Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD May 12, 2019 Sunday LOVE WON’T STOP Xochitl Dixon Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.  Luke 15:6 Luke 15:1–7 2 Kings 15–16; John 3:1–18 After I turned nineteen, and years before I owned a pager or a cell phone, I moved more than seven hundred miles away from my mom. One morning, I left early to run errands, forgetting our scheduled call. Later that night, two policemen came to my door. Mom had been worried because I’d never missed one of our chats. After calling repeatedly and getting a busy signal, she reached out to the authorities and insisted they check on me. One of the police officers turned to me and said, “It’s a blessing to know love won’t stop looking for you.” When I picked up the phone to call my mom, I realized I had accidentally left the receiver off its base. After I apologized, she said she needed to spread the good news to the family and friends she had informed that I’d been  missing . I hung up thinking she’d overreact...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 11, 2019 Saturday THE LORD WILL PROVIDE Julie Schwab So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.  Genesis 22:14 Genesis 22:2–14 2 Kings 13–14; John 2 My anxiety increased throughout the summer between my undergraduate and graduate programs. I love to have everything planned out, and the idea of going out of state and entering graduate school without a job made me uncomfortable. However, a few days before I left my summer job, I was asked to continue working for the company remotely. I accepted and had peace that God was taking care of me. God provided, but it was in His timing, not mine. Abraham went through a far more difficult situation with his son Isaac. He was asked to take his son and sacrifice him on a mountain (Genesis 22:1–2). Without hesitation, Abraham obeyed and took Isaac there. This three-day journey gave Abraham plenty of time to change his mind, but he didn’t (vv. 3–4). When Isaac que...

DAILY DAILY BREAD May 10, 2019 Friday MINISTER OF LONELINESS Mike Wittmer Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.  Hebrews 13:1 Hebrews 13:1–8 2 Kings 10–12; John 1:29–51 Following her husband’s death, Betsy has spent most days in her flat, watching television and boiling tea for one. She’s not alone in her loneliness. More than nine million Brits (15 percent of the population) say they often or always feel lonely, and Great Britain has appointed a minister of loneliness to find out why and how to help. Some causes of loneliness are well known: We move too often to put down roots. We believe we can take care of ourselves, and we don’t have a reason to reach out. We’re separated by technology—each of us immersed in our own flickering screens. I feel the dark edge of loneliness, and you may too. This is one reason we need fellow believers. Hebrews concludes its deep discussion of Jesus’s sacrifice by encouraging us to meet together continually (10:25...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 9, 2019 Thursday THE BEST STRATEGY FOR LIFE Kirsten Holmberg Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  Ecclesiastes 4:12 Ecclesiastes 4:1–12 2 Kings 7–9; John 1:1–28 As we watched my daughter’s basketball game from the bleachers, I heard the coach utter a single word to the girls on the court: “Doubles.” Immediately, their defensive strategy shifted from one-on-one to two of their players teaming against their tallest ball-holding opponent. They were successful in thwarting her efforts to shoot and score, eventually taking the ball down the court to their own basket. When Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, grapples with the toils and frustrations of the world, he too acknowledges that having a companion in our labors yields “a good return” (4:9). While a person battling alone “may be overpowered, two can defend themselves” (v. 12). A friend nearby can help us up when we fall...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 7 SOMEONE WHO LEADS Estera Pirosca Escobar As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.  2 Kings 2:6 2 Kings 2:1–6 2 Kings 1–3; Luke 24:1–35 Who do you think of when you hear the word  mentor ? For me, it’s Pastor Rich. He saw my potential and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He modeled how to lead by serving in humility and love. As a result, I am now serving God by mentoring others. The prophet Elijah played a critical role in Elisha’s growth as a leader. Elijah found him plowing a field and invited him to be his protégé after God told him to anoint Elisha as his successor (1 Kings 19:16, 19). The young mentee watched his mentor perform incredible miracles and obey God no matter what. God used Elijah to prepare Elisha for a lifetime of ministry. Toward the end of Elijah’s life, Elisha had the opportunity to leave. Instead, he chose to renew his commitment to his mentor. Three times Elijah offer...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 6, 2019 Monday COME AND GET IT ! David H. Roper Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live.  Isaiah 55:3 Isaiah 55:1–6 1 Kings 21–22; Luke 23:26–56 I peeked over the grape-stake fence that encloses our backyard. There I saw folks running, jogging, walking, and shuffling around the track that surrounds the park behind our home.  I used to do that when I was stronger,  I thought. And a wave of dissatisfaction washed over me. Later, while reading the Scriptures, I came across Isaiah 55:1, “Come, all you who are thirsty,” and I realized again that dissatisfaction (thirst) is the rule, not the exception in this life. Nothing, not even the good things of life, can fully satisfy. If I had strong legs like a Sherpa (mountain-climbing guide), there would still be something else in my life that I’d be unhappy about. Our culture is always telling us in one way or another that something we do, buy, wear, spray on, roll on, or ride in will give u...