A HAPPY NEW YEAR

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”

Proverbs 3:13 KJV

If we want to have a Happy New Year, we need to spend more time with Jesus than we do watching television.  Pastor Ira F. Stanphill wrote the beautiful inspiring hymn “Happiness is The Lord”.  It is so true that knowing Jesus brings happiness to us and even more important it brings happiness to Him.

We might think that we don’t have time to spend with Jesus because of busy schedules.  If our schedules are so busy we don’t have time for Jesus, we are too busy and we need to rearrange our schedules so He comes first.  If we have time to read the paper in the morning, we have time to spend with Him.

May God help us to make Jesus first in our heart, in our life and in everything we do.  Let’s give Jesus a Happy New Year by making Him first in our heart and in our life.  If ever someone deserves to be happy, it is Jesus, the Saviour of the world.  All hail, King Jesus!  Worthy is the Lamb of God!  Make Him happy.

Joanne Lowe

December 31, 2016

HE CAME TO SAVE

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

John 3:17 KJV

There are times when we fail Jesus and hurt Him but He still loves us and He doesn’t condemn us because He came to save us.  Jesus understands how it feels to be tempted because satan tempted Him also.  When satan lies to us and hurls his vicious poisonous arrows at us, we need to cry out to Jesus for help.

There are a lot of people living in the darkness of loneliness, despair and heartache and some people even feel suicidal.  Those of us who have invited Jesus into our heart to be our personal Saviour, we need to hug these people for Jesus.  If you’re not comfortable hugging, hug them with loving words.

Yes, Jesus came to save us, not condemn us.  He also came that we might have an abundant life (John 10:10).  Jesus wants us to be happy and to live a life that brings happiness to our Heavenly Father.  Are we making our Heavenly Father happy or are we hurting Him and breaking His heart? 

Joanne Lowe

December 30, 2016

BE ENCOURAGED

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

Hebrews 6:10 KJV

For those of us who are serving Jesus full time there are times when we get discouraged.  We need to realize that Jesus also got discouraged at times when He was here on His mission.  We can be encouraged knowing that Jesus understands how we feel and His heart is moved with compassion for us.

I used to worry about people not liking the devotions I write until I remembered this verse.  “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).  A pastor said “It is very discouraging to preach and not ve haanybody come to the altar”.  Be encouraged, Pastors.  God appreciates your service.

Our Scripture verse tells us that God remembers our service to Him.  We need to realize that when we get discouraged it is just another attack from satan to keep us from serving Jesus.  Nothing would make satan any happier than to discourage us so much we stop serving Jesus.  We must not let that happen!

We need to stay on the battlefield for Jesus no matter how many trials come our way.  Jesus stayed on the cross for us.  He could have come down.  All the nails in the world couldn’t have kept Him on the cross had He chose to come down.  However, He stayed on the cross because He loves us.

We must stay on the battlefield for Jesus and not let satan defeat us.  When satan attacks us, we need to immediately cry out to Jesus and ask Him to help us.  Jesus will set us once again on the mountain top of happiness.  O how He loves us!

Joanne Lowe

December 29, 2016

IT BREAKS HIS HEART

“And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.”

Luke 7:13 KJV

We have a compassionate Saviour and it breaks His heart when we are hurting.  The newspapers and radio stations report violence, murders, rapes and all other things that hurt Jesus and break His heart.  Jesus loves us and He proved His love for us when He allowed them to crucify Him on the cross.

Yes, it breaks the heart of our precious Saviour when we hurt one another and do things on purpose that we know we shouldn’t do.  One day, He is coming back for us.  Will we be able to look Him in the eye or will we have to hang our head in shame because of the words we said and the things we did?

We need to remember Jesus said what we do to others; we do to Him (Matthew 25:40).  When we are kind and loving to one another, we are kind and loving to Jesus and when we say words that hurt someone, we are also hurting Jesus.  It is time that we love one another unconditionally as Jesus loves us.

Heavenly Father, help us to love one another unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love each other.  Thank You for loving us, dear Father and for sharing Your beloved Son with us.  I love You, Heavenly Father.  I love You, Jesus.  I love You, Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

December 28, 2016

BORN TO DIE

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”

Luke 23:33 KJV

We just celebrated the birthday of Jesus.  What a precious Baby He was but He didn’t stay a Baby.  He grew up and went to the cross and shed His own blood for our sins so we can be saved.  Jesus was born to die and pay the penalty for our sins.  O how our precious Saviour loves us.

How can you and I do less than serve Him with all our heart and all our time after all He has done for us?  I write about how much He loves us but I don’t think any of us, including me have grasped in our heart just how much He loves us.  His love for us comes from His heart and is unconditional and unending.

Our precious Saviour was born to die but we were born to serve Him.  Evangelist Bud Chambers wrote the inspiring hymn “Born To Serve The Lord”.  We can never repay the sacrifice that Jesus has made for us but we can serve Him and give Him first place in our heart, in our time and in our life.  Is He first in your heart?

Joanne Lowe

December 27, 2016

AN AWAKENING

“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?”

Psalms 85:6 KJV

Pastor William Paton Mackay wrote one of my favorite hymns “Revive Us Again”.  We sing this hymn and we pray and ask God to revive us.  However, unless we have first had an awakening, there can be no revival.  If we have never been on fire for God, it’s not fair to ask Him to revive us.

For many years when my pastor would ask for volunteers to do something, I would never raise my hand and say yes.  How I must have hurt Jesus and broke His heart.  Jesus has called every one of us to serve Him (Isaiah 6:8).  After all Jesus has done for us, we should be willing and eager to serve Him.

Instead of praying and asking God to revive us, we need to ask Him to wake us up and make us willing to serve our Saviour.  Jesus may not be asking us to go to a different country but He is calling all of us to serve Him where we are.  Are we telling the good news of Jesus where we live?

Precious Heavenly Father, Thank You for the privilege of serving Your Son.  Forgive us for not always sharing the good news of our risen Saviour.  Please put deep within our heart the desire to serve Jesus.  I love You, Heavenly Father.  I love You, Jesus.  I love You, Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

December 26, 2016

GIVE THEM LOVE AND GRATITUDE

“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

If you don’t know what to give Jesus for His birthday or what to give God for giving His Son to us, give them love and gratitude.  Has it gone from head knowledge to heart knowledge that the precious little Baby Jesus grew up and died on the cross for our sins?  He suffered pain and anguish that we will never know.

Think about it, the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS left His Father, His home and all that He had to come to earth and die for us.  God didn’t make Jesus come to earth.  Jesus had never sinned, have never done anything wrong yet He was spat on, cursed, mocked, beaten beyond recognition and rejected.

What kind of love is this?  It is an unconditional love that comes from the heart of our Heavenly Father and Jesus for you and for me.  They loved us yesterday.  They love us today and They will love us tomorrow.  What a healing balm it is to our weary battle scarred heart to know They will always love us.

Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the birthday of Your Son, may we remember to thank You for Your unconditional love for us.  Happy Birthday, Jesus.  I love You with all my heart and one joyous day I will see You face to face.  You are so precious to me and I appreciate You.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.    

Joanne Lowe

December 25, 2016