Daily Bread

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: Have We Misunderstood the Gospel?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Galatians 5:16, 17 has spiritual nuclear energy within it. It says that if we have made the choice to walk with the Holy Spirit and let Him hold us by the hand (isn't that what baptism is?), He strives night and day 24/7 against our fallen, sinful "flesh," our sinful nature. Yes--personally, individually. The result? The text says we "cannot do the things that [we] would."

There are two ways we can read that: (1) We cannot do the good things the Holy Spirit prompts us to do. If the mighty power of the Holy Spirit is striving against our "flesh" and we still can't do the good things we'd like to do, that looks like the worst bad news we could imagine. That would mean that sin is stronger than God. In other words, He has lost the great controversy--in principle. That's an Old Covenant way to read Galatians 5:16, 17, popular but questionable.

(2) The other possibility is: if we choose to let the Holy Spirit hold us by the hand we cannot do the evil things that "the flesh" would prompt us to do. Paul goes on to detail "the works of the flesh" that the Holy Spirit saves us from doing: "adultery, idolatry, hatred, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, envy," to name a few (vss. 19-21). A good list of things to be delivered from! But too often we seem to get entangled in them. Why? Have we misunderstood the gospel?

Then the apostle details some of the good things that the Holy Spirit prompts us (and enables us) to do if we "walk" with Him: "Love [agape], joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," etc. (vss. 22-24). That's the best good news we could imagine; it's New Covenant news.

The traditional way to understand Paul is that we can't do the good things we'd like to do, so Jesus just has to "cover" for our continued sinning, which is nice of Him to do but leaves Him ashamed before the universe for the failure of His gospel to save from sin. In Romans 1:16 Paul says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 17, 2006.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: The Ten Commandments--Dark Prohibitions or Sunlit Promises?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

"Our beloved brother [the apostle] Paul" (2 Peter 3:15) writes something that seems strange--if you take it as it reads. It's Galatians 5:16, 17 (KJV): "The flesh lusteth [strives] against the [Holy] Spirit, and the [Holy] Spirit against the flesh: and these [two] are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." There are two ways to read that--"the things that ye would" are either good things or bad things; can't be both. What Paul says doesn't seem strange if we take it the popular way--the things you "cannot do" are the good things you'd like to do but can't.

In other words, the popular idea is that it's easy to sin while it's uphill going to resist sin, to do good as we'd like to do. The allure of self and of the "flesh" and of the world is stronger than our desire to go to prayer meeting, for example. The idea long encouraged is that no matter how strongly you want to "overcome," you should settle down to reality: as long as you have a sinful nature inherited all the way from Adam, you'll have to continue sinning until Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven and zaps you with a new sinless nature. Then it will be possible and even easy to do what's right. For now, God doesn't expect you not to sin. Jesus will "cover" your sinning with His white robe; the Father won't even see your continued sinning, He'll only see Jesus covering your sinning.

But that's not what Paul actually says! In verse 16 we read, "Walk with the [Holy] Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh," in other words, you won't fall into sin! "The things that ye would" that "ye cannot do," according to what Paul says here, are the sinful things your fallen nature prompts you to do. And yes, this does sound strange! It sounds contrary to all we've learned since childhood. We've always understood it's hard to be good and easy to be bad.

The Ten Commandments read with Old Covenant eyes are stern, dark prohibitions; read with New Covenant eyes they are sunlit promises of victory in overcoming. Which are they? What is the bottom line truth that the Bible teaches? Tomorrow we'll delve a bit deeper.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 16, 2006.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: What It Means to Be “Reconciled to God”

Dear Friends of “Dial Daily Bread,”

The Bible is full of comforting, encouraging assurances of the heavenly Father's unending love. He is the "wonderful Counselor" (Isa. 9:6) who alone understands all the intricate details of our lives since our conception (Psalm 139:7-17).

When the Bible pleads with us, "Be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20), the plea is for us to believe His character of love, that infinite though He is as the Ruler of the universe, He is also the personal, intimate "our Father which art in heaven" whose heart yearns for us as if we were the only person for whom the Savior gave His eternal life.

His close, intimate love goes both ways: (a) forward into our future ("I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," Heb. 13:5); and (b) backward to our very conception in the womb of our mother, according to that psalm.

We can't "do" anything to earn salvation; when the jailer in Philippi asked the apostles what he should "do to be saved" they told him frankly, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 16:30, 31). That means again, "be reconciled to God."

We sometimes think that the book of Hebrews is over our heads; but Paul ends chapter 13 with a humble, simple, heart-warming request for us to "pray for him" as though he is as needy as any of us (vs. 18). So we get down on our knees, side by side with "our beloved brother Paul" (2 Peter 3:15), and just like us, he prays for "a good conscience."

As we face our future confident that the Lord will never "forsake us" or let go of our "right hand" (Isa. 41:13), let's trust that He has led us unerringly in our past. Part of our being "reconciled" to Him includes that confidence that His leading in our past has been only faithful love.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 9, 2006.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: Why Do We Pray, "Thy Will Be Done"?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Why do we always pray, "Thy will be done" when we pray for someone very sick? We give the Lord an excuse not to answer our prayer! Why don't we exercise more confidence and pray for the miracle of healing? "Our will be done!" Isn't that faith?

There was once a very good king on David's throne who did everything right, who became mortally sick. Hezekiah was young, only about 40, when Isaiah told him his sickness would end in death (38:1-3). He prayed for healing with no "Thy will be done."

The Lord granted his demand, adding 15 years (vs. 5). But they became a curse; he sired Manasseh, the worst king ever to sit on David's throne (he led the kingdom to eventual ruin, Jer. 15:4); he allowed pride and vanity to defile his life record; he invited the Babylonians to covet his kingdom's wealth (Isa. 39:1-8).

Hezekiah was healed, but we read that "God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart" (2 Chron. 32:31). He became an example of unknown sin. He would have been wise if he had prayed, "Lord, heal me, if it be Thy will." He could have been the finest king ever to sit on David's throne, but he left a sad record of the horror of self-righteousness. "I have walked before You ... with a loyal heart," he claimed tearfully. Pathetic! Maybe in the past; but he didn't know the truth of what was in his heart. It all came out in the future.

There are some things worse than death. The Lord granted Elisha more miracles in answer to prayer than any other prophet; yet when he became ill the Lord chose to let him die of his illness (2 Kings 13:14). In the judgment day at last, Elisha will be glad he agreed for God's will to be done. "God is love [agape]," all the way through.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: October 5, 2004.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: A Shared Experience With Christ

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

That last meal that Jesus ate with His disciples ("the Lord's Supper," to many) illustrates the idea of "substitution" that the New Testament teaches (yes, and the Old Testament too), a shared experience with Him.

Jesus did not say to his disciples, I am eating this Bread instead of you, nor did He say, I am drinking from this cup instead of you. He ate with them, He drank with them; they ate and drank with Him. Using the clearest illustration possible of intimate oneness He represented His believers as "drinking My blood, eating My body." "Abide in Me, and I in you," He pleads. I am the Vine, you are branches (John 15:4, 5). "Ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you." In sending the Holy Spirit to dwell with those who believe in Him, Jesus represents Himself as not leaving them orphans, "I will come to you" (14:18). Open your heart, receive His Spirit; you receive Him.

"Take, eat," He says in that last supper; "this is My body which is broken for you." And then in the same way, "He took the cup," and said, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matt. 26:26-28, 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

The idea again is intimate one-ness. Jesus does not want us to think of Him as separate from us, doing everything "instead of us," while we look on in childish wonder, uncomprehending. He did indeed die instead of us, He died our second death so we don't have to die our own second death--that is all true; but it is only part of the truth He obviously wants us to understand and experience. He wants intimate oneness with us where we enter into His feelings and His experience as a branch enters into the life processes of the Vine.

And then coming down to the last days of history just before Christ's return, Revelation introduces us to a oneness with Him even more intimate, even closer to our human understanding. We see how He wants us to sense an even deeper identification with Himself--a Bride's nearness to her Husband. Here is a shared experience with Him, one in which human pride can have no place. When "I am crucified with Christ," all my "glory" is laid in the dust forever.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 10, 2002.

