“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17 NLT)

—

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“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17 NLT)
—
<a href="https://link.chtbl.com/A1PWfZ8W">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you. 

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

“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17 NLT)

What the Cross Shows Us | John 3:17

“May he equip you with all you need for doing his will.” (Hebrews 13:21 NLT)

 

Fear comes in many forms. Kathisophobia is the fear of sitting. Ablutophobia is the fear of bathing. Anuptaphobia is the fear of being single. Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Automatonophobia is the fear of ventriloquist dummies.

I don’t know the name of the fear Jesus’ disciples experienced following the events of Good Friday through Easter, but it was real. And it was paralyzing.

This small group of followers had an enormous task ahead of them, but they were in no condition to undertake it. In fact, they were hiding behind closed doors, scared, confused, and with no idea what their next step should be.

So before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus appeared to His disciples several times to prepare them for what lay ahead. He eased their fear. He gave them the confidence they lacked. He gave them direction and purpose. He gave them hope. And He assured them that He would be with them, wherever they went and whatever they faced. Jesus equipped His followers to carry out His work.

On one occasion, shortly after His resurrection, He miraculously appeared to a group of His disciples behind locked doors. But Thomas, one of the disciples, wasn’t part of the group. Later, when the others told him about their experience, Thomas refused to believe.

“But he replied, ‘I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side’” (John 20:25 NLT).

Eight days later, Jesus appeared again to His followers. This time Thomas was present. Jesus said to him, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” (John 20:27 NLT). He wasn’t trying to embarrass Thomas. He was equipping him for the work ahead. If Thomas needed physical proof of Jesus’ resurrection, something he could experience with his own senses, Jesus was prepared to give it.

Likewise, on the night Jesus was arrested, Peter failed Him miserably. Three times Peter had an opportunity to stand boldly with Jesus during His trial, and three times he denied even knowing Jesus.

Jesus recognized how heavily that failure weighed on Peter. He didn’t want it to hinder or distract Peter from the role he was going to play in building the church and spreading the gospel.

So Jesus restored Peter to ministry. In John 21, Jesus appeared to Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Three times He asked Peter if he loved Him. Three times Peter answered yes. And three times Jesus instructed him to feed or take care of His lambs or sheep. With that simple exchange, Jesus undid the emotional and spiritual damage Peter had caused with his denials.

Jesus equipped His disciples to change the world in His name. And He still equips His followers for service. He gives us what we need—whether it’s forgiveness, inspiration, wisdom, or courage—to strengthen our relationship with Him and encourage us to share His message with others. As the author of Hebrews wrote in the passage above: “May he equip you with all you need for doing his will” (NLT).

 

Reflection question: How has the Lord equipped you to do His will?

Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

&ldquo;May he equip you with all you need for doing his will.&rdquo; (Hebrews 13:21 NLT)
&nbsp;
Fear comes in many forms. Kathisophobia is the fear of sitting. Ablutophobia is the fear of bathing. Anuptaphobia is the fear of being single. Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Automatonophobia is the fear of ventriloquist dummies.
I don&rsquo;t know the name of the fear Jesus&rsquo; disciples experienced following the events of Good Friday through Easter, but it was real. And it was paralyzing.
This small group of followers had an enormous task ahead of them, but they were in no condition to undertake it. In fact, they were hiding behind closed doors, scared, confused, and with no idea what their next step should be.
So before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus appeared to His disciples several times to prepare them for what lay ahead. He eased their fear. He gave them the confidence they lacked. He gave them direction and purpose. He gave them hope. And He assured them that He would be with them, wherever they went and whatever they faced. Jesus equipped His followers to carry out His work.
On one occasion, shortly after His resurrection, He miraculously appeared to a group of His disciples behind locked doors. But Thomas, one of the disciples, wasn&rsquo;t part of the group. Later, when the others told him about their experience, Thomas refused to believe.
&ldquo;But he replied, &lsquo;I won&rsquo;t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side&rsquo;&rdquo; (John 20:25 NLT).
Eight days later, Jesus appeared again to His followers. This time Thomas was present. Jesus said to him, &ldquo;Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don&rsquo;t be faithless any longer. Believe!&rdquo; (John 20:27 NLT). He wasn&rsquo;t trying to embarrass Thomas. He was equipping him for the work ahead. If Thomas needed physical proof of Jesus&rsquo; resurrection, something he could experience with his own senses, Jesus was prepared to give it.
Likewise, on the night Jesus was arrested, Peter failed Him miserably. Three times Peter had an opportunity to stand boldly with Jesus during His trial, and three times he denied even knowing Jesus.
Jesus recognized how heavily that failure weighed on Peter. He didn&rsquo;t want it to hinder or distract Peter from the role he was going to play in building the church and spreading the gospel.
So Jesus restored Peter to ministry. In John 21, Jesus appeared to Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Three times He asked Peter if he loved Him. Three times Peter answered yes. And three times Jesus instructed him to feed or take care of His lambs or sheep. With that simple exchange, Jesus undid the emotional and spiritual damage Peter had caused with his denials.
Jesus equipped His disciples to change the world in His name. And He still equips His followers for service. He gives us what we need&mdash;whether it&rsquo;s forgiveness, inspiration, wisdom, or courage&mdash;to strengthen our relationship with Him and encourage us to share His message with others. As the author of Hebrews wrote in the passage above: &ldquo;May he equip you with all you need for doing his will&rdquo; (NLT).
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How has the Lord equipped you to do His will?
<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;
<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>

Jesus equips His followers to do His work.

Equipped to Serve | Hebrews 13:21

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10 NLT)

 

Who is this man that we are talking about today? What sets the Christian faith apart from all other beliefs and religious systems out there in the world? It might come down to this. If you go to the tomb of Confucius, you will find that it is occupied. If you go to the tomb of Buddha, you will find that it, too, is occupied. If you go to the tomb of Muhammed, you will find that it is occupied. But if you go to the tomb of Jesus Christ, you will find that it is empty because He is alive. We serve a living Savior.

As Paul makes clear in the passage above, the resurrection we celebrate isn’t just a historical event; it also plays an important role in our daily lives. In the days to come, we’re going to look at the impact of Jesus’ resurrection on His disciples and earliest followers. Before we do that, however, let’s consider how it impacts us today. There are six practical truths we need to remember.

First, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we’re accepted by God. Romans 4:25 says, “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (NLT). When you put your faith in Christ, you are made right with God. You’re forgiven for all your sins. As someone once said, God treated Jesus as if He had lived your life so that He could treat you as if you had lived Jesus’ life.

Second, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we have the power to live the Christian life. Romans 8:11–12 says, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. . . . Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do” (NLT). No sin, habit, addiction, or vice can match the power of God.

Third, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will live forever in Heaven. Death is no longer the end of the road; it’s just a bend in the road. First Corinthians 15:54–55 says, “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” (NLT). Jesus took the sting of death. He suffered it in our place.

Fourth, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will receive new bodies that are like His. God will resurrect the bodies of all believers, and we will be radically upgraded versions of ourselves. Philippians 3:21 says Jesus “will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own” (NLT).

Fifth, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will have resurrected relationships with other believers. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, the apostle Paul says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died” (NLT). Death can separate us only temporarily. We will be able to pick up where we left off with loved ones who preceded us to Heaven.

Sixth, Jesus’ resurrection compels us to tell others. Jesus says in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (NLT). The Good News is this: God loves you. You are separated from Him by your sin. Christ died for your sin and rose again from the dead. If you turn from your sin and believe in Him, you can know with certainty that you will go to Heaven when you die.

Sharing that message is not only a way to obey God, but also the most loving thing you can do for another person.

 

Reflection question: How does Jesus’ resurrection impact your life?

Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

&ldquo;I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.&rdquo; (Philippians 3:10 NLT)
&nbsp;
Who is this man that we are talking about today? What sets the Christian faith apart from all other beliefs and religious systems out there in the world? It might come down to this. If you go to the tomb of Confucius, you will find that it is occupied. If you go to the tomb of Buddha, you will find that it, too, is occupied. If you go to the tomb of Muhammed, you will find that it is occupied. But if you go to the tomb of Jesus Christ, you will find that it is empty because He is alive. We serve a living Savior.
As Paul makes clear in the passage above, the resurrection we celebrate isn&rsquo;t just a historical event; it also plays an important role in our daily lives. In the days to come, we&rsquo;re going to look at the impact of Jesus&rsquo; resurrection on His disciples and earliest followers. Before we do that, however, let&rsquo;s consider how it impacts us today. There are six practical truths we need to remember.
First, Jesus&rsquo; resurrection assures us that we&rsquo;re accepted by God. Romans 4:25 says, &ldquo;He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God&rdquo; (NLT). When you put your faith in Christ, you are made right with God. You&rsquo;re forgiven for all your sins. As someone once said, God treated Jesus as if He had lived your life so that He could treat you as if you had lived Jesus&rsquo; life.
Second, Jesus&rsquo; resurrection assures us that we have the power to live the Christian life. Romans 8:11&ndash;12 says, &ldquo;The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. . . . Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do&rdquo; (NLT). No sin, habit, addiction, or vice can match the power of God.
Third, Jesus&rsquo; resurrection assures us that we will live forever in Heaven. Death is no longer the end of the road; it&rsquo;s just a bend in the road. First Corinthians 15:54&ndash;55 says, &ldquo;Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: &lsquo;Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?&rsquo;&rdquo; (NLT). Jesus took the sting of death. He suffered it in our place.
Fourth, Jesus&rsquo; resurrection assures us that we will receive new bodies that are like His. God will resurrect the bodies of all believers, and we will be radically upgraded versions of ourselves. Philippians 3:21 says Jesus &ldquo;will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own&rdquo; (NLT).
Fifth, Jesus&rsquo; resurrection assures us that we will have resurrected relationships with other believers. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13&ndash;14, the apostle Paul says, &ldquo;And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died&rdquo; (NLT). Death can separate us only temporarily. We will be able to pick up where we left off with loved ones who preceded us to Heaven.
Sixth, Jesus&rsquo; resurrection compels us to tell others. Jesus says in Mark 16:15, &ldquo;Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone&rdquo; (NLT). The Good News is this: God loves you. You are separated from Him by your sin. Christ died for your sin and rose again from the dead. If you turn from your sin and believe in Him, you can know with certainty that you will go to Heaven when you die.
Sharing that message is not only a way to obey God, but also the most loving thing you can do for another person.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How does Jesus&rsquo; resurrection impact your life?
<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;
<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>

Jesus’ resurrection impacts our daily lives.

What Jesus’ Resurrection Means to You | Philippians 3:10

“And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17 NLT)

 

The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is known as Silent Saturday. Silent because the Bible has little to say about it, aside from a passage in Matthew 27 in which the leading priests and Pharisees ask Pilate to post guards at Jesus’ tomb to keep His disciples from stealing His body and claiming that He rose from the dead.

Silent because Jesus’ lifeless corpse had been sealed in a tomb.

Silent because it seemed there was nothing left to say. Death, it appeared, had gotten the final word.

Think about where Jesus’ disciples were on Silent Saturday—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Judas Iscariot was dead. After he learned that Jesus was going to be put to death, he tried to return the thirty pieces of silver he’d been paid to betray Him. And then, unable to live with his guilt, he hanged himself.

Peter was disgraced and demoralized. After all his bold talk, he had hidden in the shadows while Jesus faced His accusers. Three times people had recognized him as one of Jesus’ disciples. And three times had Peter denied knowing Him.

John was taking care of Mary, as per Jesus’ instructions on the cross. The other disciples were scattered, hiding out in their safe houses. They were dumbfounded, terrified, and wondering whether they had wasted the previous three years of their lives.

Think about where the rest of the world was on Silent Saturday. The religious leaders and Roman authorities were congratulating themselves for taking care of their Jesus problem once and for all. No doubt they were looking forward to a return to normalcy. The people of Israel were looking for the next would-be messiah they could celebrate and then abandon.

The world was a place with no hope. A place where sin and death still reigned supreme. A place where Jesus, His teachings, and His miracles would soon fade from memory and be lost to history.

The apostle Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world” (1 Corinthians 15:17–19 NLT).

If the cross was the end for Jesus, we would have no hope for reconciling with God, no hope for eternal life, and nothing to look forward to beyond our brief time in this world. And the people to be pitied on Silent Saturday are the ones who understood those implications.

 

Silent Saturday was a dark day. And they say it’s always darkest before the dawn. Nowhere was it darker than inside Jesus’ tomb. But as the first lights appeared in the sky on Sunday morning, there was a stirring in that tomb, a rustling of grave clothes, as the promise of eternal life became a glorious reality.

 

Reflection question: In the silence of this Saturday before Easter, what is on your heart?

&ldquo;And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.&rdquo; (1 Corinthians 15:17 NLT)
&nbsp;
The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is known as Silent Saturday. Silent because the Bible has little to say about it, aside from a passage in Matthew 27 in which the leading priests and Pharisees ask Pilate to post guards at Jesus&rsquo; tomb to keep His disciples from stealing His body and claiming that He rose from the dead.
Silent because Jesus&rsquo; lifeless corpse had been sealed in a tomb.
Silent because it seemed there was nothing left to say. Death, it appeared, had gotten the final word.
Think about where Jesus&rsquo; disciples were on Silent Saturday&mdash;not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Judas Iscariot was dead. After he learned that Jesus was going to be put to death, he tried to return the thirty pieces of silver he&rsquo;d been paid to betray Him. And then, unable to live with his guilt, he hanged himself.
Peter was disgraced and demoralized. After all his bold talk, he had hidden in the shadows while Jesus faced His accusers. Three times people had recognized him as one of Jesus&rsquo; disciples. And three times had Peter denied knowing Him.
John was taking care of Mary, as per Jesus&rsquo; instructions on the cross. The other disciples were scattered, hiding out in their safe houses. They were dumbfounded, terrified, and wondering whether they had wasted the previous three years of their lives.
Think about where the rest of the world was on Silent Saturday. The religious leaders and Roman authorities were congratulating themselves for taking care of their Jesus problem once and for all. No doubt they were looking forward to a return to normalcy. The people of Israel were looking for the next would-be messiah they could celebrate and then abandon.
The world was a place with no hope. A place where sin and death still reigned supreme. A place where Jesus, His teachings, and His miracles would soon fade from memory and be lost to history.
The apostle Paul wrote, &ldquo;And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world&rdquo; (1 Corinthians 15:17&ndash;19 NLT).
If the cross was the end for Jesus, we would have no hope for reconciling with God, no hope for eternal life, and nothing to look forward to beyond our brief time in this world. And the people to be pitied on Silent Saturday are the ones who understood those implications.
&nbsp;
Silent Saturday was a dark day. And they say it&rsquo;s always darkest before the dawn. Nowhere was it darker than inside Jesus&rsquo; tomb. But as the first lights appeared in the sky on Sunday morning, there was a stirring in that tomb, a rustling of grave clothes, as the promise of eternal life became a glorious reality.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: In the silence of this Saturday before Easter, what is on your heart?

Silent Saturday is the ideal time to think and pray about what Jesus’ death and resurrection mean to you.

What the Cross Shows Us | John 3:17

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