Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 14, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-Man Looks At The Outward Appearance, But The Lord Looks At The Heart-

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical statue, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”

(1 Samuel 16:7).

God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint a new king over Israel. The current king, Saul, had disobeyed the Lord and God rejected him from being king. Though he remained king until his death in battle against the Philistines at Mount Gilboa. Samuel had to be very careful, for if Saul found out he was anointing his successor, he would have killed him and the new king.

God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse of the tribe of Judah to choose one of his sons. Jesse introduced his sons one by one from the oldest to the youngest. God refused each one, no matter how impressive they looked to Samuel. At last, Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons; there was one left, David, the youngest, a shepherd boy. He was the one God chose. Samuel then anointed him as king.

Now there were two kings. David had to wait many years to take the throne. Talk about having patience! Samuel learned a great lesson about God’s choosing and what is important to the Lord. God refers to David as, “a man after My own heart.” The heart and character of a man or woman is way more important than their outward appearance.

For a man to be a preacher, teacher, pastor, elder, deacon, writer, or missionary, God must choose him and call him, otherwise he will have little impact or effectiveness. What concerns me today is that men take pastorates like they take secular jobs. They attend seminary and then get hired by a church needing a new pastor. Boards sometimes select those whom God did not elect. A man may have all the qualities that man looks for but not have a shepherd’s heart.

Someone once said, “God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.” This is true of any ministry or position in the church. God gives the gifts and ordains His servants. He equips us to do His work and uses us for His glory. The Lord sees the heart, the potential, and what the results will be. In fact, God chose David, before he fought Goliath, before he became a mighty warrior for God, and way before he assumed the throne and led Israel as its greatest king. David’s success was because of the Lord not because of his own background, abilities, and talents.

David wrote in Psalm 139:1-4, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought from afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.”

In Scripture, as today, God choses His servants and uses them mightily for His glory. God chose Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and so many others. We should never second guess the Lord, for He always knows best. As for us, let us have God’s perspective. Though we cannot see as the Lord sees into the heart, we should always pray for God’s perfect will. We, like Samuel, are human and we look at the outward appearance, the stature, the physique, or the past successes of people. We are so limited. We are so impressed with what we see and hear. Our God has all knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. God knows us way more than we know ourselves.

Have a blessed day being all God wants you to be, and look beyond the outward appearance. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 13, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-Little Is Much When God Is In It-

“Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.’”

(1 Samuel 14:6).

Saul, Jonathan’s father was king over Israel, their first king, and Jonathan served under his him in the army. At the time the Philistines were their greatest threat and bitterest foe. They were fierce fighters and very powerful. Saul and his main army of 600 men were with him in Gibeah. Jonathan and his young armor bearer snuck out of camp to engage the enemy on their own.

Jonathan had great faith and courage, and believed that God could deliver by many or by few. Someone once said, “One with God is a majority.” Jonathan had a plan: if he called out to the Philistines and they if responded, “Wait until we come to you,” then Jonathan and armorbearer would stay put, but if if they said, “Come up to us,” then they would go up to them and the Lord would deliver the enemy to them. Jonathan sought this sign from the Lord.

Sure enough, the Philistines said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.” Jonathan had his sign from the Lord. This story reminds us of Gideon and the sign he sought from the Lord by putting out the fleece.” If it was God’s will to fight the Midianities, he asked that there be dew only on the fleece and not on the ground. Then he switched it and asked for dew to be on the ground not on the fleece. When we want to know God’s will we sometimes ask God to show us a sign.

Jonathan and his armorbearer climbed up the steep path on their hands and knees to fight the Philistines. This is symbolic of prayer on our knees that we bring before the throne of grace. Jonathan and his armorbearer killed 20 Philistines within a space of only about half an acre. It was a great victory. Then Saul and his army heard a great commotion in the camp of the enemy. Saul took role call and discovered Jonathan and his armorbearer were missing. They joined the battle and defeated them decisively. God had brought fear and confusion among upon the enemy.

What a great victory! The Lord did deliver by few. Little is much when God is in it. The hymn writer Kittie Louise Suffield wrote, “Little is much, when God is in it; labor not for wealth or fame; There’s a crown and you can win it, if you go in Jesus’ name.”

We need to trust the Lord and step out in faith to achieve the victory in the spiritual realm. There are numerous examples in Scripture of those who by themselves or in a small group did great exploits for God. Samson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey; Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad; Jael killed a commander of the Canaanites with a hammer and a tent peg. The list goes on and on. God brings about His power through the weakness of His servants.

Zechariah 4:6 says, “So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.’” The battle is the Lord’s and He gets all the glory. We are in His side.

Have a blessed day fighting the good fight of faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 12, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Take Up The Cross And Follow Christ-

“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.’”

(Luke 9:23-24).

Today’s verses are on the subject of discipleship. Every disciple is a Christian but every Christian is not a disciple. Jesus spoke very clearly on what it means to follow Him. So many go to church on Sunday but live their own lives Monday through Saturday. Jesus never intended it to be this way. Discipleship is a daily way of life.

Jesus calls those who desire to come after Him. There are three things we must do: deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow the Lord Jesus. Good intentions mean little, it takes practical actions. Those who save their saves, that is, insulate themself from hardship and persecution will lose them; and those who lose their lives, that is fully surrender the control of their lives to Him will save them. Discipleship requires full commitment, dedication, and surrender to Christ.

• Deny yourself – Self denial is not easy. Our flesh wants to be in control and have its own way. Denying self is so important to doing God’s will and pleasing Him. We must deny ungodliness, lust, greed, pride, and selfishness. Our sinful flesh is one of our spiritual enemies, along with the world and the devil.

• Take up your cross daily – In the context of these words of Jesus, He had just told them. “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” The greatest earthly enemies we face are those who are religious. The history Christianity is littered with persecution from religious people such as the Jews and later from the Roman Catholic Church. As soon as we mention the name of Jesus Christ, people turn against us. Today, there is a lot of hatred, animosity, and persecution directed at Christians. Though we do not have physical persecution in U.S. as there is in many countries, unsaved people are against us. Luke is the only gospel writer to add the word, “daily.” We must take up our cross daily in our identification and commitment to Christ, no matter the cost.

• Follow Me – It is not enough deny ourselves and take up our cross daily, we must follow the Lord. To follow Christ is to live for Him and serve Him; to obey Him and walk with Him; and to spend time with Him in prayer and the Word. It is a daily commitment to follow Christ no matter who is or is not following Him. The unknown hymn writer wrote, “Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow; Tho’ none go with me, I still follow; Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow; No turning back, no turning back.”

Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “…No one, after having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” A disciple must always go forward not backwards. Are you a disciple of Christ? It is not too late. Jesus would never ask us to do something we cannot do. He is our Lord and our example.

Have a blessed day by denying self, taking up your cross, and following Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 11, 2021-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

-Thus Far The Lord Has Helped Us-

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’”

(1 Samuel 7:12).

Samuel was a great prophet, priest, and judge. His mother Hannah, who once was barren, bore him as a direct answer to prayer. She had promised the Lord that she would “lend him to the Lord,” which she did. She brought him to the tabernacle and entrusted him to the care of Eli the priest. From the time he was weaned until he died, he served the Lord. He was one of the greatest men in the Bible.

The Philistines were great enemies of the Israelites which continued into the days of King David. They were strong, fierce fighters who were very hard to defeat and subdue. Here in 1 Samuel 7, Samuel told the people to put away their foreign gods, prepare their hearts for the Lord, and serve God only. 1 Samuel 7:8 says, “So the children of Israel said to Samuel, ‘Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the Philistines.’”

The Philistines attacked Israel right as Samuel was offering a burnt offering and praying. The Lord answered Samuel’s prayer by bringing loud thunder upon the Philistines and confusing them. Israel overcame them and won the victory that day and pushed them back. It was at this time that Samuel took a stone and called it Ebenezer, which literally means, “Stone of Help.” This stone was a witness and reminder of their victory.

Stones in Scripture played a very a important role. When the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River, they took twelve stones, one for each tribe, as a reminder of God’s help in their crossing into the Promised Land. The same is true in our text. Samuel said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” Oh, how we too need the Lord’s help daily! He has brought us safely and securely to this point in the Coronavirus pandemic. Many have contracted it and died here in the U.S. and around the world. He has protected us and preserved us thus far. God has helped us in so many ways spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially, materially, and financially.

Psalm 46:1-2, says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the sea.” God is greater than any problem, difficulty, trial, or circumstance we face. He is with us always and will help us in our times of trouble. Psalm 121:1-2 tells us, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth.”

We can confidently say with Samuel, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” He has helped us in the past and He will help us in the future. May the Lord help us in whatever we face today. Let us pray, repent, turn to His Word, and trust in the Lord not in ourselves. He will help us.

Have a blessed day praying for God’s help and thanking Him He has helped us thus far. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 10, 2021-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-Do Not Worry-

“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”

(Luke 12:29-31).

There are many things in the world that cause worry, anxiety, and stress. It is universal and affects everyone to one extent or another. Jesus tells us not to worry for our heavenly Father knows what we need and takes care of us and meets our needs. In the context of Luke 12:22-34, Jesus speaks of birds, flowers, and grass. God takes care of them and He cares for us even more. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3).

Worrying and being anxious shows that we are not trusting in the Lord. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” We should pray for our daily needs, thank God, and trust Him to answer.

When we bring our requests to the throne of grace, and leave them there, God will give us peace and answer our prayers. Nothing good ever comes from worry and anxiety, in fact it is sin. Worry and anxiety also cause us many mental, physical, and emotional problems. The peace the Lord gives us is so sweet and calming. God loves us so much and provides for us on a daily basis. Our heavenly Father knows our needs even before we ask Him.

We often tell others not to worry but we worry. Christians are the only people who do not have to worry. In fact, when we do not worry, others around us will notice our calm demeanor and ask us about it. We can tell them about Jesus. Think of how much worry and anxiety there is over the Coronavirus pandemic. Has not the Lord taken care of us this whole time. Let us thank Him!

May the Lord help us to seek first the kingdom of God. When our priority is on the heavenly, God will take care of the earthly. Jesus said in Luke 12:34 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Let us be content with what the Lord has given us.

Have a blessed day trusting the Lord and praying, not worrying or being anxious. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean