The Best Is Yet To Come

Psalm 129:2

"Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: 

yet they have not prevailed against me."

      For as long as high school yearbooks have been around, there has also been the tradition of predicting classmates’ futures. Who is most likely to succeed? Who is most likely to be the next leader, or to find a cure for cancer? And as it typically happens, the most popular kids warrant the greatest destinies and the less popular kids are often overlooked.

      But, more often than not, that’s not how things work out. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Those who flourished in high school often shock us with the direction they choose in life, while others who we may not have noticed go on to succeed beyond our wildest dreams. Why? Because it’s not really how we start off in life that matters, it’s about how we finish. It’s about the choices we make and the actions we take in between.

      Here the psalmist describes the plight of the Jewish people. Oppressed since their youth, "the plowers plowed upon my back:" (v.3), the Jewish people have had a history filled with tragedies, while those who oppressed them lived the good life. Yet, that’s not how the story will end. While the nations who oppressed the Jews have enjoyed their moments of fame and fortune, in this psalm it reads, "Let them be as the grass upon the house tops, which withereth afore it growrth up:" (v.6), their good fortune will be short lived.

      Anyone who has tended a garden knows that weeds are easy to grow. They can spring up almost anywhere and grow big and strong very quickly. Trees, on the other hand, take time and nurturing in order to flourish. It takes years before the sprout grows into a sapling, which turns into a tree that eventually bears fruit. Yet we all know which is more valuable in the long run. No one wants a weed in their garden, and everyone wants fruit.

      Each day we are given the opportunity to choose between that which is easy and fast and that which is more difficult and slow. The fast and easy track is attractive, but doesn’t bear fruit. The slow and hard track is intimidating, but has the most potential. Let our daily prayer be that we have the courage and strength to make wise choices that sow seeds which, in time, will bear much fruit. 

Amen!

Reading: (Psalm 129)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

Instill Prayer In Daily Living

Colossians 4:5  

"Walk in wisdom toward them that are 

without, redeeming the time." 

      Our lives cannot maintain the God ward attitude without daily communication with Him through the Word. This is so important that we must be on the watch against whatever might mar the life of devotion. We Must Pray More! Intercession will often unlock frostbitten lips and make our souls glow. If we are shut in and cannot perform active service, we can surely pray for those who are entrusted with the mystery of Christ; and let those who are called to active service be ready to step in when God opens the door.

      It is not easy to walk in wisdom towards those that are without. But God will teach us how to take up opportunities and crowd each of them with good service. Our talk may sparkle like salt and purify as it does. Paul bound his fellow workers to himself by the high estimate he placed on them. Probably we should have thought some of these men to be very ordinary, but the Apostle saw them clearly from his own heart. Onesimus, a runaway slave, recently converted, is described as a faithful and beloved brother! My Friend's, let us open our hearts and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ as Apostle Paul had done in his life time.
Amen!

Reading: (Col 4:2-9)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

With The Help Of God

Psalm 127:1, 2

"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except

the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain 

for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of 

sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep."

      ''With the help of God." This isn’t something that people say occasionally, rather it’s something that is said multiple times throughout the day.  Whether we are going to meet friends for coffee or on our way to an important business meeting, everything we do is through the help of God. From the big stuff to the smallest issues, everything we do requires the help of God.

      King David was informed that he would not be the one to build the House of God. It had been David’s dream to build the Temple in Jerusalem, but it was a dream that he would never realize. Instead, David’s son Solomon was given the task. "He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." (2 Samuel 7:13). As disappointed as David must have been at that moment, he accepted God’s decision with grace. In this psalm, I believe David shares with us clearly what allowed him to accept God’s will and move on; "Faith In God."

      David shared one more example that especially hits home for us today. "It is vain for you to rise up early, to setup late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep" (Ps. 127:2).  No matter how early one gets up in the morning, or how late one goes to sleep, or how hard one works all day, it does not determine how much money one will earn. God will provide for whom He chooses, regardless of how hard we try. Now, of course, this isn’t to say that our actions and efforts aren’t necessary. Our personal commitment is critical and beloved by God. Yet we have to put our efforts into the proper perspective. They are only as successful as God wills them to be.

