Have Fun With Jesus

(ML #3437‚ GN 1020)

1. (Mama:) In this "Keys to Victory" GN, I'll share with you a variety of precious jewels from our dear Lover about how to promote more Home unity, the importance of taking time to love Him as a Home and read and feed from His Word together, and how to bring more of the Spirit into your activities by including the Lord more in all that you do. We hope and pray these practical tips are a help to you in drawing closer to the Lord and each other, and are a real boost to your spiritual standard.

2. The counsel which follows was compiled a few years ago, so none of the messages mention the keys, but that doesn't mean you can't put them to good use during your times together. There are lots of promises you can claim for your fellowship, inspiration, Word time and unity‚ including: "Your fellowship and your pleasure will be better, sweeter, more satisfying, and with more variety if you will call on the keys of the Kingdom." "The keys will fill you with enthusiasm and happiness that will encourage your heart and help you inspire others." "The keys of the Kingdom will bring clarity and focus to your mind, enabling you to draw the full power of the spirit from My Words."

3. When we asked the Lord about this GN, He said: "The tips and lessons that this GN brings out are multifaceted, but the goal is the same—to be more united in My Spirit and to include Me more in all that you do. When you unite around My Spirit, your standard automatically lifts. It's not a work of the flesh; it's a work of My Spirit. Bring Me into your Home more, and your Home will change. It's guaranteed!"

4. The Lord also said that above all‚ each Home should come to Him together and ask Him what can be done to implement this counsel, and how you can bring Him more into your united activities and times together. He has given a lot of ideas, counsel, practical tips and solutions for situations that you might find are similar to yours, which I'll share with you in this GN—but to know what to do in your Home and what you need the most, ask the Lord!

5. As you'll see from the various messages the Lord has given, when He asks to be more a part of your Home and activities, He doesn't mean that everything needs to suddenly become "spiritual" in the negative connotation, or sober all the time. The Lord loves to have fun with us. He enjoys our times of fellowship very much, and He likes to be included whether we're working or playing. Realizing that the Lord wants to be included in everything we do and that bringing Him into things more is not going to take away from the fun, but rather enhance it, will probably help to remove part of the stigma attached to having more "spiritual" activities together.

6. At first you might think that it seems rather forced‚ unnatural or insincere to include the Lord in your united activities. It might not come naturally, and it will probably take quite a bit of effort and humility to do so if you're not used to it. But remember that the Enemy will be really fighting against your making a public declaration of your love for the Lord through entering in to sing to Him or praise Him or whatever the case may be‚ because the Enemy knows what terrific fruit it bears in your Home and your spirit, and that it means a big defeat for him!

7. So when it's difficult to fit into your schedule, or you're in an activity and get a nudge from the Lord to include Him more and you just "don't feel like it," or perhaps your Home is getting together for an activity and you really don't want to participate, remember that it's probably the Enemy fighting you. That might give you the extra boost you need to jump in all the way! Praise the Lord!

Our Times of Unity and Fellowship are a Beautiful Gift of Love!

8. (Jesus speaking: ) My precious children, My faithful ones who labor so diligently in My service: You serve Me well‚ you perform your duties out of love for Me and for My Family, and I highly honor you for this. You've taken on the tasks that I've given you. You've accepted the responsibilities that I've bestowed upon you. Your labors are appreciated, and I accept each deed, each day, each task, as a love gift to Me.

9. But there's another love gift that I love to receive. I love to inhale the sweet fragrance of your times together as one body‚ one Home, one Family‚ One Wife. I love to smell the aroma that wafts up into My courts when you praise Me and love Me together, when you hear from Me together, when you fellowship and share My love together.

10. In the past you may not have seen or thought of your times of togetherness as a Home as a special gift to Me‚ but I wish to open your eyes to see in the spirit, to experience what your unity, your oneness, and your togetherness means to Me. It means so much to Me, it fills My heart with happiness!

11. Think of an aroma that you find great pleasure in. What smells beautiful to you? A fragrant rose? A delicious meal? The smell of the salty air by the sea? Think of the most wonderful smell and multiply that by one thousand, and that will be a token of how much I enjoy the fragrance of your times together.

12. Think of a sight that you adore. What appears beautiful to your eyes? What do you like to feast your eyes upon? Perhaps a naked woman or a handsome man? A beautiful sunset? A little baby? A majestic tree? Think of a sight that you love to behold and multiply that by one thousand. That's a sample of how beautiful your times together, loving Me and each other, appear to Me.

13. Though these are simple words, they come from the very depths of My heart. I wish to impress upon you the importance of your time together as a Home—whether it be sucking My seeds from Heaven, singing praises to Me, or enjoying fun and laughter with one another. All of these things are very pleasing to Me.

14. Do you seek to know how you can be more united, how you can have some added luster of spirit in your day-to-day lives, in your work and in your play? I will show you some practical ways that you can make this goal a reality. Please see this advice as a special token of My love, for I love you so.

1. First of all, each member of the Home must make a commitment to do whatever is necessary to draw closer to each other, to grow with the strength of My Spirit. It's not enough for one person to make the decision; all must make the commitment to do whatever it takes to build the special closeness that I wish for you to have.
2. You could try instituting a weekly activity where you can get together and praise Me through songs, music‚ dancing, any type of praises to Me. By doing this you create a direct link to Heaven, a chute which I am then able to pour My blessings through.
3. Another way to draw closer to Me, to My Spirit, and to each other, is to gather together regularly to hear My voice of instruction, encouragement, guidance and counsel. Sometimes you could get together as a body. At other times you could split up into small groups and simultaneously‚ though separately, receive My seeds.
4. Another idea would be to organize a monthly free day together as a Home. You could pack a lunch and go to a nearby park for a few hours. The options of what you could do while out are limitless, but the main point is that you're doing something together, you're having fun together, you're enjoying Me and My gift of fellowship together.
5. Something else you could pray about and consider is spicing up your devotions and times together in My Word. Perhaps you need to liven things up a bit—praise a little more‚ sing a little more, try some new ideas, new ways of doing things. Stay revolutionary! Stay open for the new, and your times of devotions will not lose their sparkle and shine.
6. Prayer is also a very powerful tool of My Spirit, so during your times of prayer vigil you could even team up in pairs. That way you grow closer to one another while you're petitioning Me for the needs of your area‚ your Home, or the Family in general.
7. And don't forget to have fun and enjoy yourselves together. Have game nights. Enjoy birthday celebrations. If you're ever stuck or don't know what to do, ask Me‚ and I'll be sure to give you as many ideas as you can handle. I'm the best Idea Man you could possibly ask for!
8. And last but not least, each one has to make this happen. Even if singing songs, for example, isn't your favorite activity, try to join in for the sake of your brothers and sisters. Or if you don't specifically like dancing, try to participate, knowing that it engenders love and closeness. If you do, you'll be blessed with unity as a Home, as well as blessings for your obedience. (End of message from Jesus)

Keep Your Times of Spiritual Feeding Alive!

15. (Mama:) In that message, one of the points the Lord brings out is spicing up your devotions and Word time. The next few messages give more advice on how to keep your Word times—both private and united—alive and fresh! The first step to strengthening the spiritual foundation of your Home lies in putting more emphasis on the Word, as the Lord brought out recently in the Feast 2003 Letters.

16. (Jesus speaking:) It's very important to your spiritual lives that your Word time‚ devotions time, prayer time and quiet times don't get boring, routine, dull, or uninspiring. There are so many things that you can do to add life‚ spice, and give an extra boost to your time of communion with Me and in My Word. I'll list some practical ideas here for you.

17. It may surprise you that I can be so down to earth and practical and give you such specific ideas, but it shouldn't surprise you too much. I've told you before that I want to be involved in every detail of your lives. I want to be able to give My two cents, My views and opinions, even if the matters seem earthly or too mundane for Me. I can give you insight and practical solutions to everything, if you'll only ask Me and have the faith to receive what I give. So here are My suggestions for lively, interesting, different Word times:

1. Take a walk with a friend and take turns quoting some of the things that you've memorized throughout the years. Quote the chapters‚ the verses, the Daily Mights, the portions of Letters that you've stored in your heart. Maybe you'll be surprised at how much Word you have stored up, and it will help you sharpen your sword while also benefiting each other at the same time.
2. You could do a study on a certain topic that you're interested in. For example, maybe you'd like to read all that's in the Letters and all that I've said about dreams; maybe you'd like to study driving; maybe you'd like to study about pets; maybe you'd like to study about relationships; maybe you'd like to study about ghosts or haunted houses; maybe you'd like to study about some aspect of Bible prophecy or the Endtime. Pick something that really interests you and dig for the jewels.
3. Try taking out your Bible and reading from a book such as Psalms or Proverbs. After every verse you could shoot up a prayer for any situation in your Home, personal life‚ or around the world that comes to mind or applies to that particular verse. The verse wouldn't necessarily have to be a promise; maybe it would just remind you of "gold" and you could pray for finances. Or maybe the verse has the word "dove" in it, and you could pray for peace in war-torn countries. The possibilities are endless.
4. You could compile quotes on a certain area of your life that you're weak in and either print them out and paste them in a notebook, or write them in a notebook. Or you could read the quotes you've compiled, if you have enough of them, onto a tape so that you can listen to them when going to bed or waking up. This will be very strengthening and faith-building. It depends on how much you want to get into it, but you could even have some nice instrumental music playing in the background to make it even more inspiring.
5. How about getting together with some friends or co-workers with a set of Daily Breads and Lifelines and playing a MO Letter guessing game? The first person would pick a paragraph from any Letter and read it, and then the others would have to guess what the Letter was. If they don't guess it the first time‚ they could read another paragraph. Then the person who guesses correctly gets to take over and read a paragraph from the Letter that they've picked out.
6. You could compile a whole bunch of quotes on the topic of My love and care for you, or on the topic of loving Me intimately. Then get the Home together one night and play Loving Jesus songs from the CDs or tapes and read little portions of the Word in between each song. You could turn the lights down, read by the light of a candle, or just use a flashlight. Or if you don't have time to compile the quotes, you could pick portions of From Jesus With Love or To Jesus With Love to read. I think you'd find this idea very uniting and relaxing at the same time. It's nice to do something like this after a long, hard day of work.
7. Why not decide on an area that your Home needs to work on and then give everyone in the Home a Letter or two to read and pull key quotes from? Then you could each have your turn to give a summary of the Letters you read and share the key quotes during one of your devotions.
8. Get together with someone and make a project of reading through some of the old Letters. While you're at it, you could compile a list of quiz questions, and after a while you might have gleaned enough to have a fun game night with the entire Home. Or you could turn the questions and answers into a crossword puzzle.
9. Another idea is that you could get together with your Home and go through some of the prophecies, like some of the ones in From Jesus With Love, and underline key promises that you can claim in prayer. Then you could type them and use them like prayer promises during your prayer vigils and united prayer times.
10. You could ask everyone to pick one of their favorite quotes from the Letters that have come out this year—or any other variation you choose. Then someone in your Home could print them out in large print to post around the house for everyone's edification. Or if you don't have a printer, someone could write them nicely. This will help to keep the Word running through your Home and hearts throughout the day.
11. Decide on some interesting, out-of-the-ordinary questions to ask Me about. Maybe you have some things you'd like to know about Heaven, for example. Put these questions on slips in a hat and have everyone in the Home pick one and take the time to hear from Me about it, or ask somebody else if they don't have the gift yet. Then share your goodies with the Home, accompanied by a snack. You may be surprised at the things I can tell you.
12. Make a bonfire, if you're able, or sit around a fireplace. Roast potatoes‚ bread or apples or something else that's available, and read spirit stories. Or if you're in a warmer climate, you could sit around and read spirit stories by the pool or in the shade of a tree while sipping lemonade.
13. Have a special dinner and have someone tape a quote on the bottom of everyone's plate before the others arrive. While you're eating, talking‚ drinking and fellowshipping, people can take turns detaching their quote and reading it.
14. Another simple thing you could do is have a Word date with someone. Hop in bed together; cuddle and love Me while reveling in the beauty of My Word.

18. How's that for a start? I've got more ideas up My sleeve, but I'm giving you this list to get the ball rolling and to give you some practical ideas. Some of these may take a bit of time or effort, but they're worth the time invested because they'll help to keep you alive in the spirit and receptive to My Words.

19. Keeping your Word and prayer life alive will make you eager to come to Me again and again. I never want you to feel that what I ask of you is a burden. I want to make our times together fun and inspiring and uplifting. I've given you a lot of freedom and I allow a lot of leeway in how you read My Word, because I want you to be happy and desirous of the things of the Spirit. Try some of these ideas and you just might like them! Or pray and ask Me for some new ones for your personal situation. (End of message from Jesus.)

Power-packed Devotions!

20. (Jesus speaking:) Some people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it gives you a boost of physical strength and energy. Similarly, devotions, the first spiritual meal of the day, is equally important, if not more so. Devotions can make or break your day. Devotions can be boring, routine, uninspiring, and can end up putting everyone to sleep. Or it can be a wonderful tool used to inspire the Home and deliver a boost of spiritual energy for the day!

21. It's a serious responsibility for those planning devotions to be in tune with Me‚ to be seeking Me for My ideas and fresh inspiration from Heaven. You need fire and fervor and spice and life and variety! If you don't know what to do for devotions, ask Me. If you don't know how to inspire your Home by delving into the Word together, ask Me. If you don't know how to plan your devotions, ask Me. Even if you think you know what to do, still ask Me. I have stacks and stacks and stacks of ideas—all you have to do is reach out and receive them.

22. Devotions needs to be both feeding and inspiring. What you share and the Word that you read should be appetizing and attractive. The Word that you read should whet people's appetites and make them want to come back to Me for more throughout the day. All of My Word is needful‚ but it's how you present it and in what combinations you serve it that makes the difference in how it's received and absorbed.

23. If you want to spice up your devotions, ask Me for new ideas. Ask Me for new ways to pray, new ways to praise, new things to read—and, if you really want to branch out and try something far-out and inspiring, ask Me for some Words from Heaven. If you're having a communion, ask Me for a fresh message about communion, and I'll be happy to give it to you. If you're having devotions on the topic of prayer, ask Me for a message on that subject, and I'll be more than happy to oblige.

24. If you're in charge of devotions for the day, you're like a chef with a variety of different dishes that you could choose to serve to your customers. I'm the Master Chef and I can show you what spices to use‚ what protein, what starch, what beverage and what dessert. I can help you make the perfect combination to satisfy the hunger and appetite of all of those attending. The same recipe and the same dishes and the same baking instructions are not going to work every time, so you have to ask Me for the "special of the day"—and I won't fail you!

25. Every dish you make from the good, wholesome ingredients of My Word can turn out great and be a huge success as long as you follow what I, the Master Chef, show you. I'm a cook who's always trying new things, always inventing new recipes, and always has some new and appetizing dish for you to prepare and serve. I'm the author of 1,001 Ways to Cook Devotions, now available at a spirit bookstand near you! And by the time you've tried all those, I'll already have the sequel out—Another 1,001 Ways to Cook Devotions! There's no end to the ideas that I will give you, if you'll just take the time to ask Me. (End of message from Jesus)

Text box:

Here's a communion prayer which one of our Home members received in prophecy. We're including this as an example of how you can get your own prayers from the Lord and add variety to your meetings:

Dear Jesus, thank You that we can have this little ceremony to remember You and to remember Your sacrifice for us. Thank You for dying for us so that we can live forever with You. Thank You that we can be dead to the Law by Your body, and be married to You, the One Who died and was raised from the dead for our sake.

Thank You that it's all by Your grace and that we don't have to try to save ourselves. Thank You that You love us despite ourselves, and that You see our hearts and our good points so clearly and are so patient and merciful with all our bad points.

Thank You that You suffered what You did, with Your body broken for us‚ so that by Your stripes we could be healed. Thank You for Your promise to deliver us out of all our afflictions‚ each and every one of them. We cling to Your Words and we trust in them, knowing that Heaven and Earth can pass away, but Your Word can never pass away, and not one jot or tittle of it can fail. Thank You that You have delivered us from sickness in the past, do deliver us now‚ and will deliver us in the future.

Thank You for Your healing power. We claim it first of all for:

(Pause for people to pray for specific healing requests. Then the prayer continues.)

Thank You for hearing all these petitions for healing. And because we know that You hear us, and You love us and care for us, we know that we have the petitions we desired of You.

Precious Husband‚ we also ask for Your help and power and grace and strength and inspiration and love for the week ahead. Without You we can do nothing—at least nothing good—so we really need You and Your help in all we do.

Please, please help us in all our work this week. It's all Your work, so we claim Your help and supernatural anointing in it. Help us to get lots done, give us new ideas to do things better or quicker, give us a clear channel with You to receive Your Words and hear Your voice directing us, help us to remember to ask You everything, and give us the grace to obey.

We especially pray for:

(Pause for people to pray for other specific prayer requests. Then the prayer continues.)

Thank You for doing all these things, sweet Love. Your Word says if we commit all our works to You, our thoughts will be established. Please establish our thoughts this week. We acknowledge You in all our ways and ask You to direct our paths—all that we do and think and say.

Help us to walk in Your love—to love You with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. We want to do that, and not just be hearers of Your Word, but doers. Give us great unity too. Just as we've all partaken of one loaf, Your body, help us all to be one body in You.

Please continue to supply our needs. We thank You for taking such good care of us‚ and for the many blessings You give us—the good food and drink, the comfortable rooms and beds, the nice house in such a good location, this country where we can live and work. Thank You for all of it, Lord‚ and for loving us and caring for us, Your brides, so tenderly. We love You too. Amen.

End of text box.

26. (Mama:) Each Home situation is different‚ and you'll have to seek the Lord about how to best make your times of united devotions what they should be. In some cases, the Lord might want you to make your devotions times longer, to have more of your spiritual feeding together as a Home. In other cases, maybe you just need to put more into the time you already have together. Other times‚ the Lord may lead you to unite together for prayer for the day and united praise time, and then break for a more personalized, private Word time.

27. (Jesus speaking: ) Your times of spiritual feeding in devotions are very important, as are your times of personal Word time and individual reading. There's a balance to be found between the two‚ and neither should be neglected. Some people get fed more from Word read in a group; others find individual Word time more feeding. Seek Me as to what's best for your Home. Both are important to your spiritual health. You can't only have one and neglect the other. There are special blessings that I give when you're united, singing to Me, praising Me, reading My Word, and sucking in the spirit together. Likewise, there are special blessings of the spirit which I give when you're quiet and alone before Me‚ reading and meditating on My Word.

28. You must hear from Me as a Home as to what your particular needs are and what type of schedule for devotions would work best for you. As you obey and do what I ask‚ you'll come to see the benefits and the inspiration that result from your obedience and good feeding in My Word. You'll see the benefits in a more united and spiritually tight Home.

29. Read the New Wine together at devotions and discuss it. Find ways to put it into practice. Have times of praising Me and loving Me together. Have times of singing to Me. It's also a good time to have communion, or to share personal prayer requests, a time where folks can ask for and receive prayer. Make the most of this time. Be a sample of putting time, thought and prayer into planning devotions. (End of message from Jesus.)

30. (Jesus speaking:) Devotions is supposed to help folks start off the day on the right foot. It's a serious responsibility for those who are organizing it‚ because if they don't put enough prayer into it and hear from Me on how to go about it‚ it can mean that not just themselves, but many people in the Home don't get the boost in the spirit that they need. Lots of folks come to devotions pretty sleepy, and they'll just sleep through it unless it grabs their attention. Granted, much of the responsibility for getting fed rests on the individual, to suck in the spirit and endeavor to be fed, but if the spiritual meal isn't all that appetizing, then it makes it more difficult for them.

31. The principal requirement for devotions is that it's feeding. The second most important thing is that it's inspiring. So to have these two elements come through requires that it has My Word in some form, and My Spirit. Praise brings down the Spirit, so praise is an essential part of inspiration. Singing and music also provide inspiration. The amount of Word you read unitedly doesn't have to be long‚ but it needs to be appetizing. If it leaves people wanting to go to My Word to get more, then you know it was successful.

32. But remember, if you're not tuned in, if you aren't desiring My Words‚ if you don't have the desire to unite with the other crystals in My temple to experience My Spirit, you're going to miss something. There could be lots of planning and preparation and a beautiful feast prepared for you, but if you're aren't anticipating it and then enjoying it, but instead you refuse to even have a taste of this meal, you won't get anything out of it.

33. Each person needs to come to devotions sincerely desiring to be fed, to be strengthened, and to use the occasion to be in unity with the rest of the Home. When there is a desire and a pulling on the Spirit from those attending, as well as from those planning the devotions, you will see a great difference. So if you have a hard time entering into the spirit in devotions—if you are normally very tired or lethargic or just plain out of the spirit at that time of day—ask Me to help you liven up and be there. I can even change your body clock so that it is an inspiring and fulfilling time for you, something you look forward to, something that is a help to you‚ and that you wouldn't want to miss.

34. So don't just rely on someone else to lay out a beautiful feast for you‚ but do your part to enter in and make it a memorable time as well.

