He existed in the beginning with God. (John 1:2 NLT)

Who has affected history more than Jesus Christ? More books have been written and more music has been composed about Jesus than about anyone who has ever lived.

His birth and His death divide human history. The great thing for us as Christians is that we have Christ living inside us. And from the day that we give our lives to Him, our goal should be to get to know Jesus better and become more like Him.

The apostle Paul wrote, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” (Philippians 3:10–11 NLT).

Paul was saying, “This is my heartbeat. This is my passion. I want to know Jesus.” That should be the passion of every follower of Christ.

In Jesus, God spelled Himself out in a language that we can understand. God became a Man. Referring to Jesus, the Bible says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him” (John 1:1–3 NLT).

We could translate the phrase “the Word was with God” as “He was continually toward God.” In other words, God the Father and God the Son were continually face to face. In John 17 Jesus prayed, “Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began” (verse 5 NLT). It’s hard for us to grasp how close the Father and the Son were.

John 1 also tells us that Jesus is the Creator. He was involved in the creative process of all that we see.

Sometimes people mistakenly think there is a God of the Old Testament and a God of the New Testament. They perceive the God of the Old Testament as wrathful and perpetually in a bad mood. Meanwhile, they view the God of the New Testament as loving and full of grace and ready to forgive.

Both of those views are incorrect. There is one God from Genesis to Revelation. He is just, He is righteous, He is holy, He is loving, He is merciful, and He is forgiving.

Jesus was God with skin on. He walked in our shoes, breathed our air, lived our lives, and died our death. God came near.

The real message of Christmas is that God came to Earth. It is Immanuel, God is with us. We are not alone. When we get a hold of that, all the other things don’t matter as much. We can still celebrate and enjoy Christmas, of course. We can put up Christmas lights and enjoy giving presents.

But if we focus on the real meaning of Christmas, it becomes so much more significant. That’s because no one is closer to God than those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

He existed in the beginning with God. (John 1:2 NLT)
Who has affected history more than Jesus Christ? More books have been written and more music has been composed about Jesus than about anyone who has ever lived.
His birth and His death divide human history. The great thing for us as Christians is that we have Christ living inside us. And from the day that we give our lives to Him, our goal should be to get to know Jesus better and become more like Him.
The apostle Paul wrote, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” (Philippians 3:10–11 NLT).
Paul was saying, “This is my heartbeat. This is my passion. I want to know Jesus.” That should be the passion of every follower of Christ.
In Jesus, God spelled Himself out in a language that we can understand. God became a Man. Referring to Jesus, the Bible says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him” (John 1:1–3 NLT).
We could translate the phrase “the Word was with God” as “He was continually toward God.” In other words, God the Father and God the Son were continually face to face. In John 17 Jesus prayed, “Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began” (verse 5 NLT). It’s hard for us to grasp how close the Father and the Son were.
John 1 also tells us that Jesus is the Creator. He was involved in the creative process of all that we see.
Sometimes people mistakenly think there is a God of the Old Testament and a God of the New Testament. They perceive the God of the Old Testament as wrathful and perpetually in a bad mood. Meanwhile, they view the God of the New Testament as loving and full of grace and ready to forgive.
Both of those views are incorrect. There is one God from Genesis to Revelation. He is just, He is righteous, He is holy, He is loving, He is merciful, and He is forgiving.
Jesus was God with skin on. He walked in our shoes, breathed our air, lived our lives, and died our death. God came near.
The real message of Christmas is that God came to Earth. It is Immanuel, God is with us. We are not alone. When we get a hold of that, all the other things don’t matter as much. We can still celebrate and enjoy Christmas, of course. We can put up Christmas lights and enjoy giving presents.
But if we focus on the real meaning of Christmas, it becomes so much more significant. That’s because no one is closer to God than those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.
—
<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. 

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 <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.

Greg Laurie provides commentary on the day's Bible verse.

Daily Devotions From Greg Laurie

There is one God from Genesis to Revelation.

One God | John 1:2

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. (Luke 1:11 NLT)

The people of Israel hadn’t heard from God for four hundred years. There had been no miracles, no angelic appearances, and no prophets. And as Luke’s Gospel opens, we find Israel in the midst of a long night of spiritual darkness. But that was about to change.

One day God sent the angel Gabriel to a priest named Zechariah. Interestingly, the last we read of an angelic appearance in the Old Testament is when an angel appeared to a prophet named Zechariah five centuries earlier.

Luke 1 tells us, “While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John’” (verses 11–13 NLT).

Interestingly, the name Zechariah means “Jehovah has remembered.” And the name of Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, means “God is my oath.” This event in their lives would confirm the truth of both their names. God remembered. And God would keep His oath.

