OUR BURDENS

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

1 Peter 5:7 KJV

Charles Austin Miles wrote the hymn “All Alone”.  I’m so glad these words are true.  “When I have burdens to bear which no one can share, I take them to Jesus, the Man of Calvary; When I have crosses to bear, my Savior is there, And always takes the heavy end, and gives the light to me.”

Our loving Saviour is faithful to bear our burdens when we feel like we can’t take another step or give another smile.  Have you ever told someone about a burden you were carrying and thought the person didn’t understand?  Not only does Jesus understand what we are going through, He really cares.  It breaks His heart when we are sad.

We need to share our burdens with Jesus.  Pastor Charles Price Jones wrote the hymn “Come unto Me”.  “Hear the blessèd Savior calling the oppressed, “O ye heavy laden, come to Me and rest. Come, no longer tarry, I your load will bear, Bring Me every burden, bring Me every care.”

Joanne Lowe

April 7, 2018

OUR WELL OF LOVE

“Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

John 4:13,14 KJV

Several years ago, a hurricane hit where I live and we were without water.  I had bottled water to drink but it didn’t taste as good to me as the water I got from the faucet.  No matter how much water I drank, I still was thirsty.  Jesus is our well of love and He satisfies our thirst for love and for acceptance.   

Pastor Richard Blanchard wrote a beautiful heart touching hymn about our precious Saviour “Fill My Cup, Lord”.  I love these words.  “There are millions in this world who are seeking For pleasures earthly goods afford. But none can match the wondrous treasure That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.”

Are you thirsty for love and for acceptance?  Jesus has promised us that He will never leave us, not even for a minute.  “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 28:20).

Think about it.  Jesus, the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” is with us all the time.  Not only will He never leave us, He will also pick us up in His loving arms and carry us through our dark valleys until the pain goes away.  O how Jesus loves you!  Yes, if you are reading this, I mean you.

Joanne Lowe

April 6, 2018

IMMEDIATELY

“(To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”

Psalms 46:1-3 KJV

When we need help all we have to do is pray and ask God to help us.  There are times when we make our own problems because we don’t ask God to help us.  When we call someone and ask for help, we have to wait for the person to help us.  God is with us all the time and He will help us immediately.

Heavenly Father, thank You for caring, for loving us and for helping us.  You are a tender loving compassionate Father and I love You.  Thank You for adopting me into Your family and for giving me the privilege of serving Your Son.  Please comfort all who are discouraged.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

April 5, 2018

ALWAYS

“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 28:20 KJV

Audrey Meier wrote one of my favorite hymns “I'll Never Be Lonely Again”.  “Lonely days and lonely nights, Filled with despair, Caused me to long for Someone to care; Then I heard Christ say to me; “This promise I’ve made: Lo! I am with you Now and forever, Be not afraid.”

For many years I believed no one loved me or cared if I lived or died.  It wasn’t true but that is how I felt.  Then one happy day, Jesus put His arms of compassion around me and told me that He loves me.  There are no words to tell you how I felt and still do feel knowing that the Saviour of the world loves me.

Think about it.  The precious Baby Jesus grew up and willingly walked that long lonely road to Calvary and there allowed them to crucify Him for our sins.  He had never done anything wrong yet He was beaten beyond recognition, spat on, cursed, rejected and left alone to die.  What a Saviour, this Jesus of Nazareth!

If you are going through a dark valley and feel all alone, know that Jesus understands how you feel and He cares.  When we cry, He cries with us and when we are happy, He rejoices with us.  No one loves you like Jesus loves you and nobody ever will.  What a privilege is ours to be loved by the Saviour of the world.

Joanne Lowe

April 4, 2018

THE FRIENDSHIP OF OUR SAVIOUR

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

John 15:14 KJV

Jesus will be our Friend but we must do what He commands us to do.  Can we honestly say we are doing what He has told us to do?  We can fool others and even ourselves but He sees what is in our heart and He knows if we are just giving Him lip service.  He has commanded us to love unconditionally.

We read in the Bible.  “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).  Do we love others unconditionally as He loves us?  I have to be honest and say there are times when God has to take me to His woodshed and correct me.

I get emails telling me how wonderful it is that I write devotions and I appreciate those emails because there are times when everybody needs encouragement.  However, don’t look to me, to your pastor or to your Sunday school teacher.  Look to Jesus because He is perfect and He will never fail you.

What a privilege is ours to not only be loved by the Saviour of the world but also to have Him as our Friend.  There is no friendship as sweet as the friendship of Jesus.  How it brings tears of happiness and joy to me to know that one day I will have the privilege of seeing Him face to face. 

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times when I fail You and hurt You.  I’m sorry.  I pray for every pastor who is preaching the good news of our risen Saviour.  Please encourage them and let them know how much You love them and appreciate their service to You.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

April 3, 2018

IT IS HARD TO DO

“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.”

Luke 6:27,28 KJV

Our Scripture verses instruct us to love our enemies but it is hard to do, isn’t it?  Yet, that is exactly what our loving Saviour did when He died for us on the cross.  He had been spat on, cursed, mocked, rejected and beaten beyond recognition.  If anyone ever had a right to hate people, it was Jesus.

Even while hanging on the cross in excruciating pain with the blood flowing down His body, He asked God to forgive us.  “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).  This is an amazing unconditional love for you and me.

If we would ever realize that when we hurt people, we also hurt Jesus I believe that we would stop criticizing them and start encouraging them.  Thank God for our Saviour and for the old rugged cross.  What a Saviour!  What a Friend, this Jesus of Nazareth!  All hail, King Jesus!  Worthy is the Lamb of God!

Joanne Lowe

April 2, 2018

 

OUR LIVING SAVIOUR

“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.”

Matthew 28:5-7 KJV

Rev. William Marion Runyan wrote an inspiring hymn about our victorious Saviour “Again He’ll Come”.  I love these words.  “Again, but not in weakness or in sorrow; Again, but not for bitter pain and loss; The Son of God shall come in glory splendid, Again, but not to bear shame’s bitter cross.”

Jesus is coming back for us and He will get the honor He deserves.  “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10, 11).

O how I want to see Jesus.  I love Him so much.  He is the reason I’m living and the Joy of my heart.  I get tears of happiness in my eyes to know that one day I will see my precious Saviour face to face.  I’m going to give Him a hug and spend eternity telling Him how much I love Him.    

Joanne Lowe

April 1, 2018