by George Runyan | Sep 11, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Psalm 74:18-23 – Remember this, O Lord, that the enemy has reviled, and a foolish people has spurned Your name. Do not deliver the soul of Your turtledove to the wild beast; Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever. Consider the covenant; For the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. Let not the oppressed return dishonored; Let the afflicted and needy praise Your name. Arise, O God, and plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You all day long. Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, the uproar of those who rise against You which ascends continually.
As we remember September 11, 2001 and the heinous crime committed against humanity, know that God too remembers. Before evil manifested on earth, it manifested in heaven when Satan and his hosts set themselves against God and His kingdom purpose. The next few days we will devote ourselves to three men who understood the true warfare. This will serve to help in understanding the battle in which we are engaged.
Daniel 9 and 10 gives us insight into the warfare happening in the heavens. In the book of Jeremiah, Daniel discovered God’s timing for the completeness of judgment upon Israel. Daniel gave his attention to the Lord to seek Him by prayer and supplications with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. I suggest reading the prayer of Daniel 9:3-19. We read in verse 20, Gabriel brings an answer to Daniel’s prayer. In chapter ten, more insight is given to Daniel after he had been mourning and fasting for three entire weeks. This time, Gabriel told Daniel that “from the first day that you set your heart on understanding . . . your words were heard” (Daniel 10:12). In verse 13, Gabriel told Daniel, “the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. In Verse 20, Gabriel informs Daniel, “he now will return to fight against the Prince of Persia and that the prince of Greece is about to come.” In Verse 21, Gabriel revealed to Daniel that there is “no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.”
Today, we are still battling these princes of Persia and Greece. Persia is represented in the “false religion of Islam” and Greece with its “humanistic philosophies” that fill western culture and our educational system. The battle is not in the natural realm, as Daniel learned, but in the heavenly sphere. Today, Daniels are needed who will set their heart on understanding and on humility before God. The two big fronts that God’s people face are “false religion and humanistic philosophy.” Their sources are not natural, but supernatural. The true warfare is the kingdom of darkness set against the kingdom of light. Our strength and courage comes from knowing our God has overcome, “He is head over all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:10).
Father, I ask You for understanding and courage to enter into my part of the battle. Strengthen me in faithfulness to pray with knowledge about the true warfare. I ask for the Holy Spirit to open up Your word to me so that I might know how to answer those who oppose Your truth. Lead me in prayer and supplications for myself, Your people, and the nation.
by George Runyan | Sep 10, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Ephesians 4:13 – Growing to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13 describes precisely God’s intention for each believer. In every conceivable way, the Lord wants Christ to be revealed in us. The measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ is a statement that fills eternity.
Throughout the Scriptures, we find different ages revealed. Noah’s flood was the end of one age and the beginning of another. God’s call in Abraham’s life was the beginning of an age and a new thing God was about to do in the earth. Abraham was the beginning of a nation and became known as “the father of us all” (Romans 4:11-12). The age of faith began with faithful Abraham. From Abraham, God created an entire nation. The nation Israel was named after Abraham’s grandson Jacob, whom God renamed Israel, meaning “prince with God.” Israel came to full age with the emergence of the Christ, God’s promised Messiah. Unfortunately, that generation did not walk in the faith of Abraham. “Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:54).
God’s purpose in all the ages was to reveal His Son and to create a people in the image of Christ Jesus, the Lord. He purposed that all of Israel would come to know Him in faith and be recreated by the Holy Spirit as the sons and daughters of God. He intended through Israel’s recreation in the Spirit that the Gentiles too, would be recreated by the Spirit and be joined with all of Israel as God’s Covenant people in the earth. God’s intent in this age is for Christ to be revealed to the nations though His people born of the Spirit.
A remnant of Jews believed and became the foundation of the “new creation”. Believing Gentiles were added and “one new man” in the Spirit is filling the earth. “Abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity” (Ephesians 2:15-17). God’s work was completed in Christ. He is the fullness of God. Now we are called to be formed into His likeness and grow up into His fullness, “to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ”. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Receive His work into every area of your life today.
by George Runyan | Sep 9, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Ephesians 4:13 – Growing to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13 describes precisely God’s intention for each believer. In every conceivable way, the Lord wants Christ to be revealed in us. The measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ is a statement that fills eternity.
Throughout the Scriptures, we find different ages revealed. Noah’s flood was the end of one age and the beginning of another. God’s call in Abraham’s life was the beginning of an age and a new thing God was about to do in the earth. Abraham was the beginning of a nation and became known as “the father of us all” (Romans 4:11-12). The age of faith began with faithful Abraham. From Abraham, God created an entire nation. The nation Israel was named after Abraham’s grandson Jacob, whom God renamed Israel, meaning “prince with God.” Israel came to full age with the emergence of the Christ, God’s promised Messiah. Unfortunately, that generation did not walk in the faith of Abraham. “Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:54).
God’s purpose in all the ages was to reveal His Son and to create a people in the image of Christ Jesus, the Lord. He purposed that all of Israel would come to know Him in faith and be recreated by the Holy Spirit as the sons and daughters of God. He intended through Israel’s recreation in the Spirit that the Gentiles too, would be recreated by the Spirit and be joined with all of Israel as God’s Covenant people in the earth. God’s intent in this age is for Christ to be revealed to the nations though His people born of the Spirit.
A remnant of Jews believed and became the foundation of the “new creation”. Believing Gentiles were added and “one new man” in the Spirit is filling the earth. “Abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity” (Ephesians 2:15-17). God’s work was completed in Christ. He is the fullness of God. Now we are called to be formed into His likeness and grow up into His fullness, “to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ”. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Receive His work into every area of your life today.
by George Runyan | Sep 8, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Ephesians 4: 13 – Until we all attain to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
As we continue to look deeper into these passages in Ephesians, we see that Paul is calling each believer to maturity in Christ. Christ Jesus is our model as a mature Son. The Lord did not save us simply to get us to heaven. Salvation is about a new man. It is about a man who is created in the image of God’s Son. God’s intention was not that we would remain children, but to become mature people who are able to handle the Lord’s business well.
The five-fold ministry has been given assignments by the Lord to help in the development of God’s people. For example, the goal of an overseer is to develop those for whom he is responsible as mature individuals who are the image of Jesus in the earth. Jesus supplies the grace for these ministry offices to be able to accomplish their work. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, also supplies grace for each believer so that they can grow up in the Lord.
When Paul says, “By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8), he laid the foundation for our entire Christian walk. Everything we do in Christ must come from grace through faith. We cannot do what God is requiring without a supply of grace. Many struggle in the Christian walk as they start out by grace and then try to go farther on their own. As we have seen in previous devotions, our “will” is involved, but the Holy Spirit supplies the grace. As He supplies grace, faith follows. Faith, beloved, is an operation of grace. Faith is not our effort, but His supply of grace.
Growing up in Christ is a continual process developed throughout our entire life. It is our salvation being worked out day by day. Each day we are to receive His grace and then exercise faith in obedience to His work in our lives. Doesn’t that take off a lot of pressure, knowing you do not have to go it alone? Whatever is lacking in your maturity in the Lord, begin to ask for grace to be supplied in that area. Your flesh may resist, the Devil may fight you, and circumstances my create obstacles, but if you press into the Holy Spirit, He will give you the grace to overcome. Faith will rise and you will be victorious in Christ.
Father, help me to fulfill Your plan to grow up into Christ. I claim the maturity You have destined for me. I am willing to accept the trials that will be used by You to cause Christ to be formed in every area of my being. I gladly receive Your grace to do Your will throughout my life.
by George Runyan | Sep 7, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Ephesians 4:13 – Until we attain the knowledge of the Son of God.
Knowing Jesus is not simply about an initial salvation experience. It is a matter of growing in relationship with Him until we are at one with His eternal purposes. The apostle Paul came as close as any in the knowledge of Christ. Paul said, “Whatever things were gain to me, I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:8). Paul valued his relationship with Christ far above anything he knew in this life. Paul is the true example of dying and being buried with Christ. He is our example of what it means to live in Christ Jesus’ resurrection power day by day.
The desire of Paul’s heart was, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). To know the sufferings of Christ, one must first partake in the power of His resurrection life. By faith, we receive Christ Jesus the Lord. This is the gate through which we enter into His life. Through “faith” in Him we are accepted by the Father. This is not the end, but the beginning of knowing Him. The Holy Spirit begins to lead us into the “fellowship of His sufferings.” It is in the sufferings of Christ that we begin to truly experience the heart of God.
In Philippians 3:11, Paul speaks of purpose, “in order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.” At first glance, it may seem like Paul is working to attain eternal life. We know by the study of Scriptures this is not the case. Paul is speaking about the “first resurrection” which every believer has entered through baptism. “All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). Paul was committed to walking in the power of Christ’s resurrection. Walking in His resurrection life comes from knowing Him and the fellowship of His sufferings. Paul’s life modeled this truth.
Father, I ask You to help me attain to the resurrection of Christ daily. I was dead in my trespasses and sins, but I rejoice that I am alive forever more in Christ Jesus. I want to know You more. I ask You to prepare me in my daily walk so I can live in Your Son’s resurrection life.
by George Runyan | Sep 6, 2018 | Devotional, George Runyan
Ephesians 4:13 – Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
The five-fold ministry gifts were given to equip God’s people until the church “attains” the unity of the faith. Paul’s statement about attaining unity is as big a goal as one will find. It is hard to imagine the church in that kind of unity. Perhaps it is what we understand unity to be that is the problem. Unity is impossible in the natural. Biblical unity is the work of the Holy Spirit in the “hearts” of God’s people, not simply in their heads. Today, I have unity with many in the Lord’s church, not based on agreement about everything, but in agreement concerning God’s kingdom purposes.
One reason unity has been difficult to achieve is that, around the second century, church fathers shifted the focus from the “kingdom of God” to the Church. The body of Christ began to be taught that where the Bishop is, there is the church. The apostles taught that the church is the people of God and bishops were “overseers” who provided care for God’s people. The apostles further taught that the kingdom was in the Holy Spirit. He is the center of all that the Father and the Son are doing. This shift set the stage for “ecclesiastical structures” rather than the government of God that the apostles founded. The Reformation brought the church part of the way back to God’s original purpose, but not all the way back. Out of the Reformation came many divisions over doctrine and the government of the church.
The twentieth century brought a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit reviving the Lord’s church. Unity has been on the increase as the Lord changes the hearts of His men and women. There is more unity today than since the first century. The real shift began to happen around the 80’s and 90’s as the church began to focus on the kingdom of God and not on denominations. Unity prayer was at the foundation of this revival in the Lord’s church. One of the first areas was united prayer for the nations and unreached people groups. Another important shift was united prayer in cities as pastors began to pray together to fulfill the “Great Commission.” Marches for Jesus took place all over the world as God’s people celebrated the kingdom of God and His Glorious King!
Unity begins in our family, our local church congregation, and our cooperation with what the Lord is doing in our locality. Search your heart today and see if there is any division toward others in the body of Christ. If there is, repent and give it over to the Lord. Ask the Father for grace to live in the unity of the Spirit and the bonds of peace with everyone. This does not mean compromise of your convictions. It does mean keeping our hearts right before God and others.
