Christians who complain do not take God at His Word.

   
     People love to complain about what has happened to them.
     They complain about  a lack of money.
     They complain about being misunderstood.
     They complain about the church.   About not being treated well enough.
     Some love to complain about their families or how they were raised.
     Lots of folks complain about the weather and about their own physical imperfections.

     In fact, it is rare to meet someone who can relate something negative without whining about it.

     All of these things have been addressed in God's Word.  We address things in prayer and we see tremendous change.  But many blessings come in rumpled packaging and can only be recognized with the eyes of faith.

     Soldier, listen to yourself.  This does not mean one must never talk about things that are wrong or out of whack. 
     It does mean that your mouth should be His mouth.

      Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you. . .
                                                 Joshua 1:3

     Soldier of The Cross, what is the application to your life? 

     You must pray about this.  You have made the decision to leave all and follow Him.  You have made the decision that He knows best.  You have made a decision to invest in eternity.

       Is there anything else?  Of course not.  So, you must advance according to the need before you, the  Word of God, and the leading of the Spirit.

      Are there barriers?  Of course.  no Servant of the Lord has ever moved in obedience and failed to encounter opposition.

     Remember, you have told Him He could have your life, your body and your faculties.  Soldier move!

     He will give you the land.

     Soldier of The Cross, His way is the only  way.

     This means an overriding reason to govern the tongue.
     This means an overriding reason to refuse worry.
     This means an overriding reason to prayerfully move into the unknown.
     This means an overriding reason to love the unlovely.
     This means an overriding reason to consider the other person over yourself.
     This means an overriding reason to base all decisions on His Word.

     What else is there?  Nothing.  He wants us to love with his own heart.  The Indwelling Holy Spirit empowers, enables and encourages.

     Soldier, the issue is what is your life about?  Very well then.  The same motivation must be embraced in the days, the minutes and the hours.

 
     There is simply nothing else
     There is no one else.

     Soldier of The Cross,  you have decided to follow the Lord and obey Him in the taking up of The Cross.

     The Holy Spirit will lead you in prayer, and your prayerful declaration of submission to Him will give Him the freedom to work in the deepest recesses of your heart.

     You do not need to pray for trials. You do not need to pray to be broken nor do you need to pray for more divine correction.    All of these things are privileges that are ours when we truly His. 

     It is wonderful to tell the Lord He can do anything with your life.  There is nothing to fear, because we have His promises and we know what is important to Him.

     Yes, pray to be made more like Him.  Yes, pray to have the Word opened up to you. Yes, pray to be able to see what is really going on.  Yes, pray to be made into one who loves with His Love.  Pray to learn to lay up your treasure in Heaven.  Pray to learn what it means to loose your life so you can find it.

     Ask Him to make precious to you the things that are precious to Him.

     Today.
     Aloud.

     In Christ, nothing gets old.

     His Word is always new.
     Meeting someone who is excited about Him is always thrilling.
     The Presence of the Holy Spirit is always penetrating and delicate.
     Any answer to prayer is unlike any other answer to prayer.     
    

     Soldier of The Cross, your age does  not diminish the thrill of being His.
     Your limitations do not diminish His ability to carry to the heights of Glory.
     Your problems do not limit His radiant and explosive Life.  You must advance each hour and each day by faith.  It is His desire to set you free and reveal Himself to you.  It is His desire that you walk on the water.  It is His desire that you be flooded with joy.
 

     Life in Christ is not found in mere instruction about Life in Christ.  It is found in Him.  In His Body.  In His Word.  In His service.  In private and articulated prayer.
 

     Soldier if you want Him, just tell Him so.
     Aloud.
    

      Soldier of The Cross, in Romans 13, Paul tell us that the peaceable fruit of righteousness comes from submitting to divine discipline.

     What do you want from Him ?

     When you pray, are you asking Him to fix things?  What else do you say to Him?

     Soldier of The Cross, learn to pray about the things that you know are important to God.  Tell Him you want to be able to pray according to His Word and His Will.  the Indwelling Holy Spirit will lead you.

     The issue is, are you available?

       Soldier of The Cross, where is your treasure?

      Do you know?

     Is it in your daily schedule?  Are you devoted to just getting through each day?  Are you aware of your thoughts about your goals and priorities?
     Is it in your family?  Do you see yourself as being responsible for everyone else's behavior and opinion?
     Is it in your financial security?
     In your reputation?
     In your resume?
     In your looks?
     In your position in the church?
     In your schedule?
     Can you say that you want what He wants? 
     Do you love His Word?

     What pushes your buttons?   The Indwelling Holy Spirit reveals the things that must be yielded up to the Lord.  He is gentle and He is not loud.  But, He is articulate.  Those who have decided their Treasure is in Christ are able to discern the elegant silver thread of the leading of God.

     Soldier, tell Him where you want your investment to be.  Tell Him aloud.
     Tell Him today.
    

     Those who pray do not have to interpret circumstances.

     They simply recognize the Lord.
 

     Whe God answers prayer, He always does it in a way that exceeds expectation.  Where there is no prayer, much of what the Lord does passes  by as coincidence, or goes entirely unnoticed.

     Similarly, the one who trusts the Lord and tells Him so in prayer, knows that He will do what is best.  Prayer also enables the Soldier of The Cross to wait for God's time.

     His way is the only way.  He is known and seen by faith and by nothing else.
    

      Can He really make His likeness in you?

      If you had been created for anything else, He would not have required your agreement and submission in this area.  When will you know He is doing it?

     From the minute you tell Him you agree with Him and tell Him that you will take up the Cross and follow Him.  Will you feel Christ-like?

     No.

     How will you feel?  Like a sojourner and a pilgrim.  Like one who is learning the death of the flesh.  Like one who is discovering the freedom from fear, anxiety, anger,  passivity, depression and confusion.

     Soldier of The Cross,  you have decided to follow Jesus.  You accepted Him by faith because of Grace, and you must live by faith because of Grace.

     The most important thing? Take Him at His Word, no matter what. 
     Put your all on the altar.