JESUS IS SENDING US

“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.  And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side.  Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

John 20:19-21 KJV

Margaret Clarkson wrote one of the most beautiful and inspiring missionary hymns I have ever heard “So Send I You”.  Every one who wants to serve Jesus will have to do what the words in this hymn tell us.  “So send I you to leave your life’s ambition, To die to dear desire, self-will resign.”  Are we willing to do this?

I am seventy two years old today, but praise God, I have another birthday.  On August 14, 1980, I humbled myself and admitted that I was a sinner.  I asked God to forgive me for my sins and invited Jesus into my heart to be my personal Saviour.  Thank God for the cleansing redeeming blood of Jesus.

As I celebrate my birthday today, I am reminded of the pain that my Mother suffered when she gave birth to me.  It reminds me of the pain that Jesus suffered so I could be saved and born again spiritually.  For the last ten years, I have had the privilege of serving Jesus by writing the devotions He lays on my heart.

These last ten years have been the best and happiest years of my life.  As a pastor friend of mine said “If you want to fly higher than a kite, start bragging on Jesus”.  It is so easy to brag on Jesus.  He is wonderful, loving and precious.  I love Him so much.  Jesus is the reason I’m living and the joy of my heart.

Joanne Lowe

July 7, 2015 

GOD’S LOVE LETTER TO US

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16 KJV

Have you ever gone to check your mail and there wasn’t any mail in the mailbox and you also didn’t get any emails?  You might have thought everyone had forgotten about you and didn’t care about you.  We always have a letter from someone who cares about us and His Name is God.

God’s love letter to us is the Bible.  He tells us over and over how much He loves us.  He promises to protect us and to prove His love for us He gave Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so we can have our sins forgiven and live in Heaven for all eternity.  What an amazing and unconditional love God has for us.

God wrote a love letter to us.  Are we writing a love letter to Him?  How do we write a love letter to Him?  We write it by our kind and loving actions to Him, to Jesus and to others.  May God help us to live our lives so that not only God but also others will know that we love God.  Thank God for His love letter to us.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us unconditionally.  Please forgive us for the times we fail You and hurt You.  We’re sorry.  Your love letter has encouraged and comforted me countless times.  Please comfort and encourage those who are hurting.  I love You, dear Father.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

July 6, 2015

ARE WE TELLING EVERYONE

"O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.  Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.  Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.”

Psalm 105:1-3 KJV

Many times when family and friends get together to visit they brag about what their children and grandchildren have done.  That is wonderful because it proves that we love our children and grandchildren.  However, are we telling everyone about the wonderful things Jesus has done?  Do we brag on Jesus?

If ever someone deserves to be praised, adored and respected, it is Jesus.  He is the KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.  All hail, King Jesus!  Worthy is the Lamb of God!  It fills my heart to overflowing with happiness to know that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

What about our family?  Have we told them that we love Jesus and how much He has done for us?  The greatest way we can tell our family about what Jesus has done for us is by letting them see the difference Jesus has made in our life.  May God help us to live our life in such a way that they will see Jesus.

Before I confessed my sins and invited Jesus into my heart to be my personal Saviour, nobody wanted to be around me.  I was full of hatred for people and was very bitter because of the things that had been done to me.  When Jesus came into my heart, He gave me a heart of compassion.  Let’s tell everyone about Jesus.    

Joanne Lowe

July 5, 2015

THE BEGINNING OF REAL LOVE

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16 KJV

When we tell people we forgive them, if we don’t forgive them from our heart, it is not real love.  The beginning of real love was when God opened His heart of compassion to us and gave Jesus to die for our sins.  Our Heavenly Father and our precious Saviour love us unconditionally and They always will.

God doesn’t just love us when we obey Him, He also loves us when we hurt Him and break His heart.  His love for us is unconditional and God’s love for us does not depend on what we do or don’t do.  O that you and I would love one another unconditionally and forgive each other from our heart.

I think we sometimes forget that nobody is perfect and that includes me.  All of us do things and say things we should not do or say.  Hopefully, we don’t do them on purpose, we’re just upset.  There was only one perfect person who ever lived or ever will live and His name is Jesus.

Do we love one another unconditionally or do we only love each other when things are going our way?  How dare you and I go to a Holy God and ask Him to forgive us if we’re not willing to forgive those who hurt us.  May God help us to love one another unconditionally just as He loves us.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us even when we hurt You and break Your heart.  Thank You for all You do for us.  I love You, Heavenly Father.  I love You, Jesus.  I love You, Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen. 

Joanne Lowe

July 4, 2015

THE TRAP

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye hath suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.”

1 Peter 5:7-11 KJV

I heard someone say “I set a trap for something.  However, I didn’t catch what I wanted.  I just got in trouble because I wasn’t supposed to set a trap for that animal”.  Jesus tells us to be careful of the traps that satan sets for us.  When we don’t listen to Jesus, we get in trouble because satan will catch us.

We are to love everyone unconditionally just as Jesus loves us and has commanded us to love others.  However, unless the person loves Jesus and brings honor to Him, we should not be close friends with that person.  Someone said “It only takes one person to pull you down and get you in trouble”.

It makes satan very angry when we serve Jesus and satan will do all he can do to discourage us so we will stop serving Jesus.  We must not let that happen!  We must keep telling everyone we see how much Jesus loves them.  There are many people who are hurting and they desperately need to know they are loved.

Heavenly Father, please help us to stay out of the traps that satan sets for us.  Jesus, we need You.  I pray that every person who reads this devotion will feel the unconditional love You have for them.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

July 3, 2015

JESUS WILL NEVER LEAVE US

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.”

Matthew 28:18-20 KJV

It doesn’t matter if we are on the mountain top of happiness, or in the valley of sorrow and darkness, Jesus is with us.  He has promised us that He will never leave us.  What a healing balm it is to our weary battle scarred heart to know that Jesus will never leave us and we can trust Him to help us.

I wonder if we have grasped in our heart just how much Jesus loves us and cares about us.  Not only did He walk that long lonely road to Calvary and die on the cross for our sins, He also loves us so much He never leaves us, not even for one minute.  What a precious Saviour we are privileged to know and have!

Every time I think about Jesus staying on that cruel cross and dying for our sins, I realize just how much He loves us.  Jesus could have come down from the cross.  All the nails in the world couldn’t have kept Him on the cross if He had chosen to come down but He stayed on the cross because He loves us.

Rev. Ray Overholt wrote the beautiful and inspiring hymn “Ten Thousand Angels”.  It is one of my favorite hymns about Jesus.  “He could have called ten thousand angels To destroy the world and set Him free.  He could have called ten thousand angels, But He died alone for you and me.”  What a loving Saviour!

Joanne Lowe

July 2, 2015

GOD HUGS US AND HOLDS US

“Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 KJV

Have you ever been brokenhearted and felt like crying but you didn’t want anyone to see you cry?  I think that is especially true of men.  We have given men the message that they shouldn’t cry.  Jesus cries with us when we are hurting because He loves us and He knows how it feels to be brokenhearted.

Just as parents hold their children and hug them when they fall and get hurt or are brokenhearted, God hugs us and holds us as He tenderly dries our tears with kisses of love and compassion.  We have a loving Heavenly Father Who really cares about us.  When we cry, He cries with us.  O how God loves us!

God comforts us when we are hurting and we should comfort one another.  We don’t know what is going on in other people’s lives.  They may look fine and even be smiling but inside they are sad and heartbroken.  Every person in the world needs to be comforted and encouraged.  Are we encouraging one another?

Heavenly Father, please help us to comfort and encourage one another just as You comfort and encourage us.  Thank You for all the times You have encouraged and comforted me as You dried my tears with tender kisses of love.  I love You dear Father, and I appreciate You.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

July 1, 2015