Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-July 11, 2021-Our First in-person services at church in 16 months.

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

-Peace Through The Blood Of His Cross-

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

(Colossians 1:19-20).

We are so blessed to be saved from our sins, forgiven, cleansed, born again, redeemed, made holy, justified, reconciled, and having peace with God. Our Lord Jesus Christ died in our place and through His death we have life abundant and eternal.

Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace who made peace through through the blood of His cross. Through His sacrificial and substitutionary death, we have peace with God and experience the peace of God. God freely gives us peace, and through His peace we have peace with each other and are now peacemakers in this world.

The world longs for peace but will never have it apart from Christ. There can be no peace until one’s sins are forgiven. I really like a bumper sticker I saw, “No Jesus, no peace, know Jesus, know peace.” That says it all!

Just think of what Jesus did for us on the cross to secure that peace: He gave His life for us, bore our sins in His own body, shed His precious blood, and died the death we deserved. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:13-14, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both into one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.”

There is nothing better, richer, or sweeter than peace; it is our greatest gift and possession. The hymn writer Edward H. Bickersteth wrote, “Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.” Let us thank God for the peace we have in Him and from Him. Nothing and no one can disturb it, diminish it, or remove it. Jesus made peace through the blood of His cross.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day reflecting on His peace and enjoying it no matter what circumstances we face today. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-July 10, 2021-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-Peaceful And Purposeful Sleep Leads To A Productive And Prosperous Life-

“I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).

I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me” (Psalm 3:5).

God created us with a purpose and for a purpose. Our bodies need food to eat, water to drink, and sleep to sustain us. So many do not eat healthy, drink enough water, or get enough quality sleep.

Overall, America is sleep deprived. We think of sleep as a waste of time and try to get by on as little as possible. This has led to less productivity, more health problems, and more traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths.

David, the writer of both psalms three and four, learned the blessing and value of sleep. Only the Lord can give one the best sleep. When we are in peace, trusting in the the Lord, and not worrying about tomorrow, we can sleep. The problem is we tend to worry about what has not even happened yet.

Older people tend to have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep. It is a good habit to pray before sleeping, thanking the Lord for what He helped us to do during that day and committing ourselves for the tasks ahead for the next day.

When we fall asleep and wake up in the morning, we find ourselves rested, refreshed, and rejuvenated. David said, “…I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.” When we get up we should praise and thank God for giving us another day to live for Him and serve Him.

God knew how beneficial sleep is to the spirit, soul, and body. He wants us to be healthy and have strength to carry on each day. We charge our smart phones, tablets, and smart watches; should be not charge our bodies as well? Paul admonished us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Sleep is precious and is a gift from God. We need it so much. We can sleep confidently and peacefully knowing that God never slumbers or sleeps. He watches over us at all times. Psalm 121:3-4 tells us, “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber or sleep.”

May the Lord help us to take sleep seriously and value it highly. It adds to our health and quality of life. It is for good and we should thus give it a higher priority.

Have a blessed day of living and a great night of sleeping. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-July 9, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday, our 400 straight day of devotions. All glory to God.

-God Is Able And More Than Able-

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask our think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

(Ephesians 3:20-21).

Mankind has made some amazing strides in the fields of medicine, science, technology, engineering, athletics, and many other arenas, yet nothing can compare to what God can do. He is perfect in His power, knowledge, and wisdom. He exceeds and far exceeds anything we can imagine or dream of.

I watched many science fiction TV shows in years past that I thought were amazing. We have either superseded them or are on our way to fulfilling them. However nothing can compare to God and what He has already done. God created the heavens and the earth, the stars, all living creatures, and man, his crowning jewel in His own image.

We often run into situations that are impossible. We see no way out, we have no answers, no solutions. Today’s verses remind us just how powerful God is. He is able and more than able. There is nothing that God cannot do. There are two important truths in our text: He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, and His power works in us. When God does a miracle in our lives it is for His glory and for our good. We are amazed at such miracles in the Scriptures as the parting of the Red Sea, David’s slaying of Goliath, the walls of Jericho coming down, the virgin birth of Christ, the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000, turning the water into wine, and the resurrection of Christ.

• He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think – We are children of the Most High God. We pray to Him who is omnipotent. We limit God by our doubt and unbelief. The people of Jesus’ home town of Nazareth did not believe in Him but rejected Him. They knew Him and his earthly family who came from humble origins. He was a carpenter and the son of a carpenter. Mark 6:5-6 says, “Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.” It is amazing how man’s unbelief hindered divine omnipotence! Even Jesus marveled at their unbelief.

We who are saved have seen God’s power in our lives. He is not only able to do anything we ask or think but go exceedingly abundantly above it. We often ask so little when God wants to give us so much. Someone rightfully concluded that one day in heaven God will show us all the things we could have had if only we had asked in faith. It is enough to fill warehouses full of things. James wrote, “…yet you do not have because you do not have” (James 4:4c).

• According to the power that works in us – God chooses to display His power through our weakness. It is then that He gets all the glory. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” The twelve disciples are a great example of this. Jesus chose uneducated, untrained men such as fisherman and tax collector, and others, and through them turned the world upside down.

These are both great things: God’s ability and God’s ability through our inability; God’s strength and His strength through our weakness. Let us ask God for great things, for this honors Him and brings glory to His name. Paul said, “to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

The song writers Gregory Ferguson and Rory Nolan wrote, “ He is able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns me today. He is able more than able to handle anything that comes my way. He is able more than able to do much more than I could ever dream. He is able more than able to make me me what He wants me to be.”

Have a blessed day and weekend asking God for great things and trusting in Him. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-July 8, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-Being Filled With Joy And The Holy Spirit-

“And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”

(Acts 13:52).

The Christians in early church were new, growing, and serving the Lord with great excitement. Souls were getting saved, autonomous local churches with elders and deacons were being established, the Word of God was being taught, prayer was offered up to God, the believers were being edified and strengthen, and of course there was opposition and persecution.

Acts 2:42 gives the simple structure for the gatherings of believers, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. The saints had such a great love for one another, had all things in common, sold their possessions and distributed the proceeds to those in need. There was unity in their diversity. When Peter preached the gospel on the Day of Pentecost, three thousand souls were saved and another two thousand were added the next day to make five thousand. Satan opposed them and the Jews persecuted them, but they continued on in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle James was martyred as was Stephen, one of the first deacons. Still they stood strong in Christ. They shared the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the remotest parts of the earth.

Our text tells us that the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. In the NT, being filled in this context is “to be controlled by.” Joy is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. When someone gets saved he or she is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit takes residence in our hearts and changes our lives. To be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled and led by the Spirit. This depends on our submission and surrender to the Lord. There is joy in the Lord Jesus.

• They were filled with joy – The believers were filled with joy because Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior. Joy is not the same as happiness. The former is based on our relationship to Christ, the latter on our happenings or circumstances. Circumstances change on a daily or hourly basis; our relationship with Jesus never changes. He gives us the inner joy no matter what we are going through at the time. Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). We have the reservoir of joy, but we must choose to rejoice always.” Someone once said, “Pain in enviable, misery is optional.” The joy of the Lord is our strength. It is our choice to rejoice. We choose to rejoice in the Lord.

• They were filled with the Holy Spirit – As I mentioned, being filled with the Holy Spirit is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Emotions are involved, but it it goes far behold emotion. The Spirit leads us, empowers us, and inspires us. He shows us Christ and helps us live for Him and serve Him. The Spirit is the means through which we share and preach the gospel, teach the word, and encourage others.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:18-21, “And do not be drunk with wine which dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” The Spirit filled life is the Christ centered life. Just as alcohol controls someone’s life and they do things they wouldn’t normally do, so too, the Holy Spirit controls our thoughts, words, and actions so we can please the Lord in all things.

May the Lord help us to be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. The only thing that interferes with it is sin. That is why we must keep short accounts with the Lord by confessing and forsaking our sin. When we are filled with joy and the Holy Spirit people will notice our Christlike lives and will be impacted. When you overfill a glass with water, it spills over. We want our joy in Jesus to spill over to others.

Have a blessed day of joy in Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean

-July 7, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-The Lord Is With Us For Our Good-

“As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

(Psalm 18:30).

Psalm 18 is a rich and beautiful psalm. With 50 verses, it is the second longest psalm. It was written by David after God delivered him from the hand of Saul. The title of this psalm is: “God the Sovereign Savior.” Nearly the same words are found in 2 Samuel 22.

David walked closely with the Lord, trusted in Him, and was victorious in all his battles. Today’s text summarizes how he felt about God’s constant care. We find here God’s perfect way, proven word, and protection.

• His way is perfect – God is perfect and His ways are perfect. We often use the word perfect in our language, but few if anything in this world is perfect and sinful man is far from perfect. God never makes mistakes and never fails. He is sovereign, meaning He is King and everything He does is right, just, and fair. Thus we should never complain or second guess His decisions. Our knowledge of anything is at best limited, God’s knowledge is limitless and perfect. Even when God’s will doesn’t sense to us, it is always right and His timing is the best.

• His word is proven – The word of the Lord is proven. Over and over in both the OT and the NT, God’s word shows us promises kept, principles that work, and amazing answers to prayers. The Bible speaks to every subject and offers answers to our questions, solutions to our problems, and guidance for our decisions.

• His shield is our protection – He is a shield to those who trust in him. David fought with sword and shield. The former was offensive and the latter was defensive. Nonetheless, David knew God was his protection. When Satan complained that God protected Job from and hardship, he said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land” (Job 1:9-10). Satan had to get God’s permission to touch him. The Lord is our shield. One part of our spiritual armor is the shield of faith, by which we can quench as the fiery darts or as can be translated flaming missiles of the evil one.

It is so encouraging to know that the Lord is with us day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute. He does not leave alone to fend for ourselves in this world. His way is perfect, His word is proven, and His shield is protective. Let us thank Him every day for taking such good care of us. The hymn writer Martin Luther wrote, “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He — Lord Sabaoth His name, from age to age the same, and He must win the battle.”

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

In His grace,

Dean