“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT)

 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of delayed gratification—that is, the value of waiting. Waiting has become a lost art in our modern culture.

For example, there was a time when, if you wanted to access a movie, you went to a video store and rented something called a videotape. That videotape came with a reminder to “be kind and rewind.” Then DVD technology arrived, so you didn’t have to rewind anymore. Then Netflix came along, and your rental DVDs were delivered by mail. Now you can just stream the movies you want to watch.

We don’t have to wait for much of anything today. We just click it and stream it. Everything comes fast. The idea of waiting is an alien concept in a culture accustomed to immediate gratification. And something is getting lost along the way. The Bible tells us, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).

After Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, four months passed. He waited before he posed his question to the king: “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried” (Nehemiah 2:5 NLT).

Nehemiah spent more time praying than he did building. Sometimes the Lord will give you an idea. But timing is everything. You must wait for the right moment to go to the next place. Most of us don’t like to wait, however. We like everything now.

Some of the best-known people in the Bible understood—or learned—the value of waiting. Abraham waited decades for God to fulfill His promise to give him a son.

Joseph waited for years in an Egyptian prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

David waited years after being anointed king of Israel to assume the throne.

These people realized what we need to realize: Waiting involves much more than pressing “pause” on life. Good things happen to those who wait patiently and faithfully for God to work. They grow closer to God by staying in constant contact with Him, pouring out their feelings and listening to His voice. They grow to understand the Lord and His ways more clearly. They mature. They inspire others along the way. And eventually, they make a difference.

Sure, there will be struggles along the way. Impatience is part of the human experience. But know this: Waiting time is never wasted time. We need a plan, and then we need to pray that God will help us with that plan—if it is the plan He has given to us. There is a time to pray, and there is a time to move. Know the season you’re in and embrace it with everything you have.

 

Reflection question: In what area of your life do you feel as though you’re waiting on God? 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;But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.&rdquo; (Isaiah 40:31 NLT)
&nbsp;
In today&rsquo;s devotion, we&rsquo;re going to talk about the hot-button issue of delayed gratification&mdash;that is, the value of waiting. Waiting has become a lost art in our modern culture.
For example, there was a time when, if you wanted to access a movie, you went to a video store and rented something called a videotape. That videotape came with a reminder to &ldquo;be kind and rewind.&rdquo; Then DVD technology arrived, so you didn&rsquo;t have to rewind anymore. Then Netflix came along, and your rental DVDs were delivered by mail. Now you can just stream the movies you want to watch.
We don&rsquo;t have to wait for much of anything today. We just click it and stream it. Everything comes fast. The idea of waiting is an alien concept in a culture accustomed to immediate gratification. And something is getting lost along the way. The Bible tells us, &ldquo;But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint&rdquo; (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).
After Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, four months passed. He waited before he posed his question to the king: &ldquo;If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried&rdquo; (Nehemiah 2:5 NLT).
Nehemiah spent more time praying than he did building. Sometimes the Lord will give you an idea. But timing is everything. You must wait for the right moment to go to the next place. Most of us don&rsquo;t like to wait, however. We like everything now.
Some of the best-known people in the Bible understood&mdash;or learned&mdash;the value of waiting. Abraham waited decades for God to fulfill His promise to give him a son.
Joseph waited for years in an Egyptian prison for a crime he didn&rsquo;t commit.
David waited years after being anointed king of Israel to assume the throne.
These people realized what we need to realize: Waiting involves much more than pressing &ldquo;pause&rdquo; on life. Good things happen to those who wait patiently and faithfully for God to work. They grow closer to God by staying in constant contact with Him, pouring out their feelings and listening to His voice. They grow to understand the Lord and His ways more clearly. They mature. They inspire others along the way. And eventually, they make a difference.
Sure, there will be struggles along the way. Impatience is part of the human experience. But know this: Waiting time is never wasted time. We need a plan, and then we need to pray that God will help us with that plan&mdash;if it is the plan He has given to us. There is a time to pray, and there is a time to move. Know the season you&rsquo;re in and embrace it with everything you have.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: In what area of your life do you feel as though you&rsquo;re waiting on God?&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>

Your Wait Time | Isaiah 40:31

“Peter swore, ‘A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!’ And immediately the rooster crowed.” (Matthew 26:74 NLT)

 

Spiritually speaking, it’s hard to beat the apostle Peter’s résumé. He was part of Jesus’ inner circle. He witnessed the Transfiguration. He walked on water with Jesus. He rushed into Jesus’ empty tomb. He heard these words from the Lord Himself: “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18 NLT). According to church tradition, Peter was crucified upside down because he didn’t believe he was worthy to be executed as Jesus was.

Yet Peter is also remembered for his lowest moment, for failing Jesus on an epic level. After Peter boldly promised that he would remain faithful to Jesus, he denied even knowing the Lord—not once, not twice, but three times. Just as Jesus had said he would. Peter’s humbling experience reveals the danger of compromising our standards as believers, which is the hot-button issue we’re going to talk about today.

Peter’s denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over at least an hour (see Luke 22:59). An hour had passed from the time the first person said, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean” (Matthew 26:69 NLT), to the time Peter made his third denial. He had ample opportunity to hightail it out of there, but he remained in the situation.

He sealed his failure in Matthew 26:74: “Peter swore, ‘A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!’ And immediately the rooster crowed” (NLT).

