Category Archives: Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A New Paradigm

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Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. —Romans 12:4–5

We have a tendency to want to build our own private universe where the world revolves around us. We are the main characters in our own little movies, and everyone else is a member of the supporting cast. We think it is all about us.

There is just one problem, however. There are other people in our universe, and a lot of them really bother us. But here is something to consider. You might be someone who really bothers another person. We always think that another person is really an irritant. I hate to break this to you, but you might be an irritant to some other people.

However, as followers of Jesus, we need to remember this isn’t a solo effort where we only hang out with the kind of people we personally like. Some Christians may think this way when it comes to church: Well, I only want to be around people who are cool, like me. . . . I only want to be around people who are my age. . . . I only want to be around people I can relate to.

Newsflash: It is not about you. God puts all kinds of different people together. Sometimes they are people we never would have hung out with before. Yet God puts these people in our lives and tells us to love them. And He puts you in others’ lives and tells them to love you. That is because we are a family. And sometimes in a family, you find yourself related to people you don’t always understand. But when the day is done, they are still family.

God says that we need a new paradigm. The way to success, according to the Bible, is through humility. The way to self-fulfillment is thinking of others first.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Christian’s Life Purpose

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For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. —Romans 14:17

Years ago during a visit with Billy and Ruth Graham, I noticed while we were outside that their dog was continuously going around in circles.

“What’s wrong with this dog?” I asked them.

“He’s chasing his tail,” they told me.

I had heard about dogs chasing their tails, but I had never actually seen one do it before.

Like that dog, some people are effectively chasing their tails in life. They are chasing after happiness. But the best way to not be happy is by trying to be happy.

Our purpose in life as Christians is to know God and bring Him glory. If you will do that with your life, if you will get up every morning and say to yourself, “I want to know God, and I want to bring Him glory,” then you will find the happiness that has eluded you. You will find the satisfaction you have always wanted by having your priorities in order.

Anything short of this ultimately will disappoint, because true and lasting happiness never will be found in the things this world tells us to look for.

The Bible offers something better than happiness, and that is joy. Happiness largely depends on good things happening. When things are going reasonably well, we are happy. If things aren’t going so well, we are not happy. But we can have joy despite our circumstances.

The problem with happiness is that it’s generally derived from accomplishments, accumulation, and, to some degree, through escape. The trouble with that is we won’t always be able to accomplish something or escape somewhere. And the things we have accumulated will go out of style, break, get lost, or may be stolen.

If we live for happiness, we’ll never find it. We’ll be like that dog, constantly chasing his tail.

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Unity, Liberty, and Charity

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“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one–as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” —John 17:20–21

Have you ever noticed there are some people who like to fight? They like to argue, and they are unhappy when they are happy. So they find something to get worked up about, something new to debate. They love conflict. It’s a sad way to live.

When I was a younger Christian, I felt that it was my job to set everyone straight. I had been a Christian for about a year and had been reading the Bible and going to church almost every night of the week. I thought, I’m going to set everyone straight. That was the way I was.

I knew everything. I had the answer to every question. And if you held a view different from mine, then I was going to talk you out of it and into mine.

I don’t feel that way anymore. Obviously, I want everyone to believe in Jesus. But if you have a slightly different take on a theological truth than I do, I don’t feel that it is my job to convince you. I like this statement regarding believers: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” The word essentials refers to the most important theological doctrines like that of the Bible being the Word of God, Jesus Christ being the only way to the Father, and salvation coming through Christ and Christ alone. Those are the essentials. In essentials, unity. We don’t ever flex on essentials.

But in nonessentials, liberty. What are nonessentials? Things like the style of music. Some people like it loud. Some people like it quiet. Some people like a certain style. Some people like another style. These are secondary issues. We should never divide over them. In nonessentials, liberty.

Finally, in all things, charity, which is another word for love. Be loving.

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Prayer—A Conditioned Reflex

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Men always ought to pray and not lose heart.—Luke 18:1

Have you ever been gripped by fear? You know the feeling. Your blood goes cold. You get a shiver down your spine. Your stomach sinks. Your hair stands on end (in my case—that is singular, not plural). All of these are emotions associated with fear.

Then there is the emotion that is often coupled with fear, which is worry. There are a lot of things people can worry about today in our nation: the state of our country, our economy, terrorism, or the threat of war.

And of course, there are personal worries. We are concerned about our health. We are concerned about our family. We are concerned about our future.

When we feel worry approaching, we need to get into the habit of turning to God so that our reaction will be like a conditioned reflex.

A normal reflex is different from a conditioned reflex. A normal reflex comes naturally. For example, if you touch a hot iron, you will pull your hand away very quickly because it is hot. A normal reflex comes naturally. A conditioned reflex, on the other hand, is something you learn over time. You teach yourself to do it.

It can be compared to driving. When you are first learning to drive, you have to consciously think about everything you do. Key in the ignition. . . look over my shoulder before pulling out. . . look before making that turn. . . turn on the turn signal. . . change lanes. I am coming to a light—hit the brakes now. You had to think about it. But after a while, you get it down, and it comes naturally. You don’t even think about it anymore. You just drive.

Now let’s apply the same principles to fear and worry. Our natural tendency when we are in trouble is not to pray. Rather, it is to worry. Something happens, and we go through various scenarios that start stacking up like dominoes in our minds. What if this happens? What if that happens? What if this other thing happens? But here is what we need to teach ourselves to do: We need to teach ourselves to pray.

It is not what we naturally want to do. Often when we face adversity, our first instinct is to turn to people for help. God can work through people, of course. There is no question that he can provide through family and friends and help us. But ultimately, we should turn to God when trouble comes. And it will come.

One reason we should turn to God and pray is because Jesus told us to. He said, “Men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1 NKJV). Even if prayer were a difficult thing to do, which it is not, or an unpleasant thing to do, which it is not, we should pray, because Scripture commands us to do so.

Another reason we should pray is because prayer is God’s appointed way for obtaining things. That can sound somewhat mercenary. I am not describing God as some kind of celestial Santa. The fact of the matter is, the Bible tells me that I should go to God with my needs. And we all have needs. Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer,

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. (Matthew 6:9–11)

Jesus taught us that we are to approach God with our needs. Do you have needs right now? Pray about it. Do you need his provision? Pray about it. Do you need his healing touch? Pray about it. Go to God with your request, and Scripture says that your Father who knows you have need of these things will hear you (see Matthew 6:32).

And listen to what James 4:2 says: “You do not have because you do not ask.” Think about this: You might wonder why it is that you never know the will of God for your life. Answer: You do not have because you do not ask. How many answers to prayer would be waiting for you if you would just pray about it? Ask God about it. The worst-case scenario is that God will say no. But what if God says yes?

Prayer is also the way God helps us to overcome our anxiety and worry. The apostle Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). He didn’t say, “In only the big, hairy, scary things of life, pray.” Or, “Just pull out the prayers when things get really bad. Otherwise, just sort it out yourself.” No, he said, “In everything. . . ”

Nothing is too small to bring to God in prayer. He is interested in even the smallest details. We sometimes only think about the big things, but little things can turn into big things. And little problems can turn into big problems. Nothing is too small or too big to bring to God.

There is nothing productive about worry. In fact, the word “worry” originates from an old German term that means “to choke or to strangle.” And this is exactly what worry does: It chokes you spiritually. It creates an emotional and mental stranglehold on your life. It doesn’t ever make anything better. In fact, it makes things worse.

When you worry about the future, you cripple yourself in the present. Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. So in times of trouble, don’t give in to your natural reflex of worry. Instead, condition your reflex to pray.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Pursuit That Will Leave You Empty

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But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.—2 Timothy 3:1–2, 4

Has there ever been a more pleasure-mad culture than ours today? It seems that we can’t be entertained enough. We have continuous media coming our way with constant imagery and sounds, all things that are supposed to bring us pleasure.

In fact, some people would say, “For me, life means living for pleasure. You know, it’s all about having a good time. It’s all about the weekend. It’s all about the next party. It’s all about the next thrill in life.”

That philosophy is nothing new. The apostle Paul’s contemporary, the emperor Nero, believed that the purpose of life was to live as an unbridled beast in pleasure, passion, and parties. And that is exactly how he lived.

There also was a Greek philosophical group at that time who called themselves the Epicureans. Basically, these were people who lived for pleasure. And we still have people like this today. In fact, the Bible tells us that one of the signs of the last days is that people will be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4). What a waste to live this way, because the Bible says that “she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives” (1 Timothy 5:6).

The apostle Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Joy Davidman, the wife of C. S. Lewis, said, “Living for your own pleasure is the least pleasurable thing a man can do. If his neighbors don’t kill him in disgust he will die slowly of boredom and powerlessness.”

What do you live for? What gets your blood pumping? What would you say is the greatest passion of your life? Only the person who can say, “To live is Christ” can also say, “To die is gain.”

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Homesick for Heaven

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But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.—Philippians 1:22–23

Have you ever been to a really beautiful place that stayed with you long after you returned home? Maybe you have a picture of it as your screensaver, and you just sit and gaze at it. You love that place.

That is how Paul felt about heaven. He longed for it. It’s why he could say, “For I am hard-pressed . . . , having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1:23).

Paul had already been to heaven at this point. At one time in his life—we don’t know when—he was killed and went to the third heaven. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 12 that he was “caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (verse 4).

Having experienced the sounds and sights of heaven, Paul was homesick. This doesn’t mean that Paul had a death wish. He just knew that when he died, it was ultimately a promotion.

When Paul said that he had “a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” the word he used for depart is an interesting one. One way it is translated from Greek is “to strike the tent.” It’s the idea breaking camp. On more than one occasion, the Bible compares the human body to a tent. And one thing we know about tents is they are not meant to last forever. So why did Paul say this was far better? It’s because he was moving from a tent to a mansion.

When Christians die, they go straight to heaven, because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The moment they take their last breath on earth, they take their first breath in heaven.

 

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Heavenly Minded

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For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.—Philippians 1:21

A quick look at history reveals that some of the greatest things that have ever been done have been done by Christians who believe what the Word of God says. They have done things to help others, from building hospitals to founding relief organizations.

As C. S. Lewis said, “The Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next.”

Some people have been criticized for being so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. But in response to that, I would say there are far more people today who are so earthly minded that they are no heavenly good. And when you are truly heavenly minded, then you will be of the greatest earthly good.

The apostle Paul said, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). I think that statement could have been attached to any Christian in Paul’s day: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Look at the church of the first century and the way they changed their world. Those first-century Christians didn’t outargue the pagans, they outlived them. They also outthought and outprayed the nonbelievers, and the world was a different place as a result.

That is the kind of Christianity we need today. I wonder what would sum up the lives of a lot of Christians today. Would it be “to live is Christ, and to die is gain”? Maybe it would be something more along the lines of, “Hey, what about my needs?” That seems to be the battle cry of a lot of people today. If we train people to be consumers instead of communers, then we are going to end up with customers instead of disciples. I think we need to get back to this first-century model.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Hide of a Rhinoceros

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The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains.

—Philippians 1:17

It is one thing to be criticized by nonbelievers. I expect that. But what is troublesome to me are those times when fellow believers are the critics. Now, I think there is a place for critiquing one another. If I have said something that is theologically incorrect or have done something that isn’t right, and someone brings it to my attention, then I certainly want to change. I think we can learn a lot by listening to our critics.

But criticism from other Christians isn’t unique to our time. It also happened in the early church. Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains” (Philippians 1:15–16). Paul’s critics were suggesting that he must be out of God’s will by being incarcerated. But Paul knew it was where he needed to be.

Here’s what I have learned. When you are doing a work of God, you are going to come under attack. Those attacks will come from the outside, but sometimes they will even come from the inside. Believers, as well as nonbelievers, can be used by the Devil. So what do I do? I take the advice of a great British preacher I heard years ago. He said, “Every leader has to have the mind of a scholar, the heart of a child, and the hide of rhinoceros.”

So I just press forward with what I believe God has called me to do. And instead of discouraging me and slowing me down, the criticism and opposition remind me that I am on the right track. These things can be a confirmation that we are doing the work of God.

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – By Divine Design

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But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.—Philippians 1:12

The apostle Paul was the kind of guy who liked to get out and get things done. He took action and went out and accomplished things for God. But as a prisoner in Rome, Paul found himself stuck . . . immobilized . . . unable to move.

Perhaps you are immobilized in some way right now. Maybe it is some kind of disability. Maybe you’re stuck in a really tough marriage or in a job you really don’t want to be in. Maybe you’re living somewhere you wish you didn’t live. Whatever it is, you feel immobilized.

Yet notice how Paul, despite his circumstances, was able to rejoice. He wrote, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). Even under house arrest, Paul was looking on the bright side. He was saying, “I believe I am here because God wants me here. But this isn’t what I planned.”

And then Paul went on to talk about the guards: “It has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ” (verse 13). These weren’t just any guards; they were members of the Praetorian Guard, the elite soldiers.

How could you not become a Christian while being chained to the Apostle Paul? Apparently some of the guards did come to Christ, because later in Philippians Paul wrote, “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household” (4:22).

This is never what Paul planned, but it is what God planned. Maybe you’re in a place right now that you never planned on. You are there by divine design. God has put you where you are for such a time as this.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Hope for America

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“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” —2 Chronicles 7:14

The first recollection I have of going to church was with my grandparents. I was a little boy, and I didn’t like it at all. I thought it was boring. My grandmother kept shushing me, and I drew cartoons on the church bulletin as the preacher droned on.

Later, when I was in military school for a while, going to chapel was mandatory. I didn’t really enjoy that either.

I remember they would give us money to put in the offering: 10 cents. The reason I remember that is because one Sunday, I decided to keep the 10 cents. I spent it at the canteen instead. We had our own money, but with that dime, I had twice as much: a total of 20 cents to buy the grape licorice I always bought. Even so, I do remember feeling very guilty about stealing God’s money from Him.

Other than these experiences, I really didn’t have a lot to do with the church during my childhood. It was not something I was familiar with. But after I became a Christian at age 17, there was a very persistent guy on my high school campus who made himself my friend. He walked up and told me that he noticed I had become a Christian. Then he said that he wanted to take me to church. I said, “I really don’t want to go to church. That’s OK.”

But he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He was persistent in a friendly way. So I agreed to go to church with him. I still remember walking into Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California. It was during the Jesus Movement, and the place was overflowing with young people. There was almost an electricity in the air. It stopped me cold, and I didn’t want to go in. There seemed to be too much happiness in there, too much smiling and hugging.

Being raised in a very dysfunctional home, I didn’t hear “I love you” a lot. We didn’t hug in our family. And I thought, I don’t want to be hugged at all. So I approached the scene cautiously.

When I saw the place was full, I was relieved, because I thought we wouldn’t have to stay. So I said to my new friend, “Well, there is no room in there.”

But sure enough, someone in the front row saw me, recognized me from school and waved us over. So we ended up sitting in the front row. What I didn’t realize at the time, was that I had a front-row seat to a genuine revival.

Then Pastor Chuck Smith walked out—a middle-aged bald man. That is the last thing I wanted. I thought, He is like a teacher. He is like the principal. This is going to be so boring! But then, as he opened up the Bible and began speaking, it made sense to me. It was relevant to me. And my heart began to change.

I went from being uncomfortable in church to not being able to get enough of church. I went to every service possible and wanted to be a part of everything and learn as much as I could learn. Then, two years later, I found myself in the Southern California city of Riverside, planting a church myself.

However, I did not know I was planting a church at the time. I thought I was just teaching a Bible study for young people at a local Episcopal church. But it began to grow. And pretty soon, people were calling me “Pastor.” When they would address me as such, I would look around, thinking, Where? Oh, you mean me? I can’t be your pastor. I tried to find someone to take over the Bible study, but no one would. It was then I realized that God was calling me to be a pastor.

Fast-forward 40 years, and now I am the old bald guy. But I am as committed to the mission of the church as I was on that day I first discovered how wonderful church can be. And I believe that the hope for America is the church.

Some might be thinking, Now, Greg, wait. I thought you said the hope for America is a revival. Isn’t it really God? Yes, it is. The hope is God—working through His church.

What is revival? It is Christians getting back to what they should have always been in the first place. It is Christians coming back to life. Here is what God has to say to a nation that wants to be healed: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV).

If we want to see our land healed, God says that it starts with His people. Christians need to live up to their name: Christ-followers. They need to be Christ-like. And if the church would be what it was meant to be, then it would change our country.

When Jesus walked this earth, He only started one organization, if you will, and that, of course, was the church. It was Jesus Himself who first used that word when He said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus was saying, in essence, “This church is here to stay. Against all odds, it will prevail.”

The word church comes from the Greek word ecclesia. Ecclesia is made up of two other terms, “out from” and “called.” Put them together, and the meaning of ecclesia, or church” is “called out from.” Called out from what? Called out from this world, this culture. So in using the word church, Jesus was saying that His followers should be separate from this culture.

If individuals would be what they ought to be as followers of Christ, what difference would it make in the church? And if the church would be what it ought to be, what difference would it make in a city. . .in a state. . .in a nation?

The hope for America is God—working through His church.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – What to Do When You Mess Up

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So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.—Romans 5:21

There is a game I like to play with my granddaughters that I call Squiggles. I will tell them, “Just put down anything you want on a piece of paper. Make any line—just a little drawing. I don’t want it to be anything.”

So they will draw some crazy little lines. Then I will take their squiggles, their lines on paper with no rhyme or reason, and I will turn them into something. Usually it’s a funny face or a character.

In a much greater way, God can do the same for you. Maybe you have messed up. Maybe you have made a mistake and have done a wrong thing. Guess what? We serve the God of second chances. So you can come to Him and say, “Lord, I have really messed up. Can you help?”

His answer is yes. God will come and redeem the mistakes we have made.

Even Christians can wander away from the Lord. Even Christians can make bad decisions and do really bad things. We are effectively capable of doing anything, even as followers of Jesus, because we still have free wills and old natures. However, if you are a true Christian, even when you have blown it or gone astray, you always will come home again.

Hopefully you will learn from your mistakes. Hopefully you will not go and repeat them again. Hopefully you can fail forward, which means learning from your mistakes, determining to live a more godly life, and helping others not to fall in the same area.

The good news is that God can forgive you and give you a second chance. He will complete the work that He has begun in you (see Philippians 1:6). So even if you have messed up, God still can turn it around.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – How Backsliding Starts

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Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. —Philippians 1:27

Stop and think for a moment about people who backslide spiritually. It doesn’t happen overnight. You don’t call up your mature Christian friend and say, “Hey, dude. Want to backslide? Seriously? Pick you up at 7:00.”

There might be some foolish person out there who has done that, but generally this isn’t the case. Backsliding usually starts with tolerating something that is sinful, something you never would have gone near before, but now you accept. You sort of put up with it and maybe even play around with it, thinking, Oh, it isn’t going to hurt me. I am so strong. I have walked with the Lord all of these years. I have memorized so many Bible verses.

Don’t think you can’t still fall.

Have you ever seen a baby rattlesnake? They have their little fangs and their little tails and their little rattles. It could actually look cute if you are into that sort of thing. But then it bites you. And the venom of a baby rattlesnake is more potent than that of an adult rattlesnake.

In the same way, backsliding starts with accommodating. You sort of turn a blind eye to something. Then you give in to it and legitimize it. And then you start making excuses for it and defending it. The next thing you know, you embrace it as a normal lifestyle. But that is not the behavior of a real saint, of a real follower of Jesus.

If you want to finish well in the race of life and live joyfully, if you want God to complete the work He has begun in you, then you need to press on as a follower of Christ. He will give you the strength to do it. But you need to ask for that strength every day.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Power of Integrity

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That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. —Philippians 1:10–11

In ancient Rome, fine pottery was relatively thin and fragile and often would develop cracks after firing. Rather than remake the piece, unscrupulous shops would fill the cracks with hard, dark wax and then sell it as new.

So you would take your purchase home and put it outside, and in the blazing Mediterranean sun, parts of it would start to melt. Then you would take that pottery back to the shopkeeper and say, “What have you done? This isn’t right. I want one without wax.”

That is what Paul meant when he prayed that the believers in Philippi would be “sincere and without offense.” Sincere is sometimes translated “without wax.” So Paul was essentially saying, “Move forward in your life without moral failure.” He wrote in 1 Corinthians 10, “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (verses 32–33). Another way to translate that is, “Don’t give an unbeliever a reason to not believe.”

Jesus saved his most scathing words not for struggling sinners but for hypocritical believers, those who appeared to be one thing but really were another.

So let’s make sure we are not people who bring reproach to the name of Jesus Christ. Each of us has a sphere of influence. Each of us has a group of people who are watching us carefully. They are scrutinizing every word and hoping we will mess up. When you walk with God, live a godly life, and do what He wants you to do, it drives some of them crazy. And so it should. It is the power of a good testimony.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Should Christians Judge?

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Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? —1 Corinthians 6:2–3

One day I was talking with someone who wasn’t going to church anywhere, and I asked why.

“Well, I don’t want to be judged,” the person said.

The fact was that this individual was doing something unscriptural, and I had mentioned it. I said, “Well, what do you be mean by not wanting to be judged? What is your definition of being judged?”

“Well, I’m afraid that if I showed up, people wouldn’t agree with what I’m doing and would say something.”

“So that is being judged?” I asked.

“Yes, it is.”

“I hope that if you go to a church, someone would say something,” I said. (That would be the loving thing to do.)

I think the nonbeliever’s favorite verse is Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Nonbelievers love to quote that to Christians who dare to confront them. But we need to understand what judge means in this verse. Jesus spoke these words in the Sermon on the Mount, and the word He used for judge means “condemn.” Jesus was saying, “Condemn not, that you be not condemned.”

I am in no position to condemn someone. It is not for me to say who is going to hell. That is for God to decide. But I should apply discernment, wisdom, and even judgment with fellow believers. Judgment is an evaluation. It’s saying to another believer, “Hey, I don’t think you are doing as well as you could be doing” or “I want to encourage you.” That is encouraged in the Scriptures (see 1 Corinthians 6:2–3).

So in a way, we should apply judgment—but not condemnation. We want to lovingly tell the truth from God’s Word with humility, wanting to help that person reach his or her full potential as a follower of Jesus.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Why of Divine Election

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For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. —Romans 8:29

It’s a funny thing to me how people will argue about divine election. They will argue endlessly about whom God chooses, about whom God doesn’t choose, and about how to know whether you are chosen by God. But very few talk about why someone is chosen.

So why are we chosen? The Bible says that God chose us to be conformed into the image of His own dear Son. God works all things together for good to ultimately make us like Jesus. Now, what is going to make us like Jesus might be adversity. It might be hardship. It might be suffering. And it also might be blessing in abundance. But it is all in God’s hands, and I have to trust Him for the outcome.

I don’t know what is coming in life, and sometimes it might not make a lot of sense to me. But God promised that it will be a good work. He has also promised in Romans 8:28 that He will work all things “together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” But let’s not forget the verse that follows it: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (verse 29).

So He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. God will finish it, and one day, we will be perfect. Will it be on earth? Absolutely not. It only will be when we get to heaven. In the meantime, I am just thankful that I am chosen. And if you have asked Christ to come into your life, then you can rest in that confidence as well.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – What Happens to Children When They Die?

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“Let the little ones come to me for of such is the kingdom of heaven” —Matthew 19:14

Someone asked this question on my Facebook page.

“My family lost our 14 month old daughter on June 2, and so my question is, what happens to babies when they die? I believe they go to heaven, but as I was reading that people in heaven know about what is happening here on earth, do babies know what is going on? Do they have someone guiding them? Seeing that she was so young, how will she know?”

My response:

Thanks for your question.

I am so very sorry that your daughter left you so soon. This must be heartbreaking for you and your family, but Michael, I have good news: Your daughter is in heaven. Jesus said “Let the little ones come to me for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). I believe when children die, they go into God’s presence. When King David’s child died, he said “I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23 NLT).

Yes Michael, if you have put your faith in Christ, you will go to your daughter one day and be reunited with her. You do not have to worry about your daughter knowing what is going on, as you asked, for Scripture teaches when we arrive in heaven we will know far more than we do now. The Bible says, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT).

When you arrive in heaven, your daughter will recognize you and you her. As far as someone guiding her, the answer is yes. Jesus is, and she is safe with Him.

Hope that helps.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Why We Need Churches

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And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. —Philippians 1:9–11

The Bible tells us that one of the signs of the last days, among other things, will be false teaching. And the only way we are going to be able to detect false teaching is by knowing what the Word of God teaches.

Paul prayed for the Philippian Christians that their knowledge of God’s Word would grow. He said, “This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent” (Philippians 1:9–10). We need an intelligent, discerning love that does the right thing. The word that Paul used here for approved could be translated “to examine, prove, and analyze.” This is an area in which we all need to grow.

I think there are a lot of Christians who haven’t really formed a proper theology, and maybe one of the reasons is because they jump from church to church. With the various ideas they expose themselves to, they can get a little confused, and they may not really know what they believe about a given subject.

I don’t think that church hopping is good for spiritual growth. But I do think that every Christian needs a church. I think they need a theology. I think they need a pastor. I think they need to be consistent. And I think they need accountability in a church.

Every believer needs to find a church and commit to it. I am not saying that we can’t ever visit a church if we go somewhere else. What I am saying is to find a church, stay there, be faithful, pray for the pastor, listen to what he says, and support that ministry. Be accountable, and develop and use your spiritual gifts in that place.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Thing about Love

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I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. —Philippians 1:9

Here is the thing about love. You can’t sit around and wait for the feeling of love. Don’t wait to feel love. Just start doing loving things.

In 1 Corinthians 13 when Paul gave the classic definition of love, he didn’t talk so much about what love is as much as he talked about what love does: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged” (verses 4–5).

Some people keep a record of everything. They’ll say, “I remember when you said that hurtful thing twenty years ago.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I do.”

You know what? They need to let that go. It’s time for them to forgive.

One of the things Paul prayed for the Philippian believers was that their love would continue to grow. He wrote, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding” (verse 9). Paul wasn’t talking about a sentimental love here. Rather, this is a love based on a knowledge of God’s Word.

Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35).

And John reminds us, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” (1 John 4:20).

So don’t talk about how much you love God if you hate someone else. That is not acceptable. If you are a true follower of Jesus, then your life will be characterized by love.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A New You in 2015

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“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

—Philippians 2:13–14

In our Christian lives, we are working out what God has worked in; there is our part and there is God’s part.

Would you like to become “a new you” in 2015? Do you want to see spiritual change? Here are six tips to put into practice.

  1. Run to win! “Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win” (1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT). There is no point in running for second or third place. Go for the gold!

 

  1. Get rid of extra weight and hindrances. “Lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). You don’t want excess baggage in the race of life. Are you surrounding yourself with stepping stones or stumbling blocks?

 

  1. Aim for success, not failure. “I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. . .that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:8, 10). Knowing Christ is the goal, and no matter how well you did spiritually last year, there is still far to go!

 

  1. Have a clear objective and focus. “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). Is your aim in life clear and singular?

 

  1. Don’t look back! “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. . .” (Ephesians 3:13). Learn from the past, but don’t live in it. Break the power of past sins by living for the future!

 

  1. Press on, even when it gets hard! “Press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:14). Now is not the time to back off or slow down but to give it your all.
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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Cooperative Effort

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Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. —Philippians 1:6

I love that God finishes what He starts. In contrast, I don’t always finish what I start. I will start a project, get all excited about it, and then lose interest in it and not finish adequately. And I’m not alone. People have unfinished books, unfinished songs, and unfinished buildings. Maybe it’s a lack of resources or power, but more often than not, it’s simply a lack of desire.

God never loses interest in us. Aren’t you glad? Imagine God saying, “I choose you to be My child. I love you. I have a plan . . . uh, . . . I’m going to move on now.” No, God doesn’t do that. He finishes everything He begins. He will finish the work He has begun in your life. Hebrews 12:2 tells us that He is “the author and finisher of our faith.”

Notice Paul didn’t say, “You who have begun a good work in you.” Rather, he said, “He who has begun a good work in you.” This work is not up to us to finish; it is up to God to finish. It is not for us to work out; it is for God to work out. There is our part, and there is God’s part.

However, it is possible to be resistant to the work that God wants to do in our lives. He has given each of us a free will. We can sabotage our lives. We can make stupid decisions and do bad things, even as followers of Jesus Christ. Now, true followers will come to their senses, repent, and turn back to God. But that doesn’t mean they still won’t face the consequences of the wrong decisions they made.

God wants to do a work in you, but God is also looking for your cooperation.