God Will Hear His People Always

John 11:41

"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me."  

     If the Son of God is formed in me the Father will always hear my prayers. I have to see that The Son of God is manifested in my mortal flesh. "Your body is the Temple of The Holy Spirit." Is The Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied in your life or do you just have a Spiritual strut? My Friends, we must never let anything, wife, husband, the things of this world or even your child push the Son of God to the side.  
    Our ordinary wits never worship God unless they are transfigured by the indwelling Son of God. We must keep ourselves in perfect subjection to Him, and let Him work through us moment by moment. My Friends, let's ask ourselves today at this moment; "are we living in such Dependence upon Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Lord, that His life is being manifested in each of us moment by moment?"  
Amen!

Reading: (John 11:38-52)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

     

God's Wonderful Creation "Earth"

Psalm 104:24

"O Lord how manifold are thy works! in wisdom

has thou made them all: the earth 

is full of thy riches."

                                                                        

    For children, the world is a magical place. Everything is new and exciting. They marvel at the sun, the moon, and the stars in the sky. They relish the opportunity to watch something as simple as a ladybug crawling across a leaf or a butterfly fluttering from one flower to another. They see the world with fresh eyes, and through their eyes, everything is amazing!
    By the time we have been on the planet for a decade or two, much of the magic has been lost. We take it for granted, that we live in a beautiful world that is both mysterious and wondrous. We hardly notice the magnificent sky above or the lush grass on the ground. As we walk around our planet, we aren’t even cognizant of the fact that we are on a sphere that is spinning around in outer space and yet everything around us remains completely still. It’s so easy to spend a lifetime on this planet and miss out on the beauty of God’s creation.

    We need to step back, look around, and say, "Wow! This place is amazing, God!" In Psalm 104, King David reflected on the wonders of our world. He spoke about how the waters once covered the entire world, but then God separated the waters and placed them in oceans and rivers so that people would have land to live upon (v. 6-9). David delighted in the fact that God created a world complete with delicious fruit and vegetation that sustains both man and animal. 
    But not only that, God also created things such as oil and wine,  items that are not necessary, but are gifts that bring joy and relaxation to people (v.15). David marveled at the day and night cycles that form a working rhythm in the world. The most dangerous beasts hunt at night when people are home, and return to their habitats in the day when people are out (v. 20–23).  
    Indeed, God created an amazing and diverse world for us to live in that reveals intelligence beyond our comprehension. Let us look at God’s world and appreciate it with new eyes. Every wonderful thing that you will discover is a manifestation of His love for us and a testimony to His glory!! 

Amen!

Reading: (Ps.104)

Ref: (HG SB) 

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

Standing Strong Through The Storm

Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God:"

    There was a church leader in china that had spent 23 years in prison, and he said this to Christians that had never face persecution: "I was pushed in to a cell, but you have to put yourself into one. You have no time to know God, you need to build yourself a cell so you can do for yourself what persecution did for me. Simplify your life and know God."  It is vital that we spend time with God, in order to grow in Him, so we will be able to be strong in the face of persecution.

    There have been countless stories of persecuted Christians who have died without seeing the fruits of their labor. However, God knows all that has taken place in our lives, and He knows what is yet to come. Our labor is not in vain, it is in God's Hands.
    My friends, just as that church leader faced persecution daily in that prison cell, We as "Believers" are subject to persecution daily. However, there are no bars from a cell to protect us, so we must have faith in our Lord, and know that the power of God is like having a strong cell around us, and knowing that we are not alone, "Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee," (Deut. 31:6) 
Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 46)
               (Deut. 31:3-)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Courage Promised To Faithful Messengers

Jeremiah 1:5  

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before 

thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, 

and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." 

     God has a distinct purpose for each life, and our one goal should be to discover and work out His plan. "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them," ( Ps. 139:16; "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace," (Gal. 1:15).  Jeremiah was very young, and shrank from the responsibility of the great mission entrusted to him, just the same as some of us today; and Moses one of the the noblest, "And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue," (Ex.4:10).

But that is godly fear indeed which casts us back on God. He never gives a commission without assuming the responsibility of its execution in, and with, or through, us. 

    Powers of utterance are specially His gift,  "And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged," (Is. 6:7).  The almond tree in Hebrew is the wakeful tree. It awakes from the winter sleep earlier than others, flowering in January and fruiting in March. It indicated the swiftness of God’s movement. The boiling pot is the symbol of war. The promise of Jer. 1:19, they are very precious to all who are called to stand in the breach and charge men with their sins.  "And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee," (Jer. 1:19).

Amen!

Reading: (Jer. 1:1-19

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

 

   

What Is The Meaning of Your Life Right Now?

2 Timothy 2:7

"Consider what I say; and the Lord give the

understanding in all things."

    Many times, it isn’t the difficulty we’re experiencing that truly matters, but the meaning we’re able to give to whatever it is we’re going through. What is the meaning of your life right now?  If you are hurting, what meaning could you possibly give to your sufferings?  If you are joyful, what meaning have you found in your happiness?  It could be that you’ve just lost someone you really loved, and this grief is saying that the meaning of your life right now is called LETTING GO.
    It could be that you’ve been hurt so bad by someone who was supposed to protect you, and thus the meaning of your present days could be one of FORGIVENESS.  It could be that you’re pursuing a dream, but its fulfillment seem so far away and the only word you could hold on to right now is PERSEVERANCE.  It could be that you’ve tried everything to solve a problem but every path still seems to be blocked.  If so, the meaning of your life at the moment could be called HOPE.
    It could be that you’ve spent your whole life trying to build something, but in one moment a catastrophe happens and destroys everything you’ve ever built.  And thus the meaning of your life could be called STARTING OVER.  It could be that you’re facing problems that seem bigger than everything you’re capable of and for the first time, you’re being led out of your comfort zone.  If so, the meaning of your life could be one of ADVENTURE or of building greater STRENGTH.
    It could be that all your life, you’ve always been the one giving and taking care of other people and now you feel tired and drained.  It could be time to ask yourself if time has come for the meaning of your life to change from GIVING, To BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE. It could be that your heart had been broken so many times before, but now a person comes, willing to prove to you that someone can still take care of your heart.  Afraid though you may be, the meaning of your life could now be LEARNING TO TRUST AGAIN.
    It could be that you’ve always felt helpless and victimized and time has come when you have decided to claim power over your own life, and thus the meaning of your life now speaks of COURAGE And Of  FREEDOM. Things may not always be the way you’ve always wanted them to be, but every experience could teach us something and could lead us into a far better place and a far better time.  What is the meaning of your life right now?  Could it be REFLECTION? Could it be CHANGE?  In spite of everything else, may it be one of WISDOM, and may it always be filled with FAITH. 
Amen!

Reading: (2 Tim. 2:14-26)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Voice of Forgiveness, And Deliverance

Isaiah 40:1  

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."

     God 's voice is ever speaking to us; let us heed to it. There is the voice of  "Forgiveness,"  "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins," (Is. 40:2). Are you truly saved? Have you put away your sin? Have you meekly accepted the chastening rod? Then be of good cheer, this promise is for you. The time of hard service is accomplished, your iniquity is pardoned. God speaks comfortably to your heart, that you may be able to comfort others as He does you, "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God," (2 Co. 1:4). 

    The voice of "Deliverance,"  "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain," (Is.40:3-4). Between Babylon and Canaan lay a great desert of thirty days’ journey with mountain ranges, and wide open gulfs. But when God arises to deliver His children, “who cry day and night unto Him,” crooked places straighten out, rough ones become smooth, and mountains disappear. The precepts, promises, and invitations of the gospel are as sure as God’s throne, "But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you," (1 Pet.1:25). 

Amen!

Reading: (Is. 40:1-8)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Lord Cannot Forget His Own

ISAIAH 49:16

"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands,

thy walls are continually before me."

    Cast away every doubt and feeling of uselessness. Your worth is not determined by what other people say. Don't look on what you have done or failed to do, or on your weakness or your poverty. They tell nothing about how valuable you really are.
    Look instead upon the cross, and there, see how Jesus Christ gave His life for you. See how much He suffered out of love for you. If He deemed you valuable enough to be saved by His sufferings, why deem yourself unworthy to be loved?
    See His wounded hands and believe. It is with such wounds that your name was forever engraved upon His hands. “For us He descended from heaven to earth; for us He allowed Himself to be nailed to the cross; for us He let His Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for World.” 
Amen!

Reading: (Is. 49:16-23)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

In My Father's House

Matthew 6:6  

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when 

thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is 

in secret; and thy Father which seeth in 

secret shall reward thee openly." 

    Many times, we feel so troubled because we look for the answers in all the wrong places. We seek it in people who could never love us the way we wanted to be loved. We seek it in things that could never really satisfy the soul. Why look for answers in all the wrong things and then ask God whether He really loves us? 

    Whenever we feel we have tried everything and looked everywhere, and still feel unsatisfied, let us try to find time for God’s presence. Let’s set aside every distraction from the world and seek God in prayer and silence. God is waiting for us. Let us go then where He may be found. Who except God can give you peace? Has the world ever been able to satisfy the heart?

Amen!

Reading: Matt. (6:5-15)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Value Of Knowing

Revelation 22:12

"And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me,

to give every man according as his work shall be." 

    The New Testament clearly teaches that our full redemption includes the changing of our physical bodies into the likeness of the glorified body of our risen Lord. When Jesus comes in the air for His Church, He will catch us away along with the resurrected Christian dead.

    The Dead in Christ will exchange their corruptible bodies for incorruptible ones, and we the Live in Christ shall exchange our mortal bodies for immortal ones. Each body then will be like Christ's glorious body. Paul tells the Christians at Ephesus that this triumphant event will give praise and glory to God.

    In view of all that our God has done for us, is doing for us, and yet do for us, it stands to reason that we ought to be a joyful group of people whose hope and deeds of kindness preach "Clearly" but "Strongly" to others about the value of knowing Christ as Saviour and Lord.

Amen!!

Reading: (Matt. 24:36-44)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

God Don't Sleep!

Psalm 73:20  

"As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou 

awakest, thou shalt despise their image." 

    How can it be that God would need to awake if He never sleeps, "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep," (Ps. 121:4). The answer to this dilemma is seen in the proper understanding of the meaning of the Hebrew word (Ur)  translated "awakest" which should be understood in the sense of beginning to act. 

    The psalmist was relating how God acts in response to the wicked to how one acts upon awakening from a deep sleep,  "Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam," (Judg. 5:12). 

Paul says of this time that God "winked at" their ignorance, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30). 
    It is very clear that God never sleeps as men do, losing consciousness. The psalmist is simply using a form of writing, which we the readers can relate to in order to show that while God may seem to be "sleeping" and allowing the wicked to continue in their wickedness, that God will not fail to punish the ungodly. 
Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 73:16-28)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

    

 

   

Gratitude Should Last Forever

Exodus 1:8  

"Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, 

which knew not Joseph."

    When the 12 tribes first came to Egypt they were treated like royalty. They were embraced and showered with gifts all because their brother Joseph was Pharaoh’s right hand man. Scripture tells us that after Joseph died, there was a new King who hadn’t heard of Joseph. But how can that be?

    Egypt had been on the brink of destruction by the famine that had hit the land. The Egyptians would have been long gone if not for Joseph, who had warned them and guided them to save food in the abundant years for use in the lean ones. Joseph was a national hero! It was virtually impossible to live in Egypt and not know who Joseph was.

    So how could the King be so unkind to Joseph’s descendants? The answer is found in the verse. To the new King, "Joseph meant nothing” Sure, he knew who Joseph was. But many years had gone by and the significance of Joseph’s actions had faded with the passage of time. While at first, the recent memory of what Joseph had done stirred emotions of gratefulness and appreciation, now he was just a man from the past. Joseph’s memory lived, but the gratitude of the Egyptians had died. Once their gratitude was gone, it was just a matter of time before the Egyptians turned upon these alien people living in their land. 
    That was totally unjust to forget all the good that Joseph had done for them, and then to repay his kindness with cruelty,  but are we any much better? Can we say that our gratitude lasts forever? Think about it. So many people have been kind to us. Someone gave birth to us, fed us, changed our diapers, and took care of our needs. Someone taught us how to read and write and gave us the confidence that we could succeed. Somewhere along the way, we needed a friend to lean on and someone was there for us. The list goes on and on. And then, of course, there is God who gives us everything! 
    But do we actively remember all of the kindness done for us? Have we properly thanked those who have helped us? Sometimes, we forget the good done to us, and we even repay kindness with anger or resentment. We must be grateful for the good done to us even if the same person also harms us. We can’t let their misdeeds cancel out their good ones! So, let’s focus on gratitude today, toward our family, our friends, and most importantly, our God. 

Amen!

Reading: (Ex. 1:8-22)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

No One Should Go "UN-Named"

Exodus 1:5, 7

"And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: 

for Joseph was in Egypt already. "And the children of Israel were fruitful,

and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding 

mighty; the land was filled with them." 

    The era of the patriarchs had come to an end and a new time period was ushered in. We all know what happened next: The Israelites embark on hundreds of years of bitter slavery. It was there, in Egypt, that the children of Jacob grew into the nation of Israel.

    A name is very individual. In fact, a person’s name hints at his or her unique essence. There is a danger in placing individuals into one group, especially when it comes to collective suffering. When a nation or a group is oppressed, we tend to lump all the victims together. By doing this, we minimize their suffering and lose our compassion. When victims are nameless and faceless, they become mere numbers and statistics. However, when someone has a name and an identity, his or her suffering is felt so much more deeply. 
    One of the saddest places on earth is the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz, where 6,000 people were put to death each day by the Nazi regime more than a million innocent people were gassed and burned. But the most disturbing place in the camp is not the gas chambers or the ovens. It’s the room filled with shoes. And the one next to it filled with hair. Another one filled with eyeglasses. And another filled with toys. And yet another filled with suitcases, still marked with individual names. 
    These rooms are filled with the personal items of the many victims who perished in Auschwitz. These rooms give names and identities to the millions that perished in the Holocaust, and that’s why they are so difficult to witness. When we recognize that each victim was a living, breathing, unique human being, who once wore eyeglasses or played with a toy, or packed a suitcase, the tragedy of that person’s massacre is felt tenfold. And hopefully this deeper impact inspires more compassion and greater change. 
    Today, social media makes it instantaneous to hear about tragedies around the world. It’s so easy to become immune to human suffering. But we must remember that every victim has a name and has value beyond what we can understand. Whether lives are claimed in a natural disaster or by terror, we must pause and remember each victim. By doing so, we bring honor to their memory and ensure a more compassionate future for all. 

Amen!

Reading:  (Ex. 6:1-6)

                  (Is. 27:6-28)

Ref: www.history.com/topics/world/holocaust 

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

Let All The People Praise God

Psalm 67:3
"Let the people praise thee, O God; 

let all the people praise thee."

    It will be one of the enjoyments of heaven to go from group to group to tell what God has done for us. But each hearer will have a tale as wonderful as ours. We must pray and praise with pure and unselfish motives. From such prayers God will not turn away.
    “God shall bless us,” is the certain answer of faith, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us;  That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee," (Ps. 67:1-3).
    We desire blessing, not to hoard for ourselves, but that all mankind may share with us. Ask for God’s smile on yourself alone, and you will miss it; ask for it that you may reflect and pass it on, and the Lord will become your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be ended.
    Four times the psalmist cries, Let the people praise thee,  In answer to his appeal, Our own God,  He has given Himself to us, and each may have the whole of the fullness as an estate of boundless extent and wealth, "And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel," (Num. 18:20).
Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 67)
Ref:

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Our Defense Is The Lord

Psalm 94:9  

"He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? 

he that formed the eye, shall he not see?" 

    Let us ponder all the great things that God will do for them that trust Him. He planted the ear, and will detect the sigh, sob, or broken utterance of His child. He formed the eye, and He knows our sorrows. He watches the sparrow’s fall, and His child is of more value than many sparrows. He corrects us; shall we not be loyal and faithful to our God in Heaven and live,  He knows our thoughts; let us ask Him daily to purify and restrain them,  We have His Holy Word let us be diligent students of the Scriptures,  He said He would never leave or forsake us,  

    The Lord is our help, and the soul that trusts Him shall not be silenced. He holds us up when our foot slips. Whatever thoughts may startle or scare us, God has a comfort suited to counteract each of them. His comforts delight the very core of the soul, and they bring joy and hope with them. He defends us against the charges laid at our feet, and is a rock on which we may stand steadily, against   adversed waters, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).  My friends, no one can separate us from The Love of God! 
Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 94:6-23)
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

David Won, So Can You

1Samuel 17:49  

"And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, 

and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, 

that the stone sunk into his forehead; and 

he fell upon his face to the earth." 

   
    David did not wait until his enemy had crossed the valley, he ran and selected the pebbles needed for his sling. Goliath made fun of such a champion and cursed him. To this boasting and blaspheming, the God of Israel would assuredly take up the challenge, and vindicate His servant’s faith. Then all Gentile nations would see that the God of Israel was a living reality, while Israel also would learn the too long and forgotten lesson that God saveth not by sword or spear.
    So confident was the Philistine that he did not trouble to draw his sword or let down the visor of his helmet. One thrust of his heavy spear, he thought, was all that would be required. But less in a moment more Goliath was lying helpless on the ground. It is this reason that God’s champions, in every age, have gone out against giant wrongs,  and it is this reason that we may confidently overthrow the sins that claim supremacy over our lives. 
Amen!

Reading: (1Sam. 17:41-54)
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

No Place Like Home!

Genesis 46:28 

"And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct 

his face unto Goshen; and they came 

into the land of Goshen."

    There’s an old joke that poses the question: Why did Moses and the Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years when the actual distance between Egypt and the Promised Land was very short? The answer: Because men refuse to ask for directions! While this may be true of some men, Scripture tells us that as Jacob and his family approached Egypt, he sent Judah ahead “to get directions to Goshen.”  So it’s true, wise men do ask for directions! 
    But other than proving this point, why was this detail included in the Bible? We know that every  word and every letter mentioned in Scripture has meaning and a message for us. What’s the message in this? Jacob wasn’t just sending Judah ahead to get directions; he was sending him to prepare a place to study God's Word, his home.  No place can be called home unless it is a place where people will study the Word of God. 
    Every believer knows what a person can do to earn rewards in this world and the afterlife. Among them are honoring one’s parents, doing acts of kindness, visiting the sick, praying for others, and several other honorable actions. However, studying God's Word is above all things. How can that be? Is sitting inside a study hall pouring over ancient texts really better than visiting the sick? 
    The answer is Yes. We should read and study the Bible because it is God's Word to us. The Bible is literally "God- breathed" and the more we study the Bible, the more we will engage in all those virtuous deeds.  Just as water makes everything grow, Studying God's Word makes us grow. It turns us into more caring, kinder, godly people. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," (2 Tim 3:16). That verse reminds us of how important it is to make Bible study a consistent part of our lives. We may already know this, but doing it is something else. Life is busy with many things to do. But as this verse teaches, the more we study, the more we will be busy with  "Our Heavenly Fathers Work." 

Amen!

Reading: (Gen. Chap: 46)

Ref: HG SB 

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

“Our Refuge and Strength”

Psalms 46:1 

"God is our refuge and strength, a very 

present help in trouble."

    God is our refuge and strength. Not our armies, or our fortresses. Israel's boast was and still is in Jehovah God, just as all believers, in the only living and true God. Others build their castles on impassable rocks, and secure them with gates of iron. But God is a far better refuge from distress than any other. When the time comes to carry the war into the enemy's camp, the Lord stands His people in better stead than all the valour of legions.
   Soldiers of the cross, remember this, and count yourselves safe, and make yourselves strong in the Lord. never forget the fact that God is our refuge now, in the immediate present. As David said long ago, "God alone is our all in all." All other refuges are refuges of lies, all other strength is weakness, for power belongs to God. He never withdraws Himself from His afflicted, He is their help constantly. He is present, and always by their side. Our God is all sufficient!!
Amen!!  

Reading: Ps. 46
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

    

God’s Choice of His Anointed

1Samuel 16:13  

"Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst 

of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon 

David from that day forward. So Samuel 

rose up, and went to Ramah."

    The Jews recognized that the Messiah, the Christ, would come from David's descendants, "Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?" (John 7:42). One of the key titles given to Jesus during His earthly ministry was "Son of David,"  "And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us, (Matt. 9:27).  "And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?" (Matt. 12:23), emphasizing His heir-ship of all  of David's royal prerogatives, as well as His fulfillment of the messianic promises to David (Ref: 2 Sam. 7:8-17, Matt. 22:41-45, Luke 1:32,69). 

    The anointing of the young shepherd, with his ruddy cheeks and deep, poetic eyes, is a beautiful episode, in very marked contrast to the events preceding. He had already given proof of his courage, "And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:" (1Sam. 17:34). They had to fetch him from his sheep, which he was pasturing beside the still waters and on the hillside. God had found him beforehand, "I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him,"  (Ps. 89:20-21).

