Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-October 26, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

(1 John 4:18).

God’s love is perfect; there is no other love like it. His love drives out all our fears, dries all our tears. He loves us fully and unconditionally. His love never fails.

Today’s verse is the only time that this phrase, “perfect love” is used. His love covers a multitude of sin. Fear involves torment and Jesus bore the penalty of our sins and gave us eternal life, forgiveness, and peace with God. We stand before God perfect and without fear.

As someone once said, “Never fear with Jesus is near.” When we doubt we may fear, but when we trust nothing moves us. Our past is covered, our present is covered, and our future is covered.

Bill MacDonald commenting on this verse wrote, “l am assured of the Lord’s love first of all, because He died for me. Secondly, I know He loves me because He indwells me at the present moment. Thirdly, I can look to the future with confidence and without fear.

May the Lord encourage us in His love. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Love overcomes, overflows, and overwhelms.

Dean

-October 25, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“But let him who glories glory in this, that He understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.”

(Jeremiah 9:24).

To “glory in,” is to boast in, to proclaim what is important in your life; to rejoice proudly. Jeremiah wept over Judah and their disobedience, idolatry, and rejection of the true God. God proclaimed judgment on Israel and Judah, sending them into captivity. The people boasted in their own wisdom, might, and riches (See Jeremiah 9:23). instead they should have boasted in the Lord, in His wisdom, might, and riches.

In the midst of God’s indictment of His people, He shows them what is really important: to glory in Him, in knowing and understanding Him. It wasn’t too late to repent and come back to the Lord in confession of sin.

The people in Judah honored God with their lips but not with their hearts; they engaged in the sacrifices, rituals, and traditions but not in the truth of God’s Word. They spoke the lingo but didn’t live it. They went through the motions but their hearts weren’t in it. They worshipped God while worshipping idols. It never works.

God showed them and us, that lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness is what He exercises and desires in His people. Each of these attributes of God need to be applied to our lives on a daily basis in our relationships with others. God delights in them.

Lovingkindness is showing love in a kind and gentle way; Judgment is being just and fair in our dealings; and righteousness is doing what is right in the sight of God and man.

It is time that we give the Lord first place in our hearts and lives, in our priorities, in our business dealings, and in our families. We all do well on Sunday mornings, but what about Monday through Saturday? Is there a difference? Are we seven day a week Christians?

Have a blessed day taking an honest assessment of ourselves in the light of God’s Word. Stay safe and healthy.

We can only delight in the truth if live it out in our lives daily.

Dean

-October 24, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“…that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

(1 Timothy 3:15).

Paul wrote two epistles to his young protege and son in the faith Timothy. Timothy was the pastor of the church at Ephesians. Today’s verse gives us clear and serious instruction on how we should conduct ourselves in the church.

Christian conduct is very important. Throughout the NT, Paul, Peter, John, James, and Jude teach us how to conduct ourselves in the fear of the Lord. Paul pointedly wrote, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, that I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (1 Timothy 1:27).

Our contact can either honor and glorify Christ, directing people toward Christ, or by improper behavior point people away from Christ.

What are some ways we can conduct ourselves like Christ: I would suggest, holiness, diligence, faithfulness , kindness, forgiveness, patience, compassion, and love, just to mention a few.

It is wonderful to see how Paul describes the church as the church of the living God, the pillar and ground (or foundation or mainstay) of the truth. Jesus built His church and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.

Let us then conduct ourselves in such a way as to glorify the name of the Lord. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Our conduct is a reflection of Christ; may it be clear and not dim.

Dean

-October 23, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

(1 Timothy 1:15).

At a particular time in our lives, we came to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We had to acknowledge that we were sinners and believe in Jesus.

Romans 3:23 clearly states, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Paul also wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Once we get saved all our sins are forgiven, past, present, and future.

We are now sinners saved by grace. There is no greater position or privilege in the universe. Paul considered himself the chief of sinners, the worst of the worst. He also spoke of himself as, “least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9); and “less than the the least of all saints“ (Ephesians 3:8).

We should never forget where we came from (sinners on our way to hell), and where we are as saints of God bound for heaven. This motivated Paul to preach the glorious gospel of Christ, and should motivate us also.

Jesus came to save sinners. He said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Only sinners can appreciate sins forgiven.

James M. Gray penned the wonderful hymn entitled, “Only a Sinner.” He wrote, “Naught I have gotten but what I received; Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed; Boasting excluded, pride I abase; I’m only a sinner saved by grace! Once I was foolish, and sin ruled my heart, causing my footsteps from God to depart; Jesus hath found me, so happy my case; I’m only a sinner saved by grace! Tears unavailing, no merit had I; Mercy had saved me, or else I must die; sin had alarmed me, fearing God’s face; But now I’m a sinner saved by grace! Suffer a sinner whose heart overflows, loving His Saviour to tell what he knows; Once more to tell it would I embrace—I’m only a sinner saved by grace!” The refrain says, “Only a sinner saved by grace! This is my story, to God be the glory—I’m only a sinner saved by grace.”

Let us rejoice that our sins are forgiven and reach out to those who are lost and unforgiven. Have a blessed day in every way. Stay safe and healthy.

Great sinners need a great Savior to provide a great forgiveness.

Dean

-October 22, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

(2 Timothy 2:21).

Yesterday was the day had to put out my trash cans. I had recently purchased a new TV, which a dear brother in our church helped me to set up. It came in a large box I needed to dispose of. I knew I had to break it down to fit into my recycle can. Every day I walked past it I dreaded the task, thinking I couldn’t it wouldn’t fit in the can.

I tried a box cutter, it didn’t work; then I took of titanium pair of scissors, again no success. Then I thought of my little red paring knife. I use in the kitchen from time to time. To my great delight it worked perfectly. It was so sharp it cut through the heavy cardboard, and it all fit in the can, and I was even able to close the lid all the way.

I told my friend of the little red knife that could. I thought of the children’s story of the little train that could. Then thought how I be used of the Lord to accomplish His work. We can all be vessels for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

We must be clean vessels, available at any time to serve our Master. You don’t have to be the smartest, the strongest, or most skillful—you just need to be available to the Lord, surrendered to His will, and prepared for whatever He gives you to do.

Are you useful to the Master? It should be our prayer today and everyday. The hymn writer Mary E. Maxwell wrote, “Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me, a clean vessel in Thy hand; with no pow’r but as Thou givest graciously with each command.”

I want to be like the little red knife, sharp and ready at anytime to do anything for my precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I must be sanctified, useful for the Master, and prepared for every good work.

Have a blessed day being God’s vessel to the lost and to the saints. Be sharp and ready. Stay and healthy.

The Lord chooses, the Lord uses, the Lord accomplishes His purposes through us.

Dean