Let them go.

“Some time later God tested Abraham.  He said to him, “Abraham!”  “Here I am,” he replied.  Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”  Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey.  He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.  When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.  On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.  He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Genesis 22:1-2

A couple of questions for you on this first Monday in August.  Are you a hoarder or a hurler?  Do you tend to place cardboard boxes of your earthly trinkets on top of other boxes full of dusty, earthly trinkets…or, do you hurl them out to the curb for the garbage pick-up?  Sometimes it is really difficult to loosen up your white-knuckle grip to things that are still near and dear to your heart.  One of the boxes I took to the curb was full of textbooks from college classes in 1970.  Sometimes, letting something precious go is, on occasion, unbearable.  Quite often, the release of a loved one at the cemetery cannot happen without inward bleeding and outwardly a river of tears and it can be stressful.

In the scripture reading from Genesis 22, Abraham faces a stressful challenge of being told to give up his firstborn son, Isaac.  Taking a cardboard box of books to the curb is nothing compared to giving up my child.  God tested Abraham's faith.  "Abraham!" God called.  "Yes," he replied. "Here I am."  It was time for Abraham to turn Isaac loose.  When Abraham followed God’s call, then came the greatest gift; a sheep.  There are times in our lives when God nudges us to give up some things so He can bless us by our faith in Him and His directions.  What is it God wants from you?  Have you asked?  If He has answered your prayer, have you followed His direction?

Perhaps God is asking you to surrender your long-held dream to follow His plan.  Sometimes it’s better to change our direction, revise our plan or take another route; His route.  What's keeping you from letting loose of your plan and following His?  Fear?  Unbelief?  Pride?  You will never be better off outside of what God has planned for you.  Better to let loose today, so you will experience His provision tomorrow.  Remember the promise given to Abraham?  God will provide.  He always has and always will.

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

Prayer guide for 8/05/24

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

“I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.”  Martin Luther

Adoration’

Psalm 99:1-5; “The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.  Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.  Let them praise your great and awesome name; he is holy.  The King is mighty, he loves justice, you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.  Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.”

Almighty God, how wonderful You are.  Creation cries out in awe of Your power.  The universe shines with Your glory and greatness.  Lord, how majestic You are.  Each minute atom and molecule carry a tiny part of Your plan.  Every microbe speaks of Your breathtaking beauty.  Every drop of water in the rivers and oceans were created by Your Word.  Almighty Father, how awesome You are.  The mountain ranges reflect Your heights and the gentle valleys Your mercy.  Almighty One, how creative You are.  Each tree, vegetable and flower are filled with Your wonder and bounty.  Each member of the animal kingdom and man and woman resounds with Your intricacy and miracles.  And to think that You care about me.  You love me.  I will lift my eyes to You, my wonderful, majestic and awesome God.  In Jesus’ name, I look to You, amen.

A time of ‘Adoration’ to our Heavenly Father.    

·        Please take time to sit and consider how our Triune God has impacted your life, as a child, teen, adult and perhaps a parent or grandparent.  Consider with sincere amazement all the ways He has created, molded and brought you to this very point in your life’s journey. 

·        Remember those workers in Haiti who walk closely with You during turbulent, chaotic times and were ready to serve with their time, talents and treasures when the time was ready for their service.

·        Be mindful of the Haitian children who this summer are eagerly waiting for school to start again so they can learn more about You, seek Your directions for their future and give 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 there were no thanks 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.”

·        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’

Titus 2:11–12; “For the grace of God has appeared; bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.”

Gracious Father, we praise You.  On our own, we would perish, but You sustain our life and bless us in countless ways.  May we ever praise You for all of them; especially for our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave His life on the cross to give us abundant forgiveness and life in Him.  Now, risen and reigning, He will return to bring us to live with You in everlasting joy.  Thank You!  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Romans 8:31-32; “What, then, shall we say in response to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all; how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Psalm 95:1-7; “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.  For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.  The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.  O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.  For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

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 donors here in the U.S. who joyfully give of their time, talents & treasures to the work of Trinity HOPE.

·        We give You thanks for the countless hours that Trinity HOPE workers have expended putting together the Haitian Hunger Night event coming in November and the upcoming Board of Directors meeting this month.

·        We give You thanks for the work that is being accomplished by the Haitian parents, school principals and Feeding Program Directors who are gathering the expected attendance numbers for the coming school year while their country is shrouded in turmoil.

·        Heavenly Father, we thank You for the many activities that remind us that You are in control of the turning of human hearts during the chaotic filled times in Haiti.

‘Supplications’

Lamentations 3:55-57; “I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the lowest pit.  You have heard my voice, "Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief, from my cry for help."  You drew near when I called on You; You said, "Do not fear!" 

Heavenly Father, God of all concord, it is Your gracious will that Your children on earth live together in harmony and peace.  Defeat the plans of all those who would stir up violence, chaos and strife, destroy the weapons of those who delight in war and bloodshed, and according to Your will, end all conflicts throughout this world.  Teach us to examine our hearts that we may recognize our own inclination toward envy, malice, hatred and enmity.  Help us, by Your Word and Spirit, to search our hearts and to root out the evil that would lead to strife and discord, so that in our lives we may be at peace with all people.  Fill us with zeal for the work of Your Church and through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which alone can bring that peace which is beyond all human understanding; through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray.

2 Corinthians 5:15; “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Heavenly Father, we bring our supplications before You;

·        Lord, please protect those who travel to Nashville for the Trinity HOPE Board meeting; bless their journey and the decisions being made in the meeting.

·        Lord, we have been daily watching, reading and listening as satan continues to wreak havoc in Haiti and seemingly causing people to doubt Your presence; YOU are there, from beginning to the end.  Heavenly Father, BIND the devil and cause Your people to rise up and lay claim to Haiti for Your Glory.  Protect the foreign police force and Haiti police force as they work to encourage the violent gangs to lay down their weapons, repent, restore order and rebuild Haiti.

·        Heavenly Father, please be with the Feeding Program Directors in Haiti.  Right any wrongs that may have taken place.  May all those involved with Trinity HOPE strive for excellence in their work; giving their BEST for You so that more missionaries may receive training to accomplish Your work.

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.

“I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me.  Amen.” Martin Luther

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 be with you dear sister and brother in Christ,

In His love

Jay Brinkmeyer

Our Eternal home is ready.

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.  Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,” 2 Corinthians 5:1-2

Have you ever yearned for your Heavenly home to come quickly?  Have you been in a situation where another human was lying in a hospital bed or in a nursing home asking why doesn’t Jesus come and take them now?

The woman in the attached photo is lying on the bench in the waiting room of the Lutheran medical clinic in Cap Haitian; waiting for her turn to see the doctor.  It is hot and humid and she is in pain and the board she is lying on is hard and she may be wondering “ki le Jezu Cris vini?”  When is Jesus coming?  Her child is being brought up in the Lutheran school and is receiving a meal; they will do fine, when will she meet her Savior?

Physical death for Christians holds the promise of a new, perfect body in heaven where we will live eternally with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I am fairly certain that each of us has a hole in the heart that only God can fill; hope that it is not just me.  So many of us reach a certain age when we become homesick for heaven.

The words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians are pure wisdom.  Our Triune God created us to be homesick for heaven and we will never be at peace until we share eternal life with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Yesterday, Alexa shared the words from a song by the Hoppers titled ‘Yes I am’ and they are such a great reminder of how we each should feel about our Heavenly home.  I hope that it will be with you this Saturday and still be there tomorrow as you walk into His House.

“I'm gonna leave some glorious morning; yes I am, yes I am.  I'm gonna cross the chilly Jordan, yes I am, yes I am.  Though the water is deep and the river is wide I'm gonna stand on the other side; I'm gonna live in the heaven someday, yes I am, yes I am.  I am waiting at the stations listening closely for the call; I have made my reservations through the one who paid it all.  Not by might, not by power but in Christ and Christ alone.
I'm leaving any moment praise the Lord I'm going home.”

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

God's plan.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”  Isaiah 43:2

I was listening to Chuck Swindoll on the radio a few nights ago and he was talking about the mob yelling “crucify” and how Pilate conducted business on that dark night.  Then I started to think about how good it would have been if when Jesus was resurrected how appropriate it would have been for him to appear to Pontius Pilate or some of the guards who has scourged Him; not in God’s plans.

God’s plans are always far greater than what this fallen world would have scripted, His plans turn this world upside down.  God the Father brought Him back on the road to Emmaus to walk with two whom He had walked with before and they didn’t realize ‘who’ they were with.  This happens to us as well; we seldom see the Savior in the person that is helping us or correcting us or bringing us a smile on a dark day.

There they were, walking along, and Jesus was walking with them. It's a reminder to us that at all times, even when we don't realize it, Jesus is walking with us.  The child in the attached photo attends school in Merrotte and she is enjoying her noon Trinity HOPE meal.  She is experiencing a great thing and walks with Jesus.  You may be the person who donated the thirty five cents for her meal, you are walking with Jesus and your small gift has done a really great thing for her, and for Jesus.

We might as well be walking on that dirt road to Emmaus as we don’t often realize that we are walking with Jesus, we always are; He is there right beside us.  We may only think that he sits next to us in Church but wherever we go, here in North America or in Haiti; He is there walking with us.  The Bishops have recorded a song titled ‘Great things’ and the lyrics bring a wonderful closure to this message and hopefully you will look a little harder the next time you are walking down that dirt road.

“Peter and John saw while walking along a lame man begging alms by the gate.  Straightway they told, “We’ve no silver or gold, but for you a great treasure awaits.”  Now such as I have give I thee in the name of the Lord, rise up and walk.”  And be not amazed that a crippled was raised it’s through Jesus we do great things.  Great things are in store for the child of the Lord when he walks with the King of kings and each word that you say when you kneel down to pray will be carried on the backs of angels wings.  When you walk with Jesus you’re going to do great things.  Now we have big dreams when we’re younger; it seems of a life where we do great things.  But life finds a way of taking our dreams away when our plans unravel at the seams.  And though you feel small in God’s eyes you’ll stand tall if your footsteps are faithful and true for the same power that raised Lazarus up from the grave is the same power Jesus gives to you.  Great things are in store for the child of the Lord when he walks with the King of kings and each word that you say when you kneel down to pray will be carried on the backs of angels wings.  When you walk with Jesus you’re going to do great things.  I won’t worry if I’m never famous, or for those worldly pleasures I’ve missed.  For Jesus gave me sweet peace like a river.  Tell me what could be greater than this?  Great things are in store for the child of the Lord when he walks with the King of kings and each word that you say when you kneel down to pray will be carried on the backs of angels wings.  When you walk with Jesus you’re going to do great things.  When you walk with Jesus you’re going to do great things.  Great things; great things.”

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

Worldly wisdom.

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.  Keep away from them.”  Romans 16:17

Let’s start off August with something to keep your mind active today.  Have you ever heard this snippet of worldly wisdom?  “I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you!”  Satan has performed quite a masterpiece of deception since taking the form of a serpent in the Garden of Eden so long ago.  Satan has woven a patchwork quilt of lies, erected walls of selfishness, baked abundant loaves of greed and planted a field of bitterness that quite often chokes the life from those living in the truth.

The child in the attached photo attended the school in Rue Frere which was located in Petionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince.  The school is no more, the quake brought it down.  I don’t know if this girl survived the devastation of the earthquake in 2010.  I do know that she must have listened to the vodou priests sacrificing animals in the evenings as they had been instructed to do by the prince of lies; I too was forced to listen to the sounds as my room was not far from here.  She no doubt had to listen as the quiet of the night was interrupted by screaming dogs who were being skinned alive by those who tried to cause divisions and bring fear into the hearts of His children.

I know that this may sound absurd, but there are vodou people who ‘blame’ Christians for the misfortunes of Haiti.  Christian organizations help to teach children the truth of a risen Savior who loves them, feeds them and has prepared a mansion for them in Heaven; vodou priests have nothing but fear and lies.  Thank you for bringing the truth of Jesus and food to the children in Haiti who are His children; His missionaries.

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

Need a makeover?

“Therefore, we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  2 Corinthians 4:16

Last day in July and seven months are in the books for 2024.  While spending going through some old photographs recently, I came across one of me holding my granddaughter Audrey and my ‘brilliant mind’ reminded me that I am getting old; wasting away, more wrinkles, creaks in the joints, new bruises and the unmistakable appearance of additional white hair day by day.  If the direction of our culture is correct then I am either in desperate need of a makeover or need to put the final touches to my funeral plans.

We live in times where plastic surgery, botox injections, artificial joints and facial wax and creams are what will keep us the way this fallen world insists how we are to look and act.  We even have makeovers for our houses, interior and exterior, pets and automobiles.  Giving in to the ‘wisdom’ of this fallen world of makeovers reminds me that you are never too old to learn something really stupid.

I am thinking that this world would certainly tell Trinity HOPE that the kitchen at the school at Bas de Sceaut is in need of a makeover.  Look at the photo; do you agree?  Cooks should not be made to squat over their pots of rice and beans cooking over an open fire; the dirt floor is another bad mark and look at those walls, they have to be bug magnets.  The children attending the Lutheran school there will tell you that they don’t need a makeover; they just need Jesus and food.

For a disciple of Jesus Christ, the desire for a makeover has taken place on the cross of Calvary.  Our life and the lives of His children in Bas de Sceaut have been transformed by the most important makeover on this planet; our thoughts, words and actions are His as we take the news of our risen Savior to the lost…everywhere we go. 

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

Are you a stranger to God?

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.” 2 Timothy 3:1

Look around the news today, it seems like the sand in the hour glass that measures our time on earth is flowing like a raging river as we listen to the news accounts of what is taking place on this fallen planet and in our country.  Be still…know that I am God.

A good friend in Christ sent me an E-mail recently with some historical facts and quotes from Thomas Jefferson and one of them was recorded in 1802, just before Haiti won it’s Independence from France, and Jefferson said “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.  If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”  Sobering observation.  Be still…know that I am God. 

Yes, it seems like the sands of time are swiftly passing before our eyes and as we slide with it, the children in Poteau are still waiting to hear about Jesus and our Triune God is calling upon each of us to ‘go and help make disciples’ with their lives.  I listened to song while driving home from the grocery store today that was written by Ricky Skaggs, ‘Are you afraid to die’.  Thought about the words and while I am not afraid to die, I do fear for those children attending school in Poteau and continue to pray for them and the feeding program in their school.  Dear friend in Christ, as you read through the words, think about what is taking place in our country, Haiti and this world and then consider the urgency of sharing the Gospel message to the ends of this earth.

“Are you a stranger to God; carried away with your pride?  Tell me sinner, do you ever stop and think; are you afraid to die?  Are you afraid, are you unsaved, are you afraid to die?  Call on Him while he is near; moments are swift passing by.  Will you seek Him while He still may be found?  Are you afraid to die?  Are you afraid, are you unsaved, are you afraid to die?  Are you too wicked to cry; would you to Gods’ bosom fly?  Soon He’s comin’ like a thief in the night.  Are you afraid to die?  Are you afraid, are you unsaved, are you afraid to die?”

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

Be still...

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

Seventeen days ago, a lone shooter attempted to assassinate Donald J.  Trump, and later in the evening, a friend of mine sent me a text with a photo of a group of storm clouds with the words; “Be still…and know that I am God”, Psalm 46:10.  I replied to Dave, that it was one of my favorite passages in the Bible and shared the above verses back to him.  And then the next day, I woke up to a thunderstorm at 1:28 AM and couldn’t get back to sleep so decided to sit down at the PC and work on a devotion over these verses.

That early Monday morning, we had dark storm clouds with lightning, rain and strong wind blowing here in Normal.  There are stormy conditions found in many places in our fallen world; Be still…know that I am God.  Our Pastor Smith spoke about the ‘storm clouds’ that had shaken the event in Butler, PA late on Saturday afternoon.  We all face ‘storm clouds’, and sometimes daily and perhaps once a week while living on this side of Paradise.  We can be sure that there will always be ‘storm clouds’ moving in, but we believers can take courage and remain faithful as we recall; Be still…know that I am God.

In my congregation, we have members battling cancer, recovering from cancer, living as shut-ins in a lonely shelter, facing death, still mourning the loss of a friend or family member, having financial challenges and facing challenges that cause people to worry; Be still…know that I am God.

The ever present ‘storm clouds’ in Haiti still rumble as Haitian police and UN Police forces patrol the streets of the cities, trying to bring a calm and restore some semblance of order to men, women and children who have endured so much chaos the past several years; Be still…know that I am God.

I have spent several days thinking about these verses and writing down a few thoughts now and then.  Today, the heat index in Normal is supposed to reach 95.  Going to be a scorcher.  I would like to see a ‘storm cloud’ bring a cool breeze to Normal and bring relief to my cucumbers and tomatoes and the cattle a few miles West of my house, and the corn crops to the North and South and the soybeans to the East; Be still…know that I am God.

Are you expecting ‘storm clouds’ today?  You are probably aware that they can appear in the blink of an eye, with a phone call or a text message.  Consider the above verses from Psalm 46; the longing of one's heart for a time of quiet peace is always found when we meditate on the greatness of God’s Word.  Need to find some peace?  Read the above verses and step outside on your deck and look up into the heavens.  Experience the coolness of the evening.  Don't speak, just listen to the sounds of His creation.  Just be still and gaze into the night sky as you take in the beauty of His creation.  Be still and know that He is God.

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

Give thanks.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”  Psalm 118:1

Today is the last Saturday in July; give thanks.  Yesterday, I gave thanks for the safe travel from my house to the grocery store, barbershop and back home.  I am not sure how many angels were keeping danger away from my path those many blocks, but they were there as they always have been and will be in the coming years.

Giving thanks, we have so much to be thankful for because all that we have comes from our Triune God; everything we have, the daily protection and guidance and most of all the forgiveness of our daily sins.  The small boy in the attached photo has much to be thankful for, shoeless, hungry, tired but he like us has much to be thankful for and too often we take all that He has done for us; for granted.

Without our Savior we are doomed to hell; that is our destination without His gift.  We may overlook the meals, the clothes, the weather, our families and our shelter but we must never cease giving thanks for gift of Salvation.  We also give thanks for our Father giving us the privilege to share our blessings with children in Haiti.

Alexa shared a song when I got home yesterday that I hadn’t heard before and guessed the title was ‘I just want to thank you Lord’ and after doing a google search I found that it was written by Judy Marshall.  It seemed to pair well with the Bible verse from Psalm 118.

“I just want to thank you Lord, for every time you heard me pray; just want to thank you for always being there.  When I was so down and out you came along and made me want to shout; I just want to thank you Lord…thank you Lord.  If I had a thousand lives to live, I’d give them all to my Lord.  He’s been so good to me, He’s made the good times outnumber the bad.  He’s been the best friend that I ever had; I just want to thank you Lord…thank you Lord.”

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

Where is our Hope?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

We live in a fallen world that sometimes seems void of hope.  Wars, famine, pollution, recessions, etc. can cause us to become easily discouraged when we look at the prospects of our future; discouragement can lead to depression, and depression can lead to hopelessness.  When we are feeling hopeless, we see our circumstances and surroundings through a filtered lens that can cause us to continue to spiral downwards in our emotions and our attitudes.  In the words from Jeremiah, God says that He has a plan for you, for me and the children in the attached photo; a plan that will prosper you and not to harm you, a plan that will give you hope and a future.

God has a specific plan for the girl jumping rope at the Maniche School that is located in the Les Cayes District.  At the moment the photo was snapped, she probably could not tell you what the plan was for her life, but she knows that the Triune God who provides her with a daily meal has something special planned for her, because He loves her.

While the economy may be saying one thing to us, God is saying another; feed my sheep.  While your circumstances may cry out hopelessness, God is saying that He has a plan to prosper and not to harm you.  While we don't know what the future does hold, we know Who holds the future.  We can trust in the goodness of God to care for us and His children in Haiti in the midst of situations that seem hopeless.

Our hope is not in our circumstances, but in God our Father.  That does not necessarily mean that life will always turn out the way we expected, but it does mean that we can always trust in our Heavenly Father to love us and watch over us.  

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