NS Ministries

For me the reality of God is at its highest point when we testify of him at our lowest point.  The book of Acts has this story of Paul and Silas:

“By this time the crowd had turned into a restless mob out for blood. The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas's clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black and blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jail keeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that--threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them. Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears.”  (Acts 16:22 – 16:25)

“...singing a robust hymn to God.  The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears.”  I've never been in jail however I did on one occasion visit a prisoner while he was in jail.  As the deputy escorted me through the cell block and past some of the cells housing prisoners to the meeting room it was enough exposure to jail life for me to last a life time.  However, whether we realize it or not all of us have spent some time in jail, a jail not of bricks, mortar, and steel bars but of physical, mental, and spiritual cells that incarcerate and confine us to their world.   

Some time ago Adam Quigley, owner and founder of Natural Spirit Ministries found himself incarcerated and confined to a jail called Multiple Sclerosis.  While I won’t go into any details about Adam’s day to day life since his incarceration I can say without a doubt his life and the life of his family has undergone a complete change.  But what I want to tell you about is his attitude in a recent email from Adam he wrote:

“The past few weeks have been very hard. My pain level has been increasing and last night was the worst I have ever felt. Many hours of sleep, drugs, and prayer have settled it down.”

“Me I am well except for the pain issues. I refuse to get involved with any real heavy pain meds. I am taking a non-narcotic med now and naproxen. … … … But God see's me through as I need.”

At the point of his greatest need Adam prophetically tells OF God, “But God see’s me through as I need.” 

The same day I received the above email from Adam I received another email with the subject, “New Years Resolution from the Bible for 2010” and when I opened it all it contained was the following verse from Isaiah:

"Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.”  (Isaiah 43:18 – 4:19)

Although the circumstances may be different each of us have stories similar to Adam’s that give us limited freedom to live our lives as we would live them.  There’s no one more familiar with yours then you are.  I could begin listing them all but in so doing I would no doubt forget the one that you are living in.  I know there are people who will read this that perhaps will think the cell block Adam is living in is small when compared to theirs.  And in a sense they’d be right even though to a third party observer that may not agree.  But there is one thing I firmly believe in and to God there is no small thing when it comes to our lives.

Jeremiah a Prophet speaking FOR God writes:

“I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen.  When you come looking for me, you'll find me.  Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.  GOD's Decree.”  (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

I believe that Adam’s “New Years Resolution from the Bible for 2010” plays a big part in God’s plan not only for the people of Jeremiah’s day but our day as well.  

I am sure you’ve heard of or read the Serenity Prayer that speaks of accepting the things we cannot change.  “Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history.”   My first real encounter with what God is telling us to do here came following my first artificial hip implant.  I remember saying to myself after making the decision to go through with the surgery, “Gary, you know there’s no going back once this is done it’s done!”  We all reach a point in our lives when we’ve passed the point of no return, when there’s no going back only ahead.

We’ve all spoken words we wish we’d never have said.  Words spoken cannot be taken back.

We’ve all done things we wish we’d never done.  Actions once done cannot be undone.

We’ve all spend money on things we wish we’d never spent.  In many cases once a dollar is spent it can only be re-earned.

I can honestly say that not once have I ever wanted to go back and not have those first two artificial hip implants because common sense dictates that is an impossibility that does not mean I’ve been completely distress free.  There have been many times when I’ve wanted to escape the physical limitations they have placed on my life.  But over the years with the help of the Holy Spirit I’ve been able “Forget about what’s happened and not keep going over old history.”  With the Holy Spirit’s help I have come to understand and believe I am not the person I once was but I am not the person I can and will become. 

One of the most important things we need to believe in is – We are not people of the past.  The past is who we are.  We are people of the future.  The future is what we will become.

And from there we need to gather insight not only from our own experiences but insight and inspiration from the Holy Spirit – “Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.”  God meets us at the point of our greatest need and then if we allow him to lead us to where he wants us to go.  Where we go wrong sometimes is we want God to take us to where we want to go.  There are times when we’d like God to help us undo those things that we regret doing the only problem is God has only one direction and that is ONWARD and not backwards. 

While things done cannot be undone they can be rebuilt.  My life because of my hip implants can never be the same as it once was but that doesn’t mean it has not been rebuilt.  Can I run like before?  No, but then I’m not the same as I once was?  Does that mean that I am somehow a failure?  When I forget about God’s activity in my life it does.  Does that mean I am unhappy?  When I forget about God’s activity in my life it does. 

Which brings me to the next part of God’s plan, “It's bursting out! Don't you see it?  There it is!”  I’ve discovered over the years that as important as what God does for us it is by far more important to see God is actively involved in my life.  For me this part of God’s plan should read – “I’m bursting out!  Don’t you see me? Here I am!”  When we are completely with God somehow what we want and what we need suddenly move from the front seat to the back seat.  It is then when we can join with Jesus as he prayed the night of his arrest, “Father, not my will but your will.”

It is when we are completely with God – when his plan really begins to take shape and we’ll be able to see what he is doing – “I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.”  It is important to note that God says, “I’m making a way through…”  He does not say, “I’m making a way OUT…”  I have discovered over the years that God is far better at being God than I expect him to be.  Therefore there are times when God does not make a way out of our cell block but what he does is join us and transform it from a cell block not only to a classroom but to a worship center as well.  We only need to reflect back on Adam’s email to me to see its truthfulness. 

If you were to interview Adam and ask him how MS can go from being a cell block to a classroom and worship center he’d tell you that it is because he, holding nothing back,  gave his entire life to God MS including with all its implications.  Adam’s future can be summed up in his “New Years Resolution from the Bible for 2010.”

You may think that 2010 is your year but the truth is it is God’s gift to you.  As you begin to formulate your strategy for 2010 allow the words of Isaiah to permeate your life:

"Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.”  (Isaiah 43:18 – 4:19)