by George Runyan | Mar 23, 2016 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
When the Scripture speaks of purity of heart, it is addressing motivations. The subject of the heart is a large topic in God’s Word. Here are some samplings. God searches the heart (Jeremiah 17:10). Unbelief comes from a hardened heart (Mark 8:17). Jesus knew what they were thinking in their hearts (Luke 9:47). The heart is where one’s treasure is (Luke 12:34). The heart is where secrets are kept (1 Corinthians 14:25). Paul prayed for the eyes of the heart to be enlightened, so that we may know what is the hope of His calling (Ephesians 1:18). Consider Paul’s admonition in Colossians 3:12-13. “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also you forgive.” The pure in heart have received forgiveness and forgiven all those who have sinned against them.
The heart is what I call “the seedbed of our emotions.” It is the deepest area in a person’s being. Some connect the heart to our human spirit. The pure in heart are those who have opened to God every secret they hold. The pure in heart have repented of unbelief. Although they do not understand everything yet, they trust completely in God. The pure in heart are becoming a treasure house of godliness. This new heart of purity must be received. Paul said to “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12). These qualities are not the fruits of a good idea, but of a pure heart!
Today, why not join in Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened to know the hope of His calling”. It is in that seeking of God’s will and purpose that our hearts are changed and purity begins to form. Ask the Holy Spirit for a pure heart. Allow Him to identify areas in your life in need of His cleansing power.
by George Runyan | Mar 22, 2016 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 5:7 – Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Sir Isaac Newton first presented his three laws of motion in 1686. His third law states “that for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In other words, if object A exerts a force on object B, then object B also exerts an equal and opposite force on object A.
Newton was given revelation by God relating to a law of physics, but we have been given revelation by God in the spiritual realm. When you are merciful, it sets up a spiritual law of receiving mercy. This is true about all the Beatitudes. God’s life exerts a spiritual force of mercy upon us. We in turn exert a spiritual force upon others by showing mercy. They in turn become open to receiving mercy from God and give mercy back. In the law of the Spirit, the Scripture says, “Give, and it shall be given to you” (Luke 6:38). One of the evidences of the new birth in an individual is their desire to give to others.
Let us consider a few biblical statements that bear witness to this truth. Consider what the Psalmist said, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting” (Ps 126:5). Brokenness over others and their condition carries the promise that God will honor your brokenness with a day when the watering from your tears will give a crop of salvation that will produce in you a joy that cannot be contained.
Again consider what Paul said, “If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you? (1 Corinthians 9:11). This is a Principle or Law in the New Testament. When God sends those who carry spiritual things that are imparted to our lives, we in turn should respond by supporting that person through financial gifts. The spiritual person gives from his heart. He does it freely. A right response in mercy is to give what we have to help others who cannot at all repay us.
Mercy is manifested in a variety of ways. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you increased avenues to give mercy. You can be confident that there will be numerous occasions when you will also receive mercy from God and others.
by George Runyan | Mar 21, 2016 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 5:6 – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
As humans, we find ourselves in an impossible situation from a natural perspective. We are slaves to sin. The righteousness of the Law of God continually declares us to be guilty. The Scribes and Pharisees perverted the Law and brought the people under religious bondage by human means. Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness surpasses theirs, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Even the keeping of their strict application of the Law fell short of the requirements of God.
There is a void in every human, a void of the righteousness of God. This void can only be filled by the righteousness of Christ Jesus. “There is none righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). People deal with this condition in different ways. Some pervert the need to fill the void by feeding the unrighteousness with increasingly unrighteous acts. Others try to satisfy their need through religion, trying to get to God on their terms. The Scripture says, “We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Throughout the ministry of Jesus, He taught how to satisfy this hunger and thirst. We learn that Jesus is the Way in John 14:6. Each person who has received the Lord, by giving their life to Him, knows firsthand that He alone satisfies the longing for the void to be filled. We must continually draw on the righteousness of Jesus Christ to know and experience the true satisfaction He alone can bring.
It is not by our performance that we find satisfaction, but through relationship alone. A relationship rooted in Christ Jesus fulfilling the entire requirement of the Father. A relationship filled with the acceptance of our heavenly Father. The true satisfaction comes from knowing that God loves me and in His love I am fully accepted.
Father, I ask for a deepening hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. Release the Holy Spirit to draw me closer to Jesus. I join in the writer of Hebrews’ prayer that we may fix “our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
by George Runyan | Mar 20, 2016 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 5:5 – Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth.
