Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-October 13, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

(Colossians 4:12).

We don’t know that much about Epaphras, but what we do know, he was a great blessing to Paul and all the saints. His bio is found in Colossians 4:12-13 and Philemon 1:23.

He was a bondservant, prayer warrior, zealous Christian, and fellow prisoner with Paul. He was from Colosse, making him a home town hero.

Paul gave him a great recommendation. It is always good to receive a good recommendation from a well respected person. What better person to give a recommendation than the Apostle Paul?

When you go for a job interview it is good to have some positive recommendations from previous supervisors or managers. If you want to dine out, it is nice to have a recommendation from someone who has eaten there before. But even more importantly, is to receive a good recommendation from a pastor or elder.

I recently gave a recommendation of the character of one of our young brothers attending law school with one year to go. He gave my name and I was glad to give a well deserved great recommendation on his character. It is good that a law school considers a person’s character as well as their knowledge and skills.

I remember teaming up with him in our Scripture Memory Class. He was just a teenager, but I asked him to be my partner. It encouraged him a lot, and we made a great team.

May the Lord help us to follow the example of Epaphras in serving and praying. Paul said of him in Colossians 4:13, “For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and those in Heirapolis.” He got around.

Let us ask ourselves if we asked someone for a recommendation, what would they say? Have a bless day honoring the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

A good reputation leads to a good recommendation; and a good recommendation leads to good results.

Dean

-October 12, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.’”

(Isaiah 44:6).

There are many so called gods, but there is only one true God. We find this distinction throughout Scripture. There is one Creator, Savior, and Redeemer.

Today’s verse describes the Lord as Lord, King of Israel, Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, the First and the Last. When we read and study the Word we find many other names and titles of our great God. Each one is beautiful and significant to His person and work.

There are many verses, like today’s verse, that portray God speaking in the first person. God calls Himself “the First and the Last.” When you consider what that involves, it is amazing! It means that He is the Beginning and the End, and of course everything in between.

There is nothing He does not know, nothing He cannot do; He sits on the throne of heaven as Ruler of all. He is in control, and will one day finish His plan for the ages. As believers, we must submit to His will and authority.

John, when He saw his vision of Christ while in the island of Patmos, heard the voice of Christ saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last…” (Revelation 1:11).

We have the blessed privilege of being saved, and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord. We are His children, His servants, His friends. One day we will see our Lord face to face.

There is a wonderful hymn, entitled, “Face to Face,” written by Carrie E. Brock. She wrote in the first two stanzas, “Face to Face with Christ my Savior, Face to Face—what will it be—When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me? Only faintly now I see Him, with the darkened veil between, but a blessed day is coming, when His glory shall be seen.”

Let us fall before Him today and worship Him for who He is, what He has done for us, and for the glory we will experience in His presence for all eternity. He is our all in all.

Have a blessed day living for and serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

The only true God is our Lord and King, the Master of everything.

Dean

-October 11, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”

(Isaiah 43:2).

Three times in today’s verse God uses the word through. God does not promise to take us around our trials, difficulties, hardships, and problems; but He does promise to take us through them and be with us in them.

In the history of the nation of Israel, He took them through the Red Sea; He brought them through the Jordan; Joseph went through slavery, false accusations, and imprisonment; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego went through the fiery furnace; and Daniel passed through the lions’ den. The list of examples is endless in the Old and New Testaments.

In our text, God tells us, not if but when we pass through great affliction. He speaks of waters, rivers, and fires. But notice, we will pass through the waters and rivers and they will not overflow us, the fires will not burn or scorch us. He will be with us through it all.

Israel, and the church today are precious to our God. Isaiah 43:4 says, “Since you are precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, and people for you, and people for your life.” Bill MacDonald commented in his Believer’s Bible Commentary, “In tones of tender love, Jehovah assures His people that they need not fear because He who created, formed, redeemed, and called them will be with them in the flood and in the fire.”

I love the words of the hymn, God leads His Dear Children Along.” The chorus says, “Some thru the waters, some thru the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood; Some thru great sorrow, but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long.”

Take courage, comfort, and encouragement in the promises of God. We are just passing through the trials in this life. He is with us in all we go through. He will never leave us us nor forsake us. Someone once said, “Trials come to pass not to stay.”

Have a blessed day walking with the King over mountains and through valleys. Stay safe and healthy.

He is with us to take us through whatever may come our way today.

Dean

-October 10, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.”

(Philippians 4:11).

We can’t be happy in the Christian life unless we are content. It is a lesson we all need to learn and be reminded of often. The word content is defined as, “a state of satisfaction; peaceful happiness.”

So often I want what I can’t have, I what I don’t need, and I want something new or better. I don’t think I am alone. Greed is a sin and it can easily swallow us up. It may start with an ad, a thought, or a desire.

Paul spoke of being content in whatever state he was in. Contentment is the best state, better than any of our fifty states. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 tells us, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”

Contentment is sorely lacking in our society and in the church. It takes surrendering our will to God’s will and waiting on the Lord. It means to pray for everything and ask for the Lord’s leading.

Let us be content with what we have and when we have it.

Have blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

With food and clothing, let us be content; for everything we have is surely God sent.

Dean

-October 9, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

(Isaiah 40:8).

Very few things in life last for a lifetime, and only one thing last forever: the Word of God; it stands forever, it lasts forever. The Psalmist wrote Psalm 119:89, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled (or literally translated “stands firm”) in heaven.”

Grass withers and flowers fade; and all other earthly things are temporary, can be lost, stolen, broken, or worn out. We can’t take anything with us from this world except our knowledge of God’s Word.

We can stake our lives on the faithfulness and trustworthiness of the Bible. It has never failed us nor will it ever fail us. God has given us a plethora of promises. We base our lives on the solid foundation of God’s truth, it is our rock.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by all means pass away.” Someone once said there are only two things that we can take with us into eternity: the Word of God and the souls of men.”

God never changes and neither does His Word. The Scriptures give us instruction, encouragement, comfort, and wisdom. God speaks to us through His Word.

Let us obey and apply God’s Word to our lives and feed on it as our daily as our spiritual food. Have a blessed day in the Word. Stay safe and healthy.

Christ always strengthens and satisfies us in His Word.

Dean