Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-May 31, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.’”

(John 11:9).

To the Jews of Jesus’ days, there were twelve hours in a day. The reason for this was they had no electricity. They started the day at 6:00 a.m the first hour, and ended at 6:00 p.m. the twelfth hour. This reckoning was based on the hours of the sun. They couldn’t see at night.

Jesus uses this analogy to speak in spiritual terms. As believers we have limited time to serve the Lord on this earth. Jesus said in John 9:5, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

Since our time is limited, we must utilize every day we have to glorify and serve the Lord. We seem to lose to many opportunities that God has given us. Paul wrote, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Paul also tells us that we are sons of light and sons of the day. None of us know how much time we have left in the hourglass of our lives.

Have a blessed day using our time for the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

May we make our days and hours count for eternity.

Dean

-May 30, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“Now Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’”

(John 11:21).

Mary and her sister Martha loved Jesus very much and when He was in Bethany, He visit them and stay with them and their brother Lazarus. Lazarus became seriously ill and they sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold he whom You love is sick.”

Jesus purposefully stayed two more days knowing Lazarus would die and He would raise him from dead, a greater miracle than healing a sickness. He would show His great love and mighty power that glorified God to the max.

We are so often like Mary and Martha, saying “what if” or “if only.” We question why the Lord allows certain trials in our lives. And if don’t question why, we ask, “how long will it last.”

David wrote in Psalm 13:1, “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” We err when we question God, yet it is so easy to fall into that trap of the devil. Someone once said, “When you can’t see His hand, trust His heart.”

Have a blessed day trusting the Lord’s wisdom, sovereignty, and love. Stay safe and healthy.

Question others but never question the Lord; He knows best and His ways are perfect.

Dean

-May 29, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“But your eyes have seen every great act (or work) of the Lord which He has done.”

(Numbers 11:7).

There is something special when we see something with our own eyes. The people of Israel left Egypt after seeing God work wonders in delivering them from bondage.

As the people journeyed in the wilderness they saw the parting of the Red Sea, and God’s victory over Pharaoh and his entire army. They saw Him provide water from a rock, manna from heaven, quail in abundance, and parting of the Jordan.

God was faithful, but most of the Israelites doubted, murmured, and complained. As a result, only Joshua and Caleb made it to the Promised Land, all the others who left Egypt died in the wilderness.

We ask ourselves how anyone could see what they saw and not be affected? We need to look no further than our sinful hearts. We seem to take God lightly or for granted. What He does not move us. We are even more responsible and accountable than they were. The Lord has saved us and given us many abundant blessings. Why do we not thank Him more?

Deuteronomy 29:2-3 says, “Now Moses called all Israel and said to them, ‘You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and his servants and to all his land—the great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great wonders.’”

Has God not done great things for us in saving us and helping through our journey on the path to heaven?He has protected us, led us, delivered us all through our lives.

Let us thank the Lord that we have seen so many great things in our lives. Stay safe and healthy.

See and remember what He has done; and thank Him from the dawn to setting sun.

Dean

-May 28, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”

(Psalm 150:6).

We do not know who wrote Psalm 150, but one thing is obvious: he was a man of praise who praised the Lord for everything. He desired that every believer praise the Lord as well.

The title of the psalm is, “Let All Things Praise the Lord.” The psalmist uses the word praise thirteen times in short psalm of six verses. Thus, to me we should call this the praise chapter; just 1 Corinthians 13 is the love chapter and 1 Corinthians 15 is the resurrection chapter.

Today’s verse is the pinnacle of the mountain of praise. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” This word praise could be rendered “Hallelujah.” We Christians have our own language. We say Hallelujah, praise the Lord, thank God, the Lord is good, blessed and thankful, and amen—just to mention a few. Do you use all these in your daily vernacular? Why not start today?

Many hymns speak of praising the Lord. In our hymnal, there are ten praise hymns and many others that mentions praise in the lyrics. My favorite is, “Praise Him! Praise Him!” by Fanny Crosby, the prolific hymn writer. The chorus says, “Praise Him! Praise Him! tell of His excellent greatness! Praise Him! Praise Him! ever in joyful song!” I count no fewer than six exclamation marks in the chorus alone!

But as good as it to read about praise, study about it, preach it, and teach it—but the best thing is to praise Him everyday. The Lord has given me breath, He has lent it to to me while I am living. I will praise Him and sing His praises.

The more we praise the Lord, the more we thank Him for who He is and what He has done for us. Have a blessed day praising the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

Let me praise the Lord all my days in all ways.

Dean

-May 27, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

(1 Peter 4:13).

No one enjoys trials and tribulations, pain and suffering, sorrow and hardship. In fact, we don’t connect joy with difficulties. One day when we stand before the Lord in His glory, we will fully recognize the benefits of the trials that we went through.

The word exceeding is defined as, “very great; exceptional in amount, quality or degree.” Our joy should exceed our pain and help us to see the benefits of our trials to our spiritual grown.

But how should react to them now as we experience them. Peter tells us we should be glad with exceeding great joy. Not just joy but exceeding joy. Our perspective changes when we see things from Christ’s vantage point.

We must make the conscious decision to rejoice. It is easier said than done. James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience (or endurance)” (James 1:2). Paul told us to, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4)!

Let us then be glad in what God is doing in our lives and of His ultimate purpose of making like Christ. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

God’s fiery trials never burn us, but beautify us and bless us.

Dean