multitude of eyewitnesses. And each appearance of Christ is a tender demonstration of His meeting the needs and easing the hurts of His children.

As believers, we must spread the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection and what it means for the world.

 

Reflection question: How can you explain the truth about Jesus’ resurrection to someone who needs to hear it? 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;She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened.&nbsp;But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn&rsquo;t believe her.&rdquo; (Mark 16:10&ndash;11 NLT)
&nbsp;
Satan was powerless to thwart God&rsquo;s plan of salvation. Throughout Scripture, we see his efforts to sidetrack God&rsquo;s plan by attacking His people. He tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, just after Jesus&rsquo; baptism and just before the start of His public ministry. He failed spectacularly. Three times he tried to get Jesus to go against His Father&rsquo;s will. And three times Jesus countered his temptation by quoting God&rsquo;s Word. Satan had no defense against Scripture, so he had no choice but to flee.
So, the work of salvation unfolded according to God&rsquo;s plan. Jesus lived a sinless life, something no one else has ever done. In doing so, He destroyed the power of sin once and for all. He gave His life as the perfect sacrifice. He who had never sinned took God&rsquo;s wrath and punishment for the sins of the world. He gave His life on the cross to bridge the gap that sin created between God and humanity.
And then, on the third day, he rose from the grave. And His resurrection destroyed the power of sin once and for all.
Satan could do nothing to stop Jesus&rsquo; resurrection two thousand years ago. So, part of his strategy now is to make people doubt that Jesus really rose from the grave. He promotes lies, often cloaked in pseudoscience, to plant seeds of skepticism regarding the resurrection.
One such lie is the mass hallucination theory. This theory proposes that everyone who claimed to see the risen Lord was hallucinating&mdash;a bodily response to an extreme desire to see Jesus alive again.
The fact of the matter is that hallucinations typically occur with people who, in one way or another, are expecting them. But biblical evidence reveals that when Jesus was crucified, His disciples were devastated and destroyed. Their faith was, to a large degree, shattered. They had absolutely no hopes of ever seeing Jesus alive again (see Mark 16:10&ndash;11).
Another thing to consider is that hallucinations, once started, are continual. The disciples saw Jesus only for a very limited time. Then they ceased to see Him again. There was nothing continual about their experience.
Scripture records that Jesus not only appeared to His disciples on several occasions but also that He appeared to more than five hundred people at one time (see 1 Corinthians 15:6). What are the chances that five hundred people all hallucinated the same thing at the same time? If this evidence against the resurrection were ever brought forth in a court of law, it certainly would not hold water.
Satan&rsquo;s lies about the resurrection will never hold up because Jesus is alive. He fulfilled the Scriptures by rising again, conquering sin and death. He appeared over and over again to a multitude of eyewitnesses. And each appearance of Christ is a tender demonstration of His meeting the needs and easing the hurts of His children.
As believers, we must spread the Good News of Jesus&rsquo; resurrection and what it means for the world.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you explain the truth about Jesus&rsquo; resurrection to someone who needs to hear it?&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>

The world needs to hear the truth about Jesus’ resurrection.

Life Beyond This Life | Matthew 22:32

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