Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-March 2, 2023-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“ But the children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If all is well, ‘Why am I like this?’ So she went and inquired of the Lord.”

(Genesis 25:22).

The question ‘Why,’ is the most commonly and complex question in the world. Children ask their parents, people ask others, and we as believers and children of God ask Him all the time. Often exasperated parents reply, “Because I said so, that’s why.” Prefacing a question with ‘why,’ is often a very difficult and perplexing question. It often can’t be answered in just a few words, and sometimes there are no answers.

Isaac prayed for his beloved wife Rebekah for she was barren and unable to bear a child. God marvelously answered his prayers and she got pregnant with twins. It was a very difficult pregnancy, and she questioned the Lord, “Why am I like this?” People have been asking the question why from the beginning of time. God gave her the answer in the very next verse, “…Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” I am sure she didn’t understand the full meaning of the explanation, but she accepted it by faith. The world still feels the implications of this today.

When we walk with the Lord we too may ask the question why many, many times. Sometimes the Lord shows us, other times we won’t find out the answer until we get to heaven. Paul advised us in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” There are many things we can’t or don’t comprehend and we must leave them in the hands of the Lord. He knows. We know He loves us, cares deeply for us, and knows what is best for us. He works through people and circumstances to accomplish His will in our lives.

God knows how we feel. He wants us to cling to Him whether in the dark or in the light, whether we understand or we don’t, and whether things may sense or they don’t. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Lord tells us, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Paul wrote in Romans 11:34, “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” We must acknowledge, accept, and appreciate His will in our lives. Our Heavenly Father knows best. The hymn writer William Cowper wrote, “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour: The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.”

Let us trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding. God’s plans for us are the best. Have a blessed day holding fast to the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

Not doubting or complaining, but trusting and obeying,

Dean

-March 1, 2023-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

(Genesis 18:25).

Yesterday, I appeared for jury duty and the judge in the case explained the law, the burden of proof, and the whole legal process. Some folks with hardships a were excused. He had to ask them questions and then ruled whether or not they were justified. Quite of a few people were excused. Those of us in the jury pool that remain must wait to see if we are chosen for the jury or are dismissed by either the prosecution or defense. My jury number is 2, so I am sitting in the jury box for now. I have never served on a jury, though I am willing. It is a civic duty, a heavy responsibility, and an great privilege as set forth in the Constitution and in the Bill of Rights. I take it very seriously.

It seems the judge in the case is very good. Certainly he is knowledgeable of the law, seems quite sincere and impartial. But as good, fair, just, and prudent he is, still he is human, mortal, and fallible. Judges make mistakes, like all professions, there are good ones and not so good ones. I would hope there are no bad ones. But there is One, our great God, who is the Judge of all the earth. He is perfect in His character, His ways, and His judgments. He rules over the universe and sits on His throne in heaven. One day, the Lord Jesus Christ will rule the world with a rod of iron.

The Father has given all rule, authority, and judgment to the Son. He is the Judge of all the earth. He has perfect knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. He sees all, hears all, and has keen discernment. He sees into the depths of our souls. He knows who is saved and who is unsaved. We are all sinners, but those who have received Christ are sinners saved by grace. Christ as Judge laid aside His royal and judicial robes and exchanged them for the garb of a servant, was numbered with the transgressors, treated like a common criminal, and bore our sins on the cross.

God offers a free salvation for all who repent of their sins, ask for forgiveness, believe that Christ died for them, and accepts Him as Lord and Savior. One day every person who is unsaved will stand before the Great White Throne and be judged, condemned, and banished to the lake of fire. For us as believers there is no condemnation, wrath, or judgment. Christ who died bore our sins, took away our guilt, and paid for them with His own precious blood. All our sins are under the blood.

Let us rejoice that we will stand and bow before Him as Lord and worship and praise Him forever. Thank God He is the Judge of all earth and He does right in all things. Justice aimed its blow and it fell on Christ not on us. A holy and righteous God is just and the justifier. We have been pardoned, forgiven, and clothed in white robes of righteousness.

Have a blessed and peaceful day in Jesus, for Jesus, and with Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

Guilty sinners made guiltless by His grace and mercy,

Dean

-February 28, 2028-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.”

(2 Corinthians 2:13).

Early last week I received a jury summons where I had to call in after 5:00 the afternoon of February 27. This is standard operating procedure for the courts. I’m pretty sure all of us experienced this at times in our adult lives. It is our civic duty and responsibility under the law. I called in yesterday and the recording said that I didn’t need to report this morning, but I needed to call again between 11:30 and noon today for a possible afternoon session. I will let you know how it turns out.

It is hard to make plans not knowing what is going to happen. Of course being on call is part of many different jobs: firefighters, police officers, military reservists or special forces, doctors, nurses, paramedics, athletes, and others. It is not easy, one is must be prepared and ready, and stop whatever they are doing and take off.

In the spiritual life, we as believers in Christ are waiting for His coming. We will be taken up to be with the Lord at any time. We don’t know the day or the hour. Only our heavenly Father knows. Are you prepared? Do you know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior? In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the bridegroom was coming but a there was a long wait. At last he came. Five of them were prepared with oil in their lamps and five were not. The ones that were not, missed the great blessing of going away with the bridegroom.

In our text today, Paul was in Troas and was waiting for Titus, his brother in Christ, spiritual son, and co-laborer in the Lord’s work to show up. He waited, and waited, and waited. No Titus. Paul was troubled in his spirit at the unknown. So many times we fear the worst. In those days, communication was very limited. No cell phones, no landline phones, no texting, and no email. We would say, “How primitive!” Paul then departed and went to Macedonia by himself as God had opened a door for him there to preach the gospel.

Being on call isn’t easy, waiting patiently isn’t either. This is where our faith is tested and where our hearts must be rested. The Lord has a plan for us all and He will always work things out. Later in 2 Corinthians 7:6, it says, “Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.”

May God lead us and guide us today in whatever we may be waiting to happen, accepting it with thanksgiving. God’s appointments never have disappointments. Have a blessed day in God’s hands. Stay safe and healthy.

On call for Jesus with peace in our hearts,

Dean

-February 27, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“Now He could do mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.”

(Mark 6:5-6).

What a sad and disappointing day for Jesus. All throughout Galilee, Judea, and even in Samaria, there were droves of people who flocked to Him, followed Him, and received His message gladly. But not so in Nazareth, His hometown. Instead, the people rejected Him. They questioned His credentials, citing and their familiarity with Him and His family. Mark 6:1-6 describes what happened in agonizing detail. At the end of verse 3, Mark writes, “So they were offended at Him.”

Jesus said in verse 4, “…A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” This principle is still true today, we get some of the worse responses to the gospel from those in our own household and among those who are most familiar with us. John 7:5 says, “For even His brothers did not believe in Him.” It must have stung His heart so much. Later, however two of His half-brothers, Jude and James believed in Him and wrote books in the NT bearing their names. They we’re committed followers of Christ as Lord of their lives.

Unbelief is the opposite of faith. In fact, it goes beyond doubt, and entrenches itself in rejection. Worse yet, it hinders the work of the Lord. We notice how Jesus marveled because of their unbelief! He could do no mighty work there except to heal a few sick people. How tragic! It doesn’t surprise us when unbelief rears its ugly head among atheists, agnostics, and other unbelievers; but when it happens in our lives it is far worse. We know Jesus, who is the truth. We have seen what He has done in our lives. This happened with many of the Israelites in the wilderness, and because of it, God struck them. Everyone of them who left Egypt died in the wilderness and never saw the Promised Land. The only exceptions were Joshua and Caleb.

Let us believe and not entertain this unwelcome guest of unbelief. The writer of Hebrews gave wrote this solemn warning in Hebrews 3:12, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Instead of a hardened heart, we need a soft and tender one, and instead of a stiffened neck, we need a bowed one to our Savior. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Have blessed day walking by faith without doubting or unbelief. Stay safe and healthy.

Building strong walls of impenetrable faith,

Dean

-February 26, 2022-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

(Galatians 6:14).

There is one way to heaven and it through the cross. Yesterday, we discussed how important it is for us to bear our cross. Today we will look at the cross of Jesus as a bridge to heaven. Everyone who comes to Christ must come to the cross and through the blood of His cross. He died for us as our Substitute, our sin bearer, our Savior, and our Redeemer. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have eternal life, salvation, and the forgiveness of our sins.

We once stood on one side of the bridge where there was sin, death, self will, darkness, and separation; on the other side there is heaven, eternal life, and joy forevermore. Each person must cross the bridge of the cross. It is a sturdy and safe bridge to pass over. There is no toll charged to us, for Jesus paid the price. Paul gloried in the cross and recognized the world had been crucified to him, and him to the world. He was in the world but not of the world.

There is a beautiful hymn written by Jessie Brown Pounds, entitled, “The Way of the Cross Leads Home.” She wrote, “I must needs go home by the way of the cross, there’s no other way but this; I shall ne’er get sight of the gates of light, if the way of the cross I miss. I must needs go on in the blood sprinkled way, the path that the Savior trod, if I ever climb to the heights sublime, where the soul is at home with God. Then I bid farewell to the way of the world, to walk it nevermore; For the Lord says, ‘Come,’ and I seek my home, where He waits at the open door.” The chorus says, “The way of the cross leads home, leads home; the way of the cross leads home, leads home; it is sweet to know as I onward go, the way of the cross leads home.”

Let us worship the Lord today at the cross and see the One who bore our loss, and gaze on His pain, our blessed, eternal, and joyful gain. Stay safe and healthy.

Living by the way of the cross,

Dean