Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

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...