Category Archives: Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – God’s Masterpiece

June 7, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” —Genesis 1:26

A little girl climbed up on the lap of her great-grandmother and studied her white hair and wrinkles. She said, “Grandma, did God make you?”

Her grandmother said, “Yes, honey, He sure did.”

The little girl looked at her for a moment and said, “Did God make me, too?”

“Yes, He sure did. He made you, too.”

Then the little girl said, “Don’t you think He is doing a better job now than He used to?” As David wrote in Psalm 139, the human body, created by God, is a masterpiece of exquisite design. He said, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (verse 14). The human body is incredibly engineered, governed by several hundred systems of control, each interacting with and affecting the other.

For example, the brain has ten billion nerve cells to record what we see and hear. Our skin has more than two million tiny sweat glands, about three thousand per square inch, all part of an intricate system that keeps our body at an even temperature. God has put this pump in our chest, known as a heart, that makes our blood travel 168 million miles per day, equivalent to going around the world 6,725 times. The lining of our stomach contains thirty-five million glands secreting juices, which aid the process of digestion.

These are just a few of the involved processes and chemical wonders that God has built into our bodies to sustain human life. There is nothing like a man or woman made in the image of God. We aren’t highly evolved forms of animal life; we are clearly made in the image of God Himself and stand apart from the rest of creation.

The most wondrous fact of all, however, is this: our Creator and Designer desires a relationship with each one of us — and sent His own Son to earth to die for us and pay our penalty in order to make that possible.

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

Greg Laurie – Thinking of You

June 6, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? —Psalm 8:3–4

One night, probably when David was watching over his sheep, he looked up at the incredible stars and made this statement: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:3-4).

It’s incredible to think that the Creator of the universe, the Almighty God who knows every star by name, would care about us. And not only does He care about humanity as a whole, but He also cares about us as individuals. Not only does He care about us as individuals, but He also knows about every detail of our lives. God even knows the very thoughts that we think. Jesus said, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).

Psalm 40:5 tells us, “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 115:12 says, “The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us.”

So even when family and friends have forgotten about you, know this: the Lord is thinking about you. The Lord cares about you and takes an interest in even the smallest details of your life. They might seem trivial to someone else — but not to God. If it concerns you, then it concerns Him.

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

Greg Laurie – A Great Reunion

June 5, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. —Hebrews 11:25

A Christian father who was terminally ill called his three sons to his bedside. To his two sons who were believers, he said, “Good-bye, my sons. I will see you in the morning.” Turning to his third son, he simply and sadly said, “Good-bye, my son.”

The young man was deeply disturbed. He said, “Father, why is it you said to my brothers,

‘I will see you in the morning,’ and you only said to me, ‘Good-bye, my son’? Why didn’t you say you would see me in the morning, too?”

His father replied, “Son, you have never asked Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Savior and Lord. And that is what breaks my heart the most. I will never see you again.” That son began to ask his father how he could be saved, how he could see his father again. His father told him how. And so he prayed and received Christ into his life. Then his father said, “Now our family will be together in eternity.”

That can happen for everyone who has put their faith in Christ. It will be a great reunion one day in the future. But what does the unbeliever have to look forward to? Judgment after death and a miserable, empty life on earth. There might be some fun in sin — for a while. But payday comes. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

If you do not commit your life to Christ, ultimately you will look back on your life and realize that you wasted it. But don’t wait until the end of your life to figure that out. Figure it out now.

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

Greg Laurie – Make it Count

June 4, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31

I remember when, as a young Christian, I would sit in the pews at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa and listen to Senior Pastor Chuck Smith speak. I would think to myself, I wonder if God would ever use me? I wonder if the Lord would ever speak through me? Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that God would allow me to be a pastor and someone who has the privilege of proclaiming the gospel. It was beyond my own dreams, beyond my own aspirations, even.

If you are planning your future right now, if you are thinking about what course you want to follow in life, ask God for His direction. Say, “Lord, I want to be the person that You want me to be. I want to marry the person You want me to marry. I want to be in the center of Your will. I don’t want to go out there and blow it. Help me to do Your will.” God’s plans for you are better than anything you have ever planned for yourself.

God has given each of us certain abilities, talents, and resources. The question is, what are you doing with them? Are you seeking to use them for His glory? Are you offering your resources and future to Him?

I’m not saying that you have to be a pastor. But whatever you do, whether you are a doctor, an architect, a secretary, a computer programmer, a builder, a musician, or something else, you should want to serve the Lord and do it for the glory of God. That is what matters. Your life can be a testimony and a witness for Jesus.

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

Greg Laurie – Ready for Your Reward?

June 3, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

—Matthew 6:3–4

Maybe you were a great achiever academically. As a young boy or girl, you were winning the spelling bees. You always got As on your report cards. Maybe you were given some special honor, such as a scholarship to attend a great college, because of your incredible abilities. Or perhaps you were a big sports star. You always excelled in sports, and you have plenty of trophies and ribbons to prove it.

Me? I always had those honorable mention ribbons. Do you know what those are? They are the ribbons they give you when you really do poorly, but they don’t want you to feel too bad for yourself. You know, after first, second, third, fourth, and fifth have crossed the finish line, and an hour later, someone comes across, they say, “Give him an honorable mention ribbon.” They were usually purple, although I don’t know why that was. I had a room filled with purple ribbons.

But in heaven, there will be many rewards for those who have been faithful to God over the years. Even the smallest and most insignificant gesture on behalf of God’s kingdom will not be overlooked by our Heavenly Father. Jesus spoke of our service to God, pointing out that even though it may not be seen by people, it is indeed seen by Him: “Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

One day in our future, when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, the Lord will reward us openly.

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

Greg Laurie – The Nut Has Gone

June 2, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. —1 Corinthians 15:20

A minister who was conducting a funeral service wanted to speak of some of the wonderful things about the deceased. But this poor guy said the wrong thing. He boldly proclaimed, “What we have here is only the shell,” gesturing toward the coffin. Then he added, “But the nut has gone.” He didn’t want it to come out that way. But that is a pretty accurate statement of what happens when we die.

God will give us new bodies one day — resurrection bodies. And we will need these new bodies because we will be in a new place called heaven. Of course, we wouldn’t think of sending astronauts into space dressed like they are going to the beach. They must have special suits that are designed to allow them to breathe and function in their new environment. Our earthly bodies suit us fine for life on earth. But in heaven, we will need new bodies.

We will need new bodies for our new environment because, to begin with, if we were to see God in the bodies were are living in right now, we would disintegrate on the spot. Why? Because we aren’t perfect people. Our bodies are limited by the effects of sin. The very fact that we age, can get sick, and will one day die (if the Lord does come back for us first) means that we have bodies that are tainted by sin. We need new bodies, made into the image of Jesus.

You will leave the shell, but the “nut,” the real you, will go into the presence of the Lord.

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

Greg Laurie – Something’s Missing

May 31, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

—Philippians 1:23

I read a story about a little dog named Mugsy who was walking across the street one day and, tragically, was hit by a truck. His sad owners took Mugsy down to the pet cemetery and buried him. They were so sorry they would never see their precious little dog again.

But three days later, much to their surprise, they found Mugsy scratching at the back door. They could hardly believe their eyes as they opened the door and let little Mugsy in. He was covered with dirt but alive. It turns out their little dog wasn’t dead after all. They had buried him alive, but the industrious little pooch clawed his way out and found his way home.

There is no place like home. And I want you to know there is a home waiting for every child of God, a future destination for all believers. It’s called heaven. We need to be homesick for heaven. Though we have never been there, we still have something God has built within us that gives us a certain homesickness, a desire to be there. I love the way the apostle Paul put it when he said, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:23-24).

God has put a homing instinct inside every man and woman, a sense there is something more to life. In fact, Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has put eternity in their hearts.” Because of this, we will never be fully satisfied in this life. Something always will seem to be missing . . . until we see our Lord face to face.

Greg Laurie – Just a Little Bit Longer

May 30, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” —Revelation 6:10

In Revelation 6 we read about those who were put to death for their faith. They are in heaven, aware of the injustice, aware of the fact there were fellow servants still on earth being mistreated. So they prayed this prayer to the Father: “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” (verse 10). In other words, Hey, Lord, this isn’t right. When are You going to correct it?

Here was God’s response to their prayers: “Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters — their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred — had joined them” (verse 11, NLT).

God’s timing isn’t always our timing. The Bible says that “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (see Ecclesiastes 3:11).

It kind of reminds me of taking a trip with small children in the car. You are cruising along, and an hour into the trip they ask, “When are we going to get there?”

What do you say? “We’re almost there. A little bit longer.”

The martyred tribulation saints were asking when they would be avenged. And God was saying, Just a little bit longer.

We say, “Lord, when are You going to come?” He says, Just a little bit longer. When is judgment going to come?” Just a little bit longer. “When will my prayer be answered?” Just a little bit longer. Hang on, now. I am in control. I am doing everything according to My perfect will.

Know this: God’s delays aren’t necessarily His denials. So keep praying.

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

Greg Laurie – A Pattern for Healing

May 29, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. —James 5:14

I believe that God heals today. We know He has miraculously built into the human body a natural process in which it heals over time. But I believe God can quicken the healing process.

I also believe that He can do a miracle when we have been told there is no hope. I have seen so many of these miracles myself. God promises His healing touch and tells us that by His stripes we are healed. So we should ask God to heal us when we are facing sickness.

In James 5, we are given the scriptural pattern for healing: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

It is interesting that the Bible does not say, “Is anyone among you sick? Then go find a faith healer.” I’m not suggesting that miracles didn’t take place in the early church because they certainly did. I’m not saying that healing wasn’t done by faith because it was. My point is that it never was the focus of the apostles. The early church didn’t follow signs and wonders; signs and wonders followed them. This is an important distinction.

We can go to God and ask Him to heal. I thank God that healing is available to us today. But we make a mistake when we focus on phenomena. Instead, we should focus on the proclamation of God’s Word and leave the miracles, healings, and the rest up to God to do as He sovereignly chooses.

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

Greg Laurie – Songs in the Night

May 28, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me — a prayer to the God of my life. —Psalm 42:8

The great British preacher C. H. Spurgeon said, “Any fool can sing in the day. . . . It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but the skillful singer is he who can sing when there is not a ray of light to read by. . . . Songs in the night come only from God; they are not the power of man.”

When Paul and Silas were imprisoned for preaching the gospel, it was a hot and horrible environment. Prisons back then were far more primitive than they are today. Archaeologists have discovered what they believe was the actual prison where Paul and Silas were imprisoned as recorded in Acts. It was nothing more than a dark hole, without ventilation.

But instead of cursing God and questioning how a God of love could do this to them, Paul and Silas realized it was time to pray. The Bible tells us, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). Songs — not groans — came from their mouths. And instead of cursing men, they were blessing God. No wonder the other prisoners were listening.

When we are in pain, the midnight hour is not the easiest time to hold a worship service. There are times when we don’t feel like singing to the Lord or praising Him. But Hebrews 13:15 reminds us, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”

Are you facing a hardship today? God can give you songs in the night.

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

Greg Laurie – When Trouble Comes

May 27, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. —Psalm 61:2

I have come to realize that when I am seeking to walk in the will of God and when I am engaging in the things of God, it is then I can expect opposition from the enemy of God, the Devil. Sometimes afflictions do not come into our lives because of our disobedience, but quite the opposite. Our afflictions, our troubles, and our hardships can come because we are obedient to God.

Remember Job and all of the hardship that came upon him because he was a perfect and an upright man, a man who feared God and turned away evil?

Then there was Nehemiah, who went out to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that had been torn down and were lying in rubble. God had directed him to do this, but as soon as he undertook this great work for the Lord, a man named Sanballat opposed him and threatened him. What did Nehemiah do? Did he get a restraining order against Sanballat? Did he immediately stop what he was doing and run and hide? No. Instead, Nehemiah did what James says we should do when we are afflicted or when we are in trouble. He prayed. He said, “Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads . . . for they have provoked You to anger before the builders” (Nehemiah 4:4-5). Nehemiah cried out to God and brought his problems to Him.

As 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” So when trouble comes, pray. Bring your troubles, your problems, and your cares to God.

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

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

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