PLEASE LOVE THEM

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.”

Matthew 2: 16 KJV

It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing this devotion.  Many years ago, I watched a family program on television and the little girl had a friend whose dad was hitting him and knocking him down the stairs.  Her friend made her promise not to tell anyone because he was afraid it would make his dad angry and his dad would hurt him again. 

This verse tells us that Herod was angry because he had been deceived so he took his anger out on innocent little children who had nothing to do with it.  How tragic that people take their anger and frustration out on their children and most of the time they are innocent. 

I have received emails from people who have told me they were beaten as children or are being abused now by their spouses.  There are times when a child is raised in a loving home yet the child rebels against authority and is disrespectful and hateful

However, there is never any justification to beat a child or push the child down a flight of stairs.  To have the kind of love in our homes that Jesus desires, we must first make a heart commitment to Him

. 

Have you invited Jesus into your heart to be your Saviour?  If not, I urge you to invite Jesus into your heart before it is too late and one day it will be too late.  Open the door of your heart and invite Jesus in and love your children to Jesus

Joanne Lowe

March 7, 2019

FIVE MINUTES

“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 have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.”

1 Peter 5:8-11 KJV

There have been several times in the past that I have gone online to the National Hurricane Center to see if there were any hurricanes and there were no hurricanes reported.  However, when I checked again five minutes later it reported that there was the possibility for a hurricane. 

I thought how true that is in our lives.  Everything can be going wonderful.  We don’t have any problems or difficult situations.  Then all of a sudden, without any warning at all, satan attacks us with vicious lies and criticism.  We must be alert at all times for the poisonous arrows and lies that satan hurls at us.

 I don’t know what is going on in your life today but I do know the One Who can take all your heartaches away and His Name is Jesus.  Whatever problems or difficult situations you have, He can bring you through them victoriously and set you once again on the mountain top of happiness. 

If you will trust Him and allow Him to take your hand, He will be faithful to walk with you not only on the mountain tops of joy and happiness but also through the valleys of discouragement and heartaches.  He loves you so much and He longs to help you.  Cry out to Jesus.  His arms are open and waiting for you.

Joanne Lowe

March 6, 2019

HIS DESK OF LOVE

“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”

Psalms 56:8 KJV

As He sits there looking at all the bottles of tears on his gigantic desk of love, His heart is moved with compassion for all the sorrow and heartache these bottles represent.  He gently picks up the bottles that have our names on them and one by one He tenderly kisses each bottle.

We have a Saviour who really cares about us.  He longs for us to know the fulness of joy.  We read in Psalm 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”.  The only way we will have fulness of joy is to stay in the presence of Jesus.

There are times in our lives when sorrows and heartbreaking situations overwhelm us and the tears flow.  Jesus catches every one of our tears in a bottle and keeps them as they are precious to Him.  Then there are times when we are so moved over something that we have tears of joy.

When I see a precious little baby or a little child look at me with a smile, my heart is filled with happiness and tears of joy flow down my cheeks.  Let’s be like a precious little baby or a little child and smile at others.  Someone said “it takes more muscles to frown than to smile”.  Knowing Jesus should make us smile.

Joanne Lowe

March 5, 2019

   

GOD’S EYE DROPS

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Psalms 126:5,6 KJV

I have cataracts so I have to put eye drops in my eyes twice a day.  If I don’t put them in my eyes, I don’t see very well.  Pastor Ira Stanphill wrote the beautiful and inspiring hymn “He Washed My Eyes With Tears”.  I am so glad He cares.  The next time you cry, remember this hymn and know that God loves you enough to wash your eyes.  I love the words in this hymn.

“He washed my eyes with tears that I might see, The broken heart I had was good for me; He tore it all apart and looked inside, He found it full of fear and foolish pride. He swept away the things that made me blind, And then I saw the clouds were silver lined; And now I understand ’twas best for me, He washed my eyes with tears that I might see.”

