GREG LAURIE

A TIME UNDER
HEAVEN
30 Devotional Thoughts Inspired by Ecclesiastes

BY GREG LAURIE

Copyright © 2018 Greg Laurie. All rights reserved.

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To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace

—Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

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Day 1

To Everything There Is a Season

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose

under heaven.
—Ecclesiastes 3:1

From time to time, it is a good practice to evaluate how

we are doing and where we are going. We want to make
sure that we are living our lives the way they ought to be
lived because we never know if today will be our last day
on earth.

Reflecting on the passing of human life, ethicist Michael

Josephson wrote, “Ready or not, some day it will all
come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no
minutes, hours, or days... So what will matter? How will
the value of your days be measured?... Living a life that
matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of
circumstance but of choice.”

The Bible says, “To everything there is a season, a time

for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born,
and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1–2). It also reminds
us that our times are in God’s hands (see Psalm 31:15).
Regarding the length of our lives, Job said to God, “His
days are determined, the number of his months is with
You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot
pass” (Job 14:5).

God determines how long we will live—not us. We may

be able to improve the quality of our lives through diet
and exercise. But the quantity of our lives—that is up
to God. So we want to make sure that we are living our
lives well.

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As Corrie ten Boom said, “The measure of a life, after all,

is not its duration, but its donation.”

You determine the evening of your life by the morning

of it. So start thinking about it. Start charting the course
the rest of your life will take.

Questions for Thought

• If you knew your life would end tomorrow, what would

you do differently today? What regrets would you have?

• “The measure of a life... is not its duration, but its

donation.” Looking back over your past, what have you
contributed to God’s work here on earth?

• What’s one thing you plan to do better in the future,

with God’s help?

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Day 2

A Time to Be Born
I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot
see the Kingdom of God.
—John 3:3 NLT

We all like the idea of changing, of becoming something

different than what we presently are.

Starting over again...

Reinventing ourselves...
Experiencing a new beginning...

Certainly, our culture is obsessed with change and

self-improvement. Cosmetic surgery has become
commonplace. People go to cosmetic surgeons wanting
to look like their favorite movie stars, or perhaps a
younger version of themselves. Sadly, they sometimes
come out looking like an altogether different person!

I heard about a woman named Shirley who was from

Beverly Hills. One day, she had a heart attack and was
taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital. While on the operating
table, she had a near-death experience. She saw God
and asked, “Is this it? Is my life over?”

God said, “No, don’t worry. You have another 40 years

to live.”

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Shirley figured that since she had another 40 years, she

might as well make the most of it. Upon her recovery,
she decided to stay in the hospital and have collagen
shots, cheek implants, a facelift, and liposuction—the
works! She then had someone dye her hair. When she
walked out of the lobby at Cedars-Sinai, however, an
ambulance speeding up to the hospital killed her. She
arrived in front of God and said, “I thought you said I
had another 40 years?”

God replied, “Shirley! I’m so sorry, but I didn’t

recognize you!”

Why this desire for change? Anthony Elliott, former

Professor of Asociology at the University of Kent, wrote:
“The demand for instant identity transformations has
never been so persuasive. People today want change
and they want it instantly—from fame to the instant thrills
of Botox or liposuction. In a world of short-term contracts,
endless downsizings, just-in-time deliveries, and
multiple careers, the capacity to reinvent yourself has
become fundamental.”

Nowadays, if people have a drug or alcohol problem,

they just go to rehab. They emerge a month later “cured”
(along with a fashion accessory ankle bracelet), but they
fall back into the same problems again and again.

The problem is that all of these changes don’t get to the

real issue. Because the heart of the matter is the matter
of the heart.

The Bible tells the story of an elderly man named

Nicodemus who came to Jesus one night, looking
for answers and wanting change in his life.

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After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus.

“Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to
teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God
is with you.”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born
again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

“What do You mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can

an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born
again?” (John 3:2–4 NLT).

Nicodemus was known to be a deeply religious man. Yet

there was something missing in his life, so for him to call
Jesus “Teacher” was quite an acknowledgement. He had
great respect for Jesus and His teachings. And he was
probably hoping that Jesus would say something that
would bring improvement to his life. But what Jesus said
was radical, even revolutionary. Jesus immediately said
to him, “You must be born again!” But why did Jesus
say that?

Jesus said that because He’s not looking for admiration

or even deep respect. He is looking for followers. He
doesn’t say, “Admire Me,” but rather “Follow Me!” Jesus
wants more than our admiration. He wants our worship.
Jesus was saying, “Nicodemus, being religious and moral
is not enough. Self-improvement is not enough. No, you
must be born all over again.” But what does that mean?

To be born again means to be “born from above.”

It is a radical heart change that only God can do.
But it comes from above, not from self-effort or from
self-improvement programs.

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You might think to yourself, “Well, I’m a Christian, but

I’m not one of those ‘born again’ types.” Newsflash:
According to Jesus, you can’t be a genuine Christian
without being born again.

Questions for Thought

• Have you been “born from above,” allowing Jesus to

change your life and make you a new creation? If so,
how do you know for certain? If not, visit KnowGod.org
to learn more about being born again.

• Jesus doesn’t say, “Admire Me,” but rather “Follow Me!”

What does following Jesus look like in your everyday life?

• Do you find that you sometimes try to “reinvent yourself”

in certain areas, in your own strength? If so, what areas?

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Day 3

A Time to Die
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave Himself for me.
—Galatians 2:20

People sometimes will use the expression, “We all have

our cross to bear.” But our cross to bear is not whatever
we find difficult in life. The cross to bear, so to speak, is
the same for everyone: it is dying to self.

Dying to self means resisting the temptation to do what

everyone else is doing when you know it is wrong. Dying
to self means forgiving instead of harboring a grudge.
Dying to self means putting down the remote control
and picking up the Bible. Dying to self means praying
when you would rather be sleeping. Dying to self means
swallowing your pride and telling someone about Jesus
Christ. Dying to self means doing what God wants you to
do rather than doing what you want to do.

Jesus said, “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he

has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). That does not
mean you must take a vow of poverty and give every
possession away to be a disciple of Jesus. “Forsake all”
literally could be translated “surrender your claim to; say
good-bye to.” This means that true disciples of Jesus are
not possessed by their possessions.

When you die to yourself and take up the cross, you

will experience joy and an overflowing life. The apostle

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Paul put it this way: “My old self has been crucified with
Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So
I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 NLT).

If you want to be a disciple, then you must love God more

than anyone or anything else. You must deny yourself.
And you must take up the cross and follow Jesus.

Questions for Thought

• What does “dying to self” look like in your everyday

actions and attitudes?

