RECIPE FOR PEACE

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 KJV

Rev. Warren D. Cornell wrote the inspiring hymn “Wonderful Peace”.  I love the words in this hymn.  It is one of my favorite hymns.  “I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace, Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control; For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day, And His glory is flooding my soul!”

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3).  If we will trust Jesus and keep Him first in our thoughts, Jesus will keep us in perfect peace.  Not only does Jesus give us peace, He also gives us happiness.  We have a loving Saviour.

Pastor Ira F. Stanphill wrote a beautiful and inspiring hymn about Jesus “Happiness Is The Lord”.  “Happiness is to know the Savior, Living a life within His favor, Having a change in my behavior, Happiness is the Lord.”  I invited Jesus into my heart on August 14, 1980 and I have been so happy and peaceful.

Jesus gives us peace and happiness and He gives us something else.  He also gives us joy.  “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).  If you want joy, stay in the presence of Jesus.  O how He loves you!

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus.  Precious Saviour, I love You with all of my heart.  Thank You for loving me so much that You died for my sins.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 13, 2015
  

FISHERS OF MEN

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”

Matthew 4:18-20 KJV

There are people who get up very early in the morning to go fishing.  However, some people won’t get up early in the morning to allow Jesus to make them fishers of men.  Why is it that we can stay up very late at night to watch television but we are too tired to visit people who are hurting?

May we realize how important and how urgent it is to be fishers of men.  There are people who will not go to Heaven if Jesus comes back for us today or God calls them home.  O that we would fall in love with Jesus and do all that we can do to serve Him.  He not only loves us, He died on the cross for our sins. 

Heavenly Father, please forgive us for watching television so late at night and then are too tired to call and visit people the next day.  People who are lonely, hurting and who desperately need to know how much Jesus loves them and that He loves them unconditionally.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 12, 2015

IT IS WRITTEN

“AND Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil.  And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.  And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

Luke 4:1-4 KJV

Have you ever been tempted to do something you know that you shouldn’t do?  I think if we are honest with ourselves all of us will have to admit that we have been tempted.  There is nothing wrong with being tempted.  Even Jesus was tempted but He never sinned.  He just said to the devil “It is written.”

Temptation only becomes sin for us when we do what we know we shouldn’t do.  “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).  Jesus set the example for us to follow when we are tempted to do something wrong.  We should also say to the devil “It is written”.

Jesus has also told us to love one another unconditionally just as He loves us.  Can we honestly say from our heart that we always love one another unconditionally?  I can’t say that because there are times when I have to ask God to forgive me when I get angry about something.

Heavenly Father, help us to love one another unconditionally just as You love us.  Jesus, thank You for setting the example for us to follow when satan tempts us to do something wrong.  Father, may we do things that make You happy instead of hurting You and making You sad.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 11, 2015

GOD SEES US

“The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.  From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.  He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.”

Psalm 33:13-15 KJV

We need to remember that God sees us.  He sees us when we do things that hurt someone.  He also sees us when we are kind and loving to one another.  What does God see when He looks at us?  Does He see things that make Him happy or does He see things that hurt Him and break His heart?

Someone said “What I do in my own home is my own business.”  That is not true because everything we do and everything we say is God’s business.  God sees us when we hit our spouse or our children and He also hears us when we say cruel words to them.  May God help us to be kind and loving to one another.

There is a big difference between spanking and hitting our children.  There are some children who hide when they hear their parents coming because they are afraid of their parents.  How comforting and reassuring it is to our battle scarred heart to know we don’t have to be afraid of our Heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being a Father we can trust and not have to worry if You’re going to hit us.  Your unconditional love for us and Your tenderness heal our broken heart.  Please help us to love our children and one another with unconditional love as You love us.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 10, 2015

ALL THE TIME

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.  Selah.”

Psalm 62:6-8 KJV

Our Scripture instructs us to trust in God at all times.  Can we honestly say that we trust Him all the time or do we sometimes doubt Him?  God has proved His love for us and faithfulness to us many times.  Rev. Thomas Obediah Chisholm wrote one of my favorite hymns about God “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”.

Our precious Heavenly Father is so faithful to us all the time.  What about us?  Are we faithful to serve His beloved Son?  Do we serve Him all the time or just when it is convenient for us?  I don’t think it was convenient for Jesus to come to earth and die for our sins on the cross but He came willingly.

May God help us to serve Jesus all the time.  It will make God very happy if we will get out of our comfort zone and serve His Son.  Our Saviour gave His life’s blood for us.  We should not only serve Jesus, we should be eager to serve Him.  We have a precious Saviour Who loves us so much He died for us.

Heavenly Father, You are a tender and compassionate Father and we love You.  Thank You for Jesus and for all that You have done for us and for all that You do for us every day.  Thank You for protecting us from the vicious attacks of satan and from the dangers in the world.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 9, 2015

PRAY FOR AND ENCOURAGE THEM

“And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Jeremiah 3:15 KJV

God has given us pastors which feed us with knowledge and understanding.  However, pastors get discouraged at times just like we do so we need to pray for and encourage them.  When is the last time you prayed for your pastor and family?  A pastor said “Please pray for my wife because she takes care of me”.

Our pastors do so much for us.  They are on call twenty four hours a day.  There are times when they get up in middle of the night and go to the hospital to be with those who are sick.  There are times when pastors are criticized.  Many years ago, I received an email from a pastor who wrote this to me.

“My wife and I are very discouraged.  We were excited when we moved here but the people are not very friendly and sometimes they criticize me”.  May God have mercy on us if we are criticizing and hurting our pastor and family.  Our children need to hear us praying for and encouraging our pastor.

Heavenly Father, thank You for our pastors.  I pray for every pastor who is preaching the good news of our risen Saviour.  Please encourage them and let them see fruits of their service to You.  Reassure them that You love them unconditionally and appreciate their service to You.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 8, 2015

THE GREATEST GIFT

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Luke 2:10-14 KJV

We give gifts for Christmas, for birthdays and for anniversaries but the greatest gift ever given was when God gave Jesus to us to save us from our sins.  How it must have hurt God when He gave His beloved Son to us because He knew that His Son was going to be beaten, abused, ridiculed and crucified for us.

Why did God give His beloved Son to die on the cross for our sins when we don’t deserve to be forgiven?  It is because God loves us so much that He opened His heart of compassion and mercy to us.  What an amazing unconditional love flowed from God’s heart for us when He sent Jesus to die for us.

We have a tender loving, compassionate, merciful and forgiving Heavenly Father Who loves us unconditionally.  We also have a Saviour Who loves us so much that He willingly walked that long lonely road to Calvary and there allowed them to crucify Him on the cross and endured pain that you and I will never know.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You gave Your beloved Son to die on the cross for our sins.  We love You and appreciate You.  Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross for our sins.  We love You, precious Saviour.  We love You, Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 7, 2015