Genesis 22:2
"Take now thy son"
God's command is; Take now, not presently. God tells us this because He knows that to us "now and presently" means about the same to us. We know a thing is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it at once. To climb to the height God shows can never be done presently, it must be done now. What is the difference? The sacrifice is gone through; "in will" before it is performed actually.
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and went unto the place of which God had told him" (V. 3). When God spoke, Abraham did not confer with flesh and blood ( i.e.) our own sympathies, our own insight, anything that is not based on our personal relationship to God. These are the things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.
Abraham did not choose the sacrifice; therefore we must always guard against self-chosen service for God; self-sacrifice may end up being a disease. If God has made your cup run over, drink it with grace. If He has made it; not as full as you see others, drink it in communion with Him. If the order of God for you is a hard time of difficulty, go through with it, but never choose the scene of your martyrdom. God chose the crucible for Abraham, and he made no demur; he went steadily through. If you are not living in touch with Him, it is easy to pass a crude verdict on God. You must go through the crucible before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because during these times you learn to know God better. God is working for His highest ends until His purpose and man's purpose become one.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
God or Ambitions
2 Corinthians 5:9
"Wherefore we labor, that whether"
"Present or absent, we may be"
"Accepted of Him"
Wherefore we labor; It means holding our self to the high ideal year in and year out, not being ambitious to win souls or to establish churches or to have revivals, but being ambitious only to be "accepted of Him." It is not lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but lack of laboring to keep the ideal right. We should always take count before God and see whether we are keeping our life up to the standard He wishes.
Any ambition in the smallest degree away from the "approval of God" may end in our being castaways. We must learn where the ambition leads, and we will see why it is so necessary to live facing the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says; "Lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should not be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:27). We must learn to relate everything to God and not our ambitions. Our worth to God is what we are in private. Is it your goal to please Him and be acceptable to Him, or is it something less?
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Wherefore we labor, that whether"
"Present or absent, we may be"
"Accepted of Him"
Wherefore we labor; It means holding our self to the high ideal year in and year out, not being ambitious to win souls or to establish churches or to have revivals, but being ambitious only to be "accepted of Him." It is not lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but lack of laboring to keep the ideal right. We should always take count before God and see whether we are keeping our life up to the standard He wishes.
Any ambition in the smallest degree away from the "approval of God" may end in our being castaways. We must learn where the ambition leads, and we will see why it is so necessary to live facing the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says; "Lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should not be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:27). We must learn to relate everything to God and not our ambitions. Our worth to God is what we are in private. Is it your goal to please Him and be acceptable to Him, or is it something less?
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Going Without Knowing!
Hebrews 11:8
"He went out, not knowing whither he went"
Have you been "out" in this way? If so, there is no logical statement possible when anyone ask you what you are doing. One of the difficulties in Christian work is this question; "What do you expect to do?" You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually revise your attitude towards God and see if it is a going out of everything, trusting in God entirely. It is attitude that keeps you in perpetual wonder, you do not know what God is going to do next. Each morning you wake it is to be a "going out," building in confidence on God. "Take no thought for your life; nor yet for your body" take no thought for the things for which you did take thought before you "went out."
Have you been asking God what He is going to do. He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is. Do you believe in a miracle - working God, and will you go out in surrender to Him until you are not surprised at anything He does? Suppose God is the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him; what an impertinence worry! Let the attitude of the life be a continual "going out" in dependence upon God, and your life will have an ineffable charm about it which is a satisfaction to Jesus. We all have to learn to go out of convictions, out of creeds, out of experiences, until so far as your faith is concerned, there is nothing between yourself and God.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"He went out, not knowing whither he went"
Have you been "out" in this way? If so, there is no logical statement possible when anyone ask you what you are doing. One of the difficulties in Christian work is this question; "What do you expect to do?" You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually revise your attitude towards God and see if it is a going out of everything, trusting in God entirely. It is attitude that keeps you in perpetual wonder, you do not know what God is going to do next. Each morning you wake it is to be a "going out," building in confidence on God. "Take no thought for your life; nor yet for your body" take no thought for the things for which you did take thought before you "went out."
Have you been asking God what He is going to do. He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is. Do you believe in a miracle - working God, and will you go out in surrender to Him until you are not surprised at anything He does? Suppose God is the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him; what an impertinence worry! Let the attitude of the life be a continual "going out" in dependence upon God, and your life will have an ineffable charm about it which is a satisfaction to Jesus. We all have to learn to go out of convictions, out of creeds, out of experiences, until so far as your faith is concerned, there is nothing between yourself and God.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Being Noble Is Difficult
Matthew 7:13
"Enter ye in at the strait gate"
"For wide is the gate, and"
"And broad is the way"
If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome. Do we so appreciate the marvelous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest? God saves men by His sovereign grace through the Atonement of Jesus. He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living. If once we start on the basis of His Redemption to do what He commands, we find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not practiced. A Crisis will reveal whether we have been practicing or not. If we obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has put in us by His Spirit, then when the crisis comes, we shall find that our own nature as well as the grace of God will stand by us.
Thank God He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a glad thing, but it is also heroic, holy thing. It test us for all we are worth. Jesus wants to bring all in to glory, and God will not shield us from the requirements of a son. It Takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the noble life of a disciple of Jesus in actual things. It is always necessary to make an effort to be noble.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Enter ye in at the strait gate"
"For wide is the gate, and"
"And broad is the way"
If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome. Do we so appreciate the marvelous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest? God saves men by His sovereign grace through the Atonement of Jesus. He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living. If once we start on the basis of His Redemption to do what He commands, we find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not practiced. A Crisis will reveal whether we have been practicing or not. If we obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has put in us by His Spirit, then when the crisis comes, we shall find that our own nature as well as the grace of God will stand by us.
Thank God He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a glad thing, but it is also heroic, holy thing. It test us for all we are worth. Jesus wants to bring all in to glory, and God will not shield us from the requirements of a son. It Takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the noble life of a disciple of Jesus in actual things. It is always necessary to make an effort to be noble.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Friday, April 26, 2013
The School Of Faith
Hebrews 11:40a
"God having provided some better thing for us"
One of Mose's first jobs was to teach the Lords people the principles of faith that he himself had learned. The big test came when God foretold the judgment to fall on the eldest sons of the Egyptians. The Hebrews would be spared by sprinkling blood on the doorpost of their homes. Would they believe God? They did. Following Moses' example of faith, they kept the passover and the sprinkling of blood lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them (Hebrews 11:28).
Moses continued to exercise strong faith in God during the forty years of wilderness wanderings. He must have felt like quitting on many occasions, hearing constantly the murmurings of God's people. But through it all he trusted the Lord and relied on Him. No wonder This Old Testament leader earned such a prominent place among the heroes of faith!
Don't think for one minute that the list of God's faithful men and women ends with the closing verses of Hebrews 11. The next chapter has you in mind. You are to lay aside every weight and sin that hinders you from running your spiritual race. Like Moses, you are to exercise patience and endurance. Moses looked to the invisible God; you look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Instead of growing tired and quitting, you are to "lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees" (Hebrews 12:12). Take waring from such people as Esau who lived for the present rather than for the future (verse 16). He gave up his spiritual privileges for a pot of stew!
Is your faith pretty weak and wavering? If it is; than practice Romans 10:17: "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Reading your Bible and obeying it will set you apart from the crowd and mark you as an uncommon man or woman strong in faith. Nothing will please God more.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"God having provided some better thing for us"
One of Mose's first jobs was to teach the Lords people the principles of faith that he himself had learned. The big test came when God foretold the judgment to fall on the eldest sons of the Egyptians. The Hebrews would be spared by sprinkling blood on the doorpost of their homes. Would they believe God? They did. Following Moses' example of faith, they kept the passover and the sprinkling of blood lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them (Hebrews 11:28).
