January 22, 2019
Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 11:44AM January 22, 2019
Judy Hollaway
October 17
Running with Jesus
Acts 14:21-22"And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Paul is up and running again after he was stoned and left for dead. Now if this were us we would be out of here. We can't survive getting our feelings hurt. One little bobble in the road of our run and we quit and run off and pout and then develop a critical spirit. However, let us notice one word in the verses, "tribulation". This means a cause of great trouble or suffering. Wait, suffering a word we do not like! Sorry, it is in the Bible! He says we must through tribulation enter the kingdom of God. We can deal with a lot of things if we expect it is coming. We must not forget Jesus said in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Jesus was called the suffering servant and we too must endure times of tribulation and expect it. If the world hated and despised the Son of God, where do we get off thinking it will love us. If we are being loved by the world then something is wrong with us! If you have no tribulation then you are not working in God's kingdom work! God's work is not easy and we must like Paul after his stoning get right back up and head off again! So get going don't stop now! With God you have all you need to keep going, Jesus said it "He has overcome the world"! We can overcome the obstacles Satan throws at us.
Father, we choose to keep running the race before us and we refuse to allow suffering to get us down and we press on with You looking to You, our example and strength to endure the days ahead. Thank You for being the glory and lifter of our heads.
Town to town, in the morning, we need our spiritual running shoes on!
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