Tag Archives: Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Ultimate Imitator

June 7, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” —Matthew 24:4–5

It seems as though everyone has a cell phone these days. Everywhere you go, people are talking on their cell phones. And now there is actually a cell phone for dogs, which is a collar with a little speaker that allows you to talk to Fido.

How did we ever survive before cell phones?

I remember when the first cell phones came on the market. They were heavy and had a very short battery life. Then came the Blackberry, which was very popular. But the industry was turned upside down in 2007 when Apple released the iPhone. Walk into any store today where cell phones are sold, and you will find that most phones resemble the iPhone. This template, this prototype of sorts, changed everything.

Whenever something is popular, whenever something is successful, whenever something is effective, you can be sure there always will be imitations.

The ultimate imitator is Satan, who has his cheap imitations of all things that are true. For all the real Christians who believe in Jesus, he has his fake believers out there—posers who pretend to be something they are not. We have real miracles performed by the hand of God, and Satan has his fake imitations of those as well. God has His Son, Jesus. And one day Satan will have his son, his own imitation of Jesus, the Antichrist. This man will be history’s vilest embodiment of sin and rebellion.

Here is your choice: Are you going to be for Jesus Christ or the Antichrist? Either it is God, or it is Satan. If you make the right choice, then you can know with certainty that your name will be written in the Book of Life. But if it is not written in the Book of Life, then you are doomed.

Greg Laurie – Nothing to Show

June 6, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.” —Revelation 3:11

Did you know that it is possible to have a saved soul and a lost life? A saved soul means that you are saved because you believe in Jesus and not because of the works you do. You have turned from your sin and put your faith in Christ. And God has a plan for your life: He wants you to serve Him.

But a lot of Christians don’t do that much for the Lord, though they should. And this means they have a lost life. The Bible says that we will stand before God one day, and our work will be tested to see what sort it is (see 1 Corinthians 3:12–14). If it is built on the wrong foundation, then it will be burned up, but our soul will be saved.

Jesus said, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Hold fast. Hang on. Don’t let go. Don’t relax your grip. If you do, you could lose your crown.

The crown is a symbol of rewards that are awaiting Christians. To lose your crown means to lose your reward. The Bible speaks of a crown that God gives for our faithfulness to Him (see Revelation 3:11). First Thessalonians 2:19 mentions a crown of rejoicing, which would appear to be a crown for winning souls. Then, in 2 Timothy 4:8, there is a crown of righteousness. James 1:12 speaks of a crown of life for enduring temptation and persevering under trial.

These are the rewards God will give to each of us. But how sad it will be for those who stand before Him on that day and have nothing to show for the life that was given to them.

Greg Laurie – An ABC Culture

June 5, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. —Revelation 3:8

I have never seen a greater biblical illiteracy than we see in the church today. So many go to church, but they want to be entertained. They want to be dazzled. And they want everything except the Word of God.

One thing that has always been at the forefront of Harvest Ministries is the teaching of God’s Word—without apology. Why is this important? Because one of the signs of the last days is apostasy. People living in the end times are going to fall away from the faith. According to 1 Timothy 4, “The Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons” (verse 1). Knowing God’s Word and keeping His Word will fortify you against that.

As we get closer and closer to Christ’s return, it will be more and more difficult to be a Christian. Things are going to get spiritually darker in our world. Today in America, we live in what I would describe as an ABC culture: anything but Christ. People are cool with whatever you want to believe—unless it is the Bible and unless it is Jesus Christ. Then suddenly you are in trouble. Suddenly you are the bigoted one. You are the narrow-minded one. You are the intolerant one. You are the hateful one. And it is just because you believe that the Bible is true, and you want to live for Jesus Christ. God will give you the strength to live this life, but you will be opposed.

So whether you want to go high-tech or low-tech, read God’s Word. Know God’s Word. And more importantly, keep God’s Word.

