Fwd: Harvest Daily Devotion for 12/29/2009: "A Learning Believer"

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Greg Laurie" <GregLaurie@harvestdirect.org>

Date: December 29, 2009 1:00:00 AM PST

To: Ervin Aquino <Aquinoervin@aol.com>

Subject: Harvest Daily Devotion for 12/29/2009: "A Learning Believer"

There's still time to help us meet our final challenge of 2009. To make a special year-end donation, click here. Tuesday, December 29, 2009 A Learning Believer For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. — 1 Corinthians 1:21 The first-century church believed in the preaching and teaching of the Bible. And if you want to be close to God, then you have to love the Word of God, because God will speak to His people through His Word. Show me a person who is studying the Bible, and I will show you a person who can grow spiritually. Jesus said, "Then I said, 'Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me . . . ' " (Hebrews 10:7). Throughout Acts, we see again and again how God honored the teaching and preaching of His Word. When Paul stood on Mars Hill in Athens, the epicenter of philosophy, he opened up the Word of God. The philosophers of Greece, the great intellects, would gather there. So what did Paul do? Did he put on a play? After all, Greece was the birthplace of what we call drama today. He could have used a three-act play to tell the story of Jesus. But we read in Acts 17 that Paul stood on Mars Hill and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious . . ." (verses 22). And then He preached the gospel to them. The Bible says it is through the foolishness of preaching that people will believe (see 1 Corinthians 1:21). But we live in a day when people devalue preaching. Sermons are getting shorter, and there is more time given to other things. But I want to hear what the Word of God has to say. Don't you? The first-century church understood this. They were a learning church. And if you want to be a strong Christian, then you need to be a learning believer—a believer who studies the Word of God. Have Pastor Greg's devotions blessed you? Write and tell him! Greg@harvest.org Want to read more from Greg Laurie? Be sure to check out his weekly columns at World Net Daily. Click here to read his latest article. Copyright ©2009 by Harvest Ministries. All Rights Reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000 Today's Radio Program: "Secrets of Spiritual Growth, Part 2 - II" Read the Word: Today--1 Chronicles 25 How to Know God Devotion Archives Live Services Pastor Greg's Blog Greg's Personal Site You are receiving this daily mailing because you signed-up to do so on Harvest.org. If you no longer want to receive this mailing, or if you wish to subscribe/unsubscribe from other Harvest Ministries mailings, please visit our e-mail subscription management page. Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514-4000 Phone: 1-800-821-3300