Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 21, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

(Habakkuk 3:18).

This past week I had not one but two problems with my vehicle. First, my air pressure was very low in my rear tire and it turned out there was a screw in the sidewall and it could not be repaired. I had to get a new tire. Second, while scurrying around town to put air in my tire, I backed up coming out of the gas station and hit a low cemet block by the pumps. No one was hurt but my pride.

Life happens. Things happen, sometimes they are my fault, other times they are the fault of others. In all cases, the Lord allows things for a reason. He has a purpose in it and for it. It reminds me of the Hymn of Faith In Habakkuk 3:17-19. Three times the prophet employs the word “though.”

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls” (Habakkuk 3:17). Thank God for this portion for it makes me think: do I thank the Lord even for the difficulties? Do I rejoice in the Lord in all circumstances?

Today’s verse gives the answer, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Rejoicing is not just an emotion, it is a decision on our part to look to the Lord and see His goodness and mercy never ceasing.

Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Though my issues bale in comparison to those of many others, they still affect me. You may experiencing something difficult in your life right now. Please read Habakkuk 3:17-19 and rejoice in the Lord.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day praising the Lord, hearing the Word, and having fellowship with the saints. Stay safe and healthy.

When things go well, praise the Lord. When things don’t go so well, praise the Lord. Life happens.

Dean

-April 20, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.”

(2 Timothy 3:1).

Paul wrote these words in Timothy hundreds of years ago in in the days of the early church. Times were bad then, how much worse are they today?

Paul admonishes Timothy to be vigilant and to stand for the truth against false teachers and all opponents of the gospel. Paul doesn’t say perilous times may come, but rather, “perilous times will come.”

Surprisingly the phrase “last days” is used just six times in the Bible: Genesis 49:1; Acts 2:17; 2 Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Peter 3:3).

We know we are living in the last days and prophesies are being fulfilled before our eyes. 2 Peter 3:3 says, “Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts.” From the college campuses to the streets, rebellious, raucous, cantankerous people are spouting hate, violence, and evil. There is a tremendous hostility toward and hatred of the Jews. Antisemitism is at all time high.

We are seeing and hearing exactly what Paul and Peter were saying would happen. It is all over America and the world.

The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 24:12, “And because of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.” Lawlessness is everywhere. Crimes are more violent and vicious. We are in the end times.

What can we as God’s people do? Pray, obey God, be separated from the world and set apart for the Lord, and stand for Christ in His love and truth. We must share the gospel with those who are lost. Jesus is coming soon.

Have a blessed day Christian soldier. Stay safe and healthy.

Living in the world, but not being of the world.

Dean

-April 19, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, ‘If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.’”

(1 Samuel 7:3).

From his earliest years, at about two years old, his mother Hannah took him to Eli the priest, and left him there in the tabernacle to serve the Lord all his life. He served the Lord faithfully all through the years of his life.

Samuel was the last of judges. He was a godly man and servant of the Lord. He was the only one who was a prophet, priest, and a judge. He travelled throughout all Israel, offering sacrifices, teaching the people, and giving godly counsel.

He was saddened when Israel demanded a king like all the other nations. Still, he obeyed God and anointed Saul to be their first king. Because of Saul’s disobedience, God rejected him being king. God then led Samuel to anoint David. David had to wait quite a few years before Saul was killed in battle. Even then David was anointed over Judah first, then over all Israel later.

Samuel died before David became king. 1 Samuel 25:1 says, “Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.” Reading between the lines it would seem David attended his funeral, but there is no mention of Saul being there.

We can’t over estimate Samuel’s tremendous impact on the nation of Israel. He listened to God and spoke for God. He served until the end of his life. Saul respected Samuel but he didn’t like him or especially what he said and did. I am sure he heard that Samuel anointed David to be his successor.

But what of us? What impact are we having in our homes, churches, communities, schools, and workplaces? Let us determine to be a blessing for Christ.

Have a blessed day impacting others. Stay safe and healthy.

Make a pact to be an impact.

Dean

-April 18, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.”

(Luke 16:10).

How does God measure our faithfulness? It sees how we do in the little things. If God gives something to do and it seems small or insignificant, let us faithfully do it with all our hearts.

This is a spiritual principle: do all in the name of Jesus. When we are faithful in what is least, God will give us more responsibilities to handle. Conversely, if we can’t be faithful in small matters, we won’t be faithful in the large ones.

We are all stewards of what God has given us. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

Faithfulness is rare in our world today. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 20:6, “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful.” Let us be those who are found faithful.

Have a blessed day in faithfulness. Stay safe and healthy.

Faithful in little, faithful in much.

Dean

-April 17, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.”

(Luke 15:27-28).

The Parable of the Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15:11-32, is a wonderful story that Jesus taught. It has so many lessons, mostly centered around the younger son and his father, and rightly so. But Jesus also spoke of the older son and his reaction to younger brother’s homecoming.

When the younger came home, the older brother was out working out in the field. As he approached the home, he heard music and dancing, and I’m sure it was loud and joyful. The older son asked one of the servants what was going on. He then found out: his younger brother who had left, spent all his money on sinful, wasteful living, was having a big party.

Instead of being happy, he was angry and refused to go into the house where the party was taking place. He was envious and jealous. He questioned his father why after all these years of his faithful service, was he not given a party with friends. He felt unappreciated.

The story is told of a little girl’s birthday party that illustrates the attitude of the older son in the parable. It was Susie’s birthday and all her friends and their parents came over to a great birthday party. All the kids were happy and enjoying the festivities, except little Johnny. He was fuming and throwing a tantrum.

Johnny looked a the rising pile of gifts and got so angry. His mother kneeled on one knee and quietly said to him, “Johnny, it’s not your party. Your birthday will come, this is Susie’s special day.”

Human nature, sinful as it is, is all about self. Even adults often question, “Why them and not me.” As believers we must learn this lesson too. So many times we think, why am I not blessed like so and so? How come I didn’t get the wife, the kids, the job, the home, the car, or whatever it is.

We should be happy when others are blessed, succeed, and are rewarded and awarded. Paul wrote in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” We should be just as happy for others as if it had happened to us.

May the Lord help us not to be unhappy campers. Bad attitudes can spoil good times. Have a blessed day no matter who is blessed. Stay safe and healthy.

When it’s your party, enjoy it; when it is someone’s else’s enjoy it for them.

Dean