Do New Year's Resolutions Bring Happiness?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

New Year's Day is traditionally the time for resolutions. "I will do better in this or that way during this new year!" And in practice, these New Year resolutions usually fail before even February comes.

A wise writer has said, "Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. ... The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you" (Steps to Christ, p. 47). Such promises and resolutions made to God are the famous Old Covenant. The children of Israel made the Old Covenant at Mt. Sinai when they responded to God's promise by saying, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do" (Ex. 19:8).

Sounds good, doesn't it? And some dear people understand the Lord as approving of their making the Old Covenant when He later said, "I have heard the voice of the words of this people, ... They have well said all that they have spoken" (Deut. 5:28). This is often interpreted as the Lord's enthusiastic approval of their Old Covenant promise. But those who take this position don't read far enough. In the next verse the Lord sighs, "O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear Me [reverence Me], and keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them." Paul says that the Old Covenant "gendereth to bondage," just as Steps to Christ says (Gal. 4:24). That "bondage" brings darkness into your soul, even though you try ever so hard to be good.

No, your New Year's resolutions will not bring you victory and happiness. The Lord does not ask you to make promises to Him; He asks only that you believe His promises to you. His promise is the New Covenant; and for us to believe His promise is what makes Him happy. And in the end it makes us happy, too.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 2, 1998.

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Rescued by a Love Totally Outside of Us

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Since childhood we have all heard of the Good Shepherd who leaves His "ninety and nine" on that wild stormy night and seeks His one lost sheep "until He find it" (Luke 15:4-6). Its salvation depends entirely on the initiative of the Shepherd. The lost animal knows it's lost, but cannot "arise and go" on its own to find salvation. So, the Lord Jesus Christ "seeks" it. The lost sheep is you and I who are rescued by a love totally outside of us.

And we remember the lost coin, how the lady turns her house upside down until she finds that precious piece of silver. The coin is different from the sheep; it doesn't know it's lost. It represents you and me who were "dead in trespasses and sins, [who] walked according to the course of this world, ... fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and of the mind, ... children of wrath" (Eph. 2:1-3). But Someone found us, buried in the dust and trash of this dark world, unconscious of our condition.

But how does this common theme of God seeking and finding us work out in practical day-by-day living? Does the idea encourage us to be spiritually lazy, doing nothing?

The Prodigal Son story seems on the superficial surface to contradict God's love seeking us, rather than vice versa. The lost son seems to take the initiative in his own salvation. "I will arise and go," he says to himself, and gets up out of the pigsty and goes--on his own (Luke 15:18). Like cars, he has a self-starter. The Father does NOT come seeking him, to "find" him. Forever after the boy can congratulate himself: "Yes, I was lost; but I found my way back! I'm saved because I 'sought' and 'found' salvation. I exerted the effort. I forced myself to take step after step. I did it. I'm saved by grace, but I'm also saved by my own obedience."

But wait a moment, Mr. Prodigal Son, Mr. Laodicean, not so fast. This parable illustrates how the Holy Spirit seeks and saves us lost ones. It was He who gave the boy sitting with the pigs the conviction that his Father loved him. The Holy Spirit inspired him with the motivation, because as the Comforter whom Jesus promised to send us, He, not self, convicted the boy of "sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, ... because the prince of this world is condemned" (John 16:7-11).

Yes, we're "home," but only because the Good Shepherd sought and found us, and His Holy Spirit did not abandon us. By grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. And it's specifically and emphatically "not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9).

So, Mr. Laodicean, be humble; you're not rich and increased with goods.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 10, 2003.

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The Problem of "Assurance"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Can any human being have assurance of personal, eternal salvation? The usual answer is "Yes," but people often overlook the sad reality that in the final judgment Jesus says "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, ... and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me" (Matt. 7:22, 23). Something extremely sad had gone wrong! They had been self-deceived, and their faith they thought was real turned out to be a counterfeit because it had not "worked" obedience to God's commandments.

So, how do we solve this problem of "assurance"? Just saying, "I feel good! That proves I have assurance of eternal salvation!" might prove to be tragically wrong. On the other hand, constant worrying and fear are not God's plan either. Some thoughts that may point to an answer:

(1) There is something that deserves our attention more important than our own personal salvation--the success of Christ in the great controversy with Satan. When our concern is caught up "with Him" in His work and His success, our self-centered worry and fear are gone.

(2) If you try to ground your "assurance" on your own faith, obedience, works, etc., it will leave you forever wondering if you have enough "faith," or "obedience," or "works." The focus of your interest and concern is still on self, no matter how you try to dress it up with pious terminology. The inevitable result is one of two things--either spiritual arrogance ("I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing!," Rev 3:17), or spiritual discouragement ("I wish I could be good enough to go to heaven!").

(3) Even if we mouth the right phrase and say, "My assurance is 'in Christ,'" our personal claim to be "in Him" is worthless if the evidence of being "in Christ" is lacking in the life. There is no conflict between "faith and works." True faith is demonstrated in works, and they must be seen in the Judgment Day, not to save us, but to prove that our faith is the genuine thing.

(4) Our real assurance is, therefore, what Christ accomplished for the human race. We were "justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:9) which was shed at the cross; He elected us to be saved eternally, "chose us," and wants "all men to be saved." You'll have to confess that if you are saved at last, your salvation will be due to God's initiative.

Now, are you resisting His will? Interposing a rebellious will against Him? Resisting the Holy Spirit's convictions of sin? Thank God for sending Jesus to die your second death, for saving your soul; and let His Spirit guide you in the paths of obedience. Stop worrying about yourself.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 7, 2000.

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Understanding What It Means to Believe

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Why do we humans have so much trouble understanding the simple words of God? He says, for example, that He so loves us that He has GIVEN all He can give, so that "whosoever will, let him take of the water of [eternal] life freely." He has set the fountain flowing; our job is to drink! (John 3:16; Rev. 22:17).

But what have we humans done with this? We can't bear to believe "that whosoever believeth in [Christ] shall not perish, but have eternal life," so we interpolate all kinds of ideas of duties that we must DO. Our problem obviously is understanding what it means to "believe" (which in the original is the same as to have faith).

Because some fanatics (there are many!) have the idea that to "believe" is merely to confess head knowledge while we go on reveling in continued sin (and we know that lie can't be true), we humans have tried to add "works" to John 3:16, etc., etc. So we say that salvation is by faith plus by works; but immediately we run into a roadblock. God also says, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." And then to forestall any attempt on our part to add "works" to the equation, God adds specifically: "NOT of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9). So, strictly speaking, the correct truth to say is: we are saved by grace--100 percent God's grace in Christ. But that doesn't mean we have nothing to do: the salvation is "through faith." So, we do have a part--to believe.

Let's be patient and let the Lord explain in the Bible what "believe" means. The explanation is in John 3:16: to "believe" is our heart response, to appreciate God's "loving" and His "giving." It is to "behold," to "see," to "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love [agape] of Christ" (Eph. 3:18, 19). It's just to "behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). More than a hurried glance while our gaze is fixed on worldly cares and pleasure; no, it's to let our hard, selfish hearts "look," which all the world is invited to do--"look unto Me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth" (Isa. 45:22).

"Beholding" that love motivates to all the "good works" that even God can think of (see 1 John 3:1-3).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 28, 2003.

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What Did the Believing Thief "See"?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

An old poem "glories" in the cross of Christ "towering o'er the wrecks of time." There at His cross all humankind line up under two clearly demarcated categories. We all are defined as "thieves," either (a) the repentant one who begged Jesus, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom," or (b) the unrepentant one who refused to believe what his fellow thief had seen--that the One between them was indeed "the Savior of the world." No third person was crucified that day; we are all "there" on His right or left.

What did the believing thief "see"?

Don't despise his understanding. The greatest scholars in the world can humble themselves to learn from him. You can learn to "see" a lot of theology in just a few moments when you are crucified side by side with the Son of God--if you will believe. Truth flashed into the mind of that thief: this Man in their midst is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). He is "the Savior of the world" (John 4:42), Paul's "Savior of all men" (1 Tim. 4:10). He is the second or "last Adam" who has reversed all the condemnation that the first Adam brought on the human race.

Anyone can learn an enormous lot when at last he faces the real thing known as death. The repentant thief "saw" that when Christ took away the "verdict of condemnation" that Adam brought on us all, He gave us instead forgiveness, His "verdict of acquittal" (Rom. 5:15-18, Revised English Bible; Eph. 1:3-7). Don't under-estimate that saved man's knowledge: Jesus gave him an "A+" that morning. His "curse" was transformed into justification. Any theological seminary would be honored to have that repentant thief as a professor.

But if we "see" that Christ has given us all the "gift" of "justification unto life," is that a heresy--being "born justified"? It's not heresy. We are all "born condemned" in Adam; so why can't we be "born justified" in Christ if He is "the Savior of the world," "the Savior of all men"? You believe like the one thief, or you dis-believe like the other.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 1, 2003.

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Lessons in the True History of Christ's Birth

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

There are precious lessons in the true history of the birth of Christ. And they are heart-warming, faith-building, to contemplate all through the year, not just in December. When Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32), the principle applies even to truths of the history of Jesus. Fiction does not build faith; it weakens it, even when it is cleverly designed and apparently "beautiful."

(1) God has wisely withheld from the world the knowledge of the actual day of Jesus' birth. It was never His plan for the world to celebrate any day for His birth, but rather to ponder constantly why He became "one" with us, taking upon His divine nature our fallen sinful nature and becoming "Immanuel," God with us. The New Testament is silent regarding the day of His birth or any practice of observing it. Danger lurks in creating customs that He has not commanded: "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted shall be uprooted" (Matt. 15:13).

(2) The danger is evident; look at the way "Christmas" has become a wild commercial extravaganza, precisely what Revelation 18:7ff describes as "Babylon." If children are not clearly taught the truth of the humble birth of Jesus in contrast to popular fiction, they will inevitably confuse idolatry ("covetousness," Luke 12:15) with Christian living. Expecting gifts rather than giving to Jesus becomes almost ineradicable. Such confusion leads directly to our "lukewarmness," which makes Jesus want to vomit (Rev. 3:16).

(3) A faith-building truth about the virgin Mary is lost when fiction replaces Bible facts. Abundant New Testament evidence reveals that she was a mature woman who had wrestled with her own serious problems and had overcome doubt through faith. She speaks in her poem of her "low estate" (Luke 1:48, KJV; Greek, tapeinosis, translated elsewhere as "humiliation," Acts 8:33; "abasement," Luke 14:11; even "vileness, " Phil. 3:21, KJV). What was outstanding about her was not teenage beauty and physical charm (as artists portray her), but her choice to "believe" (Luke 1:45). More than any woman, she had an immense capacity for sorrow, for a giant sword was to "pierce through [her] own soul also" (Luke 2:35; Greek, romphaia, used for Goliath's weapon, LXX [Septuagint]).

The Bible portrait suggests that like her Son, she was "acquainted with grief," perhaps even "despised of men."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 23, 1999.

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Does Anyone Care If Jesus Comes Soon?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

When Heaven was looking for someone who was prepared to welcome the birth of the long-awaited Messiah, no one among the priests or rulers seemed the least bit interested. So far as they were concerned, if the Messiah should never come, they were content so long as their "economy" was good and Emperor Caesar Augustus kept the peace. When Joseph and Mary were in the manger in Bethlehem and Jesus was born, the angel was about to go back to heaven with the shameful news that no human being on earth cared. But that would have been tragic! It is true that human beings are sinful and selfish and alienated from God, but there have always been some whose hearts were in tune with Heaven. (It's that way today, also).

Then the angel found the poor shepherds camping out in the fields by night, talking together under the starlight about God's promises to send the Messiah and praying, "Lord, send Him! We need Him!" The angel was so happy! He could not contain his pent-up joy but told them that the Saviour of the world was born in Bethlehem and they should go and see him for themselves. They would be welcome! So they said to each other, "Lets go! We must see this great sight!" and they did not walk, they ran to the town of Bethlehem, and found Jesus, the world's Saviour, lying in a donkey's feed-box.

Does anyone today care whether Jesus comes soon, or not for a long time to come so long as we have a good "economy" and peace and fun? Is anyone anywhere fasting and praying about it? I don't mean arthritic old people in nursing homes; I mean are there young people who are concerned for the latter rain, the loud cry, and the coming of Jesus again?

The Bible evidence is quite clear, the shepherds camping in the fields were young: (1) they were "camping," as only youth could or would do; and (2) when they had heard what the angels said, they didn't say to each other, "Well, (yawn!) let's wait a few days and maybe next week we'll stroll over to town and see about this." No way! Luke 2 says they said, "Let's go!" as only youth would say it, and they hurried to town.

The answer to my question is "Yes!" there are young people today who are concerned seriously, and they are as much concerned about Jesus' second coming as the shepherds were about His first coming. The Bible promise is that "unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Heb. 9:28). The Greek says, "eager" for Him to come; yes, there are some. Are you among them?

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 24, 1999.

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A Reminder of God's Promise After the Flood

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The winter solstice occurs this evening in California, an event loved by our pagan forebears in Europe, especially in Ireland and England. Now the dark winter days begin ever so slightly to lengthen; yes, there will be a spring! Time to celebrate!

By December 25 the lengthening of the day could be detected even without clocks or watches. Known as the "wild winter solstice," pagans in the Roman Empire frolicked without restraint. The celebration was taken over by the popular Church along with other pagan customs, the sincere idea being to make it easier for pagans to be "converted." The result through the centuries: thoughtful observers have said the Church is "baptized paganism."

But there's some good news involved here that may encourage us in our "Global Warming" fears.

The precision and never-failing repetition of the winter solstice remind us of the promise that the LORD God made after the Flood of Noah. All these thousands of years He has been faithful; His love for the human race has been revealed "in Christ." He will not permit again any global disaster to repeat what happened in the Flood: "The LORD said in His heart, 'I will never again curse the ground for man's sake; ... nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done'" (Gen. 8:21).

No matter how severe to mankind are the results of Global Warming, there will be no more universal disaster. The Flood was permitted because "the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence ... for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth" (Gen. 6:11, 12). It was so bad that the Lord said "every intent of the thoughts of [man's] heart was only evil continually" (vs. 5).

As terrible as evil is today, Scripture does not repeat that analysis; Noah "became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" and warned the world of the coming Flood (Heb. 11:7), but the Lord tells us in Revelation that there is now a world-wide potential for understanding and receiving the "Loud Cry" of purest gospel truth proclaimed by His repentant last-days' "remnant" church (cf. Rev. 12:17; 14:12; 18:1-4).

The Lord will not gloss over or despise this universal hunger in sincere hearts. "The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing" (Psalm 145:14-16, KJV). Blessings are coming!

--Robert J. Wieland

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

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Does the Lord Love Us Individually, or Collectively?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Does the Lord love us individually, personally, singularly? There are billions of us; how can He?

Or does He love us only collectively as the human race, period?

Jesus told us to pray the "Lord's Prayer," which is in the first person plural--"OurFather, which art in heaven." Is that as close as He wants me to come to Him? Or, can I pray the Lord's Prayer as "My Father which art in heaven"?

When Jesus taught us the Lord's Prayer He was addressing a crowd. But He frequently spoke good news to individuals, such as the father of the demon-tormented boy in Mark 9, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (vs. 23). The "whosoever" in John 3:16 is singular; the invitations in Revelation 22 are singular--"let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, lethim take the water of life freely" (vs. 17).

The answer is clear and firm: the Lord loves us as individuals, personally, singularly. Romans 8 assures you that if your heart cries out "Abba, Father," that is the evidence that you have received "the spirit of adoption" (vs. 15). Even if you know that you are a sinner; the invitation is "Come." You don't come as crowds; you come individually, because you know He loves you individually. You have the solemn conviction that He watched your formation in the womb of your mother! You can pray to the Lord with such intimacy as if the world, even the universe, holds but you and God (Psalm 139:15, 16, 2, 3, etc.). Of course, once you believe this glorious truth, thereafter your love will overflow toward all with whom you come in contact (2 Cor. 5:14, 15).

Our beloved 23rd Psalm does not say, "The Lord is our Shepherd," but "the Lord is my Shepherd." Of course, He is the Shepherd of the human race, but He inspired David to write those words for your personal, individual encouragement.

Now, as an individual sinner (as we all are), you are to come to Him on these terms of faith, believing that He loves you personally, individually: "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6).

How can He when He has these billions and billions to care for? He is infinite.And still personal! Your job is to stop asking "how" and believe His truth.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 7, 2006.

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The Meaning of "Atonement"

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The word "atonement" is not of Latin origin; it's a plain old Saxon word that means to "be at-one-with" someone from whom you have been alienated. It's always a sweet experience to become "at-one-with" a friend or relative from whom you have been alienated, but no words can describe the sheer joy that becomes ours when we are at last "at-one-with" the Lord--so there is no alienation between us. Our natural state as fallen humans is to be alienated from Him: "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).

"At-one-ment" means to be restored to the intimate closeness with the Lord that was ours as humans before our first parents yielded to the deceptive claims of the fallen Lucifer in the Garden of Eden. Ever since, as humans we have been at odds with the Lord; it's our nature; it's something passed on down to us through our fallen father, Adam. "The carnal [natural] mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." And no one can claim that he is better than all the other fallen sons or daughters of Adam and claim that he doesn't have that problem. We are all in the same boat.

No one can claim that he/she does not need the divine human Saviour who gave Himself for us.

The very story of Jesus moves us toward salvation if we will but listen and believe it; there is redemption in the story itself.

(a) Our fallen father Adam passed on to us in our nature the lostness that became his.

(b) Christ has fired him from his job of being our "father," and He Himself has become our "second" or "last Adam," reversing the judicial condemnation that sin has brought on all of us.

(c) Therefore as our "last Adam," the Lord Jesus Christ has given to the human race another probation: Christ has erased the judicial condemnation that was against us "in Adam" and has given us, not merely offered us, a judicial verdict of acquittal. Let's read it in Romans 5:

"It was through one man that sin entered the world, and through sin death, and thus death pervaded the whole human race. ... But 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, it's effect is vastly exceeded by the grace of God and the gift that came to so many 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, following on so many misdeeds, resulted in a verdict of acquittal. ... It follows, then, that as the result of one misdeed was condemnation for all people, so the result of one righteous act is acquittal and life for all" (Rom. 5:12-18, Revised English Bible). What does this say?

(d) The Father has not merely offered to give Jesus to us; He has given Him to us!

(e) Since the world began, only one "righteous act" has ever been performed--the sacrifice of Jesus.

(f) The Father gave Him and He gave Himself for us, each one individually, going to hell and giving Himself forever, to save us each individually.

Kneel and think about it, your eyes closed, your radio and TV off, until you can begin to appreciate it.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 19, 2008.

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Thank You, Robert Young

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Sometimes we humans fret endlessly about how to understand a passage of the Bible when attention to the actual original text would clear up our disputes. Robert Young, author of the famous "Concordance," also gave us a good "Literal Translation of the Bible." One of the Bible passages that unfortunately splits almost any church or classroom is Romans 5:15-20. The "Literal" version is hard for us to read because it is so stiffly accurate, but it is accurate. Let's see if it may help us now.

The original language often uses the article "the" where we don't use it in English. When Paul speaks of "the death," or "the grace," or "the gift," he means universal death, universal grace, or a universal gift--as distinguished from personal, individual death, grace, gift, etc. (In English we could capitalize each word to make it clear.) Thus:

"15. But, not as the offence so also is the free [universal] gift; for if by the offence of the one [Adam, the first head of the human race] the many did die [the universal 'many' is everybody], much more did the [universal] grace of God, and the [universal] free gift in grace of the one man Jesus Christ, abound to the many [all men];

"16. And not as through one who did sin is the [universal] free gift, for the [universal] judgment indeed is of one to condemnation, but the [universal] gift is of many offences to a declaration of 'Righteous,'

"17. For if by the offence of the one [the father of the human race] the [universal] death did reign through the one [Adam], much more those, who the abundance of the [universal] grace and of the [universal] free gift of the [Christ's] righteousness are RECEIVING, [they] in life shall reign through the One [the universal Savior]--Jesus Christ.

"18. So, then, as through one offence to all men it is to condemnation, so also through one declaration of 'Righteous' it is to all men to justification of life;

"19. For as through the disobedience of the one man [the universal head of our race, Adam] the many [all men] were CONSTITUTED sinners [not MADE sinners]: so also through the obedience of the One [Christ, the new Head of the human race], shall the many [all men] be CONSTITUTED [not MADE] righteous.

"20. … where the [universal] sin did abound, the [universal] grace did overabound."

Thank you, Robert Young.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 21, 2005.

Copyright © 2011 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/dailybread/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

On the Shoulders of a Baby

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The prophet Isaiah belongs in a class by himself. Not only has he written the longest book in the Bible (66 chapters), he is our biblical Poet Laureate. And not only that, the Holy Spirit employed him to portray Christ in prophecy in the most intimate way. We meet Jesus personally in Isaiah. The words the poet chose in chapter 53, for example, are heart-stopping. Of inspired writers of all time, Isaiah stands at the pinnacle.

But it is in his chapters 7 and 9 Isaiah confronts us with a most profound revelation of Jesus as a Baby. Not only is Jesus born of a virgin (Matt. 1:23), but the Baby's name is "God with us." The only Baby in all eternity to be both divine and human is given to "US" for all eternity. "Unto US a child is born." All you inhabitants of other worlds who have never fallen, stand back; all you holy, sinless angels, stand back; Jesus is OURS. We fallen, sinful mortals, WE have Him. The Son of God! And we have Him forever.

Just knowing and believing this kills sin at its roots. (If you are still a slave to sin, you don't yet believe it.)

But 9:6 details an almost unbelievable truth about this Baby. Even in His infancy, as soon as He was born, the "government" of the universe was laid upon His shoulders--baby shoulders. From His first breath as Mary's Child He was set to fight in a war--the great controversy with the Enemy, Satan. If as a child, He were to "choose" the "evil" and "refuse" the "good" (as every other baby in all time has done; see 7:15; Rom 3:23), He would have marred His record and "the government" of the universe would have fallen. The plan of salvation was laid upon a Child. He couldn't be allowed to wait until what we say is "the age of accountability." He was "accountable" from His first breath. And He wasn't programmed to do flawlessly: He did so from human choice--"He knew to refuse the evil, and choose the good" (7:15).

Stand back, all human beings: your salvation as well as that of the throne of God was on the shoulders of a Baby.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 1, 2004.

Copyright © 2011 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.

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Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/dailybread/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.