Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-August 29, 2023-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.”

(Psalm 136:26).

This phrase, “His mercy endures forever,” is found 41 times in the Bible.” All the references are found in the OT. Of these references, 26 are found in Psalm 136, one in each verse. Mercy is one of the attributes of God, and is one that we can practice in our lives. Mercy had its great fulfillment in the life of Jesus. As God and man, He showed mercy and taught us to be merciful.

There is no way to measure God’s mercy; it has no boundaries, no limitations, no end. Even when God shows us mercy, it is never lessened or depleted. Mercy means that He doesn’t give us what we deserve. Mercy is often linked with grace, which means He gives us what we don’t deserve.

Blind Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus in his need. Mark 10:47 says, “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me’! Jesus healed him and gave him his sight. He then followed Him on the road. He was so happy and thankful. Mercy is never deserved but is always a great blessing.

Evangelist Luis Palau tells the following story in his book “Experiencing God’s Forgiveness,” A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and justice demanded death. ‘But I don’t ask for justice,’ the mother explained, ‘I plead for mercy.’ ‘But your son does not deserve mercy,’ Napoleon replied. ‘Sir,’ the woman cried, ‘it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for.’ ‘Well then,’ the emperor said, ‘I will have mercy.’ And he spared the woman’s son.”

Oh, how wonderful is God’s mercy! He showed His mercy at Calvary by sending His Son to die in our place, the just for the unjust, the sinless for the sinner, our substitute on the cross. And not only that, but He shows us mercy each day of our lives and will for all eternity. Some versions translate mercy as love. And truly His love endures forever.

Let us thank the Lord for His mercy today and every day of our lives. We are forgiven, pardoned, and set free. Hallelujah, what a Savior! Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Let us be merciful to others who do not deserve it, for Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

Dean

-August 28, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

David wrote Psalm 131, a short and blessed psalm of utter dependence on the Lord. We all face difficult, fearful, troubling, sorrowful, and uncertain situations before us. They seemed like giants that are too much for us to handle. They are, and we need to rely fully on the Lord for His help and intervention.

David learned the secret: calming and quieting his heart in the presence of the Lord. He likens his soul to a weaned child with his mother. Weaning a child is the process of transitioning them from mother’s milk or formula, which has been their diet for the first 4-6 months to solid foods. The child can get a bit cranky but is fully trusting the mother for his or her nutrition and sustenance.

In one’s spiritual life, we begin by drinking the milk of the word to eating the meat or solid food of the word. It is necessary for every young believer to grow to maturity in Christ. God is always our Father, and we are always His children. He uses trials to test our faith. The more we experience trials, the more we learn to trust Him. Our hope is in Him.

There is such peace, rest, and comfort in the will of God. I will be having a procedure, which is really a surgery, to repair my mitral value which is leaking. Then a I will have to have a second one on my tricuspid value later which is leaking even more. I have such peace that I am in the Lord’s hands. I have a great surgeon and an even better Great Physician in the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be on Wednesday. Please pray for me for a successful outcome and a full and quick recovery.

There is a beautiful hymn, entitled, “Be Still My Soul,” by Katharina von Schlegel. It is so encouraging. The first verse says, “Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain. Be still my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.” Is your soul calm and quiet before the Lord?

Have a blessed day leaning on the everlasting arms and trusting Him for what is to come. Stay safe and healthy.

Jesus calms the sea as well as the soul,

Dean

-August 27, 2023-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“And let the beauty of the Lord be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.”

(Psalm 90:17).

Psalm 90 is unique in two ways, one, it is the oldest Psalm and two, it was written by Moses. The title of the Psalm is: “A Prayer of Moses the man of God.” Today’s text is the last verse in Psalm 90. It represents a two-fold prayer: to let the beauty of the Lord be upon us, and to establish the work of our hands.

The Lord is beautiful and it is a wonderful thing that His beauty be upon us. Moses experienced God’s beauty in the presence of the Lord. His face shone brightly and he had to cover his face with a veil. His face shining was temporary and soon passed away. In Christ, His beauty and glory never fades away. Moses, like Elijah, Peter, James, and John saw the face of Jesus shining like the sun on the Mount of Transfiguration.

It says of Stephen, the first martyr, that his face was like the face of an angel. Acts 6:15 says, “And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.” As believers we want the beauty of the Lord to shine on us and through us so that people will see Jesus in us and in our countenance.

Moses also prayed, “establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.” This verse shows how we can work for the Lord on eternal matters. So few things in life are worthy of our pursuit. Sharing the gospel, giving our testimony, serving the Lord, praying, reading and studying the Word of God, and teaching and homeschooling our children are things that will count for all eternity. Moses asks for this request twice to establish the work of our hands. It shows that we need the Lord in everything we do for His kingdom and glory.

So many times we give ourselves to things that are temporary, that will soon fade away. Let’s be about our Father’s business as Jesus was. Jesus said in John 6:27, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Have a blessed Lord’s Day working with your hands by His commands. He will establish the work of our hands. Stay safe and healthy.

Trusting Christ for our service in His name,

Dean

-August 26, 2023-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

“I was glad when said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

(Psalm 122:1).

David was genuinely glad, excited, and blessed to be able to go to the house of the Lord. There were others also who shared his same sentiment. Isaiah wrote, “Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

What made David and the Israelites so glad? They were privileged to go to the house of the Lord, in the city of the Lord, into presence of the Lord to praise and worship Him. There is no other place they would rather be on the Sabbath. Psalm 100:4 tells us, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.”

Are you glad to go to the house of the Lord? If I miss a single Sunday, I feel a void. I missed one Sunday because of vacation and two because of Covid-19 and recovering from it. I can’t wait to meet with the saints on Sunday morning! We should be so thankful we can celebrate the Lord’s Supper, have fellowship with one another, and hear from the Word of God.

What a blessing to gather in the name of the Lord, in the presence of the Lord, at the house of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord. Have a blessed day of preparation for the Lord’s Day. Stay safe and healthy.

Gladness to enter the presence of the Lord,

Dean

-August 25, 2023-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.”

(Psalm 122:6-7).

This 122nd Psalm was written by David who reigned over Israel in Jerusalem. His descendant Jesus Christ will rule and reign over Jerusalem and the whole world during the Millennium. Israel will be regathered, restored, and revived in a coming day. They will come to know their Messiah and will have His peace forever. Jesus, the Son of David will sit on the throne of David forever.

Jerusalem is the city of peace; it may not seem like it now. There has been much war, strife, and conflict over the years. F.B. Meyer notes that there is a graceful alliteration here in verse 6: “Peace in the City of Peace. May those be at peace who love her.” Bill MacDonald commented, “The benediction of peace rests upon all who love the City of the Great King.”

Thus we as believers are commanded to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” We should pray for Israel, support Israel, and love Israel. Jesus is the Prince of Peace who brings peace to everyone who believes in Him. From the Scriptures we know how the story will turn out. There will be peace and everlasting joy for His earthly people Israel.

Hosea 3:4-5 prophecies of Israel, “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.”

Let us then pray for the peace of Jerusalem. When we do, there is a special blessing of peace upon us. God will defend His people, His city. Israel has many enemies. This will not change until Jesus the Prince of Peace brings peace. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Praying for the peace of Jerusalem while we have peace with God and experience the peace of God,

Dean