Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-September 25, 2020-

Good morning, happy Friday,

-We Have An Advocate With The Father-

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

(1 John 2:1).

God loved us so much as to send His one and only Son, His unique Son, His well beloved Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. He took our place on the cross and bore our sins in His own body, and paid our sin debt in full. He then rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God.

Jesus Christ is our Advocate with the Father. His wounds plead our case. An advocate is defined as “one who pleads the cause of another, specifically: one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court; one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal; one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group.” We have so many different advocates in the world, such as attorneys, and advocates for all different kinds of causes, such as women’s rights, family rights, homeless rights, racial rights, animal rights, and a whole slew of other causes. An advocate represents others, defends them, speaks on their behalf to promote their cause and their rights and maintain them.

Jesus Christ is our Advocate. When we sin, He pleads on our behalf by showing His wounds. The devil is our adversary and is called the accuser of the brethren. The Lord defeats him each and every time. He has never lost a case nor will He ever lose one. There is no one else we could want on our side. He intercedes for us with the Father. In human terms, Jonathan, the son of Saul, tried his best to advocate for David to his father but even that didn’t work. Saul was out to kill David but the Lord was his Advocate and protected him.

John tells us “these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” God wants us not to sin, and we don’t want to either, but there times that we do. We still have the old nature and we can fall into sin. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” David was forgiven for his sins of adultery and murder; Jonah was forgiven for his sin of disobedience in his running away from his mission of preaching to the people of Nineveh; Peter was forgiven for denying Jesus three times. These are just a few examples.

There are two types of forgiveness in the Bible: the first type of forgiveness is judicial. God as judge forgives our sins once and for all through the death and resurrection of Christ. Our sins are washed in His blood. The second type of forgiveness is parental. God as our Father forgives us when we confess our sins and restores the relationship we have with Him that was affected by our sin. A son may do wrong and sin against his father, but he is still his son and the father is still his father. The father doesn’t banish him from the family. We are sons of God forever through Jesus Christ. The word restored is such a beautiful one.

Let us rejoice that we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our Advocate. He intercedes for us, defends us, represents us, and most of all loves us with an everlasting love. When we sin, let us immediately confess it, repent of it, and forsake it. We all know how we feel when we as believers sin and that intimate fellowship is broken. We also know the joy of being forgiven and restored.

Have a blessed day under the advocacy of Christ. There is no better security and comfort than being in close personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-September 24, 2020-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-We Have Need Of Endurance-

“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

(Hebrews 19:35-36).

We must always put our confidence in the Lord; for we have the Word of God to stand on and rely on. There is a great reward for us for standing firm in the truth. We put on the whole armor of God daily and fight the good fight of faith.

Every believer in Christ is a soldier of the cross. As such we need endurance to keep pressing on to the victory. The battle is not ours, it is the Lord’s. The weapons we fight with are not physical but spiritual, mighty in God. Paul told Timothy, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

We need endurance to keep going no matter what we go through. Our three enemies of the world, the flesh, and devil will always oppose us. The devil employs discouragement to try to take us down. James 5:11 tells us, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

Press on, move forward, trusting in the Lord. God will strengthen us and help us in all that we do. Remember who we serve and that we need endurance so that after we have done the will of God we will receive the promise. It will never be easy but results will wonderful and eternal.

Have a blessed day enduring. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-September 23, 2020-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-Glory In Our Tribulations: No Pain, No Gain-

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

(Romans 5:3-4).

There is apt expression that has to do with exercising that has been used for other endeavors in life as well, “No pain, no gain.” In order words, to get the most out of whatever we do, it requires enduring difficulties. Tribulations and trials, which are synonymous, are often painful to one degree or another. Paul wrote, “…but we also glory in tribulations…”

We don’t glory in the pain but in the gain. Tribulations are for our good. 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. But let patience have its perfect work, that you maybe perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Paul and James both use the words “knowing” and “produces.” Both are saying the same thing: no pain, no gain. It is the results trials bring that count. Trials test and grow our faith, help us depend on the Lord, and enable us to empathize and sympathize with others.

Some bibles have titles before each section of Scripture, often in bold print, and though these titles are not part of the inspired text, they are a great blessing. In Romans 5:1-5, the title is “Faith Triumphs in Trouble.” In James 1:2-8, the title is, “Profiting from Trials.” Here in our text, Paul shows what trials produce in our lives and how we profit from them.

• Tribulation produces perseverance – The pain of tribulation brings the gain of perseverance. To persevere is to keep going no matter the impediment, the opposition, the difficulty, the hardship, or the pain. That perseverance leads to increased endurance; it builds our spiritual muscles.

• Perseverance produces character – Character is who we are, not just what we do and say. Character is thus the hardest thing to change. God desires permanent change in our inner man. This relates to what we call in exercise terminology “muscle memory.” Just like those who stop working out lose their muscle tone, the same thing can happen to us spiritually if we don’t spend time daily in prayer and the Word.

• Character produces hope – When God grows us, changes us, and makes us more and more like His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we look beyond the pain of this world to our gain in heaven. It gives hope to keep pressing on, for the finish line is just ahead. Life is not a sprint, it is a marathon.

Thus we should count our trials as friends, not foes; as blessings not burdens; and gain not pain. God knows how to get results in our lives. Therefore, we go through storms, experience thorns in the flesh, and bear burdens in carrying our crosses. Tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. None of us would be who were are without the trials we have experienced.

Have a blessed day counting it all joy when you experience trials for they bringing great benefits for both now and all eternity. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-September 22, 2022-

Good morning, happy Tuesday, happy first day of autumn,

-Receiving Others As Christ Has Received Us-

“Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.”

(Romans 15:7).

Whenever we read the word therefore, especially at the beginning of a verse, we should always ask ourselves, “What is the word ‘therefore,’ there for?” In this case, Paul has written three important things in Romans 15:1-6: We who are strong ought to bear the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves (v.1); Let each please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification (v.2); Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another according to Christ Jesus (v.5).

So then based on these things, let us “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ has received us, to the glory of God.” Paul’s thrust in so many of his epistles is to consider others, love others, and seek to edify others and not to stumble them. We as believers are brothers and sisters in Christ, those for whom Christ died as He also died for us. We are all saved by His blood. He has loved us and received us to the glory of God without exception or exclusion, all by His grace.

It does not matter our national origin, race, color, gender, economic status, or background. Jesus welcomes and receives all alike. Our churches are a blend of so many different people with a like-mindedness in Christ. There is room at the cross for everyone and in our churches as well. The Lord received us willingly, fully, and lovingly, just as we should receive each other. We are one body and Christ is the Head of the body, the church. Each member of the body is important and equal.

May the Lord help us to love one another and receive each other willingly, fully, and to the glory of God. After all, we will spend eternity with each other. It will have its challenges here on earth, but God’s love will prevail.

Have a blessed day loving others and receiving them just as Christ has loved and received us. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-September 21, 2020-

Good morning, happy Monday,

-Grace, Love, And Communion Are From God For Our Good-

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

(2 Corinthians 13:14).

The Apostle Paul wrote two strong, instructive, and encouraging epistles to the Corinthians. He had to deal with some very serious issues so the saints would be in right standing with the Lord and with one another. He loved them so much and wanted the very best for them. He chose the most perfect way to end his second epistle.

Prior to today’s verse, he wrote in 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.” His final words in verse 14 are a perfect benediction. This benediction directs them to God in praise and adoration. It is like the perfect bow on the package.

Paul speaks of three blessings that come from God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Trinity is involved in our salvation, so too, each one is involved in our spiritual growth, sanctification, and edification. We need the Lord for everything we say and do, so that we can be a blessing to others.

• The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ – We need God’s grace every day and in every way. Grace is the strength our Lord gives us to face every situation. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9 the words the Lord spoke to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” His grace sufficient for us in whatever we may be going through today. He sends the needed grace for each day. His grace is an unending reservoir of blessing for His people.

• The love of God – Our Heavenly Father loves us so much. He sent His Son to die for us on the cross and save us from our sins. When we pray we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus His Son. His love is the most wonderful virtue of all, without which we cannot love Him or each other. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Love is the greatest since it will last for all eternity in heaven. Faith and hope will only be needed until we are in the presence of our Lord, then faith gives way to sight and hope gives way to our deepest longing for His presence and fulfillment.

• The communion of the Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit regenerates us, teaches us, empowers us, and gives us spiritual gifts in order for us to serve the Lord. The Holy Spirit also produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives and intercedes for us. The Holy Spirit communes with us in our spirit. He is our Helper and our Comforter.

The Lord is so good. He gives us the grace we need each day, showers with His love, and communes with us on the journey of life. We need the Lord for each step of our journey, each battle we fight, and each trial we go through. Through the Lord who is glorious, we are than victorious!

Have a blessed day day in our walk with the Lord in His grace, love, and communion. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean