01/06/2026
We are blessed by Matt on the keyboard every Sunday but yesterday we were blessed as he shared his Faith Story…
Born in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Matt didn’t enjoy school or people much in the first 7 years of his life, but that changed because God takes our weaknesses and made them into strength for His sake.
Matt was thankful to God for the next 7 years which were great. When the family, Dad, Mum and Matt’s older sister moved to Tasmania, they were living on a 5 acre property and Matt started loving life and school. Looking back at a Grade 1 class photo, everyone was unhappy; Grade 2, everyone was happy. Through primary school he very much a Christian and everyone knew.
In late primary school Matt moved to another school for high school which he didn’t enjoy but God was speaking to him. “I decided I was going to read my Bible and pray every day. … On the 1st of January, 1989 I decided I was going to do that.” Matt said, “And God spoke to me enormously.” Massive change came and it was difficult on a number of levels, but God led him though that.
From the end of Grade 12 they move to Wollongong. Matt trusted God, delivered pizza, worked at Coles, spent 4 years at Tabor Bible College. The motivation was perhaps ‘just going into the family business’ (Dad was a minister). Matt said, “This is where things got interesting. … When you choose to read and pray every day but start to follow your own directions.” He met a girl, got married, but he remembers a warning from God, and the marriage fell apart spectacularly. He was driven into God’s arms. God said to read Job and Matt took away from it that: “God sends rain on the just and the unjust.” Then God said to read Isaiah and he took away from it that: “God allows sin to continue for a while and then He says ‘Enough.’ … The remnant of Israel is brought back into relationship with Him. … God chastises those He loves.” – Postmortem: Matt hopes to follow God a bit more quickly. He had put the girl above God.
Is it easy Following Jesus? – Yes and No.
NO: The world is always trying to push us into its mould, money relationships, etc. The second we take our eyes off Jesus, we will slip into the things of the flesh.
YES: His yoke is easy, and his burden is light! (See Matt 11:30)
At the end of the day for Matt, God is his most important relationship. He is Matt’s ‘Fortress Protector’. “We know God’s character, how he leads. We do know God’s path in a general sense, and if we do follow, it’s the best! – Fulfilment – Contentment – Surrender”
Matt reminded us that: “With all the wrong-doing in the world, Jesus has paid that price, so we don’t need to carry the load. He’s has paid that load. That’s why it’s easy to follow Jesus.”
“Surrender also means peace. We’re no longer fighting against ourselves, or God, or other people. Not within our hearts. – God’s heart is purity, love, faithfulness, and forgiveness. He loves, creates, provides. – Only goodness! … When we’re not surrendered, we’re not allowing God to do that. Captain Roz added, “The free will.”
Matt said, “So then the goodness of God isn’t given to us.” And, “Never hoard God’s goodness; be a conduit.”
After working in the one field for 15 years, he is now in a time of transition. He has a new house, but isn’t getting too attached to it. He has learnt not to hold on to any thing too tightly.
