Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-September 29, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“A greyhound also, a male goat also, and a king whose troops are with him” ( Proverbs 30:31 (NKJV).

“A strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt” (Proverbs 30:31) (NIV).

Today’s text speaks of either the greyhound or the strutting rooster. The meaning in the Hebrew is a bit unclear. Both of these creatures are majestic in their walk and pace, so we will cover both. They both offer valuable lessons. The greyhound is a type of dog who is very slender and fast; the strutting rooster is beautiful and when it walks it struts like a soldier or drum major.

• The Greyhound – Greyhounds are made for speed and elegance. Because of this they are used in dog racing. They are treated well during their racing days, but after those racing days are over is when the issues come. There are many people who have come to their aid and adopted them as family pets, giving them loving homes. They are really the track stars of the dog world. Race horses face a similar plight. In the world as long as someone or something is useful it it cherished and appreciated, but as soon as it gets old, worn out, or no longer suits us, they are discarded. God never does that.

So whether we favor either translation, we get a blessing. In fact if we combine them together, we have our greatest joy in the Lord when we are doing what God has called us to do. This is what King David did when he rejoiced and danced before the Lord when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem. We remember how his wife Michal criticized him for undignified behavior and as a result she was barren and unable to bear children. When our joy wells up like David’s and shows in our lives, we are pleasing to the Lord.

• The Strutting Rooster – These beautiful creatures are colorful and strut when they walk. They differ from other common farm roosters. They seem to express a certain joy, reminding us of a drum major leading the marching band. Their heads and bodies move simultaneously. They symbolize joy in the Christian life. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Like the strutting rooster, we have joy in the Lord, no matter our circumstances.

May we we rejoice in the Lord always and strut not in pride but in the privilege of being saved and walking with the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

Letting our praise and joy spring forth,

Dean

-September 28, 2022-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“A lion, which is mighty among the beasts and does not turn away from any.”

(Proverbs 30:30).

In Proverbs 30:29-31, Agur, the writer of this chapter of Proverbs switches from the small creatures to those who are majestic in their pace and stately in their walk. Today, we will look at the lion and the lessons we can learn for our lives. First, let us say that in Scripture, the lion pictures both God in power and glory, and also the devil and his attacks against us.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Revelation 5:5 says, “But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’” In this context, there was no one worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals, none in heaven and none on earth. Jesus descended from the tribe of Judah, the royal tribe. Judah was the strongest tribe of all the tribes of Israel. One day He will rule the nations with a rod of iron during the Millennium. He is our King and we will be with forever. He sits at the Father’s right hand as well as on the throne of David forevermore.

The other picture of the lion is seen in what Peter calls the devil, a roaring lion who seeks to devour us. He roars and threatens us, but He can’t harm us or control us anymore. Jesus defeated him on the cross. But we must on guard against him, and resist him. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” James also wrote, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 5:7).

Thus Christ and the devil are two completely different lions. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the most powerful lion, yet He is kind, gentle and loving. The devil is an evil lion seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. He goes after God’s sheep, but we are in the hand of Christ and the Father. The devil’s power is nothing compared to God’s power,

Lions teach us some very important lessons: They are powerful, fearless, courageous, and bold. Each of these traits are vital in the Christian life. The lion has always been the king of the jungle. No other creature can challenge his power and authority. Our text tells us, “A lion, which is mighty among the beasts and does not turn away from any.”

• A lion is powerful – In our case we have no power of our own; God strengthens us and empowers us by the Holy Spirit. He gives us power to face trials and to resist the devil. This power was evidenced on the Day of Pentecost when all the disciples were filled with power from on high. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is in us by the Holy Spirit.

• A lion is fearless – Just as a lion fears no one and nothing, we should not fear. Over and over in Scripture, it says, “Fear not,” or in modern translations, “Do not fear.” It is found over three hundred times, one for every day of the year. In Isaiah 41:10 the Lord says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” There are five promises in this one verse!

• A lion is courageous – Lions are known for their courage, except the lion in the movie, “Wizard of Oz.” He was seeking courage. As believers we definitely need courage. Joshua 1:7 says, “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”

• A lion is bold – Because lions are powerful, fearless, and courageous, they are also bold. Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wicked flee when no one one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” This holy boldness was on full display by Peter and John, as well as the other disciples in the book of Acts. Acts 4:31 says, “And when they prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

Let us then rely on God’s power, be fearless, courageous, and bold. We are saints of God, God’s dear children and we should stand strong for Him without compromise. Christ is our head, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. No one can stand against Him.

Have a blessed and courageous day. Stay safe and healthy.

Living for Jesus through the power of the Spirit,

Dean

-September 27, 2022-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, and it is in king’s palaces.”

(Proverbs 30:28).

So far, we have considered the lessons from ants, rock badgers, and locusts. Today we will think about the lessons from spiders. There are ten different species of spiders: Brown Recluse, Camel, Wolf, Hobo, Black Widow, Golden Silk or Banana, Jumping, Redback, Tarantula, and Goliath bird-eater. Some of these are poisonous and very dangerous to humans, but most are not. The other day, I found the largest spider I had ever seen. It was brown. I quickly killed it, not taking any changes.

The spider is referred to in three places in Scripture: the other two are Job 8:14 and Isaiah 59:5. Here in our text, it says, “…the spider skillfully grasps with its hands…” It is amazing how they spin their webs to hang onto things and move about even in tight quarters. They also are very silent. This why we see them in our homes and even in king’s palaces. Many people fear spiders, which is call arachnophobia. Quite a few years ago a movie came out by this name. It was pretty scary.

What can we learn from spiders: to grasp onto the Lord and depend on Him for our survival and blessing. We have opportunities to move about freely and share the gospel and serve the Lord. We even have an expression fitting of spiders and us: “hang in there.” It means not to give up or quit. Spider webs may not seem that strong but they really are. Sometimes we see the spider web but not the spider. This speaks of us leaving behind our testimony for Christ.

Let us be like the spider, moving silently and not calling attention to ourselves, pointing others to Jesus. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

In His service,

Dean

-September 26, 2022-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.”

(Proverbs 30:27).

Locusts are like army that advances on its target with precision and devastation. There is no army in the world that can compare to it. Locusts are almost unstoppable, relentless, and powerful. They can strip land completely barren in such a quick time.

The lesson for us is to have the same type of unison, power, and effectiveness for the Lord. Solomon says they have no king but advance in ranks. According to the book of Joel, there are four types of locusts. Joel 1:4 says, “What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; and what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.”

God has used locusts to bring judgment as He did on the Egyptians. It was one of the ten plagues that stuck Egypt. He also used locusts as as means to chasten His people Israel for their disobedience and idolatry. In the case of His people the goal is to get them to repent and get right with God. In the NT, God employed different means to get the attention of His people. Recently, Covid-19 has been like locusts in the number of people who have gotten it and the many who have died worldwide. There are also famines, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, floods, fires, and other pestilences. They are occurring at faster rates with increasing power in these last days.

In the introduction to the book of Joel in my study Bible, it says, “Disaster strikes the southern kingdom of Judah without warning. An ominous black cloud descends upon the land—the dreaded locusts. In a matter of hours, every living green thing has been stripped bare. Joel, God’s spokesman during the reign of Joash (835-796 B.C.), seizes the occasion to proclaim God’s message. Although the locust plague has been a terrible judgment for sin, God’s future judgments during the day of the Lord will make that pale by comparison.”

May we take heed to God’s judgments today and in the future, knowing that He has a purpose for them. We will be raptured before the really powerful judgments come as portrayed in the book of Revelation. There will be seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls of God’s wrath poured out on the earth during the Great Tribulation.

Have a blessed day trusting and thanking God for His mercy and grace. Stay safe and healthy.

In humbleness before our mighty God,

Dean

-September 25, 2022-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“The rock badgers are feeble folk, yet they make their homes in the crags” (Proverbs 30:26).

“The high hills are for the wild goats; the cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers” (Psalm 104:18).

The second creature we will consider in our series is the Rock Badger. They are mentioned just twice in Scripture, but they show a valuable lesson for us to find our refuge in the Lord. They build their homes in the crags and cliffs. This protects them from the elements as well as predators.

We live in a dangerous, sinful, evil, and wicked world. We need the Lord’s daily protection from all hosts of darkness. We, like the Rock Badger are feeble, yet we have a mighty God. Our strength is completely in the Lord. He protects us, provides for us, promises to be with us all along our journey to heaven. Psalm 46:1-3 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the mountains be carried into the sea; though the waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.”

God gives many animals and other creatures natural defense mechanisms. The skunk, the tortoise, the porcupine, and the crab, all come to mind. These Rock Badgers find their protection on the steep cliffs and crags. They come out looking for food and water, then retreat to their mountain home. They are builders: they make secure, safe places for the adults and their offspring. We as believers must build our lives and our children’s lives on Christ the Solid Rock. Our beliefs and values are based on the Word of God not on the things of this world.

Let us then learn much from these small, feeble creatures who rely heavily upon their fortresses in the cliffs. May we flee to the Lord our refuge, especially in times of trouble. He never fails us.

Have a blessed day in Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

In God we trust,

Dean