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Praying Psalm 23

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Fear Not

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About the Series Leader
William Gaultiere, Ph. D., is the Director of Spiritual Formation Ministries at the Crystal Cathedral. Learn more about Bill and his ministry at his
"Christian Soul Care Blog."

 

Wednesday Nights

Welcome to "Come & Grow" Wednesday Nights! We invite you to come join us at the Crystal Cathedral to grow closer to Jesus. Here are the most recent notes from the current Wednesday night series:

Praying Psalm 23:
Following the Shepherd of our Souls
Led by Bill Gaultiere
& the Spiritual Formation Ministries Team
Five Wednesday, 7 to 9 pm, through October 7, 2009
Crystal Cathedral, FAmily Life Center 470

Psalm 23
(paraphrased from NKJV)

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

WEEK 4: Dark Valleys Can be Good
"Even though I walk through the valley..." (Psalm 23:4)
September 30, 2009

REVIEW: "He restores my soul; He leads me..."
Last week we learned that Good Shepherd restores our souls as we...

 

• Focus our love on his greatness ("The Lord is my Shepherd...")
• Slow down to rest with him in his green pastures and beside his still waters

This is also how the Shepherd of our souls guides us. To discern God’s will in our decisions and to have his wisdom for how we live our lives we need to slow down and listen!

For people like us who want to live as apprentices to Jesus I don’t think I could overemphasize the value of us setting aside time to be with Jesus in silence and solitude – in short pauses and extended periods of time for an hour or more.

One way that we’ve practiced slowing down, appreciating God’s presence and listening for his wisdom is to do some centering prayer. We simply take a short, beloved phrase of Scripture into a quiet space (could be for just a few minutes, even just a breath prayer can re-orient us) and go deeper and deeper in our meditation and prayerful intention to live by those words.

Breath Prayer
"The Lord is my Shepherd... I shall not want"

Breathe the Word and Spirit in deep and slow: "The Lord is my Shepherd..."

Hold your breath, letting Word and Spirit surround and seep into your heart (your will)...

Exhale your worries and wants, desiring only Jesus: "I shall not want"

To Go or Not to Go to the Training?
Even though I’ve been practicing discerning the leading of the Holy Spirit for many years – for most of the 41 years that I’ve been a Christ-follower and especially the last six-plus years since my spiritual renewal – I still struggle at times to slow myself down and listen to God.

Sometimes I lurch one way and then the opposite way. Sometimes I jump into things, maybe to please people or maybe out of my own ambition. Like Sunday two weeks ago...

Downloadable Document Format

• praying_psalm23_wk4.pdf - Praying Psalm 23 Week 4

   

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