International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 10/19/22 Joel Griffith 10/19/22

Foot washing.

“Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” John 13:8

John 13:7 : ver 12

” John 13:8

Have you washed another person’s feet recently? I don’t mean have you washed your children’s feet or grandchildren’s feet or your elderly parent’s feet recently. Have you ever washed the feet of an acquaintance or a stranger’s feet? I led an Andy Stanley Bible study recently at Church and Andy spoke about the ‘new’ command from Jesus that called us to “love one another”. Have you washed another’s feet recently?

When Jesus was going to wash His disciple’s feet the response from Peter was “no, you will never wash my feet!” Peter didn’t fully understand what we are asked to do as Christ teaches us to serve. Jesus gave one more lesson while washing feet; being a servant is not merely a sign of inner weakness but of incredible inner strength.

Witnessing the washing of children’s hands throughout Trinity HOPE feeding programs in Haiti always reminds me of the lesson Jesus gave us when He washed feet. The washing certainly is a practical thing to do as the disciple’s feet were dirty from their walking in the sand wearing sandals, without cotton socks; their feet were dirty. The washing of the children’s hands in Haiti is also very important as their little hands have touched so many unclean items before lunch and the lesson of hygiene is important for them and their parents; their hands are unclean.

When Jesus told Peter that ‘unless I wash you, you have no part with me’ He was not only talking about his unclean feet, but was telling Peter and you and I and the children in Haiti that we are sinful and unclean and unless we accept Christ as our Servant and Savior, we will never be clean. We have His lesson to always remind us of the need of our service to Him and others. Go out into the world and seek and save the lost.

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 10/18/22 Joel Griffith 10/18/22

Challenges...what to do?

“This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”; Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings! Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:1-4 (NLT)

Haiti is certainly going through troubling challenges today. It’s been really difficult to read the news from Haiti this past year. None of us, here in the U.S. or our brothers and sisters and those precious school children in Haiti, can avoid the various troubles in life, but we can and need to accept that God has allowed them for our good. We're to view them as opportunities for rejoicing in the work He's doing in our lives; challenging us so He can change us to better serve Him in this fallen world. But how do we keep the trials designed for our good from crushing us? I read a devotion from Chuck Swindoll recently and he shared four words that will help us answer the question of how to handle challenges. They are Consider, Know, Ask and Endure.

These four words have the power to change everything. We Consider that God has a purpose in our troubles. We Know He's cultivating character and motivating maturity. We Ask for wisdom to see beneath the surface of the trials and challenges. And lastly, we Endure through the strength that comes from Him. That's how we handle troubles.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/17/22 Joel Griffith 10/17/22

Troubles, challenges...joy?

Remember the line from the ‘Music Man’ that went “We got trouble in River City”? Well my friend, we got trouble all over this planet on this Monday. It doesn’t pick and choose who is next. The hail falls on the corn crop of the unbeliever and also the neighbor who is a believer. The gangs in Haiti don’t care whose house they shoot at; friend or foe. Hurricane Ian brought destruction to every home in it’s path; good and evil. As James begins his discussion of troubles, notice his choice of words; “when troubles of any kind come your way”. His use of “when” here tells us troubles are inevitable for all of us; your side of the street and mine too. James doesn't say “if troubles come” or “when troubles come to somebody else”. It's when, not if. James has both of his feet in reality, and he wants his brothers and sisters in Christ, including you and me and the Haitian man in the attached photo, to know that troubles are inescapable.

But we can't get away from troubles. We may not have the same challenges as someone else, but we will all have challenges of some sort; we all live in a sin filled world. That's why James says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way.” I don’t have to think very long to come up with a list of troubles; you probably do. Many in our fallen world may have experienced anything from car trouble or broken bones to job loss or financial difficulties, rebellious children or marriage failure, chronic illness or betrayed trust, COVID or inflation. And the feelings that accompany these troubles; feelings of rejection, insecurity, guilt, shame, depression, worry, rage, and envy can cast long, lingering shadows over our lives. Regardless of the severity or duration of our troubles, we will all experience them. We are not alone.

God knows your circumstances right now. He knows the various troubles you're experiencing; those that come and go and those that come and stay. In fact, when God the Son walked this earth, He endured the same kinds of trials, temptations, and sufferings we endure. Because God calls us His children, He will faithfully lead you by the hand through your darkest valley; again and again.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/15/22 Joel Griffith 10/15/22

Jesus here on Saturday.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

It’s Saturday on this side of Heaven. Another weekend. Perhaps nothing can better describe our Lord Jesus with more grace than when we consider Him humbly stooping from His throne descending from heaven to bring a cure for the sinful nature of this world…on Saturday. Throughout the ages our Heavenly Father has again and again rescued His people from despair; the army of the Egyptians, the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Goliath, lions, pestilence, disease and all kinds of evil that satan continues to unleash on this fallen world…on Saturday.

How can we not offer our lives as living vessels to Him who continues to listen to the whispers of His children who are in trouble, starving, in danger or on their death bed? When the girl in the attached photo gives thanks to our Heavenly Father for the manna she has again received in a stone school in Chincheron…He listens to her prayer; even on Saturday. When we offer petitions that this child’s life and the lives of other children in Haiti would be His instruments to bring hope to Haiti in situations where there is no hope…He listens; even on Saturday. In whatever you do, wherever you may be, whether in word or deed; do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. I am going to close this Saturday with the words from the hymn “Now thank we all our God” which was written by Martin Rinckart in 1636.

“Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, in whom His world rejoices; Who from our mother's arms hath blessed us on our way. With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today. Oh, may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us; and keep us in His grace and guide us when perplexed. And free us from all ills in this world and the next. All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given, the Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven: the one eternal God, Whom earth and heaven adore! For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/14/22 Joel Griffith 10/14/22

Our last day.

“Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else, to the nearby villages, so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Mark 1:38

I read a quote that was credited to Steve Jobs in a devotion yesterday when he spoke to a commencement address when he asked “if you knew that today was going to be your last day, would you be doing what you are doing?” How would you answer his question? As you sit reading this message, how would your plans for this day or tomorrow be affected if these were indeed the final hours of your life?

In the Gospel of Mark our Savior had been healing the sick and following a moment of solitude prayer He tells the disciples that they should go elsewhere in the town to preach as there are many more that need healing and more importantly, the message of salvation.

If you knew that your life was nearing the end, would feeding this child in Ouanaminthe, Haiti still be that important? The mission of Jesus Christ was to give the message of salvation to the lost; He came into this world to save the lost. That is what He did up until that final moment when He said that “it is finished.” If I knew that tomorrow would be my last day, there would still be an opportunity for me to feed children in Haiti, who will take the message of salvation to the nearby villages.

Salomo Franck wrote the words to the hymn ‘I leave all things to God’s direction’ in 1685 and they are still good advice today, tomorrow and for the remaining days we have along our journey.

“I leave all things to God's direction, He loveth me in weal and woe; His will is good, true His affection. With tender love His heart doth glow. My Fortress and my Rock is He: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. My God hath all things in His keeping, He is the ever faithful Friend; He grants me laughter after weeping, and all His ways in blessings end. His love endures eternally: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. The will of God shall be my pleasure while here on earth is mine abode; my will is wrong beyond all measure, it doth not will what pleaseth God. The Christian's motto e'er must be: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. God knows what must be done to save me, His love for me will never cease; upon His hands He did engrave me with purest gold of loving grace. His will supreme must ever be! What pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. My God desires the soul's salvation, me also He desires to save; therefore with Christian resignation all earthly troubles I will brave. His will be done eternally: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/13/22 Joel Griffith 10/13/22

Who knew.

“I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.” Hosea 11:4

Who knew; how many of us really knew what our life journey would be like? When I was a young man working on constructing Interstate 80 in Western Nebraska through virgin prairie, there were times when the world pleasing paths that I selected ultimately separated me from God. He continued to pursue me while I was seemingly happily sloshing in the mud and mire on these tangled trails that satan provided for me to those areas that were a ‘sure thing’ when seeking adventure in a sinful world.

