Change Comes From Within

Genesis 22:16

"By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, 

for because thou hast done this thing,

and hast not withheld thy son,

thine only son:"  

        There are times when we become disheartened as we look at what is happening around us. We hear how the world is losing its faith. We encounter people who make it more and more difficult to believe how the future could still be brighter and happier.

We must keep our courage! Though we think we are alone, we are not at all on our own. Though we think we can do so little, God can still do so much as He makes us instruments of His love.

        Change can begin from within ourselves. It begins when we refuse to lose hope no matter how dark things seem to be. It begins when we forgive and when we become channels of mercy to those around us. We may not see now how our little deeds can change the world. But let us trust God. He is the One who multiplies five loaves of bread so it can feed thousands. He is the One who receives every little sacrifice we make so He can bless so many others along the way.

        Amen!

Reading: (Gen. 22:16-18)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

 The Cross Life Ministry

Live In The Light Of Live

Job 33:28  

"He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, 

and his life shall see the light."

        The first part of the verse refers to God’s deliverance. This could be from physical death, or a spiritual or emotional death. There are plenty of people who are living and breathing, but are dead inside due to a tragedy in their lives or other difficulties. Here, we are thanking God for saving us from all kinds of death.

        The second part of the verse speaks about enjoying the "light of life."  What does it mean to enjoy the light of life? It means exactly what it says. In the face of utter darkness, we shine a light on all that is good in our lives. Sharing with others what we have in our lives, and with all the love that we extend to strangers and the love that we receive, "we shall  able to live in the "light of life."

        Let’s learn to always shine the light on all that is good in our own lives. There isn’t a person without something to be upset about. We all have challenges and difficulties. But instead of living in the dark shadow of painful past events, let’s "live" in the light of all that is good and wonderful in our lives.

        Amen!

Reading: (Is. 38:15-19)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

                

 

No Gift To Small

Mark 12:44  

"For all they did cast in of their abundance; 

but she of her want did cast in all that 

she had, even all her living."

        Never let the measure of others hinder you from giving what you can. Give of your all. Give to everyone you desire to help. God will never belittle your gifts. He honors every sacrifice done out of love. If He wanted to receive great gifts only, why has He chosen to be among the poor? If He wanted to praise fine offerings only, why has He chosen to be born as a helpless child?

He became poor for us. He became little for us. Even a small child that needs His mother’s care!

       There is no small gift to Him who sees the purity of one’s heart.

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. A poor widow came, and she cast in two mites which equal a farthing. He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, "For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had" (Luke 21:4). 
        Amen!


Reading: (Mark 12:41-44)
                (Luke 21:1-4)

God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The End Of The Matter

Ecclesiastes 12:13  

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: 

Fear God, and keep his commandments: 

for this is the whole duty of man."

        Some, say that they would climb a ladder to heaven, if that was the only way to get there. At least these souls, would put in some effort, however; eventually ending up unsuccessful from the very start.  All who has heard God's word, knows that there is only one way to get to heaven. My Friend that is to serve God and constantly strive upward no matter what happens along the way. Truly, that is all we can do in life. The rest is up to God, for we will eventually be lifted to heaven by His strength and not by our own.

        It is really quite simple. In the end, we aren’t in control of everything. All we can do while on this earth is what we are called to do and to have faith in God. The rest is up to Him. I find the same simplicity at the very end of the book of Ecclesiastes after King Solomon had taught his readers all there was to know. Solomon wrote, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13). Man has a duty to serve God that’s our purpose in life. I find that this clear and concise concept is one we need to come back to over and over again. 

        Amen!

Reading: (Eccl. 12:1-14)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

 

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

The Crowning Day

1 John 2:28

"And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he 

shall appear, we may have confidence, and not 

be ashamed before him at his coming"         

        The result of judgment is reward or loss. All our bad and dead works, represented by the wood, hay and stubble, will be consumed, and only our good works shall remain. There is much which passes for Christian service which is merely human and secular, and does not count in our eternal reward. For those who deserve a reward it will be The Crowning Day! 
        The New Testament tells us of Five Crowns. The first Crown is the Crown of Life.    
 This is the "Martyr's" crown, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (testing), for when he is tried (at the judgment Seat of Christ), he shall receive the Crown of Life, "which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him" (James 1:12). "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the Devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried (tested) and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life"  (Rev. 2:10). Notice it does not say "until" death, but "unto" death. 
        The Crown of "GLORY." This is the "Elder's" crown. "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind (1Pet. 5:2).  The Crown of “REJOICING.” This is the "Soul Winner's" crown. Those brought to Jesus by us will be our crown of rejoicing at His Coming. "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  For ye are our glory and joy" (1Thess 2:19-20).
        The Crown of “RIGHTEOUSNESS” This is the crown of those who love His appearing and will be given in that day the Day of His Appearing. "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Tim.4:8).
        The Crown “INCORRUPTIBLE.” This is the Victor's crown, given to those who do not permit themselves to be diverted from the Master's work by worldly amusements and pleasure, nor saturate their body with drugs. My friends, we do not want to be ashamed at His Coming! "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Cor. 9:25-27). "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28). 
        Amen!

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Pureness of Heart

Proverbs 22:1  

A good name is rather to be chosen than 

great riches, and loving favour 

rather than silver and gold.

        Great riches are not always a great blessing. When they are held in trust for God, they afford the opportunity of giving a vast amount of happiness to the benefactor as well as to those benefited. But we recall other riches, which do not consist in what a man has, but in what he is. There are four levels of human experience: To have, To do, To know, and To be. With these in their order they are like iron, silver, gold, precious stones. 
        Some of these riches I have listed here: A good name and loving favor, The faith that hides in God, True humility and godly fear, The child like heart, The beautiful eye and open hand with purity of heart and diligence,  If only we would cultivate the inward graces and gifts of our soul, all who feel our influence would be enriched.
        Amen!

Reading: (Prov. 22:1-16)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr

The Cross Life Ministry

               

       

Redeeming The Time

Ephesians 5:16

"Redeeming the time because

because the days are evil."

        These verses remind us, that the Christian soul; shall arise from the, dust and put on thy beautiful garments! Stand on the mountain peak of prayer, and Christ shall shine on thee brighter then the morning sun shines on the highest Alps! The child of God must arise from among those who are yet in their graves, dead in trespasses and sins. He can have no complicity or fellowship with such. Is there effort in this, and is there cost? Yes! Christ will more than compensate. He will satisfy.
        My Friends, the opportunities of life are in front of us; let us buy them up. They are most valuable, because they are the stepping stones on our journey to eternity. Remember, In the other life we shall reap the harvests which we have prepared for here. "Give every living minute something to keep in store." Fight distractions and make room for the Holy Spirit. Be filled with Him, and He will use heart and voice in the service of praise and thanksgiving. Remember to give thanks always for all things. Whether you like the case it came in or not. However; you may be sure that the contents are the very best that God could send you.

        Amen!

Reading: (Eph. 5:13-21)

               (Is. 60:1-20)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Christ Can Fulfill Your Desires

John 15:7

If Ye abide in me, and my words abide in 

you, ye shall ask what ye will, and

it shall be done unto you. 

        Deep within our hearts, we have desires that may have remained hidden through the years. We have almost forgotten them. We rarely allow them to speak to us because somehow, we are afraid.

Not once have we been disappointed while dreaming our dreams. Most of us buried those desires deeply, into that place where no one can see them, and where no one could judge us or mock us, telling us we’re not even worthy to imagine such things. So we remain with our hidden dreams; "But Wait!" 

        What if Someone comes along who believes in you?  Someone who is able to see through your masks, uncovering the true cry of your soul? Will you allow yourself to believe once again? Will you honor the dignity God has placed within you?

        Jesus comes knocking. He knows you through and through. Finally, here is Someone who will treasure your deepest yearnings, who cares so much about you He wants to fulfill your heart’s desires. Will you let Him? Will you trust again knowing that there is Someone who trusts in you? For the believer, Christ alone can provide the grace and provision of needs in life. Therefore we as Christians must remain faithful to our service to the Lord, and to the study of the Scriptures.  
        Amen! 

Reading: (John 15 1-17)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

Avoid Strife In Your Life

Proverbs 20:3

 "It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: 

but every fool will be meddling."

        In Proverbs, King Solomon wrote: "It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel."  Most arguments stem from feelings of pride or uncontrollable anger. We want to prove our point and come out looking right. Yet, as the wise King tells us, when we fight for no good reason, we only embarrass ourselves and show the world our ugly side. However, when we have enough self restraint and self esteem to refrain, we are showered with honor and peace.

        Here is an old phrase that will put meaningless arguments into perspective: "A bulldog can whip a skunk any day of the week, but sometimes it realizes that the fight just isn’t worth the stink." We can choose to engage in strife, especially when we know that we have what it takes to win the argument. But we are left with a "stink." We are left with negativity and have only degraded ourselves in front of others. It’s simply not worth it.

        There is one thing my Dad taught me, or I should say, "had a hard time getting me to listen:" The person who yields to the aggressor shows greater strength than the one who chooses to fight. We need to learn to step aside when we are tempted to enter into ultimately meaningless arguments. Next time you are about to engage in strife, ask yourself if it’s worth the "stink." It’s probably not, and we would all be wise to avoid strife altogether.

        Amen!

Reading: (James 1:19-20)

               (Eccl. 7:9)

               (Rom. 12:19-21)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life  Ministry

 

Christians, We Have A Goal!

Hebrews 12:1

"Let us run with patience the

race that is set before us."

        In the Christian life we have a goal. As Christians we are not unconcerned stroller's along the byways of life; we are wayfarer's on the high road. We are not tourist, who returns each night to the place from which he started. We are like pilgrim's who are for ever on their way. The goal is nothing less than the likeness of Christ. The Christian life is going somewhere, and it would be well if, at each day's ending, we were to ask ourselves: "Am I any farther on?" 

      In Our Christian Lives we have an example. That example is Jesus Himself. For the goal that was set before Him, He endured all things; to win it meant by the way of the Cross. My Friends, if Jesus could endure like that, so must we. "Don't give up too soon.

      Amen! 

Reading: (Heb. 12:1-11)

Ref: (HG SB) 

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

What Grace Has Done

Ephesians 2:1  

"And you hath he quickened, who were 

dead in trespasses and sins;"

        We may be dead to the eternal world but we are alive to this world now, which is moving fast like the films of a moving picture. Behind the shifting scenes of the material, is the great enemy of souls. As the Spirit of God works in the obedient, so does the evil spirit work in the disobedient. We must look at the trinity of evil (the course of this world) the lusts of our flesh, and the prince of the power of the air. If we desire to save men, we must be in living union with the all conquering Spirit of Christ. 
        In God's purpose we have been raised from the grave of sin and are seated with the risen Lord in the place of acceptance and victory. We were one with Christ when He lay in the grave and arose. In God’s thought we have already taken our seat with the glorified Christ upon the throne; the only pity is that we do not believe this or act as if we had done so. All this is the gift of God’s unmerited love.
        By grace have we been brought into this position, and by grace are we maintained in it. We are of God’s “making;”  we have been created for good works; they have been planned for us and we have only to walk in them. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).
        Amen!

Reading: (Eph. 2:1-10)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

With Empty Hands

Matthew 5:6

"Blessed are they which do hunger and

thirst after righteousness: for

they shall be filled"  

        There is only one way that God will not judge at all, and that is to present one’s self to Him with empty hands. It is enough to recognize one’s nothingness and to abandon one’s self like a child in the arms of God; "For God has not come to seek those who are already full." He came to find those who have nothing more to offer than their poverty. He came to heal the broken, to find the lost, to fill those who thirst for love. Blessed are they who are empty. They can still be filled. They can cry out for mercy, and they can receive with open arms. For what do we possess but that which God has given? What good can we do but that which God has blessed? We come to Him "not with fullness and pride." He draws us like little children, and He carries the humble upon His arms. Yes We Are A Blessed People!!

        Amen!

Reading: (Matt. 5:1-12---The Beatitudes)
               (Is. 55:1; 65:13)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Live Unto Christ

Philippians 1:21  

"For to me to live is Christ, 

and to die is gain."

       Christ was Paul's life and author of his spiritual life; He spoke it into him, produced it in Him, and disciplined Him with it: and He was his life, objectively, the matter and object of his life. It was not so much he that lived, as Christ that lived in him; he lived by faith on Christ, and his spiritual life was maintained and supported by feeding on Him as the bread of life; He was his life, "finally", the end of his life. Paul's aim throughout the whole course of his life was the glory of Christ, the good of  church and people, the spread of the Gospel, and the Glory and Honor of his Lord.
        Paul set the example for Christians, no matter where we are in our Spiritual life.We must be prepared to live or to die, that Jesus Christ might be magnified. Are we willing to remain for a little longer outside of heaven, if that would better serve the cause we loved? We should be! Does it seem good to suffer? Yes, if it is only on the behalf of Christ. Oh that we might experience a similar absorption in the interests of the gospel!
        Amen!

Reading: (Phil. 1:12-30)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Each Step Of The Way

Philippians 4:7

"And the peace of God, which passeth all

understanding, shall keep your hearts

and minds through Christ Jesus." 

        The Blessed Life is; not anxious to see far in front, or being careful about the next step, not eager to choose the path, or weighted with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following behind Christ one step at a time. One step of faith at a time, that is all that is required of you. You are not expected to be strong enough for all the challenges that are yet to come, but you are given grace to carry on today. So let not the shadows of tomorrow hinder your sunshine today. Let not the troubles of the future take away your peace. Today, God is with you. He is by your side, strengthening you and guiding you. And He will be with you every step of the way.

        Amen!

Reading: (Phil. 4:1-9)

Ref: (HG SB)

                                                            

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr 

The Cross Life Ministry

                                                                             

In Our Darkest Night

Psalm 23:4

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the

Shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for 

thou art with me; thy rod and

thy staff comfort me."

        Never think that God is only with you when things go well. He is not a fair weather friend who gets frightened when things start to fall apart. He does not leave us alone just when we need Him most.  On the contrary, He is closer to us during our darkest times, and He stays with us through the most difficult times. 

        When every one else walks away, we can count on Him to be there for us, comforting us and strengthening us, guiding us until we can find our way back into the light again.

In your darkest night, you can count on God to be there for you. It is there when you can know Him better. It is there when you will realize how much He truly loves you.  

        Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 23) 

Ref: (HG SB )

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry