Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-December 7, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“Now when they departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’”

(Matthew 2:13).

Yesterday we discussed how God’s plans and will always triumph. He moves heaven and earth on our behalf. This what God did to protect His beloved Son. We can be assured that He also protects His people.

Before Herod unleashed his wrath at the wisemen for not revealing where Jesus was, God appeared in dream to Joseph and told him to take Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt. It would be safe for Him there. God knows what is going to happen before it happens. That is why we can trust in Him implicitly. We know nothing of what the family did in their stay in Egypt nor do we know exactly how long they stayed there.

We do know that their stay lasted until the death of Herod. God told Joseph to return to the land of Israel. Joseph was afraid of the new ruler Archelaus and was warned in another dream to go back to Galilee. They settled in Nazareth. God is so good. May the Lord help us trust the Him to do what is best for us.

The Appalachian Carol says, “If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing: A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing; Or all of God’s angels in heaven to sing, He surely could have had it, ‘cause He was the King!” God planned it all to be in a manger stall.

Have a blessed day and Christmas season. Stay safe and healthy.

God’s carries out His plan without the help of man,

Dean

-December 6, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city” (Luke 2:1-3).

“Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed wife, who was with child” (Luke 2:4-5).

When did God’s plan for the birth of Christ begin? It began in eternity past, before the foundation of the world, and even before Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. It wasn’t plan B, it was plan A. God is always proactive not reactive. He foreordained, predestined, pre planed, and prepared; then He brought it all to pass in a perfect way.

Earthly speaking, the plan began by bringing Joseph and Mary together, truly a marriage made in heaven. Then the Virgin Mary got pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was planning to put her away privately not wanting to shame her. God then sent His angel Gabriel to speak to Joseph and then to Mary; both were obedient to Him.

At the same time God was dealing with Zacharias and Elizabeth, an older, childless couple, and promised them a son named John, known as John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. Gabriel also spoke to Zacharias and it happened as God said it would.

This brings us to how God would take Mary and Joseph from Nazareth in Galilee, in northern Israel, to Bethlehem, where Christ had to be born according to Scripture. God caused a secular emperor named Caesar Augustus to issue a decree that all the world should be registered. It was a census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. Joseph and Mary packed their things to go to Bethlehem, along with throngs of others, so much so that every home and the inn were bursting at the seems. The innkeeper felt compassion for them and offered his manger, a feeding trough for animals for Mary to give birth; and the rest, as they say, is history.

Jesus was born in that lowly manger just according to God’s plan. A multitude of angels delivered the birth announcement to some lowly shepherds who made haste to go to Bethlehem to see this wonderful, amazing, and miraculous sight. They went off and spread the good news that Messiah, the Savior was born. What a story, all for God’s glory!

God is the Master Planner, Architect, Designer, and Fulfiller. Nothing and no one can thwart His plans. He uses people, saved and unsaved to bring about His will. He uses circumstances to fulfill His plan. He does the same thing in our lives today. All the pieces fit together to make the puzzle complete; all the people must do their part at just the right time, in just the right way, to bring about just the right results. Only God can do that!

Let us rejoice in our Savior’s birth, and never forget all it took to bring it to pass. May we see God fulfilling His plan in our lives in just the right way. Have a blessed day in the center of God’s will. Stay safe and healthy.

God is writing the story, all for His glory,

Dean

-December 5, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,

“For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”

(Luke 1:44).

There are many exciting happenings associated with the birth of Christ, before it, during it, and after it. Today’s verse is such a happening. Both Elizabeth and her young cousin Mary were pregnant at the same time: Elizabeth with John the Baptist and Mary with Jesus. In both cases an angel announced their conceptions and their sons would be very special, especially in the case of Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary.

Neither of these two precious women knew what had happened to the other. They lived in different places and communication was in person only, there were no phone calls, emails, or texts to share the good news. God has His ways of communication that are far better than ours. In this case, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the babe in her womb leaped for joy. This passage in Luke 1:39-45 describes the scene at Elizabeth’s house. When the babe leaped in her, she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Joy and the filling of the Spirit are always connected in the NT. To be filled with Holy Spirit is to be controlled and led by the Spirit. We are all familiar with incidents where a baby in the womb moves and kicks, but here the Holy Spirit makes it clear this was different: the baby leaped. It was mysterious, marvelous, and moving. I believe this was only time in human history where a baby in the womb leaped for joy.

But what of us? Should not our hearts leap for joy at the mention of the name of Jesus? Should not our hearts leap for joy when He does great and mighty things in our lives? The Lord still works miracles today, He still answers prayers, He still does exceedingly abundantly beyond what we can ask or think! Joy is one of the fruit of Holy Spirit. Joy is not dependent on circumstances but is because of our relationship to Christ. Joy on the inside produces joy on the outside: boundless, endless, and limitless!

As we continue in the Christmas season leading up to Christmas Day, let us praise the Lord with joy and gladness. Have a blessed, joyful day in Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

Joy and gladness overcome fear and sadness,

Dean

-December 4, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are of old, from everlasting.”

(Micah 5:2).

There are actually two different cities in Israel named Bethlehem. One is located in Zebulun and the other in Judah. Most people are only familiar with the latter as the birthplace of Jesus. It overshadowed the other Bethlehem. The other Bethlehem was located in Galilee. The tenth judge Ibzan and his large family were born there.

This little town in Judah was also the birthplace of King David, as well as Boaz the husband of Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi. Bethlehem is still the center of attention with pilgrims traveling there to see the birthplace of Jesus. There is a famous church there called the church of the Nativity. Bethlehem is so significant that there are eighteen cities in the U.S. by this name.

It shows that little places can produce big things and great people. The people make the place, not the other way around. God chose this little town hundreds of years before Jesus was born, in fact, the prophet Micah says it was “of old, from everlasting.” Jesus is everlasting God.

One of the most wonderful Christmas hymns is, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” written by Phillips Brooks. He wrote, “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark street shineth the Everlasting Light: The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel! Amen.” We just sang this beautiful song yesterday at our communion service.

Let us rejoice that our Savior was born in exactly the place that God chose in Bethlehem; not in a palace but in a manger, a feeding troth; not attended by kings and dignitaries, but by lowly shepherds. May we bow before Him, come and adore Him. Have a blessed day and Christmas season. Stay safe and healthy.

As the hymn writer said, “Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.”

Dean

-December 3, 2023-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

(Galatians 4:4-5).

God works off a completely different timetable than mankind. He is patient and will bring His will to pass at just the right time. Israel was occupied by the Romans who oppressed and controlled them. Rome ruled with an iron hand. They were dark times for God’s people.

The expression, “in the fullness of the time,” is an accurate description of the ancient world at that time. God never acts one moment to soon or one moment too late. So many times we wish that He would act sooner. God promised that Messiah would come, and He came. God sent forth His Son to redeem man through the death of Christ on the cross.

God is the Grand Chess Master who moves people and circumstances to accomplish His will in the time of His choosing. From the manger to the cross, from the cross to the tomb, and from the tomb to the throne. Now whoever believes in Him, whether Jew or Gentile, is saved by grace through faith. Neither Satan, nor his demons, nor anyone or anything else can thwart God’s plans.

Bill Gaither wrote, “God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus, He came to love, heal and forgive. He bled and died to buy my pardon, an empty graves is there to provide My Savior lives.”God provided His well beloved Son to save us from our sins. He left the ivory palaces of heaven to come into this world of sin, to die on the cross to give us life, eternal and abundant.

Have a blessed day worshiping the Lord and hearing from His Word. Stay safe and healthy.

God sent heaven’s best to save earth’s worst,

Dean