Moses continued to exercise strong faith in God during the forty years of wilderness wanderings. He must have felt like quitting on many occasions, hearing constantly the murmurings of God's people. But through it all he trusted the Lord and relied on Him. No wonder This Old Testament leader earned such a prominent place among the heroes of faith!
Don't think for one minute that the list of God's faithful men and women ends with the closing verses of Hebrews 11. The next chapter has you in mind. You are to lay aside every weight and sin that hinders you from running your spiritual race. Like Moses, you are to exercise patience and endurance. Moses looked to the invisible God; you look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Instead of growing tired and quitting, you are to "lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees" (Hebrews 12:12). Take waring from such people as Esau who lived for the present rather than for the future (verse 16). He gave up his spiritual privileges for a pot of stew!
Is your faith pretty weak and wavering? If it is; than practice Romans 10:17: "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Reading your Bible and obeying it will set you apart from the crowd and mark you as an uncommon man or woman strong in faith. Nothing will please God more.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Grace! Do's and Don'ts!
"Titus 3:7
"That being justified by his grace"
If you try to visualize grace well, you just can't do it because it's such a tremendous concept. We have a small portion of grace if you consider the grace God gives the whole world. That's about all that man is able to comprehend of the grace of God. But we don't have to be able to take it all in at once to enjoy it's benefits. Along with it's benefits, grace carries some definite obligations. The grace of God teaches us to deny "ungodliness and worldly lust" (Titus 2:12).
What is ungodliness? Among other things, it's leaving God out of your Life. That's easy to do. A Christian fellow or girl can get so busy that no thought is given to what God wants; in the big things as well as the little things. The way to over come this is to consciously include God in your plans. Ask what He wants before you decide.
"Worldly" lusts" refers to those desires bound up with the social and economic system in which we live. It includes a selfish desire for those things that appeal to the five senses and the things in which a person takes false pride. Grace also demands some pluses in a Christians life. Grace teaches us that "we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:12b).
Soberly doesn't mean long-faced or without humor. There's nothing wrong with laughter or appreciating the funny things in life. However; it means "properly controlled" or "well balanced." When it comes to living godly, some believers have a poor record. Yes, they have high ideals, but they find themselves unable to measure up to God's high standards. And after a while, they may not even try.
"God understands," they say, excusing themselves. But God's grace doesn't allow that! And you can be sure that God will discipline them for their careless attitude. Grace calls us to the highest moral conduct. And grace provides help in time of need . "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (II Timothy 2:1).
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"That being justified by his grace"
If you try to visualize grace well, you just can't do it because it's such a tremendous concept. We have a small portion of grace if you consider the grace God gives the whole world. That's about all that man is able to comprehend of the grace of God. But we don't have to be able to take it all in at once to enjoy it's benefits. Along with it's benefits, grace carries some definite obligations. The grace of God teaches us to deny "ungodliness and worldly lust" (Titus 2:12).
What is ungodliness? Among other things, it's leaving God out of your Life. That's easy to do. A Christian fellow or girl can get so busy that no thought is given to what God wants; in the big things as well as the little things. The way to over come this is to consciously include God in your plans. Ask what He wants before you decide.
"Worldly" lusts" refers to those desires bound up with the social and economic system in which we live. It includes a selfish desire for those things that appeal to the five senses and the things in which a person takes false pride. Grace also demands some pluses in a Christians life. Grace teaches us that "we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:12b).
Soberly doesn't mean long-faced or without humor. There's nothing wrong with laughter or appreciating the funny things in life. However; it means "properly controlled" or "well balanced." When it comes to living godly, some believers have a poor record. Yes, they have high ideals, but they find themselves unable to measure up to God's high standards. And after a while, they may not even try.
"God understands," they say, excusing themselves. But God's grace doesn't allow that! And you can be sure that God will discipline them for their careless attitude. Grace calls us to the highest moral conduct. And grace provides help in time of need . "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (II Timothy 2:1).
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Christ The Intercessor
Hebrews 7:25b
"God by him, seeing he ever liveth"
"To make intercession for them"
The prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ, marked his ministry from beginning to end. The bible speaks of Him as an intercessor; one who prays for another and links that intercession to salvation: "Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Do you consider yourself at times a weak believer? Remember, Peter was. But the Lord prayed for him. And he told Peter, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32)
You know; the Lord prayed for you too! The night before He went to the cross, Jesus said to His Father, "Neither pray I for these alone (meaning the disciples), but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). If you have come to believe on Jesus as a result of what is written in the Bible, then you are included in his prayer. Thank of that.!
The Lord's prayers on our behalf didn't end with His earthly life. When He ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9), He took His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. And you know what He is doing there? Praying for His own (Romans 8:34). That ought to mean more to us than just a heavenly fact. At times you especially need the Lord's help because of weakness or temptation. On those occasions, turn to Jesus, your intercessor. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). How great it is to know that Jesus, who never falls asleep, is our constant intercessor with the Father.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"God by him, seeing he ever liveth"
"To make intercession for them"
The prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ, marked his ministry from beginning to end. The bible speaks of Him as an intercessor; one who prays for another and links that intercession to salvation: "Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Do you consider yourself at times a weak believer? Remember, Peter was. But the Lord prayed for him. And he told Peter, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32)
You know; the Lord prayed for you too! The night before He went to the cross, Jesus said to His Father, "Neither pray I for these alone (meaning the disciples), but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). If you have come to believe on Jesus as a result of what is written in the Bible, then you are included in his prayer. Thank of that.!
The Lord's prayers on our behalf didn't end with His earthly life. When He ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9), He took His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. And you know what He is doing there? Praying for His own (Romans 8:34). That ought to mean more to us than just a heavenly fact. At times you especially need the Lord's help because of weakness or temptation. On those occasions, turn to Jesus, your intercessor. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). How great it is to know that Jesus, who never falls asleep, is our constant intercessor with the Father.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
No Heavy Hand
I Corinthians 6:11
"But ye are justified in the name"
"Of the Lord Jesus, and by"
"The spirit of our God"
No heavy hand of judgement will God put upon His children. Why not? Because they (we) have been justified. "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of God" (I Corinthians 6:11). Justification means a withholding of the punishment which is rightly deserved. It cancels out sin and it forgives. But it means much more than that. There's a positive side to justification. Not only does God refrain from giving what is deserved, but he gives something that isn't deserved "righteousness "And We Get This To"!!!!!!
Righteousness means measuring up to the will of God. It means uprightness, virtue, moral and spiritual correctness. But how can a person reach that condition,; well they (we) can't by ourselves. The Bible has no kind words to say about the righteous that man presents on his behalf. A person may clothe himself in a robe of self-righteousness, but the Bible calls such garments "filthy rags". That sometimes raises the question: how can sinners who have not one single thing to boast of enjoy the righteousness that belongs uniquely to Christ? Here is how: "Only God gives it to us! And that is exactly what He does." "Christ, is made unto us, righteousness" (I Corinthians 1:30). God takes all the perfection that belongs to His Son and gives it to those whom He justifies. But there is one thing that people have to do in order to enjoy the benefits of justification; they have to believe. Now that we are saved by the blood of "Jesus Christ" and by "God" "Justified" and made unto "Righteousness"
"LET'S SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"But ye are justified in the name"
"Of the Lord Jesus, and by"
"The spirit of our God"
No heavy hand of judgement will God put upon His children. Why not? Because they (we) have been justified. "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of God" (I Corinthians 6:11). Justification means a withholding of the punishment which is rightly deserved. It cancels out sin and it forgives. But it means much more than that. There's a positive side to justification. Not only does God refrain from giving what is deserved, but he gives something that isn't deserved "righteousness "And We Get This To"!!!!!!
Righteousness means measuring up to the will of God. It means uprightness, virtue, moral and spiritual correctness. But how can a person reach that condition,; well they (we) can't by ourselves. The Bible has no kind words to say about the righteous that man presents on his behalf. A person may clothe himself in a robe of self-righteousness, but the Bible calls such garments "filthy rags". That sometimes raises the question: how can sinners who have not one single thing to boast of enjoy the righteousness that belongs uniquely to Christ? Here is how: "Only God gives it to us! And that is exactly what He does." "Christ, is made unto us, righteousness" (I Corinthians 1:30). God takes all the perfection that belongs to His Son and gives it to those whom He justifies. But there is one thing that people have to do in order to enjoy the benefits of justification; they have to believe. Now that we are saved by the blood of "Jesus Christ" and by "God" "Justified" and made unto "Righteousness"
"LET'S SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Monday, April 22, 2013
Walk In Unity
Ephesians 4:1
"Walk worthy of the vocation"
"Werewith ye are called"
We have been called to one body; therefore as we seek to walk in unity, we are walking worthy of the calling (vocation) we have from God. We do not live for Christ to get something; we live for Christ because He has already done so much for us! Paul is not telling us to make unity, but to maintain the unity already existing in the body The grounds for this unity are listed in verse 4-6; note that the central point in the list is "ONE LORD." Though there is "one body" this does not do away with the importance of the local bodies of believers. You will notice that we are dealing here with spiritual truths relating to the whole program of God.
All Christians have a part of this "UNITY" : The Pastor and Teacher to feed the saints the word of God and set the example for service. The saints in turn perform the work of the ministry; and as each saint grows and wins others, the entire Body grows in Christ. Each saint shares in the growth of the Church. Unfortunately, there are some Christians who are still babies who are unstable and easily led astray. Satan and his minister's are waiting to tear down the church with their lies. If we belong to the truth, how can we indulge in lies? Satan is the father of lies, his spirits tells lies and one day the whole world will believe......
"THE LIE"
II Thessalonians 2 : 9-11
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Walk worthy of the vocation"
"Werewith ye are called"
We have been called to one body; therefore as we seek to walk in unity, we are walking worthy of the calling (vocation) we have from God. We do not live for Christ to get something; we live for Christ because He has already done so much for us! Paul is not telling us to make unity, but to maintain the unity already existing in the body The grounds for this unity are listed in verse 4-6; note that the central point in the list is "ONE LORD." Though there is "one body" this does not do away with the importance of the local bodies of believers. You will notice that we are dealing here with spiritual truths relating to the whole program of God.
All Christians have a part of this "UNITY" : The Pastor and Teacher to feed the saints the word of God and set the example for service. The saints in turn perform the work of the ministry; and as each saint grows and wins others, the entire Body grows in Christ. Each saint shares in the growth of the Church. Unfortunately, there are some Christians who are still babies who are unstable and easily led astray. Satan and his minister's are waiting to tear down the church with their lies. If we belong to the truth, how can we indulge in lies? Satan is the father of lies, his spirits tells lies and one day the whole world will believe......
"THE LIE"
II Thessalonians 2 : 9-11
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Praying For Others
Romans 10:1
"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to"
" God for Israel is, they might be saved"
There is a great deal of mindless praying among us Christians. That is, we are often guilty of praying with our speech in high gear while our minds are in neutral. We fall victim to the tendency to offer lazy cliches: "Lord, be with all the missionaries." "Bless the Millers." "Just be with our young people in the meeting next Sunday." "Lord. lead, guide and direct us." This is how we pray far to often. Wouldn't it be better to pray with understanding when we pray for others?
Examine your personal praying for a moment, not just the prayers you offer in Prayer Meeting or when the pastor calls on you to lead or close a meeting in prayer but also the prayers you offer in the quiet of your home. Do you focus divine attention on your own wants and needs to the exclusion of asking God to meet the needs of others? Do you maintain a prayer list, written or mental in which you include request for salvation of unsaved persons and the spiritual growth of fellow Christians?
All of us can improve our prayer life by following the pattern Paul set as he prayed for sinners to be saved (Romans 10:1) and for saints to be sanctified and empowered. When Paul thought about Christians, he gave thanks for them. Do we do the same, "Give Thanks"
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to"
" God for Israel is, they might be saved"
There is a great deal of mindless praying among us Christians. That is, we are often guilty of praying with our speech in high gear while our minds are in neutral. We fall victim to the tendency to offer lazy cliches: "Lord, be with all the missionaries." "Bless the Millers." "Just be with our young people in the meeting next Sunday." "Lord. lead, guide and direct us." This is how we pray far to often. Wouldn't it be better to pray with understanding when we pray for others?
Examine your personal praying for a moment, not just the prayers you offer in Prayer Meeting or when the pastor calls on you to lead or close a meeting in prayer but also the prayers you offer in the quiet of your home. Do you focus divine attention on your own wants and needs to the exclusion of asking God to meet the needs of others? Do you maintain a prayer list, written or mental in which you include request for salvation of unsaved persons and the spiritual growth of fellow Christians?
All of us can improve our prayer life by following the pattern Paul set as he prayed for sinners to be saved (Romans 10:1) and for saints to be sanctified and empowered. When Paul thought about Christians, he gave thanks for them. Do we do the same, "Give Thanks"
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Saturday, April 20, 2013
We Were Dead!
Ephesians 2:1
"And you hath he quickened"
"Who were dead"
As part of His description of our past before we met Christ, God says we are "dead" (Ephesians 2:1). That's a little hard for most of us to believe. How can a person walk around, live, and breathe, and still be dead? Maybe it's hard to understand because we don't fully realize what the word "dead" means. We think it means the absolute end - termination. Actually, the Bible definition is more like "separation" than "termination."
It is easier to understand if we think of God as the source and sustainer of life Jesus Said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). God created man and gave him life. Later, man sinned and was driven from the garden of Eden and the presence of God. Man became separated from God by sin. To be separated from God is to be separated from life. It is spiritual death. Life means to be united, or reconciled to God. That is the thought behind the word "quickened" in verse 1. To "quicken" means to "make alive" So we know that the only way that we can become alive is, "The New Birth" which is given by God through the blood of "Jesus Christ our Lord". Amen
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"And you hath he quickened"
"Who were dead"
As part of His description of our past before we met Christ, God says we are "dead" (Ephesians 2:1). That's a little hard for most of us to believe. How can a person walk around, live, and breathe, and still be dead? Maybe it's hard to understand because we don't fully realize what the word "dead" means. We think it means the absolute end - termination. Actually, the Bible definition is more like "separation" than "termination."
