Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-July 5, 2023-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.”

(Acts 12:13-14).

Everyone in the world has a unique voice. Our voices characterize who were are. Someone wrote, “Most scientists believe that the voice of a person is unique, much like their fingerprints; this may be true since our voices are dependent on the anatomy of the vocal cords and two people having the same anatomy is a reach, thus leading to distinct voices.” In our modern society we are familiar voices from radio, television, and the movies. I think of John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart in particular.

In biblical times, they didn’t have little glass holes to see through or special door bells that show on our smart phones who is at our door. In the old days we would have to say, “Who’s there?” In Acts 12:1-17 we read of Peter being arrested by Herod and being thrown into prison for preaching Christ. Herod harassed some members of the church and he had put to death James the brother of John. He was planning to do the same with Peter. Sixteen Roman soldiers, four squads of four, were assigned to guard him. He was chained to two them.

The saints were actively and fervently praying for his release but when it actually happened, they didn’t believe it. God hand sent an angel to bring him out of the prison in a miraculous way. He arrived at the door of the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where the believers were gathered to pray. This young girl Rhoda, a servant, heard Peter’s knock, and more importantly recognized his voice. This wasn’t the first time Peter’s voice was recognized. When he denied the Lord there were people who recognized his voice as being Galilean and having been with Jesus when He was arrested. Rhoda was familiar with Peter’s voice and was so excited she neglected to open the gate but ran to tell those who were praying that their answer to prayer was standing at the gate.

When we get a call on our phone from a friend or loved one, we know who it is without them even having to announce themselves. From our youngest days we learn the voices of our parents, our siblings, our teachers, our friends, and others. We learn to speak by listening. This is true when it comes our fellow believers in Christ.

Rhoda is a wonderful example of one who knows when prayer has been answered and no one could convince her otherwise. She was criticized by those at the prayer meeting. At first they thought she was beside herself (crazy), then they stated it must be his angel. When we ask in prayer believing we will receive. All the glory goes to God. Why pray if we don’t expect God to answer? Do we get as excited when God answers our prayers as Rhoda did? Tomorrow we will consider the voice of the Lord.

Have a blessed day lending our voices to praise and thank the Lord for His answers. May our voice be loud and strong to rejoice. Stay safe and healthy.

Listening to familiar voices, the unique voices of those whom we love and trust,

Dean

-July 4, 2023-

Good morning, happy Tuesday, happy Independence Day,

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”

(Psalm 33:12).

We are so glad today that we can celebrate our nations’s 247th birthday! We thank the Lord for the freedoms that we have and for the foundation of Christ and the Word of God. America, with all its flaws is still the best country in the world. As believers we must honor God and our country. Peter wrote, “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17).

Sadly, there are those in America who seek to undermine and destroy America. We can’t let them. We stand for freedom, liberty, honesty, justice, unity, and love for all. Sin is the downfall of any nation, and sin abounds everywhere. It says in Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

We need to once again be “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” May we follow the premise of, “In God we trust.” Our foundation that was once bright, strong, and God-fearing is under attack, and is weakened and wobbly. Let’s stand up against evil and pray for the righteousness of our nation. We are a Christian nation. May it be true in our practice as well as in word.

When a nation fears God it will be strong. Thank God for all the born again believers in Jesus Christ and all the churches who preach the gospel. We are the United States of America, and not the divided states of America. There is much too much division and acrimony in our land. We need to work together and not against one another. I love our country so much and thank the Lord for our troops who protect usand defend our freedom.

Have a blessed Independence Day as Christian Americans. Stay safe and healthy.

Celebrating what we have in America and praying together for America,

Dean

-July 3, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me with songs of deliverance. Selah.”

(Psalm 32:7).

Twice in the Psalms we have this expression that God is our hiding place. The Hebrew root word for hiding place is cether, which means “to hide or conceal.” A hiding place is a place of safety, security, protection, privacy, and rest. There is so much pressure, stress, fear, and anxiety in the world today. We need Christ as our hiding place.

