October 31, 2018

October 31, 2018

Judy Hollaway

July 25

Running with Jesus  

Luke 24:36 “and as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”

     As I read this I could hear a line of music in my head, “days are filled with sorrow and care”.  The days we live in are definitely filled with sorrow and cares.  You can’t turn on the TV when something new will come on that is mind boggling.

     The disciples were gathered and discussing the events of the last few days.  They were sharing Jesus had been seen alive.  Then all of sudden there He was standing in the room with them and they were frightened. They thought they were seeing a ghost, but Jesus said, “Peace be unto you”.

     Peace we all desire. Do you need some peace of mind this morning, are you overcome with fear?  Cry out to Jesus because He is peace and can give you the peace you need.  We need Jesus to suddenly appear to us and He will if we allow Him to be involved in our circumstances.  God may not change that circumstance you have found yourself in but He can certainly calm you. 

     Satan uses fear tactics to keep us in a state of panic.  We must refocus the moment fear pops its ugly head up.  Fear comes to derail our faith and stop us from running the race of life with Christ and will be used to stop us from praying through our circumstance.  The disciples thought after the cross it was the end but found out it was just the beginning for the rest of their life.  So many times life looks like it is the end, the truth is regardless of what our eyes see and our mind thinks, we can still have peace.

Father, I ask You to calm that spirit in myself and my friends today that are wrestling with the spirit of fear.  You did not give us the spirit of fear you gave us the spirit of a sound mind, love and peace.  Peace speaker speak peace to our troubled soul this morning.  Help us to feel your Spirit and arms of love wrap around us.

     Let’s rest In Christ this morning, let’s breathe!  Now as we go forward today we will walk in peace.  Focus on Christ and our ministry and leave the battle to Him.  You can’t win because we don’t wrestle with flesh and blood.  It is a war in the heavenly places going on so stop wresting with flesh and let the angels in heaven deal with it.  We are free let’s go live for Christ.

Tomorrow: He will open our understanding.

October 30, 2018

October 30, 2018

Judy Halloway

July 24

Running with Jesus  

Luke 24:  24-27 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

(So some of our group went to the tomb too. It was just as the women said. They saw the tomb, but they did not see Jesus.”  Then Jesus said to the two men, “You are foolish and slow to realize what is true. You should believe everything the prophets said.  The prophets said the Messiah must suffer these things before he begins his time of glory.” Then he began to explain everything that had been written about himself in the Scriptures. He started with the books of Moses and then he talked about what the prophets had said about him.)

      It is no wonder Satan wants to get rid of the Bible, because it tells us the whole story from the beginning of time, also what will happen after this world and time that we operate cease to exist.

     The prophets had all told about the day when a seed of woman would be born to help man be restored to a right relationship with God. Christ death was not only recorded in the Bible but historical documents.

     When explorers find a new group of people in hidden jungles they also find worshippers of some sort of god.  Mankind was made to have relationship with God.  The nature itself teaches us there is a God.  I love how people are always looking for someone out in space.  There is someone and that is God, not aliens or “Martians”.  There is always a mystery about the unknown and many know there is a future out there somewhere.  Right, there is someone and a future out there.  That someone you are searching for is God.  The way to God is through the prophesy of old who foretold about our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ coming to die on a cross for the sin of man who would restore man’s relationship with God.

     I wish I could make the choice for everyone to find my Loving Father.  I can’t but I can only give you a witness of the joy I have found.  The stabilizer of my life,  the hope and prince of peace, the lily of the valley, the morning star, my creator and maker and giver of life.  I would trade nothing for my relationship with my God.  Knowing I am one of His beloved Children gives me all I need for living.  I want so much for you to have it too.  It takes me a lot of time sending out hope every day but it is so dear to my heart I want the world to have Jesus.  Can I have some takers today?  I promise you will never regret making Him the Lord of your life.

Father, thank You for saving our souls and making us whole. Thank You for revealing yourself that we might know we have eternal life just like the prophets said.  Everything they said would happen did happen. Thank You for the one out there today reading who needs this word of encouragement and hope we can give them. 

     Admit to God you are a sinner, believe Jesus is God’s only Son He sent to die for your sins, was buried and rose again to give eternal life. Confess Jesus as Lord of your life, and receive the Holy Spirit.  You will never be the same.  Welcome to the family of God.

Come in the morning, “Peace” is at your door.

October 29, 2018

October 29, 2018

Judy Hollaway

July 23

Running with Jesus  

Luke 24:10-11 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

     Idle tales, sounds like words we would find in a newspaper or a post on Facebook!  The world today thinks when we talk about Jesus it is just a fairy tale or folk lore.  How sad, however, the Bible has told us to confound the wise He has chosen the foolishness of preaching the gospel.  So why are we so perplexed that the world and its system rejects our message of salvation.

     Why does the world not want the “Ten Commandments” that our forefather’s used to build our laws upon?  The world will not have to acknowledge they are sinners when there is no law. No law means that man can live and do as they want. They think this is freedom but if you think about everything the world has to do and offer man apart from God usually leads to a destructive life.

      The commandments were given to man by God so they would be our teacher.  They help us to know how to live vertically and know there is a God and how man is to relate to Him in the first three. The last seven teach us how to live horizontally with fellow man. To the world we just speak idle talk.

     Should we stop this idle talk?  No, we must proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ till we die.  It is our Mission.

     Listen world, Jesus is risen and He offers salvation to you.  You must admit to God you are a sinner, believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on a cross and rose again the third day that we may be forgiven of our sin and He wants to give you eternal life. You must confess Him as Lord and Savior of our life.  You must listen to our idle talk before it is too late.

Father, help those who have heard this idle tales to see, hear, and understand truth.  I pray as we share the gospel they will have ears to hear and eyes to see truth.  We thank You that it is not idle tales to us, but it is a life of hope, love and peace.  It is a life that You guide that will keep us from living a destructive life.  It is an abundant life one that is made whole when we place You in the center.

     Let’s shout out a big thank You to God our Father for idle tales because it has saved our soul.  AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. I love Your idle tales Father! Keep them coming.

The resurrected Jesus runs up beside a couple of followers, in the morning get up and get running or you will miss a big one! See you there!

October 28, 2018

October 28, 2018

Judy Hollaway

July 22

Running With Jesus  

Luke 24:1-5 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

     This last line “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”  is some of the words in the Bible that is sweeter than the honey from the honey comb.  Angels proclaimed this message of resurrection life.  The news of Lazarus resurrection was spread all over the land and now we have the second resurrection of life, however this resurrected body was not like Lazarus resurrection he had to die again.  Jesus would be different because His body was a glorified body.  Free from all of this old sin sick world that was full of all sorts of diseases and deformities and stresses of life.  This new body would never have decay or death.

     The tomb was empty and no bones were found in it.  If we were to go to Buddha’s grave, Mohammad’s grave, and as a matter of fact any other grave, we would find they’re bones.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to die for the sin of man, is the only empty tomb, because He is the only Way to heaven and the only One Who God had gloriously resurrected from the dead!!!

Father, we thank You for the empty tomb and that we serve a living Savoir, who is not lying there dead waiting for a day of resurrection.  Thank You that we can have hope of resurrection life and we can know when we meet death we have hope and when we face death we know it is just the beginning of new life apart for the first time since Adam and Eve sinned we will not live in the presence of sin that works so hard to defeat us.

      I think I will give a shout this morning.  Free, alive and living Face to Face with our Resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

      I don’t know about you but I am NOT seeking my living Lord among the dead. HE IS ALIVE!  I have to tell it now; you go tell it if you have experienced the living one!

Idle tales, in the morning come and hear them.

October 27, 2018

October 27, 2018

Judy Hollaway

July 21

Running with Jesus

Luke 23:52-53 ”This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.  and he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.”

     Death our final enemy and destination for all mankind was faced by our beloved Christ.  He who knew no sin went through exactly what we will all have to go through. Jesus body was taken down and wrapped in grave clothes and placed in the tomb.   Usually there was a shelf they were placed upon and after the body discomposed the bones were placed in a container with other members. There was no one in this grave but Jesus.  Jesus was not alive.  He was held and touched and we all know that you know when someone is no longer alive. I do hair and makeup for deceased loved ones and I can tell you that you can know when the spirit has departed the body.  One of the most difficult things in life is death.  The separation is always the hardest part.  Death is our last enemy.  Death will come and we always say everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die.  Then the hard part is not we fear death but that we just do not know how we will die. 

     As Christians we know that death is just the beginning for us.  Jesus who went through death -Himself will not abandon us, He will be right there when our time comes with His arms outstretched to welcome us home.  For us we will be going home where we belong.

     Our concern is not for where we as Christians will go but for those who have never received the one who died to overcome our last enemy providing entry into heaven.  Our prayer is that if you have not placed your faith in Jesus, who is the over comer, you will.

Father, as we look into Your tomb we can know that You understand death because You went through everything we will ever have to go through and You understand separation and all that goes with it.  Lord, please help all that are dealing with this enemy today.  Bring comfort for them and their families.  You never leave us alone and You understand. 

Come early in the morning! “Why seek you the living among the dead?”Oh meet me there it will be a great day!