Your things in order?

“He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’” Luke 12:17

In the parable Jesus tells of a rich man who had too much.  His crops were so abundant that he didn’t have enough storage bins to hold all of the grain; a good problem to have.  My crop yields were better this year than last year but my grain was transported to the grain elevator for storage.  This man thought that best way for him to alleviate this problem would be to build more barns and storage bins…tomorrow.  He took care of his earthly problems but didn’t consider his Spiritual problems as the Lord came to take him home.

Is your life in order?  How have the pages of your legacy been unfolded?  There are over 30,000 children enjoying a school feeding program in Haiti today, and the number of children waiting to receive this blessing is to date unknown.  These five girls from Bon Berger in Caredeux are extremely happy as they have received this blessing; their meals cost a Trinity/HOPE donor about a dollar and a quarter.

Like the rich man in the parable, we don’t know when the Lord will call us home.  As we look around us for opportunities to use our talents, treasures and lives we turn to Him, the Lord of the harvest and seek His directions.  I close today with the words to the hymn ‘Almighty Father, Heaven and Earth’ that was written by Edward A. Dayman in 1867.

“Almighty Father, heaven and earth with lavish wealth before Thee bow; those treasures owe to Thee their birth, Creator, Ruler, Giver, Thou.  The wealth of earth, of sky, of sea, the gold, the silver, sparkling gem, the waving corn, the bending tree, are Thine; to us Thou lendest them.  To Thee, as early morning's dew, our praises, alms, and prayer shall rise as rose, when joyous earth was new, faith's patriarchal sacrifice.  We, Lord, would lay, at Thy behest the costliest offerings on Thy shrine; but when we give, and give our best, we give Thee only what is Thine.  O Father, whence all blessings come; O Son, Dispenser of God's store; O Spirit, bear our offerings home: Lord, make them Thine forevermore.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Gather in My name.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

“You are in my prayers.”  Has somebody told you that recently?  It doesn’t matter to me if one person, three people or a congregation is praying for me; it is still a comforting and rich blessing.  The young boy in the attached photo attends the school at Bois Marchand and he prays for you; his school gives thanks in prayer for you.

Our Lord Jesus is present when His people gather together to pray.  The common prayer and fellowship is so important to their spiritual lives.  When this young child prays before going to sleep on the mat laying on the dirt  floor in his home; his relationship with our Heavenly Father is precious.  When you and I pray for the children attending Christian schools in Haiti our common requests to feed these sheep is heard, daily.  The hymn ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’ was written by Joseph Scriven in 1865 and his words seemed like a very good match for this devotion.

“What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!  What a privilege to carry ev'rything to God in prayer!  Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry ev'rything to God in prayer!  Have we trials and temptations?  Is there trouble anywhere?  We should never be discouraged, take it to the Lord in prayer.  Can we find a Friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?  Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.  Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?  Precious Savior, still our Refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer.  Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?  Take it to the Lord in prayer; in His arms He'll take and shield thee, thou wilt find a solace there.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Seek first.

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matt. 6:33

In all that we do on this side of Heaven, we should always first seek His direction for our plans.  North American mission teams should not build Churches on ground that is not already owned by the congregation; the local congregation should purchase the land first and then construct the foundation before a mission team leaves North America.

These children attending school at Merrotte were not blessed with a Trinity/HOPE feeding program until the Arcahaie District President, the school principle, teachers and parents fully understood what was expected of them to help the program be successful.  The prayers of those attending this school were not answered overnight; it came about in His time and in His way before the children were fed daily.

Too often we imagine that we are the ones in control and that generally provides satan with an opportunity to stir up a mess.  It can be a humbling experience to call upon Him when we have move forward relying upon our own wisdom and abilities.  Trinity/HOPE is feeding over 30,000 children in Haiti daily in 161 schools; this didn’t happen overnight.  He continues to bless this program.  I recently heard the hymn ‘Seek where ye may to find a way’ that was written by Georg Weissel in 1623 and I thought that its words are a fitting way to close this devotion.

