February 19, 2020

February 19
Running with Jesus

Luke 9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

Jesus alone praying! Look at the strong prayer life Jesus had and it says His disciples were with Him! Alone!
So, we have been running with Jesus almost 2 months this year. Let's do a little examination! How is your prayer life coming along? Some of us have been at this a long time others are new! Are you staying consistent? It takes a while to develop one but over time you will begin to realize it is the most important thing in your life. It is your life line. When you realize life is like a sea and deep divers need their life lines to keep them from being lost at sea. I just discovered they have a new lifeline that fits on your arm to help you not get lost. It signals an alert. Swimming under water in the deep you can lose visibility and be washed by currents. Currents are what gets us lost! We all lead such hectic lives and before long we are washed away! You have to take safety measures and training enables you to be deep divers. You must keep your lifeline in tack! So it is for us Christians, when we don't take time to pray the run will be risky that day! So keep running with Jesus everyday don't leave home without your life alert, prayer! You can bind Satan and protect your loved ones. At any moment we can send up an “SOS” when we are in full communication with our Father. 

Father, lead us not into temptation today and deliver us from the evil one. Lead us in paths of righteousness for Your name sake. For Yours is the power and kingdom forever! Amen

Tomorrow: Whom do you say I am?

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

February 18, 2020

February 17, 2020

February 17
Running with Jesus  

Luke9:12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

     Seems funny that this crowd had been running with Jesus and had ran right into a desert place and were so caught up they didn't bother to bring anything to eat! We know there would be no McDonald's to drive through either in those days. 
     As a wife, mother, coach, nurse and all the other roles we play, we find ourselves at the end of our ropes and little time to eat at Gods table. We end out in a desert place wondering where to get a bite to nourish our hungry worn out souls. Then Jesus tells us to sit down, be still, and grab the Bible. We begin to read and we suddenly find right there in the middle of everything in a desert place is one of the most amazing stories in the Bible! Jesus takes a little boy’s lunch of five loaves of bread and two fish and feeds 5,000 men and that didn’t include the women and children.
    God led them to that desert to teach them He was all they needed to get them through life. He taught them He was their provider. I will never forget when Mike stopped working for ATT to run with Jesus. It was one of the scary places I found myself. I had to realize we now worked for a company greater than MAW BELL! I have seen God provide over and over in our lives. In the desert places is where I have seen some of the greatest blessing of my life! 
     Are you in a desert place this morning sit down and read this whole story. Ask God what He wants to reveal about Himself to you! Ask Him to refuel His Spirit in you so you can continue to be all He needs you to be today! 

Father, fill my soul and leave me 12 baskets to take with me to feed others along the way as we keep on running. Thank You for the desert place and for always showing up just when I need You!

I am going to stay here in the desert for a little while. Join me tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

February 16, 2020

February 16
Running with Jesus

Luke 9:1-2 "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.  And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick."

      Jesus had demonstrated His power and authority before His disciples and now they will be given power and authority to go forth and demonstrate His power in them. The beginning of Christ kingdom work, as I read this my mind was drawn to another passage of scripture. Paul in writing to the Corinthians said to the Christians.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 
     Running with Christ, reconciled with God is the greatest blessing of life. So many times as Christians we function powerless rather than with power. I am convinced we barely tap into the resources we have available to us. I have a multi-plug I use in my bathroom, you can probably plug 6 plugs at one time. One of the outlets has something wrong with it and I try to put my blow dryer in it every time but it falls out. That is like our lives. We plug in about half way and out we fall. We get tired of putting it back in and finally give up! If we give up and don't endure by staying plugged in we will never find the power to get the job done. I don't care if you only keep one baby in the nursery, have 3 preschoolers or have 25 in your class. You have the power to change and reconcile that one life to God through Christ! That is one soul not going to hell. 
     Look what happened when one person used the power God gave them to share Christ with Billy Graham, Adrian  Rogers and Billy Sunday!
     We have a job and have been given the power to do it. So use it on what is in your hand! Stop trying to do something big! Just plug into Jesus, focus on what and where He has placed you and work to help one soul be healed from the deadliest disease for mankind-SIN. We have the cure let's share the remedy and cast out demons in the name of Jesus. 

Father, thank You for the ministry of reconciliation and help us stay plugged in and focus as we run with You. Remind me that the power we need is in You! Show us how to use all our resources You have given us to help some soul today! Thank You for being powerful when we are powerless .

Tomorrow: A big feeding!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

February 15, 2020

February 15
Running with Jesus

Luke 8:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

     While Jesus stopped to heal the woman with the issue of blood in yesterday's devotion, Jarius, a ruler in the synagogue, daughter dies. He had met Jesus before the woman touched Him and stopped to address her. It was too late so he sent word for Jesus not to bother in coming. "But Jesus!" Two wonderful small words. Jesus was delayed in coming but was about to do a greater revelation of whom He was and that He has power over life and death.
Our deepest need is usually the places we find our greatest revelations of God, our Father. It is when His supernatural strength enters into the depth of our souls and allows us to stand tall when we should be laying prostrate with no strength to stand that we find the intimacy we so long to have with Him.
     Jarius’ daughter would rise again that day and be restored. For many of us it is the reassurance of resurrection life and the joy of knowing we will see our loved ones again! 
     When we fail to run through the pages of God's Word and learn from Him we miss out on the help we need to face each trial life brings. Whether it is the hope for healing here or there, God is always there to show us Himself in some way in the midst. We must continue faithfully to run our race day by day with Him.

Father, thank You for the resurrection life You revealed through this delay! You are showing us Your power over life and death . I thank You we can have assurance.

     I pray if you don't have that assurance you will trust Christ today! 

Jesus gives His disciples power, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015