I Will Rise

 “I WILL RISE!” These words were quietly playing in my mind when I woke up at 3:35am this morning. I gave a little smile, rolled over, and went back to sleep. When I woke again at around 8:30am those same words were still playing in my mind, but now a little louder. I got up and began the day like usual and within a few minutes I was at my desk having my “quiet time.” I cannot explain it, but those words were still playing in my head as I read the Bible. It just so “happened” that my daily Bible study was in Revelation chapter 1, where Jesus Christ said, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!” Those Words from the Bible struck me! This was not just a “typical” daily quiet time but became one of the most intimate and real times I had experienced with the Lord in numerous years! Those words, “I WILL RISE!,” stopped me in my tracks…those words had been quietly playing and replaying on the fringe of my thoughts for 3 days, and they finally brought me down to my knees in my apartment living room. Here is when it started:

Two days ago, during the second Sunday morning worship service at our church, the music leader played a new song (or it was the first time I had heard it). The song began slowly and the momentum built up to the peak when two women, who both had voices like some of God’s angels, were singing these three words with a tone and harmony that was beyond words—“I WILL RISE!” You would have needed to be there to really “feel” what I mean. My heart and spirit were soaking in those three words like a starved person. I did not want them to stop singing those three words. Those words quietly played in the background of my thoughts from then until 3:35am this morning. It was then that those words, “I WILL RISE!” were moved from just background music in my mind to words of impact in my heart! 

I felt compelled to pass on to you, my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ, those same words—“I…YOU…WE…WILL RISE!” Someday there will be…no more barking dogs at 6am, no more rushing to work through traffic, no more cancer, no more broken bones, no more laundry, no more strokes, no suffering children, no more stress over anything, no more need for food or water or personal hygiene. Someday, WE WILL RISE to non-stop heavenly life! And after we rise, none of the following will exist: problems or pain or depression or the need of anti-depressants; no more divorce lawyers; no more Christians being persecuted; no more bickering between church members; no more jealousy; no more bad credit; no more watching a spouse need brain surgery; no more watching little babies with cleft palates…all this “human” stuff will finally be over! 

The past year, in a more precise way than usual, my “insides” have been aching to be free from my own flesh, to be free from my humanity…my sinful nature…my “human-ness.” Perhaps you can relate? As those two women sang those beautiful words, “I WILL RISE!,” for a few brief seconds I think God allowed me to have a glimpse of the freedom of “rising” and I “felt” liberated from my flesh. Someday, because I know Jesus personally, I WILL RISE above the limitations of being a human and will pass through death and enter eternal life in Heaven, and there, somehow, in some new way, life will truly begin! I will get to see my mom and brother (though they are still alive now) in a new, eternal way. And, how awesome it will be to see Moses and Noah, and Isaiah and Jeremiah, and Job, and King David and his son Solomon, and Matthew and Mark and Luke and John (John, the writer of the famous Bible verse, John 3:16). Plus, we will get to see the Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament in our Bibles. We will get to meet the parents of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Joseph and Mary. And, of course, we will finally get to see what Jesus looks like and see Him smile! Can you imagine what it will be like? It is going to be so wonderful to see all my friends from throughout a lifetime, those who had turned to Jesus at some point in their lives, even childhood friends from my hometown, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and even from my birth town, Moberly, Missouri! I want to see my first pastor from 25 years ago, the one who baptized me and licensed me into ministry, who died a few months ago. I want to meet Christians in Heaven I was never able to meet in this life, such as D.L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham. Who are you looking forward to spending time with after you rise into eternity?

There is no specific practical reason I am writing this other than to share with you what encouraged me this morning, that—WE WILL RISE…YOU WILL RISE…and I WILL RISE! If you know Jesus Christ personally and have been born-again, someday you will rise to true life! And it will be then when all of us will be together—finally & forever—in the everlasting place the Bible has called HEAVEN! If you have not yet repented and surrendered your heart to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, do it right now so that after you die “YOU WILL RISE” too and spend eternity with all of us in Heaven! 

“As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days YOU WILL RISE to receive your allotted inheritance” (Daniel 12:13).

Jesus Christ said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).

(Author, Scott Nute, May 13, 2014; revised, May 12, 2015)

Eternal Tribute to our Supporters and Volunteers!

One thing I look forward to seeing in Heaven is watching Jesus Christ hand out eternal rewards and tribute to the supporters and volunteers who have given to our ministry! Some of our supporters have been sending us out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over 20 years, while others joined our team of “senders” just last month at our Benefit Dinner in Houston. Please know how grateful I have been, and am, and always will be, for the generous support and prayers you have given to help this ministry make a difference in the world with the love of God!

Currently, we have opportunities for ministry in over a dozen nations. We are praying and being as selective as possible about where to go so that we can have both the widest and the deepest impact possible for the Kingdom of God. Later this year we will conduct our largest project to date in India. The Crusade venue holds 60,000 people, and we are praying and preparing to reach as many Indians as we possibly can! Those who commit to Jesus Christ will be followed up with and nurtured by pastors and Christians from the more than 500 churches involved in the pre- and post-project mobilization training. In tandem with the Crusade we will host our Leadership Development Conference, where hundreds of church leaders and ministry-minded Christians attend to receive valuable training and encouragement to help them strive forward in their service to God! Plus, we will be distributing Bibles, evangelism materials, and other ministry resources. (The black and white photo above is from my first crusade event in India in 1999, and God willing there will be many more to come…starting later this year!)

Over the years it has been quite the faith journey to say the least, watching God provide what is needed to send us to the nations on behalf of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Some people have been giving $10 almost every month for years and God has multiplied their support! Others were able to donate much more than that, such as last year when the tiny church in New Mexico gave $20,000! We are grateful for every amount you have given because, as the Bible says in Philippians 4:17, “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.”

Recently, due to the start of a new year and also due to our benefit, we saw supporter’s increase their giving by 25%, or 50%, with some doubling their giving to our ministry, and this means we will see more souls won to Christ! Whether it is your large, medium, or small donation, or monthly or quarterly or annual gifts (and anything in between), or giving via a gift in the mail and/or an online contribution, and for those who donate time and talents as a volunteer…I can hardly wait to watch in Heaven when Jesus hands out YOUR rewards with a smile of tribute and says to YOU who have helped us reach lives around the world with the Great News of Jesus Christ, “Well done, good and faithful servant!…Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Thankfully yours,

Scott Nute