Lord, as I stand before you tonight I want to leave my burden with you as you have instructed.    How thankful I am for that command.

     Oh Lord, the problem is, it always feels like it is about me.  I understand it is about you and I come to you agreeing with your Word and longing for you to change me.

     I can't deal with this in any human way and know that you have designed it so that I must come to you.  Thank you.   Thank you for loving me no matter what.  Thank you for Grace no matter what.  Thank you for Heaven no matter what.

     I can say the right things, but I want the inmost recesses of my heart to be lined up with you.   I acknowledge and rest in your sovereign design.

     Thank you so much for being a personal Lord, and for giving me the privilege of opening the door so we can sup together.

     My Lord and my God.

     Soldier of The Cross, tomorrow holds no fear for those who have given their lives to Him.

     He is an active, aware and able Lord, fully tuned in to you and your needs.

     You do not need to be concerned about control.  Or the reaction of others.   There is no call for fretting over money or a sudden change of plan.

     Your situation is no worse than anyone else's.  It only feels that way. The truth is, He is answering pryer and He is in control.

     He knows what He is doing. 

     Agreeing with God in prayer is the key to assurance and the seeing of His Hand.
     Tell Him today.
     Aloud.

     Soldier of The Cross, forget trying to measure your faith.

     It is not just about your faith, it is about His faithfulness.

     Modern Christianity has switched things around.  The object of everything has become the Christian instead of the Creator.
         
     Not so for the Soldier.  It is about taking up the Cross and following hard after The One who made Himself so real to you that you can't go back.

     Press on. 
     There is nothing else!  He is always the same and will never, no never, no never leave you nor fail you.

     Soldier of The Cross,  it is for Him, from Him and about Him.

     It is easy to lose sight of this and try to squeeze the matter into the box of rationality.  It won't work.

     The flesh will never give up the attempt to be in control and the Spirit will never compromise.

     We serve a sovereign Lord.  Hallelujah!

     Dying to self is something that happens in prayer - over and over and over again.  It is not an achievement.  It is a process of learning to yield.

     He who designed the matter is able to do the deepest work in you to bring about His own likeness.

     You must look at Him. Then speak to Him.
     Aloud.

     Those who would serve must make sure they do not have to be served.

     He cannot minister through a critical spirit, a barrier of offense or insecurity that demands constant reassurance.

     It takes wanting Him more than wanting the itch of the flesh to be scratched.

     Soldier of The Cross, He can and will use the weakest Soldier in the hardest moments.  

     Simply be available.  Tell Him so.  Aloud,   

     Lord, as I stand before you tonight, I ask that you teach me to look away from the things are so distracting,

     Teach me to love no matter what.  Teach me to focus on you instead of myself.  Teach me Lord to stand still and let you work in me instead of flailing and objecting.

     Lord, I long to be a yielded Servant with an eager response for whatever you have, no matter what.

     Please do whatever is needed in me to bring about your own likeness.

     My Lord and my God.

     Soldier of The Cross,  you do not need to know when, or how.

     Neither do you need to know why.

     You only need to know that He knows what He is doing and that He can be trusted to see you through. 

     It is simple - it only feels complicated.

     You were not designed to bear it.  Leave it with Him in prayer.
     Aloud.

     Surrender is not a concept.

     It is an active and affirmative laying hold of who He is and reflects agreement with Him.

     Surrender is not just a passive attitude.  It means advancing in prayer to the Place of letting go of something in order to take up something better - The Cross.

     Soldier, He is in the business of preparing you for eternity.  that means some wrenching away from the things that are temporal and perishable. 

     Surrender is sweet.  Apart from surrender there is only self-justification, judgment and treading water, at best. 

     Obedience is the evidence of a backbone developed in prayer

     There is a daily decision that must be made.

     Do you need attention, or are you available to lay down your life for others?
     Are you dead to all else and alive unto Him, or must you be coddled?

     Soldier of The Cross, make your decision.  Will you serve yourself, or will you serve Him?  It is simple, but weighty.  Are you available to be transformed into His likeness - He who became sin for you?

     Tell Him.
     Alone and aloud.    

     There is a good old chorus that goes:    "After all He's done for me, After All he's done for me;
                                                                      How can I do less than give Him my best,
                                                                      And live for Him completely;
                                                                       After all He's done for me. . . "

      Is it true?

     What has He done for you?
     He became sin for you.
     He Rose again.
     He is Making a Place for you.
     He is Listening to you and Answering you (Jeremiah 33:3)
     He is Watching over you.

     He who is Love is loving you.

     Soldier of The Cross, He is in the business of restoring the ground. 

     Look up and move on!