Oktob.

“When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.” Ezekiel 3:18

The first Monday of Oktob…ugh.  I read the above verse in a devotion this past weekend and initially, this verse may seem like quite a strong warning to those who have heard the message of salvation; they are not to just keep this knowledge to themselves, but freely share with the lost.  This reminds me of the quote; “People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross.”  You read God’s Word but never share its wisdom.  The man in the attached photo is the witch doctor at this vodou temple in Croix d’ Bouquets which is a suburb in Port-au-Prince; he needs to hear the message of salvation.

It seems that while we learn that the lost are certainly doomed to hell and we are to speak the truth with them, there is also the fact that God loves each and every one of us and only wants the best for each of us.  It is His desire that this man trapped in vodou, the violet gang members and you and I would all accept the fact that He sent His Son to die for us and salvation has been won and is awaiting all who call upon the name of Jesus.

There are close to 6,500 young missionaries attending Lutheran schools in the Port-au-Prince district who are learning more and more about Jesus Christ and being fed daily by donors like you.  As you have shared the truth in your neighborhood thank you for also sharing of your gifts to assist in the preparation of the youth in Haiti who will take the message of salvation to those caught up in the lies of vodou and live daily in fear from the brutal gangs.  Isaac Watts wrote the words for the Hymn ‘Am I a soldier of the Cross’ in 1721 and they will close this message today.

“Am I a solder of the Cross, a foll'wer of the Lamb and shall I fear to own His cause or blush to speak His name?  Must I be carried to the skies on flow'ry beds of ease while others fought to win the prize and sailed thro' bloody seas?  Are there no foes for me to face?  Must I not stem the flood?  Is this vile world a friend to grace to help me on to God?  Sure I must fight if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord!  I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word.  Thy saints in all this glorious war shall conquer though they die; they see the triumph from afar with faith's discerning eye.  When that illustrious Day shall rise and all Thine armies shine in robes of victory through the skies, the glory shall be Thine.”

I would be remiss to not remind you that today is the Trinity HOPE day of prayer for October; there is a prayer guide at their website.  Please add to your prayers the turmoil from last week.  In the news it was estimated 60 percent of the schools in Port-au-Prince would be open as parents were taking extra precautions to get their children to school in larger groups to fend off gang members.  On Thursday, local residents in Mirebalais captured and hung 10 gang members while two other groups of gangs killed 20 patients and care providers in a rural hospital in the Central Plateau.  The border dispute between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is causing hospitals and medical centers to cut back on services due to a lack of supplies and threats of violence.  Please…pray for Haiti.

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

October Prayer Guide

Trinity HOPE

Prayer Guide for October – 2023

We begin our prayer time in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. + Amen.

‘Adoration’

Psalm 33:1-10; “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.  Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.  For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.  The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.  By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.”

Lord God Almighty; Creator of heaven, earth and of everything visible and invisible; we stand in awe of You and of all that You created that surrounds us and is within us.  Those of us living here in the Midwest cannot help but marvel at the change of seasons and how You sustain all life on this planet daily.  Heavenly Father, as You have blessed our ancestors with descendants who seek Your Divine Favor and have further used each of us here today in the many different parts of this world to be a blessing to our families and also for others who have no Hope.  Lord, we are confident that You will continue to move among each of us.  You have given each of us an appointed measure of time, talents and treasures with which to seek and accomplish Your will; Heavenly Father, direct us accordingly.   

Psalm 28:6-9; “Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.  The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.  Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.”

A time of ‘Adoration’ to our Heavenly Father.    

·       Please take a portion of this day to sit quietly in a secluded area and consider how our Triune God has impacted your life and molded and brought you to this very point in your life’s journey.

·       As you look at the trees changing colors and the harvest of crops this month, sit quietly and listen to His hand at work in the firmament He created.

·       Consider for a moment about the past generations of the Haitian school children who were brought to Haiti from Africa in bondage on French slave ships and how God knew how their descendants would impact their new country with the Good News…in His timing. 

·       Consider the lives of the workers in Haiti who walk closely with our Heavenly Father; parents, teachers, principals, feeding program directors and Pastors.

·       Consider the Haitian children who will prayerfully be attending school this month and be learning about our Triune God; seeking Your directions for their future, joyfully and courageously giving Witness of their Risen Savior to the souls still caught up in the lies of vodou.

