ARE YOU THERE

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD?  why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?”

Psalm 10:1 KJV

Every time I read this verse, it reminds me of the story I read about a husband and wife who were driving down the highway.  The wife said to her husband who was driving the car.  “We don’t sit next to each other any more”.  The husband replied and said to his wife.  “I haven’t moved”. 

Have you ever felt like Jesus has left you or have you ever asked Him “are You there”?  Jesus hasn’t moved.  He is still with us.  We are the ones who sometimes move away from Him.  I invited Jesus into my heart on August 14, 1980 and He has never left me, not even for one minute.  He is so faithful.

I don’t know what is going on in your life.  I don’t know all of the heartaches and trials you are going through but Jesus knows and He cares about you.  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Jesus is waiting with open arms for you to come to Him.

May we always stay close to Jesus.  He loves us so much that He died for us and He wants to help us.  He already knows what we are going through but He wants us to share our heart with Him.  Allow Jesus to help you and carry you through all the dark valleys in your life.  

Joanne Lowe

February 28, 2015

REBUILDER OF OUR BROKEN HEART

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 KJV

We are living in a world that is filled with violence, murders, wars and heartaches.  People say and do things that hurt us and discourage us.  However, if we have accepted Jesus into our heart as our personal Saviour, He will heal our broken heart because He loves us and is the rebuilder of our broken heart.

If you are going through a crisis and your heart is breaking and you don’t think you can give another smile or take another step, tell Jesus.  He will help you take the next step and give the next smile.  Jesus understands how it feels to be discouraged and hurt because He was ridiculed, mocked, beaten and crucified.

He loves you very much and He will pick you up in His loving arms and carry you through all the dark valleys in your life.  Jesus wants us to be happy.  “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Heavenly Father, You are the God of all comfort.  Thank You for comforting us and for sending Jesus to die for our sins and also to be the rebuilder of our broken heart.  Jesus, You have been so faithful to me.  You have never left me, not even for a minute.  Thank You.  I love You.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

February 27, 2015

HE KNOWS AND STILL LOVES US

“O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.”

Psalm 69:5 KJV

I wonder if we really appreciate our Heavenly Father and His unconditional love for us like we should.  God knows everything about us.  He sees every place we go.  He hears every word we say and sees everything we do.  He knows our thoughts.  He knows what we are going to say and do before we say and do it.

Think about it!  Our precious Heavenly Father loves us even when we hurt Him and fail Him.  His love is not like our love.  There are times we turn our love off and on like a water faucet.  God’s love for us is unconditional and He will never stop loving us no matter what we do or say.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us even when we hurt You.  Comfort and encourage all those who are discouraged just as You have comforted and encouraged me so many times when I was hurting.  I love You and appreciate You.  Thank You for adopting me into Your family.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

February 26, 2015

GOD WANTS US

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Genesis 1:1 KJV

God doesn’t need anything or anybody so why did God create the heaven and earth?  It is because He desires fellowship.  God wants us to fellowship with Him.  I heard a sermon on the radio yesterday that really touched my heart.  The pastor said “God wants us”.  It is true God doesn’t need us but God wants us.

Have you ever heard someone say “I wish you had never been born”?  Has someone ever said it to you?  There are parents that do say that to their children.  They might as well take a knife and plunge it as deep as they can into their children’s heart.  I have good news for you.  God loves you and He wants you.

God, the Father of our precious and beautiful Saviour, not only loves us, He also wants us.  He wants us to share our heart with Him, our joys and our sorrows.  God, the Maker of Heaven and earth wants you!  God wants you, pastors.  God wants you, parents, God wants every one of us.  You are precious to God.

When I was in high school someone said to me “You are stupid, ugly and fat.  You will never amount to anything.  You don’t have a right to live.  You should commit suicide because you’re just taking up space in this world.”  Not only did those words hurt me and cripple me emotionally, they also hurt Jesus.

If we will allow it to go from head knowledge to heart knowledge that when we say or do something mean and cruel to someone we are also doing it to Jesus, I don’t think we would say so many words that hurt people or do things on purpose to hurt one another.  May God help us to love others as He loves us.

Joanne Lowe

February 25, 2015

THANK YOU FOR LOVING 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

When we pray and ask God for something, let’s remember to thank Him for loving us and for giving Jesus to die for our sins so we can go to Heaven when we die.  We have a tender compassionate and loving Heavenly Father.  O how He loves us.  What a privilege it is to belong to the family of God.

We have a Father Who will never yell at us, never curse us, never hit us and He will never disown us.  When the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, we are a child of God forever!  God also will never tell us that He wishes we’d never been born.  O how I love my Heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You gave Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so we can be saved.  We love You so much and we appreciate all You have done for us and all You do for us every day.  Please help us to love one another unconditionally.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

February 24, 2015

HE WILL ALWAYS LOVE US

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  I and my Father are one.”

John 10:27-30 KJV

I write a lot about Jesus loving us.  However, it is very important and even urgent that we allow it to go from head knowledge to heart knowledge that the Saviour of the world loves us so much He died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins so we can have the privilege of being saved and going to Heaven.

I believe with all my heart that if people would allow it to go from head knowledge to heart knowledge that Jesus loves them and that He loves them unconditionally, there wouldn’t be as much hatred, crime and violence in the world.  So many people are hurting and lonely and they need to know Jesus loves them.

May God help us to not only tell people how much Jesus loves them but also to prove to them how much He loves them by our kind words and our kind actions.  O how we need to love one another unconditionally just as Jesus loves us.  I am so thankful for the privilege of serving Jesus, the One Who died for me. 

Joanne Lowe

February 23, 2015

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER REALLY LOVES US

“I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.  And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.  And he arose, and came to his father.  But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

Luke 15:18-20 KJV

Our Heavenly Father really loves us because when we go to Him and ask Him to forgive us for something we have done that hurt Him, if we will look with the eyes of our heart we will see Him running to meet us and kiss us as He says to us “Welcome Home”.  What a tender and precious Heavenly Father we have.

We know that our Heavenly Father loves us.  He has proved how much He loves us when He gave Jesus to us to be our personal Saviour.  The question every Christian needs to ask himself or herself is “How much do I love my Heavenly Father and what am I doing for Him”?

Heavenly Father, we give You praise and we thank You for being a tender loving Father.  Thank You for being a compassionate forgiving Father.  I’m sorry for the times when I have failed You and hurt You.  Help us to love unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

February 22, 2015