"Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed." Acts 12:16

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"Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed." Acts 12:16
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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

ACTS 12:16: Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

Meanwhile . . . | Acts 12:16

“Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.’” (Judges 6:36–37 NLT)

 

God is multilingual. He can speak to us in any number of ways. He speaks to us through His Word, certainly. He speaks to us through prayer. He speaks to us through our conscience. The Bible records several instances in which God spoke to people through dreams and visions.

But God also speaks through circumstances. Although I’m not one to base major life decisions on circumstances alone, there have been times when I’ve sensed that something was the will of God and then had my sense confirmed when things fell into place circumstantially. At other times, circumstances have made it obvious that God was saying no to a particular path or request.

A classic example of God’s speaking through circumstances can be found in His calling of Gideon to rescue the people of Israel. Gideon was an extremely humble man, almost to a fault. He didn’t see himself as a rescuer, and he had a hard time wrapping his head around the notion that God saw him in such a light.

So, he humbly put God to the test. “Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised’” (Judges 6:36–37 NLT).

God graciously did as Gideon asked. He intervened ever so slightly in the process of condensation to confirm Gideon’s calling. He spoke through circumstances.

In the story of Jonah, God spoke to His prophet through circumstances that involved, among other things, a storm at sea (see Jonah 1:4), a giant fish (see 1:17), a leafy plant (see 4:6), and a hungry worm (see 4:7).

God still speaks to us through circumstances today. Often, those circumstances involve other people. There have been times when I was listening to someone preach or talking with a friend and suddenly realized that what the person was saying addressed a situation that I was going through—even though the person was completely unaware of my circumstances. It made me realize that God Himself was speaking to me through those individuals.

Maybe God has spoken to you through a pastor or a Christian friend. Or perhaps He has been speaking to you through other circumstances. Listen carefully and remember that God will never contradict His Word.

 

Reflection question: How might God be speaking to you through circumstances 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;Then Gideon said to God, &lsquo;If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.&rsquo;&rdquo; (Judges 6:36&ndash;37 NLT)
&nbsp;
God is multilingual. He can speak to us in any number of ways. He speaks to us through His Word, certainly. He speaks to us through prayer. He speaks to us through our conscience. The Bible records several instances in which God spoke to people through dreams and visions.
But God also speaks through circumstances. Although I&rsquo;m not one to base major life decisions on circumstances alone, there have been times when I&rsquo;ve sensed that something was the will of God and then had my sense confirmed when things fell into place circumstantially. At other times, circumstances have made it obvious that God was saying no to a particular path or request.
A classic example of God&rsquo;s speaking through circumstances can be found in His calling of Gideon to rescue the people of Israel. Gideon was an extremely humble man, almost to a fault. He didn&rsquo;t see himself as a rescuer, and he had a hard time wrapping his head around the notion that God saw him in such a light.
So, he humbly put God to the test. &ldquo;Then Gideon said to God, &lsquo;If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised&rsquo;&rdquo; (Judges 6:36&ndash;37 NLT).
God graciously did as Gideon asked. He intervened ever so slightly in the process of condensation to confirm Gideon&rsquo;s calling. He spoke through circumstances.
In the story of Jonah, God spoke to His prophet through circumstances that involved, among other things, a storm at sea (see Jonah 1:4), a giant fish (see 1:17), a leafy plant (see 4:6), and a hungry worm (see 4:7).
God still speaks to us through circumstances today. Often, those circumstances involve other people. There have been times when I was listening to someone preach or talking with a friend and suddenly realized that what the person was saying addressed a situation that I was going through&mdash;even though the person was completely unaware of my circumstances. It made me realize that God Himself was speaking to me through those individuals.
Maybe God has spoken to you through a pastor or a Christian friend. Or perhaps He has been speaking to you through other circumstances. Listen carefully and remember that God will never contradict His Word.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How might God be speaking to you through circumstances 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 speaks to us through circumstances in our lives.

Circumstantially Speaking | Judges 6:36–37

“Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.’ (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.” (2 Chronicles 20:2–4 NLT)

 

Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced a desperate dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. This was a worst-case scenario—a seemingly hopeless situation. There was no earthly way that Jehoshaphat could challenge this approaching army with the forces he had. He was far too outnumbered.

So, what did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he “begged the Lord for guidance” (2 Chronicles 20:3 NLT). He prayed, “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” (verse 12 NLT).

The Lord told Jehoshaphat, “Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” (verses 15, 17 NLT).

Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put their worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other.

There are more than a few takeaways from this story. One is that God stands ready to help His people survive and ultimately thrive in even the worst circumstances.

Maybe you’re facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.

A second takeaway is that Jehoshaphat enjoyed an advantage that we don’t always have. He knew what was coming his way. And even though it appeared to be an absolute worst-case scenario, he knew how to pray.

We don’t always know what the future holds. We don’t know if something potentially devastating is heading our way. But God does. And He knows how to prepare us for it. That’s why it’s essential that we stay in constant contact with Him. That we yield ourselves to His will. That we follow His leading.

Psalm 145:18 says, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth” (NLT). Call on Him.

 

Reflection question: What does seeking God’s strength and guidance 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;Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, &lsquo;A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.&rsquo; (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord&rsquo;s help.&rdquo; (2 Chronicles 20:2&ndash;4 NLT)
&nbsp;
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced a desperate dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. This was a worst-case scenario&mdash;a seemingly hopeless situation. There was no earthly way that Jehoshaphat could challenge this approaching army with the forces he had. He was far too outnumbered.
So, what did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he &ldquo;begged the Lord for guidance&rdquo; (2 Chronicles 20:3 NLT). He prayed, &ldquo;O our God, won&rsquo;t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help&rdquo; (verse 12 NLT).
The Lord told Jehoshaphat, &ldquo;Do not be afraid! Don&rsquo;t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God&rsquo;s. . . . Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord&rsquo;s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!&rdquo; (verses 15, 17 NLT).
Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put their worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other.
There are more than a few takeaways from this story. One is that God stands ready to help His people survive and ultimately thrive in even the worst circumstances.
Maybe you&rsquo;re facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.
A second takeaway is that Jehoshaphat enjoyed an advantage that we don&rsquo;t always have. He knew what was coming his way. And even though it appeared to be an absolute worst-case scenario, he knew how to pray.
We don&rsquo;t always know what the future holds. We don&rsquo;t know if something potentially devastating is heading our way. But God does. And He knows how to prepare us for it. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s essential that we stay in constant contact with Him. That we yield ourselves to His will. That we follow His leading.
Psalm 145:18 says, &ldquo;The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth&rdquo; (NLT). Call on Him.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What does seeking God&rsquo;s strength and guidance 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>

Whatever is bearing down on us is no match for the One who stands beside us.

Do Not Be Afraid or Discouraged | 2 Chronicles 20:2–4

“Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: ‘Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?’” (Esther 4:13–14 NLT)

 

The book of Esther contains a wonderfully dramatic story of a young Jewish girl named Esther who became queen of Persia after essentially winning a beauty contest. She was taken into the palace of the king, where she enjoyed the finest food, wore the most beautiful clothing, and was given numerous servants to do her bidding. She lived in the lap of luxury. Hers might have been the ultimate feel-good, rags-to-riches story, but for one significant detail.

There was a wicked man named Haman who worked for the king. Haman hated the Jewish people. (He didn’t know about Queen Esther’s background.) He hated them so much, in fact, that he devised a plan to exterminate all Jews living in the kingdom.

Esther had an uncle named Mordecai, who became aware of Haman’s genocidal plan. Mordecai turned to the only person he knew who was in a position to counter Haman’s influence with the king: his niece, Esther. At first, Esther was understandably afraid to intervene. She had no idea how much clout she actually had. If she miscalculated, she would be putting her own life at risk.

So, Mordecai sent this message to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13–14 NLT).

His words moved Esther, who intervened with the king and foiled Haman’s plot. The courageous young woman saved her people because she recognized that God had put her in a specific place for a specific reason.

Her story serves as an inspiration to all believers. It’s unlikely that any of us will be called by the Lord to avert genocide. But that doesn’t change the fact that we all play key roles in God’s plan—even if we may not fully understand what those roles are.

Who’s to say God hasn’t put you where you are right now for such a time as this? In whatever situation you find yourself, seize the moment. Do what you can. That’s what Esther boldly did.

God says in Joshua 1:9, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (NLT). If you are fearlessly faithful to God in the circumstances you find yourself in, He will accomplish amazing things in and through you.

 

Reflection question: Why might God have placed you in your present circumstances? 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;Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t think for a moment that because you&rsquo;re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.&nbsp;If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?&rsquo;&rdquo; (Esther 4:13&ndash;14 NLT)
&nbsp;
The book of Esther contains a wonderfully dramatic story of a young Jewish girl named Esther who became queen of Persia after essentially winning a beauty contest. She was taken into the palace of the king, where she enjoyed the finest food, wore the most beautiful clothing, and was given numerous servants to do her bidding. She lived in the lap of luxury. Hers might have been the ultimate feel-good, rags-to-riches story, but for one significant detail.
There was a wicked man named Haman who worked for the king. Haman hated the Jewish people. (He didn&rsquo;t know about Queen Esther&rsquo;s background.) He hated them so much, in fact, that he devised a plan to exterminate all Jews living in the kingdom.
Esther had an uncle named Mordecai, who became aware of Haman&rsquo;s genocidal plan. Mordecai turned to the only person he knew who was in a position to counter Haman&rsquo;s influence with the king: his niece, Esther. At first, Esther was understandably afraid to intervene. She had no idea how much clout she actually had. If she miscalculated, she would be putting her own life at risk.
So, Mordecai sent this message to Esther: &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t think for a moment that because you&rsquo;re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.&nbsp;If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?&rdquo; (Esther 4:13&ndash;14 NLT).
His words moved Esther, who intervened with the king and foiled Haman&rsquo;s plot. The courageous young woman saved her people because she recognized that God had put her in a specific place for a specific reason.
Her story serves as an inspiration to all believers. It&rsquo;s unlikely that any of us will be called by the Lord to avert genocide. But that doesn&rsquo;t change the fact that we all play key roles in God&rsquo;s plan&mdash;even if we may not fully understand what those roles are.
Who&rsquo;s to say God hasn&rsquo;t put you where you are right now for such a time as this? In whatever situation you find yourself, seize the moment. Do what you can. That&rsquo;s what Esther boldly did.
God says in Joshua 1:9, &ldquo;This is my command&mdash;be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go&rdquo; (NLT). If you are fearlessly faithful to God in the circumstances you find yourself in, He will accomplish amazing things in and through you.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: Why might God have placed you in your present circumstances?&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 placed you where you are for a reason.

Meanwhile . . . | Acts 12:16

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