Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD July 21, Sunday NEVER TOO LATE Peter Chin Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”  Mark 5:36 Mark 5:35–43 Psalms 29–30; Acts 23:1–15 During the anxious moments that followed my mother-in-law’s heart attack, she was fortunate to receive immediate medical care. Later, her doctor told me that treatment within fifteen minutes of a heart attack results in a survival rate of 33 percent for critical patients. But just 5 percent survive if treated beyond that time frame. On the way to heal Jairus’s desperately ill daughter (someone definitely needing immediate medical care), Jesus did the unthinkable: He paused (Mark 5:30). He stopped to identify who touched Him, and then spoke gently with the woman. You can imagine what Jairus was thinking:  There’s no time for this, my daughter is dying!  And then, his worst fears came true—Jesus appeared to have delayed too long and his daughter passed away (v. 35). But Jesus...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 20, Saturday HANDS-ON LEARNING Amy Peterson Imitate me, as I imitate Christ.  1 Corinthians 11:1 Titus 2:1–8 Psalms 26–28; Acts 22 My six-year-old son, Owen, was thrilled to receive a new board game. But after a half hour reading the rules, he was frustrated. He couldn’t quite figure out how it worked. It wasn’t until later, when a friend came over who already knew how to play, that Owen finally got to enjoy his present. Watching them play, I was reminded of how much easier it is to learn something new if you have an experienced teacher. When we’re learning, reading the instructions helps, but having a friend who can demonstrate makes a huge difference. The apostle Paul understood this too. Writing to Titus about how he could help his church grow in faith, Paul emphasized the value of experienced believers who could model Christian faith. Of course teaching “sound doctrine” was important, but it didn’t just need to be talked about—it needed to be li...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 18, Thursday Wise AID Mike Wittmer Encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  1 Thessalonians 5:14 1 Thessalonians 5:12–15 Psalms 20–22; Acts 21:1–17 As I stopped my car at a red light, I saw the same man standing beside the road again. He held a cardboard sign:  Need money for food. Anything helps.  I looked away and sighed. Was I the kind of person who ignored the needy? Some people pretend to have needs but are actually con artists. Others have legitimate needs but face difficulties overcoming destructive habits. Social workers tell us it’s better to give money to the aid ministries in our city. I swallowed hard and drove past. I felt bad, but I may have acted wisely. God commands us to “warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). To do this well we must know who belongs in which category. If we warn a weak or dis...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 19, Friday WHO IS HE? Xochitl Dixon Who is he, this King of glory? The LordAlmighty—he is the King of glory.  Psalm 24:10 Psalm 24 Psalms 23–25; Acts 21:18–40 On our way home from our honeymoon, my husband and I waited to check in our luggage at the airport. I nudged him and pointed to a man standing a few feet away. My spouse squinted. “Who is he?” I excitedly rattled off the actor’s most notable roles, then walked up and asked him to take a photo with us. Twenty-four years later, I still enjoy sharing the story of the day I met a movie star. Recognizing a famous actor is one thing, but there’s Someone more important I’m thankful to know personally. “Who is this King of glory?” (Psalm 24:8). The psalmist David points to the Lord Almighty as Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all. He sings, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in i...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 17, Wednesday VICTORY PARADE Lisa M. Samra But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession.  2 Corinthians 2:14 2 Corinthians 2:14–17 Psalms 18–19; Acts 20:17–38 In 2016 when the Chicago Cubs baseball team won the World Series for the first time in more than a century, some sources said that five million people lined the parade route and gathered at a downtown rally to celebrate the championship. Victory parades are not a modern invention. A famous ancient parade was the Roman Triumph, in which victorious generals led a procession of their armies and captives through crowded streets. Such parade imagery was likely in Paul’s mind when he wrote to the Corinthian church thanking God for leading believers “as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession” (2 Corinthians 2:14). I find it fascinating that in this imagery, followers of Christ are the captives. However, as believers we’re not forced to participate, but...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 16, Tuesday PRECIOUS Monica Brands You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.  Psalm 16:2 Psalm 16:1–11 Psalms 16–17; Acts 20:1–16 “My precious . . .”  First portrayed in Tolkien’s  Lord of the Rings  trilogy, the image of the emaciated creature Gollum in his maniacal obsession with the “ precious  ring of power” has become an iconic one today—for greed, obsession, even insanity. It’s also a troublingly relatable image. In his tormented love-hate relationship with both the ring and with himself, Gollum’s voice echoes the hunger in our own hearts. Whether it’s directed at one thing in particular, or just a vague longing for “more,” we’re sure that once we finally get our own “precious,” we’ll be satisfied. But instead, what we thought would make us whole leaves us feeling even emptier than before. There’s a better way to live. As David expresses in Psalm 16, when the longings in our hearts threaten to send us on a desper...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 15, Monday OUT OF THE TRAP James Banks I have learned the secret of being content.  Philippians 4:12 1 Timothy 6:6–10 Psalms 13–15; Acts 19:21–41 The Venus flytrap was first discovered in a small area of sandy wetlands not far from our home in North Carolina. These plants are fascinating to watch because they’re carnivorous. Venus flytraps release a sweet-smelling nectar into colorful traps that resemble open flowers. When an insect crawls inside, triggering sensors along the outer rim, the trap clamps shut in less than a second—capturing its victim. The trap then closes further and emits enzymes that consume its prey over time, giving the plant nutrients not provided by the sandy soil. God’s Word tells of another trap that can capture unexpectedly. The apostle Paul warned his protégé Timothy: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” And “some...