1 John 5:13a
"These things have I written unto you that
believe on the name of the Son of God"
How do you respond to good news? Say, for example, that your friends arrive with a letter and a check made out in your name. With hugs and cheers they explain that a rich relative has sent you a huge gift. How do you respond? You have two choices, you can disbelieve. You may think "this is to good to be true," and trash the check. Or you can believe enough to go to the bank, endorse the check, and receive the full benefit of the gift. Your response depends on what you chose to believe.
In the same way the "Good News" benefits those who accept it. As 1 John 5:13 says, this message is "to you who may believe." Now brothers and sisters in Christ I want to remind you of the "Gospel" (Good News) that has been preached and is being preached today. If you have received and have taken you stand, by this same "Gospel of Jesus Christ" you are saved, you must hold firmly to the Word of God. If you received and you believed, than you have chosen Jesus Christ, for there is no other way to the Father. Therefore stand solid on your decision and keep the faith. Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Division Obscures The Cross
John 13:35
"By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye show love one to another"
To know if your church is starting to have a "Division Problem" look for these indicators. Splitting into groups, disunion, separation of members according to how they feel or stand on an issue in the church. Division is not nothing new. It has been present in churches in previous generations, the the restoration era, back to the first generation of Christians, to the present. They have all faced the same recurring problem; work of the flesh (Galatians 5:20) "The Cause" and false teachers (2 Peter 2:1) "The Who".
Yet, to often the church is know by their bickering and division among itself, instead of being know as churches that show love for one another. When a church is divided, it is easy to fall into the temptation of placing blame on others, but the reality is that if your church is divided, "You" not the person who has all sorts of problem and issues, may be the cause of division.
Many don't set out to be divisive in the church. The seeds of division are small, but they can grow into a large problem. As Christians, it is important that we prayerfully, examine ourselves to see if we are or are not the cause of division within our congregation. Here is five signs to consider. Now before I list these five signs, remember do not just go throughout your church looking for this signs to be used against members of your church or other churches. The five signs are: Pride, Heresy, Legalism, Distrust, and Traditionalism which in and of itself is not a bad thing, as long as it don't become an idol that can divide churches. We all have the same Spirit of God within us, therefore let's act like it even when the church is going through struggles. Amen!!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
"By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye show love one to another"
To know if your church is starting to have a "Division Problem" look for these indicators. Splitting into groups, disunion, separation of members according to how they feel or stand on an issue in the church. Division is not nothing new. It has been present in churches in previous generations, the the restoration era, back to the first generation of Christians, to the present. They have all faced the same recurring problem; work of the flesh (Galatians 5:20) "The Cause" and false teachers (2 Peter 2:1) "The Who".
Yet, to often the church is know by their bickering and division among itself, instead of being know as churches that show love for one another. When a church is divided, it is easy to fall into the temptation of placing blame on others, but the reality is that if your church is divided, "You" not the person who has all sorts of problem and issues, may be the cause of division.
Many don't set out to be divisive in the church. The seeds of division are small, but they can grow into a large problem. As Christians, it is important that we prayerfully, examine ourselves to see if we are or are not the cause of division within our congregation. Here is five signs to consider. Now before I list these five signs, remember do not just go throughout your church looking for this signs to be used against members of your church or other churches. The five signs are: Pride, Heresy, Legalism, Distrust, and Traditionalism which in and of itself is not a bad thing, as long as it don't become an idol that can divide churches. We all have the same Spirit of God within us, therefore let's act like it even when the church is going through struggles. Amen!!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
Monday, April 28, 2014
Remember Your Blessings
1 Corinthians 1:5
"That in every thing ye are enriched by him,
in all utterance and in all knowledge"
The first thing we should ask ourselves is, have we forgotten our blessings? Now with that being said let's focus on something positive; the work of God's grace. As a Christian can you point out your blessings from God. When we speak critically about our church or another; how often do we pause and first consider evidences of God's work there? We go to church to hear God's word from someone God has appointed to preach the Gospel. We hear God's word and we have God's written word. We don't worship a picture or a statue or an idea. We worship a personal God who speaks and has spoken to us. We are blessed people!
We have been sanctified in Jesus Christ, declared and made holy in Him. Grasping the reality of sanctification is crucial to putting things in perspective. God separates people from the world by putting them in Jesus Christ. We are declared to be holy and righteous because Christ's holiness and righteous are accounted to us. Friends, if you are Christians, you do not need to labor under condemnation. To do so is to ignore what God has done for you in Christ. We are sanctified in Jesus Christ, and in Him we are being changed in our attitudes and actions, our loves and longings, to be more like Him. This is true of you, my friends, therefore "Remember Your Blessings" Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
"That in every thing ye are enriched by him,
in all utterance and in all knowledge"
The first thing we should ask ourselves is, have we forgotten our blessings? Now with that being said let's focus on something positive; the work of God's grace. As a Christian can you point out your blessings from God. When we speak critically about our church or another; how often do we pause and first consider evidences of God's work there? We go to church to hear God's word from someone God has appointed to preach the Gospel. We hear God's word and we have God's written word. We don't worship a picture or a statue or an idea. We worship a personal God who speaks and has spoken to us. We are blessed people!
We have been sanctified in Jesus Christ, declared and made holy in Him. Grasping the reality of sanctification is crucial to putting things in perspective. God separates people from the world by putting them in Jesus Christ. We are declared to be holy and righteous because Christ's holiness and righteous are accounted to us. Friends, if you are Christians, you do not need to labor under condemnation. To do so is to ignore what God has done for you in Christ. We are sanctified in Jesus Christ, and in Him we are being changed in our attitudes and actions, our loves and longings, to be more like Him. This is true of you, my friends, therefore "Remember Your Blessings" Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail
The Cross Life Ministry
Friday, April 25, 2014
Warning Against Wantoning
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"
As Christians workers, worldliness is not our snare, sin is not our snare, but spiritual wantoning is, by taking the pattern and print of the religious age we live in, making eyes at spiritual success. Never go or do anything without the approval of God. Jesus told His disciples not to rejoice in successful service, and yet this seems to be the one thing in which most of us do rejoice. We have the commercial view, so many souls saved and sanctified, thank God, now for it's all right to do so. Our work begins where God's grace has laid the foundation; we are not to save souls, but to disciple them. Salvation and sanctification are the work of God's sovereign grace; our work as His disciples is to disciple lives until they are wholly yielded to God. One life wholly devoted to God is of more value to God than one hundred lives simply awakened by His Spirit. As workers for God we must reproduce our own kind spiritually, and that will be God's witness to us as workers. God brings us to a standard of life by His grace,and we are responsible for reproducing that standard in others. Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not,
that the spirits are subject unto you;
but rather rejoice, because your
names are written in heaven"
As Christians workers, worldliness is not our snare, sin is not our snare, but spiritual wantoning is, by taking the pattern and print of the religious age we live in, making eyes at spiritual success. Never go or do anything without the approval of God. Jesus told His disciples not to rejoice in successful service, and yet this seems to be the one thing in which most of us do rejoice. We have the commercial view, so many souls saved and sanctified, thank God, now for it's all right to do so. Our work begins where God's grace has laid the foundation; we are not to save souls, but to disciple them. Salvation and sanctification are the work of God's sovereign grace; our work as His disciples is to disciple lives until they are wholly yielded to God. One life wholly devoted to God is of more value to God than one hundred lives simply awakened by His Spirit. As workers for God we must reproduce our own kind spiritually, and that will be God's witness to us as workers. God brings us to a standard of life by His grace,and we are responsible for reproducing that standard in others. Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
Thursday, April 24, 2014
The Light That Never Fails
2 Corinthians 3:18
"We all, with open face beholding...
the glory of the Lord"
A servant of God must stand so much alone that he never knows he is alone. In the first phases of Christian life disheartenments come, people who used to be lights flicker out, and those who used to stand with us pass away. We have to get so use to it that we never know we are standing alone. "All men forsook me... notwithstanding the lord stood with me" (2 Timothy 4:16-17). We must build our faith, not on the fading light, but on the light that never fails. When a "child of God" leaves us, we are sad, until we see that they are meant to go. The one thing that remains is looking in the face of God for ourselves. Amen!!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
"We all, with open face beholding...
the glory of the Lord"
A servant of God must stand so much alone that he never knows he is alone. In the first phases of Christian life disheartenments come, people who used to be lights flicker out, and those who used to stand with us pass away. We have to get so use to it that we never know we are standing alone. "All men forsook me... notwithstanding the lord stood with me" (2 Timothy 4:16-17). We must build our faith, not on the fading light, but on the light that never fails. When a "child of God" leaves us, we are sad, until we see that they are meant to go. The one thing that remains is looking in the face of God for ourselves. Amen!!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Worship Of The Work
1 Corinthians 3:9
"Labourers together with God"
Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him. A lot of Christian workers worship their work. The one concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean that all the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the freedom of a child, a worshiping child, not a wayward child. A worker without this solemn dominance of concentration on God is most likely to get his work wrap around himself; where their is no margin of body, mind, or spirit free, and eventually becomes spent and crushed.
There is no freedom, no delight in life; nerves, mind, and heart are so burdened that God's blessing cannot rest. But the other side is just as true; once the contraction is on God, all the margins of life are free and under the dominance of God. There is no responsibility on you for the work; the only responsibility you have is to keep in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your obedience to God. Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
"Labourers together with God"
Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him. A lot of Christian workers worship their work. The one concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean that all the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the freedom of a child, a worshiping child, not a wayward child. A worker without this solemn dominance of concentration on God is most likely to get his work wrap around himself; where their is no margin of body, mind, or spirit free, and eventually becomes spent and crushed.
There is no freedom, no delight in life; nerves, mind, and heart are so burdened that God's blessing cannot rest. But the other side is just as true; once the contraction is on God, all the margins of life are free and under the dominance of God. There is no responsibility on you for the work; the only responsibility you have is to keep in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your obedience to God. Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Be Careful Of Spiritual Phonies
Romans 16:17
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them
which cause divisions and offenses contrary
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned"
Some people will reject Jesus as their Savior. Some will accept Jesus but will never allow the Holy Spirit to teach them or to change their minds. Such people will always cause division. We are taught to identify such people and avoid them. Our behavior always follows our beliefs. If another person believes things that are contrary to the Bible doctrine, they will eventually behave contrary to Bible doctrine, and will not be serving Jesus; they will be serving their own lust and desires.
It is not always easy to recognize spiritual phonies. They may speak great, good words and make wonderful claims about what they are doing. These things will serve to deceive the hearts of some Christians. Paul describes these people as simple, a word that suggests without harm or guile. Some people believe everything they hear, and they are often easily fooled by false claims. The test of any teaching is obedience. Does the person who makes grand claims live up to what he says? if not, then be cautious about listening to what he says. Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them
which cause divisions and offenses contrary
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned"
Some people will reject Jesus as their Savior. Some will accept Jesus but will never allow the Holy Spirit to teach them or to change their minds. Such people will always cause division. We are taught to identify such people and avoid them. Our behavior always follows our beliefs. If another person believes things that are contrary to the Bible doctrine, they will eventually behave contrary to Bible doctrine, and will not be serving Jesus; they will be serving their own lust and desires.
It is not always easy to recognize spiritual phonies. They may speak great, good words and make wonderful claims about what they are doing. These things will serve to deceive the hearts of some Christians. Paul describes these people as simple, a word that suggests without harm or guile. Some people believe everything they hear, and they are often easily fooled by false claims. The test of any teaching is obedience. Does the person who makes grand claims live up to what he says? if not, then be cautious about listening to what he says. Amen!!
May God Bless You
And Your Families
Minister: Robert A. Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)