International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 6/21/22 Joel Griffith 6/21/22

Hand me another brick.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

I just finished rereading the book ‘Hand me another brick’ which was written by Charles Swindoll and in one of the latter chapters he was observing the differences between the ‘nobody’s’ and the ‘somebody’s of this world. A few weeks ago while reading obituaries, I was thinking about what kind of legacy others have left behind and also what I am leaving.

To many in North America the child in the attached photo is a ‘nobody’ who happens to live in Haiti. He attends the Pont Quenepe School in Gonaives and on this particular day in March it was really hot; like it usually is in his school. He speaks Creole and is learning French, walks to school and is happy to be there. His home probably has a dirt floor, no running water, no electricity, no food and sleeps in the same room with his parents and siblings. By ‘our’ standards he most certainly is a ‘nobody’. God didn’t create this child or you or me to be a nobody; He has a plan specially designed for each of us.

Our Triune God calls the lesser of this world to accomplish many tasks that clergy cannot do in many instances. I came across a story recently about a Doctor that became quite ill and one day a volunteer from his Church went to visit this Christian doctor and found him to be greatly improved and free from fear. The Doctor told of a visit that he had a few hours earlier with an older Christian surgeon who had prayed with him and given him a new prescription; read the passage from Joshua 1:9 for healing. The ill Doctor had been touched by God and not through a pastor’s care but by a fellow Christian.

This young Haitian child is being molded to touch another life or lives with the Gospel message; a nobody bringing news of somebody really special to another nobody. There are many nobodies in North America supporting the school feeding program at Pont Quenepe helping this young child to be something special for our Triune God.

Mr. Swindoll wrote about a drive that he and his family took in California and happened to drive past a Military Cemetery with rows and rows of white crosses and he commented on how these seemingly ‘nobodies’ buried in that hill had played an important role in securing our freedom. It was a very fitting comment, especially when you consider the work of this child, and the work of Trinity HOPE volunteers and donors. I don’t know what you have done or accomplished for this child and I don’t know how God will use him; I just know that He will, He has a divine plan for this child’s life, for your life and for my life.

Dear 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 6/20/22 Joel Griffith 6/20/22

Bob.

“If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.” Romans 14:8-9

Whenever I read from Romans, I am reminded about an acquaintance from twenty years ago; he and I had attended the same Bible class for a decade. Bob had a wonderful memory for Scriptures and could generally provide a verse that fit perfectly into our discussions. He memorized the Book of Romans and I imagine that after hugging Jesus upon his arrival a decade ago, he then headed over to the Apostle Paul’s mansion and spent time catching up with his hero.

Just as Bob lived by the above verses from Romans, you and I and the young children in the attached photo belong to the Lord. You, Bob and I may not resemble these boys from Gonaives, but you have to look inside and forget about the wrapper that we wear. What and where we are living today is temporary; not our permanent home. Where we are headed is important and we need to stay focused on that direction and take as many with us to Heaven as we can possibly bring.

I read a statement recently that asked why is a car’s windshield is so large and the rear view mirror so small? It is because our past is not as important as our future; we need to continually look ahead, stay focused on the future and move on toward that goal. Bob is with King Jesus today; sooner than we can imagine, you, me and these Haitian children will also leave this dusty earth and enjoy our permanent home in Heaven. A song recently played on the radio, “King Jesus” by the Oak Ridge Boys. One day we will be there with King Jesus enjoying the peace that is unimaginable.

“All the armies of the world will someday gather and they'll pass before the great reviewing stand. And they'll beat their swords and weapons into plowshares and the Prince of Peace shall give the last command. When King Jesus comes to live with us again He will show His righteous love to every man. Wars and strife will all be passed there'll be peace on earth at last when King Jesus comes to live with us again. Un-obscured the sun will drive away the shadows at the dawning of that great eternal day and there'll be no sounds of crying in the ghetto for all grief and pain and death shall pass away. When King Jesus comes to live with us again He will show His righteous love to every man. Wars and strife will all be passed there'll be peace on earth at last when King Jesus comes to live with us again.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/18/22 Joel Griffith 6/18/22

Call upon the Lord.

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21

The Bible tells us quite plainly that ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ and yet there are people who just don’t appear to call upon Jesus as their Savior. Why do you suppose that some people will believe you when you tell them there are four billion stars in the Heavens but will stop and touch the wall when you say that the paint is still wet?

At times it is difficult to share the truth in a world full of falsehoods; tales of deception spun by the prince of lies and spread like warm butter on soft bread by evil trolls in a world with wide-eyed people looking for something better that they can devour more easily. They need Jesus.

The two Lutheran boys staring at a missionary in Cap Haitian know about Jesus; they call upon His name and they will be saved. I heard a song recently called ‘Take the Name of Jesus with you’ that was written by Lydia Baxter in 1874 just four days before she died at the age of 65; what a way to leave a legacy. We all need to be reminded daily how precious and powerful the Name of Jesus really is and the promises that come to us when we call upon Him in prayer.

“Take the Name of Jesus with you, child of sorrow and of woe, it will joy and comfort give you; take it then, where’er you go. Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n. Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n. Take the Name of Jesus ever, as a shield from every snare; if temptations round you gather, breathe that holy Name in prayer. Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n. Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n. O the precious Name of Jesus! How it thrills our souls with joy, when His loving arms receive us, and His songs our tongues employ! Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n. Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n. At the Name of Jesus bowing, falling prostrate at His feet, King of kings in Heav’n we’ll crown Him, when our journey is complete. Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n. Precious Name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/17/22 Joel Griffith 6/17/22

Eternal life.

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1Timothy 6:12

Eternal life; what must that be like? Who, living on this side of Heaven, can possibly understand what that will be like? I know what tomorrow will be like, much like today, hot and humid, and when these days are filled with mean spirited people, selfish, spoiled, self-centered, rude and unbelievably demanding; then it seems like an eternity until tomorrow will come.

God placed me here for a purpose, He blessed me with another day; I evidently am in need of yet another lesson in patience. I am beginning to understand the wisdom of a very bright person in this world who wrote “I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay checks.”

Back in the day, when I used travel to Haiti with mission teams and see Christian children playing in a school yard, like the one in the photo taken in Ouanaminthe, it brings me a smile and peace in this world filled with its worldly ways that don’t have a clue what these small children are going through while daily living in Haiti.

Seeing them endure their daily hardship, and knowing what awaits them in Haiti brings my world into a proper perspective. We will have much to talk about in Heaven. Thank you for helping to make that possible by supporting their Christian education and providing them with a midday meal. Yes, you will see them one day, count on that. I heard a song recently written by James M. Black in 1893 titled “When the roll is called up yonder” and it reminded me that you, me and these young souls will be there one day, together.

“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more and the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair; when the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, and the roll is called up yonder; I’ll be there. On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise, and the glory of His resurrection share; when His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies, and the roll is called up yonder; I’ll be there.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/16/22 Joel Griffith 6/16/22

Being faithful.

“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” Revelation 2:10b

One of my morning devotions this week focused on the word ‘faithful’. The Bing dictionary gives the following meanings for this word, “1. Unwavering in belief: believing firmly in something or somebody, especially a religion or a political doctrine. 2. Consistently loyal: consistently trustworthy and loyal, especially to a person, promise, or duty. 3. Not adulterous or promiscuous: not having sexual relations with somebody other than a spouse or partner. 4. Conscientious: displaying or resulting from a sense of responsibility or devotion to duty. 5. Correct: accurate and true; "a faithful account of the events".

To what are you faithful? I have been faithful to many things in this world, machines, people, some dogs and a couple of cats, but ultimately, they have failed me and I at times failed them as well. There is really only one sure thing that we will never fail us; our Triune God. The Holy Trinity never fails us, never will; upon Him we place our trust.

The Haitian word for faithful is ‘Fidel.’ If you asked a child in a Trinity HOPE feeding program who they place their trust in, their initial response would probably, and prayerfully be ‘Bondye’ or God. Their HOPE is built on nothing less. Their second answer for what they place their trust in are the cooks at their school as typically when they get to school in the morning, they usually peek around the corner to see if their cook’s smiling faces are there and the fire has been started. The vodou followers in their neighborhood continue to plant seeds of unbelief that Bondye does not like them and there will be no food at their school. Thanks to you, the fire is lit, their faith is secure and growing stronger and the lies of the vodou people are once again proven wrong. Steve Green wrote the song ‘Find us Faithful’ and it seemed like a wonderful way to close this devotion.

“We're pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road and those who've gone before us line the way cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary. Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us run the race not only for the prize but as those who've gone before us. Let us leave to those behind us the heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives. Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe and the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful after all our hopes and dreams have come and gone and our children sift through all we've left behind. May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover become the light that leads them to the road we each must find.”

Thank you for finishing well through your support of Trinity HOPE; may your blessings leave a legacy for generations to come, here the U.S. and in Haiti.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/15/22 Joel Griffith 6/15/22

Orevwa.

“Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” Philippians 4:21-23

On this side of Heaven, saying ‘orevwa’ or ‘goodbye’ can sometimes be difficult. When you travel with a mission team to visit school children in Haiti there is always perhaps one or two children who will just linger and hold on to your hand, your shirt sleeve, tap your leg with their hand; just not wanting the moment to end.

Back in the day when I lived in Haiti it was me at the airport with the departing mission team, hanging with them at the airport while they stood in line waiting to enter the airport terminal. It was me standing there in the heat, trying to catch on more fleeting glimpse of their smile, one last hand shake, just one more hug…one last word in my language before they left for North America and I would return to my truck and drive back to my apartment in Petionville.

Back in the day, after a week of conversation with English speaking brothers and sisters in Christ, it was hard to return up the long hill on Delmas to a hot and lonely one room apartment. Saying goodbye can be difficult on both ends of the handshake. There is a song by a Gospel group called ‘The Nelons’ that is titled “Christians Never say Goodbye” and it comes to mind every time I have to say goodbye. Good bye to children in Haiti, goodbye to a loved one or goodbye to one who was close to death.

“I was standing by the bed side of a dear and precious saint with tear stained eyes I held his hand his life was growing faint. He looked at me and said; "my child why do you look so sad, I'm going now to my new home you'll see me again. Christians never say goodbye, we only move to our home on high; free from pain and never die with Jesus we will reign. A wife may lose her husband or a mother lose her child whatever the case we all can say Christians never say goodbye. Now he's gone to live in heaven, a life free from pain. His suffering now has an end and our loss will be their gain. By Jesus rights he is healed; his pain will be no more let's release the precious saint to the arms of the Lord.”

On a hot afternoon in Ouanaminthe, two girls stood by the open door of our vehicle waiting to say goodbye. Good bye is temporary in this world; on this side of Heaven. These faces will be reunited with us in Heaven. Thank you so very much for preparing these children for the reunion with Jesus, and with you in Heaven.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/14/22 Joel Griffith 6/14/22

Gifts that really matter.

“Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:14-20

While living in Haiti, it was interesting to observe many different mission teams that would bring gifts; suitcases full of odds and ends that seemingly must have been needed by the recipients in a faraway land…or so their team leaders thought. Our ancestors in North America gave blankets, beads and buttons to the Native inhabitants prior to moving into their land. When the Apostle Paul went out on his journeys Churches provided for him, not the other way around.

Paul was an ambassador for Christ and his message was the Holy Gospel and the news of the gift of salvation that is found only in Christ. Sometimes we stray from this direction and return to the ways of our culture. Instead of bringing that which is of real value and will last forever, the Gospel, we tote and deliver worthless trinkets that only bring short lived happiness. The child from Ouanaminthe in the attached photo is giving thanks to God for their daily food, and for your support. She doesn’t know you or me, but she does know Him who brought this food to her table. It is not about me, it is about Him.

I read a pearl of wisdom recently which says “When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.” Thank you for continuing to pray for the children in Haiti who receive the true gift of life and the gift of nourishment daily. Also never forget that you are in their prayers as well. I worshipped online a few weeks ago and the congregation sang ‘Christ be my leader’ which was written by Timothy Dudley-Smith in the early 1960’s and this song reminds us of the presence of Christ in our lives each and every day.

“Christ be my leader by night as by day; safe through the darkness for he is the way. Gladly I follow, my future his care, darkness is daylight when Jesus is there. Christ be my teacher in age as in youth, drifting or doubting, for he is the truth. Grant me to trust him, though shifting as sand, doubt cannot daunt me; in Jesus I stand. Christ be my Savior in calm as in strife; death cannot hold me, for he is the life. Nor darkness nor doubting nor sin and its stain can touch my salvation: with Jesus I reign.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/13/22 Joel Griffith 6/13/22

Thank you.

“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:10-13

If recollections of my experience living in Haiti and pictures of Haitian kids and Holy Scriptures do nothing more than causing you to better understand how blessed your life is here in North America and how wonderfully our Triune God continues to provide for you and all His children then all is well; Glory be to Him who has brought this about.

The attached photo is of Pastor Daniel Paul, his wife Clynie and their daughters in Ouanaminthe. Clynie gave me a “How to speak Creole” book when I first moved to Haiti in March 2001. It helped me to learn their language and I still have the book and open its pages frequently or before I would return to go back to be refreshed on words that have slipped away.

Pastor Daniel received his training at the Lutheran Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN and returned to Haiti in 2001 with Clynie to begin their ministry first in Port-au-Prince and later in Ouanaminthe. They have been blessed through a relationship with congregations in Washington State that have been mindful in assisting in ways that promote self-dependency. There is a Trinity HOPE school feeding program at their school and children in their orphanage are some of the children that attend this school. The song “Thank you Lord for Your blessings on me” by the Easter Brothers was on my computer gospel station recently and its words gave reason for the smiles from the Paul family.
“As the world looks upon me, as I struggle along. They say I have nothing, but they are so wrong. In my heart I'm rejoicing, how I wish they could see. Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me. There’s a roof up above me, I’ve a good place to sleep. There’s food on my table and shoes on my feet. You gave me your love Lord and a fine family. Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me. Now I know I'm not wealthy, and these clothes, they're not new. I don't have much money, but Lord I have you. And to me that's all that matters, though the world cannot see. Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/11/22 Joel Griffith 6/11/22

Our beautiful Savior.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy; think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me; put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

Back in the day, twenty years ago while living in Haiti, my quiet hours either in the early morning or at night if it was just too hot to sleep were spent searching for Bible verses to insert into PowerPoint programs that I would give to mission societies. The Apostle Paul provided me with a plethora of verses from which to choose from. These verses in the 4th chapter of Philippians rank very high on the closing passages that I used. And often, Pastor Darrell Stuehrenberg from Davie, FL would remind me when he read this passage that these were his life verses; Pastor Darrell is richly blessed as he is now with our Lord Jesus.

When we consider our mission, His mission for us, and how we can be used to do His mission and assist the believers in Haiti to reach the un-believers in their neighborhood, these passages should be considered before anything is planned. Too often well-meaning North Americans have gone off to foreign lands with mission ideas that have en-slaved believers in the mission fields. These types of ‘assistance’ do not go unseen by the un-believers; schools without a roof, broken trucks sitting idle for years, empty medical clinics and empty concrete block churches. Where is their God, the unbelievers ask; why doesn’t their God come back and fix these problems and finish the building?

The attached photo was taken in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. This school does not need to be fixed; it was built by Haitian hands. The clothes that this young girl is wearing are just fine. The food in the bowl is her daily meal. The smile on her face is genuine. She has a Savior who gave His life for her and has already prepared a place for her in Heaven. She has a message of hope. She has Jesus!

The hymn “Beautiful Savior” from the Lutheran Hymnal is such a wonderful reminder of what it is that we truly need and also what we have. No author was ever given for this hymn that appeared in 1677; I’m wondering if it was written by someone who sat way in the back of the sanctuary; a Lutheran who didn’t want this hymn to be about him, but rather about the Savior.

“Beautiful Savior, King of Creation, Son of God and Son of Man! Truly I'd love Thee, truly I'd serve Thee, light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown. Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands, robed in flowers of blooming spring; Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer; He makes our sorrowing spirit sing. Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight, bright the sparkling stars on high; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer, than all the angels in the sky. Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations, Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be Thine!”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/10/22 Joel Griffith 6/10/22

Encourage one another.

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.” Philippians 4:1-3

In the above verses, the Apostle Paul encourages the gathering in Philippi to be steadfast and likeminded in their faith in their Lord. The same can be said of us here in North America and also with the believers in Haiti and elsewhere throughout this world.

The two girls from Haiti in the attached photo could well be Euodia and Syntyche; they both attend the Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe. As you encourage them with daily food, they encourage others in their families, school and neighborhood.

Encouraging one another, through words, support and prayer, should be our direction. Words that lift up and not put down, support that encourages self-dependence and not continual slavery and most importantly prayer. In our sinful ways, we are not able to do these three at all times and must call upon our Triune God to provide us with direction, patience and a huge amount of perseverance. I heard the song “Precious Lord” recently, written by the Rev. Thomas Dorsey (1899-1993) and it reminded me of my need for daily prayer for myself, for you and for the children in Haiti.

“Precious Lord, take my hand; lead me on, let me stand. I'm tired, I’m weak, I’m alone. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light take my hand precious Lord, lead me home. When my way grows drear precious Lord linger near; when my life is almost gone. Hear my cry, hear my call, hold my hand lest I fall. Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home. When the darkness appears and the night draws near; and the day is past and gone. At the river I stand; guide my feet, hold my hand. Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home. Precious Lord, take my hand; lead me on, let me stand. I'm tired, I’m weak, Lord I’m worn. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.”

May God be with you,

Jay