May 14, 2019

May 14
Running with Jesus

Luke 13:20-21 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

      Jesus is still pressing toward Jerusalem and does not stop preaching, teaching, or healing. The followers think He is going to deliver them from the Roman rule but Jesus is teaching them about a spiritual Kingdom. Defeat from our enemy, Satan, would be coming!
     He shares two illustrations to explain, the first a mustard seed being small and grows big enough for birds to house in it. Next He uses the illustration of a woman putting a little yeast in her dough and mixes in flour until the leaven penetrates all through the flour.
     Reading the Bible today is so wonderful because we get to read the back of the book. At this time the Bible was just being penned and all the pieces had not been fit together! We have it all and we can see, just like in this story what Jesus was teaching. Kingdom living began small and has now penetrated into the world. Every nation and continent has a body of believers on it. With internetworking into jungles, the gospel has been throughout the world! I can sit in my living room and travel to India everyday and talk to Christian believers!  Is God not an awesome God! Man thinks they have figured this all out for themselves but God is the yeast permeating the world. We can see how far Christianity has traveled.  We will see as we keep running through the book of Luke how they will try to stop this movement of God by killing Jesus.  After His death they will arrest and persecute the believers, they will disperse them but instead of stopping the gospel they will begin the spread of the gospel. The gospel is real and personal and anyone who has entered His kingdom by placing faith in Jesus Christ is born again and never gets over it! Can I get an amen! This gospel will travel the world to every nation just like God says will happen!   So many doubt and don't think the Bible is true and still relevant for living in this century. This is so far from the truth! God's Word is the same yesterday, today and forever. Everything will pass away but not His Word!
 

Father, thank You so much for the Word of God that shows us the only way to come to You. Thank You for Jesus was the Word made flesh and dwelt among us! Thank You for our freedom to share and teach your Word! My prayer is I will never be without a copy of Your Word. You sustain me daily through Your Word!

     I pray you thank God today for just being able to hold and possess a copy of God's Word that tells the whole story of living life that gives purpose and meaning!
 

     Let's place God's Word in our hands. Now hold it tightly to your chest and realize how valuable it is and take a few minutes and express to God how thankful you are for being able to have and to hold it. There are places it is forbidden to have it and they would love to have one leaf. Now keep running through life with It’s wisdom and knowledge!
 

Tomorrow: Living or dead men walking?

 Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 13, 2019

May 13

Running with Jesus

Luke 13:10-13 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.  And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

     Now did you hear that, she praised God! How many around us are bent over double for 18 years spiritually! We walk around never able to look up because of some spiritual infirmity caused by an evil spirit! I know you are out there filled with fears, anxiety, guilt, shame, and you can hardly function. Satan wants to keep us bent over and unable to function. Notice when Jesus saw her he called her over. Why not let Jesus call you over this morning and let him touch you? I walked bent over for years until I got that call to come over. 

     Bent over at my dining room table reading God's Word I felt my Master’s hand and reached out and He touched me. As we study God’s Word He can touch any infirmity we have and experience in this life. Daily touches He gives us and enables us to stand up straight and go on.

     We must respond to His call to come. What if she had not? It may have been a struggle to walk over to get to Him, but she did. It may be a struggle to go to Him. It may be a struggle to let things go! I can tell you as soon as you go when He calls and let all the chains go the sooner your healing will come! Don't delay run to Him and continue to run with Him! He is our Healer!

 Father, thank You for always being right there and for helping me be able to stand up straight when I want to bend from the weights of life. Thank You for letting my soul brush against the Words Your finger penned, touching me and making me whole! I am eternally grateful for You, my loving Father. Help that bent soul today hear Your call and feel Your touch. Then they too will be praising You! 

Tomorrow: God is like yeast permeating the world!

 Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 12, 2019

May 12

Running with Jesus  

Luke 13:6-9  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. 

      This is a parable, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, and it needs to be shared with the body of Christ. Let's look at it closely!   A man has an orchard and planted a fig tree. He waited and waited for it to grow and one day he would be able to go gather fruit to enjoy. He went patiently year after year and looked at the tree but there was never any fruit on it!   Fig trees can take 1-3 years before it bears fruit the owner was patient, however one day he finally told his gardener to cut it down it is just taking up space.  The gardner begs to give it one more year and he will tend it and fertilize it and see if it will bear fruit if not he will cut it down.

      Taking up space, we need to watch out as a Christian. God does not tolerate for lack of productivity. Too often we want to enjoy God's special treatment but never give anything back! Like I have said, most people want their fire insurance, don't want to die and go to hell, but never give back. Another text tells us we are saved by GRACE through FAITH. But it also so says FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD! The Word says show me your works and I will see your Faith! (James 2:18)  God does not save us to take up space; we were born to work for His kingdom!   Jesus says we can do nothing apart from Him and fruit comes from abiding. If we have no fruit on our trees we are not abiding. Perhaps we need to let the gardener do a little work on us so we can be productive and bear fruit! Let's not just be satisfied with taking up space (He could decide to take us out if we are just taking up space) let our master come and find us bearing fruit. Get involved in something in the Lord's work! He died to save our souls surely we can give back something!

Lord, we want to be fruitful so help us step out of our comfort zones and be useful and fruitful. You expect to see fruit! We don't want to disappoint You! Help us grow in our walk and show us where You are working and help us join in Your work! Forgive us where we fail You. 

      Get involved, our church takes cakes to the nursing home once a month for their birthday  celebrations. Anyone can bake a cake or buy one! 

Tomorrow:  Are you crippled and bent over?

 Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 11, 2019

May 11

Running with Jesus  

Luke 11:51-53 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:

     Jesus is still running toward death and He continues to give His disciples warnings. 

     Ever tried to mix oil and vinegar? Right, won’t happen. Oil is made of hydrophobic (water-hating) carbon chains. Vinegar is acetic acid which is made of hydrophilic (water-loving) groups. Now oil is less dense than vinegar, so it floats on the top, just like a piece of foam would float on water.  The oil likes to stay with its kind. The oil has no charge that will allow it bond with anything else where vinegar does! (I don't like science or Chemistry that came from Yahoo Answers Lol)

     We have so many expectations as Christians who have that charge that wants to love and mix with everyone but the truth is the world does not have that charge needed to bond with God and other Christians!  It will not happen, there will always be differences and divisions! 

     The bond Christians have is the charge that enters our hearts when we receive Christ! The Holy Spirit energizes our lives. He crosses even language barriers. His charge is love! Love fills us and helps enable us to love to the depth the world never knows or understands. So don't expect the world to go along with your Biblical standards. Expect conflict and divisions even in families.

Father, help us remember we live in this world but we are not of this world after we are born again. Help us to watch out for expectations that cause us disappointments. The world rejected You and will reject us. Help us to abide in love. Help us love unconditionally. If we don't have high expectations then we won’t be disappointed.  Thank You for saving our souls and help those walking in darkness come to know the light and truth. Help us to love when we are not loved!

Tomorrow: Taking up space!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015

May 10, 2019

May 10

Running with Jesus

Luke 12:35-38 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

     Be prepared for the Lord's return. "Oh, I have heard that all my life!"  Many ignore the warning to be prepared. The Lord will return one day because God does not lie. He is being patient for souls to be saved.  Being prepared also works in another way, you may meet Him before the return! You may die at the blink of an eye or in a heartbeat! We must live and be prepared.

     Mom used to say, “If Jesus came back would you want Him to find you doing that?”,big question! Mom wouldn't go anywhere her kids could not go! She preached Jesus return and believed it was so close! I thank God for a mom who taught and helped me be prepared for His return or my home going! It is our job as mom's to help prepare our kids for His return! 

     Jesus’ life was about doing His Father's business. Remember at age 12 Mary and Joseph thought they had lost Jesus and found Him at the temple. What did He respond to them, you should have known I would be about my Father's business. Helping people prepare is the Father's business! 

     If Jesus were to return would you be ashamed of where He found you? We must not put ourselves in a position we would be ashamed for Him to find us!   We should be living a sincere life, ready to witness, not worrying but trusting, giving generously, not lazy, and becoming more like Christ! When we greet Him we will be joyful, grateful, and thankful! 

Father, help us pick the best road to run down as we race through life! We want to live as children who honor You and make You proud! We are looking for You any minute! What a day it will be when we see You face to face! All the things and cares of this world are so small when compared to Your kingdom living! This might be the day, look up toward the Eastern sky!   I thank You for a mom who helped me prepare!

Oil and vinegar, tomorrow!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015