“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33 NLT)

A man was out driving in the country during a heavy rainstorm when he came across an old farmer who was surveying the ruins of his barn. The man pulled over and asked the farmer what happened.

“Roof fell in,” the farmer replied.

“What happened with it? Why did it fall in?” asked the stranger.

“It leaked so long, it just finally rotted through,” the farmer said.

“Why in the world didn’t you fix it before it rotted through?”

“Well, sir,” said the farmer, “I just never got around to it. When the weather was good, there wasn’t a need for it. And when it rained, it was just too wet to work on.”

Isn’t it amazing that when you want to do something, you somehow manage to find the time, no matter how busy you are? But when someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do, suddenly, there is just no room in the schedule.

This can happen when it comes to the Christian life as well. If we are serving God only when it’s convenient, then we’re settling for second best. Not only that, but we’re also keeping God at arm’s length. We’re settling for a less-than-best relationship with Him. If we make time for the things of God only until something better comes along, then we’re missing out on what God wants to do in our lives.

How much better it is to make time for the things of God—to put them above everything else. How much better it is to get your priorities right. Instead of making excuses, make time for the Lord. It’s not only the simple way to live, but it’s also the best way.

Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT). That’s an amazing promise. And it shows just how much God desires a personal relationship with us.

When we drift away from God, it’s because we start to believe that we need certain other things in our lives. Those things may include earthly success, wealth, possessions, hobbies, or habits. So, we pursue them with a passion. We convince ourselves that they will bring us joy, give us a sense of accomplishment or fulfillment, or fill whatever emptiness we have inside us.

And, like the farmer, we neglect the things that truly matter. And, also like the farmer, we run the risk of rot—spiritual rot.

God, in His mercy, says, “If you will prioritize your relationship with Me, if you will close the distance between us by putting Me first, I will help you see what you truly need. I’ll help you remove the rot and strengthen you inside.”

What an amazing offer! And it all begins with a priority shift.

Reflection question: What would seeking the Kingdom of God above all else look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.” (Luke 8:14 NLT)

I’ve always been amazed by weeds. You can take a little flower, plant it in the perfect location, water it, and make sure that there are no pests to threaten it. You can do everything possible for that flower, and it will slowly grow. But then, in the same amount of time, a weed can spring up and choke out the flower.

The weed doesn’t suddenly burst out of the ground, grab the flower, and start shaking it. The process is gradual. First, the weed appears in the vicinity of the flower. The next day, the weed grows a little closer. And on it goes until the weed starts to wrap itself around the flower and choke out its growth.

That is what Jesus was describing in the parable of the sower when He said, “The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity” (Luke 8:14 NLT). The “cares and riches and pleasures of this life” are the weeds that choke our spiritual growth. As with the weeds in nature, the process doesn’t happen overnight; it happens over time.

Also, as with weeds in nature, the “cares and riches and pleasures of life” aren’t always immediately identifiable as weeds. In fact, the things that prevent the seed of God’s Word from maturing and producing fruit in our lives aren’t necessarily bad things in and of themselves. Some are good things that become the most important things and choke out the spiritual things. They also create distance between us and God.

The picture that Jesus paints in His parable is not one of someone who says they don’t want to pray, read the Bible, or go to church. Rather, it’s someone who thinks those are good things to do. But over time, they start losing interest, and the things of this world become more important to them than the things of the next world. That’s what chokes them out spiritually and causes them to feel distant from God.

It’s essential, then, that we examine our priorities frequently. Not our idealized priorities, the things we say are important to us, but our actual priorities, the things that get the lion’s share of our time, energy, and interest.

Jesus said, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Luke 12:34 NLT). God wants you to treasure the things that are truly important. The things that will last for eternity. The things that bring genuine joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment. God wants your heart. If you give Him that, He will give more than you can possibly imagine in return.

Reflection question: How can you make sure that the things of this world don’t choke out the things of God in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25 NLT)

On more than one occasion, the Bible compares Christians to sheep. I don’t know if I’m really happy about that because sheep aren’t the most intelligent animals on earth. It would have been nice if God had compared us to dolphins. Now, there’s an intelligent animal. I once had the opportunity to talk to a man who trained dolphins. I asked him, “Are dolphins really as intelligent as they seem?”

He said, “In some ways, yes, and in some ways, no. They are very intelligent in many ways because a dolphin can read a symbol and understand what it means.” That is amazing to me.

But Jesus didn’t compare us to dolphins. He compared us to sheep. And sheep are some of the stupidest animals around. They are vulnerable, easily spooked, can’t run very fast, and lack any means of defending themselves. What’s more, they are in constant need of care and attention. Sheep are known to follow each other even to their own death. It has been documented that if one sheep walks off a cliff, others will follow.

The Bible says, “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own” (Isaiah 53:6 NLT). And, you have to admit, that description hits pretty close to home. Think about how many people have bought into the same lies, generation after generation. They fall into the same junk, the same addictions, and the same traps again and again. If we’re honest with ourselves, we must admit that we are strayers. We put distance between ourselves and God.

Of course, our Shepherd will not stand idly by while we get lost following our own path. Jesus makes that clear in His parable of the lost sheep. “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep’” (Luke 15:4–6 NLT).

Psalm 23, one of the best-known passages in all of Scripture, reminds us that there are advantages to being sheep. “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name” (verses 1–3 NLT).

We are like sheep. There’s no getting around that. The question is, are you going to be a smart sheep or a dumb one? Smart sheep stay close to the Shepherd. And that’s where we all need to be.

Reflection question: What might cause you to stray from Jesus? 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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“Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.” (Matthew 24:35 NLT)

One reason believers may start to feel shaky in their relationship with God is that they haven’t built a solid foundation for their lives. So, when circumstances threaten their well-being, they don’t always know where to turn. And that leaves them feeling distant from the Lord.

Where will you turn in a time of crisis? When tragedy hits? When disaster strikes? Will it be your favorite website? The morning newspaper? The evening news? You’ll need something to give you strength and direction in your time of despair. Here’s a tip: You won’t find a better resource than the Word of God.

As one pastor said, “One gem from that ocean is worth all the pebbles of earthly streams.” Just a single gem from the ocean of God’s Word can make all the difference when tragedy or hardship strikes. How many people in their affliction have found comfort from Scripture?

Trusting in what God has said in His Word can sustain us and give us direction, hope, and comfort when we need them most. Inspirational platitudes or clever sayings won’t help—at least, not for very long—but the Word of God always will. It’s been said that those who reject the Bible have nothing to live by. Neither do they have anything to die by.

Ideas and philosophies go in and out of style with the passing of years, but the Word of God never goes out of style. It never goes out of date, unlike this morning’s news. The Word of God will always be relevant.

That’s why C. S. Lewis said, “All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” And it’s why Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear” (Matthew 24:35 NLT).

Jesus emphasized the importance of having a solid foundation grounded in God’s truth in His parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24–27. The wise man built his house on the rock. When the rains came, when the storms of life threatened his well-being, it did not fall. The structure may have been shaken to its core, but it withstood everything that was thrown at it. Because it had a strong foundation.

The foolish man, on the other hand, built his house on sand. He didn’t prioritize a strong foundation. When the rains came, his house collapsed with a great crash.

I urge you to get a good foundation in God’s Word because it’s only a matter of time until the storms of life rain down on you and hardship strikes. It happens in every life, without exception. But if you have a good foundation in the Word of God, then you’ll be ready for difficulty when it comes. Don’t wait until then to try to catch up.

Get that foundation now.

Reflection question: What are some of the biblical truths, promises, priorities, and commands that make up a solid foundation for life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)

Feeling distant from God is not a unique experience. At some point in their lives, all believers—including the heroes of the faith in the Bible—experience it. Jesus Himself cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 NLT).

In this week’s devotions, we’re going to look at ways to close the distance between us and God. We’re going to start by looking at the personal baggage that keeps us from reaching our God-given potential and experiencing the kind of relationship with God that He desires.

I’m the kind of person who likes to drag a lot of stuff with me when I travel. It isn’t that I’m a rookie traveler. Not at all! I’ve traveled all over the world for many years. Yet I still overpack. You’d think that I would have learned my lesson by now. But no, I still want to drag along almost everything I own—even though I know that excess baggage makes traveling more hassled, complicated, and expensive.

In the same way, when we’re running the race of life, we need to travel light. Sometimes we tend to drag along a lot of excess weight. The author of Hebrews wrote, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 NLT).

Sin is sin, and it will always trip us up and cause us to fall. But there might also be other weights in our lives—weights that aren’t necessarily sins, but nevertheless trouble us, slow us down, and impede our spiritual progress. These weights might include such things as certain habits, misplaced priorities, or seemingly harmless distractions. Often, they weigh us down without our realizing it.

That’s why I periodically take stock of my life as a Christian and look at the things I’m doing with my time. I ask myself questions such as, “Is it a wing or a weight? Is it speeding me on my way spiritually, or is it slowing me down? Is it increasing my spiritual appetite, or is it dulling it?”

Often, we allow ourselves to become busy doing a lot of things that aren’t really all that important. They just seem important at the time. We must ask ourselves if we need to do those things. Are they slowing us down? Are they keeping us from running the race God has given us?

Lay aside the weight and the sin that hinder your progress, and see how the Christian life changes for you.

Reflection question: What are some things that might slow you down, spiritually speaking? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:1–2 NLT)

Over the past two weeks, we’ve looked at several Old Testament characters. In Hebrews 12:1–2, the significance of their lives, their experiences, their struggles, their victories, and their testimonies is brought home to us. One chapter earlier, the author of Hebrews recapped many of their stories in what’s often called the “Faith Hall of Fame.”

The placement of the exhortation in Hebrews 12:1–2 seems to suggest that these “hall of famers,” these heroes of the faith—Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, David, Daniel, and others—take a rooting interest in our spiritual race. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” (NLT).

These people of faith who went before us gave us models to follow so that we might live and exercise our faith as they did. Reading about the lives of these men and women who walked with God and trusted Christ and stood strong in the face of trials and persecutions can add steel to our souls.

But they didn’t just give us templates to follow. They are also observing us and taking note of our progress in the faith. This “crowd of witnesses” is watching us and cheering us on, if you will.

That’s just one interpretation of the passage, of course. We don’t know for certain that there are heavenly grandstands where people monitor the progress of loved ones living out their lives on earth. But it wouldn’t surprise me if that were true. I do, however, know this much: We are in the race of our lives on earth, and none of us knows how long it will last. So, we must make the most of it. We must live our lives to please not the bystanders but the Lord Himself. We must make decisions and interact with others in ways that honor and pique curiosity about Him. We must leave a legacy that inspires other believers—the ones we will cheer on when we join the crowd of witnesses.

Reflection question: How does knowing that you have a crowd of witnesses impact your Christian race? 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."

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

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“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11 NLT)

It’s not unusual for even the most spiritual people to have days of doubt. Moses, on one occasion at least, was overwhelmed by his circumstances. After he had listened to the constant complaining of the children of Israel, he said to the Lord, “I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” (Numbers 11:14–15 NLT).

Elijah, after his contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, heard that Jezebel had put a contract out on his life. He was overwhelmed by his circumstances, discouraged, uncertain, and filled with doubt. First Kings 19:3–4 says, “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died’” (NLT).

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah struggled occasionally, too. He was ridiculed and harassed for sharing the Word of God—so much so that he wanted to stop. He prayed, “O Lord, you misled me, and I allowed myself to be misled. You are stronger than I am, and you overpowered me. Now I am mocked every day; everyone laughs at me. When I speak, the words burst out. ‘Violence and destruction!’ I shout. So these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke. But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” (Jeremiah 20:7–9 NLT).

Even the great apostle Paul had moments when he was discouraged. He wrote to the church at Corinth, “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it” (2 Corinthians 1:8 NLT).

So, if you struggle with doubt, uncertainty, anxiety, or depression, you’re in good company. And, like the heroes of the faith, you need to be reminded that we can’t always see the big picture of God’s plan. But we can echo the words of the psalmist who said, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11 NLT).

Remember: We can always trust God’s heart, even when we can’t trace His path.

Reflection question: How will you respond when doubt, anxiety, or depression threaten to overwhelm you? 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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“Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.’” (Romans 4:1–3 NLT)

The Bible doesn’t teach that if you’re a Christian, you’ll never stumble or periodically fall short. But it does teach that if you’re a true believer, when you’ve had a lapse or a stumble, you will always get up and move forward. That’s the way to determine whether a person is really a believer or not.

When God came to Abraham in Ur and told him to break away from his family, Abraham basically refused and didn’t go for years. Even after he left, he only partially obeyed God by dragging his nephew Lot along. This only resulted in more friction down the road, when he and Lot eventually parted company.

Abraham told his beautiful wife, Sarah, to say that she was his sister because he was afraid someone would kill him if they realized he was indeed her husband. He did that on two occasions.

After God promised him a son—an heir to continue his lineage—Abraham tried to force the Lord’s hand by fathering a child with Sarah’s handmaiden, Hagar. That decision resulted in immeasurable heartache and strife.

These were just a few of the lapses of faith and acts of disobedience that marked Abraham’s life. It’s important to note, however, that although Abraham deviated from God’s path on occasion, he always came back. He never drifted too far from the One who made a covenant with him. That’s why the apostle Paul wrote, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith” (Romans 4:3 NLT).

No stumble is too great, no fall is too steep, to recover from. First John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (NLT). Acts 3:19 says, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away” (NLT). When you turn to God and away from the sin that caused you to stumble, you regain your forward momentum on the right path, just as Abraham did time and time again.

If a person says he or she is a believer and falls away and never comes back, then that person is not a believer. The apostle John put it this way: “When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us” (1 John 2:19 NLT). But if a person is a true believer, then he or she will be miserable in sin and eventually will beat a quick path back to the cross of Calvary.

Reflection question: What does moving forward after a spiritual fall look like in your 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."

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

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

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