Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-August 25, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”

(Philippians 2:25-27).

Paul loved all the saints so much and especially appreciated his fellow servants who labored with him in the work of the Lord. He often spoke highly of them, honored them, and prayed for them. In today’s text, he extols Epaphroditus and his commitment to Christ and His work. He was a godly servant and close friend of Paul. Paul tells of his serious illness that nearly caused his death. The Philippians had heard of it and were understandably concerned for him and prayed for him.

Epaphroditus was one of those servants of the Lord in the church that was so needed that he was almost indispensable in the Lord’s work. He wore many hats. He was a fellow worker, fellow soldier, messenger, and one who served Paul while he was in prison. Paul needed him so much, yet he humbly sent him to encourage the saints in Philippi. Paul was so thankful that God had mercy on him and raised him from his sickbed to once again serve in the ministry. Paul had other sorrow so that the death of his friend would have added to it.

We also love each other and pray for one another. We need to hold up such men as Epaphroditus, encourage them, pray for them, and honor them. There are times when the helpers need help. This was such a time. Now raised up to full health, he could once again serve others in the work of the Lord. Paul mentions him one more time in Philippians 4:18, “Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.” He fulfilled his mission of encouragement to the saints and of bringing a gift from the Philippians to Paul in prison.

In Paul’s day, there were no shipping companies, someone had to take things back and forth. It always took a lot of time and effort. These two references are the only two times where he is mentioned, but God knew how much he did for Him. No work for the Lord ever goes unrewarded.

Let us then love, appreciate, encourage, support and help those who serve the Lord, especially those who serve behind the scenes. We need each other as each one has a part in the work of Christ. May we be willing to do whatever God wants, wherever He wants it, and however He wants it.

Have a blessed day serving and supporting in the Lord’s work. Stay safe and healthy.

In His wonderful service,

Dean

-August 24, 2022-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.”

(Psalm 5:11).

Christians have every reason to rejoice in the Lord and be joyful always. Conversely, we have nothing to complain or worry about. The Lord has saved us, forgiven us, and given us eternal life. Oh, we have our share of trials, sorrows, hardships, and pains; yet they are but light affliction compared to the weight of glory that awaits us in glory.

Here in Psalm 5, David gives three reasons why we should rejoice and be joyful in the Lord: we trust in the Lord, He defends us, and we love His name. In Scripture, the people who had the greatest trials had the greatest joy. We must choose to rejoice and be joyful. When we are reflective on what we have in Jesus, we will have the right perspective on life with Jesus.

Trust in Him – We can rejoice in the Lord because He is in control of our lives. We can trust Him fully for He never fails. All our trials are chosen, meaning that God chooses what to send us and when for our growth; and our trials are timed, meaning that they won’t last a minute longer or a minute shorter than is necessary to produce His desired affect.

He defends us – The Lord defends us from every foe. The devil can’t harm us. Christ defeated him completely on the cross. Another word for defend is protect or cover us. Our Lord doesn’t keep us from trouble, but He keeps us through trouble. The Lord was in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He was with Daniel in the lions’ den, and He was with Paul in the prison.

We love the name of the Lord – There is sweetness like a summer fruit in the name of Jesus; there is beauty like a rose in the name of Jesus; and there is power like a rock in the name of Jesus. The hymn writer said it well, “There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; It sounds like music in mine ear, the sweetest name on earth. Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me. It tells me what my Father hath, in store for every day, and though I tread a darksome path, yields sunshine all the way.”

It is no wonder we can rejoice and be joyful! When we trust in our loving God, who defends us on every side from every foe, and whose name gives us such sweetness, beauty, and power. Hold up your head, smile, and trust in Jesus through it all.

Have a blessed day rejoicing and being joyful in Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

In the grace of Jesus,

Dean

-August 23, 2022-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“We love Him because He first loved us.”

John wrote the gospel of John, the three epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation. He is called, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Throughout his writings he speaks of God’s love for us, our love for Him, and our love for one another. He wrote, “…God is love.” Today’s text shows us that the only reason we can love is because of His love for us.

All true love, especially the agape love, is from God. He is the initiator, the source, the author of this love. John says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” We couldn’t love without His love. John also wrote in 1 John 4:10-11, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

The “Love chapter” in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. Even so, 1 John 4 is permeated with love. In the best Greek manuscripts do not have the word “Him.” It is very correct to translate this verse as, “We love because He first loved us.” In the context of this chapter John is speaking of our love for one another.

1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for love is of God.” Love is one of the fruit of the Spirit, and is in fact the first one mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. God’s love is caring, self sacrificing, generous, abundant, and eternal. It isn’t dependent on reciprocity. Love is one of the proofs that we have been born again. If we can’t love man whom we have seen, how can we love God whom we have not seen?

All true love must be put in action. It is not just an emotion or sentiment. Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” John also said, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

May the Lord help us to love Him and to love one another. In fact, we should love all people. Love is what draws people to Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

In His eternal love,

Dean

-August 22, 2022-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.”

(Proverbs 11:25).

There is no way to out give the Lord. The more we give, the more He gives back to us. It is a principle and promise from the Word of God. When we generously help others, God will more than compensate us. When we water others, God ensures we are watered. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy.” It is what we call a spiritual boomerang effect. When you throw a boomerang, it always comes back to you.

Watering others is refreshing them; it is giving, helping, and sowing. God won’t leave Himself in debt to anyone. We actually get back more than we put in. This principle in Scripture is called sowing and reaping. We reap what we sow. Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:7; Galatians 6:9). Pastor Charles Stanley’s Life Principle #6 is, “you reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than sow.”

The opposite is also true, if we withhold from others, God will withhold from us. Proverbs 11:24 says, “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.” Paul also wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “But this I say: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” When we take care of others, God takes care of us and even more.

Humanly thinking, we think that if we hold onto what we have we will have more, but it is the opposite, we end up with less; and we think if we give, we will be depleted and have less, yet we actually have more. God’s thoughts and ways are completely different than our’s.

May the Lord help us to give, sow, help, and sacrifice for others with generosity and abundance. We can never out give the Lord. He will abundantly bless us, turning our less into more, and giving us great joy.

Have a blessed day of refreshing others. Stay safe and healthy.

In His eternal joy and service,

Dean

-August 21, 2022-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

There was a strong, vibrant church in Antioch. Barnabas recognized the need to teach the saints there and was burdened to find the new convert, Saul, later called Paul, and form a dynamic duo in serving the Lord. Later in Acts 13:2 while the brethren gathered together in Antioch, it says, “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” There was also an impressive list of prophets and teachers gathered there: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul” (Acts 13:1). It was like an all-star team of speakers in Antioch.

Antidotally, there are twenty one cities named Antioch in the U.S. It is just a further indicator about America’s roots in God and His Word. Up until our verse, the early believers were called disciples, followers of the Way or the saints. Now in Antioch, there were first called Christians. The word Christians is only found here in Acts 11:26, and the word Christian is used just twice, once by Peter in 1 Peter 4:16, and once by King Agrippa in Acts 26:28.

The name Christian, and the plural form Christians, really caught on them and has been carried forth to the present day. In fact, followers around the word are called Christians, and our faith is known as Christianity. It is a most appropriate name for followers of Christ because His name is in us. He is in us and we are in Him. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:26-27, “The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

I am proud to be called a Christian; it is such a blessing to belong to Christ, to live for Christ, and to serve Christ. It carries a great weight to bear His name, and to suffer shame for His name. It all started in the city of Antioch in the first century and has spread all over the globe. Are you a Christian?

Have a blessed Lord’s Day bearing, blessing, and beautifying His precious name. Stay safe and healthy.

In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord,

Dean