Last night I was able to attend the graduation ceremony for Trinity. As I sat there waiting for things to get started I was hoping for a speaker that would capture my attention. Funny thing I leaned over to the person sitting next to me and said it would be great if Tony Nolan was speaking tonight (that thought only came after I saw his father-in-law sitting in the audience). Yeah, it was Tony speaking, I knew it was going to be good.I wish I had a pen and paper last night to take notes. It was better than good. Tony gave a message to the students that every young person needs to hear and be challenged with. He told them three things they need to know; Say no to the devil, say yes to God and do your best. One of the statements that he made which is so true because I have experienced it and seen it first hand and that is after a few months of newly graduating students attend church for a short period of time and then they decide this isnt for me, you cnat make me go any more, or they get so caught up in the college life they forget about God. He gave a story about a convient store clerk and how she was being robbed and the robber had a gun under his shirt and when he asked for the money the girl say no, he continued to ask and she continued to say no. The robber got angry and took his arm out and pushed everything on the counter onto the floor and the girl realized that he did not have a gun so the girl began to beat him up. We need not allow the devil to threaten us because he has been disarmed and we have victory because of who God is and what he did for us. I was so encouraged last night by Tony, I walked out going what else can I do to help assist a younger generation stand firm and say no to the devil and yes to God.
My prayer and challenge for myself.
God help me to not stop the relationships that I have developed with so many of the seniors. Help me to be an encouragement to them that they would continue in church and would seek your guidance and be in your will. Put people in their lives that will encourage, hold them accountable, and challenge them to live a life obedient to you.
Tony if you ever read this I just want to say thank you so much for who you are and for who God is in you. God has blessed you with the ability to preach his word in a way that causes every one that hears to respond. Thank you for all you do.
1 comment:
hey this is Tony Nolan! I loved hearing your blog. Very cool how God worked that night out. I was impressed that you remembered most of what I said if not all of it. If I ever get a sore throat, I'm gonna call on you to preach for me!!! Keep pressing on for Jesus.
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