The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 

—2 Peter 3:9

Scripture:

2 Peter 3:9 

The heart of God is for everyone to be saved.

However, some people argue that it’s wrong to say that God loves everyone because if someone isn’t one of God’s elect, then God doesn’t love them and therefore didn’t die for them. This is foolishness.

We ought to take the gospel to every person because we don’t know who the chosen are—or are not. All we know is that God wants everyone to believe.

As Dwight L. Moody pointed out, “The whosoever wills are the elect, and the whosoever won’ts are the non-elect.”

Our responsibility is to bring the gospel to everyone we can. The apostle Paul wrote, “So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ” (Colossians 1:28 NLT).

There is no denying the fact that the Bible appeals to the will of man. Jesus said, “Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die” (John 11:25–26 NLT).

Revelation 22 tells us, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life” (verse 17 NLT).

We get hung up on the hows and the whats of predestination, and we miss the whys. Why did God choose us from the foundation of the world? For what did He predestine us? We need to know the answers to these questions.

God chose us so that we could have fellowship and intimacy with Him. God wants us to be His children. Ephesians 1:5 says, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure” (NLT).

Our sin separated us from God, but God adopted us into His family. That is why the Bible says, “And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (Galatians 4:6 nlt). This is the affectionate cry of a child. An English equivalent of “Abba” is “Daddy.”

God predestined us to be adopted into His family. But that is not all. He also predestined us to be holy and without blame. In Ephesians 1:4 we read, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes” (NLT).

This is the outgrowth of relationship. Realizing that we are children of God and that He has forgiven us causes us to want to live a life that honors Him. Holiness speaks of inward purity. And blamelessness speaks of outward purity. It means that we live it both on the inside and the outside.

As we spend time walking with God, we will want to become more like Him.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 

—Ephesians 1:3

Scripture:

Ephesians 1:3 

A Christian is someone who lives in two dimensions. There is the spiritual dimension, and as we walk in the Spirit, we know God in the Spirit. Yet we live on the earth. And we need to transfer what we have in the spiritual realm to the earthly realm.

The apostle Paul wanted believers to know what was waiting for them in the spiritual realm. He wrote, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NLT).

When Paul spoke of the heavenly realms, he wasn’t talking about something that is merely waiting for us in Heaven. He was talking about the supernatural realm.

For example, when I travel outside the United States, I still maintain my citizenship as an American, but I am living in the culture of the country I’m visiting. There are things that I need to adapt to. I need to exchange dollars for the currency of that nation. And I need to be aware of the exchange rate so that I know how much I’m spending.

Spiritual resources are waiting for the believer who is walking with God. Although there are treasures in the heavenly realms, there are resources that God wants us to start using here.

As Christians, we often don’t know all that God has given to us. We don’t know the resources that He has placed into our spiritual bank accounts.

For example, we sometimes pray for things that God has already given to us. We might say, “Lord, give me more love,” when the Bible says that God “has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 nlt).

We might pray for more power, yet 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that “by his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life” (NLT).

Maybe we have prayed for peace, but Jesus already has said, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT).

It is not a matter of needing more; we need to use what we already have. We need to stop living like spiritual paupers and start laying hold of what God has given to us. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we have God’s approval. He has adopted us, loves us, has chosen us, and has called us.

Therefore, we don’t have to sit around doubting our salvation every other day, feeling defeated and unworthy. We never were worthy and never will be worthy. It is not about worthiness; it is about Jesus and what He has done for us.

You and I don’t have to do X, Y, and Z to gain the approval of God. Rather, we need to understand what God has done for us and let it impact the way that we live.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 

—Philippians 4:19

Scripture:

Philippians 4:19 

I’m thankful that God overrules some of my prayers. Imagine, for example, what would happen in a family where parents gave their children everything they wanted. The kids want hot fudge sundaes for dinner and demand everything at the toy store. Whatever they want, their parents give it to them.

What those parents will end up raising are spoiled, undisciplined, hyperactive brats. And they will live to regret it because their children never will move out of the house. Parents need to teach their children responsibility, including how to work for things and how to save.

God knows what is good for us as His children. He knows what we need, and He also knows what we don’t need.

A Christian might pray, “Lord, I want to be incredibly wealthy. I want to be as wealthy as Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. Give me billions of dollars.”

For some people, probably most even, receiving a great amount of money could be the worst thing ever to happen to them. It would come with a lot of responsibility as well as a lot of temptation they may not be facing right now.

The apostle Paul wrote, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NLT).

Notice Paul said that God would supply all your needs—not all your greed or even all your wants or desires.

The writer of Proverbs 30 prayed, “Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name” (verses 8–9 NLT).

In other words, “Lord, don’t give me so much that I would forget about You. But don’t give me so little that I would feel that You had forgotten about me. Give me as much as You think is right. I leave it in Your hands. I just want Your will for my life.”

We can go through life saying, “I need this” and “What about my needs?” Or, we can say, “God has blessed me. He has provided for me. I had a meal this morning. I have clothes on my back and a roof over my head. What can I do for someone else?”

When we start thinking of others instead of ourselves, one day, we will wake up and realize that we’re happy. But it won’t be the result of chasing after the things we thought would fulfill us. Rather, it will be the result of having our priorities in order.

If only we would do things God’s way. Then we would be able to say, like Paul, “I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little” (Philippians 4:12 NLT).

If we have our lives in balance, we can be confident that God will provide.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 

—Philippians 4:18

Scripture:

Philippians 4:18 

We can talk all day about walking with God and relying on His strength, but if it doesn’t affect the way that we live and the way that we give, it means nothing.

There is perhaps no clearer evidence of spiritual maturity than financial generosity. Martin Luther, speaking of the Christian life, pointed out, “There are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart, the mind, and the purse [or wallet].”

Writing to the Christians in Philippi, the apostle Paul said, “As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once” (Philippians 4:15–16 NLT).

Our finances are often the last area that we’re willing to turn over to God. We want to retain complete control. In fact, we are uncomfortable when someone brings up the topic. It may be that our discomfort is an indication that this area is not in its proper order in our lives as Christians.

The Bible does address it quite frequently. Not only does Paul address it in this passage, but it’s worth noting that money is the main subject of nearly half the parables that Jesus told. In addition, one in every seven verses in the New Testament deals with this subject.

How does that compare with other topics? The Bible offers about 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, and 2,000 verses on money. God wants this area to be in balance in our lives.

Paul continued, “At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God” (verse 18).

Epaphroditus had brought a special offering from the believers in Philippi. This deeply touched the apostle because it was a sacrificial gift. These believers gave sacrificially and cheerfully when others who were more able to give weren’t giving at all. That meant a lot to Paul because there were others who could have helped him but didn’t.

Paul was saying, “God bless you for this. It is a sweet-smelling aroma to God that you have given in such a way.”

Today, most churches are supported financially by a relatively small percentage of people who give their tithes and offerings on a weekly basis.

Others, at best, give sporadically, while some don’t give at all. However, there is a core group that understands what the Bible teaches about giving, and they faithfully engage. And it’s because of their faithfulness that we have a ministry today.

God knows who they are. And through their faithfulness to Him, they make it possible for a lot of other people to be ministered to. They have discovered the joy of giving. And we might even venture to say that, as a result, they have probably discovered the secret of contentment as well.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 

—Philippians 2:13

Scripture:

Philippians 2:13 

The Bible doesn’t say that Christians should do everything for themselves. Nor does it say that God will do everything for Christians. Rather, the Bible shows us that God will do certain things, and we must then respond to those things. It shows us that the power and resources are there, but we must appropriate them.

The apostle Paul wrote, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT). This is a great balance because it shows us that there is our part and there is God’s part. Instead of saying that Christ does everything and we do nothing, it says that we “can do everything through Christ,” who gives us strength.

God has given us the strength to be the people He is calling us to be, but we must appropriate it, apply it, and utilize it.

There are some things that only God can do and some things that only we can do. For example, only God can enable, but only we can yield. Only God can guide, but only we can follow. And only God can convict us of our sin, but only we can repent of it.

God won’t step over the boundary of our free will and make us do what He wants us to do. If He did, then we would be nothing more than robots. But because He wants us to act out of our own free will, He initiates. At the same time, we must respond to what He is doing.

This is the same principle we find in Philippians 2, where Paul wrote, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (verses 12–13 NLT).

So, it is God who is working, but we must be yielding. Yes, we “can do everything through Christ, who gives [us] strength,” but it’s also true that apart from Christ, we can do nothing (see John 15:5).

We can move forward in our own strength, try to make things happen, and fail. For instance, we can try to break free from an addiction, or put a marriage back together, or undertake a ministry with our own wisdom and resources. And we can fail.

Or, we can say, “I can’t do it, Lord, but I can do all things through Jesus, who gives me strength. I’m going to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit and take steps of practical obedience.” And everything can turn around.

Many times, we don’t take hold of the resources that God has given us so that we might effectively resist temptation, be bolder witnesses for Christ, or be better husbands or better wives. We’re trying to do it in our own strength. And we’re falling short.

Which way are you living right now? Are you trying to do things in your own strength? Or are you doing things through Christ who strengthens you? That is the key.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel. 

—Joshua 14:14

Scripture:

Joshua 14:14 

One of the reasons this world still appeals to many of us, one of the reasons the offerings of this world system still tantalize many of us, is that we’re lacking closeness with God.

However, if we can get our priorities right, we can see the world for what it is.

That is what Caleb did. The Bible said that he “wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel” (Joshua 14:14 NLT).

The key to wholeheartedly following the Lord is maintaining a love relationship with Jesus Christ. When you do, this world will lose its appeal. Caleb was looking forward. He wanted fellowship, intimacy, and closeness with God. And that sustained him through the most difficult times.

In contrast, it was a lack of fellowship, a lack of closeness with God, that caused the other Israelites in the wilderness to turn to idolatry, immorality, complaining, and ultimately testing God.

When you are in love with Jesus Christ, you will see Him for who He is. And as a result, you will see this world for what it is. It’s like the hymn that says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

On the other hand, when you’re only giving God your bare minimum, when your love for Jesus is not burning brightly, then this world and its temporary pleasures will look more and more appealing.

To fully follow the Lord means that you will not compromise. You will stand your ground, wanting the approval of God more than the approval of others. It also means that you will take God at His word and stand on it. And you’ll desire fellowship and communion with God, which will give you the strength to carry on.

Finish well. We don’t know how much time we have left—both as His church on this earth and as individuals before the Lord. God is able to complete whatever we have committed to Him.

Let’s learn from the examples of those who did not finish well—people like Saul, Samson, and Gideon. And let’s also learn from the examples of those who did finish well—people like Caleb, Joseph, Peter, and Paul, who fully followed the Lord.

We find the key to finishing well in Hebrews 12:1–2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (NLT).

May we all finish well. May we not be casualties in the spiritual race.

If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will make it. So run the race for Him. This is where we started, and this is where we must end.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land. 

—Numbers 14:24

Scripture:

Numbers 14:24 

Through forty-five years of wilderness wandering, Caleb believed God and clung to His promise. God had promised Caleb that he would enter the Promised Land. But in the meantime, he had to put up with all the whining, griping, and complaining of his fellow Israelites.

Caleb was there when they complained about the manna God had provided and cried out for meat like they had in Egypt. He was there when they rebelled against Moses. And he had to put up with all of it.

Yet Caleb believed that God was going to keep His promise. He was able to fully follow the Lord and finish well because he took God at His word.

And after years of waiting and resisting the temptation to follow the crowd, Caleb was ready to receive his award. At eighty-five years old, he said, “I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then” (Joshua 14:11 NLT).

Some of the young guys of Israel probably laughed at this point. What was this eighty-five-year-old man going to be doing? But Caleb was still strong. Though his outward man was perishing, his inward man had been renewed day by day (see 2 Corinthians 4:16).

He had maintained a first-love relationship with God, and as a result, he maintained his first strength. We see the practical results of this inner strength demonstrated in Joshua 15: “So Caleb was given the town of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), which had been named after Anak’s ancestor. Caleb drove out the three groups of Anakites—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak” (verses 13–14 NLT).

Here, we discover that of all the people who received an inheritance in the land, only Caleb completely drove out the enemy. And he faced some of the most formidable foes in the entire land.

Caleb had specifically asked for Hebron. This was no garden spot. It was a rugged, treacherous area with a powerful enemy stronghold guarded by the strongest men. This was no easy duty for Caleb.

Being an older guy, he could have asked for a nice, comfortable plot of land where there were no enemies to drive out. But he asked for one of the toughest assignments. And then he drove out his enemies.

Maybe, just maybe, there was another motive for Caleb’s wanting Hebron. The Bible tells us that in Hebron, God spoke with Abraham face to face and gave him the promise of the land in the first place.

The very name Hebron is descriptive, meaning “fellowship, love, and communion.” This was the place that Caleb longed for—and ultimately received. While others longed for Egypt, Caleb longed for Hebron. While others looked back, Caleb looked forward. While others wanted to please themselves, Caleb wanted to please God. He stood on the promises of God.

We need to do the same. We need to remember that God will keep His promises.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Then she cried out, ‘Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!’ When he woke up, he thought, ‘I will do as before and shake myself free.’ But he didn’t realize the LORD had left him. 

—Judges 16:20

Scripture:

Judges 16:20 

Talk about sleeping with the enemy. Samson fell asleep in Delilah’s lap and took a one-way trip to the barbershop, not realizing what he was doing.

Delilah had been hired by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson’s strength. But so far, she was getting nowhere. So she said, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!” (Judges 16:15 NLT).

In other words, “If you love me, you’ll do this.”

Anyone who would ask you to prove your love to them by compromising your spiritual principles is not someone you should be involved with. That is not love. And Samson should have known that.

But after a while, Delilah was wearing him down. The Bible says that “she tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it” (verse 16 NLT).

Finally, Samson told her the secret of his strength, and this time when the Philistines came to capture him, he couldn’t free himself.

This brings us to one of the most tragic statements in the Bible: “But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him” (verse 20 NLT). Samson had not only lost touch with what was going on, but he had also lost touch with God.

The passage goes on to say, “So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison” (verse 21 nlt).

If this were a story about running a race, Samson would have just fallen—and fallen hard. In fact, it would appear that he wasn’t ever going to get back up again. Ironically, Samson once had the ability to win the race, but he was down. And it looked as though he was out of the race.

This is so typical of someone who has been trapped in sin. Everyone else knows what is happening, but they don’t know. They refuse to listen to the warnings, and they continue down a path of destruction. And then one day they wake up and realize how far they’ve gone.

Sin blinds us, and we do completely irrational things. That’s what happened to Samson. Sin blinded him.

Sin finds us. There may be an initial excitement that comes with crossing the line in a certain area. But we need to be aware that eventually, our sin will find us out (see Numbers 32:23).

Lastly, sin will grind us. Ultimately, we will pay the miserable price for our sin, whether it’s a broken marriage or a betrayed trust or a damaged witness and reputation.

Sometimes we try to overspiritualize things that have an obvious solution. Sometimes the way of escape is as simple as walking out the door. Samson flirted with sin, and it destroyed him. We need to take practical steps to resist temptation.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire? 

—Proverbs 6:27

Scripture:

Proverbs 6:27 

The Philistines were desperate. Samson had been killing them for fun and sport, and they had to bring him down.

So, they bribed Delilah, a woman he was in love with, to find out the secret of his strength. No doubt Delilah was an attractive woman, because for temptation to work, it must be alluring.

Samson once again got involved with the wrong person. First there was the Philistine woman. Then there was the prostitute. And then there was Delilah, who approached him with her enticements and temptations, promising so much.

That’s what sin is like. It promises life, but it brings death. It promises fulfillment, but it brings a greater emptiness. Satan had found Samson’s weakness, and he was ready to exploit it.

It’s important for us to understand that sin doesn’t take anyone against their will. We might hear someone say, “I didn’t want to do this, but I couldn’t resist. The devil overcame me. He overpowered me and made me do it.”

There is no question that the devil will tempt us. He will bring appealing temptations our way. However, there must be an interest on our part for those temptations to work.

As James tells us, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15 NLT).

Satan will use different kinds of bait for different kinds of fish, so to speak. Here’s what we need to remember: It isn’t the bait that constitutes sin; it’s the bite. In other words, it is not a sin when we face temptation. It is only a sin when we give in to that temptation.

This is clearly what happened to Samson. And amazingly, Delilah didn’t try to hide what she was doing. She said, “Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely” (Judges 16:6 NLT).

That should have been the first sign that this wasn’t a healthy relationship. But Samson didn’t realize what was going on. That is the problem with sin. It’s intoxicating, and it brings us under its power. Therefore, we don’t think rationally.

Samson thought he could handle Delilah. He probably thought, “What is she going to do to me? I’m Samson.” He may have even believed that it was a game. Yet the Bible warns, “Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire?” (Proverbs 6:27 NLT).

This should have been a wake-up call for Samson. It should have shown him that he was on the wrong track. Meanwhile, Delilah was getting closer and closer to the secret of his strength.

Every Christian will be tempted. And if you’re being tempted, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it could indicate that you’re on the right track spiritually and that Satan is trying to take you down. The problem isn’t being tempted. The problem is giving in to it.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. 

—Ecclesiastes 8:11

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 8:11 

For twenty long years, Samson had experienced the thrill of victory. It was clear from the very beginning that God’s hand was upon him. The Bible tells us that God blessed him as he grew up, and the Spirit of the Lord began to take hold of him (see Judges 13:24–25).

For twenty long years, Samson had never known the agony of defeat. That should have made him thankful to God. Instead, it produced in him a deadly complacency about his spiritual life.

And no sooner did Samson’s life of promise begin than he disobeyed God by going out and marrying a Philistine woman. God had clearly prohibited this. But Samson didn’t care. He told his parents he wanted to marry this woman, and he ignored their objections.

This is where the breakdown began that would culminate in his downfall with Delilah. Sure enough, after he married the Philistine woman, everything began to fall apart. God was giving him a wake-up call to turn from his sin.

Judges 16:1 tells us, “One day Samson went to the Philistine town of Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute” (NLT). Samson deliberately made this choice, crossing the line. He was sure there was no trap from which he couldn’t free himself. And he blatantly took this radical step.

Clearly, Samson wasn’t walking with the Lord at this point. We don’t read of any spiritual struggle beforehand or of any remorse afterward. But this episode in Gaza led to Samson’s destruction. What he sowed with the prostitute, he reaped with the devious Delilah.

When Samson’s enemies in Gaza found out he was in their city, they sealed up the massive city gate and waited to kill him. There was no other way out of the city, at least not for an ordinary man.

But at midnight, the Bible says, Samson “got up, took hold of the doors of the town gate, including the two posts, and lifted them up, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them all the way to the top of the hill across from Hebron” (verse 3 NLT).

God had once again delivered Samson. And what made his life so tragic is that he had power without purity. He had strength without self-control.

Sometimes when we get away with sin, we think we’ll always get away with it. But no one ever completely gets away with sin. God sometimes will extend His grace and not discipline us right away. As a result, we might begin to misinterpret the grace of God for His permission.

The Bible says, “When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong” (Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT). When we sin, we might not get caught right away, but we must not assume we will get away with it forever. We may not even experience the full ramifications of our actions until we stand before God. But sooner or later, it will catch up with us. There are no exceptions.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, ‘Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.’ So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 

—Jeremiah 18:1–3

Scripture:

Jeremiah 18:1–3 

Jeremiah the prophet watched as the potter patiently formed the clay on the wheel. Obviously, he had a goal and purpose in mind for that piece of clay. But some of it was resistant and inflexible in the potter’s hands. Therefore, he cast it aside for a lesser purpose.

In other words, the clay didn’t become what the potter wanted it to be.

We are like the clay, and God is like the potter. He has a plan for each of our lives that is better than anything we’ve planned for ourselves. And we have a choice as to whether we’ll yield to the will of God for our lives or resist it.

Of course, we’ll have setbacks in life. We’ll face hardship and tragedy. We’ll encounter unexpected problems. But we have a choice as to whether we will become bitter or better.

Joseph had setback after setback, yet he chose to look to God. He was even able to say to his brothers who had betrayed him, “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).

In contrast, Samson was someone whom God could have used mightily, but he threw his life away because he made some subtle but serious mistakes. His was a life of squandered resources and wasted potential. And it stands as a warning to us that a good beginning doesn’t necessarily guarantee a good ending.

As Solomon wrote, “Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride” (Ecclesiastes 7:8 NLT). Or, as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.”

Of course, when we think of Samson, we usually think of his fall with Delilah. However, it was a series of small compromises that ultimately led to his undoing.

God put his hand upon Samson in a unique way. Physically, there was no one stronger. The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit would come upon him, and he would do incredible, superhuman feats.

During Samson’s life, it was a very wicked time in Israel’s history. The Book of Judges says that everyone “did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (17:6 NLT). So, God raised up Samson. He was one of two people in the Old Testament whose birth and mission were foretold by an angel. And the angel said of Samson, “He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines” (Judges 13:5 NLT).

Samson had the potential to do great things, but he didn’t finish the task he had started.

Life is full of surprises. We all know people like Samson, people who had great promise but never reached their potential. Then there are others who didn’t seem to have much promise, yet God is powerfully using them today.

What will you do with the life that God has given you? You have a choice. Will you conform to the will of God, or will you resist it?

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us! 

—1 Samuel 17:47

Scripture:

1 Samuel 17:47 

Sometimes as Christians we forget that we’re fighting a spiritual battle. A lot of the things that we’re facing in life have a spiritual element to them.

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (NLT).

And when David went out to face the giant Goliath in battle, he said, “Everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT).

In a spiritual battle, we must use spiritual weapons. The Bible tells us, “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4 NLT).

What are spiritual weapons? Prayer is one of them. Have you ever noticed how big your problems can seem when you haven’t prayed? Worry overtakes you. It’s like a force all on its own. You can worry yourself into a frenzy.

Here’s what the Bible says about worry: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7 NLT).

When was the last time that you prayed about the problem you’re facing? Prayer puts things into perspective.

The next time you’re tempted to worry, pray instead. Pray about that problem. Pray about that issue. And ask other people to pray with you.

If you tolerate a Goliath in your life, he will take over your territory. For instance, maybe you think you’re going to go ahead and play around with a so-called little sin. You tell yourself that you know when to stop, that you won’t go too far.

Then one day you have a bona fide giant in your life, and you want it to go away.

You don’t reason with a giant or yell at a giant. You kill him. That is what David did. The Bible tells us that “as Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him” (1 Samuel 17:48 NLT). That’s the only way to take on a giant.

And remember, the battle is the Lord’s. Sometimes God will allow us to hit rock bottom, where we don’t have any human solutions. If you’re in this situation, you may think, “This is too difficult. I have tried everything. The only thing I can do now is trust God.”

That’s good. Then God will show you what He’s capable of. When you see God for who He is, you will see your giants for what they are. He is bigger than anyone or anything else.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 The one thing I ask of the LORD—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 

—Psalm 27:4

Scripture:

Psalm 27:4 

The most spiritual people I’ve met have been the most down-to-earth. They didn’t speak in pious tones or act like they were above it all. The truly godly people I’ve known have been fun to be around. They’ve been great salt-of-the-earth kind of people.

David was a truly spiritual man. We know this from the psalms he wrote. They’re a window into his soul. For instance, he wrote, “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!” (Psalm 57:7 NLT).

David was focused. He knew where he was going and wasn’t fickle. He knew what mattered in life.

In Psalm 27:4, he said, “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” (NLT).

The apostle Paul had a similar goal in life. He said, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13–14 NLT).

Do you have this “one thing” in life like Paul did? Do you know where you are going? Do you know what really matters?

The problem is that a lot of us don’t know what matters in life. We’re trying to live in two worlds. We want to be Christians on the weekend. We’ll go to a church service, but the rest of the week we leave God out of our lives.

God wants to be a part of everything we do. He wants to be at the forefront of our lives.

What is your one thing in life that is more important than anything else? What are you really focused on?

Some people might say their one thing in life is their business. They want be successful. They want to get established. They want to make money and a lot of it.

Another person might say their one thing is family. They want a strong family and don’t want it to fall apart.

Someone else might say their one thing in life is ministry. They want God to use them.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to succeed in business, wanting a strong family, or wanting an effective ministry. But if you make that your main thing, then it is the wrong thing. The main thing should be Jesus.

A truly spiritual person is someone who can enjoy life and love God. A truly spiritual person can have fun but at the same time know where their priorities are.

If you put God first in your life, He might not give you everything you want. Or, He might give you more than you want. But He always will give you what you need.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 

—1 Corinthians 1:26

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 1:26 

As Christians, we can get excited when a celebrity says they’ve become a follower of Jesus Christ. That is because we think we have someone cool on our side. That’s fine. Time will tell whether their conversion is genuine.

But it’s important for us to remember that God goes out of His way to use ordinary people. And the people God has used to touch the world often have been those you never would have expected to do great things with their lives.

It came as a surprise when God chose David, a shepherd boy, to become the next king of Israel. Yet David took it all in stride and wisely waited on the Lord for further direction.

In many ways, David was the very opposite of Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul came from a family who loved him, while David came from a family that neglected and even disliked him.

While Saul was the most handsome man in all of Israel, David was an ordinary man. While Saul was attractive on the outside, he was vain, shallow, and devoid of true integrity on the inside. In contrast, David had a deep commitment to God, even though he was very young.

This reminds us of the truth of Paul’s words: “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27 NLT).

God uses ordinary people. For example, Dwight L. Moody, one of the greatest evangelists of his day, was a shoe salesman. When he heard the gospel and gave his life to Christ, he went from selling soles to saving souls.

One day he was having a conversation with another Christian, who said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him.”

Moody determined to be that man.

And Billy Graham, before he began his ministry, was a dairy farmer in North Carolina. Everyone knew him as Billy Frank. And he would have been about the last person whom people expected to become the most effective evangelist in world history.

The Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT).

Notice this doesn’t say that God is looking for strong people. Rather, it says that God is looking “to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

The Bible is replete with stories like that of David, an obscure shepherd boy who was taken out of the fields and raised up to be the greatest king in the history of Israel.

Would you like God to use you to touch the lives of others? Would you like God to lead you and speak through you?

God goes out of His way to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 

—1 Samuel 16:7

Scripture:

1 Samuel 16:7 

Our culture today is enamored with beauty. We elevate attractive people in our culture and give them a lot of attention. If God has given you natural good looks, that is a wonderful thing. Just be sure that you don’t neglect what’s on the inside.

When God sent the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem, Samuel knew the next king of Israel was among Jesse’s sons. And when he saw Jesse’s sons, and Eliab in particular, he thought he knew which one it would be.

But God told him, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT)

God was saying that for Him, motive and intent are everything. He was looking on the inside. Meanwhile, Samuel was missing it.

Finally, Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” (verse 11 NLT).

“ ‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse replied, ‘but he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats’ ” (verse 11 NLT).

In other words, “We have one other kid. He’s a shepherd. I don’t know if you want to talk to him.”

It’s important to understand that in ancient Israel, a shepherd was not a great position in life. We have romanticized the idea of shepherds because they were watching their flocks on the night the angels came to them and announced the birth of Jesus.

But a shepherd in those days was pretty low on the socioeconomic ladder. In fact, the testimony of the shepherd wasn’t even allowed in a court of law.

Jesse was saying, “He’s just a shepherd.” But Samuel wanted to see him. In walked David, probably smelling like sheep. And God said, “This is the one; anoint him” (verse 12 NLT). Then Samuel took out his flask of oil and anointed David with it.

No doubt David’s brothers were watching this and thinking that Samuel had lost his mind. There is no way this could be true. As for his father, Jesse, it doesn’t appear that he had a lot of love for David. When he told Samuel, “There is still the youngest,” he was speaking of him in a derogatory manner.

David later wrote in one of the psalms, “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” (Psalm 27:10 NLT).

Those who are rejected by their parents often become beloved of God.

Maybe you’ve come from a home where you were unappreciated by your parents. Maybe they never expressed their love toward you or even told you they were proud of you. Or maybe they showered their affection on an older or younger sister and forgot about you. And that has always hurt you through life.

I came from a broken home. So, when I gave my life to Jesus Christ, it was amazing to realize that I had a heavenly Father who loved me. And He loves you as well.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 

—Psalm 37:23

Scripture:

Psalm 37:23 

After God rejected Saul as the king of Israel, the prophet Samuel was having a hard time. Then one day God said, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king” (1 Samuel 16:1 NLT).

Samuel obeyed the Lord and went to Bethlehem, which created quite a stir. Bethlehem was a small, obscure place. In fact, the prophet Micah described it as “only a small village among all the people of Judah” (Micah 5:2 NLT).

Therefore, when a guy like Samuel showed up, everyone was fearful. But Samuel wanted to meet Jesse and his sons because he knew that one of the sons would be the next king of Israel.

This reminds us that God usually leads us only one step at a time. He doesn’t give us a detailed blueprint of where we will be in the future. Rather, it’s a journey of faith.

There may be times in our lives when the Lord clearly directs us to do certain things. But there may be many other situations in which we must simply take biblical principles and, to the best of our ability, live them. Sometimes we will need to prayerfully take steps of faith.

In the Book of Acts we find an interesting story about a man named Philip, who was preaching in Samaria. People were coming to faith, and miracles were taking place. But then God spoke to him through an angel and directed him to go to the desert. God didn’t tell him what would happen after that. The message was simple: go to the desert.

How easily Philip could have argued and said, “Excuse me, Lord, we are having a revival here. Great things are happening. Why should I go to the desert? What’s in the desert?”

To Philip’s credit, he obeyed. And there in the desert he saw an entourage of chariots. In the midst of them was a foreign dignitary from Ethiopia who had been in Jerusalem searching for God. He had not found Him there. But he was reading aloud from the scroll of Isaiah that described the suffering Messiah (see Isaiah 53).

When Philip saw this, he knew why he was there. God had sent Philip to talk with this man.

When God tells us to do something, we need to do it. God’s way becomes plain when we start walking in it. Obedience to revealed truth guarantees guidance in matters unrevealed.

Many times we don’t know what to do until we take a step of faith. Then, when we take it, we will realize what the next step is.

What has God given you to do right now? Do it. Don’t worry about a year from now or ten years from now. Do what God has placed before you today, and He will show you what to do next.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 

—2 Corinthians 7:10

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 7:10 

Have you ever known someone who appeared as though they would really make their mark in life? They looked like they were going to do well, but then they self-destructed.

That is what happened to Saul, the first king of Israel. He started out well, but things went from bad to worse because he disobeyed God. And when his successor, David, emerged on the scene, Saul began to relentlessly hunt him down.

On more than one occasion, Saul tried to murder David because he was paranoid and jealous of him. And when Saul went to battle against the Philistines and realized that he was clearly defeated, he killed himself.

Saul had so much promise and potential, but he threw his life away. He was more concerned with what others thought of him than with what God thought of him. He was shallow. He was vain. And he was a fool.

In fact, he once admitted, “I have been a fool and very, very wrong” (1 Samuel 26:21 NLT). Or, as the New King James Version puts it, “I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

Like Saul, we can play the fool in our lives as well.

We play the fool when we disobey God, even in the smallest matters. Spiritual decline is gradual. Saul’s failure wasn’t immediate. At first, he was humble, but then pride set in. He took matters into his own hands and did what God told him not do.

We play the fool when we attempt to justify the wrongs we have done. More than once, Saul blamed others for something he had done wrong. And when he finally owned up to his sin, it was only to save face. We must be honest about our sin and admit it when we’ve done something wrong.

We play the fool when we allow hatred and jealousy to control our lives instead of love. There always will be people who do better in life than we do. There always will be someone who is better looking, in better shape, and more intelligent than we are. And if allow jealousy to control us, then we’ll be miserable people. Instead, we can thank God for everything He has given us because we don’t deserve any of it.

Saul threw his life away, and his jealousy ultimately destroyed him. In the end, if he had genuinely repented, God would have forgiven him.

The Bible says, “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).

In other words, if we’re really sorry for something we’ve done, then we will stop doing it. But to say we’re sorry and continue in a path of disobedience shows that we’re not sorry at all.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 

—Deuteronomy 30:19

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 30:19 

The Philistines, the enemies of Israel, had mounted an attack against them, and fear was immobilizing the people. As a result, they went into hiding. Meanwhile, King Saul was trying to rally his troops.

God had told Saul to wait until the prophet Samuel arrived to offer a sacrifice and ask the Lord for direction as to what they should do next.

But Saul grew tired of waiting. When Samuel didn’t show up as soon as Saul thought he should, Saul essentially said, “Why do I have to wait for some prophet to do this? I can offer a burnt offering as well as anyone else. I’ve watched him do it.”

Then Saul proceeded with the offering the way he thought he should do it. And when Samuel arrived, there was trouble.

We pick up the story in 1 Samuel 13: “Samuel said, ‘What is this you have done?’ ” (verse 11 NLT).

“Saul replied, ‘I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, “The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came’ ” (verses 11–12 NLT).

Saul had been on a roll. Everything was going beautifully. But then he started to self-destruct. What he did may seem like a small thing to us, but God had said not to do it. And who are we to say something is small if it is a big deal to God?

The problem is that we want to edit the Bible. We try and rationalize something by saying, “Maybe it is a sin, but it is not as bad as other sins. Therefore, it is okay. Besides, everyone else is doing it.”

It always starts that way. Little sins always turn into big sins. If God says don’t do it, then that means don’t do it. All too often we underestimate the power of sin.

Saul was no exception to this. He was disobeying the Lord, and that led to his downfall.

Samuel told him, “How foolish! . . . You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end” (verses 13–14 NLT).

At first blush, this reaction may seem a bit extreme. But we must remember that God looks on the heart. And He could see that Saul’s heart already had turned away.

Sin can seem small when we start to fall into it, but it can become big in the end. Think of the messes that people make of their lives because they disobey the Word of God.

Like Saul, we unnecessarily bring trouble on ourselves when we don’t obey God. Yet God says that He gives us a choice: life or death, blessings or curses (see Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT). We choose how we want to live.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 

—Galatians 6:7

Scripture:

Galatians 6:7 

Saul, the first king of Israel, had tremendous potential. He started out very well in the race of life, and if he had paced himself and played by the rules, he could have been one of the great heroes of the Bible.

As we read his story, he looks like one of the good guys. But suddenly and almost unexpectedly, he changed course. He began his reign in victory but ended it in humiliating defeat. He lost his character, his power, his crown, and his very life.

Saul’s life is a powerful example of what not to do.

Up to that point in Israel’s history, the nation had judges like Samson who fought for them and led them. Then they had the prophets who revealed the will of God to them. But the people wanted a king. Other nations had kings, and they wanted one too.

So, God gave the people what they asked for. He gave them Saul. If David was a man after God’s own heart (see 1 Samuel 13:14), then Saul was a man after man’s own heart.

This reminds us that we should be careful what we pray for, because God just might give it to us. It’s wise to follow the example of Jesus when He said, “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10 NLT).

God knows best. And if the Lord says no, then it is for our own benefit.

As for Saul, in many ways he had some fine qualities. He had everything he needed to be a good leader. The Bible gives us these details about Saul and his family: “There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. . . . His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land” (1 Samuel 9:1–2 NLT).

We know that Saul came from a good family because his father, Kish, was well-known and influential. Not only that, but the Bible says the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and “God gave him a new heart” (1 Samuel 10:9). Everything was going Saul’s way. The Spirit of God came upon him, and he was ready to do what God had called him to do.

However, Saul squandered his resources and opportunities. He summed up his life with these words: “I have been a fool and very, very wrong” (1 Samuel 26:21 NLT).

Saul had a tremendous beginning but a tragic ending.

He stands as an example of what happens when someone rebels against God. His life reminds us of the fact that sooner or later, our sins will find us out. It may not happen today or a week from now. It may not even happen a month or a year from now. But the Bible teaches that ultimately, we will reap what we sow.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 

—1 Corinthians 9:27

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 9:27 

When athletes have the privilege of representing their countries in the Olympic Games, they agree in advance to play by the rules. This includes an anti-doping code. If athletes test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, even after they’ve won a medal, it will result in their disqualification because they didn’t play by the rules.

In the same way, God gave us rules to live by. And if we don’t live by them, the result will be disqualification. It is not for us to take the Bible and choose which parts of it appeal to us and then cast off the rest.

For example, someone might say, “I like this part about forgiveness and God’s love and grace. But I don’t know if I really like these things that God says about personal obedience or taking up the cross.”

God gave us the Bible. And we are to live by everything that it teaches.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27 NLT).

Paul was saying, in effect, that he was afraid he would be a hypocrite. And what criticism do we typically hear about the church, and Christians in general, more than any other? It’s something along the lines of this: “There are so many hypocrites in the church. I would become a follower of Jesus, but I see so much hypocrisy.”

Of course, we know this is often an excuse that nonbelievers hide behind. But unfortunately, there is also truth to that statement. There is hypocrisy. And we all have been hypocritical at times.

Yet Paul was saying, “I don’t want to be disqualified in the race of life. I want to practice what I preach.”

The Christian life is like running a race—and it’s a long-distance run. We need to obey the rules, and we also need to pace ourselves. It doesn’t really matter whether we’ve held first place for nine-tenths of the race. We must cross the finish line. Otherwise, it means nothing.

Maybe you’ve been disobeying God. Maybe you’ve been compromising in an area of your life and have been doing things that you shouldn’t do. You know it’s wrong before God.

God is asking you to repent, to turn from it and get back on track again. Even if you’ve done things you regret, even if you’ve made a big mistake, God gives second chances.

If you are genuinely sorry and willing to turn from your sins, then God will forgive you. And you will have another opportunity to obey Him.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie