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Central Park: Picnic Blanket - Friday

Posted on Fri, May 17, 2013

Psalm 23:6b 

...and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
 
I once met a gal who’d lived in the same town her entire life, in two different houses. She had been out of that town once. On her honeymoon. After their wedding, they went to a town about 40 minutes down the road. And then they came back and proceeded to enjoy their life in that same small town where she’d grown up. Something struck me as I compared my life with hers. Hers was simpler. She was content with whatever she had. She didn’t pine for a faraway place to visit someday. She went against the grain of our culture that says, Grow up, move out of the state for work, take care of your own obligations, and become independent. She seemed to resonate more with what God says, Stay! Don’t move out of the house! You’re welcome here with Me. Be content. Let Me provide for you. David clearly understood God’s welcome. He heard and responded to God’s invitation. In Psalm 24 he goes on to say he desires nothing more than to live his entire life in the house of the Lord, delighting in God. How do we do this in the midst of our rush and tumble, grow-up, and move-along world? We settle our hearts within our relationship with God. We rest in the fact that He welcomes us. We steer away from thinking God is like us - that He’s pushing us out the door as soon as possible. We stop and rest in the peace of our relationship with Him. Even as we’re on-the-move, we take every step depending on our intimacy and closeness with Him.
  • God challenges us at times to “leave and go”, but when He does, He always goes with us. 
  • Write out your own Declaration of Dependence, a prayer thanking God for His welcome and committing to remain in Him your whole life-long.
Memorize Isaiah 26:3 this week. 
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Will Briggs
Care Pastor

Central Park: Picnic Blanket - Thursday

Posted on Thu, May 16, 2013

Psalm 23:6a 

Surely goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life...
 
How awesome would it be to know without a doubt that good pursues you? What if, try as you might, you couldn’t get away from this goodness chasing you down, tackling you with a hug, and giving you a sloppy kiss? It’s funny. This good is chasing us down. But instead of receiving it freely, there are times we deny it by trying to earn it. Think about it: If you could even begin to place a monetary value on it at all, how much would you pay to make sure you have a good day today? What would you give away? What sacrifice would you make? I think we all know this kind of hypothetical transaction is purely imaginary. And yet, I find myself and others looking for a way to make this purchase. We give money, we share our belongings, we pray faithfully, we read our Bibles from cover to cover. All the while, in the back of our minds, working out this transaction with God where our praying, giving, doing obligates Him to do what we want when we want. We equate goodness with getting our way. And if we are not master of all we survey after we worked through our spiritual to-do list? Now, that’s bad. Just awful. But goodness and unfailing love is not something we can buy and own. It is the God we can know. He is good. He loves us. He pursues us, turning all things to good in the end. Good in your life has been paid for. He’s ready to pour it out generously all over you.
  • Are you running from God’s goodness that’s pursuing you by trying to earn it through your own efforts? Stop and let Him wrap you up in His arms. 
Memorize Isaiah 26:3 this week.
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Will Briggs
Care Pastor

Central Park: Picnic Blanket - Wednesday

Posted on Wed, May 15, 2013

Psalm 23:5c

...my cup overflows with blessings. 
 
I was having dinner with three friends at one of those hoity-toity places with the olive oil salad dressing on the table. We ordered our meals and beverages, then waited for the food to arrive while we enjoyed our sodas. At one point, one of the guys went to the restroom and the friend to my left whispered, “Watch this...” He proceeded to pour olive oil from the flask into the unsupervised glass of Coke and then removed the straw. When our friend returned, he took a huge swig of his soda... then explosively spewed the mouthful of oil all over the floor. That day, my friend knew the bitter taste of drinking from a cup overflowing with something undesirable. But what about an overflow of blessings? We all want that, don’t we? We’d like to think we just want plenty for ourselves and a little extra for someone else, too. But maybe the day came when you discovered there was more than enough for today...  then you looked both ways to be sure no one was watching…  and then stashed away your “overflow” for tomorrow. Know what I’ve discovered through life with Jesus? When I truly have more than enough, I really need to give. It keeps my heart dependent. But guess what? On the flip side, when I don’t feel I have more than enough - I still need to give. It’s almost as though God is inviting us into a constant state of dependence on Himself – on His ability to provide everything we need, and often more. When we hoard what we have, we tend to forget God. When our refrigerator is full, our prayers for daily bread don’t have much oomph behind them. It’s true: We benefit from a high sense of dependence on God. And we reflect His character when our generosity with whatever we have overflows the cup of our life and fills someone else’s cup.
  • We all have received generously in different ways. With which of the following are you overflowing? Money. Relationships. Time. Clothing. Shoes. Talents. Knowledge. Other.
  • How can you give generously from your overflow?
Memorize Isaiah 26:3 this week. 
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Will Briggs
Care Pastor

Central Park: Picnic Blanket - Tuesday

Posted on Tue, May 14, 2013

Psalm 23:5b 

You honor me by anointing my head with oil...
 
How cool is it to be chosen? It feels good no matter how it comes about. When we’re chosen on the playground thanks to our amazing kickball skills, it feels pretty good. But, hey - they chose wisely ‘cause we’re awesome! Being chosen for our skill makes it natural that we get the reward. But when we’re chosen because of dumb luck, that’s another level of awesome. Especially if it’s for a grand prize like a million dollar lottery jackpot. Unlike the reasonability of being chosen for our talents and skills, being lucky has nothing to do with our own ability. It’s haphazard and accidental. But let’s set both of those examples aside. It’s something totally different when we are chosen because we’re loved. There’s a gratefulness that comes with being chosen just because of who we are. Because of the favor we have in the eyes of the one doing the choosing. It’s not about our awesome prowess or our accidental guesses. God chooses us because He loves us. And because He likes us. And because He’s a good Father who wants to love on His kids - to honor them. He made us and knows how to bless us. Sometimes we strive for lesser honors - the recognition of people, the higher salary, the important position. All those may be nice, but ask yourself: do I truly value the honor of being known as God’s child? Of being claimed as His own? Of receiving everything I need from His hands? 
  • Do you tend to rely more on your skills, your luck, or your friendship with God?
  • You are prized. You are loved. To what extent is there a sense of reward or value in that for you?
Memorize Isaiah 26:3 this week. 
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Will Briggs
Care Pastor

Central Park: Picnic Blanket - Monday

Posted on Mon, May 13, 2013

Psalm 23:5a 

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. 
 
Enemies. Antagonists. Those who would do us harm. Perhaps you know what it’s like to look across a battlefield... or a desk at work... or a classroom... and see someone staring back who would love nothing more than to do you harm - physically, emotionally, relationally. In life there’s this sense of a war being waged against us. Sometimes it’s a person. Or a chaotic set of circumstances. Psalm 23 reminds us we have a refuge in the midst of these struggles. A place of experiencing God’s provision in spite of everything swirling around us. Over the past year, for me, the swirling opposition came in the form of anxiety attacks. When I experienced the right trigger, dizziness and nausea would attack, ready to overwhelm and overcome me. But I’ve discovered something through the battle: Pressing closer to God, my protector and provider, has been the pathway through - not around or away from - these scarily disconcerting times. He has been faithful to hold me up and help me through. He has provided the sustenance of people who “get it”, who understand and encourage, pray and help me. It has been a time of dependence and relying on God’s grace. And, amazingly, it has also been a time of releasing control and experiencing God’s peace. I’m thankful for our God who, in spite of the odds against us, sticks close, sees us through, and even provides a place of peace in the midst of the storm.
  • Identify the enemies that are coming against you right now. How do you need God to come through for you? Ask Him to do it.
  • While you await God’s deliverance, ask God to provide for you and give you peace while things are still unresolved.
Memorize Isaiah 26:3 this week. 
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Will Briggs
Care Pastor

Central Park: Scenic Trail - Friday

Posted on Fri, May 10, 2013

Psalms 23:4b

...your rod and your staff they comfort me.
 
I once led a trip to Northern Ireland with high school students. Green hills stretch for as far as the eye can see in the rural parts of that country. Most of those hills are dotted with white sheep, milling about the pasture. While on a walk with several of the students, I overheard one American student confidently tell a Northern Irish student that we don’t have sheep in America. Besides being overwhelmed with laughter, I was also struck by the idea that something the Bible uses for so many illustrations of our relationship with God is something that is so foreign in our modern world. When the psalmist says that the rod and staff comfort him, it’s because he knows that the rod is used to ward off danger from the flock, to count sheep to make sure no one is lost, and to discipline those who wander off. And he knows that the staff gives a shepherd strength as he walks and allows the shepherd to draw the sheep closer to him. When he says that the rod and the staff comfort him, what he means is that he is comforted by the fact that God cares about him individually, even with millions of people in the world! He is comforted by the fact that God protects, that God listens, and that God desires intimacy with His people!
  • What aspects of the “rod and staff” are comforting to you? This week as you walk through difficult things, imagine God walking next to you, rod and staff in hand! 
Memorize Psalm 23:3b-4 this week. 
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. 

Stephanie Boxx
Discipleship Administrative Assistant

Central Park: Scenic Trail - Thursday

Posted on Thu, May 09, 2013

Psalm 23:4a

...I will fear no evil, for you are with me...
 
I have an app on my phone that has all the nightly news broadcasts from NBC. Whenever I have a few extra minutes before I go to sleep, I’ll thumb through the stories of the day and watch a few clips. Most days, I feel like I’ve just watched a slide show of the havoc that Satan is wreaking on our world. Whether it’s gruesome stories on abortion clinics or bombings at events or accidental explosions at a factory, every little video I watch screams the word evil. And sometimes my heart will beat a little faster and I’ll start thinking about how ready I am for Jesus to come back and how I’m never to going have kids and how I want to move to a rural village in the Amazon to avoid terrorists and corrupt government and mean people - except now the rainforest is getting torn down too! But what is at the heart of all of those thoughts is fear, specifically the fear of evil. But this psalm says “I will fear no evil.” None. Zip. Nada. Not the little evils of unkind words and not the big evils of bombs. Why? Because You, God, are with me. What’s interesting to me is that it doesn’t say, “I will fear no evil because You won’t let anything bad happen to me.” While we live in the world we’re not exempt from the evil that dwells here but we are promised to always have a God who dwells here also. 
  • Take some time to celebrate the times when God was with you in the midst of evil. Thank God that you don’t ever walk down the path of life alone! 
Memorize Psalm 23:3b-4 this week. 
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. 

Stephanie Boxx
Discipleship Administrative Assistant

Central Park: Scenic Trail - Wednesday

Posted on Wed, May 08, 2013

Psalm 23:4a 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley...
 
I’ve only had one moment in my life when I thought death was a real possibility. It was on my one and only trip to New York City - an accidental trip at that. My connecting flight at JFK airport was cancelled and the only empty flights left in the whole city were at Newark Airport in New Jersey. Luckily, I met a nice native New Yorker who offered to share a cab and help me navigate my way to Newark. It was late at night, pouring rain, and our cab driver had limited English skills - he was having a difficult time discerning where we needed to go. About 45 minutes into our ride, we’d left the gleaming lights of Times Square and began to wind through some very desolate back alleys. In the dark. In the pouring rain. And my co-passenger leans over and whispers, “This is not the way to New Jersey.” I saw what I was sure were the last remaining moments of my life flash before my eyes like a Dateline mystery special. Now, I know that the guy who wrote this psalm is talking about all kinds of dark valleys - not just physical death and not just terrifying moments in NYC cabs. He’s talking about the dark valleys of abuse, of cancer, of failed marriages, of sick kids, of unkind friends, of natural disasters and terror attacks and receding economies. Dark valleys are certain in our times - even this psalm about God’s care for us reminds us that dark valleys are a part of this life. But God doesn't leave us there alone.
  • Think through some of your own dark valleys or the dark valleys our nation and world are walking through. How do you release your fear to God?
Memorize Psalm 23:3b-4 this week.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. 

Stephanie Boxx
Discipleship Administrative Assistant

Central Park: Scenic Trail - Tuesday

Posted on Tue, May 07, 2013

Psalm 23:3b 

...for his name’s sake.
 
People-watching is one of my favorite ways to turn an otherwise boring wait at a doctor’s office or airport into a fascinating study of humanity. While there are plenty of great spots to observe your fellow human-beings, the park is always the happiest. In fact, if you’re having a bad day or generally feeling morose about the state of the world, head to the park. You’ll see carefree kids swinging from monkey bars, new parents pushing strollers, sidewalk chalk art, dogs happily padding along next to their human running partners, and geese begging for a bread crumb from an afternoon picnic. You can’t feel bad about the world when you’re in a place like that. My favorite thing about watching park people is that they are rarely alone. You’ll always find parents lifting children or runners matching stride or couples walking hand in hand. When I read in Psalm 23 that God leads us on right paths for His name’s sake, I think of these park people. See, the relationship Psalm 23:3b describes is one of mutual care. God cares for us in that He lays out a path which leads to the best possible life and the healthiest heart we could have. But He also says it’s important to Him that we follow these right paths because it glorifies Him. If our relationship with God is a path in a park, we’re the children on His shoulders, the runner matching stride, the couple hand in hand - walking on the righteous path is good for us and for God.
  • Think about something you chose to abstain from for the sake of God’s name. How has the mutual relationship of righteousness helped you love God more? 
Memorize Psalm 23:3b-4 this week.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Stephanie Boxx
Discipleship Administrative Assistant

Central Park: Scenic Trail - Monday

Posted on Mon, May 06, 2013

Psalm 23:3b

He guides me along right paths...
 
This past winter, I had a grave case of cabin fever. The tiny apartment that usually seemed like a warm, cozy refuge suddenly felt like a hot, stuffy prison. With the few remaining minutes of daylight left, I decided to lace up my running shoes and head down a path through a nearby park. At first, the path seemed mundane. It was just a long stretch of black asphalt flanked by tall, bare trees and expansive brick homes. The park was empty and I appeared to be the only person who braved the icy temperatures in exchange for fresh air. But after a few steady minutes of running, I started to notice things. Beautiful things. Birds picking the remaining dried berries off of bushes. Families sitting around dinner tables with roaring fireplaces in the background. Snowflakes landing on frozen ground, seemingly making the muddy park fresh and pure. When the writer of this psalm said that God guides him along right paths, I imagine that he must have had a park experience similar to mine. A righteous path can often start off feeling like a long stretch of rules, a bare and lifeless trip that, while not enjoyable, will at least get us the results we desire. But once you start down that path, you realize that God doesn’t just guide us down righteous paths because He wants us to be a certain way - He does it because it’s the best possible path and it’s full of beautiful things that you won’t know about until you start heading down it! 
  • Psalm 23 is all about God caring for us. How have you seen a personal choice to obey something that God has called righteous unfold as a demonstration of God’s care for you?
Memorize Psalm 23:3b-4 this week. 
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Stephanie Boxx
Discipleship Administrative Assistant

Central Park: Park Bench - Friday

Posted on Fri, May 03, 2013

Psalm 23:6

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
 
Back at Claiborne Elementary School in West Monroe, Louisiana, I had the same teacher for first and third grade. Her name was Mrs. Woodham and, to this day, she is the only teacher that ever paddled me for talking in the bathroom and the only teacher I ever truly loved. She was my favorite. One day in first grade my friend, Lori Nolan, and I were following her around the classroom and my mom recalls her looking at us, smiling and saying, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” See why she was my favorite? I’m so thankful for this image that I can associate with today’s passage. Like baby ducks waddling behind their mother, surely goodness and mercy will trail us all the days of our lives. Beyond this, we will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. These are Jesus-promises long before Jesus ever came to Earth. Yesterday the concepts of the feast and being anointed as God’s children led into this passage about the future home Jesus is preparing for us and the promise that He will make His home with us. (See John 14:1-3) This whole Psalm teaches us how to rest because it continually puts in front of us who is leading and who is following. This last passage provides the reason to follow. Simply stated: because following Him leads to the best life. Period. Goodness and mercy follow you this day because it was God’s pleasure to offer them to you through Christ.  It will also be His pleasure to return for you. 
  • How much confidence and peace can these truths give you today? Rest in these two truths: God’s got you, and God will come back to get you. If you’ve yet to give your life to Jesus, please spend some time thinking about whether or not it’s time to. 
Memorize Psalm 23:1-3a this week. 
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Amanda Carter
Worship Leader

Central Park: Park Bench - Thursday

Posted on Thu, May 02, 2013

Psalm 23:5

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Have you ever been a guest of honor at an event? The only time I can remember even remotely feeling this way occurred during my bridal luncheon the day before I got married. There were tables with place cards and what role each person held in the wedding or in relation to me. It felt special and strange to have that much attention all at once. The precious moments with my dearest family and friends, much more than the attention, filled me to the brim. In verse five of this familiar Psalm, we see God preparing a feast and anointing the one following Him. The themes of protection and belonging continue from verse four. And how does the psalmist respond? He says, “My cup overflows!” The primary provision for us is Jesus. He is what designates us in the presence of the enemy and anoints us with the Spirit. We can trust God because He offered His only Son in our place so we could partake in all the benefits of being children of God. We should cry out with much the same sentiments as in verses one and five, “I lack for nothing! You have given me a cup that overflows!”
  • Take some time today to simply meditate on Jesus. Think through how He lived and what He did in giving His life for you. He went to prepare a place for us that will last. Let this lead to a prayer of thankfulness for all He is, has done, and will come back to complete.
  • We'll be celebrating each other and our lives in Christ tonight at Ladies' Night! If you're a lady, please join us! 

Memorize Psalm 23:1-3a this week. 

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Amanda Carter
Worship Leader

Central Park: Park Bench - Wednesday

Posted on Wed, May 01, 2013

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
 
My husband, Dock, had LASIK surgery recently. He did not want to open his eyes under the fly-eye-goggles he wore. As I led him out of the doctor’s office, I thought about this particular passage. What Dock needed to know from me as his guide was where the boundaries were - such as door frames and curbs. This is the role of the rod and staff we read about in today’s passage. The comfort comes from the fact that the Guide knows the boundaries and invests all His energies into keeping you and me within them. Boundaries have positive and negative connotations, but on a dark and treacherous path, knowing the boundaries means the difference between life and death. God’s guidance can mean the difference between sin which leads to death and obedience which leads to life. Dark times and even evil may come at us, but because we belong to the Shepherd, we will not just tremble with fear through the journey, but make it through with comfort knowing our Guide is with us. How can we not find rest in that truth? We can relax. We do not have to fight the darkness or ward off the evil, and we will not be alone. We just have to follow the guide, the good Shepherd as Jesus calls Himself in John 10. Today’s passage comforts us, not by promising there will be no darkness or evil, but through the promise that God will be with us, just like a shepherd with his sheep. 
  • Is there a boundary line you feel God has drawn that you have a hard time staying within?
  • Spend some time today asking God how you can trust Him and rest in His ability to keep you within the boundaries that lead to life.
Memorize Psalm 23:1-3a this week. 
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Amanda Carter
Worship Leader

Central Park: Park Bench - Tuesday

Posted on Tue, Apr 30, 2013

Psalm 23:3

...he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
 
“For goodness sake!” Familiar phrase, right? We often do things for others’ sakes. We may attend a choir concert at our kids’ school that feels like a bad karaoke event, but we go for the sake of our kids. Some of us work to get healthy to be around longer for the sake of our families. We may even let someone with fewer items go ahead of us at the grocery store if we have many items for the sake of their time. Notice the pattern? To do something for someone else’s sake requires that we lay down one of our own rights or entitlements. We lay it down for the sake of someone else. Today’s verse says that God will lead us down the right paths for His name’s sake. No one has laid down more on our behalf than God. He gave us His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place. The offer He makes in Psalm 23 is that He will lead us on the right paths not just for our sake, but for the sake of His name. What’s in a name? For God, everything. His name is directly connected to His character. He leads us down right paths for our protection, like a shepherd of His sheep, and to protect the integrity of His name. He does not ask us to do this in our own power. He will lead us down right paths and preserve His own name. He takes a chance on us each time for our sake so that we can experience Him as we rest in His leadership down the right paths.
  • What paths are you walking down that may not be right? Do you trust God to lead you down right paths?
  • Say to God with your words and life this week: God, may Your name be blessed as we follow You. May You be known for who You are through our lives. Amen.

Memorize Psalm 23:1-3a this week. 

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Amanda Carter
Worship Leader

Central Park: Park Bench - Monday

Posted on Mon, Apr 29, 2013

Psalm 23:1-3a

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
 
Nothing soothes me inside and out like the sound of water. In the mountains it’s the streams. On the coast it’s the rhythmic lapping of the waves. My question today is: How do we find the quiet waters in the midst of a wavy world? Many times, the loudest waters in my life involve all of the "have-to's” and “to-do's” rolling around in my mind. They can often create hurricane-like conditions and cause me to not really be present in my day because I’m so consumed by the torrent of my thoughts. “Who needs to be where, when?”  “Did I pay that bill?” “Who was I supposed to call?” You could share your own compilation of questions, I’m sure. Nestled in the Psalms we read that our Shepherd leads us beside quiet waters and, there, restores or refreshes our soul. When thinking through where to find these peaceful moments, I immediately thought of the word "meditation". Not humming and sitting with criss-crossed legs, but meditating on Scripture and the character of God. I believe breaking down Scriptures into small phrases and words gives us the chance to really unpack truth, but also to simply be still and focus our mind on one thing in contrast to the many things that flow through each day. Today, let’s take a minute to meditate on the phrase, The LORD is my Shepherd, I lack for nothing. Think on the word LORD, then the word Shepherd, and, finally, the idea of lacking for nothing. Take a moment to record what comes to mind in a journal or a voice memo. 
  • Make this your prayer today: God, You always have all we need. You even provide insight into how to enter moments of rest in the midst of our lives. Thank You that You’ll lead us to the quiet waters. Help us to follow You there.

Memorize Psalm 23:1-3a this week.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Amanda Carter
Worship Leader

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