Soldier of The Cross, where is the experience of Glory?

It is in obedience.

His Word says that Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Soldier, if you have been born again, you know that the Indwelling Holy Spirit interprets the Word, guides you and responds to your inclination toward Him.

When we get to Heaven, all that has been done in Obedience will be amplified and multiplied.

In the meantime, walk by faith. Obedience is the most valuable thing in the universe, second only to the Blood of Jesus.

God's Word is more real than the way that you feel, and there is nowhere else to go.

There is no one else.

Look up and move on!

What do you cherish?

The Person of the Lord Jesus?
The Word of God?
The Body of Christ?

These are the things that are eternal.

Be careful that the priorities of the world and the desperate survival flailings of the flesh do not creep in.

Our priorities are deliberate. They must be chosen and submitted in agreement with God, in prayer.

Too often the thing that we think must be fixed or protected becomes the priority.

Many today put family before the Lord. Even among Christians, there is too much emphasis on financial stability.

Often without knowing it, control becomes the driving force.

Soldier of The Cross, know what is most important to you. Talk about it. Tell your children. Sing about it.

Most importantly, state these things to the Lord often. Aloud.

We are a forward looking people.

The family of God looks forward to the promised inheritance.

Soldier of The Cross, look ahead. The enemy would have you looking back. The enemy would have you crippled by false accusation. The enemy would dilute your momentum by distracting you to the enth degree.

We do not have time to try to redeem the past. The Lord has said He would restore the years, and, so He will for those who are obedient and submit to His eternal plan.

There is nothing you can do to change what has already happened. Have you been misunderstood? Have there been consequences? Have you been deserted? Maligned?

Soldier, we move on. We who are His, have an eternal edict.

Refuse decay. Take Him at his Word. Look unto the Author and Finisher of our faith. What is His plan for us? It is far beyond this life.

Soldier, look up and move on!!

Is your body a Living Sacrifice?

Have you decided that your faculties are to be yielded for Service to Him?

Is there any better investment?

Soldier of The Cross, living for Jesus is not a cultural matter. It is not a legalistic matter and it is certainly not a religious way of life.

It is a relationship with a real Person who is eager to come in. He is eager to bless. He is eager to sup with you. He is eager to show you the hidden things.

Make yourself available.

Soldier of The Cross, as a minister of Grace, you must be available to love the offender, the insipid and the repulsive.

Grace is supernatural. It is completely different than tolerance - it is the ability to assume the best, to bear one another's "troublesome moral flaws." (Amplified)

Grace is active.
Grace is not equal to the offense - it is always greater.
Even in discipline, Grace always reveals Love.
Grace is always ministered by faith.

Grace is first the avoidance of false balance, and then it reveals the nature of the One whose Grace so abundantly exceeds our sin.

You were saved by Grace.
You get through each day by Grace.

Ask the Lord to reveal this marvelous expression to you.
Ask Him aloud.

There are those who resist the Lord even though they absolutely know He is asking for commitment.

That means there is no fear of God.

The most consecrated Soldier of The Cross has no guarantee of perfection. We learn to follow the Lord. We learn to obey. We learn to confess and repent. These privileges come through hardship and choice.

But, there are those who have no fear of God. I have actually heard Christians confess that they know that God requires one thing, but they are choosing another.

There is no other. There is no where else. Will you invest your soul in winning the immediate battle any way you can? Or will you take Him at His Word and wait for Him?

Is there another on whom you can count? Is there another who is perfect? Is there another who created all you see and know about?

Are you under the influence of another person? An unscriptural longing?

Get it right.

Tell Him about it and determine to agree with Him in prayer.

Tell Him aloud. Now.

God's Word says that you should put away anger.

It is one thing to be angry when you are the target of unfairness or when your children are hurt. It is entirely another thing when you take on anger in defense of another person.

When this happens, you have taken on second hand anger. Perspective is lost, and all events, conversations and reports are received by you through a cloud of anger.

That means there is a need to settle the score. Your stance is intensified because you have stepped in to advocate for the wrong you think has been done to another.

If this is the case, it means you did not accurately perceive the situation in the first place. It has penetrated you like a hot splinter and it has festered. It compels conversation and it also compels fault finding of the one at whom you are angry. It has changed your body language. Your thought life veers away from love when you think about the offender.

Soldier of The Cross, anger always wants to justify itself by measuring itself against the offender. There is a soulish anger that all Believers experience, and it is a first reaction. It is not possible to live in this fallen world and totally avoid the experience.. But those who would serve the Master must learn to take the matter to Him and agree with Him concerning the right to hold on to the negative emotion. He has said there is no right, and it must be released.

God's righteous anger is not the same as the anger of the flesh. When Moses struck the Rock, he violated faith.

Those who pray about matters over a period of time are able to see things. They are able to see what is really going on. They are able to see things that are opposed to the Kingdom of Heaven.

The ongoing, faithful prayer about the matter is the thing that inoculates the Believer from arrogance, anger and separation.

Tell the Lord. Tell Him aloud. He is not going to explain it to you and He is not going to weigh the matter before you. Wrong. He will attend to it in His time and according to His will.

And, He will release you.

You must be available to be a minister of Life to all, at all times and under all circumstances. This very availability will protect you from deception and will prevent you from sentimental responses and angry reactions.

Where is the Victory?

In Him. Nowhere else.

There is great relief in the Sovereignty of God.

He is in control of every birth, death, all illness and natural disaster.

He is also in control of each broken plate, the bills and personal violation.

We are not fatalists. We just rest in the teaching of the Word of God that says we set our faces like flint, march into the fray, and let the Lord work out His will.

It allows us to be spent in the name of Jesus, but not burned out. It allows us to do the work and not have to see the result.

It allows us to love unconditionally.

If it were not for the sovereignty of God, everything would be up to us.

Praise God, it is not up to us. Many things do not happen without prayer, but we are not the ones who make them happen.

There is no building without builders, but unless God is doing the building, the builders build in vain.

Soldier of The Cross, we are privileged to press on, work while there is daylight, yet resting all the While.

Underneath are the Sovereign Everlasting Arms.

The Gospel is simple.

Deep, but simple.

When the Lord reveals something, it becomes clear. What was previously hidden becomes not only obvious, but it is in a context.

All the intellectual reasoning in the world can't bring anyone to Christ. Perfect doctrine can't bring anyone to Christ. Trying to be a perfect example guarantees frustration.

The facts are as outlined in the Word of God. All are sinners. All deserve death. Christ died for all. Salvation is free. The gift of salvation must be received. It is personal.

It is the Good News. Jesus Christ is extending His nail-scarred hand to any who will take it.

The Holy Spirit will deliver the message with supernatural penetration. It remains the same through the ages.

No deviation.
No compromise.
One way.

The Psalmist always agreed with God.

In the Davidic Psalms, David poured out his heart to the Lord. He went to the One who holds the stars in place. He stated his bleak position, his desperate condition and the aggression and darkness of his enemies.

Why are we so encouraged by the Psalms? Why do we turn to this inspired book when we are desperate for consolation?

Because we are reading the words of writers who agreed with God.

Soldier of The Cross, are you off the path today? Have you erred?

He will always receive you and there is always hope. With God, there is no such thing as a dead end. It does not matter how things look. We serve a Lord who is not limited by anything we can name.

Go before Him. Today.
Describe to Him the situation.
Tell Him you agree with Him, and quote the verses that relate to your situation.

Do it aloud.

Now.