It is easier to understand if we think of God as the source and sustainer of life Jesus Said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). God created man and gave him life. Later, man sinned and was driven from the garden of Eden and the presence of God. Man became separated from God by sin. To be separated from God is to be separated from life. It is spiritual death. Life means to be united, or reconciled to God. That is the thought behind the word "quickened" in verse 1. To "quicken" means to "make alive" So we know that the only way that we can become alive is, "The New Birth" which is given by God through the blood of "Jesus Christ our Lord". Amen
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Friday, April 19, 2013
Agape Love
I Corinthians 13:4
"Charity suffereth long and is kind:"
"Charity envieth not ; Charity"
"vaunteth not itself, is not"
"puffed up"
Paul taught in I Corinthians 13 about the noblest kind of of love, agape love. This is love which finds it's source in God. It is a self-sacrificing love. It puts another's interests ahead of personal interests. It is generated by the Holy Spirit and outshines all other Christian virtues, as important as they are. There is no substitute for agape love. Without agape love eloquent speaking is pointless. Preaching at it's best falls short, and faith without love amounts to nothing. A person could go as far as offering there body to be burned for a sake of a cause, but if love- agape- love isn't back of it all the act is worthless.
We Christians need to stop long enough once in a while to examine what we profess to be doing for the Lord. It's so easy to say what we are expected to say without having love as the motive behind our words. Testimonies may be offered, Sunday School lesson taught, an outline of salvation presented, and sermons preached without love. Quite possibly a Christian may care a great deal for speaking and not care at all for those whom he speaks. If we do not have the "Love - Agape - Love in our words , our work in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in the obedience of Our Living God; There will be no eternal reward for speaking or doing them. We Must Love As God Love's All Of Us!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Charity suffereth long and is kind:"
"Charity envieth not ; Charity"
"vaunteth not itself, is not"
"puffed up"
Paul taught in I Corinthians 13 about the noblest kind of of love, agape love. This is love which finds it's source in God. It is a self-sacrificing love. It puts another's interests ahead of personal interests. It is generated by the Holy Spirit and outshines all other Christian virtues, as important as they are. There is no substitute for agape love. Without agape love eloquent speaking is pointless. Preaching at it's best falls short, and faith without love amounts to nothing. A person could go as far as offering there body to be burned for a sake of a cause, but if love- agape- love isn't back of it all the act is worthless.
We Christians need to stop long enough once in a while to examine what we profess to be doing for the Lord. It's so easy to say what we are expected to say without having love as the motive behind our words. Testimonies may be offered, Sunday School lesson taught, an outline of salvation presented, and sermons preached without love. Quite possibly a Christian may care a great deal for speaking and not care at all for those whom he speaks. If we do not have the "Love - Agape - Love in our words , our work in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in the obedience of Our Living God; There will be no eternal reward for speaking or doing them. We Must Love As God Love's All Of Us!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Changed Heart Changed Mind
Ephesians 4:20
"But ye have not so learned Christ"
Our hearts were once empty, now they are full. They were once blinded, now we can see. Our minds were once filled with darkness, now the Light of the world has come into our hearts. The right kind of thinking is always related to thinking the right kind of thoughts about one person; "Jesus Christ." When our minds are preoccupied with Him, they are thinking rightly. When they are not, they think wrongly. He is the divine Occupant who makes our minds work right.
As believers the "old man" is dead and the "new man" is born (Verse 22-24). The new man is our new nature , which becomes increasingly more Christlike as we let Him control our thinking, our attitudes, and our behavior. This change of attitude is reflected in some very striking characteristics. It manifests itself in truthfulness, victory over anger, strength to resist temptation, honesty, clean talk, cessation of quarreling and conflict with those around us, and the development of an attitude of forgiveness. We can do these things in the spirit of Christ. "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" Amen!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"But ye have not so learned Christ"
Our hearts were once empty, now they are full. They were once blinded, now we can see. Our minds were once filled with darkness, now the Light of the world has come into our hearts. The right kind of thinking is always related to thinking the right kind of thoughts about one person; "Jesus Christ." When our minds are preoccupied with Him, they are thinking rightly. When they are not, they think wrongly. He is the divine Occupant who makes our minds work right.
As believers the "old man" is dead and the "new man" is born (Verse 22-24). The new man is our new nature , which becomes increasingly more Christlike as we let Him control our thinking, our attitudes, and our behavior. This change of attitude is reflected in some very striking characteristics. It manifests itself in truthfulness, victory over anger, strength to resist temptation, honesty, clean talk, cessation of quarreling and conflict with those around us, and the development of an attitude of forgiveness. We can do these things in the spirit of Christ. "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" Amen!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Press Forward
Philippians 3:14
"I press toward the mark for the prize of"
"The high calling of God in Jesus Christ"
The unsaved man is a slave; but the Christian is a citizen of heaven (3:20) and set free by Christ. Each Christian is given a special place on the "track" for his own service, and each one has a goal established by Christ. Our task in life is to "lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of us." Paul is not talking about salvation but sanctification, growth and progress in Christian life and service.
How do we reach the goal God has set for us? For one; we must be honest with ourselves, and admit where we are. "Not that I have already attained." Than, we must keep our eyes of faith on Christ and forget the past, sins, failures, and past successes. We must press on in His power. The Christian life is not a game; it is a race that demands the very best that is in all of us. "This one thing I do." Too many Christians have divided lives, part in the world and part in the Lord. They get ambitious for "things" and start minding earthly things. Our calling is a "high calling" and a "heavenly calling," and if we live for this world, we lose the prize that goes with our high calling. Our high calling is to serve "Our Living God" and our prize; "Eternal Life In Heaven Through The Blood Of Jesus Christ. Amen! and Amen!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"I press toward the mark for the prize of"
"The high calling of God in Jesus Christ"
The unsaved man is a slave; but the Christian is a citizen of heaven (3:20) and set free by Christ. Each Christian is given a special place on the "track" for his own service, and each one has a goal established by Christ. Our task in life is to "lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of us." Paul is not talking about salvation but sanctification, growth and progress in Christian life and service.
How do we reach the goal God has set for us? For one; we must be honest with ourselves, and admit where we are. "Not that I have already attained." Than, we must keep our eyes of faith on Christ and forget the past, sins, failures, and past successes. We must press on in His power. The Christian life is not a game; it is a race that demands the very best that is in all of us. "This one thing I do." Too many Christians have divided lives, part in the world and part in the Lord. They get ambitious for "things" and start minding earthly things. Our calling is a "high calling" and a "heavenly calling," and if we live for this world, we lose the prize that goes with our high calling. Our high calling is to serve "Our Living God" and our prize; "Eternal Life In Heaven Through The Blood Of Jesus Christ. Amen! and Amen!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
"Rejoice in the Lord always"
"And again I say, Rejoice"
Is joy evident among Christians today? It ought to, for Paul commanded in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always." But does it really show; is it really there? In recent years Christian counseling has come to be an essential part of the ministry. Today good sense counseling skills are needed for Scriptural help for troubled hearts and broken families. Depression is among the top problem areas that require counseling. Why are so many Christians not rejoicing. If Paul experienced joy in extremely adverse circumstances, shouldn't today's Christians in a much more pleasant surroundings be able to have joy in their lives? Of course! But first there are conditions to be met.
Don't stop with the word "Rejoice" " Rejoice in the Lord." Happiness depends upon favorable happenings, but joy depends upon a relationship with Jesus Christ that is conscious and consistent. As we focus our attention on Jesus, we enter more fully into an appreciation of Him and what we have in Him. In turn, this well-founded appreciation sets the joy bells ringing. What is involved in our relationship with Christ? Salvation, for one thing. Surly the assurance that God has freely bestowed sonship upon us gives us enough reason to rejoice.
