Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

Mary responded, ‘Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.’ (Luke 1:46–48 NLT)

Mary was a good Jewish girl who would have learned the Scriptures from her youth. And no doubt she would have heard the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)” (Isaiah 7:14 NLT).

However, it’s unlikely that, in her wildest dreams, she ever thought, “That is me? I am going to be the virgin that Isaiah prophesied of? I am going to be the mother of the Messiah and carry God incarnate in my womb?”

Mary was stunned, as we see from her reaction to the angel Gabriel when he appeared. He said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28 NLT). The passage goes on to say, “Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean” (verse 29 NLT).

She was genuinely surprised that God had chosen her. Mary could have said to Gabriel, “It’s about time you showed up!” But of course, her response was nothing like that. When people are truly godly, they never boast of their devotion. They won’t speak of what they’ve done for God. Rather, they always will speak of what God has done for them.

That is why John, in his Gospel, described himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” It might seem a little self-serving. But wasn’t that better than describing himself as “the disciple who loved Jesus”? Our love is fickle. It can vary, depending on circumstances.

On the other hand, God’s love is consistent. God’s love never changes. Thus, John boasted of God’s love for him rather than of his love for God.

By the way, that is a good mark of an effective testimony. A good testimony always will focus on what Christ gave up to save you, not what you gave up to follow Him. When some Christians share their testimonies, they make their past sound more interesting than their present and future.

They say things like, “I used to party and have fun. We did all these great things. Then I heard about Jesus and took up the old, rugged cross. Now I just read my Bible. And one day, I will die and go to Heaven, where I’ll float around on a cloud and play a harp.”

That is neither a proper nor accurate testimony. Instead, let’s focus on what God has done for us.

Mary was a virtuous woman, but she wasn’t a sinless woman. Yes, God chose her and called her. But even Mary needed a Savior. And in the passage that we call the Magnificat, Mary said, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” (Luke 1:46–47 NLT).

She didn’t fully understand, but Mary obeyed just the same with an attitude of childlike faith and obedience. This is the kind of attitude God looks for in His servants. And God can use you, like Mary, wherever you are.

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So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. (2 Peter 2:9 NLT)

Little did Zechariah know how life was about to change for him, for his country, and for the world. Gabriel announced to him that he and his aged wife, Elizabeth, were to be the parents of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. In fact, they would be the parents of the greatest prophet in the history of Scripture and the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.

Israel hadn’t heard from God for four hundred years. There hadn’t been a miracle for four hundred years. And there hadn’t been a prophet for four hundred years. Then along came the angel Gabriel, not just with an announcement of a prophet but of a super prophet, one who would precede the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

But because he was an old man, Zechariah had a hard time believing this. So, Gabriel told him that he would not be able to speak until the child was born. And indeed, Zechariah did not communicate verbally until John was born. Then God restored his ability to speak.

Meanwhile, in a seedy little town called Nazareth, there was a godly young woman named Mary. The angel Gabriel also appeared to her and told her she would have the privilege of being the mother of the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world.

But in contrast to Zechariah, who doubted, Mary believed. She said to Gabriel, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true” (Luke 1:38 NLT).

Nazareth was known for its corruption and sin. That is why, when Nathanael heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, he responded by saying, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46 NLT).

This wasn’t the first time God dispatched an angel to a godless city. He sent angels into Sodom and Gomorrah to deliver Lot and his family from the destruction that was coming. Sodom and Gomorrah were known for their sin, just as Nazareth was.

Abraham’s nephew Lot lived in Sodom. The Bible says of him, “Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day” (2 Peter 2:8 NLT). Mary and Lot lived at different times in different cultures. And both cultures were wicked.

Yet Mary lived an uncompromised life. Lot, on the other hand, lived a compromised life. And when it was time to leave the ungodly place where he was living, the angels had to take Lot by the hand and rush him and his family out of the city.

There is no power in a compromised life. Compromising people reach no one. Mary, however, lived a godly life in an ungodly place. Lot was a thermometer, but Mary was a thermostat. Unlike a thermometer that is affected by its surroundings, a thermostat controls the environment around it.

We often blame our wicked culture for the way we are, but the fact of the matter is that it’s our job as followers of Jesus to permeate and affect our culture.

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Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.’ (Luke 1:18 NLT)

Have you ever prayed for something, but it took a long time for God to answer it? Then again, have you ever prayed for something, and the answer came so quickly that it almost scared you? You didn’t believe that your prayer could be answered that quickly. That is why we need to pray about things.

God paid attention to the prayers of godly Zechariah and Elizabeth. And He was about to answer them.

The Bible says, “You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it” (James 4:2 NLT). There might be a situation in your life right now that prayer could change. Maybe it’s a financial crisis, a hurting marriage, a prodigal child, or a medical condition. Have you prayed about it? God may not answer your prayer immediately. But sometimes He will.

In Acts 12 we find a story about answered prayer. King Herod had beheaded the apostle James. And then he arrested Peter. But the Bible tells us that “while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him” (verse 5 NLT).

God immediately answered their prayers and sent an angel into the prison who opened the doors so Peter could walk out. The Peter went to where the believers were holding a prayer meeting, presumably asking God for his deliverance. Peter knocked at the door, and a servant named Rhoda answered. When she saw that it was Peter, she went back and told the group that Peter was at the door.

Essentially they said, “Don’t bother us. We’re praying for Peter.” But Peter kept knocking, and they finally let him in. Poor Peter. God could deliver him from prison, but Peter couldn’t get into a prayer meeting.

Like Peter’s friends, Zechariah struggled with doubt when the angel Gabriel appeared to him and said he and his wife would have a son named John. Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years” (Luke 1:18 NLT).

So, Gabriel told him, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time” (verses 19–20 NLT).

Zechariah could have rejoiced, but he questioned instead. Let’s not be too hard on Zechariah. After all, haven’t we done the same thing? How many of us have entertained doubt? Have we ever doubted God’s Word? Doubt is not always a sign that we are wrong; it is actually a sign that we are thinking. And sometimes we have to go through the foyer of doubt before we can enter the sanctuary of certainty.

We need to believe our beliefs and doubt our doubts. We should believe what God says to us and act in faith, not feeling.

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Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. (Luke 1:6 NLT)

Zechariah and Elizabeth had a problem. She hadn’t been able to conceive a child. In their culture, if a woman couldn’t conceive a child, then she would be described as barren and unfruitful. And sometimes people even said that it was a curse from God.

There may have been people who said, “I don’t know about Zechariah and Elizabeth. After all, she is barren, isn’t she? If she really was walking with the Lord, perhaps she would have had a child at this point.”

Of course, we know this was an incorrect view. But it was a perception of the day. The truth was that Zechariah and Elizabeth were godly people. Luke 1:6 tells us, “Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations” (NLT). This doesn’t mean they never sinned; it meant they had a good reputation.

And unbeknownst to them, God was about to give them a child—and not just any child. He was going to give them a prophet—and not just any prophet. They would be the parents of the greatest prophet to ever live: John the Baptist.

Sometimes a person may be suffering outwardly, but inwardly they are blessed. And as time passes, it becomes apparent that God was preparing that individual. For instance, maybe you are suffering today. It just may be that God is preparing you for something wonderful He will do in your life.

God heard the prayers of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah as he served in the temple and said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John” (Luke 1:13 NLT).

God was about to deliver on the promise of a Messiah and His forerunner.

From the original language, it appears that God heard the prayer Zechariah was praying at that moment. Maybe the aged priest walked in and said, “Lord, I know I’m here to do a job. I know I’m here to pray for the people. And I’m going to do that. But if you wouldn’t mind a personal petition, Lord, please give us a son. I know we’re old. But would You answer this prayer and give us a son?”

We don’t know what Zechariah prayed. But we do know that his prayer was heard in Heaven. In the same way, our prayers on Earth are heard in Heaven. God promises that if we call out to Him, He will hear and answer. Psalm 34:15 tells us, “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help” (NLT). He is listening.

Speaking to the prophet Jeremiah, God said, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come” (Jeremiah 33:3 NLT). God hears you. God loves you. And God pays attention to you. But know this: He will answer you in His way and in His time.

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One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. (Luke 1:8–9 NLT)

Zechariah the priest was a faithful man. He was faithful in what God set before him. His job as a priest included serving in the temple in Jerusalem twice a year. It would have been an important occasion to leave his little country parish, go to the big city of Jerusalem to the temple, and enter the holy of holies and offer a sacrifice on behalf of the people of God.

This shows us that God often speaks to His people when they are busy doing their daily tasks. For example, when God called Moses to lead Israel out of Pharaoh’s bondage, he was tending sheep. When God called David to run an errand that would result in the death of the mighty Goliath in the Valley of Elah, he, too, was tending sheep.

When Elijah was looking for a successor to carry on his ministry, he found him plowing a field. And when God called Gideon to deliver Israel from the tyranny of the Midianites, he was threshing wheat. When Jesus called His disciples to change the world, they were mending their nets. They simply were doing what was set before them.

Some of us envision a great ministry for the Lord. We might have said, “One day I would like to be a missionary and cross the ocean for Christ.”

On the other hand, God might say, “Would you mind crossing the street first and talking to your neighbor?” The mission field is all around us. It’s right outside our doors.

God has given us spiritual gifts as Christians. When we come to Christ and ask God to empower us with the Holy Spirit, He gives gifts of the Spirit. Romans 12:6 tells us, “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well” (NLT).

The gifts of God don’t come fully formed. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you” (2 Timothy 1:6 NLT). We need to take the gift God has given us and start using it. And the way we become better at what God calls us to do is by doing it a lot.

Each of us must take the gift that we have and develop it through use.

You might say, “I don’t know what I am good at.” Sometimes the best way to discover what you’re good at is to first discover what you’re not good at. Sometimes the process of elimination can be helpful. We can benefit from so-called failures by realizing that we’re not gifted in those areas. We all have abilities that God has given us. And we need to use them.

However, it’s difficult to steer a car when the engine isn’t running. And if we want to serve the Lord, we start by going out and doing something for Him. If we are faithful in the little things, then God will give us greater opportunities.

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While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. (Luke 1:11 NLT)

The people of Israel hadn’t heard from God for four hundred years. There had been no miracles, no angelic appearances, and no prophets. And as Luke’s Gospel opens, we find Israel in the midst of a long night of spiritual darkness. But that was about to change.

One day God sent the angel Gabriel to a priest named Zechariah. Interestingly, the last we read of an angelic appearance in the Old Testament is when an angel appeared to a prophet named Zechariah five centuries earlier.

Luke 1 tells us, “While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John’” (verses 11–13 NLT).

Interestingly, the name Zechariah means “Jehovah has remembered.” And the name of Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, means “God is my oath.” This event in their lives would confirm the truth of both their names. God remembered. And God would keep His oath.

So, why did God set Zechariah apart for such an amazing task? He was a humble man. And if you want to be used by God, you need to know that He is looking for humble people. In contrast to the powerful and prideful Herod, whom God ultimately would cut down, Zechariah was a humble servant of God.

As James 4:6 points out, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (NLT). But what does it mean to be humble? Humility is simply seeing yourself as you really are. In fact, it’s our obsession with ourselves that is at the root of so many of our problems.

In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis summed it up this way: “The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object.”

That was Zechariah. He was a country priest. Today we might call him a country preacher. At this time in Israel’s history, there were about eight thousand priests. They represented God to people and people to God. The priests interpreted Scripture. They counseled. They provided wise judgment for the people. And twice a year, each priest would leave his local duties to serve in Jerusalem.

In the same way, we are God’s representatives as followers of Jesus Christ. First Peter 2:9 tells us, “You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (NLT).

God does extraordinary things through ordinary people. We can be used of God wherever we are. God wants to invade our ordinary lives and do something amazing. Will you say, “Not me. I’m out”? Or, will you say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me”?

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He existed in the beginning with God. (John 1:2 NLT)

Who has affected history more than Jesus Christ? More books have been written and more music has been composed about Jesus than about anyone who has ever lived.

His birth and His death divide human history. The great thing for us as Christians is that we have Christ living inside us. And from the day that we give our lives to Him, our goal should be to get to know Jesus better and become more like Him.

The apostle Paul wrote, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” (Philippians 3:10–11 NLT).

Paul was saying, “This is my heartbeat. This is my passion. I want to know Jesus.” That should be the passion of every follower of Christ.

In Jesus, God spelled Himself out in a language that we can understand. God became a Man. Referring to Jesus, the Bible says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him” (John 1:1–3 NLT).

We could translate the phrase “the Word was with God” as “He was continually toward God.” In other words, God the Father and God the Son were continually face to face. In John 17 Jesus prayed, “Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began” (verse 5 NLT). It’s hard for us to grasp how close the Father and the Son were.

John 1 also tells us that Jesus is the Creator. He was involved in the creative process of all that we see.

Sometimes people mistakenly think there is a God of the Old Testament and a God of the New Testament. They perceive the God of the Old Testament as wrathful and perpetually in a bad mood. Meanwhile, they view the God of the New Testament as loving and full of grace and ready to forgive.

Both of those views are incorrect. There is one God from Genesis to Revelation. He is just, He is righteous, He is holy, He is loving, He is merciful, and He is forgiving.

Jesus was God with skin on. He walked in our shoes, breathed our air, lived our lives, and died our death. God came near.

The real message of Christmas is that God came to Earth. It is Immanuel, God is with us. We are not alone. When we get a hold of that, all the other things don’t matter as much. We can still celebrate and enjoy Christmas, of course. We can put up Christmas lights and enjoy giving presents.

But if we focus on the real meaning of Christmas, it becomes so much more significant. That’s because no one is closer to God than those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

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‘Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:20 NLT)

When we think of the first Christmas, we think of the birth of Jesus, and technically it was. But that is not when Jesus began, because He has no beginning or end. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. And beside Him there is no other god. 

However, there was a moment when God decided to descend from Heaven to Earth and be born in a manger as a helpless little infant. Isaiah 9:6 sums it up perfectly: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (NLT).

From our perspective on Earth, a child was born. From the Father’s perspective in Heaven, a Son was given. Notice this verse goes on to give us these names for Jesus: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus is God, and God became a man.

We call the birth of Christ the Incarnation. But there were pre-incarnate appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament. On one occasion someone said to Jesus, “Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (John 8:53 NLT).

Jesus answered, “Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad” (verse 56 NLT). Then He added, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!” (verse 58 NLT).

Then there was Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the Emmaus Road after His resurrection. Jesus joined their conversation. They didn’t recognize Him at first. And they started telling the story of Jesus to Jesus.

They said, “We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago” (Luke 24:21 NLT).

They didn’t realize He had risen. Jesus said, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” (verses 25–26 NLT).

Luke goes on to say that, beginning with Moses and the prophets, Jesus explained to them what the Scriptures said about Him. He identified all the passages that pointed to Himself. We find Christ in the Old Testament not in name, but in His appearances.

But then one day God came to Earth as a Child, who became a man, who died on the cross and rose from the grave. He always has been there. And He will be there to the very end. Jesus said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT).

The holidays are coming upon us in full force, and retailers can’t wait for you to spend your money. But you will discover the real message of the Christmas season is not presents; it is His presence.

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And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39 NLT)

 

One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Jeremiah 29:11. I quote it so often that some people might think I’m slightly obsessed with it. It says, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (NKJV).

 

I like that verse so much that I had those words inscribed on the back of a watch that I gave my son Christopher for his twenty-first birthday. Years later, Christopher went to be with the Lord after a tragic accident.

 

After he died, I was given a little plastic bag that contained his belongings. In it were his wallet, his keys, and his watch. I took the watch out, held it in my hand, flipped it over, and saw the inscription. “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” And I thought, Where’s the future for Christopher? Where’s the future for me?

 

I had to remind myself that it’s not all about our life on earth. Our ultimate future is in Heaven. That’s where it all comes together. As Christians, we’re in a win-win situation. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (NLT).

 

Paul knew that whether we’re alive here on this Earth or in Heaven with Christ, God’s love for us is certain. Paul wrote, “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow” (Romans 8:38 NLT). We can be thankful for whatever tomorrow may bring because we know we are loved by our Creator. “Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (verse 39 NLT).

 

Knowing that we don’t need to worry about our future because we are loved by God gives us the perspective we need to face the trials and adversity of this life. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul wrote, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (NLT). Instead of focusing on the troubles we see right now, we can look forward to what we can’t see yet. The troubles we see now will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

 

Let’s give thanks today that we don’t have to be filled with fear, worry, and anxiety about what the future holds. We can be of good courage and good cheer because God is with us and our future with Him is certain.

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But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22–23 NLT)

 

The mood of John 14 was somber. Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure. They were understandably dejected and upset. Jesus lifted their spirits with a promise: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you” (verses 16–17 NLT). In other words, hang on. Something big is coming. God’s going to send the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

In the Book of Acts, we see the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise. We see the powerful working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of ordinary people just like you and me. Ordinary people were able to do extraordinary things because they possessed a power beyond themselves. They possessed the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Some people say it’s really hard to be a Christian. I disagree. I say it’s impossible to live the Christian life. It’s impossible without the empowerment and help of the Holy Spirit. We need His power in our lives. We can’t live the Christian life with only our own willpower. We live it with the Holy Spirit’s power working in us. In Philippians 2:12–13, Paul says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (NIV). So we do our part, but ultimately, it’s the Holy Spirit who does the work through us.

 

Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NLT). But Paul said, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT). With our power and strength, we can’t overcome anything. With the Holy Spirit’s power and strength, we can do all things through Christ.

 

The Holy Spirit doesn’t just empower us; He also changes us. They say if you live with someone long enough, you start to take on some of their characteristics. That’s certainly true of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside all believers. His presence plants spiritual seeds in us. If we nurture them, they produce fruit for everyone to enjoy, including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities make us better servants of Christ and better people. They draw others to us and open doors for sharing our faith.

 

One of the amazing truths about the Holy Spirit is that we can be filled with Him again and again and again. Every morning when we wake up, before our feet even hit the floor, we can pray, “Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit today.” And He will grant our request.

 

We give thanks today for God’s Holy Spirit, who empowers us, guides us, produces fruit in our lives, and never leaves us.

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