• “If you want to be a disciple, then you must love God

more than anyone or anything else.” What things in
particular are competing for your wholehearted devotion
to God?

• Commit to working on one area (time, possessions,

Bible study, attitude, etc.) that needs conquering.
What practical ideas do you have to help you “die to
self” in this area?

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Day 4

A Time to Plant
He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this
one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.”
—Matthew 13:3 NLT

In contrast to farming in the 21st century, first-century

farming was quite simple. A farmer would plant his
crops by walking along and throwing seed in a relatively
indiscriminate manner. Sometimes the wind would pick
up the seed, some might end up on a road, and some
might land on ground that was embedded with stones
or infested with weeds. And some would land on fertile,
receptive soil.

In the same way, we are called to spread the seed of the

Word of God as far as we can and to as many people as
possible. And we don’t always know where it is going.
As Paul wrote to the believers at Corinth, “I planted the
seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was
God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the
planting, or who does the watering. What’s important
is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants
and the one who waters work together with the same
purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard
work” (1 Corinthians 3:6–8 NLT).

Believers who may not even know each other are

effectively working together. For example, when
Christians go out and share their faith with someone,
they plant a seed. A little bit later, when those people
encounter other believers who live godly lives, the
lifestyle of those Christians has, in effect, watered the

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seed. And later, someone invites them to church, where

they hear the gospel and respond.

The people who planted and the people who watered

and the people who reaped are all secondary. God is
the one who brought about the conversion. He worked
through all those believers, who worked together as
a team.

Questions for Thought

• Can you recall times when someone planted seeds in

your own life? Who? When? How?

• What are some ways you can plant seeds in the lives
of others?

• Often, the hardest part of planting seeds is the waiting.

We want to see immediate results. Is there a seed that has
been planted in your life (an idea, goal, prayer, plan, etc.)
that you are trying to speed along, or that is causing
you anxiety?

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Day 5

A Time to Pluck What Is Planted

Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the
laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest
to send out laborers into His harvest.”
—Luke 10:2

Sometimes believers will say, “I want to be a missionary.

I will cross the sea for Christ.” That is good, but let’s
also cross the street to talk to our neighbors. Wherever
we go, we can be representatives of the Lord. Jesus
reminded His disciples that the harvest field is all
around them: “Do you not say, ‘There are still four
months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to
you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are
already white for harvest!” (John 4:35). Look for those
opportunities.

God is looking for someone to labor in His field—to

pluck what has been planted. Jesus told His disciples,
“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are
few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send
out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37–38).
The observers are many. The spectators are many.
The complainers are many. But the laborers are few.

Billy Graham said, “The evangelistic harvest is always

urgent. The destiny of men, women, and nations is
always being decided. Every generation is strategic.
We are not responsible for the past generation, and we
cannot bear full responsibility for the next one. But we
do have our generation. God will hold us responsible as
to how well we fulfill our responsibilities to this age and
take advantage of our opportunities.”

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You have your field. I have mine. Let’s get to work.

You have a testimony. You know Jesus died on the cross
for the sins of the world. Get out there and start telling
people. Go out into the harvest field and just do it.

Questions for Thought

• What is your biggest obstacle to getting out into the

harvest field and “plucking what has been planted”?

• Have you ever led someone to Christ? If not, What is your

resolution to look for opportunities.

• Do you know some people who haven’t yet met Jesus?

Pray for those people today.

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Day 6

A Time to Kill
You shall not murder.
—Exodus 20:13

We live in a violent and murderous culture today, a

culture that is awash in fighting and killing, a culture
where nearly two million people are victims of violent
crime each year. Yet the sixth commandment says,
“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).

All murder is wrong, but all killing isn’t necessarily

wrong. That is an important distinction to understand.
All murder is killing, but all killing is not necessarily
murder. We are never to take the life of another human
being for no justifiable reason. But the Bible does not
condemn all killing. If you study Numbers 35, you will
see that God established a difference between killing
and murder.

So when is killing right? One example is self-defense.

You have the right to defend yourself. A country also has
a right, and really the responsibility, to defend itself. God
has even established authority, such as the military and
the police. Romans 13 says, “For rulers are not a terror
to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid
of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have
praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for
good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear
the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to
execute wrath on him who practices evil” (verses 3–4).

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When Paul made that statement, the authority was the

Roman government. Was the Roman government a pure,
moral, godly force on the earth? Hardly. But even with
the problems of the Roman government and the Caesars,
Paul recognized that God is ultimately in control.

There is a place for authority, for the military and the

police. It doesn’t mean they always do the right thing.
But God has established their authority.

Questions for Thought

• Do you struggle with the idea that God has allowed times
for killing? Do you understand the difference between
killing and murdering?

• What are some habits in your life that need to be killed?

• Think of practical ways that you can put to death

those habits.

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Day 7

A Time to Heal
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of
the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him
with oil in the name of the Lord.
—James 5:14

I believe that God heals today. We know He has

miraculously built into the human body a natural process
in which it heals over time. But I believe God can quicken
the healing process.

I also believe that He can do a miracle when we have

been told there is no hope. I have seen so many of these
miracles myself. God promises His healing touch and
tells us that by His stripes we are healed. So we should
ask God to heal us when we are facing sickness.

In James 5, we are given the scriptural pattern for

healing: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for
the elders of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

It is interesting that the Bible does not say, “Is anyone

among you sick? Then go find a faith healer.” I’m not
suggesting that miracles didn’t take place in the early
church because they certainly did. I’m not saying that
healing wasn’t done by faith because it was. My point
is that it never was the focus of the apostles. The early
church didn’t follow signs and wonders; signs and
wonders followed them. This is an important distinction.

We can go to God and ask Him to heal. I thank God that

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healing is available to us today. But we make a mistake

when we focus on phenomena. Instead, we should
focus on the proclamation of God’s Word and leave the
miracles, healings, and the rest up to God to do as He
sovereignly chooses.

Questions for Thought

• Are you in need of healing? Have you followed the

pattern set forth in James 5?

• Who do you know that needs healing today? Pray for them.

• What things has God healed in your past—physically,

emotionally, mentally, or spiritually?

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Day 8

A Time to Break Down

He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and
has broken down the middle wall of separation...
—Ephesians 2:14

One of the most significant events of the 20th century

was the fall of the Berlin Wall. After World War II,
Germany was divided into West and East Germany.
A wall was erected in Berlin to keep people in and other
influences out.

Many people tried to get over that wall through the

years to escape the horrible communist system they
lived under. Eighty people died trying to get over that
wall. Only a handful succeeded. President Reagan went
to that wall and at a public gathering openly addressed
the leader of Russia at that time, Mikhail Gorbachev,
and gave his famous words, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down
this wall.” Gorbachev never did tear down that wall, but
the people of East Germany finally did. In 1989, world
history was made as the wall was destroyed and
freedom was restored.

