The Sin Of Pride

Luke 18:11  

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 

God, I thank thee, that I am not as other 

men are, extortioners, unjust, 

adulterers, or even 

as this publican."

   This Pharisee, did not go to pray to God. He went and prayed with himself. A true prayer is  offered to God and God alone. The Pharisee did not go to pray; he went to inform God how good he was. There was a tax-collector (publican). He stood afar off, and would not even lift his eyes to God. So what is the difference between the two?

   The Pharisee was proud of his holiness as measured by legalistic and external standards. of course as a Pharisee he tithed is possessions. then we have the publican which was conscious of his sin and stood a distance from the Pharisee. His humility is indicated by his refusal to lift his eyes to heaven and in the constant striking of his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner."  The publican had nothing but his humility and honesty. Jesus said that the publican was justified, the Pharisee was not.

   My Friends, Self-exaltation brings humiliation, but humility results in exaltation. Righteousness is not external but internal. God's mercy belongs to the man who humbles himself.  

Amen!

Reading: Luke 18:9-14

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry   

     

A Lesson In Prayer

Luke 18:3-5 

 "And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, 

Avenge me of mine adversary.  And he would not for a while: but

afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, 

nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me,

 I will avenge her, lest by her continual

 coming she weary me." 

    This parable does not say that God is liken into an unjust Judge, but it contrast Him, (strikingly different) to the unjust judge. The widow was the symbol of all who were poor and defenseless. It was obvious that she, without resource of any kind, had no hope of ever getting justice from such a judge, but she had one weapon "persistence.." I am sure that some time in you life ,you have felt the same as the widow in the parable. You prayed and prayed to God for help in a matter, but it seem like God  wasn't listening. But  you also have a power, " faith and persistence in prayer."  

   Often a father has to refuse the request of a child, because he knows that what the child asks would hurt rather than help. God is the same way. We do not know what is to happen in the next hour, let alone the next week, or month, or year. Only God sees time whole, and, therefore, only God knows what is good for us in the long run.       
   My Friends, That is why Jesus said we must never be discouraged in prayer. That is why God wondered if men's faith would stand the long delays before the Son of Man should come. We will never grow weary in prayer and our faith will never falter "if," after we have offered to God our prayers and requests, we add to our prayer, Thy will be done. 

Amen!

Reading: Luke 18:1-8
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Increase Your Faith

Luke 17:5  

"And the apostles said unto the Lord, 

Increase our faith."

   The Bible tells us that the most powerful force in the world is faith. This saying means that even that which looks completely impossible becomes possible, if it is approached with faith.  

   My Friends, If we approach a task saying, "It can't be done," it will not be done; if we approach it saying, "It must be done," the chances are that it will. We must always remember that we approach no task alone, because with us there is God and all His power.

Amen

Reading: Luke 17:5-6

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Always Forgive

Luke 17:1  

"Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but 

that offences will come: but woe unto him, 

through whom they come!" 

   

   Jesus admitted that offenses would come to Christians, Every one will be given his first invitation to sin, his first push along the wrong way, a stumbling-block placed in a man's way to trip him up. Jesus said that it was impossible to construct a world with no temptations; but woe to that man who taught another to sin or who took away another's innocence.

   Sin is not committed in a vacuum; therefore, man's sin affects others Christians. There is a principle of care in dealing with others and it begins with the Christian forgiving his brother. You may call your brothers trespass to his attention, but you are obligated to forgive your brother in Christ. 

   My Friends, Although the Jews believed seven times to be ample forgiveness, the Christian is to know no limit when it comes to the forgiveness of others. Forgiveness is like the law of love; Forgive others like Christ forgave you.

Amen!

Reading: Luke 17:1-4

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr. 

The Cross life Ministry

"Mammon Of Unrighteousness"

Luke 16:9  

"And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends 

of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, 

when ye fail, they may receive you 

into everlasting habitations." 

   This steward was accused of wasting his lord's goods. The master called him and required an account of his stewardship. The accusations brought against the steward proved to be true. He faced the possibility of having his stewardship taken away from him and then having no employment. He was unwilling to accept hardship and toil as his way of life, and he was ashamed to beg. 

   Acting in a skillful way, he called those indebted to his master and inquired about their indebtedness. After talking with each debtor the steward suggested that their bills be decreased by considerable amount. When the master learned of the stewards action, he acknowledged the wisdom, admitting that the steward had acted cleverly.

    Jesus used these words to illustrate the wisdom with which men of the world conduct themselves and provide for their futures, "And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light," (Luke 16:8). We see this more so today than ever before. 

   Jesus taught His disciples to make friends of  the "mammon of unrighteousness" so that they may be received by those able to provide materially for them. Jesus does not commend dishonest methods. He suggested that the men of the world acted more wisely in providing for sustaining in the future than those of spiritual sensitivity.

   My Friends, With this parable, Jesus is saying that the Christian could be prudent and wise in the usage of his possession for the benefit of others. This does not mean that an individual is admitted to heaven because he has given generously. Heaven belongs to a man because of his relationship with God, and it is his relationship which prompts the Christian to be a good steward of his possessions.

Verse 13 summarizes Jesus' teaching. The inability of men to be obedient to two diverse masters is clearly stated. Man cannot be double-minded. Jesus bluntly concluded, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." But you can serve God by using possessions in a spiritual fashion. 

Amen!

Reading: Luke 16:1-13

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

God's Concern For The Lost [PT-2]

Luke 15:10  

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in 

the presence of the angels of God 

over one sinner that repenteth"

    God's Concern For the Lost [PT-2] begins with The Lost Coin. Here Jesus speaks of a woman that had 10 pieces of silver and she lost one of the coins. So she lit a candle and swept until she found the lost coin. When she found it she called her friends and neighbors and said, "Rejoice with me for I have found the piece I had lost. The point being here is, that losing the coin brought sorrow, but finding the coin brought joy.  
   The Lost Son parable contains many spiritual truths and some described it as the "gospel within the gospel." And not without reason this has been called the greatest short story in the world. Under Jewish law a father was not free to leave his property as he liked. The elder son must get two-thirds and the younger one-third. "But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his, "(Deut. 21:17).
   The details of this parable speaks volumes of truth. To note only the detail which describes human suffering and compassion is to fail to find the point illustrated by Jesus. Obviously, the son who strays from home depicts a sinner separated from God. The prodigal's sin is not involved simply in the waste of his inheritance or in his careless attitudes and behavior. It is a sin of a debauched life, (socially unacceptable) a rebellion against love.
   My Friends, The parable illustrates the fall of man, "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," (Gen. 3:5).  The love of God is seen in the activity of the father. When the son returned to his father, it was not for the purpose of gaining a new inheritance, but for the expressed purpose of becoming an obedient servant. Repentance like this brings forgiveness. The father was not merely accepting the son as a servant but was restoring him as a son. Are you a child of God that has strayed away, If so I pray with these illustrations of God's Concern For The Lost will guide you back to The Father.
Amen!

Reading: Luke 15:8-32
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

 Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry

   

God's Concern For The Lost

Luke 15:7  

"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven

over one sinner that repenteth, more than 

over ninety and nine just persons, 

which need no repentance." 

   The parables in  Luke Chapter 15, illustrate God's concern for those separated from Him. God is unwilling for any to perish. Jesus' audience were publicans [tax collectors] and sinners. The pharisees joined the scribes in criticizing Jesus for His conduct with the social and religious outcast, suggesting that He socialized with the sinners.
   To further His illustration, Jesus then related the account of a shepherd who cared for 100 sheep. However, when he counted them there was one missing. So he left the 99 in search for the one which was lost. That was how important one lost sheep was to a shepherd's care. Many of the flocks were communal flocks, belonging, not to individuals, but to villages. There would be two or three shepherds in charge. 
   Those whose flocks were safe would arrive home on time and bring news that one shepherd was still out on the mountain side searching for a sheep which was lost. The whole village would wait watching, and when, in the distance, they saw the shepherd coming home with the lost sheep across his shoulders, there would rise from the whole community a shout of joy and of thanksgiving. 
   My Friends,That is the picture Jesus drew of God; Jesus, is what God is like. God is as glad when a lost sinner is found as a shepherd is when a lost sheep is brought home. "God, too, knows the joy of finding things that have gone lost." We will continue with part two of God's Concern For The Lost, tomorrow with the parables of  The Lost Coin and The Lost Son.
Amen! 

Reading: Luke 15:1-7
HG SB

May God Bless You 

And Your family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry