Seeds Of Hope Daily Devotionals

The Need For God's Help

Years ago, while living in California, I was walking through the aisles of a grocery store when suddenly the shelves began to shake. Items fell to the floor, the lights went out, and people began to push and shove. A man standing near me shouted, “God, if I ever need Your help, it’s right now. Please save me!”

David must have felt that way as he faced a large and well-trained army waiting for him in a heavily fortified city. His heart must have been filled with fear - and rightly so. The city was situated among rugged hills and was almost inaccessible. He knew the enemy was waiting for him, prepared and seemingly invincible. So, he too called on God. “Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?”

Realizing the greatness of his enemy and his need for help he prayed, “Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.”

All of us face our “Edom.” It may be in the form of a dreaded disease, and there are no more options. It may be the dissolution of a marriage, and children will be left with feelings of fear and wonder. It may be the loss of a loved one and feelings of grief that haunt us night and day. It may be the loss of a child to addiction. It may be the result of an accident that leaves a spouse paralyzed. It may be the confinement of a prison cell with little hope for freedom.

We all face our “Edom.” However, we can all pray with David, “With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.” No enemy can escape God.

Prayer: Too often we look to human help which is insufficient. Give us faith and fortitude, Father, to look to You for victory through Christ our Savior and Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: -My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Psalm 108:1

Stay Focused

“Rivers and streams are crooked because they follow the line of least resistance.” This statement is true of flowing water and true of most of us.

Being “steadfast” or committed in our devotion to God is crucial. We are not worth very much to our Savior if He is not our Lord. And if He is the Lord of our lives, others will see His influence in all that we do.

Unfortunately, many who profess to be followers of the Lord are not consistent in their witness for Him - they are not “steadfast.” When in church they do as others do, and when they are away from the church, they do whatever is convenient. A psychologist might classify them as having a “split-personality.” Like a river or stream, they “follow the line of least resistance.”

David did not follow the “line of least resistance.” He declared his commitment to God when he wrote, “My heart is steadfast, O God!” He did not leave any room to roam or waver in his willingness to walk with and be faithful to His Lord. He did not stray when life became a struggle or run in defeat when times became difficult. He was one who was “steadfast” and can be seen turning his troubles into triumph when he trusted the Lord.

Those around us need to see us as being “steadfast” in the Lord. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, our feet planted in His Word, our ears open to hear His voice, our hearts filled with His compassion and our eyes fixed on His path and our minds centered on doing His will.

Prayer: Lord, it is possible for us to be “steadfast” if we are willing to “stand fast” in our commitment to You. Let us sing in confidence as we stand steadfast. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Psalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.

Try It - It May Surprise You

An atheist confronted a young believer in a park and began to ridicule him for his faith in God. He dared the Christian to refute any of his arguments that he believed disproved the God of believers.

Quietly, another Christian, who had been watching the exchange between the atheist and the Christian, stepped forward and stood next to the young believer.

He did not say a word as he took an orange from his pocket and started to peel it. “What are you doing, fool? If you have something to say, then say it. Otherwise let ‘the believer’ defend his faith.”

After he finished peeling the orange, he asked the atheist, “Tell me, is this orange sweet or sour?” Angrily the skeptic shouted and waved his fist and said, “How should I know. I haven’t tried it.”

“Then,” said the Christian, “you would be wise to stop criticizing the Word of God until you’ve tried it.”

Major General Lew Wallace is the author of Ben Hur, the most influential Christian novel of the nineteenth century. At one time in his life, he was considered to be an atheist. However, in answer to that statement, he wrote: “As a result of my own personal research and many years of study, I became convinced that Jesus Christ was not only the Savior of the world, but that He was my Savior, too, and being thus convinced, I wrote Ben Hur.”

“Whosoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord,” wrote the Psalmist.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for Your Word that no one can destroy or diminish. Our history shows Your faithfulness and love.

Scripture For Today: Whosoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord. Psalm 107:43

Only One King Is All Powerful

Canute was the king of the Danes in the eleventh century. Under his leadership they overran Britain, the King of Denmark and then the King of Norway. He was recognized as the most powerful man of his time.

One day while standing at the seashore with the waves gently rolling back and forth over his feet, a group of his subjects stood before him and called out, “You are all powerful, O King! There is no one who dare disobey you and nothing can ever stop you.”

As the waves lapped about his feet, he asked, “Will the sea obey me?”

“Command it, O King, and it will!” they responded.

“Sea,” he shouted in a loud voice, “I command you to come no further. Waves, stop your rolling. Do not touch my feet!” Suddenly a large wave erupted from the sea and swept over him.

“Learn a lesson,” he said as he took off his crown. “There is only one King who is all-powerful. It is He who rules the sea and holds the ocean. It is whom you ought to worship and praise and serve above all others.”

How powerful is this “only one King?” The Psalmist wrote, “He stilled the storm to a whisper. The waves of the sea were hushed.”

Often our lives are as troubled as an angry sea. Far too frequently the waves attack us and would wash us into the depths of the unknown. Thunder echoes in our ears and lightning strikes nearby filling our hearts with fear.

Then, just before we are swept under, He stills the storm.

Prayer: We thank You, Father, that the winds of life and the waves of disaster cannot destroy Your beloved. We praise You for Your power and attention. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: He stilled the storm to a whisper. The waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:29