Category Archives: Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Pleading with God

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So the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.—Exodus 32:14

I find it amazing that Moses negotiated with God and got away with it. But he wasn’t the only one. Another man who negotiated with God was Abraham, and he was called the friend of God.

When God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham started praying. He said, “Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? . . . Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:24–25). He was actually telling God about His own nature.

God said, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city” (verse 26).

Then Abraham said, “Even though I am but dust and ashes. Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” (verses 27–28).

Next Abraham threw out the prospect of forty people, then twenty people, and finally ten. Even then, God said He wouldn’t destroy the city if He could find only ten righteous people. But God couldn’t find ten people, and ultimately He judged Sodom.

Abraham could talk to God that way because he was His friend. It might seem irreverent, but it speaks of the closeness of his friendship with God.

In the same way, Moses negotiated with God to spare the Israelites after they worshiped the golden calf, and God spared them. Moses had changed from an impulsive prince of Egypt into a seasoned man of God who put it all on the line for his people.

Does this mean that we should argue with God? Not really. But it does mean that we should plead with God. We should intercede for people whom we care about.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – God Is Looking for Intercessors

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Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.” —Exodus 32:9–10

Moses had many frustrations with the Israelites. He had complained to God on multiple occasions about them. But when God told Moses that He was going to wipe them out, Moses pleaded with God to relent.

God never was going to wipe these people out; He was testing Moses to see whether he would learn what it meant to be an intercessor. Would Moses stand in the gap and pray for the people, or would he throw them under the bus?

In John’s gospel we find someone who faced a similar test. A desperate father whose son was at death’s door heard about Jesus, humbled himself, and bowed before the Lord, asking Him to touch his dear son. Jesus answered, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe” (John 4:48 NKJV).

What kind of thing is that to say to someone with a dying child? But just as God did with Moses, Jesus was testing this man. Really, He wasn’t directing the words to the child’s father at all. He was saying them to the fickle crowds who wanted to be impressed.

The man just stood there, patiently waiting for Jesus to finish His sermon. Then he came right back to Jesus and said, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” He was an intercessor praying for his son.

Jesus told him, “Go your way; your son lives.”

He stood in the gap. He pressed on.

God is still looking for intercessors today. Sometimes we will pray for something, and we won’t get an answer right away. So we think that God is obviously saying no. But maybe God wants you to step up your game. Maybe He wants you to pray a little bit more. Maybe He wants you to not give up so easily.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Deal Quickly with Sin

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A little leaven leavens the whole lump. —Galatians 5:9

Israel committed a great sin. They knew better. They were God’s chosen, covenant people. They had seen his power demonstrated time and time again. They saw the Red Sea parted as they passed through, and they saw it close on the pursuing Egyptian army. They saw manna provided every morning. They saw God’s fire by night and His cloud by day. They saw miracle after miracle. They made a promise to obey God on three separate occasions. Much had been given to Israel, and much was expected from Israel.

So when they worshiped the golden calf that Aaron formed from the jewelry they willingly gave him, it was a radical sin. And it would be dealt with harshly. When Moses arrived, he threw down the commandments, took their golden calf, ground it into powder, put it into water, and then made them drink it. Then he gave the command for a number of them to be put to death for their sin.

It almost seems unfair that God would deal so harshly with these people. But frankly, God doesn’t owe us the time of day, much less an explanation of why He does or does not do certain things. He just does what He is going to do.

Basically God was saying, “I hate sin. It will not be tolerated. It must be dealt with swiftly, lest it spreads and do even more harm.”

The Bible compares sin to leaven, which is yeast that is put into bread to cause it to rise before baking. It is always a picture of evil in the Bible. We could say that sin is like cancer. It needs to be cut out before it metastasizes, before it spreads through someone’s system. That is why the Lord tells us to deal quickly with sin.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Are All Sins the Same?

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Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin.”

—Exodus 32:30

Are some sins greater, or worse, than others? Our knee-jerk reaction might be that all sin is the same. But actually that is not true. All sin is not the same. According to the Scriptures, some sins are more offensive to God than other sins are.

Now in a broad sense, all sin is wrong, from the smallest infraction to the grossest, outright sin. It all separates us from God. Even one sin can separate us from God. Jesus made this clear in the Sermon on the Mount when He pointed out that lusting is as bad as committing adultery, and hating is as bad as murdering.

In one sense, adultery and lust are the same. But in another sense, they are different. In one sense, murder and hate are the same thing. But in another sense, they are different. Some sins have greater ramifications than others, but all sin separates us from God.

Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin” (John 19:11).

I think Jesus was referring here to either Caiaphas or Judas. Caiaphas was the high priest, the man who represented God and was supposed to be close to God. Judas was one of the handpicked disciples of the Lord. So if Jesus was referring to them, it really was, in effect, the same sin they would have committed. And what was this “greater sin”? It was sinning when they knew better.

The worst sin people can commit, the unforgivable sin, is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which is the outright rejection of Christ. And as Hebrews 2:3 says, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – What Coveting Is—and Isn’t

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“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” —Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet” is probably one of the most misunderstood of the Ten Commandments. Coveting isn’t simply desiring something. Nor is it simply admiring something that we don’t have. To covet is to become devoured by desire for something. And many times, it’s something that isn’t yours to have.

The word for covet is also translated “to pant after.” Think of a wolf that has gotten a taste for blood and is out there pursuing his prey, panting after it. That wolf will not rest until he catches his prey, kills it, and eats it.

That is what coveting is. How does it work? You become obsessed with something. First the eyes look at the object, the mind admires it, and the will goes over to it. Lastly, the body moves in to possess it. One thing leads to another.

Judas Iscariot effectively threw his life away for thirty pieces of silver when he betrayed the Lord. We are told in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” That verse is often quoted as “Money is the root of all evil,” but the Bible says no such thing. The love of money is the root of all kinds evil. It doesn’t mean that it’s bad to want some money. But it becomes a problem when we covet, or pant after, it.

Some people covet throughout their lives. They become obsessed with certain things and will make any sacrifice to get what they want. It may be a person. It may be an object. It may be a position. Whatever it takes, they are determined to get it. And it can destroy them.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Mortimer Mouse?

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“‘As for Mephibosheth,’ said the king, ‘he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.'” —2 Samuel 9:11

Maybe you have had some serious setbacks in life. As a child, you were mistreated, neglected, abused, or even forgotten. You, like so many kids today, were just left to yourself. Maybe people haven’t given you much hope; you’ve been written off by your parents and teachers.

The Bible tells the story of a young man named Mephibosheth, who literally was dropped in life (2 Samuel 9). His grandfather was King Saul and his father was Prince Jonathan. After they had been killed in battle, in her haste to hide him, his nurse dropped little Mephibosheth, who was only five, and as a result he lost the use of his legs.

She feared that the king-elect, David, would seek him out and kill him, as was the custom of kings of that time. But later King David, who ascended to the throne, sought Mephibosheth out and welcomed him as a member of his own family to live in the palace.

It reminds us of how Jesus reached out to us and calls us to be a part of His family. I have some good news for you today! God specializes in taking people who have been “dropped in life” and picking them back up again!

I read about how as a young man Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper. When Disney asked why, they responded, “Walt, you’re not creative enough. You never have any new ideas. We’re sorry, but we’re going to have to let you go.” Disney got dropped in life.

So, he moved to California, borrowed $500 and started a graphic arts company. Shortly after, he came up with a little character he named Mortimer Mouse, later to become Mickey Mouse, and the rest is history.

You can’t control what happens to you in life. But you have everything to say about how you react. Perhaps that setback in life can help you move forward like never before.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie –In Rhythm with God

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But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. —Genesis 6:8

A jeweler will display a ring or a fine piece of jewelry against a dark backdrop so that our eyes are automatically drawn to it. And that is what Noah was like against the dark backdrop of wickedness in his day. He was a rare jewel, a radiant light in a very dark place. The Bible tells us that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8), which means that God extended grace toward him.

