Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-September 5, 2020-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-The Great Commission For Every Christian-

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

(Matthew 28:18-20).

The two main places where the Great Commission is mentioned are Mark 16:15-18 and here in Matthew 28:18-20. It is also referred to in Luke 24:46-49 and John 20:21-23. Of all the passages, Matthew gives the fullest teaching on this subject.

Jesus begins by stating that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and earth. This serves as our marching orders in spreading the gospel to the whole world. Though we have so many mediums (i.e preaching to large groups, radio, TV, the internet) for sharing our faith and teaching the Word, nothing takes the place of one on one evangelism. The personal approach is the best approach, though we can and should avail ourselves of every means of getting the message out.

The Great Commission is not just for pastors, missionaries, and Bible scholars, but for every believer in Christ. We bear and sow the seed of the gospel and the Holy Spirit uses it to bring people to salvation. The work is God’s work through us His vessels. We do our part and God does His part. Our part is composed of three things.

1. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” – The word “go” sent the early Christians out to the whole world with the gospel message to proclaim Christ. The Great Commission is not fulfilled just by preaching and winning souls to Christ, for it goes far beyond that to making disciples. New believers need to be grounded in the Word and be prepared to then carry the message to others. This is how the gospel is spread and multiplied in the world.

2. “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” – Once a person is saved they are to be baptized as a public proclamation of what the Lord has done for them in their hearts. Baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. That is why a person must be fully submerged in water, stays for a moment, then rises out of the water to live a new life in Christ.

3. “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you – Not everyone is a Bible teacher, but we can all share with others what the Lord has taught us. In Matthew 10:24-25a, Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.” Discipleship brings with it accountability. We also call it mentorship. An older, more mature believer helps and guides a new believer in their walk with Christ, being their role model. One can only take another as far as they have gone themselves.

Jesus not only gave the saints the authority to go in His name but He promised to be with them. Both of these truths are very powerful. It gives us the courage to make disciples and for the gospel to be spread. Someone once said, “If everyone won, won one, and everyone won, won one, what hosts would be won, when everyone won had won one.”

May the Lord challenge us to take up our responsibilities to go and make disciples, baptize them, and teach them. Every believer has the potential to be mentored and to mentor. We are living in the last days and we need to get going in the Great Commission. It is not too late. Living in this Coronavirus pandemic makes things quite different. We must employ the phone, emails, and texts more than in person gatherings.

Have a blessed day going forth to make disciples teach them, encourage them, and help them. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-September 4, 2020-

Good morning, happy Friday,

-Holding Fast The Pattern Of Sound Words In Faith And Love As An Example Of Christ-

“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.”

(2 Timothy 1:13-14).

Paul spoke these words to Timothy, the young pastor in Ephesus, to instruct and encourage him in the ministry. These words are not only for him but for all believers in Jesus Christ. Throughout the two epistles, Paul speaks about Timothy’s character, conduct, and conversation.

Our text challenges us to live out our faith in a practical way, especially in the words we speak and how we speak them. Words are very important and can either glorify the Lord and build up others or displease Him and tear them down. What we say is important but so is how we say it.

Paul tells Timothy to hold fast the pattern of sound words which Paul had taught him in faith and love. The man or woman of God must choose his or her words carefully so as to be a blessing. We cannot afford to rip into people even if we are completely right and they are completely wrong. Faith and love must rule the day. Sound doctrine leads to sound words, which lead to sound lives.

In Proverbs 25:11, it says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Our words reveal our character and what is in our hearts. That is why it is so important to be in the Word daily and obey it and apply it to our lives. One cannot take back one’s words but only ask for forgiveness for them.

Paul reminds Timothy of the good thing that was committed to him by the Holy Spirit. Timothy was entrusted with the gospel and with the saints in Ephesus. It was a big responsibility indeed. What responsibility has God given you in the church, in your job, and in your home? Along with responsibility comes accountability to the Lord first and to others as well.

Just as Timothy, as a young man was to be an example to the saints, so should we. Paul told him in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” This just about covers every aspect of our life. God is concerned with our whole way of living.

May the Lord challenge us to live exemplary lives in our character, conduct, and conversation. People are watching how we live as well as listening to what we say every day, and most of all, so is the Lord.

Have a blessed day living and speaking for Christ as an example to others. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-September 3, 2020-

-The Lord Teaches Us And Leads Us-

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.’”

(Isaiah 48:17).

The Lord is our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; He is our God. Just as He was faithful to Israel, He is faithful to us. There is no God besides Him. He brought Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. He fed them with manna and quail, and provided them with water from the rock. Their clothes and their sandals never wore out.

After that the Lord faithfully provided for His people. Our text says, “…I am the Lord your God who teaches you to profit and who leads you by the way you should go.” These two great blessings are also for us: teaching us and leading us. We need to learn God’s ways, principles, and truth. We also need Him to lead us by the way we should go.

We should make these the first two requests we ask the Lord for each day: teaching and leading. The Lord wants us to be fully dependent on Him. He will answer these requests in a wonderful way.

1. Teach Me – The Lord is our teacher, we are His students, the world is our classroom, the Bible is our curriculum, and graduation day takes place when we get to heaven. God teaches us to profit spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, financially, and materially.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 86:11, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” The Lord has so much to teach us and we have so much to learn. The hymn writer said,”Teach me Thy way, O Lord, teach me Thy way. Thy guiding grace afford, teach me Thy way. Help me to walk alright, more by faith, less by sight; lead me with heavenly light, teach me Thy way.”

2. Lead Me – The Lord is our Leader and Guide in life. He knows the way, and He walks with us all through the journey. On Israel’s journey to the Promised Land, God led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The Psalmist said, “For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.”

The hymn writer wrote, “He leadeth me, O blessed thought, O words with heavenly comfort fraught. Whate’er I do, where’er I be, still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.” The Lord doesn’t always lead us by the easiest or shortest way but always by the best way.

Let us then pray for the Lord to teach us His ways, His Word, and His will. And let us pray also that He will lead us and guide us by the way we should go. What a great day it will be!

Have a blessed day learning from the Lord and following Him. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

– September 2, 2020-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-The Greatest Heart Transplant Ever-

“Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.”

(Ezekiel 11:19-20).

On December 3,1967, surgeon Christian Bernard and his team performed the first heart transplant in Cape Town, South Africa. The recipient was 53 year old Louis Washkanaky. Since that time to the present many have been done with both human hearts and artificial ones. With great advancement in medical technology patients are living longer after the surgery.

As great as these medical procedures are, they cannot compare to the spiritual heart transplants we read of here in Ezekiel chapter 11. Only God can transform a human heart of stone into a new heart of flesh. Our hearts that were once defiled by sin are now righteous and holy through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

The hearts we were born with were devoid of God. Our hearts are described in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Our old heart cannot be repaired, it must be replaced with a new one. When we are born again, we have new life in Christ; this includes a new nature, a new covenant, a new kingdom, a new creation, and yes, a new heart. Our hearts that once beat only for ourselves now beats for God and others. Only the Great Physician Jesus Christ can do this. We now give our hearts fully to Him.

The old stony heart of rebellion, wickedness, evil, and sin is gone; our new heart is created in holiness, righteousness, and truth. God promised a new heart to Israel in our text just as He does to believers in Christ. The new heart causes us to walk in obedience to His statutes and judgments. We who were once not the people of God are now the people of God.

The heart is the seat of the emotions. It governs our thoughts, desires, motives, and actions. Even with our new nature we still have the old nature as well. There is the daily battle between the two natures. May God give us the victory over the flesh. Our new heart and nature wants to please God and do His will; the old heart and nature wants to sin and do our own will.

May we follow impulses and desires that Christ has given us. Let us seek to please Him, honor Him, obey Him, and serve Him today. We pray that He will direct our hearts in His Word and in prayer to guide us in the way we should go. Praise God the stony heart is replaced with a heart of flesh. Let our hearts beat all for Jesus.

Have a blessed day with your heart guiding you in God’s will. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean

-September 1, 2020-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-Taking The Opportunities To Teach And Train Our Children-

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

(Proverbs 22:6).

One of the greatest responsibilities and ministries we can have is to raise up our children for the Lord. It represents an investment of our love, time, and effort to pass on the truth of God to the next generation. You don’t have to be a theologian, preacher, or pastor to effectively train your children. Homeschooling is an effective way to teach the Word and their school subjects. Many people are now seeing the benefit of this type of teaching. Quite a few parents are turning to it.

Solomon, who learned so much from his father David, and his mother Bathsheba, writes, “Train up a child in the way he should go…” That is a simple statement yet powerful statement. Paul wrote, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The best way to do this is live a godly example before them. Kids want to see that our faith is real and that we practice what we preach.

Moses instructed the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them with you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” This covers just about all the practical ways we can pass on the Word of God to our youngsters. When we watch the news or other TV programs we can relate the lessons to our kids. Many of the old TV shows of 1950’s and 1960’s can still be found in syndication. There are so many good lessons in them.

Timothy, Paul’s protege and fellow servant, was the recipient of the godly upbringing of his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. This fact was not lost on Paul when he chose him to travel with him and serve the Lord. 2 Timothy 1:5 says, “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

Solomon goes on to show the long lasting value of teaching and training of our children, “…and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Many prodigal sons and daughters have to Christ later in life. They remember what they were taught and the Holy Spirit uses it in their lives.

But some of us don’t have any children of our own. We can still apply this principle to discipling others who have come to Christ. We pass on what we have learned and experienced in our walk with the Lord and help the new believers. Older men and women have so much to pass on to the younger ones.

The training of our natural and spiritual children is such a blessing both for this life and for all eternity. It represents an investment in their lives that pays great dividends. But it takes careful and diligent effort on our part on a daily basis. With the pandemic keeping so many at home, it gives us even more time to train up our kids. They really need us more now than ever. You and I are role models.

Have a blessed day investing in your kids and others for the kingdom of God. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean