Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-January 21, 2022-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord.’”

(Exodus 16:11).

The Lord delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt and parted the Red Sea so they passed through on dry ground. He then brought the waters back so that Pharaoh and his whole army perished in the sea. The parting of the Red Sea is one of the greatest miracles in all the Bible. But now, the people, appropriately two million, were hungry and thirsty. Instead of asking the Lord for His provision, they began to complain.

The Lord was not pleased by their complaints against Him and Moses. All through their journey to the Promised Land, they complained, rebelled, and disobeyed the Lord. In fact, because of their unbelief and complaints, the Lord had them trudge through the wilderness for forty years, a journey that should have taken only eleven days. The number forty in the Bible is the number of testing and probation. He tested them over and over. All the adults who left Egypt died, and only Joshua and Caleb, along with all the children entered the land of Canaan.

It hurts the Lord’s heart when we complain. It shows a lack of faith, trust, and reliance on Him. God saved us and He takes care of us. The Lord promised Israel both meat, quail to eat, and bread, manna from heaven. Later on two different occasions, He provided them with water from a rock. The Scriptures tell us that their sandals and clothing never wore out during the whole forty years. God is so good and faithful to His people.

So often we complain and don’t thank the Lord for all His blessings. We take them lightly and or for granted, while finding small thing to complain about. When we are thankful and content, we are happy and God is pleased. But when we ask why things happened to us and complain, our lives are brought low and God is not happy with us.

God not only hears our words of complaint, He hears the thoughts of our hearts and minds. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:14-15, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.” There is no much complaining and sadly in the church.

Have a blessed day and weekend, thanking the Lord for everything and not complaining. Stay safe and healthy.

In His faithfulness,

Dean

-January 20, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.”

(James 1:2-4).

James, the half brother of Jesus, was a leader and teacher in the church. He calls himself, “a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. This epistle that he wrote is written to believers “in the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.” His teaching is very personal and practical.

Throughout his epistle, James calls the saints, “my brethren.” From the beginning you can see his love for them and his desire for their spiritual growth and benefit. He begins with subject of trials. Trials are sent by God for our growth. If we had no trials, we wouldn’t grow very much and we would tend to rely on our own strength and wisdom. When trials come, we are compelled to rely on the Lord. This is why James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

We don’t rejoice in the pain, hardship, sorrow or difficulty of the trial, but rather at the end result of God working in our lives. Trials produce patience. Trials in the NT are also referred to as testing, tribulation, and affliction. God sends His grace to handle the trials and produces the patience, or as it can be translated endurance, that we sorely need. When patience has its perfect result, we will be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Paul wrote of a similar subject in Romans 5:3, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Peter also wrote, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

We can thus count it all joy, rejoice in our trials, and thank the Lord for what they produce in our lives: patience, perseverance, character, hope, praise, honor, glory, and greater faith. They have great value both in this life and at the Lord’s coming to take us to heaven. As someone said, “Lifetime is training time for reigning time.” Instead of complaining, resisting, or protesting our trials, we should rejoice and be thankful for what God is doing in our lives for our growth and benefit. It is our choice, we must make choice to rejoice!

Have a blessed day counting our trials as a blessing for our good. We learn and grow so much through them. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and mercy,

Dean

-January 19, 2022-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

(Matthew 7:12).

Jesus came into this world to fulfill the law. He said in Matthew 5:17-18, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will be no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” In the Hebrew alphabet a jot and a tittle are the smallest marks.

Our Lord wrote the Law and sent the prophets. He was the only one to keep the Law perfectly. In today’s text He tells us how we can fulfill the Law by practicing love to others in how we treat others. He says, “Whatever you want men to do you, do also to them.” Think for a moment how you want to be treated. We all want to be loved, forgiven, and treated with honor, dignity, and respect. We want others to be patient with us, listen to what we have to say, and consider our opinions. We can certainly think of of many other things. Now, we must treat others that way, all the time.

This verse has been traditionally called “The Golden Rule.” So many think if they follow this verse they will go to heaven. None of us can keep the whole law perfectly. We are sinners. That is why Jesus had to die in our place on the cross to save us from our sins. Once we are saved, we are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live holy lives and to do good to others. The teachings of Christ were given to us in the four gospels, and were further explained and applied to our lives in the rest of the NT. The whole Bible is our guidebook for living. The OT explains the NT, and the NT explains the OT. It all fits together perfectly.

Since we are followers of Christ as His disciples, we must obey Him in all things and do His will. When we love one another, we are loving Him; when we do things for others, we are doing them as unto the Lord Himself. It is a challenge that we must take up daily. Christianity is about doing not just talking, and putting our love to action.

Have a blessed day doing good to others and putting love to action. Stay safe and healthy.

In His matchless love,

Dean

-January 18, 2022-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

(Galatians 5:16).

Every believer in Christ has two natures, the old nature we inherited from Adam, and the new nature we received through Christ. There is a contrast battle between the two. Galatians 5:17 says, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another.” The key to victory is to feed the new nature and starve the old nature. We must walk in the Spirit so that we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

The old nature wants to sin, have its own way, and seek after worldly things. The Spirit wants to live godly, righteous, and holy way, and please God. The Holy Spirit points us to Christ through His Word and prayer. Walking in the Spirit is listening to God’s voice through the Scriptures and drawing near in prayer. Romans 13:14 tells us to, “But on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” We can’t give the flesh an inch or it will take a mile. The flesh or old nature must be crucified daily.

Walking in the Spirit is the normal, healthy Christian life. There is freedom and liberty in Christ, but not liberty to sin. Our liberty is to choose God’s will and God’s ways, denying ourselves. It is is living for the Lord and serving Him and others. The Holy Spirit guides, empowers, and convicts us on this journey of life. Jesus told His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). We can’t trust our flesh in any way, there is nothing good in the flesh.

May the Lord help us to walk in the Spirit today, reading His Word, praying, and choosing His will. This is the way to victory in the Christian life. When we try to live the Christian life in our own wisdom and strength, we are sure to fall and to fail. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Have a blessed day walking in the Spirit victoriously and fruitfully. Stay safe and healthy.

In His strength and wisdom,

Dean

-January 17, 2022-

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

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

(Romans 12:21).

Dr. King was a great man, leader, pastor, preacher, and activist. He would be 93 today had he not been killed. He protested with non-violence, and acted in love rather than hate. He sought freedom for black people and all people. He overcame evil with good. He worked tirelessly until the end and made so much progress.

Jesus taught us how powerful love can be, and that the words are better than weapons. A humble, godly believer in Christ who prays on his knees and stands in his feet can accomplish much. Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-39, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.” He also told His followers, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). He never advocated violence or armed rebellion against the government or anyone.

Man’s way is to fight back, seek vengeance and revenge, and to fight fire with fire. However, that is never God’s way. Paul wrote, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place for wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Then he concludes, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17-21).

Our flesh wants to fight back, get back at others, and to hold grudges. God’s way is love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. We can only do this through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord teaches us that the law of love must prevail. May the Lord help each of us to return good for evil, and overcome evil with good. That is truly fighting the right way. Our real enemy is the devil, not other people. We love the sinner but hate the sin. Have you been wronged, denied your rights, or suffered some form of injustice? Jesus was, and He taught us how to respond; Paul was also, and he followed His Lord’s example.

Have a blessed day overcoming evil with good, and letting the love of Christ prevail. Stay safe and healthy.

In His love,

Dean