May 20, 2018

May 20, 2018

Judy Hollaway

February 7

Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 7:43-47  "Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.”

“That’s right,” said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”

                 Neglecting Jesus! This Pharisee invited Jesus to his home but neglected to do the customary acts of kindness shown to a visitor in their homes. There enters a woman, considered an outcast that a Pharisee wouldn't allow to touch them, with tears washes his dung covered feet. She proceeds to dry them with her hair and pours expensive cologne on them! Why?  This woman got it and knew what forgiveness was like. She was in desperate need for her soul; she was in turmoil and anguish. She recognizes Jesus was what she needed and crossed custom standards to reach Him. 

                Let's think about neglecting Jesus. How about you, stop right now and think about this past week. Have you been spending time with your guest, Jesus? He is there in the living room of your heart just waiting on you to come and go running with Him. What is causing you to not go? Let's think! I need to go shopping, I'll do the laundry then I'll stop, oh I need to call my friend, ok my favorite show is on, let me check my Facebook for the 25th time today! Okay for my guys a little golfing, hunting or fishing!  You get the picture neglecting Jesus has dire consequences. We spend so much time, energy and money on all the things that will not help our souls and give no lasting satisfaction! 

                Our souls are screaming, weeping and seeking to find some sort of rest from all the struggles of life! We must stop and focus on Jesus to find the key to a happy life! If we choose as the religious Pharisees mot to see ourselves as sinners in need of Jesus, we will never find life! They were religious men. They did all the outward "appearances". Wore the robes, talked the talk but never came to the walk! They neglected all the truths they heard because they would have had to deal with the fact they were a sinner. This woman new the pitiful state she was in, saw them in the light of pure Holy Jesus, dropped and humbled herself to get to kneel at His feet. Have you ever dropped at His feet! Her actions revealed her humility and her acts of services was the evidence she had enrolled in the run with Jesus!

                 If you say you know Jesus but never do acts of service I would say you better make sure you have not neglected to recognize who He is and who you are! Watch being religious and make sure you are regenerated! A regenerated runner will be there for Jesus and run to help others. 

  So are you neglecting or running?

Oh Father, we are forever grateful for forgiving us. Here we are today lifting your name in praise and ready for our assignment for the day. Show us ways to wash people's feet as we run around with today. Help us not neglect you and your work. You are our stabilizer and energizer. Let us show others as this woman did what you have done for us as we run with you today! We want others to see you in us! 

What's choking the word out of your life? Be back tomorrow!

May 19, 2018

May 19, 2018

Judy Hollaway              

February 6

Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 7:20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

            Does doubt ever enter your thoughts? Do you feel like God has abandoned you? If you live long enough and life brings difficult circumstances our emotions can cause us to doubt God.

            At this time John was in prison and we know he would be beheaded before long. I think we think of being in prison like in America today, with modern conveniences. Not then they were filthy, dark, dungeons and the Christians were often beaten and chained. So we can see where doubts could affect  John. Life can take us on a trek to produce doubts. So how do we handle our doubts?

             John needed a word from Jesus to help him with His doubts. (Andrew Womack ) says " Many of us have Bibles lying around gathering dust. Some of us even carry one. But when we're struggling with unbelief, we don't want a scripture; we want something tangible, something emotional that we can feel. We would rather have Jesus just put His arm around us and say something about how everything will be all right. That would make us feel better. But overcoming doubt isn't just about feeling better; it's about getting back into faith that only comes from the Word of God (Rom. 10:17)."

            If John the Baptist who leaped in the womb and was filled with the Spirit and prepared the way for Christ can have doubt certainly we can.

            Get into and stay in God's Word. Faith comes by hearing Gods Word. That is why we have to run side by side with Christ so we can hear His voice. Doubt is an arrow from Satan to hinder your run! 

              Remember turn up the voice of God! I do this with my radio. Our old enemy shouts in my ear and down I go! I turn on my radio or read my Bible and dig deep into the Word and his voice is gone. This takes practice and discipline. So runners have to practice daily to stay fit!

Neglecting Jesus in the morning! Grab your coffee and Bible and sit a spell!

May 18, 2018

May 18, 2018

Judy Hollaway

February 5

Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 7:15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

            Good news travels fast! Jesus met up with a woman whose son had passed away, her only son which is very significant to their day because she was a widow. He was probably the source of her livelihood. The text says Jesus had compassion on her and told her not to weep. He touched the young man and told him to rise. Then fear came on the crowd and they began to glorify God. 

                Running with Jesus can be an awesome journey. Can you imagine what that day would have been like!  Can you imagine the look on the faces of the ones carrying this young man? They would wrap the body and carry it openly on a flat as they moved to the burial site. They would not touch the body because they would be unclean. Look how many lives were touched by this circumstance! It is still touching our lives today. Jesus is teaching and revealing Himself to the world that He is truly God in the flesh! He has power over life and death. They responded that Jesus was a prophet, and that God had visited His people; they looked back when Elijah raised a dead boy in the Old Testament.  Jesus was not yet recognized as the Messiah. 

                Who is Jesus to you, a good man, a prophet or your Messiah or Savior? It makes a difference! 

               In the story we see the power He has over life and death! Death is a reality for everyone born! Only those who are touched by Jesus as Savior will be raised from the dead to see eternal life and live in heaven. All the others who are not touched by Jesus will go into outer darkness separated from God and cast into the lake of fire created for Satan his demons. 

                So have you met up with Jesus and allowed Him to touch you? 

Father, Jesus is more than a prophet He is our Savior. Thank You for the day You touched and brought new life to my dying soul. I am forever grateful! 

          Take a moment reflect upon the day He touched you! Carry that with you all day! It will make for a happier day! If you don't have a Savior this could be that day!  Bow your knees and cry out for that touch! Let your race begin!

When running with Jesus the difficult days can cause you to doubt!

 Meet me In the morning!

May 17, 2018

May 17, 2018

Judy Hollaway

February 4

Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 7:8-9 "For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."

                 You need to turn to Luke 7 and read the whole section about the Centurion. The first miracle Luke recorded in this town came by the faith of this man. Centurions led a legion of soldiers for the Roman army. One of his servants was sick and he sent friends to ask Jesus to heal him. The interesting thing was first He was a Gentile not a Jew and secondly was the faith he had. He sent Jesus word, it wasn't necessary to come to his house for Him to heal the man. He knew that liken to himself, giving orders to his servants, if Jesus just gave the order it would be done!

                The truth we can learn from this is Jesus does not have to be physically present to heal and help us. Jesus had just preached so many powerful principles of the way of our new life in Christ. Now He would be revealing His power to command diseases away by His authority and control. There are so many times I wish Jesus would appear and sit face to face with me. I know you do too! This would not be FAITH in action. Jesus said more blessed are those who have not seen and believe. 

                This man was humble and demonstrated how we should intercede and pray for others. He demonstrates trust we can place in Christ. Jesus marveled at this man’s faith. He would be considered an enemy of Jews but God looks on our hearts. This man was humble we see because he sent word he was not worthy to be under the same roof.  Great faith requires humility. His faith also was a demonstration that salvation was for all people. 

                Do you really believe when you pray?  I challenged myself about praying in faith. Prayer is not always getting what I want. Prayer is faith in God to answer in His great wisdom and discernment because He sees our lives in one view. Faith is believing when we can't see Jesus physically. 

Father, thank You for all the stories recorded in Your Word. Thank You for encouragement on faith today because at times my faith wants You to appear to me in some tangible way. I don't have to see but I sure can feel your presence helping me keep running by trusting and having faith in You for all the things I don't understand about life. Just knowing You are here with me comforts and gives me peace for the trek of life I am running. Let others marvel at the grace You give into our lives. Help us keep the faith when we run against obstacles that look impossible. 

Don't miss the run tomorrow, interesting thing will happen! When you run with Jesus, daily life will never be the same!

May 16, 2018

May 16, 2018

Judy Hollaway

February 3

Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 7:1 "Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum."

             Get your running shoes laced up we are leaving the mountain and heading to Capernaum! Did you know Capernaum was called the town of Jesus! He made His home there and we are preparing to meet up with Matthew and all sorts of miracles are going to take place!

            Why Capernaum?  The great road of the sea led from Damascus, by way of Galilee, through Capernaum, down past Carmel, along the plain of Sharon, through Gaza, and on to Egypt. It was one of the great roads of the world. Another road led from Acre on the coast, away across the Jordan, out to Arabia and the frontiers of the empire. This road was trodden by the regiments and the caravans. Where these roads crossed in Galilee was a town named Capernaum, the town of Jesus.  (Discover the book Ministry’s)

            Jesus head quarters were in this town. Well traveled during this time. Peter's house was here. More miracles were done here but what we will see is their failure to recognize the Savior of the world. My heart was sad as I studied about this town because it brought me close to home. America the beautiful! We have had more freedom to worship, to read and hear the gospel than any other nation but today we have less who are even interested in hearing the message. We have access to more Bibles, more books and literature! We will have more to give account for too!

            Please join me in prayer for our nation to return to her Biblical foundation!  

 Father forgive us and restore our nation. We confess abortion, we confess homosexuality, we confess disobedience, neglecting You, for giving into pleasure and not honoring the Holy Day, we confess we love riches and things more than You. We confess the love of pleasure over the love for God. Be merciful to us as sinners help us return to You! Jesus help! Father please raise up Godly men and women to help restore our nation. Raise up Josiah's who restore the reading of Your Word and restore praying in our schools. Oh merciful Father, bring a revival to our land.  

Faith praying tomorrow!