Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-October 23, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

(1 Timothy 1:15).

At a particular time in our lives, we came to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We had to acknowledge that we were sinners and believe in Jesus.

Romans 3:23 clearly states, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Paul also wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Once we get saved all our sins are forgiven, past, present, and future.

We are now sinners saved by grace. There is no greater position or privilege in the universe. Paul considered himself the chief of sinners, the worst of the worst. He also spoke of himself as, “least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9); and “less than the the least of all saints“ (Ephesians 3:8).

We should never forget where we came from (sinners on our way to hell), and where we are as saints of God bound for heaven. This motivated Paul to preach the glorious gospel of Christ, and should motivate us also.

Jesus came to save sinners. He said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Only sinners can appreciate sins forgiven.

James M. Gray penned the wonderful hymn entitled, “Only a Sinner.” He wrote, “Naught I have gotten but what I received; Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed; Boasting excluded, pride I abase; I’m only a sinner saved by grace! Once I was foolish, and sin ruled my heart, causing my footsteps from God to depart; Jesus hath found me, so happy my case; I’m only a sinner saved by grace! Tears unavailing, no merit had I; Mercy had saved me, or else I must die; sin had alarmed me, fearing God’s face; But now I’m a sinner saved by grace! Suffer a sinner whose heart overflows, loving His Saviour to tell what he knows; Once more to tell it would I embrace—I’m only a sinner saved by grace!” The refrain says, “Only a sinner saved by grace! This is my story, to God be the glory—I’m only a sinner saved by grace.”

Let us rejoice that our sins are forgiven and reach out to those who are lost and unforgiven. Have a blessed day in every way. Stay safe and healthy.

Great sinners need a great Savior to provide a great forgiveness.

Dean

-October 22, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

(2 Timothy 2:21).

Yesterday was the day had to put out my trash cans. I had recently purchased a new TV, which a dear brother in our church helped me to set up. It came in a large box I needed to dispose of. I knew I had to break it down to fit into my recycle can. Every day I walked past it I dreaded the task, thinking I couldn’t it wouldn’t fit in the can.

I tried a box cutter, it didn’t work; then I took of titanium pair of scissors, again no success. Then I thought of my little red paring knife. I use in the kitchen from time to time. To my great delight it worked perfectly. It was so sharp it cut through the heavy cardboard, and it all fit in the can, and I was even able to close the lid all the way.

I told my friend of the little red knife that could. I thought of the children’s story of the little train that could. Then thought how I be used of the Lord to accomplish His work. We can all be vessels for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

We must be clean vessels, available at any time to serve our Master. You don’t have to be the smartest, the strongest, or most skillful—you just need to be available to the Lord, surrendered to His will, and prepared for whatever He gives you to do.

Are you useful to the Master? It should be our prayer today and everyday. The hymn writer Mary E. Maxwell wrote, “Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me, a clean vessel in Thy hand; with no pow’r but as Thou givest graciously with each command.”

I want to be like the little red knife, sharp and ready at anytime to do anything for my precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I must be sanctified, useful for the Master, and prepared for every good work.

Have a blessed day being God’s vessel to the lost and to the saints. Be sharp and ready. Stay and healthy.

The Lord chooses, the Lord uses, the Lord accomplishes His purposes through us.

Dean

-October 21, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

(Romans 10:4).

When a movie is over you see the words, “The End.” It means it is done. God gave the law as a way of showing His perfect standards that no sinner could attain on his own. It was a tudor to point us to Christ. He alone as the God-Man, kept the law perfectly.

Jesus came to fulfill the law. He said in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Our Savior died in our place bearing our sins and the curse of the law to make us right with God through faith in Him alone.

Anything less than perfection subjects a person to the condemnation of God. James wrote, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point is guilty of all” (James 2:10). It is like having a beautiful bracelet where one link is broken, breaking and ruining it the who chain.

Only Christ could fulfill the law of God’s demands through His perfect sacrifice on the cross; we are made righteous through Him. Christ is thus the end of the law and the Author of salvation by grace through faith.

Someone once said, “The law is like a loaded gun pointed at the head of those who break it.” Christ took the bullet for us and emptied the chamber so we could never be hurt by it. We are now clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Those who try to keep the law as a means of salvation will be frustrated and condemned. We are set free from the penalty of sin and have liberty in Christ. Our liberty is not a license to sin, but a freedom to live in accordance with God’s will. Now by the power of the Holy Spirit, we keep God’s laws. We are still sinners, but sinners saved by grace.

The hymn writer Augustus M. Toplady wrote, “A debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing, nor fear with God’s righteousness on, my person and offerings to bring. The terrors of law and of God with me have nothing to do; my Savior’s obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view.”

Have blessed day walking in Christ’s righteousness to the end, until we reach heaven’s shore. Stay safe and healthy.

Those in Christ no longer have a hopeless end, but an endless hope.

Dean

-October 20, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.”

(1 Thessalonians 3:8).

It was Paul’s desire for the saints in Thessalonica to stand fast in the Lord. This is also what the Lord wants from us on a daily basis. To stand fast is to cling to the Lord in the midst of trials, troubles, and testings.

Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The early church faced many perils, such as hardships, persecutions, false teachers, and fears of many kinds. We experience much the same today along with other new things as well, such as what we see on TV, in movies, and on the internet.

As believers in an unbelieving world, we face pressure on a daily basis to compromise our beliefs, to be silent when we need to speak up, to give in when we should stand firm.

Standing fast in the Lord is like a ship held by an anchor—Jesus is our anchor. He holds us fast so that we can stand fast in Him. Six times Paul uses this expression, “stand fast” in the epistles: He says in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave strong.” He also wrote in Philippians 1:27, “Only let your conduct be worthy of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

The other references for further study are found in Galatians 5:1; Philippians 4:1; and 2 Thessalonians 2:15. Paul also uses the expression, “stand firm in the faith” which is another way on stating this same truth.

May the Lord help us to stand fast in the Lord against all the attacks of the evil one and all the pressures of life. The saints, the angels, and the Lord Jesus Himself are cheering us on to victory.

Have a blessed day standing fast. It is not easy; Let us therefore pray for each other. Stay safe and healthy.

Standing firm and standing fast, from the first until the last.

Dean

-October 19, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things that happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.”

(Philippians 1:12).

We often hear the expression, “bittersweet.” It is defined as pleasant but including or marked by elements of suffering or regret.” There are many examples in life where something is difficult or sad, yet good comes from it.

This what I face tomorrow afternoon when we have a memorial service for our precious mother, friend, and servant of the Lord, Sylvia. The bitter part is she is no longer with us in this world; the sweet part is all the lives she touched and that we will see her again in heaven.

There will be a veil of tears, yet much praise to God for all her years of servicing the Lord. She taught the Women’s Bible Studies, headed up the Women’s Ministry, oversaw the Sunday School, taught Revelation seminars, led the Choir, counseled, and so much more. We miss her terribly.

To me the sweet will overshadow the bitter. It reminds of dark chocolate, which can be bitter, but when you add caramel, it tastes so good. We can leave a legacy for Christ as Sylvia did. I am assured that the Lord said to her, “Well done, you good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:23).

Paul tells of his own bittersweet time in a Roman prison. While there he preached the gospel and some of the Praetorian or palace guards were saved and many of the saints became more confident to share their faith with boldness.

I am sure you have had your share of bittersweet moments that the Lord brought good from. I know I have them many times. Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Joseph, in speaking to his brothers, said, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

Have a blessed day. God will give sweetness, comfort, encouragement, and joy in the midst of your sorrow or pain. Stay safe and healthy.

The rainbow appears after the rain and the sun begins to break through.

Dean