by George Runyan | Oct 14, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
Hebrews 12:22-24 – You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
In these passages, we can identify seven privileges believers enjoy through our relationship with the Father and the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We have come unto Mount Zion, (God’s Hill) His permanent resting place in heaven where God reigns as KING of Kings and LORD of Lords.
We have come into God’s city for which Abraham searched. In fact, Galatians 4:26 indicates that Jerusalem above is the place of our new birth. All who have been “born again” can say, “I was born in Mount Zion,” Jerusalem, the city of my God.”
We have come unto an innumerable company of angels. The Scriptures indicate that we are surrounded by angels looking into what God has done. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). “It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven — things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12).
We have come to the General Assembly and Church of the First Born which are written in heaven. Presently, the name of every believer is written together with all the names of those who are members of His church. It is important to be reminded we are not alone. Those who have gone before us are present before the Throne of God and the saints on earth are present through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
We have come to God the judge of all. The blessing for the true believer is that judgment has already taken place as Jesus became God’s sacrifice for our sins. God’s judgments come through the Lord Jesus Christ. As a believer we receive what Christ has done for us. The unbeliever will have to answer for their sins before God because they did not trust Christ who took their judgment upon Himself.
We have come to the spirits of just men made perfect. In the spiritual realm, we have been joined with all those who have died and fully entered into His rest. I believe they are cheering for us to finish our course. In the natural, this is hard to understand, but by faith we receive the insights that God’s Word reveals.
We have come to Jesus, the mediator of the “new covenant.” We have legal rights in heaven to receive salvation. Everything Jesus did on our behalf would hold up in a court of law. By the “Law of Sacrifice,” that is, “the innocent dying for the guilty,” Jesus destroyed what Satan held over us and the judgment which the Law of God brought, declaring all guilty before God.
Father, I thank You for Your Throne of Grace. I rejoice in the place of Your rest. I pray for the continual help of the Holy Spirit in my daily life to abide in the place of rest where all the spirits of just men reside for eternity. I receive by faith all the privileges of a child of God.
by George Runyan | Oct 13, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
Luke 18:22 – Sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.
When Jesus walked this earth, he admonished folks to lay down their possessions and follow Him. The rich young ruler asked how he could receive salvation. When Jesus told him to go and sell everything and give it to the poor and follow Him, the young man decided that the price was far too high. He did not realize the price Jesus would pay for his sin.
I am bought with a price, Jesus’ blood. I am covered thoroughly with the robe of righteousness which the Father has placed upon me. Jesus lives in me through His Spirit. What joy to know my heavenly Father loves me, and gives me a relationship with Him through Christ Jesus. When the Father looks at me, He sees not what I used to be, but He sees the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing I possess compares to the price which was paid for my salvation.
It is important for the child of God to walk the tightrope between possessions and our treasures in heaven. Possessions, in and of themselves, are not evil or wrong. In the case of the rich young ruler, Jesus was challenging his heart. He was attached more firmly to his possessions than what was healthy. It cost him eternity. The Lord might have chosen to return all or more than what he would have given to the poor. He needed to be free from the bondage to his possessions. READ MORE BY CLICKING TITLE ABOVE.
by George Runyan | Oct 12, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
2 Corinthians 3:18 – We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
While we are to accept each other as we are, we do not remain as we are. The Spirit of God is at work bringing change as Scripture reveals. The change into Christ’s image is an expression of God’s love to the world. You are sent to others as a love letter from God. The Father accepts us just as we are, but He is also at work to change us to be like Him. The change happens in the context of family and as we interact with those who are yet unreached for God’s kingdom.
Acceptance does not promote sin. Acceptance empowers people to risk facing and confessing their sin and moves us toward wholeness. It is important to realize that each person has the right to become who God intended them to be. At the same time, we must guard against selfishness, always putting the interest of family before the interests of individuals. Acceptance and opportunity to grow is what each of us needs most in life.
Our understanding of God’s will for the body of Christ is not centered around buildings or religious activities, but family relationships and environment—a relationship with God as Father, Jesus as our elder brother, and the Holy Spirit as the one who nurtures us by revealing the Father and Son in greater depths. Our commitment in Christ is to other believers to whom we have been joined. They are to be seen as our brothers and sisters in His family. As members of His family, we extend His love and power to the world. Our life in a church family is expressed in multi-dimensional relationships. READ MORE BY CLICKING TITLE ABOVE. PURCHASE YOUR PERSONAL COPY OF “A DAILY DEVOTIONAL” BY CLICKING THE COVER.
by George Runyan | Oct 11, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
While we accept each other as we are, we do not remain as we are. As each one comes to Christ, forgiveness and acceptance are given by the Father. We then become part of one another on the very common ground of His power of love to forgive and accept each one as we are. For each believer, this is the starting point in Christ Jesus.
From this starting point, we grow together in an atmosphere of love, hope, and encouragement, no matter what difficulty or devastation we face. Of course, people enter the kingdom of God and are baptized into the body having come from many backgrounds. Our life together in the body begins a process of healing and growth which can take a very long time. An atmosphere of love, forgiveness, and acceptance is necessary to help in assisting people to receive, what in many cases has never before been communicated or experienced.
In the body of Christ, we esteem the covenant of marriage, we honor singleness, and we support the single parent. Marriage is under attack as perhaps it has never been before. The marriage covenant is the sure foundation we must build upon. If the marriage foundation is destroyed, the whole culture will collapse. We must first learn how to love, forgive, and accept in our homes before we will be successful in our relationships within the church. READ MORE BY CLICKING TITLE ABOVE. TO PURCHASE YOUR PERSONAL COPY OF “DAILY DEVOTIONAL” CLICK COVER.
by George Runyan | Oct 10, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
John 7:24 – Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
“We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart” (2 Corinthians 5:12). Those who judge after appearance are judging from “pride” and not the Spirit of the Lord. The story above illustrates how both individuals and church bodies can be filled with pride and arrogance, rather than the love of God. TO READ MORE CLICK TITLE ABOVE!
