Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

“And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52 NLT)   Imagine that you bought a new car, drove it around town for a few days, and really liked the way it performed for you. But suddenly it started sputtering and not running as well as it had in the beginning. Finally, it just chugged to a stop and wouldn’t go any further. “What’s the problem here?” you ask. “I just bought this car. I don’t even have a couple of hundred miles on it yet.” You have your stalled-out new car towed back to the dealer, demanding an explanation. “Hmm,” the mechanic says, slipping the key into the ignition and trying to start it a couple of times. “Uh, sir, do you see this little light on your fuel gauge? It means you’re out of gas. You need to fill your car with gas every now and then.” “Oh,” you say. “I never thought of that.” “Yes, sir. You see, you’ve got to keep refilling your car over and over if you want it to keep going.” The same is true in life. You’re cruising along, enjoying life and the scenery, experiencing peace and success in your family, your marriage, your business, and your ministry. Suddenly, however, problem after problem starts cropping up, and life suddenly doesn’t seem to be working very well. Maybe you need a refill. Maybe you need to ask the Lord to give you the power of His Holy Spirit to be a better husband—or a better father, a better grandmother, a better witness, a better student, a better employee, or a better whatever He has called you to be. Sometimes you need refills more often than you expect. You may ask and receive the filling of the Holy Spirit in the morning, but by the time late afternoon comes along, you may find yourself relying on your own strength again and needing His fresh empowerment. The apostle Paul wrote, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV). God wants us to come to Him again and again, asking Him to fill and empower us afresh. The fact is, we have a never-ending need, and He has an inexhaustible supply. The Christians featured in the book of Acts certainly understood the importance of being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Peter led thousands of people to Christ at Pentecost after he was filled by the Holy Spirit. Stephen, the first known Christian martyr, preached one of the most powerful sermons ever recorded because he was filled with the Spirit’s power. The apostle Paul vividly describes being disheartened, discouraged, and lonely before God refueled and restored him. Whenever you start to feel spiritually run-down, ask the Lord to refill you with the power of His Spirit. And then watch what He does.   Reflection question: How do you know when you need a spiritual refill? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.” (Acts 12:5 NLT)   If you watched a lot of old Westerns back in the day, as I did, you know that the outlaws (who usually wore black hats) riding furiously across mountainous terrain with the stolen loot from the stagecoach robbery would frequently get tripped up by geography. At some point, someone in the pursuing posse (who usually wore white hats) would shout, “We have ’em now! They’ve ridden into a box canyon!” And everybody knows there’s only one way out of a box canyon. There are box canyons in life, too—seemingly impossible situations that seem to offer no workable way out and nowhere else to turn. In a box canyon, surrounded by insurmountable obstacles, you find yourself temporarily paralyzed, not knowing what to do. These are the very times when God invites us to pray. In Acts 12, we find the story of how God took a tragic, even hopeless, situation and turned it around. More to the point, the turnaround was initiated by the power of prayer—the kind of prayer that reverberates throughout the throne room of God and gets an answer. James and Peter, two key figures in the early Christian church, had been imprisoned for doing God’s work. Tragically, James was put to death. But Peter was still incarcerated, awaiting his fate. All doors to his freedom were closed, except one: the door of prayer. His fellow church members recognized that “we use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:4 NLT). Prayer was and is the church’s secret weapon. Although the devil struck a blow against the church in the death of James, the church gained victory through prayer as Peter was miraculously released. Chained between two Roman soldiers, Peter was awakened in his cell by an angel of the Lord. The chains on his wrists fell to the floor. The angel led Peter past the guards posted in the jail and through the iron gate that separated it from the outside world. The people of the church prayed for Peter’s release, and Peter literally showed up at their door (see Acts 12:6–19). Prayer still carries the same potential. That’s why it’s essential that Christians learn how to pray effectively. The reality is that all of us will face difficulties, hardships, problems, and more than a few box canyons. We need to discover what God can do through the power of prayer. Prayer for the Christian should be second nature, like breathing. We should automatically lift our needs and requests before the Lord. Jesus said that we should always pray and not lose heart (see Luke 18:1). Prayer is something we should never avoid and never grow tired of. Prayer should be woven through our day like a bright gold thread woven through a piece of fabric. The more we pray, the more we will see the kingdom of God break through the darkness of seemingly impossible situations.   Reflection question: What seemingly impossible situation in your life might be changed by prayer? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.” (Acts 11:23–24 NLT)   Hats and T-shirts often give us a window into people’s personalities. If you walk through a large crowd, you’ll find that many people are eager to share, via their apparel, what they were born to do, whether it’s “Born to Surf,” “Born to Ride” (usually horses or motorcycles), “Born to Shop,” or “Born to Cross-Stitch.” While these messages are lighthearted and fun, they point to a deeper concern: finding one’s purpose in life. If someone asked you what your purpose in life is, what would you say? If you’re a conscientious Christian, you might quickly respond with “To honor God” or some other biblically sound statement. But keep in mind that your life’s purpose isn’t revealed in what you say, but in what you do. To put it another way, what do you prioritize? Where do you channel most of your energy? What do you think about most often? What do you long for? What fuels you and gives you purpose? What is the most significant thing in your life? Given those parameters, some people, if they answered honestly, would say, “My purpose in life is to have fun.” Others might say, “My purpose in life is to experience pleasure.” Others might say, “My purpose in life is to be successful.” Others might say, “My purpose in life is to make money.” The book of Acts introduces us to a Christian worker and traveling companion of the apostle Paul named Barnabas. Acts 11:23–24 recounts Barnabas’ arrival in Antioch. “When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord” (NLT). Barnabas found purpose in life by furthering God’s kingdom and encouraging his fellow believers. With his purpose firmly fixed in his mind, Barnabas seized every opportunity to fulfill it. He led with encouragement—purposefully—in his interactions with others. Paul himself said, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]” (Philippians 3:10 AMPC). In other words, “My purpose in life is to know the Lord. Yes, there are other things that I do, but my primary purpose is to continually deepen my relationship with God.” With his purpose firmly fixed in his mind, Paul could allot his time accordingly to prayer, Bible study, and sharing the gospel—the things that would bring him closer to God. Do you know your purpose in life?   Reflection question: How is your purpose in life reflected in the way you live? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, ‘Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.’” (Acts 23:11 NLT)   The apostle Paul was blessed with a tremendous circle of friends and fellow laborers for Christ. He gave shout-outs to several of them in his letters. “Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. . . . I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. . . . Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. . . . Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. . . . Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas. Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house” (Colossians 4:7–15 NLT). Yet, for various reasons, his friends weren’t always available to him. Paul concluded his last letter with this emotional plea: “Timothy, please come as soon as you can. Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:9–11 NLT). Paul was no stranger to loneliness. Yet he was never really alone. God was with him, as we talked about in last week’s devotions. And God was all he really needed. Acts 23:11 says, “That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, ‘Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well’” (NLT). Be encouraged. Some people might say that seems like a lot to ask, considering the circumstances. Paul had just endured a hostile hearing and had been taken back into Roman custody for doing God’s work. But the Lord assured him that his ministry was not over. Paul would preach the Good News in Rome as well. Paul trusted God, but he also struggled with some very real human emotions—starting with loneliness. And who can blame him? Sometimes God’s call can seem like a solitary journey. The people we turn to in other areas of our life aren’t always available to us or sympathetic to our needs. That’s when we need to ask God to make His presence known to us as He did for Paul. The Lord’s company is all we need. God blesses us with family, friends, and fellow workers to share fellowship. But occasionally, we need to be reminded that He is all we require. We all face prisons, of sorts. But we never face them alone.   Reflection question: When was the last time you got a very real sense that God was with you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest 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)   According to Acts 8, Philip led a thriving ministry in the city of Samaria. Crowds flocked to hear him preach the gospel and watch him perform miraculous signs. Countless people believed his message and were baptized. The apostles Peter and John traveled to Samaria to see Philip’s ministry for themselves. And then one day God told Philip to go to the desert. Not only did God tell him to go to the desert, but He also told him to go to Gaza, to a desolate road that was rarely used. Not only did God tell him to go to this rarely used road, but He also told him to go at the hottest time of the day. Essentially, God said, “Go to a deserted road in the middle of the desert in the middle of the afternoon and await further instructions.” Sometimes God will tell us to do things that may not make sense in the moment. Common wisdom might have dictated that Philip stay in Samaria, where the numbers were, and continue his successful ministry. But the wisdom of God is far different from common wisdom. And who are we to question the wisdom of God? That’s why Philip was a man whom God could call on. Philip recognized that God knew exactly what He was doing. There’s another subtle element in Philip’s story that I want to highlight. Billy Graham once said, “Time after time in my ministry I have quoted a Bible verse in a sermon—sometimes without planning to do so in advance—and afterward someone has told me it was that verse which the Holy Spirit used to bring conviction or faith.” Knowing God’s Word is essential for any person who wants to lead others to Jesus Christ. Anyone who shares the gospel needs to use the Word of God. When Philip met the Ethiopian in the desert, the Bible tells us, “So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus” (Acts 8:35 NLT). What if Philip had not been a student of Scripture when the Ethiopian was looking for answers? He would have had to say, “I don’t know, that’s a good question. Uh, can I get back to you?” Fortunately, Philip was well-versed in what Scripture taught. This is why believers are told in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (NLT). I’m not saying we need to have the answer to every question. But I am saying that we need to study and prepare ourselves as effectively as possible. And if we don’t have the answer, let that propel us back into the pages of Scripture to find it for the next time that question arises.   Reflection question: How can you prepare for a God-given assignment like the one Philip received? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."   All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.