The children love the little song "Why Worry When You Can Pray."

      What is worry?  Costume-makers give clothing to moneys to "worry" the garments.  The monkeys work the material until it looks old and worn, giving it a genuine old and frayed look.

     It is the same with the soul.

     Don't forget we have an enemy who loves to dangle the unknown and unresolved before us.  Is it really true that we have a tender, loving and personal Lord?  Is He in charge, or am I responsible for my future?

     Worry is the taking of a thought and displaying it on the screen of the mind, flashing it through numerous possible outcomes.  Then, the mind tries to take each outcome and play that scene to its untimate end.

     I often hear people say "All we can do is pray."  The statement implies that if there were something else other than prayer, it would be more effective.

     Hallelujah that we can pray.  He is the one who creates from nothing and separates light from darkness.  He is still the same Lord who created the universe. 

      What about the adventure of faith?

     He notices all things equally.  Much is released and set into order by prayer.  The one who prays according to the Word of God is able to see the provision of God by faith.  Then when the matter is settled, there is the experience of faith and it leads to more faith.  Less and less worry.

     It is not merely suggested that we not worry in God's Word.  It is commanded.  So, we must let Him teach us.  It is about how to live.  Can one be "being filled" with the Holy Spirit, useful and a minister of Live while worrying at the same time?

     Bring it to Him.  Aloud.
     His plan for you is Resurrection Life.
     

      He is the Great Physician.

     We must learn to pray to a God who is active and able.

     Every Christmas, the Portland Symphony Orchestra performs slews of concerts and involves a large community chorus in the program.  Year after year, I watched a woman in the front row of the chorus.  She had multiple sclerosis and it was evident she was worsening rapidly. 

     It was hard to watch.   I saw her stand on crutches.  The next year, a walker.  Finally a wheel chair and eventually she was bent over in the wheelchair. 

     One day years and years ago, I got a call from one of the string players who said, "Have you heard about Joanne?"  I said "Joanne who?"  Then she told me it was the woman in chorus.  The caller wanted me to know that Joanne had been completely healed and was walking normally. 

     I had to see it with my own eyes.

     I did not know Joanne socially, but I looked up her phone number and called her.  It was true.  She had been healed.  I had not even known she was a Christian.  She had not been at any kind of healing service or any such thing, but was at a Christian dinner club when the pastor just came over to her while speaking on a topic.  He put his hand on her and was simply speaking to the group. 

     Joanne was instantly healed and everyone was shocked.  There was no expectation of it.  The Lord just did it.

     When I next saw Joanne, she stood straight and practically danced all the time.  Of course she was thrilled.   I still see her at the Christmas concerts and she is completely well

     God chose to heal her and did not let us know the reason.  He can and he does.  At the same time, He often chooses not to heal the body.

     We so often limit the Lord.  I don't know why He heals some and not others, but I do know He can be trusted.   

     Trust is the real issue.  If He does heal, it is the best thing.  If He doesn't, it is the best thing.

     Be clean and pray.

     "But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work. . ."
                                        James 1:4a  (Amplified Bible)

     Soldier of The Cross, the bottom line is, are you willing to be changed or not?  

     It is not always easy, and often the things that feel the most intense are the very things that must go.

     Patience does not come by merely wanting it, although availability is the first step.  Patience and endurance come by going through trials that seem endless and unbearable.  Yet, we learn to go to Him and stand on His Word through the storm.

     He loves us enough to live within us and take us through the deepest waters. 

     It isn't about torture, it is about Love.  And becoming like Him.  Making Him seen before a lost world.   Being prepared for eternity.

     If you are available, tell Him.  Aloud.
     He'll take you at your word and will meet you in this most wonderful matter.
    

     Remember  this wonderful old song:

          Lord, lay some soul upon my heart;
          And love that soul through me.
          And may I humbly do my part
          To win that soul for thee.

     How thankful we are for all of the rich scholarship that is our heritage.  I would never cheapen it.  At the same time, information does not win the soul.  Love wins the soul.

     Yes, the soul is the place of decision. 
     No influence compares with Love. 

     The things that count are the things that are seen by faith.

     Christian character.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Being easily moved by the Lord.   Love that is not conditional and does not diminish.

     Many of the things we writhe and contort about are not so important.   We must stand before Him and learn to address matters according to His priorities.  And often, prayer is the only place where we are able to gain perspective.

 
     Worry about the future is futile.
     Worry about finances is futile.
     Worrying about position or opinions of others means attention is being deflected from pleasing God.

      Interestingly, the Soldier of The cross who takes His priorities as his own, seems to also have a beautiful work ethic.  He is a pillar in the house of the Lord.  He is clean and does not have a guilty spirit.  He bears things cheerfully and is more concerned with others than he is with himself.

      Human success counts for little.  It will pass quickly.  

     Those who want Him more than anything else, follow hard after Him and are easily identified by each other.

     The children in our church love to sing this little song:
  
          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.

     Remember that often when Jesus healed or taught, the result was conflict.

     He did nothing wrong.  He revealed Himself as the Son of God and was perfect.  Yet, his enemies plotted against Him and planned His death.

     He never tried to please the crowd. 

     Soldier of The Cross, today is His.  You must represent Truth and let Him minister through you.    You are not assigned to make everyone happy, but you are assigned to share in season and out of season.

     When someone is displeased, it can be hard.  We certainly do not want to be calloused or jaded.  On the other hand, the Servant's success is never measured by how well he or the message is received.   It is critical  to be sensitive to the Spirit rather than to the person or people being addressed.  Let the Holy Spirit lead and speak.

     Then, look up and move on.

     Why did this happen?

     Why didn't He let me know how to avoid it?  Why couldn't it have been resolved?  Why doesn't He let me know how to fix it now?  Why did this happen to me - it does not seem to happen to others.

     We do not need to know why.  That is what faith is all about.  He knows what He is doing and He has promised to attend to His Own.   Soldier of The Cross, your job is to make sure you are telling Him He can have you no matter what.  Your job is to tell Him that He can have the past and the future.

     We come to Him as we are and that includes all that He has allowed under His sovereignty.  We agree with Him whatever that means.

     Period.  No exclusions.

     Stop wanting to know the reasons.  He is not going to tell you now because you do not have the capacity to understand.  That will happen in the by and by.

     Lord Jesus, I know I belong to you and to no other.  And, I don't want anything else.  Tonight I come to you and give you the matter.  I stand before you and tell you that I gratefully recognize you are my Lord and King.  How thankful I am that you revealed yourself to me.  

     Please teach me to follow you instead of wanting to understand before moving.  Oh Lord, there is nothing I want more than to chase hard after you.  Nothing compares to you and I want to refuse distraction.

     Please do what ever is needed in the deepest recesses of my heart, in order to bring about your own likeness.  Please, Lord.    

     God cannot be put in a box.

     Although there is no compromising His Word, He is always moving beyond the borders of our conception.  If we are locked in to what we think can be predetermined to be evidence of Him, we will often miss Him.

     His creativity is limitless as is His Love.  That means He will show Himself in ways that might be missed by those not looking for Him. 

     Formula does not recognize the Lord.  Formula only recognizes formula.  

     The Lord recognizes the Lord.
     
    

      I am always newly amazed at the behavior of some Christians.

     Any Carmichael said that when the cup is tipped over, what is inside will spill out.  And, surely that is the case. 

     As a family attorney, I see people in the most difficult situations.  It is hard to have someone lie about you.  It is hard to see your children think you are responsible when in fact you are not.  It is hard to have someone you have loved take up with someone else.  Humanly, it is impossible to live with a misunderstanding that cannot be resolved.

     Soldier of The Cross, you are not able to choose all of your circumstances.  You have no control over any other life.  The Lord alone is in control and He knows what He is doing, no matter what things look like.

     The Soldier of The Cross may not be bristly.  He or she may not respond with a thorny retort, just because the other party is a jerk.  There is no verse in God's Word that allows a Believer to get back.  Isn't that evil for evil?

     There is no need to give in because of fear or being worn down.   On the other hand, aren’t we charged with a ministry of grace?  Don't we have the Indwelling Holy Spirit?  Aren't we agreeing with God?  Is it necessary to score in an argument?   After all, no one ever wins an argument. 

     We speak the truth in line with God's Word and as empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

     Tell the Lord you are willing to be changed in this area.  It is hard for the flesh, but it is not hard for the One who holds the stars in place.

     Tell Him today.
     Aloud.

     How vividly I remember the moment I received Christ.

     I was alone and stunned that He had let me know that He was real and interested in me.   I knelt on the red and fake tile of my tiny kitchen in Waterville, Maine, and invited Him to be my Lord and King. I could hardly get the words out, because I was so overwhelmed by the fact that He was real.  I knew He had touched me.  That was all I needed.  

       I was twenty-nine years old and had been so jaded, there was no hope.  

      After I gave my heart to Him, I grabbed the bible and it fell open to the book of John.  I read about the man who had been blind from birth. I was almost unable to breathe, because I knew that was about me.  I had had all the information.  I had the right answers.  But, I had always been blind.

         I had been the only child of missionary parents who had their own issues.  My father was a deep and godly man.  I was raised on the laps of missionaries who had been expelled from China during the revolution. 

    I was bright and responsive.  Just, not saved.   No one knew the real situation except my father, who made it abundantly clear, to my distress.  He was not confrontive, but I knew he sounded me accurately. 

     I had all the information, the doctrine and the history.    How thankful I am for a father who continued in prayer until the Lord heald my sight and revealed Himself.

     Do not be discouraged.  Blind is blind.  Holding the most stunningly gorgeous painting before blind eyes does nothing. 

   
     Sight comes only by prayer.

     Don't give up.