Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-April 9, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday,

-The Glory And Majesty Of Jesus Christ, The Son Of God-

“God, who at various times and various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.”

The Book of Hebrews was written to the Jews about Jesus Christ the Messiah, His person and His work. The writer is unknown, but many Bible scholars believe it was the Apostle Paul, as I do as well. In this wonderful book, the writer demonstrates the superiority for Christ to angels, to Moses, to the law, to the Aaronic priesthood, and to the sacrificial system, all of which pointed to Him and was fulfilled in Him.

God formerly spoke to the people of Israel through the prophets to bring forth His message. There were many great prophets beginning with Moses and ending with John the Baptist, whom Jesus called the greatest of those born of women. But even of John, our Savior said the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. The simplest believer in Jesus Christ has been saved and has eternal life in Him. All the OT saints were saved as it were based on what Christ would accomplish on the cross. Many say, and rightfully so, that they were saved “by credit.” God now has spoken through His Son.

The Holy Spirit through the writer paints a beautiful picture of who Jesus is in these first few verses. We must remove our shoes for we are standing on holy ground just as Moses did when God spoke to him at the burning bush.

• He is appointed heir of all things – The Father has made Jesus His Son the beneficiary of the whole world and all the universe as well. Jesus is His perfect and well beloved Son. As God He is eternal. Revelation 11:15 says, “Then the seventh Angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.’”

We will reign with our Lord forever. Romans 8:16-17 says of us, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” All this is because we are born into God’s family.

• Through whom also He made the world – Jesus Christ is the active agent in creation, the Creator of all things. Paul wrote of Jesus in Colossians 1:15-16, “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 earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” Oh, what wonderful Lord and Savior we have!

• He is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, upholding all things by the word of His power – Jesus is God, God the Son, the Son of God. He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, they saw Jesus in His glory. Matthew 17:2 says, “and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.” The Father’s voice was heard, “…This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

• When He purged our sins He sat down at the right hand of the majesty of high – Jesus is our Great High Priest, and when He finished our salvation He sat down. In the OT, the high priest was always working and could never sit down. There were always so many sacrifices to offer. Jesus died once and made atonement for our souls. We will be with Him one day soon and will worship and serve Him forever.

The hymn writer Jack Hayford wrote, Majesty, worship His majesty, unto Jesus, be all glory, power, and praise. Majesty, kingdom authority, flow from His throne unto His own, His anthem raise. So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus. Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King. Majesty, worship His majesty, Jesus, who died, now glorified, King of all kings.”

Have a blessed day worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ and living for Him. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 8, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-From Enemies To Sons-

“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

(Romans 5:10).

Our salvation and reconciliation to God was all by grace through faith. When Jesus died on the cross, we were enemies of God. Now through His substitutionary death, we are saved and have become sons of God. And not only sons but friends of God.

There are three words, all beginning with the letter “R” that describe what God has done for us: reconciled, ransomed, and redeemed. Today, we are considering our reconciliation to God. We were lost and separated from God, and Jesus came to reconcile us. He was the bridge between heaven and earth, between a holy God and unholy sinners. Now through His death, we have salvation and eternal life. Through the blood of Christ we are cleansed and forgiven.

Reconciliation is bringing two sides together. Jesus, as the Son of God, died in our place to bring us back to God. He has made us holy and clothed us in His righteousness. We are so blessed. The hymn writer Elisha A. Hoffman wrote, “I praise Him for the cleansing blood — what a wonderful Savior! That reconciled my soul to God — what a wonderful Savior!”

Have a blessed day walking with Lord and living for Him. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 7, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-Christ Lives In Us And Through Us-

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

(Galatians 2:20).

The Apostle Paul wrote this epistle to rebuke and correct the Galatians for beginning by grace through faith then going back to the law and putting themselves under it. Paul defended the gospel and stood firm on it. One can’t be saved by the law but only through the death of Christ on the cross.

Paul gives his own testimony of his salvation through Christ and his relationship with Him. We have the same relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This verse is so encouraging. There are three wonderful parts to this verse.

• I have been crucified with Christ – When Christ died on the cross, we died with Him. We died to the law, the devil, the world, sin, our old life, and the flesh. Jesus bore our sins and nailed them to the cross. This is why we can’t go back to the law which condemned us because we could not keep it perfectly.

• It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me – Just as we died with Christ, we also live with Him. Now that we are saved, He lives in us. Colossians 1:27 says, “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” It is so wonderful that Jesus lives in our hearts, and lives His life in and through us. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in us.

• And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me – We do not live by our own wisdom or strength, instead we walk by faith in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” We need the Lord for everything and trust Him in all things. This is the key to a living a victorious Christian life.

The song writer wrote, “It is no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me. It is no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me. In me, in me, Jesus is alive in me. It is no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me.” Thank God Jesus lives in us! Let us not make the mistake of trying to live the Christian life in our own wisdom and strength. If we do, we will interfere with the Lord’s work in our lives.

Have a blessed day with Jesus who is living His life through us. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 6, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-Love Demonstrated By Action-

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

(1 John 3:16-18).

Today’s text is both challenging and encouraging. Love is far more than an emotion, it is an action. Jesus is our example; He demonstrated His love for us by laying down His life for us on the cross. As believers we should demonstrate God’s love in action to others.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Love Chapter, the Apostle Paul describes this love, which in the Greek is the word agape, which describes God’s love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a says,”Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

Only the Holy Spirit can produce this kind of caring, humble, selfless sacrificing, and patient love to those around us. In Galatians 5:22-23 we find the fruit of the Spirit, and the first one mentioned is love. The fruit of the Spirit represents the character of our Lord Jesus Christ and what He wants to produce in our lives.

Just as Christ loved us and laid down His life for us, we should also lay down our lives for our brothers sisters in Christ. This may be physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, financially, materially, or socially, whatever the need may be. Love is costly, compassionate, and caring. It goes the second mile with a smile.

True love goes beyond words. The Apostle John writes, “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” He does not mean we should not say, “I love you,” we should, but we should show love in a practical way lest we be hypocritical. We must walk the talk. May the Lord help us to love one another as He loves us.

Have a blessed day of caring, sharing, and sacrificing for others. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

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-April 5, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Redemption And Forgiveness Through Christ-

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

(Ephesians 1:7).

The theme of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians is, “In the Heavenly Places.” He uses this phrase five times in the epistle. Paul spent over three years in Ephesus teaching the believers the Word of God.

In our verse, Paul wrote of two great blessings: redemption and forgiveness. Both come through the blood of Christ and are according to the riches of His grace. We are so blessed to be 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.”

• In Him we have redemption through His blood – Redemption comes through the shed blood of our Savior on the cross. From early on in the book of Genesis, God established the requirement that blood is the means of man’s redemption. All the sacrifices in the OT pointed forward to the cross where Jesus’ one sacrifice would not only cover our sins but put them away forever. The word redeem means to buy back. We have been purchased with the blood of Christ.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” The hymn writer Fanny Crosby 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.”

• The forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace – God’s grace made possible our forgiveness; Jesus died for our sins, paid our sin debt. Someone once said, “He paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay.” All our sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven. Everything we have done is under the blood. The theological term is efficacy, meaning sufficiency. This word is in the news because of the COVID 19 vaccines that are being administered around the word. The difference is that Jesus’ blood is 100% efficacious!

Let us thank God we have been redeemed and forgiven through our Lord Jesus Christ and His blood and according to the riches of His grace. Good Friday recently reminded us of His death on the cross and Easter reminded us of His glorious resurrection.

Have a blessed day praising God for what we have in Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean