What Should We Believe About The Word Of God

Psalm 119:2  

"Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, 

and that seek him with the whole heart."  

     Of course the Christians answer, is all of it. I want us to look at three very important characteristics we should believe about God's Word.  First, God's Word says what is true. The Bible tells us, that we can trust in the Word, " So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word,"119:42).  We can't believe everything we read on the internet. We can't trust everything we hear from our professors. We certainly can't trust all the facts given by our politicians. And we can't even trust the fact checkers who check those facts.  

Second, God's Word demands what is right.  Here  the psalmist gladly acknowledges God's right to issue commands and humbly accepts that all these commands are right.  "I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." (PS.119:75).

    All God's commandments are sure. All His precepts are right.  Some Christians admit that they don't like what the Bible say's, but since it's the Bible they have to obey it. On one level, this is an example of submitting yourself to the word of God. However, we need and should go one step further and learn to see the goodness and rightness in all that God commands. We should Love what God Loves and delight in whatever He says. Third, God's Word provides what is good.  God's Word is the way to happiness,  "ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.   Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart," (Ps. 119:1-2).

   My Friends, God's Word gives us Hope, Strength and Wisdom and directs us on along our path. As the people of God, we believe the Bible is unfailing perfect. We believe the Word of God can be trusted in every way to speak what is true, command what is right and provide us with what is good.

Amen!

Reading: Ps:119

Devotion Scriptures 

Ps:119, V. 6,9, 24, 28, 43 V.98-100,

V.130

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Why Jesus Chose A Donkey

 Luke 19:30-31  

 "Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at 

your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never 

man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.  And if 

any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? 

thus shall ye say unto him,

Because the Lord hath

need of him. 

   Donkeys were as common on the roads in Jesus time, as cars are on our roads today. These little animals were good for one thing; "Bearing Burdens."  Jesus decided to ride a donkey into Jerusalem.  It was not because He was tired and that the road was up hill.  It was not because he preferred to ride small donkeys all through His travels.  It was because Jesus, planned His entry in to Jerusalem very carefully.  Jesus was watched by thousands of critical eyes. But most important, What Jesus did was well thought out and deliberate. 

   Sometimes the prophets would act out their message.  For example Jeremiah once placed a wooden ox yoke around his neck and walked through Jerusalem. He did that to show the people that they would soon be under the yoke of Babylonia.  However Jesus had no grim message to tell by riding a donkey into Jerusalem.  Instead He acted out a message of Joy. 

   He was acting out the prophecy of Zechariah; Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass,"  ie a beast of burden  Zech. 9:9.  Jesus was acting out the prophecy of a Messiah that would come in meekness, not in pride, riding on a war horse. This Messiah King would bring peace and rule with justice,as the prophets had foretold.

   My Friends, can you just imagine the joy when they caught the Spirit of what Jesus was doing. "And when He was come nigh to the descent of mount of Olives, The joy was so high the whole multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God for all the mighty works that they had seen," (Luke 19:37).  As Belivers in our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, we should have that same Spirit filled Joy every day as they did when Jesus rode that donkey into Jerusalem. 

Amen!

Reading: Luke 19:28-44

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry  

Ungodly Associations

Proverbs 13:20  

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: 

but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." 

   As a norm we are influenced by the people we are close to. What values, beliefs, or attitudes do our friends live by? What effect does it have on us? Our answer is in the Scripture above. (Prov. 12:15) Tells us: "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." This implies that a fool thinks he knows it all.  According to the Scripture, a fool is also some one who mocks sin and says in his heart, "There is no God,"  "Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour, " (Prov. 14:9). Do we spend time and associate with those who mock God and His people. 

   Proverbs continues to warn us against entering a partnership with a thief, not to associate with people who flatter with their tongue, and stay away from some one who tells tales because they cause strife. There are many verses I could point out that show where we may be in error. There are things we can do, or not do, that will leave us vulnerable. So, it is not God's fault but ours. 

   My Friends, You may be thinking, "What about God's Grace?"  Grace is not a cover up for ignorance or an excuse for our sin. Grace is an empowerment to live in obedience to his word. We as Christians, are held accountable to do just that; Obey His Word. This is not legalism: this is simply obedience.  And besides, when you really Know God , you want to spend time with Him and learn His ways.

Amen:

Reading: Prov. Chap 19;1-29

Prov. 26:20; 29:24

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Minister

 

His Ascension And Our Union

Luke 24:51  

"And it came to pass, while he blessed them, 

he was parted from them, and 

carried up into heaven." 

   The ascension must always remain a mystery, for it attempts to put into words what is beyond words and to describe what is beyond description. But that what happen was essential. It was unthinkable that the appearances of Jesus should grow fewer and fewer until finally they petered out. That would have effectively wrecked the faith of men. There had to come a day when the Jesus of earth finally became the Christ of Heaven. The Ascension was ob0viously an ending. The days when their faith was faith in a flesh and blood person and depended on his flesh and blood presence were over.  Now they were linked to someone who was forever independent of space and time. 

