International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 9/22/21 Joel Griffith 9/22/21

Grumbling.

“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 63:7

While I was driving home yesterday I had an opportunity to take some time to grumble about how bad the street condition was in my town as there still seemed to be potholes unfixed from last winter and my tires were screaming “repair this road” as they grumbled with me. Then yesterday afternoon, while looking through “Back in the Day’ photos that were taken in Haiti, the attached caught my eye.

This photo was taken on the main stretch of highway between Cap Haitian and Gonaives and this particular place is probably a few miles south of Limbe. The road is surfaced but is rough, automatic chewing gum rough; you don’t see many speed limit signs in Haiti because a vehicle generally cannot drive very fast under normal conditions to warrant a speed limit.

The woman on the left side of the road, is walking to a market to try to sell her goods; it appears that it might be a large pan full homemade peanut brittle in bags. Here I was, grumbling about driving on a rough road and this woman is walking for miles to sell her peanut brittle. Satan caused me to be discouraged and unhappy with this life and I was reminded of life in Haiti and now things are back in a proper perspective; for the time being.

Constantly being in the Word is His way of keeping you and me in that proper perspective. The children attending Christian schools in Haiti are also in His Word daily and they too are being reminded of how blessed we truly are being His children. Mr. Dennis Jernigan wrote the song “You are my all in all” and its words are a wonderful reminder of how important it is to keep our Heavenly Father in our daily thoughts and prayers.

“You are my strength when I am weak. You are the treasure that I seek; You are my all in all. Seeking You as a precious jewel Lord, to give up I'd be a fool; You are my all in all. Taking my sin, my cross, my shame; rising up again I bless Your name; You are my all in all. When I fall down You pick me up. When I am dry You fill my cup; You are my all in all. Jesus, Lamb of God worthy is Your name.”

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

Joel Griffith 9/21/21 Joel Griffith 9/21/21

Jabez.

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Back in the day, after a few months of having been living in Haiti in early 2001, a man sitting next to me on a flight from Port-au-Prince (PAP) to Florida told me about the book he was reading, “Prayer of Jabez” and at that point in my life, my prayer time really needed a shot of testosterone; I was weak and was facing a wall of big challenges. I bought the book while in Florida and it was short and I read it on the flight back to PAP. The entire prayer is in the above two verses.

I’ve read that there were ‘lots’ of people who ‘swear’ that God answered their specific prayers when they prayed this prayer. On 9/11 I shared the story of Father Mike and left you with the question, “are you in good shape with God.” How closely are you walking with Christ? Two very important questions about how God listens to your prayers and answers them.

There were a few things that I still recall from that little book. Jabez was walking very closely with God; he was very ambitious and he trusted that God would answer his prayer requests. Jabez had a strong faith. The story of Jabez pictured him as being a common man with uncommon faith. I am sure that you have known people like that along your journey; unshaken faith. Jabez prayed for God’s power, presence and protection in his life. Too often we seek stuff that we think may solve all of our glitches, mistakes and problems when all we really need is to be walking much closer with Him.

Our present time is really no different than Jabez’s time; we live in a fallen world. The older that I get, the more I realize that the closer I am with God, the bigger the target the devil places on my back. Moving to Haiti introduced me to the vodou priest and the horrible deeds from his temple. Moving to Haiti brought me much closer to God through my prayer life.

So, is there anything that you need God to accomplish in your life? Ask Him. Talk with Him. Get closer with Him. Get your requests in alignment with God. Pray the three things Jabez prayed; for God’s power, for God’s presence, and for God’s protection. And then wait and watch how God answers your prayers.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 9/20/21 Joel Griffith 9/20/21

Time to give up?

“He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15

This is such a good verse for today, and really for every day. Have you got a problem? God can handle it…if you just give it to Him. I read a devotion recently that had a good story that reminds me of this verse. “Imagine you’re sitting on a plane that’s about to take off. As the plane goes down the runway, you start flapping your arms. As the speed picks up and the nose lifts in the air, you flap your arms faster and faster. Once in the air, the flight attendant approaches you and says, “What are you doing?” And you say, “Oh, I’m helping us get off the ground.” It’s all about ME…NOT!!!

At this stage in my life, I’m thinking that most people will always trust themselves and their resources, and so when they see a problem, they think, “I’ve got to figure this out, I can do this. It’s up to me!” When that type of thinking happens, you have assumed and taken over God’s role, and it wears you outl because you were never meant to carry it in the first place. It doesn’t matter how big or small your problem may be; God can handle it.

You’ve been trying to solve problems in your marriage, your body, the economy, your school, the world and you’re trying to solve them with your own power. You’re trying to fight the battle on your own, you’re getting clobbered and you’re getting tired.

When you finally just give up and come back to God and tell Him you’ve made a mess of it, you may think you’ve let Him down. But you haven’t let God down, because you were never holding him up in the first place. You don’t have God in your hands; He’s got you in His hands. If you think that you’ve got God in your hands; it’s not God. It’s a bank account, it’s a credit card, it’s a Fix-it book for dummies, it’s an idol. If you’re trusting in something that you think you can control, then that thing is not God. You got a problem, don’t give up, turn it over to the One who can fix the problem.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 9/18/21 Joel Griffith 9/18/21

Holding God's Word.

“Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.” Psalm 119:11–16

If you have a Bible close by, would you please get it and just hold it in your hands and look at it for a moment or two…you are holding God’s Words. Now, look closer at these Haitian children in the attached photo who have just received a Gideon’s Bible written in French; their own language. This is probably the very first book that they have ever owned…and they can read it; God’s Word. They will read from God’s Word to their parents because their parents cannot read. Hold your Bible again…look at it; God’s Word. How precious is Your Word to us, our Heavenly Father. The older we grow, the more we realize it’s value and treasure it’s truths. We thank You for it’s precepts, clearly delineated and purposefully defined to give us direction when we are hopelessly lost. Thank You also for principles that, with wisdom, may be applied even in this twenty-first century, when it seems as though our fallen world's standard for living has gotten smelly, rotten and blurred with so much evil, making the future appear intimidating and frightening for so many hopeless people.

We are so thankful Lord, that Your Word gives light, because there's an enormous amount of darkness around us right now; here in my home, in my neighborhood, in my state and in my country. We want to live on the bright side of life; with You. We want to enjoy what You have for us rather than endure our circumstances in this fallen world. We want to see the beauty of Your purposes and how they all fit together into a divinely designed plan that makes great sense to You, and hopefully in time, to us. We rest our case there, even though there are times it does not make sense to us today.

Thank You, Father, for the way You speak to us through Scripture. May we realize its relevance and appreciate how often Your Word addresses the needs of our lives. In clearly stated words, it talks about where we live, how we are to live, and what life is all about; we desperately need that guidance. So we submit ourselves to You and we commit ourselves to the reading and the study of Your Word. May we be faithful and disciplined to this personal commitment. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Joel Griffith 9/17/21 Joel Griffith 9/17/21

Where do you worship?

“I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” 1 Kings 9:3

Prior to living in Haiti it was my perception that a congregation worshipped in a ‘Church’ and if the congregation also had a day school, that too was another structure. Most of the churches that are in Haiti are more like the early Church in Acts. The attached photo is of a home that was used as a Church on Sunday and as a school Monday through Friday; and it was shook apart by the earthquake a month ago and sadly, this structure, like all homes in Haiti, wasn’t covered by State Farm, or any other insurance company. How will it get put back together? In God’s time…in God’s way; He was there with them during the quake, the tropical storm and is still with them now. The principals desk also served as the altar. God’s people will worship under a blue plastic tarp if needed and the children will attend school in the same manner. God is still there with them.

Whether you worship the Triune God in a large brick or stone Church or a small concrete block building tucked into a small neighborhood; He is always there with them, with us, every day, wherever we may happen to be on this side of Heaven. The hymn ‘Christ is our Cornerstone’ was composed by John Darwall in 1770 and translated by John Chandler in 1837 and its words still provide us with the importance of Who is the cornerstone of our Church and lives; here in North American, in Haiti and throughout the world.

“Christ is our Corner-stone, on Him alone we build; with His true saints alone the courts of heaven are filled. On His great love, our hopes we place of present grace and joys above. Oh, then, with hymns of praise, these hallowed courts shall ring; our voices we will raise the three in One to sing. And thus proclaim in joyful song, both loud and long that glorious name. Here, gracious God, do Thou forevermore draw nigh; accept each faithful vow and mark each suppliant sigh. In copious shower on all who pray each holy day, Thy blessing pour. Here may we gain from heaven the grace which we implore, and may that grace, once given, be with us evermore. Until that day when all the blest to endless rest are called away!”
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

Joel Griffith 9/16/21 Joel Griffith 9/16/21

What's really important?

“Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22

What is really important to the child in the attached photo? This young girl attends the one of the Lutheran schools in Cap Haitian and on this particular day, she was visited by a Trinity HOPE mission team and received a bracelet that was used as a tool, to help her tell the story of our Triune God. Agan, what is really important to the life of this child?

She no doubt lives in a neighborhood where the vodou drums are pounded in the evening and animals are sacrificed. She no doubt has some members of her family that still visit the local vodou priest in hopes that they can receive healing or an answer to a problem that is happening in their lives or, to bring problems into the life of somebody that may have wronged them. What is really important to the life of this child?

She has heard the Gospel message; this little lamb is saved. Her light is being refueled to shine brightly in a neighborhood of darkness. The lone cupboard or bread box in her house is most likely empty each morning but she is being fed at school every day. Her light is shining brightly as she takes the message of the Triune God into the neighborhood that has been full of doubt and fear.

In the same manner as she hears the Word daily, she, and us continue to ‘do what it says’ as we continue along on our earthly journey doing His work and answering His call. In 1834 Edward Mote wrote the words for the hymn ‘My hope is built on nothing less’ and as you read those words, consider her life, your life and what our Savior accomplished for us and continues to accomplish through us.

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale my anchor holds within the veil. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. His oath, His covenant, and blood support me in the whelming flood; when every earthly prop gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh may I then in Him be found; clothed in His righteousness alone; faultless to stand before the throne! On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 9/15/21 Joel Griffith 9/15/21

Seek the LORD.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:8-10

As you sit and read this devotion today, please take just a few moments to consider what it is that you truly lack at this point in your life. Are you lacking stuff, time, friends, treasures, food, shelter or good health? The final verse from Psalm 34 should cause each of us to take an inventory of our own lives and also consider how others on this planet might reply of what it is they may be lacking.

The child in the attached photo attends the Lutheran school in Bois Marchand which is on the northwestern edge of Gonaives. I can’t imagine what she would say that she lacks, probably food at home as she told me that she had nothing to eat before walking to school and nothing to eat the night before we met on this hot day in March of 2010.

If we all continue to ‘seek the Lord’ we will realize how many blessings have been poured out for us and not be tempted by the ‘need things’ of this sinful, fallen world. Our Heavenly Father sent His only Son into this world to pay the price for our sins and Jesus promised that He has prepared a mansion in Heaven for each of us. Seek the Lord and lack nothing. In 1876 Henry Baker wrote ‘Redeemed, restored, forgiven’ and this hymn sums up all that we have today and will have in eternity.

“Redeemed, restored, forgiven, through Jesus' precious blood. Heirs of His home in heaven, oh, praise our pardoning God! Praise Him in tuneful measures Who gave His Son to die; praise Him whose sevenfold treasures enrich and sanctify. Once on the dreary mountain we wandered far and wide; far from the cleansing fountain, far from the pierced side. But Jesus sought and found us and washed our guilt away; with cords of love He bound us to be His own for aye. Dear Master, Thine the glory of each recovered soul. Ah! who can tell the story of love that made us whole? Not ours, not ours, the merit; be Thine alone the praise and ours a thankful spirit to serve Thee all our days. Now keep us, holy Savior, in Thy true love and fear and grant us of Thy favor. The grace to persevere till in Thy new creation; earth's time-long travail o'er, we find our full salvation and praise Thee evermore.“

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 9/14/21 Joel Griffith 9/14/21

Thankful for hard times.

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.” Psalm 42:1-4

When a wall of barbed wire is placed smack dab in the middle of our journey, we need to thank our Heavenly Father for those times when life is hard, when we can’t handle life’s challenges on our own, when we fully realize that our wisdom and resources are inadequate. Our North American culture makes this a hard pill to swallow.

When my wheels are stuck in the slimy muddy goo of this world there is a part of me that absolutely hates the situation and want to shifts to Low Four Wheel Drive, and I have no choice but to remember how much I need my Heavenly Father and in these times I can feel the longing of my soul for His presence, love and protection. The people that live in this stone house in the Arcahaie District are sitting in their home and probably don’t see themselves facing problems as I do when I snapped this photo. No electrical or telephone lines running into their house or indoor plumbing.

Their children attend Lutheran school at Chincheron and they have heard about our risen Savior and know about the word ‘Salvation’ and have turned away from the vodou priest; their lives have a purpose to share His message. Without our Heavenly Father, our lives would have no purpose. Without Him, we all would faint from exhaustion and fade away and not receive our Crown of Life. Without Him, our discouragement with this world would stack up higher and higher, with no hope of relief. So we yearn for the presence of our Heavenly Father and like a deer and the water, He alone can satisfy our soul. In 1984 Martin Nystrom took the words of this psalm and put them to music: “As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship Thee.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 9/13/21 Joel Griffith 9/13/21

It's not about me.

“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which Christian Church He daily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins of all believers, and will raise up me and all the dead at the last day, and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true.” The Explanation of the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed by Martin Luther.

Probably twenty years ago, there was a popular book called the ‘Forty days of Purpose’ by Rick Warren. This was a Bible study that many millions of people went through and I went through this book a number of times; once with a group Gloria Dei Lutheran in Davie, FL and also with a few close friends via E-mail while living in Haiti and now that well-read book stands on my desk only being referenced occasionally.

The truly important part of this book in my mind was that our being here is not about me, it is about our Triune God. He is the one preparing us and providing opportunities to use the time, talents and treasures that He has provided to us; we are not calling the shots…HE is. I don’t know if Mr. Warren studied Martin Luther but he might have as the phrase Luther wrote in the 1500’s “the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth” certainly reminds us today what Force is working through us every day.

The girl standing next to me in Messif in the attached photo, has been called by the Holy Spirit to do His work. The Holy Spirit does not just choose the tall or short, the young or old, the rich or poor, the sick or healthy or the meek or the courageous; He calls us all. This child living in Ouanaminthe, you and I are all being daily called by the Holy Spirit to use the gifts that we have been given to do His work; bring one more soul to hear the news of a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

Your gifts are different than her gifts and also different than mine. Thank you for letting the Holy Spirit move you to help prepare this child for her call. A wonderful way to close this devotion is by using the words to a Welsh hymn ‘Sent forth by God’s blessing’ which was written by Omer Westendorf (1917-1997).

“Sent forth by God's blessing, our true faith confessing, the people of God from this dwelling take leave. The supper is ended. Oh, now be extended the fruits of this service in all who believe. The fruit of Christ's teaching, receptive souls reaching, shall blossom in action for God and for all. His grace did invite us, his love shall unite us to work for God's kingdom and answer his call. With praise and thanksgiving to God ever-living the tasks of our everyday life we will face. Our faith ever sharing, in love ever caring, embracing the children of each tribe and race. With your feast you feed us, with your light now lead us, unite us as one in this life that we share. Then may all the living with praise and thanksgiving give honor to Christ and his name that we bear.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 9/11/21 Joel Griffith 9/11/21

Are you in good shape with God?

“Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46:8-11

Where were you twenty years ago today? When did you learn about the planes flying into the World Trade Center in NYC? What was going through your mind at the time? Back in the day, on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I was living in the headquarters building of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) at Delmas 83, Rue Ludovic No. 5, in Petionville, Haiti. At that point in time, in our office building which was a two-story 3 bedroom house, there was no Internet service, no full-time electricity and no smart phone. On that day at 8 AM, I drove to a Cyber Café on Delmas 75 where for $5, I was given an hour of Internet access on their PC. This private business was owned by a Haitian family and was located in the front two rooms of their home. The building was concrete block construction with open windows that had no glass but had reinforced metal bars in them and I recall that the weather that morning was probably 85 with matching humidity, both indoors and outside. When I went inside the front waiting room and there were a few Haitians sitting on folding chairs watching ‘Three’s Company’ on a French-Canadian station and they were enjoying the program. The second room had three folding tables and each had two P.C.’s, two plastic chairs and an electric fan that stirred up the humidity and recirculated it more evenly in the room. Room three and four were their living quarters and they also had a few baby goats that attracted a cloud of gnats into the blended mixture of hot and humid air.

At probably 8:45, while I was just about finished and was sending a report that detailed my visit to the Jeremie District out to members of the Haiti Lutheran Mission Coordinating Committee (HLMCC) who I was working with at the time, it got quiet in the front room. It struck me, that the snickering and laughter had ceased from the Sitcom and the mood had grown somber with muffled gasps and when my hour was up I went to the front room and watched the United Airlines flight 175 fly into the Second Tower of the World Trade Center in NYC.

I was speechless and tried to comprehend what was happening before my eyes. I left and drove back to the office and went to my bedroom on the second floor at the ELCH headquarters. The only way that I could get any news was with my solar radio and the station didn’t really have many details the first few days. My LCMS supervisor was Rev. Jim Tino, who at the time was the Area Director for the Caribbean and he called me around noon on 9/11 via my Satellite phone to check on my safety. The LCMS had begun pulling in some other missionaries who were located in other parts of the world and asked if I wanted to come back home as well. I felt safe and told him I was going to stay in Haiti.

Due to the 60-day VISA requirements placed on me at that time, I was scheduled to leave Haiti in mid-October to speak at a few locations in South Florida and after arriving at the Miami airport and leaving the customs area with my bag, the changes in my homeland became very different and dramatic. Pairs of U.S. soldiers wearing camo with weapons patrolling the airport and cars driving in with small USA flags fluttering from their windows; much had changed.

Since leaving Haiti in December 2003, I have tried to fill in the gaps in my memory of what took place on 9/11 and a few weeks ago, Rev. Dr. Luke Schnake mentioned a book that the Reader’s Group at Christ Lincoln were reading before today, September 11. The title is “The Only Plane in the Sky; an oral history of 9/11” by Garrett M Graff. It was written with the actual words of people from that day; fireman, police, pilots, workers in the Towers, Pentagon, family members of those who perished and some politicians. It was a fascinating book that grabbed my attention while reading the challenges they faced along their journey.

There was one story that I want to share with you today as it’s a good direction for all of us, and it is about Chaplain Mychal (Mike) Judge, who was a chaplain with the FDNY and the exchange he had with Mayor Rudy Giuliani on that day. Mayor Rudy Giuliani tells the story of his brief passing with Father Mike on 9/11; “I said to Father Judge, “please pray for us.” He put a smile on his face and said, “I always do.” I said, “Thanks.” We didn’t quite have a chance to do the whole joke; I used to say to him, “Pray for me.” He would say, “I will.” I’d say, “It’s more effective if you pray ‘cause you’re in a lot better shape than I am with God.” He (Father Judge) would say, “Yeah, but it’s better if you do it ‘cause it’s more unusual, and it will be more of a surprise to God.” Father Judge completed his work on earth a few minutes later that morning. There was a photo of five fireman carrying a chair holding the body of Father Judge outside the North Tower. So many lives were taken so suddenly on that day…in a flash and their journey was over. I pray that you are in good shape with God today and that He has heard your voice and read your thoughts today and that you are ready when His hand reaches out to yours.

May God be with you…Jay