Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-November 12, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“This hope we have as the anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.”

(Hebrews 6:19).

The writer of Hebrews has been telling us to lay hold of the hope that is set before us in heaven. God always fulfills His promises, especially to Abraham who the father of faith to us all. Paul wrote of hope, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Hope is of the the great guardian of the soul, along with faith. It keep our engines going all ahead full in this life.

The nautical analogy is beautiful. Hope is the anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. The former shows hope’s confidence, and the latter its strength; both are needed as we face the storms in this life. Jesus is the Captain of our ship to get safely through to heaven. The anchor of the ship is essential in grounding the ship so that it will not move. It is usually made out of iron, which is very heavy and has a heavy cable attached. Once a ship is anchored to a solid rock, it is immovable.

• Our hope is sure – Sureness is confidence. Hope in God, His promises, and His Word is our ultimate confidence. The storms may rage, the winds may blow, the waves may rise, but none of it can move us. Sometimes we ask others, are you sure? If they answer yes, we feel better, but we still consider the person as to how much we trust that person. We cannot always trust in man but we can always trust God. In Hebrews 6:18 it says, “That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, that we may have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” Just like the song says, “God said it, and I believe it, and that settles it for me.”

• Our hope is steadfast – The word steadfast is defined as, “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering; firmly fixed in place, immovable.” It shows the strength of our hope. Just as the anchor holds a huge, heavy ship, so too, our hope in Christ holds us through the toughest of times, whether it is in sorrow, loss, pain, or any other difficulty. Because our hope is sure, it is steadfast.

It is one thing to talk about a sure and steadfast hope, but it is quite another to experience it in our lives under stress and pressure. The hymn writer Priscilla J. Owens wrote, “Will your anchor hold through the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, will your anchor drift, or firm remain? We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.”

Let us be sure and steadfast in our faith no matter what we go through. Jesus is our Captain and He knows the seas of life, and the way to our home port of heaven. As experienced as the disciples who were fisherman were, and knew the Sea of Galilee so well, they experienced a huge storm and feared for their lives. Jesus calmed the sea and brought comfort and relief to them. Jesus is the Master of the sea, and the Master of the storm.

Have a blessed day whatever comes your way. Jesus is in control so that our hope is sure and steadfast. Nothing takes Him by surprise, so we can rest fully in Him. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-November 11, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“I have fought the good fight…”

(2 Timothy 4:7a).

Near the end of his life, Paul made this statement in the past tense. He was a soldier of Christ who fought until the end. He told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” As soldiers of Christ, we, like Paul, keep fighting until the end of our lives. Every service member of the armed forces knows three things: who he is fighting for, what he is fighting for, and the sacrifices he must make to accomplish the mission. Soldiers take an oath to support and defend our country from all threats foreign and domestic.

Today is a day we pause as Americans to acknowledge, applaud, and appreciate our vets. There are still some alive who served in WWII, more who served in the Korean War, still more who served in the Vietnam War, and many who served in the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They served willingly, faithfully, and loyally; some for a short time, and others for many years. We are indebted to them. Whenever I see a service member in uniform, I thank them for their service to our country; and if I see someone with a Veteran’s cap on, I thank them.

Last Sunday at church, we had all our vets stand up. We acknowledged them and applauded them to show our appreciation. We do it every year on the Sunday before Veterans Day. Once a veteran, always a veteran, no matter how long ago they served. They fought the good fight. Some have wounds from battle, some do not. My late father served in WWII, my two great uncles in WWI and WWII respectively. One of my closest friends, an elder in our church, served in Vietnam.

Let us take the time today to remember our vets and thank God for them. There have already been parades and there will more today as well. They will dress in their former uniforms and march to remember their service and the service of others.

May we as soldiers of Christ fight the good fight of faith, putting on the whole armor of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Commander and He leads us into the battle. He is victorious and we are on His side. We share in His victory. We know who we are fighting for, why we are fighting, and the sacrifices we must make as soldiers of Christ.

Have a blessed day Veterans Day. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-November 10, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are full age, that is, those by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

(Hebrews 5:13-14).

So many Christians do not grow very much in their relationship to Christ. They attend church on Sunday, hear the message, and say the right things, but they remain spiritual babes in Christ. Thankfully, there are others who are growing in Christ and striving toward spiritual maturity. The writer of Hebrews rebuked the Hebrew Christians for their lack of progress. He wrote in the preceding verse, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12).

• Baby Christians – Those who are first saved need the milk of the Word in order to grow. They are so new that they need to learn the basics of the Christian faith. Things such as how to read the Word and apply it to their lives, to pray, to fellowship with other believers, to attend a Bible believing church, and to share their faith with those who do not know the Lord. Milk is good but once one is no longer a babe, he needs solid food.

Paul chided the Christians in Corinth for the same issue. He wrote, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not solid food; for until now you are still not able; for you are carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal.” The word carnal means worldly or secular. Carnal Christians cause many problems in the church. They are not well grounded in the Word and can be easily influenced by the world and its way of thinking.

• Mature Christians – Those who are full age, feed on the solid food, or as it is rendered in the King James Version, meat. If one is to grow to maturity, he must be well acquainted with the Word of righteousness. The writer says, “those who by reason of use have their senses exercised (or trained) to discern both good and evil.” The old expression is so true, “Use it or lose it.” Mature Christians have well worn Bibles. They read and study the Word and meditate on it daily. In so doing they know the difference between good and evil.

There many things in the world that are clearly evil, and we should hate them and shun them. Others are clearly good. There are other things that require discernment. The word discernment is defined as, “The ability to judge well.” Someone said, “The fundamental definition for Christian discernment is a decision making process which an individual makes a discovery that can lead to future action. In the process of Christian spiritual discernment God guides the individual to help them arrive at the best decision.”

In Ezekiel 44:23, in speaking to the priests, the Lord says, “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Would you say you are still a babe in Christ or are you striving toward spiritual maturity? Are your senses exercised to discern between good and evil? Just because something is not bad or evil doesn’t make it good and right in God’s sight. Good, better, best; choose God’s best and discard the rest!

Have a blessed day striving for spiritual maturity through a close walk with Christ in His Word and prayer. Then we will have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-November 9, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

(John 9:5)

Yesterday we covered the words of Jesus. Today, we have Part II: The Works of Jesus. The Father sent His Son Jesus Christ into this world to die on the cross to save sinners. His life was short on this earth, 33 years, and His ministry was but 3 years. But oh how much He did, especially in those 3 last years! He touched so many lives, performed so many miracles, and everything He did was according to the Father’s will.

Jesus healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, gave the blind their sight, the deaf their hearing, and the mute their speech. He also cast out demons, healed the lame and paralyzed, and raised the dead. He loved people and they flocked to Him. With all that He did, dying for our sins was His main priority.

Jesus also showed miraculous signs such turning water into wine, walking on water, calming the sea, feeding 5,000 then 4,000, providing a large haul of fish for the disciples on two occasions, and most of all rising from the dead. Oh what great things He did! In John 5:31-39, Jesus speaks of His four-fold witness: John the Baptist, His works, the Father, and the Scriptures. Of His works, He said, “But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish — the very works that I do — bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me” (John 5:36).

When Jesus was in the upper room with His disciples, He prayed His High Priestly Prayer to the Father. He said in John 17:4, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” Now the cross was before Him where He died and in three days rose again. Our Lord and Savior fulfilled all the OT prophecies.

Now, it is up to us as His followers, to carry on His work, preach the gospel, win souls to Christ, make disciples, and teach and build up other believers. It is a great work we must do, a great commission we must fulfill, and a great journey we must take. Are you ready? God has given us all the resources we need. We must finish the work that He has given us to do!

Have a blessed day working for Jesus as He worked and is working for us. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-November 8, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words of Jesus which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, ‘Is this not Joseph’s son?’”

(Luke 4:22).

The people of Nazareth were amazed at the words of Jesus, yet they did not believe in Him. He was a hometown prophet, teacher, preacher, but He was too familiar to them. The old expression is true, “Familiarity breeds contempt,” is so true. They knew his earthly father Joseph, who a carpenter as was Jesus; they knew all his family members, and their educational and social backgrounds; and they could not understand where he got all His knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. They failed to realize that He was the Messiah, the Son of God.

Matthew 13:57 describes in their sad and stunning rejection of Jesus, “So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in His own house.’ Now He did no mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Divine omnipotence was affected by their unbelief.

The words that Jesus spoke are those the Father gave Him to speak and were words of truth, spoken in grace, mercy, kindness, and love. No one could catch Him in His words, and the religious leaders finally gave up trying. He spoke to the people in parables, using earthly things that people were very familiar with to teach spiritual and heavenly truth. He told it like it was, not sugarcoating the words of truth. The Jewish religious leaders, who should have believed in Him and welcomed Him, were His greatest critics and rejected Him; but there were some who did believe like Nicodemus and others.

Not only were the words of Jesus beautiful, they were powerful as well. When the chief priests and scribes sent soldiers out to seize Him, they couldn’t do it. They returned back with the response, “No one ever spoke like this Man.” (John 7:46). It was not yet the time for Him to go to the cross for us. Even these hardened soldiers in the Roman army were amazed at the power of His words. Later, when they came to arrest Him, He asked them whom they were seeking. They replied, Jesus of Nazareth, and when He acknowledged that He was the One, they fell to the ground.

Some Bibles have the words of Jesus in red. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record them, but He said even more, He did even more. His life changing message was carried forth by the apostles and others. Souls have been saved, believers have been instructed, strengthened, and encouraged. The hymn writer Phillip Bliss wrote, “Christ the blessed One gives to all wonderful words of life; Listen well to the loving call, wonderful words of life. All the wondrous story, showing us His glory: Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.”

How have the words of Jesus affected your life? Have you heeded them? Do you live by them? He called each of disciples by two simple, yet powerful words, “Follow Me.” Will you follow Him freely and fully? His gracious, powerful words draw us to Himself. Tomorrow, part II, the Works of Jesus.

Have a blessed day listening to Jesus and obeying His words and all the Word of God. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean