Many things will come at the Soldier of The Cross.    The most lethal are natural, human emotions.     Most of the time people do not recognize feelings.  Modern psychology has encouraged the rationalization of and justification of blaming everyone else for discomfort.  The truth is, God's Word is more real than the way that you feel.    When the Soldier of The Cross experiences negative emotion,  there must be a turning to the Word of  God.  That means that the feeling must be recognized and compared with what He has said.    Where in the Bible can you be resentful?    Where in the Bible can you feel sorry for yourself?    Where in the Bible can you ignore the sovereignty of God and blame another for your circumstances?    Where in the Bible can you have a temper tantrum?    Where in the Bible can you entertain fear that prevents obedience?    Where in the Bible can you worry about money, or anything else, for that matter?    Where In the Bible can you be vengeful?    Where in the Bible  can you indulge your need for attention and affirmation?    Where in the Bible does it say you can leave your marriage based on feeling or lack thereof?    Soldier of The Cross, your purpose in Life must be to Love the Lord. That means Obedience to His Word.  He has made clear that He has provided for you in all circumstances and feelings if you will let Him.    Tell Him you are His and His alone.    Tell Him aloud.    Tell Him now.    Agree with God

   There is nothing you could have done by yourself.   In fact, you could not have been born.  You could not have taken your first breath, and you certainly could not have understood anything in school without the God of The Universe. He allows you to drive and to cook.  Only by Grace can you drink liquid.    Soldier of The Cross, He and He alone is the center of each ability, each accomplishment and each increment of growth.  In and of ourselves, we are nothing and we do not have the wherewithal to do a single thing of any kind.     That is why the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians:        So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.                           I Corinthians 1:34    Soldier, this is an affirmative act, and it is commanded.    Agree with God.

  Soldier of The Cross, motivation to do the next thing does not come from a feeling of wanting to move on.    It comes from the truth of God's Word.    So many are looking for and even craving a feeling of energy in order to be propelled into the Christian walk.  It will never happen in such a manner.  He has laid out the Way, drawn us into  The Light and sent the Indwelling Holy Spirit in order to give us Power.     Many years ago I had a Jewish friend who was highly educated.  He had everything.    He had looks, money, education and he thought he was above most of society.  As he was finishing his doctorate, he took a position caring for a man who was quadriplegic.    One day I received a desperate phone call from this friend.  He said he was terribly upset and could not work for the quadriplegic man anymore.  When I asked why, he said because the man was too happy.  Unable to understand why that was a problem, I asked why he thought the man should not be happy.    My friend said,  "He talks about Jesus all of the time.  He says 'Praise the Lord"  all the time.  He can't move, he can't go to the bathroom without help and he can't eat.   He has no reason to be happy.  If I continue to work for him, I will have to decide if this Jesus is real.  He is driving me crazy.  How can he possibly be really happy?  I can't stand it!"    I will never forget it.  When we talked later, he had decided that he could not think about it because  the situation was too confrontive.    Soldier of  The Cross, is your life really given over to Him?  Are you willing to yield to the One who holds the stars in place?    Agree with God.

   We all know it is possible to say all the right things and still lack in Love.    It is not possible to minister supernatural unconditional Love, and still say all the wrong things.    We do  not have to agree on everything, but those who have met Him agree on the basics.  And there is Love.  Love that supercedes personality differences and background.  Love that supercedes odor, dirt and warts.  Love that supercedes the past.    He is Love, and where He is, that Love is made manifest.

   The Psalmists compel the Soldier of The Cross to Praise the Lord all the time and in multitudinous ways.    How can this be done?  What is real Praise?  How does one begin?  How does one keep praising?    Praise begins in prayer.  Only by prayer does the Christian see who God is and what He has done.  Yes, there must be God's Word, but without prayer, there is no sight.  Without prayer, there is either legalism or the abuse of freedom.    Thanking the Lord for everything is the beginning of praise.  It is about agreeing with God, no matter what.  When there is obedience in this area, there is a supernatural thankfulness that exceeds any description of the thing  or circumstance for which the Soldier is offering thanks.    When there is thanks for abundance or something thrilling, thanking the Lord makes it clear to the one who prays that God is responsible for all things and that nothing happens without Him.    Then, there is a praise that spills over from obedience. It is a vector and is supernaturally sustained by the Holy Spirit.    Some would have you believe that being whipped up into an emotional state and repeating things over and over results in praise.  Not so.  That is nothing more than getting into an emotional state and repeating things over and over.  There is no spiritual benefit and it does  not bring honor to the Lord unless it is the outflowing of something more.    Christians who do  not praise the Lord feel responsible for running their own lives.  They worry about money and are moody and often resentful of others.    Soldier, agree with God.  In prayer.    Aloud.

   In the human experience, there is nothing that compares with the fellowship of those who have decided to agree with God.    Why?    Because when two or three are gathered in His Name, there He is also.    Soldier of  The Cross, for thirty three years, I have sought out those who are in love with the One who holds the stars in place.  It is worth any effort that can be made.   It means being with the Lord.  It means recognizing and enjoying Him.    There are many Christians who do not realize they can enjoy the Lord.  They have been born again, but can't understand why there is always a sense of something more.    The first step is to tell the Lord that He can have you completely, and that you agree with Him in everything.  He will begin to reveal what that means, and it is glorious.  As the revelation of His Love begins to unfold He becomes so beautiful and so consuming that  the things of this life pale in comparison.    There is still the struggle of living ion the world and dealing with time.  Nevertheless, there is such a craving to know Him that prayer begins to change the Soldier of The Cross in such a manner that he seeks Jesus above all else.  When this happens, the Soldier is led to rich, deep, hot, blessed fellowship.      This fellowship is found in the company of fellow Soldiers who are slogging through this life as you are.  The important thing  is, Pilgrims and Sojourners  who have decided to obey Him have the delight of His company for the journey.    In His Presence there is sight.    In His Presence there is acceptance.    In His Presence there is healing.    In His Presence there is Love.    In  His Presence there is Grace.    In His Presence there is the assurance of provision.    Soldier, you can't make it on your own.      There is no one else to follow.

   The Bible speaks of  the newness of His Life.   It is the rare believer who enjoys this aspect of the Christian life.    When the issues of daily life crowd in and the Soldier is forced to deal with the unexpected or unpleasant,   there must be a deliberate and assertive agreement with God.  If  He says  all things become new, and if He says He withholds no good thing, then each event, concern or difficulty must be brought to Him in prayer for the purpose of agreeing with  Him.    The Soldier of The Cross who lives in this manner will still experience the fallen world, but will see things through the eyes of eternity.        Learn to be free and filled with Joy.    Actively and aloud.    Take Him at His Word.

   Life must revolve around the Word of God.   Without the freshness of the Word taken in each day, time will loom large, and the things of earth will be far more real than eternity.  Without the freshness of the Word taken in daily, the believer becomes cemented in what he has learned and ceases to walk in the Light.    It is a matter of discipline.  Anyone who says there is no time is mistaken.  There is always time and  it is a matter of obedience.    The bills are not eternal.  The mistreatment is not eternal.  Diapers are not eternal.  Work is not eternal.   Illness is not eternal.    God's Word is eternal.

   Soldier, this is the year of  Joy.    God's Word says that His Own are entitled to enjoy Him at infinite levels.    He is the High Tower.     He is the Fortress.     He is the Rock of Ages.     He is the Lion of Judah.     He is the Great Physician.     He is the Rose of Sharon.     He is the Bright and Morning Star.     He is the Lily of The Valley.    He is the Savior and the Redeemer.    He has numerous names, and He has shared that information with you so that you could know Him, rely on Him and pursue Him.    Soldier, I tell you often that there is nothing else.    Is there something that you can name?  Of course not.  So then, why do you allow yourself to value the opinion of an enemy?     Why do you allow yourself to worry about money?     Why do you allow yourself to fantasize about the cause of the matter?       Why do you worry about vindicating yourself?    Do you believe Him?    Consider His Place as King of Kings.  How does that compare to the thing that troubles you?    You are an adopted Son and you have been born into the Kingdom of  Light.  Take up the matter with Him .    Aloud.    Today.

   You have a message that the whole world needs that of salvation.    Do you see the need?  Have you made yourself available?     Soldier of The Cross, be sure to be on the alert all the time.  Even the finest of the fine  need Jesus.  So do the worst of the worst.     No one is out of His reach, and He uses His Own to reveal His Love.