Trust in God

Trust in God

by | Apr 25, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine
He’s been my fourth man in the fire, time after time
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
And what He did for me on Calvary is more than enough”

Trust in God, Elevation Worship

“Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”

Psalm 40:4: (NKJV)

Trust and faith seem to be inextricably intertwined, so much so that they can be used interchangeably in most cases. In my experience the only real difference is the context in which they are most often employed. Faith implies some sort of mysticism or spirituality where trust just feels more tangible and material in a lot of ways.

In Psalm 40 David explores this concept of trust, contemplating on what it means to trust in God.

Trust is most often used to describe a relational situation where we have confidence in the reliability, truth and ability of someone or something.

David had a relationship with God. He was a friend of God. He loved God, and God loved him – flaws and all.

I like David. I feel strongly linked to him and relate to him on a level that I cannot explain. For a long time I thought it was because of a shared love of poetic and musical expression – but the truth is it is because we are both extremely broken people who go through valleys, fight giants, hide in caves and make huge mistakes – and yet… God, with His infinite love, mercy and grace picks us up every time, dusts us off and puts us back on solid ground.

David starts Psalm 40 with “I waited patiently on the Lord…”

It is easy for us to get discouraged in our waiting. The journey sometimes gets too long, the road winds too much – in the valley we look up at the mountain and wonder how we are going to get there.

I am no stranger to discouragement.

At a recent outreach I was talking to a young man who was struggling to get up in the morning – he just didn’t see the point in living any more.

I am no stranger to that kind of depression and existential anxiety – the kind that makes you want to crawl into a cave and hide there.

In all of this though, I have never lost trust in God.

I came to faith in a time and in a church where the Gospel was preached. Not prosperity, not promises of wealth and good health – but the Gospel. And yes, God promises all kinds of good things in His Word, but the moment these things become the centre of our faith we have lost sight of Jesus.

The Gospel is this: God so loved the world that He took on flesh and hung on the cross for us – so that we may be free of our burden of sin and the sting of death.

The Gospel is this: God loved us while we were still His enemies. He saved us from an eternity of fire and brimstone and restored us to proper relationship and right standing with Him.

In this life we will have trouble. There will be times when we are in the fire – He will be the Fourth Man in the inferno. There will be times when we feel we are sinking, but He will extend His Hand and help us take the waves in our stride.

Jesus is not a get rich quick scheme. Jesus is not some kind of quick fix or a band aid for what ails you.

You will still mourn. You will still grieve. There will still be situations and circumstances in your life – no matter how much ‘dominion’ you take over it.

But in all of this – in the sorrow and in the despair, in the pain and the anguish, in the trials and tribulations – we still rejoice. In the fire and in the flood we stand strong in the knowledge that we are not alone. He is with us.

I particularly like the way the NIV phrases Psalm 40:4: “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”

If there is one thing I have learnt from looking at the life of David it is that we all go through ups and downs – but God never fails.

His love will always be a balm to the broken heart, a comfort in sorrow and a firm foundation for us to stand upon. His love will always be more than enough for me.

Let us look towards the exalted Christ today. Let us look upon His beautiful face. Let us leave our idols in the fire where they belong. Let us leave our pride in the flood.

Let us look towards Jesus and trust Him, fully confident in His truth, reliability and ability to carry us through.

In perfect submission to His will and His purpose we find rest, peace and contentment. In perfect submission to Him – whether rich or poor, sick or healthy – we will know the God that David knew. This God in whom we can charge an army. The God in which we can jump over even the highest wall.

In perfect submission to His heart, will and mind for us we can rest easy knowing that He never fails. We can endure all things, do all things, make it through in Him – when we stand firm in the knowledge that He loves us.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your love today. Thank You for never giving up on me, even though sometimes I feel like giving up. Thank You Jesus for seeing past all my flaws and failures, all my mistakes and for loving me regardless. Thank You Lord that in You I am made strong. Even when my bank account is empty, even when my pantry has run dry – when the fig tree does not blossom, and the vines carry no fruit – I will trust in You. Even when the flock is cut off from the fold – even when my heart faints and my body fails, I will trust in You! Give me the strength to endure, Lord. Give me the strength to wait patiently on You. In Jesus Name. Amen.

