—MODecember 6‚ 1970NO.18—DO

—Excerpts of Prophecy and Exhortation

P.O. Box 31, London WC2E 7LX, England or GPO Box 31, San Juan Puerto Rico 00936

1. (Excerpts): BEHOLD, I HAVE LOVED THEE WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE. Behold how the husbandman is patient for the fruit of the vine!—How he doth nurture and cherish it and dig about it and dung it and prune it‚ and is patient with long-suffering, waiting for both the first fruits and the last fruits!

2. THEREFORE, YE MY SHEPHERDS‚ YE MY PRIESTS‚ YE MY PROPHETS, CAN YE NOT HAVE PATIENCE WITH THESE LITTLE ONES? Can ye not have the love, the gentleness, the kindness, the tenderness I had with thee, as I took thee up in My arms when thou didst stumble, and I healed the broken and wounded, and did carry thee all day long in My bosom, until thou wast able to graze by My side? I didst nourish thee from My Hand and from My own‚ that thou might learn the little lesson I would teach thee!

3. CANST THOU NOT BE AS PATIENT AS I HAVE BEEN UPON THEE, or will ye be hard and unmerciful and unforgiving as was the unjust steward?—Or will ye not forgive as I have forgiven thee—as I taught thee in the Prayer: Father, forgive us for our debts, as we forgive those who are indebted to us....

4. OH, YE LEADERS, YE SHEPHERDS, YE PROPHETS AND PRIESTS and teachers and kings of the flock—are ye forgiving the little ones‚ even as thou thyselves have been forgiven? Oh ye lords of God's heritage—ye leaders of the flock—dost thou expect more from them than God expected from thee when thou wast a little lamb? Art thou harder on them—more impatient with them‚ than God was with thee?

5. OH, MAY THE LORD HELP YOU TO HAVE KINDNESS and such long-suffering, such tender love—to weep with them that weep, and pain with them that pain, and really lay down thy life for the sheep—lay down thy life for them in long suffering and meekness, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake forgives you.

6. YOU MUST ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, BUT YOU MUST NOT DWELL ON IT! You've heard me confess my shortcomings and mistakes many times, but I haven't dwelt on it all day.... (Mt.18:25-35; Eph.4:32; 1Pet.5; 1Jn.3:16; Phil.4:8.)