Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-March 19, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

(Isaiah 41:10).

God’s promises are so encouraging to us and for us. We must remember them, claim them, and use them to get us through every circumstance. God’s promises are powerful, practical, and personal.

Today’s verse is one of my favorites because it contains five promises; and it has God’s speaking to us in the first person. In the Scriptures there are thousands of promises. Someone once said, “To finish the race, we must keep our eyes on the promise, not the obstacle.”

The main thought of this verse is not to fear or be dismayed. God gives us five reasons why. He tells us that we are in good hands—His strong hands. The words, “Fear not are found some 365 times in the Bible, one for each day.

1. I am with you – What a blessing to know that God is with us every day, in every way, and in every step of the way. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, ‘He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.’” We have nothing to fear when Jesus is near. The “them,” covers people and circumstances.

2. I am Your my God – God is so personal to each of us. He has a plan for our lives and sees us through the most difficult times. God tells us not to be dismayed. The word dismay is defined as, “consternation and distress, typically caused by something unexpected; to lose courage or resolution.”

May the Lord help us to remember God’s promises and claim them for ourselves, our families, our friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our Heavenly Father loves it when we pray back His promises in faith and trust, asking Him to do what He said He would do.

Tomorrow we will consider the other three promises. Have a blessed day relying on God and the promises He gives us. Stay safe and healthy.

When God is with is in every trial, we can be thankful to Him with a smile.

Dean

-March 18, 2025-

Good morning dear saints, happy Tuesday,

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached on among the Gentiles, believed on the world, received up in glory.”

(1 Timothy 3:16).

So far we have considered the first two great 3:16’s in the Scriptures: John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16. God so loved us and gave His Son to save us from sin and give us everlasting life; and in love Christ laid down His life for us and we should lay down our lives for one another.

Today we unwrap the great mystery of godliness of who Christ is. A mystery in the NT is something that was previously unknown or hidden that is now revealed. It is without controversy, that is without dispute or doubt.

Jesus is the eternal Son of God, who was, and is, and always will be; He is the great I AM. Today’s verse describes who He is. No one can fully define or describe Him, for He for He is limitless. John wrote, “And there are also many things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not not contain the books that would be written. Amen” (John 21:25).

Jesus was manifested in the flesh as both perfect God and perfect man. He was justified in the Spirit, doing everything the Father gave Him to do by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was seen by angels whom He had created and who served and comforted Him.

He was preached among the Gentiles by the glorious gospel. He was believed on in world by us and all believers who have been saved by grace through faith. He was received up in glory to sit at the right hand of God, and will one raise us up to be with Him in heaven forever.

This description of Christ is so beautiful and powerful, though my commentary seems very inadequate. Let us rejoice in who Jesus is. He is with us, for us, and in us. As Paul wrote in Colossians 1:27, “To them (the saints) God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Have a blessed day worshipping our precious Savior for who He is and what He done for us. Stay safe, healthy, and close to Him.

Jesus Christ is indescribable, incomparable, and incredible.

Dean

-March 17, 2025-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

( 1 John 3:16).

Yesterday we looked John 3:16, the first great 3:16. God so loved the world that He gave only begotten Son so that we wouldn’t perish but have everlasting life. God had the greatest love, gave us the greatest gift, for the greatest duration—all eternity.

Today we will look at how God wants us to show His love to others just like He loves us. The only reason we know love and can love others is because He loved us and laid down His life for us.

1 John 4:19 says. “We love because He first loved us.” Our natural love pales in comparison to His love. At our best we love those who love us. Jesus taught us how love others as ourselves, just as He loved us.

Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus loved us by laying down His for us so that we should follow His example and lay down our lives for one another. What does it mean to lay down our lives for one another? Certainly it means to die for others if need be. But it also means to live for others, to sacrifice for others, to share with those in need, and to strengthen those who are weak. Oh, that we would live unselfish and sacrificial lives, thinking of others above ourselves.

This will make a tremendous impact on the world when we love our neighbors as ourselves, in sincerity and truth. Proverbs 17:17 tells us, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” It is loving at all times, in good times and bad, in season and out of season.

Have a blessed day loving one another and laying down our wills and desires to bless others. Stay safe and healthy.

Love lays down self so it can raise up others.

Dean

-March 16, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

(John 3:16).

Today’s verse is so familiar that even unbelievers know it. Just because it is so familiar, should never take away its beauty and impact. It never loses its power and blessing. I am sure that most all of us have this verse memorized.

John 3:16 speaks of four great truths: God’s love for us, God’s gift to us, God’s deliverance from perishing, and God’s everlasting life freely bestowed on us.

• “For God so loved the world” – God loved the whole world, including you and me. His love is unbounded, unconditional, and unending. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

• “That He gave His only begotten Son” – God’s greatest gift was and is His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” How do we describe this gift and thank Him enough for His precious Son.

• That whoever believes in Him should not perish” – Jesus saved us from hell and damnation. The word perish has a definite finality to it. For the Christian we are saved from the wrath to come. Jesus died for us and saved us from spiritual death.

• “But have everlasting life – If you are like me, I have a hard grasping eternity. It has no end. We will one day be in heaven with the Lord and all believers forever. God has freely given us all things. 1 John 5:12 tells us, “He who has the Son has life; he who does the Son does not have life.”

May the Lord help us to remember His love and His sacrifice for us. Christ died to save us from death. Tomorrow, we will look at the second great 3:16: 1 John 3;16. Have a blessed Lord’s Day. Stay safe and healthy.

No greater love, no greater gift, no greater sacrifice for us.

Dean

-March 15, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things shall be added to you.”

(Matthew 6:33).

Jesus referred to the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven more than any other subject throughout His earthly ministry. He told parables that referred to the kingdom and how we should live and serve in it.

Jesus’ kingdom is at this point a heavenly one, but one day He will rule and reign over the world. He is the King and we as believers are His kingdom disciples. Before salvation, Satan and sin were in control of our lives. Jesus died and rose again to save us from our sins and make us heirs of the kingdom.

Jesus said to, “But seek first the kingdom of God.” God’s kingdom must be our daily priority in all that we say and do. From the moment we wake up until we sleep at night, we must be about kingdom business.

The King provides for us in this life. He said, “all these things shall be added to you.” This includes food, clothing, and shelter, the basic needs of life, plus all other needs as well.

Paul wrote in Romans 14:17-18, “For the kingdom of God is not in eating and drinking, but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”

Righteousness is being right with God and people, and doing what is right in God’s sight. Peace is the calm of soul in the absence of conflict and disturbance. And joy flows from the heart by the Holy Spirit and springs forth in all we do.

Let us then live for and walk with our King today and promote the kingdom of God in every situation. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Seeking first the King in everything.

Dean