March 27, 2020

March 27

Running with Jesus

Luke 12:22-24  And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

(Then turning to his disciples he said, “Don’t worry about whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. For life consists of far more than food and clothes. Look at the ravens—they don’t plant or harvest or have barns to store away their food, and yet they get along all right—for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!)

     Here it is again how valuable we are to God!  Unbelief is a whole lot of our problems! Running with Jesus comes with promises that He will clothe and feed us!  We say we are placing our faith in God, but the truth is when we don't have money coming in is the test of our faith and most of the time we are trusting in self for provision. 

     I can say God has faithfully supplied our needs over our years of ministry. Sometimes my faith has been tested but He has always comes through for us. I may not wear name brands or have the best of everything but I have had what I needed. I haven't missed a meal or gone without something to wear. I think of people in third world countries that have to walk on dirt floor homes and live in grass huts! We live in mansions! We worry about how to fix up our mansions. Oh how we American's need to go on a mission trip and see what we have compared to others! I have seen a woman's counter in her kitchen be nothing more than a piece of plywood dug from a trash dump! She was cooking chicken feet! 

    We worry over things that do not matter. He tells us not to worry! It changes nothing! We need to make a list of all our possessions one day! We must learn to live in reality! It is just stuff! People and souls are the most important part of life! Things will remain on this earth when we leave this world not a thing will go with us! Only souls of other people will go to heaven! Let's ask God to change our worry status to become mission minded and start sharing salvation with others then trust God to provide for us as He promised! Because life consist of more than food and clothes!

Father, we confess we let life and things preoccupy our time and mind! Help my unbelief today and change my worry to witnessing. Remind me that it is the purpose of where You have placed us to be a light to shine in the dark place we live and work in! Go before us and smooth our path!

Tomorrow: Benefits of worry!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

March 26, 2020

March 26

Running with Jesus

Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

(What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.)

      I loved this translation of this text! We are worth more than a million canaries to Him! He pays attention to us right down to the details of how many hairs are on our head!  So often we feel alone and forgotten this is not true, a lie from our bully "Satan". Satan will try to bully us all day long sometimes. One day last week I was warring in my mind with all these crazy negative thoughts. I know you have days like that too. Sometimes it just takes one word to make our mind start down that trail of fears, anger or so many emotions then your spirit wrestles with them. Then I ask the Spirit to renew my mind and He reminds me of some verse like this one.  Next I get busy doing something for the Lord. I might study my Sunday school lesson or if I am home I will ask God what I can do to help somebody. I bake something and take it to a shut in or I might call and check on someone who has been sick or missed church. Sometimes I call a friend to pray with me. I press on but I find if I can do something to change my direction of thought before long I have gotten through that tough time. I had to train myself to guard my thoughts. Another verse tells us as a man thinketh in his heart so it is! The mind leads us so we have to learn to lead our minds. Watch being preoccupied with self. Ask yourself what have I done to help someone today? Life is found when we give ourselves away, live to love God, and serve others. 

Father,  show us who we can minister to today and help us guard our thoughts. Help us remember You care about us so much that You have my hairs numbered and I am worth more than a million canaries to You!

Tomorrow:  Worry and unbelief!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

March 25, 2020

March 25

Running with Jesus  

Luke11:34  The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

     "Oh be careful little eyes what you see!"  I couldn't help but think of this little song we were taught as a child! If we could all learn from this verse that tells us the eye is the lamp to the body.  Is this not so true today your eyes are reading this little devotion! Why? Mostly to get some encouragement or hope for living! Your eyes are so important! Don't think what you watch on TV doesn't affect your way of living! I see it every day! All the girls want Hallmark weddings! Come on you know it is true!  I use to watch soap Operas and think my husband should come and sweep me off my feet and be my knight in shining armor! When he came home tired from work and turned on the TV I thought he didn't love me.

     We have to guard what our eyes see because it can make us sick spiritually! They can lead us into all kinds of wrong thinking and destroy our lives.  We need to keep our eyes on Jesus and read His Word. There is health and happiness for life written on each page!

 Father, help us delight in Your Word and keep our eyes on You! Set out souls afire Lord, set our souls afire!

Tomorrow: Pet Canaries!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

March 24, 2020

March 24

Running with Jesus

Luke 11:15-16 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

      It is not enough to be bound, but what is even more disturbing is this some in the groups surrounding Jesus failed to see the miracle and Glorify God. They failed to see and get excited for this poor man who had been dumb, for who knows how long, and could now speak!  I just want to say Duhhh!!

      Come on church, we have people who were blind that now see and we have people who were dumb but now speak and share Christ. All we can do is complain! If you can't get excited when a soul is born again or a brother is restored, you better get a spiritual check up. You are just like these religious people who didn't see the miracles. God is working around us all the time! They were always focused on finding a fault with something! We are the most self-centered group of believers today in the history of the church! Can we not wake up and join God in what He is doing! See the miracles not what is making you unhappy! 

     When people are moving toward God move with them! Rejoice when people get free and come back to him don't knock them!  

     When I first read this all I focused on was the man was bound up and couldn't speak was set fee then I noticed the reaction to the miracle and how they taunted Jesus. So many times we just focus on one thing when we read a text! If I were to say tell me about Zaccheaus and you would say a wee little man, and that is not the meat of the message! 

      Don't be deceived by thinking Satan can't use you! He can use us to bring discouragement to a lost man and to others running and working with Jesus! So watch looking down on others who return to Christ and discouraging runners! Get in the race and run where Jesus is working! 

Father, help us help hurting souls so they can have a wonderful story to tell to others who are lost and help us encourage workers.

Be careful little eyes, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

March 23, 2020

March 23

Running with Jesus

Luke 11:14-15  And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

      Running with Jesus,  you are bound to run smack face to face with the devil and his demons! Our world today rarely mentions the devil or demons but we can see their handy work all day long! Evil working all around! 

     This man was suppressed by a demon for years and couldn't even speak! 

     Lately,  I understand more when Nehemiah was building the walls back, they had to work with one hand and their weapon in the other. The enemy is out there and will attack more when you are doing the Lord's work. Also, he is keeping Christians so bound up they are dumb in spirit! God wants us to share our faith and we‘re letting the enemy bind us up!  Let's get into the Word and bind that demonic dumb spirit and begin to tell others what Jesus has done for us! Satan is real and will do anything to bind us up!!! He uses fear tactics. He uses business to keep us from focusing on the Lord's work. He loves to use discouragement. He loves to make us feel like a failure. I could make a long list. 

 Father, bind that evil spirit from us and lose us and let us go and tell! Put a hedge around us that the devil or his demons can't come near. Open our mouth and give us boldness to share with others what You have done for us. 

Tomorrow: How we react when people get loose!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015