April 9, 2019

April 9

Running with Jesus

Luke 14:1-2 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

     A Sabbath day, a Pharisee, Jesus, and a man with a bad disease, talking about oil and vinegar, you have seen them sitting on the table and you shake it up to try to get it to mix, won’t happen! 

     It was the Sabbath day, I am sure the Pharisee had taken his “spiritual bath" in preparation for their worship. Interesting Jesus was at his house to eat because at this time, runners, He was being watched because they wanted to kill Him. They were looking for some way to get Him to the courtroom. Having bathed, the religious wanted no part of a diseased man because they were considered sinners!  Jesus on the other hand had mercy on the man and healed him. The sick man was in front of them.  There are two ways to look at this, first we can get so "religious" and do "church" that we forget we are to be ministering to people.  We also can look at the Sabbath day that the religious leaders made as a ritual over a relationship with God and man. 

     Our church going must never take the place of our relationship with God the Father. Church is to be a privilege and a blessing that comes from your personal walk and never let our going soothe our conscience and neglect helping our sick. Jesus says our work is evidence of real faith! Test time! If all you do is ritual worship! Better do a check up! He is about relationship with Him and relationship with our fellow man. Think about the cross! The vertical wood beam runs up and down, us to God. The horizontal beam runs side to side, us to our neighbors! Are you sure you have been to the cross for salvation or just "churched"? Churched people even know all the language but do not have the love of God in the heart and you will find them sitting and a lot of the time grumbling! Where do you fit in? Are you churched or do you have an intimate relationship with God? 

Father, help us to keep running with You and help our relationship to grow. Make us sensitive to other’s needs and ministry. Father, help us today to find a person we might not normally speak to or show kindness to. We don't want to be "churched" we want to be real!

Tomorrow: A lesson on being humble.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

April 8, 2019

April 8

Running with Jesus

Luke 13:31-33   The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

     Jesus knew before He left heaven what His mission was to be, to pay the penalty of our sin. He came to deliver us from our last enemy, death. He stayed His course through life and He totally completed His mission. 

     Jesus is still working in this world today and this world is still seeking to kill Jesus. Christians, Christ runners, are being sought to be killed in this world. We are hated by many false religions that are cutting off heads and calling us infidels. But even sadder is those right near us, friends and coworkers don't want to see or hear about Jesus anymore. America, why are you killing the One Who brought life and freedom to this country. So sad because everyone wants the American Dream life but no one wants the Giver of that life, Jesus! 

     Oh, the Bible tells us the prophets wept for Jerusalem. Let us weep for America! I have ask several times for us to join in prayer for our nation. We must be serious and commit to pray for our country!

Father, we cry out for You to deliver this country from unbelief and raise up Godly men and women to lead us back to Jesus. Just like Jesus You have given us a work to do. Help us stay on the course and finish our race. Give us strength and empower us to give us a bold witness. Bind the powers of darkness in our nation, states, counties and towns that our Christian beliefs should be preserved!!!

Tomorrow: Jesus, the Sabbath day, a Pharisee, and a diseased man!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

April 7, 2019

April 7

Running with Jesus

Luke 13:24-27 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:  Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.  But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

     In another passage Jesus said, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9.  Jesus was still talking about what His Kingdom was like and then He told them the way was through the narrow door. 

     We have a lot of people today who teach if you believe in God or do good deeds you go to heaven. This is not true and in America today that door is even more narrow because so many do not believe Jesus is the only way to heaven. They believe anyone can get into heaven as long as they are good or as good as some who say they are Christians, but may not truly be or go to church, if it’s convenient, just because it’s the socially good way to spend their Sunday morning. We all are sinners and can't get to God. Jesus died to make a way for us to get to God by dying on the cross for our sins. We MUST confess our sin, ask Jesus to come into our hearts and be born again to have eternal life in heaven. He is the door to heaven. The wide doors are luring the lost, “Come on in enjoy life! “. Don't listen to those wide doors begging you to come in, once you accept Jesus as your Savoir you will enjoy life so much more knowing where you will go when you die. Look for the narrow door people are nailing shut in our land. I know now why He said “Few will get there”.

Oh Father! Help those that have not accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, see the narrow door and to accept Him so they can walk through and  have eternal life in Heaven and not in Hell!!! Convict those, who have accepted, to want to tell about Jesus with those, who need Him in their lives!!!

That door is Jesus! Look for ways today to share His wondrous story before it’s too late. Time is ticking away, the Narrow Door is getting closer to coming back with each passing moment!!!

Killing Jesus, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

April 6, 2019

April 6

Running with Jesus

Luke13:20-21  And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

(Jesus said again, “What can I compare God’s kingdom with? It is like yeast that a woman mixes into a big bowl of flour to make bread. The yeast makes all the dough rise.”)

     Here is the second example of Jesus’ kingdom. He describes how a woman puts a small amount of yeast in a bowl of flour but it will affect the whole bowl. It can be divided into different loaves but it still will be working.

     This reminds me that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch if left in the bowl! "Bad company corrupts good morals" 1 Cor. 15:33

     We have a lot of new converts who want to continue to run with the same old crowd and they are never able to overcome sinful behaviors. You may think you can do anything you want and it will not affect your Christian walk. Wrong! Remember for a plant to grow it must remain in the soil and then properly nourished. I want to go a step farther, your attitude can affect the whole body of Christ, your actions and what you do and where you go will be like yeast and affect the whole body!  If one person gets mad they will find another to agree with them and then that one will find another. The next thing you know Satan has worked like leaven to destroy the body. 

     Jesus died for the body of Christ, the church, we are to love, guard and to die for her. We should be using our gifts to build her up!  

Father, help us!!! Your kingdom has grown world-wide, what we do can spread and affect the people I work around and live with. Help us love each other and lift each other up!  Father, help protect Your work and work through us as we work in each corner of our world! 

One door, tomorrow.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

April 5, 2019

April 5, 2019

Running with Jesus

Matthew 28:5-6 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

      I had to step out of Luke this morning because my heart is thumping just thinking about "He Is Risen"! 

     Oh friend if you have not been to look in the tomb of Jesus, you have missed salvation. In all the religions of the world that profess they are the savior you will find bones. Not in Jesus tomb it is empty. He resurrected just as the prophets foretold and that is what makes a prophet a real one! 

     When I look in the empty tomb I see hope, because that hope delivered me from a life if sin, shame, and pain. He gave me a new life filled with life, joy and peace. I wouldn't trade what I found in Christ for all the money in the world! Jesus brought me to my Heavenly Father who loves me unconditionally and gives me strength and hope to survive life! 

     My challenge is if your life has never changed when you joined the church then you looked in the church and not in the tomb! It was who was in the tomb that built the church. It was death and resurrection that allowed Christ to send the Holy Spirit to dwell in us so we can talk to our Heavenly Father. If you have not received the Spirit of God into your heart you were not born again! The Spirit does the work!  He is same Spirit that raised that dead body of Christ to new life. He lives in us and gives us a regenerated life that one day will resurrect us! 

 I praise You, Jesus and celebrate the empty tomb. I celebrate Your resurrection and await Your return! Help others to look into that empty tomb and see truth! 

Tomorrow: Back to Luke. Yeast makes dough rise!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015 Easter Sunday