Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD July 15, 2018 Sunday THE BEST GIFT Amy Boucher Pye Seek and you will find.  Luke 11:9 Luke 11:9–13 Bible in a year: Psalms 13–15; Acts 19:21–41 When I was packing up to go home to London, my mother approached me with a gift—one of her rings I had long admired. Surprised, I asked, “What’s this for?” She replied, “I think you should enjoy it now. Why wait until I die? It doesn’t fit me anyway.” With a smile I received her unexpected gift, an early inheritance that brings me joy. My mom gave me a material gift, but Jesus promises that His Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:13). If parents who are marred with sin can provide necessities (such as fish or eggs) for their children, how much more will our Father in heaven give to His children. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), we can experience hope, love, joy, and peace even in times of trouble—and we can share these gifts with others. Growing up, we may have had...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 14, 2018 Saturday HIDING Ou5r HURTS Elisa Morgan The word of God . . . judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12 Hebrews 4:12–13 Psalms 10–12; Acts 19:1–20 I was guest-speaking in a local church and my topic was an honest story about presenting our brokenness before God and receiving the healing He wants to give. Before closing in prayer, the pastor stood in the center aisle, looked deeply into the eyes of his gathered congregants, and said, “As your pastor I have the privilege of seeing you midweek and hearing your heart-breaking stories of brokenness. Then in our weekend worship services, I have the pain of watching you hide your hurt away.” My heart ached at the hidden hurts God came to heal. The writer of Hebrews describes the Word of God as alive and active. Many have understood this “word” to be the Bible, but it’s even more than that. Jesus is the  living  Word of God. He evaluates our thoughts and attitudes—and lo...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 13, 2018 Friday HE KNOWS US Lawrence Darmani You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise.  Psalm 139:1–2 Psalm 139:1–14 Bible in a year: Psalms 7–9; Acts 18 Did God know about me as I drove at night on a 100-mile journey to my village? Given the condition I was in, the answer was not simple. My temperature ran high and my head ached. I prayed, “Lord, I know you are with me, but I’m in pain!” Tired and weak, I parked by the road near a small village. Ten minutes later, I heard a voice. “Hello! Do you need any help?” It was a man with his companions from the community. Their presence felt good. When they told me the name of their village,  Naa mi n’yala  (meaning, “The King knows about me!”), I was amazed. I had passed this community dozens of times without stopping. This time, the Lord used its name to remind me that, indeed, He, the King, was with me while I was alone on that road in my ailing condit...

OUR DAILY BREAD  July 12, 2018 Thursday  AN ANCHOR WHEN WE’RE AFRAID I, even I, am he who comforts you.  Isaiah 51:12 Isaiah 51:12–16 Bible in a year :  Psalms 4–6; Acts 17:16–34 Are you a worrier? I am. I wrestle with anxiety almost daily. I worry about big things. I worry about small things. Sometimes, it seems like I worry about everything. Once in my teens, I called the police when my  parents  were four hours late getting home. Scripture repeatedly tells us not to be afraid. Because of God’s goodness and power, and because He sent Jesus to die for us and His Holy Spirit to guide us, our fears don’t have to rule our lives. We may well face hard things, but God has promised to be with us through it all. One passage that has helped me profoundly in fearful moments is Isaiah 51:12–16. Here, God reminded His people, who had endured tremendous suffering, that He was still with them, and that His comforting presence is the ultimate reality. No ma...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 11, 2018 Wednesday STRANGERS WELCOME STRANGERS Amy Peterson When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. . . . Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.  Leviticus 19:33–34 Leviticus 19:1–9, 33–34 Psalms 1–3; Acts 17:1–15 When my husband and I moved to Seattle to be near his sister, we didn’t know where we would live or work. A local church helped us find a place: a rental house with many bedrooms. We could live in one bedroom, and rent the others to international students. For the next three years, we were strangers welcoming strangers: sharing our home and meals with people from all over the world. We and our housemates also welcomed dozens of international students into our home every Friday night for Bible study. God’s people know what it means to be far from home. For several hundred years, the Israelites were literal foreigners—and slaves—in Egypt. In Leviticus 19, alongside familiar instructions like “Res...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 10, 2018 Tuesday GOD OF THE DEPTHS Tim Gustafson There is the sea, vast and spacious, . . . and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.  Psalm 104:25–26 Job 41:12–34 Bible in a year: Job 41–42; Acts 16:22–40 “When you go to the deep sea, every time you take a sample, you’ll find a new species,” says marine biologist Ward Appeltans. In one recent year, scientists identified 1,451 new types of undersea life. We simply don’t know the half of what’s down there. In Job 38–40, God reviewed His creation for Job’s benefit. In three poetic chapters, God highlighted the wonders of weather, the vastness of the cosmos, and the variety of creatures in their habitats. These are things we can observe. Then God spoke of the mysterious Leviathan—for an entire chapter. Leviathan is a creature like no other, with harpoon-deflecting armor (Job 41:7, 13), graceful power (v. 12), and “fearsome teeth” (v. 14). “Flames stream from its mouth . . . smoke pours from its no...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 9 Monday BE STILL, MY SOUL! Arthur Jackson I have calmed and quieted myself.  Psalm 131:2 Psalm 131 Bible in a year: Job 38–40; Acts 16:1–21 Picture a parent poised lovingly over a child, finger gently placed in front of nose and lips softly speaking the words—“hush,” “shhhh.” The demeanor and simple words are meant to comfort and quiet anxious little ones in the midst of disappointment, discomfort, or pain. Scenes like this are universal and timeless and most of us have been on the giving or receiving end of such loving expressions. When I ponder Psalm 131:2, this is the picture that comes to mind. The language and flow of this psalm suggest that the writer, David, had experienced something that provoked serious reflection. Have you experienced a disappointment, defeat, or failure that prompted thoughtful, reflective prayer? What do you do when you are humbled by life’s circumstances? When you fail a tes...