Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-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

“

-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

-April 4, 2021-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day, happy Easter,

-He is Not Here, But Is Risen-

“But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”

(Luke 24:2-7).

The women who followed Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others, were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb. They were brought their spices to anoint the body of their precious Lord. They loved the Lord so much and were fully devoted to Him. They expected the challenge of a huge stone in front of the tomb, but instead found the stone rolled away from an empty tomb.

These dear women were greatly perplexed. Soon their perplexity turned to fear when they encountered two angels clothed in shining garments. These two angels, who are unnamed, spoke words of encouragement to them. They first asked them a great question that challenged them to their core, “Why do you seek the living among the dead.” This question must touched and challenged their hearts. Jesus is the Prince of life, the source of life, the giver of life, and the sustainer of life.

It is good to be convicted by the Holy Spirit. It was was true of these women, and it true of us today. We just need to have faith in the Word of God. He can and does miracles. The angels tell them, “He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’

Verse 8 of this chapter says, “And they remembered His words.” Then it all clicked in their minds and hearts. They believed. They left the tomb to tell the disciples, but they did not believe. Peter though ran to the tomb, and we know from the other gospel records John ran with him, and they found the tomb just as the women had said it was: empty. Later our risen Savior appeared to them.

The message of that first Easter morning is the same today, “He is risen!” The early Christians used to greet each other with the words, “The Lord is risen!” And their fellows would reply, “The Lord is risen indeed!” The resurrection of Christ is the most joyous and monumental event in church history. Because He lives, we live also.

The hymn writer Robert Lowry wrote, “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign; He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!” What a great victory Jesus won over sin, death, the devil, and this world! And one day soon He will come again to take us home to glory.

May the Lord give us a wonderful Resurrection Day today. Do you have problems, He is risen! Do you have sorrows, He is risen! Do you have disappointments, He is risen! Are you feeling pain or discouragement? He is risen! He is alive and is with us on life’s journey. Only He can turn our sorrow into joy, our tears into cheers!

Have a blessed and joyful Easter. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-April 3, 2021-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-Looking Unto Jesus The Author And Finisher Of Our Faith-

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

(Hebrews 12:2).

Yesterday was Good Friday and tomorrow is Easter Sunday. Today is the in between day, after the cross and before the resurrection from the tomb. Jesus, the Son of God, the author and finisher of our faith bore our sins and died for us. As the author, He came down from heaven to earth to take on human flesh, yet without sin. As the finisher He completed the work of our salvation on the cross.

Jesus started and finished the work that the Father gave Him to do. Jesus said in John 17:3-5, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

At this point in the chronology of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He completed everything: every sermon was preached, every person was healed, every miracle was done. He then went to the cross and died for us as our Substitute, Sin Bearer, and Savior. Six hours of agony on the cross lay before Him. He said in John 19:30 while on the cross, “… It is finished.” He then bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

The cross was extremely hard to bear and He bore it. He is our example of enduring to the end. The writer of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Jesus endured and won the victory and rose again from the dead. We must also press on to victory to win the race, the race of faith.

It is hard for us to imagine the depth of suffering that our Savior experienced at Calvary physically, let alone spiritually. He was beaten, scourged, slapped, the beard was ripped from His face. He bore His cross along the Via Delarosa. He was nailed to the cross, He bore our sins, He experienced the wrath and judgment of God in our place. The hymn writer Katherine Kelly wrote, “O make me understand it, help me to take it in, what it meant to Thee the Holy One to bear away my sin.”

We have so much to be thankful this Easter! We remember His love in laying His life for us and His power in taking it up again. When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, a place He has forever in glory. What a tremendous victory He w we on and we share in.

Have a blessed day rejoicing in the results of cross and in the empty tomb. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

“