“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.’” (Mark 8:34 NLT)

The cross isn’t something to take lightly, even in casual conversation. Sometimes people say, “We all have our crosses to bear,” or “My cross is my supervisor at work,” or “My cross is this health problem,” or “My cross is this relative.” They mistake the cross and what it represents for a minor annoyance or a pet peeve. And in doing so, they lose the meaning of the cross.

If you were living in first-century Jerusalem and saw someone surrounded by Roman guards and carrying a cross through the streets, you would know exactly what was happening. You would know that person was on his way to be crucified. Someone carrying a cross was about to die.

So, when Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34 NLT), His disciples would have understood exactly what He meant.

Taking up the cross speaks of dying to ourselves and wanting God’s will more than our own. It does not mean that your life is ruined when you decide to walk with God. Far from it. Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). But that’s on His terms, not ours.

He didn’t mean, “My purpose is to fulfill their every wish.” The reality is that, apart from Jesus, no one knows what a rich and satisfying life is. Those who try to pursue it usually end up following their selfish instincts. And that never results in lasting richness or satisfaction.

What Jesus meant was, “My purpose is to help them experience a life they didn’t know was available to them.” And the way to experience that life is to desire God’s will more than you desire your own. Jesus said, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it” (Mark 8:35 NLT).

That means adjusting your expectations. Recognizing your limited perspective on what life can be. Reprioritizing what’s important to you. Embracing the life Jesus offers, even when you don’t know where it will lead or what it will require of you. Taking up your cross means giving up your ideas of what a rich and satisfying life is.

Taking up your cross ultimately requires a giant leap out of your comfort zone. Are you taking up your cross and following Jesus? If so, you’ll find that it impacts and influences every aspect of your life. The result will be life as it was meant to be lived: in the perfect will of God.

Reflection question: What would taking up your cross look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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

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“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” (Mark 11:25 NLT)

Every so often in the news cycle, we get stories of huge problems that can be traced back to small, seemingly minor causes. For example, a computer glitch that delays flights at a single airport can lead to a national travel emergency.

In Mark 11:25, Jesus traces a significant spiritual issue—unanswered prayer—back to a seemingly unrelated problem. “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” (NLT). If you sense that your prayers are not being answered, it may be due to a spirit of unforgiveness in your heart.

The Bible makes it clear that unresolved conflict with others can get in the way of our relationship with God. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God” (Matthew 5:23–24 NLT).

Unresolved conflict gets in the way of prayer—and the blessings that come from it— because it reveals a heart that isn’t aligned with God’s.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31–32 NLT).

God has forgiven Christians an incredible debt. He has wiped all our sins away. For us to harbor unforgiveness toward someone else is an offense against Him. Because we understand just how much forgiveness we’ve received, we should be the most forgiving people on the face of the earth.

Instead, many of us actively look for things to be offended by. Things to hold grudges for. We need an “other.” Someone to blame. Someone to look down on. Someone to judge. Someone to hold responsible for our unhappiness.

Is there someone you hate right now? Is there someone you’re bitter toward? Is there someone who causes you to seethe every time you see them? Is there someone you can’t stand to be around? Is there someone you’ve been plotting revenge against? Is there someone you gossip about?

If so, now is the time to deal with your spirit of unforgiveness. Depending on the circumstances, that might involve apologizing to someone you wronged—or someone who thinks you wronged them. It might mean reaching out to someone you’ve drifted apart from. It might mean starting a difficult but healing conversation with a friend or loved one.

The more sincerely you reconcile with the estranged, angry, and hurting people in your life, the more effective your prayers will become.

Reflection question: What would an attitude of forgiveness and reconciliation look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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

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“Jesus replied, ‘The most important commandment is this: “Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” The second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” No other commandment is greater than these.’” (Mark 12:29–31 NLT)

In this month’s devotions, we’re going to look at the Gospel of Mark. And we’re going to start with one of the key passages of the New Testament. According to Mark 12:28, “One of the teachers of religious law” asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (NLT).

He was testing Jesus. At that time, Jewish religious leaders recognized over 600 different laws. And they spent a lot of time ranking them according to importance. The questioner wanted Jesus to say something controversial so that Jesus’ enemies could use it against Him.

Instead, Jesus gave him the wisdom of the ages. “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these” (Mark 12:29–31 NLT).

With those words, Jesus highlighted the connection between loving God and living in a way that pleases Him. He established the template of the Christian life.

If you really love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, then you will not want to break the other commandments. If you really love God as you ought to, then you will not take His name in vain, have other gods before Him, or make images that you bow down before. And if you really love your neighbor as yourself, you will not steal from him. You will not covet what belongs to him. And certainly, you will not kill him. So, if we master the basics of loving God and loving others as we ought to, then obeying other commandments will come naturally.

In daily life, this looks like resisting temptation instead of choosing what feels good in the moment. In fact, it looks like making daily choices that keep you away from tempting situations. It looks like studying God’s Word purposefully to become acquainted with what pleases Him. It looks like keeping open a line of communication with Him—a daily prayer routine through which you receive guidance, direction, and encouragement.

Augustine said, “Love, and do what you will.” It’s a provocative statement, but it makes sense. If you really love God as you ought to—with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength—then you will naturally do what He wants you to do.

Reflection question: How do you know when you’re loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.