Incomplete Christianity

Acts 19:2  

"He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost 

since ye believed? And they said unto him, We 

have not so much as heard whether 

there be any Holy Ghost." 

   In Ephesus Paul met some men who were incomplete Christians. They had received the baptism of John but they did not even know of the Holy Spirit in the Christian sense of the term. What was the difference between the baptism of John and baptism in the name of Jesus? The accounts of the preaching of John Matt. 3:7-12; Luke 3:3-11 reveal one radical difference between it and the preaching of Jesus. The preaching of John was a threat; the preaching of Jesus was good news, John's preaching was a stage on the way. He himself knew that he only pointed to one still to come, (Luke 3:16). 
   John's preaching was a necessary stage because there are two stages in the religious life. First, there is the stage in which we awaken to our own inadequacy and our deserving of condemnation at the hand of God. That stage is closely allied to an endeavor to do better that inevitably fails because we try in our own strength. Second, there is the stage when we come to see that through the grace of Jesus Christ our condemnation may be taken away. Closely allied with that stage is the time when we find that all our efforts to do better are strengthened by the work of the Holy Spirit, through whom we can do what we could never do ourselves.
   These incomplete Christians knew the condemnation and the moral duty of being better; but the grace of Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit they did not know. Their religion was inevitably a thing of struggle and had not reached the stage of being a thing of peace. 
   My Friends, This incident shows us one great truth; that without the Holy Spirit there can be no such thing as complete Christianity. Even when we see the error of our ways and repent and determine to change them we can never make the change without the help which the Spirit alone can give. 
Amen!

Reading: Acts: 19:1-7
Ref: HG SB, BDSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Vision Of The Man In Macedonia

Acts 16:10

"And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured 

to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord

 had called us for to preach the gospel unto them." 

   For a time all doors seemed shut to Paul. It must have seemed strange to him that he was barred from the Roman province of Asia by the Holy Spirit; which contained Ephesus and all the recipients of the letters to the seven churches in the book of the Revelation. Bithynia, too, was shut to him. How did the Holy Spirit send his message to Paul? It may have been by the word of a prophet; it may have been by a vision; it may have been by some inner and inescapable conviction. But there is the possibility that what kept Paul from journeying into these provinces was ill-health, "the consequence of that thorn in his flesh."
   What makes that quite likely is that in Act. 16:10, suddenly and without warning, there emerges a "we" passage. The story begins to be told not in the third person but in the first person. That tells us that Luke was there, an eye-witness and a companion of Paul. Why should he so suddenly emerge on the scene? Luke was a doctor. What is more likely than that, he met Paul then because Paul needed his professional services, having fallen ill and so being barred from making the journeys he would like to make? If this is so, it is suggestive to reflect that Paul took even his weakness and his pain as a messenger from God. 
   My Friends, It was the sight of a man from Macedonia which finally gave Paul his guidance. Who was this man Paul saw in the vision? Some think it was Luke himself, for Luke may have been a Macedonian. However, I believe that we must never question God on what He calls us to do in a vision or by His voice. 
Amen!

Reading: Acts: 16:5-10
HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Courage Of Paul

Acts 14:19  

"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, 

who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, 

drew him out of the city, supposing 

he had been dead."

    Paul heals a man who had been born crippled and the amazed crowd looks upon the gospel team as gods, calling Barnabas "Jupiter," and  Paul "Mercury." In the midst of all the excitement at Lystra certain Jews arrived. They may have been there for one of two reasons. They may have been deliberately following Paul and Barnabas in a set attempt to undo the work that they were doing. Or they may have been corn merchants. The region round Lystra was a great corn growing area and they may have come to buy corn for the cities of Iconium and Antioch. If so, they would be shocked and angry to find Paul still preaching and would very naturally stir up the people against him.

   Lystra was a Roman colony; but it was an outpost. Nevertheless, when the people saw what they had done they were afraid. That is why they dragged what they thought was Paul's dead body out of the city. They were afraid of the strong hand of Roman justice and they were trying to get rid of Paul's body in order to escape the consequences of their riot, (v.19). 

   My Friends, The most notable thing about this story is the sheer courage of Paul. When he came to his senses, his first act was to go right back into the city where he had been stoned. There could be no braver thing than Paul's going straight back among those who had tried to murder him. A deed like that would have more effect than a hundred sermons. Men were bound to ask themselves where a man got the courage to act in such a way. All I can say is, "Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit of God!!" 
Amen!

Reading: Acts 14:1-20
HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

A Transforming Vision (PT-2)

Acts 9:10-12  

"And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him 

said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 

And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is 

called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one 

called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And 

hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias 

coming in, and putting his hand on him,

that he might receive his sight. 

   Finally Saul was approached by a man named Ananias, a devout Jew who was also of the new faith. Through Ananias, Saul's blindness was healed; he was baptized and experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. Immediately, Saul began to proclaim his new faith in Jesus with some of the same vigor he had used before to defend the Law. He startled Jews and Christians in Damascus by entering their debates on the opposite side from the one they expected.

   When The Situation became dangerous, Saul did not return directly to Jerusalem but traveled south into Arabia, than a part of the Kingdom of Nabatea, and remained there two or three years, preaching and teaching. By the time he went back to Damascus, he had evidently become the object of such antagonism that King Aretas of Nabatea had the city guarded to prevent Saul's escape, (cf. Cor. 11:32). "But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket, (Acts 9:24-25).

   Paul  returned to Jerusalem, were many Christians had formerly suffered persecution at his hands. At that time he met only two of the church's leaders, Peter whom he called Cephas and James, the Lord's brother, (cf. Gal. 1:19), who was becoming the major voice of the Jerusalem community. Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus was one of the original members of the Christian community in Jerusalem, he vouched for Paul and helped overcome the suspicion about him.

   Paul's very presence in Jerusalem was a conflict, however, he soon departed for Tarsus and spent the next several years working in Cilicia and Syria. Note: Acts 13:12, Is the event that marks the point at which time Saul becomes the leader of the missionary enterprise and begins to be called Paul and his company, instead of Barnabas and Saul. 

Amen!

Reading: Acts Chap. 9-13

Ref: HG SB

Devotional Notes And Scriptures

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

A Transforming Vision

Acts 9:3  

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: 

and suddenly there shined round 

about him a light from heaven:" 

   The first targets of Saul's attacks were evidently the Christians of Jerusalem like Stephen and many others including the evangelist Philip which was also one of the seven. Saul begin to reach beyond the city to attack Christians in regions outside Judea. Saul traveled with letters from the high priest in Jerusalem to give to the synagogues at Damascus. There was no legal authority outside of Judea, his word could certainly affect how the synagogues would cooperate with Saul in his opposition to the new faith.

    Some years after Jesus' crucifixion, Saul was on his way to Damascus with the letters from the priest in hand. God chose that moment to reverse his life. Saul was nearing Damascus when a brilliant light from heaven surrounded him. A voice addressed him using his Hebrew name, "And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4). Saul might have hoped  for such a vision to approve his work for God, but he was dumbfounded when the voice accused him of persecution. He could only ask , "Who are you Lord?" The next words Saul heard crushed his world and transformed his future. The voice answered, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks," (Acts 9:5). 

   Impossible! Jesus had been crucified. He could not be the Messiah, much less be speaking to him in a vision from heaven. But Saul was himself experiencing that vision, and he could not deny it. The experience was so vivid that Saul simply knew that this was indeed a "heavenly vision" from the very God whom he had radically misunderstood. For Saul the impossible had become real. The dazzling light had blinded Saul, perhaps to teach him the blindness of the violent persecution he had instigated. But with his companions Saul continued to Damascus, were he spent three days praying in the darkness, fasting, cut off from the past, not knowing what the future held. Part 2 tomorrow.  

Amen!

Reading: Acts 9:1-9

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister  Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

  

The Eunuch Receives Christ

Acts 8:37  

"And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, 

thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe 

that Jesus Christ is the Son of God"

   Along in his chariot came the Ethiopian eunuch. He was the chancellor of the exchequer of Candace, (is an officer who presides in court, and takes care of the interest of the crown). Candace is not so much a proper name as a title, the title which all the queens of Ethiopia bore. This eunuch had been to Jerusalem to worship. In those days the world was full of people who were weary of the many gods and the loose morals of the nations. They came to Judaism and there found the one God and the moral standards which gave life meaning. If they did not accept Judaism and were continuing to attend the Jewish synagogues and to read the Jewish scriptures they were called God fearers. This Ethiopian must have been one of these searchers who came to rest in Judaism but he was beginning to search the Scriptures. He was reading the Prophet Isaiah, it could have been Is. 53:1-12. Philip, starting from the beginning showed him who Jesus was. 

   When he became a believer he was baptized. To the early Christians baptism was, whenever possible, by immersion and in running water. It symbolized three things. It symbolized cleansing. As a man's body was cleansed by the water, so his soul was bathed in the grace of Christ. It marked a clean break. We are told how one missionary when he baptized his converts made them enter the river by one bank and sent them out on the other, as if at the moment of baptism a line was drawn in their lives which sent them out to a new world. Baptism was a real union with Christ. As the waters closed over a man's head he seemed to die with Christ and as he emerged he rose with Christ, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Rom. 6:4). My Friends, We can be sure that he went on his way rejoicing, because he would not be able to keep his new found joy to himself. 

Amen!

Reading: Acts 8:26-40

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

and Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The First Christian Martyr (PT-2)

Acts 7:56  

"And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, 

and the Son of man standing 

on the right hand of God."

    We begin where Stephen was addressing his opponents. He ask them which of the prophets sent by God did not your fathers persecute. "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers," (Acts 7:51-52).
   Stephen's speech turned the judicial council into an enraged mob, while Stephen, realized what was about to happen, he saw a vision of heaven with the Son of Man (Jesus) standing at the right hand of God. "And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God," (Acts 7:56). The huge mob of people rushed at Stephen, took him outside of Jerusalem, and stoned him to death. Just as Jesus had prayed Father forgive them and into thy hands I commit my spirit, so Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and Lord do not hold this sin against them. "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep," (Acts 7:59-60).
   The death of Stephen marked the beginning of persecution directed primarily against Hellenist believers led by Saul who was a consenting witness to Stephen's execution. The Hellenist believers are; (Jewish Christians whose mother tongue was Greek. They were Jews of the Diaspora, who returned to settle in Jerusalem. The Jews of the Diaspora principle meaning relates to the settling of the Jewish people outside of Palestine after the Babylonian exile thousands of years ago).
   It was just a few years later that God called that same Saul to become an apostle of the new faith and bring the work of Stephen to fulfillment. But as Augustine said, "The Church owes Paul to the prayer of Stephen." However hard he tried Saul could never forget the way in which Stephen had died." The blood of the martyrs even this early had begun to be the seed of the Church.
   My Friends, I'm sure that the story of Stephen has been heard many times. But I want all to ponder on the message that Stephen has for us here. When we except Christ as our personal Savior, our Loyalty and Love belongs first to Him. We never put nothing before God! The old becomes new in Jesus Christ, enjoy the new you.
Amen!

Reading: Acts 7:1-60
Ref: Biographical: Who's Who In The Bible
Merriam-Webster Dictionary

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr

The Cross Life Ministry

      

  

The First Christian Martyr

Acts 7:59-60  

"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, 

receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with 

a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. 

And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

   Stephen the first Christian martyr stood at a turning point in the development of the early church. The conflicts that surrounded him help to spread the Christian faith. Stephen was immediately involved in a debate concerning the new faith with Jews from the synagogues of Jerusalem. He was one of the first to see that Jesus' message could be a direct challenge to the most distinctive characteristics of Judaism that separated it from the Gentile culture.
   The Jews brought Stephen before a judicial council on the charge of speaking words against this holy place and the law, and saying that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us. "And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us," (Acts 6:13-14).
   Stephen was given an opportunity to answer the charges, but he made no attempt to argue with his opponents or try to defend himself by convincing the council that their charges were untrue. But he used the occasion to make a forceful attack on his opponents. Following an ancient Scriptural tradition, he told them the history of his people, highlighting their repeated rebellions against Moses and other prophets sent by God. He challenged the idea that God should have a fixed temple built for Him. Finally, he used the Scriptures to mount a blistering attack of his hearers. "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. My Friends, we will continue tomorrow with the trail and death of Stephen.
Amen!

Reading: Acts 7:1-60
Ref: HG SB
Biographical: Who's Who In The Bible

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry  

 

A Champion Of Freedom

Acts 6:8  

"And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great 

wonders and miracles among the people." 

   The Church's appointment of these seven men had far reaching consequences. In other words the great struggle had begun. The Jews always looked on themselves as the chosen people; but they had interpreted chosen in the wrong way, regarding themselves as chosen for special privilege and believing that God had no use for any other nation. At their worst they declared that God had created the Gentiles to be fuel for the fires of hell; at their mildest they believed that some day the Gentiles would become their servants. They never dreamed that they were chosen for service to bring all men into the same relationship with God as they themselves enjoyed. 

   Here was the thin end of the wedge. It is not a question of bringing in The Gentiles. It is The Greek speaking Jews who are involved. But not one of the seven has a Jewish name; and one of them, Nicolaos, was a Gentile who had accepted the Jewish faith. And Stephen had a vision of a world for Christ.
   To the Jews two things were precious, the Temple, where sacrifice could be offered and God could be truly worshiped and the Law which could never be changed. Stephen, however, said that the Temple must pass away, and that the Law was but a stage towards the gospel and that Christianity must go out to the whole world. None could withstand his arguments and the Jews used force and Stephen was arrested.
   My Friends, Stephen's career was short; but he was the first to see that Christianity was not the perquisite of the Jews but God's offer to the world.
Amen!

Reading: Acts 6:8-15
Ref: HG SB, BSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry  

Take Heart You're Never Alone

Psalm 31:24  

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen 

your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."    

   There Are Rays of Hope Even In Our Darkest Hours. God has never led me through a difficult time in which there is no resulting joy that far surpasses the difficulty I’ve been through. Are you going through a difficulty that seems so hard you're wondering if you'd ever make it through? Do you feel you've already done your best, that you have fought so hard already and still the battle seems so far from being won? Perhaps you've been hurt by another. Or  you've lost a friend or a family member, and it seems like you will never get back on track with your life. 

   Take heart for you are never alone. In your darkest hours, in your weakest, you'd find the strength you need to carry on. In the most hopeless of situations, a helping hand will be with you, and things will turn around in such a way as to make the most depressing of circumstances in your favor. Try not to think of the many days ahead, think only of today. Think only of the moment. In this Blessed moment, you have God with you, embrace That Joy!

Amen!

Reading: Ps. 31

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Honor Your Commitments To God

Acts 5:1-2 

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, 

sold a possession, And kept back part of the price,

his wife also being privy to it, and brought a

certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet."

   This is a story of deception which demonstrates some dishonesty when Ananias and Sapphira lied about the amount of the gift they presented to the Jerusalem church after selling some of their possessions. Their sin was, "Tempting God," that is it was to see how far one could go in presuming upon God's goodness, "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit." (Mk. 4:7). There is a certain encouragement in this story, for it shows us that even in its greatest days the Church was a mixture of good and bad. 
   Peter insists that sin is sin against God, and we need to remember that! Failure in diligence is sin against God. Failure to use our talents is sin against God. God gave us the talents we have; we hold them in stewardship for him; and we are responsible to him for the use we make of them. Failure in truth is sin against God. 
Ananias was exposed by Peter and executed by God for his sin of lying to the Holy Spirit. Therefore Ananias became the first recorded believer to commit the sin unto death.
   My Friends, When we slip into falsehood it is sin against the guidance of the Spirit in our hearts. 
 Everything, however humble it may be, that contributes to the health, the happiness and the welfare of mankind is work done for God. Let us not make a mistake with our commitments to God and how we honor them. 
Amen!

Reading: Acts 5:1-11
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Comparison Of Pentecost

Acts 2:1  

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, 

they were all with one accord in one place." 

   Today we look into the comparison of The Old Testament Pentecost, and The New Testament Pentecost. From here we will use  the abbreviation OT Pentecost, and NT Pentecost. The OT Pentecost occurred fifty days after Israel left Egypt. It is believed that the Passover lamb was slain on April 14, 1491 BC and Israel left Egypt the next night. "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.  And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said," (Ex. 12:1, 2, 6, 12, 31). Exactly fifty days later they arrived at Mt. Sinai during the first week of June. "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai," (Ex. 19:1).
   The NT Pentecost occurred fifty days after Christ rose from the dead. Our Lord was of course, crucified during the Passover week in April. "And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!" (John 19:14). Christ then spent forty days with His disciples after the resurrection., "To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:, (Acts 1:3). So then, ten days later the NT Pentecost occurred, "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place," (Acts 1:5; 2:1). 
   The OT Testament Pentecost celebrated a birthday, which was that of Israel, "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:" (Ex. 19:5). 
   The NT Testament Pentecost celebrated a birthday, which was that of the Church, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued  stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved,"  (Acts, 2:41-47).  
   The OT Testament Pentecost witnessed the slaying of some 3,000 souls, "And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men." (Ex. 32:28). The NT Testament Pentecost witnessed the saving of some 3,000 souls, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls," (Acts 2:41).
Amen! 

Note: The Bold Black lettering is 
Biblical Reference to information 
provided.
Ref: HG SB, WGTTB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr

The Cross Life Ministry 

     

Power To Go On

Acts 1:1  

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, 

of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,"

    Acts is the second chapter of a continued story. This would be the second letter that Luke had sent to Theophilus. In the first volume,(The Gospel Of Luke), Luke had told the story of the life of Jesus upon earth. Now he goes on to tell the story of the Christian Church. The Gospel of Luke was only the story of what Jesus began to do and to teach. Acts is the second volume of a story which has no end.

   There are different kinds of immortality. There is an immortality of fame, and immortality of influence. Some men leave an effect in the world which cannot die. Beyond a doubt Jesus did win such immortality's, for his name will never be forgotten. 

   Prior to Christ' ascension, Christ commanded His apostles that they should wait on the promise of the Father. A lot of effort and ink has been used to attempting to explain these five words, "the promise of the Father." Various passages of Scriptures makes it clear that the promise of the Father, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions," (Joel 2:28),  and also the Son, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you," is the reference to the arrival of the Holly Spirit, and with it came three elements: It was to be universal, permanent and perfecting. 

Amen!

Reading: Devotional Scriptures

Ref: HG SB, WGTTB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

    

The Sunset Road To Emmaus

Luke 24:15-16  

"And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, 

Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes 

were holden that they should not know him."

    It tells of two men who were walking towards the sunset. The Sunset was the very reason why they did not recognize Jesus.  Because, Emmaus was west of Jerusalem, and the sun was sinking, and the setting sun so dazzled them that they did not know their Lord. However that may be, it is true that the Christian is a man who walks not towards the sunset but towards the sunrise.

   The whole situation seemed to these two men that their hopes and dreams was shattered. There was bewildered regret and sorrow in their words, when they told the stranger about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus had met and talked with them on the road to Emmaus. They had an ordinary meal in an ordinary house with an ordinary loaf that they broke together, that is when they recognized Jesus.and the meaning of life became clear and the darkness became light. 

   My Friends, It is only in Jesus that, even in the bewildering times, we learn what life means. these two men, when they received such great joy, hastened to share it. It was a seven mile trip back to Jerusalem, but they could not keep the good news to themselves. The Christian message is never fully ours until we have shared it with someone else. The Christian goes onwards, not to a night which falls, but to a dawn which breaks, and that is what, in their sorrow and their disappointment, the two on the Emmaus road had not realized.

Amen!

Reading; Luke 24:13-35

Ref: HG SB; BSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

There Is A God, And He Knows All

Acts 15:17-18  

"That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, 

upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth

all these things. Known unto God are all his

works from the beginning of the world." 

   I believe that every human being believes in a higher spiritual power, but not all believe in the same one. How we believe decides how we live our life on earth and where we go after death. The point I want to make today is there is a God and only one God there is no other. "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God," (Is. 44:6).

   God perfectly knows Himself and, being the source and author of all things He knows all that can be known. He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that what exists in ages to come.

   God knows  instantly all matter and all matters, all mind and every mind, all spirit and all spirits, all beings and every being, all creature hood, and all creatures, all laws and every law, all relations, all causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all feelings, all desires, every unuttered secret, all thrones and dominions, all personalities, all things visible and invisible in heaven and earth, motion, space, time life, death, good, evil, heaven and hell.

   My Friend, This is the God I know and Love! If The God you serve is not This God, My Friend you are not serving the true God! "Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me, (Is. 43:10). I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty," (Rev. 1:8). I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God," (Is. 43:11-12).

Amen! 

Reading: Rev. 1:1-8

Devotional Scriptures

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life ministry

  

On The Way To The Cross

Luke 23:31  

"For if they do these things in a green tree, 

what shall be done in the dry?"

   When Jesus was condemned to be crucified, he was taken from the judgment hall and set in the middle of the town square with four Roman soldiers. His own cross was then laid upon His shoulders. Then He was marched to Calvary by the longest route possible to be crucified.

   Jesus began by carrying His own cross, but under it's weight His strength gave out and He could not carry any farther. The Roman government could make any by-stander carry another's cross when they got too weak to do so. When the Roman centurion looked around for someone to carry it, out of the city came Simon, from far off Cyrene which is now modern Tripoli. No doubt he was a Jew who all his life had scraped so that he may be able to eat one Passover meal in Jerusalem. But the Roman spear touched him on the shoulder and he found himself carrying the cross of whom he thought  at that time was a criminal's cross.
   Try to imagine the feelings of Simon. He had come to Jerusalem to cherish the ambition of a lifetime, and he found himself walking to Calvary carrying a cross. His heart was filled with bitterness towards the Romans and towards this criminal who had involved him in his crime. As Simon looked upon Jesus his bitterness turned to wondering amazement and finally to faith; and he became a Christian, and his family became some of most known souls in the Roman church. His bitterness turned to wonder and to faith; and in the thing that seemed to be his shame he found a Savior.
   My Friends, As many plans that we have made in our life, I'm sure that some has been knocked off track just the way Simon's was. When we were wondering around in life lost in sin, there was bitterness. I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that the bitterness turned into wonder and then to faith. For now I look forward to eternal life.
Amen!

Reading: Luke 23:26-31
Ref: HG SB, BSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

        

Christianity Today

Revelation 3:21  

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,

even as I also overcame, and am set down

with my Father in his throne."

   The Church age today. It don't take much to describe the sad state of Christianity today. There are many groups which carry the name of Christian that prefer communism over democracy, and downplay every important biblical doctrine, while ridiculing Bible believers. However, Apostle Paul warns us of this: "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away," (2 Tim. 3:5). 

   Now let me quickly remind ourselves, that there are also powerful groups of  Christians growing all over the world demonstrating a love for the Scriptures, Jesus Christ, and the soul of men. 

   My Friends, The Gospel of Jesus Christ is being heard and accepted in every country, town and village, that we as a free Nation can get Bibles and a place of worship for all people who have heard Him knock and have gladly opened wide their doors. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," (Rev. 3:22). 

Amen!

Reading: Rev. 3:14-22

Ref: HG SB, WGTTB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry

        

     

Gethsemane Preparation For Calvary (PT-2)

Luke 22:43  

"And there appeared an angel unto him 

from heaven, strengthening him." 

   From our previous devotion we come to realize that Satan, made an all out attack against our Lord that night in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His arrest. Our Lord realized this and  responded accordingly, as we are told in, (Heb. 5:7) "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared."

   God heard His cry for aid sent angles to strengthen Him, (V-43). Christ wrestled His way through three prayer sessions in the garden and He referred to "the cup" during each prayer. What was this cup His soul so dreaded to drink from? Some say it was the cup of human suffering, but our Lord was no stranger to suffering and pain, because He had known these things throughout His ministry. Others say it was the cup of  physical death that our Lord disliked. But anyway, no matter what we think, Jesus was the Prince of life, and death could hold no terror for Him. 

   My Friends, What then, was the nature of this cursed cup? We are not left in the dark here, for the Scriptures plainly informs us that the Gethsemane cup was filled with the sins of all humanity!! Our Lord looked deeply into the cesspool of human sin that dark night. Was there no other way to redeem man than by drinking this corrupt cup? There was no other way! In a few short hours Jesus would drain that cup of its last bitter drop of corruption of human nature, due to original sin. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man," (Heb. 2:9).

