Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

Greg Laurie

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.  *The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

  1. 5 hr ago

    A Source of Hope | Romans 15:13

    “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NLT)   Hope is a precious commodity in today’s world. Our 24-hour news cycle feeds us story after story of events and tragedies that are far beyond our control. Many people spend hours online “doomscrolling,” obsessively searching for content that reinforces their negativity or triggers their anxiety. As a nation, we’ve certainly faced our share of dark times before. For many, there was little hope to be found during the years of the Civil War or in the struggle for civil rights. But our current culture feels different. The algorithms that drive social media seem to reinforce a sense of hopelessness. And the occasional piece of content that momentarily offers hope often turns out to be AI-generated. So when people encounter genuine hope, the results are often profound. That’s why the apostle Paul wrote, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NLT). Believers understand that with God, there is no such thing as hopelessness. Andrew Jackson understood that. In a letter to his wife he wrote, “I trust that the god of Isaac and of Jacob will protect you, and give you health in my absence, in him alone we ought to trust, he alone can preserve, and guide us through this troublesome world, and I am sure he will hear your prayers. We are told that the prayers of the righteous prevaileth much, and I add mine for your health and preservation untill we again meet.” The overflowing hope that Paul spoke of springs from a spiritual passion. That’s why revival is essential to the lifeblood of believers and to the lifeblood of our nation. For believers, revival involves recapturing the first bloom of a love relationship with Jesus Christ. Sometimes when we’ve been walking with the Lord for a while, our spiritual passion begins to fade. Our zeal begins to erode. We lose some of our initial excitement about our relationship with Him. Revival is how we get it back. When we as Christians restore the passion and fervor to our relationship with Christ, good things happen—in and around us. That renewed passion and fervor feeds on itself. Hope fills and then overflows our lives and then splashes all over the people around us. That’s how revival spreads. I was speaking once with Chuck Smith, who is regarded as the father of the last great spiritual awakening in our country—an event known as the Jesus Movement. I asked him, “Chuck, do you think we’ll ever see another Jesus Movement?” His answer was this: “I don’t know, Greg. I don’t know if we’re desperate enough.” It’s time for God’s people to rediscover our passion, our hope, and our desperation.   Reflection question: What would renewed spiritual passion, hope, and desperation look like in your life? Experience the Harvest Crusade on July 11 when you watch online! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min
  2. 1 day ago

    Original Condition | Psalm 80:19

    “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!” (Psalm 80:19 NKJV)   Before we get too deep in our discussion of revival in our country, we should probably define the term. What is revival exactly? Too often believers mystify the word without understanding its true meaning. Revival is simply another word for “refreshment” or “restoration.” A psalmist wrote, “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:6 NLT). Another psalm says, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!” (Psalm 80:19 NKJV). Revival carries with it the idea of returning something to its original condition. Think of someone who buys a beat-up old car from a junkyard. They do bodywork on it. They repaint it. They drop a new engine in it. They put new tires on it. And when you see it cruising down the road, you can hardly believe it’s the same car. That’s called a restoration. Think of a plant that’s beginning to wither. You give it some water and take it out into the sunshine, and it comes back to life again. Think of the fatigue you experience when you work out in the hot sun all day. Then think of the feeling you experience when you come inside an air-conditioned house and drink some cool water. Revival is the spiritual equivalent of that kind of restoration and refreshment. A spiritual revival is when God’s people come back to life again because they’ve been refreshed. They’ve been refilled. They’ve been restored to their original condition. The United States experienced a remarkable revival a few decades before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The impact of that revival reverberated powerfully in the founding of our nation. Being restored to that original condition could look like many different things in our country. Noah Webster, often referred as the Father of American Scholarship and Education, offered a starting point when he said, “The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. . . . All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” For the church, which is the spiritual center of our nation, being restored to the original condition would resemble the description of Paul and Silas found in Acts 17:6: “These who have turned the world upside down” (NKJV). The church is meant to impact the world, not be impacted by it. It’s meant to disrupt the status quo and not to settle for it. The church is meant to shine a light on the darkness of this world and not to ignore it or make excuses for it. Revival encourages us to embrace the full extent of our God-given potential. It compels us to do the hard work to become the best possible versions of ourselves—as individuals, as a church, and as a nation.   Reflection question: What would a spiritual refreshing or restoration look like in your life? Experience the Harvest Crusade on July 11 when you watch online! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min
  3. 2 days ago

