Shedding Light Moments

Shedding Light Moment 26th February 2021
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(Colossians 3:1-4)
Looking beyond our disappointments is essential for followers of Christ. Our focus determines how we face the victories and defeats in life, (vv1-2). Thinking that way looks to Christ over all
our achievements,for significance and any validation. We seek Him not success.
When we strive for excellence and give our best effort, losing hurts; but it doesn’t have to harm us. The key is where we set our minds and hearts.
So here’s a SLM to ponder…
“When Christ is the centre of your focus, everything else comes into proper perspective.”
…Pastor Ross.
Shedding Light Moment 22nd February 2021.
(Matthew 22:34-39)
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A religious leader once asked Jesus about greatness (v36). Jesus responded by challenging that leader to love God and love others (vv.37-39).
Whatever else our faith in Christ compels us to do, there is nothing greater we can do than to show our love, for love reveals the heart of our holy God. After all “God is love” (1John 4:8).
It’s easy to be sidetracked by lesser things, but our focus must remain on the greatest thing; loving our God. That in turn enables us to love one another. There’s nothing greater. So here’s a SLM to start the week.
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The proof of our love for God is obedience to the commands of God.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.
Shedding Light Moment 24th February 2021.
(Philippians 3:1-11)
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Sometimes thinking that life is all about us, we naturally want to draw attention to ourselves, to show off our accomplishments and abilities. But thankfully, Paul’s testimony gives us the right perspective. In spite of his very impressive resume, he gladly surrendered to the supremacy of Jesus (see v.7). Paul admitted that in order to “gain Christ” (v.8), he had to lay all of his trophies down.
So give Jesus the bragging rights of your life. Or as Paul put it, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord” (1Cor 1:31) — not in yourself!
So here’s a SLM for today.
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We are nothing without Jesus, so give Him the credit.
..Blessings Pastor Ross.
Shedding Light Moment 17th February 2021.
(Matthew 6:1-6).
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Many businesses offer rewards to their loyal customers. It seems that God has a rewards program as well. Jesus often spoke of His desire to reward us for loyally serving Him.
See Matt 5:12;6:4,6; Col 3:23-24 just to mention a few verses indicative of that.
But we don’t serve Jesus for rewards. When He died for us on the cross, He did far more for us than we deserve. Loyalty to Him is an act of worship that expresses our loving gratitude for His love toward us. In return, He encourages us with the assurance that ultimately His rewards will outweigh whatever we have given up for Him. So live for Jesus regardless of the cost. Here’s a mid-week SLM.
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What is done for Christ in this life will be rewarded in the the life to come.
..Blessings Pastor Ross.
Shedding Light Moment 19th February 2021.
(Psalm 18:2; 30-36)
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On a stormy day in 1775, a young preacher, Augustus Toplady took refuge in the cleft of a wide rock formation until the storm passed by. He saw a connection between his shelter and God’s help in life’s storms. That day he wrote the beloved hymn “Rock of Ages” the first line of which reads “Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee”. If you need a place to hide and shelter from life’s assaults and the assurance that you have been forgiven you can find shelter and assurance in God. Don’t stand out in life’s storms alone. Get close to the Rock of Ages. It’s life’s safest spot. So here’s a SLM to end the week.
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When the world around you is crumbling,God is the Rock on which you can stand.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 13th February 2021.
(Psalm 34:1-10).
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Fear often shows up in our lives when we are at risk of losing something. When fear takes over, it sadly cripples us emotionally and saps us spiritually. And a fearful spirit is more vulnerable to the Enemy, who tempts us to compromise biblical convictions and take matters into our own hands. The remedy for fear, of course, is trust in our Creator. Only when we trust the reality of God’s presence and provision for our lives can we share the joy of the psalmist who said “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (v.4).
So here’s a SLM for week’s end.
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Trust in the Lord is the cure for a fearful spirit.
Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 15th February 2021.
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
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Both Roman thinker Cicero and Israel’s King Solomon saw the value of friends. Cicero understood the double benefits of friendship along life’s journey. So did Solomon (vv.9-10). Life without friends makes our sojourn lonely and hard to bear.
Friends are very important. They serve as confidants, counsellors, and burden-sharers.
Think about your friends. Have you been neglecting those that God has given you to share your joy’s and sorrows? If so, seek out one of your friends for some fellowship this week. Remember “two are better than one”, because a friend can double our joy and divide our grief. So here’s a SLM to start the week.
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Friends are flowers in the garden of life.
..Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 8th February 2021.
(James 1.12-18)
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In life, we often fail to recognise the source of the things we enjoy. Our walk with Christ can sometimes be like that as well. God may have blessed you with family, friends and other blessings. But sometimes in the midst of enjoying them we fail to consider the source of those blessings; what the hymn writer called the “fount of every blessing”. James put it another way (v.17).
How ungrateful we would be to enjoy the rich blessings of life without thanking the Father who is the source of all creation. So here’s a SLM to start off the week.
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Gratitude is a God-honouring attitude.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 10th February 2021.
( Genesis 27:6-23)
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God includes stories in the Bible of people whose lives are “flawed”. I think of Jacob (vv.1-27), of Gideon (Judges 6-39), and Peter in Mark’s gospel (14:66-72).
But when we read the entire story of their lives, we observe that all these people were able with God’s help, to overcome their flaws and to become useful to Him. This happened when they depended not on themselves but on God.
Like them, each of us has flaws. But by God’s grace we can overcome them by embracing His “strength (which) is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor12:9)
Consider this SLM.
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It’s good to learn of our weakness if it drives us to lean on God’s strength.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.
 

Shedding Light Moment 3rd February 2021.
(Proverbs 2:1-9)
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Wisdom is defined as “understanding what is true, right, or lasting”. Sounds crucial if we want a life that glorifies our holy God. That’s why Solomon in today’s passage seriously recommended a strong commitment and action in pursuing it, (vv2-4).
Seeking wisdom takes effort, and Scripture tells us where it can be found (vv6-7).
Seek God with all your heart. He is the source of all wisdom for your life. So here is a mid-week SLM.
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You can acquire much knowledge, but true wisdom comes only from God.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 5th February 2021.
(Isaiah 55:8-11)
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Throughout the Covid19 pandemic God has been working through His Word to accomplish His will. People we have never met have let us know that they have been really encouraged by just hearing God’s Word via the internet that has reached them in a time of weariness or despair.
It may be that a simple word offered in love,guided by the wisdom of God,and borne aloft on the wings of the spirit will have eternal consequences in someone’s life.
Should we not then fill ourselves with God’s Word and pass it on to others with the prayer that God will use it for His intended purposes,as per verse 11. So here’s a SLM to end the week.
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As a blossom can’t tell what becomes of it’s fragrance, we can’t tell what becomes of our influence.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.
Shedding Light Moment 29th January 2021.
Psalm 119:97-104
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Sadly, today, many people don’t bother to read the Bible. But no matter how much more time you might have left in this world, resolve to read it regularly. It’s the Book that will bless you while you’re still in this world. And it will show you that through faith in Jesus Christ you can be sure of eternal blessedness in the world to come. So here’s a SLM to end the week.
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In all literature,there is nothing that compares with the Bible.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 1st February 2021.
(Psalm 92)
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As you begin to grey a little and grow older in the faith, the metaphors in verses 12-14 of this Psalm are very encouraging.
Palms are symbols of towering beauty and cedars symbols of unbending strength. These are the characteristics of those who have been “planted in the house of the Lord”(v.13). Their roots go down into the soil of God’s unquenchable love. Your usefulness to God is never over. So continue in God’s Word, rooted and grounded in Christ, drinking in His love and faithfulness. Then, no matter your age, you will bear fruit and be “fresh and green”. So here’s a SLM to start this week.
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Praise comes very naturally when you count your blessings.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 25th January 2021.
(Psalm 25:1-11)
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In Psalm 25 King David recognized that he needed guidance all through the day as he faced the very challenges of life. He emphasised that in verse 5. Wanting to be a teachable follower of God, David looked to his Redeemer for direction. His heart’s desire was to wait on God with a dependent faith throughout the entire day. With the many distractions we face in a day may this be our desire as well and may we be reminded to pray “All through this hour, Lord, be my guide”. So here’s a SLM to start the week.
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Let Christ be first in your thoughts in the morning and last in your thoughts at night.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 27th January 2021.
(James 4:13-17)
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James reminds us that any view of the future that omits God is foolish and proud. See verses 13-15.
When I was a boy many people used to begin their statement of plans with “Lord willing”. The phrase may have become trite, but the very wise acknowledgment of God’s overruling hand is not.
As we all look ahead with God firmly in view, we can face the future with confidence in His loving plan. So here’s a mid-week SLM.
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Those who know Christ as Saviour can face the future with joy.
..Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 20th January 2021.
(1Peter 2:1-10)
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The Apostle Peter described Jesus as a living stone in verses 4 and 5 of today’s reading. Precious in the eyes of the Father is the sacrifice of the Rock of our salvation. Christ is the enduring stone upon which the Father has built our salvation and the only foundation for meaningful life(1Cor 3:11).
It is only as our lives are built upon His strength that we will be able to endure the harshness of life in a fallen world…So here’s today’s SLM.
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We have nothing to fear if we stay close to the Rock of Ages.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.
 
Shedding Light Moment 22nd January 2021.
(Luke 15:1-10)
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In Luke Chapter 15, Jesus underscored the importance of every person to God with three stories about something lost, a sheep, a coin, and a son. In each story,a person has lost something of great value. When it is found there is great rejoicing.
The point is clear: We are all of great value to God, who offers us forgiveness and new life through Christ. And He faithfully pursues us with His love and grace. There is great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (v7). So here’s a SLM for week’s end.
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Our value is measured by what God has done for us.
Shedding Light Moment 15th January 2021.
(1Thess 5:12-22)
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According to verse 18 in our reading, there’s no getting around the fact that God wants us to pray with thanksgiving when the future is uncertain, when heartbreak hits, and when shortfalls come.
It’s hard to be very grateful in difficulties, but not impossible. Daniel “prayed and gave thanks” (Dan 6:10), when he knew that His life was in danger. Jonah called out “with a song of thanksgiving”(Jonah 2:9) while inside the fish! These examples coupled with God’s promise that He will work all things out together for our good and His glory in (Rom 8:28),can inspire us to be most thankful in all things.
So here’s a week ending SLM.
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In all circumstances we can give thanks that God has not left us on our own.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 18th January 2021.
(Psalm 8)
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I have observed that for the most part, that children live life unfettered by the cares and sorrows that burden adults. Their faith lets them trust God more readily. While we adults often get lost in trials and sorrows, children retain the psalmist’s view of life, an eternal perspective that sees the greatness of God (Psalm 8:1-2).
God can be trusted, and He longs for us to trust Him the way children do (Matthew18:3).
So here’s a SLM to start the week.
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An intimate walk with God lifts our eyes from today’s trials and into eternity’s triumphs.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 11th January 2021
(Eccles 3:1-8)
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Our passage for today lists some of the changing times and seasons in our human experience. Sometimes we do welcome change in our lives, albeit that it is often difficult. Yet even then we can be thankful that God does not change as Malachi 3:6 clearly suggests.
Because God does remain the same, we can rely on Him all through the shifting seasons of life. His presence is always with us (Psalm 46:1), His peace has the power to guard our hearts (Phil 4:7),and His love provides security for our souls (Rom 8:39). So here is a SLM to start the week.
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God’s unchanging nature is our security during seasons of change.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.
Shedding Light Moment 13th January 2021.
(1Tim 6:6-12 and)
( Heb13:5)
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We live in a world that feeds our desire for more and more— until we find it almost impossible to really be content with anything at all.
The only remedy for hearts that “want it all” is in the very contentment found in the presence of the living God. He is sufficient for our needs and longings, and He alone can bring us the peace and contentment we’ll never find in the pursuits of this life.
There really is no such thing as being almost content. In Christ we can know true contentment. So here’s another SLM to reflect on.
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Contentment is not getting what we want but being satisfied with what we have.
…Blessings Pastor Ross.
Shedding Light Moment 6th January 2021
(Matthew 11:20-24)
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In the three cities in the above passage, Jesus, clearly showed himself to be the Son of God by performing miracles. But the people refused to listen to His great message. As a sad result, those cities were cursed by God and reduced to heaps of rocks, nothing but monuments to their unbelief. The lesson is clear. When Jesus speaks, we must take His words to heart. In fact, all of Scripture needs to be taken seriously. To choose to disregard God’s Word shows a heart of real unbelief and will leave our lives in ruins. But to heed its life-giving instruction brings reward and blessing. So here’s a mid-week SLM.
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To ignore the Bible is to invite disaster.
…..Blessings Pastor Ross.

Shedding Light Moment 8th December 2021
(Colossians 2:1-7)
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For little children walking is just one step away from falling, yet they keep at it until walking becomes second nature.
Paul urged all who believe to live by faith so that they would become firmly rooted in their walk with Christ(vv6-7).
We do that by just focusing our very thoughts on Him:-
What He has done, what He is doing now and what He will do for us. We take a risk by depending on Him completely, obeying His commands, and putting His teaching into practice.
Walking with Christ may sometimes be frightening, but it is the only way to make progress in our spiritual growth…So here’s an SLM to end the working week.
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You cannot run the race until you learn to walk.
….Blessings Pastor Ross.