Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 13, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day, happy Palm Sunday,

“Then as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen.”

(Luke 19:37).

Today is Palm Sunday, one week before Easter. Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey in fulfillment of the prophesy found in Zechariah 14:9, which says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt the foal of a donkey.”

There was great excitement among the thousands of people in Jerusalem for Passover. There were shouts of rejoicing, people throwing palm branches and clothing on the ground as Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. I recently saw the movie, “The Chosen: the Last Supper Part I” It was a real blessing and I was encouraged seeing all the events, especially the Triumphal Entry.

As we gather to worship the Lord today, let us have the same joy and excitement that those who witnessed it first hand experienced. May we praise the Lord for His humble entry and how He willingly went to the cross, suffered, bled, and died, then rose from the dead.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day and Palm Sunday. Stay safe and healthy.

Jesus is worthy of our praise, all of our days.

Dean

-April 12, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power.”

(Colossians 2:9-10).

What Jesus accomplished at the cross was stupendous. He died for us, bearing our sins to cleanse us from sin by His shed blood. We are complete in Him. The word complete has a definite finality about it. We were made righteous in God’s sight and are now perfect in Christ. God sees us through Christ in all His perfection.

There is a song I remember from the past that puts it to music. “It’s not by works of righteousness, but by His grace alone; it’s not by works of righteousness, but by His grace alone; it’s not by works of righteousness, but by His grace alone, and we are complete in Him. Complete! Complete! Complete in Him. We are complete in Him. Complete! Complete! Complete in Him. We are complete in Him.”

You may think that you are unworthy, but God counts you worthy in Christ. The work of our salvation is complete, nothing needs to be added.

Have a blessed day in and through Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

We are complete from the crown our head to the soles of our feet.

Dean

-April 11, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.”

(1 Samuel 2:18).

Josiah was the youngest king of Judah at eight years; Samuel was the youngest prophet. Hannah promised the Lord to lend him to Him if would God answer her prayers for a male child.

Samuel may have been two or three years old when Hannah brought him to the tabernacle to live with the aged prophet Eli. Year after year Hannah brought him a little robe. Kids out grow their clothes and shoes pretty fast.

Even as a child he had a hunger for the Word of God and desire to serve Him.Young Samuel grew up to be Israel’s last judge and first prophet; in fact he was the only one who was a prophet, a priest, and a judge.He served the Lord faithfully in a circuit traveling all through the land of Israel. He anointed both Saul and David. He was a great man of God.

How young is too young to learn the Word? It is amazing how many children come to Christ at a young age and receive Him as Savior. Sunday School teachers teach them a lot once a week, but parents teach every day. Parents you never know if you are raising a Samuel or Timothy.

Hannah weaned Samuel before bringing him to the tabernacle; then Samuel was weaned on the Word of God. I love all the children in our church. Our kids are so well taught in the Scriptures. All of us have the responsibility to being examples to the young ones.

Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Kids are the future church; We must pass to them the torch.

Dean

-April 10, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

(Luke 12:15).

Jesus used any and every opportunity to teach a lesson. Someone in the crowd shouted out to Jesus, “…Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” The key phrase is “with me.”

Money can ruin relationships I and tear apart families. This man wanted Jesus to side with him in a messy family dispute over an inheritance. Jesus wouldn’t do it.

Instead Jesus warned against covetousness (greed). Life doesn’t consist of things. People are far more important than money or possessions. Our Savior told the parable of the Rich Fool, who decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones so he would have much for years to come. Jesus called him a fool for making no provision for eternity and he left it all behind.

Life is all about Jesus not about us, nor things of this world. One of my favorite singers is Allan Jackson. He sings so many beautiful hymns. One is entitled, “It’s All About Him.” The second verse says, “It’s not about ego or things you can hold, it’s not about power, or silver or gold. Not who’s at your table or where you lay down, it’s not about spreadin your wings on the ground.”

Have a blessed day living all about Him. Stay safe and healthy.

Things only satisfy for a moment—Christ satisfies forever.

-April 9, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

(Psalm 119:11).

The unknown psalmist wrote this wonderful psalm that speaks of the Word of God. Today’s verse shows the importance of the Word to us personally, powerfully, and practically.

God never intended the Bible to sit on a shelf or coffee table or in an ornate church. He meant for every believer to learn it, mediate on it, study it, memorize it, and apply it to our lives.

It is so vital to hide the Word in our hearts so that when we need it we can draw upon it. My great uncle Irwin used to always quote the phrase, “Sin will keep you from the Bible, and the Bible will keep us from sin.”

Psalm 37:31 says, “The law of his God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide.” The word slide can be rendered slip. In times of trial, temptation, fear, and anxiety—God brings His Word to our hearts and minds at just right time. The Scriptures garrison our hearts when the evil one unceasingly and relentlessly attacks us.

It is said of Mary the mother of Jesus, “But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” This is where we get the expression “to take something to heart.” We take in the Word that we may bring it up and act it out in our lives.

We often note the difference between head knowledge verses heart knowledge. We can know something in our minds, but until it reaches our hearts we will not really know it fully; and not until we practice it will it become part of us.

May the Lord help us to hide the implanted Word in our hearts daily to keep us on the straight and narrow path, the highway of holiness.

Have a blessed day musing on the Word and letting it touch your heart and change your life. Stay safe and healthy.

By hiding the Word in our hearts, it shows in our lives like a light that cannot be hidden.

Dean