Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.’” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT)

 

The difference between the way God understands the future and the way we understand the future is much like the difference between an artist’s understanding of a blank canvas and our understanding of a blank canvas. The artist looks at the canvas, takes out a pencil, draws a couple of broad strokes, and then looks at it again.

We walk up and ask, “What is that?” When the artist tells us, we say, “Well, it doesn’t look like that to us.”

But the artist confidently remarks, “It’s coming along. It’s a work in progress. I have a vision, a plan.” The artist is thinking about the end result, even though he’s drawn only a couple of seemingly meaningless strokes.

Often, we look at our unfinished lives in the same way we might look at that canvas. Things may not be going as expected. Life may not be progressing according to our schedule. So we say, “The Lord must have forgotten about me. The Lord has abandoned me. It’s over.”

But we’re not forgotten or abandoned. And it’s not over. The Lord has a vision for your life. He has a plan. You’re a work in progress. You’re under construction. God isn’t finished with you yet.

We see merely the beginning. God sees the end from the beginning. We see a blank canvas. God sees a masterpiece in progress. Take heart.

The apostle Paul was quoting Isaiah 64:4 when he wrote, “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him’” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT). We don’t have the tools to see in ourselves what God sees in us. So we must put our faith in Him.

That’s what Paul was doing when he wrote in Philippians 1:6, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (NLT).

We look at the broad strokes of God’s work in our lives and see only randomness. We can’t fathom how they might be connected or built on to create something more substantial. We convince ourselves that there’s no way a work of art, let alone a masterpiece, can come from them.

But look at Paul’s words in Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (nlt). You may not see how everything in your life can work together for good, but God does.

So the wisest course of action is to follow the advice of Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding” (NLT).

Don’t fret if you can’t make sense of the work in progress in your life. Trust the Artist.

Reflection Question: What evidence do you see of God’s work in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT)

 

If you’ve ever felt scrutinized, as though people were just waiting for you to fail, you’re in good company. King David once wrote of his enemies, “The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way” (Psalm 140:5 NLT). But they weren’t about to break his stride. In the very next verse, he wrote, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my God!’ Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!” (Psalm 140:6 NLT). Instead of worrying about his enemies, David focused on his Lord. He left his worries in the hands of God.

As Christians, we should strive to be godly—and not to appear godly to other people. There’s a big difference between the two. The apostle Paul offered a glimpse of what it means to live a godly life in Romans 12:1–2: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (NLT).

Living a godly life starts inside, in the way we think. The transformation Paul was talking about shifts our priorities. It changes the way we see others, the way we approach conflict and hardship, and the things we choose to do.

And to his protégé Timothy, Paul wrote, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT). You’ll notice that God’s approval, and not other people’s approval, is what we should be striving for.

Of course, when we fall short in our responsibility to others—and we will—we should admit it. When someone points out our mistakes, we should confess, “You’re right. My actions were not consistent with my beliefs. I apologize for that. And I hope I have not changed your opinion of the God whom I follow, because I make mistakes. But God is always true.” As Christians, we must be honest enough to admit when we fail.

The apostle James wrote, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16 NLT).

Life is too short to worry about other people’s opinions. Instead, work hard to present yourself as a living and holy sacrifice so that you might receive God’s approval. You’ll never regret it.

Reflection Question: What does godliness look like in your daily life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.” (2 Timothy 2:22 NLT)

 

Several years ago, there was a story in the news about a man who had a tree fall on his leg. With no one around to come to his rescue, he took out a pocketknife and proceeded to amputate his leg. Then he made his way up the road until someone picked him up and raced him to help. Amazingly, this man who had a severed leg still had enough presence of mind to tell the driver of the vehicle not to go too fast. He said, “I didn’t come this far to die on the road. Take it easy.”

I remember reading that story and thinking, “He did what? How could this guy cut off his leg? I would have laid under the tree and just waited for help.” But the doctors who treated him later said that if he hadn’t taken such a drastic measure, he would have died. He did it to save his life.

Sometimes we must take radical, drastic steps to remove ourselves from whatever it is that is hurting us spiritually. That may mean immediate change. It may mean physically getting up and saying, “I’m out of here.”

One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the Holy Spirit, who dwells inside every believer. Jesus said the Holy Spirit “will convict the world of its sin” (John 16:8 NLT). The Holy Spirit warns us when we’re in situations that threaten our spiritual well-being. What we do with His warnings is up to us. Ignoring His prompts is like ignoring a fire alarm or a beeping carbon monoxide detector or the check engine light in your car.

You might be at that party. Watching that movie. In that relationship. In that group of people. In that setting. Wherever it is, you realize you shouldn’t be there. The Holy Spirit is convicting you. He is saying, “What are you doing here?” Don’t be foolish. Just get up and go. You can make your explanations later, if necessary. The important thing is to remove yourself from the situation immediately.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 NLT). The best place to stand firm is a distance away from the devil’s traps and temptations. In other words, maintain the high ground and stay out of the trenches.

First Corinthians 10:13 says, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (NLT). No matter what you’re facing, God has an escape plan, a way out. Do the wise thing and take it.

Reflection Question: What are some scenarios, situations, and places that you need to run from? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (2 Timothy 3:5 NLT)

 

As an evangelist, I constantly observe how two people who hear the same message will react in two completely different ways. One person will be profoundly moved, while the other will become harder in their sin.

We see the very same thing in the story of Cain and Abel. Both men were sons of Adam and Eve. Both were raised in the same home and exposed to the same spiritual message. When we first read their story in Genesis 4, it seems as though they were both believers. But time revealed that Cain was so jealous and embittered that he murdered his brother Abel.

The story of Cain and Abel ought to remind us that there are people just going through the motions, spiritually speaking. They give the appearance of being believers, but they have no real relationship with God. Or, as the apostle Paul put it in 2 Timothy 3:15: “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (NLT). That’s the life story of too many people. They are all show and no go. Their faith in God is nothing more than a mere game or act.

Paul followed his description with a warning: “Stay away from people like that!” (NLT). Believers, especially young believers, can be led astray by people with an insincere faith.

Consider this. You can offer like Cain. You can weep like Esau. You can serve like Gehazi. You can be a disciple like Judas. You can recite long prayers like the Pharisees. You can be a seeking soul like the rich young ruler. You can have lamps like the five foolish bridesmaids. You can do all these things and still be lost.

Jesus was referring to God’s words recorded in Isaiah 29:13 when He said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8 NLT). And while spiritual acts may fool many people, they can never fool the Lord. Remember: “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).

That’s why it’s such a short-sighted mistake to take a surface-deep approach to the Christian faith. One day, we will all have to answer for the choices we make in this life. And Jesus warned in Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (NLT).

Jesus offers not just eternal life in heaven but also “a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT) in this world. But you can’t experience it if your only concern is looking like a Christian. Jesus demands your whole heart.

Reflection Question: How can you tell the difference between a sincere and insincere faith? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NLT)

 

Maybe you’ve heard someone say about a happy, loving couple, “They have a marriage made in Heaven.” The implication is that some marriages just work—and that, by extension, some marriages don’t. Don’t believe it. Good marriages thrive because of the efforts made by both partners. Bad marriages fail because of the neglect of both partners. You want a good marriage? Make it. You want a bad marriage? Neglect it.

There are two things we can work at to strengthen our marriages. First, we must obey the Word of God. God’s Word must be the standard for marriage. If that’s the case, then we’re on the right track. If that’s not the case, then we’ll face troubles ahead.

The apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 give us a master class in creating a solid, thriving, durable relationship. It starts with choosing patience and kindness in interacting with one another and refusing to allow circumstances to change that. It challenges us to act selflessly, to work through the insecurities that lead to jealousy, rudeness, and a sense of privilege. It calls us to strive for integrity, emphasizing a spirit of forgiveness, honesty, faith, hope, and endurance.

And that’s just one passage. Building a marriage on the foundation of Scripture is a lifetime pursuit. But what a life it promises!

Second, we need to lay aside the world’s distorted and perverse concept of marriage. We need to learn to see through the lie that marriage is secondary to our own needs and wants. And the lie that marriage is disposable. We need to remove the word divorce from our vocabulary. Divorce can’t be some trapdoor that’s always nearby in case we want to escape. We need to resolve to make our relationship work through thick and thin, no matter what. We need to determine that because we’ve made a sacred vow, we’re going to stand by our marriage.

Jesus was quoting God’s words in Genesis 2:24 when He said, “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one” (NLT). He added, “Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together” (Matthew 19:6 NLT). Let no one split apart what God has joined together. That doesn’t leave much wiggle room, does it?

Winston Churchill said during World War II, “Wars are not won through evacuation.” The same is true of marriage. It’s a commitment until death do us part.

Reflection Question: What does a healthy, God-honoring marriage look like? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed.” (1 Timothy 4:6 NLT)

 

Somewhere along the line, we have separated evangelism from discipleship. But there is no such distinction in Scripture. The idea of the Great Commission is not just to pray with someone to receive Christ and then say, “See you later. God bless you.”

That would be like a mother who gives birth to her baby and then says, “God bless you, my child. It’s a rough world out there, but here’s a box of Pampers. Now get going.” A little baby needs to be nurtured and coddled and cared for and loved and taught. A new believer requires the same.

As believers, our objective, our vision, and our mission is to make fellow disciples. That means working to help new Christians get on their feet spiritually, acclimate to the church, and learn what it means to be a Christian. Only then are we truly fulfilling the Great Commission.

Look at the apostle Paul’s words to Timothy, a young spiritual leader: “If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed” (1 Timothy 4:6 NLT).

Timothy had been nurtured, physically and spiritually, by a godly mother and a godly grandmother. They had instilled in him a strong faith. And that’s what Paul wanted Timothy to do for others: nurture and instill a strong faith. That’s what all believers are called to do. You’ll notice in Paul’s words that this nurturing and instilling begins with three simple words: “Explain these things.”

The truths of Scripture aren’t always intuitive or self-evident because they call for us to resist our natural inclinations—the impulses of the person we used to be—and do things that seem completely out of character. Love your enemies? Forgive those who do you harm? Put other people’s needs before your own? Take up your cross? If you don’t have questions and concerns about the Christian life as a new believer, you’re not paying attention.

Believers who aren’t new to the faith can fulfill the Great Commission by addressing their questions and concerns. The apostle Peter said, “If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it” (1 Peter 3:15 NLT).

We can make ourselves ready by studying God’s Word purposefully and faithfully, asking and answering our own tough questions, by spending quality time in prayer—talking and listening to our heavenly Father, deepening our relationship with Him—and by spending time in fellowship with other believers, sharing experiences, encouraging one another, and holding one another accountable.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (NLT). The more time we spend honing our own spiritual edges, the better prepared we’ll be to sharpen new believers into disciples.

Reflection Question: How can you equip yourself to mentor new believers? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” (1 Corinthians 3:6–8 NLT)

 

In the process of preaching the gospel, every Christian plays a part. Some of us sow seeds. Others water seeds that have already been sown. And still others have the privilege of reaping the seeds that have already been sown and watered.

In 1 Corinthians 3, the apostle Paul addressed a problem that was causing divisions among the believers in Corinth. Some Christians there were identifying themselves as followers of him, Paul. Others were identifying themselves as followers of Apollos. And still others were identifying themselves as followers of Peter. These believers thought that their allegiance to a particular leader made them morally and spiritually superior to their fellow Christians.

 In his response to this burgeoning cult of personality, Paul gives us an important glimpse into the nature of evangelism. Look what he says in verses 6–7: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (NKJV).

Paul made it clear that he and Apollos (and Peter) were simply laborers, planting and nurturing the seeds of the gospel. God was the one who made the seeds grow. Therefore, He was the One the people needed to follow.

But the principle of sowing seeds and trusting God to make them grow still applies today. Sharing our faith with others is a personal investment. It often involves opening up about private matters and making ourselves vulnerable to rejection. It’s only natural that we’d want to see dividends from our investment—to see the seed we planted sprout and grow before our very eyes.

But that doesn’t always happen. And sometimes if we don’t see immediate results, we grow frustrated. We question whether the seed has taken root. We wonder why God isn’t blessing our efforts. But remain steadfast, Christian. God is trustworthy.

The seed that we sow today may not be reaped in our lifetime. It may grow after we’re in Heaven. That may be when the nonbeliever that we loved, nurtured, and shared the gospel with will come to faith. Then again, that nonbeliever might come to faith tomorrow. The timing is out of our hands.

As Paul made clear to the believers in Corinth, it doesn’t matter who sows or waters the seeds of the gospel, as long as the work is being done. That’s not where the credit goes. The credit goes to the One who makes the seeds grow.

Our responsibility is to sow the seed of the gospel in as many lives as possible and then leave the results to God.

Reflection Question: How was the seed of the gospel planted in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” (Galatians 5:16 NLT)

 

There are two ways that we can live: the right way or the wrong way. There are two paths that we can take: the narrow road that leads to life or the broad way that leads to destruction (see Matthew 7:13–14). There are two foundations that we can build on: solid rock or sinking sand (see Matthew 7:24–29). The choices we make concerning these things will determine whether we live a holy and happy life or an unholy and miserable life.

Of course, the choices that seem obvious to some are less obvious to others. The right way, the narrow road, and the solid rock have little appeal for many unbelievers—and for believers who have fallen away from the faith. They see only misery, boredom, and restrictions. For them, Christianity is just a list of all the things they can’t do. No drinking. No smoking. No partying. No sex. No fun.

I certainly felt that way before I became a Christian. I believed that Christians lived the most boring lives imaginable. But when I became a Christian, I discovered that my thinking was about 180 degrees off. I found that the holy way, the godly way, the way of obedience is, in reality, the best way. The happier way. The more joyful way. The more fulfilling way.

That’s certainly the message we find in Psalm 119:1: “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord!” (NLT). We find true happiness when we walk in the ways of the Lord.

No one is suggesting that it’s easy to live the right way or walk the narrow road or build a foundation on solid rock. Often it requires us to go against the flow of our culture. And sometimes the right way isn’t always apparent right away. Our enemy the devil is a master of deceit. He appeals to our old sinful nature. He makes the wrong paths look appealing. He uses guilt and shame to immobilize us when we make the wrong decisions.

But we have powerful resources to counter his strategies. We can turn to mature, godly believers for advice, counsel, and direction. We can pray for insight and discernment to correctly analyze our circumstances before we start down a path.

Our spiritual common sense comes from our understanding of Scripture, so we can immerse ourselves in God’s Word until His truths become second nature to us. And we can listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside each of us.

The apostle Paul wrote, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16 NLT). When we let prayer, the godly advice of others, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit guide us, we can be confident that we’re following the right paths the Lord has planned for us.

Reflection Question: How do you approach an important decision in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT)

 

Some Christians prefer not to concern themselves with the details of their faith. They may say something like, “I don’t care about theology. I just love Jesus.” That’s a sweet sentiment, but it’s a dangerous one. We need to care about theology. Theology is the study of what God has revealed to us. If we don’t know what God has revealed to us, then we won’t have a spiritual or moral compass to guide us through life. Without a spiritual compass, we may be just slightly off course today, but we’ll be entirely lost in no time at all.

Let’s say you board a plane to Hawaii. As you’re buckling your seatbelt and the plane is taxiing down the runway, you hear the captain say, “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Flight 232 with service to Honolulu, Hawaii. I’ve been having problems with some of our navigational devices. They seem to be a few degrees off. I’m not really worried about it, though. I think we’ll be okay.”

That would be ludicrous. From 35,000 feet in the air, Hawaii is just a speck in the middle of the ocean. I’m always amazed that pilots find it under the best of conditions. If the navigational devices aren’t working properly and the plane is even just a few degrees off, it would be miles off course by the time it’s supposed to land.

The same principle applies to our spiritual navigational guide. Without theology, you might be a little off course now, but you’ll be crash-landing at some point.

The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (ESV). But our faith is based on compelling evidence from Scripture. The more we understand the big picture of God’s Word and the concepts on which our Christian faith is built, the stronger our faith will grow.

What’s more, the better acquainted we are with our spiritual compass, the better able we’ll be to help others find their way. Look at Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (NLT). You have to know the Word of Truth—and the basic theological principles in it—to be able to explain it correctly.

The apostle Peter chimes in with these words: “If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it” (1 Peter 3:15 NLT). Since you have no way of knowing what someone may ask, you need to have a broad understanding of theology.

To be an effective disciple of Jesus, you must know what you believe and why. You must know what God has revealed through His Word and what it means and doesn’t mean. If you don’t know sound theology, you may find yourself further off course spiritually than you ever imagined.

Reflection Question: How can you become better prepared to explain your hope as a believer? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

 

The devil doesn’t want you to know this, but the truth is that you can approach the throne of God any time—twenty-four hours a day. The devil wants us to believe that approaching God in prayer is based on a point system. He wants us to think, If I’ve been a good Christian, I can approach God. But if I’ve sinned, God will never hear my voice.

The author of Hebrews counters that lie with these words: “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:14–16 NLT).

Christians can approach God any time because our relationship with Him isn’t based on what we’ve done for Him. It’s based on what Jesus did for us. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross applies to us when we’re down as well as when we’re up. No matter what our situation is, we have access to go boldly to the throne of God.

Nevertheless, the devil wants us to believe that we’re not good enough to pray to God. No doubt that’s what he whispered into Adam’s ear after Adam sinned against the Lord. “Hide when the Lord comes,” he probably said. And when the Lord came into the garden, there was Adam, hiding from God when he should have been seeking Him for forgiveness.

The next time you fall into sin, turn to God and go to church for help. All too often we think, I can’t go to church now. Church is for godly people. We need to remember that church is a hospital for sinners. When the devil says you aren’t worthy, don’t hide from God. Run to Him and receive help from Him and His people.

The apostle Paul put it another way: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). You’ll notice there are no restrictions and no fine print on this offer.

If you’re not sure what to say to God, let the Holy Spirit guide your thoughts. Look at Paul’s words to the believers in Rome: “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will” (Romans 8:26–27 NLT).

No matter where you are in your Christian life right now—up or down, confident or discouraged, grateful or confused—you can approach the throne of God boldly. You can trust that He will hear and respond to you if you pour your heart out to Him.

You will never be offered a more valuable resource. Make the most of it.

Reflection Question: In what situations are you most and least likely to pray? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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