Soldier of The Cross, where is your treasure?     Can you be shaken when instability invades society, or are you founded on The Rock of Ages?    Is your security in anything other than the Lord?  Are you eager to live by faith?    When false accusation rears its ugly head, are you founded on The Rock of Ages?    Are you eager to live by faith?    When there is only abundance and enjoyment, are you founded on The Rock of Ages?    Are you eager to live by faith?    When children seem to fail and you feel responsible, are you founded on The Rock of Ages?    Are you eager to live by faith?    When there are crippling physical problems and you are not able to function, are you founded on The Rock of Ages?    Are you eager to live by faith?    When those you trust betray you, are you founded on The Rock of Ages?    Are you eager to live by faith?    Soldier of The Cross, the One who holds the stars in  place is in charge of your life.  He has said you could and should come to Him.  He has said He will never turn anyone away.    Put your burden down.  There is One who can be trusted.    He is The Rock of Ages, and under you are The Everlasting Arms.

   Soldier of The Cross, Christian zeal is not to be equated with the energy of a good performer.    He who is faithful in prayer and who is completely available - that one is going to know what zeal is.  He will experience this because he will see the goal clearly.  God's longing will be his longing.  He will be able to receive  love from the Lord, and it will flow though him to others.    Zeal is not energy.  Zeal is the raw life of the Lord as He is allowed to Love, through His Own.

   Are you aware of your thoughts?    Or are you taken by them?  Do you review and review the issues?  Do entertain fantasy conversations?  Do you ever find yourself talking aloud to someone who is not present?    Of course you do.  All experience this.  The important this is to recognize what is really happening.  Soldier of The Cross,  you must make sure you are not being distracted.  You may not shadow box or fight a paper soldier.     The enemy is real,  but he projects illusion that are holograms and  he deals in the dark realm of lies.  From the Word of God, we know that he is the father of lies.    Soldier,  this is not a difficult matter.   Reality is that which lies beyond.    Reality is that which is Promised.  Reality is that which glorifies the Lord.    Take inventory.    Are you criticizing the Brethren?  You are off.    Are you wound licking?    You are off.    Are you withholding Love?  You are off.    Are you guilty of the sin of assumption?   You are off, and you are no doubt guilty of dividing the Body of Christ.    Soldier, buck up.    Do it  in prayer.  Aloud.  Today.    There is nothing else.  There is no one else.

   What a delight it is to serve the Lord.    We rejoice in the fellowship with the Saints.     We rejoice in His Provision.    We rejoice in His Promises.    We rejoice in the privilege of Faith.    We rejoice in His faithfulness.    We rejoice in the vision of Heaven.    We rejoice in all things, inclusive of absolutely anything He allows.    Soldier of The Cross, are you able to honestly say that you can rejoice in the above listed things? Have you learned to let him have His way?  Have you see His Power?  By faith, are you able to see eternity?    Soon, we will cross the Jordan.  Though we now experience the Promised Land, we will soon enter the eternal Place designed for our eternal fellowship with Him.    Get down to business.  Spread the Gospel.    There is nothing to lose.  Look away from the things that distract.  Be a man or woman of prayer.  Delve into the Word.    Stop making excuses.    Support His Work with all you are and with all that you have.    Learn to deal with all things in  prayer before battling in the mind or raising a finger in human manipulation.    Learn to deal with things in prayer before soliciting support from another brother or sister.    Learn to deal with things in prayer before giving value to negative emotions.    What is there?    Is there an other who can answer prayer?    Is there an other who loves you more?    Leave it all behind and follow Him.  There is nothing else.  There is no one else.

   How easy it is to categorize activity.    We talk about work, vacation, serving the Lord, and attending to personal matters.    For the Soldier of The Cross, there should be prayerful and earnest effort to consciously serve the Lord without label or division of activity.    Believers often confuse spiritual authority and spiritual gifts with Christian service.   According to the Word of God,  all should be done unto the glory of God.    When it comes to moving and breathing and having our very life in Him, there is no difference between housework and preaching.  Serving the Lord in preaching is not superior to serving the Lord by cleaning toilets.  The issue is, serving the Lord, rather than serving the job.    Soldier, he could come at any time.      Let Him find you in Service.

   You have no way of knowing what is is important unless there is regular and obedient prayer about the matter.    Once you have come before the Lord, He can take the piercing burden and He can leave you with the Promise of His intervention, whether you think you see it or not.    Soldier, see it by faith.  Can He be believed?  Is it possible that you know better than He?  Are you available to relief, or must you be the one in control?    There is always a Way of Escape - according to His Word.   If He is to be believed, then you can rely on Him.  You can take Him at His Word.  Leave the matter with Him and trust Him for the next move.    You are not equipped to know what the  most important thing is, but He has said that He would lead.    And, be assured that He will.

     A Servant of The Lord watches for Him all the time.    If there is not deliberate looking for the Lord, distraction will be the flavor of the day rather than release.    Soldier of The Cross, soon the days will be over and the choices of this life will be no more.  Today must be lived according to the Word of God.  Over and over He says we must watch and wait for Him.    There is not even a close second best.

   When you speak about the Lord, what gives you the right to be heard?    Is it because you know so much?  Is it because you are connected with others?  Is it because you are obviously gifted?    Or, is it because you are serving?  Are you moving out into the community?  Are you giving to the poor?  Are you visiting nursing homes?  Are you visiting prisons?  Are you supporting missionaries?  Are you a pillar in the local assembly?    Soldier, those who serve Him are in support of something, not against something.     Serve the Lord in prayer.  In finances.  By your words.  Make sure you are not trying to bring people to you, but that you are going to where the need is.    Make yourself available.  In prayer.  Aloud.    Today

   Remember, you are an adopted son.    When you come to Him, you do  not have to pray yourself into His favor -  you are already there.  He wants to bless you with every heavenly blessing.  And, because His best for you is higher that your concept, the thing you want may not come about.    It does not mean that you have prayed wrongly.  It does not mean that you don't know the situation. It simply means that the One who sustains the universe with His Word of Power loves you enough to give you the best.     He said He would not withhold any good thing.    Believe Him.

Soldier of The Cross, remember that while you are seeing a tremendous victory, it belongs to the Lord. It came from Him and goes to Him. He gets the Glory. One of my most treasured possessions is a note I received from Elisabeth Elliot. The note says: ". . . accolades and false accusation should be both be received in the same manner. . ." Our greatest victory will be when the Race is over and we are at His feet. Yes, you have worked hard. You have prayed hard. You have pounded the pavement and you are seeing the fruit. But remember that unless the Lord builds the house, the builder builds in vain. We do not work for temporal reward. Some of the best and most noble efforts will only see the victory in heaven. Now, we see the victory with eyes of faith. We rejoice and revel in His victory - never in something we think we have brought about. Freedom in Christ means, His is the Victory.