January 30, 2020

January 30
Running with Jesus! 2015

Luke 6: 27-30 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

     Well here is a bump on your run with Jesus! Love your enemies! At this time the Jews were under Roman rule and Jesus begins to teach them a new way of living, love! I loved the way the message put these verses they help bring the message into our up to date language. The text tells us to let them bring out the best in us not the worse. Sometimes I say we are bigger than this when I encounter a situation. Sometimes I say Father this is bigger than me. I'll then ask for strength to do opposite of what my mind tells me. 
     When we hate or despise our enemies a root of bitterness is planted deep into our hearts and affects every other area of our lives. 
     Running with Jesus will help you run upright in an upside down world. When Adam and Eve sinned, the world was turned upside down. Jesus by His sweet Spirit helps us turn it right side up. Man became self focused and has a retaliating nature. When we accept Christ we receive a new nature and it is a nature that loves those who do you wrong. I always think about Corrie Ten Boom, a Nazi prison camp survivor. A prison warden came to hear her speak and stood in line to shake her hand and she recognized him as the one who had abused her sister that led to her death. Corrie didn't want to raise her hand but as she yielded to the Holy Spirit her hand went up. The Spirit was the best in her and the best came out.
     Running with Jesus you and I will be challenged to reach a height of new responses. Satan wants you to react, Jesus wants us to respond. Our responses we find in the Word of God. We find a whole new way of living. Let's take a few minutes and right down some of the challenges you are faced with and then write down how you have been responding. No more tit-for-tat! Time to pray that “Lord Change Me” prayer.

Father, help us to change our attitude toward life. Help us learn to be filled and live out our lives in the Spirit. Let this challenge bring out the best in me and not the worst in me. We can do all things through your strength. Help us to love when unloved. 

Tomorrow:Judging

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

January 29, 2020

January 29
Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 6:22-23 "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets."

     Hated by man! Hum!!!! Thinking! Why do we want so much to please our peers?  We do not want to be rejected! If we run with Jesus we can expect it! We are always talking about how on TV they can talk about God, however if you bring up Jesus it is a different matter! You will be laughed at, scorned, others will stop hanging with you. They laugh and mock you. Some will hate and despise you. They walk in darkness. That's ok we have read the back of the book. We know that we have eternal life awaiting us! Happy or blessed are those who are hated. Jesus told His disciple when He sent them out said He was sending them out among wolves. Running with Jesus is like rowing against the current in a boat. This can be very painful. But we need to remember it is worth it. What hard thing are you facing today? Who has hurled an insult at you! It can be expected? If we expect these responses and action we are less disappointed when they take place. We are told not to love or desire the things of this world. We are told to consider it joy when we go through trials and testing. We are told to pray for our enemies! Then we are told to rejoice and leap for joy for great is your reward in Heaven.
     Sometimes we want to hang it up and quit! He says rejoice. Sometimes we just have to do what He teaches us. We have to learn to obey Gods Word even when we don't feel like it.

Father we pray today for those who hate us and pray for strength to endure. We hold to Your promises. Help us rejoice when we don't feel like praising. We know we have You and that is what counts! We look forward to Heaven! 

In the morning no more Tit-for-tats! Looking forward to meeting at the Fathers table with you every day! Hope today will be a blessed day for you!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

January 28, 2020

January 28
Running with Jesus 2015

Luke 6:21b  "Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh."

     Facing the crowd Jesus knew they were faced with all the pressures and afflictions of life. So are we! He was moved with compassion and understanding. God can and will turn our mourning into laughter! Another contradictory thought weeping and laughter! As we run through life we meet up with Jesus and we realize we are poor in Spirit we begin to mourn, we eat at His table and get filled with His Spirit and then our tears come and they will turn to joy. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. When we are filled with His Spirit we start running and jumping pews! You might say, we can run and jump hurdles. We are relieved of the weight of sin that was holding us down and joy and laughter fills our souls. 
     Let's take some time out and think about the day your burdens were rolled away at Calvary. You could run freely for the first time. The time of weeping over our sins was turned to pure joy and laughter. You ran to tell somebody. Jesus has done so much for me I can't stop telling others. I know what it is like to sit in a dark room and weep for hours looking and longing for someone to love me. Thank God I cried out to Jesus and He came running to me and picked me up and washed my wounds and healed me. He brought joy to my soul and He is still running to people offering healing and help, the problem is they won’t stop running in circles long enough to listen to the blessed Jesus, who turns mourning into laughter. 
     There are two racing events going on in our world. Satan and his world system that leads to sorrow and death, then there is God's kingdom race that brings joy, laughter and peace to tired souls. Jesus race has a great destination, heaven for eternity but Satan will bring mourning, suffering, and death. Which race are you on? There is just a short time left to sign up! Bring your tears to Jesus, He can wipe them away and restore your life.

Father, thank You for helping us and wiping our tears away and delivering us from the deeds of darkness and bringing us into Your light. Help me tell someone! Give us boldness to speak up for You. 

In the morning, when others hate us!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

January 27, 2020

January 27
Running with Jesus

Luke 6:21A "Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. 

     Jesus was looking from a mountain down to a multitude. The world had brought them so much sorrow. Remember they were bringing sick, lame, diseased, and helpless people to Him. They were spiritually starved. Their religion was all external with rules that outcast many of them. People in America have eaten at the world's table so much they do not realize they are starving spiritually. We need to approach God's Word hungry and ready to eat the bread of life. Man does not live by physical bread alone but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. God will bless those who come hungry and He says He will fill us. He filled us with His spirit when we invited Him in and wants to keep us full. For years I was starving and a malnourished Christian. Let's not starve, go eat regularly at His table and we will be a blessed, happy runner with Jesus. To be a good runner we must be filled with the right nutrients to be able to go the distance! Have you eaten this morning? Come taste and see the Lord is good.
     If you are not filled with Jesus, you better check out and see if you are really in His race! We eat foods that never satisfy, like carbs in a few minutes you want more. Eating protein will satisfy your cravings. Jesus is like protein that runners eat for strength! You need Jesus to maintain your strength for the run through life, come ye who are weary. There is nothing in this world that can bring satisfaction to the soul, only Jesus! You will run like a chicken with his head cut off just flopping around with no direction, no satisfaction, and no contentment. Bring your hungry soul to Jesus, He will satisfy your need. 

Father, feed us and fill our cup this morning! You give true satisfaction! Oh how blessed we are when You feed us. Help us always show up at Your table.

Weeping? Come tomorrow and let Jesus console you!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

January 26, 2020

January 26
Running with Jesus

Luke 6:20 "And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God."

     Jesus came down from the mountain from praying. He found His disciple and a multitude of all kinds of diseases and people with unclean spirits that needed healing. (Pausing here to interject a thought; no one talks about people with unclean spirits today. We have them all around us!) Jesus looking at the crowd began to teach them the first

Beatitude of how we start running with Jesus. "Blessed is the poor" seems to contradict itself. Blessed means happy, so how can a poor man be happy? From the spiritual side Christ was showing that a person poor in the Spirit would come to knowledge of salvation. Then He added for yours is the Kingdom of God! This is when we realize we cannot save ourselves and are aware of our sinfulness and need the Savior! It is the first step in the life of a Believer. God extends His hand down to help the helpless. Oh that is where man is in a spiritual state of poverty. Have you realized you were poor in spirit and in need this morning? Are you helpless? Then you are in a place to be blessed. God is there reaching His hand out to you He is drawing you into His kingdom. He desires you to get in the race of life with Him. Believers don't live in this world and its system. We live in God's kingdom and His thoughts and ways are high above ours! Cry out to Him this morning He loves you and will not leave us alone. He is doing a new kingdom work. Sometimes it works through us to bring Him honor and glory!

Father, we are so needy. Thank You for coming to us and thank You for being a part of Your eternal kingdom. Help those who have not realized they are poor in Spirit come to understand that is where we find You! We love You and rely on Your strength for this new day as we keep running toward the prize!

Come let's get some food for our hunger, meet you in the morning.

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015