We can pray and fast on our own, but these practices take on a whole new meaning when they are done as a community. When we pray and fast together, we create opportunities to carry each other’s burdens as the Lord has commanded us in Galatians 6:2. Alone we are weak and vulnerable. But together, we are stronger. Collective prayer and fasting strengthens the church as one body.

When the year started, we had no idea how the year 2020 would unfold and we still don’t know what challenges lie ahead. But one thing we do know is that we can finish the year by declaring that God — He who holds our past, present, and future — is able and eager to grant us the breakthroughs we are looking for.

Listen to the Devotional Messages

Day 1: October 28, 2020

Devotional Message: Our Eternal Hope
Speaker: Bro. Daniel Go
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Day 2: October 29, 2020

Devotional Message: Keep Going!
Speaker: Ptr. Allan Rillera
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Day 3: October 30, 2020

Devotional Message: Finishing Strong Together
Speaker: Bro. Nathan Tee
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

How to Fast

To fast biblically is to abstain from something, some type of food, objects, or activities, to devote time and energy to spend with God in prayer. Fasting does NOT make us more holy nor does it earn God’s favor, Instead, it provides space for us to encounter and experience God more in our lives. 

1. Choose how you will participate in the fast:

• Regular Fast – skipping all the meals in 1 or more days, taking only water
• Partial Fast – abstaining from certain foods or having just 1 or 2 meals a day
• Object Fast – replacing time spent on certain activities (such as watching TV or scrolling through social media) with time spent with the Lord
• Combination Fast– combining any of the above three fasts

CAUTION: Do NOT fast without medical supervision if you:

• are taking prescription medications
• are prone to / experiencing eating disorders
• are suffering weakness or anemia
• are taking insulin for diabetes or have other blood sugar problems such as hyperglycemia
• are pregnant or nursing

2. Prepare to fast

• Start your fast gradually
  • Cut down on food intake before beginning your fast
  • Rest as much as you can and limit strenuous activities
  • Be wary of experiencing physical discomfort (such as hunger pangs, headaches, weakness, sleeplessness, etc.) due to insufficient food intake or withdrawal from caffeine and sugar

• Prepare your heart and mind to fast and pray
• Confess your sins to God
• Avoid temptations (e.g. impatience, crankiness, anxiety, impulsiveness, etc.)
• Be committed to obeying God
• Experience God’s transforming power in your perspective, attitude, and behavior

Finally, remember that the focus of fasting is on God and prayer, NOT on the abstinence from food or other activities alone.

The post RESET Prayer & Fasting (Oct 28-30, 2020) appeared first on Christian Bible Church of the Philippines.

In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote:

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  (1 Cor 13:7 NASB) 

The Word ‘Endure’ 

What does it mean when Paul says love endures all things? In the original Greek language, the word “endure” is a compound word: 

ὑπομένω {hupomeno}

• ‘hupo’ means under
• ‘meno’ means to continue, to remain, to abide

In the literal sense, the word “endure” means “to remain under”. This word can also mean to bear up under pressure, “to bear up courageously, or to remain patient in the midst of opposition. Sometimes, it even means to remain in a place of great difficulty instead of leaving it.

For instance, the word hupomeno was used to describe an army holding a vital position at all costs. It was used to describe a situation in which every hardship and suffering was to be endured patiently in order to hold fast because it was vital to the success of the battle. In situations where to lose ground is to lose the battle, you must hold your position to win the war. 

It’s therefore not surprising that someone once said, “the Christian life is not a playground but a battleground.” The Christian life is truly a constant battle.

Family Relationships as a Battlefield

Our relationships with our family are one significant ‘battlefield’ in our Christian life. In Genesis chapters 1 and 2, God created everything and He established the first institution of the family. In chapter 3, Satan, represented by the serpent, launched a fierce attack and successfully destroyed the first family that God established. And he has not stopped there because the battle continues even to this today.

Now, more than ever, the family is under fierce attack on every side. External temptations, difficult pressures, and our internal sinfulness are used by Satan to chip away at every aspect of family relationships. Satan attacks the relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, and between siblings. These conflicts also spill over to other relationships outside the family. Moreover, the current pandemic adds even more stress that can extinguish the love we have for each other.

Hold Fast and Fight for Our Families

It is only through our Lord Jesus Christ that we can fight this battle and reclaim God’s original design for the family. 

Through Jesus, God saved us from the power of sin and death. Christ redeemed us from our sins and we have received Christ’s righteousness. We’re no longer condemned but instead have eternal life. And part of that redemption is also the process of restoration.

As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, He will help us restore our relationships. As we strive to become God’s kind of man and God’s kind of woman, His Spirit will empower us to reclaim God’s original design for our relationship with others.

A Saving Relationship with Jesus

For those of us who already believe in Jesus, we need to be constantly connected with Him. This is actually a commandment!

John 15:4-5: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.  

When we abide in Christ, we are like a branch connected to a grapevine. Thanks to this connection, we have the ability to bear much fruit – the fruit called love. 

John 15:9-10: Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

It’s only when we stay connected to Jesus — when we have that intimate love relationship with Him — that we have the power to do as He commands us:

John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

Nurturing a love that endures all things

Some of us have been praying for the salvation of our parents, our spouse, our children, or our loved ones . . .  but it seems God is not answering our prayers. What would help us endure in love, so we can continue praying?

Some of us have family members who are sick and taking care of them has taken a toll on us and our relationships with them. What would help us endure in love, so we can continue to care for our sick loved ones?

Some of us have family members who have sinned against us. We’ve been deeply hurt by their harsh words or by their lack of appreciation. We’ve been wounded by their pride, rebellion, or betrayal. What would help us endure in love, so we can forgive them and still love them?

As we go through new, unexpected difficulties because of this pandemic, what will help us endure in love when we’re so pressured financially, tired physically, or drained emotionally? 

Dear friends, as we face these battles in our family relationships, only the love of Christ can compel us to endure. Only Christ can enable us to hold our ground and not give up on our spouse, children, or siblings. Only Christ can help us endure in love so we can win the battle of preserving and strengthening our relationships with family and loved ones. 

On our own, we don’t have the capacity to endure because our love is self-centered. But when we drink deeply of God’s love, we can also give away God’s agape love – a love that is self-giving and self-sacrificing,  a love who loves the sinful and the undeserving – to others. When we abide in Jesus, only when we grow in intimacy with Him, His enduring love flows through us. 

You don’t have to do it alone

As in any battle, we may face setbacks and discouragement despite our best efforts. But don’t lose hope, because we don’t have to do this on our own.

I urge every one of us, if necessary, to look for people whom God will use to encourage us, pray for us, and fight alongside us. We don’t have to do this alone. Find allies who will encourage and strengthen you even as you encourage and strengthen them. Do this on a weekly basis, if not daily – so we can keep on loving, keep on giving, and keep on enduring.

Dear CBCP Family, as we strive to endure in our love. Let us hold on to God’s word for us:

1 John 4:7-8. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

May God bless us all.

The post Love Endures All Things | Reset Day 3 appeared first on Christian Bible Church of the Philippines.

What should we do? 

What do you do when you don’t like the circumstances of your life and it seems that you have lost hope and you are filled with despair? 

The doctor calls with bad news, “I’m sorry. It’s cancer and there’s nothing we can do.” Your wife tells you she wants to separate after 25 years of marriage. Your boss calls you in and says, “We’ve decided to let you go.” Your oldest daughter runs away, and now she’s living with her boyfriend. Your job search has led to a dead-end, and now you are out of money and out of leads. You prayed for your oldest son to come back to the Lord, but instead, he seems to have hardened his heart. Your father has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. When the stock market crashed, you lost 60% of your family’s savings. When the pandemic started, your business suffered a terrible loss.

And you cry out, “Lord, what’s happening?” How can we find hope in moments of despair?

The Context of Jeremiah

Let us reflect by looking back to the time when the people of God, the nation of Judah, went through a dark, desperate moment in their nation’s history. It was a time of despair, as we see in the book of Jeremiah.

The year is 597 BC and Nebuchadnezzar has led the army of Babylon to the gates of Jerusalem. There the Babylonians defeated the army of Judah, capturing the city and capturing their king.

Some 10,000 people were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in this deportation. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed everything. He tore down the city walls, burned the temple down, and left the city in ruins. He took whatever he wanted and destroyed everything else.

The Babylonians were not what you would consider nice people. They were the most powerful nation on earth, and their army was ruthless. The Babylonian empire was one of the most demonic, brutal, corrupt, and evil empires in history.

Amid this backdrop, there is also one other part of this story that we need to consider. Why did it happen? We say it simply, it happened because the people of Judah turned away from the Lord. How? They ignored his Word. They forgot his promises. They worshiped idols. They willingly followed after evil. They took advantage of the poor and the weak. They allowed violence. They did not listen to God.

For generations, the people had turned away from the Lord. Finally, the time came when God said, “Enough!” and God allowed them to go through a season of discipline.

By 597 B.C., a large group of Jews was in exile in Babylon. To the Jews, Babylon was the center of evil. The people of Judah hated everything the Babylonians stood for. They hated them for their cruelty. They hated them for their violence. They hated them for their idolatry. They hated them for attacking the city of God. They hated them for destroying the temple, God’s dwelling place on earth. And they hated being so far from home.

The captivity of the Jews also raised many theological questions. 

Where was God in all of this? How could he let this evil happen? How could he have allowed the temple in Jerusalem–his earthly dwelling place–to be destroyed? And most of all, how could God use the Babylonians to punish the Jews when the Babylonians were much worse than the Jews.

What do you do when God seems to allow you to go through despair?

The People Reject Jeremiah’s Message of Doom and Hope

Consider this series of events:

• Israel turns their backs on God.
• God calls Israel to come back to Him.
• Israel breaks her covenant with God.
• God warns Israel about the consequences of their rebellion.
• Israel rejects God’s warnings and believes the lies and false prophets.
• God brings judgment to Israel through Babylon’s oppression.
• Israel suffers in exile, and their nation is destroyed.
• God promises to restore them after 70 years and begins a new covenant.

Jeremiah was a very unpopular prophet. The people hated him because of his message. That is why Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. They hated him to the point that they believed the false prophet Hananiah more than God’s prophet Jeremiah. 

• The Message of Hananiah: God wants to break the yoke of Babylon’s tyrannical oppression. In two years, all the exiles will leave Babylon and go back to their homeland. (Jeremiah 28:1-4)

• The Message of Jeremiah: God wants His people to build houses and settle in Babylon, to seek the peace and prosperity of the city. To pray for Babylon and stay there for 70 years until God’s plan is accomplished. (Jeremiah 29:3-10)

When the people of Judah rejected Jeremiah’s prophecy, God vindicated him and protected him from the people’s hatred. God judged Hananiah and rejected the false prophecy.

What can we learn from Israel’s experience?

What truths can we bring to our lives through the message of the Book of Jeremiah? How can we find hope in moments of despair?

First, we base our hope on God’s supreme authority over all rulers, governments, and nations. We must trust His wisdom.

“LORD, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. Who would not fear you, O King of nations? That title belongs to you alone! Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like you… the LORD is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King!” (Jeremiah 10:6-7,10)

The truth about governments, empires, and rulers is that they all come and go; they all rise and fall. Only God remains as the sovereign authority over our nation, over our world. God is in charge.

For this reason, our highest loyalty and allegiance belong to God, not to political entities or governing authorities. God is the true King over all other kings.

We are citizens of a higher kingdom. No matter who rules our world — be it tyrants, corrupt leaders, or empires like Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, or Rome — as God’s people we can have confidence and hope (instead of panic, fear, anger, or despair) that God’s rulership is above and beyond all the kingdoms of this world.

Second, we base our hope on God’s sovereign work in our lives and our world. We must trust His plans.

“This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:10-14) 

We have hope amidst our despair because we believe that God’s ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are greater than our thoughts. As God’s people, we can have confidence and hope that God knows what He is doing.

Whether we go through suffering, injustice, pain, or troubles, we can trust that God will cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him. We have a living hope, that what the enemy meant for evil, God can turn for good.

We can be calm and at peace amidst the turmoil around us because we believe God has reasons for allowing certain calamities to happen, for allowing certain governments to rule, for allowing certain diseases to spread, and for allowing certain crimes or injustice to happen. We can trust that, no matter what we go through, God has a better plan. God is in charge.

Third, our hope is based on God’s sufficient grace to restore us from our fallenness. We must trust His mercy.

“But this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:  I will certainly bring my people back again from all the countries where I will scatter them in my fury. I will bring them back to this very city and let them live in peace and safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God.  And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land.” (Jeremiah 32: 36-41)

God restored the people of Judah despite their sinfulness and rebellion. This means that even when we fail and have lost our way, God will never abandon us. He will never stop loving us no matter how far we run.

He may discipline us and allow us to go through a period of suffering to teach us or transform us. But in the end, God will restore us by His grace and mercy and love. He is the God of many second chances. Our hope is anchored on God’s unending love, unfailing mercy, and constant faithfulness. 

As we pray for our nation, let us remember these truths that we learned from Jeremiah.

• We base our hope on God’s supreme authority over all rulers, governments, and nations. We must trust His wisdom.
• We base our hope on God’s sovereign work in our lives and our world. We must trust His plans.
• We base our hope on God’s sufficient grace to restore us from our fallenness. We must trust His mercy.

Let me end with a quote from the song Blessings by Laura Story. “We know that pain reminds this heart that this is not our home. What if my greatest disappointments, or the aching of this life, is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy?”

The post Finding Hope in Moments of Despair | Reset Day 2 appeared first on Christian Bible Church of the Philippines.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must look to the Lord because He remains in control of the situation. 

Isaiah 5:30 is a good reminder. “And if one looks at the land, he will see darkness and distress; even the light will be darkened by the cloud.” When faced with difficulties, we must not merely look across the land and our circumstances; instead, we must raise our eyes to the hills. Psalm 121:1-2 gives us this assurance: “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” 

We look to the hills and pray with faith.

Let us reflect on the relationship between prayer and faith. When we pray, we must have faith because the object of our prayer is God. God is Spirit; although we can’t see Him, we know that we are not praying into thin air or a silent void. Rather, we are communicating intimately with a personal God, and so we must pray with faith. 

We believe that there is a God, but is that enough? James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.” How does our belief that there is a God differ from the way demons believe?

Our faith is based on a personal relationship with God.

When demons come before God’s presence, they tremble with fear. While we too, must come before God with fear, we do so because we dare not be careless with Him – because we acknowledge He is our Lord and our King. 

At the same time, we love Him; we revere Him because He is our Abba Father. This is something the demons do not have. Therefore, we see that the most essential thing about entering God’s presence is our relationship with Him.

Prayer is natural for someone who belongs to God.

Let’s look at James 5:13-16:

^5:13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

James says that “if anyone among you is in trouble, he should pray”. This can be likened to “when a person is happy, he would simply sing a song”. It is a natural reaction. Therefore, prayer is a natural thing for someone who belongs to God. On the contrary, Christians who do not pray are abnormal Christians. 

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

What kind of prayer does the Lord answer? James 5:15 says, “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.” But then James adds one more line and says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” 

What do we learn from this? The person praying is more important than their prayer. Of course, I don’t mean that the content of our prayers are unimportant, but the one who prays is more important than the deed. 

Not all men – and their prayers – are the same. 

Isaiah 1:15 says, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood.” If there is a problem with the person, no matter how fine-sounding his prayers are, God says ‘I will not listen’.

The first sacrifices in the Bible recorded in Genesis 4 are the sacrifices made by Cain and Abel. The Lord accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but the Lord rejected the sacrifice of Cain. Some people attempt to explain this by highlighting that Abel offered the best of his flock–the first-born sheep–to God, while Cain’s offering was not accepted because it was not of the best of his harvest. This may be one of the reasons, but there is a more important reason: In Genesis 4:4-5, we read: “The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.” The Lord looked with favor on Abel first, and then He found his sacrifice acceptable. The man is more important than his sacrifice. In the same way, God did not behold Cain with favor, so He did not look with favor on Cain’s sacrifice.

Will God look upon us – and our prayers – with favor?

Church, if there is a question regarding the person himself, his offerings and his prayers will also be in question. Prayer must be done in faith, but the person who prays is more important than the prayer. Let us look at James 5:16 again, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” The kind of person you are will affect the outcome of your prayers. 

May the Lord bless you!

The post The Prayer of a Righteous Man is Powerful and Effective | Reset Day 1 appeared first on Christian Bible Church of the Philippines.

Day 1: Look Beyond

July 3, 2019
Message by Ptr. Jared Co

Day 2

July 4, 2019
Message by Mr. Isaac Cheung

Day 3: Vision of the Throne

July 5, 2019
Message by Ptr. Genesis Tan

The post Reset: Overcome appeared first on Christian Bible Church of the Philippines.

Scripture Passage: Rev 3:14-22

Download the prayer guide in PDF format.

I. INDIVIDUAL PRAYER

A. Praise God

• Reflect: Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, “Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.”
  Romans 9:25
  
  Worship God for who He is; praise Him for His Character:
  Choose from the ff: Trustworthy, Truth, Unchanging, Vine, Victorious, Way, Wisdom, Wonderful, Yearning, Zealous

B. Confess to God

• Reflect: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
  Psalms 103:11-12
  
  Confess:
  – Ask the Lord to examine your life and reveal any sin
  – Humbly repent and ask God to forgive you
  – Thank the Lord for His mercy and grace through Jesus Christ

C. Thank God

• Reflect: Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!
  Psalm 32:10-11
  
  Thank God: (2 mins)
  – For His sovereign plan and faithful work in our lives
  – His blessings:
  – His Love, Grace, Salvation,
  – Family, friends, and community
  – For how God has blessed you last 2018

D. Ask God

• Reflect: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you”.
  Jeremiah 29:11-12

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Scripture Passage: Rev 3:1-6

Download the prayer guide in PDF format. 

We apologize for audio issues in the opening minutes of the video. These are resolved from [skipto time=2:16]2:16[/skipto] onwards.

I. INDIVIDUAL PRAYER

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Scripture Passage: Rev 2:18-28

Download the Prayer Guide in PDF format.

PRAYER GUIDE

I. INDIVIDUAL PRAYER

A. Praise God

• Reflect: No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
  Hebrews 8:11-12Worship God for who He is; praise Him for His Character:
  Choose from the ff: King of kings, Kind, Lord of lords, Light, Love, Merciful, Magnificent, Majestic, Near, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent

B. Confess to God

• Reflect: Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
  Proverbs 28:13Confess:
  – Ask the Lord to examine your life and reveal any sin
  – Humbly repent and ask God to forgive you
  – Thank the Lord for His mercy and grace through Jesus Christ

C. Thank God

• Reflect: Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
  Psalm 103:1-2
  
  Thank God:
  – For your salvation
  – Family and relationships
  – God’s provision for your family last 2018

D. Ask God

• Reflect: Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations;
  And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations
  Isaiah 61:4

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Scripture Passage: Rev 2:12-17

Download the prayer guide in PDF format.

PRAYER GUIDE

I. INDIVIDUAL PRAYER

A. Praise God

• Reflect on the passage: Isaiah 57:15
  For thus says the high and exalted One, Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit, In order to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite”
• Worship God for who He is; praise Him for His Character:
  Choose from the ff: Father, Faithful, Forgiving, Friend, Gracious, Gentle, Healer, Helper, Holy, Immanuel, Infinite, Just, Jealous God

B. Confess to God

• Reflect on the passage: Psalm 6:1
  “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath. 2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.”
• Confess:
  – Ask the Lord to examine your life and reveal any sin
  – Humbly repent and ask God to forgive you
  – Thank the Lord for His mercy and grace through Jesus Christ

C. Thank God

• Reflect on the passage: Ephesians 1:3
  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
• Thank God:
  – That we live in a Christian nation where we have freedom to gather, pray, and worship
  – For efforts, by the government and organizations, to solve our country’s problems and serve the Filipino people

D. Ask God

• Reflect on the passage: 2 Chronicles 7:14
  If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

II. GROUP PRAYER

A. Pray for our Country
For God to bless our country:

• Spiritual awakening
• Economic revival across sectors of society
• Removal of corruption
• Peace and order

B. Pray for the Executive Branch
Pray for President Rodrigo Duterte and his cabinet

• God’s wisdom and strength to guide our executive branch
• Godly people to surround our president
• Salvation of our president and his family

C. Pray for the Legislative Branch

• Pray for Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and all senators
• Pray for House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the House of Representatives
• For wisdom, honesty, faithfulness, and God’s guidance to be upon our legislators
• Exposure, removal, and punishment of corrupt officials

D. Pray for the Judicial Branch

• Pray for Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin & Ombudsman Samuel Martires
• For the appointment of righteous and wise judges
• Be God’s instrument to implement His righteousness and justice
• For integrity, wisdom and courage in fighting corruption
• Salvation of our judges

E. Local Government Units

• Pray for MMDA Chairman Jose Arturo Santillan Garcia Jr.
• Pray for our LGU officials: governors, mayors, councilors & barangay officials
• That they may honor God and serve our country faithfully
• To be honest and responsible in serving the people

F. Military and Police

• Pray for AFP Chief Benjamin Madrigal Jr. and PNP Chief Oscar David Albayalde
• For honesty and integrity to prevail across ranks
• For protection as they fight against lawless elements
• To be sincere and selfless in serving their duty
• For the transformation of their individual lives and their families

G. Other Sectors

• Arts & Media: responsible journalism, truthfulness, and promotion of godly values
• Business: improvement of business climate, fair and just labor practices
• Education: promotion of godly values and influence in schools and universities

H. Overseas Filipino Workers

• Welfare of their marriages, families, and children
• Protection against abuses and violence by their employers and host countries
• Safe return
• Better opportunities here in the Philippines

I. Midterm Elections

• For a peaceful and violence-free election period
• Integrity of the election process
• Election of God-fearing and righteous leaders
• Justice for victims of killing

J. Major National Issues

• Idolatry and materialism
• Drug addiction and gambling
• Graft and corruption
• Poverty and unemployment
• Human trafficking
• Prostitution
• Terrorist threats
• Issue on the Bangsamoro Organic Law in Mindanao

K. Major National Issues

• Impact of TRAIN Law
• Traffic congestion
• Disaster preparedness
• Post-calamity rebuilding

L. Personal Request

Share and pray for each other’s prayer requests

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Scripture Passage: Rev 2:1-7

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PRAYER GUIDE

I. INDIVIDUAL PRAYER

A. Praise God

• Reflect on the passage: Jeremiah 31: 3-4
  “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again, and you will be rebuilt.’”
• Worship God for who He is; Praise Him for His Character.
  Choose from the ff.: Almighty, Beginning, Bread of Life, Creator, Comforter, Counselor, Defender, Deliverer, Eternal, Exalted

B. Confess to God

• Reflect on the passage: Ezekiel 36:26
  “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
• Confess:
  – Ask the Lord to examine your life and reveal any sin
  – Humbly repent and ask God to forgive you
  – Thank the Lord for His mercy and grace through Jesus Christ

C. Thank God

• Reflect on the passage: Psalms 136:1
  “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.”
• Thank God
  – For the grace of God to be part of His Church
  – For the leadership of our pastors and new set of deacons
  – For blessing CBCP this past 2018

D. Ask God

• Reflect on the passage: Jeremiah 33:3
  “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

II. GROUP PRAYER

A. Pray for our Church and its Vision
For God to use CBCP…

• To raise generations of godly disciples
• To transform lives
• To transform families
• To impact communities
• To impact nations
  …for His Glory.

B. Pray for Our Church and its Mission & Core Values
For the members and attendees of CBCP to:

• Know God and pursue intimacy with Him
• Be Bible-rooted
• Be family-oriented
• Love people as Jesus love them
• Make disciples as Jesus modeled it (Life-on-life Discipleship)
• Practice servant-leadership as Jesus did
• Be salt and light in our community (Community Relevance)

C. Pray for our Church Leaders & Co-workers
For our leaders, deacons, pastors, staff, ministry teams to:

• Model a life of faith and humility
• Continue serving faithfully, joyfully, and excellently
• Pursue holiness, integrity, and be above reproach
• Wisdom and discernment to understand the times and follow God’s leading
• For departments and ministry teams to work together in love and unity
• For the Lord to raise up more pastors, discipleship leaders, and workers in our church

D. Pray for Well-being & Supplication of His Workers
The Lord’s hand of blessing to be upon the families of our:

• Pastors, Deacons, Staff & Workers
• Journey Group & Life Group Leaders
• Teachers and Counselors
• Ministry Advisers, Leaders, & Volunteers

E. Pray for Discipleship in CBCP
Focus: Life Groups, Journey Groups, & Discipleship Trainings

• For the Holy Spirit to empower us to preach the Gospel with courage
• For more churchgoers to join a Life / Journey Group and find growth and belongingness
• Life Groups to establish churchgoers in the faith, in the Word, and in the church community
• Journey Groups to flourish and replicate how Christ modeled discipleship
• Development and execution of Discipleship Trainings to equip members for ministry

F. Pray for the Family Ministries of CBCP
Focus: Children’s Church, Emerge Youth, Dare Singles, Couples Ministry, Mens’ and Womens’ Fellowships

• Each ministry to be effective in helping our members know God, love people and make disciples
• Strengthening & multiplication of healthy discipleship groups across life stages

G. Pray for the Community Ministries of CBCP

• For the Holy Spirit to empower us to become missional where we live, work, and play
• For the Gospel to be planted through our current and upcoming ministries:
  – Project Grace & Community Outreach
  – Tagalog Ministry
  – Campus Ministry

H. Pray for the other Ministries of CBCP
Focus: Administrative Departments (Properties, Human Resource, Finance, Creative Media, Events) and Music Ministry (Choirs and Worship Teams)

• To exhibit the love of Jesus as each fulfill their roles in the church
• To empower, support, and enable the various ministries of the church

I. Pray for the Persecuted Church (3 mins)
Pray for the countries and region where the church is persecuted:

• China, North Korea, Middle East, others
• For our fellow Christians to have strength to endure and remain faithful
• That their faith, love, and hope will increase more and more in the midst of trials and persecutions

J. Pray for Each Other’s Personal Requests

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