JohnsJournal

John's Journal features observations of Pastor John Lowrie as he walks through life watching for God at work.

Brother John came to First Baptist Church of Terrell in June 2006. Check back each week for new entries as John shares about how the Lord moves in his life.

October 31, 2007

Oswald Chambers reminded me this morning that genuine, authentic faith is not revealed in the sweet warm fuzzy experiences of a new believer, but in the dry lonely times when we trust that God is there even when we don’t feel it. Faith is truly revealed when things catch you off guard and you feel weak and ineffective. Faith is that quiet assurance that God’s presence brings when you call out to him in your helplessness. It is the peace that He brings in the midst of the raging wind, when all others are holding on for their lives you have a stability found through faith. Faith is revealed in the confessions of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they said, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Is this our confession of faith? I’m going to serve Him even if things don’t go my way. God is worthy of our service and our praise.

Bro. John

November 6, 2007

I love to start each morning seeking God’s special word for me each day. We have a God that desires to reveal Himself to us and reveal Himself through us. As we listen to Him each day we have the opportunity to experience His wisdom, guidance, encouragement, love, strengthening, etc. God desires to speak to us everyday if we would only learn to listen. This morning the Lord taught me that the closer more intimate my relationship with him is, the easier it is for me to trust and believe. What has God said to you this morning? Let me encourage you to seek out that word and write it down so that over time you will have accounting of God’s voice and you will be able to see the process that God has taken you through. It helps place your experiences in the context of God’s purposes.

Bro. John

November 27, 2007

We sang a song this past Sunday entitled the Wonderful Cross. It begins with that old hymn, “When I Survey that Wondrous Cross.” When was the last time that you examined the Cross of Christ? This morning the Lord turned me from looking at the wonders of the cross to looking at the wounds of the cross. For it is in the wounds that the wonders originate. Think of the crown of thorns pointing to the suffering servant who would be king. He today reigns with a crown of glory. Think of the spear that pierced his side and recognize that he was pierced for our transgressions. It was for my sins that He died. Think of the nails that penetrated his hands and his feet and realize that the nails didn’t hold Him on the cross, His love and obedience to His father held Him there. So that through His death the depth of the Father’s love might be fully known. Amazing Love how can it be that the Son of God would die for me. The wounds of the cross are indeed a wondrous picture of just how much God loves you and me.

Bro. John

Romans 5:8

November 14, 2007

How often are you genuinely aware of God’s presence? So many times it seems that we see him in the large, difficult experiences of life. My prayer this morning was for God to make me so keenly aware of His presence that I see him in the little details of my day. I want God to be able to catch my attention in the chirp of a bird or a gentle breeze. May I be aware and acknowledge His handiwork in the wispiness of a cloud or the browns and orange-colored leaves on the trees. The reality is that God is everywhere and He is available to be experienced and praised. I pray that God would open each of your eyes today to see and experience Him and give Him his rightful praise.

Bro. John