Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-March 22, 2023-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Ahinoam from Kedesh of Naphtali, and said to him, ‘Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand (Judges 4:4; Judges 4:6-7)?’”

Deborah was the only female judge spoken of in the Book of Judges. She was a godly prophetess, leader, warrior, wife, and mother. She accepted God’s call to deliver the Israelites from the bondage of the Canaanites. During this time period in Israel’s history there was the constant cycle of sin, servitude, supplication, and salvation. Desperate times call for desperate measures; God promised Deborah the victory. She solicited Barak to be her commander in the battle. He agreed to do it if she went with him. His army consisted of 10,000 and he was going up against the enemy forces composed of about 100,000.

Deborah had faith in God and trusted in Him. She told Barak that he would win the battle but there would no glory for him. The Lord brought about the victory and every Canaanite soldier was killed. Sisera alone escaped but was killed by a woman of Israel named Jael. Two brave and God fearing women and one courageous general did their part and used them mightily.

When we heed the call, take up the challenge, and take the Lord with us and do His will, He gives us the victory. Deborah wrote a song giving praise to the Lord. She said, “Thus let all the enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength” (Judges 5:30). God raises up whom He chooses, to do what He chooses to be done, and all the glory goes to Him. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Let us remember we are His people and when we are led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, He wins the victory through us. Have a blessed day taking up our responsibilities to serve the Lord.

Victorious in Jesus alone,

Dean

-March 21, 2023-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

(Romans 12:15).

Yesterday we considered how we should rejoice with those who rejoice, sharing in their joys, victories, successes, and blessings. Today, we will mediate on weeping with those weep, sharing their pain, sorrow, grief, and hardship. This is can aptly be described as a vale of tears. When we are born, we cry and when we die, others cry for us. As we travel through this world, there will be many tears shed. So many that it can fill a several buckets. In fact, it is estimated that we will shed some 64 liters of tears in a lifetime.

The believer in Christ not only cries for himself but also for others. There are two components that lead to weeping with those who weep: sympathy, feeling for someone and empathy, feeling with someone. Both are needed. Jesus while on earth wept on two occasions we have record of in the gospels: one at the graveside of His dear friend Lazarus, and once over the city of Jerusalem. John 11:5 says tenderly, “Jesus wept.” Though He knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead, He still felt sorrow for His two sisters, Mary and Martha, also His beloved friends.

Weeping with those who weep shows our love, compassion, and care for someone we are close to. Sometimes we even cry for strangers who suffer war, abuse, deprivation, pain, and loss. As believers we are members of the body of Christ. We have a special bond, and we are often closer with our brothers and sisters in Christ than we are with our natural family members. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:26, “An when one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

May the Lord help us to be kind, loving, sensitive, gentle, and comforting to others in their time of need. It may be a hug, a kiss, a touch at just the right time, The expression, “be a shoulder to cry on,” is very real and meaningful. Let’s be that shoulder. It is so sad when people are all alone in life with no one in this world to cry with them. It is doubly painful. Jesus will always be there for us, even if no one is is.

Have a blessed day being there for someone and sharing their sorrow. God comforts us so that we can comfort others. Often our tears are the best “words we can speak,” to those who are grieving. Stay safe and healthy.

Being there and showing we care,

Dean

-March 20, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.”

(Luke 1:58).

Today is a happy day: it is the first day of spring. The Spring Equinox marks time that the sun crosses over the equator in the Northern Hemisphere. Days start to have more daylight. Spring is like a new beginning each year. Flowers are planted, and better weather is ahead. It reminds me of how the sunshine, warmth, and growth is shared by us all.

For Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias, there was great joy. She who was old and barren gave birth to John the Baptist. An angel had revealed to her husband that she would have a son, a very special son, the forerunner of Christ. Because he didn’t believe, he was unable to speak until John was born. Elizabeth had surely shared the news with friends and relatives. Now at the birth, her friends and family rejoiced with her.

Two things should make us happy: when good things happen to us and when good things happen to those we know and love. It is called “sharing the moment.” A moment is a brief period of time. During a moment in time great, significant, and life changing things can happen. The birth of one’s first child or grandchild is one such moment. This was certainly an incredible moment for the world and for Elizabeth and her family and friends. They rejoiced with her.

Naomi in the OT experienced much the same reaction from the people of Bethlehem when baby Obed, the great grandfather of David, was born to Ruth, her daughter-in-law who had married Boaz. Ruth 4:14 says, “Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative (or redeemer); and may his name be famous in Israel.”

It is a sign of spiritual maturity when we can be just as happy when others succeed, enjoy a blessing from the Lord, and experience an answer to prayer than if it happened to us. When God does something wonderful for others, we can share in it; and when we experience something great, we should share it with others. Paul told the Romans and the Corinthian believers, “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (See Romans 12:15 and 1 Corinthians 12:26).

May the Lord help us to share the moment with those we know and care about. We should always glorify the Lord for everything, for every blessing comes from Him. If someone graduates from high school or college, has a child or grandchild, gets a new job, receives a promotion, gets a raise, is healed from a sickness or surgery, is able to retire, or in any other blessing should be a cause for rejoicing and celebrating for us all.

Have a blessed day rejoicing in the goodness, faithfulness, and mercy of God upon others as well as on ourselves. Stay safe and healthy.

With no envy or jealousy, we rejoice with one another joyously,

Dean

-March 19, 2023-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It was marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22).

“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious” (1 Peter 2:4).

When Jesus came into the world, many rejected Him; when given the choice, the people demanded that He be crucified; and when confronted with the Truth, they rejected Him. How could this be? Jesus did nothing but good, healed and helped so many. John 1:10-12 says, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

There are only two choices: to accept Jesus or reject Him. You can’t be neutral, you can’t sit on the fence. If you don’t accept Him, you have in essence rejected Him. Our Savior knew He would be rejected by men, but was accepted by the Father and by all those who believe in Him. The hymn writer wrote, “Hail, Thou once despised Jesus! Hail, Thou still rejected King! Thou didst suffer to release us, Thou didst free salvation bring; Through Thy death and resurrection, bearer of our sin and shame! We enjoy divine protection, life and glory through Thy name.”

Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected, and He became the Chief Cornerstone. In a building the cornerstone anchors the building together. He is rejected by many today, but accepted by the few. We as believers have made the right choice. To us He is precious. He is the Rock of our salvation. We have built our lives on Him, for now and all eternity. In speaking of the coming of His kingdom, Jesus said, “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”

Let us pray for those who are lost, those have thus far rejected our Lord Jesus Christ. May we worship Him, live for Him, and serve Him until He calls us home to glory. Stay safe and healthy.

Accepting the rejected Lord and Savior, considering Him precious forever,

Dean

-March 18, 2023-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.”

(Psalm 32:8-9).

There are two types of Christians: those who bolt ahead of the Lord on their own, and those who lag behind, stuck and unwilling to go forward. Both find it hard to do God’s will. The former are horse Christians and the latter are mule Christians. Both must choose the Lord’s will over their own.

The mule is the exact opposite of the horse. Instead of bolting ahead, it is stubborn and must be prodded to go forward. It needs a bit and bridle. When the Lord wants us to go forward, we sometimes resist and stiffen our necks. Mules can be very valuable for carrying various tools or supplies. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, He chose a donkey. That donkey was fully submissive to Him.

The horse is impulsive and always wants to run ahead. It is strong, courageous, and fast. The rider must be in control with bit and bridle. Making decisions on our own is not good, especially impulsively. Horses were valuable in battle when they were controlled by bit and bridle.

The Lord gave the Israelites guidance in the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God told them to go when the cloud or the fire moved and not until then. It was very clear guidance. Sometimes they stayed a long time in one location and at other times their stay was very short.

May the Lord help us to go when He says go and stop when He says stop. We need to follow His will, going at His pace. When we do, we will have peace and confidence. Let us follow the Lord at His perfect pace, not bolting ahead nor lagging behind.

Have a blessed day seeking, knowing, and doing the Lord’s will. Stay safe and healthy.

Following the Lord without impulsiveness or stubbornness,

Dean