A Pledge To God

                                                              My Pledge
    
            I will always give my loyalty to, "God The Farther"  "God The Son"  And   "God The Holy Spirit".  I will always stand up for Jesus, He will always dwell in my heart.  I will always listen and follow the Holy Spirit, for He will guide me on the path of Righteousness and Truth.  "God will always have His loving hand over me and Christ Jesus footsteps will I follow till the end of time".  When I live my last day in this world; It will be my best for, I shall pass from death unto eternal life and spend my time with, "God", "Jesus" and my "Wife"

                                                  "SAVE A PLACE FOR ME"

Easter With Jesus !

               May God Bless You
                And Your Families

             Minister Robert A. Lail
            The Cross Life Ministry  

Heal And Feed

                                                            Matthew 15:32
                                       "I have compassion on the multitude, because"
                                            "They continue with me now three days"

          Whatever our case is, the only way to find ease and relief, is to lay it at the feet of Jesus and give it to Him for disposal. Those who would have spiritual healing from Christ, must be ruled as he pleases. Look at what sin has made; all the various diseases human bodies are subject to. Here were such diseases that could neither guess the cause, or the cure, however these were subject to the command of Christ. The cures that Christ works are spiritual and wonderful. Blind souls are made to see by faith, the dumb to speak in prayer, the lame to walk in holy obedience. His power was also shown by the plentiful provision He made for them: All did eat, and were filled.
          Whoever Christ feeds, He fills. With Christ there is always enough with some to spare; There is grace for those that seek it, and so much more for those who don't seek it. Why did Christ send the people away after healing and feeding? We can't look for miracles to find our way in life. We must ask the Lord to increase our faith, and pardon our unbelief. Teach us to live on thy fulness and bounty, for all things pertaing to this life, and that which is to come.

                                                           May God Bless You
                                                            And Your Families

                                                                                 Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                 The Cross Life Ministry        

             

That I Am

                                                              Exodus 13:14
                                         "And God said unto Moses, I Am That I am"

         Even if you have a difficult time in English grammar, you're not likely to get mixed up when referring to yourself and the passage of time. You say,  "I was" yesterday,  "I am" today, and  "I will be tomorrow. But when God describes His existence He doesn't do it that way, since He is eternal. He always was, and He always will be. That means---- hang on now---- that He always is. He can view everything, whether past or future, as if it were present. He can say,  "I am" yesterday, "I am" today, and  "I am" tomorrow.
         This timelessness is such an essential part of God's nature that He even uses it as one of His wonderful names. Remember when Moses was commissioned by God to return to Egypt and lead the children out of  bondage?  Moses insisted that he wasn't the man for the job. But God said, "Certainly I will be with thee" But just like we do today , we question God saying,  "Are you sure you want me to do this for you".
         All we need to Remember is what God told Moses. Tell them that, "The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you."  Better yet; call out God's name,  "I AM THAT I AM"  told me to do this for you.  If you believe as I do; A God big and great enough to be named "I AM" is sufficient for me.

                                                          May God Bless You
                                                           And Your Families

                                                                                  Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                  The Cross Life Ministry  

Selected By The Father

                                                                 Ephesians 1:4
                                             "According as he hath chosen us in him"
                                                "before the foundation of the world"

          Long before the world was created, according to verse 4, God chose us to be "holy and without blame before him." And, of course, this standing depends upon our being "in him"---that is, in Christ.  Apart from Jesus Christ, we have no righteousness and no blamelessness. So what we are now we owe to Divine providence. It seems best to link the phrase "in love"  (verse 4) with the words which follow in verse 5.  In love God marked us out for receiving  "the adoption of children".  No one dictated this to God; it is entirely the product of  "the good pleasure of his will". But what does this adoption refer to?
         Adoption refers to our standing before God as His mature sons and rightful heirs. As such, we enjoy wide-ranging privileges and responsibilities. Our adoption occurred the moment we turned from sin and received the Saviour. At that precise moment the Holy Spirit took up residence in our hearts, teaching us to call God "Father."

                                                            May God Bless You
                                                             And Your Families

                                                                                        Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                        The Cross Life Ministry

The Flesh Life

                                                               Galatians 5:16
                                                  "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,"
                                              "And ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh"

          It is a mistake to think that the flesh can produce good works. Paul made it very plain that the flesh produces only evil works, which you will find listed in Galatians 5:19-21. As soon as Adam lost for himself and the human race, original righteousness, the flesh reared its ugly head. His son, Cain, exhibited these attitudes of the flesh:  jealousy, hatred, and anger in his brutal act of fratricide (Genesis 4:8). Later the generation of Noah displayed works of the flesh:  fornication, violence, drunkenness, and revellings (Genesis 6:1-4, 11-13).
        You could study every generation from Adam to the present and witness the evil activity of the flesh. As you already know, our age is no more spiritual than the former ones. We can honestly admit that the works of the flesh are still all to common. We my friends are in a spiritual bankruptcy of our times. "I used to say that this world is going to hell in a hand basket. Why should the hand basket burn.     

Stand Out

                                                             Romans 12;2
                                       "And be not conformed to this world, but be ye"
                                          "Transformed by the renewing of your mind"

        When you tell others that you are a Christian; will it change the way they look at you. I would hope so. The reason I say this is that as Christians we should talk, act, and perform different. We are called to stand out. There should be something different about us. If we don't stand out, if there is not something unique or different in our lives, we should re-evaluate ourselves.
        We should always strive to do our best for God. Never let others direct your personal life, remember God has a plan made for you already. The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of the encounter with Christ.
         As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death------we give ourselves over to death (the sin debt is wipe away). Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ.

                                                        May God Bless You
                                                         And Your Families

                                                                                   Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                   The Cross Life Ministry  

Marriage is Friendship

                                                            Matthew 19:6
                                    "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh"

         When you got married or when you do get married to the person you love; someone probably told you or will tell you this. "Don't ever tell your wife or husband everything, that way there will always be a mystery in the marriage. That my friend is a big mistake. If you start with secrets and really not knowing you spouse, you'll go through the marriage knowing them less. It fails to recognize the meaning of marriage and the meaning of love.
          Transparency is the law of marriage and the couple must strive for it untiringly at the cost of confessions which are always new and sometimes hard. The maintenance part of the marriage is this:  They must strive unceasingly to re-establish this Transparency for it constantly becomes tarnished, without them knowing why.
          Speaking from experience :  The best way to misunderstand your spouse is to think you know them. For when you do, you don't seek to understand them any longer. It is always through the exchange of secrets that man and wife re-establish their unity and develop the marriage. Why? Because the secrets becomes embedded between the two.
         Transparency is no small matter for it must continually be renewed and it will overcome new obstacles. I pray that your marriage or future marriage will be as fulfilling as my late wife's and mine was. Remember there is nothing better than a true friend, and that happens only once in a lifetime; "Your Mate"

                                                       May God Bless You
                                                        And Your Families

                                                                                     Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                     The Cross Life Ministry      



  

Meaning of Forgiveness

                                                            Psalm 130 : 4
                                             "But there is forgiveness with you"

        Good out of evil, that is the strange history of this world, whenever we learn God's character. No thanks to us. Our sin dishonoured us, though it will honour God. By our intentions, and not by results, are our actions judged.The more you forgive the less difficult it is to do. No one can permanently injure us but ourselves. No one can dishonour us: They spat on Christ. Did that sully the purity of the one, or lower the Divine of the other?  No! Christ forgot the injury. He spake kindly to them, comforted them, and told them fear not.  We must combined forgiving and forgetting together. Why?  No forgiveness is complete which does not join forgetfulness. So the true meaning of forgiveness is the forgiveness that Christ gives.  Because what he forgave He forgot. We therefore must do the same if we are to give, "True Forgiveness"

                                      ""You Forgive Only As Far As You Forget"" 

                                                     May God Bless You
                                                      And Your Families 

                                                                               Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                               The Cross Life Ministry

Judging Others

                                                             Matthew 7:1
                                              "Judge not, that ye be not judged"

          In Matthew 7:1-5:  Christ is not telling us to avoid evaluating people or using our God given wisdom.   The world is full of false Christians and even ministers of Satan.  As never before, Christians must be alert and must "try the spirits." What Christ is condemning is harsh judgement and unjust criticism of men's motives. Note that He uses the symbol of the eye. In 6:22-23, Christ defined "the eye" as the spiritual outlook of a person, that which motivates his life. Every believer has the obligation to test men by their fruits   but no Christian should ever judge a man's motives.  Romans 14 and I Cor. 4:5.
         This command of Christ does not prohibit church discipline. He tells us to face disobedient Christians honestly, examine the evidence, and deal with sin decisively. The Christian who says that Church discipline is not Scriptural should read  II Thess. 3:11-15.
         Christ gives us the right to help others "After" we have straightened out our own lives. He did not say that it was wrong for you to help your brother get rid of the sin in his life; but He did say that first you should take care of your own sin. In other words, we should be as severe with others as we are with ourselves. Christ points out two dangers in the life of the Christian who judges others:  (1) That judgement will come back to him.  (2) He becomes blind to his own needs and eventually needs help himself.

                                                             May God Bless You
                                                              And Your Families

                                                                                         Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                         The Cross Life Ministry  

Faith And Forgiveness

                                                              Matthew 9:2
                                     "Son be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee"
      
          This is what Jesus said to the crippled man sick with palsy, "Thy sins be forgiven." Now remember some other people brought him there to see Jesus. This man could not interact with other people. If his palsy was  complete paralysis, he probably could not even speak or make eye contact. Jesus seeing "their faith" said unto the sick of the palsy;  Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
          Now this man was healed by the faith, that Jesus saw in the one's that brought the man there. Then the scribes said that Jesus blasphemed. Why would they do that? Well all they could see was with their eyes and not there heart. The people that brought the man there saw with their heart only. They knew he was healed as soon as Jesus said; thy sins are forgiven. The scribes wanted to see action at that point, they had no ideal what Jesus was talking about.
         So Jesus answered them in a very simple way. Is it easier to say; sins be forgiven; or get up and walk. Jesus was talking about himself, for He knew that He would die on the Cross for the mans sins. Yes the real easy way would have been say get up and walk. But Christ knew that would only make them satisfied and not get His point across. You must have Faith that is from the heart and not from what you see. There is nothing impossible if you have Faith in Jesus Christ. Our heart's and thought's are known before we even ask God to do something or ask Him for something. But above all He knows are 'Faith"

                                                      May God Bless You
                                                       And Your Families

                                                                                Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                The Cross Life Ministry            

The Great Offering

                                                           Hebrews 10:10
                                        "By the which will we are sanctified through the"
                                       "offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all"

          The body of Jesus! The blood of Jesus! Every time we spread the table and set the emblems we focus our attention on both. Who can measure the value of the body and the blood? God prized the body. He refused to allow corruption to touch it in the tomb. After Christ's death none but loving hands were allowed to touch t. God prized the blood. He calls it "the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:19).

          1.  The Body of Christ  (Hebrews 10:10)
               Christ has----
                a. A mystical body: the church
                b. A memorial body: the loaf on the table
                c. A material body: His physical body in which He suffered
                    and in which He is now enthroned on high

         2.   The Blood of Jesus  (Hebrews 10:19)
                a. Its Value: sin is shown in Scripture to be----
                   (1) A disease that only blood can cure
                   (2) A debt that only blood can cancel
                   (3) A defilement that only blood can cleanse
                b. Its Virtue: it brings us nigh to God

          Our access to God; "is the blood of Jesus Christ."

                                                         May God Bless You
                                                          And Your Families

                                                                                  Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                  The Cross Life Ministry 

                                                                                                  

Treasure of Obedience

                                                            2 Corinthians 6:1
                                              "Beseech you also that ye  receive"
                                                 "Not the grace of God in vain"

          When Satan solicited Jesus' worship, our Saviour reminded him that it is the creature's duty to worship the Creator and that an essential feature of worship is service. In turn a basic ingredient in this service is obedience to God. The divine will has been expressed by the various stewardship's or dispensations which God has given to men throughout history.
         Today, it is expressed by the law of Christ which consists of those principles and precepts which are given in the  New Testament. As we willingly and lovingly obey His law, we experience His blessings and are a blessing to others.As one whose aim was to please the Lord. Apostle Paul is an example of this. Having written about the nature of his ministry, he makes several appeals to Christian readers. These appeals express the Lord's will for us who are saved.
         God's grace is His working favorably on behalf of undeserving people in response to their faith, doing for them what they cannot do for themselves. "Grace applies to Christian life as well as to salvation."

                                                      May The Grace of God
                                                         Be With You And
                                                            Your Families

                                                                              Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                              The Cross Life Ministry   
    

The Treasure of Rejoicing

                                                           2 Corinthians 7:16
                                                   "I rejoice therefore that I have"
                                                   "confidence in you in all things"

          We who are saved have a priceless treasure in our ability and cause to rejoice. Regardless of our circumstances we can always rejoice in the Lord. As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit He produces in us His fruit of joy. We have abundant cause for feeling and expressing joy. The primary cause is our relationship to God, who has reconciled us to Himself and has bestowed upon us the wealth of His grace and love. Consequently, we enjoy many blessings from his hand. One of these is the occasional experience of agreeable circumstances. These Circumstances bring us pleasure, for they are of a friendly disposition to our desires or expectations. Paul experienced this kind of joy when he found Titus in Macedonia. 

                                                   "REJOICE"  I SAY  "REJOICE"

                                                            May God Bless You
                                                             And Your Families

                                                                                      Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                      The Cross Life Ministry

Grace From The Heart

                                                               Proverbs 4:23
                                                  "Keep thy heart with all diligence"
                                                     "for out of it are issues of life"

          Grace from the heart, leads to salvation. Heads do not save. Genius, brains, brilliancy, strength, natural gifts do not save. The gospel flows through hearts. All the mightiest forces are heart forces. All the sweetest and loveliest graces are heart graces. Great hearts make great characters; great hearts make divine characters. God is love. There is nothing greater than love, nothing greater than God. Hearts make heaven; heaven is love. There is nothing sweeter, than heaven.
          It is the heart and not the head which makes God's great warriors for Christ Jesus. The heart counts in every way when decisions are made. When the heart speaks from the pulpit; The heart must hear in the pew.We serve God with our hearts. There is no room for head homage in heaven.
                             
                                    "Give Me Thy Heart,"  is God's Requisition of Men   

                                                           May God Bless You
                                                            And Your Families

                                                                                     Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                     The Cross Life Ministry   

Christian Freedom

                                                               1 Timothy 1:9  
                                                    "Knowing this, that the law is not"
                                                         "made for a righteous man"   

            As Christians we are made free from the law.... By the Grace of God and the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ it is clear, then that a christian has all that he needs in faith and needs no work to justify him. I am not saying just because we have faith in Christ; that we don't show kindness, love,and charity to others. What I am saying is just because you do good things and help the poor and go to church on Sunday; that all those things will not get you in to heaven. You see after all the good in you there is still the sin part to deal with. That my friend can only be dealt with by believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ
.                                                                    John 3:16
          Recite this Scripture with me: "For God so loved the world, that
                                                       he gave his only begotten Son, that
                                                       whosoever believeth in him should
                                                       not perish, but have everlasting life"

                                                                 May God Bless You
                                                                  And Your Families

                                                                                               Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                               The Cross Life Ministry           

What Shall I Do

                                                           The Scroll Marked V
                                                                         by
                                                                   Og Mandino

         I will live this day as if it is my last. and what shall I do with this last precious day which remains in my keeping? First, I will seal up it's container of life so that not one drop spills itself upon the sand. I will waste not a moment mourning yesterday's misfortunes, yesterday's defeats, yesterday's aches of the heart, for why should I throw good after bad?
        And what then shall I do?  Forgetting yesterday neither will I think of tomorrow. Why should I throw now after maybe? Can tomorrow's sand flow through the glass before today's? Will the sun rise twice this morning? Can I perform tomorrow's deeds while standing in today's path? Can I place tomorrow's gold in today's purse? Can tomorrow's child be born today? Can tomorrows death cast its shadow backward and darken today's joy? Should I torment my self with problems that may never come to pass? No! Tomorrow lies buried with yesterday, and I will Thank of it no more.

                                                      My Last Must Be My Best
                                 And if it is not, I shall fall to my knees and give thanks.  

                                                           May God Bless You
                                                            And your Families

                                                                                   Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                   The Cross Life Ministry
                                                                             
                                        

The Past is Past

                                                                 Luke 9:62
                                           "No man, having put his hand to the plough,
                                                      and looking back,is not fit for
                                                            the Kingdom of God"

          The past can gain a great hold on us, if we're no careful. The more we look to the past, the less we see of the future (what God has in store for us). That is the beauty of the Christian life. Even if we fail, we are able to ask for forgiveness and be totally cleansed of and released from those actions. We still need to do our part. We must let go of whatever is holding us and close that highway to the past. For it is never God that holds us back. It is always our own choosing; so let's break lose from the past and march forward  in Jesus Christ. "The Past Is Past."   "It Has No Life."

                                                 May God Bless You
                                                  And Your Families

                                                                            Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                            The Cross Life Ministry

The Marked Garment

                                                               Jeremiah 13:10
                                      This evil people which refuse to hear my words,
                                         which walk in the imagination of their heart,
                                           and walk after other gods to serve them
                                             and to worship them, shall even be as
                                              this girdle, which is good for nothing

           God told Jeremiah to get a girdle and go to the Euphrates and hide it in a hole in a rock. Then after many days had passed; God told Jeremiah to go dig up the girdle, and behold it was marred, it was no longer fit for use. God used this in order to show the people than as well as us now; how God cleaves to us because of his love for us, just as a girdle cleaves to the body.( holds it tight ). But he also shows us what happens when the girdle is taken away or marred.  (Jeremiah 13:10) says it all.  Today the Lord will close our Devotions with;  (Jeremiah13:11)  "saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory:  "But They Would Not Hear"

                                                          May God Bless You
                                                           And Your Families

                                                                                Minister: Robert A.Lail   

Seek God Diligently

                                                                Jeremiah 9:24
                                          "I will punish all them which are circumcised'
                                                        "with the uncircumcised"

         How foolish is it for men to glory in their knowledge,wisdom and riches and not God. Don't they know that things like this among others leaves them under the dominion of sin and God's wrath. Anything we do in this earthly body must be account for in the hereafter. It's like our parents used to say:  "Now you have been warned so straighten yourself up. Those who are true believers worship God in the Spirit, and turn away from worldly things. They rejoice in Jesus Christ, and have no confidence in the flesh. Let us cherish the distinction that comes from God, "Let us Seek it Diligently."

                                                          May God Bless You
                                                           And your Families

                                                                              Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                              The Cross Life Ministry
                              

Perpetual Backsliding

                                                              Jeremiah 8:5
                                           "Sliding back by a perpetual backsliding"

       This word "Backsliding" is a word that we are starting to here more and more ever day.  Jeremiah 8:5 The Bible says  "Why then is the people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return."  Well does this sound familiar to you? I am sure you have heard it put to you this way. Yes I am saved and I know Jesus Christ; "BUT" I am BACKSLIDING right now. Now That is what I call a hum dingier of a answer. That is what is called perpetual backsliding; They say they well get right with God but they never make a change. They continue in sin for a unknown duration until God steps in to get their attention or He gives them a ticket to their final resting place.
      Here is were Christians step in before it's to late. We need to witness for God and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that we can not change the direction of this world; however we can change our outcome and others in the nest by living the Gospel and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

.                                                           May God Bless You
                                                            And Your Families

                                                                                          Minister: Robert A. Lail

Trust Ye Not

                                                             Jeremiah 7:4
                                            "Trust ye not in lying words, saying"
                                                    "The temple of the Lord"

          Here Jeremiah is showing the people the folly of trusting in nonliving objects. He goes on to condemn those who feel they have special favor from God. The Jews felt that they were safe because God would protect His temple. They had already been warned by Isaiah; he told them; Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that you build unto me? Well they refused to listen, so now He makes it clear to them.
          He said He would destroy the temple just like He did in Shiloh. Even in the Day's of Jesus the Jews felt like they had a right to God's miraculous intervention. Just because they would say; "The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord" They thought that was all that was needed. This still goes on today in our time. We go to church, We help the poor, We pay our ties, We even pray to God. Some people may think that is enough, "Surprise it's not."  Matthew 7:21:  Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. So what I said before is good that we do them but......... You Must be Saved by The Blood of Jesus Christ. If you believe in Christ than you believe in God.

                                                         May God Bless You
                                                          And Your Families

                                                                                    Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                    The Cross Life Ministry       

Read The Sign

                                                         Romans 6:23
                                             "For the wages of sin is death"

        "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsake them shall have mercy" Proverbs 28:13. God desires truth in the heart of all men; and commands all men everywhere to repent. But like Pharaoh we want things our way and in our time. So we wrestle with God hoping that He will back off and let us have it our way. It did not work then and it want work now.
        For God has a strong hand and when He plays you hand in life, don't waste time trying to trump it. For when He plays that last hand with you; "It's Game Over".  At this point in life I pray that all have read the message of (Romans 5:8) "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."  Remember "For the wages of sin is death".

       If You See A Sign That Read's "REPENT" And You Don't Turn Around; You Have Gone To Far. 

                                                   May God Bless You
                                                    And Your Families

                                                                              Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                              The Cross Life Ministry  

The Untilled Ground

                                                              Jeremiah 4:3
                                              " Break up your fallow ground"

         Our hearts are open to God's Sight, therefore sin must be put away out of the heart. A sinful heart is like hard untilled ground, loaded with weeds and thorns. Just that example alone should make us, "Wake Up And Smell The Coffee."
         Our ground (heart) was lent to us, but it is fallow full of weeds and thorns. That is the natural product of a corrupt heart; Nothing can be planted in our ground (heart) until it is broken through by the Grace of God and when we have become believers in Christ. (Psalm 51:10:)  "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right Spirit within me."  Even though, as Christians our heart is strengthened by the Holy Spirit; it would not hurt to re-till ever now and then.

                                                          May God Bless You
                                                           And Your Families

                                                                                         Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                         The Cross Life Ministry       
           

Every Need Supplied

                                                               Colossians 1:19
                                               "For it pleased the Farther that in him"
                                                       "Should all fullness dwell" 

       If you are a Christian, than you have everything you need. As Paul wrote to the Colossian church, we are complete in Him. According to your day, so shall strength be given. Need love? Our Lord Jesus is the incarnation of love. Need joy? He is joy. Need peace? Christ is peace. Need patience? Christ Is patience. Need wisdom? Christ is wisdom.
       Do you need material possessions so that you can better serve Christ? They are available in Him. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. I ask you to remember His promise to supply the needs of all who trust Him. Christianity is Christ and we are complete in Him. In Him all our needs are supplied.

                                                          May God Bless You
                                                           And Your Families

                                                                                         Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                         The Cross Life Ministry       

A Better Plan

                                                        Hebrews 13:14
                                               "But we seek one to come"

            As human beings we lose our patience when things go contrary to what we want or expect. Doors close on us; and if necessary we will try to break them down. Now that was the old me, without Christ in my life. Looking back at the old me, all I see is how big a  "Fool" I was. It's a tragedy how our brothers could have been injured or were injured, due to impatience, our criticism, our thoughtlessness. As Christians we still often act this way and the entire body of Christ suffers.
           But God has given us a better plan, We can relax. We can say  "Thank You"  when the whole world is crumbling around us, because our God is sovereign and omnipotent. He holds the world in His hands and we can trust him. He love us, and He promises to fight for us. He has commanded us to cast all of our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. God came down from heaven, to be our lord and Saviour; Jesus Christ. Christ took our sins upon Himself, and gave "His Human Life for our Eternal life." He is waiting to bless and use us. But first we must have a part of the "Better Plan"  We must believe in the saving grace of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. 
                                                 "THE BETTER PLAN IS FREE"

                                                          May God Bless You
                                                           And Your Families

                                                                                       Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                       The Cross Life Ministry  

All Forgiven

                                                             "All Forgiven"
                                    
                                                       Sins against a Holy God 
                                                 Sins against His Righteous Laws
                                                 Sins against His Love; His Blood
                                                 Sins against His Name and Cause
                                             Sins immense as is the sea from them all;
                                                           "He Cleanseth Me"
     
                                                          May God Bless You
                                                           And Your Families

                                                                                     Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                     The Cross Life Ministry

Witness

                                                               John 15:8
                                 "That ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples"

          Jesus explained the importance of a fruitful witness in John 15:8:  "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."  In Matthew 4:19: Christ said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." It is our responsibility to follow Him. It is He that will make us fishers of me. All God expects of us is our belief, our trust and our obedience. We are to live Holy lives and tell others about Christ at every opportunity. But remember their response is dependent upon the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Success in witnessing is simply sharing Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.
                                            "God is the Author and Giver of All"

                                                      May God Bless You
                                                       And Your Families

                                                                                   Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                   The Cross Life Ministry

Giving Thanks Demonstrates Faith

                                                     1 Thessalonians 5:18
                                                "In every thing give thanks"

         In Romans 8:28 we read one of God's promises to us:  "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Do you believe this promise of God? If so, you logically acknowledge the reasonableness of the following command of God in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:  "In everything give thanks: for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
        Have you learned to say, "Thank you Lord," when your heart is broken because of the loss of a loved one? Do you thank God when your body is racked with pain? When you receive a "Dear John" letter terminating a love relationship?  When you have financial reverses? When you fail an exam? When a member of you family is called to a combat zone? Do you thank God when you are discriminated against personally, religiously or racially?
       You may say that only a fool would give thanks to God under such circumstances. No, not if all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. If God has commanded us to give thanks, there is a reason for it. And let me tell you, as one who has had some experience in in this area, this proved to be one of my most valuable lessons I would ever Learn. The lesson of saying;  "Thank You God" even when things would go wrong. So again; "I Think You God"

                                                 May God Bless You
                                                  And Your Families

                                                                                 Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                 The Cross Life Ministry          

Overcome The World

                                                       1 John 2:15-17
                                                 "Love Not The World"

        What is the world? "For the whole world system, based as it is on men's primitive nature, their greedy ambitions and the glamor of all that they think splendid, is not derived from the farther at all, but from the world itself" The Bible warns us in 1John 2:15-17  "Love Not The World, neither the things that are in the world. For when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; for all these worldly things, these evil desires----the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance-----this are not from God. They are from these evil world itself, And this world is fading away, and these evil forbidden things are going with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.
       I do not know anyone who is in love with this world who has ever been used of God in any significant way. There is nothing wrong with money and other material success. However, we are to wear the cloak of expressions of materialism loosely. We are to set our affection on Christ and His Kingdom, not on the material things of this world. Our Lord left us with this promise,  "But take courage; I have overcome the world."
                                                    May God Bless You
                                                     And Your Families

                                                                                   Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                   The Cross Life Ministry     
                            

Live By Faith

                                                           Galatians 3:11
                                                   "The Just shall live by faith"

        If we are to walk in the Spirit, we must live by faith. Oh, how sad to see wonderful, sincere Christians who have been deceived by a wrong emphasis on emotions. I know of nothing that has caused so much defeat among Christians. We do not live by feelings. We live by faith. According to Hebrews 11:6,  "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." In Galatians 3:11, Paul reminds us, "We live by faith."
       Valid emotional feelings are simply the by product of faith and obedience. There is nothing wrong with feelings. Thank God we have them. Do not be ashamed of feelings, but do not seek them. Never emphasize them. To seek after an emotional experience repudiates the command to live by faith and is, in fact, an insult to God. Let emotions find their proper place in your relationship with Christ.
       John 14:21 indicates that the most valid way to have an emotional experience is to be obedient to Christ. Jesus said, "He who has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves Me, and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.

                                                                  May God Bless You
                                                                   And Your Families

                                                                                                      Minister: Robert A. Lail
                                                                                                      The Cross Life Ministry