35. Sharing personal prophecies could be one way of making things feeding and exciting. It's fresh Word, it's new, and was given for specific situations right there in your Home. You could open the floor occasionally for people to share excerpts of the personal prophecies that they've received. It's probably a good idea for one of the shepherds to look over the excerpts that will be read unitedly ahead of time, if possible. Sharing the messages that I've given to each of you can help to encourage and strengthen your brethren as well. Another benefit of sharing some of the appropriate personal words which I've given you is that it will help your brothers and sisters to understand you better and to pray for you more—and it's "doing the humble thing," which I always bless!

36. On the subject of receiving prophecies from Me, if what you're getting is not specific enough and you feel that it's not so inspiring for some reason or another, then perhaps you're putting Me in a box and limiting Me to speak a certain way using the same or similar types of phraseology. Ask Me to help you break out of your ruts! You have at the tip of your tongue all the wisdom, knowledge‚ and interest in the universe!

37. United prayer, petitioning Me for the various local and international requests, is also an important part of devotions. It's an important part of your job to be intercessors for your brethren in need. So don't neglect it‚ but stir yourselves up to be effective in prayer. (End of message from Jesus.)

The Word Is What Unites Us!

38. (Jesus speaking:) The Word has been My uniting factor for all My movements throughout history. In the days of old I gave My Law to Moses, and when the children of Israel had faith in him and faith in the Word and the Law that I had given him, it caused them to be a great nation‚ a united nation, a powerful force. Their unity was based on their faith in the Word‚ and when they lost their faith in the Word, the Law and Moses, then they suffered disunity.

39. The power and anointing and blessing of My Early Church was a result of their faith in My Word and their obedience to it. The New Testament and My teachings and the early disciples' faith in them was what united hearts and minds, so that the Early Church also became a royal priesthood, a peculiar nation, called out and chosen to be separated from the world. And because of their united faith in the Word, it made them a great force to be reckoned with, and they conquered the world empire of their day through their faith and love.

40. And in these Last Days, this is what has united My Family—their faith in the Word, believing the Word‚ receiving the Word, and obeying the Word. Your obedience to the Word has united your hearts. Although there are many unique people and individual personalities, nevertheless your faith in the Word has united you in spirit and made of you—many weak and diverse individuals—a great nation.

41. This is what has made My Endtime Family great—your unity‚ based on the Word, and your unified leadership. And receiving the special outpouring of My Spirit, the anointing and power which can only be received from Me, comes from your manifesting faith in the Word. You manifest your faith in My Word through your obedience to it. So to be truly united and strong as a Home, you must be strong through your obedience to My Word together. (End of message from Jesus.)

Multiply Your Power by Praying Together!

42. (Jesus speaking: ) There's great power in prayer, and there's greater power in united prayer! Do you really want to knock the Enemy for a loop? Pray! You want to knock him for a bigger loop? Pray together and defeat him—together! Being together in the spirit and pulling together in the spirit magnifies your power. Singing together is good‚ praising together is good, reading together is good.

43. Sometimes it's easy to forget that you're all one body and that you're all going toward the same goal, although each member is different and each member does different things. You all need to be reminded that you're one body, and sometimes there's no better way to be reminded than to actually be together glorifying Me, praising Me, and testifying of the miracles I've done in your lives—or just being together to read or to pray about things unitedly, or to sing songs. It doesn't have to be long. I'll bless your obedience in doing the best you can to endeavor to keep the unity in a bond of peace.

44. If you know how to seek Me privately, then you'll have no problem seeking Me together. If you have communication and a relationship with Me in private—just between you and Me—then getting together and seeking Me together as a Home shouldn't be a problem. What matters is that your communications with Me are heartfelt and sincere, whether they are long or short. (End of message from Jesus.)

Unity Brings Blessings!

45. (Mama:) One of the ways to make progress as a Home is to strive for greater unity. If you're united, the Lord's blessings will fall. You'll see greater answers to prayer, more miracles, you'll have the anointing that you need, and you'll be happier! In many of these messages where the Lord is talking about progressing as a Home, He's talking about growing in unity at the same time.

46. (Jesus speaking:) I wish for you, My children, to see that by uniting in heart‚ body, soul and mind to pull together to make the changes that I've asked of you, I will bless you mightily. I will bless you with more unity, happiness, and a closer communication with each other and with Me. I will bless you in your work and in all that you do when you put Me first.

47. Taking time to strengthen your spiritual foundation together doesn't necessarily mean you have to have a long, drawn-out meeting. It can be a half-hour of singing songs to Me. It can be sharing your hearts with one another, sharing lessons and how the Word has been affecting you. It can also simply be a time to talk and get to know each other better. As long as what you do includes Me, I will draw nigh to you as you draw nigh to Me! (End of message from Jesus)

48. (Jesus speaking:) Unity is not something that can be accomplished by just a few. For unity to flourish, everyone must take an active part in seeing it to fruition. Unity is one of the main points I'm trying to emphasize, as once unity abounds, everything else will fall into place. For a Home to run smoothly, it takes everyone's help. (End of message from Jesus.)

49. (Mama: ) As the Lord has told us many times, one of the greatest hindrances to unity and spiritual progress is pride. Some time back‚ the members of one of our WS Homes had united prayer against pride. Each person prayed against pride and explained how it was manifested in their life. When they asked the Lord afterwards what they could do to make progress as a Home against pride, the Lord gave some beautiful and encouraging counsel.

50. (Jesus speaking: ) As you listen to the rain falling, know that I am cleansing you and the whole Home of this spirit of pride. I will wash it all away as you yield yourselves to Me, submit yourselves to Me and obey Me.

51. Obey Me when I whisper in your ear to go and give someone a hug. Obey Me when I tell you to go and encourage someone because they're having a hard day and are in need of encouragement and fellowship. Obey Me as I tell you to go and give a helping hand to someone struggling to finish up the dishes, as they're tired and weary and also struggling spiritually.

52. You see, My loves, everyone is struggling; everyone is battling in some way. It's the day of fighting the Enemy to become the new men and women of God that I want you to be. Don't feel you're alone in the fight, for you're not. But know that you can make a difference in people's lives by showing them love and concern.

53. Some are lonely and in need of fellowship. Some are missing loved ones and in need of comfort. Look around you and see who you can cheer up today. See how you can brighten their day, how you can be a blessing to that person. The only way you're truly going to know "how" is by staying close to Me and listening to My still, small voice. I'll tell you what each person needs and how you can fulfill that need. It will be different for each person, so it's important that you listen to My still, small voice. Some will need a hug or a kiss. For some it will be having a date. Some need fellowship and a listening ear. Some need to know that you're praying for them, or just that you're there for them if they need a shoulder to lean on. Or maybe they just need someone to tell them they are liked, or to sit with them or to include them in get-out or some other activity. In obeying and doing these things, you have to humble yourselves, which is good.

54. Give for the sake of giving. Give even if you feel the person might not be in such need. Give today so that I may bless you. Give today so that I may continue to work on your pride. Give today so that I may pour My blessings upon you. You never lose by giving; you always win. Be your brother's keeper. Extend your horizons and look around you. Don't have tunnel vision‚ but see with an all-encompassing eye, always on the lookout for opportunities to give of yourself. Look and listen to Me, and I will lead and guide you. Stay in tune with Me, and I will show you who needs help and how you can help them.

55. Have times together where you share heart to heart. Have open forums where all are honest. Set times aside to have fun together playing group games. Have other times when you break up into smaller groups and have a meal together. Read the Word in smaller groups and share how the Word is affecting you and how you personally feel you can apply it to your own lives. Hug more. Talk more. And most of all‚ pray for one another that you might be healed, so the walls will break down and that pride will not be in the way, stopping you from all being one—one in Me, loving Me together. (End of message from Jesus)

56. (Jesus speaking:) Humility is a gift I give; it comes from loving Me intimately and pouring forth My love to others. If you as a Home are faithful to show My love to others and walk in a spirit of humility toward them‚ taking the humble seat‚ not being afraid to admit mistakes even in front of others, then I will pour out the humility and healing that you desire. Constant acts of love, as well as open, honest communication, will form a bond of unity and humility that will make you unbeatable. (End of message from Jesus.)

Little Physical Manifestations of Love and Sacrifice Go a Long Way!

57. (Mama:) One area that really helps to improve unity, and consequently the overall standard and spirit of a Home, has to do with each person being willing to do just a little more, to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to lighten the loads of others and make things work.

58. (Jesus speaking: ) One area that many can improve in is in the area of preferring your brethren and helping out more, seeing the need and taking the extra step to help out in the Home. This is an individual choice. I speak to each person individually and differently. I show different people different things that can be done to be a help, to lighten the load of a brother or a sister. It's up to each person whether they'll take the step, make the sacrifice, do the loving thing, and be the help that I'm showing them to be. As you walk in My Spirit and in My love, and as each person does a little extra, then there's no burden or overloading on any individual. Things become evenly distributed, and everyone becomes happier together.

59. I reward each act of kindness, sacrifice, and unselfishness. Each such act creates a vacuum into which I can pour My Spirit of joy, fulfillment, satisfaction and love. I love to reward you, to fill you to overflowing‚ to give you an hundredfold. So no matter what step or what sacrifice or what help you lend, I will more than repay. And the more you do this, the more loving your Home will be. This will strengthen and improve the spirit of the Home. You'll also raise the physical standard of the Home. There will be more cleanliness‚ more organization, more things that are not left undone or unattended to, because each person is doing their part, the things which I ask them to do. It will be more refreshing and inspiring in every way. (End of message from Jesus.)

Get to Know Those in Your Home on an Intimate Level

60. (Jesus speaking:) I would that you of the older and the younger generations have more communication with each other—not just about the day-to–day, mundane things or about your work, but I would have you open up on a deeper level with each other. Reach out to an older brother or sister, or to a younger brother or sister, and try to get to know them better. Open your heart. Ask them a question which will start your conversation on a deeper, more personal level. Get to know each other, and I'll help you to love each other more.

61. The more you know and understand one another, the more you'll love one another. If you find it hard to communicate with those of the other generation in this way, then first try reaching out to those whom you feel more comfortable with and find it easier to talk to. Then‚ once you've established a better line of communication with them, try it with others whom you find it a little more difficult to talk with.

62. If you put forth even a tiny bit of effort, I will bless it and make it easy. I will help you to grow closer, because it will be oiled with My Spirit. Because you're trying‚ you're obeying, and putting your will on My side, I will work miracles! I will do all the things that you feel are impossible if you put forth an effort to love each other‚ understand each other‚ and grow closer in My Spirit. (End of message from Jesus.)

Take Time to Invest in Your Greater Marriage

63. (Jesus speaking:) There are so many things you can do that will improve your relationships with each other. But you must realize that in order to be fruitful and happy in your greater marriage as I have ordained you to be, you need to spend time with each other and learn more about each other.

64. If a husband and wife would have a successful relationship, they must work on it, and they must spend time loving one another and doing things with one another. It takes work to make a marriage successful. But in the end, when you've been giving each other lots of love and time, you're rewarded with your time invested returning to you in many ways and tokens a hundred times over, when you find that you're happily working together as one. (End of message from Jesus)

65. (Jesus speaking: ) I've placed around you precious ones who seek to please Me, chosen ones who I've called to live with you and be your workmates, your teammates, your love mates, your Word mates. You won't be with them forever‚ so take time to enjoy the fellowship and company of those you live with, young and old, each and every one. For each is precious in My sight. Each one has so much love and understanding to give, and each one needs so much love and understanding. So see each one with My eyes, the way I see them.

66. Although you each have weaknesses of the flesh, I'm able to overcome them through the power of My Word and the strength of My Spirit. As you, My children, continue to suck to receive My seeds and My Words, you'll receive the victories that you desire. So continue to move forward step by step. Even though the step you are taking today doesn't seem like a big one, it's taking you down the path of victory and it will accomplish the purpose that I have for you. You'll fulfill My plan and perform My will as you continue to follow Me step by step, one day at a time.

67. Don't worry about the future or where the path is leading. Look not far ahead at the horizon‚ but simply take the one step that I'm giving you the faith for, and you'll see the fruition of your dreams and the completion of My dreams for you.

68. Thank you for being part of My unique Bride and for doing your part to make your Home a happy Home, a fulfilled Home, a useful Home, a strong staff that I am able to lean on and that I can count on in days of adversity because of your love, loyalty and dedication to My Family. (End of message from Jesus.)

Humble Yourselves Together and Receive the Things of the Spirit!

69. (Mama: ) In this next message the Lord is talking about taking times together as a Home to love Him, to hear from Him, to praise Him and sing to Him. It makes the Lord very happy when we hear from Him regularly as a Home‚ and one time that we in our Home have found it especially helpful to do so is when people ask for prayer.

70. Our Home has weekly communion on Monday morning, and often that's when people will ask for united prayer, or sometimes it's throughout the week during devotions. Our Home has made the commitment together that whenever someone asks for prayer‚ they'll take time on the spot for two or three people to receive some brief promises and encouragement from the Lord for that person. Whether it's for a more serious physical affliction or for a spiritual weakness or trial, it's a tremendous encouragement to receive immediate reassurance and counsel from the Lord, and it benefits everyone else in the Home as well by keeping their "public prophecy" muscles in shape. It's humbling‚ and it takes a bit more time than doing it privately, but the rewards are tremendous!

71. Hearing from the Lord together as a Home helps you stay humble, desperate, and is a manifestation of your love for Jesus and willingness to do anything for Him. Humbling yourself before others in your Home is a testimony to your love for Jesus above all, and the Lord will always bless it. And one of the immediate blessings it brings is greater unity and love.

72. (Jesus speaking:) Although a foundation of brick appears strong, without mortar to bind the bricks together as one, they lack the strength to prevent the house from being washed away when the floods come. So does each person individually lack the needed strength‚ but together, bound with the mortar of My Spirit, you are strong. Without the mortar of the unity of the spirit to hold you solidly together‚ you will crumble in the troublous days ahead.

73. Come before Me together that I might bind you together as one. Though I love you as though you were the only one, I also love you as My Bride together. And though I can speak to you each individually‚ I can pour down even greater blessings of the spirit when your drawing power is multiplied through being united before Me.

74. This is a basic principle of My Spirit. As one can chase a thousand, but two, ten thousand, so is it also true that one can pull down a thousand blessings and two can pull down ten thousand. When all are united before Me, the blessings will go beyond your wildest dreams!

75. Though it is humbling to come together before Me, stripped of cover-ups, to pull down My blessings, this step of faith can yield great rewards, if you are willing to receive them.

76. I love to speak to you individually as you come before Me with your questions. But I also love the manifestation of your humility and faith when you come before Me as a body, as My Bride, to receive from Me together. I'm able to pour out very special blessings during those times. I'm able to bind you together as one. I give you My seal of the spirit on your union, for it's a true saying that the Family that prays together stays together. When you're willing to humble yourself before your mates and loved ones and speak the Words which I give you, when you're united before Me, creating a vacuum for My Spirit and the answers which I can give you, this pulls down My Spirit and My blessing upon you in great power. (End of message from Jesus.)

Be More Affectionate!

77. (Jesus speaking: ) My love covers a multitude of sins. My desire is that you would love one another more with more outward signs of affection. Don't be afraid to give a brother or sister a hug as you pass them. Make an effort to reach out with hugs and signs of affection with each other as you go about your daily activities, in your interactions with each other during the day.

78. When you have a meeting of some kind or have your communion fellowship, have a hug session afterwards to show each one your love. This will help to break down any walls that have developed. It's humbling, but I have said that humility is love and love is humility. I promise that where you feel these things are difficult, I will make them easy, and I will bless you and your love and your unity mightily. If you'll just put forth the effort to try, I will cover you with a blanket of love and bless you mightily. (End of message from Jesus.)

You'll Get Out of It What You Put In!

79. (Jesus speaking:) Spiritual fellowship together with Me and as a body is what you make it. If you put little into it, you'll get little out of it. If you look at this sort of fellowship with a cold, dry, church-like spirit, then that's what it'll be—cold and dry. But if you look at it with My Spirit and put your whole heart into it, then you'll get the wild, free, on–fire spirit that I can give you! Let that spirit flow through you, and as it flows through you, it will flow through others too.

80. Come together in My Spirit—My wild and free‚ exciting Spirit! It's good to sing love songs to Me and love Me and let your hearts flow together in love with Me. At other times it's good to jump and sing and get out of yourself! It's what you make it. As you get out of yourselves, then My Spirit can flow! It will be a wild, exciting, fun time‚ and not a dead and dreary thing that feels like you might as well be in a church.

81. So let your hearts melt, and let My Spirit flow through you! As it flows through you‚ it will flow out to others and flow through them, and will bring you all together in fun and exciting times of spiritual communion with Me. (End of message from Jesus.)

More Practical Ideas on How to Bring More Spirit and Unity into Your Home!

82. (Jesus speaking:) Sometimes you could draw names and little teams of people could eat dinner together somewhere other than the dining room. Perhaps people could trade off taking the kids for these special dinners, or you could have the dinners later in the evening, when most of the kids are in bed. The older children who aren't in bed yet could join in and share things that are of interest to them about the Word. That way people get to have more individual contact with each other, or maybe with people they don't fellowship with that often, and get to know each other.

83. Another exciting thing you could try together in small groups or even as a Home is to come together and ask Me to send My spirit helpers to speak to you. My Heavenly spirit helpers have stories to tell you of any kind you desire. Come before Me and ask them to speak‚ and I will thrill your hearts with adventures of the spirit from those who have gone before you. You can do this when the children are in bed, or have some of them there. They could very well love it and get stories and messages themselves! Try it! You just might like it!

84. There are so many different ways to unite your Home spiritually! Even times of fun and relaxation together doing things other than watching movies is spiritually uniting—playing games‚ doing charades, things like that. It doesn't always have to be totally Word-centered; just doing things together is a uniting force‚ something where you interact with each other. I know you unite for movie watching, but this is not an activity in which you interact with each other. So try to make time in your busy schedules for activity times together.

85. Another thing you can do is to sit together in the evening and sing songs of love to Me. You don't have to do this all the time, but this would be one way of uniting around Me spiritually and loving Me together. Pass the guitar and different ones can lead the songs of love to Me. I love it when you all stop and love Me in this fashion, and it will feed you and lift you into the spiritual realm, away from earthly desires.

86. Designate a night together regularly when you can have fun and fellowship. It doesn't always have to be "oh so spiritual" where you're speaking in tongues and hearing from Me on desperate issues and emergencies or important things that are happening in your work. It can also be a time of fun and fellowship, playing together, enjoying Me together, building experiences together.

87. You could get together in the evening occasionally and pick a GN or something to read. You could read over the New Wine together and have a little time of discussion about how you can apply it as a Home. You could sing a few songs to Me, have a little praise time, and then all go your ways inspired and refreshed.

88. You could have a sing-along night with a fun snack or drink, then build a fire and invite everyone to come. You could plan ahead for someone or a few someones to share some testimonies or personal life stories. Make a list of everyone who can play guitar and is willing to play in public—young and old—and cut the list up and put it in a hat. Then during the evening as you're fellowshipping and talking‚ now and then you could pull a name out of the hat and that person could contribute a song—any song they know, or a favorite Loving Jesus song.

89. This sort of thing could help the two generations to learn to relax together, without either feeling as though they're being put on the spot.

90. If you want everyone to contribute to the stories, you can also put questions in a hat for people to pull out, like, "Tell something that happened to you five years ago." "What was the first food that you can remember eating, or the first fun thing you can remember doing in your life?" "What is one of the funniest sights you've ever seen in your life?" "Have you ever seen a ghost or an angel, or had an unusual spiritual experience? If so, explain." "What is your idea of a really good‚ special meal?" "If you could go and live in any country in the whole world‚ based on that country's unique climate, food, and so on, where would you choose to live?" And so on. Many of the younger generation are adept at coming up with ideas for questions, or someone could just ask Me to give more questions that would be interesting for your particular Home situation.

91. Another fun, as well as feeding, activity is to have each person bring to devotions a quote or an excerpt that has spoken to them in their Word time from the day before, or from the previous week. Give everyone advance notice‚ so that people are on the lookout for something to share with everyone. This is unifying because you're sharing with each other what fed your spirit and spoke to you personally. People don't have to get into a big "why this spoke to me," but can simply share them with everyone, and that can make up your devotions.

92. If people are hearing from Me regarding some push or some aspect of their spiritual life, you can agree together to give the teamwork some of the messages that you receive that you don't mind being shared with others. Then you can read one or two at every devotions‚ without saying who received it. Hearing what others are receiving will be feeding, as well as provide positive peer pressure.

93. Those are a few ideas that you can start on. With many of those ideas, you probably won't be able to fit everything into any one night or devotions, in which case you can continue at another time. For example, if some who can play guitar don't get a chance to have their name pulled or people don't get a chance to pull a question, you can finish the activity at another time‚ using the remaining names in the hat. (End of excerpts of messages from Jesus.)

Making a Personal Effort

94. (Jesus speaking: ) It's a constant battle between light and darkness, between flesh and spirit, between the physical and the spiritual. To do things that are spiritually uplifting, spiritually uniting, spiritually feeding, is a fight in the spirit, for the flesh wars against the spirit. The carnal mind is at enmity against spiritual things. When you're free from this body and from this Earth and from the physical, you'll experience the joys of the spirit, being freed from the shackles of the flesh. This is why I said in My Word that any man that comes after Me and follows Me must deny himself. Because your body, your flesh, wars against the things of the spirit.

95. I've said in My Word, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord!" But it's a fight in the flesh‚ in the physical, to praise Me. It takes effort to lift your hands to Me and praise Me. It's similar to witnessing. It takes an effort and a denying of yourself to go out and witness the truth of My love, especially in a hardened, materialistic society. These things cost you something. They don't come easily. But the rewards—the souls saved, the blessings that I pour down for your obedience—are well worth the sacrifice or effort that you have to put forth in the spirit.

96. Likewise, there are many activities that you can do at home to unite you in spirit that are both fun and relaxing and edifying—sharing miracles of supply; sharing tests and battles that you've gone through; sharing lessons that you've learned; telling of angelic, spiritual encounters that you've had; or hearing someone's personal testimony. But there must be an effort on the part of every member of the body to be willing to enter in and take part in these activities. These activities benefit your spirit and the spiritual unity of the body. And although you don't see the fruit of them in the physical, nevertheless there is fruit in the spirit.

97. Faith comes by hearing and reading My Word. Although you may not see your faith growing, nevertheless this is true, and something that you must believe and accept by faith. Reading and believing and accepting My Word increases your faith, so as you do this as a body, this will also increase your faith and unity as a body.

98. Activities done as a Home, where all make an effort to participate, bring unity. Obedience on the part of all and striving to enter in by faith brings unity. Doing things with people you don't spend much time with—walking‚ talking, witnessing, cooking, working—brings unity.

99. Come to Me, ask Me, and I'll show you things that you can do which will encourage and bring greater unity to your Home, as I direct and lead and guide you individually in your situation and circumstances.

100. Another way to inspire and encourage greater unity is through humility, and manifesting humility by being honest with one another—honest with yourself on a personal level, honest with others on an individual level, and honest on a Home level. Some fight major battles, and bringing these battles before the Home for united prayer will help bring about greater unity as you fight together to overcome the Evil One, by fighting for your brethren who battle loneliness, negative thinking, comparing and discouragement. This takes humility‚ but this is something that would encourage greater unity as a body as you fight together to defeat the Enemy who is attacking one who is weak or suffering and needs your help and prayer. (End of message from Jesus)

Taking the Responsibility Personally

101. (Jesus speaking:) How much do you as a Home member want to grow? How much do you as a Home member want to acknowledge Me—both personally, on your own, and together with your peers? Are you ashamed of Me? Are you ashamed to speak of Me? Are you ashamed to praise Me in front of others and to love Me in front of others? How much of a vacuum do you have to be together, to fellowship with each other and with Me?

102. Where there's a will, there's a way. Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? If so, you will be filled. You must have that hunger to not be ashamed of Me and of My Words. You must not be ashamed to love and praise Me. You must not be ashamed to hold hands in prayer. For if you do these things, our times together will be loving times. You'll be blessed‚ strengthened, inspired and challenged. Your love cups will be full, and you'll have that which you can pour out on others. You'll also have the unity that you seek, and you'll have the doors opened that you need opened.

103. In unity there is strength of spirit. As I blessed the Early Church for their obedience and unity, so I will bless you. These are keys to making your house a home. (End of message from Jesus.)

104. (Dad speaking:) I know you're all very involved with your ministries and your work‚ but I'm going to have to ask you—well, the Lord is asking you—to make the spirit paramount rather than the work. It's going to take a switching of gears for most of you and it's going to take sacrifice, but with such sacrifices the Lord is well pleased. It may seem like death at first to have to do some things that you're not used to doing, and it may be a real sacrifice, but that's what being in the Family is all about! The Family is about giving for the benefit of others; it's about sacrificing your own personal desires or plans for the good of the whole. David said, "I will not give unto the Lord of that which hath cost me nothing!" He was basically saying that it's got to hurt to be worth something. It's got to be a sacrifice. (End of message from Dad.)

The First Step to Greater Unity of the Spirit: Desire!

105. (Jesus speaking: ) First there must be the desire to receive of the Spirit. My Spirit will not strive with man. The Holy Spirit is like a gentle dove that only lands where She's desired. Though She remains in every heart that has asked for Her, Her presence and power can be limited by a lack of yieldedness and receptivity. So if you are unyielded and unreceptive, then there is less room for the fruits of the Spirit.

106. There are many who do not desire the things of the Spirit as they should. There are many who think that they can get along without seeking Me and without coming close to Me and receiving My Words from My mouth. But even though these may feel that they can operate in the arm of the flesh and in their carnal wisdom, they can't go on forever like this‚ for I will not allow it.

107. Unity is something that must first be desired. Unless you desire to unite as a Home and desire to lay aside the different things that are hindering you and the different personalities that irk you or rub you the wrong way, there's no way that you'll be able to unite. You can have meeting after meeting and session after session, and read all the Word in the world on the subject, but unless you desire to make a commitment and are willing to lay everything else aside and come to that bed of love with Me‚ all these other works of the flesh will come to naught.

108. So take heed that you're not one of those who love Me in word only and who serve Me in name only. I seek those who are willing to give their all to Me—their strength, their time, their everything. For unless you fall before Me as weak and humble servants, My blessings will not fall on you as I desire them to.

109. Be not as the foolish virgins who didn't stock up on the oil of the Spirit, but who were found wanting and ended up on the outside when the time came. Woe unto you who don't take the time to minister to your spiritual needs. For whether you think you must tend to them or not, and whether you think you have them or not, the needs are there.

110. I've placed in each and every one of My children the innate desire to love Me and come closer to Me. But it's through the lies of the Enemy and different outside influences that this desire is squelched. Don't let the Enemy, the hinderer of your soul, sway your thoughts‚ inclinations, and ways of thinking. Throw all these other things aside and love Me without fear of the opinions of others. (End of message from Jesus.)

Just Lift Me Up, and I'll Do the Rest!

111. (Mama:) Here's a very comforting promise to claim when you've made the commitment to try something new or different or uniting with your Home and you're the one who has to lead the inspiration, devotions, fellowship time or whatever. It's natural to feel incapable—and it's good not to be confident in your own strength. Just claim the promises from our wonderful Husband and proceed in faith! He has to do it!

112. (Jesus speaking: ) If I be lifted up‚ I will draw all men unto Me. This is all you have to do, lift Me up in your hearts, and My Spirit will draw everyone closer to My bosom and inspire their spirits with My seeds. Just forget yourself and think about Me. When you read My Words‚ really draw on My Spirit and let Me love you through My Words, and let your words of love touch Me. When you play the songs, just let the beautiful words of love to Me be your words, and we'll have sweet lovemaking in the spirit.

113. Don't worry about how it comes across, just let Me pour through you‚ and I will bless the time and make it a very beautiful experience for everyone. Remember that I'm meek and lowly in heart, and that's all you have to be too. Just be natural and simple and let My Spirit move in the heart of each one. (End of message from Jesus.)

Have Fun!

114. (Mama:) Another key to being a tightly knit Home is found in just having fun together, enjoying one another's company and fellowship. It's easy to neglect that aspect when everyone's very busy, which we always are in our work for the Lord. But consider it time invested in your greater marriage‚ which is time well spent. If you're having a hard time finding time to unwind together or enjoy each other‚ just schedule it! It's important! It almost qualifies as a part of work, because it helps bind you together as an effective and tight team, and it enables you to do an even better job. So take time for fun and play together! Amen?

115. (Dad speaking:) Having fun is a very important part of any Home. If people don't feel they can enjoy their home life, it brings a cloud over everything they do. People need time to get away, rest, relax, and receive the strength the Lord has for them. The Lord can sometimes use activities and fun to make changes in people's lives that He's had a hard time doing in other ways. Sometimes because they're all so work-oriented, it's hard for them to go slow and take it easy, so the Lord uses fun activities and excursions and fellowship times to help people relax and take time off.

116. You all work hard‚ and you need to enjoy life more! Watching movies is relaxation, but it isn't fellowship. You should spend more time sitting around talking like I used to after dinner, or in the evenings. You've worked hard all day long and you deserve some rest. Don't let the Enemy fool you into thinking that you can totally skip out on that time of relaxation. You've seen what it does to people in the world—they get under so much stress that they go nuts, or they even die from lack of relief.

117. There's got to be a time when you knock off. Don't keep working all day and all evening without taking a bit of time off to love your brothers and sisters and spend time with them. This is a marriage, and in order for a marriage to work you have to take time together. Why don't you just try to get away one evening and take a walk with someone, stargaze, sit under the moon and praise the Lord for His goodness? Love Him together.

118. A lot has to do with the position of your heart and your attitude. It's important to put the work first, but you must remember that it's also important to fit some recreational time in too. In some cases you can use your get-out time for fellowship and relaxation by taking a walk, or playing a game together.

119. Don't feel bad if you linger in the living room after dinner just to chat with someone. There needs to be a whole lot more communication between all of you. Go for a walk with someone. Go take praise time together, or just marvel at the wonders of the Lord's creation together. I know everyone's very busy and there's a lot of work to do, but if you don't take time away, you're going to burn out. Not only that, but you should look on your times of fellowship together as time invested in your greater marriage, which will ultimately help you to do a better job for the Lord together.

120. Of course‚ there's a balance, and some people probably need the opposite instruction—to press in more on their work. But overall, it's much easier to neglect the intimate fellowship with your mates when things get busy, because there are deadlines to be met and kids to be cared for. When you're not spending much time relaxing or fellowshipping together, you don't notice the immediate effects‚ but it takes its toll eventually.

121. So all that to say, have fun! Enjoy each other! Treasure these days of Heaven that you have to live and work and play together! Tell each other how much you appreciate one another. Take time to talk, to hug, to relax together. The benefits are well worth it, and it will improve your unity as a Home, and eventually your work production, because you'll be more tightly knit, you'll have less friction‚ and have to take less time sorting out problems or misunderstandings. And when you stop to take a break, you'll really enjoy it and it will be that much more rejuvenating and refreshing. So all around it's worth it! Amen?

122. Movie nights don't always have to be for movies; you can do a host of other activities. Play some games, read jokes, have everyone bring a meaningful story they found, have an Endtime class‚ play musical chairs and some of the other games you young folks love. Everyone should attend if they can. Even if you can't participate in everything‚ you should show up, because it'll do your spirit good. The Lord says "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine," so make sure you get your medicine for the week!

123. You really need to spend more time together. I'm not just talking about group activities and meetings; I'm also talking one on one or small groups having fun together. Pull up a chair and chat. You could even pull out a deck of cards if you like, and chat over that. I know that in the past I've said that cards are a waste of time—and they can be, if they're taking away from the Lord's work or your time with Him. But if they're taking the place of some other form of relaxation and entertainment—for example, you decide to fellowship together over a card game instead of watching a movie—then I think that's fine, as long as it's done in moderation and in the Lord's Spirit. Back to spending time together: There's just something that talking adds to any relationship that can't be found any other way, so don't neglect it. Make sure you're spending adequate time with your mates, okay? And try to include everyone or spend time with everyone occasionally, not just those you feel most comfortable with.

124. Go out for a bike ride together‚ spend an afternoon out at a park or in His creation and just have fun together. At those times when the Lord has told you to take a break, don't worry about the work and how it's not getting done in your absence. At those times forget about your work! I mean it! Just forget it and enjoy yourself. Play hard just like you work hard.

125. I suppose I should also give the balance here—don't neglect your work either. A just balance is pleasing in the Lord's eyes, so make sure you also continue to get the work done, because that's your main job. But after you've put in a good day's work or a good week's worth of work, then drop it. Cut loose and have a ball! Go play soccer or basketball or some other sport together, even children's games‚ so all can join in. It doesn't just have to be the guys; you can all join in and have fun together.

126. You can do so many fun activities with the Lord as the center by asking for His blessing and praising Him throughout the activity. Maybe you could stop every once in a while and say a few phrases of thanks and appreciation to the Lord for all He's done for you. Come on, folks, lighten up! Don't settle down and vegetate—stay young and alive by stirring yourself up and having a good time! Enjoy yourself, enjoy each other‚ and enjoy the Lord most of all! I love you! (End of message from Dad.)

Build Your House from the Inside Out!

127. (Dad speaking:) Busy, busy, busy! So much busyness‚ so much running around, so much to do, so much to take care of, so much to build, so much to move ahead in, so much progress that needs to be made. Oh my, the list just goes on and on and on!

128. I talked about that in one of my very early Letters, remember?—"Looking Unto Jesus." Didn't we have a Home like that which we were concerned about? Didn't I give you some clear counsel there? Sure, anybody can sing, shout hallelujah, or run down the street yelling "Jesus loves you!"; anybody can stay busy and active and working and building and producing‚ but are they really getting their signals straight? Are they really hearing from the Lord? Are they really getting fed?

129. You have to stop, you have to look‚ and you have to listen. You have to look to the Lord, and you have to ask Him what to do and where to go, and you have to continually be checking with Him, "Are we doing the right thing? Are we progressing and learning and going the right direction, the way You want us to go‚ Lord? Or are we just building our own kingdom here? Are we just forging ahead to make a Home the way we feel it should be made and what everybody is expecting and what everybody wants to see and what everybody wants to happen? Are we going that route, Jesus, or are we going Your way? Lord, please show us."

130. That's the kind of prayer you have to pray. That's the kind of desperation you have to have. If you want to know the Lord's will and you want to build your house right, then you're going to have to set your own wishes and wants and desires and thoughts and ideas and plans on the shelf. You're going to have to put them there‚ and then get down in prayer and seek the Lord and ask Him where to start from, what to do, what's most important, what needs to be taken care of next.

131. That's the only way you can run a Home. Because, goodness, you can spend your whole life doing good works and doing good things and producing what on the surface seem to be good results, but are you really doing the best thing‚ the highest thing? Are you really getting done what the Lord wants to get done?

132. You have to build your house from the inside out! If the spiritual is right‚ then the physical will sort itself out; it will fall in place too. They both affect each other. If your primary emphasis is on the physical, then you're going to be building on the wrong foundation. Of course, if you only have spiritual input and you only concentrate on the spirit and you never get out and do the other, then you're going to be off balance in that respect. So you have to do both. It's like the verse, "This ye ought to have done, but not to have left the other undone." (End of message from Dad.)