Karen Zerby
God's views on current issues and attitudes in the Family
By MariaFD/MM/FM 3499 6/04
Note: The "Challenging Thots" in this Letter address commitment and discipleship in general and aren't always related to the issue being discussed.
Dearest Family,
1. I love you! There sure is a lot happening‚ isn't there? Peter and I are praying daily for our Husband's supply of your needs—not just physically or financially‚ although we're praying for that too. But also for your anointing, your wisdom and spiritual strength, your faith to make the changes He's asking, supply of the right personnel for each Home and team, encouragement, happiness, and spiritual growth for each of you in the areas you desire and are reaching toward. We're very proud of you!
2. In the months leading up to the renewal period I've been praying and seeking the Lord about what information we needed to get to you in order for you to be able to take full advantage of this time.
3. As you know from what the Lord has already told us, the renewal period isn't just about forsaking System input. That's an obvious aspect of it, but that's not all of it. We're focusing on our children and teens‚ and that's a very important expenditure of your energy and thoughts and prayers during this time. The Lord has given so many beautiful promises about how this time will benefit them, and has promised that as you obey and give them your attention, you will also benefit automatically.
4. Besides that, however, the Lord is also zeroing in on each Home and adult disciple. I know you're very busy—focusing on your children and teens, looking for new personnel‚ evaluating your Home and work, and the list goes on. But a major part of bringing your Home up to standard is each person bringing his or her life and heart back up to standard. If each person's heart is in the right place, then as a Home you will not have a difficult time making the needed improvements and finding the Lord's highest will. Where you run into trouble is when you come across "pockets of resistance," or when people have different ideas of what it means to apply the Word, and some aren't willing to go as far as others. So each person getting their heart and life and any unyielded areas sorted out with the Lord is a very important aspect of the renewal, and a very important part of bringing your Home up to the standard of FD or MM, whatever you're shooting for.
5. Also, no matter how much effort you put into our young people during the renewal, helping them get turned on for the Lord, if you personally don't change in the areas that you need to change in, your attempts to help them to change may not bear much fruit. All the effort you put into helping them may be of little or no value‚ because they will be looking to you to set the example in forward progress and obedience. So even if you don't have much motivation to change for yourself, or for the Lord, or if the idea of doing it for the sake of the Family is too big, then think about the young people in your Home and area. Think about the children. Fight to change and grow and be renewed for their sakes, if nothing else!
6. Some of you probably feel that on some issues it's even become unclear what the standard is. It's been buried under compromise or conforming to the world, or the world's attitudes and opinions on the topic. But now the Lord knows we want help, and so He's starting to point those things out. He wants each person to seek Him about what areas in their life have drifted from the standard of the Word, or have been contaminated or compromised through taking on the beliefs or attitudes of the world. He wants us to examine our personal lives, our Homes‚ our ministries, our attitudes, and see where compromise has come in and taken us away from the true standard of loyalty to Him and His Word.
7. If you're honest with yourself, you can probably think of a couple of areas right off the bat. And as you read and pray and praise and focus on the Word and your unity as a Home and the things of the spirit during these next months, I believe the Lord will show you many more areas that you can improve, and ways that you've drifted from our revolutionary heritage. You'll probably be surprised‚ once you start really obeying and taking in the Word and applying it, to see how many ways compromise has entered your life. That's nothing to feel condemned or embarrassed about. We're all going to be "seeing the light" together.
8. But it's important that you do see it, that you go into this time with your eyes and heart open‚ really looking for what the Lord wants to show you. We need to take full advantage of this time. So much is hinging on our being cleansed and strengthened, as individuals and as a Family, through this renewal period. You don't want to be just going through the motions, abstaining from worldly input, but not really being cleansed and changed in your soul and your mindsets and attitudes. And, as you know, we only really change when we want to change. That's why it's important that we each search and find out what areas the Lord means for us to change, and make an effort; it won't happen automatically. Some good fruit will be borne automatically, just by virtue of stopping the worldly input and the whole Family moving in a new direction. But if you really want to come out of this renewal personally ready for what's ahead‚ then you're going to have to make a personal effort. And it's a perfect time to do so, because hopefully that's what most of us will be doing. So change and spiritual progress and cleansing is going to be happening everywhere, and you don't have to feel on the spot or singled out.
9. Don't be surprised if the Lord gives you a little help and allows some attitudes or problems to pop up in your life just to show you that they're there and need to be worked on. Maybe you'll run into more complications or problems with others, because the Lord wants to highlight that aspect of your life. Or maybe your pride will get a little out of check, or you'll need some correction along a certain line. I know many of you have prayed a "whatever it takes prayer," and so you can expect the Lord to be bringing things up during this opportune time of the renewal. Don't feel bad about it! Just be thankful it's coming up now so that you can give it your attention and really gain some lasting victories! That's what the Lord means this time to be for!
10. Along these lines, to help those of you who are really seeking to be cleansed and bring your lives back to the standard of full discipleship, the Lord showed me to compile a list of some of the attitudes and mindsets that are floating around that are not quite in line with the Word, and in some cases are pretty far off. This GN is the first of a few where the Lord sheds light on some attitudes or habits or schools of thought that aren't in line with the Word, even though many of them have become "accepted" through our compromise as a Family and our mentality of grading on the curve.
11. This is by no means a complete list. But we have allowed so much compromise for so long that it's sometimes hard to know what the Lord means when He says‚ "I want you to get back to the standard of full obedience to My Word." You can look around, and because your perspective has become tainted with compromise and grading on the curve, it's easy to think, "What are You talking about, Lord? We are obeying." But when He starts pointing out specifics, it becomes clearer, and you start to see things more from His perspective and what He means by "full obedience."
12. I want to prepare your hearts that some of the topics in these GNs will be a little sensitive, because they're very personal topics and involve very personal decisions and preferences. It's easy to feel that these are "private" areas, where you should be able to operate more "according to your faith," rather than being held to an across-the-board standard. But the thing is‚ these "little things" affect your discipleship and obedience, and that's why the Lord is pointing them out. So prepare yourselves. These GNs aren't for the faint-hearted, and will probably challenge you in some pretty uncomfortable ways!
13. But, going back to what I said earlier‚ I'm sharing the Lord's unabridged counsel with you because the Lord has said, and I believe, that many of you really want it. You want to know the areas where you've gotten off track, because you want to be right with the Lord and in line for His full blessings. You don't want to fail Him. You don't want to try hard in many areas, only to have a little fox spoil the whole vine (SoS.2:15). For you who feel that way, or who want to feel that way, this period of renewal will be a wonderful blessing.
14. (Jesus:) The root cause of all of these bad attitudes and wrong mindsets is compromise, swerving from the standard of the Word, not being afraid to disobey or walk on the edge of My boundaries or even outside of My boundaries, and allowing too much of the world and its ways and attitudes into your Homes and hearts.
15. These bad attitudes and ungodly mindsets are what I refer to as the little foxes that eat away at the vine. They're the little disobediences that lead to the bigger ones. They're like the rotten egg that can spoil the whole cake. These are the things that the Enemy likes to sweep under the carpet and keep hidden‚ because they're "not so bad, they're just little things."
16. My children, you need to learn that there is no such thing as a little thing in My sight when it comes to choosing between obedience to My Word and compromise. It's not up to you to decide what's a little thing, a little bad attitude‚ or a little wrong mindset that supposedly isn't going to harm or hurt your spirit. That little thing that you decide to indulge in, that little thing that you think is insignificant and that you don't fight to overcome, could be the starting point of rendering you useless to Me or taking you out of My service altogether.
17. One little thing leads to another. Maybe you're not disobeying in anything big, but if you have a lot of "little" disobediences that you indulge in from time to time, those collectively add up to a big part of your life that isn't yielded to Me, that isn't in sync with My Spirit and My Word and My ways. If you're not willing to obey or yield or take on My mind in even a small area of your life, then that usually leads to bigger unyieldednesses and bigger disobediences and compromises.
18. It's a dangerous move to close off any part of your life and spirit to Me. If you put up roadblocks in your mind and decide you know better than Me in anything—even if it's a small thing—it's dangerous. When I walk through the house of your spirit and see "do not disturb" signs on some of the doors that you don't want Me to open, that's an indication that things aren't right and that you're making some (or many) wrong choices.
19. A healthy spiritual life is a life that is completely open to Me. I want to walk into the house of your spirit and see that every door, every part of your life, is open to My improvements and adjustments. I don't mean that every single room of your heart and life has to be perfect. Some rooms will even be a bit messy from time to time‚ or some rooms will need improvements or fixing up or cleaning up. That's not a negative thing, because you will be open to Me helping you—and I will.
20. But if you close the door on a certain area of your life that you refuse to allow Me to help you in‚ or because you've chosen your way instead of Mine and have put up your "do not disturb" sign, then there's no way I can help you. Pretty soon you'll start putting up those "do not disturb" signs everywhere, and the rooms you allow Me access to will start to dwindle. And if this continues too long, I'll no longer be welcome in any area of your life. At that point, you're on your own‚ and My hands are tied.
21. There's nothing I can do if you don't let Me into the rooms of your life. I can stand at the door, I can knock, and I can plead, but only you can unlock the doors and let Me in. That's the purpose of this series of GNs. I'm going to walk through the hearts of My children with these messages and topics, and I'm going to knock on very specific doors and I'm going to ask you to let Me in, to let Me begin to work in that area of your life.
22. Not everyone has "do not disturb" signs on the same doors. Some people have closed themselves off to My will in the areas of having children, others have closed themselves off to shepherding, and others have taken on the world's views on sex and relationships and are closed to My ways in this regard. Others have closed themselves off in different ways. It's going to be something different for everyone.
23. The goal is that through My Words in these GNs, everyone can see and be reminded of the standard of My Word. I'm giving everyone the chance to open up, to let Me cleanse you, to let Me rewire your thinking processes, to let Me root out compromise and disobedience‚ to let Me have access to the parts of your lives and minds and hearts that up until now you haven't been willing to change or accept My views on. (End of message.)
24. (Mama:) Before we go any further in this GN and start getting into specifics, I want to remind you that there is something in this time of renewal for everyone. Compromise has become an accepted way of life in the Family, and there's no one who has escaped or been a perfect example of what the Lord wants us to be as disciples. We're going to touch on a few wrong attitudes in these GNs, but as I said earlier, there's no way we could cover everything. Some things the Lord has covered in other places in the Word, and He expects us to dig it out and apply it. Hopefully this list will get you thinking and praying and examining your own heart and life, and it will set the record straight on a few key issues.
25. During this period of renewal and cleansing, everyone will have to face different tests and challenges. Some of you will face a big struggle and have to really sacrifice personally to give up all worldly input for six months. Others of you will hardly be fazed by it at all. Some of you will have more obvious wrong attitudes, maybe quite a few that are pointed out in these GNs, and it might be embarrassing if it's something that you've talked about with others, or a viewpoint or opinion that people know you have. Others of you might not have many that are obvious‚ and it might seem that you're getting off easy just because your particular problems aren't pointed out in these GNs.
26. Whether you are one who has more obvious issues that get touched on, or someone who doesn't have many or any of the attitudes discussed in these GNs or other recent Letters‚ you're all equally responsible to go to the Lord about the areas He wants you to change. If your particular sins or bad attitudes aren't pointed out in these GNs, ask the Lord to speak to you about yours and give you His personalized counsel, and He will. This renewal is for all of us, without exception. The Lord has special things He wants you to grow and change in during this time. Don't miss the opportunity!
27. Please also be on guard against self–righteousness. Especially if something comes out in one of the GNs that you've been personally burdened about or seen clearly as a compromise in the past, you might feel like, "I told you so!" There are some of you who might be tempted to read these GNs with a "How does this shoe fit someone else?" attitude, as opposed to a "What shoes fit me?" attitude. But that's not the right attitude. Stop and check your heart, and the Lord will clearly show you where you have fallen short and what you need to concentrate on during this renewal period.
28. We're going to be delving into the nitty-gritty on some pretty hot topics, and there are those who might even be stumbled to hear some of the bad attitudes that are brought up. Some will think, "Oh my God, do we really have people who are into B&D (bondage and domination) in the Family? How horrific!" Or, "How could anyone have lesbian tendencies? That's so out of it!"
29. Everyone has sins; everyone has areas in which they need to cleanse their lives of compromise‚ and if you're going to be self-righteous or condescending about those who have had wrong attitudes on any of these issues, then you're probably in worse shape. If you allow yourself to have that attitude, your eyes will be so focused on everyone else's sins and bad attitudes that you won't even see the areas you need to change and grow in, you'll miss the Lord's personal lessons and strengthening, and that would really be sad.
30. This is not a time for pointing the finger at anyone else, or thinking, "Oh‚ yeah, I know so-and-so really has a problem with this." Or, "Yes, this counsel is so right on for so-and-so." It's a time to point the finger at one person and one person alone—yourself. Where do you stand? How are you failing? What areas of your life have you put a "do not disturb" sign on? And if your foot doesn't fit into any of the other shoes, then the self-righteous shoe might be the one that fits you.
31. We haven't been able to address some of these issues in the past because they're minor compared to some of the bigger issues we've had to focus on. But now is the time for cleansing in all the corners of our lives and hearts, and the Lord is shining the spotlight on these so-called "little ways" that we've allowed ourselves to drift from the standard of the Word and become dirtied by the attitudes of the world.
32. Something else I want to prepare you for before you go into the messages in this and other GNs in this series is that some of the topics are broad, and you could probably bring up a lot of different excuses or arguments or "the other side‚" but the Lord doesn't get into all of that in this series. He's just shooting straight, getting across the pith of the message, and it's up to you to take it to Him and ask Him how to apply it to your life and heart. I hope that's all right, and that you don't get offended or defensive about the Lord's straight-to-the-point approach on these matters. We usually try to cover as many aspects or angles as possible in any topic we address. But for one thing, the Lord has already given us a lot on many of these topics, and these are just brief reminders of how we've gotten away from the Word and adopted more worldly attitudes in these areas. For another, the Lord wants us to remember that sometimes we just need to obey because He says so.
33. He tries so hard to convince us, to give us lots of good reasons to obey, to warn us of the consequences, to help us reason things out to the point that we understand‚ and then finally, eventually‚ we come around and feel that we can accept His Word enough to obey. But you know, it's not really necessary for Him to do that. He doesn't owe us that. We are His disciples, we've committed our lives to Him, and we're supposed to do what He says whether we understand it all or not. And in a sense, that's what He's doing with this series of GNs. He's saying, "This is how I feel about these things. Now come, follow Me."
34. (Jesus: ) My young people and many in the Family are used to being convinced‚ persuaded, argued with, and pleaded with to bring them around. They're used to the long presentation, the convincing argument. But they also need to learn that it's sometimes necessary to just accept it when I say something. In this case‚ many of you will likely still have questions, but if you do, you can look up My Word on the topic and research it yourself and make a decision as to where you stand.
35. The day of cafeteria-style obedience is over, and it's really time for each of you to decide what you're doing and why you're here. Instead of looking at it like, "Convince me," or automatically arguing why it won't work or doesn't apply to you, I want to challenge you to look at it like, "Okay, Lord, help me to see why You're asking this, why it does work, and why it's important for me to accept this."
36. Then as you study My Word on the topic, it will come alive to you. You'll see sides of the picture that you haven't seen before. You'll understand more. Understanding is the reward of faith. With a lot of these hot topics, many of you have demanded to understand before you were willing to accept and believe. I want to challenge you to accept and believe even if you don't understand. And if you do accept and believe, you will then find it becoming clear. These spiritual principles that you've fought against or resisted for so long will suddenly make sense. Your spiritual life will improve. You'll have more conviction to obey. It all starts with making the choice to accept and believe. (End of message.)
37. (Mama:) Here's another little exhortation from our faithful Shepherd on this topic:
38. (Jesus: ) I try to make My opinions easy for My children to accept, but then in the end you've just got to take My word for it. If I say something is wrong, it's wrong. If I say something is against My ways and not acceptable in the Family, then that's all there is to it. Your Father David did this a lot in the early days. He'd just call a spade a spade‚ and there wasn't room for negotiation and justification.
39. My ways and My views are not always popular. In fact‚ they're usually the opposite. I'm unpopular. I'm not conventional or traditional or even always understandable.
40. My children have got to get back to the basics and realize that sometimes things are black-and-white. When something is ungodly‚ it's gotta go. When something is My will and I demand obedience‚ there's no way to weasel out of it if you want My full blessings. I'm not going to soft-pedal the message or let you off the hook. I'm going to shoot straight. (End of message.)
41. (Mama:) Please keep in mind that the Lord is setting us straight on these issues because He loves us, and He knows that many of you really want this instruction. As difficult as it might be to face your lacks and compromises, He knows that you want to change. He's proud of you, and so am I! He said,
42. "These are ways that people have gotten away from the Word through compromise and grading on the curve, but it's not that I'm pointing the finger at anyone or placing blame. I'm exposing these areas because so many of My children have been seeking Me with open hearts, and this is one of the ways that I'm giving them the answers. It's because of My love that I'm showing them these areas that are hindering their fruitfulness, their full obedience, their being in line to receive My full blessings. I'm pointing them out for those who are desperate to be right with Me, as areas to consider and check their hearts about‚ for I know they want to be right with Me."
43. He also wants to be able to give us His full blessings! The only way we can receive His full blessings is if we are fully obedient and right with Him. About this time of renewal He said,
44. "This is a time to examine all your attitudes and habits and beliefs and see which ones have drifted from the standard of the Word, and bring them back into line. That's how you will be fully blessed as a Family. Only when everyone is pulling in the same direction will you find that strength of spirit and unity and full obedience, which pulls down the full‚ unlimited blessings from My hand. Your obedience gives you carte blanche in the area of pulling down My blessings."
45. In recent months the Lord has clearly outlined the consequences of disobedience. That can be what sticks in your mind, above all His wonderful blessings and promises that are attached to our obedience. For your encouragement, before we get into the first topics the Lord is setting us straight on, let's stop and remember what the blessings of obedience are. A very inspiring list of promises is in the GN "Renewal: The Big Picture‚" when the Lord enumerates the blessings that we'll find through our obedience and submitting to the renewal period (see ML #3489:94-106, GN 1073). Those are blessings and promises that we can expect as we start obeying fully. We have so much to look forward to!
46. Besides that, I wanted to ask the Lord for something a little more personal for you, having to do with these personal topics—a little incentive that you can hang on to and claim if some of these topics are sensitive and the Enemy tempts you to feel that obedience is just too difficult.
47. (Jesus: ) It's important to realize that I understand you. I know and love each of you personally. I know your hearts, your lives, your circumstances, the reasons behind the things you do, your preferences, the things that are hard for you I know it all, My dear loves, and I never ask anything of you that I don't plan to give you back something much better in return for your sacrifices.
48. So no matter how difficult it might be to think about changing any personal attitudes or habits in your life, you should know that I do understand, and the rewards are going to be 100 times greater than the sacrifices. So if it's just a little teeny bit hard to give up something or change in some area, you can know that you're going to be repaid for that teeny sacrifice 100 times with blessings of equal measure. If it's really, really difficult, well, then think about the blessings that are going to accompany that step of obedience‚ and be happy!
49. The goal in all of this is to become better revolutionaries, because as revolutionaries you can free so many more from the Enemy's clutches than when you're weighed down by the things of the world and still trying to do your job handicapped. Your testimony to the world is one of living by My Words—not according to what the world thinks or says or does. The Enemy is always trying to get you to conform to the world. But being revolutionary‚ completely different, separate, doing things My way, is what I need you to be. There are lots of people around telling others that Jesus loves them. But their lives bear testimony against that truth, because of their selfishness, their compromise, their lack of willingness to be My love for others, to live as I lived.
50. There are so few who are willing to live their lives in sacrifice, who are willing to put aside all of their own desires and preferences except one—the desire to serve Me and love Me and be My face to the world. Your revolutionary heritage is an essential part of My face. Your obedience to Me‚ your willingness to live dropped out of the System—that's what makes the Family what it is. And it has become more and more lacking, as you have become more and more compromised and conformed to the System.
51. So as you read this, realize the goals:
52. Always remember: I never ask anything of you that I'm not prepared to pay back in a way so wonderful, it will exceed the sacrifice a minimum of 100 times. (End of message.)
53. (Mama: ) Okay, so shall we delve into some of the specifics now? I love you, and am proud of you for being willing to change!
Thankful to our Husband for His love in shooting straight when we need it,
Mama
Quote box:
Just obeying is going to make you so much happier. Obedience is a blessing in itself.
The issue:
54. An attitude that has crept into the Family is couples wanting/working to acquire goods, possessions‚ and things for their personal family—wanting their own car‚ furniture, belongings, etc.—and putting lots of time and energy and even money into owning everything they need and then being very possessive of their material things, rather than sharing what they have with others and letting others share in return. There are all kinds of problems with stewardship and people not taking care of other people's things, and that has no doubt contributed toward this trend of people wanting to have their own things and being hesitant to share. But the end result is selfish, possessive attitudes, which are very far from the standard of Acts 2:44-45.
God's mind on the matter:
55. (Jesus: ) It's human nature to be selfish, to put yourself and your own needs and wants and comforts first, and even to put a lot of time and effort into getting things you want. It's something that the Devil has played up since the beginning of time, and it has intensified more and more as time goes on, because there are more nice things to acquire all the time.
56. This selfishness and desire for personal comfort is really the root of most of the worldliness that exists, in both the world at large and in the Family. It's a very prevalent spirit among humanity. The people who have nice things want more, and the people who don't have nice things lust after them. It's not surprising that this attitude has taken root in the Family as well‚ and that people have become focused—some minimally and some to an extreme—on acquiring goods and benefits for themselves and their family, and wanting to keep these as private possessions, to be used only by them and no others. Well, it is human nature and it is the spirit of the world, but that doesn't mean that it's acceptable to Me. It's not My way.
57. There is much in the nature of man that is selfish and evil and that is meant to be overcome. I have let these things be part of your nature to test you and to cause you to fight, but I do not mean for you to give in to and yield to such weaknesses. I do not mean for you to go the way of the world, the way of all flesh, in this matter of personal possessions and private property and selfish living.
58. I don't think I could make things any clearer than they are already in the Word—the Bible and the Letters—that My way, especially for you‚ My Endtime disciples, is the way of communal living, of sharing all things‚ of using the blessings that I provide for you and giving to your brother in need, and likewise letting him give to you and share with you when you have a need.
59. I don't need to get into a big discourse here about why it's important, about what the benefits are, but I will remind you that this is one of the essential attributes of the Family that makes you different from the crazy, rat-racing Systemite world around you. I could give you lists and lists of Letters that talk all about it. I could also remind you of how My Church started in the first place, back in the book of Acts. The specifics and details of how My Church operates have changed a lot since those days, but the basic foundation principles haven't.
60. Unity is still of the essence, and sharing all things, living Acts 2:44-45, is still an essential part of unity. There's no changing that. There's no denying that. There's no explaining that away or trying to modify it or make it more "modern." I still mean for the Family to be a community of sharing, giving, interdependent individuals who share ALL THINGS!
61. Someone does have to sometimes "own" certain things. Someone has to have their name on the car title and fulfill the insurance and registration and repair requirements, for example. Your attitude then should be that of a steward. You should feel responsible and do your part to ensure its care and upkeep. But you shouldn't feel that because you legally "own" it you are more entitled to use it than others, or worse yet, that others aren't entitled to use it at all‚ and should get their own instead.
62. Then there are tools that are used for the work, whether it be a piece of equipment or a musical instrument, which it's only logical that the person who uses it would assume the care and responsibility of. But you can still lend it to someone in need when you're not using it! The same with small personal possessions. No matter how little you have, you nearly always have something you can give or share, and that should be the prevailing way of life.
63. The details, the "law‚" the science and how-to that accompany the issues of ownership and stewardship, are in the Charter, and within it these "sticky points" relating to property and ownership are addressed. However, a problem arises when people go by that law and forget the heart of that law, the purpose and spirit behind the matter.
64. The laws have to be there to handle more complex situations that come up—and they will come up, because although you are not of the world, you live in the world‚ and therefore you have to go by some of its rules when it comes to practical, technical matters. But the laws in themselves are not the core issue—they're just a means for implementing My plan, for finding a way to cause the worldly way of operation that you have to be involved with to some degree to match up with the spirit of communal living, which is My way for you and where your focus should be.
65. The root, the heart, the soul, the essence of the matter when it comes to personal property and ownership of things, whether large or small or somewhere in between, is this: You are not your own; you are bought with a price. The things that you have are also not your own, but they are Mine, as you are, and meant to be used in My service and used for the good of others and shared with your brethren. That is Acts 2:44-45 in "modern lingo" for you‚ and that is the spirit by which I want My Family to live.
66. You can debate it. You can discuss the cons, the impracticalities, the fine points, the details, the exceptions, all you want—but that doesn't change the foundation principle, the truth of the matter‚ whatsoever. I know there are problems with communal living and with sharing all things. I know there are issues of stewardship and lack of proper care of things, lack of taking responsibility, lack of trust in one another, and so forth. These things need to be worked out, and it can be difficult to work them out. But the solution is not capitalism, private ownership, fending for yourself, and each one acquiring your own possessions.
67. There are problems with sharing and living communally, but the problems that come about as a result of not sharing and not living communally are far worse. The problems that come about as a result of sharing are more on a logistical or practical level, and are things that, while touchy or complex, can be worked out through love and prayer and communication and training. Whereas the problems that come about as a result of selfish living and acquiring personal property and possessions lead to the spiritual decay and eventual death of unity, which is one of the primary elements of the Family discipleship lifestyle.
68. So take your choice: Live according to the giving and sharing principles of My Word, and deal with the difficulties and problems that arise along with it. Or‚ live according to the principles of the world and its selfishness and materialism—but go and do it elsewhere, because it is no longer an acceptable way of life within Family discipleship. (End of message.)
In summary:
69. Sharing ALL THINGS is the way God intended for us to live, and it is the standard of Family discipleship. He intends us to work through the problems that arise—not by each person acquiring their own things, but by learning how to share completely in love, which includes being appreciative and faithful stewards of what is shared.
Challenging Thot:
70. (Dad:) It's worth the fight to be a disciple! It's worth the fight to live communally! It's part of our witness, our testimony to the world‚ the proof that God is living today and that His Words work, they change lives, and they can change anyone who decides to believe and test them!
Key promise:
71. Claim the keys of unselfishness, and I will fill your heart with peace and faith to share and give, regardless of the immediate results. You will see My promises of blessing fulfilled as you step out to obey.
Dig deeper:
*"Charter Responsibilities," ML #3197:109–111, GN 803
*"Witnessing and Follow-up Pitfalls," ML #3245:83-99, GN 847
*"Be Ye Separate," ML #3363:110-125, GN 959
*"Putting 'Skin' on Sin," ML #3453, the section "Living Acts 2:44-45," pages 10–12, GN 1038
*"Show Me the Money, Part 1," ML #3462:114-133, GN 1047
*"Show Me the Money, Part 3‚" ML #3462:367-403, GN 1049
*"Selfishness and Self-Centeredness," Word Topics
*"Covetousness‚" Word Topics
*FJWL 2: #388‚ 508
(Note: FJWL references here and in the links which follow refer to the number of the message, not the page number.)
The issue:
72. (Mama: ) Many people consider the concept of forsaking all—especially if it involves loved ones or ministries or very personal preferences—to be a thing of the past, something that the Lord would never expect today. They look back on times when others forsook kids or wives or husbands for the sake of the work or a time of lesson learning, or even simply because the Lord asked it of them, and think that it was wrong, that we were being naïve or too extreme at the time to think that God's highest will could include such major personal forsakings.
73. It's true that there were mistakes made at times by leadership in the past, and no one should be forced to forsake anything. But forsaking all when the Lord asks it is not wrong, nor is it necessarily a thing of the past. There will be times in the present and in the future when the Lord will call someone to forsake all, and in some cases what the Lord is asking of them might include forsaking a relationship, or children, or loved ones, or a fruitful work, or whatever the case may be. With some people changing status as the Family is restructured, there will probably be some cases where people face this very personal choice, and feel called to forsake ministries, loved ones, even mates and children, in order to fulfill the Lord's highest will for them.
God's mind on the matter:
74. (Dad: ) A disciple's life is one of sacrifice. Not everyone experiences sacrifice in the same way, but the requirement of a disciple, as the Bible puts it, is someone who is willing to forsake all that they have and follow after the Lord. Sacrifice sometimes means forsaking all, even those things you hold dear, even letting go of a blessing the Lord gave you for a time, such as a ministry, a relationship, family‚ friends‚ and children.
75. It's a wrong attitude when you adopt the mindset that some things take preference over your service for the Lord and your ability to obey what He shows you to do to follow Him. It's a misconception that a personal family or a personal relationship or a personal ministry should take the place of doing the will of God. When you allow yourself to draw up a list of exceptions for yourself and your family or situation, specifying why you can't forsake all to do the Lord's will, then you are holding back from God.
76. It's human nature to have an area or several areas in your life that you protect more than others, and sometimes even withhold from the Lord. You may have your list of reasons why, even "Word-based" excuses that you try to use to talk the Lord out of ever asking you to forsake all in that area. But when it comes down to it, anything that you withhold from the Lord tends to poverty.
77. Whatever you try to keep from sacrificing becomes a blockage in your spirit, and slowly, or sometimes quickly, that very thing that you tried so desperately to preserve from having to forsake tends to poverty‚ or your spirit tends to poverty. Instead of being wealthy in the Lord's blessings for forsaking all and giving your all to Him, you become poor in spirit, holding tightly to what you don't want to lose.
78. Forsaking all and living as One Wife is not a thing of the past. The Lord never said that the sacrificial giving of personal loves and goals would only be something He'd expect of some people, or that it was a passing fad, something that the first generation experienced but has now become a thing of the past. If that's your view on it, then you've got it wrong!
79. Sacrifice and forsaking all are simply a part of discipleship; they're key elements to being able to live the discipleship life to the full. Once you hold back in one area of your life, once you hesitate to give God that one key of your heart, it'll be so much easier for you to hold back next time, in one other area‚ and that leads to compromise.
80. Are you a disciple who is willing to give your all to follow God—even if it means forsaking something or someone you love? Are you a disciple who will hold nothing back from the Lord, but will humbly lay it at God's feet, desiring only to do His will? Are you a disciple who thinks beyond the personal family unit, beyond your intimate life and desires, and looks at what will benefit the Family and your Home as a whole, even if it means forsaking something dear to you? Do you live the One Wife vision to the full? Do you trust God enough to obey Him, even when you can't see the reasons why?
81. Those may be hard questions to ask yourself, they may even make you cringe, but that's part of doing whatever it takes to become a full-time disciple. Sacrifice is the life of the disciple, but it is through sacrifice that the Lord brings about some of the greatest desires of your heart. It's through the humble forsaking of your own desires and will that God can in turn fill you with something better‚ something that will make you a better disciple‚ a better servant, a better bride, a better revolutionary. Isn't that what you want? (End of message.)
In summary:
82. (Mama:) Everyone who really loves and serves the Lord will at some time in life be asked to give up something very precious to them. The Lord does this as a test; He does it to see if we love Him enough to make a big sacrifice for Him; He does it to draw us closer to Him and help us put Him first; and there are usually reasons specific to the situation why He asks it of us as well. Putting the Lord and His work first is one of our foundation principles, something we still believe in and practice out of love for our wonderful Husband.
Challenging Thot:
83. (Dad:) God knows best! No matter how things look or how they seem, when God asks something, it's because He knows it's going to be best for you‚ best for the work, best for your loved ones, and best for the lost that we're here to reach. Keep your eyes on the goal—we have a world to win before He returns, and the quicker we get it done, the quicker He can come back, and the quicker we'll hear those words we've all been waiting for: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant! Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!"
Key promise:
84. The keys of loyalty and unswerving dedication will give you the faith to obey what I ask of you‚ even when it's difficult and requires personal sacrifice. The keys of reward will comfort your heart with the vision of things to come, and help you to believe that I will more than repay. The keys of trust will give you peace to know that I will care for your loved ones or situation far better than you can, when you place them all in My gentle hands.
Additional reading:
The Glorious Conquest of a Fighter ...
85. (Jesus:) Only those who fight with no fear of loss in their hearts conquer all. They have nothing to lose, therefore they gain all things. They conquer all, for they are not defending personal claims or possessions, but are rather fighting for the honor of the Kingdom. They proudly open their arms to the battle, and they smile into the fray, for they know that it can only serve to better them. They know there is no loss in this battle—only victory.
86. Therefore give all‚ without thought of the morrow, that you may gain all. Give without fear of loss, that you may gain the treasure, the spoil of the battle, the reward of the fight—for it is highly esteemed and precious. One soldier who fears no loss is worth more than a host of soldiers who fight with reservations in their hearts. Therefore, strive to have no fear of loss. Place all in My hands. I shall keep it there and then you need not fear loss. You will not lose.
87. I am the Giver and the Taker. I never cause loss. I give and I take, but this is not loss unto you but gain—if you are able to leave all things in My hands. For I do not take and stop there, but the cycle will continue, just as the sun rises in the morning after darkness has veiled the land; I will give unto you again.
88. I wish to make you of a special caliber—those upon whom the Enemy can exact no fear or worry. You must trust explicitly and champion the cause of those around you, that you may show others the joy of fighting without reservation and of obtaining the perfect victory. This is the glorious conquest of a fighter. (End of message.)
Dig deeper:
*"One Wife," ML #249, DB 5
*"Greater Victories," ML #727, DB 1
*"God's Vomit‚" ML #1652, DB 2
*"Forsaking All?" ML #1653, GN Book 17/DB 2
*"What Does It Mean to Be Truly Revolutionary," Maria #44, DB 3
*"Revolutionary Discipleship‚" ML #1965, DB 8
*"Being Apart from Your Children for the Lord and His Work," ML #2862‚ DB 11
*"The Lord's Plea: 'Be a Missionary for Me,'" ML #3178:11-26, GN 783
*"Trash Your Trinkets and Head for the Hills," ML #3186:17-48, GN 791
*"Issues, Part 12," ML #3418:76-82, 123-139, GN 1005
*"Issues, Part 15," ML #3444:43-96, GN 1029
*FJWL 1: #92, 252
*FJWL 2: #499
*"Forsaking All," MOP 1
*Heaven's Library book "Cry of the Harvest," the story "The Treasure Vaults of Heaven"
The issue:
89. (Mama:) Some people promote the idea that it's frowned upon or uncool to live the sexual aspect of the Law of Love and have dates with others if you're married, especially if the dates aren't "sacrificial"—that you're either being disloyal or that it could even be a sign that your marriage is in trouble or that you're not "satisfied" with your mate.
90. An SGA recently wrote the following:
Many YA/SGAs (not just the married ones) who I know in the Family are quite proud of the fact that they don't practice the sexual side of the Law of Love. I'm not saying that everyone thinks like this; I'm not saying that I know the majority of YAs or SGAs in the Family. I'm sure that there are young couples who are living the Law of Love to the full, it's just that I don't personally know of any. The attitude that many people seem to have is this: It's fine to sleep around if you're single, but if you're married or in a relationship with someone, then it's like a point of honor or pride that they don't sleep with anyone else apart from their boyfriend/husband, girlfriend/wife.
God's mind on the matter:
91. (Jesus:) It's just plain ridiculous to be proud of not living some aspect of the Law of Love. In My eyes, a couple that shares sexually outside their marriage with the agreement of all parties, in accordance with the Law of Love, is showing a great deal of maturity. It's a sign of strength—not weakness—when a couple is able to reach out sexually, giving to others and receiving from others.
92. I want you couples to be proud of your obedience to the Law of Love. I want you to make it a challenge to build the type of relationship where your lives are open to others while remaining committed to your partner and continuing to grow in love. Living the sexual aspect of the Law of Love doesn't have to take anything away from your marriage. Let this sexual openness bring you closer together and give you the opportunity to show your mate that you love and appreciate him or her more than ever for their obedience and sacrifices to practice the Law of Love.
93. The attitude of exclusiveness, of sexual fidelity to only one's spouse being a sign of a good relationship is a perfect example of how worldly input can influence and hinder My children. Some of you might think that just because you don't have nightmares after watching a questionable movie or reading a questionable novel, that you're unaffected by System input. However, if you agree with this exclusive and closed attitude being the ideal, or even agree with it slightly, there's a good chance you are being very negatively affected by worldly input. Even movies, books, etc., that might be recommended or seem harmless‚ can still be filled with insidious lies and attitudes that are contrary to the life of a revolutionary Christian. So be aware!
94. And even if you haven't gained this attitude through input of System media, the attitude itself has seeped through the ranks and spread through many of you passing it on by your actions‚ attitudes or conversations. You haven't intended to tear down My Word and My truth, but in reality, when you're proud of your lack of obedience, when you push something aside as "not for me," that's what you're doing.
95. The selfish way is the easy way. The worldly concept of "fidelity" might be a great excuse for some of you to disregard this part of the Law of Love, but it's still disobedience, it's still displeasing to Me, and you're still missing an important and wonderful way to grow in your marriage or relationship. The degree that you live the Law of Love is according to your own faith, but to actually be proud of your failure to live the Law of Love is both laughable and also very sad. So stop being a coward, hiding behind these lazy, pointless System attitudes of pride‚ and start reaching out.
96. Use the Law of Love to enhance your relationship. The secret is to give; not to use the Law of Love solely to satisfy your personal lusts for more sex; not to spend time with others to the point that you are neglecting your significant other; not to go about having sex unprayerfully or secretively, but to love, love, love, and give, give, give! If you have the strength and courage to eliminate these stupid System attitudes and to practice the Law of Love the way it was meant to be practiced, you'll reap massive benefits and bring a whole new level of happiness to your relationship. (End of message.)
In summary:
97. Obedience in living the Law of Love brings down the Lord's blessings, and is a sign of a strong relationship. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
Challenging Thot:
98. (Dad: ) We are dropped out of the world, and we don't care how the world does things! We do things the way God wants them done! One of our main jobs is to prove to the world that God's Word works. He intended for it to be lived and practiced, and we are living it! We are proving that it can be done!
Key promise:
99. Claim the keys of love, unselfishness, giving, and faith to help you live the Law of Love the way I intended for it to be lived, and your life and relationship will become a fountain of happiness and fulfillment.
Dig deeper:
*"Goals for 1998‚" ML #3160:163–175, Lifelines 24
*"Living the Lord's Law of Love, Part 2‚" ML #3202:95–153, GN 805
*"Living the Lord's Law of Love, Part 5," ML #3205:166-172, GN 808
*"Living the Lord's Law of Love, Part 8," ML #3208, GN 811
*"Living the Lord's Law of Love‚ Part 9," ML #3209:252-267, GN 812
*"Living the Lord's Law of Love, Part 10," ML #3210:53-57, GN 813
*"Living the Lord's Law of Love, Part 11," ML #3211:49-93‚ GN 814
*"A Plea from the Cathars," ML #3259:60-87, GN 860
*"Issues, Part 1‚" ML #3294:5-21, GN 889
*"Are You a Disciple?" ML #3365:197-275, GN 963
The issue:
100. (Mama:) Quite a few of you have written me over the years with concerns about the health and nutrition standard in many Homes. It's a controversial topic, with many differing opinions. The main problem, however, is a simple lack of obedience to the Word and Charter standard regarding junk food. There are several reasons or "excuses" for this, such as:
101. • Many of our Homes base a lot of their menu and diet around what's available in provisioning. A lack of faith to stick to healthy guidelines and expecting the Lord to supply exists in many cases; or a lack of motivation to do the extra work of cultivating contacts to give you the standard of food that is healthy and appropriate, and making new contacts if necessary. It's easy to compromise by allowing junk food in the Homes, because it's available.
102. • Processed or prepared foods and even junk food is often not only more readily available and cheaper and more abundant in provisioning‚ but it's also often faster to prepare than the natural or "whole" version would be. White rice cooks in half the time of brown rice, canned vegetables are easier to prepare than fresh, there are lots of "instant" foods available, and maybe the cooks don't want to go to the extra trouble of preparing food from scratch, or they feel they don't know how, or maybe they legitimately are very busy and don't have extra time.
103. • Some people feel that the standard of the Word and the Charter is outdated and no longer applicable, especially since Dad's main Letters on the health standard were written about 30 years ago. Some people feel they know better than what's in the Word, if they've read modern health or diet books or researched something on the Internet. If you take that train of thought to the extreme‚ however‚ you can find "proof" on the Internet for just about anything you want. For example, if someone wants to be able to serve white bread in the Home, you can undoubtedly find some place online that says it's better for you than brown bread. But that doesn't change what the Word says.
104. • Sometimes the lines are drawn between those who are younger and those who are older; or those who see the need to eat healthily from personal experience and those who are more concerned about taste or personal preference than they are about long-term health and nutrition. Some of the second generation's opinions have been influenced through years of rebelling against and resisting what they've felt is an unreasonable health standard by some of the older ones. They feel that some of the first generation go overboard in their stance about certain food issues, even to the point of being eccentric. People have sometimes held staunchly to their personal opinions, regardless of the standard of the Word and the Charter, until gradually those who are trying to lift the standard feel like it's a losing battle that's just not worth the trouble, much less the sense of disunity and division that it seems to cause.
God's mind on the matter:
105. (Jesus: ) Everywhere you look—on the Internet, in the news, in magazines—health and nutrition is a huge subject‚ and one of much debate. As you know, you can find just about anything "out there," and in the world there is a great variety of opinions, as well as controversy on health and nutrition matters. Disease and physical disorders are rampant. Obesity is also a growing concern, even at the same time that starvation plagues parts of the world. There is not enough balance, because people have fallen away from My ways.
106. You do need to realize, right from the beginning, that many of your Home standards and your personal attitudes regarding health and nutrition have become polluted with compromise and grading on the curve, and influenced by opinions in the world, and there is a LOT of room for improvement to get back to My health standard‚ which I laid down long ago, and will clarify again for you here. If you don't realize the need for improvement right from the beginning, you might be tempted to not really absorb this counsel, thinking you've heard it all before. But most of you need to take heed to this counsel, and many of you need to make some major changes in order to be in line with the proper standard of obedience to the Word and the Charter.
107. As you examine this area of your life and seek to raise your standard in the areas of health and nutrition, it will be controversial. But to be successful and maintain good unity as you raise the standard in this area‚ your approach and your attitude on these matters should only be to find My mind on these differences. And I assure you, I have a very definite and precise mindset concerning your health and well–being and the care of your body—your temple, which belongs to Me. Everyone involved will need to be in agreement that improvement is needed, and willing to give up some personal preferences for the good of all.
108. Your vision concerning health and nutrition should be similar to what I'm asking you to do in every other area of your lives for Me—to get back to the basics—back to the basics of striving to follow My health rules. My basic health rules have not changed, though naturally‚ I will give you some adjustments for modern living. Most of these, however, will be in instructing you how to avoid those things that are unhealthy and harmful in today's world.
109. If you're squirming in your seat, relax. There's no need to worry. I will instruct you on how to apply My health rules in this modern age in which you're living, and if you will trust Me on this, you'll be happy about it in the end. My goal isn't to make you suffer and just barely endure a rigid food program that you can't stand. That's not My idea at all. My goal is to help you see the need for and the importance of getting back to the basics on food and health—for your own good.
110. I want to give you the faith that I can and will help you adjust to a healthy lifestyle that I know will bring you good health, vitality‚ well–being, and happiness. I know you want good health, to have zest, energy, and the strength you need for life, and those are My goals too. I never take something away without giving you something better. While there will be sacrifices as you examine your personal health standard and that of your Home‚ and realize the things you need to change in, trust Me that the end result will make it worth it.
111. And whatever aspects of your life, eating and nutrition you need to change in order to be in full obedience to the Word, you can come to like those changes‚ if you will be open and ask Me to help you like them. You'll be thankful for the results, and there will be plenty of room for good, tasteful things you like to eat. No worries!
112. There can and should be discussion and prayer concerning how to apply the health standard within your circumstances and depending on what's available, but there should be no debate about what the standard is, because I laid down the basics years ago in My counsel through David. You can read the standard I've given you in the Charter and the Letters, and according to that, you must look at your Home and your food and see what areas need to change in order to be living up to the standard I've given.
113. Some of you, especially you young ones, might debate that point. You can argue that the rules your Father David laid down were given so long ago that it's dated by now—new research should be done, a new standard should be drawn up, and on and on. But the fact of the matter is, I anointed your Father David to lay down the basics long ago and those have not changed. If anything, it has become more important than ever to abide by the rules he established for you‚ because the world's standard has only gotten worse.
114. Now I'm not talking about all of your prophet's personal preferences and the comments he would make about things he liked and didn't like. That's not the standard. The standard is very basic, very simple, and very godly, and if you will reread Letters like "Food or Poison‚" "The Health Revolution," and "Eat Right," it will be very clear.
115. Here is a list of points to consider. Read them carefully. Consider each one, and if you have any further questions as a result of any of these points‚ bring them to Me and ask Me for further insight or counsel. Discuss as a Home what you need to change, what you need to do, in order to abide by the spirit of My counsel here, in past Letters, and in the Charter.
116. • It's a fact that through modern processed foods and poor nutrition, Satan is trying to weaken and ultimately destroy as many people as he can. It's one of his modern weapons. If you think this sounds like a conspiracy theory, it's not. It's a conspiracy fact. It's the Devil's own scheme. He knows what can hurt you, what can dull your senses, sap your energy, and hinder your usefulness. Tempting you with adulterated foods and an unhealthy lifestyle is one of his plots to hurt and destroy you.
117. The Devil doesn't often show himself with horns and a pitchfork; he has many approaches. He seeks to trap as many as he can into unhealthy living, and he goes beyond the obvious bad things such as cigarettes, hard drugs, or starving yourself to death. His poison most often comes in attractive packages, appealing to the eyes and pleasing to the taste. It tastes good, but not all that is pleasing to the taste is necessarily good for you. The Devil's been tempting people with eating perversions since the beginning of time. You are no exception.
118. • You are what you eat. If you eat poison or harmful products, sooner or later it will catch up to you. I gave My people rules and guidelines on health for a reason. The attitude of, "I've been eating this and I still feel fine" is not My thinking. It's the Enemy's lure of deception. Just like what goes up must come down‚ what you eat is what you will become, and it will catch up with you. Some of you may be young and full of energy today, and some of you may be free from health problems today, but what you put into your body today is determining your future.
119. Some of you are middle-aged, and because you generally feel fine, you wonder what the fuss is all about. Well, obvious problems are not the only problems. Until you eat right, rest right, and exercise right over an extended period of time, you may never know what you're missing. I challenge you to try it. People often don't realize how tired they are‚ how dulled their thinking has become, how much better their reflexes could be, and the list goes on‚ until they do something to make a difference. If you want to sharpen your thinking skills, or improve your strength and stamina for sports, sex, and other fun activities, or just for life in general, then give healthier living a try. Why settle for good when you can have the best?
120. • Think natural. This is My law and it especially applies to health and nutrition. My guidelines are in My book, the Bible. Read it, study it‚ live it. Fresh and natural is always best when available. When you have a choice, choose the best, and you often do have the choice—not only with what foods you eat, but how you cook them and eat them. Even some of the good, healthy foods you use are often rendered nutritionally spoiled by the way they're cooked or what you put on them.
121. • You in western or modern fields must take into account the land in which you live. Convenience foods, processed foods, altered foods do spell problems‚ and it's not a matter of if problems will crop up if you eat a steady diet of convenience and processed foods, but it's a matter of when.
122. My counsel to you in the Letters and the Charter still stands: You should minimize (and some of you need to reexamine what this word really means) white sugar, white flour, processed foods, carbonated drinks, and other forms of junk food.
123. Going back to the point above: Fresh and natural is best, and when you have a choice, I expect you to give Me some cooperation and choose the best. When you don't have a choice, I'm able to protect you and keep you anyway. But when you do have a choice and don't make the right one, My hands are tied.
124. • You call Me the greatest Doctor in the universe. I am also the greatest Naturalist and Herbalist. I filled the world with good things to help you stay healthy. Sad to say, man has destroyed the purity of much of My creation, but as you come to Me for guidance, I will lead you in making wise decisions on what is healthiest and safest for you today.
125. I told the prophet to put figs on the king's carbuncles, and this drew out the poison. I made a clay pack and put it on a blind man's eyes and he was healed. The point is, there are many things I put on earth to help you‚ natural medicine and good natural things to help you live right and maintain good health. And I am still able to give you the best prescriptions today—personal guidance through My voice of prophecy. I will lead you to what is good and healthy and healing today, when you yield and open your heart to My voice.
126. You must seek a balance between availability and time and convenience, as well as finances. I'm not expecting you to grow your own crops. I only ask you to do your part to better follow My health plan. I will lead you to the balance if you seek Me, and I will show you how to use what is available and affordable where you are.
127. • As far as giving credence to what you read and the counsel of System nutritionists, and even counsel that is most widely accepted by the health and nutrition experts in the world‚ this should be handled as you would all contact with the world and System input: with a great measure of desperation and prayer. Your standard of measurement should be My Word and My confirmation.
128. Many things that are widely accepted in the world today are not the best choice for My children across the board. Some worldly health standards today do have a measure of good but also a great deal of bad, and you must take the good and eschew the bad.
129. There are many things in the world that are not necessary. Your thinking should not be, "If it's widely accepted, it must be good." What is widely accepted is sometimes very bad and opposite of My way, even among the System's so-called health food experts. Be wise as serpents and walk circumspectly, for there is a great deal of fraud‚ many gimmicks, and the love of money drives even those who are supposed to be experts or authorities in many cases.
130. So your standard of measurement must be My Word and My confirmation. Claim the keys of desperation and divine leading, so that I can lead you to the right sources, the good sources, and those who are on the right track. Often they will not be the mainstream.
131. • You of the first generation have lived longer, and some of you have accumulated valuable information on health, either out of interest or out of sheer necessity. I ask those of you who have not invested as much time and effort in researching and praying about these things to be open to others' counsel. Try to look past the sometimes forceful or evangelical presentation, just as I look past your faults and errors, and listen to words of experience. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is only to your own detriment.
132. • What works for one, however, will not always be best for another. Your bodies have the same general makeup‚ but each has different needs, often as a result of afflictions or some kind of imbalance. So again—be open, come to Me, be led of Me.
133. • The quickest and easiest is not necessarily the best. I know you're busy, you have big jobs to do for Me, and your time and resources are limited. I appreciate your desire to invest time in the things that really count, and some of you don't consider your health and food preparation to be in that category. But I do. If you need to invest more time in the food preparation, or in the provisioning, or in praying for My supply of the right ingredients‚ please do it. Take the time. Your health is so valuable to Me, and I expect you to do your part. In fact, I can't protect you from everything when you are not doing your part to follow My health rules. I can't override that and keep you healthy indefinitely. So give Me some cooperation!
134. If you have cooks who don't know how to cook healthily and so opt for packaged or nutritionally inferior food, invest in a natural cookbook and try to help them learn. Ask Me for ideas, and experiment with what you have available. If you feel you just don't have any more time to invest in meal prep or provisioning or shopping, pray and ask Me for solutions—I have them for you and your situation. If you just don't have the healthy ingredients that you need, pray them in! I can and will supply as you put Me on the spot, claim the keys, and take steps of obedience in the right direction!
135. • The nutritional standard of the food you eat is one very important aspect of good health, but how are you doing in the other aspects of caring for your temple? Are you faithful to get your Charter-required vigorous exercise? Do you uphold the health standard when you're out, or with friends and contacts, as much as possible—or does every occasion become an "excuse"? Are you keeping your drinking of alcohol and tea and coffee to a healthy level, or have you allowed yourself to develop unhealthy cravings and addictions?
136. The only way to look at these things is to ask Me to help you see them through My eyes. The only mindset that you should have on this is My mind. People will have different preferences and interpretations of what My counsel means, but in order to find My mind you're going to have to lay all that aside and be willing to accept My answers, and unite as a Home in obedience to what I show you. It's not a question of trying to decipher which side you should lean to, or who you should cater to more in your food planning and preparation. The only side you should lean to on this is My side. The one you should worry about pleasing is Me‚ knowing that as you please Me, you'll be happy too, because I love you and I exist to care for you and I want you to be happy.
137. The question that I ask each of you is: Will you trust Me? Are you ready to lay aside your own preconceived thoughts, opinions, and mindsets, even your own preferences‚ likes, and dislikes, and accept My mind on these matters? Are you ready to let Me change your attitudes if necessary? Will you let Me go so far as to change your likes, dislikes, preferences, or appetites‚ if need be? Will you put your life in My hands, give yourself to Me, and let Me remake you and give you the right perspective, and even let Me change your taste buds? Are you ready to change your lifestyle and adopt the lifestyle that I created you to live? This is part of discipleship. This is what the food controversy all boils down to: Will you be a disciple and follow Me? Or will you stubbornly hold on to your own ideas?
138. Inside, some of you may feel rebellious over this. It may seem too much to ask‚ impossible to attain, or you just plain and simple don't want to give up what you consider to be some of life's pleasures. I can understand; it's difficult to change something you've been doing for a long time, and especially something you really enjoy. But don't be too quick or determined to close yourself off, or you'll find in the end that you missed out on what was truly best and most beneficial and pleasurable.
139. I specialize in helping you to take things that are difficult. I've given you the keys for just these types of situations. For some of you, it might even take a few years before you can actually see the benefit. But still‚ be open to Me. Don't be like the child who was sure he didn't like something because he'd never tried it. If you need to change your lifestyle a bit in the areas of health, food, and nutrition, it may take a little time to get used to it and be happy with it, but you'll find it well worth it.
140. Obey Me, follow My natural laws, stick with the standard I've given in the Word and the Charter, and maintain your relationship with Me above all, and you'll stay healthier and be wiser than if you ignore My ways and rules of health and well-being and go your own way.
141. I made you, and I know what is best for you. I have instructed you to take good care of your temple—your body—for this is where I dwell. I didn't tell you this to hear Myself speak. I've given this instruction because I love you, and I care for you more than any other. I ask you to take care of yourself‚ because you belong to Me, you're bought with a price, and I want you to glorify Me in your body and in your spirit. (End of message.)
In summary:
142. The Lord wants us to get back to the basics in our eating and health standard, just like in every other area of our discipleship. Eating healthily isn't everyone's personal preference, but it's part of discipleship and taking care of your "temple."
Additional reading:
143. (Jesus:) As easy as it is to feel like you're your own boss, you really aren't. You're My creation‚ and you're bought with a price. You belong to Me, and I need you to take good care of yourself. That includes eating right.
144. You might think that you know best when it comes to the foods you consider to be ideal for your body, but what makes you think you know better than Me? After all, I'm the One Who created you, and I'm the One Who's going to have to fix you if you start to break down.
145. If you can stay healthy, if you can avoid afflictions and diseases and sicknesses by doing what you can, then that's preferable. You'll do more for Me, you'll be more useful, and you won't have to spend so much time battling with your health. When was the last time you asked Me about your health habits and your attitudes regarding them? Have you ever done so?
146. You can choose to do the bare minimum when it comes to your health. You can argue that eating nutritionally inferior foods doesn't "harm" you—and in most cases you're probably right, especially when it comes to things like white rice that might not even be the bleached kind. It's not like it's going to kill you or put you on your deathbed. But it also doesn't really help you a whole lot either. So if you have the choice to eat something healthier, you should opt for that most of the time. By opting for what's nutritionally superior, even if it's not your favorite‚ you'll be doing your part to help Me keep your body running at its top capacity. It might not make a huge noticeable short-term difference, but it will improve your overall health in the long run‚ even if you don't see it.
147. One of the main benefits and rewards of being obedient to My health guidelines is that you are more eligible for the gift of healing. If you aren't as faithful as you should be to care for your body, and if you aren't obedient to My laws of good health—like eating right, sleeping right, and exercising right—then when you get sick and need healing, you might find that I'm slower to pour out My gift of healing on you, and the natural healing process will be much slower too. This is because you hold back My hand to go right to work for you, through your disobedience. But if you have been doing your part, I can do My part much more quickly. When you're obedient to My health rules, it's not like you're always going to be outwardly healthier than the next guy, but one of the blessings you receive is more of My healing power when you really need it. (End of message.)
Challenging Thot:
148. (Dad: ) One of the Devil's main goals is to get people to believe him instead of God. It's all about loyalty and choice. If he can get someone believing him, living the way he wants, choosing his lie over God's truth, he's won. Every time you choose God's way, no matter how simple or old-fashioned or naïve it might seem‚ you're making the right choice. Because God is always right. And everything He tells you always works out!
Key promise:
149. Through the keys you can claim faith to obey, a desire for the right things, and even a change in your likes and dislikes.
Dig deeper:
*"MO's Pointers for Health—The Health Revolution," ML #353:1-49, DB 6
*"Food or Poison," ML #609‚ Vol.5
*"Take Good Care of Yourself," ML #2028, DB 3
*"The Fight of Faith for Health‚" ML #2546:27-30, DB 10
*"Eat Right," ML #3180, GN 784
*"Charter Responsibilities," ML #3197:144–147, GN 803
*FJWL 1: #433
*Daniel chapter 1, Bible
The issue:
150. (Mama:) I'm concerned about those of you who have such big loads to carry on a daily basis—that you don't let the work take the joy out of your life. It's easy for that to happen, but when it does, you're lacking a very important element of spiritual strength: the joy of the Lord.
151. You might not even see that as a wrong attitude, because it probably crept up on you slowly as your work and responsibility increased, and you just figured that was the way it needed to be in order to bear your burdens and get the job done. But that's not right! Listen to this very good counsel from the Lord that sets things straight.
God's mind on the matter:
152. (Jesus:) Part of your sample as a disciple is to be a happy one. Isn't that the thing that Christians should be known for?—Not just discipline and being students of the Word, not just witnesses, but happy people, ones who are full of joy. And not just a little joy, but joy unspeakable. That means there's so much joy that you can't even express it; you're overflowing with happiness and contentment and excitement about Me and life itself; you have light in your eyes and on your face. That is your greatest witness.
*
153. (Jesus: ) Some of you probably look at the children, or at people with less demanding responsibilities, and you see them being happy and laughing and just generally upbeat, smiling, and enjoying life—and you think, "I wish." You think about that verse, "The joy of the Lord is your strength," and somehow it loses its meaning in the midst of your workload. You can be tempted to feel you don't have time to enjoy life, that your work saps the pleasure from your day and you're left tired and weary. Some of you probably feel on the verge of tears in the face of all there is to do.
154. I'm sorry, My loves. I understand. No one wants to feel the weight, to feel pressed, or "tied to the work" to the point that you just don't feel happy. Yet some of you have allowed the weight to settle on you, to the point that there's no time or room or place for happiness. Your countenance looks more burdened than it should. That's not My will, not for you or for the calling I've given you.
155. There is a way of escape—I'm your joy. When the simplicity of My love starts to fade away, you need to fight to focus on the beauties of your life and the blessings of My Spirit. You can't let the work drain your life of the peace of mind and happiness that you should have and deserve. Nearly always there is an enormous amount of work‚ so the battle is great to not let it cloud your perspective. You have to fulfill the responsibilities that come with your job—hard work and more hard work—but please don't lose your celebration of life. Don't let the problems squelch the simple joy of serving Me.
156. Like every one of My brides‚ you too are meant to be happy. You're meant to have peace of mind and spirit. That is My will for you, along with the job I've given you. It's important that you do not let the Enemy steal away your love for life‚ your happiness in being alive today in the Family‚ doing what you're doing. It makes Me very sad if I see you letting your work steal away your joy. That's not My will.
157. If the Enemy succeeds in weighing you down in the spirit to the point that you're just not happy, then you won't have the strength you need to face each day. When you begin the day with enthusiasm and you look forward to your work, it's so much easier. There's no weight, it's a pleasure to do it. You love it, problems and all. You like it, even if it is hard work. The spirit of faith and positiveness and praise keeps you upbeat. It helps you rise above the Enemy's weights. It lifts your heart and keeps things in perspective.
158. You need to feel some pleasure in the things you do. Your life needs to be a pleasant experience, otherwise you won't enjoy your work and you won't enjoy life. It's important not only for your sake, but for the sake of those you live and work with. They need to see that you're happy serving Me, because that reflects your faith.
159. After all, you're in My will, My full–time service, and you have all My promises and the keys of the Kingdom and all your spirit helpers and all the power of Heaven on your side. You have new updated spiritual weapons to fight every battle with. You have prophecy to hear My step–by-step counsel. I give you My revelations of the spirit world before any of My other Christian brides on earth. You have My Word to run to for comfort. You have a wonderful Home, a worldwide Family. You have a great team to work with. I supply your needs. I pour out My love and blessings daily upon you. You're working for something eternal. You're saving souls. You're witnessing every day through your job of serving Me—whatever it might be. You're receiving prayer power daily from Mama and Peter and those in WS. The Family is moving forward. Your Activated sheep are growing.
160. My blessings are all around you‚ so do whatever it takes to stay focused on the beauty of living for Me. If you let yourself get so burdened with the work, you'll crumble, burn out, and you just won't make it. You have to take the "happy pill" of My Spirit—whatever that is for you personally—whether spending time alone with Me getting refilled, taking praise time until you're really praising, getting prayer from your teammates, memorizing a key, or simply relaxing and having fun with the kids, putting on rabbit ears and playing with them—or all of the above. Whatever it takes, please fight off the chains of the Enemy and be happy in Me.
161. You can have that infusion of joy back in your life. Claim the key of joy and expect results. It will be your strength and make your work so much easier and lighter and even enjoyable.
*
162. (Jesus:) Don't forget the unbeatable weapon of praise in this battle. The Enemy will try to weigh you down with anything possible, but the weapon of praise can help you rise high above, out of his clutches. Any time you start praising, I'll be there to help you see things as I see them, to infuse you with faith, peace, and trust in Me, which makes it possible for you to relax and be truly happy and full of My joy! It's impossible to be really happy when you're weighed down with too much. So any time you feel that way, start praising Me. Activate your weapon of praise, and send the Enemy running for cover! As you praise, My spirit will pour down‚ and your joy—My joy in you, My heavenly perspective on things—will return. I love you! (End of message.)
In summary:
163. It's God's will for you to be happy and have peace of mind and spirit! Don't let the burdens and cares of life—which will always be with us, until we leave this earth—steal your joy; they don't have to!
Challenging Thot:
164. (Dad:) We have the best Boss in the world, with the best pay (eternal rewards, tailored to our personal desires and dreams, plus guaranteed supply of any earthly needs in the meantime), the best benefits (health‚ protection, security, and guarantee of lifelong employment), the best insurance plan (miracles when we need them!)‚ the best job (helping others to find happiness in our wonderful Jesus), the best co-workers (we're married and going to enjoy our bond of love for eternity!), and the most to look forward to—Heaven forever!! What more could we ask for?!
Key promise:
165. Claim the keys of joy and happiness, and together they will open a special channel for an infusion of My strength and perspective. Circumstances don't always immediately change, but your outlook on life after claiming the keys will be fresh and renewed, and the solutions will come in My time and My way.
Dig deeper:
*"My Yoke Is Easy," ML #169, DB 5
*"Temple Time," ML #191, DB 5
*"Jewels on Going Slow and Resting in the Lord," ML #2939, Lifelines 21
*"Please Pray for Mama's Eyes and Strength‚" ML #3085:19-24, Lifelines 23
*"The Spiritual Health Revolution," ML #3184:70-75, GN 789
*"Cast Your Cares on Him‚" ML #3242, GN 844
*"Leadership Lessons, Part 2," ML #3385, GN 982
*"Gems and Jewels, Part 1," ML #3416:40-60, 153-157, GN 1003
*FJWL 1: #381, 447, 449, 451
*FJWL 2: #387, 395
*"Resting in the Lord," MOP 2
*"Relaxation and Free Time," Word Topics
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