What Determines A Man's Character

 1John 1:5 

"This then is the message which we have heard of him,

and declare unto you, that God is light,  

and in him is no darkness at all" 

    A man's own character will necessarily be determined by the character of the god whom he worships; and, therefore, John begins by laying down the nature of the God and Father of Jesus Christ whom Christians worship. God, he says, is light, and there is no darkness in him. What does this statement tell us about God?

    It tells us that he is splendour and glory. There is nothing so glorious as a blaze of light piercing the darkness. To say that God is light tells us of his sheer splendor.  It tells us that God is self-revealing. Above all things light is seen; and it illumines the darkness round about it. To say that God is light is to say that there is nothing secretive or furtive about him. He wishes to be seen and to be known by men.

    It tells us of God's purity and holiness. There is none of the darkness which cloaks hidden evil in God. That he is light speaks to us of his white purity and stainless holiness. It tells us of the guidance of God. It is one of the great functions of light to show the way. The road that is lit is the road that lights the way. To say that God is light is to say that he offers his guidance for the footsteps of men.

    It tells us of the revealing quality in the presence of God. Light is the great revealer. Flaws and stains which are hidden in the shade are obvious in the light. Light reveals the imperfections in any piece of workmanship or material. So the imperfections of life are seen in the presence of God.
    My Friends, We can never know either the depth to which life has fallen or the height to which it may rise until we see it in the revealing light of God.

Amen!

Reading: 1John 1:5-10

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

The Word Of Life

1John 1:1 

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes, which we have

looked upon, and our hands have

handled, of the Word of life;"

    The gospel message is called the "Word of God." It is not a human discovery; it comes from God. It is news of God which man could not have discovered for himself. Frequently the gospel message is called the word of the Lord (Acts. 8:25; Acts. 12:24; Acts. 13:49; Acts. 15:35; 1Thess. 1:8; 2Thess. 3:1). It is not always certain whether the Lord is God or Jesus, but more often than not it is Jesus who is meant. The gospel is, therefore, the message which God could have sent to men in no other way than through his son Jesus.

    The gospel message is twice called the word of hearing.That is to say, it depends on two things, on a voice ready to speak it and an ear ready to hear it, (1Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:2). The gospel message is the word of the Kingdom (Matt. 13:19). It is the announcement of the kingship of God and the summons to render to God the obedience which will make a man a citizen of the kingdom.

     At the heart of the gospel is the Cross on which is shown to man the final proof of the forgiving, sacrificing, seeking love of God. With the coming of the gospel it is no longer necessary to guess and grope for Jesus Christ has brought to us the truth about God.

    It is by the power of the gospel that a man is enabled to break from the power of evil and to rise to the righteousness which is pleasing in the sight of God. The gospel is the health-giving word. It is the antidote which cures the poison of sin and the medicine which defeats the disease of evil.

    My Friends, The gospel is the word of life.  It is through its power that a man is delivered from death and enabled to enter into eternal life through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Amen!

Reading: 1John 1:1-4

Devotional Scriptures

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Ministry Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry       

Preaching To Yourself

Romans 10:2  

"For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, 

but not according to knowledge." 

     God does not intend for the message of the gospel to stop after the reading of the Scriptures. We must have "Regular Bible Intake," whether it’s reviewing memorized Scripture passages, enjoying Bible conversations with fellow believers. You just don't stop after preaching of God’s word on Sunday and Wednesday or when ever your church meets. All these things combined serves to shape, strengthen, and sustain your daily preaching of the gospel to yourself. The Scriptures, rightly understood with Jesus at the center, nourish your heart and sharpen your mind, so that you are able to rehearse the truth of the gospel with texture, edge, and definition, with freshness and power.
    The message of the gospel is not meant to be something you "get," carved into your brain, and tell yourself over and over for a lifetime that it's some sort of magic words to fight sin. God means for you to be regularly pushed and formed, hurt and healed, challenged and encouraged by passages you’ve never heard before, haven’t given enough attention to, or haven’t considered in a while. He means for you to understand even your best known verses at new depth, and know the power of his grace more deeply, through new applications, as you encounter situations in life you’ve never faced before. My Friends, call it what you want but I call it "Preaching to Yourself!"  "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me," John 5:39).

Amen!

Reading: Rom. 10:1-18

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Let Your Soul Be Happy

John 16:22  

"And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, 

and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy 

no man taketh from you" 

 

   If only mankind would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men.

    How can you not be happy, when Jesus has loved you so? How can you not be joyful when He has chosen you, and rejoiced over you as a lover rejoices over his beloved one? How can you not be happy, when heaven is waiting just for you? And when mansions have been prepared for you even before you were born? How can you not shout in praise for Him who cared for you and protected you? For Him who died for your sins long before you were born?

    My Friends, This world may yet be filled with darkness and difficulty. It may yet cause you to cry. But let not your sufferings take away your happiness. Let not the darkness take away your love.
    No pain on earth could ever match the joys of heaven. No trial could ever take away God’s peace. Light shall always prevail. Love shall always be triumphant! Tell me then, how can you not let your soul be happy? 

Amen!

Reading: John 16:1-33

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

Spiritual Cleansing

Psalm 51:2

"Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin."

    This is one of the greatest passages in the bible concerning confessions and forgiveness of sin. As recorded in biblical history David committed adultery with Bath-sheba and had her husband Uriah killed in battle, (2 Sam. 11:2-17). David's repentance included: (1) a godly sorrow for his sin (cf  2 Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death). (2) A verbal confession; (3) a turning away from sin and denouncement of it; (4) Forgiveness; (5) Restoration to God's favor; (6) Rejoicing in salvation; and a willingness to testify to others about the grace of God.

    This is a written picture of how God cleansed David of his sin. It is a reminder to all of us today that God alone can forgive and remove it. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," (1 John 1:9). It is something we cannot  do our self.  Do not interpret (1 John 1:9) to mean that you must constantly receive cleansing from your sin for salvation, which was covered by Christ's shed blood on Calvary. However if we commit a sin we should ask forgiveness for ever sin we may commit during our Christian walk in order for us to be in constant communion with God. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," (1 John 1:8).

Amen!

Reading : Ps. 51:1-19 

                1John 1:5-10

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

    

In Your 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 they 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.

He is closer to us when it’s darkest. He stays with us through the most difficult times.

    When everyone 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 would realize how much He truly loves you so. My friend, when you walk with Christ at "No Time Are You Walking Alone."   

Amen!

 

Reading: Ps. 23:1-6

Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You 

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry

 

Asking For Divine Protection

Isaiah 41:10

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:

I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee

with the right hand of my righteousness." 

    What is Divine Protection? I am not talking about just your daily prayers, because we know He is always listening, and that is why we pray? Let me lay out a scenario for you from my own experience. My wife Janet and I pray at every meal, before we go anywhere in a vehicle, before we start any task outside; basically anything we do we ask for God's Divine Protection Around Us.
    Have you ever been in a situation that you were unsure of, or making a decision that you were not sure if it was right or wrong? You see that is what I am talking about, it is God's Divine Attention at a certain time. I mean on the spot, "God I need your guidance and your Angels around me." It might be for a planned road trip,a Hospital stay or just asking God to look over you today.
    My Friends, Our God is there, waiting for us to call upon His name whenever we need Him. God is not a myth, or just a sweet bible story. God Came down and walked this earth as a man and died on a cross as a man that became our Savior Jesus Christ. God is always listening, just call upon His name, and ask for God's Divine Protection at anytime, or in any situation in your life.  
Amen!

Reading: Is. 41:10-20
Ref: HG SB

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry