(ML #3506, GN 1095)

FD/MM/FM August 2004

Stop, Look, Listen

ML #74:29-40, DB 4

29. WHEN MOSES WAS A REAL SMART YOUNG MAN OF 40 YEARS OF AGE ' really thought he knew how to do the job, he made a helluva mess out of it, ' he had to run for his life ’ it took God 40 years to straighten him out ' show him he had to depend on HIM!

30. HURRY IS A SIGN YOU'RE AFRAID YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE—WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE FEAR, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVEN'T GOT FAITH! If you're late, take it easy! Trust the Lord! One reason we hurry when we're late‚ in the first place, is because it was probably our own fault ’ we don't want to have to suffer the consequences! That's pride! You don't want people to know you were really late!

31. AND ANOTHER REASON YOU HURRY IS THAT YOU'RE NOT TRUSTING THE LORD! You're afraid if you don't get there you're going to miss something. You can't trust God that He's able to hold up the whole World or stop the Sun like Joshua had Him do. I'll never forget when I was rushing around trying to get the train ’ the Lord warned me that if I kept up this nervous ' physical strain I would kill myself. So I put it in the Lord's hands to stop the train ' I relaxed ’ took my time! And after I got on the train I sat there for 40 minutes wondering why the always punctual train did not leave the station. I finally asked the Lord ' He told me‚ "You didn't tell Me you wanted to leave yet."

32. "THE HURRIER I GO‚ THE BEHINDER I GET!" Just relax, slow down; don't rush; don't be hasty; squeeze—don't jerk—' the Lord will slow everything else down for you if necessary! No use trying to kill yourself! You've got to learn to rest in the Lord!—And take it easier!

33. ALL THE SAMPLES IN THE BIBLE OF PATIENCE: JOB, MOSES ' LOOK AT DAVID! He spent 24 years working under that old blunderbuss, King Saul, ' the Lord really taught him from looking at Saul! Saul got all up–tight ' tried to do things in his own strength ' he found he wasn't strong enough! David learned that you have to let God do everything!—And wait for Him! Slow it down! Stop! ... Look! ... Listen! Wait for the Lord!—Especially if you don't know what to do ' haven't heard from the Lord yet!

34. JESUS SPENT 30 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN PREPARATION ' only a little over three years in His public ministry! We're in such a hurry!

35. YOU DON'T HEAR MUCH ABOUT JOHN THE BELOVED—a little about him being with the Lord etc. John wrote the Gospel of John—it must have taken some time with the Lord to do it! But his greatest masterpiece was written by the Lord in exile on an island.—The Book of Revelation. His biggest work was just letting God do all the directing ' all the showing ' the whole shebang! Let's slow it down! Stop! ... Look! ... Listen!, or you're going to get run over.

36. THE WORLD IS ALWAYS IN A HURRY! THAT'S THE DEVIL'S OWN MACHINERY: TO SPEED UP THE WORLD—anything to make everything move faster! God created the Earth 6,000 years ago ' it hasn't hardly varied in its speed since then! GOD hasn't speeded up the seasons or the years any. MAN is speeding it up—Hell-bent for destruction! Slow it down: Squeeze—don't jerk! But most of all: Stop! Look! Listen! And WAIT! You see signs like this at dangerous places—crossings—intersections—places of crisis—an interruption of your routine—an interruption of your way—your road—your highway! Otherwise you might get out there ' get hit by an express train!

37. BUT YOU SAY, "I DON'T HAVE TIME TO STOP ' TO LOOK ' TO LISTEN!" If you don't, you may never make it! Better late than never! Which is easier—to try to beat the train, to try to plough through the train, jump over the train or just to stop, watch it go by, wait another few minutes ' it'll be out of your way ' you can go peacefully on your way! Trying to force the situation ' push your way through just won't work!

38. I'VE FOUND OUT THAT NO MATTER WHAT I DO‚ THE LORD'S WORK WILL GO ON! If it's God's Work‚ NOTHING will stop it—not even my absence! PTL? So it doesn't pay to rush around ' fret ’ fume ’ try to get someplace to do something when you're supposed to be waiting on the Lord to find out for sure just where He wants you to be ’ what He wants you to do!

39. YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW YOU CAN'T DO IT ’ BE DESPERATE FOR GOD'S ANSWER, ' STOP EVERYTHING ELSE ' LISTEN! Getting quiet before the Lord shows you have FAITH that the Lord is going to handle the situation. Take time to hear from God ' He'll take time to straighten out the problem. YOUR feverish activity is nothing, your service is NOTHING, if you don't give the KING your attention, your love, your time, your communion.

40. REMEMBER THAT HURRY IS LACK OF FAITH ' IS OF THE DEVIL! If you're hurrying ' rushing around, fretting ' impatient, you'll never be able to focus your full attention—your eyes, your ears‚ your mind, your heart on the Lord for the solution to the problem, the answer to the question, the best decision for the situation! But if you Stop, Look ' Listen ' wait in communion with Him—when you have learned to do this ' to get HIS answer, you will have learned HOW to make decisions! You will have learned to PRAY ' will have become truly one of GOD'S leaders. "He gives the very best to them, who leave the choices up to Him!"

Get It Right

ML #1860, DB 2

3. I WAS TAUGHT IN BUSINESS SCHOOL, WHERE I LEARNED BOTH TYPING ' STENO TYPING, THAT ACCURACY WAS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPEED, that it was more important to get it right. Our teachers taught us that speed will come with practice ' that as you continue to type, it will just come automatically. You don't have to rush or push‚ just get it right!—As you gain in experience ' practice, you will naturally gain in speed, but the main thing is to get it right.

4. HOW MANY THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN ON GOING SLOW ' PRAYERFULLY ' REALLY WAITING ON THE LORD: "Squeeze, Don't Jerk!" "Look Before You Leap!" "Stop, Look ' Listen!" How many other Letters have I written about that?

5. "IN QUIETNESS ' CONFIDENCE SHALL YOUR STRENGTH BE." (Is.30:15) "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee." (Is.26:3) There is nothing in the Bible about hurry etc.—the only verse I can ever remember any preachers or anybody using to try to make us rush was, "The King's business requireth haste." But for that one Scripture in the whole Bible, I think there must be 100 that tell you to go slow, or words to that effect, even to take it easy!

6. JESUS SAID, "COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT ARE WEARY ' HEAVY LADEN. Learn of Me, for I am meek ’ lowly in heart‚ ' ye shall have rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy ' My burden is light." (Mt.11:28-30) And when you get under too much pressure ' too much tension, too heavy a burden ’ too hard a yoke, it's not God's fault! It is somebody else's fault, or your own fault!

7. MAYBE THAT'S WHY GOD CREATED MULES ’ DONKEYS—AS A GOOD LESSON. They are plodders, they are very slow, but they have more endurance ’ can carry heavier loads than horses ' they are the workhorses of the backwoods. They can negotiate trails that horses would kill themselves on ' can carry loads for miles that a horse wouldn't make it on‚ a race horse especially!

8. RACE HORSES CAN SPURT FOR A FEW ROUNDS AROUND THE TRACK ' THAT'S IT! They're extremely high–strung, nervous, ' they just are not work horses, they're not plodders, they're not load carriers. But pack mules ' donkeys are ' they're as stubborn as they come! You cannot rush them. You have to do it slow ' in their time ' just plod along, but they do it ’ they get there! It's like the old story of the tortoise ' the hare.—The tortoise was slow but he got there!

9. I ADMIT I'M SLOW! I've always been slow. I was slow in school ' I've always been slow about everything. I like slow driving. I like to do everything slow.—If I go fast, I'm not fast enough to think or follow or make sure I'm getting it right, ' I'm not thorough enough if I go fast.

10. MY FATHER WAS THE SAME WAY ' IT USED TO PLAGUE MY MOTHER. She couldn't understand how he could be so slow, but he was thorough, ' when it came to Bible teaching ' thorough learning of the Scriptures, I actually learned more from my Father's Bible studies in the way of thorough Bible teaching ' Bible education than I did from my Mother's fast inspirational glowing emotional messages! I learned a lot from her too, of course, it takes both.

11. BUT YOU CAN HAVE THE EMOTION ’ YOU CAN HAVE THE SPEED‚ I'LL TAKE THE LOW ROAD ' THE SLOW ROAD. You can take the high road ' get there first if you want to, if you get there at that rate. But I'm going to take the low road ' the slow road ’ I'm determined to get there one way or the other‚ no matter how long it takes, ’ I'm going to get the load there. It's going to get there ’ it's going to be delivered ' it's going to be right!

12. IF YOU'RE SPEEDING SO FAST ’ TRYING TO GET TOO MUCH DONE INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE LORD ' HIS GUIDANCE ' WAITING FOR HIM, you're going to be running ahead of Him ' just crash ' crack up!—Instead of learning how to take it easy ' go slow! My God, how much have I written on that?—That God is seldom ever in a hurry except for His judgments! That's when I can move fast, when I get angry. But I don't move so fast in my work, because if I do it will slow down the work.

13. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD TAXI DRIVERS, "GO SLOW ' YOU LIVE LONGER. Live fast ’ you'll die quicker," ' it certainly is true! Science ' doctors ' medical men ' health experts ' everybody has said so. These doctors ' health experts have said that pressure ' tension in this modern generation is killing people, that most of the diseases ' illnesses that they have are either from pressure ' tension, or improper diet, ' that these things are killing them with heart trouble, nervous trouble ' high blood pressure ' God knows what!

14. LORD, HELP US IN JESUS' NAME TO GO SLOW, SQUEEZE ’ NOT JERK, TO STOP, LOOK ' LISTEN.—Never to waste time, Lord, but help us to trust You instead of being impatient. Patience obviously indicates slowness‚ plodding along ’ doing our work persistently ' constantly ’ not wasting time, but not getting fretful ’ worried ’ all worked up about it. Impatience is "Speed, hurry‚ rush, haste, push, pressure, tension!"

15. PATIENCE SHOWS FAITH. Impatience shows lack of faith. You don't think it's going to do the job unless you hurry ' push it ' rush it. But if we've got the faith, Lord, You're going to take care of it somehow, ' we can afford to be patient ' afford to wait ' go slow ' do it right.

16. THIS FAMILY DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT ' THIS REVOLUTION WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY. It took time ' a lot of hard work ’ patience ' faith ' waiting, ' waiting for God to lead ' do God's Will, ' a lot of stopping ' just waiting sometimes—just sitting around waiting for God to tell us what to do when we didn't know what to do, because it wasn't His time to do it.—So He didn't tell us!—We weren't wasting time while waiting. We were redeeming it by planning ' preparing.

17. IT TOOK HIM 49 YEARS TO PREPARE ME FOR THIS JOB, SO OBVIOUSLY HE WASN'T IN A VERY BIG HURRY!—Or maybe I was just so damn slow that He couldn't push me any faster than that. Well, apparently He was willing to wait. Maybe He was waiting on me. Maybe you'd better learn how to wait on me ' have as much patience ’ faith as God.

18. GIVE ME TIME ' I'LL GET IT DONE, I'll get it done right ' at least I'll get it done. We've gone slow ’ we've built the Family brick-by-brick ' item-by-item ' day–by–day until I think it's pretty firm ’ pretty solid, we've got a pretty good foundation ' a pretty good solid structure, built Letter-by-Letter ' instruction-by-instruction ' inspiration–by–inspiration. And it has taken years to do it. Apparently God is not in any great big hurry. He'd rather do it right than to even get it done! God help us to learn that lesson, in Jesus' name, amen!

Be Encouraged

ML #3047:84-170, Lifelines 23

84. (Prophecy:) You have looked upon yourselves as weak, as broken, even as forsaken, but I have said‚ great is your faithfulness! You have looked to Me, you have kept the faith. You have trusted Me year after year, decision after decision, baby after baby, country after country, trial after trial, persecution after persecution. You have kept your eyes on Me regardless of the circumstances, and even more, you have held fast to the Words of David. You have drunk these in as sweet nectar and honey. You have grasped at them! You have clung to them! You have taken them unto your very soul, as one who is thirsty drinks after a long walk through the desert. Your hearts have rejoiced at My Words through My servant David.

85. This has been your manner for year after year after year, in spite of your own weaknesses, shortcomings, or failures. You have clung to Me and to My Words, and for this I do highly honor you. For as it was said of Abraham, that he was blessed because he believed Me, and his faith was counted unto him as righteousness; so has your faith been counted unto you, recorded in Heaven, and never to be forgotten!

86. You have storehouses of treasure and rewards waiting for you! Each hour, each day, each week, each month, each year that you have lived for Me will be rewarded. You will be amazed and astounded at the rewards laid up for you, for every ounce of faith and trust that you have placed in Me.

87. For I do not look at the vessel, but I look at the heart. I look at the motive. I look at the desire to please Me. I look at the love for Me that you have exhibited in the face of great difficulty and great opposition. You believed when very few others believed. You took hold of My Words when there were only a handful who followed My servant David. When there was no one to support you, you said, "I will not let go! I will cling to the Words of David even if all others forsake me!"—And many did forsake you.

88. There have been wives and husbands and children who have left—but you have held on, and this will never be forgotten! This will be rewarded. I do honor you greatly, not because of your accomplishments or your achievements, but because your hearts have been Mine. You have given your hearts unto Me and you have not been dissuaded. And even many of those who had fallen away have returned stronger than before.

89. You say, "I feel so much weaker. I feel so much less capable." But I say unto you, in this state of humility I am much more able to pour through you than I ever was before. For in your humble, even more broken state‚ you are more yielded to Me than you were when you had greater physical strength, when you were brash and young, and dashed off here and there.

90. I could not speak to you then as I can now, when you must move more slowly, when you must stop and listen to be sure that you are going the right way. Now you know that if you fall down, it may take you a while to get up! So you look to Me much more than before‚ and you lean on Me much more than before.

91. I will not forsake you, for you are precious in My sight! Each of you has garnered many, many jewels in your crown and many, many rewards. For you are all as many Sophies, the washerwoman, who will not have little hovels, but will have mansions, because of all that you have stored up for Me; because of the many things that you did that no one knew about; the many kindnesses that no one recognized; the many little ways that you gave of yourself that no one could thank you for because they did not know about them; the many times you persevered when you had no more strength.

92. The times you thought you were forgotten, you were not forgotten. I have looked on your heart and I will reward the beauty of your sacrifice in giving and dedication unto Me. For without faith it is impossible to please Me, but you have pleased Me by your faith‚ by your holding on when you had no more strength to hold on, and receiving strength from Me.

93. There is coming a dark and cloudy day, and in this day, physical strength will be of no help. What will be needed and what will be important will be your spiritual closeness to Me, your attitude of leaning on Me, your habit of drawing on My strength. The channels that have been forged of connection with Me will be drawn upon in this time. For now you are learning to hear more from Me than before. The young people also are learning to hear more from Me than before, and this will be your strength. This will show you the paths to walk in. This will protect you in the dark and cloudy and stormy days.

94. More important than the many accomplishments that you have striven for in the past is that you strengthen your connection with Me, that you may hear from Me, and that you may know which way to turn. I will lead you and guide you into the paths of light and safety and protection, for this is My will for you.

What May Seem Like the End Is Only a Bend!

95. You have gone forth as a strong man to run a race, and you have run well! I delight in you, and I am proud of you! But the race is not yet over, and what may seem like the end of the road to some is only a bend in the road of this race, which will lead to even greater things.

96. For if you look back at My great men and women throughout history‚ and even your own Father David, their greatest accomplishments all came not when they were young‚ but when they were old. For the many years of youth are but a preparation for the greater things that come with age.

97. Fear not and be not discouraged. Do not look at the past, but at the future. Look at the sample of your Father David, how it seemed like he spent his whole life and yet had not reached his greatest accomplishment. But I worked through him more mightily than ever before, and so it will be with each of you‚ if you yield to Me and you keep your eyes on Me. Do not let the Enemy come in and discourage you and rob you of the victories that are ahead of you. Strength in life comes from Me, and I can give it to anyone that I choose‚ regardless of whether they feel strong or whether they feel weak, or whether they feel used up or not.

Follow in the Footsteps of Your Fathers!

98. And to you young people I say, despise not the wisdom of the ancients, for there is much to be learned from them. Open your ears and open your eyes, and think not that your own arm will save you. Think not that you are strong in yourselves‚ and that by your own self-assurance you will accomplish what you want. For it is I Who work through people. It is I Who work through you. This comes not of yourselves, and there is much to be said for the experience, and for the tests, and the trials.

99. This is how I shape great men and women of God. Look at the example of Moses, how he spent 40 years in the desert tending the sheep. I prepared him to be the man of God that I wanted him to be. For when he was young and full of his own ideas and full of himself, he was not useful to Me. But after I had taught him and trained him and brought him through the difficult experiences, the tests, and the trying of his patience, then was he fit to accomplish that which I had prepared for him.

100. So it is with you. I have many things that I want you to accomplish, many things that I want you to do for Me. But I must bring you through these experiences, through the tests and the trials, like I have done with your parents. For they have come through as better gold, and I am able to use them greatly, and they are precious in My sight. They are My chosen people—not only the ones that I have chosen, but the ones that have chosen Me, and have continued to choose Me, even when the going was rough.

101. So remember that it is I, the Lord, Who give strength and anointing to My people. They that are faithful to Me and to the Words of David are the ones in whom I delight and through whom I accomplish My will. Therefore carefully study these Words and pay close attention to them, that you may also follow in the footsteps of your fathers, and that you may also pass through the tests and learn from the experiences and become the vessels that I want you to be.—Not necessarily vessels of great beauty or great honor, but broken vessels through which My Love and My understanding freely flows.

My Bride Is One Bride—No Male or Female, Young or Old!

102. I say unto you young men: Be filled with faith and courage as you go through your lives. But make not the mistake of surface judgment. For have I not given you a kingdom? Have I not raised up a kingdom? In one day, did I not call them a nation which was no nation? Did I not make a people which were no people, that I might show the praises and the glory and the majesty of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light? Therefore, if any man judge, let him judge righteous judgment. For there is a place for the young and a place for the old.

103. Those who have borne the heat of the day and the battles of the days of yore, even as they come with their hearts bleeding and through great suffering, they come unto Me, and they shall receive many crowns and much glory. For they have borne the heat of the day. They have borne the pangs of birth of My Revolution. Even as a woman goes through travail and suffers pain that a man child shall be born, even so these suffered great anxiety as they pioneered this mighty Revolution which was born swiftly and quickly, but which was dedicated to speak the Truth and to go against the wave of corruption which did sweep, and does yet sweep across the face of this Earth.

104. Therefore I say unto the young, pattern not your thoughts after the influences of those about you in this evil world. The conversation of those who believe not permeates the air waves about you. Therefore, emulate it not, copy it not, inquire not after their gods, saying, "How do they worship their gods? Even so will we do likewise." Make not the mistake that My people made when they asked for a king, when I sought to give them prophets.

105. This is a day when young and old must be married as one, for I have called My Bride as one bride. My Bride is one bride and there is no male nor female, there is no young nor old in Christ Jesus. I look upon the heart.

106. Therefore judge nothing before the time. Judge not another man's servant, for to his own master he stands or falls. And if he fall‚ God is able to hold him up. But judge this, that no man put a stumblingblock in his neighbor's way‚ or judge surface judgment, which would be nothing more than foolishness and criticism. For have I not given you a way of righteousness? And if you serve Me to the day of your death, I will give you a great crown of glory.

107. Therefore, boast not, you young ones, as he that shall yet put his armor on. For those who have worn the armor, even though in many cases it be tarnished or rusted, used it for My glory. I can simply polish it again until it shines. Even so do I now polish My old ones‚ and I will polish you, My young ones.

108. Forget not the time in which you live. For I have said unto you‚ old and young, that you shall go through Great Tribulation, but I will be with you and I will give you grace. But the Enemy seeks to divide and conquer, and there is great need for unity and solidarity, that you think and move as one man, as My one Bride, as My one wife. Therefore be married one to another.

109. Look out upon this world. Listen to the messages that permeate the news that you watch, and consider: Does this generation honor those who are of age? No! I say unto you‚ they do not honor those who have borne the heat of the day. They dishonor their aged and seek to take from them that which is their due. They have not respect unto their mothers and their fathers. But did I not write in My Book that the first commandment with promise was to honor your father and your mother in the Lord? Therefore give honor unto whom honor is due.

110. Lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways seek to see as I see, to feel as I feel. My ways are high, as the heavens above the Earth, but you can know them if you will lift up your eyes and your heart with your hands and receive that which I would give unto you.

111. Therefore, rejoice! Doubt not‚ criticize not, but rejoice that I have given you mothers and fathers and the older ones to guide you, the seasoned veterans who have borne the weight of battle and fought against great doubts and fears and criticisms from without, and difficulties from within. For every day that they do persevere and hold fast to their crowns, I the Lord am proud of My older ones. I am not ashamed to be called their God!

Greater Heights of Compassion And Caring!

112. Hark, My children, and count your blessings and the many wonderful things that I have brought you through‚ and the many wonderful things that I have led you to do for Me. If you cannot see these things, seek Me and I will show them to you. Seek Me, cry out to Me! I will take away the darkness, and the light will shine upon your lives. I will show you the great and mighty things which I have used you to accomplish. For there are many wonderful things that I have accomplished in your lives, but many times your memories have been clouded with discouragement and condemnation and the lies of the Enemy. Seek Me, and I will blow away the clouds of darkness, and you will see the truth of the many wonderful things that you have accomplished.

113. Rejoice! Rejoice for all that I have used you for! Rejoice for every step that I have brought you through, including the refining of the past years. Rejoice over the refining of the years of quietness away from the battlefield. Rejoice! For these times are just for a moment, just a moment in your history, and there will come a day when you will see this as a turning point.—Not as a time of discouragement to be ashamed of, but a turning point.

114. For it is not by works of righteousness which you have done, but according to My mercy I have saved you. It is not by the zealous works of your youth‚ of your younger days, that you have been saved. I greatly used your zealousness and I chose you in your young days, so I could take advantage of this zealousness. I was proud of you for stepping out and pioneering and conquering the world and passing out the Words of David, and for giving your wives and your husbands and your children unto Me, for giving your bodies unto Me. I have been proud of you for giving your all to Me, and for the zealous way that you have served Me.

115. But now I am bringing you to a new age, and this zealousness of your flesh is a thing of the past, as I have created in you the zealousness of the Spirit. First, you must be broken. First, you must see that you are useless. Yes, I used this zealousness of the flesh, and you felt great in your accomplishments and in the wonderful things that you had done. You pioneered in India, you set off to Thailand, you spread throughout Europe, you raised support! And then what happened? "Oh, so many children! Oh, it is time to return to home fields!" And then the discouragement set in. But see, this is a time of breaking, a time of putting in the past the zealousness of your flesh. It is a breaking so that I can pour in the zealousness of My Spirit.

116. You are to be born as new creatures in Me! Can you not see the wonderful things that I have prepared in thy heart? As you reach out to your neighbors and to those you are ministering to, are you able to tell them of the wonderful things that you have done? Does this lift their spirits? Are you able now to listen with compassion to the difficulties that they are experiencing, and the hardships that they do not understand, and the confusion that they are caught in? Because you have been broken, you are able to listen with compassion. This is a great and mighty tool that I have given to you.

117. I have brought you down. I have allowed this to happen. I do not count it a failure. I count it a step upward, because I have broken each of you. I have broken your pride. I have broken your feeling of tremendous accomplishment. I need broken people to work through! I am proud of you for sticking and standing with Me through this time of breaking. It has not been easy, and I see the sorrow and confusion in your heart.

118. You ask, "Why am I discouraged? We have followed the Words of David. Dad said do this‚ and we did it! Dad said do that, and we did it! We have followed! We obeyed the words in the Black Book and the Red Book and the Blue Book and the FF Volume; we did these things! Why am I discouraged today? Where is my usefulness? Why have I this feeling that I have failed? That I have come to the uttermost ends of failure? That I have wasted my life? I obeyed the Words of David to the best of my ability! Why do I feel like such a failure? Why do I feel strapped down with an older body and weakness and many children?—And even the criticism of my own young people! I feel buried! I feel so many weights upon me! Why do I feel these weights?"

119. I look upon you, and I am looking down upon you now, and I am reaching out My hand! My arm reaches and stretches forth to you. Take hold of My hand, because I am proud of you! I have great pride in you, that you have followed the Words of David. I am very proud of you‚ that during this time of discouragement you have held on and you have not quit, you have not run out the door! You kept trying, and you kept praying‚ and you kept reading‚ and you kept pouring out your hearts to those around you, to your little ones‚ and you did not give up. I am proud of you, and I shall lift you to high and lofty and wonderful works again! Beautiful‚ lofty works that the world shall see and shall admire! I shall do these things. I shall pour forth My compassion through your broken hearts, and this is what the world will admire.

120. I shall pour forth great, wonderful‚ beautiful compassion through your broken hearts. I could not pour this compassion through your hearts before, for your hearts were all covered and enameled over with achievements. But now with your broken hearts, I can pour My compassion upon the world and upon the needy.

121. Do not fret or be ashamed, but rejoice! Rejoice and be thankful that you have stuck, that you did not give up during the dry years, that you held on to Me. Be thankful that you did not turn back when the going seemed so rough, and it seemed like maybe you did make a mistake by trusting in the Words of David. Even when these doubts have encompassed you and have clouded your vision, you have not given up.

122. This, My child, is a wonderful, wonderful blessing. As you count your blessings, do not look back to the past of your youth only, but look at the wonderful blessings of these dry years and these difficult years, and see the wonderful hand that I have had upon each one of you. See the wonderful way that I have led you and given you faith to hold on in spite of the battle, and rejoice that I have counted you worthy to go through this trying time.

123. Rejoice that I have broken your heart! Rejoice that I have molded you and I have purged you, because this shows that I have a great future for you! Rejoice in the difficulties that you have encountered! Rejoice in the lies that you have heard told about you! Rejoice in the discouragement that your young people have burdened you with, with their doubts and their questions and their self–righteous looking down upon you. Rejoice, because now I can take you to greater heights of wonderful compassion and caring!

124. You have passed through a difficult time, a difficult test. But believe and honor My Word and know that a great victory is in store for you, and great new heights are just around the corner! Count your blessings and gain strength from believing that I have used you, and that I have used these difficult years and these cloudy years. As you count these as a blessing and hold on to My Word and continue to pour forth, and continue to hold on and believe My promises, even when they seem to have failed you, I shall bring you to lofty heights again! You shall rejoice, and you shall be happy, and many shall look upon you and say, "If he can do it, I can do it!"

125. They shall look up at you and know that you have passed through these battles and these trials, and therefore you have become a light and a beacon unto them as they pass through their battles and their trials. Do not be ashamed, but continue to hold on by faith to the Words of David, and the wonderful Words and promises that I have given unto you, and you shall see each and every one fulfilled. For none of My Words can fail.

126. Hold on, for the crowns are descending! As you see your brethren receiving their crowns and you wonder, "Where is my crown?", hold on, because your crown is just around the corner!

127. I am proud of you! Stir yourself up and hold on to My blessings, do not let go! Stir yourself up and do not give up, do not look down! Hold on and believe! You shall be a great strength unto your youth, and through this breaking you shall be able to pull your youth up through the battles that they shall now encounter. Hold on, for I love you greatly and I want to make a great and mighty nation out of you!

Lighten Up on the Old Folks!

128. Lighten up on the old folks! Give'm a break! I tell you, these are tops in My book! These are the folks who have endured the heat of the day. I'm proud of them! They're great and have done great things! Everything up until this time has been like practice—they're just getting into stride. The things that I've got in store for them are tremendous! They're not washed up! They've just got enough wisdom now to know what to do in most cases. I'll tell you, I have great things in store for them! I am going to lead them, and I'm going to use them like I have not even been able to use them before, because they haven't had all these lessons under their belt.

129. I'll tell you, you young folks, you've got a ways to go. You are pretty smart, and you've got a lot of knowledge and you've got a lot of Word in your heads and in your hearts‚ but you lack experience. Let Me tell you‚ experience is what it really takes to make all that Word gel. All those lessons are what you build your wisdom on. You'd better look in the Bible and see what happened to the young men and Rehoboam! Be not like these! They thought they knew better than their parents. They thought they were pretty smart, and ended up losing half the kingdom. (See 1Kings 12.)

130. I'll tell you, these old folks have gone through a lot. They are not that old either! Your father David never took off until he was 49! Most of these old ones haven't even gotten that old yet! They are not washed up! They have hardly begun, so give'm a break! Let Me tell you, I think they have endured a lot. They went through the hard times. They are the ones that took this movement from nothing to something. And look at it now, it's the talk of the world! They are pretty good, pretty revolutionary, these old folks, and I really love them. So give'm a break! Look up to them and listen to them. You'd be surprised how smart they are.

131. And all these kids that I gave them, like you, aren't they terrific? You're the best kids in the whole world! How did you kids get that way? It's because of your parents! It's not something you did on your own. And now that your parents have had all this practice on you guys‚ well, I guess I can trust them to rule the world when the time comes.

132. So, My children, both young and old‚ remember that it is I Who work through you, and in you, and by you, and everything comes of Me. This is not of yourselves. You don't have to have it in yourself! Boy‚ it takes Me a long time to pound that out of some of you, to make you useful. You don't think I'm going to lose all that good training that I've put into you, do you?—All those years that I have been molding you and melding you and training you? I'm going to use it, and use it even more in the days to come. Then when the Golden City comes, you will really be able to enter it with your heads held high!

133. I'm going to be standing there saying to each of you, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord!" And you will deserve it for all you have done. You will be greatly honored, every one of you! So don't let the Ol' Boy lie to you that you are washed up, has-beens, had it‚ that you did everything all wrong. Let me tell you, that is the Enemy if you think that, and you don't have much of an idea of what I am like, and the ways that I work. Surely you should know better by now!

134. Anyway, I love each and every one of you. You are precious in My sight. And there are great things yet in store for you. Every year is getting better! You'd better believe it! And it is going to get real good one of these days very soon. And then you are going to have a whole eternity to be able to use all this wisdom and all this knowledge and all this training that I have been placing in you. And you're not going to worry about starting to feel old and creaky, because none of that will be any more. So hang in there and know that I love you! Yes, I love you—just you!

The "Over-the-Hill Gang!"

135. Great is your faithfulness, great is the faithfulness which you Family elders have shown unto Me! Cheer up, ye saints of God! So you think you are the "over-the-hill gang," huh? Ha! What is that in thine hand? Behold the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God! Come with Me and let's cut the Devil to the heart! Come with Me, and look at My "over–the-hill gang!" Let Me open My book and show you a few of them.

136. We'll start over here in the Old Testament. There is Abraham and Noah, and Moses and Enoch—pretty old folks, weren't they? But they were mightily used. I started out with Abraham to build My Church, and though he was old, I fulfilled my promise to Him through Isaac. And remember Sarah? I loved her so much, but she didn't even start having kids until she was past time. How's that for using someone "over the hill"? How much more do you think I love and appreciate all you have done! All you faithful women who have had so many children, don't think you are all spent or all used up and have no worth to Me—you have been used as tools to make My New Nation‚ and I'm not done yet!

137. For there are dark days ahead and you will be greatly needed and greatly used, and you are greatly needed now! Don't listen to the lies of that Ol' Boy when he comes around and tries to tell you that you are of no use. For man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. And remember what it says in My Word: Blessed is the man that has his quiver full of children. Look to My Word and see yourself as I see you, and listen not to the lies of the Enemy.

Victory Through Unity!

138. And you, my younger ones, take heed to My Word, for this is how I see it. I do honor your parents and they are precious in My sight. And it is My desire that you work together, for in unity there is great strength. In unity you will defeat the Enemy, and you will be the victors! Listen not to the lies of the Enemy who will come in and try to divide and conquer, but rebuke him and repair the breach in the wall. Listen not to the Evil One who would like to take you apart, but stand as one. For we all have need of each other for the body to function. The older cannot say to the younger, "I have no need of you." And the younger cannot say to the older, "I have no need of you." For I have made you both to work together, to make My body strong to defeat the Evil One!

139. And here is a little something that I would like to let you know: It is the Enemy who seeks to divide you, because it is My plan that you work together to defeat him! He is angry, and he wants to get in, in any way, to defeat My purpose. But My purpose will not be defeated! Hearken unto My Word, and rebuke the Enemy and resist him, for he seeks to divide you, one against the other. And he seeks to discourage My older ones. Draw nigh to Me, and I will draw nigh to you, and I will strengthen you. Look to My Word, for in it is the Truth, and the principles‚ and the way that you should go. Unite against this dark Evil One who tries to defeat you!

140. Fear not‚ My older ones, for I will never leave you nor forsake you! I love you, and we are going forth to the light of a brighter day. Do not be tempted to turn off that light ahead of time. Be not discouraged. Follow Me! Continue in the path which you have started on‚ continue to follow the Words of David, and now continue in the new day and in the new way that I do speak to you through My Queen Maria. Strive for unity, for in unity there is strength. Leave the scoffers behind, and let's go on to the light of that brighter day! On to victory, on to victory, on to victory!

Give Honor to Whom Honor Is Due!

141. Behold‚ this persuasion comes not from above! For this persuasion is a crowbar of the Enemy to pry you young ones away from God's army.—And not only to pry you young ones away from the army, but to pry the older ones away through their being intimidated by you. It is a two-fold device of the Enemy which has come in to pry you away from each other and away from the army.

