“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NLT)

One of the great blessings of being a Christian is that God gives us second chances. He knows that we’re not perfect. He knows that we’re prone to giving in to temptation, allowing our emotions to get the better of us, and acting in ways that cause people to question our commitment to Christ. Even so, He gives us the opportunity to put our sin behind us—even when we’ve failed miserably. God allows us to turn things around dramatically and start anew.

But when it comes to second chances, we have a choice in the matter as well. God stands willing to forgive, but we must approach Him. So when we sin, we have two ways to address it. We can confess it to God, ask His forgiveness, turn away from it, and experience the joy of His forgiveness. Or we can try to conceal our sin, refuse to admit guilt, and experience the consequences and repercussions of our wrongdoing.

In the book of Deuteronomy, God posed a challenge to His people. He said, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life” (30:19–20 NLT).

It’s amazing that some of those people, after hearing God’s challenge, consciously chose death. And it’s even more amazing that people today still choose death. You see, choosing death is essentially what we do when we choose to go against God and His Word.

Jesus said of His followers, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). That’s the life you chose when you received Jesus as Savior and Lord. But the key to enjoying a rich and satisfying life is obedience.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 28:13, “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy” (NLT). You can’t cover your sin. You can’t run from it. There is only one way to get rid of your sin and obtain true life. It’s at the cross of Jesus Christ. The choice is yours. Choose life.

Reflection question: What would turning from a specific sin look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 NLT)

A Sunday school teacher gave the kids in her class an assignment to write down any questions they had for God. Here are some of the questions, comments, and suggestions they came up with:

Dear God, did You mean for the giraffe to look like that, or was it an accident?

Dear God, I like the Lord’s Prayer best of all. Did You have to write it a lot, or did You get it right the first time? I have to write everything over and over again.

Dear God, thank You for my baby brother You gave to us, but what I prayed for was a puppy.

Dear God, how come You haven’t invented any new animals lately? We still have just the old ones.

Dear God, I bet it is very hard for You to love everybody in the whole world. There are only four people in my family, and I just can’t do it.

Dear God, in school we read that Thomas Edison made light, but in Sunday school, they said that You made it. I bet he stole Your idea.

If you’re new to the Christian faith, you may have your own questions, comments, or suggestions for God. (And if you’ve been a Christian for most of your life, you probably still have questions, comments, or suggestions for God.) The questions may be tough. They may seem impolite. They may suggest a lack of faith on your part.

Ask them anyway.

That’s what the psalmists did. Look at Psalm 10:1 above. Those pointed questions are heartfelt cries. And God responds to our heartfelt cries—not with anger or punishment for questioning Him, but with compassion and understanding. He gives us wisdom and peace. He opens our eyes to spiritual truths we can’t see on our own.

Few people in Scripture were closer to God than David, the shepherd who killed Goliath and later became king of Israel. First Samuel 13:14 describes David as “a man after God’s own heart.” Yet look what he wrote in Psalm 13:1–2: “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?” (NLT). He poured out his soul to God because he knew God would see his questions for what they were: genuine attempts to understand God and His will.

The apostle James offered this advice: “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:5–6 NLT).

God welcomes your questions because the more answers you receive, the stronger your faith will grow.

Reflection question: What questions would you like to ask God? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” (Ephesians 1:11 NLT)

When I was growing up, I moved a lot because my mom was married and divorced seven times. We lived all over the country. Because I was always switching schools, more people knew me by the title “new kid” than by my name. I can’t remember how many times I had to stand in front of a class of kids who all knew each other while the teacher introduced me. Few things are as humiliating and lonely as being put on display for everyone to inspect and judge.

In high school, because I wasn’t the most athletically inclined kid, I was often the last person chosen for a team. “Who wants Laurie?” “I don’t want him; you take him.” I would get picked for first base—not to play first base, but to be first base, you see.

I’m not telling you this so that you’ll feel sorry for me. I’m just pointing out that I know what it’s like to be isolated from others. I’ve felt the sting of not belonging or not being wanted. Maybe you’ve felt it, too.