David, the writer of Psalm 32, felt it all. He ran to the Lord for refuge. He fled from King Saul who sought to kill him and from Absalom his own son who took his throne and also wanted to kill him. We have an expression we use today that is very appropriate, “I can’t catch a break.” Job felt this way too. Satan complained to the Lord that He had a protected Job from his attacks. Job 1:10 says, “Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”

Satan had to get God’s permission to strike Job. God protects us with His strong wall. Corrie ten Boom wrote a book, “The Hiding Place,” based on her experiences in a Nazi concentration camp during WWII. There were horrific conditions where so many suffered and died. She found that the Lord was her hiding place. Psalm 119:114 says, “You are my hiding place and shield; I hope in Your word.” The Scriptures give us strength, encouragement, guidance, and wisdom as we live in this world.

I would encourage you to read eight other verses relating to our hiding place: Psalm 17:8; Psalm 27:5; Psalm 31:20; Psalm 64:2; Psalm 143:9; Isaiah 32:2; Psalm 61:3; and Psalm 68:20. The Lord helps us face whatever comes our way, every day and in every way. His grace is sufficient for us. There is a Christian song entitled, “You Are My Hiding Place,” that says, “You are my hiding place, you always fill my heart with songs of deliverance whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. I will trust in You, let the weak say I am strong in the strength of the Lord.”

May we seek the Lord and find Him as our hiding place, our refuge. God is both our source and our resource in all things. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Finding Jesus as our all in all, in all, and through it all,

Dean

-July 2, 2023-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

(Romans 12:3).

The stars and planets know their place, as do all the trees, flowers, insects, animals, yes everything in God’s creation. Mankind is the only one that has a problem with pride and self-will. We who were created by God for His glory have pride. So many times we think we are better than others. We look down on those less fortunate than ourselves and compare ourselves to others.

God knows how to humble us. Paul tells two important things: not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but to to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” There is an appropriate expression from the old west, “Come down from your high horse.” The Lord must bring us through fiery trials in order to refine us and make us like Christ.

Repentance is agreeing with God against ourselves and turning from our sins to Him. We should always remember where we came from and where we are going. Everything we know, God has taught us; everything we own, He has given to us and belongs to Him; and every success or victory we experience is because of Him. We get into all sorts of trouble when we forget these things. We start to take the credit and the Lord has to humble us.

Every believer in Christ is equal in Christ. We are brothers and sisters, fellow saints, and members of the body of Christ. This right thinking about ourselves is vital. The Scriptures also teach led how important we are to the Lord and His service. We need balance like a scale with two sides. We should not think of ourselves too high or too low.

This is why Paul added, “but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” In the story of Superman, there were times when he was Clark Kent, an ordinary man and newspaper reporter; other times he was Superman, a superhero. The former represent our normal daily lives of work, school, retirement, or homemaking. Other times, much fewer, the Lord gives us some big, challenging, and important thing to do for Him which tests us.

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches, He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We must abide in our Lord, relying fully on Him. Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Both verses are saying the same thing: we need Christ to live His life through us and empower us to do great things for Him.

Let us then have the right thinking of ourselves and we remember it is all about the Lord Jesus and about us. It is humbling yet encouraging. Have a blessed day treating others as Christ treats us; and loving others as He loves us. Stay safe and healthy.

Only looking down on others if we are lifting them up,

Dean

-July 1, 2023-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

“And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be —The Lord is one, and His name is one.”

(Zechariah 14:9).

The Lord is King now and forever, but He will reign over all the earth during the Millennium. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ will sit on the throne of David and will rule with a rod of iron, in righteousness and justice.

Psalm 10:16 tells us, “The Lord is King forever and ever; the nations have perished out of His land.” We are His subjects and we joyfully and willingly serve Him. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews” (John 18:33). Our King responded in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not by delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

The kings of earth, along with everyone else will one day bow before the Lord Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Three times in Psalm 24, the Lord is called the King of glory: verses 7, 9, 10. David wrote, “Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah”(Psalm 24:10).

We are the King’s subjects and servants, as Pastor as Pastor Tony Evans calls us “Kingdom Disciples.” Each of us represent the King and the Kingdom in this world. We pray that others will see Christ in us and follow Him. It is a great honor and responsibility. Our language is the language of love, our behavior excellent among the Gentiles. Can others tell that you know the King and belong to His kingdom? We can’t be like everyone else in this world. We don’t fit in. We are different.

Have a blessed day in the Kingdom, living for the King in our conduct and conversation. Stay safe and healthy.

Living for the King in heaven while here on earth,

Dean