WORDDEVO: "The Weekly Word with Greg Laurie" [11-25 thru 12-2] DEVOTIONALS

 

Seven Days of Devotion

The Weekly Word is a Collection of Devotionals to be read on the Day Listed and presented freely as a service to and for the Body of Christ and Believers throughout the World that We may Hear God Speak to us as the Spirit of God gives us ears to hear and eyes to see what God would have for us daily in relationship to Him.

God's Ministering Spirits

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people." 
—Acts 12:11

The Old and New Testament contain at least 300 references to angels. Everywhere in Scripture, we see examples of angels at work. Story after story tells us about the work of angels.

When Peter was arrested for preaching the gospel, the first-century church prayed. And in answer to their prayers, God dispatched an angel to deliver Peter, who was in such deep sleep, the Bible tells us, that the angel had to strike him to wake him up. The chains fell off his wrists, the prison door opened automatically, and Peter walked out.

Often when we pray, it might be an angel who is actually dispatched to help bring about the answer to our prayers. Angels straddle both heaven and earth, and it would appear that although they are created beings, they never die. Jesus said of people who have gone on to heaven, "Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" (Luke 20:36).

And as Hebrews 1:14 tells us, angels have a special work they do in the lives of believers: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" Generally we don't know what angels are doing and when they are doing it. They are sort of like an elite fighting force: they are dispatched on a mission, they go in, they take care of business, and we are never aware of it.

As Billy Graham put it, angels are God's secret agents. They are His ministering servants, protecting, delivering, and sometimes guiding. You don't know it is them. You don't need to engage them. You don't need to try and communicate with them. They are simply doing the work that God has called them to do. 

 

 

MONDAY

 

Stay Alert!

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 
—1 Peter 5:8

You have probably seen it on television at one time or another: some lions are hanging out, soaking in the rays, when along come the antelope. You can almost read the lions' thoughts as they size them up: Let's see, which one are we going to eat today? There is usually that lone antelope lagging behind all the rest by about 20 feet or so. That one looks like lion lunch. So the next thing you see is a lion covering an amazing amount of ground in a matter of seconds. And once the big cat sinks his claws into his prey and drags it down, you know it is all over for that antelope.

If you have ever watched a scene like this one, then you have an idea of how the devil operates. The Bible describes him as a "roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). This hungry beast of prey is looking for his next meal, and he is ready to pounce.

In Job, we read how the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan was among them. God directed His remarks to the devil himself and asked, "Where have you come from?" (Job 1:6). And Satan answered, "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on" (verse 7).

He is checking everything out. He is watching. He is looking for vulnerability, weakness. He is looking for his next prey to bring down. That is his basic agenda. And the devil never takes a vacation. He doesn't take a month off, a week off, a day off, or even an hour off. He never takes a moment off. He is always busy with his well-organized network of demon powers that is helping him accomplish his purposes.

 

 

TUESDAY

The End Game

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 
—John 10:10

Have you ever wondered why things are as spiritually and morally dark as they are? It is because there is a mastermind behind it all that goes deeper than one's politics or worldview. I am talking about a spirit power that infiltrates culture, that infiltrates government, and that infiltrates lives. It is the prince of the power of the air—that is who Satan is. And he leads a lot of people down his path through the basest of temptations.

 

He has gotten a lot of mileage out of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. I am amazed how generation after generation goes after this one hook, line, and sinker. Young kids today are out there doing the same stupid things that we did when we were kids. The sad thing is that when they get older, their kids probably will follow in their footsteps, as though they are the only generation that has ever discovered these things.

 

I gave my life to Jesus Christ at the age of 17 and went a different direction. But I know of friends that I went to high school with who have stayed in the same lifestyle they had back then. And when I have reconnected with some of them, it is obvious to me how the world has chewed them up and spit them out. Some are into their third and fourth marriages. Some have substance abuse problems.

 

I have felt like saying, "Well, was it worth it? Was it a good ride?"

 

The end game of the devil is to steal, kill, and destroy. He may come with an enticing temptation. He may come with something dazzling that might even have an element of enjoyment in it at the beginning. But his end game, his ultimate goal, is to steal, kill, and destroy.

 

 

WEDNESDAY

The Good in Guilt

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the Lord's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child."
—Hebrews 12:5-6

Did you know that guilt can be good? Guilt means that your conscience is working. The time to be concerned is when you don't feel guilt, when you can sin against God again and again and feel no remorse or sense of wrongdoing. Hebrews 12:6 says, "The Lord discipline those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." If you are a believer—one of His sons or daughters—and you go astray, the Holy Spirit will convict you of your sin. He will call you on it, because He loves you. He will reprove you, just like a father reproves his child.

God disciplines His own children. So if you can do things that you know are wrong and don't feel remorse about it, then I have to wonder whether you are a child of God. But if you feel busted and come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit the moment you cross the line, then that is good. The Holy Spirit is working.

But we also need to know the difference between the Holy Spirit's conviction and the devil's accusations. The devil always will try to keep you from the cross, while the Holy Spirit always will bring you to it. When you know you have sinned, the devil says, "Run! Don't go to God!" He will try to drive you away into despair.

But the Holy Spirit says, "Repent—now." So that is what you need to do. Ask for God's forgiveness. And once you have, don't keep going over and over it again. You should not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget. God has a big eraser. And if He has used it your life, then be thankful that your sin is not only forgiven, but it is forgotten.

 

 

THURSDAY 

You may have seen the article in the Christian Post on my message from last Sunday at Harvest. This touches on some of the things I addressed, but there is a lot more as well.

I look forward to seeing you tonight.

In case you missed it, here is the article:

Calif. Pastor Weighs in on Abortion, Homosexuality, Woods’ Buddhism

Southern California pastor Greg Laurie took on some “hot button” issues from the pulpit on Sunday, covering everything from capital punishment and homosexuality to Tiger Woods’ apology.

Commenting on the professed faith of pro golfer Woods, he stated, “Here’s the problem with Buddhism: they don’t believe in a personal God that is there to forgive a person.”

He cited Stephen Prothero, a Boston University professor on Buddhism, who said that in the Buddhist tradition “no matter what Woods says or does, he is going to have to pay for whatever wrongs he’s done.”

“There’s no accountant in the sky wiping sins off your balance sheet, like there is in Christianity.”

Woods on Friday confessed to serial infidelity and said he’ll return to the Buddhist teachings that he drifted away from as he tries to regain his balance on life.

Buddhism, however, does not offer forgiveness, Laurie pointed out. But “Christianity says there is a personal God there to forgive you who sent His son to die on the cross and pay the price for your sins so you can indeed be forgiven.”

The brief comment on the famous public apology served as Laurie’s introduction to his sermon on Christian worldview.

The well-known evangelist believes Christians are often labeled as “bigoted” for expressing their faith or taking a stand on certain issues. One example he cited was when Fox anchor Brit Hume was blasted for suggesting that what Woods really needed was a relationship with Jesus Christ to be forgiven. Amid such persecution, Laurie sought to convey to his congregation the importance of thinking and living biblically and basing their beliefs on what the Bible teaches regardless of what “we feel is right.”

Hitting some of the most controversial and widely debated issues, Laurie asked the congregation not to respond to the hot topics “emotionally” or “logically” but biblically.

Having a biblical worldview means believing that there is a living God and that He has revealed Himself in Scripture, the Harvest pastor explained.

“We accept that we have absolute truth from God,” he said. “The objective is not to conform the Bible to the changing culture but to conform the changing culture to what the Bible teaches.”

On the topic of capital punishment, Laurie pointed to one of the Ten Commandments – thou shalt not kill. The Bible, he said, doesn’t condemn all killing. Self-defense, sometimes war, and capital punishment are justifiable, he said.

“I believe in capital punishment,” Laurie stated, though he acknowledged there are “good people” on both sides of this debate. “And I believe the Bible teaches it.”

Regarding abortion, he stressed that the Bible does not give an unclear word on when life begins.

“Life begins at conception, not at birth,” he stated. “This is absolute. Each child is created by God and should be given a chance to live.”

Indicating a “no exceptions” stand against abortion even if the life of the mother may be in danger, Laurie said just as a mother would instinctively lay her life down if she sees her child about to get hit by a car, she should do the same when it comes to having the baby.

Homosexuality is another clear-cut issue, the evangelist stressed. The Bible is very clear: homosexuality is not in God’s order, he said.

“God is not anti-gay. God is anti-sin no matter how it is expressed,” he stated, adding that people are not born gay.

“I will acknowledge that as a person who is born with a sinful nature you might be attracted to members of the same-sex,” he noted. “I would also acknowledge as a person who is born a sinner you might be more prone to issues of addiction. But having said that, all of these can be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“You were born a sinner in need of a savior who can change you and help you live the life He has called you to live. That’s the answer.”

“We’re all sinners,” Laurie reminded the congregation. “I’m not standing here today as some pompous preacher looking down on everyone. We’ve all broken God’s commandments in some way shape or form. We all need forgiveness. He offers it graciously and lovingly if we come to Him.”

The “Christian Worldview” sermon series at Harvest kicked off on Feb. 7.

 

 

FRIDAY

Never Say Never

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 
—Proverbs 16:18

Don't ever say, "I will never fall in this one area. No matter what, I will never. . . ." Watch out. If you think you are invincible, that is probably the very area in which you will end up falling. You don't know what you are capable of.

If you look at a certain sin and think, It is just a small compromise. I can do this little thing one time. It will never lead to anything else. I can handle this one thing . . . be careful. An unguarded strength is a double weakness. The Bible says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).

Satan is smart. Don't underestimate him. Watch your thoughts, because most temptations will start there. The devil will come and say, "Wouldn't it be fun to . . . ?" And then you have a choice.

It is not a sin to be tempted. The sin is not in the bait; it is in the bite. Just because bait was dangled before you doesn't mean that you have done anything wrong. The very fact that you are moving forward spiritually means you will get tempted, because the devil wants to bring you down. So if you have faced temptation and attack, that probably means you are doing something right.

The devil will come to you with things that are enticing, so keep up your guard at all times. It is the little deals we make with the devil, so to speak, it is the little compromises, the small things that we lower our guard on that lead to bigger things later. Most people, when they fall into sin, do not fall for a big sin straightaway. It is a series of smaller things that lead to the big thing.

 

 

SATURDAY

LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY

Luke 11

One thing that stands out clearly in the pages of Scripture is that prayer can change situations. And

there is no greater example than Jesus, who would often pray all night long. Because Jesus was such

a man of prayer, His disciples came to Him in Luke 11 and said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” His

response was what we call The Lord’s Prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer is more than a beautiful prayer to pray, though it is that. It is a blueprint for

prayer, a template for how to pray effectively.

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLEs

 

1. Our Father who art in heaven. Note that Jesus didn’t say, “Our Creator” or “Our Maker.” He

specifically says, “Father,” speaking of a warm, family relationship. And no matter how your

earthly father is, your heavenly Father is interested in you, always has time for you, and wants a

close, intimate relationship with you.

 

2. Hallowed be Your name. The word hallowed is defined as “to be set apart,” and that is an apt

description of God. He is to be set apart, given a special place, in every aspect of our lives.

3. Your Kingdom come. This is a three-pronged request: global, personal, and evangelistic. You can

read more about this in Relevant Reminders below.

 

4. Your will be done. Many times, we are afraid to ask for God’s will, thinking it will be less than

what we’re asking for. In reality, He might want to give us more than we’re asking for. Don’t be

afraid to ask for His will to be done.

 

5. Give us this day our daily bread. We are told many times in Scripture that God will provide for

all of our needs. As a result, this is an acknowledgement that everything we have comes from

God, and we are dependent on Him for further provision.

 

6. Forgive us our sins. If we are really in God’s presence, contemplating His glory and honor, we are

going to see that we have sinned. When you confess your sin, it keeps the communication lines

open to God.

 

7. I should also forgive others. Knowing that we have been forgiven should inspire us to forgive

others. It is the proof that we have been forgiven. A forgiven person should be a forgiving person.

 

8. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. It is a petition where we are asking

God to guide us so we won’t get out of His will and unnecessarily place ourselves in the way of

temptation. We are being taught to pray, “Lord, don’t give me more than I can handle.”

harvest.org

RELEVANT REMINDERS

As we said earlier, “Thy kingdom come” is request that works on three different levels, each very

important.

 

• Global: It is a request for Christ to return to Earth. The use of the word kingdom here doesn’t

refer to a geographical territory, but to sovereignty and dominion. In other words, this is a

prayer for Christ to take His rightful place as ruler of the planet.

 

• Personal: Second, it is a request for Christ to rule in our lives. That means giving up the

steering wheel of our lives, and handing it over to Him.

 

• Evangelistic: One way that God’s kingdom is brought to this earth is when a new soul is

introduced to Jesus Christ. So we are also praying for the rule and reign of Jesus in the lives

of others.

APPLICABLE ACTIONS

Is there something hindering your prayers from being answered? Is their unconfessed sin in your life

today? Perhaps you can think of something that is not right before God. It needs to be dealt with.

Confess it to God today. Receive God’s forgiveness.

Maybe there is someone you need to forgive. You need to stop harboring a grudge or bitterness

toward. Let it go.

Let’s ask God to help us to apply these principles from The Lord’s Prayer in our own lives.

 

 

THE WEEKLY WORD WITH GREG LAURIE

Can be found here:

 http://theweeklywordgreglaurie.blogspot.com/

 

WORDDEVO: "The Weekly Word with Greg Laurie" [11-18 thru 11-24] DEVOTIONALS

 

Seven Days of Devotion

The Weekly Word is a Collection of Devotionals to be read on the Day Listed and presented freely as a service to and for the Body of Christ and Believers throughout the World that We may Hear God Speak to us as the Spirit of God gives us ears to hear and eyes to see what God would have for us daily in relationship to Him.

iFaith?

 America has never been more spiritual, yet so immoral at the same time.

A 2009 poll found that Americans are more interested in “faith and spirituality” than they are in Christianity. One expert said, “Americans increasingly want to shape their own faith experience,” what he calls “concoct[ing] a uniquely personal brand of faith.”

“What they’ve done is they have put together a whole series of beliefs and a series of religious practices and a series of relationships and connections—all of that that makes sense to them and helps them to feel good about themselves,” he said.

iFaith

Why not? In the age of the iPod, iPhone, iMac, and now the iPad, we have “iFaith” and “iGod.”

With iFaith and iGod, you control the home screen. You can write your own programs or apps. You can customize it to your own liking.

You can leave the parts you like, such as love, forgiveness, and heaven. You can take out the parts you don’t like, such as hell, judgment, and righteousness—just highlight them, and hit the “delete” key.

Moral Relativism

We, as a nation, no longer accept certain truths that our Founding Fathers held. Instead, what we have instead is moral relativism.

What is moral relativism? It is the belief that there are no absolutes. In other words, there is no right or wrong.

Now, to some, this may sound fine in theory, but if you play it out, it is madness!

If you were to go out in the middle of the night and remove all the traffic lights, all the lane markers, and all the signs, you would have chaos.

And for many, that is what their life is: chaos. They have no moral compass to guide them. There is no set of absolutes, just their opinions.

If there is a God in moral relativism, it is a God of our own making. What you really have is people “making God into their own image.”

As it’s been said, “God made us in His own image and we returned the favor.” Instead of us becoming like God, we want God to become like us.

It’s time to get back the other way around again.

 

 

MONDAY

A Crown for You

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 
—James 1:12

With two granddaughters, I am just discovering that little girls like to dress up as princesses. Having raised two boys, I had never dealt with this. But now I know that little girls like to be princesses. This was further confirmed when I was at Disneyland awhile ago and saw little Cinderellas and Sleeping Beauties walking around, complete with full gowns, crowns, and scepters.

There is something about us that wants to be royalty. The good news is that for believers, a crown of life is specifically promised for the man or woman who has resisted temptation and persevered under trial: "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

It doesn't seem fair sometimes when we see people suffer, when we see someone who has to go through life with a disability or difficulty. But God says, "I have a special crown for those who have endured this. I have a special crown for those who are hurting. I have a special crown for those have resisted temptation."

Maybe while many of your friends caved in and said, "You are missing out on all of the fun," you said, "I am going to be faithful to God. I am not going to do what you are doing." One day, you will have a crown to show for it.

Not only that, but there is also the crown of righteousness, which will be given to those who have served God and have a heart for heaven (see 2 Timothy 4:8). Do you long for the return of Jesus Christ? Then there is a crown that awaits you. So complete the work God has given you to do. Make your life count. 

 

 

TUESDAY

The Reality of Hell

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 
—2 Peter 3:9

When I was being interviewed on a Christian television show, I was asked why I spoke so much about eternity. I had never really noticed that before. I thought about it for a moment and said, "You know, I guess the answer is that when you get down to it, it is the most important thing there is."

Most people believe in heaven, and most people believe they are going there. But Jesus said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" (Matthew 7:13). If we believe the Bible, then we have to accept this simple fact: Most people are actually headed to hell. We are very uncomfortable with that. But the truth is that hell is a real place.

Jesus Christ spoke more about hell than all of the other preachers of the Bible put together. It has been estimated that of the 40 parables that Jesus told, more than half of them dealt with God's eternal judgment and hell. Most of the teaching we have on the topic of hell was given to us by Christ himself. For the very reason that He is the personification of love and grace and mercy, He doesn't want any man or woman uniquely made in His image to spend eternity in hell.

As a pastor, I want to teach the Word of God. I want to help people grow in their faith as followers of Jesus. But when it is all said and done, the greatest thing I want to see happen is that people who were on their way to hell will be on their way to heaven instead. I want people to change their eternal address. That is why I do what I do.

 

WEDNESDAY

Don't Stop Praying

And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

— Luke 23:43

When Jesus was on the cross, one of the men being crucified next to Him came to his senses and said, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

So Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (verse 43). You might describe what happened to this man as a deathbed conversion. And this gives a measure of hope to those who maybe have given up on certain people who have no need for God—or at least think they have no need for God. Don't stop praying for them. Because I have heard glorious stories of people coming to Christ right before their deaths. My own mother did not really come to Christ until about a month before she went to heaven, and I had prayed for her throughout my life as a Christian. Maybe you feel right now that someone you know never will come around. But they may.

Or sometimes we fear that certain people who have died are in hell right now. But we are not in a position to say who is in hell. I do think I can authoritatively say who is in heaven, because if a person has put his or her faith in Christ, the Bible assures us that this person is in heaven. But unless you were with someone when they passed into eternity, you don't know what happened. It is possible that someone you shared the gospel with, someone you told about Jesus, perhaps put their faith in Christ in the last few moments of their life. And you might be surprised to see them in glory some day.

I think there will be some surprises when we get to heaven. So don't give up on the people you are praying for. 

THURSDAY 

A Freely Chosen Path

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. 
—Deuteronomy 30:19

Hell was not made for people; hell was created for the devil and his angels (see Matthew 25:41). It was never God's intention to send a person to hell. He does everything He can to keep us out of it. But God has given us a free will. We have the ability to choose, and God will not violate that. If you want to go to heaven, then you will—if you put your faith in Christ. If you want to go to hell, then you will. It is your choice.

People will protest on that final day and say, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" (Matthew 7:22). And Jesus will sadly but firmly say, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (verse 23).

Some people might say, "Wait! I went to church on Sunday!" And, "Wait! I received communion!" And, "Wait! I was baptized." But Jesus will say, in effect, "But I never knew you. It was just a thing you did. We never had a relationship. You broke My commandments left and right. It's your own choice that you are facing."

It is not enough to say you believe in God. It is not enough to acknowledge that God exists. You need to turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ, and Him alone, as Savior and Lord.

As Timothy Keller said, "Hell is simply one's freely chosen path going on forever." If that is what you want, then that is what you will get. God wants you to go to heaven, but He will not force you. He gives you a choice, and it is up to you what you do with that choice. 

 

FRIDAY

God's Mirror

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 
—Romans 3:19

Some people say, "Well, I don't need Jesus Christ because I live by the Ten Commandments."

My response to someone who said that would be, "Let's start by asking if you can name the Ten Commandments."

"Uh, thou shalt recycle?"

"No. . . . Have you broken any of them?"

"Well, I don't know."

Those who want to live by the law are in trouble, because the Bible says, "For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws" (James 2:10). God's law was never given to make a person righteous; it is a moral mirror that shows us our true state before God, to drive us into the open arms of Jesus. The law says, "You are not good enough. You need God's help."

The Bible compares God's law to a mirror. Mirrors are helpful, because they reveal truth to us. If you go out to lunch with your friends and don't know why they seem to be laughing as you are talking, then they probably haven't told you something that you need to know. When you go into the restroom, you realize that when you put your lipstick on in the dark that morning, you missed your lips. Your friends didn't tell you the truth about yourself, but the mirror did. So God's law was not given to make you righteous, but to show you that you have fallen short of it.

Romans 3:19 says, "Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God." Everyone who has been exposed to the truth of God's law will be held responsible. 

 

SATURDAY

American Idols?

 

American Idol is back with a new panelist and an endless list of hopefuls, wanting to be America’s next pop star. Each one competes before the judges, who will decide the winner of the top prize.

I suggest the same is true for us as Christians too. We decide who our God or idol will be.

Make no mistake about it, idols are alive and well in our culture today. We may not call them Dagon, Ashtoreth, Baal, Zeus, or Thor, as people of ancient times did. They may have different names, but we still bow before them.

Everybody has a god

Paul tells us then when we believe in Jesus, we turn away from idols to serve God. The apostle John wrote, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols“ (1 John 5:21).

So, what exactly would an idol be today? An idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God in our lives.

And know this: everybody has a God. Even atheists have a god. It is not the true God, but nonetheless they have a god that they worship and serve.

Believe it or not, idolatry comes naturally to us all. Why? Because we must worship,and we will worship.

Even as nature abhors a vacuum, so does the human soul.  The human soul will find an object of worship, either on the shelf, on the altar, in the mirror, or in heaven.

Why? Because we are born idolators.

Why would we trade the living God for some fake one? Because it gives us control!

Albert Mohler, in his book Hearing the Voice of God in the Ten Commandments, wrote this:

We can pick an idol up and we can put an idol down. We can move an idol to this place, and then we can remove it to another place. The idol is at our disposal. We can hide it from our sight, or we can put it in the center of the room. We will devise our own worship because we have devised our own God.

To that, I might add to that we feel we can then live our own way.

So, my question to you is, who or what is your God?

What gets you excited? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What do you think about, dream about, plan for, or perhaps scheme for.

What are you really passionate about? Because that is your God.

I hope your answer is the Lord God and not a false one. Because the Lord can save you, but false gods can’t.

 

THE WEEKLY WORD WITH GREG LAURIE

Can be found here:

 http://theweeklywordgreglaurie.blogspot.com/

 

WORDDEVO: "The Weekly Word with Greg Laurie" [11-11 thru 11-17] DEVOTIONALS

 

Seven Days of Devotion

The Weekly Word is a Collection of Devotionals to be read on the Day Listed and presented freely as a service to and for the Body of Christ and Believers throughout the World that We may Hear God Speak to us as the Spirit of God gives us ears to hear and eyes to see what God would have for us daily in relationship to Him.

 

Think Heaven

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 
—Colossians 3:2

When I lose my cell phone, I will get another phone and dial my number in an attempt to find it, hoping it is not on mute. Then when I hear it ringing somewhere, I will go on a search to find it. It is a single-minded, active, and diligent investigation. That is what the apostle Paul was speaking of when he wrote, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2). That is how we should be looking at heaven.

Another way to translate this verse is, "Think heaven." In the original language, the verb is in the present tense, which could be translated, "Keep seeking heaven." So to put it all together, the apostle Paul was saying, "Constantly keep seeking and thinking about heaven."

So how can we be thinking about heaven? What is our point of reference? The problem is that we have a caricatured version of heaven in mind. We are not going to sit around on fluffy, white clouds, spending eternity in boredom. The Bible has a lot to specifically say about heaven.

That is why, when people write books about their alleged experiences of dying and going to heaven and returning to earth, it takes me to the pages of Scripture. It is not true if it contradicts Scripture. I know that I need a better source, a more authoritative source on heaven. I turn to Scripture so that I can know how to think when I think about heaven.

Even though our feet must be on earth, our minds should be in heaven. Yet many of us will go through a day, even a week, without a single thought of heaven. As Warren Wiersbe said, "For the Christian, heaven isn't a simply a destination; it's a motivation."

  

 

MONDAY

 

God's ID Tag

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. 
—Ephesians 1:13

In the apostle Paul's day, when goods would be shipped from one place to another, they would be stamped with a wax seal and imprinted with a signet ring that bore a unique mark of ownership. The same was true of an important document. It would be sealed in wax and then imprinted with a seal, and no one dared open it other than the intended recipient. So when Ephesians 1:13 says that a believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit, it means that God has put His imprint on that person's life.

In more contemporary terms, think of it as God's ID tag. You put an ID tag on your luggage so you can identify it as yours. After watching black suitcase after black suitcase come down the conveyor belt at the airport's baggage claim, I went out and bought some fluorescent smiley faces for my bag. I might look like a moron, but now I can quickly identify which suitcase is mine.

God has put an ID tag on believers as well. So when the devil comes to wreak havoc in their lives, he sees an ID tag that says they are the property of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he backs off. Not only do Christians have an ID tag that says they belong to God, but a deposit has been made in their lives. Ephesians 1:14 says the Holy Spirit "is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." The Holy Spirit is a deposit, proof that God is working in the believer's life.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit has been placed in your life. And He will make himself known to you, working in you and through you.

 

 

 

TUESDAY

Heaven is an actual place  

 

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. 
—Hebrews 11:16

The Bible has much to say about what heaven is like. First, heaven is an actual place. Jesus told His disciples, "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). Heaven is a real place for real people, and when we get there, it will be amazing and fantastic.

The Bible uses a number of words to describe heaven, including "Paradise." Jesus said to the thief on the cross who came to his senses, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The Paradise Jesus was speaking of, literally translated, is a word that would have been used in the first century to describe the garden of a king. It is hard for us to imagine how luxurious and splendid this would appear to someone living in this time. If you were a relatively impoverished person and were given the privilege of going into the walled garden of a king, you would be overwhelmed by the fragrance and beauty of it all. So "paradise" was a point of reference for people. Although limited, it gives us a sense of how heaven will overwhelm our senses.

The apostle Paul died, went to heaven, and came back to earth. In describing his experience, he said he was "caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Corinthians 12:4). Heaven will be better than anything we could imagine, and Scripture gives us descriptions and hints of what it will be like.

So what does it mean for us today? If we are heavenly minded, then it will affect the way we are living on earth. And if it doesn't affect the way we are living on earth, then how heavenly minded could we really be?

 

WEDNESDAY

 

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF JOSEPH

Genesis 37

 

The story of Joseph reads like a summertime paperback thriller—family drama, international

intrigue, worldwide crisis, attempted murder, and false accusations. But it is also a story of God at

work, His hand guiding every aspect of the story.l

 

Joseph’s story is your classic rags to riches tale, rising from complete obscurity and constant setbacks

to become the second most powerful man in the world. He was a young man who never doubted

God, and was unwilling to compromise his principles—particularly in his famous encounter with

Potiphar’s wife.

 

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES

 

1. Everyone will be tempted. There’s a misconception that as you mature as a believer, temptation

will become less of a problem. But the reality is that temptation—in every way, shape, or

form—will always be an issue for us. Jesus was tempted at the beginning and the end of His

ministry. We should expect nothing less.

 

2. Joseph understood that there are consequences to sin. Joseph knew his life was a testimony, and

he didn’t want to discredit himself or his witness to a nonbeliever. There are no exceptions to the

Scripture that says, “Your sin will find you out.” Unconfessed sin will take its toll on you and

those around you; one way or another.

 

3. God’s standards are absolute. Joseph didn’t get a break because he dealt with hardship, or

because he was a slave living in a godless culture. Right is right, and wrong is wrong, and that

doesn’t change for any reason. Rather than conforming God’s Word to our culture, we should be

conforming culture to God’s standards.

 

4. Joseph recognized that all sin is against God. It is one thing to not sin because you fear the

consequences. But the greatest motive for not giving in to temptation is our love for God. Our

response to temptation is a barometer of our love for God. If we truly love God, it will show

itself in living righteously and resisting temptation.

 

RELEVANT REMINDERS

 

We might do a good job of resisting the obvious temptations, but how are you doing in the subtle

ones, like jealousy or gossip? It’s easy to rationalize minor sins for whatever reason, but we are to

resist all forms of evil (Psalm 97:10; Romans 12:9). That’s the only way to successfully defeat Satan

(James 4:7).

 

APPLICABLE ACTIONS

 

Are you facing temptation right now? Don’t play around with it, or let it linger. For Joseph, losing

his jacket was better than losing his morals. We should be willing to do the same. May the Lord

strengthen all of us to walk closely with Him and flee all temptation.

 

THURSDAY

 

The Place We Long For

For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 
—Hebrews 11:14

I am navigationally challenged, so I like having a GPS to help keep me from getting lost. But I read about a Wisconsin motorist who actually ended up on a snowmobile trail because her GPS led her in the wrong direction. She ended up stuck in the snow and had to call 911. A deputy who responded to the call said, "People shouldn't believe everything those things tell you."

A GPS can fail us. But that isn't the case with the sophisticated homing instinct God has given to certain birds. Their built-in navigational systems are probably better than our latest technology. The Manx Shearwater, for example, nests off of the coast of Wales and has an amazing homing instinct. Scientists tagged and released a number of these birds at different points around the globe to see whether they could find their way back home. In just 12 days, all the birds made their way back.

One bird in particular made it all the way from Boston, traveling 250 miles a day from a place it had never been to get back home. Now that is what you call a homing instinct.

God has placed a homing instinct within you and I as well, and I believe it is a homesickness for heaven. We long for a place we have never been before. We are prewired that way. The Bible tells us that God has put eternity in our hearts (see Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Heaven is the real thing that we long for. Heaven is not an imitation of Earth, but it is really the other way around. Earth is the copy, the temporary dwelling place. Heaven is the real deal, the eternal dwelling place of every follower of Jesus Christ. It is the place we long for, because it is our future home.

 

FRIDAY

 

In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 
—John 14:2-3

Sometimes we act as though everything and anything that can be done must be done while we are living here on earth. Of course, we want to make the most of our time, because we don't determine when we are born or when we die. But we do determine how we will live our lives. We also need to know that life does not end after our time on earth; it continues in heaven.

When a life is limited by disability or illness, when a life is cut short through death, we tend to think, Well, that is unfortunate. They never realized their dreams. But who is to say those dreams could not be realized on the other side? Who is to say that God would not complete on the other side what He has started on earth?

When we see someone who has lived a long life but has wasted it for the most part, and then we see someone with so much promise and ability and gifting who dies unexpectedly, we think it is so unfair. But that is because we are thinking about life on earth and not realizing that life continues on. For the follower of Jesus Christ, death is not the end of life, but a continuation of it in another place.

When you book a flight, sometimes you will have a stopover. I don't like stopovers myself, because sometimes things happen during stopovers. Bad weather can roll in, which can mean getting stuck there for some time. I like to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.

For the Christian, earth is just a stopover. Waiting for us on the other side is heaven. And we will arrive there sooner than we may realize.

 

SATURDAY

Measuring Up

"Tekel means 'weighed'—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up."

— Daniel 5:27

Normally when most people step onto a scale, they want to weigh less. But when you step onto God's scale, you want to weigh more. You want to have substance and depth and purpose and weight to your life. When Daniel confronted the wicked King Belshazzar, he told him, "You have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up." Effectively he was saying, "Belshazzar, you are a spiritual lightweight. You have done nothing with your life."

The Bible tells us that all believers will stand before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. In speaking of this, Paul wrote, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value" (1 Corinthians 3:11–13).

It is not so much about bad things you did; it is more a question of what you did with your life. Did you accomplish anything? Did you impact anyone? Did you seek to glorify God with your life? Or did you spend it in the pursuit of nothingness?

Don't worry about what God has called someone else to do. Focus on what God has called you to do, because the key in that final day is not how much you did, but why you did it. God is far more interested in our faithfulness than He is in our success. It is all about faithfulness. It is all about doing what God has set before you and doing it well, with all of your might. That is what you will be judged for in that final day.

 

 

 

THE WEEKLY WORD WITH GREG LAURIE

Can be found here:

 http://theweeklywordgreglaurie.blogspot.com/