Dial Daily Bread

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread":

We have long pondered the wonderful time when the earth will be
lightened with the glory of the final “most precious message” of
the gospel (Rev. 18). We have known that the Bible says it will be a
“short work” (Rom. 9:28).

Now we have a little illustration of how “short” may be the way the
Lord may choose to work. Alone, 26 year old Ashley Smith near Atlanta
found herself suddenly confronted with a wild murderer who made her his
captive. Frightened of course, her knowledge of the gospel enabled her
to recover her faith in Christ and banish her natural fear. She
realized that this crazed man with his gun, Brian Nichols, was still a
human being for whom the Lord Jesus had given Himself, as well as He
had given Himself for her. She was enabled to sense a concern for him!
She talked to him calmly about his soul. Yes, he had brought upon
himself now the guilt of multiple murders, but Jesus Christ was still
his Savior awaiting Brian’s repentance. She conveyed that truth to
the desperate man.

The murderer was hungry, so she fried some eggs for a breakfast for
him. Looking him in the eye as one soul saved by the grace of Christ
speaking to another who had been saved by the same sacrifice, she
persuaded him to do the right thing, and give himself up. The grace of
God enabled her to trust the criminal’s sincerity, which meant her
life was saved and so was his. Let us pray that as he spends his life in
prison, his soul will be saved.

The front page news story has thrilled the nation. The version of the
gospel message that is being touted worldwide in these few days since
the story happened is that of Pastor Rick Warren’s book, THE
PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE. It had gripped Ashley Smith’s heart. By yielding
to a conviction of truth that she was able to understand, she became a
spokesperson for the gospel as she understood it, gaining suddenly an
audience greater than probably all the public evangelists in the world
combined.

The lesson for us: let’s study what is “the truth of the gospel”
as it is “in Christ,” receiving that agape that “casts out fear,” and
thus be ready always to witness for Him (Gal. 2:5; Eph. 4:15; 1 John 4:18).
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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