Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Does the Lord practice with us as individuals what He likes to do in "calling those things which do not exist" as though they do exist? (cf. Rom. 4:17).
He did with Abraham, you remember, telling Him that He had already "made [him] a father of many nations" when it sounded wildly impossible.
If Abraham is "the father of us all" (Rom. 4:16), that would suggest that the Lord does speak of us not as what we are now but as what we will become, by His grace through faith (Eph. 2:8, 9). In Psalm 139 He tells us that when we were in the womb He saw what we would become as adults (vss. 15, 16). And the idea is not a negative one; He saw what noble men and women we would become through the faith of Jesus, highly honored in this life and in His coming kingdom. Our mistakes and failures will be buried in the depths of the sea, deeper than the Titanic.
God "saw" humbled, childless Abraham as the prestigious "father of many nations," the "father" yet to be; He sees you and me, not as we are today, but as occupying a high position in His kingdom. All to be by His grace, through the faith of Jesus which we have embraced as ours.
For us to believe this now is not to become arrogant, proud, or self-sufficient; such new covenant faith does not feed our self-esteem. But it does establish our true self-respect, "in Christ." We are "somebody," not for what we are by nature or by our own achievement, but for what we will be in new covenant faith in Christ.
The "true Light, which lights every man who comes into the world" (John 1:9), shines into the heart as a fulfillment of what Genesis 3:15 says--a God-given "enmity" against the "serpent." Our humanity has been redeemed but we do not realize it until we understand and believe the gospel. But in every human being the Holy Spirit has imparted a sense of right and wrong and a deeply buried desire for righteousness and truth. Satan wars against this God-given yearning; but to each of us is given the power of choice. We can let the Holy Spirit purify these roots deep in our souls. We can continually pray the never-denied prayer--"Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24). Such faith "works by love" which constrains us to live "henceforth" not unto self, but to a life of obedience to the One who died our second death (Gal. 5:6; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15). "By grace, through faith."
Those deep-seated yearnings of your soul coincide with God's new covenant promises for you. Choose to believe His promises, and walk out into the sunshine.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 19, 2006.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Google has searched out, for all of us, enormous amounts of information; everybody's computer has become a university at your fingertips.
It's a moot question among Bible students what Daniel means in 12:4: "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased" (KJV is a simple, direct translation).
It's obvious that the "increase of knowledge" comes in "the time of the end" when the book is unsealed; so the question is, is it knowledge of what the book of Daniel means, or is it secular Google-indexed knowledge in general?
It's obvious that it was the Lord's intention that people who witnessed the ushering in of "the time of the end" should also witness the "all things" of Matthew 24:33 that mean seriously that the second coming of Jesus "is near, even at the doors."
We also believe that the Lord is faithful: "God is love" (1 John 4:8), which means He does not deceive or abuse His people who reverence His word. He won't tease and torment them with constant exhortations, "it's near, even at the door," when He Himself has no intention that it should be. It would be cruel for Him to keep His own private dictionary that defines "near" in an opposite way that all human language means.
In other words, the language of Daniel 12:4 (and 11:33-35) and Matthew 24 is straightforward and honest: "near" does not mean century after century after century, that there should be no "end of the world" that the disciples asked Jesus about. His second "coming" and "the end of the world" are synonymous (Matt. 24:3), and He devotes whole chapters in the Gospels to telling about it.
Daniel in his "unsealed" "open" state is not hard to understand; God never intended it to be a crosswords trap of futility. Jesus plainly said that anyone who "reads" it can "understand" it (Matt. 24:15). The constant explosion of "knowledge" includes much supposedly "new light" in understanding Daniel and Revelation; but beware. Much of it may be clever ideas that appear plausible but in the end deny basic truth. Hang on to the "more sure word of prophecy," the only "light that shines in a dark place" (2 Peter 1:19).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 17, 2007.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The "gospel of self-esteem" is different from "the gospel of self-respect." The latter is from the Lord; the former is a snare.
Both are mentioned in Romans 12:3 where the inspired apostle pleads with us: "I say through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think." In other words, be careful: don't give yourself an overdose of "self-esteem" thinking! Thank God for "the grace" that was given to "our beloved brother Paul" (2 Peter 3:15). He will discourage no one; all he knows how to do is to encourage people like you and me.
So, on the other hand, he says don't dig a hole and crawl into it: you're worth an infinite price. Paul goes on to preach to us the gospel of self-respect: but "through the grace given to me, [I say] to everyone that is among you, … think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure [metron, Greek] of faith." One humble servant has spent over ninety years "in school" seeking to learn how to "think soberly" about himself. Still seeking to learn but thankful for whatever "measure" of sobriety the Lord grants.
A good place to start learning is Psalm 139:
(a) Your heavenly Father knows you in and out (but still loves you, amazing! (vss. 1-6).
(b) He "formed [your] inward parts ... in [your] mother's womb" (vss. 13-15). That means He engineered the intricate mechanisms of your conscious and unconscious mental functions, the interplay of your emotions and senses of heart-appreciation.
(c) He put you together from a divinely invented Blueprint (vs. 16). No one else on earth was to be or has been exactly like you. You are something special; that's good.
(d) Run away from Him today and you're back in His school tomorrow (vss. 7-10).
(e) Your moments of deepest depression (I wish Abraham Lincoln could have listened to this Good News!) are not dark with despair; your heavenly Father's "hand" is on you in your darkness where faith is still working (vss. 9-12).
(f) It does you worlds of good to know that a friend is just thinking of you, remembering you, in your hour of deep personal trial. Think of your heavenly Father--thinking a thousand thoughts about you, all of them full of grace (vss. 17, 18).
(g) Now, be happy: stop being afraid to let Him search your heart (vss. 23, 24).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 16, 2007.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The apostle Paul has given us priceless counsel: "I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" (Rom. 12:3). You and I are not excused from listening.
But if he stops there in the middle of his sentence, he leaves me in such a state of self-depreciation and unworthiness, that life could become a hell on earth. How highly should I "think of myself"? I have sinned (Rom. 3:23); I "am less than the least of all saints" (Eph. 3:8); I have no "righteousness of my own" (Phil. 3:9); not only am I a sinner, I "am the chief of sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15); my natural-born unbelief merits for me "condemnation" because I "have loved darkness rather than light" (John 3:18, 19); "woe is me, for I am undone" (Isa. 6:5).
But Paul doesn't stop half-way through that sentence. He continues: while I am to think of myself in a humble way, I am also to "think soberly, as God has dealt to each one [including me!] a measure of faith." (1) No matter how much I have sinned, how unworthy I am, God has given me an appropriate personal gift of faith. (2) He respects and honors my personality (Psalm 139:5-18). (3) He has already died my second death (Heb. 2:9). (4) Thus He has elected me to eternal salvation (Eph. 1:4-6), (5) not willing that I should perish (1 Tim. 2:4). (6) If I simply tell the truth, Christ is already my "Savior, ... especially" if I "believe" (1 Tim. 4:10; John 4:42). (7) Therefore I am invited to the great banquet of "the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:9) where there is a place card with my name on it--all by virtue of Christ's sacrifice on His cross when He went to hell to find me.
Does this mean that I shall continue living in sin, rebellion, and transgression of God's holy law? If the love (agape) of Christ constrains and motivates me, I CAN'T live for self (2 Cor. 5:14, 15), for the Holy Spirit is stronger than my own sinful nature that I was born with (Gal. 5:16, 17), and the much more abounding grace of Christ is stronger than the world's abounding sin (Rom. 5:20).
Yes, if I get a glimpse of the cross of Christ, I know that I belong there instead of Him, I deserve what He suffered; I confess it, and lo, "I am crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20).
And that "measure of faith" that God has given me makes me live "risen with Christ" (Rom. 6:5).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 4, 2004.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
With hundreds of different Christian denominations in the world, how can you know which one is right? Is there one with teachings you can stake your life on? Of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity, can you be sure which one is true? This writer is positive that the Biblical Christ is the Savior of the world. And He ordained His apostles to proclaim His true gospel message to the world.
But what to do about conflicts in "Christian" churches? Is the Bible clear that one is correct? (It is crystal clear that the issue of "the mark of the beast" will catalyze humanity, Rev. 13:11-18. We'll have to know how to sort out claims and differentiate between truth and counterfeits.)
And what do you do when you are convinced there is one true "remnant church" designated for these last days (Rev. 12:17; 14:12), and yet it is also riven with controversy and disunion?
In the days of Christ, He was clear that "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22); the true church was that Temple in Jerusalem which He said was "My Father's house" (2:16). But He split that "church" wide open with controversy. If you had been living there you would have wondered how this lowly man from Nazareth could be right and the great theologians and leaders in the Temple could be wrong. But that was the way things were. Honest people were perplexed; they watched and listened and pondered, just like you today.
Jesus cleared things up for us all: "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If any one wants to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it is from God, or whether I speak on My own ... He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him" (7:16-18). That settled it for every honest-hearted person: the teachings of Jesus separated the people into two classes--those who ended up crying "Crucify Him!" and those who believed in Him and took up their cross to follow.
And now today His teachings will again separate the world into two classes: those who accept "the mark of the beast" and those who receive "the seal of God" (Rev. 7:1-4; 17:14). You and I today are choosing sides. Life is serious business.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 5, 2004.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
You see them, all through the Bible—individuals who cared more for the cause of God in the “great controversy between Christ and Satan,” than for their own lives (and that meant in their context, their eternal lives).
Probably the first is Job, the unknown man who worshipped the LORD (the Hebrew name for the God of Israel; Job’s “LORD” was not the Allah of Islam, He was the God whose character is agape, the One who would die the world’s second death. You can see intimations of agape in Job: try 6:14; 13:14, 15; 19:25-27). In those early days, life after a “first” resurrection was not generally understood; Job had to battle his way by faith. He was willing to sacrifice himself to defend the honor and stability of the government of God. He proved that Satan was wrong, who charged that God had no one who served Him “for naught” (1:9) and thus he helped to save the government of God.
Did Noah understand? He proclaimed the “righteousness which is by faith,” which you can’t do meaningfully unless you understand agape.
Did David understand? At least sometimes (cf. Psalms 22, 69).
Isaiah? How could he write chapter 53, otherwise?
Jesus Himself? John 5:30; 6:38; Matt. 26:39, 42. He IS agape; He died the world’s second death; He endured the curse of God, which is the second death (Gal. 3:13).
Paul? At least he loved Israel more than he loved his own salvation (Rom. 9:3).
The great controversy between Christ and Satan, the battle of the universe, cannot be ended and won until God has 144,000 Job-like people who “follow the Lamb wherever He goes,” in whose mouth there is “no guile” (Rev. 14:1-5). Their story is inserted at that precise point in the Bible where a last-days proclamation of the “everlasting gospel” grows to become a message that “lightens the earth with glory” (vss. 6, 7; 18:1-4).
Don’t say the fulfillment of that prophecy lies maybe centuries away; the Holy Spirit is working and around the world there are some (maybe few) who are responding to Him without resisting Him further. Join them!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: July 29, 2007.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Dail y Bread,"
When God speaks, does He use the quaint language of the old Quakers' "thee" and "thou," or does He communicate in modern language? Eugene Peterson's renditions of the New Testament and Psalms, and Old Testament prophets (The Message), are often in vivid, bold language that generally is also faithful to the original Hebrew or Greek. An example is how he renders what Jesus says to the church today (and to its leadership) in Revelation 3:17, "Laodicea." The King James Version has Jesus say, "Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth," which sounds like very Bad News--if the church is lukewarm, He will reject it, vomit it out. And some misinformed people decide that if Jesus rejects their church, they better do so too, and they leave. Trouble is, if they stay alert, they will soon find the "new" church is also lukewarm! And they end up bewildered and confused.
But Peterson gets it straight. The literal Greek (if you want it!) is: mello se emesai. The mello is "I-am-about-to-do-this-or-that" (see its use in Rev. 10:4). The se is "you," and of course emesai means "to vomit" (an emetic comes from that). Peterson gets the true idea; Jesus says that our lukewarmness makes Him so sick at His stomach that He feels like throwing up.
If an honest artist were to paint a portrait of Jesus today he would have to render His face as expressing the pain of acute nausea. Doesn't sound like very Good News, does it? At least not for spiritual pride and arrogance, feeling "rich and increased with goods, ... [in] need of nothing" (3:17). But "the everlasting gospel" of chapter 14, verses 6 and 7, is also here in the parallel message to Laodicea--Good News.
When our Lord commands us, "Be zealous therefore, and repent," (3:19), He has to mean that He will give Laodicea the gift of repentance--for two reasons: (1) He never commands what He does not give the grace to obey (Matt. 11:30); and (2) repentance is never what we initiate or "do," it is receiving the "gift" that God "gives" (Acts 5:31). And what will He give to Laodicea? Zechariah answers: the gift of repentance for crucifying ("piercing") the Savior--the realization that the crucifixion is OUR SIN (see 12:10). Nothing else can come even close to curing lukewarmness; but that repentance does it!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 9, 2001.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Our English Bibles translate what Jesus said in John 3:7 as "You must be born again." To me that word "MUST" has come across as a demand that I MUST DO something, and unless I DO it, I won't even be able to "see" the kingdom of God, let alone "enter" it. The problem is that I don't know how to DO the something that I MUST do. Evangelists have told me three things: (1) Study, (2) Pray, (3) Witness. But how can I know that I have studied, prayed, witnessed enough? Am I to think of Jesus as demanding that I DO something I don't know how to DO? And if I can't do it, He pulls a trigger?
Finally, I decided to look at the actual Greek of what He said, and it turns out to be different. The little word is dei, is third person (not second!), indicative (not imperative!), impersonal. It means literally, "it is needful for you to be born again (passive, not active, aorist)." He didn't say, "You must take the initiative to DO something in order to be born again!" What He said was, "The Holy Spirit must do something to create in you a new heart." Then He goes on in verse 8 to explain this work of the Holy Spirit--that it is He who takes the initiative in your new birth, not you!
The entire discourse as recorded in John 3 emphasizes a radically different idea than Christian legalism stresses ("do this, do that," Laodicean lukewarmness): God has [past tense, aorist] taken the initiative in your salvation, not vice versa; He is the Good Shepherd seeking His lost sheep, not vice versa (Luke 19:10); He is the Savior seeking fellowship with sinners, not vice versa (Luke 15:2); as you did not "born" yourself (your parents did that!), so you cannot DO your own "clean heart" thing (Psalm 51:10); you don't get to heaven by climbing up a ladder to get there, you "look," "behold," a Savior climbing down a ladder all the way to hell to find you (Rom. 10:7-10; Phil. 2:5-8); bitten by a snake, you see Him "made" to be a snake on a pole, "made to be sin for [you], who knew no sin; that [you] might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21); you see the Father's heart wrenched with agony as He "gives" (not lends!) His Son for eternity so that you might not "perish" (John 3:16).
And now, what finally, do you DO? You believe the heart-melting "amen" of Abraham when he was justified by faith. Your richest gain you now count but loss, and pour contempt on all your pride. Were the whole realm of nature yours, that would be a tribute far too small; such love demands your heart, your life, your all. And lo, and behold,--you are born again!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 10, 1999.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
St. Valentines Day--a pagan festival imported into Christianity. But therein lies an important insight into living real life.
The original pagan gods involved were Eros (Greek) and Cupid (Latin). To this day Cupid is often pictured as a cherub shooting arrows from his bow, the idea being that if he strikes a couple, they are programmed to fall in love. Very nice.
The "love" with which they fall in love is of course eros, which is love based on the goodness or the beauty of its object. It is said that all the world loves a couple who are in love. But the eros-love that Cupid shoots in his arrow is not a lasting love unless the other love, agape, takes its place. Only agape love "never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8, NKJV).
Cupid may do very well shooting his arrows to lead couples to fall in love, but the problem is that he can also shoot arrows to cause them to fall out of love again. Broken hearts and bitter lives can follow.
Through Satan's deceptive wiles, youth imagine that the love that is agape spoils all the fun, and they instinctively shy away. "Falling in love is MY business!" they say. But let's not forget that if the Son of God, the Savior, gave Himself for us, He bought us and redeemed us from the kind of death that is eternal; His utterly self-sacrificing love deserves His having what He paid for--your affections.
When youth recognize that eternal truth that shines in the cross of Christ, they will outwit Cupid. Their love will be purified from that bitter enemy of love--selfishness. Their love will be incomparably delightful. The love they will know together will be a fabric woven stronger than any loom on earth can weave. Their love will be that described in the Song of Solomon: "Love is powerful as death; … no flood can drown it" (8:6, 7, GNB).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 14, 2006.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
A friend with a scientific mind has done some thoughtful thinking. If Jesus Christ had stayed here on earth instead of going back to heaven at His ascension, what would happen? It's true that the Father gave Him the Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34); but while Jesus was here, the disciples did not have Him without measure. They realized the fullness of that Gift only after Christ had left (Acts 2:4).
Now, reasons my friend, if Jesus had stayed here in the flesh personally, all of us would want to see Him. Instead of being a haji who at some time in our lifetime has been to Mecca, we would be someone special in having had a personal visit of an hour or so with the Savior of the world. Great distinction! To wait for a whole lifetime! Many would want to see Him, perhaps billions. And in the flesh, Jesus could be in only one place at a time, and talk to one at a time. His name is still Emanuel, which means "God with us" (Matt. 1:23).
If the number who would want an hour's personal visit with Him could be whittled down to a mere million, and you joined the waiting list and were the last one, it would take you 114 years of waiting before you could have your little visit with Him. And then only assuming that He never took time out for a sleep or a meal, or a break.
Christ's idea is the solution: by going away, He made it possible to send us "Another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever"--the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). By Him, through Him, we each have the intimacy of a personal visit with Christ; He gives us individually His full, undivided attention--as each little bird that falls in the forest has the attention of His Father (Matt. 10:29).
The idea of "Another Comforter" means that Christ personally in the flesh is the first Comforter; and now in the Spirit the "Another" is given wholly to you as if you're the only person in the world.
Believe the wondrous truth; grasp your unspeakable privilege. Jesus says, "Abide in Me" (John 15:4). That means, stay where He has put you. He took the initiative to place you in Himself; He holds you in His hand (John 10:28, 29). Don't jump out of His hand into the dark world!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 21, 2004.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Far too many people, yes and children, suffer from depression. In their desperate search for relief, they turn to the only remedy they know--drugs. Their relatives and friends urge them to take the only antidepressants that they think medical science can offer.
What is the secret cause of depression? One of Christ’s disciples specializes in it--John. His gospel, his three letters, and his book of Revelation, plumb the depths and disclose the buried roots of depression. A drug may provide what appears to be relief, but a spiritual lobotomy is not what anyone wants. John says there is a universal primeval “darkness” of soul that afflicts “every man that cometh into the world” until “the light of men” “shineth in darkness” (John 1:4-9). Christ is “that true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” He gave Himself to “every man” and in so doing, He “lighteth every man.” In that Light if it is believed, depression cannot exist. Therefore, the cause of depression is something that has shadowed that Light, obstructed it, closed the windows of the soul against it.
In chapter 3:16, John tells us what is the fear that has shut out the Light: it’s the fear of “perishing.” Not the fear of just going to sleep, but the fear of being abandoned alone in a vast dark, utterly lonely universe that is hell. It’s precisely what afflicted the soul of Christ as He hung on His cross in the darkness--the fear of being “forsaken” by God. He cried out, “Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” We say it reverently: Christ was the most depressed Man who has ever been. But “God so loved the world [that’s the “all men” or “every man” of John 1:9], that He gave His only begotten Son [that’s “the Light, which lighteth every man], that whosoever believeth in Him [that’s receiving Him, appreciating the Light] should not perish [that’s what the depressed person fears], but have everlasting life [that’s the confidence, the assurance, that cures the depression].”
“Babylon” is the massive headquarters of the unbelief that obstructs the Light and leaves human souls in the lethal darkness that the Food and Drug Administration tries to cope with. But today a special message of Good News cries out, “Come out of her, My people, ... that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4). “Babylon” at last “is fallen”! And a clearer conception of Good News has “lighted” the earth than has ever shone in the past.
From the “Dial Daily Bread” Archive: Sept. 16, 2004.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The biblical picture we have of Jesus is of Someone always happy, always on top of the world, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, cuddling children in His arms, healing Peter's wife's mother of fever, raising the dead son of the widow on her way to the funeral, calling Lazarus out of his tomb, miraculously feeding five thousands--here's the one Man on earth living in the bright sunshine of His heavenly Father's blessed approval, "in Whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17). We want to live like Him!
But never has there been anyone so plunged into the horror of deepest depression, as this Jesus. From the highest top He must be cast down to the lowest bottom. Writhing in the agony of the darkest curse of God, He cries out in anguish, "Why have You forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46). This is no Hollywood acting; the cumulative pain of the entire world's horror of despair is penetrating His deepest sense of feeling and conviction. Not only is the burden of the world's guilt of sin being laid upon Him, He is being "made to be sin" (2 Cor. 5:21) in His own deepest soul. At last we see what it's like for a man to be in real hell where the last ray of hope is gone.
The crucified wretches that the pagan Romans torture by the thousands are given a sedative so they can black out; not Jesus. He won't taste it (Matt. 27:34). Every cell of His being must remain conscious to know the utmost horror of hell.
But wait: "Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell," He says (Acts 2:27). Before the resurrection can come the third day, He must believe His way out of hell on His cross; His soul must be resurrected there in spirit, so He can die in glorious triumph, shouting so heaven (even Muslims) can hear Him, "It is finished!" Take your Bible and read Psalms 22 and 69.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 17, 2005.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
It's a stupendous truth that most of the world still knows almost nothing about. It concerns what Jesus Christ is doing today. Most people have a vague idea that He is doing nothing--He finished His job here 2000 years ago and now He is resting up. But the Bible pictures Him as working intensely in His job as "great High Priest" who "ever lives to make intercession" for every person who believes in Him (Heb. 7:25).
"Intercession" is hard work, not to convince an unwilling Father to be nice to us (that's totally unnecessary, He already is nice to us), and not to convince the devil to back off (he can't be convinced)--but to convince us of His love and faithfulness. You say, "I'm already convinced! I don't need such 'intercession!'" Well, are you sure? Do you know your own heart? Suppose the Book of Job becomes re-written in your life's experience: you suffer a series of misfortunes that are inexplicable (in more people's lives than you think this is happening!). Suppose disaster after disaster befalls you--are you sure you won't need some "intercession" to convince you of God's love and faithfulness?
Suppose the dear Holy Spirit convinces you of a deeper layer of sin and selfishness than you had thought was there in your heart, the sense of guilt gets deeper, are you sure that your confidence in God's love and faithfulness will not need some of that "intercession"? Peter was so sure of himself, so sure he didn't need any "intercession" from Jesus; he would NEVER deny his Lord.
The idea that Christ must plead with the Father to be nice to us is in reality of pagan origin. No people in all past history will need that faithful "intercession" so much as will those who will live through the final scenes of trouble that are coming on the world just prior to Christ's return. This calls for a clearer understanding of the gospel as Good News than has been appreciated by a body of believers in past history. This will be a final experience of reconciliation with God that Paul speaks of as "the atonement" (Rom. 5:11, KJV). This is the special work Christ is doing today as our great High Priest--in human hearts all around the world who are watching and listening and seeking. It is a term synonymous with the "latter rain" outpouring of the Holy Spirit, an enriching and maturing experience.
It's Good News that the High Priest (Jesus) does this work; we let Him do it. We stop "resisting Him in His office work." But there's also a solemn downside in the news: this blessing may be received by hearts all around us and we remain ignorant of what is going on.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 16, 2000.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Jesus Christ said that God is His Father; that's easy for us to believe.
But He also said that God is our Father, too; and that's our problem to believe. Can everybody in the world, the bad as well as the good, call God their Father? Or does He bear that relationship only to the righteous?
When you think you've been very good it's easy to pray the Lord's prayer which begins, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name ..." and you go on through it, "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us … , ... and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil .." (Matt. 6:6ff.).
But when you have made a mess of your life, done wrong, and you know you are condemned as a selfish sinner, and as an "unprofitable servant," and you deserve to be "cast … into outer darkness" (25:30), can you pray the Lord's prayer? Can you say "My Father who is in heaven .."?
That is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came from heaven to teach us to say: He came as "the friend of ... sinners" (11:19), and He invites "all" of us to "come unto [Him]" and find the relief which is salvation from ourselves (11:28-30).
There is a cosmic Enemy who would deter us from coming and from praying the Lord's prayer; perhaps you are sitting somewhere handcuffed, you know why; you even sense the condemnation of all humanity. You know "they" would "cast [you] into outer darkness" and hope you stay there forever. Now you face the greatest battle of your life, your battle of eternity: will you believe that the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ is your Father, that "out of the depths [you] have cried unto [Him], O Lord. ... If Thou, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who [could] stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee" (Psalm 130:1-4). Yes; and it's your job (and our job) to believe it!
Pray the Lord's prayer from your heart in your dungeon, and that will prove that you have been adopted as a child of God (read Rom. 8:15!).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 12, 2006.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
"What is Jesus doing now?" is a question many believers in Him ask. Since He is the Son of God who suffered unspeakable agony on this planet when He was crucified, it seems only fair that He is entitled to a l-o-o-n-g "vacation" after such a terrible ordeal. He did His duty heroically; now He can rest, and enjoy the plaudits of the heavenly hosts, and the praise of at least some of earth's inhabitants.
But the Book of Hebrews does not reveal Him as on furlough; He is working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year "continually" as our great High Priest--a full time job for the infinite Son of God. And the Holy Spirit is the grand, authentic "vicar of Christ" who is ministering constantly to millions and billions of human beings who long for salvation. If the Queen of England or the president of the U.S. deserves a full-time physician on duty, Christ as infinite High Priest is the full time Physician of our souls on duty to minister to every one who has faith in Him, giving His full attention as though there were not another "patient."
Hebrews zeroes in on the two-phase ministry of that heavenly High Priest as symbolized by the two apartments in the earthly sanctuary prototype (Heb. 9:1-14). As there was an annual "day of atonement" (Yom Kippur) in the "earthly" Hebrew sanctuary, so there must be a cosmic or antitypical Day of Atonement in the heavenly sanctuary. The ancient Yom Kippur symbolized the removal of all the sins of Israel from the sanctuary where they had been recorded, and their expulsion as so much garbage. Each earthly day of atonement resulted in a full or complete "atonement" for Israel, all sins blotted out and a total reconciliation with God, the scapegoat symbolizing Satan forever banished from the camp of Israel.
Since the heavenly high priestly ministry is the grand antitype, what is the difference between Christ's first-apartment ministry and His second-apartment ministry? Hebrews 9 makes it clear: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (vs. 27); this gives us a glimpse of His first-apartment ministry--preparing people to die, ready for "the judgment." This has been His ministry in most of the nearly 2000 years since His sacrifice. But "unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (vs. 28). His cosmic Day of Atonement ministry is concentrated on preparing a people for translation at His second coming. But what about those who die during this time? In the ancient service, the first-apartment ministry continued through the final day of atonement; so it is today. But we must not forget or frustrate Christ's primary goal for today!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 24, 2011.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Could it be possible that someone could sin as soon as he has been born? Psalm 58:3 suggests that we descendants of the fallen Adam "go astray as soon as [we] be born." The Bible tells of one prominent individual who his relatives understood actually sinned while he was in the act of being born; in fact there is also a suggestion that he sinned while still in the womb! Of Rebekeh's being pregnant with Esau and Jacob, we read: "The children struggled together within her … And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. … They called [the first's] name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob" (which we are told means "supplanter," someone trying to grasp what God has not given him; Gen. 25:22-26, KJV).
We may say that this character-name was given the poor child on flimsy evidence, but he had to carry it almost all his life. The name was understood to be prophetic. He lived it out, even grabbed the birthright from Esau by what we would consider unfair means--taking advantage of the man's indulged appetite. The problem: Jacob wanted to grab something before God gave it to him.
The story of how Jacob finally "overcame" in his trial of faith in his "night of wrestling" illuminates our future. Jeremiah 30:5-7 (NIV) describes how the people of God--all who overcome--will experience most severe testing of their faith. The great event all over the world near the close of human probation will be "the time of Jacob's trouble." "Every strong man ... like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale ... How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it" as Jacob himself was saved out of his "night of wrestling." Severe trial but still "good news."
The "wrestling" in prayer must begin now, for it is a life experience, not a 24-hour triumph some time far in the future.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 21, 2006.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
At any given moment in your life, the only news that the Lord has for you is good news. But you are being bombarded with the bad news that Satan wants you to accept and believe. If you are a teen in school, he wants you to believe that you will fail that test that's coming up, or that the boy or girl you really like will reject you, that you won't be able to get a good job, that you'll never be able to drive a decent car.
I don't need to elaborate further, for you already know his repertoire of doom he specializes in. Believing Satan's bad news makes for an unhappy life and you don't want that; and the Lord, your heavenly Father, doesn't want that for you.
Why can I be so bold as to say that the only news the Lord has for you is good news? (And this is not only for teens: it's never too late for teens already grown up to learn to believe the good news that the heavenly Father has for you.)
Here is that word of the Lord ready for you to choose to believe with all your heart: "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jer. 29:11). You may ask, How can I know this is addressed to me? I have made wrong choices, I have done evil, I have broken the Lord's holy law; maybe I'm done for!
Read the context of what your heavenly Father has just told you: the Lord's people in Jeremiah's day had done gross evil (the book of Jeremiah is full of the story). One very bad thing: the entire nation had committed the equivalent of national adultery. And very many of the people had gone on and committed the personal deed, as well (vs. 23). Yet the Lord wanted them to repent and accept His forgiveness; Jeremiah was pleading for a national repentance; so with you, the only "thoughts" the Lord has for you are "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Yes, you may know that you have sinned; you deserve only failure and pain and disappointment; but the worst sin you can commit is to abandon your heart to anger against Him (it's not His fault!) and reject His forgiveness.
Now let the "grace of God that brings salvation … to all people" teach you to say "No!" to that hellish temptation (Titus 2:11-13; cf. NIV).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 12, 2008.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
A wise person has asked us to think about this question: "What difference does it make to God what we think inside of us? Why would God even care what we think? What difference could our private thoughts make to Him?"
We can ask another question: What difference does it make to you what your neighbor may think about you? If you are a hard, harsh, arrogant person, probably, nothing. But if you are a kind, considerate, loving person, it would surely burden you to know that your neighbor sees you as bad, selfish, or unjust, even if he doesn't gossip about you to others. Just the knowledge that in his mind he cherishes these evil thoughts about you must burden you.
Does it hurt God for us to think evil of Him?
It must, because "the carnal mind is enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7), and enmity is incipient murder, says John: "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer" (1 John 3:15). If you were God could you "rest" knowing that there are people who would crucify You all over again? (If He were to come as Christ came 2000 years ago?)
Yes, God longs for "rest," which since sin began on this planet, He has never been able to do. He is burdened 24/7. And He cannot rest until the great controversy between Satan and Himself has come to an end.
We are now living in the grand cosmic Day of Atonement, of which the ancient Levitical Yom Kippur was a symbol. God so loves the world already that He gave His only Son for us, proving that He is reconciled to us; what remains to be done is for us to be reconciled to Him.
Don't resist or stop the Holy Spirit from ministering that final reconciliation to you. He speaks, "Be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:18-20). To find out how He does it, read the rest of the chapter. Let Him turn your attention to what happened on the cross when "He was made to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (vs. 21).
God's heart doesn't need to be changed toward you, but yours needs to be changed toward Him. On this cosmic Day of Atonement, that's the work of the Holy Spirit. Don't "resist our Lord in His office work."
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 6, 2003.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The Lord Jesus Christ is generous in His thanks and even generous in His praise to those who have wanted to serve Him, but have felt very unworthy.
To some He says with great enthusiasm, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
But they are surprised; they turn around to see if He is not talking past them to other people behind them; they themselves feel very unworthy of such genuine thanks and praise. He responds, No, it's you I mean.
They remonstrate with Him, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?" There must be some mistake here; we are not worthy!
Then they hear the sweetest words anyone can ever hear from the lips of the world's Savior, "Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me" (Matt. 25:35-40).
The generosity of the Lord Jesus shines brightly through all eternity. He speaks to us a positive word through a double negative: "God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love (yes, the word is agape, not phileo), which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Heb. 6:10).
He remembers every effort you have made to reflect His agape to others, weak and tremulous as it may be. That double negative is His assurance to you that He welcomes you as His co-laborer with Himself in His work for the world.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 24, 2008.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The Bible has placed a crown of honor on the heads of a certain group of people, a crown that will glisten through all eternity to come: "These [in Berea] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Are there "noble" ones today? Are you among them?
Just to make payments on the house and the car and provide for the bills and vacations and recreation, all this keeps us working almost night and day. The children must have better opportunities than we had when we were kids; there just doesn't seem to be time to "search the scriptures daily" to see if anything is really true. We are just busy doing our duty!
We don't read that Jesus condemns busy people, but for sure, He feels for them, He is concerned, for they are in danger. As kindly as He can find words to express His concern He says: "Be careful not to let yourselves become occupied ... with the worries of this life, or that Day may suddenly catch you like a trap. ... Be on watch and pray always that you will have the strength to go safely through all those things ..." (Luke 21:34-36, GNB).
Over a hundred years ago one wise writer said some serious words: "True love for Jesus will lead to the most close and earnest inquiry as to what is truth. ... He who is too indolent to make anxious, prayerful search for truth, will be left to receive errors which shall prove the ruin of his soul." There is no need to be caught in that "trap." Jesus was busier than you or I have ever been, but the Father woke Him up early each morning to study and to pray (Isa. 50:4, 5). The important difference between Him and us is that He did not "rebel." Remember, He takes the initiative in maintaining fellowship with you, as the Father did with Jesus. You too can respond to His initiative. Study and learn, "daily." Don't "rebel."
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: July 16, 2001.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Is it possible that we could acquire money in a perfectly legitimate way and still be ashamed about it when we meet the Lord at last?
Is it a sin to have money? No, not if God gives it to you. But it is a sin to possess it selfishly, that is, thinking that you deserve it because of your hard work, or luck, or savvy. Then is when James's words will come true: your money "shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire" (5:3).
This is not to say that we must sell all we have and give away all we have so that we can be like Jesus who said, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head" (Matt. 8:20). No, it is not necessary for us to literally be like Jesus who had nothing but His clothes when He died, and was even divested of them as He hung naked on His cross. No, the Lord wants you to have what you need for health and comfort and He has promised to "provide."
But what's important is for us to grasp the seldom-seen truth, that all we DESERVE is the little that Jesus had. And that we would have only that--had He not become our Savior and died for us. It is just good common sense for us to recognize and confess that everything we "possess" beyond a lonely grave is the direct purchase of His grace.
Then gratitude can find expression in our hearts and on our lips, for appropriate gratitude is not possible for us sinful humans until we can grasp what it cost Him to save us.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 2, 2002.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
