Hated, Mistreated, Bound

Hebrews 13:3  

"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; 

and them which suffer adversity, as being 

yourselves also in the body"  

   Christians were condemned to work in the mines, or shut up in prisons for nothing but their love and to the cause of God's Church.  It often happened that the Christian landed in prison and worse. It might be for his faith; it might be for debt, because the Christians were poor; but mainly because they were believers in Christ.  However as hard as it was the Church went into action and continued to hold on to their faith. 

   Strangers and captives must never be forgotten, either in our prayers or our ministry. 

We may not like all the brethren, but there is something in each of them that Christ loves. Let us try to discover it, or love them for His sake. We can love people with our mind and think for them, or with our strength and serve them, even though the heart is somewhat reluctant.

   My Friends, We live in a world today where we may be free today and tomorrow we may not.  I know that each day gets harder for most Christians just to hang on to three of the most important facts of our faith: "Trusting, Believing, and Receiving what God's Promise is to you,  "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee," (Deut. 31:6).  

Amen!

Reading: Devotional Scripture 

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Power Of Christ

Matthew 15:32  

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, "I have

compassion on the multitude, because they continue 

with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: 

and I will not send them away fasting, 

lest they faint in the way." 

   Whatever our case is, the only way to find ease and relief, is to lay it at Christ's feet, and to submit it to Him. Those who want to have spiritual healing from Christ, must surrender all authority to Christ for this healing. We know what sin can do! Here were such diseases that  the cause could not be guessed or the cure of, yet these were subject to the command of Christ. 

   The spiritual cures that Christ worked were and are still wonderful. When blind souls are made to see by faith, the dumb to speak in prayer, the maimed and the lame to walk in holy obedience, it is to be wondered at. 

   Christ power was also shown to the multitude, in the plentiful provision He made for them.  All did eat, and were filled. Those whom Christ feeds, He fills. With Christ, there  

is enough bread and supplies of grace for more than seek it, and for those that seek for more. Christ sent away the people. Though He had fed them twice, they must not look for miracles to find their daily bread. 

   My Friend's,  Let's go home to our callings and our own tables. Lord, increase our faith, and pardon our unbelief, teaching us to live upon thy fullness and bounty, for all things pertaining to this life, and that which is to come. 

Amen!

Reading: Matt: 15:29-39

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry 

The Separation

 Matthew 13:30 

"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest 

I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, 

and bind them in bundles to burn them: but

gather the wheat into my barn."  

   When the doors of the synagogues were closed to Jesus, He found another way.  It is one of the supreme tragedies that Jesus was banished from the Church of His day; but that would not stop Him from bringing his invitation to men. He took the "Gospel" to the open air, and taught men in the village streets, on the roads, on the lake sides and in their own homes. The man who has a real message to deliver, and a real desire to deliver it, will always find a way of giving it to men. 

   Jesus spoke in parables, because what he was saying was difficult for them to understand and for us as well.  Jesus' key motive for using parables were given to explain spiritual truths. Those who rejected Jesus, they did not have divinely enlightened minds with which to perceive God's truths.  No amount of explanation would make them understand, (1 Cor. 1:27; 2:14, cf. Rom. 7:13). 

   My Friends, Man has not changed. We watch and hear about Jesus Christ with our eyes and ears; However we are just like they were, not capable of understanding the truth, because with closed eyes, hearts and minds, this world is rejecting Christ more every day!  If you reject Christ and His Gospel, You will be rejected "By God." It's your choice, "do you want to be part of the tares that burn, or wheat that's in God's barn.

Amen!

Reading: Matt. 13:24-30

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry  

   

Faith Verses Unbelief

John 15:20  

"Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not 

greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they

 will also persecute you; if they have kept  my saying, 

they will keep yours also."   

    Our Divine Redeemer never was weary of His labor of love; and we should not be weary of well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we don't give up.  Where there is true faith,  there may be a mixture of unbelief. The remaining unbelief of good men may sometimes, in an hour of temptation, call in question the most important truths. But here I do not believe that John's faith failed in this matter, and that he only desired to have it strengthened and confirmed.      

    Jesus sent the disciples back to John with hope, and as they left, Jesus began to eulogize John. Christ reminds them, to what they heard and saw. Christ's Love and Compassions to the poor, show that it was He that should bring to the world the tender mercies of our God. Those things which men see and hear, if compared with the Scriptures, direct in what way salvation is to be found. 

    My Friends,  It is difficult to conquer prejudices, and dangerous not to conquer them; but those who believe in Christ, their faith will be found so much the more to praise, and honor, and glory. God Desires Believers To Continue In His Written Word By Faith. 

Amen!

Reading:  Matt. 11:1-19 

                   John 15:18-27

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

                                

The Great Commission

Matthew 10:5-8  

"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not 

into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans 

enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of 

Israel.  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of 

heaven is at hand.  Heal the sick, cleanse the 

lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: 

freely ye have received, freely give."   

    The Twelve Apostles were commission and given special instructions, that they were to focus their ministry on the "Jews."  What was said to these disciples here are not assumed applicable to those who are commissioned by The Lord at other times.  For instance, in Luke 22:36, the Lord sent His disciples on an extended mission to the Gentiles and gave them instructions that were directly 0pposite for the ones here in Matt. chap 10. This was The Great Commission, that sent the Disciples "into the world," given just before our Lord's ascension, and only certain of the general principles of the ministry that were given to Christ' disciples can be applied to the commissioning of believers of today.

   For instance, the gifts of healing and raising the dead (v. 8) were only given to some, 1 Cor. 12:28-29 not to all.    

   "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness," (Rom. 12:5-8). 

   This is not a complete list of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These were specifically mentioned because they constituted a portion of questions in the Corinthians letter to Paul.  Paul revived a letter from the household of Chloe concerning the bad conduct of some of the church members.  Many had been converted from paganism to Christianity, and were having a hard time breaking their old habits of their former lifestyles. There were divisions among them, some were bringing lawsuits against each other and allowing unbelieving

judges to settle the disputes. 

   My Friends, What Paul is telling the Corinthians and all Believers is this "The Grace Of God is Given unto Those in Jesus Christ,"  so that the believer would not be lacking in any spiritual gift.  Since every Christian has been given the Holy Spirit, he has potential to demonstrate the particular gift which has been given to him. You Must Believe To Receive!!

Amen!!

Reading:  Matt. 10:1-42

                   1 Cor. 12:28-30

                  Rom. 12:1-8 

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

  

Christ Calms A Storm

 Isaiah 26:3-4.   

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed 

on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the 

LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH 

is everlasting strength:"

    It is a comfort to those who travel by sea in ships, and are sometimes in danger, to reflect that they have a Savior to trust in and pray to. Who knows what it is to be on the water, and to be in storms.  All who are passing with Christ over the ocean of this world, must expect storms. 
    Christ' human nature, was like ours in every way "but sin."  He was wearied, and slept at this time to "try the faith of His disciples"  They, in their fear, came to their Master. It is the same in our soul; when lusts and temptations are swelling and raging, and we run to God. Will God be asleep to your call, if so this brings things to the brink of despair. Then you cry for a word from His mouth, Lord Jesus, Be not silent to me, or I am undone. Many that have true faith, are weak in it. Just as Christ disciples were during that raging storm on that ship.

    Christ' disciples are apt to be disquieted with fears in a stormy day; to torment themselves that things are bad with them, and with dismal thoughts that they will be worse. Great storms of doubt and fear in the soul, under the power of the spirit of bondage, sometimes end in a wonderful calm, created and spoken by the Spirit of adoption. They were astonished!      

    My Friends, They never saw and we never will see a storm such as this, turned at once into a perfect calm. He that can do this, can do anything which encourages confidence and comfort in Him during the most dangerous stormy day. 

Amen!

Reading: Matt. 8:23-27

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You 

Ans Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

.

Believe And Receive

 Matthew 8:13  

"And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and 

as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.

And his servant was healed 

in the selfsame hour." 

  This centurion was a heathen, a Roman soldier. Though he was a soldier, yet he was a godly man. No man's calling or place will be an excuse for unbelief and sin. "See how he states his servant's case" (Matt. 8:5-10). We should concern ourselves for the souls of our children and others, who are spiritually sick, and don't feel the spiritual evils, and don't know that which is spiritually good; and we should bring them to Christ by faith and prayers. Humble souls are made more humble by Christ's gracious dealings with them.  

  Observe his faith. The more defiant we are of ourselves, the stronger our confidence in Christ. We all should serve God in that manner; we must go and come, according to the directions of His word. But when the Son of man comes and He finds little faith, He will also find little fruit.  Now outward profession may cause us to be called children of the kingdom; but if we rest in that, and have nothing else to show, we shall be cast out. 

  My Friends, The servant got a cure of his disease, and the master got the approval of his faith. What was said to him, is said to all, Believe, and ye shall receive; only believe. See the power of Christ, and the power of faith. The healing of our souls is at once the effect and evidence of our interest in the blood of Christ.

Amen!

Reading: Matt. 8:5-13

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry