Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-January 14, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.”

(Revelation 2:25-26).

The context is of our text is John’s messages to the seven churches in Asia. This particular portion was spoken to the church of Thyatira, the corrupt church. What a sad label for any church!

As bad as things were in Thyatira, there were those who loved the Lord and followed the Word of God. John’s quotes the words of Jesus to them, “hold fast till I come,” and he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.”

The term hold fast is defined as, “to remain securely adhered (to something); to remain determined, stalwart, and unyielding, as in one’s position or opinion.” What should we hold fast to? We should hold fast to the Word of God, to what we believe, and most of all, to the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the world deteriorates, we must be resolute in our faith in Christ and commitment to the work of God. To do this we need to cling to the Lord no matter what we are going through. God wants us to be overcomers, all the way to the finish line. There is no room for compromise; no room for giving up; we must stand with and for the Lord.

Have a blessed day in the Lord. Be faithful in all things. Stay safe and healthy.

Standing fast in Jesus firm to the end.

Dean

-January 13, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”

(1 Corinthians 3:23).

Paul’s words are so encouraging and challenging to us. The Scripture teaches us that all things are ours because we belong to Christ. We have it all because He has it all.

Jesus died for us and purchased us with His precious blood. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

We no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to Christ and everything we have belongs to Him. This means all our time, possessions, money, gifts, and abilities are under His control.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

What does all this mean to us in our daily lives? It means it should be foremost in our thinking, decisions, actions, and relationships. I must recognize that what I do reflects on my blessed Savior, either for good or bad.

Joseph understood this very well when after Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce him, told her, “There is no one greater in this house that I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Let us live today with the realization that we are Christ’s. He is our Lord, our King, and our Master. Let us seek to please Him in all things. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

It is certain that I don’t belong to self, to sin, to the world or to Satan. I’m under new management.

Dean

-January 12, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

(Romans 12:16).

The Bible teaches us to be both sympathetic (to feel for someone), and empathic (to feel with someone). Both of these qualities demonstrate our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul was certainly one who proved his love for the brethren. He always had concern for the saints that were hurting and prayed for them, and was happy when they were blessed. He left us a great example of love in action.

I. Rejoice with those who rejoice – There is no room for envy or jealousy. It is easy to think “why didn’t I get blessed like he or she did.” Instead we should be happy when others succeed and are rejoicing. In fact, we should be just as happy when others do well as if it happened to us.

II. Weep with those who weep – So often we get so wrapped up in our own problems and trials that we don’t show empathy as we should. We should feel just as bad for others as if it had happened to us.

It is a good reminder of how Christ would have us to respond to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day and let us rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Stay safe and healthy.

The person who rejoices and weeps with others will have others do the same to them.

Dean

-January 11, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those you who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

(Matthew 5:44).

It is one thing to love your friends and those who love you back; it is quite another to love your enemies and those who hate. Jesus taught us to love and forgive, and pray for those who wrong us, even those who have malice of intent.

We can only do this by the power of the Holy Spirit. When we don’t react to the ill treatment of others, it can have a powerful effect on them.

Jesus tells how to love our enemies and showed us by His words and actions. He tells us three ways to show love: bless, do good, and pray. Each of these responses is the opposite of how the world would handle enemies.

• Bless those who curse you – King David experienced this upon fleeing from his son Absalom who had usurped his kingdom. A belligerent, obstinate man named Shimei, showed up and cursed him, kicked dust, and threw stones at him and his men. David showed tremendous restraint.

• Do good to those who hate you – Doing good for nice people is easy, but doing good to those who hate you shows the love of Christ.

• Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you – It is so important to pray for those who harm us, disparage us, and make us look bad. Some even lie about us.

May the Lord give us the grace to love the unloveable, show mercy to the merciless, and kindness to the unkind. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Showing the love of Jesus can melt the hardest heart.

Dean

-January 10, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over over all he had, ‘Please put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

(Genesis 24:2-4).

Abraham’s oldest and most trusted servant was named Eliezer of Damascus according to Genesis 15:2. Abraham at one point being childless, considered him to be his heir. Then God did a miracle and gave him a son, Isaac to be his heir.

In Bible days it was very common for people to have servants. I am sure that Abraham had many servants. We read at one point that there were 318 trained servants who joined him in fighting the kings who had taken his nephew Lot hostage. He won a great victory.

Abraham gave Eliezer an important assignment to find a young lady to be Isaac’s wife from among his family. All this was in keeping with God’s will to perpetuate the lineage of Christ. Abraham gave his servant an out in case the young woman wouldn’t come. He did however tell him that God would send His Angel before him to direct to a successful outcome.

Genesis tells the whole story of how he met Rebekah and her mother and brother. Once he explained the whole story to them and how God answered his prayer and directed him to Abraham’s brother’s daughter, they accepted it as from the Lord. Genesis 24:50-51 says, “Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, ‘This thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.’”

Eliezer was overjoyed and worshipped the Lord. He brought Rebekah to Isaac and they loved each other, married, and carried on the family name. This story had a very happy ending. This love story, along with Ruth and Boaz’s story are my favorite love stories in the Bible.

The lesson for us is to be loyal, faithful, and obedient servants of the Lord, whom He can use to accomplish His will. Whenever the Lord gives us a mission, we should do it and leave the results to Him.

Have a blessed day following the Lord’s guidance to do His will. Stay safe and healthy.

When we do God’s will, in God’s strength, in God’s way; He will receive all the glory.

Dean