Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 7, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah,’ (which translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”

(John 1:40-42).

There two sets of brothers who came to Jesus, followed Him, and because disciples: James and John, and Peter and Andrew. These four were among the twelve disciples who were called apostles. They played very prominent roles in the early church. Even today, when someone gets saved, no one knows what great impact they will have on the world. Nearly everyone who comes to Christ is as a result of someone sharing with them the gospel message. This was certainly true of Andrew bringing his brother Simon Peter to Christ.

Jesus sends us out as missionaries into this world. One’s mission field always starts at home with one’s own family before it can go to the foreign mission field. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, children, and other relatives and friends need the Lord. Our families are not always receptive but they certainly can be when they see how Christ has changed our lives. We have a personal testimony, how we got saved, and a personal witness how they can be saved also.

When John the Baptist came on the scene preaching the message of repentance and baptizing people, he had disciples. John 1:35-39 says, “Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God! The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, ‘What do you seek?’ They said to Him, ‘Rabbi,’ (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). “

One of those two disciples who followed Jesus, was Andrew. It says of him, “He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah…” Not only did Andrew follow Jesus but he told his brother Peter about Him. Often, we think of Andrew as “the other brother.” He too had an important role to play, though he was overshadowed by his more famous brother. The Scriptures tell us that Peter and Andrew lived together, along with Peter’s wife and mother-in-law. I am sure these two brothers loved each other very much.

When we love our family members, we are burdened for their salvation. We pray for them, live Christ before them, and share the gospel with them. God can do great things in their hearts. We must never try to force anyone to get saved, it is their decision, but we can lovingly share with them. We do not hear that Paul had any brothers or sisters, but he was heavily burdened for his Jewish brethren.

Have a blessed day reaching out to our families and friends to bring them to Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

In His eternal work,

Dean

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”

(Exodus 10:22-23).

In all, God struck Egypt with a total of ten plagues: water turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock diseased, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn. each of these was increasingly more severe and devastating to the Egyptians and to Pharaoh. Pharaoh hardened his heart and would let Israel go free until the last plague. The plague of darkness was so thick that the Egyptians could not see each other for three days and were paralyzed in their houses. It was an unprecedented darkness that could even be felt.

Spiritual darkness is even worse than physical darkness. Today, there are millions of unsaved people living in spiritual darkness. They are blinded to God, His truth, and His ways. It is no wonder the world in such a mess. There is chaos and confusion, with fear and anxiety everywhere.

In 1 John 1:5 says, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” While darkness was over all Egypt, there was light in the land of Goshen. God differentiates between the people of the world and His children. Even though we experience many of the same things the world does, that is not the same spiritually.

God calls us to walk in the light. 1 John 1:6-7 tells us, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” We are children of light living in this dark, sinful world. We must let our lights shine for Christ. His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

The devil is the prince of darkness. He has control over people, governments, and institutions in this world. We as believers are not in his kingdom but rather are in the kingdom of God. We are soldiers of light. We live in the light in the midst of the spiritual darkness. Colossians 1:13 says, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Paul also wrote in Ephesians 5:8, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” When we are in the light, we are in the right.

May the Lord help us to walk in the light day by day and point people to Jesus. There is a huge difference between light and darkness. Let us let our lights shine in the darkness.

Have a blessed day in the light and by the light. Stay safe and healthy.

In His wonderful light,

Dean

-April 5, 2022-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

(2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Paul was so thankful that Christ died for us and rose again. He died for us that we may live for Him completely. In Romans 6:3-5, Paul wrote, “Or do not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Baptism is an outward symbol of our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ.

When Christ died, we died with Him. We died to our sins, the old life, and all our corrupt ways; and when He rose to new life, we rose with Him to walk in newness of life. He takes away the old; all things are new. All our sins are forgiven and we now we strive to live for Christ and Him alone. Before we were saved it was all about self, now it is all about Him. We are members of His body. Paul reminds us that we should no longer live for ourselves but for Him.

Self is one of our worst enemies. The world exalts and promotes self; we must crucify it daily. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “…If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself; and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” This is was what discipleship is all about. It is a choice we must make to deny ourselves, our own plans, our own will, and our own desires, to live for Christ and Him alone. There is a constant battle between the flesh and the Spirit. That is why it it so important to be in the Word and prayer every day. Living for ourselves leads to frustration and defeat; living for Christ leads to fulfillment and victory. As Paul wrote, “The love of Christ compels us.” It spurs us on in our walk with Christ.

Have a blessed day living fully for Christ who died for us and rose again. Stay safe and healthy.

In His eternal love,

Dean

-April 4, 2022-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

(Ephesians 1:7).

The Apostle Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians. By his writing in this precious book, Bible scholars believe it was a circular letter intended to be read by other several churches in Asia besides the church at Ephesus. It has no personal references as his other epistles, but it is for all believers. The theme of Ephesians is “In the heavenly places.” The first three chapters are doctrinal and the last three are practical. Today’s verse is so encouraging on the subject of our redemption and forgiveness that we have in Christ.

Everything we have is because of being in Christ. In Ephesians 1:3, Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” We are so incredibly blessed. These blessings are ours now to be enjoyed on earth and for all eternity eternity in heaven.

There is a common theme of redemption through the blood of the Lamb that runs all through Scripture pointing to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Our Lord and Savior shed His blood to redeem us to God and bring us forgiveness of all our sins. It is all according to the riches of His grace.

The word redeem means to buy back. When Christ shed His blood He died for us, in our place on the cross to save us. Fanny Crosby, the prolific blind hymn writer wrote, “Redeemed how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child, and forever, I am.” He cleansed us by His precious blood.

Not only are we redeemed, but we are also forgiven of our sins, past, present, and future. Jesus paid our sin debt in full to bring us all His fulness, and grace upon grace. Someone said, “He paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay.” A number of years ago, there was a bumper sticker that read, “Christians aren’t perfect just forgiven.” This so so true. We aren’t better than anyone else, but we are children of God and we have a personal relationship with Jesus.

We should never use the fact that we aren’t perfect, just forgiven to justify ourselves in our character, words, or actions. In fact, we need to live according to a heavenly standard. Our redemption and forgiveness is all according to the riches of God’s grace. Paul wrote later in the epistle, “For by grace you have saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). None of deserve anything, yet God has given us everything.

May the Lord help us to remember where we once were and where we are now: redeemed and forgiven by the blood of Christ, all by God’s grace. There is no reason to brag or boast, when Christ died to save us from the uttermost.

Have a blessed day living by grace, thankful for our redemption and forgiveness through the blood and by His grace. Stay safe and healthy.

By His grace freely given,

Dean

-April 3, 2022-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

(Luke 18:32-33).

Three times Jesus predicted his death and resurrection: Luke 9:22; Luke 9:43-44; and Luke 18:31-33. In our text today, it is the third and last time before the cross. Jesus also gives the most detail of His suffering, death, and resurrection. As the Son of God, He knew exactly what He would go through in dying for us. He would fulfill all that was written by the prophets of old. Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 prophesy in amazing detail what He would experience.

•For He will be delivered to the Gentiles – When the soldiers led by the betrayer and traitor, Judas, arrested Him and they led Him first to the chief priests and scribes. Caiaphas was the high priest and his father-in-law Annas was also a chief priest. They then delivered Him over to Pilate, the Roman governor who was a Gentile.

•And He will be mocked and insulted and spit upon – Both the Jews and the Romans mocked and beat Jesus. Pilate ordered Him to be scourged. It was done with a whip with bone and glass at the end. It tore the skin right off the bones of His back. Then they crucified Him. He died in our place on the cross. Then they laid Him in the tomb and He rose from the dead on the third day.

The physical sufferings of Christ at the hands of sinful men was almost unbearable. The movie “The Passion of The Christ,” does not even come close to how awful and painful it was for our Savior. The spiritual sufferings of bearing our sins and enduring the wrath and judgment of God, are way beyond our comprehension. All of it we deserved. Jesus was innocent and sinless. We were the guilty ones. Let us thank Him today for all that He suffered on our behalf on the cross. He rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven. He lives and we live with Him and will live with Him in heaven forever.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day, remembering Him, worshiping Him, praising Him, and thanking for accomplishing our salvation. Stay safe and healthy.

In eternal gratitude to our Savior,

Dean