Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD February 24, SUN QUIET AWE Kirsten Holmberg How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.  Psalm 104:24 Psalm 104:10–24 Numbers 9–11; Mark 5:1–20 My life often feels frenzied and hectic. I hurry from one appointment to the next, returning phone calls and checking items off my seemingly infinite to-do list while on my way. Out of sheer exhaustion one Sunday, I collapsed into the hammock in our backyard. My phone was inside, as were my children and husband. At first I planned to sit for just a moment or two, but in the undistracted stillness, I began to notice things that invited me to linger longer. I could hear the creak of the hammock swinging gently, the buzz of a bee in the nearby lavender, and the flap of a bird’s wings overhead. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the clouds moved on the wind. I found myself moved to tears in response to all God had made. When I slowed long enough to take in the many...

OUR DAILY BREAD February 23, SAT LIVING IN GOD’S STORY Mike Wittmer The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.  Romans 13:12 Romans 13:8–14 Numbers 7–8; Mark 4:21–41 Ernest Hemingway was asked if he could write a compelling story in six words. His response: “For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.” Hemingway’s story is powerful because it inspires us to fill in the details. Were the shoes simply not needed by a healthy child? Or was there a tragic loss—something requiring God’s deep love and comfort? The best stories pique our imagination, so it’s no surprise that the greatest story ever told stokes the fires of our creativity. God’s story has a central plot: He created all things; we (the human race) fell into sin; Jesus came to Earth and died and rose again to save us from our sins; and we now await His return and the restoration of all things. Knowing what has come before and what lies ahead, how should we now live? If Jesus is restoring His entire creation from the...

OUR DAILY BREAD February 22, Friday HE HOLDS OUR HAND Arthur Jackson I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 Isaiah 41:8–13 Numbers 4–6; Mark 4:1–20 The little girl who navigated the stairway one Sunday at church was cute, spunky, and independent. One by one the child—who appeared to be not much older than two years—took the steps down to the lower level. Descending the stairs was her mission and she accomplished it. I smiled to myself as I pondered the daring independence of this courageous toddler. The child wasn’t afraid because she knew her caring mother’s watchful eye was always on her and her loving hand was extended to help her. This aptly pictures the Lord’s readiness to help His children as they make their way through life with its varied uncertainties. Today’s Scripture includes two “hand” references. After cautioning His ancient people not to fear or be dismayed, the Lord told them, “I will uphold you w...

OUR DAILY BREAD February 21, Thursday LIVING SACRIFICE Amy Boucher Pye I urge you . . . in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.  Romans 12:1 Romans 12:1–8 Numbers 1–3; Mark 3 My great aunt had an exciting job in advertising and traveled between Chicago and New York City. But she chose to give up that career out of love for her parents. They lived in Minnesota and needed to be cared for. Both of her brothers had died young in tragic circumstances and she was her mom and dad’s only remaining child. For her, serving her parents was an expression of her faith. The apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Rome urged Christian believers to be “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). He hoped they would extend Christ’s sacrificial love to each other. And he asked them not to think of themselves more highly than they should (v. 3). When they fell into disagreements and division, he called them to lay down their pride, because “in...

OUR DAILY BREAD February 20, Wednesday SEND IT IN A LETTER John Blase Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. Colossians 1:9 Colossians 1:9–12 Leviticus 26–27; Mark 2 Like most four-year-olds, Ruby loved to run, sing, dance, and play. But she started complaining about pain in her knees. Ruby’s parents took her in for tests. The results were shocking—a diagnosis of cancer, stage 4 neuroblastoma. Ruby was in trouble. She was quickly admitted to the hospital. Ruby’s hospital stay lingered on, spilling over into the Christmas season, a hard time to be away from home. One of Ruby’s nurses came up with the idea to place a mailbox outside her room so family could send letters full of prayers and encouragement to her. Then the plea went out on Facebook, and that’s when the volume of mail coming in from friends and complete strangers surprised everyone, most of all Ruby. With each letter received (more than 100,000 ...

OUR DAILY BREAD February 19, TUE SHELVE THEM AND OF MOVE ON Ruth O'Reilly-Smith Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.  Proverbs 15:31 Proverbs 15:30–33 Leviticus 25; Mark 1:23–45 I’m reminded of some wise advice a radio broadcaster friend once gave me. Early on in his career, as my friend struggled to know how to deal with both criticism and praise, he felt that God was encouraging him to shelve both. What’s the essence of what he took to heart?  Learn what you can from criticism and accept praise. Then shelve both and humbly move on in God’s grace and power.                 Criticism and praise stir in us powerful emotions that, if left unchecked, can lead to either self-loathing or an overinflated ego. In Proverbs we read of the benefits of encouragement and wise counsel: “Good news gives health to the bones. . . .Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds cor...

OUR DAILY BREAD February 18, MON PRAYING AND GROWING James Banks Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God.  Colossians 3:17 Jonah 4 Leviticus 23–24; Mark 1:1–22 When my friend David’s wife developed Alzheimer’s disease, the changes it brought to his life made him bitter. He needed to retire early to care for her; and as the disease progressed, she required increasingly more care. “I was so angry at God,” he told me. “But the more I prayed about it, the more He showed me my heart and how I had been selfish for most of our marriage.” Tears welled in his eyes as he confessed, “She’s been sick ten years, but God has helped me see things differently. Now, everything I do out of love for her, I also do for Jesus. Caring for her has become the greatest privilege of my life.” Sometimes God answers our prayers not by giving us what we want but by challenging us to change. When the prophet Jonah was angry because God sp...