Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.
                                                               (Proverbs 18:21, Amplified Bible)

     Your Words reflect your thought life. You wield power all the time, often without knowing it.

      You are not allowed to live and speak as you did before the Indwelling Holy Spirit came to reside in your spirit. 

     Your words curse or bless.   
     Your words open doors or close them.
     Your words heal or wound.
     And your words create or destroy.

     Soldier of The Cross, this is not about tiptoeing through conversations or being paranoid.   It is about changing- being transformed.   It is about being obedient and resisting the ever so strong urge to say the thing that is deserved or that is needed to combat someone else's verbal assault.

     What does the book of Proverbs have to say about words?

     Wasn't the universe spoken into being?  And isn't it sustained by the Word? (Hebrews 1:3)

     This has to be a matter of much prayer and no one ever arrives. 

     Truth must be spoken aloud and often.

     The One whom we adore and to whom we belong is called The Word.
   
        ". . .His name is called The Word of God."
                                        Revelation19:13

     This is one of the reasons it is so important to pray aloud when possible.  We choose words according to The Word and we say it and hear it at the same time.  And, so often, He speaks to us in the very choice of those words as we pray.

     The chains of habit are dissolved when prayer addresses this matter.

     When Truth is spoken, words and actions match.

     Soldier, take this to Him and deal with Him aloud on this matter.
     Today.
     Then, look up and move on.

     The flow of God's Love through His Own is a stunningly healing force. 

     I remember a young man who came to my door in Columbus, Ohio as I was getting ready to move.  He rang my doorbell and when I looked up at the open screen, there stood one of the ugliest faces I had ever seen.  

     He was in his twenties and had been through something that disfigured his face to the extent that his features were all distorted.

     Except for his eyes.  They were blue and blazed with Love. 

     Through the screen, he said "May I tell you about Jesus?"  Of course, having been raised in a missionary home, thinking I knew it all, and also having decided to have nothing to do with anything having to do with Jesus, I was furious.  I demanded that he leave and told him never to come back.

     The minute I met the Lord, I remembered that young man and remembered his eyes.  I recognized that Love, and was so amazed at the Grace that reached out to me a year earlier. 

     God's Love knows no time limit.   Many have come to Christ and then are embraced by the living memories of the Love shown to them by parents or grandparents who have already gone to be with the Lord.

     I needed a rescue. And Love rescued me.

     Oh Soldier, let us move on into the flow of Love.  Less of us and more of Him.

     Tell Him.
     Today
     Aloud.

     One of the most devastating influences in the Body of Christ is gossip.

     Unfortunately, so many do not even recognize what they are doing.  It seems so innocent to pass something juicy on to another and then to try to get a a promise of confidentiality,. But keeping a confidence takes maturity and depth of character..

     The enemy loves gossip and always fans the flames . .There are few more serious dividers than this.

     The one who has the news is like a walker with a pebble in his shoe- it is so disturbing that it has to be relieved before moving on..

     If you are in the company of someone who has this problem, you absolutely must change the subject or leave.  Do not subject yourself to the infection.  Even if you do not fully  accept what you are hearing, you will see the subject  through what you have heard.

     Oh Soldier, get a backbone!.  Obey the word of God- step away from this mine field and move on in Love.

     Take the matter to Him today because it is so, so serious.

     Ask for wisdom and discernment and ask aloud..

     Victorious living is available to Adopted Sons and is the result of many decisions, the foremost of which is fellowship with the Lord.

     Without the fresh taking in of The Word, there is no fuel for prayer and the deprived Soldier is like a plant with drooping leaves and dragging stems.

     Many in Christian service are so busy they have neglected the devotional life.  I have seen this all over the world among missionaries.

        Soldier, how can you walk without Light?  
        How can you discern when hearing is dull?
        Decision-making can become subject to feelings, opinions of others, and old information.

     We are challenged to advance toward the Frontier of Faith.  That always means the unknown, even when it comes to the familiar situation. 

     Truth is more real than fact, but only to the Soldier of The Cross who meets with with The Light of The World  and is determined to obey.  There is a price and that price is trusting God instead of trusting experience or advice or feelings.

     Everything by prayer.  Prayer according to the freshness of The Word, rather than yesterday's learning.

     Who is willing? Not many.

     Tell Him today and tell Him aloud so that you are listening as you choose your words.
     Then look up and move on!

     Forgiveness is not intended to merely release the offender, but is a privilege given to the Believer.

     So many Christians are angry at someone and do not understand how serious it is.

     Forgiveness is broadly misunderstood.  If a snake bites you, obviously forgiveness does not mean that the snake is free to come and go in the same manner so that it can bite you again.  There are those who, if given the opportunity, would inflict the same wound over and over.

     Forgiveness is for the release of the Believer, and it is not a feeling.  It doesn't mean some kind of mushy open-armed posture.  It means that I have gone to the Lord and forgiven by faith in prayer.  

     Forgiveness is a must.  Mark 11: 25, 26 says:
                 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others]. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”  (Amplified Bible)

     You are a Soldier of The Cross and that means you are determined to take up The Cross and follow hard after Him.   

     You can't talk like everyone else and rehash offenses. 
     You can't think like everyone else and rehash offenses.
     You can't circle around the problem.

     For His Own, there is no moving on without forgiveness.

     Why are we told to pray that our enemies be blessed?   Because that is how the offender can be healed and actually see what has happened.

     If you are carrying around resentment against anyone, you have an infection of the soul.

     Take it to Him today
     Aloud.
     Then, look up and move on! 

     How easy it is to lose the moment by yielding to passive thinking.

      ^"Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is    right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]."
     Philippians 4:8   (Amplified Bible)

     Continually.  Continually.

     This was written by a Soldier of The Cross who was in a wretched prison for being faithful to his calling, and he was deserted and scorned by many.

     This is not a suggestion about positive thinking.  Rather it is a commandment, a protection and a release to being able to hear the Holy Spirit.  It makes a place for Peace.

      Obeying this requires the affirmative decision to reject the thought that seems so powerful.  That thought is almost always something negative, and is the rehashing of solutions for the unresolved or reliving guilt or bitterness.  Another common trap is the focus on a significant personal success such as a well a received speech or a high compliment or award.  While those are good events, reliving them over and over tends to create a craving for the same kind of high.

     Soldier, you may have only a few years.  Perhaps only a few days.  Live them in obedience and take this matter over and over to The One who so tenderly cares about your struggle.

     Tell Him today.
     Aloud.

     This world is not your home.

     For most of us, a daily reminder is needed.  

     When circumstances are smooth and delightful, affirmatively taking hold of the privilege of being a Sojourner and a Pilgrim is of the utmost importance.  It is one thing to live in the Sabbath rest and have Peace, but it is another to only have Peace when things appear to be unruffled.

     When by sight the worst is happening and events leave devastation in their wake,  how precious is the knowledge that we are only passing through.

     Those who are consistently in the Word and consistent in prayer often declare aloud to the Lord the confidence of having a home in heaven.  This frees the Soldier of The Cross to attend to others when:

     There is not enough time;
     They don't deserve it;
     I'm too tired;
     They won't even notice:
     I'm too busy;
     I'm not sure how to go about it.

     We are to love the Brethren, and  the Indwelling Holy Spirit will empower and instruct one step at a time.

     You have one job- Trust and Obey.

     Tell Him today. Aloud.
     Don't look down and move on!

 

     We are told over and over to love one another.

     That means an affirmative determination to take action or to withhold action, as required by Love

     The Church today has certainly become a sprawling variety of Believers, many of whom either go from church to church, or in the alternative, do remote Christianity only.

     No one should go to church just to be "fed".  There has to be sacrificial Love involved, and the issue must be to love the Brethren.   This is not to mean the support of outright heresy, but rather the availability to being used to love and serve others.

     Love means being supremely careful about saying negative things about others.  
     It means doing something kind or saying something encouraging even if you don't feel  like it.
     It means looking for opportunities to serve in ways that are not particularly interesting, but are needed.
     It means being in prayer about being a Soldier of The Cross, and allowing the Lord to lead into places that seem impossible.

     The Church is full of angry, unhappy and complaining Christians who need to find healing in loving and serving others.  The neglect of church attendance results in dullness to the leading of the Lord and we are watched far more carefully then we know.

     It is not enough to go and listen to a message and then leave.  There must be an opportunity for Love, and waving the Christian flag is not enough.  It is time to tell Him you will be a Living Sacrifice and are available to take up The Cross and follow hard after Him in this area.

     Tell Him today.
     Aloud.
 

     There is a great need in today's Church for Believers who are stable.

     We must be willing to let the Lord discipline and prune us and without complaining or pouting.   There needs to be a vision of consistent good behavior even when circumstances are hard.

     There is Power to stop talking about difficulties all the time.  
     There is Power to resist telling things about other people.
     There is Power to love the unlovely.
     There is Power to stop complaining.
     There is Power to be disciplined in the matters of everyday life.

     Soldier of the Cross,  if we have the Mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16) we have the Power to be aware of the thought life and that is the beginning of real stability.

     We must be fresh in the Word of God instead of just marinated in Christianity.  We must be submissive in prayer.   We must be attentive to others.   And we must long to be like Him

     Tell Him today.
     Aloud.
 

     There can be no corporate worship until there is private worship.

     It is disturbing to me that some Christian institutions are granting degrees in "Worship".    

     Private worship is not a little slice of what happens during the "worship" time in most churches today.  Private worship is a bubbling up of a supernatural revelation of Jesus, and it is different with each person.  Taking quiet moments to focus on Him, deliberately seeing Him and then gazing upon Him, results in the Holy Spirit supernaturally revealing His Glory.     

     Some of these moments are quiet and others are noisy.  And when such Believers come together,  there can be almost heart-stopping worship.

     A few years ago my husband and I visited a church we had heard about.  As we entered, I was not alarmed by the black ceiling and walls with rainbow colored lights, or by having barely enough room to wiggle.  But when the music started, it was louder than deafening and I pulled out the wad of ear-stuffer I had grabbed at the last minute.  The very loud and pounding music went on forever.  I could see my husband was miserable, so I tore off a shred and handed it to him.  He stuffed both ears. What he didn't realize was, he had a tiny foot-long strand of toilet paper hanging out of one ear.  In just seconds, an usher came to us and extended to us a bowl of packaged ear plugs.  

     Being professional does not have to mean the Spirit is quenched.  Again, there must be a waiting on the Lord and an availability to the moving of the Holy Spirit.  

     Like everything about God, worship is a frontier.  Only He knows the way.  There are no formulas, but there are some basic musts- alone time with the Lord, the fresh taking in of His Word, conscious eagerness to be changed and telling Him what you love about Him.  He eagerly meets the worshiper.

     Soldier of The Cross,  tell Him you are available.  
     Aloud.
     Today.