Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 

—Ephesians 4:18

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:18 

Moses had made a mess of things. He was a Hebrew who was raised in the house of Pharaoh, groomed to become the next leader of Egypt. Yet Moses was concerned for his fellow Hebrews and the plight they faced. And one day on an impulse, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

He looked to the right and to the left, and then he killed an Egyptian. When word reached Pharaoh, he put a contract out on Moses’ life. So, Moses fled for his life into the wilderness.

He settled down there and tended sheep until the Lord recommissioned him forty years later. God told Moses he was to go back to Egypt to the court of Pharaoh and demand the release of his people.

Understandably, Moses was reluctant. He offered some flimsy excuses as to why he wasn’t qualified, which the Lord refuted. God even performed some miracles to convince Moses of the authenticity of his calling. And ultimately, Moses and his brother, Aaron, went to do what God had called them to do.

Moses and Aaron went into Pharaoh’s court and demanded the release of the Hebrews. They probably were hoping he would say, “No problem! God has been speaking to me about that. God bless you.”

But that isn’t quite how it went. Pharaoh basically said, “Are you kidding? There’s no way that is going to happen.”

This reminds us that being in the will of God doesn’t mean that it always will be green lights, blue skies, and singing birds. Sometimes we think that if God wants us to do something, it will be an easy thing to do.

It will happen, but it will be in His timing. And the devil will oppose us.

We also find an important statement in Exodus 7. God said to Moses and Aaron, “But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt” (verse 3 NLT).

Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Some would think that Pharaoh had nothing to say about this, that he was simply a chess piece on the board of life. But that isn’t true. Pharaoh had a choice in the matter. He hardened his heart, and the Lord confirmed the decision he had already made.

Pharaoh hardened his heart further, the Bible tells us, when his magicians counterfeited the signs. Then he hardened his heart even more when his magicians could not counterfeit the signs.

The Lord had given Pharaoh more than enough evidence to convince him that the gods of Egypt were false and the God of Israel was the true and living God. He was giving Pharaoh the opportunity to cooperate. But Pharaoh would have none of it.

This reminds us that to turn from the truth is to become more thoroughly entrenched in darkness. If you have heard the truth, know what is right, and don’t respond, then you are in danger of getting a hardened heart.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. 

—Numbers 32:23

Scripture:

Numbers 32:23 

Some years ago, I read a humorous article about someone who decided to rob a Baptist church in North Carolina. But he was more than six feet tall and weighed 235 pounds. And when he tried to escape with his loot through a bathroom window, he got stuck. It took four police officers pushing and pulling him to get him out of the window.

His sin found him out.

Moses warned the children of Israel, “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23 NLT).

He knew this from firsthand experience.

After Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating one of his fellow Hebrews, he probably thought the Hebrew people would applaud him. He may have been hoping they’d say, “That Moses is something! He’s the grandson of Pharaoh, but he risked everything to help us. He’s our new hero.”

However, things didn’t go as Moses had hoped.

The next day when he saw a couple of Hebrews fighting, he walked up and tried to settle the dispute. But one of them said, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?” (Exodus 2:14 NLT).

Moses thought he had hidden his sin, but he suddenly realized that everyone knew. He also realized that he was in trouble. When Pharaoh heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. So, Moses fled for his life into the wilderness.

Moses lost everything: his position, his people, and his reputation. But he hadn’t lost God. He did the wrong thing in the wrong way at the wrong time. His timing was horribly off—by about forty years. Though Moses was gifted to be a leader, he wasn’t quite ready yet.

His heart was in the right place, but he went about it the wrong way. He made a huge mess for himself, and it seemed as though everyone had turned against him. But God had not turned against Moses. And what looked like the end of his life actually was the beginning of a new one.

He found a family that befriended them. He married one of the daughters in the family and ended up watching her father’s sheep. He probably thought that was where he would die.

But God had other plans. Moses was a leader in training.

It has been said that Moses spent forty years in Pharaoh’s court finding out he was a somebody. He spent forty years in the wilderness finding out he was a nobody. And then he spent forty years finding out what God can do with a somebody who realizes they are a nobody.

Are you trying to cover up something right now? Is there some secret sin in your life? If so, then just come out with it and confess it, because sooner or later, it will be exposed. Nothing is hidden from God.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 

—Matthew 7:7

Scripture:

Matthew 7:7 

Can you think of a time in your life when you acted impulsively and came to regret it?

Maybe you bought a car or a house on an impulse, and now you’re sorry you did so. Maybe you signed a contract that you didn’t read carefully or entered into a business deal that you should have considered more. Or maybe you made a marriage commitment that you didn’t bring before the Lord in prayer, and you have regretted that.

I’ve come to discover that God’s timing is just as important as God’s will.

There are times when we pray about something and God says no. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that His answer always will be no. It means that is His answer for now. So don’t give up. That is why the Bible tells us to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking (see Matthew 7:7).

On the other hand, there are certain things we may ask God to do, and He always will say no. Those are things that are in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches.

In the Book of Exodus, we find a story about a man of God who had bad timing. If he were in a race, he would be the guy who comes out of nowhere to take the lead and then suddenly self-destructs. His name was Moses.

If we were to draw up a short list of people whom God has used in a powerful way, certainly Moses would be at the top. He was Moses, the great lawgiver and the man who, through his personal godliness and integrity, kept three million people from turning to idolatry. But perhaps the best description of all is this one: Moses the man of God.

Yet Moses was a bit on the impulsive side. Even though Pharaoh’s daughter had adopted him and raised him in the royal household, Moses knew who he was. He was a true believer in the Lord God. Underneath those Egyptian robes of royalty beat the heart of a Hebrew.

Moses’ heart was in the right place, but his actions were foolhardy, to say the least. He took action, and it was the worst mistake of his life.

In Exodus 2 we read, “Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand” (verse 11–12 NLT).

Clearly God did not tell Moses to do this. Moses looked in all directions, but he should have looked up. If he had done that, God would have said no.

Sometimes we want the will of God, but we will go about it in our own way. God wants us to do His will in His way in His time.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. 

—Hebrews 13:15–16

Scripture:

Hebrews 13:15–16 

Sometimes we’re not in the mood to praise God. We might not be feeling well. We might be dealing with a problem. Or we might have just had an argument with a family member. And then when we go to church, the singing starts and we just don’t want to sing.

However, our worship is pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name” (NLT). That is why it’s called a sacrifice of praise.

Yes, God can see our hearts. But God wants to hear it from our lips. It doesn’t matter whether we have any singing ability. Our worship pleases God.

Another thing that pleases God is giving to the work of His kingdom. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, “I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 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 4:17–18 NLT).

Some people get uptight in church when an offering is received. Yet the Bible promises God’s blessing if we will give to the Lord. Jesus said, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38 NLT).

We cannot outgive God. It is a privilege. It is a joy. And it pleases God when we invest in His kingdom.

It also pleases God when we are witnesses for Him. Every Christian is a witness. But before we can effectively witness for God, we must first walk with God. It is the overflow of our lives.

For some Christians, it’s a big deal to talk about their faith. But if we’re walking with God and our lives are pleasing to Him, we will find that Jesus overflows into our lives. One of the greatest compliments a nonbeliever can pay a believer is when they say, “I don’t know what you believe. I don’t know what it is about you that makes you the way that you are. And I don’t know where you get this special something. But whatever it is, I want it.”

That is when we can say, “Let me tell you about my faith in Jesus Christ.”

I came to Christ because of the powerful testimony of a group of kids on my high school campus who truly knew what it was to walk with God. Before I heard a sermon, before anyone talked to me about my need for God, it was their lifestyle that got my attention.

Would your lifestyle reach anyone? People are watching you. Are you being a positive witness for Jesus Christ?

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

—Genesis 5:23–24

Scripture:

Genesis 5:23-24 

Some people falsely envision God up in Heaven, eagerly awaiting the moment He will bring judgment on the earth. But that is not what the Bible says.

In Ezekiel 33:11 we read, “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?” (NLT).

And 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “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” (NLT).

When we look at our world and how wicked things are, we wonder, “Lord, when are You going to come and establish Your kingdom? Why haven’t You brought judgment?”

The reason Jesus hasn’t yet returned is that God is waiting for more people to believe. He wants you to know Him, have faith in Him, and be ready for His return.

The Bible talks about a man named Enoch, who walked with God. But it appears from Scripture that he didn’t start walking with God until his son Methuselah was born. Genesis 5:21–22 says, “When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters” (NLT).

His son’s name helps us understand why Enoch began walking with God. The name Methuselah means “when he is gone [or dead], it shall be sent.” God revealed to Enoch that when this child died, judgment would fall on the earth. And Methuselah lived 969 years. That tells us a lot about the grace of God.

The revelation that God would send judgment when Methuselah died prompted Enoch to get right with God. And the Book of Hebrews gives us insight into his relationship with God: “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—‘he disappeared, because God took him.’ For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5 NLT).

Maybe Enoch said to his wife one day, “I’m going for a walk with God,” and he never came home. Yet he did go home—he went to his heavenly home. He started his journey on Earth and ended it in Heaven.

Some people have the mistaken notion that God is very difficult to please. He is not. He loves us. He knows all about us. Our failures do not come as a surprise to Him. He wants the very best for us. He is patient with us. His resources are at our disposal.

Our lives can please God. We start by finding out what God specifically says pleases Him. And the Bible gives us some very clear truths that it identifies as things that please God.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? 

—Amos 3:3

Scripture:

Amos 3:3 

It was a unique time in human history. Before God’s judgment of the earth by water, people were very wicked—so wicked, in fact, that God was sorry He made them.

Here’s how the Bible describes this time: “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil” (Genesis 6:5 NLT).

Yet in the midst of this dark environment was an individual who walked with God. His name was Enoch, and he showed that it is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly world.

Enoch also was a prototype of a generation of people who will not see death but will be caught up to meet the Lord in what the Bible calls the Rapture. And we could be that generation.

The Bible says, “Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him” (Genesis 5:23–24 NLT).

When you’re walking somewhere, it means you’re making progress. You’re moving toward a destination, going from one place to another.

In the original language, the word the Bible uses for “walking” carries a lot of meaning. We also find a helpful verse in Amos 3, which says, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (verse 3 NLT).

Together, these passages give us a good picture of what it means to walk with God.

“Walk together” means walking in tandem or harmony. Think of a bicycle for two, a tandem cycle. If the rider in front is pedaling away while the rider in back is hitting the brakes, that is going to slow things down.

The same is true of two people in a canoe. They both have to work together in perfect rhythm. If one person digs in the paddle like a brake, it will hinder both of them from going where they want to go.

The idea is that both need to get into harmony. Both need to move together. And that is what it means to walk with God.

As followers of Christ, we need to get into harmony with God. It doesn’t mean that God needs to get into harmony with us. But often we think that is the case. We want God to bless the plans that we’ve made apart from Him.

Jesus said, “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7 NLT).

We like the second half of the verse about asking for anything we want. But let’s not forget the first half: “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you . . .” If we’re doing that, then we’ll start asking for what is aligned with God’s will. And that’s what prayer is all about.

In the same way, to walk with God means to get into harmony with Him. Are you walking with God today?

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. 

—Jeremiah 33:3

Scripture:

Jeremiah 33:3 

The Bible tells an interesting story about a man named Gideon. God told him he was supposed to lead the Israelites into battle, but Gideon was a little on the timid side. And he wasn’t so sure that he was the person God wanted for the job.

So he said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised” (Judges 6:36–37 NLT).

To put it in modern terms, it would be like saying, “Lord, if this is really from You, I want to go out in the morning and find dew on my car but not on the ground or anything else.”

The next morning, the fleece was just as Gideon asked. Then he asked the Lord for one more test, saying, “This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew” (verse 39 NLT).

The next morning, Gideon woke up to discover that God had again confirmed His word to him.

We don’t need to ask God for dew on animal skins, but we can ask Him to confirm His word to us. This can come in a lot of ways. God can speak to us through circumstances as we sense that something is the will of God and doors are opening for us.

But we also must have God’s peace when we’re asking God to lead us. Perhaps there’s a stirring in your heart. You’re dissatisfied with where you are and sense that something new is about to happen.

And then, when you take that step of faith and find yourself in the will of God, He floods you with His peace. The peace of God confirms that you’re moving in the right direction.

Colossians 3:15 tells us, “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful” (NLT).

God wants to reveal His will to us.

But just as important as the will of God is the timing of God. Sometimes we have the right idea, but we’re a little slow about getting to it. At other times, we have the right idea, but we’re a bit ahead of the Lord.

For example, God called Moses to deliver the Israelites, but Moses was about forty years off. He had the right idea but the wrong timing.

Maybe you’re in the process of discovering God’s will for you. Or maybe God has shown you His will, but you’re a little slow in getting to it. Or perhaps, like Moses, you’re a little ahead of His will. Know this: God has a plan and a purpose for your life.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. 

—Psalm 119:98

Scripture:

Psalm 119:98 

When we want to know the will of God, we need to look in the Word of God. The psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105 NLT).

God never will lead us contrary to what the Bible teaches. The Bible is the clear revelation by which we measure all other so-called revelation. It is the rock of stability by which we measure our fickle human emotions.

The way we know whether something is true or right is by comparing it to what Scripture teaches.

This is important, because sometimes even believers allow their emotions to get the best of them instead of basing their decisions on the clear teaching of the Bible.

God speaks to us through His Word. We find everything we need to know about Him in the pages of Scripture. Jesus said, “Look, I have come to do your will, O God—as is written about me in the Scriptures” (Hebrews 10:7 NLT).

The apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT).

The Bible straightens us out. It shows us what is wrong in our lives. That’s why we need to immerse ourselves in it. And as we read the Bible, often we’ll discover a certain verse that speaks directly to our situation. We’ll find the answer we were looking for.

Yet sadly, many of us won’t even open it.

Let’s say that you’re expecting an email from someone. You think, “I just wish he’d write me! Why don’t I hear from him?”

Then one day you open your email and see a message in your inbox from the person you’ve been waiting to hear from. But instead of reading it, you get upset and think, “Why doesn’t he ever talk to me?”

You need to open that email and read the message.

Some Christians never read the Bible, but then they say, “God never speaks to me. I never hear Him. Why doesn’t He say something to me?”

They just need to read the Bible. It’s our email from God, our message from Him. But the words don’t simply jump out. First we must open God’s Word. We have to read it.

But rather than reading God’s Word, a lot of believers go to church, listen to a sermon from the pastor, and think it will hold them over for a week or two.

Can you imagine surviving on one meal per week? That isn’t much. How about one meal per day? That is tough.

We need to feed ourselves spiritually more often. We need more of the Word of God in our lives. But we can’t wait for other people to prepare it and serve it to us. We must learn to dig in for ourselves and read the Bible.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. 

—Acts 20:24

Scripture:

Acts 20:24 

Corrie ten Boom said, “The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration but its donation.”

It’s important to think about what kind of donation our lives are making. In Acts 20, the apostle Paul identified what the measure of a person ought to be and the qualities we should see in the life of a leader.

In a way, every Christian is a leader. We may be leading our children. Or, we may be examples to younger believers. But we need to take to heart what Paul says.

This was an emotional moment for the apostle. He was giving his final words to the leaders of the church of Ephesus. Paul had spent time ministering to them, helping them, praying for them, and caring for them. But he was going away.

In effect Paul was saying, “This is what I want you to remember. These are things that should describe your walk with God.”

He told them, “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God” (verse 24 NLT).

The New King James Version puts it this way: “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

Paul compared himself to a runner in a race. Using the same analogy in 1 Corinthians, he said, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” (9:24 NLT). We can get off track in the race of life. That’s why it’s important to focus on our own race and not on the race others are running.

It’s also important for us to understand that our times are in God’s hands. Our lives are a gift to us from God. God decides when they begin. And God decides when they end.

Paul wasn’t saying that life wasn’t important, because he wrote to the believers in Philippi, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Philippians 1:21 NLT). Paul was simply saying that he knew his life was a gift from God.

In his book Nearing Home, Billy Graham wrote, “I often wonder if God, in His sovereignty, allows the eyesight of the aged to cast a dim view of the here and now so that we may focus our spiritual eyes on the ever after.”[1]

As we see the frailty of life, especially when we’ve lost a loved one, eternity becomes more tangible and important to us.

The length of our lives is determined by God, not by us. So, we want to make sure that we’re moving in the right direction now. The evening of our life is determined by the morning of it. The end is determined by the beginning.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 

—1 Thessalonians 5:5–6

Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 

God can see the future with complete certainty. He knows it as well as we might know our past. God looks at the future, the past, and the present as one. He can see them all.

Therefore, it is no reach for God to say that something will happen exactly as He predicted it would, because He lives in the supernatural realm.

In my understanding of Bible prophecy, Jesus could come back at any time. I do not see any piece in the prophetic puzzle that needs to be put in place before He could come for His church.

This means that Christ could come for us today. Hebrews 9:28 tells us, “He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him” (NLT). The question is, will we be ready?

The Rapture will be an instantaneous event. That is why, in speaking of Christ’s return, the Bible tells us to be ready. It tells us to be alert. Be watching. Pay attention. We must be ready now.

Writing about the return of Christ, Paul warned, “So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:6–8 NLT).

The Bible tells Christians to wake up. Don’t be asleep in the light. That’s because a lot of us can simply lie around enjoying a prolonged nap while the rest of the world faces an imminent judgment. Yet God is saying, “You need to wake up. Be alert and live in the light. Put on the armor of faith and love.”

We are living in the last days, and it will get tough at times. We had better have our spiritual weapons ready and close by. We had better realize the devil will try to trip us up and bring us down.

Tragically, one of the signs of the last days is that some will fall away from the faith (see 1 Timothy 4:1). Don’t let that cause you to worry, because God will keep you if you want to be kept. He will protect you. But you have to take practical steps to be protected.

