Memorials and Lessons from the Day
I celebrated Happy Alive Day today! April 30, 1984... I was 13 years old, a couple weeks shy of my 14th birthday, when I suffered an accidental gunshot wound to my chest. I almost died. Technically speaking, I did die several times before undergoing open heart surgery to remove shrapnel and repair the damage that had been done to my heart.
FATHER was watching over me then as HE does now. I celebrate the life HE restored—back from the brink of death. The last 26 years of my life has been full of wonder and blessings. However, there has also been the occasion for heartache as well. Hurts and disappointments, that at times, left me questioning the wisdom in GOD sparing my life and giving me the opportunity to experience life beyond the age of 13.
Today those doubts all melt away in the acknowledgement of both GOD's wisdom and HIS goodness in allowing me a second chance—a second chance at living and not just barely living either—abundant living, full of vibrant blessings beyond compare!
Just to name a few: my beautiful bride, Dawnita; the two blessings I call my sons, Eli and Aaron; and all the wonderful friends and family I've been blessed to share life with... each blessings way more than I could have ever dreamed or imagined!
Thank YOU GOD for blessing me with such a wonderful life. I'm so thrilled to call Dawnita my partner, my bride, my very best friend ever! And, I am beyond proud to be father to such wonderful boys—watching them embrace CHRIST in their own lives—walking and growing close to the FATHER, is such a beautiful gift!
Despite any other experience I might could count as failure or loss, FATHER has reminded me today that the true report card of my life and ministry is best measured by the health and spiritual well being of my family—Dawnita, Eli and Aaron.
And… greater things are yet to come! I’m excited about the future. The call FATHER has placed on me is stronger now, more so than ever before. HE has good in store—HIS invitation for me to participate in HIS work has not wavered.
FATHER continues to unravel a GOD-sized dream and a GOD-sized vision for my future.
And, I continue to pray the prayer, “Show me YOUR ways, O GOD, to reach my community and have a GOD-sized impact for CHRIST!”
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“NO AMIGOS” Directive
I recently posted a tweet inspired by 2 John 1:10-11 (msg) ... my tweet was, "If anyone shows up who doesn't hold true to the teachings of CHRIST—don't become their partner by giving them a platform to perpetuate evil."
A dear friend of mine (@wilandlisa) responded to my tweet and asked, "As Christians, how do we really do this while at the same time helping those who struggle with staying true to Christ's teachings by their un-Christ like actions?"
Her question is not a new one with regards to the instructions given here by John in this scripture. It seems people have been debating over the exact meaning of these instructions for as long as the book of 2 John has been in the Canon of Scripture!
So, ok… well, the statement made from 2 John 1:10-11 (msg) is not necessarily directed at the type of person Lisa was inquiring about in her question. There is a BIG difference between the one she described in her question and the one defined by John in this scripture.
The person Lisa describes is an individual who is immature in their faith. Unfortunately, there are lots and lots of these types of folks populating the church. The failure occurs when leaders neglect teaching people the full gospel MESSAGE! To many focus only on leading people to CHRIST for eternal salvation, but then do little to instruct those babies in CHRIST on how to discover freedom through surrendered daily living!
Our mission as leaders is to foster the opportunities where lives can be transformed through the work of the SPIRIT into fully developing followers of CHRIST!
In an environment absent of that sort of atmosphere, many babes in CHRIST end up going to church for the entertainment value—rather than being challenged to continued transformation into CHRIST-likeness. Or, they go to get propped up by a set of man-centered rules by which they can feel better about their inability to live the life (see the Abundant Life post dated March 2).
The end result is that immature believers remain immature and continue to live out of selfish motives.
BUT sometimes… worse still… immature believers and unbelievers alike can be lulled into a comma by the types of “leader” John speaks of in 2 John 1. John defines this type of leader as a charlatan—an anti-Christ!! Yikes!! That’s pretty extreme language used to define this type of person that we (the church) are to be on the lookout for!
Thus, the reason for John's... Uhm... "NO AMIGOS" Directive! Ok, well... I actually came up with the name there... but, pretty clear instructions by John here nonetheless!
Make no mistake, this is not simply one seeking truth, or one stumbling along due to immaturity. Rather, this is one intent on twisting and distorting truth—a deceiver. Sadly, there are many “religious leaders” in the church today who fall into this category! These Charlatans don’t share the whole MESSAGE of the gospel—and worse, they distort the MESSAGE. They lead people astray. Sometimes those led astray are believers—but, sometimes they are not, stumbling through life believing they are Christians.
Followers of CHRIST are called to die to self. Paul said, “for me to live is CHRIST.” Not, for me to live is to be CHRIST-like… or, for me to live is to read my Bible… or, for me to live is to tithe! For me to live IS CHRIST. That means no agenda of our own. That means a total surrender of every area of our lives. The old life—that self-centered, live for myself life—is gone. It was buried in the grave the moment I received CHRIST as my SAVIOR. My new life IS CHRIST—a wholly surrendered, CHRIST-centered life. One that allows JESUS to live HIS life in us, through us, AS US!! That means I’m no longer agenda driven by selfish motive or by a misguided attempt to impress GOD.
My whole life is open for GOD to direct me in whatever way HE chooses to lead.
JESUS was the first to live that life perfectly. HE was not driven by HIS own self-centered motives either! You’ll find over and over in the GOSPEL accounts, JESUS saying, “I’m not doing any of these things of my own accord—I’m doing the will of my FATHER!”
JESUS was totally surrendered—HIS whole life, open for GOD the FATHER to direct in whatever way HE chose to lead HIS SON.
We are to live that same life! Let’s live lives wholly surrendered to the MASTER! AND, be willing as JESUS was to overturn tables, rebuke religious leaders, and wash the feet of doubters… every time HE leads us to do so, no matter how uncomfortable those activities can be to us personally!
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This extraordinary plan of GOD!
It's been rainy all day today... and, I've got to be honest in saying, hibernating in bed was my first choice on how to spend this Saturday! BUT, to be just a bit more honest, I'd have to admit, sleeping the day away was appealing for more than just reasons of overcast and gloomy weather!
I've been wrestling the last few days (and weeks) trying to understand the journey GOD has put us on. It's still not all that clear. I went to bed last night contemplating a number of "tent building" opportunities, hoping I'd wake up with a better sense of direction.
No such luck.
So, I'm still struggling, left with the sense FATHER has brought me home to my beloved TEXAS to continue doing worship ministry of some sort. Just, what exactly that ministry is to be continues to escape my full comprehension.
As I looked at my Twitter feed this morning though, GOD spoke to the issue of my confusion through the following tweet:
"@perrynoble: If GOD called you then HE has also equipped and empowered you... so... get on with it and stop making excuses!"
FATHER reminded me also of the scripture HE had led me to yesterday. I heard HIM saying again, "... all of this is proceeding along lines I have all along had planned out!"
I'm not sure of the specific details just yet. BUT, I know and am sure FATHER has created me to preach, write and sing about the inexhaustible riches and generosity of CHRIST! These are things that are way over my head... and at the moment the specific details of my present assignment are still out of focus. Still, it is HE who has brought me to this place!
So, in agreement with Paul, I know that "my task is to bring out in the open and make plain what GOD, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through fully developing followers of JESUS, this extraordinary plan of GOD is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!
When we trust in HIM, we are free to say whatever needs to be said—bold to go wherever we need to go. So don't let my present confusion and uncertainty get you down.
My response is to get down on my knees before the FATHER, this magnificent FATHER who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask HIM to strengthen us by HIS SPIRIT—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that we might live full lives, full in the fullness of GOD!"
The plans for tomorrow are still no more clearer than they were when I started this day... but, I'm reminded that my FATHER has HIS eyes on me. HE is to good to do wrong and to right to be caught off guard! So, my hope is in HIS plans for me and my family.
Let's all hold a tight grip to HIS hand and let HIM lead and be the AUTHOR of our lives!
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- Anyone tried Atomic Sports Grill at Fielder & Park Row yet? Just curious if it's any good?!
- Well, Colts Homecoming not going so swell—20 to 42, 11 minutes to go in the 4th—can't help but feel they're calling wrong defensive package!
- Incredible day... love the cool temps, overcast skies! :) http://twitpic.com/2kulm1
- What we believe is what leads our hopes... our hearts... our lives.
- Woohoo!! Colts win!! :) Great job Colts!! And Aaron (@aaronelson) looked awesome!! :)
- 4 minutes left, Colts 17, Cowboys 13... Colts are on O!! Let's go boys!
- Oh shoot!! Cowboys are up by 2 now... 10 minutes left in the 4th. We gotta have some offense! Come on let's go Colts!!
- Halftime, Cowboys Stadium, Colts up by 7! Proud of my boy (@aaronelson), he's rocking the center—good snaps, blocks, and opening big holes!
- Birthday breakfast!! http://twitpic.com/2ki5ax
- Tired... been a long, hot day. I'm ready for a change of clothes and scenery—gonna spend the rest of this day and evening w/my bride! :)