The Bible also tells us that “Noah walked with God.” (verse 9). That is said of only two people in the Scriptures: Enoch and Noah. So what does it mean to walk with God? Amos 3:3 gives us insight into this: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” The idea is to move in rhythm with someone. If you take a walk with someone, you have to keep pace with that person. When I walk with my grandchildren, for example, I can’t walk at my normal speed. I slow down.

The idea of walking with God is that we are not running and dragging God along, and neither is God running and dragging us along. Rather, we are to get in rhythm with God. The objective is to get in synch with Him, not try to get Him in synch with us.

I remember a time when I went scuba diving and ended up using too much of my air. So I had to use the extra regulator hanging from the instructor’s tank, and from that point on, I had to go wherever he went. I could either stay in rhythm with my instructor and live, or break free and die. So I stayed in rhythm with him.

That is the idea of walking with God. And Noah walked with God.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie –What Grieves God

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“And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” —Genesis 6:6

One day the Lord’s disciples came to Him with this question: “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).

Jesus answered, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (verses 37–39).

In this significant statement, Jesus not only was verifying the historicity of the Flood spoken of in Genesis, but He also was encouraging us to look carefully at the way things were before the Flood came, because these are characteristics that will be prevalent in the time before He comes again.

There are some striking parallels between Noah’s time and our time. Noah was living in his last days. He was living in a time right before judgment came in the form of the Flood. And we are living in the last days, the time before the judgment that will come during the Great Tribulation.

As Genesis 6 opens, things had gone from bad to worse on Planet Earth. The Bible tells us, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (verses 5–6).

God was grieved that His creation was living that way. This shows the heartache of God over the rebellion and wickedness of men and women.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Way of Cain

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Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. —Jude 1:11

Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. (Jude 1:11)

The Bible warns us about “the way of Cain” (see Jude 1:11). What is the way of Cain? For one thing, it is to worship God with impure motives. Cain brought his offering to the Lord, but he didn’t bring it in faith. No matter how great your gift may be, if your heart is wrong, then it will mean nothing.

The way of Cain is also to have a heart and life that are filled with jealousy, envy, and hatred. There always will be people who will do better than you. There always will be someone who is better looking, more successful or more intelligent than you. So will you go through life frustrated and filled with jealousy and envy? Or, are you going to say, “God, everything I have is a gift from You anyway, and I am going to thank You for it. I don’t want to destroy my life through envy and jealousy”?

Lastly, the way of Cain is to lie to God about what you have done. There is only one way to deal with sin, and that is to tell the truth because God knows anyway. God knew what Cain was about to do, and He warned him. But Cain did what he thought he should do, and sin pounced on him, consumed him, and mastered him just as God said it would.

It is the same for those of us today as well. Don’t walk in the way of Cain. Instead, walk in the way of Abel. Hebrews 11:4 tells us that “by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.” The way of Abel leads to blessing.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Green-Eyed Monster

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Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

—Genesis 4:4–5

If you want to be a miserable person, then be an envious person. It is not necessarily a bad thing to admire something that someone else has. When we say, “I envy you. You are going on vacation,” we aren’t necessarily using envy in the worst sense of the word.

To envy is to be angry when someone else has something that you don’t have. A literal definition of the word envy is “a malignant or hostile feeling.” So it is not a matter of saying, “You have a lot. Wow, that is really great! I wish I had that!”

Rather, it’s an attitude that says, I am actually angry with you that you have those things and I don’t have them.

Envy has been described as a small-town sin; it breeds on proximity. We don’t tend to envy someone who is famous and successful. Instead, we envy our neighbors, a relative, or a coworker. We are fine as long as we are all equal, as long as we are all on the same playing field. But if one begins to succeed, if one gets an opportunity we think we should have had, if one has something wonderful happen, we become envious.

We don’t know exactly what caused Cain to murder his brother Abel, but I think it is safe to say that envy and jealousy played a part. Abel’s sacrifice was accepted, and Cain’s was not. Envy unchecked can become a major problem, and Cain’s envy led to murder. Cain was not mastered by God, so he became enslaved by the Devil.

Shakespeare called envy the green-eyed monster, and it’s a green-eyed monster that can strangle you. Be a jealous person, and you will give the Devil a foothold just as Cain did—and you will face the repercussions.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Ready to Pounce

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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

A number of years ago I read an interesting book called Death in the Long Grass. Its author, a big-game hunter, recounts stories of not only hunting lions, but also of lions hunting people.

There was a certain group of lions that had a taste for human blood and would come into camps at night, step over people without even waking them, and find their intended prey. It was never determined why the lions chose whom they chose. But they would pick up their victims, kill them immediately, and drag them away without waking a single person. The author wrote about one large cat in particular that killed over one hundred people. The book also mentions that a charging lion can cover one hundred yards in just three seconds.

Lions are powerful and very frightening creatures. And they have the capability to take you out rapidly if they want to.

The Bible likens the Devil to a lion. First Peter 5:8 tells us, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

And in Genesis, God gave this warning to Cain: “But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master” (4:7). God was saying, “Listen, you are flirting with disaster. You had better throw on the brakes, because sin is like a wild beast, and it is ready to pounce.” The Devil is always looking for trouble, pacing back and forth like a lion in his cage.

Sin was crouching at Cain’s door, and it is crouching at our door too. And for some, it is already across the threshold. So we must be careful.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Is There Someone You Need to Forgive?

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“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another . . .” —Colossians 3:12–13

The film Les Misérables, adapted from Victor Hugo’s book by the same name, is the story of Jean Valjean, who was sent to prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family.

Upon his release, Valjean goes to a monastery, where he is shown kindness by the bishop. But at night, he runs off with the bishop’s silver and is captured by the police. While being questioned, the bishop tells the police that he gave the silver to Valjean. Once the police leave, the bishop gives Valjean two silver candlesticks and tells him that he has been spared by God and that he must make an honest man of himself.

The bishop says, “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you and I give it to God.” Valjean, wanting to start a new life, under a new identity, breaks his parole conditions and is then pursued by an officer known as Javert.

Javert hunts Valjean, but Valjean just wants to live in peace. Later in the story, Valjean has an opportunity to kill Javert, but instead sets him free. Valjean also showed many acts of kindness, including adopting Cosette, the daughter of a prostitute named Fantine—a forgiven man, becomes a forgiving man.

We all love stories like that. But what about when we have someone to forgive?

Paul reminds us in the Book of Ephesians, “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you!” (Ephesians 4:30–32 NLT, emphasis added). Is there someone that you need to forgive?

When you forgive someone, you set a prisoner free: yourself!

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Truth about Lying

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“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” – Exodus 20:16

There are times when it is hard for us to tell the truth. I am not talking about telling a bold-faced lie. Rather, I am talking about those situations in which it’s difficult to tell the truth because you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.

There are many ways we can lie. For example, think of those times when someone asks for your opinion on something. “What do you think?” they will say.

So you might tell a little white lie. “Well, I have never seen anything quite like it!” or “That’s one of the most fascinating performances I’ve ever seen!”

Then there are those instances when someone calls, and you don’t want to answer the phone. So you say, “Tell them I’m not home.”

What about those times when you say, “I forgot,” and you didn’t forget, or “It was the traffic,” and it wasn’t the traffic, or “I am so glad you called. I was just getting ready to call you,” and you weren’t.

There are other ways we can lie as well, and that is through gossip. Gossip topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, destroys reputations, and causes nightmares. It spawns suspicions and generates grief. Even the very word hisses when we say it: gossip. It really is from the Serpent. Proverbs 20:19 says, “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.”

A helpful principle before you repeat something can be summed up in one word: THINK. Ask yourself these questions the next time you’re about to repeat information:

T—Is it truthful? Are you sure it’s true?

H—Is it helpful?

I—Is it inspiring?

N—Is it necessary?

K—Is it kind?

If it doesn’t pass that test, then don’t say it.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Eighth Commandment

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“You shall not steal.”—Exodus 20:15

There is so much stealing in our culture today that we have almost become accustomed to it. In fact, I read about a study that was done on stealing in which people were asked why they didn’t steal. The number one reason given by those polled was the fear of getting caught. The next most common reason was concern that the other person might try to get even. The third most-cited reason was that the item might not be needed. What apparently didn’t occur to anyone was the fact that stealing is a sin.

Here is what God says about stealing: “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

In the above verse we find three simple principles about how to live our lives as Christians.

First, if you have stolen, steal no longer. Don’t take something that doesn’t belong to you. Don’t illegally download stuff. Don’t take things that are not yours. If you have taken something, give it back or make restitution.

Second, be useful. Get out and work. Get a job. The apostle Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” The government doesn’t owe you anything. Don’t leech off people. Go out and be responsible and look for a job.

Third, be useful. Find work wherever you can find it. Do something. Make an effort. Sometimes people who are out of work will say, “I am praying the Lord will provide.” That’s good to pray. But have they submitted your resume anywhere? Have they applied for any jobs? Keep praying. But start looking too.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Sin That Wreaks Havoc

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“You must not commit adultery.”—Exodus 20:14

What trouble the sin of adultery has brought upon the human race. Think of how different our world would be if we would just keep this single commandment. Think of how different the lives of so many people would have been if they had not committed this sin. How many divorces would have been avoided? How many families would still be together? How many fathers would still be at home to raise their children?

Adultery is being unfaithful to your spouse. If you are single, having sex before marriage is called fornication. What does God say about adultery and fornication? Hebrews 13:4 “God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.”

When a man and woman come together sexually, they enter a state of oneness. In fact, 1 Corinthians 6:15–16 says, “Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, ‘The two are united into one.’ ”

Understand, God has given us a sexual drive just as surely as He created the family and brought a man and a woman together. Sometimes we forget that God thought up sex. He invented it. But sometimes the Christian view of sex is mischaracterized. Some assert that Christians believe sex is only for procreation. We do believe it is for that, but God has given it to us for pleasure as well. He has given it to us for fulfillment. It is something that He can really bless. But there is only one place God will bless it, and that is in a marriage relationship.

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Murderer at Heart

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Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. —Ephesians 4:31

Many of us would never murder a person, but we may wish someone were dead. Have you ever hated anyone? Let me rephrase the question: Have you ever driven on a freeway anywhere in Southern California?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.” (Matthew 5:21–22).

We also read in 1 John 3:15, “Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.” The word used here for hate means “to habitually despise.” It is not just a transient emotion of the affections but a deep-rooted loathing.

We all lose our temper at times. I don’t think the Bible is saying that if you get angry and honk at someone, then you are a murderer. No, you are just a honker, and maybe you shouldn’t have lost your temper. The hatred the Bible is speaking of here is a deep-rooted loathing. It’s an attitude that says, “I hate your guts. When you walk into a room, I just seethe. I boil. I would like to see you destroyed. I sit around and think of ways that I could hurt you.”

Guess what? That is like murdering a person, and that is a sin before God.

So even if we have never committed the physical act of murder, the reality is that we still can be murderers in our hearts.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Is All Killing Wrong?

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“You shall not murder.”—Exodus 20:13

We live in a violent and murderous culture today, a culture that is awash in fighting and killing, a culture where nearly two million people are violent crime victims each year. Yet the sixth commandment says, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).

ll murder is wrong, but all killing isn’t necessarily wrong. That is an important distinction to make. All murder is killing, but all killing is not necessarily murder. We are never to take the life of another human being for no justifiable reason. But the Bible does not condemn all killing. If you study Numbers 35, you will see that God established a difference between killing and murder.

So when is killing right? One example is self-defense. You have the right to defend yourself. A country also has a right, and really the responsibility, to defend itself. God has even established authority, such as the military and the police. Romans 13 says, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (verses 3-4).

When Paul made that statement, the authority was the Roman government. Was the Roman government a pure, moral, godly force on the earth? Hardly. But even with the problems of the Roman government and the Caesars, Paul recognized that God is ultimately in control.

There is a place for authority, for the military and the police. It doesn’t mean they always do the right thing. But God has established the authority.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Blessed Nation

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“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” —Proverbs 14:34

Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political thinker and historian wrote a book entitled Democracy in America. This book was published after his extensive travels in our country when it was still young.

He made the statement about the greatness of America that bears remembering:

“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers—and it was not there . . . in her fertile fields and boundless forests—and it was not there . . . in her rich mines and her vast world commerce—and it was not there . . . in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution—and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

That’s right, our greatness has come from our goodness—from our belief in God’s Word, which gives us the moral compass we need, so we can know right from wrong and good from evil.

In the classic song, “America the Beautiful,” we sing the words, “America, America, God shed His grace on thee.” And that is so true. God has been gracious to our country, and I pray that we will turn back to Him like never before. I pray it does not take a national crisis to get our attention.

How we need God in America today. And let’s also not forget the Word of God that says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

So today, as you enjoy the fireworks and barbeques, remember the Lord who has blessed this nation in an extraordinary way. And remember to give Him thanks!

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Because He Said So

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“I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.”—Isaiah 43:11

As children are growing up, they will hear their parents say things they don’t like, such as when Mom or Dad says, “Do you think that I have a money tree somewhere?” or “You don’t know the sacrifices I had to make when I was your age!” Then there is my favorite parental saying: “Because I said so!”

Kids today may vow to never say that to their children, but when they’re adults and their children keep pressing them, they may find themselves blurting out, “Because I said so!” (Then they’ll think, I can’t believe I just said that!)

Sometimes we may look at God’s laws, standards, and absolutes and say, “I struggle with that. I don’t know about that. How can I know it’s true?”

Meanwhile God is saying to us, “Because I said so. Really, you know it is true because I said so.”

God is the source of truth. God is truth. So if God says it is true, then it is true. You may or may not agree with it. You may not fully understand it. But that doesn’t change what it is.

I have seen a lot of drama played out in real time in many lives. I have seen what happens to men and women who get married, work on having a strong marriage, stay married, and raise their children in the way of the Lord. Of course every family has its challenges. And every family has its tragedies. But I’ve seen in the long run how it works when we pass on these biblical truths from generation to generation.

I have also seen what happens when couples get divorced, get remarried, and get divorced again. I’ve seen how problems get passed from generation to generation.

So let’s just take God at His Word.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – It Starts with the Family

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“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”—Exodus 20:12

Few things in life can bring us as much pleasure or pain as our families. When things are working well in the family, it’s great. When things are not going so well, it’s tough. Parents have tension with children. Children have tension with parents. Husbands have tension with wives. Wives have tension with husbands. Then there are the in-laws. Families are complex. But God established the family.

In the Ten Commandments, before a word is said about how we treat one another, God starts with the family: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).

In Genesis we have God bringing Adam and Eve together. He started with the family. He created the family. And He—and He alone—defines the family. God loves the family.

There is only one picture that God gives to a lost world to show His love for the church and the church’s love for Him. That is marriage. He says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25), and “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” (verse 22).

Effectively, here is what God is saying: “Look at this Christian couple right here. See the way that husband loves his wife? That is how I love this church, My people. See how that wife loves her husband? That is how My church loves Me.”

Because of that, when a Christian family starts to unravel and when Christian people get divorced, that is devastating in many ways to the testimony of believers in a given community.

It has been said that a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family.