‘Confession’

We were born, sinful and unclean, through no fault of our own, but because of the sins of our parents, grandparents…Adam and Eve. 

God sent His only Son to die for our sins.  Jesus did everything right while he was here on this earth. He loved you with a love that cannot be measured.  He gave to the world when no thanks were returned to Him.  He healed when there was no hope, and He died without complaint.  Jesus did nothing wrong and everything right; all this for you.  He lived for you and died for you.  Our sins nailed Him to the cross on Calvary and kept Him there until His life on earth had ended.

Psalm 32:1-7; “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.  Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" and you forgave the guilt of my sin.  Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.  You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

Matthew 5:4; “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

There comes a time when you mourn, when you reach the point of uncontrollable sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to place all your sins upon Him and when there is truly no other name that you can call; place your sins upon Him and His Cross on that lonely hill called Calvary.

·       A time of personal confession.

Our sins are placed at the base of the cross...His cross, and we give thanks that the times we have fallen short in the eyes of our Heavenly Father have been washed clean and we have been forgiven through the Blood of our Risen Savior Jesus Christ.

 ‘Thanksgiving’

Heavenly Father, as we open the newspaper, turn on the television or go online, we cannot help but see that there are so many areas in our world today, where news reports are bleak and challenging.  Father, in these times, where do we begin to give You thanks?  As we sit and look to You, may we take a few moments to recall Who is with each of us; so great are the blessings that You have poured into our lives and continues to daily shower upon us.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-18; “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.  Live in peace with each other.  And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.  Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

The schools in Haiti were scheduled to commence on September 11th as the government had declared…and they began.  We are aware of the many challenges facing the parents in Haiti whose children desire to go to school, learn about Jesus, reading, writing, science, math and also receive a meal from Trinity HOPE.  The parents give You thanks for their jobs or whatever means to supplement them with an income, that wonderful school lunch, the donors like you and also for the Trinity HOPE workers who are helping their school to learn how to manage the feeding program. 

Psalm 118:1-4; “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”  Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.”  Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.”

We come to You now with hearts, minds and words filled with ‘Thanksgiving.’

·       We give thanks for our Creator, Redeemer and Holy Spirit.

·       We give thanks for the countless people here in the U.S. who continue to give of their time, talents & treasures to the work of Trinity HOPE.

·       We give You thanks for the Haitian children who are not only the prime purpose of Trinity HOPE but also Your missionaries and leaders for the future generations in Haiti.

·       We give You thanks for the countless hours that the many Trinity HOPE volunteers have expended working with other volunteers here in the U.S. and in Haiti.

·       We give You thanks for the work that is being accomplished by the Haitian parents, teachers, school principals and Feeding Program Directors who are shaping the lives of young Haitian children in this coming school year.

·       We give thanks Father for protecting the lives of Your servants from the gang violence in recent times.

‘Supplications’

Heavenly Father, there are a growing number of places on the face of this planet where Your children live in uncertain times.  There seem to be more times where we feel as if we are surrounded by higher walls of challenges that we cannot recall and wonder where to begin to ask for deliverance.  You know our hearts.  You feel our fears.  You hear our groanings.  So often, we ‘ask’ for things without really considering how they will impact our calling and our journey; to serve Him as He desires us to serve Him by bringing others into the Kingdom.  And we ‘wait’ for HIS response.  Father, hear us, be near us…guide us.

1 John 5:13-15; “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.  This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Heavenly Father, we are prayerfully in a time of waiting.  We desire to be brought closer to You as we ‘feel’ the challenges seeping into our perceived ‘comfort zones’…while we wait.  Challenges; inflation, fuel shortages, vodou and gang violence…just to name a few.  The hurricane season ends next month.  Father, be near us we pray for Your guidance as we wait and watch for Your signs of change.  Use us as Your instruments and voices of change and lives who will bring Hope to the hopeless.

Heavenly Father, we bring our supplications before You;

·       Heavenly Father, continue to lead and bless Trinity HOPE with Your loving hand; may we always strive to accomplish Your will.

·       Bless the workers here in the U.S. and in Haiti and give them courage as they face challenges from the evil foe.  Provide them with courage, endurance and love.

·       Lord, please bless the children, teachers and cooks walking to school on muddy paths in Haiti during this rainy month.  Assure them with Your promise that the Trinity HOPE kettle will be full of food at their school each day.

·       Heavenly Father, as we have been waiting for school to begin and the violence to end, please keep up close to You.  May we never doubt Your Wisdom and reasons for us to wait a little longer for Your Will to be known.

·       Heavenly Father, bind satan from throwing challenges into the workings of our feeding programs in schools that are starting this month in Haiti and in our activities here at home.

·       Father…put an end to the endless challenges brought about by angry people who are gang members doing the bidding of the evil foe.  We ask that You would bring peace and Hope to Haiti and bring forward Christian leaders who will seek Your council and follow Your directions.

·       Heavenly Father, please ease the tension between Haiti and the Dominican Republic over the use of irrigation water from the Massacre River.  May peace find a place in the hearts of those involved in the decision process.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed.  Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith.  May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You sent it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:11-14; “Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.  Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the saints send their greetings.  May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

May God go before you to guide you; may His arms be beneath you to support you, around you to protect you and above you to bless you.  And may the blessings of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you always dear sister and brother in Christ,

In His love

Jay Brinkmeyer

Just stay in the Word.

“One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre.  He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man.  And the Lord is with him.”  Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”  So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.  David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.” 1 Samuel 16:18–21

Two weeks ago, our men’s Bible study watched a video from Pastor James Merritt and he spoke about toleration.  If we don’t tolerate what this sinful world tells us to tolerate, then we are intolerant.  The world insists that we tolerate the sinful stuff in our world…just look the other way.  What or who will it possibly hurt?

I read the above scripture in a devotion this week and the early part of the relationship between David and Saul has a few lessons for our world today.

First, God's solutions are often strange and too simple to ‘our’ way of thinking.  Be open to His ways.  Too often, we try to make God complex and complicated.  He isn't.  Ain’t God good?  Amid all the complications with Saul and the throne, God simply said to Samuel, "Go where I tell you to go. I've got a simple answer.  A new man.  You just follow Me, and I'll show you." Don't make the carrying out of God's will too complicated.  It isn't.  Stay open to His strange yet simple solutions.

Second, God's promotions are usually sudden and surprising, so be ready.  Are you still waiting?  At the time you least expect it, it'll come.  Just like His Son's return from heaven.  Suddenly and surprisingly He will split the clouds and be with us.  Just when we expect Him the least He'll be there, like a thief in the night.  And that's the way His promotions are.  He watches you as you faithfully carry out your tasks, and He says to you, "I know what I'm doing.  I know where you are, and I know how to find you.  You just stay ready as you carry out your job."

Finally, God's selections are always sovereign and sure, so be sensitive. That applies to choosing a mate as well as losing a mate.  It applies to our being moved from one place to another, even though we thought we'd remain there ten more years.  It also applies to those God appoints to fill the shoes of another.  How easy to second-guess God's selections!  How necessary, when tempted to do that, to remind ourselves that His selections are sovereign and sure.

God is looking at our town, our country, our neighborhood, and He's looking for His people to whom He can say, "You are Mine. I want to use you there because you proved yourself faithful there."  Don’t tolerate evil here in our world.  When we do, the evil foe tells us there is nothing for us to repent of as ‘everything’ in this sinful world is just fine.  Our calling is to be faithful in the demanding tasks, whether that is our education, our marriage, our occupation, or just the daily grind of life.  That's the kind of men, women and children God wants to use on this side of Paradise. 

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

Got any afflictions?

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.”  Romans 12:14-16

Is this last Friday in September bringing smooth gentle waters for the weekend or a boat load of afflictions?  We all have afflictions.  Some are out there for all the world to see and some are hidden within our bodies where they can only be seen through an expensive scope.  This sinful world is full of afflictions and at times it may be difficult for us to be drawn closer to help them when this world is telling to us turn away.

The child in the attached photo attends the Lutheran School in Ouanaminthe and had an affliction on this day from eating bad mangoes and she is waiting to see the ‘bon doctye’ Paul Bernhardson from Lincoln, NE.  Dr. Paul was able to cure her affliction with medication.  Only Jesus can cure the real problem that she and we face; sin.  This world quite often urges us not to associate with people with ‘problems’ that are on the outside; stay away.  The problem with that kind of thinking is that what is afflicting on the inside is often far greater of a problem than what is on the surface.  Jesus Christ walked with many of this world’s problems; lepers, lame, blind, deaf, demon possessed, dead and even children.  He knew what their real problem was and what the cause of those problems was; sin.

Thank you for following His directions and walking with and feeding these children attending Christian schools in Haiti.  The Gold City Quartet sang ‘When He blessed my soul’ on my internet radio recently and it was a great reminder of what our Savior has done for all of us.

“Jesus washed my sins away one glorious morning; praise His dear name.  He blessed my soul and He made me whole ever since that happy day.  I'm tellin' the story; praise His dear name, oh how He washed my sin away when He blessed my soul.  Well you oughta been there that blessed morning when the love of the Lord came down into my soul and He made me whole.  If you'da been there, you'da shouted glory to the Lamb, to my Lord and King.  Well you oughta been there; yes you oughta been there when He blessed my soul.  Jesus claimed me as His own one glorious morning; He blessed my soul and He made me whole.  Ever since this joy I've known I'm telling the story; oh how He washed my sin away when He blessed my soul.”

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

Helping to feed HIS children.

“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”  Deuteronomy 8:18

I have now been retired for twelve years and have been volunteering my time, talents and treasures with Trinity HOPE.  Too often, when working and receiving a pay check, it was difficult to trust in the Lord alone; this world told me that it was me that was generating the income and my Heavenly Father was just ‘standing’ beside me watching my daily activities.  Our world is overly impressed with wealth and the ability of some people to produce great wealth. 

Retirement meant that no longer could I support my home congregation or Trinity HOPE at the level I was tithing when gainfully employed to help fulfill the financial need to feed close to 60,000 children in the coming school year.  I trusted that the Lord would use me in other ways to feed the child in the attached photo who attends school at Ouanaminthe; it only takes a quarter to fill his blue bowl with rice and beans.

I read the following in a devotion about retirement some time ago and it brings wisdom to the foolishness of the way this world thinks.  “Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me; those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?  For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.  This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.  Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.  A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.”

If you are wondering how you can help to feed more children in Haiti, please encourage others to go to ‘trinityhope.org’ and may they prayerfully consider supporting the efforts of Trinity HOPE to feed more children attending Christian schools in Haiti.  There is strength in numbers; our Heavenly Father can accomplish much working through people who have placed their trust in Him and not in themselves.

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

Everyday blessing.

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

I was looking for a Sympathy card in the grocery store last week when the cover of another greeting card ‘waved at me’ as the words “Everyday Blessing” caught my attention.  Is there anything on the face of this earth that could be an ‘everyday blessing’ to you?  Solomon was one of the richest men in all of History and he said that when he considered everything that he had accomplished and accumulated; it was all meaningless.

There are people in your life that bless your journey from time to time, but sad to say people ultimately disappoint as we are by nature sinful and unclean.  The greeting card was directed to tell the recipient how their life had brought countless blessings into the life of the sender.  The children from the Bois Marchand School in the attached photo would probably tell you that the plate of Trinity HOPE rice and beans in front of them is their “Everyday Blessing”.  Truth is, the only real and sure “Everyday Blessing” is Jesus Christ.  Alexa shared a Kenny Rogers song recently “I can’t unlove you” and the lyrics caused me to think about a number of things. 

“Postcards and letters and pictures made to last forever; to be boxed up and tossed away.  Knickknacks and souvenirs in an afternoon, they're out of here.  They'll disappear without a trace but what they mean to me can never be replaced.  I can't unthink about you, I can't unfeel your touch, I can't unhear all the words unsay all the things that used to mean so much.  I wish I could unremember everything my heart's been through; I'm finding out it's impossible to do.  Oh, it's no use, I can't unlove you.”

When you see these children, they are the future of Haiti who will bring Jesus to the lost in their country; it is difficult to not love them.  When I consider the many supporters who are ambassadors of Christ and bless these children with their gifts and prayers; it is difficult to not love them.  And once again, the truth is, we can’t unlove Jesus.  His ‘everyday blessing’ for us was shed on the cross of Calvary.

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

Keep doing HIS work.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”  2 Corinthians 4:7-10

It is difficult at times to admit that we are vessels created by our Heavenly Father to ultimately do His work.  Our vessels are needed to carry water, wine, dry goods and sometimes waste.  We each have been given specific ways to use our talents to do His work, according to His plan and in His precise time.

When people learn about Trinity HOPE feeding children, they generally think about that in North American ways.  Our support is wired to Haiti and the school feeding program administrators purchase the food locally and the cooks prepare the food over a fire and feed the children.  You’ve probably seen a few photos of children praying before they eat, washing their hands, carrying their plate and eating but consider what is taking place in the attached photo.

There are so many different people in His plan that use their vessels to accomplish His work.  The two men in the attached photo are wading through a river carrying supplies to the rural Bon Berger School in the Jeremie District where 143 children eat their school lunch daily.  The taptap or small pickup truck, couldn’t drive through this swift river and to reach this school a person usually needs to wade through the river.

Thank you for answering His call to provide support for this school and the other 270 schools that have Trinity HOPE feeding programs in schools throughout Haiti.  When you give thanks today, please add a special petition for the countless people in Haiti that make these feeding programs accomplish His goal of training young children in Haiti to be His missionaries.  The song “Have Thine own way Lord” which was written by Adelaide Pollard (1862-1934) is a great reminder of how our Heavenly Father continues to use the ‘special’ gifts that each of us have to accomplish His will.

“Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!  Thou art the potter, I am the clay.  Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.  Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!  Search me and try me, Savior today!  Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now, as in thy presence humbly I bow.  Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!  Wounded and weary, help me I pray!  Power, all power, surely is Thine!  Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!  Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!  Hold o'er my being absolute sway.  Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me!”

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

Serving others.

“Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.”  So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”  “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered.  “He is tending the sheep.”  Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 1 Samuel 16:10-11

I read the following quote in a devotion this past weekend that seems to fit these verses from 1 Samuel.  “A coincidence is when God performs a miracle and decides to remain anonymous.”  Jesse didn’t feel that his youngest son, David the shepherd, was ready for anything but tending sheep.  God saw in David the quality of humility.  God was looking for a humble servant to become a king; a work that would take time.

Back in the day, while working for the State of Nebraska in Expressway Design, the month of May would always bring a few college graduates into our fold and usually 2 of the 3 would be interested in learning the ropes and working in the trench.  But there was always one that announced that they had spent 4 years in college, graduated and were now ready to supervise and sign the time sheets of ‘their’ employees.  NOT!

The Lord saw in David the shepherd a heart that was completely His.  The boy was faithfully keeping his father's sheep; a humble task.  God saw humility: He saw a servant's heart.  It's as if God says to us, "I don't care about all that slick public image business and college degrees.  Show me a person who has the character, and I'll give him all the image he needs.  I don't require some certain temperament, I don't care if he has a lot of charisma, I don't care about their size and stature, I don't care about an impressive education or résumé.  I care about character!  First, is the person deeply authentic in his or her spiritual walk or are they faking it?  And second, is he or she a servant?"  When you have a servant's heart, you're humble.  You do as you're told.  You don't rebel.  You respect those in charge.  You serve faithfully and quietly without concern over who gets the credit.

Back in the day while living in Haiti, first day that the seminary held class in our office in 2001 was a memorable one for me.  There were 25 men in the lower classroom taking their first class on the journey to become a Pastor.  There was one toilet and sink attached to their classroom in a room the size of a small closet.  None of the students had ever used a flush toilet and when their first break had concluded Pastor Eliona came and told me there was a pwoblem!  Twenty-five men had used the bathroom and it was soon discovered that this modern toilet was not self-cleaning.  We didn’t have a janitor.  I grabbed a plunger, broom and dust pan, bucket and mop and cleaned up the smelly mess in the bathroom while their class resumed.  It was culturally incorrect to see a man cleaning up their mess.  It was a humbling moment for me.  After class, I gave the students an important on how to flush the toilet. 

I digress.  Let's get back to David.  God looked at David, out in the fields in the foothills surrounding Bethlehem, keeping his father's sheep, faithfully doing his father's bidding, and God passed His approval on him.  A servant doesn't care who gets the glory; it ain’t about me.  It’s very important to always remember that.  A servant has one great goal, and that is to make the person he serves look better; to make that person even more successful.  A servant does not want the person he serves to fail.  A servant doesn't care who thinks what, just so the job gets done.  Feeding His children in Haiti is serving Him, doing His work…so those little sheep can serve their Lord in their neighborhoods by bringing Hope to the hopeless.  Thank you for being a servant.

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

I don't want to go there!

“And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11 (KJV) 

How many times have we been in the same predicament as Moses and told God “who am I to do your work?”  Too often we question God’s motives for using us as surely, He must know our limitations.  How do you say NO?  A man that I respect uses the following statement that I too have come to use at times when asked to do something that I don’t feel is within my wheel house; “You know, I don’t think that will be a good match for my schedule at this time.”  Trust me, this reply works really well; thanks Pastor Luke.

Jonah didn’t have a choice as God sent a great fish to rescue him from drowning and swallow him and later spit him out on a beach and then repeated His marching orders, go to Nineveh!  Have there been any trips to Nineveh that you have either placed on hold or just decided not to go there?  There have been a few times when I had been planning to take a mission team to Haiti when members of this world’s genius clubs were telling me to just stay home when planning, coordination and financing were taking a toll on my life.

I have spoken with a few people who won’t give a quarter to provide a meal for a child attending a Lutheran school in Haiti.  Their response is to let their parents take care of them like we do here; be careful what you do or say, God has a way to nudge you to do His work.  Our Triune God has a plan for your life, you were put here for a reason; His reason.  Don’t be swayed by the ‘thinkers’ of this world and follow the wisdom of this world.  Seek His wisdom through prayer and follow in the direction that the Holy Spirit nudges you.  Whether your gifts and directions are to be used to feed children in Haiti or the homeless in your community, follow His lead for your life.  I close today with the words to the hymn ‘Every morning mercies new’ that was written by Greville Phillimore in 1863.

“Every morning mercies new fall as fresh as morning dew; every morning let us pay tribute with the early day; for Thy mercies, Lord, are sure, Thy compassion doth endure.  Still the greatness of Thy love daily doth our sins remove; daily, far as east from west, lifts the burden from the breast; gives un-bought to those who pray strength to stand in evil day.  Let our prayers each morn prevail that these gifts may never fail; and as we confess the sin
and the Tempter's power within, feed us with the Bread of Life; fit us for our daily strife.  As the morning light returns, as the sun with splendor burns, teach us still to turn to Thee, ever-blessed Trinity.  With our hands our hearts to raise in unfailing prayer and praise.”

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

Didn't we shine?

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

Back in the day while living in Haiti, I was told that there were several lighthouses on the coast line of Haiti.  I have only seen one, it was in the Jeremie District, but didn’t think to take a photograph as it really was not very picturesque; just a metal structure with a light.  There are probably quite a few lighthouses throughout this world that are not worthy of a photo or a painting but they still do remain a memory.

Jesus Christ is the Light of this world…and I don’t have a photo of him either.  The girl in the attached photo attends Bience 4 School in Gonaives and she is a lighthouse of sorts.   Her witness sends out a saving message to those lost in her neighborhood in Haiti.  Consider yourself to be an integral part of the lighthouse as you provide the oil for her light.  Your quarter each day keeps her light shining brightly.

I heard a song by Randy Travis and a group of ‘famous’ singers recently titled “Didn’t we shine” and the words caused me to consider what you and might say to this young girl from Gonaives when we meet in Heaven; didn’t we shine?  What a glorious time we will have in Heaven, with her and with Him smiling about how He used us to reach so many who needed the light of this world to bring them to safety.

“Hello, it's good to see you, just how long has it been?  I've often wondered what I'd say if we ever met again; if I'd try just being clever or pretend not to remember.  But it's funny how you've lingered on my mind.  Didn't we shine?  Didn't we shine?  Didn't we share and care and lay our hearts on the line?  Maybe it wasn't meant to last till the end of time; oh, but while it did didn't we shine.  I still have some blue days that I could do without and when I have my blue days; you're all I think about.  But I've long ago forgiven you for what you did or didn't do.  Now all I can recall are the happy times.  Didn't we shine?  Didn't we shine?  Didn't we share and care and lay our hearts on the line?  Maybe it wasn't meant to last till the end of time; oh, but while it did didn't we shine.”

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