The Apostle Paul has much to say about the flesh.
 

      It has been said that the flesh is fallen human nature under the power of sin.
 

     Soldier of The Cross, the Blood of Jesus executed the old nature according to God's Word.  We live in a fallen world and choices must be made.  But you are no longer helpless or under the power of gravities that do not align with God's Word.

      The flesh is a distraction and those who would follow the Lord need to understand there is no room for resentment,  the need for attention, passivity, the seeking of comfort or the exalting of self.
   

     The world is desperately looking for His Life.  Life that cares about others first.  Life that loves unconditionally.  Life that ministers Grace.  Life that flows no matter what.

     Soldier, why would you not choose whatever He says is best?  You know you can't go back.  You must go forward.  We who know Him understand that we are preparing for eternity until we draw our last breath.  How deeply do you care about others.

     The whole world is looking for love. 

     Go!

       It is His call.

 
      Have you determined that He knows best?  Have you told Him that He can do anything He wants to with your life?  Have you told Him that your heart is to be a Living Sacrifice according to Romans 12?

     Soldier of The Cross,  who is calling the shots?  You?  Your children?  Your parents?  Your friends?

     Hallelujah that we have the Word of God.    Soldier,  we will all stand before the Throne.  Make sure your goal is to hear " Well done, good and faithful Servant. . . "

      There is no limit to what God can and will do.

    
      That is, if you are interested in His agenda.

     Soldier of The Cross,  if you are willing to tell Him that He can do anything He wants to with your life, an unimaginable adventure awaits you.  The problem lies with those who think they want what He has for them, but refuse to cross The Line in prayer.

     Where are you?  Have you actually told Him that He can be trusted?  Have you told Him you want Him to take your life and use it for His Glory?  You must tell Him.  Aloud.

     Tell Him today.

      I often suggest you should tell the Lord what you love about Him.

     Have you told Him what you love about His Word?  What does His Word mean to you?

     God's Word leads us through each day, each hour and each minute.
     God's Word lets us know His thought toward us.
     God's Word teaches behavior toward others, including enemies.
     God's Word lays out priorities for the soldier of The Cross.
     God's Word stirs the heart.
     God's Word encourages.
     God's Word teaches the Believer Priesthood.
     God's Word tells us about heaven.
     God's Word unfolds His tremendous love for us.

     God's Word reveals Jesus.

       Soldier of The Cross, children must be trained so they can then be taught. 

       The Bible says:  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
                              Proverbs 22:15

       No parent feels successful except during the times when the child appears to be perfect, according to the parent's concept of perfection.   The problem is,  there is no guaranteed parenting manual except for God's Word.  

       Over the years, I have heard mothers say that there is not a chance their children would lie to them.  That is a foolish statement.  Even the best children lie although prayer will uncover the matter.

      On other occasions, I have heard parents say that their child can be trusted in situations where others cannot be trusted.  That may or may not be true.  The younger the child, the deeper the privacy.   Some of the things that surface in teen years have been there all along - just hidden.

      Christian parent, understand one thing.  You may have taught everything you could, but your child is a separate individual who must make his or her own decision for the Lord.  You can not make that decision for your child.  I have seen young  children manipulate their parents by saying the appropriate Christian thing, just to gain control over  the immediate matter.

     No one has ever been a perfect parent.  The issue is, the child rearing must be done in  prayer.  Do you have an unbelieving spouse? Make sure you do not compromise and support the activity and behavior of your children, especially teenagers, if the behavior is sensuous or otherwise ungodly.    There is no need to condemn or even confront the child about some matters, as you will not be able to control the heart of a young adult who is wandering into clearly dangerous territory.

     Most importantly, do not approve of things you know are not right.  With older children, confrontation is rarely productive.  I have worked with teenagers for forty three years.  Believe me,  you must live before them, pray specifically, and, while you should nbot argue about the issue,  do not compromise and do not ratify the ungodly. 

     If you compromise, you sell your children down the river.

     Soldier of The Cross, is there an authority greater than His Word?

     What is your issue?   Is it possible that your situation is not covered by the Bible?

     As He has already told us, there is not any situation that He can not handle, far better than we.   Soldier,  this is the bottom line of commitment.  Are you His?  Have you told Him?   Do you know that His Promises will be fulfilled?

     What is it that you want?   What is your life about?

     It is your choice.  Go to Him in prayer and let Him know that in spite of the way things  appear, you will take Him at His Word.  After all, can you offer a better alternative?  Is it possible that you know better than God?

      Soldier of The Cross, look up and move on!

     Have you decided what is going to make you happy?

    You have made the decision to give your life to the Lord, but your thoughts are centered on the thing that screams to be resolved.  In fact unless you are distracted, your mind gravitates to the matter at hand and you find yourself reviewing things and trying to resolve the situation in the thought life when in fact, there is nothing that can be done right now.

     What does the word of God say about this?  


     Unfairly imprisoned, beaten, in coupling chains and deserted by most of his closest associates, Paul wrote to the churches about joy.  Overflowing joy.  Not because of resolved circumstances, but because of the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  Because of the deep well of release that is available to the Soldier who is willing to take up The Cross and follow Him.

       There is a wide gap between human happiness and the joy of the Lord.  Life cycles between seasons of stress and seasons of release.  Such is the case for all of humanity and as long as the Lord tarries, it will be the case.  Happiness is the experience of freedom from negativity, even if only for a few minutes.  A delighted movie goer can experience happiness for a short time.  Someone in the momentum of high achievement can experience happiness because the exhilaration excludes negative emotions.
 

     Such feelings are fragile.  While we are all designed to appreciate these experiences, we were also designed for much more.  We are to know the Joy of The Lord.  This is the Joy that  is described as "Rivers of Living Water. . ." 


      This is the joy that results from agreeing with God.
      This is the joy that results from making decision that are based on the Word of God.
      This is the joy that results from considering others first.
      This is the joy that results from placing your treasure in heaven.
      This is the joy that results from faithful prayer that lines up with God's Word.
      This is the joy that results from ministering to the sick, the imprisoned and the underprivileged.


     Soldier of The Cross, there is much to distract.  You must decide what your priorities are.

      If you are  to know the joy of the Lord, your choices must line up with His and you must lay them at His feet in prayer.  This happens over and over and over.

     There is nothing else.
     There is no one else.

     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!