Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-March 11, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’”

(John 14:8-9).

Philip was one of the twelve disciples, the brother of Nathaniel, also known as Bartholomew. Jesus loved the disciples and spoke to them at length in the Upper Room prior to His arrest and crucifixion. He prepared them for when He would return to heaven. He spoke of service, of preparing a place for them in heaven, His coming again, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Helper to indwell them, His peace that He would give them, and of the Father.

The disciples did understand much of what Jesus taught them, so He explained it to them. This was true of the parables and of theology. Jesus opened subject in John 14:7, by stating, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and seen Him?”

Put yourself in Philip’s shoes, how could he know and see the Father? I am so glad our dear brother Philip asked, “Show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” We have learned so much from Jesus’ answer. It was likely not the answer he expected to hear. Perhaps he thought He would see the Father in heaven or have some dream or vision of Him.

Jesus clearly states His divinity and the truth of the Trinity by saying, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me’ (John 14:9-10)?

The light bulb in his head must have come on at that moment. Now it made sense who Jesus was and why He could do the things He did. We too learn best by asking questions and believing the truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. That is why Jesus acted on the Father’s authority and revealed the Father to us.

Our Heavenly Father loves us and we have a close personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. If you read all four gospels you will discover how much Jesus said about the Father. He did the Father’s will in all things and finished the work the Father gave Him do.

Let us thank our God and Father for all His blessings. He is our Abba Father, our Daddy. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

The mystery of the Godhead is revealed to us, and know and love Him ever so much,

Dean

-March 10, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day

“Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ But after that no one dared question Him.”

(Mark 12:34).

We have all known people who are close to salvation, but not yet saved. This was the case of the scribe who asked Jesus, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered, ‘The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one. And you shall love the Lord your God all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” It wasn’t saying by keeping these two commandments one will be saved. In fact, Jesus was exposing our inability to even keep these perfectly.

This scribe understood it; he got it. He responded wisely that love for God and one’s neighbor was more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. Jesus therefore tells him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Close, isn’t good enough in the matter of salvation, you must receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

We don’t know anything more about this scribe after his talk with Jesus. We wonder, did he get saved later? Jesus’ words may have got him thinking. There are others in the NT who were also close, but didn’t get saved.

After hearing Paul, Felix the governor said, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” (Acts 24:25b). The devil tries to make it inconvenient for people to come to Christ. King Agrippa seemed close too, he told Paul in Acts 26:28, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Close is not enough, almost is not good enough. Even the rich young ruler was close, but then went away sad because he had so many possessions he was unwilling to give. He put them ahead of Jesus.

Let us rejoice in the grace of God and thank the Lord for saving us. We are in the kingdom, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Have a blessed Lord’s Day. Stay safe and healthy.

Pray for those who are close to the kingdom that they enter the kingdom,

Dean

-March 9, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.”

(Colossians 3:12).

Every day we are faced with a decision on what to wear. We have closets full of clothes to choose from. From dress clothes to casual clothes, and everything in between. If you’re like me, I like everything to match.

There is an apt expression that says, “Dress for success.” But even more important that our outward clothing ate our garments of salvation. Here in our text, Paul encourages the Colossians to put on five things every day before going out into the world: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. These make the best clothing for us as we go off to school, work, or wherever we go. They never wear out or go out of style.

1. Tender mercies – Tender mercy is treating others like we would like to be treated. When you combine tender and mercy you have something special. There are twelve references to tender mercies in the Scriptures and all but two speak of God’s tender mercies to us. We need to show the same compassion to others that God has shown to us.

2. Kindness – Kindness is sorely lacking in the world today. Showing kindness is being courteous respectful, accepting, and loving to others in a practical way. Kindness is one of the nine fruit of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

3. Humility – Being humble before God and others is how Jesus lived each day. James wrote in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Servants of Christ should take the least, the last, and the lowest place and serve others.

4. Meekness – As I have shared before, meekness is not weakness. It takes great strength of character to take insults, unfair criticism, harsh treatment, unkind words. Moses was called the meekest man on the earth. He was also a very strong leader. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

5. Longsuffering – Longsuffering is patience on steroids. It means to endure, persevere, to have ‘stick-to-it-ness.’ Job is the greatest example of patience in the Bible. His end was greater than his beginning. God rewarded him for his great patience to the end.

May the Lord help to put on all five of these qualities daily. Each of these qualities are inner qualities that manifest themselves in outward behavior. When we put them on we are ready to face the day and glorify the Lord.

Have a blessed day in your heavenly clothes. Stay safe and healthy.

Our garb reflects our Savior,

Dean

-March 8, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“Beloved, that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

God longs that our souls prosper more than anything else. It should be our sole desire. Physical heath is vital, as is mental and emotional health; but spiritual health supersedes them all.

John in writing his third epistle wrote to Gaius, whom he loved very much in Christ, praying that he would prosper in all things and be in health as his soul prospered. Gaius was a growing, obedient, and faithful servant to Christ. We need to prosper in our souls and pray the same for one another.

Is your soul prospering? Can you truly say, It is well with my soul?” Our health may fluctuate; our wealth may change; our success may be variable, but soul should always prosper.

Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46). Jeremiah even in stressful, sorrowful times exclaimed in Lamentations 3:24, “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him.’” The anonymous psalmist wrote, “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7).

How does our soul proper? By reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God; by praying, by spending time with Jesus; by exercising our spiritual muscles; by reading Christian books and listening to Christian music. All these build us up spiritually.

Have a soul prosperous day. Stay safe and healthy.

Practicing heathy habits in a godly, way, will make our day prosperous in every way,

Dean

-March 7, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”

(Deuteronomy 2:7)

God delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt and saved them from Pharaoh’s mighty army at the Sea, as they crossed on dry ground. The Lord took them on an eleven day journey that lasted forty years in the wilderness.

All through their sojourning God provided for their every need; they lacked nothing. He provided them water from the rock; manna from heaven, and quail to feed His people, some two million people. Even their clothes and their sandals never wore out for all those years.

With the Lord we have no lack. David wrote in Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” The word want can be rendered lack. God knows our needs and meets them. Our God is a generous God in every way.

Paul said, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The Lord has been faithful to us over the years. Personally, I have lived in my same home for forty years, and God has provided for me each day. I can truly say I have lacked nothing. He has taken care of me perfectly.

Have a blessed day trusting the Lord for everything. Stay safe and healthy.

When the Lord has your back, you will never lack,

Dean