The Cost Of Discipleship

Luke 14:26

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father

and mother, and wife, and children, and

brethren,and sisters, yea, and his

own life also he cannot 

be my disciple." 

    Any miracle worker could attract multitudes, with no doubt many people followed Jesus because of His miraculous power. However, Jesus' intent and purpose was to define the cost of true discipleship so that His follows might understand the price of His yoke. True discipleship involves total and complete loyalty to the Master. No loyalty can take precedence of  loyalty to Christ, not even loyalty to parents or immediate family. We, as Christ disciples must be willing to bear our cross. Without cross bearing there is no discipleship.
   Jesus used the  logic of one counting the cost of discipleship by illustrations concerning building and warfare. The building of a tower is costly, as is the waging of a war. If  the contractor does not count the cost, he may not be able to complete the building of the tower.  If  the king don't count his soldiers and those of his enemy, it may be wiser for him to seek peace instead of war.
   My Friends, Discipleship means the rejection of selfish interest, and the acceptance of God's will even though there is a cost to be considered. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, payed a high price for the cross He carried for mankind. Now we must be pay the cost to be His disciples!  Be Loyal, and bear your cross!  
Amen!

Reading: Luke 14:26:33
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr. 

The Cross Life Ministry

Jesus Teaches Humility

Luke 14:11

"For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; 

and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

   Jesus used a parable of a wedding to teach humility. In the parable, as the guest of the wedding were filing in, they contended for superiority for the best seats. The seat to the host's immediate left was secondary, and the positions then alternated in order of importance. The place of honor is assigned to an individual because of the host's evaluation of their character; or these days its who ever is the host best and richest friends; Really hasn't change much as it? 

   Now Jesus turned to His host with whom He ate bread with on the sabbath, suggesting that his guest list should not only include friends, relatives, and neighbors, but also the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Even though the last group of people mention here will not be able to return the favor, the Lord will bless the host in the resurrection of the just. "And thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." (Luke 14:14).
   My Friends, Humility has always been one of the characteristics of great men. How can we retain our humility? We can retain it by realizing the facts. However much we know, we still know very little compared to the knowledge available to us. However much we have achieved, we still have achieved very little in the end. However important we may believe ourselves to be, when death removes us or when we retire from our position, life and work will go on just the same. And if we set our lives beside the life of the Lord, if we see our unworthiness in comparison with the radiance of his stainless purity, pride will die and self-satisfaction will be shriveled up. Then Humility steps in. 
Amen!

Reading: Luke 14:7-14
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Every Day Is An Opportunity

Luke 13:23-24  

"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? 

And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the 

strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will 

seek to enter in, and shall not be able." 

    Through our reading of God's word, we believe through faith that the Kingdom of God will be victorious, but Jesus recognized that it would be difficult for some to accept the Kingdom of God. The disciples were aware of the difficulty which many would approach the Kingdom, so they ask Jesus, "Are they few that will be saved." Jesus did not answer their question with a fancy theory; He insisted that man strive to enter the Kingdom of God.  In other words, a man must struggle as for a prize in a contest, "give it your all."

   The strait gate is the only means of entering the Kingdom, and only few will be able to enter, even though many may attempt to find it. The essentials of the Kingdom Citizenship are defined by God not man.

   My Friends, Jesus demonstrates the abuse of opportunity by referring to the householder who had closed his door for the night. The frustrated and false hopes held by those outside will become judgments upon them. Their own confessions remind them of wasted opportunities. Every Day Is An Opportunity, Don't Waste It! 

Amen! 

Reading: Luke: 13:22-30

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

  

What Shall I Do

Luke 12:19 

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods 

laid up for many years; take thine ease,

eat, drink, and be merry." 

     The disciple who requested his brother to divide his inheritance with him provided the occasion for Jesus to speak the parable of the rich fool. This is parable underlines the dangers of materialism. The rich man's fields produced so much that he faced a problem and ask; "What shall I do, because I have no room to store my fruits? His decision was simple but selfish: destroy his present barns and build new ones that would be much bigger. This seemed reasonable and  for certain made him feel secure, (12:19). The rich man could then live in luxury and eat, drink and be merry. But God's response was entirely different; That night the rich man's soul was required of him.

    The question remained,  "Who will benefit from these possessions?"  The picture of covetousness is related in the words of this parable. The man who had planned for the future in the terms of   "my barns, my fruits, my goods, and my soul" realized his folly only in death. He left the world poorer than the beggar on the street corner.

    My Friends, This is true of all who lay up treasures for themselves without reference to God. Jesus did not condemn material possessions, He also did not condemn the desire to possess material things. However, Jesus condemned covetousness and greed. Let Us All Be Aware Of Our Standings With God! 

Amen!

Reading: Luke 12:13-21

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry 

A Question Of Relationship To Beelzebub

Luke 11:15

"But some of them said, He casteth out devils 

through Beelzebub the chief of the devils." 

    The Jews believed in demons and also claimed to assert authority over them. The Jews did not question Jesus' ability to cast out demons, some suggested that He did it through Beelzebub, the chief of demons. This is equivalent to suggesting that Jesus cast out demons through the power of Satan. In their response to their thoughts Jesus reminded the Jews that a Kingdom divided against itself is brought to destruction, a divided house provides His demonstration. Jesus then drew the analogy that Satan divided against himself, would fall.
    Jesus then gives us a brief observation concerning the robber of the palace. When a strong men guards the palace, his goods are safe; when one stronger comes in and over powers him, then the palace goods are divided as spoils. The point is; the palace can never be robbed until one stronger than the palace guard over powers him. There can be no neutrality in the struggle with Satan (V-11:23). Man is either aligned with God or he is a victim of Satan.   
    Jesus then described spiritual cleansing by referring to the activities of an unclean spirit once he has been driven out of a man. The demon walks through dry places seeking rest, but finding none, returns to his former abode. The house which he inhabited has been swept and cleaned. He enters again taking with him seven more wicked than himself. So the last condition of the individual is worse than he was before.
    My Friends, What Jesus is teaching us is the peril of an empty heart. Man's heart is no vacuum; it must be filled. When a man refuses to accept God's Spirit, he is practically inviting evil to return. We either fill our heart with Jesus, or Satan will step in. 
Amen!

Reading: Luke 11:14-26
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry  

Man's Greatest Glory

Luke 10:20  

"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; 

but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."  

    When the Seventy returned they meet Jesus at a designated site probably picked by Jesus. The Seventy was radiant with the triumphs which they had worked in the name of Jesus. Jesus said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven." That is a difficult phrase to understand. Jesus said this because the disciples could not explain the demons submission, Jesus explained it on the basis of Satan's power having been broken. The breaking of the devil's power began with Jesus' temptation and continued throughout His ministry to Gethsemane, and beyond to the cross.

    Although the disciples may have taken this as an occasion for rejoicing, Jesus carefully reminded them that the gift of power was not the main reason for rejoicing; rather, it was the promise of a heavenly home. Surely the disciples would understand that the one who gave them the power to conquer their severest enemies was capable of writing their names in The Lambs Book Of Life. 

    My Friends, Man's greatest glory is not what he does in the name of the Lord, his greatest glory is what The Lord does with Man's name. Let us not get wrapped up in all the gifts and power over evil that God has given us. We must stay focused on the future gift of  Life Ever After!! 

Amen!

Reading: Luke: 10:17-20

Ref: HG SB

 May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry

  

Laborers For God's Harvest

Luke 10:2-3  

"Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: 

pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth

labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, 

I send you forth as lambs among wolves." 

    The laborer is worthy of his hire, but the servant of a crucified Master cannot be a seeker for luxury. To have heard God's word is a great responsibility. A man will be judged according to what he has had the chance to know. We allow things in a child we condemn in an adult; we forgive things in a savage we punish in a civilized man. Responsibility is the other side of privilege. 

    My Friends, It is a terrible thing to reject God's invitation. There is a sense in which every promise of God that a man has ever heard can become his condemnation. If he receives these promises they are his greatest glory, but each one that he has rejected will some day be a witness against him.

Amen!

Reading: Luke 10:1-16

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

he Cross Life Ministry