Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-December 12, 2022-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”

(2 Corinthians 9:15).

We recently celebrated Thanksgiving Day and now Christmas Day is coming in just under two weeks. Today’s verse is a perfect one that covers both of these great days. God is the greatest giver who has given us the greatest gift. Paul in writing to the Corinthians describes God’s gift as indescribable. His gift to us is the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. The word indescribable is defined as, “Too unusual, extreme, or indefinite to be adequately described.” When we think of the word indescribable we often think of beyond comprehension, belief, or words.

When we consider God’s gift, we can only thank and praise Him while falling on our knees before Him. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God who has the greatest love, gave His Son to be the greatest gift, for the greatest number of people, with the greatest possible results. Surely His gift to us is indescribable!

God’s gift of His Son included several other wonderful gifts in the same package: the gifts of salvation, eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and a home in heaven for eternity. James wrote in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down the Father of lights, with whom there is no there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

God’s gift came from heaven to earth when Jesus came into this world. He wasn’t born in a palace, a hospital, or even in a palatial mansion fitting the birth of the King, but rather He was born in a lowly manger in Bethlehem, just as God desired in His eternal plan. How indescribable is that? God became man in order to die on the cross for man’s sins. No author or movie producer could ever devise such a story for the King of glory!

Let us, like the wisemen of old, bring our gifts of praise, worship, and thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The chorus of the Christmas hymn “Angels, From the Realms of Glory,” says, “Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King.”

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

Thanking the Lord for His indescribable gift,

Dean

-December 11, 2022-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“The peoples who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who have dwelt in shadow of death, upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:6).

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5).

Five times in today’s verses the word light is used. Genesis 1:3 says, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” Darkness had been on the face of the deep. When Adam and Eve sinned there was a spiritual darkness that struck the world, and with it came spiritual and physical death. God always intended man to walk in His light with Him.

1 John 1:5 tells us, “This is the message which we heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” When Jesus was born He came as the light of the world, the true light. There were those who chose to receive Him and light of the glory of His grace, and there were those who rejected Him and rejected the light of His truth. There are so many unsaved people who are living in darkness and the shadow of death.

Those who are in darkness hate the light because their deeds are evil. They sin and don’t want God’s light to shine His light on them. When get saved Christ breaks the chains of our darkness and gives His light and life. The Christmas hymn, “Hark! The Herald Angel Sings” was written by Charles Wesley. He wrote the glorious words, “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 angel sing, glory to the new-born King.”

Let us rejoice in Christ, our Light, and celebrate His birth. In every Christmas light we see His light. Christmas is a season for giving because He gave all to us.

Have a blessed Lord’s day remembering that the Baby grew to manhood and died to save us and give us light. Stay safe and healthy.

Walking in the light of Christ in this dark world of sin,

Dean

-December 10, 2022-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

“Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:36-37).

“And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

Like Simeon, Anna was in the at the right place at the right time to see the Messiah, the newborn King. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She is one of just five women in the Bible who are called a prophetess. The others were Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, Huldah, the wife of Shallum, the keeper of the Wardrobe, Noadiah, an false prophetess who opposed Nehemiah, and an unnamed prophetess who was the wife of Isaiah.

She had married as a young girl, likely a teenager, and lived with her husband seven years before tragedy stuck, and her husband died. She went through great affliction and sorrow, yet instead of turning against the Lord, she dedicated herself to living for the Lord and serving Him the rest of her life. Oh, that all of us would dedicate ourselves fully to the Lord. At the time Mary and Joseph came into the temple with the Baby Jesus, she was a widow of eighty-four years old. She served God with fastings and prayers night and day, and never left the temple.

She was a very special lady. The very instant she saw Jesus, she gave thanks to the Lord. Not only did she thank the Lord, but she also spike of Him to all those who were waiting for Messiah to come. She realized it was not about her, but all about Jesus. What a great lesson for us to learn and keep in mind as we live for the Lord, serve Him, and share Him with others. She had the awesome privilege of seeing Jesus! It was a momentous time in her life. Once you meet Jesus, you are never the same again.

May the Lord help us to live all our lives fully committed to Christ, telling others of Him. Jesus is the reason for the season. Have a blessed day and Christmas season.

Praising God for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Dean

-December 9, 2022-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:25-26).

“So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought the Child Jesus, to do according to the custom of the law, he took Him into his arms and blessed God…(Luke 2:27-28).

Luke is the one gospel writer to include this beautiful story of Simeon in Luke 2:25-35). The Holy Spirit revealed to this dear saint that he would not see death until he had seen the Lords Christ. He was an old man and but he was still patiently waiting with a confident expectation. No one knew the time of Christ’s first advent, but Simeon knew that it would be in his lifetime. It reminds me of the words of the song that says, God said it, and I believe it, and that settles it for me. God said it, and I believe and that settles it for me. Though some may doubt that His word is true, I’ve chosen to believe it, now how about you? God said it, and I believe it, and that settles it for me.”

Simeon held tightly to God’s promise to him because he held tightly to His hand. Every day he came into the temple he probably thought, “Today may be the day He comes.” That is exactly what we should think each day. Jesus promised that He would come again. We just don’t know the day or the hour. We sense more than ever, His coming is very near. The signs of the times are everywhere.

Imagine the joy and comfort he experienced when Mary and Joseph brought in the Baby Jesus into the temple to circumcise Him on the eight day of His life. He had no doubt or question that Jesus was the promised Messiah for the Jews, for the world, and especially for him. He took the Babe into his arms and blessed God. And what he said about Him was so incredible: He said of Him, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32).

Not only did Simeon praise God that he saw Jesus with his own two eyes, but he prophesied of Jesus’ death on the cross when he told Mary, “…Behold this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34c -35.

Let us rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s plan to send His Son into the world to seek and to save those who are lost. Oh that we would claim all the promises of God. God always keeps His promises. May the joy of Christmas permeate our souls and cause us to look forward to His second coming. He will come in the clouds to snatch us out of this world and take us to heaven.

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

With waiting eyes, ears, and heart for Jesus to come for us,

Dean

-December 8, 2022-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.” (Luke 1:26).

“And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you these glad tidings’” (Luke 1:19).

Though there are myriads of angels, only three are mentioned by name in the Bible: Gabriel, Michael the archangel, and Lucifer the fallen angel who became the devil and was cast out of heaven along with one third of the angels who followed him. Most angels are unnamed and serve and worship the Lord anonymously and faithfully.

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to speak to Zachariah the father of John the Baptist and announced that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son in their advanced years who would be the forerunner of Christ. Most notably, He was sent to the virgin Mary in Nazareth announcing that she would bear a Son by the power of the Holy Spirit, who would be called Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah. His conversation with Mary is found in Luke 1:26-38. What an important mission God sent Gabriel on to speak to these two. God also sent him to speak to the prophet Daniel. In Daniel’s case, both Gabriel and Michael were sent to him.

Gabriel was an entrusted angel who was sent on very important missions. He was God secret agent and special envoy. He certainly fits the definition of envoy, “A messenger or representative, especially on a diplomatic mission.” His missions were of the greatest importance and required great wisdom and sensitivity. Michael is more the warrior who fights against the devil and his demons. I can’t say for sure, but after Lucifer’s fall, Gabriel may have replaced Lucifer as one of the great leaders of the angels or he and Michael may have shared the honor.

Gabriel may have also been the unnamed angel who spoke to Joseph to take Mary as his wife, and also to take Mary and the young Child Jesus to Egypt and then to come back to Israel. Angels play a vital role in the affairs of people, though we can’t see or hear them. They are assigned to protect and help God’s people. Speaking to Mary was his greatest mission of all, and he did so with the utmost care and sensitivity. What an important announcement he made to her. He spoke very patiently and clearly to her.

God knew He could trust and count on Gabriel. The question is can God count on us with most important mission of proclaiming the gospel to our fellow humans? We are also called ambassadors for Christ. We represent heaven to the people of earth. We are servants of the most high God. Let us take our mission just as seriously as Gabriel did.

May we as believers share the message of Christmas with those we live with, work with, and otherwise have contact with. What a privilege and responsibility we have before God. Have a blessed day sharing the true meaning of Christmas. Stay safe and healthy.

Being one of God’s not so secret agents,

Dean