Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-July 9, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.”

(Luke 18:1).

It one thing for us to go through a difficult trial and to pray for God’s help, healing, and hope; it is quite another to watch someone we love suffer. We feel so helpless. What can we do to help them? What we can do is pray.

Our pastor’s wife fell Saturday night and fractured her hip. She was in excruciating pain. Our pastor called 9-1-1 and they took her in to the E.R. She is the hospital and is scheduled for hip surgery tomorrow. Our whole church is praying for her, the family, the surgeons, and all those assisting in the surgery. Please join us in prayer for our dear Sylvia for a successful surgery and full recovery.

God hears and answers prayer. We simply need to pray fervently in faith. Our heavenly Father will help us in our time of need. Jesus taught us in Luke 18:1-8 to pray and not to lose heart. He wants us to pray without ceasing, trusting in Him.

Jesus said in Luke 11:9-10, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it will be opened.” We stand on the promises of God.

When we are hurting, especially for those we love, He hurts with us. He stands by the bed, He stands next to the surgeons and guides their hands and minds; He shows compassion, mercy, love, and grace in abundance. The best hands to be in are the Lord’s hands, steady, sure, and strong.

The medical staff is taking very good care of our dear Sylvia, but it the Great Physician, our Lord Jesus Christ who heals. You may be going through a difficult situation with a loved one or dear friend. Don’t give up, keep on praying. Be there for them, support them, pray for them.

Have a blessed day interceding for others. I was once the one being prayed for and it made all the difference. Stay safe and healthy.

Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

Dean

-July 8, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with Me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

(Psalm 23:4).

Today is our fourth and final lesson on the Good Shepherd’s Care. Thus far we have considered His voice and His pasture. Today we will look at His rod and His staff. They are a shepherd’s essential tools.

Both of these tools are functional and practical. What really makes them special is how they are used in love. A shepherd loves his sheep and would do nothing to hurt them, but sometimes he has to use gentle force for the good of the sheep. As we discussed, sheep are not smart; they tend to wander and get hurt.

Sheep are in danger of getting lost, being injured, walking off a cliff, and from dangerous predators. The shepherd must watch them very closely, and go after the one lost sheep. Our Good Shepherd guards and protects His sheep.

• The Staff – The shepherd’s staff is a long, curved wooden instrument used to gently pull the sheep back to himself. The shepherd uses it wisely and skillfully for the good of the sheep. In the case of our Good Shepherd, He employs it with love and tenderness to bring us back to Himself. The Bible describes us that this is conviction, comfort, and care. I know I need it daily.

• The Rod – Sometimes the sheep can get a bit unruly, have conflicts with other sheep, and disobey the shepherd’s commands. In such cases, force is needed, and it will hurt just enough to rectify the situation. It is meant to be a poke to get the sheep’s attention. This is what the Scripture calls God’s chastisement, that is, His discipline. He doesn’t punish, He disciplines us for our good.

God’s discipline is not easy nor pleasant, in fact, it is downright painful, but it is a good pain that brings a good gain. Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now no chastening seems not to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are being trained by it.”

The old expression is true: “no pain, no gain. We are His sheep, His children, His holy people. He is in the process of conforming us into the image of Christ. It is a long, slow, and painful process. But will be fully accomplished when we are home in heaven. That will be our graduation day!

Have a blessed day under the Good Shepherd’s care. Let us thank Him, trust Him, and obey Him. Stay safe and healthy.

The Shepherd’s rod and staff don’t make us comfortable but conformable, and that is real comfort.

Dean

-July 7, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the quiet waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

(Psalm 23:2-3).

Before we were saved we were enslaved by sin and Satan. We were miserable, had no peace, and wandered far from God. Then we met the Shepherd of our souls. Jesus was at the same time the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us, and the Lamb of God who shed His blood to save us from our sins.

David vividly expresses how wonderful God’s pasture is. He speaks of green pastures and still waters. Twice in our text, David uses the phrase, “He leads me.” All of us are assured of the Shepherd’s care. He knows our names, He loves us.

• Green pastures – Using our sanctified imagination, we can envision a large pasture, with lush green grass to graze in. This phrase green pasture literally means, “pastures of tender grass.” The grass is not just green but soft as well.

• Still waters – When the water is still, the sheep can drink their fill. The still waters literally mean, “waters of rest.” Rest is a wonderful thing and we all need it, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

If on earth we find nourishment and refreshment in Christ, what will our heavenly pasture by like in glory? Have a blessed day in God’s pasture. Stay safe and healthy.

When you are in God’s pasture, you need not look for greener pastures, they are the greenest and the best.

Dean

-June 6, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

(John 10:27).

I am really excited about our study and meditation on the care of our Good Shepherd. We are His sheep, we belong to Him. We hear His voice and follow Him.

Our Lord speaks to us, not audibly but through our hearts, in a still small voice. We must take the time to listen to Him amid all the voices of the world that are shouting at us.

I was reading about sheep and how they learn their shepherd’s voice. The older, mature sheep have learned, but the young ones have to learn to hear the voice of their shepherd. The shepherd knows his sheep, and his sheep know him. Our Lord Jesus wants to speak to us, and He wants us to speak to Him.

Jesus said in John 10:4-5, “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know His voice. Yet they will be no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

We must cultivate our listening skills to hear our Lord’s voice. He will speak to us through His Word and through prayer. He will guide us and direct us to do His will. Pastor Greg Laurie wrote in his book, Every Day With Jesus, “To know God’s choice, you must hear God’s voice.” It really challenged and encouraged me.

We need to follow our Good Shepherd and obey His voice. He wants the very best for us. It boils down to hearing and obeying. It sounds so simple, but we can get so easily distracted and sidetracked. Sometimes we are afraid of what the Lord may tell us to do or give up.

Have a blessed day communing with the Lord Jesus and hearing His voice and following Him. Stay safe and healthy.

We recognize the voices of family and friends; should not recognize the voice of our Shepherd who loves us?

Dean

-July 5, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

(Psalm 23:1).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and Chief Shepherd. He loves us, His sheep, the people of His pasture.

David was himself a shepherd as a young lad who cared for his father Jesse’s sheep. He learned how to shepherd people by shepherding sheep. In fact, one of David’s titles was the shepherd of Israel.

Jesus is the best shepherd. He knows us, loves us, feeds us, and cares for us. We are like sheep. Sheep are not smart—they tend to wander, and can fall off a cliff to their demise. The shepherd knows each one of his sheep, and what their needs are, their personalities, and their tendencies.

David called the Lord, “My shepherd.” Even though our Shepherd has many sheep, He calls each of us by name and knows all about us. David also said, “I shall not want.” The word want in the Hebrew can be translated, “lack.”

All of us can say with David, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack).” He always provides for our needs, down to the smallest detail. There is no better shepherd than our Lord, and no pasture greater than His pasture.

Paul writing to the Philippians said, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” He promises to meet our needs, not necessarily our wants.

Just as sheep need the constant care of their shepherd, so too, we need Him for everything. In the coming days we will consider together: the Shepherd’s voice, the Shepherd’s pasture, the Shepherd’s staff, and the Shepherd’s rod.

Have a blessed day in the Shepherd’s care. Stay safe and healthy.

There is nothing to fear when the Good Shepherd is near.

Dean