So, stay close to Him. Avoid the pitfalls and the things that can drag you down, and be alert. Be awake. Be on guard. And be available to serve the Lord and share the life-changing message of the gospel with others.

Jesus said, “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4–5 NLT).

Wake up from spiritual lethargy, laziness, and apathy. Wake up to the urgency of the hour. We must seize the opportunities God gives us, because they won’t be around forever.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. 

—1 Thessalonians 5:3

Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 5:3 

Everyone wants peace today, and in some cases, they want peace more than they want justice. They want peace more than they want what is right. They just want peace and safety.

It’s the great cry of humanity that we hear so much about today. There is talk about the global family and how the world is one, big village. The assertion is that we all just need to learn to get along and set aside our differences.

It seems as though the only thing lacking now is a charismatic leader to tell us what to do next. With the incredible advances in technology and the ability to communicate globally in an instant, the world is just waiting for that leader. And that leader is coming.

Some will think he is the Messiah, but he won’t be. He will be the Antichrist.

The prefix anti- not only means “against”; it also means “instead of.” And when this world leader emerges on the scene, he will be a false messiah, the devil’s version of the real thing.

Many people will follow him because he will temporarily usher in a three-and-a-half-year reign of global peace, something no one else has been able to do. He will bring about an end, temporarily, to the conflict in Israel as he helps them build their temple in Jerusalem.

Yet those who believe we can get along as one global family and live together in peace are those who believe humanity is essentially good. And they are not dealing with reality.

That is why the Bible tells us to be sober. In 1 Peter 5:8 we read, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (NLT).

And writing to the believers in Ephesus, the apostle Paul said, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (Ephesians 5:15–16 NLT).

Nonbelievers claim that Christians are not realists, that we’re living in an altered state of reality. But we are realists, more than anyone else today. A Christian is someone who simply believes what the Bible is saying. And the Bible tells us that humanity is not basically good; it’s wicked.

That explains a lot of the horrid, perverse, and unthinkable things that people do today. When the Bible says that at the core, our hearts are “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9), everything makes sense.

On the other hand, if someone believes that we are all essentially good, that is hard to explain.

Not only are Christians realistic about our problems, but we’re also realistic about the solution. We know that government will not solve our problems and there is no system on earth that can solve the social ills of today.

We know the only real hope is a change in the human heart. And the only One who can change a human heart is God.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. 

—Luke 10:1

Scripture:

Luke 10:1 

It was a critical time in the ministry of Jesus. His ministry in Galilee was over, and His journey to Jerusalem had begun.

So Jesus selected seventy-two disciples in addition to the Twelve who already were following Him. He gave these new disciples a special commission to work like an advance team going into various communities and cities.

He also gave them these instructions: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:2–3).

Clearly Jesus cared about people. In Matthew’s treatment of the same story, we read, “When he [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 NLT).

Jesus felt compassion for these people. He loved and cared about them. Everywhere Jesus went, people mobbed Him. And not only did He take time for the people who wanted a touch here or a word there, but He also sought out hurting and empty people.

For instance, there was the woman at the well in Samaria. Because of the tension between the Jews and Samaritans, it was highly unusual for Jesus to go to a city in Samaria. Not only that, but He sought out an immoral woman who had been married and divorced five times. Then He engaged her in conversation. He went out of His way to meet with her.

He also went to Jericho and met the tax collector Zacchaeus. He called Zacchaeus to come down from the tree where he was sitting and said, “I must be a guest in your home today” (Luke 19:5 NLT).

People criticized Jesus for talking to someone who made his living off the misery of others. But Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (verses 9–10 NLT).

In the original language, the word Jesus used for “lost” speaks of something with value that is broken. And people are broken because of sin.

Yet Jesus sees behind the facade. He sees behind the defense mechanisms and hears the real cry of their hearts. We need to see people the same way. They are people for whom Christ died.

These are critical times for getting the gospel out. There are open doors today that may not remain open forever. Jesus, speaking to the last days church, said, “I have opened a door for you that no one can close” (Revelation 3:8 NLT).

We need to recognize how valuable souls are to God. Jesus said there is rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents (see Luke 15:7 NLT). God cares about souls. And we need to care about them as well.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 

—Colossians 3:5

Scripture:

Colossians 3:5 

People get excited about a lot of things. They may not call them their gods, but in effect they are. What is the focus of your life? That, for all practical purposes, is your god.

And when you come up with your own version of God, then you essentially have another god before Him.

The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Colosse, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming” (Colossians 3:5–6 NLT).

Interestingly, Paul talked about sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. We have a sex-obsessed culture. And for some people, everything is a double entendre. Their minds are always in the gutter.

Paul also warned about greed. Some people always want what others have. We might think that only those who are wealthy have a problem with idolatry. Maybe they do. And maybe they don’t. We can’t see their hearts.

But we can have very little in terms of material possessions and still make an idol out of things. We don’t have to be wealthy. Sometimes we’re simply obsessed with money.

The Bible says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10 NLT).

Notice this doesn’t say that money is the root of all kinds evil. Rather, it says the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. The problem is always wanting what others have. We can make idols out of possessions. And they can become more important to us than God Himself.

The Bible says, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him” (Matthew 4:10 NLT). He will never disappoint you. He will never let you down. But every person will in some way.

Sometimes people keep us from God. A relationship pulls us away from Him, and we realize that if we really follow the Lord, we could lose our relationship that individual. Yes, we could. And it might be a choice that some of us have to make.

Is someone dragging you down spiritually? Jesus said, “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine” (Matthew 10:37 NLT).

The gods we create in our minds really are not gods at all. They’re just false images that can’t do anything for us. Will those gods save you in that final day? Will those gods give you the strength you need in your moment of crisis? And will those gods forgive you of your sins?

If not, they’re false gods. Turn to the true and living God.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 

—Matthew 22:37–38

Scripture:

Matthew 22:37-38 

Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. And more specifically, many of our founding fathers professed belief in Jesus Christ. Though revisionists try to change that narrative, a careful study of history will show that it’s true.

It’s our departure from this truth that has brought us to where we are today. With abortion on demand on an epidemic scale, marriages falling apart at record rates, and rampant violence in our streets, this should not surprise us.

The Bible says, “They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7 NLT). How true. Our departure from God’s principles has brought us to the moral illiteracy that we have today.

In his book Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right from Wrong, William Kilpatrick wrote about how, as a college professor, he started noticing what he called signs of moral illiteracy among his students. For instance, in a discussion about the Ten Commandments, no one could list them, either individually or as a class.[1]

Kilpatrick was right in noting a connection between morality and the Ten Commandments. That’s because in the Ten Commandments, we find absolute truth written by the finger of God on tablets of stone. It’s truth we can depend on, truth we can believe in.

With the Ten Commandments God is saying, “Here is what I have done for you: I have forgiven you of your sin, redeemed you, and bought you. Now here is what you can do for Me: you can keep My commandments.”

The Bible says, “We love each other because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19 NLT).

In Matthew’s Gospel we read about an expert in religious law who tried to trap Jesus. He said, “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” (Matthew 22:36 NLT).

Jesus answered, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (verses 37–40 NLT).

Now, Jesus wasn’t doing away with the Ten Commandments. Rather, He was summing them up perfectly.

If we love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, then we won’t have any other gods before Him. We won’t worship idols or take God’s name in vain.

And if we love our neighbors as we love ourselves, we won’t steal from them, lie to them, or covet something that belongs to them. Essentially Jesus was saying, “Get this down, and the commandments will come together for you.”

It all starts with God’s place in our lives. We will serve what or whom we worship. Jesus said, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him” (Matthew 4:10 NLT).

If God is number one in our lives, then everything else will find its proper balance. But if He is not, then everything else will fall into chaos.

[1] William Kilpatrick, Why Johnny Can’t Can’t Tell Right from Wrong: And What We Can Do About It (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993).

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 

—2 Timothy 3:1

Scripture:

2 Timothy 3:1 

C.S. Lewis said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”[1]

A Christian worldview will affect the way that we see everything. And why is this important? Because we are living in the last days. Jesus Christ is coming back again. And if ever there was a time when we need to know our Bibles and have a close walk with Christ, the time is now.

Describing the end times, the apostle Paul said, “In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control” (2 Timothy 3:1–3 NLT).

Paul went on to say, “They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (verses 3–5 NLT).

Is that not an accurate assessment of the times in which we are living? The United States has never been more spiritual yet more immoral. We throw the word spiritual around a lot. But do we know what it means?

We live in an age when we can write our own apps and customize our home screens. We can keep the stuff we like and throw out the things we don’t. And we carry that thinking into other aspects of our lives. The result is something called moral relativism.

Moral relativism is the belief that there are no absolutes. There is no right or wrong. Moral relativism teaches that we are all products of the evolutionary process and not made by a Creator God. There is no devil. There is no good or evil. And there is no plan or purpose for our lives.

Moral relativism also teaches that we are all basically good, and if we happen to go bad, then it’s because we’re simply products of our environment. It teaches that we make our own truth.

For instance, if you believe in a God of love, forgiveness, and mercy, you can keep that. But if you’re offended by the biblical teaching of a God of holiness, righteousness, and judgment, you can delete that. It works out perfectly. Or so it seems.

Moral relativism may sound fine in theory. But what if we were to put it into practice? Will a god of our own making be able to save us in the final day? Of course not.

A biblical worldview says there is a God as revealed in the Bible, and the Bible alone is the authority and source of that belief. It is not what we feel or what is popular, acceptable, or perceived as cool. It is what the Bible says.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 

—Romans 3:23

Scripture:

Romans 3:23 

How we can find eternal life? Where do we look? And who has it?

We find the answer in the Gospel of Luke, in a conversation that Jesus had with a man whom Luke simply identified as “a religious leader” (18:18 NLT).

And the answer Jesus gave to this man’s question is relevant to each of us today.

He approached Jesus and said, “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” (verse 18 NLT).

Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? . . . Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother’ ” (verses 19–20 NLT).

Jesus took him back to the law. That’s because God did not give us the commandments to make us righteous. Rather, He gave us the commandments to function like a moral mirror in our lives and show us what we’re really like. When we look at God’s law, we realize that we fall short.

Amazingly, this man said that he had obeyed all those commandments since he was young.

So, Jesus told him, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (verse 22 NLT).

This leader had so much going for him. He was moral, religious, and powerful. He was sincere and could have easily qualified for membership in most of our churches today. Yet something was still lacking in his life.

He may have been the only person who ever came to Jesus and then left in worse condition than before. It wasn’t because of what Jesus said. It was because of his own reaction. He didn’t like what Jesus said to him, so he walked away, filled with sorrow.

Even though he came to Jesus with the right question and received the right answer, he made the wrong decision. Why? Because he was not honest with God or himself.

As George Bernard Shaw pointed out, “There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it.”

So many people believe that one of these days if they win the lottery, if they strike it big, then they will be happy. And if they do actually realize their dreams, they often discover that it didn’t bring them happiness.

The same Jesus who offered eternal life to that religious leader so long ago is also offering it to us. First, we must realize that we’ve sinned. We all have broken God’s commandments time and time again.

Second, we must recognize that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross for us. He shed His blood for every sin we have ever committed.

And third, we must be willing to repent of our sins.

That is what we need to do to inherit eternal life. That is God’s trade-in deal.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 

—1 Thessalonians 4:17

Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 4:17 

It’s a question that often arises: Are we the generation that will experience the Rapture?

We could be. But no one can say with complete certainty whether the Lord will return in our lifetime.

Of course, some people like to point out that the word rapture isn’t in the Bible. That all depends. If you have a Latin translation, then it is. The term “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is the Latin word rapturus, from which the English word rapture originates.

You can call it something else if you’re uncomfortable with the term. But it speaks of the event when believers, who are alive, suddenly will enter the presence of God Almighty.

The apostle Paul described it for us: “We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–16 NLT).

Paul continued, “Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever” (verse 17 NLT).

The Greek word Paul used for “meet” carries the idea of meeting royalty or someone of great importance. And when Christ calls us to Himself, we will meet the ultimate royal: the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Do we find a mention of the Rapture any other place in Scripture? Yes. Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 24, where He said, “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming” (verses 40–42 NLT).

Practically speaking, the Rapture means no death. However, it doesn’t mean that some won’t die. But it does mean there is a generation that will not die, a generation that will experience the Rapture.

But if the Lord doesn’t return in our lifetime, we shouldn’t be disappointed. That’s because our hope is not in the coming of the Lord. Rather, our hope is in the Lord who is coming.

What should be exciting to us as believers is not how we get there as much as where we are going. We have that hope.

The Bible says of Jesus’ return, “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 NLT).

We need to be ready to meet the Lord, because we don’t know what will happen next. But one way or another, we will stand before God one day.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 

—James 5:7

Scripture:

James 5:7 

James is an extremely practical book. It takes the great truths of the Christian faith and then attaches a “so what?” afterward. We discover what these truths mean to us and how they affect our lives.

And in chapter 5, James shares important principles regarding what we should be doing as believers who are waiting for the Lord’s return.

He writes, “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near” (verses 7–8 NLT).

James tells us that the farmers wait for the early and latter rains. They also look eagerly, or expectantly, for the harvest to ripen.

Farmers today use sophisticated technology. Not only do they have advanced irrigation systems, but they can take satellite photos of their property so they know which parts of their fields need more water and which parts have enough or maybe too much. They can harness this technology to harvest their crops.

However, ancient farmers didn’t have modern irrigation systems. They depended completely on the rain to sustain their crops.

They had to wait for the rain, and the early rains in Israel usually arrived in late October or early November. They softened the hard, baked soil for plowing. Then the latter rains came in late April and May. These were essential for the crops to mature.

But if a farmer grew impatient and tried to harvest the seed before it was ready, he could uproot the entire process. He had to wait.

No crop appears overnight, except a crop of weeds, of course. Isn’t it amazing how quickly weeds can grow? We will carefully nurture a little plant that we’re growing, and it might gain an inch or two over time. Meanwhile, the weeds have grown three feet high. They need no help whatsoever.

If we want a good spiritual harvest in our lives, it takes time. We must be patient. And if we’re waiting for the return of Christ, we must be patient as well. Yet that is difficult to do in our on-demand culture of today.

We don’t have to wait and save money to purchase something we want. We want it now. We feel that we deserve it, so we just charge it.

But as we wait for the Lord’s return, we need to remember that God is not bound by our schedules. He has His own. The Bible tells us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4:4–5 NLT).

Jesus will come at the appointed time. And just as He came the first time at the appointed hour, He will come the second time in the same way.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 

—1 John 2:17

Scripture:

1 John 2:17 

A pastor who was speaking at a funeral service was trying to explain what happens after we die. Then he suddenly thought of an illustration. Motioning toward the casket, he said, “Here in this casket lies just a shell. The nut is gone.”

It didn’t go the way he expected it to.

When we die, our bodies will go into the ground, but our souls will enter the afterlife. Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ will immediately go into the presence of God.

Years ago, one of my granddaughters looked at me with a sad expression and said, “Papa, why do we have to die? Why can’t we just float up to Heaven?”

That’s a great question. The answer is that in the Garden of Eden, it never was God’s intention for people to die. There was no death, no pain, and no tears. But because our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned, sin then entered the human race.

They rebelled against God because they had a will of their own, and that rebellion is called sin. And because of that sin, we now have death. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, we never would die, get sick, or even age.

But they did sin. And sin, like a disease, entered the human race. We were all born with it. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. It comes naturally to us. The Bible says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT).

If we want to go to Heaven, then we must be forgiven of our sins. We can’t come up with our own idea of how to get to Heaven. In fact, we wouldn’t know anything about Heaven if we didn’t read about it in the Bible.

There is only one way to get to Heaven, and that is through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us.

For Christians, death is not the end. The Bible says, “And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever” (1 John 2:17 NLT).

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. 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).

Awhile back we were walking on the beach, and my wife, Cathe, said, “Be careful, there are bees on the beach.” Just then, I stepped on one. The stinger went into my foot, which swelled a little.

Jesus took the sting of death when He died on the cross. That is why Bible tells us, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55 NLT).

Death died when Christ rose. And as Christians, we will live forever. That is the hope the Bible gives us.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 

—Romans 8:16

Scripture:

Romans 8:16 

C.S. Lewis said in The Problem of Pain, “There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven; but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. . . . It is the secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want.”[1]

Deep down inside, we all feel the tug of Heaven. We know there is more to life than what we’re experiencing right now.

Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:1–2 NLT).

Heaven is a real place for real people to do real things. It is not a watered-down, diluted version of earth. Many of us have a strange concept of Heaven that movies and songs have reinforced. We assume that we’ll sit around in Heaven on big, fluffy clouds and take long naps.

But that is not the real Heaven. That is not the biblical Heaven. The real Heaven is a place.

When Jesus hung on the cross, two criminals hung on each side of Him. One of these men realized that he was in trouble as he faced eternity. So he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (Luke 23:42 NLT).

Jesus told him, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (verse 43 NLT). Heaven is a paradise.

On one occasion an angry mob stoned the apostle Paul and left him for dead. Scholars believe this was the moment Paul died, went to Heaven, and came back again.

Paul later described it this way: “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:2–4 NLT).

Think of the most beautiful place you have seen. Heaven is far greater than that. It is Paradise.

Yes, Heaven is real, and we can know with certainty that we’ll go to Heaven when we die. The Bible tells us, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16 NLT).

We call this hope, and we need hope today. In fact, experts have described Generation Z as the hopeless generation.

If you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you can have hope. Don’t put your hope in technology or in material things. Don’t put your hope in politicians. And don’t even put your hope in religion. Hope has a name, and it’s Jesus Christ. He is ready to change the course of your life.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie