Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-May 13, 2025-

Good morning dear friends, happy Tuesday,

“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

(2 Timothy 2:3-4).

In Part I yesterday, we discussed that we must endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. We are part of the army of God to fight the good fight of faith. As difficult as hardship is, it has a blessing for us spiritually.

Today, we focus on how we can please our Commander-In- Chief. He is the One who enlisted us a soldier. We may think that to be good soldiers we must be properly trained and equipped. Though this is true, but Paul says here, “No one engaged in active warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Entangling ourselves in worldly, earthly, temporary things only distract and discourage us. The devil delights in getting us to focus on things, not on Christ. The word entangle is defined as, “caused to become twisted together with or caught in.”

Sometimes we can get entangled in spider webs, sea weeds at the ocean, or other physical things. We have all had shoelaces tied in a knot that is hard to get loose. A string of Christmas lights so easily gets tangled.

Worse yet we can get entangled by sin and the things of this life. Hebrews 12:1 says, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race set before us.”

To be effective, efficient, excellent soldiers we can’t let the world or sin ensnare us. Have a blessed day as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

The key to victory is to follow orders from headquarters.

Dean

-May 12, 2025-

Good morning dear friends, happy Monday.

“You therefore must endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

(2 Timothy 2:3-4).

In this section of 2 Timothy 2:1-13, Paul speaks of being strong in grace. He uses several analogies of the Christian life: being soldiers, athletes, and farmers. Each of these is worthy of our study and meditation.

When a person enlists in military service, he or she signs up for a life of full allegiance and commitment to our country. It therefore should be done with careful consideration of all the ramifications. Your lives are your own and you must give over all your personal things. They give what to wear, and the weapons and equipment you need to function in your role as a soldier.They tell when to sleep, when to eat, and when to fight.

Being a soldier is not easy from bootcamp to the battlefield. The same is true of us as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us we must endure hardship. This is especially true when a soldier is in active combat. Being a soldier requires sacrifice, privation, and hard physical effort. One has to be all in, all the time.

The word hardship is defined as, “severe suffering or privation.” The Christian life is filled with many hardships: spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, social, material, and financial. They are difficult to go through.

For us there are spiritual battles to fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Because we still have the old nature we must engage in fighting against sin. The word “endure” can be rendered “you must share.” Thus we share in the life of Christ and when we stand for Him we will suffer persecution and opposition.

Have a blessed day serving in the Lord’s Army. There will be hardships but there will also be the grace to fight on. Stay and healthy.

The battle is not ours but the Lord’s, all our days and all our hours.

Dean

-May 11, 2025-

Happy Lord’s Day, happy Mother’s Day,

“When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

(2 Timothy 1:5).

Paul believed in giving credit where credit is due. He specifically mentioned both Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. They influenced his life for the Lord. As someone said, “Behind every great man is a godly mother.”

Lois raised Eunice for the Lord; and Eunice raised Timothy for Christ. He showed such promise that Paul took him under his wings and served with him. Timothy later became the pastor of the church at Ephesus.

I am sure if someone visited their home they would hear the prayers uttered and the Scriptures read and studied. Their godly home was both a school and a sanctuary.

I have the greatest respect for all mothers, especially the godly mothers. No one loves like mother; no one cares like a mother; no one prays like a mother. Stay-home moms do so much, and their worth is greater than precious gems.

Solomon wrote an entire chapter, Proverbs 31, about the virtuous wife and mother. Proverbs 31:10 says, “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.” The word virtuous literally means, “a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence.”

Boaz spoke of Ruth, who later became his wife, “And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman” (Ruth 3:11). There are many godly mothers in the Bible. Like Timothy, David was a third generation believer. Ruth was the great grandmother of David.

Have a wonderful Lord’s Day and Mother’s Day. Stay safe and healthy.

How do measure a mother’s worth who raised you up from your birth.

Dean

-May 10, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’”

(John 2:5).

Jesus, Mary, and all disciples were invited to a wedding in the small town of Cana in Galilee. Everything was going all swimmingly until they ran out of wine. It was a catastrophe for a Jewish wedding.

They couldn’t just run to the local store and buy some. Quick thinking, Mary knew Jesus could do something about it, though He had not done any miracles to this point.

Mary bypassed the master of the feast and went directly to the servants. She told them, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.” Jesus told them to fill the large water pots used for purification. There were six of them, containing twenty to thirty gallons each. Nike coined the slogan, “Just Do It.” It is now an internationally saying.

As we know Jesus turned the water into wine, the best wine ever. The master of the feast complimented the bridegroom for keeping the best wine until the end, which was usually inferior to what was served at the beginning. Only Jesus and the servants knew of this miracle.

The key to our Christian life is obedience to Christ; Just as the servants obeyed in every detail, down to the last jot and tittle, we must do the same.

Have a blessed day just doing it (whatever the”it” is). Stay safe and healthy.

Obey all the way every day. Just do it.

Dean

-May 9, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“That your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

(Matthew 6:4).

Jesus scorned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, their selfish ways, their onward works without inward reality, and their desire to be seen by men. We must be on guard against all these things in our lives.

Jesus says that our charitable deeds or good works should be in secret. If we do it for show, we will lose our heavenly reward. Our Savior tells us several important principles to go by in Matthew 6:1-4: don’t do things to be seen by men, don’t sound a trumpet to announce our good deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, do everything for others in secret, and God will reward us openly.

It isn’t always possible to do things secretly, but we should try, so that all the thanks and glory will go to Christ not to us. I think all of us have experienced this in the giving and receiving of anonymous gifts or deeds. It is a blessing for the giver or receiver.

Have a blessed day doing good to others seeking no recognition for ourselves Stay safe and healthy,

When we toot our own horn, we do so with no accompaniment.

Dean