International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 11/2/25 Joel Griffith 11/2/25

November Prayer Guide

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

Trinity HOPE

Prayer Guide for November – 2025

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’

Revelation 4:8-11; “Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

If you are reading this today from your home PC, you and me are living on this side of Heaven and the promise of our future and permanent Home should open our eyes, ears, nose, mouth and heart to the awesome things that we are blessed with to immerse ourselves in…during this month of November. For those of us who are Trinity HOPE supporters, this month is a fund-raising month in many locations and a time for fellowship with other like-minded donors. For those living in Haiti, this is a time of horrible challenges from many directions…but also a sign of hope on the horizon. This is a time for quietly directing our thoughts for a few moments, here in the U.S. and there in Haiti, to all that our Awesome God has done and will accomplish through our lives no matter what or where we may be…He is in Control; He is coming.

A time of ‘Adoration’ to our Triune God.

· Think about the provisions, protection, hope and love that surround you because of His unfailing love for you.

· Try to grasp the immense work that our Creator has and is doing in the lives of each Haitian child who are daily facing challenges from gangs and vodou.

· Consider how our God is using your daily energies to accomplish His work throughout this world.

· We celebrate Thanksgiving this month. Set aside a time each day this month to consider a reason to give thanks for every blessing on each of your steps along your journey.

‘Confession’

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

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

· A time of personal confession.

Our sins are placed at the base of the Calvary 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’

There are so many challenges throughout Haiti this month, and possibly in your life as well. Give thanks for the presence of our Savior in your life and in the lives of many children in Haiti who are eating a meal at school; because of somebody like you. You are a part of God’s plan. Give thanks for what He has accomplished through you in Haiti and in the lives along your journey.

Psalm 107:1; “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

Heavenly Father, we come to You now with hearts, minds and words filled with ‘Thanksgiving’.”

· We give thanks for our Creator, Redeemer and Holy Spirit and for Your continued blessings in our lives.

· We give thanks for this school year and the many new students who will learn about Jesus, be filled with ‘JOY’ and receive a daily meal from Trinity HOPE.

· We give you thanks for our providence and as we give of our first fruits may we also give a portion of our best to His children in Haiti who need the assistance we can provide because of You.

‘Supplications’

“Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we pray, that we might be grounded and settled in Your truth by the coming of Your Holy Spirit in our hearts. What we do not know, reveal to us; what is lacking within us, make complete; what we do know, confirm in us; and keep us blameless in Your service, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” Clement, c. 35–99 AD, served as bishop in Rome after the apostle Peter.

Supplications. Lord…where do we begin? We live in a sin-filled, messy fallen world. Please reread the above words from Clement and take just a few moments to let them settle into your being. “What we do know, confirm in us and keep us blameless in YOUR service.” Blameless in YOUR service. The Republic of Haiti is facing challenges from inside and out at this present time. There are voices from inside Haiti and from many locations outside Haiti sharing their views on what ‘needs’ to be done to end the chaos and bring peace and Hope to the Haitian people. May we all seek YOUR wisdom and discernment and be found blameless as we seek to help, and not hinder Your people in Haiti with our time, talents and treasures.

Heavenly Father, please hear our requests;

· Heavenly Father, please provide safe travel for the donors who are having Trinity HOPE fundraising events this month in many areas of our country.

· Lord Jesus, cause Your Haitian children to be strong, courageous and faithful in their witness as they face challenges of gangs in their neighborhoods.

· May the fires started by the cooks scorch the lies of those who are opposed to YOU. May the Holy Spirit seek and change the cold hearts of those who still desire to please the devil, and bring them to the foot of the cross seeking Your forgiveness and favor.

· Father, provide ample teams of volunteers with Trinity HOPE who oversee the monthly records from Haitian school’s abundant joy as they serve you in this way.

· Almighty God, be with those countries and organizations that are seeking ways to help Haiti find ways to stop the gangs, fuel shortages and the rise of food costs. May they work with the people of Haiti, listening to them and working side by side accomplishing Your work.

· Father, protect the members of the U.N. force as it prepares to deploy in Haiti and eliminate the gangs.

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

In His love, Jay Brinkmeyer

Joel Griffith 11/1/25 Joel Griffith 11/1/25

All Saint's Day.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1

Today is ‘All Saints’ day and it always causes me to consider those in my life who have gone before me to receive their glory. Back in the day, the men’s Bible study group that I led in Lincoln, NE watched a 14 minute video on YouTube titled ‘In my seat’ and that was the story of Steve Scheibner. He was an American Airlines pilot and he was bumped from AA Flight 11 that was hijacked and smashed into the first tower on September 11, 2001.

Towards the end of the video, he shared a short paragraph that he had written down some twenty years ago and it caused each of us to consider our lives, our legacy and how we are accomplishing what needs to be accomplished in the time that each of us has left here. He wrote the following; “To seek, trust and glorify God through humble service and continual prayer. To raise qualified disciples as quickly as possible so that one day I might hear God say “well done my good and faithful servant.” Does this apply to your life?

The attached photo is of Pastor LaPointe from Saltedere and he is one of the called Servants that is accomplishing His work and will no doubt hear his Lord say “well done my good and faithful servant” when he reaches his Heavenly home. The Lutheran church in that small Haitian city in the Central Plateau continues to bring more souls into the fold when the large Catholic church down the street loses members and vodou temples continue to decrease. The children in the Lutheran school are being prepared to be missionaries for Jesus and are being fed daily through the Trinity HOPE feeding program. I pray that your day will be a time of reflecting on those who are doing His work today and have done His work in the past and have impacted your life. An all-time favorite hymn of mine is ‘For all the Saints who from their labors rest’ and was written by William W. How in 1864 and its words seem like a wonderful way to leave you today.

“For all the saints who from their labors rest, who Thee by faith before the world confess, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest, Alleluia! Alleluia! Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might; Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight; Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light. Alleluia! Alleluia! Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold, fight as the saints who nobly fought of old and win with them the victor's crown of gold. Alleluia! Alleluia! O blest communion, fellowship divine, we feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia! Alleluia! And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph song, and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Alleluia! Alleluia! But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day; the saints triumphant rise in bright array; the King of Glory passes on His way. Alleluia! Alleluia! From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast, through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Alleluia! Alleluia! The golden evening brightens in the west; soon, soon, to faithful warriors cometh rest. Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!”

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 10/31/25 Joel Griffith 10/31/25

For all those Saints.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” Hebrews 11:13

What a beautiful statement regarding all those saints who fell asleep before the coming of our Lord Jesus. It really doesn't matter how they died, where they died or when they died but the most important thing they had in common is that they all "were still living by faith when they died." Our Heavenly Father wants you, me, these children from Haiti and all people on this earth to be living by faith when we breathe our last. He sent His only Son to come into this world to seek and save the lost.

Believers in Christ should not die while resting in a recliner or basking in the glow of our earthly accomplishments, but firmly holding to our faith in our risen Savior. The followers of Christ in Hebrews 11 understood that it is as precious to die by faith as it is to live by faith. These children living in Haiti are learning more about their risen Savior every day and are enjoying their daily meal. For many of them, their ancestors practiced vodou and probably denied Christ and did not receive the same promises of Eternal Glory in Heaven as these young saints are waiting for in the coming days. These young children are confident of their acceptance by God, daily enjoying the rays of His love and resting in His faithfulness to the very end. I close today with the words to the hymn ‘Savior of the nations, come’ that was written by Martin Luther in 1524.

“Savior of the nations, come, virgin's Son, make here Thy home! Marvel now, O heaven and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth. Not by human flesh and blood, by the Spirit of our God, was the Word of God made flesh; woman's Offspring, pure and fresh. Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child of the Virgin undefiled! Though by all the world disowned, still to be in heaven enthroned. From the Father forth He came and returneth to the same, captive leading death and hell; high the song of triumph swell! Thou, the Father's only Son, hast o'er sin the victory won. Boundless shall Thy kingdom be; when shall we its glories see? Brightly doth Thy manger shine, glorious is its light divine. Let not sin o'ercloud this light; ever be our faith thus bright. Praise to God the Father sing, praise to God the Son, our King, praise to God the Spirit be ever and eternally.”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/30/25 Joel Griffith 10/30/25

Back in the day...

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.” Psalm 119:15

Back in the day while living in Haiti, many were the times that I was alone and if someone was near, we didn’t share a common language or similar culture; there were many times when solitude was better than fellowship and when silence was wiser than speech. I firmly believe that each of us would be better Christians if we spent more time being alone, waiting on God and finding spiritual strength for service to Him by meditating on His Word. We should first consider the things of God because only then will we get real nutrition from them.

Consider these children in Cap Haitian, preparing to eat their daily meal; simply taking food into their mouths does not nourish their bodies, for it is the full process of digestion that supplies nutrients to muscles, nerves and bones. And it is through spiritual "digestion" that outward food is brought into our inner life. Our souls are not nourished merely by listening for a while to this and that, and later to another portion of His Word. Hearing, reading, examining, and learning all requires inward digestion to complete their usefulness, and that inner digesting of the truth takes place primarily by meditating on it; dwelling upon His Word. We all need to be fed on His Word and His food daily. Isaac Watts wrote the hymn ‘Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways’ in 1719 and it seems a fitting way to close this message.

“Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways to keep His statutes still! Oh, that my God would grant me grace to know and do His will! Order my footsteps by Thy Word and make my heart sincere; let sin have no dominion, Lord, but keep my conscience clear. Assist my soul, too apt to stray, a stricter watch to keep; and should I e'er forget Thy way, restore Thy wandering sheep. Make me to walk in Thy commands, 'Tis a delightful road, nor let my head or heart or hands offend against my God.”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/29/25 Joel Griffith 10/29/25

Happy kids.

“People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16

It is difficult to visit Trinity HOPE school feeding programs in Haiti and not remember this passage in the tenth chapter of Mark when looking at little children, like this young girl from Ouanaminthe. There shouldn’t be a single lick of difference between this child and the young children who attend Christian schools in the U.S.; Jesus would have taken each of them into His arms and blessed them. The children in our country and Haiti are both being prepared to go and share the message of salvation with those who will come along their life’s journey. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to each of them and to us.

The main difference is the food. Children here in America are fed at home and at school. The vast majority of the children attending this Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe don’t get food at home and rely upon the meal at school for their daily manna; thank you for helping to provide for them. Benjamin Schmolck wrote the hymn ‘Dearest Jesus, we are here’ in 1704 and it will close today’s message.

“Dearest Jesus, we are here, gladly Thy command obeying; with this child we now draw near in accord with Thine own saying that to Thee it shall be given as a child and heir of heaven. Yea, Thy word is clear and plain, and we would obey it duly: "He who is not born again, heart and life renewing truly, born of water and the Spirit, can My kingdom not inherit. Therefore hasten we to Thee, in our arms this infant bearing; let us here Thy glory see let this child, Thy mercy sharing, in Thine arms be shielded ever, Thine on earth and Thine forever. Gracious Head, Thy member own; Shepherd, take Thy lamb and feed it; Prince of Peace, make here Thy throne; Way of Life, to heaven lead it; Precious Vine, let nothing sever from Thy side this branch forever. Now into Thy heart we pour prayers that from our hearts proceeded. Our petitions heavenward soar; may our warm desires be heeded! Write the name we now have given, write it in the book of heaven.”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/28/25 Joel Griffith 10/28/25

The feast.

“On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine; the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:6-9

We sang a hymn that is a personal favorite of mine recently; “This is the Feast” and on the cover of our worship folder was an abstract drawing of a person wearing a robe, with hands lifted high and facing a sunrise over rolling hills. Every day should be a ‘victory’ for our Lord! The young girl in the attached photo is sitting on a Haitian chair in Cap Haitian and has a feast resting in her lap and that is a victory for our Lord! You can tell that this is a true feast by the sparkle in her eyes and look of anticipation as she awaits a spoon to compliment her manna.

As we awake in the morning, witness the sun rising, let us also give thanks for the victory of our Lord Jesus and the feast that awaits us each and every day, and the feast that we will realize in Heaven with this child one day.

“This is the feast of victory for our God. For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God. Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His. This is the feast of victory for our God. Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia!”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/27/25 Joel Griffith 10/27/25

Are you careful?

“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:11-13

Are you careful who you eat with? Here at the facility, if I have a runny nose, sneezing and coughing; I stay in my room when it’s mealtime. I don’t want to spread my germs to Bob, George and Norm. Some people are probably careful not to be seen in public sharing a meal with a person who happens to have their photograph on a wanted poster down at the Post Office. There are some people that I try to avoid at mealtime because they chew with their mouths open and make irritating noises that attract attention from nearby diners. Jesus is in the business of seeking the lost and bringing them the gift of life that can only be found in Him. He would not hesitate to sit at a table across from a person who would chew their food with their mouths wide open, if they needed to hear the message of salvation.

Take a close look at some of the children who attend the Good Samaritan Lutheran school in Les Cayes; would you consider sharing a meal with any of them? Statistics in Haiti lead us to believe that more than half of these children come from homes where vodou is still being practiced. All of the children in this school and all the 301 schools in Haiti where there are Trinity HOPE feeding programs are being fed a meal and are given the news of a loving Savior; Jesus Christ who has prepared a place for each of them in Heaven. The hymn ‘The Savior calls; let every ear’ was written by Anne Steele in 1760 and its message will close this message.

“The Savior calls; let every ear attend the heavenly sound. Ye doubting souls, dismiss your fear; hope smiles reviving round. For every thirsty, Ionging heart here streams of bounty flow and life and health and bliss impart to banish mortal woe. Here springs of sacred pleasures rise to ease your every pain; immortal fountain, full supplies! Nor shall you thirst in vain. Ye sinners, come, 'tis Mercy's voice; the gracious call obey; mercy invites to heavenly joys, and can you yet delay? Dear Savior, draw reluctant hearts; to Thee let sinners fly and take the bliss Thy love imparts and drink and never die.”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

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

We have Hope.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-11

There were numerous times when my mother would provide me with calming words before I was about to begin one of this world’s trials; she prepared me with a fundamental foundation that I would ultimately find some positive value in having gone through this experience. Her faith had brought her through the sudden death of her husband, raising two children and the grief we must have placed upon her plate during our teenage years.

Being calm when facing life’s hardships is of God as we are confident in His Word as we endure painful trials that will produce maturity which leads to reflect our love of our Heavenly Father. While looking for a photo for this devotion the attached caught my eye. I don’t recall where I took this but given the date, the desks, the color of the children’s uniforms and the fact that these children are praying for their daily meal there is a good chance it might be in the Artibonite District.

Perhaps not knowing where makes it that much more special as when I send my donation monthly to Trinity HOPE via plastic, I generally don’t know which children will be receiving a meal because of my donation; it doesn’t matter because they are all His children. They are all facing hardships and that plate of food on their desk is from Him and provides a sense of calmness in a country where there is so little hope. Yesterday, an e-mail from Trinity HOPE brought a message of Hope. Trinity HOPE is now feeding over 67,000 children in 301 schools throughout Haiti. We’ve never been in that many schools. As John Hall would say; “Ain’t God Good?” Beni Soit L’Eternal!!! In 1846 a hymn titled ‘I heard the voice of Jesus say’ was written by Horatius Bonar and the words prayerfully provide a calming effect for the trials of this Saturday.

“I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto Me and rest; lay down, thou weary one, lay down, thy head upon My breast." I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad; I found in Him a resting-place, and He has made me glad. I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold, I freely give the living water; thirsty one, stoop down and drink and live." I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream. My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him. I heard the voice of Jesus say, "I am this dark world's Light. Look unto Me; thy morn shall rise and all thy day be bright." I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun; and in that Light of Life I'll walk till traveling days are done.”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/24/25 Joel Griffith 10/24/25

Are you content?

‍ ‍

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

‍ ‍

Our culture tells us that ‘contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.’ If we take a moment to measure our contentment with the ‘stuff’ that we in North America have then we should be very CONTENT. Sadly, most of the people I listen to are not content with all the things that they have; it is never enough.

Most people look for contentment by purchasing a new house or car, or any number of things that they don’t need online or from a catalogue. Some people in this world seek to find contentment by sacrificing possessions and living a simple life, free from the temptations of this world. The attached photo is of the apartment building where my one room apartment was located in Petionville.

When laundry day on Friday is here in the facility, my memory bank is opened and thoughts of washing clothes in the bathtub or sink and then heading to clothesline on the roof fill my mind. While my clothes appeared to be clean they were never as clean as the women who washed their families’ clothes in the river, or so it seemed to me. I was content in my living conditions and I imagine that the people living to the west of my apartment on the hillside were also very content as they lived in a house and didn’t have to sleep in the street or under a sheet of metal or plastic.

My friends, the truth is that real contentment can only be found through Jesus Christ. You know that as well as I do and also the Christians living in Haiti. When the Apostle Paul wrote the above passages to the church in Philippi, he was writing this letter from prison. His contentment, hope, strength and riches were found in Christ. We should have this contentment today; that our Heavenly Father that empowered Paul to be content in prison, is at work in our lives today and in the lives of all His children throughout this world. The hymn ‘God bless our native land’ was written by Charles T. Brooks in 1834 and their message seems to be an appropriate way to close today.

“God bless our native land! Firm may she ever stand thro' storm and night! When the wild tempests rave, ruler of wind and wave do Thou our country save by Thy great might. For her our prayer shall rise to God above the skies; on Him we wait. Thou who art ever nigh, guarding with watchful eye, to Thee aloud we cry, God save the State! Amen.”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Joel Griffith 10/23/25 Joel Griffith 10/23/25

Is this going to be it?

“Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else, to the nearby villages, so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Mark 1:38

I heard a quote credited to Steve Jobs on Tuesday morning while working out in the Wellness Center here in the facility. The woman shared that at a commencement address he asked “if you knew that today was going to be your last day, would you be doing what you are doing?” How would you answer that? As you sit reading this message, how would your plans for today or tomorrow be affected if these were the final hours of your life?

In the Gospel of Mark, our Savior had been healing the sick and following a moment of solitude prayer He tells the disciples that they should go elsewhere in the town to preach as there are many more that need healing and more importantly, the message of salvation.

If you knew that your life was nearing the end would feeding this child in Ouanaminthe, Haiti still be that important. The mission of Jesus Christ was to give the message of salvation to the lost; He came into this world to save the lost. That is what He did up until that final moment when He said that “it is finished.” If I knew that tomorrow would be my last day, there would still be an opportunity for me to feed children in Haiti, who will take the message of salvation to the nearby villages. Salomo Franck wrote the words to the hymn ‘I leave all things to God’s direction’ in 1685 and they are still good advice today, tomorrow and for the remaining days we have along our journey.

“I leave all things to God's direction, He loveth me in weal and woe; His will is good, true His affection. With tender love His heart doth glow. My Fortress and my Rock is He: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. My God hath all things in His keeping, He is the ever faithful Friend; He grants me laughter after weeping, and all His ways in blessings end. His love endures eternally: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. The will of God shall be my pleasure while here on earth is mine abode; my will is wrong beyond all measure, it doth not will what pleaseth God. The Christian's motto e'er must be: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. God knows what must be done to save me, His love for me will never cease; upon His hands He did engrave me with purest gold of loving grace. His will supreme must ever be! What pleaseth God, that pleaseth me. My God desires the soul's salvation, me also He desires to save; therefore with Christian resignation all earthly troubles I will brave. His will be done eternally: what pleaseth God, that pleaseth me.”

Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay