Daily Devotions for August 2023

316Judith

Tuesday August 1, 2023

God’s Safety Net

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Visitors to San Francisco can’t help but be amazed at that architectural wonder called the Golden Gate Bridge. During its initial phases of construction, a number of workers lost their grip and fell to their deaths in the San Francisco Bay. 

Needless to say, this slowed down the construction process quite dramatically. The builders were trying to think of a way to remedy this, so they did something that had never been done before. 

A giant net was installed under the construction area. The workers knew that if they did fall, the net would catch them. It wouldn’t be a pleasant experience, but they would live to tell about it.

The result was they could work without the fear of dying. They were able to move quickly and finish the project.

Did you know that God has put a safety net under you? By that I mean, when you slip, when you fall, when you make a mistake, it doesn’t mean that your name has been blotted out of the Book of Life and that you are now persona non grata with God.

Because He came into your heart, forgave you, and committed Himself to you, He now protects you, sealed you, and justified you as a result of that commitment.

The fact is that we as Christians will sin and fall short. The Scriptures, as well as our own experiences in life, tell us this is true.

According to 1 John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

This is not an excuse for ungodly living.

Nor is it a license for sin.

It is a simple acknowledgment of reality.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

Healthyme7410

I am glad I have a "safety net" of the blood of Jesus to cover all my sins. He knows me better than I know myself and is so gracious with me when I make mistakes.

316Judith

Yes Amen Linda, I have served the Lord for almost 50 years. God has been close by my side and has walked me through all of my life’s experiences including a friend Falling from Grace and with your Prayers and everyone else I have been encouraged and ministered to and thank God for using you all to pray for me and of course God continues to stand by my side with my Cancer and Multiple Surgeries fight against disease! Thank you Jesus for your Strength Grace and Healing Power upon my Body!

Tonight’s Devotion for Today!

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Why We Put Off Prayer

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

Why don’t we pray more often? And why do we put off prayer?

Maybe we don’t pray as often as we should because we think we don’t have the time. But is that really true?

How much time do we spend on social media every day? Recent research says that people in the United States check their social media accounts seventeen times each day. That is once every waking hour.

Imagine if we prayed seventeen times every day instead of checking our phones. We can waste so much time. Yet we’ll make time for what matters to us.

Maybe another reason we don’t pray is that we don’t think prayer is all that important. We would never admit that outright, of course. But what do we really think about prayer? It is, in fact, very important.

In the Book of Joshua, we read about the Israelites who were led out of the bondage of Egypt into a new land flowing with milk and honey. But there was an obstacle in their path: the mighty city of Jericho, a huge fortress.

There was no way they could bring it down militarily. But God told them He would give them the city. So, they prayed and called on God, and He gave them a rather unorthodox battle plan. They marched around the city, yelled, and blew trumpets. But it worked, and the walls of that fortress came crashing down.

Afterward they needed to conquer a smaller town called Ai. But the Israelites didn’t pray about defeating Ai. And when they went to capture it, they were soundly defeated. This serves as a reminder that we need to pray about everything.

The Bible says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). Do you have a need today? Call out to Jesus.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

Healthyme7410

This is so true that we can make time for anything we feel is important. I try to make it a priority to have my prayer and Bible reading first in the day before I am distracted with things to do. As thoughts come up, I can also say short prayers during the day. God does not take time off so he is always near to hear our prayers.

316Judith

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Shortsighted Prayers

But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” (Matthew 20:22 NLT)

It was Jesus who gave His disciples James and John the nickname “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17 NLT).

Now, you don’t get a nickname like that without a reason.
On one occasion during Jesus’ ministry, the people in a Samaritan village weren’t responsive to His message. So, James and John said, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” (Luke 9:54 NLT).

The Bible also gives us a little hint, perhaps, as to why these two became the Sons of Thunder. One day their mother, Salome, approached Jesus with her sons—and a request: “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left” (Matthew 20:21 NLT).

But Jesus told them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” (verse 22 NLT).

What was this cup? It was the cup of God’s wrath as Jesus bore the sins of the world on the cross. Remember, in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39 NLT).

God said no to their mother’s request, and no doubt they were thankful for that later. After all, Salome was there at the crucifixion of Jesus. As she stood at the foot of the cross, she would have seen the two criminals who hung on crosses to the right and left of Jesus.

If God has said no to your prayer recently, don’t think that it’s necessarily a bad thing. It could be a very good thing, because God loves you and sees the big picture. There is a place for faith and prayer. But God may overrule our requests, especially when we ask for something that will harm us.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Bible Reading

Philippians 3

Commentary

Sent by Jesus to Fulfill Your Destiny

God didn’t just save you so He could take you to heaven. He has a destiny in His mind for you to fulfill. But you must become proactive or it will never happen. We need to follow the example of the Apostle Paul and “take hold of” it.

Good works include everything from learning to be polite (yes, adults too), to volunteering as a parking lot attendant at church or a soccer coach, to designing a cathedral. What is your special role in your family, your church, your neighborhood, your school or place of employment?

Are you responsible and trustworthy in your volunteer activities?

The bigger, overarching purpose of your life is harder to pinpoint. You will find it by seriously considering your priorities, and waiting on the Holy Spirit to show you what deeply excites you long term. Don’t underestimate the importance of “just” being a great Dad and Grandfather, or a wonderfully loving Mom and Grandmother.

Today’s Reach:

Spend some time with God to list 5-8 priorities of your life at this time, in order of importance. Review them with your spouse, parent, or spiritual mentor. Place them in your Bible at Philippians 3, and make decisions each Sunday about how you will invest your time and energies that week.

316Judith

Weekend, August 6, 2023

No Condemnation, No Separation

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 NLT)

Chapter 8 of Romans begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation.
Verse 1 tells us, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT). 

And verse 39 promises, “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NLT).

Notice these verses are not saying that our lives will be free of all failures and inconsistencies. Rather, they say there is no condemnation.

We find a classic example of this in John 8, where we read about a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Some religious leaders brought her before Jesus and said, “This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” (verses 4–5 NLT).

Without a word, Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust. Then He said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (verse 7 NLT). 

We don’t know what Jesus wrote. But the woman’s accusers suddenly came under conviction, and they all left.

Jesus said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she told Him (verses 10–11 NLT).

Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more” (verse 11 NLT).

A Spirit-led believer lives a condemnation-free life. 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).

God sees us for what we will become, not just what we are. We see the past; God sees the future. We see the end; God sees a new beginning.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Monday, August 7, 2023

An End to Sin’s Control

He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. (Romans 8:4 NLT)

Do you ever find yourself doing the thing you don’t want to do or thinking the thought you don’t want to think?

The apostle Paul described a similar struggle in Romans 7. Yet there’s not a single mention of the Holy Spirit in this chapter. In Romans 8, however, Paul made at least twenty references to the Holy Spirit. In chapter 7, we see Paul trying to live the Christian life in his own strength. But by chapter 8, he realizes that help is available.

There is someone who will enable us to live the life God has called us to live, and that is the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote, “God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4 NLT).

If you’re a spiritual person, then you’ll naturally want to do spiritual things. For instance, some people get up in the morning and make spending time with God a priority. While they’re driving, they might listen to a Christian radio station, worship music, or a Bible study podcast. They attend church regularly and are even involved in a small group.

As a result, they’re getting stronger spiritually.
In contrast, there are some who neglect Bible study and prayer. They listen to talk radio while they’re in their car. They’ll go to church, but only occasionally. And they’re not involved in a small group.

Is it any wonder, then, why some people do better spiritually than others?

The best way to stop going backward in your walk with Christ is to keep moving forward.

This is not a works-based righteousness.

Rather, it’s a working righteousness.

And the way to do it is with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Spiritually-Minded

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. (Romans 8:14 NLT)

Spirit-led people are spiritually-minded people.

The mind is command central. That’s why we need to think about things that please the Holy Spirit.

And it’s why we need to protect our minds.

It comes down to what we think about. As British author Samuel Smiles pointed out, “Sow a thought, and you reap an act; sow an act, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a character; sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” 

Writing to the Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul said, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:14 NLT).

God wants to lead us as His children.

Paul continued, “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (verses 15–16 NLT).

Remember, you’re adopted by God. You’re loved by God and welcomed by God. And your life is under His control. So, think about these things because they please the Holy Spirit.

We can be devastated by worry and forget these simple truths. That’s why we need to remind ourselves of them again and again.

