Daily Devotions From Greg Laurie

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18 NLT) All Christians experience times when we come face to face with overwhelming hardship. For Peter, it was witnessing the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. You can find the story in John 18. Peter simply could not stomach the thought of the Lord’s enemies taking Him away. Frustrated and in despair, Peter drew his sword in defense of his Lord and cut off the ear of one of the men who arrested Jesus (see verse 10). Of course, that’s not what Jesus wanted. The sword was not the answer to salvation. Poor Peter. He was always doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. He was sleeping when he should have been praying. He was talking when he should have been listening. He was boasting when he should have been fearing. And he was fighting when he should have been surrendering. His instincts were 180 degrees off. Peter failed to see that he was fighting the wrong enemy. As the apostle Paul points out in Ephesians 6:12, our enemies are not of flesh and blood. They are principalities and powers, and they cannot be defeated by ordinary measures. Too often we, like Peter, forget that ours is a spiritual battle that requires spiritual weaponry. And we neglect the most powerful weapon in our arsenal—prayer. We are too quick to protest or picket and not quick enough to pray. In his description of the armor of God available to believers to withstand and counter the attacks of our enemy, Paul concludes with this: “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18 NLT). Pray at all times. Be persistent. Prayer isn’t just an emergency button we push when we can’t think of anything else to do. It’s an essential communication channel that links us to God, our source of strength, courage, wisdom, comfort, and peace. God supplies us with everything we need for our spiritual battles. But we don’t have to wait until we’re in the thick of the fight to call on Him. Jesus faced opposition throughout His ministry. Passages such as Luke 5:16 give us a glimpse into how He prepared for battle. “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (NLT). And when that opposition came to a head, Jesus headed for Gethsemane, a favorite prayer spot. The reality is that we all will face Gethsemanes in life. For Jesus, Gethsemane was a time of suffering and hardship, a time when He chose to surrender to the will of His Father. You, too, may face similar experiences in life that you don’t understand. You don’t know what lies ahead. But you can trust your unknown future into the hands of a known God. Reflection Question: How can you make your prayers more effective in your spiritual battles? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17 NLT) During the Korean War, a unit known as Baker Company was separated from its regiment, and enemy forces were advancing on it. For several hours, no word came from Baker Company. Finally, radio contact was made. When asked for a report of its situation, Baker Company replied, “The enemy is to the east of us. The enemy is to the west of us. The enemy is to the south of us. The enemy is to the north of us.” Then, after a brief pause, the voice continued, “And this time, we’re not going to let them escape.” Sometimes it seems that way in the life of a believer. The enemy is at every turn. Even so, some believers don’t realize that the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. They are oblivious to the fact that a war is raging—and that, in this war, they are either winning or losing. In a battle, it’s always better to be an aggressor instead of a defender. A defender is simply waiting for the enemy’s next attack, hoping he will survive. If we, as believers, are always defending, then the devil is in a superior position. If, on the other hand, we are the ones who are attacking, then we are in the superior position. When the apostle Paul wrote about the armor of God in Ephesians 6, he mentioned one offensive weapon: “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (verse 17 NLT). Make no mistake about it: There is authority and power in the Word of God. Matthew 4:1–11 tells the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Three times the devil tried to get Jesus to do wrong. All three times Jesus countered his attack by quoting the Word of God. The result? “The devil went away” (verse 11 NLT). God’s Word keeps Satan from getting an advantageous battle position in our lives as well. For example, let’s say you’re feeling tempted to do something that you know is wrong. If your first instinct is to turn to 1 Corinthians 10:13 (“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” NLT), you’ll remember that God stands ready to strengthen you and help you escape. And you’ll have the high ground in your battle with the devil. He will have no solid footing for his attack. That’s how you keep him off-balance: by immersing yourself in Scripture. The devil has nothing in his arsenal that can counter the Bible. God’s Word sticks. God’s Word breaks through. God’s Word impacts. When the enemy has you surrounded, keep him on the defensive with the Word of God. Reflection Question: How can you sharpen your spiritual battle skills using the Word of God? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:10–12 NLT) When he was little, my son Jonathan had a habit of wandering. One day, we were in a hotel and came to an elevator. He ran ahead to push the button. I told him, “If the elevator comes, wait until Dad gets there.” Just as I arrived at the elevator, the doors were closing, and he was inside. He was gone. I frantically pushed the button for the other elevator and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, the doors opened, and I jumped in. I went down to the lobby. He wasn’t there. I ran back to the elevator, pushed every button for every floor, and as the doors opened, I would scream out his name. I didn’t care about decorum. I wanted to find my son. And I found him, about three floors up, wandering around. But you know what? After that experience, he didn’t wander anymore. He got separated from his dad, and it was scary for him. He learned how important it was to stay close to me. As Christians, we should want to stay as close to our heavenly Father as possible. Our enemy, the devil, is a powerful adversary, and we are no match for him in our own strength. The apostle Peter wrote, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT). We don’t want to venture out into this life on our own abilities and suffer spiritual defeat. I have a healthy respect for the devil’s ability. That’s why I want to stay as close to the Lord as possible. I want to be strong in Him. Wanting to stay close to your Father may seem like a childish instinct, but it’s actually evidence of a mature faith. In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul instructs us to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” and to “put on all of God’s armor” (NLT). He leaves no room for solo outings or wandering journeys. Staying close to our heavenly Father gives us more than protection by an all-powerful God. Psalm 94:17–19 says, “Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, ‘I am slipping!’ but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer” (NLT). If ever there was a time to be walking closely with the Lord, it is now. This is not the time to be playing games with God. This is not the time to wander away. Reflection Question: How can you tell when you start to wander away from God? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.” (Philippians 1:15–18 NLT) A preacher was moonlighting as a lifeguard to make a little extra money. His supervisors were shocked when they learned that people were drowning near his lifeguard stand at an alarming rate. Every day brought news of a new drowning, each one in the vicinity of the preacher’s stand. The supervisors were baffled. They wondered, What’s the problem with this preacher lifeguard? He’s been trained properly. So they went to observe him. Before long, they saw a pair of swimmers in trouble, waving frantically from the ocean. The preacher looked at the swimmers and said, “God bless you. I see that hand. God bless you. I see that hand.” In case you’re too young or too new to the church to understand that punchline, it’s a reference to the go-to move for certain preachers during their altar calls. If you spend enough time listening to certain preachers, you’ll pick up on other quirks, tendencies, and habits. It’s an occupational hazard for pastors. And when it’s lighthearted—like teasing about a joke you’ve heard more than once from the pulpit—it can be fun and even unifying. But when it takes a darker turn—when people start to question a preacher’s qualifications, motives, allegiances, or leanings—it can be incredibly damaging to the body of Christ. Like it or not, we are all imperfect vessels delivering a perfect message. That goes not just for pastors and evangelists, but for anyone who shares the gospel. Skeptics and critics will ask, “Why should we listen to you? Who gave you the authority to say these things?” It’s not a new phenomenon. The apostle Paul dealt with a similar situation in his letter to the Philippian believers. And in his situation, the criticism was warranted. There were people preaching out of jealousy and rivalry with Paul. But look at how he resolved the problem: “The message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice” (Philippians 1:18 NLT). All that matters is that the Good News of Christ is being delivered. When the words of the gospel are spoken, God can plant the seeds of His truth in people’s hearts, regardless of who’s doing the talking. God calls us to build unity in the body of Christ. We can do that by showing grace and gratitude to our fellow believers who deliver the message of Christ. Reflection Question: How will you respond to someone who questions a pastor’s qualifications or motives? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:18 NLT) People come up to me and ask, “Greg, what’s the one thing you can say to a nonbeliever that will cause them to accept Christ?” Like I know the hidden secret. Like I’m going to say, “Since you asked, I’m going to show you the ultimate evangelism hack. Here’s what you do.” Sorry to disappoint you, but there’s no such thing as the ultimate evangelism hack. When I share my faith, I do the same thing that most of you probably do. I just tell my story. I tell people about Jesus, and I pray that the Lord will open their eyes. You may witness to one person and find that it’s like talking to a brick wall. Nothing. No response at all. And then when you witness in the same way to another person, boom! They get it. They’re responsive to your message. So always pray for the Lord to open a person’s eyes. I remember when my eyes were opened. I was seventeen years old, and I was listening to Lonnie Frisbee. He made one statement that resonated powerfully with me. He said, “Jesus said you’re for Me or you’re against Me.” And suddenly, I got it. I don’t know why I got it at that moment. I don’t know what it was about that statement. But when I heard it, it was like a light switched on inside me. Up until that moment, I had been looking cynically and critically at the Christian faith. And then I realized it was all true. It was all real. I should point out that it’s possible to have your eyes open and still not be a Christian. I’ve met people who say, “I agree that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that He lived a sinless life. I believe that He died on the cross for my sin. I believe that He rose again from the dead. I believe that He’s coming back again. I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. But that’s it. I believe it, but I’m not going to act on it.” So having your eyes opened doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything. But it’s a necessary first step. And only God can open a person’s eyes. Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:18 for God to open the eyes of nonbelievers. And when you’re sharing your faith, the first thing you should do is pray, “Lord, open this person’s eyes because there’s nothing I can say or do that will make this person believe.” There are a lot of people in your orbit who fit Paul’s description in Ephesians 4:18: “Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him” (NLT). Will you be bold and caring enough to reach out to them? To show them the light of the gospel? And to ask God to open their eyes to His truth? Reflection Question: How can you help facilitate an eye-opening moment in the life of someone you know? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:20–21 NLT) We’ve reached a point in the church where people are starting to divide over really small things—second-tier and even third-tier issues. And then subdivisions occur. Groups get smaller and smaller as their conditions for acceptance get narrower and narrower. Before long, you find yourself saying, “It’s down to the four of us, and I’m not sure about you other three.” It’s not hard to find things that divide us. They’re low-hanging fruit. When we mistake our personal preferences and opinions for absolute truth, we can justify separating ourselves from just about anyone. It takes a little more effort to find things that unite us. Or to recognize that the things that divide us don’t have to divide us. Instead of automatically separating people into categories of “us” and “them,” we can agree to disagree. We can leave judgment to the Lord. That’s the direction God would have us go. Remember, we’re the body of Christ. We’re meant to work together, with each part playing an important role. You can’t divide a body or separate its parts without doing serious damage to the whole. That’s why the apostle Paul issued this warning to the believers in Rome: “And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them” (Romans 16:17 NLT). It’s not just the teachings that are dangerous; it’s the divisions they cause. It’s also why Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT). Divisions in the church aren’t just an in-house matter. The implications and damage extend far beyond the church walls. You see, people are watching us. People outside the church. Unbelievers for whom the message of Christ seems almost too good to be true. Changed hearts? Transformed lives? They want to see proof. They want to see us walk the walk. As far as many unbelievers are concerned, Christians are hypocrites until proven otherwise. When they see division in our ranks or hear us attacking one another or questioning the legitimacy of one another’s faith, it only confirms their cynical suspicions. They feel free to ignore our message and dismiss the Good News of Christ. Paul said, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NLT). Make every effort. That doesn’t leave room for half-hearted attempts. God wants us to prioritize unity. Unity among believers isn’t just a matter of getting along with everyone or playing nicely with others; it’s also one of the most powerful testimonies available for showing the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. Reflection Question: How can you cross the lines of division that separate you from someone in your church? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (Ephesians 2:8–9 NLT) There will be good people in Hell. When I say, “good people,” I mean people who trusted in their own human efforts, people who trusted in their own personal reality, and people who trusted in the religious things they did. Jesus issued a very clear warning in Matthew 7:22: “On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name’” (NLT). If we updated the passage, the people might say, “Lord, Lord, we were baptized in Your name and received communion in Your name.” But the answer still would be the same. “But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws’” (verse 23 NLT). These are good people Jesus is talking to. These people paid their taxes. These people recycled and put the right trash in the right can. These people drove Priuses and ate kale and didn’t damage the environment. They’re good people. They’re just not nearly good enough. That’s why the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8–9, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (NLT). Jesus never said that if you live a good life, you’ll go to Heaven. But here’s what Jesus did say: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT). He doesn’t want us to work ourselves to exhaustion, trying to be good enough to earn salvation. He wants to give us rest and assurance. He wants us to accept the gift of eternal life He offers. For people with a mature faith, this is a simple review. A chance to celebrate God’s mercy—that is, His kindness and compassion—and His grace—that is, His undeserved favor. But it’s also a reminder that there are people—people you know—who believe that their good works are good enough for God. People who believe that because their good outweighs their bad, they will be welcomed into Heaven. People who believe that growing up in a Christian home and attending church make them Christians. People who will be stunned to hear Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:23. People who need a mature believer to help them understand what it means to make a personal commitment to Christ: to confess that they’re not good enough to earn salvation, to turn away from their sin, and to accept Him as Savior and Lord. You can be that mature believer. You can share the gospel truth. You can help them see the futility of trying to earn salvation through good works. You can point them to Jesus’ sacrifice—the gift of God that makes salvation possible. The question is, will you? Reflection Question: How can you share God’s truth with someone who believes they’re a good person? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:17–18 NLT) When you think of being filled with the Holy Spirit, you may relate it to an emotional experience or a feeling of euphoria. Something dramatic and memorable. But the word filled can be translated as “controlled by.” Think of what happens when the wind fills the sails of a boat and guides it along. That’s the gist of what the apostle Paul is saying in Ephesians 5. God wants you to let His Spirit fill you, power you, and control your life. Another interesting thing about the word filled is that, in the original Greek language, the verb tense that Paul uses suggests something that is done continually. So you can translate verse 18 as, “Be constantly filled with the Spirit.” This is not a one-time event. Instead, it’s something that takes place over and over again. Just as you repeatedly fill the gas tank in your car to keep it running, God wants to refill you with His Spirit. It’s a powerful thing to say each day, “Lord, fill me with your Spirit. Lord, fill me once again.” Every time you say it, and mean it, you mature a little more in your faith. One more thing about this phrase from Ephesians 5:18 is that it’s a command, not a suggestion. The passage isn’t saying, “If it works with your schedule, and if you don’t mind, would you please consider maybe letting the Holy Spirit fill and control you?” Rather, God orders you to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You may ask, “Doesn’t everyone who trusts Christ have the Holy Spirit inside them?” The answer is yes. Paul says in Romans 8:9, “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all)” (NLT). But there are things you can do that interfere with the Holy Spirit’s work in your life. A boat sail that’s turned the wrong way won’t be filled with wind. In the same way, when you’re turned away from God—when you pursue your own agenda instead of His, when you give in to temptation instead of resisting it—you’re not being filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s why Paul warns, “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 NLT) and “Do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live” (Ephesians 4:30 NLT). When you’re filled with the Holy Spirit, people will notice. They’ll see evidence of it in your life. Galatians 5:22–23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (nlt). Those qualities have the potential to change lives—not just yours, but other people’s as well. If you will be filled with the Holy Spirit, God will use you to accomplish amazing things. Reflection Question: What are the daily benefits of being filled with the Holy Spirit? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.” (Philippians 1:9 NLT) I eat dinner at five o’clock. But I get hungry around three o’clock. So I start counting off the time until I eat. I look forward to my meal. Sometimes I get tempted to eat something to hold me over. You know, when five o’clock seems like it will never get here, and there’s a Taco Bell nearby. I start thinking about a burrito supreme—or maybe just a taco to hold me over. The problem is that it spoils my appetite. When I fill up on something that’s not good for me, it makes me lose my appetite for things that are good for me. The same thing can happen to us spiritually. There are things we do, places we go, and people we hang out with that dull us spiritually. They make us lose our appetite for the things of God. They stunt our growth. When we indulge ourselves with them, the result is that we want to do less, and not more, spiritually. On the flip side, there are other people who inspire us spiritually by their example and by the godliness of their character. They don’t hold themselves up as role models and ask, “Why aren’t you more like me?” They simply live their faith in a way that’s not just inspiring, but also motivating. Being with them stimulates our hunger for Jesus. And that’s a good thing, because it comes down to this: As Christians, there’s always more for us to know about being disciples. There’s always more for us to learn about sharing our faith and encouraging others. There’s always more to discover in God’s Word. The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 1:9, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding” (nlt). His point is that you’re never done as a Christian. No matter how much you love, you can love more. No matter how much you pray, you can pray more. No matter how much you obey, you can obey more. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6 NIV). I don’t know about you, but I think all Christians should look at themselves and say, “I’m not content with where I’m at spiritually. There’s more to change in my life. I need to become more like Jesus.” The moment you fold your arms and say, “I’m content with where I am,” you set yourself up for a fall. When Jesus said, “Unless you . . . become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3 NLT), He wasn’t talking about being childish. He was talking about being childlike—always growing, always learning, and sometimes relearning things that we forget. Stay hungry for God’s truth. Thirst after righteousness. Refuse to rest on your spiritual laurels. As long as you have breath, continue to grow in your relationship with Christ. Look for ways to be a more effective prayer warrior and evangelist. If you do, God promises that you will be filled—and fulfilled. Reflection Question: How can you “stay hungry” in your Christian faith? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.” (Ephesians 1:5–6 NLT) Some people come from homes in which their fathers never expressed love or showed any affection toward them. Therefore, they take that concept of their earthly fathers and place it on their heavenly Father. They spend the rest of their lives trying to earn the approval of God, who has already given His approval to them. There are a lot of people who think they should keep the Ten Commandments because they are under the impression that God will punish them if they don’t. In a sense, they’re like Sisyphus, the character from Greek mythology who spent eternity pushing a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down again when he neared the top, forcing him to start over—again and again and again. These people work hard to earn God’s approval and be worthy of His love. But every time they slip up or do something to displease Him, they feel like they have to start over. Their faulty understanding of God and His mercy keeps them from maturing in their Christian faith. The fact is that God loves us and accepts us as we are. We don’t have to do anything to earn His approval. We don’t have to do anything to merit His love. In spite of our shortcomings and in spite of our sins, God loves us. He showed us how much He loves us by sending His Son to die in our place so that we might have eternal life. Romans 5:8 puts it this way: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (NLT). Understanding how much God loves us is what inspires us to love Him and others. As 1 John 4:19 says, “We love each other because he loved us first” (NLT). Instead of wanting to keep God’s commandments to earn His love, we should want to keep them because of His love for us. We should want to keep His commandments because we know they are right. It all comes down to our motives. We can’t do anything to earn God’s love or affection. His standards are too high. Because He is just, He demands perfect righteousness. And perfect righteousness is found only in Christ. That’s why Paul said in Ephesians 2:8–10: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (NLT). We don’t live in a Christlike way so that God will love us; we live in a Christlike way because God loves us and because we want to honor our heavenly Father. Reflection Question: How, if at all, does your relationship with your human father affect your relationship with your heavenly Father? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” (Philippians 3:7–9 NLT) In testimonies, Christians often talk about what they gave up to follow Jesus Christ. But what do we really give up? Some people give up addiction to drugs or alcohol. For most people, they give up a sense of guilt, emptiness, loneliness, and the ever-present fear of death. So it would be pretty easy for them to agree with the apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 3. Paul is saying, “The things I have given up are nothing compared to what God has given to me.” This teaching of Paul’s is a very important principle to learn as we become more mature in our faith. We find happiness in God. The Bible says, “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless” (Psalm 119:1 NIV). The word blessed that is used here and throughout the psalms can be translated as “happy.” A more literal rendering of the word blessed—and I really like this one—would be “happy, happy.” So if someone had asked the psalmist, “How are you feeling today?” he might have replied, “Happy, happy.” But in this psalm and in other places in Scripture, we find that happiness is connected to holiness (or being “blameless”). We also find that happiness is not something that we should seek outright. Happiness should be the result of seeking holiness. Despite what our Declaration of Independence says, the pursuit of happiness in and of itself is generally a futile search. The apostle Peter wrote, “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now, you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14–16 NLT). God didn’t create us to be happy in the shallow sense of the word. He created us to be holy, to live as Christ lived, to prioritize the commands of Scripture, and to share our faith with others. And He stands ready to help us whenever that pursuit seems too difficult. When we pursue holiness, we experience a soul-deep sense of satisfaction, joy, hope, purpose, and fulfillment. We discover true happiness. If you desire happiness, then seek the holiness of God. Only then will you be “happy, happy.” Reflection Question: What does pursuing holiness look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT) When my oldest son was a little boy, I would take him to Toys R Us. We would look around. I would tell him to pick out something for himself. He would look at the Star Wars figures. I would look at the X-Wing Fighter with the remote control, thinking that I would like to get it for him. The truth is that I wanted to play with it, too. He would pick out his little figure. Then I would say, “I was thinking of getting you something better than that.” He always went along with my idea. After a while, he started to learn something about Dad, which was that Dad liked to get presents for his kids. He came to realize that it was better to say, “I don’t know what to get, Dad. You choose it for me.” He came to realize that my choices were often better than what he chose for himself. Paul sends a similar message about our heavenly Father in Ephesians 3:20. The difference is that God’s generosity is perfect because God is perfect. He isn’t limited by resources. He isn’t swayed by moods, feelings, or impulses. He doesn’t have to guess at what might be meaningful or right for us. He designed us. He knows our code. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Sometimes that can be hard for us to accept. We don’t always recognize God’s perfect generosity because we allow misconceptions to warp our view of who He is and what He does. We fall for the lie that He’s a cosmic killjoy, always on the lookout for things that bring us joy so that He can put an end to them. And we compound the problem by being dazzled by temporary thrills—opportunities that have surface appeal but no real depth. Things that have no lasting value, that bring no sense of meaning, purpose, or fulfillment. Or, like my son, we’re content to settle for something small, something that pales in comparison to what we might have. Our enemy knows our tendencies and weaknesses and does everything in his power to exploit them. Look at his temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. He appealed to Jesus’ immediate physical needs. He offered fame and power. He wanted Jesus to settle for something less than the grand, glorious plan of God to redeem the world. And he does the same to us. He emphasizes flash over substance. He urges us to choose immediate gratification over long-term fulfillment. One of the many reasons God’s Word encourages us to become mature in our faith is so that we will recognize His generosity and respond with a spirit of gratitude. A mature faith understands that even though we have done nothing to earn God’s favor, He wants only what is ultimately best for us. Reflection Question: When have you experienced God’s generosity in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” (Ephesians 3:16–17 NLT) Can you imagine going home tonight and getting ready to go to bed when, all of a sudden, you see someone walking up to your front door and knocking? Lo and behold, it is Jesus. How would you react? Of course, you know this isn’t going to happen. The Lord isn’t going to come bodily to your home and knock on the front door. But let your imagination run wild for a moment and pretend that He is. Jesus Himself is knocking at your door. Would you open it up and gladly welcome Him in? Or would you feel a little apprehensive? The fact is, you should be living your life in such a way that Jesus could walk into your home at any moment and be welcomed without embarrassment. Look at the apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:16–17: “I pray that . . . Christ will make his home in your hearts” (NLT). He’s not talking about Christ simply living in your heart. The reality is that Christ lives in the heart of every believer. Paul’s point is that Christ should feel at home in your heart. This isn’t a temporary arrangement, the kind where you hide your mess until your company leaves. This is a permanent residency. Making Him feel welcome requires you to transform your life completely. But you don’t have to guess at how to do that. The Bible tells you how to live in a way that honors Christ—a way that makes Him feel at home in your heart. “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return” (Philippians 1:9–10 NLT). “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Philippians 1:27 NLT). “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” (Philippians 4:8 NLT). If we were talking about a human guest, these extensive preparations might seem like an inconvenience. But notice in Ephesians 3 what Paul says results from making Christ feel at home in your heart. “From his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit” (verse 16 NLT). “Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (verse 17 NLT). “You will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (verse 19 NLT). Jesus doesn’t want to feel at home in your heart because He’s a fussy guest. When you prepare your heart for Christ, you make yourself useful to God. You find fulfillment, challenge, motivation, strength, peace, and joy. And you experience what Jesus meant when he said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). Reflection Question: How can you make Jesus feel more at home in your heart? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” (Philippians 1:20–21 NLT) Every one of us has something that moves us in life. Something we are excited about. What is your purpose in life? How would you complete this statement: “For to me, living means living for _______”? You might say, “For to me, living means living for fun.” Or “For to me, living means living for pleasure.” Or “For to me, living means living for money.” Or “For to me, living means living for success.” Or “For to me, living means living for fame.” Or “For to me, living means living for sex.” No matter what it is, everybody lives for something. For the apostle Paul, living meant living for Christ. That was his purpose. That was his motivation. But he didn’t stop there. He completed the statement by saying, “and dying is even better.” Only the person who says, “For to me, living means living for Christ,” can say, “and dying is even better.” When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion, He destroyed the power of death. That’s why Paul wrote, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55 NLT). When you live for Christ, you no longer have to fear death, because you know that death is nothing more than a transition from point A to point B. A transition from a body that is wearing out to a new body that God has created for you. A transition from an earth that is corrupt and separated from God to a new Heaven and a new earth where you will live in His presence. A transition from a world filled with sin, temptation, and unhappiness to that place where there will be no more sorrow. When you confidently say in this life, “For to me, living means living for Christ,” you don’t have to be afraid of what happens in the next life. That’s not to suggest that Christians should have a death wish. If you look at Paul’s words in Philippians 1:22–24, you see his ambivalence about dying. “But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live” (NLT). The reality is that God has given us important responsibilities in this life—responsibilities to people who don’t yet know Christ as well as responsibilities to our fellow believers. Recognizing, embracing, and making the most of those opportunities helps build unity in the body of Christ. If we live for Christ, we can face death with no fear. In the meantime, though, let’s make the most of the time we have on earth. Reflection Question: What evidence of living for Christ might people see in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan.” (Ephesians 1:9 NLT) No Christian should ever say, “I was really lucky today” or “Whatever will be will be.” Forget that. If you are a Christian, then you are a child of God. There’s no such thing as dumb luck. God has a plan and a purpose. He has a strategy for your life. You may not see it now, but He sees it and always has seen it. God is paying attention to what you are facing right now. He is paying attention to what you really need—not necessarily to what you want. So the great thing to know is that God is thinking about you and that He cares about you. The more mature you become in your faith, through prayer and studying God’s Word, the better able you are to see and trust God’s plan. Proverbs 19:21 says, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” So the first thing to do is line up your self-made plans behind God’s plan. You make His plan your priority. That’s the wise course of action. Isaiah 55:8–9 says, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (NLT). You can find God’s thoughts and ways in His Word. If you study and pray about them enough, you start to align your decision-making with them. You make choices that honor the Lord and pave the way for His plans to be accomplished in and through you. God doesn’t reveal His entire plan for your life at once. Instead, He reveals only what you need to know at a given moment—just enough for you to stay dependent on Him. You can know how things will end, of course. God reveals the culmination of His plan in Ephesians 1:10: “And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth” (NLT). For those who receive Christ as Savior, this “bringing together” will be eternal life in Heaven under His authority. For those who reject Christ as Savior, this “bringing together” will be facing His authority as Judge. The first time Jesus came, it was as a baby. When He returns, it will be as the all-powerful divine Judge. God’s Word doesn’t give us a calendar for Christ’s return. All we know is that it will happen “at the right time”—that is, when God, in His perfect wisdom, patience, and justice, decides that it’s time. Until then, your job is to discover and embrace God’s plan for your life—and to align your will and your priorities with His. Reflection Question: Where do you see evidence of God’s plan in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:16 NLT) Good things happen when the church functions in the way God intends. Not only do God’s people become unified, like the parts of a body working together, but we also become spiritually mature. The apostle Paul offers a glimpse of what that maturity looks like: “We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church” (Ephesians 4:14–15 NLT). When I was a brand-new believer, I would talk with Pastor Chuck Smith, who was quite a bit older than I was. One day, I asked, “Chuck, how long have you been a Christian?” I think he said it was somewhere around fifty years. That number stunned me. “Fifty years?” I asked. “Does that make you an apostle now? Can you walk on water after fifty years?” There is maturity that comes with time. But I’ve been a Christian now for longer than fifty years, and while I’ve certainly grown and learned a lot, I have a long way to go. Some of you may be saying, “Yeah, you do, Greg.” And that’s true. I do. But you do, too. We all do. There’s no shame in admitting it. In fact, when we stop believing we have a long way to go, we set ourselves up for a fall. Paul himself said, “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 3:13–14 NLT). Even as he taught others how to become spiritually mature, Paul constantly was striving to become more mature in Christ himself. Spiritual maturity grounds us in the truth of Scripture. It keeps us from being “tossed and blown about” by false teachings. It gives us the wisdom and discernment to recognize deceivers, people who try to make the Bible say things it doesn’t say. Spiritual maturity and spiritual unity complement one another. When you develop a sense of unity with other believers, you also develop a sense of accountability. And believers who are accountable to one another will speak the truth in love when one of them starts to go down a questionable path. Reflection Question: What does spiritual maturity look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13 NLT) God didn’t say, “I desire unity in the church. Good luck with that.” Instead, He designed the church so that it would promote unity. In Ephesians 4:11–12, the apostle Paul tells us that Christ gives people specific gifts so that they can fill specific offices in the church. When those officers use their gifts to fulfill their responsibilities, something amazing happens. Connections are made. Fellowship occurs. Bonds of unity are forged. Some people are called—and gifted—to be apostles. They don’t have the authority of Jesus’ apostles, but they are special ambassadors of God’s work. Apostles may plant churches or serve as liaisons to other Christian organizations. Some people are equipped to be prophets. They don’t have the same authority as biblical prophets, but they speak the words of God that agree with the Old and New Testaments. In 1 Corinthians 14:29, Paul emphasized that the words of prophets are subject to the discernment and authority of church leaders. Some people are equipped to be evangelists. That is, they are specially gifted to share the Good News of Christ with others. And some people are equipped to be pastors and teachers. We shepherd the flock by making God’s Word accessible, understandable, and applicable. Often that involves building a bridge to our audience or making a connection to get their attention. Ultimately, though, the power of our message is not in some quote from a secular philosopher or a pop star or some other iconic figure. The power is in the Word of God. God said in Isaiah 55:11, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (NLT). And Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (NLT). My job, and the job of all pastors and teachers, is not to make the Bible relevant. The Bible is relevant. I just need to let the lion out of the cage and let the Word of God do what it does best, change lives. In the bigger picture, Christ equips the leaders of the church to equip God’s people to serve. This common experience—of learning the truth of God’s Word, of being equipped, and of sharing a commitment to serve—strengthens the unity among church members. When we embrace our roles, the body of Christ grows, and the members of that body learn to work in unity. Reflection Question: How can you help create or nurture a spirit of unity in your church? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” (Ephesians 4:3 NLT) In our increasingly fractured culture, we don’t have to look hard for issues that divide us. But where can we find things that unite us? Ephesians 4 is a good place to start our search. For the next few days, we’re going to look at the apostle Paul’s teachings on creating and nurturing unity in the church. In the first three chapters of his letter, Paul reminded the Ephesian believers of what God had done for them. In Ephesians 4:1, he urged them “to lead a life worthy of your calling” (NLT). When you have a sense of what God has done for you, you’re more likely to serve Him out of gratitude. You don’t lead a worthy life so that He will love you; you lead a worthy life because He loves you. Leading a worthy life means embracing qualities such as humility, gentleness, and patience. That might involve tabling your own agenda for the sake of someone else’s. Or choosing to forgive instead of taking revenge. Or learning to appreciate the characteristics and quirks in other people that don’t mesh with ours. James put it a little more bluntly: “Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!” (James 5:9 NLT). Don’t complain about other believers. Go to them and try to help them. The phrase “grumble about each other” means to groan within yourself. It speaks of a person who has a bitter attitude. Some people are always criticizing. They think it’s a spiritual gift—the gift of tearing others down. But it’s not a gift of the Spirit; it’s a work of the flesh, and it’s used by the enemy. Don’t be known as someone who burns bridges; be known as someone who builds bridges. Don’t be known as someone who kicks others when they’re down; be known as someone who reaches out to people and pulls them back up again. Don’t denigrate and tear down one another. If you have something to say about someone, say it to them, not about them. Paul said, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united” (Ephesians 4:3 NLT). If that means sacrificing your own preferences, so be it. If it means swallowing your pride, so be it. If it means meeting people more than halfway or doing the heavy lifting in a relationship, so be it. Keeping people united may seem like thankless work at times, but God sees and rewards our efforts. His Spirit works in us and through us, making sure that our efforts don’t go to waste. As believers, we share one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. That gives us a wide swath of common ground on which to build unity. Reflection Question: What is your best strategy for building unity in a group? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! ‘Peace be with you,’ he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!” (John 20:19–20 NLT) If we were telling the origin story of the Christian church, this would be a compelling first scene. A handful of Jesus’ followers hiding behind closed doors, shell-shocked, confused, and too scared to show their faces in public. Suddenly the risen Jesus miraculously appears in the flesh, victorious over sin and death, confirming the truth of everything He taught and promised them. At some point, either while Jesus was in the room or after He left, the truth must have dawned on them. If the One they served is more powerful than sin and death, then (1) they had nothing to fear, and (2) the world needed to know. We see their newfound boldness and sense of purpose in the passages that follow. That’s the power of the resurrection. Armed with that power, this small group of believers changed the world. And most of them sacrificed their lives to do it. According to church tradition, Peter took the gospel to Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia. He was crucified upside down because he told his executioners that he wasn’t worthy of being crucified in the same manner as Jesus. Andrew spread the gospel through what is now Russia, Turkey, and Greece. He, too, was crucified. Thomas wasn’t present when Jesus first appeared to the disciples in John 20. And he doubted their story. But when Jesus appeared again, and Thomas saw Him, his doubts disappeared. He took the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection all the way to India. He died after being impaled by the spears of four soldiers. Philip spread the gospel in North Africa and Asia Minor. After he converted the wife of a Roman official, the official had him put to death. Matthew, the tax collector, traveled to Persia and Ethiopia to spread Jesus’ message. He was stabbed to death. Bartholomew accompanied Thomas to India and also shared the gospel in Armenia, Ethiopia, and Southern Arabia. He was crucified. James, the son of Alphaeus, shared the Good News of Christ throughout Syria. He was stoned and then clubbed to death. Simon took the gospel to Persia. He was put to death there when he refused to make a sacrifice to the sun god. Matthias was the man chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. He shared the gospel in Syria, where he was burned to death. John is believed to be the only disciple who died a natural death. He was exiled to the penal colony of Patmos. The apostle Paul traveled extensively to share the gospel. He was beheaded in Rome. The apostle John ended his Gospel with these words: “Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25 NLT). Among the “many other things” was the impact Jesus had on a small group of ordinary people. He changed their lives forever. And, in turn, they changed the world in His name. As Jesus’ followers, we’re still called to change the world—one life at a time. We have Good News to share—the best news, in fact. If we’re faithful to our calling, we can impact lives for eternity. Reflection question: In what ways would you like to be bolder in sharing your faith with others? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’” (Acts 9:3–4 NLT) The story of Stephen’s stoning contains a curious footnote: “His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7:58 NLT). That would be Saul of Tarsus. After participating in the stoning of Stephen, Saul gained notoriety as a persecutor of Christians. Saul was proud of his Jewish heritage and zealous in his Jewish faith. When he saw the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, a dead revolutionary, challenging Jewish beliefs, he determined to put an end to their movement. Acts 8:3 says, “But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison” (NLT). Acts 9:1 says, “Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers” (NLT). This was a man fueled by religious extremism. Saul found his identity in his Jewish religion. He was rigid in his beliefs and unlikely to change. Until he encountered the risen Christ. While Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, Jesus appeared to him, as explained in the passage above. Saul’s life was never the same again. Temporarily blinded after his encounter, Saul was led to the home of Ananias, a believer who knew of Saul’s reputation and was understandably suspicious of him. But the Lord revealed to Ananias that He had important plans for Saul. Saul regained his sight, was filled by the Holy Spirit, and then baptized. As zealous as ever, he went straight to the local synagogue and proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God. The Jewish people who had been his former allies were confounded by the power of his teaching. As was the case with Ananias, the apostles and church leaders viewed Saul with skepticism. Eventually he won them over with the power of his testimony, his teaching, and his zeal to share the Good News. Saul embarked on three major missionary journeys that took him to Gentile regions throughout the land. Perhaps to give himself more credibility in those places, he started using his Roman name, Paul. He was imprisoned, stoned, and beaten for preaching the truth of Christ. But he never wavered. He considered it an honor to suffer for the Lord’s sake. He was beheaded in Rome around AD 66. But not before God had used him to change the world. The life of Saul/Paul is a testimony to the power of Jesus’ resurrection. The risen Christ can transform any life. He offers forgiveness and healing. He gives us new purpose, new meaning, and new hope. Through the Holy Spirit, He guides us, comforts us, convicts us when we do wrong, and challenges us to maximize our God-given gifts. Jesus lets us start again. Reflection question: How has Jesus transformed your life or the lives of people you know? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8 NLT) In the months following Jesus’ ascension, the church grew at an amazing rate. Jesus’ followers, emboldened by His resurrection, spread the Good News near and far. And people responded. Acts 2:41 tells us that after Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, “those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all” (NLT). The church was also trying a radical experiment in community living. “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. . . . There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need” (Acts 4:32, 34–35 NLT). “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food” (Acts 6:1 NLT). Jesus’ apostles had neither the time nor the training to deal with such matters. Their solution was to delegate the responsibilities to “seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3 NLT). The first person on their list was “Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit)” (verse 5 NLT). One day a group of Jewish men started a debate with Stephen, but quickly realized they were overmatched. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with His wisdom. The men got their revenge by persuading others to lie about Stephen and accuse him of slandering the temple and the law of Moses. Stephen was taken to the Jewish high council to answer the charges. Instead, Stephen launched into an epic sermon. He traced Israel’s relationship with God, starting with Abraham, who left his homeland for the land God promised him. God also promised Abraham that his descendants would fill the land but would also be oppressed as slaves in a foreign land for four hundred years. Stephen recounted how God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision and how He blessed Abraham’s descendants: Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs of Israel. He explained how Joseph’s captivity in Egypt led to the slavery of the Jewish people for four hundred years. He also explained how Moses not only led them out of slavery but also prophesied the coming of the Messiah. Stephen ended his sermon by making the connection between their ancestors’ rejection of Moses and the prophets and the Jewish leaders’ rejection—and murder—of Jesus. Stephen spoke God’s truth boldly. He was prepared to sacrifice His life for His Savior. Acts 7:57–58 tells us that the Jewish leaders were so infuriated that they dragged Stephen out of the city and stoned him. Stephen became the first recorded Christian martyr. There’s a powerful lesson in his story for all believers. We may never be called to give our lives for Christ, but we should be prepared to sacrifice our comfort, security, pride, relationships, plans, priorities, and anything else we hold dear for His sake. Reflection question: Why is sacrifice an important part of our walk with Christ? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35 NLT) The New Testament mentions two followers of Jesus named Philip. The first was one of the twelve disciples, the men Jesus handpicked to follow Him. The second was known as Philip the Evangelist. Many Bible scholars believe that Philip the Evangelist was one of the seventy-two men Jesus sent out in Luke 10:1. According to Acts 6:5, Philip the evangelist was one of the original seven deacons in the church at Jerusalem. According to Acts 21:8–9, Paul and Luke stayed at his house for several days when they visited Jerusalem. But the story for which Philip is best known is found in Acts 8. Philip had left Jerusalem to become an evangelist in the city of Samaria, which was located about thirty miles north of Jerusalem. “Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city” (verses 6–8 NLT). Energized and emboldened by Jesus’ resurrection, Philip fearlessly spread the gospel to people who were hungry for the Good News. One day he received very specific instructions from an angel of the Lord. It seems that an important government official from Ethiopia had traveled to Jerusalem to worship. The official was reading aloud from the book of Isaiah in his carriage on his journey back to Ethiopia but was having difficulty making sense of the text. The angel instructed Philip, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza” (verse 26 NLT)—the road the Ethiopian official was traveling. Philip didn’t question why he was being sent to the middle of nowhere. Incredible things had been happening since Jesus’ resurrection, and he probably saw the assignment as an opportunity to be part of yet another one. He was right. “Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ “The man replied, ‘How can I, unless someone instructs me?’ And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him” (verses 30–31 NLT). The passage he was reading was Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus being led like a sheep to the slaughter. The official wanted to know who the passage was talking about. He practically invited Philip to share the Good News with him. Philip didn’t need to be told twice. The Ethiopian official was so moved by the gospel message that he asked Philip to baptize him. And then, according to church tradition, he carried the Good News of Christ back to his homeland and started a church there so that countless other lives would be transformed. The Christian faith gained an important foothold in its global spread. All because one man was bold enough to respond to God’s call. If you find yourself in the right place at the right time to share your faith or answer someone’s questions about the Bible, it’s because God put you there, just as He did with Philip. Seize the moment. Be bold. Even a single encounter can change a life—and more. Reflection question: Who might be waiting for you to help them understand the message of the Bible? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NLT) A short time after the miracle at Pentecost, Peter and John went to the temple in Jerusalem for an afternoon prayer service. They were approached by a man who had been a paraplegic since birth. The man was well-known to temple-goers because every day he was carried to the temple gate, where he begged for money. Newly filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter and John opted for something much, much better. Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk” (Acts 3:6 NLT). The man was instantly healed—and filled with joyous gratitude. “Walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with” Peter and John (Acts 3:8 NLT). People recognized him as the (formerly) lame beggar and gathered around, absolutely astounded by his healing. Peter saw a faith-sharing opportunity and addressed the crowd. That’s right, the man who, only a short time earlier, had been too afraid to identify himself as Jesus’ disciple was now speaking boldly to the temple crowd. That’s the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Peter pulled no punches in explaining where the power for the man’s healing had come from. Jesus—whom the people in the crowd had rejected and demanded be crucified—had been raised from the dead. Faith in Him is what caused the man to be healed. Peter helped the people see that Jesus had fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah. He urged them to repent of their sins and receive God’s forgiveness. About two thousand of them did just that. (Compare the figure in Acts 2:41 with the one in Acts 4:4.) The Jewish religious leaders quickly put an end to the preaching and arrested Peter and John. The next day, the two disciples were brought before “the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law” (Acts 4:5 NLT)—the same people who had overseen Jesus’ trials two months earlier. “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” they asked. (verse 7 NLT). That’s a risky question to ask two men filled with the Holy Spirit. “Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.… There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (verses 10, 12 NLT). Peter and John knew full well that the Jewish officials could have them killed. In fact, they had been hiding from these very men when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. But they had been empowered by the One who conquered death. So they spoke the truth boldly and left the consequences in the Lord’s hands. The Lord doesn’t shield His followers from the repercussions of being bold for His sake. But He stays with us through the challenges, the discomfort, and the consequences. He gives strength, wisdom, and perspective. And He rewards our faithfulness in ways we can’t imagine. Reflection question: What would boldness in sharing the Good News of Christ look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.” (Acts 2:41 NLT) Jesus’ followers experienced a profound change after His resurrection. Jesus had conquered sin and death forever. He had already won the war against humankind’s two greatest enemies. So His followers were emboldened to fight the battles against those who opposed Jesus’ work. They literally had nothing to fear any longer. We can see the evidence of their newfound boldness in the events that took place during the celebration of Pentecost at the temple in Jerusalem about ten days after Jesus returned to Heaven. Pentecost (which is also known as Shavuot) is a major Jewish festival. In the first century AD, people traveled from foreign lands to celebrate it at the Jerusalem temple, the center of Jewish worship. Jesus’ followers were also in Jerusalem at the time. About 120 of them had continued to meet since Jesus’ departure. According to Acts 2:1–4, a roaring wind suddenly swept through their meeting place. Small flames appeared and rested on each of them. The Holy Spirit filled them, and they began to speak in languages they didn’t know. A large crowd rushed in to investigate the commotion. Foreign visitors to the city were stunned to hear stories about the wonderful things God had done being spoken in their native languages by uneducated Galileans. Peter seized the moment. The disciple who, just a short time earlier, had been too scared even to identify himself with Jesus, boldly stepped forward and explained that the people were witnessing the fulfillment of a prophecy God had made hundreds of years earlier, as recorded in Joel 2:28–32. God had promised to pour out His Spirit on all people, and now the Spirit had arrived. Peter then launched into an impromptu sermon. He reminded people of the miracles Jesus had performed. He pointed to those miracles, as well as to Jesus’ death and resurrection, to show them that Jesus had carried out God’s plan of salvation. Peter quoted the prophetic words King David wrote about Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth. And then he identified Jesus as the long-promised Lord and Messiah. Peter urged the people to repent and be baptized so that they, too, would be filled with the Holy Spirit. His words had a powerful impact. Acts 2:42 says that about three thousand people believed in Jesus that day. With one bold push, Peter and the others started the snowball rolling downhill. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they established the church and began to fulfill the Great Commission—to make disciples of all nations. The world would never be the same. The same Holy Spirit who gave wisdom, strength, and boldness to Peter and the others fills everyone who believes in Jesus today. His power is always available to us. He equips us to step out of our comfort zone, to reach across the invisible lines that separate us from others, and to boldly share the Good News of Jesus. Reflection question: What specifically can the Holy Spirit equip you to do? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21 NLT) I heard a story of a man who was trying to start his own religion, without much success. He went to a wise friend and said, “I’m trying to start my own religion, but no one is joining. What do you think I ought to do?” His friend replied, “Why don’t you go get yourself crucified and rise again on the third day. I am sure you will have a lot of followers.” Jesus’ followers were certainly energized and emboldened after His crucifixion and resurrection. But they had been prepared for their mission long before then. For Jesus’ followers, His public ministry was a three-year training course. During their time together, Jesus gave them—and all who follow Him—a method for ministering to others. In Matthew 5 alone, He said, “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad!” (verses 11–12 NLT). “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also” (verse 39 NLT). “If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too” (verse 40 NLT). “If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles” (verse 41 NLT). “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (verse 44 NLT). In other words, march to the beat of a different drummer. Boldly set yourself apart from the world, no matter what the cost. Let people see the difference the Lord has made in your life. Jesus gave His followers a mission for ministering to others. Before He ascended to Heaven, He gave His followers marching orders: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20 NLT). The news of Jesus’ life, teachings, sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection—of the salvation and eternal life He made possible—is too good to keep to ourselves. He wants us to share it with others in ways that resonate with them. That’s our challenge—and our privilege. Jesus gave His followers a model for ministering to others. He asks nothing of us that He didn’t do Himself. The apostle Peter emphasized the importance of following Jesus’ example in the passage above. The apostle Paul wrote, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5–8 NLT). Humility is the key. One of the last things Jesus did before He was arrested was wash His disciples’ feet. In the culture of the first century AD, this was a job reserved for the lowliest of servants. Jesus wanted His followers to know that when it comes to God’s work, we are servants. Pride and arrogance are obstacles that keep us from fulfilling His plan for us. Jesus’ disciples learned these lessons well, although it doesn’t always appear that way in Scripture. Following Jesus’ example, they took His Good News to the ends of the earth. We may not cover nearly as much distance as they did, but we, too, are equipped to share the Good News of Jesus with others. Jesus set the example for lovingly ministering to the people around us. He showed us what servanthood looks like. Reflection question: What method for ministering to others will you focus on this week? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“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 PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“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 PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“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?Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:29–30 NLT) Ever since I was a little kid, I have always had a great admiration for the historical person known as Jesus. I had seen all His movies. I thought very highly of Him. I would thumb through my grandmother’s big family Bible and look at the illustrations of Jesus. She had a picture of Jesus on the wall. I would sit and stare at it and think, I wish I could have known that man Jesus. The one thing I didn’t like about the life of Jesus was the way the story ended. I thought whoever wrote the story ought to rewrite it with a happier ending. The whole part of His being crucified wrecks everything. He is on this great roll. He is healing people. He is teaching people. Little children are flocking to Him. He is becoming more popular. This ending is ridiculous. Why do they have to put Him on a cross and kill Him? It wasn’t until after I became a Christian that I realized the crucifixion of Jesus was the primary reason He came to earth in the first place. He came to earth, fully God and fully human. He lived among us, as one of us. He experienced the things that are common to all of us, including the temptation to sin. Hebrews 4:14–15 says, “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (NLT). Jesus destroyed the power of sin. He lived a sinless life so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of everyone else. He lived humbly, in perfect obedience to God. The apostle Paul put it this way: “When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:7–8 NLT). He did what no one else could do: pay God’s price for the sins of the world. Ephesians 1:7 says that God “is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins” (NLT). Jesus’ blood covers the sins of everyone who believes in Him. That means when God looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin; He sees His Son’s righteousness. That’s why Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). And “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NLT). Jesus gives us hope, joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose. He gives us “a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). That’s the work Jesus completed on the cross. That’s why He was able to say triumphantly, “It is finished.” Reflection question: How can people see the finished work of Jesus in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!’ And with those words he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46 NLT) Today we are going to discover the most painful moment in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. What do you think it was? Perhaps your mind races to the crucifixion itself. You think of the spikes being driven into His hands and feet. As painful and horrific as that was, I don’t believe that was His most painful moment. Perhaps you think of the scourging that took place prior to the crucifixion. The Roman whip literally tore Jesus’ back open, exposing his vital organs. As horrible as that was, I don’t believe it was His most painful moment. Perhaps you think of how all His disciples, with the exception of one, deserted Him in His hour of need. As horrible and painful as that must have been, I don’t believe that it was His most painful moment. I believe Jesus’ most painful moment is captured in His words in Matthew 27:46. Jesus uttered seven statements while He hung on the cross. Each one gives us insight into what He was experiencing, fulfilling, and accomplishing as He paid the ultimate price for our sin. The first reveals the depth of His suffering. “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 NLT). The intimacy that Jesus shared with His heavenly Father in the Garden of Gethsemane just a few hours earlier was gone. In its place was the wrath of the holy God. Jesus used the words of Psalm 22:1 to express His agony as He faced that wrath alone. God turned away from Jesus as He endured the punishment for the sins of the world. That spiritual abandonment was far more devastating than the physical pain Jesus experienced. “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NLT). Jesus’ enemies believed they were getting rid of a false messiah. They didn’t realize they were crucifying the Son of God, who was giving His life to save them. Jesus’ compassion on those who mocked and tortured Him is an amazing example of divine grace. “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 NLT). This is the work of salvation. One of the revolutionaries who was being crucified next to Him said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” He placed His faith in Jesus. In reply, Jesus assured him that he would be with Him in Heaven the moment he died. “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 23:46 NLT). Jesus presented Himself to God as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. He was ready to give up His life to complete the work of salvation. “Dear woman, here is your son”; “Here is your mother” (John 19:26–27 (NLT). Here’s another example of Jesus placing the needs of others above His own, even as He endured the agony of the cross. Jesus saw His mother in the crowd and wanted to make sure that she would be cared for. He entrusted her care to His beloved disciple John. “I am thirsty” (John 19:28 NLT). Jesus wasn’t trying to get His physical needs met. He was fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 69:21: “They offer me sour wine for my thirst” (NLT). He said He was thirsty so that the Roman guards would give Him sour wine (vinegar). Jesus made one final statement from the cross. That will be the focus of our devotion tomorrow. Even in death, Jesus’ words are life-giving. His final utterances from the cross completed God’s work of salvation. They point us to eternal life, and they show us how to live this life abundantly by prioritizing God’s will. Reflection question: What do Jesus’ final words reveal about Him, His work, and His priorities? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken! ” (Psalm 34:20 NLT) Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross made eternal life possible. It’s the greatest gift ever offered. And God wanted to make sure that people recognized the gift for what it was. So even in the most agonizing moments of Jesus’ sacrifice, He continued to fulfill prophecies about His death that had been made hundreds of years earlier. Isaiah 53:12 predicted that Jesus would be put to death alongside criminals. “I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels” (NLT). Mark 15:27 says, “Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left” (NLT). In Luke’s account of the crucifixion, one of the revolutionaries taunted Jesus. The other defended Him. “Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.’ And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:42–43 NLT). In Exodus 12:46, God gave Moses and Aaron instructions for the first Passover. “Each Passover lamb must be eaten in one house. Do not carry any of its meat outside, and do not break any of its bones” (NLT). The verse from Psalm 34 above turns those instructions into prophecy. Jesus was our sacrificial lamb. When John the Baptist saw Him, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NLT). Psalm 34:20 predicted that the Lamb of God’s bones would not be broken. To understand the significance of this prophecy, you have to know a little about crucifixion. Most people who were crucified died of suffocation. The position of their bodies on the cross restricted their lungs and made it hard to catch their breath. They had to push themselves up with their feet, which were nailed to the cross, to take a breath. If a crucifixion took too long, the Roman soldiers would break the person’s legs so that he couldn’t push up anymore. That’s what almost happened to Jesus. John 19:33 says, “But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs” (NLT). Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear. And “immediately blood and water flowed out” (verse 34 NLT). The water was likely fluid that had built up around Jesus’ heart and lungs. The piercing of the spear confirmed that Jesus was dead. It also confirmed that God works in amazing ways. In Zechariah 12:10, which was written hundreds of years before Jesus’ crucifixion, God says, “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died” (NLT). The biblical account of Jesus’ crucifixion is unflinching. Our sin made it necessary for Jesus to suffer as no one else has ever suffered. And the Bible pulls no punches in recording His suffering. But even the smallest details of the story reveal the perfection of God’s plan. He caused all things to work together for good, and He made eternal life possible. Reflection question: How can you honor God’s perfect plan of salvation in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, ‘Hail! King of the Jews!’ And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it.” (Matthew 27:28–30 NLT) The list of assaults and indignities Jesus suffered after His arrest is long. A temple guard slapped Him during His trial before Annas (see John 18:22). Members of the Sanhedrin spit in His face, beat Him with their fists, and slapped Him for telling the truth about who He was, which they considered blasphemy (see Matthew 26:62–67). Herod and his soldiers mocked and ridiculed Him (see Luke 23:11). Roman soldiers placed a crown made of thorn branches on His head, mocked Him, spit on Him, and hit Him in the head with a reed stick (see Matthew 27:27–30). Pilate had him flogged with a leather whip studded with shards of lead (see Matthew 27:26). Near death already from His beatings and torture, Jesus was forced to carry a heavy crossbeam to Golgotha, the site of His crucifixion (see John 19:17). Jesus’ suffering fulfilled prophecies Isaiah had made hundreds of years earlier. “I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting” (Isaiah 50:6 NLT). “But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man” (Isaiah 52:14 NLT). With this Good Friday perspective in mind, let’s look at the words Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew 16:24. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me” (NLT). Some people will say, “That’s my cross to bear,” when they’re talking about a burden or an annoyance they must put up with. But that’s not what Jesus was talking about. To “take up your cross” is to be willing to sacrifice everything, even your life, to follow Him. Jesus understood that not many people are willing to do that. During His earthly ministry, He drew crowds wherever He went. Some people liked what they heard and saw and followed Him. Some of them hoped that He would fulfill their expectations of the Messiah. Some wanted to see miracles. And some just wanted free food. They weren’t interested in taking up crosses. Jesus’ command weeds out the pretenders. It also challenges those of us who are genuine in our desire to follow Him to examine our faith and ask some hard questions. Would I be willing to sacrifice my reputation to follow Christ? Would I be willing to lose my job? My friends? My family? My life? Reflection question: What does “taking up your cross” and following Jesus look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“‘Away with him,’ they yelled. ‘Away with him! Crucify him!’ ‘What? Crucify your king?’ Pilate asked. ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the leading priests shouted back.” (John 19:15 NLT) In the hours after His arrest, Jesus faced several different trials before Jewish and Roman leaders. His accusers made false allegations against Him and twisted His words to make their accusations seem legitimate. And through it all, Jesus remained silent. He refused to counter their claims or defend Himself against their lies. His silence was probably a welcome surprise to the people who had plotted against Him. Jesus had verbally sparred with the Jewish authorities several times during His ministry, and each time He exposed their hypocrisy and misunderstanding of God and His Word. In fact, according to Matthew 22, a few days before Jesus was arrested, a group of Pharisees and a group of Sadducees tried to trap Jesus by asking Him some tricky theological questions. It didn’t go well for them. Jesus turned the tables and put them on the spot with questions of His own. The people who witnessed these encounters had one reaction. Verse 33 says, “When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching” (NLT). The Pharisees and Sadducees who instigated the encounters had a different reaction. Verse 46 says, “No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions” (NLT). Jesus’ silence during His trials was a strategic choice on His part. It worked to His enemies’ advantage, as He knew it would. Remember, the crowds were on Jesus’ side at this point. He was still popular after His triumphant arrival on Palm Sunday. But with no pushback from Jesus’ side, His enemies were able to sway public opinion. They worked the crowds, spreading their lies and false accusations. They could point to Jesus and say, “He’s not even trying to deny the charges!” Their efforts were successful. When the Roman governor Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd, the people shouted for His execution. It didn’t matter that neither the Jewish nor the Roman authorities had found any legitimate reason to execute Him. They were okay with Jesus’ blood being on their hands. For Jesus, this was just another in a long line of rejections. He was rejected by His hometown of Nazareth (see Mark 6:1–6). He was rejected by a Samaritan village (see Luke 9:51–56). He was even rejected by His disciples (see John 6:60–66). In being rejected, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care” (NLT). We could marvel at the short-sightedness and hard-heartedness that caused the people outside Pilate’s residence to reject Jesus so cruelly. But let’s marvel instead at the amazing love that caused Jesus to give His life for those who were calling for His death so that they might live forever. And let’s remind ourselves that there are people who reject Him today who need to hear about His amazing love. Reflection question: Why do people reject Jesus today? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.” (Mark 14:55 NIV) The prosecution of Jesus offers a case study in injustice, hypocrisy, and evil. After He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was taken to the house of Annas, a former high priest. Annas interrogated Him briefly and then sent Him to the house of Caiaphas, the current high priest. Caiaphas had assembled the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious body in Israel, to hear testimony. He had hoped to include the testimonies of false witnesses who were willing to lie about Jesus, but none of them could get their stories straight. Instead, he used testimony from two men who said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days’” (Matthew 26:61 NLT). The high priest demanded that Jesus tell them if He was the Messiah. “Jesus replied, ‘You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (verse 64 NLT). He gave His enemies all they needed to convict Him of blasphemy. It didn’t matter to them that He spoke the truth. “‘Guilty!’ they shouted. ‘He deserves to die!’” (verse 66 NLT). The Sanhedrin made its verdict official a short time later. But it didn’t have the authority to carry out the death sentence. Only Roman authorities could do that. So the Jewish leaders sent Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate. Pilate could find no reason to execute Him. When he learned that Jesus had started His ministry in Galilee, Pilate sent Him to Herod, the ruler of Galilee, who happened to be in Jerusalem at that time. Herod asked a lot of questions, and then ridiculed and mocked Jesus, but could find no reason to pass judgment on Him. So he sent him back to Pilate. Meanwhile, the Jewish leaders had organized a mob to demand that Jesus be crucified. Pilate tried to explain that he could find no guilt in Jesus. He had Jesus flogged to try to satisfy the mob’s bloodlust. But it didn’t work. Through it all, Jesus used an unorthodox but highly effective legal strategy—effective, that is, if your aim is to be found guilty and put to death. He remained silent. Aside from a few sentences, He refused to engage His accusers or answer their charges, even though almost every part of His trial was illegal and unjust. In doing so, He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (NIV). In terms of human justice, Jesus’ trials were a farce. But He was interested in justice of another kind. Jesus did exactly what He needed to do to ensure that God’s justice was satisfied. Because of our sins, the only way for it to be satisfied was for an innocent person to endure God’s wrath. And He was the only innocent person. Jesus was still in complete control. He had outsmarted and outmaneuvered the religious leaders at every turn in His ministry. He could have shamed His accusers and exposed the hypocrisy of His judges. And that’s why He remained silent. He was forcing their hand. He was giving them no choice but to crucify Him. A key takeaway from this epic miscarriage of justice is that one day the Defendant will be the Judge. One day all of us will stand before the Lord to give an account of our lives. And our eternal fate will be determined by a single question: Who do you say He is? Reflection question: How can we respond to people who try to discredit Jesus? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. ‘Am I some dangerous revolutionary,’ he asked, ‘that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?’” (Luke 22:52 NLT) The scene in Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested is chaotic and confusing in the Gospel account. Imagine how much more chaotic and confusing it was in person. Judas Iscariot, who knew Gethsemane well because of the time he’d spent with Jesus, led the arresting party. With him was an odd mix of characters: Roman soldiers, temple guards, Jewish officials, and assorted servants. Strange bedfellows, to say the least. John 18:4 says, “Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them” (NLT). It must have been a little unsettling for Judas and his cohorts to plan Jesus’ surprise arrest, only to find that He was expecting them. That may explain why “they all drew back and fell to the ground” when He identified Himself (verse 6 NLT). By taking control of the situation, Jesus aimed to avoid a violent confrontation. But Peter didn’t get the memo. He drew his sword and took a wild swing. He missed the armed soldiers and guards but managed to cut off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. Jesus healed the injured man and then helped Peter recognize who was really pulling the strings. “Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:53–54 NLT). There’s our takeaway from this story. Despite the chaotic nature of the scene and despite the unpredictability of human nature, there was never a moment when the Lord wasn’t in control. When did Judas and his cronies show up? After Jesus had finished praying. They didn’t catch Him by surprise. They didn’t interrupt His conversation with His Father. They made their entrance when they were supposed to. They didn’t disrupt the plan that was unfolding; they were part of it. They played the roles God intended them to play. The disciples didn’t see it that way—not in that moment, at least. Matthew wrote, “At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56 NLT). He should know; he was one of them. Jesus was abandoned in the garden by all His closest friends—except, of course, for the one who betrayed Him. Yet, despite the optics of the situation, Jesus was still in control. And that’s important for us to remember today. Because if we face a situation that seems to be beyond the Lord’s control, we should look at it from a different perspective. Reflection question: What’s an area of your life that you need to remind yourself is under the Lord’s complete control, even though it may not appear that way? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, ‘My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.’” (Matthew 26:42 NLT) Jesus’ last stop before His arrest was the Garden of Gethsemane. The garden was located on a slope of the Mount of Olives, just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. When the events of Jesus’ arrest took place, the garden was likely an olive grove surrounded by walls. Some scholars believe it was owned by a wealthy follower of Jesus who allowed Him and His disciples to use it when they were in Jerusalem. Jesus likely chose this familiar spot because He felt the enormity of what was about to happen. The sins of every person who ever lived—and every person who ever will live—were about to be placed on Him. He was about to face God’s full wrath—alone. He was about to suffer as no one had ever suffered. He needed a place to pray, to spend time with His heavenly Father before He endured His Father’s punishment. All the disciples except Judas Iscariot accompanied Him to Gethsemane (although Judas would show up soon enough). At some point, Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to go with Him to a remote part of the garden. He asked them to keep watch so that He wouldn’t be interrupted while He prayed. But even that simple request proved to be too difficult for them. Three times during His three-hour prayer session, Jesus returned to His trio of “watchers.” Three times He found them all asleep. The Bible’s description of Jesus’ prayer time makes it clear that His suffering started long before He was tortured and crucified. Hebrews 5:7 says, “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death” (NLT). Luke 22:44 says, “He was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (NLT). Jesus begged His heavenly Father to take the cup of suffering from Him. He wanted to know if there was another way for God’s plan of salvation to be fulfilled. God heard Jesus’ prayers. He sent an angel to comfort and strengthen Him (see Luke 22:43). And then He said no to His Son’s request. There was no other way. Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Him (see John 14:6). His Father’s answer was all Jesus needed. “I want your will to be done, not mine,” He said (Luke 22:42 NLT). Submitting to God’s will renewed His strength and sense of purpose. That’s why, in the chaos that followed, Jesus was the calmest person in the garden. He knew He was doing God’s will. Refreshed and ready for what lay ahead, Jesus woke His sleepy friends and went out to meet the men who had come to arrest and kill Him. But in those hours in the garden, He revealed three life-changing truths about prayer. One, talking to God gives us the strength, courage, wisdom, and comfort we need to face any situation. Two, God sometimes says no because He has something else planned for us. Three, “Your will be done” is the perfect way to end every conversation with our heavenly Father. Reflection question: What important truths about prayer do you see in the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.’” (Matthew 26:27–28 NLT) As the hour of Jesus’ arrest approached, we see God’s plan continuing to unfold with amazing precision. Jesus and His disciples needed a place to share the traditional Passover meal together. God arranged for them to encounter a man with just such a place (see Luke 22:10–13). This Last Supper would be the last time these thirteen men, who had shared and experienced so much in their three years together, would ever be in the same room. And before their food had time to digest, the world as they knew it would be changed forever. Jesus used this final teachable moment to prepare them for what was to come. Using the elements of the meal, He explained the sacrifice He was about to make. The bread represented His body, which was about to be nailed to a cross—that is, given in place of ours. The wine represented His blood. He said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you” (Luke 22:20 NLT). Jesus’ blood covers our sins and makes us righteous in God’s eyes. The disciples may have been reminded of the words He spoke after He had fed five thousand men (plus thousands more women and children) with only five barley loaves and two fish: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh. . . . I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me” (John 6:35, 51, 53–57 NLT). At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19 NLT). When we share Communion together today, that’s exactly what we’re doing: remembering the sacrifice Jesus made. The disciples needed to understand that sacrifice because, sooner than they possibly could have imagined, they would be sharing the news of it with the world. That privilege and responsibility didn’t end with them. Every follower of Christ must be a truth-teller. We must help others see the truth of Christ’s sacrifice—why it was necessary, what it accomplished, and what it means for us. Reflection question: Aside from Communion, how do you commemorate the sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, ‘As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.’” (Matthew 26:1–2 NLT) At the same time Jesus was breaking the news of His imminent death to His disciples, the leading priests and elders plotting His death were trying to work around a snag in their plans. Jesus was still popular with the Jewish people. (Their meeting was taking place only three days after Jesus’ triumphant arrival on Palm Sunday.) Complicating things even further was the fact that Passover was one of the holiest celebrations on the Jewish calendar. Executing someone many people believed to be the Messiah during Passover was a good way to start a riot. And a riot was the last thing the Jewish religious leaders wanted. Their goal was to maintain the status quo. The Romans were extremely tolerant of Jewish worship practices. Roman leaders understood that respecting the religious traditions and customs of conquered territories promoted stability in the empire. As long as things remained peaceful and orderly—and taxes were paid, of course—the Romans were content to let the Jewish priests and elders lead as they saw fit. Jesus threatened not only the status quo with Rome but also the leadership of the priests and elders. Throughout His ministry, He challenged their authority and exposed their hypocrisy. As He neared the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus became bolder in His challenges. He was forcing their hand so that they had no choice but to kill Him. Their task was made easier by the help of someone in Jesus’ inner circle. “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, ‘How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?’ And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus” (Matthew 26:14–16 NLT). The Bible doesn’t say why Judas betrayed Jesus—only that “Satan entered into” him. What we do know is that Judas regretted his decision. When he heard that Jesus had been condemned to death, he hanged himself. The blood money he received was used to buy a potter’s field. Judas’ betrayal may seem like the ultimate surprise plot twist—the blindside that no one saw coming. But there’s one problem with that interpretation: His betrayal was prophesied centuries before it happened. David wrote, “Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me” (Psalm 41:9 NLT). The prophet Zechariah wrote, “And I said to them, ‘If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.’ So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord” (Zechariah 11:12–13 NLT). Everything that led to Jesus’ death on the cross was carefully orchestrated by God. It was all part of His perfect plan of salvation. And it was driven by His amazing love for us. Reflection question: Why is it sometimes hard to see God’s plan at work? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” (Matthew 25:21 NLT) After Jesus described the events surrounding His Second Coming, He ended His Olivet Discourse by sharing four parables with His disciples. The parables continue the themes of punishment and preparing for the Master’s return. But each one adds a new perspective to the discussion. The first parable, found in Matthew 24:45–51, deals with a faithful servant who manages his master’s household wisely while his master is away. The faithful servant cares for and feeds his fellow servants. When the master returns, he rewards the faithful servant by entrusting him with greater responsibilities. An evil servant, on the other hand, beats his fellow servants, parties, and gets drunk while his master is away. When the master returns, he punishes the evil servant. The wise servant was faithful because he trusted that his master would return. That’s why he took his responsibilities so seriously. The evil servant acted wickedly because he had some doubts about his master returning. He chose to follow his own agenda instead of his master’s. The second parable, found in Matthew 25:1–13, involves ten bridesmaids who go to meet the bridegroom at midnight. Five wise bridesmaids made sure to take enough olive oil for their lamps; five foolish bridesmaids didn’t. The five foolish bridesmaids leave to buy oil. While they’re gone, the bridegroom comes and escorts the five wise bridesmaids to the wedding feast. The five foolish bridesmaids are locked out. The bridegroom is Jesus. The five wise bridesmaids are followers who are prepared for His return. The five foolish bridesmaids are those who are unprepared for His coming. The third parable, found in Matthew 25:14–30, deals with a master who entrusts three servants with money while he’s away. Two of the servants invest the money entrusted to them so that they have a return to show their master when he comes back. They are rewarded for wisely using what their master gave them. The third servant buried the money entrusted to him because he was afraid of losing it. He is punished for his foolish use of his resources. The first two servants knew and trusted their master. The third servant did not. The fourth parable, found in Matthew 25:31–46, is set after Jesus returns to judge the world. He will separate the sheep, the people who accepted Him as Savior and Lord, from the goats, the people who rejected Him. The sheep, whose lives were changed by Jesus, cared for those closest to His heart—the poor, the needy, the outcasts. The goats, whose lives were unchanged, ignored those people. Two thousand years after Jesus shared these parables with His followers, their truths still resonate. We don’t know when Jesus will return. But we have important responsibilities to fulfill in the meantime. Let’s make the most of our time by growing in our faith, encouraging and supporting our fellow believers, and sharing Jesus’ message with the people who need to hear it. Reflection question: What do you take away from the last four parables Jesus shared with His followers?Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, ‘Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?’” (Matthew 24:3 NLT) The Jerusalem temple was a magnificent structure, one the Jewish people were exceedingly proud of. Jesus’ disciples were no exception. As they left the temple, they pointed out its beauty and grandeur to Jesus. His reply must have shocked them. “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” (Matthew 24:2 NLT). Imagine how shocked the disciples would have been if they’d known His prophecy would be fulfilled in less than forty years. On the way back to Bethany, they stopped on a slope of the Mount of Olives. The disciples’ curiosity got the better of them. “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” (verse 3 NLT). Jesus’ reply, which is known as the Olivet Discourse, takes up the better part of two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus revealed God’s future plans for Israel—plans that are also discussed in Daniel 9:24–27 and Revelation 6:1–19:21. He described the seven-year Tribulation period that will follow the Rapture, as well as His own Second Coming, which will end the Tribulation. The images are disturbing—war, famine, earthquakes, and persecution. False messiahs and false prophets will lead people astray. Sin will run rampant. Love will run cold. Through it all, though, the Good News of Christ will be preached throughout the world. Matthew 24:21 offers a sobering summary of the Tribulation, especially the second half: “For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again” (NLT). When the suffering reaches its crescendo, “All the peoples of the earth . . . will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (verse 30 NLT). The King will not be riding a donkey when He returns. He will not be meek. And He will not come in peace. He will come to conquer evil once and for all. He will come to usher in His kingdom. He will come to pronounce judgment on this sinful world. And to those who would try to predict the day of His Second Coming based on the signs and events He described, Jesus offered this reality check: “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (verse 36 NLT). Jesus wants us to understand that His will is not for us to try to figure out the dates of these end-time events. His will is for us to be ready when they do occur—and to make sure that others are ready, too. Reflection question: How can you help prepare others, especially unbelievers, for Jesus’ return? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.” (Mark 11:15–16 NLT) On Palm Sunday, the people in Jerusalem mistakenly celebrated Jesus as the conquering Messiah, the King who would lead the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire. On the following day, they got a glimpse of His true agenda. After cursing the fig tree that produced no fruit, Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem. His focus was on the spiritual, not the political. Rather than worship or teach, however, He turned His attention to the money changers and merchants in the outer court. According to the passage above from Mark 11, He cleaned house. The question is, why? The merchants, the people who sold animals for sacrifice, served an important purpose. The temple in Jerusalem was the center of worship for all Jewish people. People traveled great distances to attend festivals and offer required sacrifices there. Those sacrifices often involved animals such as birds, sheep, goats, and bulls. Those who didn’t raise animals themselves had to buy them somewhere. And transporting them all the way to Jerusalem was a complication many wished to avoid. So the merchants who sold animals near the Jerusalem temple provided a necessary service. Of course, they made a profit. But they weren’t necessarily gouging their customers. At least, not all of them were. The money changers were equally important. Many people offered money as sacrifices. However, the region of Judea, where Jerusalem was located, was under the rule of the Romans. The people who lived in Judea used Roman currency. That posed a problem because Roman coins were stamped with images of Roman rulers. And Roman people worshiped their rulers as gods. So Jewish people considered their images a form of idolatry—and inappropriate for sacrifices to God. What’s more, the Lord said to Moses in Exodus 30:13, “Each person who is counted must give a small piece of silver as a sacred offering to the Lord. (This payment is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs)” (NLT). The money changers at the temple exchanged Roman currency for Jewish half-shekel coins. The problem was that the merchants and money changers were infringing on worship at the temple. Their booths were originally positioned outside the temple complex. Over time, however, they moved into the outer courtyard of the temple, the area where Gentiles worshiped. The merchants and money changers were misappropriating worship space for business. That’s why Jesus drove them out. In Psalm 69:9, David wrote, “Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me” (NLT). Jesus showed His followers what passion for God’s house looks like. Jesus prioritized worship. And He wants us to prioritize it as well. It stands to reason that He would react strongly to anyone or anything that makes it harder to worship God. We can embrace that same attitude by removing the obstacles that hinder our own personal worship. Reflection question: How do you keep things from interfering with your worship of God? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat your fruit again!’ And the disciples heard him say it.” (Mark 11:12–14 NLT) Staying in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration was out of the question for Jesus, especially after His hero’s welcome on Palm Sunday. The crowds would have mobbed Him and interfered with the vital work of His final days. So He stayed in Bethany, which was less than two miles from Jerusalem. He likely stayed in the home of His friends, the siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. On the day after His triumphant entry, Jesus returned to Jerusalem. On the way, He saw a fig tree that had leaves on it. Usually, fig leaves indicate that a tree has fruit. Jesus was hungry, so He approached the tree to pick a fig to eat. Instead, He discovered that the tree had no fruit. “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” He said. Jesus cursed the tree because it bore no fruit. This may seem out of character for Jesus, as though He lost His temper because He was fooled by vegetation. But this wasn’t the first-century equivalent of kicking a broken vending machine. Jesus wasn’t “hangry.” He was giving His followers a real-life parable—an unforgettable lesson on the importance of being fruitful. The Old Testament prophets used the fig as a symbol of Israel. Micah 7:1–3 says, “How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger. The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth” (NLT). The passage is referring to the spiritual condition of God’s people. They give the outward appearance of being holy and obedient, but they produce no fruit—no real evidence of their holiness and obedience. Appearances can be deceiving, but genuine fruit can’t be faked. If a fruit tree doesn’t produce fruit, it’s useless. Likewise, if God’s people don’t produce spiritual fruit, they are useless. In cursing the fig tree, Jesus was denouncing Israel’s relationship with God and warning the people of Israel of the coming judgment. He was also sending a warning to people who claim to be Christians but show no evidence of a personal relationship with Him. In John 15:8, He said, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father” (NLT). James was a little more blunt: “Faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26 nlt). And the apostle Paul wrote, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22–23 NLT) Those qualities please the Lord because they show that our faith is genuine and that our spiritual fruit can nourish others. If you nurture those qualities and allow them to blossom in your life, you’ll help others see just how life-changing a relationship with Christ can be. Reflection question: What spiritual fruit has God produced in you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” (Matthew 21:8 NLT) Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the Passover celebration on a donkey, as a king would. And that’s how the crowd treated Him when He arrived—as a king. Jesus accepted their praise and worship, something He rarely did during His earthly ministry. Matthew 12 tells the story of Jesus healing many sick people. “But he warned them not to reveal who he was” (verse 16 NLT). And in Matthew 16, after Jesus commended Peter for declaring Him to be “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (verse 16 NLT), we find this statement: “Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah” (verse 20 NLT). Jesus issued no such warnings before He entered Jerusalem. He wanted everyone to know that He was the Messiah, the King they had been waiting for. He understood that the people’s excitement was misguided. The crowds weren’t praising Him because He came to save the world from God’s punishment for sin. They cheered because they believed He was going to free them from Roman control (and taxes). The people who lined the streets with palm branches and welcomed Jesus with open arms didn’t know that His actual mission was infinitely and eternally more important and more valuable than the military skirmish they envisioned. So days later, when their narrow-minded expectations were still unmet, their cheers turned to cries for His death. Their “Hosanna!” turned to “Crucify Him!” The people who hailed Him as a hero denounced Him as a fraud. It’s interesting to note that the Romans, the ones who had the most to lose if Jesus had turned out to be the Messiah the Jewish people expected, apparently didn’t see His triumphant entry as a threat. Nowhere in the Gospels is there a reaction to Jesus’ arrival by Roman officials or soldiers. The Roman military was stationed in Jerusalem to prevent rebellion. But they didn’t see Jesus or the crowds who gathered to greet Him as dangerous rebels. As far as Rome was concerned, the event was just a bunch of unarmed peasants waving broken tree branches to greet a local rabbi who was sitting on some old clothes as he rode a donkey. Hardly the type of movement that could disrupt an empire. Or so they thought. The Jewish religious leaders, on the other hand, saw an enormous threat. They received loud and clear the message Jesus communicated with His triumphant entry into Jerusalem: The Messiah had come. The religious leaders had tried to rid themselves of Jesus since the earliest days of His ministry. But because His work had not been completed, they were helpless to do anything. With Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, they faced another problem: His popularity with the crowd. As long as He had the people’s support, the leaders could do nothing to Him. So they bided their time and worked to undermine Him in the eyes of the people. And because their plans aligned with God’s plan, they succeeded. The Hero of Palm Sunday would be Public Enemy #1 by Good Friday. Jesus knew what was coming. Yet He willingly faced rejection—and much worse—to fulfill God’s plan of salvation. Reflection question: What preconceptions about Jesus can get in the way of sharing the truth about Him today? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“‘Go into the village over there,’ he said. ‘As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, “The Lord needs them,” and he will immediately let you take them.’” (Matthew 21:2–3 NLT) A Sunday school teacher asked her class, “Does anybody know what next Sunday is?” A little six-year-old girl raised her hand and said, “Next Sunday is Palm Sunday.” The teacher said, “Very good. Do you know what the meaning of Palm Sunday is?” The little girl replied, “That is the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and the people laid palm branches at His feet.” The teacher said, “That is exactly right. Does anybody know what the following Sunday is?” The same little girl raised her hand and said, “That is the day that Jesus rose again from the dead. It is Easter Sunday.” “Very good,” the teacher said. The little girl continued, “But if He sees His shadow, He will have to go back into the ground for six weeks.” For the next two and a half weeks leading up to Easter, we’re going to look at the meaning and significance of several different events that took place during the Passion Week—the days from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. And we’re going to start with the arrangements Jesus made for His arrival in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Jesus had made the trip to Jerusalem countless times for various festivals and occasions. But His arrival on Palm Sunday was unique. Look at His instructions to His disciples in the passage above. Hundreds of years earlier, the Old Testament prophet Zechariah had written these words: “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt” (Zechariah 9:9 NLT). Jesus was certainly aware of the prophecy—and so were many people in the crowd that awaited Him in Jerusalem. Prophecies about the Messiah—the King, the Chosen One—loomed large in Jewish life. But always with a political slant. The Jewish people of Jesus’ day were waiting for a Messiah who would lead them in revolt against the Roman Empire. Their baseless expectations often distracted them and kept them from embracing Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of Heaven. So Jesus rarely announced Himself as the Messiah during His public ministry. But that changed on Palm Sunday. When Jesus chose a donkey colt as His means of transportation, He was sending an unmistakable message. He was saying to everyone, “I am the king Zechariah prophesied about. I am the Chosen One, the Son of God. The Messiah has come!” In the culture of the first century AD, a king who entered a city on a donkey came in peace; a king who entered a city on horseback came to conquer. So Jesus was also making it clear that He was not a political threat to Rome. He was, however, a threat to the Jewish religious leaders. He knew they were plotting to kill Him. He knew that in a matter of days, His disciple Judas Iscariot would help them by agreeing to betray Him. So Jesus’ decision to enter Jerusalem on a donkey was also intended to provoke His enemies. He wanted them to follow through on their plans to execute Him so that He could fulfill God’s plan of salvation. Jesus made it clear that He is the Messiah, God’s chosen One to save the world. Everyone who believes in Him will reap the rewards of His saving work—that is, eternal life. Reflection question: How do you know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Then he asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” (Matthew 16:15–16 NLT) First Kings 18 tells the story of the prophet Elijah’s challenge to the false prophets of Baal. Elijah would build one altar and place a sacrifice on it. The prophets of Baal would build another altar and place a sacrifice on it. The deity who sent fire to consume his sacrifice would be declared the God of Israel. The prophets of Baal went first—and failed. They couldn’t get their god to send fire, primarily due to the fact that their god didn’t exist. But here’s an interesting detail that reveals something important about the real God. When Elijah’s turn came, he instructed his servants to pour twelve large jars of water over his sacrifice and altar. Every jug of water they poured made it less and less likely that anything but a miracle—the work of God Himself—would fulfill the requirements of the contest. God wanted everyone to know that when fire consumed everything on and around Elijah’s altar, it was because of Him. The same principle can be seen in the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus. Each one is like one of Elijah’s jars of water. It makes it less and less likely that anything but a miracle could fulfill them all. God wanted everyone to know that when the Messiah came and fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, it was because of Him. And that puts the ball in our court. When we study Scripture and see Jesus’ miraculous fulfillment of prophecies made hundreds of years before His birth, we’re faced with a decision. Jesus proved Himself to be the Messiah, the Savior. We can’t treat that like a historical curiosity. We have to make it personal. We have to let it impact our lives. We have to answer deep within our soul the question Jesus asked Peter in Matthew 16: “Who do you say I am?” (NLT). Jesus wants us to trust in Him for salvation. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). Jesus wants us to be like Him. The apostle Paul wrote, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29 NLT). Jesus wants us to put Him first in our lives. He said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT). Jesus wants us to tell others about Him. Psalm 96:2–3 says, “Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does” (NLT). If Jesus is who the Bible claims He is, there’s no risk in any of those pursuits. And Jesus certainly proved that He is who the Bible claims He is. Maybe you’re afraid to stand up for Jesus Christ. You’re afraid that it could hurt your career or a relationship or something else. But there comes a moment when you have to stand for what you know is true. You may be criticized and might even lose something important to you. But whatever you lose, God will make it up to you. He will bless you for standing for what is right. Reflection question: Who do you say Jesus is, and how does that impact your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12–13 NLT) Charting the rise and fall of empires is not always easy to determine, as there are overlapping or conflicting dates of when nations rise and fall. Generally speaking, though, the Western Roman Empire lasted just over 500 years, from 27 BC to AD 476. The Ottoman Empire lasted 623 years, from 1299 to 1922 (although its remnants can still be found in living rooms throughout the world). The Assyrian Empire, in its different forms, surpassed the millennium mark beginning in 2025 BC through the fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in 609 BC, it spanned more than 1,400 years. It’s hard to draw parallels between these empires or to say definitively why some endure longer than others. Some people might say the only real takeaway is that nothing lasts forever. But that’s not true. The passage from 2 Samuel 7 above records the promise God made to David, the king of Israel and “a man after God’s own heart.” God promised David that his kingdom—and that of his son and successor Solomon—would last forever. And it would last forever because their descendant would be the Messiah, the Son of God, who will rule for eternity. Psalm 89:29 offers a similar prophecy: “I will preserve an heir for him; his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven” (NLT). And Isaiah 9:7 says of the Anointed One, or Messiah, “His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (NLT). When you think of all the things that can go wrong in a nation, empire, or kingdom, the idea of one lasting forever seems nearly impossible. But that speaks to the nature of Christ’s kingdom. There will be no divisions, no corruption, no power plays, no dissatisfaction. The Lord will rule, and everyone in His kingdom will joyfully submit to Him. Revelation 21:4 says, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (NLT). That brings us to one more point that absolutely must be mentioned. Not only will Christ’s kingdom last forever, so will everyone in it. The apostle Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NLT). Jesus paid those wages when He gave His life on the cross in our place. His sacrifice makes it possible for us to live forever with Him. He said so Himself: “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die” (John 11:25–26 NLT). If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and have asked Him to forgive you of your sin, the Bible teaches that when you die, you will go immediately into the presence of God in Heaven. That is God’s promise to you. But God promises not only life beyond the grave; He also promises life during life—not just an existence, but a life worth living. Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). That is the hope and promise for all Christians. That is why the believer does not have to be afraid to die. Or afraid to live. Reflection question: How do you know—or how can you know—that you will spend eternity with Christ in His kingdom? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past.” (Psalm 78:1–2 NLT) Jesus’ twelve disciples had front-row seats to the most amazing three years in human history—the years of Jesus’ public ministry. They witnessed miracles that defied explanation. They heard the most profound truths ever spoken. They experienced life with the Son of God. They had access to the wisdom of the ages. But it wasn’t all fish and loaves. Discipleship had its challenges, too. The constant crowd control. The sneering contempt of the Jewish religious establishment. The threat of arrest by Roman authorities. One of the biggest challenges, though, had to be understanding Jesus’ parables. Often the disciples were the liaisons between Jesus and the people who came to hear Him speak. After one of His sermons or teaching sessions, those who couldn’t talk to Jesus Himself sought out His disciples. And it’s likely that one of the most frequently asked questions they fielded was, “What did Jesus mean by that parable?” That may explain why, in Matthew 13:10, they asked Him the question that many people still ask today: “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” (NLT). So why did Jesus speak in parables? You can make the case that He understood the power of imagery and analogy. The story of a wayward son, a lost coin, or even a mustard seed is more memorable than a three-point presentation. You can make the case that He wanted to open the eyes of His followers and help them see the world around them in a different way. To help them understand that there are spiritual truths to be found everywhere, even in things as mundane as a lost sheep or a barren fig tree. Or you can search Jesus’ reply in Matthew 13:10–17. Jesus spoke in parables to give people with a spiritual hunger something to feed on—and to make it harder for those whose ears had grown dull—and whose hearts had grown hard—to understand His message. But there’s another truth we can’t overlook. Jesus spoke in parables to fulfill the prophecy of Psalm 78. That’s why we read these words in Matthew 13:35: “This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: ‘I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world’” (NLT). The more Jesus obscured certain parts of His message, the more clearly He revealed His identity. Anyone who had searched Scripture for prophecies of the Anointed One would have picked up on Jesus’ use of parables. And it stands to reason that those same people would have had “the ears to hear” the spiritual wisdom in those parables. That’s who Jesus was targeting. He spoke in parables because He wanted people to recognize Him as the Messiah. Jesus’ principal adversaries were looking for a different kind of Messiah. They were looking for someone who would support their religious system and their chosen way of living, someone who would cater to their whims and conform to their wishes. A lot of people today want Jesus, but they want Him on their own terms. They want the kind of Jesus who will not challenge them. So they do nothing to meet the living Savior. Don’t make that mistake. Embrace the challenge that Jesus offers. There is life in His words. Reflection question: Which of Jesus’ parables speaks most loudly to you and why? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!” (Isaiah 35:5–6 NLT) In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord, ate the forbidden fruit, and brought sin into God’s perfect creation. But sin wasn’t all they brought into the world. Suddenly, sickness and death became part of human existence. When the Messiah came, then, what better way to reveal Himself than by showing His power over these misery-makers? And by giving a preview of His coming kingdom, where “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4 NLT). Jesus showed His power over death when He rose from the grave on the third day after He was crucified. Before that, though, He showed His power over sickness and pain time and time again. Two thousand years later, it’s hard to understand how everyone who witnessed even one of Jesus’ miraculous healings wasn’t immediately and forever convinced that He is the Messiah. As word spread of His healing power, people flocked to Him, pleading for relief from pain, sickness, and other afflictions. Only Jesus’ deft handling of crowds—and expectations—kept His healing ministry from overshadowing His message. Jesus healed from a distance. He restored full movement to the paralyzed servant of a Roman centurion without going anywhere near the centurion’s home (see Matthew 8:5–13). Jesus healed with a word. He relieved the suffering of a Canaanite woman’s daughter simply by telling the woman that her daughter was healed (see Matthew 15:22–28). Jesus healed with a touch. He spit in the dirt and rubbed the resulting mud on the eyes of a blind man. When the blind man rinsed off the mud, he could see (see John 9:6–7). Jesus placed His hands on a leper to cure the man of his disease (see Mark 1:40–45). Jesus healed the casualties of spiritual warfare. Several times in the Gospels, He drove demons from the bodies of people who were possessed. Jesus healed when religious authorities didn’t approve. He miraculously took away the afflictions of a woman who had suffered a crippling condition for eighteen years (see Luke 13:10–17), a man who had been born blind (see John 9:1–41), Simon Peter’s ailing mother-in-law (see Mark 1:29–31), a man with a withered hand (see Mark 3:1–6), and others. But He did so on the Jewish day of rest. So rather than praise God for allowing them to witness such miracles, the religious leaders of the day criticized Jesus for doing too much work on the Sabbath. Jesus heals today. And it’s okay to pray for that healing. Maybe you’re going through a time of suffering right now, and you’re saying, “Lord, it’s enough. Could you just make this stop? Could you get me through this? Could you bring an end to this?” It’s okay to pray that. And sometimes, the Lord will heal. But other times He will not do that. And it is in those times that He will walk with us through the suffering, and we will see Him on the other side. Reflection question: When have you or someone you know experienced Jesus’ healing power? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.” (Isaiah 61:1–2 NLT) The person speaking these words in Isaiah 61 is Jesus—seven hundred years before He was born. This is a prophecy about the Messiah. The speaker says, “The Lord has anointed me” (NLT). The word Messiah means “anointed one.” Seven hundred years later, an audience at a synagogue in Nazareth was treated to an encore reading of these words by the original artist. The audience members just didn’t realize it at the time. Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized and tempted by the devil, He returned to Nazareth, the town where He grew up. As was His custom, He went to the synagogue to read Scripture and teach. The passage He read was Isaiah 61:1–2. And then look what happened next: “He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. ‘The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!’” (Luke 4:20–21 NLT). Translation: I am the Messiah! The synagogue crowd didn’t need a translator to figure out what He was saying. As far as they were concerned, anyone who claimed to be the Messiah was guilty of blasphemy. They rushed Him as a mob and pushed Him out of the synagogue and toward the edge of the hill on which the city was built. They intended to kill Him, or at least harm Him. But that wasn’t God’s plan, so Jesus slipped away and continued His ministry—the work of the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 61 throughout His ministry. When John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was the Messiah, “Jesus told them, ‘Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor’” (Matthew 11:4–5 NLT). Jesus identified closely with people in need. And He wants us to do the same. That’s the message of Matthew 25:34–40: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” (NLT). If you only hang around with people who look like you and people you like, so what? That is no big accomplishment. Jesus said in Matthew 5, “If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that” (verses 46–47 NLT). It is when you love the unlovable that your love stands out. Reflection question: What does having a heart for people in need look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” (Micah 5:2 NLT) The Bible speaks of the future with absolute certainty. That is because God is eternal. He can see the future as accurately as we can see the past. It is all a continuum to God. It is all the same to Him. So when the Bible says a certain thing is going to happen, it is not like God is going out on a limb. It is not like a tabloid prediction. It is basically a revealing of history ahead of time by the God who sees the future as clearly as He sees the past. Earlier this month, we looked at the life of David, “a man after God’s own heart,” who was chosen to play a key role in the ancestry of Jesus. You may remember that God sent the prophet Samuel to a small town in the land of Judah, about five miles southwest of Jerusalem, to anoint David as the king of Israel. You probably remember the name of the town, too. (If not, you read it in the verse above.) If this devotion had dropped three months ago, on December 25, you probably would have been hearing its name quite a bit. “Now the Lord said to Samuel, ‘You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king’” (1 Samuel 16:1 NLT). The town shows up again in the passage from Micah 5 above. This is a prophecy, written seven hundred years before Christ came to earth, that the Messiah—“ruler of Israel”—would be born in Bethlehem. The phrase “whose origins are in the distant past” refers to One who is eternal. Jesus is the only eternal ruler of Israel. God gave Micah this prophecy. So why, seven hundred years later, did He choose earthly parents for His Son who were from Nazareth? The answer is that geography isn’t an obstacle for Him. In fact, nothing is an obstacle for Him. A greedy Roman ruler who wants to conduct a census so that he can better control tax revenue? God can work with that. An order for all Jewish people to return to the cities of their ancestors to register for the census? He can work with that, too. A small town so ill-equipped to handle the crowds that descended on it that a heavily pregnant woman was forced to give birth in a shelter for animals? He can work with that, too. It’s not like God was at the mercy of those circumstances. He was orchestrating them, bringing them together in a perfect way. That’s how Mary and Joseph came to be in a stable in Bethlehem when the time came for her to give birth. That’s how Jesus came to be born in Bethlehem. That’s how a prophecy made more than seven hundred years earlier came to be fulfilled. God used unlikely sources and extraordinary circumstances to fulfill His prophecy. Jesus’ virgin birth serves as yet another reminder that nothing is beyond the Lord’s control and that all things work together according to His will. We can trust Him to do what is best, in every circumstance. Reflection question: How has God used extraordinary circumstances to accomplish something amazing in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” (Isaiah 7:14 NLT) Isaiah 7 tells the story of Ahaz, the king of Judah. In the cycle of good kings and bad kings who ruled over Israel and Judah, Ahaz definitely fell into the second category. He led the people of Judah into idol worship. Ahaz became alarmed when he learned that his neighboring monarchs, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekin of Israel, had joined forces to launch an attack against Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. The Lord sent His prophet Isaiah to reassure Ahaz. Isaiah told the king that the invasion would not happen. Neither Syria nor Israel was powerful enough to attack Judah. God invited Ahaz to ask Him for a sign of confirmation, something miraculous that would prove God could be trusted. Ahaz declined the offer, much to Isaiah’s annoyance. God gave him a sign to look for anyway. Through Isaiah, God told Ahaz that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a child. Before that child was old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, Ahaz’s enemies, Rezin and Pekin, would be gone, and their lands would be deserted. Prophecies sometimes have a two-part fulfillment: a short-term partial fulfillment and a long-term ultimate fulfillment. Many scholars believe that God fulfilled His prophecy in the short term, within a few years. The first four verses of Isaiah 8 suggest that Isaiah’s wife was the virgin, and his son was the child in the prophecy. God also fulfilled His prophecy in the long term, seven hundred years later. Matthew 1:18 says, “This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit” (NLT). That came as an understandable surprise to her fiancé Joseph, who looked for a way to break their engagement quietly so that Mary wouldn’t be embarrassed. “As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins’” (verses 20–21 NLT). So that no one would miss the connection between Isaiah’s prophecy and Jesus’ fulfillment (it had been seven hundred years, after all), Matthew writes, “All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us”’” (verses 22–23 NLT). The Bible has dared to predict the future not once, not twice, but hundreds of times. It is worth noting that one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy. Approximately one-half of these prophecies have already come to take place. Therefore, if one-half have happened as God said they would, I have no reason to doubt that the remaining ones will happen exactly as God has said. When God tells you about what the future holds, you can take it to the bank. It is going to happen. Reflection question: What does the prophecy and fulfillment of the virgin birth reveal about God? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.