If you’ve recently made a decision to follow Christ, you may be feeling isolated and alone now. The apostle Paul wrote, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). That’s an amazing promise, but if the old life is all you know, you may be feeling like a new kid in front of the class.

If so, there are a few things you need to know. First, you are very much wanted. As Paul makes clear in Ephesians 1:11 above, God has chosen you. He wants you on His team.

Second, not only has God chosen you, but He also cares about your well-being. Psalm 33:18 says, “But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love” (NLT).

Third, God will bring spiritual allies, friends, and mentors into your orbit. Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (NLT). This is fellowship, one of God’s awesome gifts.

Fellowship is much more than superficial conversations on Sunday mornings. God intends for believers to live in community with one another. That means investing yourself in the lives of others and allowing others to invest themselves in your life. Fellowship involves serving together, worshiping together, encouraging one another, challenging one another, holding one another accountable, and embracing your responsibilities to one another.

Whether you’re celebrating, mourning, or simply enduring, you need never face a season of life alone. God makes sure of that.

Reflection question: How can you become a spiritual ally to a fellow believer? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:41–42 NLT)

If your aim is to experience genuine revival in your spiritual life, in addition to being an ambassador for Christ and a neighbor like Christ, you must also be a worshiper of Christ. That’s the third ministry role found in Luke 10.

Some believers make the mistake of allowing their work for God to overshadow their worship of God. They convince themselves that what they say or do is indispensable to God’s kingdom. That their ministry is vital to the success of the Christian faith. That God needs them.

Newsflash: God doesn’t need us.

Another newsflash: Everything that believers do must emanate from our worship of God. Worship is the source of our power and effectiveness, so it must be our top priority.

If it isn’t, we will not burn bright for Christ. We won’t feel a sense of revival. Instead, we’ll find ourselves burning out. We can’t give out what we don’t possess. We can’t take people any further than we’ve gone ourselves.

We see this principle played out in the story of Jesus’ visit to the house of his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Luke 10. Storm clouds were looming large in the life of the Lord. In fact, He was on His way to Jerusalem to be crucified. Before that happened, He wanted to talk about the coming changes with His friends. This was an important evening.

Martha’s instinct was to prepare a good meal for Jesus—to stay busy doing things for Him. Mary, on the other hand, “sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught” (Luke 10:39 NLT). Martha saw obligation; Mary saw opportunity. The Creator of the universe, in human form, was sitting in her house, revealing life-changing spiritual truths. As far as Mary was concerned, washing dishes and setting the table could wait. Her priority was to spend as much time as possible in Jesus’ presence.

Martha grew annoyed with Mary for not joining her in her busy work. She took her complaint to Jesus. “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me” (verse 40 NLT).

Jesus helped her see where her priorities were out of order. “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (verses 41–42 NLT).

There’s a time for work and a time for worship. Martha’s mistake was offering activity instead of adoration, perspiration instead of inspiration, and work instead of worship. She didn’t realize that Jesus preferred her company over her service in that situation. He wanted her fellowship and companionship more than He wanted a meal.

There are countless ways to serve Jesus, but our worship must come first. That’s where our spiritual power and energy come from. That’s where revival begins. What we do with Christ is far more important than what we do for Christ.

Reflection question: What can you do to revitalize your Christian worship? 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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“‘Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?’ Jesus asked.

The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’

Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same.’” (Luke 10:36–37 NLT)

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In our last devotion, we looked at one role of ministry that’s key to personal revival: being an ambassador for Christ. Today, we’re going to look at a second role of ministry, also from Luke 10: being a neighbor like Jesus.

The great evangelist D. L. Moody once attended a conference on reaching the lost world. Soon, however, he grew frustrated with the proceedings because nothing was being accomplished. None of the attendees had come up with any viable strategies for reaching the lost. Moody, a man of action, decided to make a point. He instructed his song leader, Ira Sankey, to meet him at a certain street corner at 6 PM.

At the appointed time, Moody placed a little box on the sidewalk and said to Sankey, “Get up there and start singing.”

Sankey had an incredible voice, and soon a crowd gathered to listen to him. When he finished, Moody preached for a few moments. Then he said to the crowd, “I want you to go with me down to the civic auditorium, and I am going to tell you more.” The civic auditorium was where the conference was being held.

The conference attendees had left for dinner. Moody led the crowd into the auditorium and started preaching. The place was full. When the attendees returned, Moody stopped preaching and said, “We have to close our meeting because our brothers are here at the conference to talk about how to reach the masses. So let’s all go.” He made his point. You guys can talk about it all day long, but this is how you do it.

Moody’s emphasis on “doing” echoed Jesus’ message in the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10. In the parable, a Jewish man is robbed, beaten, and left for dead beside a road. Three travelers encounter the severely injured man. The first is a priest, probably coming from the temple. The second is a temple assistant. Both are well-respected in the religious community. Neither lift a finger to help.

The third man is a Samaritan. In Jesus’ day, Jewish people hated Samaritans. They considered Samaritans to be a racially impure and inferior people. Yet it’s the Samaritan who stops to help the man. Not just to offer his thoughts and prayers, but to tend to his wounds, transport him to a nearby inn, and pay for weeks of care.

Jesus concluded the parable with a pointed question: “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” (Luke 10:36 NLT). The answer is obvious, of course, but the lesson is lost on many people today.

Being a neighbor like Jesus has nothing to do with geographic or social common ground. It has everything to do with getting involved in the lives of other people, meeting their needs, and showing them grace and mercy. Being a neighbor like Jesus means sacrificing our time, energy, and financial resources for the sake of others. Your neighborhood is as large as you choose to make it.

Reflection question: What would being a neighbor like Jesus look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’” (Luke 10:1–2 NLT)

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A spiritual revival often begins with a sense of dissatisfaction, a realization that something is missing in your life. Have you experienced that?

Maybe you’ve wondered what to do with your life. Maybe you’re middle-aged or getting on a little bit in years. You’re looking at the course that your life is taking and asking, “Is this really where I want to go?” Maybe you’ve reached some of the goals you set for yourself. You’ve had a certain level of success, but still feel like your life is lacking some meaning and purpose. Maybe you’re a young person asking, “What am I going to do? What should I be spending my life on?”

None of us wants to squander our lives in pursuit of nothing. We want to find purpose and meaning. We want to pursue something noble. But what does that mean? And how should that pursuit impact the way we live our lives?

In terms of revival, we might ask how we can tap into something deeper, more vibrant in our Christian faith. The answers to these questions are found in Luke 10, which highlights three roles that every follower of Jesus Christ should fill. In today’s devotion, we’ll look at the first role: ambassador. Believers must be ambassadors for Christ. We must represent Him and His message to the world. We must live in a way that reflects Him so that when people look at us, they see Him.

In Luke 10, we find Jesus at a crucial point in His life and ministry. His time in Galilee had come to an end, and He was beginning the slow journey to Jerusalem that would culminate in His crucifixion. To prepare the way, He selected 72 disciples to go ahead of Him to the areas He would be visiting.

This was a critical opportunity, and He wanted His disciples to make the most of it. If you’ve made the decision to follow Jesus, you have critical opportunities, too. Opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus. Opportunities to talk about your own journey to faith. Opportunities to introduce others to the life-changing wisdom of God’s Word.

You have no way of knowing where and when you’ll find “open doors”— people who are especially receptive to your message because of the circumstances of their lives. But you need to understand that open doors may not stay that way for long. You must be prepared to seize every opportunity. That’s what it means to be an ambassador for Christ.

Look at Luke 10:2 again. Jesus didn’t say He needed spectators or critics; He said He needed workers, people willing to step out of their comfort zones and risk rejection for something infinitely more important than comfort and acceptance.

Your work as an ambassador won’t go unnoticed. Proverbs 11:25 says, “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (NLT). That’s how personal revival works.

Reflection question: What would being an ambassador for Christ look like 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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“Then he told John’s disciples, ‘Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.’ And he added, ‘God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.’” (Luke 7:22–23 NLT)

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John the Baptist was a forerunner of Jesus. He prepared people for Jesus’ arrival. He also confronted Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for his immorality. That landed John in prison, where he began to struggle with his faith. Specifically, John began to doubt who Jesus was. Like many people of that time, John probably thought Jesus, the Messiah, was going to overthrow the Roman government and establish His kingdom immediately. When no such thing happened, John’s doubt got the better of him. He sent a message to Jesus, asking, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Luke 7:20 NLT). John’s faith didn’t falter because God had failed him. He doubted because he failed to understand God’s purpose and plan.

Many believers today struggle for the same reason. Our faith falters not because God has been inconsistent or unfaithful, or because God has broken His promises. We experience lapses of faith because we have a false perception of what God is supposed to accomplish. Our expectations of Him are built on misconceptions and misguided thinking. We offer our prayers to Him and expect Him to answer with exact precision. And when God doesn’t come through like we asked Him to, we—like John—may start to doubt who God is.

This is especially true if you’re experiencing—or want to experience—a rejuvenation in your relationship with Christ. If the devil starts to see spiritual embers catching fire in your life, he will do his best to extinguish them. One of his most effective strategies is to throw the cold water of doubt on them.

John the Baptist made a spiritual mistake by not fully recognizing or understanding God’s will. But even in the depths of his doubt, he did something very, very wise: He looked to Jesus for an answer. He didn’t try to sugarcoat his struggle. He asked Jesus point-blank, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Luke 7:20 NLT).

Look closely at Jesus’ reply in Luke 7:22–23 above. He wasn’t offended by John’s question. He didn’t condemn John for his lapse in faith. And He didn’t say, “Just believe—or else!” Instead, He pointed to verifiable evidence: “The blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life” (Luke 7:22 NLT). Jesus didn’t give John a reprimand for his doubt; He gave him the hope and assurance he needed.

If you struggle with a lapse of faith as John the Baptist did, don’t despair. Rethink your expectations. Take your doubts straight to Jesus. Ask Him to help you understand His purpose and His plan. When you open your heart to His truth, you’ll find that it far exceeds your greatest hopes and dreams.

Reflection question: In what areas and in what situations are you most vulnerable to spiritual doubts? 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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“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (Romans 5:1–2 NLT)

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When we come to Christ, He not only forgives us of our sin, but He also justifies us. The apostle Paul explained justification in his letter to the Romans: “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1 NLT).

Salvation has to do with what takes place in believers’ hearts, but justification has to do with our standing before God. In salvation, God gives us new life, but justification goes beyond that. When God justifies us, He declares us righteous in His sight. “Just-as-if-I’d never sinned” is one way the word justified has been explained. God not only forgives us, but He sees us as if we had never sinned. He removes our sin, and in its position, He places the perfect righteousness of Christ.

That’s a difficult concept for a lot of people to grasp. Our human instinct is to remember those who wronged us. We elevate holding grudges to an art form. We like to throw around phrases like, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

The Bible makes it clear, though, that God has a different way of looking at things. As far as He’s concerned, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross—the blood He shed there—covers our sins. The apostle John put it this way: “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NLT). The author of Hebrews wrote, “For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22 NLT). And the apostle Paul wrote, “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them” (Romans 4:7–8 NIV).

When God looks at believers, He doesn’t see people who have failed Him time and time again. Instead, He sees His Son. And He made His feelings about His Son quite clear in Matthew 3:17: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (NIV).

Sometimes we allow our sins to linger in our consciousness long after they’ve been forgiven. They live rent-free in our heads, messing with our self-esteem. In extreme cases, they can play havoc with our spiritual and emotional health. That’s why it’s important to see ourselves as God sees us.

Imagine that your checking account is overdrawn, and you owe your bank thousands of dollars. Not knowing what else to do, you go to the ATM, enter your PIN, and discover that you have a balance of five million dollars. Best of all, it’s a legitimate transaction! You did nothing to earn it, but the windfall is yours.

God has done something much more meaningful for those who believe in Christ. He has given us righteousness. He has made us justified.

Reflection question: How would you explain justification to someone who’s struggling with guilt? 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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