Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Have you ever prayed for something good, and gotten "No" for an answer, or received something disappointing in answer? I am intrigued by a promise Jesus made in Matthew 7:9: "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" We've heard much about parental abuse, but where is the father so hard-hearted as that? He would not even be human! Yet our arch-enemy wants us to believe that when we beg our heavenly Father for something good, something we want that would be good for us, He either won't listen or He gives us something disappointing.
Jesus knows how we are tempted; He Himself once cried out, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Psalm 22 goes on to say that He complains because it seems God wouldn't hear or answer His prayer. And because Jesus knows how we are tempted, He assures us in Matthew 7:11, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them, that ask Him?" And please note, He says that to everybody--the beginning of this Sermon on the Mount says, "And seeing the MULTITUDES, ... He taught them" (Matt. 5:1, 2).
You don't have to earn His favor by doing good works BEFORE you pray to the One that Jesus says is YOUR heavenly Father, any more than a child must earn the piece of bread he begs from his earthly father.
But then you ask, Isn't there a catch somewhere? Some fine print? Yes, and here it is: "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6). THAT'S what you have to do BEFORE you pray!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: Oct. 23, 1997.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
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.
Have you ever prayed for something good, and gotten "No" for an answer, or received something disappointing in answer? I am intrigued by a promise Jesus made in Matthew 7:9: "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" We've heard much about parental abuse, but where is the father so hard-hearted as that? He would not even be human! Yet our arch-enemy wants us to believe that when we beg our heavenly Father for something good, something we want that would be good for us, He either won't listen or He gives us something disappointing.
Jesus knows how we are tempted; He Himself once cried out, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Psalm 22 goes on to say that He complains because it seems God wouldn't hear or answer His prayer. And because Jesus knows how we are tempted, He assures us in Matthew 7:11, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them, that ask Him?" And please note, He says that to everybody--the beginning of this Sermon on the Mount says, "And seeing the MULTITUDES, ... He taught them" (Matt. 5:1, 2).
You don't have to earn His favor by doing good works BEFORE you pray to the One that Jesus says is YOUR heavenly Father, any more than a child must earn the piece of bread he begs from his earthly father.
But then you ask, Isn't there a catch somewhere? Some fine print? Yes, and here it is: "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6). THAT'S what you have to do BEFORE you pray!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: Oct. 23, 1997.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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 site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
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.
