Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 26, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

(Psalm 1:3).

Today is Arbor Day, a day to celebrate trees, and their vital importance and value to the earth. This holiday was originated by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska City, Nebraska on April 10, 1872 at an annual meeting of the Nebraska state board of agriculture.

Today, across the country many new trees will be planted to be enjoyed for years to come. I love trees, all kinds of trees, especially fruit trees. We are blessed to have an abundance of trees in California and our state produces a bountiful variety of fruits.

God likens us to fruit trees in Psalm 1:1-3 and in other passages in the Bible. God plants us, waters us, and produces fruit in us. We notice four significant things from today’s verse: we are planted by rivers of water, we bring forth fruit in our season, our leaf does not wither, and we prosper in whatever we do.

Are you bearing fruit for the Lord Jesus? Are you prospering where God has planted you? Are you a blessing to those around you? Jeremiah 17:8 says, “For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor cease from yielding fruit.”

The key is the water of the Word of God which we need daily to survive and thrive. Let us be fruitful for the Lord today by sharing with others and living the abundant life in Christ. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Be fruitful today in every way.

Dean

-April 25, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“…Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord has ordered him. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.”

(2 Samuel 16:11-12).

Yesterday our subject was, “Letting God Deal With Those Who Wrong Us.” Today, we will consider how God worked produced tremendous restraint in his heart. The word restraint is defined as, “A measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control or within limits. We know it in Scripture as self-control.

David had just fled from Jerusalem because his own son Absalom usurped his throne and threatened his life. He and all his mighty men and a few others loyal to him went went into exile. This was very hard on David spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

As David was “getting out of Dodge,” he was disappointed and discouraged. As he and his men trudged along, a certain Benjaminite named Shimei went along the road cursing David, calling him “bloodthirsty man and a rogue. He even threw stones at him and kicked up dust. Basically, he made life difficult for David.

David had the opportunity to kill this wicked man, but chose not to. One of his officers named Abishai said to him, “Please, let me go and take off his head!” David refused, citing that God ordered it. He saw everything that happened to him as from the Lord.

Later in life, Shimei apologized and David let him live. David told his son Solomon the next king, to deal appropriately with him. Solomon put a restriction on him: he could stay alive only if he stayed in Jerusalem. After three years he went off to find a runaway slave, and when he returned Solomon had him executed.

One reaps what he sows. You can’t curse the ruler of your people and get away with it. He got what he deserved. It was from the Lord.

There was also three different occasions where David had the opportunity to kill Saul who was pursuing him. Each time he refused to lift up his hand against the Lord’s anointed. He let God handle Saul.

May the Lord help us to show restraint and self-control when handling difficult, obstinate, ornery people. God will handle them in His way and timing.

Have a blessed day showing mercy, grace, and forgiveness toward others. Stay safe and healthy.

It takes a big person to be restrained and self-controlled.

Dean

-April 24, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

(Romans 12:19).

Romans 12 is one of the most wonderful and practical portions in the Scriptures. The heading in my Bible is “Behaving Like a Christian.” It is not enough to behave like a Christian at church, we all do pretty well at that; but we must behave like a Christian at home, at school, at work, in the neighborhood, at the gym, out in community running errands, and wherever we are. Some people are easy to deal with, many are not.

People are watching us and listening to what we say. When we profess to know Christ as Savior, the way we treat others and respond when we are wronged can either point people to Christ or away from Him.

Human nature is to lash out, to respond in anger, and retaliate against the offender. Jesus taught us by word and example to love our enemies, pray for them, and forgive them, just as He has done toward us. The answer is to let God handle it, and He will, we have His word on that.

Avenging ourselves may feel so right at the time, but has disastrous consequences. Paul also wrote in Romans 12:17-18, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. Ii it is possible live peaceably with all men.” He also says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). When we do good to those who have wronged us, we are behaving like Christ.

None of this possible without the power of the Holy Spirit. Still, it is not easy for us while living on this earth. Tomorrow we see how David was spared from taking vengeance by a wise and godly woman, Abigail.

Have a blessed day behaving like Christians and letting God deal with those who wrong us. Stay safe and healthy.

Our way leads to anger, frustration, and pain; God’s way leads to love, forgiveness, and gain.

Dean

-April 23, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

(Exodus 12:13).

As we look around us today in Israel and Gaza, there is war, turmoil, death, and destruction. Not unlike the first Passover God instituted for His people Israel. They were told, “And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover” (Exodus 12:11).

Passover was a memorial to remember Israel’s departure from Egypt, and was held as a feast unto the Lord every year, wherever they were, no matter what they were going through. A lamb was killed in every household, its blood put around the door of the house and the lintel. When God saw the blood, He would pass over their homes and spare them from death of the firstborn in the land of Egypt.

Passover, along with the Day of Atonement are ordinances for Israel to commemorate through all generations. They were holy and sacred. Passover lasts for seven days. It began last night and runs through April 30.

Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples before instituting the Lord’s Supper. Jesus was the Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world and shed His precious blood. Exodus 12:5 says, “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year…”

Each week, on the first day of the week we take the bread and wine in remembrance of His body and blood. Jesus was sinless and holy; He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

The people of Israel were to eat the lamb, roasted in fire, with unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. All these pointed forward to Christ and His death at Calvary.

Though we do not celebrate Passover, we celebrate Good Friday and Easter, which we did earlier in March. Let us pray for Israel and peace of Jerusalem. They need our full support. They are God’s earthly people. In the future, God will regather and restore them and Christ will rule over them and the whole world during the Millennium.

Have a blessed day following Christ and serving Him. Stay safe and healthy.

Jesus fulfilled every symbol and type, in perfect detail, just right.

Dean

-April 22, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday, happy Earth Day,

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fulness, the world and those who dwell in it.”

(Psalm 24:1).

Today is Earth Day, a day to celebrate the earth. There is nothing wrong with celebrating the earth as long as we remember that God created the earth and everything in it. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The word is found 904 times in the Bible.

This earth is so small in God’s universe, just a blip on the radar screen. At one time the earth was quite different before God brought light and life to our planet. He spoke the word and the worlds came into being.

The earth was once even more beautiful than it is now before sun entered into the world and it affected the earth as well as mankind and every living thing. Still, there is beauty everywhere: from the mountains, to the valleys, to the deserts, to the plains, to the forests, to oceans, to the seashores, to the lakes, to the rivers, and to the streams.

We should take better care of the earth, but the priority should be on the people of this world. Souls are more important the sod. The earth will one day be destroyed by fire and God will create a new earth.

Isaiah 66:1-2 says, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the Lord. ‘But on this one I will look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.’”

It is sad how we have polluted the earth, strewn litter in so many places, and most of all disregarded and disrespected our Creator who made us and every living thing. This earth and all it contains belongs to the Lord not to us. We are but stewards of what God has given us.

May we as believers appreciate all that God has made and entrusted us with. He is the King of glory; He is our Lord and Savior. Let us spread the message of salvation to the four corners of the earth: north, south, east, and west; to every tribe, people, tongue, and nation.

Have a blessed day living on God’s green earth. Stay safe and healthy.

Beauty is found in place to place, but even more in Jesus’ face.

Dean