Category Archives: Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – When to Pray

May 26, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. —James 5:13

When we find ourselves in trying circumstances, often the temptation is to strike out at the person who helped bring those circumstances upon us. Or, we want to blame someone for our state of affairs. We may even become mad at God for allowing this in our lives. Or, we might wallow in self-pity.

But when we are afflicted, when we are suffering, or when we are in trouble, God tells us what we should do: pray. Why? For one thing, it just may be that God might remove that problem because of our prayers. That is not to say that God always will take our afflictions, suffering, or troubles away. But sometimes He will.

By simply bringing our circumstances before the Lord and acknowledging our need and dependence on Him, we can see God intervene in the situation we are presently facing. Prayer can also give us the grace we need to endure trouble and be brought much closer to God.

James 5:13 tells us, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” The word suffering used here also could be translated “in trouble” or “in distress.” Is anyone among you in trouble? Are you distressed? Then you should pray.

So when the bottom drops out, when you feel you are just hanging by a thread, when circumstances have become incredibly difficult, or when they have grown worse by the minute, what should you do? You should pray. You should pray when you are afflicted. You should pray when you are sick. You should pray when you are corrupted by sin. And you should pray when specific needs occur. Pray, and don’t give up.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Get Rooted

May 24, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. —James 5:8

A number of years ago, we held a Harvest Crusade in Colorado. When we arrived, it was around seventy degrees, and the sun was shining. Our crusade was to begin the next evening. But as we watched the news that night, we learned that a cold front was moving in. The next morning there was snow on the ground. That is how quickly the weather can change in a place like Colorado. The sun is shining, and the next thing you know, there’s a blizzard.

That is how life can be as well. Everything is looking great when, all of a sudden, a storm cloud appears. Something horrible happens. That is why the Bible tells us, “Establish your hearts” (James 5:8). Another way to translate this verse is, “Strengthen and make firm your inner life.” The same word is used to describe Jesus’ attitudes and actions when He headed for Jerusalem, knowing what awaited Him there: “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). Jesus, being God, had full knowledge of all that was about to unfold, yet He resolutely set out for Jerusalem. That is the same meaning behind the word establish in James 5:8.

God wants us to be rooted and grounded, yet many Christians aren’t. They have not taken the time to develop the habit of personal Bible study or the discipline of prayer or even regular church attendance. But God is saying we need to get rooted because our faith will be challenged. We will face hardship. And a storm can come, just when we’re least expecting it.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – If He Wills

May 23, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

You ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” —James 4:15

The book of Acts tells the story of Philip and how the Lord was blessing him in Samaria as he preached the gospel. Everything was going well. People were coming to faith.

Miracles were taking place.

Then God told him to go to the desert. And not only did God tell him to go to the desert, but He told him to go to Gaza, to a desolate road that was rarely used. And not only did He tell him to go to this rarely used road, but He told him to go at the hottest time of the day. Essentially God said, “Go out to the middle of the desert to a deserted road in the middle of the afternoon, and I will show you what to do next.”

Sometimes the will of God doesn’t make sense. We may plan to do a certain thing, but God may intervene. He might have another plan. The idea is that we should remember God in our plans, and we should also remember He may change our plans.

Often in his writings, the apostle Paul would refer to the will of God for his life. He told the believers at Ephesus he would return to them for renewed ministry if God willed. And he wrote to the Corinthians that he planned to visit them if the Lord willed. That is important for us to factor into our plans as well. We always should remember, “If the Lord wills.”

Sometimes the Lord will lead us differently from where we would like to go. But what we must come to recognize is that the will of God is perfect, and we should never be afraid of it.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Forgetting God

May 22, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. —James 4:14

There was a time in my life when I could remember every week and month and year. Now I remember decades more easily than I remember individual years. Time seems to go by so quickly.

When Billy Graham was asked what had been his greatest surprise in life, he answered, “The brevity of it.”

That is so true. Time marches on. Scripture certainly echoes this idea of the shortness of human life. Job said, “Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good” (Job 9:25). David said, “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor” (Psalm 39:5).

And James posed this question: “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). James wasn’t asking a philosophical question but a more descriptive one. A better way to translate it would be, “What sort of life do you have?”

It is also important to note that he was speaking to Christians who were involved in the world of commerce, those who seemed to be taking credit where credit was not due. They were boasting of their ability to make money and be successful, and in the process, they were forgetting all about God.

It is always dangerous for us to take credit for what God has given us the ability to do. God warns that He will not share His glory with another. So let’s be careful to not forget God in our lives.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Forget Something?

May 21, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. —Romans 1:16

A woman went to a doctor with both ears severely burned. The doctor said, “In all of my years of practice, I have never seen anything quite like this. How did you burn your ears?”

“Well,” she said, “I was ironing and watching television. Suddenly, the telephone rang. I answered the iron instead of the phone and burned my ear.”

“That’s horrible!” the doctor said. “But how did you burn your other ear?”

“Can you believe it?” she said. “The idiot called back!”

It seems to me that, like this woman, some people in the church today are preoccupied. In many ways, we have lost our focus and have missed what our priorities should be. For one, I think we have lost sight of who our real enemies are. Is it Hollywood? Is it the government? According to the Bible, our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the Devil.

I think we also have forgotten what we are really for, as well as the real weapons of our warfare. Are our real weapons boycotts and protesting? No. Primarily, they are prayer and the Word of God.

Lastly, I think we have forgotten what our real message is. Is our primary message that we are against homosexuality or that we are against abortion? No, our primary message should not be negative, but positive: It is the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

My fear is that more people know what we as Christians are against than what we are for. Do they know what we believe? Do they know what we think about Jesus Christ?

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Behind the Scenes

May 20, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” —2 Kings 5:2–3

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Babylon, which meant that he was in close proximity to the king at all times. A cupbearer would drink what the king was about to drink. If it was poisonous, then that was the end of his job — and his life, for that matter. But the cupbearer was more than someone who simply tasted what the king drank. He often would become an adviser to the king, someone who influenced him. It was a very prestigious position in the palace. A cupbearer would have lived in affluence and influence.

But Nehemiah, like Esther, was a Jew. He knew that the walls of Jerusalem had been burned down and were lying in rubble, and he couldn’t take it anymore. So he used his position and leveraged it, asking the king to allow him to go and rebuild the walls. He could have lost his life by asking such a thing. But he did what he could by working behind the scenes.

Then there was the obscure Jewish girl who influenced her unbelieving master, Naaman, to seek out Elisha, the prophet of Israel, to find a healing for his leprosy. She was just a girl, effectively a maid, who served Naaman’s wife. Naaman was like a General MacArthur and General Eisenhower all rolled into one. He was a famous military figure. But he had leprosy. So she told Naaman’s wife about Elisha: “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3). Naaman made the journey to Israel, and indeed he was healed.

This reminds us that God always has His representatives. He always has His people working behind the scenes. Will you make yourself available to Him today?

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Our Motive in Giving

May 19, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly. —2 Corinthians 9:5

The story is told of Billy and Ruth Graham and an experience they had in church one Sunday. As the offering was being taken, Billy Graham reached into his pocket and meant to pull out a five-dollar bill. Instead, he pulled out a fifty-dollar bill and didn’t discover it until he already had placed it in the offering plate. He was a little horrified by what he had done and turned to his wife, Ruth, and said, “Well, at least I will get a reward in heaven for giving fifty dollars.”

“No,” Ruth said, “you are going to get a reward for five dollars because that is all you meant to give.”

Motive is everything because God looks on the heart. The Bible tells us that “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The word used for cheerful could be translated “hilarious.” This suggests a joy in giving that leaps over all restraints. Amazingly, as Paul urged the Corinthians to give, he cited the Macedonian believers who were relatively impoverished in comparison to the Corinthian believers. In speaking of them in 2 Corinthians 8:2, he said, “They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.” (NLT). How do the terms many troubles, very poor, and rich generosity fit together in one verse? They fit when people have discovered the joy of giving. Giving is not a luxury of the rich; it is a privilege of the poor and of everyone, not just people who have disposable incomes.

Giving is a responsibility. It is an opportunity. And it is a blessing for every follower of

Jesus Christ.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – The Discipline of Giving

May 17, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. —1 Corinthians 16:2

Years ago, when I was in military school, we were given five cents each week to spend at the canteen (that is where they had the candy). I tried to stretch that five cents as far as I could, but I really wanted to buy more. We also were given a dime to put in the offering every Sunday at chapel. But one Sunday when the offering came, I started thinking about how much candy a dime would buy. So I kept the dime. Then I bought a bunch of candy. I also got a stomachache, and I felt guilty all week long. Even as a small child, I understood that dime belonged to the Lord and that I had taken something that was God’s.

Giving is a personal act, and every one of us should set aside an amount of money to give. Even children ought to be taught this. It might be a few pennies, a nickel, or even a dime. But they should be taught that they should give to the Lord.

Some people might say, “I think that is legalistic. I like to just give as it comes to me. I like to give in the moment.”

Yet Paul instructed the believers to set something aside ahead of time (see 1 Corinthians

16:2). In reality, is it actually legalistic to say, “I am going to take a portion of my income and set it aside to be invested in the work of the kingdom of God”? That is not legalism, friend. That is good planning and obedience. And it is a good way to live.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – The Privilege of Giving

May 16, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

—2 Corinthians 9:6

I heard the story of a Southern preacher who was speaking to his congregation and said, “We have to crawl before we can walk.”

The congregation responded in unison, “Let us crawl, Preacher. Let us crawl.”

Then the preacher said, “We have to walk before we can jog.”

“We have to walk, Preacher, then. Let us walk,” came the reply.

The preacher continued, “We have to jog before we can run.”

“Let us jog, Preacher. Let us jog,” they answered.

“But before we can run,” he told them, “we have to learn how to give.”

There was a moment of silence, followed by, “Let us crawl, Preacher. Let us crawl.”

Any time a pastor raises the topic of finances, some people get a little uncomfortable. But the Bible certainly has a lot to say about money. It is the main subject of nearly half the parables Jesus told. In addition, one out of every seven verses in the New Testament deals with this topic. Scripture offers five hundred verses on prayer, fewer than five hundred on faith, and more than two thousand verses dealing with the subject of money.

One of the reasons we are uncomfortable with this topic is because of the abuse in this area on the part of some Christian leaders. This misrepresentation of God puts sort of a bad taste in our mouths. But let’s not go too far the other way and fail to recognize that the Bible does have a lot to say about giving, and there are many wonderful promises attached to it.

Yes, it is a responsibility. But it is more than that. It is a privilege as well.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Wholehearted Devotion

May 15, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

When He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. —Mark 16:9

Of all the people to whom Jesus could have appeared first after His resurrection, He appeared to Mary Magdalene. It is interesting to think about because among the Jews of the day, the testimony of a woman was not held in high regard. In fact, some of the rabbis falsely taught that it was better for the words of the Law to be burned than to be delivered by a woman. Yet Jesus chose a woman to be the first herald of His resurrection.

It’s also worth noting that women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb. Mary had courage that many of the men did not have when Jesus was crucified. She stood by Him through it all. In fact, the Bible tells us that after He was crucified, Mary “observed where He was laid” (Mark 15:47). She watched as they took His crucified body from the cross and wrapped it and placed it in a tomb that belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. And while the guards were deciding whether to post a soldier by that tomb, she spent an entire night there all alone, before the guards were there — before the disciples were there.

And her love was rewarded. God said, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). God rewards the person who is diligent. And for those who will take time in their day to seek the Lord, for those who will take time to read His Word, for those who will take time to wait upon Him, He will reveal His truths to them.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Under His Care

May 14, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord. —Isaiah 54:17

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus made a fascinating statement that some have misunderstood. Speaking of believers, He said, “They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:18). Some, of course, have misunderstood this and have held snake-handling services. But that is not trusting the Lord; it is testing the Lord.

Here is what this statement does mean: If you are a Christian, then you are indestructible until God is done with you. There is a day appointed for your death, and you really have nothing to say about when that day is.

Case in point: Paul the apostle was shipwrecked on an island, and as he was warming himself by the fire, a venomous snake bit him. So he simply picked it up and threw it into the fire. Everyone was waiting for Paul to die, but he didn’t die. Why? His time wasn’t up; God still had significant work for him to do. But when your time is up, it’s up. And Paul’s day eventually came.

Before that day, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper,” as Isaiah 54:17 says. That means God will keep you and protect you. Even if there is some plot against you, it won’t succeed if that is not your time.

So stop worrying about when you will die because you have nothing to say about it. It isn’t up to you. The Bible says, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Does that mean you can eat anything you want? I think you should exercise and eat properly. That will improve the quality of your life. But ultimately, the quantity is up to God.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – A Foundational Truth

May 13, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Can the dead live again? If so, this would give me hope through all my years of struggle, and I would eagerly await the release of death. —Job 14:14

In one of the oldest books of the Bible, the book of Job, the question is asked, “Can the dead live again?” That is something everyone should ask in life: “What’s going to happen to me when I die? What is there beyond this place called Earth?”

Before I became a Christian, I thought about this quite often. I was only a teenager, and it was sort of a heavy subject to be contemplating. But I did find myself thinking about death on a semiregular basis. It isn’t that I was obsessed with death or that I wanted to die. My belief at the time was that once people stopped living, they simply ceased to exist. I was not certain there was a place called heaven. I was definitely hoping there wasn’t a place called hell. My conclusion was that when you’re gone, you’re gone. It’s all over with.

We all know that death is coming, but what happens beyond the grave? According to the Bible, there is life beyond the grave. And because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross, and because He rose from the dead three days later, we as Christians have the hope that when we die, we will go immediately into the presence of God and into a wonderful place called heaven.

That is why the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is one of the most important biblical truths there is. The resurrection of Christ from the dead, next to the Crucifixion itself, is the most significant event in church history. It isn’t a peripheral issue; it’s foundational. It’s bedrock. It’s the bottom line.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Small but Deadly

May 12, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. —James 3:7–8

Some years ago I went to the Rose Parade. One of the most memorable sights of this impressive parade is when I saw a man riding down Colorado Boulevard on the back of a buffalo. I had never seen anything quite like it. I have seen buffaloes in the wild, but I had never seen anyone actually ride one. With nothing more than a bit and a bridle, the rider came galloping down the street on this beast. It was unbelievable. It just shows you what a little bit can do.

A horse controlled by a bit can render a great service. But uncontrolled, it can do much harm. In the same way, a tongue controlled by Jesus Christ can be a great blessing. But uncontrolled, it can do much damage. Just as a horse is controlled by a bit, we are controlled by our words. Think about it: one word or one statement can determine the course of our lives. For example, saying “I will” to the claims of Christ can change our eternal destiny. Our words so dramatically affect the course that our lives will take.

James says “the tongue is a little member” (3:5), which simply means that it is a small part of our body. But it can do so much damage. We may see someone with bulging biceps and muscular legs and feel intimidated. But what we ought to be worried about is that little two ounce slab of mucus membrane in his mouth — the tongue. That can do more damage than anything else.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – At an Advantage

May 10, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. —Colossians 2:14–15

When I was a kid, I was walking down the street one day with some little cap guns that looked like six shooters, complete with holsters. I was feeling pretty good as I made my way down the street, firing these things off. But then I encountered some kids on the corner who grabbed my guns, pushed me, and told me to go away.

I went home, crying. Then I found my brother, who was five years older than me, and I said, “Let’s go back there. I want to get those guns.” We went back to the same street, where I found the kids with my cap guns. Suddenly I had courage like never before. With my brother behind me, I successfully retrieved my cap guns.

Instead of facing the enemy in our own strength, instead of going out and trying to do this or that for God, we need to stay as close to Christ as possible. We can stand in Christ, and in His protection, because He dealt a decisive blow against Satan and his minions at the cross of Calvary.

So in spiritual battles, when temptation comes, we as Christians aren’t fighting for victory; we are fighting from it. In other words, we are resting in the work that Christ has done for us. Therefore, we should never want to stray from Him because if we are caught alone, we would be weak and vulnerable.

But thankfully, He is with us. The question is, are we with Him?

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Temptation’s Timing

May 9, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. —1 Corinthians 10:12

History tells us that during World War II, Hitler had an interesting strategy for attacking the various European nations: he always did it on a weekend. Hitler knew the various parliaments would not be in session, making it more difficult to react swiftly to an invasion.

In the same way, the Devil will wait for an opportune moment, that decisive time to attack. It may be when our guard is down, when we aren’t expecting it. It may even come when we think we are the strongest, when we think, I’m doing pretty well spiritually. I think I’m really growing. Everything is going great. Often weaker believers are less vulnerable than stronger ones because weaker believers recognize their frailty and vulnerability. The Bible says, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

Perhaps recently you have experienced a great blessing in your life. That blessing may involve your family, your career, your ministry, or your personal walk with God. But the enemy wants to rob you of it. Remember, when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove, and a voice was heard from heaven from the Father, saying, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). The Bible says that after this, Jesus was tempted by the Devil in the wilderness (see Luke 4:1-14).

Remember, it isn’t a sin to be tempted. Even Jesus was tempted. The sin takes place only when we give in to that temptation, when we open the door to it and entertain it. That is why we should flee temptation and never leave a forwarding address.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Caught in Its Current

May 8, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. —James 1:14

Years ago, I was at the beach with my young son Jonathan, and we decided to go swimming. We weren’t very far from the shore. Suddenly there was one of those drops in the sand, and for a few moments, my feet didn’t really touch the ground. As I was holding on to Jonathan, a little riptide began to pull us over to the right, just enough to move us along. We were originally lined up with a lifeguard stand, but I noticed that it had moved quite a distance. We were being pulled along, and I couldn’t stop the drift. I kept reaching for the ground with my feet, but I couldn’t get my footing.

Suddenly the lifeguard came down from his stand and began running toward us with his flotation device. I didn’t mind being saved, but I was only a few feet from the shore.

“I’m all right,” I said, trying to wave him off.

But you know what? I wasn’t all right. I couldn’t stop myself. As he began swimming out, I thought, “I’ve got to get my feet on the ground.” Finally, I planted myself.

“I’m okay,” I shouted to him, and he waved and swam back in.

That is what temptation is like. You think you can handle it, but suddenly you are caught in its current. To pray we won’t be tempted and then place ourselves in a vulnerable situation is like thrusting our fingers into a fire and praying they won’t be burned. We need a healthy respect for the enemy we face and the temptation he will utilize in our lives.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – Intended for Choice Work

May 7, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

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

I read about a traveler who was visiting a logging area in the Pacific Northwest. He watched with great curiosity as a logger, working alongside a mountain stream, would periodically jab his sharp hook into a log as it went past and separate it from the others. This visitor could not see any reason as to why the logger would grab certain logs and let others go by.

When the visitor asked the logger about it, he replied, “These logs may all look alike to you, but I can recognize that a few of them are quite different. The ones that I let pass by grew in a valley where they were always protected from the storms. Their grain is rather course. But the logs that I have pulled aside come from high up on the mountains. They were beaten by strong winds from the time they were quite small. This toughens the trees and gives them a fine grain. We save these logs for choice work. They’re too good to be used for ordinary lumber.”

Maybe God is saving you for a choice work. Maybe you have been going through hardships and have asked, “Why, Lord? What is the purpose?” Maybe He has made it known to you, or maybe He hasn’t. Know this: He is seeking to make you more like Jesus and create in you a family likeness. It’s part of the Christian life. It is also part of every life. Everyone goes through hardship. But for the child of God, whatever comes into our lives comes first through the grid of God’s plan and purpose for us.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask

May 6, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. —James 1:5

One of the first things that we ask when the bottom drops out, when trials come our way (and there can be so many ways they manifest themselves) is, “Why, Lord? Why are You allowing this to happen? What have I done to deserve such a fate?”

Maybe you have lost your job. Maybe you have suddenly become ill. Maybe you have lost a loved one. It has brought great anguish to you. It just goes on and on, and you wonder why. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Or, as another translation puts it, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (NLT).

When you are going through these times of hardship, there is nothing wrong with saying, “Lord, what are You trying to teach me? Is there a lesson to be learned here? Because if there is, then I want to learn it. I want to get through this as quickly as possible. If this is going to go on for a while and there is nothing I can do to change that, fine. But if there is something I need to learn that will cause this to come to an end, then tell me now, Lord.”

It’s important for us to know that God does have lessons He wants us to learn in times of trial. And many times, it is simply to see whether we have learned the material.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – A Different Kind of Battle

May 5, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. —Ephesians 6:12

Captain Scotty Smiley has served his country with great courage, but he also has had to face great adversity. A U.S. Army Ranger and a combat diver-qualified infantryman, Captain Smiley is also the Army’s first active-duty blind officer and its first blind company commander. In April, 2006, Captain Smiley lost both of his eyes when a suicide bomber blew himself up thirty meters away from his vehicle.

He has faced this adversity with great faith and courage, an example to anyone dealing with a disability. Since losing his eyesight, he has climbed Mount Rainier, completed a triathlon, skied, skydived, and earned an M.B.A. He was named Soldier of the Year in 2007 and has written his story in a book called Hope Unseen. Captain Smiley is a fantastic model of bravery and courage on the battlefield.

As Christians, we, too, are in a battle, but it’s a battle of a different kind. It is not a physical battle, but a spiritual one — and it is just as real. The Bible tells us that we are “fighting against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). It would blow our minds if God were to pull back the curtain and enable us to see into the spiritual world — the world of God and Satan, the world of angels and demons, the world of heaven and hell.

So here is our choice: Either we are going to win or lose in this battle. Either we are going to gain ground or lose ground. Either we are going to advance or retreat.

Which will it be? It’s a decision we all need to make.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie – The Lasting Effects of Sin

May 3, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. —1 Peter 2:11

I once read a strange story in the news about a plumber who was called in to unclog a drain. He had one of those snakelike devices that runs down into a drain and keeps running until the drain is cleaned out. But this time, the “snake” did a strange thing. It went outside of the house through an open vent and into the house next door. Then it went down through a vent, came out, and grabbed a ten-year-old girl who was playing in her backyard.

Fortunately her little brother cried out, and they stopped. The fire department had to use cable cutters to set the girl free.

After reading that story, I thought about how sin can be that way. You never know where it’s going to go. When we commit a sinful act, we don’t realize the repercussions that can take place and the other lives that can be impacted by it. Billy Graham once said that immorality is an epidemic in our churches just as it is in the secular world at large. No wonder the world is in crisis.

God has a lot to say about immorality, and specifically about adultery, in Scripture. It made His Top Ten list, the Ten Commandments. It was, in some cases, punishable by death. And we see it addressed in the New Testament as well.

God has told us not to commit adultery for good reason. When you cross that line of protection that God has placed around your life and your spouse’s life, you do so at your own peril. And the repercussions of that sin can last for months, years, and yes, even a lifetime.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

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