Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

“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!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT)

 

When adversity rears its head, the first reaction of many believers is to pray it away—to ask God to spare us from it or, barring that, to help us get through it as quickly and as painlessly as possible. The ideal for many people is a life free from adversity.

But that misses the point entirely. Adversity is, in fact, one of God’s greatest teaching tools. Adversity prepares us for what God has ahead. God’s people will be better off eternally because they suffered temporarily. The trade-off in eternity will bear this out.

Our troubles won’t last forever. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “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).

This argument for the greater good may be the strongest biblical case for the whys of human suffering. But it requires great trust on our part. This means we need to look at our suffering and say, “It will all make sense in eternity, and it will produce something that would not have been there otherwise. So, in faith I am going to accept this truth and wait to see the outcome.”

We also need to keep in mind that even in the worst tragedy, God can bring good out of bad. That doesn’t mean He makes bad things good. But it does mean that despite bad things, He can bring good. This is an important distinction because often people are looking for cause and effect. They try to connect the dots: “This bad thing happened so this good thing would happen. And this even better thing happened. Now I get it.”

Sometimes life works that way. It did for Joseph. After being betrayed by his brothers, he was able to tell them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).

Of course, sometimes we can’t see the outcome. Even so, as Paul wrote, “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” (Romans 8:28 NLT). Ultimately, all things work together for good.

In the case of our country, the adversity we’re facing now may be a forerunner of revival. That may be God’s plan for bringing good from bad. It’s happened before. In fact, our country was founded in the wake of a great revival.

In the meantime, believers must continue to pray, continue to immerse themselves in God’s Word, and continue to share their faith with others so they can see the hand of God at work in our nation, bringing good from bad.

 

Reflection question: When have you seen God bring good from bad? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.” (Psalm 85:6–7 NLT)

 

July 2026 is an ideal time for reflection, for looking back at the 250-year history of our nation, and for celebrating God’s work in bringing us to this point. But it’s also a time to look forward and ask some sobering questions. So, here goes.

What is the future of the United States of America? Are we doomed to go the way that so many other once-great nations have gone? Is America headed to the ash heap of history? Are our greatest days behind us, or could they still be ahead? Is there any hope for America?

None of us can answer these questions with any certainty, but we know this much: America is not the superpower of the last days. The greatest nation on earth is conspicuous in its absence from the world stage in the end-times scenario given to us in the Bible. America is not the first, nor will it be the last, nation to rise and fall. Every nation’s days are numbered; America is no exception.

The Bible introduces us to several formidable empires, countries, and cities. Egypt reigned supreme in the book of Exodus. Assyria played a key role in the history of Israel and Judah. Babylon led the people of Judah into captivity. Persia allowed them to return. Greece left an indelible mark on the world. Yet all these empires eventually learned the same lesson: There is no such thing as too big to fail.

Perhaps the biggest cautionary tale from history is the Roman Empire, which provides the backdrop for the Gospels. Rome was once the mightiest empire on the face of the earth. But it collapsed internally before it was conquered externally. Historian Will Durant, in his book on Rome’s history, Caesar and Christ, said, “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within. The essential causes of Rome’s decline lay in her people, her morals….”

That’s where the alarm bells start to sound for the United States. We as a country are diligent in guarding against our enemies on the outside, but we should be just as diligent in guarding ourselves from within.

One stark difference between Rome and the United States is that our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values. Unfortunately, we’ve strayed from the original vision of our founding fathers, the vision that produced our nation. What was once “freedom of religion” has now become “freedom from religion.” We’ve succeeded in removing God from our schools, sporting events, public venues, and workplaces.

And now we need God’s intervention. We saw many turn to the Lord after 9/11. Remember those packed churches and prayer vigils on street corners? Remember the members of Congress spontaneously singing “God Bless America”? These memories give me hope that there could be at least one more great revival in America’s future.

The psalmist wrote, “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation” (Psalm 85:6–7 NLT).

If we don’t have revival, I believe that judgment is inevitable. Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the U.S. Senate, once said, “The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration.”

Let’s pray that our nation chooses wisely.

 

Reflection question: What is your prayer for our nation? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:19–20 NLT)

 

During World War II, a group of pilots known as the Flying Tigers became legendary. Under their commander, Claire Lee Chennault, they managed to down nearly three hundred Japanese aircraft over a period of six months, from December 1941 to July 1942. What was their secret? Chennault said it was cooperation. Although they were usually outnumbered, they always attacked in teams. They completed their missions together.

Roman soldiers also knew the value of working together. When they marched into battle and were barraged with flaming arrows, they put their shields up, linked them together, and hunkered down, effectively forming a protective wall around themselves. They understood that there was safety—and success—in numbers.

It’s a lesson many believers need to learn. When we experience temptation, hardship, despair, or doubt, sometimes our first instinct is to isolate ourselves. We think, “I don’t want to share this with anyone. They might think I’m not a strong Christian. I don’t want to tell anyone that I’m being tempted by this.”

A better option is to go to our Christian friends and say truthfully, “Will you pray for me right now? I’m under attack.”

Jesus said, “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:19–20 NLT). He wants us to understand that there is power in unity—in this case, in united prayer.

We read in the 12th chapter of Acts that James was put to death and Peter was arrested. These were devastating blows to the early Christian movement. So, what did the members of the church do in response? They got together to pray for Peter. Verse 5 says that “constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (NKJV). This was a unified effort. The people of the first-century church put their spiritual shields together. God answered their prayers by miraculously freeing Peter from prison.

What worked for the church two thousand years ago still works today. There is power in unity among believers, in working together and praying together. None of us is alone in this spiritual battle. We have Christian brothers and sisters who are marching with us.

Throughout this month, we’ve talked about the need for revival in our country. And we’ve used the imagery of fire to convey the power of revival to sweep across a wide area. But that potential can’t be realized by thousands or even millions of tiny individual flames burning independently of one another.

Revival requires unity among believers. It requires Christians to coordinate and cooperate with one another. It requires God’s people to support, encourage, challenge, confront, and inspire one another as we work to accomplish God’s will for our nation.

 

Reflection question: What would unity with other believers look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.” (Deuteronomy 7:9–11 NLT)

 

Our founding fathers framed a document that Thomas Jefferson drafted for the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia. Congress adopted the document on July 4, 1776. We call it the Declaration of Independence. Among other things it says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Pastor Chuck Smith once said that sometimes we forget that the Declaration of Independence, which declared independence from foreign tyranny, also declared our dependence on an eternal God. We see this in its closing words: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Our forefathers believed that there is a God who guides the affairs of humankind. And they founded our nation on the teachings of the Bible.

Thomas Jefferson, our third president, said, “The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty.”

Andrew Jackson, our seventh president, called the Bible “the Rock upon which our republic rests.”

And Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, said of the Bible, “All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.”

Two hundred and fifty years after the founding of our nation, our need for God’s Word has never been greater. Deuteronomy 7:9–11 says, “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today” (NLT). There is much to gain by placing God’s Word once again at the center of American life. And there is even more to lose in rejecting His Word.

The wisdom of God’s Word is eternal, timeless. It’s not outdated. It’s not a relic. It doesn’t belong to an earlier, simpler time. The keys to the spiritual revival our nation so desperately needs can be found in its pages.

That’s why we as believers must continue praying that our country finds its way back to the Word of God.

 

Reflection question: How can you make God’s Word a bigger part of your daily life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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

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“What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.” (Psalm 33:12 NLT)

 

A few decades ago, the 75th anniversary issue of Forbes magazine featured a theme that still resonates today: “Why do we feel so bad when we have it so good?” The magazine noted that most Americans live better than almost any other people on the planet, yet many people in our culture struggle with depression and an unfavorable outlook on life.

Editor James Michaels wrote, “Why is this nation that marched so proudly into the 20th century slouching so dejectedly toward the third millennium?” The article went on to cite the alarming loss of values, absolutes, and meaning in contemporary life.

What’s gone wrong? The person on the lowest rung of the economic ladder in America still has it better than most other people in the world today. We enjoy things that citizens of other countries can only dream about, yet we still have a sense of emptiness. Why?

I think Abraham Lincoln answered that question well when he said, “We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.”

President Lincoln was right. We have forgotten God. And it’s even truer today than it was when he made that proclamation in 1863. We’ve tried to push God out of the courtroom, out of the classroom, and, for all practical purposes, out of our culture. As a result, we’ve lost the joy, fulfillment, and sense of purpose that come from remembering, celebrating, and obeying our heavenly Father.

The psalmist wrote, “What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance” (Psalm 33:12 NLT). The flip side of that would be, “What misery for the nation whose God is not the Lord, whose people have rejected His inheritance.” And that’s where we find ourselves today.

Will good ever prevail over evil? Or are we simply doomed to failure? The answer to America’s problems isn’t political; it’s spiritual. We need to turn back to God. We need to take Him at His Word. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the Lord said, “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).

Therefore, it is my belief that our country has two choices before it. One is judgment. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7 NKJV). That goes for nations as well.

The other option is the one we’ve been focusing on this month: a spiritual awakening or revival. And that’s what we need to pray for today in the United States of America.

 

Reflection question: What can you do to remember God more often in your daily life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" 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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“When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” (Proverbs 29:2 NLT)

 

I’ve had opportunities to interact with leaders at the highest levels of the United States government, including former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. When I met with those men individually, we had a great time talking about our nation, discussing the needs and challenges facing us. I should mention that when I’m around such people, I’m not there as a political pundit. Neither am I there to give any kind of political advice.

I’m there as a pastor to help them, to pray for them, and to perhaps remind them of what Scripture says. In both instances we had wonderful discussions about the Word of God. Both men spoke of their dependence on God to do the job He had called them to do.

Those interactions served as valuable reminders that revival in our nation, if and when it comes, will be aided immeasurably by believers in positions of authority.

The Bible certainly makes a compelling case for godly leadership. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan” (NLT). Proverbs 10:9 says, “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed” (NLT). James 1:5 says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (NLT). And in Mark 10:43–44, Jesus says, “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else” (NLT).

Our nation is blessed to have an electoral process by which we can vote for our leaders. As believers, we must make the most of that opportunity by getting to know candidates and supporting those who stand for God-honoring principles.

But there’s another responsibility believers must not shirk. We must pray for our leaders. Look at the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:1–2: “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” (NLT).

We’ve talked a lot this month about what needs to take place for us to have a spiritual awakening, a revival in America. R. G. Lee put it this way:

If all the sleeping folk will wake up,
If all the lukewarm folk will fire up,
If all the dishonest folk will confess up,
If all the disgruntled folk will cheer up,
If all the depressed folk will look up,
If all the estranged folk will make up,
If all the gossipers will shut up,
If all true soldiers will stand up,
If all the dry bones will shake up,
If all the church members will pray up . . .
Then we can have a revival! 

We might also add, “If all the believers will wise up in choosing leaders who yearn for revival.”

 

Reflection question: How can you show wisdom and discernment in selecting and supporting our nation’s leaders? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

Join Greg Laurie for the Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate's Cove on July 18.

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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" 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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“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.” (Acts 3:19–20 NLT)

 

The strong faith of two men named George played a key role in shaping the United States of America. The first was George Whitefield, our spiritual founding father. He was a British evangelist who came to our shores to preach the gospel. As a result of his ministry, thousands of colonists came to Christ. It was the first great spiritual awakening in what would become known as the United States of America.

Between 1740 and 1742, before the United States was even a nation, the Great Awakening had a remarkable impact in New England. Historians estimate that 25,000 to 50,000 people were added to New England church membership as a result of the revival. With New England’s population only around 300,000 at the time, that means as many as one out of every six people in the region may have been reached in some way by the revival, in which George Whitefield played a leading role. The evangelistic wildfire left in its wake fertile spiritual ground on which the nation could be built. The Christian truths and principles that guided the lives of the new converts found their way into the nation’s DNA. They formed the cornerstone of the United States government.

John Adams, founding father and second president of the United States, wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Our nation was forged in the flames of revival started by George Whitefield.

The second George is, of course, George Washington—commander of the Continental Army, first president of the United States, and the father of our country. Washington was always quick to give the glory to God for his victories. He never tired of invoking the role of Providence in the formation of the United States of America. In fact, Washington directed that a special flag be flown by the ships of the U.S. Navy. The flag depicted a tree with branches stretching upward. The message of the flag was an appeal to Heaven, a reminder that the United States needed to call on God for its success and sustenance.

Unfortunately, that message got lost along the way. Our nation has drifted away from God and His guidance. The good news is that it’s not too late to go back to Him.

The apostle Peter preached to the people of Israel, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah” (Acts 3:19–20 NLT).

That same message is needed in our country today. Our nation, which was forged in a spiritual revival, needs to go through those flames again.

 

Reflection question: How can you incorporate a concern for our nation’s spiritual well-being into your prayers and Bible study? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

Join Greg Laurie for the Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate's Cove on July 18.

—

The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" 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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“Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21 NLT)

 

As we look back in history and see the names of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, and others, we may be tempted to pray for the Lord to raise up a similar firebrand to ignite a much-needed revival in our nation today. But the Bible makes it clear that revival—the spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ—is not something that’s best left to the experts.

Who’s called to preach the gospel? According to God’s Word, it isn’t just pastors, teachers, evangelists, and missionaries. It’s any person, anywhere, who names the name of Christ.

Jesus Himself gave us our marching orders when He said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19–20 NLT). Jesus called His followers to share the gospel. And He called us to share it everywhere.

In another variation of what we call the Great Commission, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15 NLT). We can localize this by saying, “Go into all your world and preach the gospel. Go to all your family, to your workplace, and to your neighborhood. Go into your sphere of influence.” In other words, lay the groundwork for localized revivals.

Why are we to do this? Because God’s primary way of reaching people is through people. The apostle Paul wrote that “since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21 NLT).

God has chosen to communicate His gospel primarily through us as we share it verbally. That’s not to say there isn’t a place for living the gospel. In fact, living the gospel—letting Christ’s light shine through us—effectively earns us the right to share the gospel. But we shouldn’t merely rely on our silent example.

We need to look for opportunities to specifically articulate the gospel message to others. The apostle Paul also wrote, “And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT). We should be doing this because we care, because we have a burden for people who don’t know the Lord.

As individual believers, we may not be able to plan a revival—not in the broadest sense of the word, at least. But we can launch individual or localized revivals in the lives of others by sharing the gospel as Jesus called us to do.

 

Reflection question: Where would be a good starting point for igniting a localized revival in your sphere of influence? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

Join Greg Laurie for the Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate's Cove on July 18.

—

The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" 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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“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT)

 

I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of hearing people’s stories. When I choose books to read on vacation, they’re generally biographies. Maybe that’s because, for me, the best kind of story is a true story.

When it comes to sharing your faith, one of the most effective tools at your disposal is your personal testimony—the story of how you came to faith and how Jesus has transformed your life.

The apostle Paul wrote, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT).

The founding fathers of our nation certainly weren’t shy about sharing their stories of faith. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus.” He also said in a different letter, “I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.” Despite his flaws, our third president understood the importance of sharing personal testimony and the power of faith for a nation.

A testimony builds bridges. It’s a way to connect with others so they can see how you came to be the person you are and why you believe what you believe. It’s also a way to help people see how they can come to faith as well.

Another great thing about sharing your testimony is that you can indirectly preach the gospel to someone. For example, instead of just walking up to a person and saying, “You’re a sinner, you need to repent, and Christ died for you,” you can share your testimony.

It might go something like this: “You know, before I was a Christian, my life was going nowhere. I had a sense of emptiness, and I wondered what was wrong, what was missing. Then one day I went to a church service and heard the pastor say . . .”

That’s how you can preach the gospel while you tell your own story. And then you can ask, “What do you think about that? Have you ever heard that before? Have you ever considered who Jesus is?”

Every believer has a testimony, and every testimony matters. Of course, some testimonies are more dramatic than others. But when you really get down to it, everyone’s testimony is essentially the same: “I was lost. I was separated from God and was guilty and lonely and afraid to die. And I was on my way to Hell. But Jesus Christ, in His grace, intervened in my life and transformed me.”

Sharing how the flame of Christ was lit in you can lead to the flame being lit in other people’s lives as well. And as various flames are stoked, the conditions become ripe for all-out revival. That’s the power of a personal testimony.

 

Reflection question: Which parts of your personal testimony might resonate with other people? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

Join Greg Laurie for the Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate's Cove on July 18.

—

The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" 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.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

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“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” (Luke 6:27–28 NLT)

 

One of the most difficult things about revival is that it requires us to reach out to people we would prefer to ignore. My mother was married and divorced seven times. After I became a Christian and a pastor, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to go back to my mother’s husbands and share the gospel with them. It didn’t always go well.

One of the men—Eddie, who lived in Hawaii—had been especially cruel to my mom. He once knocked my mother unconscious with a statue. When I saw her lying on the floor, bleeding profusely, I thought she was dead. Needless to say, I had a very hard heart toward this man even after I was an adult.

But when I was in Hawaii preaching, I felt directed by the Lord to go meet with him. It was obvious that he wasn’t doing well. He lived in a tiny apartment, and he was in great pain. I told him what Christ had done for me, how He had changed me, and I invited him to come and hear me speak. He said no. He wanted nothing to do with the gospel message.

On the other hand, I also had an opportunity to talk to a man I loved. His name was Oscar Laurie. He had adopted me and treated me as a father should treat a son. But my mom left him. Years later, I sought him out too. I visited him and his wife, Barbara, in New Jersey. Over a delicious Italian dinner in their home, Barbara said, “Greg, tell me how you became a Christian and then a minister.”

As I shared my story, Oscar just stared at me. He was a retired attorney, and I felt as though I was standing before a judge giving my testimony. When I finished, he simply said, “Greg, let’s walk in the morning.”

During that walk, he said, “Greg, I was listening very carefully to what you said last night. And I would like to give my life to Jesus Christ.” He dropped to his knees in the middle of a park and prayed.

I can’t tell you for sure what happened in the lives of all the men I shared the gospel. That’s God’s department. My job was to plant the seeds. God is the One who nurtures them and causes them to grow. But to plant those seeds, I had to reach out to people who caused pain and chaos in my life.

Jesus knew how difficult it would be for His followers to obey His instructions in Luke 6:27–28: “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you” (NLT).

But He also knew that extraordinary things happen when we do.

Revival happens.

 

Reflection question: How can you share the gospel with someone you would rather avoid? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

Join Greg Laurie for the Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate's Cove on July 18.

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