In Christ Alone

In Christ Alone

by | Apr 25, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.’

In Christ Alone, Stuart Townsend

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.”

Psalm 62:5-8:

Oh, the gift of love and righteousness in Christ.

I remember when I was a child – eight or nine years old – and at night I would pray for two things. Every night I would pray that my parents would live forever and that I would grow up to be a millionaire.

Earnestly I prayed – and diligently – night after night.

But those were the prayers of a child.

And for many of us these are also the kind of prayers we tend to pray when we first come to Christ.

Prayers influenced more by our carnality than anything else – our fears and our insecurities drive our earliest prayers as we seek to just ‘fill the need’ – but this should change over time.

The more we set our eyes on Jesus and grow in our understanding of Him the more things like money and immortality start to lose their value.

When we start to see Jesus for who He is we realize that there is nothing that compares to Him. No amount of money, no amount of success, esteem or anything else that we could try and fill the God-shaped hole in our hearts with will ever be enough.

All these things are meaningless. I am grateful to have learned this lesson early in my life – for there are many who chase the things of this world well into old age. There are many who are old and frail but still praying the prayers of a child… And not childlike prayers of faith, but childish prayers based in fear, insecurity and self-seeking.

I don’t need to be a millionaire – there are things that are way more important than wealth.

I understand now that this life is just a passing thing – and that we will indeed live forever – if we are in Christ!

When we start seeing Jesus for who He is we will find ourselves gravitating towards prayer and worship – not to ask from but to give unto the Lord – our love, our praise and our adoration!

Having been a drug addict, having survived the life associated with it – guns and overdoses, incarceration and insanity – I know that I have much to be grateful for. Nothing compares to knowing Jesus.

And we all had a rock bottom from which Christ had to stoop down and save us…

Oh the Love of Jesus poured out upon that lonely cross for me!

How can we not love Him!

John Calvin said the following: Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.

Christ is the All-Sufficient One!

In Him we have the hope of heaven. The realization that all of our troubles and all our trials only persist for a little while before giving way to glory.

In Him our every need is satisfied. If we walk in His will for our lives – in faith and obedience – we will never be disappointed.

Prayer: Lord, today I thank you for pulling me out of the miry clay of my past. You are my foundation, my cornerstone – my hope, my refuge, my now and forever. Help me Lord to grow in my understanding of You, so that my prayers can be childlike rather than childish. Oh Lord, if I have one request today let it be for more of You in my life. Always more of You. Open the eyes of my heart and help me see You rightly, as You are – let everything in my life give way to Your glory. I give You the highest place in my life today Lord. Be enthroned in every situation, in all of my circumstances. Let me be hidden in the Rock of my Salvation – tucked away safely in Your embrace.. In the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

There Was Jesus

There Was Jesus

by | Apr 25, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing and the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I’ve been and where I’m going
Even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it
There was Jesus”

There Was Jesus, Zach Williams and Dolly Parton

“Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-9: CEV

Have you ever stood in the snack aisle of your local grocery store, unable to make up your mind?

So many options… And they are constantly adding new ones.

Or perhaps you are buying new running shoes and can’t decide what will look better with your track suit…

Life is full of choices. Many of them are mundane and really don’t matter much – but then there are the bigger ones – should you perhaps stop drinking – even if it means the ‘embarrassment’ of admitting you have a problem? Is this the right job or should you stay in this toxic environment? Should you leave or stay with your abusive husband? Should you confess to cheating on your spouse?

Over the last decade I have counseled many people, and the questions – these tough questions – are just the tip of the iceberg…

Paul says the following in 2 Corinthians 4: 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Perplexed in this case (looking at the Greek) implies a situation where it feels like you have no way out. The dilemma is such that you FEEL stuck in indecision, unable to move – but Paul continues and says: but we are not in despair!

You might be walking through the slow of despondency – but you are not sinking.

There is hope. There is a way out.

The situation is perplexing. The solution is simple.

When the storms of life surround us and trouble is all around we run to the Rock of our Salvation – our Solid Ground – our Strong Tower.

We draw near to Him in prayer and through His Word.

In prayer we draw near in petition and supplication – and He answers. Sometimes it’s not the answer we expected – but He answers – by giving us wisdom, discernment and above all peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

We speak to Him in prayer and He answers through His Word as well as the wise counsel and support of mature and Spirit-led brothers and sisters in Christ.

When our situations and circumstances perplex us I urge you to draw near to God in prayer – as an individual – but also with trusted brothers and sisters. There is power in praying together.

Reach out to mature Christians in your life and let them help you in the difficulty you are facing.

And above all, let God speak to you through your conscience, but above all through His Word – which really does have all the answers.

Finally, trust in God!

And if you persevere you will make it through the other side and realize that He was with you all along! Every step of the way!

He is near to those who are discouraged and saves those who have lost all hope! (Psalm 34:18). He is our strength and refuge! Our ever-present help in times of trouble! (Psalm 46). He wipes away our tears and binds up the broken hearted! He sets the captives free! He picks us up, dusts us off and puts us back on Solid Ground!

He never leaves us. He never forsakes us.

We are just sometimes blinded by what is in front of us – looking at the waves rather than Jesus walking on the water.

But He is with you. There is a way out. There is a solution. There is hope.

There is always Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, I need You. Your Word says that You are an ever-present help in times of trouble. Your Word promises that You are near to those who are discouraged – our Strong Tower and Refuge. Be my Refuge today, Lord. Be my Shelter in the storm. Be the Light upon my path. Grant me wisdom and discernment and help me see that You are busy making the way where there seems to be no way. Guide my decisions. Guide my words. Guide my actions. Help me see Your hand in my situation today and lead me to find rest in You. In the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Raise a Hallelujah

Raise a Hallelujah

by | Apr 24, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me”

Raise a Hallelujah, Jonathan and Melissa Helser

“15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! (Ruwa) For the Lord has given you the city!”

Joshua 6:15-16:

The word used for shout here in verse 16 (RUWA) implies – more than anything else – a shout of triumph or joy – especially in the Psalms where it is most often translated as joyful noise or triumph – eg. Psalm 47:1, 66:1, 81:1, 95:1-2, 98:4-6.

Ruwa is a joyful noise – it is a call to arms and a war cry – but one at which the very Heavens are mobilised.

As in the story of Joshua and the fall of Jericho when the people of Israel blew their shofars and cried their cry of joyful triumph (RUWA) the Hand of God reached down and knocked down the legendary walls of this ancient city.

We read in 2 Chronicles 20 that a great army rose up against Judah – the Ammonites, the Moabites and their auxiliaries banded together and formed a formidable enemy.

In the face of this threat the Spirit of the Lord speaks through Jahaziel and in verse 17 we read: ”17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

Keeping the faith the people praised God in the face of their adversity. The Bible tells us that they sang together – the ‘worship team’ at the front of the procession – in a LOUD VOICE:

“Give thanks to the Lord,

for His love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:20-23)

On that day the Lord and His angel armies fought on behalf of His children.

In the New Testament Paul gives us this advice in his letter to the Philippians: ”4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil4:4-7:)

Jesus climbed that lonely hill, the place of the skull, Golgotha to tear up the death warrant that our sin had issued against us. On that day the Warrior-King of Heaven climbed the mountain of our condemnation and struck a fatal blow to death itself.

As Augustine said: “He endured death as a lamb; He devoured it as a lion.“

And on that cross where the God of Creation, stepped down from His throne and robed in flesh, became our salvation He cried: IT IS FINISHED.

Today we rest in the finished work of Christ. Our warfare is not so much the fighting for victory – but the standing strong in victory.

Do we struggle with temptation, habitual sin or even addiction?

Is our struggle grief, sorrow and mental malady?

Do we struggle with infirmity and illness?

Is our struggle fear and insecurity?

Rejoice in the Lord, take it to Him in prayer and petition with thanksgiving… and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Cry out to the Lord with joy and triumph knowing that He hears You, and He loves You – with the assurance that He is the One who fights for You!

In the face of our enemy we weaponize the melody of our praise – we shout louder than the unbelief – PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER!

As He has been – so He will be. Our Rock. Our Shield. Our Strong Tower in which we find refuge from the storms of life.

As He has been so He will be. Mighty God. Conqueror. Prince of Peace. Everlasting Father – our Victory.

