Thursday, April 10, 2008

Dial Daily Bread

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread":

With One Grand Exception since Eden, every human soul has been born
with a heart empty of love (agape). Only Jesus in the stable in
Bethlehem was agape in human flesh because He was God in human flesh,
and “God is agape” (1 John 4:8). We all need our empty, naturally
self-loving hearts to be filled with agape. “The love of God [agape]
has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to
us” (Rom. 5:5). There is nothing the Holy Spirit likes to do more than
“pour” agape into empty human hearts!

In 1 John 4 the righteous and the wicked are the one who “knows God”
and “he that is not of God” and “does not know God” (vss. 6, 8). It’s
clear: our final exam when we “appear before the judgment seat of
Christ” will consist of one question--have you learned to love with
agape? (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 John 4:7).

It’s interesting that on the eve of Valentine’s Day the media reported
the recent scientific findings that a broken heart can kill. The usual
cause of a broken heart is love betrayed, leaving a person bereft,
forsaken, and hopeless. It was His broken heart that killed Jesus on
His cross when He cried out, “My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt.
27:46). We know well the stories of suicides caused by abandonment in
forsaken marriages. The police report may not be able to tell the
truth; God’s record book will record “murder.”

But being forsaken in human love is not really the problem: it’s the
awful fear of being forsaken by God also (it’s very real!). If you have
suffered a disappointment in love, stay close to the cross of Jesus.

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to
subscribe.
The "Dial Daily Bread" web page resides at:
http://1888message.org/daily bread/