“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NLT)

Jesus said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20 NLT). That’s known as the Great Commission. Chances are, you made your decision to follow Christ because of God’s working through a person (or persons) who took Jesus’ words to heart.

You can make a difference in other people’s lives by taking His words to heart as well. When you do, you’ll find that some “nations”—or people—are harder to reach than others. Some of the hardest people to reach are those who are satisfied in life. They may not see their real spiritual condition because they have everything else in order. That’s why I think it’s a mistake when we share the gospel merely to appeal to unhappy, lonely, empty individuals. The reality is that not everyone is unhappy, empty, or lonely at every given moment.

Many people have frequent bursts of happiness. Their lives are often going well. So if we say to them, “Jesus can help you be happy,” they’re likely to reply, “I don’t need Him. I’m already happy.”

And if we say, “Jesus can take away your emptiness,” they’re likely to say, “There’s nothing for Him to take away. I don’t really feel any emptiness.”

When we talk to other people about Christ, we need to recognize that there’s more at stake than mere happiness. So we must go beyond that message to the deepest need of all. That is, the need for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus did not die on the cross to make us happy. He died to save us from sin and death. Look at the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 above. Or in Romans 5:8: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (NLT). Or the apostle John’s words in 1 John 2:2: “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world” (NLT). And, of course, in John 3:16: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (NLT).

The need for salvation and eternal life is true of every person at every moment in time. There is no unbeliever who doesn’t need to hear the gospel message. The more powerfully you make that message resonate with someone, the greater impact it will have. Learning to make the gospel resonate is one of the keys to spiritual growth.

Reflection question: How can you talk to someone about Christ in a way that meets a very real need in that person’s life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways.” (Psalm 119:1–3 NIV)

Early in our lives, we learn the importance of walking. It’s fascinating to watch infants make their way to toddlerhood as they become more and more mobile. When an infant first discovers what her limbs are capable of, usually her first instinct is to push herself up. She’s no longer content simply to lie down. She wants to take control of her little life.

She will try over and over again to coordinate the pushing up of her arms with the churning of her legs. When she does, she starts to crawl. Next, she’ll attempt to pull herself to a standing position, using whatever furniture is handy. She’ll test the strength of her wobbly little legs. She’ll discover balance.

She’ll take a tentative step—and fall. And then she’ll get back up and try again. Soon the steps will start to outnumber the falls, and she’ll be on her way to walking.

If you’re a new believer, you might be experiencing a similar pattern as you learn to walk with Christ. Psalm 119:1–3 says, “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways” (NIV). But walking according to the law of the Lord takes time, practice, and patience.

If spiritual disciplines such as prayer, worship, and studying God’s Word are new to you, it’s only natural that it takes you a while to find your balance in them. Your spiritual legs are still developing. If your lifelong reaction to sin has been to hide it, deny it, or keep it a secret from others, the idea of confessing it and asking for forgiveness may take a little time getting used to. And if you don’t yet have a working knowledge of your own faith, you’re probably not going to be comfortable talking about it with others.

But don’t let that immobilize you. Set aside time every day to talk and listen to God, even if it feels awkward. Praise Him for who He is. Thank Him for what He’s done. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Take your requests to Him. Spend time in His Word. Ask God to guide your understanding of it and show you ways to apply it in your life. Find a church where you can worship and fellowship with other believers. Look for ways to include your faith in your conversations.

Your first steps as a new believer will likely be a little shaky. You may stumble and fall more than a few times. God understands. His patience will amaze you. He doesn’t look at your outward accomplishments; He looks at what’s going on in your heart. If your intentions are sincere, He will take care of the rest in His time. The number of times you fall is irrelevant as long as it’s equal to the number of times you get back up and try again.

Reflection question: In what areas do you stumble in your Christian walk? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.