Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-December 9, 2020-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-Jesus Is the True Vine And We Are The Branches Who Abide Him-

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1).

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

John records the seven great “I am” statements of Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life, the light of the world, the door, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the way the truth, and the life, and the true vine. He is the Son of God. Exodus 3:14 says, “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Jesus came into this world as perfect God and perfect man as the I AM. He preached and taught, He performed miracles, He healed people, and He died on the cross for our sins and rose again. Then He ascended back to heaven with the promise He will come again. Today’s text is so encouraging because it shows the personal relationship He has with us as true vine and we as His branches.

• I am the true vine – Jesus is the vine and the Father is the vinedresser. Only the vine can produce the grapes. It is the Father who guided Him in all that He said and did. Jesus the vine produced disciples then and still today as well.

• I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing – There is such a close relationship between the vine and the branches. The vine produces the fruit through the branches. Thus Jesus produces His fruit through us as we abide in Him. His will is that we bear much fruit. Fruit bearing in the NT refers to two things: winning souls to Christ and living the Christlike life and being His effective servants.

There is no way for us to bear fruit without Christ. He empowers us and uses us to touch lives. We are nothing without Him and we can do nothing apart from Him. Any success or fruit we produce is by Him and for Him. All the glory goes to Christ and to the Father.

Abiding in Christ is the close relationship we have with our Lord and Savior in prayer and in His Word. We must spend time with Him every day. Only then are we equipped to carry on His work in this world. Any work for Christ without the power of the Holy Spirit will accomplish nothing for the kingdom of God.

The hymn writer Henry F. Lyte wrote, “Abide with me — fast falls the even tide, the darkness deepens — Lord, with me abide; when other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.” Let us abide in Him and He will abide in us. Only then can we produce much fruit, for without Him we can do nothing.

Have a blessed and fruitful day abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ, the true vine. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-December 8, 2020-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-Jesus Is The Way, The Truth, And The Life; There Is No Other Way To God-

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

Today’s verse is Jesus’ answer to the question that Thomas asked him in John 14:5, “…Lord, we do not know the way where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus simply answers, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Our Savior had been speaking of preparing a place for them in the Father’s house, and coming again to take them there. He told them that they knew where He was going and they the way.

Thomas, is called doubting Thomas because he would not believe Jesus rose from the dead until he saw Him with his eyes and felt the wounds with his own hands. He was a man who wanted to know things and who better to ask than Jesus. I appreciate people who aren’t afraid to ask questions. Most people have questions but are afraid to ask. Because he asked we have this wonderful verse!

• I am the way – Jesus is not just a way to God, but He is the way, the only way. There are many religions with many religious leaders, all of whom are dead and their bones are in their graves. Jesus died and rose again. He is the way to God through His shed blood on Calvary’s cross. He told them, “No one comes to the Father except through Him.” He left no doubt.

• I am the truth – Jesus is the truth and thus He speaks the truth. Jesus told Pilate in John 18:37, “…You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” In the first part of verse 38, Pilate asked, “What is truth?” After asking this question he sought to release Jesus, finding no fault in Him. The truth was standing right in front of him!

• I am the life – Jesus is the life. He died for our sins and rose for our justification. Because He lives, we live also. He is the life and the source of all life. We as believers have eternal and abundant life. This we will live with Jesus in the Father’s house in heaven forever.

Yes, Jesus is the way, the truth, and life. Thomas a Kempis eloquently said, “Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; without the life, there is no living.” We as believers walk in His way, abide in His truth, and live by His example. Praise be to God!

Have a blessed day walking with Jesus in His will. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-December 7, 2020- Pearl Harbor Day

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Jesus Is The Resurrection And The Life, The Christ, The Son of God-

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is come into the world.’”

During this Corona pandemic so many have died both in the United States and throughout the world. Just this past week the Coronavirus became the number one cause of death in America. The positive cases are at their highest levels since the pandemic started. The people who have died are real people not just statistics. They are husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and friends. Jesus feels our pain.

Our blessed Lord and Savior was born into this world as the resurrection and the life. He died for our sins and rose for justification. Because He died and rose again, we will rise also. In our passage today, Jesus is speaking to Martha after the death of her brother Lazarus. Our Lord is speaking of both physical and spiritual death. Both are because of sin. Only the believer in Jesus Christ has the assurance that he will never die spiritually, and if the Rapture comes first, he may never die physically either.

Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from death and this would bring great joy to Martha and her sister and God would be glorified. The greater joy for believers is that though we die, we will rise to be with Christ forever. Lazarus would die again physically but would be with the Lord in heaven forever. There is a huge difference when a believer dies or when an unbeliever dies. We have hope and though we sorrow it is not like the sorrow of unbelievers.

We praise God there is a vaccine on the way. Only the Lord can comfort us in our time of loss. These words of Jesus have been a source of comfort to countless believers down through the centuries, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” God who gives life is the only one who can take it. Only He knows the time of our death and of the Rapture. He is our hope and our lives are in His hands.

We thank God that when Jesus died for us and rose again, He conquered sin and death. He removed the sting of death which is sin. The fear of death is gone. We have a bright eternity to look forward to. Jabe Nicholson said, “Those who are born once, will die twice; but those who are born twice, will die at most only once.” We who are saved are born twice, once physically and once spiritually in the new birth. We look forward to the Rapture to all go to heaven at Christ’s coming in the air. If we do die first, we will be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Either way we win. Death is not an end but a beginning. Death no longer has power over us. Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Have a blessed day in Jesus who conquered sin and death, and lives forever. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-December 6, 2020-

Good morning happy Lord’s Day,

-The Good Shepherd Laid Down His Life for Us – He Knows Us And We Know Him-

“I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the the sheep.”

(John 10:14-15).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd whom the Father sent to die for us the flock. He not only died for us, He loves us and cares for us. Just as He knows the Father, and the Father knows Him, He knows us and we know Him. Though Our Shepherd has many sheep, He intimately knows us by name and everything about us.

Our Good Shepherd willing chose to lay down His life for us on the cross, dying in our place so that through faith in Him and His finished work, we have forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life. We are His people the sheep of His pasture. He said in John 10:17-18, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life than I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Our Good Shepherd has gathered all His sheep into one flock, Jews and Gentiles. This is why He said in John 10:16, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will one flock and one Shepherd.” This includes us coming to Christ later in history. All are saved by the blood of Christ.

A shepherd loves and cares for his sheep; he knows each by name, their needs, their strengths and weaknesses, and tendencies for wandering. There are many predators out to get the sheep, therefore the shepherd must be on guard constantly to protect them. He must also feed them and care for them.

The Lord Jesus lost none of His disciples except Judas, the son of perdition, the traitor who betrayed Him. He is not only the Good Shepherd who laid down His life, but He is also the Great Shepherd, who made an eternal covenant through His blood (See Hebrews 13:20). He is also called the Chief Shepherd who will appear and give us the crown of glory that does not fade away (See 1 Peter 5:4).

We should take great comfort, encouragement, and joy knowing that our Shepherd is with us, caring for us, protecting us, and feeding us. He loves us so much. He knows our fears, anxieties, and concerns. He tells us in Matthew 28:20, …lo, I am with you always, even to the end of age.”

Have a blessed day under the care of our Shepherd. Stay safe and healthy in His fold.

Dean

-December 5, 2020-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-Jesus Is The Door Of The Sheep-

“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7).

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may life, and that may have it more abundantly” (John 10:9-10).

Jesus came from heaven to earth to be our door to salvation and to give us an abundant life in Him. He is our Shepherd who laid down His life for us on the cross and who gives the best life. We are the sheep of His pasture, and He provides us with the greenest and best food to eat and the coldest and best water to drink.

Jesus twice tells us in our portion today, “I am the door.” Each person must decide to enter the door in the presence of God and be saved and cared for. There are in fact two doors: Jesus opens the door for whoever will come, no one is excluded. The second door is the door of our hearts which we must open to Jesus as we invite Him to come into our hearts and be our Lord and Savior. He knocks and patiently waits for us to open the door to Him. Let’s not make Him wait outside a moment longer.

In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” The door of our hearts only has a handle on the inside, we must open the door to Him, for He will never force His way in.

When we enter through Christ and open our hearts to Him, inviting Him to come in, we have life eternal and abundant. He loves us so much and wants the best for us now on earth and later in heaven forever. The Christian life is the best life, and as our dear pastor always says, “The best is yet to come.”

The devil is both the wolf and the thief who does his utmost to attack us, to steal, kill, and destroy, but He can’t get to us. Just as God closed the door to the Ark in Noah’s day, and protected Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives from the flood of judgment and harm, so too, we are protected in Christ.

Have blessed day in Christ, living the abundant life in Him. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean