Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 1, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“[That you] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

(Ephesians 3:18-19).

How do you measure the measureless? How do you comprehend the incomprehensible? The word measureless is defined as,”having no bounds or limits; unlimited.” The word incomprehensible means,”impossible to comprehend.”

Paul, the great apostle, could not measure God’s love for us. It is too vast. He asks that we may be able to comprehend the width, length, depth, and height of the love of Christ which passes knowledge. We have nothing on earth to compare it to. It is wider than a continent; longer than the distance to the moon; deeper than the deepest ocean; and higher the highest star.

There is a great, familiar hymn entitled, “The Love of God.” The first verse says, “The Love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell; the guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child, He reconciled and pardoned from his sin.”

Have a blessed day musing on the love of Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

We may not be able to measure Christ’s love; nor comprehend it—but we can bask in it and thank God for it.

Dean

-March 31, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness.”

(Psalm 119:36).

Today is the last day of the first quarter of the year; it is the 90th day of the year. Time just seems to fly by and stops for no one. I am leaving on a mini vacation this morning to Monterey, California, one of the most beautiful places in our state, and not too far from home.

The Lord has been so good to me and has made this time possible. I will going by myself to rest and relax for four days. Even better, I won’t have to miss a Sunday at church.

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, 176 verses. It is known as a treatise on the Word of God, which is mentioned in one form or another in nearly every verse in this wonderful psalm; But just as important, it a book of prayers.

The unknown psalmist prays, “Incline my heart to Your testimonies…” The word incline is defined as, “feel willing or favorably disposed toward (an action, belief, or attitude); have a tendency to do something.”

How important and blessed it is to ask God to direct our hearts today to His Word—to put Him first above anything or anyone else. When we incline our hearts to Him, He keeps us from covetousness.

Just in this one section of Psalm 119:33-40, the psalmist prays, “Teach me (v. 33); give me understanding ( v. 34); make me walk in the right path; incline my heart (v.35); turn away my eyes from worthless things (v. 37); establish Your word to Your servant (v.38); turn away my reproach (v. 39); revive me in Your righteousness (v. 40). What a tremendous prayer! Will you pray it with me today?

May the Lord give us a blessed day seeking Him in prayer and in His Word. He will keep us, provide for us, and protect us in whatever comes today. Stay and healthy.

Our day can’t be in the decline when our hearts are in the incline.

Dean

-March 30, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”

(John 17:15).

Jesus taught His disciples to pray. He spent much time in prayer very early morning or very late at night. In fact, before choosing the Twelve, He spent all night praying to the Father.

John 17 is known as, “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.” He prays for Himself (vss. 1-5); He prays for His disciples (vss. 6-19); and He prays for all believers, which includes us (vss. 20-26).

Our Savior is our Great High Priest and He intercedes for us daily. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

He wants us to be victorious especially over the devil whom He calls the evil one. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31-32, “…Simon, Simon! Indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

We are in a spiritual battle every day with the evil one who speaks his lies, fires his flaming missiles, and seeks to frighten and discourage us. In the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-15, Jesus said in verse 13, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” The devil always hits us when we are weak and vulnerable.

The best prayer for victory is, “Lord do not let me sin against You or dishonor You in any way—and that the desire to sin and the opportunity to sin will not intersect in my life.” Jesus doesn’t pray to take us out of the world, but that we will kept by His grace. Let us pray for our brethren as Jesus prays for us.

Have a blessed and victorious day over the devil by the power of the Holy Spirit and the shed blood of Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Satan condemns us, Christ justifies us and intercedes for us.

Dean

-March 29, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory.”

(1 Corinthians 10:31).

In the context of this passage, Paul is speaking of the controversy in the early church over eating meat that had been offered to idols. Some said definitely not, while others thought there was nothing wrong with it. Meat sold at the local meat markets had both but they weren’t marketed.

Paul clearly stated, “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.’” Satan always tries to cause division and strife between brothers and sisters in Christ.

In stead, Paul says, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” How much we need these words today, though our controversies center on different issues, the principles are the same: tolerance, understanding, and most of all love.

One should all to the glory of God and not stumble our brethren. This should be foremost in our minds at all times; if it’s doubtful, don’t do it; if it’s good do it all the more. The questions we should ask ourselves are, “is it glorifying to God? And, is it profitable and edifying to others?

Let our prayer be today to do all to the glory of God. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, “But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.” We strive to please an audience of one: our Lord Jesus Christ. By doing so, we will benefit an audience of many people.

May we do all to the glory of God—whether at school, work, home, church, or wherever we are. Let us give our best effort to please the Lord. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Let it be our story, to do all to God’s glory.

Dean

-March 28, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”

(Nahum 1:7).

Yesterday we considered the first part of this wonderful verse, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. We are going to face many days of trouble in our lives, but we are not alone, the Lord is with as our stronghold.

Today we will look at the second part of the verse which is such a blessing, “And He knows those who trust in Him.” The Lord knows those who are His people, those who love Him, and those who trust in Him.

Sometimes we may question the salvation of those who show no change in their lives and bear no fruit. Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:18-20).

The Lord knows us throughly, even better than we know ourselves for He is our Creator, Savior, and Redeemer. He knows our thoughts and searches our hearts. He knows how we are wired and what makes us tick. I am old enough to remember when we had to actually wind our watches and if they needed service we had to take them to a watchmaker. For years my elderly great Uncle Albert used to repair watches out of his home. He knew all about watches, in and out.

2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’” Are we trusting Him or are we placing our confidence in man, measures, or mechanisms?

May the Lord help us to trust Him with all the details of our lives, relying fully on Him, and walking by faith. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

As the hymn writer Edward P. Stiles wrote, “Simply trusting every day, trusting through a stormy way; even when my faith is small, trusting Jesus—that is all.”

Dean