Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-January 16, 2022-

“Jesus to Peter, ‘Put your sword in the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me?’”

John 18:11).

The purpose for the Lord’s first advent was to die on the cross for our sins. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” From the beginning, Jesus knew what He had to do. He knew how much He would suffer spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. This why when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed three times that if it was possible that the cup would pass from Him but not His will, but the Father’s will would be done.

He tells Peter to, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me.” It was a bitter cup to drink, filled with all the wrath and judgment of God against us. He died in our place, bearing our sins in His own body. He was separated from God in those dark hours at Calvary. He hung on the cross for six long, agonizing hours. Jesus wanted Peter, the other apostles, and every believer, to know that now was not the time to fight. It was the Father’s will for Him to suffer, die, and rise again.

The lesson for us is to surrender to God’s will, not to resist those who persecute us or fight back. Has the Lord ever asked you to something or endure some painful experience that you didn’t want to go through? When we yield to the Lord and do His will, He is glorified. Jesus said in John 12:27, “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father save Me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again,”

God’s will is always the best for us. He gives us the sufficient grace to handle any situation. Sometimes God takes away the pain, impediment, suffering, or sorrow; other times He doesn’t take it away, but is with us through the storms. Praise be to God for His will. He always knows best.

Have a blessed day of remembering our Savior’s commitment to the Father’s will in dying for our sins. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and will,

Dean

-January 15, 2022-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.”

(Psalm 92:1-2).

Psalm 92 was written by an unknown writer. The title of this psalm is: A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath. It is a rich and beautiful psalm. Today’s text reminds us how important it is to give thanks to the Lord and sing praises to Him. We have so much to thank Him for.

The Lord is with us every day, all through the day and night. The psalmist says, “to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.” When we arise we acknowledge His lovingkindness in the morning when the day begins, and in the night, before we sleep we thank Him for His faithfulness in helping us through the day. It as if we begin the day by saying, “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name,” and when the day ends, we say, “Amen.”

When we arise from our slumber, our first thoughts should be to thank the Lord for giving us another day to live. He has showered us with His mercy and lovingkindness. The day is new and unknown how it will unfold, but we know that God is with us. David’s prayer in Psalm 143:8 says, “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.” As the new day dawns we must trust the Lord for His guidance to know which way to go, what do and what to say.

As we live our lives, the day has its share of challenges and difficulties, but also its joys and blessings. God always gives us the grace which is sufficient for us. By the end of the day, we may be very tired, but thankful for the Lord’s help, provision, and encouragement. Psalm 16:7 says, “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.” Each day completed is a blessing from God, and we should take a little time to review our day, if we done or said something wrong, and God puts it on our mind, we should confess it to the Lord. When we thank for Him seeing us through the day, we can then lay down our heads on the pillow and sleep peacefully.

There is a beautiful song, entitled, “All through the Day,” that says, “All through the day, all through the night, dwell in His promises, walk in His light. Darkness shall flee at His command, all through the day and night, we’re in His hand.” Let us declare His lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness every night. The Lord is so good!

Have a blessed day, morning, noon, and night, seeking His will and thanking Him. Stay safe and healthy.

In His lovingkindness and faithfulness,

Dean

-January 14, 2022-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

(Ephesians 5:30-31).

We are members of the body of Christ, and we belong to Jesus. Everything that Jesus has, we have in Him. He is the Head of the church and we follow Him. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Oh, how this should stir us to thanksgiving and holy living! We are one with our Lord Jesus Christ in spirit, soul, and body. Paul tells in our text today, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” That is a very close relationship we have with Him. When God put Adam to sleep and conducted the first surgery, He took one of Adams’s ribs, and from that rib created Eve, a helper suitable for Adam. Adam said in Genesis 2:23, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.” Ever since, when a man and woman marry, they become one. They are united, joined, and yoked together. Paul uses the union of husband and wife to picture Christ and His bride, the church.

It is such a blessing to be one with Christ. Christ is in us Paul wrote of all the saints in Colossians 1:27, “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.” When we live as one with Him, abide in Him, and live for His kingdom and glory, we glorify the Lord and please Him. We are His eyes, to see the needs around us; we are His arms to carry those who can’t walk; we are His hands to serve others; we are His legs to walk in His love; and we are His feet to stand for Him and His truth.

You are important, I am important, and all believers are important to the Lord and the furtherance of the gospel. Without Jesus we can do nothing. We need Him day by day, every hour, moment by moment. May we live as one with our Savior with every beat of our hearts and in every breath we take.

Have a blessed day walking close to Jesus and being one with Him. Stay safe and healthy.

In His closeness,

Dean

-January 13, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and he served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.”

Genesis 39:2-4).

Joseph is one greatest Bible characters. He was a wonderful type of Christ. Everything that happened to him is an example to all believers in the Lord. God allowed his brothers to sell him into slavery so he would save his family and the whole world in one of the worst famines the world has ever seen. But God allowed trials, hardships, and temptations in his life, as He does in our lives as well. He faced many disappointments. He obeyed God, trusted in Him, endured, and persevered.

Joseph worked hard, carried out his duties honorably and faithfully, and never complained or asked why all these bad things were happening to him. God was with him and made him successful in Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s wife, however tried her utmost to seduce him. He refused her advances day by day. She was likely a beautiful woman. The devil always employs the best to tempt us to get us to fall.

Others in the Bible refused the devil’s tricks: Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the king’s food and drink his wine; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to bow to the king’s golden image; and Daniel refused to stop praying to his God. Quite a few years ago, to try to stop drug abuse, they had the slogan, “Just say No.” Sadly, it didn’t work, but it works for us as believers by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Potiphar’s wife, grabbed Joseph by his garment, and he ran out of the house, leaving it behind. She false accused him of attempting to assault her. Potiphar found out, got very angry, and had Joseph thrown into the king’s prison. Potiphar could have had him executed. But he knew his wife.

Then in the prison God blessed him also. The keeper of the prison showed him mercy and committed all the prisoners into his authority. We know that he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker. The former was restored to his position, but the baker was executed, just as Joseph said would happen. Joseph asked the butler to remember him so he could get out of the prison because he was innocent. The butler forgot about him for two full years. Another hardship and disappointment.

When we honor God, He honors us. That does mean that things will be easy, fair, or painless in our lives. God uses our trials to build us into vessels that He can use for His glory. When Pharaoh had a dream, none of his wisemen could interpret it. The butler told the king of Joseph and how he can interpret dreams. They brought Joseph out of the prison and he interpreted his dream, and Pharaoh appointed him to be second in command in Egypt and oversee the time of great posterity which was then followed by a severe famine. Everyone had to go to Joseph for food.

May the Lord help us to trust Him in the hard times as much as in the easy ones. We can’t get discouraged or complain. God has a plan for us as He did for Joseph. We must refuse this world and all its sinful pleasures. God always gives us something better. We must be good employees and godly servants. Let us always do what is right in God’s sight.

Have a blessed day trusting in God’s plan though we can’t always see what He is doing at the time. Stay safe and healthy,

In His grace and service,

Dean

-January 12, 2022-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

(2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

God best the best comforter. He knows our circumstances, needs, problems, and hurts. He is our Great High Priest. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Our loving, kind Savior feels with us and for us. He lifts us up and encourages our hearts. He intercedes for us with the Father on our behalf. He invites us to come to the throne of grace in prayer.

Our Father showers us with His mercies each day, and they a new every morning. He comforts the broken hearted, and binds up their wounds. The church is like a hospital where the patients are healed in order to stay on staff to help those who are hurting. When God comforts us, He does so that we may also comfort others. Are we ready and willing to comfort others?

Once during during Queen Victoria’s reign, she heard that the wife of a common laborer had lost her baby. Having experienced deep sorrow herself, she felt moved to express her sympathy. So she called on the bereaved woman one day and spent some time with her. After she left, the neighbors asked what the Queen had said. “Nothing,” replied the grieving mother. “She simply put her hands on mine, and we silently wept together.” Often, silence is better than words to comfort people. John 11:35 says of Jesus when He heard that Lazarus was dead, “Jesus wept.”

Our Lord loves us so much and cares for us. He is tender, kind, and compassionate toward us, His children. He wants us to be this way toward others. We all need comfort at various times of our lives. Hugs, kisses, and hand holding mean so much in a time of grief or loss.

Have a blessed day comforting others with the comfort with which God comforts us. Stay safe and healthy.

In His mercy and comfort,

Dean