This heartbreaking story reminds us that no person is safe from temptation except the one who flees from it. Peter, having been warned by Jesus Himself, should have avoided any place where he might have been weakened. He certainly should have steered clear of all roosters. I would have said, “Are there any roosters here? Because I’m leaving if there are. The Lord mentioned a rooster.”

Peter was hardly alone in his failure. Countless great men and women of God have been compromised by lowering their standards and allowing themselves to be drawn into sin. People like Solomon, Samson, and David all found out the hard way. Are we better than they were? Are we more spiritual than they were? I don’t think so.

So, if someone like Peter could fall, then surely we can. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Bad company corrupts good character” (NLT). Peter was around people who were dragging him down spiritually. Are you in a similar situation today? Have you entered into relationships in which people are dragging you down? Maybe it’s a romance. Maybe it’s a close friendship. Are you finding yourself compromising your principles to fit in and not offend anyone? Perhaps you need to reconsider who your friends are. Perhaps you need to make some immediate changes.

Is bad company corrupting you?

 

Reflection question: What changes do you need to make in your life to keep from being corrupted by bad company? 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;Peter swore, &lsquo;A curse on me if I&rsquo;m lying&mdash;I don&rsquo;t know the man!&rsquo; And immediately the rooster crowed.&rdquo; (Matthew 26:74 NLT)
&nbsp;
Spiritually speaking, it&rsquo;s hard to beat the apostle Peter&rsquo;s r&eacute;sum&eacute;. He was part of Jesus&rsquo; inner circle. He witnessed the Transfiguration. He walked on water with Jesus. He rushed into Jesus&rsquo; empty tomb. He heard these words from the Lord Himself: &ldquo;Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means &lsquo;rock&rsquo;), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it&rdquo; (Matthew 16:18 NLT). According to church tradition, Peter was crucified upside down because he didn&rsquo;t believe he was worthy to be executed as Jesus was.
Yet Peter is also remembered for his lowest moment, for failing Jesus on an epic level. After Peter boldly promised that he would remain faithful to Jesus, he denied even knowing the Lord&mdash;not once, not twice, but three times. Just as Jesus had said he would. Peter&rsquo;s humbling experience reveals the danger of compromising our standards as believers, which is the hot-button issue we&rsquo;re going to talk about today.
Peter&rsquo;s denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over at least an hour (see Luke 22:59). An hour had passed from the time the first person said, &ldquo;You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean&rdquo; (Matthew 26:69 NLT), to the time Peter made his third denial. He had ample opportunity to hightail it out of there, but he remained in the situation.
He sealed his failure in Matthew 26:74: &ldquo;Peter swore, &lsquo;A curse on me if I&rsquo;m lying&mdash;I don&rsquo;t know the man!&rsquo; And immediately the rooster crowed&rdquo; (NLT).
This heartbreaking story reminds us that no person is safe from temptation except the one who flees from it. Peter, having been warned by Jesus Himself, should have avoided any place where he might have been weakened. He certainly should have steered clear of all roosters. I would have said, &ldquo;Are there any roosters here? Because I&rsquo;m leaving if there are. The Lord mentioned a rooster.&rdquo;
Peter was hardly alone in his failure. Countless great men and women of God have been compromised by lowering their standards and allowing themselves to be drawn into sin. People like Solomon, Samson, and David all found out the hard way. Are we better than they were? Are we more spiritual than they were? I don&rsquo;t think so.
So, if someone like Peter could fall, then surely we can. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, &ldquo;Bad company corrupts good character&rdquo; (NLT). Peter was around people who were dragging him down spiritually. Are you in a similar situation today? Have you entered into relationships in which people are dragging you down? Maybe it&rsquo;s a romance. Maybe it&rsquo;s a close friendship. Are you finding yourself compromising your principles to fit in and not offend anyone? Perhaps you need to reconsider who your friends are. Perhaps you need to make some immediate changes.
Is bad company corrupting you?
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What changes do you need to make in your life to keep from being corrupted by bad company?&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>

Don’t let yourself be corrupted by bad company.

No Compromise | Matthew 26:74

“Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.” (Romans 1:8 NLT)

 

In this week’s devotions, we’re going to talk about more hot-button issues. Today, we’re going to focus on the responsibility believers have to be known for their faith. It’s a hot-button issue today due in large part to social media. Online opponents of the Christian faith have become especially vocal and confrontational in their opposition.

Of course, opposition is nothing new for followers of Christ. Contending for the Christian faith has been a hot-button issue for more than two thousand years.

It was certainly an issue for the earliest followers of Christ. After all, it wasn’t easy being a Christian in Rome. As the capital of the Roman Empire, the city had a population of around one million.

Yet the church in Rome was already becoming known for its faith. The apostle Paul told the believers in Rome, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world” (Romans 1:8 NLT).

Years later, during the reign of Caesar, Christians in Rome faced historic persecution. Nero sent Christians covered in animal skins into the arena to be torn apart by dogs. He had other Christians covered with pitch and lit them on fire, using them to light his garden as he rode around in his chariot.

Despite such horrific opposition and oppression, the church in Rome not only survived but flourished. And not only did it flourish, but it also impacted the Roman Empire. In fact, it impacted the entire world. It did so because it pushed back. It didn’t yield to critics, haters, or even persecutors. The gospel message was too powerful to be restrained. Christ’s followers endured whatever was necessary to spread the Good News.

