Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD April 7, Sunday CHANGE IS POSSIBLE Poh Fang Chia It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  Philippians 2:13 Philippians 2:1–4 1 Samuel 7–9; Luke 9:18–36 One Saturday afternoon, some youth group members from my church gathered to ask one another some hard questions based on Philippians 2:3–4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Some of the difficult queries included:  How often do you take an interest in others? Would someone describe you as humble or proud? Why? As I listened, I was encouraged by their honest answers. The teenagers agreed that it’s easy to acknowledge our shortcomings, but it’s hard to change, or—for that matter— desire  to change. As one teen lamented, “Selfishness is in my blood.” The desire to let go of our focus on...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 6, Saturday SURVIVING THE UNBEARABLE Jeff Olson She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13 Genesis 16:7–16 1 Samuel 4–6; Luke 9:1–17 The Experience Project, one of the largest online communities of the twenty-first century, was once a site where tens of millions shared deeply painful firsthand experiences. As I read through the heartbreaking stories, I reflected on how desperately our hearts long for someone to see—to understand—our pain. In Genesis, the story of a young handmaid reveals just how life-giving this gift can be. Hagar was a slave girl likely given to Abram by a pharaoh of Egypt (see Genesis 12:16; 16:1). When Abram’s wife Sarai was unable to conceive, she urged Abram to conceive a child with Hagar—a disturbing yet familiar practice of that day. But when Hagar became pregnant, ...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 5, Friday NEED A NEW HEART? Adam Holz I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.  Ezekiel 36:26 Ezekiel 36:24–27 1 Samuel 1–3; Luke 8:26–56 The news was grim. My father had been having chest pains, so his doctor ordered a test to peer into his heart. The result? Blockage found in three arteries. Triple-bypass surgery was scheduled for February 14. My dad, though anxious, saw that date as a hopeful sign: “I’m getting a new heart for Valentine’s Day!” And he did! The surgery went perfectly, restoring life-giving blood flow to his struggling heart—his “new” heart. My father’s surgery reminded me that God offers us a new life as well. Because sin clogs our spiritual “arteries”—our capacity to connect with God—we need spiritual “surgery” to clear them. That’s what God promised His people in Ezekiel 36:26. He assured the Israelites, “I will give you a new heart. . . . I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart o...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 4, Thursday WATCH OUT ! Amy Peterson Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8 1 Peter 5:6–11 Ruth 1–4; Luke 8:1–25 I grew up in warm southern cities, so when I moved north, it took me a while to learn how to drive safely during the long, snowy months. During my first hard winter, I ended up stranded in a snowdrift three times! But after several years of practice, I began to feel comfortable driving in wintry conditions. In fact, I felt a little too comfortable. I stopped being as vigilant. And that’s when I hit a patch of black ice and skidded into a telephone pole on the side of the road! Thankfully, no one was hurt, but I learned something important that day. I realized how dangerous it can be to feel comfortable. Instead of being watchful, I had gone on “autopilot.” We need to practice that same kind of vigilance in ...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 3, Wednesday SITUATIONAL AWARENESS John Blase This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.  Philippians 1:9 Philippians 1:3–11 Judges 19–21; Luke 7:31–50 My family, all five of us, found ourselves in Rome over the Christmas holidays. I don’t know when I’ve ever seen more people jammed together in one place. As we snaked our way through crowds to see sights like the Vatican and the Coliseum, I repeatedly emphasized to my kids the practice of “situational awareness”—pay attention to where you are, who’s around you, and what’s going on. We live in a day when the world, at home and abroad, isn’t a safe place. And with the use of cell phones and ear buds, kids (and adults for that matter) don’t always practice an awareness of surroundings. Situational awareness.  This is an aspect of Paul’s prayer for the believers in Philippi recorded in Philippians 1:9–11. His desire for them was an ever-increasing dis...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 2, Tuesday UNEXPLAINABLE LOVE Keila Ochoa As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  John 13:34 John 13:31–35 Judges 16–18; Luke 7:1–30 Our small congregation decided to surprise my son on his sixth birthday. The church members decorated his Sunday school classroom with balloons and set up a small table with a cake on it. When my son opened the door, everyone shouted, “Happy birthday!” Later on, as I was cutting the cake, my son came over and whispered in my ear, “Mom, why does everyone here love me?” I had the same question! These people had known us for only six months but were treating us as longtime friends. Their love for my son reflected God’s love for us. We can’t understand why He loves us, but He does—and His love is freely given. We’ve done nothing to deserve His love, and yet He lavishly loves us. Scripture tells us: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). It’s part of who He is. God has poured out His love on us so we can sh...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 1, Monday BORROWED BLESSINGS James Banks The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.  Psalm 24:1 1 Chronicles 29:6–16 Judges 13–15; Luke 6:27–49 As we bowed our heads over lunch, my friend Jeff prayed: “Father, thank You for letting us breathe Your air and eat Your food.” Jeff had just been through a difficult job loss, so his heartfelt trust in God and recognition that everything belongs to Him profoundly moved me. I found myself thinking:  Do I honestly understand that even the most basic, everyday things in my life are really God’s, and He’s simply letting me use them? When King David received offerings from the people of Israel for building the temple in Jerusalem, he prayed, “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” Then he added, ...