Dean Allen's Daily Devotional

-December 12, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Thursday,

“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 continue our thoughts on the person of Christ. When Jesus began His earthly ministry it was directed to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Still, Jesus never turned anyone away.

Later in the book of Acts, the Spirit of God led the apostles to go to the Gentiles. The first Gentile convert was the centurion Cornelius. Many others were saved and became part of the church.

In Jesus’ life He healed the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter. She was a Gentile and there were others. Jesus came to save Jews and Gentiles.

Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. His custom was to preach to the Jews first in the synagogues. Then He went to the Gentiles. Aren’t we thankful that gospel reached us Gentiles.

There was a middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles—Jesus broke down the wall. There is no difference between Jew and Gentle, male and female. The gospel transforms lives—all lives.

We praise God that the gospel is still being proclaimed all throughout the world. Souls are being saved. Let us share the gospel with everyone. It was prophesied that the Gentiles would believe.

Have a blessed day being thankful for God’s love and the life changing message of the gospel. Stay safe and healthy.

It is so humbling that God would include us in His great plan of salvation.

Dean

-December 11, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“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).

We have meditated so far on the first two phrases: God is manifested in the flesh, and justified in the Spirit. Today, we will consider the phrase, “seen by angels.”

Angels are found in many places in many books of the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. God created the angels to glorify Him and serve Him. Angels are powerful spiritual beings who called messengers and ministers. Angels often take human form to come to the rescue of God’s people.

In the case of Jesus, angels spoke to both Mary and Joseph that she would bear a Son, and call His name Jesus. They also announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds and after His temptation by the devil, angels were there to strengthen Him. Angels were also present at the tomb and proclaimed to Mary Magdalene that Jesus had risen from the dead.

The angels were ready to intervene at the cross, but God made them keep their swords on their sheaths. They did have a front row seat to everything Jesus did in life, in death, and in resurrection power.

Matthew 28:2-4 says, “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.”

Suffice it to say no human or army of humans is any match for one angel. God uses angels to watch over us and help us in times of need. Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not forget to entertain strangers; for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

Let thank God for the angels who sing and serve, and come to our side. Jesus was seen by angels and so are we. Have a blessed day in the Lord as we prepare for Christmas. Stay safe and healthy.

Jesus the Creator of the angels is the Master of the angels,

Dean

-November 10, 2024-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“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).

Yesterday we considered the first phrase, “God was manifested in the flesh.” This speaks of the incarnation and how Jesus became human flesh, yet without sin. He was perfect God and perfect man.

There are some scholars who believe that there is a chronological order here in our verse. It is a very reasonable conclusion based on each of the phrases.

Today’s phrase is, “justified in the Spirit.” When Jesus was conceived, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Later on when our Savior was baptized by John, the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. Also, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Jesus was justified in the Spirit. He relied on the Holy Spirit’s power to heal people, do miracles, and proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. Even when He was raised from the dead, it was by the power of the Spirit.

Jesus promised that after His ascension, the Helper (the Holy Spirit) would come to dwell in them. The Trinity was involved in our salvation: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We as believers are led by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, gifted by the Spirit, and empowered by the Spirit. Let us follow the Spirit’s leading and rely on His power.

Have a blessed day walking in the Spirit. Stay safe and healthy.

Relying on the Spirit, not on ourselves.

Dean

-December 9, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Monday,

“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).

How do you describe the indescribable? Eyewitness testimony is the strongest evidence one can find in our judicial system. Those in the media interview eyewitness all the time.

In the NT, Peter, John, James, Jude, Matthew, Mark, and Paul were all eyewitnesses of Jesus. Paul saw Jesus in the road to Damascus when He got saved and God used him to write the majority of the NT.

Paul’s description of Jesus in today’s text is so amazing, powerful and encouraging. He employs one long sentence that captures the essence of Christ with six words: manifested, justified, seen, preached, believed, and received. Each of these is a message in and of themselves.

God was manifested in the flesh, meaning Jesus was born into this world as God in the flesh. He was fully God and fully man. The word manifest means, “display or show (a quality or feeling) by one’s acts or appearance; demonstrate; readily perceived by the senses, especially by the sense of sight.”

Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:20, “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last days for you.” John wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life and which was manifested to us” (1 John 1:1-2).

Our mission today is to proclaim who He is what He has done for us. We have not seen Him with our physical eyes, but with the eyes of the heart. As our brother Rick preached yesterday, we all have a story to tell how Jesus saved us and changed our lives forever.

Have a blessed day reflecting on who Jesus is and how He was born to save us. Stay safe and healthy.

Once you’ve seen Jesus, you will never be the same, let us then praise His name.

Dean

-December 8, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,

Lori Today’s verse is really a Christmas verse. God so loved the whole world, every person, so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Jesus willingly came down to this world, knowing He would be reproached, reviled, and rejected.

“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.”

(John 3:16).

“If our greatest need had been education, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was for forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.”

God planned it before the foundation of the world, before Adam and Eve were created and sinned. There is hymn we love to sing, written by William R. Newell, entitled, “At Calvary.” The fourth verse says, “O the love that drew salvation’s plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God can span at Calvary.”

God’s motive was love, His mission was love, His map to this earth was love for you and for me. Jesus was born to die to save us from sins. He paid the price in full. 1 John 4:10 tells us, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

God gave heaven’s best to save earth’s worst. We are all wretched sinners in need of a Savior. I once received a Christmas card with the most wonderful words that summarized why God sent our Lord Jesus Christ. It comes from an unknown writer.

Let us worship our Father who sent His Son to give His life for us on the cross; to suffer, bleed, and die in our place so that through faith in Him we have forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day. Stay safe and healthy.

God is the greatest Lover who loved the unlovable, reached the unreachable, and saved the incorrigible.

Dean