Who knew? He did not give up on me and He did not give up on you or the children in Haiti. He did not write me off as a lost sheep that was unable to stay in the fold. He did not despise, reject or abandon me. It is humbling to consider how our Heavenly Father followed each of us through the dark paths upon which we have walked, worked and wasted away.

Only our Savior Jesus Christ could possibly care enough for you, me and the children in Haiti to bring us to Himself. Just as our Good Shepherd brought us back into His fold, He feeds each of us. Who knew that our Heavenly Father would have brought you here today, to help in the process of feeding His sheep in Haiti? Who knew? My friend Alexa just completed playing a song by Randy Travis titled ‘I am going’ and I hope that its words will inspire your thoughts today as you go out and walk down your life’s journey.

“I am going where I've never been. I am going where there's no sin. There I will join my Lord and my friends; yes I am going where I've never been. Don't be crying those bitter tears; don't be crying 'cause I'm not here. I'll be happy the first time in years, so don't be crying those bitter tears. I have travelled life's weary highways and my last journey is at hand. I can hear the angels calling and I am going where I've never been.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/12/22 Joel Griffith 10/12/22

How majestic!

“LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:1-2

The above verses were in one of my morning devotions yesterday and when matched with the attached photo the words “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name” really jumped out at me.

I took the photo at the school called Font Baptiste which is located high in the mountains of the Arcahaie District. The door to this ‘classroom’ was open probably to coax a cool breeze to lower the temperature inside this small ‘shed’ of a room. What is taking place in this room is reason enough to say “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name.”

Our awesome Triune God is using your gift to help provide food to these 516 students who are daily being fed His Word and a plate of rice and beans and prayerfully, they will go out into their neighborhood and do His work of driving the vodou priest and his lies from their homes. And perhaps, they will give ‘hopeless’ gang members a reason to question why they are filled with Hope. Our God who gave His only Son for each of us so that we might have our sins forgiven and receive Eternal Life is using each of us to serve Him in this simple way, in the simple place to wage a war against satan. Beni soit L’Eternal!!! (Praise the Lord!!!)

“Oh Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. Oh Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. The heavens declare Your greatness; the oceans cry out to You. The mountains, they bow down before You so I'll join with the earth and I'll give my praise to You. And I will worship You.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/11/22 Joel Griffith 10/11/22

On this side...

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

When you live in the light of eternity, you don’t get discouraged as easily by trouble. You don’t give up because you know that what is coming is the best gift you’ve ever been given. These challenges and sufferings of our today’s are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time span of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever! So, we do not look at what we can see right now, the challenges all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have heard and read about, but we have not yet seen.

I don’t know what painful challenge you’re going through right now, but I can tell you three things about it. One, it’s not going to last. Even if it lasts your entire lifetime, it’s still not going to last forever. Second, whether or not you caused the problem you’re going through right now, God will still use it for good in your life. It will even build your character if you’ll surrender it to Him. And third, you’re going to be rewarded for your suffering for Christ in eternity forever. Just endured a hurricane, finished you last chemo treatment or ducked under a flurry of bullets from a gang of unbelievers?

When you arrive in heaven, you’ll be in awe of being in the presence of Jesus. But if you weren’t so overwhelmed by Christ’s presence, your first thought would probably be something like; “What was I thinking? Why did I spend so much time fretting about that challenge, worried about the doctor assessment of my health or trying to impress people on this side of Heaven? Trying to be popular? Trying to pile up a bunch of money in this fallen world? I had no time to serve God, no time to give, no time to share, no time for relationships, no time for what matters most. I was doing all the seemingly right things in this fallen planet. But why didn’t I make more time for what mattered most?

So much of what we do; even some of the good things, is not going to last. We need to realize that every second of our life has eternal implications. Every single moment. Every decision. Every thought. Every action. Every word. Every attitude. Every feeling. Every kindness. Every sin.

In the 40 Days of a Purpose Driven Life book Pastor Rick Warren encouraged the reader living on this side of Heaven to constantly be asking ourselves questions like; “Will this last? Does it deserve my money? Does it deserve my time? Does it deserve my reputation?” And most importantly, we need to ask; “Does it make a difference for God’s forever kingdom?”

May God be with you,

Jay

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

Sorrow and Hope.

“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. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.” 1 John 3:1-5

If tears were indelible ink instead of clear fluid, each one of us would be stained for life. How many tears have streamed down your cheek? How many tears have been blotted by your sleeve or a tissue? Tears of sadness and at times, tears of joy. The heartbreaking circumstances, the painful encounters with life’s many challenges, the brutal verbal blows we receive from the surgeon or an angry spouse, the sudden loss of someone we adored, enduring the long road of embarrassment from a stupid decision! Such is the groan and grind of life on this side of Heaven.

At the time of this writing, there are families from Florida with no homes to return to today. There are Haitian children not in school today because gang warfare is still waging in their neighborhood. The Florida family lost their home to Hurricane Ian and the Haitian child lost another day of learning and a lunch to a senseless gang who are angry with their government.

Who sat next to you in Church yesterday? I was the only one in my pew. The older I become, the more I sense that there is a broken heart in every pew. There are broken hearts all over this fallen, sin filled world. I read a quote from Percy Bysshe Shelley in a recent devotion. Mr. Shelley wrote that the word Sorrow was much like a mother "with her family of Sighs. And so she is. Stooped and weary of the monotony, yet ever bearing more children only to sigh and cry and die.”

A good share of the Haitian school children come from families without God. Their families need to hear their children share the message of Hope. Without God, there is no Hope. There is no second chance after death. There is a quote by Robert Ingersoll that relates the words of horror following death; "the echo of a wailing cry." But that doesn’t need to be the end. A message of Hope can bring a sense of Joy to death.

For those who believe that Jesus rose from the dead, defeated Satan and lives Eternally…there is Hope and Joy! Is this Hope and Joy for everyone? No. The majority? No. It's only for those who accept Jesus as their Savior.

Does it mean, then, that we won't have sorrow? No. It means we'll be able to overcome it and enjoy His victory in spite of it. Always going to be some hurricanes, cancer and gangs. Sorrow and her grim family of sighs may drop by for a visit, but they won't stay long when they realize your faith got there first, and doesn't plan to leave.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/8/22 Joel Griffith 10/8/22

Love, joy, peace...

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

While listening to a Christian radio station last night the speaker spent twenty minutes preaching predominately law and quoting scripture to back up his message. The speaker was not aligned with any specific church but seemed to be focused on ‘scaring’ people to repent of their sins.

The attached photo is of Pastor Thomas Bernard from Bon Berger Lutheran Church and School in Caredeux which is a suburb of Port-au-Prince. He is teaching a Sunday morning Bible study group ‘Law and Gospel’ from the Lutheran Catechism. Whether sitting in a Lutheran church in Illinois or in Caredeux, I can share with you that the balance was always the same. Martin Luther taught balance…always balance. If you only hear the stern ‘Law’ stuff it can make a person cold, distant, intolerant and unbearable. Hearing both tends to mold a person to be gentle, thoughtful, teachable and considerate; a Light.

The words of Ambrose in the Book of Concord support this balance; he denies justification to words and ascribes it to faith which liberates us through the blood of Jesus Christ. This balance is so important to our heritage and to the young children and adults living Haiti who are hearing this teaching…many, for the first time. There is a short hymn in the ‘Old’ Lutheran Hymnal titled ‘God’s Word is our great heritage’ that was written by Nikolai Grundtvig in 1817 and will close our message on this Saturday.

“God's Word is our great heritage and shall be ours forever; to spread its light from age to age shall be our chief endeavor. Through life it guides our way, in death it is our stay. Lord, grant, while worlds endure, we keep its teachings pure throughout all generations.”

May God be with you,

Jay