The opposite of living a Spirit-filled life is living a worldly one. Paul put it this way: “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things” (verse 5 NLT). 

This describes people who only think about satisfying their impulses and the appetites of their flesh, but they never think about spiritual things.

Paul went on to say, “But those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (verse 5 NLT).

Don’t pursue the things of this world at the expense of pursuing God. Make Him the focus of your life.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Hospitable Hearts

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30 NLT)

Have you ever noticed that different homes have their own smells? Some have odd odors, and you don’t want to stay very long. Others have inviting scents, like the smell of delicious food cooking, and you enjoy being there.

There is a difference between being in a home and being at home.

The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit lives in the heart of every Christian. Romans 8:9 says, “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you” (NLT).

When you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit seals and indwells you. But is the Holy Spirit at home in your heart? Is He comfortable in your life?

The Holy Spirit has a personality. Yes, He is God. And yes, we might even sin against Him specifically. The Bible tells us that it’s possible to insult the Holy Spirit, resist the Holy Spirit, and blaspheme the Holy Spirit.

We also can make the Holy Spirit sad. The apostle Paul wrote, “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30 NLT).

Have you ever done or said something that reduced another person to tears? It’s hard to look at someone who is crying because of what you said or did. In the same way, we can do things that grieve the Holy Spirit.

Paul went on to say, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior” (verse 31 NLT). These things make the Holy Spirit sorrowful.

So, how can you tell if you’re living a Spirit-
controlled life?

The Holy Spirit will be at home in your heart.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Thursday, August 10, 2023

This Is Your Moment

This means that 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)

I didn’t ever know my biological father growing up. But my mother married a man named Oscar Laurie, and he formally adopted me. He treated me as a father should treat a son.

If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, then God has adopted you. Romans 8:14 tells us, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (NLT). Are you a child of God? That comes through believing in Jesus Christ.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to show us our need for Christ. The danger is that people can continue resisting Him until they reach a point where they’ve gone too far.

The writer of Hebrews says, “So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?” (2:3 NLT).

Maybe you’ve been running from God for years, perhaps even decades. This is your moment to come to Him, be forgiven by Him, and come into a relationship with the God who loves you.

He loves you so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to come to Planet Earth on a rescue operation. Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead.

And now He stands at the door of your life and knocks. If you will hear His voice and open the door, He will come in.

Are you worn out? Are you filled with sadness and depression? There is hope. But it isn’t in religion or in rules and regulations. It’s hope in Jesus Christ coming to live inside you. He can pardon you of every sin you’ve ever committed.

You don’t have to be controlled or crippled by your past. You can become a new person in Jesus Christ.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Saturday August 12, 2023

A Surprising Source of Spiritual Growth

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19 NLT)

We might be surprised by this, but spiritual refreshment and growth often come from times of spiritual testing.

Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God said, “I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. . . .

Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed” (Isaiah 43:19-20 NLT).

It’s in the wasteland, the hardships, and the difficulties that we often experience God in a way that we don’t experience Him anywhere else. We want to live on the mountaintops, but spiritual fruit doesn’t grow there. It grows in valleys. It grows in times of difficulty.

James wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

Maybe you’re facing a time of hardship right now.

Maybe you’ve just had the bottom drop out in life, and you’re wondering why this is happening.

You might be thinking, “I’m a Christian. I’m walking with Jesus, and this hardship has befallen me. What have I done to deserve this?”

Christians will face trials in life—for their own good. Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT).

Notice that Jesus didn’t say you might have trials and sorrows. Rather, He said you will have them.

God allows us to go through tests to make sure we really know what we say we know.

And He allows hardships in our lives so we will grow up spiritually.

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms, August 13

Psalms 103:10

He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Karl sat outside the principal's office feeling the sweat begin to trickle down his back. Mr. Creed was notorious for dealing out harsh punishments.

"Crusher" Creed was what the older kids called him. Karl had never been to him before, but he didn't like it, that was for sure. Minutes dragged by, feeling like hours, and Karl began to tremble.

It was all he could do to keep from crying. When the door finally opened, Karl sobbed, "I'll never do it again." The principal comforted the boy and told him why what he had done was unacceptable.

Karl left the office still shaken, but not so much that he couldn't dream up a juicy story of the tortures he suffered at the hand of "Crusher" Creed.

God deals with His children with love and forgiveness. Often, we are much harder on ourselves than God will ever be. Many times we feel alone in our trials because we need to think of what is wrong with what we do.

Our sins can be a great ground of learning, and though God waits willingly to forgive us, He wants us to benefit from our errors as much as we can.

God will deal with us, not according to what we have done wrong, but according to our desire to make things right through repentance.

Prayer: My mind runs wild with worries and fears, Lord. I have done wrong, and I need Your forgiveness. Accept my apologies, God, and
create in me a new heart. Amen.

316Judith

Monday, August 14, 2023

Trusting Through Testing

We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a
man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. (James 5:11 NLT)

Job’s very name is a point of reference for the worst suffering imaginable. Job was living a great life. He had a beautiful family and was very wealthy and successful. But one day, seemingly out of nowhere, a series of calamities befell this man.

We know from reading the Old Testament book of Job that a conversation took place in Heaven between God and the angels. Satan, who is a fallen angel, also was there. God had been bragging on Job saying, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil” (Job 1:8 NLT).

Satan essentially said, “Give me a break! Just let me have a little time with Job. Then we’ll see what he’s really made of.”

So, God allowed the devil to bring a series of difficulties into Job’s life. And on that tragic day when he lost all his children and possessions, here’s what Job said: “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.

The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” (verse 21 NLT).

The Bible goes on to say that “Job did not sin by blaming God” (verse 22 NLT). That is real faith.
It has been said that character is not made in crisis; it is only revealed. Some people give up on God when hardship, even tragedy, comes into their lives. When something bad happens, they say, “I lost my faith.”

However, a faith that cannot be tested is a faith
that cannot be trusted. Don’t put your faith in a person. Don’t put your faith in a church. Put your faith in Jesus Christ. He is the One who will sustain you through times of difficulty.

316Judith

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Revived by God’s Word

Lord, how great is your mercy; let me be revived by following your regulations. (Psalm 119:156 NLT)

As Christians, we are either progressing or regressing. We are either going forward or going backward. The moment we stop our forward momentum is the moment we begin our backward regression. It’s the moment we start going in the wrong direction spiritually.

Of course, we all have those times as believers when we stumble, when we trip up.

There are times when we make the wrong decisions or think the wrong thoughts.

When this happens, we need to repent, of course.

But we also need revival and refreshment in our spiritual lives.

And there’s refreshing power in the Word of God.

The psalmist David wrote, “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7 NLT).

If we want to be growing Christians, then we need to be Bible-studying Christians. We want to build our lives on Christ and His Word.

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave this summary statement: “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock” (Matthew 7:24-25 NLT).

Every life will be tested. Every one of us will face storms as followers of Jesus. So, let’s make sure that we build on the right foundation, which is a relationship with Jesus Christ.

But we must also study the Word of God. As we read, study, memorize, and dig into the Bible, it will refresh us spiritually.

Don’t build your Christian life on experience.

Don’t build it on fickle emotions.

Rather, build your life on Jesus Christ and God’s Word.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

The Battle We’ll Always Lose

Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your
laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name. (Isaiah 26:8 NLT)

Vance Havner wrote, “You can’t break the law of God. Nobody ever broke the law of God. You break yourself against the law of God.”

He was right. We cannot break the law of God, but we will break ourselves against it.

How we need God’s commandments today, and how we need to follow them. We can either accept the truths of His commands or fight against them and reap the inevitable results. It’s our choice: we can do it the easy way or the hard way.

We can buck against God’s truths, say they don’t apply to us, and live the way that we want to live. Or, we can see God’s wisdom in giving us His commandments.

In the Old Testament we read about King Solomon, who went on a sinful binge. He rebelled against the truth he had learned from God and decided to sample just about everything the world had to offer.

And having almost unlimited resources, Solomon could build any building he wanted, have any woman his heart desired, and experience any pleasure he chose to experience. Yet after he did all the things that he wanted to do, he said that it was all emptiness, like chasing the wind.

He wrote, “Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT).

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, was saying, “Here’s what I’ve learned in life. Don’t fight against the laws of God. They were given to us for a reason.”

Someone might say, “Well, Solomon didn’t know what he was talking about. I’ll find out for myself.” You can go ahead and find out for yourself, of course, but it is much easier to do it God’s way.

In His commandments, God has given us the blueprint for a fulfilled life. He has given us the blueprint for happiness.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Why Christians Should Be Different

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (Ephesians 5:15-16 NLT)

Why is it that the Christians of the first century were able to do so much damage, in a positive sense, in such a relatively short period of time?

And how is it that these first-century believers, without the tools, technology, and media that we utilize today, were still able to radically impact their culture?

The short answer is they followed and practiced a Christianity that isn’t known by many in the twenty-first century. When we read about Christianity in New Testament books like Acts, we might classify it as something that was radical, over the top, and perhaps a bit on the extreme side.

But for these first-century believers, it would have been nothing less than ordinary Christian living. It is not that their faith was so radical. Rather, it’s that our faith is wimpy. Our faith, many times, is anemic. It doesn’t measure up to the standards of the New Testament.

Christians should differ from non-Christians in every realm, not just the religious realm. We should differ from non-Christians not simply because we show up at church on the weekend or attend a midweek Bible study.

Rather, we should differ from non-Christians because we conduct our businesses differently, we treat our spouses differently, and we raise our children differently. Our values should be different from those of non-Christians. People need to see this in our lives, but all too often, it simply isn’t happening.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (Ephesians 5:15-16 NLT).

If we want to impact our world as the first-century
believers did, then we have to get back to the principles they applied.

It starts with the Christianity they practiced.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Friday, August 18, 2023

Bright Lights in a Dark World

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. (Philippians 2:15 NLT)

It never was a dull day for Paul and Silas. When we read about them in the Book of Acts, we find them creating a stir wherever they went.

In Thessalonica, for instance, an angry mob shouted, “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world, . . . and now they are here disturbing our city, too” (Acts 17:6 NLT).

This wasn’t meant as a compliment. But in a way, it was. It was a recognition that Paul and Silas were making a dramatic impact on their world.

The first-century church consisted of a relatively small group of Christians whose numbers were not large like ours are today. Yet in spite of that, they made a remarkable difference in their culture.

We need Christians today who will take a stand for what is right, because it seems as though our culture is affecting us more than we are affecting our culture. Today with so many people naming the name of Christ, our impact on the world appears to be null and void. We wonder what difference we’re really making.

We’re allowing secular attitudes to find their way into the church and into our lives as Christians. People say they are Christians, yet they live in immorality, have sex before marriage and outside of marriage, play with drugs, get drunk, steal, sue one another, and divorce each other.

But do you know what our world really needs to see? They need to see flesh-and-blood Christians who are living the Christian life in the same neighborhood where they live, in the same place where they work, and at the same school they attend. They need to see the real thing.

In short, they need to see you. God can use you, just as He used believers in the first-century church. Maybe you’re not a preacher, but you can proclaim the gospel message through your life and through your words.

You can make a dramatic impact on your world.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Wisdom from the Psalms, August 19

Psalms 104:24

Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Timmy did not want to go on the science field trip. Science was so boring. They were going to climb around on rocks and look for fossils of animals dead a half a million years. Big deal! Nothing could interest Timmy less.

Then, an amazing thing happened.

Timmy was one of the first to find fossilized remains.

He held the rock in his hands and traced the fragile trilobite fossil with his finger. He was enthralled by the sight, and a new love was born in Tim's heart.

Timmy saw the earth as a treasure house of wonders too magnificent to understand.

We ought to take time to study this wonderful world of ours.

There is so much to behold.

God has done so many wonderful things, and He has given them over to us to enjoy.

Search out the riches of God's world, and you will never be poor.

Prayer: Have I lost the capacity to believe in miracles, O Lord? Show me the wonders of Your creation. Let me take nothing for granted. Indeed, Lord, make all things new in my eyes. Amen.

316Judith

August 19, 2023

The Prevailing Church

Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36 NLT)

The first-century believers were insulted and criticized for what they were doing. In fact, people accused them of treason, suggesting they were advocating for the overthrow of Caesar, which wasn’t the case (see Acts 17:7-8).

This was a complete misunderstanding of what the Christians’ objectives really were.

Anyone giving a careful listen to what they were saying would have realized these Christians weren’t seeking to establish an earthly kingdom. Nor were they seeking to overthrow Caesar or Rome.

Today our world still misconstrues what Christians say. People draw erroneous conclusions because they never take time to listen carefully to the gospel message.

Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36 NLT).

Rather than reacting blow by blow, the first-century Christians outthought, outprayed and outlived nonbelievers.

They preached and proclaimed the message of the death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. They were ready to see lives changed.

As a result, they dramatically impacted their world. And in the end, they prevailed. Rome, on the other hand, is no longer a world power.

And for the most part, we can’t remember the names of its great emperors.

Throughout history, there have been many attempts to destroy Christianity. But such attempts always will fail for one simple reason: Christianity is Christ. And in the end, Jesus Christ will prevail and establish His kingdom. It also means that because we’re with Him, we, too, will win in the end.

Do you want to turn the world upside down like the first-century believers did? Then start with your world. Seek to live a godly life and share the gospel with those around you.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Monday, August 21, 2023

What Makes God Happy

“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 NLT)

Sometimes when we look back on our lives, we might think, “If I would have known then what I know now, I would have done things differently to have a better life.”

When you get down to it, that is what we all want: a better life.

In John 10, Jesus tells us what life ought to be about and essentially reveals the meaning of our lives. He said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (verse 10 NLT).

Often the Bible will contrast two things to teach us a certain principle. For example, in Matthew 7 Jesus spoke about the narrow way that leads to life and the broad way that leads to destruction (see verses 13–14).

And in the same chapter, Jesus contrasted the wise man who built his house on the rock with the foolish man who built his house on the sand (see verses 24–27).

When we read these passages, we need to look at the contrast, at the choices that life presents.

Here in John 10, Jesus contrasts two options for life. He was saying, “Here is the devil’s plan. And here’s My plan.” The devil’s plan is to steal, kill, and destroy. On the other hand, Jesus has come to give us a rich and satisfying life.

Why does He want to do this for us? He gives us the answer in the next verse: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:11 NLT).

The word “good” that Jesus used is full of meaning here. It not only means good in a moral sense, but it also could be translated “beautiful,” “winsome,” “lovely,” and “attractive.”

Therefore, Jesus is our beautiful, attractive, winsome, lovely Shepherd. And the Shepherd’s purpose for us is that we would flourish.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

God’s Unending Favor

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. (1 Timothy 6:6 NLT)

Without question there is more joy in the Christian life than in any other life.

Jesus said, “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:9-10 NLT).

But the rich and satisfying life that Jesus spoke of consists of more than mere happiness. And it isn’t necessarily a long life, though it may be. Nor is it a life that is free from sorrow, heartache, and tragedy, because even Christians experience all of that.

Some people have the idea that Christians are supposed to be constantly smiling and laughing. But that isn’t the abundant life. There are times to laugh, of course, but there are also times to mourn (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

The life that Jesus wants to give us is the contented life. And this contentment comes from the knowledge that the Good Shepherd is always looking out for our best interests. It is His great joy.

The psalmist David wrote, “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” (Psalm 23:1-3 NLT).

Have you ever gone to the beach and watched the constant crashing of the waves on the shore? It goes on all day and all night. Granted, some waves are better than others, as surfers would attest. But the waves keep coming and never stop.

That is a picture of the rich and satisfying life Jesus spoke of. It’s a life in which we’re content knowing that God’s grace is more than sufficient for our needs, that nothing can suppress it, and that God’s favor toward us is unending.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Spiritual Growth Is a Choice

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. (Philippians 2:12 NLT)

Why do some Christians succeed spiritually when others fail? It’s because of the choices they make.

Some don’t want to go forward spiritually, so they don’t. Others do want to go forward spiritually, so they do.

This doesn’t come down to just one choice. Rather, it’s a matter of hundreds of choices that we make over time.

The apostle Peter reminds us, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.

We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT).

We have everything we need to grow. So, if we want to grow, we will. And if we don’t want to grow, we won’t.

This doesn’t mean that we’re living the Christian life through human effort.

Rather, it’s God working through us.

But we do need to yield to Him.

There is God’s part, and there is our part.

God will transform us and help us.

But we need to call on Him.

Paul summarized it this way: “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:12-13 NLT).

Salvation is not a result of human effort, and none of us are saved by works. However, we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit, who wants to transform us.

The end game is to be a fruitful Christian. And that, by the way, is why we’re here on this earth. Jesus said, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit” (John 15:16 NLT).

And how do we produce lasting fruit? By sinking our roots deeply into Jesus Christ.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Off and Running

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:14 NLT)

Are you satisfied with where you are in your spiritual growth?

We need to remember that the good is often the enemy of the best.

For example, some people give up after they’ve tried to lose weight and get in shape.

They think, “I’m already overweight. I might as well be more overweight.” They stop exercising and trying to control their food intake. They say, “Just forget it. There’s nothing I can do.”

We can have the same attitude toward spiritual growth. We might tell ourselves that we’re not as spiritual as we ought to be, but there are a lot of people who are even worse than we are.

Even so, do we really want that as our standard of measure? Why not say, “I want to grow even more”?

The apostle Paul summed it up perfectly when he wrote, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12 NLT).

Or, as The Message puts it, “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. . . .

I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back” (verses 12–14).

We want to make Jesus Christ our focus—not a person, not a pastor, and not a church. The Bible tells us, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT).

Jesus is the only foundation that will sustain us as Christians. So let’s build our lives on Jesus Christ.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Friday, August 25, 2023

Impact Without Compromise

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14 NLT)

Years ago, I arrived home during one of California’s rolling blackouts. All the power was gone. The Internet was down. Even the streetlights were off. There was no light anywhere.

However, I did have my cell phone, which had a low battery. Still, there was a little light emanating from it, and I was able to use it to find my way around. And I discovered that a little light goes a long way.

We live in a very dark time culturally, and a little light will go a long way. We have an entire generation of young people who seem to be adrift morally and spiritually. That is why the world so desperately needs the gospel.

The Bible clearly teaches that our culture will grow darker. It isn’t going to get better; it’s going to get worse.

Even though humanity has increased in scientific, medical, historical, educational, psychological, and technological knowledge to an astounding degree, we have not changed our basic nature.

Our confidence has increased, but our peace of mind has diminished. Our accomplishments have increased, but our sense of purpose and meaning have all but disappeared.

Instead of improving the moral and spiritual quality of our lives, our discoveries and accomplishments have simply provided new ways to show ourselves for what we really are: depraved, sinful, and wicked.

The spiral is downward, not upward.

As Christians, we might be tempted to withdraw to our own subculture.

But that is not what we’re supposed to do. The objective of believers is not to isolate but to infiltrate. It is not to evade but to invade.

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14 NLT).

We need to impact our culture without being compromised by it.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Saturday August 26, 2023

Counter-influence

“Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.” (John 17:18 NLT)

As we go out to invade our culture with the good news of Jesus Christ, we must recognize that we are behind enemy lines.

We’re in a hostile environment. For the most part, people are not always supportive of or receptive to what we have to say.

Without question this is a tricky balance. But here are the words of Jesus in a prayer that only He could pray to the Father.

Referring to us, His followers, Jesus said, “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. . . .

Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world” (John 17:15, 18 NLT).

Did you catch that? Jesus said that He’s sending us into the world. Yet the Bible warns us that we shouldn’t be conformed to this world.

In 1 John 2:15-16 we read, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.

These are not from the Father, but are from this world” (NLT).

Yet Jesus said He was sending us into the world. So how does this work?

The apostle Paul shed some light on this for us. Writing to the believers in Corinth he said, “When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin.

But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols.

You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that” (1 Corinthians 5:9-10 NLT).

In another passage, Paul spoke of becoming all things to all people (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-22).

The idea is that we want to influence the world—and not have the world influence us.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Sunday August 27, 2023

When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT)

When my granddaughter Stella was a toddler, I took her to a frozen yogurt store. She had been learning to wipe her mouth with a napkin, and it was fun to watch her take a bite of yogurt and then wipe her mouth. But then she saw a napkin on the sidewalk and reached down to pick it up.

“Stella, no!” I said. “That’s a dirty napkin. Let’s get you a clean napkin.”

She looked at me in confusion. She didn’t understand why that napkin wasn’t good enough. But I understood because I was a little wiser than she was.

The same is true of our relationship with God. He is wiser than we are. And when God tells us not to do something, it’s for a good reason.

Even if we’re going through something difficult right now, we must realize that God loves us.

The apostle Paul wrote, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT).

Satan, however, will challenge this truth. That was the case with Job, whose friends basically said, “God must not love Job. Otherwise, these calamities wouldn’t have befallen him. Job must have committed some gross sin.”

Yet the very opposite was true. God said of Job, “He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil” (Job 1:8 NLT).

Satan used the same approach in the Garden of Eden when he said to Eve, in effect, “If God really loved you, He would let you eat from any tree in the garden.” But that was a lie.

We must realize that God loves us and is always looking out for our eternal benefit.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Monday, August 28, 2023

A Christ-like Fragrance

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. (2 Corinthians 2:15 NLT)

Some people like to wear a lot of cologne or perfume. And if they hug you, you will still smell like them hours later. But what is fragrant to one person may not be fragrant to another.

For instance, nothing smells better than when you walk into a kitchen where someone is making spaghetti sauce with garlic. And nothing smells worse than the breath of someone who just ate garlic.

That is true of the gospel as well. The apostle Paul described it this way: “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 perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom.

But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NLT).

Some churches have become a little too preoccupied with being the cook, and they’ve forgotten how important it is to confront people with the claims of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes we have the delivery system in place, but we don’t have the message to deliver. And sometimes in our attempts to cross over, we fail to bring the cross over.

But if we miss that, we have missed everything, because the gospel is the only hope for our nation and our world. It is the only hope for nonbelievers.

When we share the message of the gospel, it will be a fragrant perfume to some. But to others it will be offensive and repulsive. Some people will respond favorably. And others will respond unfavorably.

But we still need to share the message. We still need to use every means possible to get the gospel out to as many people as we can.

Devotions from Greg Laurie

316Judith

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Decaf Disciples

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24 NLT)

Do you know certain Christians who, after you spend time around them, make you want to be more godly? There’s something about their lifestyle that causes you to say, “I want to be more like that. I want to walk with God like that, worship like that, and share my faith like that.”

Those Christians are doing their jobs because they’re stimulating a thirst for Christ in others.

The greatest compliment a nonbeliever can pay to a believer is when they say, “Why are you the way that you are? I want what you have.”

However, we cannot be an influence for purity in the world if we are compromised in our purity. 

Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 5:13 NLT).

These are some heavy-duty words from Jesus about unsalty Christians. Essentially, He’s saying that if we’re not making a difference, then what good are we?

We can’t sting the world’s conscience if we go against our own. We cannot stimulate spiritual thirst in others if we have lost our own. And God cannot use us to stop the corruption of sin in others if sin has corrupted us.
According to Jesus, if we are unsalty salt, we are good for nothing.

A Christian should have flavor—zest, zing, edge. Christians aren’t supposed to be bland.

They aren’t supposed to go along with everything. They are to be salt, stopping the spread of evil and stimulating thirst for Christ in others. They are there to make a difference.

Otherwise, they are like tepid coffee, uncarbonated cola, or a nonfat, decaf latte. In short, they’re not living the life that God called them to live.

Devotion by Greg Laurie

316Judith

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Inescapable Light

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 house.” (Matthew 5:15 NLT)

When you are living for Jesus Christ, your very presence sometimes will bother others because His light is shining out of you.

You may even try to hide it. But it shouldn’t be that way. Just let His light shine for people to see.

Jesus said, “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 house” (Matthew 5:14-15 NLT).

We’ve all heard the well-worn excuses and the so-called reasons as to why people don’t come to Christ. But here’s the reason that most people don’t come to Him. This, by the way, is according to Jesus Himself: “God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil” (John 3:19 NLT).

The reason people don’t believe is they don’t want their sin exposed. They don’t want to acknowledge their shortcomings. And the more godly a Christian is, the more obviously this will take place just by that believer’s great example. 

Jesus went on to say, “All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (verses 20–21 NLT).

Few things are harder to put up with than a good example. And when you live it, it really gets people’s attention.

Light not only exposes what the darkness hides, but light also shows the way out. And in the same way, the light that shines from us not only shows people their shortcomings and their sins, but it also shows them the way out.

It shows them the way to Jesus Christ.

Devotion by Greg Laurie