Former NewSpring Church Pastor Perry Noble, who was forced to resign from his position after confessing to drug and alcohol abuse, has shared a positive message to those who are walking the same difficult path as him.
On his Facebook page, Noble posted a video where he shared the Bible verse Proverbs 24:16. It reads, "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes."
Noble explained that this verse means "God's not done" with believers even after they've made serious mistakes in their lives. It's not because people are righteous, but "because of what Christ has done for us. "
"The Bible says that although the righteous, those who are in Christ, fall seven times, they get back up," he said. Noble then offered encouragement to "those of us who have done something that we regret, or have fallen," and said that "if you abused drugs or alcohol for a season — I know something about that — get back up."
Noble was referring to his own sinful past. "What defeated us, does not have to define us, if we are in Christ. If you fail, get back up. If you had an affair, and just moved past it — get back up," he urged. "Don't go back there, get back out of where you had fallen. If you stole money, if you embezzled money and it defeated you for so long, get back up."
The pastor said that life is too short for people to waste time on worry and regret. So instead of dwelling in the past, people should make the most out of their "limited number of heartbeats" and live their lives according to God's will.
"We have to focus on what Christ wants us to do," he said. "No matter what people are saying about you, you have the strength, the ability to get back up and move froward. If you're not dead, God's not done, and the best is yet to come."
