May 6, 2020

May 6
Running with Jesus

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

     Covetousness is a strong desire after possessions of worldly things! Far more important is our relationship with Him.  It is amazing how we know we are going to die and leave this world just like we came into this world! Billions of dollars are spent every year just to advertise and lure us to buy things! You can't watch a TV program without a thousand commercials! The Internet is constantly popping up ads and Facebook has them running too!
     We get too attached to this world! I remember going to Venezuela on a mission trip and Mexico, it was like traveling back to the 70's way of living! But I watched the children playing with sticks and bottles laughing and having a great time! Our kids are constantly working on computer gadgets and are never satisfied. We want more and more and will do anything to have what others have. We need a good dose of contentment.
     Our abundance is leading a generation away from God. Look at all the looting and theft that is going own!
Here we go again with the throwing out the Ten Commandments of God! The law of the land has lost control
because until the heart is changed mans ways are wicked.  The Bible says mans hearts are desperately wicked!!
     We need to guard against covetousness because it will lead us into bondage. Things will not be taken to heaven. Ask God for contentment.

Lord,  help us to be more content. Help us to be satisfied with Jesus. Help us to use discernment and balance in our lives as we live in this world and help us remember we are pilgrims on a journey and our home is heaven.

  The next few weeks as we run with Jesus, we will run right into a list of warnings  Dr Luke recorded that He taught His disciples. Run close!

 Watch building bigger barns tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 5, 2020

May 5

Running with Jesus

Luke 21:14-15 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

      In this chapter Jesus is heading to His death, but he is also telling His disciples that they are about to be persecuted for their faith in Him. He made the statement not to settle beforehand what they were to say. 

      As time moves forward and unless a revival begins or Jesus returns, we are moving toward these same situations. The world and other religious people do not like Christianity!  They will settle for mediocrity but not black and white Christian faith and Biblical truth. They will dissect the Word and only take what justifies their life style. More than ever, for us as true believers we need to purpose in our hearts today to stand firm in our faith!  It is coming! We don't have to worry about what to say He will tell us. We should not compromise our beliefs and we should expect the world and its system to come against us. God's Word says Satan is the ruler and prince and power of this world. We forget this and the bride of Christ gets caught up in the system and that is exactly what our enemy wants. 

Father, help us today to settle it and empower us to remain firm in our faith and live by Biblical principles!  We don't have to worry about what to say You will tell us! We pray for revival and look forward to Your glorious appearing! Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!

Please be in prayer for our Supreme Court justice as they make decisions to not listen to the majority and pressures from ungodly influences but to vote on our true constitutional beliefs and values! 

Tomorrow: Covetousness!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 4, 2020

May 4

Running with Jesus

Luke 21:1-4 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

     The religious flaunted their offerings, they would drop their coins and let them rattle so others could hear and see what they gave! This poor widow comes in and gives all she had! She gave her all and knew He would multiply her giving. 

      I can't help but think about my mom. She lived on a humble means but fed 5,000! We talked about this at her funeral, mom's refrigerator had no back to it!  She was always inviting people to eat and could use her few dollars to feed a multitude. It was like watching Jesus and the little boy’s small lunch! She could just pull anything from it! I once told her she could make soup from dish water! Lol! She was a blessed woman! Being young I didn't understand how it all worked but as I grew older and as I ran with Christ I began to understand you can't out give God! This is true for anything we need! If you need love give love, need mercy give mercy, need compassion give compassion, need forgiveness give forgiveness.

      Some people have the gift of giving and we can learn from them how to be a better giver! God even ask us to test Him in this area! 

     This woman's tithe was given out of love the others were for show and expectations of praise from man. Her’s was the greater gift because it glorified God and revealed true FAITH! Real faith is big in the eyes of God! We look through fleshly eyes! We need to look at things from God's point of view. So when you give, give out of love and faith. God always looks into what is in our hearts and the attitude of the giving.

 Father, we give ourselves first to You and then we want to become the giver You desire! Help us give and watch You work a miracle in our lives!

Let's settle some things in our hearts, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 3, 2020

May 3

Running with Jesus

Luke 20:27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection…

       I don't know if you have met this group of people called the Sadducees, but I love this little thought someone shared with me a long time ago. They were "Sad u See's" because they do not believe in the resurrection life!   There are a lot of "Sad u see's" in our world today. They are like these religious guru's. They too believe there will be no resurrection and live like it too! 

      Christianity is the only religion that gives a person true security and HOPE! Life apart from God makes no sense! There is no real peace other than in Christ! 

       As a child I was so afraid of dying until the night I gave my heart to Jesus. Jesus removed that fear because I knew even as a child I had peace with God!

       I often think of believing in God and the work of Jesus death on the cross, I have nothing to lose! However, for those of you who are unbelievers, you have everything to lose if we are right and you are wrong!  I would rather take my chance as a Christian than to risk one moment of dying and going to spend eternity in hell! 

       You see I am not so "sad u see" because I have the love of God and the joy of knowing Christ that gives us peace that passes all understanding! The three things we all desire are love, joy and peace!  And also we have the joy of knowing when a loved one dies, we will see them again! 

      The only way to have resurrection life and live eternally with God is to recognize you are a sinner and confess your sins to God. Ask Him to forgive you. Then believe that Jesus is God's Son and place your faith in Christ, Who died on the cross, was buried and was raised to life! The Word says you shall have eternal resurrection life!

      So are you a "Sad u See"? If so you don't have to be! Just pray right now for Jesus to save your soul! If you are not a “Sad U See" let's give God praise this morning!

Father, we thank You for eternal, resurrection life and no matter what we go through down here we can know we have peace with You and resurrection life! We thank You! Help us share Jesus with at least one "Sad U See" today! Make us aware when that door opens and give us boldness to speak up! 

Tomorrow: We will get a real nugget from His Word of truth! Be sure and come back!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 2, 2020

May 2

Running with Jesus  

Luke 20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

     Some days I want to start writing and my thoughts for a verse draw BLANK!  But I pray and ask God to show me something from His Word. 

      We fast forward a few verses into chapter 20 and we find Jesus has had a long dialogue with the religious leaders. They were trying to trick Him so they could bring Him to court to get rid of Him. Of course, Jesus will give Himself to them in His time.  In verse 18 He really makes them angry because He reveals He is talking about them in the stories He is telling them. 

      I began to search for some insight to this text, so I went to my Life Application Bible foot note and its focus was on "broken". In God's dictionary brokenness is not only good but also essential. He uses only people whose hearts, will, and pride have been broken. Jesus gives a double warning for those who stumble over, that stone -himself- will be broken into pieces. While it will crush anyone it falls on. God offers us a choice of "brokenness", those who cast themselves on Jesus, submitting their wills and all that they are to Him will be broken of arrogance, hard heartedness, and self-centeredness. It is not a pleasant process but a necessary one. For those who will not submit to Him, He will fall on them "crushing" them! The choice is ours broken before Him or crushed by Him!

     Whew, big stuff! I think I shall fall before Him! One day every knee will bow before Him! But it will be too late for those who would not be broken!

Oh Father, be merciful to us as sinners! Thank You for revealing to us Who You are! Help us to remember not to think more of ourselves than we should! Help us stay at Your feet! We are a needy people! Help us run with You and keep Your attitude and Spirit alive in us. 

Tomorrow: Are you a "So Sad U See?"

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015