Listen: there is a wall far more formidable than the Berlin

Wall that has been torn down. This is a wall that kept us
all from God. It is called the wall of sin. Two thousand
years ago, Jesus tore that wall down and thus has given
us free, open, and constant access into His presence.
This was done because His blood was shed for us. “Christ
himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and
Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the
cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated
us” (Ephesians 2:14 NLT).

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Jesus Christ is the only way of reconciliation. If we want

to be reconciled to God and want to be reconciled with
others, then it must be through Christ.

So many of us need reconciliation today. Husbands need

to be reconciled with wives. Parents need to be reconciled
with children. Sinners need to be reconciled with God. We
all need reconciliation.

Sin is the great separator. Ever since it entered the world,

it has divided people throughout human history. When
Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, sin immediately
began its work of separation. It separated Adam and Eve
from God. It ultimately separated their sons, Cain and
Abel. The impact of sin is separation.

But at the cross of Calvary, Jesus broke down the wall that
separated us from Him. He brought about reconciliation.
This is the great truth: We have open access to God
through Christ. We can be reconciled to Him. And He
wants us to be reconciled to one another.

Let’s rejoice that God has given us this access to Him.

Questions for Thought

• Recall a time when two people you know reconciled. What

walls had to break down for that to happen?

• Is there someone that you need to be reconciled with?

What can you do to break down the walls of separation?

• We have open access to God because of Christ’s work of

reconciliation. How should that affect your behavior today?

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Day 9

A Time to Build Up
The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of
Judah who were building the wall. The laborers carried
on their work with one hand supporting their load and
one hand holding a weapon.
—Nehemiah 4:16–17 NLT

When God called Nehemiah, the cupbearer of King

Artaxerxes, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah
was living in the lap of luxury. He was in a position of
power and prestige.

But Nehemiah was stirred in his heart, because he

knew that while he lived in comfort, his fellow Jews
were basically living in ruin. The once-high walls of
Jerusalem lay in rubble, burned-out and charred. God
told Nehemiah to use his position of influence for Him.
Nehemiah prayed and then went to the king and asked
for permission to rebuild the walls. Permission was
granted, and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and went
about the task of getting the people to rebuild the wall.

At first, they weren’t all that interested. Sometimes the

hardest challenge is getting people to wake up and
see the need. We often experience that when we go to
various cities to proclaim the gospel through crusade
events. But eventually Nehemiah rallied the troops and
everyone began to work together.

As soon as the Israelites began to rebuild the walls of

Jerusalem, there was opposition. It is a reminder to us
that whenever God’s people say, “Let’s rise up and build,”

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the devil and his cohorts are going to say, “Let’s rise up
and oppose.”

Nehemiah and the Jews did what they had to do, and
that is what we need to do. On one hand, we are to work
together, building ourselves up in the faith. And on the
other hand, we are to be contending for the faith. We
build and we defend, and it all goes together.

Questions for Thought

• What is God calling you to “rise up and build” in your

personal life?

• Have you experienced opposition in the past when you

worked to build yourself up spiritually?

• Is there someone you can come alongside to support as

they “build” in their life?

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Day 10

A Time to Weep
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He
who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
—John 11:25

As we get older, a question begins to gnaw away at us:

Is there life after death? Sometimes it will come earlier
if someone close to us dies without warning, and we
come face-to-face with the uncomfortable fact of death.

This shouldn’t come as a revelation to you, but we are

all going to die. As it’s been said, there are two things
in life that are always certain: death and taxes. You can
be sure of it.

Some Christians will say, “I am going to go to Heaven,

so when I die, don’t weep for me.” But death is hard
for everyone, and there is nothing wrong with feeling
sorrow over the loss of someone you care about.
Christians experience that sorrow too. It’s part of the
grieving process. The Bible says there is “a time to weep”
(Ecclesiastes 3:4).

Death even brought tears to the eyes of Jesus when His

friend Lazarus died (see John 11:35). But, of course, we
know there is life beyond the grave for Christians. We
know we can look forward to life after death.

Jesus Christ came to give us life and that more

abundantly. We know that life is not limited to this time
on earth. We know it’s temporary. Of course, we will
feel sorrow and loss for a Christian who has died. But

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as believers, we know we will see that person again in

heaven. That is God’s great gift to us. His Son Jesus
personally intervened and turned death into victory.

Questions for Thought

• Have you lost a loved one? Do you have the hope of

seeing them again in Heaven?

• Have you ever felt ashamed for weeping? Does it bring

you comfort to know that Jesus wept too?

• Is there someone you know who is going through “a time

to weep”? How can you encourage or support that person
this week?

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Day 11

A Time to Laugh
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
—Philippians 4:4 NLT

Imprisoned in Rome and chained to a guard day in and

day out, the apostle Paul faced an uncertain future. He
didn’t know whether he would be acquitted or beheaded.
Yet Paul was able to rejoice amid those circumstances.

We see this theme throughout Paul’s letter to the

believers at Philippi. Nineteen times in four chapters,
Paul mentioned joy, rejoicing, or gladness. For instance,
when he thought of the Philippian believers, it brought
a smile to his face. He wrote, “Every time I think of you,
I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my
requests for all of you with joy” (Philippians 1:3–4 NLT).

When he encouraged them to walk together, he became

joyful just thinking about it. He told them, “Make me
truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other,
loving one another, and working together with one mind
and purpose” (Philippians 2:2 NLT).

When he mentioned he was sending Epaphroditus to

them, he urged them to receive him joyfully: “I am all
the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know
you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so
worried about you. Welcome him in the Lord’s love
and with great joy...” (Philippians 2:28–29 NLT).

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Even when Paul thought about his potential death, he

was still full of joy. In verse 21 of Philippians 1 he said,
“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is
even better” (NLT).

Then Paul got down to the bottom line of it all when he

said in chapter 4, verse 4, “Always be full of joy in the
Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (NLT).

Despite his imprisonment, Paul wrote a letter to the

saints at Philippi that resonated with joy.

Questions for Thought

• Do you resonate with joy like the apostle Paul? Do

people perceive you as a “stick in the mud,” or as
someone they can laugh with?

• What have been some “times to laugh” in your past?

• What are some reasons to rejoice about in your life today?

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Day 12

A Time to Mourn
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
—Matthew 5:4

If you have ever watched a Peanuts special, then you

have heard Charlie Brown’s signature expression, “Good
grief.” But did you know there is such a thing we could
call “good” grief?

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they

shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Or, “Happy are the
unhappy.” The word mourn that Jesus used is the most
severe of all nine Greek words used for grief in Scripture.
It is reserved for mourning the dead. And this verse
certainly applies in principle to all who mourn.

When you lose someone who is close to you, you don’t

get over it like people want you to—especially if that
loved one was a child. You never plan for such a thing.
The mourning is an ongoing, daily thing. Yet Jesus
said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall
be comforted.” There is a blessedness, or happiness,
in mourning.

Some good things can come out of mourning. One

is that you gain a new perspective. You see things
differently. Some of the things that were important
to you before are not nearly as important to you now.
And some of the things that were not as important to
you before become very important to you now.

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You get a different view of life and find yourself longing

for Heaven more. Before my son went to be with the
Lord, I thought about Heaven. But to me it was a lot
more intangible than it is today. I think more specifically
about Heaven now because someone so close to me
is there. So you long more for Heaven. And you find
yourself drawing close to God because, quite frankly,
there is nowhere else to go.

Yes, there really is such a thing as “good grief”

—mourning is healthy, natural, and helps to give us
a heavenly perspective.

Questions for Thought

• Has God comforted you in times of mourning? Did any

good come out of your grieving experience?

• Is there someone you know who is going through “a time

to mourn”? What can you do to comfort them?

• Are you longing for Heaven? What, specifically, do you

look forward to most?

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Day 13

A Time to Dance
Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing
praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will

beautify the humble with salvation.
—Psalm 149:3–4

Sorrows come into all of our lives. And while none of

us enjoy them, they are a reality. You will experience
heartache. If you ever choose to love anyone, if you ever
choose to extend your friendship to another person,
then you will be disappointed. You will be let down. You
will be heartbroken. There will be great disappointments
for you in life.

But there also will be times of laughter, times of great

joy and celebration. One of the lessons I’ve learned
from life is to enjoy the good times. Don’t take them
for granted. Savor the moment because you can be sure
some bad times will come down the road. But thank God
they will go through Him first because He continues to
be in control of all circumstances that surround our lives.

There are so many things that we can enjoy on this

earth: the beauty, the joys, the love and companionship
of family and friends. God has given us these things;
therefore, we don’t have to feel bad about them. But
here is something to consider: earth is not the original
with Heaven being a copy; Heaven is the original, and
earth is the copy.

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As C. S. Lewis wrote, “All the things that have ever

deeply possessed your soul have been but hints of
[heaven]—tantalizing glimpses, promises never quite
fulfilled, echoes that died away just as they caught
your ear...” The real thing is Heaven.

The things that we enjoy most on earth will be waiting

for us in Heaven, but in a perfected state. We will not
miss out on anything. The hope of Heaven is real—and
that is a cause for celebration here on earth!

Questions for Thought

• What are some blessings in your life that are worth

celebrating?

• Have you experienced times of joy and dancing?

Think of some of them, and thank God for those times.

• Identify a “dancing partner”—someone you can

celebrate with because of what Jesus has done in
their life.

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Day 14

A Time to Cast Away Stones

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily
ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that
is set before us...
—Hebrews 12:1

What does Ecclesiastes 3 mean when it says, “There is a

time to cast away stones”? Some think this is a reference
to clearing a field before planting a crop, as Isaiah 5:2
describes. Some would say that the time to cast away
stones is when we tear down the altars to false idols,
like when Gideon pulled down the altar to Baal. In either
case, the stones represent obstacles or impediments
in our spiritual life. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to
“lay aside every weight” in order to run the spiritual race
before us. There is indeed a time to cast away stones.

As Christians, we need to avoid anything in life that

will hinder our spiritual growth. To help you mature
spiritually, here is a litmus test that will assist you
in identifying what might weigh you down in your
spiritual walk.

The first question to ask yourself is: “Does what I’m

doing benefit me spiritually?” Paul once said, essentially,
“All things are permissible, but not everything is beneficial”
(see 1 Corinthians 10:23). Even though certain things are
permissible, they still weigh us down by tearing us away
from God and His people or by dulling our hunger for
God’s Word.

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The second question you want to pose is, “Does this

thing bring me under its power?” Paul provided us with
this principle, when he said, “All things are lawful for
me, but I will not be brought under the power of any”
(1 Corinthians 6:12). Perhaps you are under the power of
something. It’s not that it is a bad thing in and of itself,
but it might be that you have had so much of it that it
is beginning to control your life. We want to avoid those
things. We want to be under the power of Christ and
Christ alone.

The final question of our litmus test pertains to the grey

areas in life. When those times come our way, we must
ask, “Do I have an uneasy conscience about what I am
doing?” To put it scripturally, when these situations arise,
remember the words of Paul, “Whatever is not from faith
is sin” (Romans 14:23).

You see, wise Christians constantly take inventory of

their lives and avoid whatever aspects of life that can
hurt their spiritual walk. Be wise and take inventory of
your walk with God.

Questions for Thought

• Time for a spiritual inventory! In your life, what weights

do you need to lay aside? What stones do you need to
cast away?

• Think of a time when you “cast away a stone” in your

life and what was the result.

• What happens when we refuse to “cast away stones” in

our spiritual lives?

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Day 15

A Time to Gather Stones

And you are living stones that God is building into his
spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.
Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual
sacrifices that please God.
—1 Peter 2:5 NLT

There is a famous story about a Spartan king who was

boasting to a visitor about the walls of Sparta. The
visitor looked around, however, and could not see any
walls. “You see, in Sparta, every man is a brick,” the
Spartan king told his guest, pointing to his army. “These
are the walls of Sparta.”

When it comes to the church, every believer is a brick.

And we are described in the Bible as living stones:
“And you are living stones that God is building into
his spiritual temple...” (1 Peter 2:5 NLT).

We should not be spectators in the church; we should

be participants. It is easy to play armchair quarterback.
But it is another thing altogether to be down on the field
with the team. And that is where God wants each of us
to be.

President Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic

who counts: not the man who points out how the strong
man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have
done better. The credit belongs to the man who is
actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and
sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who
comes short again and again, because there is no effort
without error or shortcoming...”

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It is easy to stand back and criticize, but the credit goes

to the man or woman who goes out and does the work
of God’s kingdom. Maybe they make a mistake here.
Maybe they don’t get it right there. But I would rather
try and make a mistake than never try at all.

As each part of the body of Christ does its special work,

it helps the entire body. The key is every one of us doing
our part.

Questions for Thought

• Sometimes it is harder to work together than to act on

your own. What are the advantages to being “a living
stone” with other Christians?

• Have you ever found yourself being “an armchair

quarterback” when it comes to your church? What can
you do to “get in the game”?

• God has placed other “living stones” in your life to help

you stand firm. Think about a few of these people, and
say a prayer of thanks for them today.

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Day 16

A Time to Embrace
But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him
and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and
kissed him.
—Luke 15:20

I’m not a hugger. Being raised in a dysfunctional home, I

didn’t hear “I love you” a lot. We didn’t hug in our family.
So outward displays of affection don’t come naturally to me.

But in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, in Luke 15, we

see a picture of a God who is not afraid to show how
much He loves us. This parable is one of the best-known
stories in the pages of Scripture. It clearly shows us that
God gives second chances. It’s a story that illustrates
God’s attitude toward us, even when we have miserably
failed Him. It reveals what God is like.

The Bible says God is love. It doesn’t merely say that

God is loving. Rather, it says that He is love. The apostle
John wrote, “God is love, and he who abides in love
abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). God is love
personified. He is love incarnate. Now that doesn’t mean
He is not righteous, because Scripture certainly teaches
that He is. But He loves us.

This parable shows us two things: the sinfulness of man

and the love of God. It tells us that we have all run away
from God, just as the son took his inheritance and left his
father’s house. When he realized his mistake, “He arose
and came to his father. But when he was still a great way
off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and

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fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). This tells
us that God loves us and is willing to go to any lengths
to get us back again.

This story demonstrates God’s great love toward us,

even when we have miserably failed, and His willingness
to forgive us if we will come to our senses and come back
to Him. Because He loves us, God gives us second chances.

Questions for Thought

• What are some spiritual habits that you need to

embrace?

• “God is love personified. He is love incarnate.” How

should this truth affect your thinking and behavior today?

• Just as the father ran to his son, embraced him, and

kissed him—for all to see—God is not ashamed to
show His great love for us. In fact, He demonstrated
it to everyone as He hung on the cross. How can you
demonstrate love for someone else today?

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Day 17

A Time to Refrain from Embracing

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet
ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to
them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and
to My God and your God.’”
—John 20:17

On the morning of the Resurrection, Jesus didn’t allow

Mary to touch Him. He was essentially saying, “It’s not
going to be the way it used to be. You can’t hold on to
Me in the old way. It’s a new covenant.”

Then He made a radical statement: “Go to My brethren

and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your
Father, and to My God and your God’” (John 20:17). For
Jesus to call God His Father was one thing. But He said,
“I am ascending to My Father and your Father.” In other
words, “He is your Father now too.”

If you came from a fatherless home, God can be

the Father you never had. Jesus opened up a new
relationship for us through His death on the cross and
His resurrection from the dead. No longer must we go
through a high priest to seek atonement for our sins,
because Jesus became the final sacrifice for our sins.
And He has given us free access to God the Father, to
whom we can come in times of need.

Do you know God as your Father? Or does He seem like

some distant force? If that is the case, I have good news
for you: God is not some mere force or distant power
somewhere in the universe. He is personal, He is caring,

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and He loves you. And that is why He sent His Son to die
on the cross in our place.

Questions for Thought

• Sometimes we want to cling to what is material, tangible,

and temporary—but Jesus wants to direct us instead to
our heavenly Father. Is there is a possession, a person, or
an ideal that you are looking to for security and comfort,
instead of looking to God?

• Describe how your relationship with your father (or lack

thereof) has affected your perception of God.

• As things change, it is sometimes hard to refrain from

embracing the old and instead reach out to embrace the
new. Can you think of an example of this in your life?

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Day 18

A Time to Gain
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you.
—Matthew 6:33

When Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba,

ascended to the throne after his father died, he was
overwhelmed by the task at hand. So he prayed, and God
appeared to him in a dream and told him, “Ask! What shall
I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5).

If God appeared to you tonight and told you to ask

for whatever you wanted, what would you pray for?
Fortunately, Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God’s
people: “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding
heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between
good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people
of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9).

Because he had not asked for a long life, riches, or even

the death of his enemies, God told Solomon He would give
him just what he requested and more: “And I have also
given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor,
so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings
all your days” (1 Kings 3:13).

Solomon had his priorities in order. He sought God’s

kingdom first, and all of those things were added to him.

And when we put God and His kingdom first, our lives
will find the proper balance as well. When Jesus said,
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,

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and all these things shall be added to you,” what things

was He speaking of? In context, these “things” are what
you will wear, what you will drink, and what you will eat.
But let me take it a step further. It is also where you will
work, where you will live, and even whom you will marry.

The basic issues of life will be taken care of by God when

we put Him first.

Questions for Thought

• There is a time to gain. But gaining comes by seeking

first God’s kingdom, dying to self, and getting our priorities
straight. How can you “seek the kingdom of God” today?

• What are some things that you have gained because of

God’s favor in your life?

• If God asked you the same question He asked Solomon,

would you be able to respond in like manner? What other
things would you be tempted to ask for?

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Day 19

A Time to Lose
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
—Luke 9:23–24

When people say, “I am going to go find myself,” it

usually precedes a selfish act. But Jesus taught that if
you want to find yourself, then you must lose yourself:
“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after
Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

Taking up the cross and following Jesus can sound like

one miserable lifestyle. But what it means is that you put
God first. You come to Him with your life and say, “All
right, Lord. Here are my goals. Here are my dreams. Here
are my aspirations, as well as my weaknesses and my
shortcomings and sins. I believe Your plans are better
than mine in the long run, so I dedicate my life to You.”

I am glad the so-called self-esteem movement seems to

have finally seen its day. We even saw some of it seep
into the church, usually portrayed in statements such
as, “Well, Jesus said, ‘You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.’” And whenever I would speak out against this,
people would get angry. But my point from the very
beginning was that you don’t need to be taught to love
yourself, because you already do. Jesus was saying that
obviously you love yourself already, so how about loving
your neighbor as much as you love yourself?

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When Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
Me,” He was essentially saying, “This is not about loving
yourself. This is not about esteeming yourself. This is not
about finding yourself. This is about losing yourself.”

Do you want to find yourself? Do you want to be who

you ought to be? Then lose yourself and dedicate your
life to Christ. It is God’s trade-in deal.

Questions for Thought

• What does “losing yourself” look like in real life—

specifically, in your life?

• Think of some things that you “lost” in coming to Christ

(hopelessness, addiction, despair, etc.).

• If everyone loved his neighbor as much as himself, how

would this world be different?

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Day 20

A Time to Keep
The LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
—Genesis 3:9 NLT

Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, unless they are
agreed?” In addition to walking in harmony with God,
this verse provides another nuance of meaning. It also
gives the idea of keeping an appointment. Did you know
that you have an appointment with God? You do. It is
there, written in eternity. In fact, God wants to meet with
you on a regular basis.