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: The House of the Lord--Would You Feel at Home There?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

In his Shepherd Psalm David says he will be happy to "dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:6). Sounds nice in a poem, but would you find such a life rather boring if it went on and on? No unhealthy food or beverages, no video games or violent movies--no selfishness of any kind. Instead there will be genuine love and gratitude for the gift of eternal salvation. Would you feel at home there?

The Bible represents God's eternal kingdom as a place of complete liberty. No one is forced to be a citizen against his or her will, but no one who could be happy there is kept outside. In fact, there is the constant invitation, "Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). If anyone should feel that he or she has been unfairly kept out, God will open "the books" wherein are "written" all the secrets of one's life (20:12). The idea is not that one will be surprised to see or hear things he didn't know were there; the final judgment will be simply a final moment of full consciousness.

David himself, who wrote the 23rd Psalm, will be there rejoicing that his terrible sins of adultery and murder were forgiven when he confessed them. He will be grateful that God did not "take [His] Holy Spirit from [him]" but "restored unto him the joy of [His] salvation" (Psalm 51:11, 12). "Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin," he says (32:5).

If you can put yourself in David's place, you can understand how he will never feel that he deserves to "dwell in the house of the Lord forever," but you will sense how he will be forever grateful to a Savior who bore the guilt of his dark crime and "restored" his soul. He will meet his victim, Uriah the Hittite, in the resurrection day, and will beg his forgiveness for murdering him. His most profound meeting will be with the Savior who died his second death.

Eternity will not be long enough for David to express the gratitude that will flood his soul as he dwells in God's "house" forever. Is that same gratitude beginning to blossom in your soul today?

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 22, 2000.

Monday, December 08, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: Cooperate With the "Lord of the Harvest"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

It was the most awful crime ever committed on planet earth, or in the universe of God. Human beings who had sold themselves to Satan did it--they captured, condemned, tortured, and murdered the divine Son of God, the world's Messiah and Savior. It was hatred gone wild.

And while they were doing it, He was praying for them, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Simply telling people around the world what happened electrified humanity and separated mankind into two peoples--those who believed with a heart appreciation for His love, and those who steeled their hearts against that love and became the most bitter persecutors of their fellow humans.

The process has been going on ever since, and will culminate in the fulfillment of Revelation 14:14-20 where we read of two "harvests" that will ripen side by side: the good grain gathered when "He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped." Then "another angel came out from the altar, ... and cried with a loud cry, ... 'Gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe,'" the grapes of the "winepress of the wrath of God."

It's a solemn thought that we are poised between verses 13 and 14 of this chapter of prophecy: Now is the hour when those who "die in the Lord" are "blessed ... from now on" (vs. 13) and the coming of the moment of the literal second coming of "the Son of man" (vs. 14).

But oh, the work that is yet to be done! No way will "He who [will] sit" on the cloud "thrust in [His] sickle" until the "harvest ... is ripe." If He were to act prematurely, the harvest would be ruined; He has to wait, poised, His "sickle" ready, but unused. The grain has come to the time when the plants are tall but immature, the growth hindered by drought when the "latter rain" should be falling.

Meanwhile nothing seems to stop the other "harvest" from ripening; the wickedness in the world develops, while the growth of the good grain is stultified.

The clearest evidence of the soon coming of Christ is not the number of professed believers worldwide, but the awakening of serious, honest-hearted people in the church who realize that to indulge further in corporate lukewarmness is in reality a re-crucifixion of that same Son of God. Ripening for the harvest is a choice God's people make for or against cooperation with "the Lord of the harvest."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 11, 2006.

Sunday, December 07, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: The Holy Spirit's Ministry in the Last Days

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

How are we to receive the Holy Spirit? He of course is the same Person all through the ages, but His ministry in these last days has a different focus. We need to understand the difference.

The Holy Spirit manifested Himself at Pentecost 2000 years ago in the "early rain." But in the end of time He will manifest Himself in the "latter rain." "Rain" of course is rain, the same water whether it comes to sprout the planted seed, or whether it comes to ripen the grain for harvest--the mission is vastly different.

Another way to recognize the difference is to consider the second coming of Christ in contrast with His first. They are not the same; in one He comes to die on a cross for the sins of the world, in the other He comes as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The "early rain" was a gift that marked Christ's ministry in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary; His ministry in the "latter rain" is a gift that comes from Christ's work in the second apartment. When the High Priest enters the second, He closes the door to the first. Either His people "follow the Lamb wherever He goes" (Rev. 14:4) or they open themselves to deception by a counterfeit high priest in a counterfeit first apartment sanctuary (cf. Matt. 24:24).

The "early rain" prepared people to die and come up in the first resurrection. This blessed ministry continued until the end of the 2300 year prophecy of Daniel 8:14. Then came a profound change--the blowing of the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:15-19). The great High Priest is determined to see the great controversy brought to its climactic end.

This disturbs lukewarm people who would be content for time (and sin) to go on indefinitely, content for Jesus to postpone His second coming for a generation or two more. To face the close of probation and live through the seven last plagues--isn't there an easier way to get to heaven? But the "latter rain" prepares people to go through that Time of Trouble and to stand before Jesus and meet Him personally when He returns (1 Thess. 4:16, 17). They must eventually elect to receive the latter rain, or renounce their faith they have long professed. The time to choose may be near.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 21, 2007.

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: How Near Could the Second Coming Be?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

How near could the second coming of Christ be? Someone will say (rightly) that it is as near as our finishing preaching the gospel in "all the world."

"The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world, ... and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14). But who knows how far it really has gone? Jesus told us to be careful how we estimate what's happening: "The kingdom of God does not come with observation" (Luke 17:20). He said it's like hiding "leaven" in flour for breadmaking. The leaven works silently, unobserved (see Luke 13: 20, 21). Even so it will be with the work of God on the earth.

We are capable of wild guesswork. It's not always the work that looks the most successful. No one can know how rapidly the work of God is progressing on earth. Even those who seek to be doing the work are unconscious of the greater part of it. The kingdom of glory will be ushered in at a time when even Christ's most faithful workers will think that much remains to be done. They cannot know what hidden agencies God has at work.

And we may misunderstand what the Lord will reckon as the attainment of His goal. The "144,000" of Revelation 14:4, 5 may be people that none of us recognize as yet. Victories may be won day by day that we know nothing of, because the media (secular or religious) just aren't tuned in to the work of Christ in the Most Holy Apartment.

This should serve to admonish us never to think that the coming of the Lord is far off, since we can see comparatively little being done. Let us be content to work in quietness and obscurity. Although some may think superficially that our work is effective, and even though we ourselves may think it is ineffective, we have the assurance that our "Father ... sees in secret" (Matt. 6:4).

All the warnings that Jesus gave us about His second coming, to "watch ... lest coming suddenly, He find you sleeping," are valid (Mark 13:35, 36). They still are "present truth."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 8, 2004.

Thursday, December 04, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: We Still Haven't Caught Up With the Samaritans

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The word "gospel" means "good news." Paul says he is not ashamed of it, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). We don't want to confuse it with petty arguing!

The Samaritans of the village of Sychar had it straight even before the twelve disciples understood it clearly, for they grasped the truth that Jesus is "the Savior of the world" (John 4:42), not just of those who believe. The disciples didn't fully grasp that truth until after the resurrection of Jesus, not until Pentecost. But it's still a truth that's beyond the understanding of many, and therefore their ability to win souls to Christ is curtailed. The return of Jesus is delayed because we still haven't caught up with the Samaritans.

Paul understood, for he said that Christ is "the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe" (1 Tim. 4:10). Thus the idea that there are two aspects of salvation: one applies to "all men," and the other applies only to those "who believe." After Adam lost out as the head of the human race, Christ took over as the "last" or second Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), and He died for the world, not just for "the elect." He "tasted death for every one," not just for those who are baptized (cf. Heb. 2:9).

The Father has planned for "all men" to be saved eternally (1 Tim. 2:3, 4). He has not "predestined" anyone to be lost, but all to be saved (Eph. 1:3-5). Therefore it was before "the foundation of the world" that He has chosen "all men" to be "in Christ" just as surely as He gave "the birthright" to Esau. That gift was in no sense dependent on any good works that Esau might do; it was his by "right." But he "despised" and "sold" it (Gen. 25:32-34). Now, don't despise and sell what has been given you as your birthright "in Christ."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 5, 2005.

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: Is It a Sin to Have Money?

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 ingenuity. Then is when James' words will come true: your money "will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire" (5:3).

This is not saying that we must sell or give away everything we have so that we can be like Jesus who said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Matt. 8:20).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. The Lord wants you to have what you need for health and comfort, and He has promised to "provide."

But what's important for us to grasp is the seldom-seen truth that all we deserve is the small amount Jesus had. And we would have only that had He not become our Savior and died for us. It is 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 Christ to save us.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 2, 2002.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Dial Daily Bread: Will the Final Work Be a "Noise" or Clearer "Light"?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The overwhelming majority of people do not care about Jesus and His "everlasting gospel" of Revelation 14. Especially in places where once upon a time the Holy Spirit worked with great power: Germany (where the Reformation was born), Scotland (where John Knox preached), New England (the Great Awakening), yes, England itself where some Anglican churches now stand nearly empty on Sunday mornings.

In comparison with how Luther's message shook Europe or how Paul's message turned his "world upside down" (Acts 17:6), our best endeavors today seem to be pale. Everywhere Paul went, one of two things happened: either a riot or a revival! Well, almost. He preached in the highly intellectual university city of Athens and not much happened (vss. 16-34). But to be fair we must remember that was the one time that Paul failed to preach what later he preached everywhere--"Christ and Him crucified." When he came to Corinth (1 Cor. 2:1-4) he turned the city "upside down" preaching the cross.

How can God judge modern multitudes who have never heard the message, whose prejudices block all efforts to reach them? We try to preach in Europe and sophisticated America, and little happens in comparison. Is God giving up on the "first world"? And will present-day "revivals" in Third World cultures eventually repeat the history of great spiritual movements that have been replaced by pleasure-seeking materialism? Is poverty necessary for the success of the gospel proclamation? If so, it would seem appropriate for the church to pray for another Great Depression.

But wait a moment: history proves that even disasters don't produce permanent revivals! Just one example--World War II.

Revelation 18:1-4 suggests an answer: a Voice from heaven will indeed reach every honest-hearted person in the world when the message is clarified as "light" that can "lighten the earth with glory." The final work will not be so much noise (a "loud cry"), as clearer "light." God grant us to see it.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 16, 2001.

Will the Holy Spirit Be Proven a Failure?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Is the Holy Spirit our Friend? You say, Yes, of course; but think: Jesus says that His first work is to "convict the world of sin" (John 16:8). Is that pleasant? The doctor does a scientific test and convinces you that you have a lethal disease. You "feel" okay and it hasn't worried you, but he says you must do something drastic. Is the doctor your "friend"? Now suppose he has many, many patients all with a lethal disease they don't want to recognize; and suppose they all reject his counsel to do something, even though he is genuinely their friend. That would make him disappointed, unhappy. Is it possible that a patient is concerned for the reputation or happiness of his physician? Patients are generally concerned with their own health; few make appointments to ask how the doctor is, and give him medical advice. The Good News is that the Holy Spirit is "reproving" or "convicting" "the world of sin." The Bad News is that most who need help (His "patients") reject His reproofs and convictions of sin, so that Satan hopes that in the end the Holy Spirit will be proven a failure. Satan's last hope is that "the people of God" will reject His reproof and be involved in the general ruin coming on the earth.

There's a better reason to listen to the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin. He is Christ's Vicar; His job is to "convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment," the latter because "the ruler of this world is judged [condemned]" (John 16:8-11). In listening, in receiving His reproof, in giving up the sin He convicts you of, you honor Christ in this last battle of the millennia-long great controversy. The Holy Spirit is your Friend; now be a friend to Him also. Thank Him for His work.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Salvation--100 Percent the Work of Christ

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

We insist that salvation is 100 percent the work of Christ, and we can do nothing to help save ourselves. But some say that this will encourage people to be lazy spiritually and expect to be carried to heaven "on a bed of roses." People will conclude that obedience to God's Ten Commandments isn't important. But let's read what the Bible says, clearly.

"By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9). The King James Version says, "all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ," but the New English Bible renders it, "From first to last this has been the work of God" (2 Cor. 5:18). Several times in Romans 5 Paul says that what Christ accomplished as our Savior was a "gift," and the obvious intent is that the gift is total.

Now, does this encourage a "do-nothing" attitude? The answer is a resounding YES if we don't understand the dimensions of the love (agape) that led Jesus to His cross. And that is the reason so many millions of Christians are lukewarm in their devotion to Him, willing to continue in transgression of the Ten Commandments. The apostasy that Daniel, Revelation, Jesus, and Paul warn us against is a falling away from the idea of love (agape; Rev. 2:4).

Paul prays for us, "that [the Father] would grant you [to be] ... rooted and grounded in agape, ... able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the agape of Christ which passes knowledge" (Eph. 3:14-19). When selfish human hearts (like ours) can begin to be stretched to "comprehend" that kind of love that went all the way to hell to find us, that died our second death, that "poured out His soul unto death" (Isa. 53:12), our ugly human pride is laid in the dust. Or at least begins to be. It's just a common sense response.

Morbid? Depressing? No, the opposite. We begin to "glory … in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world [with its glamour and self-admiration] has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal. 6:14). At last we are released from our ugly selfishness, and begin to realize that even more than a hundred years of meticulous conformity to legalism is "counted as rubbish [garbage]," "my own righteousness, which is from the law" (Phil. 3:7-9).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 7, 2003.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Which Is Stronger--the Holy Spirit or Our Sinful Nature?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Is the Holy Spirit really stronger than our sinful flesh or sinful nature? Suppose that the opposite were true--that our sinful flesh were stronger than the Holy Spirit? What would happen? Well, there would be no salvation from sin. The salvation of any human being depends on the Holy Spirit being stronger than the flesh!

This brings us to the great controversy between Christ and Satan. Who will win? Who is really stronger? If you ask an unconverted person, he or she will tell you that Satan is stronger. Or at least it seems so in this modern evil world. Our sinful nature is so strong! The devil makes it seem so, but it is a lie.

Jesus said: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). That means that no matter how strong is the temptation to sin that tugs at your heart or mind, the Holy Spirit is stronger. But it does not mean that you have no part in the battle. Your part is to choose to say "No!" to the temptation. Titus 2:11 and 12 in the New International Version are very clear: "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and [it teaches us] to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."

In Galatians 5:16, we see that we have something to do--go for a walk with the Holy Spirit, and let Him hold you by the hand (cf. Isa. 41:10, 13). God has given us the power of choice; the Holy Spirit is forbidden to control you without your consent! Are you weak in moral power, in will power?

With the weeping father you can make the choice to believe, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). And when you make the choice, you invite the Holy Spirit to demonstrate that He is stronger than your sinful flesh. God is free to work! "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 18, 1998.

Monday, November 24, 2014

A Conscious Fellowship with Jesus

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
On the surface it appears to be bad news when the Bible text says: "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). It sounds like a contradiction of what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to Me, ... and I will give you rest. ... My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Why take up a cross of self-denial in order to follow Jesus if you have to endure "many tribulations"?
This apparently difficult statement of Paul does not contradict that of Jesus. If you decline to share with Him His cross of self-denial, you can also have "many tribulations," even more. Jesus didn't come from heaven to this earth to excuse us fallen children of Adam from all troubles; He came to share our troubles and give us the comfort of His presence with us.
But those troubles, which are the lot of all humanity, will be infinitely more difficult to endure if we deprive ourselves of "the fellowship" of Christ in "His sufferings" (Phil. 3:10). Good people and bad people alike suffer accidents, have heart attacks, strokes, break their hips, and yes, die. But the person who responds to Christ's invitation and "takes up [his] cross daily and follows Him" enjoys a most precious uplift. He has a conscious fellowship with the one and only Jesus, the Son of God, who endured the horror of our second death on His cross (which we will never have to endure!).
This text of apparently bad news is like a nut that has a sweet kernel inside that awaits our patience in cracking its hard shell.

--Robert J. Wieland

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Take a New Look at Your Trials

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
What do you do when you pray and pray and you don't get an answer? Or the answer is a plain No? Did I hear you say that all your prayers get a Yes answer? If so you are a most unusual person. Many people, especially children, are perplexed when they hear stories of some people always getting an immediate Yes answer; they don't seem to get such answers. Well, neither do I.
Even the apostle Paul had to suffer the disappointment of not getting a Yes answer to his prayers. He tells us about it in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. He had a painful physical problem, and three times he earnestly prayed, Lord, take this away; am I not serving You? And he probably said, like we do so often, "Don't I deserve something?" The Lord said No to his request: "My grace is sufficient for you," and with it you can endure this pain.
The children need to understand that if the Lord says No, it does not mean He doesn't love us; He does. His "No!" can be a greater proof of His love than if He lets us win the lottery.
We can be sure that He will always give us enough from His store of much more abounding grace that will enable us to bear the trial and endure its pain. That grace is often much better than to have the trial taken away from us. Why? Because His wonderful grace is strongest when you and I are at our weakest: "My strength is made perfect in weakness," He said to Paul (2 Cor. 12:9).
Paul immediately took the hint and capitalized on it: "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast [glory, KJV] in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." In other words, my trials turn out to be a great bargain!
Take a new look at your trials; you may be missing a bonanza.

--Robert J. Wieland

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Does Your Switch Turn the Lights On, or Off?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Does your switch turn the lights On, or Off?
Perhaps you have thought that the switch in your house turns the electricity on. Wrong! Your electricity is turned on at the power station, and it is flooding your house through wires running all over, ready to run your lights, computer, and vacuum cleaner 24 hours a day. Your switch turns it off, otherwise your lights would be on all the time!
Likewise, your decision to follow Christ is not what turns His salvation on; He has already given you the gift of His salvation. That's what John 3:16 is saying; it is your unbelief that turns the gift off.
Our salvation is 100 percent due to God's initiative, not to our own in any way. But we let Him save us. By repentance, we stop turning the switch off! "The blessings of salvation are for every soul. Nothing but his own choice can prevent any man from becoming a partaker of the promise in Christ by the gospel" (The Desire of Ages, p. 403).

--Robert J. Wieland

Monday, November 17, 2014

SST #8 | "The Humility of Heavenly Wisdom"

SST #8 | "The Humility of Heavenly Wisdom" | Paul…:

http://youtu.be/FTGdnh-8yWU

The Savior Needs Your Willing Cooperation

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
When you think about it, you marvel: whenever Jesus worked a miracle to give people food or drink, He always needed the willing cooperation of some human beings. At the wedding in Cana of Galilee, He needed the help of the servants to go get the wine jars and fill them with water. Then He chose not to wave His hand and suddenly fill all the guests’ glasses with supernatural wine. Instead, working behind the scenes with the servants, He gave the party wine.

In the two miracles of feeding the thousands, it’s interesting that in each instance He waited for the cooperation of the disciples before He could feed the multitudes. In the case of the “four thousand” (Matt. 15:32-39), when He expressed His compassion on the people being so hungry that they might collapse on their journeys home, He first asked the disciples, “How many loaves do you have?” Apparently they went off to inquire and came back, “Seven, and a few little fish.” Very well, now He can do something; “He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave to the multitude.”

In feeding the five thousand (Mark 6:30-44; John 6:5-14), again He was dependent on the little boy’s gift of his “five barley loaves and two fishes” (obviously the lunch his mother had made for him; he was so enthralled listening to Jesus he forgot to eat it). The lesson seems clear: although Jesus could “create” bread from nothing as He created the world in the beginning, now the rules in the great controversy require that He be dependent on willing human cooperation for something to begin with!

Astounding as the truth may be, the Savior actually needs you! Perk up, lift up your head; you are important in His great plan for the world.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 1, 2005.