Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 29, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-Remembering Our Lessons-

“Remember Lot’s wife.”

(Luke 17:32).

Today’s verse is one the shortest in the Bible. It is also one of the the most important. If we do not learn our lessons from the past and remember them, we are likely to repeat our mistakes. Lot, his wife, and two daughters moved into Sodom and took up residence there. It was a wicked city and God was about to bring judgment down on Sodom and Gomorrah, the twin cities, and the area of the plain around them.

God brought a warning to Lot and his family prior to the destruction of their city. There was a war between four powerful kings and five other kings, one of which was Bera king of Sodom. The five kings were defeated and as a result, they took the people of Sodom, including Lot and his family captive. Abraham heard of it and along with 318 trained servants of his household came to the rescue and fought against the captors and delivered all of them, including Lot and his family. Instead of leaving the wicked city of Sodom, they went right back there again. They did not learn the lesson God was teaching them.

Fast forward, things in Sodom only got worse. God revealed His plan to destroy the city to Abraham and we see Abraham interceding for them for Lot’s sake. He begun by asking God to spare the city if there were 50 righteous people in it. He kept lowering the number down to 45, 40, 30, 20, and finally 10. Sadly, there were not even 10 righteous there.

God sent two angels to deliver Lot and his family from Sodom before He would rain brimstone and fire from heaven upon them. There is a principle of Scripture that God will never pour out His wrath on His people, He removes them first. That is why the Rapture takes place before the Tribulation. In Lot’s case, the angels had to take Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand to get them out. As they were going, Lot’s wife could not bear to leave, she then looked back and became a pillar of salt. The lesson for us today is, “Remember Lot’s wife.” As believers we should learn the lessons God has taught us as well as what we have learned from the experiences of others. God wants us to learn and listen. We ignore God’s warnings at our own peril.

God sends warnings to us and we need to heed them. Lot’s wife came so close to salvation, but close is not enough. Her heart was bound to that city of destruction. There are many around us who just cannot give up their sin. Remember Lot’s wife. She serves as a reminder and warning of God’s judgment. When a person gets saved, they flee from the wrath to come. They confess and repent of their sins, believe that Jesus died for them on cross, and receive Him into their hearts. There is no looking back, no turning back. Remember Lot’s wife. If we do not listen, God will have to take more severe measures in our lives.

Have a blessed day, taking heed to God’s warnings and lessons. Don’t look back, press on. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 28, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-Giving All To Jesus-

“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, ‘Truly I say to you that this poor widow, has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all her livelihood that she had.”

(Luke 21:1-4).

Today’s text is one of the most remarkable in the Bible. It sharply contrasts giving from the heart verses giving to impress others. Jesus always used daily life events to teach lessons to His disciples. The lesson for us is giving all, not just our money, which is so important, but everything we have belongs to Him and we should give all to Jesus.

As God, Jesus knew what each person was putting into the temple treasury and what was in their hearts. He knew that this particular woman was a widow, how much she had and how much she gave. He also knew how much the others had and what they gave. Rich people often give a lot but they still have more than enough left for themselves and this is the case here. This poor widow gave just two mites, two small Roman copper coins. Jesus said that she gave more than all the others because she gave all her livelihood, thus all she had to live on. She had nothing left. More importantly she gave with a whole heart and trusted God to supply her need. What a great faith she had!

Ideally, there should be no poor widows in Israel. Over and over the OT, God told His people to give to support orphans and widows. God has a special love for them. Obviously from what we read in the gospels, the Pharisees, the chief priests, and scribes cared more for themselves than for God’s work and His people. Jesus sees not only what we give, but what we have left; He sees our motives for giving.

When Paul discussed giving in 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9, he begins by commending the churches in Macedonia as the greatest example of giving among God’s people. They also gave out of their poverty and not only that, but gave themselves first to the Lord and also to Paul and the needy saints. 1 Corinthians 8:1-5 mentions how they gave: in a great trial of affliction, in the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty, according to their ability and beyond their ability, willingly, urgently, and first of themselves to the Lord and to Paul. What an example they were! They excelled at giving to Jesus because they excelled at living for Jesus!

The Lord wants us to be cheerful givers of all we have. From our tithing to our living for the Lord and our serving Him. If one does not give when he has little, he will not give when he has much; if one does not serve the Lord when he is busy working and raising a family, he will not serve when he is retired. God knows our hearts. He knows how we use our time and resources in His service. He sees the priorities of our hearts. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 7:21).

Have a blessed day giving your time, talents, and treasures to the Lord fully and faithfully. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 27, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-With God All Things Are Possible-

“But He said, ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with men.’”

(Luke 18:27).

The context of this verse is right after the Rich Young Ruler left the presence of Jesus without following His words to, “Sell and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow Me” (Luke 18:22). Jesus told His disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through a eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved. In other words, it cannot happen that anyone trusting in his own riches can be saved.

Under the Old Covenant, riches were seen as a blessing from God, a sign of His favor. Under the New Covenant, riches or anything else one may trust in is more of a hindrance or detriment to one getting saved. Salvation is by grace through faith and is not ourselves. Every conversion is a miracle because the world, the flesh, and the devil are working non-stop against it. Those who heard Jesus’ words asked the natural question, “…Who then can be saved” (Luke 18:26)? Today’s verse is Jesus’ answer, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

In the gospel records we have it put in both the positive and negative wordings, and both are true. Here in our text is the positive: all things are possible with God. We also see the negative: nothing is impossible with God. The angel Gabriel said to Mary in Luke 3:37, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” The only thing that is impossible for God is to lie. And essentially, that is true of any sin, for God cannot sin.

In human terms when something is impossible, it cannot be done. God has no such limitations. God told Jeremiah, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me” (Jeremiah 32:27)? God is infinite, we are finite; God is limitless, we are limited. If we find ourselves in an impossible situation, know with certainty it is not impossible for God. He is omnipotent. The salient point is it not can God do it, but is it is will to do it.

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed three times that the cup of death and judgment would pass from Him. He said, “O My Father, if it possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Paul prayed three that the thorn in his flesh be removed, but God instead gave Him His sufficient grace to handle it. Please see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. In both cases, the answer was no.

God’s wills to answer yes, no, or wait. One the door is wide open, two, the door is closed, and third, it is open a crack and we must wait for God to open it fully in His time. Let us trust in the Lord and leave matters in His hands, just as Jesus and Paul did. Sometimes God says no, but He always gives us sufficient grace. We should pray for healing, deliverance, success, and victory. Our faith should not waver when we have God’s favor! We should always know that He knows best for us.

Have a blessed day praying earnestly and fervently for Him to answer and that His will be done. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 26, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Jesus Intercedes For us-

“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

(Hebrews 7:25).

The word intercession means, “The action of intervening on behalf of another: the action of saying a prayer on behalf of another.” This is exactly what Jesus did for us and does for us daily. The Lord has a special love and care for all believers. He wants the best for us spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, materially, and financially. Our Lord desires that we grow in faith, live for Him, and serve Him. He chooses to use us to accomplish His purposes by His grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The first thing our Savior did was save us from our sins. He went to the uttermost to save us from our sins. He said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” We all needed saving because we are all sinners. Jesus found Zacchaeus in a tree, the Samaritan woman at the well, and the demoniac among the tombs. Someone once said, Jesus went to the uttermost to save us from the gutter most.”

When Jesus was on earth He spent much time in prayer to the Father, especially on behalf of His disciples. Jesus was so happy that of those that the Father gave to Him, He lost none except Judas the traitor and betrayer. When Peter pledged his allegiance to Christ and being willing to die for Him, Jesus predicted that he would deny Him three times. Luke 22:31-32 says, “The Lord said, ‘Simon! Simon! indeed Satan has desired to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’” Jesus also prayed for His followers in His High Priestly Prayer in John 17.

Our Lord Jesus Christ died to make intercession for us and now He lives to make intercession for us. He prays to the Father on our behalf. Romans 8:33-34 says, “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.”

We are doubly blessed that Jesus makes intercession by presenting our needs before the Father and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we pray, turning our prayers into the best petitions and praises. In Romans 8:26-27, Paul wrote, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should prayer for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Thus we can live confidently because Jesus is interceding for us; we can pray confidently, not worrying whether we say all the right words in an eloquent way; and we can intercede for others to bring their needs before the throne of grace. Paul told Timothy, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men” (1 Timothy 2:1). These three are three great intercessions in the Scriptures.

Have a blessed day interceding for others, knowing the Holy Spirit is interceding for us and Jesus is praying for us. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 25, 2021-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

-Paul’s Goal For Everyone: To Present Them Perfect In Christ-

“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. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

(Colossians 1:27-28).

The Apostle Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. The mystery he is speaking of is the mystery among the Gentiles. A mystery in the NT is something that was previously unknown in the OT that is now revealed. We as believers now have the understanding of gospel. Our greatest blessing is Christ in us the hope of glory.

Paul was not just a great evangelist, missionary, and church planter, but he was a wonderful teacher of the Word of God. Despite his imprisonment for the cause of Christ, he kept pressing on to present everyone perfect in Christ. To do this effectively he had to preach, warn, and teach all the saints.

• Preach – to preach is proclaim the gospel so that souls will be saved. It is the first step, without which nothing else will matter. Paul wrote in Romans 10:14-15, “How shall they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how shall the believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?”

• Warn – A warning to warn someone of impending danger. For example in the world, there are warnings of fires, and other natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and other dangers. In the spiritual realm we are warned of the devil’s attacks. The person who is is warned must heed the warnings. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.”

• Teach – Teaching the Word is vital. Paul taught others so they could teach themselves teach others. Paul had a heart for young men in the ministry, such as Timothy, Titus, John Mark, and others. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Meditate on these things; give yourselves fully to them, that your progress may be evident to all” (1 Timothy 4:15).

By preaching, warning, and teaching, Paul could present everyone perfect in Christ. The word perfect does not mean sinless perfection, but rather to be complete and mature in Christ. May the Lord help us to serve as Paul and the early believers did. There is so much to do in the Lord’s work.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day serving our Savior. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean