Avoid Strife In Your Life

Proverbs 20:3

 "It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: 

but every fool will be meddling."

        In Proverbs, King Solomon wrote: "It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel."  Most arguments stem from feelings of pride or uncontrollable anger. We want to prove our point and come out looking right. Yet, as the wise King tells us, when we fight for no good reason, we only embarrass ourselves and show the world our ugly side. However, when we have enough self restraint and self esteem to refrain, we are showered with honor and peace.

        Here is an old phrase that will put meaningless arguments into perspective: "A bulldog can whip a skunk any day of the week, but sometimes it realizes that the fight just isn’t worth the stink." We can choose to engage in strife, especially when we know that we have what it takes to win the argument. But we are left with a "stink." We are left with negativity and have only degraded ourselves in front of others. It’s simply not worth it.

        There is one thing my Dad taught me, or I should say, "had a hard time getting me to listen:" The person who yields to the aggressor shows greater strength than the one who chooses to fight. We need to learn to step aside when we are tempted to enter into ultimately meaningless arguments. Next time you are about to engage in strife, ask yourself if it’s worth the "stink." It’s probably not, and we would all be wise to avoid strife altogether.

        Amen!

Reading: (James 1:19-20)

               (Eccl. 7:9)

               (Rom. 12:19-21)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life  Ministry

 

Christians, We Have A Goal!

Hebrews 12:1

"Let us run with patience the

race that is set before us."

        In the Christian life we have a goal. As Christians we are not unconcerned stroller's along the byways of life; we are wayfarer's on the high road. We are not tourist, who returns each night to the place from which he started. We are like pilgrim's who are for ever on their way. The goal is nothing less than the likeness of Christ. The Christian life is going somewhere, and it would be well if, at each day's ending, we were to ask ourselves: "Am I any farther on?" 

      In Our Christian Lives we have an example. That example is Jesus Himself. For the goal that was set before Him, He endured all things; to win it meant by the way of the Cross. My Friends, if Jesus could endure like that, so must we. "Don't give up too soon.

      Amen! 

Reading: (Heb. 12:1-11)

Ref: (HG SB) 

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

What Grace Has Done

Ephesians 2:1  

"And you hath he quickened, who were 

dead in trespasses and sins;"

        We may be dead to the eternal world but we are alive to this world now, which is moving fast like the films of a moving picture. Behind the shifting scenes of the material, is the great enemy of souls. As the Spirit of God works in the obedient, so does the evil spirit work in the disobedient. We must look at the trinity of evil (the course of this world) the lusts of our flesh, and the prince of the power of the air. If we desire to save men, we must be in living union with the all conquering Spirit of Christ. 
        In God's purpose we have been raised from the grave of sin and are seated with the risen Lord in the place of acceptance and victory. We were one with Christ when He lay in the grave and arose. In God’s thought we have already taken our seat with the glorified Christ upon the throne; the only pity is that we do not believe this or act as if we had done so. All this is the gift of God’s unmerited love.
        By grace have we been brought into this position, and by grace are we maintained in it. We are of God’s “making;”  we have been created for good works; they have been planned for us and we have only to walk in them. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).
        Amen!

Reading: (Eph. 2:1-10)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

With Empty Hands

Matthew 5:6

"Blessed are they which do hunger and

thirst after righteousness: for

they shall be filled"  

        There is only one way that God will not judge at all, and that is to present one’s self to Him with empty hands. It is enough to recognize one’s nothingness and to abandon one’s self like a child in the arms of God; "For God has not come to seek those who are already full." He came to find those who have nothing more to offer than their poverty. He came to heal the broken, to find the lost, to fill those who thirst for love. Blessed are they who are empty. They can still be filled. They can cry out for mercy, and they can receive with open arms. For what do we possess but that which God has given? What good can we do but that which God has blessed? We come to Him "not with fullness and pride." He draws us like little children, and He carries the humble upon His arms. Yes We Are A Blessed People!!

        Amen!

Reading: (Matt. 5:1-12---The Beatitudes)
               (Is. 55:1; 65:13)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Live Unto Christ

Philippians 1:21  

"For to me to live is Christ, 

and to die is gain."

       Christ was Paul's life and author of his spiritual life; He spoke it into him, produced it in Him, and disciplined Him with it: and He was his life, objectively, the matter and object of his life. It was not so much he that lived, as Christ that lived in him; he lived by faith on Christ, and his spiritual life was maintained and supported by feeding on Him as the bread of life; He was his life, "finally", the end of his life. Paul's aim throughout the whole course of his life was the glory of Christ, the good of  church and people, the spread of the Gospel, and the Glory and Honor of his Lord.
        Paul set the example for Christians, no matter where we are in our Spiritual life.We must be prepared to live or to die, that Jesus Christ might be magnified. Are we willing to remain for a little longer outside of heaven, if that would better serve the cause we loved? We should be! Does it seem good to suffer? Yes, if it is only on the behalf of Christ. Oh that we might experience a similar absorption in the interests of the gospel!
        Amen!

Reading: (Phil. 1:12-30)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Each Step Of The Way

Philippians 4:7

"And the peace of God, which passeth all

understanding, shall keep your hearts

and minds through Christ Jesus." 

        The Blessed Life is; not anxious to see far in front, or being careful about the next step, not eager to choose the path, or weighted with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following behind Christ one step at a time. One step of faith at a time, that is all that is required of you. You are not expected to be strong enough for all the challenges that are yet to come, but you are given grace to carry on today. So let not the shadows of tomorrow hinder your sunshine today. Let not the troubles of the future take away your peace. Today, God is with you. He is by your side, strengthening you and guiding you. And He will be with you every step of the way.

        Amen!

Reading: (Phil. 4:1-9)

Ref: (HG SB)

                                                            

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr 

The Cross Life Ministry

                                                                             

In Our Darkest Night

Psalm 23:4

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the

Shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for 

thou art with me; thy rod and

thy staff comfort me."

        Never think that God is only with you when things go well. He is not a fair weather friend who gets frightened when things start to fall apart. He does not leave us alone just when we need Him most.  On the contrary, He is closer to us during our darkest times, and He stays with us through the most difficult times. 

        When every one else walks away, we can count on Him to be there for us, comforting us and strengthening us, guiding us until we can find our way back into the light again.

In your darkest night, you can count on God to be there for you. It is there when you can know Him better. It is there when you will realize how much He truly loves you.  

        Amen!

Reading: (Ps. 23) 

Ref: (HG SB )

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry