LOVE REMAINS

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Matthew 22: 37- 39

King James Version

I watched a family program on television. A stranger came to town with legal documents proving that all the land belonged to him. At first, there were shocked reactions and then anger took over. The town tried to reason with the man, but he was too greedy to listen.

At the conclusion of the movie, every man blew up his home with dynamite. They had decided that the stranger might own the land, but he didn’t own what they had built. They started walking hand in hand singing “Onward Christian Soldiers”. Their homes were destroyed but the love they had for each other remained.

O that we would have that kind of love for one another. When tragedy strikes our families, loved ones and friends, may we be like that town and join our hands singing “Onward Christian Soldiers”. There is no telling how many broken homes and broken marriages would be restored if we would love and pray for them instead of gossiping about the situation and criticizing them. May we realize but for the grace of God, we might be struggling with the same issues.

We will never be able to love our neighbors as Jesus has commanded unless we first love Him. We are powerless to do anything without His strength. When you die will you be remembered for your possessions, or for the love you gave to your loved ones and to the world?

Joanne Lowe

March 31, 2019

HEAVEN’S CAMPUS

“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

Revelation 21: 10, 11, 22, 23, 22: 1, 3 – 5

King James Version

We have many beautiful campuses but none of them can come close to matching the beauty of heaven’s campus. Not only is it the most beautiful campus; we have the greatest president of all at that campus and His name is Jesus. T

here will be no darkness on that campus because He is the light of the campus. He is such a shining light that there could not be any darkness. We have never seen a light as brilliant as the Lamb of God.  For those of us who have made a heart commitment to Jesus and asked Him to forgive us, cleanse us in His atoning blood and save us, we have this glorious light in our hearts right now. He is the light of our hearts and He shines His tender spotlight of love into the hidden corners of our hearts. Thank God for the light of the Lamb of God.

Thank God that one day out of His unconditional heart of love, He walked that long, lonely and seemingly endless road to Calvary and there allowed Himself to be crucified for us. There is no one like Jesus! No one loves like Jesus Loves! He is the dearest friend that we will ever have. He will never fail us and He will never leave us, not even for one minute.

All hail, King Jesus! Worthy is the Lamb of God! He is the beautiful rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valley. He is the one who gently and tenderly enfolds us in His arms of unconditional love, mercy, grace and protection and kisses away our tears of sorrow and grief.

Are you going to walk the streets of glory with Him? When He comes back for us and we see Him face to face will you be able to look Him in the eyes knowing that you served Him the best you could with His help?

Joanne Lowe

March 30, 2019

DOWN THE AISLE

“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”

Matthew 25:5, 6,10

King James Version

One day the trumpet will sound and Jesus will return for us. We must be alert at all times. We need to keep our hearts tuned with His heart. It is vital that we stay in right relationship with Him. In these verses, they were sleeping and some weren’t ready when the cry was heard. Only those that were ready could go in to the marriage and then the door was shut.

How is your relationship with Jesus? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? Have you made room for Him in your heart? Is Jesus, the Saviour of the world real to you? He should be the most important person in your life. If we really love Him like He desires us to love Him, we will have no problem finding time to spend with Him. Someone once told me, “If a person wants to do something bad enough, he or she will make a way”.

If you have ever been to a wedding in a church, you have seen the bridegroom waiting for his bride to come down the aisle. Jesus is waiting and watching for us. He paid the price of His own blood to become our Bridegroom. This is the Love that the Saviour of the world has for each one of us.

He does not play favorites like some parents do with their children. He loves all of us the same. His heart is filled with compassion, mercy, tenderness, understanding and forgiveness for our sins. He is standing at your heart’s door waiting for you. Open your heart and walk down the aisle to Jesus.

Joanne Lowe

March 29, 2019

OUR JOY COMES FROM JESUS

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Psalm 16: 11

King James Version

I think that there are times in all of our lives when we get discouraged and feel like we can’t give another smile or take another step. Sometimes it feels like we are being bombarded with bills, with problems, with heartaches and with crises.

No matter how many heartaches, trials and crises we have in our lives, if we have accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour then we have the joy of Jesus in our heart. Jesus not only gives us joy; He is our joy.

We can be happy when we are with our spouses, children, parents, siblings, loved ones and friends but it is only by staying in the presence of Jesus that we will have the fulness of joy.

Jesus is the only one who can take the darkness, the pain, discouragement and sorrow from our heart and replace them with the light of His unconditional love.  

He shines the light of hope and victory in our heart when it feels like we have no hope and when we are discouraged.

Joanne Lowe

March 28, 2019

AN ENCOURAGING WORD

"A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!"

Proverbs 15: 23

King James Version

Have you ever been in the midst of heartache and you didn’t think you could bear it anymore? Have you been so discouraged that you were unable to even pray? All of us have experienced times like these and then someone would say something kind to us and our burdens felt a little lighter.

Jesus said that we should encourage people and tell them that He Loves them. When someone tells me that Jesus Loves me, my heart is encouraged. Have you told anyone lately that Jesus loves him or her? Have you said a kind word to someone lately?

Not only are we to say good words to each other, we are to do things that will prove that Jesus Loves them. We can talk all day about the Love of Jesus, but if we don’t show by our actions the Love of Jesus, then our words will be in vain.

When is the last time you hugged your family and friends? Remember when you are hugging someone, you are hugging Jesus. Have you seen someone who was in despair and told him or her that it will be okay, Jesus understands?

Let’s reach out to others with our words and our actions and spread the Love of Jesus to those who are hurting and lonely and desperately need a kind word and a warm hug.

Joanne Lowe

March 27, 2019

DON’T DO IT

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

Romans 12:19

King James Version

Many years ago when I lived in Oklahoma there was a person who just rubbed me the wrong way. One day as I was driving past her house, I saw her in her driveway trying to change a flat tire. I am ashamed to admit this, however it is true, I started laughing. She had hurt me by some unkind remarks she had made to me and I was glad she was having trouble. Guess what happened to me? Within an hour, I had three flat tires while I was driving!

Before you start judging me, I suggest you search your own heart. How many times have you wanted to say or do something in retaliation to someone? Perhaps you didn’t say or do anything but you thought it in your heart.

How about your husband or wife, have they said or did something that really upset and hurt you? You may have stopped talking to them for a while or ignored them. The Bible says that we are to be at peace with one another.

We need to ask God to forgive us for our bad thoughts and actions toward other people and let Him handle the situation. We must never forget that when we hurt other people, we hurt Jesus.

Joanne Lowe

March 26, 2019

Don't Wait

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

1 Corinthians 15: 52

King James Version

Several years ago, God placed it on my heart to call a dear Pastor and wife that I had years ago. However, I kept putting it off for two weeks. The day I called to talk to them, one of their sons answered the phone and after we had talked a few minutes, I asked him to please put his mother on the phone. He told me in a quivering voice, "Mom died two months ago of cancer". I had waited too long.

O friends, I urge you, I plead with you, tell your loved ones today how much you love them and keep telling them until they grasp it in their hearts. Jesus is going to come in a twinkling of an eye and we won't have time to tell them. We think that we can tell them in the morning, or tell them that night. They may not have another morning or night. We may not have another morning or night. Please don't wait! Hug your loved ones now! Hug them before it is too late!

Joanne Lowe

March 25, 2019