24th August 2026.
Psalm 66:8-12
Perhaps you are feeling bad about a trial you are facing. I have found that God often allows us to undergo these times of testing to toughen our spiritual muscles and endurance. He teaches us to rely on Him, and purifies us to be holy, so that we become more like Christ.
No wonder the psalmist could praise God for refining the Israelites through fire and water in verses 10-12 as they suffered in slavery and exile. God not only preserved them and brought them to a place of great abundance, but also purified them in the process.
As we go through testing, we can rely on God for strength and perseverance. He is refining us through our toughest moments. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Faith testing times can be faith strengthening times.”
…Pastor Ross.
Psalm 66:8-12
Perhaps you are feeling bad about a trial you are facing. I have found that God often allows us to undergo these times of testing to toughen our spiritual muscles and endurance. He teaches us to rely on Him, and purifies us to be holy, so that we become more like Christ.
No wonder the psalmist could praise God for refining the Israelites through fire and water in verses 10-12 as they suffered in slavery and exile. God not only preserved them and brought them to a place of great abundance, but also purified them in the process.
As we go through testing, we can rely on God for strength and perseverance. He is refining us through our toughest moments. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Faith testing times can be faith strengthening times.”
…Pastor Ross.
21st August 2026.
John 11:21-35
When accidents happen in life and we later reflect on them often the “If only” questions arise.
If only I’d been just a bit more careful…If only I had looked before stepping out…Difficulties catch us up in a cycle of second guessing ourselves. I only I had known a friend had been drinking…If only we had found that spot earlier…
When those unexpected troubles come, we sometimes question the goodness of God. We may even feel the despair that Martha and Mary experienced when their brother died. Oh, if Jesus had only come when He first found out that Lazarus was sick! (vv.22, 32).
Like Martha and Mary, we don’t always fully understand why hard things happen to us. But we can rest in the knowledge that God is working out His purposes for a greater good. In every circumstance, we can trust the wisdom of our faithful and loving God. So reflect on this SLM:-
“To trust God in the light is nothing, but to trust Him in the dark–that is faith.”
…Pastor Ross.
John 11:21-35
When accidents happen in life and we later reflect on them often the “If only” questions arise.
If only I’d been just a bit more careful…If only I had looked before stepping out…Difficulties catch us up in a cycle of second guessing ourselves. I only I had known a friend had been drinking…If only we had found that spot earlier…
When those unexpected troubles come, we sometimes question the goodness of God. We may even feel the despair that Martha and Mary experienced when their brother died. Oh, if Jesus had only come when He first found out that Lazarus was sick! (vv.22, 32).
Like Martha and Mary, we don’t always fully understand why hard things happen to us. But we can rest in the knowledge that God is working out His purposes for a greater good. In every circumstance, we can trust the wisdom of our faithful and loving God. So reflect on this SLM:-
“To trust God in the light is nothing, but to trust Him in the dark–that is faith.”
…Pastor Ross.
19th August 2026.
1John 3:11-18
When Jesus came to Earth, He showed us what humility looks like by becoming one of us. Stepping across all kinds of boundaries, Jesus made himself at home everywhere by serving, teaching, and doing the will of His Father.
Even as He was being crucified, Jesus prayed for forgiveness for His executioners. See Luke 23:34. Straining for every anguished breath, He still granted eternal life to a criminal dying with Him in Luke chapter 23:42-43.
Why would Jesus do that? Why would He serve people like us to the very end? The apostle John gets to the point. Out of love! He writes, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” Then he drives the point home. “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers”(1Jn 3:16).
Jesus showed us that His love eradicates our pride, our smugness, our condescension. And He did it in the most powerful way possible. He gave His life. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Jesus loved us by serving.”
…Pastor Ross.
1John 3:11-18
When Jesus came to Earth, He showed us what humility looks like by becoming one of us. Stepping across all kinds of boundaries, Jesus made himself at home everywhere by serving, teaching, and doing the will of His Father.
Even as He was being crucified, Jesus prayed for forgiveness for His executioners. See Luke 23:34. Straining for every anguished breath, He still granted eternal life to a criminal dying with Him in Luke chapter 23:42-43.
Why would Jesus do that? Why would He serve people like us to the very end? The apostle John gets to the point. Out of love! He writes, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” Then he drives the point home. “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers”(1Jn 3:16).
Jesus showed us that His love eradicates our pride, our smugness, our condescension. And He did it in the most powerful way possible. He gave His life. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Jesus loved us by serving.”
…Pastor Ross.
17th August 2026.
Psalm 93
Etched on a wall on the Brazilian side of the mighty Iguaza Falls are the words of Psalm 93:4, “Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” Below it are these words, “God is always greater than all our troubles.”
The writer of Psalm 93 knew that God is mightier than all the kings of the earth. “The Lord reigns,” he wrote. “Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.” See vv.1-2. No matter how high the floods or waves, the Lord remains greater than them all.
The roar of a waterfall is truly majestic, but it would be quite a different matter to be in the water hurtling toward the falls. That may be the situation you are in today. Physical, financial, or relational problems loom even larger and you feel like you are about to go over the falls. In such situations, the Christian has Someone to turn to. He is the Lord, “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20) for He is greater than all our troubles. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.”
…Pastor Ross.
Psalm 93
Etched on a wall on the Brazilian side of the mighty Iguaza Falls are the words of Psalm 93:4, “Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” Below it are these words, “God is always greater than all our troubles.”
The writer of Psalm 93 knew that God is mightier than all the kings of the earth. “The Lord reigns,” he wrote. “Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.” See vv.1-2. No matter how high the floods or waves, the Lord remains greater than them all.
The roar of a waterfall is truly majestic, but it would be quite a different matter to be in the water hurtling toward the falls. That may be the situation you are in today. Physical, financial, or relational problems loom even larger and you feel like you are about to go over the falls. In such situations, the Christian has Someone to turn to. He is the Lord, “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20) for He is greater than all our troubles. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.”
…Pastor Ross.
14th August 2026.
Romans 5:1-11
In life we need to move beyond labels because we often accept them and allow them to define who we are. And how easily we assign them to others. But God’s grace defies labels because it is rooted in His love, not in our self-perception. Whether we see ourselves as wonderful or terrible, capable or helpless, we can receive eternal life as a gift from Him. The apostle Paul reminded the followers of Jesus in Rome that “at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (v.6).
The Lord does not require us to change by our own power. Instead He invites us to come as we are to find hope, healing, and freedom in Him. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v.8). The Lord is ready and willing to receive us just as we are. So reflect on this SLM:-
“God’s forgiveness defies our labels of failure or pride”.
…Pastor Ross.
Romans 5:1-11
In life we need to move beyond labels because we often accept them and allow them to define who we are. And how easily we assign them to others. But God’s grace defies labels because it is rooted in His love, not in our self-perception. Whether we see ourselves as wonderful or terrible, capable or helpless, we can receive eternal life as a gift from Him. The apostle Paul reminded the followers of Jesus in Rome that “at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (v.6).
The Lord does not require us to change by our own power. Instead He invites us to come as we are to find hope, healing, and freedom in Him. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v.8). The Lord is ready and willing to receive us just as we are. So reflect on this SLM:-
“God’s forgiveness defies our labels of failure or pride”.
…Pastor Ross.
12th August 2026.
Romans 12:3-8
There are times that I think of the church as a concert band. All members working together in harmony.
To the believers in Rome, Paul wrote, “In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us” See vv.5-6. Among the gifts Paul mentioned are prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, and mercy (vv.7-8). Each gift is to be exercised freely for the good of all. See 1 Cor 12:7.
One definition of “in concert” is “agreement in design or plan; combined action; harmony or accord.” That’s the Lord’s plan for us as His children through faith in Jesus Christ. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.” See v.10. The goal is cooperation not competition.
In a sense, we are “on stage” before a watching and listening world every day. There are no soloists in God’s concert band, but every instrument is essential. The music is best when we each play our part in unity with others. So reflect on this SLM:-
There are no soloists in God’s orchestra.
…Pastor Ross.
Romans 12:3-8
There are times that I think of the church as a concert band. All members working together in harmony.
To the believers in Rome, Paul wrote, “In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us” See vv.5-6. Among the gifts Paul mentioned are prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, and mercy (vv.7-8). Each gift is to be exercised freely for the good of all. See 1 Cor 12:7.
One definition of “in concert” is “agreement in design or plan; combined action; harmony or accord.” That’s the Lord’s plan for us as His children through faith in Jesus Christ. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.” See v.10. The goal is cooperation not competition.
In a sense, we are “on stage” before a watching and listening world every day. There are no soloists in God’s concert band, but every instrument is essential. The music is best when we each play our part in unity with others. So reflect on this SLM:-
There are no soloists in God’s orchestra.
…Pastor Ross.
10th August 2026.
Job 37:1-16
Have you ever wondered why clouds float?
The answer, I discovered, is that condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets warmer temperatures rising from the land. That moisture then changes into vapour and ascends back into the air. That’s a natural explanation of the phenomenon.
But natural explanations are not final answers. Clouds float because God in His wisdom has ordered the natural laws in such a way that they reveal the “wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge.” See v.16. Clouds then can be thought of as a symbol; an outward and visible sign of God’s goodness and grace in creation.
So someday when you’re taking some time to see what images you can imagine in the clouds, remember this: The One who made all things beautiful makes the clouds float through the air. He does so to call us to wonder and adoration. The heavens–even the cumulus, stratus, and cirrus clouds–declare the glory of God. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Creation is filled with signs that point to the Creator.”
…Pastor Ross.
Job 37:1-16
Have you ever wondered why clouds float?
The answer, I discovered, is that condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets warmer temperatures rising from the land. That moisture then changes into vapour and ascends back into the air. That’s a natural explanation of the phenomenon.
But natural explanations are not final answers. Clouds float because God in His wisdom has ordered the natural laws in such a way that they reveal the “wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge.” See v.16. Clouds then can be thought of as a symbol; an outward and visible sign of God’s goodness and grace in creation.
So someday when you’re taking some time to see what images you can imagine in the clouds, remember this: The One who made all things beautiful makes the clouds float through the air. He does so to call us to wonder and adoration. The heavens–even the cumulus, stratus, and cirrus clouds–declare the glory of God. So reflect on this SLM:-
“Creation is filled with signs that point to the Creator.”
…Pastor Ross.
7th August 2026.
1 Samuel 18:5-15
During the days of our lives all of us can fall prey to jealousy. King Saul gave in to the green-eyed monster of jealousy when the praise David received exceeded his: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (v.7). Saul was angry and “from that time on…kept a jealous eye on David” (v.9). He was so incensed he tried to kill David!
The comparison is foolish and is self-destructive. Someone will always have something we don’t or enjoy experiences different from ours. But God has already given us many blessings, including both life on this earth and the promise of eternal life to all who believe. Depending on His help and focusing on Him in thankfulness can help us to overcome jealousy. So reflect on this SLM:-
” The remedy for jealousy is thankfulness to God ”
…Pastor Ross.
1 Samuel 18:5-15
During the days of our lives all of us can fall prey to jealousy. King Saul gave in to the green-eyed monster of jealousy when the praise David received exceeded his: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (v.7). Saul was angry and “from that time on…kept a jealous eye on David” (v.9). He was so incensed he tried to kill David!
The comparison is foolish and is self-destructive. Someone will always have something we don’t or enjoy experiences different from ours. But God has already given us many blessings, including both life on this earth and the promise of eternal life to all who believe. Depending on His help and focusing on Him in thankfulness can help us to overcome jealousy. So reflect on this SLM:-
” The remedy for jealousy is thankfulness to God ”
…Pastor Ross.
5th August 2026.
Judges 6:11-16
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you!” Gideon said “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (vv.12-13). Gideon wanted to know why it seemed as if God had left and abandoned His people.
God didn’t answer that question. After Gideon had endured seven years of enemy attacks, starvation, and hiding in caves, God didn’t explain why He never intervened. God could have revealed Israel’s past sin as the reason, but instead He gave Gideon hope for the future. God said, “Go with the strength you have…I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites.” See vv.14,16).
Do you ever wonder why God has allowed adversity in your life? Instead of answering that specific question, God may satisfy you with His nearness today and remind you that you can rely on His strength when you feel weak. When Gideon finally believed that God was with him and would help him, he built an altar and called it “The Lord is peace.” See v.24.
There is peace in knowing that whatever we do and wherever we go, we go with God who promised never to leave or forsake His followers. So reflect on this SLM:-
“What could be better than getting answers to our questions? Trusting a good and powerful God”
…Pastor Ross.
Judges 6:11-16
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you!” Gideon said “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (vv.12-13). Gideon wanted to know why it seemed as if God had left and abandoned His people.
God didn’t answer that question. After Gideon had endured seven years of enemy attacks, starvation, and hiding in caves, God didn’t explain why He never intervened. God could have revealed Israel’s past sin as the reason, but instead He gave Gideon hope for the future. God said, “Go with the strength you have…I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites.” See vv.14,16).
Do you ever wonder why God has allowed adversity in your life? Instead of answering that specific question, God may satisfy you with His nearness today and remind you that you can rely on His strength when you feel weak. When Gideon finally believed that God was with him and would help him, he built an altar and called it “The Lord is peace.” See v.24.
There is peace in knowing that whatever we do and wherever we go, we go with God who promised never to leave or forsake His followers. So reflect on this SLM:-
“What could be better than getting answers to our questions? Trusting a good and powerful God”
…Pastor Ross.
3rd August 2026.
Luke 5:12-16
Sometimes in life, all we need is a loving touch of kindness by someone who cares enough to calm us in the situation we are in.
Jesus understands such compassion. He didn’t side with the fears of unnerved onlookers when a desperate man, full of leprosy, showed up begging to be healed. Neither was He helpless as other religious leaders were–men who could only have condemned the man for bringing his leprosy into the village. See Lev.13:45-46. Instead, Jesus reached out to someone who probably hadn’t been touched by anyone for years, and healed him.
Thankfully, for that man and for us, Jesus came to offer what no law could ever offer–the touch of His hand and heart. So reflect on this SLM:-
“No one is too troubled or even unclean to be touched by Jesus.”
…Pastor Ross.
Luke 5:12-16
Sometimes in life, all we need is a loving touch of kindness by someone who cares enough to calm us in the situation we are in.
Jesus understands such compassion. He didn’t side with the fears of unnerved onlookers when a desperate man, full of leprosy, showed up begging to be healed. Neither was He helpless as other religious leaders were–men who could only have condemned the man for bringing his leprosy into the village. See Lev.13:45-46. Instead, Jesus reached out to someone who probably hadn’t been touched by anyone for years, and healed him.
Thankfully, for that man and for us, Jesus came to offer what no law could ever offer–the touch of His hand and heart. So reflect on this SLM:-
“No one is too troubled or even unclean to be touched by Jesus.”
…Pastor Ross.
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