142. This shows a weakness in your armor. For you have been brought up as a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people. You are the sons and daughters of those who have done what no other generation has done. You are the sons and daughters of those tens, those twenties, those hundreds, those few thousands who have dared to step outside of the web of Lucifer!—Those who have dared to follow Me without the camp. You are the sons and daughters of the officers of My army! You are the generation produced of the leaders of the Endtime!

143. Therefore scorn not [belittle not] as they catapult you into the future! Look not back at them and say, "How rusty the catapult is‚ how old and worn with pockmarks from the battle. How incapable they are." For behold, they thrust you forward to finish the job—the job for which you were born, the job for which you were conceived, and for which you were created.

144. You are they whom I have loaded with the weapons of war, whose quivers are full of arrows‚ who do wield the sword of the Spirit with both hands, who do hurl stones with both arms! You are they who are girded about with Truth, whose feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel. You are they who have been fitted with the breastplate of righteousness. You are they who are ready to go out into battle!

145. Therefore scorn not [belittle not] your leaders, your mentors, for they are those who wear the stripes and the badges. They are those who have been adorned with the purple hearts. They are those who have been given the bars on their shoulders for victories over jealousy‚ for victories over battles with self-righteousness. They have been given decorations for endurance, for stick-to-it-iveness. They have been given the ribbon for following Me through the Flirty Fishing Revolution. They are those who have fought the battle of relationships, of many wives, of many mates, of bearing many children, of learning how to raise broods of children in the same room‚ in the same house. These are they that bear My decorations! These are My generals, these are My officers, decorated with ribbons across their chests, with bars across their shoulders, with stars on their crowns! These are the officers, the leaders of My Revolution!

146. You are they who have the weaponry, who are battle ready, but have not yet earned the ribbons of victory over jealousy, of victory over self-righteousness, of victory in relationships, of being able to raise many children and yet pioneer new fields. Therefore, give honor unto whom honor is due!

147. For behold, I love My Father. (Crying.) He sent Me on a mission, and when He turned His face away from Me, I could not bear it. It broke My heart, for I did always the things that did please Him. I did honor My Father. Please follow My example, for I was with Him from the beginning, before the Earth was, when there were no mountains, when the seas were brought forth. I was daily by Him, rejoicing always before Him. My Father and I are One. Do not dishonor Me by dishonoring your mothers and your fathers, but follow My example.

148. Again I say unto you, this is a device of the Enemy to pry you apart—and not only you, but to pry them apart from My army. Because you grew up in a family, you did not realize that it was an army, and familiarity has grown, familiarity with your own officers. But many of you have passed the test, and this is one of the first of many tests; to see if you will look upon the uniform and not upon the man; to see if you will see the prophet and not the flesh that it comes out of; to see if you will believe and understand that it is the true sap that flows from them‚ that directs them, that it is I.—Or to see if you will look upon him merely as your father, or upon her merely as your mother. For truly they have been endued with My Spirit.

149. Be not as the kings who looked upon the prophet as merely a man, but be as David who looked upon the prophet as the Spirit of God! For even your David said that in the flesh he was just a funny old man, but in the Spirit, he is the great King David! And so it is with your fathers and your mothers. They are the kings and queens of Kingdom Come‚ and you are the princes and the princesses. Therefore follow them without the camp. Join them! Become one with them!

150. You shall wage a mighty war, and the Enemy shall not prosper! For when the Enemy comes in like a flood‚ I shall raise up a standard against him. And this is My standard, even My Love. Therefore love one another with fervent love.

My Diamonds in the Rough!

151. Behold the sample of your queen as she did care for the elder, your king, for many years, night and day. There were many other ministries and things she could have done, but she forgot not he whom I called to bring you into being. These, your older generation, are but the dirt clods that shall catch you when you fall. For now you flutter about in My light. You are in open ministries, being used in many ways. You have strength, you have youth, you have wisdom of witty inventions. But you need your foundation, these, your dirt clods.

152. What is that in thine hand? As you, when you were younger, opened many doors and were used in many ways by your parents as they ministered unto kings and in many countries, in like manner, your children shall be the key to many doors in times to come.

153. You are all parts of My Body, and you cannot say that you have not need one of another. These look dusty and covered, and look not like jewels, but that is because I have buffed them and ground them down. All I need to do is wash them and blow away the dust, and they are beautiful jewels and gems! You young ones are rough diamonds and I have much buffing to do, and these older ones shall encourage you in the times of buffing and grinding that you shall go through as well.

154. Beware of the leaven of the System! Beware of the leaven of the so–called "generation gap." For there is no younger or older in My Family. Who are these who are arrayed in white linen and have had their robes washed in the blood of the Lamb? They are My faithful ones, My called ones! They are the ones who have given what was left of their life to Me, after they left the System. You have all your life before you. You have lived all your life in the Family. You have your strength. You have your health. Use it for Me. Use it also to care for those who have gone before you. Honor them, and I shall honor you, and use you, and keep you in the times that are to come.

I See You in the Shadows!

155. The Lord God is no respecter of persons; we are all one in His sight. For there is no rich nor poor, no bond nor free, no Jew nor Greek, no young nor old; for all are one in Christ Jesus. Man may look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh upon the heart. And though our outward man may perish, yet the inward man can be renewed day by day by faith and obedience and love. For though your steps may falter where once they were strong, I know that your heart is of pure gold and has become of more pure gold through the fires of the years of refinement that I have given you.

156. I spoke to [the Apostle] Peter of this when he was young. I told him‚ "When you were young, you did go wherever you did want‚ but when you are old‚ another will carry you about where you want not to go." I was teaching him the humility of dying daily; of not being able to do in his own strength what he could when he was young; to gracefully allow his life to be given in sacrifice for others, as the lamb lays down his life to be eaten and devoured, rather than devouring others.

157. There is great reward and great treasure in humility and lowliness of mind, each esteeming others more than themselves. For when the fruit of your loins does sparkle in the light, I see the reward on your head as well as on theirs. I see you in the shadows waiting to catch them, and will reward you just as much as those who are in the limelight. When you feel unseen or unnoticed, but are faithful and cheerful and rejoice at the progress of another more than your own, this is great in My sight, and I will reward you in My time.

158. For this time is but for a moment, and afterwards shall come exceeding great and eternal rewards. Cast not away, therefore, your confidence. Cast not away your crown. For you already have many stars in your crown from your years of service and souls won to My Kingdom which you have accumulated over the years. Your head is heavy with this crown! Now you must allow the others to rise up and likewise reap their full reward, that in the world to come you may both rejoice that you have all run your full course to finish the race, and that henceforth will be laid up for you the crown of righteousness that the Lord will give to every man at His appearing.

159. (Vision:) I saw a picture of the older generation getting their crowns, and they were sort of in the shadows. Their crowns maybe didn't look so shiny‚ but they were solid and very thick and quite large, with lots of different jewels and stones on them. The younger ones' crowns were very shiny with new gold, sort of like when you get a new ring and it is all shiny and untarnished, but their crowns were smaller. It's like when a deer gets horns—they may be sharper, but they are smaller than a full-grown set of antlers. The young people were in the light and had real shiny crowns, but they didn't have that many jewels in their crowns yet. They weren't filled up yet, and that was the difference.

Precious Hearts of Gold!

160. Lift up the heads that hang down and the feeble knees, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, lest that which is older be discouraged, lest that which is weaker give up the fight. Lift up the hands which hang down, and put your arms around them with encouragement and love and faith and compassion and understanding and patience. For they are those that have a heart of gold, yet it is encased within pottery which is chipped and cracked. These are vessels which are old and chipped and cracked, not so shiny and not so new, but oh so beautiful. This heart of gold is precious—through the knowledge of the Word and these valuable experiences which can only be gained through time and the school of hard knocks, the ups and the downs, the failures and the successes, the tests and the trials and the victories.

161. There are so many precious lessons in these hearts of gold—lessons of hanging on and of fighting until the end; lessons of trusting Me even when everything looks dark; lessons of desperate prayer; lessons of faith for healing; lessons of faith for finances and My supply; lessons on the need for the Word and prayer; lessons on teamwork; lessons on witnessing and winning disciples.

162. Man looks on the outward appearance, but I look upon the hearts, and I cherish and I value these hearts, for they are precious unto Me. As antiques gain more and more value with age, these precious ones grow more and more valuable in My sight with age. That which they have to offer cannot be bought with money, for it is something that can only be acquired through the life of faith and trust, through the life of breakings and victory. It is so special and so precious and so rare.

163. Despise not these hearts of gold, but cherish them and protect them, value them, make it easy for them to be good. Use them to the full, that they may be content, that they may know that while they may not run or jump or fly like they once did, they have a very special place in the foundation of My Kingdom. For they receive My diamonds of dust. They feed and care for and train My diamonds of dust.

164. Give honor to whom honor is due. You younger ones, respect your elders, for they have much to offer you. You must look beyond their idiosyncrasies and little habits or ways which you find bothersome. Look deeper and see the precious things, that you may gain the precious things that these can teach you. For a wise man learns from his own experience, but a wiser man learns from the experience of others. These wise men have much to teach, for they have much experience. They have made many mistakes‚ they have fallen many times‚ yet they fight on! Even in their weakness, even in their discouragement, even in their correction, even in their fatigue, they fight on; and this is a great thing in My eyes‚ worthy to be praised and honored.

165. In the day of My Kingdom I shall lift these up and I shall honor them‚ and you shall see them as I see them! I shall place My crown of jewels upon their head and all will marvel at these, My faithful ones—these who have stuck year after year after year, these who have borne many children, these who have borne many hardships. I shall honor them and recognize their sacrifice and they shall be rewarded, for I do not forget their labors of love.

The Weak Things Shall Confound the Mighty!

166. Consider the autumn leaves and their magnificent colors. These colors have come upon them through pain and hardship, because of the frost, because of the coming of winter, because of suffering. Therefore you green leaves can look upon them and acknowledge what they had to go through to bear these colors. You may look upon the older generation and wonder, "Who are the conquerors amongst them? Who are the brave men? Who are the world changers? Who are the magnificent ones?" You see them not and you are disappointed. But do you not know that I have called the foolish things of the world, yea‚ the weak things, to confound the mighty? In this, My plan will not be defeated. For it is I Who have made them weak and humble and meek‚ that in their weakness and in their humility‚ I may be glorified.

167. They were also young once upon a time, and thought that in their youth and in their strength they could turn the world upside-down! And they have tried. But they have failed in their own strength and have acknowledged that their strength was not sufficient, for they have met battles and difficulties and hardships that they could not bear. But by and by they have learned to lean more and more on Me, and they now know that I am He Who does all things.

168. For it is I Who have called and created this Church. And have I not asked but one thing of them through your Father David, and of you also, that you would be faithful? I have not asked them to be successful, or to be a conqueror, or a mighty man, or a wonder of a personality‚ and you should not expect them to be so. For these are not what I have called to build My Church. I have called the weak ones who would be willing to lean on Me and learn from Me.

169. Look now upon all that I have done, and consider it not a failure, but a great success! No other church has accomplished as much with so little. Look at the billions who have been reached and witnessed to! Look at the millions of souls that have been won! I have accomplished all these things through your faithfulness. So you young ones, look not upon the older generation to seek great men and great personalities, for I had to break these one by one, that in their weakness and in their littleness I may be glorified.

170. Look not on the outward appearance to see them as weak people, nor even as failures, for I see them not as such. I see them as great and faithful ones who have brought about a mighty success. You see them in their frailty and in their weakness, but I see them in their uniforms, bearing the many medals and badges and ribbons of honor that they have won through the many battles and wars that they have fought. You look at this simple cook in your kitchen, who cooks a meal, and yet another meal, and yet another meal. And you wonder, "What is with this man? What has he ever accomplished but cooking?" But I see him in his uniform, shining with the many badges of honor that he has won, for he is a glorious one in My sight! Therefore look not on the outward appearance, but look on the heart. (End of prophecies.)

Overcoming the Generation Gap

ML #3161:20-24, 161–168, Lifelines 24

Appreciation for Our Older Generation

20. (Mama: ) I can see so clearly the strengths of the older generation and what they have to offer—even though they're weaker in the physical, and in some cases they battle afflictions‚ they're tired, and they don't have the strength and endurance that they had in their younger years. Yes, in some cases they have developed bad habits, they might be in ruts, and they might seem to you young people to be quite unbendable, immovable, and just downright old bottles! But I know their hearts, and I know and see all they've been through‚ all they've sacrificed, the difficulties they've endured, the sacrifices they've made to continue on in the Family as voices for the truth‚ while they raised you, their children.

21. They struggled with finances and pioneering and being missionaries with one hand, while they tried to raise you and supply your needs and teach you both scholastically and spiritually with the other. And in many cases, the older generation continues with these very taxing, strenuous responsibilities and schedules‚ as many still have large families of small children and they continue their witnessing ministries. Believe me‚ that's not an easy job, as some of you young people who are now married and are starting to have children of your own can understand.

22. Our older generation is like delicious, full-bodied, strong, vintage wine. The lessons they've learned and the experience they've had and the wisdom they've gained just through holding on and continuing to serve the Lord, come what may, no matter how difficult the circumstances, carves out for these older veterans a special place of honor in the Lord's eyes. (See ML #3128:111–120, GN 739.)

23. You young people might feel that you're pretty smart, pretty talented, and pretty well-trained by now, and many of you are! I don't argue with that. But I do not agree with some of you who feel that you don't need the older generation, that you can make it on your own, that you've grown up now, and you no longer need these old bottles holding you back, cramping your style, and bringing you down.

24. Possibly you're viewing large families or older first generation Family members as "dead weight," who require more care, finances and organization than they're worth. Maybe you feel that life would be much simpler, easier and more fun if you didn't have so many little kids running around your Homes. Maybe you're criticizing the first generation because they are now older and weaker physically and have more afflictions. If you are having problems with a generation gap in your Home or life, ask yourself honestly if that's how you feel.

161. (Jesus:) It is the nature of those who are older to be more cautious, to move more slowly, more prayerfully, to count the cost. This is a natural outgrowth of having responsibility—being responsible for children, bills, deadlines—and having to deal with the repercussions, either good or bad, of the decisions made. It's not that young people have not also been responsible. They too have had to care for children, pay bills‚ and meet deadlines, but they have not had to do so as much, nor for such a long period of time. So they lack the experience of carrying heavy responsibilities over the long term.

162. People who are young live more in the moment; they don't always see the future or the big picture. They only see the immediate circumstances, what's happening at that moment. They have more of a tendency to be completely engrossed in what is happening right then—either the pleasure and the excitement‚ or the battle and the sadness they feel. Whereas older people have learned to put things more in perspective, therefore they usually are not so impulsive and their emotions do not swing so wildly from one side to the other.

163. They're usually willing to give things time, to see how situations develop, and they're not often so easily affected by disappointment or a change of plans or something that doesn't necessarily go as they had hoped. They have learned through experience that things seem to have a way of balancing themselves out. They have found that if they are asked to make a sacrifice in one area, with time I will bless them and I will more than make up for it. Therefore those of the older generation are usually less affected by day-to-day events‚ and it's easier for them to keep the long-term vision.

164. Many of the older generation have also raised many children, and this has caused them to be naturally more sacrificial and less self-centered. Through years of having to forsake their free time‚ their sleep‚ their personal preferences, their hobbies, sports, and daily desires, they have developed a better perspective on what lasts, and they have seen that even though they have had to make those sacrifices‚ it has been well worth it. They have also usually experienced more revolutions, more hardships, and more persecution—all of which has caused them to have a deeper‚ stronger faith.

165. But because of their many years of serving Me, their much sacrificing, and the enormous number of tests and trials that they have endured, they have also become battle-weary in many cases. They're tired of the fight‚ tired of the lack of predictability in their lives, the lack of constancy. Many of the older generation, as they move toward the sunset years, desire things to be a little more settled down, a little more secure. Many have more physical afflictions or weaknesses; they don't sleep as well and find it difficult to get the exercise they need, so they lack the physical strength that they once had. Of course, this is a disappointment and a battle to many, but is something that they must accept.

166. As they see their physical strength and the beauty of their outward appearance waning, many suffer periods of discouragement or depression, because they know that they are not as well equipped in the physical in these later years as they were in their youth. So those of the older generation long to be appreciated and needed and looked up to for the things of the spirit, because they know that the riches of the spirit do not fade away. They want to be teachers; they want to be able to pour out; they want to be understood and needed and loved. They don't want to compete with the younger generation, and they don't want to be young again themselves, for they are thankful that they have passed through those difficult years. They do, however, long for a place of growth where they, too, can feel challenged. Being able to invest in the riches of the spirit, being able to share the lessons they've learned and the experience they've had with others is the key to joy for those of the older generation.

167. You who are young might see those who are older as inflexible and crotchety, as conservative and unchanging. You don't like the way they seem to put a damper in the spirit on new ideas or projects by wanting to fully consider all sides of the investment of time, money and personnel. So many of the older ones' ways are difficult for you to understand, and you see them as weaknesses. But remember that that is the nature of those who are older—to be more cautious‚ more careful, more prayerful, to move more slowly, and to make sure that each step is a sure step and a fruitful step. (End of message from Jesus)

168. (Mama: ) I hope that helps you young people to understand the adults better. It serves as a good reminder to all of us to be more sympathetic to and appreciative of those of the first generation.

Self-Righteousness—The Great Barrier to Uniting the Generations

ML #3293:139-169‚ GN 897

To the Idealistic Younger Generation

139. (Mama: ) Back to you of the second generation: Those of you who are on board in the spirit are a tremendous strength to the Family. As Dad has said many times‚ you are our hope of the future. I can't emphasize enough how much we need you and what a vital role you play in the Family overall. We not only need you as people, because there are very few of us to get the job done, but we need your youth‚ your passion, your new ideas, your energy, talent and faith. So please don't let the following messages discourage you, because we're not trying to alter your character or take away from the youthful qualities the Lord has blessed you with. But we all have things to learn, and this is one area that the Lord is pointing out right now for both generations to work on.

140. You can have a tendency toward what I'll call "youthful self-righteousness," which is manifested differently from the type of self-righteousness that we were talking about earlier in this GN. It's a completely unrelated problem. It has to do with that wonderful youthful zeal and enthusiasm that we need and appreciate so much, which can sometimes run away with you. You might not see how your self-righteousness is manifested, so I asked the Lord to explain it in this next message, which I pray helps you to see it more clearly, and thus be open to the Lord's solutions.

141. (Jesus speaking:) My young ones, you are gifted with energy, passion, vigor‚ a desire for change, and high ideals. You are that way because I made you that way. I love the way you are!

142. However, with that liveliness and fire can come impatience if things don't happen right away. You can be tempted to be critical if those around you don't measure up to your expectations. You can become rebellious when presented with valuable instruction from those who have more experience, just because you don't like the way they present it. You can be insistent on doing things a certain way, even when maybe it's not always the best way, because you lack experience and thus see things from a different angle, possibly a less mature or wise angle, but you're unwilling to accept that. You can look critically on your elders and parents, feeling that they've become old bottles who don't understand the way things really are.

143. All of these are typical symptoms of self-righteousness in youth. You have a desire to right the wrongs, to change the world, to be all that you can be. But with that youthful zeal and enthusiasm, you must gain wisdom if you're to truly make a difference in the world. It's natural to think that you're right, that you know the right way to do something. But with experience you learn that often you're not right—that I'm the only One Who is always right, and that it's wise to listen to others, to balance your decisions with Godly counsel and My Word.

144. My precious ones, the nature of youth is self-righteous. But I can help you to have the zeal and fervor of life without the self-righteousness, if you're willing to admit that you don't know everything and that you need lots of help. Remember that it's the nature of a novice to be lifted up in pride, but a truly wise man will value humility and the counsel of others.

145. Beware of self-righteousness, for it will thwart your growth. Then the opportunities that I send your way which I intend to shape you and prepare you for the ministry I have for you will pass you by, and you'll be found wanting. Take each opportunity for growth—don't pretend to know it all! With time you'll learn more, and coupled with the fire of youth, which I have put within you, you'll be a very useful tool in My hand—well-rounded, tempered, and strengthened. (End of message from Jesus.)

There's Room to Grow!

146. (Jesus speaking:) It's a wonderful sign of maturity when you put forth the effort to be united with the older generation. You don't have to worry or fear that you'll lose your individuality, your uniqueness‚ your radical desires‚ and your young personality when you step out to get along better with the older generation and become more united with them. It's not My plan or My will that you become "just like them." I made you differently, because I knew that your differences would become great strengths‚ if you could learn to work together in unity. I'm not trying to fit you into a mold to become just like the first generation, so there's no need for you to worry.

147. You do, however‚ need to be willing to change and grow—as it takes change and the willingness to grow and adapt on both sides if you're going to have that sweet unity and strength of spirit that I've ordained for you to have.

148. See it like this: The two generations are like two sides of a coin. Separately‚ you're worth very little. Maybe you have a bit of ornamental value‚ but when it comes down to buying something, you're worthless. But together‚ you're a very rare and precious coin of great worth, that can bring a goodly price. You're both completely different. The only thing that's the same is that you both belong to the same coin, and you do fit together. You're ordained to be as one. You're ordained through your differences to make up the beauty and value of the coin. One cannot do without the other, and separately you're worth very little.

149. So be willing to grow. Be willing to accept that part of the time it will be the older generation needing to change; part of the time the responsibility for change will lie with you; and the majority of the time it will be somewhere in between, with both sides needing to give and take a little.

150. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help prepare your heart to grow:

•Is my natural reaction to a suggestion from an older person to resist it and resent it, rather than stop and see what I can learn from their experience?

•Am I critical of those who naturally go slower, or put the brakes on when an idea is presented?

•Am I faithful to go to the Lord myself about the ideas that I have, and then present what He shows me for further consideration, prayer and counsel, which shows maturity?

•Am I demanding that things be done right now, or do I give the Lord time to work things out‚ and people's hearts time to adjust and get used to ideas?

•Am I willing to admit that not all my ideas are necessarily good ideas—that I might not be right, or that it might not be the best time to implement them?

•Do I try to push the rules as far as I can take them in every given situation? Do I see how much I can get away with? Or do I consider the effects of my actions and decisions, seek counsel when it's needed, and consistently stay within the guidelines that our Home has agreed upon?

•Do I do my best to uphold the responsibilities I carry as a Charter Member, or do I wait until someone makes me do them?

•Do I treat the older generation with the respect and consideration that I want them to treat me with? Or am I waiting for them to be nice to me before I'm respectful and considerate of them?

•Do I respect those who are doing their best to keep the standard? Or do I look down on them as being self-righteous or old bottles, and belittle them, either in my heart or through my words and actions?

151. If you honestly take time to assess your life according to those questions, I think you'll find that there's room for improvement. As I said, there's a lot of give and take needed on both sides. But don't get discouraged or feel that it will never happen. Start with yourself; pray and ask Me to help you to change in the areas that you need to change in, and then watch Me do the wonderful miracles that you can't do. Even if at first you just change in one or two areas, that's progress—and the progress that you make in this area will help you for the rest of your life, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.

152. Learning to get along with people of all ages and relate well to them is a skill well worth cultivating. It's highly sought after even in worldly circles and considered a valuable talent. And in My work of winning the world and becoming the leaders of tomorrow, which I've ordained for you to be, it's a "job critical" skill. (End of message from Jesus)

Stay Open—One of the

Greatest Attributes!

153. (Mama: ) Next is another beautiful message from Jesus to you of the second generation. It's so sweet of the Lord to present the lessons so gently, sharing how He was tempted with self–righteousness. In this message the Lord explains some of the ways that your self-righteousness affects your communication and working relationship with the first generation.

154. The Lord has called you our hope of the future. He's prepared you all your lives for the jobs you'll do for Him. It's very understandable that when you see something that needs to be done or you're given responsibility‚ that you'd want to get it done quickly, you'd want to do it right‚ and you'd want to go all the way with it. That's not wrong; that's the way the Lord made you—idealistic, with goals and visions, and a desire to get things done.

155. But along with that zealousness must come wisdom‚ and in order to have wisdom, you have to be patient, willing to go slow and ask the Lord and seek counsel, and receive instruction and training. You have to admit and have the attitude that you don't know everything; in fact, that you have a whole lot to learn! The Lord understands that it's sometimes very difficult. He shares a little of His Own testimony from when He was on Earth‚ and the things that He went through along those lines.

156. The thing you have to realize is that when you allow your self-righteousness to take over the way you think or do things, it affects your relationship with those of the older generation—and your peers too, for that matter. If you're willing to go slow, to operate in counsel, and show yourself willing to learn from instruction and those around you, you'll likely find that you'll be trusted and given more and more responsibility as time goes on. However‚ if you push too hard, you'll likely find that it has the opposite effect—the FGAs will pull back, they won't trust you as much, and might even feel threatened or hurt. So while it's very understandable that you'd have a tendency toward self-righteousness, overcoming it is an important part of learning and growing and merging the generations—because self-righteousness is the great enemy of unity.

157. (Jesus speaking:) My valiant armies who are young, I have given you many gifts and talents. I've given you a desire to live life to its fullest, a desire for excitement and fun, a driving passion to make the world a better place for all who live in it. You want to see equality, justice done, and righteousness cover the Earth. This is your zeal and what motivates you to do My will.

158. But with these attributes must also come temperance—knowing when to speak and when to accept what is being said, having patience when things or people are not perfect.

159. It's not possible to change the world today as much as we all would like to. I'd love to right every wrong and make everything perfect Myself, but it's just not possible to do instantly. It takes time to change things, and I know that process can be painful and frustrating. I know what it's like when you see a situation and you just want to go in there and rip it apart and redo it and make it better. I know the frustration at seeing something you want to change move so slowly that it looks like it's not even moving. I know. I too have been there.

160. I too had to learn to put up with the many imperfections of this life. I came from Heaven, where all is just and equal and perfect, to a world where injustice and imperfection rule. I came from a world where all is right and My Father's will is done and everyone loves each other, and there aren't the same pains and burdens that this life brings with it. I must admit that at times My spirit was so grieved that I wanted to give up or explode. I felt like wiping whole situations off the face of the Earth because people just wouldn't get the point. But I also loved those who were in the situation, I knew that they weren't perfect, and My Father gave Me compassion and understanding for them. It didn't change the fact that there were changes that they needed to make, but it helped Me to see that they were human and that I, in My youthful zeal, couldn't change things by pushing My way of thinking.

161. I had to stop and listen to My Father for advice. I had to stop and ask, "How much can I expect this to change? How can I look at this situation through Your eyes, Father? How can I help, instead of push people to the point of resentment and distrust?" I asked questions to find out how I could help the situation to change, rather than change it all on My Own.

162. Oh, it would have been great if I could have come down to Earth and simply whipped everything into shape, but it doesn't work that way. There will always be things that are lacking, that need work, that are imperfect.

163. You young ones have a great desire to see things become perfect—when in reality they never will be. That was something I too had to learn when I was young on Earth. I saw that nothing will ever be exactly perfect on this Earth. There will always be little flaws, things that annoy or bug you about the situation‚ so you just have to expect those things and accept them.

164. I know that's hard to take. It's like a pin or needle in your balloon—pop, burst! It can take the wind out of you. But remember that My Father, though perfect, has great compassion on people too. He sees that it's not possible for them to live up to the standard that He has for Himself‚ so He doesn't expect them to. If someone is genuinely trying to do the right thing and trying to follow, He has mercy on them and gives them every benefit of the doubt, trying for as long as is possible to be patient and to help them change.

165. He doesn't get frantic and impatient with them. He doesn't cuss and swear and fume because they aren't living up to something He would expect of Himself. He just lovingly takes them where they are at and accepts them, weaknesses and all, and tries to help them do better. So something that will really help you not to look at the first generation critically is if you remember the following:

•You're not perfect. You've made mistakes and you have faults too‚ so why should you expect someone else to be perfect?

•Things will never be 100% perfect. So try to accept them for what they are‚ and make the most of them.

166. This is not to say that there may not be changes that need to be made, especially if the situation or circumstance isn't up to standard. Changes will need to be made if that is the case. But if the situation is in line with the Word and the Charter and it's not causing harm or damage, then don't expect the people involved to be perfect. Understand that everyone is human, and they're trying their best to do what I've called them to do, but they can't always hit the mark. As much as they'd like to, they have human frailties that keep them from being perfect—otherwise they wouldn't be able to love others as much or understand when others fail and make mistakes.

167. So thank Me for the parts of your life or your Home that are good and are working well—and the rest‚ well‚ commit them to Me and trust that I'll work things out and I'll see to it that the progress is made in My time. And be there to do whatever I ask you to do to help. Sometimes I might ask you to lay off, chill, and cool it; whereas other times I may ask you to get in there and get your hands dirty and really work at changing things.

168. Just be open. That's one of the greatest attributes you can have. Be open to whatever I might have to say or ask you to do. And remember, I'm in control. I see the situation that bothers you too, and I won't just leave things the way they are if they need some changing. I'll get in there and help the ones involved to see the changes that need to be made. But it's not going to do them or you any good if you rush in and try to do things on your own. That will really screw things up. You have to remember that I'm in control, and I'll work things out according to My plan if everyone involved will listen to Me and yield to what I've got planned for them.

169. Don't let your young hearts run away with you. I know it's easy to do so, and it's downright hard not to. You want to get in there and make it right—and quickly too. But remember that I'm in control. Trust Me and ask Me about it. Don't try to change things on your own, because I guarantee you'll just make a bigger mess, like the story of the employee who tried to fix the expensive machine but wound up ruining it. Call the Boss and let Me help you work things out. Okay? You'll find that things go so much better if you do. (End of message from Jesus)

Old Age

Word Basics

1. The blessings of old age:

A. Old age has its own special beauty ' glory:

Pro.16:31The hoary (grey) head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness

Pro.20:29bThe beauty of old men is the grey head

B. God's Word says that the elderly should be honored ' respected:

Lev.19:32Thou shalt rise up [in respect] before the hoary head, ' honor the face of the old man

Job 32:4‚6Elihu had waited till Job [' the others] had spoken, because they were elder than he

Pro.23:22Hearken unto thy father...' despise not (respect) thy mother when she is old

C. The passing of years usually brings wisdom:

Job 12:12With the ancient is wisdom; ' in length of days understanding

Job 32:7Days should speak, ' multitude of years...teach wisdom

1Ki.12:1-16[King Rehoboam's folly in not following the wise advice of the old men]

D. Long years of trusting the Lord brings assurance:

Psa.37:25I have been young, ' now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken

E. We shouldn't be sad about old age:

Eccl.11:10Remove sorrow from thy heart...for childhood ' youth are vanity

2. God's special help in our old age:

Isa.46:4Even to your old age I am He; ' even to hoar hairs will I carry you...' will deliver you

(See also Psa.71:8,9‚17‚18)

4. God can mightily use aged believers:

A. Promises of fruitfulness:

Psa.92:13,14They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be (fresh) ’ flourishing

B. Material ministering ' good deeds:

2Sam.19:32–35[Barzillai, 80 years old, helped support King David in his time of great need—See also 2Sam.17:27-29]

C. Spiritual ministries:

Exo.7:7[Moses was 80 years old when he led the Exodus]

Joel 2:28I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; '...your old men shall dream dreams (See also Acts 2:16,17)

Dan.9:1; 10:1[Daniel received two of his greatest revelations between the ages of 85 and 90]

Rev.1:1,9[The apostle John received the Book of Revelation in exile on Patmos‚ in his 80's or 90's]

D. Some conditions to being used of God:

Tit.2:2,3Aged men be sober, (reverent), temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience [that they may teach]

E. The ministry of prayer:

1Sam.12:1,2‚16,19[Samuel‚ aged ' grey-headed‚ prayed ' the Lord performed a miracle to punish the errant Israelites]

Lk.2:36,37Anna, a prophetess...of about (84 years old), served God with fastings ' prayers night ' day

1Tim.5:5,9[Prayer, a special ministry for women over 60]

F. Witnessing:

Lk.2:36-38[Anna, 84 years old, witnessed to others about Jesus]

Phlm.9-11,16Paul the aged [led Onesimus to receive Jesus]

Acts 28:30,31[Paul witnessed to all those who came to visit him]

(See also 2Tim.1:5; 3:15—Witnessing to our children ' grandchildren)

G. God can use those who think they are too old:

Gen.18:10-14;21:1,2[Sarah, at 90, laughs ' doubts she can have a child] (See also Gen.17:15–17; Lk.1:36.)

H. God sometimes doesn't really use us until we're older ’ wiser:

Acts 7:23-34[Moses tried to start his life's work at 40, but was not really ready for it until he was 80]

I. Keep faithfully serving Jesus till our parting day:

2Pet.1:12-15I think it meet‚ as long as I am in this (body)‚ to stir you up [’ establish you in the truth]

J. Steadfastly enduring adversity in old age:

Phlm.9,10Paul the aged‚ ' now also a prisoner...in bonds

Rev.1:9[John, in his 80's or 90's, exiled to the isle of Patmos]

5. Strength in old age:

A. God can give us strength ' health:

Deut.33:25As thy days, so shall thy strength be

Deut.34:7Moses an 120 years old...his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated

Isa.40:29To them that have no might He increaseth strength

Psa.103:5[He] satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's

Josh.14:7,10,11I (Caleb) am this day (85) years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was [when I was 40]

B. Courage ' determination give strength ' victory in old age:

Josh.14:10-14[Caleb‚ 85 years old, declared:] Give me this mountain [inhabited by giants in strongly-fortified cities] The Lord will be with me...I shall drive them out

C. Giving God the credit for keeping us during a difficult life:

Josh.14:10Behold, the Lord hath kept me alive‚ these (45) years... in the wilderness...' I am this day (85) years old

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