30/10/06

// feeling :: good
// prayer for :: art exam on weds

Ah ok. I was having a hard time settling on a theme for my art exam. I decided to do Models and draw people making toy models of ships, planes and cars. One of my dad's favourite pasttimes :)

I'm not getting caught up with myself and the wordly distractions many of us are facing right now because of Arise & Build, but I'm focusing on the spiritual things that God has put there for us.

Recently, I know that my QT wasnt going too well and I hadnt the slightest idea of how to do it. I just sat ard and ignored that problem, thinking it wasnt too big a deal until my mom came home and gave me 1 book and 2 booklets she bought for me.

When I saw one of the booklets with the title How To Have Meaningful Quiet Time, I nearly flipped.

Exactly what I was looking for !!

I started reading it yesterday night. I picked it up again this afternoon and finished it. Its goooood. Now one small little problem. I dont have a place to do my QT.

I contemplated with the store room but if I close the door, there wont be any air circulation so thats a little scary. If I go into the toilet, its fine. But who wants their sacred QT place to be in the toilet ?!

Thats the problem with too many ppl squeezed into one flat -.-

I'm blessed by the book so I'm going to share a short part of it here later on.

The next book I'm reading will be this:

Its about how to reach out to ppl! This is the book that my mom got. Okay, how uncanny is that! I was feeling discouraged out W271's outreach too :D I cant wait to get started on this but I still got my Os to worry about. Nvm. After O lvls. Hehe. I'll go bonkers and read every Christian book I have in my hse then. And no one will stop me ~

Ah okay. How To Have a Meaningful Time with God?

Start with the proper attitudes.
To God, why we do something is more important than what we do.
God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b)

1. Expectancy
   - Expect to have a good time and receive a blessing
   
2. Reverence
   - Prepare my heart by being still
   - Let the quietness clear away the thoughts of the world
   
3. Alertness
   - Be wide awake
   
4. Willingness to obey
   - With the purpose of doing anything and everything that God wants you to do
   

Select a specific timing.
- Give God the best part of your day when you are the freshest and most alert
- If God really is first place in your life, then you should give Him the first part of your day
- "God's voice is the first I want to hear in the morning and the last I want to hear at night." - Stephen Olford.
- Start with 7 minutes.

Choose a special place.
- Secluded
- Where you can pray without disturbing others
- Good lighting for reading
- Where you are comfortable (Note: NOT in bed!)

1. Relax (Wait on God)
   - Be quiet to put yourself into a relevant mood
   
2. Request (Pray briefly)
   - Opening prayer to cleanse your heart and to ask Him to guide you in the time together.
   - Psalms 139:23-24
   - Psalms 119:18
   
3. Read (a section of the Bible)
   - Read it slowly
   - Read it repeatedly
   - Read it without stopping
   - Read it aloud but quietly (improve concentration)
   - Read it systematically
   
4. Reflect and Remember (Meditate and memorize)
   - Contemplate your thoughts of the scripture
   - Memorize a meaningful verse
   
5. Record (What God has shown you)
   - help you to remember what you learnt
   
6. Request (Time of Prayer)
   
   P - Praise the Lord
   Psalms 145-150
   Think of 20 things you can thank God for
   
   R - Repent of your sins
   Tell God your sins
   Ask Him to help you turn away from them
   
   A - Ask for yourself and others
   Petition (for yourself) & Intercession (for others)
   Be specific
   
   Y - Yield yourself to God's will
   End with a time of personal recommitment

Phew I'm done. I doubt many ppl will read -.- but its ok. I just think these notes for QT is really good.

I gotta go get down to my stuff alr. I havent eaten yet anyway. Okay, ciao.