by George Runyan | Dec 22, 2015 | Devotional, George Runyan
Matthew 2:16 – When Herod saw that he was tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under.
For a devotional, this Scripture is not encouraging, but it is reality. God’s enemies hate Him and all that is His. God is good and gives good gifts to His creation man. For someone to hate God, they must be evil in their core. Satan’s nature is evil in its depth. Those that are filled with pride and hate to the point of mass murder are a manifestation of Satan’s core. Herod was evil as he sought to kill Jesus through the genocide of the male children less than two years of age.
Satan tried to stop the purpose of God through mass murder of Hebrew children twice in history, when God was providing a deliverer through Moses and when Christ was born. At other times, he has tried to kill the Jewish people through genocide. During the first century, Satan tried to kill off the Lord’s church through the Roman emperor Nero.
We know the history of the twentieth century as Hitler tried to exterminate the Jewish people prior to the Lord returning them to the holy land. The enemy has used numerous nations in modern times to murder God’s people to stop the growth of Christianity. In more recent times the enemy has used radical Islam to attack God’s people. The hatred of Jews and Christians throughout the world has grown in volume and incidents of murder.
The enemy is scared because he knows his time is short. “The demons believe and shudder” (James 2:19). All is not dark and evil. The Spirit of God is being poured out in these days in preparation for a great harvest of souls. Just as in the time of Christ, terrible things happened, but God overcame terrible things with His goodness through Jesus the Lord. When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, a great awakening took place and multitudes were saved and set free from the devil’s power. “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).
This same Jesus is pouring out His Spirit with the same old time power around the world today. Rejoice, saints of God, for the devil is defeated and Christ is victorious! Light has come as Christ declared in the gospels and His saints are to be that light through the power of the Holy Spirit. Evil things may happen, but God is at work. “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).
Father, I thank You for Your overcoming life that lives in me. I rejoice in Your Son who has defeated the evil one through His cross and in the power of the resurrection. Help me, Lord, to stand strong in the battles and also to overcome by the power of Your Holy Spirit who is in me.
by George Runyan | Dec 21, 2015 | Devotional, George Runyan
The magi were known as “wise men” from Persia. They were like the magicians or astrologers of the Prophet Daniel’s time. These men were guided by a star in the east toward Jerusalem. They suddenly appeared in the days of Herod the Great, inquiring for the new-born king of the Jews, whom they had come to worship.
The role of the star in Matthew 2 suggests a connection with astrology. These astrologers, pursuing their observations of the stars in the heavens, encountered a sign of God (Matt 24:29-30). God broke through their misguided system to make the great event known. The joy, rejoicing, worship, and gifts which mark the response of these wise men to the birth of Jesus is quite a contrast to the troubled state and murderous intent of Herod and his Jewish advisers in Jerusalem (Matt 2:1-12). (Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Why should the new star lead these wise men to look for a king of the Jews? Of all nations in the world, these wise men from Persia were more like the Jews, in their religion. They believed in one God, they had no idols; they worshipped light as the best symbol of God. Everywhere throughout the East, men were looking for the advent of a great king who was to rise from among the Jews. It had fermented in the minds of heathen as well as Jews, and would have led them to welcome Jesus as the Christ, had he come in accordance with their expectation. Virgil, who lived a little before this, wrote that a child from heaven was looked for, who should restore the golden age and take away sin. This expectation arose largely from the dispersion of the Jews among all nations. They carried with them the hope and the promise of a divine Redeemer. Daniel was a prince and chief among this very class of wise men. His prophecies were made known to them. The calculations by which he pointed to the very time when Christ should be born became, through the book of Daniel, a part of their ancient literature. (Smith’s Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.)
Isn’t our God good? He prepared the entire world for the advent of our Savior, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. As we celebrate His first advent of 2,000 years ago, let us not forget His Second Advent is before us. The Lord is even now preparing the modern world for the next greatest event in all of history, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in bodily form to receive His redeemed people and judge all who have rejected His gracious offer of salvation and eternal life.
Celebrate the newborn King as the magi did, but keep your eyes on the east as they were doing, for He is coming again with great glory and triumph! The Holy Spirit not only witnesses in us the reality of His first coming and redemptive work, but also His return for His saints and the final judgment of systems that have rejected Him from the beginning of man, including the devil and all his angels.
Father, I thank You for the record of the magi who were also seeking the promised King. Thank You that today, as then, there is a hope growing in the earth for the return of King Jesus. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I might be a strong witness of Your first coming that provided salvation, and of Your glorious return in Your chosen timing.
by George Runyan | Dec 20, 2015 | Devotional, George Runyan
Luke 2:15 – Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this great thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.
The shepherds did not hesitate to seek out Jesus once informed of what the Lord had done for them. The Scriptures tell us that they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary, Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
The Lord has many ways of informing people of what He has done. The shepherds responded correctly by immediately searching out the Christ child. Some people want to get more information, while others need to think about their experience for a while to decide whether to believe it or not. When the Lord reveals Himself, He expects an immediate response. The degree of the revelation is not the issue. Some may think if God revealed Himself to me like He did to the shepherds, I too would believe and immediately respond. Human nature is strange and sometimes hard to figure out in terms of how one might respond under similar circumstances.
There are many distractions in life to keep us from running hard after God and His purpose. Even supernatural experiences can be a momentary excitement. I have been in many gatherings over the years and have watched the power of God touch people dramatically. It has always been curious to me how quickly and easily the excitement of the Lord’s presence can be forgotten and the normal routines of life are simply picked up as if nothing had taken place. These shepherds were transformed by their encounter.
After seeing the babe in the manger, they immediately made known what the angels had declared to them about this child. Those who heard the shepherds wondered at the things told them. Mary treasured those reports in her heart. The shepherds went back to tending their sheep, but glorified and praised God for all that they had heard and seen.
The spirit of Christmas is in telling others the wonderful story of God’s love for man and His provision of salvation through Jesus the Christ. We give gifts as a symbolic gesture as we remember the greatest gift ever given. Reflect on the many occasions the Lord revealed Himself to you in some supernatural way. Ask Him to remind you of the times He has made His presence known. Like the shepherds of old, you knew the joy of the Lord’s presence. Glorify and praise God for He is altogether worthy.
Father, I thank You for the message of Your grand love for all mankind. Help me to run hard after You to discover Your treasures in Christ. Cause me to be as the shepherds, a witness of the things I have been told and have seen.
by George Runyan | Dec 19, 2015 | Devotional, George Runyan
Luke 2:14 – A multitude of the heavenly host appeared praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.
At the birth of Jesus the whole of heaven’s hosts joined in the celebration. The angel of the Lord appeared many times throughout the Old Testament to bring to men messages from the throne of God. Daniel the prophet experienced numerous occasions when Gabriel the archangel appeared to him with messages from God. Never before did a multitude of the heavenly host come declaring words from God as recorded in the book of Luke.
The Scriptures can be so clear at times and this verse is one of those occasions, “Glory to God in the highest.” God is Spirit and His throne is in heaven. We cannot comprehend either God or His throne. God is mystery to man, so God revealed His nature by sending His Only Begotten Son in human form. Not only did He do this, He has made it possible, through Christ, for His Holy Spirit to live inside every believer. In this verse the angels say, “In the highest,” there is no height higher than the Throne of God.
The angels also made it abundantly clear concerning God’s will: “On earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased.” As we look back in Scripture, there was a time when God was not pleased. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). What an indictment against mankind! God’s heart is fully revealed in Luke’s record of Christ’s birth. He reconciled His grieving over creating man as revealed in Genesis with His “Great Love” revealed through His Son Jesus and the “new creation” in the Spirit He was bringing forth.
God the Father is pleased with man, not because man is good, but because of “the man Christ Jesus.” “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Now was the proper time. The angels began the proclamation that awesome night. The Apostles continued the proclamation as they preached Christ in “faith and truth” (1Timothy 2:7).
It is now our turn! As we celebrate His birth and remember what the angels declared, make sure you represent heaven well. God wants peace among men. God is well pleased with us as He sees Christ revealed in all men and women who have put their trust in God’s first new creation man.
Father, I thank You for Your declaration of peace and pleasure of man. Thank You for Your heart of love and mercy shown toward fallen man who had no hope. You have given hope to the world through the birth of Your Son Jesus. Help me to be joined with the angels in proclaiming Your great love.
by George Runyan | Dec 18, 2015 | Devotional, George Runyan
Luke 2:11-12 – Today, in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Heaven truly came to earth on the day of Christ’s birth. Not only was the Son of God born in Bethlehem, but a multitude of angels filled the skies and revealed themselves to many who were waiting for the expected Messiah. As shepherds were watching over their sheep, the glory of the Lord appeared as an angel spoke to the shepherds and those shepherds were filled with fear.
The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Man is normally fearful of the supernatural. Angels appearing and talking certainly qualify for supernatural activity. The heart of the Lord is revealed through these angelic words, “Don’t fear.” The Father sent His Son because He wanted a relationship with man. You cannot have a healthy relationship with another if there is “terrible fear.” God’s word to mankind is “Don’t be afraid because I have provided salvation”.
The angel goes on to explain that he had come to bring “good news.” It was news of “great joy” and this news was “for all people.” The Gospel is the Good news of Jesus Christ. It starts with His birth, but grew to include His death, burial, and resurrection. As Jesus hung on the cross, He gave up His life for all people.
Real joy is found in a relationship with God the Father, through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit whom the Father has given. Wouldn’t you love to have been around the fire that evening as the shepherds talked about what they had just experienced on their watch? Their minds must have gone back to the many passages of Scripture they heard from their religious leaders over the years.
Our God is the God of Victory! There had been no prophet to bring the Word of the Lord for over four hundred years. The religious leaders of Israel had become dull of hearing and filled with lust for power. Things looked rather bleak for the “covenant people.” But on this night, the sounds of victory rang through the skies. Declarations of “peace on earth” and proclamations of “goodwill toward men” rang out through the quiet stillness of the night. God is a God of the immediacy. “An angel of the Lord suddenly appeared” (Luke 2:9).
For over two thousand years, the message the angel brought to these shepherds has been ringing out in the earth. From Jerusalem, men began to carry the good news until the entire then-known world had heard “Jesus is Lord.” The message has continued down through the centuries to our day. Christmas is a wonderful time to be renewed in the Gospel through Christmas carols and Christmas plays. It is also a great time to be renewed in God’s will. Each of us can share the good news with another or perhaps with many.
The gift of God in Christ was never meant to be held privately, but is intended to be shared with as many people as is possible. Tell someone about Jesus before the year’s end. Pray for divine appointments and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you.
Father, anoint me with the Holy Spirit to share Your Good News to as many as You would lead me. Release through me the message of freedom from fear, and the blessing of peace and joy from the presence of the Lord.
by George Runyan | Dec 17, 2015 | Devotional, George Runyan
Luke 2:30 – My eyes have seen Your salvation.
Simeon was a resident of Jerusalem. The Scriptures record that he was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him. Israel had been in difficulty for centuries. From the days of the Babylonian captivity, they had been under the domination of a number of nations. For a couple hundred years, they had experienced the cruelty of Roman rule. The nation was looking for and expecting the promised Messiah. They knew that the Messiah would bring comfort through deliverance to the covenant people.
The Holy Spirit came on Simeon, and He revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. “He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God” (Luke 2:27-28). Simeon knew he could now die in peace because his eyes had seen God’s salvation. He prophesied saying, “You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32).
Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Simeon blessed Joseph and Mary. He spoke to Mary, “Behold this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).
The fall of many speaks of those whose hearts were evil. In His earthly ministry, Jesus revealed the evil hearts of many of Israel’s religious leaders. In Matthew 23, Jesus condemned these evil men and pronounced eight woes upon them. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus, in symbolic language, speaks of these religious leaders as “the false prophet” (Revelation 19:20). The rise of many, speaks of the new creation man that Jesus is bringing forth, first in Israel and then among the Gentiles. It is those who were dead in their trespasses and sins, but are now raised from the dead and made alive in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
What a powerful word Simeon gave to Mary! Jesus was opposed, but overcame all His enemies through death on the cross. Indeed, Mary was pierced in her soul as she watched her Son die on the cross for the sins of the world. Overwhelming joy must have filled her heart when she beheld Him after the resurrection.
Father, I thank You for the consolation of Israel. I thank You for the rise of all those who have put their trust in Christ. I pray for the salvation of many during this Christmas season as they hear of the Savior’s birth and learn of His death on the cross for their sins and the gift of eternal life.
