Thursday, April 18, 2024
A Significant Conversation
“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NLT)
Nicodemus had it all. He had all the things that someone should have to be happy: wealth, power, and fame. And he even had morality. People looked up to him. Jesus identified him as “a respected Jewish teacher” (John 3:10). His name was known by most. He was a man to whom others looked for direction and spiritual answers.
But Nicodemus had a lot of questions about life. Even though he was well-known, highly educated, and deeply religious, there was something missing in his life. And that brought him to a conversation with Jesus one night.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and often we think of Pharisees in a negative light. Perhaps that’s because Jesus saved His most critical and scathing words for the scribes and Pharisees. But not all of them were corrupt. Understand, it wasn’t easy to become a Pharisee. It took a lot of study, preparation, and discipline.
A Pharisee was someone who had committed himself in a solemn vow before two witnesses that he would devote every moment of his life to obeying the Ten Commandments. Thus, Nicodemus had spent hours studying the Scriptures and hours before God in prayer. He was a very devout and religious individual.
Nicodemus had been hearing about the Lord’s ministry, which was just wrapping up at this point. He had enough spiritual discernment to know that Jesus was sent from God. However, I don’t think that Nicodemus necessarily knew that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel.
The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus wasn’t simply a conversation between two historical figures. Rather, it was a conversation between God and humanity. If we were to elect someone to represent us before God, we could not choose a finer individual than Nicodemus.
He was the finest specimen that humanity could offer, apart from God’s touch. And Jesus gave Nicodemus the answers that have unlocked the mystery of life for countless millions of people through the centuries. It was a significant conversation.
The Bible tells us that many believed in Jesus, but He did not believe in them. Why? John gives us the answer: “But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart” (John 2:23-25 NLT).
Jesus knew these people were fickle. They were shallow. And they weren’t really interested in spiritual answers.
Yet it’s interesting to see how Jesus made time in His very busy schedule for the searching Nicodemus. In contrast to the fickle crowds, here was a man who truly was searching. So, Jesus had time for Him.
To the person who is playing games or isn’t interested, the Lord will say nothing. But to the person who is genuinely searching and wants to know the answers to life, God will reveal the truth. Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God said, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:13 NLT).
God always will reveal Himself to true seekers.
Copyright © 2024 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
In thanks for your gift, you can receive a copy of Marvel at the Moon by Levi Lusko
In this fantastic 90-day devotional, author and pastor Levi Lusko uses illuminating stories, biblical teaching, and eye-opening surprises about outer space to show kids that they’re never alone because God is always with them. A copy of this beautifully illustrated book will be mailed to you when you make a gift of support to Harvest Ministries this month.
April 202404/18/2024
04/17/2024
04/16/2024
04/15/2024
04/13/2024
The most important thing of all is what will happen to us beyond the grave. But if we wait until then to decide, it will be too late.
04/12/2024
04/11/2024
04/10/2024
04/09/2024
04/08/2024
04/06/2024
He is pulling for you right now. Just as Jesus stood up for Simon, He is standing up for you.
04/05/2024
04/04/2024
04/03/2024
04/02/2024
04/01/2024
March 202403/30/2024
God is with us, whether we know it or not. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, He becomes a part of your life and promises that He never will leave you or forsake you.
03/29/2024
03/28/2024
03/27/2024
03/26/2024
03/25/2024
03/23/2024
That is why Jesus went through all that anguish. He did it for all those who would come to faith in the world. We were the joy set before Him.
03/22/2024
03/21/2024
03/20/2024
03/19/2024
03/18/2024
03/16/2024
Prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind. In many cases, prayer is about changing our minds.
03/15/2024
03/14/2024
03/13/2024
03/12/2024
03/11/2024
03/09/2024
We should reflect our heavenly Father, who is truth. And if we are reflecting Him, it should be evident in what we say and in the way that we live.
03/08/2024
03/07/2024
03/06/2024
03/05/2024
03/04/2024
He wants us to be involved in what He is doing, not just as observers but as laborers in the work that He has called us to do.
03/02/2024
There needs to be a balance between our beliefs and our practice, between our doctrine and the way that we live. We need both areas working together. That is what it means to walk worthy of the Lord.
03/01/2024
February 202402/29/2024
02/28/2024
02/27/2024
02/26/2024
02/24/2024
Maybe you’re facing a setback today. Maybe there’s a crisis going on in your life. Remember, you are a work in progress. You are under construction.
02/23/2024
02/22/2024
02/21/2024
02/20/2024
02/19/2024
02/17/2024
We can be in a perfect environment or a horrible environment and still sin. It is just our nature. Yet God shows us what we can become by His grace.
02/16/2024
02/15/2024
02/14/2024
02/13/2024
02/12/2024
02/10/2024
I believe that God has predestined every person to be saved. God wants us to be saved. He wants us to be forgiven. But the Bible also teaches that God gave us free will.
02/09/2024
02/08/2024
02/07/2024
02/06/2024
02/05/2024
02/03/2024
God will be with us, no matter what we face in life. That is a great assurance. That is where we find our contentment.
02/02/2024
02/01/2024
January 202401/31/2024
01/30/2024
01/29/2024
01/27/2024
But even when we mess up, even when we have failed, God gives second chances. Do you need a second chance? Do you want to get up and try again?
01/26/2024
01/25/2024
01/24/2024
01/23/2024
01/22/2024
01/20/2024
It was David’s faithfulness in the little things that led to the big things. He was faithful with whatever God set before him. Are you being faithful with what God has set before you today?
01/19/2024
01/18/2024
01/17/2024
01/16/2024
01/15/2024
01/13/2024
What God really wants from us is obedience. He’s interested in what is going on in our hearts. We can be worshipping outwardly but sinning inwardly. But with God, the heart is everything.
01/12/2024
01/11/2024
Sooner or later, our sins will find us out. It may not happen today or a week from now. It may not even happen a month or a year from now. But the Bible teaches that ultimately, we will reap what we sow.
01/10/2024
01/09/2024
01/08/2024
01/06/2024
Then I look at my life. I followed Christ. When they were out doing all their stuff, I was going to Bible studies, praying, and growing in the Lord. And what I gave up is so small in comparison to what I received in return. Life goes by so quickly.
01/05/2024
01/04/2024
01/03/2024
01/02/2024
01/01/2024
December 202312/30/2023
12/29/2023
12/28/2023
12/27/2023
12/26/2023
12/25/2023
12/23/2023
12/22/2023
12/21/2023
The same is true this Christmas. Because of the Father’s love, whoever takes the Son gets it all. God demonstrated His love by giving us the most important gift of all: the gift of His Son.
12/20/2023
12/19/2023
12/18/2023
12/16/2023
12/15/2023
12/14/2023
12/13/2023
We must recognize that nothing this world has to offer us will fill the void in our lives that was created to be filled by God Himself. No experience, no possession, and no accomplishment will fill it. Not even religion or morality will fill it.
12/12/2023
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, how inappropriate it would be for us to come to Him empty-handed. But what do we give to God? What does God want from us? What He wants is us.
12/11/2023
12/09/2023
12/08/2023
12/07/2023
12/06/2023
God is saying, “Submit yourself to Me, and I will tell you. First, give yourself over to Me.” Mary did that. She submitted her will to God. Have you surrendered your heart to Jesus Christ?
12/05/2023
12/04/2023
12/02/2023
12/01/2023
November 202311/30/2023
Maybe you think the way to reach your nonbelieving friends is to do what they do and simply blend in. You conclude that in doing so, you will win them over and they will come to Christ. The reality is that no one has ever been won to Christ that way.
11/29/2023
11/28/2023
11/27/2023
11/25/2023
God can use people in our lives, but we must never let people take the place of God in our lives.
11/24/2023
Little things lead to big things. That’s why we can’t make deals with the devil. We can’t negotiate with Satan. There can be no compromise.
11/23/2023
11/22/2023
11/21/2023
11/20/2023
11/18/2023
This is typical of some people today who call out to God in desperation. They find themselves in a mess they created, so they cry out to God for help. But when He graciously condescends and helps them, they essentially say, “Thanks, God! See You next crisis!”
11/17/2023
11/16/2023
11/15/2023
11/14/2023
11/13/2023
11/11/2023
11/10/2023
Would your lifestyle reach anyone? People are watching you. Are you being a positive witness for Jesus Christ?
11/09/2023
11/08/2023
11/07/2023
11/06/2023
11/04/2023
Reject conformity to this world’s system and its self-indulgent ways, and instead be conformed to the image of Jesus.
11/03/2023
11/02/2023
11/01/2023
October 202310/31/2023
10/30/2023
10/28/2023
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately, as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope.
10/27/2023
10/26/2023
10/25/2023
If God is number one in our lives, then everything else will find its proper balance. But if He is not, then everything else will fall into chaos.
10/24/2023
10/23/2023
10/21/2023
Death is the great separator. But Jesus Christ is the great reconciler.
10/20/2023
10/19/2023
10/18/2023
10/17/2023
10/16/2023
10/14/2023
Sometimes, the reason God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want Him to is because He wants to do more than we’ve asked for. And when we get to the end of ourselves, we get to the beginning of God.
10/13/2023
10/12/2023
10/11/2023
10/10/2023
10/09/2023
10/07/2023
Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ have nothing to fear. Because Jesus has forgiven us and justified us, we can be certain that we won’t stand at the Great White Throne Judgment, the final judgment for nonbelievers.
10/06/2023
10/05/2023
10/04/2023
10/03/2023
The Bible tells us that in the last days, Satan will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them.
10/02/2023
September 202309/30/2023
09/29/2023
09/28/2023
As Christians, we should talk about life after death and Heaven and Hell because the Bible does. And if we really believe there is an afterlife and a final judgment, if we really believe that we will be held accountable for things that we say and do, then it will affect the way we live.
09/27/2023
09/26/2023
09/25/2023
09/23/2023
There is something wrong in our lives when we need an image or an icon to worship God. We must understand that God forbids this.
09/22/2023
09/21/2023
09/20/2023
09/19/2023
09/18/2023
09/16/2023
We cannot say something is true because we experienced it. Rather, we should say we know something is true because we find it in Scripture, which verifies our experience.
09/15/2023
09/14/2023
09/13/2023
09/12/2023
The word blasphemy speaks of a conscious denouncing and rejection of God. It is a defiant irreverence, a uniquely terrible sin of intentionally and openly speaking evil against God.
09/11/2023
09/09/2023
09/08/2023
09/07/2023
09/06/2023
Maybe the problem in our society is not that we fail to love ourselves but that we love ourselves too much. We already do love ourselves. That’s obvious. It’s an established fact. Therefore, the Bible is telling us to love our neighbors in the same way that we love ourselves.
09/05/2023
09/04/2023
09/02/2023
09/01/2023
August 202308/31/2023
Light not only exposes what the darkness hides, but light also shows the way out. And in the same way, the light that shines from us not only shows people their shortcomings and their sins, but it also shows them the way out.
08/30/2023
08/29/2023
08/28/2023
08/26/2023
08/25/2023
08/24/2023
08/23/2023
Why do some Christians succeed spiritually when others fail? It’s because of the choices they make. Some don’t want to go forward spiritually, so they don’t. Others do want to go forward spiritually, so they do.
08/22/2023
08/21/2023
08/19/2023
08/18/2023
08/17/2023
If we want to impact our world as the first-century believers did, then we have to get back to the principles they applied.
08/16/2023
08/15/2023
08/14/2023
08/12/2023
08/11/2023
08/10/2023
You don’t have to be controlled or crippled by your past. You can become a new person in Jesus Christ.
08/09/2023
08/08/2023
08/07/2023
08/05/2023
08/04/2023
The Holy Spirit also will lead us, empower us, and fill us each day as we seek to live the Christian life.
08/03/2023
08/02/2023
08/01/2023
July 202307/31/2023
07/29/2023
That is what unconfessed sin is like. We may think we’ve buried it, but it will be back. There is only one way to get rid of our sin, and it’s at the cross of Jesus Christ. We can’t cover it. We can’t hide it.
07/28/2023
07/27/2023
07/26/2023
07/25/2023
07/24/2023
07/22/2023
A true friend, a true man or woman of God, will tell you the truth and try to keep you from hurting yourself.
07/21/2023
07/20/2023
07/19/2023
07/18/2023
07/17/2023
If God has been doing some pruning in your life lately, know that it isn’t to tear you down or make your life miserable. He wants your life to produce even greater spiritual fruit in the days ahead.
07/15/2023
07/14/2023
07/13/2023
07/12/2023
07/11/2023
If the thought that God is watching you and thinking about you brings joy to your heart, then that would tell me your life is probably right with God.
07/10/2023
07/08/2023
07/07/2023
07/06/2023
It’s great to carry the Bible in your pocket, backpack, or purse. It’s also great to have it on your phone. But the best place to carry the Bible is in your heart.
07/05/2023
If you will apply yourself wholly to the Scriptures and apply the Scriptures wholly to yourself, it will have an impact on your life.
07/04/2023
07/03/2023
07/01/2023
In this fantastic 90-day devotional, author and pastor Levi Lusko uses illuminating stories, biblical teaching, and eye-opening surprises about outer space to show kids that they’re never alone because God is always with them. A copy of this beautifully illustrated book will be mailed to you when you make a gift of support to Harvest Ministries this month.
