Because we live in a fallen world and must deal with the issues of Time, there are certain things that we can not escape.    For example, we are not completely free of the old nature until we are present with the Lord.  In the meantime, we have the privilege of taking up The Cross daily, and following Him.  Interestingly, this means we must deal with the flesh by appropriating the defenses and offenses given to us in God's Word.    All things must be for His Glory.       Arguments are counter productive.  There is no place in the Bible where God argued with anyone. He is too secure for that.  He came, He died, He rose again.  He proved  His divinity.    Soldier of The Cross,  give Him the Glory. Do it in prayer, so that He is able to reveal to you what this means.  Until there is a revelation of His Glory, the flesh sets up a conflict that can not be resisted.  The old man wants credit.  He wants to be right.  He wants to get back.  He wants to be secure in the future.    And, he wants all to know that he is the authority  with regard to his own life.    The Lord has told us to give Him the Glory, because it is the best thing for us.  We need Truth.  We need reality.  We need the bottom line.    Soldier of The Cross, come before Him today and deal with this issue.     Tell Him aloud.    Tell Him today.

Be sure you know what Battle you are fighting. You can't fight a moral battle. You must fight a spiritual battle. There are many who would like to see society change, and without an encounter with Christ. There are those who picket, chain themselves to buses, and plant themselves in every conspicuous place. They call, mail and focus on moral societal change. It will never happen. The Gospel is not about social change. The Gospel is not about moral change. The Gospel is about Salvation and transformation. the Gospel is about Power to live and Power to be free. How can a homosexual change with out the Lord. Why should he or she change without the Lord? Soldier, you can agree with God about sin, but you must take His position on the issues. He came to die and He came to Love. He came to redeem and He came to teach about the Cross. You must not make abortion your issue. You must not make gay marriage your issue. You must not make the war in Iraq your issue. Salvation is your issue. Healing is your issue. Heaven is your issue. Freedom is your issue. The Blood is your issue. Love is your issue. He died for the Victory. He rose for the Victory. Make sure you are fighting the Battle that is covered by the Shed Blood.

   Most of the world is without eternal purpose.    There is always economic pressure, social pressure, family pressure and personal guilt and the need to achieve.    Soldier of The Cross, things are really quite simple.  We have been given the moment.  We must live in the moment, and we must do so in accordance with the Word of God.     He has not given us a big list of things to do.  He has not assigned us to some kind of scavenger hunt.  Nor are we left to meet a standard.    We simply need to know Him and to obey Him.  He has promised to lead us. He has promised to change us.  He has promised to give us Peace and He who indwells us empowers us to walk with Him.    Stop trying to make it so complicated.  The deeper, the more simple.    Look up and move on!   

   Life is about the Lord Jesus.    There is no one else so interesting.  There is no one else between God and man.  There is no one else who loves you so.   There is no one else who will save those you love.  There is no one else who will provide for you.  There is no one else who listens to you as He does.     There is no one else who took your sin for you.    There is no other reason to live, because He is Truth, and there is no other.one or way.  It is simple.    Call to Him.  He will answer.  He has never failed to answer.    You must meet Him, get to know Him and serve Him.    There is nothing else.  There is no one else.

   You must have some kind of systematic study of God's Word.       This can be done in any number of ways.  To begin, it is essential to read it through from cover to cover on a regular basis.  Then, there should be a contextual study so that you know the theme of each book, the circumstances of each book and how Jesus is revealed in each book.  There are key verses that should be memorized in each book.  I advocate that they be memorized first in the King James, because so much of the world uses the translation, and because there are many references that were written before the modern translations.   There should be prayer  before study.  Although the mind and emotions are surely satisfied by The Word, it is not an intellectual or emotional journey.  You must be seeking a Person.     Soldier of The Cross, it is never old. It is never ineffective.  It is  never obsolete.    Get to know the Lord.   

   Are you His bondservant?    Many years ago, those who needed money would contract o be a servant/slave to another.  This contract was for a named number of years.  The term used for this servitude was "bond servant."     On occasion, there were those who made the decisio0n to simply give the rest of their lives to the service of the master.  In this case, the ear was pierced and an earring signified the decision to willingly serve.    In the Kingdom of Heaven, this piercing takes place in the heart and it is the result of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.      Paul eagerly and unashamedly identifies himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.    Where are you in this regard?  After all, isn't it your "reasonable service"  ?    There is simply nothing else.  Jesus is the only one who answers.  He is the only one who has died for you,.  He is the only one who has promised to prepare a place for you.  He is the only one who understand the things that you can't even put into words.    Invest all that you are and all that you have in eternity.    Fall deeply in Love.    Determine to serve The Master.  

   Soldier of The Cross, we are told in I Thessalonians that we have " . . . all the privileges and rewards of the new life in Jesus Christ the Messiah. "    What a tremendous thing!    Why then, do we insist on living as though it were not true?  Why must we impale ourselves on the day to day  drudgeries?  Why must we worry and fret and rehearse our past losses and hurts?    Why are we blinded to the needs of those around us?    Are you a Soldier of The Cross?  Have you decided to take up the Cross daily and follow Him?     We have been born into Heaven's economy.    We have been born into a Royal Race.    We have been born into the Kingdom of His Dear Son.    We have the seal of Promise on our hearts.   Can you go back?  Of course not  So, Soldier, you must proceed.    You have either claimed your life as your own, or you have crossed The Line.    Soldier,  look up and move on!

   The Lord will take anything and make everything out of it.    He who created the heavens with His word of power is fully able to take your life, just as it is, and reveal Himself.   All He requires is, availability.    What do you have?  Not much money?  Not much time?  Just a few loaves and fishes?    He can take what you have and do anything.  In prayer, you must yield up all that you have.     He will reveal Himself as The Light of The World.  All you need to do is be available.

   There will be no acrid air in Heaven.    Where He is, there is sweetness, Glory, Light, healing and creativity.    Soldier of The Cross,  when the atmosphere is wrong, you must Stand on The Rock of Ages and resist the enemy.     Because we live in a fallen world, and because satan is the prince of the power of the air, there are always things that pierce the most determined and stalwart.  We read about the saints of the faith and we think that they were stronger than we.  It is not true.    Soldier of The Cross, do you recognize what is happening?  Can you see when you are being attacked?    A Servant of the Living God ought not to be on the defensive.   He who is our High tower, Commander, High Wall and Fortress, is more than able.    Do you need to be in control?  Are you willing to let Him have His way?  If you are, the ground on which you walk will not move.  Your eyes will reflect Him.  Your countenance will reflect Peace.     Walk in the Light, as He is in the Light.    It is absolutely possible to taste Heaven on earth.

   The Soldier of The Cross may not howl and carry on about how he has been treated.     If you hear yourself behaving that way, stop and consider the One who died for you.     When there is no Cross, the flesh needs attention and tries to gain a false balance by persuading someone against someone else.  The offense may even have been caused by someone no longer living, but, if there is no Cross the need to salve the wound gets stronger with age.    The Cross is the place of the death of the flesh.  It is the place where personal offenses are given up to the Lord.   It is the place where the gravity of this life is weakened, and heaven brings a vision  of eternity.    It is the place of ministry to others- sacrificial ministry.    It is the place of sweet fellowship with the Lord Jesus.    Soldier, waste no time.  Take up your Cross daily.    In prayer.    Aloud.