Nothing Short Of God's Best

Zechariah 3:2  

"And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, 

O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem 

rebuke thee: is not this a brand 

plucked out of the fire?"

    Satan is always discovering the weak spots in character and thrusting at them. He is keen as steel and cruel as hell. But we have One who pleads. As the priest Melchizedek, He ever lives to make intercession for us. “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.” 

    We are as brands scorched and charred with the burning. But we have been plucked out of the consuming flame by the blood of Jesus Christ. Surely then we are being kept for some high and useful purpose. 

    All the past is an argument for faith. That God has done so much is a pledge that He will make perfect that which concerns us, because "His mercy endureth forever." It is not enough to be cleansed from sin, that we may have a place of access among the saints. Whom He justifies, He also glorifies. Let us be content with nothing short of God’s best. 

Amen!

Reading: Zech. 3:1-10

HG SB

May God Bless You

And your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail

The Cross Life Ministry

 
 
 

From This Day Foward

Haggai 2:18  

"Consider now from this day and upward, from the

 four and twentieth day of the ninth month, 

even from the day that the foundation 

of the LORD'S temple was laid, 

consider it."   

    Haggai is pleading to the people not for them to focus from the time it was first laid after their return upon the proclamation of Cyrus, but from the time they began to clear that foundation, and to build upon it; and which having lain so long neglected, the renewal of it is represented as a fresh laying of it: Haggai's plea to the people to keep in mind the motives for their labor,and to consider what adversity and calamities had attended them from the time of their neglect. He also had them observe what blessings they would enjoy from henceforward; and how pleasing it was to the Lord.

  My Friends, Yesterday in our devotional we learned how once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour just how often we neglect our service for God. As Christians we must keep in mind that God desires diligence ad integrity. Has Haggai said to his people, I will say to you. Remember the times in your walk when you were not faithful as you should have been to the Lord? Did you receive any blessings? Now I want you to think on all the blessing you will receive; "From

This Day Forward."  

Amen!

Reading: Haggai 2:14-18

               Eph. 6:5,6

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

  

     

       

Neglecting God's Temple

Haggai 1:4,5  

"Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses,

 and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith 

the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways." 

    Haggai's message was a stirring to challenge to the people through their political and spiritual leaders, Zerubbabel and Joshua. The people were too interested with the building and decoration of their own houses, while doing nothing for God's house. Haggai twice says "consider your ways."          My Friend's, This is a message in which we all should ponder on deeply within our hearts. Some may ask why? I say this because "considers your ways," literally means to "put upon your heart" and it speaks of a firm decision.

    God told His people that neglect of the temple would result in His judgment on them. My Friend, this message is also telling us not to neglect God's Temple within us. Our self-centered efforts cannot satisfy, because God is not going to bless. Our first priority should be that God be glorified, and this should be evident in the life of believers today. 

Amen!

Reading: Haggai 1:-1-12

Ref: HG SB 

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Fullness Of Salvation

Zephaniah 3:17  

"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; 

he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; 

he will rest in his love, he will

 joy over thee with singing." 

    Here Zephaniah describes the blessings of God's presence, power, and protection to His chosen people. He promises them that they will be restored to their land and that all those who had persecuted Israel will be punished. God also reveals how He would make their fame known once again throughout the world. The ultimate fulfillment of these blessings will occur during the millennial reign of Christ, "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel," (Rev 21:3, 21:7, 21:12). 

    However My Friends, For the believer, these promises can provide comfort as well. In a world of turmoil and persecution,God reveals His presence, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," (Heb 13:5b). His power, "I have written unto you, young man, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have over come the wicked one," ( 1 John 2:14 b, c,). His Protection, "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand,"   (John 10: 29). Brothers and sisters in Christ; "Let's all stand fast and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every opportunity and what ever means we have. The Word Of God Must Be Shared!!!  There will come a day when we will have the fullness of Salvation!

Amen!

Reading: (Zephaniah 3:17-19)

Ref: (HGSB)       

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

The Arresting Hand Of God

Galatians 1:11 

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which

was preached of me is not after man." 

    It was Paul's contention that the gospel he preached was no second hand tale; it had come to him direct from God. That was a big claim to make and it demanded some kind of proof. For that proof Paul had the courage to point to himself and to the radical change in his own life. He had been a fanatic for the law; and now the dominant center of his life was grace. This man, who had with passionate intensity tried to earn God's favor, was now content in humble faith to take what he lovingly offered. He had ceased to glory in what he could do for himself; and had begun to glory in what God had done for him.
    Every effect must have an adequate cause. When a man is proceeding headlong in one direction and suddenly turns and proceeds headlong in the opposite direction; he suddenly reverses all his values so that his life turns upside down; some explanation is required. For Paul the explanation was the direct intervention of God.

    God sends every man into the world with a part to play in his purpose. It may be a big part or it may be a small part. It may be to do something of which the whole world will know or something of which only a few will ever know.

    My Friends, What ever your part may be or has been in God's plan, remember not to do things for your glory, but do them for the glory in what God has done for you.

Amen!

Reading: Gal. 1:11-17

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

What Determines A Man's Character

 1John 1:5 

"This then is the message which we have heard of him,

and declare unto you, that God is light,  

and in him is no darkness at all" 

    A man's own character will necessarily be determined by the character of the god whom he worships; and, therefore, John begins by laying down the nature of the God and Father of Jesus Christ whom Christians worship. God, he says, is light, and there is no darkness in him. What does this statement tell us about God?

    It tells us that he is splendour and glory. There is nothing so glorious as a blaze of light piercing the darkness. To say that God is light tells us of his sheer splendor.  It tells us that God is self-revealing. Above all things light is seen; and it illumines the darkness round about it. To say that God is light is to say that there is nothing secretive or furtive about him. He wishes to be seen and to be known by men.

    It tells us of God's purity and holiness. There is none of the darkness which cloaks hidden evil in God. That he is light speaks to us of his white purity and stainless holiness. It tells us of the guidance of God. It is one of the great functions of light to show the way. The road that is lit is the road that lights the way. To say that God is light is to say that he offers his guidance for the footsteps of men.

    It tells us of the revealing quality in the presence of God. Light is the great revealer. Flaws and stains which are hidden in the shade are obvious in the light. Light reveals the imperfections in any piece of workmanship or material. So the imperfections of life are seen in the presence of God.
    My Friends, We can never know either the depth to which life has fallen or the height to which it may rise until we see it in the revealing light of God.

Amen!

Reading: 1John 1:5-10

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Word Of Life

1John 1:1 

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes, which we have

looked upon, and our hands have

handled, of the Word of life;"

    The gospel message is called the "Word of God." It is not a human discovery; it comes from God. It is news of God which man could not have discovered for himself. Frequently the gospel message is called the word of the Lord (Acts. 8:25; Acts. 12:24; Acts. 13:49; Acts. 15:35; 1Thess. 1:8; 2Thess. 3:1). It is not always certain whether the Lord is God or Jesus, but more often than not it is Jesus who is meant. The gospel is, therefore, the message which God could have sent to men in no other way than through his son Jesus.

    The gospel message is twice called the word of hearing.That is to say, it depends on two things, on a voice ready to speak it and an ear ready to hear it, (1Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:2). The gospel message is the word of the Kingdom (Matt. 13:19). It is the announcement of the kingship of God and the summons to render to God the obedience which will make a man a citizen of the kingdom.

     At the heart of the gospel is the Cross on which is shown to man the final proof of the forgiving, sacrificing, seeking love of God. With the coming of the gospel it is no longer necessary to guess and grope for Jesus Christ has brought to us the truth about God.

    It is by the power of the gospel that a man is enabled to break from the power of evil and to rise to the righteousness which is pleasing in the sight of God. The gospel is the health-giving word. It is the antidote which cures the poison of sin and the medicine which defeats the disease of evil.

    My Friends, The gospel is the word of life.  It is through its power that a man is delivered from death and enabled to enter into eternal life through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Amen!

Reading: 1John 1:1-4

Devotional Scriptures

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Ministry Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry