International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 6/20/23 Joel Griffith 6/20/23

The Gospel Light.

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130

The girl in the attached photo has her finger to her lips, and if you could hear her, she is singing ‘Ti limyè Levanjil mwen an.’ which translated is ‘This little Gospel light of mine’; she is going to let it shine. Everyone needs light. You need physical light to make sure you can see the world around you, to avoid running into obstacles. Through his Word, God wants to provide light for your mind too. His Word is a light unto our path.

Our Heavenly Father wants to give us His light; to every single person in this fallen world. He wants to light up your mind with the truth of who He is and reveal His next step for your life. Being in His Word daily is often the key to turning on that light. You have to soak your mind in the light. Biblical meditation isn’t losing your mind to the timely relevance of this flawed world; it’s focusing it on His Word. When you do that, you bring light to your life; His Gospel light. His Word gives you direction in life. It shows you the path God wants you to take.

When Psalm 119 was written, the “lamp” referred to a candle in a lamp that people carried with them as they walked in the darkness. This Haitian girl’s finger represents the flame of a candle; her Gospel light. The ancient candle was similar to how we might use a flashlight today. If you hold a flashlight and you want the light to shine further down your path, you have to take the next step. Have you ever been outside on a dark night and trying to find your way? God gives us just enough light for the next step. You shine His light and then take that next step, and God gives you light for the next step after that. If you want to see wonderful things from God’s Word, then ask Him to open your eyes to what He wants to do through your life. He’s ready to turn on the light.

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 6/19/23 Joel Griffith 6/19/23

When IT is near.

“Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:33-36

A friend posted a piece on Facebook last week; the top of the frame showed two houses; one was small and in need of repair and was labeled poor people live here. The other house was very large and opulent and labeled rich people live here. And in the next frame were two freshly dug graves of the same dimensions and depth and that revealed where we all will end up one day. This reminded me of a Men’s Network video driven Bible study that I led some thirty years ago where a hearse was winding it’s way through a beautiful urban cemetery with a U-Haul trailer in tow. You may have a lot of stuff, but you won’t be taking it with you when the day that IT has been appointed for you, the one on the other side of the dash on your stone, unexpectantly arrives. Not much lasts forever on this side of Paradise. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

The Bible is still the most read, most published, and most translated book in the world. And, most importantly, it’s still changing the lives of those who apply what it teaches to their lives and influence others wandering aimlessly without Hope. There are seemingly a large group of souls in this fallen world who need to hear the truth from the pages of God’s Word.

One of the reasons that I believe the Bible is God’s Word is that it has survived so many attacks throughout history. At different times throughout history, it’s been illegal to own a Bible. In fact, that’s still true in some countries today. Many people have been arrested, jailed, and even killed because they refused to give up their copies of the Bible. And still the Bible has survived.

Despite all the attacks, today the Bible is the greatest single source for so many cultural achievements. It’s the greatest source for music, art, and architecture. If you took the Bible out of culture, you would destroy most of the major music, artwork, and architecture of the past 2,000 years. Even much of our English language comes from the King James Bible. Only the Word of God will last forever because truth is eternal. Everything else in our fallen world will pass away one day.

Voltaire, the famous French philosopher who lived from 1694 to 1778, was a brilliant atheist. He wrote a number of letters deriding the Bible. One of his writing’s made a very bold statement: “One hundred years from today, the Bible will be a forgotten book.” NOT! Today, way too many people have forgotten that quote, but they haven’t forgotten the Bible! No matter how hard the Hopeless attack the Bible; it always survives and it always will. You can depend on that. Read it. Believe it. Trust it. God’s Word will provide you with Hope for tomorrow and peace when IT is here.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/17/23 Joel Griffith 6/17/23

Facing challenges.

“He (Joseph) replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?” “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.” Genesis 37:16-22

Have you ever faced a challenge that just seemed too huge and unfair? A few weeks ago I walked out of the hospital with an identification band on my wrist and a bandage around my elbow where they drew blood to determine if my foot was infected; I felt violated. I happened to see a member from my church outside the hospital, slowly walking to her ride using a cane and had just been subjected to tests far more challenging than mine; I began to pray for her. We all face challenges, some greater than others. It happens quite frequently in the Bible. We can take heart knowing that God cared for those saints just as He has promised to look after each of us.

I read the above verses in a devotion recently about Joseph. He certainly didn’t want to be killed and thrown into a well. This Saturday certainly is a good time to recall several lessons we can learn from Jacob's family and Joseph's adversity. Joseph and his father must have spent some long hours in prayer. I know that is what I would do, because that has brought me closer to Christ when challenges have darkened my pathway.

When we are facing nasty challenges on this side of Paradise, it is really important to find one reason for Hope. No action to find Hope is more powerful than prayer. Where else can we turn for hope? Prayer brings power to endure. Those who are older are a source of wisdom for young parents and for children and grandchildren. Single men and women also have much to offer, whether within their own extended families or within the family of the church. Broken, hollow lives can find new strength to recover through conversations with Christ.

I can only imagine that Joseph, without question, turned his situation over to God, even as the caravan made its way toward Egypt. Surely he knew, even at seventeen, that his only hope would come through God's faithful promise. Just as we have done when faced with challenges, Joseph must have cried out to the One who, alone, was in sovereign control of his future! And so must we!

The young Haitian boy in the attached photo was dropped off at a Pastor’s gate in St. Marc with all of his earthly possessions one hot afternoon. He was left alone, without a note…without Hope. He was too young to realize how big of a challenge he was facing. God had a plan for this child and he was taken in by Pastor Bruce and raised in a home by a family that helped him face new challenges along his journey. God has a plan for you as well.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/16/23 Joel Griffith 6/16/23

Memory work 2.0

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

I came across this verse in a devotion yesterday and thought it would be good to share with you, since yesterday was about memorizing Bible passages. I like that thought of ‘hiding’ God’s Word in your heart, because when you memorize it, that helps you break patterns of sin in your life and mature in your faith.

I read in a devotion from Rick Warren recently a few simple steps you and I can follow to help start memorizing God’s Word. First, pick a verse that speaks to you. Don’t just choose a verse because you think you should memorize it. Memorize it because you want to; because you believe it has relevance with you and will make a difference in your life.

Next, say the Scripture reference out loud before and after the text. Sometimes the reference is the hardest thing to remember, so by saying it out loud before and after the verse, it becomes easier to remember. Next, read the verse aloud, and read it many times. Many people remember what they say, not what they read. As you say a verse aloud, you’re recording it in your mind. Next, memorize it exactly. Don’t try to create your own verse of the Scripture before you learn it. Learn it as it is in the Bible.

And finally, start by memorizing one verse a week if you are able. In time you may be able to learn two verses a week, but start slowly. As I mentioned in a previous devotional, if you memorize one verse a week, you will memorize 52 verses in a year!

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/15/23 Joel Griffith 6/15/23

Memory work.

“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it; not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it, they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:25

During the message on Sunday, I still jot down notes, like I did when I took sermon notes sixty years ago and also when my daughters were in Confirmation class just in case they had questions. But memory work now at 72? The top of my memory list now is whether my zipper is up. I am quite sure your memory is much better than mine.

This verse from James encourages us not to forget what we have heard and learned. If you’re serious about being spiritually strong and mature, the greatest habit you can develop is memorizing Scripture. I watched an Andy Stanley study recently and he showed that within this verse there are four habits that lead to a blessed life. Read your Bible; “Whoever looks intently”.

· Review the Bible; “continues in it”. Remember the Bible; “not forgetting what they have heard”. Respond to the Bible; “but doing it”. Even if you’re not used to memorizing, it’s a skill you can learn; it’s a muscle you can strengthen. In fact, memorizing Scripture will cause your brain to have a stronger memory in other areas. For me it is starting to help me with NAMES. Study after study has shown this. Why is it important to memorize Scripture? In Lutheran churches on Sunday morning throughout Haiti the children and adults would recite their memory work before the congregation prior to the start of the worship service.

You’ll always have God’s Word with you. When you’re facing a challenge and walking towards the House of Doubters, you usually don’t have a Bible open or by your side. When you’re witnessing to someone who doesn’t know Jesus, is under stress, needs comfort, or is in a crisis; there’s usually not a Bible around. You need God’s Word in your mind so you can remember it and review it right when you need it.

You can meditate on Scripture wherever you go. If you’ve memorized Scripture, you can think about it when you get into bed at night or as you drive to an appointment. When you think about a portion of Scripture that you’ve memorized, you’re meditating on it. And the only promise of prosperity and success that God gives us in the Bible says that meditating on his Word is the key.

I want to encourage you to start memorizing Scripture today. Pick a verse a week. In a year, you’ll have memorized 52 verses. In two years, you’ll have memorized more than 100 verses. As you place God’s Word within your heart, you’ll find yourself growing more and more into the person God wants you to be.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/14/23 Joel Griffith 6/14/23

Money message Sunday.

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Way back in the day at Christ Lutheran in Lincoln, NE, once a year Pastor Reimnitz would have a member of the Finance Board give the ‘money sermon’ to our congregation. I was on the Elder board and thankful that wasn’t something our board would have to give to the congregation. And then I went to live in Haiti in March 2001. After a few months, my Haitian supervisor, Pastor Thomas Bernard from Bon Berger Lutheran Church in Caredeux, asked if I would give a message on tithing to his congregation on Sunday. Money Sunday.

The congregation in Lincoln had wallets with folding money and credit cards and shiny cars in the parking lot. The congregation in Caredeux had literally nothing by the way we in North America viewed them. If they had but one Haitian dollar of Haitian coins in their pocket they should tithe. Ten Gourdes to God, ten into a savings jar and the remaining eight were theirs to spend. Tithing in my mind is the personal act of gracious giving.

I read once that there are four qualities to tithing. First, grace is so attractive and it individualizes the gift. When you give by grace, you give individually. You give proportionately to your own income. Doesn’t matter if your pocket contains ten dollars or ten Gourdes which at the time was less than a dollar. You have needs and you have an income to meet those needs. That combination is not unlike anyone else's on this side of Paradise. You are an individual; a child of God. When you give on that basis, your gift is an individual kind of gift. We are not all placed into a tank, blended together and then "required" to give exactly 10 percent. Though if everyone gave 10 percent, we would have such an enormous surplus in God's work we would not know what to do with the extra funds.

Second, grace is so attractive; grace makes the action joyfully spontaneous. I never have been able to understand why most everyone in the church looks so serious when the plate is passed during the offering. Wouldn't it be great if when the offering plates are passed in church next Sunday that instead of grim looks, stoic silence, and soft organ music you heard laughter? We should be thankful for being able to give back to the Giver; the word ‘cheerful’ is literally a Greek term from which we get the word "hilarious." "God loves a hilarious giver."

Third reason grace is so attractive is that it enables us to link up with God's supply line. When we possess an attitude of grace, we give. We give ourselves. We give from what we earn. And our Heavenly Father, the Giver of everything, in turn, gives back in various ways, not matching gift for gift, but in an abundance of ways, He goes beyond. And lastly, fourth; grace leads to incomparable results. You can’t outgive the Giver. There it is, my money message. The next time you place your offering into His Hands; please smile.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/13/23 Joel Griffith 6/13/23

Scratching the soil.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1:19-21

By now, you probably are well aware that my thumbs and fingers are not green like many others within my lineage. I got a few peppers, a tomato and cucumber plant on my deck. They are clinging to life and seem to shudder when I approach them with a container full of water. Any gardener will tell you that you can take the exact same seed and plant it in three different locations and get three different results. I have heard this before. My mom always said that the reason Aunt Esther’s garden was so plentiful was because of the well water in Utica, NE. One time while visiting her, mom had me sneak out a five gallon container of water from her cistern in Utica. I don’t recall the result of that covert mission.

In one spot, you may get giant tomatoes. In another, you may get small tomatoes. And in a third, you may not get anything at all. What’s the difference? Water from Utica? It’s not the seed; it’s the soil. The soil must be prepared for the seed. Or so they say. The same is true when you hear God’s Word. Your heart has to be prepared for the Word.

Church service is a great example of this. If you get up late, have trouble finding a parking spot, and are irritated as you rush by the greeter and head into church, you’re probably not going to hear God’s voice! Your heart is not prepared to receive God’s Word. Has that ever happened to you?

That’s why two people may go to the same church service, sit side by side, and hear the same Scripture read and sermon preached. One will walk out thinking God really spoke to them, and the other won’t get anything at all out of the service. The heart of one person was prepared; the other’s heart wasn’t. Scripture teaches us that, for your heart to be prepared to receive God’s Word, you need to have four attitudes. First, be quiet; put aside the distractions. Next, be calm; don’t let your mind rush God. If you’re frantic and putting words in the pasto’rs message, you’re not going to hear Him. Third, be clean. Before you can meet with God, you need to confess your sin to Him and ask Him to forgive you.

And last, be humble. Be ready to do whatever God tells you from His Word. A prideful attitude won’t work. Next time you’re going to spend time in God’s Word; whether that’s at church or in your quiet time at home, take time first to prepare your heart. You are being nurtured in His garden to produce a full harvest of work in His world.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/12/23 Joel Griffith 6/12/23

But some doubted.

“When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” Matthew 28:12-17

Last week, our guest Pastor was Tom Wirsing and those last three words from his message really hit me between the eyes. “But some doubted.” His message was over the above Gospel reading from Matthew. Following the service, as he shook my hand and I had complimented him I repeated those three words and told him that on any given day, I could be found with that group of doubters simply by the way others saw me. That is why I go to church often. I need to repent for falling in with the doubters.

What helps to keep me out of the House of Doubters? Being in the Bible every day…often. God gave us the Bible for good reason. The Bible points us to Jesus and He forgives our sins of doubting and everything else that this sin filled world teaches us. Only God could have put the Bible together.

The fact that the Bible has only one theme is nothing short of a miracle. The Bible was written by 40 different people; of different ages and stages of life, on three continents. And each of them wrote the same story; Jesus’ story. Prophets and poets, fishermen and kings, shepherds and scribes all had the same story. Some wrote in homes, others in prisons, and others on ships. You couldn’t have put together a more diverse group of authors and have the same story that points us to Christ.

The Bible’s pictures, metaphors, analogies, and prophecies from the very beginning to end; are about God’s plan to redeem people and build a family for eternity. It all began with Jesus. You, like this child from Chincheron can see the coming of Jesus in every book. Don’t be a doubter. Be in His Word daily. Follow Jesus.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 6/10/23 Joel Griffith 6/10/23

Precious Lord, take my hand.

“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

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 Paul’s encouragement to us here in North America and also with the believers in Haiti and elsewhere throughout this sin filled world.

The two girls from Haiti the attached photo could well be Euodia and Syntyche of our times; they both attend the Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe. As you encourage them by supporting their Trinity HOPE school feeding program; they prayerfully will 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 things at all times and must call upon our Triune God to provide us with direction, patience and 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

Joel Griffith 6/9/23 Joel Griffith 6/9/23

It's ALL about HIM.

“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Luke 10:16-21

How often on this side of Paradise are we tempted to exclaim “Look at what I did” when something went really well? Following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 there were many groups and individuals from North America saying “Look at what we did!” when returning from their mission trip. North Americans were spending incredible amounts of money to build a plywood house for a family with North American hands; the funds were used for airfare, food and lodging, transportation and translators that probably could have been donated to build many homes, for many Haitian families and constructed by Haitian hands. Dear friends in the mission fields; it is not about us and what we did but it is about Him and what He did for us and them and accomplished “THROUGH” us.

Jesus sent the 72 out into the world to spread the news of the Gospel throughout the land. They came back rejoicing at what the Holy Spirit had accomplished. Then Jesus gave them and us a very important lesson. Don’t rejoice that the Spirits submit to YOU, but rejoice that your names will be written in Heaven. It is not about us, it is about Him.

The attached photo is of a preaching station in the Northwestern part of the Plateau Central, west of Saltedere. It is a small stick structure with boards attached to branches for seats. It would not surprise me to see a North American mission team view this as an opportunity to build a new church, a paved parking lot, a driveway up the side of the steep hill and also provide a gasoline powered generator so there would be electricity for lights, a keyboard and fans. There are well meaning minds within our synod that would do that, I have seen them in action and cringed when I listened to their plans; plans about them and their North American ministry and not about Him and the ministry plan for this Haitian Lutheran congregation that worships on a hill that is closer to the Triune God than we can imagine or begin to understand. Feed my sheep, tend to my lambs said the Good Shepherd. Feeding children through Trinity HOPE programs preparing them, like the 72, to go out into the world and share the Gospel is about Him, not about those of us supporting their education and preparation for the task of their lives; it is about Him.

May God be with you,

Jay