Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-August 19, 2023-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distresses” (Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28).

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and His wonderful works to the children of men” (Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31)!

Did you ever wonder why there are so many things repeated in the Bible? Thinkers and story tellers have effectively used repetition from ancient times. Still today teachers, speakers, and writers employ this technique. Jesus Christ was the ultimate story teller, preacher, and teacher and He effectively used it to the benefit of his listeners and to the glory of God.

In the Scriptures, when God says something once it is important, and when He repeats it multiple times it is very important. He wants us know it, understand it, remember it, and to apply it to our lives. We have all heard the expression, “It is worth repeating,” or “It bears repeating.”

In Psalm 107, the unknown psalmist repeats two verses in describing Israel’s history that apply very well to our lives: prayer in times of trouble and God’s deliverances from our distresses; and thanksgiving for His answers and wonderful works to us. These two things will occur as long as we live in earth. Today we will consider the former and tomorrow the latter.

Calling on the Lord in times of trouble – We all go through times of trouble. The first thing we usually do is try to fix things ourselves, solve the problems, deal with the issues. Instead, we should pray first and save ourselves from so much pain and agony. The psalmist says, “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.” We will always have troubles, but God will always deliver us out of them.

This was especially true in book of Judges. There was a constant pattern: sin, servitude, supplication, and salvation. God dealt with His people in love, truth, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. He continues to work in our lives.

God delivers us out of our distresses – So often He delivers us out of them by taking us through them. He is with us in our troubles and He is glorified. He wins the victory; He answers the request; He solves the problem. He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace; He was with the Israelites at the Red Sea; He was with David through every battle; Jesus was the disciples when the storm arose on the Sea of Galilee. He slept peacefully, then they woke Him up. He calmed the sea and they arrived at their destination.

Psalm 50:15 is an excellent memory verse, “Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.” We should remember the many times that the Lord has delivered us and know with confidence, faith, and hope that He will deliver us. He can handle anything and everything. He is in control.

May the Lord remind us to pray, put everything in His strong hands, and trust Him to deliver us out of all our troubles. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

The throne of grace is never closed, and His heart is always open to those in need,

Dean

-August 18, 2023-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.”

(Romans 16:1-2).

This is the only reference to Phoebe in the Scriptures, but her prominence and ministry are significant. When Paul concludes his epistle to the Romans, he greets 27 different men and women. He begins with Phoebe. She was not a member of the church in Rome, but a visitor there on some personal business. Paul encourages the saints to “receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints.”

This phrase has been used for welcoming other believers from other places who happen to be visiting our churches. Letters of Commendation are usually written and signed by the elders on behalf of one of their members who is either visiting or moving to another city. We all share the same faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who know the Lord should be welcomed and encouraged to partake of the bread and wine at the Lord’s Supper.

Paul’s mentions three significant things about Phoebe in these two verses: she was a sister, a servant, and a helper. In each of these three roles she was a blessing to all the saints, including Paul himself. Oh, that three things would describe us!

• Sister – She was a believer, that we are assured of that. We don’t know how or when she got saved but she did, and was an active and committed member of the local church in Cenchrea. There were numerous women saved in the early church and served, and this is still happening today. In fact, more women than men comprise our churches and occupy very important roles within the church.

• Servant – Phoebe was a servant of the church of Cenchrea. Paul uses the word diakonos, from which we have the term deacon or deaconess. She is not officially called a deaconess, but she certainly fulfilled that role. She was likely a business lady who traveled about serving the Lord wherever she went. This should be true of us who are servants of Christ and ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. Serving is one of the spiritual gifts that both Peter and Paul refer to (see Romans 12:7; 1 Peter 4:11). The gift of service is very needed in so many ways in the church today. We are all told in many verses to serve one another.

• Helper – Phoebe was also a helper of many, including the Apostle Paul. What a great testimony she had! Would someone describe you as a helper in the church? Paul refers to the spiritual gift of helps in church: “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:28). We need many helpers in the church, and at times, the helpers need helping as was the case with Phoebe.

May the Lord help us to use the spiritual gifts God has given to us. Service and helps are often intertwined. Our focus should always be on the local church and serving and helping in the work of the gospel. Let us follow Phoebe’s great example in everything we say and do.

Have a blessed day in serving the Lord and helping others. Stay safe and healthy.

Serving in big things, little things, in all things,

Dean

-August 17, 2023-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”

(1 Timothy 6:6-8).

When we are born as babies into this world we come with grasping hands; grasping for the things of the world. We continue this our whole lives until, when we die, we leave this world with open hands, for we can’t take anything out of this world. For us as believers, only the Lord can help us to be content with what we have, for He has given us so much.

Paul was probably the most content man in the world. He preached the gospel, planted churches, and encouraged the saints. He supported his needs by making tents. Many gave help and support to him. He speaks of learning the secret of being content. In today’s Christianity it is a secret we must learn daily. We are bombarded with advertisements encouraging us to want more, spend more, and have more.

In Philippians 4:11-12, Paul wrote, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” If Paul had to learn these lessons, how much more do we need to learn them as well.

Being content with the basics of food and clothing, keeps our wants few and our hearts open to helping others in need. My teacher Bible Bill MacDonald wrote, “To some, the idea of contentment means the lack of drive and ambition. They picture the contented person as a drone or a freeloader. But that is not godly contentment. The contented Christian has plenty of drive and ambition, but they are directed toward the spiritual not the material. Rather than being a freeloader, he works so he can give to those in need.”

I confess I have a long ways to go. I am not as content as I want to be or should be. It is a daily battle to be content with what God has given me and be happy with what He has given others. There is nothing wrong with money, it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. There is nothing wrong with having material possessions, for we need them to live. We just don’t need the latest, the best, or the most expensive. People in the world who have the most, want the most. They also are the least happy and the least content.

Let us be content with what we have. Contentment starts in the heart and is demonstrated in action daily. Have a content and blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

If we can’t be content with little, we will never be content with more,

Dean

-August 16, 2023-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

(John 7:24).

God sees what we cannot see, knows, what we do not know. He looks into the heart of man as only He can. We may successfully hide things from others, but nothing is hidden from Him. King Solomon was the wisest king in the history of the world. The Queen of Sheba travelled a great distance to see him and hear his wisdom. She marveled at what she saw and heard and it almost took her breath away. She exclaimed that the half had not been told her.

If ever there was someone who had righteous judgment, it was Solomon. His wisdom, though, was not his own, for God gave it to him. He knew what to say, how to act, and how to apply the knowledge and understanding he possessed to difficult situations. Just think of the great responsibility he bore!

The Lord Jesus teaches us that we can have righteous judgment as long as we do not judge according to appearance. We are indwelt by the the Holy Spirit. What an advantage we have over even Solomon. We know things now in the Age of Grace that no one in the OT ever knew about. John the Baptist was the greatest prophet under the Old Covenant of the Law. Jesus said of him in Mathew 11:11, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

May the Lord help us to judge with righteous judgment: seeing and hearing things from God’s perspective. Just as Solomon asked God for wisdom, we need to do the same. James 1:5 says, If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Joseph said to Pharaoh before he interpreted his dreams, “…It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” (Genesis 41:16). Hundreds of years later the prophet Daniel said a similar thing to King Nebuchadnezzar that only God can reveal secrets.

When we pray, study the Word, and seek God’s wisdom, we be able to judge righteously. Our thoughts about God and men will be right. It greatly humbles us at what God has taught and shown us. We can then make right decisions and choices, and do God’s will.

Have a blessed day judging righteously. Stay safe and healthy.

Having the mind of Christ enables us to do the will of Christ, for the glory of Christ,

Dean

-August 15, 2023-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“So each one of us shall give an account of himself to God.”

(Romans 14:12).

No believer will stand before the Great White Throne and be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins are forgiven. There is no judgment, condemnation, or wrath for us. However, our first stop in heaven will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ where we will receive rewards or suffer losses for our service for the Lord.

It will be personal with each believer. Paul wrote, “So each one of us shall give an account of himself to God.” How did we use our time, our talents, and our treasures for Jesus and the kingdom? We want to have crowns that we can cast at His feet. We can do nothing without His help.

It is also true that we must give account for those we are responsible for in our roles as parents, Sunday School teachers, preachers, pastors, elders, deacons, missionaries, writers, and others who are responsible for others. James wrote, My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (3:1). James isn’t saying we should not be teachers or leaders, but rather we must realize the great responsibility we have. We don’t have give an account for someone else just for ourselves. Peter asked Jesus about John in John 21:21”…But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus responded, …”If I will that he remain till I come, what is that you? You follow Me.” This teaching will serve us well also!

So how does this verse affect how we live our lives today? Let us consider every word we speak, every thing we do, every tithe we give, how we live Christ everywhere we go, and how we share the gospel with others. We want to please the Lord and one day hear His words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Today’s subject ties together well with subject of the the coming of Christ.

May we serve the Lord faithfully with everything He has given to us. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Giving our all to the Master in heaven, in all the time we have left on earth,

Dean