Amen!

Reading: Luke 2:39-46

               Heb. 2:9; 5:7

Ref: HG SB; WTTB

                                                                May God Bless You

                                                                 And Your Family

                                                           Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

                                                            The Cross Life Ministry 

  

Gethsemane Preparation For Calvary

Luke 22:42  

Saying, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this

 cup from me: nevertheless not my will,

 but thine, be done." 

   A favorite place for Jesus To Pray was Gethsemane. Jesus moves just a few yards away from His disciples and kneels to pray. Artist and songwriters have depicted this prayer for us, and their descriptions usually show a quite and peaceful scene, with the light from heaven falling upon a kneeling Savior, with His hands together and His eyes looking toward heaven, as He prays His "cup of suffering prayer." All is silent subdued and serene.  But this is not the biblical account at all.

   As we study the Scriptures we can almost hear the shrieks of demons and the crackling of flames which filled the gentle Garden of Gethsemane that awful night. Here are our Lord's own description of His feelings during that hour. "And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch," (Mark 14:33-34). 

   What did it mean that Jesus was "sore amazed?" It means that He was suddenly struck with surprised terror. What did the term "very heavy" mean?  It means He experienced the totally unfamiliar which bore down upon His soul and filled it with uncertainty and distress. What did it mean that Jesus was "Exceeding sorrowful unto death?" It meant that Jesus was so completely surrounded and encircled by grief that it threatened His life.

   From all this it becomes evident that the devil made an all out effort to murder the savior in the garden in order to prevent His blood being shed a few hours later on the cross. Our Lord realized this and responded accordingly. We will cover this in Part 2 tomorrow.

Amen!

Reading: Luke: 22:39-46

               Mark 14: 32-42

Ref: HG SB, WGTTB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

    

We Lack Nothing

Luke 22:38  

"And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. 

And he said unto them, It is enough." 

   Jesus had twice commissioned His disciples and had sent them on the missions without material possessions, insisting that they should depend entirely on God. "And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way." (Luke 9:3, 10:4). Christ reminded them and ask them "Did you lack anything." They replied that they lack nothing and God's provision had been more than adequate.

   However, Jesus predicted that following His crucifixion the disciples should take what ever material possessions they had. With the crucifixion of the Lord and the spreading of persecution against the Christians, the disciples could well expect additional discrimination and difficulty. Jesus instructed the disciples who had no sword to sell his garments and buy one. 

   Jesus was numbered among the transgressors, and the physical suffering which He was to endure would later be directed toward His followers. My Friends, Jesus did not mean for the disciples literally to sell their garments and purchase swords. He was suggesting to them that their lives would be subjected to swords, not love. Their battle would not be one of a sword and spear, but a battle of the spirit, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" (Eph. 6:17). How many times have we forgotten to prepare ourselves for our battles? Let us all remember: We Lack Nothing, we just need to be prepared.

Amen!

Reading: Luke 22: 35-38

Ref: HG SB, BSC

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry

      

  

Look Up And Watch!

Luke 21:28 

"And when these things begin to come to pass, 

then look up, and lift up your heads; for

your redemption draweth nigh."

   There has always been arguments and speculations about the second coming. When it will be and what it will be like, but it is not ours to know. But the one great truth is this, JESUS SAID IT WOULD COME!  Around 300 B.C. an ancient Greek philosophy held that every three thousand years or so the world was consumed by a great conflagration, (an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of  land), then it started all over again and history repeated itself. 
   In Jesus brief record concerning His second coming, He suggested a number of miraculous signs to precede the end of this age. Jesus spoke in terms of cosmic disturbance, to occur in the elements of nature. Jesus then chose to illustrate spiritual truth in the parable of the Fig Tree. He suggested that the appearance of buds warned of approaching summer. Even so the appearance of  strange physical phenomena warns of Christ return. 
   Christ generation was not to pass away  until all these things be accomplished, (v.32). This verse is a reference to numerous historical events: the crucifixion, the resurrection, the return of the city. It seems that Jesus was referring to the destruction of the Jerusalem. However, the Christian conception of history is that it has a goal and that goal is Jesus Christ will be Lord of all. That is all we know, and all we need to know. 

   My Friends, We must all be upon the Watch for Christ return.. The Christian must never come to think that he is living in a settled situation. All people must be in a permanent state of expectation.We must live forever in the shadow of eternity, in the certainty that we are preparing ourselves to appear in the presence of God. There can be nothing so thrilling as the Christian life.
Amen!

Reading: Like 21:25-38
Ref: HG SB, BSB

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Question Of Resurrection

Luke 20:34-36 

"And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and 

are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain 

that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are 

given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are 

equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, 

being the children of the resurrection." 

   The Sadducees then, came with this question about who would be the husband in heaven of the woman who was married to seven different men. They regarded such a question as the kind of thing that made belief in the resurrection of the body ridiculous. Jesus gave them an answer which has a permanently valid truth in it. He said that we must not think of heaven in terms of this earth. Life there will be quite different, because we will be quite different. It would save a lot of misdirected ingenuity,on our part, if we ceased to speculate on what heaven is like and left things to the love of God. 
   Jesus went further. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the body. They declared they could not believe in it because there was no information about it, because not but much if any proof of it in the books of the law which Moses had written. So Jesus pointed out that Moses himself had heard God say, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob," (Ex. 3:1-6), and that it was impossible that God should be the God of the dead. Therefore Abraham and Isaac and Jacob must be still alive. Therefore there was such a thing as the resurrection of the body. 
   My Friends, No wonder the scribes declared it to be a good answer, for Jesus had met the Sadducees on their own ground and defeated them. But out of this there is a truth for anyone who teaches Christianity to his fellow man. Jesus used arguments that the people he was arguing with could understand. He talked to them in their own language; he met them on their own ground; and that is precisely why the common people heard him gladly. We must approach teaching Christianity the same as Jesus.
Amen!

Reading: Luke: 20:27-40
Ref: HG SB, BSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Occupy Till I Come

Luke 19:13  

"And he called his ten servants, and delivered 

them ten pounds, and said unto 

them, Occupy till I come." 

   The parable of the king and his servants illustrates certain  facts of the Christian life. It tells of the king's trust. He gave his servants the money and then went away and left them to use it as they could and as they thought best. He did not in any way interfere with them. The King left them entirely on their own merit. That is the way in which God trusts us. 

   This parable tells of a test of trust, whether or not a man was faithful and reliable in little things.

Sometimes a man justifies a problem in his ordinary routine affairs of life by claiming that "he has a mind above things that's not important."  However God does not. It is exactly in these routine duties that God is testing men. There is no better example than Jesus Himself. For thirty years Jesus held the job of a carpenter in Nazareth. He never gave up on His obligation of being the bread winner for the family. If Jesus could not have done that, God could never give Him the task of being the Savior of the world. 
   My Friends, What I want all of us to take from this parable is this: "There is no such thing as standing still in the Christian life. We either get more or lose what we have. We either advance to greater heights or slip back."
Amen!

Reading: Luke 19:11-27
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Courage Of Desperation

Luke 19:4  

"And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore 

tree to see him: for he was to pass that way"

   The English oak, and its shade is most pleasing.  And it's very easy to climb, with its short trunk and its wide branches forking out in all directions. Things were not easy for Zacchaeus but the little man had the courage of desperation. 
   Zacchaeus took steps to show all the community that he was a changed man. When Jesus announced that he would stay that day at his house, and when he discovered that he had found a new and wonderful friend, immediately Zacchaeus made a decision. He decided to give half of his goods to the poor; and what ever he had taken from others he did not intend to keep to himself but to restore them four fold. 
   The Story ends with these powerful words, The Son of Man came to seek and to save, that which was lost. We must always be careful how we take the meaning of this word lost. In the New Testament it does not mean damned or doomed. It simply means in the wrong place. A man is lost when he has wandered away from God; and he is found when once again he takes his rightful place as an obedient child in the household and the family of God. 

   My Friends, A testimony is utterly worthless unless it is backed by deeds which guarantee its sincerity. It is not a mere change of words which Jesus Christ demands, but a change of life. 

Amen!

Reading: Luke 19:1-10

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry