Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-January 16, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday, happy Martin Luther King Day,

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

(Romans 14:12).

Our sins are forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ on the Christ. His blood has cleansed us. God will never bring up our sins again. Yet each believer in Christ will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and must give an account of how we lived for our Savior and served Him. It will be a personal evaluation, much like a manager does with an employee, one on one. No believer is perfect, and not everyone will receive rewards, but it will not affect our salvation for it takes place in heaven.

Paul wrote of two possible results: receiving rewards or suffering loss. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 says, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds in this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire.”

It is a time we should look forward to. How can anticipate a good result? We must use what Jesus has given to us in terms of our time, talents, and treasures. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts to use in serving the Lord. No two believers have the same gift or combination of gifts. Not every saint has the same amount of money, nor lives the same amount of years. God looks more at the quality than the quantity, although that is the quantity is important as well.

The great men and women of God of the past or present will be evaluated with the same standard. Jesus said in Luke 12:48b, “For everyone to whom much is given, much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Those in positions of leadership, such as pastors, missionaries, elders, deacons, teachers, preachers, parents, and others, will give an account and how they treated those under them. The Reverend Martin King was a great man of God and leader. Though his life was cut short, the affects of what he said and did live on still today. He left behind a tremendous legacy.

May the Lord help us in our service and stewardship today. Let our devotion and dedication to Christ show in all we do and say. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Being responsible and accountable to the Lord Jesus,

Dean

-January 15, 2023-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“Owe no man anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

(Romans 13:8).

America has a debt problem. It starts with our government. The national debt is astronomical! And it increases by the day, the hour, and the minute. Individual Americans are spending more and more on credit cards, and defaulting on their payments. Many file bankruptcy every year. Student debt is out of sight. Most debts are bad for consumers. Proverbs 22:7 says, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

Not all debt is bad. Mortgages, car loans, and no interest loans are actually a good thing inmost cases. Often it is better to buy a home rather than rent or lease, as long as one can afford the payments; which sometimes less than renting and builds equity. We as believers in Christ should exercise prudence, self-control, and restraint in our spending. A good rule of stewardship is to make sure you can afford it and to pay cash. Paul tells us, ‘Owe no man anything…”

Paul gives the one exception: …except to love one another.” The debt of love is the best debt. Loving one another is one of the great themes in the NT. Our love for each other is based on Christ’s love for us. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We owe a debt of love to our Lord. The way we repay it is by obedience to our Savior and serving Him. We also repay the debt by loving each other. The outworking of love is sacrificial and from the heart. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, wrote, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us and And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Let us then be cautious in taking on every debt except the debt of love. It is one we will never regret nor pay off this side of heaven. Have a loving day. nor can we. Stay safe and healthy.

In the bonds of love,

Dean

-January 14, 2023-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

“At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.”

(Matthew 11:25).

The verse today is a glimpse into the prayer life of Jesus, the Son of God. He addresses the Father to thank Him for hiding the truth from the wise and prudent of this world and revealing it to babes. What does He mean by this? Is He saying that the truth of the gospel excludes certain people? Absolutely not! However He is referring to the Jews who thought they were smarter, wiser, more knowledgeable, and better than others. The chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees certainly fit that mold. Jesus came that the blind may see, and those who see may become blind.

Jesus’ message resonated among the common man. This is why He came to save sinners. The tax collectors, prostitutes, infirm, poor, and needy all flocked to Him. They were the ones who saw their need of the Savior. Those who were despised by the Jews loved to hear Him. Often, the wise of this world think so highly of themselves and look down on others. Not many of us were among the wise and prudent of this world.

We are the babes that came to Him for salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life. The term babes is used in the NT refers to newly born believers. When we think of babes, we think of innocence, dependence, and simplicity. We are children of God. We come to Him in simple, childlike faith. It is wonderful that God revealed His truth to those whom the world considers inferior. Bible commentator Bill MacDonald wrote, “If the intelligentsia will not believe, then God will reveal Him to humble hearts. He fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty Luke 1:53). Those who consider themselves too wise and understanding to need Christ become afflicted with judicial blindness. But those who admit their lack of wisdom receive a revelation of Him ‘in whom are hidden all the treasures of wise and knowledge’ (Colossians 2:3).

We should be so thankful that we know the truth about God, and what is really important in life. We know where we came from and where we are going to. There is nothing wrong with knowledge as long as it comes from God and benefits us. As babes in Christ we then grow by the milk of God’s Word to maturity in Christ. As we do we should never lose that childlike faith and trust in the Lord. There is a beautiful expression that says, “Wisemen still seek Him.”

May the Lord teach us and reveal Himself to us more and more. We come to Him empty of sin and self and He fills fill us with Himself, with the power of the Holy Spirit, and grants us His wisdom. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Thankful for being a child of God,

Dean

-January 13, 2023-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

(Romans 8:18).

Some verses in the Bible are what I call life verses. They are so powerful, so practical, so personal, and so precious , that they grab the attention of our hearts. They are life changing. Today’s text is such a verse. It impacts our day, our month, and our year in such amazing ways! We can’t read this verse and not be stopped in tracks musing its impact on our lives.

Today is Friday the 13th, the first of two in this year, the other being in October. Many people are so superstitious that they let this day affect them. Some don’t leave their homes or do the normal, routines of life without fearing something bad will happen. As Christians, it is a normal day for us on planet earth. Bad things don’t just happen on Friday the 13th but can happen any day; and good things happen every day, even on Friday the 13th. Friday, after all is one of the most popular days of the work and school week.

When we do have troubles, trials, and testings, it behooves us to heed Paul’s message, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.” There are so many comparisons and contrasts in the Bible, especially in the Book of Proverbs. When you compare or contrast two things it is like weighing them on a scale. One is heavier than the other; one is better or more desirable than the other. Sufferings in this present world will come, but when you lay them on the scale of life they can’t be compared to the glory that we will experience in God’s presence forever.

The Amplified Bible says it so well, “[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worthy being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred upon us!” Wow! One preacher called verses like this, “wow verses.” Surely it is awesome and wows us! On the one hand we have earth, time, finiteness, limits, temporality, and mortality; on the other hand we look forward to heaven, eternity, limitlessness, glory with Jesus, timelessness, and immortality.

Paul in writing to the Corinthians said in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Our sufferings, trials, pains, hardships, problems, and troubles can’t begin to compare to the glory we have to look forward to. If we just this remember and reflect on this, our lives today will be immeasurably better.

Let us then get out scales and weigh these two: present sufferings and future glories. The former can’t compare to the latter. Only believers can know it and show it in real and practical ways. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

In the words of the hymn writer, “Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,”

Dean

-January 12, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.”

(Genesis 26:12).

Issac followed in his father Abraham’s footsteps, and Abraham had some big shoes to fill. Like all of us, he had to make his decision to follow the Lord by his own faith. Genesis 26:2-3 says, “Then the Lord appeared to him and said: ‘Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.” Egypt in the Bible is a symbol of the world apart from Christ. We like in the world but we are not of it. Our lives are different from those in this world.

Sometimes God fulfills His promises right away, other times it may not come to pass for many years. Today’s text is the fulfillment of God’s promise. Issac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. God blesses those who work hard, especially in His service. Sowing and reaping are found throughout Scripture. Paul uses this metaphor to describe sowing the seed of the gospel. In fact, whatever we sow in doing good, we will reap the blessings of it. Galatians 6:7-9 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

Isaac lived a fruitful life. He sowed and reaped a hundredfold. It means a hundred times as much. In the Parable of the Four Soils, Jesus told us that when the seed of the gospel falls on good soil it bears fruit, some hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. In Matthew 19:29, Jesus answered Peter’s query of what they would receive for leaving all to follow Him. Our Lord said, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”

The Lord blessed Isaac just as He said He would. We all seek the Lord’s blessing on our lives. Let us sow and reap this year, working hard for our King in His kingdom. He will bless us. Stay safe and healthy.

Striving to live for Jesus and serve Him in full commitment and dedication,

Dean