    An Urgent Wake-Up Call | Romans 13:11–12

    “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.” (Romans 13:11–12 NLT)   This month, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation. And this month’s devotions will tie into that celebration. They will also tie into our nation’s greatest need at the quarter-millennium mark in our history: the need for revival. Let me start with a few questions. Think of the last time you got a phone call in the middle of the night. Did the person begin the conversation with the question, “Did I wake you?” If so, did you have the urge to say, “No, I was already awake”? Sometimes when I watch television with my wife, she will pick a show that I don’t find very interesting, like some British baking show. And before long, I’ll fall asleep. And when I open my eyes, I’ll find my wife staring at me. “You were sleeping,” she’ll say. And my first instinct is to say, “No, I wasn’t,” even though I woke myself up with my own snoring. What is it about human nature that causes us to deny that we’re sleeping? Maybe we see tiredness as a weakness. Maybe we’re reluctant to admit that we’re not bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and fully alert every second of the day. It’s one thing to be physically asleep and not own up to it. It’s quite another thing to be spiritually asleep and deny it—and not just for an individual believer. A nation can be spiritually asleep, and I think that’s the condition the United States finds itself in right now. This week we will celebrate the grace that God has shed on our country. We will recount the many blessings He has bestowed on us over the past 250 years. Our celebrations will be marked by loud music and fireworks. Yet even then, we will go on spiritually sleeping. So as the Fourth of July approaches this year, I will be praying for a revival for our nation. And revival begins with a spiritual awakening—a profound awareness of our distance from God and our need to close that distance. I will be praying for a sense of spiritual urgency among God’s people. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living” (Romans 13:11–12 NLT). It’s time to sound the alarm. The time for revival has come.   Reflection question: How can you be a “spiritual alarm clock” to the people God has placed around you? Experience the Harvest Crusade on July 11 when you watch online! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min
  4. 3 days ago

    One Way | 1 Timothy 2:5–6

    “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” (1 Timothy 2:5–6 NLT)   One of the costs of following Christ is not being able to join in the feel-good consensus that claims, “All paths lead to God.” Believers don’t have the option of nodding in agreement when people say, “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere in your beliefs.” We don’t have the option because the Bible doesn’t offer it. Jesus Himself 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 the apostle Paul wrote, “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone” (1 Timothy 2:5–6 NLT). These passages leave exactly no room for other spiritual claims or belief systems, no matter how prevalent the idea of religious inclusiveness becomes. The teaching that Jesus Christ is the only way to God has never been popular. But it’s probably safe to say that it’s never been more controversial than it is today. If you want to get someone’s blood boiling, then quote Jesus’ words in John 14:6 or Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:5–6. The “Coexist” bumper sticker on the person’s car will spontaneously catch fire. The idea that you would have the audacity to say that Jesus is the only way is, in effect, saying that other religions aren’t true. That’s the way the logic works itself out, and people don’t like it. It’s acceptable to say that Jesus is a way to God. But when you dare say that He is the only way, then you can be certain that you’ll get some pushback. You might even be accused of being narrow-minded or worse. But here’s what it comes down to: As believers, we must say what the Bible says, whether it’s popular or not. We have no authority to edit the message of the Bible. We’re called simply to deliver it, without watering it down or sugarcoating the words to fit what the audience wants to hear. To do otherwise would be like a doctor discovering a very serious problem with a patient’s health but then being unwilling to say what that problem is—because it might make that patient uncomfortable. We must tell people the truth about their real spiritual condition, which happens to be sinful, and then seek to save them, which is to point them to Jesus Christ as the only solution. If this means we are falsely accused of exclusivity or some other social media no-no, then so be it. God’s truth is too important to be edited for content.   Reflection question: How can you help people get past their desire to be inclusive and understand that Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life?   Harvest Crusade tickets are fully claimed—but it’s not too late to participate and witness what God does on July 11. Invite your loved ones to watch online with you and make sure you join the waitlist in case more tickets become available. — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min
  5. 4 days ago

    Not Home Yet | Hebrews 13:14

    “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” (Hebrews 13:14 NLT)   I heard a story about an old missionary couple who had been serving in Africa for years and were returning home to retire. Their health was broken down, and they had no pension. As it turned out, the same steamer ship they were traveling on had a very well-known passenger, President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning home from a hunting expedition. As the passengers disembarked, a crowd of admirers gathered around. They were all there to greet the president of the United States. A band was playing, and the cheers of the crowd were deafening. But when the missionary couple came ashore, there was no band playing for them. There was no applause. There was no one to welcome them—not a single soul to meet them. Discouraged, the husband buried his face in his hands and moaned, “God, I didn’t expect a band or a parade, but someone could have seen to it to welcome us home.” Hearing this, his wife looked at him and said, “Now, honey, we are not home yet.” One of the costs of following Christ is the challenge of living in a place that’s not our home. This creates an inescapable tension. We can’t ignore our earthly responsibilities. We must involve ourselves in many different aspects of life on this planet. At the same time, we can’t become too comfortable in our earthly environment. We must keep the prevailing attitudes and priorities of this world at arm’s length. And we must keep one eye trained on our forever home so that we never lose sight of our ultimate destination. God’s Word makes it clear that believers are not home yet, but one day we will be. The author of Hebrews wrote, “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come” (Hebrews 13:14 NLT). We have no say in the timing of our eventual homecoming. God will call us home according to His timetable. Our job, until that day, is to be faithful with the opportunities and resources He has given to us. There are some people who simply “go for it” as Christians. They take risks for God. They want to do great things for Him. They give it everything they have. Then there are others who want to serve the Lord, but in a more cautious, careful manner. Some people are setting the world on fire while others are still looking for a match. God has equipped us for our sojourn in this world. We must focus on being faithful to Him and using the gifts, opportunities, and resources He’s given us. This world may not be our home, but while we’re here, we can make a big difference in it.   Reflection question: How do you deal with the challenge of living day to day in a place that isn’t your home? Harvest Crusade tickets are fully claimed—but it’s not too late to participate and witness what God does on July 11. Invite your loved ones to watch online with you and make sure you join the waitlist in case more tickets become available. — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min
  6. 6 days ago

    Attacking Giants | 1 Samuel 17:26

    “David asked the soldiers standing nearby, ‘What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?’” (1 Samuel 17:26 NLT)   David may have thought to himself, “This is a joke. This guy can’t be serious!” David was on an errand for his father, who had sent him to the front lines to deliver food to his brothers. He arrived to find Goliath bellowing from the valley, mocking the God of Israel, blaspheming his Lord that he loved so deeply. Goliath was a gigantic Philistine—nine feet and six inches of solid muscle, covered in armor. Every day he would taunt the Israelites, shouting something to the effect of, “I’ll make you a deal. Send someone out to fight me. If he wins, we’ll be your servants. But if I win, you’ll be our servants. Any takers?” No one wanted to go near him. Meanwhile, there stood David. Though David was a musician, a poet, and a tenderhearted guy, he was also as tough as nails. When there were threats against his sheep, he took them on. He had killed a lion and a bear. He wasn’t afraid. And he wanted to know why someone wasn’t responding to Goliath’s challenge. “David asked the soldiers standing nearby, ‘What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?’” (1 Samuel 17:26 NLT). David wasn’t intimidated by this giant because David looked at things differently than everyone else. Everyone else saw a giant of a man and, apparently, a small God. David, however, saw a big God. That giant didn’t intimidate David the way he intimidated everyone else. And we know how that perspective paid off for David in the end. Maybe you have a giant in your life that’s taunting you right now. Maybe it’s some kind of threat. Maybe it’s a habit or an addiction that has you in its grip. Maybe it’s a situation that needs to be dealt with once and for all. Or, in keeping with the theme of preparing for the Harvest Crusade next month, maybe your loved one does not have a personal relationship with Jesus. This giant, so to speak, seeks to control you. It seeks to hurt you. It seeks to torment you. What should you do? Like David, you should see God for who He is and your giant for what it is. Align your perspective with spiritual reality. Nothing in your life is too big for God. Nothing is too complex for Him to solve. Nothing is beyond His experience or expertise. Call on the Lord and pray for His power. Pay attention to His prompts. Be willing to step out of your comfort zone in faith, to do the hard—but doable—things necessary. Attack your giant and see what God does in and through you.   Reflection question: How can you attack the most prominent giant in your life right now? Harvest Crusade tickets are fully claimed—but it’s not too late to participate and witness what God does on July 11. Invite your loved ones to watch online with you and make sure you join the waitlist in case more tickets become available. — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min
  7. 26 Jun

    Everyone Needs Jesus | Titus 3:4–7

    “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” (Titus 3:4–7 NLT)   Self-righteous people don’t think they need forgiveness. Self-righteous people don’t think they need Jesus. A self-righteous person will say, “You go preach that gospel in the prisons and on the streets and to the criminals. But don’t bother with me. I’m an educated and intelligent person. I’m a moral person. I don’t need it.” The Bible takes a different stance on the matter. The apostle Paul wrote,   “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” (Titus 3:4–7 NLT)   Self-righteous people are different from what I would call garden-variety sinners. Self-righteous people are kind people. They are considerate people. They volunteer and help wherever they’re needed. They do benevolent things. We all know people like this. In fact, I’ve met some non-Christians who are nicer than some Christians I know. It isn’t wrong to say that there are some relatively “good” people from a worldly perspective, because there are. The Bible acknowledges that, in a human sense, some people appear more moral than others. But the Bible does say that no one is good enough to get to Heaven. We don’t get to Heaven based on niceness. Heaven is not a place for near-perfect people; it’s a place for forgiven people. We see classic examples of this in John’s Gospel. In John 3, we’re introduced to Nicodemus, who was an upstanding, respected, religious, moral guy. In John 4, we’re introduced to a Samaritan woman, an immoral person who was living in sin. What do these two have in common? They both encountered Jesus. And they both were confronted with their need for Him. Their encounters remind us that everyone needs Jesus—both the moral and the immoral, both the down-and-outer and the up-and-outer. That message is at the center of our Harvest Crusades. It’s why we do what we do. Look around at the people in your life. Every one of them who hasn’t received Christ as Savior and Lord needs Him, whether they realize it or not. Your mission is to help them recognize that need and then lead them to the One who can fulfill it. Will you accept that mission?   Reflection question: How can you convince an unbeliever of their need for Jesus? Harvest Crusade tickets are fully claimed—but it’s not too late to participate and witness what God does on July 11. Invite your loved ones to watch online with you and make sure you join the waitlist in case more tickets become available. — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min
  8. 25 Jun

    Good Isn’t Good Enough | Romans 3:23

    “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23 NLT)   Years ago, I was a guest on a morning television show. The host and I were having a nice chat when, near the end of the program, he dropped a bombshell. He said, “Greg, I have a question for you. You believe that most of the world is non-Christian and that because of that, they are going to burn in Hell for all eternity. What kind of loving God would ever create such a scenario? Is that like a petty boss that some people have created, not understanding God?” I had about two minutes to respond to that question. But after the show ended and the cameras stopped rolling, our conversation continued. He went on to ask me about good people and how a God of love could allow them to face judgment. I pointed out that we must define what “good” is. As humans, we have a sliding scale of good. Everyone seems to believe that they are good. They are always the moral center of their universe. They immediately give themselves a free pass and believe that other people aren’t as good as they are. The problem is that we have conflicting views regarding what is good. So, how do we determine what good is? We all have the answer, and it’s found in the Bible. God says, “No one is righteous—not even one” (Romans 3:10 NLT). This doesn’t mean there aren’t good people in a broad sense; it means no one is good enough to get to Heaven on their own merit. In the end, it’s not our standards of goodness that matter; it’s God’s. And, as the apostle Paul makes clear a few verses later in Romans 3, God’s threshold for goodness is much higher than ours. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (verse 23 NLT). Our efforts to be “good enough” on our own don’t impress God. Isaiah 64:6 says, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags” (NLT). Our good deeds can’t help us escape the judgment we deserve for our sin. Only God’s forgiveness can do that. From an eternal perspective, being good isn’t about being the nicest person or the kindest person. It’s about being a forgiven person. That’s who will be in Heaven: forgiven people. If you’ve always put your faith in your own goodness, now is the time to reevaluate. Consider the warnings of Scripture carefully. Admit that your best isn’t good enough. Confess your sins to God and ask for His forgiveness. Trust in the righteousness of Christ for your salvation. If you’ve already done that, embark on your own personal mission to take the gospel message to the people around you. Help them understand why good isn’t good enough.   Reflection question: How would you respond to someone who believes that they’ll go to Heaven when they die because they’re a good person? Harvest Crusade tickets are fully claimed—but it’s not too late to participate and witness what God does on July 11. Invite your loved ones to watch online with you and make sure you join the waitlist in case more tickets become available. — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min

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If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.  *The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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