    He knew that David was a man after His own heart. David had been faithful in a few things and was now to be made ruler over many. The anointing oil reminds us of the anointing for service which was communicated to our Lord at His baptism. In David’s case it was accompanied by a glorious Pentecost, (1Sa. 16:13).
Amen!

Reading: (1 Sam. 16:1-13)
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

"For My Name's Sake"

1Samuel 12:19  

"And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for 

thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that 

we die not: for we have added unto all 

our sins this evil, to ask us a king."

     Having handed his office over to Saul, who henceforth was to shepherd and lead the Chosen People, Samuel assured them that the Lord would not forsake them, "For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people," (1Sam. 12:22).  Oh, take these words to heart, and let them linger like a strain of sweet music in your memory! You may have missed the mark, lost your way, and drifted from God, but the love of God has not forsaken you.  Being disappointed, it lingers; being repelled, it returns; being buffeted, it entreats. God’s name which is, "His honor," is at stake. "For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.  For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another," (Is. 48:9,11)
    Terrified by the thunder storm, which was God’s endorsement of His servant’s faith, the people entreated for Samuel’s continued prayers; and the aged seer assured them that he would count it a great sin if he ceased to pray for them. Prayerlessness is not only an evidence of a obsessed and demoralized nature, but is in itself a sin which requires confession and cleansing. When the heart is right with God, prayer arises like a fountain, from unseen depths. 
Amen!

Reading: (1 Sam. 12:14-25)
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

Close Encounters

Genesis 44:18

"Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, 

let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's

 ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy 

servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh"

    Beginning with the first confrontation between Judah and Joseph, the reading deals with several more encounters. Many loose ends are tied up as different people are brought together. Shortly after Judah defiantly stated his case before the man he believed to be Egyptian royalty, Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers. The 22 year saga came to an end as the brothers were reunited and made amends. 
    That reunion was followed by the equally dramatic meeting of Jacob and Joseph when Jacob himself traveled to Egypt. Then later, Pharaoh encountered Jacob and his sons. It was a meeting between two powerful leaders and laid the foundation for the lengthy stay that the children of Israel would have in Pharaoh’s land.
    In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon teaches us that there is a time for everything. Among the "times" that he lists, Solomon wrote that there is, "A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:7). While other Scriptures teach us about the importance of breaking away from others or holding back from speaking, Solomon teaches that there is also a time to speak up and a time to come together.
    It was time for Judah to speak up on behalf of his brother, no matter what the consequences. It was time for Joseph to reveal his true identity. It was time to heal old rifts and mend broken hearts. "It was time." 
    Confrontations are not always pleasant, so we tend to avoid them. But there is a time for everything, and sometimes, we need to do what we must. If there is a confrontation that you have been avoiding, you may want to take this week to think things over. Although difficult at first, speaking up and coming together when the time is right, can lead to healing and peace.  

Amen!

Reading: (Gen. chap 44-46:31)

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Saul Was Taken

1 Samuel 10:22; 23a

"Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, if the man

should yet come thither, and the Lord answered,

Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

And they ran and fetched him thence:"

    That Saul was "taken" means that lots were drawn, probably out of an urn. This selection was carried out by process of elimination, beginning with selection of the tribe of Benjamin and ending with the selection of an individual from the clan of Matri and the family of Kish. The lot fell upon Saul. The Jews understood the drawing or casting of lots to be the means of discovering God's will. As for the necessity of casting lots, Saul nor Samuel had told the people of Saul's prior anointing (v.16) so this action was necessary to show the people that Saul was to be their King.

    Only divine wisdom can fully understand the choice of Saul for King. Yet Saul fully satisfied the desires of the people. He was a man of great stature from the most military tribe in all of Israel. Who better, they thought, to lead them in battle against their enemies? Saul was also a man whose own spiritual life mirrored that of the majority of Israel, he was a house built upon the sand, whose lack of saving faith was made clear when the storms came. Any life or nation built upon such a foundation will surely fail.

    Nevertheless, the purposes and design of God are never circumvented by the wickedness of men, "If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him?or if thy transgressions be multiplied what doest thou unto him?" (Job 35:6).  However, soon after Saul's failure, David was Chosen as the next King. Saul's reign revealed the motive of the people's demand for a King. Even if Saul had been obedient, his reign was destined to be temporary, for the tribe of Judah was the royal tribe, from which the King of Glory would come from, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be," (Gen. 49:10) 

Amen!

Reading: (1 Sam. 10:20-24)

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry