Tag Archives: Matt Redman

Choosing to Trust God

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In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:4, NIV*

Did you ever struggle with this verse? David repeats it twice in this psalm, so we know it’s important.

Maybe it’s my fiction-writer’s imagination. Maybe it’s some of the books I’ve read, or the news footage I’ve seen, but whenever I’ve seen the question “What can mere mortals do to me?” my mind started making a list.

We know that our fellow humans can do some terrible things. How could we not fear the worst-case scenarios? Sometimes God lets these things happen, even to His own.

I couldn’t believe this verse. Doubting left me feeling guilty.

This time through the psalm, God alerted me to the context of the verse. This is David writing, David who has been promised by God that he will be Israel’s next king.

At this point in David’s life, he’s on the run from the present king, Saul. Yes, David is afraid. Saul has a large, well-equipped army, and only wants one thing: David, dead.

But God has promised. Because of that, David can reassure himself. Clearly, Saul isn’t as strong as God, and God’s plans will be fulfilled. In light of that, what can mere mortals do to him?

The context liberates me, prompts me instead of doubting to consider: What has God promised me? Where is He directing me? What obstacles are blocking my path, where I can pray in confidence for God’s intervention in His best timing and in His own way?

Even without physical enemies, the “stuff” in life looms large, and pressures can hunt us like King Saul chased David. In our families, work and volunteer duties, home care, and many other areas—we can pray in confidence that, if we’re in God’s will, His purpose for us will be fulfilled. Now that I can believe, although at times it takes a spiritual battle to do so.

God who keeps His promises and whose purposes will be fulfilled, we praise and thank You for the privilege of being Your children and of living for Your glory. Forgive our doubts and stumbling, and remind us that Your plans for us are good. Help us see where we’ve accepted fear or defeat when You wanted us to take courage in Your strength. Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief.

∞

A good song to sing in prayer when we’re struggling with this is Matt Redman‘s “Never Once.”

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

Therefore We KNOW

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The Lord’s promises are pure,
like silver refined in a furnace,
purified seven times over.
Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed,
preserving them forever from this lying generation,
Psalm 12:6-7, NLT*

The Lord’s promises are pure… Therefore, Lord, we know you will…

The context in these verses comes from verse 5, where God says He has seen and heard the suffering of the poor and helpless and He will rescue them. And so, verse 7 says that’s what the people know He will do.

But the same logic holds for us today: Because God’s promises are pure, we know He will keep them. (Tweet this)

Whatever they are.

That doesn’t mean we can pick something out of the Bible and expect God to fulfil it our way and on our timetable. There are plenty of promises we can claim in confidence, though.

  • Jesus will be with us always. (Matthew 28:20)
  • If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive them and to cleanse us. (1 John 1:9)
  • He has begun a good work in us and He will finish the job. (Philippians 1:6)

He may have spoken a personal promise to you. If so, He will keep it in His way and His time.

The Lord’s promises are pure… Therefore, Lord, we know you will…

Doesn’t that encourage you? When doubts come, when we’re tired and worn, we can stand on what we know: that God will keep His word.

Mighty God, Your promises are pure and true and thoroughly tested. There is no doubt, no defect or weakness in them. Help us therefore to believe and to declare that we know You will keep them. Remind us of the ones we need to rely on at any given moment. Thank You that Your promises are guaranteed by Your character, which cannot change. Let us rest in that fact.

∞

Matt Redman‘s song “Never Once” reminds us that God is faithful.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Faith, Patience, Love and Endurance

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But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.
2 Timothy 3:10, NLT*

I don’t know about you, but when I think of the Apostle Paul, patience and love aren’t top of my list of descriptions. I mean no disrespect to this ambassador for Christ—he’s a hero of the faith. But he sounds like he was a hard fellow to live and work with.

Faith? His was more than intellectual belief. He lived it, and died for it.

Endurance? He suffered frequent persecution and abuse for his faith. One of my favourite Paul stories is when he and Silas were in prison in Philippi, singing praises to God in the middle of the night. [Acts 16:16-40]

Paul definitely knew “the secret of living [and being content] in every situation.”

Perhaps this is where his patience appeared: in endurance and in persisting in relying on God. And his love wasn’t the soft, huggy kind, but his letters reveal a passionate commitment to the well-being and growth of Christians everywhere. He thanks God for them, he prays for them, and he fights for them.

Sovereign God, You were with Paul and You are with us today. Let us learn from Paul’s example. Help us to remember and rely on Your presence and power. Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief in those times when we don’t anchor to You. Help us choose to praise You no matter what, and to keep our eyes on You instead of on the problems.

∞

Let Matt Redman‘s “Blessed Be Your Name” remind us how to live.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Janet Sketchley

Why We Need to Know God

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He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.
Daniel 11:32, NLT*

This is part of Daniel’s prophecy about a future king who will conquer and destroy many nations and intend great harm to God’s chosen people. It also has a lesson for Christians today, in our own circumstances.

We have an enemy too—the enemy of our souls. How do we stand against the opposition and persuasion he sows? (Daniel warned of the enemy king’s flattery and winning over.)

Daniel tells us how. We have to know our God.

  • Know His character. His ways. His commands.
  • Know His ultimate power. Events unfold according to God’s timing. (The phrase “the appointed time” occurs three times in Daniel 11.)
  • Know that He is bigger than our circumstances and thoughts. Focusing on this perspective keeps us from letting our problems loom larger than life.

How well do we know God? Biblical literacy is on the decline, and many people’s idea of God comes from a mix of Hollywood, hearsay, and maybe even heresy, depending on who they’ve been listening to.

To truly know God, we need to go to the source: the Bible. (tweet this) And we need to ask Him to reveal Himself in it.

God who is the Author and the Finisher of our faith, who knew the end from the beginning, and who reaches into our tangled lives to rescue and redeem us, help us to know You better. Help us live relying on Your character and following Your ways, so we can recognize and resist deception.

∞

There are many classic hymns that declare the wonders of God, but this newer song is the one that came to mind when I wrote this post: Magnificent, by Matt Redman.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Tenacity of God

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Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
Jeremiah 31:3, NLT*

When I named this blog “Tenacity” I was thinking from my own perspective as a Christian, a human and a writer: so much of what we do is what Eugene Peterson calls “a long obedience in the same direction.”

It can be a slog, but something drives us to keep on, to refuse to quit. If we don’t do our part, who will?

We need tenacity in our faith, to keep believing and obeying in the dry times. To keep applying the lessons God teaches until we finally “get” them—or at least “get” one step and graduate to the next.

We need it in our relationships, in our responsibilities, our jobs.

Writers and other artists may need an extra helping of tenacity because so much of what we create is in our heads, and it battles with a slew of fears and inhibitions just to get out. Then we painstakingly shape it to the best of our abilities, learn more and reshape it again, until it’s ready to release. And then… we need to find a way to share it with the readers/ viewers/ listeners whose hearts we hope to touch.

Most of what I write, fiction and non-fiction, grows from a reliance on God’s character, His strength and His love. His desire to draw all people into relationship with Himself, no matter how much we resist and try to go our own way.

He can be trusted. His love doesn’t get tired of reaching for the wayward and the stubborn. The Bible warns that there will be a day when His invitation ends, but there’s still a bit of time.

God calls His people to be holy, because He is holy. Compassionate, because He is compassionate. Patient, kind, loving, merciful, just … because those attributes reflect His character.

Tenacity? It’s all about God, after all.

God of the highest heavens, who stoops to dwell in human hearts, You keep Your promises, You are patient beyond belief, You work to bring Your plans to fulfillment despite the knots we tie. Help us to be a people of tenacity because You are a God of tenacity. Draw us to Yourself, help us hold onto You as You hold us in the shelter of Your strong hand. And help us live confident in your everlasting love.

∞

Matt Redman’s song, “Never Once,” declares the tenacity of our faithful God.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Relying on God’s Promises

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For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13, NLT*

This is one of those verses I remember learning in my teens, and I used to quote it to myself when I needed reassurance. How much was actual reliance on Jesus, and how much was positive thinking, I’m not sure.

It came back to mind recently when I was wrestling a small stump out of my flower garden. I still don’t fully grasp how we can rely on the power of God working in us instead of working in our own strength, but I see it a bit more clearly than I used to.

I can do all things [that God asks me to do] through Christ, who gives me strength.

Positive self-talk may be more important than we realize, even if just to replace the negative “voices,” but the promises of God are a key part of a Christian’s mental health. [Tweet this.]

They’re more than things we tell ourselves to keep up our courage. They’re not inventions of our minds, not human attempts to frame life in a positive or hopeful perspective. They come from the authority of God and we can rely on them.

God whose promises never fail and whose grace and power are limitless, grant us clarity to not try to pull your words out of context and deceive ourselves. Help us learn to rely on Your promises and on Your strength that works so powerfully within us.

∞

Matt Redman’s “Never Once” declares the truth that God is faithful. Let it encourage us today.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Wisdom: More than Choices

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But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
James 3:17, NLT*

When we ask God for wisdom, it’s usually because we need to know what to do or what decision to make. Think of the stories and jokes about the guy who climbs the mountain to ask the wise man a question. It’s always about knowledge and choices.

Today’s verse, and I think the whole of James’ letter, says wisdom is about living wisely.

Living wisely as James defines it will result in wise choices because the wise Christian is living in obedience to the Master’s ways. This wisdom is the opposite of self-focused ambition and selfishness. It’s loyalty to God, following His path.

It’s bringing the human spirit in line under the Holy Spirit, submitting our wills to His and following Him instead of pushing ahead.

I think if we can live like this, we’ll find ourselves making the wise decisions we wanted in the first place, because we’ll be in tune with God.

God who is fully wise, Shepherd who is fully good, lead us in Your ways and train us in Your precepts. In You we find our wisdom, our health and our strength. We’re no good on our own. Help us stay in Your presence, where we can thrive.

∞

Think about Matt Redman‘s song, “We Could Change the World.”

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Obeying Because We Trust

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All [God] does is just and good,
and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true,
to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
Psalm 111:7-8, NLT*

We may struggle with obeying God, but we never need worry about the quality of His leadership. He’s not like a human leader who may be mistaken or manipulative.

When I think of “all His commandments,” I think of the Ten Commandments and of Jesus’ teachings, not of the hundreds of legalistic man-made rules the old teachers of the law made to teach people how to apply the law.

Some of His principles seem upside-down to our thinking: give to receive, die to live, humble yourself to be exalted. They don’t look sensible to our eyes, but they work. Will we choose to trust what God says, or what we see?

God who is enthroned above the heavens but yet whose Spirit dwells in our hearts, You’ve proven Your character, authority and goodness time and again. Help us choose to trust and obey the commandments and principles You’ve set out, because we trust that You are good.

∞

What if we really lived like we believed everything God says? Be inspired by Matt Redman’s song, “We Could Change the World.”

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Thankfulness as a Sacrifice?

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Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
Psalm 50:14, NLT*

Usually our thanks is a spontaneous response to something that delights us. It’s sincere and heart-felt. It costs us nothing.

But is there more? In Bible times, the people of Israel had a regular schedule of sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t just sacrifice when you felt like it, although you could bring extra if you were especially thankful.

I keep a gratitude journal, but I don’t write in it every day. Not a very regular sacrifice, and it’s not that God isn’t active on those days. It’s that I forget to take notes, or more often that I forget to take note. I don’t see what He’s doing. I’ve forgotten to look.

There’s another aspect to this sacrifice: the Apostle Paul tells us to give thanks in all things. Even in the ones we don’t like and wish we’d never experienced. Ann Voskamp calls this the “hard eucharisteo” and her book, One Thousand Gifts, shows how important this intentional, teeth-gritted or tear-streaked thanksgiving is.

We may not be able to thank God for the pain, but we can always thank Him for His presence with us in it and for His power to make it count for something.

God our Shepherd, our Provider and Protector, forgive us for our ungrateful hearts and for the times we take Your gifts for granted. Open our eyes daily to see the many opportunities to give You thanks. Delight us with Your presence. And strengthen us to thank You in the hard times too.

∞

Matt Redman’s “Blessed Be Your Name” reminds us to praise in the good times and the bad.

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Never Forget the Good

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Let all that I am praise the LORD;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the LORD;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
Psalm 103:1-2, NLT*

When I’m praising God, worshipping Him, I’m most at peace. Self is lost in the wonder of who He is.

Ingratitude gets in the way and steals my focus, like the snake in the garden. There’s so much to be thankful for, but I can forget it in the face of a perceived lack or slight.

Keeping a gratitude list helps, especially if there’s a (short) daily quota, because it keeps me looking for the good instead of the bad.

Reading back through the list helps too. Remembering warms me and helps me praise God.

God our Provider, You give richly: not just materially but gifts that heal and grow our spirits. Thank You for the many ways You touch each of our lives, sometimes so personally that no one else would recognize the love message in the touch. Grow us to praise You with all that we are. Let us thrive in Your care.

∞

I know we’ve had a bunch of Matt Redman songs lately, but his 10,000 Reasons goes so well with this week’s verse.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.