  It was The Beginning! The disciples did not leave the scene heart-broken; they left it with great joy, because now they knew that they had a Master from whom nothing could separate them anymore. So they went back to Jerusalem, and they were continually in the Temple praising God. It is not by accident that Luke's gospel ends where it began in the house of God.

   My Friends,  The ascension gave the world the certainty that we have a friend, not only on earth, but in heaven. Surely it is the most precious thing of all to know that in heaven there awaits us that same Jesus who on earth was wondrously kind. To die is not to go out into the dark; it is to go to Him.

Amen!

                                     

"Happy Easter To All"

Reading: Luke 24:50-53

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Unforgiveness

2 Corinthians 2:10-11  

"To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, 

to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person 

of Christ;  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:

 for we are not ignorant of his devices."  

   An easy way that may give the enemy access to your life is unforgiveness. This includes unforgiveness toward others, ourselves or God. What our main Scripture (2 Cor. 2:10-11) is saying is this: "Now whom you forgive anything; lest Satan should take advantage of us." In others words, if we don't forgive we can be taken advantage of  by the devil.

   There are many people who never really forgave the person who has done them wrong.  They will say,  "I forgave, but I'll never forget!  There are many of us that has said those same exact remarks and there are some that strongly, believe that way and live by that. Christians should know better, because as we study Gods Word, we are discerning God's Word so we can understand what God is telling us.  Listen, you can't forgive and then say, but I'll never forget. That is not true forgiveness.   

   The Bible tells us, that once God forgives us, He remembers our sin no more, "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."  {Heb. 10:17}. We must do the same. If we don't forgive, we open a big door for the enemy to come in and cause destruction in our lives.  "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasse," {Mat 6:14-15}.

   My Friends, I pray that not one person would  want to be without God's forgiveness.  If we are guided by love and by consideration, not for our own pride but for the ultimate good of others, we will know the time to speak and the time to be silent. 

Amen!

Reading: Devotional Scriptures

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Why Is The Word "Trinity" Not In The Bible

 Galatians 1:1  

"Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, 

but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, 

who raised him from the dead;)" 

   How can Christians explain the "Trinity" when the word it's self is not in the Bible?  Let me explain how to understand and share the doctrine of one God in three persons. It's very clear  that all three persons are called God in many places in the Bible.  Examples are "Father" in: {Gal 1:1} "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)." "Son" in: {John 20:28} "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." "Spirit"  {Act 5:3-4}  "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."

   Notice that all three person are mentioned close together on an equal basis in many places. For example: {In Matthew 28:19}, we are commanded to baptize in one Name, but three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, {Therefore The Trinity}   Another example is, "Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God The Father, Through the Sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood" {1 Peter 1:2}. 

   It is interested to note that God sometimes refers to Himself as "US"  {Therefore The Trinity}.  "And God said, Let "US" make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth," {Gen 1:26}. 

   My Friends, In the fourth century, St. Augustine attempted to demonstrate  that the fundamental logic of the doctrine of the "Trinity" can be stated in seven Statements: {1} The Father is God. {2} The Son is God. {3} The Holy Spirit is God.  {4} The Father is not the Son. {5} The Son is not the Holy Spirit. {6} The Holy Spirit is Not the Father.  {7} There is only one God.  However All three: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are The Trinity.  

Amen!

Reading: Devotional Scriptures

Ref: HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr. 

The Cross Life Ministry  

 

GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY

Deuteronomy 25:15  

"But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect 

and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days 

may be lengthened in the land which

the LORD thy God giveth thee." 

Life, Death and The Sovereignty of God 

   Here is something we all should think about; Life, Death and the Sovereignty of God. First lets ask ourselves what about the Sovereignty of God?  "Yes, God is Sovereign, but there are two things to consider. First if you are not in His family "God's Family," you have no assurance of a long life whatsoever, "And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:"  (Deut. 28:66). Second, if you are a child of God, the Bible is full of promises of long life, but they are based on us taking hold of those promises and obeying His Word. "And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days, (1 King 3:14). Here is some more promises God made of long life.  Proverbs 3:2, 16; 4:10; 7:1-2; 9:11; 10:27; 14:27; 19:23; 28:16; Ephesians 6:3.

   My Friends, As you can see from the verses above, we have a responsibility to keep God's Word, thereby receiving the promise of a long life. This is not over stepping the Sovereignty of God. We are simply taking God at His Word. God is the one who stated the promises. God wants us to discover them in His Word and believe and trust Him for them.  "With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (Ps. 91:16").  

Amen!!

Reading: Devotional Scripture

Ref:  HGSB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry