Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD July 5, SUNDAY RENEWED STRENGTH Sheridan Voysey Praise the  Lord  . . . who satisfies your desires with good things.  Psalm 103:1, 5 Psalm 103:1–5 Job 30–31; Acts 13:26–52 Psychiatrist Robert Coles once noticed a pattern in those who burn out while serving others. The first warning sign is weariness. Next comes cynicism about things ever improving, then bitterness, despair, depression, and finally burnout. After writing a book about recovering from broken dreams, I once entered a busy season of conference speaking. Helping people find hope after disappointment was richly rewarding, but came at a cost. One day, about to step on stage, I thought I was going to faint. I hadn’t slept well, a vacation hadn’t fixed my weariness, and the thought of hearing another person’s problems afterward filled me with dread. I was following Coles’ pattern. Scripture gives two strategies for beating burnout. In Isaiah 40, the weary soul is renewed when it hopes in the Lord (v...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 4, Saturday THE KINDNESS MAN Anne Cetas When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her.  Luke 7:13 Luke 7:11–17 Job 28–29; Acts 13:1–25 Disillusioned and wanting a more meaningful life, Leon quit his job in finance. Then one day he saw a homeless man holding up this sign at a street corner: KINDNESS IS THE BEST MEDICINE. Leon says, “Those words rammed straight into me. It was an epiphany.”  Leon decided to begin his new life by creating an international organization to promote kindness. He travels around the world, relying on strangers to provide him with food, gas, and a place to stay. Then he rewards them, through his organization, with good deeds such as feeding orphans or building on to a school for underprivileged children. He says, “It’s sometimes seen as being soft. But kindness is a profound strength.”  Christ’s very essence as God is goodness, so kindness naturally flowed from Him. I love the story of what Jesus did when He came upon t...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 3, Friday JUST A SPARK John Blase The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  James 3:5 James 3:1–6 Job 25–27; Acts 12 “We’re in the library, and we can see the flames right outside!” She was scared. We could hear it in her voice. We know her voice—the voice of our daughter. At the same time we knew her college campus was the safest place for her and her almost 3,000 fellow students. The 2018 Woolsey Fire spread more quickly than anyone anticipated—most of all fire personnel. The record heat and dry conditions in the California canyon, along with the legendary Santa Ana winds, were all the rather small sparks needed to ultimately burn 97,000 acres, destroy more than 1,600 structures, and kill three people. In the photos taken after the fire was contained, the usual lush coastline resembled the barren surface of the moon.          In the book of James, the author names some small but ...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 2, Thursday TALKING BANANAS Jennifer Benson Schuldt [Barnabas] encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.  Acts 11:23 Acts 11:19–26 Job 22–24; Acts 11 Never give up. Be the reason someone smiles. You’re amazing. It isn’t where you came from—it’s where you’re going that counts.  Some schoolchildren in Virginia Beach, Virginia, found these messages and more written on bananas in their lunchroom. Cafeteria manager Stacey Truman took the time to write the encouraging notes on the fruit, which the kids dubbed “talking bananas.” This caring outreach reminds me of Barnabas’ heart for the “spiritual youngsters” in the ancient city of Antioch (Acts 11:22–24). Barnabas was famous for his ability to inspire people. Known as a good man, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, he prompted the new believers to “remain true to the Lord with all their hearts” (v. 23). I imagine he spent time with those he wanted to help, saying things like:  Kee...

OUR DAILY BREAD July 1, Wednesday THE FAVORITE Cindy Hess Kasper As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  John 13:34 Genesis 37:2–4, 17–24 Job 20–21; Acts 10:24–48 My husband’s brother lives about 1,200 miles away in the mountains of Colorado. Despite the distance, Gerrits has always been a beloved family member because of his great sense of humor and kind heart. As long as I can remember, however, his siblings have good-naturedly joked about his favored status in their mother’s eyes. Several years ago, they even presented him with a T-shirt sporting the words, “I’m Mom’s Favorite.” While we all enjoyed the silliness of our siblings, true favoritism is no joking matter. In Genesis 37, we read about Jacob who gave his son Joseph an ornate coat—an indication to his other children that Joseph was special (v. 3). Without a hint of subtlety, the coat’s message shouted: “Joseph is my  favorite  son.” Displaying favoritism can be crippling in a family. Jacob’s mo...

OUR DAILY BREAD June 30, Tuesday NAVIGATING LIFE’S RAPIDS Adam R. Holz I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.  Psalm 32:8 Psalm 32:5–11 Job 17–19; Acts 10:1–23 “Everybody on the left, give me three strong forward strokes!” our whitewater raft guide shouted. Those on the left dug in, pulling our raft away from a churning vortex. For several hours, we’d learned the importance of listening to our guide’s instructions. His steady voice enabled six people with little rafting experience to work together to plot the safest course down a raging river. Life has its share of whitewater rapids, doesn’t it? One moment, it’s smooth sailing. Then, in a flash, we’re paddling like mad to avoid suddenly swirling whirlpools. Those tense moments make us keenly aware of our need for a skilled guide, a trusted voice to help us navigate turbulent times. In Psalm 32, God promises to be that voice: “I will instruct you and teach you the wa...

OUR DAILY BREAD June 29, MONDAY SIMPLY ASK Patricia Raybon Before they call I will answer.  Isaiah 65:24 2 Kings 5:9–14 Job 14–16; Acts 9:22–43 Her doctor said her detached retinas couldn’t be repaired. But after living without sight for fifteen years—learning Braille, and using a cane and service dog—a Montana woman’s life changed when her husband asked another eye doctor a simple question: could she be helped? The answer was yes. As the doctor discovered, the woman had a common eye condition, cataracts, which the doctor removed from her right eye. When the eye patch came off the next day, her vision was 20/20. A second surgery for her left eye met with equal success. A simple question also changed the life of Naaman, a powerful military man with leprosy. But Naaman raged arrogantly at the prophet Elisha’s instructions to “wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored” (2 Kings 5:10). Naaman’s servants, however, asked the military leader a simple qu...