Thankfulness Time

As the Scripture says, “Let us reason together . . .” (Isaiah 1:18 NKJV). And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, why not make it a priority to discuss your thankfulness?

Here are five ways to set up your own Thankfulness Time:

Pick a time when you can give your full attention.
Really listen. You should spend 70 percent of the time listening and the rest talking.
Look each other in the eye.
Restate your thoughts for understanding.
Plan to do it again!

Let us know if you take us up on this challenge. We would love to hear from you about how you used this resource this Thanksgiving.

You can click here to download a printable PDF.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

The Joy of Evangelism

It is my firm belief that God can use you to bring others into His kingdom. Why would God tell us to engage in this thing we call evangelism if it were not so?

Know this: the calling of God is the enabling of God.

I believe that God wants to use all of us to bring people to Himself. The Book of Proverbs says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30 NKJV). Scripture also tells us, “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever” (Daniel 12:3 NLT).

Who is called to “go into all the world and preach the gospel”? Answer: You are! We are! Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV).

In the original language, these words are addressed to everyone. Not just pastors, evangelists, and missionaries, but everyone: businessmen, housewives, students. . . everyone. No one is exempted.

Also, in the original language, this is a command. Jesus is not saying, “If you can find time in your busy schedule, as a personal favor to Me, would you mind going into all the world and preaching the gospel?” No, as our Savior, Lord, and Commander-in-Chief, He says “Go!” This is not “The Great Suggestion,” but rather “The Great Commission.”

If I am His disciple, I am commanded to go and make disciples of others. If I am not making disciples of others, then I’m not really being the disciple He wants me to be! For many of us, however, it is “The Great Omission” instead of “The Great Commission.” We are simply not doing it.

Let me say something provocative: to not do it is a sin! The Bible tells us, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 NKJV).

But God doesn’t want you to share the gospel out of mere duty. He wants you to share it with joy and passion. One of the most exciting and fulfilling things you can do is tell others about Jesus. This message God has given us was meant to be shared, not hoarded. You were blessed to be a blessing. When you do not share, you begin to stagnate; when you do share, you revive. Scripture tells us that those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed (see Proverbs 11:25).

We have a choice: evangelize or fossilize!

Harvest Partner Flies in for SoCal Harvest!

Invites were sent out to Harvest Partners for special seating for Friday night at the SoCal Harvest. Usually partners that live locally will respond and come if they can, but when DiAnn Diefenderfer got her invite, she made arrangements to fly out from Olathe, Kansas, and bring her two sisters. She and her sisters were greatly encouraged at the crusade—so much so, that DiAnn is planning to fly out again next summer for the SoCal Harvest 2015!

DiAnn has been supporting the ministry of Pastor Greg for over 18 years and became a Harvest Partner two years ago. She also has the distinction of being at the first Harvest Crusade in 1990 and attending each year until she moved back to Kansas to be closer to her children.

It was back in the ’70s that DiAnn first heard Greg teaching occasionally in the tent days of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. She later attended the many years of Greg’s Monday night Bible studies in Costa Mesa. Today, living in Kansas, she watches Greg on TV.

It was two years ago that DiAnn lost her husband to cancer and Greg’s teaching became even more personal and impacting as she was ministered to through Hope for Hurting Hearts DVD, CDs, and book. She is involved in a widow’s ministry at her church and is able to comfort others with the same comfort that ministered to her.

“The Harvest Partner program supports the work of sharing the gospel with the lost and strengthening believers, especially in the darkest times in their lives,” shares DiAnn when asked why she is a Harvest Partner. “Drawing close to the Lord and serving Him strengthens believers.”

Harvest Ministries appreciates the faithful and consistent support that Harvest Partners extend.

True, Lasting Hope

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
— Romans 15:4 NLT

The hope that followers of Jesus Christ have is not wishful thinking. Nor is it blind optimism. It is a quiet confidence. It is a supernatural certainty. When the Bible speaks of hope, it is not the hope of this world. Rather, it is something altogether different. In fact, the Greek and Hebrew words that translate to “hope” speak of certainty. In the Bible, the word “hope” means a strong and confident expectation.

Where do we find such hope? We find it in the pages of Scripture. True and lasting hope comes from God and His Word.

The psalmist wrote, “You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope” (Psalm 119:114). In fact, one of the reasons Scripture was given to us, according to Romans 15:4, was to bring us hope: “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

And where does this hope grow stronger? It grows stronger in crisis. You see, it is one thing to talk about hope in theory. Yet it is another thing to talk about it in practice, where we put it to the test and see if it does what it is supposed to.

I have put my faith to the test, and I have tried out the promises of God. I have taken them all for a test ride. And they have performed beautifully. I have found all those things that I have been preaching over the years to be completely true.

Of course, you don’t have to build your faith on what I tell you. In fact, I hope you never do. But as a Christian who has applied these truths, I have found that God’s promises are completely trustworthy.

Father’s Day is June 15!

“The greatest legacy we pass on as fathers is not our inheritance. It is not even our good name. It is the spiritual heritage that we give to our children, desiring them to walk in the way of the Lord.” —Greg Laurie

The role of dad is so vitally important to the health of the home and to our nation. Consider some of these statistics:

Fatherless children are 100–200% more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems.
A child who comes from a fatherless home is 68% more likely to use drugs or alcohol, more likely to become sexually active at an early age, and three times more likely to commit a violent crime.
63% of teenagers who attempt suicide live in fatherless homes.
71% of high school dropouts are from fatherless homes.
90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.
85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up in a fatherless home.
Fatherless sons are 300% more likely to become incarcerated in state juvenile institutions.
Fatherless daughters who marry have a 92% higher divorce rate, and fatherless sons are 35% more likely to experience marital failure.
Fatherless daughters are 53% more likely to marry as teenagers, are 111% more likely to have children as teenagers, and are 164% more likely to have an out-of-wedlock birth.
80% of teenagers admitted to psychiatric hospitals come from fatherless homes.

Fathers are important. We need dads who stay married to their wives and raise their children to follow God and be responsible—dads who are godly role models and leaders in their homes.

God has placed parents as the authorities in the life of the child. And in many ways, fathers are the representatives of God to their children. Many of the attitudes a child will develop about God will be based on their relationship with their fathers. Dads need to do everything they can to be a godly influence on their children.

“The most endangered species in America is not the Spotted Owl or the Snail Darter, but the responsible father.” –James Merritt

What Mothers Really Want

With Mother’s Day coming up, I asked my wife, Cathe, if she would share her thoughts about this day in which we celebrate our mothers. I hope you’re blessed by it.

–Pastor Greg

What Mothers Really Want

By Cathe Laurie

What I want for Mother’s Day isn’t much. In my opinion, the flowers fade, the perfume evaporates into the air, that new dress eventually ends up on a rack at the Salvation Army store, and you may miss out on what moms actually want.

I don’t think I’m alone in thinking the day has been hijacked by card companies, florists, and restaurants. But don’t let them pressure you into spending more than you can afford on a superficial trinket.

Here are three gifts that I think will not be forgotten:

1. A card with a handwritten note
Not a cheesy rhyme on a pre-written card. Rather, a card (handmade ones are the best) that says something specific and personal about why you are thankful for your mom.

One of my favorite cards I ever received was from my youngest son, Jonathan. Christopher, older by 11 years and very artistic, gave me some amazing cards over the years. His cards would feature clever images and designs that were uniquely his own, and I loved and treasure every one.

But one Mother’s Day, when Jonathan was just a little boy, I opened a card that melted my heart and it still does every time I look at it. In big wobbly block letters, he printed:

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MOM.
I KNOW MY CARD ISN’T AS GOOD AS TOPHER’S, BUT I TRIED JUST AS HARD.
I LOVE YOU, JONATHAN.

Priceless!

2. A long hug
I mean it. A long hug. Let us be the one to let go first! I want to feel your heart on mine.

My mother is a great hugger and kisser. She never entered the room without greeting us with a big hug and kiss that felt as if she were trying to inhale part of us into her.

I love hugs like that. Both of our boys are great huggers and it is one of my greatest joys this side of heaven.

3. Verbalize your love
Look her in the eyes, let them linger a moment, then smile and say, “I love you. Thank you for being my mom.”

These are some thoughts that I hope you will find helpful as you think about the perfect gift for your mothers.

And finally, some advice for moms on Mother’s Day:

If you get a Mother’s Day card from your child, I encourage you to cherish it. Save it and keep it safe where you can find it later—years later—to read. They will especially come in handy during those teen years, when you may love them but frankly you find there is more friction than when they are younger.

In a lifetime of mothering, you may end up with a box full of cards, but nothing is a greater validation of what you have accomplished with your life.

If you get a hug, wrap your arms around them and don’t let go until they do, and then hold them a bit longer. And if you don’t get a hug from them, hug them anyway.

I remember hugging my teenage Topher and saying, “I know you may not like me very much right now, but I will never stop loving you!” Years later, he thanked me for those very words and hugs.

If you can hear their voice say, “I love you,” listen with your heart and let it sink in.

So can I, on behalf of all the mothers out there, tell all of you that it is the greatest privilege in the world to be a mom? We may sigh and groan and cry at times, but nothing—no high-paying job or celebrated career—can ever pay what we receive in the long run.

“Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).

Happy Mother’s Day!

P.S. – If you would like to download a special resource card called “31 Ways to Say I Love You to Your Kids,” click here.

Celebrate the Resurrection Power

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25 NKJV).

We all know that death is coming, but what happens beyond the grave? According to the Bible, there is life beyond the grave. And because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross, and because He rose from the dead three days later, we as Christians have the hope that when we die, we will immediately go into the presence of God into a wonderful place called heaven.

That is why the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is one of the most important biblical truths there is. The resurrection of Christ from the dead, next to the crucifixion itself, is the most significant event in church history. It is not a peripheral issue. It is foundational. It is bedrock. It is the bottom line.

P.S.- To celebrate the foundational truth of the resurrection and the eternal life that is available, we want to offer a free music download about this topic. It’s called “God So Loved,” as performed by the Harvest Worship Band on their Praiseworthy album. Click here to download this song and enjoy it all season long, in anticipation of Easter.

Download: God So Loved

In Christ,
Greg

Pray with Persistence

“However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.”
—John 6:37

Sometimes people will say, “I am just not worthy to approach God.” I hate to break this news, but we never were worthy. We are not worthy. And we never will be worthy. So let’s get over that. It is not about worthiness; it is about the grace of God.

Do you think you are more worthy to go to God when you read your Bible every day or pray regularly than when you have messed up or have had an impure thought or have said an unkind thing? We don’t approach God on the basis of our worthiness. We approach God on the basis of His grace.

When the pagan mother approached Jesus, begging Him to deliver her demon-possessed daughter, she didn’t say, “Have justice on me.” Rather, she said, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!” (Matthew 15:22). Don’t ever say, “God, deal with me justly,” because hell is what we deserve. Rather, say, “Have mercy on me,” like this woman did. Jesus said, “Those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them” (John 6:37).

So whatever your problem is, bring it to Jesus. Whatever you are struggling with will not come as a shock or surprise to Him. And when you pray, seek to find the will of God. The reason Jesus gave this mother everything she asked for was because she aligned her will with His. We find the will of God by reading the Word of God, the Bible. Then we will understand the heart, mind, and purpose of God.

Pray according to God’s will, and don’t give up. Pray with persistence. It may seem like He is not listening. But there may be a barrier that He wants you to hurdle. So don’t back down.

Pastor Greg Laurie

We’re Praying!

Dear Harvest Partner,

“Wow” is an understatement that the Harvest staff is experiencing in receiving over 500 prayer requests from Harvest Partners in the past four days!

Please know that each prayer request we receive is being prayed over by one of our staff members. It is a privilege and delight for each of us to be able to lift up to our almighty God the request you have entrusted to us!

“Prayer is not wrestling with God’s reluctance to bless us; it is laying hold on His willingness to do so.” –John Blanchard

Praying,
Harvest Partner Staff

How’s Your Quiet Time?

Spending some quiet time with the Lord can be the most important part of your day. This is a time for intimate fellowship with Lord through reading His Word, worship, and prayer.

If you don’t already have a consistent daily time with the Lord, would you pray about being diligent and deliberate in setting aside a time each day for the purpose of meeting with Him in His Word?

Here are three tips to help you focus and get the most out of your daily reading:

READ the passage and pray that you will hear what God wants to tell you. Don’t be afraid to go back over the section a few times for understanding (see Psalm 119:18, a great prayer verse before you begin reading).

REFLECT on what you’ve read, and pray for understanding. God might be using that day’s scripture to remind you of a truth, teach you something new, or reveal fresh insight (see Psalm 119:27).

RESPOND to what you have learned by putting it into action. Consider how you can apply what God has shown you during your day and look for ways to do it. Pray for eyes to see those opportunities and the resolve to follow through (see Psalm 119:59–60).

A special Harvest Partner version of “Through the New Testament in a Year” is available for you to download by clicking here.

Our ministry would love to hear from you about how the Lord ministers to you in your quiet time with Him. Please share with us!

Looking Up,

Harvest Partner Ministries