Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-July 6, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.”

(Romans 16:1-2).

Today’s verses speak of a wonderful lady named Phoebe from the church of Cenchrea. Paul speaks of many individuals in Romans 16:1-16. Phoebe was not just mentioned by commended by the Apostle Paul.

This passage is where we get the teaching on letters of commendation from one church to another for someone moving to a new church, usually in another state. Our elders have done so for some in the past.

Apparently she was traveling and had some business that she had to attend to. Paul called upon the saints to receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints. He wanted them to help her in whatever business she had.

Paul notes that she is a sister in Christ who served the Lord in Cenchrea. Reading this portion we glean that she served the Lord and many including Paul himself. We can be assured that God will make sure His servants and served and helped.

The term singled out is phrasal verb, meaning, “to treat or to speak about (someone or something in a group) in a way that is different from the way one treats or speaks about others.” This was certainly the case with Phoebe. Paul had a special affection and great respect for this dear lady.

In a sense, every believer in Christ is singled out by God’s grace from all the people in the world. We are all saved and are members of the body of Christ. The Lord knows all about us and loves us immensely, intensely, intentionally.

Have a blessed day as God’s special child. Stay safe and healthy.

God’s description of us means everything to us.

Dean

-July 5, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”

King Herod wanted to placate the Jews so he had James the brother of John executed and harassed some others from the church. When he saw that the Jews were pleased by his actions, he arrested Peter and locked him securely in prison.

Peter was no criminal nor was he a dangerous prisoner but was incarcerated due to his proclamation of the gospel. They placed four squads of four soldiers each to guard him; not only that, but they chained him to two soldiers in his cell. Herod planned to bring him out after the Passover, most likely to kill him.

Praise God for the words, “…but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. Many believers met together at John Mark’s mother Mary’s house. I can imagine their prayers were continual, earnest, and fervent. God answered their prayers in a huge way, in an unexpected way.

God sent His angel to get Peter out of the prison. The four squads had no chance of stopping him. I believe the angel put them all to sleep, a very deep sleep.

Whenever we have urgent needs we send out a call for the members of our church to pray. We don’t have to wait for the next service at church. We give follow up calls with updates as well. It is called “One Call.” As the treasurer, I can tell you that it is money well spent. We pay a low flat rate monthly and can make all the calls we want. The person sending out the message records it and it goes to everyone in our church, hence the name “One Call.”

We also have Men’s and Women’s prayer meetings on Wednesday nights. We can’t over estimate the value and power of prayer. James wrote, “.. the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16b).

Have a blessed day in prayer 🙏 for the saints. Stay safe and healthy.

The lines from earth to heaven are always open at the throne of grace.

Dean

-July 4, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday, happy Independence Day,

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

(Galatians 5:1).

Every believer here in the U.S are twice free. We are free from sin, Satan, and this world; and we are free as citizens of America.

Our greatest freedom is in Christ. Jesus said in John 8:36, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” The shackles of hearts were broken once and for all through faith in Jesus Christ. He died for us on the cross, was buried, and rose again from the dead, and ascended back to heaven.

We are no longer under a heavy yoke of bondage. We are no longer under the law but under grace and the law of liberty. We were transformed from slaves to saints.

Not only are we thankful for our salvation, we are also blessed to be living in America. We enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, freedom to vote and or hold office, freedom of expression, and so much more.

I am a patriot and love our country and all the blessings I enjoy everyday. America is still beautiful, and the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Have a blessed day, thanking God for all we have in Christ and in America. Stay safe and healthy.

We are twice free, both you and me.

Dean

-July 3. 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us.”

(1 Kings 8:57).

God is a God of the past, present, and future. He never changes and is wholly faithful always. He has blessed us in past days and will bless us going forward in the future.

King Solomon lifted up his heart to the Lord in prayer for the nation of Israel. He uses the word “may” four times in verses 57-59: May the Lord our God be with us. May He not leave nor forsake us. That He may incline our hearts to Himself to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and judgments which He commanded or fathers. That He may maintain the cause of His servant and of His people.

The two great principles in today’s verse are still relevant today: that God is with us and that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We can’t rely on ourselves or on any person, but we can fully rely on the Lord.

When we remember God’s interventions in our lives in the past, it gives us hope for the future. Let us then trust God for His triumphs in and through us. All we must do is believe and rely on the Lord.

Have a blessed day. He is with us and for us. Stay safe and healthy.

There is nothing to fear when Jesus is near.

Deans

-July 2, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died.”

(Acts 9:36-37).

There are so many wonderful saints in Scripture who served the Lord in commitment, dedication, and faithfulness. Dorcas was such a lady in the early church. Her name in the Aramaic means “gazelle.”Dorcas is her name in the Greek, meaning the same thing.

Her life was such a blessing to the saints. She was full of good works and charitable deeds. This passage in Acts 9:36-43 tells her story. She made tunics and other garments.

This sweet lady got sick and died. The saints, especially the widows missed her so much. She left a blessing to many. People die everyday but the saints in Joppa had faith to call Peter to come right away. He wasn’t called to conduct a funeral service but to raise her from the dead.

Her story is so similar to Lazarus’. Both were dead for a while, both were loved, and both were missed, and both were raised from the dead. Raising from dead was shown in the early church as a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Peter spoke to her and raised her from the dead and presented her back to the saints and widows. Their sorrow was turned to joy. It made such a great impact on those in Joppa, and the word spread all around this city. As a result many believed in the Lord.

If you were taken home to be with the Lord, would you be missed in your church, in your office, in your neighborhood, in your school, and wherever you went? Let us live to be a blessing to those around us. Our lives are so short in the light of eternity.

Have a blessed day living for the Lord and serving Him. We can’t change how we die, but how we live. Stay safe and healthy.

Dr. Bob Cook concluded his radio messages with the words, “Walk with the King today and be a blessing.”

Dean