For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 

—2 Corinthians 4:17

Scripture:

When adversity rears its head, the first reaction of many believers is to pray it away—to ask God to spare us from it or, barring that, to help us get through it as quickly and as painlessly as possible. The ideal for many people is a life free from adversity.

But that misses the point entirely. Adversity is, in fact, one of God’s greatest teaching tools. Adversity prepares us for what God has ahead. God’s people will be better off eternally because they suffered temporarily. The trade-off in eternity will bear this out.

Our troubles won’t last forever. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (NLT).

This argument for the greater good may be the strongest biblical case for the whys of human suffering. But it requires great trust on our part. This means we need to look at our suffering and say, “It will all make sense in eternity, and it will produce something that would not have been there otherwise. So, in faith I am going to accept this truth and wait to see the outcome.”

We also need to keep in mind that even in the worst tragedy, God can bring good out of bad. That doesn’t mean He makes bad things good. But it does mean that despite bad things, He can bring good. This is an important distinction because often people are looking for cause and effect. They try to connect the dots: “This bad thing happened so this good thing would happen. And this even better thing happened. Now I get it.”

Sometimes life works that way. It did for Joseph. After being betrayed by his brothers, he was able to tell them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).

Of course, sometimes we can’t see the outcome. Even so, as Paul wrote, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT). Ultimately, all things work together for good.

In the case of our country, the adversity we’re facing now may be a forerunner of revival. That may be God’s plan for bringing good from bad. It’s happened before. In fact, our country was founded in the wake of a great revival.

In the meantime, believers must continue to pray, continue to immerse themselves in God’s Word, and continue to share their faith with others so they can see the hand of God at work in our nation, bringing good from bad.

Reflection question: When have you seen God bring good from bad? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. 

—Psalm 85:6–7

Scripture:

July 2026 is an ideal time for reflection, for looking back at the 250-year history of our nation, and for celebrating God’s work in bringing us to this point. But it’s also a time to look forward and ask some sobering questions. So, here goes.

What is the future of the United States of America? Are we doomed to go the way that so many other once-great nations have gone? Is America headed to the ash heap of history? Are our greatest days behind us, or could they still be ahead? Is there any hope for America?

None of us can answer these questions with any certainty, but we know this much: America is not the superpower of the last days. The greatest nation on earth is conspicuous in its absence from the world stage in the end-times scenario given to us in the Bible. America is not the first, nor will it be the last, nation to rise and fall. Every nation’s days are numbered; America is no exception.

The Bible introduces us to several formidable empires, countries, and cities. Egypt reigned supreme in the book of Exodus. Assyria played a key role in the history of Israel and Judah. Babylon led the people of Judah into captivity. Persia allowed them to return. Greece left an indelible mark on the world. Yet all these empires eventually learned the same lesson: There is no such thing as too big to fail.

Perhaps the biggest cautionary tale from history is the Roman Empire, which provides the backdrop for the Gospels. Rome was once the mightiest empire on the face of the earth. But it collapsed internally before it was conquered externally. Historian Will Durant, in his book on Rome’s history, Caesar and Christ, said, “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within. The essential causes of Rome’s decline lay in her people, her morals….”

That’s where the alarm bells start to sound for the United States. We as a country are diligent in guarding against our enemies on the outside, but we should be just as diligent in guarding ourselves from within.

One stark difference between Rome and the United States is that our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values. Unfortunately, we’ve strayed from the original vision of our founding fathers, the vision that produced our nation. What was once “freedom of religion” has now become “freedom from religion.” We’ve succeeded in removing God from our schools, sporting events, public venues, and workplaces.

And now we need God’s intervention. We saw many turn to the Lord after 9/11. Remember those packed churches and prayer vigils on street corners? Remember the members of Congress spontaneously singing “God Bless America”? These memories give me hope that there could be at least one more great revival in America’s future.

The psalmist wrote, “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation” (Psalm 85:6–7 NLT).

If we don’t have revival, I believe that judgment is inevitable. Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the U.S. Senate, once said, “The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration.”

Let’s pray that our nation chooses wisely.

Reflection question: What is your prayer for our nation? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” 

—Matthew 18:19–20

Scripture:

During World War II, a group of pilots known as the Flying Tigers became legendary. Under their commander, Claire Lee Chennault, they managed to down nearly three hundred Japanese aircraft over a period of six months, from December 1941 to July 1942. What was their secret? Chennault said it was cooperation. Although they were usually outnumbered, they always attacked in teams. They completed their missions together.

Roman soldiers also knew the value of working together. When they marched into battle and were barraged with flaming arrows, they put their shields up, linked them together, and hunkered down, effectively forming a protective wall around themselves. They understood that there was safety—and success—in numbers.

It’s a lesson many believers need to learn. When we experience temptation, hardship, despair, or doubt, sometimes our first instinct is to isolate ourselves. We think, “I don’t want to share this with anyone. They might think I’m not a strong Christian. I don’t want to tell anyone that I’m being tempted by this.”

A better option is to go to our Christian friends and say truthfully, “Will you pray for me right now? I’m under attack.”

Jesus said, “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:19–20 NLT). He wants us to understand that there is power in unity—in this case, in united prayer.

We read in the 12th chapter of Acts that James was put to death and Peter was arrested. These were devastating blows to the early Christian movement. So, what did the members of the church do in response? They got together to pray for Peter. Verse 5 says that “constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (NKJV). This was a unified effort. The people of the first-century church put their spiritual shields together. God answered their prayers by miraculously freeing Peter from prison.

What worked for the church two thousand years ago still works today. There is power in unity among believers, in working together and praying together. None of us is alone in this spiritual battle. We have Christian brothers and sisters who are marching with us.

Throughout this month, we’ve talked about the need for revival in our country. And we’ve used the imagery of fire to convey the power of revival to sweep across a wide area. But that potential can’t be realized by thousands or even millions of tiny individual flames burning independently of one another.

Revival requires unity among believers. It requires Christians to coordinate and cooperate with one another. It requires God’s people to support, encourage, challenge, confront, and inspire one another as we work to accomplish God’s will for our nation.

Reflection question: What would unity with other believers look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today. 

—Deuteronomy 7:9–11

Scripture:

Our founding fathers framed a document that Thomas Jefferson drafted for the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia. Congress adopted the document on July 4, 1776. We call it the Declaration of Independence. Among other things it says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Pastor Chuck Smith once said that sometimes we forget that the Declaration of Independence, which declared independence from foreign tyranny, also declared our dependence on an eternal God. We see this in its closing words: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Our forefathers believed that there is a God who guides the affairs of humankind. And they founded our nation on the teachings of the Bible.

Thomas Jefferson, our third president, said, “The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty.”

Andrew Jackson, our seventh president, called the Bible “the Rock upon which our republic rests.”

And Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, said of the Bible, “All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.”

Two hundred and fifty years after the founding of our nation, our need for God’s Word has never been greater. Deuteronomy 7:9–11 says, “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today” (NLT). There is much to gain by placing God’s Word once again at the center of American life. And there is even more to lose in rejecting His Word.

The wisdom of God’s Word is eternal, timeless. It’s not outdated. It’s not a relic. It doesn’t belong to an earlier, simpler time. The keys to the spiritual revival our nation so desperately needs can be found in its pages.

That’s why we as believers must continue praying that our country finds its way back to the Word of God.

Reflection question: How can you make God’s Word a bigger part of your daily life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. 

—Proverbs 29:2

I’ve had opportunities to interact with leaders at the highest levels of the United States government, including former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. When I met with those men individually, we had a great time talking about our nation, discussing the needs and challenges facing us. I should mention that when I’m around such people, I’m not there as a political pundit. Neither am I there to give any kind of political advice.

I’m there as a pastor to help them, to pray for them, and to perhaps remind them of what Scripture says. In both instances we had wonderful discussions about the Word of God. Both men spoke of their dependence on God to do the job He had called them to do.

Those interactions served as valuable reminders that revival in our nation, if and when it comes, will be aided immeasurably by believers in positions of authority.

The Bible certainly makes a compelling case for godly leadership. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan” (NLT). Proverbs 10:9 says, “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed” (NLT). James 1:5 says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (nlt). And in Mark 10:43–44, Jesus says, “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else” (NLT).

Our nation is blessed to have an electoral process by which we can vote for our leaders. As believers, we must make the most of that opportunity by getting to know candidates and supporting those who stand for God-honoring principles.

But there’s another responsibility believers must not shirk. We must pray for our leaders. Look at the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:1–2: “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (NLT).

We’ve talked a lot this month about what needs to take place for us to have a spiritual awakening, a revival in America. R. G. Lee put it this way:

If all the sleeping folk will wake up,
If all the lukewarm folk will fire up,
If all the dishonest folk will confess up,
If all the disgruntled folk will cheer up,
If all the depressed folk will look up,
If all the estranged folk will make up,
If all the gossipers will shut up,
If all true soldiers will stand up,
If all the dry bones will shake up,
If all the church members will pray up . . .
Then we can have a revival!

We might also add, “If all the believers will wise up in choosing leaders who yearn for revival.”

Reflection question: How can you show wisdom and discernment in selecting and supporting our nation’s leaders? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 

—Acts 3:19–20

Scripture:

The strong faith of two men named George played a key role in shaping the United States of America. The first was George Whitefield, our spiritual founding father. He was a British evangelist who came to our shores to preach the gospel. As a result of his ministry, thousands of colonists came to Christ. It was the first great spiritual awakening in what would become known as the United States of America.

