Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-August 20, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday,

-Focusing On The Lord As Our Priority-

“I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”

(Psalm 16:8).

Psalm 16 is another psalm written by David, who wrote more than half of them. This particular psalm has the title or heading, “A Michtam of David.” There are six psalms, all written by David, that are called michtams in the King James and New King James versions of the Bible. We know so little about this word, though many suggest it means atonement. Many scholars suggest the word comes from the Hebrew word, miktab , meaning “writing.” Some believe it may even come from the Hebrew word, katham, meaning “golden.” It would mean an engraving of gold, a great value, much like when albums went golden by how many records were sold. Now days we speak of them going platinum.

This psalm is especially beautiful and precious for every believer in Christ. In Psalm 16:3 David writes, “As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” David greatly loved the Lord and all the Lord’s people. This psalm like most every one of his psalms is very personal.

David says, “I have set the Lord always before me.” What does he mean by this? It simply means that the Lord is his continual focus and priority. David was king of Israel and was a very busy man, just as we are today. David took time to spend with the Lord and in His Word. He always sought the Lord’s guidance before going out to battle, and the Lord gave him victory in every one.

There were two times where David did lose focus on the Lord: when he committed adultery and murder in connection with Bathsheba, and when he numbered the people. In both cases God chastened him severely and the results were devastating to David and his family, and to all Israel as well. But for all his life, other than the aforementioned sins, he honored and obeyed God. He put the Lord first in his life and sought to please Him.

When David focused his life on the Lord and put Him as the priority of his life, he found strength in the midst of the hardest and harshest circumstances of life. He was confident that the Lord was with him at all times. He exclaims, “Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” He knew that he was never alone, God was with him. He claimed all the promises of God.

At times we feel we are all alone and the whole world is against us. We get discouraged when things seem to all be going wrong. We need to trust the Lord, focus on Him and what He has done for us, and is so doing for us. We will not be moved. We may get jolted, but we do not give up, fall apart, or lose heart.

The hymn writer Helen H. Lemmel wrote, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Stop and look to Jesus; He will show you His light and glory to guide through the darkest nights. Others may leave, forsake us, or turn against, but the Lord never will.

Have a blessed day with Jesus. Focus on Him, make Him and His work your priority. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-August 19, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-Eternal Life Is In Jesus Christ-

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12).

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).

Every person on earth must make the choice: receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or reject Him. There is no in between, no gray area. One either has Jesus and has life or does not. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). It is also very clear in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The word life in verse 12 can be translated the life. You either have it or you don’t. God desires that each person receive the gift of God which is eternal life, but He will never force anyone to take it. No one will be in heaven against their will, and no one will go to hell without the opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved.

Once we receive God’s Son Jesus Christ we have eternal life. We are in the hands of Jesus and the hands of the Father. No one pluck us out of their hands. Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. No one can blot us out of God’s book. We have the assurance of eternal security in Christ. We have peace with God and no matter how much Satan attacks us to disturb us or create doubt in our hearts, nothing can change our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Do you have eternal life in Jesus Christ? If the answer is either no or you are not sure, please receive Him today! God wants you to have the faith and assurance of knowing that when you die or if the Rapture comes first, you will be with Him in heaven forever. With choice of Christ, comes the confidence in Christ, and certainty to be with Christ forever!

Have a blessed day in Jesus thanking God for your eternal salvation and security in Him. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-August 18, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain-

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

(Philippians 1:21).

Paul’s epistle to the Philippians can be titled, “The Epistle of Living Joy.” He employs such words as joy, rejoice, rejoicing, rejoiced, glad, and gladness. Bearing in mind that when he wrote this epistle he was in prison in Rome, it is even more remarkable.

Paul was joyful in Christ wherever he was. He chose to rejoice, live for Christ, and serve Him. He didn’t just make the best of his circumstances, he triumphed in them and over them. He used every opportunity to preach the gospel even while in prison for his faith. Paul’s motto was, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He wasn’t afraid to die, nor was he afraid to live either. He was conflicted though: to depart and be with Christ in heaven or to remain on earth longer which is better for the saints.

Paul knew how glorious heaven was and how much better it is than earth. He knew however that his earthly stay was not in his hands nor when he would be called home to glory. None of us can chose our time to go, either at the Rapture or at death.

• For to me, to live is Christ – Paul chose to live Christ and to live for Christ every day and in every way. His life was content with what he had, where he was, and what he was doing to further the kingdom of God. He wrote to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Paul’s priority was living for and serving Christ. This should be our priority as well. Most of us are not in full time ministry as Paul was, but there are so many ways to serve the Lord and live for him at work, at school, at home, out doing errands, or wherever we are. “To live is Christ,” is not just a motto but a lifestyle.

• And to die is gain – There are so many wonderful things about heaven as mentioned in the Scriptures, but the greatest of all is being with Jesus forever. In 2 Corinthians 12:1-6, Paul describes his experience of being caught up into the third heaven, into Paradise. We don’t know how long he was there or when this took place, but it was enough to make him long to go there permanently. To him, death was really a gain.

Thus, to live is Christ and to die is gain. We win both ways. Our time on earth is so short compared to our life in heaven which is forever. We must live now for the Lord freely, fully, and fore mostly. We must choose to rejoice in Christ in our circumstances and live victorious lives. Opportunities to serve the Lord abound everywhere on a daily basis. Let us tell the Lord, “Here I am Lord, use me today to be a blessing.”

Have a blessed day living for Jesus and serving Him. Stay safe and healthy.

-August 17, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-Glory In The Lord In Everything-

“But ‘he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’ For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.”

(2 Corinthians 10:17-18).

In Paul’s day he encountered many false teachers who whose doctrine was false and lifestyle was just as bad. They boasted in themselves and their accomplishments. They weren’t glorying in God but in themselves. They didn’t consider Paul to be an apostle and attacked him every chance they had.

Paul could have become so consumed with defending himself from their assaults that he didn’t get anything done for Christ. He chose rather to preach the gospel and teach the Word. He sought to build up, they were trying to tear down. Paul quotes from the prophet Jeremiah, who himself had many enemies because of his strong stand for the Lord and against the evil that was going on around him.

Jeremiah wrote, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the mighty man in his might, nor the rich man in his riches; But him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For I delight in these things.’”

So often man robs God of His glory by taking credit for what God has done. As believers we must remember God gave us our talents, skills, abilities, and gifts. He enables us to accomplish our jobs, tasks, and ministries. He brings forth the results. Thus, we need to be humble and give God all the glory. We are so blessed to know the Lord, live for Him, and serve Him.

Jesus told His disciples in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” We can’t do some things without the Lord, but absolutely nothing. On the other hand, with Him and in His will, with can do all things. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

It is not all about us, but all about Christ. It isn’t a matter of commending ourselves but whether He commends us. So many spend their lives trying to please others instead of seeking to please God. His opinion of us is what really counts. May the Lord help us glory in Him and strive to please Him in all things.

Have a blessed day abiding in Christ and giving Him all the glory for everything we have and accomplish. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-August 16, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Cleansing Ourselves From The Filth Of This World-

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

(1 Corinthians 7:1).

There has been no change in the heart of man or in this world since the fall to the present days. There is moral defilement everywhere. We saw it in the days of Noah, in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, and in the days of the Roman Empire, and everywhere in between.

As believers saved by the grace of God, we are called to a life of personal holiness. There are two aspects we must be concerned about: being separated from the world and being set apart for the Lord. These two things go together as one. The Greek word hagios is translated as holy, separated, sanctified, and holiness.

When Paul writes of “having these promises,” he is referring back to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. God has promised us that He is our Father, we are His children, and He dwells with us and is with us.

It is our responsibility to cleanse ourselves from the spiritual, moral, and physical filthiness of the world. We are constantly being bombarded with evil on TV, radio, the internet, movies, magazines, and other worldly things around us. We as believers have two natures, the old sinful nature with a propensity to sin, and a new nature with a propensity to righteousness and holiness. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and guides us, convicts us, and helps us to be victorious.

There are things we must do to avoid the filth of the flesh and spirit. We must be wise in what we are involved with and who we are involved with. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness.”

Paul then tells us what we are to do: “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” This is the aspect of being set apart for the Lord. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:14-16, “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” The Holy Spirit uses the Holy Scriptures, to make us His holy vessels.

Being holy covers our thoughts, words, and actions. It starts in the inside and affects us on the outside. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their obsessive concern for the outward appearance without the inward reality. It is not easy being holy in an unholy world. We must say no to the world and yes to Christ. It will not make us popular but we will be pleasing to God.

May the Lord help us to be in prayer and in the Word daily, making good choices, associating with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and witnessing and testifying to the unsaved. People are watching our lives and listening to our words. They need to see a difference in how we live.

Have a blessed day walking in holiness with the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean