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Dear Family,

1. (Mama:) God bless you! Peter and I love you so much and are praying for you daily as you enter this exciting Christmas witnessing season. Thank you for doing all you can to make the most of this very special time. We know the Lord will use you to reach many needy people, and in return‚ you and your children will be inspired and the Lord will supply all you need as well. The fruit of this season will continue long after the month of December is over, as we trust you will continue to follow up on the people saved and the contacts made, and the Activated subscriptions that you sell will be a regular witness to the receivers through the mail. But remember, even if you don't have Activated and the accompanying tools in your language, the important thing is to feed the sheep and to meet their needs by regular faithful follow-up.

2. Dear Dad, one who was always such a faithful, loving witness, has his own words of encourage­ment and inspiration for you for this Christmas season, along with some very important counsel that will help make this the best year yet! We believe this message is just what you need to get you off to a wonderful start in your witnessing and follow–up.

Stay Focused on

The Things That Really Count!

3. (Dad speaking:) I've really been seeking the Lord about what to say to you this year, dear Family, really praying and asking our wonderful Husband what the most important message is to kick off this great witnessing season. It's hard to believe another year has nearly come and gone and Christmas season is here once again! Time sure does fly when you're having fun! It also passes quickly when you're as busy as most of our Family members are from day to day. You all are definitely among the busiest people in the world! This in itself is something to really praise the Lord about! It ought to make you happy and thankful that you don't have to suffer from boredom like many poor folks in the world do. As long as you follow where Jesus is leading you, you can be assured of living busy, happy, productive lives.

4. The best part of our being busy is that in the Family you don't have to keep yourselves busy just to be busy! You don't have to be busy working on selfish or fruitless endeavors, like so many poor folks in the world; in our outfit, every Family member can be busy doing something that's really worthwhile. You can be busy doing something that's making a difference in the world. Praise the Lord!

5. It's wonderful, absolutely marvelous, that you can be busy doing something that's really going to count forever! Believe me‚ when you get up Here and you see the awesome reality of what your earthly works accomplished, you'll be astounded! When you're able to see firsthand, up close and personal, what really counts and what's not so important—this‚ folks, will be among the top surprises you'll encounter after you pass over to this side!

6. When I was there with you I spoke about this time and again. You've heard quote after quote and anecdote after anecdote on the subject: "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Jesus will last." But let me tell you, when you pass over to this side and come face to face with this awesome reality, it does something to you! No matter how much you hear about it, or should I say how much you're warned about it‚ it will still be a surprise to meet this reality face to face—to actually see what counted and what went to waste out of all those minutes you spent in your lifetime doing this, that, and the other.

7. This is why so many folks from the spirit world try to warn loved ones about what really counts in life. You all know I've always had a bent for stats, and here's one stat that might surprise you! Among all the spirit messages that those in Heaven try to pass on to relatives and loved ones back on Earth, do you know what is one of the highest rated topics that these departed spirits speak about? If there's one theme or topic that everyone up Here wants to touch on most frequently, the top-rated topic that they want to pass information on to those still on Earth, it's trying to encourage relatives, friends, and loved ones to take a good, hard look at what they're doing with their lives. It's trying to share with them about the things that really count in life, the things that are really going to make a difference, the things that are going to live on and last forever. It's trying to warn them that if they really want to invest in the future, they should invest in Heaven, in the things that are eternal.

8. It's an interesting stat! Yes, we Here in Heaven keep all sorts of facts and figures and stats, and this is one of them! The Lord is a statistician. It's not only recorded up Here how many messages we're able to get through to you on Earth, but the Lord keeps record of the topics of those messages!

9. You all are highly blessed to have daily com­munication with the spirit world. You have the privilege of hearing lots from the spirit world, and on a large variety of topics at that! But there are millions of folks in the world who don't. It's not always easy for loved ones up Here in Heaven to communicate with Earth, for a ­number of reasons‚ but if and when they are able to punch through with a message, this is one of the ­highest rated topics that they try to get through to their loved ones about.

10. You folks are at a great advantage to have access to so much information from this side. Yet even so, with all you've been taught‚ all you've learned, and all you hear daily from the spirit world, you still need motivation to keep the vision‚ and frequent reminders to keep your priorities straight. That's because it's so easy to forget! It's so easy and naturally human to get your eyes on the things you can see rather than the things you can't see so clearly right now. But praise the Lord! That's what I'm here for, and that's what all your spirit helpers are here for—to keep reminding you, to help you to stay on course and on track and focused on the things that really count!

11. Back to what I was saying about being busy: There are lots of people in the world ­today who are plenty busy, but there's a mighty big difference in what they're busy at and what the Lord has given you to do. So many people in the world today are busy spending their time in fruitless endeavors, investing their time‚ money, and energy in work, activities and pastimes that won't last. They're spending their time on things that'll never get further than a stone's throw away, com­paratively speaking.

12. Most people in the world today are busy at things that aren't going to go anywhere in the next world, which is what counts. It's so terribly sad, all the poor people who are going to have a rude awakening one of these days when they realize they've worked their whole lives for something that's not going to last‚ for something that's going to pass away in a moment of time, in the blink of an eye, and poof—it'll all be gone.

13. This is why Jesus told you not to work for the meat that will perish, but to work for what's going to last. The Lord's a wise investor. That's why He tells you to spend your time and energy on things that are going to carry over into the next world, to work for things that will not die out—things that will count in the real world. He tells you to work toward the future, to invest in the future—to work for the things of eternal value. Some of you talk about the long-term vision. That's exactly what the Lord was trying to give you when He said this—the long-term vision.

14. You certainly can't get any more long-term than working for things that are eternal! Ha! Some of these guys who put a great deal of importance on getting a higher education and stuffing their heads with a lot of worldly knowledge really make me laugh. I'm not completely knocking a little education if the Lord is truly leading you that way‚ but if you want to do something that is really worthwhile, if you want to secure your future, you'd do best to work toward the things of the future—and the future is the Kingdom of God! If you want to do something with your life that's going to really count, then you'd do well to prepare for the future by winning souls, and then feeding and teaching and training those souls. That's the best investment in the future that any­body can make.

15. The world has it so backwards. They're the ones who really teach and preach living for the moment, because they preach living for the things of the world, and those are the things of the moment, which aren't going to last. We're the ones who are actually preparing for the future, the eternal world to come, in contrast to those who insist on living for the things of this world. I know it's hard to comprehend right now, but believe me‚ when folks pass on to this side, they'll wonder how on earth they ever could have given so much time and importance to some of the things they paid attention to. Those of you in the Family will not be entirely exempt from this; like I've told you before, there'll be some tears shed in Heaven. But thank the Lord, you'll be way ahead of those in the world who spent so much of their time in frivolous living.

16. Even those who did supposedly good things will be ashamed‚ if that good was not done for the Lord. Sometimes our idea of good is not the same as good in the Lord's eyes, and if it's not His good, it's not good enough! If you're not doing the things He wants you to do, if you're not working toward the things that will last for eternity, you're in for a mighty big surprise when you get up Here.

17. Just try to imagine working your whole life, putting all your time and energy into this, that, or the other, only to wake up one day to find yourself in the eternal now and discovering you'll have to start over at square one! Can you imagine landing in your new life with absolutely nothing, or perhaps very little reserves built up? Can you imagine arriving in Heaven with ­nothing waiting for you, with nothing laid up? You might have had a substantial worldly education‚ but all that knowledge without the wisdom of God won't do you any good up Here. You might have had considerable worldly savings‚ but that's not valid Here. You can't cash worldly savings in at the Bank of Heaven.

18. Oh, what an awakening! What a surprise so many are going to get when they come face to face with reality and realize what things have true value‚ when they discover the things that really count in life.

Dad Prays for the Family

19. (Dad cries and speaks in tongues:) Thank You Lord! Thank You, dear Love. O Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Help our folks, Lord. Help them with the responsibilities You've given them. Help the Family to keep their eyes on the things of true value‚ to realize how blessed they are to know the truth. Help them to realize how much truth they've been given. Help them to keep the vision for what they're doing. Help them to re­alize how fortunate they are. Even when they sometimes have problems or difficulties, even when they're faced with differences, or when they come up against closed doors or supposed impossibilities that would dissuade them, whatever the case may be, help them to see that compared with the rest of the world's troubles, those things are nothing. They're nothing compared to the dull empty lives that so many in the world face. They're nothing compared to those in the world who have problems and don't know where to go for answers. Help them to see how blessed they are to be able to work toward the future right now. O Jesus, help them not to lose sight of the goal, not to lose the vision.

20. Give the Family faith! Help them, Jesus! You are our Husband and Lover and Shepherd. Help those who are being tested; help them to hold on and to know that You're not going to fail them. Help them to see the blessings through the tests. Help them to remember that the sun is always shining‚ even if it's blocked out by a dark cloud for a time. It's still shining behind that cloud. All they've got to do is wait and ride out the storm and they'll see the sun come bursting through again.

21. Help them to remember that the sun never goes away—it's always there, always shining, always giving off its heat and warmth and light. All they have to do is face the light to catch its rays and bask in its comfort and be energized by its radiance. Hallelujah! Praise You Lord! Thank You, wonderful Jesus, for showing the Family the way, for giving them the truth along with the wonderful life You've called them to, for trusting them with the privilege of being Your Family, Your chosen, Your called–out ones for these Last Days.

22. Help them to not lose sight of the goal of winning lost souls, of spreading the Word and getting out Your message, of teaching and training others to love You and live for You and others. Keep this vision burning in their hearts. Help them to stay strong in spirit. Ignite them, Lord‚ and help them to explode in a great wave of worldwide witnessing like never before! Help each one; strengthen them, encour­age them, give them Your seeds of power and anointing, and keep propelling them onward in this era of action. Give them fun and excitement and the thrills they seek as they go about their work for You!

23. At the same time, help them to be sober, Lord. The days are evil, just like You said they would be, therefore it's imperative that they keep up their guard. Help them to be vigilant and militant against anything and everything that would stand in the way of progress, anything that would threaten to slow them down or hinder them from doing their best—Your best—and Your highest will.

24. Help them with the great reaping that's ahead. Help them to get the job done so that You can return. Help each one, Lord, to fight the good fight of faith. Give them the spunk and the spark and the firepower of Your Spirit. Help them to keep their eyes on Heaven‚ to keep looking ahead to the goal. Help them to work for the things that will last, the things that are eternal. Help them to reach the people who need You. Increase their vision. Help each one to be ready and willing and on the lookout at all times to seize the moment, to not let one opportunity pass them by to win a soul, to tell them how to find You, to give them the words of life, to give them an opportunity to live for You.

25. (Dad prays in tongues again: ) Hallelujah! Thank You Lord! We love You, sweet Love! We need You and praise You and thank You for all that You do for us—for always keeping and protecting and providing for us, for making us Your brides and loving us intimately. Thank You for giving the Family true meaning in their lives. Thank You for giving them a reason to live. Thank You that the Family can spend their time in fruitful endeavors‚ in working ­toward the things that will live on and last forever. Thank You, Lord, for choosing them, for calling them out. Thank You for Your Words of life‚ Your truth, Your riches. You've entrusted such great wealth to the Family's care.

26. Thank You for choosing little ol' us. You've chosen the weak things, the foolish things in the eyes of the world, but they're not foolish in Your eyes, and that's what really counts. Thank You‚ Lord, for the great honor You've given us. It's a great honor, but a great responsibility. Help the Family now. Keep them strong and full of the vision, and give them strength. Help them to keep yielding to You so You can do the work through them, so You can finish what You've begun. Help them to keep on keeping on‚ to not stop till all the souls are won! Praise You Lord!

27. Well, I didn't expect to get into all that, but the Lord knows what you need better than I do. We operate much the same up Here as you do down there, and we don't always know far in advance what the Lord wants us to do. We just follow Him step by step. He laid on my heart to come and talk to you about Christmas, but I didn't know exactly what I was going to say! He simply said He'd tell me what to say when it was time, so I proceeded by faith. Thank You Lord!

28. I can't think of a better message to give you prior to your Christmas witnessing than this reminder about staying focused on the things that really count in life. This ought to inspire you to get out there and work like never before to win souls and spread the message. What better time than the Christmas season to remind yourselves of the importance of your job!

29. The Lord knows it's important to stir your­selves up with the vision, to stay focused and keep setting your goals on the things that are really going to last. He knew it was import­ant to begin with a good word of prayer, and credit to Whom credit is due—it was the Lord who moved me to pray for you like I just did. Sometimes we pray at the beginning of a talk, sometimes we pray at the end, sometimes we stop and pray in the middle. We should be praying all the time! "Pray without ceasing," pray nonstop, the Lord says. I know sometimes we have to stop and discuss things‚ but we certainly should be doing everything we do in the spirit of prayerfulness, and whenever the Spirit leads, it never hurts to stop for an extended word of heartfelt prayer. The more you pray, the more you'll be able to accomplish, so it always pays to stop and pray as often as needed.

Christmas Witnessing Prayer Vigil

30. This brings me to something else I'd like to talk to you about. As we move into Christmas season, I'd like to declare a designated time of prayer vigil for all our Family Homes worldwide. We've asked you to have special prayer vigils from time to time, but once again I'd like to ask you to set aside a time that you can dedicate to prayer for your Christmas witnessing. You've got to bathe this witnessing season in prayer if you expect to get the most out of it—and this Christmas, being your first in the era of action, promises to be a very special one!

31. Now I've got news for you: With the Activated vision in mind‚ the Lord has a special plan, but in order for this plan to be carried out, you've got to begin by preparing the ground through your prayers. The Lord wants you to aim more accurately than ever before at reaching the souls He knows need to be reached right now. Yes, folks, there are specific ones‚ needy people who must be reached now, before it's too late. For some it's later than others; some are dying on the vine and they need to be gathered now, before it's too late.

32. The Lord knows the ones who need to be reached this year with the message we have to give, and it's up to you to do your part to reach these specific ones. You've got to do your part. You've got to not only get out and give the message out, but you've got to start now by preparing the way.

33. How can you best do that? It all begins in prayer. You've got to pray specifically ahead of time‚ asking the Lord to work in people's hearts and minds and to prepare their spirits to receive the message‚ asking Him to line things up, to work out all the logistics, to have the right people in the right place at the right time, in addition to asking Him to keep leading and guiding you to make all the right decisions, to make the right appointments, to line up the right engagements, and so on.

34. Prayer is important, and it should hold a vital, central place in your lives. As you proceed in the era of action, you're going to find that the Lord wants you to be more specific in every area of your prayer life. Specific prayers get specific answers‚ and you can apply this principle to your witnessing by asking the Lord to help you reach the particular ones who need to be reached now, this year, this month, today!

35. Yes‚ the Lord has certain designated people all around the world who He wants to reach right now, this year! He has His perfect timing for everything, and there are certain ones He wants to reach this Christmas. This is a very important point that I'd like to get across to you. I know for the most part you're faithful to pray before you go out witnessing that you will meet the Lord's sheep; yet now the Lord wants you to fine-tune and zero in through your intercessory prayers for your witnessing. You're going to find if you'll zero in more specifically and pave the way to your witnessing ventures with specific prayers, that you'll reap greater results than ever before.

36. This is why I'd like to ask all of you to set aside a time to have this special united prayer. If you'll do your part with this preliminary preparation, you'll be able to bear much more fruit in the long run. This special united prayer time should be held sometime during the month of November, dedicating this time to praying especially for Christmas witnessing. This should be a time when you get together with your Home for a couple of hours of united prayer vigil, both to have intercessory prayer and to hear from the Lord as a Home, as well as personally, regarding your Christmas witnessing.

37. It should be a time when you specifically intercede in prayer for all the people the Lord wants to reach this Christmas through you, through the Family as a whole, and through our tools. You've got to intercede for those needy people and claim them in prayer. This special prayer vigil is not to take the place of your regular monthly prayer day‚ but it should be in addition to that—a time to dedicate especially to inter­cessory prayer for your first Christmas witnessing push in the era of action!

38. Dedicate this time to interceding in prayer for all the lost and needy people. Ask the Lord to help you reach the ones He knows are most in need of getting the message right now, this year, before it's too late for them personally. Pave the way with your intercessory prayers. Ask the Lord and His spirit helpers to work in people's hearts, to help soften and prepare and make them ready to receive the mess­age. Ask the Lord to open the doors and take any obstacles out of the way that would hinder you from meeting the designated ones that He wants to reach right now.

39. There are special ones out there that for one reason or another need to get our particular mess­age this year. This is why you must pray specifically to meet the most needy ones. You might not know them by name just yet, but the Lord knows the ones that are needy and ready‚ so you've got to ask Him to lead you to them. This is some commission—a great re­sponsi­­bility! Your prayers of preparation are of top priority if you're going to bear the greatest amount of fruit poss­ible.

40. Don't take anything for granted—pray every­thing through! So much depends on your prayers! You've got to not only pray for fruit, you have to pray for the right kind of fruit. You've got to not only pray to be able to get out the tools, you've got to pray specifically that the Lord will have the right people be in the right place at the right time so that you can get the tools into the right hands, to the ones who are the most needy. You've got to not only pray for souls, you've got to pray that the Lord will help you reach all the souls He knows need to be reached right now‚ this year, this Christmas.

41. For some, tomorrow will be too late. It's always this way; it's always someone's time. This is why you have to pray desperately that the Lord will help you hit the mark today. This is why you've got to not only pray in advance, but you've got to keep praying every step of the way.

42. It's a multi-pronged thrust. You've got to not only pray for the souls, but pray for yourselves! You can't go wrong by launching this Christmas season in intercessory prayer. Pray you can reach the specific ones the Lord wants you to reach in your part of the world. They're out there just waiting for you, waiting for the message‚ waiting for the chance to say yes to Jesus. Some of them don't know it yet, but they will when the time is right, if you pray!

43. This is going to be a thrilling Christmas season! What better time to push the Activated pro­gram than during Christmas? What better gift could anyone purchase for a friend or a loved one than a gift subscription to the Activated magazine? That'll make a wonderful Christmas gift. Here's your chance to really push the program. Ask the Lord to help you to get out those Activated subscriptions, to open the doors wide, to lead you to the specific people who need them and who will buy them.

44. Since it's your first Christmas in the era of action, this Christmas is one of special significance! I have it on good authority that the Lord wants to do some outstanding things for you this season—but you've got to do the preliminary groundwork. You've got to stop and take this time of special united prayer vigil and bathe your Christmas witnessing in prayer, so that the Lord and His spirit helpers can go to work preparing hearts and minds and souls. We're all itching to get to work on this Christmas push, but you've got to give us the signal through your prayers.

45. Ask and you will receive! All Heaven is waiting to help you! So take time out for this Christmas vigil. Designate a special time to unite as a Home. Ask the Lord to speak to you as a Home‚ as well as individually, regarding this Christmas season.

46. I know you've heard me say this time and again‚ but I guarantee, if you'll launch this season in prayer and stay attuned each step of the way, this year will be your most fruitful yet! It only gets better! But you've got to have the faith and pray it through. You've got to do your part. You've got to start out on the right foot‚ and there's no better way to do this than by spending time in intercessory prayer.

47. Be specific in your prayers. Ask the Lord to lead you to the special ones who need to hear the message right now, this year. Ask Him to lead you to the most desperate, the most needy‚ the ripe ones, before it's too late. Ask Him to do the things you can't do. Ask Him to line things up so you can reach the right ones this year. Ask Him to lead you to the ones who need a subscription to our Activated program.

48. Hallelujah! Praise You Lord! Thank You, Lord, that the Family can be busy working for the things that count the most. Thank You that they can lay up treasures in Heaven, that they can prepare for the future by investing in the future. Thank You that they can work ­toward the things that are lasting and true. Thank You that their lives can really count for something. Thank You that there's no boredom in serving You; that as long as they follow through and obey what You show them to do, their lives will be full and rich and meaning­ful. Thank You for the opportunity to really accomplish something. There's no greater happiness and satisfac­tion than winning a soul, and then teaching them how to know Your love and live for You. Praise You Lord! (End of message from Dad.)

49. (Mama: ) Thank you, Dad, for that very inspiring and challenging message. Thank you for helping us to keep the vision about how blessed we are to be able to live for something that counts, that makes a difference both now and in the world to come, and that we can belong to such a dynamic work for the Lord! We're so happy that you're taking part in our witnessing explosion this Christmas season, and know that from your Heavenly vantage point, you're going to be able to see and appreciate the fruit and progress even more than we are.

50. Please know, dear Family, that Peter and I and those in our household will be praying for you each day as you seek out the lost and lonely people that the Lord wants you to find and minister to this year! There are multitudes who need Jesus and His love and Word and your love and faithful follow-up, whether you have Activated or not. What a mission! What a privilege!—To be His love and truth to so many! We know the rewards will be enormous and you will find great joy and satisfaction as you feed the lost!

51. You'll be hearing from your CROs as to when the united prayer vigil for your Christmas outreach will be scheduled for your area. Once again the Lord and Dad remind us of the importance of intercessory prayer‚ one of the key new weapons of this era of action! What a start to a marvelous witnessing season! Praise our wonderful Husband!

52. God bless and keep you safe and happy! We love you and appreciate you more than we can say. Keep going for God, and great will be your reward!

Much love in Jesus, the heart of Christmas,

Mama and Peter