September 17, 2019

September 17

Running With Jesus

Acts 9:31 "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."

     Saul was brought into the midst of believers and started preaching and had to be sent to Tarsus because the hunt was still on for him.

      In the midst of all the persecution after Saul was converted and sent away, the Bible tells us the church had rest, were edified, walked in the fear of God, had the comfort of the Holy Ghost and multiplied. 

      I thought about the church age of my life time, we had rest in America. It has not known persecution and has blossomed. I remember great tent revivals. The evangelist could go into schools and preach to the whole school. Our nation has been used to carry the gospel to the nations. I do believe we have turned a page in history. We will see the church persecuted for sharing the gospel unless we have a great revival in this land. I believe we are living in the last days. The great falling away of the Church is upon us. My generation may not live to see it, if God doesn't call us out, the next generation will have to endure persecution. 

     Let us pray for a revival in our land and for the generations to come.

Father, I pray You will bring us a great revival in America. I pray You will bring us  through. I pray for boldness for us, our kids, my grandkids and the future kids of America. Put Your hand upon them and keep them safe in You. Give them Your Spirit to lead guide and direct their lives. Lead them not into temptation and deliver them from the evil one.

We run into Brother Peter, in the morning let's join him in the race.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

September 16, 2019

September 16
Running with Jesus  

Acts 9:25 "then the disciples took him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket."

     Well Saul's life has taken a great turn. In just a few short days scales fell from his eyes and he was awakened to the truth about Jesus. He wasted no time telling about his encounter with God. Christians were afraid of him at first because he was the one who had persecuted them. Today they are protecting him and now he is on the run for his life.
     We never know what road following Christ will take us. Saul's life changed the day he decided to run with Jesus and got off the devil’s team. Satan doesn't bother us as long as we run with him.  But believe me the day you decide you will follow and run with Christ, old Satan will chase you, spit on you, press you to your limits and you are put on his most wanted list. He will send a posse of his demons to hunt you down.  Lord forbid that you dare try to reach a lost, dying, and blinded world! He will get out his cannons and plant land bombs all around you. We must expect him to attack where you least expect. But God is our deliverer and faith is our shield. He will enable us to stand and get back up when we get knocked down. We must press on and look for our buckets. We hear it all the time these days, "If God brings us to it, He will bring us through it!"

 Today Father, we ask for strength to press on and keep going forward. Help us to realize we are in Your army now and You go before us and fight for us and provide buckets to help us when we need one. When we get knocked down You will lift us back up.

The church rest, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

September 15, 2019

September 15
Running with Jesus  

Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

     Faith in Christ is the road to blessings but we also must understand suffering can also come with it. Just this week I have heard of a person being martyred for preaching and proclaiming the gospel. Another woman was just put in jail for her faith.
     Saul would be beat up, shipped wrecked and arrested for the gospel in days to come. None of us like to think of suffering or sacrifice when it comes to serving God! It will cost you time, money, pleasures, rejection and ridicule but the end result is what counts.
      I don't know exactly where my life will take me!  My prayer is to enter heaven and hear my master say, "well done thy faithful servant!"
     Examine your life, are you dedicated? God is looking for faithfulness in our lives so let's live today like there was no tomorrow. Be faithful to the work God has called you and trust Him with the suffering. He will use it for Good!
                   

Father, we cry out to You for enduring strength today. We know we will face test and trials in life. We pledge our allegiance to You.  We don't know what will come down our road, so we submit our daily walk to You. Help us not be moved by our circumstance and be stable in our walk!  Help us remember our light afflictions are but a season.

Who is being hunted now? See you tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

September 14, 2019

September 14

Running with Jesus

Acts 9:20-21 "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.  But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?"

     Saul made it to Jerusalem in a blind state, being led by the men who were with him. God sends a man named Ananias to lay hands on him, then he is baptized placing his identity with Christians. Urgently Saul heads off to the tabernacle to tell his religious friends Jesus is the Son of God. His spiritual eyes were opened wide! What a change Jesus made in this man’s life! This life had to be so much better because inside he had the burden of sin removed and now he knows God in a personal way, One on one, face to face with his living merciful Maker. He had to go tell somebody. This man who was a persecutor to Christians now was a brother to them and his life would never be the same.

     So let's think about our relationship! Do you really talk One on one with God? I have never forgotten the night I met Jesus and had my Damascus road encounter. I saw myself as a sinner on my way to spend eternity in hell. But that night God removed the chains of hell and gave me the key to open heaven’s gates. He told me I didn't have to worry about dying and going to hell if I trusted in the work of Jesus. I trusted Christ and from then on my fear of death left. His Spirit came into my life and I was born again and my eyes awoke in the Spiritual world of God. He has since guided my life and kept His hand on me. I found unconditional love and I want to tell everyone He loves them! 

Father, today help my friends know for sure they know and talk face to face with You. If they still don't understand how to have a relationship with You and are trading ritual for true worship let this be the day You transform them and open their blinded eyes to truth. Help them to know and understand You love them and desire to run with them. 

Suffering servants, see you tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

September 13, 2019

September 13

Running with Jesus  

Acts 9:15  "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:"

     Chosen means having been selected as the best or most appropriate! Saul was chosen to be the vessel God would use to do more for Christianity than any other disciple in the New Testament. One who despised Christians has been used to disciple the world by his writing of 13 books of the Bible. I call his books the power books for living. In Ephesians he teaches us about spiritual warfare with our enemy Satan. In Philippians he teaches us how to endure persecution written while chained and jailed. He was a mighty vessel. 

      A vessel is a hollow container for holding something. Notice it is hollow allowing space for something to be into it. The Bible says we are earthen vessels. We all want to be used by God, however, we are not hallow and available for use! We are full of self, things and activities and we have left no space for God to put Himself into our lives. When we accept Christ, His spirit comes to dwell in us. We have Him smothered out. Then we wonder why we see others accomplishing daily task for the Lord and we are not.

      I read a book, "In His Steps" and the characters asked themselves "What would Jesus do?" They started every day by saying this and then sought to obey the Word of God. Their lives were changed and they became a vessel that God used to change the world around them. 

      So today let's take the challenge, "What would Jesus do?"  Pray this everyday this coming week as you wake up and ask God to use you to witness. 

      Take this challenge and pass it on.

Father, today we empty ourselves of stuff and we ask You to fill us and use us to change the world around us. Fill us with Your Spirit and empower us to do what You need us to do. Make us useable vessels in Your kingdom work. 

Evidence of a transformed life tomorrow, keep running with Jesus because He Is on the move!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015