Do people know you for your faith? If someone polled your coworkers and neighbors, the people who know you only as an acquaintance, and asked them if you were a Christian, would they say yes? Would there be no question about it?

It’s a good reputation to have. If someone arrested you for being a Christian, would they find enough evidence to convict you? If you want to be a believer like those of the first century, then others should know you for your faith.

Jesus did not say, “Go into all the world and be a good example.” Rather, He said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15 NLT). Walking with Christ isn’t always a passive, personal experience.

Being a good example alone will not bring people to Christ. But it can open the door for you to share your faith and share the gospel with others.

 

Reflection question: Where in your life can you be a good example to others by sharing your faith? 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;Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.&rdquo; (Romans 1:8 NLT)
&nbsp;
In this week&rsquo;s devotions, we&rsquo;re going to talk about more hot-button issues. Today, we&rsquo;re going to focus on the responsibility believers have to be known for their faith. It&rsquo;s a hot-button issue today due in large part to social media. Online opponents of the Christian faith have become especially vocal and confrontational in their opposition.
Of course, opposition is nothing new for followers of Christ. Contending for the Christian faith has been a hot-button issue for more than two thousand years.
It was certainly an issue for the earliest followers of Christ. After all, it wasn&rsquo;t easy being a Christian in Rome. As the capital of the Roman Empire, the city had a population of around one million.
Yet the church in Rome was already becoming known for its faith. The apostle Paul told the believers in Rome, &ldquo;I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world&rdquo; (Romans 1:8 NLT).
Years later, during the reign of Caesar, Christians in Rome faced historic persecution. Nero sent Christians covered in animal skins into the arena to be torn apart by dogs. He had other Christians covered with pitch and lit them on fire, using them to light his garden as he rode around in his chariot.
Despite such horrific opposition and oppression, the church in Rome not only survived but flourished. And not only did it flourish, but it also impacted the Roman Empire. In fact, it impacted the entire world. It did so because it pushed back. It didn&rsquo;t yield to critics, haters, or even persecutors. The gospel message was too powerful to be restrained. Christ&rsquo;s followers endured whatever was necessary to spread the Good News.
Do people know you for your faith? If someone polled your coworkers and neighbors, the people who know you only as an acquaintance, and asked them if you were a Christian, would they say yes? Would there be no question about it?
It&rsquo;s a good reputation to have. If someone arrested you for being a Christian, would they find enough evidence to convict you? If you want to be a believer like those of the first century, then others should know you for your faith.
Jesus did not say, &ldquo;Go into all the world and be a good example.&rdquo; Rather, He said, &ldquo;Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone&rdquo; (Mark 16:15 NLT). Walking with Christ isn&rsquo;t always a passive, personal experience.
Being a good example alone will not bring people to Christ. But it can open the door for you to share your faith and share the gospel with others.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: Where in your life can you be a good example to others by sharing your faith?&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 must be prepared to share their Christian faith.

Be Known for Your Faith | Romans 1:8

“But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.” (1 Corinthians 11:31 NLT)

 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of self-image.

Our culture today places tremendous importance on loving oneself and celebrating one’s accomplishments. There’s certainly nothing wrong with positivity. But as believers, there’s a fine line we must walk.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us” (Romans 12:3 NLT).

The apostle Peter wrote, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” (1 Peter 5:6 NLT). Humility is essential in our relationship with God. It’s also essential to our spiritual growth.

It’s been said that self-satisfaction is the death of progress. Any Christian who knows what it means to follow Jesus understands that there’s always a long way to go. But that reality should not discourage us. Instead, it should motivate us to keep moving forward spiritually. We must keep growing and learning.

To widen our perspective a bit, we should consider that humility is also key to spiritual revival. If we want to see a revival—the kind that transforms entire regions—then we need to humble ourselves. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (NLT).

Of the twelve Hebrew words used in Scripture to express the verb pray, the one used here in 2 Chronicles 7:14 means “to judge self habitually.” For many of us, that requires a 180-degree change of direction. We have no problem judging and criticizing others habitually. But turning the focus on ourselves doesn’t come quite as naturally.

To judge ourselves means to recognize that we have a long way to go, spiritually speaking. Are you satisfied with where you are spiritually? After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul said this: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:12–14 NLT).

Paul wasn’t regretful or ashamed or disgusted with himself for not having already reached spiritual perfection. Instead, he was laser-focused on growing in spiritual maturity. He wanted only to press on, day after day, moving ever closer to God’s ideal and becoming more like Christ.

That’s the essence of a healthy spiritual self-image.

