THE LONGEST HUG

“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 my brother left home to go into the service, my Mother hugged him and then she stood outside watching him leave for a long time even when he was out of sight.  I believe when Jesus left His Father and His Home that God hugged Him for a long time and then stood watching Him leave.

I believe They cried when Jesus left His Father.  Just as a dad tells his son about the things he is going to face when he leaves home, I believe God told His Son about the things that were going to happen to Him.  O how God loves His Son!  How He must have missed His Son while He was gone.

I think God said to Jesus, “If there were any other way for people to be saved, I wouldn’t give You to die on the cross for their sins.”  However, there was no other way for us to be saved.  Jesus had never sinned so His blood is the only thing that saves us from our sins.

We read in the Bible.  “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (1 Peter 1:18,19).

Thank God for the unconditional love God has for us that caused Him to give His Son to die for our sins.  What a Saviour, this Jesus of Nazareth!  Worthy is the Lamb of God!  All hail, King Jesus!  He is the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”!

Joanne Lowe

April 28, 2018

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 KJV

We may be saved and serving Jesus but are we ready to meet Him if He should come today?  If we have unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy, hatred and resentment in our heart, we are not ready to meet Him.  How sad it will be and how it will break our Saviour’s heart if we aren’t ready to meet Him.

Someone said “I will never forgive you for what you did”.  What would happen if Jesus had said to us “I will never forgive you” and hadn’t died on the cross for our sins?  Jesus did forgive us and He did die on the cross for our sins.  If the Saviour of the world can forgive us, we need to forgive those who have hurt us.

If we want others to forgive us for hurting them, we need to forgive those who hurt us.  We need to remember that nobody is perfect.  I have received emails telling me how wonderful I am because I write devotions.  Don’t look to me because I am human and I am not perfect.  Keep your eyes on Jesus!

Heavenly Father, I ask You to please forgive me for the times I have allowed unforgiveness, resentment and bitterness to stay in my heart.  I’m sorry.  Please help us to love one another unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love one another.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

April 27, 2018

DROPS OF BLOOD

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Luke 22:41-44 KJV

Charles Hutchinson Gabriel wrote a beautiful hymn about our precious Saviour “I Stand Amazed in the Presence”.  “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.”  Do you understand that Jesus shed His blood for you?

How we must hurt Jesus and break His heart when we don’t take the time to fellowship with Him.  Jesus, the Saviour of the world, suffered more and endured more pain and agony than You and I will ever know.  After all that Jesus has done for us, how can we do less than give Him our heart, our life and our time? 

Sometimes, even though I know better, satan tries to convince me Jesus doesn’t love me and then I remember the cross and the blood that He shed for me.  When satan lies to you and he will lie to you, remember the cross and the unconditional and unending love Jesus has for you.

Heavenly Father, I pray for those who will read this devotion.  Please help them to realize how much You love them and how much Jesus loves them.  I pray for those who are lonely, discouraged, and heartbroken and who feel all alone.  Please comfort and encourage them.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen. 

Joanne Lowe

April 26, 2018

EVEN IN OUR DREAMS

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

1 Peter 5:8 KJV

When we serve Jesus, it make satan angry and he will do everything he can do to discourage us so much that we stop serving Jesus.  We must not let that happen!  I had a terrible dream that every friend I had told me I was no good and said they didn’t want anything to do with me.  It really scared me.

As soon as I woke up, I felt at peace because I know Jesus loves me and won’t let anything happen to me.  We read in the Bible.  “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).

“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 1:3, 4).

How thankful I am that we have a loving protective Heavenly Father Who will comfort and encourage us when we are hurting and discouraged.  If you are discouraged, allow God to comfort you.  He will pick you up and hold you close to His heart like a dad comforts his children.  O how God loves you.

Joanne Lowe

April 25, 2018

DO YOU KNOW

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

1 Timothy 1:12 KJV

Evangelist Daniel Webster Whittle wrote one of my favorite hymns “I Know Whom I Have Believed”.  I love these words in this inspiring hymn.  “But I know Whom I have believèd, And am persuaded that He is able To keep that which I’ve committed Unto Him against that day.”  What an inspiring hymn!

Do you know Jesus?  How much time do you spend with Him during the day?  If we spend more time watching television or doing things that take away from the time we should be spending with Him, we are hurting Him and breaking His heart.  Jesus deserves to have first place in our heart and in our time.

Do you know how much Jesus loves you?  You may be saved and have read the entire Bible but have you allowed it to enter your heart how much Jesus loves you?  Do you know He allowed them to pound nails into His hands and spit on Him and curse and mock Him for you?

Heavenly Father, I pray for every person who reads this that You would help them understand how much they are loved.  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 love them.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen. 

Joanne Lowe

April 24, 2018

REASSURE THEM

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”

Hebrews 12:6 KJV

God has had to take me out to His woodshed several times when I hurt Him and was disobedient.  However, when God takes us out to His woodshed, He always reassures us that He still loves us. Parents need to reassure their children that they still love them even though they are being punished.

May God help us to be loving parents who reassure our children that we still love them even though we have to punish them.  How heartbreaking it would be if God stopped loving us when we hurt Him and disobeyed Him.  Our Heavenly Father is a tender compassionate Father Who loves us all the time.

Heavenly Father, help us to be parents who reassure our children that no matter how many times they disobey us we will still love them.  May we be parents who lead our children to Jesus not only by our words, but especially by our actions.  May they see Jesus in us.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

April 23, 2018

THE PRECIOUS LAMB

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

1 Peter 1:18,19 KJV

Jesus is the precious Lamb of God.  “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  Jesus loves us so much He died on the cross for our sins.  Not only was Jesus’ heart broken that day, God’s heart was also broken.

There is only one way to be saved and go to Heaven and that is when the precious blood of Jesus is applied to our heart for the forgiveness of our sins.  Have you allowed Jesus to apply His cleansing blood to your heart for the forgiveness of your sins?  If not, I urge you, I plead with you to say yes to Jesus now.

It is the most important decision you will ever make.  It is more important than where we work, where we live and who we marry.  For some people, Jesus has been knocking at the door of their heart for many years and they have refused to open the door and let Jesus come in to their heart.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).  Please don’t keep Jesus standing at the door of your heart any longer.  Invite Him into your heart to be your personal Saviour before it is too late.

Joanne Lowe

April 22, 2018