Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-January 6, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

(Genesis 18:12-14).

Sarah erred by giving her maidservant Hagar to Abraham to be a wife to him and bear a son on her behalf. This not only caused a conflict within the family, but also led to the conflict between the Arabs and the Jews still going on today. Taking matters in our own hands is never good. Often, we miss God’s best to take our own second best. God had promised Abraham a son through Sarah, and they just had to wait. Now the waiting was almost over.

The Angel of the Lord and two angels came to visit Abraham and Sarah to let them know that 90 year-old Sarah would bear a son to 100 year-old Abraham in 9 months. It was more than she could handle. It seemed like an impossibility, a dream. Only God could make such a promise and keep it. She laughed in her heart, but the Lord heard her. He alone knows the thoughts of our hearts. She tried to deny it, but to no avail. Genesis 18:15 says, “But Sarah denied it, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’ for she was afraid.

Sarah was a woman of faith, but this was not her greatest moment. Still God was faithful. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” The Lord Jesus had to rebuke the disciples on occasion for their lack of faith. God is so patient with us. Sometimes our faith is weak; sometimes the circumstances are impossible. Yet notice, the Angel asks, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” The answer of course is no. There is nothing to great for the Lord to do in our lives!

God fulfilled His promise and in 9 months, Sarah gave birth to Isaac, whose name means laughter. At his birth she proclaimed, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” She was thrilled, as was Abraham, and all who heard of it. Have you ever laughed at something that seemed so impossible? When God promises, He delivers. So many times He surprises us with miracles! Only God can answer when medical science or man’s efforts fail. The greater the miracle, the more glory goes to the Lord. May God give us faith to believe and joy to receive.

Have a blessed day, not in doubt or unbelief, but in faith and trust. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and goodness,

Dean

-January 5, 2022-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

(Psalm 90:12).

Each day is a gift from the Lord that we should treasure, be thankful for, and use to serve our Lord. One thing we have learned through this pandemic is just how fragile life is. There are no guarantees on how long any of us will live. That being said, we need to live each day for the Lord. Each day we have with our family and friends is precious. We should tell and show our loved ones how much we love them.

To number our days goes beyond just counting the number of days. It is making the number of days count for the kingdom of God. The Lord has given us life that we should proclaim Jesus and the gospel, live for His glory, and serve Him with the gifts He has given us. There is no reason any believer should be ineffective, unproductive, or unfruitful. Sin is the number one thing that defeats us and disrupts our relationship with the Lord.

Each day has twenty-four hours, with sleep taking about one third, that leaves two thirds left. Most of have jobs or school. That still leaves another third left. We can do so much more for the Lord. It is a matter our priorities. Paul told the Ephesians, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17).

If we put a priority on the things of heaven above we will be more effective on the things of earth below. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” In the context of Matthew 6:25-34, these things are food, drink, and clothing. When we take of His work, He takes care of us. We should be free from worry and anxiety.

When we number our days, we are able to present to God a heart of wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” God has given us His Word, the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the privilege of prayer. By pursuing these things we gain a heart of wisdom. Our day will fall flat without seeking the Lord and His will. We all know how dreadful it is to drink a soft drink that has lost its fizz. Spending time with our Lord strengthens and sustains us, and prepares us for what may come in our day.

We should never take our days for granted, but appreciate each minute of each hour, of each day. If we squander and lose time, we can never get it back. May the Lord help us to live for Him today and make an impact on the people around us. God has given us today as a gift to unwrap and use for His glory. The quality of our days is way more important than the quantity.

Have a blessed day for Jesus, making the day count so that others will be encouraged. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and service,

Dean

-January 4, 2022-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ So he arose and followed Him.”

(Matthew 9:9).

When Jesus was on earth, He called people individually to follow Him. Each one of us today must respond to His call in salvation, in walking with Him, in discipleship, and in soul winning. Jesus never forces anyone to follow Him, He gives us the choice, but there are consequences if we don’t follow Him, but great blessings if we do.

• Follow in salvation – We cannot be saved unless we follow Jesus. Jesus called Matthew, also called Levi, to follow Him in order to be saved. He arose and followed Him. He left the tax collection business right then and there. Peter, Andrew, James, and John left the fishing business. When we get saved, we leave behind our old life, our associations and friends, and most of all our sins.

• Follow in discipleship – To be a disciple goes beyond just being saved and going to church. It means identifying ourselves with our Lord, bearing our cross, and suffering with Him. Jesus told His followers in Luke 9:23, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” We must be all in, we cannot follow Jesus half way or halfheartedly. We can’t remain in the kiddy pool or stay in the shallow end of the pool, we must swim in the deep water. Being a disciple requires many sacrifices, and is a serious matter.