Gentleness demands humility. The arrogant do not practice gentleness or meekness. One evidence of a Spirit-filled life is the fruit of gentleness (Galatians 5:22). There are many who try to move ahead in life with an arrogant attitude. Usually, this person is filled with selfishness, only thinking about their success no matter how it may affect others. This character flaw is especially seen in the business world, the entertainment industry, and the political arena. A drive for power and control is behind arrogance and selfishness. It can be observed that most of these people end up losing in life. Many times their dreams are dashed by heartbreak and loss.
The Scriptures teach, and many lives demonstrate, that gentleness is the way to success. Jesus is teaching a key to life’s success in Matthew 5:5. Humility, which demonstrates gentleness, will help bring success. Through gentleness the Holy Spirit touches the hearts of people and opens opportunities. Individuals are moved to reach out and help the gentle person. Opportunities come, doors open, and a way is made for the gentle person to be received as their reputation begins to be spread.
Some people are gentle by nature. This is a human quality which is rare and honorable. As Jesus brings into focus His Kingdom, He is anticipating those that would be filled with His Holy Spirit, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in all of their relationships. Paul said, “All things are ours. So then let no one boast in men, for all things belong to you” (1 Corinthians 3:21). All things belong to the child of God, but we must see this corporately. As an individual, I cannot claim all things at all times, but the Lord blesses His body throughout the earth. Remember Paul’s teaching when he said, “There are many members, but one body” (1 Corinthians 12:20). As members of the body of Christ, we enter into His promised inheritance through humility and gentleness, not arrogance or pride.
Ask the Holy Spirit to increase growth in you regarding gentleness. Ask Him to show you what He has set aside in the earth as your inheritance. Father, I thank You for Your promise that the gentle shall inherit the earth.
by George Runyan | Mar 19, 2016 | Devotional, Podcast
Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Multitudes throughout the ages have known what it is to mourn. We may mourn the passing of a loved one, the loss of a child, a war casualty, calamities, or the loss of property such as a house or finances. Consider the oppression people suffer throughout the world. Modern day news coverage allows us to observe people weeping and lamenting their present day circumstances. Because of these first-hand observations, many become moved with compassion to share their resources with those who are suffering. Many times believers have experienced the prompting of the Holy Spirit to reach out in practical ways to those in need. There is a good reason why Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Comforter.” Only the Spirit of God can completely comfort those who are mourning. True comfort can only be brought by what Jesus promised in Matthew 5:4.
Have you ever been hindered by your lack of words or ability to comfort another? Have you ever felt helpless during times when a person has experienced the death of a loved one, a calamity of some kind, or when their life is being oppressed by some difficult circumstance? At these times, it can be humanly impossible to bring comfort. As a believer, we have received the necessary grace from the Holy Spirit, to come alongside an individual and speak a word of comfort through the inspiration He gives. There will be a day in which we will know the totality of the Spirit’s comfort. The Scriptures speak of the day in which all our tears will be wiped away. “He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death, there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
The only answer for the conditions found in a fallen world, is found in Christ. The believer has the answers dwelling within through the person of the Holy Spirit. All His fruit, His gifts, and His power is available to those who have put their faith in Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit freedom and total access to use you for the glory of God.
As the old gospel song declares, “The Comforter has come, the Holy Ghost from heaven, the Father’s promise given.” Today, allow His comfort to be your portion. He will give you peace and assurance in every situation. He will use you to minister comfort to another.
by George Runyan | Mar 18, 2016 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 5:3 – Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The poor in spirit are all those who have suffered under this world’s system. These are the oppressed, neglected, and underclass who are the majority of people in the world. Jesus came for such as these. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). The kingdom of God goes to the deepest areas of an individual’s life, to heal the broken spirit. The good news is that there is a King who reigns in heaven and cares about the hurting of this world. Christ redeems those who have been made captive in their circumstances through a system controlled by Satan’s kingdom. Although they might suffer in this life, they are to rejoice in the promise that the kingdom of God “belongs to them.”
There is a change coming! Even if one’s circumstances are oppressed, the Holy Spirit has come to first make the human spirit alive. To the one who is born again, He makes available the experience of a deep abiding joy which the world cannot steal. All of this begins in the spirit and finds its way into the chambers of the soul. Paul’s prayer for the church at Thessalonica was “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit, soul, and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
This explains why so many persecuted believers are able to have such joy in the midst of oppression which comes through the systems of the world. This also explains why believers are able to stay afloat through the many struggles that take place in life. Even during financial setbacks, sickness, or relational difficulties, they still remain strong. One who is strong in their spirit, knowing they have been given the kingdom, is able to rise up in this life and demonstrate God’s provision. God makes them rich in their spirit and strong in their kingdom lifestyle.
Today, allow the Holy Spirit to establish you in His grace regardless of your circumstances. Claim your portion in Christ and rest in all He has promised for the future. Father, thank You for all of Your promises, beginning with this promise of Your blessing to my spirit.
