He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:3-4)

Reflection
The Lord leads us in the paths of righteousness and sometimes those paths lead through the valley of the shadow of death. Though it is hard to walk through these valleys, we can praise Him because He leads us into the valley of the shadow of death and not the valley of death itself.

Take heart that even in these tremulous times, the Lord's hand is mighty. And truly, we need fear no evil!


"BLB Daily Promise for (August 9th)." Blue Letter Bible. 15 May, 2002. Web. 8 Aug, 2026. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/view.cfm>.

"Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18)

It was God's sovereign will that He would restore the order of the universe through His Son. The interesting thing is during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the day after the Sabbath of that week, they celebrated the Day of Firstfruits. Firstfruits symbolized the consecration of the whole harvest to God and it pointed to the hope of the harvest to come. Now think back to what happened on the day after the Sabbath, Easter Sunday. Christ rose as the Firstfruit of resurrection.

From that day you would count off 7 weeks or 49 days until Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks, or Feast of Harvest, or Feast of the Firstfruits. Now what happened at that first Pentecost after the resurrection? The gift of the Holy Spirit was given as the Firstfruit of the spiritual harvest procured through the work of Christ. Ultimately it will culminate in the Harvest Feast in heaven when the Bride of Christ (the church) is reunited with Christ forever.

We serve a Great God!     -Bob

2 Timothy 4:1-5 [NKJV]
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Many times it would seem that teaching doctrine causes people to become divisive and to
want to split apart into smaller groups. But in the passage we see that sound doctrine keeps us unified, encouraging ourselves in the word and not causing us to fall away which leads to separating from other Christians.

This is why the Bible encourages us to meet together, encourage one another, and to be
unified in the Lord concerning sound doctrine, so that we don’t fall away.

-Tim

Alistair Begg, Senior Pastor of Parkside Church, once stated that "If life were fair, we would all go to hell." 
Thank God life is not fair, that we might have the opportunity to spend eternity with Christ. In a just world, we would not be given the gift of grace, mercy, or Jesus. Let us praise God, for He is rich in mercy and grace, and never changes.

Joel 2:12-13 “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.

-Benjamin Hickey

This month of soccer has been a lot of fun for me. Watching the tournament, it’s amazing to see how every team spends months—and even years—preparing for one goal: winning the trophy. One thing I always enjoy is noticing that a team isn’t made up of just one position on the field. There are goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. Each player has a different role, but together they are one team.
In 1 Corinthians 12:12–27, Paul explains that the body has many different parts, yet every one of them is essential. In 1 Corinthians 12:18, he writes: “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.” God is the Coach. He knows exactly where to place you so that His team can accomplish its purpose.
The same is true for the church and for our lives. God has given each of us different gifts, but every one of us is important. When we trust His plan and faithfully play the role He has given us, we help the whole team succeed.
So today, may our hearts be ready to say, “Put me in, Coach.” 
-Alejandro

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’

This verse tells us why we can always be content with our health, wealth (possessions or lack of), family (wife, husband, children and church family).  No matter what is happening in our life, because God will never leave us.  He is with us now and for eternity. This is where we place our faith. We don’t put our faith in things of this earth. They will disappoint; but God won’t.
 
-Steven

Mark 14:36, And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Jesus prays this three times to Father, ‘all things possible with you, take this cup from me’. Then He says, nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will. Incredibly, our salvation was founded on an unanswered prayer!

If God had said, ‘Okay Jesus, I’ll remove the cup I have set before you to drink from. Let’s abort these humans and My plan, we’ll just let them go be damned…’. If the Father had done that, we would not have been redeemed. It’s because the Father said ‘no’ to the Son, ‘you have to drink of the cup’, that becomes the basis of our salvation.
 
So what can we learn from Jesus? That God may be doing greater things through your unanswered prayers than He could do through answered prayer.
God may have agendas greater than our experience and understanding. We need to lean into that. We don’t have to understand what He is doing to keep believing and trusting Him.
-Pastor Mike

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!
Therefore the world does not know us, 
because it did not know Him.” I John 3:1 NKJV

Father’s Day is a great time to show some love to the dads and mentors who have always been there for us. It also reminds us of our perfect Father in heaven, who loves us no matter what and stays by our side, even when life or people let us down.
 
Remember celebrate all the dads out there with a plate of meat and full bellies.

Love you all. - Valentino Nevarez

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.  Psalm 111:10 (NKJV)

Committing our lives to God is not something that can be done with a puffed-out chest and an inflated ego. Instead, it requires humility and a healthy reverence for God. When we assume this posture, we are ready to receive His truth and wisdom.

God’s wisdom, revealed through His Word and applied by His Spirit, equips us to live lives that are morally upright, skillful, and pleasing to Him. As we obey His commands, our understanding grows, demonstrating the truth of the psalmist’s words.

-Pastor Keith

Exodus 8:18-19 “Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.“

This past month, our theme in Children’s Ministry has been “New Beginnings.”

Scripture reminds us that “to everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

The greatest new beginning anyone can experience is being spiritually born again through faith in Jesus Christ. By God’s grace, we are now new creations in Him, filled with the Holy Spirit and secure in the hope of eternity.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation...” 2 Corinthians 5:17

You may be walking through a new season filled with unknowns or challenges ahead. But take heart! As believers, we never walk alone. God is never caught off guard, and He remains faithful through every season He allows us to walk through.  

   -Evan

“It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.” Mark 1:9-10

It says “And immediately, coming up from the water”. This fits with Mark’s style of a fast-paced narrative where we see he uses this word “immediately” more than any other gospel writer. As bible students it is fun just to pick out differences in the style of various gospel authors and it reminds us that God uses man in His unique way. The particular characteristics of every man used by God can be applied to all of us who believe in Jesus Christ.

I am always amazed how God works in the church body. How He places people with spiritual gifts that are useful to everyone who attends services here at CCPL.
When we study the gospels, keep your eyes open to differences in the written words, yet look for the unity of the Holy Spirit in the message spelled out in the lives of men. A characteristic of the body of Christ in the church today.

We are truly blessed!     -Bob

Psalm 73:2-5 (NLT) But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.

Life can be a real challenge sometimes. We can end up like the children of Israel during the time of the Exodus. We go along in our lives becoming completely dissatisfied. Looking at our neighbors and wishing we could do the things that they do. By the way, it didn’t work out well for them. Keep reading…
Psalm 73:17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.

Reading a verse like this puts our lives in perspective and back on track. When you read the Bible and learn about the final Judgment, and how God wants to save us; we realize we have a great, merciful God who dearly loves each one of us.     -Tim

"Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children." -Billy Graham

Mothers are truly a blessing from God, guiding their children through this broken and uncertain world. Mothers are the hands that mold our character from an early age, making sure we form a desire to follow after God's word and purpose for our lives. She is the one who goes unnoticed, quietly working in the background, yet their influence on our lives is plain to see. She gracefully balances the weight of countless responsibilities, and still makes it look effortless.

 To all the mothers out there, thank you for the time you spend with us, even when we don't deserve it. Thank you for your love that seems never-ending. Thank you for being that friend we always needed, and, most of all, for being a symbol of unwavering faith in our lives.

Proverbs 31:28 Her children arise and call her blessed.
-Benjamin

All of us make time to eat—at least one to three times a day. And we thank God for the food that nourishes our bodies.
Now imagine if we had that same commitment to the Word of God-making time to read it, meditate on it, and memorize it.

In Matthew 4:4, we are reminded that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Of course, eating is important. But just as we organize our day to feed our bodies, we should also make time to feed our souls.
In the end, it all comes down to how we choose to manage our time.   -Alejandro

Matthew 22:39 …You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
 
Jesus said this was the second greatest commandment, after loving God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. How are we able to accomplish such a task as loving our neighbors…meaning all people, and at all times?

It has been well said, “God’s commandments are His enablements”. Romans 5:5 says that it’s God’s love that pours out of our lives to those around us. What He asks us to do, He accomplishes in and through us.
Not feeling love for someone? Don’t wait for emotions to swell first, but put love in action and the feelings will soon follow.

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, "Do not waste your time bothering whether you ’love’ your neighbor- act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less."

The second commandment is just a byproduct of living out the first commandment.
Love God, love people.

Agape! Pastor Mike

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 
Jeremiah 29:13

Building relationships is tough. It takes constant work and dedication. To have a solid relationship with someone you need communication. Your relationship with God is no different. He gave us His word which is how He communicates with us.

But if all you do is listen to God and say nothing in return, not much of a relationship. That is why He says to pray continually. Praying is our way of communicating with God.

Stay in His word, Continually pray, And obey His word. I love you all.

- Valentino Nevarez

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”  Exodus 20:2–3 (NKJV)

Although God spoke these words to the Hebrews who left Egypt, they can serve as a reminder that God has delivered us from our own “Egypt.”

As we remember and give thanks for His deliverance, may we never return to the idols we once followed (whether knowingly or unknowingly). Instead, may we walk faithfully with the Lord, trusting that He has far better things in store for those who belong to Him.

 - Pastor Keith

1 Corinthians 9:24 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?
Run in such a way that you may obtain it."

I love how Paul illustrates that we are on this earth to run; and to run a race you must train to compete. In the same way we go through this life with obstacles and trials that help train us and shape us into a Christian that lasts.

However, we don't just want to last; we want to win that prize to be with The Lord for all of eternity.    

- Joshua

Psalm 107:1 (NKJV) “Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

In this chapter, the Lord’s deliverance of His redeemed people, and His ability to satisfy a longing soul is illustrated. After crying out to the Lord in their distress, and experiencing deliverance- variations on verse 1 are repeated. It mentions those wandering in the wilderness, hungry and thirsty, with fainting souls; those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in various ways; fools living in sin and afflicted as a result of their poor choices, and those tossed about in rough seas. A theme emerges: “Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:31).

This Psalm reminded me of the invitation for true rest, recorded in Mathew 11: 28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly.”   

 -Roy

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)

Throughout the bible over and over we see God work through ordinary people. The Holy Spirit gives us power to do things that accomplish God's will without a lot of fanfare or sensation. Certainly there are supernatural healings, but mostly it is this quiet power from God like it says in Acts 4. Perhaps it is simply encouraging someone with God's word or praying for them or maybe just listening.

Our preparation for being used by Him? Spending time with Jesus.  

-Bob

2 Kings 5:11,
I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the LORD his God and heal me!
Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed!

This is one of the many examples in the Bible which demonstrates obeying God from the start helps us find His blessing He has for us faster than if we do our own solutions first.

-Tim

Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Is Bible study just a waste of time? One time Henry Ford hired an efficiency expert to evaluate his company. After several weeks, the expert made his report, which was favorable except for one thing: “There’s a man down your hall, and every time I go by, he’s just sitting there with his feet up on his desk. He’s wasting your money.”  Ford replied, “That man once had an idea that saved us millions of dollars. At the time, I believe his feet were planted right where they are now!”

Maybe it would be good for you to put your feet up and save yourselves a million dollars – or a million heartaches –or a million bad choices- by reading and meditating on the Word of God!    

-Pastor Mike

"And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.”  ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12‬:‭29‬ ‭NKJV

After repeated warnings and opportunities to obey, Pharaoh’s hardened resistance to God’s will resulted in devastating judgment (the death of the firstborn). The difference between life and death that night was whether the blood of the lamb had been applied in obedience to the Lord’s command.

Thankfully, this sobering account also points us to hope. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb protected the firstborn of Israel, so Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb, delivers us from future judgment and from the bondage of sin. Praise God that He not only desires a relationship with us, but also provides deliverance to all who are willing to receive the gift of salvation.  -Pastor Keith