If there were no jolting surprises or puzzling life mazes, we would not need to be led. 

     But we do need to be led, and that means we must come before Him and agree with Him that our choices must be about obedience and not about security.   Those who chose according to security lose sensitivity to the leading of the Indwelling Holy Spirit because their choices are guided by self-interest.

     Soldier, this life is to be lived until the last breath is taken, and until we move on to the next life.  That means that every second is about choice. There is no time to be wound-licking or insuring against any leap of faith.

     Let Him know you are available, and do it aloud.  
     There is nothing else.
     There is no one else.

     You are to lay down your life for the Brethren (I John 3:16).     

     That does not mean you are to be a bloody doormat.  It means that you are to not allowed to retaliate and talk about it as most do.  It means you can't keep score.  It means you must acknowledge He is in control, He knows all about it, and He will do what needs to be done at the right time.  Not on your time.

     Soldier of The Cross, once you have decided to take up The Cross and follow Him, your deepest wounds will be inflicted by other Christians.

     When you understand this, you can recognize it and move on.  The critical issue is, do not be distracted by someone else's bad behavior, even when it is devastating.  God's Word is a salve in these situations.

     Tell Him you are willing to obey, and tell Him aloud.  Then move on and do the thing right before you.

     Soldier, time is short.

     Tell Him aloud, and move on!
 

     If you have been spending time with the Lord, you know what it is that you are called to do.

     In the meantime, you may not know how or where or when. And of course, no one is impervious from discouragement.

     Soldier, you have one life to live, and if your thoughts were not critical, there would not be so many Bible verses about them. You must govern your thoughts. (II Corinthians 10:5)

     The best way to do this is to deal with it in prayer and then plow into the next thing that needs to be done. Sing. Say verses. Make lists if what you love about the Lord, but move into the small thing that feels so heavy and unimportant.

     One step at a time.

     We were never intended to float through life. We were created to be dependent on Him. That only happens when there is a decision about what seems to be small,  as well as what seems to be critical.

     You must tell Him you want to be obedient in the lesser tasks that lie before you, so that your mind is not swimming through the quicksand of anxiety about how, when and where.

     Tell Him.
      Aloud. Today.

 

 

     The fascinating thing about John's account of the loaves and fishes is, some child who didn't know any better thought his lunch might be helpful.

     Then of course, the natural thing to do would be to explain to the child how it might be a big lunch for him, but all the people couldn't even have one bite each.

     Andrew may have felt ridiculous, but he nonetheless came to Jesus with the food report even though he added, "but what are these for so many people?” (John 6:9b, Amplified Bible).

     Then of course, it is easy to think about the massive crowd of dumb clucks who ran to see Jesus and didn't plan ahead. Yet, because they came to see Him, He easily provided for them.

     Human "enough" is always way too much for the Lord.

     The flesh never gives up its struggle to know ahead of time, have more than enough just in case, and have two back-up plans.

     Soldier of The Cross, it is one foot in front of the other, and it is always by prayer.

     They are not the Only-When-You-Think-You-Need-Them-Arms.

     They are The Everlasting Arms.

     Come before Him today with a new availability.
     Do it aloud.

 

     The secret of life is the pursuit of only one thing.

     There must be an affirmative decision to make it the pursuit of God

     Many say He should take first place. But they have so many other things on the list, there is a deafness to Him. The nature of the flesh is to do anything to avoid discomfort, and to scramble to restore it when it is interrupted.

     The flesh loves control.
     The flesh covers up what it considers to be imperfect.
     The flesh constantly compares itself with others.
     The flesh always wants to change the past.

     The enemy flashes all of these on the screen of the mind. Then, these things pour out of the mouth.

     You are a Soldier of The Cross, and that means you have told Him you will take up the Cross and follow Him. There is no turning back.

     There is no freedom anywhere else.
     There is no Peace anywhere else.
     There is no fellowship of His Presence anywhere else.
     There is no Light anywhere else. 

     Soldier, it is one foot in front of the other.  One minute at a time.  

     Fueled by the Word of God and submitting all in prayer (aloud), look up and move on!         

 

   
    

 

 

        

     There is nothing in the Word of God that permits the Christians to figure out the past before pressing in to vigorous service.

     Everyone has a past, and everyone needs to move into the thing the Lord has now.  

     Soldier of The cross, agree with God that He has allowed all the things in your life.  Even though there are things that continue to make you writhe in the night,  He is leading you into consecrated and lean service.

     Those right before you are the people to whom you are to minister.    We are told to turn away from the past and to press into His leading.  Your children are right before you.  Any reason to slow down ministry to them because of your past?   Of course not.

     Your husband needs to see you live before him.  This is not about having a sugary marriage.  It is about being  Soldier of The Cross, and being a Living Sacrifice.  It is not about how you are treated.  It is about revealing Jesus.

     Soldier of The Cross,  just agree with God.  It simplifies everything.

     Tell Him.  Today.
     Aloud.

 

 

     Soldier of The Cross, the simplest fact is, there is no one else and there is nothing else.

     His reality changes everything. It means that everything He says is true and it is the only reason to live. One of the paramount Christian problems is, dealing with this life. Of course. That is the basic issue of all persons- except for those who are His adopted Sons. T

     Then the issue becomes dealing with Him, dealing through Him, and dealing by Him. No reason for anything else. It sounds so simple, but the bottom line is, what is your purpose for living?

      It has to be to connect with Him.
     To please Him.
     To reveal Him.

     He will take you to places unknown by any other human being. You are unique, and no one has ever been in your shoes. He adores you, and pays intense attention to your thoughts, your words, and your actions. And make no mistake - He sees your enemies and is already active.

     We get to see it over there. In the meantime, we move by faith because He said to do so.

     So Soldier, agree with Him. Aloud.
     Then, look up and move on!

    

     Many things can be predetermined.

     For example, it is possible to give your possessions to the Lord and to do it quite deliberately. It is possible to decide you will be gracious to an exceptionally rude and insensitive relative or colleague. It is also possible to determine that your money is not your own, and that it will not rule your life. These matters must be taken to the Lord in prayer. Then at the time the crisis arises, the Indwelling Holy Spirit will remind you of the commitment.

     But, there is always something that is completely unexpected, and often it is misunderstanding or false accusation. Of course, there is never adequate preparation for the heartache of betrayal or the death of a loved one.

     When we are standing with Him in eternity we will understand all and we’ll have perfect release and healing. Not before. In the meantime, it is critical to remember we are Sojourners and Pilgrims, and our vocation is Love. My avocation is being a musician and a lawyer. But my real job is to come before Him daily and tell Him I will be a Living Sacrifice. Then, He must be allowed to change me, and that is never painless.

     Soldier of The Cross, you have made the decision to follow Him no matter what. So there is quite a bit of "no-matter-what" coming your way. You are on display. All around you watch you, as do the unseen hosts all around.

     Tell Him you will learn to quickly run to Him and give Him whatever is hurling itself at you. Do it now and do it aloud.
Then, look up and move on!

 

     Soldier, freedom is the result of agreeing with God.

     That agreement takes place in the most private of moments and is the result of thoughts that are chosen.

     So many are passive and unaware of what is whirling around in the mind. In the midst of life's strangest and strongest storms, there has to be the deliberate choosing to take hold and dwell on what He has said.

     You will think about what you take in.

     You must memorize, think about, pray about, and sing about what He has said.

     
     Is there anything else? Cling to what is real and what is eternal. Deliberately. Affirmatively. Walk on the water.

     Make this resolve in prayer.
      Aloud.

Many are the things you must decide before they come your way. We are told we must learn to not take offense. That's a hard one, but the Holy Spirit will remind you in the situation, and then you will have the choice of smoldering alone in the moment, or taking the matter to Him. We are told the Battle is His. That it is not won by the number of a man's horses or the strength of his legs. Is that really true? We are told that we are not to lay up treasure on earth, but that we are to lay up treasure in heaven. When there is agreement with God on this and there is specific prayer, even then financial loss is never fun or easy. But for the Soldier of The Cross, the Indwelling Holy Spirit will remind that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He will attend to his Own. In particular, when there is misunderstanding or vicious gossip, it is so critical that you have already told Him you are a Living Sacrifice and are willing to identify with His sufferings. Oh Soldier, take these matters to prayer now- before they come about. You have probably been through these things already. Without the frontier of faith, life is a gauntlet of decay. Without prayer that seeks to agree with God, there is more heartache and misery than there has to be. We had a couple in the church. She was a former music student of mine, and they had four children. They had just built a dream house and she had a good harp and a good piano. She had been a double major, and both instruments were important to her. The family happened to be staying with me the night their new house blew up and burned to the ground. They were all calm. The children were fine because the parents were fine. The parents were fine because they had already made the decision that everything they had was Gods. They had already decided specifically how they would think and where they would turn if they had lost everything. And, they did lose everything. Everything physical that is. Soldier, you are not a citizen of this world. You are a sojourner and a pilgrim and you are just passing through. Agree with Him. aloud. Now.