International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 9/18/25 Joel Griffith 9/18/25

What do you lack?

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:8-10

As you sit and read this devotion today, take just a few moments to consider what you lack at this point in your life. The right leg? Are you lacking stuff, time, friends, treasures, food, shelter or good health? The final verse from Psalm 34 should cause each of us to take an inventory of our lives and also consider how others on this planet might reply of what it is they may be lacking. The child in the attached photo attends the Lutheran school in Bois Marchand, which is located on the northern edge of Gonaives. I can’t imagine what she would say that she lacks, probably food at home as she told me that she had nothing to eat before walking to school and nothing to eat the night before we met on this hot day in March of 2010.

If we all continue to ‘seek the Lord’ we will realize how many blessings have been poured out for us and not be tempted by the ‘needs’ of this sinful world. Our Heavenly Father sent His only Son into this world to pay the price for our sins and Jesus promised that He has prepared a mansion in Heaven for each of us. Seek the Lord and lack nothing. In 1876 Henry Baker wrote ‘Redeemed, restored, forgiven’ and this hymn sums up all that we have today and will have in eternity.

“Redeemed, restored, forgiven, through Jesus' precious blood. Heirs of His home in heaven, oh, praise our pardoning God! Praise Him in tuneful measures Who gave His Son to die; praise Him whose sevenfold treasures enrich and sanctify. Once on the dreary mountain we wandered far and wide; far from the cleansing fountain, far from the pierced side. But Jesus sought and found us and washed our guilt away; with cords of love He bound us to be His own for aye. Dear Master, Thine the glory of each recovered soul. Ah! who can tell the story of love that made us whole? Not ours, not ours, the merit; be Thine alone the praise and ours a thankful spirit to serve Thee all our days. Now keep us, holy Savior, in Thy true love and fear and grant us of Thy favor. The grace to persevere till in Thy new creation; earth's time-long travail o'er, we find our full salvation and praise Thee evermore. “

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/17/25 Joel Griffith 9/17/25

Thanks for the hard times.

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.” Psalm 42:1-4

When a wall of barbed wire or a thirty-foot tall wall of steel is placed in the middle of our journey, we need to thank our Heavenly Father for those times when life is hard, when we can’t handle life’s challenges on our own, when we fully realize that our wisdom and resources are inadequate. Our North American culture makes this a hard pill to swallow.

When my wheels are stuck in the slimy muddy goo of this world there is a part of me that absolutely hates the situation and I have no choice but to remember how much I need my Heavenly Father. And in these times, Job and me can feel the longing of my soul for His presence, love and protection. The people that live in this stone house in the Arcahaie District are sitting in their home and probably don’t see themselves facing problems as I do when I snapped this photo. No electrical or telephone lines running into their house or indoor plumbing.

Their children attend Lutheran school at Chinchiron and they have heard about our risen Savior and know about the word ‘Salvation’ and have turned away from the vodou priest; their lives have a purpose to share His message. Without our Heavenly Father, our lives would have no purpose. Without Him, we all would faint from exhaustion and fade away and not receive our Crown of Life. Without Him, our discouragement with this world would stack up higher and higher, with no hope of relief. So, we yearn for the presence of our Heavenly Father and like a deer and the water, He alone can satisfy our soul. In 1984, Martin Nystrom took the words of this psalm and put them to music: “As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship Thee.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/16/25 Joel Griffith 9/16/25

It's not about me.

“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which Christian Church He daily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins of all believers, and will raise up me and all the dead at the last day, and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true.” The Explanation of the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed by Martin Luther.

Back in the day, quite a number of years ago there was a popular book called the ‘Forty days of Purpose’ by Rick Warren. This was a Bible study that many millions of people went through and I went through this book a number of times; with a group in Davie, FL and with a few close friends via E-mail while living in Haiti and it now sits on a shelf in my desk only being referenced occasionally. The truly important part of this book in my mind was that our being here is not about me; it is about our Triune God. He is the one preparing us and providing opportunities to use the time, talents and treasures that He has provided to us; we are not calling the shots. HE is the smart on this team. I don’t know if Mr. Warren studied Martin Luther but he might have as the phrase Luther wrote in the 1500’s “the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth” certainly reminds us today what force is working through us.

The girl standing next to me in Messif has been called by the Holy Spirit to do His work. The Holy Spirit does not just choose the tall or short, the young or old, the rich or poor, the sick or healthy or the meek or the courageous; He calls us all. This child living in Ouanaminthe, you and I are all being daily called by the Holy Spirit to use the gifts that we have been given to do His work; bring one more soul to hear the news of a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Your gifts are different than her gifts and also different than mine. Thank you for letting the Holy Spirit move you to help prepare this child for her call. A wonderful way to close this devotion is by using the words to a Welsh hymn ‘Sent forth by God’s blessing’ which was written by Omer Westendorf (1917-1997).

“Sent forth by God's blessing, our true faith confessing, the people of God from this dwelling take leave. The supper is ended. Oh, now be extended the fruits of this service in all who believe. The fruit of Christ's teaching, receptive souls reaching, shall blossom in action for God and for all. His grace did invite us, his love shall unite us to work for God's kingdom and answer his call. With praise and thanksgiving to God ever-living the tasks of our everyday life we will face. Our faith ever sharing, in love ever caring, embracing the children of each tribe and race. With your feast you feed us, with your light now lead us, unite us as one in this life that we share. Then may all the living with praise and thanksgiving give honor to Christ and his name that we bear.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/15/25 Joel Griffith 9/15/25

Did thry have Hope?

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us, yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17

It is so important to acknowledge that our accomplishments in my lifetime are really not much unless their directions come from our Heavenly Father. The importance of ‘His’ work is far greater than what this world holds as important. At this writing, Trinity HOPE has feeding programs in over 250 Christian schools in Haiti; a milestone that I never thought would be reached in my lifetime. And, there are more Christian schools waiting for a feeding program; patiently waiting for His plans to be set into place. There are Haitian missionaries attending these schools, waiting to take to Gospel message to the lost.

The attached photo is of a rather large cemetery on a mountain top near Chinchiron in the Arcahaie District. The bones of vodou followers and Christians are stored here. When passing by cemeteries in Haiti the question of how many went to their grave not having had a Savior always came up in our conversation; many more following the vodou priest than clinging to Christ.

Thank you so much for helping to feed schools and for following His directions to feed the schools waiting and help to prepare those children to share the Good News of a Risen Savior with the lost. I close with the words from the hymn "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" that was written by Isaac Watts, 1719.

“Our God, our Help in ages past, our Hope for years to come, our Shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal Home! Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; sufficient is Thine arm alone and our defense is sure. Before the hills in order stood or earth received her frame, from everlasting Thou art God, to endless years the same. A thousand ages in Thy sight are like an evening gone, short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun. Thy word commands our flesh to dust: “Return ye sons of men!" All nations rose from earth at first and turn to earth again. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all its sons away; they fly forgotten as a dream dies at the opening day. Like flowery fields the nations stand, pleased with the morning light; the flowers beneath the mower's hand lie withering ere 'tis night. Our God, our Help in ages past, Our Hope for years to come, be Thou our Guard while troubles last and our eternal Home!”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/13/25 Joel Griffith 9/13/25

Where are we called?

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15

Why do you suppose our Triune God calls us to work in places outside of our own backyard? There are people that live within my city that receive their daily manna from the food bank and soup kitchen; why does the Holy Spirit nudge us to go outside of our city and State? When the hunger pains in a child living in Haiti become unbearable, their cries can be silenced when their small stomachs are filled with a dirt cake. The woman in the attached photo is preparing quite a supply.

Hunger is a pressing reason why we go to Haiti but probably more important in the greater scope is satan worship that was brought to Haiti on French slave ships traveling from Africa. The devil is alive and well within the vodou priests residing in Haiti casting evil spirits throughout local neighborhoods.

Satan will be cast out of Haiti from within by the young missionaries that are being trained and fed in the Christian schools today; with your help. The truth and light is being spread by the mouths and actions of the young children who are being fed beans and rice and not dirt cakes. Their witness is dispelling the fear of the vodou priest and is bringing hope to a country that has for so long been without hope.

Heinrich Held penned the words for the hymn “Come, Oh, Come, Thou Quickening Spirit” in 1664 and this particular hymn is one of those that goes on and on and the final three verses will close today’s devotion.

“Holy Spirit, strong and mighty; Thou who makest all things new, make Thy work within us perfect and the evil Foe subdue. Grant us weapons for the strife and with victory crown our life. Guard, O God, our faith forever; let not Satan, death, or shame ever part us from our Savior; Lord our Refuge is Thy name. Though our flesh cry ever: Nay! Be Thy Word to us still Yea! And when life's frail thread is breaking; then assure us more and more, as the heirs of life unending. Of the glory there in store, glory never yet expressed, glory of the saints at rest.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/12/25 Joel Griffith 9/12/25

Why HE came.

“The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him.” Matthew 26:64-67

Back in the day, a group of men from the Wednesday morning Bible study went through a series on the movie ‘Passion of Christ’ and the above passages from Matthew caused me to consider why Christ came here and also who He came here to save.

Please, spend a few moments in time looking at this girl attending the Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe. The first thing that you should know is that the children at this school wear uniforms, and she has none. In a country where families have little earthly belongings her family is just managing to exist. The bowl of food resting in her lap is her daily manna. I can only imagine that this child is coming from a vodou household and she daily hears contradicting words about what she is learning in school. Here she has the news of a Savior and is fed. At home there is no hope and no promises. The Son of God came to earth for this child. Jesus went to the cross on Calvary for this single child and for each of us. How great a sacrifice He gave for each of us and when considering what He accomplished on Easter; what a privilege to share in helping to prepare this child to be His missionary. The hymn ‘Christ, the life of all the living’ was written by Ernst Homburg in 1659 and verses 1, 5-7 seem like excellent words to close this devotion.

“Christ, the Life of all the living, Christ, the Death of death, our foe, Who, Thyself for me once giving to the darkest depths of woe. Through thy sufferings, death, and merit I eternal life inherit: thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto Thee. Thou hast suffered men to bruise Thee that from pain I might be free; falsely did Thy foes accuse Thee. Thence I gain security; comfortless Thy soul did languish me to comfort in my anguish. Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto Thee. Thou hast suffered great affliction and hast borne it patiently, even death by crucifixion, fully to atone for me; Thou didst choose to be tormented that my doom should be prevented. Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto Thee. Then, for all that wrought my pardon, for Thy sorrows deep and sore, for Thine anguish in the Garden, I will thank Thee evermore. Thank Thee for Thy groaning, sighing, for Thy bleeding and Thy dying, for that last triumphant cry, and shall praise Thee, Lord, on high.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/11/25 Joel Griffith 9/11/25

Nine eleven.

“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

There are times in our lives when events will be burned into our memory banks for the remainder of our time on this side of Paradise. I remember how dense the fog was on the morning that my dad was killed in an automobile accident when I was seven; I remember how he looked laying in a casket. I remember my 8th grade teacher coming into our classroom after lunch with tears in her eyes as she told us that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas; I remember that we were sent home for the afternoon and walking home on that cold and cloudy November day.

I remember standing in the southwest quadrant of the I-80 interchange at Kearney, NE when I heard the radio in our State of Nebraska red van announce that the Challenger space shuttle had exploded shortly after takeoff. I remember preparing to eat dinner at the Hotel Kinam in Petionville, Haiti when I was told that I had a phone call and went to the front desk and learned that my sister had lost her battle to liver cancer.

On this day in 2001, I was sitting at a computer in a cyber-café in Petionville on a hot and humid sunny morning. This building had four rooms, no glass in the windows; just iron bars, and no AC. The front room was set up as a waiting room with a small B&W television. The next room had six computers set up on tables. The two rooms adjacent to this room were where the family who owned this business lived and one room had a few baby goats making sounds and smells that only goats can make; there were clouds of gnats and mosquitos buzzing in the still air.

I had paid the attendant for an hour of time to use their internet and was in the middle of checking my mail when I heard “ohs” coming from the waiting room and was curious so I stood and peeked around the corner to see what was causing their reaction to what was being shown on the television. The French-Canadian news channel was broadcasting the video footage of the first airplane smashing into the World Trade Center; my heart sank.

I sent an Email to my supervisor Pastor Jim Tino, advising that all seemed safe in Haiti and finished sending a report to some mission societies in North America and then logged off and went to the waiting room. At that point in time while living in Haiti, I was not driving by myself so I had to sit and wait for my driver to return to pick me up at a designated time so there was about thirty minutes of sitting in the waiting room and praying.

When my driver returned and took me back to the office and I called my supervisor on the satellite phone and found out that the LCMS World Missions was bringing some missionaries out of their country for safety reasons but I assured him that it seemed to be quiet in Haiti and the only reaction to this event was sadness on the part of the Haitian people, offering me condolences in the loss of those innocent people.

When we least expect them, destruction comes like a thief in the night; Job and I know that. We are comforted that our Savior has conquered sin, death and the devil for us on the cross of Calvary. Nothing in this world can separate us from His love and our faith continues to rest upon Him. While satan continues to throw unexpected calamities into this world that impact our journey and remain in our memory, it is okay to not lose sight of them but it is also important to never forget who is in control of this world. Our Triune God allows things to happen in our lives that seem to be unthinkably horrible but through them all we grow stronger and closer to Him.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/10/25 Joel Griffith 9/10/25

Evil lies.

“There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:38-43

Imagine what your life would be like today If your grandparents, parents and friends told you over and over that Christ is dead; you would eventually give up hope. The attached photo of a vodou priestess kneeling before the altar in her temple with a bottle of Haitian Rhum, a bottle of animal blood and a jar of bone fragments are setting on the top and a collection bowl is down in front. Possibly the most dramatic part of this photo is behind the altar where the cross is buried into the floor and this is to signify that Jesus is still buried in the tomb.

When visiting schools with Trinity HOPE feeding programs your North American mind struggles to fully understand what many of the children are being confronted with at home. The story at home is that Jesus is dead and at school the news that He is risen from the dead is spoken. At home there is fear, emptiness and despair and at school there is hope, food and happiness that we have a Risen Savior who is Christ the Lord.

Thank you for helping to prepare the children attending Christian schools in Haiti. The message Christ gave us in Luke “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” is such an immense comfort to hear in this world of lies. A song by the Dove’s called ‘If that isn’t love’ was playing on my Internet radio yesterday and its lyrics are a wonderful way to close today.

“He left the splendor of heaven knowing His destiny was the lonely hill of Golgotha there to lay down His life for me. And if that isn't love then the ocean is dry; there's no stars in the sky and the little sparrows can't fly. Yeah if that isn't love then heaven's a myth. There's no feeling like this if that isn't love. Even in death He remembered the thief hanging by His side then he spoke of love and compassion and He took him to Paradise. And if that isn't love then the ocean is dry; there's no stars in the sky and the little sparrows can't fly. Yeah if that isn't love then heaven's a myth there's no feeling like this if that isn't love.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/9/25 Joel Griffith 9/9/25

Psalm 23.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23 (KJV)

Call me old fashioned, or just call me old, but I really enjoy reading some favorite scripture passages in the King James Version. The Creole word for ‘Good Shepherd’ is Bon Berger and you will see that name being used at several Lutheran schools in Haiti. The majority of the children attending Lutheran schools in Haiti know of an actual shepherd and perhaps many of them have fathers or relatives who are shepherds tending to goat herds.

Our Good Shepherd gave up His life for each of us when it was given on the cross of Calvary. There are many instances where men and women have given much, even the great sacrifice of their lives for their families and perhaps for strangers to save somebody else’s life. I heard a story recently of a young girl who had a serious illness and needed a blood transfusion or she would die. The doctors determined that the only person who could donate this life-giving blood to this young girl was her little brother. The parents and doctors asked the little boy if they could use his blood to save his sister and he gave it much thought; several hours to be exact. He finally told them that he was ready to give his blood to his sister so she would live and asked how long he would live after they had taken his blood. He didn’t understand that both she and he would live.

There are children attending Lutheran schools in Haiti who are being fed dirt cakes from their mothers as they cannot afford food. The woman in the attached photo is a vendor of dirt cakes. Some of these children are slowly passing away because of this ‘food’; their life lights are growing dim. They need Jesus for their Spiritual welfare and you to help to fulfill their daily food. Thank you for reaching out to these children, giving of your talents and treasures. I close today with the words from the hymn ‘The Lord my pasture shall prepare’ that was written by Joseph Addison in 1712.

“The Lord my pasture shall prepare and feed me with a shepherd's care; His presence shall my wants supply and guard me with a watchful eye; my noonday walks He shall attend and all my midnight hours defend. When in the sultry glebe I faint or on the thirsty mountain pant, to fertile vales and dewy meads my weary, wandering steps He leads, where peaceful rivers, soft and slow, amid the verdant landscape flow. Though in the paths of death I tread, with gloomy horrors overspread, my steadfast heart shall fear no ill, for Thou, O Lord, art with me still; Thy friendly crook shall give me aid and guide me through the dreadful shade. Though in a bare and rugged way, through devious lonely wilds, I stray, Thy bounty shall my pains beguile; the barren wilderness shall smile, with sudden greens and herbage crowned, and streams shall murmur all around.”

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 9/8/25 Joel Griffith 9/8/25

A reminder.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” Philippians 2:5

This passage from the Apostle Paul should be such a vivid reminder for each of us every day along our journey, to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. We shouldn’t be thinking in the ways of this world but be considering our thoughts, words and actions to be what Jesus would be doing in a similar circumstance. Jesus didn’t appear on this planet to live for Himself. His entire earthly life was dedicated to serving us and giving us the most important gift of all; His life to rescue us from sin, death and the devil. It was all about Him for us, and we should strive to do likewise. Our world tells us it is all about ME and not about you, or our neighbor or about Jesus.

Would you consider helping to provide a meal for this young child attending the Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe? There are those in this world that will tell you to send her clothes, a radio, an MP3 player and a host of other North America ‘necessities’ but what she really needs is Jesus and some food. Pastor Daniel Paul and a staff of teachers are providing for her Christian education and you can help to provide her daily food. Thank you for considering supporting children in Trinity HOPE school feeding programs.

I was given a piece of paper from Gov. Kay Orr decades ago and it had a hymn that matched well with a Pastor Luke Schnake message that morning and also a few other events that took place along my journey back in the day. The hymn is titled ‘May the mind of Christ, my Savior’ and these words were written by Kate Barclay Wilkinson sometime before 1913.

“May the mind of Christ, my Savior, live in me from day to day, by His love and power controlling all I do and say. May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that all may see I triumph only through His power. May the peace of God my Father rule my life in everything, that I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing. May the love of Jesus fill me as the waters fill the sea; Him exalting, self abasing, this is victory. May I run the race before me, strong and brave to face the foe, looking only unto Jesus as I onward go. May His beauty rest upon me, as I seek the lost to win, and may they forget the channel, seeing only Him.”

May God be with you,

Jay