Do you know Christians who have real peace?

     His Peace is not found in those who complain;
     Or wound-lick;
     Or gossip:   
     Or are passive;
     Or have to be right or must be recognized;

     Soldier of The Cross, real peace is found in Jesus Christ and is available through obedience, bestowed by grace.  Peace is the absence of the inner storm and is not dispersed by the outer storm.

      There must be a conscious decision to trust The Rock of Ages.  Then, the matter must  be taken to the Lord in prayer, probably many, many times.

      Change can be hard.  Loss and grief penetrate painfully.  Misunderstanding and heartache can not be completely avoided.  All the while, those who rest in The Everlasting Arms know supernatural Peace.  The Peace that can not be understood.

     There is no lack of work in the Church.

     I often hear speeches and sermons on the exercising of the gifts.  Some are good and others make me cringe.  When listeners become obsessed about having to figure out how they are spiritually gifted, they are usually derailed.  Often Believers focus on what they like, what they can do easily, or what they wish they could do.

     When a Soldier of The Cross pitches in and shoulders the load, it is not hard to see what the spiritual gift is.  The spiritual gift is to be exercised within the context of the Body of Christ and is not intended for exclusive enjoyment of the gifted.  Those who serve the Lord do the things that must be done.  A fussy worker is not a Servant and is always restricted by his own attitude.

     Is it more glamorous to preach than to mow the lawn or clean a toilet?  One who is a pillar in the House of The Lord is one who is available to do whatever is needed, if it is within his ability.

    The gifts issue forth and become evident when the heart belongs to the Lord and the Believer is available to lay his life down for others.  When there is room for the Holy Spirit, He will always be manifest.

     Soldier of The Cross, He is not gained by works, but those who know and Love Him are eager to take on work that must be done.

     One thing at a time.  One person at a time.  One need at a time.

     All by prayer.

     There is nothing so terrible that you can't go to the Lord.

     One of the gifts and privileges of being His is, the Throne of Grace is always available to you. 

     There is no Christian who feels perfect.  There is no Christian who arrives.  Everyone who loves Him, loves His Body loves His Word and serves Him is aware of being imperfect.  The more real He is, the more striking is His perfection and the need for Grace becomes clearer.

     Much of the time, coming to Him is a physical discipline.  Added to that are other hindrances such as depression, low self-esteem and emotional snarls. 

     Knowing the Lord means meeting with Him and meeting with Him no matter what.  There is a sweet discipline to going to Him in the discomfort, in the failure, in the swamp of all the things that come in the way.

     Prayer must be a habit.

     Soldier of The Cross, as we know that many things do not come about but by prayer, we must learn to go to Him.  As soon as we do that, the thing in the way loses its power to interfere.

     Once again, look up and move on!

     God's Word Is More Real Than The Way That You Feel.

     There is nothing that compromises or surpasses the statement.  It is simply fact, and you know that it is true.  You are confronted with the matter of the Truth of God's Word versus what you feel.

     What is the problem?  The problem is feeling.  It is so strong.  It is real.  It dominates the thought life and bends decision and even physical action.

     Soldier, think with me.  What is the most important thing?  Is it what you see?  Is it what you feel?  Is it the thing that you think must come about?  Who has the seen the core of the matter?  Is there an authority? 

     God has spoken.  Who will challenge?

     Take Him at His Word.  You can tell Him about the thing that troubles you.  Tell Him all and tell Him aloud. 

     Soldier, be assured that He knows best.  

     That is the bottom line.

      Many are the songs sung about the New Life.

     There are no conditions for salvation, other than accepting the gift by Grace  There are, however, conditions to experiencing the Abundant Life that is available to those who have received Him.

     There are over six hundred promises in the Bible, but many of them require the obedience of faith.   There are some things that are given only upon request.  There are other promises that are fulfilled when the Believer is led by the Spirit.

   Often, the Lord answers prayer and intervenes, but the intervention is not according to the concept of the Christian, so the blessing is missed.

     Soldier of The Cross, Look for Him and wait for Him.  He has never disappointed anyone who has waited for Him.

     Do you really trust Him?

    Have you told Him you know He knows better than you? 

    Is it true that He who did not withhold His own Son will not withhold any good thing from you?  If you believe His Word, you must thank him for all things, not just a small, select list.

    What are the hard things in your life?  Have you thanked Him for those things?  When you do this, there is tremendous freedom and healing.

    Soldier of The Cross, thank Him.  Do it aloud.  As you do this, He will lead you into sight and freedom.

     If it is true that the Battle is His, why do so many look at the circumstances and refuse to move on?

    God was pleased with Joshua and Caleb.  They were accurate in their assessment of the land before them, but their report lined up with God’s faithfulness and His ways.

     Soldier of the Cross, while everyone does not need to be perceived as a groundbreaker, the walk of faith means pressing into the frontier of faith.  In this venture, the response to the Holy Spirit is in the deepest recesses and wells of the soul.  If there is no regular and systematic Word of God, there is no sensitivity to His leading.  If there is no prayer, the Bible is either a rule book or an intellectual trophy.

     He has set you free and put you in a large place.  If you decide you can't do things because the barriers look insurmountable, you are setting your own limits on God.

    There is no heaven on earth, but by faith.

    The victory is His, and it will be seen in fullness when we are present with Him.

     For the time being, we trust Him to see the big picture, because we are not equipped to do so. 

    Because we are limited, we must rely on the One who has no limitations.  Many saints have suffered and died.  Yet, when we read about them, our hearts are stirred, and we sense tremendous victory. 

     We are not asked to wind things up.  We are asked to redeem the time, to know the Lord and to serve, to pray and to wait for Him.

     Soldier of The Cross, if you must plan well ahead, be sure to live in the Now

     Everything you do can be ministry.

     The thing that transforms duty into a ministry of Life is the momentum of the Believer's relationship with the Lord.  It is entirely possible to scrub floors and clean toilets in solitude, yet all the while displaying  a joyful heart into the unseen realm.

     The drudgery of daily chores can turn into a thrilling privilege if the attitude lines up with God's Word. 

     Many vacillate between tedium and anxiety.

     Soldier of The Cross, if we are to do all as unto the Lord, we must take these things to Him in prayer.  When we agree with Him in prayer, the days and nights can be lived out with a song in the heart instead of dread or strain

     Those who take up The Cross and follow Him radiate confidence and love without being aware of themselves.  They are aware of Him and of the needs of others.

     Get into the Word afresh each day.
     Pray aloud.

     Then, look up and move on!

    Soldier of The Cross, He has said that if you would open the door to Him, You and He will sup together.

    What a tremendous thing.   Can there be anything more thrilling than the privilege of supping with the One who holds the stars in place?  The One who died for you?  The One who named you?  The One who is preparing a Place for you?

     We must keep things in perspective.  The things that are the most important to the Lord must be the most important to us.  This takes place in prayer and must be a deliberate and an affirmative formulation of words before the King of Kings.

     Soldier, stand before Him.
     State your case.
     Aloud.
     Today.