March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 19

A PRAYER OF MINE

Proverbs 4:23

“Friends fail and the world betrays. Hear me Lord as I pray.”

Fill my heart, oh Lord, with your love

Instead of anger for the persons

Who are mean to me.

Let me feel mercy for those persons.

Remind me God that they need love

than anybody else.

Send me self-control, oh Lord, that I

May tame my tongue. Allow gentle words

to flow from my mouth. Make me a

happy person to be with.

Live in me, oh Lord, that I’ll find peace

in all happentances. Teach me how

to pray, that I can give glory to

Thy name, my Lord. Amen. - Ruby Digal

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 21

HOW YOU CAN ELIMINATE STRESS AND ANXIETY

Philippians 4:6-7

Many people today are experiencing more stress in their lives. In Japan, where some workers are dying because they’re working upwards of 17 hours a day. And here in the Philippines are currently experiencing physical symptoms of stress.

I believe that one of the biggest reasons for this epidemic is that so many people today live under an illusion of rest. They think, that getting 7 or 8 hours of sleep, they already rested. But real rest and rejuvenation doesn’t come by sleeping. It comes by having someone who can take your burdens away and give you peace.

Now don’t get me wrong here, you need sleep. In fact, you also need to be taking planned time off from your daily job to recuperate from those daily stresses. But the best remedy to stress doesn’t come from a few days away. It comes from God. He’s the only one who can truly give you peace that surpasses all understanding.

So if you’re dealing with stress, let God know because you’re promised that when you do, His perfect peace will overcome you and your heart and mind will be guarded in Christ Jesus!

GETTING RID OF STRESS IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST TAKING A BREAK. GIVE YOUR ANXIETIES TO GOD AND LET HIS PEACE FILL YOU!

Halbert Tillor

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 20

THE RIGHT TIME

Galatians 4:4

Why is being on time is so challenging for some of us? Even when we start early, something gets in the way to make us late. The good news is that God is always on time. Knowing the arrival of Jesus, Paul said, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law.” Galatians 4:4. The long-awaited, promised Savior came at the right time.

In my life, knowing Jesus Christ as the center is always great. I should be reminded that the Lord knows what is best for me as well. Sometimes I think He has forgotten me, then I question myself that if I am waiting for an answered prayer or the fulfillment of one of His promises, why give up easily? Then I realized that when the fullness of time is right for me, He’ll show up and I will be amazed by His perfect timing.

Betty Belmonte

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 18

COURAGE IN TRUSTING GOD

Joshua 1:1-9

What did God promised when we trust Him?

• God will give them the land he promised. .v2

• God will give them every place where they set their foot. .v3

• Their territory will extend. .v4

• No one will stand up against them for God will be with them always. .v5

• People will inherit the land. .v6

• We have success wherever we go through God. .v7

• We’ll be prosperous and successful with God. .v8

• The Lord will be with us wherever we go. .v9

Do we still trust the world? Or just the love and promises of God? Make a choice!!!

Romeo Samson Jr.

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 17

MAHALAGA ANG MAGPASALAMAT

Psalm 139:13

Lahat tayo ay ipinanganak na walang dalang kayamanan (Ecclesiastes 5:15a) kung ano man ang meron tayo ngayon marami man o kaunti, malaki man o maliit ang mahalaga, tayo pa rin ay patuloy na nabubuhay. (Ecclesiastes 7:10) maging sa ating mga kapamilya, kapuso, kaibigan, kapatid, kabarangay ay dapat marunong tayong magpasalamat sa kanila.

Natutunan ko ang magpasalamat mula sa maliliit na bagay. Nagising na lamang ako isang araw na hindi ko na mabilang ang mga biyaya na dapat kong ipagpapasalamat na natanggap ko mula sa Panginoon.

Kaya na man nais kong magpasalamat sa iyo kapatid at kaibigan ko dahil sa isa ka sa mga biyaya na natanggap ko mula sa Maykapal.

Arcel Nistal

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 16

FINDING STRENGTH IN GOD

Jeremiah 1: 18

• How much do we trust God as our shield? How about God as our ultimate protector? Are you totally sold out in believing this?

In faith, I know this to be true:

By God’s hand, I am “a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land,” (Jeremiah 1:18) and I am enabled to fear no one but God.

I will not fear for I know God is with me. When I face fear, He whispers in my ear, “Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). He says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

When standing before fear, I can boldly say, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:33–35, 37).

I know my God goes before me and comes behind me (Psalm 139:5). He is “my refuge, a strong tower against the foe” (Psalm 61:3). And, because of this, I stand convinced that, “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39).

Raquel Culango

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 15

GOD’S WORD IS A MIRROR

James 1: 22-25, NIV

James calls God’s Word a mirror. The mirror helps us evaluate ourselves. Once you look at a mirror, you can decide if you need to make any changes before you leave for the day. The Bible helps us do that, too. You can look at the Bible in one of two ways: You can glance at the mirror or gaze into it.

This is what glancing in the mirror is. A certain man is ready for his noontime show; he’d walk past the mirror, stop, look into it, and say, “Hey!” He didn’t have to do anything else. He was pure perfection. He just needed a glance.

That’s not the way you look into God’s Word. You don’t just glance at the Word of God in a rushed, hurried manner and then leave. Glancing at God’s Word won’t change your life. I fall into this most of the time, but I thank God because He will give situations that will help me look intently into God’s word and not just glance at it. We will all be tested, and these trials test how we understand and hold on to God’s Words. We will stand the test because of the same reason.

Do you want a life that God blesses? It all starts with gazing into God’s Word. James 1:22-25 gives you the blueprint for how to study God’s Word in a way that he blesses.

• Read your Bible. “... whoever looks intently ...”

• Review the Bible. “... and continues in it ...”

• Remember the Bible. “... not forgetting what they have heard ...”

• Respond to the Bible. “... but doing it ...”

What difference do you notice in your day when you gaze into God’s Word instead of just glancing at it? Does the current amount of time you set apart for your quiet time leave you enough time to read, review, remember, and respond to God’s Word?

Anecita Angel

AN INVITATION....

All MEN in Bohol are cordially invited to the Metro Bohol Christian Church, 2012 Men's Forum, theme:

"THE MEASURE OF A MAN".  

Individually we could have our own standard of what men should be.  But is it really what God wanted us to be?  This forum will give us some example of men in the bible of how we could really measure the manhood based on God's standard.

Hope to see all you there...

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 14

A NEED TO REVERE GOD

Ecclesiastes 2:26

As I grew up as a person and as a disciple, I can’t help but desire to grow in my wisdom, knowledge and skills. The worst is I wanted to have them right away. I know that it is impossible. After that, I end up frustrated.

As an impulsive learner, I always want to learn immediately and as fast as I could. But the Bible said that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

In the book of Ecclesiastes, I’ve learned from it how to be patient and wait for the right and perfect time that God will give. Masasabi kong naging abala ako nitong mga nakaraang araw. Ninais kong mag-aral habang magpapalakad ng sariling business. Wala akong ibang hinangad kundi ang matuto sa pag-aaral ko at maging matagumpay sa negosyo. Napag-isip-isip kong hindi pala ako robot. Tao lang pala ako na may kahinaan din at may katawan na napapagod. (Ecclesiastes 3:10-11).

Dapat ko bang sisihin ang Panginoon? Syempre hindi. Dapat pa nga ako magpasalamat sa Kanya. (Ecclesiastes 3:14)

Arcel Nistal

2012 SPORTS SUNDAY

Warming up...

Jump for joy...

Run the race...

Fun...fun...fun...

The two competing teams...

Thank God for SUMMER and for the FAMILY!

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 13

BECAUSE I’M NORMAL

Psalm 13

When I’m angry with something or someone I prefer to be alone in the room. Like David, I pour out all my heart’s contents. I talk to God through writing. I’d use words which I feel like using. I don’t care! I want to empty my heart so that when I’ll go out from the room, I can face the world anew.

When I’m mad with my friends, my resort is to write like crazy. I’ll write all the things those abominable attitudes that they have-that hurt me. I just can’t blurt those despicable attitudes that they have (even if I really want to) right at their faces because it will turn things to worse.

It’s just that I don’t feel terrible if I get sad or down or momentarily stop believing in sunshine. I let myself to feel empty or lost or not to smile. And I tolerate those days when I just want to sit a day out because I’m tired or blue. It helps me to take a grip of my sanity. Anyway, everybody gets sad sometimes, right?

Just that, I always ask God to stay at my side though all things and beg Him to hold me always. Amen.

Ruby Digal

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 12

DEVELOPING AN EYE FOR EMOTIONS

Isaiah 59:9-13

Emotion is a word pointing our strong feeling when we are happy, excited, sad, worried, and afraid. And in the writings of Isaiah, it is defined as the lies our hearts conceive. As I ponder on this verses, I came to categorize emotions into two: emotions that bring us HIGH (like happiness and excitement) and emotions that bring us LOW (such as sadness, anxiety, and fear) which is portrayed in Isaiah 59:9-13. And both these emotions can be threats. Emotion, being defined as a strong feeling (not just an ordinary feeling) brings a red alert on our hearts.

HIGH

• Emotions blind our eyes.

When we are overjoyed with our success and achievements, there is a big possibility that we recognize it as the fruit of our labor and of nobody else including God.

• Emotions make us godless.

