Soldier of The Cross, when the Lord appoints you, all hell will oppose you.

     It does not have to be a problem.  We already know He who calls us will make the way.  The issue is, are you willing to walk the gauntlet? 

     Hasn't He promised to see you through?
     Aren't you an Overcomer?
     Doesn't He bring the Victory?
     Can you think of any time when He has failed?

     Those who stand in your way are like holograms.   Never fear.  Nothing has ever prevented His Plan.

     Then,  relying on The Promises of The One who spoke the Universe into being,  move forward without fear and according to His Word.

     Time is short.  Are you available?

     Tell Him.
     Alone and aloud.
 

     Soldier of The Cross, He never starts anything He doesn't finish.

     Things are hidden in order to reveal them. 
     He always reveals His strength in the weak things.
     He never starts with enough.

     He created the Universe and He went to The Cross with you in mind.   Face it - Love knew your name even then and became sin for you.  It was personal.

     It is still personal today. 

     He knows far more about your concerns than you do.  He is aware of you every millisecond and cherishes you.   Do you believe it?  Do you receive it?  Are you willing to walk in it?

     The one who would be His servant must be reminded that prayer should not attempt to corral His ways, but to release Him to work in any way He sees fit.

     Does it look like everything is going backwards?  Make the decision to trust the One who holds the stars in place.

     Thank Him for His ways and His personal attention.
     Aloud.

     What a blessed thing it is to belong to the family of God.

     There is nothing on earth that compares with enjoying the Lord with another worshipper.  And we must remember that we are to attend to one another and to lay our lives down for one another. 

     When in doubt, err on the side of extending  hospitality and support to His Own. 

     Yes, there are times when the Spirit will restrain you and prayer will shed light on what is really happening.  In general, we are not about self-protection, but are about giving of ourselves to reveal Him.

     No effort is too great.    

     He who gave Himself for us will minister through us as much and as often as allowed.

      Being a faithful Soldier does not mean doing everything perfectly according to the human concept of perfection.

     It means not veering from following Him. 
     Not giving in to self-condemnation.
     Not whining about discomfort.
     Not passing on tidbits about another unless edifying. 

     It means being consistent in the Word.
     It means unflagging, honest and available in prayer.
     It means being in the Assembly every time the door is open.
     It means being willing to walk where there is no path,  loving the one you would like to shoot, and being willing to obediently take on the thing that comes with His approval, but guaranteed disapproval from everyone else.

     No one gets everything the first time.  No one is exempt from training and correction.  Why should you be any exception?

     He is the only one who is perfect.  How gracious of Him to let us be changed into His likeness.
     Soldier of The Cross,  look up and move on!

     Where does the Lord work?

     In the deepest places of the human heart.  That is why it so often seems the heart is hard until the very moment of accepting Christ.   

     He always works in the place that is infinite - the place created after His own image. Love does not work from the outside in, but sweetly delves into the innermost depths.

     I am always newly surprised by Him.  He constantly takes me places I did not know existed and He shows me things I would have thought could not be seen.

     According to the Word of God, it is critical to present oneself daily for service, for change, for correction and for the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

     Those who are easily led by God are also those who understand His leading is not cheap.  It comes at the cost of taking up the Cross - the place of the death of the flesh - and following Him, leaving all else behind.

     The issue is, do you trust Him enough to tell Him He can do anything with your life?    Are you willing to be changed?    Will you balk when He answers?

     Trust Him.  He who gave His life as a Ransom for Many will not fail you.  Whatever He does is perfect, don't you agree?

     Tell Him today.
     Alone and aloud.   

     Lord, as I stand before you tonight, I am so grateful for the Grace that is greater than all my sin.

     The more I am with those who want nothing but you, the  more I see of your handiwork, the more I recognize your leading, the more I am thrilled with everything about you.

     I so want to know you more intimately, Lord.

     Please do whatever is needed in the deepest parts of me in order to bring about your own likeness.   Even though it may be hard and may require the painful turning from something long sought, Oh Lord, right now in prayer, I choose whatever glorifies you.

     My Lord and my God.

     A sharp tongue is a sinful tongue.

     Those who rattle off get-back answers and love to render verbal justice are also those who tend to be without empathy and have never learned to respond to the Holy Spirit when dealing with ungodly aggression.

     Soldier of The Cross, it is the flesh that wants to shoot back.  It is always a false balance. 

     We are to return good  for evil.  Sometimes that means being silent and other times the Lord will give a word that reveals His deep work in the heart.

     Most folks grow up with the habit of answering back.  The Soldier of The Cross may not live this way.

     It is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man.

     Only He can make the deep changes. 
     Dedicate your faculties to Him regularly. 
     Aloud.

     He'll see it through.

     He said He would and He will.  He does not tease us and He knows what is best far better than we.

     Faith is not about hoping a certain thing will happen and then trying to make it come about.  Faith is about trusting God because of what He has done and what He has said.

     You might need to move when it seems impossible.  You might need to wait when it seems impossible.

     He has never disappointed any of His Own who were available for His way.

     Soldier of The Cross, are you easily moved by Him, or is each step of the way a spiritual battle?

     What is humility?  Agreeing with God. 

     The issue is, are you eager to be changed?  This does not mean there has to be a surge of feeling about the matter, only availability.

     You need to be healed from the effects of sin before salvation.  Although you are under the Blood, the old man must be supernaturally deactivated. And though you are now free from the law of sin and death, there is a process that comes about through obedient choice, and it is lifelong.

     You have the Indwelling Holy Spirit.
     You have His Word and His Body.
     You are told to boldly approach the Throne of Grace.

     For what?  To be used.  To be changed.

     Here is the song the children sing in our church:

         Change me, change me, oh Jesus please;
         All of my heart and life, oh Jesus seize.
         Teach me to live out my life on my knees;
         Change me, change me, Jesus.

     Soldier of The Cross, it must be your goal to be clay in the Potter's Hand.
     Tell Him.
     Aloud.

     He is not going to give you any overview of His Plan for your life.

     He leads one step at a time and wants you to learn to move by faith, based on His Word.

     This should not be about your life, but about His.  Living for Him.  Leaving all else behind.  Learning to recognize Him.

     Again and again I hear Christians express the desire to have God ratify their plans.  The reality is, God is looking for hearts who are His so totally that they will take up The Cross daily and follow Him.

     Lord, as I stand before you tonight, I declare that it is my desire that you be glorified in and through my life.   I am so drawn to all that you are, but I know I need to be changed.  So Lord please do whatever is needed in the deepest places of me in order to make me like you.

     I am willing to follow you one step at a time and will go anywhere and do anything for your glory.