So, why did God set Zechariah apart for such an amazing task? He was a humble man. And if you want to be used by God, you need to know that He is looking for humble people. In contrast to the powerful and prideful Herod, whom God ultimately would cut down, Zechariah was a humble servant of God.

As James 4:6 points out, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (NLT). But what does it mean to be humble? Humility is simply seeing yourself as you really are. In fact, it’s our obsession with ourselves that is at the root of so many of our problems.

In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis summed it up this way: “The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object.”

That was Zechariah. He was a country priest. Today we might call him a country preacher. At this time in Israel’s history, there were about eight thousand priests. They represented God to people and people to God. The priests interpreted Scripture. They counseled. They provided wise judgment for the people. And twice a year, each priest would leave his local duties to serve in Jerusalem.

In the same way, we are God’s representatives as followers of Jesus Christ. First Peter 2:9 tells us, “You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (NLT).

God does extraordinary things through ordinary people. We can be used of God wherever we are. God wants to invade our ordinary lives and do something amazing. Will you say, “Not me. I’m out”? Or, will you say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me”?

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. (Luke 1:11 NLT)
The people of Israel hadn’t heard from God for four hundred years. There had been no miracles, no angelic appearances, and no prophets. And as Luke’s Gospel opens, we find Israel in the midst of a long night of spiritual darkness. But that was about to change.
One day God sent the angel Gabriel to a priest named Zechariah. Interestingly, the last we read of an angelic appearance in the Old Testament is when an angel appeared to a prophet named Zechariah five centuries earlier.
Luke 1 tells us, “While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John’” (verses 11–13 NLT).
Interestingly, the name Zechariah means “Jehovah has remembered.” And the name of Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, means “God is my oath.” This event in their lives would confirm the truth of both their names. God remembered. And God would keep His oath.
So, why did God set Zechariah apart for such an amazing task? He was a humble man. And if you want to be used by God, you need to know that He is looking for humble people. In contrast to the powerful and prideful Herod, whom God ultimately would cut down, Zechariah was a humble servant of God.
As James 4:6 points out, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (NLT). But what does it mean to be humble? Humility is simply seeing yourself as you really are. In fact, it’s our obsession with ourselves that is at the root of so many of our problems.
In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis summed it up this way: “The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object.”
That was Zechariah. He was a country priest. Today we might call him a country preacher. At this time in Israel’s history, there were about eight thousand priests. They represented God to people and people to God. The priests interpreted Scripture. They counseled. They provided wise judgment for the people. And twice a year, each priest would leave his local duties to serve in Jerusalem.
In the same way, we are God’s representatives as followers of Jesus Christ. First Peter 2:9 tells us, “You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (NLT).
God does extraordinary things through ordinary people. We can be used of God wherever we are. God wants to invade our ordinary lives and do something amazing. Will you say, “Not me. I’m out”? Or, will you say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me”?
—
<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>

God does extraordinary things through ordinary people.

Set Apart | Luke 1:11

‘Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:20 NLT)

When we think of the first Christmas, we think of the birth of Jesus, and technically it was. But that is not when Jesus began, because He has no beginning or end. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. And beside Him there is no other god. 

However, there was a moment when God decided to descend from Heaven to Earth and be born in a manger as a helpless little infant. Isaiah 9:6 sums it up perfectly: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (NLT).

From our perspective on Earth, a child was born. From the Father’s perspective in Heaven, a Son was given. Notice this verse goes on to give us these names for Jesus: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus is God, and God became a man.

We call the birth of Christ the Incarnation. But there were pre-incarnate appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament. On one occasion someone said to Jesus, “Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (John 8:53 NLT).

Jesus answered, “Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad” (verse 56 NLT). Then He added, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!” (verse 58 NLT).

Then there was Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the Emmaus Road after His resurrection. Jesus joined their conversation. They didn’t recognize Him at first. And they started telling the story of Jesus to Jesus.

They said, “We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago” (Luke 24:21 NLT).

They didn’t realize He had risen. 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?” (verses 25–26 NLT).

Luke goes on to say that, beginning with Moses and the prophets, Jesus explained to them what the Scriptures said about Him. He identified all the passages that pointed to Himself. We find Christ in the Old Testament not in name, but in His appearances.

But then one day God came to Earth as a Child, who became a man, who died on the cross and rose from the grave. He always has been there. And He will be there to the very end. Jesus said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT).

The holidays are coming upon us in full force, and retailers can’t wait for you to spend your money. But you will discover the real message of the Christmas season is not presents; it is His presence.

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

‘Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:20 NLT)
When we think of the first Christmas, we think of the birth of Jesus, and technically it was. But that is not when Jesus began, because He has no beginning or end. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. And beside Him there is no other god. 
However, there was a moment when God decided to descend from Heaven to Earth and be born in a manger as a helpless little infant. Isaiah 9:6 sums it up perfectly: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (NLT).
From our perspective on Earth, a child was born. From the Father’s perspective in Heaven, a Son was given. Notice this verse goes on to give us these names for Jesus: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus is God, and God became a man.
We call the birth of Christ the Incarnation. But there were pre-incarnate appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament. On one occasion someone said to Jesus, “Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (John 8:53 NLT).
Jesus answered, “Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad” (verse 56 NLT). Then He added, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!” (verse 58 NLT).
Then there was Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the Emmaus Road after His resurrection. Jesus joined their conversation. They didn’t recognize Him at first. And they started telling the story of Jesus to Jesus.
They said, “We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago” (Luke 24:21 NLT).
They didn’t realize He had risen. 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?” (verses 25–26 NLT).
Luke goes on to say that, beginning with Moses and the prophets, Jesus explained to them what the Scriptures said about Him. He identified all the passages that pointed to Himself. We find Christ in the Old Testament not in name, but in His appearances.
But then one day God came to Earth as a Child, who became a man, who died on the cross and rose from the grave. He always has been there. And He will be there to the very end. Jesus said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT).
The holidays are coming upon us in full force, and retailers can’t wait for you to spend your money. But you will discover the real message of the Christmas season is not presents; it is His presence.
—
<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>

From Heaven to Earth | Matthew 28:20

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39 NLT)



One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Jeremiah 29:11. I quote it so often that some people might think I’m slightly obsessed with it. It says, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (NKJV).



I like that verse so much that I had those words inscribed on the back of a watch that I gave my son Christopher for his twenty-first birthday. Years later, Christopher went to be with the Lord after a tragic accident.



After he died, I was given a little plastic bag that contained his belongings. In it were his wallet, his keys, and his watch. I took the watch out, held it in my hand, flipped it over, and saw the inscription. “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” And I thought, Where’s the future for Christopher? Where’s the future for me? 



I had to remind myself that it’s not all about our life on earth. Our ultimate future is in Heaven. That’s where it all comes together. As Christians, we’re in a win-win situation. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (NLT).



Paul knew that whether we’re alive here on this Earth or in Heaven with Christ, God’s love for us is certain. Paul wrote, “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow” (Romans 8:38 NLT). We can be thankful for whatever tomorrow may bring because we know we are loved by our Creator. “Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (verse 39 NLT).



Knowing that we don’t need to worry about our future because we are loved by God gives us the perspective we need to face the trials and adversity of this life. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul wrote, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (NLT). Instead of focusing on the troubles we see right now, we can look forward to what we can’t see yet. The troubles we see now will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.



Let’s give thanks today that we don’t have to be filled with fear, worry, and anxiety about what the future holds. We can be of good courage and good cheer because God is with us and our future with Him is certain.

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39 NLT)
 
One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Jeremiah 29:11. I quote it so often that some people might think I’m slightly obsessed with it. It says, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (NKJV).
 
I like that verse so much that I had those words inscribed on the back of a watch that I gave my son Christopher for his twenty-first birthday. Years later, Christopher went to be with the Lord after a tragic accident.
 
After he died, I was given a little plastic bag that contained his belongings. In it were his wallet, his keys, and his watch. I took the watch out, held it in my hand, flipped it over, and saw the inscription. “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” And I thought, Where’s the future for Christopher? Where’s the future for me? 
 
I had to remind myself that it’s not all about our life on earth. Our ultimate future is in Heaven. That’s where it all comes together. As Christians, we’re in a win-win situation. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (NLT).
 
Paul knew that whether we’re alive here on this Earth or in Heaven with Christ, God’s love for us is certain. Paul wrote, “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow” (Romans 8:38 NLT). We can be thankful for whatever tomorrow may bring because we know we are loved by our Creator. “Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (verse 39 NLT).
 
Knowing that we don’t need to worry about our future because we are loved by God gives us the perspective we need to face the trials and adversity of this life. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul wrote, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (NLT). Instead of focusing on the troubles we see right now, we can look forward to what we can’t see yet. The troubles we see now will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.
 
Let’s give thanks today that we don’t have to be filled with fear, worry, and anxiety about what the future holds. We can be of good courage and good cheer because God is with us and our future with Him is certain.
—
<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>

Our present troubles will soon be over, and the joys to come will last forever.

One God | John 1:2

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