THANK YOU

"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
King James Version

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much You gave Your beloved Son to die on the cross for our sins so we may be saved and go to Heaven when we die. I love You, Heavenly Father, and I appreciate all that You have done for me.

Thank You for allowing me to be part of Your family and for giving me the privilege of writing devotions for the last twenty years.

I love You, dear Jesus. Thank You for loving me unconditionally, for giving me a new heart and for dying on the cross for my sins. You paid the price that I could never have paid.

Joanne Lowe
January 8, 2022

 JESUS REALLY CARES

"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
King James Version

Jesus really cares and loves us because if He didn't care and love us unconditionally, He would never have allowed them to crucify Him on the cross for our sins.

We read this (in the Bible "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:17, 18)

Ray Overholt wrote a heart touching inspiring hymn about our Saviour "Ten Thousand Angels". I love the words in this hymn.

"They bound the hands of Jesus In the garden where He prayed; They led Him through the streets in shame. They spat upon the Saviour so pure and free from sin; They said, “Crucify Him; He’s to blame.

He could have called ten thousand angels To destroy the world and set Him free. He could have called ten thousand angels, But He died alone, for you and me."

Is it any wonder why I have said so many times and will keep saying it until God calls me home to Heaven. No love loves us like our Heavenly Father and Jesus love us and nobody ever will.

Their love is unconditional and unending. They loved us yesterday. They love us today and They will love us forever.

I love You dear Heavenly Father. I love You, precious Jesus. I love You Holy Spirit. Father, please comfort and encourage all who need to be comforted and encouraged. Thank You.

Joanne Lowe
January 7, 2022

 STILL KNOCKING AT THE DOOR

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Revelation 3:20
King James Version

Have you opened the door to your heart and let Jesus come in to be your Saviour? For some people He has been knocking at the door of their heart for years and they haven't opened the door to let Him come in.

Please don't keep Jesus standing at the door of your heart any longer. After all that He has done for us, He deserves to not only come in to our heart but also to have first place in our heart. Does Jesus have first place in your heart?

Joanne Lowe
January 6, 2022

 IT WAS FOR US

"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"

Acts 2:23
King James Version

Pastor Baylus B. McKinney wrote the beautiful heart touching hymn "THE NAIL-SCARRED HAND". Every one of us needs to answer this question.

"Have you failed in your plan of your storm-tossed life? Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand; Are you weary and worn from its toil and strife? Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand."

What about you? Have you placed your hand in the nail-scarred hand of our loving Saviour? I don't know about you but there are days when my arthritis and gout hurt so much I can't get out of bed without Jesus helping me.

Thank You, Jesus, for caring about us and for loving us even when we do things or say things that hurt You. I love You and I appreciate all You have done for me. Thank You for the many times You have comforted and encouraged me.

Joanne Lowe
January 5, 2022

 OUR LOVING SAVIOUR

"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."

Psalms 32:7
King James Version

L. R. Tolbert wrote a beautiful hymn about our Saviour "HIDE THOU ME"  I love the words in this heart touching hymn.  "Sometimes I feel discouraged, And think my life in vain; I’m tempted then to murmur, And of my lot complain; But when I think of Jesus, And all He’s done for me, Then I cry, O Rock of Ages, Hide Thou me."

Even if I had all eternity to tell you what Jesus has done for me, it wouldn't be enough time. Jesus loved me when I was so unlovely. He took my hardened heart out and gave me a heart filled with love and compassion.

Yes, our loving Saviour loves us and He loves us even when we hurt Him. I have said this many times and I will keep saying it until God calls me home to Heaven. No one loves you like God and Jesus love you and nobody ever wil love us like They love us.

Their love is unconditional and unending. They loved us yesterday. They love us today and They will love us forever. I love You, Heavenly Father. I love You, Jesus. I love You Holy Spirit.

Joanne Lowe
January 4, 2022

 ALL WE NEED

"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
King James Version

Our Heavenly Father loves us so much He sent His beloved Son into the world to die on the cross for our sins and Jesus is all we need. Nothing we could have done would have satisfied God because He is holy and He can't look on sin. It took His Son to pay the price for our sins. Thank God for the blood of Jesus that washes away our sins. O how God and Jesus love you.

Joanne Lowe
January 3, 2022

 DID YOU ANSWER

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."

Isaiah 6:8
King James Version

Have you answered the call of Jesus to serve Him? He calls everyone of us to serve Him. He may not call us to be a pastor, a Sunday school teacher or to a position within the church but He calls everyone of us to serve Him.

Are you serving Him? You may not be called to be a missionary in another country or to a position in the church but He calls everyone of us to serve Him right where we live.

There are people who will go to another country, drive to another state or across town but neglect to encourage those who live around them. We need to be encouraging everyone who lives around us and reassure them that Jesus loves them.

Joyce Landorf Heatherley, a speaker and author, says on one of her teaching tapes about the people we sit next to in church "They look fine and they look darling but inside they are hurting".

What about your pastor? Are you an encouragement to your pastor? Have you said thank you to your pastor for all your pastor has done for you?

Pastors sometimes get up in the middle of the night to go to the hospital and be with someone who is sick.

I received an email several years ago from a pastor who was discouraged and brokenhearted who wrote "I was called to serve in a new church and nobody ever said anything kind and encouraging to me or to my wife or children while we were there".

One day all of us will stand before God and give an account of how we treated His beloved Son and our pastor. I don't know about you but I don't want to have to hang my head in shame because I didn't love and encourage Jesus and my pastor.

How do we encourage Jesus? We encourage Jesus by being kind and loving to one another. Jesus has told us to love one another as He loves us. It is not an option to love one another unconditionally as He loves us. It is a commandment from Jesus.

We read in the Bible. "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12.  Can you honestly say you always love unconditionally? I can't because there are times when someone hurts me that I get upset and either say something that is not kind or think something in my heart that hurts Jesus and then I have to ask God to forgive me.

Let's make a special effort to make Jesus happy by loving one another unconditionally jist as He loves us. If ever someone deserves to be happy, it is Jesus. He is the "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS"

I love You, dear Jesus and I appreciate all that You have done for me and all that You do for me every day.

Joanne Lowe
January 2, 2022