Seeds Of Hope Daily Devotionals

A Simple Way Out?

It often seems that the simplest way out of an uncomfortable situation or the easiest solution to a big problem is a little “deception.” Deception, or lies, have become part of most people’s everyday conversations.

For example, “I’m really sorry but my husband has suddenly developed a migraine headache, and we’ll have to cancel our plans for dinner.”

Or “You know, I really appreciate the invitation to go to prayer meeting, but I have to make a report to my boss first thing in the morning, and I’ll be working on it most of the night it’s so important.”

Then there’s the “I’m sorry but the manager is away from his desk right now” when he’s hiding behind his door.

And we’ve all heard the familiar phrase, “Well, I gave him the message, and I’m sure he tried to get back to you” when the message was immediately discarded.

Unfortunately, the first lie needs a crutch to stand on and then the second requires a brace and the third a wheelchair and the fourth a gurney. A lie just can’t stand by itself. It is easy to tell a lie, but one is rarely enough. One lie can’t stand by itself. It needs the help and support of other lies.

“Keep me from deceitful ways,” wrote the wise Psalmist. But that is not enough for Christians. So, he continued, “Be gracious to me and teach me Your law.”

God’s law also emphasizes the fact that we must speak the truth even when it may cause us problems.

Prayer: Lord, give us courage to keep any lie from leaving our lips and to be bold when the truth hurts. Guard us so that we do not lie to ourselves, either. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law Psalm 119:29

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From Beginning To End

Sitting across the desk from me were two heart-broken parents. They had followed the suggestions and recommendations of other parents on the best methods to raise children in a Christ-honoring home. However, their son had recently entered a recovery program for his addiction.

“How did this happen?” the father asked. I had been asked this question many times, and each time I attempted to answer the question, it became more difficult. After a moment’s pause, I tried, to the best of my ability, to explain that in the process of addiction the early experiences seemed to solve problems for people. After the initial experiment with drugs, what once was a problem solver became a problem creator and the “fun” or pleasure once associated with the drug vanished with the joy.

Then I told them the fable of a honeybee that discovered a large jar of honey with no lid on it. The bee decided to enjoy the sweet nectar without the amount of work it normally took to get the “joy of sweetness.” As it reveled in the honey, its wings slowly became glued together, and there it was - dying. The promise of pleasure ended up in the grip of death.

A Psalmist warned us of this process: “I am laid low in the dust,” he wrote. Another way to interpret it is “I am glued to the things of earth.” But he found an escape route: “Preserve my life according to Your Word.”

Stuck in sin? Struggling with an addiction? Release is ours through Christ!

Prayer: Please, Father, enable us to see the path to happiness goes through Your Son into eternal life! Protect us from seeking substitutes or replacements. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:25

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What Do You Think?

There are many things in the Bible that we do not understand. There are other things in the Bible that we think we understand. There are many things in the Bible that we cannot understand. But there are many things in the Bible that we do understand but simply choose to do nothing about.

So, what’s the problem?

If we want to know a person, we must spend time with that one. And more than anything else the Bible is about a Person. So, if we want to know that Person, we must spend time in the Bible. Now, there are two vital facts here. The Bible was given to us by men who God inspired to write it. Because it is God’s inspired Word, we need His Spirit to illuminate it for us. But we cannot expect Him to illuminate it for us unless we are willing to allow His Spirit to open our eyes to see Him as He is in His Word.

A child was born blind and spent years unable to see the world around him. Researchers finally found a way to restore his sight. Not knowing what the outcome would be, the surgeons were cautious not to give him too much hope. The day finally arrived when they were to remove his bandages. They led him to a window that overlooked a flower garden. When the bandages were removed, he stood in amazement and said, “Mom, why didn’t you tell me how beautiful the flowers are?”

“I tried,” she said, “but you have to see them for yourself.” So, it is with God. We must see Him for ourselves.

Prayer: Help us, Father, to see You as You are - in all Your loveliness - as we find You in Your Word. Open our eyes to really see. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:18

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Centered!

The word “heart” in the Bible refers to “the center of things” or the “inner man” or “the governing center” of man. There is no suggestion in Scripture that the brain is the center of our consciousness, our wills, or our thoughts. In fact, some Biblical scholars believe that the “First great commandment probably means ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart’ - that is with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” In other words, what is in our hearts is what comes out in our lives.

Looked at from this point of view, the heart is essentially where our thoughts and desires and goals and values originate. So, we can say that for the Christian, life is “lived from the inside out.” Sooner or later, if it’s on the inside, it will surface on the outside. Then people will know who we are and what matters most to us. Indeed, seeing is believing.

The Psalmist gave us this truth when he wrote: “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Jesus added His wisdom to this very basic truth when He said, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart...For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

One of the most popular advertisements on TV is the one that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” But in the end, the answer to that question is not important. It’s “What’s in your heart” that matters most. If God’s Word is in our hearts, He will be obvious in our lives!

Prayer: Help us, Father, to spend time in Your Word and with Your Word so others will see Your Word in us. Help us to maintain the integrity of our relationship and witness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11

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That's Why I Asked

James didn’t want to be a farmer like his Dad. He resented the long days, hard work and low pay. So, every time Dad asked him to do something, he would ask sarcastically, “Why?” or “Why should I do that?” or “Why me?” or “Why do you want that done?” It bothered his Dad who planned on leaving the farm to him when he died.

One day he gave him a basket with a rope on it and said, “Go to the well and fill it with water.” “Why?” asked his son. “None of your ‘whys’ this time - just do as you’re told.”

He dipped the basket in the well and pulled it to the top. He watched the water flow out between the spaces in the basket and became angry. “It won’t hold water,” he shouted. “Do it again,” said the Dad. Again, the water seeped out of the basket. “Do it again,” said his Dad. “I will not. You’re not going to make a fool of me! I’m not going to do it again! Take your old basket back!”

“Look,” said his Dad with a smile. “Now the basket is clean - which is what it needed, and you didn't have to ask ‘why.’ The water did what it was supposed to do. It washed away the dirt. Now it’s clean, and we can use it to put our crops in.”

How like God’s Word! We don’t need to ask God “Why” we need to read His Word. It’s the way it works - it cleanses us from sin and keeps us pure. The Psalmist had it right: “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your Word.”

Prayer: Lord, give us a deep desire to read Your Word and allow it to fill our lives. Help us to become pure, and then to stay pure. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your Word. Psalm 119:9