Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-January 9, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“And Abraham said to God, ‘Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!’ Then God said: ‘No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Issac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.”

(Genesis 18:18-19).

Sometimes we have dreams, desires, and longings that never come to pass. We plan, we purpose, we pursue, but God overrules our plans for His better plans.

When I was a young man entering college, I wanted to major in physical education and become a track and cross country coach. God had others plans for me, and of course much, much, better ones. Maybe you can relate how God changed your plans according to His will.

I went on to major in Speech Communication, and I have used what I learned every day of my life since. Not only did I learn about public speaking and small group communication, and verbal and nonverbal communications, I even took a dramatic reading class and learned how to annunciate, and put feeling and emotion into my public reading. All of these helped me in my sermons, Scripture readings, and Bible studies over the years.

Abraham’s first son Ishmael was not to be his heir, but Issac would be his heir. God always knows what is best. He moves heaven and earth to bring about His will in our lives. We just have to let go of our dreams and accept God’s will

If we don’t listen to God and do our own will, our dreams can become nightmares. As it was, Abraham and Sarah took matters into their own hands in having Ishmael through Haggar. The conflicts from this are still going on to this day.

Have blessed day letting God direct us each day this year. Our ways may seem good to us, but God’s is the best. Stay safe and healthy.

When we trust our Heavenly Father to lead us, we can lean on Him.

Dean

-January 8, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“Is anything too hard for the Lord for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

(Genesis 18:14).

Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 89 when the Lord and two angels came to their tent and promised that Sarah would bear Abraham a son. If ever there was an impossible situation humanly speaking, this was it.

God often waits until we have exhausted our resources to do a wonderful miracle. When one gets old, we call it the “Sunset Years.” In the case of Abraham and Sarai, it was more like the “Sundown Years.” Their light was out in terms of having a child, Abraham lived to the ripe age of 175, and Sarah lived to be 127.

God loves to do great things in our lives, to surprise us blessings. When God first mentioned it to Abraham, he fell down laughing and Sarah laughed in her heart in the tent during this visit from on high. We often say, “It is too hard for me, I can’t do it.” God never has to say that. We can never ask the Lord for too much.

As we have made eight days into the New Year, it is good to remind ourselves that, “there is nothing too hard for the Lord” The Lord told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 32:27, “…Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for the Lord?” The angel Gabriel said a similar thing to Mary, the mother of Jesus, “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

I love the story of the young boy flying alone to visit his grandparents and happened to be seated next to a seminary professor, who thought he would have some fun with young lad. He said to him, “Young man, if you can tell me something God can do, I will give you a big, shiny apple.” The youngster thought for a moment and replied, “Mister, if you can tell me something God can’t do, I’ll give you a barrel of apples.”

May we reflect on our great, infinite, limitless, omnipotent God and what He can do. Have a blessed day looking to Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

With God the impossible is possible.

Dean

-January 7, 2025-

Good morning, beloved, happy Monday,

“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

(Psalm 18:20).

People make mistakes everyday, I make mistakes everyday. It is not so with God—He is perfect. I was thinking about this on way home in my car.

We look back on times in our lives and we wonder why God allowed something devastating to happen to us or those we love. It may cross our minds that God somehow made a mistake. Not true! He never makes a mistake. He is perfect in His character, His ways, and in His Word. It is a mistake to think God makes a mistake.

It may be the death of someone young, it may the loss of a job, a home, or even a marriage. God allows things in our lives to grow our faith and help fully rely on Him. I learned the acronym quite a few years ago: F-R-O-G which stands for “Fully Rely On God. “

Trusting that the Lord’s ways are best is a lifelong lesson. It is helpful to always remember how much He loves us, and wants the very best for us.

If we could see as God sees and know what God knows, we would soon realize God’s ways are perfect, even when we can’t understand them. He is fully in control. Still, how often we ask why. There are some why’s which won’t be answered until we get to heaven. We think of Joseph, who could have asked why he was sold into slavery, was falsely accused and put in prison. We think of David who was anointed as king over Israel but had to wait years to take his rightful throne.

God says in Isaiah 55:8-9, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways’’ says the Lord. For as high as the heavens above the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts your thoughts.’”

Let us let God be God to direct our lives; He knows best. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

If God could make a mistake, He wouldn’t be God.

Dean

-January 6, 2025-

Good morning dear friends, happy Monday,

“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’”

(Genesis 15:1).

God made a covenant with Abram, known as the Abrahamic Covenant. He is called the father of many nations and God richly blessed him. Abram had just won a great victory and defeated mighty kings and their armies, delivering Lot and his family who had been taken captive from Sodom.

There are four notable covenants in the Scriptures made with individuals: the Noahic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, and the Davidic Covenant. We are under the New Covenant. There are so many lessons we can learn from all of them.

God appeared to Abram and encouraged him after his great victory over the enemy forces. The devil always attacks us after we have had a great victory. The same thing happened after Elijah had a great victory at Mount Camel over the prophets of Baal. Satan stirred up wicked Queen Jezebel, who threatened to kill him and he fled from her. God sought him out and strengthened and encouraged him.

God exhorted Abram not to be afraid and tells him why: “I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward.” Over and over in Scripture God says, “Fear not” or “Do not fear.” Why does it appear so many times? It is because we have so much fear.

We often fear the future because it is uncertain. The Lord knows our hearts and He knows what the future holds. God never changes and He promises to be with us moment by moment.

God is our shield – The soldier’s best protection is a strong shield. God is our strong shield; nothing can penetrate it. Paul wrote about the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18. He spoke of the shield of faith. It extinguishes the flaming missiles of the devil, who wants to discourage and terrify us.

God is our exceedingly great reward – He not only protects us but He rewards us. He wants us to be victorious over the world, the flesh, and the devil. There will be bumps, bruises, wounds, mistakes, failures, and pain; but God promises to use them all for our good and to make us like Christ.

One of the greatest promises in Scripture is Romans 8:28, “Paul wrote, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” There will be giants to face this year, but the Lord also promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Our Lord doesn’t always the calm the storm, but calms our hearts in the storm and brings us through the storm. He doesn’t always remove the obstacle, but helps us overcome it. He doesn’t take away the thorn, but gives us His sufficient grace to endure it.

Let us look to God and forward and as we go through this year with a stronger faith, a greater commitment, and a more willing heart. Have a blessed day walking with Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

When the day is drear, we should never fear; for the Lord is with us and is always near.

Dean

-January 5, 2025-

Good morning brothers and sisters, happy Lord’s Day,

“And he [Abram] moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.”

(Genesis 12:8).

Abram had just obeyed the Lord and followed Him fully. He lived in a tent with his wife, and Lot, his nephew was with them. He did two significant things: he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.

He was a man of faith. Building an altar was indicative of his heart of devotion and worship. Like Abram, we need to spend time with the Lord, listen to His Word, and follow Him on the journey. He was right in the middle between Bethel and Ai; right in the center of God’s will. We later read in Genesis 13 that he built the altar in Bethel.

Just after, he did slip up and went outside the Lord’s will by going down to Egypt, which is a symbol of the world. Because there was a famine in Canaan, he went there instead of trusting the Lord to provide for him and his family. He should have stayed in Bethel, meaning “the house of God.” Later, Jacob, his grandson also had to return to Bethel where he should stayed.

In life we shouldn’t move or act without clear guidance from the Lord. He built an altar but left it behind. He called on the name of the Lord.

Calling on the Lord is important, obeying His voice and doing His will is even more important. When we call, God will answer and direct our steps. After Abram’s bad experience in Egypt and getting rebuked by Pharaoh for saying Sarai was his sister, and causing major problems for Pharaoh and his people, he returned to Bethel where he had been at the beginning, the place he had built the altar.

The devil often attacks and distracts us, often after we have a victory in our lives. He appeals to our pride. Let us stay close to the Lord, seeking His face and His will. There are many detours we must watch out for. One mistake can have great repercussions in our lives.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day worshiping the Lord and learning lessons from the Word of God. Stay safe and healthy.

Staying where God wants us to be, and doing what He wants us to do, will keep us in His will, so that to Him we can be true.

Dean