 

Reflection question: How can you develop a healthier spiritual self-image? 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;But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.&rdquo; (1 Corinthians 11:31 NLT)
&nbsp;
In today&rsquo;s devotion, we&rsquo;re going to talk about the hot-button issue of self-image.
Our culture today places tremendous importance on loving oneself and celebrating one&rsquo;s accomplishments. There&rsquo;s certainly nothing wrong with positivity. But as believers, there&rsquo;s a fine line we must walk.
The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don&rsquo;t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us&rdquo; (Romans 12:3 NLT).
The apostle Peter wrote, &ldquo;So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor&rdquo; (1 Peter 5:6 NLT). Humility is essential in our relationship with God. It&rsquo;s also essential to our spiritual growth.
It&rsquo;s been said that self-satisfaction is the death of progress. Any Christian who knows what it means to follow Jesus understands that there&rsquo;s always a long way to go. But that reality should not discourage us. Instead, it should motivate us to keep moving forward spiritually. We must keep growing and learning.
To widen our perspective a bit, we should consider that humility is also key to spiritual revival. If we want to see a revival&mdash;the kind that transforms entire regions&mdash;then we need to humble ourselves. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says, &ldquo;Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land&rdquo; (NLT).
Of the twelve Hebrew words used in Scripture to express the verb pray, the one used here in 2 Chronicles 7:14 means &ldquo;to judge self habitually.&rdquo; For many of us, that requires a 180-degree change of direction. We have no problem judging and criticizing others habitually. But turning the focus on ourselves doesn&rsquo;t come quite as naturally.
To judge ourselves means to recognize that we have a long way to go, spiritually speaking. Are you satisfied with where you are spiritually? After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul said this: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us&rdquo; (Philippians 3:12&ndash;14 NLT).
Paul wasn&rsquo;t regretful or ashamed or disgusted with himself for not having already reached spiritual perfection. Instead, he was laser-focused on growing in spiritual maturity. He wanted only to press on, day after day, moving ever closer to God&rsquo;s ideal and becoming more like Christ.
That&rsquo;s the essence of a healthy spiritual self-image.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you develop a healthier spiritual self-image?&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>

As believers, we always have a long way to go in our relationship with the Lord.

Judging Ourselves | 1 Corinthians 11:31

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:31–33 NLT)

 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of materialism.

One of the noteworthy—or alarming, depending on your perspective—trends of social media in the twenty-first century is the proliferation of influencers. Influencers are people whose stated purpose is to influence or impact the way you think and act. Not surprisingly, the goal of many of these influencers is to get you to buy something, often clothes or food.

As Scripture would have it, Jesus addressed both topics in His Sermon on the Mount. “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:31–33 NLT).

Notice that His emphasis is on the word worry. He didn’t say, “Don’t think about what you will eat, drink, and wear.” Nor did He imply that we were not to work or plan for our needs.

In fact, the Bible criticizes the lazy person who refuses to work for a living. The Bible says that if you don’t work, you shouldn’t eat (see 2 Thessalonians 3:10). People are expected to work and provide for themselves.

The Bible also encourages us to plan for the future and points to the example of ants, which are always planning ahead (see Proverbs 6:6–8). So, to be clear, the Bible does not advocate laziness or being irresponsible. Jesus simply makes it clear that we are not to worry.

To put it another way, Jesus is saying, “Don’t be obsessed with these things. That’s how unbelievers are.”

You don’t have to look hard on social media to find people whose entire lives seem to revolve around materialistic goals. Jesus was pointing out that those goals are empty. Chasing them won’t satisfy the deepest need of your life.

The apostle Paul wrote, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT). He also wrote, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NLT).

So, let’s not make possessions or material things our primary purpose in life. Rather, let’s seek God first and foremost in our lives. That way, everything that we need will be provided for us.

God will take care of you. He cares about you. He will supply all your needs.

 

Reflection question: How can you focus on God first and foremost 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

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&ldquo;So don&rsquo;t worry about these things, saying, &lsquo;What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?&rsquo;&nbsp;These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.&nbsp;Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.&rdquo; (Matthew 6:31&ndash;33 NLT)
&nbsp;
In today&rsquo;s devotion, we&rsquo;re going to talk about the hot-button issue of materialism.
One of the noteworthy&mdash;or alarming, depending on your perspective&mdash;trends of social media in the twenty-first century is the proliferation of influencers. Influencers are people whose stated purpose is to influence or impact the way you think and act. Not surprisingly, the goal of many of these influencers is to get you to buy something, often clothes or food.
As Scripture would have it, Jesus addressed both topics in His Sermon on the Mount. &ldquo;So don&rsquo;t worry about these things, saying, &lsquo;What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?&rsquo;&nbsp;These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.&nbsp;Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need&rdquo; (Matthew 6:31&ndash;33 NLT).
Notice that His emphasis is on the word worry. He didn&rsquo;t say, &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t think about what you will eat, drink, and wear.&rdquo; Nor did He imply that we were not to work or plan for our needs.
In fact, the Bible criticizes the lazy person who refuses to work for a living. The Bible says that if you don&rsquo;t work, you shouldn&rsquo;t eat (see 2 Thessalonians 3:10). People are expected to work and provide for themselves.
The Bible also encourages us to plan for the future and points to the example of ants, which are always planning ahead (see Proverbs 6:6&ndash;8). So, to be clear, the Bible does not advocate laziness or being irresponsible. Jesus simply makes it clear that we are not to worry.
To put it another way, Jesus is saying, &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t be obsessed with these things. That&rsquo;s how unbelievers are.&rdquo;
You don&rsquo;t have to look hard on social media to find people whose entire lives seem to revolve around materialistic goals. Jesus was pointing out that those goals are empty. Chasing them won&rsquo;t satisfy the deepest need of your life.
The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others&rdquo; (2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT). He also wrote, &ldquo;And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus&rdquo; (Philippians 4:19 NLT).
So, let&rsquo;s not make possessions or material things our primary purpose in life. Rather, let&rsquo;s seek God first and foremost in our lives. That way, everything that we need will be provided for us.
God will take care of you. He cares about you. He will supply all your needs.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you focus on God first and foremost 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>

Worrying about material possessions accomplishes nothing in the end; only God can provide genuine fulfillment.

