Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-November 15, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“A day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

(Psalm 84:10).

Psalm 84 is a rich, beautiful psalm written by the sons of Korah. They were Levites who served in the temple and were musicians who played instruments and sang praises to the Lord.

The tribe of Levi didn’t have their inheritance in the land as the other tribes did. The Lord Himself was their inheritance. Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Korah was one of the sons of Kohath.

The sons of Korah carried on faithfully for the Lord despite their inauspicious beginning where they rebelled against Moses and God caused the ground to swallow them up. It just shows God’s mercy and grace.

The psalmist said, “A day in Your courts is better than a thousand.” One day as a believer is better than a whole lifetime time outside of Christ. To be a simple believer in Christ is far better than the highest positions in this world. Psalm 84:12 says, “O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord!”

Unbelievers are those who dwell in the tents of wickedness. They may be presidents, prime ministers, kings, governors, CEO’s, billionaires, or any other prominent people in this world. Without Christ they are spiritual paupers.

The hymn writer Rhea F. Miller wrote, “l’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.” The chorus says, “Than to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.”

You think that you are small, insignificant, or simple—yet in Jesus Christ, you are a child of the King. Our service for Him matters and is more important than any other job in this world. Even doing simple things in Jesus’ name brings eternal blessings are rewards.

Have a blessed day serving the King in everything. Stay safe and healthy.

Never consider anything as done unto Christ as little; it is important for all eternity.

Dean

-November 14, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.”

(Hebrews 10:24).

Normally the expression, to stir things up,” is not a positive one. It means to cause some trouble, controversy, or problem. Here, however, it has a positive and has an encouraging effect on people.

Our goal as believers is to stir up one another to love and good works. It has the idea of stimulating to love and good works. Love is the motivation and good works is result.

Jesus commanded us to, “…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” (John 13:34b-35).

Good works stem from Jesus, in His name and for His glory. In order to be a blessing and stir up others to love and good works, we must be at church and spend time with one others. We can’t forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25).

Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Our example of love and good works makes a huge difference.

Dean

-November 13, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin for salvation.”

(Hebrews 9:28).

The NT is filled with references to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and coming again. In fact, the Second Coming should always be front and center as we live for the Lord and serve Him. Today’s verse is our Scripture memory verse at church this week.

The writer of Hebrews tells us how we should wait: eagerly. The word eagerly is defined as, “a strong desire to do or have something; marked by an enthusiastic or impatient desire or interest.”

When you eagerly desire something or someone it is accompanied by excitement, focus, and longing. Are you eagerly waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? His coming is imminent, meaning He could come at anytime. John wrote, “Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). Thoughts of His coming purifies our souls.

When I think of someone who was waiting eagerly it was Simeon. God had promised that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. As he got older and older the flame continued to burn until the day Mary and Joseph brought in the baby Jesus into the temple. Anna the prophetess also waited eagerly for redemption of Israel and saw Him.

Our Lord is coming to take us to heaven. He will come in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, with the voice of the archangel and trumpet of God. In the Star Trek TV series, Captain Kirk would always say, “Beam me up, Scotty.” Our exit from this world will be even faster than that.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:7-8, “so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Let us wait eagerly with joy, anticipation, and hope for the Lord to come. Have blessed day living in the light of His coming.

While we wait we wait, we watch, work, and worship until the end.

Dean

-November 12, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

(1 John 5:4-5).

The only way we can overcome the world is through our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us on the cross and gave us the victory. We are overcomers through Him who loves us. Paul wrote to the Corinthians,”But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Even though we are victorious we must fight the good fight of fight. Our three enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil continue to wage war against us. We need to claim our victory by faith on a daily basis.

Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” We can draw such great encouragement from this: we have peace in the midst of all the turmoil that is going on in this world.

One of my many favorite hymns is, “Faith is the Victory.” John H. Yates wrote in the first verse of this hymn, “Encamped along the hills of light, Ye Christian soldiers rise, and press the battle ere the night shall veil the glowing skies. Against the foe in vales below, let all your strength be hurled; Faith is the victory, we know, that overcomes the world.” The chorus says, “Faith is the victory, faith is the victory, O glorious victory that overcomes the world.”

May the Lord give us the victory through faith in Christ and His Word. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Overcoming faith leads to overwhelming victory.

Dean

-November 11, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday, happy Veterans Day,

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

(John 15:14).

Today is Veterans Day across the U.S.A. and Armistice Day in several European countries. It is a day of reflection, remembrance, and appreciation. There will be speeches, parades, and gatherings in many cities and towns.

It is a day to honor our veterans, pay tribute to them, and thank them for their service and sacrifice for the nation, not only for the nation but also for us personally. Their love for God and country is so often underestimated and under appreciated.

There are three days a year that we take the time to think of our men and women who served or are currently serving in the armed forces: Memorial Day, that remembers the fallen; Armed Forces Day, that focuses on all those who serve in the military; and Veterans Day, that centers on those who once served.

Jesus spoke of a greater love that lays down one’s life for his friends. His love made Him lay down His life to save us. Those who have served our country deserve our deepest gratitude way more than once a year or even three times a year.

What makes a man or woman leave home, job, family, and comforts, and freedoms to join the armed forces? It is love, patriotism, and devotion. They risk danger, injury, and death; they know all this going in. I have known such wonderful people. My Dad, my two great uncles, my cousins, and my friends at church. It just struck me how many there are! One of my cousins is currently serving in the U.S. Space Force. One of my late great uncles was severely wounded in World War I.

So today, let us remember and pray for all our veterans and thank as many as we can for their service. Every year we lose more and more of our veterans. Some are homeless, some are suffering from PTSD, some are addicted to drugs or alcohol, and some are lonely. They need our help and support.

Have a blessed Veterans Day. Stay safe and healthy.

Make a call, send a text or email, show a veteran you care.

Dean