      When we are successful, we must acknowledge that it is only because of God’s help. We must remember to thank God and enjoy our successes humbly. On the other hand, when we fail, that is also the hand of God. We must accept our disappointments like David did with humility, acceptance, and grace, knowing that God’s will reigns supreme and everything He does is for the very best.

Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 127:)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

Set Your Affection on Things Above

Colossians 3:1  

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, 

where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection 

on things above, not on things on the earth."

      Let us repeat the glorious truth, which was doubtless the heart of Paul’s teaching, that our old nature has been nailed in Christ to the Cross, and laid in the grave; and that our real self,(IE) the second Adam, has entered the new world of resurrection. We belong to the world which Jesus said, "Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17). 
     We must guard against the defiling touch of the world, of sin, and of the old self-life. We stand between two worlds, each solicits us: let us yield to the influences that pull us upward, and not to those that anchor us to this sinful and vain world. Our eternal blessedness has begun, let us walk in it.
     In Christ we profess to have put off the old man, i.e., the habits of our former life,  now let us actually do so, in the power of the Holy Spirit. We profess to have put on the risen Christ, now let us put on the attire and habits of the new man. Too many Christians resemble Lazarus, quickened from his death sleep, but still arrayed in grave clothes. Too few array themselves in the radiant beauty of the risen Lord, which is the common heritage of all who believe in Him.
Amen!


Reading: (Col. 3:1-11)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Count It All Joy

James 1:2

"My brethren count it all joy when

ye fall into divers temptations;"

       "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations."  Does James mean to say that all trials are joyful?  Certainly not.  Rather, he indicates what the attitude of the heart should be in time of trouble.  Present trials should be considered in the light of what will be best and most beneficial for us in the end.  We can rejoice that the trail will result in the acquisition of knowledge and experience.
       We can be glad that the testing will result in God's setting His own divine approval upon our faith.  We ought to be happy that God is working out His secret purposes for us and in us. Testings are God's way of cultivating and strengthening our faith and of producing patience in us. It is the outcome in which we find our joy, not in the trial itself.

       The Christians life demands constancy, expectancy, and perseverance under a multitude of circumstances and pressures. All of the situations tend to produce patience at the same time that they are exhibiting the genuineness of our faith. When patience has it's full effect in our life, it leads on into perfection, into completion, wanting nothing.  
       My Friend, "This does not mean sinless perfection."  When faith and obedience have been tried and the believer comes through victoriously, the purpose of God has been accomplished.  Patience under trial will enable the believer to bear all the trials, gain every advantage, and attain the divine purpose in them until at last the heavenly and final goal is reached.    
AMEN!!  

Reading: (James 1:2-4)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

The Work Of Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 7:10

"Say not thou, What is the cause that the former

days were better than these? for thou dost

not inquire wisely concerning this." 

       We’ve all been there. At the start of a diet and then several weeks into it, it's over. At the beginning of a new initiative and then a few months later, gotten no where. The moment we make a decision to make a significant change and then a year down the line, the big change fissile's out. When we start something new, whether it’s a do-it-yourself home project or a change in lifestyle, we are filled with excitement and motivation in the beginning.

       However, the inspiration is hard to sustain, and we often find ourselves out of steam later on. The initial excitement has worn off and all that’s left is the hard work. Yet, truly, that moment is the most defining of all. If we can persevere when inspiration has worn off, we will conclude with even more excitement and joy than when we began.

       Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?’ those days were not out of wisdom."  Those first days of inspiration were a gift from God, to get you going and started. However, those actions were not the product of hard work and thought. Now, it’s time to reclaim "good days," but this time through your own sweat and perseverance based on your wisdom and determination.

       When the passion wears off and we get depressed, that’s precisely when it’s time to press on. God might gift us with excitement at the start of something new in order to get us moving, but it’s up to us to carry on when things get tough. If you are going through a slump or feel that you are lacking the passion you once had, don’t get down. Instead of acting from passion, lead with wisdom until you reach your goal and reclaim even more inspiration than before. 

Amen!!

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Live On The Positive Side

Colossians 2:16, 17

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or

in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or

of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of

things to come; but the body is of Christ."

       As believers what we do, emphasizes our close identification with our Savior, and should show that we are in the purpose of God, and be in daily experience, and in union with Him having forever put away the sins of the flesh. Our Master’s victory is potentially ours. He won it, but we may share its fruits. Yet faith must apprehend and affirm these blessings. The land of Canaan is ours by right, but every inch has to be claimed by faith. "Faith is an affirmation and act that bids eternal truth." 
      We must not allow our religious life to become a piece of outward ritual, Col. 2:16,17  or permit the supposed mediation of angels to obscure the supreme majesty of our Lord, Col 2:18,19. We who have died with Christ must not be always regulating ourselves by the don’ts of the Law. Let us enter with more intimate fellowship  with our Lord, and live on the positive side. Ours should be the freedom of a full life, with a clear view of our eternal home Nothing else really avails against the indulgence of the flesh.
Amen!!

Reading: (Col. 2: 13-23)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

Be Aware Of Perpetual Backsliding!!

Jeremiah 8:5

"Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back 

by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast 

deceit, they refuse to return."

      As the horse rushes madly to the fight, so were the people set on evil. The very birds that were sensitive to the laws of migration, and obeyed the call of the sunnier climate, were more impressible than the Chosen People. God often calls us out of the stormy winter blasts to lands of sunny fellowship, but we will not heed.
      In Jer. 5:10  we read of a description of the desolation about to visit the land. Notwithstanding the promises of false prophets, the invader overran the country and the exiled people readily begin to question why such a fate had fell upon them. To this there was but one answer. Their sin had cut them off from God’s protecting care.
      Is not this the reason why harvests pass and summers end, and the years roll on, and still you are not saved? There is salve for your wounds, and a physician for your healing, but you do not help yourselves to them. At that point God’s love is powerless, no matter how much He desires to help you, "until you return." The Father would do anything for the prodigal son, but He has no chance so long as the prodigal son remains in the far land.
Amen!

Reading: (Jer. 8:4-22)
               (Jer. 5:10-21)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Wide Spread Corruption

Jeremiah 5:2  

"And though they say, The LORD liveth; 

surely they swear falsely."

      God was prepared to spare Jerusalem on lower terms than even Sodom, and yet He was driven to destroy her. Both poor and rich had alike "broken the yoke and burst the bonds." The description of the onset of the Chaldean's is very graphic. They settle down upon the land as a flock of locusts, but still the Chosen People refuse to connect their punishment with their sin. It never occurred to them that the failure of the rain, the withering of their crops, and the assault of their enemies, were all connected with their sin. There is nothing unusual in this perception for as we read the history of our own times, men are equally enable at connecting national disaster with national sin.
      How good it would be if the national cry of today were that of Jeremiah. "Neither say they in their hearts, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in season; he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you," (Jer 5:24-25). My Friends, let us never forget how great and powerful our God is, and how small we really are.
Amen!!

Reading: (Jer. 5:1-31)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Speak To Your Heart

Proverbs 18:21

"Death and life are in the power of the

tongue: and they that love it shall

eat the fruit thereof." 

      How much do our words matter? What if we say something hurtful, but no one is around to hear it? What if we aren’t speaking to God, but just talking to ourselves? Do those words matter? How much power can air and sound have on our lives? According to a verse in Proverbs, our words fully determine our lives. King Solomon put it this way: "The tongue has the power of life and death" Our words are everything. 

      When we say something that comes straight from our heart, it enters the heart of the person we are speaking to. So, for example, if we tell someone that everything is going to be all right, they will receive the message and believe much more deeply if we really mean it. In fact, when Moses told the Israelites that they were going to be redeemed from Egypt, they weren’t able to receive the message because of their"defeated spirit" (Exodus 6:9). However, could it be that it wasn’t the Israelites’ defeated spirit that was the problem? It was Moses’ spirit. Had he truly believed in his message and delivered it wholeheartedly, it would have been received and believed? Speaking with sincerity and passion is far more important than being eloquent or exciting. If we want to reach our children, friends, family, or anyone at all, we need to speak from the heart. When we speak from our heart, the words we say return to our hearts 
      Just as the physical heart pumps blood through the body by sending out clean blood that then returns to the heart, allowing the body to function healthily, so then, the mouth is the heart of the soul. What we say, what we put out there, returns to us in the most powerful way possible. So if we say things that are positive, praising God, being thankful for what have, and affirming life all  that positive energy returns to our soul. It affects how we live and what we receive from God. Yet, if we speak words of negativity, gossip, or complain in a bitter hopeless way, these unhealthy words, too, return to our heart and to our soul in a negative way. Today, let’s take this teaching most seriously. Speak only good words from your heart so that they may return to you tenfold

Amen!

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

A Call To Serve

Isaiah 6:1  

"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the 

Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, 

and his train filled the temple." 

      Kings die; Jesus lives! We are here reminded of Acts 22:17-18, "And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me." 

      How great the contrast between the worship of these seraphim in the Unseen Holy and man’s hasty, and halfhearted rites! Six wings: two for meditation, two for humility, and two for service. Service should take only a third of our energy. One cry unto another, and one inspired spirit will awaken others. The threefold repetition of the word holy, implies the Trinity; and my friend if door posts tremble, how much more should the hearts of sinful men tremble! 

      Isaiah, in the previous chapter, had uttered six woes against others, but his seventh and sorest woe is against himself. The sinner, like the leper, cries, Unclean! Lev. 13:45. The seraph did not wait to be told; he knew that there was only one cure for such need as the prophet’s, Is. 6:9-13. When men refuse God’s offered grace, every refusal hardens. It is either “the savor of death unto death” or of “life unto life,” 2 Cor. 2:16. The life of the oak and the terebinth (A small tree from the cashew family that was formerly a source of turpentine) only seems to become extinct in winter; there is revival in the spring. Is it winter with you? Pray for the springtime! 

Amen!!

Reading: (Is. 6;1-13)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life  Ministry

 

 

Our Kinsman Redeemer

Ruth  2:20

"And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he 

of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the 

living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, 

The man  is near of Kin unto us, one

of our next Kinsmen."  

      Redeemer, Avenger, Kinsman-helper. What do these combination of words mean? The main idea is that of buying back something. It could be a field or a farm. "If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, than shall be redeem that which his brother sold," (Lev. 25:25). Something consecrated to God (Lev 27:20, 31).

A slave, (Lev 25:48, 49). God is the Redeemer of Israel, repurchasing them from the slavery of sin, (Is. 43:1-3). 

      Boaz was willing to perform the duty of next to kin to redeem a piece of land so it could stay in the family, but there was a man who was a closer relative. However, the plans of the closer relative were complicated by the need to contract a "levirate marriage," Therefore, the other relative deferred to Boaz, who willingly married Ruth.  

      The three requirements to be a kinsman-redeemer were: relationship, financial ability, and willingness (Lev 25:25, 48, 49). Boaz fulfilled all three requirements, after the nearest kin was unwilling to (Ruth 4:1-8). These requirements help us to understand why Christ, as our kinsman- redeemer, had to come as a man (Relationship) who was also fully God (Ability), and voluntarily accept the cost of redeeming His people (Willingness, Matt. 26:39, 42).  

Amen!

Reading: (Ruth:41:1-12)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

Something Better

Ezekiel 44:28

"And it shall be unto them for an inheritance:

I am their inheritance: and ye shall give

them no possession in in Israel:

I am their possession." 

       Remember loading your grandchildren in the car, and taking them with you to Walmart?  On the ride there you probably heard them whispering to each other or "yelling" from the back seat what they wanted. So you get to the front door of Walmart, and they start yelling "candy isle, candy isle," however you already had something in mind. So of course you say No "Lets go on to what I need to get." That's when the screaming and crying starts, but little did they know that you were getting them "Something Better."  It’s hard when we don’t get what we want, whether we are 2 or 92! But hopefully, with age, we learn that often when we don’t get what we want, it’s because God has something better in mind. 

      Unlike all the other Israelites, the members of the tribe of Levi, who would serve as the priests, would not be given a portion in the land in Israel. Now, doesn’t that seem unfair? The priests served God more than anyone else. They dedicated their lives to service. And in return, they were the only ones who were not allowed to possess land? One could argue that they should be compensated with a double portion of land!

      However, as the verse explains, the Levites got something even better than land; they received God. On a practical level this meant that the Levites didn’t have to be bogged down with the worries and toil of owning land. They were given places to live and sustenance to live on. This freed them to be completely dedicated to God without concerns of the material world. On a spiritual level, the Levites were given the gift of connecting with God in a deeper way than the rest of the nation. This spiritual connection was one that they would enjoy for all eternity.

      My Friends, when we don’t get what we want, it’s because God has something much better to give us. Often enough, that “something better” is God Himself!!

Amen!!

Reading:(Ezek. 44:28-31)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Sowing Seeds

Psalm 126: 6 

"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious

seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,

bringing his sheaves with him." 

      Israelis have spent much time weeping as they sowed the seeds of a new country. Some of those sacrifices have come in the form of working long days in the hot sun; others have come in the form of the ultimate sacrifice; losing a loved one or one’s own life.

They have seen much fruit and today Israel is a beautiful country with a thriving economy. However, they have not achieved their goal of being a safe people in their own land. Israelis still suffer from terror, war, and the loss of life. Is it worth it? I say,Yes! "Our sacrifices, be it an individual or a nation if they are for the sake of the whole Jewish people, then I believe with all my heart that any price is worthwhile.”

      Sometimes individuals or nations have to make difficult decisions for the sake of future generations. But remember, the freedom and prosperity that we enjoy today came from the blood, tears, and yes, sometimes the lives, of those who came before us. We owe it to them to do what they did for us, for our own children. Though we may weep as we plant, there will be joy in the future.

      My Friends, right now we live in a free nation; However our Government is making movements so that any thing a person, small business or large company's try to establish, "The Government some how has to been involved." The hardest battle they well have from me; is trying to take "My Freedom To Worship My Lord And Saviour Jesus Christ!!"   

Amen!!

Reading; (Ps. 126)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

         

Cain And Abel's Offering

Ephesians 6:7

"With good will doing service, as to

the Lord, and not to men:"

      After Eden, Adam and Eve gave birth to two boys; First Cain and then Abel. Abel keep sheep, and Cain tilled the ground.  Now time had passed and Cain brought an offering of fruit of the ground, before the Lord. Abel also brought an offering, he brought the firstlings from his flock and of the fat there of. The Lord had respect for Abel's offering, but he had no respect for Cain's offering.Why? 

      It was not because Cain's offering was bloodless. Many of The Old Testament offerings were bloodless (as meal and meat offerings). The difference was in the hearts of the two men. Abel offered in faith, while Cain did not. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb. 11:4). 

      Respect = Faith, God seen and felt that in Abel but not in Cain. Only when we offer in faith do our sacrifices and service of men please God. "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relive the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow" (Is. 1:16-17). 

Amen!

 Reading: (Gen. 4:1-9)

                (Eph. 6:5-7)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

    

Sinless Life, Became A Life "Cursed By Sin"

Genesis 3:8

"And they heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden

in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid 

themselves from the presence of the 

Lord God amongst the trees 

of the garden."  

      They were without sin because they knew no Sin. They were not born through man but through God. Placed in a garden to live, where they lived in peace; "Until Eve was tempted by Satan, at the tree of Knowledge of good and evil." There may have been many other reasons for the tree of Knowledge of good and evil, but for Adam and Eve, it functioned as a test of "Obedience." They had to choose whether to obey God or break His commandments.

      However, Eve did eat fruit from the tree, than Adam followed suit. Since they both ate from the tree of Knowledge of good and evil; "The Forbidden Fruit" the consequences of their actions became self evident. They found themselves in a different relationship with God because of "Disobedience to His commandments," therefore sin enter the world at that point. Even though Eve ate the Forbidden fruit first, Adam and Eve were both responsible for their action's; However; the first Sin was Called "The Sin of Adam."  "But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously with me." (Hosea 6:7). "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come" (Rom. 5:12-14).    
      The question that faced Adam and Eve are the same one's that face us today. Which path should be chosen? What kind of relationship do I want with God?  My Friend, when you answer those two question's, answer with your heart, not your mind.
Amen!

Reading: (Gen. Chap. 1,2,3)
               (Rom. 5: 12-21)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

              

Go Through Joy

Isaiah 55:12:

"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: 

the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you 

into singing, and all the trees of the field

shall clap their hands." 

      Most people go through life feeling as though happiness is a destination. It’s what we strive toward, what we hope to achieve one day. We tell ourselves that when this or that happens, we will be happy only to find out that when one problem is solved, another arises.

However, we must teach that happiness is not a place, but a path. It’s not a destination, but a way. We don’t go to joy; rather, we go through joy.

      In the book of Isaiah we read,"You will go out in joy." The context of the verse is talking about the Jewish people leaving the exile and returning to the Promised Land. The exile is both a literal term which described the physical exile of the Jewish people from the land of Israel and a figurative concept.

      We are all striving to reach our own promised land, where we can be our true selves and live our best lives. The verse in Isaiah teaches us that the way to get from exile to redemption, from our broken lives to our redeemed lives, is through joy. Joy is the key that unlocks all doors.

This idea is so radically different than conventional thinking because it demands that we be joyful, not wait until circumstances line up so that we might feel joy. It implies that it’s possible to feel joy even when our lives are difficult. It requires us to make joy our way of life instead of spending our lives trying to attain it.

      Life can be tough, and God continually challenges us. But God also wants us to be happy, and we can be. Don’t underestimate the power of joy. Living with joy in your heart, enables closeness to God, success, and understanding. Don’t wait to be happy, make up your mind to be happy every day, starting right now.
Amen!

Reading: Is. (55:8-13)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Surrounded by Grace

Psalms 125: 1-2

"They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which

cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the

mountains are round about Jerusalem, so

the Lord is round about his people 

from henceforth even forever."

      Once we are born, we leave the safe haven of our mother’s womb, but we can enter into a new one. We can reside, if we so choose, within the shelter of our loving God. Like the pillars of clouds surrounding the children of Israel in the desert, God’s protection and love is available to us at all times.

      If you look at a map of the Middle East, the reality is intimidating. The tiny country of Israel is surrounded by hostile enemies on all sides, except for one, where she is bordered by the sea. The Arab world is 800 times larger than Israel. Indeed, she is outnumbered and also outgunned. This is her physical reality.

      But there is another reality surrounding Israel, and in particular, her capital, Jerusalem. Look at a topographical map of Jerusalem and the areas around her, and you may notice that Jerusalem is completely surrounded by mountains. Like the petals of a rose, Jerusalem is surrounded by beauty, grace, and protection. The mountains around Jerusalem symbolize God’s protection that exists all around us. God serve as a barrier between the righteous and their enemies.

      My Friends, there are always two ways that we can see our reality. We can see the challenges that surround us, or the grace that envelopes us. Yes, there is evil and difficulty in our world, but there is also God’s protection. God is our refuge, a haven, a womb. When we have faith in God’s protection, then everything else surrounding us becomes irrelevant. As the saying goes,"“Don’t tell God how big your storm is; tell your storm how big your God is." When we focus on the grace that surrounds us, that is all we will experience and all that we will see.

Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 125)

Ref:(HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr.

The Cross life Ministry