Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 28, 2025-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, the man of God may be complete, throughly equipped for every good work.”

(2 Timothy 3:16-17).

There is no book like the Bible. It is the Word of God. God speaks to us through the Scriptures. sometimes you read something that says, “For informational purposes only.” The Bible is not just to fill the mind, but touch the heart and change a life.

The word inspire is defined as, “a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive or communicate sacred revelation.” It literally means in the Greek, “God breathed.” God used many prophets, apostles, and other holy men of God to speak and write the very words of God by the Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for admonition, upon whom the end of the ages have come.”

Today’s text gives four uses of the Scriptures: doctrine, which is teaching; reproof, which is to rebuke someone who has done or speak wrong doctrine or is in sin; correction, which is designed to help someone change their behavior; and instruction in righteousness, which applying the Word in order to live holy, godly, and righteous lives.

The Word of God is living. It is just as fresh and up to date as it was when it was first written. Have a blessed day in God’s Word. Stay safe and healthy.

Knowledge gives understanding, and understanding gives wisdom, and wisdom changes our lives.

Dean

-April 27, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”

(Luke 22:19).

On the night before Jesus was betrayed, He broke bread with His disciples minus Judas. Our Savior instituted the Lord’s Supper, which we have carried on to the presence.

The early believers gathered on the first day of the week to remember the Lord in taking the bread and wine (see Acts 20:7). We need to always follow the NT pattern. Is one hour a week too often to worship and Lord and commemorate our His death, burial, and resurrection? I don’t think so!

The four blessed words in today’s verse are, “in remembrance of Me.” We are human with finite memories and Jesus knew we needed reminders, so He gave us two: the bread, symbolizing His broken body and the cup, symbolizing His shed blood.

At our church we have a heavy oak table on which we place the bread and wine and grape juice to be dispensed to the saints. I know some churches only break bread once a month or once a quarter and I thank God for all the Bible believing churches who gather in Jesus’ name to remember Him.

There is a rich hymn entitled, “For the Bread and for the Wine” written by G.W. Fraser. The first verse says, “For the bread and for the wine, for the pledge that seals Him mine, for the words of love divine, we give Thee thanks, O Lord.”

Have blessed in remembrance of our Savior today who gave His life to save us. Stay safe and healthy.

Thinking of what we received; we are saved who have believed.

Dean

-April 26, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28).

Life rarely works according to plan, at least according our plans. There are delays, cancellations, interruptions, mishaps, and mistakes. God wants us to be flexible and trust in Him.

My friend Mike always says, “Be flexible and you will never get bent out of shape.” That is so true. I grew up playing with a toy called Gumby. You could bend him, stretch him, or squeeze him; still he kept his shape.

I don’t know about you, but I still need to learn this lesson. We tend to have high expectations and when we do we can be disappointed.

Paul gives us the remedy, “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. God has a plan for our lives and nothing happens out His perfect, permissible, and directive will.

When can realize this we are the better for it. It can keep us from much frustration. I preach to myself first. Just Friday I stayed home all day waiting for my new debit card. First, they said it was coming between 8:40 to 12:40; then the estimate changed between 12:00 to 2:00; the third estimate was before 8:00. It goes without saying, I wasn’t happy about it. Then I had to leave to pick a prescription for someone. I just left it in the Lord’s hands.

Have a blessed day whatever direction that day takes. Stay safe and healthy.

God is in life’s twists and turns.

Dean

-April 25, 2025-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

(Romans 8:37).

In this world we experience many trials, temptations, and troubles; the Apostle Paul says, “…we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” How can this be? It is all because of Jesus.

The word conquer is defined as, “to overcome or take control (a place or people) by use of military force.” As believers we share in the victory of Christ at the cross. Whom did Christ defeat at Calvary? He triumphed over sin, Satan, and this world.

Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Only the Lord gives us the victory.

We are not only conquerors, we are more than conquerors. This is so important for us to remember when we go through hard times. Jesus is with us, the Captain of our ship, our Commander-In-Chief. He sees us through the storms of life.

Why then do we doubt? Why do we try to make it in our own? Why do we feel discouraged? Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” It can also be rendered as, “an abundantly available help.” We must seek the Lord and trust in Him in order to be victorious.

The Lord is with us on Monday morning as much as He is with at church on Sunday at church. We can face anything and everything that happens to us through His love and grace. When something comes up, the Lord already knows about it and how He will get us through it.

Have a blessed day as more than conquerors through Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Jesus turns our defeats into victories.

Dean

-April 24, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.”

(Luke 19:6).

Often people came to Jesus to heal them and save them; other times Jesus came to them. In the case of Zacchaeus did both: because was short, he climbed up in a Sycamore tree so that could see Jesus. He had great faith and determination to see Jesus.

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, hated by both the Jews and the Romans. The Jews called them sinners and wouldn’t associate with them. Tax collectors collected the amount charged by the Romans and charged an extra fee in on top of it. They got rich in a very unscrupulous way.

Chief tax collectors were the worst of the worst; they collected a fee from the other tax collectors and became even richer. Zacchaeus knew he was a sinner and that Jesus received sinners.

Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the tree and called him down to go to his house. This is the first time Jesus invited Himself over for dinner. It was also an outreach to his family and friends. Onlookers complained that Jesus went to be a guest of sinner.

Jesus loves sinners and saves them. Zacchaeus showed true repentance and salvation. Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9). What a life changing experience for Zacchaeus; his life would never be the same.

Jesus explained in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which lost.” Souls are precious to the Lord and He reaches out His arms of love to everyone who comes to Him.

Sunday School kids love this story— we all love it too. It is our story. We, like Zacchaeus, must see our need of Jesus and come to Him as lost sinners. He will never turn us away.

Have a blessed day as a sinner saved by grace. Stay safe and healthy.

We must come down from our high tree, to come to Jesus to be set free.

Dean