Meeting Your Deepest Need | Matthew 6:31–33

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6 NLT)

 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of inclusivity, one of the most difficult spiritual challenges facing believers today.

During World War II, an American pilot was shot down over the jungles of Burma. He was able to bail out safely from his plane. As he landed in the deep, dense brush, he was met by a friendly Burmese man. The man gestured for him to follow. The American soldier followed the man through the jungle. There was no obvious path. All the pilot could see ahead of him was the Burmese man, slicing away with his machete. It didn’t seem like they were going in any particular direction. The American became frantic and yelled out to the man, “Where is the way?”

In broken English, the man replied, “I am the way. Follow me.”

This is what Jesus says to us in the maze of life: “I am the way. Follow Me. I will get you to where you’re supposed to go.” The actual quote is “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). The entire meaning of the Christian faith can be condensed into four words: “I am the way.”

That’s a controversial concept in our inclusive culture, where people are encouraged to affirm that all spiritual paths eventually lead to God. But that kind of inclusivity isn’t an option for Christians. The cost was too high.

Jesus is the only way to God because He was the only One who could satisfy God’s demand for a perfect sacrifice. He lived a sinless life. He bore the entirety of God’s wrath that was intended for us. He rose from the grave to conquer death once and for all. Thus, He alone is the way to God.

You might be wondering, “How do I find my way to God?” First, you need to understand that the path to Heaven is a toll road. It will cost, but you can’t pay the toll. Jesus paid it for you. You must realize that you can’t make it to Heaven on your own. You must admit that you’re a sinner. The Bible says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). You must ask God to forgive your sins. You must receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Which road are you on today? Which way are you going to choose? There’s only one way to find a life that’s full and rich on this earth and then to know for certain that you’ll spend eternity in God’s presence. It’s the highway to Heaven. And you can pull onto the on-ramp today.

 

Reflection question: How can you share the truth of Jesus’ being the only way to the Father with someone who objects to the idea of one spiritual faith being better than another? 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;Jesus told him, &lsquo;I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.&rsquo;&rdquo; (John 14:6 NLT)
&nbsp;
In today&rsquo;s devotion, we&rsquo;re going to talk about the hot-button issue of inclusivity, one of the most difficult spiritual challenges facing believers today.
During World War II, an American pilot was shot down over the jungles of Burma. He was able to bail out safely from his plane. As he landed in the deep, dense brush, he was met by a friendly Burmese man. The man gestured for him to follow. The American soldier followed the man through the jungle. There was no obvious path. All the pilot could see ahead of him was the Burmese man, slicing away with his machete. It didn&rsquo;t seem like they were going in any particular direction. The American became frantic and yelled out to the man, &ldquo;Where is the way?&rdquo;
In broken English, the man replied, &ldquo;I am the way. Follow me.&rdquo;
This is what Jesus says to us in the maze of life: &ldquo;I am the way. Follow Me. I will get you to where you&rsquo;re supposed to go.&rdquo; The actual quote is &ldquo;I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me&rdquo; (John 14:6 NLT). The entire meaning of the Christian faith can be condensed into four words: &ldquo;I am the way.&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s a controversial concept in our inclusive culture, where people are encouraged to affirm that all spiritual paths eventually lead to God. But that kind of inclusivity isn&rsquo;t an option for Christians. The cost was too high.
Jesus is the only way to God because He was the only One who could satisfy God&rsquo;s demand for a perfect sacrifice. He lived a sinless life. He bore the entirety of God&rsquo;s wrath that was intended for us. He rose from the grave to conquer death once and for all. Thus, He alone is the way to God.
You might be wondering, &ldquo;How do I find my way to God?&rdquo; First, you need to understand that the path to Heaven is a toll road. It will cost, but you can&rsquo;t pay the toll. Jesus paid it for you. You must realize that you can&rsquo;t make it to Heaven on your own. You must admit that you&rsquo;re a sinner. The Bible says, &ldquo;For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God&rsquo;s glorious standard&rdquo; (Romans 3:23 NLT). You must ask God to forgive your sins. You must receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Which road are you on today? Which way are you going to choose? There&rsquo;s only one way to find a life that&rsquo;s full and rich on this earth and then to know for certain that you&rsquo;ll spend eternity in God&rsquo;s presence. It&rsquo;s the highway to Heaven. And you can pull onto the on-ramp today.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you share the truth of Jesus&rsquo; being the only way to the Father with someone who objects to the idea of one spiritual faith being better than another?&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>

Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life.

Only One Way | John 14:6

“After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31 NLT)

 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of risk versus reward—knowing when to be bold and when to exercise caution in the decisions that mark our lives. We’re going to focus specifically on risk versus reward as it relates to our Christian faith. And we’re going to start in the book of Acts.

As we saw in several earlier devotions, the Christians in the book of Acts set a high bar when it came to boldness. They understood the risks of sharing the gospel. The apostles Peter, John, and Paul, along with Silas and countless others, were thrown in prison for carrying out God’s work. Stephen and James, among countless others, were killed for their bold faith.

The reason is that these first-century Christians also understood the rewards of fulfilling the Great Commission. They considered the risks but decided that the rewards were too great to pass up.

So, what about Christians today? Many believers are perfectly willing to take a step of faith—if there’s a backup plan. They prefer to have a safety net. And when it comes to making spiritual decisions, there’s certainly a place for caution, a place for prudence, and a place for seeking the counsel of those who have lived longer than we have. Having said that, there is also a place for faith. There is also a place for taking chances and deciding that the risks are worth it.

Generally speaking, the older we get, the less willing we are to take risks. We prefer to have everything laid out for us. We want to know what will happen after this and after that. But sometimes God will say, “I’m not going to tell you. I want you to just obey Me.”

That’s why I would rather try something and fail than never try at all. And if you do try and ultimately fail, then learn something from your failure. I would venture to say that any person who has been successful in ministry, in business, or in any other enterprise has had more than his or her share of failures and has learned something from every one of them. It’s been said that the doorway of success is often entered through the hallway of failure. So, if at first you don’t succeed, relax. You are just like the rest of us.

I’m urging you to take a risk and do something for God. If you’ve been thinking about starting a Bible study at work and are unsure whether anyone will show up, go for it. If you’re thinking of sharing the gospel with someone, but you don’t know how they will respond, go for it. Try it. Pray about it. Ask the Lord for direction. But take a risk. Take a chance here and there and watch what God will do.

 

Reflection question: What would taking a spiritual risk 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;After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.&rdquo; (Acts 4:31 NLT)
&nbsp;
In today&rsquo;s devotion, we&rsquo;re going to talk about the hot-button issue of risk versus reward&mdash;knowing when to be bold and when to exercise caution in the decisions that mark our lives. We&rsquo;re going to focus specifically on risk versus reward as it relates to our Christian faith. And we&rsquo;re going to start in the book of Acts.
As we saw in several earlier devotions, the Christians in the book of Acts set a high bar when it came to boldness. They understood the risks of sharing the gospel. The apostles Peter, John, and Paul, along with Silas and countless others, were thrown in prison for carrying out God&rsquo;s work. Stephen and James, among countless others, were killed for their bold faith.
The reason is that these first-century Christians also understood the rewards of fulfilling the Great Commission. They considered the risks but decided that the rewards were too great to pass up.
So, what about Christians today? Many believers are perfectly willing to take a step of faith&mdash;if there&rsquo;s a backup plan. They prefer to have a safety net. And when it comes to making spiritual decisions, there&rsquo;s certainly a place for caution, a place for prudence, and a place for seeking the counsel of those who have lived longer than we have. Having said that, there is also a place for faith. There is also a place for taking chances and deciding that the risks are worth it.
Generally speaking, the older we get, the less willing we are to take risks. We prefer to have everything laid out for us. We want to know what will happen after this and after that. But sometimes God will say, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to tell you. I want you to just obey Me.&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s why I would rather try something and fail than never try at all. And if you do try and ultimately fail, then learn something from your failure. I would venture to say that any person who has been successful in ministry, in business, or in any other enterprise has had more than his or her share of failures and has learned something from every one of them. It&rsquo;s been said that the doorway of success is often entered through the hallway of failure. So, if at first you don&rsquo;t succeed, relax. You are just like the rest of us.
I&rsquo;m urging you to take a risk and do something for God. If you&rsquo;ve been thinking about starting a Bible study at work and are unsure whether anyone will show up, go for it. If you&rsquo;re thinking of sharing the gospel with someone, but you don&rsquo;t know how they will respond, go for it. Try it. Pray about it. Ask the Lord for direction. But take a risk. Take a chance here and there and watch what God will do.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What would taking a spiritual risk 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>

Take a risk for God and watch what He will do.

Risk Versus Reward | Acts 4:31

“Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. . . . And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.” (Psalm 115:4, 8 NLT)

 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of the cult of personality—that is, the temptation to place people on pedestals and give them too much influence or power over us.

To frame the discussion properly, we need to go back to Moses’ encounter with God on Mount Sinai. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments for His people to obey. Those commandments still play a large role in the lives of God’s people, although some may seem to play a larger role than others.

At first glance, the Second Commandment might seem like the least necessary of the ten today. You’ll find the second Commandment in Exodus 20:4–5: “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me” (NLT).

Some people might argue that golden calves and other graven images aren’t twenty-first-century problems. And while it’s true that most believers today aren’t tempted to smelt gold to create pagan tchotchkes, the second Commandment is still extremely relevant.

The reality is that idols come in all shapes and sizes because people come in all shapes and sizes. Many well-meaning believers fall into the trap of making idols out of people they admire.

Have you ever heard of a sports hero? How about American Idol? We use the phrases somewhat jokingly: “That person is a sports god” or “I idolize that person. He’s a guitar god.” But the way some people look at certain individuals, it could be that they have made a person their god.

We can make idols out of people in the church, too. We can make an idol out of a man or woman of God, someone whom the Lord has used to bless us. We can start to admire them too much. But here’s what we need to remind ourselves: Those people are human just like us. They will be wrong. They will fail us. They will disappoint us. They will give in to temptation. They will struggle in certain areas of their lives.

The problem is that people become like the gods they worship. Psalm 115 warns, “Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. . . . And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them” (verses 4, 8 NLT).

The only person who deserves that position in our lives is the Lord. He alone is deserving of our worship.

 

Reflection question: How can you keep from elevating people too much 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;Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. . . . And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.&rdquo; (Psalm 115:4, 8 NLT)
&nbsp;
In today&rsquo;s devotion, we&rsquo;re going to talk about the hot-button issue of the cult of personality&mdash;that is, the temptation to place people on pedestals and give them too much influence or power over us.
To frame the discussion properly, we need to go back to Moses&rsquo; encounter with God on Mount Sinai. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments for His people to obey. Those commandments still play a large role in the lives of God&rsquo;s people, although some may seem to play a larger role than others.
At first glance, the Second Commandment might seem like the least necessary of the ten today. You&rsquo;ll find the second Commandment in Exodus 20:4&ndash;5: &ldquo;You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.&nbsp;You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected&mdash;even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me&rdquo; (NLT).
Some people might argue that golden calves and other graven images aren&rsquo;t twenty-first-century problems. And while it&rsquo;s true that most believers today aren&rsquo;t tempted to smelt gold to create pagan tchotchkes, the second Commandment is still extremely relevant.
The reality is that idols come in all shapes and sizes because people come in all shapes and sizes. Many well-meaning believers fall into the trap of making idols out of people they admire.
Have you ever heard of a sports hero? How about American Idol? We use the phrases somewhat jokingly: &ldquo;That person is a sports god&rdquo; or &ldquo;I idolize that person. He&rsquo;s a guitar god.&rdquo; But the way some people look at certain individuals, it could be that they have made a person their god.
We can make idols out of people in the church, too. We can make an idol out of a man or woman of God, someone whom the Lord has used to bless us. We can start to admire them too much. But here&rsquo;s what we need to remind ourselves: Those people are human just like us. They will be wrong. They will fail us. They will disappoint us. They will give in to temptation. They will struggle in certain areas of their lives.
The problem is that people become like the gods they worship. Psalm 115 warns, &ldquo;Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. . . . And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them&rdquo; (verses 4, 8 NLT).
The only person who deserves that position in our lives is the Lord. He alone is deserving of our worship.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you keep from elevating people too much 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>

Only the Lord deserves a hallowed place in your life.

Twenty-First-Century Idol Worship | Psalm 115:4, 8

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

 

Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be talking about hot-button issues—things that play a large role in people’s lives today. And we’re going to start with finding happiness.

The pursuit of happiness seems to be part of the DNA of our culture. It’s so embedded in our consciousness that the Founding Fathers listed it as a fundamental right in the Declaration of Independence.

The irony is that for many people the pursuit of happiness is an empty, frustrating, and ultimately unfulfilling experience. The harder they pursue, the less happy they find themselves.

A better option can be found in God’s Word.

The word blessed comes from the Greek word makarios, which refers to the kind of happiness that is self-contained. When we see the word blessed used in the New Testament, that is the happiness it’s referring to.

Too often in our lives, our happiness is not self-contained. Rather, it’s contingent on good things happening. We convince ourselves that if we could just get that raise at work or if we could just meet the right person or if we could just own the object of our desires, then we would be happy. Until those things happen, our happiness is on hold.

If something fun or exciting happens, we may experience happiness for a brief time. But when the fun or excitement ends, so does the happiness. In other words, our happiness depends on certain things occurring.

But being blessed is a different concept altogether. Blessings depend on God. They don’t ebb and flow based on circumstances or moods. You can experience God’s blessings regardless of what’s happening in your life. You can be blessed in even the worst circumstances. That’s the idea of makarios.

The amazing news is that 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).

When I was raising my two sons, I spoiled them. I would randomly buy toys for them. I would say, “Let’s go to the toy store.” It wasn’t a birthday or Christmas. We would look around, and then we would end up buying a big toy. That’s how I spoiled my children. I suppose that’s the privilege of a parent.

If you’re a child of God, then know this: God loves to bless His children. In fact, God wants to bless you even more than you want to be blessed.

Draw close to Him. Spend time in His Word, getting to know Him and His will for your life. Pour your heart out to Him in prayer. Tell others about the difference He’s made in your life. And then watch what He does in your life.

Stop pursuing happiness. Start pursuing God.

 

Reflection question: What would pursuing God 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;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;
Over the next couple of weeks, we&rsquo;re going to be talking about hot-button issues&mdash;things that play a large role in people&rsquo;s lives today. And we&rsquo;re going to start with finding happiness.
The pursuit of happiness seems to be part of the DNA of our culture. It&rsquo;s so embedded in our consciousness that the Founding Fathers listed it as a fundamental right in the Declaration of Independence.
The irony is that for many people the pursuit of happiness is an empty, frustrating, and ultimately unfulfilling experience. The harder they pursue, the less happy they find themselves.
A better option can be found in God&rsquo;s Word.
The word blessed comes from the Greek word makarios, which refers to the kind of happiness that is self-contained. When we see the word blessed used in the New Testament, that is the happiness it&rsquo;s referring to.
Too often in our lives, our happiness is not self-contained. Rather, it&rsquo;s contingent on good things happening. We convince ourselves that if we could just get that raise at work or if we could just meet the right person or if we could just own the object of our desires, then we would be happy. Until those things happen, our happiness is on hold.
If something fun or exciting happens, we may experience happiness for a brief time. But when the fun or excitement ends, so does the happiness. In other words, our happiness depends on certain things occurring.
But being blessed is a different concept altogether. Blessings depend on God. They don&rsquo;t ebb and flow based on circumstances or moods. You can experience God&rsquo;s blessings regardless of what&rsquo;s happening in your life. You can be blessed in even the worst circumstances. That&rsquo;s the idea of makarios.
The amazing news is that 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).
When I was raising my two sons, I spoiled them. I would randomly buy toys for them. I would say, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s go to the toy store.&rdquo; It wasn&rsquo;t a birthday or Christmas. We would look around, and then we would end up buying a big toy. That&rsquo;s how I spoiled my children. I suppose that&rsquo;s the privilege of a parent.
If you&rsquo;re a child of God, then know this: God loves to bless His children. In fact, God wants to bless you even more than you want to be blessed.
Draw close to Him. Spend time in His Word, getting to know Him and His will for your life. Pour your heart out to Him in prayer. Tell others about the difference He&rsquo;s made in your life. And then watch what He does in your life.
Stop pursuing happiness. Start pursuing God.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What would pursuing God 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.
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Lasting happiness is found by pursuing God rather than happiness itself.

The Pursuit of Happiness | Luke 12:32

“Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27 NLT)

 

We touched on the experiences of the prophet Elijah in an earlier devotion. But I want to revisit his life to illustrate the kind of people God uses to accomplish His work. A quick glance at Elijah’s prophetic résumé would tell us that he raised a widow’s son from the dead. He parted the Jordan River. He stopped rain from falling in Israel for three and a half years. He called down fire from Heaven.

A deeper dive would reveal that Elijah was a Tishbite from Gilead. That may mean very little to us today, but it’s important to know that Gilead lay east of the Jordan River. The people who lived there were roughhewn, tanned from the sun, and tough. As a Tishbite, Elijah would have dressed in animal skins. This was not a man to take lightly.

So, what does that have to do with us? According to the New Testament book of James, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours” (5:17 NKJV). The New Living Translation says, “Elijah was as human as we are.”

There are parts of Elijah’s story that make him seem superhuman. But he was not. He was just as fallible, just as flawed—and occasionally, just as frightened as we are. In fact, at one point he grew so despondent that he wanted to give up and die.

Have you ever struggled with similar feelings? Have you ever let fear get the best of you? Have you ever allowed your weaknesses to keep you from fully using your strengths? If so, I have some good news for you. God can and does use flawed people. He can and does use imperfect people. He can and does use fearful people. In fact, it seems as though God goes out of His way to find people like that.

Why? Because if God used only super-talented, beautiful, and bold people, we would say, “That means nothing for people like us.” But when God uses people who are very much like us, we can find hope for ourselves.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27 NLT).

Your fears, insecurities, and weaknesses don’t disqualify you from God’s service. Instead, they make you the kind of person through whom God can accomplish amazing things.

 

Reflection question: How might God work through your fears to accomplish something amazing? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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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;Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world&rsquo;s eyes or powerful or wealthy&nbsp;when God called you.&nbsp;Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.&rdquo; (1 Corinthians 1:26&ndash;27 NLT)
&nbsp;
We touched on the experiences of the prophet Elijah in an earlier devotion. But I want to revisit his life to illustrate the kind of people God uses to accomplish His work. A quick glance at Elijah&rsquo;s prophetic r&eacute;sum&eacute; would tell us that he raised a widow&rsquo;s son from the dead. He parted the Jordan River. He stopped rain from falling in Israel for three and a half years. He called down fire from Heaven.
A deeper dive would reveal that Elijah was a Tishbite from Gilead. That may mean very little to us today, but it&rsquo;s important to know that Gilead lay east of the Jordan River. The people who lived there were roughhewn, tanned from the sun, and tough. As a Tishbite, Elijah would have dressed in animal skins. This was not a man to take lightly.
So, what does that have to do with us? According to the New Testament book of James, &ldquo;Elijah was a man with a nature like ours&rdquo; (5:17 NKJV). The New Living Translation says, &ldquo;Elijah was as human as we are.&rdquo;
There are parts of Elijah&rsquo;s story that make him seem superhuman. But he was not. He was just as fallible, just as flawed&mdash;and occasionally, just as frightened as we are. In fact, at one point he grew so despondent that he wanted to give up and die.
Have you ever struggled with similar feelings? Have you ever let fear get the best of you? Have you ever allowed your weaknesses to keep you from fully using your strengths? If so, I have some good news for you. God can and does use flawed people. He can and does use imperfect people. He can and does use fearful people. In fact, it seems as though God goes out of His way to find people like that.
Why? Because if God used only super-talented, beautiful, and bold people, we would say, &ldquo;That means nothing for people like us.&rdquo; But when God uses people who are very much like us, we can find hope for ourselves.
The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world&rsquo;s eyes or powerful or wealthy&nbsp;when God called you.&nbsp;Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful&rdquo; (1 Corinthians 1:26&ndash;27 NLT).
Your fears, insecurities, and weaknesses don&rsquo;t disqualify you from God&rsquo;s service. Instead, they make you the kind of person through whom God can accomplish amazing things.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How might God work through your fears to accomplish something amazing?&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>
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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 can accomplish extraordinary things through ordinary people.

As Bold and as Fearful as Elijah | 1 Corinthians 1:26–27

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

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