God takes care of us. God will not permit even the most severe trial to devastate us. His arms are around us to strengthen and comfort us. "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them" (Psalm 5:11
Let's take time today to pray for the families of the three
that were killed in Boston yesterday. Also pray for the
healing for the one's that were wounded.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Rejoice in the Lord always"
"And again I say, Rejoice"
Is joy evident among Christians today? It ought to, for Paul commanded in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always." But does it really show; is it really there? In recent years Christian counseling has come to be an essential part of the ministry. Today good sense counseling skills are needed for Scriptural help for troubled hearts and broken families. Depression is among the top problem areas that require counseling. Why are so many Christians not rejoicing. If Paul experienced joy in extremely adverse circumstances, shouldn't today's Christians in a much more pleasant surroundings be able to have joy in their lives? Of course! But first there are conditions to be met.
Don't stop with the word "Rejoice" " Rejoice in the Lord." Happiness depends upon favorable happenings, but joy depends upon a relationship with Jesus Christ that is conscious and consistent. As we focus our attention on Jesus, we enter more fully into an appreciation of Him and what we have in Him. In turn, this well-founded appreciation sets the joy bells ringing. What is involved in our relationship with Christ? Salvation, for one thing. Surly the assurance that God has freely bestowed sonship upon us gives us enough reason to rejoice.
God takes care of us. God will not permit even the most severe trial to devastate us. His arms are around us to strengthen and comfort us. "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them" (Psalm 5:11
Let's take time today to pray for the families of the three
that were killed in Boston yesterday. Also pray for the
healing for the one's that were wounded.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Monday, April 15, 2013
Salvation Is Forever
II Timothy 1:12
"I know whom I believed, and am persuaded"
"that he is able to keep that which I have"
"committed unto him"
We can't fail to be thrilled with Paul's testimony in II Timothy 1:12. These are the words of a man who knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that salvation is forever. Every Christian ought to be just as sure of stepping triumphantly into Heaven someday as Paul was. You see, Jesus Christ keeping power hasn't diminished since Paul wrote those comforting words, "He Is Able." As a matter of fact, our Lord's keeping power will never diminish.
The greatest threat to our assurance of eternal salvation as Christians comes from putting a question where God has put a declaration. We ask ourselves, "Am I able to keep that which I have committed unto Him; when we ought to accept at face value the fact "He Is Able." If staying saved depended upon our efforts, none of us would stay saved for even one day. The plain truth is, we are to feeble to walk uprightly, too lazy to pray constantly, and to worldly to desire Heaven. It is the Lord who holds our hand to help us walk in His ways. It is the Lord that burns in our hearts the desire to pray. So let's trust the Lord to keep us safe, and cooperate with His inworking to make us holy.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"I know whom I believed, and am persuaded"
"that he is able to keep that which I have"
"committed unto him"
We can't fail to be thrilled with Paul's testimony in II Timothy 1:12. These are the words of a man who knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that salvation is forever. Every Christian ought to be just as sure of stepping triumphantly into Heaven someday as Paul was. You see, Jesus Christ keeping power hasn't diminished since Paul wrote those comforting words, "He Is Able." As a matter of fact, our Lord's keeping power will never diminish.
The greatest threat to our assurance of eternal salvation as Christians comes from putting a question where God has put a declaration. We ask ourselves, "Am I able to keep that which I have committed unto Him; when we ought to accept at face value the fact "He Is Able." If staying saved depended upon our efforts, none of us would stay saved for even one day. The plain truth is, we are to feeble to walk uprightly, too lazy to pray constantly, and to worldly to desire Heaven. It is the Lord who holds our hand to help us walk in His ways. It is the Lord that burns in our hearts the desire to pray. So let's trust the Lord to keep us safe, and cooperate with His inworking to make us holy.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Sunday, April 14, 2013
No Idle Wishing
Titus 1:2
"In hope of eternal life, which God"
"That cannot lie, promised"
Was Paul only kidding himself into thinking that a better day was coming? Some felt that way in his time. The bad part is; that a lot of people believed that he was dreaming; and that non-belief is still around today. The non-believers (anti-christian) claim that all the trials and persecution that befalls a Christian has put us, ( today's Christians ) into an escapists dream world. But they are wrong! Just as Paul's hope; our hope is not spun from dreams; it was built with the fabric of faith---faith in God's Word. God had promised a glorious future for believers, so Paul lived "in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie promised"
Of course, all the adversities that we endure will make our hope grow stronger. Each trial will persuade us to anchor hope more firmly to the Scriptures. We who are Christians ought to share Paul's hope, for Christ is in us "the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27), and God's Word is just as true now as it was in Paul's time. Are we living in the sunshine of this hope. or are we so engrossed in the affairs of this life that a cloud of despair has settled over our heads? Let's look up, "for now is our salvation nearer than we believed" (Romans 13:11). When our faith is anchored into good ground; the heavier the strain that comes on it, the deeper and firmer it holds.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"In hope of eternal life, which God"
"That cannot lie, promised"
Was Paul only kidding himself into thinking that a better day was coming? Some felt that way in his time. The bad part is; that a lot of people believed that he was dreaming; and that non-belief is still around today. The non-believers (anti-christian) claim that all the trials and persecution that befalls a Christian has put us, ( today's Christians ) into an escapists dream world. But they are wrong! Just as Paul's hope; our hope is not spun from dreams; it was built with the fabric of faith---faith in God's Word. God had promised a glorious future for believers, so Paul lived "in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie promised"
Of course, all the adversities that we endure will make our hope grow stronger. Each trial will persuade us to anchor hope more firmly to the Scriptures. We who are Christians ought to share Paul's hope, for Christ is in us "the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27), and God's Word is just as true now as it was in Paul's time. Are we living in the sunshine of this hope. or are we so engrossed in the affairs of this life that a cloud of despair has settled over our heads? Let's look up, "for now is our salvation nearer than we believed" (Romans 13:11). When our faith is anchored into good ground; the heavier the strain that comes on it, the deeper and firmer it holds.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Saturday, April 13, 2013
At Bethany
Matthew 26:6
"Now when Jesus was in Bethany"
"The house of Simon the leper"
The event at Bethany is also given in John 12, were the woman who anointed Christ is definitely called Mary. While the "religious" Jewish leaders were plotting to kill Christ, the believers at Bethany were honoring him. We do not know who Simon the leper was; but he must have been cured by the Lord, for the Jews would never feast in the house of a leper. Mary's act of love was accepted by Christ and criticized by the disciples, Judas being the chief accuser (John 12:4-6). John explains why Judas criticized her: he was a thief and wanted the money for himself. (the word "bare" in John 12;6 means he took out or stole what was in the treasury).
It is sad to see Peter agreeing with Judas and "walking in the counsel of the ungodly" (Psalm 1:1). Soon he would be standing in the way of sinners (John 18:18) and sitting in the seat of the scornful (Luke 22:55), where he would deny his Lord three times. It is a dangerous thing for Christians to judge one another, for that judgement always comes back on our own heads (Matthew 7:1-5). The disciples considered Mary's worship "waste" but Jesus said it was a lasting memorial. To this day, wherever the Gospel is preached, Mary and her loving deed are mentioned. "He that doeth the will of god abideth forever." Let us focus more on godly ways, and others and less on self. Amen!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Now when Jesus was in Bethany"
"The house of Simon the leper"
The event at Bethany is also given in John 12, were the woman who anointed Christ is definitely called Mary. While the "religious" Jewish leaders were plotting to kill Christ, the believers at Bethany were honoring him. We do not know who Simon the leper was; but he must have been cured by the Lord, for the Jews would never feast in the house of a leper. Mary's act of love was accepted by Christ and criticized by the disciples, Judas being the chief accuser (John 12:4-6). John explains why Judas criticized her: he was a thief and wanted the money for himself. (the word "bare" in John 12;6 means he took out or stole what was in the treasury).
It is sad to see Peter agreeing with Judas and "walking in the counsel of the ungodly" (Psalm 1:1). Soon he would be standing in the way of sinners (John 18:18) and sitting in the seat of the scornful (Luke 22:55), where he would deny his Lord three times. It is a dangerous thing for Christians to judge one another, for that judgement always comes back on our own heads (Matthew 7:1-5). The disciples considered Mary's worship "waste" but Jesus said it was a lasting memorial. To this day, wherever the Gospel is preached, Mary and her loving deed are mentioned. "He that doeth the will of god abideth forever." Let us focus more on godly ways, and others and less on self. Amen!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Friday, April 12, 2013
True Bible Faith
Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for"
"The evidence of things not seen"
True Bible Faith is not an emotional "hope-so;" it is a real conviction based on the word of God. (Romans 10:17). The word substance means "assurance" and evidence means "proof." When the Holy Spirit gives a man faith through the word, the very presence of that faith in his heart is all the assurance and evidence he needs! "Faith enables the believe to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen." Through faith, true Christians see what others cannot see. When there is true faith in the heart, God bears witness to that heart by His Spirit.
By faith, Noah saw coming judgement; Abraham saw a future city; Joseph saw the exodus from Egypt; Moses saw God; " By faith they saw the invisible, chose the imperishable, and did the impossible." There is no limits to Faith; because there is power in the Word of God. God spoke, and it was done! God still speaks to us; and when we believe what he says; the power of the Word accomplishes things in our lives! The same Word that acted in the Biblical times; is still in our time today; "God's Holy Word."
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for"
"The evidence of things not seen"
True Bible Faith is not an emotional "hope-so;" it is a real conviction based on the word of God. (Romans 10:17). The word substance means "assurance" and evidence means "proof." When the Holy Spirit gives a man faith through the word, the very presence of that faith in his heart is all the assurance and evidence he needs! "Faith enables the believe to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen." Through faith, true Christians see what others cannot see. When there is true faith in the heart, God bears witness to that heart by His Spirit.
By faith, Noah saw coming judgement; Abraham saw a future city; Joseph saw the exodus from Egypt; Moses saw God; " By faith they saw the invisible, chose the imperishable, and did the impossible." There is no limits to Faith; because there is power in the Word of God. God spoke, and it was done! God still speaks to us; and when we believe what he says; the power of the Word accomplishes things in our lives! The same Word that acted in the Biblical times; is still in our time today; "God's Holy Word."
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Christendom
Matthew 25:12
"But he answered and said, Verily"
"I say unto you, I know you not"
While the full revelation of the Church and Christ as the Bridegroom was not made until later, the disciples did know that Christ's relationship to His own was that of a bridegroom. ( Mt. 9 : 15 and John 3 : 29). In verse 1 we have "SEPARATION" ( they were virgins ); "ILLUMINATION" or testimony ( they had lamps ). EXPECTATION ( they went fourth to meet the bridegroom). Now this is a picture of what the Church ought to be doing today? But just like "The Church" (Christendom today), there was some in the group that were not prepared. Of course all believers are in the true Church and are ready for heaven; but in "The Church" as the world sees it or Christendom there are many who appear to be Christians outwardly, but have never been born again in their hearts. As in Mt. 13, there are tares in the wheat.
Let's face it; while waiting on the return of Christ, "The Church" has gone to sleep. It is in the last century that true Christians have awakened to the great truth of Christ's second coming. "Behold. the Bridegroom cometh! " It is not necessary to make every detail of a parable mean something. But I like to think this way. The five wise virgin's lamps are like hearts truly given to Christ and the oil in the lamps is the Holy spirit that dwells in every true Christian. We must all stay awake and be ready! When He returns, we will be surpised to find some whom we thought were true Chriatians not ready at all; and some whom we did not know about, ready to meet the Lord.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"But he answered and said, Verily"
"I say unto you, I know you not"
While the full revelation of the Church and Christ as the Bridegroom was not made until later, the disciples did know that Christ's relationship to His own was that of a bridegroom. ( Mt. 9 : 15 and John 3 : 29). In verse 1 we have "SEPARATION" ( they were virgins ); "ILLUMINATION" or testimony ( they had lamps ). EXPECTATION ( they went fourth to meet the bridegroom). Now this is a picture of what the Church ought to be doing today? But just like "The Church" (Christendom today), there was some in the group that were not prepared. Of course all believers are in the true Church and are ready for heaven; but in "The Church" as the world sees it or Christendom there are many who appear to be Christians outwardly, but have never been born again in their hearts. As in Mt. 13, there are tares in the wheat.
Let's face it; while waiting on the return of Christ, "The Church" has gone to sleep. It is in the last century that true Christians have awakened to the great truth of Christ's second coming. "Behold. the Bridegroom cometh! " It is not necessary to make every detail of a parable mean something. But I like to think this way. The five wise virgin's lamps are like hearts truly given to Christ and the oil in the lamps is the Holy spirit that dwells in every true Christian. We must all stay awake and be ready! When He returns, we will be surpised to find some whom we thought were true Chriatians not ready at all; and some whom we did not know about, ready to meet the Lord.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Be Faithful
Matthew 24: 45
"Who then is a faithful and wise servant"
The Church is the household of faith (Gal. 6:10; Eph 2:19, and the servant is the pastor who is to feed his spiritual family. When his heart grows cold, his life becomes careless. It is not just for the pastor to keep his heart from growing cold it is for the entire family of God. Worldly living always begins when we get slack and slip away a little at a time or "forget" Christ altogether. Then there is no alertness to the fact that Christ is coming back! Listen friends, we have a choice; We can be called the son's of God and the world will know us not. (1 John 3:1); or we can end up as stated in Mat. 24; 51; "Cut him asunder"! This speaks of the discipline Christ will exercise on unfaithful servants when He returns to give rewards.
The word "hypocrites" means "unfaithful," leading to the certainty that unfaithful Christians will have weeping and remorse when they face the judgement seat of Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11-18 and 11Cor. 5:9-11). It don't mean hell itself. Of course, no true believer will ever go to hell (John 5:24). This parable: "Faithful and Unfaithful Servants" stimulates us to serve Christ faithfully, looking for His return every day. What a wonderful motive for service to know that we will here these words. "Well Done;" "My Good And Faithful Servant." Remember; if we serve to please men or to get gain, we will lose the reward. Keep looking up!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Who then is a faithful and wise servant"
The Church is the household of faith (Gal. 6:10; Eph 2:19, and the servant is the pastor who is to feed his spiritual family. When his heart grows cold, his life becomes careless. It is not just for the pastor to keep his heart from growing cold it is for the entire family of God. Worldly living always begins when we get slack and slip away a little at a time or "forget" Christ altogether. Then there is no alertness to the fact that Christ is coming back! Listen friends, we have a choice; We can be called the son's of God and the world will know us not. (1 John 3:1); or we can end up as stated in Mat. 24; 51; "Cut him asunder"! This speaks of the discipline Christ will exercise on unfaithful servants when He returns to give rewards.
The word "hypocrites" means "unfaithful," leading to the certainty that unfaithful Christians will have weeping and remorse when they face the judgement seat of Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11-18 and 11Cor. 5:9-11). It don't mean hell itself. Of course, no true believer will ever go to hell (John 5:24). This parable: "Faithful and Unfaithful Servants" stimulates us to serve Christ faithfully, looking for His return every day. What a wonderful motive for service to know that we will here these words. "Well Done;" "My Good And Faithful Servant." Remember; if we serve to please men or to get gain, we will lose the reward. Keep looking up!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The Great Commandment
"Matthew 22:37
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God"
"With all thy heart,with all thou soul"
"And with all thy mind"
The Pharisees loved to ask Christ legal questions about the Old Testament Law. (The word "put to silence" in vs. 34 means "muzzled" showing how completely Christ has silenced His enemies!) The doctors of the law were forever debating over which of the commandments was the greatest. They placed the commandments into "heavy" and "light" and separated the "ritual laws" and the "moral laws." This sounds like some religious groups we have running around spreading their false doctrine today! It came to the place that the smallest detail of the ritual law was as binding as the moral laws of God! The Pharisees thought they could trap Jesus by forcing Him to take sides on this difficult theological issue.
Again, Jesus reminds them of the OT scriptures and quotes Dt. 6:5 and Lev.19:18. Love for God and love for one's neighbor sums up the entire OT law. Jesus is telling us to avoid these man-made distinctions between "venial sin" and "mortal sin" (or whatever names men might give them) and make sure we love God and love others. This is true heart religion. Of course, no man can love God apart from knowing Jesus Christ as Savior (John 8:42; and when a man knows and loves God, the love of God will be shed abroad from his heart by the spirit (Rom. 5:5). Christ is not speaking of that shallow, sentimental love for God and man that the modernistic preachers talk about. He is talking about a deep heart love for God because of the work of Christ on the cross. Let's live in peace, Love God and one another as Christ has said. AMEN!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God"
"With all thy heart,with all thou soul"
"And with all thy mind"
The Pharisees loved to ask Christ legal questions about the Old Testament Law. (The word "put to silence" in vs. 34 means "muzzled" showing how completely Christ has silenced His enemies!) The doctors of the law were forever debating over which of the commandments was the greatest. They placed the commandments into "heavy" and "light" and separated the "ritual laws" and the "moral laws." This sounds like some religious groups we have running around spreading their false doctrine today! It came to the place that the smallest detail of the ritual law was as binding as the moral laws of God! The Pharisees thought they could trap Jesus by forcing Him to take sides on this difficult theological issue.
Again, Jesus reminds them of the OT scriptures and quotes Dt. 6:5 and Lev.19:18. Love for God and love for one's neighbor sums up the entire OT law. Jesus is telling us to avoid these man-made distinctions between "venial sin" and "mortal sin" (or whatever names men might give them) and make sure we love God and love others. This is true heart religion. Of course, no man can love God apart from knowing Jesus Christ as Savior (John 8:42; and when a man knows and loves God, the love of God will be shed abroad from his heart by the spirit (Rom. 5:5). Christ is not speaking of that shallow, sentimental love for God and man that the modernistic preachers talk about. He is talking about a deep heart love for God because of the work of Christ on the cross. Let's live in peace, Love God and one another as Christ has said. AMEN!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Monday, April 8, 2013
Marriage Reminder
Matthew 19 : 6
"Wherefore, they are no more"
"Two,But one flesh"
The union of marriage has became a "Truth or Dare Union." Let's look at marriage say, 15 or 20 years ago in comparison to today's marriage. It's more like a dating game with a license. After a while the truths stop coming out and the dares start up; and then the divorce is just as quick as the marriage was. The Bible speaks of three Laws of Marriage: (1) The Original Edenic Law, (2) The Temporary Mosaic Law, (3) Christ's Law for Marriage.
Christ clearly states that divorce is permitted for only one cause, "fornication." This is a sin against the body (1Cor. 6 : 15-18) and thus a sin against the marriage union, which is a physical union. The word "fornication" as used in the bible seems to include a number of sexual sins; (Mark 7 : 21) speaks of "fornication" (plural), while (Acts 15 : 20) (Rom. 1 :29 and 1Cor. 6 : 13) indicate that "fornication covers sexual sins in general. It is agreed that fornication is used of sins committed by the unmarried, adultery by the married.
In any case, Jesus states that divorce for any other reason makes the parties guilty of adultery if they remarry. There are only two things that can break the marriage union: death and fornication. The Bible does not teach celibacy, it does recognize that not all are supposed to be married. Paul himself had refrained from marriage that he might serve God, But this is not the will of God for all His servants. A person must find God's will for his life and be sure to marry "in the Lord". A marriage with two, in the Lord , "stays in the Lord".
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Wherefore, they are no more"
"Two,But one flesh"
The union of marriage has became a "Truth or Dare Union." Let's look at marriage say, 15 or 20 years ago in comparison to today's marriage. It's more like a dating game with a license. After a while the truths stop coming out and the dares start up; and then the divorce is just as quick as the marriage was. The Bible speaks of three Laws of Marriage: (1) The Original Edenic Law, (2) The Temporary Mosaic Law, (3) Christ's Law for Marriage.
Christ clearly states that divorce is permitted for only one cause, "fornication." This is a sin against the body (1Cor. 6 : 15-18) and thus a sin against the marriage union, which is a physical union. The word "fornication" as used in the bible seems to include a number of sexual sins; (Mark 7 : 21) speaks of "fornication" (plural), while (Acts 15 : 20) (Rom. 1 :29 and 1Cor. 6 : 13) indicate that "fornication covers sexual sins in general. It is agreed that fornication is used of sins committed by the unmarried, adultery by the married.
In any case, Jesus states that divorce for any other reason makes the parties guilty of adultery if they remarry. There are only two things that can break the marriage union: death and fornication. The Bible does not teach celibacy, it does recognize that not all are supposed to be married. Paul himself had refrained from marriage that he might serve God, But this is not the will of God for all His servants. A person must find God's will for his life and be sure to marry "in the Lord". A marriage with two, in the Lord , "stays in the Lord".
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Seeking Greatness
Matthew 18:1
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven"
The disciples wanted to know who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. Some of the disciples may have thought that Christ was "Playing Favorites" and neglecting them. But it is not spiritual to be seeking for position and greatness in heaven. (Romans 12:10 and 16). A child is Christ's illustration of greatness. Honor comes from humility; we must go down before God will lift us up. All great saints have been humble saints. While a child is not sinless or perfect, he does have the characteristics that ought to be in every Christian's life: he is teachable; he is simple in his wants; he has an expectant attitude; he depends on his father to meet his needs. But the only way we can become children is to be born again (John 3).
By "these little ones" Jesus means not only children, but the children of God. It is a terrible thing to cause another believer to stumble (Romans 14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 8:-13. Christ is not speaking literally when He commands us to "cut off" the member of the body that cause us to sin, for sin comes from the heart, not the hands and feet. He is telling us to deal with our sins drastically, completely, and mercilessly. We must not "play with" sin, or try to get rid of it over a long period of time. We must face our sins honestly, confess them, and forsake them. The best advice that I can give you is this; "Obey God, serve our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; humble yourself and honor your fellow man.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven"
The disciples wanted to know who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. Some of the disciples may have thought that Christ was "Playing Favorites" and neglecting them. But it is not spiritual to be seeking for position and greatness in heaven. (Romans 12:10 and 16). A child is Christ's illustration of greatness. Honor comes from humility; we must go down before God will lift us up. All great saints have been humble saints. While a child is not sinless or perfect, he does have the characteristics that ought to be in every Christian's life: he is teachable; he is simple in his wants; he has an expectant attitude; he depends on his father to meet his needs. But the only way we can become children is to be born again (John 3).
By "these little ones" Jesus means not only children, but the children of God. It is a terrible thing to cause another believer to stumble (Romans 14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 8:-13. Christ is not speaking literally when He commands us to "cut off" the member of the body that cause us to sin, for sin comes from the heart, not the hands and feet. He is telling us to deal with our sins drastically, completely, and mercilessly. We must not "play with" sin, or try to get rid of it over a long period of time. We must face our sins honestly, confess them, and forsake them. The best advice that I can give you is this; "Obey God, serve our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; humble yourself and honor your fellow man.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Purpose of Transfiguration
Matthew 17:2
"And was transfigured before them: and"
"His face did shine as the sun and"
"His raiment was white as the light"
What was the purpose of the transfiguration? It was a picture of the coming Kingdom. Christ had promised that some of the Disciples would not see death until they had seen Him in His Kingdom (Matthew 16:28). Peter had just recently confessed Christ as the Son of God in (16:16), and had learned the truth about the coming death of Christ (16:21-23). at that point they were probably wondering about, if He was to die on the cross, and all the promises of the Kingdom? Will they be fulfilled?
Christ in His transfiguration assured them that the Word would stand and the Kingdom would come. The scene is actually a picture of the Kingdom: Christ glorified, the three Apostles representing Israel, Moses representing Saints who died in Christ, Elijah representing saints who were raptured ( for Elijah did not die), and the multitudes at the foot of the mountain representing the other nations.
The transfiguration was also to strengthen Christ for His suffering. Moses and Elijah talked with Christ about His coming death which He would accomplish in Jerusalem. "His Exodus" (exit): His way down to the middle of the earth, His way out of the grave, and His way to the right hand of God. This should have been an encouragement to The Disciples as they faced separation from the Lord as He experienced His suffering and death. Had they remember that scene, they would not have failed Him or lost hope after His death on the cross. You must know the reason for the cross and what Christ suffered on that cross; and once you have come to know Christ and accept Him in Your life; "YOU WANT FORGET HIM "
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"And was transfigured before them: and"
"His face did shine as the sun and"
"His raiment was white as the light"
What was the purpose of the transfiguration? It was a picture of the coming Kingdom. Christ had promised that some of the Disciples would not see death until they had seen Him in His Kingdom (Matthew 16:28). Peter had just recently confessed Christ as the Son of God in (16:16), and had learned the truth about the coming death of Christ (16:21-23). at that point they were probably wondering about, if He was to die on the cross, and all the promises of the Kingdom? Will they be fulfilled?
Christ in His transfiguration assured them that the Word would stand and the Kingdom would come. The scene is actually a picture of the Kingdom: Christ glorified, the three Apostles representing Israel, Moses representing Saints who died in Christ, Elijah representing saints who were raptured ( for Elijah did not die), and the multitudes at the foot of the mountain representing the other nations.
The transfiguration was also to strengthen Christ for His suffering. Moses and Elijah talked with Christ about His coming death which He would accomplish in Jerusalem. "His Exodus" (exit): His way down to the middle of the earth, His way out of the grave, and His way to the right hand of God. This should have been an encouragement to The Disciples as they faced separation from the Lord as He experienced His suffering and death. Had they remember that scene, they would not have failed Him or lost hope after His death on the cross. You must know the reason for the cross and what Christ suffered on that cross; and once you have come to know Christ and accept Him in Your life; "YOU WANT FORGET HIM "
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Friday, April 5, 2013
Reality of Love
John 15:13
"Greater love hath no man than this"
As we walk through our lives discovered that Jesus Christ is walking with us. We have come to know that love and truth are not just words that we speak; but spiritual elements of God. at work in in the world. Some feel that they can lock Jesus out when that want to. Well they can't and don't, no matter what you do He is there. Why? The New Testement tells us that we belong to the "Communion of Saints."
Christ opens His love to us even at the moment when we think we are done with Him. So therefore we have a mission. Christians are called to be an affirming source in the community. We must show that "God is love;" and say "Jesus is Lord;" and that "Christ died for our sins." The Christian Gospel is the three phrases that I just mention; and if they are understood, followed and applied in our live and shared with others; That Shows the "Greater Love" That we have for our "God" and our "Savior Jesus Christ" as well as our fellow man.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A.Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"Greater love hath no man than this"
As we walk through our lives discovered that Jesus Christ is walking with us. We have come to know that love and truth are not just words that we speak; but spiritual elements of God. at work in in the world. Some feel that they can lock Jesus out when that want to. Well they can't and don't, no matter what you do He is there. Why? The New Testement tells us that we belong to the "Communion of Saints."
Christ opens His love to us even at the moment when we think we are done with Him. So therefore we have a mission. Christians are called to be an affirming source in the community. We must show that "God is love;" and say "Jesus is Lord;" and that "Christ died for our sins." The Christian Gospel is the three phrases that I just mention; and if they are understood, followed and applied in our live and shared with others; That Shows the "Greater Love" That we have for our "God" and our "Savior Jesus Christ" as well as our fellow man.
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A.Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Thursday, April 4, 2013
What Did Jesus Say
Matthew7:24
"Therefore whosoever heareth these"
"Sayings of mine and do them"
The phrase "What Would Jesus Do" Has become a trademark saying in today's Christians life. I believe this new phrase would be more meaningful to today's Christians. If we really look and study God's word, we would see that Christ spoke guidance for us to follow. "If ye keep my commands, ye shall abide in my love.; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:10-11).
Instead of wondering what Jesus would do! Ask yourself What did Jesus Say. This would be a much better question than "WWJD." Before we chose a course of behavior, making a spiritual decision or holding a belief. "WDJS" What Did Jesus Say.! Well He made promises to those that would follow Him and learn His words. "If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)
Wondering what Jesus would do, would be like you wondering if you made a right decision after it's made. It would be great if we could do what Jesus done; but we can't. Why? Because Jesus had no sin nature. He was a Holy God. We are saved by grace and washed in the blood of Jesus; but we still have that sin nature in us. Jesus made no promises to us about hopes and our own limited wisdom thoughts or feelings. Just upon the solid rock of Christ's words. "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:; and the rain descended and floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock." (Matthew 7:24-25). Friends let us pray that To our God in Faith and serve Him in Truth. So let's build our house on His Words and place our light that is in us on top and let it shine! AMEN
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
The Phrase "WDJS" is from;
the writings of Steve Scott.
"Therefore whosoever heareth these"
"Sayings of mine and do them"
The phrase "What Would Jesus Do" Has become a trademark saying in today's Christians life. I believe this new phrase would be more meaningful to today's Christians. If we really look and study God's word, we would see that Christ spoke guidance for us to follow. "If ye keep my commands, ye shall abide in my love.; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:10-11).
Instead of wondering what Jesus would do! Ask yourself What did Jesus Say. This would be a much better question than "WWJD." Before we chose a course of behavior, making a spiritual decision or holding a belief. "WDJS" What Did Jesus Say.! Well He made promises to those that would follow Him and learn His words. "If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)
Wondering what Jesus would do, would be like you wondering if you made a right decision after it's made. It would be great if we could do what Jesus done; but we can't. Why? Because Jesus had no sin nature. He was a Holy God. We are saved by grace and washed in the blood of Jesus; but we still have that sin nature in us. Jesus made no promises to us about hopes and our own limited wisdom thoughts or feelings. Just upon the solid rock of Christ's words. "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:; and the rain descended and floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock." (Matthew 7:24-25). Friends let us pray that To our God in Faith and serve Him in Truth. So let's build our house on His Words and place our light that is in us on top and let it shine! AMEN
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
The Phrase "WDJS" is from;
the writings of Steve Scott.
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