NS Ministries

In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and rescued me. The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people. It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in princes. (118:5 – 118:9)

Armed only with our vulnerability and against overwhelming odds with broken hearts and heavy spirits we turn to God not for understanding but for the strength of eagles with which we can soar to the heights where we can exchange our weakness and weariness for the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

As God responds to our weakening faith with strength beyond our understanding we begin to see with the eyes of our hearts how powerless our adversities really are. Just as the sun slowly breaks the horizon the Light of Jesus illuminates the face of God and we begin to experience his boundless love.

Coming face to face with God we see the pointlessness of depending on anything but his promise of the Holy Spirit.   

Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD. Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD. They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a roaring flame. But I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD. You did your best to kill me, O my enemy, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things! The strong right arm of the LORD is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things! I will not die, but I will live to tell what the LORD has done. The LORD has punished me severely, but he has not handed me over to death. (118:10 – 118:18)

It is in the shadows of doubt and despair where God’s plan to prosper us against the backdrop of human evil and natural disasters slowly begins to take shape. Slowly ever so slowly the form of a man whose arms are raised in triumph on a wooden cross materializes then from the cross the image of an empty tomb materializes. Then suddenly echoing from the empty tomb come the words, “Do not fear the enemies of life for in my resurrection your victory will be completed.”

And then despite the storms that still surround us a smile breaks out on our face and instinctively we sing out.  “The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things! I will not die, but I will live to tell what the LORD has done. The LORD has brought me to my knees, but he has not handed me over to death.”  

Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the LORD. Those gates lead to the presence of the LORD, and the godly enter there. I thank you for answering my prayer and saving me! (118:19 – 118:21)

Finding our faith getting stronger and stronger day by day experience by experience we find ourselves facing what appears to be our own tomb then suddenly and miraculously it becomes not a tomb but a gate. And we find ourselves standing face to face with Jesus, the Gatekeeper. “Come walk through the Gate and I will continue to strengthen your faith,” he says, “There are more victories to be won.”

The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous to see. This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Please, LORD, please save us. Please, LORD, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, shining upon us. Bring forward the sacrifice and put it on the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.  (118:22 – 118:29)

Once upon a time I was introduced to Jesus. Once upon a time I was encouraged to make Jesus the cornerstone upon which to build my life and in my shortsightedness I said, “Go away I will be my own cornerstone.”

Yet hidden deep in my spirit the image of Jesus did not go away. And much to my surprise just as the flames of my faith were flickering and dying out I heard a voice saying, “Here is my servant! I have made him strong. He is my chosen one; I am pleased with him. I have given him my Spirit, and he will bring justice to the nations. He won't shout or yell or call out in the streets. He won't break off a bent reed or put out a dying flame, but he will make sure that justice is done. He won't quit or give up until he brings justice everywhere on earth, and people in foreign nations long for his teaching. I am the LORD God. I created the heavens like an open tent above. I made the earth and everything that grows on it. I am the source of life for all who live on this earth, so listen to what I say.” (Isaiah 42:1-5 CEV)

Finding myself speechless in the aftermath of such wonderful and undeserved blessing I adopt the concluding words of the Psalmist as my own. “You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”

AMEN!

Grace and Peace,

Gary

NOTE: unless otherwise noted all scriptures come from the New Living Translation. “Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.”

NOTE: Isaiah 42:1-5 have been taken from the Contemporary English Version. “Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.”