Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD September 23, 2018 Sunday LISTENING TO YOUR BROTHER Arthur Jackson Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.  James 5:20 Matthew 18:15–20 Song of Solomon 1–3; Galatians 2 “You need to listen to me, I’m your brother!” The plea came from a concerned older brother in my neighborhood and was directed to a younger sibling who was moving farther away from him than the older child was comfortable with. Clearly the older child was better able to judge what was best in the situation. How many of us have resisted the wise counsel of a brother or sister? If you’ve had to face the consequences of resisting the good advice of someone more mature, you’re not alone. One of the greatest resources we can have as believers in Jesus is a family—those who are spiritually related because of a common faith in Him. This family includes mature men and w...

OUR DAILY BREAD September 22, 2018 Saturday THE BLESSING OF ENCOURAGERS Lisa Samra But Barnabas took [Saul] and brought him to the apostles.  Acts 9:27 Acts 9:26–31 Ecclesiastes 10–12; Galatians 1 The 2010 movie  The King’s Speech  tells the story of England’s King George VI, who unexpectedly became monarch when his brother abandoned the throne. With the country on the brink of World War II, government officials wanted a well-spoken leader because of the increasingly influential role of radio. King George VI, however, struggled with a stuttering problem. I was especially drawn to the film’s portrayal of George’s wife, Elizabeth. Throughout his struggle to overcome his speech difficulty, she was his constant source of encouragement. Her steadfast devotion provided the support he needed to overcome his challenge and rule well during the war. The Bible highlights the stories of encouragers who gave powerful assistance d...

OUR DAILY BREAD September 21, 2018 Friday UNEXPECTED WAYS Mart DeHaan Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.  John 14:9 1 Kings 19:1–12 Ecclesiastes 7–9; 2 Corinthians 13 In 1986, five-year-old Levan Merritt fell twenty feet into the gorilla enclosure of England’s Jersey zoo. As parents and onlookers cried out for help, a full-grown male silverback, named Jambo, placed himself between the motionless boy and several other gorillas. Then he began to gently stroke the child’s back. When Levan began to cry, Jambo led the other gorillas into their own enclosure as zoo-keepers and an ambulance driver came to the rescue. More than thirty years later Levan still talks about Jambo the gentle giant—his guardian angel who had acted in a shockingly unexpected way, changing his perception of gorillas forever. Elijah may have expected God to act in certain ways, but the God of gods used a rock-shattering wind, a powerful earthquake, and raging fire to show His prophet how  not...

OUR DAILY BREAD September 20, 2018 Thursday WHERE TO FIND HOPE Anne Cetas And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:5 Romans 5:1–11 Ecclesiastes 4–6; 2 Corinthians 12 Elizabeth struggled for a long time with drug addiction, and when she recovered wanted to help others in return. So she started writing notes and anonymously placing them throughout her city. Elizabeth tucks these notes under car windshield wipers and tacks them on poles in parks. She used to look for signs of hope; now she leaves them for others to find. One of her notes concluded with these words: “Much love. Hope sent.” Hope with love—that’s what Jesus gives. He brings us His love with each new day and strengthens us with that hope. His love is not rationed out to us drop by drop but flows out of His heart freely and is poured lavishly into ours: “We know how dearly God loves us, because he has give...

OUR DAILY BREAD September 19, 2018 Wednesday A FITTING TIME Kirsten Holmberg He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Ecclesiastes 3:11 Ecclesiastes 3:1–14 Ecclesiastes 1–3; 2 Corinthians 11:16–33 Yesterday I purchased an airline ticket to send my firstborn child to college. I’m surprised the keyboard on my computer still functions, given the waterworks my eyes unleashed on it during the flight selection process. I have so enjoyed my eighteen years of daily life with her that I am saddened by the prospect of her departure. Yet I wouldn’t rob her of the opportunity that lies ahead simply because I’ll miss her. At this juncture in her life, it is fitting for her to embark on a new journey to discover adulthood and explore another part of the country. As this season of my parenting draws to a close, another one begins. It will undoubtedly bring both new challenges and new delights. Solomon, Israel’s third king, wrote that God appoints “a time for everything, and a seaso...

OUR DAILY BREAD  September 18, 2018 Tuesday  ENGRAVED ON HIS HANDS Amy Boucher Pye See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.  Isaiah 49:16 Isaiah 49:14–18 Proverbs 30–31; 2 Corinthians 11:1–15 In Charles Spurgeon’s many years at his London church during the 1800s, he loved to preach on the riches of Isaiah 49:16, which says that God engraves us on the palms of His hands. He said, “Such a text as this is to be preached hundreds of times!” This thought is so precious that we can run over it in our minds again and again. Spurgeon makes the wonderful connection between this promise of the Lord to His people, the Israelites, and God’s Son, Jesus, on the cross as He died for us. Spurgeon asked, “What are these wounds in Your hands? . . . The engraver’s tool was the nail, backed by the hammer. He must be fastened to the Cross, that His people might be truly engraved on the palms of His hands.” As the Lord promised to engrave His people on His palms, so Jesus str...

OUR DAILY BREAD September 17, 2018 Monday Legacies of Love Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16 2 Timothy 1:1–5 Proverbs 27–29; 2 Corinthians 10 I was paging through my great-grandmother’s Bible when a treasure fell into my lap. On a small scrap of paper, in a young child’s handwriting, were the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3–4 kjv). Scribbled beside those verses in wobbly cursive was my mother’s signature. My great-grandmother had a habit of teaching her grandchildren to write out Scripture verses so they would learn them and take them to heart. But the story behind this verse brought tears to my eyes. My grandfather died when my mother was very young, and her little brother (my uncle) died just weeks later. It was in that tragic season that my great-grandmother pointed my...