29th May 2029.
(Psa.18:30-36).
Sheltering from a storm in the cleft of a wide rock formation a young preacher by the name of Augustus Toplady waited until the storm passed by. As he waited he contemplated the connection between his shelter and God’s help in life’s storms. Finding a playing card on the floor of his shelter he began to write the words to the beloved hymn “Rock of Ages” on that stormy day in 1775. The first line of the hymn says: “Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee”
Think of your struggles. Do you need a place to hide to shelter you from life’s assaults? Do you need assurance that you’ve been forgiven? As Toplady experienced and expressed in his hymn, we can find shelter and assurance in God.
Don’t stand in life’s storms alone. Seek God’s shelter. Ask Him to protect you. Make sure you have received His forgiveness. Get close to the Rock of Ages. It’s life’s safest spot. Reflect then on this SLM:-
“When the world around you is crumbling, God is the Rock on which you can stand.”
…Pastor Ross.
27th May 2024.
(Phil. 4:10-20).
Unfortunately for many people, enough is never enough. They constantly call out for “more”.
The phrase “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” in verse 11 tells me that Paul did not meet every situation with a smile. Learning contentment required practice. His testimony included ups and downs, ranging from snake bites to soul saving, false accusations to founding churches. Yet he claimed that Jesus was the answer to soul level satisfaction. He said, “I can do all things through him who gives me strength” (v.13). Jesus had given him the spiritual muscle to endure lean times and to avoid the pitfalls of abundance.
If you find yourself angling for “more, more, more,” remember that contentment comes when you have “more” of Christ. Reflect on this SLM then:-
“True contentment is not dependent on anything in this world.”
….Pastor Ross.
