BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH

“And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

Mark 2: 3 – 5

King James Version

The person who had the palsy was unable to go to Jesus so four people picked up the bed, broke the roof and let down the bed that the person who had the palsy was laying on and took the person to Jesus. Because Jesus saw the faith of these four people, He said unto the sick of the palsy “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Often there are times in our lives when we are unable to go to Jesus. It is then that we need people to pick up the bed and take us to Jesus.

These four people not only carried the bed, they broke the roof so they could get the person who was sick to Jesus. These four people took action. It is not enough for us to just pray for people who are hurting, we need to take action. We need to encourage them and tell them that we love them and will be there for them in the bad times as well as the good times.

Many times we are guilty of pointing the finger and telling people that they don’t trust Jesus for whatever situation they are in, but in this passage of Scripture Jesus saw the faith of these four people, that they believed for the one sick of the palsy. He didn’t condemn the person who was sick; He saw the faith of the ones who brought the sick person to Him and He healed the one who had the palsy. May we pick up the bed of our loved ones and people who are hurting and carry them to Jesus so that He can heal them.

Joanne Lowe

March 24,2019

HE COULDN’T MOVE

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah: 53: 4 - 6

King James Version

 I have received several emails from people who told me that when they were in pain and hurting that they would go and sit in their recliners. I do the same thing because sometimes the pain from my arthritis is so intense that I feel like I am going to pass out. Even if it is summer and very hot and I have my air conditioner on, I still put my afghan over my legs because the heat helps the pain. Nothing could have helped the pain that Jesus endured while He hung on that cross of horror and agony for you and for me.

Oh dear people, our precious Saviour while hanging on that cross for us was in more agony and in more pain than anyone has ever experienced but He couldn’t go sit in a recliner because He couldn’t move. He took all of our sins on Him and He endured all of that pain for us. He couldn’t put an afghan over His legs to help the pain.

There are no words that come close to adequately describing the pain, the loneliness, the rejection and the heartaches that He endured for you and for me. What a precious, what a compassionate and what a loving Saviour we have and what a price He paid for us, His very life!

He paid the price for our sins because we couldn’t pay it. Our Heavenly Father is a Holy God and He can’t look on sin. Jesus was sinless so He was the only one who could satisfy the requirements of a Holy God. Our precious Saviour willingly hung there on that cruel cross of horror and pain for us. No one forced Him to die for us. He died for us out of obedience to His Father and out of a heart of love because His heart is filled with unconditional love and compassion for us.

He endured all of this pain and all of this agony for us. Yet we can’t even shut off the television and call people who are hurting. Especially don’t ask us, Jesus, to turn off the television during the football season and call people. May God forgive us for being so selfish and self-centered! How we must break the heart of our dear Saviour when He sees the way we treat one another. Remember, Jesus said “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40)

Are you making Jesus happy or are you making Him sad by the way you treat your family and your loved ones and a world that is hurting and desperately needs to know that someone cares about them? When Jesus comes back for us, will He look at you with a smile on His face or will He look at you with sadness in His eyes because you didn’t love Him enough to turn off the television and call people and tell them that Jesus loves them?

Joanne Lowe

March 23, 2019

WHAT IS YOUR NAME

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Matthew 24: 6 – 8

King James Version

I have been thinking about our brave men and women who are risking their lives to protect our country.  The thought came to me “I wonder when they have to shoot someone if they say to themselves “I’ve never met you.  What is your name”?  It is no wonder at all that they have nightmares for years because of all they have seen and because of what they had to do because they were given the order to shoot.  They have seen tragedies and horrors that we can’t even begin to imagine.  The only one who completely understands is Jesus because He also endured horrors beyond description.

I heard someone on television many years ago who was interviewing a veteran who still had nightmares say “It’s time you get on with your life.  Stop living in the past”.  The one who conducted the interview did not have compassion for the veteran.  It is impossible to get on with your life without the help of Jesus.  Only Jesus can take the horrors and nightmares that devastate us and turn us into emotional cripples from us.  Only He can deposit His tender, unconditional love and soothing salve of compassion and understanding into a heart that has been shattered.

We also have veterans in the service of Jesus.  There are pastors who have been in service for Jesus for many years and they have been ridiculed, criticized and treated in a way that brings disgrace to Jesus.  Our pastors are in a battle against satan for our souls.  They have an awesome responsibility because they will have to give an account for the people they shepherd.  

The greatest veteran that ever lived is the Lord Jesus Christ. His heart was broken time and time again as people constantly hurt Him with their cruel words and with their hatred by rejecting Him.  For some of you He has been knocking on your heart’s door for years. Please don’t keep rejecting Him and hurting Him! Open your heart to the one who gave His life for you so that you may know real happiness, real joy and a lasting peace.

Joanne Lowe

March 22,2019

TEARS OF 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

One day God opened His heart of love and gave His Son to die on the cross for us.  On that day, God shed tears of love.  I have tried to imagine how God must have felt on that day, and it is impossible to comprehend how He felt that day.  You and I have never suffered the pain that He felt that day, and still feels every day by the way we treat His Son.

When will we stop hurting Jesus by the way we treat other people?  Every time that we say something critical, judgmental, and harsh to someone, we break the heart of Jesus.  When He looks in our heart for a place to rest and finds none, His heart is broken.

Have you fallen in love with Jesus?  There is a difference between being saved, and being in love with Him.  You may have preached for years, play the piano or organ, taught Sunday School, sing in the choir and write for Him, but are you really in love with Him?

Everything that we do should be for Jesus and should show His love to others.  Have you made room in your heart for Jesus?  Is He the center of your life?  He loves you so much He died for you.  How much do you love Him and what are you doing for Him?

Joanne Lowe

March 21, 2019

IT’S TOO LATE

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Hebrews 9: 27 KJV

I recently saw a family program and it showed them having a memorial service for someone who had died. The son of the man who died said “I never told my dad that I loved him and now it’s too late”. This man’s heart was breaking and he wept. Never assume that people know you love them. Tell them that you love them before it is too late!

I think it’s difficult for a lot of people to say “I love you” because they fear rejection. I believe with all my heart when you love someone then you will do your very best to make him or her happy.

Someone said she told someone she loved him and he replied “Two way street”. She said that it broke her heart because he didn’t say “I love you” to her. Have we erected such a huge barrier in our heart to keep from getting hurt that we are reluctant to accept love and kindness when it is offered to us?

I urge you to tell your loved ones and friends that you love them before it is too late. We long to have people tell us they love us but they also long to have us tell them that we love them.

Joanne Lowe

March 20, 2019

Because of Your Faith

"And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

Mark 2: 3 - 5
KJV

The person who had the palsy was unable to go to Jesus so four people picked up the bed, broke the roof and let down the bed that the person who had the palsy was laying on and took the person to Jesus. Because Jesus saw the faith of these four people, He said unto the sick of the palsy "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." Often there are times in our lives when we are unable to go to Jesus. It is then that we need people to pick up the bed and take us to Jesus.

These four people not only carried the bed, they broke the roof so they could get the person who was sick to Jesus. These four people took action. It is not enough for us to just pray for people who are hurting, we need to take action. We need to encourage them and tell them that we love them and will be there for them in the bad times as well as the good times.

Many times we are guilty of pointing the finger and telling people that they don't trust Jesus for whatever situation they are in, but in this passage of Scripture Jesus saw the faith of these four people, that they believed for the one sick of the palsy. He didn't condemn the person who was sick.

He saw the faith of the ones who brought the sick person to Him and He healed the one who had the palsy. May we be faithful to pick up the bed of our loved ones and people who are hurting and carry them to Jesus so He can heal them.

Heavenly Father, I pray for all those who are lonely, discouraged, brokenhearted and feel like nobody cares.  Please encourage and comfort them as You have done for me so many times.  You are a faithful, compassionate and loving Father and I love You and appreciate You so much.  I pray especially for pastors who are preaching the good news of our risen Saviour.  Please encourage them and let them know much You appreciate their service to You.  In Jesus' Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 11, 2019

STAY UNDER HIS WINGS

"Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” 

John 15:4, 5 KJV

Pastor William Orcutt Cushing wrote a beautiful hymn “UNDER HIS WINGS”.  I love the words in this hymn.  “Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!  How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!  Often when earth has no balm for my healing, There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.”  We have a loving Saviour!

A mother bird will push her baby out of the nest so it will learn to fly.  It is just the opposite with Jesus.  He wants us to stay with Him not only so He can protect us, but also because we can’t do anything without Him.  I can’t even get out of bed without Him.  If I can’t serve Him, there is no reason to live.

Someone said “I can’t wait until I’m old enough to move out and leave home”.  When Jesus is our Saviour, we don’t want to leave Him.  Not only is Jesus our Saviour, He is also the dearest Friend we will ever have.  He will never leave us, not even for one minute.  What a Saviour, this Jesus of Nazareth!

For those who are trying to make it in this world without Jesus, it hasn’t worked and it will never work.  We need Jesus every minute of every day.  Stay under His wings and allow Him to protect you, comfort you and encourage you.  Don’t try to make it without Jesus.  You will hurt Him and break His heart.

Joanne Lowe

May 8, 2019