Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD March 26, 2016 Saturday NEVER FORSAKEN Bill Crowder Psalm 22:1-10 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, . . . “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 We are intended to live and relate in relationships and community, not in isolation. This is what makes solitary confinement such a harsh punishment. Isolation is the agony Christ suffered when His eternal relationship with the Father was broken on the cross. We hear this in His cry captured in Matthew 27:46: “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’).” As He suffered and died under the burden of our sins, Christ was suddenly alone, forsaken, isolated, cut off from His relationship with the Father. Yet His suffering in isolation secured for us the promise of the Father: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Ch...

OUR DAILY BREAD March 25, 2016 Friday THREE-WORD OBITUARY David McCasland Romans 8:28-39 Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God. Romans 8:34 Before Stig Kernell died, he told the local funeral home that he didn’t want a traditional obituary. Instead, the Swedish man instructed them to publish only three words noting his passing: “I am dead.” When Mr. Kernell died at age 92, that’s exactly what appeared. The audacity and simplicity of his unusual death notice captured the attention of newspapers around the world. In a strange twist, the international curiosity about the man with the three-word obituary caused more attention to his death than he intended. When Jesus was crucified, the Lord’s obituary could have read, “He is dead.” But after 3 days, it would have been changed to front-page news saying, “He is risen!” Much of the New Testament is devoted to proclaimin...

March 24 I spread forth my hands unto thee: My soul thirsteth after thee, as a weary land. – Ps 143:6 Every quivering tongue of flame Seems to murmur some great name, Seems to say to me “Aspire!” No endeavor is in vain; Its reward is in the doing, And the rapture of pursuing Is the prize of vanquished gain. — Henry W. Longfellow. Never be sad or desponding If thou hast faith to believe; Grace for the duties before thee Ask of thy God and receive. — Fanny Crosby. Prayer Almighty God, make me conscious of my weaknesses, and make me ashamed of my indulgences. Give me a victory over self; and may I consider more what I put in my life. May I be eager for that which will inspire me for greater aspirations. Amen.

OURDAILYBREAD March 24, 2016 Thursday THE OLIVE PRESS Bill Crowder Mark 14:32-39 They went to a place called Gethsemane. Mark 14:32 If you visit the village of Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee, you will find an exhibit of ancient olive presses. Formed from basalt rock, the olive press consists of two parts: a base and a grinding wheel. The base is large, round, and has a trough carved out of it. The olives were placed in this trough, and then the wheel, also made from heavy stone, was rolled over the olives to extract the oil. On the night before His death, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives overlooking the city of Jerusalem. There, in the garden called Gethsemane, He prayed to the Father, knowing what lay ahead of Him. The word Gethsemane means “place of the olive press”—and that perfectly describes those first crushing hours of Christ’s suffering on our behalf. There, “in anguish, he prayed . . . and his sweat was like drops of blood falling t...

March 23 Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips. – Ps 141:3 Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the daylight of life…. Nay, in thy own mean perplexities, do thou thyself but hold thy tongue for one day; on the morrow how much clearer are thy purposes and duties! — Thomas Carlyle. Deliberate much before you say and do anything; for it will not be in your power to recall what is said or done. — Epictetus. Prayer My Lord, make me a lover of the truth. Make me careful of my thoughts, and the words I would speak, that I may not think selfishly and speak cruelly, but keep myself holy unto thee. Amen.

OUR DAILY BREAD March 23, 2016 Wednesday STORIES IN A CABIN Tim Gustafson Hebrews 9:11-15 [Christ] went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands. Hebrews 9:11 The vintage cabin, expertly constructed from hand-hewn logs, was worthy of a magazine cover. But the structure itself was only half the treasure. Inside, family heirlooms clung to the walls, infusing the home with memories. On the table sat a hand-woven egg basket, an ancient biscuit board, and an oil lamp. A weathered pork pie hat perched over the front door. “There’s a story behind everything,” the proud owner said. When God gave Moses instructions for constructing the tabernacle, there was a “story” behind everything (Ex. 25–27). The tabernacle had only one entrance, just as we have only one way to God (see Acts 4:12). The thick inner curtain separated the people from the Most Holy Place where God’s presence dwelt: Our sin separates us f...

OUR DAILY BREAD March 22, 2016 Tuesday The Best Is Yet to Come Joe Stowell Colossians 3:1-11 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Colossians 3:2 In our family, March means more than the end of winter. It means that the college basketball extravaganza called “March Madness” has arrived. As avid fans, we watch the tournament and enthusiastically root for our favorite teams. If we tune in early we get a chance to listen to the broadcasters talk about the upcoming game and to enjoy some of the pre-game drills where players shoot practice shots and warm up with teammates. Our life on earth is like the pre-game in basketball. Life is interesting and full of promise, but it doesn’t compare to what lies ahead. Just think of the pleasure of knowing that even when life is good, the best is yet to come! Or that when we give cheerfully to those in need, it’s an investment in heavenly treasure. In times of suffering and sorrow, we can find hope ...

TOPIC: THE WEAPON OF OUR WARFARE (PART 1) Every victory recorded in life came after a contest or battle. Everyone that is born again is automatically at war with the devil. The truth and good news is that God empowers every of His children with adequate weapons for victory. But it is not every time that believers use their weapons and so make them vulnerable to antics and defeat by the devil. Reason for this could be ignorant or nonchalant attitude. The battle we face goes beyond the physical and that is why Apostle Paul clarified the weapons we should carry as soldiers of Christ. 2 Cor. 10:3-5 says “It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives. The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ”. (GNB). One...

March 21, 2016 Monday FULL SUN Ephesians 5:1-16 Live as children of light. Ephesians 5:8 I know better, but I still keep trying. The instructions on the label are clear: “Needs full sun.” Our yard has mostly shade. It is not suitable for plants that need full sun. But I like the plant. I like its color, the shape of the leaves, the size, the scent. So I buy it, bring it home, plant it, and take really good care of it. But the plant is not happy at my house. My care and attention are not enough. It needs sunlight, which I cannot provide. I thought I could make up for lack of light by giving the plant some other kind of attention. But it doesn’t work that way. Plants need what they need. And so do people. Although we can survive for a while in less-than-ideal conditions, we can’t thrive. In addition to our basic physical needs, we also have spiritual needs that can’t be met by any substitute. Scripture says that believers are children of light. This mea...

March 21, 2016 Monday FULL SUN Ephesians 5:1-16 Live as children of light. Ephesians 5:8 I know better, but I still keep trying. The instructions on the label are clear: “Needs full sun.” Our yard has mostly shade. It is not suitable for plants that need full sun. But I like the plant. I like its color, the shape of the leaves, the size, the scent. So I buy it, bring it home, plant it, and take really good care of it. But the plant is not happy at my house. My care and attention are not enough. It needs sunlight, which I cannot provide. I thought I could make up for lack of light by giving the plant some other kind of attention. But it doesn’t work that way. Plants need what they need. And so do people. Although we can survive for a while in less-than-ideal conditions, we can’t thrive. In addition to our basic physical needs, we also have spiritual needs that can’t be met by any substitute. Scripture says that believers are children of light. This mea...