April 25, 2018

April 25, 2018

Judy Hollaway

January 13
Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

          Do we have any poor, broken-hearted, captives, blinded or bruised with us today? Yes, our world is filled with hurting people! Jesus came to heal and set us free. When we receive the gift of salvation we secure our destination and many of us walk around holding our gift but never open up the gift to find out what is inside. Because we don't we continue to run our race with weights that are holding us down fears, condemnation, unforgiving, bitterness all sorts of negative emotions holding us. We have to open this gift of healing given to us. We do this by hearing, studying, and running through the pages of God's Word allowing the Word to wash and detox our souls. This is what we were talking about the bread that nourishes our spirit. It is like taking an antibiotic to heal the infection in our body. Jesus wants to heal our souls.
          It may not always be a physical healing. It may just be mental and emotional healing or a broken spirit. So get into the Word of God and let the healing begin. Find out who and what this gift given to you is all about. You will find liberty and the weights will fall off one by one. 

Father,  thank You that You want to heal our soul so we can run with You and I know when their healing takes place they will begin to enlist other runners. Just like me they will want to help others open up their gift and all the benefits they have in Christ. 

Rejection coming in the morning!.

April 24, 2018

April 24, 2018

Judy Hollaway

January 12 
Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit.....
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, ...
 

          Sometimes runners will fall but get back up and continue to run. I am doing that because I missed out on noticing this important part of how Jesus was running His race "full of the Holy Spirit"! What does full of the Spirit mean? To be filled means to be controlled by the Spirit. We are commanded in Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
          Have you noticed liquor stores are often called spirits? Rightly so, because liquor takes control of the body. God is telling us to allow the spirit access to our control center as we run through life. We find in God's Word how we are suppose to live and act. God reveals how we are to respond to life's situations. When we say ok Father, I don't feel like this or enjoy this action but because you tell me to respond in this manner I will do it. It is the battle of 'the wills" yielding our rights to His rights. Can we be filled with the Spirit? Sure have you ever seen anyone filled with rage, jealousy, lust, greed, anger, self-pity?  Now when we are filled with the Spirit of God we have the fruit of the spirit present, which is love, joy, peace, patience, long suffering, gentleness, temperance and self control. 
When we receive Christ the Spirit of God comes to dwell in us. We just have to let Him have all of us to be filled.

Father, to run with You we must let You have full control or we will never complete our race! Help our weaknesses and strengthen us as we race. Thank You for Your sweet sweet spirit indwelling us, guiding and leading us as we run forward. 

Tomorrow: We can expect rejection in our home town!

April 23, 2018

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Romans 14:11 KJV

April 22, 2018

April 22, 2018

Judy Hollaway

January 10
Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 4:16 "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read."

                Here we go again, back at the synagogue with Jesus. Notice what Luke said', “as His custom was on the Sabbath day". Jesus custom was to go to worship on the Sabbath.  ( I love Dr. Luke's writing because being a physician he always gives us the fine details. )Then He stood up to read and verse seventeen says "And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias."
                Jesus was about to began His time of public ministry revealing He was the Messiah. Where was Jesus, at the synagogue regularly reading scriptures. We found Him there remember at twelve years old. That was where His Father's business was.
                Friends it is so important to be consistent in regular attendance, worship and Bible study. You cannot go to any work place and expect to get anywhere without learning the ins and outs. Today one of the things the body of believers lack is commitment to their worship and study of the Word. Most don't want to go to Sunday School because they are not students of the Word and fearful they will be asked a question they can't answer. That is from the pit of Satan to hinder your growth and connection to the body of Christ. That is where they need to be to become a student.
                I'll never forget when God told me from John 14:23 ..."If a man love me, he will keep my words and my Father will love him, and we will come into him, and make our abode with Him." We wonder why we don't see God more in our lives. We have to be in His Word loving it and aligning our lives with His commands.  Most of us are not serious about running with Jesus because we will have to give up something or it is not the thing anymore and we will be called a "Jesus freak". Well this is true however we must never forget the benefits. Usually the places and things we don't line up with God's principles will always lead to bondage and destruction. Pay day will come sooner or later.
                If you have left the body and not reconnected with a family let this be your year to restart your race. Just like Jesus who regularly went and read the scriptures let this be a trait found in your life.
 

Father, help those who have stopped going to church have strength to return. Help them understand this is about obedience and loving You because You died for the body of believers and the body is where Your heart is. Our hearts should be there too because that is Your business. You have chosen to work through the body of believers. You ordained and instituted the church. Help us love and care for the body.
 

Tomorrow: Removing weights that slow our running down!

April 21, 2018

April 21, 2018

Judy Hollaway

January 9
Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 4:13-14 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

                Whew, I am always ready to leave that wilderness place, aren't you? Makes me sweat thinking about them, however, if we endure we will come out stronger in our faith race. I like calling our faith a race instead of a walk, because walking is much easier than running. Old Satan is turning up the heat in this world because he knows his time is short. Our lives today are more like running than walking!
                  Now notice the scripture says Satan departed from Jesus for a season! Yes, you can rest assured he will be back to tempt us to make us doubt God and give up! He will be back to bring discouragement or trip us up.
                  I remember the year of the Olympics when there was a skater who wanted to win so bad that she and her ex husband whacked another skater to win money and fame. The ex husband hid under the stairs and whacked the skater. Satan will hide and look for those opportunities to whack us so don't get lax in your run and think your enemy won’t be back! That's the bad news. The good news, Jesus left in power and spirit and fame of him went out through the region. His outward ministry began and the race was on. He endured and overcame and this always makes us stronger when we begin to resist the temptation.

 Father, thankYou for being with us in seasons of temptation. Help us press on as we learn to run with You! I thank You when I am tempted I have Someone Who understands and will help me . Help me stay alert when the enemy returns.  Help us not forgetYou are always there to help us overcome.

Tomorrow: Running back to the synagogue