• Follow in walking – When we get saved we must choose to walk with Jesus, abide in Him, obey Him, and serve Him. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). Following Jesus is not a religion but a relationship. After forgiving and restoring Peter for denying Him three times, He told Peter in John 21:19, “Follow Me.” And when Peter asked Him about John, Jesus told him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me” (John 21:22). We can’t worry about what others do or whether they follow Christ, we must follow Him.

• Follow in soul winning – In order to lead others to Christ, we must have a love and passion for those who are lost and in need of Him. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” A good fisherman knows how to fish, where to fish, and how to be patient. He also knows how to teach others to fish. We as soul winners aren’t responsible for the results, that is the Holy Spirit’s work, we are responsible for faithfully sharing our faith with others.

May the Lord help us to follow Him daily. Let us spend time with Him in prayer and in the Word. Have you decided to follow Jesus? The unknown hymn writer wrote, “I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, no turning back.” He also stated in the other verses: “The world behind me, the cross before me; Tho none go with me, I still will follow; and will you decide now to follow Jesus?

Have a blessed day following Jesus, both today and each day this year. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and goodness,

Dean

-January 3, 2022-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6).

The holidays are over and most everyone returns to work and school. There is still some much concern over the Omicron variant. It is spreading so fast all over the world. There are also many other unknowns that are on the minds of people. The Lord doesn’t want us to be anxious, worried, or troubled by anything, but trust in Him for everything. Jesus said in John 14:1, “Let not your hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Solomon gives us the solution to every problem, need, or concern: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him…” When we trust in the Lord it must be with all our hearts, holding nothing back, trusting in nothing or no one else. The Lord has a perfect track record in our lives and we should have complete confidence in Him.

We get into trouble when we start leaning on our own understanding. No matter how long we have been saved, have been walking with the Lord, how much we know of the Bible, or how much we pray, we can fall into the mire of trusting in ourselves, our education, abilities, talents, intellect, or experience. Only the Lord can help us and guide us through the maze of perplexities and difficulties in life.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:7-8, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.” The Lord wants us to acknowledge Him in all our ways. This means to give Him first place in our hearts, ask Him for wisdom and strength, and to surrender fully to His will. He will always be there for us and will never fail us.

When we trust in Him, lean not on our own understanding, and in all our ways acknowledge Him, He shall direct our paths, or as it can be translated “make your paths straight.” As we move into this New Year, let us fully trust in the Lord to direct our every step every day.

This verse is so encouraging and it so important to know it, study it, and memorize it; but what really counts is practicing it, otherwise it will do little good. That is true of everything in the Bible. Obedience and practical application are absolutely essential for our spiritual lives. Let us walk forward by faith, trusting in the Lord. He shall direct our paths in His ways. We will find success, peace, and joy even when troubles come.

Have a blessed day trusting in the Lord. May the Lord look favorably on you in 2022. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and goodness,

Dean

-January 2, 2022-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“Brethren, I do not count myself as apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 3:13-14).

Every year people make New Year’s Resolutions of every kind. There are those that are physical, such as losing weight, exercising, or some type of plastic or cosmetic surgery to look better; or financial, to make more, save more, or spend less; or career, to get a better job, a promotion, or retire; or social, to spend more time with family, friends, or on oneself. The problem with these resolutions is that they rely on self to accomplish them. Most resolutions fail within a month or two.

Spiritual goals have best chance of success when we rely on the Holy Spirit. They do require we do our part with commitment, dedication, self-discipline, prayer, and effort. When the Lord is in them, we can achieve them. If you have the goal of praying more or reading and studying the word more, or getting more involved in serving in your local church, or sharing your faith, God will help you achieve them.

Paul said, “Forgetting those things which are behind, such as the year 2021 with all its failures or successes, defeats or victories, downs or up; and we must “press on toward the goal for the prize of upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Athletes are familiar with the phrase, “Keep your eyes on the prize.” It means to stay focused all the way to the end. Runners must look straight ahead all the way through the finish line, lest someone overtake them near the end of race. As servants of Christ we need to be razor focused on the mission this year. Time is short and none of us know how much time we have left on this earth.

There is a beautiful Christian song that says, “In Jesus’ name we press on, in Jesus’ we press on. O Lord with prize clear before our eyes, we find the strength to press on.” We will face obstacles and opposition, hardships and trials, but we must press on. God will help us. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). We can’t do it on our own or in our own strength. Let us seek His guidance and help to achieve our goals for 2022.

Have a blessed day trusting in God’s strength to do God’s will, to accomplish His purposes, and achieve our goals. Stay safe and healthy.

In His goodness and grace,

Dean