by George Runyan | Aug 25, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
1 John 5:7-8 – There are three that testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
The Holy Spirit came to earth after the Son ascended to the right hand of the Father. Consider this, a man is ruling from heaven at the Father’s right hand. The Spirit of God has come to earth to bring forth a new creation out of mankind who has been bound by Satan’s control. He is here to create all men in the image of Christ. The process which the Holy Spirit leads us into is “the water,” where we are to experience death with Christ and His resurrection power. It is a death to the flesh and the receiving of His life. The cleansing of Christ’s blood from our sins is applied as the Holy Spirit quickens our spirit and the new birth takes place.
As one receives the New Covenant in the blood of Christ, one is accepting the conditions of the covenant, which is giving up our life in exchange for His. This means I must die to self. Our death to self transpires in the waters of baptism. It is in the waters of baptism that death transpires. Coming out of the water, resurrection life takes place. The Spirit testifies we belong to God through Christ. The blood testifies, we are clean and accepted by God. It testifies that Christ’ blood was shed for our sins, destroying all enmity between God and man. Faith in His blood establishes peace with God. The water testifies of our death to our flesh and to our new life in Christ. READ MORE – CLICK TITLE ABOVE
by George Runyan | Aug 24, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
Hebrews 6:1 – Leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity.
The word “baptized” comes from the Greek baptismo, meaning to dip. The writer of Hebrews includes the doctrine of baptisms (plural) in his list of things that are the elementary teaching about Christ. There are many baptisms we find listed in the New Testament. There are baptisms in water, Spirit, fire, the cross, and sufferings. There are three to consider here in regards to our three fold-salvation for spirit, and soul, and body.
The first baptism is for our spirit man. Paul teaches, when we were redeemed, we were baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. As the blood of Jesus covers us, we are immersed in the blood and are justified, becoming members of His body. “Much more being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9). This baptism applies to our spirit man and is a spiritual baptism. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
The second baptism is “water” baptism. It is God’s ministers that baptize us into water. Peter writes, “it is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21). In Romans 6, Paul speaks of this baptism as the place we join Christ in death and are united in His resurrection. Paul powerfully outlines what we have gained in Christ when he writes, “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority, and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12). This is a large sentence, but necessary to keep the thought fully intact.
The third baptism is to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the one who would baptize us with the Holy Spirit, “John answered, saying unto them all, ‘I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire’” (Luke 3:16). As one receives the Spirit, power is available to live a life for Christ on a daily basis. The Bible calls this daily walk “sanctification” which means to be “set apart.”
Father, I accept Baptism, not as a religious act, but for what You intended as described by Paul. I invite the Holy Spirit to circumcise my heart and remove the body of the flesh. I pray to walk in the Spirit daily, being led in the power of resurrection life received through Christ the Lord.
by George Runyan | Aug 23, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
2 Peter 3:14 – Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless, and, blameless.
Because we are looking for the promise of future things, Peter says “be diligent.” Diligence is one of the greatest qualities of the Christian life. Peter qualifies diligence “to be found by Him in peace, spotless, and blameless.” This covers a lot of Christian living.
Peace speaks of “His Rest.” For the Christian, watching the news should be a different experience than what the world experiences. The world knows “anxiety,” but the believer knows “His promises,” Our life should be a reputation of being “spotless” from the world. I am burdened for many in the church today that do not keep themselves spotless from the world. Many believers converse and conduct themselves like the world. They participate with great enthusiasm in worldly practices. Except for attending church services, it is hard to tell them apart from the world. The world accuses the church, meaning Christians, of hypocrisy. The world knows what kind of life we should be living and many times the Christian is not found “blameless.” Peter says, “Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.” Peter gives testimony that Paul said the same things. He also says that “the untaught and unstable distort the Scriptures to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:14-16).
Peter’s exhortation for the believer is to “be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (verses 17-18). Do not accept everything you hear. Today, there are some who speak and write not having the right motives, not led by principles which lead God’s people into “steadfastness.” Our great need is to “grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord.” The Lord Jesus is our standard. His Apostles are our example of Christ’s life and give us the foundations of our faith. It is Christ alone that fills all in all. READ MORE – CLICK TITLE ABOVE
by George Runyan | Aug 22, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
2 Peter 3:7 – By His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Judgment is a difficult subject to talk about because people want to think they will be ok in eternity. Notice that Peter says, “The present heaven and earth are being reserved for fire.” It is important for the believer to stay focused on the promises of God regarding our future. The new creation of God, created in Christ, is not reserved for judgment, because Christ Himself bore the wrath of God on our behalf. Judgment is reserved for “ungodly men.”
A day is coming for the believer when our salvation will be complete. We have considered, in the last couple of days, freedom from the penalty of sin and the power of sin. Today, we consider the final stage of deliverance, “sin’s very presence.” Peter encourages believers by reminding us that God is not slow concerning His promise in the way some think of slowness. Our God lives in eternity, not a time-space world. Using Peter’s reasoning recorded in 2 Peter 3:8-9, it has only been 3 days since the cross and the resurrection of our Lord. “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” READ MORE – CLICK TITLE ABOVE
by George Runyan | Aug 21, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
Acts 1:8 – You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses.
The power which the Lord is promising comes from heaven’s authority. That authority was given to proclaim the good news of the gospel of the kingdom. It is an authority to live a life above sin. It is an authority to set captives free from Satan’s control. In Acts 1:7, the KJV uses the word “power” from the Greek word, exousia, which means “authority”. In Acts 1:8, the Greek word for power is “dunamis,” where we get our English word “dynamite.” The Lord is giving His disciples delegated authority which comes from His Father.
Many have the idea that the benefits of receiving the Holy Spirit are limited to being born again and going to heaven. Jesus makes it clear that receiving the Spirit is so much more. The Spirit of God brings “authority” and “power” to live a life of victory over Satan’s control through sin and darkness. As we walk in the light, as Christ is in the light, we walk in delegated authority to live out His life presently and release that life to others. The Lord has delivered us from the “authority” of Satan, his kingdom of darkness, and the power of the enemy through sin. READ MORE – CLICK TITLE ABOVE
