Daily Devotional for Friday, September 29

Deceitful Above All Things

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:7-9.

“Follow your heart! Do what makes you happy!” This is the counsel a professed Christian gave to their sibling who was pursuing a relationship with someone other than their spouse. “You deserve to be happy.” These phrases sound so life giving and encouraging to a carnal person or an unbeliever. But they might be the most toxic pieces of advice you would ever receive.

The Word of God is filled with teaching that reveals the true depravity of mankind. We naturally desire sin and to fulfill the lusts of our sinful flesh. We naturally stray away from what is good and right to follow our own evil and sinful desires. 18th century Baptist minister and hymn author Robert Robinson got it right when he wrote, “prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”

Every Christian would do well to study and grasp the truth of total depravity. Our flesh is sinful by nature and thus regularly longs for what is sinful. By the help of the Holy Spirit and regularly studying God’s Word, we can tune our hearts to turn from sinful desires and turn to the God we love.

FINAL THOUGHT: Christians can prevent great destruction if we will check our every desire against the Word of God and the direction of Holy Spirit.

Steven Ridings