William J. Kirkpatrick wrote the hymn “Lord, I’m Coming Home”.  “I’ve wasted many precious years, Now I’m coming home; I now repent with bitter tears, Lord, I’m coming home.”  I’m so glad that when I felt that I couldn’t write any more devotions and was tempted to stop serving Jesus that I could say “I now repent with bitter tears, Lord, I’m coming home”.

Joanne Lowe

March 4, 2019

A FRIGHTENED HEARTBROKEN CHILD

“As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

Isaiah 66:13 KJV

Several years ago when I was shopping at Wal-Mart, I saw and heard something that brought tears to my eyes.  I saw a little child about two years old running through the store screaming and crying.  I don't know if his mother abandoned him or if they just got separated.

I pray with all of my heart that they only got separated.  The terror in that precious little boy's eyes broke my heart.  Several of the employees took turns picking him up trying to comfort him while they looked for his mother.  As soon as someone would pick him up, he would cry louder and scream louder.

He wanted his mother.  Nobody else could take the place of his mother.  Nobody else could comfort him like his mother could comfort him.  I don't know what happened to that little boy because my ride came and I had to leave.  One thing I do know without a shadow of doubt, Jesus was taking care of him.

As I watched that little child who was heartbroken, running, screaming and crying for his mother, I immediately thought about our precious Saviour.  When we are hurt and heartbroken, people can comfort us and it helps a little bit but we need Jesus.  Only Jesus can take the terror from our hearts.

There is no fellowship as sweet as the fellowship we have with our precious Saviour.  If you ever think He doesn’t love you, remember the cross and the agony and pain He suffered for you so you can be saved.  O how Jesus loves you!  He loved you yesterday.  He loves you today and He will love you forever.

Joanne Lowe

March 3, 2019

I LOVE EVERYONE

“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.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 3:16,17 KJV

I read in the news “A couple put dead 6-month-old in suitcase, threw him in dumpster”.  When I read that, I got very angry and felt nauseous.  However, I remembered that before I was saved, I hurt many people with my sarcastic and cruel remarks.  This couple killed their son but I killed people emotionally.

When will we realize that when we say cruel and sarcastic words to people, we might as well put a gun to their head and shoot them because there is no difference.  We have either killed them physically or we have killed them emotionally.  May God have mercy on us for judging others.  We need to pray, not judge.

If we will listen with our heart, we will hear God say to us, “I love everyone and My Son died for everyone”.  Yes, it makes us angry when we read about people being killed but we should also pray for the ones who kill so they will repent, ask God to forgive them and ask Jesus into their heart to be their Saviour.

Instead of judging and pointing the finger of guilt at people, we need to remember that if it wasn’t for the amazing and unconditional love of Jesus when He died on the cross for our sins, all of us would spend eternity in hell.  Thank God for our precious Saviour Who loves us so much He died for our sins.

Joanne Lowe

March 2, 2019

ARE YOU ANCHORED IN JESUS

“He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.”

Psalms 107:29,30 KJV

Henry Gilmour wrote one of my favorite hymns “The Haven of Rest”.  Thank God for the Haven of Rest.  The words in this hymn are precious to me.  “I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,” I’ll sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I’m safe evermore.”

It doesn’t matter how many trials and valleys we have in our life because when we are anchored in Jesus, He will protect us.  Our precious Saviour is more than able to bring us through every crisis victoriously.  Jesus can do anything.  We can trust Him to protect us because what He says, He will do.

Are you anchored in Jesus?  You may be saved but do you trust Him to protect you and to bring you through the valleys of despair and discouragement?  He loves you so much.  When you are sad, it breaks His heart and He weeps when you cry.  No one loves you like Jesus loves you.

We are powerless to defeat satan when he hurls his vicious and poisonous darts of lies and discouragement at us. It takes the power of Jesus to defeat satan.  When satan attacks us, we need to run as fast as we can into the waiting and open arms of Jesus and let Him protect us.

It would make satan very happy if he could discourage us from serving Jesus.  We must not let that happen!  After all that our precious Saviour has done for us, the least we can do for Him is serve Him.  Are you serving Jesus?  If not, why aren’t you?

Joanne Lowe

March 1, 2019