We need to be reminded that we must walk in Love.

     What does that mean?

     It needs to be revealed. 

     There is no Love Walk if there is unforgiveness anywhere. 
     There is no Love Walk if you are easily irritated.
     There is no Love Walk if you are gossiping.
     There is no Love Walk if you are not tithing.
     There is no Love Walk if you are complaining about the church all the time.
     There is no Love Walk if you are missing lots of meetings.
     There is no Love Walk if there is little prayer.

     Because He is Love, He is eager to lead us into this Walk.

     Tell Him you are available and  will take up the Cross.  Tell Him you want to be a Soldier of The Cross, no matter what.  He will respond bigtime.

     Tell Him aloud.
 
    
 

     Trust requires unanswered questions.

     So many want to know "Why?".

     The answer is not going to be forthcoming in this lifetime and that is because He has asked that you walk by faith;

     "For in Him we live and move and have our being. . ."  (Acts 17:28, Amplified Bible.)

     Oh, Soldier.  You have been through the mill, and no one has been able to console you.  Physical disaster?  Financial devastation?  Death?  Lies?  Pain?  Desertion?  Paralysis?

     He does understand.  You don't get to understand until we stand before Him in Glorified bodies and have all knowledge.  And, for whatever reason, He has determined that the best thing for you is to trust Him.  Lay it at His feet and move on according to the Light He gives.

     He never gives Light for more than the next move, although He often brings a vision of Himself in the matter.

     Soldier, Are you His?  Then make the daily commitment that is The Life decision.  It has to be made each day. 

     Tell Him you are His.  Tell Him aloud.  Tell Him that He can do anything with your life and tell Him that you do  not need to know the reason why.   Will you be a Living Sacrifice?

     Tell Him.
     Aloud.

     Today.

     His correction can come from the most unlikely places.

     One would think that it would always be in private, and from deep, sensitive and mature Christians.  Or, perhaps He could only speak to us through The Word or spectacular and interesting messages.

     The fact is, often He speaks in the middle of trials and sometimes through those who are insensitive and worse.

     If the Soldier of The Cross is eager to follow hard after Him and is praying to know Him, that Soldier will hear His voice, even from the most trying mouth, particularly if you are in ministry.

     How available are you? 

     Tell Him.  It takes the sting out of the circumstances and puts the emphasis on taking up The Cross.   It's not about the horrid person's arrogance.  It's about eternity.

     His Way is Love.  His correction is an expression of that Love, no matter how it comes. 

     This is not about accepting nasty, negativity.  This is about learning to hear Him, to bring everything to Him in prayer and to move on according to His Word.

     If it is from Him, there will be Light.

     Look up and move on!

     First, are you a Soldier of The Cross?

     Are you willing to be a Living Sacrifice? Is it beautiful to you?

     There is tremendous protection in the Body of Christ, but most Christians don't understand their own roles within the Church.

     It's not about meeting your expectation of what made you feel great before.  It's about where He has assigned you.

     The Lord will assign you to an assembly where you need to lay down your life , live before the Brothers and Sisters and pray for depth and revelation.   Of course, you can't stay where there is heresy.  Nonetheless,  history records numerous situations where a single Soldier has planted The Flag of prayer and brought revival.

    Have you a list that must be met, or are you available for the death of the flesh?  Do you need to have Roast Sermon for Sunday dinner, or are you willing to let the Lord grow the man up by prayer?   Is he allowed to make mistakes?   After all, He doesn't.

     What is your role?  Be there every time the door is open.  Today's large churches are divided into small groups.  A matter so, so hard for me.  But, can it be an assignment of the Lord?  Can you pray for and love ten people that might be assigned to you and you to them?  Whose to say the Lord didn't design this for today?

     I have a serious issue with the "worship" and the contemporary music.  I'm sixty-four.   I recognize I don't have a right or the where-with-all to change the system, but I do know I have been assigned to lay down my life for the Brethren and pray my brains out.

     What about you?

     Tell Him.  Aloud.
     Today

     Why can't He just do it the way you have asked?

     You can see impending disaster, or perhaps the worst has already happened.

     None of that is the issue.  The issue is, who is more able to eternally redeem the situation - you, or the One who holds the stars in place?

     We all need to be reminded of the basics, and we need it regularly. 

     We know nothing apart from Him.    That's why we are not to walk by sight.

     Oh, Soldier.  Learn to lean.

     He has already told you He is ahead of you.
     He has assured you He will not withhold any good thing.
     He has proven Himself by wooing and winning you.

     Resolution is not the most important thing.

     Faith is the most important thing. No one who has waited for Him has ever been disappointed.

     Agree with God, and aloud.
     Today.
  

     It certainly seems the enemy has free access in the night.

     You wake up in the wee hours and you begin to review the unpaid bills.  Or the mountain of work that is undone.  Or, perhaps an illness seems to block every flow of life.  Often, there is a child or a spouse who is completely out of line.

     While it is still dark, the enemy loves to play reruns of past failures and unfair blows and accusations.

     It is a torture session. 

     When the light begins to break through the blinds,  the issues seem to lessen.  The circumstances haven't changed, but there is a relief with regard to perspective.  Because it's light.

     Why does the Lord allow this?

     No one knows and it is not important. The fact is, it happens to every Christian, and the Soldier of The Cross must know how to deal with the situation.

     Prayer before sleep is a protection.  Not that it prevents the attack, but prayer brings Light during the attack.  There must be resistance, and the Holy Spirit will initiate something form The Word of God.

     Yes, the enemy has more freedom in the dark.  And, he loves to kick us when we are down, so the night seems to give him cover.

     But, we serve One who is far greater, and we have the Indwelling Holy Spirit.

     Did you sleep little?  Stop worrying about your lack of sleep.  Stop focusing on what happens in the night. 

     Look at Jesus.  What are your favorite things about Him?  When did you last tell Him?

     The next time the evil one wakes you up, spend five minutes in prayer, just telling the Lord what you love about Him.  Go back to bed.  You will sleep well.

     Do this night after night.  You are resisting the enemy, and after some nights, he will flee.    It's a promise.

     Take it to the Lord aloud.  Ask Him to lead you when the attacks come. 
     You are His Own, and underneath you are The Everlasting Arms.

     There is no end to the struggles of this life.

     The issue is, are you willing to live by faith or not?

     Oh, Soldier.  We were created to depend on Him.  The flesh is desperate to exert independence.

     Of course you want Peace.  He is the Prince of Peace, and you crave that which defines Him.  You have been called to eternal Life.   That means that even though you cannot see beyond the next hour,  you will trust Him to lead you.  No matter what.

    Stop asking for problems to cease.  Begin asking to be a Living Sacrifice.  Then, you will be being filled with the Indwelling Holy Spirit.

     You will hear Him.  You will see Him.  You will know Him.  And, you will have light for the next move.

     Soldier of The Cross, buck up.

     In prayer, and aloud.
     Today.

     Remember, you did nothing to deserve Him.

     Years ago I was confronted by one of the women in the church who wanted to scold me about my teaching concerning Grace.  Her father had been a minister and she had been trained in many aspects of theology, but knew nothing of Grace.  Her issue was that I was teaching that we were saved by Grace and nothing else. (Ephesians 2:8,9)  From the begriming of the  discussion at the kitchen table, she was angry and crying. 

     When I finally got her so she could talk, she said, "You always say He saved us by Grace and nothing else.  He sustains us by Grace and nothing else.  He lives in us by Grace and  nothing else. . ."

     Then she said, "That can't be true.  If there were nothing good in us and nothing worth rescuing, He would never have died for us."

     Oh, Soldier,  The Bible teaches us that Grace means favor that is not earned or deserved. 

     We deserved nothing.  He gave Himself for those who were lost in sin, period. 

     Like the Israelites, we are covered by The Blood.  We didn't earn it or deserve it.  We don't know why He chose us, but we will know all the why's in eternity.

     Soldier, you are a Soldier of The Cross, but you are also a follower of the One who is the Prince of Glory and gave Himself for you and for me, even though we could never have deserved or earned it.

     Gaze upon Him.
     Look up and move on.  There is much to do.

     You know, He could call us home in the night tonight.

     Or in the middle of any of tomorrow's duties.

     Therefore, we must set ourselves to press into the immediate task.  The flesh always wants to feel as though it is investing in something that can be harvested.  Now.  The Spirit woos us to invest in eternity, and that by The Cross.

     Being a Soldier of The Cross means giving all we can to the matter at hand, even when we do not know why.  It means being willing to be a conduit of Love to those who might not either recognize or deserve it.

     It means death to the flesh.  It means service with abandon.  It often means feeling like a squished worm, but we continue on. 

    We are not imitating someone who is out of sight.  We are following hard after The One who gave Himself for us, and Whom we trust.

     There simply isn't anything else.

     So, do the next thing with all you are.

     Do it in His name and tell Him so.
     Aloud.

     Soldier, don't get lazy.

     Without the fresh Word of God, there is no fuel for prayer. 
     Without prayer, there is no Light.
     Without Light, there is no goal and no momentum.

     His name is The Word of God. Get a verse.  Just the next verse  It doesn't have to blow the top of your head off.  Just get a verse.  Memorize it or a piece or it.  Write it on a card and carry it around with you.  

     Share it with one person, and tell the Lord about the verse in your devotional time.

     "A Lamp unto my feet and a Light un to my Path  "