Dial Daily Bread: What Do the "Books of Heaven" Record?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

A wise lady once wrote: "God knows every thought, every purpose, every plan, every motive. The books of heaven record the sins that would have been committed had there been opportunity."

Do the books of heaven record sins that do not in fact exist deep down in our hearts? If so, God is terribly unfair, "imputing" to the world "trespasses" of which they are not guilty. (But 2 Corinthians 5:19 states that God does not impute the world's trespasses to them. There is no need for Him to do so; they are already lodged in human hearts.) There is abundant forgiveness and heart-cleansing with Jesus the Savior, but He cannot "cleanse us from all unrighteousness" unless we "confess" it with understanding and repent of it (1 John 1:9).

Those sins "that would have been committed had there been opportunity" represent our unrealized guilt. Other people have committed them, and we have been thankful that we have not been pressured sufficiently by temptation to do them ourselves; but as Luther said, we are all made of the same dough, "alike." It follows that corporate repentance is repenting of such sins that we would have committed had we had the opportunity, that is, been sufficiently tempted.

John Wesley said of a drunk lying in the gutter, "There but for the grace of Christ am I." How can I truly help another soul unless I sense this corporate relationship with him? When the church learns to appreciate what this is, Christ's love will course through its veins and transform it into the most effective soul-winning "body" history has ever seen.

This is because such repentance alone can enable one to love his neighbor as himself, not in the sense of excusing his sin in that we know we could be as guilty as he, but because such repentance includes an effective cleansing from the defilement of the sin itself. Such love for one's neighbor goes far beyond a sentimental sympathy; it becomes an effective cooperation with Christ in reaching the heart with redemptive power. The Head at last finds members of the body prepared to be His effective agents.

Criticism of leaders might be less severe and more efficient for reformation if God's people understood the principle of corporate guilt and repentance. Ignorance has locked many into helpless frustration in their efforts to encourage reformation. But this truth produces empathy and compassion.

--Robert J. Wieland

From: "Corporate Repentance Is Silly: IF You Don't Understand What It Means," A Thought Paper.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Ready for the Wedding--Could We Be Just About There?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The 16th century Protestant Reformation was a glorious movement of emancipation from Dark Ages, papal thinking. The freedom to think biblically had to precede political and social freedom. All during those Dark Ages God had a "remnant" church who preserved her liberty of conscience while having "fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days [prophetic years]" (Rev. 12:6). These were faithful Bible-believing and Bible-preserving saints; they lived secluded in the mountains of southern France and northern Italy, who sent out their young people as missionaries to spread knowledge of the true gospel among the common people. They prepared the way for the grand Reformation of Luther.

Finally, came full deliverance from papal darkness with the end of those 1260 years in 1798 and the near simultaneous discovery in many lands of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation; "the time of the end" had begun. Then in swift succession came the discovery that the world is now living in God's grand antitypical Day of Atonement. The time has come for that fully understood "gospel of the kingdom" that Jesus declared must be "preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, [before] the end will come" (Matt. 24:14). That's exactly where we are now in the progression of God's gift of time.

The understanding of the gospel that the saints had in the 16th century was great for their day; but now comes that paradigm shift that transcends both Calvinism and Arminianism in the recovery of justification by faith. Heaven's glorious goal is the ripening of "grain" for "harvest." "One" must be seated on a white cloud thrusting in His "sickle" to reap the harvest of the earth (Rev. 14:14, 15). That is the second coming of Jesus and the final translation of His people with the closing act of the heavenly drama: the great controversy between Christ and Satan will be at last ended. First, that "grain" must "ripen" for harvest.

Could we be just about there? At last the world is to gather before the cross of Calvary to "comprehend ... what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love [agape] of Christ which passes knowledge" (Eph. 3:17-19). At last the full-fledged gospel is to "lighten the earth with His glory" (Rev. 18:1-4).

The world will be catalyzed into two camps--those who welcome the full "comprehension," and those who reject it. The little girl who was the flower girl at the wedding, caring only for the cake and ice cream, will now grow up "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13) to where she appreciates the Bridegroom for what He is (cf. Rev. 19:7, 8). She will become the "Lamb's wife," who has at last "made herself ready" for the "marriage of the Lamb." Time's nearly up; we're just about there!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 7, 2007.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Sarah and Martin Luther--What They Have in Common

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

We read often about "the faith of Abraham" and how he is "the father of all that believe," but only once do we read about Sarah his wife being a woman of faith, and that at the very end of the many years of their waiting for an heir (Heb. 11:11).

She was bitter in her heart against the Lord all this while that He had been proclaiming New Covenant truth to Abraham (Gen. 16:2). In her unbelief, she did not state the truth when she said, "the Lord has restrained me from bearing children." The truth was quite different.

When the Lord promised Abraham that he would be "the father of many nations," the promise naturally included that Sarah would be the mother of many nations because the two were married, they were "one flesh" in God's sight. God recognizes and honors the marriage relation. Sarah was a faithful wife when it came to "works." She prepared food for example, for the entertaining of his guests (18:1-8); there is no hint that she complained about her husband's hospitality that made extra work for her. All this while she was the good "Laodicean" wife of good works (cf. Rev. 3:15).

Meanwhile, Abraham humbles his heart to believe God's gracious New Covenant promises (Gen. 12:2, 3) and has this rich "Christian experience" of walking in the light while Sarah nurtures her dark unbelief.

Admittedly, her "burden" was heavy to bear: all around for miles, all the wives of the neighbors were bearing children, but Sarah apparently was being passed by, and this by the Lord Himself. It seemed that God was against her--"the Lord has restrained me from bearing children"(!). He leaves me to be humiliated before everybody!

She was as honest as Martin Luther when his father-confessor Staupitz told him to just "love God, that's all you need to do!" and young Luther blurted out, "But I hate Him!" That honest confession from his heart was the beginning of Luther's conversion.

Sarah at last confesses her resentment against the Lord, and now she is on the way toward resolving her problem: "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised" (Heb. 11:11).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: July 8, 2007.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: The Sure Leading of the Holy Spirit

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Daniel said that in the time of the end "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (12:4). For many years our forefather evangelists explained this prophecy as fulfilled with Model T's running almost everywhere; today, we cite space travel, computers, and iPhones.

But while scientific and technical knowledge keeps quadrupling, the "knowledge" that God's people have of the gospel of justification is also being "increased" through the blessing of the Holy Spirit. In the days of the Waldenses, they understood as much as they could; Luther and Calvin were agents for greater light; then the Wesleys and Arminianism pressed in with greater light.

Then came the great Second Advent Awakening followed by the "present truth" of the sanctuary and the great cosmic Day of Atonement. Those who were preparing to "follow the Lamb wherever He goes" (Rev. 14:4, 5) gladly welcomed each new glimpse of truth the Holy Spirit gave them.

But no new truth will contradict truth previously known; "the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day" (Prov. 4:18). If at any point as truth unfolds like a rosebud unfolds, we reject the new revelation of truth, we in fact reject Christ at that point, for He says, "I am the ... truth" (John 14:6). Therefore it is impossible to reject any truth without rejecting Him!

A massive problem rises with the story of the "angel of the church of the Laodiceans," the last great church just before the return of Jesus. It knows no "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (cf. Matt. 5:6), for it asserts of itself, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing" (Rev. 3:17). If you had lived in the days of Luther and had rejected the message God sent by him, you would very likely have severed your connection with the true Holy Spirit. It would have been very dangerous to do so. The same with the Wesleys.

And now today? The great "present truth" is that message which is to "lighten the earth with glory." The new light will not cancel or contradict any light that has shone in the past; but it will be to the message of Luther's and Calvin's day what a sleek Lexus is to a Model T.

Beware that you don't separate yourself from the sure leading of the Holy Spirit. It still involves bearing a cross.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 14, 2007.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Faith--Luther Had the Right Idea

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

An old book divulges a statement that Martin Luther made, brave leader of the Protestant Reformation; a statement that is true throughout time and on into eternity. It's in 16th century verbal brevity and clarity, but up-to-the-minute spiritual truth:

"Thus from faith flow forth love and joy in the Lord, and from love a joyful, willing and free mind that serves one's neighbor willingly and takes no account of gratitude or ingratitude, of praise or blame, of gain or loss. For a man does not serve that he may put men under obligations, he does not distinguish between friends and enemies, ... but most freely and most willingly he spends himself and all that he has, whether he waste all on the thankless or whether he gain a reward." *

Luther had the right idea here of what "faith" is: it's not grasping for a piece of heavenly real estate. There is no egocentric motivation involved in true faith, the kind that is in John 3:16, "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

The faith that is in John 3:16 is what Luther describes. It's a heart response to the agape-love that moved Christ to deny self and take up His cross on which He died the equivalent of the second death for every one.

On one occasion, the Lord Jesus healed ten lepers, but nine of them did not have the kind of faith that Luther was describing; only the tenth had that kind of faith and came back to thank Jesus for healing him (Luke 17:11-19).

Could it be today that out of ten people who proudly claim to "believe in Jesus," there is the same percentage that do not appreciate what faith is?

--Robert J. Wieland

________________

* Martin Luther, "A Treatise on Christian Liberty" (1520), Works of Martin Luther, vol II, p. 338; A. J. Holman Co. (1915).

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 14, 2008.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Does It Matter What We Believe About the Cross?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Does it matter what we believe about the cross of Christ? Is one idea as good as another? If we limit the "width and length and depth and height ... [of] the love (agape) of Christ" (Eph. 3:18), which we see at the cross, the result is lukewarmness in the church. That's our problem worldwide (Rev. 3:14-21).

If Christ's sacrifice is only an offer of salvation and not the actual gift given, and the sinner rejects it, then he can claim that he is paying for his sins by his own second death. And all along, that's what he's been claiming--he is paying his own way. As he stands before the Great White Throne in the final judgment, he can shake his fist at Christ and say, "You actually did nothing for me! You merely offered me salvation and I refused the offer. As I go into the Lake of Fire, I am paying for my own sins!"

But wait a moment. In that final judgment, the Lord will reveal to him the truth. The sinner will see that Christ did actually pay for them! He will see that his own second death is entirely unnecessary--Christ has already died his second death (Heb. 2:9). His name will be Esau; Christ gave him the birthright. Just like Esau who did not have to do anything to earn it for it was already his, Christ has given "all men" the gift of salvation. Like Esau, the lost have "despised" and "sold" it.

Does it make any difference what we believe about what Christ accomplished at the cross? Has "the Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people" in these last days that honors and glorifies Christ in His sacrifice? Is He indeed "the Savior of the world" (John 4:42), or does He merely offer to be? Are all men actually infinitely and eternally in debt to Him for even their next breath? How can the Father send His rain and sunshine on "all men," "the just and the unjust," unless Christ has actually accomplished something for them all and has given them the gift? How amazing is Christ's grace? Dare we limit or restrict it?

If a wealthy man gives you a check for $1000 and you don't cash it, what has he lost? It seems the Bible is clear: Christ "gave Himself for our sins" (Gal. 1:4); an unbeliever's refusal does not cancel the reality of the gift. Failure to grasp this truth weakens our devotion to Him.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 3, 2003.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: You Never Suffer Gethsemane Alone

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Here is a morsel of common sense that may help us understand something perplexing that Jesus said. This bit of wisdom is in Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10: "Two are better than one, ... for if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up." That is so true; if you want to climb Mount Everest, take someone with you!

But now shift gears to a perplexity in the words of Jesus that troubles many people. He says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, ... My yoke is easy and My burden is light." And yet He also tells us that the way to eternal life is so narrow (thlibo, Greek) that "there are few that find it" (Matt. 7:14), and He urges us to "strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:24).

Sounds like a direct contradiction, doesn't it? We have to strive, we have to deny self, we have to resist strong pressures of temptation, we have to obey God's law when our sinful human nature doesn't want to, and on and on. The disciples were so overwhelmed with all the sacrifice that is necessary if one wants to go to heaven that they asked in bewilderment, "Who then can be saved?" (Luke 18:26). And then Jesus said frankly that it's "impossible with men [but] possible with God."

Now shift gears back to our little tidbit of common sense in Ecclesiastes: "Two are better than one." When you choose to enter in at the narrow gate, you never walk the path alone. "I have been crucified with Christ," says Paul (Gal. 2:20); you are never crucified alone. You may think your trials and self-sacrifices are painful to bear, but you never suffer Gethsemane alone; you always kneel down with Him. You never carry that heavy "burden" alone; the reason why Jesus says His burden is "light" is because He does the lifting. Very true! But if you don't believe the Good News, then it seems "heavy" and "hard" for you! And that could be the problem.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 28, 1998.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: October 22, 1844--A Date That Will Never Die

Dear Friends of “Dial Daily Bread,”

October 22, 1844, is a date that will never die in the world's memory. Scores of thousands of Christians in Europe and the United States had been studying the book of Daniel, thanking God that at last the book which had been sealed for many centuries (12:4) had now at the end of the Dark Ages of papal persecution and oppression been "opened" for understanding. It was now "a little book open" in the hands of a "mighty angel" (Rev. 10:1, 2) who was a "messenger," attracting worldwide attention.

Its message had riveted on Daniel 8:14; serious readers of the Bible were drawn to Daniel's prophecies. The year-day principle was established so clearly that they saw the 2300 years of that prophecy reaching fulfillment on that date in 1844. "Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," said the Word. They borrowed from the commentaries the idea that "the sanctuary" was this earth, and the "cleansing" therefore would be the fire of the last day at the coming of Jesus.

But the commentators were wrong; there is a sanctuary in Heaven--the real one, and that's where the world's great High Priest, Jesus, ministers. The "cleansing" is His great Day of Atonement, His final work of preparing a people to be ready when Jesus comes the second time. They were woefully uninformed about what that preparation entailed! It was to be nothing short of "self" being "crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20), and "the world [being] crucified to me, and I to the world" (6:14). A tremendous work!

The fascinating story of the "Great Disappointment" and its aftermath is told in Revelation chapter 10. Verse 11 describes the worldwide work that must (that will!) be done before Jesus can be happy to come again--every person must have a chance to hear the Good News and respond in heart. The angel said, "You must prophesy again" before the world! And that's the work that is going on now all over the world. Listen!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 23, 2005.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: What Is This Thing Called Justification?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Many people ask: "What is this thing called justification? It's a word that's over my head. Please help me!" The Bible is God's word; He wants us to understand; He puts the feeding trough down low so lambs can eat. Surely He will respond to our plea.

The idea is simply making something crooked straight; something bad, good; something wrong, right. So, it ends up making something unjust, just--and there's the root of the word. Justification means making them right again.

The source of all this evil is sin. Justification is therefore the opposite of sin. It reverses the evil that sin has caused, it un-does what sin has done, it untangles the knot that sin has tied in the universe of God, and especially on this planet.

Sin has caused an alienated sense of separation from God. It has left us strangers in the universe, our very home. The alienation actually causes "enmity" against God. Justification has bridged the chasm that has separated us from "home," which is the throne of God. This bridging of the chasm is "at-one-ment," a heart-reconciliation with the One whom we have thought was our enemy. He turns out to have been our Friend all along. The root of the problem has been eradicated: justification has made us friends with God again, like we used to be at Creation.

Justification is what One has done whom the Bible calls "the Savior of the world" (John 4:42). He untied the knot, reversed the evil, brought good in place of the bad, reconciled enemies into being friends with God, made everything crooked straight, and made everything wrong to become right. This was infinitely more wonderful than if He had wiped us out in one fell swoop and started from scratch creating everything new again.

Changing alienated hearts, winning enemies to be friends--this was the Miracle of the ages. It required a cross on which the Creator gave up His very life in a total sacrifice known in the Bible as "the second death"--an embracing of hell itself in love for us (Heb. 2:9; Isa. 53:12).

This act which He performed did it for all humanity; legally, He saved His lost world, yes, redeemed His threatened universe. That is justification.

But what you didn't ask is what's important: "What is justification by faith?" That's when our sinful, alienated heart appreciates the justification He accomplished for us; and that is a totally changed heart and life. You're now a new you.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 29, 2004.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: If Sabbath-Keeping Is "Boring," Here's Good News for You

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Keeping the Sabbath day is not a matter of cold obedience motivated by fear if we don't keep it, nor hope of reward if we do. That is Old Covenant day-keeping.

New Covenant Sabbath-keeping is heart-to-heart companionship with the One who is "the Lord of the Sabbath." He said to Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex. 33:14), thus teaching us that the "rest" that is in the Sabbath is enjoying His "presence." It is recognizing and believing that you are spending the day with your Savior, personally.

But one might say, "Keeping the Sabbath is boring! I can't wait until the 'sacred hours' are over so I can live again--turn on the TV, play games, go to the mall." If this is your "Sabbath-keeping," here is Good News for you:

"The Lord of the Sabbath" will totally transform your experience, if you don't interpose a rebellious will to stop Him (He is the High Priest cleansing His sanctuary--He does the work). Of course, He feels wounded, slighted, and insulted by resentment of His presence. You'd feel terrible to visit a friend and he avoids you and insults you. But "the Lord of the Sabbath" isn't there to take revenge. He's not mad at you; He feels terribly sorry for you. You are missing the joy of life itself, and on the way to miss eternity.

So now what do you do? Jesus tells clearly what your "job" is: "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent" (John 6:29).

"But I don't know how to believe!" Then make a choice to stop dis-believing. Let the first sacred moments of the Sabbath find you using some sanctified common sense: the Lord of the Sabbath comes with it. Be decent to Him. Tell Him of your frustrations. Be honest: tell Him, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24; you can never go wrong if you pray that prayer).

Be courteous to your Guest, who is unseen but not unknown. Don't drive Him away. Give your Guest a chance to say something to your heart during these 24 holy hours.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 1, 2003.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: The Battle in Paul's Heart

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The apostle Paul stands out as totally consecrated to God, a rare character who could dare to tell people to "follow" him as he followed the Lord (1 Thess. 1:6; 2 Thess. 3:7). The Lord honored him highly, so that in vision he "was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Cor. 12:3-7).

But he was not a monk alone in a monastery; he was in the thick of life everywhere. As the Bible tells us that Jesus was "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15, King James Version), so Paul confides in us, confessing that he has been heavily tempted like everybody else. He is not some self-righteous man who doesn't know what sexual temptation is! He was as susceptible as anyone else.

In Romans, he confesses that he had never understood what the real definition of "sin" is until he discovered what it's like to be tempted by a woman who was not, and could never be, his! He says, "I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, You shall not covet" (Rom. 7:7). (The original says, "your neighbor's wife," Ex. 20:17.)

But again, temptation is not to be equated with sin; the sin comes only in yielding to the temptation. The battle in Paul's heart was severe: "I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do" (Rom. 7: 14, 15). He kept seeing someone in his dreams that he knew he should not see. It's "sin that dwells in me," he said (vs. 17). "The evil that I will not to do, that I practice" (vs. 19).

But read chapter 8--Paul discovers the glorious secret of victory over this kind of temptation. The "secret"? "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (vs. 2).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 12, 2005.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Jesus' Mission—"Call Sinners to Repentance"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Jesus announced that His mission was to "call … sinners to repentance" (Matt. 9:13). Such an experience is a personal change of mind, a turning around to go in the opposite direction. It includes deep heart sorrow for sin, a sense of shame and self-abhorrence for a life of rebellion against one's Creator and Redeemer. As such, it can be a cataclysmic upheaval of soul.

The way repentance works is clearly taught in the Bible. Jesus' call to repent is to all, for "all have sinned" (Rom. 3:23). "The knowledge of sin" comes through "the law" (3:20). Thanks to the beneficent work of the Holy Spirit, this wholesome "knowledge" is imparted to "every man" as a "Light" that passes no one by (John 1:9).

This knowledge is imparted by a conviction that there is a standard of perfect righteousness in Christ. The sinner may as yet have never heard the name of Christ, but he knows deep in his heart that he has "sinned and fall[en] short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). The awareness of a perfect standard embodied in the law and in Christ may be ever so dim to consciousness, but Christ assured His disciples that as the result of His going to His Father and "you see Me no more," the Holy Spirit would bring to people's hearts a conviction of sin, and of righteousness" (John 16:8-10).

This potential for the conviction of sin is as universal as is the capacity for pain built into every human body. It is a signal that something is wrong. Thus the Lord Himself who "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" has prepared the way for the preaching of His gospel, which is complementary to this conviction of sin communicated by the Holy Spirit to "every man." When Jesus went forth after His baptism "preaching the gospel of the kingdom," His message was, "Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:14, 15).

Teaching legalism or an adulterated "gospel" short-circuits this work of the Holy Spirit in human hearts, and millions as a consequence are never able to receive the gift of repentance, which alone can heal the "hurt" they feel.

But Scripture foretells a time when the gospel will be restored and presented in its pristine purity and the earth will be "lightened" with its glory (Rev. 18:1-4). In millions of human lives it will be like restoring a broken electronic connection. The circuit will be complete--the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin will be complemented by the pure gospel, and the current of heaven's forgiveness will flow through the soul, working miracles of grace.

--Robert J. Wieland

From: Bible Repentance: Path to Love.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Christ's Last Great Struggle

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks extensively about the end of the world and of His second coming (see, for example, verses 12-15, 24, 29-31). Of all the books of the Bible, He selected one which He urged us to "read" and "understand"--Daniel. Yet seldom do pastors or teachers study this book. People go to church for years and hear no sermon explaining it.

Daniel's key prophecy says: "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed" (8:14). In Bible prophecy, a day is a year. In the early 19th century Bible-loving Christians awakened as from a centuries-long sleep to realize that those 2300 years would end in 1844, on October 22. The Holy Spirit impressed many with this stupendous conviction; to this day, millions around the world recognize how history and Bible prophecy converge to render that point of time significant in God's plan for salvation.

We are living in the time of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary; in simple language that means we are living in the time when Christ as our great High Priest is preparing a people to be ready for His second coming--a greater work than preparing His people to die and come up in the first resurrection, wonderful as that work has been. It means that His people must live on earth during the cataclysmic last days when they will meet head-on the last temptations of Satan, but will overcome "even as [Christ] also overcame." They will honor Him, and share with Him His throne. They will demonstrate His righteousness (Rev. 3:21).

But Revelation also discloses that Christ's last great struggle is with the blindness and lukewarmness of His own people who can't seem to grasp the seriousness of the time in which they live (3:15-19). Urgent as never before He says, "Watch therefore" (Matt. 24:42).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 20, 2005.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Profound Good News in Romans

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Romans tells some News so profoundly Good that we humans can hardly take it in. Even theologians stumble over it, like the builders stumbled over the great stone that was quarried to be the headstone of Solomon's Temple (Matt. 21:42; Psalm 118:22).

The problem is what Paul says: Christ became the "last" or Second Adam, reversing the condemnation that the first Adam brought on the entire human race. For "all men" He turned Adam's condemnation into justification, or a legal acquittal. "That News is too Good to be true," some objectors say.

Well, here's what Paul says:

"God's act of grace is out of all proportion to Adam's wrongdoing. For if the wrongdoing of that one man brought death upon so many [Greek, "all"], its effect is vastly exceeded by the grace of God and the gift that came to so many [Greek, "all"] by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. And again, the gift of God is not to be compared in its effect with that one man's sin; for the judicial action, following on the one offence, resulted in a verdict of condemnation, but the act of grace ... resulted in a verdict of acquittal. ... As the result of one misdeed was condemnation for all people, so the result of one righteous act is acquittal and life for all" (5:15-18, The Revised English Bible). The King James Version says, "the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."

Someone asks, "We need 'justification by faith,' but isn't this 'justification by birth'?" No more than Adam's condemnation comes upon us all "by birth." Jesus took it all upon Himself, so that His title is, "Savior of the world" (John 4:42). The same "all [who] have sinned" are "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:23, 24). This is why He sends His rain and sunshine on the just and the unjust alike. It's why we live.

One very wise writer says, "The sinner may resist this love, may refuse; ... but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus; ... to the foot of the cross in repentance." The only reason why Esau was lost is that "for one morsel of food [he] sold his birthright" that God gave him (Heb. 12:16, 17). Jesus does not merely want to be your Savior; He is your Savior. Don't resist Him!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 16, 2003.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Controversy Over "The Truth of the Gospel"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Going back in history almost all the way to Pentecost, history tells how the true believers in Jesus wrestled with controversy in their midst over what the gospel means. The controversy erupted before the first general conference of the church was called in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:6ff).

There were aberrant views advanced by "the sect of the Pharisees who believed" (vs. 5). These were not apostates; this was not the beginning of the great "falling away" Paul predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4. These were faithful, honest people who did not fully understand at that time "the truth of the gospel" (cf. Gal. 2:5, 14). Their zeal for the law was confused. The faithful and true leadership of the church had to humble their souls and declare that "some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling [subverting, King James Version] your souls" (Acts 15:24).

The fact that these wrong ideas were promulgated by people endorsed by the one true church leadership required rectification; thank God that at that time church leadership was ready to make the wrong right. The acknowledged leader of the general conference of Acts 15 humbled himself, confessed the truth, and gave the world church of the day a solid and bold leadership in the right because he submitted to self being crucified with Christ. The fact that he had to admit being confused did not lessen the confidence the people placed in him, but resulted in strengthening the church.

But that was not the end of the problem. The controversy erupted again, in a meeting years later. Paul relates what happened: "When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, ... And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. ... When I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I ... [rebuked] Peter before them all" (Gal. 2:11-14, KJV).

Paul was not one of the original Twelve, but he was "a chosen vessel" of the Lord.

Are there "dissimulations" and "dissemblings" in the true church today? The judgment is soon to be completed; it's too late for any of us to be confused. There will be 144,000 on the right side. Let's walk softly before the Lord and "take time to be holy," to study, to understand "the truth of the gospel."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 4, 2007.
Copyright © 2014 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: A Choice David Himself Had to Make

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The story of Saul, the first king of Israel, next to that of Judas Iscariot, is the saddest in the Bible. The problem was initially the fault of the people. They had demanded of God that He give them a king like all the nations around them. God selected the best man available in the nation. The prophet Samuel anointed him, and all went well for a time. He proved to be politically and militarily a success.

When the Lord directed him to take a step that would establish Israel forever a secure nation, that is, to annihilate the Amalekites, King Saul disobeyed, and lied. Patiently, the Lord tried to help him, but he became stubbornly rebellious. Then the Lord did the most terrible thing He can do to any man or woman--backed off and left Saul to himself. He sent no lightning bolt from heaven to destroy him, just turned His back and walked away.

But God could not forsake Israel. They needed a king whom the Lord could be with, so He instructed Samuel to anoint young David.

Saul yielded his soul to become insanely jealous, and "the anointed of the Lord" persecuted young David. But he still respected Saul as such. A few people believed in David and supported him; but the youth bore a heavy burden: Why was "the anointed of the Lord" against him? Could it be that the Lord also was against him? Had he misinterpreted Samuel's very humble "anointing"? Could he trust the "Spirit of prophecy" of his day when absolutely everything was stacked against him?

David's all-time low came at Ziklag in a disaster that seemed to say he was totally forsaken of the Lord. His own few men talked of stoning him (see 1 Samuel 30). The Lord had to let David suffer being apparently forsaken, or else he would never have been able to write Psalm 22! The Lord did appear to leave him; but in his anguish, David did the right thing--which you and I must do: "David strengthened himself in the Lord" (1 Sam. 30:6).

In principle, it's what the future "Lamb's wife" will do when she "makes herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb." It's something the Lamb cannot do for her, and this was something the Lord could not do for David at Ziklag. There was a choice David himself had to make, something to do himself--believe!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 5, 2006.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: "Better Promises" Than Ours

Dear Friends of “Dial Daily Bread,”

Our human covenants are always two-sided affairs, each party making commitments, giving mutual promises, and then sealing the deal with a handshake or signature. We naturally think of God's covenant in the same way. He makes His promise; I must make mine. He'll do His part; I'll be sure to do mine.

But the fatal flaw in this reasoning is that it puts God on a kind of equality with ourselves, as though He were the next-door neighbor. We, full of self-sufficiency, feel like shaking hands--that's a good bargain, and we'll do just what He says, toe the line, keep His commandments, etc. If such a program could somehow land us in heaven, we'd be bursting with pride. No crown of gold would be big enough to fit our heads. "See? I made it! Well, ... the Lord and I. He did His part; I did mine."

But God's covenants are always one-sided promises, for He knows we cannot keep our own. Whoever deals with Him must deal with Him on His own terms--that He is everything and we are nothing but recipients of His grace. After Noah's Flood we read that the Lord made a covenant with "the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals" (Gen. 9:9, 10, New International Version), yet what promise could they make in return? All they could do was receive the promised blessings at His hand, as they still do to this day. "Your heavenly Father feeds them" (Matt. 6:26).

The Two Covenants--Old and New--are not accidents of time, so that all who lived before Christ were automatically under the Old and all who live in our era are automatically under the New. Sad to say, sincere people today can live under the Old Covenant and not know it; and there were believing ones in Old Testament times who lived under the glorious liberty of the New. The difference was their faith. (The Old Covenant is called "old" because it was ratified first with the blood of animals; the New was ratified later by the blood of Christ, the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," Rev. 13:8.)

The "Good News" of the New Covenant is that it is founded on "better promises" than ours (see Heb. 8:6, 7), "better" because they are the promises of God: (1) "I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts"; (2) "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness"; (3) "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more"; (4) "All shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them" (vss. 10-12).

That is heaven, and it starts even now.

--Robert J. Wieland

From: Signs of the Times, April 1984.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Disasters—Who Thinks of the Pain God Must Feel?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Disasters are coming fast and furious--hurricanes, earthquakes, and because of "the distress of nations," "men's hearts [are] failing them from fear" (Luke 21:25, 26). With today's media, we see the "distress of nations" and the fear portrayed in vivid photos and videos that enable us to identify corporately with the millions who suffer.

But who thinks of the pain that God must feel? Do we not read that He cares when even a little bird dies (Matt. 10:29)? Jesus has promised to be with us "to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). When we suffer, He suffers; His love binds the human race to Himself. Does He not long for all this pain to come to an end?

We know that Jesus is still alive, He is risen from the dead; and He has not forgotten the human race that He died to redeem. He wants to come the second time in fulfillment of His promise. If we say that He has delayed His coming, we make ourselves "evil servants" (Matt. 24:48).

The truth is that His people have delayed His coming. They are too content with the pleasures of living in the great global economy, and are indifferent either to the suffering in the world or the suffering in the heart of God. If it is difficult for us to grasp that kind of identity with Him, that would indicate that we are immature and childish, the little flower girl at the wedding rather than the mature person the Bride is to become (see Rev. 19:6-9).

In order to learn to identify with Christ, begin identifying with Him as He hangs on His cross. Read about it in Psalms 22 and 69. To read those two chapters with even a beginning of understanding stretches your spiritual muscles. Then "graduate" to identify with Christ in His high priestly ministry today in the Most Holy Apartment; sense His concern for the multitudes of people on this planet and His yearning for His church to cooperate with Him in ministry for them. Sense His disappointment; enter into His message in Revelation 3:14-21, not to criticize His church, but to sense how He feels.

When you finish a thoughtful study of the Book of Revelation, you will cry out with John, "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" (22:20). Instead of praying self-centered prayers, you will begin praying prayers for Christ to receive His reward.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 11, 1999.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Paul's Two "Big Ideas" in His Letter to the Romans

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Two great "big ideas" permeate Paul's Letter to the Romans. It's a New Testament "epistle" that most of us shy away from. Deep, confusing, boring. Yet Luther hailed it as "the clearest gospel of all." There is something in Romans that explodes like dynamite in human hearts when those two ideas are grasped, and great movements result, like the Protestant Reformation.

The Number One "big idea" hits us like Bad News. It dominates most of chapters 1, 2, and half of 3. Depressing reading. Paul details the horrible sins that are the nature of humanity, whether of pagan nations, or of God's chosen people, the Jews. "All alike have sinned," says 3:23 (The New English Bible; it's correct here).

The "big idea" is inescapable: every human being by nature took part in the crucifixion of the Son of God. There's no way that we can honestly "confess our sins" unless we confess that terrible sin of sins as being ours by right. And that upsets the "Laodicean" lukewarm churchgoers! Paul walks all over their toes with this "big idea." Why? This humbles the pride of man and woman in the dust! We are no better than anyone else! The sin of someone else would be our sin but for the grace of Christ. If God lets go of us, there is no telling where we would end up. Say "goodbye" to self-importance, and "pour contempt" on all our pride. "We" crucified the Prince of glory!

The Number Two "big idea" in Romans also upsets the saints. As the new Head of our human race, the Son of God asked His Father to forgive that unspeakably terrible sin--and He did. The same "all" who sinned have been forgiven, "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (3:24). He died the second death of those same "all" men. "Much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded" to the same "all" men (5:15).

Paul's "big idea" explains the mystery why the Father treats those "all" men as though they had never sinned--His sunshine and rain come on "all" alike! That's what "justified by His grace" means! To despise that grace is the fatal age-old sin of unbelief.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 18, 2002.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: "Buy the Truth and Do Not Sell It"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Young people generally think they're immortal; they'll never be like the old folks they see in nursing homes. A kind heavenly Father says: "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, 'I have no pleasure in them': ... and desire fails" (Eccl. 12:1, 5).

Good common sense! The leaders of the Sanhedrim let their intellectual faculties become hardened with age so that when the young Man from Nazareth came with His refreshing message, they had "no pleasure in" it. When God poured out the "former rain" gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they missed the blessing.

In His loving patience, our heavenly Father tries time and again to interest us in the most precious beginning message of "the latter rain." But if we have loved our intellectual ease more than stretching the mind to grasp it, we will drift beyond the capacity to appreciate fresh revelations of truth.

Our problem is worldliness, "conformity" to society in or out of the church. While we still have a semblance of youth, let's "be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind[s]" (Rom. 12:1, 2). Elderly people can have young, renewed minds!

It was night when Samuel heard the voice of God calling; he immediately got up to listen (1 Sam. 3:3-9). The Lord gave him four calls and he responded each time. It's quite possible that because "the Lord [our] God [is] a jealous God" (Ex. 20:5), we'll have only one call to listen to "the latter rain" truth. "Buy the truth and do not sell it" (Prov. 23:23).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 4, 2005.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Was Our Understanding of the "Truth of the Gospel" Frozen in the 16th Century?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century was the greatest spiritual blessing since the apostles--an unfolding of justification by faith that can never be overthrown until the end of time; it was what Paul said is "the truth of the gospel" (Gal. 2:5). Truth is utterly essential. Jesus said He is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6); He has always been the "Lord God of truth" (Psalm 31:5). "Truth in love" is vitally important because it's "the power of God to salvation" (Eph. 4:15; Rom. 1:16). It's the revelation of the very character of God.

But does that mean that our understanding of the "truth of the gospel" was frozen in the 16th century so that no later generation can ever perceive a clearer grasp of it? One thing we know for sure--sin has "abounded" since the time of Luther and the Reformers. Has the grace of God been restricted so that sin has developed more than our understanding of the gospel can develop? The gospel is "everlasting," but our understanding of it is finite.

To freeze it would be tragedy. The Bible unfolds a greater development in the great controversy between Christ and Satan, for "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" (Rom. 5:20). In the 16th century, God was on top of the situation; He still is in this 21st century. "The everlasting gospel" will yet "lighten the earth with His glory"--a still clearer grasp of saving truth in these last days (Rev. 14:6; 18:1-4).

God assures us that He will not permit Satan to out-think the Holy Spirit, for He has more truth to reveal: "The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day" (Prov. 4:18).

The great Protestant Reformation of justification by faith has prepared untold numbers of precious souls who die to come up in the "first resurrection" (see Rev. 20:6). They can be happy in the kingdom of God forever. Now we've come to the time when the Holy Spirit will reveal a clearer understanding of truth that prepares people for translation at the second coming of Jesus (see 1 Thess. 4:16, 17)--something to do with the "Elijah message."

This means even deeper, clearer understanding of justification and righteousness by faith.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 26, 2005.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Dial Daily Bread: Lucifer's Number One Lie

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The famous TV "History Channel" loves to tell stories of rebellions and war. Watch some of them before you go to bed, and you'll have nightmares. They should tell the story of the greatest rebellion ever--Lucifer's rebellion against the King of the Universe. If told correctly, and you believed the truth, you wouldn't have any nightmares ever, for "the gospel ... is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16); precious good news.

Lucifer was the highest created being in the universe (the name means bright light). He was like the multibillionaire who wants more money (actually, the same spirit). He was not content with his highest position; he wanted to be "like God" in power, and eventually this greed turned into his hatred of God and his desire to drive Him from His throne and grab it for himself.

He fomented his rebellion, relating his accusations against God everywhere, and "one-third" of the formerly holy angels of heaven joined him in his rebellion. "War broke out in heaven: Michael [another name for Christ] and His angels fought against the dragon [Lucifer]; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Rev. 12:7-9).

The inspired story doesn't say they fought with sticks and stones or with bullets; they fought with lies catapulted against truths. It was ultimate war. Lucifer's "weapon" was false charges against God, lies, but they sounded plausible to one-third of the angels.

God's true character was known--He is pure unadulterated love (agape). Lucifer said He is selfish, unfair; that for God to ask that everyone be obedient to His holy law of Ten Commandments is just too impossible, especially so for the people who can't help that they have come from the one man on earth who joined Satan--our father the fallen Adam.

Don't imagine that when Lucifer was cast out that he stopped telling lies; He "deceives the whole world" (vs. 9). His lie Number One: just because you're human, you are doomed to keep on sinning forever or until the Lord Jesus comes and gives you a different nature. Grand lie!

Jesus came from heaven with a "job description" from the Father: defeat Lucifer, prove him wrong, condemn sin in the last place where sin had taken refuge--human hearts. His job: "condemn" sin, stamp on it, defeat it, annihilate it, disarm all its temptations, set the entire world population free from its slavery. Christ did it!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 20, 2007.
Copyright © 2017 by "Dial Daily Bread."