Prayer: Lord, today I raise a Hallelujah! I shout, let God be praised for His mercy endures forever. As You have been so You will be. I declare today that there is victory in the name of Jesus. I thank You Lord that I can stand strong in You, with You as my foundation. I thank You Lord that You fight for me – on my behalf. In every struggle and in every storm You are right there by my side. Thank You Lord that I don’t have to face these things alone, but that I can rest in the knowledge that You have already worked the victory. Help me rest in You today. Let Your peace – that peace that surpasses all understanding – guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus today. In Your Mighty Name. Amen.

Never Lost: Worship Devotional

Never Lost: Worship Devotional

by | Feb 28, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

Psalm 116:1-2:

“I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”

Israel – throughout the Old Testament – suffered many trials and tribulations, fought many wars, endured famine, nakedness, captivity and sword… But God prevailed – He heard them every time they called. He never lost a battle.

I have had situations in my life where everything seemed impossible – where the waves seemed to overwhelm, the tempest raging around me.

I have had circumstances in my life that can’t be shared here, because it is not for the faint of heart – but the long and short of it is that I should have been dead. I could’ve, if it weren’t for the grace of God, easily been in an early grave.

I have seen, in my short life time, miracles upon miracles – I have seen debts being cancelled, families restored, bones straightened, tumours shrink – I have seen, through the power of a humble, earnest prayer (no shouting, no big words, no theatrics) a man on his deathbed restored to life.

And these are just the testimonies in my own life and the lives of those closest to me- miracles of provision, miracles of healing, miracles of restoration – there are a few of them happening around me right now.

Jesus said, in a conversation with His disciples: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19)

Job declares the following in Job 42, after the Lord confronts his unbelief and ignorance:

2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.

It is easy for us to react to our circumstances from a place of doubt and ignorance – when the waves obscure our vision, it is simpler for feet to fail and the soul to sink.

And perhaps now you are going through the tempest, through the fire, through the storm – perhaps you are facing the collapse of your business, the breakdown of your family unit or marriage, or a problem with your health – but I am here to encourage you to worship in the midst of this storm – to set your eyes upon the author and the finisher of our faith – turn your eyes upon Jesus.

One of the first passages of scripture I ever memorised and committed to heart was Psalm 27. This was my first step towards understanding the Bible in context rather than just having a loose collection of disjointed verses and declarations. I was thirteen years old, and remember reciting it whenever I had an opportunity.

At that stage I was being relentlessly bullied at school because of my club foot (I would actually leave school at the beginning of my second year of highschool because of the bullying). I did not fit in – I was different. And the only comfort I really had was in these verses:

“1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.

It might feel like a war has broken out against you. I have my fair share of battle scars – and I can tell you that the enemy has never prevailed – Jesus has never lost a battle!

In my addiction – God won the battle!

In the wake and aftermath of a toxic marriage and divorce – God won the battle!

In my depression and anxiety – God won the battle!

Every time a war breaks out around me the Lord prepares a table, even in the face of the enemy, even in the midst of the battlefield – and tells me to come and be still. He raises His banner. He fights for me.

I hear the words of encouragement Moses speaks to the Israelites: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14)

The Lord is our Light, He is our Salvation – and He is the Stronghold – the Strong Tower in which we find shelter from the storm.

He is our Defender and He is our Warrior King – the One Who Goes Before – and makes straight the way before us.

He has never lost a battle. Your situation, your circumstances, your diagnosis might seem impossible to man – but with God all things are possible!

He is setting a table for you today, in the midst of the battle and in the face of your enemies – He is giving you a front row seat for the victory to come.

He has never lost a battle and He never will.

Prayer: Lord, I declare today that You are the stronghold of my life. You are my light and my salvation. I declare today that You are the Mighty One who saves – and because of this I will fear no evil. Every enemy will stumble and fall in the mighty name of Jesus. I declare today that You are my victory. You set a table for me even in the face of my enemies – and I will rest and trust in You. You will fight for me. Your ways are higher, Your plans are better – I surrender to Your will for my life. I will trust You in the heat of the battle. I will be still and know You are God. You are my Victory. And I praise You, not only for what You have done, but also for what I know You are going to do. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.