What are the finer things of life?    Is this a question that can be answered with regard to life style?  Or, are you attracted to the lives of those who have  endured anything in order to propagate the Gospel?    Soldier of The Cross,  all awake in the morning.  All need physical nourishment.  All must attend to hygiene. All must have human contact.    Then, at some point, all must die.  The issue is, what have the priorities been?  When the divine blow torch is applied, what will survive?    We have been told what is important.  We have been told Love is the issue.  We have been told that  we must take up The Cross and follow Him.  Is there any argument?    No.    Soldier, He imparts a vision of eternity to all who are available.    Be sure you are included in that number.

   Remember that  He died for you and rose for you.    He is attentive to you and He thinks of you all the time.  He watches you and He knows what you are thinking.  He listens for your voice and His heart swells with delight and Love when you call on His Name.    Soldier of The Cross, Love wooed you.     Love won you.     Love called you.    Love chose you.    Love sustains you and Love is building a Place for you.    Look up and move on!

   Almost anything encourages The Soldier of The Cross.    He or she is ready to believe the best and l0ok for the best.  Because the Lord is so responsive to each tiny thought and movement of obedience, so is His Servant.    We need one another.  We need the sweet open arms of the Brethren and we need the experience of Him thr0ugh His Own.    Soldier, resist cynicism and gaze upon Him.    He is seen when we love one another.

   Soldier of The Cross, there are no limits.    We serve a God who is infinite and His inclusion of you is infinite.  If you are available, there will be opportunities that are beyond your imagination or experience.  There will be challenges that stretch you beyond anything you would consciously choose.    If you would take up The Cross and follow Him, you will know Him, recognize Him and become like Him. The Cross life is the only way to know God.  It is not a life of stodgy comfort.   You will always be pushing a little more than comfort would allow.    Soldier, know what it is that you want.  Your life will be spend pressing for the things that you think you must have.    Decide that you must have Him, and tell him so.    Aloud.    Now.

   The things that come out of the mouth are an overflow of the "abundance of the heart":   Soldier, be aware of the themes of your speech.  Would a sensitive listener notice negativity?  Insecurity?  Self-centeredness?    The heart and mind that is filled with and focused on God's Word is reflected by speech that encourages others.    Speech that builds up.   Speech that is about the Lord.   Speech that believes the best.   Speech that expresses faith.   Speech that puts others first.    His Word in your mouth.

   God displays His reality in many ways    He is seen in nature.    He is seen in His Word.    He is seen through others.    His Sovereignty is witnessed in birth and in death.    But one can not take hold of God, except by prayer that is fueled by His Word.  It is in submissive prayer that the spirit of man is filled by the Spirit of God.    Soldier of The Cross, pray like never before.

   Faith cuts through sight because it sees beyond.    I have heard Christians say that walking by faith is a standard that can not be met.  Of course, that can not be true because God's Word makes it clear that God cannot be experienced in any other way.    Because God exists, and because you know He has touched you, and because you have the Indwelling Holy Spirit, you can hold your tongue.    You can say the hard thing.    You can attend to others first.    You can trust God for provisi0n.    You can be as minister of Grace.    You can support someone who is imperfect.    You can follow the leading of the Spirit even when it makes no human sense.    You can take every thought captive and lead it away.    You can have an explosive purpose for each day.    How many days do you have left?    Live them by faith.

   Soldier of The Cross, it is not possible to walk by faith without a vision of what it means to be a Living Sacrifice.    The Living Sacrifice does not challenge the Lord.      The Living Sacrifice does not self-examine all the time.    The Living Sacrifice does  not complain about not getting his or her way.    The Living Sacrifice  is eager to be used for His Purposes.    The Living Sacrifice is transparent.    The Living Sacrifice does whatever it takes to rescue the lost.    The Living Sacrifice agrees with God.    No one has been able to design a better plan.    Soldier,  Look up and move on!

   This was my verse today:    O Lord God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, O God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!                     Psalm 94:1   Soldier of The Cross,  advance according to God's Word.  The rest is His issue.

   The Soldier of  The Cross must always be looking for a Revelation of Jesus Christ.    Always.    John says when we are with Him, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He really is.  And, such is also the case during Time as well as Eternity.    Consider this:  He who gave Himself for you is eager and seeking to reveal Himself to you.  There is no measure to His depth of character, personality, ability, deity, Kingship or Love.    If you are available, He is always revealing more and more of Himself.     Soldier of  The Cross, we are all like wilting flowers.  From birth, we await eternity.  The issue is, are we in agreement with God?  He said you are His disciple if you take up the Cross daily.  It is clear in His Word, and no one can argue with it.    It is simple.  No philosophy involved.  The Cross is the place of the death of the flesh.  The death of me, me, me.    At the bottom line, it is initially a simple matter of practicality.    What works?  His way.    Even a tiny advance toward that position releases the ability to respond to the wooing of the Holy Spirit.    There is nothing else.