Between 1740 and 1742, before the United States was even a nation, the Great Awakening had a remarkable impact in New England. Historians estimate that 25,000 to 50,000 people were added to New England church membership as a result of the revival. With New England’s population only around 300,000 at the time, that means as many as one out of every six people in the region may have been reached in some way by the revival, in which George Whitefield played a leading role. The evangelistic wildfire left in its wake fertile spiritual ground on which the nation could be built. The Christian truths and principles that guided the lives of the new converts found their way into the nation’s DNA. They formed the cornerstone of the United States government.

John Adams, founding father and second president of the United States, wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Our nation was forged in the flames of revival started by George Whitefield.

The second George is, of course, George Washington—commander of the Continental Army, first president of the United States, and the father of our country. Washington was always quick to give the glory to God for his victories. He never tired of invoking the role of Providence in the formation of the United States of America. In fact, Washington directed that a special flag be flown by the ships of the U.S. Navy. The flag depicted a tree with branches stretching upward. The message of the flag was an appeal to Heaven, a reminder that the United States needed to call on God for its success and sustenance.

Unfortunately, that message got lost along the way. Our nation has drifted away from God and His guidance. The good news is that it’s not too late to go back to Him.

The apostle Peter preached to the people of Israel, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah” (Acts 3:19–20 NLT).

That same message is needed in our country today. Our nation, which was forged in a spiritual revival, needs to go through those flames again.

Reflection question: How can you incorporate a concern for our nation’s spiritual well-being into your prayers and Bible study? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 

—1 Corinthians 1:21

Scripture:

As we look back in history and see the names of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, and others, we may be tempted to pray for the Lord to raise up a similar firebrand to ignite a much-needed revival in our nation today. But the Bible makes it clear that revival—the spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ—is not something that’s best left to the experts.

Who’s called to preach the gospel? According to God’s Word, it isn’t just pastors, teachers, evangelists, and missionaries. It’s any person, anywhere, who names the name of Christ.

Jesus Himself gave us our marching orders when He said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19–20 NLT). Jesus called His followers to share the gospel. And He called us to share it everywhere.

In another variation of what we call the Great Commission, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15 NLT). We can localize this by saying, “Go into all your world and preach the gospel. Go to all your family, to your workplace, and to your neighborhood. Go into your sphere of influence.” In other words, lay the groundwork for localized revivals.

Why are we to do this? Because God’s primary way of reaching people is through people. The apostle Paul wrote that “since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21 NLT).

God has chosen to communicate His gospel primarily through us as we share it verbally. That’s not to say there isn’t a place for living the gospel. In fact, living the gospel—letting Christ’s light shine through us—effectively earns us the right to share the gospel. But we shouldn’t merely rely on our silent example.

We need to look for opportunities to specifically articulate the gospel message to others. The apostle Paul also wrote, “And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT). We should be doing this because we care, because we have a burden for people who don’t know the Lord.

As individual believers, we may not be able to plan a revival—not in the broadest sense of the word, at least. But we can launch individual or localized revivals in the lives of others by sharing the gospel as Jesus called us to do.

Reflection question: Where would be a good starting point for igniting a localized revival in your sphere of influence? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 

—Romans 10:14

Scripture:

I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of hearing people’s stories. When I choose books to read on vacation, they’re generally biographies. Maybe that’s because, for me, the best kind of story is a true story.

When it comes to sharing your faith, one of the most effective tools at your disposal is your personal testimony—the story of how you came to faith and how Jesus has transformed your life.

The apostle Paul wrote, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT).

The founding fathers of our nation certainly weren’t shy about sharing their stories of faith. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus.” He also said in a different letter, “I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.” Despite his flaws, our third president understood the importance of sharing personal testimony and the power of faith for a nation.

A testimony builds bridges. It’s a way to connect with others so they can see how you came to be the person you are and why you believe what you believe. It’s also a way to help people see how they can come to faith as well.

Another great thing about sharing your testimony is that you can indirectly preach the gospel to someone. For example, instead of just walking up to a person and saying, “You’re a sinner, you need to repent, and Christ died for you,” you can share your testimony.

It might go something like this: “You know, before I was a Christian, my life was going nowhere. I had a sense of emptiness, and I wondered what was wrong, what was missing. Then one day I went to a church service and heard the pastor say . . .”

That’s how you can preach the gospel while you tell your own story. And then you can ask, “What do you think about that? Have you ever heard that before? Have you ever considered who Jesus is?”

Every believer has a testimony, and every testimony matters. Of course, some testimonies are more dramatic than others. But when you really get down to it, everyone’s testimony is essentially the same: “I was lost. I was separated from God and was guilty and lonely and afraid to die. And I was on my way to Hell. But Jesus Christ, in His grace, intervened in my life and transformed me.”

Sharing how the flame of Christ was lit in you can lead to the flame being lit in other people’s lives as well. And as various flames are stoked, the conditions become ripe for all-out revival. That’s the power of a personal testimony.

Reflection question: Which parts of your personal testimony might resonate with other people? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 

—Luke 6:27–28

Scripture:

One of the most difficult things about revival is that it requires us to reach out to people we would prefer to ignore. My mother was married and divorced seven times. After I became a Christian and a pastor, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to go back to my mother’s husbands and share the gospel with them. It didn’t always go well.

One of the men—Eddie, who lived in Hawaii—had been especially cruel to my mom. He once knocked my mother unconscious with a statue. When I saw her lying on the floor, bleeding profusely, I thought she was dead. Needless to say, I had a very hard heart toward this man even after I was an adult.

But when I was in Hawaii preaching, I felt directed by the Lord to go meet with him. It was obvious that he wasn’t doing well. He lived in a tiny apartment, and he was in great pain. I told him what Christ had done for me, how He had changed me, and I invited him to come and hear me speak. He said no. He wanted nothing to do with the gospel message.

On the other hand, I also had an opportunity to talk to a man I loved. His name was Oscar Laurie. He had adopted me and treated me as a father should treat a son. But my mom left him. Years later, I sought him out too. I visited him and his wife, Barbara, in New Jersey. Over a delicious Italian dinner in their home, Barbara said, “Greg, tell me how you became a Christian and then a minister.”

As I shared my story, Oscar just stared at me. He was a retired attorney, and I felt as though I was standing before a judge giving my testimony. When I finished, he simply said, “Greg, let’s walk in the morning.”

During that walk, he said, “Greg, I was listening very carefully to what you said last night. And I would like to give my life to Jesus Christ.” He dropped to his knees in the middle of a park and prayed.

I can’t tell you for sure what happened in the lives of all the men I shared the gospel. That’s God’s department. My job was to plant the seeds. God is the One who nurtures them and causes them to grow. But to plant those seeds, I had to reach out to people who caused pain and chaos in my life.

Jesus knew how difficult it would be for His followers to obey His instructions in Luke 6:27–28: “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you” (NLT).

But He also knew that extraordinary things happen when we do.

Revival happens.

Reflection question: How can you share the gospel with someone you would rather avoid? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 

—2 Timothy 1:8–9

Scripture:

Spiritual revival can be compared to a romance between a man and a woman. Guys know that when you first take a girl out, you want to make a good impression on her. So, you shower, make sure your shirt is clean, and show her great respect. Maybe you open the car door for her. You pull out her chair at a restaurant—a nice French restaurant.

But when you get married, things change. You still open the car door for her, but you close it before she’s all the way in. And the closest thing to a French restaurant that you take her to now is Jacque in the Box or Le Golden Arches. Something has happened. The passion has slipped away. You’re no longer making the effort.

That reminds me of a story I heard about a woman who wanted to divorce her husband. She told her attorney, “I want this divorce to hurt him badly. I want him to feel as much pain as possible.”

The attorney said, “Here’s how to do it. For the next three months, smother your husband with affection. Compliment him constantly. Tell him what a great guy he is and how much you care for him. Then, when he’s feeling on top of the world, drop the divorce papers on him. He won’t know what hit him. He’ll be devastated when you walk out.”

The woman agreed to the plan. For the next three months she complimented her husband, affirmed him, and told him how much she loved and appreciated him. When the three months ended, her attorney called her and said, “All right, let’s get this divorce started.”

The woman said, “Divorce? We’re going on our second honeymoon.” By committing to the relationship as God intends, the woman unwittingly ignited the flames of passion again.

Similarly, when believers commit to the Christian life as God intends—by studying Scripture, immersing ourselves in prayer, getting involved in a church, and sharing our faith—we fuel the fire of revival in ourselves and others.

That’s why Paul wrote, “So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:8–9 NLT).

One person’s spiritual boldness paves the way for others to follow, just as John Hancock’s bold signature on the Declaration of Independence gave others courage to follow.

Passion and boldness are key ingredients of revival.

Reflection question: What would rediscovering your spiritual passion look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 

—1 Peter 3:15

Scripture:

Years ago, I encountered a man on a street in Hawaii. He was holding a sign that read, “The wages of sin is death.” He was also yelling, “God hates you” and “God will judge you” to everyone who passed by. I watched him for a few minutes until I could no longer leave his misrepresentation of Scripture unchallenged.

“Excuse me,” I said. “Why don’t you share the rest of that verse? It’s true that it says the wages of sin is death, but the rest of it says that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The man responded by telling me that God was going to judge me. Then he continued misrepresenting God’s Word.

Make no mistake: Judgment can and will come to those who reject the Lord. But if that’s our only message to the world, we’re not doing the gospel justice. Because at the center of the gospel is a message of hope. The apostle Peter wrote, “If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it” (1 Peter 3:15 NLT).

So, let’s explain it. Jesus Christ took the judgment of God on the cross of Calvary in our place so we don’t have to face it. Everyone who believes in Him will be saved from judgment because of God’s mercy.

As we wrap up our look at the greatest revival in human history, I will remind you that God spared Nineveh. God extended mercy to Nineveh. And as a result, a spiritual awakening occurred in Nineveh. The people of Nineveh seized on the hope in Jonah’s message and believed.

If God could bring a mighty revival in Nineveh with no better representative than Jonah and no more gospel than he preached in their streets, He can surely do the same thing for America. Jesus validated the story of Jonah. He said that just as Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days, He, the Son of God, would be crucified on a cross, lie dead for three days, and then rise again. That’s why believers have hope.

Jesus endured God’s judgment for your sin. He suffered and died in your place. And He did it as part of God’s plan. God loves you so much that He sacrificed His only Son so that you might have eternal life.

As we celebrate 250 years of God’s blessings on our nation, I want to make sure that you have something greater to celebrate. Have you asked Christ to come into your life? Have you asked Him to forgive you of your sins? Do you have the hope right now that you will go to Heaven when you die? If not, you can have it. Pray these words: Lord Jesus, I know that I’m a sinner. I’m sorry for my sin. I’ve turned from it, and now I choose to follow You from this moment forward. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Reflection question: What would you say if someone asked you about the hope you have as a believer? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 

—Romans 6:23

Scripture:

Our nation was founded on Christian principles but has turned its back on many of them. In his 1796 Farewell Address, President George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

The good news is that God loves to give second chances. The psalmist wrote, “He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve” (Psalm 103:10 NLT). Those who repent receive God’s mercy and forgiveness. We see His mercy and forgiveness at work in His dealings with the city of Nineveh.

Yet if the people of Nineveh had rejected Jonah’s message, the consequences would have been dire. The very existence of Nineveh hung in the balance. Our country will find itself in the same precarious position if we continue to reject God and His Word.

Job wrote, “You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer” (Job 14:5 NLT). That applies to nations as well. So as the salt and light of our nation, believers must develop a sense of urgency about igniting the flames of revival in this country.

Every nation’s days are numbered. Every great empire in history has had a beginning, a middle, and an end. The same will hold true for the United States of America, according to God’s timing. So, here’s what we’re praying for: one more great spiritual awakening—or maybe two or three. That’s up to the Lord. But our job, our mission, is like Jonah’s. We are to proclaim the Good News and tell people that there’s a God who loves them. Ours is a message of mercy but also a message of judgment for those who reject that mercy.

In John 3:16, Jesus said, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son” (NLT). That’s a message of mercy. But then He said, “so that everyone who believes in him will not perish” (NLT). That’s a message of judgment.

In Romans 6:23, Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death” (NLT). That’s a message of judgment. But then he wrote, “But the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (NLT). That’s a message of mercy.

Those two themes must be present in our gospel message. They are the twin pillars of revival.

Reflection question: In your circle of acquaintances, who needs to hear that God offers second chances? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 This time Jonah obeyed the LORD’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: ‘Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!’ The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. 

—Jonah 3:3–5

Scripture:

This month we’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The story of our nation is a classic rags-to-riches tale. The upstart 13 colonies won their independence from England and grew into a global superpower.

As we celebrate the past quarter-millennium, we must not take our nation’s future for granted. It would be hubris to assume that the United States will celebrate its 500th anniversary—or even its 251st. God has shed His grace on our nation, but He has made no promises about our longevity. The farther we stray from the Lord, His Word, and His will, the bleaker our long-term prospects look.

Once upon a time, the city of Nineveh must have seemed too big and too powerful to fail. Yet Jonah’s God-given warning threatened its very existence. Jonah 3:3–5 explains it this way: “This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: ‘Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!’ The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow” (NLT).

What would happen if our country were given a forty-day warning? Would we recognize the urgency and turn to God? The story of Nineveh in the book of Jonah offers a template to follow.

When the king of Nineveh heard Jonah’s prophetic words, he stepped down from his throne, took off his royal robes, dressed himself in burlap, and sat on a heap of ashes. In other words, he humbled himself before the Lord. The people of Nineveh prayed earnestly, repenting of their wickedness and asking God to forgive them and show them mercy.

When God saw their response to Jonah’s warning, how they turned from their evil ways, He withheld His judgment and destruction. What a stunning turnaround. The entire city turned to God en masse as one of the greatest revivals in human history unfolded. Their change of heart shows us that no one is beyond the reach of God.

