Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-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.

-November 22, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

(James 3:8).

The tongue has caused more problems, ruined more relationships, hurt more feelings, and brought more regrets than anything else. It has led to arguments and even deaths.

James described the tongue as, “an unruly evil and full of deadly poison.” That’s pretty awful! We have all said things that we have later regretted and had to apologize for. Words can hurt more than any weapons of earth.

The tongue can be described as: a lying tongue, a spiteful tongue, a profane tongue, an angry tongue, a sharp tongue, a deadly tongue. This little, but powerful muscle inside our mouths has caused us big problems.

Words spoken with anger, bitterness, malice, slander, or gossip can wreck lives: our own as well as others. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Our words can either help or hinder; build up or break down; uplift or upset; be a blessing or a burden. James devotes just over half a chapter of his epistle to the tongue. We all need to hear and take heed to his message on the tongue.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:11, “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” He also spelled it out in no uncertain terms, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36).

By the power of the Holy Spirit we can control what we say or don’t say—in fact, sometimes being silent can avoid trouble. There are times that the tongue though can break out of its cage at the worse possible times.

Have a blessed day being careful of what we say. Stay safe and healthy.

Speak the right words, at the right time, in the right way at home or away.

Dean

-November 21, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”

(Hebrews 12:28).

As believers in Christ we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken. Notice first of all, our text does not say “will receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken,” (future tense), but we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken (present tense).” We have every spiritual blessing in Christ now and will have them in the future as well.

The word unshakable is defined as, “(of a belief, feeling, or opinion strongly felt and unable to be changed.” God’s kingdom is unshakable because God is unshakable, unchangeable, and unlimited.

We as God’s people are also unshaken as we cling to the Lord and stand on His Word. Many things shake this world, but we cannot be shaken and are grounded steadfastly in Jesus.

Have a blessed day representing our King as His kingdom. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean