“But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.” (Ecclesiastes 2:11 NLT)

Life is a choice. God makes that clear in Deuteronomy 30:19: “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!” (NLT). We decide not only where we are going in this life but also where we will spend eternity.

What road are you on today? Which way are you going? If you’re living for yourself, if you’re living for pleasure, if you’re living for happiness, you’re heading for a dead end. You’re never going to find what you’re looking for. No one knew this better than Solomon, the great king of Israel. He had almost limitless wealth, and he pursued earthly pleasures with reckless abandon. And when he was done, he had this to say about it all: “But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere” (Ecclesiastes 2:11 NLT). If you live for happiness or pleasure, those things will always be beyond your grasp.

However, if you change your course and follow Jesus Christ, He will give you the absolute assurance of life beyond the grave, life in His presence, life in a place called Heaven, which is greater than anything you can imagine. As you walk with Christ, He will also give you a life here on earth that is full and rich, with true purpose and meaning. The alternative is a life without true purpose, where you reap the consequences of sin and one day face a certain judgment. I encourage you today to choose life.

If you’ve already chosen life and received Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are perfectly positioned to help others make the same choice. You can do that by living the “rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT) that Jesus makes possible. Or, as the apostle Paul wrote, “Live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Philippians 1:27 NLT). Let other people see Christ in you—in the way you treat others, in the things you prioritize, in the way you act and speak, and in the joy with which you approach each day. Help them see that the same kind of life is available to them.

If you chose life in the past but have strayed from the right road, remember this: The Lord hasn’t abandoned you. He stands ready to forgive you. You can still experience the life He offers. Just as the prodigal son was welcomed by his father, you will be welcomed by your heavenly Father. All you have to do is turn away from your sin and ask Him to restore you. It’s never too late to get back on the right road.

Reflection question: How do you know if you’re on the right road, spiritually speaking? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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

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“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)

During a visit to the Pacific Northwest several years ago, I met a man who told me he’d been heavily into alcohol and drugs. His marriage, he said, had been hanging by a thread. One day, he loaded a gun, planning to kill himself. Then he turned on the TV. There on the screen was a Harvest Crusade, where I was sharing a message called, “How to Get Right with God.”

The man said, “God began to speak to me. When you led those people in prayer, I prayed and asked Jesus Christ to come into my life.” After he found Christ, the man realized he needed to reconcile with his father. So, he rode his motorcycle across the country to see his dad. That’s a long ride on a motorcycle. That sounds like a conversion to me. That sounds like a man who had met God, because there was a change in his life.

That’s a familiar pattern in Scripture: have a personal encounter with the Lord and then find that your life is changed as a result. In 2 Kings 5, after the military commander Naaman was healed from his leprosy, he immediately rejected all idols and wanted to show his gratitude with a gift. In Acts 9, after Saul encountered Jesus on his way to arrest Christians, he changed the entire trajectory of his life. He became a leader of the people he had been persecuting. In Acts 16, after the Philippian jailer became a believer, he washed the backs of the prisoners he had previously whipped. And in Luke 19, after the tax collector Zacchaeus encountered Jesus, he vowed to give half his wealth to the poor and repay the people he’d cheated four times what he owed them.

Let’s be clear: None of these people changed so that they could make themselves good enough for the Lord. They didn’t earn their salvation or righteousness with their good deeds. The change came after their encounter with the Lord, as a result of His impact on their life.

The apostle Paul—the man known as Saul in Acts 9—wrote, “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). After you give your life to Christ, your next step is to foster this new person and embrace the changes that will occur in your life.

The Holy Spirit, who takes up residence inside you when you receive Christ, will guide you in this step. He will remind you that certain attitudes, habits, and routines are part of your old life. He will help you adjust to the changes that Jesus initiates. He will help you enjoy the “rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT) that only Jesus offers.

Reflection question: What has changed in your life since you became a believer? 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

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“‘Don’t lay a hand on the boy!’ the angel said. ‘Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.’” (Genesis 22:12 NLT)

The gripping story of Abraham and his beloved son Isaac gives us an unforgettable image of faith and sacrifice. Isaac was the son God promised to Abraham, a symbol of the covenant between Abraham and God. To say that Abraham had waited a long time for a son would be an understatement. When Isaac was born, Abraham was one hundred years old. His wife Sarah was ninety when she gave birth.

Abraham was so delighted by his son that he named him Isaac, which means “laughter.” And laughter is what Isaac brought into the lives of Abraham and Sarah. Years later, the laughter turned into shock and fear when God said to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you” (Genesis 22:2 NLT). There was no greater sacrifice that God could have requested from Abraham. Isaac was the joy of Abraham’s life.

Abraham did not question or hesitate. He took Isaac, who was a young man at the time, to the place of sacrifice. With no animal in sight to offer, Isaac asked, “Father . . . where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” (verse 7 NLT)

Abraham prophetically replied, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (verse 8 NKJV).

God indeed provided the sacrifice, as an angel cried out, “Don’t lay a hand on the boy! . . . Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son” (verse 12 NLT). At that moment, Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket—a sacrifice he could offer to God in place of his son.

The story of Abraham and Isaac is a foreshadowing of what would occur on the cross. God provided Himself a sacrifice. Unlike the story of Abraham and Isaac, God did not provide for Himself a sacrifice. He provided Himself as a sacrifice. God Himself became the sacrifice for our sins when He gave His only Son to die for us.

If we ever start to get complacent in our Christian faith, one of the best things we can do is remind ourselves of the cost of our salvation and eternal life. God sacrificed that which was most precious to Him so that we might live. Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13 NLT).

If you want to experience a personal revival, embrace the opportunities you have to sacrifice for the One who sacrificed so much for you. How can you give up your time, resources, skills, and comfort to carry out God’s work? Answering that question may change your spiritual perspective in a profound way.

Reflection question: What will you sacrifice for the cause of Christ? 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.