by George Runyan | Jun 23, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
2 Corinthians 9:8 – God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have abundance for every good deed.
In chapter nine of second Corinthians, Paul addresses being prepared to give financially to poor saints. He reminds us that God is our source. He is able, through grace, to supply our needs. Jesus speaks a great deal about finances in His teachings. Finances are very closely related to the heart of man. Three times in the Sermon on the Mount (the Beatitudes), Jesus addresses issues of the heart as it relates to money and wealth. For example, in Matthew 5:2-4, Jesus teaches not to make our giving to the poor public, to be seen of men.
Three words that need close examination and meditation are covenant, motivations, and generosity. In our next few devotionals we will consider all three words. We will ask the Holy Spirit to establish us in covenant giving, right heart motivations, and generosity. READ MORE – CLICK TITLE
by George Runyan | Jun 22, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
John 5:24 – Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
We learned yesterday that all judgment has been given to the Son. John 5:24 is an example of that judgment which Jesus possesses. Jesus emphatically decrees the one who hears His Word and believes what they heard has eternal life. He decrees that they do not come into judgment, but pass out of death into life. What an interesting way Jesus has of saying they are saved from eternal damnation.
Jesus creates the law of grace applied to the one who hears His word; the one who believes the Father sent Jesus “has eternal life.” Eternal life in Christ is a state of being. I was lost, but now I am found. Daily I thank the Lord, “I have eternal life,” not going to have it, but indeed I now have it because Jesus has judged it to be so. READ MORE – CLICK TITLE
by George Runyan | Jun 21, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 18:35 – My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.
Forgiveness keeps one out of prison. In the spiritual realm, the tormentors are demonic entities that bind up lives from living freely, as God intended. Unforgiveness is one of the strongest “control mechanisms” the enemy has in his arsenal. The seeds of unforgiveness will produce roots that begin to go deep into one’s heart. These become known as roots of bitterness.
Acts 8:19-24 tells the story of a man, Simon, who had bitterness in his heart, yet he wanted the power of God, but with a wrong motive He offered them money, saying, READ MORE – CLICK TITLE
by George Runyan | Jun 20, 2014 | George Runyan, Thoughts to Consider
He forgives because that is His nature. He forgives because He wants to nurture and increase the relationship He began in the Garden and has restored us to Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. He has given to us His Nature by giving us His Holy Spirit.
by George Runyan | Jun 20, 2014 | Devotional, George Runyan
Proverbs 4:23 – Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.
The Scriptures teach us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Three words for us to consider that relate to the heart of God are covenant, relationship and forgiveness. God’s nature is rooted in covenant. Webster defines “covenant” as “a binding and solemn agreement to do or keep from doing a specified thing” (Webster’s New World Dictionary, Third College Edition.) “My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips” (Psalm 89:34). When God forgives, He does so because of His covenant promise. His promises are certain. The Psalmist declares, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). READ MORE – TITLE