Greg Laurie – Start with a Step

June 4, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. —Matthew 14:29

Sometimes people are critical of Peter because he sank during his walk on the water to Jesus. But apart from Jesus himself, Peter is the only one to ever walk on water. And, by the way, it wasn’t a presumptuous act on Peter’s part. He did ask permission, and Jesus granted it.

I can imagine Peter swinging one leg over the side of the boat and testing his weight a little. Next, he brings the other leg around. Soon, he is standing on the water. Then he takes a step . . . then another step.

But the waves were high, the sea was rough, and Peter probably thought, What am I doing? Then he began to sink.

As he cried out to Jesus, the Lord reached down, grabbed him, and pulled him up. Then He said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). I find it interesting that in the original language, “little faith” is one word. There is a tenderness implied in the language, almost as though it were a nickname. Oh, Littlefaith. You were doing so well. I’m so proud of you, Peter. Jesus lifted him up, and they walked back to that boat. But Peter had taken a step of faith.

This reminds us that God can take even a little faith and turn it into big faith if we will just take a step of faith. So many times we want the detailed blueprint. But just start with a step. Just start where you are. Do what you can.

You have your world. You have your opportunities. Start with someone you can think of who needs Christ this year. Pray for him. Share with her. And remember that doors don’t necessarily stay open forever. Everything starts with a little step.

Greg Laurie – Will He Find Faith?

June 3, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” —Luke 18:8

I am not a patient sick person. I don’t like to lay around, immobilized. As soon as I start feeling better, I want to get going. When I am feeling good again, I will go and work out or take a brisk walk. But then I feel kind of fatigued afterward.

In Revelation 3, we find a description of a church that is coming back to life, the church of Philadelphia. The Great Physician gives His divine assessment: “You have a little strength . . .” (verse 8). This isn’t a negative comment about their weakness, but a commendation of their strength. They are like a sick person who is making a recovery.

This is not a super church of the end times, but it is a reviving one. If ever there was a super church, it was the church of the first century. Although they had their flaws, it was the church that changed the world. And it was the church that gave us a template we are to follow.

The implication in Revelation 3 is that the church of Philadelphia is making a comeback. Perhaps a revival is taking place. Revival is what God does for us, and revival is a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. Let’s pray that God sends a revival, or an awakening, to America.

Evangelism is what we do for God. Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” The idea being that it is not a church that has taken the world over, but a church that is doing something.

Jesus commends the church of Philadelphia for taking little steps, and we need to take those little steps as well. God has given us enough strength to do what He has called us to do.

Greg Laurie – All Things

June 1, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. —Romans 8:28

There are times in our lives as Christians when God will do things or fail to do things that we want Him to do, and it won’t make a bit of sense to us. And because we don’t see the big picture, we may falsely conclude that God has abandoned us. But we need to trust Him during these times, remembering that Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. In other words, what God starts, He completes.

Remember that wonderful word from the first chapter of Philippians? “There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears” (Philippians 1:6 THE MESSAGE).

It seems as I get older, I get distracted and forget things all the time. But what if God forgot about us? What a frightening thought. Imagine being in the midst of a fiery trial as God is watching and waiting for that moment to take us out of it. Then the phone rings, and He’s gone for a decade! Thankfully, God never forgets about us. He remains—forever and ever—in full control. He knows exactly what He is doing. He will complete what He has begun.

Sometimes in the middle of that process, we may think the Lord is missing it. But He isn’t. We’re the ones who are missing it. From our limited human viewpoint, we think of the temporal, but God lives in the eternal. We are thinking of today, but God is planning for tomorrow. . .in fact, He’s already been there. We are thinking of comfort, but God is thinking of character. We are thinking of an easy time, but God is thinking of how to make us better people.

So let’s trust Him. Whatever our circumstances or hardships, let’s believe His promise to His children. . . . All things are working together.