That principle applies not only on a national level but on a personal level as well. Think of the people in your life who seem far from God. Start praying for a Nineveh-like revival in their lives. Do it for forty days—and then for another forty days, if necessary.

Do the work of revival and trust the results to God.

Reflection question: What would doing the work of revival look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish. He said, ‘I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me. . . . But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.’ Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. 

—Jonah 2:1–2, 9–10

Scripture:

The turning point that led to the greatest spiritual revival in human history occurred in the intestines of a giant fish. If that’s not unusual enough for you, consider that the person the Lord called to lead the revival in Nineveh was a rabid anti-Ninevite.

Before the people of Nineveh could change their hearts, Jonah had to change his. And that’s just what he did after he was thrown from a ship in the middle of a storm and swallowed by an enormous sea creature.

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, ‘I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me. . . . But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.’ Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach” (Jonah 2:1–2, 9–10 NLT).

One of the most remarkable aspects of the story of Nineveh’s revival is that there’s nothing predictable about it. God engineered the redemption of the entire city in the most unlikely way and using the most unlikely person imaginable.

Yet we could also say that God works through unlikely people and circumstances so often in Scripture that it’s almost laughable to call anyone or anything unlikely. Jonah prayed from the belly of a fish. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prayed from inside a fiery furnace. Daniel prayed from a lion’s den. And God answered all of them.

Revival can start anywhere, with anyone. Keep that in mind if you’re in deep waters right now. No matter where you are, no matter what’s going on in your life, no matter how distant you may feel from God, you can pray. And God will hear.

He will ignite the embers of your heart. He will show you the path He has prepared for you. He will revitalize your relationship with Him. No matter how unlikely it may seem, He will use you to accomplish something bigger than you can imagine.

Jonah was repentant and regurgitated. Believing and barfed. Righteous and ralphed. Bleached and beached. Victorious and vomited.

Who’s to say your story won’t be just as unlikely—and just as compelling?

Reflection question: How has God worked in unlikely ways in your life?

Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah’s God. ‘O LORD,’ they pleaded, ‘don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.’ 

—Jonah 1:14

Scripture:

The possibility of a spiritual revival in Nineveh was almost too terrible for Jonah to contemplate. So, he booked passage on a ship headed in the opposite direction. Before we go any further into his story, though, I want to point out that Jonah would have scoffed at the nonsensical claim that the God of the Old Testament is angry, harsh, and judgmental while the God of the New Testament is merciful and loving.

The whole reason Jonah was on the lam from his prophetic duties is that he was afraid that God would show mercy and love toward his enemies, the Ninevites.

When Jonah ran away, God could have just said, “Okay, that’s it, Jonah. I’m done with you. I’m going to get somebody else.” But the Lord loved Jonah. He had a plan for him. He was going to give him a second chance—and God still gives second chances today.

So, the Lord sent a storm into Jonah’s life. In this case, it was an actual, meteorological storm. Often, however, the Lord sends storms into the lives of His people in the form of hardships or difficulties.

There are three kinds of storms we face as Christians. First, there are perfecting storms. These are trials, tribulations, circumstances, and situations that cause us to grow spiritually as we endure them. In the book of Job, as Job struggles with the tragedies that have befallen him, he says of the Lord, “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold” (Job 23:10 NLT). He was navigating a perfecting storm.

Second, there are protecting storms. According to John 6, after Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, the people who witnessed the miracle were so excited that they wanted to make Jesus their king. His disciples, by extension, would rule with Him. Rather than give credence to such talk, Jesus loaded His disciples onto a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. During the crossing, a great storm arose. It was a protecting storm. Jesus was protecting His disciples from a temptation that would have been very damaging to their lives.

Finally, there are correcting storms. Jonah 1:14 says the sailors on Jonah’s ship, “cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. ‘O Lord,’ they pleaded, ‘don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons’” (NLT).

Correcting storms are circumstances that we effectively bring upon ourselves. But here’s the good news. God won’t abandon us in our storm. In fact, His sending of the storm is a reminder of His love. Hebrews 12:6 says, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child” (NLT). Jonah emerged from the storm corrected and ready to fulfill his calling.

The lesson for us is that if we stay strong in the storms of life, we’ll experience a personal revival, which can lead to something bigger and more widespread. There’s no limit to what God can do with one renewed and recalibrated believer.

Reflection question: How can you discern when you’re facing a correcting storm? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.’ 

—Jonah 1:1–2

Scripture:

Throughout this month, we’ll be addressing the need for revival in our nation. To help frame our discussion, I want to look back at one of the greatest revivals in human history. This week we’ll be talking about what happened in the Assyrian city of Nineveh, as recorded in the Old Testament book of Jonah.

The first thing we need to understand is that one of the greatest revivals in human history began with one person who was willing to step out of his comfort zone. Okay, maybe Jonah wasn’t exactly willing at first. But after a short stay in the digestive tract of a giant fish, he was quite willing.

By the way, if the idea of a person being swallowed by a giant sea creature seems far-fetched to you, you should read the story of Michael Packard, a veteran lobster diver from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. One day, while Packard was in the water, he was washed into the mouth of a humpback whale. He recalled, “All of a sudden I felt this huge shove, and the next thing I knew it was completely black.” After about 40 seconds, the whale spit him out. The same thing happened to Jonah—it just took about three days longer in his case.

Jonah ended up in the belly of a giant fish because he wanted to stay in his comfort zone. Jonah 1:1–2 says, “The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are’” (NLT). But Jonah refused. The Ninevites were enemies of Israel and were known for their wickedness and cruelty. The idea of God forgiving and showing mercy to them was far outside Jonah’s comfort zone. He had no concern for the souls of the Ninevites. He took comfort in the notion that God would judge Nineveh. He wanted the Ninevites to suffer for all the suffering they had caused Israel.

But God didn’t call Jonah to make himself at home in his comfort zone. He called Jonah to leave his comfort zone far behind and do something that must have felt not only out of character but also beyond his ability.

That’s how revivals begin: ordinary people respond to an extraordinary call. They step outside their comfort zone and place their trust in God to accomplish what He would have them do.

Are you willing to leave your comfort zone to reach people who need Jesus? Are you willing to build bridges to people who are of a different political persuasion than you are? Are you willing to build bridges to people who are of a different race than you are? Are you willing to build bridges to people who are just different from you?

Don’t forget—that’s how revivals get started.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – It Only Takes a Spark

 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 

—Acts 1:8

Scripture:

Years ago, I was staying at a friend’s cabin in Virginia. He informed me that the cabin was heated by a fireplace and a stove. That meant I had to build a fire in each one using kindling and wood, and then keep the fires stoked. I asked him where I could buy kindling.

In the very nicest way possible, he asked, “What’s wrong with you? You don’t buy kindling. You just pick it up off the ground.” (I should point out that I’m from California and he’s from North Carolina.)

After he showed me how to find kindling, he explained that I would need to empty the ashes from the stove and fireplace using a metal bucket that he kept on a concrete surface. When the embers cooled, I would need to throw them out so I could reuse the bucket. I told him I understood.

Hours later, after he was gone, I got up in the middle of the night to put more wood on the fire. I needed to clean out some of the ashes, but the bucket was full. I assumed that the embers had cooled because they’d been sitting in the bucket for a long time.

So, I went outside where it was very dark and very cold and threw the ashes off the porch into the yard. But along with the ashes came some still-burning embers. And each one started a small fire when it hit the grass and leaves. I almost had a heart attack. I ran out into the yard and started picking up the embers and throwing them up onto the gravel driveway. Then I found a bucket—an extremely small bucket—and started filling it with water to put out the little fires. I was terrified that I’d started a wildfire that was going to burn down the entire area. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. But that’s the nature of fire. A single spark can ignite something massive.

It’s only fitting that on this momentous day we point out that this is the nature of revolution as well. The “shot heard ’round the world” that began the Battles of Lexington and Concord started a revolution that changed the world as we know it.

And it’s also the nature of revival. As Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8 make clear, spiritual revival starts local and spreads, like a fire. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (NLT).

So, start local. Feed the flames of revival in yourself. Ask God to intervene in your life in a powerful way. Ask Him to reboot your spiritual system, to refresh and reenergize you. And then let that spiritual fire spread to those around you. You’ll be amazed at what God can do with a single spark.

Reflection question: In what area of your spiritual life do you most need a spark? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

—Romans 15:13

Scripture:

Hope is a precious commodity in today’s world. Our 24-hour news cycle feeds us story after story of events and tragedies that are far beyond our control. Many people spend hours online “doomscrolling,” obsessively searching for content that reinforces their negativity or triggers their anxiety.

As a nation, we’ve certainly faced our share of dark times before. For many, there was little hope to be found during the years of the Civil War or in the struggle for civil rights. But our current culture feels different. The algorithms that drive social media seem to reinforce a sense of hopelessness. And the occasional piece of content that momentarily offers hope often turns out to be AI-generated.

So when people encounter genuine hope, the results are often profound. That’s why the apostle Paul wrote, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NLT).

Believers understand that with God, there is no such thing as hopelessness. Andrew Jackson understood that. In a letter to his wife he wrote, “I trust that the god of Isaac and of Jacob will protect you, and give you health in my absence, in him alone we ought to trust, he alone can preserve, and guide us through this troublesome world, and I am sure he will hear your prayers. We are told that the prayers of the righteous prevaileth much, and I add mine for your health and preservation untill we again meet.”

The overflowing hope that Paul spoke of springs from a spiritual passion. That’s why revival is essential to the lifeblood of believers and to the lifeblood of our nation. For believers, revival involves recapturing the first bloom of a love relationship with Jesus Christ. Sometimes when we’ve been walking with the Lord for a while, our spiritual passion begins to fade. Our zeal begins to erode. We lose some of our initial excitement about our relationship with Him. Revival is how we get it back.

When we as Christians restore the passion and fervor to our relationship with Christ, good things happen—in and around us. That renewed passion and fervor feeds on itself. Hope fills and then overflows our lives and then splashes all over the people around us. That’s how revival spreads.

I was speaking once with Chuck Smith, who is regarded as the father of the last great spiritual awakening in our country—an event known as the Jesus Movement. I asked him, “Chuck, do you think we’ll ever see another Jesus Movement?”

His answer was this: “I don’t know, Greg. I don’t know if we’re desperate enough.”

It’s time for God’s people to rediscover our passion, our hope, and our desperation.

Reflection question: What would renewed spiritual passion, hope, and desperation look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! 

—Psalm 80:19

Scripture:

Before we get too deep in our discussion of revival in our country, we should probably define the term. What is revival exactly? Too often believers mystify the word without understanding its true meaning. Revival is simply another word for “refreshment” or “restoration.”

A psalmist wrote, “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:6 NLT). Another psalm says, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!” (Psalm 80:19 NKJV). Revival carries with it the idea of returning something to its original condition.

Think of someone who buys a beat-up old car from a junkyard. They do bodywork on it. They repaint it. They drop a new engine in it. They put new tires on it. And when you see it cruising down the road, you can hardly believe it’s the same car. That’s called a restoration.

Think of a plant that’s beginning to wither. You give it some water and take it out into the sunshine, and it comes back to life again. Think of the fatigue you experience when you work out in the hot sun all day. Then think of the feeling you experience when you come inside an air-conditioned house and drink some cool water. Revival is the spiritual equivalent of that kind of restoration and refreshment.

A spiritual revival is when God’s people come back to life again because they’ve been refreshed. They’ve been refilled. They’ve been restored to their original condition.

The United States experienced a remarkable revival a few decades before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The impact of that revival reverberated powerfully in the founding of our nation. Being restored to that original condition could look like many different things in our country. Noah Webster, often referred as the Father of American Scholarship and Education, offered a starting point when he said, “The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. . . . All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.”

For the church, which is the spiritual center of our nation, being restored to the original condition would resemble the description of Paul and Silas found in Acts 17:6: “These who have turned the world upside down” (NKJV). The church is meant to impact the world, not be impacted by it. It’s meant to disrupt the status quo and not to settle for it. The church is meant to shine a light on the darkness of this world and not to ignore it or make excuses for it.

Revival encourages us to embrace the full extent of our God-given potential. It compels us to do the hard work to become the best possible versions of ourselves—as individuals, as a church, and as a nation.

Reflection question: What would a spiritual refreshing or restoration look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 

—Romans 13:11–12

Scripture:

This month, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation. And this month’s devotions will tie into that celebration. They will also tie into our nation’s greatest need at the quarter-millennium mark in our history: the need for revival.

Let me start with a few questions. Think of the last time you got a phone call in the middle of the night. Did the person begin the conversation with the question, “Did I wake you?” If so, did you have the urge to say, “No, I was already awake”?

Sometimes when I watch television with my wife, she will pick a show that I don’t find very interesting, like some British baking show. And before long, I’ll fall asleep. And when I open my eyes, I’ll find my wife staring at me. “You were sleeping,” she’ll say. And my first instinct is to say, “No, I wasn’t,” even though I woke myself up with my own snoring.

What is it about human nature that causes us to deny that we’re sleeping? Maybe we see tiredness as a weakness. Maybe we’re reluctant to admit that we’re not bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and fully alert every second of the day.

It’s one thing to be physically asleep and not own up to it. It’s quite another thing to be spiritually asleep and deny it—and not just for an individual believer. A nation can be spiritually asleep, and I think that’s the condition the United States finds itself in right now.

This week we will celebrate the grace that God has shed on our country. We will recount the many blessings He has bestowed on us over the past 250 years. Our celebrations will be marked by loud music and fireworks. Yet even then, we will go on spiritually sleeping.

So as the Fourth of July approaches this year, I will be praying for a revival for our nation. And revival begins with a spiritual awakening—a profound awareness of our distance from God and our need to close that distance.

I will be praying for a sense of spiritual urgency among God’s people. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living” (Romans 13:11–12 NLT).

It’s time to sound the alarm. The time for revival has come.

Reflection question: How can you be a “spiritual alarm clock” to the people God has placed around you? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie