Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-December 17, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

(Luke 2:7).

In the Christmas story there are stars and their are supporting characters. Though the Innkeeper is not mentioned per se, where there is an inn there has to be an innkeeper. He had a bit part in the Christmas story. God can use anyone to accomplish His purposes.

Bethlehem was bursting at the seems due to the huge number influx of people who came to be registered in the census. Local town folk opened their homes for family, friends, and strangers. We don’t know if there was more than one inn in the little town of Bethlehem or not, but the inn was full. If they had electricity, the neon light would have read, “No Vacancy.”

Innkeepers were usually well to do landowners, and this innkeeper also owned a manger with animals. I would like to think he felt terrible to turn away a very pregnant Mary and Joseph. Perhaps he had a wife himself and young children. Maybe his wife suggested offering the manger for Jesus to be born in. Sure there were animals, and it was likely cold at night, but this man gave what he had.

It reminds me of the days of Queen Esther, wicked Haman plotted the destruction of the Jews. Now was the time for Esther to intercede on their behalf to the king. Her cousin Mordecai told her, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

Maybe you think your part is small, insignificant, or less important than those of others. We all have part to play in God’s service. God puts us where He wants us to be, to do what He wants to do. He calls us, equips is, and uses us for His glory. We don’t want to miss an opportunity to be a blessing. If we fail to take the opportunity God gives us, He will raise up someone else to do it and we will miss the blessing.

Today is our Christmas Celebration and Concert. I have a small

part in the program as one of the singers in our Worship Team. I am not a soloist but I can sing in a group and do my part. We have a Kid’s Choir and Youth Choir singing as well. The Lord gets all the glory.

Yes, the innkeeper had a second chance to provide for Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. The anonymous hymn writer wrote, “Away in the manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid His sweet head. The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.” God uses little people to do big things. He is the Conductor and we are all in His orchestra.

Have a blessed day of worshipping , fellowshipping , and hearing the Word. Stay safe and healthy.

The manger was better a palace because the King was born there,

Dean

-December 16, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.”

(1 Timothy 3:16).

Today we have before us one of the great 3:16’s in the NT. The others are John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16. One of the greatest miracles of Scripture is the Incarnation of Christ. God came down from heaven in the form of man, yet without sin. Not only did He become a man, He became a baby. It was miraculous, unprecedented, and incredible!

John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus chose His mother Mary, chose to be born in a manger, and chose to be born into a poor family. None of us can say we made any choices as to our birth and family in this world.

The hymn writer Charles Wesley penned the immortal words, “Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold Him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb, veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th’incarnate Deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.’”

The omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God became a tiny baby, grew up to be a Man, did the Father’s will fully, died for us on the cross, and rose again. It boggles our finite minds. He indeed veiled His deity in the body of humanity. He was fully God and fully man, all to fulfill the Father’s plan.

In 2 Corinthians 8:9, Paul wrote, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” He never owned a home, never had more than one outer garment, had no money of His own, and never held a political position, nor did He ever travel outside of Israel.

Let us worship and bow down before our King and give Him all the glory at Christmas and every day of the year. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

From the lowly manger to the highest place in glory,

Dean

-December 15, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Friday,

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?’ For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’”

(Matthew 2:1-2).

The story of the Wise Men or Magi is a very familiar one, yet it is shrouded in mystery, but clothed in beauty and wonder. There is much we do not know about these men: Who were they? What country did they come from? How many were there? How did they know that the King of the Jews would be born in Israel? How did the star guide him? How did they know that it was a such a special star?

But instead of focusing on what we don’t know, let us consider what we do know: they were on a mission to find the newborn King. They surely traveled a long distance, faced challenges, dangers, and hardships along the way. They had inspiration, determination, confirmation, and affirmation.

Herod was the king in Judea at the time, yet he was not the king they were looking for. They came to him to inquire where the Christ would be born. He consulted with the chief priests and scribes and determined that Christ, according to Scripture, would be born in Bethlehem in the land of Judah. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the young child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also” (Matthew 2:8). He had no intentions of worshiping Him, but instead wanted to kill Him.

When they set off they saw the same star and it led them to where Jesus was. They rejoiced with exceeding great joy and fell down and worshiped Him. Tomorrow we will consider the gifts they brought to Him and the significance of them. We can be assured their mission was successful.

Wise men still seek Him today. There is a beautiful Christmas hymn, written by John H. Hopkins, Jr. that captures the essence of the Wisemen, entitled appropriately, “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” The last verse says, “Glorious now behold Him arise, King and God and Sacrifice; Alleluia, Alleluia! Sounds through the earth and skies.” The chorus reads, “O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light. Amen.”

Let us seek Jesus Christ our King! May we rejoice and worship Him! The world knows the Christmas story but they don’t know the Christ of Christmas in a personal and intimate way as Lord and Savior. Let us share the true meaning of Christmas far and wide.

Have a blessed day in joyful reflection on our wonderful Savior’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Stay safe and healthy.

In holy contemplation in our glorious redemption, Merry Christmas,

Dean

-December 14, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; And you shall go in and grow fat like stall-fed calves.”

(Malachi 4:2).

Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament. It appropriately leads right into the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Malachi the prophet foretells of the coming of Christ. John the Baptist the forerunner of Christ prepares the hearts of the people.

Malachi wrote his book some four hundred years before Christ. During this inter testament time, God was silent, not giving any revelations or prophecies. Then Christ was born in Bethlehem to save us from our sins.

Malachi is the only one to use the term, “The Sun of Righteousness.” This is one of the titles of the Messiah. Just as the sun warms the body, so too, the Sun of Righteousness, the Son of God, warms the soul; as the sun gives light, so the Sun of Righteousness is the Light of the world; and as the sun produces energy, so the Sun of Righteousness has all power and authority.

The Sun of Righteousness arises with healing in His wings. This is so fitting since Jesus is the Healer. The Babe of Bethlehem came to touch the world. What a Savior we have!

Charley Wesley wrote, “Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun 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 newborn King.”

Have a blessed Christmas season. Keep a song of Jesus in your heart. Stay safe and healthy.

When the Sun of Righteousness shines in your heart, all darkness flees from the start,

Dean

-December 13, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant.”

(Luke 1:72).

The words of today’s verse are part of the prophecy of Zacharias in Luke 1:67-79. He was the father of John the Baptist, who doubted the Lord’s promise given to him by an angel. For this reason he was made mute until John was born. Once it came time to name him, the townsfolk wanted his name to be the same as his father’s, Elizabeth said it would be John. It was not until they asked Zacharias, and he wrote on a tablet, “His name is John” that his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke praising God.

Imagine if whenever we doubted God we were struck with muteness. Some of us who speak a lot would really have a hard time. When Zacharias did speak, he spoke of John’s role as the forerunner of the Messiah and what His coming meant to the world. John the Baptist would preach the message of repentance in preparation for Jesus entering into the scene.

Jesus’ birth brought hope, peace, and joy. Truly heaven came down to earth. When God first created man, Adam and then Eve, He placed them in a beautiful garden, and gave them dominion over all the creatures He created. The Garden of Eden was perfect, they were innocent, and they walked with God. Then Eve listened to the serpent, the devil, and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden. Sin entered the world and paradise was lost.

When God dealt with Adam and Eve, he made a blood sacrifice and took the animal skins and provided coverings for them both. This pointed forward to Christ’s sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Christ is called the Last Adam. He brought salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life to those who believed. In Genesis 3:15, God told the serpent, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Jesus came to reverse the curse and eliminate it completely. He because a curse for us, dying on the cross for our sins as our Substitute. He brought us who believe heaven on earth spiritually. One day we will depart this sin-cursed earth and be in heaven forever. Life in Christ is far better than all the beauty of Eden. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Let us enjoy the sweet fellowship with the Lord, spending time with Him in the Word and prayer. This is truly heaven on earth for us, a foretaste of what heaven will be in the future. Now our days are full of troubles, trials, testings, and temptations. We experience sorrow, pain, and hardship, but the Lord is with us, seeing us through all the way to heaven, the Paradise of God.

Have a blessed Christmas season. Jesus gives us heaven on earth. Stay safe and healthy.

Finding in Jesus all we need, not in man’s ways or in his creed,

Dean