I wonder just how many times each day that God wants
to speak to us, but He can’t get a word in edgewise. The
Lord might say, “I have wanted to talk to you for a long
time, but you are too busy. This morning I wanted to talk
to you, but you didn’t have any time for Me. You read the
newspapers and watched TV and checked your phone.
You never opened the Word. You never prayed. At lunch I
tried to say something, but your prayer was so fast. Later
I tried to talk with you, but you have been so busy. You
have an appointment with Me. Why don’t you keep it?”

Remember how Adam had an appointment with God

every day in the Garden of Eden? He would hear the
voice of the Lord in the Garden in the cool of the day.
One day, Adam missed that appointment because of
sin. God said to Adam, “Where are you?”

I wonder if the Lord would say that to some of us each

day: “Where are you? Where were you? I have been
looking for you. I wanted to speak to you. I want you
to walk with Me, and I want to walk with you.”

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Just imagine, the Creator of the universe wants to spend

time with you! Is there any appointment that is worth
keeping more than this one?

Questions for Thought

• Have you “kept your appointment” with God today?

What types of things distract you from your appointments
with God?

• What are some practical things you can do to remind

yourself to keep appointments with Him?

• How do you feel when you think of God calling out,

“Where are you?”

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Day 21

A Time to Throw Away

Away then with sinful, earthly things; deaden the evil
desires lurking within you; have nothing to do with sexual
sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires; don’t worship the
good things of life, for that is idolatry. God’s terrible anger
is upon those who do such things. You used to do them
when your life was still part of this world; but now is the
time to cast off and throw away all these rotten garments
of anger, hatred, cursing, and dirty language. Don’t tell lies
to each other; it was your old life with all its wickedness
that did that sort of thing; now it is dead and gone.
—Colossians 3:5–9 TLB

Spring means many things to us. But one of the most

notable things that comes with spring is spring cleaning,
when we go through our houses and take care of all the
messes that have built up over the months.

I heard about an interesting custom in Italy for New

Year’s Eve. At midnight, the windows of every house
open, and everyone pitches out whatever they absolutely
hate—furniture, clothes, dishes, unwanted wedding
presents—they all come crashing to the ground. Now,
I would call that serious housecleaning!

I have to confess here that I’m not the tidiest person

on the planet. Ironically, I like to be in tidy surroundings.
But in contrast my wife, Cathe, is Mrs. Clean. She just
loves to clean and does it all the time.

In our spiritual lives, too, some of us allow messes to

develop. Becoming neglectful, we allow anger, bitter

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attitudes, lustful fantasies, or unconfessed sin to remain in

our hearts. Before we know it, we find ourselves reaping
the inevitable results of sin. Before long, we’re crying
out, “Oh God, get me out of this mess!”

And then there are others who live their spiritual lives
the same way that my wife cleans house. They’re careful
to cultivate and maintain their relationship with the
Lord, constantly asking God to search their hearts,
and confessing their sins before God (as David did in
Psalm 139:23–24).

You and I need to be cleansed from sin on a daily basis.

How much better it is to ask for that on a regular basis
than to allow a major problem to develop in our lives.
We need a professional. Essentially, we need God Himself
to come and clean house.

Questions for Thought

• Do you clean and throw away things regularly, or do

you allow them to build up until you require a major
cleaning? How about in your spiritual life?

• What kind of spiritual clutter are you most prone

to accumulate?

• What is the biggest obstacle to confessing your sins

regularly to God?

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Day 22

A Time to Tear
Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your
hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is
merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled
with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.
—Joel 2:13 NLT

What do you think of when you hear the word repent?

Maybe you think of someone wearing a sandwich board
with flames on it who is yelling, “Repent!” It’s a word we
don’t hear very much today.

You might be surprised to know that the first word to fall

from the lips of Jesus Christ after He began His public
ministry was repent (see Matthew 4:17).

The word repent means more than mere regret or sorrow.

You can be sorry for something and not be repentant.
You can feel sorry about a certain sin, especially if
you reap the consequences of it. The person who gets
caught in a lie is sorry. The criminal who gets caught
is sorry. But the question is whether that sorrow leads
to change. It might not. The liar might just be more
careful. The criminal may plot his next crime with more
foresight. There are people who are sorry for reaping
the consequences of what they have done, but they
have never made any changes in their lives.

Real sorrow, according to the Bible, will lead to repentance.

It will lead to change. John the Baptist preached to the
multitudes, “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance ...”
(Luke 3:8). Many people have never really repented
of their sins. They have never really brought forth fruit

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in keeping with repentance. But this is absolutely

necessary if you want to be forgiven of your sin.
Recognition of personal sin is always the first step
in receiving forgiveness.

However, you can recognize that you need to repent and

still not do it. You can recognize your personal sin and
not necessarily take action. You can even put on a show
of repentance, but not really mean it. But as Joel 2:13
tells us, it’s not enough just to “tear your clothing” as an
outward show; you must “tear your hearts instead” and
return to the Lord, who is merciful and compassionate.

Questions for Thought

• What do you think of when you hear the word repent?

How does it make you feel?

• When is the last time you “tore your heart” in true

repentance? Do you give thanks to the Lord for His
mercy, compassion, and forgiveness when you repent?

• Do you find yourself taking forgiveness for granted?

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Day 23

A Time to Sew
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man
separate.
—Mark 10:9

When asked on his fiftieth wedding anniversary for his

secret to marital bliss and longevity, Henry Ford replied,
“Just the same as in the automobile business. Stick to
one model.”

Mr. Ford’s marital advice is grounded in the biblical

principle of leaving and cleaving. Genesis 2:24 explains
that marriage begins with leaving. Leaving is the act
of altering all other relationships in your life. You still
honor your parents and maintain ties with friends, but
no relationship in your life may take precedence over
the relationship with your spouse.

The Bible then tells us that spouses are to cleave,

or join together. The word cleave means to cement
together, to stick like glue, or to be sewn together in
such a way that the two cannot be separated without
serious damage to both. In other words, you and your
mate are sewn together as one. Not only that, but you
should be best friends.

It’s good to have other friends. Husbands, have some

guys you pal around with. Wives, have girls you hang
out with. But there should only be one best friend in
your life—and it must be your spouse.

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Henry Ford was right, the secret to a loving and happy

marriage is to stick to one model—and that begins with
leaving and cleaving.

Questions for Thought

• If you are married, is your marriage like two pieces of

cloth that have been sewn together as one? What can
you do to strengthen those stitches?

• If you are not married, can you think of an example of

a strong marriage that reflects God’s glory?

• Can you think of another “time to sew” spiritually?

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Day 24

A Time to Keep Silence

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You
must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to
get angry.
—James 1:19 NLT

I can think of so many times when I should have

kept silent, but I just had to speak. On more than one
occasion, I have said something, and the moment it
left my lips, I thought, “Why did I just say that?” And
I have found myself instantly wishing I could take those
words back.

Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to

say the perfect thing, but instead, you ended up saying
the lamest thing possible?

It reminds me of when Peter, along with James and

John, witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus on the
mountain. What an awesome privilege these three men
had been given! Their eyes were the only ones who got
to see Jesus’ face and clothes suddenly become shining
like the sun. And then they had the privilege of having
a front row seat as Moses and Elijah appeared and
spoke with Jesus about His upcoming trials. Even
as this conversation was taking place, however, Peter
blurted out, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here...”
(Mark 9:5). Mark includes this interesting commentary:
“He did not know what to say, for they were greatly
afraid” (verse 6).

But Peter wasn’t quite finished. He said, “Let us make

three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one

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for Elijah” (verse 5). I wonder if Moses turned to Jesus

and asked, “Who is that guy?”

“Oh, that’s Peter—the Rock. Never mind.”

How easily thoughts can jump into our minds, and we

just say them without thinking. But how much better it
is to think about it a moment and ask ourselves, “Is this
the right thing to say? Would this be an appropriate
statement to make? Would this glorify the Lord?”

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) says, “Do not let any unwholesome

talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful
for building others up according to their needs, that it
may benefit those who listen.”

If we applied that filter to our conversations—“Will this

comment build this person up? Will these words benefit
this person?”—imagine what a difference there would be
in the content of our words.

Questions for Thought

• Can you think of a time when you said something foolish

but should have kept silent?

• Have you ever done damage with your words? If so, how?

• Is there someone who comes to mind when you think of

“building others up” with words? Say a prayer of thanks
for this person.

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Day 25

A Time to Speak
But how can they call on him to save them unless they
believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they
have never heard about him? And how can they hear
about him unless someone tells them?
—Romans 10:14 NLT

Have you ever led someone to Christ? If not, why not?

Maybe you think that God can never use you in this way,
that you’re just not gifted in that regard, and it is only
for a privileged few to lead others to Christ. But if this
were the case, why was the Great Commission given to
every Christian? Every believer is called to “go and make
disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). That means
we are all called to evangelism. We all have a part to play.

I must admit that it’s a mystery to me that God has

chosen to use people as the primary communicators of
His truth. An interviewer once commented to me that I
seem to be very natural when I speak, that it must come
easily to me. “Nothing could be further from the truth,”
I said. “Before I was a Christian, I wasn’t a public speaker.”

I remember being in an English class in school where

we were all required to give an impromptu, five-minute
speech in front of the class on an assigned statement.
Being a poor student, I hadn’t read the assignment, so
I stood frozen with fear in front of the class. I was not a
public speaker.

But after I came to faith in Jesus Christ, I realized

the best way to help people believe was through

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verbal communication, be it in front of a group or an

individual. I realized that it is not about me or what I feel
comfortable doing; it is about obeying God. Because the
primary way God reaches people who do not yet know
Him is through verbal communication. How can people
hear about Christ unless someone tells them? That
someone is supposed to be you or me.

So here’s your homework, your impromptu assignment:

tell someone about your faith in Jesus Christ. How will
they hear unless someone tells them? Step out of your
comfort zone, open your mouth, and trust that God can
work through you. He wants to use you today.

Questions for Thought

• What is the biggest obstacle to sharing your faith?

• Is the gospel worth speaking up about? Why?

• There is a time to speak! Pray for an oppurtunity to reach

out with the gospel of Jesus Christ today.

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Day 26

A Time to Love
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue,
but in deed and in truth.
—1 John 3:18

Can you imagine the world we would live in if people

operated by the principle that says, “Don’t look out
for your own needs and interests, but for the needs of
others”? Yet we live in a culture that tells us to forget
about others and to look out for Number One. But we
should remember that God’s love is patient. And as the
body of Christ, the love we have should be patient.

Another way to state the phrase “Love suffers long,”

from 1 Corinthians 13, is “Love is long-tempered.” This
common New Testament term is used almost exclusively
in speaking of being patient with people rather than
being patient with circumstances or events. Love’s
patience is the ability to be inconvenienced again
and again.

The last words of Stephen, the first martyr of the church,

were those of patient forgiveness: “Lord, do not charge
them with this sin” (Acts 7:60). As he was dying, he
prayed for his murderers rather than for himself. This
is the same kind of love Jesus spoke of that turns the
other cheek (see Luke 6:27–29). It is the kind of love that
has as its primary concern not its own welfare, but the
welfare of others.

And love is kind. Just as patience will take anything from

others, kindness will give anything to others. To be kind

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means to be useful, serving, and gracious. It is active

goodwill. Love not only feels generous; it is generous.
Love not only desires the welfare of others; love works
for it.

The Bible does not focus so much on what love is, but
on what love does and does not do. The love of God that
we are to demonstrate toward one another is not merely
a feeling or an emotion. Nor is it abstract or passive. It
is active. It engages. It works. It moves. God’s love does
not merely feel patient; it is patient. God’s love does not
simply have kind feelings; it does kind things. Love is
fully love only when it is active.

Questions for Thought

• Recall a time when someone demonstrated love to you

in a tangible way.

• Can you think of some practical and simple ways to

demonstrate active love to others today?

• If you were being stoned like Stephen, do you

think you would react in the same way—with love
for your enemies?

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Day 27

A Time to Hate
These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an
abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands
that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who
speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.
—Proverbs 6:16–19

God hates lying. In fact, God thinks so much of truth that

He uses the very word to describe His character. Jesus
said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes
to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). And we
are told in Scripture that it is impossible for God to lie
(see Hebrews 6:18). Lying is not in God’s nature; He cares
a lot about truth.

When we lie, we are behaving more like a child of the

devil than a child of God, because the Bible describes
Satan as “the father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT). And we all
may lie a little more than we think. A study was done
in which people were asked why they lie. Ninety-eight
percent of respondents said they lied to keep from
offending someone else. I can understand that to a
certain degree, because telling the truth isn’t always
easy—especially when you are asked a difficult question
like, “How did you like dinner?” or “Do you like my new
outfit?” Even so, lying is still a sin.

There are subtle ways in which we tell lies, such as

through flattery and exaggeration. We also lie when
we say things like, “Oh, I forgot” (when we didn’t),
or “It’s good to see you” (when it isn’t), or “I was just
getting ready to call you” (when we weren’t). We also lie

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through gossiping and backbiting. Proverbs 20:19 (NLT)

says, “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t
hang around with chatterers.” We love to dispense gossip,
and unfortunately, we love to hear it far too often.

Have you ever had someone gossip about you? Lie

about you? Lie to you? Then you know how destructive
it is. God hates lying—and we should too.

Questions for Thought

• Do you hate lying as much as you should? How can

you guard yourself against the tendency to lie?

• When are you most tempted to lie?

• Which form of lying do you engage in most often:

gossip, backbiting, flattery, exaggeration, etc.)?
Say a prayer today.

• Ask God for forgiveness and strength to stop this kind

of behavior.

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Day 28

A Time of War
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ.
—2 Timothy 2:3

The day you make a commitment to Jesus Christ, a very

real spiritual war begins in your life. Conversion makes
our hearts a battlefield.

The Bible often uses the picture of military battle,

fighting, and warfare to describe the Christian life. Paul
exhorted Timothy, “Endure hardship as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). He also wrote that he had
“fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Jesus told His own disciples, as they were going out into
the world and being an influence for Him, that the gates
of Hell would not prevail against them as the church (see
Matthew 16:18). We may not fully understand the meaning
of this phrase, but the disciples would have. In that day,
when a military offensive was launched against a city,
one of the first strategies was to bring in a battering ram,
knock down the gate, and defeat the opposing army.

When it comes to the Christian life, we will either gain

or lose ground. We will either win or lose. But we have
to be involved in the spiritual battle. Spiritual pacifists
will be knocked down, because the Christian life is not
a playground, but a battleground.

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It is up to us to fight the good fight of faith. So we need

to suit up and learn the principles from God’s Word that
teach us how to be more than conquerors in Jesus Christ.

First, we need to put on the full armor of God as we

engage in the spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:11 tells us,
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able
to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The phrase put
on carries the idea of doing something once and for all.
It speaks of permanence. The full armor of God is not
something we put on and then take off again. We are
to keep it on all the time.

Second, we need to be aware of the fact that Satan is

not the equal of God. The devil would like us to think
that whatever God can do, he can do, as though they
were two sides of the same force. Although Satan is a
powerful spirit being, he is far from God’s equal. God
is omnipotent. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent.
God can do anything that He wants to do, anywhere and
anytime. Satan is none of those things. He has limitations
as to what he can do.

Third, we need to realize that the devil will primarily

attack us in the realm of the imagination. The apostle
Paul mentioned this in 2 Corinthians 11:3: “But I fear, lest
somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,
so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that
is in Christ.”

The devil knows that if he can get us to think about

something, we are only a step away from actually doing
it. He knows that our minds are command central. It is
here that we reason. It is here that we remember. It is
here that we dream. Our minds are the hard drive, the
place where everything originates. Satan knows that it
is only a short step from a thought to an act.

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Last, we need to understand that the devil works with

two very close allies: the world and the flesh. “The
world” is the world-system that is hostile toward God. It
is living for personal gratification, our own will above all
else. Then there is the flesh. When the Bible speaks of
the flesh, it speaks more of the depraved, fallen human
nature in which we are gratifying sensual appetites.

So realize that in Jesus Christ, you have been placed into

the family of God. Don’t let the devil cheat you out of
that truth. Live as a child of the King, and walk in close
fellowship with Him.

We may lose a skirmish here and a battle there. But no

doubt about it, we will win the war.

Questions for Thought

• The Christian life is a battleground. Are you wearing the

armor of God? Are you ready for war?

• The world, the flesh, and the devil are working together
to attack you, especially your mind. What can you do to
guard against their attacks?

• Who are some Christians who are fighting beside you

in the battle? Reach out to them this week and let them
know you appreciate their faithfulness.

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Day 29

A Time of Peace
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
sons of God.
—Matthew 5:9

Of all the Beatitudes given in Matthew 5, there is

one most likely to meet with the approval of almost
everyone: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). We all want peace
in the world. Yet this is not a statement Jesus made to
solely advocate working for global peace, although that
is an honorable thing to do. I am all for peace, but not
for peace at any cost.

The context of Jesus’ statement is not about working for

peace in and of itself. It is speaking more about those
who are bringing the message of the gospel because
they want people to enter into a relationship with Jesus,
the Prince of Peace. Romans 10:15 says, “How beautiful
are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
who bring glad tidings of good things!”

As people who have met God, as people who have

experienced His mercy and have committed our lives
to hungering and thirsting after Him, we will be true
peacemakers. Romans 5:1 says, “Having been justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ.”

However, let me forewarn you that peacemakers are

often troublemakers. As contradictory as it sounds, real
peacemakers are troublemakers, because they recognize
that as long as people are at war with God, they may

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have to make them sad before they can make them

happy. In other words, they may have to confront them
with the reality of their spiritual state before God, and
as such, they will have to be aggressive, not passive.

Who was a greater peacemaker than Jesus Himself? And

how did they treat Him? They crucified Him. So if you are
a real peacemaker, then you will be persecuted.

Questions for Thought

• If you were to paint peace as a picture, what would it

look like?

• You might first have to make people sad before you can
make them happy. What do you think about that? Are
you still willing to be a peacemaker?

• Why is the news of Jesus called the gospel of peace?

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Day 30

A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose
under heaven.
—Ecclesiastes 3:1

It has been said that men talk of killing time while time
quietly kills them. According to the Bible, we live our
lives for a certain period of time—not a moment longer
and not a moment shorter.

Solomon wrote, “To everything there is a season, a time

for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). The
problem is that we spend a lot of our lives doing things
we would rather not be doing. For example, the average
American will watch 1,700 hours of television every year.
We have control over some of these things, but not all
of them.

C. S. Lewis said, “The future is something which everyone

reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever
he does, whoever he is.” We live by time. But God lives
in the eternal realm. His interpretation of time is quite
different from ours. He has His own timing.

As we get older, we eventually realize that many of the

bad times will, in retrospect, turn out to be good times.
It is through those so-called bad times that we will learn
some of life’s most important lessons.

If I decided how my day would go, I would never

experience crisis. But we are not in charge of our own
lives. God is. And He will let “bad” things happen. But
as time goes by, you will find the important lessons you

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have learned in life did not come from the good times.
They came from those times of crisis when, perhaps, you
were more dependent on God.

As Solomon observed, there is a season for everything.

We are not victims of the fickle finger of fate or dumb
luck. If you are a Christian, then you have come into God’s
providence, which means that He will guide and direct
your steps. It means that your times are in His hands.

Questions for Thought

• In your life currently, what things are stealing your time?

• Have you learned an important lesson in life as a result of

crisis? Has good come out of bad?

• What would you like to accomplish for the Lord in the

time that He has given to you?

Photo Credit: leonid_tit / iStock / Getty Images Plus

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