Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
We've all heard the story of the town that was located on a cliff. People would often fall off the cliff and get hurt. So the good townspeople who were "caring" people built a hospital and sent an ambulance to pick up these hapless people who fell off the cliff. This went on for a long time until somebody thought of a better idea: why not build a fence at the top of the cliff to keep people from falling over?
I attended a prayer meeting where the faithful "caring" church members prayed for young people who used to attend church and Sabbath school who have now given up church and are out in the world. They used to attend Sabbath school, and the church school and academy. Some reliable estimates say that nearly three-fourths of such children turn away from the church by the time they are 18. And parents weep their eyes out. Every effort is made to send a spiritual ambulance to bring in these casualties.
But why not build a fence at the top of the cliff? Why not give these children and youth the pure gospel, the genuine Good News? The apostle Paul guarantees that it will work! It's "the power of God unto salvation," he says (Rom 1:16).
And what is the Good News? Most of the time when these sad tragedies take place, the root cause for it is legalism. And what is legalism in contrast with the gospel? Wherever you find the teaching that (#1) salvation is due to man's initiative and man's works, you are in an atmosphere of legalism. And when you find the teaching that (#2) our salvation is initiated by God, and is His work, you are in an atmosphere of the gospel. #1 leaves the human heart cold, discouraged, in spiritual despair; #2 captures the heart, holds its affections, and motivates to faithfulness to God, because it is the essence of the "atonement," reconciliation to God through the blood of the Lamb of God. Let's give somebody the gospel today!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 16, 1998.
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.
We've all heard the story of the town that was located on a cliff. People would often fall off the cliff and get hurt. So the good townspeople who were "caring" people built a hospital and sent an ambulance to pick up these hapless people who fell off the cliff. This went on for a long time until somebody thought of a better idea: why not build a fence at the top of the cliff to keep people from falling over?
I attended a prayer meeting where the faithful "caring" church members prayed for young people who used to attend church and Sabbath school who have now given up church and are out in the world. They used to attend Sabbath school, and the church school and academy. Some reliable estimates say that nearly three-fourths of such children turn away from the church by the time they are 18. And parents weep their eyes out. Every effort is made to send a spiritual ambulance to bring in these casualties.
But why not build a fence at the top of the cliff? Why not give these children and youth the pure gospel, the genuine Good News? The apostle Paul guarantees that it will work! It's "the power of God unto salvation," he says (Rom 1:16).
And what is the Good News? Most of the time when these sad tragedies take place, the root cause for it is legalism. And what is legalism in contrast with the gospel? Wherever you find the teaching that (#1) salvation is due to man's initiative and man's works, you are in an atmosphere of legalism. And when you find the teaching that (#2) our salvation is initiated by God, and is His work, you are in an atmosphere of the gospel. #1 leaves the human heart cold, discouraged, in spiritual despair; #2 captures the heart, holds its affections, and motivates to faithfulness to God, because it is the essence of the "atonement," reconciliation to God through the blood of the Lamb of God. Let's give somebody the gospel today!
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 16, 1998.
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.
