October 11, 2019

October 11
Running with Jesus  

Acts 13:9 "Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost...."

     This is the first time Luke has mentioned Saul's other name Paul.
Paul means little or small. We don't know all the reason of his name change but we do know Saul was a changed man. As Saul he stood tall in the Jewish world running from Christian to Christian to persecute them and to get rid of the "New Way". Later he would be sent to the gentile nations but was humbled by his Damascus road experience and he was never the same, he was changed. Small Paul would not remain small to us. He is one of our great men of faith and wrote most of the books of the New Testament which has helped grow and developed the church!
      Our lives should be so changed we would need a new name. I remember crossing the Tennessee River to move to Murfreesboro and when I crossed back over to return to West Tennessee I was not the same person who left. I left bound up by fear and returned with faith. I had no idea Satan had me wrapped and chained to hinder my walk. As I was freed I began a new work to help others grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the Word of God. I lived my Christian walk defeated because like Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge of God's word." Brother Saul, Paul, and his power books led me to live more on the victorious side of our faith.
      We should grow to be known by our faith nature and not our old nature. One day we will be given a new name written down in glory only God knows.  Do people know you by your new nature or are you still walking around in your old?
               

Father, help us to be filled and renewed in our inner man and though our outer man is perishing let our inner man be flourishing. Let us live our new life in You. Let others come to know You by our living. Let Christ be in us a hope of glory for others see You. Let us live in our newness our "Christian" life!
               

Praying for boldness, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 10, 2019

October 10

Running with Jesus  

Acts 13:8-10 “ Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And said, O full of all subtlty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

      A sorcerer is a person who claims to have magical power, a wizard. Witchcraft and sorcery has become so popular this day and time and especially during the Halloween season.  In the days of Christ and the disciples, they were always running into these types of people. As Christians the Bible is very specific about where our place should be and what our view should be. Note these verses:

      Deuteronomy 18:10-12"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee."

      God always has a reason when He tells His children NOT to do something. He always has our best interest at heart and seeks to protect us.

      As parents we do not want our kids to question us or doubt we know best when they are unaware of harm or danger in certain matters. Why should we question God and play around with fire when He knows best. So don't ask me what is not right or wrong for the reason, ask God! He said it not me!

Father, I chose to trust You in this matter, because I know my Father always knows what is best.  Help others rethink who they trust and believe. 

      My God sees and knows all, does yours? 

Father, help others to understand that we have boundaries we are to operate within and that is always for our protection and our children’s interest at heart.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 10, 2019

October 10

Running with Jesus  

Acts 13:8-10 “ Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And said, O full of all subtlty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

      A sorcerer is a person who claims to have magical power, a wizard. Witchcraft and sorcery has become so popular this day and time and especially during the Halloween season.  In the days of Christ and the disciples, they were always running into these types of people. As Christians the Bible is very specific about where our place should be and what our view should be. Note these verses:

      Deuteronomy 18:10-12"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee."

      God always has a reason when He tells His children NOT to do something. He always has our best interest at heart and seeks to protect us.

      As parents we do not want our kids to question us or doubt we know best when they are unaware of harm or danger in certain matters. Why should we question God and play around with fire when He knows best. So don't ask me what is not right or wrong for the reason, ask God! He said it not me!

Father, I chose to trust You in this matter, because I know my Father always knows what is best.  Help others rethink who they trust and believe. 

      My God sees and knows all, does yours? 

Father, help others to understand that we have boundaries we are to operate within and that is always for our protection and our children’s interest at heart.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 9, 2019

October 9

Running With Jesus  

Acts 13 :1-4 ”Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent themaway. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.”

     God was beginning to send out his first missionaries and Saul and Barnabas were the two the Holy Spirit anointed for the mission.  They will first take the Gospel to the Jews and after they reject the message the Gentile age would begin.

      It bothers me that not very many young people are surrendering to the ministry.  Preaching the gospel is not the most popular job in America.  Some will say that ministers are a waste.  This fits right into the world mode today.  We use funeral homes for funerals, venues for weddings and judges and justice of the peace for the weddings.   Most funerals do not want a message anymore but a eulogy spoken by a friend.  No one wants to hear about the end of life and where we spend eternity.  No one wants to make vows before God much anymore.   As long as we don’t mention Jesus everything is okay.  Walking around shopping in America you can no longer buy a manger scene for your yard at Christmas.  Face it being a Christ follower is no longer popular.  Surrendering to preach is not popular, it is the way God has chosen to share the Gospel, the foolishness of preaching.

     We were not the first to deny Christ.  The Jews did first and ungodly worshippers of pagan gods won’t even mention Christ work on the cross.  That is okay because there will be one day when He will get the last say.  It will be too late for many who would rather be popular with the crowd.  Keep on doing your own things and ignoring the message of God.  Ignore the only door to heaven.   Ignore the call to go and at the end of your days you will not hear, “Well done thy faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord,”

Father, call out young men and commission them into Your work and bless them with a special anointing. I am thankful today for my three nephews who are stepping up and answering the call.  Lord, keep Your hand upon them and bless them as they are walking in Your will and ways and give them favor with men.  Father, we pray for a special anointing upon the lives of our young men and women who are facing challenges in the days ahead.  Thank You for the victory they can have with You by their side.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 8, 2019

October 8

Running with Jesus  

Acts 12:24 “But the word of God grew and multiplied.”

     I wish Brother Luke, who wrote this verse could read what I just googled on line.  I ask how many Bibles have been printed and this is what I found 6,001,500,000 and spoken in 6,900 languages.  How is this for growth? Also, 32% of the population is professing Christians.  The Bible is the most read book in the world.  The Bible is God’s love Letter to the world and does more to change lives.

     Luke would be amazed what this line of the Bible he penned would come to mean.  Even as persecution tried to kill It’s authors and stamp out It’s message it could not.  God was on the move to redeem his beloved mankind.  God loves man and has gone to the extreme to have a relationship with him.

     Just like the Word of God grew in the world, It must also grow in our hearts and be lived out in our lives.  I want to ask are you growing in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God’s Word?  If not you are a stagnant Christian.  No one likes stagnant water.  Have you ever seen a pool of stagnant water?   It is a slimy, murky, smelly mess.  That is exactly what our lives are like without the Word of God engraved into our lives.  The Word is more powerful than a two edged sword.  The Word is our Sword for living.  We gain eternal life through the Word and are built up, encouraged, grow and mature by It.  So are you growing and learning from the Word, if not commit today to read a chapter a day for 30 days and see if it does not change your life.

Father, thank You for the Word and we pray You will keep our freedom to have a Copy in our possession for all of our lives.  Help us not take It for granted. 

       Spend time thanking God for His Word today.  Stop and hold It near your chest and feel the love of God flow through your spirit.

Jesus is still running strong working through people, now He is commissioning missionaries, in the morning.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015