Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-November 27, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Giving thanks to God is not just a suggestion, it is a commandment. Thanksgiving should be as natural for the believer as breathing. The difference is breathing happens without us even thinking about it; giving takes both thought and action.

The definition of a thanker in the Collin’s Dictionary is, “a person who thanks or expresses gratitude.” Are you an occasional thanker or a habitual one? I found another word I really like: thankaholic. It means, “a person who has developed a proclivity for thanking somebody every time something is done for him, however minor it may be.” I want to be a thankaholic!

A few months ago we had a series of devotions on habits. Giving thanks to God in everything is definitely a good habit we must build and develop, which must spring from a thankful heart.

Today’s verse is an excellent one to memorize, and an even better one to obey and practice daily. It doesn’t mean that it is going to be easy. Sometimes we don’t feel very thankful when dark clouds overshadow our lives, when we are beset by pain, problems, and perplexities.

Giving thanks to the Lord keeps us grounded in Christ, reminding us of what God has done for us, and that He is in control. Giving thanks is not based on feelings, otherwise, our thanksgiving, like our happiness, would be sporadic at best. It is rather connected with the joy that we have in Christ, which never changes.

Giving thanks is clearly the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. Therefore we can never thank the Lord too much or too often. As we ready ourselves for our Thanksgiving Day’s feasts and festivities, let us stop for a moment and thank God for all His blessings which He has lavished upon us.

Have a blessed pre-Thanksgiving day thanking the Lord in everything. Stay safe and healthy.

Not just thanking God once a year, but many times a day.

Dean

-November 26, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

(Colossians 3:17).

Thanksgiving Day, coming up Thursday, is a special day to gather as family and friends for fellowship, food, fun, and football. It is estimated that 18 million Americans will travel by air and 80 by automobile. I was also surprised to hear that 42% of Americans will eat out or take from restaurants on the holiday.

For us as believers, the best part of holiday is being together and thanking the Lord for all His blessings to us. We have so much to be thankful for. The Lord has richly and abundantly blessed us as a nation and as individuals. Because we are so blessed, we should be thankful to the Lord.

People have thought of some pretty creative food combinations over the years. Paul liked combinations too. He spoke of service and thanksgiving in the same verse. We don’t always think of these two things in tandem. Many ministries, especially on Thanksgiving Day, feed the soul as well as the body.

Whatever we do for others, we do it for the Lord Jesus. In service, we must always remember this and do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. God is the source of every blessing; let us use what He has given to us to help, provide for, and encourage others.

Doing good is good; doing good in Jesus’ name is better; and doing good in Jesus’ name with thanksgiving is the best of all. When we do the latter we are acting most like Christ, glorifying Him, and pointing people to our Savior.

Let us have a blessed day of serving and thanking. May we roll up our sleeves, not just to eat but to serve. Stay safe and healthy.

Serving Christ with thanksgiving, makes life fulfilling and worth the living.

Dean

-November 25, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the Lord.”

(Psalm 116:12-13).

Today marks what many in the U.S. call Thanksgiving Week. A week is insufficient, let alone a day to give glory and thanks to the Lord.

Our pastor spoke yesterday on being thankful for God’s love. He told the story of the man who said instead of having one day to thank the Lord and all the other days to complain, he would rather have one day to make his complaints and all the other 364 days to give thanks to the Lord. I retorted that one day of complaints is even too much.

You can’t do two things at once: give thanks and complain. The unknown psalmist asked, “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” A very good question, don’t you think? One that we should ask ourselves daily. He doesn’t just ask it as a rhetorical question, he asks it as a practical question.

The psalmist answers his own query, “I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the Lord.” The Christian should be the most thankful person in the world. But why is complaining so easy, and thanking God is so difficult? Only we can answer that. We must learn to be grateful and unlearn be ungrateful.

If newborn babies could speak right away, what might they say. Perhaps, “Why couldn’t I stay in mommy’s womb, it was so warm and cozy; these giants all around me are too scary; did the doctor have to slap me on the behind? The baby probably wouldn’t have said, “I am so thankful to come into this world; thanks Mom and Dad for everything; God is so good.”

Psalm 116:17 says, “I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord.” Giving thanks is a sacrifice that God is well pleased with. The writer of Hebrews said it so well, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

I love the word continually; it refers to an on going, never ceasing, everlasting stream of thanksgiving. Under the OT economy, the priests continually offered sacrifices which could never take away sins. Jesus’ one sacrifice of Him put away sin forever, bringing us life, forgiveness, and salvation.

May the Lord help us to offer continual thanks to the Lord daily, hourly, and always. Have a blessed, thankful day. Stay safe and healthy.

When offer our thanks for His every blessing; we will experience His joy and peace in believing.

Dean

-November 24, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.”

(Psalm 13:6).

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, today’s verse is a timely reminder of what the Lord has done for us and what He has given to us. God provides for His children in abundance.

As we sing at church today, the Lord’s Day, let us focus on the words we are singing, and praise the Lord for His love, goodness, and mercy. He saved us when we didn’t deserve it; and daily provides for us when we still don’t deserve it.

The word bountiful is defined as, “Liberal or generous in bestowing gifts or favors; given or provided abundantly.” The Lord is all of that and a whole lot more.

David wrote, “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. David reminded himself of how God delivered him from death more than once. We need reminders ourselves of His protection, provision, and power in our lives.

Can you not say “God has dealt bountifully with me?” He has done wonders and miracles in our lives. Our response should to give thanks to Him and obey Him fully. Bill MacDonald commented on this psalm, “This Psalm like many of our God-sent testings: they begin with a sigh but end with a song.”

Have a blessed day of worship and praise. Stay safe and healthy.

When God gives us bountifully, we should praise Him joyfully.

Dean

-November 23, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

(James 4:10).

Mankind is a proud creature, exalting himself and seeking his own welfare. We tend to want let others know what we do and how well we have done it.

In Christ it is completely opposite from the world. Jesus set the example in being humble. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:8-9, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is every name.”

James tells us to, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord…” When we humble ourselves before Him, the Lord will exalt us. God lifts us up when we lift Him up. Jesus said in Luke 14:12, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled (or put down), and he who humbles himself will exalt himself.”

The Maranatha chorus says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord; and He will lift you up, higher and higher, and He will lift you up.”

May the Lord help us to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and give Him all the glory. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.