“Seek where ye may to find a way that leads to your salvation; my heart is stilled, on Christ I build, He is the one Foundation.  His Word is sure, His works endure; He doth o'erthrow my every foe; through Him I more than conquer.  Seek whom ye may to be your stay; none can redeem his brother.  All helpers failed, this Man prevailed, the God-man, and none other.  Our Servant-Lord did help afford; we're justified, for He hath died, the Guiltless for the guilty.  Seek Him alone, Who did atone, Who did your souls deliver; yea, seek Him first, all ye who thirst for grace that faileth never.  In every need Seek Him indeed; to every heart He will impart His blessings without measure.  My heart's Delight, My Crown most bright, Thou, Jesus, art forever.  Nor wealth nor pride nor aught beside our bond of love shall sever.  Thou art my Lord; Thy precious Word shall be my guide, whate'er betide.  Oh, teach me, Lord, to trust Thee!  Hide not from me, I ask of Thee, Thy gracious face and favor.  Though floods of woe should o'er me flow, my faith shall never waver.  From pain and grief grant sweet relief; for tears I weep, Lord, let me reap Thy heavenly joy and glory.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

12 smiles.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1

What comes to your mind when you think about the love that our Heavenly Father has lavished upon us?  The twelve smiles in the attached photo bring a smile to my face as I have hugged each one of them; each one of His children attending school at Caredeux.  The world does not understand the reason for their smiles as these children live in a Third World country.

They know Jesus.  I smile when I think about being so blessed that I can buy lunch for these twelve kids for about three dollars.  As John Hall often said, “ain’t God good?”  The hymn ‘Hail, Thou source of every blessing’ was written in 1810 by Basil Wood and seems to express the joy we have when we fully realize all that is lavished upon our lives each day.

“Hail, Thou Source of every blessing, Sovereign Father of mankind!  Gentiles now, Thy grace possessing, in Thy courts admission find.  Grateful now we fall before Thee, in Thy Church obtain a place, now by faith behold Thy glory, praise Thy truth, adore Thy grace.  Once far off, but now invited, we approach Thy sacred throne; in Thy covenant united, reconciled, redeemed, made one.  Now revealed to Eastern sages, see the Star of Mercy shine; mystery hid in former ages, mystery great of love divine.  Hail, Thou all-inviting Savior!  Gentiles now their offerings bring; in Thy temples seek Thy favor, Jesus Christ, our Lord and King.  May we, body, soul, and spirit, live devoted to Thy praise, glorious realms of bliss inherit, grateful anthems ever raise!”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Living by faith.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died.  They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” Hebrews 11:13

What a beautiful statement regarding all those saints who fell asleep before the coming of our Lord Jesus.  It really doesn't matter how they died, where they died or when they died but the most important thing they had in common is that they all "were still living by faith when they died."  Our Heavenly Father wants you, me, these children from Haiti and all people on this earth to be living by faith when we breathe our last.  He sent His only Son to come into this world to seek and save the lost.

Believers in Christ should not die while resting in a recliner or basking in the glow of our earthly accomplishments, but firmly holding to our faith in our risen Savior.  The followers of Christ in Hebrews 11 understood that it is as precious to die by faith as it is to live by faith.  These children living in Haiti are learning more about their Savior every day and are enjoying their daily meal.  For many of them, their ancestors practiced vodou and probably denied Christ and did not receive the same promises of Eternal Glory in Heaven as these young saints are waiting for in the coming days.  These young children are confident of their acceptance by God, daily enjoying the rays of His love and resting in His faithfulness to the very end.  I close today with the words to the hymn ‘Savior of the nations, come’ that was written by Martin Luther in 1524.

“Savior of the nations, come, virgin's Son, make here Thy home!  Marvel now, O heaven and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth.  Not by human flesh and blood, by the Spirit of our God, was the Word of God made flesh; woman's Offspring, pure and fresh.  Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child of the Virgin undefiled!  Though by all the world disowned, still to be in heaven enthroned.  From the Father forth He came and returneth to the same, captive leading death and hell; high the song of triumph swell!  Thou, the Father's only Son, hast o'er sin the victory won.  Boundless shall Thy kingdom be; when shall we its glories see?  Brightly doth Thy manger shine, glorious is its light divine.  Let not sin o'ercloud this light; ever be our faith thus bright.  Praise to God the Father sing, praise to God the Son, our King, praise to God the Spirit be ever and eternally.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Not important?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesians 4:11-12

These verses were the focal point of my Prayer and Fasting devotion on Tuesday and they caused me to reflect upon the people who had and still are equipping me for works of service on this side of Heaven.  I’ve known people who get their “Hour of Power” on Sunday morning and that is sufficient to keep them going for the rest of the week…or so they say.  This sinful old man needs more ‘meat’ every day.  Being in the Word daily and connected in prayer throughout the day is so very important for being fully equipped.  The Apostle Paul insists that it is so important for our witness to build up the Body of Christ.

The world will tell you that this little girl at the Bon Berger Lutheran School in Caredeux is not important, she is too small and lives in a Third World Country; the thinking of our sinful world is wrong.

She is being brought up with the knowledge that she has a Savior who loves her and has conquered death and the devil; she will also learn that the Holy Spirit has much more power than the evil spirits from the vodou priest.  She is being fed daily in the Trinity/HOPE school feeding program and will grow up to be a strong witness of Christ, equipped to do His service.  Samuel J. Stone wrote the words to the hymn ‘The Church’s one Foundation’ in 1866 and these words seem to be a fitting way to close this devotion.

“The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord; she is His new creation by water and the Word.  From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.  Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth, her charter of salvation one Lord, one faith, one birth. one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.  The Church shall never perish!  Her dear Lord, to defend, to guide, sustain, and cherish, is with her to the end.  Though there be those that hate her.  False sons within her pale, against both foe and traitor she ever shall prevail.  Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed, yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up, "How long?"  And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.  Mid toil and tribulation and tumult of her war she waits the consummation of peace forevermore, til with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest and the great Church victorious shall be the Church at rest.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Two qualities.

Two qualities.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and compassionate are two qualities that seem to be in short supply these days.  When our world tells us to look up to our sports stars, movie stars, political commentators and musicians it becomes more evident that we are holding up the wrong people to idolize as the world tells us that if we are kind and compassionate instead of mean and always being number one than we are weak and not strong.

To forgive as God forgave us requires great courage and great strength; the world tells us otherwise.  The attached photo of a young girl at Labodrie seems to scream out the words ‘kind and compassionate’ when you look into her eyes.  Serving His children in Haiti is a humbling experience and the fruits of your labor and their labor will bring more children and adults into the Kingdom.   The hymn ‘All Depends on Our Possessing’ was written by an unknown author in Germany in 1673 and then translated by Catherine Winkworth in 1858 and words seemed like a fitting way to close this devotion.

“All depends on our possessing God's abundant grace and blessing, though all earthly wealth depart.  He who trusts with faith unshaken in His God is not forsaken and e'er keeps a dauntless heart.  He who hitherto hath fed me and to many joys hath led me, is and ever shall be mine.  He who did so gently school me, He who still doth guide and rule me, will remain my Help divine.  Many spend their lives in fretting over trifles and in getting things that have no solid ground.  I shall strive to win a treasure that will bring me lasting pleasure and that now is seldom found.  When with sorrow I am stricken, hope my heart anew will quicken, all my longing shall be stilled.  To His loving-kindness tender soul and body I surrender; for in Him alone I build.  Well He knows what best to grant me; all the longing hopes that haunt me, joy and sorrow, have their day.  I shall doubt His wisdom never, as God wills, so be it ever,  I to Him commit my way.  If on earth my days He lengthen, He my weary soul will stengthen; all my trust in Him I place.  Earthly wealth is not abiding, like a stream away is gliding; safe I anchor in His grace.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

My own stuff.

“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.  What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty.  “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.”  Haggai 1:9

Back in the day, nearly twenty years ago while living in Haiti; when I was driving through the country; visiting the Lutheran schools and congregations in the nine Districts in Haiti, I was frequently asked by the District Presidents to give a message on Sunday morning to their congregation on the topic of tithing; not a great way to make friends but a wonderful way to plant seeds and share in the joy of tithing and the realized blessings that always came following.

In my previous home congregation, there is a man who always seemed to be angry at the world, angry at our country, angry at Christians and angry at God, and the only time I ever really saw him smile was when he stated that he had never given one dime to a congregation.  He doesn’t understand that what he is withholding from God is preventing him from enjoying a fuller relationship with our Heavenly Father and more abundant blessings.

The attached photo was taken at Bon Berger in Caredeux on a Sunday morning; this was my home congregation while living in Haiti.  The average person in Haiti at that time had an annual income of roughly $350 and I would try to sit in the rear of the Church on Sunday, not because that is how I was brought up as a good German Lutheran, but I was curious to see what their offering plate looked like when it reached the last pew.

These people who had literally nothing to live on placed a few coins into the plate and to them, it must have been like you or I placing $500 in our offering plate every Sunday.  Our Heavenly Father's sovereign ways can cause our endeavors to succeed beyond our wildest dreams or they can defeat our plans to our own dismay and leave us looking for somebody to blame.  With a simple touch of His hand, God can steer our vessel into a profitable channel or He can allow it to run aground in poverty and bankruptcy.  The Scriptures teach us that the Lord enriches the generous but leaves the miserly to discover that withholding their money only leads to poverty. 

Over the years, the offering plate at Bon Berger got fuller and fuller and even had paper money becoming more prominent than coins; the congregation is being blessed.  To the man that I spoke of earlier there is a verse in Matthew that says “Selfishness will always look first to its own home, but godliness will seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness."  May your tithing be a joy and not a hindrance as you return a portion of your daily blessings to the One who gave it to you.  William How wrote ‘We give Thee but Thine Own’ in 1854 and its words seemed like an appropriate way to close this devotion.

“We give Thee but Thine own, whate'er the gift may be; all that we have is Thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from Thee.  May we Thy bounties thus as stewards true receive and gladly, as Thou blessest us, to Thee our first-fruits give!  Oh, hearts are bruised and dead, and homes are bare and cold, and lambs for whom the Shepherd bled are straying from the fold.  To comfort and to bless, to find a balm for woe, to tend the lone and fatherless, is angels' work below.  The captive to release, to God the lost to bring, to teach the way of life and peace, it is a Christlike thing.  And we believe Thy Word, though dim our faith may be: whate'er for Thine we do, O Lord, we do it unto Thee.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Prayer and fasting.

“Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.  Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” Proverbs 9:8-9

A week ago, I started going through ‘21 Days of Prayer and Fasting’ that is being done at my previous congregation, Christ in Lincoln, Nebraska.  It has been very good for me to listen to the brief morning devotion sent to my phone and then go through their guide and spend time in prayer.  Being diabetic, the time of fasting for me is just going to follow Vegan because being a lifelong carnivore, that is sufficient to cause my stomach to groan, growl and be drawn closer in my relationship with my Savior.

The above scripture reading from Proverbs was from Day 3 and it touched me in a few different ways.  Verse 8 warns about rebuking mockers, as they will hate you; it seems there is an abundance of that lately given the upcoming election.  Have you noticed recently?  It seems that people in general have become more critical, less civil, and ruder than ever. 

Why?  Because as sin in this world of ours increases, love decreases.  Sin is unhelpful, unhealthy, unfair, unwise, untruthful; and it is always selfish.  Quite often, the ‘worldly’ voices in our world tells itself that we are doing something for the benefit of others when they’re really doing it for their own benefit.  The central theme in most of the political ads that you see or hear recently is “It’s all about me…look what I have done”.

I recently received a mission email from a group recently that spoke all about ‘their’ work and omitted God from their self=serving comments.  So, why are you here on earth?  God did not make you to live for yourself.  You were made for something far bigger than that.  You were made by God and for God, and until you understand and believe that, life’s never going to make sense.

Our Heavenly Father didn’t create you so you could center your life on yourself and push or pull other people to the side.  You were created to know God, enjoy Him, have a friendship with Him, serve Him, and center your life on Him.  Possibly, you were created to provide s noon meal for this Haitian school teacher who will be teaching a child how to read and write; she may be your mission field.

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

See me as I am.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The LORD does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

We should all be thankful that God looks at the heart of a person and not their outward appearance.  If He didn’t view us through the eyes of Jesus we would be seen for what we truly are; sinful and unclean.  This world that we live in too often, almost all of the time, views a person by what they do, how popular they happen to be, what kind of a house they live in, what model of car they drive and the size of their bank account.

That is not what is of interest to God.  This child attending the Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe doesn’t have a school uniform; doesn’t matter to God as she is in school.  Her left leg has an ailment; not a problem, look what He did with the Apostle Paul.  Our culture is intent on ‘quick’ fixes to perceived problems in this world; Trinity/HOPE is feeding children for the long term.

She may sing in the Church choir one day or be a teacher at this school or give birth to a child who will be a Pastor; God is in control of her life and has plans for her future.  We continue to feed His sheep and watch Him mold these young lives into mission workers in His fields.  Charlotte Elliott wrote the words to the hymn ‘Just as I am, without one plea’ in 1836 and they seem to be a wonderful way to close this message.

“Just as I am, without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me and that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.  Just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.  Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.  Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need, in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.  Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.  Just as I am; Thy love unknown has broken every barrier down.  Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay