February 4, 2020

February 4

Running with Jesus

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!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

February 3, 2020

February 3

Running with Jesus  

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!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

February 2, 2020

February 2

Running with Jesus  

Luke 6:47-49  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

                  One of the most burdensome things I see in this generation is the deterioration of the home and family. My heart hurts to talk to children who are from broken homes. I want to be sensitive here because I know many are in this place by no choosing of their own. But once again we find help and hope in God's Word. The problem is also prevalent in the church today. Homes are not being built on a Godly foundation. 

                The foundation of a home should be built upon Biblical principles. The problem most Christians go to church but never apply the Word, God's principles in their personal lives. I know this first hand. My life was crumbling until I latched onto God's Word and began to live by them. 

                Jesus taught His disciples those who hear my words and obey them will have a house that will withstand the storms of life. A home built upon the earth, other translations say sand, will wash away and the house will fall. 

                  Oh Church wake up! Satan has diluted and polluted your thinking. You are believing and falling for the same lie Eve did in the garden many years ago, Genesis 3:6 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

                The world paints us a much smoother path to run on but it is filled with hidden pitfalls that will slow you down and cause you injury. 

                 God's way is the best way, don't leave His side for a moment press on as hard as you can. If you have gotten off the path for a little while get back on and catch up because the race isn't over till the finish line. Get in the Word of God and start digging in as deep as you can.

Father, help us build our foundation so we can stand the storms of life. Thank You for always being there waiting for us to return when we stray and thank You for being our Sustainer of life. Open the eyes of the body and give them a hunger for Your Word. Lord, You don't promise storms want come in our lives but You promise to help us run through the storms.   We love You, Father!

Change your shoes, going to run on new ground tomorrow!

Headed to Capernaum! Don't quit much to see in this place!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

February 1, 2020

February 1

Running with Jesus

Luke 6:43-45 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

 “You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.

     Well here you have it "you don't get wormy apples off a healthy tree.” Here Jesus was teaching us runners how to live a true life of a runner. Mans original heart is desperately wicked, the Bible teaches us a life that is not pleasing to God and you might say is a wormy apple tree,  However,  A regenerated heart is filled with the Spirit of God and will be lived and from a healthy tree. The actions that are born in our hearts come forth in our actions and words reveal the type of tree that they come from.

     As born again Christian runners, Christ taught us that our actions and words reveal who we are.  Gill's exposition of The Bible says " good trees, are called trees of righteousness, which being planted by the river of the love of God, and rooted in Christ, and filled with the fruits of righteousness by him, do not bring forth the evil fruit of sin, as the common and constant course of their lives and conversations; for that they never commit sin, or are entirely without it, cannot be said; but sin is not their usual and common practice, or they do not live in sin: and the latter, hypocrites, who pretend to a great deal of religion, and have none that is true and real, these are comparable to corrupt trees; which, though they may make a fair show, yet do not bring forth good fruit, or perform works of righteousness which are truly such; what they do have only the appearance of good works, and are not properly so;"

     In dealing with judging Jesus continues to make us focus more on our own actions and how we are to live. So let's run as close to Jesus as we can so we will learn as much as we can to live a pure life. Bet you don't hear Him cursing, running people down. Jesus has a pure loving heart and I have always heard you become who you run with! Let's choose Jesus and don't become a wormy apple! No one will touch a wormy apple they throw them away!

Let's pray this scripture today ( My verses I pray before I teach.)

Psalm 51:10-13 NIV " Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

Let's check our foundations, in the morning!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

January 31, 2020

January 31
Running with Jesus 

Luke 6:37-38 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

     I love this passage in The Message because I never thought of judging as jumping on people. We all have failures and faults so running with Jesus should help us learn to treat others the way we want to be treated. 
     Now sometimes people think we are judgmental when we present them with the truth. However, Gods Word reveals truth and the way of life that will lead to life and not death. When we live according to His commands we find life and not bondage. When confronting people present the Word of Truth, be careful that you don't put on the robe and judge someone by lifting yourself as superior and make them to be inferior. We then alienate them and close our door to witness. The answer to this problem was not to forsake the convictions the Lord had given us, but to uphold the second commandment, which is to love others as we love ourselves. 
God is a God of mercy when we get judgmental toward others I think of the mercy and grace God gave me. If not for the grace of God on my life where would I be, also He tells us if we judge them we will be judged in the same way. I have seen this happen so many times, people will comment over a wayward child and down the road their child or family member will do the same thing. 
Look at the next verses in the message:
41-42 “It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
Judging is when we lift ourselves superior.  We can discern what is right or wrong never think you are better and you will never fail! 

Lord, let me love others and have a heart of mercy not to become their judge but become a witness. Help us examine our own hearts first. Help us not lose out on blessings by not living generously with your love and mercy toward others. 

Wormy apples, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015