Greg Laurie – Doors of Opportunity

May 31, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. —Acts 14:27

The first-century believers in the church of Philadelphia lived under Roman rule. The Romans had established what was known as Pax Romana, which effectively was a forced peace. There was an absence of war, and Rome adopted many of the Greeks’ ideas and philosophies and religious beliefs. People were experimenting with these things, and there was a sense of searching among so many.

The Romans also had established Greek as the official language of the empire. They built an excellent road system as well. So with this common language and access to most of the world, the church went out to spread the gospel message. It was perfect in its timing.

Now let’s think about our day. In many ways, modern technology has created a global village. Television, the Internet, and mass communication has made the world a much smaller place. I recently read that 70 to 80 percent of the world’s population now has a smartphone. We can communicate in ways we never could before. In a sense, we have a common cultural language.

Sometimes in our lives we think only of how much we can get from our study of God’s Word and how much we can be blessed in church. That is fine. But remember that we are blessed to be a blessing. If we are only hoarding what God has given us and are not giving out, then we are missing the point.

As one person put it, “Unless a man’s faith saves him out of selfishness into service, it will certainly never save him out of hell into heaven.”

There are doors that have opened in our lives today. Watch for them. That person who was closed to the gospel last year might be open to it this year. Pray for those doors of opportunity.

Greg Laurie – An Unprecedented Open Door

May 30, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. —Colossians 4:3–4

Jesus has given us, as a church, an unprecedented open door. We read in Revelation 3:7, “What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open.”

If the key is a symbol of His authority, then the door is a symbol of opportunity. The idea of an open door is a concept that is used often in the New Testament. Paul spoke of it in 2 Corinthians 2:12: “When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.” In Acts 14:27, Paul and Barnabas spoke of a door of faith that was opened to the Gentiles.

We should pray for such doors to open in our own lives. In fact, Paul said, “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.”

When a Harvest Crusade is approaching, sometimes people will ask me how they should pray for me. My answer is the same as Paul’s: First, that God would open a door to speak for Him, and second, that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

We should all be looking for open doors. We should not rest on past accomplishments or victories. We need to be looking for opportunities today and in the days to come.

You see, this year, this month, may be the last opportunity to go through an open door. Just because a door is open now doesn’t mean it will remain open forever.

Will you walk through those open doors? Will you look for those opportunities? Will you do what God has called you to do?

Greg Laurie – He Holds the Keys

May 29, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. —Revelation 1:17–18

Revelation 3 records the words of Jesus to the church of the last days known as the church of Philadelphia. In this chapter Jesus says some very specific things about how they are to live in the end times. But I think we could just as easily take out the word “Philadelphia” and insert our own names in this passage. Why? Because these are the words of Jesus not only to the last days church, but to last days believers:

“These things says He who is holy, He who is true, ‘He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.’ ” (verses 7–8)

Here we read that Jesus has the key of David. (I am glad He has the keys because if I did, they would be lost by now.)

Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t lose keys. He has the key to every lock. Jesus can open every door. God is in control of all events in the history of this planet—past, present, and future. God will open some doors, and He will close others. He will determine how long we will live. That is not up to us; that is up to Him. The doors God closes are closed for good. And the doors He opens will be opened for good. No power on earth can change this.

It is a good reminder for us to remember that God is in control. We don’t have to be afraid to commit an unknown future to a known God. He is in control of our lives.

Greg Laurie – In His Hands

May 28, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. —Revelation 12:11

How important it is for us to know that our lives belong to God. God decides the day of our birth, and God decides the day of our death. But we have everything to do with the dash in the middle.

In Revelation 12:11, we read of the saints during the Tribulation who “overcame [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

They did not love their lives to the death. These believers knew their lives belonged to God. They knew that as followers of Jesus during the Tribulation period, they could lose their lives. They also knew their times were in God’s hands. Thus, they spoke up for their faith in Christ and, whatever the consequences were, they were ready to face them.

