Daily Devotions From Greg Laurie

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. (James 4:13–14 NLT)

Life passes quickly, although it doesn’t always seem that way. When you’re young, life seems to move at a snail’s pace. I vividly remember being in elementary school, bored beyond comprehension. I was just waiting for the clock to strike the right number so that I could get up for recess or go home. It seemed like I was in elementary school for thirty years. Every day seemed to take forever.

Now weeks fly by in an instant. Another month comes and goes. And before you know it, a new year has arrived. Billy Graham was once asked what the greatest surprise of his life was. He replied, “The brevity of it.”

Researchers tell us that the reason life seems to go faster when you’re older is that you’re not having as many new experiences. You get into routines. You go to the same restaurant, you sit at the same table, you order the same thing off the menu. Apparently, variety is not just the spice of life; it’s also the slow-er of time.

James compared life on this earth to a morning fog: “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here for a little while, then it’s gone” (James 4:14 NLT). But he didn’t mourn life’s shortness. Instead, he urged believers to embrace the challenge of living a meaningful, fulfilling, godly life—a life that matters—all the while realizing that that life could end at any moment. He continued, “What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil” (verses 15–16 NLT).

He was talking about living with a sense of urgency. That’s not the same as rushing into things. There’s certainly nothing wrong with methodical thinking or long-range planning. The mistake comes in taking for granted that we have the time to do what needs to be done. The mistake comes in assuming that we know how things will play out.

God has surrounded us with opportunities. To unlock the power of prayer in our lives. To take deep dives into His Word and come away with a greater understanding of Him and His will. To share the amazing truth of Christ with people who don’t know Him. To use the gifts He’s given us. To make a difference in the lives of people in need.

No matter how many years God allows us to live, we don’t have enough time to become complacent about seizing those opportunities. We don’t have enough time to procrastinate.

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Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. (Acts 8:1–3 NLT)

We all know many non-Christians, but I want you to think of someone who’s an antagonistic unbeliever. Maybe it’s a neighbor, spouse, parent, coworker, or someone else. Not only does this person reject Christianity, but they also give Christians a hard time about their faith.

Today, I want you to pray for that person by name, that God would get ahold of them and bring them into His kingdom. Why? Because no one is beyond the reach of God. That’s something we all need to remember. No one is unsavable, even if they seem that way. No matter how much of a mess they’ve made of their life. No matter how many bad decisions they’ve made. No matter how severe the consequences have been. No one is beyond the reach of God.

Our tendency is to say, “That person will never change. That addict will never stop using. That alcoholic will never stop drinking. That person will never stop living that way.” But that’s short-sighted, isn’t it? Because, with God, all things are possible. He can change anyone.

And consider this: That person who is so antagonistic toward the Christian faith actually may be closer to the kingdom of God than you imagine. Their extreme opposition may be due to the fact that they’re under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. That’s what we see in Acts 8, in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.

It’s hard to overstate how much Saul (also known as Paul) despised Christianity. He presided over the death of Stephen, the courageous first martyr of the church. He forced Christians to scatter to foreign lands with his campaign of terror. He imprisoned believers in his quest to destroy the church.

And then one day Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. And he experienced the most radical and unlikely conversion in church history. It was so unexpected that the believers who heard about it dismissed it as a lie or a trick on Saul’s part.

But it was genuine. The man who had previously dedicated his life to the destruction of the church now dedicated it to the spread of the church. He, who had been controlled by hate, was now motivated by love.

No one is beyond God’s reach. So keep praying for that person who rejects you and your gospel message. Don’t get discouraged. Let the joy of Christ continue to shine through you. Keep the lines of communication open. Even the strongest opposition can weaken over time.

Take comfort in the words of Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (NLT). That’s some hard-earned wisdom right there—straight from the apostle Paul himself.

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The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. (Psalm 94:14 NLT)

It’s a strange thing to feel alone when you share a planet with more than eight billion people. Yet we all feel alone on occasion—Christians and non-Christians alike. We convince ourselves that we’re living a solitary existence, that no one notices us or cares about what we do or feel.

Psalm 94:14 reminds us that we are, in fact, not alone: “The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession” (NLT). Whatever you’re facing, you’re not alone. God is with you. He walks beside you through your valley. He accompanies you through your storm.

The problem is that distractions can keep us from sensing God’s presence. That’s why He says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God!” (NLT). Embrace quiet.

When the prophet Elijah felt all alone and feared for his life, God made His presence known to Elijah with the “sound of a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). That was all Elijah needed to realize he wasn’t alone.

God also makes His presence known through His Word. So if you feel alone, spend some time reading, meditating on, and memorizing Scripture. Start with passages such Deuteronomy 31:6; Philippians 4:6–7; and 1 Peter 5:7. Pray about the things you read. Ask God to help you sense His nearness.

Prayer is important because we have an enemy who thrives on our weaknesses. The apostle Peter wrote, “Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT). Like a lion on the prowl, our enemy targets solitary prey. He exploits our feelings of loneliness and tries to create distance between us and God. But God has a plan to defeat our enemy.

God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18 NLT). Peter wrote, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT). Those two verses are not unrelated. To lovingly serve other people, we must look away from our own needs and focus on the needs of others. In doing so, we make a connection with the people we serve. And often we make connections with other people who serve.

The author of Hebrews wrote, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (10:25 NLT). He’s talking about fellowship, one of God’s most underrated gifts to us. Fellowship—the gathering together of the people of God—is an antidote to aloneness.

Just as serving with others prevents isolation and creates connections, so does worshipping God with others. Your fellow church members share many of your core values and priorities. The more you get involved in your church, the stronger those connections become. So, if you find yourself struggling with feelings of loneliness, draw closer to God and His people.

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Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:7 NIV)

I had an opportunity to speak at an event called Heal Our Patriots, which was sponsored by Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse. The experience was unforgettable. More than seventeen hundred couples attended. These were people who served our country. Many of them had been wounded in battle, some severely. Some were struggling with PTSD. But they made the effort to attend this couple’s conference. They were looking for hope and encouragement from God’s Word. It was an amazing honor to speak to them. The best part for me came when I gave an invitation for people to come to Christ. Many of the attendees walked forward and gave their lives to the Lord. The memories of it still bring me joy. It was an honor to serve those who have served our country.

I had the privilege of honoring our service members then, and I have the privilege of honoring them today. The members of our military are special people. They have the courage and dedication to put their lives on the line for us. I think of Private First Class Ross McGinnis, who was perched in the gunner’s hatch of a Humvee when a grenade whizzed past him into the truck that was carrying him and four of his fellow soldiers. In a split second, McGinnis did the unthinkable. He shouted a warning to the other soldiers and threw himself on the grenade. He absorbed its full impact and died. But the four other soldiers in that truck survived, thanks to the young man’s amazing courage. That’s the character of a soldier. That’s the character of a veteran. And that’s who we honor today.

We can celebrate the veterans in our community by showing up to a parade or a gathering held in their honor and cheering as loudly as we would for our favorite team. We can honor them with a handshake and a sincere “Thank you for your sacrifice and service.” We can pay our respect to those who have died by walking through a cemetery and stopping at the graves marked with flags. We can read the names on the markers and think about what those men and women did so that we may have our freedom.

We can commemorate Veterans Day by praying for military families. For the Gold Star families who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. For the countless others who live in uncertainty while their loved ones are deployed. We can ask God to make His presence known in their lives in unmistakable ways.

And we can praise Jesus, who makes our spiritual freedom possible. “But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 3:22 NLT). Ephesians 1:7 says that God “is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins” (NLT). Jesus paid the ultimate price—His death on the cross—so we can be eternally free.

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About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (Acts 12:1–3 NLT)

Everyone needs a change of narrative sometimes. When life seems to be trending toward disaster, chaos, uncertainty, or suffering, it’s comforting to know that God can intervene. He can rewrite the script. All we have to do is ask. God uses prayer to change not just our circumstances but our attitudes and perspectives, our hearts and minds.

When we pray, we’re acknowledging our weakness. That’s a hard thing for some people to do. We think, I can figure this out. I can resolve this conflict. I can save my own family. But it doesn’t work. So we call on God and say, “Lord, I’m weak. I need Your help. Please come through for me.” And that’s when the narrative starts to change.

In Acts 12, we find a changed narrative. Things were looking dim for the early believers. King Herod had killed the apostle James and imprisoned the apostle Peter, two important church leaders. And how did the believers respond? “The church organized a protest and stormed Herod’s palace.” No, that’s not what happened. “The church boycotted all products made in Rome.” No, not that either.

Here is how the believers responded to Peter’s imprisonment: “Constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (Acts 12:5 NKJV). They prayed, but not just one time. They were engaged in constant prayer. For many people, prayer is a last resort. They say, “We’ve tried everything. All we can do now is pray.” Prayer is the first thing we should do. Paul said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). Nothing is too small to pray about.

Is there a troubling narrative in your life right now? Is there a circumstance that you have no control over that needs to change? Offer it to the Lord in prayer. Jesus said, “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). In other words, “Trust Me. Ask Me. I will change your narrative.”

The narrative of Acts 12 changes when an angel appears in Peter’s cell. Peter’s chains fall off, and he walks out of prison. And Herod, the man who imprisoned him, gives a speech that’s so impressive that the audience starts referring to him as a god. Herod accepts their praise, falls down dead, and is eaten by worms.

At the beginning of Acts 12, Herod held seemingly absolute power and the church was on the ropes. At the end, Herod was worm food and the church had its leader back. It was a narrative twist no one but God could have predicted. And it was an important reminder that no situation is hopeless. Every narrative can be changed through prayer, including yours.

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I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1–2 NLT)

Our nation needs prayer. Our political views, among many other things, divide us, and we need to ask for God’s intervention, for His will to be done. We need to pray for a spiritual awakening to sweep over our country. We need to pray for the church. We need to pray for one another. We all need prayer. Prayer is powerful. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us.

Notice that prayer is the first thing Paul recommended to Timothy: “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1–2 NLT).

Prayer sets the proper tone for our country that is polarized by political views because it places things in God’s hands. When we pray, we acknowledge that God’s way is better than ours. We humble ourselves before Him and admit that we must rely on His wisdom and power. Prayer keeps us from placing too much faith in our leaders, our political policies, or ourselves.

Prayer is also the ideal tool for healing the divisions that occur during an election season. Emotions run high. Accusations fly. Grudges form. Unloving words are exchanged. Relationships are damaged. Prayer has the potential to undo that damage and unify people with opposing views. Prayer compels us to show genuine love and concern for “all people”—particularly those with whom we disagree. Notice that Paul makes no distinction about who we must pray for. We don’t get to choose the people we want God to bless. Our responsibility as believers is to intercede on behalf of others and give thanks for them. God wants us to recognize their value.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy, “Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority,” is as important today as it was in the first century. We live in a complex world. Political power must be used wisely. A decision that benefits one group could prove devastating to another. Our leaders desperately need our prayer. They desperately need the Lord’s guidance. Living “peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” is a goal worthy of striving for.

Prayer is essential because it’s the most powerful spiritual weapon in our arsenal. When a political election is over, the battle rages on. And it’s not a battle between Democrats and Republicans or between progressives and conservatives. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul warns, “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).

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“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)

We need to pray. We need to pray for our nation. We need to pray for a revival in our nation. A revival is a spiritual awakening in which many people recognize and confess their sinfulness and turn to Jesus in repentance and receive forgiveness and salvation.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the Lord gives His prescription for revival: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (NLT). In the context of the passage, the prescription was given to the nation of Israel. In principle, it applies to any nation. It applies to the United States. It applies to Australia. It applies to New Zealand. It applies to China. It applies to Germany. And it applies to the other 190 or so countries in the world today.

More specifically, it applies to God’s people in those countries. Because that’s where revival begins. Would you like to see our land healed? Would you like to see our nation embrace Judeo-Christian principles? Would you like to see our country turn to the Lord? It can happen.

And it starts with humbling ourselves, praying, seeking God’s face, and turning from our wicked ways. Are there any wicked ways you need to turn from right now, even as a follower of Jesus Christ? We are told in 1 John 1:9 that “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (NLT). God is faithful to forgive.

God calls believers to infiltrate our culture. In Matthew 5, He instructs us to be salt and light to the people around us. To share the gospel. Our country needs to hear the gospel—and it needs to see the gospel in action.

Jesus’ words “You are the light of the world” in Matthew 5:14 could also be translated as “You and you alone are the light of the world.” He emphasizes the fact that we are His representatives. We are the ones unbelievers look to, whether out of curiosity or suspicion. People watch us to see what it looks like to follow Christ.

Let me ask you a question: What if every Christian lived as you live? What if you were the sole representative of Jesus Christ on this earth? Would there be enough gospel in your life for people to believe? Enough saltiness to simulate in them a thirst? Enough light for them to find their way out of the darkness and put their faith in Jesus Christ?

I hope so because this is the message we need to give to others. Remember, gospel means “good news.” Our culture is saturated with fake news or news driven by an agenda. People are hungry for good news. They’re hungry for the truth.

The gospel can satisfy that hunger. And when it does, revival begins. First in the lives of individuals and then throughout the land. That’s how a nation is restored.

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For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations. (Psalm 22:28 NLT)

Political commentators would have you believe that something significant happens in the power structure of a nation following an election. If an incumbent is reelected, it solidifies that party’s hold on the reins of power. It’s seen as an endorsement of current policies and leadership tactics. If a challenger is elected, it’s seen as a mandate for sweeping change.

Either way, a sizable portion of the voting population will be unhappy with the result. Some will be extremely unhappy. And they’ll look for scapegoats. It’s very easy in our polarized society today, especially in an election year, to view anyone who disagrees with us as our mortal enemy. We cringe at the idea of their having power or influence in the world. But as believers, we should never think of someone who holds a different view from ours or someone who doesn’t have our faith as an enemy.

Those aren’t the battles we should be fighting. We don’t take our marching orders from party leaders or media personalities. And the truth is that, after an election, nothing really changes in the power structure of the country. Psalm 22:28 says, “For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations” (NLT). These words can’t be amended. Power always belongs to the Lord. He rules the nations. He rules our nation. That’s why we still have hope, no matter what the election results are.

It’s not unpatriotic to point out that every nation has a shelf life. The glory of Greece was eclipsed after 268 years. Rome lasted around nine centuries. The United States is 248 years old and counting. Only God knows how many more years this nation will exist. The days of every nation are numbered. Isaiah 40:15 says that “all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales” (NLT).

Revelation 15:3 says, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations” (NLT). God is the true King of every nation, and He reigns for eternity. Unlike human leaders, He is sovereign. He will do what He pleases with whomever He chooses, whenever He wishes. Regardless of who wins an election, our responsibility as believers is to do God’s will and to trust Him. He doesn’t want political retribution. (And even if He did, He’s infinitely more capable of dishing it out than we are.)

Our sovereign God wants us to reach out to our so-called enemies. He wants us to be lights in their lives. He wants them to see Christ in us. He wants us to share the truth of the gospel with them. He wants us to truly care about their well-being—to embrace an attitude of humility and concern. He wants us to be ambassadors of His love. He wants us to help them experience His forgiveness and grace. He wants us to fill His kingdom with as many people as possible.

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And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. (Psalm 39:7 NLT)

For many people, voting is an act of hope. Their candidate’s campaign vision and promises for the future of the country resonate with them. They imagine living in a vastly improved nation where the major issues that they care deeply about are resolved. And they see their candidate as the bright, shining hope for making such a future possible.

People who are a little more cynical might suggest that a candidate’s campaign vision and promises for the future should be taken with a heaping teaspoon of salt. And they might point out that, even in a best-case scenario, the changes that a politician can make are temporary at best.

Even if the cynics are right, that doesn’t excuse believers from participating in the electoral process. As Christians, it’s our duty to be the salt and light in the world, actively spreading the gospel and praying fervently for a spiritual revival in our country. As part of that duty, it’s essential that we exercise our right to vote and to support candidates who we believe will uphold the values we find in Scripture.

Of course, there is no perfect candidate. Let’s make that clear. Our task is to find the one whose views are as close to a biblical worldview as possible. That may be difficult sometimes, but we must do it. Because I do believe—and I say this with as much emphasis as I can—that it is our responsibility to vote as Christians. If you want to do your duty as an American citizen and as a follower of Jesus Christ, inform yourself on the issues and vote wisely.

But keep your hope where it belongs—in God. Hebrews 13:5–6 says, “For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?’” God didn’t fail Elijah in his contest with the prophets of Baal. He didn’t abandon Daniel in the lions’ den or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. And He will not fail or abandon you in your darkest hour.

God has never broken a promise. His record is spotless. He knows better than we do what is ultimately best for us. Hebrews 10:23 tells us, “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise” (NLT). God can be trusted, and He keeps His promises. If you believe that, you can vote—or make other important decisions in life—with confidence, knowing that your hope is in God, not in the government or anything else.

That’s why we can say with the psalmist, “We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone” (Psalm 33:20–22 NLT).

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“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:33–34 NLT)

Presidential elections are big events. Billions of dollars are poured into campaigns that run for two years or more. Candidates become fixtures on our television screens and social media feeds. And we start to invest ourselves in the process. We develop a rooting interest. Sometimes, that means rooting for a candidate; sometimes, it means rooting against one.

The more of a stake we have in the outcome of an election, the more likely we are to be anxious about it. The doom-and-gloom predictions about what will happen “if X becomes president” feed that anxiety.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33–34 are a reality check: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (NLT). The things that may change following an election are insignificant compared to the things that absolutely will not change. God still sees the future. He knows the outcome of every decision. His hand is on the steering wheel. He cares about you. And He will always be with you.

Faith and worry cannot coexist. One drives out the other. They’re bad roommates. When faith comes in, worry says, “I’m out of here.” When worry comes in, faith says, “I can’t live here.” That’s why Paul says in Philippians 4:6–7, “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” (NLT).

Jesus told His followers not to worry. If you are struggling with worry in your life, ask God to help you to trust Him and give you peace. If you’re not sure how to pray for God’s peace—in your life and in the lives of others who are worrying now—here’s a prayer to get you started:

God, I pray that You will help us. I know there are people in trouble right now, people who need divine intervention, people who need You to come through. You are all-powerful. You are bigger than our problem. And You’ve told us to pray about everything and not to worry about anything. But, Lord, You know that’s easier said than done. Even so, we’re going to cast our burden on You. We’re going to offer our questions to You. And we’re going to trust an unknown future to a known God with the confidence that You will get us through whatever we’re facing. You may answer our prayers at an unexpected time or in an unexpected way. So help us recognize the work of Your hand. And we will say, “Lord, that was You.” And we will give You the glory. So we cast all of our burdens and cares on You now, and we thank You that You’re a God who hears and answers prayer.

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