Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-March 25, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-When We Confess Our Sins, God Forgives Us-

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. “

Our verse today is such a great blessing. When Jesus died on the cross He bore our sins once for all. Our forgiveness is based on the blood of Christ. He forgave our sins, past, present, and future. This what we call judicial forgiveness; God our Judge pardons us. The second form of forgiveness is parental forgiveness. When we as believers sin, we need to confess our sins to God and be forgiven. By confessing our wrongs, we are restored to fellowship with God.

The word “ if” is conditional word. If we do not confess our sin we remain outside of God’s will and our relationship and fellowship with Him is broken. We do not lose our salvation, but we lose the joy of our salvation. King David went through this and he was greatly affected spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. He wrote in Psalm 32:3-5, “When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sins.”

David also said in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” We also read in Proverbs 28:13, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Taking all the Scriptures together, we are to confess our sins, forsake them, repent, and ask God to forgive us.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins. He makes us fell uncomfortable, uneasy, and disturbed. God loves us so much and never stops loving us no matter what we do wrong. He longs to restore us even more than we long to be restored. We have to deal with our sins and agree with God that we have sinned. David said, “Against You, You only have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight — That You be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:4). David, Jonah, and Peter all confessed their sins and were restored and cleansed before God. When we sin against another person, we must also confess our sins to them and ask for their forgiveness. This keeps bitterness from festering and the relationship with them open.

Have a blessed day confessing your sins and walking close with the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-March 24, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-The Gift Of God Is Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ-

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

(Romans 6:23).

Today’s verse is so encouraging. It clearly shows us where we were because of sin, and where we are now because of His righteousness. It was part of what is called, “The Roman Road,” which are gospel verses found in the Epistle to the Romans that lead a person like a roadmap to salvation in Christ.

Romans 3:23 – All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; Romans 6:23 – The gift of God is eternal life; Romans 5:8 – God demonstrated His love to us while we were still sinners by Christ’s death on the cross; Romans 10:9-10 – That by confession that Jesus is Lord and faith in Him we have salvation; and Romans 10:13 – That whoever calls on the Lord shall be saved. While the Romans built the best roads in the ancient world, God made the best road to heaven by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who died for us on the cross and rose again. They used to say, “All roads lead to Rome.” While that may have been true, Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father and to eternal life and salvation.

When we look at where we were, it is not a pretty picture. We were born in sin and conceived in iniquity. We were dead in our trespasses and sins, separated from God because of sin, lost, without God and without hope in the world, in darkness, under the control of sin and the devil, and completely helpless to save ourselves. The Apostle Paul writes, “For the wages of sin is death.” We were doubly dead, spiritually and one day to die physically. The former is much worse, to die spiritually in hell forever is so horrible. Someone once said, “Those who are born once, will die twice; but those who are born twice will die at most once.” The born again believer is free from what the Bible calls the “The Second Death,” being forever away from the presence of the Lord in hell forever.

When we think of wages, we think of compensation for our jobs here on earth. The wages of sin also pays a wage: death. Ezekiel 18:4 says, “Behold all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.”

We thank God that we are saved from our sins are forgiven through the sacrifice and shed blood of Jesus Christ. He died for sins, taking our place on the cross, so that God can justly impute the righteousness of Christ to us. He has given us the gift of God which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. A gift in life is given freely and we do not pay for it. Whether it is for a birthday, anniversary, graduation, retirement, Christmas, or any other occasion. The same is true of God’s gift to us of eternal life — it is free, it costs us nothing, but it cost Christ everything on the cross.

If you have not yet received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior please do so today. Believe you are a sinner, confess your sins to Him, repent of your sins by turning from them, believing that Jesus died for your sins, receive Him into your heart, and commit your life to Him. God’s great gift of eternal life can never be lost, stolen, or worn out. What a joy, what a Savior!

Have a blessed day rejoicing in your salvation through Christ. Your past is under the blood and your future is in heaven forever. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-March 23, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-God’s Blessing On Those Who Endure Trials And Temptations-

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

(James 1:12).

James, the writer of this blessed epistle is the half-brother of Jesus. Early on in Jesus’ earthly ministry, his brothers did not believe in Him, but later turned to Him in saving faith. James and Jude both became mighty men of God and wrote epistles in the NT. James was so practical and challenging in his epistle as was Jude in his.

In chapter one, James writes of trials and temptations which we all go through. James 1:2-3, says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Only a believer can rejoice in the trials of life, knowing the good that comes from them. In today’s text, James refers to temptations but it applies to trials as well. God sends trials but never temptations. The devil uses our sinful flesh against us to try to get us to sin.

There is a special blessing for those who endure temptation. We cannot do this without the Lord’s help. This is exactly what Joseph went through. He experienced temptation in Potiphar’s house and endured it day after day. Potiphar’s wife was wicked and tried her utmost to seduce young Joseph to be with her. He did the wise thing and fled, but she brought a false accusation against him and he was thrown into prison. Later, he interpreted the dreams of the chief cup bearer and the chief baker, who had displeased Pharaoh and ended up in the same prison. Joseph went on to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams and he put him in charge of all Egypt.

Joseph said “no” to temptation and God blessed him here on earth and in heaven as well. Joseph also experienced many difficult trials and endured them. James tells us that all of us as believers who endure temptation and love the Lord will receive the crown of life. Our commitment to Christ and obeying Him supersedes and overrides all our fleshly desires.

Jesus experienced temptation from the devil and rejected it using the Word of God. Jesus was God manifested in the flesh and was sinless and perfect. He showed us that we also can endure temptations through the Scriptures. We all want God’s approval and to be victorious over sin. Temptation is not sin, giving in to the temptation is. Jesus told His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” God does not want us to fall into sin so He provides the way out for us.

My friends, God wants us to refuse temptation, endure temptation, and flee temptation. He assures us there is the path to victory and we will be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The same is true of enduring trials.

Have a blessed day enduring trials and temptations. Our Savior will be pleased. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-March 22, 2021-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Our Spiritual Warfare-

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

(Ephesians 6:10-11).

From the moment we get saved until we get to heaven, we are engaged in spiritual warfare against the devil and all his demonic forces. By our identification with Jesus Christ, we are targets of all the attacks of the evil one. Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil and wickedness in the heavenly places. We cannot see them but they are there. Not only that, but the angelic forces of God are in constant conflict with them.

The Apostle Paul reminds the Ephesians that our strength for the battle is completely in the Lord. He writes in verse 10, “…be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He defeated Satan and all the powers of evil and darkness. It was prophesied in Genesis 3:15 when the Lord told the serpent, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” The devil crucified Christ but Christ dealt him a mortal blow.

Though Satan is a defeated foe, he fights on until he is thrown into the lake of fire. He is angry, and uses everything in his arsenal to keep people from getting saved and to oppose the church and its work on earth. Jesus promised, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The Apostle Paul also encouraged us in Romans 16:20, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”

It is so important to protect ourselves from the onslaught of the devil’s attacks. Paul writes, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Another word for wiles is schemes. The devil knows each of us very well and our weaknesses and vulnerabilities. All the pieces of the armor of God are defensive except the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

This passage in Ephesians 6:10-18, is the fullest account in the Bible of our spiritual warfare. In verse 18, we see how important prayer is, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” It is vital we pray for each other and for ourselves in this spiritual conflict. Prayer is both offensive and defensive alike.

Let us then fight the good fight of faith as soldiers of Christ, being strong in the Lord and putting on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against the devil’s attacks. He takes no days off. We are on Christ’s side, the victorious side. We cannot take on the devil by ourselves, he is too crafty and too strong, but he is no match for our Lord Jesus Christ. We are strongest on our knees.

Have a blessed and victorious day by putting on the whole armor of God and being strong in the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-March 21, 2021-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

-Fruitfulness At All Times-

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor cease from yielding fruit.”

(Jeremiah 17:7-8).

In California we have been living through many droughts over the last few years. Water is life, it grows our crops and provides refreshment and drinking water for all. In biblical days, God used drought and other means to get the attention of His people. Spiritual drought for the Word of God is far worse than physical drought.

In our text today, the prophet Jeremiah is demonstrating how men and women of God who are trusting in the Lord and putting their hope in Him can survive and thrive in all circumstances. The righteous are described as trees planted by rivers of water, which spread out its roots by the river. Just as trees, especially fruit trees, need water to grow and flourish, we need the water of the Word in this dry, parched, and sinful world.

Christians are resilient, they don’t give up. They pray and keep on praying, crying out to the Lord for His help. Jeremiah mentions four important ways we can make it through spiritual droughts and harsh conditions. God wants us to be victorious and healthy under any and all conditions.

• They will not fear when heat comes – Heat is a symbol of trials in our lives. There is no need to fear, when Jesus is near. We have the Lord with us and His Word. We find refreshment and satisfaction in God, and He blesses if we stay planted where God has planted us in His will, in the local church he has put us in, and serving Him in the ministry He has called us to.

• But its leaf will be green – When tree branches and leafs are green it is a sign of health and vibrancy. Other trees may become brown and even die. We as believers look around and see the devastation Covid-19 has wrought on the world, the USA, and on everyone. It has affected every person in some way. This is why we must cling to the Lord and rely fully on Him. This health crisis will end and things will return to normal, or at least the new normal. Let us stay green, close to the Lord and in His Word and prayer daily.

• And will not be anxious in the year of drought – Anxiety only makes things worse for us and those around us. The Lord knows our needs and He provides for us in His time. If you are reading this you are still alive and God has been so merciful and gracious. We have been through a year of drought with this pandemic. We can see light at the end of the tunnel, we must continue to hang in there.

• Nor cease from yielding fruit – God’s will is for us to be fruitful always and in all ways, even in our old age. Psalm 92:13-14 says, “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.”

May the Lord help us to be fruitful in and through all circumstances. Let us be a blessing to those around us, showing them that the Lord is our hope and that we trust in Him. May we continue to bear fruit.

Have a blessed day trusting the Lord and serving Him fruitfully no matter our circumstances. Stay safe and healthy.