When we are proud of ourselves, we boast that we can make everything possible and that the ultimate proof is the technology of the era. And at this point, we become godless, believing that we don’t need God to intercede in our lives.

• HIGH emotions can be battled with gratefulness and gratitude towards God.

LOW

• Emotions versus HOPE.

Emotions immediately give birth to worst scenarios that loosen our grip to God’s promise.

• Emotions decay our STRENGTH.

The bad illusions that emotion creates flashes repetitively in our minds, causing us to be stuck, softening our bones, preventing us from moving and consumes our energy thinking on the bad things that are happening or about to happen.

• Emotions drives us to feel ALONE and HELPLESS.

When you feel you are bounded by high, thick walls, you’re totally consumed by your emotion.

• Emotions make us Rebels.

This possibly happens when we have the habit of accusing others as the cause of our sufferings.

• Evaluating LOW emotion, it is a great deal destructive to our relationship with God and the church. We better resist it by submitting our EVERYTHING to God, being SECURE in His promises and TRUSTING on His amazing grace.

Let us be aware that our emotion can be our ultimate enemy.

Rowena Digal

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 11

SECURE IN HEART

Romans 8:10

The second book I am reading is entitled “Secure in Heart” by Robin Weidner-a sister from Chicago. These are the things I’ve learned from her.

1. Security in heart is our most precious gift from God-the ultimate overflowing of his goodness to us.

2. Security usually doesn’t come from everything in life going well, but instead through trials and sufferings (Rom. 8:10)

3. What does it mean (for a woman) to be secure in heart? Bottom line, it means knowing that through the resurrection of Jesus, our own personal great Shepherd that we have been equipped with everything we need to do His will. It’s a confidence that He will work in us everything that is pleasing to Him. It is believing that our lives will bring Him glory forever and ever. It’s trusting that the covenant between us and God is eternal. And it’s looking to Him as our only true source of security.

But (sisters), this security we were created for won’t come easily. It won’t come as an “aha!” moment at the end of a sermon or preaching or as the result of a particularly great quiet time with God. It won’t come because someone exhorted us to “Be secure!” and it certainly won’t come because you’ve willed yourself to be secure. Security will come because with God and Christ at your side, you’ve battled for it.

Irene Glinogo

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 10

A KINGDOM-FOCUSED LOVE

1 Corinthians 28

Remembering my early years as a disciple gives me a lot of encouragement. Looking back on past quiet times helps me to be grateful to God for teaching me and walking with me for the past years. I’d like to share one of my previous quiet times. This was last February 13, 2004. I learned that our love for God should move us to build His Kingdom.

• Have a desire in your heart to build God’s Kingdom.

• Then have a plan and vision to build God’s Kingdom.

• Even if God will not allow you to build His Kingdom, this should not limit us but rather this needs to inspire us to help others build His Church.

• Share your heart to others so they too may be encouraged to dream for God’s Church.

• Let us be unswerving in carrying God’s Word and will. Let’s teach others to hold on to God’s teachings or to do the same.

• Acknowledge God. Serve Him with wholehearted devotion and a willing mind.

• Always seek God and be strong to do the work He has prepared for us.

• God Himself will give us understanding in the details of the plan. We should not be afraid or discouraged for God is with us. God will not fail or forsake us until all the work for the service of His Kingdom will be finished.

I can still remember how in those days, we were always reminded to have a kingdom-focus… how we need to put the interest and what is best for God’s Kingdom as a priority more than our own. I believe the same conviction needs to be recommitted today.

May we be one in heart to have a Kingdom-focus here in Bohol!

January Samson

March 2012 Quiet Time Series

DAY 9

SEEING GOD’S WORK IN YOUR LIFE

Romans 6:19

God’s work is like a construction business. From the beginning of the Bible to the very end, God is always at work building something.

You’ll see His creative work in Genesis chapter 1, when He created the heavens and the earth. He then made man in His own image and created him after His own likeness. Then there was the building of the ark when Noah was led by God and given building plans for the formation of that ship that delivered them from of God’s judgment. And then later on there was the building of the tabernacle, and then the temple.

Then, when Jesus came to this earth, what was His profession? He was a carpenter! And He made things physically with His hands and, beyond that, said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

And you know something? God is building you, too. It’s called “sanctification” and He’s doing it in you every day as He makes you more and more like Him. So if you struggle with sin, don’t let it get you down. Just imagine a big orange sign over your head that says, “God at work”!

AS A CHRISTIAN, YOU SPEND YOUR ENTIRE LIFE AS GOD’S CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, BEING MADE MORE LIKE HIM. SO DON’T LET YOUR STRUGGLES GET YOU DOWN. YOU’RE A WORK IN PROGRESS!

Halbert Tillor