Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-May 11, 2023-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.’ But Jehoshaphat would not.”

(1 Kings 22:48-49).

King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a good king. He loved and followed the Lord, but he had a glaring weakness: he allied himself with Ahab, king of Israel and then with his son who succeeded him. Both of the those two were wicked, idolatrous kings. They both followed in the sins of King Jeroboam of Israel.

In the first case, Jehoshaphat made the mistake of going from Jerusalem to Samaria and went out to battle with Ahab. The Syrians thought he was the king of Israel and were about to kill him,but God had mercy on him when they realized that he was not the king of Israel they turned away from him. A Syrian bowman took an arrow and randomly hit Ahab in an exposed place in his armor and he died. Ahab had tried to disguise himself but God brought his demise about due to his wicked ways. Jehoshaphat escaped with his life and returned to Jerusalem.

At that time God sent the prophet Jehu to rebuke Jehoshaphat. 2 Chronicles 19:2 says, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you.” He didn’t obey or take it to heart as he then allied himself with Ahab’s wicked son. God had to intervene and keep him from it. It is not God’s will for us to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers in any relationship such as marriage, roommates, business partnerships, or close friendships.

Paul clearly wrote, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you’” (2 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 6:17). God put a stop to Jehoshaphat’s plans and the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. Rather than pursue the excursion for gold, he took it from the Lord not to go again.

Let us learn the lesson of how bad compromise with the world is, and the alliances with the unsaved are for us and our families. The same can be true of churches that ally with ones that don’t preach the Word or individuals staying in a church that doesn’t preach the gospel or teach the Word alone. May we not compromise or be involved with the ungodly. Otherwise our ships, that is our lives, will be broken by the Lord.

Have a blessed day with no compromise or unholy alliances. Stay safe and healthy in the will of God.

Choosing wisely our relationships to avoid having broken ships,

Dean

-May 10, 2023-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“So he said, for I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

(1 Kings 19:10).

Zeal is mentioned 38 times in Scripture. The word zeal is defined as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.” Our cause is Christ and our objective is to win souls and build up the saints of God. Zeal cannot be made, mustered, or manufactured by man, it comes from God through our hearts. It is like the intensity of a raging fire; like the torrent of strong, fast moving river; like the sun at its hottest point of a summer’s day.

Elijah had zeal for the Lord, but here in our text in 1 Kings 19:1-18, he had a spiritual meltdown. He had just won a great victory over Baal and all the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Now the devil was attacking him through the threats of the wicked Queen Jezebel who sought to kill him. He fled for his life, and God tracked him down and dealt lovingly and faithfully with him.

Zeal for the Lord should be the norm for every believer young or old. We often describe it as “being on fire for the Lord,” and revival rekindles that fire. Jesus demonstrated zeal when He found the money changers in the temple selling their oxen, sheep, and doves right inside God’s house. Jesus made a whip of cords and drove them out, overturning their tables and all their money. He said to them, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise” (John 2:16)! The very next verse says, “Then the disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house has eaten me up.’” This quote is taken from Psalm 69:9.

When we surrender to the Lord, seek Him and His kingdom and righteousness first, zeal will spring forth from our hearts. It will eat us up. Sin, evil, and wickedness will be intolerable to us. It will bother us, anger us, and upset us. We will love sinners but hate their sin. We will pray with greater urgency and fervency, living completely for our Savior.

The Lord showed Elijah in his day that he wasn’t alone in his love and devotion to the Lord. 1 Kings 19:18 says, “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” The Lord did the same with Paul in Corinth. Acts 18:9 says, “Now the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not remain silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.’” Zeal and boldness go hand in hand.

Let us then be zealous for the Lord, His people, and His Word. Let it eat us up. Have a blessed and zealous day for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Zealously living and serving our King,

Dean

-May 9, 2023-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”

(John 2:24-25).

Jesus spoke wonderful words, performed amazing miracles, and touched and changed many lives. Many people believed in Him, but there those who followed Him to see the signs which did. John says in the preceding verse, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.”

Jesus was the Discerner of the heart. He knows our every thought, motive, desire, and attitude. He can literally see right through us. We can keep no secrets from Him. John says of Him, “He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what in man.” We need to come to Christ in sincerity, humility, repentance, and surrender to Him.

This truth was especially relevant to the people who ate of the fish and bread when Jesus fed He the 5,000 and the 4,000. Jesus said, “…Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26). The Chief priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees tried to catch Him in His words in order to blame and condemn Him. He knew the thoughts and intentions and they were frustrated every time. He alone is omniscient.

Many people identify themselves as Christians but they not truly saved. Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 18–20). We ourselves cannot and should not judge people’s hearts, but we should look at their fruits. Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart.

In 2 Timothy 2:19, Paul wrote, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’” May the Lord help us to share everything with the Lord and be transparent before Him and others. Jesus is the Discerner of the heart.

Have a blessed day in the light of His presence, knowing that He knows all things. Let us believe sincerely and sincerely believe. Stay safe and healthy.

Coming to Jesus with the right motives, thoughts, and desires,

Dean

-May 8, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“Then someone told David, saying, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’ And David said, ‘O Lord I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!’”

(2 Samuel 15:31).

David faced many disappointments in his life. He was mistreated and falsely accused by Saul who sought to kill him; his very close friend Jonathan chose his father over him; he was forced from his throne by his own son Absalom who sought to kill him; and worst of all he was betrayed by his close friend and personal counselor Ahithophel. David found his solace in the Lord.

Ahithophel joined forces with against David, so much so that he advised Absalom to hunt down and kill his father. When David left Jerusalem because of the coup of Absalom, David was informed that Ahithophel joined in the conspiracy to usurp the throne. It must have felt like a knife in his back. David felt betrayed, and he was. God answered David’s prayer to turn Ahithophel into foolishness. After he gave counsel how should pursue David and attack he and his men, Hushai, another of David’s loyal friends was sent by David and find out Absalom’s plan. He too gave counsel to Absalom and he chose to pursue Hushai’s counsel instead. Ahithophel was so disappointed in it that he went out and hung himself.

Ahithophel was a betrayer just like Judas who betrayed Jesus for twenty pieces of silver. He eventually hung himself also. David’s mighty men who remained loyal defeated the Israelites under Absalom and he was killed by Joab when he was caught in tree by his hair.

Sometimes we may feel let down by others we love or even betrayed. We may feel slighted. It is hurtful and sad, disappointing and depressing, but we must give it to the Lord as David did. David described Ahithophel in Psalm 41:9, “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” Let us take the matter to the Lord and leave it there. He will work things out. May the Lord help us to repay good for evil, not evil for evil. Let us not bemoan the situation but turn it into something positive and be a blessing.

The hymn writer Arthur A. Luther wrote, “Earthly friends may prove untrue, doubts and fears assail; One still loves and cares for you, One who will not fail. Jesus never fails, Jesus never fails; Heaven and earth may pass away, but Jesus never fails.” We may have hurt feelings and ruffled feathers, but we can still fly.

Have a blessed day with Jesus who always loves us and will not fail us, no matter who else may. Stay safe and healthy.

Forgiving others is the best tonic for what ails us,

Dean

-May 7, 2023-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.”

(Ephesians 3:17-19).

There are things in this world that are almost immeasurable: the depth of the oceans, the height of the tallest mountains, the distance between earth and the nearest star or planet, or the widest part of the earth. All these boggle our finite minds, but even so, scientists with their sophisticated instruments can measure them, but no one can measure the love of God for us. It is indescribable, incredible, and immense!

God’s love is so vast in its width, depth, length and height. Just imagine when Jesus condescended from heaven to earth to lay down His life for us on the cross to make a way for sinful men to be cleansed from their sins through His blood. His love is symbolized by three nails and a crown of thorns.

1 John 4:10 says, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” God initiated His love to us, sought us out, and changed our lives. Paul wrote to the Romans, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Oh, what a love! Christ loved us and gave Himself for us!

It is no wonderful the hymn writer Charles Wesley wrote, “And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursed? Amazing love! How can it be that Thou my God , shouldst die for me?” God’s love is amazing! In fact we deplete all our finite superlatives, and still we can’t fully comprehend it, for it, “passes knowledge.” Another great hymn writer Isaac Watts penned, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”

I don’t know about you but I am ready right now for the Lord’s Supper: to worship, praise, thank, glorify, and remember the Lord. I am ready to sing His praises with all my heart. Have a blessed Lord’s Day in His presence with the saints.

Knowing the love of Christ that passes knowledge,

Dean