Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-December 22, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”

John 3:3).

Jesus explained to Nicodemus, “…Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6). We were born the first time from Adam through our natural parents; we are born the second time from Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Paul clearly stated, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

Jesus was born so that we may be born again. The new birth is brought about through faith in Jesus Christ; to be born again is to be born from above. It is a transformation of the heart through the regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

One of my favorite Christmas hymns is “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.” It was written by Charles Wesley and the music was composed by Felix Mendelssohn. The third verse says, “Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, glory to the new-born King.”

Jesus was born that we would be born spiritually; He died to give us life; He rose from the dead to give us hope; and He is coming again to take us home to heaven. Have you been born again? Has your life been transformed? Let us praise God for Jesus Christ our Lord. Merry Christmas to all.

Have a blessed day as we approach the blessed day of Christmas. Stay safe and healthy.

The world says, “Happy Holidays,” but let us always say and reply, “Merry Christmas,”

Dean

-December 21, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

(1 John 4:9).

God so loved the world and sent His only begotten Son to save us from our sins. He came forth from the Father to give us life. The Greek word for begotten is mono genes, and indicates that Jesus is God’s one and only Son, His one of-a-kind Son, His unique Son. Jesus is fully God, the second person of the Trinity.

Jesus is also called God’s beloved Son. Twice the voice of the Father is heard speaking of Jesus: once at His baptism and once in the Mount of Transfiguration. Matthew 3:17 says, “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” Then we read in Matthew 17:5, “While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’”

The hymn writer John E. Walvood wrote, “Love was when God became a man, locked in time and space, without rank or place; Love was God born of Jewish kin, just a carpenter with some fishermen. Love was when Jesus walked in history—lovingly He brought a new life that’s free; Love was God nailed to bleed and die, to reach and love one such as I. Love was when God became a man down where I could see, love that reached to me; Love was God dying for my sin—and so trapped was I, my whole world caved in. Love was when Jesus rose to walk with me—Lovingly He brought a new life that’s free; Love was God—only He would try to reach and love one such as I.”

God’s amazing love that shone brightly in Bethlehem’s manger and still shines in the world as Lord and Savior. We have love, light, and life in Him both now and for all eternity. Christ is the perfect gift and the perfect giver. Let us bow and worship Him! May we bring our gifts of praise and lay them at His feet.

Have a blessed day in the Son. Be safe and healthy.

Jesus is the reason for the season,

Dean

-December 20, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“And this will be a sign to you: you will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

(Luke 2:12).

The Greek word for sign is semeion, meaning a sign (typically miraculous), given especially to confirm, corroborate, or authenticate. The Bible mentions signs and wonders all throughout. The Christmas story was given to us in a wonderful way. God gives signs to show what has happened or what will happen.

An angel spoke to the shepherds telling them in Luke 2:10-11, “…Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy which will be for all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Christ’s birth had just occurred and the shepherds were the first to hear of it.

There are many prophecies found in the OT that speak of the Messiah’s birth, life, miracles, sufferings, death on the cross, resurrection, and kingdom. Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” This word was a promise hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus.

We also have signs of the end of times and of His Second Coming. God also gives us signs to instruct us, encourage us, inspire us, and guide us. Signs are confirmations in seeking God’s will. We shouldn’t seek after sign but we should be aware of how God uses circumstances to show us what decision to make in conjunction with His Word, godly counsel, and prayer.

Gideon asked God for a sign to confirm His will for leading the Israelites to victory over the Midianites in Judges 6. He put out the fleece twice, the first time that there would be dew on the fleece but not on the ground; the second time that the fleece would be dry but the ground would be wet. God did it just this way both times. God told King Hezekiah who sought a sign that he would be healed and live. Isaiah 38:7-8 says, “‘And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.’ So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.”

Let us rejoice in God’s signs that He has given us and will give to us. As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we remember one of His greatest signs of the Baby born in the manger who grew up to do signs and wonders. Have a blessed day and joyous Christmas. Stay safe and healthy.

The signs pointed to a manger, a cross, a tomb, and a throne, so all the glory would go to God alone,

Dean

-December 19, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

(Ephesians 2:12).

Yesterday we discussed why Jesus came: to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Today, we will consider what the world and our lives would be like if He never came to save us. It isn’t a pretty sight. In Ephesians 2, Paul contrasted what it was like before we were saved and what it is now.

It serves as a reminder to us just how great an affect Jesus had in so many ways. Just imagine how sad, depressing, hopeless, and helpless we would be without the Savior. Then after we look at all that life would be without Him, we will see what have in Him. Using our sanctified imaginations we can think of what life would be like if we woke up as a unsaved person in this world today. We would be:

1. Dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). We would be spiritually dead toward God.

2. Walking according to the course of world (Ephesians 2:2). We would be living by the world’s standards and values.

3. Living under the devil’s control (Ephesians 2:2). Satan would have us like a puppet leading us to destruction in hell.

4. Conducting ourselves in the lusts of the flesh and mind (Ephesians 2:3). Anything would go, no restraints or constraints.

5. Under the wrath of God’s judgment (Ephesians 2:3). Not able to save ourselves and having no one else to save us.

6. Without Christ as aliens and strangers not having the Bible or any knowledge of it (Ephesians 2:12).

7. Having no hope and without God in this world (Ephesians 2:12). This is really the worst thing of all.

Imagine if this was your life today and every day. Nothing to live for and nothing to look forward to in eternity. I don’t know how people live without Christ. If anyone reading this doesn’t know Jesus as Savior, you are still in this condition. Fortunately for us who are saved, Christ showed us mercy, great love, made us alive together in Christ, made us sit together in the heavenly places, showered us with grace, and brought us near to God through the blood of Christ. We are forgiven of our sins, and reconciled to God. We have life, peace, joy, and hope.

The angel told the shepherds in Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” What we have in Christ now is greater than anything on earth, and what we will have in heaven will be even greater. As our pastor Adel always says, “The best is yet to come.”

Have blessed day rejoicing in what we have in Christ, because of Christ, and through Christ. Merry Christmas. Stay safe and healthy.

Not worrying about the present or future because of our relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ,

Dean

-December 18, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

(Mark 10:45).

Christmas is one week from today. Today’s verse is not usually considered a Christmas verse, but it really is. Christmas is all about the coming of Christ. The context of the verse is Jesus’ discussion with His disciples on the subject of humility and the greatness of serving. James and John had just made the request to sit on His right hand and on His left in His glory.

Jesus used this request to teach humility in service. He tells them that the great people of this world exercise their authority, lording over them by force. It is not so in the kingdom of God. In fact, the opposite is true: greatness in the kingdom is in serving others. Jesus uses Himself as an example to them, thus demonstrating why He came: to serve. He contrasts why He did not come with why He did come into this world.

• He Did Not Come To Be Served But To Serve – As the King He deserved to be served, to have everything done for Him, to have the greatest home, be the richest man on earth, and to have everyone at His beck and call. He chose the exact opposite. He came to do the Father’s will, not His own, and to passionately serve others.

Hebrews 10:5-7 says, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will.’” Jesus came with healing in His hands; and proved that a life of service is the best life of all. In John 10:10 He said, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

• And To Give His Life A Ransom For Many – Jesus’ purpose was to die on the cross, in our place, bearing our sins, and dying for us. He bought us with His own blood to cleanse us from sin, forgive us, and give us eternal life. When Pilate asked Him, “Are You a king then? Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and 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” (John 18:37).

Let us remember this Christmas season why Jesus came: to do the Father’s will, to serve others, to give us eternal and abundant life, and to give His life as a ransom for many. May the Lord help us to follow His example, in serving God and others, and living life for Christ to the fullest. Have a blessed day and a Merry Christmas. Stay safe and healthy.

Serving and giving is the way to purposeful living,

Dean