By Doug Carroll
GCU News Bureau
For someone who claimed to be “completely outside my comfort zone,” singer Amanda Noelle had plenty to say to Monday’s Chapel audience at GCU Arena.
Noelle, 30, a Nashville-based recording artist, said she would have been much more at ease leading worship than following it as the speaker. She comes from a family of worship leaders, she said, and has opened for Christian performers such as Mandisa, Natalie Grant and Lecrae.
“This is the first time I’m speaking without singing beforehand,” Noelle said. “This shows that God has a sense of humor.”
However, once she was under way, Noelle brought a powerful message about idol worship based on the story of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt, found in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament.
God ended 430 years of His people’s bondage by sending 10 plagues, parting the Red Sea, and providing manna and quail for food in the wilderness. But that still wasn’t enough for Israel to place its trust in Him.
In Exodus 32, the building of the golden calf demonstrated that the nation already was putting other gods before Him.
Things haven’t changed much since then, Noelle said.
“How quickly I forget how much God has brought me through,” she said, ticking off her own list of idols — watching TV ("The Office" is her guilty pleasure), shopping, chocolate, social media, even men.
“In past relationships, I ended up putting men on a pedestal that they never were meant to be on. I wanted them to be God to me,” she said.
Noelle said that even her desire to stay in her comfort zone has been an idol.
“I’m afraid that if I go outside, God won’t take care of me,” she said, sounding a warning to her listeners. “Think about what you run to instead of God. Think about what you adore excessively that takes time away from Him. Remember what God has brought you from.”
Noelle described Satan as “a roaring lion” interested only in keeping God’s people from a meaningful relationship with Him.
“We were never meant to stay in slavery,” she said. “We were meant to be free…. I’m so thankful for a Savior who chases me and will never rest until I am with Him.”
Next week’s Chapel speaker will be Brian Kruckenberg, senior pastor of New City Church in Phoenix. Chapel is at 11:15 a.m. Mondays in GCU Arena.
For more about Amanda Noelle, go to www.amandanoellemusic.com.
Contact Doug Carroll at 639.8011 or [email protected].
For a list of remaining Chapel dates and speakers, click here.
