1. It is what it is: The problem was here before the holidays and it will be here after it. I don't need to try and look for things to magically change during the holidays, that's crazy pressure. I don't let the issues become a bigger bleep on my radar than they were before the Christmas lights were hung.  

2. Enjoy the good moments: Unresolved bad moments tend to try and hijack the joy of the good moments. Is'nt it absurd how a small thought about a wrong someone has committed against you can such the happiness out of good moment you are enjoying? I can not and will not let that happen. I must milk every good moment for what it has to offer. I taste them, breathe them in, and absorb them. They are gifts from God and He wants me to enjoy them. 

3. Bless those who hurt you: I give generously to those who have offended me. I heap hot coals of love and kindness on their heads with total confidence that it is a good excercise for my heart. I let these days be a sort of spiritual P90X for my heart. Sweating off the bitterness with acts of blessings. It’s what God did 2000 years ago to a world that was set out to kill him on a cross. Perhaps that’s what it means to live out the Gospel.

Merry Christmas!

Tony Nolan

I was offered an invitation to join Winter Jam again for 2012, but the winds of change have me sailing in a different direction. In John 3, Jesus mentioned that the Spirit of God moves much like the wind. We would all prefer a gentle breeze to smoothly push us along, but sometimes it’s a howling gust. In either case, the thing we must do is hoist the sails of faith, keep our compass fixed on the will of God, and ride the Wind. 

I loosed the moorings and set sail, confident that God had more “good works” foreordained for me to accomplish for His glory. Flowing with the Spirit, I have found myself in some exciting waters. I’m invigorated, yet my heart is burdened. There are drowning people in this ocean, and my passion is to help them get into the ship of God’s salvation. Although I cannot see beyond the horizon, nor predict the wind, I’m staying on my charted course to rescue the perishing. 

Jesus Christ, the Captain of my ship, gave me a sermon and wants it to be the very heart of my mission. I’ve preached it at a few conferences and churches in recent days, and we saw thousands of people get saved! It’s humbling to sense God’s supernatural touch on a sermon. He also led me to put it in a book, so that Christians can give it to the people they love and see them get saved. It’s to this end, I put my heart and energy. The book will be released the second week of December 2011. My vision is to preach it everywhere I can, to as many people as I can. I envision every drowning soul in America reading the book and millions getting saved. 

There is a Chinese proverb that says, “Friends are priceless jewels you wear around your heart.” If that is true, then I’m sporting some serious heart bling! I am very grateful for the friendships I have with thousands of you through Facebook, Twitter, and email. Your messages these past few days have been a rich source of encouragement. Many of you have asked how you can pray for me. Please pray Colossians 1:9-11 over me and my family. You may find that you end up praying it over yourself, as well. They are very powerful words. May God hear our prayers and empower us for the mission! 

Warm regards

Tony Nolan

( we apologize for not being able to post all comments due to the mass response to this blog via, email, twitter and FB )

I've been in the trenches latley with some intense spiritual warfare. (cant wait to see what God is up to cuz the devil somehow got wind that something good is about to go down) I dont know how you handle your spiritual battles but I tend to pray longer and read more Bible. That may make me sound like some sort of super faith hero but thats far from who I am.

I struggle in the midst of all that praying and Bible reading.  I know all truth about God being the victor and that we win....but its tough to get my emotions to be led by those truths. My faith and my head are all over pressing forward by the Word of the Lord... but man, and maybe this happens to you... my heart often drags behind. I really hate these seasons in my life. Yeah I said hate and I mean it. But, I've been here before and I know my God is able to bring me through it. And sometimes, He uses someone to say just the right thing to help.

Yesterday I got a moment like that. It came from a friend. He left me a voice message and closed it by saying some of the most heart lifting words a hurting person would need to hear, he said, "I can come to Atlanta if I need to.." This guy is one of the busiest men of God I know, yet he cared enough to make himself available. His caring blessed me. His words lifted a deep inner weight that was seeking to drag me down. 

I dont need him to come. I'm doing ok, but just knowing that I have a friend who would.....wow....its such a blessing to be in the family of God and to have people who really care for you.  It not only lifted my spirit,  it stirred me up to be the same kind of friend to others....because to care is to bless!

Grateful

Tony 

Hey Tony pass this on to all those people you love and enjoy Jesus with...

This is going to be huge! If you missed Winter Jam or if you just want to re-live it, you can!! Tune in Saturday to watch Winter Jam live from the comfort of your home! Tune into http://live.hearitfirst.com on 3/19 at 6pm eastern to watch the whole concert! 

If you're a youth leader and have access to a big screen or projector and want to gather your youthgroup together to watch the concert, you can register at http://live.hearitfirst.com/group in order to have access to a higher quality stream for a bigger screen! Get your group together and enjoy a night of worship!

Saturday's concert stream is brought to you by Grand Canyon University. If you're a high school student researching colleges, consider Grand Canyon University in Phoenix! Or, if you are looking to take online classes to begin or complete a degree, Grand Canyon can provide you with a number of options! 

Visit Grand Canyon University online today! < - link to www.gcu.edu/hearitfirst

3tier Strategy is also giving away a iPad2 to the person that refers the most people who signup. Details on this challenge can be found at http://bit.ly/gCQRv0 and this is where we are asking people to point interested parties.

Thank you for all your help, LET's PACK IT OUT ONLINE!!

Serving you,

Perry Johnson

C.E.O.

3tier Strategy, LLC.

Hey man I just wanted to say thanks for coming to speak. You are definitely the best speaker I have ever heard. Anyway I wanted to just connect with you and maybe just catch up from time to time and get some advice. And for real if you need a band were an e-mail away! haha. I know your busy so if you don’t get back to me I understand but just know that you have definitely helped at least 2 people in your life. Myself of course and my friend Sarah Lopez. We were both into drinking and doing drugs early in high school and she actually came to Liberty with me in 05 or 06 when you spoke there. Sarah and I heard you speak and because of you God spoke to us and we both were saved. I remember seeing her cry as we were sitting in the bleachers behind the stage. In 2007 Sarah was in a very bad car accident because of a drunk driver. Even though Sarah is gone I know that if it wasn’t for God’s calling for your life she would be in a very different place right now. Thank you Tony for following God’s plan for your life because you have truly made a difference. 

Adam

After our visit with Billy. His grandson Wil Graham took us to see George Beverly Shea. It was amazing. He is 102 years old and as spunky as kid. It blew my mind to hang out with him and hear all of the stories about the Crusades he did with Billy. We laughed and sang for about an hour. Then he told a short little story about the time he warmed up his voice by saying a poem over the mic in a packed out Arena. After he said the poem from memory the crowd erupted in a 3 minute standing ovation! When he told the story to us, he shared a small part of the poem. It stunned me. Here is what he said,

“Come down, come down,
Come down, come down,
Come down from off the fence.
And preach the Gospel as it is
And take the consequence.
Come down, come down,
Come down, come down
Come down from off the fence
Your duty’s plain, you can’t remain
A preacher on the fence.”

Wil and I turned to each other with our mouths wide open.We had never heard it before and we wanted to hear more of it.  After we left the house Wil went on the hunt for the poem. A day later Wil sent me the following text:

THE PREACHER ON THE FENCE

From out of the millions on the earth
God often calls a man
To Preach the word and for the truth
To take a royal stand.

‘Tis sad to see him shun the cross,
Nor stand in its defense
Between the fields of right and wrong:
A preacher on the fence

Before him are the souls of men
Bound for Heaven or Hell;
An open Bible in his hand,
And yet he will not tell

All the truth thats written there,
it haveth an offense
The joys of heaven, the horrors of hell
A preacher on the fence

Now surely God has called the man
To battle for the right.
‘Tis his to ferret out of the wrong
and turn on us the light.

And yet he dare not tell the truth,
He fears the consequence,
The most disgusting thing on earth
A preacher on the fence.

If he should stand up for the wrong,
The right he’d not defend;
If he should stand up for the right,
the wrong he would offend.

His mouth is closed, he cannot speak
For freedom or against.
Oh Great God deliver us from
A preacher on the fence

But soon both sides will find him out
And brand him as a fraud,
A coward who dares not to please
The devil or his God.

Oh God free us from fear of man,
From cowardly preference;
cleanse out the dross and fear of loss,
and keep us off the fence.

We don’t know the author of the poem or I would put it here. Maybe you have heard this before and know who wrote it. Please pass it on and we will give them the credit deserved! Who ever wrote it had a ferocious passion for truth indicated by saying that the most disgusting thing on earth is a preacher on the fence. Wow! God help me to not be that guy but to preach it with love and passion.

Did you read it? If so then the rest of this blog will settle more deeply into your spirit.

After reading it myself I visualized Jesus at His trial.
I saw him standing there taking the abuse. My imagination was fueled by the movie Passion of the Christ and the way the Director made it come alive. 
As I sat here seeing the moment replay over and over again in my mind, I found myself writing about it. The following short poem is the result:

Silent savior enduring lies
to give defense you did not rise
in holy hush you stood there sinless
for such restraint my awe is endless!

Read it again. And again. Think of Jesus and that moment He endured for you. How do you feel about it? What are your thoughts of Christ because of it? Where did the fact that He did such a thing send you spiritually?

For me it was .....AWE!!!!

Heres the story, its from a lady named Shannon. She writes:
“I would say my story began the day my mom told me about Christ, but I can’t REALLY say that. I was maybe two or three at the time and I didn’t know what in the world she was talking about. I wasn’t able to comprehend anything she was saying. Who was this God and why did He love me; a little snot-nosed little blondie?

Fast forward to September 12th, 2010. Forsyth Family Fest; Cumming, Georgia.

I could barely contain my excitement that Sunday morning while getting ready. I kept thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, today is going to be awesome!’ I had never heard of Tony Nolan, Charlie Hall, or Canton Jones before and I was excited to learn who they were.

Canton Jones really helped me get into it with his music and voice. It was beautiful. I remember thinking, ‘I’m definitely looking this guy up on YouTube when I get home.’

Anyways, fast forward to Tony Nolan’s message. It hit me like a ton of bricks. That’s horribly cliche, but true. I remember sitting there listening to what he had to say and digesting it all. At the end of his message, I realized something: I hadn’t been focused on God for five or six years (the years I’ve lived in Georgia) and I terribly needed Him more than ever. When Tony told those who raised their hands during the prayer to come down to the front, I panicked. But then he said something about not letting Satan get the best of us and I said my “Excuse me”‘s and made my down to the front. I was shaking; I felt like something was coming alive inside of me.

A few minutes later, when the crowd around those who were with me clapped for us, rejoicing with God about our decision, I couldn’t help but smile. And smile, I did! I don’t think I’ve EVER smiled so big in my life; and I’m quite the smiler!

Anyways, a counselor came up to me and started talking to me. She gave me this little booklet along with her name and phone number. I’ve been going through the booklet and talking to her on the phone every night possible since that Sunday. It changed my life. “The Change Inside of Me” by MercyMe is definitely my theme song as of right now.”

Tony here again now…weeping, gushing emotionally like a big sissy!  I just cant help it. When I hear stories like this, I’m not one of those guys who questions wether Shannon really meant it or not…Im full of faith that the God who invited her to salvation, gives it and she got it! So thrilling to hear her letter. May the Lord bless her in her new relationship with Jesus and use her for His glory.

Shannon I’m so happy for you that I’m still applauding for you and smiling with you!

In the Message it says:
“It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Taking a good look at them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.”

Think about the miracle that actually happened in this story.

Leprosy was a DSL connection to a dial up death by rotting. Their facial structure would gradually disintegrate leaving them with earless heads and noseless faces. Fingers and toes were reduced to insidious nubs. They were Frankenstein’s of sort. Grotesque disfigured creatures on the run from the pitch forks and torches of fear filled citizens.

Lepers were banished to survive on the outskirts of civilization. Beyond the city walls they could hear the activity of the healthy people within who were enjoying socialization. And as their decaying ears listened to the laughs and cheers, I’m thinking they would slowly rot on the inside as well.  Suffering from years of this trauma they would emotionally fall apart doomed to never receive a hug from their children, have lunch with a friend, or ever hold their lover again. How tragically sad! 

Then one day everything changed.  Jesus spoke the Word and the miracle began…

It happened like a time lapsed film but was seen instantly with the naked eye! A cheekbone regrew under an enormously beautiful brown eye as water swelled within its tear duct and cascaded gently down baby smooth skin. A hand sprouted fingers and a wedding ring found its rightful place again. Toes developed and stumbling feet regained their strength and raced to deliver a smothering hug to a dear missed child. Jesus spoke and everything changed!

Take a moment to go back and slowly read those verses again. Feel the heart of the words, “He couldn’t thank him enough…”

Now rewind the DVD of your life story. Has Jesus ever spoke to you and His words healed and transformed your life? Take a few moments right now and simply THANK HIM.