A story is told from the pages of Christian history about a believer who was brought before one of the Caesars. He was told to renounce his faith and give glory to Caesar. The man would not do it. So the emperor said to him, “Give up Christ, or I will banish you.”

The Christian said, “You can’t banish me from Christ, for God says, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ ”

The emperor said, “I will confiscate your property.”

The Christian replied, “My treasures are laid up in heaven. You can’t touch them.”

The emperor said, “I will kill you.”

The Christian answered, “I have been dead to this world in Christ for 40 years. My life is hidden with Christ in God. You can’t touch it.”

The emperor turned to some of the members of his court and said, in complete disgust, “What can you do with such a fanatic?”

May God give us more Christians like this.

Greg Laurie – The Power of a Testimony

May 27, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. . . .” —Revelation 12:11

As I have often said, the best defense is a good offense. And instead of trying to just hold our ground as Christians, we should gain ground. We should move forward. We should tell others about Christ.

When you identify yourself as a Christian, that is a good way to make yourself accountable, even to nonbelievers. By saying in your workplace (without being obnoxious), “I am a Christian,” by saying to members of your family or in your neighborhood or among your friends, “I am a follower of Jesus,” you are putting that stake in the ground, and they will be watching you and evaluating you.

And frankly, they will be evaluating God, too. They are will be thinking, So that is how a Christian acts. That is how a Christian treats his wife. That is how a Christian treats her husband. I get it. That is how a Christian raises their child. That is how a Christian does thus and so. . . . They will be watching you. And nothing is worse than getting your behavior corrected by a nonbeliever, especially when they are right.

Has that ever happened to you? You did something inconsistent, and your non-Christian friend said, “I thought you were a Christian.”

“Well, I am, praise God!”

“Then why did you just do that?”

Maybe you should just say it was because you sinned and then thank them for calling you on it.

When a believer is walking in fellowship with God, he or she will want to tell others about Christ.

Everyone has a testimony, which simply is their story. You don’t have to go through adversity to have a testimony. What would people say about you? You have a testimony. The question is whether it is a good one or a poor one.

Greg Laurie – In His Eyes

May 25, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I was with my granddaughter Stella and she said the cutest thing. She looked deeply in my eyes, then pushed her little nose right up to mine and said, “Papa, I can see myself in your eyes!”

What Stella was saying was that she saw her reflection in my eyes. I responded, “Stella, you are always in my eyes, and in my heart too!”

Do you ever wonder how God sees you?

I think you might be surprised. We may think that God looks askance at us or with anger or disappointment—or that He may, as my friends in Hawaii like to say, be “giving you the stink eye!”

The fact of the matter is God looks at you with love.

We read in Scripture of that rich young ruler who came to Jesus. He was brash and proud and demanded to know what he needed to do to enter God’s kingdom. Before Jesus would reveal the answer, we read, “Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him” (Mark 10:21 NLT).

That is also the way He looks at you. With love. He sees you for what you can become, not just what you are.

Jesus gave to Simon the fishermen the new name of Peter. The name Peter means “Rock.” If there was anything Simon was not, at this point, it was a rock. He was legendary for his hot-headedness, impulsiveness, and willingness to speak his mind on pretty much everything. But Jesus saw that Simon would grow into that new name of Peter.

In the same way, we look at our own lives and see a lump of clay. God sees a beautiful vase.

We see a blank canvas. God sees a finished work of art.

We see coal. God sees a refined diamond.

We see problems. God sees solutions.

We see failures. God sees potential.

We see an end. God sees a new beginning.

Yes, you can see yourself in His eyes, just like Stella saw herself in mine. But to do so, you need to get really close.

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:8 NLT).

Greg Laurie – The Importance of Conscience

May 24, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. —Hebrews 10:22

We have a hypersensitive smoke alarm in our house. It goes off all the time. But I think it is better to have a smoke alarm that is too sensitive than to have one that isn’t sensitive enough.

As believers, we want to have a working conscience. The apostle Paul warned, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1–2).

If your conscience is sensitive, that is good. You don’t want it seared as though a hot iron had been applied to it.

I heard a story about a man who went to see the doctor with two severely burned ears. The doctor said, “You have to tell me—how did this happen?”

The man said, “Let me explain. I was ironing a shirt when someone called me on the phone, and I answered the iron instead of the phone.”

“That is horrible!” the doctor said. “That explains one of your ears being burned. How did you burn the other?”

“They called back.”

We don’t want our consciences to be seared. We want them to be sensitive and open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

We have this promise in 1 John 1: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (verse 7).

Because Jesus died on the cross and met the righteous demands of God, you can approach the Lord at any time, no matter what you have done, if you will confess your sin and ask for His forgiveness.

Greg Laurie – The Overcomers

May 23, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh. —Hebrews 10:19–20

How do we overcome the devil? In the book of Revelation we are introduced to a group of believers who are able to do that: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11)

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. The next time the devil tempts you to think that you are not worthy to approach God, here is what I advise: Agree. Say, “You are right. I am not worthy to approach God. I never was worthy to approach God. I never will be worthy to approach God. My access to God’s presence is not based on my worthiness, it is based on what Christ did for me on the cross.”

Sometimes we get into the mentality as Christians that if we are doing well spiritually, then we can approach God in prayer. If we get up in the morning, read four chapters from the Bible, give thanks for our meals, and share our faith with someone, then we think we can approach God. But if the next day we sleep in and don’t read the Bible, if we forgot to say grace over our meals and didn’t share our faith, then we think we are not worthy to approach Him.

While doing those things is important, the point I am making is this: Your access to God is there unconditionally. If you have done well, then great. Approach God. But if you have sinned, then approach God and say, “Lord, I have sinned. This is why I need the blood of the Lamb.”

The devil always will try to keep you away from the Cross. But the Holy Spirit always will bring you to it.

Greg Laurie – The Accuser

May 22, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” —Revelation 12:10

Novelist Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables, said, “A good general must penetrate the brain of his enemy.”

It is good for us to know how the devil works. Paul the apostle said, “For we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

The devil attacks primarily through accusation. We read in Revelation 12:10, “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down’ ” (emphasis added).

The devil is the accuser of the brethren. First he comes to you with the temptation. All of a sudden, an ungodly, horrible thought is placed in front of you. You think, I can’t believe this! Whoa! Where did that come from?

Then the devil says, “You are so twisted! What’s your problem? Why would you think such a horrible thought? And you call yourself a Christian! What kind of a Christian are you?”

That is how the devil works. But your defense against his accusations is the intercession of Jesus on your behalf. Jesus is standing in the gap for you. He once said to Peter, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). But then He went on to say, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail . . .” (verse 32).

Romans 8:34 tells us, “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” The next time you are tempted, remember this: Jesus is interceding for you in heaven.

Greg Laurie – A Short Time

May 21, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” —Revelation 12:12

During the Korean War, Marines in the Baker Company found themselves cut off while enemy forces advanced. For several hours, no word was heard from them. Finally a faint signal came through. Straining to hear each word, the radio operator asked, “Do you read me?”

“This is Baker Company,” came the reply.

“What is your situation?”

“The enemy is to the east of us. The enemy is to the west of us. The enemy is to the south of us and to the north of us. . . .” The soldier then paused briefly and continued, “And we are not going to let them escape this time!”

That is the attitude we should have when the devil seems to be hitting us from every side. As Bible commentator John Phillips wrote, “Satan is now like a caged lion, enraged beyond words by the limitations now placed upon his freedom. He picks himself up from the dust of the earth, shakes his fist at the sky, and glares around, choking with fury for ways to vent his hatred and spite upon humankind.”

The devil does not want you to know that he is doomed. Revelation 12:12 tells us, “The devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” The phrase for “great wrath” refers to a violent outburst of rage. It depicts a turbulent emotional fury rather than rational anger.

Even if some don’t believe it, the devil knows that Jesus Christ is coming back. Until then, his objective is to wreak as much havoc as he can.

Sometimes it seems as though everywhere we turn, there is an attack. There is temptation. There is a problem. There is an issue. But listen: God will give us the strength to get through.

Greg Laurie – Permission Required

May 20, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. —Job 1:6

The devil can do nothing in the life of the Christian without God’s permission.

This may come as a surprise, but the devil does have some access to heaven. Periodically the devil is called into the presence of God. We have a behind-the-scenes look at this in the book of Job:

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?”

So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” (Job 1:6–7)

What a perfect description of Satan—just roaming about like a lion, checking everything out, looking for prey.

Then God said, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (verse 8).

Loosely paraphrased, the devil said, “Give me a break! Does Job fear You for nothing? He fears you because You have put a hedge of protection around him.”

The devil wanted to attack Job, but he recognized there was protection around God’s servant.

And there is protection around us as well. When the devil comes our way, he has to first get permission from God. He cannot just run through our lives willy-nilly. And know this: Whatever God allows in your life, He allows for a purpose.

Sometimes we wonder why the Lord allows tragedies in our lives. While we can’t answer that, what we do know is this: God will never give us more than we can handle. And when we are tempted, there is always a way out.

Greg Laurie – No Equal to God

May 17, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.— Revelation 12:7

In Revelation 12, we find a battle in heaven where Michael the archangel and the devil are fighting it out. These two powerful angels are warring against each other, which is ironic because they once served on the same side.

It is not unlike the Civil War, when General Grant led the Union forces, and General Lee led the Confederate forces. Prior to that, they both attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. They both served their nation in the Mexican-American War. But then they found themselves on opposite sides during the Civil War. And ultimately General Grant prevailed over General Lee.

In the same way, we find the archangel Michael prevailing over Lucifer. And here is the thing we need to know: Satan is nowhere to being the equal of God.

Here is what we know about God: He is omnipotent, which means that He has unlimited power. He is omniscient, which means that He has unlimited knowledge. And He is omnipresent, which means that He is present everywhere.

The devil is not equal to that. The devil certainly is not omnipotent. He has a lot of power, but nowhere to being equal with the power of God. He is not omniscient. Satan knows quite a few things, but he doesn’t know all things like God. He is not omnipresent. He can only be in one place at one time. So when we say the devil was tempting us, the fact is, it probably was one of the demons doing his dirty work. He has a well-organized network of fallen angels, also known as demons, that do his bidding.

Satan is nowhere near to being the equal of God. Satan is mighty, but God is almighty. Satan is a destroyer, but God ultimately will destroy the destroyer.

Greg Laurie – A Different Kind of Battle

May 16, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

For 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 30 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.

As I have often said, the Christian life is not a playground; it is a battleground. 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.

Greg Laurie – The Remedy for Our Sins

May 15, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. James 2:10

Only one has walked this earth who kept the Ten Commandments perfectly, and that was Jesus. Everyone else has fallen short.

We have broken the Ten Commandments in more ways than we realize. We have taken the Lord’s name in vain. We have had other gods before Him. We have lied. Perhaps we have stolen or have committed adultery or even murder. At the very least, we have lusted or hated. Yet the Bible says that if we stumble in one point of the law, we are guilty of all of it (see James 2:10).

Why, then, did God give us these commandments? They were not given to make us righteous. They were given to show us that we are not righteous. They were given to show us that we fall short of God’s standards. They were given to show us that we need help. The commandments drive us into the open arms of Jesus, who died on the cross for all our sins.

The Bible says, “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). What that means is Jesus took the penalty of the commandments that say, “The person who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:20). He died in our place and absorbed God’s wrath that should have come upon me and upon you.

Maybe you need to repent of some sin. God will forgive you—but you have to admit your sin, stop making excuses for it, and turn from it. The Bible says, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9).

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