Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-September 19, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

(1 Corinthians 4:7).

It is always good to remind ourselves of the source of our blessings, who is God. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

So many times we accept the blessings but forget the Blesser. All our spiritual blessings are given to us by God. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Why then do we become proud? We either think we somehow deserve God’s blessings or that we achieved things on our own. Instead we should thank God and give Him all the glory for everything. God is the Giver and we are the receivers. It all given to us by His mercy and grace. Jesus said, “…freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). The more we acknowledge that we received, the more likely we are to give others.

Let us always remember that everything we have is given to us by God and that all that we have belongs to Him. We are mere stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Have a blessed day praising God for what He has given to us richly and abundantly. Stay safe and healthy.

When we believed, then we received.

Dean

-September 18, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.’”

(Ecclesiastes 1:2)

The writer of Ecclesiastes is not mentioned by name, but is called “the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” It is universally believed to be King Solomon, the wisest person ever.

Ecclesiastes is book that describes life on earth under the sun. Solomon demonstrates the life of anyone who doesn’t know Christ. He sought pleasure without God, and found it to be vanity. Today’s verse if the key verse in the book of Ecclesiastes.

The word vanity is defined as, “the quality of being worthless or futile; something that is vain, empty or valueless.” This certainly speaks of our world today with all its attractions, entertainments, and amusements. They just leave people empty inside.

People in the world try to fill the God-shaped void in their hearts with other people or things. Case in point, if you examine the lives of rich, successful, and popular people, you will find them among the most unhappy and unsatisfied. The old expression is certainly true, “money can’t buy happiness.” True happiness can only be found in Jesus Christ. He alone satisfies longings of the human heart.

Hence, so many lives are wrecked, broken, and battered by this world. The people have no hope outside the Lord. Let us be thankful that we are saved, have Jesus in our lives, and hope for the future.

Have a blessed day counting your blessings. Stay safe and healthy.

Life is either vain without Him, or valuable and victorious with Him.

Dean

-September 17, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

(Philippians 1:21).

For us, our lives just begun when we received Christ as Lord and Savior. It was our spiritual birthday. Oh, we were born into this world through our parents, but because of sin we were lost, dead, and hopeless.

We all once had a former life, but now we have a foremost life. Paul says of himself, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is Christ.” Later in Philippians, he wrote, “But what things were gain to me, these things I have counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:7). Therefore he counted all things loss, as rubbish to have and serve Christ.

When I woke up this morning, I put on Family Radio and they were playing a hymn, entitled, “All I Have is Christ. The chorus says, “Hallelujah, all I have is Christ, Hallelujah, Jesus is my life.”

I started thinking that Jesus is all I have, Jesus is all I need, Jesus is all I want. Our lives in Christ are all about Him. We know Him, we love Him, and we serve Him. Therefore let us give all to Him. He is truly our all in all. Nothing and no one is more important than He is.

Can you say, “Jesus is my life? “We can’t forget this in a fast paced, stressful, and unpredictable world. He is why we live, and one day we will be with Him in glory. The hymn writer, Will L. Thompson wrote, “Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all; He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall. When I am sad to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so; When I am sad He makes me glad, He’s my Friend.”

Have a blessed day with Jesus. Stay safe healthy, and close to Him.

When you have Jesus, you need nothing else for now and for eternity.

Dean

-September 16, 2025-

Good morning my beloved family in Christ, happy Tuesday,

“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”

(Proverbs 24:10).

Adversity strikes all of us at all times in many ways. In essence, adversity tests our faith; it reveals where we are spiritually. The word faint is defined as, “lacking courage, strength or vigor.”

There is no room for faintheartedness in the Christian life. In the OT, it was one of the characteristics that would exempt a man from military service. Deuteronomy 20:8 says, “The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘what man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return of his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.” If we faint, others around us may faint also.

The Word of God encourages us and builds us up so that when trouble comes we won’t fall apart, instead we fall upon God’s mercy and grace. In Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

It is a challenge for each of us to face adversity with active faith in God Almighty. We can’t trust in our own strength. When we fill our hearts and minds with the Word and pray, we will be prepared as much as possible for the adversity that lies ahead.

Is your faith big or small? If you answered small, you are being honest, knowing that only the Lord can give you His strength. Jesus rebuked His twelve disciples for their lack of faith. Our faith can always grow and be stronger.

The devil wants us to faint, give up or give in. He attacks us at our weakest where are the weakest. May the Lord help us to cast ourselves fully on Jesus. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Adversity reveals what our hearts conceals.

Dean

-September 15, 2025-

Good morning dear ones, happy Monday,

“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

(Revelation 1:9).

Last night I watched a Christian move called “Patmos.” The Apostle John, one of the twelve disciples was banished there for his outspoken faith and testimony of Christ in a world hostile to our Lord Jesus Christ and His followers.

I was moved by the severity and cruelty of the persecution by the Romans. God used this time of banishment to give John the Revelation of the future events. We are so blessed as a result.

Only God could turn a bad situation into something good and profitable Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those are called according to His purpose.”

I decided to do some research on the island called Patmos. It was no vacation spot or somewhere where you would want to be. The Romans banished prisoners there to this small, rocky Greek island on the Aegean Sea. It is still there today. In and of itself it was just a small dot, but it was significant because John the servant of the Lord was there and it was where God gave John the Revelation.

The lesson we learn is that we are never alone because the Lord is with us. He never forgets us even in most adverse circumstances. We all have our Patmos’ where we feel isolated and alone. Some saints are sick or shut in and feel they have no purpose or usefulness.

When we stand for the Lord and His Word, won’t be popular or treated well. What a blessing to please the Lord wherever we are. Where has God called you? The Lord will use your prayers and efforts to bless the people of God.

Have a blessed day wherever God has placed you. We may not understand why things happen to us, yet God has a purpose and turns things the good. Stay safe and healthy.

No place is a bad place when God is there, even if others are not with us or are against us

Dean