HIS SPECIAL TOUCH

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."

Ezekiel 36:2 6
King James Version

There are times when we need the special touch of our Saviour. We especially need His touch when someone has said or done something to hurt us. We have many doctors who specialize in different parts of the body but only Jesus can heal a broken heart.

Jesus does not want us to be sad and unhappy. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

If you are hurting, whether it is physical or emotional, tell Jesus. He will be faithful to pick you up and carry you though all the dark valleys in your life and will set you once again on the mountain top of happiness. O how I love Jesus!

Joanne Lowe
November 1, 2020

 OUR SAVIOUR

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8
King James Version

Robert Harkness wrote the inspiring and heart touching hymn "I Have A Savior". Every time I hear these words, I am amazed that Jesus loves us so much. "I have a Savior, He died for me In cruel anguish on Calv’ry’s tree. I do not merit such love divine, Only God’s mercy makes Jesus mine."

Charles H. Gabriel wrote another beautiful hymn about our precious Saviour "I Stand Amazed In The Presence". The words in this hymn bring tears to my eyes to think that Jesus loves me so much.
"For me it was in the garden He prayed: Not My will, but Thine. He had no tears for His own griefs, But sweat drops of blood for mine." I don't deserve such mercy and love yet Jesus loves me.

I was a very angry person most of my life. I had been beaten, raped, cursed and told many times that I was no good. I didn't like anyone. I especially didn't like myself. For many years, I couldn't look in the mirror.
i blamed everyone for what I had gone through until one day I heard Billy Graham say in a crusade "Don't you blame your parents. There comes a time in all of our lives when we make the decision to do right or wrong".

It's a lot easier to blame others than to accept the fact that it is our fault, isn't it? I'm so glad we have a compassionate forgiving Saviour Who loves us unconditionally.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me unconditionally and for adopting me into Your family. I'm sorry for the times when I don't always love others unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love.

Thank You for the privilege You have given me to serve Jesus. I love You, dear Saviour, and I love for the day when I will have the privilege to see You face to face. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Joanne Lowe
Oct\ober 31, 2020

 STOP HURTING JESUS

"Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst."

John 19:16-18
King James Version

Jesus was spat on, cursed, beaten beyond recognition, had nails pounded into His precious hands when He was crucified on the cross for us. He will never had to suffer physically again for us. However, every day, our precious Saviour's heart is broken when He sees and hears some of the things we do and say.

It is time we stop hurting Jesus and make Him happy by being kind and loving to one another. I am not pefrect. You are not perfect. There is only one perfect person who ever lived or ever will live and His name is Jesus. May God have mercy on us for hurting our Saviour because we don't do and say things to make Him happy.

One day everyone of us will stand before a Holy God and give an account of the way we treated His Son. How dare you and i refuse to forgive the ones who hurt us when Jesus forgives us!

Homer W. Grimes wrote a hymn that everyone of us need to answer "What Shall I Give Thee, Master?" If we can't honestly say we are giving everything to Jesus, we are hurting Him and breaking His heart.

Every time I read or hear these words, I realize anew how much Jesus loves us and what He did for us. "Jesus, my Lord and Savior; Thou hast giv’n all for me; Thou didst leave Thy home above To die on Calvary. What shall I give Thee, Master? Thou hast giv’n all for me; Not just a part or half of my heart, I will give all to Thee." Have you given your heart and life to Jesus? If not, you are hurting Him and breaking His heart.

Joanne Lowe
October 30, 2020

 BURDENS

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

1 Peter 5:7
King James Version

Pastor Charles A. Tindley wrote one of my favorite hymns "Leave It There" If we would do what we sing in this beautiful hymn, we would be a lot happier. "Leave it there, leave it there, Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there; If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out—Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there."

Heavenly Father, I pray for all who are discouraged and lonely and for all who are not feeling well. Please encourage them and comfort them as You have done for me so many times. I love You, dear Heavenly Father and I appreciate all You have done for me. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Joanne Lowe
October 29, 2020

 TELL THEM AND PROVE IT

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13
King James Version

It is not enough to tell people that Jesus loves them. We must prove He loves them by our kind and loving actions. Jesus didn't just tell us that He loves us, He proved He loves us when He allowed them to crucify Him on the cross for your sins and for my sins.

I have heard many wonderful sermons which have helped me and encouraged me but it wasn't until I was lying under a bed where I had crawled because I was afraid of everyone and everything that I knew Jesus loves me.

He put His arms around me and lifted me up from under that bed. He said "Joanne, I love you and I won't let anyone hurt you again". Is it any wonder that I love my precious Saviour so much?

All of us need to tell others Jesus loves them and prove to them He loves them by our kind and loving actions. May God help us to be an encouragement to everyone we see.

Joanne Lowe
October 28, 2020

 IF WE KNEW

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
King James Version

I believe if we knew Jesus was coming back for us today that we would be kinder and more loving today than we usually are. We don't know when He is coming back for us but He is coming back for us so we should be kind and loving to one another all the time.

How sad it would be if we couldn't look Jesus in the eyes because we have allowed bitterness, sarcasm, hatred unforgiveness and resentment to remain in our heart.

None of us are perfect and that includes me. All of us hurt Him at times and break His heart. May God help us to love others unconditionally as He has commanded us to love one another so we don't hurt Him and break His heart.

Joanne Lowe
October 27, 2020

 ARE WE READY

"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

Matthew 24:44

King James Version

We read in the Bible. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

Are we ready to meet Jesus when He comes back for us?  If we have allowed sarcasm and unforgiveness, hatred, resentment, and jealousy to remain in our heart, we are not ready to meet Him.  We may say kind words and do things that help others but why are we saying them and doing them?

Jesus knows what is in our heart and He knows if we are being kind and loving or just putting on a show for others.  How sad it will be if Jesus comes back today and we're not ready to meet Him.

Heavenly Father, I pray You will search my heart and if there is anything that hurts You, I'm sorry.  Please forgive me.  I pray for every pastor who is preaching the good news of our risen Saviour.  Please encourage them, comfort them and let them know how much You apprecite their service to You.  In Jesus' Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

October 26, 2020

 AND JESUS CRIES

"She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

John 8:11

King James Version

A dad says to his son "You are no longer my son because you are a disgrace to the family" and Jesus cries.  It is time we stop hurting Jesus.  None of us are perfect and that includes you and it includes me.

When Jesus walked that long lonely road to Calvary and allowed them to crucify Him on the cross for your sins and for mey sins, He proved to us that He loves everyone and He loves everyone unconditionally.

After all the pain and agony that Jesus endured on the cross for your sins and for my sins, how dare you and I refuse to forgive those who have hurt us?  Not only are we hurting those people, we are also hurting Jesus and breaking His heart.

One day every one of us will stand before a Holy God and give an account of how we treated His Son.  May God have mercy on us if we hurt Jesus and make Him cry because we refuse to forgive those who hurt us.

Joanne Lowe

October 25, 2020

 WORKERS NEEDED

"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;"

Matthew 9:37

King James Version

Jesus is calling all of us to work for Him.  You might think you don't have any talents or anything you can do for Him.  All of can be encouragers to each other.  We don't have to play the piano, preach a sermon or sing a solo to serve Jesus.

When is the last time that you told someone that Jesus loves them?  All of us get discouraged and all of us need to know that Jesus loves us.  There are people who will go to another country but neglect to go across the street to encourage their neighbors.

Are you serving Jesus?  If not, wny aren't you serving Him?  If we want to serve Jesus, we will have to get out of our comfort zone and not only tell people that Jesus loves them but prove to them that Jesus loves them by our kind and loving words and actions.

Joanne Lowe

October 21, 2020

 IT BREAKS HIS HEART

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”

Genesis 6:5-7
King James Version

I believe if we will listen with our heart we will hear God say the same thing about us today. It breaks His heart to see the way we are living. Every day the newspapers and radio and television report violence, rape, murders and all other things that hurt Him and break His heart.

It is time that we stop hurting our Heavenly Father and start loving one another unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love one another. May God help us to be an encouragement to one another instead of discouraging each other. We are either encouragers or we are discouragers. Who are you, an encourager or are you discouraging people by your words and actions?

Joanne Lowe
October 9, 2020