Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-November 7, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”

(Hebrews 4:9).

The writer of Hebrews is speaking to Jewish believers directly, but it applies to all believers in Christ. We have rest in Christ. For us there is rest the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. Up to that point, none of us had rest of conscience because we were still in our sins. Rest and peace are intrinsically linked in Scripture. Because we have peace with God, we rest in the finished work of Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 the wonderful words, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” There is rest in Jesus now and for all eternity. We have rest spiritually but not until we get to heaven will we have our final rest. Even then, though, we won’t be idle in heaven. We will worship and praise the Lord and serve the Lord forever.

For the Israelites in the wilderness, they looked forward to their rest in the land of Canaan, the Promised Land, but because of their disobedience and lack of faith, all the adults who left Egypt died except Joshua and Caleb because as spies they had brought a good report and they lived by faith. The Bible tells us that the just shall live by faith.

In this world there is little rest. We live in a fast-paced society. People are rushing here and there, yet spiritually going nowhere without Christ. It reminds me of Christmas time, coming up shortly. So many have lost the true meaning of the birth of Christ and focus on Christmas trees, decorations, gifts, holiday parties, and celebrations. There is nothing wrong with any of those things other than Christ is removed by so many people.

When you believe in Christ, your focus changes for life on earth and life to come in heaven. Do you have rest in Christ the Prince of Peace? He is both the Giver and the Gift. Let us rest in Him no matter what our circumstances are. Our joy is in Jesus and life has meaning and purpose. We know why we are here and what life is all about. And we know where we are going to heaven to be with Jesus.

Have a blessed day resting in Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Resting while serving, and serving while resting,

Dean

-November 6, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“Having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

(Hebrews 1:4).

The writer of Hebrews, though unknown, wrote to Jewish Christians at a time of severe persecution on the church, especially by the Jews. There were those who were tempted to go back to Judaism. He proves unequivocally that Jesus is superior to everyone and everything in the universe. He is just better in every way.

Someone once wrote, “Christ is better than angels, for they worship Him. He is better than Moses, for He created Him. He is better than the the Aaronic priesthood, for His sacrifice was once for all time. He is better than the law, for He mediates a better covenant. In short, there is more to be gained in Christ than to be lost in Judaism.”

In life, there are always comparisons: we compare products, services, jobs, schools, houses, cars, and many other things. But when it comes to Christ, there is no comparison. Nothing even comes close. Paul wrote to the Colossians, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:15-17). This is our Lord Jesus Christ!

Yes, Christ is better, He is superior in all things. The definition of superior is, “higher in rank, status or quality.” The word better is, “of a more excellent or effective type or quality.” By any earthly or heavenly standard, Jesus supersedes all, and is our all in all. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is seated at the right hand of God, at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Since Christ is indeed superior, supreme, and special, let us worship Him, praise Him, and thank Him today and every day. One day every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. Let us live under His authority, do His perfect will, and serve Him with all our hearts. He is worthy.

Have a blessed day as followers and servants of Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Loving Jesus, living for Him, learning from Him, and laboring for Him,

Dean

-November 5, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

(2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

Paul recognized that his sufficiency was not in himself; not in his education, religious training, or knowledge of the law. His sufficiency was from God through the Holy Spirit. He described himself as the chief of sinners, the least of all saints, and the least of the apostles (1 Timothy 2:15; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 15:9).

Paul wrote in Philippians 3:7-8, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted as loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” He was humbled on the day he got saved on the road to Damascus. Once he was an opponent of Christ and Christianity but was turned into the greatest proponent of Christ and the gospel.

We, like Paul, need to find our sufficiency in Christ alone. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” We have no power, sufficiently, or value outside of Christ. With Christ it is a different story. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

One plus Christ is a majority; Christ plus me is still all Christ. God gives us His sufficiency, and His grace is sufficient for us. We, like Paul are ministers of the new covenant of grace. The letter of the law kills because we sinned in breaking God’s commandments. Now in Christ by the Spirit we have life eternal, abundant and free. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. He has made us free, and we walk in newness of life.

The songwriter wrote, “He is my everything, He is my all; He is my everything both great and small. He gave His life for me, made everything new, He is my everything, now about you?” Let us center our lives around Christ, not center Christ around our lives.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day in worship, the Word, and fellowship. Stay safe and healthy.

Looking to Jesus, our sufficiency and strength,

Dean

-November 4, 2023-

Good morning dear Christians, happy Saturday,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

(Psalm 119:105).

The other day my friend’s son had a t-shirt on that read: My Survival Kit.” It had three pictures on it: a piece of pizza, a video game device, and a TV set. I laughed but then I started to think, what would be by survival kit? Mine would my Bible, my treadmill, and a bottle of water. Of course I would need a good portion of food too.

Living in California, we must be prepared for earthquakes to strike at any time. We even have an early warning system where we get a notification on our smartphones 15 seconds before a quake above 4.0 magnitude. Experts tell us to have an emergency survival kit prepared ahead of time. I always have water, peanut butter and bread on hand.

In the spiritual life we need God’s Word in our hands and in our hearts. Memorizing Scripture is the best way to hide the Word in our hearts. Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” The Bible is our compass to show us the way; our sword to fight the good fight of faith; our daily bread to nourish our souls; and our lamp to guide our foot steps in the dark.

John Wesley said, “I am a man of one Book.” John Bunyan said, “I was never out of my Bible.” Someone else said, “A Bible in the hand is worth two in the bookshelf.” Elizabeth Schmidt writing in Reader’s Digest wrote, “My doctor had recommended surgery and referred me to a specialist. Arriving early for my appointment, I found the door unlocked and the young surgeon deeply engrossed in reading, behind the receptionist’s desk. When he didn’t hear me come in, I cleared my throat. Startled, he closed the book, which I recognized as a Bible. ‘Does the Bible help you before or after an operation?’ I asked. My fears were dispelled by his soft, one-word answer: ‘During.’”

We can’t live or survive a day in this dark, sinful world without the Scriptures. The Bible is still the best selling book in the world because it is God’s Word. Have a blessed day in the Word. Stay safe and healthy.

The Bible calms our fears dries our tears, and guides our years,

Dean

-November 3, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

(1 Peter 2:9).

The word special, is well, special. Everyone wants to feel special. The word is defined as “better, greater or otherwise different from what is usual.” Husbands and wives, children and students, employees, athletes, captains of industry, friends, or anyone else can be labeled as special, a cut above the rest.

Do you feel special? You should if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. God calls you special because you are special to Him. Peter, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, describes as: “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” This is a portrait of every believer in Jesus Christ.”

• Chosen generation – This means to be chosen by God, hand picked. Jesus said in John 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” Paul also wrote, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:4).

• Royal priesthood – We are not only believer priests, but we are royal priests because we are in the family of God, who is the King. That is pretty special. There was only one person, other than Christ who fits this description in the Bible: Melchizedek, who is a type of Christ, who met Abraham after he returned from fighting against the kings who had kidnapped Lot and his family. He blessed Abraham. Melchizedek was both a king and priest. As royal priests we offer up sacrifices of praise and worship to God.

• Holy nation – We are a holy nation, separated from the world and set apart for God. We are different, we are special. We are made holy in order to live holy. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:16-17, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”

We stand out from all peoples on earth. We are special in every way. We aren’t better than anyone else, we are simply sinners saved by grace. “He who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.” That is pretty cool! We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; we are children and sons of God; we are saints and servants of the most high God.

Sometimes we don’t always feel special, but we are, God says so, so is is true. Hold your head up high, you belong to Jesus. You are special, He loves you with an everlasting love. Your sins are forgiven and will be with Him in heaven forever. All this and more makes us special to Him. Have a special day as a special special saint, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Stay safe and healthy.

Living as the special person you are, shining brightly as His unique star,

Dean