Foursquare Gospel Church Igbosere (Chapel of Blessing)

OUR DAILY BREAD January 1, 2019 Tuesday NEW YEAR, NEW PRIORITIES Poh Fang Chia Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.  Ecclesiastes 9:10 Ecclesiastes 9:4–12 Genesis 1–3; Matthew 1 I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the cello. But I’ve never found the time to enroll in a class. Or, perhaps more accurately, I haven’t made the time for it. I had thought that in heaven I could probably master that instrument. In the meantime, I wanted to focus on using my time in the particular ways God has called me to serve Him now. Life is short, and we often feel the pressure to make the most of our time on Earth before it slips away. But what does that really mean?  As King Solomon contemplated the meaning of life, he offered two recommendations. First, we’re to live in the most meaningful way we can, which includes fully enjoying the good things God allows us to experience in life, such as food and drink (Ecclesiastes 9:7), clothing and perfume (v. 8...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 31, 2018 Monday THE MESSENGER Amy Boucher Pye I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.  Malachi 3:1 Malachi 3:1–5 Malachi 1–4; Revelation 22 “I have a message for you!” A woman working at the conference I was attending handed me a piece of paper, and I wondered if I should be nervous or excited. But when I read, “You have a nephew!” I knew I could rejoice. Messages can bring good news, bad news, or words that challenge. In the Old Testament, God used His prophets to communicate messages of hope or judgment. But when we look closely, we see that even His words of judgment were intended to lead to repentance, healing, and restoration. Both types of messages appear in Malachi 3 when the Lord promised to send a messenger who would prepare the way for Him. John the Baptist announced the coming of the true Messenger, Jesus (see Matthew 3:11)—“the messenger of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1) who will fulfill God’s promises. But H...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 30, 2018 ALL DAY THINGS NEW James Banks If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17 Revelation 21:1–7 Zechariah 13–14; Revelation 21 Junkyards intrigue me. I enjoy working on cars, so I frequently make trips to the one near our home. It’s a lonely place, where the wind whispers through discarded hulks that were once someone’s prized possession. Some were wrecked, some wore out, and others simply outlived their usefulness. As I walk between the rows, a car will sometimes catch my eye, and I’ll find myself wondering about the adventures it had during its “lifetime.” Like a portal to the past, each has a story to tell—of human hankering after the latest model and the inescapable passage of time. But I take particular pleasure in finding new life for an old part. Whenever I can take something discarded and give it new life in a restored vehicle, it feels like a small victory against time a...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 29, 2018 Saturday WHEN GOD SAYS NO Leslie Koh In perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.  Isaiah 25:1 Isaiah 25:1–5 Zechariah 9–12; Revelation 20 When I was conscripted into the military at age eighteen, as all young Singaporean men are, I prayed desperately for an easy posting. A clerk or driver, perhaps. Not being particularly strong, I hoped to be spared the rigors of combat training. But one evening as I read my Bible, one verse leaped off the page: “My grace is sufficient for you . . .” (2 Corinthians 12:9). My heart dropped—but it shouldn’t have. God had answered my prayers. Even if I received a difficult assignment, He would provide for me. So I ended up as an armored infantryman, doing things I didn’t always enjoy. Looking back now, I’m grateful God didn’t give me what I wanted. The training and experience toughened me physically and mentally and gave me confidence to enter adulthood. In Isaiah 25:1–...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 28, 2018 Friday GOOD RIDDANCE DAY Marvin Williams As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12 Psalm 103:1–12 Zechariah 5–8; Revelation 19 Since 2006 a group of people have celebrated an unusual event around the New Year. It’s called Good Riddance Day. Based on a Latin American tradition, individuals write down unpleasant, embarrassing memories and bad issues from the past year and throw them into an industrial-strength shredder. Or some take a sledgehammer to their good riddance item. The writer of Psalm 103 goes beyond suggesting that people say good riddance to unpleasant memories. He reminded us that God bids good riddance to our sins. In his attempt to express God’s vast love for His people, the psalmist used word pictures. He compared the vastness of God’s love to the distance between the heavens and the earth (v. 11). Then the psalmist talked about His forgiveness in...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 27, 2018 Thursday THE HIGHEST PLACE Keila Ochoa He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:17 Colossians 1:15–23 Zechariah 1–4; Revelation 18 My husband invited a friend to church. After the service his friend said, “I liked the songs and the atmosphere, but I don’t get it. Why do you give Jesus such a high place of honor?” My husband then explained to him that Christianity is a relationship with Christ. Without Him, Christianity would be meaningless. It’s because of what Jesus has done in our lives that we meet together and praise Him. Who is Jesus and what has He done? The apostle Paul answered this question in Colossians 1. No one has seen God, but Jesus came to reflect and reveal Him (v. 15). Jesus, as the Son of God, came to die for us and free us from sin. Sin has separated us from God’s holiness, so peace could only be made through someone perfect. That was Jesus (vv. 14, 20). In other words, Jesus has giv...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 26, 2018 Wednesday JUST ANOTHER DAY? Tim Gustafson The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.  Acts 3:13 Acts 3:17–26 Haggai 1–2; Revelation 17 In  Christmas Every Day,  William Dean Howells tells of a little girl who gets her wish. For one long, horrible year it is indeed Christmas every day. By day three, the yuletide joy has already begun to wear thin. Before long everyone hates candy. Turkeys become scarce and sell for outrageous prices. Presents are no longer received with gratitude as they pile up everywhere. People angrily snap at each other. Thankfully, Howell’s story is just a satirical tale. But what an incredible blessing that the subject of the Christmas celebration never wearies us despite the fact that we see Him throughout the Bible. After Jesus had ascended to His Father, the apostle Peter proclaimed to a crowd at the temple in Jerusalem that Jesus was the one Moses fo...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 25, 2018 Tuesday WINTER SNOW Lisa Samra He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break.  Isaiah 42:2–3 Isaiah 42:1–4 Zephaniah 1–3; Revelation 16 In winter, I often wake to the beautiful surprise of a world blanketed in the peace and quiet of an early morning snow. Not loudly like a spring thunderstorm that announces its presence in the night, snow comes softly. In “Winter Snow Song,” Audrey Assad sings that Jesus could have come to earth in power like a hurricane, but instead He came quietly and slowly like the winter snow falling softly in the night outside my window. Jesus’s arrival took many by quiet surprise. Instead of being born in a palace, He was born in an unlikely place, a humble dwelling outside Bethlehem. And He slept in the only bed available, a manger (Luke 2:7). Instead of being attended by royalty and government officials, Jesus was welcomed by lowly shepherds (vv. 15–16). Inste...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 24, 2018 Monday PONDER IT David C. McCasland Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  Luke 2:19 Luke 2:8–20 Habakkuk 1–3; Revelation 15 During Oswald Chambers’ years at the Bible Training College in London (1911–15), he often startled the students with things he said during his lectures. One young woman explained that because discussion was reserved for the following mealtime together, Chambers would frequently be bombarded with questions and objections. She recalled that Oswald would often simply smile and say, “Just leave it for now; it will come to you later.” He encouraged them to ponder the issues and allow God to reveal His truth to them. To ponder something is to concentrate and think deeply about it. After the events leading to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, followed by the appearance of angels and the shepherds who came to see the Messiah, “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 23, 2018 Sunday  IN ABUNDANCE OR AFFLICTION Kirsten Holmberg The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.  Job 1:21 Job 1:13–22 Nahum 1–3; Revelation 14 Ann Voskamp’s book  One Thousand Gifts encourages readers to search their lives each day for what the Lord has done for them. In it, she daily notes God’s abundant generosity to her in gifts both large and small, ranging from the simple beauty of iridescent bubbles in the dish sink to the incomparable salvation of sinners like herself (and the rest of us!). Ann contends that gratitude is the key to seeing God in even the most troubling of life’s moments. Job is famous for a life of such “troubling” moments. Indeed, his losses were deep and many. Just moments after losing all his livestock, he learns of the simultaneous death of all his ten children. Job’s profound grief was evidenced in his response: he “tore his robe a...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 22, 2018 Saturday HOPE OUR STRATEGY Adam Holz But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.  Micah 7:7 Micah 7:1–7 Micah 6–7; Revelation 13 My favorite football team has lost eight consecutive games as I write this. With each loss, it’s harder to hope this season can be redeemed for them. The coach has made changes weekly, but they haven’t resulted in wins. Talking with my coworkers, I’ve joked that merely wanting a different outcome can’t guarantee it. “Hope is not a strategy,” I’ve quipped. That’s true in football. But in our spiritual lives, it’s just the opposite. Not only is cultivating hope in God a strategy, but clinging to Him in faith and trust is the  only  strategy. This world often disappoints us, but hope can anchor us in God’s truth and power during the turbulent times. Micah understood this reality. He was heartbroken by how Israel had turned away from God. “What m...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 21, 2018 Friday DON’T BE AFRAID! Philip Yancey The kingdom of God has come near.  Mark 1:15 Luke 2:42–52 Micah 4–5; Revelation 12 Nearly every time an angel appears in the Bible, the first words he says are “Don’t be afraid!” Little wonder. When the supernatural makes contact with planet Earth, it usually leaves the human observers flat on their faces in fear. But Luke tells of God making an appearance in a form that doesn’t frighten. In Jesus, born with the animals and laid in a feeding trough, God takes an approach that we need not fear. What could be less scary than a newborn baby? On Earth Jesus is both God and man. As God, He can work miracles, forgive sins, conquer death, and predict the future. But for Jews accustomed to images of God as a bright cloud or pillar of fire, Jesus also causes much confusion. How could a baby in Bethlehem, a carpenter’s son, a man from Nazareth, be the Messiah from God? Why does God take on human form? The scene...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 20, 2018 Thursday FOLLOWING THE LEADER Patricia Raybon Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  Luke 9:23 Luke 9:21–24 Micah 1–3; Revelation 11 In the sky over our house, three fighter jets scream through the sky—flying in formation so close together they appear to be one.  “ Wow ,”  I say to my husband, Dan. “Impressive,” he agrees. We live near an Air Force base and it’s not unusual to see such sights. Every time these jets fly over, however, I have the same question:  How can they fly so close together and not lose control? One obvious reason, I learned, is humility. Trusting that the lead pilot is traveling at precisely the correct speed and trajectory, the wing pilots surrender any desire to switch directions or question their leader’s path. Instead, they get in formation and closely follow. The result? A more powerful team. It’s no different for followers of Jesu...

OUR DAILY BREAD  December 19, 2018 Wednesday  A CHRISTMAS LETTER Amy Boucher Pye The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father.  John 1:14 John 1:1–14 Jonah 1–4; Revelation 10 Every Christmas, a friend of mine writes a long letter to his wife, reviewing the events of the year and dreaming about the future. He always tells her how much he loves her, and why. He also writes a letter to each of his daughters. His words of love make an unforgettable Christmas present. We could say that the original Christmas love letter was Jesus, the Word made flesh. John highlights this truth in his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). In ancient philosophy, the Greek for Word,  logos , suggested a divine mind or order that unites reality, but John expands the definition to reveal the Word as a  person : Jesus,...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 18, 2018 Tuesday THE GREAT AWAKENING David H. Roper God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  1 Thessalonians 4:14 Deuteronomy 34:1–8 Obadiah; Revelation 9 I have a treasured memory of gatherings with family friends when our boys were small. The adults would talk into the night; our children, weary with play would curl up on a couch or chair and fall asleep. When it was time to leave, I would gather our boys into my arms, carry them to the car, lay them in the back seat, and take them home. When we arrived, I would pick them up again, tuck them into their beds, kiss them goodnight, and turn out the light. In the morning they would awaken—at home. This has become a rich metaphor for me of the night on which we “sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14 kjv). We slumber . . . and awaken in our eternal home, the home that will heal the weariness that has marked our days. I came across an Old Testament text the other day that...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 17, 2018 Monday FROM SHAME TO HONOR Poh Fang Chia [The Lord] has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.  Luke 1:25 Luke 1:18–25 Amos 7–9; Revelation 8 It’s that time of the year again, when families gather to celebrate the festive season together. Some of us, however, dread meeting certain “concerned” relatives whose questions can make those who are still single or childless feel that there’s something wrong with them. Imagine the plight of Elizabeth, who was childless despite being married for many years. In her culture, that was seen as a sign of God’s disfavor (see 1 Samuel 1:5–6) and could actually be considered shameful. So while Elizabeth had been living righteously (Luke 1:6), her neighbors and relatives may have suspected otherwise. Nonetheless, Elizabeth and her husband continued to serve the Lord faithfully. Then, when both were well advanced in years, a miracle occurred. God heard her prayer (v. 13). He loves to ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 16, 2018 Sunday MIRRORS AND HEARERS Lawrence Darmani Whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it . . . will be blessed in what they do.  James 1:25 James 1:16–27 Amos 4–6; Revelation 7 When I emerged from my hotel in Kampala, Uganda, my hostess, who had come to pick me up for our seminar, looked at me with an amused grin. “What’s so funny?” I inquired. She laughed and asked, “Did you comb your hair?” It was my turn to laugh, for I had indeed forgotten to comb my hair. I’d looked at my reflection in the hotel mirror. How come I took no notice of what I saw? In a practical analogy, James gives us a useful dimension to make our study of Scripture more beneficial. We look in the mirror to examine ourselves to see if anything needs correction—hair combed, face washed, shirt properly buttoned. Like a mirror, the Bible helps us to examine our cha...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 15, 2018 Saturday MOSAIC OF BEAUTY Lisa Samra My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.  Luke 1:46–47 Luke 1:46–55 Amos 1–3; Revelation 6 Sitting in the courtyard of the Church of the Visitation in Ein Karem, Israel, I was overwhelmed with the beautiful display of sixty-seven mosaics containing the words of Luke 1:46–55 in as many languages. Traditionally known as the  Magnificat  from the Latin “to magnify,” these verses are Mary’s joyous response to the announcement that she will be the mother of the Messiah. Each plaque contains Mary’s words, including: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. . . . For the Mighty One has done great things for me” (vv. 46–49). The biblical hymn etched in the tiles is a song of praise as Mary recounts the faithfulness of God to her and the nation of Israel. A grateful recipient of God’s grace, Mary rejoices in her salvation (v. 47). She ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 14, 2018 Friday HEAVEN’S LOVE SONG Mart DeHaan We love him because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 Revelation 5:1–13 Joel 1–3; Revelation 5 In 1936, songwriter Billy Hill released a popular hit song titled “The Glory of Love.” Before long a nation was singing about the joy of doing even little things out of love for one another. Fifty years later, lyricist Peter Cetera wrote a more romantic song with a similar title. He imagined two people living forever, knowing together they did it all—for the glory of love. Revelation, the last book in the Bible, describes a new love song that will someday lift the voices of everyone in heaven and earth (Revelation 5:9, 13). The music begins, however, in a minor key of mourning. John, our narrator, cries, seeing no answer to all that has gone wrong with the world (vv. 3–4). But his mood brightens and the music builds to a crescendo (vv. 12–13) as John learns the real gl...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 13, 2018 Thursday THE “HOPE FOR A BABY” TREE Elisa Morgan His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22–23 Lamentations 3:1–3, 13–24 Hosea 12–14; Revelation 4 After wrapping the tree with clear twinkle lights, I tied pink and blue bows on its branches and christened it our “Hope for a Baby” Christmas tree. My husband and I had been waiting for a baby through adoption for more than four years. Surely by Christmas! Every morning I stopped at the tree and prayed, reminding myself of God’s faithfulness. On December 21 we received the news: no baby by Christmas. Devastated, I paused by the tree that had become a symbol of God’s provision.  Was God still faithful? Was I doing something wrong? At times, God’s apparent withholding results from His loving discipline. And other times God lovingly delays to renew our trust. In Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah describes God’s correction of...

OUR DAY BREAD December 12, 2018 Wednesday THE “NO-SECRET” SECRET Randy Kilgore I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  Romans 7:15 Romans 7:14–25 Hosea 9–11; Revelation 3 A coworker confessed to me that he didn’t think he was “Jesus material.” I listened as he described what he called his “comfortable, narcissistic” life, and how it didn’t satisfy him. “But here’s my problem, I’ve been trying to be good, even caring, but it isn’t working. It seems that the very things I want to do, I can’t do, and the things I want to stop doing, I just keep doing.” “What’s your secret?” he asked me in complete sincerity. “My secret,” I answered, “is that there is no secret. I’m as powerless to live up to God’s standards as you are, which is why we need Jesus.”  I pulled out a Bible and showed him “his” quote as the apostle Paul expressed it in Romans 7:15. Paul’s words of frustration often resonate with both pre-Christians  and ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 11, 2018 Tuesday EXPECT THE MESSIAH Patricia Raybon “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary?”  Matthew 13:55 Matthew 13:53–58 Hosea 5–8; Revelation 2 The repairman looked young—too young to fix our problem, a car that wouldn’t start. “He’s just a kid,” my husband, Dan, whispered to me, showing his doubt. His disbelief in the young man sounded like the grumbling in Nazareth where citizens doubted who Jesus was. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” they asked (Matthew 13:55) when Jesus taught in the synagogue. Scoffing, they were surprised to hear that someone they knew was healing and teaching, and asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” (v. 54). Instead of trusting in Jesus, they were offended by the authority He displayed (vv. 15, 58). In this same way, we may struggle to trust in ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 10, 2018 Monday “THE LORD’S” Arthur Jackson The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Romans 8:16 Isaiah 44:1–5 Hosea 1–4; Revelation 1 It doesn’t take much to notice that getting “inked” is very popular these days. Some tattoos are so small that one barely notices them. Others—from athletes to actors to everyday people—have opted to cover much of their bodies with multicolored inks, words, and designs. The trend seems like it’s here to stay, a trend that netted $3 billion in revenue in 2014—and an additional $66 million for tattoo removal.  Regardless of how you may feel about tattoos, Isaiah 44 speaks metaphorically about people writing something on their hands: “The Lord’s” (v. 5). This “self-tattoo” is the climax of an entire paragraph that speaks of the Lord’s care for those He had chosen (v. 1). They could count on His help (v. 2); and their land and descendants were marked for blessing (v. 3). Two ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 9, 2018 Sunday STEADFAST LOVE Amy Peterson Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.  Psalm 136:1 Psalm 136:1–9 Daniel 11–12; Jude “I love you!” my dad called out as I slammed the car door and headed into school. I was in sixth grade, and for months we had played out basically the same scenario every morning. We arrived at school, Dad said, “Have a great day! I love you!” and all I said was “Bye.” I wasn’t angry with him or ignoring him. I was simply so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn’t notice his words. Nevertheless, my dad’s love remained steadfast. God’s love is like that—and more. It endures forever. The Hebrew word that expresses this steadfast kind of love is  hesed . It’s used over and over again in the Old Testament, and twenty-six times in Psalm 136 alone! No modern word can fully capture the meaning; we translate it “kindness,” “loving-kindness,” “mercy,” or “loyalty.”  Hesed  is a ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 8, 2018 Saturday HOME Dave Branon In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  John 14:2 nkjv John 14:1-6 Daniel 8–10; 3 John Recently a friend who sold homes for a living died of cancer. As my wife and I reminisced about Patsy, Sue recalled that many years ago Patsy had led a man to faith in Jesus and he became a good friend of ours. How encouraging to recall that Patsy not only helped families find homes to live in here in our community, but she also helped others make sure they had an eternal home. As Jesus prepared to go to the cross for us, He showed a keen interest in our eternal accommodations. He told His disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you” and reminded them that there would be plenty of room in His Father’s house for all who trusted Him (John 14:2 nkjv). We love to have a nice home in this life—a special place for our family to eat, sleep, and enjoy...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 7, 2018 Friday GOD’S HIDDEN HAND Poh Fang Chia All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  Psalm 139:16 Psalm 139:13–18 Daniel 5–7; 2 John My friend was adopted by a missionary couple from the United States and grew up in Ghana. After his family moved back to the US, he began college but had to drop out. Later, he signed on with the military, which eventually helped him pay for college and took him all over the world. Through it all, God was at work, preparing him for a special role. Today, he writes and edits Christian literature that ministers to an international audience.  His wife also has an interesting story. She failed her chemistry exams during her first year of college due to the strong medication she had to take for epilepsy. After some careful deliberation, she switched from studying science to studying American Sign Language, which had a more manageable workload. Reflecting on that ...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 6, 2018 Thursday LONELY CHRISTMAS Lawrence Darmani My eyes are ever on the Lord.  Psalm 25:15 Psalm 25:14–22 Daniel 3–4; 1 John 5 The loneliest Christmas I ever spent was in my grandfather’s cottage near Sakogu, northern Ghana. I was just fifteen, and my parents and siblings were a thousand kilometers away. In previous years, when I’d been with them and my village friends, Christmas was always big and memorable. But this Christmas was quiet and lonely. As I lay on my floor mat early Christmas morning, I remembered a local song:  The year has ended; Christmas has come; the Son of God is born; peace and joy to everybody.  Mournfully, I sang it over and over. My grandmother came and asked, “What song is that?” My grandparents didn’t know about Christmas—or about Christ. So I shared what I knew about Christmas with them. Those moments brightened my loneliness. Alone in the fields with only sheep and occasional predators, the shepherd ...

OIR DAILY BREAD December 5, 2018 Wednesday A HAND UP Kirsten Holmberg If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  Ecclesiastes 4:10 Ecclesiastes 4:8–12 Daniel 1–2; 1 John 4 My children have enjoyed the thrill of a backyard ice-skating rink during our cold Idaho winters. When they were young, learning to skate was challenging: persuading them to deliberately set foot on the hard, icy surface proved difficult because they knew the pain of falling. Each time their feet slid out from under them, my husband or I would reach out to pull them again to their feet, setting them upright and steadying their frames. Having someone there to help us up when we fall is the gift of a helping hand depicted in Ecclesiastes. Working with another makes our work sweeter and more effective (4:9), and a friend brings warmth to our lives. When we encounter challenges, it helps to have someone come alongside with practical and emotional support. These relationships can give us stre...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 4, 2018 Tuesday QUESTIONS AT CHRISTMAS Tim Gustafson “But what about you?” [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15 Matthew 16:13–21 Ezekiel 47–48; 1 John 3 Well before the calendar flips to December, Christmas cheer begins to bubble up in our northern town. A medical office drapes its trees and shrubs in close-fitting strings of lights, each a different color, illuminating a breathtaking nighttime landscape. Another business decorates its building to look like an enormous, extravagantly wrapped Christmas present. It’s difficult to turn anywhere without seeing evidence of Christmas spirit—or at least seasonal marketing. Some people love these lavish displays. Others take a more cynical view. But the crucial question isn’t how others observe Christmas. Rather, we each need to consider what the celebration means to us. A little more than thirty years after His birth, Jesus asked His discip...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 3, 2018 Monday THANKS FOR BEING YOU! Xochitl Dixon Enter his gates with thanksgiving. Psalm 100:4 Psalm 100 Ezekiel 45–46; 1 John 2 When I served as my mom’s live-in caregiver at a cancer center, I got to know Lori, another caregiver who lived down the hallway from us with her husband, Frank. I would chat, laugh, vent, cry, and pray with Lori in the shared living areas. We enjoyed supporting each other as we cared for our loved ones. One day, I missed the free shuttle that took residents to buy groceries. Lori offered to drive me to the store later that evening. With grateful tears, I accepted her offer. “Thanks for being you,” I said. I truly appreciated her for who she was as a person, not just for what she did for me as a friend. Psalm 100 demonstrates an appreciation of God for who He is, not simply for all He does. The psalmist invites “all the earth” (v. 1) to “worship the Lord with gladness” (v. 2)...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 2, 2018 Sunday  A SAFE PLACE Bill Crowder I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.  Psalm 17:6 Psalm 17:1–9 Ezekiel 42–44; 1 John 1 My brothers and I grew up on a wooded hillside in West Virginia that provided a fertile landscape for our imaginations. Whether swinging from vines like Tarzan or building tree houses like the Swiss Family Robinson, we played out the scenarios we found in the stories we read and movies we watched. One of our favorites was building forts and then pretending we were safe from attack. Years later, my kids built forts out of blankets, sheets, and pillows—constructing their own “safe place” against imaginary enemies. It seems almost instinctive to want a hiding place where you can feel safe and secure. When David, the singer-poet of Israel, sought a safe place, he looked no further than God. Psalm 17:8 asserts, “[God,] keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shad...

OUR DAILY BREAD December 1, 2018 Saturday GOD HEARS Alyson Kieda Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12 Romans 12:9–21 Ezekiel 40–41; 2 Peter 3 Diane listened as the others in the group asked for prayers for their family members and friends facing challenges or illness. She had a family member who had been struggling with an addiction for years. But Diane kept her request silent. She couldn’t bear to see the looks on people’s faces or hear the questions or advice that often followed whenever she spoke the words aloud. She felt that this request was usually better left unspoken. Others simply didn’t understand how her loved one could be a believer in Jesus and still struggle daily. Although Diane didn’t share her request with that group, she did have a few trusted friends she asked to pray with her. Together they asked God to set her loved one free from the very real bondage of addiction that he might experience freedom in Christ—and...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 30, 2018 Friday HONORING GOD WITH THANKS Patricia Raybon Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.  Psalm 50:15 Psalm 50:8–15 Ezekiel 37–39; 2 Peter 2 The doctor wasn’t frowning, despite talking to my husband about his recent cancer diagnosis. Smiling, she offered a suggestion: start each day by giving thanks. “For at least three things,” the doctor said.  Dan agreed, knowing that gratitude opens our hearts to find encouragement in God’s goodness. Thus, Dan starts each day with words of praise.  Thank You, God, for a good night’s sleep. For my clean bed. For sunshine. For breakfast on the table. For a smile on my lips. Each word is heartfelt. But could it sound trivial? Does our praise in life’s small details matter to Almighty God? In Psalm 50, David’s chief musician, Asaph, offers a clear answer. God has “no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens” (v. 9). Instead of these once-formal...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 29, 2018 Thursday LORD OF THE MOMENT James Banks In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.  Proverbs 16:9 2 Kings 8:1–6 Ezekiel 35–36; 2 Peter 1 Not long ago I was working on a construction project at my son’s home three hours away. The job took days longer than expected, and each morning I prayed we would finish by sunset. But every evening there was more to be done. I wondered why. Could there be a reason for the delay? An answer came the next morning. I was picking up a tool when my phone rang and a stranger’s voice spoke urgently: “Your daughter was injured in an accident. You need to come immediately.” She lived near my son, so it took just fourteen minutes to reach her. If I had been home, I would have been three hours away. I followed the ambulance to the hospital and comforted her before surgery. As I sat holding her hand I realized if my project hadn’t been delayed, I wouldn’t have been ther...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 28, 2018 Wednesday A SOLID FOUNDATION Amy Peterson Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  Matthew 7:24 Matthew 7:24–27 Ezekiel 33–34; 1 Peter 5 Last summer my husband and I toured Fallingwater, a house in rural Pennsylvania designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Wright wanted to create a home that rose organically out of the landscape, as if it could have grown there—and he accomplished his goal. He built the house around an existing waterfall, and its style mirrors the neighboring rock ledges. Our tour guide explained what made the construction safe: “The whole vertical core of the house,” she said, “rests on boulders.” Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’s words to His disciples. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told them that what He was teaching would be the sure foundation for their l...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 27, 2018 Tuesday PUTTING UP HAY David H. Roper Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven.  Romans 4:7 Luke 15:11–24 Ezekiel 30–32; 1 Peter 4 When I was in college, I worked a summer on a ranch in Colorado. One evening, tired and hungry after a long day of mowing hay, I drove the tractor into the yard. Acting like the hot shot I thought I was, I cranked the steering wheel hard left, stamped on the left brake, and spun the tractor around.  The sickle was down and swept the legs out from under a 500-gallon gasoline tank standing nearby. The tank hit the ground with a resounding boom, the seams split, and all the gasoline spewed out. The rancher stood nearby surveying the scene. I got off the tractor, stammered an apology, and—because it was the first thing that popped into my mind—offered to work the rest of the summer without pay.  The old rancher stared at the wreckage for a moment and turned toward the house. “Let’s go have...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 26, 2018 Monday GOD IS HERE Lisa Samra Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him.  Hosea 6:3 Hosea 6:1–6 Ezekiel 27–29; 1 Peter 3 A plaque in our home states “Bidden or not bidden, God is present.” A modern version might read, “Acknowledged or unacknowledged, God is here.” Hosea, an Old Testament prophet who lived in the late eighth century bc (755–715), wrote similar words to the Hebrew nation. He encouraged the Israelites to “press on” (Hosea 6:3) to acknowledge God because they had forgotten Him (4:1). As the people forgot God’s presence, they began to turn away from Him (v. 12) and before long there was no room for God in their thoughts (see Psalm 10:4). Hosea’s simple but profound insight to acknowledge God reminds us He’s near and at work in our lives, in both the joys and struggles. To acknowledge God might mean that when we get a promotion at work, we recognize God gave us insight to finish...

OUR DAILY BTRAD November 25, 2018 Sunday QUIET WITNESS Keila Ochoa Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors.  1 Peter 2:12 nlt 1 Peter 2:11–21 Ezekiel 24–26; 1 Peter 2 Amy lives in a closed country where it’s forbidden to preach the gospel. She’s a trained nurse who works in a big hospital, caring for newborn babies. She’s such a committed professional that her work stands out, and many women are curious about her. They are moved to ask her questions in private. It’s then that Amy shares about her Savior openly. Because of her good work, some co-workers were envious and accused her of stealing some medicine. Her superiors didn’t believe them, and authorities eventually found the culprit. This episode led some of her fellow nurses to ask about her faith. Her example reminds me of what Peter says: “Dear friends . . . . Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honora...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 24, 2018 Saturday A CONSTANT HELPER Jennifer Benson Schuldt [The Holy Spirit] will remind you of everything I have said to you.  John 14:26 John 14:15–26 Ezekiel 22–23; 1 Peter 1 After a spinal injury left Marty paralyzed, he decided to go back to school to earn his MBA. Marty’s mother, Judy, helped make his goal a reality. She sat with him through every lecture and study group, jotting notes and handling technology issues. She even assisted him onto the platform when he received his diploma. What might have been unattainable became possible with the consistent, practical help Marty received. Jesus knew His followers would need a similar kind of support after He left the earth. When He told them about His upcoming absence, He said they would gain a new kind of connection with God through the Holy Spirit. This Spirit would be a moment-by-moment helper—a teacher and guide who would not only live  with  them but also ...

OUR DAILY BREAD November 23, 2018 Friday A MOTHER’S LOVE Leslie Koh He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  Psalm 91:15 Psalm 91:1–6 Ezekiel 20–21; James 5 When Sue’s parents divorced when she was young, the legal tussle over her custody and other matters resulted in her being sent to a children’s home for a while. Bullied by bigger kids, she felt lonely and abandoned. Her mother visited only once a month, and she hardly saw her father. It was only years later, however, that her mother told her that while the home’s rules prevented her from visiting more often, she had stood at the fence every single day, hoping to catch a glimpse of her daughter. “Sometimes,” she said, “I would just watch you playing in the garden, just to check if you were okay.” When Sue shared this story, it gave me a glimpse of God’s love. Sometimes we may feel abandoned and alone in our struggles. How comforting it is to know...