Soldier of The Cross,  remember that no one can stop the Work of The Lord.     He has called and He has chosen.  He is served by and expresses Himself through His Servants. But, when the Plan of God is underway, there is no power in the universe that can thwart the Living God.    Many are the times when the Soldier must march into the fray, often without visible support.  Those who wait for the assurance of everything needed, never launch.    Move.     Cast your cloak on the water and watch the waters part.

   Today's Church is bending toward therapy and entertainment instead of Bible teaching and The Cross.    Those who come to Christ must be taught and discipled according to the Bible and not according to the things that build a big crowd.  The critics of the Narrow Way are many.   But the Narrow Way is the only way to be free, to know the Lord and to prepare for heaven.    Soldier of The Cross, He said if you would be a disciple, you must deny yourself, take up the Cross and follow Him.    What does that say about Self?    Discipleship is rare these days.     It  means that you must take second place to Him.     It means that His agenda must be yours.    It means that God's Word must determine your decisions and choices.    It means that you do not have the right to whine and carry on about what has happened to you.  You have already agreed with God that you will be a Living Sacrifice and identify with His Sufferings.    It means that if there seems to be a discrepancy between His Word and circumstances, you will choose to put your weight down on The Rock of Ages.       You have Infinite Power living within you - the Indwelling Holy Spirit is there to enable, empower, counsel, comfort and open sight and hearing.    Are you suffering in the area of your marriage?    Have you been betrayed or misunderstood?    Is there a chronic physical problem?    Have the finances dwindled?    Is there a child who is wayward or worse?    Are you depressed?    Are there problems at work?  In the church?    Back to the basics.    What is the purpose of your life?  What will you do about it?    Write it down.  Present it to the Lord in prayer?    The One who holds the stars in Place will listen attentively.     His heart will melt.     He made you for this.    Do it now.     Do it aloud.

   Many many Christians do not experience Peace.    Those who do, find that they have put their burdens down at the feet of the Prince of Peace.   They have learned that they were not created to bear the burden.    Soldier, Peace is always available.  He is Peace.  He is immediate.  He longs for His Own to live in the Sabbath Rest.    Why is this so important?  Because where He is, there is Freedom and Peace.    Soldier Of The Cross, make sure you are vigilant.  Make sure you are aware that there is always an effort to cripple your mind and invade your emotions.  You have complete protection.  You have the Indwelling Holy Spirit.    You have the Word of God.    There is absolutely nothing else.    Do not yield to frivolous thought or conversation.  Do not throw open the door to dilution and distraction.    What is this life about?    Eternity.

   Where the Lord is, there is fire.    Those who Love Him and have determined to serve Him, find that the flame of the soul does not go out.  There is motivation, even when the reason is  not see.  There is determination even when it seems the body can not move.  There is power in the experience of weakness.    The fuel is the Word of God.  And, fellowship with those who love Him and are called according to His Purpose.    The fire burns brightly in prayer and in turn brings a hunger for the Word and for those who share the pursuit of God.    Those who have no fire do not recognize it.  Those who taste the sweet burning of the Holy Spirit within crave each other and seek each other out.    It takes one to know one.

   God's Word teaches that there is a supernatural Joy to be experienced and expressed.    Soldier of The Cross, there is a difference between happiness and joy.  Happiness is the experience of the absence of sorrow, pain or any distress.  Joy is that which is experienced by the obedient Servant when he is led by the Holy Spirit and agrees with God.    Many are those who have tasted this promised Joy.  Some have been tortured, some have been handicapped, some have lost all earthly goods, but all have agreed with God.    Is there any argument against agreeing with God?  Is there someone who has a word superior to His?    Joy is the immediate expression of a complete agreement with God with regard to any matter that must be yielded to Him.     Soldier of The Cross,  what is your issue today?     Money?    Family?    Profession?    Reputation?    Weight?    Imprisonment?    Agree with the One who holds the stars in place.    He is profoundly deep and He is profoundly simple.    Trust and obey, for there is no other way.

   Our God is not limited.    For that reason, we must be led in prayer.    For that reason, we must be ready to change.    For that reason, we must claim that which is  not seen.    For that reason we must be praying according to His Word, rather than according to circumstances alone.    Soldier of  The Cross, if He can have your life, He can reveal Himself in ways that you can not imagine.    Tell Him He can have you completely.    Tell Him aloud.    Tell Him now.    Walk in the possibility of the impossible.

   For the Soldier of The Cross, the Joy of The Lord is available when there is Obedience.    So many are the stories of torture and isolation.  But for those who have stood the test, there is always a testimony of the experience of the Presence and the Joy of  The Lord.   Soldier of The Cross, if you are indeed a Soldier, it means you have determined to take up The Cross and follow Him.  The Cross is the place of the death of the flesh.   That means that you embrace anything the Sovereign God wills.    Soldier, I ask you today, are you His, or are you yours?  This is the critical question.      It separates you and protects you from false accusation.   It protects you against the attack of the enemy.    It energizes you to get into The Word.    It propels you into prayer.    It compels confession.    It releases Love.    Soldier, is there anything else?    Look up and move on!

   Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.         Proverbs 4:7    As soon as someone thinks he is wise, he is in trouble.     If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, there must be such a dependence on the Lord, that the believer does not look within himself  for the answers.    Wisdom is not a state of being or a  high rung on the spiritual ladder.  The Bible teaches that Wisdom is a person.  When The Soldier of The Cross walks in the Light of the One who is the Light of The World, there is clean and clear sight.    Wisdom means being in tune with the Lord and agreeing with Him.  Those who are wise do not feel wise - they are too busy being desperately dependent on the One they know is perfect and sees all.  I have known  exquisitely wise Christians who were of average intelligence or less.  Some have been poor and most of them unrecognized.    As more and more years have passed, I have come to see and understand that wisdom is available to those who desperately pursue Him.  He is available to those who are willing to leave all behind, take up The cross and follow Him.     Unlike many seem to think, God does not give wisdom to people so that they can run others'  lives.  While we can encourage and exhort one another, we ought not to think we can make choices for each other.     God deals administratively through the leadership of His Body and parents must determine many things for children.  But when it comes to adult decisions,  The Soldier of  The  Cross must stand before the Lord and trust Him to reveal Himself in everything and in each moment.    We have the blessing of  mature counsel.  We have the blessing of the accounts and insight of those who have gone before.    We have the blessing of  coming to the One who holds the stars in place, and asking Him for Light and for wisdom.    If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.         James 1:5

   What is impressive to you?    Soldier of The Cross, God must be impressive to you far beyond anything else.  This world can not be impressive.  All the things  the world offers can not be impressive.  All the things that are not eternal should not be impressive    God's Word is clear.  No treasure in anything not eternal.    Where are you with regard to this matter?  What are the things that call to you?    Reputation?    House?    Family?    Money?    Status?    Comfort?    Security?    Job?    Control over those around you?    Soldier, more than likely, all would agree that the above listed things are not of eternal value.  The issue is, are you willing to give up all to follow Him?    All hell is against you.  But, there is nothing to loose if your treasure is in heaven.    It is your choice.

   Today is the first day of the American New Year.    For Christians, it is not only a day of reflecting on what God has done, but also a day of looking forward to knowing Him more intimately, serving Him more devotedly and becoming more like Him.    The Soldier of The Cross will be able to see Jesus more clearly as the years pass, because he has determined to live for Him and for nothing else.  The Soldier has committed himself in prayer and he continues to commit himself to living for and unto the Lord.    The Soldier of The Cross does not resent correction and is  not easily offended.  He delights in seeing the Lord and in watching Him work.    The Soldier stands on The Word.    The Soldier is looking toward eternity and is careful not to build up treasure here.    The Soldier of The Cross knows Freedom.