October 16, 2019

October 16

Running with Jesus  

Acts 14:19-20 "And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.""Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe."

      I told you there would be a stoning. It was Brother Paul because he was the main speaker. Old Lucifer always aims high, the head! He seeks daily to bring down ministers of the gospel and leaders in the body. We must pray for our pastors and leaders. October is Pastor Appreciation month so remember him in your prayers. Satan’s great target with us is the head, the mind! He throws stones at our minds that build up walls. Walls of unforgiveness,  bitterness, anger and resentment! Why? To kill our run with Jesus. He leaves us for dead and wants us to stop. But look what happened to Paul, the disciple stood round about him and the next day he departed with them and we find him preaching again.   As brothers and sisters, we must hurdle around those who have had stones thrown at them and help them get going again. That is what this devotion is for today. Search your mind and look at that stone wall that has you blocked from running with Christ. Cast off your bitterness, anger, resentment and unforgiveness. Get revived and go tell somebody you were stoned but God has raised you back up.

Father, we pray for that hurting soul this morning. Let them know healing and revival. Help them know their real enemy is Satan and let them feel your Spirit raising them up and helping them get back into the race. Help them know and understand it is time to let it all go and they are not left for dead but to become a living in a world that desperately needs to have their walls torn down. Help them know that this can give them a new ministry in their life and for all the wasted years stoned left for dead you can use it to get back at the real stoner, old Lucifer! And Father we lift up our Pastors today and help us encourage them and show them our appreciation in some special way.  

Get up and get running again. Christians are survivors see one in action in the morning!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 15, 2019

October 15

Running with Jesus  

Acts 14:5  "And when there was an assault made both of Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them."

      Paul and Barnabas are on their run from town to town preaching the message of Jesus resurrection and they are becoming more hated by the unbelievers. Note in this verse who came against their preaching, their rulers! Most commentaries believe this was the Sanhedrin courts coming together. They were made up of the Sadducees and Pharisees and had the power to pronounce a death sentence and take people to the Romans for the penalty to be implemented like Christ. The days were getting harder on these two Missionaries. We see they despised them and wanted to stone them to death. 

     Anytime you start to move forward in your serving Christ, expect opposition. You can sit in the pew every week and do nothing and you will not face much opposition but get up start serving and waiting on tables watch the darts start flying. You have moved into our enemy, Satan’s territory. He will start throwing stones because he runs a dark world and when you walk in obedience you start shining a light around and others see a change in us and our enemy does not like us shining a light onto his evil business. So why bother with serving, because we love God and love others. We know the truth and we want them to know truth so they will not die and go to hell. Also we know the greatest "Joy" this life gives us, walking and working in God's kingdom work. When you watch the birth of a new baby Christian or hear that baby say their first word, Abba, daddy, father, joy burst forth in your heart! When you have the comfort and strength He supplies in the tough times in our lives "Joy" fills our hearts.

      We are facing tough days ahead serving God but the alternative of not serving is a great loss. Don’t waste time, get up and serve, one day you will see the benefits and Christ.  Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

      Christ look to the joy and endured. We too must look to where and what is at the end of life’s journey and take up our cross daily and obey God. Go and tell. Never before in the history of America do people need to hear and see our message. We must press on. Get up, serve, days are short!

Father, give us grace to endure and give us boldness to get up and serve. Help us to remain faithful when they counsel against us knowing they have blinded eyes caused by the god of this world. 

A stoning in the morning!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 14, 2019

October 14

Running with Jesus  

Acts 14: 1-2 " Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.  But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren."

      Poisoned minds! Let us think about this for a few minutes! Can we relate? Wonder who furnished the poison? You got it right, Lucifer who started right in the middle of the Garden of Eden. Friends he has not gone anywhere, he is still poisoning minds of unbelievers. He waters down, dilutes, and under minds the words of God. Then he works the crowd! Oh you see him working today more than ever stirring up unbelievers. If you watch the media and talk show host interview a Christian, they will be all over them! Let a Christian run for public office and they will look for ways to shred them into tiny pieces. If you want to see poisoned minds watch that show in the mornings with that group of ladies interviewing a Christian. A perfect example of how deceived our culture has become.

 The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:4  "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

 Father, we pray for those with blinded eyes to be opened today. We pray You will blind the power of darkness that has poisoned their minds. We pray the scales will fall from their eyes that they might know truth and be set free before it is too late. Help us live as light in the darkness around us so others might see and be drawn to the light. And help us guard our minds from poisonios thoughts that are thrown at us today and help us walk in holiness and newness of life! 

Watch out for stones are being thrown in the morning! See you here!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 13, 2019

October 13

Running with Jesus

Acts 13:45-46 "But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."

     Why should we be so surprised people today are rejecting Jesus? His own people whom He did great miracles did not believe.  We must remember it is not our responsibility to save people; it is our responsibility to tell them about the way to salvation. We are to share Jesus.

     Paul preached hard to the Jewish brethren but they refused to hear the message. He said it was right the message was to be preached to them first. After they rejected his message he turned to the Gentiles. They would take the message to the world.

      I believe America played the greatest part of this fulfillment. We are seeing a closure coming to the Gentile age which means days are short till the rapture. The signs are appearing everywhere.  As we are driving home from the mountains we can note a change of the season. We were about 1-2 weeks ahead of the peak season. Returning home today more color has appeared and we know fall is upon us. God told us as Christians we would be able to know the season of His return for His Church. I think the season is so near. It is exciting days but there will be difficult days approaching. What is sadder is for those who believe not. 

      I pray if you have not trusted Christ as Lord and Savior, today will be that day. Days are numbered!

 Father, help us urgently share Your message and open hard hearts to see and discern truth from lies of the enemy. We look forward to Your glorious appearing. Open doors for us to share with this lost dying world around us before the season ends.

Unbelievers are poisoning minds, in the morning; let's keep on running with Jesus!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

October 12, 2019

October 12

Running with Jesus  

Acts 13:37-38 "But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren,  that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:"

      If you want a blessing read the Message Brother Paul spoke in this chapter 13 in the synagogue. He gives us a full account of the coming of Jesus from the Old Testament.  I love these two verses because hope is running through them to all men. The first hope was Jesus resurrection and He knew no corruption revealing there is resurrection that lay ahead for us.  Secondly in verse 38 we can have forgiveness of sins!

     No wonder even as I type, the Ten Commandments are being removed from our capitals! Satan has read the back of the Bible and knows he has been defeated. He knows if the Bible is preached man will know he is a sinner, lost, and on his way to the pit with the liar and deceiver. 

      Why and how did all the commandments get onto our land? Why are our laws based upon the commands? Because our forefathers knew the truth and founded our country on truth!  Without Christ there is no remission of sin and there is no forgiveness of sin. There is no hope of resurrection life. 

      We must stand and speak the message of Christ even in the midst of unbelievers like Paul did. We are their only hope to see truth. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal like through Jesus Christ our Lord. He saw no corruption! There are no bones in his grave. 

Father, give us boldness and help us stay strong in the days ahead. Father, have mercy on their souls and raise up men like Paul from among them to warn them. Help them to know it is through Jesus we have forgiveness of sin. 

Seasons are changing, come see in the morning!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015