Soldier, have you ever seen a blade of grass push its way up through the cement?    Such is the quality of life.  And, all the more it is the quality of His own Life.     Those who deal in death do not understand Life.  They deal in falsehood, manipulation and a unity of darkness. There is no respect for the sovereignty of God, nor is there a delight in His ways.      You have been born into the Kingdom of Light.  Look up and see.  Gaze upon Him who died for you.  Investigate His personality.    Those who walk in the Light will not be deceived because they can see where they are going and they can see with whom they deal.    Count as valuable that which is valuable.  Discount that which is not valuable.    Obedience to God's Word brings the experience of Life.

   Make no apology for the Gospel.    The hardest face may be a front for a heart that is craving to hear the Truth.  The most vigorous protest may be covering a soul desperate to respond to reality.    He stands firm.  He is not afraid of criticism or rejection. He is not insecure about the limitation of time or any barrier of circumstances.  He does not flinch when it appears He is misunderstood or misinterpreted.    He does not have to prove anything.    Soldier, you have nothing to lose by standing firm and presenting eternal Truth.  Time is short and the day must be spent with that in mind.    Always have an answer for the Hope that is within you.    Preach in season and out of season.    Every one needs to know.

   Make no apology for the Gospel.   The hardest face may be a front for a heart that is craving to hear the Truth. The most vigorous protest may be covering a soul desperate to respond to reality.   He stands firm.  He is not afraid of criticism or rejection. He is not insecure about the limitation of time or any barrier of circumstances.  He does not flinch when it appears He is misunderstood or misinterpreted.   He does not have to prove anything.   Soldier, you have nothing to lose by standing firm and presenting eternal Truth.  Time is short and the day must be spent with that in mind.   Always have an answer for the Hope that is within you.   Preach in season and out of season.   Every one needs to know.

   What happens in private?    Those who belong to the Lord understand that there are many unseen witnesses.     There is only one measure of character, and that is the Word of God.  Soldier of The Cross, no matter what is whirling around, no matter what seems to be, no matter what emotions say, God's Word stands over all.    Those who want Him stand for Him before others and bend to Him in private.    Those who want Him tel Him each day.  They are aware of His attention and are eager to please Him.    Soldier, all are watching.  Your heart must belong to Him and to him alone.  Your goal must be to know Him and to serve and encourage the Body of Christ.    What are your most private decisions?     Prayer is a time for raw honesty.    Soldier, there is nothing else.

 A Soldier of The Cross does not complain, whine or waste time licking his wounds.       He is interested in serving the Lord, and that means that he will attend to others at his own expense.    There is a significant difference between serving others, and doing everything to win another in order to gain approval and control.  Similarly, the same difference exists between kindness and niceness.    The Servant of The Living God has determined to leave Silken Self behind and follow the One who left Glory to rescue us.     If you are not actively doing for others, there is a void in your life.  If you are attending to the needy, the most extreme circumstances are diffused because of obedience.       What is His nature?  After all, He is Love.    The greatest miracle in the human life is knowing God.  The fruit of knowing Him is being like Him.       There is nothing else.

   God's Word is stimulating.     Revealing.      Motivating.     Convicting    Exposing.    Soldier of The Cross, we must all remember that we are fed, and cleansed by His Word.  How easy it is to let it go.  Other things press in and seem so much more critical.    Never let the urgent take the place of the important.    Are you aware of your priorities?  They should be stated in daily prayer.  Aloud.     There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

   No human effort went in to the birth of Jesus - only humble submission.    Soldier of The Cross, may He be born into your life?  May He be seen?  May His death and resurrection be reflected as He sees fit, as you submit to Him in prayer?    He did  not choose to be recognized.  He did  not choose to be safe.  He did not even choose to be comfortable.    He chose humility.    He chose obscurity.    He chose to be rejected, even at birth.    Yet, Grace revealed Him to the Wise Men and to the Shepherds.    Soldier of The Cross, He has called your name and has extended His Hand to you for a life that reflects and reveals His Own Life.    Are you available, or do you have certain doors and boxes that are sealed?  Is there something you must have?  If that something is other than Jesus, you must present the situation to him in prayer.    There is no freedom greater than faith in the One who came as a Baby.    Have you told Him how much His birth as a child means to you?    Tell Him today.    Tell Him aloud.  He is the ultimate Responder.  He will absolutely let you know that He has heard.

   Soldier of The Cross, serving the Lord means sticking to Truth.    Gossip is not always the breaking down of communication.  It is often foolish guessing.  People love to fill in the blanks.    This is a lethal trap and  those who do not have a scriptural handle on the thought life, will fall into it.    If you interpret circumstances and read faces, you will develop a fantasy world that throws the door open to the enemy.     The enemy is insane.  What is insanity?  Separation from reality.    Soldier, avoid speculation.  Make sure you do not present facts not in evidence.  We are told that God hates false testimony and anything that separates the brethren.    Be wise.  Be quiet.  Wait for Him.    It is  not your battle, it is His.    In the meantime, there are many who need to be fed, healed, loved and saved. You must avoid the quicksand of deciding you have Holy Spirit insight into the motives and thoughts of others.    Watch for and wait for the Lord.    You must do this because you do not have all the answers.  He alone knows the unknown.

   Children must learn priorities.    God is the first priority.  The next is the person before you, and you are last.  This is the formula for release, security and sight.    Soldier of The Cross, without training, children will become the center of their own universes.  They will dictate everything around and they will easily manipulate unenlightened adults.    For a child, it does not take a lightening bolt.  It only takes a living example, and verbal explanation of what is happening.  Have you noticed that your children imitate your speech as well as your mannerisms?    If you speak negatively about others, your children will don the cloak of your opinion without understanding that is is wrong or sinful.  Even if they sense that something is not right, children instinctively reflect their parents.    What a tremendous encouragement.  It means there is an open avenue for training.    What are your values?  Your real values?  Do your children see and hear you fretting about finances all the time, or are they hearing your daily verses?  Do they hear your concerns about the lost?   When they need discipline, do you pray with them?    Are your physical possessions in order?  Is your use of time according to God's Word?  Are you in church every time the door is open?    Soldier of The Cross, your children must be prepared for eternal delight.  They should be disciplined without anger and they should be secure, because you are consistent.    Be sure to raise your children on your knees.

   Soldier, when you crossed The Line, you told the Lord He could have you.    The Spirit moved within you and revealed the beauty of being willing to let Him take your life in order to do whatever would glorify Him.  From that time, when you have read of those who have gone before,  your heart burns with the longing to serve Him, and to love Him with all that you are and have.    There is no second best.  Nothing else is eternal.    So, develop an awareness of what gets your attention and why.  The battle is in the mind.  Learn to govern your thoughts.  Bring the matter of your focus to the Lord in prayer.  Tell him about it.  He will train you.  That means that there will be exercises in faith and in learning not to look to "the left nor to the right."    Look up and move on!