Shout to the Lord!

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”  Psalm 95:1-2

Back in the day, a fellow mission worker once ‘chided’ me for sharing with him photos of healthy and happy children living in Haiti; he wanted to see more of the downcast, male children.  The verses from Psalm 95 explain the reason for the smile on the face of the child in the attached photo who attends the Lutheran school in Cap Haitian.  I have heard this child ‘Shout’ and ‘Rejoice’ when asked if she knew of the Triune God and if she loves Jesus; not just a monotone ‘yes’ but an enthusiastic “OUI”.

Oh yes, I am sure that there are times when we, and she, do not feel like praising God enthusiastically, and certainly not out loud.  It seems too easy to focus on our hurts, pressure from this fallen world and the vodou priest down the street.  Doubt, fear, defeat and hunger become the enemies of joy and these can bring a suffocating bought of depression.  Consider the joy that this young girl now has and what her face reflected while still living under the chains of the vodou priest before coming to know Jesus.  Think of how listless her eyes and smile were like before she began receiving daily nourishment from a Trinity HOPE donor like you.

We all must be reminded to raise our hands and our head and look again at whom our Triune God is and what He had done for us.  We must remind ourselves that He is our Savior, comfort, shelter, refuge and our strength.  No one can ever compare to our powerful and loving God.  Last night on the computer radio, I listened to Randy Travis sing ‘Shout to the Lord’ and the words to that song, the face of that little girl and you came to mind.
“My Jesus, My Savior, Lord, there is none like You; all of my days I want to praise the wonders of Your mighty love.  Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing.  Power and majesty, praise to the King; mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name.  I sing for joy at the work of Your hands, forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand, nothing compares to the promise I have in You.  My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength; let every breath, all that I am never cease to worship You.  Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing.  Power and majesty, praise to the King; mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name.  I sing for joy at the work of Your hands, forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand, nothing compares to the promise I have in You.”

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

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, at times, it is difficult to see just how wonderful You really 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 prairie grass covered 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.  We give thanks for 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 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.

·        Father, we give You thanksgiving for the news from the National LWML Convention that the school feeding program at Paul et, Isabel in the Central Plateau was awarded a two-year grant of $61,782.

‘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 creation, it is Your gracious will and desire 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.  Father, 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, School Principals and parents in Haiti.  Bless their work as they prepare for the coming school year.

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

Carry me home.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

The children in the attached photo are just a handful of the students that attend school in Lauture which was established in 2003 in the Jacmel District in the south-central part of Haiti.  Prior to attending this Lutheran school, the vast majority of them have never opened the Bible, heard the good news of Jesus Christ, understood the need to confess of their sinfulness or probably had not even thought that they were living outside of God’s commands as they only knew of what the vodou priest had told them and their ancestors.

Then a person like you came along, brought the good news of a forgiving God and the promise of a meal where there was none and the understanding of the difference between right and wrong.  The Holy Spirit worked through people like you to touch lives such as these.  These children now accept the Bible as their authority and have learned to confess their sins and how important that is and how important it is to know that our sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ. 

Confession is so important for those of us who profess our faith in the Triune God.  We still stray at times as do the children in Lauture, but we confess and are forgiven.  What will happen on the day when those still locked into the chains of the vodou priest meet our Lord Jesus on Judgment Day?  I listened to an evangelist recently telling about what will happen when we meet Jesus and have to account for our life and then turned the radio dial and listened to the song “Please carry me home” by Jessi Colter; must have been a God moment in time.

“When the blood curdlin' scream of the fear in my veins pierces the darkness circlin' my brain.  When the pain in my soul is too great to explain I reach out for you, I'm callin' your name.  Lord, please have mercy on my troubled soul.  You keep me together when there's nothing to hold.  Lord, please have mercy, I've nowhere to go when the temptation is over, please carry me home.  Would the jewel of deception rest in the crown upon the heaven, the tempter who's hand keeps me down.  Living so carelessly, so easy to do.  But now that I'm paying, I running to you.  Lord, please have mercy on my troubled soul.  You keep me together when there's nothing to hold.  Oh, Lord, please have mercy, I've nowhere to go when the temptation is over, please carry me 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

HE is always with us.

“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 my phone 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 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 never 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 quarter 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

When will HE come?

“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?  I have and I ended up in this Assisted Living facility.  Have you been in a situation where another human was lying in a hospital bed or in a nursing home asking why Jesus doesn’t come and take them now?  I heard that from the dinner table last night.

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.  The words from a song by the Hoppers titled ‘Yes I am’ are such a great reminder of how we each should feel about our Heavenly home. 

“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

HE listens to us.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”   John 10:27

I read a devotion recently that told of a young boy who was blind from the time he was born.  He lived in a world of darkness with only the sound of his mother reassuring him that he was loved and would be a blessing to others in God’s time.  Through advances in medical technology, he was able to be blessed with the gift of sight.  The moment came when this now, teen aged boy was lying in the hospital bed and the bandages were being removed and the initial glimmer of light began to fill his eyes.  He showed no emotion but looked around the room at figures that he was not familiar with until his mother said “I am here” and then a smile raced across his face as he saw his mother for the very first time.

It is hard to put into words why a Haitian child attending a Christian school can have such a huge smile when they receive a plate full of beans and rice.  The story of the blind child should help us to better understand the reason for their joy.  The child in the attached photo lives in Cap Haitian and she is not only receiving her only meal of the day but she is also realizing the promise from her Good Shepherd Jesus Christ.  She knows His voice, you know His voice and I too recognize His voice.  We have not seen Him, but we hear His voice and see His work in our lives.  A pocket full of your change may have put that smile on her face.  One of your gifts answered the call from His voice.  The hymn “I am Jesus little lamb” was sung recently and it always reminds me of my relationship with the Good Shepherd.  The song was written by Henrietta Von Hayn (1724-1782) and these words seemed appropriate with today’s Scripture and this devotion.

“I am Jesus' little lamb, ever glad at heart I am; for my Shepherd gently guides me, knows my need, and well provides me, loves me every day the same, even calls me by my name.  Day by day, at home, away, Jesus is my staff and stay.  When I hunger, Jesus feeds me, into pleasant pastures leads me; when I thirst, He bids me go where the quiet waters flow.  Who so happy as I am, even now the Shepherd's lamb?  And when my short life is ended, by His angel host attended, He shall fold me to His breast, there within His arms to rest.”

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 am trusting Thee.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”  Philippians 4:11

Thomas Jefferson was quoted as saying “My reading of history convinces me that most, bad government results from too much government.”  Not sure if our present government is moving in the direction of which Jefferson spoke but Haiti gained its independence from France in January 1804 and from what I have read in history books, their country has seemingly been under bad governments ever since.  Jefferson was alive when the battles for freedom where being waged in Haiti.

Move the calendar ahead two centuries and look at the attached photo of the kitchen at a Lutheran school in Petionville.  The kitchen that serves food for children attending Christ Lutheran School in Lincoln, NE does not even remotely resemble this kitchen.  How could one country that is separated by a short flight be so different than our country?  Whenever I used to visit schools in North America and talk about Trinity HOPE programs, I always made it a point to show photos of kitchens at schools in Haiti to the cooks in the U.S.  They typically shake their heads in disbelief, and ask if they can have a photo to remind them of how blessed they are.

The cooks in Haiti preparing the meal and the students who receive the rice and beans are a living example of what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians; being content in any and every situation.  Bad government, we have Jesus.  One meal a day; we have Jesus.  Dirt floor, no electricity, hot and humid, no running water; we have Jesus.  We have Jesus!  Frances Havergal wrote the words for ‘I am trusting thee Lord Jesus’ in 1874 and they seem like an appropriate way to close this message today.

“I am trusting Thee, Lord, Jesus, trusting only Thee; trusting Thee for full salvation, great and free.  I am trusting Thee for pardon; at Thy feet I bow; for Thy grace and tender mercy, trusting now.  I am trusting Thee for cleansing in the crimson flood; trusting Thee to make me holy by Thy blood.  I am trusting Thee to guide me; Thou alone shalt lead; every day and hour supplying all my need.  I am trusting Thee for power, Thine can never fail; words which Thou Thyself shalt give me must prevail.  I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus; never let me fall; I am trusting Thee forever, and for all.”

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

Gloom, despair and agony on me.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

Back in the day, my mom liked watching a program called ‘Hee Haw’ and one of the songs that has always stuck with me and it seems to correspond well to the above verses in James as well.  It went like this; “Gloom, despair, and agony on me.  Deep, dark depression, excessive misery.  If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.  Gloom, despair, and agony on me.”  I’ve been thinking about making it my theme song for my stump named Job.  But, it didn’t have anything to do with luck; good or bad.  Last week Thursday as I was being transferred from my room to the Wellness Center that is located in the Independent Living section of this facility, to do my PT, the person pushing my wheelchair asked about the ‘story’ of my amputation.  The journey from my cell to the Wellness Center takes between five to ten minutes depending on who is pushing my wheelchair and as I finished telling the story, I shared that I named my stump ‘Job’.  They asked, “who is Job?”  Ka ching!!!  Seeds in the ground and ready for the Holy Spirit to take over. 

I am sure that you must know somebody with a few more challenges than you have.  I am sure that these Haitian school children have seen their share of problems the past few years.  When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy as you use it to plant some seeds for the Holy Spirit to work with.  James reminds us that you know when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”  These verses in the book of James address three points for Job and me and hopefully even you might gather a snippet on this Monday morning.

First, trials are going happen to Christians.  James writes ‘when you encounter,’ not ‘if’ you encounter.  If you're experiencing trials, welcome to the group of many Christians who have had them before you.  Going through a trial is one thing that pulls us together and closer to Christ.  Second, trials come in various categories.  They may be physical, emotional, financial, relational, or spiritual.  They may slip in unexpectedly and knock on the door of your business, your church, or your home.  My stump Job got the ball rolling when I was sending out my morning devotion on May, 10 for Trinity HOPE.  They may arrive at any time or in any season.  Like Job, they may come suddenly, like a car accident or a natural catastrophe.  They can be directly related to our own sin, the sin of others, or not related to sin at all.  A trial can be like a rock hitting the water.  You don't cause the jolt, but you're impacted by it.  You're just standing there, and suddenly the smooth lake of your life surges into giant waves and almost drowns you.

And lastly, trials put our faith to the test.  No matter what its source or intensity, there's something about suffering that simplifies life and draws us back to Jesus.  During this time of my intense trial, I spent my days with Job in the hospital bed listening to many Psalms on my phone.  From Psalms to prayer and waiting for the next direction from God.  He has a plan and a purpose me, you and for these Haitian school kids.  Don’t face your trials alone, seek Jesus.

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

Call me a Christian.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 8:1

What do you suppose the Apostle meant when he talked about being in Jesus?  I am from Nebraska and some might call me a ‘cornhusker’.  I also live in the United States and there were people in Haiti who referred to me as an ‘American’.  There were times when they called me that and it was not in a good light as they were upset because I might have been sharing some of my cultural ideas that conflicted with their Haitian culture or as I would learn from Dr. Doug Rutt later; conflict with their African culture.

The children in the attached photo attend the Lutheran school at Bergeaud which is located in the Les Cay District in the southwest part of Haiti.  These 37 lives, you and I are in Christ Jesus and consequently we are called ‘Christians’.  When we arise in the morning we awake as Christians.  When we go to bed at night, we pray the Lord Jesus our soul to keep.  Being referred to as a Christian is certainly more important than called a ‘cornhusker’.  There are people in Oklahoma that will tell you that it is much better to be called basically anything than a ‘cornhusker’ but that is another story for another time. 

Nothing in this world can be more important to us and to the children in Bergeaud than being in Jesus.  The hymn ‘Blessed Assurance’ which was written by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) provides an excellent response of what our hearts should proclaim every morning upon rising and every night before retiring.

“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!  O what a foretaste of glory divine!  Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.  This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.  Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love.  This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.  Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love.  This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.”

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

Terrible times.

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

It seems to me like the sand in the hour glass that measures our time on earth is running like a raging river as we listen to the news accounts of what is taking place on this planet and in our country.  A friend of mine from Lincoln sent me an E-mail recently with some historical facts and quotes from Thomas Jefferson and one of them was recorded in 1802 and he 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.”  

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 make disciples’ with their lives.  I listened to song on Alexa 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.  As you read through the words, please take a moment to think about what is taking place in our country 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