Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-October 18, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?” says the Lord; Do I not fill the earth?” says the Lord.”

(Jeremiah 23:24).

Mankind has been hiding from God since the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they felt shame, guilt, and fear. They hid from God among the trees from God’s presence.

God sought them out. He knew where they were, but asked, “Adam, where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). God’s plan of salvation was set in motion until Christ came into the world to fulfill it. He died for our sins to save us, forgive us, and free us from guilt, shame, and fear that one plagued us.

In today’s text God reminds Israel and the whole world: you can’t hide from God. He sees when no one else sees; He hears what no one else hears. David wrote in Psalm 139:12, “Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to you.” God is omnipresent—no one can hide from Him.

As believers were are comforted that God sees and hears all things. Jesus made the distinction between those who are saved and those who are unsaved in John 3:19-21, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their days are evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his heeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

When we sin we must confess it, forsake it, and repent of it. Then the sweet fellowship with the Lord is restored. It is only when we try to hide it and fail to confess it, that we suffer in countless ways. There are no secret places to hide from God.

Let us keep no secrets but walk in the light of God’s Word. His Word is a two-edged sword that cuts deep into the soul and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart (See Hebrews 4:12).

Have a blessed day in God’s presence. Stay safe and healthy.

Hiding from God is futile; being transparent with God is fruitful.

Dean

-October 17, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

(James 4:7).

Today’s verse teaches us two keys to victory over the devil. The devil is a defeated foe who refuses to cease the war against the people of God. When Christ died and rose again, He crushed his head; still he fights on.

The first key is to submit to God. The word submit is defined as, “accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person.” Submitting to God is not confining or restrictive, for God is good and loves us so much.

Growing up whenever two kids were wresting, the one in control would ask the other, “Do you give in?” “Say uncle.” Of course it reminds me of Jacob wrestling with God. Jacob should have submitted much sooner. As it was God put his hip out of joint and he walked with a limp for the rest of his life.

Not only must we submit to God, we must resist the devil. Paul tells us to put the whole armor of God. The shield of faith protects us from Satan’s fiery darts. When we resist, the devil must desist. Let us claim the blood of Christ to the evil one. The devil has no chance, he must flee.

May the Lord help us to submit to God and His will for us and to resist the devil and his attacks. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

It’s legit to submit and to resist making the devil desist.

Dean

-October 16, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”

(Matthew 10:39).

In part one of our study, we considered that we should love Jesus more than anyone or anything else. As much as we love father, mother, sister, or brother it cannot compare to our love for Christ. The love of Christ enables us to love others as ourselves.

Today, we will look at our walk with Christ. Jesus said, “and he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” There are three questions we should ask ourselves: what is our cross? How do we take it? And how do we follow Christ daily?

• What is our cross? – The cross is a symbol of death. It represents our death to sin and this world. It also demonstrates our willingness to suffer for Christ, enduring whatever He allows in our lives, for He has a purpose for everything. Our cross may be spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, social, material, or financial. Our cross is tailored specifically for each of us.

• How do we take it? – No one can take your cross for you, you must take it and bear yourself. We must make the decision daily to take it up. It involves surrender, submission, and sacrifice for the cause of Christ. We need to stand for the Lord Jesus. He bore the cross for us, can we not bear our cross for Him? Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No one having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

• How do we follow Christ? – Jesus called His disciples with two short simple words: “Follow Me.” He didn’t call them to follow just a religion but a personal relationship with Himself. Following Christ means forsaking all to live for Him and serve Him. Yesterday I drove up this pottery shop that has many statues outdoors. It is very close to the church. I was struck by seeing a huge statue of Buddha in front. Buddha is dead and his bones are in the ground, but Jesus Christ rose from the dead and lives forever. We follow and serve a living Savior!

Let us make the choice today to take up our cross and follow Jesus. It will not be easy, but it is the best way of life both for now and eternity. We will then be worthy disciples. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Our cross is heavy but our burden is light, when following Jesus by day and by night.

Dean

-October 15, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.”

(1 Thessalonians 2:7-8).

Paul was the best spiritual father. He loved the saints, sacrificed for them, taught them, prayed for them, and cared for their souls as a nursing mother. Though he was a father figure, he used a mother as a model for his ministry.

He mentions two qualities needed by every pastor, elder, and believer in Christ: gentleness and affection. We all like our doctors to have a good bedside manner, so too, we desire in our spiritual leaders to do the same.

Gentleness is one of the fruit of the Spirit. We all need a gentle spirit, and to speak words in grace and mercy. It is not to say there aren’t times when firmness and seriousness are appropriate, yet we can still be gentle. The Lord Jesus was strong, yet gentle and humble.

Affection is also a noble and special character trait. It makes difficult situations smoother. In the movie Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews sang the song, “Just a Spoon Full of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Down.” It is true in giving medicines to children. Growing up, they gave us the polio and other vaccines in sugar cubes.

It is often said, “They don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” May the Lord help us to demonstrate the gentleness and affection of Christ. It can melt the hardest heart and smooth the roughest situation.

Have a blessed day living Christ and pouring yourself for others. Stay safe and healthy.

Godly character leads to godly words and behavior.

Dean

-October 14, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son of daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

(Matthew 10:37).

As disciples of Christ we must put Him first in everything, especially in our relationships with our earthly families. In the preceding verses, Jesus said, “Do not think I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:34-36).

Jesus drew a line in the sand. Each person in every family must choose to accept Him or reject Him. Often families are divided; believers in Christ must stand for Him even when it is not popular especially among our earthly relatives.

First we must remember we are never worthy of salvation, but we must be worthy of Christ in our walk with Him. Being worthy of Christ means pleasing Him in every way, especially among our families. Often we endure more persecution from unsaved family members than from other people in the world.

This was true even in Jesus’ family. In the beginning even his earthly half-brothers did not believe in Him. John 7:5 clearly says, “Even His brothers did not believe in Him.” Later James and Jude both believed, served the Lord faithfully, and wrote an epistle in NT. Only Christ can transform lives.

We must be careful not to allow any earthly relationship to supersede or interfere with our relationship to Christ. We should love our families, pray for them, and be a witness and testimony to them.

Bill MacDonald commented, “No ties of nature can be allowed to deflect a disciple from utter allegiance to the Lord. The Savior must take precedence over father, mother, son or daughter. One of the costs of discipleship is to experience tension, strife, and alienation from one’s own family. This hostility is often more bitter than is encountered in other areas of life.”

Have a blessed day loving the Lord with all your heart and putting Him first before family or anyone else. Stay safe and healthy.

We love our families and long to see them saved, but we must love Jesus more than anyone or anything.

Dean