Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-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

-March 14, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

(Philippians 4:9).

I have found the best way to learn something is to hear it, see it, write it down, apply it, and practice it. This is especially true of the Word of God.

Paul wrote the epistle to the Philippians, the book of living joy, from prison. It is both personal and practical. Paul was an excellent Bible teacher. He loved the saints so much and wanted them to get it. He mentions four important ways to take in God’s truth: hear, receive, learn, and see. I put them in the order that that seems to fit best.

1. Hear – God gave us two ears to hear. Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:9)! To really hear, we must listen. It takes concentration and focus. There is nothing more important than the Word, but listening to hymns and praise and worship songs are also very profitable and encouraging.

2. Receive – Once we hear and listen, we must embrace it and believe it. The words must get past our ears and reach the heart. To receive something is to take it in and understand it. Job 22:22 says,”Receive, please instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.”

3. Learn – Once we hear and receive it, we must learn it. Learning requires both a teacher and a student. I have learned so much from my teachers and mentors in the Lord; in fact, I am still learning at age 67. Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.”

4. See – Seeing the truth practiced by our preachers and teachers helps is to follow it in our lives. Paul wrote, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” None of us are perfect, but we should try our best to show Christ in our words and actions.

When we follow this simple, yet important steps, God will give us peace in our hearts and lives. Have a blessed day hearing, receiving, learning, and seeing. Stay safe healthy.

From the ears to the heart, is where we must start.

Dean

-March 13, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.”

(Philippians 4:2).

It seems there were sisters in the fellowship in the church in Philippi who couldn’t get along: Euodia and Syntyche.

We don’t know what the conflict and argument was about, but it had reached the ears of Paul in his Roman prison cell. It must of serious for Paul to intervene.

It is always sad when two believers can’t get along. Sometimes discussions can turn to arguments, and arguments can turn to feuds. Even the apostles had disagreements and disputes over who was the greatest. Paul himself had a sharp disagreement with Barnabas over taking John Mark with them after John had left them and went home.

The key to any discussion between believers is show the love of Christ, to be patient, to not make it personal, and to be humble, respectful, and gentle.

We don’t know how the matter turned out, but I would like to think each apologized to each other and made up; the fellowship was restored. They may have even become close friends.

These principles apply to all relationships and with all people. Some people are hard to get along with. In such cases, God gives greater grace.

Have a wonderful and blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Love covers a multitude of sins.

Dean