Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD May 3, Sunday THE ONE WHO SEES James Banks You may be sure that your sin will find you out.  Numbers 32:23 Numbers 32:16–24 1 Kings 14–15; Luke 22:21–46 “Oh no!” My wife’s voice rang out when she stepped into the kitchen. The moment she did, our ninety-pound Labrador retriever “Max” bolted from the room. Gone was the leg of lamb that had been sitting too close to the edge of the counter. Max had consumed it, leaving only an empty pan. He tried to hide under a bed. But only his head and shoulders fit. His uncovered rump and tail betrayed his whereabouts when I went to track him down. “Oh, Max,” I murmured, “Your ‘sin’ will find you out.” The phrase was borrowed from Moses, when he admonished two tribes of Israel to be obedient to God and keep their promises. He told them: “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the  Lord ; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Sin may feel good for a moment, but it causes the ulti...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 2, Saturday COMMUNITY MEMORY Bill Crowder He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you.”  Luke 22:19 Luke 22:14–23 1 Kings 12–13; Luke 22:1–20 In his book  Restless Faith , theologian Richard Mouw talks about the importance of remembering the lessons of the past. He quotes sociologist Robert Bellah, who said that “healthy nations must be ‘communities of memory.’ ” Bellah extended that principle to other societal bonds such as families. Remembering is an important part of living in community. The Scriptures teach the value of community memory as well. The Israelites were given the Passover feast to remind them of what God had done to rescue them from slavery in Egypt (see Exodus 12:1–30). Still today, Jewish people around the world revisit that rich community memory every spring. Passover holds great meaning for followers of Christ too, for Passover has always pointed to the work of the Messiah on the c...

OUR DAILY BREAD May 1, Friday LIVING IN THE BRANCHES Monica La Rose Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  Ephesians 3:17  nlt Ephesians 4:14–24 1 Kings 10–11; Luke 21:20–38 As I shared with my counselor my roller-coaster of emotions after a stress-filled week, she listened thoughtfully. Then she invited me to look out the window at the trees, lush with autumnal oranges and golds, the branches swaying in the wind. Pointing out that the  trunks  weren’t moving at all in the wind, my counselor explained, “We’re a bit like that. When life is blowing at us from every direction, of course our emotions will go up and down and all around. But sometimes we live as if we only have  branches . Our goal is to help you find your own  trunk . That way, even when life is pulling from all sides, you won’t be  living  in your branches. You’ll still be secure and stable.” It’s a...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 30, Thursday FREE INDEED Arthur Jackson If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36 John 8:31–36 1 Kings 8–9; Luke 21:1–19 The film  Amistad  tells the story of West African slaves in 1839 taking over the boat that was transporting them and killing the captain and some of the crew. Eventually they were recaptured, imprisoned, and taken to trial. An unforgettable courtroom scene features Cinqué, leader of the slaves, passionately pleading for freedom. Three simple words—repeated with increasing force by a shackled man with broken English—eventually silenced the courtroom, “Give us free!” Justice was served and the men were freed. Most people today aren’t in danger of being physically bound, yet true liberation from the spiritual bondage of sin remains elusive. The words of Jesus in John 8:36 offer sweet relief: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus pointed to Himself as the source of true emancipation because ...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 29, Wednesday RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sheridan Voysey The  Lord  our God is near us whenever we pray to him.  Deuteronomy 4:7 Deuteronomy 4:5–8 1 Kings 6–7; Luke 20:27–47 Each day at a post office in Jerusalem, workers sort through piles of undeliverable letters in an attempt to guide each to its recipient. Many end up in a specially marked box labeled “Letters to God.” About a thousand such letters reach Jerusalem each year, addressed simply to God or Jesus. Puzzled by what to do with them, one worker began taking the letters to Jerusalem’s Western Wall to have them placed between its stone blocks with other written prayers. Most of the letters ask for a job, a spouse, or good health. Some request forgiveness, others just offer thanks. One man asked God if his deceased wife could appear in his dreams because he longed to see her again. Each sender believed God would listen, if only He could be reached. The Israelites learned much as they journeyed thr...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 28, Tuesday LET US PRAISE! Xochitl Dixon May the nations be glad and sing for joy.  Psalm 67:4 Psalm 67 1 Kings 3–5; Luke 20:1–26 When the alarm on Shelley’s phone goes off every day at 3:16 in the afternoon, she takes a praise break. She thanks God and acknowledges His goodness. Although she communicates with God throughout the day, Shelley loves to take this break because it helps her celebrate her intimate relationship with Him. Inspired by her joyful devotion, I decided to set a specific time each day to thank Christ for His sacrifice on the cross and to pray for those who have yet to be saved. I wonder what it would be like if all believers in Jesus stopped to praise Him in their own way and pray for others every day. The image of a beautiful wave of worship rolling to the ends of the earth resounds in the words of Psalm 67. The psalmist pleads for God’s grace, proclaiming his desire to make His name great in all the nations (vv. 1–2). He sings, “May...

OUR DAILY BREAD April 27, Monday THROUGH THE WATERS Winn Collier When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.  Isaiah 43:2 Isaiah 43:1–7 1 Kings 1–2; Luke 19:28–48 The movie  The Free State of Jones  tells the US Civil War story of Newton Knight and some Confederate deserters and slaves who aided the Union Army and then resisted slaveholders after the war. Many herald Knight as the hero, but two slaves first saved  his  life after his desertion. They carried him deep into a secluded swampland and tended a leg wound he suffered while fleeing Confederate forces. If they’d abandoned him, he would have died. The people of Judah were wounded and desperate, facing enemies and feeling helpless. Israel had been overtaken by Assyria, and Isaiah prophesied that one day they (Judah) would also be overcome by an enemy—Babylonia. Judah needed a God who would help, who would rescue and not forsake them. Imagine, then, the surging hope when the people heard ...