Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-June 24, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-God Is Faithful To Establish And Guard Us From the Evil One-

“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:3).

When we look back over the years we see how faithful God has been to us. We are His children and He takes care of us. Our great enemy, the devil hates Christ and hates Christians and wants to harm us but he can’t. The Lord takes care of us and protects us. We are in His side, the victorious side.

There are three wonderful blessings in today’s verse: God is faithful, He establishes us, and He guards us. We do have troubles and trials to test our faith. We must cling to the Lord and rest on the promises of God. God has never failed or will He ever fail us.

• God is faithful – God has a perfect track record in the past and He never changes. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” His faithfulness is forever. We can count on it even more than sun rising and falling each day.

• God establishes us – Our Lord establishes our faith and helps us daily. 2 Corinthians 1:21 says, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God.” We often speak of being established in a new job, new city, new home, or in a new marriage or family. We need God to establish us in every aspect of our lives, especially spiritually.

• God guards us – The Lord is on guard over us His people. The evil one, the devil tries his utmost to frighten us, discourage us, and defeat us, but the Lord is with us to protect us. 1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Our Lord Jesus Christ defeated the devil and protects us from him.

There is a great hymn by Lina Sandell, entitled, “Day By Day,” that is so encouraging. The second verse says, “Every day the Lord Himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour; all my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me, He whose name is Counsellor and Power. The protection of His child and treasure is a charge that on Himself He laid; ‘As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,’ this the pledge to me He made.”

May Lord help us to remember His faithfulness, His establishment, and His guarding. We are so blessed. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and we are overcomers through His Word and power.

Have a blessed day resting in Jesus and His faithfulness. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-June 23, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-Waiting On The Lord-

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

(Isaiah 40:31).

Isaiah chapter 40 is a very encouraging chapter on the greatness of God and man’s insignificance in comparison. Isaiah 40:18 asks the question, “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?” In this chapter the following is said of the Lord: The Lord shall come with a strong hand (v. 10); He will feed His flock like a shepherd (v.11); He measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and the measured heaven and calculated the dust of the earth and hills (v.12); He sits above the circle of the earth (v.22); He numbers and names all His creatures (v.26); and His greatness and power are known (v.26, v.28).

We as mortals on the other hand are weak and insignificant in comparison. The nations are as a drop in the bucket and counted as nothing. We as mortals are like grasshoppers and are weak. Verse 29 says, “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.” The Lord told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

In short a few weeks, the world’s greatest young athletes will gather in Tokyo, Japan for the Summer Olympics. The fastest, strongest, and fittest will compare for their counties to win gold, silver, and bronze medals. Here in this chapter it says even of the young in verse 30, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.” Just watch how the athletes give all their utmost effort and are exhausted as they complete their competitions.

But look at the contrast to those who wait on the Lord. They are blessed by the Lord beyond their own strength and abilities, in the physical, mental, emotional, and especially the spiritual realms. Ou verse today describes how God helps and strengthens us as we wait upon Him. Waiting on the Lord is not easy, but it yields such great results.

They renew their strength – Only God can do this for us. He gives us strength to carry on when we have none of our own. They mount up with wings like eagles – Eagles soar high above the earth and their eyesight is amazing. God helps us to rise above our circumstances and see things from His perspective. They run and are not weary – God builds our faith and endurance so that we can finish the race that is set before us. And they walk and do not faint. The Christian life is not easy but the Lord keeps is going one day at a time.

Are you waiting on the Lord for something today? Perhaps a job, a home, a spouse? Maybe you are waiting to test results, or some other important matter. Let us wait on the Lord for everything. God is not in a hurry, He has a plan for us. When we wait on Him, the results are always perfect for us. Chuck Wagner said, “He who waits on God never waits too long.”

Have a blessed day waiting on the Lord. He will renew, empower, and help us. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-June 22, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-The Preservation Of The Lord’s People-

“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and our coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.”

(Psalm 121:7-8).

Psalm 121 is another of the psalms with unknown authorship. It is one of the Songs of Ascents, meaning it was sung by Jewish worshippers on their way to the temple in Jerusalem. The title of this psalm is: God the Help of Those Who Seek Him. It is one of my favorite psalms, though I have many favorites.

The key word in our text today is the word preserve, which is found three times in these two verses. The word preserve is a wonderful word in connection with the help that the Lord gives us in our lives on earth. In Psalm 121:1-2, we read, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” We look up to the Lord to help us down here on earth.

The word preserve is defined in the yourdictionary.com as, “To protect or keep something as it is in its original state; to keep or maintain intact; to keep in perfect or unaltered condition; maintain unchanged; to keep from injury, peril, or harm; protect.” This is exactly what the Lord does for us His children.

Looking back on our lives, especially since we have been saved, we trace God’s preservation in our lives. Not only spiritually, but physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, materially, and financially as well. God cares for us, not for a day, a week, a month, or a year, but for our whole lives and into eternity. He preserves us in three wonderful ways: from all evil, our souls, and our comings and goings.

• The Lord has preserve you from all evil – Evil is prevalent, pervasive, and persistent in our world today. It comes in many forms such as crime, corruption, violence, discrimination, and injustice, just to name a few. Crimes perpetrated against children and elderly people are the most heinous. We know the devil is behind all evil. Thank God He preserves us not just from evil, but from all evil. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus ends it by saying, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Your’s is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” Matthew 6:13).

• He shall preserve your soul – The Lord not only preserves our bodies but He preserves our souls. Once we are saved, we are saved forever. The Scripture clearly teaches eternal security. We are in hands of the Father and the Son, and we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This is found most notably in John 10:27-30 and in 1 John 5:11-13.

• The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore – The Lord guards and guides our steps each and every day. We go out in the morning and return safely at night. We go to work, school, and errands; we meet with family and friends. We drive, ride bikes, walk, or run. He Lord promises to never leave us or forsake us. He is with us until the end of the age.

How has the Lord preserved you? What has He preserved you from? We may never know until we get to heaven all the times the Lord has preserved us from accidents, injuries, and even death. There are however plenty of instances that we do know of. Let us thank Him for His continued preservation until we reach our heavenly destination!

Have a blessed day knowing that God preserves us in so many ways. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-June 21, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-The Blessing Of Dwelling In The Lord’s Presence-

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I trust.’”

Psalm 91 was written by a unknown writer. It is one of the most encouraging psalms and been a source of blessing to believers down through the centuries, especially through wars, famines, pestilences, and other difficult circumstances. Going through COVID-19 has been something none of us will forget. He has brought us through thus far and preserved our lives.

When times are tough, we find comfort, security, protection, and peace in the Lord. There is a secret place we can all go to: the presence of the Lord. Psalm 27:5 says, “For in a time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” We can count on two things in our lives, other than death and taxes: trouble will come and the Lord is present with us.

In Psalm 91, the writer expressed how wonderful the Lord’s presence is and likened it to a secret place, under the shadow of the Almighty, in a dwelling place, a refuge and fortress, which is under His wings. It is so encouraging and comforting. The Lord is with us in the fire, in the flood, and in the storm. He protects us and provides for us. We can trust Him and know He will never fail us.

Before we go out into the world to face a new day, we must spend time in the Lord’s presence in prayer and in His Word. Then during the day commune with Him, call upon Him for help, and constantly thank Him for everything. We do everything we can to stay healthy physically and mentally; we should take even greater steps to stay healthy spiritually.

Years ago I read a story of a certain monk, named brother Lawrence, who so enjoyed the presence of the Lord in all his duties at the monastery, especially as he washed the dishes. Everything he did, no matter how mundane or ordinary, he was so happy and fulfilled. He did not have the time nor the desire to complain since the Lord was with Him side by side. After he died, a book was written about his life experiences called “The practice of the presence of the Lord.” You can still find this book today.

May each of us dwell in the Lord’s presence, cling to Him, and communicate with the Lord all through the day. Our days will be sweeter, richer, fuller, and better.

Have a blessed day in the presence of the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-June 20, 2021-The first day of summer.

Good morning happy Lord’s Day, happy Father’s Day,

-The Role Of A Godly Father-

“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

(Ephesians 6:4).

In order to be a godly father, one must first be a godly man and husband. Fathers have a great responsibility to be leaders in their households. Fatherhood is really all about relationships, first with God, then one’s wife and children.

Though it it true it takes a village to raise a child, such as childcare givers, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, and others, parents play the most important part. Fathers are role models for their kids. One of the chief reasons the world is in the mess it is is because most families don’t attend church, pray, or read the Bible. It is the family altar that stokes the fire of devotion to Christ. The old adage is certainly true: “The family that prays together, stays together.”

The godly father must wear many hats, most notably leader, example, role model, teacher, and disciplinarian. Sometimes it seems overwhelming. Along with responsibility comes accountability. Fathers are responsible for their wives and children, first and foremost to God, and with that responsibility comes accountability. The godly father will be rewarded by the Lord much like an elder in the church.

Hebrews 13:17 is written regarding elders and those under them in the church, but applies to fathers and their children as well, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”

Paul reminds fathers of two important things: don’t provoke your children to wrath and to bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

• Do not provoke your children to wrath – If a father is overly strict, gives excessive criticism, and does not have the love and gentleness of Christ, one can lose them. As soon as they are eighteen, they will leave the household. Love is the key for fathers and for everyone. Taking the time to spend with one’s children is absolutely essential to the relationship between fathers and their children.

• Bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord – This the nuts and bolts of successful fatherhood. If we expect our kids to be saved and go on for the Lord, we must set the example. Discipline is sorely lacking in so many households today. As I always say, discipline them in love, and love them in discipline.” Fathers are teachers and trainers. The difference between the two is: teachers tell you what to do, trainers show you what to do. Kids see everything you do and hear everything you say. Kids can spot hypocrisy a mile away. Being honest and open means asking your child to forgive you when you said or did something wrong to them.

Being a godly father takes much time, patience, perseverance, and hard work. God enables one to do it by His sufficient grace. For respect to be given, it must be earned. For lessons to be taught, they must be practiced. The world says, “Do as I say, not as I do.” The godly father says, “Do as I do, as what I do is obey and follow Christ.” To produce godly sons, we must be godly fathers.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day and Father’s Day. Let us honor our fathers and be great fathers. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean