GIVE IT TO GOD

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Ephesians 4:31,32 KJV

I used to have a terrible temper before I invited Jesus into my heart to be my personal Saviour.  I was angry all the time.  Jesus gave me a new heart and took the anger, hatred and bitterness away.  I still get angry at times but as soon as I realize what is happening, I give it to God and ask Him to help me.

One of the most vicious attacks from satan is when he tempts us to be angry with each other and say and do things that not only hurts others but also hurts God and breaks His heart.  It is okay to be angry as long as we forgive the ones who hurt us just as God forgives us when we hurt Him.

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26, 28).  When we go to bed angry without forgiving the ones who have hurt us, the devil uses that to cause problems with one another.  It’s like putting coal on a fire.  We must forgive from our heart.

How dare you and I go to a Holy God and ask Him to forgive us if we’re not willing to forgive those who have hurt us?  There was only one perfect person who ever lived or will live and His name is Jesus.  We hurt others just as they hurt us.  If we don’t forgive from our heart, we haven’t forgiven them.

Heavenly Father, we’re sorry that we hurt You at times when we don’t forgive the ones who hurt us.  Help us to love one another unconditionally.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 31, 2015

HIS LIGHT NEVER GOES OUT

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

John 8:12 KJV

Some people are sadder during the winter time than they are in the summer because of the darker days.  I am one of those people.  I need it to be bright all of the time.  If you are like me, we have good news.  Jesus said that if we will follow Him, we won’t ever have to walk in darkness because He is our light.

Jesus tells us in the Bible.  “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:15, 16).

Do people see the light of Jesus shining through us when we smile and by our actions?  Do they know that we love Jesus by our actions?  Are we an encouragement or a discouragement to our family, to our loved ones and to everyone we see?  What about Jesus?  Are we an encouragement to Him?

If God lays it on your heart to send an encouraging email or a letter to someone through the mail or to call someone on the telephone, don’t wait!  Do it as soon as God lays it on your heart.  Your email, your letter or your telephone call may be what God will use to encourage someone.  We need to be obedient to Him.

Heavenly Father, please help us to be an encouragement to one another.  Thank You for the many times You have encouraged and comforted me through the years.  I love You and appreciate You so much.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 30, 2015

BEGINNING OF UNCONDITIONAL 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

When God gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins, it was the beginning of unconditional love.  Jesus, our precious and loving Saviour had never sinned yet He walked that lonely road to Calvary and there allowed them to crucify Him for your sins and for my sins.  Nobody loves us like God and Jesus love us.

I believe when Jesus said “It is finished” as He was hanging on the cross that He died of a broken heart.  Jesus could have come down from the cross but He stayed on the cross because He loves His Father and wanted to be obedient to Him and finish the mission His Father had given Him.

God loves you unconditionally.  There is nothing you could ever do that would make Him stop loving you.  You can hurt Him every day and break His heart but He will always love you.  Knowing that He loves us unconditionally should make us want to do everything we can do to make Him happy.

Heavenly Father, not only do You love us unconditionally You also comfort us when we are discouraged and heartbroken.  Thank You for loving us so much that You gave Jesus to die for our sins.  Thank You, precious Father, for adopting me into Your family.  I love You so much.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 29, 2015

WHAT WE DO

“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

1 Timothy 4:12 KJV

It’s not what we say to people that proves to them that we love them, it’s what we do for them.  We should tell them we love them but then we should do something for them so they will know that we love them.  If God tells us He loves us but never does anything for us, we would wonder if He really loves us.

However, God does many things for us every day.  The most important thing He has done to prove to us how much He loves us is giving His beloved Son to die on the cross for our sins.  What an amazing unconditional love flowed from the heart of our Heavenly Father for us on that day.

We can tell Jesus that we love Him every hour of the day but it is what we do for Him that proves to Him that we love Him.  How can we prove to Jesus how much we love Him?  We can prove to Him that we love Him by serving Him with all of our heart and with all of our time, not just when it is convenient for us.

If we want to serve Jesus and make Him happy, we will have to shut off the television and get out of our comfort zone.  Jesus left His Father, His home and all that He had to come to earth and die on the cross for our sins.  He had never sinned but He allowed them to crucify Him for your sins and for my sins.

Heavenly Father, help us to love one another unconditionally.  Jesus, thank You for loving us so much that You died on the cross for us.  I love You with all of my heart.  Jesus, You are worthy to be praised and adored.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 28, 2015

WORSHIP FROM OUR HEART

“O COME, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.  For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

Psalm 95:1-3 KJV

I am so glad that the Bible tells us to make a joyful noise.  I have been told that I can’t sing.  I was asked to leave a choir and it broke my heart but I needed to leave because I was not singing on key.  However one glorious day when I go to Heaven, I will sing in the Heavenly choir for all eternity and I will sing on key.

When we sing to Jesus do we mean what we are singing?  We sing “I surrender all” but have we surrendered all?  We sing “Just as I am” yet many times we try to work our way or buy our way into heaven.  Do we worship Jesus when we sing or are we thinking about other things?  We should worship from our heart.

May God help us to worship from our heart and concentrate on Jesus instead of wondering if the pastor will stop preaching on time or worrying if the roast we left in the oven will burn before we get home.  O how Jesus deserves to be praised, loved and adored.  He is the KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS!

Heavenly Father, we praise You for Who You are, for all You have done for us and for giving Jesus to us not only to be our Saviour, but also to carry us through all our dark valleys.  Thank You for adopting me.  Jesus, I love You.  Thank You for dying for me and for never leaving me.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 27, 2015

ANOTHER VICIOUS ATTACK

“I WILL love thee, O LORD, my strength.  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

Psalm 18:1-3 KJV

Sunday was a wonderful day.  God spoke to my heart and helped me write three devotions.  When we serve Jesus, it makes satan very angry so I knew satan was going to attack me.  I was right because the very next day satan tried his best to discourage me and stop me from serving Jesus.

Jesus has warned us to be on the alert for the attacks of satan.  However, sometimes we forget to be on the alert and without any warning satan launches another vicious attack against us.  When Jesus warns us about something, we need to take Him seriously because He loves us and He wants to protect us.

Jesus said “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” (1 Peter 5:8, 9).

Heavenly Father, I love You so much.  Thank You for loving me and protecting me and for giving me the privilege of serving Your beloved Son.  You are a compassionate, tender loving Father and I appreciate You so much.  Thank You for the many times You have comforted me.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

March 26, 2015

GOD MISSES US

“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:  And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.  And they began to be merry.”

Luke 15:21-24 KJV

Someone said to her friend “My daughter is getting married and I am sad because I am going to miss her.  You probably don’t understand how I feel because you have so many children but my daughter is the only child I have.”  Have you ever felt lonely and been brokenhearted when one of your children left home? 

Her friend said to her “I do understand how you feel.  It doesn’t matter how many children we have because when my daughter moved out it broke my heart.”  Do you realize that it breaks God’s heart and He misses us when we don’t talk to Him every day?  God misses us when we don’t spend time with Him.

There are times when we hurt God.  Hopefully, we don’t hurt Him on purpose but He is faithful to forgive us and to reassure us that He still loves us.  Let’s make a special effort to do things we know will make God happy.  How do we make Him happy?  We make Him happy by being kind and loving to His Son.

When is the last time you told God that you love Him?  Did you hug Him today with your kind and loving actions and words?  Do we love Him unconditionally just as He loves us or do we just love Him when He does what we want Him to do?  May we always love Him and praise Him and give Him glory.

Joanne Lowe

March 25, 2015