Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3 NKJV)   Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount with these words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3 NKJV). The word translated as poor comes from a verb that means “to shrink, cower, or cringe.” It describes a...

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the hou...

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’   But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.” (Matthew 5:21...

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:10 NLT)   The great preacher John Wesley was riding his horse one day when he realized that three days had passed since he’d been persecuted in any way. In that time, not a single brick had been thrown in his direction. He’d not been hit by even a single egg. He stop...

“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:44 NLT)   In this week’s devotions, we’re going to focus on one of the most beloved and most challenging passages in all of Scripture: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Specifically, we’re going to look at some of the people Jesus singled out. And we’re going to start with enemies....

“But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishin...

“Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.” (Psalm 19:9 NLT)   Our customization culture tells us that we can have just about anything, exactly as we want it, as long as we’re willing to shell out the necessary dough. Unfortunately, many people try to carry that sense of privilege into their spiritua...

“Then the LORD spoke to Jonah a second time:  ‘ Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.’” (Jonah 3:1–2 NLT)   Most believers have reasons not to evangelize. Some of these reasons might even seem compelling or legitimate. “I don’t want to make the friendship weird or awkward.” “I&...

“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)   The arithmeti...

“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27–28 NLT)   One of the biggest obstacles many people face when it comes to e...

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.’ So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of...

“I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.   Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.   Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.   I have traveled on many long journeys. I have...

“So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.” (2 Cor...

“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’” (2 Corinthians 9:6–7 NLT)   If you ask people to list the top...

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:3&nda...

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.   Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For wh...

“I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.” (2 Corinthians 12:2–...

“If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:12–13 NLT)   Years ago, I had a close encounter with a giant....

“After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:24–26 NLT)   When we lose a loved one, there’s a time and place for mourning. The depth of our...

“When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.   I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:22–23 NLT)   Our world today is full of religious people, but many of them shy away from using that...

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT)   The apostle Paul worked with and mentored some incredible people of faith, including Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, the Gospel writers Mark and Luke, Priscilla and Aquila, Titus, and Lydia. Talk about an all-star discipleship team! But as we saw in an earlier devotion,...

“It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:7–9 N...

“Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, ‘The two are united into one.’” (1 Corinthians 6:15–16 NLT)   In this week&rs...

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:19–21 NLT)   “Heaven on earth” is a well-w...

“But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Isaiah 54:17 NLT)   In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus makes a fascinating statement that some have misunderstood. Speaking of believers, He says,...