Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-November 5, 2024

Good morning, beloved, happy Tuesday,

“God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.”

(Psalm 47:8).

The day has finally arrived, Election Day 2024. The polls are now open on the East Coast. The polls will close in Alaska at 1:00 am tomorrow morning.

As Christians we have the freedom and privilege of choosing our next by voting for the individual we believe is best to lead our country for the next four years. Now matter who you support, we all need to pray for God’s will. I believe in God and in our great country.

Today’s text shows us that God reigns over the nations. He sits in heaven on His throne in heaven. Of these two facts we can be sure. Romans 13:1 clearly says, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”

It is absolutely clear that God appoints who He anoints. He has a plan and purpose beyond our finite understanding. He chooses and directs our leaders. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like rivers (or channels) of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” This gives me comfort, peace, and assurance.

Have a blessed Election Day. Watch and pray; vote and trust God. Stay safe and healthy.

The best thing we can do today is to pray, and leave the results in God’s capable hands.

Dean

-November 4, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

(Psalm 91:1-2).

Though we live in this troubled, sinful, corrupt, and evil world, we are citizens of heaven, living according to God’s will. Before we go out into the world, whether to work, school, or doing errands, we must first spend time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer.

We need to dwell in the secret place of the Most High, abiding in the shadow of the Almighty. There is no better place to be. Psalm 91 is a rich psalm, written by an unknown writer. The title of the psalm is “Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God.”

The Lord our God is a personal God. The psalmist uses the word “me”three times in verse two. He says, my refuge, my fortress, and my God. We need each of these things if we are going to trust in Him and abide in Him.

• My Refuge – A refuge is defined as, “a condition of being safe or sheltered were from pursuit, danger, or trouble.” Psalm 46:10 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” The Lord is our safe place in an unsafe world. I have experienced dangers and troubles, and the Lord has been with me through them all.

• My Fortress – A fortress is a military stronghold, especially a strongly fortified town, fit for a large garrison.” Just as a refuge is where we run to, a fortress is where we live and fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. God gives us his full armor to put on and use, and His angels to watch over us and protect us.

• My God – The very first verse of the Bible says in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The last two verses of the Bible tell us, “He who testifies to things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:20-21). He is with us from beginning to end.

Let us run to the Lord as our refuge, and dwell in His fortress, and know that Christ is with us wherever we go. Stay safe and healthy.

Without Christ, we are nothing, have nothing, and can do nothing; with Christ we have everything, we can do all things, and nothing can separate us from His love.

Dean

-November 3, 2024-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

(Jeremiah 33:3).

Today’s verse is given in the midst of God’s judgment of His people for their continual disobedience and idolatry. Jeremiah was the weeping prophet who prophesied of their captivity and eventual restoration.

God gave Jeremiah and all Judah an invitation to call to Him. Along with the invitation, He promised to answer them, and not only to answer them but to show them great and mighty things. The word mighty can be rendered “inaccessible.” When something is inaccessible it can’t be reached or attained. God in His love and power gives us wonderful things beyond our imagination or comprehension.

There are so many things we do not know or can’t fathom. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar, “He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2:22). We also read in Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed but belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Living this side of the cross, we know more the prophets of the OT knew. We are so blessed and privileged. Let us then call to the Lord at all times. He will help us, teach us, and guide us; He will protect us and provide for us.

Have a blessed day calling to and on the Lord in times of trial as well as time of joy. Stay safe and healthy.

When we call, He will answer—there are no busy signals, no waiting on hold; He always answers on the first ring.

Dean

-November 2, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“There is hope in your future, says the Lord, that your children shall come back to their own border.”

(Jeremiah 31:17).

God is the God of hope. God can do miracles and bring the prodigals home—to Himself, to their families, to their church families. God never gives up on anyone.

The promise of this verse was in the future, when after the 70 year Babylonian captivity, a remnant of the Jews returned to their homeland. This verse has a double fulfillment, for God will bring back the Jews to the land of Israel during the Tribulation.

This verse certainly brings hope to Christian parents who are praying for their wayward adult children who need to be saved. As long as they are still alive, God can bring them back.

Jesus told the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. It tells of a son in search of excitement and fulfillment, in this sinful world, asking his father for his inheritance early. He left and travelled down a dark sinful road to the far country. After spending all his money on sinful things, he ended up feeding pigs on a pig farm. He hit rock bottom. Penniless, discouraged, and hungry, he made the decision to go home to his father.

Like Naomi, he went out full but came home empty. He planned to humble himself and tell his father that he had sinned against him and heaven, and was not worthy to be called his son, and to ask his father to make him like one of his hired servants. He never finished his whole speech. His father ran to greet him, kissed him, put a robe on him, sandals on his feet, and a ring on his finger. His father also threw the biggest party ever to celebrate his homecoming.

The hymn writer Will Thompson wrote, “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; patient and loving, He’s waiting and watching, watching for you and for me.”

Do you have any prodigals who need to come home? Don’t give up, don’t stop praying, don’t lose hope. There is hope in your future. Have a blessed day waiting and watching. Stay safe and healthy.

The longer someone is away, the hardest it is to come back, to come home; but the greater the joy.

Dean

-November 1, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie, promised before life began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of our our Savior.”

(Titus 1:2).

Every presidential election, or any other election for that matter, we hear candidates touting many promises, many of which they don’t fulfill. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a truth Geiger counter that would immediately go off in someone lied to us.

There are lies everywhere we look nowadays. It seems almost everyone lies at one time or another. It is imbedded in our human sinful nature. Those who are gullible believe everything; those are cynical believe nothing.

Paul tells Silas his son in the faith that God cannot lie. When I was growing up, my parents, teachers, and the world in general, taught us to tell the truth. Today, this isn’t the the case. People justify telling lies, calling them “little whites.” All lies are sins.

God who cannot lie wants us to always tell the truth. Sometimes we are reluctant to tell the truth because we are afraid of the consequences. As believers we know that telling the truth actually gets us into less trouble than lying. Lies can and will be exposed.

God is truth and His word is truth. His promises are yes and amen. So let us tell the truth, and live by the truth of God’s Word. If we do lie, confess to God and apologize to those we said it to, and tell the truth.

Have a blessed day walking in the truth, living by God’s standards. Stay safe and healthy.

The truth never changes; lies always change.

Dean