Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD December 27, Sunday A SONG IN THE NIGHT Glenn Packiam The  Lord  is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  Psalm 103:8 Psalm 103:1–14 Zechariah 1–4; Revelation 18 The sun had long set when our electrical power suddenly went out. I was at home with our two younger children, and this was their first time experiencing a power outage. After verifying that the utility company knew about the outage, I located some candles, and the kids and I huddled together in the kitchen around the flickering flames. They seemed nervous and unsettled, so we began to sing. Soon the concerned looks on their faces were replaced with smiles. Sometimes in our darkest moments we need a song. Psalm 103 may be one of the psalms prayed or sung after the people of God had returned from exile to a homeland that had been laid waste. In a moment of crisis, they needed to sing. But not just any song, they needed to sing about who God is and what He does. Psalm 103 al...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 26, Saturday WHO NEEDS ME? Mike Wittmer When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.  1 Kings 19:15 1 Kings 19:9–12, 15–18 Haggai 1–2; Revelation 17 While on a red-eye flight to Washington, DC, opinion writer Arthur Brooks overheard an elderly woman whisper to her husband, “It’s not true that no one needs you anymore.” The man murmured something about wishing he were dead, and his wife replied, “Oh, stop saying that.” When the flight ended, Brooks turned around and immediately recognized the man. He was a world-famous hero. Other passengers shook his hand, and the pilot thanked him for the courage he displayed decades ago. How had this giant sunk into despair? The prophet Elijah bravely and single-handedly defeated 450 prophets of Baal—or so he thought (1 Kings 18). Yet he hadn’t really done it alone; God was there all along! But later, feeling all alone, he asked God to take his life. God lifted Elijah’s spirits by bringing him into His presence ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 25, Friday JOY TO THE WORLD Lisa M. Samra God so loved the world.  John 3:16 John 3:1–8, 13–16 Zephaniah 1–3; Revelation 16 Every Christmas we decorate our home with nativity scenes from around the world. We have a German nativity pyramid, a manger scene fashioned out of olive wood from Bethlehem, and a brightly colored Mexican folk version. Our family favorite is a whimsical entry from Africa. Instead of the more traditional sheep and camels, a hippopotamus gazes contently at the baby Jesus. The unique cultural perspective brought to life in these nativity scenes warms my heart as I ponder each beautiful reminder that Jesus’ birth was not just for one nation or culture. It’s good news for the whole earth, a reason for people from every country and ethnicity to rejoice. The little baby depicted in each of our nativity scenes revealed this truth of God’s heart for the entire world. As John wrote in relation to Christ’s conversation with an inquisitive Pharis...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 24 WHEN PEACE BREAKS OUT James Banks Peace to those on whom his favor rests.  Luke 2:14 Luke 2:8–20 Habakkuk 1–3; Revelation 15 On a cold Christmas Eve in Belgium in 1914, the sound of singing floated from the trenches where soldiers were dug in. Strains of the carol “Silent Night” rang out in German and then in English. Soldiers who earlier in the day had been shooting at each other laid down their weapons and emerged from their trenches to shake hands in the “no man’s land” between them, exchanging Christmas greetings and spontaneous gifts from their rations. The ceasefire continued through the next day as the soldiers talked and laughed and even organized soccer matches together. The Christmas Truce of 1914 that occurred along World War I’s Western Front offered a brief glimpse of the peace the angels proclaimed on the first Christmas long ago. An angel spoke to terrified shepherds with these reassuring words: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news tha...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 23, Wednesday NO GLITZ, JUST GLORY Xochitl Dixon Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.  Psalm 63:3 Isaiah 53:1–9 Nahum 1–3; Revelation 14 Looking at the handmade Christmas ornaments my son, Xavier, crafted over the years and the annual mismatched baubles Grandma had sent him, I couldn’t figure out why I was not content with our decorations. I’d always valued the creativity and memories each ornament represented. So, why did the allure of the retail stores’ holiday displays tempt me to desire a tree adorned with perfectly matched bulbs, shimmering orbs, and satin ribbons? As I began to turn away from our humble decor, I glimpsed a red, heart-shaped ornament with a simple phrase scripted on it— Jesus, My Savior.  How could I have forgotten that my family and my hope in Christ are the reasons I love celebrating Christmas? Our simple tree looked nothing like the trees in the storefronts, but the love behind every decoration made ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 22,  CURLING UP WITH THE GOOD BOOK Alyson Kieda All Scripture is God-breathed.  2 Timothy 3:16 2 Timothy 3:14–17 Micah 6–7; Revelation 13 The small country of Iceland is a nation of readers. In fact, it’s reported that each year this nation publishes and reads more books per person than any other country. On Christmas Eve, it’s a tradition for Icelanders to give books to family and friends and then read long into the night. This tradition dates back to World War II, when imports were restricted but paper was cheap. Icelandic publishers began flooding the market with new titles in late fall. Now a catalog of the country’s new releases is sent to every Icelandic home in mid-November. This tradition is known as the Christmas Book Flood. We can be thankful God blessed so many with the ability to craft a good story and to educate, inspire, or motivate others through their words. There’s nothing like a good book! The best-selling book of all, the Bible,...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 21, Sunday WHAT TO NAME THE BABY Dave Branon The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah 9:2–7 Micah 4–5; Revelation 12 Here’s one conversation Mary didn’t have to have with Joseph as they awaited the birth of the baby she was carrying: “Joseph, what should we name the baby?” Unlike most people awaiting a birth, they had no question about what they would call this child. The angels who visited Mary and then Joseph told them both that the baby’s name would be Jesus (Matthew 1:20–21; Luke 1:30–31). The angel that appeared to Joseph explained that this name indicated that the baby would “save his people from their sins.” He would also be called “Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), which means “God is with us,” because He would be God in human form—deity wrapped in swaddling clothes. The prophet Isaiah revealed additional titles of “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6), ...