Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD January 1 PROMPTED TO PRAY James Banks I constantly remember you in my prayers.  2 Timothy 1:3 1 Timothy 2:1–8 Genesis 1–3; Matthew 1 “Several years ago I was prompted to pray for you often, and I wonder why.” That text message from an old friend came with a photo of a note she’d kept in her Bible: “Pray for James. Cover mind, thoughts, words.” Beside my name she’d recorded three separate years. I looked at the years and caught my breath. I wrote back and asked what month she began to pray. She responded, “Sometime around July.” That was the month I was preparing to leave home for extended study abroad. I would be facing an unfamiliar culture and language and have my faith challenged like never before. As I looked at the note, I realized I’d received the precious gift of generous prayer.     My friend’s kindness reminded me of another “prompting” to ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 31, Tuesday BEAUTIFUL FRUIT Anne Cetas The seed is the word of God.  Luke 8:11 Luke 8:4–8, 11–15 Malachi 1–4; Revelation 22 “Kids should be able to throw a seed anywhere they want [in the garden] and see what pops up,” suggests Rebecca Lemos-Otero, founder of City Blossoms. While this is not a model for careful gardening, it reflects the reality that each seed has the potential to burst forth with life. Since 2004, City Blossoms has created gardens for schools and neighborhoods in low-income areas. The kids are learning about nutrition and gaining job skills through gardening. Rebecca says, “Having a lively green space in an urban area . . . creates a way for kids to be outside doing something productive and beautiful.” Jesus told a story about the scattering of seed that had the potential of producing “a hundred times more than was sown” (Luke 8:8). That seed was God’s good news planted...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 30, MONDAY A DESIGNED DEFICIENCY David H. Roper You did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.  Isaiah 22:11 Isaiah 22:8–11 Zechariah 13–14; Revelation 21 There’s a natural spring that rises on the east side of the city of Jerusalem. In ancient times it was the city’s only water supply and was located  outside  the walls. Thus it was the point of Jerusalem’s greatest vulnerability. The exposed spring meant that the city, otherwise impenetrable, could be forced to surrender if an attacker were to divert or dam the spring. King Hezekiah addressed this weakness by driving a tunnel through 1,750 feet of solid rock from the spring into the city where it flowed into the “Lower Pool” (see 2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:2–4). But in all of this, Hezekiah “did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it l...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 29, SUNDAY WASHED IN LOVE Xochitl Dixon You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.  James 2:24 James 2:14–26 Zechariah 9–12; Revelation 20 A small church in Southern California recognized an opportunity to express God’s love in a practical way. Believers in Jesus gathered at a local laundromat to give back to their community by washing clothes for those in financial need. They cleaned and folded clothes together, and sometimes provided a hot meal or bags of groceries for recipients. One volunteer discovered the greatest reward was in the “actual contact with people . . . hearing their stories.” Because of their relationship with Jesus, these volunteers wanted to live out their faith through loving words and actions that helped them nurture genuine relationships with others. The apostle James affirms that every act of a professing believer’s loving service is a re...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 28, SATURDAY NEVER FORGOTTEN Lisa M. Samra I will not forget you!  Isaiah 49:15 Isaiah 49:8–16 Zechariah 5–8; Revelation 19 Egged on by my children to prove I’d endured years mastering the basics of piano, I sat down and started playing the C Major scale. Having played very little piano in nearly two decades, I was surprised I remembered! Feeling brave, I proceeded to play seven different scales by heart one right after the other. I was shocked! Years of practicing had imprinted the notes and technique so deeply in my fingers’ “memory” that they instantly knew what to do.   There are some things that can never be forgotten. But God’s love for His children is far more deeply imprinted than any of our fading memories—in fact, God  can’t  forget them. This is what the Israelites needed to hear when the exile left them feeling abandoned by Him (Isaiah 49:14). His response ...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 27, FRIDAY LED BY HIS WORD Patricia Raybon Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.  Psalm 119:133 Psalm 119:1, 133–136 Zechariah 1–4; Revelation 18 At the BBC in London, Paul Arnold’s first broadcasting job was making “walking sounds” in radio dramas. While actors read from scripts during a walking scene, Paul as stage manager made corresponding sounds with his feet—careful to match his pace to the actor’s voice and spoken lines. The key challenge, he explained, was yielding to the actor in the story, “so the two of us were working together.” A divine version of such cooperation was sought by the author of Psalm 119, which emphasizes living by the precepts of God’s Word. As Psalm 119:1 says, “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.” Led this way by God and following His instructions, we can remai...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 26, THURSDAY THE BIG SHUFFLE Sheridan Voysey It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  Ephesians 2:8 Ephesians 2:4–10 Haggai 1–2; Revelation 17 In  The Call of Service , author Robert Coles, exploring our reasons for serving, tells the moving story of an older woman’s service to others. As a bus driver, she showed great care toward the children she drove to school each day—quizzing them on homework and celebrating their successes. “I want to see these kids make it in life,” she said of her motivation. But there was another reason too. As a youth, the words of an aunt had shaken this woman to the core. “She’d tell us that we had to do something God would notice,” she told Coles, “or else we’d get lost in the big shuffle!” Worried at the prospect of hell after the “big shuffle” of judgment, t...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 25, WEDNESDAY GROWING INTO GIVING James Banks Freely you have received; freely give.  Matthew 10:8 2 Corinthians 8:1–9 Zephaniah 1–3; Revelation 16 “I got you a present!” my two-year-old grandson shouted excitedly as he pressed a box into my hands. “He picked it out all by himself,” my wife smiled. I opened the box to find a Christmas ornament of his favorite cartoon character. “Can I see it?” he asked anxiously. Then he played with “my” present for the rest of the evening, and as I watched him, I smiled. I smiled because I remembered gifts I had given loved ones in the past, like the music album I gave my older brother one Christmas when I was in high school that I really wanted to listen to (and did). And I realized how years later God was still stretching me and teaching me to give more unselfishly. Giving is something we grow into. Paul wrote, “But since you excel in everythi...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 24, TUESDAY A CHRISTMAS VISITOR Amy Boucher Pye Sovereign Lord, . . . you may now dismiss your servant in peace.  Luke 2:29 Luke 2:25–33 Habakkuk 1–3; Revelation 15 On Christmas Eve 1944, a man known as “Old Brinker” lay dying in a prison hospital, waiting for the makeshift Christmas service led by fellow prisoners. “When does the music start?” he asked William McDougall, who was imprisoned with him in Muntok Prison in Sumatra. “Soon,” replied McDougall. “Good,” replied the dying man. “Then I’ll be able to compare them with the angels.”  Although decades earlier Brinker had moved away from his faith in God, in his dying days he confessed his sins and found peace with Him. Instead of greeting others with a sour look, he would smile, which “was quite a transformation,” said McDougall. Brinker died peacefully after the choir of eleven emaciated prisoners s...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 23, MONDAY A STRING OF YESES Elisa Morgan Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  Luke 2:19 Luke 2:15–19 Nahum 1–3; Revelation 14 One Christmas, my grandmother gave me a beautiful pearl necklace. The beautiful beads glowed about my neck until one day the string broke. Balls bounced in all directions off our home’s hardwood flooring. Crawling over the planks, I recovered each tiny orb. On their own, they were small. But oh, when strung together, those pearls made such an impression! Sometimes my yeses to God seem so insignificant—like those individual pearls. I compare myself to Mary, the mother of Jesus who was so fantastically obedient. She said yes when she embraced God’s call for her to carry the Messiah. “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled’” (Luke 1:38). Did she understand all that would be required of her? That an even bigger yes to relinquishing her Son on the cross lo...

Theme of The Year: Covenant of Peace (Isaiah 54:10). Theme of The Month: A Son is Given (Isaiah 9:6). Topic: Celebrating the Given Son The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:10-12. Christmas is a glorious season of the year. It is widely celebrated all over the world by believers and mostly unbelievers. It is also a busy time for most of us. It is my hope and prayer that we may not become so caught up in the pressures of the season that we place our emphasis on the wrong things and miss the simple joy of commemorating the birth of the Saviour of the world. Real celebration of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scuttling to get more done. We best celebrate Christmas when we make the given Son the focus of th...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 22, SUNDAY THE FATHER’S BLESSING Winn Collier See what great love the Father has lavished on us.  1 John 3:1 1 John 3:1–3 Micah 6–7; Revelation 13 Recently, several people within our church—those who had experienced poor relationships with their fathers—asked me to stand in as a loving, father figure and offer a blessing over them. The blessing asked forgiveness for the ways a father can hurt his children by setting expectations that are too high or being distant or failing to offer tender presence and affirmation. It also pronounced delight, admiration, and abundant love. As I shared the blessing, I wept. I realized how I still needed to receive such words, and how much my children need them too. The Scriptures repeatedly speak of God as our Father, a reality reshaping the distorted father images we might have. God, our eternal Father, has “lavished on us” perfect love, making us “children of God...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 21, Saturday THE GIVER’S DELIGHT Remi Oyedele Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  Luke 2:11 Luke 2:4–14 Micah 4–5; Revelation 12 Remember Tickle Me Elmo? Cabbage Patch Kids? The Furby? What do they have in common? Each rank among the twenty most popular Christmas gifts of all time. Also included on the list are familiar favorites such as Monopoly, the Nintendo Game Boy, and Wii. We all delight in giving gifts at Christmas, but that’s nothing compared to God’s delight in giving the first Christmas gift. This gift came in the form of a baby, born in a Bethlehem manger (Luke 2:7). Despite His humble birth, the Child’s arrival was proclaimed by an angel who declared, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (vv. 10–11). Fo...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 20, FRIDAY FAILURE IS IMPOSSIBLE Linda Washington This work had been done with the help of our God.  Nehemiah 6:16 Nehemiah 6:1–9 Micah 1–3; Revelation 11 “Failure is impossible!” These words were spoken by Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906), known for her immovable stance on women’s rights in the US. Though she faced constant criticism and later an arrest, trial, and guilty verdict for voting illegally, Anthony vowed to never give up the fight to gain women the right to vote, believing her cause was just. Though she didn’t live to see the fruit of her labor, her declaration proved true. In 1920, the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote. Failure wasn’t an option for Nehemiah either, mainly because he had a Powerful Helper: God. After asking Him to bless his cause—rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem—Nehemiah and those who had returned to Jerusalem from exile i...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 19, THURSDAY WRITTEN ON THE HEART Amy Peterson You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.  2 Corinthians 3:2 2 Corinthians 2:17–3:6 Jonah 1–4; Revelation 10 As a professor, I’m often asked by students to write letters of recommendation for them—for leadership positions, study-abroad programs, graduate schools, and even jobs. In each letter, I have a chance to praise the student’s character and qualifications. When Christians traveled in the ancient world, they often carried with them similar “letters of commendation” from their churches. Such a letter ensured that the traveling brother or sister would be welcomed hospitably. The apostle Paul didn’t need a letter of recommendation when he spoke to the church in Corinth—they knew him. In his second letter to that church, Paul wrote that he preached the gospel out of sincerity, not for personal gain (2 Cori...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 18, Wednesday WALK IN THE PRESENT WITH GOD Xochitl Dixon The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.  Psalm 102:28 Psalm 102:11–13, 18–28 Obadiah; Revelation 9 In  Mere Christianity , C. S. Lewis wrote: “Almost certainly God is not  in  time. His life does not consist of moments one following another . . . . Ten-thirty—and every other moment from the beginning of the world—is always present for Him.” Still, waiting seasons often feel endless. But as we learn to trust God, the eternal Maker of time, we can accept the reality that our fragile existence is secure in His hands. The psalmist, lamenting in Psalm 102, admits his days are as fleeting as “the evening shadow” and withering grass, while God “endures through all generations” (vv. 11–12). The writer, weary from suffering, proclaims that God sits ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 17, TUESDAY LORD OF THE . . . NAILS? Adam Holz It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.  Psalm 18:32 Psalm 18:30–36 Amos 7–9; Revelation 8 I was getting into my car when the glint caught my eye: a nail, embedded in my rear tire’s sidewall. I listened for the telltale whistle of air. Thankfully, the hole was plugged—at least for the moment. As I drove to a tire store, I wondered:  How long has that nail been there? Days? Weeks?   How long have I been protected from a threat I didn’t even know existed? We can sometimes live under the illusion that we’re in control. But that nail reminded me we’re  not .  But when life feels out of control and unstable, we have a God whose reliability we can trust. In Psalm 18, David praises God for watching over him (vv. 34–35). David confesses, “It is God who arms me with strength. . . . You provide a broad path for my f...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 16, MONDAY WHAT YOU’RE WORTH Mike Wittmer The Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter!”  Zechariah 11:13 Zechariah 11:4–13 Amos 4–6; Revelation 7 Now an accomplished writer, Caitlin describes the depression she battled after fighting off an assault. The emotional violence cut deeper than her physical struggle, for she felt it proved “how undesirable I was. I was not the kind of girl you wanted to get to know.” She felt unworthy of love, the kind of person others use and toss aside. God understands. He lovingly shepherded Israel, but when He asked them what He was worth, “they paid me thirty pieces of silver” (Zechariah 11:12). This was the price of a slave; what masters must be reimbursed should their slave be accidentally killed (Exodus 21:32). God was insulted to be offered the lowest possible value—look at “the handsome price at which they valued me!” He said sa...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 15 WATER INTO HOPE Alyson Kieda Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.  John 7:37 John 4:4–14 Amos 1–3; Revelation 6 Tom and Mark’s ministry refreshes lives. This is clear in the video they share of a group of fully clad children laughing and dancing in the refreshing water of an open shower—their first ever. The men work with indigenous churches to install water filtration systems on wells in Haiti, easing and lengthening lives as diseases connected to contaminated water are prevented. Access to clean, fresh water gives the people hope for their future. Jesus referred to “living water” in John 4 to capture a similar idea of a continual source of refreshment. Tired and thirsty, Jesus had asked a Samaritan woman for a drink (vv. 4–8). This request led to a conversation in which Jesus offered the woman “living water” (vv. 9–15)—water that would become a source of life and hope  within  them, like “a spring of water welling up to ...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 14, SATURDAY JESUS AND THE BIGGER STORY Peter Chin We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10 Ruth 4:13–17 Joel 1–3; Revelation 5 A generous friend offered to babysit our kids so my wife and I could go on a date. “You should go somewhere fancy!” she gushed. Being practical people, we decided to go grocery shopping instead. When we returned, grocery bags in arms, our friend asked why we hadn’t done anything special. We told her that what makes a date special isn’t so much what you do, but who you’re with. One of the few books of the Bible that doesn’t record God directly saying or doing anything, the book of Ruth could seem to be pretty ordinary. So some read it as a touching but largely human drama of two people coming together in a relationship. But in truth, something extraordinary is taking place. In the fin...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 13, FRIDAY ASKING GOD Patricia Raybon The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.  Psalm 6:9 Psalm 6:4–9 Hosea 12–14; Revelation 4 When my husband, Dan, was diagnosed with cancer, I couldn’t find the “right” way to ask God to heal him. In my limited view, other people in the world had such serious problems—war, famine, poverty, natural disasters. Then one day, during our morning prayer time, I heard my husband humbly ask, “Dear Lord, please heal my disease.”  It was such a simple but heartfelt plea that it reminded me to stop complicating every prayer request, because God perfectly hears our righteous cries for help. As David simply asked, “Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love” (Psalm 6:4). That’s what David declared during a time of spiritual confusion and despair. His exact situation isn...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 12, THURSDAY OVERCOMING FEAR Albert Lee Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.  Psalm 20:7 1 Samuel 17:4–7, 45–50 Hosea 9–11; Revelation 3 Fear ruled a man’s life for thirty-two years. Afraid of being caught for his crimes, he hid at his sister’s farmhouse, going nowhere and visiting no one, even missing his mother’s funeral. When he was sixty-four, he learned that no charges had ever been filed against him. The man was free to resume a normal life. Yes, the threat of punishment was real, but he allowed the fear of it to control him. Likewise, fear ruled the Israelites when the Philistines challenged them at the Valley of Elah. The threat was real. Their enemy Goliath was 9 feet 9 inches tall and his body armor alone weighed 125 pounds (1 Samuel 17:4–5). For forty days, every morning and evening, Goliath challenged the Israelite army to figh...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 11, WEDNESDAY CANCELED Debts Kirsten Holmberg The Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.  Deuteronomy 15:2 Deuteronomy 15:1–8 Hosea 5–8; Revelation 2 In 2009, Los Angeles County stopped charging families for the costs of their children’s incarceration. Though no new fees were charged, those with unpaid fees from before the change in policy were still required to settle their debt. Then in 2018 the county canceled all outstanding financial obligations. For some families, canceling the debt aided greatly in their struggle to survive; no longer having liens on their property or wages being garnished meant they were better able to put food on the table. It was for this kind of hardship that God called for debts to be forgiven every seven years (Deuteronomy 15:2). He didn’t want people to be crippled forever by them. Because the Israelites were forbidden to charge interest on a loan to fellow Isra...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 10, TUESDAY GRACE AT THE END Arthur Jackson Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.  Mark 5:34 Mark 5:25–34 Hosea 1–4; Revelation 1 Artist Doug Merkey’s masterful sculpture  Ruthless Trust  features a bronze human figure clinging desperately to a cross made of walnut wood. He writes, “It’s a very simple expression of our constant and appropriate posture for life—total, unfettered intimacy with and dependency upon Christ and the gospel.” That’s the kind of trust we see expressed in the actions and words of the unnamed woman in Mark 5:25–34. For twelve years her life had been in shambles (v. 25). “She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse” (v. 26). But having heard about Jesus, she made her way to Him, touched Him, and was “freed from her suffering” (vv. 27–29). Have you come to the end of yourself? Have y...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 9, MONDAY OUR GUIDING LIGHT Jennifer Benson Schuldt You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.  2 Samuel 22:29 2 Samuel 22:26–30 Daniel 11–12; Jude At a museum, I lingered near a display of ancient lamps. A sign revealed they were from Israel. Decorated with carved designs, these oval-shaped clay vessels had two openings—one for fuel, and one for a wick. Although the Israelites commonly used them in wall alcoves, each was small enough to fit in the palm of a person’s hand. Perhaps a little light like this inspired King David to write a praise song in which he said, “You Lord are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light” (2 Samuel 22:29). David sang these words after God gave him victory in battle. Rivals from both inside and outside his own nation had been stalking him, intending to kill him. Because of his relationship with God, David didn’t cow...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 8, SUNDAY ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE Bill Crowder Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15 Colossians 3:12–25 Daniel 8–10; 3 John In my state in the US, the winters can be brutal, with sub-zero temperatures and never-ending snow. One bitterly cold day, as I shoveled snow for what seemed like the thousandth time, our postman paused in his rounds to ask how I was doing. I told him that I disliked winter and was weary of all the heavy snow. I then commented that his job must be pretty rough during these extreme weather conditions. He responded, “Yeah, but at least I have a job. A lot of people don’t. I’m thankful to be working.” I have to admit that I felt quite convicted by his attitude of gratitude. How easily we can lose sight of everything we have to be thankful for when the circumstances of life become unpleasant. Paul told the followers of Christ at Coloss...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 7, SATURDAY DON’T FORGET THE GIVER John Blase Be careful that you do not forget the Lord.  Deuteronomy 6:12 Deuteronomy 6:4–12 Daniel 5–7; 2 John It was just before Christmas, and her kids were having a difficult time with gratitude. She knew how easy it was to slip into that kind of thinking, but she also knew she wanted something better for the hearts of her children. So she went through the house and placed red bows on light switches, the pantry and refrigerator doors, the washing machine and dryer, and the water faucets. With each bow there was a handwritten note: “Some of the gifts God gives us are easy to overlook, so I’ve put a bow on them. He is so good to our family. Let’s not forget where the gifts come from.” In Deuteronomy 6, we see that the future of the nation of Israel involved the conquest of existing places. So they would move into large flourishing cities they did not build (v. ...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 6, FRIDAY GIFTS FROM ABOVE Amy Boucher Pye The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel.  Matthew 1:23 Matthew 1:18–25 Daniel 3–4; 1 John 5 According to an old story, a man named Nicholas (born in ad 270) heard about a father who was so poor that he couldn’t feed his three daughters, much less provide for their future marriages. Wanting to assist the father, but hoping to keep his help a secret, Nicholas threw a bag of gold through an open window, which landed in a sock or shoe drying on the hearth. That man was known as St. Nicholas, who later became the inspiration for Santa Claus. When I heard that story of a gift coming down from above, I thought of God the Father, who out of love and compassion sent to earth the greatest gift, His Son, through a miraculous birth. According to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy that a virgin would conceive and give...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 5, THURSDAY INTENTIONAL KINDNESS Cindy Hess Kasper I want to show God’s kindness to them.  2 Samuel 9:3 nlt 2 Samuel 9:3–11 Daniel 1–2; 1 John 4 Boarding a plane alone with her children, a young mom tried desperately to calm her three-year-old daughter who began kicking and crying. Then her hungry four-month-old son also began to wail. A traveler seated next to her quickly offered to hold the baby while Jessica got her daughter buckled in. Then the traveler—recalling his own days as a young dad—began coloring with the toddler while Jessica fed her infant. And on the next connecting flight, the same man offered to assist again if needed. Jessica recalled, “I [was] blown away by God’s hand in this. [We] could have been placed next to anyone, but we were seated next to one of the nicest men I have ever met.” In 2 Samuel 9, we read of another example of what I call  intentional kindness . After King Saul and his son Jonathan had been...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 4, WEDNESDAY FREE FROM CONDEMNATION Winn Collier If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts.  1 John 3:20 1 John 3:19–24 Ezekiel 47–48; 1 John 3 As a couple drove their trailer through dry Northern California, they felt a tire blow and heard the scrape of metal against pavement. The sparks ignited the 2018 Carr Fire—a wildfire that burned nearly 230,000 acres, destroyed more than 1,000 homes, and resulted in the deaths of several people. When survivors heard how the couple were overcome with grief, they formed a Facebook page to show “grace and extend kindness . . . for the shame and despair” enveloping them. One woman wrote: “As someone that lost their home to this fire—I need you to know my family [doesn’t blame you], nor [do] any of the other families that lost homes. . . . Accidents happen. I really hope these kind messages ease your burden. We will all get through this together.” Condemnation, our fear that we...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 3, Tuesday THE LOST ENVELOPE Dave Branon Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  Matthew 6:20 Matthew 6:19–21 Ezekiel 45–46; 1 John 2 We were on the way home from a visit with family in another state when I found it. I was pumping gas when I noticed a dirty, bulky envelope on the ground. I grabbed it, dirt and all, and looked inside. To my surprise, it contained one hundred dollars. One hundred dollars that someone had lost and who at that very moment was possibly frantically searching to find. I gave our phone number to the attendants at the gas station in case anyone came back looking for it. But no one ever called. Someone had that money and lost it. Earthly treasure is often like that. It can be lost, stolen, or even squandered. It can be lost in bad investments or even in a monetary market over which we have no control. But the heavenly trea...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 2, MONDAY THE FLIP SIDE OF LOVE Tim Gustafson Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.  2 John 1:3 2 John 1:1–11 Ezekiel 42–44; 1 John 1 The Roman inns during the time of Christ had a reputation so bad that rabbis wouldn’t even permit cattle to be left at them. Faced with such bad conditions, traveling Christians usually sought out other believers for hospitality. Among those early travelers were false teachers who denied that Jesus was the Messiah. This is why the letter of 2 John tells its readers there is a time to  refuse  to extend hospitality. John had said in a previous letter that these false teachers were “antichrist—denying the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). In 2 John he elaborated on this, telling his readers that whoever believes Jesus is the Messiah “has both the Father and the Son” (v. 9). Then he warned, “If anyone comes to you and does not ...

OUR DAILY BREAD DECEMBER 1, SUNDAY IS THERE  HOPE? Estera Pirosca Escobar If God is for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31 Romans 8:31–39 Ezekiel 40–41; 2 Peter 3 Edward Payson (1783–1827) led an extremely difficult life. The death of his younger brother shook him to the core. He struggled with bipolar disorder, and he was affected by extreme migraine headaches for days. If this wasn’t enough, a fall from a horse led to paralysis of his arm, and he almost died from tuberculosis! Surprisingly, his response wasn’t one of despair and hopelessness. His friends said that before Edward passed away, his joy was intense. How could that be? In his letter to the believers in Rome, the apostle Paul expressed his complete confidence in the reality of God’s love regardless of circumstances. He asked with boldness, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). If God gave His very own Son, Jesus, to save us, th...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 30, SATURDAY CAREFULLY CRAFTED Linda Washington Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people.  Ephesians 4:11–12 Ephesians 4:11–14 Ezekiel 37–39; 2 Peter 2 In a YouTube video, Alan Glustoff, a cheese farmer in Goshen, New York, described his process for aging cheese, a process that adds to a cheese’s flavor and texture. Before it can be sent out to a market, each block of cheese remains on a shelf in an underground cave for six to twelve months. In this humid environment the cheese is carefully tended. “We do our best to give it the right environment to thrive . . . [and] to develop to its truest potential,” Glustoff explained. Glustoff’s passion for developing the potential of the cheese he produces reminded me of God’s passion for developing the “truest potential” of His children so they will become fruitful and mature. ...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 29, FRIDAY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Jennifer Benson Schuldt See, this [live coal] has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.  Isaiah 6:7 Isaiah 6:1–10 Ezekiel 35–36; 2 Peter 1 The sound of a siren increased to an ear-piercing level as an emergency vehicle sped by my car. Its flashing lights glared through my windshield, illuminating the words “hazardous materials” printed on the side of the truck. Later, I learned it had been racing to a science laboratory where a 400-gallon container of sulfuric acid had begun to leak. Emergency workers had to contain the substance immediately because of its ability to damage whatever it came in contact with. As I thought about this news story, I wondered what would happen if sirens blared every time a harsh or critical word “leaked” out of my mouth? Sadly, it might become rather noisy around our house. The prophet Isaiah shared this sense of awarene...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 28, THURSDAY A SINCERE THANK YOU Xochitl Dixon I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  Psalm 9:1 Psalm 9:1–2, 7–10 Ezekiel 33–34; 1 Peter 5 In preparation for Xavier’s first job interview, my husband, Alan, handed our son a pack of thank-you cards for him to send out after he met with prospective employers. He then pretended to be a hiring interviewer, using his decades of experience as a manager to ask Xavier questions. After the role-playing, our son tucked several copies of his resume into a folder. He smiled when Alan reminded him about the cards. “I know,” he said. “A sincere thank-you note will set me apart from all the other applicants.” When the manager called to hire Xavier, he expressed gratitude for the first hand-written thank-you card he’d received in years. Saying thanks makes a lasting impact. The psalmists’ heartfelt prayers and grateful worship were preserved in...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 27, WEDNESDAY GREEDY GRASPING Remi Oyedele Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.  Ecclesiastes 4:6 Ecclesiastes 4:4–8 Ezekiel 30–32; 1 Peter 4 In the ancient fable  The Boy and the Filberts  (Nuts), a boy sticks his hand into a jar of nuts and grabs a great fistful. But his hand is so full that it gets stuck in the jar. Unwilling to lose even a little of his bounty, the boy begins to weep. Eventually, he’s counseled to let go of some of the nuts so the jar will let go of his hand. Greed can be a hard boss. The wise teacher of Ecclesiastes illustrates this moral with a lesson on hands and what they say about us. He compared and contrasted the lazy with the greedy when he wrote: “Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind” (4:5–6). While the lazy procrastinate until they’re ruined, those who p...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 26, TUESDAY HE’S GOT THIS Mike Wittmer But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 3:18 2 Peter 3:14–18 Ezekiel 27–29; 1 Peter 3 Pastor Watson Jones remembers learning to ride a bike. His father was walking alongside when little Watson saw some girls sitting on a porch. “Daddy, I got this!” he said. He didn’t. He realized too late he hadn’t learned to balance without his father’s steadying grip. He wasn’t as grown up as he thought. Our heavenly Father longs for us to grow up and “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). But spiritual maturity is different from natural maturity. Parents raise their children to become independent, to no longer need them. Our divine Father raises us to daily depend on Him more. Peter begins his letter by promising “grace and peace . . . through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,” and he ends by urging us to “grow in” tha...