Prayer must go Before Everything

Where does human effort end and faith begin?

For years, the age old question is one that has haunted the intellectual and soulical.

Those who have crossed The Line and made the decision to live according to The Word, understand that there is no gap and there is no conflict.

Prayer must go before everything. If there is waiting to be done, there will be a resistance to movement and it will not go away. It will seem slight and it may not be logical, but as long as there is prayer, it will be there.

Often, when the Lord is indicating a restraint, the agreement or confirmation will come from another believer. If there is to be movement, the restraint will be removed and there will be confirmation from those who have private prayer lives and have experience with the Lord.

Soldier of The Cross, it is critical that you understand that no Believer does everything right by sight. When we get to heaven, we will know more. In the meantime, we are here and we are learning.

In the Body of Christ, the problem arises when there is a spirit of discontent and it always begins with a woman. Often there is criticism and complaint from one who wants to influence another in order to bring about change. It is not possible for the discontent person to keep the matter silent.

Learn to wait but be ready to move! Never catch the falling ark.

Soldier of The Cross, learn to remind yourself that we serve another who is able to lead us.

He never teases.

He never hides.

There is no other communicator like our Lord.

There is no other leader like our Lord.

Every Moment of Every Day

"Only to be what He wants me to be, Every moment of every day; Yielded completely to Jesus alone Every step of this pilgrim way: Just to be clay in The Potter's Hands; Ready to do what His Word commands; Only to be what He wants me to be; Every moment of every day."

What is the burr under your saddle today?

"Then said the Lord to me, you have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over my word to perform it."

What is the burr under your saddle today?

Whatever it is, it is not scriptural for you to hang on to it. There is nothing that compares to His Word. The intensity of your offense should not determine your position, your approach or your conversation about the situation.

The word of God determines your attitude and your responses. You can feel strongly, while bending the will into obeying Him.

Soldier of The Cross, if you do not live this way, there is much ground that will not be recovered in this life.

Satan is a divider of the brethren. If he can invade your soul for just a few minutes, he can plant a splinter against another brother or sister. That splinter will fester, and all of your interactions with and reports about that one, will be filtered through the color of the enemy's implantation.

With each unpleasant encounter, run to The Word.

Stay clean.

What is your standard?

There is a godly vigor that results from the decision to live a life in accordance with the Word of God.

What is your standard? I must not be the life of another or the teaching of another. It must not be an ideal. Nor may it be some personal goal.

The standard must be the Word of God.

The Bible instructs in all things. The problem comes when the Christian has to understand, or when the Christian has to know what the result will be.

Soldier of The Cross, your job is obedience. That is what He has asked and it is not going to change. We have been asked to take Him at His Word without knowing the earthly outcome.

Who do you trust today? Can it possibly be that you trust yourself more than you trust the Lord? Sadly, that is the state of many.

Those who are without Christ have no vision of eternity. They have no Rock. They have no Fortress. They have no Comforter.

They have only themselves.

We have One who is perfect. Who holds the stars in place. Who is elegant, yet reaches out to the worst and the most unlovely of us all.

We have One who loved us before we loved Him and gave up Glory to suffer and die for us.

We do not understand many things, but we know He rose again and is making a place for us.

Is there anything better? Is there anyone else who could be trusted?

He has asked for obedience, and that is the first priority. This obedience leads to a relationship with Him. It leads to Love. It leads to healing. It leads to freedom.

Stand before Him and say it again. That you are His. That you eagerly obey His Word.

Tell Him today. Aloud.

Efficiency in the Practical Things

Soldier of The Cross, when you make the decision to live your life for the Lord, there is a marvelous efficiency in the practical things.

In the morning, you tell the Lord He can have your life. You ask Him to do whatever He needs to do to bring about His likeness in you.

Then, you move into The Next Thing.

Dishes? Diapers? Work? Dinner?

It is all the same. Preaching to an audience of ten thousand is the same as doing a sink of dishes. Whose are you?

In God's economy, there is no large or small task. His issue is obedience.

Soldier of The Cross, you have made the decision to invest in eternity. What is the immediate distraction? A disagreement? A loss? A death? No money?

The bottom line is, is it your issue, or is it His?

Joy in Serving Jesus

The good old-fashioned song says, "There is joy in serving Jesus. . ."

And, so there is. The joyless servant is one who is serving something or someone other than the Master. Perhaps he is serving a philosophy. Or a standard. Or a particular doctrine, or numerous other things, other than the Lord.

Serving often involves doing the simple tasks of every day with a glad heart. Serving means obeying the Lord in all things.

Serving means loving the Body of Christ. Serving means being available to love the unlovely.

Serving means taking the Word of God and refusing to veer off.

Soldier of The Cross, those who are faithful just feel like they are plodding along, but they do not have resentment. They are not burned out and they do not look at others, thinking that they ought to have the responsibility or recognition that others have.

Those who serve do not consider a small task to be less important than a big project.

We are His.

Period.

Marked by His own Personality

We have a God who speaks of His mercy and lovingkindness.

Those who have met Him are marked by His own personality. They are gracious. They minister supernatural Love.

They refuse to strike back and are merciful.

At the same time, they are eager and willing to give their lives for the spreading of the Gospel. They have power.

They can not be tipped over.

They feed on the eternal Word of God and look to no other source for guidance.

Soldier of The Cross, do not look to the left nor to the right. Divine vigilance is only available to those who have set the face "like flint" and have eyes fixed on the One who is the Goal.

Take in the Word. Share it with the One who died for you, named you and has called you.

Share it with Him, aloud.

His Attributes are Infinite

Soldier, what attracts you about the Lord?

Is it His unconditional Love? Is it His eagerness to lead you into whatever is the best for you? Is it His ability to create? It is that He left Glory for you? Perhaps it is that He said He would withhold no good thing from you?

Is it that He heals?

Is it His Grace?

Soldier of The Cross, His attributes are infinite. His personal call to you is the ultimate manifestation of Grace.

You must talk to Him about these things. Tell Him what you love about Him.

Today, many believers evaluate the Lord based on what they think He has done for them.

It is in His Word. It is Finished. The relationship with Him is entered into by Faith. By those who have committed their lives to Him.

Are you able to add to His Plan?

Soldier, when you talk to Him, speak to Him aloud. Tell Him the things you love about Him. It is important to choose words.

He will respond.

There is no other.

Experience of Glory

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?

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.